Chapter Text
"Alright," Zayne said calmly as we finished up my usual check ups, "Everything is looking normal, your free to go now, come back if anything changes."
"Thanks, Zayne," I said as I headed for the door, but suddenly He spoke again.
"You know, He asks about you a lot," I froze as my hand rested on the doorknob. "I don't know what happened but he doesn't quite seem to understand either."
I took a deep breath as anger slowly grew in my chest at his words, though it wasn't his fault I felt this way. "He can keep asking then," I said, attempting and failing to seem calm, "Because he definitely knows what happened." With that I quickly left the room, not wanting to hear a lecture today, especially not about him. As I made my way down the hall the memories of what led me to this self banishment from the only family I had left filled my head. The last words I had heard from him before abandoning him. I almost felt bad for how things went, for how I reacted, for how I was still avoiding him. but at the same time, I couldn't be sure he was trustworthy. Something he had said stuck with me even now. "Oh I know. Your thinking some chip got put into my brain, right? And now, I'm no longer who I used to be? What if I told you I was always like this?" I quickly suppressed the memory. My Caleb never acted like this, He never had, There was no way he was the same boy who tied my shoelaces, who cooked for me and grandma, who always defended me no matter how stubborn I was being. No, something changed, surely. I reached the elevator and waited for the doors to open, and once they did I walked into the empty elevator. But as the doors began to close a hand stopped it. I looked up expecting Zayne, maybe I had forgotten something. But I was wrong, of course I was wrong. Instead, it was the very person I had been avoiding and yet yearning for, Caleb. His expression went blank when he laid eyes on me, and you could cut the tension with a knife.
He silently entered and pressed the button for his floor before standing next to me as the door shut. the awkwardness was broken by my phone buzzing, and when I checked It was a text from Zayne.
Zayne: Please just give him a chance, he really wants what's best. I rolled my eyes and put my phone back in my pocket. to be honest it was tempting, but I couldn't give in, I needed to stand my ground.
"So," he said, just his voice was enough to melt my heart, but I didn't react, "Where have you been hiding?"
"Anywhere away from you," I said bluntly, sounding a little more mean than I intended.
But he simply laughed, "Just as stubborn as always pipsqueak." How was he so calm about this?
"Don't call me that..." I was cut off my the elevator shaking, and I lost my balance. I almost fell backwards but of course he caught me. as soon as the shaking stopped however I instantly pushed him off and stood on my own. The elevator had stopped. "Perfect," I mouthed.
"Well, now we can talk," he said with a cheery tone. I glared at him. his cocky smile faded. "Look," He said as he leaned against the wall across from me, "I know your upset, things have changed, and you feel like I've changed too."
"You have changed," I said and crossed my arms, "It's obvious your not the same Caleb from when we were kids."
"how so?" he asked.
"Where do I even start?" I scoffed, "You drugged me, locked me up several times, faked your death without telling me, and you have yet to fully explain what the hell is going on with you!" I was raising my voice now, but I didn't care. "Surely you understand why I don't trust you."
"I do," he said calmly, "but everything I do is to protect you, surely you understand that." I couldn't argue with that, because I knew it was true. ever since we were kids he always wanted nothing but my safety, and even if everything else was different now, that part of him was still the same. but i was still mad.
"Making me think you were dead was protecting me?" I asked.
"I wouldn't have kept it a secret if I thought I could never see you again, but I knew I would, and I did," He said, a smile creeping back onto his face as he took a few steps forwards. I took a few steps back, till I was against the wall.
"And drugging me? Locking me away? you were trying to protect me then too?"
"And yet you still got into trouble," He said, reaching out a hand to touch my hair. I flinched away. He sighed, smile fading once more, "Just as stubborn as always, Yun." he put his hand down and took a step back. the elevator shook again, though much more gently, I grabbed the railings to keep myself steady as Caleb turned to the door, not bothering to catch her this time. "You know how dangerous investigating all this is, yet you insist on trying to get yourself killed." The elevator started going down again, "and if your so confident then go ahead, keep getting in trouble." The door opened and he side eyed me, "after all, you don't need me, Right?" he quoted me. it caught me off guard, but with that he walked out without turning back. I watched him walk away and out of the hospital with a blank expression, and regret piercing my soul.
It was a memory I had relived almost every night now. the night I lost it all, or at least I thought I had lost it all. The burning remains of my home was in front of me, debris surrounding me, and the necklace I gifted Caleb on the ground in front of me. I reached out slowly and grabbed it, holding it close to my chest. there was nothing I could do as I watched my life burn in front of me as my eye lids got heavy. I was fighting to keep them open but it did nothing. My eyes fell closed and when I opened them again I was in my room, in my home. I sighed and sat up, looking around my dark room and seeing that the clock read 3:24am. I turned to sit on the side of my bed and rubbed my eyes. I realized then that my eyes were wet. Was I seriously crying in my sleep again? I hadn't done that in months. I scoffed at myself in embarrassment and stood up, walking to the window as I whipped my eyes. when I reached the window I opened it to let the cool air in. It felt nice on my skin that was clammy from how warm it was in my room.
Yesterday's events must have stressed me out a lot, usually nightmares didn't rattle me this much, especially not this one. It's a little dark how now reliving that night doesn't phase me but its the only way I could keep going after it happened. and now with Caleb back its even less of a bother. I sighed and went to climb back into bed but something on my nightstand caught my eye. Something that had completely slipped my mind when deciding to distance myself from my only family. "Fuck," I mouthed as I picked up the small colorfully decorated piece of paper that he had somehow held onto all these years just to use at a moment like this. the forgiveness coupon we made when we were kids, good for me to forgive him one time for anything. I sighed and sunk into the bed, staring at it. I couldn't believe I forgot about it. It might seem stupid but with this slip of paper in my hand I felt I had no choice to reconsider things with him. in all honesty, he was always protective of me, and would jump to drastic measures if it meant keeping me safe. I suppose that only got more intense as he got older and life became more dangerous for the both of us. and I didn't make it any easier for him, always as stubborn as when we were kids. What I refused to admit was that he was right when he said he was always like this, because he really was. I also had to consider what would happen if I continued to avoid him. It would drive him insane firstly, not knowing weather I was alive and safe or not, never quite sure if I was taking care of myself, and secondly, it would break me. Thinking he was dead was heartbreaking enough, and now I was continuing to act as if he had died even when I knew he wasn't. He was the only family I had left, My only connection to my past, and most importantly, the one I loved the most. was I willing to give that up just because he wanted me to be safe from anything the word had to throw at me? I wasn't.
I picked up my phone, took a deep breath, and texted him...
Yun: hey, I know its late but you've now cashed in your forgiveness coupon.
Caleb: Where's that attitude from earlier? Is it that easy to get you to change your mind?
I was mad that he was awake at such a late time, but that was besides the point.
Yun: I was being stupid, the truth is I do need you ok? I always have, and that stupid coupon gave me no choice.
Caleb: There's my girl.
I thought for a moment before typing again.
Yun: Just promise me one thing.
Caleb: Anything.
Yun: You wont leave me again, and you'll tell me the next time you fake your death.
Caleb: I Promise pipsqueak