They were all stricken with grief when the end came.
She couldn't understand why, though. His departure had been gentle; painless almost. She just wished it wasn't so cold.
You always told me you loved to dance in the rain.
She looked up and her breath caught in her throat. Helooked beautiful; his smile casting a light on his sickly face. Like an effete little light that kept him alive. That littlecandle shuddered when a thunder rumbled outside. But he did not flinch. He raised his hand, offering it to her, head inclined with that sweet smile. He did not look like a hero then; did not look like aman or a glorified soldier. He looked like a boy and a smiling face in the gloom; unique in itself and wonderful in his entirety.
Dance with me?
Ever willingly she took his hand. Everything passed in flying colors then. She vaguely remembered passing the halls; down the empty elevator and out the deserted lobby into the rain outside. During all that time, neither took their eyes off each other. Shehad knownit was going to happen; that he would have to leave soon; so she hoped and prayed and wished she could drown herself in those emerald eyes and lose herself before then; leave with him perhaps. He just smiled softly; sadly.
Have I ever told you how you look like a princess?
Princess of the Moon. Luna. The embodiment of serenity and an accepting attitude to fate. Symbol of loyalty, a sweet celestial memorial to a calm and unforgettable beauty. He whispered all this to her, and they moved their feet in rhythm, turning and spinning, twirling out of reach and joined together again. He had said it differently of course; with words that gently cut themselves into her memory. Unforgettable and unerasable.
You're immortal, you know that.
It wasn't a question. He never asked questions anymore. He needed no more answers; did not care for the truth because the truthhe confided in herwould kill him. He'd stared death in the face more than once. He wanted no morepain; had no need or wish to meet hardships orface the harsh truthat all. He cast them all away, and while others would think him weak for refusing truth; she just helped him cover it all up. She helped paint his remaining years in colors of beauty and rubbed away the black marks.
Because of this, I know I can be immortal too.
It was never enough, of course. No matter what she said, what he believed and what they both did, nothing could stop him from breaking; falling away like leaves on an autumn day. She could only watch as the light in his eyes lost theircharming and cheerful flicker and receded into a dim, passive shade. He tried so hard, tried too hard to fight death, had overcome that and so many other things, all other things that would bring him to his death. Pain, poison, blood, curses, hopelessness. He survived them all.
Just earlier she realized nothing would take him away now. Nothing would, or could, grant him release from the pain and truth hewanted toescape. They scorned him too, the people who taunted him for lying to himself. She alwaysscorned them right back. Let him believe what he wants, she told them, her determination grim and unshaken. At least give him that. He deserved it; to do what he wanted; to have hopes and dreams for himself and live the way he wanted to. Die the way he wanted towithout regrets.
Don't cry.
She always wondered how he'd seen her tears through the raindrops on her face. He did though, and his hand was cold against her cheek. He smiled again and fell against her; his body limp and unable to support itself. His arms weakly encircled her as they fell sitting on the deserted pathways. She wailed then, and shunned herself for being so weak, for showing him the truths he never wanted to see.
You cried enough. We both did. It's time to smile.
I got what I wanted at last.
And he died, just like that, smiling and happy, looking up at her while his lips whispered encouragement and thanks. She couldn't keep crying. And they all said they understood her loss. They didn't understand, though.
She hadn't lost anything.
She just wished it hadn't been so cold.