A Final Night

“Oliver? Oliver? Can you hear me?” asked a voice, shaking his shoulders.

“Hmmm…” he muttered.

“Good, thank goodness you’re alive,” said Serenity.

Oliver opened his eyes to see her bloodied face. She was holding a cloth filled with black goo over his face. It smelled like spoiled broccoli.

“Ick! Why the hell are you putting that on my face! Take it away!” yelled Oliver.

“It is supposed to heal you and take away the poison! Now stop being a baby! I had a vision and it showed me all of this medicinal stuff. I know what I’m doing so you can trust me,” she said as he pulled a stray strand of hair behind her ear. She smiled at him.

Oliver remembered something. “Serenity, where’s Luke? We have to save him! He was nearly dying the last time I saw him,” Oliver said frantically.

“I know. We are dealing with you first though. You are more important and he is supposed to die for you anyway,” replied Serenity brusquely.

“If he’s supposed to die for me, then today is not the day. I need him. Let’s save him first and then we can finish cleaning up my wounds after.”

He ran to Luke who was lying in bloodstained grass. The gash on Luke’s chest was jagged and the cloth from his shirt was starting to stick to the wound. Tears slowly rolled down Oliver’s face as he tried doing what Serenity did to him. Unfortunately, nothing happened. He just lied there, breathing in gasps.

“Why isn’t it working?” he yelled by Luke’s side.

“I don’t know. It’s all knew to me. Maybe it doesn’t work on guardians,” she replied helplessly.

“No, oh no, not Luke. Don’t leave me here alone. Who else am I going to tell everything to? Come on, dude, stay with me! You can do it! Please,” he cried, “I…I love you.”

He sobbed as Serenity looked away. The light appeared around Oliver again and some of it flooded into Luke. Moments later, Luke gasped and sat up. He was alive.

“Did you miss me?” Luke asked hoarsely.

“Don’t do that to me again,” said Oliver as he pulled Luke in for a hug.

“Dude, I’m pretty sore you know. Can you loosen your grip just a little bit? I’m sure you can…” replied Luke before Oliver kissed him.

Red flooded Oliver’s cheeks as he pulled away. Luke was surprised. He stared at his friend. They had been friends for life, but this was different. This was different for both of them.

“How long?” Luke asked Oliver.

“A few years; I just didn’t think it was important to tell anyone. It’s not like I was looking for a relationship. I’ve always loved you, but I didn’t want to lose you as a friend. However, now that I’ve nearly lost you forever, I can’t stand to let you go…” replied Oliver, staring at his shoes, as Serenity played with her hair, pretending not to pay attention.

Luke leaned in toward Oliver and whispered, “I love you, too. I’m glad you didn’t take the Serenity offer.” He kissed Oliver slowly at first, and then more confidently.

Oliver pulled away first. “I hate to say this, but we’re going to have to leave earth to go help other planets and species. By doing this, we can save the world. When I was knocked out, that’s what the vision showed me. At the end of it all there would be a world of peace, if the guardians can pull through,” he said slowly.

Luke stared at him. “My job is to protect you and I will go anywhere with you to ensure that happens. I will be with you until the day I die. That’s what best friends are for, right?” asked Luke.

“Yep, but I think we are a bit more than that now,” replied Oliver.

“I know, but I will love you forever until the day I die because guardians are bound to the light bearers. Although we are together, we are still best friends, and that part of our relationship will always remain. I will love you forever and always,” said Luke.

“Same,” said Oliver as a white light encased them and left Serenity behind to watch them leave.