Everything (in) between us

13: Monopoly with the Edens

Hero parked his car outside his house and walked around to open Aria's door.

He huffed out a breath as he picked her up. The adrenaline had worn off, and the pain in his knuckles became almost unbearable.

He bought her up the steps to the Eden mansion, and kicked open the door. Andro was in his face in seconds.

"Is she okay? Shit, I got your message. You should've called me. My god, did you call the police on the bastard-"

"Yes," Hero replied tensely. "And I didn't exactly have time to call you."

He moved past him after that, and called to Argo to run a hot bath. Aria would be waking up any time now.

He debated on whether to go to his own room or the guest room, before he sighed heavily and took her to his little brother's, knowing that's where she would be most comfortable.

He opened the door and she stirred slightly in his arms. He lay her down on the bed, tucking her into the bed under the sheets.

He went to get the First-Aid kit, and when he came back, Andro was sat on an armchair.

Hero took a seat beside Aria on the bed, and opened the first-aid box.

He ignored the unbelievable pain in his knuckles. They were either broken, fractured or shattered, but either way, they hurt like shit.

Hero gently wiped the blood from Aria's head, applied some soft anaesthetic and then wrapped a plaster around the small cut. It had looked like a gash with all the blood, but the actual thing wouldn't scar and would heal in less than a week.

Then, he focussed once again on his own hand.

"Thank you, Hero," Andro said suddenly. He ignored him. I didn't do it for you. "Seriously... I can't even imagine what-"

"Be quiet." Hero said quietly, focussing on his hands. He put an ice pack there to try to ease the swelling. "You don't owe me anything, Alessandro. I would've done the same if it was anyone else."

He knew that was true. He may have acted it, but he wasn't that much of an arse. But would he have been as angry? Would he have nearly killed the asshole who did what he did? Those questions, he didn't have answers to.

"Thank you anyway, brother." Andro said.

It was quiet after that. Hero missed his younger brother. Of course he did. There had never been a time that they hadn't spoken for as long as they currently had, but then again, there had never been a girl between them.

Hero wondered whether it was in fact, Aria that had caused this divide- though not intentionally. He didn't have feelings for her... not as Andro did anyway.

He didn't think it was Aria. Deep down, he knew this divide had been long coming.

Aria stirred again, breaking him from his thoughts as he looked at her. He stood up and sat on the opposite armchair so he was at her bedside, opposite side to his brother.

She awoke slowly, her long, curled eyelashes grazing the bottom of her eyebrow as her eyes fluttered open.

Hero cleared his throat.

"Look after her." He said, then stood up as Andro nodded once.

He cast another glance to Aria's stirring form before he left the room.

He went into his bedroom and closed the door behind him before he went to the bathroom.

He showered, tried to clear his head. He changed, tried to clear his head. He lay down, and still tried to clear his head.