What If?// WDW BxB: Corbyn-Shots

Day 17|| Happy Birthday Bean- Why Don't We

Summary: Jonah goes to visit Corbyn's grave, though it seems the others had the same idea

Jonah's POV
" Happy birthday, my love," his tombstone cold and smooth beneath my fingers. Tracing the rounded corners as I neared the edge," I still miss you, you know? I don't think I'll ever stop," the stem of a single ice-blue flower brushing my hand as I twirled it slow. I could almost see him in those frosty petals. His sparkling eyes gazing up into mine, always so bright.

My head snapping to attention at the gentle crunch of approaching feet. Pine cones being crushed beneath Daniel's weight, the younger barely glancing at me.

" I didn't think you'd be here," my soft words lacking confidence. Unsure of how to greet him.

" Yeah," Daniel's scoff bitter," because you're the only one that cares about him. Right?" The words spat onto the freezing ground. Oceans suddenly set in a glare and locked with my own.

" Daniel, I... I didn't...", voice lost to the crackle of his steps. Carefully kneeling to lay his maroon flowers at the base of Corbyn's stone. The creamy skin of his forehead a sharp contrast to the slate-gray it rested upon. Libs falling over his softened gaze.

" Happy birthday, Corbs. I miss you," I shifted on the opposite end. Listening felt weird, as if I was eavesdropping on some personal conversation. Maybe I was, maybe I should just go. Despite those thoughts, I watched Daniel follow the grooves of the etched words.

Here lies Corbyn Matthew Besson. November 25, 1998- November 20, 2018. The universe shall forever mourn the loss of one of its brightest stars.

The glisten of his sole tear faint, but present. My teeth snuggling into my lip, pulling the flap of skin into the warmth of my moist cave. Palm burning, desperate to feel the plush-looking fabric of his blue hoodie. Desperate to comfort him even if I had forgotten how.

The graveyard grew silent around us. The air settling, bringing the drift of journeying seeds to a halt. Forcing them to plant wherever they landed. Well, it was almost silent, Daniel's occasional sniffle the only thing to break it. Clearly he was still hurting.

My steel-blue flicking to him once more. Timidly reaching out for him, my fingers only brushing his hand at first. I took his digits between mine, hating the awkward heat his appendage radiated. This used to be so easy.

His brilliant gaze widened in slight shock. Looking to our entwined fingers, then to me. I offered him a small, sincere smile and a gentle squeeze.

He didn't pull away. I was so glad he didn't pull away. Instead, his thumb began its cautious adventure through the hills and valleys of my knuckles.

The flutter of my lids gradual, soon completely shielding my eyes. Relishing in the familiar touch I had missed so dearly. I could feel Daniel gazing at me, I could almost feel a smile.

Though it all vanished the moment a twig snapped from behind. We both flinched away from one another, even if we were a gravestone apart. I glancing back, looking on in awe as Jack and Zach strolled over. Side by side. Shoulder to shoulder. Just like always.

" Hey," Jack's greeting weak, lost. Not truly looking at us, he almost seemed to gaze past us at something no one else could see. Zach's boots kneading the ground before them.

" Hi," my whisper almost carried away in a sudden, frigid wind. A shudder scampering along my spine, leaping over the ridges between vertebrae. Restarting the trip once reaching my nape.

Only now did I notice the duo of bouquets each boys held. I stepped aside, gesturing to Corbyn's resting place.

Zach scurried past, wasting no time in returning to Jack's side. I winced softly, he had never been like that. Never with us.

A stronger gust followed the initial breeze. Seeming to guide us to our rightful positions. With Daniel on my left and the short pair on my right.

Said gust snaked its way between us, carrying the few leaves that had fallen as well as the feather of a sparrow.

None of us spoke, none knowing what to say. Daniel's tears had run dry at some point. The wind didn't stop. Constantly slamming into us, insistently nuzzling into my chest. A puppy made of ice.

Zach tucking closer to Jack. Daniel's hands disappearing into his pocket. My heart cringing at the action, even if it had nothing to do with me.

The world seemed to freeze over around us. Nothing moved, but the crisp air cutting between us. Howling angrily. Pissed that we had let this happen. That we had let everything we had worked for for years fall apart in a matter of weeks. Pissed that we hadn't fought.

" Bean would be fucking pissed," words slipping from betwixt Zach's lips for the first time. Our eyes flicking to him," boys what the hell happened to us?" His tone dripping with despair. The thick emotion hitting the crisp grass, sizzling against the cold.

" Grief changes people," I knew he was looking at me. I knew his ocean gems were glazed over with hurt. And I didn't have the heart to look at him.

" I never meant for it to end like this," the sentence no more than a distraught whisper. Pale lids dropping," Daniel you have to know I never meant to hurt you. You just... after everything you just have to know that."

I still didn't look to him, even as my steel orbs reappeared. Instead, I studied the gentle rainbow we had laid across Corbyn's plot.

" I wanna think that," Daniel spoke after several silent beats," but you have no idea how much that hurt, Jonah. We were all just as broken as you and... a-and you...", a glistening sheen enveloping brilliant blue. His shitting lids squeezing out a trio of tears.

" I know you were," I spoke for him. Unable to stand seeing Daniel like this," and, I'm sorry. I... I-I never wanted this. I love you guys. Y-you're my everything and I never thought... I-I ne-ver thought we'd have to say goodbye."

Four separate pairs of eyes falling on Corbyn's grave. Heavy with the shame of what had happened. Of giving up so easily.

" I really miss you guys," Jack spoke slow. Words no more than a drawn out sniffle," I don't want it to end like this. I can't lose you guys too," his voice shattering. Zach's arms encircling him, keeping him close.

" We failed him," Daniel's gapped fangs sinking into his lips. Whimpering his words," we promised each other. We promised him," my fingers slipping between his pocket and palm. Lacing us together, locked by our hands.

" Not yet. We can fix this," my other reaching for Jack. He grabbed it, hesitant to entwine our fingers," we'll fix this. For Corbyn."

" For Corbyn."

The world grew still once more. Time seeming to stop. Gray clouds no longer drifting near. Leaves no longer gliding down from their perches.

The wind no longer blowed.

1191

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Author's Note: Happy belated birthday, Corbyn.