A/N: YOU GUYS ARE CRAZY WHAT THE FU-

❝ 𝙸'𝚍 𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚍𝚒𝚎. ❞

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Six years ago...

"Fabian," the ravenette hummed at his light magic user fellow. "What is it?"

"Are you leaving for the mission?" Even Ryoh knew that was an obvious question. "Yes, I am." Fabian replied curtly.

"Are you sure you don't want me to tag along?"

Ryoh had a bad feeling. He felt like if Fabian leaves, he wouldn't come back. Yes, the cliché worries every character feels before something bad happens to their cared ones.

But Fabian didn't like the cliché things.

"Ryoh," he sighed. "Are you underestimating me?"

"No-..." he immediately denied before looking down. "Just... worried." He mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper.

Fabian looked at him for a while, his hand finished writing the sentence in his book. Then, he closed it and turned to the light cane.

"There's nothing to worry about," he muttered, closing his eyes. "I can handle this mission. Like the previous ones I did. Have some faith in me, will you?" He assured him.

"But-" Ryoh's breath hitched as he forced the words out of his throat. "What if... this time's different?" He lowered his gaze shamefully. "What if this time.. you're not coming back?"

He didn't mean to assume things. He didn't mean to doubt his friend. But something in his guts was screaming at him to not let Fabian go alone.

Another sigh escaped his lips. "That's so cliché," he ran a hand through his hair. "I don't like cliché things in my story. Ryoh, don't trust your emotions too much. It'll be the key to your downfall."

The light cane nodded his head as he clenched his fists. "I know, but-"

"Have some faith in me," he cut him off. His hand rested on his shoulder comfortingly before giving him a gentle squeeze. "I'm coming back. Plus, today is Flynn's birthday. That's one of the reasons why I need you to stay." He walked to the drawers at his table and took out a gift box. "If I turn out to be late, please give this to him on my behalf."

He took the book that he wrote and handed it to Ryoh along with the gift. After a long silence, the light cane finally sighed. "Sure," he took the items from the soul cane.

Fabian glanced at the clock on the wall before letting out a sigh again. "I guess I'm going now," he muttered. Taking his coat, he walked past Ryoh, not before patting his shoulder twice in a comforting manner.

"I'll be back," he murmured, glancing at the light cane for the last time before he left.

"...you better."

He didn't come back.

Another scene of coughing fit filled the gap between attacks, and another litre of blood escaped his bruised lips. Panting heavily, he glared at the clown at his opposite.

"I expected more from you..." the clown muttered, his tone sounded upset. "...the soul cane, Fabian (last name)."

He clicked his tongue as he got on his feet, only to fall back on his knees. "You...cheated," he spat the remaining blood in his mouth. "You broke the rule you made, but I can't."

"That's the fun in it," Famin chuckled. "It's one-sided all along. It's amusing to see you so helpless like this."

"This is why I hate rules." Fabian stood up, his legs wobbled as he held his broken arm with another. "This is why I hate you."

Famon couldn't keep the amused smirk from creeping on his face. "Harsh." He faked offended.

Fabian rolled his eyes, before widening them as cards came out of his body, forming more wounds. He spat out more blood and fell on his knees once again.

This time, he was not sure if he could get up.

"How pitiful," Famin said in pity, but that tone was fast changed. "Yet it's so amusing to see you helpless like a kitten."

Fabian breathed out heavily as he gasped for air gently. The lack of blood made it hard to breathe.

'Damn, is this how (name) feels? I feel bad for her.' He thought. 'Anaemia is really the worst.'

At the thought of his younger sister, Ryoh's words suddenly came to his mind.

"What if this time... you're not coming back?"

A scoff escaped his bloody lips. 'Heh... I guess the cliché plots get me too.'

A sharp gasp escaped his lips as Famin sliced him using his chakras before sending a hard kick on his chest, sending him a few feet away until he hit the hard wall.

Another cough erupted from his throat. If he had the sense of humour at the moment, he would've called himself a sick old man, but it was not the time.

He might really die.

It was not like he wasn't ready for it, but if he could, he wanted to avoid it.

He still had little siblings to take care of. And he needed to make sure (name) wouldn't be a fighter.

She's too fragile to be one.

He wanted to laugh at himself. For not listening to his friend, for being an idiot.

"Hm? What's this?" Famin's question caught his attention, making him look at the clown.

Only then, his eyes widened at the sight of the item that he held so dear to him, more than his life.

Famin examined the locket in curious. "A locket, hm?" He murmured before opening the round capsule where Fabian kept the picture of himself and his younger siblings in it.

He expected Famin to crush it or anything, but he did not expect him to widen his eyes and fucking blushed.

'Wait don't tell me-'

He cut his thoughts off when Famin raised his head to look at him with an awfully dreamy face.

"Who is this girl?" He asked, pointing at a sixteen years old (name). "She's so pretty. Gorgeous. I want her." He demanded. "Hey, what about making a deal with me? I'll let you live, but you have to give her to me." He offered, smiling as if those words were the smartest thing he said.

A cracked scoff escaped his lips, the blood remaining in his throat splattered down to his chin. "You want to spare my life.. in exchange for my sister?" Famin nodded his head delightedly.

(Eye colour) eyes, identical with the girl's in the photo, glared daggers at him.

"I'd rather die."

The smile on his face disappeared, now replaced with a blank frown. "Is that so?" He muttered curtly. "Then die."

In a blink of an eye, Famin was right in front of him, semi-circle chakras in each hand as he readied his last attack. Closing his eyes, (name) and Flynn's images came into his mind.

Sorry, you two. But I'm not coming home.

Clank!

The sound of metals crashing against each other was heard, followed by another sound of Famin's chakra came in contact with the floor. Fabian opened his eyes, before widening them in shock to see a large figure in front of him.

The unknown figure had a large sword in his hand, which revealed the reason behind the sound of metal crashing each other a moment before.

"That's enough, Famin," the figure muttered. "No need to do more of your useless killing."

"Doom..." the clown muttered, he didn't even hide the dismay in his tone. "Get out of the way. He doesn't want to give me what I want, so I want to kill him."

Doom glanced back at Fabian, who stared at him in silence before looking back to his younger brother. "What do you want from him?" He asked, and Famin's face lightened up, much to his shock. "This girl," he showed him the picture in the locket. "I want her."

The first brother stared at the girl in the picture before letting out a sigh. "I'll help you get her later. So leave," he commanded.

Famin grinned madly before turning around, skipping away in delight, leaving his brother with the soul cane.

It took him a minute to look at Fabian. "I apologize for his demand. I was shocked myself," he muttered quietly.

"Don't apologize," the soul cane hummed. "It's not your fault you have that clown as your brother."

Doom stared at his nonchalant reply before continuing, "As for that, let me do you a favour. I'll set you free from all these pain."

"No, thank you. I'd rather live in pain until my last breath."

"...even if it hurt?"

"Even if it hurt." He nodded his head. "No matter what condition, being alive is the best thing you could ask for. Plus, even if you don't kill me right now, I'll die in any moment because of blood loss."

Doom hummed as he reached out his hand to the soul cane, which he stared at it. "I'm not going to do anything. You're a strange one, yet interesting." He said nonchalantly.

Fabian let out a chuckle before taking his hand, which then Doom pulled him up, the rubbles from the broken wall hit the floor before the soul cane fell onto Doom's chest.

"Damn.. I can't even stand." He said breathlessly as Doom put him onto the ground gently. Fabian looked up at him before letting out a sigh. "If you want to do me a favour, please take me back to the Bureau."

"It's like walking into the police station for me."

"Pfft- right." He cracked a laugh, only to cough in pain. "Today is my little brother's birthday," He muttered, looking up to the evening sky. "Seems like I won't make it home."

"..." Doom stared at him silently before Fabian felt himself being lifted. Doom carried him in a bridal style, much to his dismay. "Hey-... don't carry me like this. It's embarrassing."

However, his remark was ignored. "I'll take you to the city." Doom murmured curtly. "Then you might make it home." A shaky chuckle escaped Fabian's lips as he closed his eyes. "I doubt so, but thank you."

"Fabian!"

He could hear Ryoh's voice from afar.

Doom was still carrying him, from Innocent Zero's secret base to the empty field before they reached the city. There, they bumped into Ryoh.

The light cane took out his wand as he rushed to both of them. Doom did nothing to defend himself, but then he handed Fabian to the blonde. Without any words, he left the two divine visionaries.

Ryoh craddled Fabian in his arms as he examined his wounds, and hell, they were severe. "Fabian, let's get you to the hospital-"

"No, take me home." The soul cane cut him off. "Flynn's birthday is almost end. I need to make it home."

Ryoh shook his head. "No, Flynn will understand. You need to survive first-"

"I'm not gonna make it," again, he cut him off. "I lost too much blood."

"Then (name)-"

"Don't you dare make her use her blood for me. She's suffered enough. She doesn't need to suffer for me too." He gripped Ryoh's shirt. "Take me home, Ryoh. Please."

Biting his lips, he had no choice but to comply. He carried Fabian in his arms gently as he slowly, but quickly made his way to the soul cane's house.

"Who... who did you fight, Fabian?" He asked, tremors in his voice. "Tell me. I can avenge you."

"That's cliché, I don't want it." The soul cane shook his head. "This incident is enough for a cliché plot. I want my story to be different."

"Just tell me!" He couldn't stop his voice from shaking. He couldn't believe it. Fabian was dying.

His friend was dying, and he couldn't save him.

He was not a man anymore.

"...I lost to a clown. His demand really gets into my nerves." Fabian finally spoke. "I wanted to kill him. But look who's dying."

"No time for joke, Fabian. You'll live. Just hold on."

"I didn't know you can make a joke too, Ryoh." He chuckled. "Keep it up, buddy."

Ryoh couldn't hold the laugh from erupting from his throat. Even shaky, he still managed to laugh softly.

"You know..." he heard the breathless mutter from the soul cane. "If we were to live normally... like a normal citizen..." Fabian closed his eyes, a soft smile crept on his face. "I want to be a writer. I want to write the story of my life, without any cliché plots in it. I want to write about my family. About you. About everything," he finished.

"Aren't you one already?" Ryoh said jokingly, if his tone was not shaking. "Hey, you-.... you like joking around, right? T-Tell me a joke, Fabian." He muttered, he was smiling but he couldn't bring himself to look down at his friend.

A broken scoff reached his ears.

"I regret befriending you. You were a bad friend." Ryoh's breath hitched. "I have no faith in you. I knew you were weak, after all."

The light cane pursed his lips into a thin line as his vision blurred. "I don't want (name) to be a fighter. But she wanted to be one. I never have any faith in her. Flynn is such a crybaby, I don't like him."

A long pause made Ryoh nervous. Fabian's house was finally in sight. He just needed to be faster.

But why was it feel so far away?

Fabian inhaled shakily as he felt a warm droplet of salty tears escaped his eyes before closing them, and he never opened them again.

"I don't want to live."

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That was the worst joke he ever made.

Ryoh clenches his fists as he furrows his eyebrows, adrenaline unsettlingly rushes through his veins. He's worried. Worried about (name).

She needs to survive. She needs to live. Nothing in this world is better than being alive.

'(Name)...' the light cane purses his lips. 'Please survive.'

"Oh dear, where did all those spirit go?" Famin looks at the crimson cane in his arms sadly. "I warned you, dear... but it's fine," he removes a strand of bloody (hair colour) hair off her face.

"I finally got you."