I am back again with another one-shot! I was inspired by some pages from chapter 42, but there are no real spoilers if you haven't read it yet. :D Enjoy!

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"Shirogane…"

That whisper, so weak, cracking, hardly reached him. It raised on only the tiniest of breaths, barely hovering over the speaker's mouth. He dropped to his knees, eyes widened at the horrible sight of the blood. It flooded the ground, soaking into the long raven hair, dying everything a sickening crimson hue, pouring from the torn body.

"Shiro… gane…"

"Ryuuko…" he choked, tears overflowing from his eyes. "Ryuuko… oh god, Ryuuko…"

He hadn't been there… he had missed it. He could have protected him… his own, most beloved, most precious person. He should have been there. Shirogane had never felt such a wave of hatred… half at Homurabi, half at himself for failing.

"It hurts…" The whisper was coloured with scarlet, bubbling and frothing from his lips. "It hurts."

Shirogane didn't know what to say. His throat was closing down. The air was shimmering, swimming. He didn't want to blink to clear it. If he did, the truth would be all too apparent. He couldn't face it… he didn't want to.

"Ah… ah…!"

He was frozen. He couldn't do anything… just watched, listened to Ryuuko's faint cries of pain. He wanted to do something to help. He wanted to heal him. He had to heal him. Ryuuko was… Ryuuko was…

A weak smile. Ryuuko's ruby eyes were fading, filling with tears. He raised a shaking hand, running with blood, and touched Shirogane's face lightly, longingly.

"Shirogane… I…"

"Don't, Ryuuko…"

"I…"

And his hand slipped. Shirogane watched it fall, almost in slow motion, until it hit the ground, limp and lifeless. It took him a long time before he reacted. But then, rage and grief and torment bubbled forth from him, breaking from his throat in a scream.

He couldn't form words. Words didn't express this… they couldn't even hope to. He huddled over, chin hitting against his chest, crying uncontrollably over the coldening body. Ryuuko's blood dried in streaks from where it was painted on his cheek. Some of his tears washed it away, but the rest remained, scarring his pure white skin.

"Ryuuko…!"

He screamed it as if it would bring him back. He screamed as if he could still hear… as if it would reach Ryuuko. But his screams echoed off into the endless whiteness… never to reach Ryuuko again.