Deadly Sins | Monsta X

Epilogue

My babes. I'm sorry! Things were harder to wrap up than expected. I just have a hard time letting this go 😂
I wish everyone who's celebrating wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year. May you new year start the way it did for Anya in this book 😌😂

I love you and thank you endlessly for your support 🖤

~*~

Epilogue

"Sweetie?"

The soft brush of fingertips across her cheek wakes Anya. She didn't mean to fall asleep again, but she got overwhelmed by her tiredness, as happens so often lately.

When she opens her weary eyes, she needs a moment to get used to the dim light of the room and to see Magnus' gorgeous face.

"Hey!"

He smiles and sits on the bed next to her. Anya needs a long moment to understand, to realize, to wake up. Magnus waits patiently for her to move her heavy bones. All of this used to be a lot easier when she was young and agile.

"Hey..." she finally says and her lips curl into a smile without the slightest bit of effort, so used to the movement.

Magnus wraps his hands, which haven't aged a single day since she met him, around her wrinkled one.

"Looking good today, ol' gal!" He smirks and Anya wants to return it, but it dies down at the sight of the pale face of her beloved friend.

"Wish I could say the same about you..."

There's a beat of silence until Magnus' cat eyes light up and his thumb glides over her hand.

"I'm so sorry it took me so long to visit you," he whispers, his voice low and raspy.

Anya shakes her head and squeezes his hand. "Please, Magnus, don't apologize! You needed to grieve properly. If anyone understands it's me!"

Losing Alec simply because he was old hit Magnus hard. Anya knows that even though the warlock barely talks about it. She's known him long enough to see the deep, bleeding gash in his soul.

"Where have you been?" 

At her words, Magnus' eyes fall on the nightstand next to her bed and a low, almost soundless chuckle escapes him.

Even without following his gaze Anya knows he spotted the peach. The peach she puts on her bedside table every night. A stupid, wasteful habit. But there's something inside of her that was never fully able to let go, that always had hope.

"Everywhere...and nowhere..." he says, his eyes fixed on the fruit as if he's recalling all the precious memories he shared with his demonic friend. "I've been thinking a lot..." He looks at Anya's hands, his brows pulled down flat. "Losing Alec was the worst experience of my life. I've loved before but he was the first human I loved, the first I lost to death. I miss him with every fucking breath I take, with every beat of my broken heart. But Alec and I were just...in love. I can't imagine what it must be like for you..." Their eyes meet. "Living all these years, all your life with...a missing piece of your soul... I can't... can't even—"

"Magnus!" With all the strength left in her old body, she sits up and caresses her friend's cheek as the warlock chokes back his tears. "Don't do that. You're heartbroken enough! You know I'm fine! Some wounds just never heal, and that's okay!"

Carefully she dries the warlock's tears before leaning back into the cushions, exhausted from the effort this simple movement took. Every day it's getting harder and harder for Anya to remember that this body was the same one she performed two-hour shows with. There's nothing of her strength, her flexibility left. But that's a part of getting older. Unfortunately.