the hardest thing
emclar
"I want to be your easiest hello and your hardest goodbye," she whispers in his ear, running her fingertips through his hair as she stands on tiptoe.
"I don't want you to leave," he murmurs.
"But I have to," she replies softly, the corners of her mouth tucking up into a sad, sad, wistful smile, "even though I don't want to. I know where my duty lies, as you do yours."
"Flyndan is heading the Own well; I can come to spend time with you and help out at New Hope," he offers, cupping her face with his hands and bringing hers closer to his.
"I would love that," she says, the smile disappearing from her face as she realises, "but you know what everyone would say."
"I don't care what they say." The look on his face is serious, and she sees the love, the courage, the defiance against others in his face.
"And I love you for that," she mumbles to him, casting her gaze down so that she is looking at their feet.
"You're my hardest goodbye, Kel – every single time, every time, every time it gets harder."
Her voice is quiet, "I know, it's never easy for me either."
He hooks a finger under her chin and lifts his face to hers, "Yet I only love you more and more. Goodbye, Kel." He closes the gap between her face and his and, for a moment, she feels the happiest she has in a long, long time.
"Goodbye, Raoul." Her lips tingle as she watches him turn on his heel and leave.
AN: SMACKDOWN fic over at goldenlake. Link is in my profile; go check it out!