Die
"I'm faster alone."
Erend expected to feel anger at those words. He expected frustration and hurt. He did not expect the resignation that came instead.
"Fine," he said and the cold, tired tone of his voice surprised even him. "You want to be alone, that's fine." I love you, whispered a voice in his head and he shoved it aside. He left her packing her bags and retreated into his room to do some packing of his own.
Erend was gone the next morning. Aloy looked at his empty room with regret and disappointment. She had been hoping to clear the air between them after last night. It was usually Erend who came to her after an argument, apologetic and sheepish with an offer of breakfast, but last night had been different. He had been different. Erend was nothing if not predictable. She had expected anger and hurt, but not resignation. She had expected him to at least see her off this morning, regardless of his displeasure. He always saw her off, always made it a point to catch her before she left, always said goodbye and wished her luck.
Aloy gathered her pack and headed outside, trying to ignore the twisting in her stomach.
"You're faster alone, I get it, I do. I'm slow and useless and a drunk and I make too much noise, but fire and spit, Aloy, I'm tired of being left behind!"
Abruptly, it hits her with all the force and subtly of a Thunderjaw and she wonders how she could have been so blind. Before she even realizes it, she's moving to stand in front of Erend, grabbing his hands to keep him still.
"I don't leave you behind because you're a useless drunk, Erend. And Ersa didn't either." He inhales sharply and she knows she has hit the true heart of the problem. Taking a deep breath, she squeezes his hands gently, trying to reassure both him and her. "I am faster alone," she begins, "but I'm also safer. Rost . . . he died for me in the Proving because I wanted answers and refused to stop until I found them. And then with Hades, there were so many lives lost, so many who fought because I asked them to." She looks into his gray eyes so full of pain and understanding. "I don't want you to die for me, Erend."
He looks down at their clasped hands, gently stroking his thumb along her knuckles. "My armor is heavy and bulky and loud," he says slowly, "but I wear it so I can take a hit and still get up and keep fighting." He looks at her, heartbreakingly sincere. "I would die for you in a heartbeat, if it came to that. But that's my choice."
"I'm not worth that sacrifice," she whispers. He takes her face in his hands, wiping the tears from her cheeks. Aloy tilts her head up, inviting, and he kisses her. She tastes of tears and her lips are soft against his.
"You're worth it to me," he says and kisses her again.
These are three snippets of a story I will never finish. They are in order, but obviously there are gaps between them that I just didn't write because I didn't have a fully realized plot. Posting anyway because I like how they turned out and I think they stand well on their own. Also, the third snippet is in present tense. No idea why, it's just how it happened.