Black Hearts

The  icy  breath  of  death  lingered  as  Michael  stared  Ashton  down.  His  friends  were  dead  and  his  heart  turned  back  to  black.  Blood  pooled  around  his  boots  and  bodies  lay  everywhere.  The  battle  was  intense.  "Michael  Michael  Michael.  I  warned  you  and  you  didn't  listen!  Instead  you  defied  me  and  you  had  to  pay  the  price!  Tell  me.  How  does  it  feel  to  have  no  attachments  whatsoever?"  Ashton  sneered.  Michael  snarled  and  kept  his  grip  on  the  palladium  blade.  "You  know  I  actually  kind  of  liked  Luke.  It  was  a  shame  about  what  happened  to  him.  That's  what  will  happen  when  you're  weak." He  spat.  Michael  clenched  his  jaw  and  tried  to  push  the  thoughts  of  Luke's  death  out  of  his  mind.  Ashton's  eyes  burned  bright  red  as  he  tormented  Michael  with  the  deaths  of  the  people  closest  to  him.  So  much  pain.  So  much  sorrow.  Michael  finally  made  a  decision  and  dropped  his  blade.  "Kill  me."  Ashton  smirked  and  with  two  steps,  he  strode  in  front  of  Michael  and  sank  the  poisoned  blade  into  his  chest.  "Goodbye  Michael." His  vision  started  blurring  and  he  let  the  pain  take  over  his  body  until  it  all  went  black.

You heard Michael gasp and you opened your eyes. He was sitting up, covered with sweat. "Michael? What happened?" You asked, wincing at the position you were in on the chair. He looked at you and his eyes were a mixture of black and green. He was breathing hard and his hands were shaking. You stood up from the chair and walked over to the bed. "Michael? Please tell me what's wrong." Tears glistened in his eyes and he grabbed you by the waist and pulled you down on the bed with him. His arms wrapped around you and pulled you into his chest, holding you tightly. You snuggled into him and let him hold you. "Y/N I won't let you out of my sight." His voice cracked. "I-I can't be without you. I know I haven't known you for long, but it's true. I need you. I would die if something happened to you. I'd lose my soul. My heart would be black again. I'd lose who I am." You touched his face and looked into his eyes. "Michael you are my angel. You are full of goodness and love. I can see it. Your wings are turning white because of it Mike. Your heart will never turn black because it was never black in the first place." You placed your hand over his heart. "It beats just like mine. It's breakable, yes, but it's able to feel. A black heart wouldn't be able to." You smiled brightly and kept looking into his now green eyes. He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on your lips, letting it linger for just a moment. It was still enough to cause you to lose your breath. He winced a bit when you touched him, the cuts still raw and red. "I'm sorry Michael. I'm so sorry for what that monster did to you." You said softly. He smiled weakly and kept you in his arms for the rest of the night.

The sound of two voices woke you up from your somewhat heavy sleep. "Michael I'm running out ok? I can use it how I want. And I want you to use it. It's more important for you to heal than it is for me." Luke argued and you felt Michael tense up. "Don't you say that to me Luke. Don't you say that." Michael said in a serious tone. Luke sighed and you could her the sound of him cracking his knuckles. "Look. Y/N is depending on you. I can't be the one that could've healed you but didn't. I just can't have it. So please take it Michael. For Y/N and the angels that stand beside you." Michael took a deep breath and took the nearly empty vial. "Luke I promise you I will find you more. If it's the last thing I ever do." 

When you finally moved, Michael kissed the top of your head and started rubbing your arms. "Aziazor.  Wake up my love." He said softly. You slowly looked up at him and he smiled. "Good morning vvrbs." You grinned and moved closer. "What does that mean?" He wrapped his arms around your waist and pulled you into his lap. "It means beautiful. One of the many things you are." He said softly, his eyes glowing green. "What were you and Luke talking about?" You blurted out all too quickly. He sucked in a breath and ran a finger through his purple hair.....the roots were blue. His hair was slowly changing color. "Luke gave me the last of his Avdcal  serum. He said I needed it more than he does." You blinked and felt the anger rise up in you. "So he's defenseless? He could have another attack because he gave the thing that's keeping him sane, to you?!" You yelled. Michael nodded silently and looked at you. "Before you ask, yes. I already used it. And yes I'm trying to find more." He said calmly. You scoffed and got off of his lap and off the bed. "Why didn't you let Luke have the rest and look for both of you? What were you thinking? He could die!" You ranted and grabbed your jacket. "Y/N please calm down." He said trying to be rational. You pulled your hair up into a pony tail and opened the door. "I'll calm down when Luke lives."

Everywhere you looked you couldn't find his burgundy wings. Alessa even helped and nothing came out of it. It was close to noon and you had a moment of realization. Oresa Park looked beautiful with black leaves strewn about the paths. The air was chilly and nipped at your neck. You were sure he'd be here. He wouldn't just leave the castle forever without saying goodbye. You came upon the clearing where years ago, Luke split the mahorela  tree out of hatred and sorrow. Luke was sitting beneath the broken tree, fiddling with something in his hands. You walked over to him and sat beside him and studied his expression. For once he wasn't an open book. His face was like stone and didn't show signs of change. You both sat in silence for a few minutes before he took a deep breath. "It's been eighteen years. She's been gone for eighteen years." He spoke softly, his voice thick with pain. "It's been eighteen years and it's still haunting me and stabbing at me." You reached over and took one of his hands and he squeezed yours. "It will never go away. It's my curse." A tear fell down his cheek and you realized his eyes were a mix of silver and white. "Luke what are you holding?" You asked quietly and he handed the object to you. It was a key. A big, tarnished, skeleton key. It was adorned with tiny red stones and black swirls that looked like ink. "She gave it to me the first time I told her I loved her. She said, 'Keep this with you at all times and never lose it or break it.' And of course I asked her why and she smiled and replied with, 'It's the key to my heart. I want it with you always so you'll remember my heart belongs to you.'" He sighed and looked at the delicate key. "At the time I didn't think it was that special or meant that much. Now I understand. I still keep it with me because I know I broke her heart. I want her to know I never meant what I said. That I would do anything to feel her heart beat next to mine." You put a hand on his arm and he took the cue to lean his head on your shoulder and wept for his love.

He told you about how he used to take her to dinner every Friday night in Melbourne at the Melbourne Café. He told you about how they met. He told you about the arguments they had. The love they shared. He said he'd never talked about any of it before. That he kept it bottled up, in hopes that it wouldn't explode. He opened his heart to you and didn't seem like he could stop. With every word, you felt him relax a little and smile more at the memories instead of grimacing and pushing them away. You stroked his velvet like wings and listened to everything he had to say. You took the time to watch his expressions whenever he said her name and the way his eyes lit up. He had stopped crying and now had a smile back on his face. "Y/N you remind me of her. She could make me feel better with just her presence. Just like you." He said softly and looked up at the clear blue sky. "Your heart is just as big if not bigger. There's a reason I met you. And I think I finally know what it is." He turned his attention back to you and smiled. "You were sent to me to save me. Save me from forgetting who I was and how to love again. Especially now, when my life may be fading. I'll be able to leave this world in peace thanks to you. I've made peace with myself and I'll be ready when it happens." You teared up and threw your arms around your burgundy angel and held him tight. "You are not fading. And you are not leaving this world Luke. You're staying here with me because you're going to be fine. You have to be! You're my best friend! We need each other!" You sobbed and hugged his torso. His slender hands held you and massaged your back as you cried. "Y/N I'm being honest with you because I care so much. I'm not saying this to make you upset. I need you to know that whatever decision I make, I'm doing it for the right reasons." He said softly. He focused his ability to his hands and sent you pictures of the memories he has with you. The first time you met, when he barged into the room looking for clothes. The time he stood up to Ashton to keep you safe. Each one was as important as the last. You closed your eyes and lived the memories with Luke again.

Ashton's  P.O.V

He's  always  there  on  this  day.  For  eighteen  years  he's  spent  this  day  by  himself  in  the  park.  I've  got  my  chance.  Maybe  that  will  be  the  push  Michael  needs. 

I flew towards the autumn infested park and kept my sights locked on the tree as it came into view. I got closer and didn't see the slumped burgundy shape I usually find. I landed in front of the tree and and put my hand to the textured bark and closed my eyes. The energy from the tree rose up to meet mine and combined to create a more powerful vision. I opened my eyes and the red color took over as I replayed the events that happened today in this spot. Luke was here the whole day by himself. Why isn't he still h-Ah. Y/N. I knew she had something to do with it. Well sweetheart, you kept your Luke alive for another day. Let's see how long you can protect him without the  Avdcal.  He's going to need it eventually. I pulled out a full vial of the liquid and chuckled. "He can't be saved."

Black  hearts  and  throwing  darts,  o  the  sweet  surrender  of  the  night.  Time  is  quickening  and  there's  yet  to  be  a  lethal  fight.  White  versus  black  which  one  will  crack?  To  the  death,  till  one  breathes  his  last  breath.  Blades  against  the  chest  you  ought  to  know  the  rest,  o  the  sweet  surrender  of  the  night.  Black  hearts  and  sensational  sorrow,  wait  until  the  fun  starts  beginning  with  tomorrow.