He is afraid of many things. Mostly he is afraid of being ill; since he was small his mother and sister, both loud women, instilled in him the terror of illness. "You've got a weak immune system," his mother would tell him, "so you have to be careful." He grew up wondering what would kill him; would it be going to get the mail in the rain, or would it be unhealthy eating? He is afraid of many of the same things today, but he takes all precaution against death. He eats healthily, exercises, avoids sick people.
She used to laugh at him for some of his small fears, how Casey would cough and he would jump back as if stunned. She, a young girl, frail and thin and beautiful as glass, seemed to be afraid of nothing, seemed like she would give Death a kiss on the cheek without a thought. He wished for a while that he could be as fearless as her.
Now, though, it has become his biggest fear that she will leave.
When he tells her this, she laughs and tells him that since she never plans to go, this fear is silly.
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AUTHOR'S NOTES
Guess guess guess guess guess guess guess guess?
Marlin and Celia, our favorite sick ones from (Another) Wonderful Life and DS (Cute)! This one is for RegretfulMemory, who reviewed before I edited the chapters and added the A.N. so that I didn't have to put the names of the characters in the titles. Thanks, RegretfulMemory, and a million internet cookies to thee!