Graveyard by Halsey
I looked at the ring in my hand, turning to Heartman. Sam was getting a shower while Lou was sleeping in his pod on the couch. "Is this destroyable?"
"A wedding band?" Heartman took it from me and looked at it. He shook his head. "No, these are chiral."
"Fuck me, of course they are," I grumbled.
"The only way to destroy it might be the tar lake. But the things that end up there tend to come up on the other side. So I guess that doesn't really destroy it. It'll just get rid of it and not allow Higgs to just jump to you."
"I mean, it's Higgs ring," I clarified. "He can just jump to me whenever he wants apparently. My ring is in my shelter down near South Knot."
He handed it back to me. "Maybe leaving it out in the mountains somewhere would be more satisfying." I pictured Higgs teleporting to the ring and rolling down the mountain into a giant snowball. I snickered. "Higgs as a snowball? That is a satisfying visual."
"I'd almost be okay with that run in if I got to witness that."
"Well you did just throw him off of a building."
"He seemed to like that though. He grinned and waved before he disappeared." A five minute warning sounded.
"I did see that while Sam was rushing off to be sure you were okay."
"Have you had any luck finding your family on the beach?"
"No, I haven't," he said sadly. I reached out and gave his arm a squeeze. He nodded, patting my hand. "Move on, Taylor. Don't chain yourself to the past like I have."
"You should follow your own advice."
"If only I could."
I smiled sadly at him as he handed me the ring back. Sam came out of the shower, looking tired but refreshed.
"Feel like making a detour?"
He looked at the ring I was holding up and nodded. We quickly said goodbye to Heartman and left before his shelter locked for the time he was unconscious and on the beach.
"Where are we going?"
I pointed at the mountains. "Over where that voidout was in the mountains. I think he expects me to keep this. I'd destroy it but it's chiral crystal. So it can't really be destroyed according to Heartman."
"So you're going to drop it in the middle of a line of BTs?"
"You don't approve?"
"I do, just remind me not to make you mad." I smiled lightly as we set out. It took just over an hour and we got there just around dusk. Sam made sure I didn't run into any BTs with Lou's help as I dropped the ring into the snow near a line of BTs. We got out just as easily, thankfully. But it was dark now. We needed somewhere to rest for the night.
"There's a safehouse back by Heartman's we can stay in overnight," Sam said as if reading my mind. He marked a spot on his map so that his compass was able to pick it up. It was only about thirty minutes before we arrived at the safehouse. We marked it as in use and descended below the surface. Sam hooked Lou up to the bridge mother network before turning to me.
Without saying anything, he closed the distance between us, his lips meeting mine. I felt the tension of being around the BTs leave my body, melting into his. Though my eyes were closed, all I could see were deep hues of pink. Desire. I struggled to pull back slightly.
"Wait," I breathed, struggling to think straight. "This is a line I can't cross and go back," I struggled with the words.
"I don't want anybody else," he answered without hesitation. He went to speak again but I cut him off.
"I can't have children. You need to know that," I blurted out. That was the reason why Higgs turned to Fragile. Sometimes I wonder if life would be different if I had been able to give him the family he wanted. But I couldn't. My body just didn't work that way. I can't carry children. Sam was quiet for longer than I thought he would be, surprised by the revelation. Tears began to build up in my eyes. "Say something, please."
Instead of speaking, he kissed me sweetly. "That doesn't change my mind. I love you, Taylor." It was my turn to look surprised. "It scares the hell out of me, but I love you. I don't want anyone else but you."
"I love you, too." That was all he needed. Sam's lips were on mine again. Hungry. We clumsily began taking off our gear. Sam wore a lot less clothes under his suit than I did, I thought in amusement. I felt chills as I touched his bare skin. I pulled my t-shirt over my head, pressing my bare skin to his. I hardly ever wear bras. I hate how they feel.
Sam put his hands under my butt, scooping me into the air. I wrapped my legs around him. Neither of us pulling our lips away from one another until he made it to the bed. He put me down gently, pulling my hair out from its bun so that it spilled on the mattress behind me. In one swift motion, he had the rest of my suit and my boots off. Then my leggings.
"Are you sure?"
I leaned up and kissed him as a response, struggling to get his suit off of him. I had never been more sure of anything.