Work Text:
In...
Out…
In…
Out…
Shallow breaths escape the aging chameleon's lungs, straining for air. His usual cherry red hue of his scales have long dulled to a ghostly pastel pink. Eyes once vibrant orchid now greyed over, unfocused and sorrowful. The hospital bed is uncomfortable, yet he had been confined to it for such a long time now it almost seemed to fuse to his back.
Time was a cruel mistress. Long gone were the days of his youth, following in his late father's footsteps and becoming a renowned entomologist. His hands, once able to craft and create beautiful, realistic sculptures of the bugs he loved so dearly now ached and twisted as the joints started to seize. His age had caught up to him, constant pain now surging through his entire weak body. His heartbeat was starting to slow, the muscles starting to atrophy, thin, willowy veins constricting blood flow.
He coughed hoarsely, another surge of pain flowing through his system. He can hear the steady beeps of his heart rate monitor by his bedside, sounds of the hospice staff just outside his door being muffled.
In these moments of quiet, is when he really started to miss C.J. His doting husband, loving father of their two adopted girls, excellent fisherman. A handsome, caring, hilarious and talented animal whom Flick was so proud to call his. He remembered his best friend so clearly, perfectly preserved in his memory, even as the two grew older and wiser together. C.J. had given him the happiest memories of his existence on Earth and he didn't believe he could ever truly thank the beaver for all he had done.
Unfortunately, the beaver that gave meaning to his life and love to his aching soul had passed some time ago now. His health had declined rapidly in the last few years of his life. There was nothing Flick could do for him, crying and begging his lover not to leave him…
Honestly, he's surprised that he didn't die of heartache shortly after C.J. He never took off his wedding ring even after the beaver passed.
He believed his heart never truly healed after losing his most precious person in the world. The light of his life, snuffed out too soon by the hands of time. Meanwhile, here he was, lying in agony as the mistress of the clock ticked away the hours of his existence in no rush. Not nearly as fast as he had wanted.
Yes, he did want to die. He had come to that conclusion some time after his own illness had set in. True, his daughters were still here with him, but they had families of their own now. As much as he would miss them dearly, he desperately needed to see C.J. again. The chameleon in his heart knew that Amber and Annabelle must think the same thing.
These medications the staff kept giving him was making him drowsy. He closes his eyes, tiredness overtaking his senses as he drifts off to sleep.
---
Flick opens his eyes to see a beautiful hill of flowers, swathed in luminescent moonlight. A magnificent tree grows near the left side of the clearing, covered in twinkling fairy lights. The cold white, sterile walls of the hospital were no longer in view. Soft music could be heard as well as laughter from behind him. He turns around to see a large white tent sent up in the field below the hill, patrons of every kind wandering in and out in pleasant company. He gasps as if remembering something and looks down at himself.
No longer is he an old man confined to a hospital bed. He's young, his heartbeat steady and strong, the vibrant cherry red of his scales back. A hospital gown is replaced by a beautiful white tuxedo, pinned to his lapel is a fully bloomed blue rose.
' This is… '
"Flick?"
The familiar voice makes his heart stop in his chest and he spins around. His eyes widen in disbelief. Coming up towards him, a dashing young beaver in a black tuxedo with a purple rose pinned to his lapel. Blonde hair swept back and bright blue eyes full of mirth stare back into his own bewildered ones.
He can feel tears filling his eyes, his voice airy, "C… C.J.?..."
The beaver smiles brightly and opens his arms wide for the chameleon. Flick hesitates for the briefest moment before running into his lover's arms and sobbing. He could feel the soft fur and strong arms of his lover, smell the scent of the ocean that always seemed to linger around him. He was real . Flick could hold him. After so many years…
C.J. just holds him close and tightly as he cries into his shoulder. Eventually he pulls away but just enough to look into the beaver's eyes which are also filling with tears. Flick places his hands on his lover's cheeks, his purple eyes still searching his husband's, "I… I-is it really…?"
C.J. smiles and nods, his tears falling freely down his cheeks, "It's me, angelfish…"
Flick smiles and sobs at hearing his old pet name, one of C.J.'s hands coming up to softly caress his cheek. He sighs and relaxes into his lover's hand, the feel of the soft paw so comforting after only remembering the ghost of his touch. "You're just as beautiful as I remember…"
The beaver's soft words make Flick blush, and lower his eyes, his own hand coming up to hold onto C.J.'s. "You're just as handsome as I remember. No, more so."
The beaver chuckles, the sound rushing over the chameleon like warm water after being in the cold. Flick's eyes never leave C.J.'s face, so youthful now and so much different than he had been in his hospital bed.
"I still can't believe it…"
C.J. leans his forehead forward so it rests on the chameleon's, "I can hardly believe it either. I've waited for you for so long…"
"You have?" The chameleon's voice is shaky, a small smile forming on his lips.
"For years, Flick. I'd wait for you for an eternity." C.J.'s eyes are so full of warmth and life and love, it makes Flick breathless. He's always loved the beaver's eyes.
"Oh, C…" Flick's voice is a whisper, his tears falling freely again. How many nights he'd pray to just see C.J. one more time. Now here he is, dashing and wonderful and real .
A soft melody floats its way towards the couple and makes Flick gasp, "Our song…"
C.J. smiles and pushes back from Flick, towards the patch of grass underneath the tree and extends a hand to his husband, "May I have this dance?"
Flick giggles, feeling lighter than he had in ages. He nods and accepts the beaver's hand. He gasps softly as C.J.'s left hand comes to grab his waist, his right hand taking Flick's left delicately. "You're the only one I'd ever want to dance with."
C.J. breathlessly laughs as they begin to sway with the acoustic guitar, the lyrics coming to the forefront of Flick's mind as he sings softly along.
"You didn't have to look my way
Your eyes still haunt me to this day
But you did. Yes, you did
You didn't have to say my name
Ignite my circuits and start a flame
But you did
Oh, Turpentine erase me whole
Cause I don't want to live my life alone
Well I was waiting for you all my life
Set me free
My honeybee"
"God, I missed your voice…" The beaver whispers to him, making the chameleon smile. He wraps his arms around C.J.'s neck now, the beaver's hands tightening around his waist and pulling Flick flush against him. He blushes and closes his eyes hearing C.J. whisper the next few lines into his ears. He prayed this wasn't just some cruel dream that would be taken away from him when he opened his eyes.
" You didn't have to smile at me
Your grin's the sweetest that I've ever seen
But you did. Yes you did
You didn't have to offer your hand
Cause since I've kissed it I am at your command
But you did
Oh, Turpentine erase me whole
I don't want to live my life alone
I was waiting for you all my life
Set me free
My honeybee "
He sighs and opens his eyes back up expecting the confining and cold hospital walls to come back into view. Expecting the pain to start shooting through his veins and frail body once more. He gasps when his purple eyes sees the amount of fireflies covering the hill, lighting up the flowers and warming the atmosphere.
C.J. turns to look and grins, the music swelling. The beaver looks back at his partner, starting to laugh and break apart from their original position in favor of spinning the chameleon around. Flick can't help but to laugh, his back now up against C.J.'s chest, his hands resting on the beaver's as they settle on his waist. They continue to spin and dance on their makeshift floor, getting lost in their own little world.
Hello Goodbye
Twas nice to know you
How I find myself without you
Hello Goodbye
I'm rather crazy
And I never thought I was crazy
That I'll never know.
I let myself go.
But what do I know?
As the song comes to a close, C.J. dips Flick downwards, making the chameleon laugh wholeheartedly and making him grin in return. They're both breathing heavily by this point, the moon illuminating both of their faces, as C.J. brings Flick back up toward him. His hands move upwards to Flick's face, his grin softening to a smile again as he rests his forehead on Flick's.
The chameleon smiles at his partner, his eyes locking onto C.J.'s blues, allowing himself to drown in his gaze, "I've missed you so much, honeybee…"
"And I you, angel." Flick gets butterflies in his stomach as C.J.'s eyes lower, his head tilting just enough so his lips brush the chameleon's.
Flick lets out a shaky exhale, his motions feel almost automatic, desperately wanting to be even closer to C.J., "C…"
"I love you so much, Flick." His voice is warm and soft, Flick's eyes closing as C.J. comes ever closer to him.
"I love you too, C.J. Immensely." Flick's whispered words make the beaver smile as he closes the gap between them. Fireworks shoot off in Flick's brain as they kiss, the feelings he's longed for for so many years resurfacing from the depths of his lonely heart. He wraps his arms around the beaver as C.J. pulls him closer to him. Eventually they pull apart, gazing at each other and smiling sweetly.
The chameleon isn't expecting C.J. to lift him up and spin him around, the sounds of their laughter echoing in the wind. Their own precious moment frozen forever in time.
---
The older chameleon smiles softly in his sleep, his chest rising and falling gradually fading. The steady beeping of the heart rate monitor slowing down until he eventually flatlined.