Just saying some of you might hate me for what you will find out in this chapter... 😫

The sun is a rarity at Nocte but when it makes its presence known it does so dramatically and to the bitter joy of Avery, its beaming rays, only slightly muted by the cool breeze, are just warm enough too be comforting.

Avery sits on her balcony, door firmly shut behind her as no one attempts to follow the torn Summoner from the room. The low hum of talking can be felt more than heard through the walls but without trying to hear even pieces of the rather heated conversation Avery places both a figurative and literal wall between her Warriors and herself.

Confronting them and calling out their half-truths and blatant lies may have been the worst response to Jaebum's revelation. At least, that's what Avery fears. The bonds they've created, the family they formed may shatter because of one poor choice and as she cowers and hides she acknowledges she is not ready to face the possible outcome of reality.

More than anything, she wishes for Xiumin to open the door and hug her, crush all her fears with his kind words and tell her that nothing will change. Or for Chen to tickle her until she smiles, apologizing for their actions, and promising a movie night to make up for it. Or for Lay to lead her inside and cuddle her until the bubbles of worry dissipate and die. For DO to be a silent presence standing guard over her vulnerable form, his presence reassuring her everything will be alright. For Chanyeol to smile the pain away or Baekhyun to be the light he is and be the mature voice of reason he can be when desperate times are upon them. 

For Kai to hold her in case she breaks down or to make her laugh until her stomach hurts. For Tao to drag her to his favorite bean bag chair and hold her, promising to go easy on her in the next training session they have. For Kris to explain why, to be the voice of reason her tainted mind needs, his large frame a shield against negativity and fear. For Luhan to show her his reasoning and reassure her in ways no one else knows she needs to be reassured. Or even for Suho to just explain why lying to her face was the route they chose to take to keep their secrets.

A small whimper escapes her lips, a weak, pathetic sound that the bitter voice of the devil in her head spits at even as the soft voice of reason whispers its justification. Drawing her knees tighter to her chest, she huddles against the railing drowning herself in the results of her actions.

The soft click of the door opening draws her eyes away from the concrete and a different kind of warmth bubbles beneath her skin but only for a second as she remembers why she is curled in the corner in the first place.

No words are uttered as he slides down the brick to sit beside her, micing her position, chin on his knees as his eyes follow the skyline, filling the birds that break free of the treetops and soar as a black silhouette against the pure blue.

Avery pulls herself tighter together as he doesn't do as she hoped, leaving space between them both as the conversation inside reaches new heights and someone leaves the room, a door slamming behind them and another delayed slam somewhere down the hall sounds only a few seconds later.

The Warrior beside her cowers at the sound, looking very much like a scared young boy rather than the all-powerful legendary Warrior he is. The collar of his green shirt is pulled and balled in his fists, his nails engraving small divots in his flesh, one or two slightly longer ones drawing a small bead of blood.

While Avery's instincts scream to go comfort him, hug him and make sure he's okay, she doesn't move. They remain in silence. Until he speaks, a small waver in his usual silk-smooth voice, trembling on syllables and catching at the ends of words.

"I'm sorry about Asher. I know there's nothing I could have done, we didn't know each other then and I wasn't involved but I'm still sorry for what you went through." He never raises above a murmur, a tone no one outside of a few meters of him would hear. "Three of my siblings died and I know it's especially painful if it's a younger sibling, someone you feel like you have to protect and keep safe from the world. I wouldn't wish that pain on anyone."

She doesn't speak, allowing him the same silence he gave her. "I don't remember much of my early life but I know one of my sisters died when I was a baby and another brother died when I was eight or so. But my younger brother, Sehun, I remember his death clearer than I've ever remembered anything."

"Sehun was only a few months younger than me and we were often left with each other while the others did whatever the older boys did and even after we become Warriors, our abilities worked well together and we could work together efficiently so we stayed together longer than I did most of the others. He was the only one of us to have an Air affinity and it suited him so well. He was so calm and level, almost stoic and easily mistaken as scary because of his resting face but once you broke through the cold exterior he was so strange and quirky and fun. He changed li