The second part was requested by JamieRone .

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His hand graced yours as you walked side by side. You were very aware of his body next to yours. The small hairs on your arms were standing tall, ready for more contact.

You shared stories of the years that you had been apart.

While yours were filled with hope, surviving and finding a new place tocall home, his were surrounded in a cloak of desperation. "I've been looking for you for so long" he said, a tremble in his voice.

You grab his hand. Both of you look at your hands that are now intertwined. Your eyes meet, and you smile.

The grass path leads you to mysterious places that you would have never seen on your own.

For a few blissful hours, it felt as if nothing had ever changed. He was still the same man that was able to make you laugh when you really didn't want to. And his hands were still the same size that fitted around yours so perfectly.

Seeing the world through someone else' eyes was a strange occurence. You only ever experienced this when you were with him.

And in secret, you did the same for him.

He loved to hear about the stories you came up with for every creature that crossed your path. 

The world was a wonderful place, if he was to believe your words. It helped his mind from becoming too clouded with grey thoughts. 

To him you were the sunbeam that he so desperately needed in these darker times. 

In the background they always remained. Those thoughts and dreams that had become too real too often. 

They would linger behind you as you followed the footsteps of nature through the thickening woods. Neither of you noticed at the time. Both too glad to have found each other once more.

Old feelings tried to blossom but found no soil to grow...

for time and despair had already rooted there.

His laugh boomed through your head. You laughed along, although you heard the sadness behind his chuckles. 

The stories that you shared stayed up beat. He didn't want to share with you all the struggles that he had faced, neither did you. It was easier that way. Pretending as if everything was fine. There wasn't a cloud in the sky.

Soon, though, those clouds started to drift in. They chased the sun away. 

At the end of your walk you stood still. You looked at each other. 

Smiles. 

Your eyes aged.

They told a story of their own. 

"It was nice to see you again. You can't believe how much I've missed you."

You nodded. "It was nice to see you too, my friend." A bird flapped his wings. "But-"

"I know."

You closed your eyes for a second, taking a deep breath. "The years have been kind to us both. They have taken us down our own paths."

"Paths that don't allign anymore." He squeezed your shoulder. "You will always be close to my heart."

You mirrored his action. "And yours to mine, even if our hearts don't beat insync anymore."

He left.