Your fingers trembled as you hit the play button. The line beeped.
“Hey! I hope you get this… soon. Something’s going on over here, and I know this is really random, but I just wanted to check in on you—”
A strangled, wet laugh burst out of you—but your spine stiffened at the sound of shrill, distant screaming.
“Jeez, I hope you don’t hear that. There’s some horror house that set up shop down the street. People are saying it’s actually haunted…”
Their voice trailed off, as though their train of thought had chugged along without them—but then they forced out a light chuckle. So unlike how they usually laughed (bright, loud, and free).
“… but y’know, I never believed in that stuff—”
And you could see the image in your head, clear as day, of them cramped into a telephone box and shrugging.
God, it was just like them to be so fucking asinine when they could die at any moment. To pretend nothing was wrong when the world was ending.
They always did want to protect you from the worst of life had to offer.
Suddenly their warm voice paused in their rambling, and the shift in tone had you shuffling closer to the receiver.
“Hey… I don’t think I’ll be able to drive out to you this year—” The screams were definitely getting louder…
“—I just wanted to say, I love you.”
The taste of copper tainted your mouth. The painful sensation of your teeth biting down on your lip stirred you.
“Let’s get married if I can come to town, yeah? Not a fancy spring wedding like everyone else has got going, but it’d be nice…”
You couldn’t help the snort that escaped you. You didn’t care about whether you got married in the scorching summer or in the barren winter—so long as they were here with you.
Then, they were laughing with you. Not a forced chuckle—but a brighter, real laugh.
“Who am I kidding? You’d definitely say no to that kind of proposal,” they muttered.
“I have to go for a while—I probably won’t be able to call you… so stay safe for me? I’ll propose to you properly when I can.”
A pause, and shuffling.
“I love you.”
The line beeped.
Those were the last words you’d ever hear from them.
CW: illness ig? and death, but its super peaceful this time oop-
fic below the cut (this one’s a bit shorter than my usuals)
It wouldn’t be long now. He knew that. They all knew that.
He’d been unwell for some time, his health deteriorating with age and sickness becoming a practically permanent fixture. It wasn’t a necessarily bad sickness, just a constant cold, weakening his already suffering body. A cough sometimes shook his shoulders, his temperature occasionally rising. Mostly it was stuffy noses and weak muscles, lack of hunger and chronic fatigue. It wasn’t awful, but it wasn’t pleasant.
Everyone had come to the South Pole in his last days, painfully aware of how little time they really had left with him. Suki and Zuko had rarely left his side, though as more people arrived, they’d eased off slightly. Katara had also been with him quite often, healing what she could to ease his pain and generally spending time with her brother before he was gone.
Even Toph was there, a truce between her and her daughters called at least for the time they were there. Bumi and Tenzin also came, though later than the others, and Izumi with Zuko and Suki. They’d all taken turns spending alone time with him, trying to make his last days joyous ones and saying their goodbyes in advance.
Zuko and Suki had just been in with him for nearly three hours, leaning on one another as they stumbled out of the room. Their eyes were cast down as Katara slid past them, closing the door softly once she was inside.
“Sokka?” She asked quietly, not wanting to wake him if he was asleep.
He moved his head ever so slightly towards her, smiling warmly and lifting his hand barely off the bed in an attempt to wave her over. She smiled back and walked to his side, kneeling on the ground and taking his hand in hers. She squeezed in gently and pushed back her tears, taking in a deep breath. His fingers tightened around hers with what little strength he had left and he let out a small laugh.
“Don’t look so grim,” He said lightly, his voice raspy with dryness.
Katara couldn’t help but let out a little laugh of her own at his positive attitude despite the situation. She shook her head and looked down for a moment before looking back at his face.
It saddened her to see him like this. His cheeks were sunken, his eyes dull. His grey hair had started to thin in the past month, occasionally an entire chunk falling out. And yet he’d managed to keep his spirits up, in turn helping to ease the sadness of the others. Still, it was hard.
“Can you feel it, too?” He asked after they’d sat in silence for a few minutes.
“Feel what?” Katara said, a puzzled look coming over her face.
Sokka hummed and looked contemplatively at the wall before responding.
“I think I’m ready, sis. I think it’s time,” He turned his head back to her.
She couldn’t help but notice how tired he looked, more so now than she’d ever before. She felt tears pricking her eyes again and tried to fight them, but gave up when Sokka squeezed her hand again.
“Hey, it’s okay,” He said, barely louder than a whisper.
“Sokka, I- I can’t,” Katara’s voice shook slightly as she spoke, her eyebrows pulled to the centre of her face.
“Aang’s gone, Tenzin and Bumi have their own lives to live, Zuko, Suki, Izumi, Su, and Lin all have responsibilities, Toph is obviously not fit to stay, Kya-,” Her voice cracked and became suddenly very quiet at the mention of her daughter.
“I’ll have no one, Sokka, not here at least,” She couldn’t bring herself to look at him as he spoke again.
“I’ll still be here, Katara, just like Aang is still here, and Kya. We’ll never really leave you,” Katara wiped her cheek with her free hand and met Sokka’s eye.
“You’ll be alright, ‘Tara,” A tear traced down his cheek, hovering for a split second before dripping from his chin.
She nodded hesitantly, her breath audibly shaking.
“I’ll say hi to Yue for you,” Sokka joked in an attempt to cheer her up at least a little.
Katara laughed despite the fact that she was crying, smile forming on her face. It didn’t last long though, and she suddenly whipped her head up to look at Sokka’s face. His eyes were closed, his lips pulled into a slight grin after hearing her laugh. She drew in a sharp breath and closed her eyes, sensing how little time she had left.
“I love you,” She started, opening her eyes again.
“And I’ll miss you, and-,” She took in another uneven breath before making one final request of her brother.
“Tell Kya I miss her very much,” She watched as Sokka’s face relaxed slightly, holding her breath waiting for a response.
After what seemed like ages, she finally got one.
“I… promise,” Sokka whispered before his hand went limp.
Lin was holding bleeding Kya, who was pale, so pale. She’s lost a lot of blood, she was struggling to keep her eyes open. She was slipping away. Right through Lin’s hands, as if there were holes in them. Lin was holding this weak, small life on her knees. And she was losing it.
“Kya, please you can’t give up,” she said with tears. “I love you so much, don’t go, don’t leave me, please, stay, Kya, I’m begging you,” the words were chaotically flowing out of her lips. She wanted to convey her wife so many things. It sounded as if she were trying to persuade her into staying alive. But Kya didn’t have much of a choice. She was fighting with every last bit of her consciousness to stay with Lin for as long as she could, even though she knew it was over.
“Lin...” Kya whispered. Lin sobbed loudly, grasped Kya’s face in her hands, looked her in the eyes and said,
“Yes, love, I’m here. I’m here, I wont leave you, I’m here, I love you so much...”
200 years ago today, Napoleon was on his deathbed. Given the number of people surrounding him during his final days, there should be a clear record of his last words. But, as with most things involving Napoleon, there are several accounts of his dying hours and differences regarding what he actually said. For details, see: “What were Napoleon’s last words?”
The fight between them was brutal. Anakin did not relent. In every instance Obi-Wan gave ground, he took it, pushing Obi-Wan further back. But Obi-Wan didn’t want to hurt him. Anakin was his brother, and his friend, his partner in the thick of battle. But now they were facing one another as if they were enemies.
Happy Star Wars Day! No better time to drop the master post for the handful of prompts I did for angstpril! Full titles, descriptions, warnings, and some short snippets are below the cut!
read all of these on AO3
quick links:
day 1: you need to let me go
day 2: sole survivor
day 9: I wish we had more time
day 10: don't look back
day 12: dying words
day 16: silence
day 23: "this isn't you"
may the fourth be with you
Six Final Breaths (day 1: "you need to let me go")
Obi-Wan has let go of a lot in his life. These are the 5 times he has heard the plea to let the ones he loves go, and the one time he get to say it.
no warnings apply
"You have to let Anakin Skywalker go," the Sith says, the annoyance in his voice palpable even through the respirator. "He died on Mustafar, where you killed him."
"It's funny, I remember that going differently. I remember Vader being the one who silenced my brother and took advantage of his power."
"Then this shall be a fight for who writes history."
They Were Once the Good Ol' Days (day 2: sole survivor)
Leia goes through old holovids
no warnings apply
These holovids used to make her smile, and they still do. But now her smile is accompanied by tears that stream down her chin, silent and hot. Leia only watches these now so she won't forget their faces.
Unfinished Business
(day 9: "I wish we had more time")
(day 10: don't look back)
(day 12: dying words)
Qui-Gon lives after the duel at Naboo, but the Force isn’t happy about it. Fate had already predetermined this was to be his final hours, and now he lives on borrowed time. The Force beckons, and Qui-Gon is rushing to tie up his loose ends before he fulfills his fate.
major character death
"You shouldn't have been able to survive, Master," he says, his voice barely a whisper as though if he says it loud enough he will manifest it to reality. "There was so much blood... so much damage."
He's tearing up again, and though it strains him, Qui-Gon reaches out to grab Obi-Wan's hand. He tugs his padawan up, and Obi-Wan complies to sit by his side.
"But I have lived, Obi-Wan. The Force has granted me a little longer."
Only a Moment Later (day 16: silence)
Anakin and Obi-Wan chase a spy.
major character death (???)
"Obi-Wan!" he screams again. His voice is accompanied by the sirens quickly approaching, and the screams of the other people mirroring his confused stance. It's too loud. Too busy. I need... I have to--
He shuts his eyes, opens the bond as wide as he can. 'Obi-Wan?'
Silence. Anakin feels like he's choking.
When I Fall Apart (day 23: "this isn't you")
It's been a week since being rescued from. Kadavo, and Obi-Wan is convinced he is fine. Anakin, on the other hand, knows his former master better than that.
non-graphic mentions of violence, torture, and slavery
"Master, the way you've been acting... it's been scaring me. You're taking risks that are putting yourself in danger, and don't even seem to realize it. I don't know exactly what happened on Kadavo, but I did read Rex's report--"
"We are peacekeepers," Obi-Wan blurts out, his voice shakey and thick. "Servants of the public, so why in blazes is it so outrageous to save the lives of people who need us? It's our duty-- our true duty as Jedi, after all, and yet-- Anakin, you must remember how things used to be? When you were very young and before there was all this war and the imbalance in the Force. We helped people."
