Archive of Our Own ^beta

“So, Joe was the Sacrifice, huh?”

Sara’s blood ran cold and shivers ran down her spine, as if a spider crawled up her back, only to swallow her whole. Joe was the Sacrifice…? No, that meant…!

“It’s voting time! Hehehehe!” Miley’s laughter echoed in the room, as everyone stared in silence.

It was decisions like this that Sara most hated, and knowing she was one of the five that could be voted, her concern for Joe outweighed the fact that her life was on the line at this very moment. At this point, she had no control over anything, except trust the people she befriended in not voting for her. But the results proved otherwise.

“Ha...haha…” Joe’s awkward laughter rang the room, rubbing the back of his neck as if to apologize. “Sorry Sara, I guess we won’t be together for a while now.”

His soft smile was directed towards the girl. That smile. It was the smile of hopelessness and despair. He had given up, yet he did his best in smiling for his best friend. Sara’s cries only grew as he hugged her tightly. Was it desperation or was it fulfillment for being able to live out the life he enjoyed and cherished dearly? Joe didn’t know, but he didn’t need to, because he was going to die - why bother with the small details?

“No...nonononononono! The votes were rigged! Joe can’t die!” Sara choked on her own cries as Joe hugged her tighter. “This can’t be true…! It can’t!”

Miley only gave her a smile, the smile of despair, knowing that Sara couldn’t do anything to help her friend. And she laughed. “Of course it’s true! Votes can’t be rigged in this game!” Her smile grew wider, “I’m feeling generous today! I’ll let your friend say his final words before I get out the tubes!”

Sara’s despair grew at each ticking moment. Her hands grabbed tightly onto Joe’s shirt, not wanting to let him go. “This shouldn’t have happened... Please take me-!”

“Sara.”

“...”

“...Sara. Look at me.”

“...”

“...I lied by the way.” Joe’s voice came barely in a whisper.

“...About what?” Her crying quietened down to the occasional sniffle, as her eyes finally looked up at him. Joe’s face held a soft smile as he looked down at her, his hands tightening around her waist. Eyes crinkled and a growing blush. His smile reminded her of the days they used to go to the river after school ended. On the hazy summer evenings, they would lie down in the grass, looking at the golden pink sky, staring up at the clouds.

“That looks like a monkey.” Sara pointed with her finger at a cloud that did not resemble a monkey.

Joe stared at her incredulously. “I think you need glasses.”

He received a punch to his shoulder as a response.

“Watch what you say.” Her face was blank as her eyes bore holes into his face.

“Argh, you’re so mean! Your brute strength is gonna kill me one day, Ginger!”

Another punch, this time with a force that made him roll away from her.

Sara sat up and looked at him with a glare that could rival the fiercest assassin. “What did I say about that nickname, Doggie Boy?”

Joe jumped up and scooted over to her until their noses were practically touching. “Hey, and what did I say about using that nickname?” He pulled away from her, his blush going by unnoticed by the brooding girl beside him. Crossing his arms, he painfully pointed out, “I’m tellin’ ya Sara, you ain’t ever gonna get a husband with that kinda personality!”

“...”

“...Sara?”

“Three.”

“‘Three’ what Sara?”

“Two.”

“Huh?” Joe started sweating as he slowly got up, starting to back away from the girl, whose aura suddenly turned dark. It was oozing out pure bloodlust as her face looked up from the ground and straight into his eyes. “Oh fuck.”

“One.”

She quickly stood and started a mad dash after the boy, whose physical ability was not as great as the girl’s, mind you. His one mistake was running straight towards the river.

“Saraaaaaa! Please spare me I beg ya!” Joe, who still hasn’t realized his mistake, screams at the top of his lungs, begging for the girl’s mercy. He was slow to start with, but with his head turned towards her, he was even slower, evident in the girl’s closing distance.

The girl in question could only laugh in response. “Doggie you know I don’t do well with this kind of topic, why don’t I teach you a little better?”

Joe gulps and turns around, only to run straight into the river bank. He trips on a rock and his body falls into the water as he yells at the top of his lungs, “Sara! Help, I’m dying! Let’s hold a truce because your dear friend is about to die!” The water reached their knees, tops.

“Oh come on you big baby, you’re not even on the deeper part of the river, you’re literally at the shore.” Her hands positioned themselves to her hips as her eyebrows furrowed at his scheme. “I’m not gonna fall for that again!”

Turning around, she started walking back to their spot when suddenly a hand grabs her ankle. She’s pulled into the water, becoming soaked from head to toe.

Joe could only laugh, holding his hands to his stomach. “You look like a wet bear!”

“And you look like a wet dog! So shut up and let’s go dry off!” Sara’s pout and furrowed eyebrows only narrowed as Joe kept laughing at her appearance. “You’re such a handful sometimes, Joe.”

Laughter settled down, his bright eyes smiled at her as he held a thumbs up. “Yeah, but you’ll always be there to take care of me, won’t ya Sara?”

“Who else if not for me?” Sara's glare settled to a soft smile as they looked at each other’s soaking appearance.

Joe’s blush deepened seeing her smile. Nice Sara was always so kind and looked out for him. Mean Sara would tackle him into hell, only to fight the devil to get him back. Mom Sara worried about him, always making sure to have spare band-aids and remind him to do his homework. There were many different Sara’s that Joe has seen throughout his time of being with her, and it was all these Sara’s that made him fall for her.

Her smile. The way her eyes crinkled in giddiness when she saw a puppy. How her bottom lip would jut out whenever she couldn’t buy her favorite drink from the vending machine, only to have Joe buy it for her. And he couldn’t forget the way her hair blew in the wind, her form standing against the sun, illuminating her figure as if she was an angel sent to him. She was so kind too! She would play with the neighborhood kids and hand out pieces of candy at the end of the day. Her bright laugh would fill the park with joy, the sun peeking just to visit her. She meant the world to him, and he hoped he meant the world to her, too.

He didn’t know when his feelings grew for her, but he thinks it was as soon as they met eyes. His very first time seeing her, he knew she would be the only girl on his mind. They were young too! How did he know so early on? That was for the unknown higher forces, or whatever they were, to decide for him. His heart knew and he stuck around with it.

“Yeah. I don’t think I’d let anyone take care of me except for you!” He gave her a grin that rivaled the sun. The wind blew gently as the sun’s rays turned the sky’s golden pink tones to a rich purple, the clouds blushing.

Facing away with a faint blush, Sara shouted, “Well good thing I’m here! Or else you’d be dead by now!”

He could only laugh in response. Yeah, what would he do without her?

“Well...you know. I lied to you about what I said during my date with Ryoko.” Joe looked away bashfully, blush rising as she looked at him incredulously.

Sara’s eyes widened as her hands tightened around his shirt. What was that? Lied…? About what exactly?

“Huh?”

Joe looks at her again, this time his eyes softened as he held on tighter to her figure, as if uttering one more word will send him straight to death. His eyes look away from her, and then back. He does it again. Why was his courage lacking when he was about to die?! Please just let me have this moment of confidence! he yelled in his mind as he looked at Sara once again, whose eyebrows are furrowed and tears stain her cheeks.

Bringing a thumb up to her face, rubbing away her tears he says, “I lied that it was a date.” His voice goes down to barely a whisper as he leans towards her. “It wasn’t a date.”

“Then what was it?” Sara could care less for the looks the group was giving them. Joe was in death’s hands and she wasn’t about to let these people ruin their last goodbye. “Why are we talking about this now of all times? You’re about to die, Joe!”

“Wait.” Joe’s eyes hold her down. She couldn’t move, entranced in his eyes that held deep longing to live, but also...love? Was she seeing things again? “This is important, okay? Just let me finish.”

Sara was not one to use many words, nor did she have the patience to listen to people’s monologues. But for Joe, her best friend, she would put away her annoyances and listen to him. Take every word he says, so that she could cherish his memory dearly in this twisted game.

“At the bar...when I said Ryoko and I talked about you, that part was true. But...we didn’t talk about how great of a friend you were.” Joe pauses to gauge her reaction. Her face states neutral, but her hands tightened around his shirt once more. “We actually… Well- I actually- I was the one to talk about you. Ryoko and I, we're good friends! And she’s been an amazing friend to us both, so maybe that’s why I told her all these things about you that I just couldn’t keep in anymore and I wanted to get them off my chest so I asked Ryoko and-”

Sara wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. Her face was hidden in his chest. “You’re rambling, Doggie.”

He wondered if he could feel his beating heart. He was sure that if whatever the tubes were didn’t kill him, this sure will. The heart that longed for the girl was ever closer, and he was afraid his heart would suddenly leap out of his throat if she hugged him any tighter.

He breathed out slowly, slowly putting his chin down on the top of her head. “I asked Ryoko how you would want your first date to go.” His voice was barely a whisper, his heart pounding against his ribcage, threatening to jump out. “Because in truth, I never liked Ryoko. Maybe it was an excuse for myself, or for my heart. Perhaps I convinced myself that I liked Ryoko when in reality I didn’t.”

His chuckle filled the silent room as he began once more, “In the end, I couldn’t live with the guilt that I was probably leading her on and our first date ended up us talking about you.”

Fear overcame him. Along with his doubts, it was the fear of rejection that consumed his mind, eating him raw for as long as he could remember. Because Sara always called her and Joe’s relationship as “a dog and his master,” (she would stick her chest out in pride as she looked at the person asking) so he always thought there’d be no room for them. His eyes would follow to her blushing face when talking to another guy, or the way she’d turn shy when talking to the class president. His gaze didn’t miss the way she’d smile at the head of the volleyball club. And every time his heart would beat in agony, a rhythm of capsizing waves that threatened to break his walls apart. Sometimes there was the occasional wish that the girl didn’t exist, that way Joe’s heart would stop beating in envy. That green, vile monster that consumed him whole, the jealousy that bred within his mind. But ignorance is bliss, or so they say. The duo’s days were spent in peace and quiet, and his heart played a soft tune whenever around her. Those hazy summer days when the clouds painted the sky and the sun’s rays grew and spiraled into the golden sky. That rhythm played for years and never once subsided.

Keeping it on the down-low was hard, but somehow the girl was oblivious to his blushing face, and how his touch would linger half a second longer. A home. She was home to him and his soul. It was the safety of her walls that willed him to sleep, and it was the comfort he felt whenever she was around. Like those summer days they spent by the riverbank, that was what Sara was to Joe. An enigma. A girl whose kindness was too big for her heart and whose witty remarks always made him laugh. Her brave attitude and her care for others is what led him to fall down the rabbit hole of love, so deep that not even the longest ladder would be able to pull him out. But there were no regrets towards loving. No regrets towards being content with her blushing face, even if it wasn’t directed at him. He believed that his love could not be described in words, and not even the greatest poets could sum up his love for her.

Sara finally looked up at him, her eyes full of woe and distress. “What are you saying…?”

Joe’s eyes were filled with a tenderness she could not describe. When was the last time she looked at his eyes? Were they always filled with care and longing? This feeling that he cherished and grew in his little garden, how long was it growing for? Sara felt guilt run up her back. She remembered all the people she crushed on, and how Joe would give her passive-aggressive responses on those boys. Was it then?

Perhaps it was ignorance or maybe it was her fear of being something more that brought her into a turmoil of her feelings. This ignorance was a curse that she put up with in harmony. The years of longing for the boy who was about to die. Why did it have to be now that she realized her feelings, those that were locked up inside? What great timing.

“Sara, ever since we met,” (we were children! Sara thought with surprise), “I always knew that the only one I can love is you.”

Love.

Love…?

Love???

Her head was filled with panic. Love?! All this time, all these feelings could have been resolved this early on? Ever since they were kids, he said. Her train of panic was interrupted by the deep rumble of chuckles that she felt coming from the boy.

“Ginger you seem a little out of it! Were my hints not obvious enough for ya?” Joe’s soft chuckles didn’t help much in her reddening face, threatening to spill down her ears and neck. “Since the start. You are everything to me, Sara.”

It wasn’t the first time that she felt his gaze become so loving when he looked at her. There were times after they’d turn in their homework that he would just sit and stare, as if knowing her inner most thoughts and secrets. Maybe he didn’t know that she too was looking at him with the same loving gaze, eyes locked on him with the surroundings lost with the rest of the world. It was only them.

“...”

“Don’t go quiet on me now! I just confessed my feelings for you! Right before I die too!” The boy’s exasperated tone only made her face redden, rivaling the tomatoes they’d buy at the local market. His grip tightened around her, pulling his face even closer until their noses were touching. “The least you can do is tell me how you feel.”

Oh, Sara. How could she not tell him when he gave her that look? That look that rivaled the moon’s rays, kissing the earth gently with its soft glow. The look that held a thousand words yet only spilled three. She wished that they could have resolved this earlier, maybe then she’d be able to see that look again. The look that was only reserved for her, and they both knew that.

Sara stared back. Most of the time, Joe was not one for understanding the emotions held behind the eyes. However, there were a few occasions when he would see those eyes and understand everything they told him. And at that moment, Sara’s eyes were saying a soft, “I love you too.” Her mouth was parted, but her eyes shared all. No words were needed to be said in order to understand that their love was finally revealed to each other, moments before impending doom. Moments when they would have to say goodbye. To them, that didn’t matter. Ignorance is bliss.

The girl started with a shaky, “I-”

Before being interrupted by the ever-smiling doll.

“Time’s up! Your love for each other can wait in hell!” Miley’s laughter rang the room as she walked. “Where do you think I was? Since I’m so generous I even gave you some private time! How about that?!”

Her laughter echoed, turning into a cacophony of broken strings as the room filled with her presence.

“Say bye to Joe now, Ms. Sara!” Miley grinned once more, pressing a button that released a swirl of tubes. “Hurry, or you’ll miss your chance!”

Sara’s eyes widened in realization and panic. No! That meant…!

“It’s okay Sara.” Joe’s voice brought her out of her stupor. He looked at her, this time with a gentle smile. “Sorry I didn’t get to tell you sooner, but better than late never, am I right?”

“Don’t say that…” Her voice was quiet and barely above a whisper. This was just all a bad dream. Or perhaps a good dream if Joe confessed his feelings to her.

Suddenly, the feeling of soft lips connected with her forehead. They were warm and barely grazed her skin. But the touch lingered and her head felt on fire. Looking up once again, Sara realized Joe unhooked his arms from her waist, now standing a couple of meters away from her.

“Hey, Sara.” Joe’s eyes crinkled at the corner as he gave her the biggest smile. “I love ya.”

The tubes wrapped around him, choking him as a snake would to their food.

“Say bye-bye to Joe now, Sara!” Miley laughed louder, holding Sara’s shaking shoulders.

“No!”

“Bye-bye, Sara.”

“...”

“...”

“...”