New York was beautiful. The change of scenery seemed to do Liron some good, and I'm very glad we went.

He started chatting again, like an excited child at a theme park. He wanted to see everything - the statue, Rockefeller, The Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park, The Metropolitan Museum, everything.

We went back to the museum for three days. Liron and Sadie were enthralled, discussing the various arts and sculptures. Liron didn't remember much, but Sadie was more than happy to explain everything to him. It was like he was in wonderland, seeing art for the first time. He was smiling so much. Sadie said maybe his own art would be in there some day.

We spent a week, going everywhere. The last good week. It was a difficult experience, for that joy to be laced with such incredible sorrow.

On the last night, we went ice skating, crossing one of the biggies off of Liron's list. He couldn't walk properly, much less skate on the ice, so we sat on the benches and watched Natasha and Sadie chase each other around Lasker.

It was as good as we could get. Liron was leaning on my shoulder, holding my arm. It was a night of clarity for him. We were quiet, with the unsung song of sorrow hovering around us. Liron could hear it - he heard music all the time then.

"Maddock," he said, and I turned to face him. His blue eyes were filled with a light that couldn't ever possibly die. It had been hiding away, but it never really died. I brushed the long blonde hair out of his face.

"Yeah, buddy?" 

"Thanks for staying with me. I'm gonna miss you."

We had tried so hard not to give voice to the impending disaster, but of course Liron was going to be the one to speak it. I felt the burning of tears I hadn't cried for months building up in me. I didn't want to cry anymore.

I couldn't help it. "I'm going to miss you too, Liron." Speaking opened the floodgates. We both knew that would be our last moment together, as Liron and Maddock, childhood enemies-turned-best-friends, partners in crime, banditos against the world, roommates, bros-before-hoes and all that good jazz.

"Shhhh," he cooed, and wrapped his arms around me, pulling my face into his shoulder. "Don't cry. Every little thing's gonna be alright." I wanted to laugh, but I couldn't. "That which is not dead which can eternal lie, and with strange aeons even death may die."

I tried to get my sobbing under control, and when I had the chance to breathe, I pulled away from him. "What? That makes no sense."

Liron smiled a sad little smile, and stroked my hair. "It makes perfect sense, you crybaby. I know those synapses in your head are misfiring, but one of them will hit eventually."

"Shut up," I retorted, and pulled him closer to me again. 

"I will not shut up," he chuckled. "I'm dying, you dumbass. I have a lot to say before that happens. I want to say I love you. I have loved you for almost as long as I've known you. I will finally be able to get some sleep soon, and I look forward to that, really. But you're not dying, so don't don't go pretending you're dead afterwards, okay? I will be with you forever. Maybe I'll explore a bit as a ghost, but I will haunt you until you join me there in the afterlife. I will watch you sleep, and I hope you get creeped out by the thought. When things go flying off the shelves, that's me looking for attention. I will go all Amityville on your ass."

Liron did have a way of breaking the tension. I actually laughed.

"Just know, Maddock," he continued, "that you have to take care of yourself. I will be very displeased if you go screwing up your life. Write me a dirge, music man, and sing it proudly. Sing my death song, and I will die like a hero going home."

"I promise," I told him, because mortal promises meant the world.

Liron took my face in his hands, and forced me to look at him. He was staring into my soul with those blue eyes. "I will never die as long as you keep me alive." And then he kissed me, deeply.