Whitebark Stream i should have been a better son

she hadn't come. shanthi had always been more headstrong than satya and much smarter than surya. she had told him off for leaving, growing angry, flabbergasted that he would go.

"it doesn't matter!" she had hollered at him, tail lashing. "whoever our father supposedly is, it doesn't matter! rajendra is our pa; he loves us. are you going to turn your back on him and everybody else that loves you?!"

well, he had. and now satya was here, and shanthi was presumably the last of the trio back home. she was right—but surya would never, ever admit that. not until he had substantially more time to grow up.

he shook himself from his thoughts, realizing satya had spoken. ah. . .aphrodite, he explained briefly, cryptically. paused for a moment, then said, a close friend. she was kidnapped; i had to go find her. it took some time, but we're both back. and you, too. . .

surya sighed, eyes skimming the ground. mujhe maaf karo, bhaiyya, he murmured morosely. for everything. for leaving. for being so angry. i am sorry.

maybe, if he was sincere enough, the apology would somehow touch shanthi's far-away heart, too.