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BREAK FREE 20 : 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲'𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐦𝐲𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝!
TRIGGER WARNING !
The following chapter contains severe panic attack and very mild form of self-harm (pulling hair) that may be triggering for some readers. Proceed with caution.
TRISTAN LAYS BACK ON his bed with a long sigh after separating from Alec and Brian, squeezing his eyes shut from the sudden tiredness that overflowed him. Speaking of tiredness, he hadn't gotten the chance to talk to Brian about the obvious exhaution the Thornhill displayed.
Brian had been constantly letting out drawled out sighs on their way back to the Institute accompanied by slight delay in his steps, which Tristan, Alec, and Isabelle didn't fail to notice quickly. Although the blue haired boy attempted to cover it up or shrug it off, all of them knew it was far from nothing as he seems to get lost in his thoughts unusually easy. It made Alec unable to leave his side with Isabelle watching out for him worriedly and Tristan trying to soothe him through their parabatai bond. As soon as they entered the Institute, Alec had offered to walk Brian to his room and the latter, surprisingly, nodded without arguments.
Tristan couldn't exactly pinpoint what's running through his parabatai's mind, but he had a good guess. Crucial moments happened one after the other starting from Penelope's arrival and her sharp words digging into Brian's heart, to Clary sneaking out and getting kidnapped with Simon and Alec, to Jace lashing out on him unfairly ― it's too much, and it's possible Brian's getting mentally exhausted.
Tristan bit his lip, thinking carefully.
How can I help him? All he can do is comfort and soothe Brian through their bond, but is that really much of a help?
Before he could further indulge himself in worrying about his best friend, the ringtone of his phone interrupts the silence lingering in the air. Wondering who could call him at a time like this, Tristan looked at the caller ID and immediately rolled his eyes in annoyance.
"Oui, papa?" (Yes, papa?) Tristan answered annoyedly, already wanting to drop the call.
"Don't use that tone on me, young man." His father, Philippe Robespierre, sternly scolded with his deep and low voice that Tristan oh so hated.
"What do you want?" It pained him to even talk to his father. "Are you gonna tell me to stop being with my parabatai again or what? You know I'm so sick of hearing you say that like we could just stop being parabatai all of a sudden."
"It's already bad enough that you didn't ask me for permission to form that bond, but to hear that he's been transferred there? It's unbelievable," Philippe seethed. "He's a sorry excuse of a Shadowhunter for even being fond of the half-demons! He should be ashamed to carry a big of an honor!" He ranted, rubbing his face with one hand.
