Silence.
It persisted for a long time as Alex held Albus in his arms, waiting as the last bit of warmth escaped the old professor's body.
He let out a heavy sigh as he set Albus's body down before rising to his feet.
Master.
"Don't worry, I'm okay," Alex muttered. "He died on his terms and his last moments were blissful."
He felt grateful to the old man.
He'd helped him recover some of his emotions, allowing him to feel like a normal human again.
For a moment, Alex wondered if there was something to learn from Albus and indeed, there was.
There was a reason he had a code of conduct.
If in Albus's position, Alex would have also opted for death as it would be much better than being unrecognizable to the one he loved.
Taking a deep breath, he intoned softly. "Rest easy."
Master, the snow.
