The journey continued into the night, the darkness enveloping them like a thick shroud. Seventeen felt the weight of their trust pressing down on her shoulders as they followed her through the dense underbrush. It was a familiar path for her—one that held secrets and hidden corners, a way to escape the prying eyes of the Zodiac Archipelago. But now, each step she took felt heavier, laden with guilt and confusion.
Hunter and Light walked close behind her, their chatter subdued, but she could sense the worry in their glances. They were beginning to question her, she knew it. Every now and then, she caught a glimpse of their faces, concern etched deep within their features, and it made her feel even more isolated.
"Are you okay, Blondie?" Hunter asked finally, his voice tinged with apprehension. "You seem… off."
Seventeen forced a smile, a brittle façade that shattered beneath the weight of her inner turmoil. "I'm fine. Just… tired, that's all."
"You're not hiding anything from us, right?" Light added, her tone soft but insistent. "We're here for you, you know that."
The sincerity in their voices cut deeper than any blade. She wanted to tell them everything, to share the truth about her past and the facade she had built. But the fear of their reactions paralyzed her. What would they think of her? Would they still want to be around her? She had worked so hard to build this trust, and now it felt like it was slipping through her fingers like sand.
"I promise, I'm fine," she said, her voice steadier than she felt. "Just let's keep moving. We're almost there."
As they trudged deeper into the woods, the silence hung heavily around them, broken only by the sound of crunching leaves beneath their feet. Seventeen tried to focus on the path ahead, but her mind kept drifting back to Draco—the way his lips had felt against hers, the way his hands touched her, the way his eyes had burned with intensity and longing, the way he possessively claimed she was his. She couldn't deny the pull she felt toward him, but it terrified her.
What did it mean? Was she really willing to risk everything for a fleeting moment of connection? The memory of her younger siblings flashed before her, reminding her of what was at stake. The last thing she wanted was to draw them into her chaos.
※※※
As the group pressed on, Draco couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had settled over him. Serena had pulled away after the kiss, leaving him standing there with confusion and frustration churning inside him. He couldn't help but wonder what had scared her off.
The forest was dark and quiet, but his mind was racing. What was she hiding? Why couldn't she let him in?
His thoughts were interrupted when Claus approached him, a concerned look on his face. "Hey, Draco," he said, glancing around as if to ensure they were alone. "Can we talk for a second?"
Draco nodded, stepping a little off the path so they could speak privately. "What's up?"
"I heard about the kiss," Claus said, his voice low, there was a hint of pain in his voice. "I guess that means she dumped me for you, but I don't feel so bad about it. I didn't know you were into her, I thought you were still—"
["Because you're blind, cousin."] "I tried to fight it," he interjected before Claus could finish. "It was impossible. I'm not the best at talking about my feelings, you know me."
A nod, "I used to think she's was a bit detached, cold romantically wise. Now I think it was just because she didn't reciprocate me, and was too kind to say it on my face. That would probably have hurt my pride. It does still, but I genuinely feel better that it's you."
["That's bittersweet."] "She is... complicated."
"Is everything okay between you two?"
Draco ran a hand through his dark hair, frustration mounting. "No, it's not okay. One minute, we're in this moment, and the next, she freaks out and runs off."
Claus studied him for a moment, concern deepening in his gaze. "You're really into her, aren't you?"
Draco felt heat rise in his cheeks, but he couldn't deny it. "Yeah, I am. I can't help it. There's just something about her, Claus. It's like she pulls me in."
"I just noticed that," Claus admitted, a hint of guilt creeping into his expression. "Ever since we met her, you've been obsessed. It's like you see her and forget everything else. But I didn't think it was romantic before, I thought you were just obsessed with trying to find something wrong with it, because of your trust issues."
Draco's frustration flared. "It's not like that! I just—"
"Draco," Claus interrupted gently, "I can see it. You care about her, and that's clear. I won't butt into your... whatever is going on between you two now that I know you're in love with her. I'll retract myself and my silly advances, you won, it's fine, we're cool. But cousin, you need to remember she's older than us. She's 25, and whatever she's dealing with, it might be more complicated than we realize."
"Yeah, I know," Draco said, his voice heavy with frustration. "But I just don't get why she's pushing me away. I thought we were building something. I thought I could help her."
"Maybe you can," Claus replied thoughtfully, "but she has her own demons. She's been through a lot, and it seems like she's fighting something inside her. I've noticed that since we went through the last trials in the tournament, it's like something turned a switch. Maybe she feels she can't trust us."
"Trust?" Draco echoed, anger simmering just beneath the surface. ["It's hard when she's hiding all of her cards. I'm trying, but she isn't collaborating here."]
Claus sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's complicated for her. And I don't think she's entirely sure how she feels about you. You might be triggering something she's trying to avoid."
Draco looked out into the darkness, frustration boiling over. "But she kissed me. She didn't pull away then."
"Maybe it scared her," Claus said softly. "Maybe the moment became too real, too intense for her to handle."
As they stood there, a heavy silence enveloped them. The weight of their unspoken thoughts hung in the air like a storm brewing on the horizon. Draco felt torn between his desire for Serena and the overwhelming need to protect her from whatever darkness loomed in her past.
"She needs time," Claus finally said, breaking the silence. "But you need to be there for her, even if it's just from a distance for now. She has to know she can trust you. She seems to have a hard time actually trusting other just like you."
"Yeah," Draco said, his voice barely above a whisper. "But how do I get her to see that?"
"I don't know," Claus admitted, his gaze flickering back toward the direction Serena had run. "But you'll have to figure it out. Just don't let your obsession blind you to her needs. She's not just a crush, Draco. She's someone who's been hurt, and if you really care about her, you'll have to respect her boundaries."
Draco nodded, the weight of Claus's words settling over him like a cloak. He had to be patient, to let Serena come to him in her own time. But as he turned back to the path, watching her silhouette in the distance, he couldn't shake the feeling that he would do anything to bridge the gap between them, even if it meant waiting for her to find her way back.
["I will not give up on you. Ever. You are stuck with me!"]