[fic][Check, Please!] Numina 2/?

[sakon76]

(2 - Liminality)

Jack struggled for breath. Just one more, just one more--

"Bits," he gasped, tears burning the corners of his eyes as the world tunneled away, black sweeping in from the edges.

A hand, warm and solid, took his.

"I got you, darlin'," a voice said. "It's all right, Jack. Just let it go."

And like that, the world fell away.

Jack stood in blackness, in silence. The beeping of monitors had vanished, the scratchy sheets, the smell of antiseptics. It was all gone. There was only himself, and the one holding his hand.

Eric's other hand brushed Jack's cheek, sweeping back hair. "How're you feeling, honey?"

"...Okay," Jack said. Which was true. He didn't feel fantastic, but neither was he hurting anymore. "Bits, what happened?"

"You died." His husband smiled softly, his presence the only reference point Jack had in this darkened space. "And now you've got a choice to make."

"A choice?"

Eric nodded, his dark eyes calm. "And there's no wrong answer, Jack. Either way you choose, I'll go with you."

"Okay. What's the choice?"

Eric smiled. He swung their connected hands up between them. "We can stay here, Jack, be small gods in the living world, or... we can move on." He looked beyond Jack. Jack half-turned to see what Eric was looking at, but there was nothing there. Just more darkness.

Except... now he could hear something. As he concentrated, Jack realized it was voices. His parents. His grandparents. Lardo. Ransom and Holster. But not Shitty, not yet. Nor Parse. But he could hear other friends, old teammates, Tater and Thirdy and Marty and Guy. The barks of dogs he had had. Laughter. Good times. Games to play.

Jack's eyes prickled with want, a sudden heart-wrenching longing to see loved ones long gone. He would have gone to them without hesitating, except for the hand staying his own.

He turned back to his husband. To his choice. "And... if we stay?" His voice was hoarse.

"I won't lie. It's not the easiest of existences," Eric told him. "Not in the Western world, not anymore. But there's still cracks and spaces for small gods to live in, and teach what they love, if you want to try it."

"And if we fail?"

Eric looked beyond Jack again, toward the voices. "Then we go the other way. Pretty sure I know most of who you're hearing, honey, but... I can hear some voices that I know faded away centuries ago. So I think they're there too. Whatever there is."

"You don't know?"

Eric shrugged. "Never been there." He looked back up at Jack. "So what'll it be, sweetpea? Where're we going?"

And Jack was tempted, really he was, but... they had time. If they were going to end up in the beyond eventually anyway, why not take the scenic route?

"Let's stay," he told his husband.

Eric smiled. It was as brilliant as the sunrise. "I was kind of hoping you'd say that."

"So what happens now?" Jack asked.

Eric's fingers laced through his. "Now, sweetpea... now I get to show you my world."

He turned to lead Jack away from the voices, and like that, the two of them were gone.