owwwww
They’d know it was coming. Since they were children they knew. They were ill, and were not expected to recover.
He’d always wondered what the illness was as a child, as they’d sometimes disappear for weeks on end, and what the long term effects would be. But it wouldn’t be until they were teenagers that he’d find out.
They’d collapsed one day while with him, and wouldn’t wake. And it wouldn’t be until a month later, after one of his visits to their hospital room, that their parents had taken pity on him and told him what they suffered from.
It’s common name was just Sleep. In the old days, it had been something that could be inflicted on a person. They’d be powerless to stop it, and would’t wake without outside help. It was rare these days though, and the remedy(ha) to it had been lost to time. They’d been afflicted with it, and the times it took them to wake were getting longer and longer.
So when they were adult, and he’d been through two more of their sleep attacks, they both knew that the next time…They might not wake again.
Though, year later, there were enough cases of it to have developed tests to tell when they would fall into another sleep attack. And to both of their dismay, it was soon. And it’d be longer than any before it.
They’d pretend everything was normal at first. Go on with their lives, ignore the elephant in the room. But then…as the date drew nearer and near they’d be unable to pretend anymore.
“Ignis…I want you to go on without me.” They’d say out of the blue one day. They’d be sitting with each other in silence, enjoying their time together. But they wouldn’t be able to hide from the truth any longer. “Just…forget the sleeping person in the hospital room, and just live your life.”
Ignis would put down what he was doing, and look them dead in the eye. It’d be such an intense stare they’d look away, unable to hold his gaze for long.
“No. And don’t ever say something like that again.” He’d begin. “I’ve waited for you every time you’ve slept since we’ve met. And I’ll keep waiting. Don’t ask me to just leave you behind because we’re unsure…Because we know what’s coming this time.” He’d take their hand in his and just squeeze, as if afraid they’d disappear. And in a way they were. “I care about you too much to just ‘move on’ so don’t ask again. Please.”
By the end his voice would have thickened with emotion, revealing the very real fact that he was just as scared as them. And they’d end up shedding a few tears themself ask they argued their point. “There’s no guarantee that I’ll wake this time. And just the thought of you, left in stasis waiting…It hurts. I don’t want you to stop living your life for me. I’m begging you. Please be happy.”
It’s be a back and forth debate, one that Ignis would ultimately win. Because like hell he was just going to leave them in his past. There was no happiness without them. For the rest of that night they’d just hold each other, waiting for the sun to come up.
And during the week their sleep was supposed to take them, neither of the pair slept really. They’d spend every moment with each other, as if frantic to make memories to keep them company while they were separated.
And one day, when they’d fallen asleep together on their bed, he awakes. But they don’t. After having a moment of bitter sadness to himself, he’d call the caretakers from the hospital, and go with them on the transport as they were moved into the hospital’s care.
And he’d wait. He’d wait and wait. They’d be safely a sleep, and he’d go through out his life, frequently checking on them. And even though it takes years, he waits for them to wake again. It would be the longest 5 years of his life.
Imagine Final Fantasy 