Warning: This contains City of Gold spoilers!

Word Count: 478 (Yeah I know it's really short)

TWs: Repeated Mentions of Death

I love Aiden so much but I love making Aiden suffer more. Also he/they demiboy Aiden because I said so.

_

This was just wonderful, wasn't it?

Well, actually, parts of this were good. Kara was conscious, and they had made it to Kubera's courtyard. Also, they were all alive.

Alive.

But not for long.

That was what Aiden had learned in the last ten minutes because of a prophecy Chaya had shown them. The girl you love will be the death of you.

Death. He was going to die. But he couldn't, right?

Aiden touched his wrist, where Shadowfax was in watch form. Touching Shadowfax made him feel a little bit better. A small sense of relief washed over him, before the thoughts quickly rushed back in. Maybe they haven't fully processed it yet. The first stage of grief was denial, right? Did people grieve themselves? Is that what happened when people get diagnosed with life-threatening diseases?

Maybe prophecies were their own diseases. Diseases could get rid of someone quickly. Or it could take years. How long would it be before Aiden died? Would it be 15 years, gone like that? Or would he make it to 16?

Would he make it through this battle?

Their thoughts got abruptly interrupted by Aru's voice saying their name. Aiden looked up.

Aru took a step toward him. "You okay?" she asked.

No. How could he even be remotely okay? Aiden knew she wasn't.

"I'm fine, Shah." they responded, taking a step back.

Guilt flashed through him as Aru dropped her arm to her side with a wounded look on her face.

Brynne shook his shoulder. "Hey, stop that."

"I'm not—"

"Prophecies are weird, and they'll eat up at your brain. For all we know, you could die by eating some weird flower called the Girl You Love." Brynne started, fingertips still on their shoulder.

Another way prophecies were like diseases. They ate you up from the inside. Well, some did. Others just spread on your skin.

Aiden pushed off Brynne's hand. He knew she was just trying to help, but it wasn't working. "Super reassuring, thanks." He responded, biting the inside of his cheek.

Mini piped up. "If it helps, I am the daughter of the god of death. We're not going to let anything happen to you, Wifey."

None of them were really helping. None of them were really blocking the millions of thoughts racing through his head. Still, he smiled. Maybe that smile would be enough to convince them. Aiden looked at Aru. She wasn't buying it. "I know." he said quietly.

"What prophecy?" That was Kara. Aiden suddenly remembered she wasn't awake when they all heard it.

"It's nothing." Aiden said quickly, disregarding the sinking feeling in their stomach.

"Yeah, it's nothing." Brynne added, clapping him on the back. He jerked forward a little. Brynne was strong. "Just the end of all his romantic aspirations."

Oh, and his life.

A strange look crossed Aru's face. "I didn't know you had any."

Aiden quickly looked at her, but then averted their eyes. "I don't," they lied. "Let's go."

He walked away, and that was that.

-

All of these oneshots are also posted to my Tumblr: https://the-princess-fangirl.tumblr.com/