His footsteps were heavy on the staircase as he made his way up to the second story.
She was laying there in the double bed, face drawn and white, listening to his approach. His footsteps sounded angry as usual, but his rage comforted her in an ill way. Her head twisted to face the doorway, and her hand came up to grasp at the pillow. She pulled and smoothed its case absently.
The door opened, and he stepped in. He paused there, and she raised her chin to look at him. Tall and fit, wearing his usual dark clothing, hair tied back, those solid boots still on his feet. She struggled to smile at him.
"Don't smile." He came to stand next to her bed. "You have nothing to smile about." His softened stance betrayed his true opinion on her appearance.
"Don't be silly. I have every reason to smile. Remember?" Her hand left the pillow and came to cup on her stomach. She pulled the blankets more snugly about herself, and the bump on her abdomen was revealed.
His brow came together, and his expression clouded over. "How dare you even consider having a child when you were this ill."
"I thought I'd have more time… But please, let's not talk about it. It's painful enough," she whispered, her hand caressing her stomach.
"You were asking for this. You were a fool to think you could live happily ever after with your prince. And now, because of your foolishness, those around you will pay the price." His words were but a hiss.
"I have no regrets. I lived as I wanted. But… that's not why you're here. I wanted to tell you something."
"I would have come anyway."
"I know. But… some last requests."
"Hm?"
"I want you to do something for me. I… I want you to tell her I'm sorry. Duck, I mean. I feel so bad now… I should have left the prince to her. He would have had a wife for more than just a few years that way. And she wouldn't be living in regret."
He knelt closer to her. "No, you know that's not true. Duck loves him, that is so, and perhaps he her, but she could never be with him knowing that you love him too. You are her best friend, after all."
"I was. I don't believe that anyone, even someone as pure as Duck, could forgive me for what I've done."
"She speaks of you often, you know. She was so happy… at the thought of being a godmother."
"Yes. Yes, I do know that." Rue's smile quivered, and her other hand came down to cradle her stomach.
"Don't cry. What do you have to cry about?!"
"Because I have something else to say. And now I'm realizing how foolish I really am, to not have said it until now on my deathbed."
"This is not your deathbed!" His veiled rage boiled over, and he stormed away from her. "This is not the end! Stop saying that!" He picked up a nearby photo of Rue and Mytho on their wedding day. "See this?! This is your happily ever after. You're still alive! You won't die! Can't you live, even if just for him?!" He thrust the photo at her, his gloved hand shaking.
She stared at it for a moment. "This has nothing to do with my will."
He let out a cry of fury and threw the photo. It smashed against the wall and fell to the ground in pieces. "He did this to you! If you hadn't gotten pregnant, you could have lived! But your idiocy cost you your life!"
"Stop saying that." Her voice wavered for the first time with despair.
"You're going to tell me it's not true?!"
"What does it matter now?! Tell me that!" Her weak voice rose. "Tell me what it matters now! You seem to forget that I'm the one about to die – I won't see any of you again, and my baby will die with me! You think I asked God for this?! I didn't – I didn't." A tear spilled down her face.
He stared at her in horror. "No, don't cry. Don't cry!" He hastened to her side. "Listen, Rue, I know you didn't ask for this. I'm mad at myself – not at you." He rested his face in his hands.
She took a moment to draw a deep breath. "Now, I did have something else to say…" She swallowed, and her thin face seemed even frailer.
He risked a glance at her. "I'm listening."
"I…" She swallowed again. "Of all the times to say this… But I have to say this… Because I don't want to die without you knowing."
His expression froze.
"I love you… more than anything in my life." She burst into tears.
He stared at her for a moment, then shook his head slowly. When her tears had slowed, she hiccuped and peeked up at him. "I'm sorry I waited so long. But I had to… and now I feel better." Even so, her eyes did not regain their light.
All in one movement, he swept her out of the bed, her nightgown flowing, and enveloped her in his arms. He buried his face in her hair, and she clung to him.
"When you die… I'll miss you more than anything in my life." His words fell on her incredulous ears.
"You – you will?"
"Always and always."
They stayed there, him rocking her, for a long time. His bitter tears fell like diamonds in the fading sunlight upon her hair. He listened to her heartbeat, her shaky breaths… and couldn't bring himself to face the fact that all too soon, both would be gone. Gradually, her tight grasp to him loosened, and her breathing steadied in slumber. But even so, he did not let go of her. For an endless eternity he held her, listening to her and feeling her warmth. And he soon began to whisper.
"I know it's not the right time; it never seemed to be. But… there's something about us I want to say, because there was always something between us anyways.
I know that I never was the right one… And it never was the right time. But there's something about us I've got to do. Some kind of secret I'm going to share with you. I… I need you more than anything in my life. I want you more than anything in my life. And… I'll miss you more than anything in my life."
His voice kept cracking. Rue slept on in his arms, never stirring, never hearing his last words to her.
"I love you more than anything in my life."
Author's notes: This was largely inspired by Wuthering Heights; in particular, Heathcliff and Catherine's final discussion and declaration of their love hours before she dies. I couldn't stop picturing Fakir and Rue playing out this scene – and so, with many modifications from the actual Wuthering Heights scene, here it is. I can actually picture myself doing a Wuthering Heights and Princess Tutu crossover, so I might really do it if I ever feel up to it.
You Daft Punk fans may recognize Fakir's parting words to Rue. They are largely the lyrics from Something About Us, because I kept hearing Fakir saying them to Rue and I couldn't deny that they fit uncannily well. So if you like the story, WTH are you waiting for?! Go on Youtube and listen to that song! Lol
More Princess Tutu shipping to follow. As always.
And btw, if you liked this, check out It All Amounted to Nothing, a similar yet very different fanfic I wrote about Rue and Fakir. You might consider it a very loose prequel.
Sayonara!