Chapter 3: Pinch Point 2
Ombre wheezed, trying to gasp for air. His body grew pale and his mind started to melt.
He felt his vision blur, and he could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He was having a panic attack. He had never had one before, but he knew what it was. He had seen it in movies, and he had read about it in books. He had never thought it would happen to him.
"Ombre, what's wrong?" Ankoku's voice was filled with concern. He reached out, his hand gently cupping Ombre's cheek. "You're as pale as a ghost. Are you feeling okay?"
Ombre tried to speak, but no words came out. He could only nod, his eyes wide with fear.
Marek, noticing the change in Ombre, leaned in, his voice soft and soothing. "Ombre, it's okay. We're here with you. Take deep breaths, okay? In and out, nice and slow." He demonstrated, taking a slow, deep breath and exhaling just as slowly. Ankoku's thumb gently stroked Ombre's cheek, his voice steady and calm. "That's it, sweetheart. You're safe. We're not going anywhere. Just breathe with Marek, okay?"
Ombre focused on Marek's face, trying to match his breathing. In and out, slow and steady. His heart rate began to slow, his vision clearing. "I-i'm... dying...." Ombre's voice was barely a whisper, his eyes filled with a mix of fear and vulnerability. But all he saw was concern and love.
Ankoku's grip on Ombre's cheek tightened, his voice filled with a fierce determination. "I know." He said. "But we're here with you. And we don't want you to be afraid." Ankoku's voice was firm, yet gentle, his eyes never leaving Ombre's face. "We're going to be here with you, every step of the way. You're not alone in this, okay?"
Ombre nodded, a tear slipping down his cheek. "I don't want to die, Ankoku." Ombre's voice was barely a whisper, his eyes filled with a mix of fear and vulnerability. "I don't want to leave you guys. I don't want to leave this world."
Ankoku's heart ached as he looked into Ombre's tear-stained face. He wished he could take away the pain, the fear, and the uncertainty that was etched into every line of Ombre's features. He wished he could make this all go away.
Marek reached out, gently taking Ombre's hand in his. "I know. But we can't do anything. But you shouldn't be afraid. We're here for you, Ombre. We're here." Marek's voice was gentle, yet firm, his eyes filled with a mix of sadness and determination. "And we're going to make sure you have the best week possible. No matter what happens, we're going to be here with you, every step of the way. You're not alone in this, Ombre."
Ombre's eyes welled up with tears, his lower lip trembling as he tried to hold back his emotions. I don't want to leave you guys," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "I don't want to leave this world."
"We know. We know..." Marek comforted Ombre as he slowly met his demise. "We know, but you don't have to be afraid. We're here." Ankoku's voice was soft, barely above a whisper. He gently squeezed Ombre's hand, his thumb brushing against his knuckles in a comforting rhythm. "We're not going anywhere. You're not alone in this, Ombre. You have us."
Ombre took a deep, shuddering breath, his eyes fluttering closed as he leaned into Ankoku's touch. He felt a warmth spread through him, a sense of comfort and security that he hadn't felt in a long time. He opened his eyes, looking up at Ankoku with a mix of gratitude and vulnerability. "Thank you," he whispered, his voice hoarse with emotion. "Thank you for being here with me. Thank you for all the moments and memories... I... I love you guys..."
Those were his last words.
Ombre's eyes fluttered closed, his body finally succumbing to the inevitable. The room fell silent, the only sound the distant hum of the restaurant and the faint twang of the country music in the corner. Ankoku and Marek sat frozen, their hands still entwined with Ombre's, their hearts heavy with grief and disbelief.
Ankoku's eyes were filled with tears, his breath hitching in his throat as he tried to process what had just happened. He had lost so much in his life, but this... this was different. This was Ombre, his sweet, shy Ombre, who had brought so much light and joy into his life.
And now, he was gone. Ankoku felt a sob rise in his throat, but he swallowed it down, determined to be strong for Marek. He looked over at his friend, who was staring at Ombre's lifeless form, his eyes wide with shock and disbelief.
"Marek," Ankoku said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. "We need to... we need to call someone. We need to... arrange things." He couldn't bring himself to say the word 'funeral'. It felt too final, too harsh.
Marek nodded, his eyes still fixed on Ombre. I can't believe he's gone," he whispered, his voice filled with a mix of sadness and disbelief.
The funeral was no easier.
Rain poured from the skies as Ankoku buried his friend in a lavish coffin.
No one ever bothered to show other than Ankoku and Marek.
"Not even Ombre's own damn family!" Ankoku shouted, tears pouring from his eyes like a waterfall. "His. Own. Damn. Family! They aren't even here!" Ankoku's voice was filled with a mix of anger and sorrow, his eyes blazing with unshed tears. He stood at the edge of the freshly dug grave, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. The rain pounded against the earthen mound, soaking through his clothes and plastering his hair to his forehead. Marek stood beside him, his face pale and drawn, his eyes fixed on the coffin that lay before them.
Marek's voice was barely a whisper, his eyes never leaving the coffin. I can't believe they're not here. Not for this." He shook his head, his eyes filled with a mix of sadness and disbelief.
"They don't deserve to be here, Marek. They don't deserve to see him like this. They don't deserve to say goodbye." Ankoku's voice was filled with a quiet intensity, his eyes never leaving the coffin.
Marek nodded, his voice barely above a whisper. But it's still hard to believe. He was just here, with us. And now... he's gone." He took a deep, shuddering breath, his eyes welling up with tears. "I can't believe he's really gone."
Ankoku sobbed, falling to his knees and dropping his head to the floor. The rain pounded against his back, soaking through his clothes, but he barely noticed. The pain in his heart was far greater than any physical discomfort. Marek knelt beside him, wrapping an arm around Ankoku's shoulders and pulling him close. "We'll make sure he's not forgotten, Ankoku. We'll make sure his music lives on." Marek's voice was steady, despite the tears streaming down his face.
Ankoku nodded, his voice choked with emotion. "We have to. He deserves that much." He took a deep, shuddering breath, trying to regain his composure. "We should go.
It's getting late, and I don't want you to catch a cold," Marek said, gently helping Ankoku to his feet. The rain had finally let up, leaving the air heavy and damp. The once vibrant colors of the funeral flowers now looked muted and lifeless against the dark earth.
Ankoku nodded, his eyes still fixed on the coffin. I just need a moment." He took a deep breath, trying to push back the tears that threatened to spill over once more.
Marek gave him a soft smile, his eyes filled with understanding. "Take all the time you need, Ankoku."
Marek walked off.
A couple hours later and he hadn't seen Ankoku, so he headed back to Ombre's grave.
There Ankoku was, digging into Ombre's grave.
"I need to... I need to be with him..." Ankoku's voice was barely above a whisper, his eyes never leaving the grave. "I need to be with him, Marek. I need to be close to him."
Marek's heart ached as he looked at his friend, his eyes filled with a mix of sadness and concern. "Ankoku, what are you doing? You can't... you can't dig into his grave. It's not... it's not right."
Ankoku's hands paused in their frantic digging, his eyes meeting Marek's. "I know it's not right, Marek. But I can't... I can't just leave him here. I need to be with him. I need to-"
"I'm not going to let you bury yourself with him, Ankoku!" Marek's voice was firm, his eyes filled with a fierce determination. He stepped forward, grabbing Ankoku's shoulders and pulling him away from the grave. "I won't let you do this. I won't let you throw your life away."
Ankoku struggled against Marek's grip, his eyes wild and desperate. "But I can't... I can't leave him, Marek. I can't just... just go on without him. He was... he was my everything."
Marek's heart ached as he looked into Ankoku's pain-filled eyes. He knew the depth of Ankoku's love for Ombre, knew the hole that Ombre's passing had left in his heart.
That's when they heard a thud.
A thud coming from Ombre's grave.
Ankoku and Marek froze, their eyes wide with disbelief. They exchanged a glance, then turned back to the grave, their hearts pounding in their chests. Slowly, they approached, their breaths held in anticipation.
"Did... did you hear that?" Ankoku whispered, his voice barely audible.
Marek nodded, his eyes never leaving the grave. "I did."
They stood there for a moment, silence stretching between them. Then, another thud. This time, there was no mistaking it. Something was moving in the grave.
Ankoku's eyes widened, his breath catching in his throat. "Ombre?" he whispered, hope and disbelief warring in his voice.
A muffle mumble. "Let me out... It's so dark..." The voice was faint, but it was unmistakably Ombre's. Ankoku's heart leapt into his throat, his eyes widening with disbelief. he whispered, his voice barely audible. "Is that you?"
Marek's eyes were wide with shock, his mouth agape. he echoed, his voice filled with disbelief. "How... how is this possible?"
The muffled voice came again, more insistent this time. "Let me out! It's so dark in here! I can't breathe!"
Ankoku's hands were shaking as he reached out, his fingers brushing against the cold, damp earth.
He could feel the faint vibrations of the muffled voice, and his heart pounded in his chest. "Ombre, it's me, Ankoku," he whispered, his voice filled with a mix of disbelief and hope. "We're here. We're going to get you out."
Marek's hands joined Ankoku's, their fingers intertwining as they began to dig frantically, their breaths coming in short, sharp gasps. The rain had started to fall again, pelting against their backs and soaking through their clothes, but neither of them noticed. They were too focused on the task at hand, too desperate to save their friend.
Once they managed to dig to his coffin, Ankoku smashed it open with his fists.
Their Ombre lay, weak, bruised and battered (for some reason?) and as pale as a ghost.
Ankoku gently picked Ombre up, coaxing him to relax and breathe and Marek cried, covering his mouth. His friend was alive! Ankoku couldn't believe his eyes. He gently cradled Ombre in his arms, his heart pounding with a mix of relief and disbelief. "Ombre, it's me, Ankoku," he whispered, his voice filled with emotion.
Ombre didn't answer, for he was too weak. He just... clung to Ankoku.
His body was cold and limp, his breaths shallow and labored. Ankoku's heart ached as he looked down at his friend, his eyes filled with a mix of relief and concern. "Ombre, can you hear me?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "It's me, Ankoku. I'm here with you. You're going to be okay."
Marek knelt beside them, his eyes wide with disbelief and hope. "Ombre, it's Marek. We're here. We're not going to leave you." He reached out, gently touching Ombre's cheek. "You're going to be okay, Ombre."
"mhmm..." Is that Ombre could muster.
His voice was weak, barely above a whisper, but it was music to Ankoku and Marek's ears. Ankoku's heart swelled with relief, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Yes, it's us, Ombre. You're safe now." He looked up at Marek, his eyes shining with unshed tears. "We need to get him out of here. He needs warmth and rest."
Marek nodded, his eyes never leaving Ombre's pale face. "I'll go get the car. You stay here with him, keep him warm." He stood up, his movements quick and efficient. "Travis!" He exclaimed, gesturing to the van near the exit of the cemetery.
Travis, one of Ombre's brothers who actually cared about him, was walking over with flowers. "I'm coming..." He said, a sad look on his face. "You don't have to remind me that he's dea-"
He paused, seeing Ombre's body in Ankoku's arms.
"T... tra... tra... vis..." Ombre stuttered, turning his head to face the man frozen in front of him. "Tra... vis..." Ombre stuttered, his voice barely above a whisper, his eyes fluttering open to meet Travis's gaze. "Tra... vis... I'm... I'm so sorry..." His voice trailed off, his eyes closing once more as he succumbed to the exhaustion that gripped his body.
Travis's eyes widened in disbelief, his mouth agape as he stared at the lifeless form in Ankoku's arms. he whispered, his voice filled with a mix of shock and disbelief. "But... but you were... you were dead..." His voice caught in his throat, his eyes welling up with tears as he realized the truth.
Just as he was trying to speak, a branch, that happened to get blasted by lightning, tore from the large tree that loomed over them. It started to fall, about to hit Travis.
"TRAVIS!" Ombre exclaimed, somehow jumping from Ankoku's arms and pushing his brother out of the way.
THUD!
The branch hit the ground with a resounding thud, mere inches from where Travis had been standing. He looked up, his eyes wide with shock, as Ombre landed on the ground, his body limp and lifeless once more.
A gash on his chest appeared, most likely from the branch as it was coated in blood.
"Tr... a.. vis... are you... o.... okay?" Ombre's voice was barely a whisper, his eyes fluttering open to meet Travis's gaze. Travis nodded, his eyes wide with shock and disbelief. "I'm... I'm fine, Ombre. But you... you shouldn't have done that. You could have been hurt." He looked down at Ombre, his heart aching at the sight of his brother's pale, lifeless form.
Ombre tried to smile, but it was weak and barely there. "I had to... I had to save you, Travis. I couldn't... I couldn't let you get hurt." His voice trailed off, his eyes closing once more as exhaustion claimed him.
Ankoku stepped over, noticing blood trickling down Travis's neck. "Travis! You're..." Ankoku's voice was filled with concern as he reached out, gently touching the gash on Travis's neck. "We need to get you to a hospital. You could have a concussion or worse." He looked up at Marek, his eyes filled with a mix of urgency and determination. "We need to get him to the hospital. Now."
Marek nodded. "Let's get these brothers to the van! Tod should be in there!"
Ankoku hummed in agreement, gesturing to Travis. "Pick up Travis and let's go!" Ankoku barked, his voice laced with urgency. Marek nodded, swiftly scooping Travis up in his arms, his face pale but determined. Ankoku, with Ombre still cradled in his arms, turned to lead the way to the van. Travis's head lolled against Marek's chest, his eyes fluttering open and closed, trying to make sense of the situation.
"Ombre... is that... you?" Travis managed to whisper, his voice hoarse and weak. Ankoku glanced back, a small smile playing on his lips.
"It is, Travis. He's alive. We're getting you both to the hospital now." Ankoku's voice was firm, brooking no argument.
Tod was in the van, grabbing a couple flowers as his rescued puppies played everything. "Oh, hey, y'all..." He said, he sounded sad, but when he saw Ombre and Travis he titled his head. "Why'd y'all take Ombre from his coffin?" Tod asked, his voice filled with confusion as he looked at the two brothers in Marek's arms. "And why's Travis bleeding?" He glanced at Travis's neck, his eyes widening in concern. "What happened?"
Ankoku's eyes narrowed as he looked at Tod, his voice filled with a mix of anger and frustration. "We'll explain later, Tod. Right now, we need to get them to the hospital. Ombre needs medical attention, and Travis needs to be checked out."
Tod nodded, his eyes never leaving Ombre's lifeless form. "Right. Let's go." He quickly gathered the flowers and climbed into the van, opening the back door for Ankoku and Marek. He pulled out some blankets and pillows, creating a little nest for Travis and Ombre, who were both coughing from the heavy rain. Ankoku gently placed Ombre on the makeshift bed, his eyes never leaving his friend's pale face. "We'll be at the hospital soon, Ombre. Just hold on, okay?" he whispered, his voice filled with concern.
Marek settled Travis next to Ombre, his eyes filled with worry. "We'll get you both taken care of, don't worry." He turned to Tod, who was already starting the van. "Tod, drive carefully. We don't want any bumps or sudden movements."
Tod nodded, his eyes on the road. "I'll be careful, don't worry.
I've got this." Tod's voice was steady and calm as he navigated the van through the pouring rain. The streets were slick with water, and the windshield wipers struggled to keep up with the deluge. Ankoku and Marek sat in the back, their eyes fixed on Ombre and Travis, who were huddled together in the makeshift bed, their breaths coming in shallow gasps.
Ankoku's heart pounded in his chest as he watched Ombre's chest rise and fall, his eyes never leaving his friend's face. he whispered, his voice barely audible over the sound of the rain and the hum of the van's engine.
"Tr... a... vis..." Ombre murmured, turning his head and facing Travis, who was wheezing.
"Ombre..." Travis whispered, his voice barely above a hoarse whisper. His eyes fluttered open, meeting Ombre's gaze. "You're... you're alive." He reached out, his hand trembling as he gently touched Ombre's cheek. "I thought... I thought you were gone." His voice caught in his throat, tears welling up in his eyes.
Ombre winced, trying to hug Travis, but Ankoku push him away. "N-nuh..."
"Not now, Ombre. You're too weak. Both you and Travis might have a fever." Ankoku's voice was laced with concern as he gently placed his hand on Ombre's forehead, then Travis's. "We need to get you both to the hospital, now." "We're almost there.
Ombre tried to nod, but a sharp pain in his chest made him wince. "Ow..." he whispered, his voice barely audible.
Ankoku's heart ached as he watched Ombre struggle to breathe. He wanted to do something, anything, to ease his friend's pain. But all he could do was hold his hand and offer words of comfort. "We're almost there, Ombre."
Ombre nodded, nuzzling into the blanket.
Ankoku smiled, before moving over to the back of the van. He sat on the ground, until a puppy came over and started nipping at his clothed groin. "H-hey!" Ankoku exclaimed, his voice filled with a mix of surprise and amusement as he tried to shoo the puppy away. "Not now, little guy. I'm trying to help your owners here." The puppy, however, seemed determined to get Ankoku's attention, its tiny teeth sinking into the fabric of his pants. Ankoku chuckled, trying to pry the puppy's mouth away from his crotch. "Alright, alright, you win. I'll give you a treat later, okay?" The puppy finally released its grip, its tail wagging excitedly as it trotted back to its siblings.
Ankoku thought it was over, but the other puppies came over and started to do the same. He laughed, trying to shoo them away, but they were persistent. "Alright, alright, you little devils. I'll give you all a treat later, okay?" He finally managed to pry the puppies off him, his pants now slightly damp from their playful nipping. He looked back at Ombre and Travis, who were still huddled together in the makeshift bed, their breaths coming in shallow gasps. "We're almost there, guys. Just hold on a little longer." He turned back to the puppies, who were now playing with each other, their tiny paws kicking up dust. "You little monsters," he chuckled, shaking his head.
Just as he was about to get up, a large dog pined him down, letting the puppies nip at his groin again.
"W-wait! Ngh..." Ankoku groaned, trying to push the large dog off him, but it was too heavy. The puppies, emboldened by their newfound power, started to nip even harder, their tiny teeth sinking into the fabric of Ankoku's pants and into his skin. "Fuck, that hurts!" Ankoku exclaimed, his voice filled with pain and surprise. He tried to kick the puppies off, but they were too quick, darting out of the way and then pouncing back on him.
"Ankoku, what's going on back there?" Marek called out from the front, his voice filled with concern.
"Nothing!" Ankoku answered, feeling waves of pleasure as the puppies somehow managed to undress his pants. "Just the puppies being playful, Marek. Nothing to worry about." He tried to sound casual, but his voice was strained, and his breath was coming in short gasps. The puppies were relentless, their tiny teeth sinking into his skin, their paws scratching at his thighs.
Ankoku's body was on fire, the sensation of the puppies' teeth and paws sending shivers of pleasure down his spine. He could feel his cock hardening, the fabric of his boxers growing tight as the puppies continued their relentless assault. He tried to push them off, but they were too quick, their tiny bodies darting out of the way and then pouncing back on him.
"Fuck, these little shits are persistent," Ankoku muttered, his voice laced with a mix of frustration and amusement. He could feel his cock throbbing, the sensation of the puppies' teeth and paws sending waves of pleasure through his body. He knew he should stop them, but the feeling was too good, too addictive.
One of the puppies, a small, black one with bright eyes, seemed to take a particular liking to Ankoku's cock. It nipped at the fabric of his boxers, its tiny teeth sinking into the material and pulling it taut against his skin.
One of them pulled his boxers down, and the others... Oh, they started licking. Their tiny tongues darting out, lapping at the pre-cum that was already beading at the tip of his cock. Ankoku groaned, his hips bucking involuntarily as the sensation sent shockwaves of pleasure through his body. "Fuck, that's... that's good," he panted, his hands reaching down to tangle in the puppies' fur. He could feel their tiny bodies wriggling beneath his touch, their paws scratching at his thighs as they continued their relentless assault.
The puppies were relentless, their tiny tongues and teeth working in tandem to drive Ankoku wild.
He could feel his cock throbbing, the sensation of their tiny mouths and tongues sending waves of pleasure through his body.
He could feel his orgasm building, his balls tightening as the puppies continued their relentless assault.
"Fuck, I'm gonna come," Ankoku groaned, his hips bucking as he tried to hold back. But the puppies were merciless, their tiny mouths and tongues working in perfect harmony to push him over the edge.
"Come on, Ankoku," one of the puppies seemed to say, its bright eyes looking up at him as it licked the head of his cock. "Give it to us.
We want to taste you," another puppy yipped, its tiny paws scratching at Ankoku's thighs, pushing them apart.
Ankoku's breath hitched, his eyes widening as he looked down at the puppies, their tiny bodies wriggling with excitement. He knew he should stop them, but the sight of their tiny tongues licking at his cock, their tiny teeth nipping at his skin, was too much. He couldn't resist.
A few found their ways to his arsehole, feasting away.
"Fuck, that's... that's good," Ankoku groaned, his hips bucking as the puppies' tiny tongues and teeth worked their magic. "Fuck, I'm gonna come," he panted, his hands reaching down to tangle in the puppies' fur.
The puppies were relentless, their tiny tongues and teeth working in perfect harmony to drive Ankoku wild.
His cock was throbbing, the sensation of their tiny mouths and tongues sending waves of pleasure through his body.
"Fuck, I can't hold it back anymore," Ankoku groaned, his hips bucking as he felt his orgasm approaching. The puppies seemed to sense his impending release, their tiny mouths and tongues working in overdrive, determined to push him over the edge.
"Come on, Ankoku," one of the puppies yipped, its tiny paws scratching at his thighs. "Give us your cum."
Eventually, they made it to a gas station, Tod stopping the car to get gas.
"Hey, Ankoku? Are you okay? You haven't-" Just as he was about to check on Ankoku, he saw what was happening and froze. "O-oh. U-uhm."