'Fragments'

oOOOo

A/N: Finally, my Animorph OTP- how I've neglected them shamefully…And I couldn't even give them a long drabble.

Done for the livejournal community un_love_you's 'This is my desperation in Action' prompt.

Warnings: Vague mentions of teenage sensuality/death.

oOOOo

Crowded streets cleared away one by one
hallow heroes separate as they run
You're so cold, keep your hand in mine
Wise men wonder while strong men die
You're so cold but you feel alive
Lay your hand on me one last time
So cold - Breaking Benjamin

oOOOo

Some part of her knows she will be leaving ages before Jake does- has known it for awhile now.

Huge pieces of her life heart mind façade reality have been falling off and left behind to linger in the dust of the her past already; the gymnastics she used to love, her relationship with her father, her friendship with Cassie, the sense of camaraderie with Jordan and Sara, her mother's trust and understanding. She dreams of a darkness (whether a peace or a empty cavern, she's never sure); peace itself she can no longer find in the hours she's awake, and she wakes with her heart racing at the uncertainty.

Two hours isn't all that long- not really long enough for a movie date before they evacuated to the valley, and it's never, ever enough time for Tobias to relax and stop looking at the clock- and she hates it, even if she's stopped saying it. His fear of living his own humanity keeps him away from her just as strongly as her fear of losing her's pulls her to him.

Just once, she wants to be able to hold on all that's left of herself- before it's too late.

She pulls him over her body, cooling quickly in the shade of the forest around them, and runs her fingers through his hair as their heart rates slow. He trails his lips softly down her bared throat in the quiet of the aftermath, and her breath catches in her throat over how softly he touches her; even now, at the end, after so much blood spilt and so many battles lost, he still treats her like something delicate breakable and it hurts what's left of her human heart.

These kisses they're sharing should only be because she loves him- and she does, but she's also so scared of leaving him, her family, herself for the life after this one; no battle she's ever been in has prepared her for the one of the horizon that she instinctively knows will be her last.

She shouldn't do any of this with him for all of these reasons- but she can't stop herself.