Aether is it?

Luna sat at the kitchen table, legs tucked under her, chin resting on the heel of her palm.

The clock on the wall ticked too loud in the silence.

Mom was in the other room on the phone—again—her voice a tight, tired whisper. Dad was at work but would come home late, face drawn and eyes haunted.

The police had stopped coming by so often.

The search had slowed down.

There weren't any new leads.

Luna stared at her cold cup of cocoa. She hadn't taken a sip. The marshmallows had melted into a pale, unappetizing foam.

He would have scolded me for wasting it.

She could almost hear him:

"Drink it before it's gross, brat."

A burning pressure built behind her eyes.

They said he ran away.

They said Ava was with him.

Her brother and his best friend since forever.

But that was ridiculous.

Noctis wouldn't leave.

He had plans. Exams. He worried about college and helping pay for her cram school.

He liked Ava.

Luna wasn't dumb. She'd seen the way he'd glance at his phone after getting a message, how his ears would turn pink when Ava teased him.

But they weren't the type to just disappear.

Luna pressed her fingers hard against her forehead.

Her mother's voice floated in from the next room.

"Yes, officer. We've put up new flyers. Near the station and the school. Yes. Yes, we'll wait to hear from you."

The phone clicked off.

Silence followed.

Luna's fingers curled.

She thought about the last time she saw him.

He'd been late coming home.

Bag slung over one shoulder, hair a mess, looking exhausted but smug about some test he'd aced.

She'd ambushed him at the door, yanked on his sleeve.

"Nii-chan! Help me with math!"

He'd scowled, ruffled her hair, and said,

"Brat. Eat dinner first."

But he always helped.

Luna's lip trembled.

She didn't want to think he was dead.

But she didn't know where else he could be.

She hated Ava a little at first.

Because if Ava hadn't been there, maybe he wouldn't have gone.

They'd last been seen together, leaving the arcade near the station.

The cameras caught them talking, laughing.

And then…

Nothing.

It wasn't Ava's fault.

Luna knew that.

Ava was always kind.

She'd braided Luna's hair at festivals.

She'd shared candies at school.

She'd made Noctis soften in a way only she could.

But knowing it wasn't her fault didn't help.

Sometimes Luna dreamed they were both here.

Her brother asleep on the couch, Ava fussing at him to sit up straight.

She dreamed they'd walk through the front door tomorrow.

She dreamed they'd tell her where they'd been.

She dreamed they'd apologize.

A hot tear slipped down her cheek. She wiped it away furiously.

She couldn't cry in front of her mom.

Her mom was trying so hard to stay strong.

Her dad barely talked at dinner.

They'd fight sometimes in low, harsh whispers.

Luna had stopped asking when he was coming back.

Because the last time she asked, her mother had cried.

She glanced at the chair across from her.

Where Noctis used to sit.

Sometimes slouched, feet on another chair until Dad smacked the back of his head.

He'd scowl and call them all tyrants, but he'd obey.

She missed his stupid jokes.

She missed how safe she felt when he was home.

She hated that the police called them runaways.

Noctis wasn't irresponsible.

He was hers.

Her big brother.

And Ava…

Ava wouldn't just leave without telling her mom.

The two of them had been best friends forever.

Almost annoyingly so.

Sometimes Luna would tease them about being "married already" and Noctis would go bright red and Ava would laugh.

Now they were both gone.

She tried to imagine what they were doing.

Were they scared?

Were they okay?

Did they even know how worried everyone was?

She slammed her palm onto the table, rattling the mug.

"I hate you," she whispered.

Her voice cracked.

"I hate you both for leaving me."

But she didn't.

She loved them.

She just wanted them home.

The door to the kitchen creaked open.

Her mom stood there, red-eyed but determined.

"Luna. Eat something."

"I'm not hungry."

"Eat something," her mom repeated, voice shaking.

Luna wiped her tears on her sleeve.

She picked up the mug of cocoa.

Swallowed a mouthful of it cold.

It tasted awful.

She forced herself to drink anyway.

Because Noctis would have scolded her if she didn't.

When her mom sat across from her and started crying again, Luna set the mug down and reached out across the table.

They held hands in the silence of their too-big, too-empty house.

Somewhere in the dark corners of her mind, Luna whispered a promise.

Come home.

Please.

She'd keep waiting.

No matter how long it took.

Because he was her big brother.

And she knew he hadn't abandoned her.

He just couldn't get back.

Yet.