The sea was a violent, merciless creature, it had no mercy. In the middle of it all, two figures were struggling to hold on to each other. One was strong and determined, yet the one in his arms was weak and fearful. She was terrified of what would happen if they let go, but at the same time, she could not bear to lose him too.

"Don't worry about me," he assured her. "I'll be alright. I'm stronger than you think." But as he said that words like that never made much difference. He knew that her fear was true, however he tried to assure her that everything would be fine. Even though he was sure she didn't believe him, he kept his promise and continued fighting.

He was afraid. Afraid for himself, afraid of what was happening around them or the danger they could be in at any given moment, and more importantly, afraid of losing her. That last word scared him the most. For months they lived together, and even now he knew her well enough to know that whatever happens she will still fight by his side with reckless abandon. They may have had their differences and fights, but when push comes to shove, he would always choose her over himself. The thought of losing her made him feel sick to his stomach, but there were times when the idea of living without her was just as terrifying.

They both looked up at the storm, their hands intertwined so tight that it hurt but neither of them cared. As long as they held onto each other they knew they would be okay. As long as they stayed together nothing bad could ever happen. That's why he had insisted on going after her, despite his own injuries and exhaustion. The waves had been getting bigger and bigger, threatening to drag him down below the surface. He couldn't allow that to happen, not while she was still here with him. Even if she told him not to try, he wouldn't listen. Not for anything in this world. There were some things he was willing to do for love.

He squeezed her hand tighter, almost begging her not to leave him. To stay with him. And then the ground shook and cracked beneath them. The two of them tumbled back from the wave, unable to keep their balance anymore. He managed to grab her arm before falling and they fell into another wave together, taking a large amount of water and being thrown backwards. His head hit the rock above them and stars danced behind his eyes. He heard his name coming from somewhere near, probably the shoreline but he wasn't able to respond. He was exhausted, his whole body hurting as the waves pushed them deeper and farther away from the beach. He knew that they needed to stop fighting and give in to the ocean's pull but he was scared. Terrified that if they stopped he would loose her. That he would never get to talk to her again.

That this is the end. He felt her hand squeeze his, her eyes staring right into his own. Her lips moved and spoke to him, but he couldn't hear a word she was saying. He watched as she struggled to speak to him once more, her hand moving to his face and gently caressing it. It sent shivers through his entire body and he fought against the feeling, trying desperately to remain calm for her sake.

He felt her grip tighten as a loud crash sounded beside him. The sea seemed to move around them even harder now, making it nearly impossible to breathe. He wanted to scream but his mouth was filled with water, preventing him from doing so. He felt his heart racing faster and his breathing became heavy but he couldn't help it. His limbs flailed, trying to find something solid to cling to. He felt her arms wrap around him as she pulled him closer to her. She pressed herself closer, using every bit of strength she possessed in order to protect him. She buried her face into his chest, sobbing quietly. Their legs were tangled up together and he realized that even in the midst of a raging storm, she still found it within herself to save him. He was thankful for that but the thought of her leaving him made his heart ache. He needed her. He didn't want to live without her.

When the next impact came he was thrown back, crashing into the rocky shore line. The impact knocked the breath out of his lungs and his vision blurred. When he opened his eyes, his sight was blurry but he saw the outline of a person lying beside him, her head tucked under his chin.

'Protag!' she whispered in a desperate attempt to wake him, shaking his shoulder. It was too late. A wave broke nearby, drenching both of them in freezing cold water. Protag was barely conscious at first, slowly coming to the realization that they needed to swim. However the pain coursing through his body was too great, and his vision went black before he could make his way out of the surf.

It seemed like an eternity but only moments passed when he was finally forced to open his eyes. He immediately regretted it. All he could see was white light, blinding him. When the spots cleared, he could see that he was lying on top of someone else. It took him a moment but he eventually recognized the softness of her skin. She looked different somehow. More vulnerable perhaps. If he wasn't in such a state, he might have thought she was beautiful. But the sight of her lying lifelessly next to him brought back the worst memories he'd ever had and caused his mind to shut off for good.

All the while, she hadn't stirred. She seemed completely unaware of his surroundings, as if she was simply sleeping peacefully next to him.

Protag slowly sat up, wincing when he did so. He glanced down at her, seeing the steady rise and fall of her chest. Her face was peaceful, and if it weren't for the fact that she was lying naked next to him, he would've been fooled by it. Her eyelashes were slightly wet, and for a second, it appeared as if she was crying.

"You're alive," he muttered, his voice hoarse. He reached forward to touch her cheek, brushing it softly. His touch made her stir, causing her to slowly come to her senses. She turned towards him, opening her eyes slowly and yawning before gazing into Protag's. When she saw who it was that was looking at her so tenderly she smiled.

"Protag," she mumbled, blinking several times to make sure she wasn't dreaming. She sat up and wrapped her arms tightly around him.

"I was so worried." His voice trembled. "What happened? Where are we?"

She sighed in relief, pulling back and looking at him. Her expression changed from happy to concerned. "You don't remember?"

He shook his head slowly. "No, I was just trying to get us back to shore."

Her eyebrows furrowed and she stared at him, a thoughtful look in her eyes. "Do you...do you remember anything that happened?"

"Not really..." He paused for a moment. "I remember feeling dizzy, and then my vision went dark. Next thing I knew I was on the shore." He noticed that her expression grew darker as he spoke, and he frowned in confusion. He wondered how he could make her feel better. "Is something wrong?"

Her eyes softened, her mouth curving upwards slightly. "Of course not," she replied. "Just wondering. We should head back now." She stood up and stretched her arms overhead, wincing as she did so. She grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet. "Let's go."

The two walked along the rocks, trying to avoid stepping on the sharp bits that were still embedded in the sand. As they walked they talked. They discussed everything and nothing. At one point, he asked her if she was still angry at him, and when she responded negatively, he was surprised. In all honesty, he never expected her to be mad at him. He was usually pretty stubborn, but when she refused to argue with him and instead just gave him a gentle smile, he knew he had been foolish to assume otherwise.

As soon as they returned to shore he rushed to her side, helping her to put on her clothes. Once her dress was back on she thanked him and smiled at him. Then she started to walk away and he followed close behind. Neither of them said a word until they had reached the Void. Protag waited outside the Void's door as she entered, watching anxiously as she closed the door carefully. He was waiting nervously as he waited for her to say something to him.

"Are you going home?" he asked, breaking the silence between them.

"Yes, I need to go." She hesitated for a moment before continuing. "How badly hurt are you?"

"My leg is bruised but it's fine."

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "It wasn't your fault." She sighed, resting her forehead against the Void's wall as she stared blankly out the Void's window.

"It was."

"And what about me?" she questioned, finally turning her head to face him. "How badly am I injured?"

"Nothing serious. Your arm got cut but I don't think it's broken."

She nodded, not seeming entirely convinced. Protag leaned forward, reaching out and running his thumb over her bandaged wrist. She jumped at the contact, startled by his sudden movement. He ignored that however and continued to trace circles on her skin with his thumb.

"We'll be okay, we always will." He smiled reassuringly.

The wind was strong and the sun beat down harshly upon their skin. The clouds darkened and the water began to turn red. The ocean grew darker and darker and Protag held onto the girl that sat next to him for dear life, afraid to let go.

And the world around them raged, like a raging wave.

The End