The sun over the academy dome burned pale white, dull against the glass ceiling.
Starling sat alone on the bench near the courtyard's center, a small patch of green meant to resemble Earth's parks. The leaves above him shimmered under the filtered light, motionless, lifeless almost.
His wings drooped at his sides, feathers dim and uneven.
Another day.
Another round of whispers and laughter.
The humans had cornered him again that morning. They didn't always hit. Sometimes it was worse when they didn't. The words stayed longer.
"Hey, feather boy, where's your knight? He get tired of saving you?"
"Maybe he realized you're not worth it."
Laughter.
Starling didn't answer. He didn't cry. He just stood still, like a shadow that refused to fade.
When it was over, he waited.
He always waited.
Riven would come. He always did.
He'd appear from the other side of the hall as he used to, face tense but gentle, especially when he looked at Starling. He'd help him up. He'd brush the dust off his feathers and ask if he was okay.
But this time… he didn't.
Starling waited. The day passed. Then the next. And the next.
Riven never came.
Days blurred together.
The bullying wasn't consistent anymore. Some days they ignored him, other days they pushed harder. But none of it hurt as much as the silence of not having Riven.
Starling couldn't understand.
Was it something he said? Something he did?
He replayed their last talk in his mind ,the way Riven smiled when they laughed at the humans' arrogance, the way he promised he'd always protect him.
Did I say too much?
Did I make him angry?
He told himself Riven was busy, that maybe the Y-bloodline training schedule was much. Maybe he'd come tomorrow.
But tomorrow never came.
Then, one morning, it happened.
Starling saw him.
The corridor was crowded, voices echoing against the steel and glass. Riven walked in with other Humarites, his gait firm. His presence drew attention like any Y-bloodline always did but to Starling, he was more than that. He was home.
Starling's heart leaped.
Finally.
"Riven!" he called softly, smiling. "Riven, hey!"
But Riven didn't stop.
He didn't even turn.
He walked past him, eyes fixed forward, expression blank like Starling wasn't even there.
The smile fell from Starling's lips.
He turned, confused. "Riven?" he said again, louder this time.
Still nothing.
It was as if his voice was swallowed by the air.
Starling stood there, frozen, watching Riven disappear into the crowd. Something inside him cracked a little,not loud, not dramatic, just quietly, like paper tearing in half.
That night, he sat in his dorm, staring at the window.
His reflection looked back...he felt tired and hollow.
Why?
Did I do something?
Did he… get tired of me?
He tried to convince himself otherwise, but doubt gnawed at him like frost.
Riven was his first real friend. His only friend. The one who made him believe he wasn't just another defective Humarite, that he could belong somewhere.
Now even that was gone.
Weeks passed.
Starling stopped eating properly. His wings lost their shimmer. He tried to focus in class, but every hallway reminded him of Riven.
And then one day it all broke ,he saw him again.
Riven was standing near the east courtyard with a group of humans. The ones who mocked Starling, who humiliated him.
He was laughing. Talking.
Starling's chest tightened.
No… that couldn't be him. Riven wouldn't.
But it was.
And when Riven's eyes briefly met his, for just a second, he looked away.
That night, Starling cried silently until his throat ached.
Days later, he finally found the courage to confront him.
Riven was alone in one of the empty corridors after class. The light from the window fell across him, outlining his wings in a faint metallic sheen. He looked older somehow , heavier, colder.
Starling approached slowly, voice trembling. "Riven…"
Riven froze.
"Why haven't I seen you?" Starling asked softly. "Did I… do something wrong?"
Riven didn't answer. His hands trembled.
Starling's eyes watered. "Please. Tell me. Did I say something I shouldn't have? Are you mad at me?"
Still silence.
He stepped closer, voice breaking. "You're my only friend. You always said I wasn't alone, but now you act like I don't exist."
Riven's jaw tightened. "Starling, don't—"
"Then tell me why!" Starling cried, tears streaming down. "Tell me what I did! If I'm a burden, I'll stop! I'll stop bothering you, just– just don't leave me!"
Riven turned away, fists shaking.
Every part of him screamed to hug Starling, to tell him everything that he was doing was to protect him, that he was dying inside every second he had to stay away.
But he couldn't.
Starling grabbed his sleeve, desperate. "Please, Riven… I don't care about the others. I don't care if they hit me, if they call me names, none of it matters. I just want to be with you because…"
He paused. His breath hitched. The words came out before he could stop them.
"Because I love you."
Riven froze.
The words echoed down the hall like a prayer too fragile to survive.
Starling's eyes widened slightly, as if realizing what he'd said. But it was too late. He stepped closer, crying, his fingers trembling as they touched Riven's face.
"I don't care about them. I don't care about humans or rules or what they say. I love you. You're my first–my only–"
Riven pushed him away. Hard.
Starling stumbled, wings puffing, tears falling freely.
Riven's skin flickered faintly, that metallic glow pulsing –a sign of emotional overload. He looked like he was breaking.
Then footsteps echoed.
The elite girl entered, her entourage behind her, smirking. She slipped beside Riven, her hand curling possessively around his wrist.
"Well, well," she said sweetly. "Isn't this adorable?"
Starling's breath caught. "You—"
She laughed, cruel and effortless. "You really thought he liked you? Poor thing."
"That's not true," Starling whispered, trembling. "You're lying. He wouldn't—"
"Oh, but he did." Her voice dripped venom. "Even if he's filth, he's still smart enough to know better than to love a weak, pitiful thing like you."
"Stop…" Starling's voice cracked.
"Why would he want a boy who can't even defend himself?" she continued. "You can't even fly properly. You're nothing."
Starling turned to Riven, tears streaming. "Riven… please. If it's because I said I loved you.... I'm sorry. I just... please don't leave me."
Riven's heart shattered. He wanted to scream that he did love him, that every night he dreamed of holding him again, that every second apart was killing him. But the girl's grip tightened, and her whisper burned in his ear:
"Say it. Or your sister dies."
Something inside him broke completely.
Riven shouted, voice raw and trembling, "I don't love you!"
Starling froze.
Riven's voice cracked with every word. "You're a burden! You've always been one! Why would I ever love someone as weak as you? As pathetic as you? You're nothing but a spineless boy who cries and hides behind others! I— I can't even look at you anymore!"
The hall fell silent.
Starling's wings fell limp. His lips parted, but no sound came out. Tears rolled down, silent, endless.
The girl smirked, satisfied, dragging Riven away as Starling collapsed to his knees.
Riven's tears streamed freely now, silent sobs breaking his composure. The humans around him laughed, joyful in their cruelty, but he didn't hear them.
He hated himself.
He hated every word he'd just said.
He hated that it had to be him.
I'm sorry.
Forgive me, Starling.
Behind him, in that long and empty hall, Starling remained on the floor trembling, wings broken, heart hollow.
The one person he trusted had destroyed him.
And for the first time since he'd met Riven…
Starling truly felt alone.