Over the River and Through the Woods (Adventures!AU Book 2)

Ch 54 TR Part 2: Turmoil

Finally, the resolution. For the most part. Things won't be all back to the way it was before, but the wound is bandaged now and we can proceed with the healing <3

If you want mood music, I listened to "Hurricane" by 30 seconds to mars pretty much on loop when writing this ^^
It's another chaotically written chapter and pretty gut wrenching on Crosshair's end. I cried a lot~~

Hope you enjoy!

Cw: Self reflection, self depreciation, angst, emotional turmoil, abandonment fears, ghosting mention, crying, lots of crying, excessive crying

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"It's his."

Shadow's snarl repeated nonstop in his head, twisting the knife deeper every time. Further and further into his heart, tearing it open and setting him on fire from the inside out.

Closing his throat.

Tightening his chest.

Stealing his breath.

Gods, what a fool he'd been.

How... how could he say the things he did? How could he just throw everything away? Shadow trusted him. Cared for him.

"I'm done playin' the part of a lovestruck fool."

Loved him, even.

And how did he repay them? How did he thank them for all the effort and time and energy they poured into him?

"They'd only distract us."

"Slow us down."

"They aren't a good match."

"It doesn't matter!"

All the things he'd said, all those careless, cruel words...

Shadow's face.

Their screams.

Tears.

Heartbreak...

He'd earned their anger. Their rage.

He should have known better.

He did know better.

But he panicked.

Lashed out.

He...

He was a damn coward...

And now Shadow was lost to him.

The thought of losing them tore him open, ripping a sob from his throat.

Hunter looked over. "Crosshair-"

"I earned this," he croaked, heading in his hands. "Shadow... Wrecker you shouldn't have caught their tail."

"Instead of mopin'," Hunter growled before Wrecker could speak. "How about you start thinkin' about apologizin'?"

"Crosshair doesn't know how to apologize," Tech snorted, glaring at him. "He never has."

Apologize.

He didn't know how.

He didn't know what to say.

He'd only make things worse.

A conversation flickered through his mind.

Sun on his and Shadow's backs, surrounded by strawberries with storm clouds rolling over the mountains and thunder in the distance.