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It started with the first raindrop. The first flash of thunder when Till decided it was time.
He was ready to die.
Ivan hushes the crowd with his soothing siren call to the fate that has placed them here. Till listens, his grip on the microphone loosening. It’s so easy to die. All Till has to do is not sing. Refuse to call out to this fate and it will all be over soon. He came dressed for the occasion after all.
His part of their duet starts, and Till closes his eyes, singing the first verse, singing his last verse. Everlasting. Ivan’s call will be the last thing he hears, waiting for the winner to claim his place, waiting for it to finally end.
The crowd disappears with a pull of his arm, and all that remains are the rain and Ivan’s lips.
Desperate desperate desperate. Why are you so desperate? Why can’t you just let me go? I can’t ever love you. I can’t. I can’t. I can’t. Stop. Stop. Don’t look at me like that. Like I’m your god, like I’m your hope, your joy, your universe. Don’t tell me you love me like this. I already knew.
The thunder only gets angrier, gets louder when Ivan wraps his hands around Till’s neck. feels the pressure, listening to his own drowned gasp for air and just let’s go. Gives up.
It’s ok as long as he dies.
It’s ok as long as they die.
What if we died together?
But that’s not allowed. Only one must die.
The pops sound so far away. Not part of this world or this moment. Till leans into the pressure on his neck and waits for the dark. For the nothing to start.
Instead, Ivan’s hands let him go. No. They fall away from him like the ending breeze. Ivan smiles softly. The rain dripping on his face mixing with the blood falling from his lips.
Wait… You’re not the one meant to die. What did you do? Why are you dying? Why are you dying for me? Why do you look so happy dying for me? This won’t make me love you. This won’t—
“Ivan?” Till barely realizes he’s spoken. The cold seeps deep into his skin, fills his bones with chills, his heart with more scars. “Ivan?”
And the rain continues to fall. Each droplet ringing and echoing louder and louder on Till’s ears, louder and louder until it’s the only thing he can hear through the stage as it starts to wash away Ivan’s blood.
Or is it applause?