Work Text:
I wanna feel it
Stebbins had walked for days, placing one foot in front of the other, counting one, two on his right and left foot. His neck and shoulder ached as he glared sullenly at his feet, his traitor feet that ached. He kept his face as blank as he could, even as the second to last gunshot rang out. He drowned out the wails of Garraty. It always was going to be the two of them.
I bet on losing dogs
He was a rabbit. Small and doomed and chased by gnashing teeth and an endless hunger. Hunger, hunger, desire. Wanting. What did a rabbit want? Rabbits wanted to run. He had an odd desire to reach for Garraty, to hold his hand
I always want you when I'm finally fine
Days. It had been days. Days of too - sweet jam rotting his teeth, days of paste bubbling in the summer heat, days of tepid and stale water. His knees popped on every bend, his shoulders burned. It hurt to continue but he was made to walk.
How you'd be over me looking in my eyes when I come
Garraty pulled ahead. Stebbins almost missed the company. He saw Garraty stumble and, for a moment, Stebbins held his breath. Would this be it? No, surely it wouldn't be over here. Not like this. Garraty pulled himself up and kept walking.
Someone to watch me die
He wasn't the rabbit after all. What would he be after he ends the race. The last dog gets to live, gets to mate. Anything a dog could want, to continue his bloodline. But Stebbins was no dog, nor a rabbit, he was a boy. He wanted more. He wanted his dad. He wanted his dad to be the panting wretch in front of the gun.
Someone to watch me die
Stebbins let himself fall to his knees. "It's time to sit now", those words floated around his head. Who said that? Which of the 98 damned boys said that? Garraty was illuminated in the rising sun. For a moment, the world was beautiful.
I bet on losing dogs