Sersi and Ikaris had gone to get Phastos while the others remained in Kingo's jet. Druig had been trying to stay busy as he could, taking advantage of the quiet moment to change his outfit into something less outstanding. So he put on an old black sport trousers, a t-shirt also black and put on Ranger type boots. He also noticed that in his haste he had taken a leather jacket. The jacket Nyx offered him in the '80s during one of their trips around the world. He took it out of the bag and sat on the edge of the couch, looking at the jacket he was holding in his hands. He didn't really like this jacket to be honest, he only wore it once at a concert where Nyx had taken him with her. But he had agreed to buy it for her, to see her happy, to see her smile that warmed his heart so much. He put on the jacket and he could almost smell Nyx's scent on the leather due to the number of times she had tried to have him wear it. She would always come in front of him, the jacket pressed against her chest, trying to make puppy eyes to soften him up. But he would refuse every time, saying that it was too hot to put it on, or that it would not fit with the rest of his outfit.
Druig got up and closed his bag before joining the others in the common part of the jet. When he opened the door, all eyes turned towards him and he could swear to see the shadow of a smile appearing on Thena's lips when she recognized the jacket. He placed his bag on one of the seats and sat down, ignoring the insistent gaze of Kingo and Sprite.
- Well, well, well, Druig. Kingo sang. Where did you find a jacket like that ? Did your iguana friends give you a hand ?
- Fuck off, Kingo. The telepath grumbled, looking at the window.
- I mean, you had a robe a few minutes ago. And now you almost look like someone normal.
- It's a gift from Nyx. Thena lightly smiled.
Kingo turned his gaze to the warrior and remained silent, realizing that this time, he had gone too far with his mockery. Druig offered a smile of thanks to the blonde before sinking into his chair, planning to sleep during the journey to Iraq where Makkari and the Domo were.
- I'm sorry. Kingo's voice drew his attention, causing Druig to only raise his eyebrows. The woman you love left you and the only thing I do is mocking you. I'm sorry.
- Wow, you're actually apologizing. That's a first for you Kingo. Sprite slightly laughed.
- And a last if you don't shut your cake hole.
- Thank you, Kingo. Druig said. It means more than you could think.
Sersi and Ikaris quickly returned with Phastos who seemed devastated to leave his family. The genius sat next to Druig who offered him a small lips pressed smile. The jet took off and Druig settled comfortably in his chair, already ready to fall asleep. His travelling companions could quickly hear the young man's gentle snoring and steady, calm breathing. They did not know how much he had suffered from Nyx's departure, they could not imagine the pain he had felt when he realized that he would never see her again. None of them could.
✦
Druig left his fingers hanging along the walls of the corridors of the Domo, remembering an incalculable number of memories shared with Nyx. Bursts of laughter, tears, angry cries quickly replaced by words of love. Makkari had noticed the absence of her friend and Sersi had taken it upon herself to tell her the sad news. Makkari's tears quickly faded when she looked at Druig. He had already cried far too many tears, shouted and screamed far too many times to be able to do it one more time. The deaf woman then rushed to her friend and took him in her arms, holding him against her to comfort him but also to comfort herself. Druig had timidly passed his arms around the trembling body of the young woman and kept a strong appearance. He eventually separated from Makkari and apologized to the other Eternals before seeking the room he had shared with Nyx for nearly a thousand years. The door opened automatically, sensing Druig's presence, but he stayed on the doorstep, trying as best he could not to cry. He advanced slowly into the large room and could see that the sheets were still the same since the last time they had shared the bed. Many clothes from all times were carefully stored in the wardrobe, reminding him of all kinds of memories.
Druig could not know how long he had been in the room, but when he came out he could not hear the voices of his comrades. All he could hear were distant murmurs and imperceptible whispers. He advanced quickly in the corridors, worried that something serious had happened during his absence. He came into the common room and all eyes turned to him. He hated that. He swallowed his saliva and cleared his throat, preparing to speak. But he stopped quickly when he noticed the tears in the eyes of most of his companions.
- Is everything alright ? He asked.
- What really happened to Nyx ? Kingo asked him, his voice trembling.
- What ? I already told y- He started before being pinned to the wall by the actor.
- What happened to her, you son of a bitch ?
Druig was blown away by the shock against the wall, but it also seemed to him that any air entering his lungs was blocked by the question asked by Kingo. He crossed the eyes of each of his friends and rested it on Kingo who trembled with rage to prevent himself from crying. The telepath freed himself from the grip of the actor and proceeded into the room, turning to Sersi, already knowing that she was the one knew the most.
- What do you know ? He asked, his voice starting to shake.
- Only what Arishem told me. Once the Deviants were instinct, she started to loose her powers and-
- It wasn't because of me ? Tears were now streaming on his cheeks. Ajak lied to us ? He asked, causing Sersi to nod. It was the Deviants. He whispered to himself before he chuckled without any joy. It wasn't because of me ! He hit violently one of the furniture before passing his hands in his hair.
- What really happened to her next, Druig ? Kingo asked again.
The telepath did not hear his friend at first, much too relieved to know that all this had nothing to do with him and his feelings. For decades he had felt guilty for forcing her to feel something, he held himself responsible for what happened to her, but in the end Ajak had lied to them. She had lied to them from the beginning to hide the terrible truth about Arishem and his plans. Druig came to his senses and turned to the rest of the Eternals, wiping away the tears under his eyes.
- I couldn't save her. He told them.
- Yeah, you already told us that, smart-ass. She became mortal, and then what ? Kingo grew impatient.
- She has been mortal only for a few years. Three, maybe a maximum of four years.
- What do you mean ? Makkari slowly approached him.
- She died. His voice was now trembling and tears were threatening to run down his cheeks again. On monday, August 26th, 1996. I was there for her last breath.
- You bastard. Kingo grumbled before throwing a punch at Druig's jaw, causing him to fall down.
- Kingo ! Sersi and Sprite called him and tried to make him stop.
- We trusted you to take care of her ! And even when she's dead, you can't help but acting like a pussy and lie to us. The actor kept punching him.
- I've never lied. Druig tried to defend himself.
- No, you didn't. You just hid from us the fact that she's been dead for thirty years.
- Kingo, stop ! Sersi finally detached him from Druig's body.
The telepath straightened up and leaned on his elbow, spitting out a net of blood on his side before catching his breath. His tears slid down his cracked cheekbones, cleansing the blood that escaped. Makkari helped him to get up and quickly asked him if he was okay, to which he replied with a simple nod of the head.
- Why didn't you tell us when we were in the Amazon ? Sersi asked.
- Yeah, right. Because Kingo wouldn't have punched me back there too. He spat another net of blood.
- Druig.
- Because I lost her. He tried to keep his voice steady. The only woman I've ever loved died in my arms, and I couldn't do anything to save her. How do you think I felt ? How do you think I feel, now ?! He shouted, tears running down his cheeks. If I'd told you the truth the moment you asked me where she was, you would have looked at me the exact same way you're looking at me now. Pity in your eyes. I- He started before a sob breaks his voice. You wanted me on board to stop Tiamut's emergence, you got me. But if we can't stop it, I won't complain forgetting everything and starting over. So I could live a life without knowing I let the woman I love die.
The young man separated from Makkari and left the room under the calls of Sersi who wanted to try to settle things. Ikaris stopped her by telling her that it was not worth it and that it was better to leave him alone for now. Druig locked himself in their room and began to kick the furniture, reversing what was on it. The truth had just come out and it hurt even more by saying it out loud. She was dead.
✦
A tender smile was on Nyx's lips as she stared at her man's sleepy face. He had always been the one who slept the most from the two of them. The one who went to bed early in the evening and got up late in the morning. She did not understand that with so many hours of sleep, he always seemed to lack energy. He was so calm and rested. The sun's rays passed through the window without curtains and warmed their bodies wrapped in the sheets. During the night, Druig's legs mingled with Nyx's, and their naked bodies found themselves tight together. The young woman delicately slipped her hand on the soft cheek of the telepath and ran her fingers through his hair to keep them away from his face. His eyebrows gathered in his sleep and his arms squeezed a little more the size of the brunette, letting her escape a small laugh that made him gently open his eyes.
- Hello, beautiful boy. She whispered to him.
- Hello, you.
Druig's hands went up along her back to slip on the young woman's neck and draw her against him to kiss her tenderly. He loved waking up like that, her smile being the first thing he saw every morning and the last thing he saw every night. He could never get tired of it. Never. He straightened himself slightly by leaning on his elbow to overhang her body, continuing to kiss her and making her roll on her back. She let out a chuckle when Druig's hands spread her legs so that he could slip in, putting himself on top of her. His lips faded away from Nyx's lips to follow her jaw and descend down her neck, landing on her collarbone, which he bit her skin. A groan escaped from her mouth when Druig's fingers ventured between her thighs, at the very source of her desire for him. His lips descended along her chest and left a trail of kisses on the skin of her belly before he placed her legs on his shoulders. The young woman's breath was cut when she felt that of Druig between her legs and he quickly raised his head towards her.
- Don't stop breathing for me, darling. You know I hate when you do that.
Later in the morning, Druig helped the inhabitants to build their houses or their businesses, telling them where to take the wood without destroying the forest that surrounded them. Bursts of childish laughter caught his attention and he turned around, keeping his hands behind his back to maintain his solemn posture. A tender smile took place on his lips when he saw Nyx, a cloth on her eyes, going in circles to try to catch the children running around her. She laughed heartily with the children and Druig could no longer hold a chuckle. He loved her so much. He looked at her for long minutes but was disturbed in his contemplation by a villager who came to ask him for advice. He gave him simple instructions before turning back to Nyx and the children. He watched her grab one of the little boys by the waist and squeeze him against her before kissing his cheek and taking off the blindfold she had on her eyes.
She noticed Druig a little further and invited him to join them, which he politely declined. She made a sad face and wiped away false tears, making the children complain beside her. Finally, Druig let his arms hang from either side of his body to give up his solemn presence and advanced towards the small group. A smile took place on Nyx's face and the children jumped with joy as he approached them. Since they had built this village, Druig and Nyx had refused to inspire fear in men, they simply wanted to come to their aid and be perceived as their equals. Then, to be sure that none of them feared the two Eternels, they regularly held collective banquets where they spent the day sharing their good humor together.
Druig finally arrived in front of Nyx and the young woman put the blindfold on the telepath's eyes, blinding him. The brunette could not see him but Druig rolled his eyes, expecting her to do something of the sort.
- Let's see if you can catch one of us. She challenged him as she took few steps back.
- You do know that I can visualize your thoughts and find you, right ? He tried to intimidate her with a smirk.
- Let's see that, shall we ?
The young man moistened his lips, preventing himself from saying something far too rude for the children around him. He stretched out his arm before him for the first time, hoping to catch Nyx on the first attempt, but the laughter he heard behind him made him realize that he was making a fool of himself. The children would run around him laughing while Nyx dodged her man, having quickly understood that he had decided to catch her and not one of the children. As he thought she had left to finish ridiculing him, a pair of lips laid a kiss on his cheek and he turned abruptly to try to grab her arm, but she was much faster than him. As he turned, his foot got stuck in a root and he almost fell. Nyx caught him and he immediately removed the blindfold, finally crossing hir eyes.
- You should watch where you're going, it'll keep you from tripping. She smiled.
- I don't need to, you're here to catch me. He smirked, slipping his hand on her cheek.
The two lovers exchanged a tender kiss while the children around them made disgusting noises. Druig took the opportunity to flip Nyx back and kiss her even more passionately, making the children run away with bursts of laughter.
✦
Well, well, well. What did I do ? That's probably what you all are thinking right now. Yes, Nyx is dead. Yes, it was planned since the beginning. No, I didn't lie. If you read the first chapters (with this time knowing the truth) you could see that I have never lied. And there was a lot of clues telling you Nyx was dead. Anyway, did you like it ? See ya in the next chapter !