Nova didn’t recognize that she had been crying lightly, till a soft tear dripped down her cheek. Her heart ached, she had spent her entire life pushing Lucien away, when really he and Azlee were the ones who had protected her for years. Her words came out like a mess of sentences, like a bird flying away after being caged for so long. She had kept them private for so long. “I know,” she replied. “I realize that now, and I’m so so stupid that I didn’t before. I think when we were kids you and Azlee were more my parents, and I didn’t like that because… well because at the end of the day, you weren’t. I wanted our parents to be our parents instead of everything else. I wanted you guys to be able to be my older siblings. I pushed you away because I felt safe to, you and Azlee made me feel safe when so many things weren’t.”
Nova paused, for more than a second. She let the silence fill between them, let it hang in the air before she spoke again. “I felt… scared… all the time. I felt like I was never enough, being nearly the youngest, everyone else hit milestones and by the time I got to anything it felt like old news, and sometimes I could never live up to some of you, and then half the time Aida was surpassing me. It felt like I could never be good enough. Sometimes I still feel that way, sometimes I think that if Aida hadn’t died, I’d never be close with Erik, and then I think about how I’m a horrible sister for even thinking that… that I’m a pretty horrible sister for letting those feelings stick a wedge between most of you guys and I. I guess, I didn’t want to get so close to you and Az because, well… I knew that at the end of the day, you were probably going to get hurt over me, because I was almost non-existent to Dad. Seeing you guys hurt, that hurt so much, and knowing sometimes it was because you protected me, it felt unbearable. I was scared one day you were going to resent me for that, both you and Azlee. I guess I tried to beat you to it, but it didn’t ease any hurt I tried to spare myself. I don’t want to be angry anymore, Luc, I don’t want us to be how we are right now anymore.”
SEEING THE TEARS IN HER EYES MADE HIM WANT NOTHING MORE THAN TO BRING HER INTO HIS ARMS. to comfort her, but that wasn’t them anymore... maybe it never was since she always pushed him away and he always allowed it. so lucien listened, and when she paused he stayed silent to give her the moment she clearly needed. when she mentioned how she wasn’t sure erik and her would be close if it wasn’t for the death of their youngest sister, lucien ALMOST flinched. cause he understood that. he really did. why wouldn’t that be a fear of hers, with the way she already felt.... of course she’d feel that way. hell, he would too.
“ it wasn’t fair–- to any of us, but especially you. ” he could admit that. it ALMOST seemed easier for the rest of them because they had someone to relate to. but nova never felt like she did. it was probably something lucien understood now more than ever. i don’t want us to be how we are right now anymore. her words echoed in his head for a moment before he moved toward her and finally brought her into his arms. “ i don’t either. ” it was true, he really didn’t. but he also wasn’t sure what they could be anymore. it felt too late. too much time, too much damage, too much hurt... how did they move forward? he let her go and stepped away, as if he didn’t just hug his youngest sibling for the first time in centuries. he wanted this to work and knew it wouldn’t be easy. especially cause it seemed nova just wanted everyone to be a family again and lucien couldn’t promise that. he hadn’t spoken to erik since erik snapped at him over kat and he hadn’t spoken to az since the hospital. and who knew what the twins were up to... but he could promise to try to fix things with her.