A/N: I love these two. :D After Ashera's quests I just had to write about these girls. Hope you enjoy! TW for suicidal thoughts and attempted suicide.

"Consul R has declared war on Colony 11. Ashera has been awaiting this with rabid anticipation, and now...the games can finally begin."

You had always feared love.

You're crying. You're laughing. You're drowning. You're killing yourself. You're screaming and you're shouting and you're-

The pain is too much. You're a beast.

Suicidal maniac indeed. That's what they called you. All you ever wanted and deserved was death itself.

(You could feel your head being ripped off. You were being torn limb from limb. The Consul stared down at you, your form so small.)

You were stronger than that. You had to be. You were a leader, a commander.

There was a girl, staring at you. She was sighing, shaking her head. So tired. So beautiful. She was just like you.

(You want her.)

Yet, you hated how she was staring at you.

"What?" she snapped, her voice harsh. "What is it?"

Your voice failed you. So she decided to keep talking.

"What's this about, then?" she asked.

"... you really should've killed me," you muttered.

"This again?" she glared at you.

The rest of her group was there, standing behind her, standing so proud. Heroes. Nothing like you.

"Come on, now," she said. "Not without me."

You'd spent your whole life putting up walls, layers, defenses. She tore them all down. She had you in her bind.

You turned away. You couldn't face it anymore. It was time to accept the truth:

You are a coward.

Ashera took her last breath, standing over the edge. She could see the ground eons below. Eons of suffering. She was all alone. As she should be.

She closed her eyes. She was finally ready to embrace it. She was done and done. Once again, she was killing herself, she was drowning, and she'd be gone to the cycle of suffering.

"What the spark are you doing?!"

Eunie landed beside her, grabbing Ashera's arm, stopping her dead in her tracks. Normally, she'd fight it off, but she'd lost the will even for that.

"Just leave me be," Ashera whispered, with the last of her strength.

"Not a snuffin' chance," Eunie snapped. "Don't you dare go without me."

Ashera swallowed. Her throat was tight. She wanted to slap that woman, that beautiful, stupid woman who had changed everything.

"So you really want to make my life hell," Ashera groaned instead, a teasing smile emerging on her face.

Eunie just tilted her head. "You make your own life Hell, ya muppet."

She was closer to Ashera. Ashera wanted to breathe again. Her smile was gone. She couldn't pretend anymore.

"Just let me go," she pleaded. "I can't take you with me, Eunie. I just can't."

(She'd become so frail, like a porcelain doll. She could hear the Consul unsheathing their weapons, taking her down over and over again.

COWARD.)

She was a monster. That was it.

Suddenly, Eunie was grabbing her shoulder, gentle but firm. Those eyes were piercing.

"Ashera…" she spoke, slowly.

(Those wings on her head made her look like an angel.)

Ashera felt the tears burning her eyes, slipping down her cheeks, slipping through her fingers like shattered memories.

This isn't how it's supposed to be.

Love was so painful. But it was beautiful as well. Ashera wanted to act like she was too good for love, but in reality, she wasn't good enough. She wanted it so much.

But cowards didn't deserve love.

Eunie was even closer. Ashera wouldn't admit it, but she truly admired her and the rest of Ouroboros. No matter what, they never seemed to give up hope. Even now, a fire was brewing in Eunie's eyes. It was sweet. She missed that old innocence.

"I'm not here to preach to ya," Eunie told her, "but you're not goin' alone."

Eunie was holding her hands. They were one in the same, their hearts beating in sync.

"You'll never be alone again, dammit," Eunie snapped, "so we either die together, or we don't!"

Eunie was also seeking death, but she seemed so alive. Ashera clenched her fist. This was as humiliating as the Homecomings themselves. No matter what, she couldn't escape that endearing smile.

"You got me," Ashera laughed.

She stared into Eunie's eyes, fully facing her. Gosh, she was beautiful. She understood her. They were the same, connected at the seams. She was truly alive.

"Don't go running off on your own, yeah?" Eunie asked.

How could Ashera die, when there was someone as dedicated as her? The world needed Ashera and Eunie, and Ashera and Eunie needed each other.

Ashera squeezed Eunie's hands. Her eyes welled up with tears. She got it now. There was something worth living for.

"Love…" she muttered. "What a bitch."

"Tell me about it," Eunie rolled her eyes. "Who the spark has time for that?"

"I know, right," Ashera breathed, tousling her hair.

Love was painful. But it was beautiful too. Ashera wanted love. She wanted Eunie.

"So damn sappy," Eunie groaned. "Thank spark we don't do any of that."

"Yeah…" Ashera inched closer to Eunie, pressing her lips against her cheek. There was no one else she'd rather be with, no one else who owned her whole heart.

Eunie placed her head on Ashera's shoulder. Ashera smiled. It looked like she wasn't going anywhere, not with someone as wonderful as Eunie in her arms.

A/N: Thanks for reading!