intrepidity

Aurora felt tired.

Not just the kind of tired that sleep could fix—but the deep, soul-weary exhaustion that settled into her bones, making every movement feel heavy. It seemed like that was all she'd been feeling for the past few days. After the doctor's visit, after the quiet yet knowing glances exchanged between her brothers, after the truth was finally laid bare—there was nothing left inside her except a dull, aching sadness.

They knew.

And they didn't leave.

She had braced herself for it—the disgust, the pity, the inevitable distancing once they saw the marks she carried. She thought they'd recoil, that they'd see the scars and decide she was too broken, too damaged to be worth keeping. But instead, Alec had taken it upon himself to tend to her injuries every night.

Gentle hands. No harsh words. No repulsion in his eyes.

Just quiet patience as he carefully wrapped her wounds, applying a cooling cream with delicate fingers, as if afraid she'd shatter under his touch.

Aurora didn't know what to do with this kind of kindness. Didn't know how to accept the care without flinching, without waiting for it to be yanked away.

She was still waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Still waiting for them to decide she wasn't worth it.

But for now, she sat in the quiet, letting Alec's hands move over her skin, letting herself be taken care of.

"There we go, baby. Just a few more days, and then we won't have to do this anymore." Alec's voice was soft, almost melodic, as he smoothed the bandage into place. He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead before lifting her off the kitchen counter with effortless ease.

Aurora let out a quiet squeal, barely more than a breath of sound, but it made Alec chuckle, his arms tightening around her for a brief second before setting her down.

"Marcus is heading out for groceries soon. You wanna go with him?" He asked, his fingers absentmindedly combing through her hair, a habit he'd picked up over the past few days.

Aurora hesitated. She hadn't had much time to bond with Marcus yet. He always seemed... distant. Serious. Like the weight of the world rested on his shoulders, and he was always one second away from snapping under the pressure. He didn't look at her with anger—not exactly—but there was something unreadable in his eyes that made her unsure.

"Only if he wants to," she whispered, keeping her voice small, cautious.

Alec hummed, tilting her chin up slightly until their eyes met. "You're allowed to want things, baby," he murmured, brushing his thumb over her cheek before dropping a kiss to her temple.

Aurora felt warmth bloom in her chest at the easy affection. That was one thing about her brothers—they never held back when it came to showing her love.

Alec gave her a warm smile, his hand resting gently on her back as he led her into the living room. The air was filled with the quiet clinking of keys as Marcus stood near the entrance, his fingers curling around the metal before he paused, raising an eyebrow at his brother.

"How about you take her with you?" Alec suggested, his grin widening as he nudged Aurora forward slightly. "She really wants to go. Don't you, my love?"

Aurora's cheeks burned instantly, the warmth spreading down to her neck as she ducked her head. The nickname—so soft, so casual—made her chest tighten in a way she wasn't used to. She fidgeted slightly, nodding shyly.