Life was dark now, dark and cold.
Kadaj hated seeing the members of his House all dressed in black and muted color. It meant that Kadaj and his brothers blended in after they’d given up their once favored green, and few had thought to question why they did it. They wore black now, the human color of mourning, and simple silver rings. Soft silk had been exchanged for sturdy leather in honor of the brother who’d been taken from them to be trained as a Hunter. The brother who’d given them the rings for remembrance.
Life was dark without the sunny yellow of Cloud’s hair, cold without the warmth of Cloud’s smile.
The triplets saw him sometimes, when House business required his presence, but he never came to visit them. Kadaj felt like breaking things whenever he saw the frozen expression on the face that once laughed so freely, felt like breaking people whenever he saw the pain and regret haunting the blue eyes that used to sparkle so. Felt like crying whenever he saw the coiled tension of battle-trained muscles ease at the sight of simple silver rings gleaming on the triplets’ fingers.
Life was dark, but the flame of hope had not gone out.