Post reblogged from with 33 notes
“You don’t have to die to protect someone you love, what I mean is, I would be sad if you died. Living for the one you love is also as good if not better,” Eliza whispers as she reaches her hands up to hold his face. “Well then if it cheers you up, I will continue to smile for you.” She gives him another smile as she leans into his touch just a little.
“Yes, I do.” His other hand clenches at his side, and his eyes flash with a painful memory. “I want to repent my actions by doing so. I feel as though… it would cleanse my soul. Now I don’t believe in God, but I do believe in fate. One day I’m going to give back to this world, selflessly, meaningfully— why am I saying this?” He squeezes his eyelids shut, his face contorting with emotional agony. “Now is not my time to be sad. You are here now… that should be all that I need.”
“Nem, you do not. Take it from someone who has a horrid past much like yours. I used to think that way too, that my death would help all the humans and nations that I have hurt. That somehow that would make up for everything I had done; starting a war and siding with the Germans even though I knew what they were doing. The list is much longer than most people believe—But I know what I have done and know that sometimes it’s not enough to be forgiven. Sometimes your crimes are too horrible to ever be forgiven but you must keep striving for that. Everything that we are, everything that we will become; it is only the start. You will do great things because you already have changed one woman’s mind: Mine.” She brushes the pads of her fingertips across his cheeks before leaning up and kissing his left cheek. “Now don’t you start putting me on a pedestal. I will tear that thing down faster than you can say Da.”
Completely worn out, he just nods numbly and holds onto her as though letting go would be equal to falling down. “You… completely blow my mind.” He smiles at her, a big smile. “In a good way.” He rocks gently back and forth, closing his eyes and smiling weakly at the tender kiss. “Thank you. Thank you.”
Source: starlittongue