Chapter 6 Together in life and death

With slow and dreadful footsteps, a sense of overwhelming fear enveloping him, (Y/n) walked along the snowy streets, heading back to his home. Opening the door with a creak sounding off, he looked down at the floor, little specks of blood from this morning dried up on the ground. He couldn't fathom what was just discovered, what was to await his future.

Death.

Opening his armoire, (Y/n) takes his winter coat that resided within, equipping it so that the cold won't be as brutal towards his skin any longer. He already was a dead man walking, yet he wanted to be comfortable and warm until his demise was at hand. 

Exiting his home once more and with his coat now worn by him, he was ready to head down to the forest, to inform Emily of the grim news he had just been burdened with. Tuberculosis was his fate and his new chapter in life, a painful one at that. He would hope to find comfort in Emily, who could perhaps let him know how death truly is and if his fear should be expected, or just to accept his soon to be death.

Meanwhile in the forest, the snowflakes coated the trees and the dirt in a blanket of white, making the forest seem more alive than before. It's dull gray and worn out brown colors now brightened by this white beauty of snow. Emily sat there on the same fallen tree she and (Y/n) would sit on usually when they converse, and her excitement was obviously visible. 

Emily, ever since last night's kiss, had a smile present on her lips, her heart, though beating no longer, felt alive for once since her murder. As the snow fell upon the trees and dirt, it also landed on her, her faded white wedding dress lighting up from the snowflakes that rested on her. She eagerly awaited (Y/n), excited to see what this new day of their love would bring. 

In the distance, much more easier to see with the snow and it being near noon, was (Y/n) walking, slowly towards Emily. Emily stood up quickly, the snow that was resting on her dress trickling off her, returning her faded white dress from it's temporary brightness back to it's dull worn out white color. She wasted no time and levitated towards (Y/n), meeting him halfway but stopped abruptly when she got to see him up close. His skin was pale, nearly as pale as the snow that coated the forest, his eyes were red near the corners making him look dreary and terribly ill, and being closer to him, she could hear his breathing much more clearer, and it sounded like a laborious task for him, it sounding raspy and slow. 

Emily: "(Y/n)... you look ill, are you alright?"

(Y/n): "Oh, Emily... I-"

Before even being able to finish, the tuberculosis made it's presence known, for (Y/n) started coughing violently, away from Emily's direction as he used his winter jacket's sleeve to mask it. Emily saw this display and felt awful, immediately taking (Y/n)'s arm and leading him to their fallen tree they both sit on, helping him sit down slowly and gently as to not cause any more undue harm or damage to his health. (Y/n) kept coughing, until after a few seconds it seemed to have dissipated, making him remove his mouth from his sleeve to see it now coated in his blood. Emily looks down and sees the blood that now covers his sleeve, making her cover her mouth, her eyes opening wide.

Emily: "W-what's wrong?!"

(Y/n): "Emily... I'm... I have.... I have tuberculosis..."

Silence befell Emily, the very illness that destroyed her ex fiance that murdered her has now captured her love. She wanted to scream in anger and pain, but she withheld her frustration and simply and assuredly placed her hand upon (Y/n)'s lap, comforting him in this time of dire news.

(Y/n) felt her soft and skeletal touch and despite gathering the news that he was to perish, he knew that coming here to Emily was the best idea and choice to do, for her simple touch made him smile for the first time since last night. This whole day has been a nightmare, yet when next to Emily, an undead bride to be who despite his first impressions of her, has captured his heart and his affection in such a short amount of time. (Y/n) chuckled a bit at the idea that he was running away from her at first and now in less than 24 hours ago, he already shared a romantic display of a kiss with her, and now it all seemed like his tenure with her would come to a conclusion for he was to die.

(Y/n): "I got it, and I'm going to die..."

Emily: "No.... but... you're so young..."

(Y/n): "You were young too when you died..."

Emily: "I was... but... tuberculosis... I'm so sorry for you dear..."

(Y/n): "Emily..."

Emily: "What?"

(Y/n): "I don't want to die..."

His voice cracked and tears began to form in his eyes, he felt vulnerable and weak showing his fear, but his time was concluding and he no longer cared, especially since he was admitting his fear to someone who he cared a tremendous amount for. Emily shattered hearing his voice crack, almost whimpering at his confiding statement, so without any thought, she wrapped her arms around him, her head resting upon his shoulder and her head resting against his.

(Y/n) couldn't hold back the tears any longer, and with Emily embracing him in this romantic and passionate hug, comforting him and letting him know that she will always be here for him, it made the tears flood down. The tears that occupied his eyes begun to slide down his cheeks, meeting his lips before falling down fully onto the shoulder of Emily while they hugged. Emily didn't at all mind the tears from (Y/n) that landed on her, for she too wanted to cry after learning of (Y/n)'s tuberculosis discovery. 

Yet it finally hit her.

Emily: "Wait... you're going to die?"

Emily leaned backward, removing herself off of him to look him in his teary eyes.

(Y/n): "I am..."

Emily: "(Y/n)... listen, if you're going to die, that means... when you pass, we can be together still. Don't you see?"

(Y/n): "I... what?"

Emily: "I know it's weird sounding but when you pass from... this... you can spend eternity with me, forever together... you and me."

Now that Emily was explaining it, it all did start to make sense.

Emily being in front of him clearly shows that there is an afterlife, and though the fear of him leaving the mortal world clouded his mind and heart, he at least would find a bliss in his passing in that of Emily. Yet the worry and petrified feeling of dying was his main concern and fear. He truly didn't want to die, especially at such a young age, and the reason for his soon passing was pathetic, and now here he was, with both terrible and good news.

(Y/n): "I... That sounds fantastic but you must understand..."

Taking a hold of Emily's hands, the blue ring she donned shining brightly as he entwined his fingers with hers, he stared directly into her gorgeous lifeless eyes, seeing his reflection a bit, seeing his sickly appearance. He took a deep breath before continuing.

(Y/n): "...I... I'm so scared..."

Emily: "I know you are... and so am I... having to suffer from such a bad disease... but I will be with you always until you... you..."

Emily held on tight to his hands, leaning down and kissing them with her pale lips, making him feel a little better, his fear starting to subside.

Emily: "I love you."

Letting out a small chuckle before letting out some subtle small coughs, (Y/n) smiled, ignoring the sharp pain in his chest, for despite the tuberculosis destroying his lungs slowly, being here with Emily was making his heart beat quickly with true passion. 

(Y/n): "I love you too Emily..."

Together they shared another hug, the snow falling on top of both of them, their embrace being matched with silence and hope. His death would come soon, but the silver lining of it all was that no matter the outcome, he would be will his newly found love, Emily.

After a few minutes of holding onto one another, they finally let go and smile at one another. Emily holding onto his hand, not having any intention of letting it go. She turned her body towards his, her eyes fluttering as she was now happy that his grim and tragic news will at the end not be all bad.

Emily: "Oh (Y/n), I know you're afraid, but as long as I'm here and so are you, it will be okay."

(Y/n): "I know..... Hey Emily?"

Emily: "Y-yes?"

(Y/n): "What's it like... dying?"

Emily: "Dying? It's... well you said it yourself... it's scary, but when I died, I had no one by my side, no one to save me or help me, or to die with even... but really I died of a broken heart rather than the initial blood loss if I'm too be honest hehe."

(Y/n): "I see..."

Hearing the worry still in his tone of voice, Emily placed her hand on (Y/n)'s chin, making him face her, their eyes meeting.

Emily: "Do not worry yourself (Y/n)... I am and always will be here for you, when you pass, I will hold you in my arms, until you draw your last breath, then after that... your soul will not be alone ever again, and neither will mine..."

(Y/n): "Emily..."

Emily: "Our love will overcome it all, the pain, the worry, the fear..."

(Y/n): "Emily... I..."

Emily: "Together, we will be together and-"

(Y/n): "Emily!"

Realizing she was a bit lost in her train of thought, she quickly apologized and waited to see what (Y/n) had to say.

(Y/n): "When I first met you... well... you saw what I did..."

Emily: "You ran?"

(Y/n): "That's right, I did. And I must be honest, I never imagined I would look back when I was running, but if I didn't hit that tree, I probably would have not looked back... but being here with you now... just days after, with my life unexpectedly drawing to it's end... I can safely say, that hitting that tree was the best thing to happen to me."

Emily: "Oh (Y/n)!"

Going in for another hug, it was cut off by (Y/n) starting to cough again violently, with Emily thinking fast and ripping off a piece of her wedding dress and covering (Y/n)'s mouth. After a few moments of his incessant coughing, Emily removed the fabric, looking at the blood stains that drenched it. Breathing heavily and weakly, (Y/n) clenched his chest, trying to calm it down and return it to normal. Emily was powerless in this situation, having to watch the love of her life suffer in pain from a terrible death sentence. 

Regaining his composure and his breath, (Y/n) felt exhausted already, his winter jacket felt like it wasn't doing it's job. Inside, he was shivering, cold and freezing, his whole body shaking from the brunt of the winter season. The tuberculosis must have made young (Y/n) much more sensitive to the nature's force. 

Emily: "You are cold."

(Y/n): "Y-yeah... this jacket isn't getting the job done..."

Emily: "Here..."

(Y/n): "What are yo-"

Without hesitation, Emily straddled (Y/n), resting her whole body on top of his, her arms wrapping themselves around his neck. Their faces were extremely close to one another, so close that with just an inch forward, they would be able to kiss like last night. She pressed her chest up against his own's, as her hands ran their way down his upper back, her legs and thighs wrapping themselves around his waist, keeping him warm completely. She was using her body's heat to warm him up.

Emily: "I-is this helpful?"

(Y/n): "Very... I'm sure glad you won't get affected by my illness, since you're already dead and all."

Emily: "Me too, I uhhh... you... you have very alluring eyes..."

(Y/n): "Emily... are you?... flirting with me?"

Emily: "Well, it's just... yes, so? I mean we kissed already and said I love you to each other so it's okay to do that... right?"

(Y/n): "Even with my bloodshot eyes, you still find them alluring huh?"

Emily: "Truth be told, as long as they are your eyes, they will always be alluring no matter the state they're in."

(Y/n): "You're too kind, and I never really got to say this but... you... Emily, you're.... very beautiful. Like very, very beautiful."

Emily: "Y-you really mean that.... even though I'm dead?"

(Y/n): "Of course... I mean you said it yourself, we kissed already so it's okay for me to say what I mean, and like you said, you will always be beautiful no matter the state 'you're' in."

Emily: "If I could, I would blush."

(Y/n): "Same here, but I'm sure my TB prevents that in a way, but I have a better way to show thank you."

Emily: "And how would that be?"

With how close their faces were already, all (Y/n) had to do was lean his lips forward and they met with Emily's. Their lips like last night's locked together perfectly. Their kiss was much longer than before as well, and much more romantic and sensual in the sense that Emily was on top of (Y/n), her entire body wrapped around his. For the first time, since this whole eventful day began, (Y/n) entirely forgot he had tuberculosis, for he was in bliss kissing Emily, in love with her. This cold winter season was chilling, but the warmth he truly needed wasn't in that on his jacket, it was in that of Emily who loved (Y/n), in life and soon... in death.


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