full bloom of youth

meruem and komugi

What was it that brought them together, to be united in this perfect love?

It must have been fate in a mortal form that brought them together. She knew they were meant to be when she felt him. From then on, they were inseparable. They shared every part of their life. That was how it was to this very day.

Yes. She often reflected upon that day with fondness. It was a day that had changed her life, after all.

Komugi, a pure lady in the full bloom of youth, stood alone on the beach, gazing over the teal water with her immaculate jade orbs. Her silvery hair danced lightly in the ocean breeze, tickling against one cheek as she smiled to herself with anticipation, resting her cheek against one hand as she hummed, "My Heart Will Go On." She wore a fuchsia shirt with sleeves that ran down her wrists and a long skirt falling to her ankles in a rogue wave. Her light-colored strands brushed against her shoulders, complementing her seraphic platinum visage. A prominent scar stood out on her milky skin. For a moment, she absorbed herself in these thoughts of her and Meruem. "Komugi," Meruem said simply with a smile on his face. His amethyst crystals gazed at her, belying his determined heart. He was dressed in his unique fashion, a style unlike that of anyone else Komugi knew. He had a toned but slender body covered with color-mixed skin and a Color-mixed tail.

"Oh, Meruem! You came!" Komugi said breathlessly, reaching out to take him into an embrace. He let her hug him, seeming almost embarrassed about it as he patted her back. they began to walk along the beach. "So," he began, "how've you been lately? Anyone giving you trouble?" 

"Oh, n-no," Komugi stammered, "not at all, Meruem. Everything's been going well, and, um...." She blushed. "I missed you... that's all."

Meruem let his hand fall across her back, muttering quickly as if almost embarrassed, "Yeah, I missed you too." Komugi was silent in response, only leaning toward Meruem's warmth. "You're a good person. You know?"

"Why do you say that all of a sudden...?" she murmured. "I'm not that perfect."

"I figured you should know." He glanced at her before placing his hands behind his head. "Hanging out with a rascal like me hasn't changed you a bit."

"You shouldn't say that about yourself," Komugi whispered. "You're not a rascal. Just strong of spirit."

He laughed at himself and looked up into the sky, dropping his arms and thinking about everything he was saying of him and the simple feeling that he was corrupting something pure whenever he hung around Komugi. "Not really. But if you say so."

Komugi slipped her firm hand into his. With a little smile, she stated, "You're so good to me, Meruem. I can never tell you enough how much you mean to me." Meruem held her hand and thought that that was enough -- that if he meant something good to this one person, nothing the rest of the world said mattered.   After a few moments, they found themselves walking down the beach again. Something rose to the front of Komugi's mind -- something she had been trying to beat back all this time. It was so special to her to be with Meruem, and she didn't want to pass that time, making them both feel horrible. But it just wouldn't leave her alone. 

With concern, Meruem turned his resolute globes toward her. "Komugi? What's wrong?"

"Meruem... it's..."

And at that moment, everything came together, all of the magic and the hurt that had been building that day, and he locked his crystals with hers and whispered, "You can tell me."

It was like a floodgate burst or some barrier of fear had been struck down. Komugi shook her head, and everything came out at once. "I... I keep remembering it... That day. Meruem, I can't help myself! I don't want to think about it... it hurts, Meruem. But even when I sleep, it comes back to me in my dreams. I can't forget, not for a moment... Not a moment's peace."

   Meruem listened silently and solemnly. At last, when all the words had left her, and she was at a loss, he reached out to her and took a deep breath to whisper back, "Komugi... that's awful. It wishes that weren't how it is. I wish I could say more. Komugi...." Komugi's eyes began to burn, and she abruptly pulled him into a fierce embrace. His globes widened at first, but then he, too, felt overwhelmed by emotion and succumbed to the warmth of her touch. "You," Komugi whispered, her breath hot on his ear. "As long as you're here, I'll be all right." They held each other as tears trickled down their cheeks and dripped onto the shifting sands to be carried away into the sea. Their pain dissipated into a mist swept out by the ocean breeze and toward the setting sun, where dark clouds began to loom into sight. They basked in each other's quiet companionship for a few moments. "Look... it's the sunset." 

Komugi lifted her head at Meruem's words to behold the dying sun's fiery radiance. But even as she replied, "How beautiful," the pitch-dark clouds looming on the horizon worried her. "Meruem, I'm worried about those clouds. Maybe we should go back."

Meruem looked at her with such spirited depths and asked, "Just a few moments more? I want to savor today."

"Mm... if you want to," she relented.

They were unprepared for how swift and brutal the coming storm was. The rain poured in torrents, causing the ocean itself to rise. Winds whipped about them and kept them from moving on the shifting sands. Soaking and shivering, they fought against the storm.

"Meruem!" Komugi screamed against the wind. "Please, don't let go!"

"I won't!" Meruem shouted back, his hand clasping hers firmly as he struggled upward on the beach. "It's my fault! I won't fail you, Komugi!"

"Meruem--!!"

Her scream was lost in the crash of waves against her body, the roar and power of the sea rising to steal her from her lover.

She struggled against the water, but it was too much. The violence of the storm-swept waves forced her under without contest.   The waves had beaten the air out of her lungs. Desperately, she willed herself not to suck in the icy water about her. Will I die this way? She wondered. Will I die... like this...? 

A firm hand seized hers, and she felt pulled up and up until the cold wind again hit her face. She coughed, sucking in the air greedily. Her arms had tightened around Meruem's neck without permission, and he shouted, "Hold on, Komugi. Hold on!"

"Meruem," she murmured. "You shouldn't have. We can't make it out here. This way, you'll die, too...."

"Don't talk like that, Komugi," he commanded. "We'll make it through."

"Meruem..."

Thunder crashed in the distance, and the waves pitched, bringing a mouthful of salty water against their faces. She coughed and held on to him, thinking, no, this isn't how it should end, this isn't how *Meruem* should die...

Something bumped against her leg. A shark? Fear coursed through her body. But before she could react, another wave pushed them under. Meruem slumped against her, momentarily knocked senselessly. With burning eyes, Komugi saw an oversized silhouette with a slender body and a bottle-like nose.

A dolphin, she thought. How lucky.

Summoning forth all her will, she put Meruem on the dolphin's back.

It was the last thing she did before her world went black. "She was always so sweet, so gentle. I don't think I've met anyone else so kind." 

"The world is darker without her, without our little light."

"Don't forget what she did. How much she helped us in those dark times."

Meruem sat on a chair by the coffin, his hands around his knees, his crystals dry, his soul too numbed to grieve. The funeral attendees nodded to him as they passed. He nodded stiffly back.

The reception lasted hours, but it seemed to Meruem that it was only moments before the crowd disappeared. He picked himself off the chair and turned to look into the coffin for the first time since the funeral started.

Eyes closed and still, Komugi lay inside in a delicate fuchsia dress, her hands clasped over her chest. She could have been in a profound sleep. Meruem fought the urge to reach out and nudge her awake. Komugi was gone and gone because of him. Because she loved him. Casting a long look at her beautiful visage, Meruem leaned in and kissed her lips.