𝕸𝖀𝕽𝕯𝕰𝕽 | 𝖂𝖊𝖉𝖓𝖊𝖘𝖉𝖆𝖞

𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝖙𝖜𝖊𝖓𝖙𝖞-𝖘𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖓

~

XXVII

~

"Oh, bloody hell."

Bahadir Demir rolled his eyes, "Not happy to see me, Bacı."

Aiyla bit back a remark, "I'm just hiding it well, Abi."

Xavier noticed that there was a large axe strapped to his back. It had a long wooden handle and an obsidian blade.

Bahadir glanced at Xavier and nodded, "I'm the crazy, axe-wielding older brother."

Xavier nodded in reply, but didn't say anything.

Aiyla shot him a look that said run.

But he didn't, well, not immediately. Instead, he tucked a stray curl behind her ear and kissed her on the forehead, "I'll see you later, my sweet gazelle."

And as Xavier turned and walked away, he knew Aiyla was going to give him hell about that later.

"It's not what it looks like," Aiyla assured her brother in Turkish.

He crossed his arms, "I thinks it's exactly what it looks like."

Aiyla furrowed her brows slightly and pouted, "Please don't be mad."

He laughed, "I'm not angry. I only worry that he makes you weak."

Aiyla felt as if someone had stabbed her in the chest. There it was.

"He doesn't," she reassured, "In fact, Wrath has been more powerful lately."

And uncontrollable.

Aiyla knew he could see through her lies.

Xavier knew that she was buying him time.

He sat on the staircase to the balcony, watching as the two interacted. Stiff and slightly uncomfortably. They didn't look as if they were happy to see each other. In fact, it was as if there was some sort of unpleasant event that was weighing over them and making any sort of interaction unbearable.

And then he saw her laugh.

It was a real laugh, one that lit up her gazelle eyes and pulled her lips up into a beaming smile. He'd barely even seen Aiyla smile before, so to laugh like this... Xavier was hooked on the sight, and if he could have painted it and stared at it every day, he would.

He watched, his eyes pricking, as Aiyla jumped into Bahadir's arms. Wrapping her arms around his shoulders and burying her face in the crook of her neck whilst he held her and spun around, burying his face in her hair.

They had each other.

And he had no one.

...