(Palette)

My mind was numb all day. I went home and sat on the couch, staring at nothing as Goth's words ran over and over, replaying in my head.

Marvul came in and saw me, and he must've said something. My ears rang with Goth's pain, so none of his words reached my head. At least, not until he smacked me and I looked up at him, coming out of a haze.

"What?" I said stupidly, rubbing my cheek absently.

"Ah, he lives!" Marvul said dramatically.

"Sorry, I, uh..." 'Leave me alone!' "Something bad happened today is all."

"I can tell," Marvul sat down beside me, "I haven't seen you cry since you were nine."

"C-cry?" I touched my face, seeing a light red wetness on my fingers. I chuckled a bit, looking down at it, "Huh..."

"Be honest with me, Palette," Marvul looked at me, "What or who hurt you so much?"

"...Guess I did love him..." I said quietly, chuckling to myself.

"What?" Marvul prompted.

I looked at him, a broken smile on my face, "I loved him, dad..." I said.

My chuckles turned into choking sobs as I leaned onto Marvul, "I loved him..." I sobbed shakily, "I loved him so much..."

"I know, I know," Marvul took me into his arms.

"I loved him and he... and he..." a loud choking sob cut off my words as I cried into his shirt, "and he hurt me..."

"I know," Marvul spoke softly.

"Why does it hurt so much?" I asked no one.

"Because he had your heart," Marvul said quietly, "And something made him give it up."

There was a stiffness in Marvul's voice that made me look up.

"Wh-what are you saying?" I asked him, taking gulps of air to calm down.

"I've seen the way you look when you think about him," Marvul went on, "Felt your feelings grow warm and caring when you think about him. I've seen how he looks at you, I've even seen him dream about you. I doubt he would do this on his own."

"So y-you're saying that he... that he..."

"His actions were not his own," Marvul said stiffly, "Something is wrong."

(Goth)

I made my decision in the night. I'm done with pain, I thought as I laid still as stone on the bed. I'm done with torture. I'm done with misery. I'm done with this life.

Before the sun rose I wrote a note to Reaper.

'I'm sorry. I won't live like this anymore. I'm done with this life and all its tortures. I'm never coming home. Goodbye. P.S. Tell Geno that this is his fault.'

I left the note on my bed, which was made, with the watch Reaper had given me for a birthday. I wouldn't need it, not anymore.

When the sun rose, I leaped out of my window and started running to the one place I could think. The only haunt I had left.

---

I reached the top of the highest cliff in the Felle. I sat down on the stone and hugged my knees. Up here there was no noise except the wind. Raven would take me up here when we were younger, just so we could think.

So, I thought. I thought and I thought and I thought. And I cried.

I miss him. I miss him, and I can't have him. He won't love me, after all that I've said. I can never have him. All this pain... All this misery... why is my life so full of it?

Slowly, I brought out the pocket knife I had. I stared at it, reading the gentle inscription. 'Never stop fighting' it read. A gift from Raven, before he left for college.

"Sorry, Rae," I whispered, "I already have..."

I looked out over the empty chasm the cliff spanned. I can't have him... but he'll always be a part of me...

Flipping out the gleaming blade, I stared at it. Always part of me... I shrugged off my cloak, took off my scarf, and took off my shirt, Part of me... I placed the tip of the blade on the top of my exposed sternum. With a slight pressure, I brought it down with a gasp.

I looked down at the red line in the bone, which wept a small tear of blood. I brought the blade up again and brought it down in a small curve. I had a small 'P' on my chest now. I brought the knife up below the line and scratched it down again. I whimpered a bit at the pain, but kept going. This was one pain I would bear...

I brought the knife up and dragged it down several more times, whimpering every so often. I kept doing it until I had what I wanted: seven letters, 'P-A-L-E-T-T-E' each letter weeping a bit.

Once I was done I dropped the knife and shook a bit, Part of me, always and forever...

Geno had taken the locket and Palette away from me, but he would never be able to take this away. I shivered in the wind and put my shirt back on, letting the blood soak into it.

Now, sitting with my thoughts once more, I contemplated what I should do.

My phone buzzed and I took it out, looking at the caller I.D. It was Geno. With a scoff, I hit 'ignore' and went back to my thoughts, watching the sunrise. It rose higher and higher, while Geno called me five more times. Around noon, Reaper called me. With a sigh, I hit 'ignore' on him too.

"Sorry, Dad," I sighed softly.

I sat in silent thought for a few more hours, working up the courage to go through with my decision...

(Palette)

Something was wrong. Something was wrong. Something was wrong.

I paced my room anxiously all night and into the morning. Then I sat on the bed, bouncing my knee when I could no longer walk. Marvul came in and gave me some breakfast, which I forced myself to eat.

He left and I laid back on my bed, worry eating into my body.

When my phone buzzed I jumped, scrambling to pick it up and see who it was, hoping it was Goth. I felt my small hope die out as an unfamiliar number blinked on the screen.

I answered it, upset, "Hello?"

"Palette, is that you?" asked a familiar but panicky voice.

"Yeah, who is this?" I sat up.

"It's Reaper."

"Reaper? What do you want?"

"Is Goth with you?"

My head pounded at the question.

"Wh-why?" I asked, holding in this new panic.

"He's not home. He left a note, and his watch," Reaper sounded like he was panting.

"Is his bag there?" I asked, sitting on the edge of my bed.

"Uh," Reaper went quiet for a bit, "Yes, yes it is."

Why would he leave his bag? I must have gone silent, because Reaper spoke again, "Have you seen him?"

"What? No, no I haven't," I said weakly, "But meet me on the corner of your street in five minutes. Bring Goth's locket." I hung up and leaped to my feet, grabbing my satchel and heading downstairs.

Marvul met me in the living room, confused at my newfound energy.

"Palette, what's going on?"

"Goth is missing. I'm meeting Reaper now," I said shortly, dashing out the door and sprinting to Goth's street.

---

I reached the street in three minutes. I stopped, bending over and panting heavily, wondering briefly why skeletons needed air.

Looking up, I saw Reaper walking towards me. Geno sat on the lawn, staring at the ground between his legs. Reaper reached me sooner than I thought he would and stopped in front of me. Although his face was often dark and unreadable, the panic I heard in his voice was clear in his eyes.

"Did you bring the locket?" I asked him. He nodded, pulling out the silver chain and handing it to me.

Looking it over, anger flared at seeing a faint red line on the back of the chain. Blood, HIS blood, I thought angrily. I glanced over at Geno, what did you do, asshole?

Looking back at Reaper, I pocketed the locket and crossed my arms, "What happened?"

"Geno saw the bite mark on Goth's neck and overreacted," Reaper said gravely, "When he confronted my son about it he saw the chain and found the locket. Your picture made him angry, and he flipped out. Goth refused to tell him anything and it escalated quickly."

Staring at Geno, I felt a touch of regret at marking Goth like that. But I felt more anger at Geno's attack. My fingers dug into my arm as I held back.

"He called out for you, Palette," Reaper brought me out of my revenge mind.

"What?" I asked.

"Geno hurt him, over and over," Reaper looked into my eyes, "When he hurt him beyond his limit, he screamed. And he screamed for you."

"And yet you made him push me away?" I asked, the barest hint of a growl in my voice.

"I didn't want him to push you away," Reaper said, "Me and Geno fought for over a day about it."

"Doesn't look like you fought very hard," I scoffed.

The first flare of anger flashed in Reaper's panicked eyes. Instead of answering, he pulled up his shirt and bared his chest. My eyes widened at the cracks and bruises covering his body. He let the shirt fall down and gave me a small glare.

"Goth didn't hear a word," he said in his grave tone, "He was out cold for almost two days after Geno beat him. But I fought Geno, physically when words did nothing. You're lucky you can even see Goth at all, even in passing. Geno wanted to lock him away and never let him leave again."

"Well now none of us will see him," I said sullenly. Reaper looked confused, all anger leaving his face.

"What are you talking about?" Reaper asked worriedly.

"Do you honestly think he's run away?" I said sarcastically, "What Geno did, made him do, he's gone over the edge!"

"What-"

"We have to look for him. He's suffered so much for so long, he's been pushed too far. We need to find him before he does something stupid that you'll regret."

"Are you saying-"

"I know his haunts. I'm going to look for him. Hopefully, I can find him before sunset."

"Why sunset?" Reaper asked.

"Because that's his favorite time of day," I said, turning away.

"And why would you need to find him before then?" Reaper asked, true panic in his voice.

I turned to him, hating the words in my mouth and knowing they must be said.

"Because that's when he'll want to die."

---

In my truck, I called the one person I knew would be able to tell me where to find Goth: Raven, his brother and best friend.

"Who is this?" Raven sounded tired.

"It's Palette Roller, your brother's boyfriend," I said rather smugly.

"What do you want, Palette?" Raven asked grumpily.

"I'm looking for Goth," I said, "he's run away and I think he's-" I swallowed, "Anyways, I've checked the stones and the woods and I'm heading towards the lakeside now-"

"You won't find him there," Raven said.

"But that's one of his favorite haunts," I said, the worry clear in my voice.

"If what you're saying is true he won't go to those places," Raven argued, "He'll go to his safe place."

"Where is that?" I swallowed a lump in my throat.

"There's a place me and him would go when Geno got angry," Raven explained, "It's a place we can think and just be in the quiet."

"Where is it, Raven?" I asked.

"It's at the top of the Edge Cliffs, near the end of the Felle, a flat piece of black granite that breaks up the greenery," Raven said, "about a thirty-minute walk from the Over Bridge."

"Thanks, and, uh, Raven?"

"What?"

"Call Goth. Maybe he'll listen to you."

"Okay. Good luck."

(Goth)

The wind cooled the hot tears on my face as I stared out over the chasm. I loved the greys on the opposite cliff face, falling down seamlessly into the dark space below. A swallowing, hungry darkness that slowly crept up as the sun moved across the sky. It was capped in flowing greens, deep greens that were nourished on the other side of the chasm.

This place was so beautiful. Too beautiful to be here, as part of the Felle. The Felle was not worthy of such beauty.

My phone rang again and I looked at the I.D., surprised to see Raven's name. I picked it up, letting it ring a few times before answering.

"Hey, Rae," I said softly.

"You haven't called me that for years," Raven said, "How are you doing, Goth?"

"Not well, Rae," I sighed, "I feel like I've been to hell and back a few times in the past week."

"Geno get after you again?"

"That and more," the tears fell more strongly, "I broke up with Palette, Rae."

"What, why?"

"Geno made me," I sobbed, "He found out about us and he made me break up with him."

"I'm so sorry, Goth..." he sighed and I sobbed into the phone for a few minutes.

Once I recovered myself, I spoke, "I'm done, Rae," I said stiffly.

"Done?"

"I'm done with all the pain in this world. I'm done with all the misery and torture and beatings and emotional manipulation," I nearly growled, "I'm done with this life, Raven."

"Don't talk like this, Goth," Raven said urgently.

"There's nothing but pain here, and I'm sick of it."

"There's not only pain, Goth," Raven implored.

"I hope you'll remember me fondly, Rae. Nothing but good thoughts are in my mind about you right now."

"Please, don't do this, bro," Raven sounded upset. I smiled weakly, knowing he couldn't watch me.

"Goodbye, Raven," I hung up to his protests.

Setting my phone down, I sobbed again. I hate goodbyes...

I hate everything...

(Palette)

I was on my way up the hill towards the cliff face when Raven called me again.

"Palette, he's alive. I spoke to him," Raven sounded like he had been crying.

"Is he okay?" I asked.

"He's broken, Palette," Raven choked, "He said goodbye..."

"He didn't-" I paused, swallowing another lump.

"We don't have a lot of time, Palette. You need to hurry. He won't be here much longer."

"Okay, okay," I stepped on the gas, revving the engine loudly as I sped up the hill, "Thanks, Raven."

"Don't thank me. Just hurry."

He hung up and I sped until the end of the road. I parked the truck and sprinted up the rest of the hill, panting with one thing on my mind: save him.

(Goth)

Standing up, I held myself against the wind as I stood a few paces from the edge. My cloak was back on, my scarf flapping in the wind. The sun was slowly reaching the horizon, spreading wonderful lavenders, roses, and oranges on the sky.

He always loves to use these colors... I thought fondly, thinking of Palette.

I heard someone running up the hill, interrupting my final thoughts. Angrily, I turned and threw up a guard wall of blue bones. Movement would make them shatter and attack. I turned back to the cliff face, trying to find that peace again. I thought of Palette's face, his smile, his voice...

"Goth!" I turned to see who was running up the hill, disturbing my thoughts once more.

Palette stood on the other side of my defense wall. I froze, staring at him.

"Goth, wait!" he called, getting as close to the wall as he dared. I took a step back and he stopped.

"Palette..." I said softly.

"Goth, please come here," he said, his voice shaking. I shook my head.

"No," I said stiffly. He blinked.

"Goth, please, you don't have to do this..."

"I'm done with the pain, Palette," I said stiffly, "I won't live like this anymore. I won't live in this fear anymore." I took another step back.

"There isn't just pain for you here!" he said urgently, "There is love!"

"Love? What love?" I scoffed, "The only love I had I no longer have. There is no love anymore."

"You do!" he cried, "Reaper loves you. Gradient, Amber: they love you. Raven loves you."

"They can't help me, not anymore," I shook my head, feeling more hot tears.

"But I love you, Goth! I can help you if you let me!" he cried. I looked up at him, seeing him through a red haze.

I walked up to the defense wall, as did he. I lowered a few of the bones and he reached his arm in, asking for my hand. My locket dangled from his hand. I grabbed his hand tentatively and pulled him into a deep kiss.

He kissed back, and we kissed for a long time. Then, sobbing, I pushed him away and raised the wall up again. He fell back onto the ground, looking up at me, a stricken look on his face. I put my locket on over my scarf, looking down at him through red tears.

"G-goth?" he asked shakily.

"I'm sorry, Palette," I sobbed, stepping back until my feet found the edge of the cliff.

"Goth?!" he stood up, standing close to the wall.

"I love you, Palette," I sobbed, smiling weakly at him. My feet shuffled back a bit, letting a bit of gravel fall into the abyss below.

"Goth, no!" he cried. He started breaking the bones, grunting in pain with each one.

"Goodbye, Palette," I said.

"GOTH!!!" Palette screamed, running towards me, reaching his arm out.

Spreading my arms for the darkness to embrace me, I tipped back into the chasm.