"Now that we're back here and I saw my siblings graves and Sabin... I have come to the realization that you are no longer safe. I have put your life in risk because of your encounter with him."
"So what? That guy is in France, what can he do to me?"
"He's not in France Darius! You don't think I can't sense where he is. He's been in France for years. I left France when my brother passed away. Sabin has followed me wherever I go. I just had my ways of keeping him at bay. Now that you're here and he's met you, he will do anything in his power to kill you."
I just stare down at Achille, seeing him look so frustrated and pained. Standing outside of my apartment wasn't ideal either because he could easily run from me.
It would be preferred if he didn't run, but I can't tell with him anymore... Ever since we came back from France, he's been hard to find. I go to his house only to come to a empty place. I make him stuff everyday and leave a note. Only for it to be in the same place I left it. As if he didn't even take a glance.
Wish I could read his mind because he was avoiding my eyes. Refused to look at me and it broke my heart.
"Achille..."
"What?"
I flinch, seeing him begin to take a deep breath as he looked me straight in the eye now. Expression hardened and lips in a straight line.
"From this point and forward, I will no longer have contact with you."
Suddenly feeling like something shattered in my heart, I try to hold back the emotions that ran through me at once. I didn't want to do anything rash but it was coming to the point where I didn't care.
"I can't accept that."
"It's not up to you."
"Achille what is this!" I exclaim, trying to calm down as I found myself going into a mode. Trying to figure out what I did wrong for him to leave me." Why are you leaving me? Is there something I did? Started kissing you? Too touchy? What is it? I can stop if it'll keep you in my life-."
"That's not it! It's none of that!" He shouted, making me narrow my eyes at him as he sighed." Please don't come to my house anymore. I would like my key please."
I look at him, feeling the feeling from when I was a child. But it was stronger and more painful. My throat tightened and I couldn't urge myself to speak anymore.
"Want - want your key?"
I rush in my house and grab it, going to him. Grabbing his hand forcefully and slamming it in his palm. I even noticed a glimpse of him trying not to say something to me.
"Take your key. Want me out of your life? Want to go back to that silent solitude you were going for for a hundred more years? Have at it!" I snap, Achille gasping at my words as I just felt like saying all these things.
I was angry and frustrated as to why he wanted to leave me. We never started anything or became exclusive, but I think my mind already made itself up. Achille was mine and no one else's. That he'd never leave me.
How wrong was I.
"It - it wasn't my choice-."
"It was your choice. Because of what you are. You ran from any relationship because you don't want to lose anyone. I would've been it - you told me that you don't want me to ever leave you. I get it, it's because you wanted to leave me for yourself. Rather you do it than me."
Shaking my head I tried calming down, but it only boiled up into more and more stuff.
"Leave."
Achille was showing so many expressions at once but I was so angry and hurt. I didn't even care what it was at this point.
"Darius are you okay-?"
"Of course I'm not okay! You broke my damn heart! Want me to leave you alone, then why are you still here? You got your key, now go!" I yell, shoving him back and slamming the door in his face.
Locking the door I lean against my door, throwing my hands over my face. Feeling tears begin to go down my face. Crying wasn't my favorite thing to do but I felt like it was needed at this point.
My heart was broken by the person I believed wouldn't break my heart. I told him my story and he told me his.
Who says for me to never leave them, but then he leaves me? I see now that I had this misconstrued image of him in my head.
Can't even tell me why he's leaving...
"What will I do without you Achille?" I mumble to myself, feeling my interior hardening and darkening.
I believed I found someone who was truly meant for me. Someone to make me happy and that I could make happy all the time. Only for him to do this to me.
Walking to my couch I sit down, my fingers playing with themselves. Wondering what it could be that he was just refusing for me to be in his life anymore...
Went to France with him and his hometown Nice. A beautiful place and I would love to visit it again. He cried in front of me and I'll forever honor the tears he shed in front of me because of his trust towards me.
We kissed...a lot. I got to kiss him more and touch him more. I felt like we got closer until I walk in on Achille with a stab wound to his heart. I offered him my blood so that he could save himself and he refused.
I knew I'd become like him if he drank my blood...and I was fine with that. Told him that I was okay with it and it's like something snapped for him. Suddenly mustered up all this strength and shoved me away. Getting blood from his blood packs instead of me.
Oscar was there, proving to me that Sabin is his owner. Should've put two and two together but you know...I was too infatuated by Achille to see it on time.
Standing up I begin to realize that I can't think negatively on this. Achille may have broken my heart, but there has to be a deeper meaning as to why he did so.
I...I refuse to settle for this.
There's more to it.
Going to my door I fling it open for me to see Achille still standing there. Tears going down his face and he looked startled that I saw him in this state.
"Achille..." I murmur, pulling him into my arms and hugging him tightly. Feeling like it was my fault that he was crying.
I end up pulling him into my house and I close the door. Still hugging him, we go to my couch. The both of us sitting down and he still cried in my arms silently. Breaking my heart as I began to regret my words.
Everything I said and all that I uttered.
Feeling bad, I pull away from him and grin kindly. I wipe away his tears as best as I can. Seeing him cry like this broke my heart dearly.
"I...I guess if we both are being honest, you could've left without saying anything - so easily. But I appreciate you coming here and telling me to leave you to my face, rather than shutting me out completely with no explanation... I guess that's happening now but - that doesn't matter!
"Umm...I know you told me what you did. But I refuse to accept this. Please give me the chance - the opportunity! - to speak with you. To understand with you Achille. Where no hearts are broken."
Achille continued to look at me quietly, biting his lip. I frown when he bit so hard blood started appearing.
"Yes...I want to speak with you."
"Okay...I know something happened. I can get the disgusting image of Sabin in my head, but despite all of the troubles he could possibly bring... I thought we were close in spite of that."
Achille sighed, sniffing as he seemed troubled trying to speak.
"When we visited my siblings, I had lots of thoughts running through my head at once. I began to feel bad that I was finding some form of happiness without them in my life. I felt bad that I was sure I'd never be happy, only to become happy."
"I think your siblings would be happy to see you be happy-."
"It doesn't matter! I told myself I'd never be happy without them. But I'm becoming so right now! Then there's Sabin who is trying to kill you now... All of this wouldn't have happened if I didn't let myself fall in too deep with you." He shook his head, scooting back away from me on the couch only for me to pull him back towards me.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I ask, Achille sitting up straight and looking in my eyes.
Noticing them become red orange, slightly tinted with gold flakes and I began to wonder if it was what I thought it was... Please let it be so.
"Darius...when I'm with you I'm so happy and content. Comfortable is a good word that I feel around you all the time..."
He suddenly stops, his eyes watering as his eye color became more prominent. The red orange standing out and I began to feel my heart beating faster. But at the same time I felt this odd sensation to cry as well.
Seeing him get like this broke my heart.
"When you come to my house, I do it unconsciously...but I'll start trying to sense you out. Looking for you and wondering when you'd come - pathetic, I know... It came to the point where I wanted to lock you in my house and never let you go. I want to fall in love with you more and more. It's come to the point where I can't stand being away from you. My thoughts are preoccupied of you, I've come to learn that..."
I watch him cover his face with this hands, trembling almost.
Pulling him into my arms I try to hug him but he's so persistent on not letting me do so. He kept pushing me back and avoiding to let me hold him.
"Achille please..."
"I don't want to make you one of me...I want to be able to care for you like I was able to for my sister and brother. I just don't want to lose you... Yet to not make my heart ache again, I try to leave you...it's not working!"
"It barely started."
"Exactly."
I look down at him, watching as he sat still on the couch. Facing forward and completely shutting himself off.
That's when I stand and walk to the lights, turning them off and turn on a lamp instead.
"You talk about separating us because you don't want your 'heart ache again'. So you try to leave me...I see now that you are a much weaker and broken person than me."
"It's not about who's weaker or who's broken, it's about the fact that if you can love someone enough to let them go forever... But still have to keep going on and on without them." He hissed, running his fingers through his hair.
I go in front of him, grabbing his hand and pulling him up. He still looked down and that's when I tipped his chin to look up at me. Seeing his eyes watering as I grin.
"Achille I will tell you straight up...you are a coward." I murmur, seeing him flinch." But I know you've lost the ones you love most. It hurts...I know, I've lost the only person in my life - and he helped me become alive! Despite that don't...don't let your past push us apart. Don't decide to separate us on your own accord all by yourself, please."
I watch as some tears begin to go down his face, breaking my heart.
Pulling him into my arms I hug him tightly, my heart beating off the charts at this moment.
"Do you hear it?" I ask, waiting for Achille to respond.
"Your heartbeat?"
"Yes."
"Yes I can... It's beating really fast."
I chuckle, twisting us around and I sit on the couch. Pulling him on my lap as he straddled me almost. Sitting quietly and making me smile happily at how cute he was.
"Leaving me will cause my heart to slow down until there's a point...where there's nothing-."
"Don't put that on to me..." He whimpered, looking up at me.
"But you heard my heartbeat, right? It'll continue to beat so much so for as long as it can. When it beats heavily you'll be right beside me. I know I'm not like you, I'm not going to live forever. I'm human, it's inhumanly possible for me to do the things you can do. It's true that one day we won't be together, and that's heartbreaking for me to know that... But don't run from that possibility, focus on now.
"Let us stay together and make memories. We made countless ones already so why not make even more. Don't end the memories of us both together like this... Full of precious tears and broken hearts, right?"
I run my thumbs over his cheeks, wiping away his tears.
"That may be so...but I rather that than remember all the good stuff. It makes it even more painful."
Shaking my head, I cradle his face in my hands. Causing his eyes to dilate and turn a red orange.
"You can try to separate yourself from me all you want, but I know deep down you want to be happy. Every person wants to be happy, even if they deny it. Achille...please don't avoid the happiness that will come your way. Be happy, stop running from it out of fear of hurting when it may all be gone. It's only you that can make it all be gone... If you hold onto the memory, it'll always be forever."
Achille chuckled, blushing as he nodded at my words. Some more tears coming and I continued to wipe them away for him.
"Through all the words you said, I have come to the conclusion you want to be with me. Well, it's the same for me too. I want to be with you and grow more happy memories together. If you will allow it."
I watched as he began to grow a beautiful big smile, nodding as I smile back up at him. Happy to know that he's with me. Something I've wanted for so long.
"As expected, you are stronger than anyone I've ever met."
"Same to you too, to the person who's lived a hundred-and-twenty-seven years long. I should be saying that to you too." I murmur, his bright smile and happiness warming my heart.
As we sat here, we continued to stare into one another's eyes. I began to get this urge to kiss him but I wasn't sure if this was the right time.
"Darius..."
"Yes?" I look at him, my eyes moving to his lips as the urge to kiss them grew.
"...may I kiss you?"
😘