[A/N: Chapter soundtrack - Here With Me, Marshmello Feat. CHVRCHES
"I'll be there by your side..." The words carried the weight of his eternal devotion.
"Always."
Slowly, Aria lifted her head, her large innocent eyes widened and locked with his, searching for any sign of truth in his words...
Without blinking, Aybel threw his knife at her. A spray of blood rained across the room...
His knife had grazed her finger forcing her to drop hers.
Clankta-Clankta-Clankta-Clink!
Both knives clattered to the floor, landing just within reach of the refrigerator.
Immediately, he stepped down on the nearby switch.
The knives flew towards the door, embedding themselves in a sunflower magnet.
The room was silent... the only sound being the gentle hum of the refrigerator.
Aria stood frozen, in shock.
How lucky of me, one error and she could've lost a finger, or worse...
Risky, but it was worth it.
The magnet on Aria's fridge is surprisingly strong. Unfortunately, I found this out the hard way.
I remember I once borrowed a stack of paper from her, and when I returned one of the books she had lent me back at her room, out of nowhere, from a considerable distance, I lost a paper clip to its clutches.
It was like how people in movies describe the scene where magnetic objects are attracted to each other and move quickly, except this time, it was actually real.
It was also funny because I recall that the book was Homer's Odyssey, which she really liked around that time, to the point of bothering me just to read it.
Anyway, I had an idea of how that might work for me.
Then I needed to distract her to get close enough to its extension board, and the best way to do that was to just tell her what she needed to hear.
All this before Aria can retrieve the knife. But with a bleeding finger I doubt she can pull it out now, not to mention getting past me...
Finally, Aria moved to slowly lean against the nearest wall for support, her arm covered her eyes as tears began to well up.
A sudden laughter echoed through the air. "It's funny how even in the face of death, I can't even keep my cool."
She held up her trembling hand, staring at the cut on her finger. It wasn't deep enough to bleed very much, but it still hurt.
"That was very smart of you, brother. I really am an idiot." There was a sense of awe that she wasn't able to hide.
"It's like I'm being stubborn for the sake of being stubborn." She turned to face him. "As always, I can't win against you, can I?"
"Indeed, but let me be clear about this: I didn't do it for you, and I'm certainly not 'saving' you either... simply because I can't."
"Then why did you do it?"
"..."
"Damn it... I hate you..." Tears began to well up in Aria's eyes once again.
"Why do you have to be so selfish?"
The tears finally gave way, falling down her face like raindrops as she tackled Aybel, her arms wrapping around his neck as she wrapped her legs around his waist.
Aria's face softened as she stared into his eyes.
"You know... You're an idiot..." A faint smile grew across her lips. "You're the most irritating selfish idiot in the entire world."
"And you're really starting to get on my nerves..."
"Wha!?"
"So you're not going to apologize?"
"For what???"
Aybel didn't respond, his expression completely blank.
"Oh, right... I'm sorry," she whispered softly, burying her face into his shoulder. "I'm sorry for everything I said. And I'm sorry for killing Eris..." She rushed the last part.
Aybel sighed as his arms wrapped around her frail frame. Her skin was cold and clammy, the wounds glistening in the faint moonlight.
Stupid moron... stay with me, don't leave me here alone...
Aria leaned back clinging tightly as she brushed her cheek against his forehead. "No matter what, as long as I have you, I'll be okay."
"It didn't look that way a few moments ago..."
"Geez. That was in the past, let it go already."
"It was literally two minutes ago..."
"Besides who do you think I am!? I'm not that much of a spineless idiot to roll over and die like a dog!"
"I would repeat myself but this is getting tiresome."
Her cuts... they're deep, at this rate she'll still bleed out in front of me.
"Then let's make a promise."
"I don't have the time for that." Mustering every ounce of strength he broke free from their embrace.
Thud!
"Ow!"
"I'll be back in a minute." As he turned to leave, his knee suddenly felt weak.
He looked down only to find Aria hanging on tightly to his leg.
"Please... don't abandon me... I'll be good... I'll be good this time... I promise I won't cause any problems anymore..."
What is this? She's like a leech.
He tried to rip her off, but it was far easier said than done. Giving up, he sighed.
"Do you still not believe me? Like I said before, that's not even an option for me. You know I meant it... We need to take care of your injuries. I can't just ignore it. Can you stand?"
Letting go of his leg, she tried to but her knees only gave out.
"Figures." Aybel let out another sigh. "You've lost too much blood. It's a miracle you can even move."
"Then just pick me up already. I don't weigh that much, I'm not gonna crush you to death or anything."
"Aria, you're in no position to bargain here. Besides, that's just too risky for me. Even the slightest touch around some of your wounds might reopen them."
"Not to mention the total bloody mess you made of the place, any wrong step could risk your life. In your condition, you really should not be moving around at all. Alright? I'm going now."
"No!" Aria grabbed his arm yanking him back with a surprising strength. "I'm serious. I want you to promise me that you'll never abandon me, and I'll do the same."
She stared at him not backing down. Aybel crouched to look at Aria.
"...What exactly are you so afraid of? You know, you can be incredibly irrational at times." He flicked her forehead.
"Ow!! What the hell was that for!?"
But... I understand. She needs to trust me. And I need to trust her...
"Alright, you have my word." He replied sincerely.
"Fist bump!" She suggested, extending her fist.
A meaningless gesture, but...
"Sure."
They bumped fists.
"Now, pinky swear because I said so." She smiled raising her bloodied pinky finger.
"Isn't this becoming excessive?"
Aria raised a brow.
"Huh? Is it because no one makes you pinky swear anymore?" Pouting, she crossed her arms. "You're such an old man sometimes."
"We are literally only a year apart in age."
"Come on, just do it...! It's not like you're gonna lose the finger. And if you don't pinky swear, then it's not official!" She whined with balled fists, sulking like a toddler.
Aybel let out a slow breath. "Fine... I suppose it won't do any harm."
Aria beamed as he hooked his pinky finger with hers. "And now, for the final one!"
Her smile faded and her voice took a grim undertone. "Cross your heart and hope to die."
"That's... a rather grave promise."
"Exactly!" She beamed even brighter this time then her grim tone returned, her gaze serious.
"Now, do it. Promise me and cross your heart and hope to die that no matter what happens, no matter how much I hate you, no matter how much I hate myself, I won't die alone. I want you to be there, by my side... until the very end."
A second passed then two, Aybel stared at her in silence.
"...Very well, Aria."
Without batting an eye he rose to full length crossing his arms over his chest. "I promise on my life and I cross my heart and hope to die if I ever abandon you..."
He looked down at Aria, who stared up at him with wide eyes. "Do you have anything more to add?"
Her face broke out into a wide grin. "Nope! That's my big brother! I knew I could trust you!"
"Then it's settled," he replied. "You promise me that you'll never abandon me."
"Oh, don't worry." She waved him off. "I know you won't break your promises. That's why I can take it as the real deal. And you have my word too. I..." Suddenly her voice trailed off.
"...I don't care about what people say. I don't mind anything as long as you are with me... So, no matter what happens, we'll always be here for each other, okay?"
Aria stared deeply into her brother's eyes.
"...Right."
And with that, like a wedding procession, both siblings gave their vows...
Adjusting his sleeves, Aybel grabbed both knives then scanned the messy room. His eyes lingered on an oddly shaped shadow in the corner.
"...I'll be back soon with the first aid kit." He said turning his attention back to Aria who nodded vigorously, her trust in her older brother evident in her eyes.
But Aybel wasn't fooled.
Liar...
He could see through her theatrics as clear as day.
Her eyes...
They said it all... The damage was done.
You really are a good liar.
He glanced back before leaving, I won't be gone long, just hang in there, Aria.
***
Promises...
Aybel walked briskly through the poorly lit hallway.
They hold so much weight, yet are often broken without much of a second thought...
The sound of splashing blood echoed in his ears as he stepped through the puddles on the floor.
Merely words, easily manipulated, lost in the winds of change...
He glanced at the closed doors lining the corridor, each one hiding its own secrets.
People make them with good intentions, but when circumstances change, they can be discarded as easily as a piece of paper.
Meeting the kitchen in disarray, he opened a small wooden cabinet, and examined the contents inside.
Aria expects me to be there for her, to hold her hand whenever she falters...
His eyes fell on a neatly organized first aid kit.
...But can I always be there?
Ah, how ironic...
The kit represented a physical remedy for her injuries, while the promises they made were the emotional remedy she needed.
He grabbed it closing the cabinet, but as he turned to leave his gaze fell on the knives in his hand.
Their blades were still dripped with blood...
He raised them up to eye level, staring at his own reflection.The disjointed image reflected back at him was a blank face...
Eyes running along the silver blades, they settled on the reflection of a photograph hanging on the wall, untouched by the carnage that surrounded him...
Attention drawn, he dropped both knives on the counter.
For a reason unbeknownst to him, Aria always seemed fond of that photograph.
...He didn't share her fondness for it.
In the photo, a family of four draped in colorful and bright kimonos posed for the camera in a lantern-lit garden. Pink petals showered the ground below them.
A man wearing glasses with a neatly trimmed blonde beard that matched his hair, and a woman with straight black hair stood on either side of a child.
The man's arm was wrapped lovingly around the woman's waist as she leaned into him.
A smiling boy stood in the middle, his arms widely flung around his younger sister's shoulders.
And the little girl, the crown jewel of the family, looked up, wide-eyed, at her elder brother with awe.
Aybel reached out and picked up the photograph.
Their smiles were brilliant.
It was beautiful.
It was a picture of sheer happiness frozen in time.
It was...
Naive.
A promise broken.
The foolish belief in them.
A reminder of our misplaced loyalty.
With a detached coldness, he stared at the picture, the family's smiles began to fade. Their joy slowly replaced by terror.
At a very tender age he lost his father.
Despite the recurring headaches, fading memories and the amount of therapy they had been through, one particular memory of that day was forever burned into his mind, seared into his very soul.
He could still hear his mother's desperate screams as she frantically tried to wake his father.
He could still see the bloody handprint on the window sill, as gore coated everything in a crimson color.
He could still remember the bloodied knife in his hand, the cold draft he felt as Aria clung to his arm, her small frame trembling uncontrollably.
And he would never forget the sight of his father lying slumped over in his seat. His corpse still and lifeless, eyes forever trained on Aria.
It was in that moment Aybel found himself reevaluating his stance on life.
A loss that would irreversibly alter the course of their lives.
Days became months, and then a year later his mother made a decision that would further taint his view of the world.
With tears in her eyes, she left them behind, for a world that seemed foreign to the young mind.
Like a dagger to the heart, the abandonment extinguished any light of hope he had left.
In that suspended moment she walked out the door, the realization dawned on him; he was now the sole protector of Aria.
Aybel held the photo tightly in his hand, looking at Aria's smiling face. Part of him wondered if her love for the picture was merely a part of her act.
No... despite everything, she truly does love this picture. He decided, taking the photo with him as he made his way back to the room where Aria waited.
Hope springs eternal, they say... But I've long since learned that's a load of crap.
Approaching the door, he slowed his pace, his mind contemplating every possible outcome and scenario that lay beyond that door...
Hope, is a relentless lie that dances around us, teasing us with endless possibilities.
However, opening the door, he couldn't have possibly hoped to predict what he found.
And just when you start to let your guard down...
Instead of stepping into Aria's familiar bedroom, the universe had played a cruel prank on him.
It pulls back the curtain to reveal its ugly truth.
Aybel found himself... falling.
To Be Continued...