years of war {carter laws' death}

[Tom]

Get out of your head
the voices don't know what is best for you
in the pouring rain
I head the devil call me out

There's no ace up his sleeve.

No secret to Carter Laws, except his ability to provoke a crowd into cheers and pleasantries. A performer through and through, but never able to handle the truth that death was knocking on his door. Raisa Mortuus' words ringing through his ear like an echo of ringing that goes through his ear. Or maybe that was the wound that now made silence come to the left side of his head. The creatures were stronger than him, leaving behind wounds that were too much for him. A suffer induced wound that will never heal despite the tries that Auto and Lars may have later on. A painful chuckle comes from his throat as this was the way Mitchell had died.

Always a hero, but never a survivor.

Martyrs they would call them in District Twelve. Put a plague on stone with their legacies shining in just a few words and nothing more. Forgotten like the winds and fires that they were. Erecting flowers in honor of the boy named Carter Laws who let mutts tear him apart for the Theft twins and Maxwell Temple. A legacy of death that will follow the Laws' every step. Parents spent crying for their baby, remembering the happy times before death haunts their walls. Carter and Gabriel's room would go empty with nothingness, except their belongings on the walls. Drawings of doodles that were drawn by his brothers and sisters with him from since he was a young boy. Would those drawings be the only legacy he leaves behind?

No more aces up his sleeve.

Carter Laws was dying. Blood coming a dark crimson color and all he can do is look at the sky and feel a warm breeze touch his face like a gentle caress of a hand. Almost as if it were someone comforting him from this pain. Numbness spreads, but he still lives as he can hear the creatures leave him in peace. Job well done, another prey to find besides the Laws boy. Did Glamour really want him dead this bad? A cough escapes his throat as he just lets the blankness of the sky reach him. Thoughts and feelings running wild.

No tears come to his eyes as he stares at the endless skies and the smell of heat that radiates from the black muck nearby. Things left unsaid in his mind as he thinks of the family he misses. Jack was still a coward of a man. His father and mother weren't like the rest of the families in Panem. They actually cared for him with love. Would they be crying? Would they be breaking? Or had he finally broken the straw of relief from the pain in the ass he had been after Mitchell's death. A silence fills him as the ringing in his ear ends and he can't hear the sound of the wind anymore from the way it's blowing.

Mitchell. Would Mitchell be proud of him? Brothers would be reunited finally together. After all, that's what the card boy had wanted in the long run. Death was inevitable in a place of no peace. His hand had been a pair of twos and nothing more than that. Would Mitchell comfort him when he finally accepts his death? Carter never belonged with the Kings and Queens of the games. All he belonged with was his siblings of no more. A legacy to become. The boy who died protecting others. Stella and Aranica told him to keep fighting, but he's so tired of it now. Crimson pumping from his chest and head making the dizziness begin to come, but he still breathes in air.

Alone.

Death was lonely. The risk of sending friends away in order to distract the creatures hadn't been the smartest of ideas. No one's ever thought of him as intelligent anyways. Kids at school used to tell him he was fast, but never smart. Quick witted, but never intelligent in the way that his father was. Not in the way that Mitchell Laws had been. Alone in the tar pits that could have been a valuable source of safety, if only he could have taken it and light a fire like his heart's own. Like Asha Lumiere, he's never found a method to his madness. Like Jenoah Rasoio, he never found faith in a false god. Like Desimae Warble, he didn't find love. Like Mitchell Laws, he never found a true legacy to fight for.

A legacy that could have carried him farther than the black muck pits. Instead, he breathes the past with every second of his present, stuck on a brother who died years ago. Never counting his deck of cards that he did have, but only drawing the worst of draws until it inevitably got him to fold. The joker's laugh in his ear as he stares at the blue of the sky and the clouds that move ever so gently like they do in Twelve. Regrets written on his skin in the blood of his own chest, just reminding him of everything he should have done, but never could push himself to do. Death was such a lonely thing, until it wasn't.

Shadows approach in his vision as he glances barely, pain filling his ear as they appear like angels. Angels with wings that extend out to him. Auto's the one who reaches him first, elbowing pretty boy and stopping next to him. Carter can't tell if she's crying or not, but he feels the sorrow in her form. Noise of her is muffled from where she sits. All he can do is reach over and barely touch her cheek with reassurance. No one deserves to cry over him. A choice was made. And just getting to see the three of them one last time is enough for him.

One last time as a whole group before the fire engulfs him into the next world.

Lars is nearby. Eyes glance to him and picturing the guilt that must lie in Lars' head. His other hand raises to Lars as he gives him a wave and a pained smile of reassurance like it might be enough to take that guilt away. Like the world wasn't collapsing around the twins, Maxwell, or himself. The crimson is cold now, just like his skin is getting. A chill running through his body as he can feel the broken wrist and missing sound. Lars had his back and Carter had his through the entirety of his life. Distracting the mutts to save Lars was all he could give the man, if only to get him to live a day longer. A pained smile on his face as the last one comes him.

Maxwell Temple is still the prettiest boy he's ever seen. If only for a day, Carter would wait on Mitchell in order to show Maxwell Temple that he was the prettiest boy and deserved the world, the good parts of it. By his side, Carter can feel the body heat next to him and he desperately misses the warmth in his body, but he can't say anything. The pained smile is no longer there as he stares into the warm eyes of Maxwell Temple. Building up the confidence that he could, he speaks with death in his field of view.

"Pretty boy, you came back."

Why did you come back for me?

The thought vanishes as soon as it comes. The muffled words of Maxwell reaching his good ear as he feels death's hand on his shoulder like it was going to be soon that he leaves. A silence as he listens to Maxwell Temple's words that makes him shiver once more.

"I did." A smile fills his lips as he lets himself stare into those warm eyes, wishing he could do it for a bit longer than he had.

"Looks like I'm dying,"

The laugh he lets out is painful, but Carter Laws was born to live and if he wasn't laughing in death then he wasn't a Laws.

Max's eyes move up and down his body looking at the crimson wounds that Carter can't see, but he doesn't care. The need for a flirting joke tempts him, but he doesn't speak, only lets Maxwell take in his deadly wounds with those warm eyes. If this were a fantasy, Maxwell would be an angel and able to cure him with those warm eyes. Hell, they cured his fears in just a second like a familiarity in his heart.

"Yeah, I'd say that's accurate," Blunt. True. Numb. If only, Carter had more time, he would have worked on finding the truth of Maxwell Temple and his bluntness. Sadly, time was never on Carter's side. Always running from it until his feet tire and creatures decided to knock him down, falling into the void of pain and death. Rambling is the easiest thing in this nervousness that he feels.

"You'd think I would have been smart enough to run away with that Eleven I got."

A painful chuckle falls from his throat that sends a flare of flames up his chest like his heart might fall out of his chest. The joker comes from his sleeve in a quick motion that is easy, the only card that isn't ruined by teeth or claws. The card of death and the only thing that could protect them from death himself. Almost like a weight of Carter Laws would be with them. A fire in their possession of what he used to be. A reminder that he's with them, even in the next world. A small smile pulls on his face painfully as he pushes it into Max's hand, words on his throat already.

"Take this,"

A false god that he could believe in. Despite his hatred for Ansgar, Death was real and the only god in their world.

"I believe him to be the bringer of death. Don't lose him."

Don't lose the last piece of me that I can give to you.

Words from Max takes the life out of him as the world feels like it's swirling a bit more and the pain is flowing through his system. The lack of blood catching up to him and the lack of oxygen spreading becoming more and more apparent. Hanging on the words of Maxwell, he stares up at the warmth thinking of how much warm that could be in the boy's body, but always so cold on the outside. He almost wants to say it, but instead he stays quiet.

"Don't worry, I won't."

Carter Laws struggles now as he stares at Maxwell's form. The world is fading faster and faster from his vision, but he can't sleep now. He can't give in to the pain. He can't let go, not yet. He's not ready to leave them all. He's not ready to let himself die without letting his pretty boy know one last thing. One thing that his adopted brother deserved to live with for the rest of his years. However long that may be.

"If you get out, pretty boy," Life is swirling around him like smoke rising to the blue sky. "T-Tell Jack, he's a coward." A snort is heard and he can't hear Max's words anymore, just the words, Card boy, falling from his lips and it brings him warmth for a second too long. A warmth that spreads like fire through his body. Death was there watching with hollow eyes and a cold chill, but he doesn't stare at the bringer of death. He only watches Maxwell Temple as the boy debates something.

Ever so pretty with the warm eyes and perfect skin and perfect hair. If only he had more time, he would take in Maxwell Temple and let him be the last thing to fill his mind. The pain of his chest hurts and the dizziness is taking over and he almost threatens a groan, but he can't. Voice long gone like Mitchell Laws' throat once more. They will build a stone grave in your honor, Carter. The Laws will create a memorial for him like his siblings. Jack will visit him everyday with the pain of not taking his pain. Carter reaches up to the sky as if he could pull the clouds down as a blanket over his body. The warm breeze feels heavier on his cheek as he stares at Maxwell holding up his spear. Eyes glance to his and Carter knew what was going to happen.

He wasn't ready.

No one would be ready.

The show was over.

The spear pierces his chest and the world fades as the eyes of Maxwell Temple are the last thing in his vision.

An angel ending his suffering from this world and sentencing him to the next.

---

Once everything goes black, a flash of white comes to his eyes.

Red flames engulf his chest and he gasps for a breath that escapes his lips. An eternal flame in his chest that burns, but also doesn't. Eyes glance to it and then back to the pure white that he floats in. As if he doesn't have a body anymore. Death was painful, but an angel released him from that pain. All he can remember is warm eyes and comfort in the end. Now he's floating in a space of nothingness, hands reaching out as if he's moving somewhere.

The fire glows in the whiteness as if it's apart of his body now. Mitchell always believed people returned to the world in different forms. Water, Wind, Fire, Earth. All different pieces of what Mitchell believed people to become in the next life. The fire in his chest reminds him of that idea as he floats in this nothingness. Visions of Jack's tears appearing before him. Alone on the steps of the Laws' family home. Visions of siblings mourning him appearing in his eyes. Parents holding one another like the world was collapsing around them.

Carter Laws was born to live, but right now, he's watching them all collapse without him.

Death was always meant to be his fate.

There's a silence that stays for hours and hours from the way he's gone to counting. The flame flickering in his chest and up to his ears as he lets the warmth engulf him. A breeze picks up gently and he's being fanned to grow. Always growing by the wind's gift of life. A silence that passes as he pushes towards the source. Feet and body floating in that direction as the white continues to swirl around him. A field of flowers below him as the sight of a tide of water hits the side of the field. A girl covered in flowers stares up at him with kind eyes. A boy with sea water for arms smiles up at him like he's always belonged here. Familiar faces that he can't name from his own tongue, but he continues moving ever so slowly, until he can see in the distance others.

Another flaming spirit of someone who couldn't find the method to their madness. Branches sprouting from the girl with fire red hair as she gives him a wink as she brushes a flame from the spirit of another boy and realization hits him. Asha Lumiere and Desimae Warble are there and he can't help but feel his chest burn brighter at the sight. Another form of Jenoah Rasoio appears with clouds on his skin and a tip of the hat to Carter's own flying form as he pushes on into the unknown of this next world.

The breeze picks up as he grows closer and closer.

A moment of breath until he can feel his heart clench at the sight.

"M-Mitchell."

Sorrow is in his brother's eyes as he turns around to look at him. Air forms from his body as they wait in one another's presence. Carter can't breath all of a sudden as he stares at the missing piece of himself. Tears take over instantly as Mitchell gives him a small smile and moves closer. Arms wrap around him and Carter breaks down. Heart pounding as he jolts in sorrows and feelings of the past that he needs to let out. Mitchell doesn't do anything except run his hand through his hair and continues to hold him until the tears subside.

"You're not supposed to be here, Carter."

All he can do is stay silent as he reaches and pulls his brother in for another hug as he lets his brother engulf him and Carter takes him in for as long as he can. As long as he's allowed to take him in. Mitchell doesn't move, but Carter lets himself speak finally with the weight of the world on his shoulders.

"I-I missed you. So much Mitchell."

A silence as Mitchell gives him the mischievous smile that they shared years ago before his death.

"I've missed you too Carter."

The world stays at peace once more and all he can do is feel his world become whole once more.

No more pain.

No more performances.

Only comfort in Mitchell Laws' form and he can live with that.

Carter Laws was born to live.

Only he was born to live in the next world and not the real world.

And if he had to go through the painful events again.

It would be enough.

Just for this.

It would be enough for him.

I finally feel okay
in the pouring rain
you say 'leave from the fog
inside my head'

song: rain