bakerstreet | Quoth the Raven

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Quoth the Raven

The (Updated) Last Words Meme

This is it. The final curtain. You're at the end of your life, and there's someone here you really, really need to say something to before you die.

HOW IT WORKS:

I.

Comment with your character. Either make up your own scenario or randomize it using random.org or a similar site. You can roll for their cause of death and/or how long they have left to live. You can even leave it blank and let the person commenting choose for you!

II.

Responding characters either pick or roll for the relationship between the two of you. Optionally responding characters can also share your cause of death/time left to live or roll for their own, but that's not required. A living character caring for (or horribly mutilating) a dying one is fine, too.

III.

Tell the person what you need to tell them before you bite it.

CAUSE OF DEATH:

I.

Accidental. Nobody meant for this to happen, but it doesn't matter now. Due to negligence, arrogance or just plain bad luck, you've become gravely ill or injured and are now in your last moments. This covers all kinds of accidental deaths - strangulation, drowning, car accidents, unintentional beheadings, whatever you can think of.

II.
Murder. Somebody really didn't like you. Enough to kill you, it seems. You're now dead by someone else's hand. (Maybe even the person replying to you?) As with accidental death, this covers all types of intentional, malicious murder, regardless of method--so poisoning, stabbing, shooting, etc., all work here. Same with all the below options: any possible variation you can think of on it will work!

III.
Suicide. There is no hope for you, and no way out. You've reached the absolute bottom pits of despair, and the only recourse you have is to take your own life. Someone shows up to stop you... but they're too late to help you now.

IV.
Terminal illness. You have cancer, or tuberculosis, or cholera back when people got cholera. The doctors have done everything they could and it wasn't enough. The only thing to do now is give your loved ones the bad news.

V.
Starvation. So thirsty. So hungry. Maybe you've been traveling in the desert for hours, or maybe you're just really poor. Whatever the reason, it doesn't matter, because you're slowly wasting away until you're nothing but skin and bones.

VI.
Death in battle. You've died a hero's death, and gone out in a blaze of glory. Or maybe you were a coward who got shot for deserting? Either way, you're now a casualty of war. Will you be honored with a parade or scorned as a traitor to your country?

VII.
Natural causes. You've lived a long, happy life, and now your story is at an end. In a warm bed, surrounded by your family and friends, you peacefully drift off. Just make sure that you've made a will somewhere, or at least use your deathbed to set the record straight. Otherwise, who knows what kind of squabbles might erupt after you leave this world?

TIME LEFT:

I.
A few minutes. You're fading fast and you don't have much, well, any time left. Better tell the person with you that you love - or despise - them with your last breath, because you'll never have the chance otherwise.

II.
A few hours. You haven't got much time left. Is there someone you still need to kill? To kiss? Better do it quick. (Note: last kisses not recommended for people dying of highly contagious illnesses.)

III.
A few days. The doctors have given you the news, and it's not very good. You've only got a couple days left to live. You should start trying to make peace with people and saying your final goodbyes with the days you have left.

IV.
A few weeks. Take that vacation you've always wanted to go on but never had the chance to. Go do that thing you've never thought you'd be any good at. You've got only weeks left to live. Don't waste them.

V.
A few months. While you aren't quite on death's doorstep yet, your lifespan has still dwindled considerably from what you probably thought it would be. How are you going to spend your last few months on Earth? Making the world a better place and telling your family you love them? Or raising as much hell as possible?

RELATIONSHIP (OPTIONAL):

I.
Lovers. This is your husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, mistress - they were the person you wanted to spend your life with. Too bad you don't have much of a life to spend with them anymore.

II.
Siblings. Your beloved little or older sibling is just standing there, watching you slowly waste away before their eyes. Can you say anything to comfort them? Note that it doesn't necessarily have to be interpreted literally; adopted siblings and friends so close they might as well be siblings work too.

III.
Parent and child. Nothing is worse than a parent having to bury their child... except, maybe, a young child now alone in the world after losing their parent. As with the sibling prompt, this can be expanded to include parental figures and people who are LIKE a father/mother to you as well as actual biological parents.

IV.
Co-workers, teammates or classmates. You were fighting for the same side. Or you worked together in the same office for years. Or they sat behind you in biology all semester. However you met, how do your react when you find out someone who used to be a fixture in your life is going to die?

V.
Friends. You're the best of friends! You go everywhere together, know all each other's secrets, and are never seen apart. At least, you didn't use to be. Now one of you is dying and the other one is left alone in the world. Or maybe you're dying together. Wait, is that better or worse?

VI.
Bitter enemies. You hate, hate, hate this person. In fact, maybe you killed them. Or they killed you. Or maybe nobody killed anybody and they're just bitter that Mother Nature got to you before they did. Regardless, they want to confront you one last time before you bite it, if only to rub your nose in your imminent demise and their ability to outlive you.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[I mean...it is Mortal Kombat.]

(considering his canon, this is the perfect meme for him)

[ Canonmates and existing CR only for this one please. ]

Edited 2023-03-29 01:26 (UTC)

[He's probably the one witnessing the last words since he's a psychopomp. If he's dying, either he was defeated in battle and he's going to have an embarrassing trip to the Underworld, or something's gone REALLY wrong and he's going to be hanged in the stars or cease to exist.]

[Ahahaha...]

[ don't make me do it ]

[Heee!]

[ 🥲 which one should be kicking the bucket? ]

[Hahaha~ Zack dying would just pile on the trauma for Aki, but Aki buying the farm from long-term illness. I keep thinking of TLoU episode 3. 🤧]

[ I haven't seen TLoU yet but I looked it up and SHITTTTT THAT'S SO SAD 😭 I'm torn between an AU where they get to live a proper life together or going with Aki dying from his devil hunting like he told Zack he would :')) ]

[The one where they live a proper life together is more gutwrenching, gets my vote.]

[ oh nooo I love it :') lmk if you'd like me to write a starter for us, or if you have any prefs, etc! ]

[Zack wakes up first. Nothing unusual these days, but it's worth noting only because it had always been Aki. Up at 0600 sharp, even in the mornings after a long night of work, or anything else; followed by a strict routine consisting of self-care, a morning cigarette, the paper, breakfast and some light cleaning. Zack would always follow him about an hour or so later, throwing his arms around him from behind while he cooked, kissing a toothpaste fresh good morning against his neck and spending a good minute or two just listening to them breathe together in silence.

And so began their days, for the better part of nearly two decades.

Things are different now, and not just because it's Zack yawning and ignoring the slight, dull ache in his lower as he rises and stretches from their bed.

It's a nice day out, the fresh air might do Aki's lungs some good, so he draws the curtains and opens the window a crack before shuffling out to prepare them for the day. Aki can afford to sleep in a bit longer today -- god knows he deserves it.

Zack takes a little more time with breakfast today, returning almost an hour later, cleaned and shaven, with a tray of the essentials: oatmeal with fresh fruit cut by Zack himself, black coffee, plain toast, and some strips of turkey bacon; along with a carafe of room temperature water and all of Aki's pill bottles.]

Aki-baby~ ♪

[ Life with Zack is good. Better than Aki deserves, really. For all his quiet gestures of affection and regular physical reminders of just how attracted he is to the other, he's really not the greatest partner. He works too much, chain smokes, doesn't always pay attention to the things Zack cares about.

And all that was before his lungs started to go.

It snuck up on him, the sickness: he was so busy counting down how many years, days, months he could exchange in order to achieve his goals, he never once thought he'd have a slow death. Those just didn't happen to devil hunters. It was always quick, and usually merciless. The really unlucky ones got their bodies recycled into fiends, the toy soldiers of Public Safety, all freedom stripped away completely.

But, despite everything, Aki lived. He lived through the chainsaws and the ghosts and the guns, and at the end, he got to retire.

Well - "got to" isn't quite accurate. "Forced to" makes more sense. His body finally gave out on him. Being who he is, he tried to keep going, but after one too many missions failed due to him coughing up blood, he was dismissed. At first it irked him, but he eventually found himself becoming comfortable in the new rhythms of his life. Zack, of course, was there for everything.

Aki knows he doesn't deserve this much.

He oversleeps today; it had been a rough night, full of nightmares and wracking coughs, and for once his normally perfect inner clock is on vacation mode. He doesn't wake until the scent of coffee greets his nose, and even then it takes him longer than usual to sit up, running a hand over his face and yawning. When he sees Zack he smiles, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes; his voice is rough when he speaks. ]

Zack. Didn't realize you were up...

Ah, I needed to make sure everything was ready for you.

[Carefully, he sets the tray down on the nightstand on Aki's side of the bed -- the clear and neat one, natch -- then presses a gentle kiss to Aki's lips, just as he does every morning. Taking a perch on the edge of the bed, he looks Aki over, combs the hair out of his eyes.]

How you feeling? Think you can finish the oatmeal today?

[The therapy hasn't been going well and racking Aki's once healthy body; it wasn't unusual for him to complain of nausea or to keep anything down. But as the doctors said: he needs to eat. Can't live off nutrient shakes forever. Besides, the medicine will sit better if there's something in his belly, so Zack is more than happy to stir the spoon in the bowl, invitingly(?).]

[ Aki accepts the kiss with the kind of grace that can only come from literal decades of familiarity. It makes warmth blossom in his heart and spread through his too-thin limbs. Sometimes, he wonders why Zack stays with him - he's not at all what he used to be, not nearly as strong, nor as good in the sack. It's tough to go all night when getting pounded forces what little air you've got out of your lungs.

The touch is a welcome one, and it distracts Aki momentarily from his discomfort. He watches Zack with tired eyes, doing his best not to show just how frustrated he is with himself when his husband brings up the oatmeal.

Can't even eat like a normal person, his brain whispers. What good are you to him? ]

Yeah, [ he says, though he knows it's a lie. It's what he always says. Maybe one of these days it'll come true.

Reaching out, he moves to take the spoon from Zack, not wanting to admit that he's gotten so weak can't even feed himself. His fingers shake a little, but his face is settled into an expression of grim determination. ]

[The hand continues carding through Aki's limp hair with adoration and care to not let his wedding band snag in the strands.]

Eat up, then. Before it gets cold.

[Not that it would matter: Zack would reheat anything Aki asked of him.

He lets Aki take the spoon then starts fiddling with the pill bottles, ostensibly to get them in proper order but, really, he doesn't want to weigh Aki down with his stares. It's a matter of pride, he understands. Even if he's assured Aki time and time again that it's okay, that he's there for him to do whatever needs to be done.

He keeps his gaze on the label of one of the prescription bottles. HAYAKAWA-FAIR, AKI.
Take two (2) in the morning, with food.]

So, I was thinking, if you're up for it...we can go out into the garden since it's so nice out. Get some sunshine, some fresh air. What do you say?

[Mobility has been a touchy subject for Aki. Walking was still possible, just very difficult. He could barely get up a flight of stairs without getting winded, and had to hold on Zack's arm the entire time for balance. That, too, wounded Aki's pride and they've had their fair share of arguments which always ended with Aki stubbornly refusing to leave their room. Even approaching the idea of going for a walk was difficult, but Zack was determined]

[ Zack's hand is welcome, more than he knows. Some days the other man's touch is the only thing that keeps Aki going, that gives him a reason to try at all. Zack's sacrificed more than enough to allow Aki the life he chose to lead; it's the bare minimum he can do to keep fighting against this ridiculous illness, to greet each day by his husband's side.

That's why he gets so angry. It's pride, yes, but there's more to it than that. Aki's never been the type of person to rely on others when he doesn't absolutely have to; fighting the gun devil was one of the few times he admitted to needing help, and that was a monster with the power to massacre hundreds of thousands of people in mere minutes. This is nothing compared to that, so he should be able to deal with it on his own. Zack shouldn't have to put his own dreams aside to act like Aki's doting little housemaid. At the very least, he can still feed himself, goddammit.

So Aki works hard to bring the spoon to his lips, to chew and swallow, to repeat the motions again and again. He's focusing so intently on ignoring the swell of nausea in his gut that he almost completely misses it when Zack begins speaking.

The mention of the garden causes a dark look to flash across Aki's face, though he tries hard to cover it up with more intense chewing. It's not that he doesn't want to - god, does he want to. They used to go for walks every evening, to watch the sunset and smell the flowers, to smile at the laughing children who would wave as they ran along the bank of the nearby river. Those walks were the highlight of Aki's day, ranked just below waking up to Zack's still-sleeping face, calm and peaceful like nothing at all could be wrong with the world.

Like Aki was never sick. ]

I want to, [ he says slowly, finally setting the spoon down to give his arm a break. He doesn't look up, because he's afraid Zack will be able to read him like the open book he is nowadays. ] But --

[ The stairs. The walking. Aki doesn't say it; he doesn't need to. They both know how much he hates that single flight of stairs separating their bedroom from the first floor, from freedom. Zack had suggested moving them both downstairs to make things easier, but Aki flatly refused. He didn't want to change the way they'd lived for years - and, while he never admitted to it, he was afraid what the loss of comfort of their room would do to him. It smelled a certain way that the rest of the house could never match up to. It's stupid, really, being so stubborn about this one thing when choosing change would improve both their lives, but it's a hill Aki's (literally) chosen to die on.

But he wants to go outside. ]

...will you...

[ help me?

He hates asking. He hates it even more when Zack acquiesces. This isn't the life he fought for, chained and bound by weakness caused not by injuries but by his own traitorous body. ]

Be patient? [ he finally finishes, glancing up at last with an apology written in the way his eyebrows knit together, in the tightness of his lips. ]

[Though he knows Aki hates it, Zack watches his husband eat. Not in the sensual way that he used to in their twenties, no. This is concern, now. Hope. Desperation.

Aki had always been resilient and dependable in everything he did, in any way he could be. Quiet in his strength and support. Zack had relied on him for years, when his own optimism would occasionally crumble beneath the weight of life. Now, watching his hand tremble and struggle to hold up a spoon...

It breaks his heart. But seeing Aki fight through it without complaint allows a small glimmer of hope to shine through.

Sometimes, that's enough.

Zack's back straightens as Aki speaks up, his breath held. He expects Aki to reject the suggestion to head outside. Beautiful day or not, it's torturous and painful to even make it out there. He wouldn't blame him.

Imagine Zack's surprise, his absolute joy then, when Aki agrees. For a moment there, he's in his early twenties again and meeting the former hunter for the first time and beaming and thisclose to throwing his arms around him in a tight hug.

That dull ache in his back when he shoots up to his feet too fast reminds him that it's not the best idea to just glomp his ill husband. So he just hugs him loosely and carefully instead.]

Really? Of course I'll be patient, Aki-baby! I'll do anything you want!

[He'll carry Aki down the stairs if he has to.]

Just finish your breakfast, mm? And then we'll get cleaned up and and go. I was thinking we can bring some books or a game or something...

[And off goes Aki's puppy of a husband, to their adjacent walk-in closet. The one that took them longer than a weekend to setup because they kept disagreeing on every aspect of the build when, really, they were both just anxious about moving in together all those years ago. How silly they were back then.]

[Did his propensity to get involved with the supernatural when he has absolutely no way to defend himself finally catch up to him?

Or did he fuck up in an unbelievable, horrible way?

Or are you just an unlucky person whose last moments are with this con man?

BONUS: he can see ghosts, which can make for an interesting continuation to the thread after your character passes!]

The thing he likes the least with this work is delivering bad news. Especially to a friend. Of course, he didn't know if John considered him a friend. But then nobody really knew. The pilot was difficult to get close to. He approaches the bed with a down struck and serious face. His fingers twitches nervously as he gathers himself.

"Let's start wit t'good news. Yer aren't bleedin' out. We sew t'entry point right up," he says and gestures down John's side that had just been punctured by a nasty and sharp alien weapon. "Bad news, it has gotten infected. Each time we try somethin', it gits worse. Whatever git into ya, it's determined t' off ya. Rodney called it an "intelligent virus or possibly nanites." Either way, it's beyond any treatment we got. Ya only got a few days at this rate. Better start thinkin' 'bout that last will," he concludes with a hollow attempt at a joke. "I'm sorry... I wish I could dae somethin more. I can only ease t'pain."

Honestly, he knew his luck couldn't last forever.

It just...sucks hearing him say it.

It hurts, thinking that he can't help them anymore. That this is how he's gonna go out--nanites or an intelligent virus, and not in a fight or in a crash or had the life sucked out of him by aliens or bugs...

"Well. That sucks."

But he's always been one for optimism.

Or maybe that's just the existential fear getting the better of him.

"So...so that's it? Rodney hasn't figured something out? Or you?"

He falls quiet as he gathers his thoughts. Of course, there was always a chance. Even if it was minuscule. They had overcome impossible odds before. But he was a realist and it wasn't looking good. Medically speaking at least. All the treatments he had tried so far had been ineffective.

"I willny gi' ye false hope, but t'odds aren't looking good. The poison or whatever, is attacking yer red blood cells," he says as he spins the screen around. He gestures towards the numbers, some getting into the yellow already.

"Yer body is being starved o' oxygen. As ya can see, oxygen levels is decreasing an' toxins increasing. We might have t' put ya on dialysis, cos yer body can't take care o' the toxic buildup by itself. Would buy ya sum time. I suppose a bone marrow transplant cuid save ya... got a brother or family member whom cuid donate?" he asks, knowing the answer is probably no. But it's the only option he could think of.

"If it's nanites tho... it might not help but Rodney is looking into it."

Edited 2023-03-30 14:50 (UTC)

"Oh. That sounds...bad."

He's noticed, as the minutes pass, that he does feel...tired. Like he's run a marathon. That's probably not good.

"I...no one that would."

His brother he hasn't...spoken to him in years, he's estranged, and he'd never ask him to donate. Maybe if he's gotten desperate. But he's not there yet.

Probably soon he would be, could he ask him? Would he let his pride be the reason for--or maybe it was just a fool's hope, one last-ditch effort to make him feel better, Carson trying anything that would stick for one chance to let him live.

Or Rodney coming through at the last second.

"No. Not really. I'm sure something will...someone will figure something out."

Or maybe he's just fooling himself.

"Denial is 'he first stage o' grief," Carson points out dryly. He then takes a seat and watches John intently.

"Ye have at most a few days. I'll keep workin an' all, but I cannae make any promises. Ye shuid at least try t' reconnect. Even just fer peace o' mind," he replied and placed his hands in his lap. There might be something else he could try, but he wasn't sure John had enough time left. He had played with the idea of cloning or synthtising stemcells. But John was quickly getting worse.

Edited 2023-04-01 19:08 (UTC)

"Probably. I'll be hitting anger here in about twenty minutes," he says, joking but also...not really joking.

A few days.

The thought makes him cold and his stomach turn, and he tries not to despair. Which stage of grief is that one again?

"Maybe I'll try."

Or maybe not. Maybe it'd take a lot of convincing and a lot of Teyla convincing to get him to do that.

"What would you do?" There's something a little less wry in his voice, a little more...raw. Real. "If you knew you only had a few days left."

Carson smiles back, though it doesn't quite reach his eyes. He's trying to hold it together. The last thing John needs is him despairing aswell.

"Ye shuid," he nods. He doesn't know the extent of John's relationship. If he was in his shoes he'd do his best to reach out. The idea of dying alone, without family around, was terrifying to him. "Cry. Then a'll order ma favorite meals. Surround myself wi' family an' people I care aboot. Ye hev options," he answers trying to be encouraging.

"Oh yeah! Almost forgot, Teyla was wondering how yer are feeling. What ye want me t'tell her? She has been worried. Last I heard, she was trying to convince Weir tae send a squad t'find the aliens and... ask them t'help," he adds, imagining that not going well for the aliens.

Edited 2023-04-02 13:14 (UTC)

He can see it in Carson's eyes and that scares him more than anything else. He doesn't like it, doesn't like that he's gonna see that in everyone's eyes and that's killing him just as much as anything right now.

"See, crying isn't gonna be a problem. I'm sure I'm gonna do plenty of that." Jokes again, or maybe not. "Food? I'm gonna order every single turkey sandwich they have in this place."

And family...yeah. They're his family. They're more his family than his own family...

"I've got everyone I need right here," he says in a quieter voice.

"Tell her that I'm fine. Don't let her worry...that'll only be more dangerous for everyone."

Edited 2023-04-02 13:19 (UTC)

"Am sure we can arrange 'at," he smiles again, this time more genuine. He was impressed at how well John was keeping it together. He would have broken down and pleading with God, the ancients or whomever else would listen. That did gave him an idea though...

"Yeah an' we'll be here wit ya til t'end," he nods. "Am let her know yer fine."

"Ye know... the Ancients was investigating Ascension, an' this was their home. Maybe something here could allow ya t'ascend..." he continues playing with the idea in his head. He wasn't sure how "Ascension" worked. It wasn't in his field of study. But it was in Rodney's. "I disny know where tae start. But ye dae hev 'eh gene naturally. Just a thought."

He knew that it was a bad idea to give John false hope. But at the same time, there was a connection between the brain and the body they didn't quite understand. If someone kept their spirits up, their odds of surviving did improve. Right know John needed everything they could give him.

Edited 2023-04-02 13:32 (UTC)

[ for anyone who wants something different and would like to get reaped instead, have a death goddess. the only catch is she can't help those who die in battle. but she can at least listen and stay with you in your dying moments? ]

[Either side and any prompt is good.]

[ can be either. since her canon death was garbage, open to TROS divergence (mainly her taking on Palpatine herself) with canonmates or prior CR but otherwise not interested in rehashing it. plenty of other times/ways she could possibly die. no suicide for her but otherwise open on prompts, and open to her killing your character or vice versa. or both characters being in a bad way. also down for Force Ghost nonsense. ]

[Morgan's job puts them in life or death situations often enough that them dying on a mission is fully possible. It'd be hard fought, but a deserved death.]

[For context: Mason died from drilling a hole into his own skull. Now he's a Grim Reaper and as such de-facto immortal. I'll write what I imagine to be either his last word, or last thought before dying and becoming a Grim Reaper.]

"This will get me mega-high."

[ He's an aspect of Death, so while he won't have any last words for you, he'll help you get yours out. ]

[Threads may go into full on spoilers for all of Engage, as a fair warning!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Quoth the Raven

Kabal | Mortal Kombat | OTA

Dorian Storm | Critical Role | OTA

Gale Weathers l Scream l OTA

Kaminari Denki | My Hero Academia | OTA

Askeladd | Vinland Saga | ota

Vash the Stampede | Trigun Maximum

Hermes ☿ Hades ☿ OTA

Zack Fair | FF7 | ota

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welp I'm already crying so ty for that 🥲

sorry 🤧

I was gonna say it's ok but then I saw youR ICON AND GEEZ 😭😭😭

🥺 it was unintentional!!!!

SURE IT WAS 😭😭😭 also wtf HAYAKAWA-FAIR?! I LOVE IT SO MUCHHHHHHH

gotta twist the knife somehow 🥲

Reigen Arataka | Mob Psycho 100 | OTA

loki odinson | mcu

nicholas d. wolfwood | trigun stampede

Erron Black | Mortal Kombat | OTA

Lt. Col. John Sheppard | Stargate: Atlantis | OTA

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hel | original/norse myth | ota

Shota Aizawa | My Hero Academia | OTA

Kylo Ren/Brianna Solo • r63!Star Wars • ota

Maedhros | the silmarillion | ota

Morgan Jay Finnigan | OC | OTA

Mason | dead like me

Loki | The Bifrost Incident | OTA

Daye | Original | OTA

Alear | Fire Emblem: Engage | OTA