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

Afterwards

Marie-Luise

"Yuusei." I whimper.

"K-Kiryu." He trembles.

"I'm so sorry. Oh God, I'm sorry!" I scream. "I loved you so much that the thought of being without you burned and so I gave my mind away without a regret to some thing and in return he gave me what I wanted, you. It's so depressing. So depressing to walk aimlessly. Please don't hate me."

My eyes are getting wet as tears wet my checks. Is this life? Is this despair? I'm so sorry. So sorry. Oh God. The blood is still in front of my eyes. Blood flowing for all time. Forgive me. I'd even die if that would make you forgive me. I'd even kill myself. I just want your forgiveness. Even though that I do not deserve. Fresh red blood still flows. The only thing left to do is break down. The only thing left to do is rot. It's so depressing, so depressing. Walking aimlessly. Forgive me.

"Kiryu, please calm down." Yuusei pleads.

He takes my hand and leads me to the sofa. It's still messed up. It's still covered in drool and sweat and messed blankets. He sits me down and sits down himself. The fresh blood still flows freely. I'm so sorry. So sorry. Forgive me. I wanted to love you. I wanted to kiss you, to hold you, to own you and to be the only one to do so.

"Would you like some tea or something to calm your nerves?" He asks.

Still caring for me. Why? There is no point after all. The blood still flows freely though. The question is now is it mine or his? If my blood flows is that forgiveness? If his flows then that's punishment.

"No." I mutter.

"Kiryu please calm down. It'll be alright. Everything will be alright this time. I forgive you." Yuusei tries to smile.

Forgiveness. In spite of sin. I never thought about it. Redemption always seemed so far away.

"Even if I don't deserve it."

"Well I suppose if you didn't deserve it then you would have been back to your old ways already. And it's only partially your fault after all."

Always so concerned for me. Sadly that is the problem. This world. I wanted to hold you. I wanted to kiss you. I wanted to own you. Despite everyone else that had a piece of your heart. The number of people you adored was always increasing. Depressingly. So depressing, so depressing.

"Now Kiryu you are supposed to be dead so you won't be able to leave this house for a little while until the hype of your death dies down."

"Yuusei, how did I die?"

"You were chasing me with a knife screaming you've gotten stained and you tripped and you impaled yourself."

So apathetic. His face doesn't even flinch as he tells me. No regrets about my death then. Only contentness. But he seems so content about my life as well. Yuusei, you're so confusing.

"That's how I did. I guess I'm really sad."

"Kiryu please, you are the strongest person I know but you fell. I will help you rise again. And then I will smile."

So brave, so bold, so Yuusei.

"Are you sure after all-"

"Stop, I'm sure."

I wanted to kiss you. I wanted to hold you. I wanted to own you. I wanted you and only you and people kept getting in the way, or so it seemed. The only answer was to remove the pain from the source. And that was so depressing. So depressing. I'll never do it again. I'm sorry. I wanted to control you. I wanted your love. I wanted your adoration. Beyond that I don't think I had a purpose. A clinging ivy strangling an oak tree shockingly. Shockingly. I want to kiss you. I want to hold you. I want to me your one and only in spite of myself. My greatest fear is for me myself to snatch you again. In order to prevent that I must leave you. I'm so sorry. So sorry.

"Kiryu, you can't go. I finally got you back. After all these years. So if you leave again then I hve just wanted my time with you and then I won't forgive you."

My fresh blood still flows freely. His fresh blood still flows freely. The blood flows over itself over and over again until it's a mixed crimson. The crimson is etched deeply in us but that's alright. That's alright because it's only our souls mixing. My weaker one being consumed at last. And I can't help but fear that I'll swallow him again and hope that this is my forgiveness at last.

"Then I guess I can't leave."

"No I guess you can't."

So bold, so brave, so Yuusei. My fallen star has risen to the top again. I can see him shine so bright as he bleeds and one day these wounds will close and I will marvel at a supernova. Surpassing even black holes such as myself.

"Kiryu, we'll start again. This time no regrets alright?"

"This time no regrets."

I place my head against his lap as tears fall freely. He sighs and starts brushing my hair. One day away from everything else I hope that you and I can be together forever alone. I want to kiss you. I want to hold you. I want you to own me. After all I love you so much I'd even kill myself, my shooting star. Now shine as bright as you can and chase away the black still lingering.

It's so depressing. So depressing. That I was this foolish. But at least there are no regrets. This time I will grant all your wishes and make sure all your dreams come true, I owe you this much. Forgive me. I love you. He tilts me head upwards and kisses me. Thank you. I missed you. Please don't let me leave. Please don't leave. The blood is flowing freely. My blood and yours is finally mixed.

Author Note: Well this is happy-ish. Great. It took a lot to write this but thanks. So get ready for Placido's epilogue.