Xander's POV:

She fell asleep soon after she finished her meal.

In her cage, which I wanted to at least try to dispute, but knew that I was in absolutely no position to argue with her.

I knew that space made her feel safe, and I knew that even after our conversation, she was still on edge.

Even so, I sat on the couch and listened to her even breaths.

I... didn't want to be too far from her right now.

Ever since I saw her slip from that window I've just been high strung.

Even despite my exhaustion, my body was set on one thing until I could get myself to calm down.

To keep her safe.

Keep her safe and comfortable, anything after that could wait.

Everything after her fall as well... that way she completely fell apart as soon as her shoulder was fixed.

Watching as this girl that built herself out of titanium shrivel into fragile porcelain in my arms.

To hear the tears she never let loose in front of me, showing me on top of what I had already assumed that I had done to her.

I had broken her.

And now I needed to do everything I possibly could to put her back together.

I felt like none of that was her responsibility, she wasn't the one who did this to herself.

She held herself up the best she could until it became too much.

And if she trusted me enough, even just in that one moment of weakness, to carry some of it for her, then you can bet your ass I'll carry it to the ends of the earth.

Every time I thought back on it, the feeling of her weight falling on me, the agony in her voice, the desperation in the weak hold she had on me...

I was panicked, I was scared, I was angry. I was everything in between at the knowledge that my actions and lack thereof had pushed her to the edge.

Scrambling for a way to fix it.

Trying to come up with something impossibly quick if it just meant that she'd feel better again.

I knew that thought was a futile one, but getting her back to how she was before all of this was my goal.

No matter how long it took.

I meant every single word that came out of my mouth, and I could only hope that she knew that as well.

I couldn't possibly expect her to immediately trust me again entirely, so it still stood as only a hope.

Even if she did words alone in this aspect weren't going to be enough.

So I will do anything needed.

Any request, any want, any minuscule thing she needs to put her mind at rest again.

My recently ever-present instincts rumbled in that familiar agreement, before dissipating into the dormancy it belonged in.

I let out a quiet breath, leaning back into the couch cushions at its leave.

Now all that was left was that familiar warmth radiating from everywhere she had been pressed against me.

Especially on the skin on my back but I tried not to focus too much on it.

I didn't let myself focus on it.

It felt wrong to me at this moment to even think about enjoying something when it came from her expense.

Other than that, I did feel a little better...

After saying what I wanted to, and getting her to talk again.

Finally being able to hear some of what was on her mind.

I can only assume more will come after she regains her strength.

Although, I think the real reason for my new ease was just plainly based on the fact that she was taking the basic needs in taking care of herself again.

Which I probably needed to do as well... I've only been living off of blood for the past few days up until I ordered that soup for us.

Not yet. That can wait a little longer.

My head fell back and turned just enough to see the window behind me.

Almost immediately, I spotted the thick puncture hole my wings had left in the brick.

That whole incident happened within a heartbeat.

I saw her slipping and my body just moved.

Something snapped in me, and everything else was purely visceral.

One minute I was at my desk, nervously watching her, and the next I was halfway out the window, surprised by the fact that I wasn't falling too.

The initial shock of my wing's appearance was my only thought on them.

I knew why they were there.

For the first time in what felt like ages, every part of me was in agreement and acted accordingly.

Amazing what happens when that's the case, huh?

Amazing what happens when I'm actually focusing on the right person.

The relief I felt when I had her in my hands will remain unparalleled for as long as I breathe.

I absolutely couldn't lose her.

I couldn't lose my best friend.

The girl I'd found myself wanting to prioritize over anything else.

Even after I tarnished every last bit of that relationship... I couldn't.

Not to that.

Not after everything she's been through.

The good, the bad, the awful. None of it was enough.

She couldn't die having the small amount of time she actually had to live be her legacy.

She was worth so much more and I wanted her to be able to express that.

Not lose her after forcing that large of a mistake onto her shoulders.

And with that look in her eyes as she looked up at me after I caught her, I'd like to think that she agreed with me.

At least to an extent.

I lifted my head, stealing a short glance at her.

She had fallen asleep rather quickly and had stayed in a deep sleep ever since.

I hoped that she would be for a while. She needed to regain her strength.

Keeping my hearing on her, I stood, walking over to close the curtain to the window.

I nearly jumped out of my skin the second the ring of the phone blared through my advanced hearing.

I had sped over and answered it just to get it to stop ringing before I could even think.

Luckily its short noise didn't wake up Doe.

Which meant that she really had to have been asleep, since it didn't take a whole lot to wake her.

I stood there frozen for a few seconds, unsure as to who's call I had just answered.

Cautiously lifting it to my ear, I spoke quietly.

"H-hello?"

"You did get Layla to agree to let the pets attend the ball, right?" Nico's voice spoke from the other end.

I felt myself relax at the realization, yet react in an odd way at the very mention of her name.

"Oh. Yeah, I did," I cleared my throat, trying to rid myself of the wavering tone, and slowly lowered myself into my chair, "I think she put that on the new fliers."

"You know I don't take those things. Either way, I assumed you did, I just wanted to make sure before planning that night any further."

I hadn't even thought about the ball...

It was only the day after tomorrow.

Fuck...

"Planning?" I questioned.

Nico didn't even like these sorts of things, and usually just showed up with the closest thing in his closet.

"Yeah," he cleared his throat this time, matter-of-factly speaking his next words, "Wouldnt be much of a wingman if I didn't."

God, why did I say that? Why did I drag him into all of this?

If I had just accepted at that moment how ridiculous her request was, how none of this would have happened.

If I had just listened to myself that day.

Even hearing Nico's voice right now, the memory of what he said to me that same night I had begged him to go to the ball for her sake.

And then I just went ballistic.

It felt like a miracle he was even talking to me on his own accord, let alone without any underlying anger or annoyance in his voice.

And that realization just made it that much worse. Immediately leaving me to compare every conversation prior.

Reminding me of what they used to be like before I went and fucked everything up.

All, again, for her sake.

Why did I get stuck on her?

Why did that greed embedded in me get my entirety stuck on her?

Why did I think that any of it was worth it!?

'Stop digging yourself into these holes and just tell them what you're thinking.'

"Nico you... you don't have to go." I didn't try to mask my despondent tone.

No... No more of that.

There was a silence on the other line. A longer one than usual when it came to Nico.

"What?" I could hear the controlled confusion.

"You don't have to go," I repeated, my chair falling back with me as I leaned against it, "I know you hate these kinds of events and shouldn't have included you into it knowing that."

"Oh," Another silence, a longer one this time.

I just sat there and drowned in it, in the realization that me being genuine brought this much shock to him.

"Well uh, though I do appreciate the sudden sentiment, I'm actually looking forward to this now."

Now?

What happened to him?

Maybe he found someone to go with.

As farfetched as that seemed given how much I knew him but...

"So don't worry about it too much, I'll be there with you like we planned. It'll be fun."

Right...

Why did it sound like he was comforting me?

Or maybe just reassuring...

Was this behavior so odd that it brought that out of him?

That thought felt like a rock dropping on my chest, my fingers tightening around the phone.

It was something that usually happened back before this whole thing started.

Back when we'd actually act like brothers.

I guess I should at least be happy that he still cares.

Maybe he's right then.

It'll be fun if it's him and I.

Everyone knows she won't want to be by my side that night anyways, and that thought was nothing but relieving.

His side, probably, but Nico is firm with what he does and doesn't want to deal with.

Another quality I should try to adopt.

"Sound good?" He questioned.

It was then that I realized that I was the one that enveloped us in a long silence.

"Yeah," I quickly replied, "And um...thank you. For helping Doe, I mean"

I needed him to know how much I meant that.

If he wasn't there, or if he turned us away, I don't know what I would have done.

I don't know what she would have done, and that was the absolute last thing she needed to be dealing with.

"You already thanked me, Xan."

Xan.

I can't remember the last time he called me that.

It was relieving and agonizing all at the same time.

"I thanked you like a prick," Even in my anger I could register that, "And I know you said you were done helping her, but you made an exception and I really do appreciate it."

I bit the inside skin of my lips with my front teeth, biting them closed.

Being transparent like this shouldn't feel this strange.

Like I'm just waiting to get shut down like the times I've deservedly been before.

He's my brother...

And yet I've done nothing but lie to him and treat him as nothing more than an emergency room for years.

"Xander are you okay?" he asked the most complicated question.

My brows furrowed, and a fang scraped nervously over the corner of my lip.

Right now, despite the constant battering of emotions, was the best I've felt in a while.

Now that I had a plan... a purpose of sorts, and someone that I wanted to protect.

I had a lot to do. A lot of making up to do, but now it felt like I was doing something right.

"I'm... better, I'm just working through some things. I'll see you at the ball though, yeah?"

This silence was the shortest one yet.

"Yeah, I'll see you there."