Laserian

Two weeks passed, in a dull silence after the battle. Liosa was still recovering and so was my band. Marc was still losing blood but the main fact was we were okay. I have never been an optimistic kind of person but Amber made me see a new side, a better side of things.

Amber was back to her daily job. It was a good thing, she was not a teenager or else her parents were angry enough to ground her. She returned home with injuries which she could not explain truthfully and her parents were angry at her for staying with me and my band too much.

It was a miracle that they didn't stop her from seeing me. At this point, if I was being truthful to myself, I couldn't last a day without seeing her.

Eibhir was dead and so was Mattix senior, so Hoods and Quantums both lost their leader. Ailis was on the  run and I was pretty sure she was not coming back here , not in this life at least.

Everyone else, on the other hand, looked at Marc for leadership. And as much as idiotic my friend was , he would make a great leader. He was the only one open minded, amiable and balanced to  handle this. Isla was heartbroken on her husband's death.

But Marc was fine. He was hurt but he accepted it . He knew Eibhir was evil that needed to be finished off. As for me, I was not at all guilty for killing him because if I hadn't , my Amber would have been hurt.

Marc also decided to play the responsible Mainle family member and bring out the original prophecy out to either tribe informing everyone how Eibhir deceived them with the help of Ailis Mattix. People did believe, or they were trying to that Amber was nothing close to danger.

But like we know, we fear what we can't understand. They still feared her , at least their killing instinct was gone. And from experience, I knew it would not be hard for Amber to win everyone over.

As for me, I still garnered fear among both Quantums and Hoods. They knew my mother was also a panther and they saw that my brother was raised as a Quantum. They feared me and it was not going to change for a long period of time. But I was okay, no, more than okay with it.

Amber did break my ice shell, that doesn't mean I will change as a person over few months. I have been aloof and cold to everyone since I was a kid. For special people, I could be more me but to others I would like to remain the same frozen, feared and dark Laserian.

"We have an album release in three weeks." Liosa reminded me , making calls even from her bed.

I was next to her with Iramus as she called for us. Marc was still busy sorting his home drama and leadership decision. Terian and his sister had a lot of catching up to do. Bruke was more severely injured than others.

"I can't believe we are still doing this," I mutter in agitation.

We just lived through a battle and here we are making songs and albums.

"That is what you guys do for a living. Maroon 5 don't stop, do they?" She reminded me, with a dry look.

Injured Liosa was blunt and strict.

"Fine, I will get together with rest of the band and let you know what we decide."

"Did I ever give a choice Laser, get them together and I need you guys to be prepared for an interview next week at a bigger label." She instructed pressing her temples.

"Rest a bit Liosa, we can do this later." I tried to say as softly as possible.

She just glared at me and then started sorting some files on her lap. There was no use talking to her when she was on her manager mode.

"Fine, I will leave you to rest now." I got up but Iramus coughed reminding me he was still here.

"I will come a little later."

I frowned at him with confusion but he just shrugged at me.

If he was trying to flirt with Liosa, he was in with dangerous girl but I didn't stop him from trying.

***

"You can't ignore him forever, you know." Amber placed a coffee in front of me with a heart art on it.

It made me smile. This amazing, beautiful, sweet girl loved me. Me out of all the people in the world. I looked up at her from my song diary. Eibhir wanted me to kill her, the only person that made me want to live. It still amazes me how I was asked to kill her and yet with multiple opportunities I never did manage to kill her.

She was the first order I ignored as a soldier.

"I don't know what to say," I answered her truthfully.

"I know you are not that good with talking to people, speaking from experience." She gave me a smile that made my day.

I smiled back.

"he is your brother, your only living family. Talk to him, without threatening that is. He might like me but you know that I love you." She said the words with so much ease and yet so much truthfulness that it surprised me.

Why can't I say them?

"Am I allowed to kiss you in a public place?" My question made her blush.

"Drink your coffee Ian and then talk to your brother. Then you might get a kiss." She looked flustered.

Like I needed permission or a place to kiss her, so just to prove my point I got up and kissed her squarely on lips. She gasped at my sudden kiss but responded nevertheless making me grin in between our kiss.

"I will talk to him. And I can kiss you whenever I want, the permission was rhetorical Amber." I pecked her cheek again not wanting to let her go.

Watching her so close to death had been kind of traumatic for me and I wanted to be around her even more.

She smiled with a deep blush at me, "Do you need me there when you talk to him?"

"Not really, he already said he likes you and that will only make me angry."

She laughed at my response.

"You know I always dreamt about stuck between two handsome brothers. And Talfryn is closer to my age." She was joking, I can see it in her eyes but it didn't stop me from fuming in anger.

"He is not handsome."

"He is your brother, he got your genes." She simply shrugged.

"Amber, you are testing my patience."

"That is what you get for kissing me without my permission at my workplace." She grinned and left me before I could retort.

I guess I needed to talk to my younger brother.

***

Awkward silence.

Talfryn and I have argued, taunted and ignored each other but now it was awkward. I looked at him silently and I don't know if it was brotherly loved or whatever, I realised, he was good looking. He had similar features to mine and he got dad's eye colour.

He was the little kid I carried in my arms, he is the kid who I helped in racing toy cars, the kid I use to sing a lullaby to. He is the kid who I loved more than anyone in this whole wide world.

He is my brother and he is alive.

"I missed you." The first words choked out of my mouth.

And he looked up at me, surprised but then a small smile spread on his face and his eyes lit up.

"Do you still want to be Batman?" He asked, amused.

It was my turn to look surprised.

"You remember?"

"One of the few things. No one could forget that." His eyes watered and I tried hard that same didn't happened to me.

I gulped and searched for right words to say.

"So, the Quantum leader raised you? Why aren't you a killer?"

He chuckled.

"It is not in my blood." I had to grin at his wordplay.

"Our mother was a Quantum." I reminded him.

"So are you a killer?" He questioned me like a challenge.

In some ways I was.

"Don't answer that. Amber says you are noble and dramatic kind."

I glared at him.

"Stay away from Amber." I warned him and this time, he laughed.

"It is a freaking Soap Opera, a girl stuck between two brothers."

I rolled my eyes at him for the reference.

"Don't worry brother, she made her choice and is very clear about them."

I froze when he called me brother, he really did.

"It will take some time but I am glad I am not part of Mattix family. They are savages, to be frank." His light tone made me realise , he was so much like Marc.

He was the balanced Quantum.

"Same here. It will take some time to adjust that I have a brother and that too the person who I kind of hated because he was a Quantum and likes Amber. But I think I can tolerate you." I added as coolly as possible.

"She has mum's eyes." He looked at me with a raised brow.

"I saw them in my dream." He clarified and I felt grateful that he did remember some part of our mother.

"Well- Umm- What I am –The thing is if you don't have a place to live-" I was not sure how to say it.

Amber was right, I was bad at this.

"I would love to come back home." He saved me from being embarrassed.

I sighed and gave him a small smile.

"You are a cool big brother." He complimented with a grin.

"We will see about you."

I was being truthful but he laughed.

As I was about to walk away kind of glad I asked him to come home, he called out.

"Ian." I turned sharply.

He can't remember, did he? Or did Amber tell him that?

"What did you just say?"

"I called you that didn't I?" He asked with a frown not sure himself.

"You remember or another dream?"

"A lucky guess. Btw, I hate Laser and I am pretty sure I have some faded memory of calling someone by this name." He gave me a wide smile.

"And you never thought it might be me."

"Not really, I did look for Ian's in Quantum tribe though. How was I suppose to guess as a little kid that my brother was a freaking Hood warrior."

That made sense.

But what didn't was it didn't bother me when he called me Ian.

"Can I hug you?" He asked with a slight head tilt.

I glared at him. He was pushing it.

"Do you want to die?"

He just laughed.

"I don't think you would want to kill your brother you just found out is alive."

I groaned mentally. I can't tolerate another Marc with me.

***

"I am proud of you." Amber thumped Marc's back five days after my reconciliation with Talfryn.

Actually, not Talfryn, he was Leonard, Leo for me.

We were all sitting in Mainle Mansion; Terian, Bruke, Heather, Iramus, Marc, me, Leo and Amber.

Marc decided to take the leadership finally.

And Isla got through him by asking him to right his father's wrong.

"I am not sure I am doing the right thing." He sounded unconvinced.

"When do Marc thinks about right and wrong. Your impulsive and bright choices make you best for the position." Amber tried to encourage her.

"Excuse me, you are my girlfriend, not his." I reminded her.

She scoffed and ignored me.

Marc inhaled sharply and got up.

"We can take combined leadership." Marc looked at Leo for this who gave him a wary look.

"Don't look at me. I am not a leader material."

"He is right for the first time," I mumbled and Amber glared at me.

Glaring was my job, since when did people glare at me?

"He is perfect for this. Hoods and Quantums are ready to combine and give it a shot after centuries. We might need someone who knows them on a personal level and Talf- I mean Leo is best for this." Marc explained and it made total sense.

What is this?

A trio of people on who my glare and cold demeanour is useless. And two of them would be leaders. It seemed me like the apocalypse was nigh.

"What do you say, bro?" Yeah, so he has been calling me this since past three days.

It was unsettling, childish but I still felt the joy when he did that.

I sighed and gave him a flat look.

"A tribe filled with animals ruled by two of the biggest idiots."

They all looked at me with expectancy as if my opinion mattered.

"Give it a try." I managed to say much to my and everyone' surprise.

"Well, it is a dawn of new era." Iramus muttered.

"I agree as well." Terian added while Heather just gave a small nod.

She was still in guilt-ridden phase.

"I am fine as long as Quantums don't go all animal on us." Bruke added.

"Well, didn't you guys have to worry about..umm..how do I put it correctly, worry about the higher class of Hoods or Quantums who are still enemies." Amber always the sensible one.

We all were quiet on that one.

"Well, it's not like we are shifting in together. We will just be civil and have two different tribes with two different leaders." Terian said with a simple shrug.

"Right, it is not like overnight centuries old hatred will just vanish," Leo added.

I sighed at their antics while Amber looked amused.

"But we do have Romeo and Juliet's kids here, right Laser. How long can the hate last now?" Marc grinned at me.

God help us now that we are under his leadership.

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It is really the dawn of a new era. Two more chapter to go people...*ahem* including the epilogue. If you have any questions please feel free to ask.

And also do comment, characters will be leaving us soon. :'(

Also, I am going to miss Laserian, Amber and Marc...and the bromance...

What will you guys miss the most?

Reminder 1: For those who haven't checked out The Flower Girl,  another request, please do.

Reminder 2: Can you series also has a third part...Can you love me?  which will be up as soon as Can you save me reaches 50 K...a little help people?

And now read, enjoy and vote :)