Looking At The Ground.

I don't love you and it's hard. You never notice that I don't love you, or if you do you never say. We just carry on, as comfortable in each other's company as old friends. For that is all we are. My heart does not race when I see you, my breath never catches in my throat. When you kiss me I want to run, I don't want your hands on me. I'm sorry, until I'm not.

She walked as one in a dream. Alone. Her eyes glistened with a thousand tears unshed and a passing old man saw them and wondered who had caused them to shine as they did. She passed him, unseeing. Her mind was not still, it raced and flew through time. To him. The streets around her grew quiet as she walked without destination, her skin grew cold but she did not care. The coldness reminded her she could still feel, in spite of everything. Her silence was killing her. She needed to scream into the darkness, scream for him to come back and save her from the stupidity of humanity. Instead she cried. She sobbed until her body shook and she couldn't breathe. Time became irrelevant. It passed and she did not notice. Dawn came and she did not care.

Her room was dark. Her bed neatly made. She threw herself down and felt the weight of her broken heart crushing her to death. Her eyes closed, too heavy to fight and she slept. But she did not dream. A cough woke her. She opened her eyes, not in fear. She knew he was there. He was staring at her with eyes that betrayed his age.

"No." His voice was low, as if he'd been crying, but she knew him better than that.

"No?" She repeated.

"No, you are not leaving me."

"But..."

"Do not lie to me again."

Then she knew, she knew it was over and she collapsed into his arms. Her body heaved with pain as he held her and cried into her hair.

She fell asleep in his arms and he felt all of his years. Her breath came steady and slow as he gently stroked her arm. It would never end. He would never learn not to care about them. He would never learn to resist a pretty face. But she was more than that. She was a part of him in a way that the others never were and she cared for him in a way the others had never done. It had been a long time since he had held a sleeping woman in his arms, he breathed her in and he felt peaceful. It was over.

She awoke to see him standing by her window. His hands in his pockets, his stark silhouette outlined against the bright sunlight. She spoke and he turned. He attempted a smile but it died on his lips. He was faltering. She went to him and took his hands, for once he did not resist.

"I love you."

His eyes widened as she stood up to kiss him gently. He kissed her back. Such a chaste expression of love. Then he smiled. A real smile that set her heart on fire.

"Show me some planets." She whispered as he stroked her hand.