𝕮𝖔𝖇𝖎𝖊 𝕾𝖒𝖚𝖑𝖉𝖊𝖗𝖘 𝕴𝖒𝖆𝖌𝖎𝖓𝖊𝖘

In Love We Rust | C.S.

[Angst]
Inspired by Simone Simons' 'In Love We Rust'

The apartment felt cold, the silence hanging heavy in the air. It was the kind of silence that carried the weight of years — memories, promises, regrets, and unspoken words. Cobie was sitting at the kitchen counter, her back slightly hunched, arms wrapped tightly around herself as if trying to hold something in, something that threatened to break free. You stood by the window, watching the city lights flicker and fade against the dark night sky, the rhythmic pulse of the world outside starkly contrasting the stillness inside.

You had always been the steady one, the one who held her when the world felt too heavy, when she didn't know how to breathe under the weight of it all. But tonight, it was different. Cobie, once the pillar of strength, seemed fragile. There was a hollowness in her eyes, a sadness you hadn't seen before. Her defences, which had always been so strong, seemed to be crumbling, leaving her vulnerable in a way you couldn't fix. You couldn't even find the words to reach her.

For a long moment, neither of you spoke. The only sound was the distant hum of the city and the occasional clink of glass as Cobie absentmindedly tapped her fingers on the counter. You could feel the distance between you, a distance that hadn't been there before, at least not in the way it was now. Something had changed, and neither of you knew how to undo it. It felt like everything that once kept you together had slowly eroded, leaving only fragments behind.

Finally, she broke the silence, her voice quiet but carrying the weight of everything that had been left unsaid. "I never thought this love would end."

The words cut through you like a blade. They were so simple, so honest, but in their simplicity, they spoke volumes about the truth neither of you wanted to face. You had been avoiding it for so long, but now it was impossible to deny. This was the end, whether you were ready for it or not.

You swallowed, fighting back the lump in your throat. "I never thought it would either."

You tried to push the pain down, but it wouldn't go away. You had built your life around the idea of this love, of the two of you growing old together, of navigating the highs and lows, weathering every storm. But somewhere along the way, things had changed. You couldn't pinpoint exactly when, but it had happened. The connection you once shared felt distant, like a dream slipping further away the harder you tried to hold onto it.

Cobie looked down at her hands, her fingers curling into fists. "Promises are so easy to make. And so easy to forget." She let out a soft sigh, her voice tinged with bitterness. "I don't know when it started, but angry words... we still regret those."

The ache in your chest deepened at her words. You had fought so many battles, so many small wars that added up over time. But no matter how much you fought, no matter how much you tried, it always felt like you were losing ground. Nothing you did seemed to fix the cracks that had formed between you.

"I know," you whispered. "I regret so much."

But regret was only a feeling. It didn't change anything. It didn't fix what was broken. You had spent so many nights trying to convince yourself that things would get better, that love would be enough to repair everything. But now, standing here with Cobie, you realized that wasn't true. The love that had once held you together had rusted, turned to dust in the face of too many unspoken words, too many walls built with fear and hurt.

"I don't know what we're fighting for anymore," Cobie said, her voice cracking slightly. "It feels like we're just... stuck. Like we're going around in circles, and it's never going to stop."

You wanted to say something, wanted to tell her that you still loved her, that you were still here, but the words wouldn't come. You had been fighting so hard to hold onto something that was slipping through your fingers, and now you weren't sure what was left to fight for.

"Maybe it's time we stop fighting," you said softly, your voice barely audible. "Maybe it's time to let go."

The words felt foreign on your tongue, like they didn't belong to you, but as soon as you said them, they seemed to hang in the air between you, as if the truth was finally spilling out, whether you wanted it to or not. You had always been afraid of this moment, afraid of the end, but now that it was here, you realized you had already known it was coming. You had known, deep down, that this love, as beautiful and as intense as it was, had started to fade long before either of you had admitted it.

Cobie turned away, her face contorting with emotion that she couldn't quite hide. She shook her head, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. "I don't know if I can. Let go, I mean. I don't know if I can just... stop loving you."

"I don't know if I can either," you admitted, your voice shaking. "But it hurts too much to keep pretending that things are the way they were."

The silence between you grew even heavier, the weight of everything unspoken settling over you like a thick fog. You wanted to reach out, to touch her, to somehow make it all okay again, but you both knew that nothing would fix this. Not now.

Cobie took a step back, her arms wrapped tightly around herself, as if shielding herself from what was happening. She seemed so small, so lost, and you hated that you couldn't help her, couldn't fix it. You wanted to tell her that you could still fight, that you could still make it work, but you knew it was a lie. You were both so tired, so worn down by the years, by the constant battles, that there was nothing left to fight for.

"I think we've outgrown each other," you said quietly, as if saying the words aloud would make them real. "And that's the hardest part."

Cobie didn't say anything, but you could see the way her shoulders slumped, the way her eyes seemed to cloud over with the weight of your words. You both knew that this was the truth, no matter how much it hurt. You had built a life together, shared so many memories, but now it felt like everything was slipping away, like sand through your fingers.

"I don't want to let go," Cobie whispered, her voice breaking. "But I don't know how to hold on anymore."

You reached out, touching her arm lightly, your fingers brushing against her skin in a gentle, almost apologetic motion. She didn't pull away, but she didn't move toward you either. There was no comfort in the touch, no warmth to be found in it. You had both built walls, walls made of unspoken truths, of fears you couldn't confront, and now you had to face them.

"I'll always love you," you whispered, your heart breaking as you said the words. "But I think it's time we let go."

Cobie closed her eyes, the tears threatening to spill over, but she didn't speak. She didn't have to. Her silence spoke volumes, and you both understood what had to happen next. There was no grand declaration, no fight left to be had. The love that had once been a lifeline had turned to dust, and now, there was only the quiet acceptance that it was over.

And so, you stood there, side by side, knowing that the end had come. It was bittersweet, painful, and raw, but it was also the only way forward. The love that had once been so bright had faded, leaving only memories — memories that would soon be forgotten, replaced by new ones, and the hurt would eventually heal.

But for now, all you could do was let go. Let go of the love that had once defined you, and walk away, knowing that in love, you rust. In love, you turn to dust. And in love, you die, piece by piece, until there's nothing left but the remnants of what was.

<3

A/N: Hiya! So I haven't been active for a while, but then I listened to Simone Simons' new album 'Vermillion' and the song 'In Love We Rust' really touched me and I thought, why not write something inspired by this beautiful masterpiece? Vermillion is really an amazing album and you should definitely listen to it!METALHEAD OR NOT: LISTEN TO THIS ALBUM!