"No, you don't get it!" Goth shouted, halting the pinned skeleton in his mental tracks, "You never got it! You aren't just a-" *cough* "a be-"
The smaller began coughing and hacking, the episode lasting far longer than Palette felt comfortable. Goth was eventually able to catch his breath, scratchily continuing his rant, "You're not just a best friend to me! I love you!"
...What?
Palette's mind felt like it had detached from his body as the hooded monster pushed through his speech despite the smoke attempting to choke his words. Even as Goth poured out his soul, the taller skeleton still couldn't quite understand.
...Why? Why me? I mean, Goth really doesn't hang out with anyone besides me... but why would he love me? I annoy people with how energetic I am and I'm easily distracted when something new comes along. I'm not that smart, people always say I'm gullible and naive because I take people at their word.
Dad's never been around much and mom's always busy trying to support us... so I'm not even sure I know what love is! Would I really be able to settle down and start a family without knowing what a family actually does?
"... so... if I have to-" *cough* "... to give up on you to save myself... then I'd rather die! We either leave together or n-" *cough, cough* "not at all!"
Palette snapped back to reality, alarmed by Goth's grim ultimatum. He tilted his skull toward his now silent companion. Their eye lights locked. Goth looked... hopeful?
Hopeful of what? I don't even know what I want! How can I possibly respond?
Goth looked away, his cheeks flushing as his sockets scrunched up, watering and staring at the pillar as if it were...
Oh. He's berating himself. I've known him long enough to know that look... but why? I'm the one with the problem, how can any of this possibly be Goth's fault?
He opened his mouth to say something, but the words refused to come out as Goth threw his shoulder under the burnt wood and pushed up. Tears rolled down the small monster's cheeks as the weight of the wood finally lifted enough for him to escape.
He's crying... I did that, didn't I?
Palette tried to move, hissing and gritting his teeth as pain shot up his right leg. It hurt to move... something was wrong. Still, Goth couldn't hold the burning debris up forever. Steeling himself, he grudgingly used his arms and left leg to pull himself free, turning himself in time to see Goth drop the pile in a wave of heat and ash.
The small skeleton stumbled backward, his left arm pressed against his face as he coughed and wheezed into his scarf violently. Palette latched onto his right sleeve, dragging him lower to the ground in hopes of giving him some cleaner air to breathe.
As Goth caught his breath, Palette inspected his leg... the lower half of his pant leg was splotched with marrow. Lifting the hem, he was relieved that the damage wasn't as bad as he initially feared.
It's not broken, but I don't think I'll be able to walk normally like this.
"G... Goth...," Palette coughed, turning to the smaller to figure out a plan... only to see he was already pulling a strip of fabric from the bottom of his red scarf and securing it firmly around the injured bone. As he tied the ends, the taller searched for an escape route.
Spotting a possible path, he tapped Goth's shoulder, pointing once he had their attention. The hooded skeleton seemed to understand his intent.
Kneeling down on Palette's right side, he wrapped their arm around his neck and gripped around their waist before pushing upward, clenching his sockets shut as he struggled to lift his companion. Placing all his weight on his left leg, Palette was able to reach a standing position at his friend's side. He choked and wheezed at the sudden onslaught of smoke.
It's so much thicker up here... has Goth been breathing this in the whole time?! We won't last much longer like this, we need to leave!
Forcing down the urge to gag, the pair made their way around the burning furniture and fallen debris toward what they hoped would lead to the exit. Every so often, Palette would glance at the skeleton holding him up.
His sockets were narrow, focusing single-mindedly on the path ahead. He was clearly tired, coughing to the point of retching at times... but there was a glimmer of something in his eye light that seemed to refuse to give up.
Right... no giving up. We're going to make it out of here.
The pair was eventually forced to stop, a burning swath of fabric blocking the only relatively safe path. Probably the remnants of a curtain. Goth attempted to summon more bones to cut through, but the constructs merely blinked into view before crumbling and fizzling out of existence, lacking the energy or focus to remain corporeal.
Knowing they couldn't waste precious air talking, Palette gave Goth's chest a tap with his right arm to get his attention before he could try again, raising his left arm to summon his own bones.
A row of thin white bones appeared, tearing through the fabric. A few crashed through a window as they continued their arc, but they did their job in removing the obstacle...
Or so they thought.
The burning cloth had been hiding a wall of flames. A cursory gaze showed no other pathways and the area behind them had already been swallowed up. A glance at Goth and his wide, blank sockets already told him what he suspected.
We're trapped...as much as I want to hope, there's nowhere left to go... there's nothing left-
Goth broke him out of his spiral, pulling him toward the flames. His sockets were still empty.
Palette panicked, digging his left leg into the burnt flooring and yanking back on the small skeleton to pull him away from the flames. The action forced them to the ground, the taller yelping as the impact jostled his right leg.
He wasn't allowed to dwell on the pain though, as Goth tried to regain his feet and push himself toward the flames once more.
Palette snatched at the skeleton's left sleeve, pulling him back down and latching onto his shoulders as the choked out, "Goth, stop it! It's n-" *cough, cough* "... not safe! You'd die before you could ever get through!"
"No!" Goth cried, his voice faint from his scarf and smoke inhalation despite the volume, shaking his skull in denial, "There has to be something-" *cough, cough* "... anything! This can't b-" *cough, cough* "... be it! This can't be the end!"
"I don't w-" *cough* "... want this!" he choked, his expression crumbling as reality began to sink in and he broke down sobbing, "I don't w... want us to-" *cough* "... to die! It's... not fair!"
Palette couldn't help crying as well as he gently shifted his injured leg, pulling the distraught monster into his side as he rasped, "You're right... it's-" *cough, cough* "... it's not fair. I wish there was-" *cough* "... another way..."
Goth buried their face into his jacket, bawling in between coughs and gasps for air as the taller skeleton wrapped his arms around them, trying vainly to shield them from the heat and smoke while burying his own face in their hood.
He sounds horrible, he's been in here way too long... I've heard burning alive is one of the worst ways to die... hopefully he'll suffocate befo-
Palette immediately crushed the thought, shivering as he tightened his grip on the smaller.
Stars, what am I thinking?! I don't want Goth to suffocate or burn! I want him to live! I want us both to live! I want to figure out how I feel about Goth! I want to give him an answer!
"...M'sorry...," Goth wheezed softly, barely audible over the crackling, hissing, and pops of the fire as he pulled away slightly, "I couldn't-" *cough, cough* "... can't save us... I'm sorry..."
"Don't apologize," Palette choked, pulling him back in, "It's not-" *cough, cough* "... n... not your fault. You did... everything you-" *cough* "... you c... could. It'll... be okay." *cough, cough* "I'll be right here... the whole time... with you."
More tears fell as the heat against his back grew more intense, signaling the progression of the flames. Palette whispered through his scarf into his companion's hood, "We'll go to-" *cough* "... together."
***
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