Tears pricked her eyes with each step she took. Alex didn't want to cry in public. She wanted to cry behind closed doors. No one would've understood why she was upset anyway. Vylad Ro'meave died long ago.

“Alex, are you okay?”

Dante stares down at the blonde, recognizing something was wrong. He was on duty, but he was concerned about her. It was evident the female was trying not to cry, and he felt like he should've comforted her.

“Yeah,” Alex says, refusing to look in Dante's direction. She clings her jacket tighter around her body, creating a hug. “Just not feeling well. I'll be fine, though.”

“Are you sure? I get off duty in a few minutes. I could swing–”

Alex shakes her head. “No. I'm just going to go home and rest for a little while. Bye Dante.”

Even her walk seemed sad to Dante. He hadn't seen her like this before, so Dante wasn't sure what to do. Phoenix Drop was doing well as of recently. The whole Ro'meave scenario happened some time ago. For once, it seemed like everything was at ease.

The final minutes of Dante's shift meant little to nothing to him. Garroth was on duty next, so he was going to head towards the tower now. No doubt Garroth was ready to go on patrol anyway. He was always like that.

By the time Dante had made it to the guards tower, Garroth was talking with Laurance at the top level. Dante walked in like a sore thumb, affecting the atmosphere.

“Dante, are you alright?”

Garroth was always quick to address the tension in the room. He was worried.

“Yeah, I'm fine. Though, Laurance, can I talk to you while Garroth is on duty?” Dante asks before darting his eyes towards Garroth. “It's not about you, Garroth.”

Garroth took his reassurance as a sign to start his shift. He takes a quick glance down the ladder before descending.

“What do you need to talk to me about?” Laurance asks. He leaned against the wall, shifting all his weight behind him. “Do you need lady advice?”

“It's about Alex.”

Laurance felt conflicted at the sound of his sister's name. He wasn't sure why Dante would go to him regarding his sister. He didn't want to assume anything because he assumed wrong before. The concern in Dante’s eyes, however, caused Laurance to worry.

“Is she okay?”

“I don't know. That's why I came to you. I just ran into her, and it looked like she wanted to cry. She said she was ill, but I feel like there was more behind what she was letting on.”

Laurance nods, slowly. He wasn't sure what to say, so he said nothing at all.

Dante shifted awkwardly on his feet. Laurance’s silence wasn't helping him. “Maybe I'll try and talk to her later.”

“That's a good idea,” Laurance admits. “Give her some time to cool off. I can talk to her later if you want. I can do it before my shift.”

Dante shakes his head. “No, it's fine. I'll get back and change. I'll check on Alex afterwards and see if she cooled off. Give it an hour or two.”

“If you need me in the time being, you know where I am.”

°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Alex was wrapped in a blanket when she opened the door. By then the tears were shed, and her swollen eyes returned back to normal. It was as if nothing had happened at all.

“Would you care to take a walk with me?”

“You're not going to be convinced I'm in love with you this time, right?”

Dante chuckles, “No, not this time.”

“Then I'll accept. Won't you come in?”

She needed to change into more suitable clothing for winter weather. Dante declines, standing outside the house to wait for her. She wouldn't take long.

°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Alex didn't tell Dante about Vylad. They talked about anything rather than love. The casual conversation was light, and it was a distraction from reality. The walk made Alex wish she developed feelings for Dante and not a man that was a complete secret.

“My brother never went easy on me while we played. Our age difference meant nothing to him,” Dante laughs, smiling at the bittersweet memory. “Mom would always scold him when he was too rough.”

“Laurance treated me like a china doll. Always afraid I'd break.”

The difference between their past was evident as Alex and Dante walked. She didn't pay much mind to where they were going and trusted Dante.

“When was the last time you spoke to your brother?”

A saddened expression takes over Dante's face. He felt his stomach drop. Talking about childhood was different. Those were fond memories. He didn't have to remember everything that happened afterwards.

“I haven't spoken to Gene ever since I was twelve in Boboros. . . Um, before he was executed.”

Alex feels her mouth drop open, a slight quiver in her bottom lip. “Oh, Dante,” she says, unable to increase her volume more than a whisper. “I am so sorry.”

Dante didn't feel it was right to tell Alex everything at that current moment. He didn't speak of Gene often, and he definitely didn't want to continue on with his story.

“That was years ago,” Dante says. “Nothing can change it now. I've learned to live with it.”

Alex felt selfish at that moment. She had a family that loved her, and she was upset over a man. She felt even more selfish as she continued to talk. “How do you. . . how do you stay connected with him? He's gone, but you continue to go on.”

Dante places his hands in his pockets, kicking at the snow below him. “Don't make fun, but I keep a communication amulet with me. Gene gave it to me when I was little. Told me to use it if I ever got scared and he'd fight the monsters away. It's, um, broken now, but I keep it and continue to talk to him. I know he can't actually hear me, but it's comforting.”

“So you're getting the words out that you want to say to him, even if he can't actually hear you.”

Dante nods. “Some people just write letters and get rid of them, but I don't have much left of my brother.”

Alex reaches for his hand and gives it a slight squeeze. She smiles his way, but it's evident it isn't of pure happiness. “Why don't you come to my house for tea, and I'll make dinner? I'm sure it's an escape from Laurance's one-pot dinners.”

°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°

Dante had been in the kitchen, making his own cup of tea. He wanted a moment to himself.

Alex had been at her desk, paper and pen directly in front of her. The page was full of everything she wished she could say, but she couldn't. All the emotions she felt but tried to hide. The folded it up at if she'd deliver it but left it without a receiver written.

Dante comes out of the kitchen, teacup in hand. “You wrote a letter?”

Alex nods, tossing the letter into the fireplace next to her. She watched her words burn, never to be seen by any other pair of eyes but her own. “Yeah, there were some things I needed to get off my chest, but they're not here for me to tell them.”

Dante nods, placing the cup on the desk. He stands beside her, watching the paper burn up into ashes. “Do you feel better?”

She nods her head.