Page 114 of My Lovely Tragedy
He puckers his lips and sits up straighter. “Fine, let’s go again. This time webothcome up with something different.”
“Something you want.”
“Yeah, obviously. That’s the point—‘cause it can be anything.”
“Nothing is impossible,” I whisper. He watches my mouth.
“We can have anything.”
“Forever.
“Yeah.”
I match my breath to his as we both conjure up our perfect forevers. And maybe if I build my world strong enough, it will follow me through every life after. My soul tethered to his, always searching until we collide as one.
As we are meant to be.
“I think I’d like to be somewhere warm,” he says after long minutes of silence and contemplation. I smile, urging him to continue. He returns the sentiment, then picks up a cracker and nibbles on it. “Somewhere with really vivid sunsets that last forever. Maybe a coastal place. Or an island. But…” He frowns and shoves the whole thing in his mouth, then proceeds to talk through it. “But the ocean also scares the shit out of me, so maybe not. I also like city lights. Like, how the night we met, when there was snow and shit. They all just looked like small little stars.” He smiles. “That was nice.”
If I wasn’t already obliterated… I would cease to exist in this very moment.
“I felt the same way—about the lights that night.”
“Really?” He perks up, grabbing a handful of pistachios. He cracks a shell between his teeth.
“Yes. I have always enjoyed that view. It reminds me of things far out of reach.”Like you.
“Cool.”Just perfect.
“But as much as I like all of that, I think I’d prefer to be somewhere alone with you. Like…” He glances at me, cheeks flushing, before dropping his eyes. “Like now. Where it’s just us and it feels like the world doesn’t even exist. The where of it all doesn’t even matter. Here, across the country. On a whole other continent.”
“So, the arctic would suffice?”
“Fuck off,” he grumbles but shivers, most likely because he’s thinking about it.
“Then where, darling? Pick the first place that comes to mind.”
“The rainforest. With life all around. Warm and wet and secluded.” He looks sure and happy with his choice. I close my eyes and picture it with my mind’s eye. All shades of vivid green. Every possible species thriving as the sunlight streams through the canopy of trees, immediately followed by drenching rain, animals scattering for shelter. The thunderous silence and solidarity. All while it’s so humid, the perspiration never slows.
It's perfect for mycorvus.
As my eyes break to the sunlight, I smile. “That sounds lovely. Very suitable to your tastes.” His lips twitch as tosses another nut into the air and catches it in his open mouth.He’s so lively today. So full of life and joy. Pondering on the future and endless possibilities.
I want to remember him like this forever.
“Yeah, I think so, too. What about you? First place you think of.”
“A mountain. Closer than I am now,” I add after his face screws up.
“A place that gets this cold?”
My lips twitch. “Colder. And further away. Harder to access, so I could truly be alone. No phones. No power. Living away from it all.”
“Like… a fucking caveman,” Brooklyn drawls, looking at me with an odd expression I can’t read.
“No,” I argue. “Why are you looking at me like that? I did not judge you for your choice.” I scowl, feeling affronted.
“Tobias, you’d really wanna live away from… everything?” He gestures out with his hand. I follow it.
