AHHHH THIS ONE IS REALLY SAD I DIDNT MEAN TO MAKE IT SO SAD DKSKCNFKENFK

SO! This is a sequel to Bittersweet, so check that one out if you haven't already!

This was suggested by enby_ofdoom !

Trigger Warnings: DEPRESSION, PANIC ATTACKS, and SU*C*DE. This is a bit of a heavier fic, so I'd advise you not to read if you are sensitive to that kind of stuff.

Word Count: 1400 words

Happy angsting!

Etho remembered the day he got the phone call.

This was supposed to be a perfect day.

He and his Beefers were going to be together.

They were finally happy.

A couple.

Lovers.

Forever.

Except the phone call that destroyed everything.

Etho picked it up, answering, his head in the clouds, a smile on his face.

He heard Beef's sister on the other line, her voice shaking.

"Hello?" Etho spoke, a little confused.

"Hey, this is Etho, right?" she said, trembling.

"Yup, the one and only."

"Etho...Beef is dead."

Etho stopped. This was...this was a joke, right? A prank! It had to be...right?

"N-no, I saw him this morning! He was here, and he left for work and he's going to come home, and-" Etho stammered, tears piercing at his eyes

He refused to let them fall.

"Etho, he's gone...there was a truck, and it...he's gone..."

Etho dropped the phone.

It fell in slow motion, almost, hitting the ground with a muffled thump.

He heard Beef's sister speaking to him, but he couldn't hear it.

The world seemed to stop, everything turning dark.

Etho felt himself start to hyperventilate.

Faster.

Faster.

He couldn't breath.

The walls were closing in on him and he couldn't breath.

Etho was suffocating, tears uncontrollably rolling down his cheeks.

He collapsed to the ground sobbing, his entire body shaking as he helplessly hugged himself.

Etho heard Beef's sister through the phone still.

"Etho? Etho, breath. It's okay, just steady hour breathing."

Etho tried following her directions.

He closed his eyes and inhaled slowly, exhaling slowly.

With shaky breaths, he calmed himself down.

"Th-thank you." Etho whispered. "I'm...I'm so sorry..."

"Don't mention it. And...god, I just- I can't believe that he's gone." she sighed, her voice sounding tired. "I'll let you know about when we'll hold a funeral."

Etho hung up.

He stood up and collapsed into bed, hugging his knees.

Etho buried his face in the sheets, smelling them.

They still smelled like Beef.

He sobbed quietly.

"I love you, Beefers."

Etho stayed in bed the entire day.

He didn't eat.

He didn't drink.

He couldn't do anything even if he wanted to.

The next day came, and Etho forced himself out of bed.

There was something he needed to do.

Etho got into his car and drove down the ride, his eyes red.

He came to a house that he knew very well.

Beef's house.

Etho noticed another car in the driveway, but he shrugged it off and walked into the house.

Huh. Weird.

The door was unlocked.

Etho walked into the house and heard two familiar voices.

"H-he's really gone...Doc, he's gone..."

"...Beef, you idiot..."

Etho walked into the living room and saw Doc and Bdubs staring at a mural of photos of the NHO.

Bdubs turned around and when he saw Etho, he ran to him, hugging him.

"Etho...I'm so, so sorry..." Bdubs said softly.

Bdubs looked like he had been crying for a long time, while Doc looked like a wall, no emotions evident on his face.

The three hugged each other tightly, not wanting to let go other each other ever again.

Etho spent most of his time in bed, sleeping and contemplating life without his Beef.

Except that he didn't want to sleep, for when he did, terrible nightmares of Beef would fill his slumber.

Etho would spend hours crying, feeling sorry for himself.

The day of the funeral came, and Etho did not attend.

He feared he would have another panic attack and start to break down again.

So he stayed in bed that day as he always did, scrolling through pictures of him and Beef.

Bdubs and Doc would visit Etho every now and again to make food for him to eat, but nothing was worth it anymore.

Why eat?

Why drink?

Why get out of bed?!

Why go outside when you know that today will be another day of mourning and disappointment?!

Why live when you can't do it with the one you love most?!

Why do anything when the black smoke surrounding you is so thick that you can't see the light anymore, and you're suffocating, and you can't breath?!

Tears falling from the eyes had no meaning, he had no purpose, nothing could be better than Beef.

Why do I even try?

-TIME SKIP-
It has been 3 years, 9 months, and 27 days since the death of Vintage Beef.

And Etho was no closer to moving on.

Even Bdubs and Doc seemed to move on from the loss of their friend.

The two were married and had each other to depend on for love and affection.

But Etho had no one.

No one could fill that empty hole in his heart.

An idea swarmed Etho's head.

A terrible, sick, idea.

It had been there since the beginning, but now it was louder than ever, drowning out the voice denying it.

And he couldn't resist it anymore.

Etho wrote a note to his friends and family.

Explaining his thoughts and final wishes.

He folded it up and put it in his pocket and he drove out to a highway.

The busiest one in town.

He stood over the highway on an empty bridge, feeling the cold wind on his face.

This was it.

Etho knew Beef would disapprove of this.

So much.

He would be totally against it.

Etho could practically hear him now.

"Etho, you have your life ahead of you. Meet a new guy, fall in love again. Forget about me."

But Etho couldn't.

How could he?

Etho leaned over the side of the bridge.

The cars and trucks were going so fast, they wouldn't be able to stop.

Perfect.

Etho inhaled a shaky breath, wiping the tears he didn't realize he had

He left a voicemail for Doc and Bdubs.

"Hey guys. I've been thinking about doing this for a while. And I'm sorry he had to go like this. I just-...I'm broken beyond repair. Anyways. I'll see you around? Probably not for a while. But when I will see you again. Sometime. Goodbye, guys. I'll say hi to Beef for you."

Etho ended the voicemail and leaned over the side again.

He closed his eyes.

He leaned in more until he fell.

Falling.

Falling.

Smash.

Crash.

. . .

Silence.

Etho opened his eyes.

He was transparent and floating above the bridge where he did it.

He averted his eyes away from the ugly scene in front of him.

Etho saw a person standing there next to him.

A Reaper, of course.

They spoke sadly, "Hello, Etho Slab. Who would you like to-"

"Beef." Etho said without missing a beat. "I wanna see him now."

The Reaper blinked, confused. She said, "Etho, I-I'm talking about actual people who are alive."

"No, I just-I just wanna see Beef." Etho replied.

"Like, maybe Bdubs? Or Doc? Or someone?"

"NO-...I-sorry, please, just...just let me go. I need to see Beef. Please." Etho begged.

The Reaper sighed, taking out their scythe. She swung it. "Have fun."

-POV: Beef-
Beef waited everyday for his Etho.

He didn't care if it would be probably about 60 years or something like that.

He waited. Patiently.

Except he didn't expect to see Etho right now.

Etho appeared, looking confused and disoriented.

And-...

Wow.

He looked incredible.

His snowy hair looked so effortless yet perfect in every way.

Heterochromatic eyes stared curiously at the new environment, darting from side to side as if looking for someone.

His angel wings were like Beef's, soft and silky white to match the afterlife theme.

Etho turned around and saw Beef.

Etho's eyes grew wide.

He stepped forward slowly, his voice trembling.

"B-Beef?"

Etho ran into Beef's arms, hugging him like he would never let go.

And he probably wouldn't.

The two embraced, kissing each other for the first time in years.

And Beef was reminded of the sweetness of Etho.

But then he grew concerned.

Beef looked at Etho.

"Etho, why...why are you here so soon?" Beef asked softly.

Etho didn't respond.

Beef asked again, "Etho, please, what did you do?"

Etho started to cry, which broke Beef's heart.

Etho cried, "I'm sorry Beefers! I-I just couldn't live without you anymore! I hated my life without you in it! I had to do it, I had to end it! I needed to see you again!"

Etho laid there, in Beef's arms, a helpless sad puddle.

Beef said gently, "Etho. I don't think you should've done that. But I'm not mad. I'm happy to see you again."

Etho sniffed, "Y-you are?"

Beef smiled and cupped Etho's face, kissing him again.

"Of course."

IM SO SORRY IT WASNT SUPPOSED TO BE THAT ANGSTY BUT I CANT WRITE ANYTHING THAT ISNT ANGST

I mean...it has a happy ending sorta?????

Idk um yeah!

See you later, might write some Bdoc soon because I have an idea

-Veggie