Okay. Don't hate me for this one, my pretties!

And also, I started this early in the evening and right now it's 2 o'clock in the freaking morning and I meant to open this and finish it like, three hours ago but I didn't and now I'm paying for it. Haha.

It was his belief that he was dying.

After all, what else could be happening? He was being half-crushed by a rockslide, his own blood pooling on the ground all around him. His breathing was shallow and painful and as he lay dying he began to reevaluate the events that had led to this point. It was hard for him to put his fuzzy thoughts in order and even harder to think in sentences that were even remotely coherent.

Romeo Conbolt had been out on a job. That's how it had all started, if that wasn't obvious to start with. Romeo had gone off alone and was immediately given the details of the request. As a mage of Fairy Tail, the client not only believed the eighteen year old boy was capable of the job but probably also likely assumed that he would destroy something important and thus he would not need the reward of 100,000 jewels at all. And the job had seemed to be one of his easiest ever—at first. He had to beat up maybe ten thugs, get this one woman's wedding ring back, and then go to another nearby bandit hideout to take back the rest of her gaudy jewelry, which the first group of bandits had sold to the second. It was in this second part that the job had gone awry.

These other bandits were, in fact, a dark guild and had all attacked Romeo immediately upon his stepping into their territory. Under the barrage from over a dozen different mages, the dark-haired boy could do nothing and so began his attempt to flee. It had been in vain, though, for he was halfway down the mountain when one of the dark guild's mages caused the rockslide that now buried him. And the worst part was that the falling rock had only caught up inches from the bottom of the mountain.

He'd come so close to escape and yet he seemed so far away.

Romeo didn't know how long it had been since the boulder that crushed his legs had trapped him face down on the ground, or when the other slightly smaller one had pinned his right shoulder and arm, crushing it as well; perhaps an hour? All he knew was that the dark guild hadn't bothered to come and check on him and that clearly indicated that they believed him to already be dead. And, he realized grudgingly, death didn't seem all too far away for him.

The only comfort he found in this dreary, dreadful position was that he knew once his father and Natsu heard about this, those bastards would have hell to pay. Avenging his death, Romeo knew, wouldn't bring him back, but at least it would let his spirit rest.

The young dark-haired and dying mage let a wry, painful laugh escape. He wished everyone the best; Macao, his father; Wakaba; Natsu; Lucy; Gray; Erza; Happy; everyone. But most of all, more than anyone else, he wanted Wendy Marvell to live her life to the fullest, to always stay the bright and happy woman she'd become. Because, Romeo knew, he had loved her for years. He wanted nothing but the best for her.

He only regretted that he'd never be able to tell her.

As his vision blurred, Romeo tried one last time to shift, to somehow crawl free from the rubble crushing him, to no avail. He could not climb out; he could not return to the nearest village, let alone to Fairy Tail, alive.

"Damn it," he finally said, clenching his uncrushed fist tightly. He coughed once, blood dripping down his chin and onto the already bloodstained earth beneath him. The stone crushing his back probably didn't help; there was no doubt that he'd punctured a lung. There was no hope for him, then. None at all. Maybe someone would dig him out and send him home to his family at Fairy Tail…but how long would it be until then?

Tears stung his eyes, dripping down onto the red earth. It wasn't fair that it had to end this way, with no one aware of it. He couldn't have died a more heroic death, protecting someone he loved?

"Damn it!" he spat again, only for his body to be wracked with a few more coughs that splattered more blood onto the earth.

"S…someone's there?!" a voice said softly, surprised, and he heard running footsteps from the other side of the large rock on his arm. He couldn't see anyone over it, but he could hear her, whoever she was. "H-hang on!"

Hang on, she said. She—whoever she was—didn't know that he couldn't hold on much longer.

Two feet came into view, and a loud gasp escaped into the air from the owner's lips. Her bag dropped at her feet, inches from Romeo's clenched left fist, and knees landed in front of him. What he hadn't expected was that she'd say, in a shaky voice, "R-Romeo?!"

"Who…who's there?" He asked, his voice cracking. Oh, Mavis, her voice was familiar. It was a guild member…but which one?!

His answer came when a gentle hand reached down and touched his cheek. Long, dark blue hair fell into his line of sight and dread filled his heart. Of course, since someone had to find him, it would be her, the one person he'd rather not have seeing him like this.

"Oh…Wendy…" he managed, coughing again.

"R-Romeo…!" her voice was choked up and he saw something drop onto the ground inches from his nose. Oh…oh no. She was crying, wasn't she? "H-hang on and I'll g-get you out from under a-all of…" she broke off and this time Romeo could hear her sob clearly. That was the last evidence he needed; he was dying and she wouldn't be able to save him. He'd never heard her sound so desperate before…so helpless. And he knew she'd blame herself if he didn't find some way to dissuade her from that path before he did actually die.

"O…kay…" he forced out as her knees rose up out of his line of sight. He heard her do something and her wind magic lifted the boulders off of him and blew them away. The ground trembled when they struck wherever they landed, but even though the crushing weight was gone Romeo still couldn't move.

"This m-might hurt," she said then, and he realized she was kneeling by him, "b-but I'm going to r-roll you over, o-okay?"

He didn't trust himself to speak again right then as another bout of dizziness was assaulting his whirling mind, and so he just made a sound of assent. Wendy understood his signal and he felt her gentle hands grasping at his bad side—gently, oh so gently—as she rolled him over using his good side against the ground.

A pained groan escaped his lips, although it hurt less than he'd expected. Surely that was a sign that he was almost gone?

But now Wendy was in his line of sight…her beautiful long, blue hair was cascading down her back and in front of her and those tears were making tracks down her cheeks with no pause in between. Her lips were trembling and it looked like she was really pained just to see him like this. He hadn't wanted her to see him like this, anyway, but there was nothing he could do about it now. She was here and it was almost like the world was mocking him for regretting that he couldn't confess to her.

Wouldn't it be kind of cruel to confess now?

"R-Romeo," the girl finally managed to say again, reaching down to cup his face in her hands. "R-Romeo, I…"

"Don't…worry about…it…Wendy," he couldn't string all the words together as they should have been and damn it that was just so frustrating.

"I…I c-can't…"

"I'm…I'm too far…gone, right?" Romeo asked with a wry smile, coughing lightly again and unintentionally splattering her hands with flecks of blood.

At his words, Wendy squeezed her eyes closed and a sob wracked her body as she leaned down and tucked her nose against his neck. It had only confirmed his thoughts even further if she wouldn't even try to heal him. Perhaps she knew that he would have refused even if she had offered; neither one of them were naïve enough to think he could survive something like this. The sixteen and a half year old air dragonslayer perhaps understood that best of all, even so young…

"I'm s-so sorry!" she sobbed, one of her hands clutching his shirt. "Th…there's nothing I c-can do…"

"It's…okay," Romeo said softly, his vision growing blurry again. "At least…you can tell…everyone. Right…? That I…love everyone. Dad…Natsu…everyone."

"Of c-course," Wendy's voice was still choked up, but it was only to be expected. She was only sixteen years old, damn it! He didn't want her to have to deal with this kind of thing but here she was, sobbing because she couldn't save him.

And he couldn't help it. It could have been cruel, but he wanted her to know.

"I…I love you too…you know?" he asked her softly, and she raised her head and looked at him with surprised, tearful eyes. A wry smile graced his blood-covered lips and he knew he shouldn't have said it, but she had to know how he felt before he couldn't tell her anymore. "So…so much, Wendy. I…I'm sorry…I couldn't tell…you in…a better way."

"M…me too," she sniffled, tears streaming freely down her cheeks as if they'd never stop. "F-for a while n-now…"

Romeo's smile was a little more genuine this time; as genuine as it could be through the pain.

"That's…good to know."

Wendy noticed the pain in his eyes and knew it was both emotional and physical. She sat up and cast a numbing spell over him, so that he wouldn't feel the pain anymore. Perhaps it would help him pass on with more comfort…as much as the idea of losing him was killing her inside.

"T-thanks," he murmured, his eyes drooping. She was losing him, so quickly now.

"Romeo…I love you," she breathed softly, tears silently streaming now. The sobs had died out but the tears wouldn't cease. She didn't know if they'd ever stop. Her hair brushed his cheek and he smiled at her gently. He reached his free, uninjured arm up slowly and with difficulty, brushing a few tears off her cheeks with a sad look.

"I know…" he said softly in return. "But…I want you…to be happy. If…you find someone…don't hesitate like we…did, okay? Promise me."

She nodded, holding his hand up to her cheek with her own hand. "I promise…" she could barely force the words out, and she could see him fading fast.

Romeo was glad his last memories would be of her, but he wished she was smiling.

"Good…" he breathed, his breaths becoming even shallower than they had been. He saw her lean down and felt her press her lips gently against his cheek, no matter that his cheek was covered in his blood. She repeated the treatment to the other cheek.

"I'll never…I'll never forget, Romeo," Wendy told him firmly, trying to be strong enough for the both of them. Her heart was hurting so much, but she wouldn't let it show. She loved him…she loved him so much, and he loved her…so why had it come to this?

"Thank you…" Romeo managed to get it out, just barely, before his hand went limp in the young girl's grasp. Another sob rose to her throat and she couldn't choke it back. Wendy let his hand fall, laying her head on his stilled chest and crying into his ripped and bloody shirt.

"Wendy! Why did you go so far ahead? Didn't you hear that woman tell you there were bandits out here?!" the voice of the white Exceed Charle came, but Wendy didn't even lift her head. It took Charle a moment to realize that her shoulders were wracked with shudders and that she was sobbing into the shirt of someone lying on the ground.

"What…Wendy?"

The Exceed could scarcely breathe when she saw the guild marking on his shoulder. The blood surrounding Wendy and whoever that person was boded extremely ill…and as Charle stepped closer she froze in her tracks and then dropped to her knees when she finally saw his face.

Romeo Conbolt was dead.

What was this feeling? Why did it feel like the whole world had ended for Wendy?

She couldn't bear it…but she'd have to. She'd be the one to take him home for the last time…she and Charle. She would have to convey his love to everyone, to somehow explain that she couldn't have saved him even if she had tried…and somehow, she'd have to live on because she'd promised him she would.

Wendy would have to be stronger later, Charle realized…but for now, she could cry. She could even cry later, but first she'd need to explain.

"He…" Charle perked up at the young dragonslayer's voice, turning her eyes to the blue-haired girl in surprise, still in utter disbelief at the sight before her. "…he told me that he loved me, right before…" Wendy could barely say it. "And…he wanted me to be happy. I've got to be happy…"

She left out that it would be hard, but Charle understood the unspoken words.

Her time with him had been brief…so brief…and he had wanted her to be happy. She would do her best but the pain…she knew the pain would never fade away completely.

Shit. I made myself cry. What kind of person am I, really?

I know the quality might not be very good in the second part and I may go back later but right now it's almost 3 in the morning and I need sleep.

BUT FIRST READ THIS PLEASE.

There is a NEW Fairy Tail Writing Challenge inspired by the closed challenge by s k y – l i t, this time started by yours truly. If you are interested in joining, please PM me for details and a link!