He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. Trying to pour a thousand unspoken words into the gesture.  I’d follow you to the ends of the earth. Do you want to cause me more pain? Because I’ll gladly endure it all. I hope there’s life after death. Even if it’s hell, I want us to go together, holding hands. As long as I don’t have to exist without you. In another lifetime, it could have been easier. If nobody had hated us. If we hadn’t hated ourselves so much. But you know, maybe it’s better that it was grueling. It showed me you’re worth fighting for. Even if I’m fighting against myself. Or you. He left the words unspoken, barely thinking them. Even in his mind, they were a faint whisper, a light breeze in an endless desert, caressing the sand with so light a touch that not a single grain was lifted in the air. 