36

“Oh look at how pretty those are”
Niki says softly as she points to a small patch of flowers along the path you two were walking on. It was the middle of Autumn and Niki had decided to go on a walk with Milo down a familiar trail. The weather was just right and it looked wonderful at this time of year. Auburn leaves would crunch every time you guys stepped over them and there was a light breeze that wasn’t too warm but wasn’t too cold.
He hummed softly and looked at the flowers.

Walks with Niki were the only times he bothered to leave his house. He would order groceries and things like that. But walks with Niki made it so he could go out, and so he wanted to. She was what kept him hanging when he was on a thread of life, about to end it. And he was thankful for her

Niki turned her head around to face Milo and smiled warmly before looking back where they were going. The trail curved around, just past some small hills and the path seemed pretty deserted. There weren’t many people going to it. Probably since it was far from the main area of the park. Niki kept humming to herself as she walked slowly, the leaves crunching under her shoes each time.

milo walked behind her, his shoes heavier as she wore sneakers and he wore combat boots

Niki tilted her head to the side after she heard Milo's boots crunch every step he took. She turned around and said cheerfully,
"Hey Milo?"
"yeah?"
He said. His voice was cold and tired, but relaxed in a way you would feel like you could tell him anything. It was completely different from Niki's. Her voice was loud, warm and energetic, but you could still tell her anything

Niki smiled warmly and giggled a bit as she looked forward and walked.
"Your boots are heavy. I can hear them. she said, chuckling softly after.
Niki started humming again and walking alongside Milo for a while longer. They had come to yet another patch of flowers. Niki couldn't help but stare at them for a moment before reaching out to touch them.

he watched as she went to touch the flowers

"Isn't it beautiful?" Niki smiles softly after she had caressed the stems lightly.
The flowers were small and delicate. Some of their petals drooped downwards after some rain and were all bunched up together. She picked up a flower and looked at Milo again before turning her body around and facing him. Niki smiled and held out the flower towards him. It was pink with little hints of orange on the inside and slightly wilted.
"why are you giving me this one?"

"Because it's pretty. Just like you." Niki said softly.
She had started to blush a bit after. Niki's cheeks turned a light rosy hue as she watched Milo silently.
"it's... wilting..."

"Just like my love for you" Niki jokes back at him playfully. She laughs quietly after and smiles as she tosses the flower onto the ground. Her cheeks were still rosy red as she looked at Milo again. She seemed a lot happier after saying that joke to him. Niki then started to walk ahead again, but she waited for Milo to catch up with her.

"but wilting means it's dying..."

Niki had gone silent once again as she listened to Milo say that. After a few seconds of listening, she stops walking and turns to face him, her face was still a tad bit rosy. Niki's eyes widened a bit at what Milo said. She was slightly speechless and it almost left her heart in the pit of her stomach. Niki took a few more seconds to look at him before she spoke up.
"Milo.."
"you... gave me a dying flower..."

Niki didn't reply for a few moments. Her cheeks were still rosy and she seemed to still be somewhat speechless. Once a few more seconds passed by, Niki was finally able to speak up, her voice was shaky.
"Yes, just like our relationship." She says softly.
She seemed sad and defeated as you could hear her voice quivering when she spoke.
he looked at the flower.

"Our...our friendships dying..."

Niki had tears running slowly down her face now. She looked down at the ground and her arms hung loosely at her sides. Niki's voice sounded very shaky and scared when she spoke again.
"I never said friendship"
Niki whispered quietly after. She wanted to say more but she didn't have the courage to yet. Niki wiped the tears off her cheeks and she sniffled a bit as she continued walking ahead slowly.

"I...I have to go home"

he said and turned around, walking back the way they came
Niki froze up and she stayed in the same spot for a few seconds. Niki closed her eyes while she took a few deep breaths. The sound of leaves crunching was still heard here and there, though she knew Milo would have been long gone. Niki looked up to the sky and sniffed a bit, tears still going down her cheeks. Her mind was empty as it processed what had just happened, she couldn't believe it at all.

Milo got home, kicking off his boots and taking off his jacket as he got inside the dingy apartment. He sat down on the couch and looked at the unopened letters from family on the table.

Niki stayed quiet for a while longer. She watched the birds fly in the sky and she still sniffed a bit. This entire moment was really weighing on Niki and she didn't know what to make of it. Once the tears were done rolling down her cheeks, she took a deep breath and wiped her face. Niki looked down and decided to pick up that dying flower again. She gently touched it and then tucked it in her pocket before turning around to head back to her house. Niki tried not to cry on the way back.
About an hour later, Niki had walked back to her home since it wasn't a far distance at all. Her face was still a bit red and her cheeks looked a bit dry. She took off her jacket as she walked inside and put it on the coat rack. Niki's cat, Jacy,walked out from inside of her room and looked at Niki. She pet Zuko's head a bit before walking into her room and closing her door. She locked it behind her before she walked over to her phone and lay down on her bed.

Milo was now in his kitchen.
His thoughts were sporadically going, but all thought the same thing.
His anchor, his thread, had given up on him.
He stared at the packets of pills he had put on his kitchen side before picking them up and taking them all
36.
at 36 days old he opened his eyes properly
At 36 weeks he sat up straight.
At 36 months he could speak and walk
36 days into freshman year did he meet Niki
36 weeks into senior year did he kiss a girl
36 cuts down his wrists the first time he attempted
36 minutes he was thought to be dead
36 days he took to recover
36 months since he got out
36 pills in his 2nd attempt
36.

Niki laid down on her bed, staring at her phone as she read Milo's last text. Her eyes widened up and she gasped quietly. She looked around nervously before getting off her phone and trying to call him. Her fingers were shaking as her heart raced and her mind started to wander around everywhere. Niki tried to call Milo over and over now, but he didn't pick up and this only made Niki even more scared than she already was. Niki paced back and forth as she kept trying to call Milo and she got out her phone's flashlight to maybe find something...