Disclaimer: I do not own nor claim to own this franchise or any of its characters.

Afterwards

ACUTE

Ah... it's dark here. Aki's waiting for me anyway. I have realized that I am unable to save her until she perishes. She has run from me into the arms of a seemingly white knight. Only when she's alone will she think of me. And until she fades from the false existence without me, until the darkness deepens she won't return to me. And that's alright.

Surrendering these abilities will do her no good. After all the flames are what warmed her and drew her to me. Like a moth to the moon. You know there are moths that fly up to the moon as it's bright and fly so high that the world looks bright instead. They travel back and forth until they... fade. My poor Aki's a moth, lured my lights. That's why I will wait here until she fades. The sun won't burn her up down here. Ah... it's getting brighter. Why's the dark being chased away?

"Your desire has been unleashed." A figure covered in shadows laughs.

"And what do you want?" I ask it.

"In return for your soul I will bring you back to life. If you should die again then you will go straight to Hell." It mentions. "Unless you can offer me a soul in return by the end."

"Ah... are you the reason why it's so bright in here?" I ask.

"Yes." It replies.

"Alright then. Let's pop like fireworks lit too early. I agree."

Colour returns to my vision. I have missed it. Seems like only gray and darkness is the world. Ah and red. I never forgot the red. It still burns in my vision. I want to burn her up again and like the fresh wounds. I want to scorch. Ah, I'm sorry Aki. I'm sorry you had to feel me hurt that girl. But this time everything will be alright. I'll offer the demon his soul and then that saves the wait. I will burn him to ashes and then I will scorch you up once more. These flames that damned me will save us both.

I'm just outside her house. I wonder if she'll cry or smile when she sees me. I can't help but remember though, the dull pain of a blade as it struck my eye.

"Aki." I smile.

She looks shocked.

"Aki, I'm back." I walk over to her. "I'm back and I'm so sorry for what I did. I only wanted to punish the girl that took your place. But it's alright now."

Aki backs away.

"Aki calm down my love. I'm sorry and it will never happen again."

A small silver blade is in her hands. It shines with a dullness. Cattleya. A love pure and true. Cattleya were on the table. The knife, a steak knife. Aki. Aki how could you?

"Ah Aki, how could you do this to me? How could you hurt me? How could you? Why do you always want to hurt me? By words, by him, by knife. I gave you everything you could ever want and all you give me in return is pain! I however will save you from yourself!"

I'm the hero of this story. She needs to see that. I only want to protect her. I only want to protect her from herself.

"Divine, Divine, you pushed me to it! I wasn't allowed freedom! I wasn't allowed friends! You treated me like I was a painting!" Aki cries.

"But Aki, you are. You are a woman meant to be loved and adored and kept safe. But you are just so rebellious that you have to be kept under control. Understand?"

"Have you gone even more insane?"

"No, I have just declared war on all that oppose me. I thought I could trust you Aki. I see I was wrong. This time I will keep you so safe that you will never hurt me again."

I grab a larger knife off the table and walk over to her with a small smile. After all, the only way moths stop chasing flames is the threat of death. I will burn her up. What? I'm bleeding. I raise a hand to my forehead. The girl with the brown hair and blue eyes, the beautiful one, stabbed me. With Aki's knife.

"I won't kill you." She growls. "I won't kill you because no one deserves Hell."

I'm bleeding. I'm bleeding and I'm the only one burnt. I curl up and sob. Sobbing's the only thing left. The painting woman has denied me again. She'll wither instead of burn. The poor girl. Is my ear stil missing? Missing so she could hear my lies. My eye's missing. Missing so she could she my true intentions. The girl in the painting is afraid of me. I'm sorry. I thought I could save you. But, but I was wrong. There's no saving the painting woman. Her oil's already been burnt. Her wings already torn. Her flower has already withered. And so, so she killed me. Killed me so she wouldn't have to face those facts. Of all the sad people in the world she's the saddest. But I'm still in love with the girl in the painting. Ah... it's getting dark.