Chapter Text
It's the day that both Naib and Emma dreaded for a long time; the day when Naib has to leave to go off to war. Neither of them know how long he'll be gone or when he'll return home. They've been quietly going about their daily routine in their quaint cottage house up until the inevitable moment at the front door where they have to say their goodbyes. Emma hands him his military backpack and tells him she slipped in a homemade apple treat for him to eat on the train. He's touched by her kind gesture and playfully thanks her for fattening up a colonel before a long, grueling battle. She laughs and doesn't miss a beat, saying the pleasure is all hers of course.
Then their smiles fade and the amusement dies down as they gaze at each other hesitantly, longingly. A silent question hangs in the air between them for a few nervous heartbeats before one of them moves; Naib slides his gloved hand around Emma's waist, reaching the small of her back, and Emma instinctively wraps her arms around Naib's neck. She tilts her head slightly as their eyelids fall shut, closing the gap and finally sealing their lips together in a deep, slow kiss. It feels so perfect and heartfelt and real, and all Emma wants to do is cling to this moment with her beloved for all eternity.
When they break away after a series of sweet kissing, they gasp for air and Emma is a little too dazed to notice that she has been crying. Concerned, Naib gently wipes away a tear track with his thumb and peppers her cheeks and forehead with tender kisses.
"I have to go..." he murmurs against her skin. "They need me."
"I need you more," slips out before she can catch herself, surprising both of them. Her face warms in embarrassment as she bows her head shamefully. "S-Sorry... I shouldn't be selfish..."
He gives her a sympathetic look and brings his hand to her chin, encouraging her to lift her head up. "It's fine... I like it when you're selfish. You deserve to be." He caresses her cheek once more and gazes lovingly at her. "...I'll be back soon."
They both know it's a lie, but he says it like a promise with such determination to reassure her. And she can't help but believe in it desperately.
"You better. You still have to try my new recipes and help me plant the petunias in our garden." She pouts ever-so-slightly.
His eyes glimmer with softness as he presses his lips to her hair, whispering, "I wouldn't miss it for the world, my love."
He holds her tight and she adjusts to the embrace, resting her hands and her head on his strong chest with a shaky sigh; probably for the last time in a long while. She clenches the fabric of his uniform and firmly blinks back more tears, trying to avoid staining his pristine blue tunic with her sorrow.
Is this what it's like to love someone so much? Will the lump of fear lodged inside of her throat ever disappear? Will this unbearable yearning constricting inside of her own chest, squeezing her heart and steadily breaking it into dozens of pieces ever stop?
Fate is always so cruel. Yet for the first time in years, Emma prays.
“God if you're listening, please, please, don't take him away from me... I don't want to lose my family again…”