Cheating death (nblm) ✔️

(6)

Clay was walking near the edge of the woods. He hadn't seen Grim since that disaster meeting the previous day and he was thinking of a way to get to Grim to apologise before the day was up, so he only had a few hours left. Just in the nick of time, he saw Grim floating towards him and his face lit up.

"Hey! I wanted to apologise for yesterday, that was a real jerk move and I just wanted to-"

Grim grabbed his arm tight, cutting him off.

"Grim? Damn you're strong," Clay chuckled nervously.

Grim didn't reply and instead dragged Clay through the wood, up the hill and onto the mountain. The whole journey, Clay was confused. Yes, he was an idiot, but Grim's grip hurt, and he wasn't laughing anymore. He was kind of scared. 

Looking ahead, he saw the bush and then the clearing. It wasn't quiet and peaceful this time, instead it seemed darker, colder. Clay felt a shiver run up his back as he looked around at the once vibrant scenery now monotone and dull. He didn't have much time to process things as Grim roughly pushed him so that he was standing right at the edge of the cliff. Clay looked down to see the angry waters below, punching the rocks and crushing any debris that dared come close. He gulped. Then he turned around and gave an innocently questioning look to Grim, who he now realised had dark circles under their bloodshot eyes.

Before he could go to comfort them, the demon spoke.

"Jump," Grim snarled, gesturing to the cliff edge.

"What!?" Clay asked, sure he'd heard wrong.

Grim took a deep breath but maintained their rough exterior. "Jump."

"No," Clay defied, failing to conceal the look of betrayal that flashed across his eyes.

Grim's bottom lip quivered. "Jump."

"You know it won't count unless you kill me yourself," the boy advised coldly, knowing where this encounter was leading.

Both paused as a crisp breeze tried to soften the tension but only made their eyes sting more. Clay looked down to wait for the wind to settle; he didn't want Grim to see him crying. He didn't need to make this any harder.

He looked back at his friend, realising that they must have had their eyes wide open because icy tears were now streaming peacefully down their face. His breath hitched seeing the young creature's state, but he knew too well that this day was coming and that his only job now was to make this as painless for Grim as he could. So, he widened his stance and stepped closer to the edge, spreading his palms up to the sky and closing his eyes. Grim flinched forward suddenly, their heart telling them to catch Clay if he were to fall but their head knowing better. The battle in their body was ruthless, neither the devil nor angel on their shoulders knew what was best. It was all up to Grim now. And that was terrifying.

Small droplets of rain began to dance down from dark clouds above, gently caressing Grim's face and kissing their cheeks lovingly, trying to tell the demon that everything gets better. But Grim couldn't believe that, they wouldn't. Because no matter what they did, nothing was going to get better. And nothing would ever be the same ever again after tonight. And so, their crying turned to sobs.

Clay heard the harsh whimpers but didn't dare open his eyes. He knew that if he did, he might not be able to close them again to accept his fate. He focused on the rain: it's cool drops licking his face and running down his neck, dampening his clothes making them heavy against his skin. How he hated the feeling. But if everything went according to plan, he may never have to feel it again. He smiled, knowing that everything would change after tonight. Knowing that Grim would finally get what they wanted. Grim looked up and saw Clay's happy face turned up to the sky. He looked so peaceful, so content and carefree. 

Sadness suddenly turned to anger.

"Something funny?" they asked through gritted teeth, earning the attention of the other. "I am fucking breaking over here and you're having the time of your life in the rain?!" They stood up and walked slowly towards Clay, seeing red but not wanting to do anything irrational. 

"You fucking selfish bitch," they snarled. "Just fucking die." they stormed closer to the human and shook his shoulders violently, shouting, "You hear me? Why can't you do one simple thing? Just DIE!"

Clay gave no reaction, keeping his head faced up and using all his energy to push back the hot tears waiting to spill.

Grim laughed weakly, stepping back from Clay and looking at the sky.

"All this time. You've been pretending to like me, haven't you?"

Clay shot his head down to look at Grim, clearly hurt by their words but Grim continued to speak to the sky.

"I should've known, you were just trying to make me hurt."

They let themselves cry again, looking pathetically at their 'friend'.

"Well, you succeeded. I'm hurt. Please just jump, I can't do this. Please."

Clay's heart broke but he stood firm. He can't give in, not when he's come so far already.

"Grim, listen to me," he whispered. "I'm sorry. But you need to do this. You need to push me."

"I can't" Grim murmured, stepping away from him as if to leave.

"It'll be okay," Clay exclaimed, grabbing Grim's arm. "I know it will, okay? I can't tell you much, but I need you to trust me, I will be okay."

Grim's mind tossed the idea around for a bit, wondering how Clay, the human who knew nothing about demons before their encounter, could possibly know it was going to be okay.

They shook their head in a finalising 'no'. "I can't. I... I... I love you, Clay."

What? 

Clay almost fell of the cliff himself.

He couldn't quite believe it.

But he knew he had to help Grim complete the mission this time. 

With tears creeping into his eyes and a breaking voice he whimpered, "goddamn it Grim. Then do it because you love me, please!"

Clay reached out and took Grim's hand in his. He held it for a while, looking into the other's eyes with reassurance and a hint of pleading. Grim seemed to relax. So did Clay. With a strange calmness, he squeezed the demon's hand and placed it on his chest.

"Push me, Grim," he said in the softest voice he could muster.

Grim's eyes filled with tears once more and they shook their head, looking down at the ground to avoid the inevitable. Clay knew he had to keep his composure, but he struggled, whimpering at the pain of keeping the heartbroken sobs in his throat. He swallowed hard, his bottom lip quivering and pools of anguish gathering in his seafoam eyes, but he couldn't give in yet.

He reached out his other hand to cup Grim's face and urged them to look at him. He stared into the other's caramel eyes and watched them flicker between emotions and decisions. Grim's face was puffy from crying, but they were still just as beautiful as they day they first met. Clay smiled weakly and Grim smiled back.

Then they stepped away from him for the final time.

"No." Grim breathed. "I can't kill you."

Clay was about to protest again but Grim walked up to the cliff edge and shouted to the one person they wanted to hear, "I GIVE UP! I CAN'T KILL HIM!"

Black.

AAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!! Omg are you crying? I'm crying and I wrote it!! Ugh why do I do this to us?!