Darius's hand released Damian's shoulder, his fingers lingering for one heartbeat before pulling away completely.
He turned toward where the sun hung suspended between mountains and sky, bleeding its final colors across clouds that stretched endlessly.
His whisper emerged soft, carrying weight that made the air feel heavier.
"Ah..."
A pause, his gaze tracking the dying light.
"It looks like the sun is about to disappear."
Wind pulled at his crimson hair, scattering strands across his face.
"And along with it..."
His voice dropped even lower, becoming almost inaudible.
"I have a feeling that you're about to disappear as well."
Silence fell for three heartbeats, broken only by wind that had grown colder.
Then his head turned fractionally, finding Damian's masked face from the corner of his vision.
"I'm right, aren't I?"
The question sat between them like broken glass, sharp and impossible to gather back once scattered.
