Orion sat on the cou the gang's hideout, bandaged and bruised, looking irritated at Vi. She sat on the armchair with her arms crossed defensively. A guilty expression, mixed with sadness, lingered on her face, but she her spoke nor met his gaze.

  Previously, Vander instructed Mylo and Cggor to support Orion, draping his arms over their shoulders as they made their way back to the Last Drop. He stayed behind to " up", no further expnation.

  Orion wasn't mad because of the Old Hungry i anymore- he was frustrated because he couldn't find a moment to heal himself. His suffering persisted because the gang wouldn't give him a minute alone. Granted, after the adrenaline faded, none of the cw marks were very serious, aside from a few that received stitches from his kit.

  "At least they care," Orion thought, sighing aloud as his gaze shifted up to the ceiling.

  He caught a nervous side gnce from Powder, who sat o him. She was hunched over, quietly knitting rough patches into his jacket on her p where the creature had torn through. Orion couldn't help but ruffle her hair again, though it did little to ge her somber demeanor.

  The sound of whispers aallic clicks drew his attention to the boys across the table.

  trary to the dies, the boys were the plete opposite. Mylo held Orion's gun with both hands, the chamber open as the two stared into it.

  "How did you get your hands on a real gun?" Cggor asked curiously, leaning forward to get a closer look.

  "I'd tell you, but Vander would kill me." Orion chuckled weakly, his gaze flig toward the gun with a p expression. He added, "Careful snapping it back- it hurts a lot more if your fingers get caught."

  Upon hearing this, Mylo's eyes darted up to Orion ily, then back to the gun.

  Cggor, however, couldn't resist. He suddenly jerked his hand upward toward the gun's barrel, causing Mylo to panid twist away with a startled yelp.

  "Jerk!" Mylo snapped, gring at Cggor as he slowly untwisted his body. Everyone collectively let out a small ugh except Vi, of course, who tio sulk.

  "I-I'm sorry everyone," Vi's broken voice finally emerged. "That was dangerous and stupid- I'm sorry."

  "Are you kidding?" Mylo said, one eyebrow raised. He paused, his grip on the gun tightening briefly before flig a g Orion. "Well- maybe a little. But there's always a risk, right?" He added hastily without remorse, "We scored a nice haul."

  Cggor shoved Mylo's shoulder roughly, giving him a sharp gre. "Orion was hurt. If it wasn't for him, we could've died! Powder could've died!"

  Mylo softly rubbed his shoulder, a guilty gnce flig between Orion's bandaged figure and Powder seated beside him, before his voice dropped to a mutter. "Yeah... My bad."

  A gloomy atmosphere settled bato the room before Orion, in a forced upbeat tone, excimed, "We made it back, that's all that ts." He rolled his head to rest his gaze on Vi again, "And we've learned, right?"

  "Right," Vi muttered, her gaze cast downward in gloom. "I get it. I messed up. I should've listeo you." She hesitated before tinuing, her tone firm but ced with regret. "I was trying to prove to myself- to all of you, to you... but I almost got everyone hurt."

  She exhaled sharply, shaking her head. "It won't happen again."

  "You're right, it won't."

  A deep, rumbling voice rolled through the room like a boulder. Vaood there again, arms crossed, and with an expression that blended disappoi with anger.

  "Everyone else out." His gaze swept over the gang, flig briefly to Orion who started to move. "You stay too."

  Orion froze mid-motion, and after a momentary pause, apprehensively settled bato the couch. He heard the distinct k of his on bei down oable, followed by the shuffling of feet as the boys and Powder quietly made their way out.

  Powder didn't even gnce back, he noted with a sinking feeling.

  Without saying a word, Vi ged seats to the couch across from Orion. Vander remained silent as he went to sit in the armchair, the only noise being the door closing behind the kids.

  "What were y to prove?" Vander demanded, his tone cold and firm.

  "You said I o show myself as a leader!" Vi shot out, her jaw tight as she ched her fists. "Then you put Orion in the group- how am I supposed to do that if he keeps butting in?"

  "I shouldn't be hearing this..." Orion grimaced internally, noting her trasting words to the group earlier and now. Vander's vision, living up to his reputation as the hound, caught Orion's expression and he growled, "You were supposed to help keep them out of trouble."

  Oriourned a look of incredulity, gesturing at his injuries, "I did! And I tried! Sorry, am I supposed to die in the process too?" He spat venomously at the end.

  "You're smart," Vander retorted, his tone sharp. "You k was dangerous before you stepped foot down there. BOTH OF YOU!" He roared at the end. Orion flinched, and Vi to cowered away, bringing her knees up like Powder, as if to shield herself.

  A long silence hung in the room before Vander sighed deeply, leaning bato the armchair.

  "Start from the beginning. Tell me everything, Vi."

  Vi quietly told the story from her huddled posture, g it with regret at different points. The westside kids mocked them, calling them "Vander's puppies" and "too scared without him", the dangerous jourhrough the Bck Lanes, and the Old Hungry. By the end Vander had his eyes shut with frustration, the deep wrinkles on his forehead showing his rising stress levels.

  "How long will you be gone, Orion?" Vander suddenly asked, eyes still closed. "At your- new job."

  Orion blinked, fused as to how he already knew about his gig topside. "There is no way he knows about 'C', right?" he poo himself briefly. When Vander's eyes slowly started to open, however, he quickly replied, "Two or three days at a time depending. Why?"

  Orion spotted Vi's gween them, a brief expression of annoyance crossed her face before shifting back down. Vander didn't break eye tact with Orion, however, and spoke in a steady tone. "You'll be in charge while you're here."

  "What?!" Vi protested, bolting to her feet with distent and anger pin on her face. "It was an act! I know the gr-"

  "How many 'acts' will it take for you to avoid almost killing your friends? Your family? Powder?" Vander cut in sharply. Vi's protest was silehough her defiant posture remained before she slid bato her seat, her gaze no lretful but resentful.

  "For a few weeks, until you learn trol and patience, Orion will be in charge while he's around," Vander said in a cluding toanding up as if to t it. "While he's gone, you'll be ba charge. Orion could still learn a thing or two from you too."

  He smirked, giving Orion a knowing side gry a along." Vander mused aloud before opening the door. Faint yelps and a squeak echoed from beyond the door before it closed behind him.

  "Ah fuck." Orion cursed internally. Vi's gre snapped up to him instantly, her expressiohing, looking ready to fight.

  "We have a hideout south of here. Let's settle this there." Vi hissed through gritted teeth, her voice resentful. She violently pushed herself up from the couch, fists still ched, pletely ign the fact that Orion was still bandaged and bruised.

  "Settle what?" Orion smirked, a wry smile curling on his face. "Do you think a fistfight will ge Vander's decision?" He couldn't help but enjoy the moment, seeing Vi's feeling of helplessness, and knowiurmoil from first hand experience.

  Still, he k couldn't go on any longer and knowing Vi's personality, it would. With a heavy sigh, he slowly pushed himself from the couch, "Let's do it."

  Brief shock fshed across Vi's face before she doubled down, her jaw tightening as she leaned in aggressively, log eyes with Orion in defianbsp;

  Another wry smile as Orion's gaze shifted slowly back to the door and spotted the gang peeking through a crack with wide eyes. He hummed to himself, dismissing Vi's challenging gaze, and walked calmly toward the door.

  "Wele to the Pyground."