I viewed the writing you left today and only wish I could sing those very words, To you, so you could understand. I'm starting to feel the distance in us and the space between our hands. I've experienced nothing harder in my life than to watch someone I love fade, to watch the space grow in between us becoming darker where I sorrowfully wade. Your the only thing that makes me happy in life, your smile lifting me from despair and rage. I long to hear your voice at night, for those moments I. Pray, the whispers of a woman that free my soul,Like it was trapped in a dungeoning cage.
So, I patiently wait - to hear you once more and more and more and more...
You laid in the twin bed with your lover. The sound of the ventilation vibrated against the walls, the Dark Devas of Destruction pitter-pattered against their ‘natural habitat’ as Gundham would say.
The funhouse was never fun, you lost count of how many days it had been. Everyone was tired, everyone was hungry. Someone was going to die soon, you could feel it.
The metal rings scratched against the back of your head as Gundham’s rough colossal hands petted your (H/C) hair. You gripped his black trench coat a little tighter, pressing your face against his chest to push away the hunger.
"Gundham?" You whispered.
He hushed you gently.
"Do not fret, my love. There is no demon of higher power than me that can defeat us. Not even the serpent that mortal's call hunger."
You lifted your head to look into his bi-coloured eyes. Your eyes swollen and red from your sobs of fear.
"What if someone dies?"
Grasping your chin, he tilted his forehead against yours. He paused for a moment, examining your facial features.
He remembered the first day he saw you on this island. How mesmerized he was with your kind heart and gorgeous personality.
He remembered the shy flustered look in your face when he confessed to you.
How you would always cuddle into his warmth for protection when the killings started.
Now, here you both were. Fearful of death's door, awaiting for something to happen. The smile you had before slowly etched into gloomy sobs.
You were afraid of what would happen next, so was he. Yet only Gundham knew what was to come.
He couldn't help but reminisce about the past, how fast his immortal heart beat when he met you.
"You were… the first mortal to touch my poisonous skin and not reduce ashes."
You blinked, waiting for him to continue.
"I remember... rehearsing my proposal to crown you as my empress in front of the Dark Devas of Destruction."
You let out a shy laugh. "Yeah, you were so nervous when you asked me. You kept on hiding your face in your scarf, it was cute."
Gundham quickly released your chin and leaned back, a look of horror on his face with a tint of red.
"C-cute?! One does not call the Supreme Overlord of Ice 'cute'! I am a demon that has been scorched by Satan himself! I shall bring death to this world!"
You giggled and wrapped your hands behind his neck to bring him closer to you again.
"I know, I know. Then let's bring death to this world together."
Gundham pulled his purple scarf to his face, covering half of his face.
"I-If it is my goddess who wishes to title me as 'cute' then I suppose I shall allow it. Feel thankful my love! Anyone else who would call me such hideous names would have faced the witch’s stake."
A pleasing look rested upon your face. You lightly pinched his scarf and tugged at it, insinuating for him to pull it down.
“I want to see your handsome face” You whispered.
He grunted, the heat of his body spreading across his face. He pulled his scarf down and darted his eyes away from you.
You buried your face into his chest once again, unable to contain yourself from cuddling your lover after his adorable actions. Gundham wrapped his arms around you in response, resting the side of his head atop of yours.
Closing his eyes, wanting to be in this moment with you. Not wanting to ever let you go.
Cham-P used his tiny paw to tap against the plastic tunnel he was in three times. Gundham noticed immediately, staring longingly at his Dark Devas. That was the signal, it was time. He didn't move from his position for a moment, but he knew he had to go.
Gundham pressed his lips against your temple, allowing the kiss to linger longer than he expected. He felt his anxiety build up into his chest, no. He must not back down. The Supreme Overlord of Ice never backs down.
He pulled away from you, arms still wrapped around your figure despite the small distance between you two. He brushed a strand of hair away from your face, turning his hands and rubbing his knuckles against your cheek.
The sullen look in his eyes grew more sorrowful, he studied your facial features. Making sure there wasn’t a detail he missed, preparing for this moment to be the last time he’ll ever see you. If Mechamaru won, he wanted to be prepared.
“Gundham?” You called out to him.
A small smile etched into his lips, he tilted his head a bit as he looked down at you. As he looked down at what he thought was an angel, despite your claims to be a dark queen.
His dark queen.
He sat up, pulling your arms to bring you with him. He shifted his body to sit across from you, dangling one of his legs over the edge of the bed. Gundham cupped your face gently.
“My empress, I must leave now. The Devas mustn’t stay in the forgery habitat I have created for them for long. They are beasts that cannot be contained.”
You nodded. “I’ll go too, we can have a family walk together”
Gundham shook his head. “My love, you must rest here. Save your energy, I shall assure that the Dark Devas are kept tamed.”
“But-”
“Please.”
Gundham leaned forward, touching his forehead against yours with his eyes closed. “Rest here. For me, please”
Your eyes wandered at Gundham's sudden attitude. The aura around the room felt heavy and… melancholy.
You reciprocated his actions and leaned into his forehead. Placing your hands on top of his while he continued to hold your face.
"Okay, I'll stay here.” You muttered.
He lifted his head to peck your forehead, pulling back to have one last glimpse of your figure. Intertwining his hands with yours, he gave them a tight squeeze. He didn’t want to let you go, but he had to.
Raising himself from the bed, he trotted over to the Dark Devas. Opening the cage door to allow them to crawl into his scarf. Once the Devas got snugged enough, he closed the cage. Creating a small clanking sound as the two pieces of metal bumped into one another.
You quietly walked over to where Gundham stood, pulling onto the sleeve of his jacket to get his attention. He turned his head towards you, curious as to why you got up. You pointed at your lips and said one small word.
“Kiss?”
How could he forget? He turned his body to face you, leaning down slowly until both of your noses were touching. His lips hovered over yours, eyes wandered around your face until he finally shut them. Closing the tiny gap between the two of you, he molded his thin lips over yours.
You stretched your neck further to press into the kiss more, but Gundham pulled away soon after. If he allowed himself to let that kiss go any further, he would never leave.
Rubbing both of your shoulders, he ordered you back to bed with a gentle tone. “Go back to bed, my goddess.”
You crawled back into the soft mattress, Gundham stood by the bed to tuck you in. He grasped the smooth blanket and pulled it up to your chest, kissing your forehead one last time before walking towards the door.
He grabbed the cold doorknob, turning it ever so slightly. Then, he paused.
Did he want to do this? Did he want to sacrifice himself… when you were here waiting for him? Did he want to leave you behind? No. Of course not. He wanted to stay by your side forever.
He could find someone else to fight Mechamaru. That’s it. He just needed to find someone else to take his place.
There was no way. He couldn’t, he didn’t want to leave you. He wanted to live a life with you beyond this island. He just needed to convince someone, anyone else to-
“Gundham.”
He made a quiet gasp through his nose, the doorknob grew warm from his hand. His muscles were stiff like a rock, he slowly turned around to look at you with watery eyes. He didn’t speak, he knew he’d start crying if he tried to.
You laid in the same position as before, only this time you had the most gentle smile ever. The only smile he ever wanted to lay eyes upon.
“I love you.” You told him.
Gripping the doorknob a little tighter, he gritted his teeth to hold back his tears. Turning around to face the door again, he looked at his hand that held the knob.
That was all he needed to make his decision.
“I love you too.” He whispered loud enough for you to hear.
With that, he turned the knob and pushed the door open, closing it behind him. He began to walk towards the grape tower. It was a hard decision for him to make, but you made it so much easier for him.
He was always torn with the decision in front of him, but when those three words slipped from your mouth. He made the final call.
That book, when read
By a window, in her marriage house, aloud, and in the German,
Makes a man want
To turn his eyes sky-
Ward and confide
His despair to the migrating
Birds. If only there were migrating
Birds.
“Where Is All This Water Coming From?” in The Abridged History of Rainfall by Jay Hopler
