What would be a collection of one shots without some angst, right?

"I can't keep rambling like this."

Shade could hardly walk. He was limping, hopping, hitting the dirt several times before forcing himself back up. He was tired. Exhausted. Blood dripped from the open wound in his thigh. He was sure his ankle was sprained as well. Blood stained his clothes and arms.

It wasn't his.

"Rein, keep your eyes open!" Shade shouted, making it several feet forward. "We're almost there Rein!" Shade knew it was a lie. They were still several miles from the nearest camp. Shade could barely make five feet before falling to his knees.

The war had just ended. Shade thought that liberating his people from the corrupt monarchy that usurped the throne would have solved everything.

He forgot about the sacrifices that needed to be made in order to achieve that.

Shade and Rein went on a mission. Things went awry, and now Rein was struggling for her life.

"Rein, talk to me. Are you still awake?" Rein was on his back, barely moving, barely breathing. Fear gripped his heart. She mumbled something incoherent, but she was still alive. She was still kicking.

"We did it, Rein. Come on! You should be cheering and screaming, like you always used to do when you won something." Shade heaved. He tripped once more, this time over the arm of a dead man.

The desert was spotted with dead bodies, friend, and foe alike. Remnants of the recently finished war. Shade pressed forward.

"I never thought I would've gotten my kingdom back you know? I thought that after my mother died and I was kicked out, it was lost forever, you know?" Shade said through ragged breaths. "But then I met you! You gave me support, courage, and even the ability to fight back. You saved my kingdom, Rein!" He heard Rein mumble something incoherent again. Shade coughed out some blood. "You even gave everyone the morale boost they needed in this final battle. You're so amazing, Rein." Shade felt his voice crack.

She truly was. She stood by him against all odds and provided him with everything he needed. Supplies, an army, motivation, comfort, hope. He never dreamed things would turn out like this, but Rein brought his dream to life.

"We're a great team." Shade said. "Your plan really tipped this war in our favor you know? You know that right?" She didn't say anything this time. "You have to return and tell the story of how it went right? How many close calls we had right? You know I'm bad at telling stories." He tripped again, this time landing on his face.

However, he felt a very weak squeeze on his shoulder.

"I'm... sorry..." He heard her say amidst the desert. It was faint, so faint that Shade thought he misheard it. He was sure he misheard it.

"Rein, please. You have to hold on, we're almost there." Shade said. He forcefully pushed himself up. He was shaking. "We're almost there, dammit!" He shouted, slamming his fist into the ground. He attempted to tighten the sash that helped support Rein on his back.

"It seems that once everyone has properly regrouped, we'll start reconstruction. You have to help me, Rein. I can't inspire people like you." Shade took small steps forward again. The weight on his back felt like it grew heavier and heavier. "I can lead a war, but I don't know how to guide people towards peace. I need your help, you got that Rein?" More steps. "I don't know if I can lead this kingdom without you, Rein. You have to help me."

"I can't keep rambling like this." He crashed onto the sandy hills once again, his vision blurring. He was in bleeding out, he couldn't feel his foot anymore, and he could hardly move his arms. "Stay awake. Please, I'm begging you. Rein." He was losing his voice. Tears filled his eyes as he laid on the ground. "I don't know how to keep you awake, Rein please. Answer me. Give me some kind of sign!" He begged, his voice growing hoarse. "Rein!" He weakly gripped the sand beneath his fingers as he attempted to will his body to move. It remained still on the sand.

His vision blurred, from exhaustion or tears, he wasn't sure.

"Without you, I don't... I can't..." He could hardly hear his own voice.

I can't do it if you're gone.

Exhaustion consumed him.