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As we talked about the dangers we faced, we ate the meat that had already been grilled. The salt had added a unique flavor to it, a bit sweet and also slightly spicy.

It gave it a very amazing flavor, and with the juiciness of the meat, each bite was enjoyable… I really needed a break, overworking myself making those items and then fighting made me feel slightly exhausted in the soul.

Being surrounded my family and friends makes me happy though, even when we go through arduous trials, I have them all at my side…

I just need to find my brother and then things will finally be fine… I think I might truly be happy by then. I hope he's alive.

Don't worry, we'll get there soon enough, please, wait for us.

"Maria? Are you alright? You look quite gloomy."

Jonathan interrupted my thoughts. Usually he wouldn't talk to me directly, but he had become bolder now.

Which is good, I dislike he had been so shy around me, mostly because our relationship has become slightly awkward after all these tragedies…

There are so many things I want to talk in more detail with him, but there's either no time, or I just can't muster the strength.

"I'm fine. I was just thinking about my brother." I sighed. "I hope he's alive… I really hope so."

"Your brother…" Jonathan said. "I do remember a bit of him. He was a strong rascal, goodhearted. He used to admire me, and always said he wanted to be a hero like me, hahah."

"Is that so?" I smiled. "Since I met you that I've begun to regain my memories more in detail… I do remember a bit of him. Of his cute smile, of him always running to my side and spreading his arms. And… of how much he admired you, yeah."

There was a slightly awkward silence between the two of us after that…

"Maria, I…" Jonathan muttered, suddenly looking down, he didn't want to look into my eyes. It felt like he was afraid of how I would look back at him. "I'm sorry… for everything… I… this, all of what has happened to you, all these injustices. If I… If I had acted first, if I had opposed them first, maybe you wouldn't had died, maybe you…"

"There's no need to blame yourself for everything, Jonathan." I patted his shoulders. "Not everything depended on you, and I am sure you had your own family to protect too… We both fell in a scheme, and you were also a victim of it."

"Maria…" Jonathan was a very emotional man, much more than Lucifer, he already began to weep. "Still, I'm sorry… Every time I look into your eyes, I feel so much sorrow, because I was unable to protect you, and to stop those injustices, those tragedies… I feel so much anger too, frustration against myself, and against those bastards…"

"Is that why you don't like looking into my eyes?" I asked him. "Are these eyes of mine scary to you? Do they remind you of… that I'm already dead?"

"Ah…" Jonathan suddenly felt shocked by my words. "I-I… Sorry, that is not what I meant…"

"It's fine, I know I'm already dead. I've simply transitioned into something else now, a being that exists in Death…" I sighed, looking at my own pale hands. "It is weird, and I felt very conflicted at the beginning, maybe I've grown rather insane too… but, I think I'm happy."

"You are?" He wondered.

"I have found my own happiness. These people around here, and even you, right now, with me." I smiled. "Thank you for sticking with me, even if you had to slay your own disciples… I know it was a hard decision."

"…Maria." He sighed, as I caressed his handsome face and cleansed the tears from his eyes.

"You're such a crybaby…" I giggled. "It's fine, we're together now."

"…"

Jonathan's eyes shone brightly, as he suddenly seemed to understand something. He had been grieving me this entire time, without realizing I was always here, dead, yet not.

I was a new form of "life", a new being, I was "alive" within death, but still, I existed.

"Your face… You're still as beautiful as I remember." He sighed. "No, you're even more charming… I'm sorry for thinking these things. You're Maria, my dear Maria… Someone so beautiful and vibrant. You never let anybody trample over you, you were always fighting, with energy and enthusiasm. You loved your family too, just like you are now."

"Jonathan…" I felt touched by his words.

"You've never truly changed, you're still there…" Jonathan smiled. "I'm the only one that thought otherwise… I was being foolish, I'm sorry."

"Enough with your apologies!" I giggled, hugging him. "I MIGHT still lack some memories but, I also know you a lot, you know? I know that my Jonathan cry for the slightest thing only around me and would open himself only to me as well. You would always tell me your grievances and frustrations, and I would always listen to you. Fate might have separated us back then, but we've fought against it, and we've meet once more."

I held his hand, as he looked into my eyes, filled with so many emotions.

"Maria…" He sighed. "Thank you… I've felt so lonely since you were gone, it felt like my whole soul, my whole being had died alongside you. It feels like, finally, I'm beginning to feel alive."

"Is that so?" I giggled. "I'm glad."

Without realizing it, our faces were growing closer and closer…

"Maria, I love you. I still love you so much. I never stopped loving you…" He sighed. "I pledged I would only love you and nobody else… And I still do. You're… you're my everything."

"Fufu, you're as good with words as ever." I smiled, caressing his face.

Our lips quickly drew closer, as we looked at each other's eyes…

I wanted this to take a bit more time but… I couldn't resist it.

He was my first love in this world, and as these memories resurface, I've remembered how important he was for me too.

Our lips touched, we kissed rather lovingly.

His lips were so warm that they brought comfort to my cold soul.

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