Freaks

XVII

The moon's shine flowing in from the basement window illuminated Peter's silver locks. His chest rhythmically heaved up and down as he lied on the floor.
I sat up on the futon and whispered,
"Peter..."
He woke up with a start, and sat up with his hair unkempt. He flashed me a grin,
"Couldn't go a full eight hours without seeing me, huh, Firefly?"
I rolled my eyes and patted the bed,
"Just get up here, Quicksilver."
He lied down, his warm eyes peering back into mine.
"You're a dork," I laughed.
"I'm your dork."
A tear raced down my cheek like a shooting star. I could already feel the pain of losing him in my chest.
"What's wrong?" Peter asked.
I sniffled a little and released a bittersweet smile,
"Nothing. I just...I love you, so much, Peter. I want you to know that."
He smirked,
"I think your cheeks let me know first."
He brushed his finger against the warmth of my glowing cheeks and added,
"Can I tell you something?"
I nodded, secretly petrified that he would say something that would convince me to stay.
He continued,
"Ever since I was a little kid, I never liked the dark. To be honest, I still hate it. My mom always said it was because I had an overactive imagination and stuff, but I think it's just because the dark feels so lonely, you know?"
My throat tightened, only strong enough to repeat,
"I love you."
He cupped the side of my face as our lips collided, his energy flowing directly through my lips and into my veins. A surge of energy briefly lit up the room a soft blue, the color reflecting the stabbing pain of what I knew I had to do next.
He smiled, oblivious to what the color meant,
"Blue. That's a new one."
I bit the bottom of my lip and whispered,
"Goodnight, Quicksilver."
He kissed me a final time before replying,
"Goodnight, Firefly."
I closed my eyes. Peter said once more before drifting off,
"I love you, ___."
It wasn't long before he was asleep again. A part of me wanted to just wake him and tell him my plan so he could stop me. But if he ever got hurt, and because of me, I knew wouldn't be able to live with myself.
I got up gingerly, careful not to jostle him awake.
I slipped on my jeans and felt in my back pocket for the plastic cassette.
Track ten. "Moonlight mile."
I set it down on the coffee table.
The album was finally complete.
I grabbed a piece of paper and in the moonlight I wrote:
Peter,
          I hope you understand why I had to leave. I need to protect you while I figure out what I am. You are the only one who ever saw beauty in me, and for that I'm eternally grateful.
Enjoy the final track of Sticky Fingers. It's my final contribution to the Music Appreciation Club as I now temporarily annul my membership. 
Take it slow, Quicksilver. Time's too short to be moving so fast.
                                          Firefly
P.S. I was never a fan of the dark, either.

I took a deep breath, and one final glimpse at Peter peacefully sleeping.
People too often think that the strongest emotion is fear, or anger...but in reality, it's love. Love drives us to do painful things, all in our own free will. It's stronger than any energy that has ever brushed my fingertips, brighter than any star in the universe.
And maybe one day more people will realize that so that we don't have to hide, or fight, or run.
But for now I had to do what the only person I've ever loved does best. I had to run.
And that's what I did.

I ran.

Oh I'm sleeping under strange strange skies
Just another mad mad day on the road
My dreams is fading down the railway line
I'm just about a moonlight mile down the road...
-The Rolling Stones "Moonlight Mile"

End of Book I
(To be continued in Book II...)