Chapter 25

3rd person pov:

The study door creaked open, and Pond stepped inside, his footsteps slow but deliberate. Fourth was seated on the couch, flipping through a book but not really reading. He looked up as Pond entered, his face lighting up with a soft, tentative smile.

"Hey,Hia," Fourth greeted, closing the book. "What's up?"

Pond sat down beside him, his eyes scanning Fourth's face, searching for something—anything—that might indicate how his younger brother was feeling. It had been a long time since they'd talked like this, just the two of them.

"I need to talk to you about something," Pond said, his voice low and careful.

Fourth raised an eyebrow, sensing the gravity in Pond's tone. "What's going on?"

Pond hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "It's about Gemini."

Fourth's smile faltered slightly. "Gemini? What about him?"

Pond took a deep breath. "He came to me today. He wants my permission to court you."

For a moment, Fourth was silent. His expression unreadable, eyes fixed on the floor. He hadn't expected this—not like this.

"Court me?" Fourth repeated, his voice soft and distant. "Why would he—"

"Because he cares about you, Fourth," Pond interrupted gently. "He's fallen for you. He wants more than just being your caretaker. He wants to be with you, as something more."

The words hung in the air like a weight, and Fourth's mind raced. His heart thudded in his chest, but he couldn't make sense of it all. After everything—after all the years of pain, the loneliness, and the constant care—this wasn't something he'd ever imagined.

"Does he even know what he's asking for?" Fourth whispered, his hands tightening around the fabric of his shirt. "He doesn't understand what this would mean. Not really."

Pond leaned closer, his voice softer now, filled with the understanding only a brother could offer. "I think he does, Fourth. He knows what you've been through. He wants to be there for you, not just as someone who looks after you, but as someone who loves you."

Fourth closed his eyes, the words cutting through him in unexpected ways. The idea of letting someone that close—it terrified him. He had spent so much of his life afraid to open up, to let people see the parts of him that had been hidden for so long. And now, here was Gemini, asking to step into that space.

"I don't know if I'm ready for that," Fourth admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know how to be loved,Hia. I don't know how to let someone in like that."

Pond's gaze softened, and he placed a hand on Fourth's shoulder. "You don't have to have all the answers right now. You've been through a lot, and you've taken your time. But you deserve to be happy, Fourth. You deserve to have someone who cares about you, not out of duty or obligation, but because they want to. Because they see you. Really see you."

The silence that followed was thick, each brother lost in his own thoughts. Fourth's heart felt heavy, a strange mix of longing and fear swirling inside him.

After a long pause, Fourth finally spoke, his voice quieter, but firmer. "I'll think about it. I need time to figure out what I want... what I can handle."

Pond nodded, his hand lingering for a moment longer on Fourth's shoulder before he stood. "Take all the time you need. Just remember—you're not alone in this."

As Pond left the room, Fourth sat in the quiet, the weight of the decision pressing down on him. Could he really open his heart to someone again? Was he ready to take that step?

His thoughts drifted back to Gemini—his quiet confidence, the way he looked at him like he was the only person in the room. Maybe, just maybe, it was worth considering. But first, Fourth had to figure out what it meant for him. And that would take time.