Shady

"Oh." Well, now he felt like an asshole. He dipped his head and cleared his throat. "Right. Sorry."

She nodded timidly, gurgling. Would she stay forgiven, though? Or would he decide she was too big of a risk to have around his family after this outburst? She'd just ...

"What's your family like?"

Ky was drowning in guilt and terror. Was she in trouble, too? How could she not be? Had she endangered Talia? Tadaaki? Mr. Rifkin? Gods . She choked, coughing on ...

"Oh yeah? Figuratively or literally?"

"Just Kael and Mr. Rifkin," Talia said timidly. "Sir." "Mr. Rifkin is here?" Ky choked, terrified that maybe Gaius would have to kill him now, too. She'd rather toss herself ...

Ky's trembling strengthened again, guilt stabbing through her. She'd just killed them. All because she couldn't control her temper. Gods. Gods .

Aeron smiled a little, being struck with how exhausted he was in that moment as he shuffled along. He was about ready for bed.

"He stabbed my Papa!" Anger crept back into her voice and her tears cranked up again. "... Lieutenant Mikaelson's the one who took us originally, sir," Talia offered, voice very ...

"Sure." Aeron nodded. "I'd like that. Sometime."

Her trembling redoubled and she melted under his gaze. "I'm sorry!"

"Ah."

Borrond struggled forward the first several steps, but once it became clear he wasn't going to get back to Ky he huffed and stalked along huffily. Ky's breathing was wobbly ...

"I can tell," Aeron said with a little smile. "Do you have one?"

Aeron smiled and shook his head. "Not at all. She deserves to be babied."