[Himmelsdorf.]
The climb was tedious, but the view was worth it. She stopped in front of the small wall that outlined the hilltop. With the snow-covered city below her being dead, there were no lights to obstruct the stars and the air felt clean and fresh. If she hadn't known that it was full of radiation, she would have never guessed. Made of metal, it didn't affect them. But she knew that she would never be able to forget the sight of the effects on organic beings; animal carcasses with burnt hides, abominations. Pictures that would forever be stuck in her memory.
Everything around them was crumbling reminders. Silent witnesses of a catastrophe that she had barely missed. She knew that she could be glad for that, but sometimes she wondered if being wiped out would have been a more merciful fate than entering this world as one of the generation that rose from the ashes immediately afterwards.
The G.W. Panther's train of thought got interrupted as she sensed that she wasn't alone anymore. Well, it had taken him long enough.
"You can come out. I know that you're here" she said without turning around. A certain French light tentatively left the shadow of the castle's walls, driving up to her but keeping a respectful distance.
"I'm sorry" he mumbled, but she knew very well that he wasn't. It was pathetic how he was still trying to hide his intentions, despite being so painfully obvious about them. She had played his game for long enough, and was starting to get fed up.
"We've known each other for so long now. Are you finally going to ask me this time?" she said.
He started inching towards her, but the courage seemed to leave him halfway. The Panther finished what he had started. She turned around all the way to face him and moved up to his side, getting so much closer than ever before.
"Oh mon chéri. Je sais que tu m'as besoin dans ta vie. Ne peux vivre sans moi. Isn't that true?" she whispered, and it made her voice sound haunting, causing a shiver to run through his chassis.
He dropped his gaze and didn't answer. She only gave him a long, unreadable look. "You have nothing to offer me and you know it. So what do you want?"
The AMX continued to stay silent. She was right; he knew that he was only fooling himself. But he couldn't help but feel the way he felt. Just being near her was the most he could ever hope for, and he would have never dared to expect any more.
"Do you want me to leave you alone?" he asked eventually with lumps in his fuel lines.
She didn't deign to look at him any longer, turning away and going back to staring into the nightly sky instead. "I don't care if you follow me around or not" she said plainly, "And even if I told you not to, you would do it anyway."
He nodded glumly but then raised his voice again. "Can I know your name at least?"
The SPG gave a quiet chuckle before she replied.
"No."
Neither of them spoke another word afterwards.