Percy POV.
I felt like it was my fault.
I wasn't there for her when she was breaking. I should have been there for both Jare and Jay. I should have been the shield. Instead, I was forced to hide. To pretend like I was dead.
Yeah, we kept in touch. And yeah, I asked David to look out for her. But I should have warned her about Kiefer and his plan.
I failed. I failed to protect my sister.
If she knows that I'm thinking like this, she'd probably kill me. She'd tell me that it was my fault, and that she'll disown me if I don't stop being dramatic. But it's true. I should have protected her.
Me, Jare and Jay had always been there for each other. A team, a trio, each other's person. Anytime we had a problem, we'd come to each other. That's how it was when we were kids, that's how it is now, and that's how it will remain. We always did everything together. And that synchronisation only increased after our parents death. It didn't happen immediately after they died.
No sudden responsibility, just quiet broken support from three siblings who lost their world. We always understood each other. Too well. It was almost annoying we they could read and understand each other without even having to say anything. Annoying because I couldn't even hide anything from them.
Not that I wanted to or anything.
Me and Jay were in the car, returning from running an errand. Jare was busy with work in the MRE (it's the short form of MaRiano Enterprises.) I just took a turn, heading for the home when I spotted a familiar face. Felix. He was going into an abandoned factory with Section E trailing behind.
Jay POV
Percy was feeling guilty.
I don't know why. I don't know about what. And I don't know about who. But I could see it in the way his expression changed, the way his voice became heavy. I tried asking but he shrugged it off.
But it's no small deal when he goes quiet. Because one thing about Percy, he's NEVER quiet unless something is serious. He's chaos wrapped in protective love. He's the loud one- the one who keeps things light.
And now things felt heavy. I let him be for now. It seemed like he needed the quiet space. I grew up with this guy. I knew him well enough to know when not to push. Then I noticed him taking a different turn from the one that should be taken to go home.
I looked at him and followed his line of gaze. Section E. Of course. Of course they'd get into a fight for absolute no reason. And of course my brother would worry about Felix. Honestly? I was worried too... But I wouldn't show that. He hurt me. They all did. So why should I care?
But that doesn't change the fact that I DO care...
Whatever. We stepped in and I have to admit even I was completely shocked... Because what was happening there wasn just a fight, it was a takeover. A war. A complete massacre. And Percy... Well let's just say he wasn't exactly happy his little brother was part of an action movie level fight stunt. And that was putting it lightly.
He didn't disturb their focus, didn't speak until their fight was over. He might have been mad, but he knew if he spoke it would distract them from fighting and they might hurt. But after it was over, the volcano spilled. Yeah idk why I just said that...
He clapped slowly.
"Wow.. what a brave group of people. Hitting a mere street gang for absolutely no reason. Very responsible. Very well mannered and mature." He said sarcastically.
"Percy.." Felix started. Percy cut him off with a blue- eyed glare. Yes I had to mention the blue. Why, no clue.
Hey! Blue- Clue. That rhymed!
"It's his choice what he does, Percy. He's no longer a kid." Kiefer put in. I stayed silent. I felt like I had no rights to interfere in this. Yeah, I was a meddler. And frankly? I still am. But I know when to stop, I know when not to cross the line. And this was their family matter. Felix's family broke after Percy "died".. and Percy cares about Felix a lot.
Percy's gaze snapped to Kiefer sharply. He looked actually angry. Uh oh...
"That's rich coming from you, Kiefer. Aren't you making descisions for someone to protect them without consulting them?" He asked.
Kiefer's jaw tightened. "That's different."
What the hell are they talking about? Who is Kiefer protecting?
Percy laughed without humor. "Different? How different? Different because that's you and this is me? You know what Kiefer, this is your fault in the first place. All of you. You made my brother into this."
Kiefer looked away.
"You know what? You're all-" Percy started, looking like he was about to explode.
"Percy." I said. "Don't speak anything when you're angry. Don't say something you'll regret later." He looked at me, then closed his eyes and took a breath, forcing calmness.
But I was too late. He had already said it. Felix gazed snapped up. "They made me into this? Then where were you? If you care so much about my future, where were you when I needed you? Where were you when I was mourning my loss. Where were you when I was crying in your funeral. Where were you when our family broke apart? WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU?!" He shouted.
Percy looked like he'd been slapped. I knew the reason he didn't come back.. I knew it. Felix was wrong to pointlessly accuse Percy, but his feelings are valid too. He was angry his brother dissapeared without a word- leaving him with nothing but grief. He was in the right too. No one to blame but fate...
"Felix.. I-" Percy started to explain. But Felix cut him off.
"No. You didn't come then. You don't need to come back now just because it's convenient for you." Percy looked genuinely hurt now. I know how much he cares about his siblings. He would literally die for them. And hearing these words from his own brother? It was tearing him apart.
"Felix." I cut in. "That's enough." He looked shock that I had directly spoken to him. But his anger overcame his shock.
"No Jay. That's not enough. You don't know what happened after he left. You don't know.. he's a coward. He left. He's a coward" he said.
And that was it. My fury reached a level of dangerous. I didn't care it was Felix. I didn't care he was rightfully angry.
He insulted my brother. NOBODY insults my brothers. Nobody hurts the people who would die for me. "And you do?" I asked. "You know exactly what happened that night. You know exactly why he dissapeared without a trace. That's why you're talking like this?" I asked.
"I know enough. I know that he ran when things got dangerously." He said.
"You don't know what you're talking about." I said. "And you're taking about cowardice? You're saying HE'S a coward? Weren't you the ones who made a plan, not to physically fight me, but to emotionally ruin me? Weren't you the ones who weren't even brave enough to face your own problems and dragged me into it?" I asked. His face fell. But I wasn't done yet. They were always the ones talking, revealing, playing their own little game. And I'm done watching them play. Now? Now I talk. And they listen.
"If we're blaming people for being cowards, let's do it for everyone, shall we? You think using a person emotionally to hurt your enemy makes you smart? Makes you a strategist? It makes you a fvcking coward, Kiefer Watson. It means you're not even brave enough to face Aries yourself directly. That you need the sick satisfaction of hurting a completely unrelated and innocent person." I took a deep breath. Percy tried stopping me. I ignored him. I had to get it out of my system. And also, I was defending my brother. Whether he liked it or not. He's my brother. I kept going. I turned to section E.
"And what about you all? You weren't brave enough to go against Kiefer? Fine. But you all weren't even brave enough to come and admit to me that it all started as a plan. I had to eavesdrop to find out. You didn't even have the guts to accept your mistakes. Aren't you all cowards then? Aren't you a coward, Felix?"
He swallowed nervously.
"It's amazing, really, how you all blamed and accused him the second he came back. All of you, every single one of you, asked him why he left. Why he didn't tell you all. You blamed him. You resent him. But did any one of you ask how he is? No. Why? Wasn't he your friend?" I looked at Kiefer. Even though it hurt to look at him.."Didn't you see him falling off that cliff? You knew he was in an accident. You knew he almost died. And yet, none of asked what happened to him. All of you seemed angry at him rather than concerned for him."
"Jay you don't understand! He left us Jay! He left me! How Would you feel if-"
"He was in a fvcking coma!" I shouted, finally losing my calmness. The truth came tearing out. "He wouldn't even be alive right now if I hadn't found him. Thank the gods I found him." I said.
Every froze. Kiefer was the first to recover. "A coma? Wh- what are you talking about?"
I looked toward Percy, silently asking for permission. Because even if I wanted to, it want my secret to tell. And also, I didn't even know what happened before I arrived, I don't know what happened with the four of them. There were parts of it only he knew, and he wouldn't tell me or Jare. We didn't push, we never did. Peecy nodded, giving me permission to tell the story. I took a deep breath and started..
Author POV.
"That day, it started normal enough. But then Percy- he stopped replying to our messages in the group chat. He NEVER stops replying abruptly. At first, me and Jare thought maybe he was just dealing with things, maybe he was just busy. But after almost 10 hours of that, we started to get a bad feeling. So we searched. God, we searched. We searched like we were searching for water in a desert. And finally, I found him. He- he wasn't breathing properly. Jare told me we were too late. But I refused to accept that. We brought him to the hospital and, after a long time, he survived. Barely, but he did. His heart stopping beating two times on that surgery table. Do you know what it feels like, watching your family- the only family you have left- leave you like that? The life slowly creeping out of one of the only two people you care about?" Jay said, looking up into their eyes. Some of them were tearing up now.
"He went into a coma for almost 2 years after that. And when he woke up, he was paralyzed. He didn't WANT to leave you like that Felix. He didn't run when respsibility got high. He didn't hide. He fought. He was fighting for his life in that hospital. That's why. That's why I told you- don't make assumptions. Don't speak about things you don't understand."
Felix was openly crying now. "I- I'm sorry. Kuya I'm so sorry. I was just- I was mad you left me. I thought you abandoned me. I'm really sorry." He said, walking into Percy's arms. Percy didn't even hesitate. He wrapped his arms around his brother. "It's okay, Felix. I understand you. I don't blame you for hating me."
Felix shook his head. "I don't hate you. Do you think I would have cried at your funeral if I hated you? No... I just- I was angry, that's all."
Percy smiled. But in the reunion, they all failed to notice the shadow creeping slowly towards Jay, reaching out with a knife...