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Floette followed AZ into his room as he bid the rest of the kids good night. He had been telling them that he was deeply proud and glad to have known them when he had another coughing fit.
She watched as he collapsed against the bed, looking thoroughly exhausted. He didn’t bother to change, instead simply leaning his cane against the door and lying down.
“…ette?” he told her, his voice slow and raspy in the only way anyone’s voice could sound after 3000 years. She floated over to his side.
“I think this is my last night,” he told her. Tears began to pool in his eyes, though he kept his voice clear as if he had been trained. “May you stay here, just for tonight..?”
Floette nodded. She settled close to him, pulling up the blanket. He smiled softly, the corners of his mouth barely twitching.
“I understand this is a lot to ask…” he continued. Floette listened intently. “But when the sun rises tomorrow, may you help the children understand..? Urbain, really… I doubt he is as ready as you or I.”
Floette nodded again, doing her best not to cry despite being the only one who knew AZ was dying other than himself. She remembered Urbain meeting AZ. The boy had easily grown close to him, especially without anyone else around.
“Thank you, dearly…” he said. “I hope they will not resent me from keeping this from them…” one of his hands, old and weathered, reached for the lamp and turned it off.
“…Ette?” he finally spoke again, in the darkness of the room. Floette opened her eyes to look at him. He traced one of his long fingers across her first wilting petal.
“In whatever is beyond here, if possible… do you wish to find me?”
“Floe…” she said softly, wiping his eyes as she noticed the tears glimmering in the faint moonlight.
“Then thank you, from the bottom of my heart…” he told her. “I will wait for you.”
She nodded. Not long after, Azoth shut his eyes. Both of them knew they would never open again.