Bloodline

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

"Are you and the King still not talking?" A day later, and Akin and the King had barely spoken to each other. Whenever one came into the room, the other left immediately. They were silent and only spoke to each other when they needed to. It was so awkward and uncomfortable. It made me feel almost guilty, because it clearly wasn't normal for them to behave this way.

"It's not your fault," Akin said immediately, making me look up from my breakfast, and he sighed, "It's really not. It's our fault. We're usually pretty good at communicating, but lately it's just... hard. I think we're both afraid to say things and instead of just saying them, we're hurting each other."

"If you know what's wrong, why aren't you saying anything to him?" I asked. Akin shrugged, looking down at his coffee, appearing a bit sheepish.

"We're both too proud to actually say or do anything," he admitted, then shook his head, "But... I should probably talk to him later. I don't like playing this cold shoulder game."

"Good luck," I muttered, "Talking to him is like talking to a wall." Akin smiled.

"He's a bit difficult to talk to sometimes. He's not a bad person, though," he assured, and at my deadpan stare, he raised an eyebrow, "He's really not. He's just... worried. He tends to overreact when he's worried, and frankly, so do I, so I think that's where we kinda clash. We get angry when we're worried and stressed and accidentally take it out on each other, but that sometimes happens in relationships. Sometimes fights happen. Doesn't mean the relationship is spoiled. Just that you hit a bump. And all relationships have bumps. They're not perfect."

"The books and movies I've read beg to differ," I admitted with a shrug. Akin smirked.

"I don't know what kind of books or movies you've been into, but relationships in real life have problems sometimes. It's just whether or not you're willing to put in the effort to fix them."

"Are you willing to fix the problem you have with the King?" I asked. Akin nodded.

"Absolutely," he said without hesitation, "I love Hannibal more than anything in the world. We've been together for almost thirty years. It's my longest relationship. My only marriage. Hannibal is everything to me and more. He's my soulmate."

"Even if he told you he didn't want Thirteen?" I asked. Akin hesitated for a moment before he spoke, almost carefully like he was really hoping he was right.

"I don't think it's that Hannibal doesn't want Thirteen. I think he's just... afraid of wanting Thirteen, of wanting you. It's not my place to say, but Hannibal's gone through so much since he was a child. I can't even begin to tell you everything. And I completely understand him. I just wish he could understand me sometimes. I think he just struggles with it, and I get frustrated because he doesn't understand, then we get into fights and that's not fair to both of us. But in the end, I think... I think Hannibal will let you both stay."

"If I'm the problem, you don't need to worry about me," I said, making Akin frown in confusion, "I'm not stupid. I know the King doesn't like me or want me here. If I'm the one making it difficult for Thirteen to stay, I'll happily leave. I just want to make sure Thirteen can stay and be safe." Akin opened his mouth to speak, but his phone rang and he sighed in frustration. He looked at me, quickly got up and gave me his finger to wait for him. I nodded and sat back, giving up on the weird food Akin had tried to make for breakfast. Some kind of oatmeal wall paste with fruit?

I took out my own phone and shot Keros a text to ask if he was busy. I felt the itch to get out of this house, and quickly. I had a feeling Akin was going to come back with false reassurances and I didn't need that right now.