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Kieran stood in the grand, dimly lit halls of the mansion, his gloved hand resting on the edge of a marble column. He watched Amethyst from afar as she laughed, her voice like music filling the cold air of the N109 Zone. She was with Sylus, who had recently returned after weeks of being away, and they were talking as if no one else existed in the world.
A slight smile tugged at Kieran’s lips beneath the leather crow mask, though the emotion swirling inside him was anything but light. He had loved Amethyst for what felt like an eternity, even though he knew she would never feel the same. It wasn’t that she couldn’t see the real Kieran behind the mask—she did—but her heart already belonged to Sylus, and Kieran wasn’t the kind of man to come between that. Especially since Sylus was their leader, their boss.
Still, it hurt.
Kieran inhaled deeply, his chest heavy with the weight of the unspoken. The mansion was a fortress, with walls that had witnessed countless betrayals and secret dealings. It was a place where showing weakness could be fatal. So, he had learned to hide his emotions, to bury them deep beneath the crow mask and hoodie, where no one could see the cracks in his calm exterior.
His older brother, Luke, leaned against the wall nearby, casually flipping a small dagger between his fingers. Unlike Kieran, Luke was all energy, a spark of unpredictability wrapped in a devilish grin. But now, his usual playfulness was absent. Luke’s eyes flickered with understanding as he caught the way Kieran's gaze lingered on Amethyst.
"You’re still doing that, huh?" Luke’s voice was soft, almost teasing, but there was a tenderness in his tone that only Kieran would recognize.
Kieran’s smile faltered. "Doing what?"
Luke raised an eyebrow. "Pretending it doesn’t hurt. Pretending you’re fine watching her with Sylus."
Kieran’s throat tightened, and he turned away from the sight of Amethyst, focusing instead on the cracked tiles under his boots. "I am fine, Luke."
But Luke wasn’t buying it. He slipped the dagger back into his belt and walked over to Kieran, standing shoulder to shoulder with his twin. "You don’t have to lie to me, you know. I’m your brother."
Kieran closed his eyes for a brief moment, the familiar warmth of his brother's presence offering a comfort he hadn’t realized he needed. Luke always seemed to know, even when Kieran kept his silence, even when he plastered on that serene, dependable mask for everyone else.
"I can’t let her know," Kieran said quietly, his voice barely a whisper. "I don’t want her to feel bad. She’s happy with Sylus. And that’s all that matters, right?"
Luke sighed, his hand resting lightly on Kieran’s shoulder. "You’re always the selfless one, Kieran. But you’re allowed to feel things too. You’re allowed to hurt."
Kieran shook his head, his resolve firm despite the cracks in his heart. "No. She deserves to be happy. Even if it’s not with me."
Luke was silent for a moment, watching his younger brother with a mix of pride and sadness. He admired Kieran’s strength, the way he put others before himself, but it also broke his heart to see him in so much pain. He wished he could do more, but some things couldn’t be fixed with a sharp word or a fight. This was something deeper.
"You’re stronger than you think, you know?" Luke said finally. "Most people would crumble under this kind of pressure, but you—" he shook his head in admiration. "You still stand tall."
Kieran’s lips twitched into a small smile, though the sadness never left his eyes. "Someone has to. Can’t have us both falling apart, right?"
Luke chuckled, nudging him playfully. "Hey, I’m not the one who’s falling apart here. I’m the fun one, remember?"
Kieran laughed, though it was a hollow sound, and Luke caught the edge of it. He pulled his brother into a quick, rough embrace, thumping him on the back. "You’ll be okay, Kieran. I don’t know when, but you will be."
Kieran nodded, though he wasn’t sure if he believed it. He looked over at Amethyst again, who was now leaning into Sylus, her face glowing with happiness. It was the kind of happiness that made Kieran’s heart swell and break at the same time. She was in love, and it wasn’t with him. But at least she was in love. That was something.
And yet, in the quiet recesses of his mind, Kieran couldn’t help but wonder what it would have been like if things were different. If she had chosen him. If he could make her smile like that. But he quickly banished the thought, burying it deep like so many others.
Luke’s hand squeezed his shoulder once more before he stepped back, giving his brother some space. "We’ve got each other, no matter what," Luke said, his tone softer now. "You don’t have to go through this alone."
Kieran gave a small nod, grateful for his brother’s unwavering support. It was the only thing keeping him grounded in the swirling storm of emotions he kept hidden
As Sylus and Amethyst turned the corner and disappeared from view, Kieran finally let himself breathe. The mask remained in place, concealing his face, but behind it, his heart ached in silence. He didn’t know how long he could keep pretending, but for now, he would.
For Amethyst’s sake, and for the happiness she had found.
Even if it wasn’t with him.
Kieran watched the empty hallway for a while, the distant echo of Amethyst’s laughter still lingering in his ears. He couldn’t help but let his mind drift, imagining her smile—how her eyes lit up in a way that made everything seem warmer, softer. But then the weight of reality settled back over him like a familiar shroud.
She wasn’t his. She never would be.
The low hum of the mansion’s systems reverberated through the walls, pulling him back to the present. There was work to be done—there always was in the N109 Zone. Sylus had been away for far too long, and the empire he'd built was already showing cracks, fractures in loyalty, whispers of rebellion. Kieran and Luke had kept things together in Sylus' absence, but now that he was back, the stakes were higher than ever. There was no room for distractions, no room for Kieran’s quiet heartbreak.
He turned to leave, his thoughts still tangled with the image of Amethyst. But just as he moved, Luke spoke up again, breaking the heavy silence that had settled between them.
"You know," Luke began, his voice uncharacteristically serious, "it might help if you stopped torturing yourself. Maybe spend less time around her. It’s not like Sylus needs us to babysit her. He can handle that on his own."
Kieran paused mid-step, his eyes narrowing beneath the mask. "She’s not some job to avoid, Luke. She’s…"
Luke tilted his head, waiting for Kieran to finish the thought, but his brother fell silent again. The words were caught somewhere deep inside, tangled with the emotions he refused to show.
"Look," Luke continued, "I’m not saying cut her off completely. I’m just saying, maybe give yourself a break. You don’t have to be around her and Sylus every second. We’ve got other things to focus on. Bigger problems."
Kieran exhaled slowly, his fingers curling into fists as he fought to keep his composure. He knew Luke was right. There were bigger problems—always bigger problems in their world. The N109 Zone didn’t rest, and neither could they. But no matter how much Kieran tried to push his feelings aside, they always came rushing back the moment he saw her.
"Maybe," Kieran muttered, though there was no real conviction in his voice.
Luke watched him for a moment, a flicker of concern passing through his sharp eyes. "Just think about it, okay? You don’t have to carry this alone."
Kieran didn’t respond. Instead, he turned and made his way down the long corridor, his footsteps echoing off the stone walls. He needed air, space, something to clear his head before the weight of it all became too much. He moved swiftly through the mansion, past the security checkpoints and shadowed corners where guards and drones patrolled, until he found himself at the rooftop.
The cold wind of the N109 Zone hit him as soon as he stepped outside. The skyline of the district stretched out before him, a sprawling mess of steel and neon, a world bathed in the glow of corruption and desperation. In the distance, massive towers loomed over the city, where the wealthy and powerful ruled from the shadows. Below, the streets were filled with the struggling masses, all trying to survive in the cracks of the empire Sylus had built.
Kieran walked to the edge of the rooftop, gripping the railing as he stared out at the city. It was easier to focus on the chaos below than to let his mind wander back to Amethyst, but the ache in his chest remained. No matter how hard he tried to ignore it, the feeling lingered.
A soft, metallic click echoed from behind him. Kieran didn’t need to turn to know who it was. Mephisto, Sylus’ mechanical crow, perched itself on a nearby ledge, its glowing red eyes scanning the horizon before settling on Kieran. The crow had always been Sylus’ eyes and ears, a symbol of his omnipresence. Even when Sylus wasn’t around, Mephisto was always watching.
"What do you want?" Kieran muttered, half-expecting the bird to deliver some cryptic message from Sylus.
But Mephisto merely cocked its head, as if studying Kieran. The silence stretched on for a few moments before the bird flapped its wings and flew off, disappearing into the night. Kieran watched it go, a sinking feeling in his stomach.
He wondered if Sylus knew. If he could see through Kieran’s calm facade, see the way he looked at Amethyst when he thought no one was watching. Sylus had always been perceptive, and Kieran couldn’t shake the feeling that Mephisto had come for more than just a casual check-in.
With a heavy sigh, Kieran leaned against the railing, letting the cold wind whip around him. He could feel the walls closing in, the secrets he kept threatening to consume him. But he couldn’t afford to crack. Not now. Not with everything on the line.
"You're really stuck, aren’t you?"
Luke’s voice came from the doorway, and Kieran didn’t turn. He had expected his brother to follow him eventually. Luke wasn’t one to leave things unsaid for long.
"You can say that," Kieran replied, his tone flat.
Luke stepped up beside him, his arms crossed as he gazed out over the city. "I get it, you know. I really do. But you’re putting yourself through hell for something that’s never gonna happen. You love her, but she loves Sylus. And Sylus? Well, he’s not exactly the kind of guy who shares."
Kieran let out a low, humorless laugh. "You think I don’t know that?"
"Then why do you keep doing this to yourself?" Luke pressed. "Why not just let her go?"
Kieran’s grip tightened on the railing, his knuckles turning white. "Because… because I can’t. She’s part of our world, Luke. She’s part of my world. Letting go of her means losing more than just the chance at being with her. It means losing a piece of myself. And I don’t know if I can do that."
Luke was quiet for a long moment, his gaze softening as he looked at his brother. He understood more than Kieran realized, but even he couldn’t offer an easy fix.
"Alright," Luke finally said, his voice gentle. "But promise me something, okay? Don’t let it break you. Don’t let her happiness destroy yours. You deserve more than that, Kieran."
Kieran didn’t respond, his eyes still fixed on the horizon. But as the wind howled around them and the city pulsed with life below, he nodded slightly, the smallest gesture of acknowledgment.
Even if his heart refused to let go, he wouldn’t let it show. Not to Amethyst. Not to Sylus. Not to anyone.
For now, he would wear the mask, and that would have to be enough.