For the damned | ✓

24

DELILAH HAD BEEN IN her room when Helio had told her it was time, but it had been midnight when her heart had shattered. She hadn't cried in a long time now, but her tears never gave her shame. It was proof she had loved, proof that he had existed. Mateo had been her best friend for longer than she could remember. All she had ever wanted was for him to be happy.

When Helio's scythe went through him and he disappeared she closed her eyes, before opening them again when Helio carefully placed a hand on her shoulder. He had made them invisible, but that didn't keep her from feeling like Mateo's family was still seeing her, the three of them standing frozen on their frontyard, like he would return if they waited a moment longer.

"I'm sorry," Helio whispered, glancing at his hands, like he personally had killed Mateo," for your loss."

"Thank you," she smiled, her tears catching the moonlight," he's in good hands now, right?"

"He is," Helio said, voice quiet but still ever so clear," I will guide him to his destination, Delilah, until he finally can be at peace."

"He's pleasant company," she said," you'll have fun guiding him."

"Are you alright?" he said.

"I am," she said, softly wiping her tears away," I always knew this would happen, sooner or later. Besides, death is not the end of the road. I will see him again, one day."

"Come back inside," a girl said then, holding who Delilah presumed to be her mother as she waved at her brother," it's cold."

"Yeah," the brother said, gaze fixated on where Mateo had been standing before, lowering it after," it's cold."

They headed inside, the mother standing in the doorway for a moment longer. She breathed out words in the evening air then, so quiet Delilah almost couldn't catch them. And with that she was gone as well, the door clicking shut behind her.

"I miss you, Teo," she had said.

He had almost heard them.

That too, broke Delilah's heart. Still, it was a different kind of mourning when you already knew someone was dead, one she was all too used to. When she looked in Helio's eyes she could see he understood, but of course he would. Through all this time, he had always been able to understand her struggles with her powers, with the connections she had built with them. They may not have the same gifts, but their heartbreak tasted just the same.

"You can go, Helio," Delilah reassured him, gently taking his hand in hers and squeezing it," it's alright, I'll be fine. Go do your job."

"I will," he said, not letting her hand go," but first I'll guide you home, Delilah."

"I am not a lost soul," she said.

"I know," he replied easily," but I still want to be around you."

It felt strange to hear him say that, especially considering how strongly he had been against being around her at first. Still, she was glad for it, a smile back on her face as they started walking, hand in hand. The quiet evening air carried them along, Delilah pointing at the stars and telling stories about them as Helio listened.

"That constellation is Andromeda, do you see?" she said, tracing it with her finger.

When she looked at him, his gaze was on her instead of the lights above, soft as he nodded.

"What is it?" she said, extending her other hand to cup his cheek," is something on your mind?"

This was the first time they were seeing each other again after Niccolo had shouted at him in her classroom, the emotions of that day having risen up so high she knew he was probably suppressing them again. With his high workload and the pressure he put on himself she wasn't surprised, but she wanted to make sure he knew he could rely on her if he wanted to.