Building The Strongest Family

Chapter 425: Billy And Arthur

The night after the feast, Dominion Sanctum was enveloped in an unusually profound silence,like a comforting blanket wrapped around the estate.

The sprawling gardens sparkled with the glow of softly lit amber lanterns draped across elevated walkways and over flowering arches.

Moonlight bathed the carefully manicured hedges, creating long shadows that wove elegantly with the gentle breeze. The fountains, too, seemed muted, their water flowing in a steady, calming rhythm that merged seamlessly with the stillness of the night.

Arthur walked along the cobblestone path, hands nestled in his pockets, savoring the moment. His stance was relaxed now, shedding the tense, calculating mask he’d worn for months,perhaps even for years. For the first time in what felt like ages, he was free of that heavy barrier in his chest, that invisible wall that had kept him apart from the world.

He could truly feel the night air,the coolness didn’t just brush against him; it swept through him, grounding him in a way he had almost forgotten.

Beside him walked Billy in silence, his hands buried deep in his jacket pockets and his shoulders tight.

His footsteps felt heavier than Arthur’s, dragging slightly as if burdened by unspoken thoughts he hadn’t mustered the courage to voice. They passed by several blooming trees before Billy finally let out a breath and kicked a loose pebble on the path.

"You’re different," he said softly but with conviction.

Arthur halted for a moment, not because he was dismissive, but to let the weight of Billy’s words sink in,truths that needed no defense or analysis.

Billy forged ahead before Arthur could respond. "And I’m really glad you’re different. I mean... I’m happy you’re...." He gestured vaguely in Arthur’s direction. "You’re actually here with us again."

Arthur resumed walking, his gaze fixed ahead while warmth spread across his features as he replied quietly, "I know. I’m glad too."

Billy nodded slowly, though tension remained etched in his jaw.

They entered a clearing where the garden opened up to a spacious area bordered by glowing crystal lanterns.

The trees rustled gently, and faint music drifted in from a nearby lounge,someone had yet to turn in for the night. The light cast a warm glow on Billy’s face, revealing an inner turmoil that he fought to hide.

Arthur stopped and turned to face him completely. "Speak your mind."

Billy looked down at his feet, then back up at Arthur, before glancing away again.

Taking a shaky breath, he finally confessed quietly, "I’m... scared." He paused for emphasis before adding earnestly, "And happy too,more than happy,but also scared."

Arthur turned his full attention to him, not with impatience, but with empathy.

Billy swallowed hard and continued, "When you were distant... when you were shutting us out... I kept telling myself it was just a phase,that you were stressed or overwhelmed. But things just got worse, and I felt so helpless,I couldn’t reach you."

His voice turned softer, vulnerability slipping in: "I thought I was losing my big brother."

A gentle breeze tugged at Arthur’s coat as the lantern light flickered across his calm, grounded face.

"You weren’t wrong," he said softly.

Billy blinked, surprised.

Arthur’s gaze drifted across the garden, as if he were thoughtfully choosing his next words. "For for a long time, I wasn’t truly myself. I buried every fear and emotion because I needed to stay focused. I thought if I let even a little slip through, everything we were building could fall apart."

He exhaled gently. "I reshaped myself into someone functional,efficient and sharp,but not whole."

Billy’s voice quivered slightly. "You didn’t have to bear that burden alone."

"I realize that now," Arthur replied. "But back then... it felt like the only way to keep everyone safe." He locked eyes with Billy. "I built those walls to protect you all, to hold our family together. But in doing so, I became a ghost."

Billy felt a catch in his breath,soft yet clear,as his eyes sparkled in the lantern’s glow.

"I hated seeing you like that," he confessed, his voice raspy. "You were talking, working, leading... but it didn’t feel like you at all. You were there, yet somehow absent." He ran a hand tiredly over his face. "I missed my brother."

Arthur stepped forward,not as the authoritative figure he was known to be, but simply as the older brother who once helped

Billy construct makeshift forts in their backyard. "I missed you too," he replied softly.

Billy released a shaky sigh. "Then why didn’t you ever say anything? Why didn’t you let us help?"

"Because," Arthur responded gently, "I was scared. Scared that if you realized how much I was trying to hold together, you’d either worry or try to share the load,and you shouldn’t have to. You’re my family, Billy,my responsibility. Keeping you all safe was what kept me going."

Billy looked at him, his chest rising and falling rapidly. "We don’t expect you to be perfect; we just want the genuine you."

Arthur’s gaze softened in a way Billy hadn’t seen in a long time.

The warm lantern light enveloped them, making time seem to stand still. "I don’t want to be a shadow anymore," Arthur said softly. "Not to you or to anyone."

In that moment, Billy’s mask slipped,just a little. His eyes glistened too quickly, and he blinked hard, his lips quivering briefly before he spoke in a rough voice: "Thank God..."

Arthur reached over and placed a reassuring hand on Billy’s shoulder,not as a distant leader, but as a caring older brother grounding someone he loved.

"You’re not alone," he assured him. "None of us are anymore."

Billy felt his breath hitch in his throat as he nodded sharply, a quick gesture that barely contained the flood of emotions he could hardly express.

He met Arthur’s gaze with a raw honesty that had been hidden away for too long. "Just promise me you won’t vanish on us again."

Arthur held his gaze steady. "I promise. Not again. Not ever."

Billy stepped closer, enveloping Arthur in a fierce hug,one that conveyed years of fear, relief, loyalty, and brotherhood. Arthur wrapped his arms around him tightly, anchoring Billy firmly in the moment.

The night surrounded them, awash in lantern light and moonbeams,two brothers who had weathered storms and endured silence finally finding their way back to each other.

When Billy eventually pulled away, he wiped his eyes with the back of his hand and forced a smile. "Good. Because this time, we’re keeping you."

Arthur chuckled softly. "I wouldn’t have it any other way."

They continued walking through the garden in a comfortable silence, no words necessary.

Each step echoed with the quiet comfort of a bond healed,a shared burden lightened,and an older brother who had truly returned home. For the first time in ages, the night around them felt light. It felt whole.