"Hey," she began, when she finally noticed that her brother wouldn’t ask first. Her tone was casual but with a hint of playfulness, "I was thinking…" 

"Well, that’s usually not good for me…" Her brother glanced at her, raising an eyebrow. 

Agatha smiled sheepishly. "Well… I was hoping to introduce you to my friends."  

Koray took a slow sip of his tea, watching her over the rim of his cup. "Huh. Do you really think that’s a good idea?"  

She sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "Not really… But they’re important to me. And we’ve got many awesome places at school I’ve been wanting to show you!"  

Koray set his cup down with a quiet clink. "So, what’s in it for me? I doubt you’re asking just because you want a heartwarming sibling bonding moment."  

"I— uhhhhh…" Agatha faltered, caught off guard.  She hadn’t expected Koray to ask for anything in return. In her mind, this was just a simple request—a chance for him to meet the people who had become most important to her, after the gang. But, of course, nothing was ever that simple with him. She scrambled for an answer, but under his expectant gaze, her mind went completely blank.

He rolled his eyes, his usual poker face cracking just enough to let a small smirk slip through. "Alright, fine. You can introduce me to your friends. But if anything feels off, the outing ends immediately. Understood?"  

Agatha’s face lit up, and before she could stop herself, she threw her arms around him in a quick hug. "Thank you! You’re the best, you know that?"  

"Yeah, yeah," he muttered, patting her arm before pulling away. "Just make sure they don’t tell anyone that much about me, and be certain we’re not being followed." His voice was firm, the warmth from earlier now replaced by his usual caution. He went on, listing security measures—taking a detour before heading home, avoiding any mention of him in their Chirp-Chat group to leave no written trace.  

"Of course," she grumbled good-naturedly, trying to hide her amusement, but she kept on listening, nodding along, but she could hear it—the concern buried beneath his words. He wasn’t just being careful. He was worried. And that made her even more determined to make this night go smoothly.

That night, sleep was impossible. Agatha tossed and turned, her mind buzzing with anticipation. Every time she closed her eyes, excitement bubbled up again, making her stomach flutter. The thought of introducing her brother to her friends sent a thrill through her—she had never done anything like this before in her life. 

It was such a simple thing, yet it felt monumental. Would they get along? Would Koray even try? She wasn’t sure why she cared so much, but the idea of blending these two parts of her life made her both nervous and exhilarated. She tossed and turned in her bed, she felt like a little kid about to go for a school trip, and she hated it. Eventually, she sighed and reached for her phone on the nightstand, knowing she wouldn’t be able to rest until she calmed down. 

As she scrolled through her contacts, her thumb hovered over a familiar name—Caelus. A small, fond smile tugged at her lips. If anyone could ground her, it was him. He always had a way of making her feel at ease.  She tapped the call button.

"Hey, what’s up, Aggie?" Caelus’s voice was groggy but warm, laced with curiosity.  

"Sorry, did I wake you, Caelus?" she asked, chewing her lip.  

"Eh, kind of," he admitted with a yawn. "But it’s fine. I was just lying in bed. What’s up? Why are you calling me this late?"

Caelus wasn’t worried—if it were something serious, she would’ve used Cerberus, his code name for emergencies. But she hadn’t. She had called him by his name. That meant this was something else. Something personal.

Agatha hesitated, pressing the phone closer to her ear. "I can’t sleep. I’m just too excited about… um, something." She wanted to spill everything, to tell him about the big moment that was coming and how real it was starting to feel. But Koray had made it clear—she couldn’t let anyone from the gang know.  

Caelus must have sensed it because he didn’t pry. He never did when she got like that. A silent understanding made her chest tighten—not with discomfort, but something softer. She exhaled, the tension she hadn’t realized she was carrying easing just a little.  

After a while, she laughed softly. "I’m just being silly, huh?"  

"Silly suits you," Caelus chuckled. "Whatever’s going on, I know it’ll be good for you. But seriously, try to get some rest. I promise, whatever it is, it'll be perfect."  

His words settled over her like a blanket, warm and reassuring. She yawned, sleep finally creeping in now that her heart wasn’t racing. "Thanks, Caelus."  

"You know I’m always here for you, right?" His voice dipped slightly, something affectionate— almost too affectionate—hidden in his tone.  

Agatha swallowed, unsure if she was imagining it or if the late hour was making her more receptive to things she usually brushed aside. "And I’ll always protect you," he added. 

A slow smile spread across her lips. A part of her wanted to keep talking, to hold onto this feeling just a little longer. But before she could say anything, Caelus let out another yawn and playfully scolded her for keeping him up.  

They ended the call, and for the first time that night, Agatha felt truly at peace. With thoughts of the fun ahead still dancing in her mind, she finally drifted off to sleep, comforted by the knowledge that her friends would be there to share the joy with her.

☆*: .｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆

Yay! We’ve made it to Chapter 10! 🎉 To celebrate, I’m doing a Q&A! Drop your questions below—about the story, the characters, or anything else you’re curious about 💬🖤