Horizion (Steel Beast)
Horizon
He could hear them. Feel them. A deep bass rumbling through the earth, a sound in tune with his own heartbeat. The song of the war machine filled his ears, the growl of an engine, the purr of a swinging turret, the heavy thrum of shells loading the cannon. This was his equal. His crew was his family, his pack. He tried to recall their faces...
Tears filled his eyes, yet went unnoticed. His vision was blurred, his mind jumbled and only disorientation greeted him in his awakening. Shifting his weight, he slipped from his perch and tumbled down, down into the bowels of his metal cage.
Light poured through. His eyelashes danced and mingled with the intruder, welcoming in the brightness. A paw, his paw, grasped the wall, pulling him upright against gravity. His vision slowly returned and revealed his surroundings. Cold metal, blood smeared on the walls, silence filling the void. His beast was dead. Something had hit; he remembered now. An explosion - sound faded, a speeding mass punched through the vehicle shattering metal and bone and flesh. Then all went dark.
A low moan mingled with a growl and forced its way out of his throat. War, war they had called it. His friend, his love - He broke down. The beast promised it would protect him! If steel and cannon could not save him, what could he do to keep his lover safe? What coul - A stirring, Somewhere in the vehicle. He had not caused it.
Slowly, carefully, he slid his aching paw down to his thigh and found his prize. A handgun was cradled in a sling, waiting to shout, to kill. He freed it from its prison and massaged the safety off. If they were arrogant enough to loot what little was left from the machine, HIS machine, he would kill them. Just as they had killed his crew, and his lover. Another tear rolled from his eye. They had been so young together, he commanded the beast and his love controlled the radio, guiding them throughout any predicament. And now he was gone.
Movement again. Resolve moved him up into the main chassis. There he saw the source. A wounded fur lay next to a sparking radio. The sparks had been the light he saw, they had guided him here, the movements had simply been the catalyst for his investigation. The fur lay lifeless across a seat, head propped up against the radio, headphones lay on his neck and shoulders, a scarf that had once been filled with multiple colours now stained red, covered his face.
No. He shook his head, no no no, this WAS NOT HIM. This couldn't be, he had promised... He crept up near the dormant fur, fighting his emotions. How could this have happened? He had known him since they were young pups, boys growing up together. He couldn't leave without him. A tear followed the path of its earlier peers and leapt from his eye. More followed and he wept.
He had to see. One last time, he had to see his friend, his love. The only fur in his crew he truly trusted and cared for. With trembling paws, he withdrew the scarf. That face. He knew that face. So innocent, young, like him. Dead. And yet... A slight cough flew from the prone fur's mouth. LIFE! He was alive! He leapt forward and grasped the dormant fur's head. "Wake, wake damn you! Don't leave me!
And the fur's eyes opened. He looked and spoke softly,
"I love you."
Still crying, he bent forward and kissed his lover, brushing the scarf out of the way. The beast had died, but they lived on. They pulled themselves from the heart of the metal beast and surveyed the landscape. It was a wasteland, but with a haunting beauty. They were the only visible life, and only the horizon greeted them. It was grim, but they were alive, and they were together.
Constructed criticism welcome, but be gentle. Oh yes, I am not responsible for anyone being offened by reading this. If you don't like M/M, don't read it. Any character simialrities are coenciental.
This is a bit of an experiment for me. Just a short little story done on a whim. Don't worry, I'll write something yiffy eventually >.<