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“No, no, you’re not. You’re going to be fine.”
“B-beck,” she slurs my name and gives me a softly pressed smile, but a tear crawls from her eye, trailing down her face. “It’s t-too late.”
I shake my head vigorously. “Stop it. You’re going to be fine.” I can’t stop the tears building, my hands pushing onto her stomach to stem the bleeding more. “You and I have the world to take over, darling girl. You. Me.Ourempire. Remember?”
“I ‘member.”
“Then stop talking like it’s over.”
There’s a faint head nod, but it’s no permanent form of commitment. I know she’s doing this to appease me.
“I-I never stopped, you know?”
“Stopped what?”
“L-lov-ing you. Even when I h-hated you.” She laughs but groans as it causes her more pain. “Al-always l-oved you.”
I close my eyes as I let that sink in. I think beneath all of the pain and heartbreak, I always knew that too. We were bound too tight to forget the story before the pain.
“I did too. I think it’s why I brought you here. I was selfish. I didn’t want to lose you again.”
Suddenly, every bit of light in her eyes depletes and a sorrowful look takes over.
“What’s the matter?”
“I-I’m scared.”
“Hey, none of that. I’ll be there. Wherever you go, I’m not going to be far behind.” I bring a bloody hand up to push some messy curls out of her face, ignoring the smear of blood it leaves on her ashen skin.
“Y-you live a g’d life,” she manages, her hand coming to my arm, giving a small, reassuring grip. “Y-you d-deserve it.”
“No. No, we aren’t doing this. You aren’t doing this to me! I did seven years of life without you, Talia. I’m not about to do anymore. Life without you? It’s not worth it. Do you hear me?”
She struggles to gulp, but her lips pull upwards. “Q-queen takes king.”
“Queen takes king,” I repeat and I can’t stop the small bubble of laughter that follows. “You took me fucking good, darling.”
She laughs, happy I got the sentiment, but it causes her body to arch a little and she grunts in pain, her hand on my bicep loosening, and I can feel her going.
“D-dance after death,” she manages, giving me a bright smile. “M-me and you.”
“That’s right,” I say, a sob unravelling unceremoniously from me. “I’ll see you on the other side, darling girl.”
I can’t resist. If this is all I have, I want something I’ll take with me. I pull her up a little, my lips finding hers to initiate a kiss that has to last. She responds weakly, but I can feel she’s slipping away from me. Pulling my lips away, I press my forehead to hers and remain there for a moment. It’s now I hear how her breathing is gurgling and rattling in her chest. The sound of her struggling is too much for me to fucking bear.
“Let go, darling girl. You did good. You fucking ruled this city and me, so don’t feel like you have to fight any more if you can’t.”
“Bec-”
The start of my name carries on her lips, but then I feel it. The moment she gives in to her injuries, and I feel the final exhale of her body.
It’s like the moment her soul leaves her body, the world goes cold. I collapse over her, drawing her lifeless body into my arms and bury my head into the crook of her neck. The mournful sob that erupts from me is something that rips me in half, bleeding itself from an emotionally open wound that will never heal.
“Natalia,” I whisper into her skin, pulling her tighter. “God, no.”
I gave her permission, but with it, she broke my heart completely, shattering it beyond repair.
“Her time was always borrowed.”
