The days passed in an odd routine, a routine where words had lost their brilliance and where simple gestures had become the only barriers against uncertainty. Léa focused on the treatments the doctor had prescribed, taking medications and attending follow-up sessions, but in every moment, one question persisted, one she couldn't push away: what if it wasn't enough?
Dylan was there, every day, by her side, but the pressure of the results and treatments was beginning to weigh on him too. He was torn between his desire to support Léa and the reality of the strain this ordeal was putting on their relationship. He had always been strong, always there for others, but now he felt more fragile than ever, in the face of Léa's suffering and his own fear of losing her.
One morning, as they were having breakfast, Léa broke the silence unexpectedly.
"Dylan," she began in a voice that betrayed a hint of hesitation, "I've been thinking... about what could happen in a few months. About what we would do if the situation worsened." She paused for a moment, as if weighing her words. Dylan, concerned, put down his coffee cup and looked at her attentively.
"You mean if... if you didn't get better?" he asked, his voice a little shaky.
She nodded, her eyes fixed on her coffee. "Yes. If the illness became too severe, if the treatments weren't enough. I don't want you to be trapped in all of this. I don't want you to sacrifice yourself for me, Dylan. And if you had a chance to rebuild your life elsewhere, I want you to take it."
Dylan stared at her, stunned. He had never imagined that Léa might contemplate such a scenario. The idea that she might push him away because of the weight of her illness deeply unsettled him. He moved closer to her and, with a gentle gesture, took her hand.
"I don't want to leave you," he said with a conviction that surprised even him. "I'm not here out of obligation, Léa. I'm here because I care about you. No matter what the future holds, I'd rather be by your side through the pain than live without you in indifference."
Léa finally looked up, her eyes shining with emotion. "But... what about you, Dylan? What about you in all of this? You have a life, you have dreams. And I'm... I'm maybe stealing them from you."
He shook his head, a sad smile touching his lips. "No, you're not stealing anything from me. You've given me something I never had: true love. And that, Léa, nothing can take away from me. I'm not leaving, I won't abandon you."
There was a heavy silence, a suspended moment where everything seemed to freeze around them. Léa seemed deeply touched by his words, but at the same time, a deep sadness seemed to spread within her. She knew what his words meant for Dylan. She knew that he was committing everything he had, that he wouldn't leave, even if it became harder and harder.
And then, a doubt crept into her mind. Was this sacrifice from Dylan, his willingness to put everything aside to support her, really what she wanted? Wasn't she risking losing him, suffocating him under her own burden? And if, instead of helping him, she was destroying his future?
Léa's thoughts were swirling, and she stood up suddenly. She walked over to the window, gazing out without really seeing. Dylan followed her gaze, concerned. "You're afraid," he said finally, after a moment of silence.
She turned to him, a look of despair in her eyes. "I'm afraid of what I might do to you. I'm afraid you'll stay out of pity, out of obligation. And I don't want that. I don't want you to waste your life for me."
Dylan stood up as well, approaching her. He was close, but he had never felt such a distance between them. He understood Léa's fear, but he couldn't let her go down that path. "Léa, if you left me, I would never forgive myself. Because I'm here for you, not because it's easy, but because I love you. And that's the real reason. I'm not leaving you."
Léa lowered her head, tears threatening to fall. She had never wanted to be a burden to anyone, especially not to Dylan. But at that very moment, she felt like a weight on his shoulders. She felt as though her future was a dead end, and the love he offered her was a promise he couldn't keep forever.
"I hate you for saying that," she whispered between sobs. "Because I know you're right, but I can't accept what that means. I'm... I'm scared, Dylan. Scared to see you suffer because of me."
Dylan gently approached her and held her in his arms. "You're not alone, Léa. Not now, not ever. And I'm not leaving you, even when it gets hard. But I understand what you're feeling. I understand your fears. Only... we have to face them together."
She let herself fall into his arms, unable to find the words to express everything she felt inside. In the heavy silence, Dylan knew that, despite the uncertainty, despite the pain to come, they still had a chance to make it. But for that, they had to make a decision, together.
"I don't want you to sacrifice yourself for me," she finally said, her voice broken. "I don't want you to live in the shadow of my illness. If you need to step away, to find a future that lets you move forward, I'll understand."
Dylan looked at her for a long moment, stepping back slightly to see her better. He cupped her face in his hands, trying to catch her gaze. "I won't step away, Léa. Because you're not alone. Because I love you, and nothing can take that away from me."
They stayed like that, in silent complicity, united despite the uncertainty of what the future would hold. But one thing was certain: no matter what decisions lay ahead, they would face them together.