maybe won't you take it back
say you were trying to make me laugh
and nothing has to change today
you didn't mean to say i love you

i love you
but i don't want to
ooh

EvershallForever

—

"Kindness," he calls, "can we talk?"

"Of course," Kindness answers, always agreeing, always smiling.

She adjusts her skirt and stockings, then knocks snow off her boots.

"It's been... a long time." Envy starts, looking anywhere but his partner, fiddling with his clothes, fingers, hair, everything.

Kindness doesn't answer, just smiles encouragingly and nods, her hair falling into her face.

His heart breaks when he realizes he'll have to wipe that smile off her lips.

"And... I... I just think that maybe... we need a break," he says, with much difficulty, already regretting this, "From each other... that is,"

When Kindness doesn't react, he continues. "A millennia... is a long time, and I... don't want to end up... like, um, everyone else,"

There's silence.

Kindness knows what he means; infidelity, tears everyday from the breaking of the day to the middle of the night, and rage.

She shows none of them.

Instead, she flutters her eyelids, letting the cold winter snow fall on her unsleeved hands and scarf, and lifts Envy's face ever-so-gently with her fingers, hands clad in white sleeveless gloves.

Envy's brown coat has a small layer of snow, and his beanie is in the same condition—he never was resistant to the cold.

He's crying.

She's crying.

They're both crying.

"Can you just kiss me?" Kindness says softly, breath smelling like strawberries. "One last time? That's all I ask."

Envy leans down, and Kindness moves up, then they touch for what could be the last time.

Then Envy turns, and he leaves.

—

this is related to the old gods AU from my other book btw