𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐈𝐧 𝐚 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐏𝐚𝐧

✧[014]✧

Fireflies decorated the night sky, they lit up silently, weaving through the grass surrounded Ramshackle. You quietly stepped out, having to practically pry grim off of you while he slept, he kept murmuring things about you in his sleep before you left. Lately, you've been growing concerned for him. You didn't know what made him so jumpy all of a sudden but it certainly wasn't anything good.

You clutched your uniform, the nights air was a little cold, not to mention you were wearing something that wasn't all that warm. You could see Malleus lingering outside the gates of Ramshackle. Obviously waiting for you but trying to be discreet about it. You stepped down the path, barefoot until you reached the gate.

"Hey, you're awake?"

"Yes... I just so happen to be passing by." Sure he was. Passing by? Huh? You knew better than that. You had already told him to come out here to meet up previously, he was just playing koi. You opened the gate, stepping to be along side him.

"Of course, who wouldn't come out on a night like this for a stroll." He watched as you tried to rub your eyes, but your hands smacked against your mask. In a dazed state, you simply yawned to suffice instead. But the act made a smile crawl up his face, how could a creature he couldn't even see be so endearing?

"I suppose you're right. It'd be a waste if you didn't. Not to mention, I'd be going back on my word to meet you here tonight." You hopped up on the stone part of the steel wall surrounding ramshackle, increasing you height slightly to meet his own.

"Mmm, I admire your bravery child of man. I truly do."

"And where is this coming from? Why is that?"

"Because you are bold and brave enough to ask me to not only come to that festival, but a personal invite to meet up again. I admire that in you." A gust of cold wind blew past, you felt it crawl up your spine leaving goosebumps as it left. Despite the cold you felt warm in the presence of Lizzy.

"Oh... I didn't think you'd care for it but thank you." You stuck your hand out, feeling as one of the fireflies landed on you, crawling across your fingers. You smiled at the little bug before holding it up to Lizzy, watching as it took off your finger and danced away into the night sky. As if it were blending back into a painting it had belonged in his entire life.

"I do. Don't forget that, Child of Man."

"I don't think I ever will, I promise. Cross my heart and hope to die."

He blinked, looking at your shocked for a second. Why would you wish such a thing? That's such a silly human saying because he certainly doesn't hope you die. But to you, death is different. You often could feel your old life clawing back at you. You remembered exactly what happened. You remember exactly how you died. It seemed a little ironic that you'd say a thing to you.

"Human lives are so fleeting, evanescent. They make me wish that phrases like that didn't exist. I don't wish your promise to me be so heavy that you'd wish for death." He looked up at the sky while you clutched onto the steel fencing, mimicking his own actions.

"I know, Lizzy. But it's the extent I would go for you. You are my friend."

"...I'm glad."

"Mm?"

"Glad that you think so highly of me despite things that could drag you into having a different image of me"

"Your image to me will never ever be jaded by another person's words, I promise..." You hopped off, stepping besides him and being to walk once more. Enjoying the silence of each others company. He couldn't help but stare at you, the way you let yourself be open to him, be loving. A warmth he was not used too. His eyes drifted to your feet and he smiled, how childish, but how oh so endearing.

He walked at your own pace, slow and gentle. But the entire time he watched you, he wondered what the universe was doing to bring such a sweet human being into a world that could be so cruel. You stopped in your track, turning towards the sky once more, you let something slip off your tongue that you didn't expect.

"You know... Sometimes I think my loneliness will be the death of me... Despite being surrounded by people, I've never felt more alone. Is that to much to put on you, Liz? I'm sorry for pushing my thoughts upon you, sometimes I ramble with no real thought behind my words."

"Nothing to be sorry about."

"I still feel sorry. I've only known you for like, what? A few weeks? I feel that it might've... I might've been to much." You sighed, squeezing your arm as you began to regret saying anything at all.

"I feel that I've known you my entire life. You are my friend, are you not? Ever since you declared you wouldn't run from me, you wouldn't discriminate, you wouldn't fear... I've done nothing but think about the next time I'd see you again." He said with such power, with such reassurance, you felt your eyes tear up a bit. Your voice wavered once as you found yourself spilling open to the man.

"Ah? I didn't think you'd care about me that much, nor what I think. It seems a lot of people now and days just want me to relieve their burdens, but no one is willing to shoulder some of mine..." His eyes wided before he could say anything back you cut him off, "Besides that... Lizzy, would you be interested in coming to a school festival?"

"I was unaware of such a thing. Will you be performing?"

"Maybe, I know I most likely will be helping set up. But performing? I'm not sure. I don't think I'm cut out for that kinda thing." You scratched the back of your head, at the thought, you? On a stage? You barely could handle a speech. Let alone a performance.

"I was looking forward to seeing you perform but... Whether you do or don't is fine. Child of man, I will come to it. Right now, I must bid you adieu."

"I see. Well then... Farewell, Lizzy."

"Farewell, Child of Man."

And with that you watched him vanish into a cloud of fireflies. Smiling to yourself as you thought yourself to be a child of the stars rather than man. You were unaware that as soon as Malleus has returned home, he threw himself into bed having a grim aura follow. He couldn't help but feel bad. He couldn't sleep neither. He wanted to tell you so much more. How to him, you already have so much worth. Yet, instead. He just turned over, letting the sound of his own thunder put him to sleep.

But not before muttering one thing to himself, he found himself muttering a wish. Unaware that you were holding it in your very hands, holding not only warmth of it's words to your heart, but the little star that came with it.

"Child of man, I wish to tell you... I wish to tell you that your burdens aren't yours to shoulder alone. I promise to use my own strength to take that weight off your back. No creature deserves that. I wish to say to you, what you've said to me. I will never discriminate, I will never hate you, I will never discard of you because of your burden. Even if it is your burden to bare, I promise to bare it with you. If you so let me."