Up in the Stars

Deceit

Red staining the knife he was wielding.

She had kept her mouth shut.

"We can go tomorrow after class, dove." Alexander says and she shakes her head.

"I want to go today if that's okay." She knows she is being more demanding than usual, but she can't find it in herself to care.

Alexander eyes her strangely, unused to her defiance.

"I need to get some... feminine supplies." She hopes it will keep him from asking any further questions.

Her heart aches at lying to him, but it's important.

His fair eyebrows furrow.

"I know for a fact that Dante stocked up last week." He crosses his arms across his chest.

"I'll take her. I need to go into town myself anyways." Graham jumps in and offers.

Alexander's carved jaw clenches, his eyes sharpening.

"That's not necessary-" Alexander begins.

"That'd be lovely, thank you, Graham." She cuts him off and the look he sends her tells her she's treading on exceptionally thin ice.

This is working out even better than she thought.

It'll be much easier to slip away from Graham than it would be with any of her three.

She watches the emotions flash across his face as he thinks it over.

He knows that if he says no, she will only grow more distant.

More defiant.

Watching her retreat into herself over the last week has been unbearable for him.

Figuring at first it was because of the boy's death, he had understood.

She was far too kind for this world.

But now... it had gotten worse.

And he was scared.

Terrified, really.

Because something was very wrong and he wasn't sure what it was.

He tried constantly to draw one of her smiles from her, the ones that light up her eyes and the whole world around her.

How desperately he wanted his sunshine back.

His golden girl.

Tucking his hands into his pockets, he studies her.

His eyes drift over the resolve in her eyes, the determination on her brow.

It is a losing battle.

And he doesn't want to fight against her.

Not now. Not ever.

He gives a sharp nod.

"I'll just go grab my coat." Putting away her cello, she races out of the room before he can retract.

When she returns, she catches the end of Alexander's commands.

"-a single hair missing, you will be held responsible. Keep your eyes on her and your surroundings the whole time." Alexander's muscular back is to her.

She clears her throat, smiling at the pair.

"Ready whenever you are." She says before listening to Alexander's instructions on staying close to Graham and being home before dinner.

He presses a kiss against her forehead, his arms holding her tightly before he reluctantly let her go.

"I love you." He whispers into her hair.