Blind leading the blind

Artorias tried to mentally and emotionally prepare himself to let Briar go, but even now, waiting for her to see the logic and reason in his words, it made him feel like his heart was unraveling like a ball of yarn. It hurt—it hurt so godsdamn much, but he had to do it. Briar was going to be an incredible wolf, an amazing leader and diplomat, a caring lover and a wonderful mother someday. How could he let himself drag her down with him? She deserved to bloom and grow, to see her full potential. As for himself, he would never see it. He would never see again. His potential had vanished along with his sight. This was the end for Artorias Carpathius, his future snuffed out with a single flash like a candle in the wind. Briar shifted her head, pulling back from him some, and Artorias wondered if this was it—his final moments with Briar. She was leaving him. His heart ached, trying to prepare to receive the pain of breaking.

But instead of pulling away, Briar instead slid her paws slowly up the side of his neck to cup his cheeks, her constant touch allowing him to feel and anticipate every motion without getting startled again. That would take some getting used to. He felt her shift his face up, then felt her breath against his lips. It was an odd sensation, but it told him that she was looking at him, no doubt looking into the cold eyes that had stolen the fire from them. Her gentle touches soothed him, reassured him, helped keep him grounded and calm. Then she spoke, and her beautiful lyrics told him what he never expected to hear. She didn't care what their lives would be like from now on. She was prepared to do whatever she needed to accommodate his disability. Artorias could hear the emotion choking her voice, and each sweet heartfelt word pulled more tears to the corners of his sightless eyes. After all this, despite all the struggle she was facing, Briar still chose him. She chose him because she loved him.

"Briar..." Artorias whispered, perhaps trying to interject, but he never got the chance. Briar kept going, refusing to give up on him or their love just because things had gotten harder. Those tears forming in the corners of his eyes fell down his cheeks. He didn't deserve her. He'd done nothing special to deserve such love and devotion from a wolf as incredible as Briar, yet she gave it to him all the same. He wouldn't be alone. Artorias would always have his Briar. He felt her move, then felt her lips replace her paw on his cheek, then across his face while her muzzle brushed against his. A little quivering sigh slipped from his lips, tilting his head to find her cheek with kisses of his own. He couldn't see her, but he could feel her, smell her, hear her. His mind filled in the blanks, creating a phantom Briar in his mind's eye for him to "see". His forelegs tightened around her side when hers wrapped around his neck once more, returning the kiss to her soft lips.

A little smile played on his lips when she whispered her love against them, his glowing blue eyes welling up with emotion. Artorias swallowed back the knot in his throat, then leaned closer to find her mouth with his once more, kissing Briar slowly and deeply, letting his actions speak the words his heart screamed. "I love you too, Briar," Artorias whispered against her lips once their kiss broke. "I will always love you, no matter how much of me breaks. I don't deserve you, but... I'm eternally grateful you're part of my life. I couldn't do this with anyone else." His paws flexed, gripping tighter to her and running his digits through her soft, well-groomed fur. He never wanted to let her go, as selfish as that sounded. No matter how difficult things got, he was invested in them 1000%. They would have some new challenges and tribulations to navigate together, but with Briar at his side, Artorias knew he at least stood a chance against this fucked up world.

"Artorias Carpathius"