A Gift

He had known many kinds of darkness, but this was unlike any other. It seemed like the darkness was wrapping itself around him, seeping through his skin. But he walked onwards, walked blinded in the dark, aimlessly. And although he didn't know where he was going, he knew he had to get there. He could still feel the tears that had stained his skin. Suddenly his head was filled with wicked laughter and whispering voices.

"Be quiet!" he shouted, knowing that they were mocking him, and he was so tired of all the noise, everything that had haunted him for all this time. There were words that repeated themselves over and over again in his head, and it made no difference if he cried to them or not. The darkness was soft and gentle, yet deceitful. The dark mist snaked into his mouth like a breathing creature, and gave him a strange sense of absence. As if it was just his shadow walking across this world of midnight.

"Where are you?" he yelled to the night that surrounded him. There was no answer. Until finally he saw a flickering light of a torch in the distance. He began to run towards that light and the mist made his lungs ache. He felt like gravity had disappeared, and knew the journey wouldn't have taken this long in a usual darkness.

"Good evening," said the one holding the torch. The person was probably a man, wrapped in a black, elegant cloak that kissed the ground. He was rather beautiful, immaculate and ageless somehow. His eyes were piercing as he stared at the boy in front of him. "Oh, I see," he said, although Christian hadn't uttered a word. A smile danced upon his lips.

"I want her back," Christian said, his eyes burning with fever and fire. The other man raised his eyebrow and saw the determination glowing on the boy's face. "I know that already. But what are you ready to do in return? These things don't come for free, you know that, don't you?"

"I am ready to give anything so that she can live."

The cloaked man laughed shortly and softly, "Do you understand what you're saying? You don't mean anything, do you?"

"I do. I'm ready to give absolutely anything for her life." Christian stared the man in the eye, with no trace of fear in his heart, although he knew very well that he should be afraid. But this was for her.

"Are you sure? I'll give you time to think about it."

"There's no need for that. I've repeated countless times that I would give anything to let her live, anything," the boy said to his utter surprise.

"You want to make a deal, then?" the man asked, smiling cunningly.

"Yes," was the fearless answer.

"I will grant your wish, I will give her a new life, but in return…" The smile grew wider as he traced his finger along the boy's jaw. "I will take yours." He smiled sweetly as he did this, for he knew how the terror would fill the boy's eyes, how he'd run into the darkness. As predictable as it was, he still enjoyed this game.

"Okay," Christian said, bowing his head. For the first time in hundreds of years, there was actual amazement visible on the face of the cloaked man.

"What? You actually agree? You need to understand this deal, she will live and you won't. You won't have her there with you."

"I understand and I am ready," the boy said, his soft grey eyes incredibly calm.

"Why?"

"Because I love her." It was as simple as that.

"You human beings, what strange creatures you are. I always thought love would be a curse to you. But apparently it is a blessing. To her, at least," the man said, studying the face of this strange, fearless boy.

"But if you are ready to accept this deal," he said then. "then it will be so. I will take you and this love of yours will be free to live again."

For the first time, a smile fluttered onto Christian's lips. "Good. Please, do now what you must."

And he was gone.

The man stood there, watching the dying flames. "You'll have her back. It will be a long time, but I – Death – promise one thing. You will have her back."

The shadows bowed to greet their king as he vanished.

He had left with a smile, but that didn't stop the tears from being shed. He had been one with the ability to light up the world, and no one had expected him to burn out so quickly.

"To die for love…" whispered his friend, sensing the cause for all this sorrow.

And meanwhile a tiny girl was taking her first breath.

"How blessed we are," sighed her mother as she watched the sleeping baby in her arms.

And they were blessed, but they would never know who had given them such gift.

He smiled in the darkness.

Disclaimer: Moulin Rouge belongs to the magnificent Baz Luhrmann. Nothing's mine.

A/N: Thanks to everyone who have reviewed my previous fics, I'm very grateful. I'm sorry that I write so rarely and whenever I do write, it's this kind of crap. Well, perhaps I'll manage to write something bearable one day. Hopefully. I think this fic was kind of myth-like, but it didn't have a proper plot or anything. Anyway, thank you so much for reading. Feel free to point out my mistakes.