He found her out on the balcony, leaning heavily against the railing. Her knuckles turned as white as her dress. She gripped the iron railing as if it were the only thing holding her together. He watched her shoulders rise and fall, uneven and staggering.

"You okay, Bridge?"

"I'm fine." She said sharply, without facing him. Strands of hair came loose out of her braid, shielding his view. Her voice was strained from the weight of her frustration.

He knew Bridge long enough to realize leaving her would only make things worse.

Quietly, Aiden stepped onto the balcony. he leaned against the railing beside her, arms crossed in front of his chest. The cold iron bit through his fabric into his back. He gazed at the crowd. The noises of laughter and clinking of glass faded out into the vastness behind him. Moonlight poured into the balcony. He glanced sideways at Brigid, who was still shaking under the weight of the unseen.

The faint buzz of the hall filled the silence between them.

"Why do they say that?" She finally spoke. “Every time. Every. Single. Time.”

Aiden felt her grief slice through him, unyielded and raw.

“‘Oh Brigid, you look just like your mother!’ , ‘you have her smile!’." Her voice heightened, "_This. This _is why I never wanted to come to this stupid party in the first place! Nobody cares! — NOBODY!— Not a single soul!”

Brigid’s grip on the railing tightened. Aiden didn't speak, letting her let loose the storm she'd been holding beneath.

“Father's just trying to—“ her voice caught, “He’s just trying to put on a show. To show that everything's fine. _Pretend_ that everything is fine when it clearly isn't!"

Her palms flew to her eyes, even before her tears could spill. She let loose a shaky breath, her shoulders collapsing under the weight of it all

"She's gone, Aiden." Brigid spat bitterly, "She's never coming back."

The words hung in the air. Aiden's heart tightened as he struggled to find the right words.

Isn’t it enough?” Her voice cracked, barely above a whisper. “Why do I have to be reminded of what I have lost?”

Aiden's throat constricted. Painfully. Not just at her grief. But also the familiarity of the ache. He turned around, facing the vastness in front of him. A cool breeze hit him in the face. For a while, none of them spoke. Aiden drew in a cold breath.

"I lost my mom too..." He said quietly.

Brigid looked at him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

He gazed out into the night Avalorn sky, stars spreading across like glitter. The faint scent of roses from the garden beneath them itched his nose.

"It... It was a long time ago... she got sick. One moment, she was there making the worst pancakes you could imagine... And another moment she's just... gone."

The corners of his mouth twitched, in an attempt to make a hollow smile.

His chest tightened at the memory. The image of pancakes burnt pancakes, lumpy in the middle lingered in his head. Her laugh

—_Oh, her laugh_— Sweet. light. _comforting_. He let the wind play with his hair before he spoke again.

"You know... ever since she left, people always told things like 'You have her smile!' 'She would be so proud of you, Aiden.' Things I didn't wanna listen to. It just made the hole she left behind bigger.”

“How did you… how did you deal with it?” Brigid sniffed.

“I didn’t." He admitted, his voice now distant. "At first, I just tried running away, thinking that pretending it’s not there would make me feel better..”

Aiden’s gaze dropped to his palm, tracing the lines with his thumb. “But then I realized… “ his voice dropped lower, “I had to accept it. Accept that she’s gone… And- and pieces of her will remain with me. No matter how hard I try. You just gotta learn to live with it.”

"I miss her," Brigid whispered.

"Me too." a small smile crept upon his lips, "But hey."

He gently punched her shoulder, "You're not alone."

A genuine, small smile lingered on her face, despite the redness in her eyes.

"Thank you"

The two stood there in silence. The shared grief somewhat feeling lighter.

That is until Aiden shifted his weight. His smile turned sheepish as he rubbed the back of his neck.

Brigid glanced sideways at him, her brow furrowing slightly, "What is it?"

He stiffened up, looking anywhere but at her. "Nothing."

"Nothing?" She said suspiciously.

Aiden gulped. "So umm… _ahehe_ on my way looking for you, I uhh… I may have bumped into someone with a glass of this full nectar stuff. When I say bumped, I- I mean completely drenched them. "

She stood there momentarily, and blinked "You what?"

"It was an accident! said SORRY- or at least half said it. and I ran. Looking for you. Out here.” He gestured vaguely at the balcony.

“I think her dress was yellow. Couldn't tell it with all that glitter- uhh what are the chances of Lady Evaline's companions suing me?"

"You drenched one of her companions and ran away?"

"NO! I- I mean, yes! I uhh It was an accident!"

For a second she Brigid just stared at him. Then:

"BHAHAHAHHAHAHAAHAH! YOU DID NOT-"

A laugh bubbled out of her, genuine and unexpected. She almost doubled over, gripping the railing for support.

"It wasn't on purpose!" He protested, "This is my first time juggling fancy goblets!"

"Lords of Avalorn!" She wiped her eyes, her shoulders relaxing, "You're impossible."

"Thank you. Now are you gonna help me or not?" he squeaked.

Brigid was lost to another fit of laughter.

“You panicked!”

Aiden’s ears turned red. “Oh C’mon! I help you and this is how you help me!?”

“Alright alright, I’ll help you out.” She breathed, “Not before we grab some cake. C'mon, round-ears."

“But—“

Brigid dragged him by his wrist and pulled him into the hall, leaving the heaviness of the balcony behind.

******************************************

_The End_