Kairi looked around the apartment at all of the girly furnishing from the coasters to the pink lemonade candles. She couldn't help but laugh. "Love what you've done with the place." She held up her fingers in the okay sign, "Really fits your style."

"Sing," Shorter looked over his shoulder, "Can you leave us?"

He held his hands up and backed away, "Sure thing, Boss." Sing wanted to so badly call Lux and say that Shorter's ex had shown up but it wasn't his business. If she got her feelings hurt because of this, it had nothing to do with him. Sing gave her the warnings but she refused to listen. She'll have to hurt just like how he did in order to learn how to survive this life and Shorter.

"Don't recognize that one." Kairi pointed once Sing had left.

"He's Lao's little brother."

"Oh! Where is good ol Lao? I always liked him."

Shorter looked down at his shoes, "He's uh- he's dead. Happened not too long ago. Sing's still kind of dealing with it."

"Oh." Kairi leaned back against the wall, "Sorry to hear that."

"What are you doing here?" Shorter's posture slumped forward. Seeing this girl, his first love, had him feeling deflated. She took everything from him when she ran off and now she showed up like nothing had ever happened. Like she didn't break his heart into a million pieces.

"I've um, I'm trying to get cleaned up. It's hard." She admitted. "I need someone."

"And that's supposed to be me?"

"I know it's not right to ask that of you. I just- I've missed you Shorter." Kairi shivered, running a hand up and down her arm to warm it up. "And I'm so sorry for leaving." she whispered, tears streaming down her face. Almost instantly, she felt Shorter's arms envelop her, drying her tears just like he used to.

"I know." He spoke softly, holding her head in his chest. "I'm here for you. Whatever you need. I'm here." He swore so easily without second guessing anything. "I'm here."

After getting settled in, Shorter had given Kairi some extra cash for clothes so she wouldn't have to wear the dingy rags from her bag. She came back with some simple things like t shirts and sweat pants to be comfortable in while she crashed at his place. She couldn't help but also notice a framed picture of a girl who looked kind of similar to her with the long black hair and tiny figure. Shorter must have had a type, she assumed.

In the picture, this mystery girl was sitting with her legs crossed on a tree stump with yellow flowers peaking up and around her. The sunlight came through the trees and accentuated the rosey blush on her cheeks and smile. There was also a gold little locket around her neck. Something told Kairi that inside the heart shape was a picture of Shorter. Kairi frowned at the thought of someone else having a hold on her Shorter.

Kairi had stepped out of the shower and used the pomegranate scented lotion that was on the sink. She held her cupped hands up to her nose and inhaled deeply, smiling at the fresh scent. She then picked up the folded clothes that she had grabbed from Lux's drawer and slipped them on. A pink, silk pajama set with a black lace trim on the spaghetti strap blouse and shorts. Kairi felt genuinely pretty for once in a long while.

The bedroom door creaked open which pulled Shorter's attention away from the tv. When he saw his ex wearing his girlfriend's clothes, his jaw had almost dropped. She looked... nice. Shorter ripped his eyes away from her and forced himself to look at the tv to avoid any temptations. "Thought I gave you money to get yourself some clothes."

"I didn't have time to go shopping today." She lied, "Plus these fit fine. Just a little tight." Kairi pulled on the fabric to stretch it some to make room for her filled out chest, purposely showing cleavage in hopes that Shorter would glance over. He didn't. She huffed and plopped down on the couch beside him, scooting close.

Shorter could smell the pomegranate scent that he loved so much on Kairi's body. It made him feel like Lux was right beside him. He missed her so much.

"It's cold in here." Kairi shivered, snuggling into Shorter's side for warmth and rested her head against his shoulder.

He breathed in, catching the scent of Lux's shampoo in Kairi's hair. Both girls were around the same size, except Kairi had more curves to her and was more rough around the edges, but their hair was long and black with bangs that fell perfectly across their forehead. Now that Kairi's hair was washed and brushed it looked a lot like Lux's. So beautiful and soft.

Shorter cleared his throat and shifted around on the couch, scooting away from Kairi who only leaned closer onto him. "I know what you're doing." He stared down to meet Kairi's wanting gaze. "I'm not going to hurt Lux like that."

Lux. So that's her name, she thought. "She won't know."

"But I will. I've lied to her so much and I can't do it again. Not about this." He pointed back and forth between them both. "You left me. She didn't."

"I don't see her anywhere."

"It's work related. And I want her to know that she can trust me even when she's not around."

Kairi raised an eyebrow, "Do you trust her?"

"Of course I do."

"I don't mean around other guys. I mean, do you trust her to come back to you?"

Shorter wanted to give a definite yes but that wasn't the truth. Kairi already planted that seed of doubt in him a long time ago but he couldn't put that on Lux. "Yes." His answer was stern even if it was a partial lie. "She loves me." Shorter's cell buzzed in his pocket. It was a text from Lux saying that she's back in the hotel room and getting ready for bed. He smiled down at the screen as he typed about being glad that she's safe and that he loves her.

Kairi's heart became heavy and her stomach knotted. Her body began to shake and masked it as withdrawal chills so that Shorter would hold her close again and forget about what was on his phone. It worked so easily to where it made her smile. Before she knew it, she was asleep in his arms.
________________________

A few days had passed and Fang felt like she was ready to go back home. The bleeding had subsided as well as the nausea and cramping. She was so grateful that Lux was there by her side to help her through it all. Shorter had no idea how lucky he was to have someone as caring and loving as Lux was.

Fang pulled out her bag from the back seat and leaned her head into the passenger window. "Thank you again."

"Of course. If you need anything else just let me know. Okay?"

Fang smiled and gave a nod before walking back home. Lux was exhausted by the drive and missed the feeling of Shorter's bed with him beside her, where she could be held in his strong warm arms. She missed him so much. Although it was strange that he didn't call her like how he said he would, instead he opted out for texts. She shrugged it off as him just being busy.

Lux entered the dark apartment and saw a silhouette asleep on the couch. She smiled and decided to shower first before waking Shorter up to join her in bed. When going into the bedroom she found a girl asleep on her side of the bed, wearing her pajamas, wrapped up in her blanket, and smelled like her pomegranate soap.

Lux's duffle bag dropped from her shoulder and plopped onto the floor with a thud. She instinctively clasped her trembling hands over her mouth to suppress a scream. Her hands, now filled with anger, made their way to the kitchen sink and filled a glass up to the brim with water and poured it on Shorter's head.

He jolted up off the couch, now soaked and watching his step to not stand in the broken glass from the cup that was now smashed on the floor. "Who the hell is that?" Lux screamed, pointing towards their room.

Shorter's heart pounded against his chest. "Baby-" he stammered, "I thought you'd be back in the morning."

"Yeah well surprise." She pushed him backwards. He slipped in the water and fell back onto the couch with Lux pointing and yelling at him. "I leave for a few days and you go and cheat on me!" She cried, "How could you!?"

"No no Lux. I swear to you it's not like that!" He grabbed her wrist but she ripped it away. "Please just listen."

"What's with all the yelling?" Kairi rubbed her tired eyes, leaning against the doorway of Lux and Shorter's bedroom.

Lux couldn't control her feet and before she knew it her hand had struck against the girls face. She didn't stop there. Her hands yanked on the straps of the blouse, her blouse that this random girl was wearing, and pulled her forward and back to slam her against the wall. Kairi's body betrayed her as she fell to her knees, still not having full strength after the withdrawals.

Shorter snaked his hand under Lux's stomach and carried her off of Kairi, but her flailing foot had kicked him between the legs and then continued to scream and punch at the girls head and face. Shorter held his now sore groin and was finally able to separate the two. "That's enough!" The force of the tug on Lux's arm caused her to fall onto her back. She propped up on her elbows and looked at Shorter with watery eyes as he went to check on this girl who was bleeding from her nose. "You okay, Kairi?" He asked, voice full of concern. Shorter had taken off his wet shirt and dabbed softly at the bloody laceration underneath her eye from where Lux's ring had nicked her. Kairi hissed at the pain while Shorter aided her injuries, all while Lux watched from the floor.

That name. Lux couldn't forget it. It haunted her the day Shorter had shared the story of his first love. "Oh my god..." Lux covered her mouth, still watching how close the two were. It was so intimate, at least in her eyes it was. "You love her."

Shorter turned his attention away from Kairi and noticed Lux backing away towards the door. "Lux, please wait." he said, reaching out as if to grab her hand and stop her from leaving.

Lux hurried down the corridor, tears streaming down her face, paying no attention to the boys peeking out of their rooms. Sing watched her, feeling a pang of guilt for not warning her sooner. However, he convinced himself that she needed to learn the hard way. He rolled his eyes, shook his head and slammed the door behind him, still being angry at himself for letting things play out the way they did.

Viper and Hook took notice of Sing's reaction and knew he was desperately trying to keep himself from going after her. Hook sighed and pulled his black hoodie on.

"Where you goin?" Viper asked, flicking his cigarette across the hall for it to land at Hook's feet.

"Making sure that chick doesn't do anything stupid to get herself hurt. Shorter's already got enough to deal with now that his old fling is back."

Viper squinted at his protege. Hook always carried himself like he didn't care about anything just to appease his mentor, but Viper saw right through it.
The guy felt guilt and worry the day his cousin was killed and never fully got over it. It was only a matter of time until the facade was completely broken.

Shorter rushed out of the room, still barefoot and looked around hoping Lux would still be there. "Where'd she go?" He asked in a panic, trying to get his shoes on.

"Take it easy, boss." Viper said.

"Hook went after her." Smiley informed. He questioned if that was such a good idea considering the two didn't like each other. He grabbed his coat that was left thrown by the front door and decided to follow behind his comrade.

"Shit." Shorter squeezed the bridge of his nose, not knowing if he should stay and help Kairi or leave to bring Lux back himself. He ultimately decided the prior. "I didn't cheat on her. I swear on everything."

"It's not our business, Boss." Sunshine closed his door and hoped that Lux wouldn't come back. This needed to happen. She needed a reason to leave and this was it. Lux was too good of a person to be living her life alongside criminals. Now she was being replaced by the bosses old junky girlfriend. It felt like all was right in their world once again. Scum lies with scum. That's how it should be.

Lux found herself on a park bench, sniffling and crying into her hands. Passerby's stared at her but didn't bother asking if something happened or what was wrong. She felt ignored much like how Shorter treated her in comparison to how he was with his ex.

"It's not smart to be out here at night." Hook sat beside Lux who was shocked that he of all people was the one to go after her. "Shouldn't have ran off alone."

"Who cares?" Lux looked away and brought her knees into her chest, "You all got what you wanted. I'm not going back there ever again."

"Now you're just being dramatic."

"Just leave me alone."

"It's 2 am and freezing out. I'm not going home without bringing you back to Shorter."

Lux scoffed at how loyal these guys were. Was it admirable or pathetic to take orders from one guy even when he didn't directly ask anything of them. "Then you'll have to drag me."

Hook dropped his head into his palms. Stubborn girl, he thought but wasn't surprised. She did what she wanted no matter what anybody said. It was obvious to Hook that she had grown up in a strict household and now had the freedom to make her own decisions. "Are you gonna kick and scream?" Before Lux could raise a curious brow, she was thrown over the boys shoulder and carried off to a near by car. She felt Hook force his hand down her back pocket to retrieve her keys, that he then tossed to Smiley who was in the drivers seat. "Take her car. I got it from here."

"Put me down!" Lux tried to kick but her complaining didn't affect the boys in the slightest. Smiley opened up the door as Hook forced Lux to sit down. "Let me out!" She tried her best to squeeze through the door but the boys stopped her. "I'm serious!"

"So are we." Smiley said before he took her car back to the apartment.

Hook occasionally glanced away from the road to check on Lux to see if she was crying, scowling, anything, but she refused to show any more emotions around him. "He didn't cheat on you."

She rolled her eyes. "Of course you'd protect him."

"I'm serious. If he did, Sing wouldn't have shut up about it. Kid always complained every time he could hear you and Shorter doing it at night." They guys hated how Sing would throw out a complaint about how he couldn't sleep cuz of all the noise, they all knew it was jealousy and berated him over it.

"Yeah." Lux plopped her chin into her palm, looking out the cold foggy window. "Whatever."

Hook exhaled heavy. "He loves you too much to hurt you like that."

Lux turned her head fast, scowling. "Loves me?" She sarcastically laughed, "Wanna know how I know that he doesn't love me? Because you're here and not him." She folded her arms and looked away again, holding back tears at the feeling of her breaking heart. "He let me walk away."

Suddenly the van started to slow down until Hook pulled over onto an empty, foggy road. He leaned back into his seat and turned his head. "Nobody wanted you gone more than me. I didn't like you and yet I felt responsible for being the one to hurt you in that accident. I didn't want you to die because of my mistake. And I'm sure as hell not going to let you leave my friend over a misunderstanding."

Hook never referred to Shorter as his friend, only as a superior. He never liked to acknowledge how close he felt to the guys because he knew how hard it would hit if and when something ever happened to them. What would feel worse was having to pretend that he was fine.

"Even if I wanted to go back things would be different. Shorter loved that girl and was crushed when she left. How am I supposed to compete with that?"

"How are you supposed to compete with an addict? Seriously? There's nothing for you to be worried about. She's a hot mess and you're-" Hook held back the need for any type of compliments. "You have your shit together."

"Seems to me like Shorter isn't interested in someone with their life together." Hook picked up on the sass and jealousy in her tone. If it was any other day he would have teased her for such a girlish thing. "He's comfortable where he is." She shook her head. "He doesn't want to change. Not even for me."

Hook couldn't comprehend why this girl was so fixated on wanting to fix the world. He always found it stupid and infuriating how she acted like a perfect little angel, always knowing everything. However, when it appeared as though she was giving up on her fight, he refused to let her. A tiny voice within him, a voice that seemed to pierce through the brain fog, urged him to tell her not to give up on Shorter. He believed that he could reach the other side and be with her eventually, when the time was right. And if Shorter could make it out of this life, then perhaps he could too...

Lux's hands shook on her lap, not from the cold but from the anger in her body that she didn't know how to release. Her fingers had a little bit of Kairi's dried blood painted on them that Lux probably hadn't even taken notice of yet. Being with Shorter created a jagged edge to her clean cut personality, but even at that, Hook didn't believe that she'd go rotten. She couldn't be soiled by the slums that they resided in. She was brought into their lives for a specific purpose, he thought. "Not to be superstitious but we lose people and fight for people for a reason."

"Yeah well I don't want this reason to turn into a lesson."

Hook recalled having many lessons in his life. The biggest one being the night he lost his cousin. It haunted him everyday. "If you leave now, will you regret it?"

Lux swallowed the thick saliva in her dried mouth. Instead of answering the question, she avoided it and chose to flip the question. "You're suddenly so interested in me staying with Shorter. Why's that? You think I can fix a broken boy? Build him in the way that I want so we'd live happily ever after? Or is it something else?"

Hook leaned away. She was reading him again like an opened book that she could reside from memory. The mask he wore had fallen right in front of her. No. It had always been off.

"You need someone to follow don't you?" She interrogated. "You're lost without any sort of guidance. Shorter told me how he was going to kick you out of the gang when you lost control but it was Viper that took you under. Now what? Is his path going into the dark and you're afraid? You just want to watch me drag Shorter out so you could only hope to follow. You're not interested in my happiness or his. You're the type that leeches. That's why you don't like me because I'm strong enough to help the people around me while you can barely stand on your own."

Hook stiffened his lip. Lux was right again just like how she was back at the hospital when calling him out on being responsible for someone else dying. He couldn't lie to this girl even if he wanted to. "And if I say you're right? Then what?"

Lux didn't expect him to own up to her claims. Her scrunched face softened as she released a sigh. "Then I'd say try helping yourself before hoping someone else will carry you on their shoulders."

"I can't." Hook spoke in a whisper. "I mess everything up. I fucked up my life, my families lives, yours." He pointed and let his hand fall heavy onto his leg. "Even in a world full of low lives I still manage to be the weakest link."

"I'm sure that's not true."

"Yes it is!" He shouted, but Lux didn't flinch. "The guilt of it all eats me alive everyday and yeah you're right. I do want to see Shorter happy because I don't want him to blame himself over not going after you. He made a mistake by staying behind. One mistake." He held up his finger, "Don't hold that against him. He won't be able to live with himself. He'll be broken and have to act like everything is okay just for us. A bunch of guys that are going to end up dead or in jail. He's not meant to live like that." Tears poured down from Hook's eyes as he was nearly pleading for Lux to forgive Shorter. "I don't want to live like that. I don't want this shit anymore!" Hook's hands gripped onto the steering wheel, knuckles turning white as he shouted words that were referring to himself the entire time.

"You?" Lux gently placed her hand on top of his trembling ones. This boy tried once again to mask his pain only for the pressure to cause him to break. He confessed the frustrations and worry in his life. He admitted his guilt and all he wanted was for someone to tell him that he was forgiven.

"Yes me." He stretched his fingers upwards to shew off Lux's touch. "You're right. It's not about you and Shorter. Not entirely. I don't wish for anyone to feel the way I do. Especially him. You two couldn't be more different but you both have hearts that bleed for people that you want to help." Hook roughly wiped his tears with the sleeve of his hoodie.

"Back at the hospital I said you were responsible for someone else getting hurt and you lashed out on me." Hook looked up at her with red, puffy eyes. "Who was it?"

He swallowed the lump in his throat before speaking. "My little cousin. I was the one who brought him in." Hook recalled that day. Dreamer always looked up to him and his parents hated it. Hook was always a trouble maker. He constantly got suspended from school for always getting into fights and playing hooky. That's how he got his nickname. Always being absent. "It was business as usual. We were supposed to meet up with another gang. Shorter needed me but I was too hungover to make it and my cousin covered for me." He explained. "Cops showed up and that other gang thought we had double crossed them. There was a shoot out. Smiley was driving the getaway van and before they got the door shut, that bastard Wydell kept shooting after he saw that Sheng was hit. That last bullet was a clean shot through Dreamer's chest. Sunshine tried to slow down the bleeding until they got to a back alley doc but he didn't make it. Viper told me that Dreamer died in his arms."

"I'm so sorry..."

"That bullet was supposed to be for me." Hook stared off into the distance, imagining a world where his cousin was still alive. "I missed the run because I was being an idiot the night before and it cost him his life. His parents won't even talk to me and his brother lets me know how much he hates me. That one fucking mistake caused so much damage that I can't fix."

It all made sense to Lux. She was right about this boy from the beginning. He was a gentle soul trying to fit into a world full of those that turned off their emotions like a switch. Lux watched the boy and slowly brought her arms around him. His head fell into her chest as his sobs became muffled into her coat. Her hand tangled into his hair and massaged the back of his head for comfort. She felt his body begin to relax in her arms but he quickly ripped away again.

Hook embarrassingly looked away and dried the rest of his tears, "I don't need you to do any crap like that. I'm not a kid." His words were more to convince himself of such things. He hated this feeling of helplessness that gloomed over him everyday of his miserable life.

"Everyone needs comfort."

"Yeah well not me." He sniffled before starting up the van again. The rest of the ride was quiet and awkward.

Snow started to fall and streak across the windshield. Lux kept her eyes down, wondering what she'd say to Shorter when she got back. Yelling and crying was all she felt like doing but she wouldn't let this girl see her like that again. Lux prided herself on being able to stay in control of her emotions and not let the world get to her, and yet this boy, her love, was fire to the fuse that made her lose control of it all.

Lux and Hook sat in the lot in silence before he clicked the button on the door to unlock it for her to get out. He needed a few extra minutes to pull himself together before going back inside. He had said that he didn't need comfort but Lux ignored the lie. "Hook," he turned slowly, eyes still red and puffy. "If you need anything-"

"I don't." His voice was stern and angry.

"Okay." Lux replied, still sensing the hurt that shrouded him. "I'm sorry for the nasty things I said to you before."

He smacked his lips, "Don't be. You were right. I cling to people. I'm not good on my own. I never have been."

"Well you're not alone." She said, reaching out and holding onto his forearm. "I don't fit into this place either. I'm not..." she tried finding the words to describe her case only for the voices in her head to shout them. "I'm not built for it. I don't think I'll ever be."

"Guess we're more similar than I thought."

"I guess so." Lux pulled her hand away and turn to leave until Hook called her back.

"Lux." She stared at him as he was trying to find the words to say. "Can you promise me that you won't tell anybody about this? Not even Shorter."

"I swear." She crossed her heart using a finger like she was accepting an oath. "Whenever people come to me I keep what we talked about to myself."

"I'll keep that in mind." Hook placed his hand on her knee. Lux smiled softly. "You're sweet. Shorter's lucky to have you."

She chuckled, "He's lucky to keep me after this."

Hook stared at his hand that was still resting on Lux's knee and began to slowly run it up her leg until he reached up to caress her face. A breath hiked up into her throat and got stuck after feeling his cold hand press against her cheek. Hook leaned forward and rested his forehead against hers.

"Hook...." Lux said his voice so quietly as if not to startle him. He breathed in deep and let out a shaky exhale. "Are you okay?"

"Shhh." Hook closed his eyes and let this girls warmth embrace him. For once he could say that he felt better after being able to admit his pain to someone and have them not blame him for everything. "Please let me... I need it."

Lux held the boy close to her. She allowed him to release every single raw emotion by letting it melt away onto her and cradled that pain for him to make it go away. The weight in his chest lifted and the chains around his throat loosened to where he could finally breathe. "It's okay." She said, "I'm here."

Those words made his eyes water. Someone cared enough to be there for him in this vulnerable state that he kept locked away from others for years. This girl... she's perfect, he thought. The words 'please stay' danced on his tongue. He couldn't understand how she could make someone like him feel safe and better about the terrible things he's done. Was this how Shorter felt while being with her? Did she have him melt under her touch as she did with himself? If so, letting this angel escape his life would be the biggest mistake he could ever make.

Hook pulled away as a subtle smile appeared across his face under the shadows. "Let's get you inside." he squeezed her hand one last time before they entered the complex, both going their separate ways.

Lux stood at Shorter's door and tried to listen for any voices. All she heard were footsteps that were pacing back and forth. She took a deep breath and turned the knob and was met with a tight hug. Her arms stayed still at her sides while Shorter continued to squeeze her and say how sorry he was. "I should have told you when she showed up." Shorter tilted up Lux's head with a hooked finger, "I swear on my life that I didn't do anything with her, Lux. You have to believe me."

Lux searched his eyes for a sign of deceit. "How long?"

"Huh?"

"How long is she going to stay here, Shorter?"

He looked back at the closed door to the bedroom where Kairi was sleeping then back at Lux. "I don't know. I just have to keep an eye on her until she gets better."

Lux felt her lip quiver and looked down to hide herself. "You've never done that for me."

"What do you mean?"

"Stayed put when I needed you. I always had to deal with you being gone. You have no idea how many sleepless nights I've had and how much I've cried because I missed you." Her voice cracked, "Do you know how much walking into this hurt me?" Shorter opened his mouth to respond but Lux didn't let him. "You don't know! I've never made you feel that way!"

"You don't understand."

"Tell me then!" Lux shouted, "Tell me how much I don't understand!"

"You don't need me like she does!" Shorter wanted to take the words back as soon as they escaped, even though it was how he felt. Everything continued to spill out. "You don't need me to take care of you! You don't need me to help you with your problems!"

"Shorter that's-"

"Let me finish." He spoke loudly, "And the only time you did need me was cuz I was the reason for everything that's gone wrong. You don't need me Lux. You never have. You have a good job, you're going to school, you have your life planned out and everything in it will go according to plan even if I'm not there with you."

"So that's it?" Lux shoved the tall boy away from her. She kept pushing his chest even though he barely moved. He stood there and let her punch at him until her arms grew tired. She flung her hair backwards to get the loose strands out of her face that was now flushed red. "I don't get this side of you because I don't need you to fix my life? Well sorry that I'm not your project!" Lux shouted and pointed towards their bedroom where Kairi was more than likely woken up by the shouting. "No. That's not true." She shook her head. The shattered glass cup was still on the floor as well as Kairi's dried blood that crusted onto Lux's knuckles and rings. "Look at me. Look at what you've done to me."

Shorter noticed the dried blood and the way Lux's blouse hung loosely around her neck from when Kairi pulled on it during their fight. His heart got heavy. He pictured Lux from when they first met. She was so nurturing and would never hurt a fly. Now she had another girls blood on her hands and it was because of him.

"Even when I'm more like you I'm still not what you want."

"Lux-"

"Tell me right now. Do you love me?"

"Of course I do."

"Then be there. Even if I don't need you to make my problems go away I still want you to be there because being next to you makes me happy, Shorter. Why don't you understand that?"

Shorter only knew how to show his love by being protective when he needed to be and gluing pieces of someone's broken life back together. He didn't have to do that with Lux like how he did back then with Kairi. The gangster in him didn't know how to love normally. Now he was going to lose the love of his life because of it. "I'm sorry."

"You apologize a lot but it means nothing if you don't change how things are."

Shorter pictured his life without Lux and he knew he couldn't do it. What would be the point of anything if he lost the one person who saw him as something more than the King of Chinatown. "Okay. You're right." He gave up on arguing. "I'll show how sorry I am."

Lux knew immediately what Shorter's first real challenge would be. "I want to leave."

"What?"

"Once you're finished taking care of- your friend. I want to leave. I won't live here anymore." She stated. Shorter could tell how serious she was. "I don't care how we do it, but we will. If you don't want to leave then that's fine, but I'm gone." She tiptoed to his level, "And this time Shorter, I won't come back."

Shorter put his head down. What would happen if the King of Chinatown wasn't in Chinatown? What would his life be like if he let Lux walk out again? He was torn between two worlds and now was the time to choose which one he wanted to live in. He clenched his jaw and finally spoke. "Okay. You and me. I'll find somewhere for us."

Lux knew not to get excited yet. "I'll believe it when it happens." Shorter reached for her hand to kiss like how he always did when he apologized. His fingers only managed to graze her arm when she ignored his gesture and went to the room so she could wash the day off of herself.

Sitting up against the head board was Kairi, staring a hole into the girl that replaced her. She tracked Lux's every move from the closet to the restroom, and continued to do so when she came out freshly bathed. Lux stood over the bed and snatched the pillow, her pillow, that Kairi was lying against as well as the only blanket that was on the bed. Kairi held her tongue. Last thing she needed was another fight happening this late at night. "You can't change him, y'know." Was all that she decided to say.

Lux turned away from the door and stared down at Kairi. "You can't keep him how he was."

"I love him for who he is. You don't."

Lux felt her hand instinctively ball up into a fist. "I don't care what you think just as long as there's one thing clear here." She said, "He's mine."