“Then let’s get out of here. We don’t have to do this. Not at that price.”
“Go where?” Kid asked. “The heavens and Earth are being destroyed. Soon there won’t be anything left of either.”
“We’ll find some corner someplace where nothing can ever bother us.”
But even as Treycore said it, Kid knew it was nothing more than a pipe dream.
“Come on,” Trey said, hooking an arm around him and pulling him close. Kid relaxed as Treycore kissed him. It was easy to get lost in that kiss, to forget about his responsibilities, his fate, and just enjoy that moment. He grabbed the back of Treycore’s head, firming their kiss. He wanted so much more. He wanted to rip off his clothes and let Treycore do his worst to him, give him his everything. But there wasn’t time, and that would be too selfish. Instead, this was his moment, this was the opportunity where he could do what had to be done.
He summoned what energy was in him. He summoned his newfound power, and a vine wrapped around one of Treycore’s wrists and then the other as two more looped around his ankles, keeping him in place. Kid pulled away as the vines continued spiraling up Treycore’s legs.
“What are you doing?” Treycore asked. He tensed his jaw, his muscles flexing as he pulled against the hold of the vines.
“I’m going to do what has to be done,” Kid said. “What I was made to do.”
“No,” Trey called out. The anger, the hurt, the hatred behind it tore through Kid. He didn’t want to hurt Treycore, not like this, but he knew what must be done. “You can’t do this,” Trey said. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” Kid replied. “But this was always our fate. This was always where we were heading, whether we wanted to or not. And I’m ready.”
“How can you do this?” Trey asked. “How can you sacrifice yourself for this monstrous world, this world of disgusting creatures, most of whom would let you die if given the chance?”
Kid looked him in the eyes. Those eyes that were so mesmerizing. “Someone once told me that despite all the terrible things in humanity, there was something good, something worth fighting for.”
“No,” Trey cried again. “I need you. I can’t do this without you. I can’t do an eternity without you.”
“My time was always limited. It’s just a little more limited now.”
Kid approached him, stroked his hand down Treycore’s face before Treycore submitted and kissed him again. He could feel his anger, his hate, his rage, but also that he wasn’t willing to give up the opportunity for another moment together. Kid pulled closer. He just wanted to be there in that one moment for all the rest of eternity while everything fell apart around them.
He pulled his lips from Trey’s, his arm still around him. “We never got to live some stupid, boring life, did we?” Kid said. “Doesn’t boring sound nice? Me, some waiter at a diner, and you…maybe…I don’t know, dog-sitting or something? And then we’d be tired as fuck when we got home from work, and we’d fight after the long day…maybe because we can’t make ends meet or have some sort of disagreement about something we saw on the news. We’d fight about the dumbest shit ever. Then we’d get to have that make-up sex later, and I’d wake up to the alarm the next morning because I’d have to pull a double, but you’d make me stay in bed for just a few more minutes. Doesn’t that sound nice?”
“We can have that, Kid. Stay with me. Please.”
He felt Treycore’s body tremble. He was used to Trey’s strength, so to see him weak like that made him feel terrible, especially knowing he was responsible for it.
“I can give you one more kiss,” Kid said before pressing his lips against Trey’s. And Trey took that, savored it with him.
While the heavens ripped themselves apart and the earth was ravaged by the beasts from this horrible monster they stood near, he lost himself in Treycore, his mind drifting back to his first meeting with him in that strip club, when Trey was so cold to him. To when they fought in the jungle, to when they fucked…oh, and what a fuck it was. He felt that deep, profound connection he always shared with Trey, losing himself for a moment, but just a moment, because as soon as he slipped back into his awareness of the present, he knew the longer he kept himself close to Treycore, the harder it would be for him to do what needed to be done.
He pulled back, Trey’s lips keeping close until Kid forced them apart.
“Goodbye, Treycore. I love you.”
“Don’t do this,” Treycore cried out, his neck tense, the veins pushing forward.
“I’m so sorry,” Kid said. He turned to Aerysn, who now stood beside them, watching on, sorrow in his expression. He clearly didn’t enjoy the sight.
“I just hope,” Kid said to him, “this does some good.”
Kid forced his gaze from Treycore and headed toward the entrance to the creature’s dwelling.
“Come back,” Treycore said. “One more kiss goodbye.”
Kid turned back to him. “I don’t think I could handle that, and it won’t make this any easier for either of us.” And with that he turned and headed back toward the creature, the Christ, the monster…the reason he had come to this tower…the reason he had even been created.
Treycore shouted after him, but Kid marched on.
“You bastards!” he shouted at their companions. “Someone fucking stop him…someone…”
