Page 47 of Intense

---

“Holding it in will kill you eventually.”

“I’m a doctor. I’ll be fine. I’ve got it sorted.”

So long as I don’t sleep too deep.

Don’t get high. I made that mistake before.

Don’t let myself think for too long… I’m fine.

Distraction is key.

It’s harder speaking to Declan than it is Conan. Declan remembers more from that day.

He saw the shift.

The Finn after the incident wasn’t the same boy.

So Declan had to grieve the loss of a brother, I suppose.

But I think it’s safe to say he still loves the man I became.

Conan, though?

He’s a little away with the fairies. We gotta keep him in check, make sure he doesn’t explode.

For me, that’s another distraction.

But I love them both. To death. That’s never changed. Never will.

I’m only here because of them.

My brothers are the last living piece of me.

Well, them and my niece and nephews now.

We lost our parents.

Lost our home.

And we rebuilt it into something unbreakable.

And if I’m the one who has to take the hits to protect it, then so fucking be it. I’m the one with nothing to lose.

“I’ll send you the dates once I have them, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Have a good night. I hope you win… again.”

A smile tugs at my lips.

“Yeah. Me too.”

It sends a thrill through me, thinking about Stephanie’s face when I collect that trophy.

It’s always a picture.

I wish I had a year-by-year collage of her expressions. Pure hatred. Absolute loathing.

---