In the Shadow of Grief!

Per usual, the chime of Kai's doorbell echoed through her house, its soft melody briefly filling the quiet space. Kai looked up from her desk, where a stack of notes and open books sprawled across the surface. With a sigh, she tucked a stray curl of hair behind her ear, rose from her chair, and made her way to the door.

When she opened it, her expression shifted from curious expectation to surprise. Standing on the porch was Sage, alone.

"Sage?" she said, stepping aside to let him in. "Where's everyone else—Kilo? You're usually a pair."

Sage hesitated for a moment before stepping into the house. "Not today," he said, his tone unusually subdued. He glanced around the familiar space as though seeing it with fresh eyes. "I wanted to talk to you. Alone."

Kai arched an eyebrow but didn't press him just yet. Instead, she closed the door behind him and gestured toward the living room. "Well, you've got me. Come on, sit. You look like you've got something on your mind."

Sage took a seat on the edge of the couch, his hands resting on his knees. He looked down for a moment before meeting her gaze. "I need your help. With something important."

Kai tilted her head, curiosity piqued. "All right. What's up?"

"It's about a man by the name of Yulian," Sage said, his voice steady but tinged with something Kai couldn't quite place—perhaps apprehension. "I need you to look into him."

She blinked, taken aback. "Funny you should ask. Kilo already beat you to it."

Sage frowned, his expression tightening. "He did? When?"

"A few weeks ago," Kai replied, leaning back in her chair. "He seemed… determined. Didn't he tell you?"

"No," Sage said, shaking his head. "He's been acting off lately. Stressed, ever since…" He trailed off, and Kai caught the weight in his voice.

"Ever since Blueport?" she offered gently.

Sage nodded, his jaw tightening. "We argued. Again. I've tried to brush it off, but I can't shake the feeling that it's something more."

Kai studied him for a moment, then leaned forward, her hands resting on her knees. "Maybe it's not just him," she said carefully. "Maybe you're both carrying more than you realize."

Sage's gaze flickered to her, his brows knitting together. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Kai let out a quiet sigh. "Look, I don't know everything about what you two have been through. Kilo's only told me bits and pieces—about Yulian being your father, that he disappeared a long time ago. But even that feels like it's just scratching the surface."

Sage's hands tightened into fists in his lap. "That's all Kilo told you? Nothing else?"

Kai shook her head. "Nothing about what happened or why. Just that it's been a sore spot for both of you. I didn't push for more—it's not my place. But Sage… whatever's going on, it's clear it's weighing on both of you."

Sage looked away, his jaw tightening. "It's complicated," he muttered.

Kai leaned forward, her expression patient but firm. "Of course it is. Family stuff usually is. But if it's got you two at each other's throats, maybe it's time to stop burying it and start figuring it out."

Sage scoffed lightly, a bitter edge in his tone. "You make it sound easy."

"I didn't say it would be," Kai replied evenly. "But it's necessary. Look, I get the sense Kilo's been dealing with this his own way. Maybe he hasn't told you everything because he doesn't know how. Or maybe he's scared of what you'll think. But that doesn't mean he doesn't want you to be part of the picture."

Sage rubbed the back of his neck, exhaling slowly. "Blueport wasn't just an argument," he admitted after a moment. "It felt bigger than that. Like we were tearing something apart that we couldn't put back together. And now, I don't know how to fix it."

Kai studied him closely, her expression softening. "Have you tried asking him about it? Not just about Blueport, but about all of it—Yulian, your past, what he's been feeling? Maybe the reason he hasn't said much is because he's waiting for you to bring it up first."

Sage frowned, considering her words. "What if he doesn't want to talk about it? What if it just makes things worse?"

Kai shook her head. "If he didn't want you involved, he wouldn't have brought me into it either. You're brothers, Sage. That bond doesn't break, no matter how hard you fight. Kilo might be hurting, but he's not going to shut you out forever. He might not say it, but he needs you just as much as you need him."

Sage met her eyes, searching for reassurance, and found it in the steady calm of her gaze. "You think so?" he asked, his voice quieter.

"I know so," Kai said with certainty. "But you've got to take the first step. And maybe…" She hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "Maybe that means admitting you haven't been as okay as you think. And that's fine. No one's expecting you to be perfect, least of all Kilo."

Sage sat back against the couch, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "You're probably right," he admitted, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "It seems to me you usually are."

Kai laughed softly. "I try. Now, about Yulian… I'll keep looking into him, but you focus on patching things up with Kilo, okay?"

"Okay," Sage said, his smile growing. "Thanks, Kai. For everything."

"Anytime," she replied, her tone warm. "And Sage? Don't wait too long to have that talk. Time has a funny way of slipping away when we let it."

Sage nodded, the weight on his shoulders feeling just a little lighter as he stood to leave. "I won't," he promised.

As Kai watched him go, she found herself silently hoping that her words would be enough to set things right between the two brothers. They had been through too much to let a rift grow between them now.