"What will you do to help me?" Gwin scoffed as he put the pistol on safety and started to twirl it in his hand, "You should be encouraging me...we both lost someone dear to us- the same person in fact." he grumbled and looked at her.
"I thought I was helping you." Irina muttered, "All the counseling cheered us into going, were the countless credits I spent on Mediators not enough?!" she walked towards him.
"Lower your voice..." Gwin mumbled, "They might hear." he looked at the metal door, that was locked into place.
"I told them I would handle this." Irina muttered and crossed her arms, "Now... why are you doing this!?" she yelled and stepped closer.
"Stand right there, Irina!" Gwin cried and raised the gun up to his temple, "I know what you want to do! I won't let you, dammit!" he grimaced and unlocked the safety.
"Did the Mediator-"
"The Mediators didn't help, dammit!" Gwin gnashed his teeth, "They'll never help! They can't bring him back!"
"I know they can't!" Irina responded, "I know that too! But it's time for us to move on!" she cried and started to sniffle.
"I don't think I can, Irina." Gwin gulped, "Not after all I've been through... not after all I tried to do... Not after all I tried to do and failed!" he wept again, "Everything I did was for nothing!"
"Then why do this, Gwin!?" Irina muttered, then turned to face the door, "I drove them away because of you... I lied to them that you had your mimeosome... I told them that even if you pulled the trigger we can always find your real body- But I know this to not be true.."
"You've always had that insight..." Gwin chuckled as he felt the warm blood course throughout his body, his heartbeat rising tremendously, "That's what I like about you, Irina... You're always strong... you've never been as broken down as this poor fool... worrying about ghosts and people of the past." he derided himself and looked to the ground. "You will never understand what I-"
"Don't you dare say that!" Irina turned and looked at him furiously, "Don't you say that, you damn dirty liar! Don't you say I will never understand loosing him!" she stomped around three feet away from him, "YOU are the one who doesn't understand! I was like a mother to him! It was like losing a part of my soul! HE was my blood!" she cried and shook her head.
Gwin gulped again, but was still ready to end his pain sooner or later. He only postponed his plans to hear this cry of anguish, he only made an armistice with his death to hear the words of another in lament.
"You think this only hurt you..." Irina muttered, "You think you were the only one who could not fathom the ride on the White Whale... You think you were the only one uncomfortable knowing that one close to you burned to annihilation on the exploding Earth!" she pointed at him, "Gwin, you will never be alone in that pain."
"Irina-"
"After losing him, my wrist and my knife became friends, allies of blood and steel..." Irina pulled out her 11-inch bowie knife from its holster, "I became angry and reckless in my fighting... and at one point, even in your position..." she took a deep breath, "So don't you ever... ever... say I don't understand.."
"I'm still going to do it..." Gwin stood up, "You aren't going to stop me... I..." he stammered as tears went down his eyes, "I... don't need your sympathy..."
"If you are going to blow your brains out over his death..." Irina walked up, "Then blow mine too." she stood next to him, "We both share this pain... we both share this grief."
"Irina..." Gwin saw as the woman placed her head on his shoulder, "What-"
"Just know, you are never alone..." Irina muttered, "Come on, kill yourself... I just don't want you to be alone." she embraced him.
"What-"
"Why stop now?" Irina closed her eyes, "You were so willing, I couldn't convince you that there was better life now... Me, the very blood of whose death is causing this, who has learned to let go of it, is trying to get you to see this." she muttered, "Sure I still grieve... I may hurt myself now and then... but... this is nothing compared to what good is in store for us."
"Why." Gwin peeped, catching the woman's attention, "Why did you come in here? I had such a perfect plan... Just put a bullet and be done with it... But why did you come? You made this plan a lot more difficult than I thought..."
"Maybe... because I was in your same shoes..." Irina muttered, "Maybe... I didn't want to lose you to something I defeated and I knew you could defeat to..." she smiled, a first, "Maybe, I even care for you..." she held his hand, "So if you wish to continue your plan, don't let me stop you... I'm here till the end..."
Gwin muttered something inaudible, then clenched his eyes and the gun tightly...
000000
A flash of light shone on Gwin's eyes, he was at peace, he was at calm. The man's body felt as if it was on a cloud, his senses overloaded with such relief and serenity that his brain was having such a hard time to keep up.
The Sun, an ally, a friend, a companion of the morning that it illuminated so greatly.
Gwin sat up and unrolled a thick bed blanket that was covering his body, exposing the white tanktop he had on to the cool morning air.
"Papa." a small gentle voice called out, a young girl, soil colored hair cut short of her shoulders, walked to his bedside.
"Good morning." the strong, yet caring, voice of a somewhat older Irina announced her presence, "I'm so glad you're here with me." she smiled.
"So am I..." Gwin mumbled and grinned, then took a deep breath, and appreciated the goodness of his new life...
I little bit darker than most of my stories, but in the end a positive message shines through. Thanks for reading and please do have a blessed day.
For my friend, I'm all arms on deck. Let's make this fandom the new thing.