UNSAID [Incomplete]

He wasn't the one who was supposed to die. He shouldn't be resting in my arms, barely keeping his eyes open with blood gushing out of the wound in his chest where he had taken the bullet meant for me. He shouldn't be in such pain, he shouldn't be apologizing to me because he was too late.

Because I was the one who was too late.

I was the one who should be apologizing.

But it wasn't me who was dying; it was him. And, god, do I wish that it actually were me.

"Arthur..." My voice came out as a choked sob. I could feel tears pricking my eyes but I refused to let them fall. There was no reason to cry. He's going to live, he's going to live, he's going to live...

"Why did you save me? France was telling the truth. I was deceiving you. I... I was just... It was all..."

"I know," he said with a smile. Why was he smiling? Didn't he get it? Shouldn't he be angry?

But he said he knew... So why did he save me still?

"I knew it from the very beginning. After all, I already knew that it was impossible to love someone like me."

His words struck my heart. "No... That's not..."

"It's alright," he assured me, but I knew it wasn't. Nothing was alright. "I've been told that all my life. I've long since accepted it."

But I couldn't accept it. It wasn't his fault...

"But I held on to that hope..." he continued, "that maybe... Maybe it was real. I wanted it to be real.

"If you had told me sooner I probably would've killed myself. But now... I just wanted you to love me for real. I wanted to make you fall in love with me...

"I tried my best... Yet nothing changed. I wish I'd had more time but..." He gave me a sad smile and the tears I tried so hard to stop immediately started falling. "This is fine, I suppose. I'm glad I saved you.

"I love you, Antonio." And he closed his eyes.

It was too much. I couldn't handle it. I couldn't be losing him... Not when I've planned to tell him that I actually did fall in love with him.

"Don't go..." I pleaded. "Please... Arthur, I..." His eyes struggled to open even as his breathing started to thin out.

"I love you too..."

I saw a glimpse of his smile, a happy one this time, just before I kissed him and his breathing stopped.

/**

* This fic is marked "incomplete". "Incomplete" stories are stories/drabbles that were written as part of a much larger story that I currently do not have the time nor motivation to write. Each one will be posted as separate complete stories and are available for adoption. That is, if somebody wants to expand that particular fic, they are free to do so as long as the writers tell me beforehand that they're going to use the story.

* However, I will also try to complete these stories on my own, but only if enough people want me to. If you'd like to see this story expanded, you may do one of the following:

- Follow this story

- Review this story

- PM me

* Thank you for reading.! :)

*/