River hadn't meant to linger by the cemetery. Or Semetary as it seems to be called, these days. But something had drawn her there. Something like hope, but darker. Of course she didn't want to find the graves of those she loved, but... perhaps she could leave flowers for Wash, if she found him.
At least that's what she told herself.
She's not surprised. Not entirely, when she sees the figure of her brother there. She chokes, covers her mouth to try and keep in the tears as he moves towards her. She can see the trees at the far end of the graveyard through him.
It's him but it's not him.
It doesn't matter. He's here.
At first her arms go through him, and Simon laughs tearfully. "Let me try, mèimei." He shimmers for a second, seems to be more solid, and pulls her into his arms.
"How?" River asks, not wanting to know but needing to know.
"Reavers. Right up the spine. Barely felt a thing." Apparently she looks disbelievingly at him, because he touches her nose to hers with a reassuring smile. "Ha ha, made a face."
"Making fun," she accuses, and he doesn't deny it. "Let me take you home."
It's the last night of November. For the past few days, Simon had been finding it harder and harder to stay corporeal. Things passed through him more easily. It was becoming more and more difficult to wrap her arms around him, or take his hand.
...ᴀɴᴅ yᴏᴜ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴋᴇᴇᴩ ᴍᴇ ᴄʟᴏꜱᴇ...
They both knew what was coming, but River didn't want to admit it. Every time Simon brought it up she'd scream and cover her ears, retreat into her dance studio until the feelings of anger and frustration passed.
"It isn't fair," she'd wail, and Simon would do his best to hold her.
"I know, mèimei. I know."
... ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴀɪɴ...
The end of the month came over the weekend. Not that River had a strict class schedule anyway, and she'd been skipping classes to spend more time with Simon anyway, but it seemed... appropriate.
River was frantic, doing her best to cook a last meal for them to enjoy together, even though Simon hadn't been able to eat that whole month anyway.
Simon watched quietly as she flung pots and pans and cans of food across the room, frustrated in her inability to solve the problem in the given time frame.
"I need -- something. A task. Give me something to do, give me something to fix, I can fix this, I can fix it if you just let me -- "
"Mèimei," Simon said quietly, using all of his strength and will to cup his hands over her face. "Stop."
... ᴡɪʟʟ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰʟᴏᴡᴇʀꜱ...
"I know," River sobbed. Helpless. Hopeless. "But I'm not ready to say goodbye. Not again. Not now. We need more time."
"But we don't have it," Simon sighed, and pulled her close. "I'm sorry, River. You know I would stay if I could."
Her tears fell to the floor, passing through Simon entirely. She couldn't feel his arms. "I know."
"Maybe -- maybe I'll see you again. And maybe it won't be the me that was here this time, but it will always be me. I love you, I'll always be here."
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Can I Keep You?
ɪ ᴩʀᴏᴍɪꜱᴇ ɪ'ʟʟ ᴋᴇᴇᴩ yᴏᴜ ꜱᴀꜰᴇ
River hadn't meant to linger by the cemetery. Or Semetary as it seems to be called, these days. But something had drawn her there. Something like hope, but darker. Of course she didn't want to find the graves of those she loved, but... perhaps she could leave flowers for Wash, if she found him.
At least that's what she told herself.
She's not surprised. Not entirely, when she sees the figure of her brother there. She chokes, covers her mouth to try and keep in the tears as he moves towards her. She can see the trees at the far end of the graveyard through him.
It's him but it's not him.
It doesn't matter. He's here.
At first her arms go through him, and Simon laughs tearfully. "Let me try, mèimei." He shimmers for a second, seems to be more solid, and pulls her into his arms.
"How?" River asks, not wanting to know but needing to know.
"Reavers. Right up the spine. Barely felt a thing." Apparently she looks disbelievingly at him, because he touches her nose to hers with a reassuring smile. "Ha ha, made a face."
"Making fun," she accuses, and he doesn't deny it. "Let me take you home."
You're here, that's all I need to know
...ᴀɴᴅ yᴏᴜ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴋᴇᴇᴩ ᴍᴇ ꜱᴀꜰᴇ...
It's the last night of November. For the past few days, Simon had been finding it harder and harder to stay corporeal. Things passed through him more easily. It was becoming more and more difficult to wrap her arms around him, or take his hand.
...ᴀɴᴅ yᴏᴜ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴋᴇᴇᴩ ᴍᴇ ᴄʟᴏꜱᴇ...
They both knew what was coming, but River didn't want to admit it. Every time Simon brought it up she'd scream and cover her ears, retreat into her dance studio until the feelings of anger and frustration passed.
"It isn't fair," she'd wail, and Simon would do his best to hold her.
"I know, mèimei. I know."
... ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴀɪɴ...
The end of the month came over the weekend. Not that River had a strict class schedule anyway, and she'd been skipping classes to spend more time with Simon anyway, but it seemed... appropriate.
River was frantic, doing her best to cook a last meal for them to enjoy together, even though Simon hadn't been able to eat that whole month anyway.
Simon watched quietly as she flung pots and pans and cans of food across the room, frustrated in her inability to solve the problem in the given time frame.
"I need -- something. A task. Give me something to do, give me something to fix, I can fix this, I can fix it if you just let me -- "
"Mèimei," Simon said quietly, using all of his strength and will to cup his hands over her face. "Stop."
... ᴡɪʟʟ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰʟᴏᴡᴇʀꜱ...
"I know," River sobbed. Helpless. Hopeless. "But I'm not ready to say goodbye. Not again. Not now. We need more time."
"But we don't have it," Simon sighed, and pulled her close. "I'm sorry, River. You know I would stay if I could."
Her tears fell to the floor, passing through Simon entirely. She couldn't feel his arms. "I know."
"Maybe -- maybe I'll see you again. And maybe it won't be the me that was here this time, but it will always be me. I love you, I'll always be here."
"I know," River said again. And then he was gone.
... ɢʀᴏᴡ...
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