"Alright," Kieran finally said, breaking the silence. "Guess it's my turn, huh?"
Visconti and Elijah nodded, both curious yet hesitant. Kieran's usual boisterous energy was missing, replaced by something quieter and heavier.
"I was adopted," he said.
"The Vale family took me in when I was just a baby. And man, did I luck out. They were amazing. My mom? Sweetest woman you'd ever meet. She baked cookies every weekend, and not just the store-bought stuff—real, homemade cookies. My dad? Spoiled me rotten. I swear, if I even looked at a toy for more than five seconds, he'd buy it for me."
A small, wistful smile crossed Kieran's face. "And then there was my brother. He was eight years older than me, and to me, he was like a superhero. Literally. He was a corps officer—a level 8, if you can believe it. He could handle anything, protect anyone. I thought he was invincible."
Elijah and Visconti exchanged a glance, sensing where the story might be headed but remaining silent.
"I awakened my power when I was fifteen," Kieran continued, his smile fading. "It was the worst day of my life. Our apartment caught fire while I was out getting groceries. By the time I got back, the whole building was up in flames. I knew—I knew—my mom and dad were still inside."
Kieran's voice cracked, and he clenched his fists. "I wanted to run in and save them, but a corps officer stopped me. Told me it was too dangerous, that I'd only make things worse. I begged, I screamed, but they wouldn't let me through."
He paused, taking a shaky breath. "My brother showed up not long after. And you know what? He didn't even seem surprised. I didn't think much of it at the time, but later... later I realized he knew the fire wasn't an accident."
Kieran's hands clenched into fists. "I started questioning him, over and over. He wouldn't answer me. He just kept dodging my questions, and I was so stubborn, so angry. I wanted answers, and he wouldn't give them to me. One day, I just... snapped. I yelled at him, said things I didn't mean. I told him he didn't care about our parents, that he was a coward for not telling me the truth."
Elijah shifted uncomfortably, feeling the weight of Kieran's story pressing down on him.
His voice broke. "That was the last conversation we had. A week passed, and he didn't come home. I started feeling guilty, blaming myself for what I said. I thought, maybe if I hadn't been such a brat, he wouldn't have stayed away. So one night, I went out for a walk to clear my head. When I got back..."
He stopped, his jaw tightening as tears welled up in his eyes. "When I got back, he was there. Lying on the floor of our apartment. Cold. Blood everywhere."
Elijah and Visconti froze, their breaths caught in their throats.
"There was another corps officer there," Kieran said, his voice shaking with barely contained rage. "Blood on his hands. His face. He didn't even try to deny it."
Kieran's eyes turned red as he clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white. "I don't remember what happened after that. All I know is, when I woke up, my whole body hurt, and the man who killed Darren... he was dead. I killed him. My powers had awakened, and I'd gone on a rampage."
He paused, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. "But you know what hurt the most? It wasn't that I'd killed someone. It was that Darren and I never got to make up. Our last conversation wasn't warm. It was full of anger and hurt. If I'd known it'd be the last time I'd see him, I would've told him how much I looked up to him. How much I loved him."
Kieran's voice broke. "I'll never get that chance. And that guilt... it's never going away."
Kieran's voice broke, and he buried his face in his hands. "I'll never get that chance. And that guilt... it's never going away."
The room was silent, the weight of Kieran's words settling over them like a heavy blanket.
Elijah hesitated before reaching out, placing a comforting hand on Kieran's shoulder. "Kieran... I'm sorry. That's... that's horrible. But it wasn't your fault. None of it was your fault."
Kieran then gave them a shaky smile. "Thanks, guys. I guess... I needed to get that off my chest."
The silence that followed Kieran's story was heavy, almost sacred. But Visconti, ever the observant one, couldn't help but notice the faint glimmer in Kieran's eyes.
The corner of his lips twitched upward, a mischievous light returning to his gaze.
"Hey," Visconti began, leaning slightly toward Kieran. "Are those tears I see?"
Kieran blinked, startled, and instinctively wiped at his eyes. "What? No! I'm not crying!"
"Oh, really?" Visconti smirked, leaning back with a dramatic flourish. "Because it sure looks like someone's getting all emotional over there. Should I fetch a tissue?"
Elijah glanced between the two, a knowing smile playing on his lips.
"I said I'm not crying!" Kieran huffed, crossing his arms defensively. "You must be seeing things, Visconti. Maybe you should get your eyes checked."
Visconti chuckled, clearly enjoying himself. "It's okay to cry, you know. Let it all out. We're here for you." He placed a hand on his chest, mock sincerity dripping from his tone. "Don't bottle up your feelings, Kieran. It's unhealthy."
Kieran glared at him, his face slightly flushed. "Oh, shut up! You're the last person I'd take emotional advice from!"
"Oh?" Visconti raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. "And what's that supposed to mean?"
"It means you're about as emotionally supportive as a brick wall!"
"A very handsome brick wall," Visconti shot back, his grin widening.
Kieran groaned, throwing his hands up in exasperation. "You're impossible!"
Elijah chuckled, finally stepping in. "Alright, you two, that's enough. Let's not turn this into a full-blown argument."
"But he started it!" Kieran protested, pointing an accusing finger at Visconti.
"And you're making it worse by being so fun to tease," Visconti quipped, leaning back with a satisfied grin.
Kieran looked like he was about to retort but then sighed, shaking his head. "You're lucky I'm too tired to deal with you properly."
Visconti laughed, the tension from earlier dissipating entirely. "Don't worry, Kieran. One day, you'll learn to appreciate my humor."
"Not in this lifetime," Kieran muttered, but there was a faint smile tugging at his lips.
Elijah went silent.
Elijah couldn't help but wonder—if Visconti and Kieran had shared his secret, would there ever come a day when he'd be forced to share his own?