SPLITAPARTS: lessons in love ✔️

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Ryan stood outside Andromeda's door. He breathed in deeply and knocked on the door.

Andromeda opened the door and peeked through the crack and opened the door wider.

"Are you allowed company," Ryan asked.

Andromeda looked up at him bewildered. "Well, what do you think," she asked and pulled him inside and hugged him, but Ryan stood stiffly with his arms at his side. "What's wrong? Are you cross with me?"

"No, not at all," Ryan said.

She moved to sit on the edge of her bed and patted the spot next her, but Ryan remained standing.

"What's wrong," she asked. "You're upset--I can tell."

"I'm not upset with you," he said as he smiled. "I'm upset with myself. I lied to him, Kitten. He asked very specifically if I'd ever acted on my feelings and I told him no."

"A kiss isn't acting on your feelings. Besides, I started it."

Ryan sighed and sat down next to her and took her elegant hand in his. "This isn't easy for me," he said.

"Then spit it out--I find that it's the best way sometimes. Your talk didn't go well?"

"It went very well, actually. Father is happy with the modifications I've made to his design. He asked for a print of the plans to go over."

"That's lovely," Andromeda said excitedly. "But there's something else isn't there?"

"Father guessed about you--how we feel about each other. I didn't have to tell him a thing."

"You're my brother, I would hope that you loved me-?"

Ryan nodded. "I do, yes, you know I do." He smiled. "A little too much. He thinks that what we share isn't--normal. I happen to agree."

"It's normal for us," she said, placing her hands in her lap.

"I've seen other siblings--how they interact with one another and none of them are close like we are. None of them."

"What are you saying?"

"I think we're split aparts, Kitten."

She nodded. "I figured that out a long time ago and so what if we are? What do you want to do about it?

"Nothing! Absolutely nothing. He said that we'd destroy our lives if we acted on it."

"But--we'll die!"

"No, we won't. We may hunger and thirst for years, decades, or maybe our entire lives, but we won't die." He brushed her cheek with the back of his fingers, and then balled up his fist. "Damn."

She leaned her head on his shoulder. "This is allowed, isn't it?"

"Probably not, but do it anyway." He sighed. "So much for our new diet."

She chuckled sadly. "You're definitely Sirius Black's son. We'll figure it out, Rye." A knock came at the door. Andromeda stood abruptly. "It's them," she whispered in panic.

"I know it is. She knows--he's told her. She is leaving her mind wide open for me to see. I can't tell if she's angry or not?"

"No, she is worried." Andromeda took a deep breath and opened the door and stood to the side.

"We need to talk, the four of us," Cassie said looking at her children. She looked at her son who immediately stood; his facial expression was one of someone who was heartbroken.

Ryan shook his head and held up his hands in surrender. "It's not her fault," he said.

Andromeda turned to him. "Stop it, Rye." She turned to her parents. "It's completely my fault. I got a bit jealous of a him and a girl at school and all but seduced him."