i got the magic in me

Fitzroy's gaze returned to the jar and he sat forward, giving the fumes a suspicious sniff. "Maybe it's all three," he decided with a slight curl of the lip, as his finger dragged the jar in closer. This finger proceeded to tap the side of it anxiously, tiny clink sounds coming off every time his ring hit. "Boiled despair.." he murmured this description and snorted to himself, smirking down at the mystery substance. That was funny.

"Is this your way of saying you would rather see me dead sooner?" Perhaps a morbid joke, yet it had Fitz snorting again. "I couldn't begin to describe how sick of this stuff I am," the male said then, a bit more soberly as his smile lessened and he carded a hand through his hair. "Years of it. Mind you, I just turned twenty-nine," he said, briefly looking over at Asher to give him an idea just how long as Fitz massaged the side of his scalp. "It would be a shame to have all that time and effort go to waste, however. As tiring as all of it is, I would still like to live long enough to test my theory I'll be a silver fox one day."

As Fitzroy’s description of the mystery substance made him smirk, Asher raised an eyebrow. "Boiled despair, huh? That’s one way to put it." He gave a short laugh at Fitzroy’s morbid humor, but his expression shifted to something more thoughtful as Fitzroy spoke about the years of work and his theories on being a silver fox. "I think you’ve got time. You’re not exactly a lost cause just yet."

When Fitzroy chugged down the liquid, Asher winced, instinctively leaning away at the thought of it. "Damn, that stuff sounds like it’s got a personal vendetta against your stomach."

Kai knew he had a lot of big steps to take ahead on him. Asking for help was first, going to Kara was that very first step, followed by talking to Aspen. Apologies were the second, and he'd started taking that step now, talking with Asher, trying to make things right. Next would be coming clean to his mom about everything. Until this moment, he'd thought the apologies were going to be the hardest step, but now he was thinking about talking to his mom and it filled him with a whole new level of dread. "Yeah, that's gonna be a rough one." But, he couldn't avoid her much longer, especially not now. It had been months since he'd spoken to her, and he knew that if she heard about this from someone else, she'd go out of her mind.

"Okay, okay, I get it. I'll do my best to avoid that because honestly I think it might actually kill me." He said, a small chuckle escaping him as he shook his head. Things were feeling lighter already, and Kai couldn't put into words how much he appreciated it. All of it. "I won't test you, I believe you, and I'll put you on speed dial."

Feeling more at ease, more comfortable, Kai could feel himself feeling more like himself again. Only a little, but it was a good start. "This all just really fucking sucks. Just that it happened at all. I never meant for shit to get this far. But, one step at a time." Kai said and then laughed. "Laugh all you want, as long as you don't leave me there."

With that, Asher clapped him on the shoulder lightly before standing up, letting the moment settle. "But seriously, don’t test me with that breakup playlist. I'll send you a whole damn playlist of my own if it comes to that." He grinned, the air between them lighter now. "Anyway, let’s take it one day at a time. You’ve got this, man."

"So, is this the part where you beg me to come back to work or just hand over the deed to the place now?"

Jensen let out another laugh. "Hey, just so you know, The Great British Bake off is a good show. Some great bakers on that." Jensen said as he leaned forward slightly. "Well how about one night, I cook dinner for us, and dessert will be include. Then that way, you can have good meal and first taste of the lava cake." Jensen asked as he picked his fork. "Sounds like a win, win for you." Jensen said with a soft laugh before he took another bite of the cake.

Jensen nodded his head slightly as he listened to Asher talk about the lizard and how Jensen was gonna turn him to the wild west. "Maybe I could find a little out fit for him, a little vest to go with the hat." Jensen always wanted a lizard, but growing up he wasn't allowed one. His father said they had not time for such things. But now he was an adult, and living away from home. It was the perfect time to look at getting one. "Oh I'll be sure to give you all the updates, Hat, vest and whatever else included."

Jensen finished his cake off, before he reached out and placed his plate on the coffee table. "Gracie does know how to get you in the feels, no doubt about that." Jensen agreed. "I haven't listened to much of Sabrina, but the few songs I have heard always seem to get stuck in my head. "Jensen said before he let out another laugh. "Oh I'll be sure to give you all the content."

When Jensen defended The Great British Bake Off, Asher snorted. “Oh, don’t get me wrong. I’m not knocking it—it’s wholesome TV gold. I just wasn’t expecting you to rep it so hard. But hey, if watching people stress over soggy bottoms inspires your culinary skills, I’m all for it.”

At the offer of dinner, Asher’s grin widened. “Wait, wait, wait—you’re saying you’re gonna cook for me and throw in a lava cake for dessert? Jensen, my dude, I feel like I just hit the jackpot. How do you even top that? Are we talking candlelight and mood music too, or is that extra?” He teased, winking. “Seriously though, I’m holding you to that. Don’t flake on me or I’ll pout harder than you.”

As Jensen got into his lizard cowboy dream, Asher couldn’t stop himself from laughing. “You’re really about to be that guy, huh?"

“I really need new locks,” he teased seeing his nephew.  “No silly, you can’t eat bricks.”  The little girl responded as she placed her little arms as much around her cousin.

Cassidy gave an unamused expression towards Asher.  Honestly, he could not figure out how he manages to destroy nearly any meal he attempts to cook.  Especially given his talents in witchcraft.  It made absolutely no sense.

“Lucky for us, we have a pancake master in the apartment. C’mon up to the plate.”  He smiled as he started to take off the apron to hand it to his nephew.

“What brings you by?”

He picked up a mixing bowl, grabbed the ingredients, and started humming a lively tune under his breath. The sound was light and rhythmic, like the first few notes of a happy folk song. As he worked, his magic began to flow with the melody. The eggs cracked themselves into the bowl, flour measured and poured without a single spill, and the milk swirled in like it was dancing to his hum.

With a snap of his fingers in time with the music, the batter began mixing itself, the whisk spinning smoothly in the bowl. “See? No mess. No smoke. Just vibes,” he said, shooting Cassidy a teasing grin.

He stepped over to the griddle, still humming, and as the melody shifted into a playful chorus, the batter poured itself into perfect circles on the pan. The smell of golden, perfectly-cooked pancakes soon replaced the burnt aroma from earlier. “Don’t look so shocked,” Asher said over his shoulder as he flipped a pancake mid-air with a wave of his hand. “This is what happens when you let the master work.”

“Oh, and to answer your question, Uncle Cass—just came by to hang out. Figured you’d appreciate the company and, clearly, the rescue mission.” He looked over with a smug grin. “Besides, you know I can’t resist an audience for my culinary magic.”

Everything Asher was saying was true and Kai knew that. "I know. I handled everything the wrong way. Hell, I shouldn't have done any of it in the first place. Trust me, I know that now. But, I can't take it back, so I've just gotta do what I can to make sure it doesn't happen again. Which is why I'm coming clean to everyone. I'm even gonna try to work up the nerve to go and talk to my mom." Kai hadn't spoken to his mother in months, but he was sure word would get back to her eventually and he would rather he hear it from him.

"That's the plan. Tell everyone what's going on and make sure they know everything so that I can't slip back into bad habits. That shit was scary. It was beyond fucked up, and I don't wanna go through any of it again, I don't wanna put anyone else through it again." Kai shook his head. "No more bottling shit up. I'm done with that, I swear. God forbid should I have to listen to your sad break up playlist."

Kai could feel some of the weight he'd been carrying around lift now that he'd opened up and had been able to apologise. He still had a long way to go, but it was a start, and a good one it seemed. "I'll try my best, but I can't promise that I won't trip and stumble a few times. I'll try not to though."

When Kai mentioned his mom, Asher’s expression softened. “Talking to your mom? That’s big. Like, really big. I know that’s not gonna be easy, but it sounds like you’re ready for it. And when you do, just... give yourself some grace, okay? It’s not about saying everything perfectly, it’s about showing up and being real. And I know you can do that.”

Asher’s smirk returned as he pointed a finger at Kai. “But let me be clear—if you even think about bottling stuff up again, you won’t just get my sad breakup playlist. I’ll throw in my ‘angsty teen phase’ playlist too. We’re talking the entire My Chemical Romance discography on repeat. Don’t test me.”

He sat forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “You’re doing good, Kai. You’re trying. And here’s the deal: you don’t have to get it all right every time. You just have to keep moving forward. And when you feel like you’re stuck again, you know where to find me.” Asher grinned. “You’ve got this, dude. One step at a time. Just don’t forget—if you stumble, we’re all here to catch you. Or laugh and then catch you, depending on how bad the fall is.”

He knew Emily was pissed because she cared, and Kai knew that he would need to talk to her soon too. But, he wanted to give her some time to cool off, he wanted to get through a few more apologies before he worked up to that one. There wasn't a person on the planet that knew Kai better than Emily did, so he had to fix it.

Something softened in Kai when Asher said he wasn't going to give up on him. He knew he didn't deserve it, but he was glad to hear it. Asher had always been a good friend to him, he'd just been trying to be a good friend that day, and Kai had lost control not because of anything Asher had done, but because he had always fought so hard against his own feelings that everything just came bursting out of him all at once. "I'm here, I'm doing what I can to get out of this dark shit, I'm trying really fucking hard to stop being a huge dick. I got wrapped up in some bad shit, and I'm learning my lessons the hard way. But, I'm trying to meet you halfway, I swear. From now on, I'm not gonna hide shit, not anymore, I swear."

A forced, dry laugh escaped him. "You'll get a t-shirt, don't worry. Maybe even a poster." Kai was grateful for Asher, and thankful that he was lucky to have such a solid group of people around him. He'd fucked up in the past, but nothing like this. Knowing that he would always have Asher in his corner, it meant more than he knew how to say. And he knew Asher wasn't the only one. "I know, and trust me, I'm gonna be having conversations with all of those people to make sure they know, so that everything is out in the open, so that this shit won't happen again. But, you should send me the hospital bill anyway."

“Look, I get it. Shit gets heavy. You think I don’t know what it’s like to feel like you’re drowning? You’ve seen me on some bad days too, and guess what? I didn’t push you away, even when I wanted to. And yeah, you hurt me. But not enough to make me walk away. You’ve got me—and Emily, and your aunt, and a whole squad of people ready to drag you out of the dark if you let us.”

Asher leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “I need you to keep doing what you’re doing—talking, working through it, owning your shit. That’s all any of us want. And as for the hospital bill? Nah, man. Call it a donation to the Kai Winter Self-Improvement Fund. But if you ever try to pay me back by bottling everything up again, I’ll personally hunt you down and make you listen to my extended playlist of sad breakup songs on repeat. You’ve been warned.”

He gave a small, lopsided smile, leaning back again. “So yeah, you’re doing the work. You’re showing up. That’s all I need from you right now. And if Emily or Sam or anyone else gives you a hard time, remind yourself why they’re mad—it’s because they care. We all do. So don’t mess it up, yeah? No pressure or anything.” He winked, his tone light but his words firm.

Jensen raised an eyebrow slightly before he laughed again. "You doubt my baking abilities?" Jensen questioned as he pressed a hand over his heart. "I'm offended." Jensen said as he shifted on the couch, stretching his legs out a little. Jensen nodded his head, smiling again as he took a bite of his cookie. "I'm sure I could make a lava cake, sounds pretty easy."

Jensen frowned a little when Asher questioned if a lizard would be a good pet. "Well I mean they don't take much and I've looked into them and bearded dragons are sociable, easy to tame and pretty good pets over all." Jensen said as he shrugged a little. "But we will just have to see how it goes." Jensen said as he looked down at his cake before he looked back to Asher, he smiled softly as he nodded. "Seems to be the most popular artist arounds at the moment. Gracie is pretty nice to listen too." Jensen said before his smile grow a bit. "Well my selling point for the lizard is a cowboy hat."

At the “dork” comment, Asher feigned a gasp and clutched his chest. "How dare you? I prefer the term ‘charmingly eccentric,’ thank you very much."

When Jensen got all mock-offended over the baking jab, Asher chuckled. "Oh, calm down, Great British Bake Off. I don’t doubt your abilities—I just want to see if you can actually pull it off without setting the kitchen on fire. Lava cake’s got ‘high risk, high reward’ written all over it. But hey, if anyone can make it, it’s probably you. Just don’t forget to save me the first bite, yeah?"

He raised an eyebrow at the lizard explanation, fighting back a laugh. "A bearded dragon, huh? Alright, I’ll admit, they sound kinda cool. Sociable, easy to tame, low maintenance… honestly, better qualities than some people I know. But a cowboy hat? Jensen, you’re killing me. You’re really out here trying to turn this lizard into some Wild West mascot." He shook his head, grinning. "You do realize if you go through with this, I’m gonna need weekly photo updates, right? Like, full-on fashion shoots. You can’t just tease me with the cowboy hat and not deliver."

As Jensen shifted the conversation to music, Asher tilted his head thoughtfully. "Gracie Abrams is solid, no doubt. Sabrina Carpenter’s got that upbeat vibe I can get behind too. But let’s be real—if I ever need to get into my feels, Gracie’s playlist is the go-to." He smirked as he popped a piece of cookie into his mouth. "Although, if your lizard starts vibing to either of them in its little cowboy hat, I’m gonna need that on video. Viral TikTok material, right there."

He let out a sad sigh. "You should've told people. Maybe then I would've had to own up to everything sooner. But, you were being a good friend, because that's all you've ever done." It hadn't surprised Kai in the slightest that Emily knew. She had a way of getting information out of people. "I don't think Emily has ever been that pissed at me before. Hell, I don't know if she'll ever speak to me again. Honestly, I wouldn't blame her if she didn't. I wouldn't blame you if you didn't after today. And Sam..." Kai trailed off, shaking his head. That was something he couldn't let himself think about right now.

"From now on, nothing but honesty. I swear." Kai said with a nod of his head. "I'm getting help, I'm figuring everything out. You're the first stop on the Kai Winter apology tour." He forced a laugh, then turned serious again. "Your aunt Kara is helping me, actually. She caught me on the night of the masquerade, so she's been helping me out." He hoped more than anything that he'd be able to get back to normal soon. "My cousin, too. I told them about it. And, now, I hope I can add you to that list. At least, maybe in time?" Kai knew this wasn't going to be something he could do on his own. The more people he had in his corner, the easier it would be. "I'm not expecting you to just forgive and forget. I know what happened was beyond fucked up, and I know it's gonna take some time. I guess what I'm asking for is not just forgiveness, but for you to not give up on me just yet. Please."

“You were spiraling, and yeah, you threw everything at me that day, but all I wanted was to help. I could see it, Kai—how big your feelings were. How much they were swallowing you whole. And it killed me that I couldn’t pull you out of it right then and there. I didn’t need to fight you. I needed to reach you.” He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “But I didn’t know how. I still don’t, really. That’s why I didn’t tell anyone. Not because it was okay—not because I thought it would just blow over—but because I was scared for you. I’ve seen you get into scrapes before, Kai, but this? This was different. It felt bigger than me. So yeah, I kept my mouth shut because I thought that’s what you needed from me. Maybe I was wrong. I don’t know.”

Asher leaned back, his arms crossing over his chest, though his expression was more hurt than angry. “Emily’s pissed because she cares about you, just like I do. Sam’s probably trying to figure out where he fits in all this. And you? You’re stuck in your own head, thinking none of us are gonna stick around. But here’s the thing, Kai—we’re still here. I’m still here. Yeah, it’s gonna take time, and no, I’m not just brushing past what happened, but I’m not giving up on you. I can’t give up on you.”

His lips twitched into a faint, humorless smile. “You’re my best friend, even when you’re being a grade-A dumbass. So yeah, I’m in your corner. Always have been, always will be. But you gotta meet me halfway. No more hiding. No more pretending you’ve got it all under control when you don’t. Let me help you before it gets this bad again, okay?" The corners of his mouth quirked up in a small, tired smile. "The Kai Winter Apology Tour, huh? Do I at least get a t-shirt out of it? Or is that only for VIPs?"

He softened his tone, reaching out to clasp Kai’s shoulder. “You’re not alone in this. You’ve got Aunt Kara, your cousin, Emily, Sam...and me. Always me. Just...don’t push me out next time, yeah? Or if you do, I will send you the hospital bill."

As he sat at the Stone's dining table, Fitzroy rested his head in hand and stared glumly down at the smoking mason jar. There was some mysterious gray substance within that he was supposed to drink -- yet another attempt to see if it would have any affect on this condition of his. His other hand lay on the table, thumb idly twisting one of the rings on his fingers back and forth without any real thought.

He was sick of medicine. Peter Pan would never.

The male's gaze lifted at the sound of footsteps, offering the other a rueful smile when he saw who it was. He'd meant to come by and chat with the guy some more, maybe even check to see if Asher had taken his suggestion and gotten some saxophones in the shop. "I hate to break this to you mate, but I think your mum is trying to off me before this curse can," he joked.

He dropped into the seat across from Fitzroy, eyeing the jar suspiciously. “What’s in there? Grave dirt? Boiled despair? Or is it another ‘ancient family remedy’ she swears by?”

The rueful smile on Fitz’s face didn’t quite mask his exhaustion, and Asher’s teasing softened into something more genuine. “Look, if you’re sick of this stuff, you don’t have to drink it. Ma means well, but I know it’s not easy—this whole thing isn’t easy.” His gaze flicked to Fitz’s restless hand, the constant twist of his ring giving away the weight he carried.

"Wanna get out of here and do something else?"

"Well you are the one that said chocolate and cake, fix nearly everything. So I figured we will lots of chocolate into the cake, and boom hakuna matata." Jensen said as he took another bite of the cake. "So what's the next test then?" Jensen asked as he shifted on the couch slightly. "What's the next grand thing I should bake you?"

Jensen frowned as he noticed Asher's smile fade a little, but didn't push it as Asher didn't say anything. "Hmm Guess it all depends on your taste of music. Sabrina Carpenter, Gracie Abrams, all the hot up and coming artists." Jensen said as he picked up one of the cookies. "Oh and I'm trying to convince Banks that a lizard will make a good pet."

He smirked at Jensen’s dramatic stabbing of the cake. “And I’m the one who said chocolate fixes everything? Sounds like something I’d say.” He nodded toward the plate. “You’re lucky it’s actually good, or I’d be questioning your cake-to-chocolate ratio.”

As Jensen asked about the next “test,” Asher tilted his head, pretending to think it over. “Hmm, next challenge? How about… chocolate soufflé? Or those ridiculous lava cakes that explode chocolate everywhere. Something overly fancy that you’ll insist is too easy.” He grinned, but his smile faltered when Jensen kept talking, Banks’s name slipping into the conversation.

Asher cleared his throat, brushing off the moment with a chuckle. “A lizard? Yeah, sure, that’s the kind of chaotic energy he needs in his life.” His voice carried an edge of humor, though his thoughts briefly wandered to how complicated things had been with Banks lately. But that wasn’t Jensen’s fault, and Asher wasn’t about to dampen the mood. “I’m pretty sure you're just accepting a curated TikTok playlist for merch at this point,” he added, leaning back taking a bite of his cake. “But I’ll give you credit—Gracie Abrams is solid. As for the lizard… good luck convincing Banks. You’ll need it.”

Jensen's smile turned into a smirk when Asher told him that someone had, in fact caught his eye. "Oh? And who is this special person?" Jensen asked, his voice still holding that teasing tone. Another laugh escaping his lips, as he looked back at Asher once he finished spinning. He reached out and caught Asher's hand. "If you want to run off, and find them to dance with. I won't stop you. The heart wants it wants right?" Jensen asked as pulled Asher back towards him gently.

Jensen tilted his head back slightly, as he listened to Asher. "Ahh so what are you hiding from me?" Jensen asked as he moved them back slowly. "Ooo are you married? or do you moonlight as a superhero at night? Run around in spandex?"

When Jensen started teasing about the person on Asher’s mind, Asher’s smile shifted into something softer, almost shy—not a look he wore often. “Oh, they’re... special,” he said, dragging out the word as he tried to play it cool. But when Jensen caught his hand, Asher groaned dramatically, spinning back toward him with flair. “First of all, you’re not getting rid of me that easy. And second, yeah, the heart wants what it wants, but right now, it wants to hang out with you, Mr. Cupcake Maker Extraordinaire.”

Jensen’s superhero comment earned a loud, theatrical laugh from Asher. “Okay, wow, caught me. Married with three kids, and yeah, I moonlight as Super Jams, the musically inclined hero. Spandex optional.” He smirked, letting Jensen guide him back with ease. “But nah, no major secrets, promise. Just... keeping a few things close to the chest for now. You know me—I’m all mystery and charm.”

He met Jensen’s gaze and gave him a lopsided grin. “What about you, though? What’s your secret? You some kind of undercover pastry spy or something? Because these desserts are way too good for a civilian.”

Arden couldn’t help but laugh in his presence, their energy perfectly bouncing off each other with ease. “In that outfit can you blame me? You’ve really outdone yourself.” Her smile grew practically with every word, loving how the two of them were always able to pick up where they left off. “I’ll take that free pass with honor.” She told him before nodding her head. “They really tie the entire look together. Necklaces maybe?”

She didn’t know how they managed to perfectly coordinate their outfits, but if she was going to match anyone — it’d have to be Asher. “You’re right, I don’t think we can explain it behind that. It’s just the way it had to be.” She’d been missing him — missing this for a while now. Arden had been spending a lot of time at the record store alone due to recent events, normally something she didn’t mind, but it was different when it wasn’t a scheduled solo shift. This is exactly what she needed.

He felt a flicker of guilt hearing her mention the store. He knew things had been tough for her, but here she was, radiating her usual warmth like nothing had changed. “I missed this, you know,” he admitted, softening for a moment as his gaze met hers. “Hanging out, laughing, causing chaos. I’ve been... distracted, but I’m here now, and we’re making this a night to remember.”

He snapped another quick photo before showing it to her. “Iconic. This one’s going on the wall,” he teased, but he saved it to send to her later, knowing she’d hold him accountable. When she grabbed his hand, he gave it a playful squeeze. “Oh, they’re not ready for us. But let’s give them a show anyway. Lead the way, Arden. Let’s make it legendary.”

"No magic, I swear." Over the past few days, Kai had managed to get a handle on the dark magic that was inside of him. He hadn't used any magic at all, and he was feeling drained while still feeling entirely full of it. It was a strange feeling, but one that was necessary. Losing control again wasn't an option. Especially around people he cared about.

Putting his hands in his pockets, Kai stepped inside. There was a strange tension in the air, and he was sure he wasn't the only one that felt it. In all their years of friendship, nothing like this had ever happened. He wasn't entirely sure how to handle, but he knew an apology and some honesty was a good place to start.

Kai kept some distance between them, just as a way to make Asher feel at ease. "So, I want to start by saying how fucking sorry I am." He began, his eyes on Asher so that he knew he was being genuine. "There's no excuse for how I acted. I know you were just trying to help, and it was fucked up of me to do what I did. I hope you know it had nothing to do with you, or how I feel towards you. I was just really fucked up, and I was doing dumb shit, and you got caught up in a moment where I lost control."

Without some sort of explanation, Kai knew the apology didn't carry much weight. He took a deep breath, knowing that coming clean wasn't going to be easy. "I've been fucking around with dark magic." He confessed, figuring it was easier to just say it instead of trying to ease into it. "It pulled me into this dark place and I wasn't acting like myself. I'm not trying to use that as an excuse, I swear. It's not an excuse. It was my fault, I know it was my fault. Doing it was dumb. I let it get in my head and I hurt you and I hurt others, and I feel terrible, I do." Part of him expected to feel some tingle in his fingertips, but there was nothing. They were safe.

"You're my best friend, Asher. You know that. I'm so sorry that I hurt you, and I'm sorry that I didn't talk to you. I should've, I know that."

Asher's gaze softened as he looked at Kai, a mix of frustration and concern tightening in his chest. “You’ve always been reckless, Kai,” he said quietly, the words more tired than angry. “But dark magic? Man, you knew better. We all did. And yet…” He shook his head, his voice trailing off, torn between anger and worry.

“I know that wasn’t you that night, alright? I know that. But you let it get to a point where I was the one paying for it, and I didn’t even know what was going on.” Asher clenched his jaw, looking away as he steadied his breathing. “You’re my best friend too, Kai. That’s why I didn’t tell anyone—which I should have. That was my failing as your friend. I couldn't help you, so I should have found someone who could.” He dropped his arms, letting out a slow, frustrated sigh.

The truth was, he hadn’t stayed silent out of pride or anything like that. He just… couldn’t do that to Kai. He knew something was pulling Kai down, wrapping around him in a way that Asher hadn’t seen before. As angry as he’d been, part of him was just scared—scared of what might happen if people knew the full story, scared of how dark Kai’s world seemed to be getting.

He took a shaky breath, glancing away before meeting Kai’s eyes again. “But I did tell Emily.” His voice softened with an apology that was almost painful to admit. “She figured out some of it, honestly—she’s not one to take no for an answer.” A hint of a sad smile flickered across his face. “I thought if anyone could help, it’d be her… and I’m sorry if that was a mistake.” His gaze looked over Kai's face to see if there was any mark left by Emily. She had told Asher what happened, of course. He couldn't believe she actually hit Kai, but it seemed his friends were doing a lot of things Asher couldn't believe.

Asher paused, his jaw tightening as he tried to shake off the last of his hesitation. “Look, you’re here, you’re being honest with me now, and I appreciate that. I do. But I need you to swear that whatever happens next, you’ll talk to me. You won't shut me out or let it get too much for you. You owe me that.”