oOo oOo oOo Five Years Later oOo oOo oOo
In the years that followed things only grew more tense between Millard and Victor. Knowing his strength gave him the advantage Victor always seemed in the mood to pick a fight, Millard however, refused to give in to Victor's goading and always took the higher ground. When things started getting so tense Millard started to lose his grip on his self control he decided it would be more prudent to simply avoid Victor altogether.
Even Aurora was growing tired of it, Victor was acting childish and although he'd still give her a small smile as he passed her in the halls she had come to stop returning them. She'd only turn her head and look the other way. Luckily when Millard and Victor were apart life in the loop was fine, and when Bronwyn was around Victor tried to be more well behaved. But even with Bronwyn in the room it didn't always stop Victor's remarks.
One night at dinner they were all having a lovely evening until the telephone rang with Abe's daily call. Miss Peregrine had left the room to answer it and the moment she left Enoch made a comment which included calling Aurora and Millard 'that lovely couple.' To which Victor muttered - just loud enough to be heard across the table - how he 'couldn't understand how anyone could stand not even seeing the person they were dating.' Which struck Aurora's last nerve.
"All right that's it!" she cried slapping her silverware on the table, standing up and making her way to the bureau and digging through its drawers.
"Aurora, what are you doing?" Emma asked with a look of concern on her face as she turned as best as she could while being belted to her chair.
"I am so sick and tired of you thinking that looks mean everything!" she yelled at Victor as she pulled a pair of scissors from the drawer.
"Aurora, I don't think – " Olive began but paused halfway through her sentence as Aurora swung her long hair over her shoulder, grabbed the ends and cut a good few inches off. There was gasping from some of the peculiars, while others dropped their utensils causing a symphony of clattering. Victor's jaw was open in complete and utter shock as Aurora passed him the handful of hair she had just chopped off. He barely had the motor skills required to grab the strands but he did, still staring at her wide-eyed and mouth agape.
"Am I any different now?" she asked as she pulled more hair over her shoulder and kept cutting. Hugh was the first one to come to his senses enough to be able to speak.
"Well, you're much more impulsive than we all originally thought....you...were..." his words drifted off as he and the others watched in amazement as Aurora kept cutting her hair off. When she was finished her hair was choppy and a mess and its new length rested about an inch or so below her collar bone. Still considered long, though not nearly as long as it had been before. She smiled seeming pleased with herself, her point now made as she put the scissors away and proudly strode from the room.
Later, Aurora was in her bedroom looking in the mirror, her fingers running through her hair when Emma walked in.
"I can't believe you did that." She said in awe. Aurora smiled again and turned to the blonde.
"I actually like this length, just one thing. . . " she turned to her nightstand and grabbed another pair of scissors holding them up for Emma, "Could you even out the ends for me?"
Emma smiled, "Of course." She replied pulling over a chair, "Sit."
oOo oOo oOo
The next morning Aurora ran into Millard in the upstairs hall. He seemed a bit out of sorts to her but before she could say anything he ran a hand through her shorter hair. Aurora blushed as she suddenly became self-conscious.
"Do you like it?" she asked timidly.
"It suits you." Millard said with approval coloring his tone. Then their moment was shattered when Victor came up the stairs. He took one look at the pair before scoffing and shaking his head.
"Told you you were holding her back, and now she's gone and mutilated herself for you."
Aurora's mouth opened in shock at Victor's harsh words but Millard seemed at his wits end.
"Victor just shut up! The only thing you're accomplishing is making yourself look like an immature fool. Is there really no end to your childish antics? Or is your brain so unbelievably underdeveloped –"
"Victor!" Aurora cried as Millard's sentence was cut off by Victor pushing him so hard that when he hit the wall he cracked the drywall. Aurora tried to rush to his side and help him but Victor grabbed her by the arm.
"All he does is blabber on and on, how can you bloody stand it?" he asked angrily, his temper making him grab her harder.
"Victor let go you're hurting me." She begged afraid that he'd snap her arm in two. He ignored her pleading, "He's weak and spineless! He can't hold his own in a fight, he couldn't even protect you when that hollow attacked –"
"She said let go." Millard said as he staggered to his feet, Victor's rage focusing back on him. He let go of Aurora and shoved her into the opposite wall, thankfully not nearly as hard as he had pushed Millard and stormed over to the invisible boy. He grabbed Millard by the collar and shoved him up against the wall.
"You're nothing but an infuriating know-it-all." He growled.
"And you're a bully who can't—"
"Stop bloody talking." Victor sneered as he cut off Millard's sentence by wrapping his hand around his neck and squeezing. Millard instinctively tried to pry the hand away even though he knew he didn't have enough strength even if he was up against a regular person never mind Victor Bruntley. He started making wheezing noises as his body fought for air that it couldn't get. Aurora rushed over and grabbed Victor by the arm trying to loosen his grip on Millard's throat.
"Victor let go. Quit fooling around, let him go. Let him go. HE CAN'T BREATHE!" she cried in desperation afraid that Victor would either choke Millard to death or snap his neck in his fist.
oOo oOo oOo
Miss Peregrine was in the kitchen setting up their afternoon tea with Olive as Emma sat at the counter writing to Abe.
"HE CAN'T BREATHE!"
Their heads all snapped, quickly turning to the stairs as they heard Aurora's cry. Miss Peregrine quickly rushed to the second floor with Olive and Emma hot on her heels. Several of the other children poked their heads in from the other rooms wondering what was happening.
"What is going on?" the headmistress demanded when she reached the top of the stairs. Victor had Millard against the wall and immediately let him drop to the ground upon Miss Peregrine's arrival. Aurora crouched down next to Millard as he coughed and sputtered trying to get air into his lungs. With help from Aurora he was able to rest on his forearms as he took deep breaths. Victor turned and made his way down the stairs.
"Mr. Bruntley!" Miss Peregrine shouted after him, but he only continued his way out the door slamming it behind him and causing the chandelier to shake. Knowing Victor would have to wait for now she turned to Enoch who had come out of his room and Bronwyn who had climbed the stairs to see what was going on.
"Enoch, Bronwyn, if you two would kindly follow Victor. Help him calm down before he returns."
Both wards nodded and hurried after Victor. Miss Peregrine turned her attention to Aurora and Millard. She approached the pair and knelt down beside Aurora who was now rubbing Millard's back.
"Just focus on breathing." She instructed, visibly shaken by whatever ruckus had been going on.
"It. . . it. . . hurts." Millard got out between breaths, his voice cracking as he struggled to get the words out.
"Here let me." Aurora offered as she gently placed her hand on Millard's neck. After only seconds he hummed in relief.
"That feels better already." He said his voice returning to normal as his breathing evened out.
"Aurora you're doing it." He noticed, "You're healing at will."
She blushed, "I just hate seeing you hurt."
(AN: Abe does describe the Bruntley's to Jake as strong but not too smart and in the books they say that Victor left the loop because he didn't like it there, so I'm trying to stay as true to that as I can.)