pokebox | LOCKED TO viliorate

LOCKED TO viliorate

[When Archer comes to, his memories are a jumbled blur. He gets the feeling that he shouldn't be moving at all right now, but it takes him a couple of minutes to remember why.

The automail, the fighting, the grenade, the car crash, and... he's fairly sure he was shot in the back, but he doesn't feel any pain now. In fact, he hasn't felt like this in ages - or at least, it feels like it's been ages.

He gets to his feet - something far easier now than it ever was with the automail (he's not sure where the automail went or why he doesn't need it anymore, but he's not going to question that now) and he studies his surroundings. Everything as far as he can see is white, with no indication of where exactly he is. There's only one way to go from here and that's forward, toward the giant, closed gate.

It must be the Gate alchemists have spoken of, but Archer's not sure why he's seeing it. Perhaps there really is an afterlife. That really is the only answer, isn't it? He's fairly certain he's dead, and even if he wasn't dead, he'd still have the automail. So clearly this is an afterlife of some sort.

With that solved (he's not going to bother questioning it any further), Archer starts toward the Gate, steps a bit hesitant as though he's not really sure he wants to see what the Gate is holding.

...Or maybe it's because he's hoping to find someone else before seeing what's inside the Gate.]

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[The Gate opens, rather suddenly actually, and out steps Kimbley.

He's smirking, but he's looking better than the last time Archer saw him. There's a good reason for that, of course, but he's content not to say anything for a few seconds as he approaches Archer, reaching out left-handed to grab at Archer's wrist. He brings Archer's hand up to the side of his face, watching him carefully.]

It's good to see you.

[If you thought for one moment he was going to go off without you...]

[Archer manages to take a half-step backwards before he recognizes the person emerging from the Gate. He can't manage any words before Kimbley approaches and takes his hand and for a long moment, Archer can only stare dumbfounded at the alchemist.]

Kimbley... You...

[He's really here, Archer can feel him, and unless this is some kind of hallucination or something, this is really happening. He can't even count all the times he dreamed of something like this happening, or was so out of his mind due to the drugs that he actually thought something like this was happening, but now that it actually is, he doesn't know what to say.

So instead of saying anything, he moves to wrap his free arm around Kimbley's waist and pull him close. Archer's expression is equal parts confused and concerned, and his grip on Kimbley is tight enough to make it clear that he doesn't want to let go. He needs this.]

[He's quiet, too quiet. In the months since his death, Kimbley's gotten used to silence. There hasn't exactly been anyone but his own thoughts to keep him company. He's still, too. Too still, because Kimbley was never content with keeping still for very long, even if he was stuck with little movements to keep himself entertained or from going stir crazy in the long years he spent in prison.

He lets go of Archer's hand after a moment so he can wrap both arms around the man. They can keep doing this for a while. This is fine, he needs this. Archer might not have been on his mind when he had actually been dying, but he'd definitely been on his mind the entire time he'd spent waiting.

He's not even certain he can bring himself to admit that he'd been watching the entire time.]

[Archer doesn't speak for at least a minute, adjusting to wrap both arms around the alchemist tightly.]

I-- I thought... I thought we weren't going to see each other again.

[His grip tightens at that, though he forces himself to relax a little. He's not sure if they can experience pain here, but the last thing he wants to do is break one of Kimbley's ribs or something.

It hasn't occurred to him that maybe Kimbley knows exactly what he's been through in the past several months (has it only been months? it feels like it's been years). Right now all he wants is to stay like this, at least for a little while longer.]

I know.

[It's just two words, but it actually hurts saying them. When did he get like this? Regret isn't something Kimbley used to feel, but he regrets dying. It's not like he'd intentionally gotten himself killed, but looking back, he'd had the opportunity to leave before the situation got worse.

His mission hadn't been to kill Scar, after all. It had been to kill Edward Elric. What should he do? What can he do? But they're here. They're together, and Kimbley isn't in any pain despite having a hole punched through his stomach.]

I kept trying to get your attention. But you never noticed me. No one did.

...What?

[He pulls back just enough to get a better look at Kimbley. It's obvious that Archer's more confused by Kimbley's words than worried about them.]

What do you mean? How could you get my attention? You were here, weren't you?

Not at first.

[It's not like he'd been wandering around as a ghost for weeks or anything, but in the first crucial twenty minutes or so? He'd still been in Liore.]

It's a little strange standing next to your own body, you know. I tried to get back to you because I knew you were going to do something stupid, and I... I don't know. I wanted to stop it, if I could.

I didn't want you dying because of me.

["I knew you were going to do something stupid," well, he certainly wasn't wrong...]

I... I can't even begin to imagine that... How much of what happened did you see?

[He hopes Kimbley didn't see anything. Archer can't look at Kimbley when he asks that question, staring somewhere over Kimbley's shoulder intently, as if this will somehow make things less awkward.]

Everything.

[After his allotted time was up, he'd still seen everything that happened. He's not sure how to describe seeing it, because it hadn't been like standing beside Archer. Shouting at him that he wasn't allowed to die after being cut in half hadn't done any good when he'd been standing right next to the man, and being whisked away to watch it from the sidelines had only served to make Kimbley angry.

But in the end, there hadn't been anything for him to do but watch.]

[Archer flinches at that, finally pulling back to fold his arms. He can't remember everything that happened because most of it was drowned out by screaming agony (quite literally), but he knows enough to imagine what Kimbley had to see.]

I...

[He doesn't know what to say. Sure, he could apologize because technically it was his fault, but he never apologizes and he doesn't actually feel sorry. Well, he feels awful that Kimbley had to see him like that, but he doesn't regret his actions any. He did what he thought would avenge Kimbley's death.]

...That... You never should have seen me like that.

[He's not weak. That was... that was something that never should have happened.]

You think?

[He's more sullen than angry.

Kimbley doesn't really have it in him to be angry anymore. That's probably something being dead did to him. He's annoyed at Archer for everything that happened, but not angry.]

I knew if I ended up here, you'd show up eventually. And I wanted to be there when it happened. I'd have kept on waiting.

[Archer glances at Kimbley with those words. That's... actually really touching. He reaches out to take Kimbley's hands, once again directing his gaze elsewhere, though this time it's due to embarrassment.]

...I apologize for making you wait so long, then.

[He should have died earlier; the automail couldn't have kept him alive for much longer anyway, even if he hadn't died then.]

[He doesn't know what to do now. Archer had meant everything to him, and this... this is awkward somehow. He can't look at him either, though there's also nothing else to look at unless he wants to stare at the Gate.]

You don't need to apologize.

[So can they kiss now, or]

[...Well if you're just going to stand there looking awkward... sure! It beats having to talk anyway.

Archer once again wraps his arms around Kimbley's waist and pulls him close, leaning in to kiss him (something he never imagined being able to do again, though he doesn't want to think about that right now). He can't find the words he needs to express just how happy he is to see Kimbley again, so this will have to do.]

[It's too bad they're both ghosts right now.

And not even the good kind. They can't exactly haunt anyone like this, though Archer being here means Kimbley's attention is elsewhere anyway.

He wraps his arms around Archer's shoulders, smirking.

At least this isn't awkward. He likes this. Who knows what awaits them as soon as they both either willingly enter the Gate or get dragged inside of it. He'll be okay as long as he's with Archer. At least, he hopes so.

But that can wait. Kissing Archer again is something he's wanted to do for a long time.]

[Archer's never been fond of the unknown, so entering the Gate is going to be interesting, but as long as he has Kimbley beside him, he should be fine. He wasn't expecting any of this, but this is a nice surprise.

He breaks the kiss after a moment, but he doesn't pull back, just content to remain close to Kimbley.]

...I've missed you so much.

I've missed you, too.

[He can admit that much. There are other things that'll take some work, but he's missed Archer more than anything. Having him back is something he wasn't sure was going to happen.]

...What happens now? Are we...?

[He tips his head in the direction of the Gate. Archer looks apprehensive, but his voice is steady.]

[He shrugs.]

I don't know what's inside. I didn't exactly go exploring.

[Who knows what the hell is out there. He doesn't entirely want to know, but they don't have a choice.]

...I suppose we have to go in eventually.

[He doesn't really want to, but if they sit out here forever they might run into Mustang and that would ruin everything.]

[The two of them hugging is a bit obvious, isn't it...]

It should be fine.

[Okay, he doesn't know that at all, but he's going to say it anyway. He wants everything to be fine. He wants to go on to this afterlife with Archer, because being without him after finally reuniting is an awful thought.]

[Well it's not that he cares about that, he just hates Mustang.]

...I trust you. We'll go in together then.

[He hopes everything will be okay.]

[Yeah, but it would be Mustang seeing them act all couple-y....]

Yeah. Together.

[He's not sure he wants to, but they can't stay here forever, either.]

...Alright.

[Archer finally lets go of Kimbley to turn toward the Gate. After a moment of thought, he reaches out and takes Kimbley's hand.]

Let's go.

[They'll face whatever's in there together.]

[He squeezes at Archer's hand. Kimbley would be a lair if he said he wasn't worried about what's going to happen. He's a nihilist, so the idea of this happening at all is a slap in the face to his beliefs already. To be honest, it bothers him, but he doesn't want to mention that moments before they go on to whatever the afterlife is going to be.]

Okay.

[What else is there to say? He reaches out to open the door. He's terrified, because maybe something will happen. Maybe they'll end up separated again, maybe it'll be exactly what Kimbley has thought all along and be nothingness.

He has no way of knowing.]

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