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Archer could barely hear the count down, his blood was just roaring in his ears along with the screams of all his demons begging to taste this man's blood.
His body knew instantly when it was time to go. He was on his feet quick and pure survival licked his veins.
In addition, vengeance roared in his ears, it made his vision so red he could barely see through it. He needed to remove himself from this fight, let his murderous instincts and skill take hold of his nerves.
And sure enough, that vengeance costed him a sloppy move. The blow that John threw his way was too pricey, he needed to be sharper.
He continued with his battle, his muscles pumping and fighting to fully utilize the shitty equipment he was given.
He was blind to what was happening around him, the only comfort and calm he was granted was the quick glimpses of that beautiful golden hair from his only vice.
Violet.
He took a deep breath. It was time to finish this.
He swung his sword down hard on John from the left, he blocked it quickly but Archer swung his body weight into his fist that collided with the man's face.
The satisfying crack her heard made a smile twist on to his lips. John staggered back to regain his composure, he recovered quicker than Archer anticipated.
He charged at him, murder lacing his hues.
Archer couldn't stop the rage that bubbled over for this man. This horrible horrible man that he dedicated his life to killing.
This would be sweet.
Gun shots rang behind him, causing an uproar of panic that captured Johns attention for a millisecond.
He would regret that millisecond for the rest of his life.
Not paying one mind to the commotion, Archer capitalized on this detrimental second.
He plunged the sword in the chest cavity of the monster before him. The slick slice of the sword through his flesh made his heart beat faster, it made a satisfying snap clock in his brain.
He twisted the sword and smirked, holding his gaze with John tight. He watched as his eyes were wide with pain and guilt, the feeling of pride and satisfaction pouring into Archers heart.
"collecting your debt." Archer sneered through his smile and pushed him off his sword, wiping the blade clean on his tainted blood.
Archer could focus on nothing but the air filling his lungs and the dead body on the floor.
Until a piercing scream cut through his serenity.
He instantly let reality engulf him, and he felt his feet on the ground again. His thoughts were consumed by Violet, the thought that something could have happened to her made his feet kick up into a sprint.
He ran up the stairs to their podium, tripping over his feet at the final steps when he ran to the top. He saw Violet, and she looked okay, but when his eyes focused on Donavan, laying on the floor.
The earth came crashing down on him.
Violets shattered eyes locked with his, her mascara ran down her face in messy streaks, and blood ran around her hands in a similar way.
His pulse went still and every organ seemed to stopped working as he stood completely still like the walls that surrounded him.
Violet sobbed and her shaken hands pushed frantically down the wound on Donavan's chest, "Archer, A-archer, h-he....was fighting h-h-him.." her words broke into a vicious scream and she cried.
Hearing her blood curdling cries, he finally managed to move his legs, but he felt like he was walking in water.
Archer fell to his knees on the other side of Donny, his skin was milky white, barely any color swirled around in his skin.
He grabbed him in his hands and looked at his face frantically, string felt as if it was winding and winding around Archers heart, getting tighter and tighter as a terrible pain started to squeeze at his stomach.
"Donny...Donny look at me." The old man barely could flutter his eyes open to look at Archer, but a smile broke out onto his cracked lips.
"M-my...my boy."
Archer looked down at the wound as Violet lifted her shaky hands from it and panic set in, he knew exactly where that knife had entered, where every organ was in that spot.
He knew exactly how hard it was to miss everything important.
"W-we need to get him out of here! Fast! Violet grab his legs-" Archer instructed sharply, survival coursing through his veins, when he was interrupted by a ghostly hand on his chest.
"The nearest hospital is an hour away." He stilled and looked down at Donavan's hand, "We both know this old goat isn't making it out of here boy."
A lurching cough punctuated Donny's words and pain washed over his face as he doubled forward into him.
"I'd rather just spend that time with you two." He whispered, "please."
Archer wrapped his arms around him as the string wrapped tighter and tighter around his heart.
He knew that was true, but his heart wouldn't accept it.
Violet sobbed next to him, doing everything she could to hold the blood into his wound. However, her hands were neither a dam, or a solution.
"Stop, don't you dare say that, you are not dying you idiot!" He screamed, wishing the tight weight on his chest wound let up, wishing it would stop the hot tears that steamed his eyesight.
Donny just smiled softly, and turned to Violet, he reached down slowly and put his other hand over hers.
"My d-darling Violet, I'll never be able to thank you enough." His words shook with every strained breath.
"D-donny, h-how could you say that. I'm thankful for y-you." She squeezed his hand tight, her eyes frantic to hold his.
Donny chucked but it turned into a pinched groan as he shook his head, "n-no dear. Thank you f-for being h-his person. I ne-never thought I'd find you again a-after all those y-years."
Her eyes widened, "I don't understand."
He just laughed weakly, "That b-ball, was not the first time you two met." Donny rasped out.
Violet and Archer exchanged quick looks, but looked back at the old man.
"Y-you two- met when Archer first came into my c-care. I took A-arch to th-th-this park, every Friday, and you....V-Violet, were there every time. The first time I took him, I had to p-practically drag him out of the house to g-get him to go." He shook slightly, "but after that first time, he bumped into you, and I couldn't get him to stop going." The weak old man managed a wheezy laugh.
Archer raked his brain for these forgotten memories. A lot, if not all, or his childhood was surprised behind dark doors that held back even darker demons. He didn't remember much after all his years of blood.
He held Donavan close, trying to stop the reservoir of blood, while Violet held his hands.
"Arch was drawn to y-you the moment he saw you. Every Friday, when he knew you'd be there, s-scribbling in your books, he went. It was the first time since the accident I saw l-life in his eyes."
Tears built up in Donny eyes as his voice grew softer and farther away, even though archer was holding him so close, he could feel him slipping away like rushing water through his finger tips.
"One day when we w-went to the park, you weren't there. And you were never there again." His body shook, "Archer were devastated."
"I...I think I remember that. Frontier Park? My parent moved me from that area, that was probably why...." She said through sobs.
Donny shook his head, "anyways, my point is, after that m-moment, I knew you were the only one who could save him..."
"Many years later, you were getting worse, Archer, and I happened to find o-out Violet was in the area for an event."
"So I was the one that c-called in the job for Archer to assassinate you, Violet." Donny said with a flat chuckle.
Archer choked on his next breath and looked at Violet who seemed just as pale and shocked as him.
"W-what?" Archer mumbled
"I knew he wouldn't a-actually go through with it, and I need a reason to get you two together again. I knew that he would be d-drawn to you the same way he was all those years ago. And this old g-goat was right." Donny smiled weakly.
"But, what my husband-"
"I'm not sure why that s-stupid man covered it up, probably to save his r-reputation or because of fear people would blame him." Donny dismissed it.
There was a silence that washed over them, it was warm, and sad, but serene in its own odd way.
Archer couldn't believe what he heard, through his anger and tears, he was processing it slowly, wrapped in denial and confusion.
But it made sense to him, he could never really explain just what made him desire Violet so aggressively that night. She became his oxygen, simply impossible to live without her from that moment.
It was more deeply rooted in him than he thought.
Violet was his person, she was his life's mission.
Not John.
Archer couldn't control the hot tears silently spilling down his face. He pulled Donavan in so close, listening to his faint heart beat against his chest.
"You know...you're wrong about just one thing Donavan."
"O-oh yeah?"
"You saved me. Without you. I would've had nothing, my sanity would have slipped long ago, along with any good in me, and I wouldn't have met her," He held him close. "You saved me."
A light chuckled sounded deep in Donavan's throat, and he managed to lift his weak shaky hand onto Archer back. "I love you." He gave him a good pat, and mumbled, "My boy."
They held each other, Archer desperately trying to memorize his warmth, his smell, his pulse, the small tremor in his hand, everything.
"I love you too, Donavan."
The room fell chillingly silent, and very slowly, Donavan's hand slumped limp from his back.
"Donavan." Archer said softly.
There was no reply, and Violet looked up from her tears, her eyes wide.
"Donavan." He said again, startling back to look at him.
His eyes were faded a dull gray, and his skin was pale. Archer put a hand to his cheek, and the cold sent a chill ringing all throughout his body.
"Donny!" He yelled and shook him lightly, his body moved limply. Archer could feel his heart pulling apart as tears rushed down his face.
He wasn't blind to death, death was something he knew very well. This time, he just didn't want to accept it.
"Donny please get up! I don't have time for this!" His fronted anger fueled his voice, and he hugged the older man close to him. Sobbing his pain into his cashmere fabric.
Violet was crying hard beside him, empathetic to the pain he was feeling, but knowing she could never understand how bad this hurt for him.
She simply wrapped her arm around the both of them and sobbed with archer.
The world was a little colder.
~•~