One heart, held high in a girl’s hand – dark, jagged lines show where it had been broken and haphazardly put back together, misshapen from being stepped on countless times. A empty, filthy space in her chest reveal where her heart used to be. Tears spill down her cheeks as she holds it higher, black and pulsing against her cold, pale hands. A wordless scream flies from her lips – it pierces the darkness, travels through the fog and smoke to another’s ears. He’s beside her in an instant – cradles her head in his hands as she collapses on the ground. Still sobbing, she holds out her heart, begging him to take it, to take it away from her. Gently, oh-so-gently, he accepts her heart, holds it close as she takes one final breath and relaxes against him, eyes slowly fluttering close.

He cups her still heart in his scarred hands – the deep red blood seeps through his scars and coats her black, misshapen heart. He looks at it lovingly, waiting as his blood soaks into her heart and helps it begin pulsing once more. No longer is it dark or scarred, misshapen or bruised. Now it shines a pure, holy light on the girl’s face, a shining silver that matches his own heart. Their two hearts beat in time, creating a beautiful, pure symphony.

He places her new heart back in her chest, covers the gaping hole with his scarred hands. The dark space now fills with the same, holy light, throbbing in time to both their heartbeats.

Her lungs fill as her heart returns. New life – his life – pumps through her veins. Slowly, she opens her eyes to light and his warm, laughing eyes.