Dave, a daring man of remarkable.. "acheivement", stood alone on the beach, gazing over the clear, teal water. His purple hair danced lightly in the ocean breeze. He tried to keep still despite his impatient excitement as he adjusted his sunglasses.
He wore a tawny shirt that left his bronze arms bare and chartreuse shorts that looked comfortable and easy to wear. His lilac hair was bound back from his face, complementing his audacious swarthy visage. A prominent scar stood out on his auburn skin.
His thoughts wandered to his days in Jack's company. It all started when he found himself not willing to let go of Jack. He truly feared that his life would never be the same without Jack. Jack was surprised, but they stayed with each other. From then on, they were inseparable. They shared every part of their life with each other. That was how it was to this very day.
Dave spotted Jack further down on the beach, closer to the roaring sea. He was turned toward the ocean. He was dressed in a tank top and swimming trunks. His skin was ivory, tinted with tawny, and his form was slight. A prominent scar stood out on his fair, tinted with light brown, face. "Old Sport," he called, walking towards him.
Jack glanced back and a daring smile flashed across his face. "Hey. Dave."
Dave smirked and flicked a bit of hair over his shoulder. "Good to see you. C'mon." They began their leisurely walk along the ocean's edge.
"So, Old Sport," Dave began.
"So, Dave," Jack mirrored.
"How's that "project" going? You know the one."
Yes, they both knew the one with the dead kids. Jack still had more dead kids to save and Dave had agreed to help. Dave frowned a bit.
"Maybe we should just.. Enjoy this break, right Old Sport? I don't think those ghosts would be glad to see me anyway..." His voice trailed off.
"Hm?" Jack prodded, before following Dave's gaze. In the distance, they could see the outline of a building that brought back memories.
"...That place." Dave unconsciously drew closer to Jack, who wrapped his arm around him.
"Funny, seeing it like this," Dave murmured.
"Funny..." Jack echoed. "This was where you and Henry used to work, right?.. Jeez.. How long has it been since you used to work with him?"
"Not that long. It'll never be long enough." Dave said sighing. Jack gave Dave a sad look. "But, look, Dave. Your alive. You survived.. him."
"I know that!" Dave interjected. "I just don't like remembering Henry, Sportsy."
"He did a lot of bad things to me."
"Don't worry, I'll keep you safe." Jack said. "Now, come on meathead." He swiftly set off walking down the beach.
"Old Sport wait up!"
After a few moments, they found themselves walking down the beach again. Something was bothering Dave, although Dave didn't want to admit it. He didn't want to burden Jack with it anyway -- he was supposed to be the stronger one! Still, his worst memory wouldn't leave him alone.
All the same, Jack seemed to notice. He looked at Dave cautiously for a moment before murmuring, "Dave? Is... something wrong?"
"Jack... it's..."
They locked eyes. "You can tell me."
It was like a floodgate burst, or some barrier of fear had been struck down. Dave shook his head and everything came out at once. "I... I keep remembering it, heh. That day. Jack, I can't help myself! I don't want to think about it... it burns. But even when I sleep, it comes back to me in my dreams, no, nightmares. I can't forget, not for a moment.. Not a moment's peace."
Jack listened silently and solemnly. At last, when all the words had left Dave and he was at a loss for words, Jack reached out to him and took a deep breath. "I... Dave, that's... that's something I've felt too. My worst memory... I remember it again, and it hurts... just like that. ...You're not alone, Dave." Jack brushed his fingertips against Dave's arm. Dave's eyes began to burn, and he abruptly pulled Jack into a fierce embrace. Jack's eyes widened, but then he too felt overwhelmed by emotion and succumbed to the warmth of Dave's touch.
"You... As long as you're here, I'll be all right..."
"Dave..." Jack laid a hand on Dave's shoulder, pushing him lightly so that they parted enough to look each other in the eye. "The truth is, I... feel the same way about you."
Dave tilted his head forward, pressing their foreheads together, and said, "What is it, Jack? Have you... been in pain, too, Sportsy?"
Jack took a shuddering breath. "It's... it's my parents. My mother, my father... sometimes I can't believe they're gone. It's not just that they're dead, but when it happened, it... changed so much. Sometimes I wonder about what it'd be like if it all went back.... I don't even know how I would feel about that. It just... it hurts, Dave, thinking about it. It just hurts."
Dave placed his hands on Jack's cheek. "Jack... you're not alone. I know what it's like -- it happened to me too. I know that pain." Dave placed his hands on Jack's shoulders. They held each other as tears trickled down their cheeks and dripped onto the shifting sand to be carried away into the sea. With time and soothing embraces, their pain dissipated into a mist swept out by the ocean breeze and into the setting sun.
They basked in each other's quiet companionship for a few moments.
"The sunset is so beautiful, isn't it?"
Dave lifted his head at Jack's words to behold the dying sun's flaming radiance. "It's nice."
After a moment of silence, Jack asked, "Do you think we'll be together forever?"
"I think we'll be forever," Dave murmured in response.
"I would like that, Davey. Let's be together forever, then." Jack clutched Dave's hand and sidled closer.
Dave sighed with contentment and brought Jack closer. He gazed at the beautiful aurulent rays of the falling sun, thinking about everything that had transpired on this day and all that would pass between them.
"You'll hurt your eyes doing that," Jack added.
"Oh never mind my eyes." Dave sighed, kissing Jack to shut him up. When they parted, he murmured, "I love you, Jack."
"I love you too, Dave."
Their lips met, and lilac strands met carrot-colored ones, aflame in the dying light. The sand was their witness and the rumbling ocean their approving audience, and Jack, his eternally faithful lover. Dave thought to himself that nothing could be more perfect in the world.
