It's been a good while since I've written something angsty.

"The way to love anything is to realize that it may be lost."

~G. K. Chesterton

A single gunshot was all it took.

A single second.

I stood outside of the door, waiting anxiously for the person I treasured to step outside, safe and unscathed.

And then that blast of sound.

I moved on reflex, twisting to burst through the door. People were running out of the back of the room, away from the person lying on the floor.

Blood was dripping down his side, blossoming from a wound on his chest. Not his heart, but clearly something vital had been hit.

I knelt next to Tsuna's side, pressing my hands to his chest to try to stop the bleeding.

It was in vain, I knew. But I couldn't help but try.

"Mukuro… stop…" Tsuna feebly tried to push my hands away.

I heard more gunshots echoing, and another twisted cry of anguish.

"It's no use, I'm going to die…"

"No, you are not."

I grabbed my trident and willed my eye to switch paths as quickly as it could. When it settled at the first path, I focused on creating a powerful enough illusion to temporarily repair the damage. I felt myself weaken slightly; I was still supporting Chrome, and supporting Tsuna's life as well was sapping my strength. Maintaining the illusions to save their lives took energy, and a constant flow of it, otherwise they would fail and the person would die.

Tsuna's wide eyes slid out of consciousness. He had lost so much blood, I wasn't surprised. I ripped one of my black leather gloves off and pressed two of my fingers to his throat. His pulse was still beating, to my relief.

I felt ripping pain through my lower back. I let out a cry of pain as I twisted to see what had happened.

A man stood there, a gun aimed coolly at me. He tilted his head, almost the same way a curious child would, as if he were wondering what would happen if he pulled the trigger again.

A small smirk pressed across his face as he caught sight of my face.

"Ah, Rokudo Mukuro. The best illusionist in the world, kneeling at my feet, suffering over the loss of his lover."

"He's not dead yet, you son of a bitch."

The tilt became more exaggerated, and the smile widened.

"Really?"

That morbid sound echoed again.

Tsuna's head twisted much more rapidly than it should have naturally.

I spun, ignoring the pain that screamed at me in my lower back.

Blood was leaking from a round wound in Tsuna's temple.

I pressed my still bare fingers to his throat again.

This time, there was nothing.

The man smiled widely, and that unnatural sound echoed twice more.

I let out a cry as pain ripped through my body. The bullets ripped through my torso. I felt my body fall next to Tsuna's. His dead eyes stared into mine.

I heard footsteps coming closer, and I bored my eyes into his.

I'm so sorry. We won't be together after death. I'm going to hell, and an angel like you will get his spot in heaven.

I felt the cold metal press against my temple.

I love you.

One last gunshot, and I was lost to blackness.

Ahh, how good it feels to write angst again.