@/Alexis_moontalons dude wait wtf this is a rly cute ideaaaa awwww
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No One's POV

Many years ago, at eight years old...

Darryl's mom hums as the two play around with some toy cars. She works hard in the garage, watching the two laugh and smile. Moving to this neighborhood might have been the best decision ever. Before, they lived in another state and Darryl never was someone to interact with other people.

That is, until he met Zak.

A few months ago, Darryl met Zak the day they moved into the house. Zak lives across the street. Maybe a few months younger than Darryl. Zak was the one to start up the friendship, asking Darryl and warming up to him. Darryl and Zak instantly clicked, and the two never left one another's side. Zak's mom knows about the friendship, and she loves it.

The 8-year-old boy gets up from the ground, allowing Zak to follow. Darryl and Zak walk up to the crafting table where Darryl's mother is creating two new boxes. Oh, the pros of having a mother who loves to build.

"Mommy," Darryl hums, walking up to the large table from behind and his eyes just barely peeking over the top. Zak follows suit, standing close to Darryl, but going on his tippy-toes to be able to see a smidge of what Darryl's mother was working on.

"Yes, Sweetheart?" The woman smiles, screwing in a few nails into a box.

"What are you making?" Darryl chirps, eyes sparkling in curiosity.

Two wooden boxes sit on the desk. Both have similar engravings. Vine-like art engraved into the small boxes, decorating the dark-brown like wood. The boxes aren't facing the two boys, so they couldn't see the front.

"Well, I am making something very special." Placing the screwdriver down, she hums in delight. Inspecting the boxes for the final time, she nods. "Here." She whispers, looking over at the two boys. Zak's eyes hover over the boxes as Darryl's mother places her hands on the wood and gently turns them around.

A small gasp escapes their lips as their eyes widen once spotting the front of the boxes.

On each box, their very own names are neatly carved into the wood. A nice lock to keep the boxes from opening.

"Are they for us?" Zak asks in awe, watching as Darryl's mother nods.

"Yes." She gently picks up Zak's box and lowers it down so Zak can carefully hold it in his hands. She does the same with Darryl's box.

Zak awes as he carefully holds the fresh box in his hands. His thumbs trace the engravings carefully. Then, with his smile growing, he looks up, "Thank you, Darryl's mom! This is amazing!"

Darryl agrees, nodding frantically. "Yes, thank you, Mommy! I love it so much!"

Darryl's mother chuckles, watching as the two sit down on the floor. "Darryl, Muffin, why don't you open up your box first?"

Darryl looks up at his mother, then at Zak, then at his box. He moves his fingers down and gently unlocks the box open with a simple click. He pops the lid open and carefully opens up the box. Then a soft melody begins to play. Like chimes dancing in the wind, the music box lets out a small song. A nice and simple tune, which Darryl and Zak fall in love with instantly.

But the music wasn't the only thing amazing. In the box, a small compartment sits and there, two small wooden figures are carved and slowly twirling with the melody. Like those ballerina figurines twirling in a music box. The two figures are sitting on a circle, which they twirl in. The carvings are detailed to show two boys sitting down. They look to be holding hands and smiling at each other. The boys look a lot like Zak and Darryl.

"Mommy, is this Zak and me?" Darryl whispers as Zak peers over his shoulder. Zak smiles as he spots the inside of the box. Darryl's mother nods, humming in agreement.

The three sit and listen to the melody, watching the two figures spin gently. But, suddenly the figures slow down to a stop and the melody cuts off randomly.

"I think your box is broken Darry." Zak huffs, frowning softly as Darryl closes the box in front of him.

"Zak, why don't you open yours?" Darryl's mother looks over at Zak. Darryl's eyes perk up as Zak nods.

Zak does the same to his box. He unlocks the small trap with a click. Then he gently lifts the lid up. His ears perk up once he hears the familiar tune continuing off to where it ended in Darryl's music box.

"It's like matching music boxes!" Darryl squeals in delight as he hears the tune play.

Zak cheers as well.

The box is like Darryl's, but instead of the boys sitting down, they stand together. But, their arms are wrapped with one another in a small hug. Their eyes are closed and smiles on their faces.

Darryl's mother smiles. She stands up from her chair and moves over behind the two boys, who are mesmerized by their new boxes. She kneels down behind them, placing a hand on each one of their shoulders.

"Please, take care of these boxes for me. Both of you mean the world to me and I'm so glad you both have found each other." Darryl's mother smiles.

Darryl and Zak look up, eyes connecting as they smile at each other. Darryl then looks back to his mother, nodding. "We promise to take good care of these boxes. Thank you so much, Mommy."

—————

Years later, at the age of twelve...

Darryl stands on the sidewalks, looking at Zak with puffy red eyes, tears streaming down his face. "So, this is g-goodbye...?" Darryl whispers, looking down at his hands to avoid eye contact. His heart shatters, mind replaying every amazing memory he had with Zak.

Zak sniffs, whipping a tear from his eye. He walks up to Darryl, gently grabbing his hand. "It's not a g-goodbye. I will see you again Darryl."

Darryl's shoulder shakes as he looks up to catch eyes with a pair of soft, broken, brown eyes. He bites his bottom lip, "I-I don't want you to go..."

Zak nods.

Their parents are giving their own goodbyes. Zak's father got a new job in another state. With the new job, he would obtain more money and take Zak to a good college.

Darryl's mother watches with small tears in her eyes as the two boys are slowly crumbling on the inside.

"I don't want to leave you. I-I'll come back. I-I promise!" Zak perks his head up, squeezing Darryl's hands gently to reassure Darryl that he will indeed come back.

Darryl sniffs, blinking away his tears. "You pinky promise?" He whispers, sliding one of his hands out of Zak's and lifting his pinky up.

Zak chuckles sadly, lifting his pinky up and interlocking with Darryl's. "I pinky p-promise."

Darryl suddenly feels everything collapse. He lets out the ugliest cry ever and brings Zak to his arms. Zak doesn't pull away, instead wrapping his arms around Darryl's neck and burying his head in the other boy's shoulder. The two hold each other close, digging their faces in the other's shoulder.

Zak's father's phone rings. He checks the time and sighs, looking over at the boys. "Zak! It's time to go!" With their house packed away in large moving trucks, the family is ready to leave.

Darryl squeezes Zak for a final time, not wanting to let go. "I'm going to miss you so much, Zak. You're my best friend forever." Darryl whispers in his shoulder.

"I will miss you too, so much. You mean so much to me, Darry." Zak's voice cracks. Their tears are soaking up their hoodies.

Darryl sighs, then is the first to pull away, but his hands move up to Zak's shoulders. "D-Did you remember to pack your music box?" He asks in a gentle tone.

Zak nods, smiling, remembering how he made sure the music box was wrapped up with so much bubble wrap so it couldn't break. "Yeah. I-I could never forget."

"Zak, let's go!" The sound of the trucks starting up startles the two. Zak's parents are doing their final goodbyes to Darryl's mother. Zak's younger sister is already in the car, Zak's parents following suit.

Their arms fall to the side. Zak picks up his backpack from the ground and slips it on. He looks up at Darryl with blurry eyes.

"I'll see you again, Darry." Zak whispers, slipping his hand back into Darryl's. He tangles their fingers together and squeezes his hand for a final time.

Darryl nods. "I'll be waiting, muffin."

And with their final moments, the two hug each other for the final time. A quick and sweet embrace. Then Zak pulls away, slowly stepping back and their connected hands slowly, and painfully, start to slip away.

Soon, the warm touch of Darryl's skin slips away and Zak disappears from his sight to his family car. Darryl spots Zak sitting in the back. He watches as Zak slips his seatbelt on and the car is starting up. Darryl's mother waves for a final time and Zak turns back to see the car start to move.

"No..." Darryl's voice breaks. Then the car slowly starts to slip away and Zak looks back to the window. Tears spilling down his cheeks again.

Right when the car moves, Darryl books it. He chases after Zak's car, calling his name.

"Zak! Please! C-Come back!" Darryl cries. The car is a few feet ahead. Zak watches with a hand on the glass as he begins to cry too.

"Darryl! Darryl!" Zak bangs on the window, begging for his parents to go back.

The car reaches the stop sign, lights flickering to indicate they were going left towards the street for the freeway.

Darryl is breathing heavily, legs aching slightly as he jumps onto the sidewalk and reaches a hand out, wishing Zak could grab it. He watches as Zak's hand is glued onto the window, tears pouring down their cheeks.

Then the car moves, turning to another street.

Darryl's eyes widen as the distance he has removed from him and Zak quickly disappears.

With one final breath and one final look of Zak, he raises his hands to his lips.

"I love you, Zak!"

Darryl sees Zak's eyes widen. Darryl is almost at the end of the street and the car has almost disappeared from behind the houses. But, before Zak has disappeared, he sees the smaller boy bang against the windows again, lips moving like he was trying to tell Darryl something. And yet, he couldn't hear it.

And now Darryl's whole world stops. The car isn't in sight anymore. His best friend is gone. His other half has disappeared.

Slumping into the ground, he curls up into a ball, bringing his legs up to his chest. Muttering the word No over and over again as he cries for what seemed like forever.

WC: 1860
dont worry, this aint the end