BALANCED LUCK

nine

☘︎ clover ☘︎

"Clove?" The man whispers.

I freeze at the sound of the man's voice, my heart racing. The familiar nickname sent a jolt of recognition through me.

My eyes widen as I saw him standing there, towering over me. The memories crashed into me like a wave, overwhelming and intense.

"We all carry our own burdens," He murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "But we don't have to carry them alone."

"You know, you look beautiful in this light," he says, his voice low and intimate.

"It will be okay," he says firmly. "I know it's hard right now, but I promise you, it will get easier. You just need to let me help you."

"I'm not going anywhere, okay? I'm here for you, no matter what. You can always come to me for anything, I promise."

"Goodnight my lucky flower."

"Can I kiss you?"

"You have a real talent, Clove. You should sing more often."

Clove.

Brennan's expression darkens at Atlas's casual use of my nickname. "Don't call her that," he mutters, his tone sharp. "She's not your 'Clove'."

"What do you need, baby?"

"I asked you a question, Clover. I expect an answer."

"You're a flirt, Brennan," I said, rolling my eyes. "You say that to all the girls."

Brennan chuckled and stood up from his chair, stretching lazily. "Maybe," he said, his eyes glimmering with mischief. "But only you make my heart skip a beat."

"I said I don't want to talk about it, Clover," he said, his voice sharp and impatient. "I just want to forget about work for a while."

"Just leave it alone, Clover," he snapped.

He looked away, his expression conflicted. But after a moment, he let out a soft sigh and nodded his head. "Okay," he murmured. "I'll try. I promise I'll try to be more open from now on."

It was like he was drowning, and I was the only one who could save him. But he wouldn't let me reach out to him, wouldn't let me throw him a lifeline. He was too prideful, too stubborn to admit that he needed help.

And eventually I stopped trying.

He looked away again, his expression unreadable. "There is no us," he said bluntly. "Not anymore."

He finally spoke, his voice cold and emotionless. "None of it was real," he said bluntly. "It was just a game, a way to pass the time. The friendship, the feelings, all of it was just a joke. It was never real."