She sat serenely by the trees, watching the petals fall like blue snow. It had just started, and the real stuff wouldn't be happening until about three minutes later. Sighing, she looked at her hands.
"H-Hey… am… I late?"
She looked up at him, a hint of a gentle smile or two illuminating her face. Catching his breath, he sat down beside her. A long pause followed. He cleared his throat, "So… Shi-"
"I'm leaving for August City."
"Wha-what?"
She looked up at the petals falling, one by one, in synchron.
"I'm going to August City today. Right away from here."
All he could do was stare at his knuckles, shocked... scared…
She stood up abruptly, "I think its time already, to go."
He dumbly followed suit. With glassy eyes, she leaned forward, pecking his cheek ever so slightly, a hand on his shoulder. Her eyes were closed.
As she turned to walk away, she clenched her fist tightly.
He took a step forward, "H-Hey, would you- I- I'll give you a lift."
She looked back slightly, "I'll manage… Besides, I don't think I could control myself if you were there before I left."
As the distance between them began to grow, he felt emptier and emptier.
And then, as if he had been possessed by some invisible force, his feet closed the gap, two arms enclosing her, holding her close.
"I've got something to say… Hear me out at least…"
She panted slightly at the sudden closure of distance. She froze, an ironically warm feeling engulfing her. She forced herself to look away.
A quivering hand pushed an elbow away.
"Its too late…"
Watching her depart, he fell to his knees. That day, neither tear fell, nor blue snow. Both held back, strong, clinging to their roots.
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A year had passed so quickly. He still couldn't believe he had been coming to wait for the petals for 366 days, including today. He fingered the edge of the wood. A year ago, she had been sitting right there when he arrived.
From a distance, somebody watched as he stared up at the branches heavy with blue, unexplainable sorrow in his eyes.
He person resolved to pretend not to have seen him until the last moment. And so his/her actions followed.
A footstep fell, capturing his attention. What, or who, he saw was just not believable. He stood, gaping, as she paused in her track and looked up at him.
"Yzak… It's been quite… a while…"
Silence.
"Shall we sit down?"
He broke off from his trance, and nodded awkwardly.
Again, silence reigned for minutes.
She glanced slightly at him, "So… h-"
A gasp met the air, a response to his actions.
He had pulled her onto his shoulder at the very moment she had started a conversation (or tried to) and then enveloped her with himself. One knee was now propped in her direction, his chin propped on her head.
"Don't you dare ever leave me again, do you hear?"
"What…"
"You have no idea how much I suffered for that one mistake. One whole year… so don't... don't you dare…"
Sobs ensued, unrestrained.
"You think you're so cool, don't you?" she yelled in between half a hiccup, "Its always you, right? You never thought, not even once, what the hell I went through!"
Foreheads banged, for some reason.
And then, the miracle happened. As they embraced silently, a blue petal fell to the dry ground.
And then another… and another… and another… soon, flowers began to fall, first one by one, then in pairs, and then by the score…
They looked up, rising to their feet. They marveled at the year-old blue snow. He put an arm around her, and together they watched the petals raining down on the ground and their faces and hair.
And slowly, after some years, many learned of them, the ones who separated and reunited with the same thing, by the same thing.
Even after death did them apart from life, some people say, they come back every time to watch the dancing blossoms.
FROM THE FINGERS OF FREEDOMVALENTINE (NOTE THE ALLITERATION)
For those idiots who have so much darn faith in the world that there's someone out there, waiting for you… you can have this one dedicated to your name. Because I, and this I proudly proclaim, do not believe so and do not need to.
Surprisingly, I had people giving me stuff. Great. I shall pay them back in full, of course, with late presents. Watch out for that, those of you who know me.
The Vampire's Bride is coming back soon, by the way. Very soon… watch out for it…