Elliot didn’t have it in him to argue anymore, but at least his message was getting through. They knew he was sorry, even if they believed he shouldn’t be. It was his last chance to clear the air, though, so he was going to take it. “If I hadn’t been there, that thing would’ve probably torn Ellie and Rory apart.” He wasn’t looking for hero points here, only the justification that his last deed, the reason he was dying, was because he’d done something good.
He could only nod his head slightly in agreement when David said this wasn’t his fault. If that was a comforting thought to leave his brother with, Elliot was okay with that.
“I know.” It was hard to put a positive spin on such a hopeless situation, but he tried. “Well, now you’ll just have to pick up where I left off, won’t you? Being the best. I know you can handle that.”
Elliot closed his eyes for a moment when David confessed that he was his hero. He felt the pressure of tears behind his eyes, but they still refused to come. His head ached and it was all he could do to keep telling his muscles to hold on to his brother’s hand. That was all the strength he had left. “I never knew that,” he responded softly, opening his eyes again. “Never thought anything I did was worthy of being thought of as a hero.” He swallowed. “You’re my best friend, too.”
“I know you won’t.” Meant sincerely and from his heart. “I know you’ll tell my son all about all the trouble I gave you when we were growing up. I’m beyond proud of the person you’ve turned into. Braver, smarter, more confident.”
That was something Elliot didn’t know how to respond to. He’d never been a religious man. Didn’t really believe in any sort of an afterlife. Nor had he ever held a real belief in spirits like David did. He gave his brother’s hand another squeeze. “You survived years without me, thinking I was dead then. Consider that practice for now.”