Partners × In × Crime

November 28th

- - - SHELFORD CITY // 18 YEARS AGO - - -

As the first light of dawn peeks through the cracked window, a young Xavia lays sprawled out in his bed. His messy white hair splays out against the faded pillowcase, and peaceful slumber hides the challenges that wait for him each day.

Suddenly, his father's grating voice echoes from beyond the doorway into his room, "Wake up! It's already 8am," He barks with an edge of impatience lacing every syllable. His tone is as firm as steel, devoid of any warmth despite the occasion.

"Training waits for no man," Baron adds, maintaining his rigid stance at the door frame while peering down at Xavia with indifference clouding his stern features.

With a resigned sigh, Xavia slowly pushes himself to sit upright. His hands sleepily rub the remnants of sleep from his dark brown eyes as he mumbles, "Okay, I'm getting up now."

"Good," Baron responds curtly, then turns away. The man's imposing figure retreats down the hallway with an authoritative stride before he calls over his shoulder, "Don't dawdle," The sound of his footsteps gradually fade away.

Xavia's gaze turns toward the window, where the morning sun casts warm rays into his bedroom. His expression softens as he takes in the sight of Shelford City's horizon beyond their humble house.

With a yearning look painted across his face, he mutters under his breath, "I wish I could just spend the day with ma..." His voice trails off into silence, swallowed by an air of melancholy that lingers in the air around him.

Xavia allows himself a moment of quiet sulking, his longing gaze still fixed outside the window. The silence in the room is almost suffocating as he internalizes his thoughts and feelings. Then, with a sudden spark of determination igniting in his dark eyes, the young boy pushes away from the bed. He rises to his feet, shaking off the gloom that threatens to settle over him.

"Fine then," He declares defiantly, raising a resolute fist toward no one in particular, "I'll just have to make this day good on my own... Without her."

- - SHELFORD CITY // NOVEMBER 28TH - - -

Xavia groans as the incessant beeping of his phone alarm echoes through the quiet room. His hand reaches blindly for the offending device, knocking over a half-empty glass of water in his haste to silence it. He manages to swipe across the screen right before he reaches his limit and contemplates throwing the damn thing against a wall.

"Fuck," He grumbles to himself, rolling onto his back and staring up at the ceiling with an expression that could curdle milk. Another year older, another fucking reminder of that day. That horrible day when everything went wrong.

His arm moves upwards, earning a grimace as he feels the tug on his shoulder muscles where he'd been shot months ago. His fingers brush against his forehead and push back some unruly white strands that had fallen across it.

His hand drops back onto the bed and he looks at his phone, still lying haphazardly on the nightstand. His fingers itch with a strange urge, an instinct that surprises him: to call Dusk.

Images of her vibrant smile and those striking mismatched eyes filled with stubborn determination flash in his mind. But he clenches his fist and pulls it away from the phone, swallowing down a bitter taste.

Why ruin her day by burdening her with his shitty mood? He'd probably end up snapping at her for no reason. And she doesn't deserve that. She deserves better than dealing with some grumpy asshole who can't even handle one damn day out of 365.