"You sure have a lot in thought after coming back with Hendery and Cerius," My head snapback to Jullian who had been watching every now and then. We we were currently sitting in his bead as he held my hand. Slowly trying to sooth my heads from the jitters from now.
It has been 3 days since that had happened. Marcus, Hendery and Cerius was off duty to know where and Juan was left in charge while Jullian and Jenkins was always keeping me company while is also nowhere to be seen.
It must have been serious. Too serious that the three of them had to venture somewhere else. It's been three days and I couldn't keep my head in the game and I know that Jullian had been noticing my shifted mood every now and then, because I couldn't stop thinking about what that creature had said.
Now, every moment felt like a guilt and sickening revelation every time I spend my time with Jullian. I don't know if it's the guilt or the chaos I had created accidently. The fear that this could be in the palms of my hands and I had the power to stop it and I choose to ignore it.
The mornings with Jullian used to feel quiet, comfortable—even if tinged with a kind of quiet intensity that always lurked beneath his perfectly measured calm. Now, they felt like a performance. Every word I spoke felt filtered. Every glance he gave felt like a test I was unknowingly failing.
Today wasn't any different.
I sat by Jullian as always, our hands touching once in a while creating tiny sparks from the pact, as I was still getting used to all of this, but now it was becoming an accustomed to me, it had been a routine for all of us as we watch the pale sunlight cut through the forest mist.
A cup of untouched tea sat in front of me. Cold. Forgotten.
"You're not eating again," Jullian's voice once again woke me from the clouds of my head.
I flinched slightly before turning to face him. "Wasn't hungry."
"Your not hungry?" Jullian chuckles positioning himself a bit closer and I pulled back a bit, which could show an evident confusion from Jullian, "That's what you said when you came back with Hendery and Cerius. Did something happened between you three?"
I stayed quit.
"Or do you want me to know it by myself?" He approached slowly, not quite invading my space, but close enough that I could feel the gravity of him. Always composed, always watching. His eyes were softer today, though.
"You noticed," I replied, lips tugging into something between a smile and a grimace. "I do want to tell you, but Marcus told me not to worry about it, and beside your not in the right health to have anything inside more of your head."
Jullian scoff, "Seriously? Coming from a human? I've been around to know about this world, the least worry is what to happen, unless it's de demise of our world, I don't think it would be bad."
But it was. It could be the demise of our both world. There was a pause between us. I looked at him—really looked—and realized I had no idea what he was thinking. That unsettled me more than anything else. How could someone I felt so drawn to now feel like a stranger?
But before I could say anything the door opening revealing Juan and Aaron coming inside. Juan had that lingering smirk while Aaron still not talking but sure he was staring at me. Hard.
"Alright, Marcus gave us orders to take you for training," Juan said. "Don't even give me that look Jullian, if you have problems you go talk with Marcus, we're just doing what he tells us."
Jullian was off fighting a single glare at an awfully cocky Juan. But I didn't want Jullian to go fight his friends, and it didn't feel right to fuss over those kind of things. So I took my leave, and make sure to tell Jullian that I would be alright.
I was trying to reassure Jullian, but I wasn't so sure about my being with those two. As Marcus had instructed, Juan told me I was going to spar with Aaron today, I only do what he had said, despite the constant remarks to me.
"It's worse when you fight it," Juan said from where he sat on the edge of the training mat. His eyes flickered with something unreadable.
"I don't see why Marcus had to run along with Cerius and Hendery from a late night snack." Juan said. "Something must have happened for those two knuckle head to join Marcus."
"I bet it is important," I told him.
Juan let out a grunt, the kind that could mean anything—agreement, annoyance, or just a tired breath. He leaned back on his hands, looking at the ceiling like it might give him answers. I didn't press him. I wasn't sure if I wanted to know the full story anyway. Not yet.
"You should focus," he said instead. "Aaron doesn't play nice when he thinks you're distracted."
As if on cue, Aaron stepped onto the mat. His arms were crossed, jaw set, that familiar glint of challenge in his eye. He didn't speak, just tilted his head, waiting. I stood. I could already feel the tightness building in my shoulders, the nerves crawling down my spine. Aaron wasn't cruel, not in the way Hendery was when he was in a mood.
Aaron's first move was fast—a testing jab I barely ducked. I felt the air shift past my cheek, and my feet scrambled to find grounding. He smiled, not unkindly, but not warmly either.
"You flinch more now," he said.
"I also hit harder now," I answered, trying not to sound as breathless as I felt.
He came at me again. This time I blocked, countered, missed the follow-up. He didn't gloat. That was the thing with Aaron—he didn't need to humiliate you. He just let you feel it for yourself.
From the sidelines, Juan's voice cut in. "Your left shoulder's too open."
"Thanks," I gritted, as Aaron exploited exactly that. He was making remarks now and then, and by the end of training. I landed hard on the mat, the breath whooshing out of me.
"Seriously are you going to beat the councils with that move?" Juan voice out once more, "You'll really put out Marcus's effort in whatever he is doing. Betting on Jullian just for you to be this slow."
"You have a big mouth for someone who is always behind others," you challenged. "Why don't come down here and spar. Let's see how you like it."
He smiled faintly. "I've would have done it if it's not Marcus's order. Your lucky Marcus still think of you, human."
"Juan." A voice booms out of the training halls. "If your going to say something irrelevant. I suggest you leave both of us alone." Something about the way he said it made my stomach twist. I looked over to Aaron who had Juan scoffing in annoyance before leaving the room.
As I silently pray that he didn't. If I didn't open my mouth to his sarcastic sayings. But before I could take back what Juan had said, a new presence filled the room. I was trapped inside and I couldn't do anything. Like a pull in my chest, the sudden ache in my bones.