Some lives weren't worth saving. Some were never meant for redemption. She knew that, had always known that. But that didn't make it easier to put her powers to use. Convincing herself the enemy was soulless was no help. After all, who was she to define whether life meant one with a soul or even a corrupt one? But it was her place. Fate made it hers. She just didn't know how to deal with that at the end of the day.
"Wouldn't it be great if we didn't have to do this anymore, Darien?" She murmured softly in the night, afraid of the enemies finding out her weakness, knowing they already did.
He sighed. She never said anything directly, never addressed the darkness head-on, and he didn't quite know how to deal with that if she wasn't willing. How much longer could they live like this? "Would you fault a predator his prey? Or an animal his instinct? You wouldn't. But you wouldn't fault self-defense, either. Don't hurt yourself like this. Please."
She reeled a little. They never spoke of it, never spoke of a lot of things, and she was surprised he chose this one to battle. "Some lives aren't worth saving. Are we the arbiters of that?"
His arms tightened around her, willing the darkness out of it and fearing that he had infected her soul. "We are. No, I'm wrong. You are. I'm sorry."
A shiver went through her. "I know."
He closed his eyes, wishing he could help. "I'm sorry." He repeated into the darkness, knowing it did no good.
She returned with a sigh. "It's not your fault, you know. You don't have to apologize like the world is falling around us. It wasn't your darkness that invaded me."
A shudder went through him. "And it's not your fault those monsters' lives weren't worth saving."
She gave a glimmer of a smile. "Words don't mean much, do they?"
He offered a ghost of a grin. "They never have."
"Will it ever not hurt?"
"The day it does, I think our lives won't be worth saving, either."
Her arms tightened around him, satisfied with his answer at last. "All right. I can live with that."