Author's Note: New drabble. Well, there are technically two different drabbles here. Gone Daddy, Gone is the second part, but was written over a month ago while Still Breathing (the first part) was recently written. I waited to post Gone Daddy, Gone because it's so short so I decided to attach it to something else and it just so happened that they almost line up perfectly. So, technically two different pieces, but can almost be seen as one. Please enjoy!
- Still Breathing -
"So…" The words dropped from her tired lips, tensing the atmosphere further. Her eyes cast downwards, the silver gleaming. The numbness in her chest was spreading down her arms and legs. Almost dazed, she felt the follow up words building on her tongue. "What now?"
He didn't look at her, his eyes staring longingly at the door, his exit. Perhaps he should feel bad about wanting nothing more than to leave the room at such an important make or break conversation, but he couldn't find the guilt in him. This chat could be the end of the past three years they built up together, however, that only made him desire to escape more.
He didn't have the words for her question. Just more silence and the uncourageous stare in the opposite direction. The only noise in the room was the girl exhaling harshly. Without purpose, she stood up, neither looking at one another. Her feet carried her to the window overlooking such a breathtaking view that she saw every day.
Taking in the trees, the sky, the buildings, the sun, the people and the general feeling of life moving forward, she sighed. Pressing her hands against the glass, her forehead leaned in the centre. "Then I guess that's it."
Her eyes made shapes out of the environment, looking at it all like one big puzzle that had been fitted together after all these years. It's strange what the mind thinks about when it wants so desperately to avoid thinking about the current situation.
The boy still had no words. An eerie silence making everything worse, yet, he was afraid that any words he uttered could set the atmosphere on fire. Instead, he let the mood beat down on them.
Opening the window, she stuck her head outside. In an instant, her hair was caught in the easy breeze, fluttering the dark locks gently. Her fingers drummed against the frame, her mind taking in every cloud the rested in the open sky. "It's okay, you know."
He caught himself almost looking in her direction. There wasn't a definite reason he didn't want to, it changed every second, but if he had to explain it, he just couldn't bare to see her upset.
The truth was, she wasn't entirely upset. Her head was level despite her body's best attempts to squeeze her stomach, stab her heart and drown her thoughts in negativity. Even if this room was heavy, the day outside was far too bright to make the day the worst of their lives. In some ways, this could be a good day.
"We don't need to force ourselves through this." Even if she was younger, he always felt like she had some of the best advice he'd ever heard. His ears tuned in intently, regardless of his guise. "There's no point in it. If neither of us want this to continue, then… We end it now."
He was impressed. Her voice displayed no trembling or even the faintest bit of regret that things turned out this way. At the end of the day, it wasn't because she was heartless, she was full of heart, and it wasn't because she didn't care for their past, reminiscing was a favourite hobby of hers, she was accepting that their time was over.
Staring down at his feet, he felt the pressure to finally speak up. Now that he knew how she felt about it, he wasn't worried about lighting the final fuse. His lips separated, opening for the words to come, but nothing arrived. All he could think to say was 'I agree'.
"There's nothing wrong with that. Just mutually ending it." Her expression didn't display a smile, nor a frown, it was completely neutral. "We don't need a messy break-up with arguments, tears and fists. It doesn't have to be tragic either. One of us doesn't need to die. It can end like this and, in some ways, I'd prefer that."
Finally, he let his eyes lay upon her petite body leaning out the window, the sunlight embracing her, making her figure shine so brightly. Almost like a scene from a movie.
In all honesty, he was envious that she could be more childish than him, but far more mature than him all at once. A prodigy, a wonderful person with a winning smile that shone even when it poured, the kind of person you never want to let go.
"Then we'll end it." He let the words shatter his silence.
She lowered her head, her eyes gazing at the pavement beneath her window. "Yeah. It's for the best." A light chuckle came out afterwards. "I still want us to be able to work together, even be friends if our hearts will let us. I don't regret this. I don't regret us. I will cherish what we've had forever. Those memories won't just vanish. After all, this isn't really the end. We're still breathing."
She pulled her head out from the window, the light shining upon her pale cheek as she looked back at the blonde. A soft smile, eyes closed and a gentle head tilt, all aimed at him. "Right?"
- Gone Daddy, Gone -
This is it…? Huh… I thought it'd be more emotional than this. You know, tears and ice cream on the sofa while watching sappy, dumb movies, covered in blankets, but this is rather… Lacklustre. I hate it, but I guess I like it too. I feel like this didn't mean anything if I can just carry on like this. Three years and now nothing.
What about the begging and pleading to stay? Neither of us said anything like that. It was painfully mutual. Again, I guess that should be a good thing, but… Did our relationship mean anything?
For three years, we went on dates and shared milkshakes or made each other lunch. We would learn each other's favourite songs just so we could sing together and we even learnt to love the nerdy things about one another. Like how I love gun parts and he has a secret obsession with Drei-Man, a comic book superhero who turns into a canine. So stupid.
But who cares about that. It didn't mean anything. It can't have if we just accepted this separation. Nothing. I feel nothing. Just… Almost glad it's over. I shouldn't feel that way, right? Like… Three years and we barely even fought once. It was so peaceful.
The dates were casual and fun. I always had butterflies when he would kiss me or compliment me. His hands would nervously grab mine. I loved it, even if his hands were always clammy.
It never mattered the places we went. The cinema, a cafe, the forest, the park, the rooftop, shopping or even staying in one of the dorms. We always had fun. Sharing snacks and small talk. Cuddling and play-fighting. It was all so good.
Even the sex, the passion and love that went into it. It was so nice; so lovely; so... Memorable. Now? I just can't be bothered to try and miss it.
I don't miss his lips. I don't miss his laugh. I don't miss his jokes. I don't miss his smile. I don't miss anything. Now, I feel empty. Not depressed or grieving. It's the love. The love is gone. Gone away.
Author's Note: If you enjoyed, please leave a review to let me know.
For those of you who read my other works and want a brief update. Heated Excitement is being worked on, but it's a long chapter and my main focus has shifted to a different project for the meantime, however, I tend to work on more than one thing at once so it's not being ignored completely. I have many little things in the works, maybe one day they'll all get completed!
