Fireworks exploded in the sky as the the Clock Tower chimed midnight. The top of the Clock Tower slowly rose, tipping to the side, creating a new platform for the celebration. Part of the wall fell, creating stairs to lead to the top of the tower. Only a handful of people were still in South Clock Town to witness this event.
One person in particular, a man aged twenty-fire, paid the most attention to this event. This man was no different than the others waiting for the end of their world. He looked and dressed like the average Terminian and held a minimum-wage job cleaning up at a store in East Clock Town. The only problem was...He hated his life. He couldn't stand settling down, and wasn't planning on making a permanent home somewhere until he made the mistake of his life.
Four years ago...
He fell in love. It happened when he had a job at the Milk Bar, serving patrons. He was cleaning up the milk some careless customer knocked over, and when he looked up, he saw her coming down the stairs. She was wearing a red top, and matching red skirt, which complemented the red hair that he could see from around her mask.
"Chateau Romani, please," She said softly.
"I...Ye...Sur..." He stammered, before simply nodding, and grabbing a bottle of the expensive drink from behind the bar. "Two...two hundred Rupees." He said, trying not to speak, thinking he would say something stupid.
She laughed and, after fiddling around in her purse, put four purple and one red Rupee on the bar. "This should be enough, shouldn't it?"
He nodded quickly, taking the Rupees, walking away from her to the register, taking as long as he could to ring her up. When he was done, he grabbed a rag, and started scrubbing the already-spotless bar.
"You look nervous." She said, clearly stating the obvious. When he didn't respond, she tried again. "I love this song..."
He looked up at her last statement. "Me too." He replied, before going back to his scrubbing.
"Here, let's dance!" She said happily, grabbing his hand. He froze up, not saying a word. "Come on, it'll be fun!"
He looked over to the door leading the storeroom, where the owner, a man named Barten was probably taking inventory. "I guess...My boss might come out..." He said, hopping over the bar.
"Oh, forget him!" She said, joyfully. "Come on!" She pulled him in front of the stage. "See? It's fun, isn't it?"
He gave her a small smile as he danced. "It kind of is, yeah..." He was becoming calm around the girl, and he loosened up, dancing more and more.
The two danced for an hour, when a different type of song came on, the type you would slow dance to.
"Do you...you know...want to dance for this one?" He asked her, extending his hand.
She giggled. "Why yes, yes I would." She replied.
Present day
He sighed, remembering the night he had met the girl that eventually became his fiancée. He loved her, but she wanted to settle down and have a family, something he couldn't stand to do.
He glanced up at the moon, which was closer than ever. Today was the day it was supposed to crash. Somehow, today was also the day he was supposed to exchange the sacred vows with his fiancée, and become husband and wife. He knew it was wrong to feel joy over the day that the moon would destroy Termina, but he knew that by avoiding her throughout the past three days, he could avoid commitment, and stay a wanderer for the rest of his life.
The ground trembled, harder than ever, proving to the man that the moon was not going to be stopped, to his joy. A shout from behind the Clock Tower ruined his joy.
"Hello, have you seen my fiancée?" Came the panicked voice of the love of his life. "We're supposed to be leaving together, and I can't find him anywhere!"
He didn't hear her response, but instead, he ran. Not away from the Clock Tower, but to it. He ran to the ramp that lead up. He climbed the stairs leading to the top of the tower, feeling the temperature rising as he got higher.
At the top, he was sweating, and compltely out of breath. When he got to the top, a weird creature wearing a mask was looking directly at him. It floated directly in front of him, appearing to judge him. After a minute of nothing happening, the creature floated away, disappearing in a ball of light which flew into the moon.
The Clock Tower's bell rang five times, symbolizing that it was five in the morning. The man could see the sun begin to rise. The heat from the moon was overbearing, and he collapsed against the side of the tower. He could see into the town below. The guard was still in front of the gate, staring at the moon. The head carpenter in charge of the festival was standing at the foot of the tower, shouting profanities up at it. But his fiancée, was nowhere to be seen. He smiled, leaning his head back. He was relived to know she was safe, and he was glad to die the way he wanted.
"What are you doing up here?" She asked frantically. "Please, let's go!"
He looked at her, and took her hand in his. "I can't. I can't marrry you. It's not how..." He paused for breath, the heat was overwhelming. "It's not how I am. I have to be alone. I'm sorry."
"Then let's die here. Together." She said, sitting down next to him.
He didn't argue, instead, picking up the mask of marriage customs, the Sun Mask. She said nothing, instead reaching into her purse, showing him the Moon Mask. The two brought their masks together, and in a bright flash of light, the masks merged, and the two were left holding the Couple's Mask.
"I love you." The two said simultaneously. The world around them turned red and orange, and in a burst of heat, unlike anything they had felt before, disappeared.
Author's Note:
So, this is my first story, so please review it! Constructive criticism is extremely welcomed. This is a one-shot, but if people actually like this enough, and if they want more, then I'll write more.
Oh, and before I forget, yes, I did name the story after the song from the musical Next to Normal. I love that one.