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When Black came to, there was no more pain. Not in her head, not in her whole body, as if she hadn't been torn from the inside by roots, as if she'd never been torn from human flesh, as if .
...yes. Everything has happened, the worst thing that could have happened has happened. And she shouldn't be here. She shouldn't be here at all. But she is. No longer alive, but still sane (no, no, not even close) and of sound (unfortunately) memory.
Black wanted to laugh, but he couldn't. Black wanted to cry, but there were no more ayvories. She wanted to clutch her head, but there was no way, no way, no way. She had not only no arms, but no body. Only the cold moonlight on the rocket pad, where the rocket wasn't there either.
So how is she... Can be...?
"You'll get used to it soon."
A familiar voice struck her soul. That's!...
"G-grey!.."
Her own sounded muffled and quiet. Crushed, as if she'd said it in tears. As if Grey had turned up on her doorstep in the middle of the night, as if she'd embraced them, as if she'd allowed something much, much more...
But Grey never showed up. Instead, Black went to her. Much, much later than she wanted.
"Hello, Black."
Through their translucent image, she could see the ruined moon. The same suit, the same silver hair, the same purple triangular earring. And the same smile that Black had succumbed to too late. It was them-the very same Greys. The one who had melted her heart, the one she'd pushed away so much...
The ones who died too, too soon. The one who should never have died in the first place. Whose place Black would take if she could.
...and now she belongs with them. And, Black thinks, that's not the worst of endings. One of the worst, but... Now that she's dead, and there's still something after death, it doesn't matter anymore.
"It's... It's you... Really... You..."
It's even colder. Even in death, Black can still cry. Maybe it wasn't even the ivory.
Grey's face was even closer, and Black was suddenly warm. She wiped away her tears, pressed her lips to her forehead, and hugged her tightly.
"I... I can feel you," Black said. "You're here."
"It's all right now," Grey hugged her even tighter, but Black could still hear her voice shaking. "It's over. I'm here. I'm here. I..."
Black felt as if something very, very heavy was falling from her shoulders. For a moment, she was afraid that if she let herself fall headlong into the feeling, her head would explode with another bout of pain... But she'd already thrown her body off.
"...I'm sorry," Grey said suddenly in a way that made Black feel bitter.
"For what..."
"For leaving so soon. And that... I couldn't do anything while you were suffering."
"You... You were there for me...?"
Grey's embrace grew even tighter, and Black couldn't help but respond.
"I saw everything," Grey mumbled. "Everything."
"Don't start, please," Black said. "Don't, please. It doesn't matter anymore. Don't blame yourself, don't blame yourself."
It was getting colder, as Grey's tears soaked in. And now Black had to comfort them, but she just didn't know how. She could only stroke their backs, cuddle with what was left of her, and try to breathe habitually in their ears. But there was no breathing.
Only sobs could be heard. And Black listened to them with all her being, catching the remnants of warmth, and dared not close her eyes. She was afraid that if she did, she would disappear and leave Grey behind.
...and once again, Grey gives her a reason not to leave this damn world. No, Grey is that reason.
And it's only because of Grey that Black won't cry anymore.
Finally, their sobs subsided, too.
"I'm-I'm sorry," she pulled away and smiled. "I... I couldn't keep my emotions in check. I remember you don't like to be touched..."
Black felt like laughing out loud. Honestly, she'd forgotten all about bodily boundaries. And, in Grey's case, didn't want to remember at all.
"I like to be touched by you," Black smiled as her thoughts raced through "...or did."
...and had they ever gotten to the point of hugging? The harder Black tried to remember, the more she realized that their touching had been limited to handshakes. Grey had been wearing gloves, and Black couldn't feel anything with her fake hands.
If she'd known how this was going to end, she wouldn't have put up those stupid barriers. With them. Everyone else was still an asshole.
...it's nice to be alone now. All alone. Black didn't know what was going on in the rest of the world, but she wanted to believe it was burning.
And if it wasn't... She wouldn't be a part of it anymore. And that made her feel good, too.
But what happens next?
As long as Grey's around, Black can handle any outcome.
"Let's get some sleep, Black," Grey muttered.
Black covered her eyelids, even though she no longer had eyes. However, the darkness now seemed soft, lulling. Safe. She wished she'd never come out of it again.
Or was it Grey's voice?
"Call me Madelyn."
And she grinned.
"I never did learn your name, did I?"
"That's okay," she couldn't see it anymore, but she knew Grey was smiling. "My name is..."
But Madelyn didn't hear it.