Anya looked very clearly taken aback when the boy started getting defensive with her. She really hadn't meant it in an awful way, but apparently it came across that way. "Don't talk to me like that." A slight frown had taken over her face as the boy spoke... he was snapping at her, and she obviously wasn't impressed. It made her wonder what on earth had attracted her to him in the first place. She'd just bought him a room and tried to clean him up a bit, tried to get him comfortable, and considering he was pretty much on his last legs, she was pretty surprised that he had the felt like it was alright to talk to her like that. "You could have come back for help," she murmured quietly. Really, she was just saying what she would have said years back, but only because she didn't have anything else to reply to him with. "I would have helped you with money... you wouldn't have had to work rooms, and you would have had plenty to live off, and you wouldn't have to deal with your father..." she trailed off slightly, not really sure why she was trying anymore. She didn't care, and there was no use thinking about what the boy could have done. "Well, before I go, I want that knife back," she muttered plainly. She was going to leave it with him... but he wasn't going to last, and it didn't seem like he was trying either. No use leaving the knife or the memories with a dead man, was there? "You're not going to last the week," she hissed. He could fight it, if he wanted. Or, he could let her help him out a little bit... like she'd done before. Really, the nappy little remark was just to get a bit of a rise out of him, but that didn't seem all too likely now.

Sage took a deep breath when the girl told him he could have come back for help. He hadn't meant to snap at the girl...she was helping him, at least a little bit. "Sorry," he muttered. His brows furrowed and he shook his head. "I thought you'd be better off if I didn't come back," he murmured softly. "Luther was right...you could get in just as much trouble as me if anyone else found out. I didn't want..." he trailed off then, not knowing what else to say. He didn't want what? Whatever, there was no use in trying to figure that out. He felt a jolt go through his chest when she practically told him to give her the knife back. Well, he really couldn't argue...shed given it to him, so really she had the right to take it back if she wanted it. He didn't know why she wanted it, or what shed do to it once she got it, but he wasn't going to argue. It wasn't like he'd be using it much more. He dipped his hand into his pocket, running his fingers over the knife that she'd put so much work into. So much love. He pulled it out and handed it to her, forcing himself to let it go. The girl was gone, and he was dead to her. He chose not to respond to her last comment...she was right, and he probably wasn't going to even last the night. He rolled over onto his side so his back was facing the girl and curled up into a ball, wishing the pain would just go away. He was silent for a few moments before speaking up in a quiet whisper. "If...if you chose to remember me, remember me for what I was. Not for this," he told the girl. It was almost a plead...but he wasn't going to beg anything from the girl. But if she chose to remember him, which she probably wouldn't he didn't want her thoughts of him to be this.

Anya looked at the knife in his hands for a moment, kind of reliving the day she'd given it to him. It seemed like ages ago now... but she remembered being so proud of the work. Really, it looked just awful. The writing on it was a mess, and it really looked like something Att would have done... but she remembered how happy Sage was when she handed it to him. She knew it didn't look amazing, but he'd been so thankful for it. And now, when it was sitting in his hand, it looked just as it had that day. Only, the boy had the most gorgeous smile written across his face... now, she couldn't imagine what a smile on him would even look like. Maybe only reason she wanted it back was to remember how happy she was that day... how happy they both were. She hesitated for a moment before carefully taking the knife in her hand and clutching it tightly, almost as though she was scared to lose it now. She had no feelings for him now, but she did remember how much she'd loved him for that short time. How much he'd loved her. She remembered all the nights they'd spent together, and how much every second she had with him meant to her at the time. She might not feel that way for him now, but she never wanted to forget what was like. She gave a bit of a sigh before shaking her head at his apology, then her brows furrowed slightly at his next words. "I loved you so much back then," she murmured quietly. "I would have gotten myself into all kinds of trouble if it was to keep you safe. You know how many days I spent just... crying? I was heartbroken when you left," she sighed before standing up and placing the bread she'd gotten earlier on the side table at his next words... she could only pitty him more for it. But, if that was all that he was asking... then it was doable. She gave him slight nod before wander over to the door. "There's some bread there if you need it... I hope you get better, Sage," she murmured before wandering out and towards the castle. She needed to get back to Att and Luther before someone got worried.

Sage sighed and closed his eyes when the girl spoke up again. "That's why I stayed away," he murmured. If he'd come back, the girl would have done anything for him...and that wasn't good. He winced when the girl told him she'd cried for days...had she really? "Well you're not crying now," he murmured once she left. But he couldn't help but add "good luck" in after a moment, aiming it at both her and Luther..and little Att too, he supposed, though the boy wasn't exactly so little anymore. He wouldn't get any better, unless she was meaning she hoped he found what he was looking for in death...and surely, the girl knew that. But she'd quite clearly told him she had no feelings for him anymore, and he could respect that. Really, he'd been awful to the girl, just running off like that. But what else was he supposed to do? He did hope the girl understood why he never visited, why he'd broken that promise, but he reminded himself that hoping for something was a sure way for him to get disappointed. And really, he didn't think he could handle any more negative emotions. Not that he was really handling them now. He remembered once telling the girl he was afraid of love...to give or receive it. He should have stayed that way, unwilling to love, because it had only really ever hurt him. He curled up in a little ball on the bed, grateful he was inside and somewhere...nicer to die. Though, it was a bit ironic that he'd die here, in the tavern, of all places. He didn't really want to...he wanted to go lay down and stay next to Liz, but there was no way of doing that. He felt his eyes, welling with tears, and squeezed his eyes shut, though it didn't really help. He never should have opened up at Lizzie's grave with Anya...never should have let himself cry...he did it often now, and admittedly, he was ashamed of it.

Anya took a slight breath as she walked away, almost regretting what she'd just done. Regretting helping him, or talking to him... she thought he was dead, and she almost wished it'd stayed that way. He'd asked for her to remember him when he was better... stronger, but that seemed almost impossible now. The boy was skin and bone. She was right when she said he wasn't going to last... but she felt awful for saying it now. Sage knew he wasn't going to last. She didn't need to tell him that. Whatever. She wandered back towards the gates where she was let in and just made her way back towards her room... well, it'd become hers and Luther's room now. Att had taken Luther's old room, the one that Sage was in, so the two of them were content to share. She placed the little knife on the side before going to rummage around in the cupboards for the book Sage had given her. When she couldn't find it, she looked under the bed before pulling it out. It looked old and battered now, and it had dust all over it. She perched on the edge of the bed before flicking through the book... Sage had put so much work into every drawing... every good time they'd had together seemed to be in it. God, why did she care? She didn't need to reminisce on it all, not now that she'd just seen him on his death bed. Still, she couldn't help but flick through the drawings. She heard the door swing open, and glanced up after a moment to see a rather curious looking Luther. The boy gave her a smile before skipping over and plopping down next to her, then placed a light kiss to the girls cheek. Anya gave a small chuckle before shaking her head. "What're you looking at that for?" He asked with a slightly cocked head. Anya sighed before flopping back and covering her eyes. "I saw Sage today," she stared quietly before peaking through her hands to look at the other boy. "He wasn't well." It was brief, but she was a little worried as to what Luther would say. The boy had apologised once or twice about the whole thing, about kicking Sage out, and he seemed apologetic enough about it. Luther just looked at her with a slightly raised brow before shaking his head. "And you're worried about him?" The boy asked curiously. Neither of them had seen the boy in... years, so he wasn't sure why the girl would have any reason to be worried about him. Anya shrugged slightly at the idea. She couldn't say she was overly worried. Well, she was, the boy was literally dying, but she wasn't as worried as she maybe should have been. "I suppose... Luther, I mean he's quite literally dying. It's not good," she murmured before looking back at him. "I got him into the tavern and had him drink something, but that's all I could really manage," she went quiet after a moment, "he's alone," she sighed before closing her eyes again. Luther hummed slightly before flopping down next to her. "You left him to die alone?" He asked in an almost disgusted tone. Anya groaned slightly before chucking the book aside. "What was I meant to do? I'm not even meant to be out there..." Luther cut her off again before shaking his head. "Well, it's fine with me if you go sit with him for a while. I'll come and get a drink in the tavern and you can... I don't know, read to him or something." It seemed like a good idea... she didn't want to leave the boy alone if he was in such bad shape... even if he was dying, she said he wouldn't be alone when that happened, and that was another promise she couldn't break. "I don't know... maybe. He might be good for a couple more days. If that's the case then we can maybe get his strength up a bit more. God, he looks awful Luther," she murmured quietly before covering her face again.

Eventually, Sage stopped crying and just...lay there, the world coming in and out. He wasn't really aware of time or...well, anything. He hadn't really had any water in him besides what Anya had forced down his throat, so tears were just a waste, and his body had no liquid to put into a year anymore. He could feel himself relaxing slightly, though that seemed to be more of an almost dead type relaxing than a yay I can sleep now relaxing. His breath slowed too...really, he was barely breathing. Barely anything at all. He was ready, and he knew he'd be gone by the end of the night.....and that didn't bother him. He was grateful for Anya to have brought him up into a room where he could be somewhere a bit more comfortable, even if it was the old tavern. It was as much of a home as he'd ever had, except for maybe the woods and lake where he'd buried Liz. Man, he wished he could get down there...but that would never happen. Hed die here...and really, by now he was alright with it. Yes, he'd hoped to have died by the lake and laid by Lizzie's side, but this would have to do. He'd see the girl soon...she'd come to get him other times, so she'd get him now too. Unless she had also given up on him. Forgotten him. No, Lizzie wouldn't do that...would she? His thoughts stopped as he coughed up more black gunk and wheezed, trying to force air into his lungs. Once he managed to calm it down again he pretty much just stayed like that...almost like some kind of doll, just laying there. Barely breathing, his heart slow.

Luther cocked his head slightly before letting out a heavy breath. "I just don't want things to go... wrong again," she sighed slightly. Luther just rolled his eyes slightly at the idea. "Look, you'll be fine. You were one of the only people that he has left... and I know I wouldn't want to die alone," he huffed before standing up and going to grab the girl a book. "Come on. Let's go," he prompted before offering her a hand. Anya took his hand, though. "He might not want me there! He really might just want to be alone," she murmured with a huff as the boy dragged her out of the room. "Well, I could use a drink anyway and I'm gonna need an escort to get me home," he grinned as he took her out the door. Really, Anya was scared that if she got there the boy would already be gone... she wouldn't know what to do then. "I don't want to deal with you if you're planning on getting drunk," she complained with a small chuckle as she tried to become a little livelier. They quickly spoke to a maid and asked for her to see to Att before Luther dragged her out the doors and towards the tavern, which was still beaming with life. Luther wrapped an arm around her side as they wandered in as a kind of safety thing for the girl... he was cautious of the men in the tavern, and he honestly didn't quite trust Anya to look after herself, even if it was just getting herself to the stairs. He walked the girl there before pressing a light peck to her forehead. "Go on," he smiled comfortingly, "I'll wait for you," he promised gently before watching the girl practically run up the stairs. She gently knocked on the door before poking her head through the door, only to see Sage laying there as stiff as a rock. She felt her heart speed up a little before quietly wandering over. "Hey," she whispered once at his side. She quickly made sure he was still breathing before almost letting out a breath of relief. "I brought a book to read... Luther said you might like it," she whispered softly, trying out a small smile.

Sage wasn't really aware of how much time had passed before he dimly heard Anya speak up again. But she'd left, hadn't she? Was he just imagining things or had the girl really come back? He cracked his eyes open slightly, shifting so he could see the girl, the corner of his mouth lifting upwards in a sort of smile. "Do what you want," he murmured before closing his eyes again. He didn't really have the breath or energy to talk much... But it would be nice to hear the girl read to him. Comforting, really. He was glad she'd come back, was glad he wouldn't be so...alone. though, he hadn't really cared he was alone, but now that she was here it seemed better. And if Luther had allowed her to come, had given her something he might like....what did that mean? Did he regret sending him off at all? Or did he just let Anya come because he knew he was dying and she didn't care for him anymore? He didn't know, and the confusion probably showed on his face, but so did the gratitude, so he supposed that showed everything he couldn't say to the girl.

Anya gave a bit of a smile as Sages little crack of a smile. He was trying... well, that was what it seemed like. She wandered over to jump on the other side of the bed before flopping a couple of pages into the book. "I'm afraid you might find this a bit boring... I've read this one to you before," she noted with a small type of chuckle. She glanced to meet his gaze, though a slight frown came across her face when she looked him over. "Have you been crying?" She asked with a slightly cocked head. She was trying to be a little bit more upbeat for him... though, it wasn't really working. She didn't care about him the way she did, but she also didn't want him to be upset... and she supposed that was why she'd let Luther drag her down here. She didn't want him to be lonely, at least for a little while. She reached over him and grabbed the glass again. "You're gonna want to drink more if you've been weepy," she murmured gently. She supposed he wouldn't feel like it, but she wasn't trying to make him feel worse... water would probably make him feel better if anything.

Sage didn't care that she'd already read the book to him before...if anything, that was a good thing, since he didn't have to really try and process it all. He was a bit surprised when the girl noticed he'd been crying, though he wasn't going to admit that, so he gave a small shake of his head and a tiny murmur of "I'm fine" to the girl, hoping she'd leave the topic alone. He wasn't going to drink more...it had helped soothe his throat, but he wasn't going to drink enough to make this last any longer than it already was. Though, a thought came to mind at that, and his brow furrowed in thought. "Why did you come back? Why are you trying to help me now?" He really didn't understand...and Luther trying to help was a whole other story. He didn't get it, but he wanted to understand why she'd come back this time.