You are the life that fills my lungs

Rhyme still believed himself fully able to recover, he had Samara to look after him, his kids and grandkids to keep him young. And yet the old man just wanted to sleep, he wanted to rest for a little while, recover his strength and… What? He’d have to go back to his life, which had turned into something of a fairy tail. Honestly though, he wasn’t so sure he could let Shaye go again. Here she was, returned to him in all of her glory, how could he turn away from her now?

He sighed heavily, suddenly feeling like the weight of the world rested on his shoulders. His knees were weak, his stomach tight, and his vision was narrowing. His name on her lips as he leaned into that gentle paw at his cheek. She was warm, and inviting despite the tears they cried together.

The old man coughed then, his lungs giving way to the fluid that oozed from his body, his breathing became ragged and difficult as he looked up to the beautiful woman he had always been deeply in love with. Shallow gasps pulled in and out from his lips as Shaye invited him to lay down at her side. ”I’ll lay beside you forever,” he confessed to her softly as he moved laboriously. He eased himself into the soft grasses, leaning heavily into Shaye’s side as his head grew heavier and breathing became ever more difficult.

Still he smiled. He had his Shaye, the one who he believed to truly be his other half. He didn’t regret a single thing besides losing her far too early. He’d have given it all up for her again and again if he were given the chance. Rhyme felt cold and warm at the same time, his toes began to go numb and his lungs continued to fill and his breathing grew ever more shallow. His head was too heavy, and he lowered his features onto Shaye’s arms, curling against her form as he started to choke.

For a moment Rhyme struggled lightly for breath, but in a few moments he stilled. With a soft sigh the life slipped from his worn and sickened body. There was no struggle, and a grin remained on his features, he was with Shaye now, forever and always.