He's holding on too tightly now, he knows, but he can't relax his hands, can't do anything other than stare into his lost husband's eyes and try to make sense of what he's hearing.

When his lips part it's to question, to plead - this can't be all they get, it can't - but then Evandrin is kissing him.

There hasn't been anyone else, since he lost his husband, and that's made starkly clear in his response; he kisses like he's been starving, or drowning, and his touch remains just as firm and desperate. He's left trembling and breathless when Evandrin pulls back, and his gaze blurs before he blinks tears out of his eyes.

He should be stronger than this, he should use their last seconds to say something reassuring or ask something useful but he's just standing there, dazed and desolate, as he loses the love of his life all over again.