Falling to Pieces(Kit and Ty)

Chapter 7

     Kit snuck out of his room—it was a different room since his old one had been destroyed—and hoped that none of the Blackthorns were awake yet. He needed to go to the beach alone. He needed time to think. He tiptoed down the stairs, accidentally stepping on a creaky one. He froze, hoping no one had heard him. After waiting for a few seconds, he continued down the stairs. Kit considered writing a note for Julian, but he planned on being back before anyone woke up. He had everything he needed. He had his cell phone, his stele, and his Herondale dagger hidden in his pocket. He hoped he wouldn't need any of those things, but he brought them just in case something bad happened.
     Just as he was about to step out of the Institute, he heard a familiar voice. It was Ty's. He turned around slowly and saw Ty. Kit almost gasped. Ty was still beautiful when he was a mess. His hair was all out of place. He had dark circles under his eyes and he was wearing his shirt inside-out. Ty yawned, stretching his arms and rolling his shoulders.
     "What are you doing?" Ty asked.
     Livvy peeked out from behind him and waved. Kit would have to tell them. It wasn't a big deal, but he wanted to go to the beach alone and they wouldn't let him do that. He sighed.
     "I was going to the beach."
     "Can we come?" Livvy asked excitedly.
     Kit couldn't say no. They hadn't seen each other in three years. Kit didn't mind spending more time with Ty and Livvy. He nodded, accepting that he would have to think with Ty and Livvy there. As long as they weren't too loud, he'd be alright. Ty was never loud. It was Livvy he was worried about. She'd probably try to start up a game to keep everyone busy or try to talk to him.
     Livvy cheered, clapping her hands. "Let's go!"
     "Livvy, if Kit wanted us to come, he would've asked us," Ty pointed out.
     "Oh." Livvy's smile faded. "Have fun, Kit."
     Kit couldn't let this happen. If Livvy wanted to come, he would let her. She deserved to be happy. "You guys can come! I actually wouldn't mind some company."
     Livvy's smile returned which made Kit smile. He loved seeing Livvy happy. Ty shrugged and walked out the door. Kit and Livvy followed behind him.
     The sun was beginning to rise, coloring the sky a beautiful orange. Kit watched in awe. How could something be so beautiful? The ocean waves were lapping in and out, adding to the beautiful picture. No one was on the beach, save the three Shadowhunters. Kit's feet sunk in the sand as he walked towards the place where ocean meets land. He threw his shoes to the side, allowing his feet to get wet. The water was freezing, but Kit didn't care. He watched the sunrise, Livvy and Ty beside him. Ty saw something moving in the distance and ran to see what it was. He came back moments later with a crab in his hand. He held it out to Kit, a grin pasted on his face.
     "Isn't it beautiful?"
     Kit nodded. "Tell me what you know about them."
     Ty knelt down and placed the crab back into the sand, letting it scuttle away. He stood and thought for a moment. "Well, there are more than 4,500 species of crabs." He brushed the sand with his feet, staring at the ground. "Most species live in coastal areas of salty, fresh, or brackish water. They existed during the Jurassic period which was 200 million years ago. The pea crab is the smallest known species. It measures between 0.27 and 0.47 inches long. Crabs have an exoskeleton made of chitin. It protects their soft tissue. Crabs are omnivores. Groups of crabs living together are known as casts. The average lifespan of a crab is 3 to 4 years." He looked up at Kit, not making full eye contact. "That's all I know about crabs."
Kit smiled. "Now I can be an expert on crabs! Wait, is that an actual job?"
Ty laughed, shaking his head. "You're a Shadowhunter. That's a full time job, meaning you can't be a crab expert."
The sound of Ty's laughter made Kit love Ty even more. Kit fell more in love with Ty every day. Soon he wouldn't be able to stop staring at him. He was already having difficulty with that. Kit realized he was staring at Ty again. He quickly looked away and sprinted into the water.
Kit's teeth were chattering and he was freezing cold. Livvy couldn't stop laughing and Ty joined him in the water. He began to feel numb, no longer noticing how cold the water was. He went deeper until the water was up to his shoulders. He dunked his head under, keeping his eyes open. He couldn't see anything. The water was murky. The only thing he could see was floating seaweed. He resurfaced, rubbing the water out of his burning eyes. Ty had a seashell in his hand. It was a white conch shell. He must've found it underwater. He held it out to Kit to look it more closely. Inside of the shell was a group of small creatures Kit didn't know the name of. It was amazing how nature worked. Ty returned the shell to its home underwater. Kit loved how gentle Ty was with living creatures. All animals loved Ty. He loved when Ty would walk up to him with a new creature and tell him about it.
Kit broke the awkwardness by splashing Ty with water. Ty gasped and immediately splashed Kit back. This broke out into a splash war. Kit was laughing along with Ty. Ty's black hair was even darker when it was wet. His gray eyes were bright with joy. Kit couldn't breathe.
     "Kit?" said Ty, worry tinging his voice.
     "Yes?"
     "Your face is turning red."
     Kit quickly turned away from Ty, relearning how to breathe. He took a deep breath, the humid air filling his lungs. He turned back towards Ty. "Better?"
     Ty nodded just as a large wave rolled over them. They rode the wave to shore. Kit instantly regretted that decision. The sand scratched him once he got to shallow water. He pushed himself up to his feet, offering Ty his hand. Ty got up on his own, ignoring the hand. Kit drew it back, hiding it in one of his pockets. He grabbed their towels, throwing one to Ty who caught it with one hand. Kit wrapped his towel around himself, the hot sun drying him off. He glanced at Ty who had blue lips and was shivering violently. His teeth were chattering and he was whispering his calming words to himself. Livvy drifted over to them, the sun making her seem almost transparent.
     "You two are very stupid."
     "We went swimming on a beach," Ty said, confused. "What's stupid about that?"
     "Well, now your lips are blue and you're shivering. Hypothermia is a thing!"
     Kit rolled his eyes. "Okay, Livvy. While you lecture Ty on hypothermia, I'm going to go sit on that rock ledge over there." He pointed at a large rock only a short walk away. Livvy mimicked Kit and turned her back on him. He laughed to himself as he walked on the already hot sand towards the rock. He scaled the rock, easily finding foot and handholds. His fighter's instincts helped him pick out safe places to put his feet. Kit pulled himself up onto the rock and sat near the edge, letting his legs dangle.
There was a better view from the rock than there was anywhere else on the beach. Kit had tested a bunch of viewing places when he lived at the Institute three years ago. This rock had been the best. Kit could see the entire beach and far out into the ocean. The sun was beaming down on the water, making it sparkle. There were sailboats farther out. They were little specks in the distance. Kit looked down at Ty and Livvy. He could tell they were laughing, although he couldn't hear it. He saw Ty's gray eyes light up and his beautiful white teeth shine in the sunlight. Kit turned away from them. He hadn't climbed up the rock to stare at Ty all day, although that didn't sound like a bad idea.
     He had come to the beach to think. Kit had been rather confused lately. He couldn't stop thinking about Ty. Kit had realized that he still had feelings for Ty, but did he really? Maybe they were just really close friends. Close friends always feel the need to protect each other and miss each other when they've only been apart for a few minutes. But, do close friends stare into each other's eyes and think about how beautiful the other is? No. There was no way Kit couldn't be in love with Ty. He looked down on Livvy and Ty. He felt butterflies in his stomach when his eyes landed on Ty. Close friends didn't get nervous around each other. Kit knew that for sure. Another thing Kit knew was that Ty would never love him back. It was painful to think about. Kit didn't know if he'd ever move on from Ty. He had dated three girls. He had loved them, but Ty was different. Kit felt right being around Ty. But he'll never love you, Kit thought. He would have to accept that and move on. There was one thought racing through his mind.
For better or for worse, I'm in love with Tiberius Blackthorn.
***********************
     Ty was pacing back and forth. Kit had only been gone for a few minutes, but he felt lonely without him there. Ty could clearly see his golden hair by the large rock in the distance. He wished Kit were standing there with him and Livvy. He loved his sister, but they couldn't do what they used to do, since she was a ghost. She was great company, but Ty hadn't realized how much he had missed Kit until he showed up at the Los Angeles Institute. It had been like part of him was missing until Kit came back. Ty didn't know how to explain it. All he knew was that he wanted Kit to be a part of his life.
     Kit was one of the few people who didn't care if Ty was 'different.' Kit knew that Ty thought differently than other people, but he didn't care. If Ty didn't understand something, he'd explain it and be patient. It made Ty feel better about himself. He didn't like when people treated him like he was different. He wanted to be treated like anyone else would be. That wasn't always the case, but his family tried their best. When he was with Kit, he forgot about his differences. It was just them, together and happy. Kit always supported Ty when he was upset. Ty tried his best to help Kit, but he still had trouble identifying what Kit needed. Sometimes it was easy to tell. Other times, Ty had no idea what to do and had to watch Kit suffer while struggling to help. He hated seeing Kit in pain. It made Ty hurt inside for some reason. When Kit was hurt, he fidgeted more and his senses were heightened. It also 'broke his heart' as people would say. Julian had explained the expression to him after Ty heard it from a family member. Ty enjoyed showing Kit what he found. Kit was always impressed. When that happened, Ty always felt a strange tingling feeling in his cheeks and had the urge to hide his face. He had never asked anyone what that meant. Maybe he would ask Livvy. She would know.
     Kit returned with a smile on his face. Something told Ty that it wasn't real. Kit's real smiles were blinding. The skin underneath his eyes would crinkle a bit and occasionally he would reach to push loose hair out of his face. None of that was in this smile. It seemed forced and looked like more of a grimace than a smile. He wanted to ask Kit if he was alright, but knew it would be pointless. Kit would say he was fine and their day would carry on. Anyway, Livvy hadn't seemed to notice anything strange about Kit, so maybe Ty was reading into things. Ty was never wrong, but he was uncertain with emotions.
     "We should head back," Kit said, checking his phone. "People will be waking up soon and I didn't leave a note."
     Ty nodded and they began their short walk back to the Institute. He would have to leave again shortly after to get a donut for Kit. Ty hadn't forgotten about that. Maybe Kit would go with him. "What kind of donut do you want?"
     "What?" Kit asked, confused.
     "I owe you a donut, remember?"
     Kit's eyes lit up as he remembered their conversation from last night. "I almost forgot about that! I would like a strawberry frosted donut with sprinkles."
     Ty nodded. "Alright. I'll get it once everyone's awake. Would you like to come?"
     "Of course." Kit clenched and unclenched his fists, shifting his gaze between Ty and his feet. Something was definitely wrong. Ty wasn't just reading into things.
"Kit?"
"Mhm?"
"Are you alright?" Ty asked.
Kit nodded, pasting a smile onto his face. "I'm fine. No need to worry, Ty." He reached his hand out to place it on Ty's shoulder, but pulled it back before he had the chance. Ty wondered why Kit did that. He was uncomfortable with hugging and things like that, but not from Kit or Julian. He allowed Kit and his family to hug him. Didn't Kit know Ty was alright with hugs from him? Something was wrong with Kit and Ty was set on figuring it out. That was Sherlock's next case, to figure out what was bothering Watson.
     Julian was pacing back and forth in the kitchen, Emma trying to calm him down. Everyone else was sitting at the table drinking coffee or juice. Julian looked up when the Institute doors opened. Ty, Kit, and an invisible Livvy walked in. Ty could see Jules sigh. He hoped Julian wasn't mad at them. He loved Julian, but Ty and Kit were perfectly capable of going to the beach alone.
     "Where were you?" Julian asked.
     "Thanks to you guys, I've had to deal with a worried Julian all morning," Emma said, slinging her arm around his shoulders.
     Ty looked down at his feet, avoiding any eye contact. He was nervous. Were Emma and Julian mad at them? Ty let Kit do the talking. Kit was usually pretty good at getting in and out of trouble. Ty pulled his headphones over his ears, blocking out the noise. He didn't want to be in this situation. Ty examined the room, searching for anything he'd never noticed before. There were a lot of new things to look at since the explosion had damaged parts of the Institute. The sink leaked, not enough for it to be a problem, though. There were scorch marks along the walls. There were small holes in certain areas of the walls.
     There were already people working on fixing up the Institute. Only a few people knew that it was damaged. Even fewer people knew what happened. Ty's family hadn't made a big deal out of it because they didn't need the extra attention. They just needed the Institute fixed. The thing that annoyed Ty was that Shadowhunters would be working on the Institute starting at 6:30 in the morning. Waking up that early was not part of Ty's daily routine. Things that broke routine annoyed Ty. He had everything organized in a way that worked for his family. Having a schedule made sure everything that needed to be done was done. It was the best way to live. Some people just didn't understand that or something happened that disturbed Ty's routine. He had learned how to deal with that type of situation, but it still upset him.
When Julian left to sit down at the table, Ty knew the conversation was over. He looked down at Kit who was waiting for him. They walked over to Julian and asked if they could go get donuts. Julian nodded. Just as they were about to leave, Livvy trailing behind them, Julian said something else.
"Only if you take one of us with you."
Ty sighed. Was he not allowed to go anywhere alone? He wasn't even alone. He was with Kit and Livvy. "Who do you want us to bring?"
Julian looked around at his family, then returned his gaze to Ty. Ty was looked just past the tip of Julian's ear at a fissure in the wall. "Emma and I will go with you." He stood, gently taking Emma's arm. She took one last sip of her coffee before leaving it on the table.
"But, who will watch Tavvy and keep Dru out of trouble?"
"Helen!" Jules called. "Will you watch the children?"
Ty saw Dru make a disgusted face. She didn't like being called a child. She was sixteen, but since she was one of the youngest Blackthorns, she was treated like a child. Helen nodded. Julian held Emma's hand as they began the short walk to the donut store.
Kit, Livvy, and Ty tried to stay as far ahead of Emma and Jules as they could. Livvy was very annoyed that they weren't allowed to go alone, but Kit seemed to be fine with it.
"Maybe it's not such a bad idea," he reasoned.
Livvy seemed to be surprised by Kit's words. "It's a terrible idea! By the Angel! You guys are eighteen!"
"Well, I'd rather have backup if a demon decided to attack us."
Ty decided to join the conversation, although he wasn't sure if his input was needed. "We're Shadowhunters, Kit. Our job is to fight demons."
"I know, I know," Kit said. "But, it's less likely someone will get hurt if we have more people."
Livvy spoke before Ty could stop her. "Ever since you woke up after the explosion at the Institute, you've been strangely protective and you've been worrying a lot. Why is that?"
     Kit froze. Ty couldn't read the expression on his face. Was it anger? Hurt? Ty didn't know. He hated not knowing something. It made him feel like a failure. Ty slowed to a stop, waiting for Kit's response.
     "I, uh," he began. He noticed Julian and Emma only a few yards away. "Let's just get what we came for, okay?" At that, he continued walking, ignoring Livvy and Ty. He separated himself from them, walking ahead. Ty wished Kit hadn't walked away. He enjoyed being around him. He felt like there was a glass wall between him and Kit. He could see him, but couldn't reach him. Ty wouldn't let Kit distance himself from him again. They had been apart for three years and Ty couldn't let something like that happen again. He picked up his pace to catch up with Kit. He sped up, but Ty easily matched that speed. Eventually, Kit gave up and allowed Ty to walk beside him.
Ty didn't know what Kit needed to feel better. He could feel his hand fluttering by his side. If Kit was hurting, Ty needed to heal him. He examined Kit for any hints, pointing him in the direction of what to do. Ty's gaze landed on Kit's trembling hands. Instantly, a word popped into his mind. Terrified. Kit was terrified.
Ty didn't even bother speaking to Kit. Sometimes, words weren't enough. Ty reached out and grabbed Kit's hand, holding it gently. Kit tensed, then saw that it was just Ty and relaxed. Livvy was right. Kit had been rather jumpy lately. Hopefully all he needed was someone to hold his hand. Livvy watched with a smile on her face. Ty didn't know what she was smiling about, but Ty didn't want to know. He wanted to focus on Kit and help him through his pain.
     At the donut shop, there was a girl about Ty's age staring at Kit. She was giggling a lot and twirling her hair around her finger. The girl had tan skin and bright blonde hair. Ty wasn't sure if it was naturally that blonde or dyed. She was wearing a blue shirt that had her name stitched onto the corner in white. Her name was Jillian. Julian ordered a two dozen donuts with everyone's favorites. Ty's favorite was a simple chocolate frosted donut, no sprinkles, nothing extra. Jillian kept trying to create a conversation with Kit. He didn't seem to be in the mood for talking and for some strange reason, Ty was glad. He didn't know why, but he didn't want Kit talking to Jillian. Every time she asked a question, Kit would give her a short and simple answer. This seemed to displease Jillian.
"Have a great day!" she called as Julian, Emma, Kit, Livvy, and Ty left the shop.
Julian stared at the receipt strangely. He handed it over to Kit saying, "There's a phone number on this for you."
Kit took it from Julian's hand and smiled. "She totally liked me." Then, he ripped up the receipt and threw it in a nearby trashcan. Ty wasn't sure what was going on. He decided to leave it alone. Kit and Ty walked ahead of Julian and Emma, Livvy following close behind. Livvy seemed to be nagging Kit about the receipt. It wasn't a big deal. He threw out a receipt. That wasn't a life-changing event.
"Why'd you rip up her number?" Livvy asked, flying in front of Kit. Kit rolled his eyes and walked right through her. Livvy kept pestering him with questions related to the receipt. Kit obviously didn't want to talk about it. Ty knew Livvy was just trying to be a good friend, but Kit didn't have to tell her his reasoning for everything.
     "She seemed to really like you, Kit," Livvy teased. "Don't you want a girlfriend?"
     Kit shook his head.
     "A boyfriend?" Livvy corrected herself.
     Kit shook his head and walked faster. Livvy finally decided to stop nagging. Ty sighed with relief. He wasn't sure how much of Livvy's pestering Kit would be able to take before blowing up at her. He didn't want to see them argue. Ty didn't join Kit this time. He let him have the alone time he probably needed. Sometimes being alone made it easier to think. He didn't want to bother Kit.
"What's up with Kit?" Livvy whispered. She never gave up on anything. That's one of the things Ty loved about his sister.
"He probably just wants some alone time, or maybe he doesn't want to talk about his love life."
Livvy nodded. "That's a reasonable explanation." They walked in silence the rest of the way back.
     Ty, Kit, Emma, and Julian were greeted by the rest of the Blackthorns and Mina. Everyone crowded around Julian who was holding the donut boxes. There was quite a lot of yelling over who would get the first donut. Ty quickly pulled his headphones over his ears, blocking out the noise of his family. Julian handed a Boston creme donut to Mina who rushed to the table to eat it. The next donut went to Tavvy, then Kit, then Ty, then Emma, then Helen, then Mark, and finally Jules. Julian placed the leftover donuts on the table so anyone could grab more.
     Ty took his usual seat next to Kit who still hadn't said a word since his conversation with Livvy. He was beginning to worry. Whenever someone talked to him he would grunt, nod, or shake his head. He didn't say a word. Ty ate his chocolate frosted donut in silence, pondering over Kit's words and actions. He couldn't stop worrying about him, no matter how hard he tried.
Once Kit had finished his donut, he hurried to his room without saying goodbye. Ty was reminded of when Kit left for Devon without a word. He felt a twinge of pain at the memory. Kit had finally come back after three years and now he was gone again. He was so distant and unlike himself. He wasn't the Christopher Ty knew. Ty left his family to sit by Kit's door. He sat there reading Sherlock Holmes, not bothering to go into his room. He just wanted to make sure Kit was okay without overstepping his boundaries. Ty sat there in silence, reading his book until he heard a loud crash and Kit's voice through the door.
     "Get your act together, Herondale!" It was definitely Kit's voice. Ty knew his voice anywhere. It was different than everyone else's. The tone of his voice changed with his mood, but it always remained Kit's voice. If Ty listened really closely, there was always something in his voice—whether it be a stutter, or crack—that betrayed his emotions. That was something unique to Kit. Ty loved that about him. It was like a mystery that Ty could solve. He was usually unsuccessful, but he tried to solve it anyway.
     "Be strong," he said, his voice quieter. "Make your father proud."
     Ty wanted to tell Kit that he was already strong and that being strong sometimes meant letting down your walls. Sometimes, it meant crying over your pain, not hiding it. Ty leaned closer to the door so he could hear better. He heard Kit whimper, then sniffle. He was crying.
     There was a pause. "No," he said sternly. "No weaknesses. Get over him, Herondale."
     Who was Kit talking about? Ty couldn't hear anything else through the door. He returned to his book, pulling his headphones over his ears. The music helped Ty focus on the words in front of him. Reading comforted Ty when he was stressed or upset. Ty wasn't sure how he felt. He just knew that reading would fix it. His hands were shaking as he read, making it difficult to turn letters into words. As he kept reading, he became more relaxed. His hands stopped shaking and he could read in peace.
     Ty was too focused on reading to even hear the footsteps heading towards the door. Before he had time to think, the door was pulled open and Ty fell backwards since he had been leaning on it. He quickly got up off the ground, holding his book under his arm. Right before his eyes was Christopher Herondale. The skin around his eyes was swollen and red. Dried tears stuck onto his cheeks. His golden hair was a mess and his shirt was rumpled slightly. Ty didn't think any less of Kit. Even when he was a mess, he was still Christopher Herondale.
     Ty's heart was beating faster than it normally would. He felt like he was falling into an endless pit. He couldn't explain why he felt this way. It was just Kit. Ty averted his eyes and pulled his headphones off, not wanting to look directly at Kit. He decided to stare at his feet and pick out each individual stitch in his socks. Kit was the first to speak.
     "Ty?" His confusion was plain on his face. His brows were furrowed. Ty hoped he wasn't angry. "What are you doing here?"
"Reading."
"Why were you reading by the door to my room?"
Ty thought for a moment. He didn't know what to say. What if he said the wrong thing? Would Kit hate him? "You seemed upset. I wanted to make sure you were okay."
"How long have you been here?"
"A few hours."
Kit's face paled and he seemed as if he were about to pass out. He took a deep breath, calming himself. "Why didn't you just ask me if I was okay if you were so worried?"
"I'm not stupid, Kit. You weren't in the mood to talk and I knew you would just dismiss me with a quick 'I'm fine.'"
"Maybe it's because I'm actually okay. I'm fine, Ty. Really."
Ty shook his head. "I-I heard you in your room. I don't understand what you're feeling or how I can help, but I'd like to know. I can't bear to see you this way, Christopher. Let me help you. Please."
Kit's expression softened and his eyes were full of tears which truly made them an ocean. He stepped into his room, motioning for Ty to follow. Ty closed the door with a soft click. His eyes widened when he saw what a mess Kit's room was. His belongings were strewn across the room and his bedsheets were on the floor far from the bed. There was a scorch mark the size of a fist on the wall.
"K-Kit? W-what happened?"
"I got angry," he said simply.
Ty moved to get a closer look at the wall. He placed his hand close to it, but not touching. Ty could feel heat emanating from the scorch mark. It was made recently. Ty walked over to Kit. "Did you do that?" He pointed at the crack in the wall. Kit nodded.
"I punched the wall."
That part was obvious, but something still wasn't adding up. Why were there scorch marks on the wall? Ty came up with a few ideas that answered his question. "Did you burn the wall?"
"No."
Ty shook his head in confusion. None of this made sense. "Then why are there scorch marks where you punched the wall?"
Kit's eyes widened. "The answer to that could put you in danger. I won't do that."
Ty's hand began fluttering at his side. "Wouldn't that mean you're in danger if you know the answer to my question?"
"I've been in danger my whole life."
"I don't understand. W-will you explain it to me?"
Kit put a hand to his head and breathed deeply. He seemed to be in pain. "Why is it so hard to say no to you?"
"I—"
Kit put his hand up, stopping Ty before he even finished what he was about to say. "No. The only thing I can explain to you is why I can't tell you."
     "Because it would put me in danger, but isn't it a terrible burden to bear on your own?"
     "It would be even worse if I knew I was the reason your family was in danger. Anyway, Jem and Tessa know."
     "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Ty said gently. "But it might be easier for you if you had a friend who knew. I could help you."
     "By the Angel, Ty."
     Ty wasn't sure why he was angry. He didn't have to tell him anything. Only if he wanted to. "Kit—"
     "I'm a descendant of the First Heir," he blurted out.
     Ty took a moment to let the information sink in. He wasn't exactly sure who the First Heir was, but they must be important.
     Kit took a deep breath before explaining what everything meant. "The King of the Unseelie court and the Queen of the Seelie court had a child. Her name was Auraline. They had agreed that the child would inherit their thrones and unite Faerie, but the king was upset that the baby wasn't a son. He kept her in his lands, causing more tension between the king and queen. There was a prophecy that said 'The day the First Heir reached their full power, all of Faerie would fall under shadow.' Auraline fled to the mortal world and met Roland Loss. The king sent assassins after her, wanting to keep the prophecy a secret. Auraline and Roland had a child together, continuing the line of lost Herondales and the First Heir. There were more descendants that eventually led to my mother being born. She had a child which was me. That's why the Riders of Manaan attacked me. And now both of my parents are dead. Fun, right?"
Ty shook his head. "That's not fun at all."
"I was being sarcastic."
"I know." So much had happened to Kit at once without warning. He had been thrust into the Shadow world. Ty wondered if Kit would have wanted to learn who he was if he had a choice. It would have spared him so much pain, but he'd probably be dead. Ty couldn't imagine a life without Kit. He had lived three years of that life and now that Kit had walked back into his life, Ty knew he couldn't go back to how things were without Kit. Ty needed him.
"I'm assuming you want to know how this all ties into the scorched wall," Kit said.
Kit knew him so well. Ty nodded.
"Well, I have faerie magic that I lose control of sometimes, like when the Institute was eaten by that glowing light."
"That was your magic?"
Kit nodded. "I lost control and put your family and Mina in danger."
Ty shook his head. "You protected us without caring what happened to yourself. That's what happened."
"I couldn't protect all of us. It was a choice that had to be made."
"No trading lives," Ty said gravely. He could have lost Kit that night. He had been terrified of losing someone else. He had already lost his parents and Livvy. Did Kit know how much pain his choice had caused Ty?
"So, to answer your question about the wall, I punched it with a glowing fist."
     "Do you have a way to calm down when you're losing control?" Ty asked out of curiosity.
     "I do, but it doesn't always work."
     "What is it?"
     "I usually just take deep breaths, maybe think of things that make me happy."
     "How often does it actually work?"
     "Almost never," Kit laughed.
     "You need a different method."
     "Got any ideas?" he asked.
     "It always depends on the person. When I'm upset I fidget with things and listen to music. You could try it."
     He nodded. Ty grabbed one of the toys Julian made for him and handed it to Kit. He held it in his hand, testing it out. He seemed to like it. Ty was glad. Maybe he was able to help Kit after all.
     "Next time you're upset, fidget with this and listen to music," Ty said. "Do you have headphones?"
     "Yeah."
     "Tell me if my method doesn't work. We can come up with more ideas."
Kit nodded, sliding the toy into his pocket. "Thanks, Ty."
"No problem. Do you want to hang out on the roof? That usually helps me get over anything that's bothering me."
"I have to play with Mina," Kit said regretfully. "I promised her I'd play fairy princesses."
Ty couldn't help but smile. Kit never failed to make him laugh. Ty didn't laugh often, but when he did, it was real laughter. Some people faked laughter. Ty didn't understand why. He found it strange.
"Fairy princesses?"
"Don't judge!" Kit teased. "I'd be a wonderful fairy princess!" He twirled his hair around his finger, pretending to sip tea with his other hand.
"I'm sure you would," Ty said.
"We could go to the roof after dinner," Kit suggested. Ty nodded while petting Irene. "See you later." Kit made his way towards the door and disappeared into the hallway.