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The shoreline was quiet.
That's the first thing 4C notices as he walks along the sand near the water's edge.
It is peaceful here. That's what he likes most about the beach. A place where he can get away from the busy, chaotic, and sometimes downright stressful parts of the Blue Kingdom. A place where he can just come and relax after a long day's work of building or sneaking around. Somewhere he can be free.
However, as he nears a set of rocks close to where the water meets the sand, he hears voices. So doing what he does best, he quietly leaps to the rock that seems to have the voices coming from somewhere underneath it. He presses himself up closely to listen in, considering he is a rogue and all, it is kind of his job.
He perks up once he hears a voice start up, it sounds feminine.
"Because I can't make a decision when it comes down to it if its anything to do with you."
Then a male voice chimes in right after.
"But I'm telling you is there will come a day where you will need to."
Then the feminine voice speaks again.
"Do you not think I am. Every day I'm terrified."
4C thinks for a moment, the voices sound familiar but it also seems like there is a serious conversation going on. He debates for a second if he should turn back and give them some privacy before hearing something that makes him think twice about walking away.
"I don't know what else to tell you Nom. I don't know the answer."
He knew the male voice sounded like Nom. That means he was also right in that the feminine voice is Katie's. He hears her continue.
"I don't know. You said you don't know what you're going to do. I also don't. Look there we are, same page. Stop expecting things of me if you can't even say things yourself."
4C isn't sure now what to do. He knows he should stop listening in on them but he just can't help himself. Then Nom speaks again.
"Then ask anything. Right now. And I'll answer it."
4C is curious now, wondering what Katie will ask.
"Go on then, me or 4C."
4C freezes. His entire body stiffens and his breath catches in his throat. Did he really just hear that right? Did Katie really just ask that?
"You."
His heart stops for a moment. No. It's impossible right. He is just hearing things; he has to be.
"Is that what you want to hear. I would never want to hurt 4C. I'd never would and I would find every other possible option I could ever, ever take to make sure that was never going to happen. But if you really, really, really, want to know. If you really want to twist that dagger. Yes, if I was forced to choose, if there was a knife to both of you, if I could only save one. Then I guess its just another broken thing in the pile."
4C finally takes a breath, something he didn't even know he was holding until he started gasping for air. He heared correctly. Nom would choose Katie over him.
He forces himself to move to the beach again from where his feet had stayed planted firmly on the rock. He makes it a few steps away from said rock before tumbling onto the sand. He literally has to drag himself away before he feels even remotely safe to try and stand again in fear of falling once more.
He takes a second now to steady his breathing and his mind as it races with all kinds of thoughts. He knows. Deep down he knows that Nom would choose Katie over him, over and over again. Katie is his sister after all, there's no beating that. Blood runs thicker than water after all.
That doesn't mean it doesn't hurt 4C any less to hear those words come out of his best friend. No. His brother's, mouth. It doesn't dull the ache in his heart. He was always next pick, never someone's first. Just for once does he want to be. He craves it.
He shakes his head as he wipes the single tear that runs down his face. He can't be doing this now. Self-pity won't get him anywhere. Nom made his choice. So, he should too.