“I didn’t know?”
The Siren sighed. “I hate emotions. I hate messy situations. And drama pisses me off, especially when I’m in the middle of it because my boyfriend can’t handle his interpersonal relationships without doing stupid shit. Because he loves to ignore the results of the stupid shit he did.”
Killian took another sip of wine. “Cyrus, you may have done what you did because you thought it would lead to the best outcome, and it may have, but you can’t make these decisions and then sit back and do nothing to try to repair the damage and fallout that came about because of them.
“Something being set in stone, something being unchanging, does not absolve you from the part you played in bringing them about. When you make active decisions that you know will affect the people around you, you have a duty to make amends when those decisions hurt the people you care about.
“Like, Cyrus, the decisions you make are different from the decisions others make. These are not normal everyday life choices you are making. No, you don’t owe anyone anything, but if you want people to stay in your life, you need to… Even if you still do the things you do, you need to be ready and willing to deal with the aftermath.”
“Is…Severo thinking of leaving?’
“Severo is questioning whether or not you two were ever friends. As for him possibly leaving? If he does, I doubt it will have anything to do with you. The most likely reason would be that Nymph and his child.”
“Is it that serious?”
Killian let out a low growl of frustration. “Now this tells me you weren’t paying attention. Because before all this went down, you talked to Severo more during his isolation than I did. I may have noticed him acting oddly when he came in with that child and didn’t question it further, but how did you not notice how he was talking and reacting to the Nymph? The things he said? Over all these months, you picked up on nothing?”
“I…” Cyrus slumped, rubbing his face with a sigh. “I may have disregarded what he said.”
Thinking back on all Severohadsaid, the way he talked about the man and child, how defensive the Dweller was about them… Hell, his friend had outright told him Seri was different, hadn’t he? Why had he…ignored it? “I fucked up…”
“You did. And if you want Severo to stay in your life, in some capacity, you need to figure out how to fix it.”
“I…how?”
“Don’t ask me. Use your brain and figure it the fuck out, Cyrus.” Killian grimaced. “Making me have to baby two grown ass adults because you can’t handle your own nonsense. This is the limit of my involvement. You dumbasses work it out.”
Cyrus sighed.
Severo winced when Seri gasped.“You are thinking of leaving the Bureau?”
“I don’t know…yes?”
“Why?” the man asked. “Is it because of what happened to me? Or is it because of Cyrus?” Seri handed Skya her spoon.
“Nanana,” she squealed. The little girl grabbed it and started digging into her mashed bananas.
“Not exactly. Neither of those things, really. I’m not naïve. I know every organization isn’t perfect. It’s more…my job…” Severo rubbed his face. “I mean, look at this place.” Severo waved his arm at the rest of his apartment. Well, at least what one could see from his small compact kitchen. “It’s…”
“Empty?”
“Yes. It’s empty. And you know why? It’s because I’m never home, Seri. I’m never home. I’ve lived here for fifteen years, and I’ve maybe spent a total of a month here during all that time. My place before that wasn't any different.”
Seri winced and looked around, the Nymph no doubt seeing the emptiness in a new light. “That’s…”
“I had no reason to stay at home all these years. For the last hundred and fifty years, I had nothing that made me want to be here. But now I do.” Severo reached out and grasped Seri’s hand. “I can’t imagine leaving you and Skya for longer than a week, let alone most of the year, and every year after. I’d miss so much. I don’t want to miss that much.
“Each time I’d see Skya, she’d be taller, and different. I’d miss all her growth, her little moments, the changes… Everything. I can’t do it. And now that I’m saying it all out loud, I won’t do it. So yes, I need to find something else. I don’t know if that means leaving the Bureau completely, but I can’t stay where I’m at.”
Seri brought his hand up to his cheek, nuzzling against it before kissing his palm. “Then you will find something else. Thank you…thank you for wanting to be here.” The man’s voice shook slightly, eyes glossy with unleashed emotions.
He ran his thumb over his cheek. “There is nowhere else I’d rather be.”
Seri smiled, but then a giggle slipped out. “Then I guess…we are both going to be unemployed… How is that going to work?”
Severo chuckled. “No worries, I have even more money saved up in my not hidden accounts.”
The Nymph snorted. “Well, we can’t live off that forever. And I won’t…I won’t sit back and use up all your money.”
