He knew.

This was it.

This will be the day.

The fight had taken much out of him and he only blames himself for not staying in shape.

Not since that day...

His wounds were far too fatal, that much he knew. The slowly forming lake of red around him, tainting the greenery of the charred battlefield that was once his home.

It was too much.

And yet though, he couldn't help but chuckle. Laugh, even.

"Laughing in the face of your death? You're either stupid or your adrenaline is finally wearing your mind down."

The Red Bull's unamused eyes meeting his own was enough for him to open his mouth further and let loose another few strangled gasps that could almost be considered laughing.

Focusing to keep his eyes on the opponent who bested hi, he gathered his breath carefully.

"I'm not afraid to die. I've been dead inside for far longer than I should have. What I am now is only the next natural course of events."

Smirking, the Red Bull flicked his blade, sending splatters of blood in a wide arc away from him before sheathing it away. Turning it around, the barrel faced towards the Golden Lion.

"Then you'll be glad you're not going to be feeling this."

Suddenly, white hot pain shot up his arm, forcing him to drop his weapon and clutch at his arm. Madly looking around in all directions, it was only once a blade presented itself against his neck that he stilted all movement.

"You..."

Black armour with red highlights greeted his vision, or what he could barely see as to not agitate its user.

But he knew that bone white Nevermore mask anywhere he saw it.

"Get. Out."

Two words.

One simple command.

"tch You know he's-"

The blade drew closer to his throat.

"Fine!"

That was all she wanted to hear before he took off running, being sure to grab his weapon on the way and never look back.

Sheathing her own blade, she turned to look at the Golden Lion on the ground in front of her.

Only to be greeted by that warm smile that she fell in love with all those years ago.

"Hey..."

Putting a hand atop her mask, she removed it, revealing a face he was not bound to have seen in over 18 years. Red blinking eyes met his own blue, an eternity almost seemingly passing between them in an instant of understanding.

That instant was all she needed before she had to direct her sight elsewhere.

"I was too late..."

"...Nope."

Her head jolting at such a statement, she turned to face him again.

"Tai, you-"

"Nope."

Once again, they were back to staring at each other. Each other's eyes piercing the other's soul.

It was finally he who spoke up.

"Please... Take me to her."


The trek to the gravesite atop the cliff was a relatively short one, spent mostly in silence apart from moments where she had to stop and let him cough out.

"She looks so much like you, did you know?"

She only kept walking.

"I remember when I first told her about you and showed the old picture from back when we were at Beacon. It was probably the longest I'd ever seen her be silent."

She didn't need to hear this.

"Do you know what she said?"

Obviously she didn't.

"She must be nice... If you fell in love with her."

She almost stumbled.

They were only a few meters away from the grave site, the epitaph becoming ever so closer to them both. Before long, they were both standing in front of the glue that kept them together for what seemed to very long ago.

Thus Kindly, I Scatter

"Put me... Put me down n-next to her."

After some minor hassle and stubborn pride, the Golden Lion was now leaning against the concrete slab which detailed the resident who resided there, now blocked from view.

"I want to let you know... I forgive you."

She was now crouched down, facing him directly.

"Your body... And your soul... Are your own."

inhale

"Forget about us. Live... For yourself..."

He raised a cigar to his lips, an old habit he hadn't indulged in the years since she left. Bringing out his old lighter, the engraving of his family's symbol shined in the setting sun.

Until his grip fell weak and dropping out of his hand.

A flash of dejection crossed his features before they reset back into his neutral expression, somehow enhancing all the stress and age on his face from years of hardship.

"And find... A new lease on life."

He knew what was happening now.

How his body was becoming weaker.

The cigar dropped from his lips, his breath wheezed and shaky.

She could only stare at where it dropped.

A stray tear leaking from his eye as he tried to turn and face the grave that was supporting him. "I'm so proud... Of everything you... and her gave to me. Thank you..."

A confident resolve crossed her features as she picked up the fallen cigar, raising it to her own lips and igniting it with the fallen lighter. She never was one for indulging in these kinds of things but she hardly cared at the moment. Puffing a few, she raised it back to his lips, enough life left in him to keep a grip on it before raising his hand to take grasp of it.

The taste of strawberries filled both of their mouths.

A few stray coughs made their way from him, having inhaled too much of the vapour before he moved it away from him and resting his arm upon his knee.

He could only smile.

"This is good, isn't it?"

He closed his eyes, smile still in place.

Seconds passed by as she stared into the closed orbs, still kneeling where she was in front of him.

The cigar dropped from his grip.