On his grave

Snow white flowers were put down on a coffin by trembling hands. Slim fingers swept a cold wood lightly before a female stepped away from the coffin that would cover a white-haired male from her eyes for good.

She didn't turn to look a person who set his hand on her shoulder, but stared just forwards eyes gleaming. "Do you think he's happy where he is?" she asked quietly.

"I hope he is", a man replied simply, also just staring forward.

"It was unfair him to die yet", Momo said – to him, to herself, to no one. Even though she didn't look at him, she knew he nodded. "He was so young...skilful...loved...He had life in front of him and now...he's dead?" Momo's voice broke a bit under the last word.

"Life is unfair." Momo could hardly hear the man's words. "It can slip away from anyone's grip."

"But why?" her sorrowful voice demanded an answer. "He was a good person. Why did he have to die?"

"Life doesn't notice a difference between good and bad people. People do", the man replied.

Momo bit her bottom lip to stop its trembling. "Why should you aim to be a good person then? If you just end up in a cold coffin with such a young age."

"Because other people notice your kindness and give you a piece of theirs", he said. "Besides, if all people were good, he wouldn't be there", a short nod towards the coffin.

Momo turned her head to look the sky that shone beautifully blue, not caring about the griefs of people who walked on the earth. "Since his death, I've wondered why I'm not dead."

His grip tightened a bit. "Don't speak such things", he said firmly. "Why should you be dead?"

"Rather than him", Momo whispered, more to herself than to him. A bit louder she said: "I could have stop him becoming a Soul Reaper, I could have-"

"You could have done nothing. Yes, he loved you and wouldn't have wanted to hurt you and your feelings, but he was stubborn as hell when it came to protecting his loved ones."

One tear slipped from her eye to the cheek, and Momo caught it to her finger to study it. "Funny, I thought I already cried myself to the end, but there seem still to be some left." Her hand was captured by his, so that he was able to look in her eyes that were gleaming by sadness. "Momo, I-"

"Toshiro", Momo sobbed. "I'm so sorry. He was your son too, I know you're sad too, but I'm just weeping there and pleading for comfort and not helping you-" A finger pressed on her lips cut off her speech. "Don't", Toshiro said, "You're allowed to be sad, you're allowed to cry, and I'm here to comfort you."

Momo pushed his finger from her lips and started claiming: "But Toshiro-"

"No buts, Momo", Toshiro said firmly. "My heart would break only to smaller pieces if I should just look your sadness, doing nothing."

Momo succeeded to form some kind of smile on her lips – yes, the sad one, but it was a smile. "You're always terribly stubborn, Toshiro. Our son definitely got it from you."

"And his mother isn't ever even little stubborn, is she?" Toshiro asked playfully – but these words got her smile disappear.

Turning her head towards the coffin and flowers on it, Momo questioned with a whispering voice: "Am I mother any more? Since my son is dead?"

Toshiro's hand began petting her dark hair gently. "Of course you're."

"But shouldn't parents die first?"

Toshiro nodded shortly. "They should", his hoarse voice whispered.

They stood together watching when their son was put under the ground, for good out of their sight. They looked in silence when his coffin was covered with sol. Silence continued even after everyone else had left and the setting sun started painting the sky with its colours, until Toshiro broke it.

"Momo, dear", he breathed and Momo glanced him amazed while sensing fear in his voice, "promise you won't die before me."

Momo breathed deeply. "Toshiro, I'm sorry, but you know I can't promise such things. We aren't allow to decide when we die." One glance towards the grave. "But I promise that if I die first, I'll wait – wherever I'll be, I'll wait for you."

Toshiro nodded. "Good enough. I promise you the same thing, Momo."

Momo flashed a weak smile. "Thank you, Toshiro. Thank you for everything."

"Everything for you, my dear."

"Same."