Chapter 19 - ISAAC

Isaac crunched a handful of nuts lazily, though his shaking hands betrayed the calm façade he was trying to maintain. The tight coil of fear in his chest refused to ease, its grip tightening with each passing moment. "Can't even enjoy a carnival around here," he muttered under his breath, attempting to distract himself with the bitter humor of it all.

A soft knock preceded Bayu's entrance into the room. Dressed in loose white pajamas lined with silver trim, his hair damp from the bath and pulled into a haphazard ponytail, he stepped in without hesitation. Isaac turned his head, his fond gaze tracing over Bayu's familiar frame, though he quickly burrowed further into the blankets to conceal the blush rising to his cheeks. Now is not the time to be embarrassed, he thought to himself. Not when Antigua is on the verge of imploding.

Bayu tilted his head, smirking lightly. "Why are you in my room? Better yet, why are you in my bed?"

Isaac blinked.

"Move up, then," Bayu murmured, crossing the room and slipping into the bed without waiting for a reply. His presence was warm, grounding in a way that Isaac didn't dare admit he needed.

Isaac scoffed softly but obligingly scooted over to make room. He shook some nuts into Bayu's outstretched palm, and they sat there in companionable silence for a moment before Bayu asked gently, "How are you feeling?"

Isaac's eyes lingered on Bayu's face. A drop of water slid from one of his dark locks, catching on the long lashes framing his deep-set eyes. Isaac fought the foolish urge to brush it away. "I'm alright," he muttered after a pause, though his voice was less convincing than he'd hoped. "Those Squad 9 bastards are stressing me out, though. Can you imagine the gall of them?"

Bayu chuckled softly, a sound that seemed to settle Isaac's nerves just a fraction. "They did come in blazing."

"Exactly! The nerve!" Isaac snapped, though there was no real anger in his voice. The memory of Squad 9's arrival flashed before his eyes: the carnival disbanded in mere moments, festival-goers herded to safety, and the bloodied, unconscious victims from Falmouth whisked away to the infirmary. He shuddered at the thought of their hollow faces and blood-streaked clothes. "They sent us to the airship to handle logistics, as if we're bloody errand boys. If I stayed there a second longer, I swear I'd have knocked one of them out."

Bayu smiled at him knowingly but said nothing. His silence felt less like indifference and more like quiet understanding, a steady presence that encouraged Isaac to keep going.

"And then there's the banquet next week," Isaac continued, groaning as he threw an arm over his face. "Why do I have a feeling something terrible is going to happen there?"

Bayu laughed again, and Isaac immediately sat up, punching his shoulder lightly. "Bayu! This isn't funny—I might die."

"I won't let that happen," Bayu said softly, his voice low and resolute.

Before Isaac could reply, the door creaked open, and Kai stepped inside. His rusted farm shirt and threadbare slacks made him look worlds away from the polished Aetherwing uniforms they'd all grown used to. For a moment, Isaac was struck by how much Kai resembled the boy he'd first met on the ship, back when they had no idea what awaited them.

Kai stretched with a yawn, rolling his shoulders. "Got room for me?"

Bayu shifted and patted the empty space beside him without hesitation. Kai slipped into the bed easily, and the weight of his presence made Isaac's chest feel lighter, as if the knot of fear and tension lodged there had finally loosened.

"You alright, Kai?" Isaac asked, his voice softer now.

Kai snorted, his lips curving into a tired smile. "Just trying to focus on things one step at a time."

"What else can we do?" Bayu replied, his tone regal and assured, as though he were the anchor keeping them all tethered.

"Where's Tomoya?" Isaac asked, glancing at Kai.

Kai's expression darkened. "Still in wolf form. He's prowling outside."

For a moment, the room was silent, the weight of everything unsaid hanging heavy between them. Then Bayu shifted closer, his shoulder brushing against Isaac's. Kai leaned back, his head grazing the headboard, and exhaled slowly. Isaac let his head fall to rest against Bayu's shoulder, the subtle scent of herbs and soap grounding him.

"Everything feels so big sometimes," Isaac murmured, unsure if he was speaking to Bayu or Kai—or both of them.

"It does," Kai admitted, his voice low and steady. "But we've got each other."

Bayu reached out, resting a hand lightly over Isaac's. Kai's hand followed, covering them both, his touch rougher but no less grounding. In the quiet intimacy of that moment, the world outside their small circle faded, replaced by the warmth and weight of their shared connection.

Bayu shifted slightly, his arm brushing against Isaac's again as he leaned back on the pillows, his head tipping to the side to rest against Kai's shoulder. Kai didn't flinch or pull away; instead, he tilted his head just enough to accommodate Bayu's weight, a subtle gesture that spoke louder than words.

Isaac let out a shaky sigh, his fingers still caught beneath Bayu's palm and Kai's heavier grip. "Sometimes, I wonder if we're actually cut out for this," he murmured, breaking the quiet. "All this responsibility, all these people counting on us... It's exhausting."

Bayu's thumb traced a soft circle over the back of Isaac's hand. "You're stronger than you give yourself credit for," he said, his voice like the low hum of a lullaby.

Kai nodded in agreement. "You always seem like you're ready to take on the world, even when you're complaining about it."

Isaac let out a dry laugh. "That's the thing. I'm not ready. Half the time, I feel like I'm just faking it." His voice cracked slightly, and he cursed himself for the vulnerability leaking through.

Bayu shifted closer, his warmth a steady reassurance. "We're all faking it, Isaac. No one's ever fully ready for this kind of responsibility, but the fact that you keep showing up, that you care enough to stress about it—that's what makes you good at this."

Isaac turned his head slightly, meeting Bayu's dark, earnest gaze. For a moment, he felt seen in a way that made his chest ache. "You always know what to say," Isaac muttered, trying to sound annoyed but failing miserably.

Bayu grinned, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "It's a gift."

Kai chuckled softly, his hand squeezing theirs briefly before he let go to lean forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "We've all had doubts," he admitted, his voice quieter now. "I still do. Every time I give an order or make a decision, I wonder if it's the right one. If it'll keep everyone alive. But then I look at you guys, and I remember I'm not doing this alone. None of us are."

Isaac blinked, taken aback by the rawness in Kai's voice. For all his calm authority, Kai rarely shared what lay beneath that composed surface. Hearing it now made something settle in Isaac's chest.

"We've got each other," Bayu said softly, echoing Kai's earlier words. "That's enough."

Isaac hesitated for a moment before letting himself relax fully, leaning into Bayu's warmth on one side and brushing his foot lightly against Kai's on the other. He felt like he was tethered, grounded in a way he hadn't been since the chaos at the carnival began.

Kai leaned back against the headboard again, his eyes distant as he stared at the ceiling. "We'll figure this out. The banquet, the wards, Squad 9... everything. One step at a time."

Bayu nodded, his fingers still tracing soothing patterns on Isaac's hand. "We always do."

For a while, none of them spoke. The sound of their breathing filled the room, steady and synchronized, a quiet symphony of comfort. Isaac's eyes grew heavy, his earlier fears retreating into the background as the warmth of their shared presence lulled him.

Before he slipped into sleep, he mumbled, "Thanks, you guys."

Bayu's soft chuckle was the last thing Isaac heard before his world faded to black.