A sweet embrace - Tfios

Death is peaceful. Not painful. Not tragic. Just peaceful. Everything is quiet and still and there is just me and him. I had always wondered what death would be like but I never imagined this. In a hospital bed, the beeping of machines soft and distant as my parents stood by my side, crying as they clung to each other. My half conscious mind registered their pain and longed to ease it but my body wouldn't respond. And neither would my lungs. The doctors had said they could use machines to keep me breathing but I hadn't wanted it. I knew that I was leaving and though I hated the thought of leaving my parents behind, I longed to be free from the cancer. And if the only way to do that was through the sweet embrace of death then so be it. I told them it would be alright - I would be with Augustus, finally.

And now, wrapped in the eternity of death, I am here with him. As the harsh white hospital lights faded away and darkness became my whole existence I saw him. He stood there waiting patiently for me, always the perfect gentleman, so we could walk out of the world together. A smile split his face when he saw me and I leaped into his arms and just cried. I cried for all the pain he had left me in and all the pain I knew I had left my parents to deal with. But most of all I cried for him. The boy who lit up like a Christmas tree. I cried for the memories of our life together, a life we could never return to and continue. But now I have forever to remember those days, to immerse myself in happy memories and laughter and smiles and kisses. And I can be by Augustus' side forever now and drink the stars with him every night.

Sometimes we watch Isaac, just to make sure he's alright. He cried after I left him, I know, but he's managed to move past that now and is learning how to cope as a blind man in a world of strangers. He'll be alright in the end. Our parents came together to deal with their grief and pain and managed to console each other with the thoughts that we were together and happy. And we are. I just hope they can be too. Because as I walked out of the world with Augustus by my side, we whispered the words that had always sealed our infinite love.

"Okay?"

"Okay."