(Snowe's POV)
Valin texted me early in the morning, asking to talk.
I was groggy, especially since Zai hadn't allowed me to rest peacefully last night, but still, I replied,
"Yeah... We can talk later today. When is a good time for you?"
I also smiled when I saw his math meme of the day. It felt like forever since I'd gotten one.
It was two hours later when he replied,
"Are you free now?"
Zai was in the middle of groping me, so he pouted when I told him I needed to chat with Valin.
"Yeah... I'll meet you in the park," I replied.
I then got dressed and drove there using Zai's car.
The weather was starting to get chilly, so the park was empty. I'm glad I'm not sensitive to the cold at all. Oddly, I caught myself staring at a bench sitting under a tree. That bench feels nostalgic but... I don't know why.
When I look at it... I feel like Valin and I had a conversation here before.
Yet, I can't remember what it was about. It has to be recent, though.
When did my memory get so bad?
"Hey!" He yelled, arriving soon after me. He bonked my head gently and said, "Why are you just standing there? Let's sit down."
I rubbed where he hit and sat down on that very bench beside him.
"Sorry to call you out here," Valin mumbled.
"No, it's fine! We're friends! Plus, I thought you'd totally abandon me after I moved out and even more so when you got a girlfriend... So I'm happy you asked to talk."
Valin hunched his shoulders and said,
"... You are my friend, and you're my sister. You're also the only person I can talk to about this," he muttered.
When he was so indifferent about me moving, it felt like I was the only one who valued our friendship.
"What's going on?" I asked. He sighed heavily.
"Lisa said she loves me," he confessed.
What?!
Hasn't it only been three weeks since they started dating?!
I composed myself then said,
"Oh, wow. Well... do you love her too?"
He frowned.
"I'm not sure... and I also don't know if I should take it seriously since she said it during sex..."
I coughed.
I wish I had brought a bottle of water with me to help me stay relaxed during this conversation.
"Does... that make it less valid?" I inquired.
He looked me in the eyes and then replied,
"It's happened before with women I know couldn't have loved me."
"Oh! I see..."
I clammed up then, not knowing what to say.
Is Valin such a beast in bed that he convinces countless girls they're in love?
I'm pretty sure I haven't even blurted out love confessions during intercourse.
I don't even want to think about his intimate life, but it's hard to stop.
"I... feel like she means it. She might not be in love yet, but I think she really loves you!" I reassured,
"That sucks," Valin said, slouching in his seat.
"What? Don't you like her?" I stated, confused.
"Of course, I like her, but... her loving me means she won't get bored with me and leave one day, and us being together long term means one day I'll have to confess what I am to a human.
Humans might not feel things as intensely as we do; they tend to have short relationships, and with all the prejudice about my people, she might believe I manipulated her feelings with powers she can't even understand; she might even fear me...
I would rather she dumped me because she got bored," he spat out the words so quickly I almost lost track of what he was saying.
I patted Valin's shoulder, which was surprisingly muscular.
What the freak has he been eating, pure protein...
No, no, I must stay on track.
"You're the idiot if you think she can get bored with you," I remarked.
"But-"
I cut him off, saying,
"You're so weird and random, it would take decades for someone to get bored with you. I bet you never even gave anyone a chance to get bored, so I don't understand why you think it's possible."
He huffed, then he chuckled softly.
"Fair."
He then threw his head back to look up at the sky.
"Even if she does love me, and accepts what I am... I'd have to form a pact with her or create an essence crystal for her to wear... otherwise, her life will be snuffed out before I've even lived a portion of mine.
She'd have to change her whole genetic makeup to be with me. She might not even be considering the ramifications of her statement because she's subconsciously aware of her mortality and in a rush to bond with someone," he explained.
"No! I don't think she was taking her words lightly! I know her, I'm shocked she'd move so fast, honestly... Oh... Oh! I see the problem... Yep, you love her too," I pointed out.
"You're an idiot." He blurted, with a frown.
"Rude!"
"I did not mean to say that out loud but... You're just so stupid sometimes, Snowe... It's tiring talking to you."
"You're one to talk, and you're the one who asked for my opinion!" I shouted, then I sighed and added, "You don't want to lose her... and you're thinking about her feelings and even considering doing something to allow her to stay with you forever if she consents... sounds like you love her to me."
He groaned.
"I know it's early," I noted.
"My feelings are probably just limerence, coupled with attention deprivation and an attachment disorder," Valin muttered.
"I have no idea what you're talking about, but it doesn't matter! Just stay with her, and you'll figure out how you feel and if the time comes for you to confess to her.
Call me for backup. I can vouch that you're not an evil soul-sucking monster. So stop panicking, you'll just confuse her," I declared.
She's probably an emotional wreck right now, blurting out that she loves him, then him promptly leaving afterward. I hope he comforted her first. Valin smiled softly,
"Fair... I was also thinking of subtly healing her. It seems her human recovery rate and stamina can't keep up with her sex drive, so..."
"La la la I can't hear you!" I shouted, covering my ears.
Valin laughed loudly and replied,
"Fine, I'll stop. I didn't know the subject would embarrass you so much, especially since you're the one who had that dream about me," he teased.
His comment puzzled me.
"Dream?" I tried to recall what he was talking about, but for some reason, that gave me a headache.
"Did you forget?... That's too bad, I planned on teasing you about it for years."
I punched his arm, making him laugh again, then I stated,
"Maybe you should look for new friends to torment," I remarked.
He shook his head no, saying,
"That requires talking to new people, and why would I do that when I have you?"
I felt warm fuzzies, so I mushed his face with my hand and stood up.
"Fine, be the weirdo whose only close friend is his sister-in-law!" I shouted.
Valin fell over laughing and yelled the reply,
"I will!"
I began stomping to my car out of embarrassment while Valin shouted once again, saying,
"Thanks, Snowe! Oh, and if you ever need someone to talk to, call me!"
This feels nice.
I never had a brother before, but now I do, thanks to Zai.
When I returned home, he was on the porch, still sulking.
"What did he want?" he inquired.
I sat beside him and said,
"Relationship advice."
"... From you?" Zai asked this in a way that made me want to hit him.
"I'm his only friend!"
My explanation seemed to be enough for Zai, who laid his head in my lap and exhaled heavily.
"Why couldn't you do it over the phone?" he muttered with a tired voice.
"Probably because he didn't want anyone else to overhear... Including you," I replied solemnly.
"Why couldn't I hear?" he asked curiously,
"Because you would ridicule him... he's more sensitive than he lets on," I remarked.
Zai nodded as if he understood.
"Hmm, yeah, that makes sense. I also have news for you, the woman... who raised me is looking for me," he mumbled, seeming content with changing topics now.
"Your mom?"
He groaned and scratched his head, shouting,
"Not my mom!"
He seemed disgusted.
I jumped from his tone, then I gently stroked his head and said,
"Who is she?"
"... Tana," he began. "She's the one who trained all of us and awakened part of my potential... I mentioned her before."
My stomach churned.
That vile woman is looking for him? The one who stole his virginity and destroyed his innocence by both killing in front of him and encouraging him to kill on his own.
"Oh... How did she find you?"
I tried to hide how disturbed I felt.
"Markis was supposed to keep track of my whereabouts, but he lost track of me... but... he and Cera have an off-and-on-again relationship, so he told her where Cera lived, and Cera ratted me out."
I had almost forgotten who Cera was, not going to lie.
I'm just relieved that Zai didn't invite her over himself.
"I'm sure RJ won't tell her where we are," I said to comfort him.
"I have to talk to her." Zai's response threw me off, and then he sat up and looked at me.
"She was supposed to be dead, but she's alive. She has something important to tell me; otherwise, she wouldn't be here. I should at least hear her out," Zai explained.
"And after you do that, we kick her butt," I offered, to which Zai laughed.
"No... and you're not meeting her."
I gasped, then glared at him as I yelled,
"Why not?!" Zai shrugged.
"She's likely still hung up on me. It's better if she doesn't know what you look like.
This woman is an ancient being, with more knowledge of affinities, rituals, and runes than anyone else in Afaria.
She hasn't even revealed her element, yet she's won every fight I've witnessed her in. I cannot let her see you before seeing if it's safe, but...
I will have you on call during the conversation. So you can hear everything she has to say," he explained.
I'm not sure if I like how this is going.
"Rai told me she got her face fixed too! I have to see that," he added absentmindedly.
I leaned down and bit his ear. He yelped, "Ouch?! Why?!"
"So you remember who you belong to," I warned.
Zai stared at me for half a second before sitting up and hugging me.
"Of course, I remember. It's you."
Then he started kissing me feverishly while tearing away at my clothes.
"I'm just curious about how she looks. I still know that I'm yours," he assured
"Zai! We are on a porch!"
He threw his shirt aside, and it landed in the bushes.
"Oh, I hadn't noticed," Zai replied while undoing his pants.
"Zai?!" I screamed, covering my eyes.
Why am I still surprised? I gave up on protesting because, in truth, I wanted him to, and I didn't want to imagine waiting a moment longer.