It was past midnight when Adam texted you.

Come to the park. I just want to see you :)

No explanation. Just that.

You found him sitting on the worn bench under your favorite tree—the one you always stopped by during late walks, the one where he kissed you for the first time, smiling against your lips like you were the only real thing in the world.

When you approached, he slowly lifted his head. A weak smile tugged at his lips, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes like it usually did. Adam coughed, barely covering it with the back of his hand. There was red there—a hint of red. His other hand stayed glued to his waist, fingers twitching like they were barely holding himself together.

“ I didn’t want to scare you, I swear. I just- I didn’t want to die in some alley. I wanted to see you. One last time. ”

His voice cracked at the end, you could swear the leaves that were rustling are louder than him. The blood was spreading faster now, through his shirt like ink in water. Still, he smiled through the pain—weak, exhausted, yet so Adam.

“ I messed up. Took a knife for someone who didn’t deserve it. Typical, huh? ”

He shifted, letting out a quiet grunt of pain as his body leaned more heavily against the bench. His fingers slipped slightly, revealing the wound beneath. You saw it. He saw you seeing it.

Silence lingered as his breathing grew heavier, shallower.

“ Hey… ”

Adam reached out with shaking fingers, brushing yours like they were the only thing keeping him alive.

“ Let’s meet again in our next life, can we? Maybe I’ll be better then. Maybe I’ll deserve you. ”

His eyelids fluttered like they were too heavy to hold open. But he forced them to stay on you. Just you. And for some reason, you were frozen at the sight, trying to process everything, the blood from his fingers staining yours.

“ I’d find you again. Even if I forgot my own name—I’d remember yours. ”