Amani walks away from the bridge, the sky pouring out its frustrations on everyone but her. In the middle of the street, cars pass her by without even a honk in her direction. Amani hasn't involved herself in her siblings' drama in many years, but she feels as though this interference is needed.

She only interfered in Isra's life one other time, and that was to bring the two boys together in the first place. Isra never would have heard Corwyn's prayer in the first place if not for her.

It takes a long walk but soon enough she arrives in front of the house where she traced Isra's energy from. She admits that she may have neglected her duties as an older sister for a while. She didn't remove herself from her siblings' lives, she still watched over them, checking in once and a while, but they didn't know it.

Amani has only kept in touch with a few people from their past, it's just too painful to think about sometimes. She regrets now that she never tried to reach out to Isra, knowing how hard he had it. But they never had a good relationship when everything was fine anyway.

Amani didn't know how to reach out.

She walks up the pathway to the front door and knocks.

The door rips open. "I thought I told you to— oh." Adelaide fixes her hair up slightly when she realizes it's not Isra at the door. "Who might you be?"

"A friend of your son. I came here to see him."

Adelaide's eyes rake over Amani's figure. She knows that Corwyn doesn't have any other friends, although she doesn't bother with interrogating the woman. As long as it isn't Isra. "Corwyn," she shouts, not taking her eyes off Amani, "a woman is here to see you."

Corwyn walks down the stairs shortly after, confused as to why someone would be here for him. A small part was hoping that it was Isra having sent someone, but he knows Isra doesn't know anyone.

His mother moves away from the door and Corwyn takes her place at it. The woman, untouched by the rain, appears to be in her twenties, with a couple of piercings on her left brow and nose, and Corwyn is sure that he's never seen her in his life.

Amani watches curious as Corwyn approaches. She wants to know what her brother sees in him. She expected them to only have a friendship. He was never one to get into relationships and the like, even when some of their siblings would attempt to set him up with people.

The boy is short, and Amani almost laughs upon thinking of the height difference between the two boys, but no other features seem to stand out about him, aside from the birthmark on his face.

Amani regrets not being able to be around for her brother to talk to when he first began navigating his friendship with Corwyn, but hopefully soon she may be able to rectify that.

"Um," Corwyn looks behind him and sees that his mother is hovering close by. After Isra left, he got a stern talking to, and his mother vowed to never let him out of her sight again. He was no longer allowed to leave the house without permission, and now he had a curfew. Regardless of this, he steps outside to Amani and shuts the door behind him. "Who are you?"

"I'm Amani." At the sight of Corwyn's eyes widening, she realizes that Isra must have mentioned her, and her heart aches. "Isra is in trouble."

"What do you mean trouble?"

Corwyn has been thinking about everything that his mother had said to Isra, and what she had said to him as well, and he knows that it isn't true. He knows that his mother means well, but in this one instance, he knows she's wrong.

"You have to come with me. His body is failing, and I fear that he won't be able to come back from this."

Corwyn never thought about the consequences that would occur on Isra's end of things. He thought Isra would be fine. Not thinking through his next actions, he opens the door to his house back up, grabbing his shoes at the door.

Adelaide approaches from where she had been watching them through the window. "Where do you think you're going?"

"I have to find Isra, mom."

"I told you you're staying away from that boy," she states angrily, grabbing his arm.

He tears his arm out of her hold, standing up straight. Corwyn knows that this is the moment. This is the time. "No, mom." Adelaide looks at him, shocked. "I have to see him. Everything you said about him is wrong. I— we— I love him, mom. I have to go."

He doesn't take a second glance at his mother's face before he runs out the door, slamming it behind him. The rain hits him with a vengeance, but when he reaches Amani, he's invited into her bubble of dryness.

Amani quirks her eyebrow. "That was interesting." She had since migrated to the end of the walkway, but she had seen and heard enough. "Do you really love my brother?"

Corwyn looks at Amani, with his heart pounding and eyes averted he says, "Can you take me to him?" He doesn't really feel he should talk about it. He told his mother that he loved Isra before he even told Isra. What if Corwyn doesn't get a chance to tell him?

"Of course." She places her hand out. "Hold on." She only had to walk here because she had to follow Isra's energy trace to find the house. Now she can teleport them both and hope that Isra is still where Amani left him and that he's still okay.

Corwyn takes her hand, blinks and they're suddenly in front of a bridge. Corwyn ditches Amani and runs into the pouring rain as soon as he sees the crumpled shadow of his lover under the bridge.

"Isra!"

Isra's breathing is ragged and his eyes feel heavy, but he tries to will them open when he hears Corwyn's voice. "Cor— Corwyn?" Isra goes into a coughing fit after this, blood bubbling from his lips.

"Shh, shh. Isra, Isra I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry." Corwyn is crying now, he doesn't know what to do. "I didn't believe any of what my mother said, I swear Isra. I know you would never do any of that, just please, please be okay."

Corwyn is gripping Isra's hand tightly, squeezing the life out of it, while Isra is barely able to weakly hold back.

Corwyn turns to Amani, who is standing close by. "How can we help him?"

Amani shakes her head. She wishes she could have prevented this. Wishes she had been a better sister. "The only thing we can do is hope that his soul is strong enough to create another vessel. He'll fight for you, I know he will."

Amani promises to herself and to Isra that if he makes it through this that she will teach him how to better handle this. It doesn't have to be this painful to live this long.

Corwyn cries as he leans against Isra's side. All he can do is offer comfort, and he isn't sure he can even do that. "Isra, I'm sorry about everything that happened." Corwyn begins lowly. "I'm sorry that I didn't run after you. I'm sorry that I could have prevented this. I'm sorry that I never told you I love you. I love you, Isra. You have to be okay, alright? You have to be. I won't leave you again."

Isra doesn't respond; can't respond. But Corwyn knows Isra feels the same. Corwyn begins humming lightly, both to comfort himself, and to hopefully comfort Isra.

Isra feels himself calm with Corwyn's presence. He no longer feels the pain in his chest that was so hard to ignore. He feels more alive than ever at this moment from Corwyn's confession. Corwyn is here, and he isn't leaving. Corwyn's humming calms him down enough so that eventually, all he can do is sleep.

Isra's hand falls limp in Corwyn's and Corwyn shoots upright. "Isra?" Corwyn shakes him. "Isra?" he sobs. He's about to ask Amani for help when he sees a small speck of light escape from Isra's mouth. Frantic, he captures it, cupping it in his hands.

Amani crouches down beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You need to let him go. He'll find his way back to you. I know he will."

Corwyn looks at the orb of light in his palms. He feels the warmth and radiance coming off of it, and he can't help when a sob escapes his throat. Isra's soul looks so fragile in his hands. He's so afraid to let go.

He squeezes his eyes shut, his hands trembling as he prays. He thinks about the warmth that fills his body when Isra laughs. He thinks about when they first met. He thinks about when Isra confessed to him. He begs that Isra will be okay. He prays that Isra will hear all of this, hoping that it will end up his way before he lets go. Isra will find him again, Corwyn knows he will, and he'll be waiting.