#1 - 戦死 [death in action]

Marina sits alone on the edge of her bed, back perfectly straight. Her hands are trembling, but there's nothing she can do to still them. Her mouth is dry and her throat tight, choked on tears of which she has no more. Feeble rays of sunlight creep in from around the closed curtains, but she has eyes for nothing except introspection.

Her heart is broken, though even she never knew - still doesn't know - the exact nature of her feelings for him. Mother, sister, lover. Her last conversation with him hadn't nearly been enough.

It hadn't been time to say goodbye.

#2 - Promise

"Promise me," she'd said, fingers digging into his shoulder, wide eyes full of emotion he couldn't quite decipher. He'd desperately wanted to say yes, anything - just so for once he would have brought an expression other than sorrow to her increasingly gaunt face.

But he didn't.

He reached up to take her hand instead - it was clammy with anxiety, but she returned his grip fiercely, and bowed her head as she clasped both his hands. When she finally looked up, she wasn't crying, her mouth set firmly.

So he kissed her suddenly, earnestly, all too aware he couldn't promise her anything.