Chapter 1:

Ebony, a despairing woman of unquestionable experience, stood alone on the beach, gazing over the teal water with her melancholy cinnamon globes. Her cotton candy hair rustled lightly in the ocean breeze. She tried to deny the stirrings in her heart as she hummed "Crawling" to herself. She wore a pitch-dark suit with an ivory blouse peeking out around her neck, and a tight many-colored miniskirt showed the shape of her hips and the russet tone of her legs. Her bubble-gum hair was trimmed short around her head, complementing her pained light brown visage. A noticeable sigil provided proof of her descent.

Her thoughts wandered to her days in Joshua's company. They had known each other since they were children. They had spent time together so often that, despite all differences, others often mistook them as siblings. However, it was not until recently that they had recognized their feelings for each other. From then on, Ebony was sometimes needy and close, but then suddenly cold and fearful. Joshua tried his best to hide his pain, but it was plain in his depths. That was how it was to this very day.

Ebony's amber globes spotted Joshua further down on the beach, closer to the roaring sea. His lovely locks rippled behind him in a cinereal wave. His pools were turned toward the ocean, hidden from Ebony's sight, but she knew and loved their resolute dusky hue. He was dressed in his usual everyday clothes. His skin was bubble-gum and his form was slight. "Joshua," she called, walking towards him.

He glanced back and a daring smile flashed across his face. "Hey. Ebony."

Ebony shrugged and said only, "Let's go." They began their leisurely walk along the ocean's edge.

"How have you been, Ebony?" Joshua asked as they began their stroll together.

Ebony looked impassive as he replied, "As I've always been."

"Oh." He glanced awkwardly at her, fidgeting with his fingers to pass the time. "... Not very well?" She didn't humor him with a response. He reached for her hand, but she pulled away.

"You," she intoned in a low voice, "what is it that you want from me?"

That halted his in his tracks. "Ebony!" he pleaded. "I love you! I just thought... I'd let you know. That I'm here to listen." Ebony angled her body away. "Ebony... you were there for me. I... I've never forgotten that. No matter how much you push me away."

She kept walking in silence. Her coral coiffure shivered in a frosty wind. "It wasn't for you," she murmured.

"I don't care," he shouted against the wind and sea. "If it was only because you wanted me for yourself, it's all felt the same to me! Don't you understand? I chose you! I..."

"You made your choices," Ebony cut in, "and I'm making mine. I'm not going to deal with your prying."

His audacious orbs flashed and he yelled, "How do you know it's the right choice? You've never let me in!"

"You ridiculous child," she muttered. "Go back to your play pen. Let the rest of us, who know well enough the futility of optimism, live in the real world."

"Child?!" He crossed his arms and pierced her with his glare. "You're the one who can't see past her own gothic daydream! If only you'd...."

"If only I'd what? What is it?" she taunted.

"If only you'd love me," he whispered. "Do... do you love me, Ebony? That's... that's all I've wanted. That's why I chose you. Do you...?"

Something in his heart died when Ebony wordlessly turned her back on her and continued down the beach. Still, he hastened his step until he returned silently to her side

Joshua listened silently and solemnly. At last, when all the words had left her and she was at a loss for words, he reached out to her and took a deep breath to whisper back, "Ebony... I... I don't know what it's like, to live with your father's death... but... I'm sorry, Ebony. I wish... I wish I could help." Ebony's eyes began to burn, and she abruptly pulled him into a fierce embrace. His spheres widened at first, but then he too felt overwhelmed by emotion and succumbed to the warmth of her touch.

"You," Ebony whispered, her breath hot on his ear. "As long as you're here, I... I can make it." They held each other as tears trickled down cheeks and dripped onto the shifting sands to be carried away into the sea. With time and soothing embraces, their pain dissipated into a mist swept out by the ocean breeze and into the setting sun.

They basked in each other's quiet companionship for a few moments.

"The sunset is so beautiful, isn't it?"

Ebony lifted her head at Joshua's words to behold the dying sun's French vermillion radiance. "Mm."

After a moment of silence, he asked, "Do you think we'll be together forever?"

"Please... let it be forever," Ebony murmured in response.

"I would like that, Ebony. Let's be together forever, then." Joshua clutched her hand and sidled closer.

Ebony sighed with contentment and brought him closer. She gazed at the beautiful lemon-colored rays of the falling sun, thinking about everything that had transpired on this day and all that would pass between them.

"You'll hurt your eyes doing that," Joshua added.

Ebony looked at him instead. "I love you, Joshua."

"I love you too, Ebony."

Their lips met, and pastel strands met cement-colored ones, aflame in the dying light. The sand was their witness and the rumbling ocean their approving audience, and Joshua, her eternally faithful lover. Ebony thought to herself that nothing had ever been so perfect for her as this.