I don't really see any indication in the lyrics that one of the people has sacrificed themselves for the other. Mostly for this song, I picture two people in the dark hiding from people who will kill them, and one of them is showing the other that she loves him, potentially as a last message shared between the two as it seems they may or not be about to get caught by the Nazis. This love might be a source of comfort in a desperate time and is certainly a reminder of earlier, more carefree days, and maybe it's sad, too, because this love is all they have and it might be taken away from them when they are separated by the Nazis. Or maybe, as other commenters have stated, love is eternal.
Also, to reply to reply to HarvestGloom, John Darnielle went through a lot of trauma in his earlier years. Having gone through some myself, I get the sense that the mind may go to morbid and dark places if one has been hurt in a very deep way. What I know of Darnielle is that he's been happily married for many years, and was probably in a good relationship when he wrote this song.
I don't really see any indication in the lyrics that one of the people has sacrificed themselves for the other. Mostly for this song, I picture two people in the dark hiding from people who will kill them, and one of them is showing the other that she loves him, potentially as a last message shared between the two as it seems they may or not be about to get caught by the Nazis. This love might be a source of comfort in a desperate time and is certainly a reminder of earlier, more carefree days, and maybe it's sad, too, because this love is all they have and it might be taken away from them when they are separated by the Nazis. Or maybe, as other commenters have stated, love is eternal.
Also, to reply to reply to HarvestGloom, John Darnielle went through a lot of trauma in his earlier years. Having gone through some myself, I get the sense that the mind may go to morbid and dark places if one has been hurt in a very deep way. What I know of Darnielle is that he's been happily married for many years, and was probably in a good relationship when he wrote this song.