Chapter 4: A Moment’s Promise

The sun descended, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink. When it came time for Yuki to leave, she stood there hesitantly. Her violet eyes kept shimmering with a hidden longing.

“You’ll come back, won’t you?” she asked, her voice soft and trembling as she clutched my hand tightly.

I offered her a reassuring smile. “I’ll be here tomorrow. Same time. I promise.”

She stared at me, searching my face as if to ensure I meant it. Finally, with great reluctance, she loosened her grip, her segmented fingers relaxing her clench on my hands. “Okay,” she whispered, her voice clearly reluctant.

As she turned to leave, I couldn’t help but notice how slowly she moved, casting glances over her shoulder as if hoping I’d call her back. I waved and offered a slight smile, as she offered a shy wave in return before leaving.

The moment she was gone, I felt a weight latch onto my side. “You’re mine,” Nora declared possessively, her arms wrapped tightly around me. Her wings fluttered, brushing against my arm as she glared in the direction Yuki had gone.

I sighed, patting her head lightly. “Nora, she’s just a friend.”

“She’s weird,” Nora muttered, her grip tightening. “And I don’t like how she looks at you.”

“You’re being ridiculous,” I said with a chuckle, but Nora didn’t seem amused.

We made our way back home, the looming skies of the evening casting long shadows on the ground. As soon as we stepped inside, Nora wasted no time.

“Mom!” she called out, her voice ringing through the house.

Cassandra appeared from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. Her antennae twitched slightly as she looked between the two of us. “What is it, Nora?”

“Markus was talking to some strange girl today,” Nora announced smugly, crossing her arms as she shot me a triumphant look.

I groaned inwardly. “It wasn’t like that-”

“She was creepy,” Nora added, cutting me off. “And she wouldn’t stop clinging to him.”

Cassandra’s expression darkened, and she turned her sharp gaze to me. “Is this true, Markus?”

I hesitated, knowing there was no use denying it. “I met someone, yes,” I admitted. “Her name is Yuki. She seemed lonely, so I invited her to play with us.”

Cassandra sighed, rubbing her temples. “Markus, we’ve talked about this,” she said, her tone carrying with vexation. “You can’t just go around making friends with strangers. It’s dangerous for you.”

“She was nice!” I protested.

“She was weird,” Nora chimed in, her tone mocking.

“Enough,” Cassandra said firmly, cutting off any further argument. She looked at me, her expression softening slightly as she took in my downcast gaze. “Markus…”

I didn’t say anything, but the way I shuffled my feet and avoided her eyes must have said enough. Her shoulders sagged, and she let out a long sigh.

“This is the one time I’ll overlook it,” she said finally, her voice gentler now. “But only this once. You have to be more careful in the future. Do you understand?”

I nodded, though the lump in my throat made it hard to speak.

Cassandra crouched down to my level, taking my hands in hers. “Markus,” she said softly, her eyes full of worry. “If something were to happen to you… our family wouldn’t be able to handle it. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Her hands were warm, and the way she looked at me made my chest tighten. I nodded again, this time more firmly. “I understand.”

She smiled faintly, brushing a strand of hair away from my face. “Good. Now go wash up, it’s almost time for dinner.”

As I turned to leave, Nora stuck her tongue out at me, clearly enjoying my scolding. But I ignored her, my mind lingering on my mother’s words.

It wasn’t the first time she’d warned me about being careful, and it likely wouldn’t be the last. But as I headed inside, I couldn’t help but think about Yuki’s shy smile and the way her eyes lit up when she started to have fun.

“Eat up,” she said, taking her seat and giving me a look that reminded me of her earlier reprimand.

Dinner was quieter than usual. Cassandra seemed lost in thought, her antennae twitching slightly as she ate.

Nora, on the other hand, was her usual self, cheerfully recounting the day’s events, except for anything involving Yuki, of course. She kept stealing glances at me, as though daring to bring up her again.

My father, Dorian, sat at the head of the table, his broad frame hunched slightly as he tore into a piece of a roasted piece of corn. He was often the quiet one during meals, only chiming in when necessary.

“You look distracted, Markus,” Dorian finally said without moving his gaze from the corn. His deep voice cutting through the silence. “Something on your mind?”

I hesitated, my fork paused mid-air. “I’m fine,” I muttered, forcing a small smile. “Just tired.”

Dorian raised an eyebrow but didn’t press further. Instead, he shifted his attention to Cassandra. “Did he run into trouble today?”

Cassandra looked up from her plate, her expression softening slightly. “No trouble,” she replied, her voice calm but tinged with an underlying tension. “Just the usual... exploration.”

Her answer was vague, but Dorian didn’t push. Instead, he leaned back in his chair, his ears twitching slightly as though sensing something unsaid.

He glanced at me once more, then returned to his meal, though his watchful presence could be still felt.

After dinner, we helped clean up, though Nora made a show of trying to do as little as possible, much to Cassandra’s annoyance. Soon, the house grew quiet as the evening wound down.

I climbed into bed, the cool sheets a welcome reprieve from the day’s tension. The gentle chirping of crickets outside lulled me into a sense of calm. For a brief moment, I thought maybe I’d get to have a peaceful night.

But, of course, that wasn’t going to happen.

Not long after I closed my eyes, I felt the familiar flutter of antennae brushing against my face. My nose twitched as the ticklish sensation forced me awake.

“Nora,” I muttered, cracking an eye open.

She giggled softly, already wriggling under the blanket beside me. “You were taking too long to fall asleep,” she said, her voice full of mischief.

Her antennae fluttered again, and I had to suppress a sneeze. “Do you have to do that every time?” I grumbled, but there was no real annoyance in my voice.

“This is my favorite time of the day,” she said, hugging my arm tightly as she nestled closer. “I get to be with you without anyone interrupting.”

Her wings brushed against my side, and I sighed. This had been her routine for as long as I could remember. She’d sneak into my bed, claiming it was because she couldn’t sleep alone, but I knew better. This was just her way of being clingy.

“Nora,” I began, my voice soft. “About earlier… I wasn’t trying to upset you.”

She stiffened slightly, her grip on my arm tightening. “I don’t like her,” she said quietly. “She was staring at you like… like a predator. As if she was watching a delicious bunny!”

I turned to look at her, her big brown eyes shimmering in the faint moonlight that filtered through the window. “Yuki’s not trying to take me away,” I said gently. “She’s just lonely, like you were when you first met me. Don’t you think everyone deserves a chance to have a friend?”

Nora didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she buried her face against my chest, her antennae brushing my chin as they fluttered in what I could only assume was frustration.

“You don’t understand,” she murmured. “You’re mine, Markus. You’ve always been mine.”

I sighed, wrapping an arm around her despite the discomfort of her wings pressed against me. “I’ll always be your big brother, Nora,” I said softly. “That’s never going to change.”

Nora’s grip on me didn’t loosen, even as her breathing slowed. Her wings twitched slightly, brushing against my side as she shifted to get more comfortable.

I could feel her heartbeat through her small frame, steady but intense, as though she was still holding onto the emotions from earlier.

“I hate it,” she murmured, her voice muffled against my chest.

“Hate what?” I asked softly, stroking her hair in an attempt to calm her down.

“Everything,” she replied, her voice trembling. “I hate the thought of someone else taking you. I hate feeling like you might leave me behind someday.”

Her words hit me harder than I expected. She was still just a child, but the weight of her feelings carried something much deeper than childish jealousy.

“Nora…” I began, struggling to find the right words. “Why would you think I’d leave you? I’m always going to be here for you.”

“You don’t know that!” she cried, lifting her head to look at me, her big brown eyes shimmering with tears. “What if you find someone else, someone more important? What if- what if Yuki or someone like her makes you forget about me?”

Her words were filled with desperation, and I felt a pang of guilt for not realizing just how deeply all of this affected her. I cupped her cheek gently, wiping away the tear that escaped down her face.

“No one could ever replace you, Nora,” I said firmly. “You’re my little sister. You’ve been by my side since the beginning, and that’s never going to change.”

“But…” she whispered, her voice cracking. “What if I’m not enough? What if you don’t want me around anymore?”

Her antennae fluttered as she buried her face back into my chest, her tears dampening my shirt. I held her tighter, feeling a strange mix of protectiveness and helplessness.

“You’re already more than enough, Nora,” I said softly, my voice steady despite the lump forming in my throat. “You don’t have to try so hard or worry so much. You’ll always be important to me, no matter what happens.”

She sniffled, her small fingers clutching at my shirt like a lifeline. “You really mean it?”

“Of course I do,” I replied, pressing my chin lightly against the top of her head. “You’re my family. Nothing and no one could ever change that.”

Her antennae fluttered again, this time less erratically, as if my words had soothed some of her fears. But even as she relaxed in my arms, I couldn’t shake the feeling that her attachment to me ran deeper than I fully understood.

“Markus,” she whispered after a long moment of silence, her voice small and hesitant.

“Yeah?”

“Promise me something,” she said, pulling back just enough to look me in the eyes. Her gaze was earnest, almost pleading.

“Anything,” I said without hesitation.

“Promise you’ll always choose me first,” she said, her fingers tightening their grip on my shirt. “Not just now, but forever. For your entire life.”

I hesitated for just a second before offering her a reassuring smile. “I promise to always be there for you,” I said instead, hoping it would be enough to ease her fears.

She studied my face for a moment, as if trying to gauge the sincerity of my words, before nodding slowly. “Okay,” she whispered, sniffling, as she rested her head against my chest again.

We lay there in silence for a while. The room filled only with the soft sounds of her breathing and the occasional flutter of her wings.

For a moment, the tension in her body eased. Minutes passed as she remained glued to my side. I couldn’t help but wonder if she’d ever grow out of this attachment.

The thought lingered in my mind as her breathing slowed, she’d fallen asleep. Her antennae twitched occasionally, tickling my chin, but I didn’t have the heart to move her.

With a sigh, I closed my eyes, letting sleep take me even if my worries refused to fade entirely.