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His blood stained his shredded shirt, his hands and forearms, and his lips. He was gasping for air, for something that no longer came easily to him. I pulled him against me, his strong back molding with my front, and wrapped my arms around his neck. "Don't you dare leave me, Devon Fitzpatrick," I tried to joke. I felt his hand touch mine, and his cheek lift as he tried to smile.

"It's gonna be okay, Winny," he wheezed. A cough shook his frame like an earthquake shakes the city and I felt the tears burning the back of my eyes like hellfire. His bloodstained fingers trembled as he reached higher and stroked my curls, just like he always did. "You're gonna grow up into a beautiful woman, get hitched, and have tons of beautiful babies . . ."

I had to be strong. For him. Stifling the tears, I gasped, "And they'll all be just as stubborn as I am, right?"

A husky chuckle. I could hear the blood rattling in his lungs. He was fading, fast. "Yeah, they will be," he replied, his fingers twisting around one of my limp ringlets. I focused on the soft shell of his ear, and the dark tangle of hair on his head, and the warmth of his skin that was all so familiar. I tried to commit everything to memory. Even the feeling of his hand in my hair.

"Winny?"

I gulped heavily. The lump in my throat was a freaking mountain. "Y-Yes, Dev?"

"Tell Buddy Boy that he better treat you right, or I'll whip his arse when he gets to Heaven."

I laughed shakily. "I will."

Silence. My heart froze. Was he already gone?

Then, "Winny?"

My hold on him tightened. I even squeezed my thighs against his sides, hoping that I could just maybe transfer some of my strength and life into him.

"Yeah, Dev?"

"I love you more than you'll ever know."

The tears burst free this time, like a dam blown through by a flashflood. I kissed his hair, his cheek, and the crook of his shoulder where it met his neck. I inhaled the scent of his soap and cologne, closed my eyes, and whispered, "I love you, too. I'm so sorry I hurt you, Dev. I hate myself for it."
Another wet, raspy chuckle. His breathing was growing more and more labored by the second, and my grip was growing tighter. In the distance, I could hear the sound of footsteps--Adenah, Dax, and Cain, running in our direction. If only they would hurry, Devon could probably be saved.

"Don't," Devon murmured. His hand fell to my thigh, which he squeezed weakly. He turned his face to look at me, and I moved mine close to his. I felt the warmth of his breath on my cheek, and then the pressure of his lips against mine. I eagerly kissed him back, but then he pulled away gently. He rested against me, letting all of his weight go finally, and then there was nothing but the sound of footsteps in the distance.

Description
His blood stained his shredded shirt, his hands and forearms, and his lips. He was gasping for air, for something that no longer came easily to him. I pulled him against me, his strong back molding with my front, and wrapped my arms around his neck. "Don't you dare leave me, Devon Fitzpatrick," I tried to joke. I felt his hand touch mine, and his cheek lift as he tried to smile.

"It's gonna be okay, Winny," he wheezed. A cough shook his frame like an earthquake shakes the city and I felt the tears burning the back of my eyes like hellfire. His bloodstained fingers trembled as he reached higher and stroked my curls, just like he always did. "You're gonna grow up into a beautiful woman, get hitched, and have tons of beautiful babies . . ."

I had to be strong. For him. Stifling the tears, I gasped, "And they'll all be just as stubborn as I am, right?"

A husky chuckle. I could hear the blood rattling in his lungs. He was fading, fast. "Yeah, they will be," he replied, his fingers twisting around one of my limp ringlets. I focused on the soft shell of his ear, and the dark tangle of hair on his head, and the warmth of his skin that was all so familiar. I tried to commit everything to memory. Even the feeling of his hand in my hair.

"Winny?"

I gulped heavily. The lump in my throat was a freaking mountain. "Y-Yes, Dev?"

"Tell Buddy Boy that he better treat you right, or I'll whip his arse when he gets to Heaven."

I laughed shakily. "I will."

Silence. My heart froze. Was he already gone?

Then, "Winny?"

My hold on him tightened. I even squeezed my thighs against his sides, hoping that I could just maybe transfer some of my strength and life into him.

"Yeah, Dev?"

"I love you more than you'll ever know."

The tears burst free this time, like a dam blown through by a flashflood. I kissed his hair, his cheek, and the crook of his shoulder where it met his neck. I inhaled the scent of his soap and cologne, closed my eyes, and whispered, "I love you, too. I'm so sorry I hurt you, Dev. I hate myself for it."
Another wet, raspy chuckle. His breathing was growing more and more labored by the second, and my grip was growing tighter. In the distance, I could hear the sound of footsteps--Adenah, Dax, and Cain, running in our direction. If only they would hurry, Devon could probably be saved.

"Don't," Devon murmured. His hand fell to my thigh, which he squeezed weakly. He turned his face to look at me, and I moved mine close to his. I felt the warmth of his breath on my cheek, and then the pressure of his lips against mine. I eagerly kissed him back, but then he pulled away gently. He rested against me, letting all of his weight go finally, and then there was nothing but the sound of footsteps in the distance.