The alley was quiet, but the silence was heavy—oppressive, like the world itself was holding its breath. Travis leaned against me, body trembling, his pale blue eyes dimming beneath the weight of the weapon's impact. Blood darkened his shirt, seeping through in a spread that made my stomach knot and my hands shake.
"Stay with me," I whispered, voice breaking. My hands pressed against him, trying to stop the impossible.
He managed a faint, wry grin, lips trembling. "You… always… dramatic princess."
"Stop joking," I said through tears, voice raw. "You're not allowed. Not now. Not like this."
Travis coughed, leaning closer despite the pain, pressing a weak kiss to my temple. "Doesn't… feel like the right time… to be serious."
I shook my head, gripping him tighter. "No. This isn't happening. You can't… I can't lose you."
He chuckled weakly, the sound broken, almost ethereal. "You will… survive… that's what counts… we've… always…" His voice faltered, chest rising and falling shallowly.
"Travis, please," I begged, tears streaming freely. "Don't leave me. Not now. Not like this."
He pressed his hand against mine, fingers weak, but the warmth still there. "Silver… my… everything… alive… together…"
I sobbed, holding him as the world narrowed to his fading presence, the dark alley around us, and the hunters' distant, echoing steps. Every instinct screamed fight, rage, survival, but nothing could stop what was happening.
"Stay… awake… for me," I whispered, pressing my lips to his in a desperate, trembling kiss. "Please, just a little longer."
He smiled faintly, eyes misty, holding my gaze. "Always… remember… laughter… jokes… chaos…"
The weapon had done its work. His strength waned rapidly, body failing beneath the unnatural power. I clutched him, rocking slightly, unwilling to let go, every heartbeat a torment.
"I can't do this… I can't…" I choked, voice hoarse.
He raised a trembling hand, brushing a strand of hair from my face, fingers lingering against my cheek. "Silver… survive… love… chaos… promise…"
I pressed my forehead to his, tears soaking his shoulder, knuckles white as I tried to anchor him, to keep him alive with sheer will. "I promise," I whispered, though my chest ached with despair. "I won't let them win. Not without you."
He gave a final, fleeting grin, eyes softening as life faded. "Alive… together… always…"
And then he was gone.
The world seemed to tilt and fall away around me. Silence swallowed the alley, fog curling around his still form like a shroud. My chest heaved, tears streaming unchecked, my hands pressed against him even as the hunters still prowled nearby. Rage, sorrow, disbelief—every emotion collided in a storm that threatened to shatter me completely.
I swallowed, forcing myself to stand, dragging him gently into the shadows. Every instinct screamed that I was alone now, truly alone, yet the bond we had shared—every joke, every touch, every stolen moment—was a tether I couldn't sever.
The hunters' voices grew closer. I pressed a knife to my palm, heart pounding, grief and fury mingling into cold focus. They had taken him from me, but they hadn't broken me—not yet.
I leaned over Travis one last time, brushing his pale hair from his face. "I'll survive," I whispered, voice shaking but firm. "I'll honor you. I'll keep moving… and one day, I'll make them pay."
I pressed a fleeting kiss to his forehead, memorizing every detail, every line of his face, the way his hair caught the moonlight. And then, reluctantly, I let go.
The hunters were closing in. I melted into the fog, moving silently, using every skill he had taught me, every lesson we had shared. Rage lent strength to my movements, grief lent clarity to my focus. I would survive. I had to. For him. For us.
The city stretched out before me, a labyrinth of shadows, alleys, and danger. Every step forward was agony, yet every step was survival. I could feel his presence lingering, in the air, in my heartbeat, in the way my body reacted to danger. His memory was alive, fueling me, guiding me.
I finally reached a quiet rooftop, chest heaving, tears streaking my face. The fog swirled around me like a living thing, carrying the scent of rain and night. I pressed a hand to my chest, feeling the ache of loss, the weight of the world pressing down.
And yet, beneath the grief, a seed of determination took root. The hunters had taken him—but they hadn't taken me. I would survive. I would carry his memory, his humor, his warmth, his love, and I would fight. I would live.
The fog thickened, streets below eerily quiet. I scanned the horizon, thinking of the next steps, the next cities, the endless road. Travis was gone, but I was still here. Still breathing. Still moving.
And somewhere in the shadows, I could feel him with me.