Kiss
Summary: Gray stood outside Mary's house. He could still remember her sobbing. Why was one kiss enough to make him forget her? Gray/Mary Gray/Karen
Warning: Contains character's death and slitting wrists.
Gray stood outside Mary's house. He could still remember her sobbing. Now it was he who sobbed, biting his cheeks so not to wake anyone up. He reached out and traced the picture embedded on the gate that he knew all his life. He wanted to open it but couldn't. Instead he sighed through the tears and walked to the bench that sat between the supermarket and the hospital. He stopped, not wanting to go anywhere near both of those buildings. So he carried on to the town square and sunk into that bench instead.
He could now howl his sobs as no one was near enough to here him. The tears that should never run down his face ran soaking his cheeks. He could have stopped this. But no.
Why was one kiss enough to make him forget her?
The autumn air rustled through the fallen leaves, coldness biting them. Gray grinned as he walked to the library. Winter, his favourite season was just around the corner.
Mary greeted him with her usual grin, "Hi ya Gray!"
"Hey! Any new books in today?"
Mary grin grew wider as she giggled, "Yep, my book! I've finally got it published!"
"Wow, that's great news! I knew you could do it!" Gray said as he swept her into a bear hug.
She held him tightly, as if wanted the hug to last longer. Gray however paid no attention to that. She was just his friend.
"You'll be the best seller author soon! You'll have to get me a sign autograph so the other fans will be jealous!"
"Do you really think so?"
"Of course!"
Mary smiled as she twirled one of her curls, blushing with pleasure. Gray grinned as he grabbed her book of her shelf and begun reading it.
"Gray...how's your apprenticeship coming?"
Gray frowned as he remembered an argument with his grandfather, "Grandpa shouted at me again. I don't think I can do it. Every single thing I do has to be wrong all the time! I'll never please him!"
"I think you can. Don't give up, Gray!"
Gray gave her a sad smile, "I'll try."
The next day however wasn't as cheerful.
Gray snarled as he barged into the library, not in a good mood at all. Mary bit her lip as she rushed to his side.
"What's happen?"
"Stupid, bloody, Grandpa! I hate him! He suspended me for a week because I tripped over a thing he laid out when handling a hot tool! Arrgh! "
"Gray, calm down-"
"Calm down? Calm down??!! I won't calm down!"
"Please Gray, I understand that you-"
"Mary, you don't understand anything about me! So don't even dare try and tell me to calm down!" And with that Gray marched out of the library.
He didn't see the tears running down Mary's cheek.
Gray barged into the inn that night still muttering angrily. He had gone to the mountains for the rest of the day but even that didn't calm him down.
"Gray, mind my doors!" Ann shouted at him but he just responded by thumping the table sending the customers scurrying away.
"I need a drink!" Gray snarled and Ann shivered. She handed him a beer without a word.
"Rough day?"
Gray turned to Karen as he drained his glass. She was also drinking.
"You don't even know how!"
Karen laughed as she gestured for a refill, "I can guess. But what's the point if we both brooding over rough day?"
Gray raised an eyebrow but didn't ask. He just got a refill.
"How about a drinking contest?" Karen asked as she smirked at him. Gray put down his glass.
"No thanks. Not in the mood."
"It'll cheer you up!"
"No, Karen."
"Oh go on!"
"I said-" Gray got cut off as Karen leant forward and kiss his lips.
It was what he needed. An escaped, someone to make him feel good. And if Karen was offering herself...
"Sure!"
And they both drank the night away.
Gray and Karen carried on this tournament each night, often winding up in bed together. It became clear to everyone that they were now a couple.
The news didn't take long to travel to Mary.
Gray entered the library in a good mood. He had just seen Karen and promised another drinking contest. She was beautiful and Gray did like her but he love the drinking in their relationship, really. But he denied it when people asked.
"Hello Gray."
Gray snapped his head up to see Mary standing by the wall at the back. But that wasn't what confused him. It was her dark tone and her masked face.
"Hey, Mary." Gray said. He sat down hoping that Mary would now look away. But she didn't, "What?"
"What? Is that all you can say? You going out with Karen and didn't tell your best friend and all you can say is what?"
"S-sorry I thought it was obvious that we're a couple." Gray said. He didn't understand why Mary was flinching.
"Well it wasn't? Gray, why? She doesn't love you nor do you love her. You just are using each other for drinking!"
"How would the hell would you know if I don't love her??!! She's a beautiful person and-"
"Yeah and great in bed, we know! But that isn't what love is about! Love is-"
"Mary, get your head out the clouds and wake up. You might have read love but you'll never understand it!"
"I-I do!"
"Yeah, right! And if you do you would leave us alone!"
"But I-" Mary eyes brimmed with tears and a desire to tell him a deep secret. But she swallowed it down. "Alright then."
"Good. You're really are an annoying brat! No wonder you have no friends!"
Gray stormed out the library, snarling. He paused but carried on, not caring.
He paused because Mary was loudly sobbing.
Gray stayed away from the library. He felt guilty but he knew Mary wouldn't want to see him after what he said.
"Gray?"
Gray was in his room quietly watching the sun setting out of the window. He turned and saw Karen.
"Hey, Karen. You alright?"
She shook her head.
"Gray...I think this has been a mistake. We don't suit each other. I'm sorry. You've got a life, Gray and you shouldn't be wasting it with me."
"You're dumping me?" Gray asked and was stunned at his calmness. He didn't seem to care.
"Yes. I think we better of as-"
"Friends. Yeah, okay. It's lucky we've been using condoms then." He said with a smirk. She smiled back and left.
Gray sat back, calmly. He was confused. He had just got dumped but he didn't seem to mind. Maybe Mary was right...
He got up and started walking to the library. It should have been open, it was only three, and yet it was locked.
Gray looked confused at the door before cutting over the fence to Mary's house. Maybe she shut early and would be there.
When he entered Anna and Basil were arguing.
"It's must be my fault! I've been such a bad mum, just leaving her and going to gossip while she works..."
"Now, now, Anna, it's not your fault. Mary loves us and you've been a fantastic mother. Maybe it's mine..."
"Oh you idiot, of course not! You're a wonderful father and she adores you."
"Well there must be some reason she's cutting her- oh hello Gray."
Gray gulped, awkwardly, "Is Mary upstairs?"
They both shook her heads.
"I though she was in the library." Anna said, glancing at her husband.
"Well it's locked and- wait what's that about cutting?"
But both adults were no longer listening. They had grabbed the spare key and ran out the door. Gray followed.
What he saw next stopped his breathing.
Mary lay on the floor, gasping. Blood was sporting from her left arm, tumbling over onto the floor. In her right hand she held a bleeding knife.
"Mary!" Gray shouted as he rushed to her side. Her eyes flickered at the movement but she seemed to no longer recognise him.
"We'll have to get her to the hospital." Basil said and he and Anna lifted their daughter up and rushed out of the door. Gray was about to follow when he saw an envelope on the desk, addressed to him. He pocketed it before running outside to catch them up.
Mary had been put on the white bed, her arm still bleeding terribly. Elli was trying to hold her tears back and stopped the blood at the same time. Mary was a close friend of hers and to see her like this...
Doctor Trent was trying to remove the knife that Mary was still holding in her hand. It was a tight grasped and he was worried about hurting her more.
Gray reached over and grabbed her hand as well, gently stroking her thumb. When she was little it was the only way she would let go of her pen that she would never let go.
Mary hand immediately let go and the knife dropped to the floor. Doctor Trent picked it up and put it to the side and went to help Elli. Gray stayed staring at Mary's hand.
Why Mary? Why have you cut yourself so much?
Along her arms were clumsy scars, made by the knife. Mary was both-handed and she seem to have tried to cut her right arm first but couldn't. So she hand gone to her left hand.
Elli and Trent work all night long on Mary. Basil would help fetch, Anna wouldn't leave her daughter side and Gray paced the corner of the room so not to get in the way. He was blaming himself.
No matter what they did though, on the first of winter at midnight, Mary's heart stopped beating.
Gray, someone who never cried, sobbed by her bedside as the white sheet covered her. Anna screeched Mary's name and had to be taken away from Mary as she wouldn't let go. Basil held Anna, tears brimming his eyes, but wouldn't fall.
The snow howled outside, the coldness biting them all.
It was after the funeral when Gray looked at the envelope. Inside it held a letter.
My beloved Gray,
I wanted to tell you. I wanted to scream it, shout it, throw it at you. We were always best friends and we always told each others secrets, didn't we? But I couldn't tell you this.
What I wanted to say when we argued was that I do understand love. I am in love. With you.
I know you think you love Karen and maybe you do so I didn't tell you. I didn't want to seem to be forcing you to love me. I'm not like that. I want you to be happy and experience all kinds of love. Perhaps we aren't meant to be.
But I cannot live with watching you love someone else. It breaks my heart, makes me want to kill the girl you've set your eyes on. And of course they're my friends and I shouldn't be so jealous. It's your choice and I'm happy for you. But I cannot cope with it.
I've tried many ways to stop me from coming between you and your heart. Tried hanging myself but I'm too weak to tie up a piece of string, tried throwing myself of the mountain but I'm such a coward, tried running away but I always come back before anyone even noticed. Cutting was easy as it doesn't hurt. It's actually a relief. So I won't die painfully.
I was going to post this to you and then find a place where you won't have to see me bleeding but Mum caught me cutting and I know she won't let me. So I'm doing it know to get it over and done with.
I'm sorry you have to see me like this. I'm sorry I'm being such a drama queen. I'm sorry that I'm breaking your heart. You're the best friend that I have ever had and I hope you won't push away my love but won't let it shut yourself away from others.
Gray, become the greatest blacksmith for me. I know you can do it. Find love and happiness and do not worry about me. Tell everyone to wipe away their tears and enjoy winter, our favourite season.
I love you Gray.
Mary
And now Gray is sitting on the town square bench sobbing as he remembers everything. It's his entire fault. He killed her.
He tried to wipe his eyes like she told him too and smiled at the small flake that landed on his nose. Why didn't he realise until now?
Mary, you wouldn't have gotten in the way of my heart. You are my heart. I love you.
Plz review people. I'm sorry it's so sad.