Page 145 of The Silent War

He was breaking in front of me, beautiful, destructive,devotedin a way that only hurt more because it came too late.

He kept stroking my cheek with trembling fingers, whispering like he was trying to convince himself.

“Okay, baby,” he murmured again, softer now. “We’re gonna be okay. I’ll make it okay. Just stay with me. Just… stay.”

The words more desperate now, and I felt it, histerrifiedfeeling underneath his obsession. He didn’t know if Icould. And it was killing him.

Which means I had to get this over for him. I opened my eyes.

And everything inside me shattered.

Tears flooded down before I could stop them, as I looked at him.

The tears on his cheeks. The way his jaw trembled trying to hold everything in. The storm behind his eyes that told me I wasn’t the only one breaking.

He saw the wreckage in mine.

“There’s my girl,” Bastion whispered, voice wrecked he pulled me in.

His arms wrapped around me tight,too tight, like he needed to feel my ribs press to his just to believe I was still real. “I’ve got you,” he kissed the top of my head, my temple, my cheek. “I’ve got you, baby.”

“I can’t do this, Bastion.” My voice cracked, “Ican’t.”

He held me tighter.

“I’m going to make us right,” he promised, frantic now, stroking my face again. “You’ll see. Everything will be okay. I’ll fix it, baby,I’ll fix it.”

But I couldn’t lie. Not to him. Not to myself.

“I can’t survive you two again,” I whispered, barely able to breathe. “Ican’t do it.”

“No,” he shook his head. “No, baby, don’t say that. Don’t shut me out. Don’t give up on us. Not after everything. Not when I just got you back.”

He pulled me into his lap, dragging me down to the couch and holding me like he could shield me from the painormaybe from the truth.

His arms caged me in, one hand on the back of my neck, the other wrapped around my back, holding me still. His forehead pressed to mine.

“I’ll make it right,” he whispered again.

I smiled. Soft. Sad. I knew the moment I walked out of this penthouse, I’d never come back.

I’d make sure Ineversaw them again.

Bastion felt it, in the way I didn’t grip him back. My smile wasn’t made for hope, but formourning.

“No, baby.” His voice cracked. “No, don’t do that. Don’t pull away from me. Please. Please.”

He held my face like it was glass, thumb stroking the corner of my mouth.

“I love you,” he breathed against my lips, trembling now. “Ilove you.”

I closed my eyes again. And for a second, just one, then I reached for his hand. Gripped it. And tried to push him away.

“You’ll be okay,” I whispered, voice shaking. “You’ll be okay, Bastion.”

Because he had been for years. If I had never come back to Villain they wouldn’t even have remembered I existed.

“You need a future Bastion.