My turn (Adeline's perspective)

As they were approaching the gate Adeline decided it was her turn to break the silence. The way her brother had just kept so calm and put himself between her and danger, she felt a need to say how that had made her feel. Adeline loved Vel, she always had. She’d always known she was right to stick by him, despite their family’s pressure. As far as she was concerned, she didn’t really need any reward for it or anything, she was his other half. She existed for him. But she’d be lying if she said that him just unquestioningly putting himself between her and the scariest thing they’d ever seen didn’t feel like vindication. The words were hard to find though, even for her, who usually spoke her mind quite freely around her brother. “Hey uh, thanks for what you did back there. You know, for getting between me and that uh, it, or whatever.” Wow, strong start there Adi, she thought to herself. Really got the gravity of it across. Before she could elaborate though, Vel responded “Don’t worry about it, Adi, it’s not like it ended up doing anything.” Her annoyance at this response gave her the push she needed to find the words “The fuck it didn’t! First of all, we didn’t know WHAT it was going to do or not, for all we knew it was about to charge right at us! And perhaps it ran away because it saw you weren’t afraid of it, that ever occur to you? And you know what it definitely did? It made me feel safe and protected, it felt damn good to know you’d put yourself between me and danger like that, so don’t try to downplay or wave this away.” Her beloved idiot brother seemed rather stunned by her outburst, which she supposed was fair enough. He eventually managed a smile in reply, and Adeline was happy enough with that and just smiled back. She had kind of been hoping he might ask for another kiss, though.

She had thought the topic was done after that, but a few minutes after they had passed through the gate her brother spoke up again. He wasn’t looking at her though, instead pointedly staring straight ahead. “Thanks for what you said earlier Adi, I appreciate it, I really do.” Adeline found herself smiling as Vel went on “I’d do it again in a heartbeat too, you know. You say I’m the best, but you’re the only thing that makes my day-to-day life truly worth it. The only bright spot. You’re the reason I bother to get up most mornings. So, putting myself between you and danger needs no thought at all, because without you there’d be no point for me, none at all.” That fucking asshole, Adi thought as she started to tear up, couldn’t he have said that before we got back? Luckily the estate grounds were large, and no one was in sight. She tried to suppress a sob but didn’t quite manage it, and the sound finally brought Vel’s idiot head around to look at her. He actually had the nerve to look confused. “Adi, what, I’m s-“ She cut him off “What the hell did you think was going to happen when you say something… Something like that!” Her brother’s smile returned, and he motioned her to stop Celina, which she did. He moved Glaweder as close to her as possible, and Adeline again marveled at how in tune her brother and his mount were. As far as she could tell he had given the horse no command or signal of any kind, but he just knew what his rider wanted. Vel reached over to hug her, and she nestled her head into the crook of his stupid neck. “I’m sorry Adi, I’ll be more careful about saying how much I love you in the future, I can see how being loved by me must be horrible.” She **** out a weak chuckle and, on her own initiative this time, kissed his cheek. “It’s okay, just maybe try to do it before we get back home next time, you know?”