Iron Heart and Melting love

Desperate to Stay, Easy to Leave

The first thing that played through Arabelle Haussmann's mind as the school burst into chaos was the searing pain that spread through her right arm and left leg. Then there was an ear trembling scream that she realized was her own cry of pain and knee-trembling fear that she felt she would die. In the back of her head, she begged to anyone to listen to her plead "I'm begging whoever is out there listening please let me live. I have to keep living. I have too many things left unsaid. Please, let me see him one last time if this is my time to die." 

Little did she know that the ancients gods and goddesses would answer her plead but she never put a limit to the price she'd pay and she'd pay dearly. The school shooter who had shot her down was walking towards her, his gun raised to end her life. She took in a shaking breath as she whispered his sweet name, her rock, the warm arms that enfolded her at night when she shuddered and quacked at the nightmares that filled her mind. He was always there and even in her darkest hour she sought him as her lips, chapped and cracked from the pain that was overbearing her conscious, broke open in a sob "Gladio..!" The firing of the gun was heard but she felt no pain seize her. Instead, she heard the sounds of fighting and...Ohh by the gods, painful cries of agony. She opened her golden hazel eyes as the unshed tears slipped away and then she watched as an ambered eyed, chocolate-brown haired warrior took two bullets to the stomach as he gagged on blood overflowing inside him. Gladiolus Amicitia had come to protect his precious princess, with the possible cost of his own life. 

He gripped the gun pulling it away from what he held most important to him - Arabelle. Sweet Arabelle who he had become infatuated with. From the quirk of her dimples when she smiled at a part in the books she read to the way her eyes sparkled speaking on the many topics she dove in to know more. She was his nerd..no princess, his beautiful, smart princess. He couldn't bear to see her upset or in pain and here she was... Lying before him in agony as he fought for her life "Get the hell...Away from her!" His scream of anger shook the shooter to let go of the gun but not before a loose bullet shot out, piercing Gladio's heart as he took in a shaken gasp as his legs gave way under him as he hands sprung to the openly bleeding wound across his chest. Blood continued to trickle from his mouth as he watched his beautiful princess cry his name, but his ears wear slowly losing the ability to her as she crawled to his side. He could hear the slight calls of the police and others who were subduing the shooters, but his eyes only watched as Arabelle reached out to him. His hand shaking, he reached her face as his finger numbly traced her lips as she brought her lips to his.

The passion of the kiss said everything she needed to say " Please stay with me, you can't leave... I love you.." and he couldn't stay, his strength was already fading but he pulled her in with one final kiss of farewell and a promise "I'll always find you..." As he felt his vision closed to the dark of night for his eternal slumber.

Arabelle starting screaming as she kissed his lips again, begging and crying as the medics took his bloodied corpse away from her numb hands. His body is covered in cloth and hidden away as she was subjected to the conclusion of the leg and arm that had been shot were no longer usable. It was nothing to how numb her heart was without his warmth. Not even the cold press of metal to her replace her arm and leg could compare to the cold despair inside her heart as it felt into an iron grip of loss.

Arabelle swore after the amputations were over after she was released from the hospital and once she was long gone from that school that she'd never love anyone else the way she had for the beloved shield.

"No one can replace you, my beloved Gladio." She'd whisper as she realized the pain on making wishes to the gods and goddesses you never knew were listening. They come with bitter costs.