"Seriously, what the fuck are you doing?"Landon scowled as Agnus styled his hair with a questionable amount of hair cream.

I grimaced as I stared at them both from the couch. We were currently in Agnus' mansion to supposedly get ready for what Agnus said 'The end of an era', all because I told him this morning we were going to my parents house to officially discuss my leave and Landon's leave from the guild. He immediately ordered us quite demandingly to come here immediately.

Naturally Landon declined but Agnus being the persuasive Asshole that he was, continued to butt in with all sorts of arguments. Genuinely it made us give in instantly. We both were in absolutely no mood for his bickering.

It's been three weeks now since the incident. And Landon finally started to speak about his nightmares to me more comfortably. He even started going to the psychologists and psychiatrists Agnus booked for him. We all went with him for each session and he seemed more at ease to speak about it with us by his side. The guidance the psychiatrists and psychologists provided definitely helped Landon understand his inner self better and the workings of his mind. We knew his triggers and what sent him into a frenzy. So now we all took special care to be mindful of what we talked about and watched even as movies. Nothing gory or parental loss. No talks of leaving, moving elsewhere or even uttering Isabel's name too much. No stab movies either.

He seemed better, lighter as if the darkness that was slowly creeping all over his soul was receding. There was still a long way ahead of us before he healed completely. Even then part of him would always remember the trauma he went through but he could choose how it shaped his present and future now. He could choose to carry it as a part of his life, a season he survived and came out of, victorious. But not as something that constantly shackles him to a tormenting past. And we would be there every step of the way until he healed completely.

Celine was doing great too and her performances were getting better now that she was back to herself and her normal life. She was glowing. That in itself soothed me. What happened with Kyron had changed something in me though.

Not my love.

No. That had always been immeasurable.

But my vigilance...That had become almost unbearable. Every protective instinct within me seemed determined to keep her within reach and that's exactly what I had been doing. Watching over her everyday the best I could without becoming overbearing because I knew she wanted to feel normal again, freely so.

She didn't hide from me though. Whenever nightmares and thoughts plagued her mind, she reached for me. She had trusted me with her laughter. With her tears. With her worries. With her dreams. With the quiet parts of herself few ever saw. She had chosen to make our safe house her home. Throughout all those years, she had trusted me with all of her, And somehow without realizing exactly when it had happened...She had become my home as well.

Mine.

Not mine to possess. Never that. But mine to protect. To encourage. To cherish. To walk beside.The distinction mattered.

Love that sought to possess eventually became a prison. Love that sought to protect on the other hand became shelter.

What happened also taught me that love does not always remove mountains. No. Sometimes...It simply refuses to let you climb them alone. And as long as I lived and breathed, Elysium and her, Agnus and Landon, none of them would ever be alone.

It was now time for a new beginning.

"That's bullshit right there. Why would you style my hair like that? I'm not going to a funeral" Landon grumbled.

Agnus grinned, one hand reaching for his glass of scotch. "It is a funeral. The funeral of the old you."

Landon gave him a deadpan look. "Right. Of course"

"Stop whining. It suits you. Art takes time, my friend," Agnus said, spraying water like a tiny indoor rain cloud. "Do you want to look cool, or do you want to look like you cut your hair with kitchen scissors in the dark?"

Landon scoffed. "I want to look like I didn't let a guy with a plastic comb ruin my final exit."

"I didn't ruin your final exit. Chill, it looks good" Agnus said, finishing his glass in one go.

"You definitely do need to get checked, Agnus. We have different definitions of what looks good." Landon said, getting up and stretching his limbs.

"Yeah yeah yap all you want. I don't care. It looks good. Period."Agnus grinned, tucking his blazer on.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Alright, let's go. I need to attend Celine's performance soon"

"Got it, lover boy." Agnus said, swinging his car keys.

"Talking about lover boy, didn't your dad arrange your marriage with Serena? That girl from the guild that's a master at infiltration?"Landon asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

Agnus's expression soured so quickly it was comical. "You really need to rub that in my face early this morning?"

"What?"Landon mocked with feigned innocence. "I don't see the problem with it. She's an amazing assassin. Would be perfect for you"

"She's a dick. In the female version. You know what she told me? She asked me how big of a diamond I would give her as a wedding ring. I asked why and she said she doesn't want the ring to weigh down on her finger when she slaps me at the aisle" Agnus scowled making me burst into laughter.

Landon tried his very best to not laugh. "Sounds like the perfect wife for you. It takes one dick to tolerate another"

"Fuck you both." Agnus grumbled, marching out with a sour face.

Yep. Serena was perfect for him. She's always been fiercely independent, prideful and cocky. If there's one person who could match Agnus'
energy it was her. Let's just hope they don't rip each other's throat before the wedding. It was an arranged marriage after all. One that none of them seemed to want.