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Their breath seemed to hang in the air as the clock ticked down its final minutes.
It wasn't cold, they weren't either -the two of them- but the night sky with all of its stars seemed to hang onto this.
The Finality of it all.
The slightly taller of the two, the one in the white, looked up from the lake that held their attention, looking to their right. The movement caught the attention of the other, the one in the black, slightly shorter. Between them, the night held no sound, other than the faint noise of the clock ticking. It no longer held any fear, or anxiety, or even worry. There was no hope, just acceptance.
For a moment, or two, they did not speak, simply turning their gazes towards the lake. The silver on the still dark water was a sight to see, a perfect last even.
Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
The one in white was the first to speak, their voice even. "I have been well, Unus. The clock is almost at zero."
The one in black did not move, but replied all the same. "It is, Annus. Its been one hell of a year. Thank you."
In sync, the two took a breath, the sky filling with a cloud of white.
Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
The one in black held out their hand first, and after a moment of not hesitation, slotted their to fit in their partner's.
The ticking began to boom in their ears, and they took their first steps down the sand and into the not quite cold water, the waves lapping at their pristine shoes. They did not flinch, simply taking another step into the depths.
"Are you scared?" The one in white asked softly, their voice seeming to carry gently over the sound of the sloshing of the water.
"I'm not sure. " The one in black replied, their voice just as soft, if not even more so, leading the slow descent the two were taking. Another step, the water soaking into their waists.
"Good. There is no reason to be. " The one in white curled their fingers around their partner's fingers, locking them together.
Another step.
The ticking is deafening.
The water eats at their chest.
"We had a good run. I don't regret a thing." The one in black finalizes. The water laps at their chin. Their locked fingers long since submerged.
"Of course. It was you and I, after all. " The one in white trails, and closes their eyes, stopping. The stars shone down on the two brightly.
"See you on the other side."
"See you on the other side...."
The water washed over their heads as they took their final breaths and allowed themselves to sink.
It was silent for a moment, before the sounds of nature swept over the forest once more.