Zavien
Knowing how completely unhinged Kai could be, Zavien couldn't even guess at the words that would come out of Soh's mouth, but he had at least thought of the man as a friend once. Perhaps not someone he'd been particularly close to, but his best friend's kid cousin, someone to mess around with, to mentor, to rely on, someone to trust.
That image shattered when she confessed what he'd said. He'd expected stupid. He'd expected hot-headed. He'd expected insensitive. But he hadn't expected cruel - least of all Lena's name after her tragic death.
Something pierced deep in his chest, a wound so clean and accurately placed that he felt as if all the blood fled from his body, everything turning cold and distant, his heart slowing to a stop. 'You'd moved on fast' echoed as he stuttered a breath, trying to find reality again. 'After Lena died' mocked him, tearing the wound wider as he seemed to freeze, unable to move, unable to think beyond the pain of loss and guilt and utter betrayal.
His monotone voice was distant as he spoke, a strained, automated response that didn't even register. "He really said that?" Zavien knew she wouldn't lie, knew that Soh wouldn't say something so heartless, but he could hardly believe Kai had either, and a piercing scream of agony began to grow in the depths of his heart, the whistle of a kettle crying for release, drowning out whatever happiness had come before.
That image shattered when she confessed what he'd said. He'd expected stupid. He'd expected hot-headed. He'd expected insensitive. But he hadn't expected cruel - least of all Lena's name after her tragic death.
Something pierced deep in his chest, a wound so clean and accurately placed that he felt as if all the blood fled from his body, everything turning cold and distant, his heart slowing to a stop. 'You'd moved on fast' echoed as he stuttered a breath, trying to find reality again. 'After Lena died' mocked him, tearing the wound wider as he seemed to freeze, unable to move, unable to think beyond the pain of loss and guilt and utter betrayal.
His monotone voice was distant as he spoke, a strained, automated response that didn't even register. "He really said that?" Zavien knew she wouldn't lie, knew that Soh wouldn't say something so heartless, but he could hardly believe Kai had either, and a piercing scream of agony began to grow in the depths of his heart, the whistle of a kettle crying for release, drowning out whatever happiness had come before.
I love you with everything I am,
everything I've been,
and everything I hope to be.
everything I've been,
and everything I hope to be.
