I Fell in Love with Hope - Lancali

Neo attempts to keep his composure. He swallows hard, his exhales
shaky and frail. His palm presses to the center of Coeur’s chest over
the gown. The thunder and lightning rumble just beneath.
Neo drags his fingertips over Coeur’s face. He leans down and
presses his lips to his. It is slow and gentle. Coeur kisses him back,
as much as he can, the two of them parting with flushed smiles.
“You better kiss me like that when I wake up,” Coeur whispers.
Neo laughs a breath, a tear rolling down his cheek.
“I will.”
The nurse gently tells Neo that she needs to take Coeur to the
operating room now. Neo nods in agreement, holding Coeur’s hand
until he is taken down the hall.
“Neo? Are you coming?” Coeur calls, although the calling fades into
babbling whispers. “Neo, Neo, my Neo,”
Hikari holds Neo’s hand. He doesn’t wipe the tear. He lets it hang
from his jaw and watches as Coeur disappears into limbo.
I’ve told you before that I am not tied to my body. Similarly, my body
is not tied to common perceptions. Normal people aren’t allowed in
operating rooms, but you’ve probably gathered by now that I am
neither normal nor person.
“Sam.”
“Yes, Coeur,” I say, standing at the head of the operating table.
Around me, nurses and techs gather their supplies. Two surgeons
get ready to scrub in.
One nurse places each tool that shall soon be used to tinker with
Coeur’s organs on a tray while the anesthesiologist prepares.