the ghost's love story, in ten parts
i. nobody has ever loved you. you were nursed by the darkness. music taught you to speak.
ii. we are drawn to what we can never have, what we can never be. & you have such a weakness for beautiful things.
iii. he is beautiful.
iv. he looks at you without flinching. when he lays his hand on your arm, he doesn't recoil.
v. he looks at you, & you don't want him to look away. he looks at you, & it occurs to you that he can see you, really see you. that he can see the man beneath the monster. nobody has ever truly seen you before.
vi. when he lays his hand on your arm, you don't want him to let go. he lays his hand on your arm, & god, you're terrified to lose this.
vii. he calls you his friend. at first, the word holds no meaning for you. you have always known that some things, friendship included, will never be in the stars for you. now, you can accept that you were wrong. & if you are only to have one friend in this lifetime, you are grateful that it's him.
viii. you think that this might be what love is, & you weep because you cannot be sure.
ix. he has saved you, in more ways than one. you have done him wrong & still, he saves you. again & again & again. you do not deserve his mercy, but he is all you have left in the world, & you cannot bear the thought of losing him. you do not deserve his mercy, but when you beg his forgiveness, he offers it unconditionally.
x. nobody has ever loved you. the words tumble from your lips & he looks at you, half exasperated, half amused, & says: what do you think i've been doing?
