#amd sometimes it needs someone to fuse with if the problem is serious enough

[somethingsomethingwords]

Hello to everyone. I wrote this a while ago, and today it seems like a good day to post it. As always thanks for reading. Enjoy 💜.

The quake was the first evidence that something was very wrong. When Sebastian arrived at the control cabin, the air was heavy with the smell of smoke, but there was no fire in sight.

He quickly scanned the room, but all he could see were the empty seats. He shouted his partner's name, but no answer was heard.

He sprinted to his bedroom, hoping he was asleep there, but he wasn't that lucky.

The last place he wanted to search was the most probable to be occupied.

He ran toward the engine room, and there he was.

Charles sat on the floor in the middle of the room and was surrounded by cables of all sizes and materials. They hugged his legs, and some seemed to be starting to climb his chest.

Seb quickly kneeled in front of his teammate, and called his name while cupping his cheeks.

"Charles? Can you hear me?" he whispered, hoping not to be too late.

The light touch seemed to shake Charles, but when he opened his eyes, they had an unnatural metallic hue to them.

"Charles, no. It's too dangerous. Let's get you out of here" he pleaded, even if he knew what Charles was going to say.

"Too late... Danger... Protect" were the robotic words he spoke.

"Charles, please. They are not worth your life. You don't owe them this" he wanted to cry.

Charles was going to almost completely fuse with the spaceship, trying to keep it together long enough to reach safety, so that their stupid mission was successful and their idiotic scuderia could gain new information.

It had been an honour to travel under the black horsed flag. Now it was becoming his worst nightmare.

He wanted to destroy the damned ship, but knew that it would only hurt the other man further.

He didn't have saints to pray, Gods to ask for help or mercy. He only had his beloved, this foolish brave young man, and he was slowly losing him, too.

He lowered his head, feeling the tears starting to fill his eyes and fighting them, when he felt a hand on his cheek.

He suddenly raised his head, staring in two differently coloured eyes. One inhuman blue, the other that natural green he loved, that reminded him of the Earth, of sunshine and mountains and lakes. The prettiest, most wonderful colour he had ever seen.

Both eyes were now crying, even if the face had no expression.

"Not them... You, Sebee" he pronounced these words with such conviction that Seb could do nothing but stare at him, letting the tears flow.

Then Charles closed his eyes, and didn't reopen them. He fell backwards, and even more cables moved to take his chest, his arms, his head, until all Seb could see was the right side of his face.

The ship shook once again, and now he could smell the burnt flesh of his beloved. He was burning up, branding his skin for a man who never had the courage to say me too, to say I feel the same, to say I love you more than I've ever loved anything or anyone and I don't know how to handle it and I'm scared you will soon realise you could have someone better, but if you'll have me I'll never leave your side for as long as you allow me.

And now he could have lost that chance forever.

The only thing he could do was wait and hope.

It felt like years had passed, not mere hours, when Sebastian opened his eyes.

He was sitting against a wall, facing the tangle of wires that hid Charles.

He suddenly stood up when it began to recede from him, leaving his unconscious body lying there, as he hadn't spent hours being fused with the ship. It was littered in small cuts and deep burnt markings, with rings of bruises circling his neck, arms and ankles.

He ran to him, and kneeled to check his pulse. It was steady, but he probably would sleep for a few days.

So Seb picked him up, and brought him to his quarters, slightly bigger and where he could always keep an eye on the younger man.

He was right. It took Charles two full days and a half to wake up, and when he did, it was almost worse.

He only spoke French, couldn't seem to recognise Seb and cried for only the Stars knew what reason.

Seb didn't abandon him, he couldn't. So he sat through all the tears, the light punches and the mumbled words.

He sat and stayed and waited, until all energy ran out and Charles passed out again.

It was the day after, when Charles woke up properly.

He was pale, and the shadows under his eyes were deep and almost purple, but he was awake, and he wasn't going anywhere.

"Ehi, Cha. How do you feel?"

"Like I've been chewed and spat out and chewed some more, same as usual. You? The ship?"

"Everything is ok. The ship isn't reporting any damage, and I'm, well, not fine. But you are here, and that's what matters"

Charles just looked at him for a couple of seconds, then softly smiled and lifted his arm.

"Come, lie with me. We are both tired" he almost whispered, and it sent shivers down Seb's spine.

"Charles, we need to..."

"Cuddle and rest. Then, we'll do anything you want" he interrupted the blonde.

But Sebastian was a weak old man, and the few days of solitude had taken their toll. So he lied down, hugged Charles and inhaled his scent.

"Only 10 minutes"

"Mhmh" agreed the other, already half asleep.

They, in fact, slept for more than ten minutes.