TW: Character Death, Attempted Suicide

"Quick, antidote," Duncan stated emotionlessly, holding out his hand.

"Duncan, c-can you save him?" The spaceman shakily inquired, handing him the small vile of liquid. Duncan normally worked in silence, but this time was different. This time he had company.

"I don't know, the flux has affected him pretty badly," Duncan sighed. Xephos stared wearily at his fallen friend, his best friend.

"But.. Theoretically," Xephos hesitated. "What are the chances," he looked up to the scientist.

"Of what?" Duncan half-assedly asked. ".. Of survival?"

"I don't know, Xeph. Dwarves are different than humans, I haven't experimented on them ever." He stated, careful. Although he wished to comfort Xeph, he wasn't going to sugar coat this.

The ginger bearded dwarf gave a sudden yowl of agony, startling Xephos and the scientist. "Honeydew?!" Quickly, the scientist checked monitors, frantically trying to stabilize his friend.

"Impossible," Duncan exclaimed. "W-what?" Xephos asked worriedly. "He's.. The monitor says.." The spaceman's eyes widened and mouth gaped as he stared at the computer screen. ".. Dead," Duncan breathed.

Honeydew's breathing became rapid, and suddenly his eyes opened wildly. "W..what? Duncan? Xephos?" Duncan stared at his friend in dismay. His eyes glowed yellow, half his face melted and morphed, his skin covered is horrid glowing spots.

"N-no, he's not real, he can't be," Xephos murmured. "It's me, friend," honeydew cooed. Duncan was shocked. Not only by this immortal being dead and alive at the same time, but how it could steal Xephos away from him so easily, even in this form.

"Xephos, be careful," Duncan warned. "I don't want you getting infected with the flux too," honeydew flinched. "Right, please, stay away from me. I don't want either of you ending like me," he gently spoke.

"Welcome back, friend," Xephos smiled, awe struck.

- –

As the weeks started to pass, Honeydew stayed outside the castle, but Duncan and Xephos visited every morning and just before night. He started becoming strange about certain things.

One night, Xephos returned screaming to the castle. Duncan followed the sound to his friend, seeing his horrified face. As he followed his gaze, he reflected the same emotion.

Honeydew, banging on the doors of the castle, flux completely taken over him. He screeched, and not a terrified one. More of a horrifying battle cry.

"Flux got to him." Duncan looked at the ground solemnly. He stared at his friend. "Should I.." He looked at Xephos, giving him a soft but saddened gaze. "Put him out of his misery?" Xephos's eyes widened, fear clearly struck into him.

After a few moments, he looked at his friend. He nodded slowly. Duncan held Xephos, one hand through his hair and the other holding a gun of some kind.

Xephos nuzzles into his shoulder. "Don't look," Duncan softly whispers to him. Xephos nods, holding back tears. Duncan looks Honeydew in the eyes, giving him one last nod, a form of respect you could say.

"3.."

"2.." Xephos grabs Duncan's shirt fabric, now letting tears stream down his cheeks.

"1." Duncan reluctantly pulled the trigger, releasing the bullet.

"Good bye, friend." Duncan cries a single tear. Xephos starts to sob into his shoulder. Duncan puts his gun in the pocket of the lab coat, then wraps his arm around Xephos's waist.

"He's in a better place, Lewis." He kisses Xephos's forehead. "The big mine in the sky," Duncan softly teased. Xephos cracked a watery smile. They walked upstairs, the sun setting through the windows.

They each went into their separate rooms, but when Xephos couldn't sleep, he would crawl into Duncan's bed. Of course Duncan didn't mind, but he worried about him. He was getting nightmares more and more frequently, and they aren't stopping.

- - -

"Xeph?" Duncan called out one morning, when he woke up without the spaceman next to him. He sat up and looked about the room. Where could he be?

His search ended him in Xephos's room, and what await his eyes, he wasn't prepared for.

Drops of blood scattered here and there across the floor, bandages hastily spread about the room. Empty bottles on the desk, and a chair in the middle of the room. A rope dangled above it, and sure enough, Xephos standing on the chair, tying the knot around his throat.

He turned to see Duncan standing in his doorway, and stopped to stare at him. Duncan could only watch. "I'm sorry, friend. This has been too much to bear. The nightmares, honeydew, the sound of the gun.." He shook his head.

"D-don't go Xephos, please. I can't stand to be here alone, you know that!" Duncan pleaded. "Give me one good reason to keep on living!" Xephos retorted sharply.

Duncan took in a deep breath, then stared longingly at him. "I was hoping a better setting to tell you, but I see I have no choice." He sighed and gave a slight smile, his eyes watering and his gaze fixed on the glowing blue orbs on his friend's face.

"I- Lewis, I think," Duncan blinked and giggled, a pink glow spread across his cheeks. "I know, I love you," Lewis's eyes stopped their menacing glow, and his face straightened. He mouth opened to say something, but nothing came out.

"Everything about you, your smile, the way your always too tidy, the way your face turns blue when you blush," Duncan listed these right off the top of his head, and he found no trouble finding them.

"And most of all, your willingness to keep going" Duncan smiled. "And this isn't the Lewis I know." He carefully walked toward his friend, being sure not to upset him. He stopped right in front of him, then looked up to the man on the stool.

"Come back to me, Xeph. Come back," Duncan pleaded softly, his reassuring smile widening. Xephos, who had been shocked into not being able to move, finally gave his reaction.

He untied the knot around his neck, stepped down to be level with the scientist, and then broke out into a blush. "I always wished you would feel the same," Duncan hugged him, and what Xephos wasn't able to tell now came to his realization.

Xephos felt Duncan's wet tears, heard his soft sniffles, and he didn't understand. "Why are you crying?" He asked, hugging the scientist back tightly. "I thought I was going to lose you," he replied, sniffling quietly.

Xephos pulled away from Duncan's hug to see his face. The tears glistened on his cheeks, and his smile clearly showed relief. Xephos closed his eyes and pulled Duncan in, kissing him softly.

Duncan kissed Xephos back passionately, holding him close. He blushed madly, but he didn't feel embarrassed. When they finally pulled away, they smiled at each other.

They moved Xephos's bed next to Duncan's and from then on there was no more nightmares, only comfort. Duncan wrapped his arms around his spaceman's neck, giving him butterfly kisses before letting him go to sleep every night.

"Good night, love," Duncan purred.

Credit to xxsjipsxx on tumblr