Feathers In Veins

chapter 9

The first thing I hear are muffled shouts with one voice of reason, "M-mom." my voice breaks, "Oh thank god, I'm here my sweet girl, I'm here." she rushes to me.

"What happened?" I try to sit up but my head get s smashed between two large mountains of gold, compressed until flat, so I lay back down. "You passed out...maybe it was shock or exhaustion or maybe it was stress from the Macaw over here." Felix glares at Luka and I can't help but laugh. "This isn't at all how I wanted you two to meet." I smile, for once it's not a forced one. The looks on their faces soften.

A strange man in a white coat appears in the room. "Who are you?" Felix crossed his arms. "A doctor Mr. Fathom, I'm here to tend to your sister." "No, get another one." Félix crossed his arms and turned back towards me, Lukas face was full of confusion. "Why would you do that? She needs treatment." Luka argues.

"What she needs is her family, last time I checked...you're not apart of it." "FELIX!" Mom and I shout, I begin to cough. "Jesus Félix, can't you see her right now, we need that doctor!" Luka shouts.

"I know what's best for my sister!"

"She can make her own decisions and protect herself!"

"NO! I am going to protect her for the rest of her life...especially from the likes of you!" The boys argue. "Ever since father died and when he was alive as well, it has been my responsibility to protect my sister...you hurt her once...who's to say that you wouldn't do it again?" he snaps.

"Sto-" I cough, take a deep breath, "Stop it, both of you. I'm okay, I don't need a doctor, Félix...thank you for always protecting me, I hope you know that I will forever do the same. Luka...I-" I begin to cough again and mother rushes back into the room with the doctor,"Boys, clear the room, and try not to kill each other on your way out." mother instructs then as they both nod.

"Fuck you." "Go eat shit Félix." The two leave the room and I can't help but laugh, but I soon regret it as I feel the blood coming back up. "Easy my love...slow and steady." We hear a knock on the door, "Aunt Amelie, how's she doing." Adrien appears at the doorframe. "No Adrien...she's coughing out blood and she-" "It's going to be okay Aunty Amelie, she's strong, I have no doubt that she's going to be okay." he wraps his arms around my mother.

"I'm right here you know, I'm not dead or something." I try to laugh but was stolen my a cough. The doctor gives me a bottle, "Drink this. You will begin to feel a bit sleepy then when you wake up you'll feel better." he smiles. I do as he says, "I don't feel anything...did I do it wrong or something?" I look at him concerned as the three of them burst into laughter, "It obviously takes a little while Stella." Adrien smiles. "Oh..." A few moments later, I begin to sway against my will. "There we go." I fall back onto the bed. "I'll be okay, Adrien please make sure those two don't kill each other, I'm going to sleep, and if I wake up because of arguing, the three of you will regret it." I pull the blanket over me as the sleep takes over the pain.

"Ah...back for more.?" My fathers figure emerges, I try to run but my feet are bound to the floor by chains. "How any times did you disobey me?" slash one. "How many times did you allow your emotions to get the best of you?" slash two. "And for what? A boy?!" Slay three, four, five. "How old are you today Estella?" The blood drips from the barb wire wrapped around his whip.

"F-fourteen." I stutter. "Well then. Happy birthday you fucking MONSTER." One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight...

His laugh echoes in the halls along with my cries, "Emotions are for children Estella, now I'm going to have to add another 5 more to teach you a lesson." "No father please..." I try not to cry. "Don't BEG! NEVER BEG!" he sighs..."That's another 7 Estella." Nine, "When-" Ten "will-" eleven "you-" twelve "LEARN?!" I wake up, panting and drenched in sweat. "Oh El...you're finally awake." Silkk hugs me. "Y-you were so panicked and you kept crying and I- I couldn't wake you up." she hugs me tighter. "I-it's okay now...thank you for never leaving my side Silkk." I try to compose myself enough to make sure Silkk thinks I'm okay.

"THE FUCK YOU MEAN THAT WAS YOUR KILL? IT WAS CLEARLY MINE!"

"ARE YOU BLIND?? THAT WAS MINE!"

"Gentlemen come on relax, it was very clearly mine." Félix, Luka and Adrien shout in that order.

"What does a girl have to do around here for just a little sleep?" I cry. "I'm too tired for this...but I really don't want to go back to sleep." I sigh as I look up at Silkks four big eyes. "Let's go show those boys how to play, wachya say?" I wink at Silkk.

I grab my pink, fluffy jacket and slowly make my way downstairs. "You have no skill." "You're trash." Luka and Félix argue while aggressively pushing the buttons on the controllers, eyes glued on the screen, Adrien laughs at the two enemies.

"I thought I told the three of you to keep it down, one of you might get akumatized at this rate." I laugh, I LAUGHED WITH NO COUGH! Damn that doctors stuff really worked. "Fuck, Uhm...Stella..." Adrien rubs the back of his neck. "You know you're my favorite cousin right?" he laughs nervously and Félix glares at him, "You should be resting." Felix looks at me concerned. "Shift, I'm gonna play." I sit between Luka and Adrien, "I'm okay, stop looking at me like I'm going to break any second. Let's play."

And so the rivalry began, the four of us swung from friends to enemies with every passing moment. I couldn't take my eyes of Luka...he looked so free and genuinely happy, well at least when he wasn't talking to Félix. He catches me staring and I immediately turn red. "I- I- uhm, oh would you look at that." I awkwardly point at the screen to try and change the subject, "I won." I smile. "You're beautiful..." He whispers. "Did you say something Blue?" I heard him, I just wanted to make sure. "Do you maybe want to go get ice cream, I can bring it to you?" I get lost in his eyes as I nod my head.

Félix clears his throat. "Something wrong over there Lix?" I widen my eyes in a warning manner. "Yes actually, this guy hurt you Stella, why are you giving him a Second chance?" Félix stares at me. "You'd do the same for you know who wouldn't you?" I whisper and smile. Félix is speechless. "MRS. FATHOM?! CAN I COME VISIT ELLA TOMORROW??" He shouts and mom agrees. Luka grins at Félix and Félix crosses his arms.

"I'd like that." I feel my face go red. "Fucking finally." Adrien sighs. "Excuse me?" I glare at him. "Wait, I have to text the group chat and tell them that the first date is confirmed."