Aos Sí

12: Much Needed Conversation

We talked through a full pot of tea and a decent chunk of lunch. About... well, nothing in particular. Life before we left our parents, how far we had traveled. Ethan, like me, had hopped a plane to find a new place. And, like me, discovered a lack of other Borrowers when he got there. He had followed Mark around for a while, at this point and, surprisingly, had become friends with Chica. He admitted that a large part of that, he was pretty sure, was because he had already been here when Mark adopted her.

I told him about life in Brighton with Seán and Signe. What it was like being Seen. I still traveled by the walls, but I had been given access to so much more. Like my cell phone, and attempts to use their gaming systems, as well as watching movies with them. It wasn't all great, as there were times I had to rely on them in situations I wouldn't have otherwise been in. Like being Seen by Mark. But overall, the experience was a positive one.

He kept asking about how I actually met Seán, but I avoided the subject. I didn't want to think of...

No. He deserved to know that, too.

"Before I can tell you that story, you, uh. Probably need to know about--" My throat tightened for a bit before I managed to squeak out his name. "Anti."

"Anti?"

"It's a... Signe calls it a demon, this. Thing. Of static that keeps trying to control Seán."

I went into full details of my encounter with the thing, and Ethan kept quiet and in rapt attention the whole time. By the time I was finished, tears were streaming down my face again. I didn't realize Ethan had gotten up until he pulled me into a hug. I just... sobbed. I sobbed, and cried, and let out all of my emotions of being who I was in the situation I was in. Ethan didn't say anything, just let me get it all out. I hadn't realized how much I needed it until that moment.

When I finally managed to gain my composure again, I let out an airy laugh, trying to wipe my face clean. "I'm sorry, I didn't-- I literally just met you last night, and here I am--"

"Don't be like that!" I jumped a little at his volume, and he went a little red. He cleared his throat. "I mean. It's fine. Really. It sounds like you've needed it for a while, now."

"Y-- Yeah, I guess I did. Thank you."

--

We ran out of conversation after that, but were happy to just drink tea together. Eventually, I had to admit I had to go back to the guest room - I didn't need Seán causing a ruckus trying to find me if I wasn't there when they got home. Ethan led me back through the house, up the pulley and back to the guest room wall. He offered me another hug before giving me a spare grapple.

"Want me to swing by the kitchen tonight?" I asked, figuring he would need to restock the tea.

"Sure! Just try not to wake anyone up on the way."

I stuck my tongue out at him. "I'm not that bad at Borrowing."

Ethan laughed, then waved me goodbye before disappearing back into the wall. I threw the grapple up to the table, letting it latch firmly in the side, then started to shimmy up.

I froze as the bed started to creak. A familiar hand leaned over to my thread and pulled me up. I let out a small squeak as I was brought face to face with Seán's smiling face.

"Didja have fun?"