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“No… there’s no way…”
Lumine turned around and around with a gaping mouth, eyes growing wide before she quickly spun to the other, eyes sparkling with excitement.
“Oh Aether, you didn’t!” She said delightedly, jumping forward and squeezing her arms around her brother in a spontaneous hug.
Aether laughed, and squeezed her back tightly before stepping back and admiring his own handiwork, Lumine clasping his hand as she did the same with a huge smile. “Beautiful, isn’t it?”
Beautiful strings of luminescent white flowers lit up the night, adorning crumbling marble pillars, whilst candles flickered their warm, yellow light across the picnic he had set up, plates and plates of Lumine’s favorite delicious delicacies.
The night sky was spread out above them, millions of swirled galaxies twinkling in the inky blackness, a reminder of all of the numerous worlds they’d visited, all of the friends they’d made.
It was absolutely gorgeous, and even more so to Lumine because she knew how much effort Aether must have put into this.
Her smile softened as a cool wind buffeted her hair around, the breeze making her dress dance playfully even as she shivered slightly.
“Oh, you’re cold?” Aether asked with concern, and she waved it away with a hand.
“No, it’s fine. I’m fine. All of this is perfect!” She beamed, and Aether’s worried frown melted into a relieved smile.
“I’m glad. You know, everything’s been so hectic lately, so I thought you’d like your birthday to be a bit more relaxed than usual.”
Lumine squeezed Aether’s hand reassuringly as she smiled, feeling so very lucky. What had she done to deserve such a kind, caring brother? “Thanks, Aether. You always know me so well!” She laughed lightly, and Aether matched her smile as he led her over to the picnic blanket.
“Woah…” Lumine’s eyes widened as she took in the expanse of food laid out. “Aether, you really didn’t have to go this far! Surely it must have taken you eons to cook so much…”
Aether laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Well, it did take a while, but birthdays are only once a year! You gotta make them count!”
Lumine leveled him with an unimpressed look as she raised an eyebrow. “Very funny. You know as well as I do that years come and go as easily as hours for us.” Her expression quickly melted into shock as her eyes landed on a particular dish.
“Oh my goodness, is that… You didn’t!” She turned to him, eyes shining.
“Yup!” Aether grinned, picking up the plate of the old delicacy and handing it to her with some pride as they both settled on the comfortable blanket. “Took me ages to find the recipe, but I figured it’d be worth it.”
“That dish…” Lumine gazed at it with softer eyes, taking in the rich chocolate icing, sprinkled nuts and chopped-up fruit on top, clearly spiced to perfection. “It’s… That’s what Mother always used to make us for our birthdays…”
“Indeed.” Aether looked at it wistfully, getting lost in the nostalgia. “I remember Father always exclaimed over how she must’ve been an angel, it tasted so good.”
“Lumine…”
“Hmm?” Lumine glanced up from the cake, finding a mournful expression on the other’s face. “Aether?”
“You… I’m sorry, it’s just that… you have to move on, from this.” Aether said sadly, staring at the now-empty plate. His finger slowly traced around the rim on the inside of the ceramic, slowly catching leftover crumbs.
“Wh-what? What are you talking about?” Lumine asked confusedly. “Where did Mother’s cake go?”
She reached out with a finger and picked up a crumb, but when she lifted it to her tongue she couldn’t taste the sweet spiciness she remembered.
It tasted like nothingness, fading away on her tongue. A forgotten memory.
“Aether, what’s going on?!” Lumine asked desperately, but Aether kept staring at the plate, tracing round and round and round…
“Lumine, you have to move on from us. From… from me…”
“Aether!” Lumine reached forward, to try and shake some sense into her twin, but he didn’t respond. “Aether?”
“Lumine!” He was panicked all of sudden, gripping onto her shoulders too tight, fingers digging into her skin.
“Ow, you’re hurting me! Aether, calm down!” Lumine said frantically, trying to pry the other's fingers off of her shoulders.
“There’s no time!” Aether glanced back over his shoulder, eyes widening with terror at something only he could see. He turned back to Lumine and shook her, hard.
“Wha- Aether, stop! What’s going on?!” Lumine cradled the other’s face in her hands, feeling tears prickle in her eyes. She was so confused, why couldn’t he just explain to her what was happening?
Aether let out a sharp breath, eyes fluttering closed for a second at her tender touch. He winced for a split second, looking pained, before shaking his head quickly. “There’s no time. But Lumine, you have to wake up.”
The words jolted something in her, making her freeze for a moment as she looked at Aether despairingly. “Aether, you can’t-”
“No, Lumine!” Aether winced, as if this was causing him physical pain. “You… you have to move on. I can’t…”
“You can’t what?! Aether, what are you talking about?” Lumine asked desperately, and Aether bit his lip, letting out a ragged sigh.
“Lumine, I’m gone.”
She froze, staring at him as she silently begged him to stop talking, now.
“I died, a long, long time ago! You have to move on from me.” He glanced back, paling, before looking back at her despairingly.
“Look, I-I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I… I can’t stay-” Aether choked out, and Lumine’s blood went cold.
“N-no, Aether, what are you saying?! You- you’re not… you’re not gone! Stop LYING TO ME!” She pleaded with him, but he only had eyes for whatever was behind him. “Aether, LOOK AT ME!”
Aether shuddered a deep heavy breath, and glanced back at her. One last glance, full of agonizing suffering.
“No, no, no… No…” Lumine said hoarsely, tears running down her face, as she desperately hugged Aether to her, she felt him melt warmly into her embrace, sobs wracking both their bodies.
At that, she stupidly, stupidly allowed herself to hope. Maybe… Maybe, they were okay after all?
But then his voice cracked as he finally whispered, hoarse and through tears, “I love you, Lumine,” and went terrifyingly still in her arms.
“AETHER!” Lumine cried hoarsely, pain shredding her voice as she shook him forcefully, shaking her head. “No, no, no, no…”
“No…” Her voice cracked. “Aether, you can’t, you can’t LEAVE ME LIKE THIS!”
But Aether was still in her arms, not moving a muscle.
Lumine distantly felt a cold wetness running down her cheeks, but couldn’t bring herself to care.
She let her head rest on Aether’s chest, hoping desperately, impossibly, that… that…
A cold, cold silence.
Not a heartbeat to be found.
And with that, Lumine threw her head back and sobbed, sobs so deep and cracked that it felt like her heart had been wrenched out of her chest and stuffed up her throat.
It was cold. It was so, so cold, as the night air froze Lumine’s tears on her cheeks, and as she collapsed next to Aether.
Let whatever cruel monster that had taken Aether take her too. She didn’t want to live if Aether didn’t get to as well, dammit!
And she lied there, she lied there, on the harsh, unforgiving stone, as the blankets and flowers and candles had long since disappeared. She lied for what felt like hours, cradling Aether’s cold body next to her desperately as she clutched her heart through her clothes.
…But nobody came.
Why… why did it hurt so much?
Why did it feel like she was being torn apart from the inside?
Why, Aether?
Why did he have to leave her?
It’s not fair.
IT’S NOT FAIR.
And with that, Lumine crumbled in on herself, so spent of energy and drained of emotion that not a single tear ran down her cheek.
It wasn’t fair, she thought distantly, as she curled up and nuzzled into the crook between his shoulder and his neck. It wasn’t fair, she murmured softly, she missed Aether’s warm, comforting words. He would know just what to say right now, so why wasn’t he?
Why wasn’t he?
Why was Aether so quiet? Was he mad at her? Had she done something wrong?
No, she had done something wrong.
She had made Aether mad somehow, hadn’t she? It was her fault, wasn’t it?
It was her fault he was so quiet and furious right now, wasn’t it?
That had to be why. There wasn’t any other reason.
There wasn’t any other reason, Lumine chanted to herself, as she ran her fingers through Aether’s coarse hair. It was dry, and matted, but that was fine. Lumine would take care of it for him, while he was sulking,
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, p-please forgive me…” Lumine murmured quietly as she braided and re-braided his hair, but no matter how many times she tried, it still wasn’t perfect.
It still wasn’t good enough, no matter how hard she tried.
It would never be good enough.
“I’m… s-so sorry, so-sorry Aeth-Aether, I’m so sorry sorry sorry….” She said softly into his ear, feeling her heart pang as she hoped he would forgive him. Maybe then he’d sit back up, and they could share Mother’s cake together. That would be nice.
It was supposed to be a celebration, right?
“Aether…” Lumine mumbled, feeling something sting her eyes. “Aether, p-please, wake up…” She shook uncontrollably. “P-please, just wake u-up…”
Why wasn’t he moving?
“Aether, plea-se…” Her voice broke as she pleaded, tugging on his shirt. “Just w-wake up…”
Why wasn’t he moving?
“Aether.” She choked out hopelessly, shutting her eyes tight as she felt her heart pang painfully once more. “You’re not dead!”
“You’re not, you’re not, you’re not.” She said quietly, cradling his face in her hands.
…
His eyes were cold.
“You’re not dead, you’re not…” Lumine told him despairingly, this wasn’t funny anymore.
…
His hands were cool to the touch.
Lumine leaned back on the stone, squeezing Aether’s hand even as she knew she wouldn’t get a squeeze in response. She shut her eyes tightly, knowing what she had to do.
Knowing what Aether wanted her to do.
“I love you, Aether.” She said softly, and brushed a gentle kiss against his temple. “I’m sorry I couldn’t save you. I’m so sorry.”
And before she could crumble in on herself again.
Before the dam could threaten to break once more.
…
Lumine woke up.