disclaimer: disclaimed.
dedication: les.
notes: wow, this is really dark. okay.

title: radio city
summary: Someday, there would be a sickening crunch. — Rin/Shiemi.

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He'd been waiting for it silently his entire life.

He hadn't even known he'd been waiting for it, but he had. The crunch of bone underneath his fist—he'd been waiting for it so long. Flesh crumpled underneath his hands and the bones broke and snapped.

And she was dying.

It was the easiest thing.

"Shiemi," he murmured. "I—"

"Sorry," she whispered.

A bubble of blood popped at the corner of her mouth. A thrill ran through him, shaking and sick—the warmth around his hands was vermillion, and hers. He'd torn right through her.

She looped her arms around his neck, gone chalk white but still trying to cling to him. She would be a stubborn layer of filth on his skin forever; not that he would ever try to wash her off, but oh god, she was dying.

He sunk down, Kurikara forgotten somewhere in Shiemi's stomach, and clutched at her. "Why'd you—are you stupid?!"

Shiemi smiled gently. "Probably. I—I didn't want you to… lose yourself. You know?"

He felt numb.

He couldn't even say anything. But the blue fire that sang through his veins slowly began to rage—a slow burn, embers fanned quietly into flames that would consume the whole world. If he'd lived, it had been for her, and now she was—she was—

Shiemi raised a bloodied hand to his cheek. "It's okay, Rin."

He crushed her close. "I—"

"Don't say it," she murmured. "It'll hurt less if you don't."

"Shiemi—!"

"No. Shh. It's… no. It's the same for me. You—" she coughed. "—you'll be okay."

He rocked her softly. "I won't, I won't, Shiemi, I can—"

"No," she said. "You can't."

He listened to her heart beat for a moment.

It thudded softly.

Faintly.

She smiled. It was so weak that he felt nauseous. "Love you," she murmured, and her hand fell away from his cheek.

His heart stopped as the light left her eyes.

And she was gone.

fin.