fic: if we die, we lived with passion (final fantasy vi)

Title: If We Die, We Lived With Passion
Fandoms: Final Fantasy VI
Characters: Celes Chere, Setzer Gabbiani, Darill
Pairing: Celes Chere & Setzer Gabbiani
Rating: Teen
AO3 Tags: Grief/Mourning, Canonical Character Death, World of Ruin (Final Fantasy VI), Hurt/Comfort, could be shippy if you squint, for either Setzer/Celes or Setzer/Darill
Summary: What must it be like to carry that weight every day, the way Setzer had? To build a loved one’s airship into a shrine, a tomb, yet resurrect it to search the ruined world in hopes of finding friends?
Notes: HAPPY SECRET SANTA RUNIC!!! runicmagitek I know what you like and you know I can't resist putting my boy Setzer through the wringer ;) Enjoy!

“When Darill died,” he said, “it fell to me to see to her final arrangements. The idea of burying her in the ground, to cover her soul with rocks and dirt, never sat right with me. She deserves to be among the stars.”

She knew what this was, now. When Setzer called the Falcon a tomb, he wasn’t kidding. He’d lovingly restored his friend’s crashed airship and laid her to rest among the ruins. He never expected to return. To bring the Returners to this place — to bring her, a former General — spoke of a courage Celes hadn’t known Setzer possessed.

Celes glanced away. In another life, this might have been Darill’s room. She imagined a proud, tall woman lounging at that desk, feet kicked up, a map of the world spread before her. Setzer spoke of her with such admiration, no wonder walking the halls of the Falcon felt akin to sharing space with a ghost.

The words were heavy on her tongue. “What do you need from me?” she asked.

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