Title: Two Fools' Sentimentality
Fandom: Evillious Chronicles
Rating: K+
Length: 916
Content notes: Based on the Vocaloid song series by Mothy.
Author notes: None.
Summary: At the end of all things, Gear and Gammon dare to hope for something beyond punishment and imprisonment. They find newfound hope in one another.

The director of Evil's Theater lies on the marble floor in a heap of metal and rusted gears. Although the spark is long gone from her teal eyes, she continues to churn out the lullaby.

"Lu, li, la. Lu, li, la," she sings in a grinding, metallic voice. Her hands clutch remain on her burst open stomach, clutching the empty womb. "Lu, li, laa..."

The bond that ties the Doll to her energy source is severed in that instant, her head separating from the main body and rolling to the floor. A violet mist of venom surrounds the blade responsible for ending her misery.

"Would you rather see her suffer further?" says the swordsman, Gammon Octo, to the Clock Tower's keeper across the way. His horrific prophecy and vision, largely ignored when he presented it at court, is unfolding before his very eyes now. "You can at least spend your last moments a free man."

A heavy tremor rocks the theater and flings Gear from his perch. There is no unseeing the Doll's corpse, the one he's protected and bound himself to for countless years. Joining her must be his fate, and what better way to perish than falling from the gilded cage he's been trapped in for so long?

But he doesn't hit the floor and smash into a thousand tiny pieces. He crashes into something warm and they fall down together with a grunt. Gear struggles up and looks upon the face of his human rescuer with a scowl.

"You shouldn't interfere," he warns Gammon and staggers over to the Doll's remains. Something wet crowds his vision and slips down his cheeks. "If it is my fate to die with her, then it is my fate."

Gammon seizes the keeper's hand and pulls him away from the Doll. "Everyone else has evacuated."

The blue-haired vessel turns towards him and stammers, "Then why didn't you stay with them? Why return for me?"

"To die alone isn't a Fate I would wish on anyone," answers Gammon with a smile playing on his lips. "Besides, the Clock Tower is still standing, so perhaps - "

Part of the theater's roof collapses and buries the Doll's remains in the rubble. Gammon lifts Gear into his arms and retreats to the inner most chamber of the tower. Despite the Doll's passing and the Irregular's rebirth, the gears in the tower continue to turn.

"You lifted your ancestor's curse?" Gear touches the exposed skin of Gammon's chest through a tear in his shirt. The black marks indicating the curse are gone. Gear traces the where the patterns once were and sighs. "We've both fulfilled our duties and purposes then."

Gammon kneels and takes Gear's hand in his, kissing it. "That's not entirely true," he explains and rises to take a slight bow. "I'm still Gardener to the theater and its residents, Your Humble Servant, if you will."

Gear's blue eyes widen with realization when another quake rocks the tower to its very foundation. "You...intend to stay with me?"

"I intend to see my vision through to its bitter end," Gammon corrects him with warmth flooding his cheeks. "Ah, but I suppose you are half right; I also intend to keep you company, Master Gear."

An apocalypse of biblical proportions rages around them and Gammon still falls back on the same old protocol? Perhaps Gear doubts the swordsman more than he should...

"I never realized you had such a profound sense of duty. It's very...admirable," he huffs with an odd, feverish feeling overwhelming him when their gazes meet again. "Senseless, but admirable."

Gammon removes his jacket and makes comfortable place for the keeper, gesturing for him to sit. The ground trembles beneath them again, knocking out one of the tower's stained glass windows, and Gammon covers Gear to keep any debris from hitting him.

"Y-Your vision..." Gear starts in a small, shaky voice. "Did it reveal what is to follow Irregular's rebirth and the world's demise?"

Gammon gapes down at the man he's shielding. In all the years he's served Evil's Theater, he has never heard one positive thing pass Gear's lips. Smiling again, he laughs at himself for the same reason. The world's end is bringing out the optimism in both of them.

"I know not what awaits us," he replies at length and straightens himself, brushing shards of glass away from his clothes. "The new Master of the Heavenly Yard will decide, but for now..." He sits on the floor beside Gear. "...for now we'll just enjoy each other's good company."

Another violent tremor reverberates throughout the tower and Gear falls back onto his protector, clinging to him out of instinct. Without his bond to the Doll, he feels more powerless than ever, but the theater's gardener instills a faint sense of security within him.

"Is it wrong to hope for more?" he asks suddenly, still quivering against Gammon. "For something beyond punishment and imprisonment?"

The violet-haired man shakes his head. "No, Gear." He takes the other into his arms and holds him close, stroking his soft hair to soothe him while another quake ravages the tower. Dust and debris fall all around them, but still they dare to hope for more. "I believe in the wish that created you, the desire for a beautiful utopia." He cradles Gear's head against his chest and kisses the top of his head. The tower begins to collapse and he whispers to his friend, "Let's believe in that bright, new future together."