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And I knew that sound like I knew the hair on my head. It was the unmistakable wild sonorous warcry of a stubborn little brat not getting their way... the kind that only an older sibling was able to pry out of them.

I guess not even mythical beings were immune to regular ol’ sibling dynamics.

“Don’t yell...” Adalia said.

“Don’t yell?!” Amelia yelled again. “I believe I am allowed my indignation! Do you even comprehend in the slightest, you... just what you...! Ahh, this is precisely what I feared surrendering you into his care! Have you only been your former self, never would you have permitted yourself to-!”

“But I am not... who I was now... sister...” Adalia spoke slowly, yet simultaneously speaking so quickly, sharply. “Now... I am just... me...”

“Indeed, and just what else are you now if not impressionable? How outlandish of a claim would it be, unknowingly or otherwise, that this man has only been taking advantage of your current vulnerability, naivete... ”

.....

“I... am not naive... sister...” Adalia blinked, the clouded gray in her eyes swirling more than ever. “I know what I’ve done... I know... what it means...”

“How can you say that? Just where is this stemming from? This confidence, this certainty, I don’t know how-”

“You don’t... understand yet...”

“Help me understand, then! I plead with you!” She shouted, her exasperation taking over her rage. “How you could ever think of yourself so low that you will willingly give him your affection, amity-devotion! While you! You will only be receiving a tenth of the same! Endlessly vying for his attention alongside others! Is that what you call love? Is that what he has taught you of it?!”

Again, I felt the same rising urge to speak up again, I couldn’t stand hearing bullshit like this-but quickly I overruled that thought. Something was telling me to just let Adalia handle this. After all, what are big sisters for?

“I know... it is not... normal... I know... that it may seem... strange...” Adalia muttered, her soft voice in contrast to Amelia’s harsh echoes still reverberating. “But I do not care... how it may seem... to others... because... I know... that what you say... isn’t true...”

“Once more, over and over, I am unable to fathom...” Amelia strained to keep her gaze steady at her sister. “How do you know for sure, Adalia?”

“The same way... I know... he loves me too...” a blink, and once more, white misty eyes were staring endearingly back at me. “I just... do...”

When it came to facing her sister, it was like Amelia was being physically and mentally worn down to the bone, the fire of anger gradually being snuffed out inside her, until there was nothing left of it but fading, faint embers of resistance.

“And if things happen to go awry?” Amelia quietly asked, her voice losing its usual fervor. “Should this backfire, should this choice of yours turn into something you’d regret? Adalia... I just don’t want to see you hurt...”

A reassuring touch, a reassuring clasp, Adalia gently laid her hand over her sister’s shoulder.

“He saved me... sister... he saved us... remember...?” She said, “How could he... ever hurt... me...?”

“I won’t let her regret it,” I added, hearing myself speak and suddenly feeling so out of place in my own room. “If nothing else, I can promise you that. ”

And with that, the embers still smoldering completely faded away into the dark.

“I am not convinced just yet,” Amelia said, backing away towards the window away from her touch. “But for now I shall retract what I’ve said, and offer my apologies...”

“Apologies?” I piped up again.”

“Yes, to you, I must apologize,” She said, making an effort to look at me from the corner of her eyes. “I have... forgotten my place. If not for you, my sister... nor perhaps even I... would still be standing, breathing here. You gave us this chance. We, I... owe you a considerable debt. I will try not to forget that again.”

“Forgiven and forgotten, then,” I said, while deep inside feeling mixed on the stance I was taking, and no doubt she was too.

“But bear in mind, I will be keeping a closer eye on you,” Amelia said, her strength returning back to her. “This sudden development... this shift in relationship between you two, I need time to unravel it-time alone. I shall go.”

“Goodbye, sister,” Adalia said, stiflingly moving a hand in an attempt at a wave. “We shall... talk again... later...”

Another snort. “Indeed we will.”

The curtains were swelling, the wind was blowing, and any moment with a blink, I’m sure she’d just disappear with it all, but before she does...

“Wait!” I called out, and Amelia instantly snapped her gaze towards me, momentarily surprised. “You forgetting something? Or more specifically, someone?”

She didn’t even take a moment to think before she answered. “No, not particularly.”

Harsh.

“Tyler,” I answered myself. “The guy’s been asking for you non-stop, y’know? What happened? Thought things were going well by the sound of it.”

“Nothing happened,” Amelia said, replying in cold apathy. “I’ve simply lost interest. There are much better things I’d prefer to invest my time in, and none that involve him whatsoever.”

“Couldn’t have told him that yourself?” I asked.

“My silence was my answer,” She said, then rolled her eyes. “But I suppose I should have thought it beyond him to understand such subtle messages.”

“Yeah, that’s all on you,” I said, then repeated. “Talk to him, Amelia.”

“Forget it,” She said, getting more impatient now. “Have you not been listening? I said there are other things I would rather be-”

Then before she could say anything else, Adalia came in whispering, “Then... try to involve... him... with it too... just once... please...? Sister...?”

A request like that, worded and spoken like that-yeah, no loving sibling can even hope to resist. I know that from experience.

And as expected, Amelia crumbled, sighing. “I shall think about it, I suppose.”

“That’s all he’s asking for,” I said, nodding in approval. “Thanks for considering.”

“I’m not doing this for him...” She grumbled, and with another blow of the wind, a gust swaying the draperies, in a blink of an eye, Amelia had gone away deep into the night as if she was never here.

Leaving the both of us alone here... along with the heavy awkwardness of what was left lingering in the air from the interaction. Great... now what do I say?

What do I even do?

Adalia strolled aimlessly a few paces, and I suspected she was probably wondering the same thing too. As for me, I had a few thoughts rattling around in my skull, the most pressing of which was...

“About what Amelia said...” I began slowly, walking ’round and pressing my weight on the bed, sitting by the foot. “You finding humans... trite or whatever. About being like your former self and-”

“Forget it,” Adalia said, so suddenly, so solemnly, it honestly startled me. “Please forget... everything my sister said... what she said about me... I haven’t... thought like that... about humans... in a long time... please forget it...”

And I continued to remain startled looking at her, hearing her... because this... I’ve never seen or heard her like this... so... ashamed-no, not ashamed, I think... guilty sounded more like the whispers I was hearing... bringing my curiosity soaring even higher.

But words like that, sounding like that... like Amelia, I was utterly powerless against them.

“Forgotten,” I said at once. “Like it never happened.”

“Okay...” In her muted expression, her barren gaze, I saw the slightest show of relief pouring over her face. “Thank... you...”

Then in usual sluggish, ditzy Adalia fashion, she wandered closer towards me, sinking the mattress down even more as she huddled over right beside me.

The wind blew again, and I could feel tiny, almost imperceivable strands of her hair being blown my way... poking me, grazing me... almost as if she was caressing me... and my eyes slowly fell forward at my feet... I was wondering again.

“How about the... other things your sister said?” I quietly asked. “About us... about you... y’know, about not being able to fully commit to you... have you ever once felt like I have... like you weren’t... mmm...”

I swallowed the rest of the words down my throat before anymore could roll off my tongue. I shouldn’t have to ask this, I shouldn’t have to doubt... but I don’t know, something ’bout the way Amelia put it... hearing her insight as an outsider looking in, maybe there was a merit of truth in her words...

Maybe there wasn’t a way for me to really commit to them all... as much as I try to, as much as I strive to... every choice I make was just simply another choice I didn’t...

“I said to... forget everything... didn’t I...?” Adalia suddenly spoke. “Please forget... I want you to... forget...”

“Much easier said than done this time, Adalia,” I told her, sighing. “Listen, I want to do right by you all. Falling in love, I’ve never had... never experienced... and I... I want to do it right... to love you, everyone right... but how am I supposed to do that when I always have to choose between-”

“Don’t... choose... I don’t... want you... to choose...” Adalia muttered, and with a cold, comforting touch, she raised my eyes to meet hers. “I want you... to be happy...”

Both hands lifting my face, her nails poking my skin, I was practically wreathed in knives and needles, but all I could feel, all I could sense was the practiced gentleness of her embrace.

“Please...” She said again, catching the wind in her hair, still swaying toward me as if an extension of her affection. “Please... just be happy...”

“I am happy,” I said.

“Then... smile...” suddenly, she began slowly stretching out my face as if she was trying to force it to happen herself. “If... you are happy... you smile...”

“Okay, okay-relax!” I sputtered, wriggling free and complying with the widest grin. “There, see? A smile-I’m smiling.”

Adalia then began to closely examine my expression like a jeweler to diamonds. ”

You are... forcing it...” She promptly pointed out.

Oh, so it’s not okay if I do it, huh? Double standards.

“I am happy, Adalia. Seriously, I am... having all of you with me, how the hell could I possibly not be, y’know?” I said, reverting my beaming smile back to a dull, narrow line. “It’s just... why must it only be me that gets all the happiness all the time? It’s not fair like that.”

“Fair...” Adalia blinked again at that. “Why care... about fair...?”

I gave her a look. “What? Of course, being fair is important. If things are not fair, then-”

“I don’t care... about fair...” She interjected. “I care... about you...”

“Adalia...”

I don’t get it. I honestly don’t get this girl. Or maybe I just don’t get girls in general, I dunno... but just... how could she say all that without betraying an ounce of sincerity? Just how could she mean that? More importantly, how could she not mind that?

Yeah, I’m in Amelia’s camp now... I seriously do not get Adalia at all either.

“You want to care... for all of us... that I understand... we all understand that... Ash... Amanda... all of us...” Adalia whispered, edging so close that our shoulders touched. “And you do care... you try... as best as you can... you give.... all that you can give...”

“It’s ain’t enough,” I said.

“It’s enough...” She reassured me. “To know... that you try... that you always... do your best... is fair enough...”

The wind blew again, and it must have been the stronger one yet because it had her swaying far enough that she fully toppled over against my shoulder, resting the side of her head on my arm.

.....

“So please... stop being sad... okay...?” I felt her turn around, and saw her eyes peering up at me. “Just be... happy...”

If there ever was a universe out there without an Adalia in it, then that would be a terribly sad universe, indeed.

“And what about you, Adalia?” I asked, finally asking what I should have asked long ago. “What about your happiness?”

She didn’t even take a second to think. The moment I asked, she had an answer... all along, she already had an answer.

“If you are... happy...” She lifted her face a little more, and peeking out ever so slightly, I could see the faint impression, the slight curves of a tender smile. “I... am... happy...”

And silently, I expressed my thanks to the heavens that I was blessed enough to be placed in the same universe as this wholesome bundle of love and affection.

“Alright,” I said, finally conceding, finally smiling. “You win. I’ll be happy, alright? Went and shattered my heart of ice into a million pieces...”

Up here in my room, it was quiet, peaceful... and more importantly, not the ideal place to be, especially in the middle of a Christmas party. I suppose we should really be heading back now...

“C’mon, a party awaits us. ” I gently nudged the shoulder she was leaning on, “As I recall, we still aren’t done decorating the tree. If you can still bear with it then-”

“No...” Adalia snuggled harder against my arm. “Too busy... too noisy now... too many people...”

Too many people? Must mean Leon and his plus ones must have arrived while I was up here bickering with Amelia.

“I’ve had enough...” Adalia said. “You can go... please go... I’ll stay...”

“You sure?”

The reply I received came in a blur of movement. I saw her meet my gaze, blink her eyes, and like a predator stalking prey, she lurched forward, partly sending the both of us sprawling across the bed... and the next moment, I felt the sharp prick of her fangs.

Of course, my neck again...

“I’ll take that as yes, then...” I muttered.

Once she had her fill of guzzling and sucking, the heavy urge of sleep came instantaneous, and the very second Adalia retracted her fangs, she rolled over to the side and began letting out the soft, feeble breaths of slumber... my jacket on her aiding as both pillow and blanket.

Seeing her sleeping face, still hearing her words of comfort overpowering my murky thoughts, it made me wanna brand her with a mark of my own, so I did, I mean I plan to... just recalled that vampires are fond gemstones, aren’t they? Gives me an idea.

But for now though, I suppose she’ll just have to settle on something a little more temporary...

“Goodnight, Adalia,” I whispered, carefully leaning over and planting a mark on her forehead with a simple kiss. “Thank you...”