author's note

hello! wow so I'm finally back? not really x.x I've honestly been having a lot of problems with continuing my stories... to be honest, I've thought a lot about letting them go without telling any of you. But I think I'll just update, even if little by little. Anyway, thank you for all those still sticking around, I love you all to bit! I've also started a webcomic! so is anyone wants to check it out just hit me up!

sincerely,

ms. atmoicbomb

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The sizzling of bacon filled the kitchen, light of the sun warming the room to an ever toasty warmth. Diarmuid prepared breakfast as Scathach set the table. They were silent, but it was a nice kind of silence, they were just enjoying the morning. Diarmuid was a little nervous, though, since Grainne had called him first thing in the morning and asked if they could meet up before school started so they could talk, however, he wasn't going to to let that ruin his day. He'd woken up with a smile, after his sister had made sure he would be late to class.

It was a surprise when Diarmuid and Scathach heard the front door creak open. They'd been waiting on their brother all night, so much so that Scathach hadn't gotten a good night's rest. He'd been out the previous day and hadn't so much as contacted them.

Scathach crossed her arms over her chest and frowned upon seeing Cu stumble into the kitchen."So, where have you been?"

Squinting at the sunlight, Cu covered his face. "The pub, I know, should've called earlier, but my phone died."

"Your phone died?" She raised an eyebrow, "Is that the best you can come up with? Really?"

"I'm going to bed," Cu commented and walked towards the staircase.

"I'm talking to you!" Scathach followed him, stomping all the way as she yelled out. "And what about work?"

"I have the day off," he hissed from the top of the stairs, "I'm not that irresponsible."

Diarmuid didn't bother putting himself in the problem, he tried to pay attention to the food he was cooking so that it wouldn't burn, but he would be lying if he said he wasn't even a bit concerned. His brother had become easily irritated, distant, and even a little rude in the past few days, and Diarmuid knew much too well that it had to do with Jeanne. He'd deduced this as he noted that before going on the date with Jeanne He'd been completely normal, but afterwards he'd changed. This was also something Diarmuid witnessed when his brother was upset.

Scathach huffed, throwing the rest of the cutlery on the table without caring where or how they landed. "How could he think it's alright? Coming home at this time? Not even calling? This idiot," she grumbled under her breath. "Doesn't he understand? This kind of behaviour isn't acceptable."

"He's old enough to know," Diarmuid commented.

Scathach scoffed, "I don't care how old he is. This is our house and I am the eldest here so he follows my rule. He doesn't just get to do whatever he wants to all the time. I don't care if he has a job, if he has his own life; he follows the rules."

Diarmuid stopped serving the food and nodded. "We should eat, we'll be late soon."

Scathach glanced at the wall clock near the window and nodded. "Yeah! We should be off soon." She sat down at the table and Diarmuid brought the food, taking his own seat next to her.

They ate in silence and cleaned up quickly before rushing to school. They parted ways in the parking lot while Scathach went to the gym while Diarmuid headed towards Grainne's locker. He felt a heaviness in his heart and thought about what Grainne could possibly want to talk to him about. It'd been quite some time since she even talked to him, the last time they spoke it was the fight they had in his barn.

He saw Grainne, leaning against her locker and pushing a strand of her chocolate hair behind her ear. There was a bright smile on her face, one he hadn't seen on her in quite some time, while she spoke to a girl. As he approached, he noticed it was Jeanne that she was talking to.

"Oh, Dia," Grainne caught sight of him and waved him over. He couldn't help but notice how beautiful she looked. She wore a nice faux suede high waisted skirt that made him realize how tall she was compared to Jeanne, her dress shirt loose fitting but made her look delicate. He felt his heart skip a beat just like it had when he'd first seen her. She'd grown up, a lot, after all these years and he failed to realize that.

He walked towards her, a small smile on his own lips as he noticed she wore big hoop that he mother had given her two christmas days ago. Something he knew she'd left far out of her sight for the memories of her mother would surface and cause her pain. But she looked strong, so very strong and he was proud of her.

After reaching the pair of girls, he leaned in to give Grainne a kiss but she shifted her head slightly and his kiss landed on her cheek."You look beautiful, babe," he smiled at her, admiring the soft blush on her cheeks.

"Thank you," she nodded and then looked over at Jeanne.

"Hey, Jeanne, how are you?" Diarmuid smiled, reaching over for a hug, which she accepted.

Jeanne shrugged, "Well, you know," she gave a sheepish smile, "been better."

"These days have been crazy, haven't they?"

She nodded, "Yeah, they have. Lot of surprises, not in the good kind, though."

"That's for sure," Grainne agreed and then gave Jeanne a nod.

Jeanne nodded back and then pulled out her phone. "Well, I gotta stop by my locker, I'll see you at lunch?"

Both Grainne and Diarmuid nodded, saying their goodbyes before the blonde left down the hall.

"It's good to see you're talking with her again," Diarmuid thought to comment, he really was happy to see her socializing with someone that wasn't him.

"Yeah, Artie, Jeanne and I basically hung out all weekend, it was nice to have a little girl time for a change." They walked down the hallway too, but to a place that they would usually hang out, where no one bothered them.

Diarmuid expected the worst; a break-up, the way she'd been acting towards him, the fact that she didn't hook her arm around his or held his hand on the way towards their hiding spot, as she usually did.

They sat down on the bench and Grainne seemed to shy away. They were in the corner of the school, where, for some reason, they'd put a bench in front of a window, looking out towards the rolling hills. Students didn't really know about it because one would have to make may turns and go down long hallways to get there, it was also in an obscure part of the school that wasn't used for anything more than storage.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Diarmuid wasn't really worried about coming late to class since the teacher loved him and she never gave him any trouble, and Grainne didn't have a morning class.

Grainne fidgeted with the hem of her skirt, closing her eyes and taking even breaths. "It's...it's not really something that...that you'd really...want to hear. I think? I don't, really, uhm," she stuttered, "I don't really know. I've been thinking about it for a while now, since...since out fight. I mean all couples fight but I—I..."

"I think..." Diarmuid mumbled, "I think I know what you're trying to say."

Grainne sniffled. "I think, we should...I think that we should, uhm, b-break up."

Diarmuid never once let his eyes fall from Grainne's, or even so much as flicker away for a second. Her eyes were red now, glistening over with tears upon tears, and the tears began running down her cheeks.

"I don't know why I'm crying when I'm the one asking to break up," She tried wiping the tears away with her fingers, hoping not to smudge her makeup. "I just...I think it's time for me to move on, for me not to linger by you, and just—just constantly ruin your life. I just...I want you not to hate me."

Diarmuid wrapped her in a hug and she couldn't help but cry into his shoulders, her own hands holding unto him tightly. "I could never hate you, Grainne."

"I've been a horrible girlfriend, I know that," she hiccuped, "I know there might have been times you wanted to break up. I just...I smothered you."

He rubbed circles on her back, whispering encouragement. Telling her he cared for her, he loved her, and that everything was going to be alright. When he said he loved her, Grainne could tell it wasn't romantically, she knew he loved her as a close friend, as someone that he'd grown up with and faced the world with.

"I'm sorry for being the way I was, for hurting you, for forcing you away from me. I'm sorry for everything."

"It's okay, you did nothing wrong, Grainne."

She pulled away, her mascara running down her cheeks along with her tears. "No, Dia, no, I did do things wrong, I did hurt you. You can't just sweep all that under the rug. I hurt you, many times, and you can't pretend I didn't. I acknowledge what I've done...how I dragged you down with me. You can't just say it's okay."

Nodding, Diarmuid wiped her tears away, "It's okay because I forgive you, Grainne. I might've been hurt sometimes, or even conflicted, but you have to know that I've never once stopped caring about you. I want you to be happy, I want you to not regret me."

"Regret?" Grainne scoffed, "you were one of the best things to happen to me, Dia. Why would I ever?"

Diarmuid gave a short nod, "And this decision...you feel it's the best to make?"

She looked out the window. "Yeah...I..." She wasn't crying anymore, she was withdrawn, as if she too were distant. "I think it is. Now that I'm moving to London, I..."

"Wait. You're leaving? When did you decide this? Was this because of me? Did I—"

"No, Dia, this isn't because of you. My dad suggested it, and I also think that it'll be good for me to get out of this place. A change of scenery, you know?"

"Right...Well..." Diarmuid looked down at his hands. Silent for the most part, he couldn't think of much to say. "If it's something you decided for yourself, then I support you." He took her hand. "Thank you, Grainne, for being with me all this time. For growing up with me. I'm really lucky to have had someone like you by my side."

Diarmuid was fully thankful, he was happy that she'd been with him all this time, that she cared for him the way that she fact that she'd been with him every step of the way for four entire years. They really came a long way, from young teenagers as lost as anyone could be and now they were nearly ready to make their own lives.

Grainne smiled at him and he couldn't help but have his heart flutter again at how divine she looked in the sparkling sunlight. "Thank you, Dia, for supporting me, for loving me...and for caring for me. You know... I don't know where I'd be if you weren't there for me when my mother left...I really appreciate it."

They talked a bit more about what she was planning to do after she got to London and when she was leaving. It was nice, though, that they were just friends now, and that they still cared for one another. Diarmuid hadn't expected them to stay friends after their breakup before, he'd always thought it would be sour, but now, he was happy. Happy that he could move on without feeling guilty, without being held back by remorse and worries.

Grainne was his friend, his very best friend, and he would never take that for granted. He vowed to be there for her when she needed him once they began dating and he was glad that he would never need to break his promise. He'd always be watching out for her, even if she was moving far, far away.