love of mine, someday you will die, but i'll be close behind

[unkindly]

who jack + isaac
what oops they're dead? meme/commcen/whatever the hell this is. takes place after this.
rating PG-13, R? idk
warnings i have no idea we'll find out i guess

[For Jack, it wasn't a quick death. They had made it as slow and painful as possible, so that when he finally opens his eyes and finds himself standing in the hall of a train car, Jack isn't sure what's happened. Is this another part of the torture? Has he completely lost it?

Jack checks himself. There's no pain. He feels... completely content. He brushes his fingers against the wood paneling of the train car, looking around, and the windows reveal a beautiful countryside rushing past. With few other options available to him, Jack begins to walk.

He walks for a while, passing compartments with people in them, sometimes several, sometimes only one or two. They are in various states of contemplation, some talking to their companions, some simply staring out the window silently, some sleeping, some crying.

When Jack finds an empty compartment he sidles into it, sitting himself down on the chair with a sigh.

He checks himself again. There's nothing in his pockets, his wounds are gone, and he's not tired or even slightly uncomfortable. There's no press of need for EVE, and when he looks for his plasmids, they're all gone.

He's free.

Well. As free as a person can be while on a train, destination unknown.

And the thought comes to Jack.

Did he die?

Now there's a thought. Maybe he's dead. Jack's never been a believer in... well... anything in particular, so the thought that after life comes a train is one he finds inexplicably amusing.

And then suddenly he wonders.

Where's Isaac? Where... where is he?

The ride isn't as nice anymore. If Jack is, in fact, dead, and he's alone on this journey... well. He doesn't know whether this is supposed to be Heaven or Hell, but without Isaac he just. Doesn't really care.

Jack leans back into his seat and stares out the window, wondering what has happened to Isaac.]

Comments

[stomped]

[ they are separated when they die. isaac is dragged left and jack is dragged right but the deed is done for all the suffering they'd gone through. it had been a waiting game. wait it out. wait for us. wait it out. do not move. do not run. isaac was too used to running to not run.

when isaac wakes up, his skin doesn't burn, his throat doesn't ache, his very bones no longer shriek in pain and his heart doesn't ache. he's standing in the middle of a train that for all he knows could be rushing towards the end of the world and he is alive.

the first words out of him: ]

... Jack?

[ it's a hesitant call, soft, and his heart is racing. ]

Jack--

[ but the train tracks clickety clack and isaac is left to slowly roam the wooden-panels of the interior of the train, peering into compartments for his stupid sweater and his stupid beautiful face and a mouth he wants to kiss the living day lights out of. he isn't tired, isn't fatigued, but his breath comes fast in a panic--it always does.

isaac sees him in a small compartment, ses him leaning back in his seat with his lips twisted in an oddly beautiful way and his dark brows narrowed.

he can barely help himself when he slowly opens the compartment door and calls in with a somewhat soft voice. ]

This seat taken?

[ he smiles like good weather. ]

[unkindly]

[The door slides open and Jack looks around and his face immediately breaks into a smile. He stands quickly and grabs Isaac by the front of his shirt to pull him into the compartment, wrapping his arms around him once he gets inside. The hug is tight and Jack buries his face into Isaac's shoulder, breathing him in and feeling every inch of his real, solid frame.

He's here.

It's okay. He's here.]

I was getting worried.

[It's a soft confession, murmured into Isaac's shoulder, and Jack holds him like he never wants to let go.

Because this, right here, this moment?

This is heaven.]

[stomped]

Y-yeah.

[ isaac whispers it, grazes his ear with his lips as they embrace one another. even in boots, jack is a hair taller, and isaac shifts himself up to tuck himself further against his cheek, pressing against his face with the worn stubble of his jaw. i love you, he murmurs, but it's barely a breath--not even a whisper. fuck, i love you.

he doesn't want to pull away, but he does anyways, a soft smile on his mouth, lips parted, a little breathless even as he lets his hands settle on jack's shoulders. ]

You know I'll always find you.

[ that's how we work. that's how we've always been. ]

[unkindly]

[Jack can't even think of words to respond with. His heart bursts and he feels like he can't smile widely enough. It doesn't matter what comes next, because Isaac's here, and they can face it together. That's all he needs.

He rests his hands on either side of Isaac's head, his thumbs idly stroking at his temples.]

Yeah. I know.

[He leans his head in to rest his forehead against Isaac's, his hands sliding around to the back of his head and threading in Isaac's hair.]

I'm glad.

[It's an understatement. He's more than glad. He's incredibly happy.]

[stomped]

[ isaac feels the callused pads of his fingers, oddly different from the sort of charged energy he can typically feel on jack's hands. there's a give the plasmids let off, a sort of vibe that isaac can normally feel whether it's a brush of skin or a finger on his cheek. he smiles and leans in, presses his mouth to jack's all at once. it's hungry and happy--damn near ecstatic like he's overflowing, running over and spilling onto the floor.

his finger's finger purchase in jack's shirt, fisting in the material as he kisses him to bruise. ]

[unkindly]

[Jack meets the kiss, sinking into it with a fierce joy he couldn't possibly hope to contain even if he wanted to. He feels like he could do this forever and be happy, and that would be just fine.

His hands tug slightly on Isaac's hair as he eagerly returns the kiss.]

[stomped]

[ he pulls back only after it feels like a century (he could go for a handful more, a soft laughter on his lips when his mouth moves away and he pushes further into the compartment, banging the door shut with the heel of his shoe. he's breathless (it's how jack always leaves him--and not even with a simple kiss. ]

I was afraid...

[ that i was alone. he doesn't finish the thought, the phrase, just closes his eyes. i was afraid. and he never says that to anyone--but jack would know otherwise. jack is his other half. they both like to think this way--their better halves of a whole when really they're both the ugly parts of life. he doesn't let go of him, loathe to really as the train rocks and the smell of something like grass and countryside. sweet and new. ]

[unkindly]

[Jack watches Isaac's face quietly, that face he loves so much. He tilts his head up to gently press his lips to Isaac's forehead in a soft kiss.]

Yeah. Me too.

[He was half convinced he'd never see him again. And even one half convinced was far too much.]

[stomped]

[ the kiss is goddamn soft and tender and it makes isaac's eyes sting just at the edges slightly. might have never seen you again is what runs into his head. the way jack's hand had felt in his that last night, mouth on mouth and pressed into bed until the earliest hours before they'd suited up and left.

they don't usually let an engineer and a test subject into the field together, but they're of a different breed. a badness runs in their blood, taints it sour and violent when trigger in just the right way.

isaac lets out a breath and furrows his brow.

they could have sent you with someone else. someone not me. they could have and then i'd really never see you again. ]

Come on...

[ it's a gentle motion, putting his hands on jack's shoulders, pushing them into seats and pressing his lips to the side of his temple again, a hesitant motion, as if jack might suddenly up and disappear from his arms. ]

I love you.

[unkindly]

[They sit and Isaac says it and Jack can't smile widely enough. They're together. This could have played out in a million different ways that would have ended with them never seeing each other ever again, but it didn't and they're together and if that's not a miracle then Jack doesn't know what is.]

I love you, too.

[The words come out in a cracked whisper, because he's so happy his chest is tight with it, and he can't let go of Isaac, won't let go, never. He swallows and licks his lips slightly and tries again.]

A lot.

[More than a lot. More than he can say.]

[stomped]

[ isaac reaches in a small motion to hold jack's face. to feel the angle of his jawbones and the sensation of his pulse on his fingers. jack is here and warm and fleshly. he leans in, kisses him again on the mouth, feels how their lips fit together and their bodies draw close.

when he pulls back, it's to smile (he can't stop smiling and he doesn't care if it hurts. sliding his arms around him, he comes to rest the rise of his cheek against jack's shoulder, a hug that starts soft but tightens gradually. ]

What're we gonna do now?

[ no missions, no hq, no responsibilities, at least while they're on this train... ]

[unkindly]

[He loves the feeling of Isaac's skin touching his, of their lips meeting. He loves the smell of Isaac. He loves him so much.

When Isaac hugs him, Jack embraces him in return, leaning his head against Isaac's.]

I don't know. Whatever we want, I guess.

[stomped]

Any place you ever wanted to go?

[ he's loathe to let go of the hug, but when he does, he just lets his hands slide down, grab at jack's fingers. the contact is something he wants. simple, warm. he traces the calluses on his palms and the scars against his knuckles and he smiles a little. ]

Really bad, now.

[unkindly]

[Jack lets his fingers tangle with Isaac's, and he smiles back gently.]

Doesn't really matter anymore, though.