Clara
Ares was completely out of it. The initial stress had died down, and he felt a certain pressure build in his throat. He was angry, stressed, confused, everything possible. Valio was in a terrible state, and despite doing everything he could to help he still felt uneasy. He wanted to chase after her, as they picked her up and dragged her off. Ares was *Sad?* Maybe that wasn't it. He felt... *Less than great.*

Many had dispersed, back to the facility on their own accord. Ares walked alongside Finley, maybe Owen and Danica were near, he couldn't process it. He couldn't process any of it.

The hand he used to set off his explosion was warm, and shook with frustration.

He had at least made a mark on that bastard, and was more than happy to watch them die after what they did to Valio. She had to be okay.

Ares realized his state, and looked over at Finley, his eyes were tired like he had just experienced a crash of sorts. 

"You alright?" He asked.
Darlene
Finley was, for lack of a better term, shaking and shaking. Their entire body rattled with tremors as they walked. They wrapped their arms around themself, looking at the ground.

Valio was hurt. Grievously so. The sight of all that *Blood* Bubbling out of her abdomen made Fins stomach turn over and inside out. 

"Are... Are you?" Fin asked. Their hand landed delicately on his elbow, eyes searching his weary face. 
"Ares, I mean, you did - you did *Amazing,* But - I'm worried."
Clara
The night buzzed around the two, Ares didn't have the capacity to perceive or even think of anyone else. It was just Finley and Valio in his mind, his ever so busy mind.

Ares' thoughts spun with the moment, being the first one there and seeing Valio slumped on the ground. She had done well, the Lieutenant was on the verge of breaking down when he had arrived, all he had to do was finish the job. He was ready to set the entire building ablaze for Valio. Now that he was calm, he was glad Sergio went to get Annika. Ares silently cursed himself for not thinking about her, and only thinking about Valio.

A cold shivering hand found Ares' arm. The presence was *Freezing* But comforting in a way.

"Im not sure." Ares was being honest for once. He didn't feel okay, and he wasn't going to lie to Finley. 

"I know I'm trying to find some sense of pride in finishing the job, and I'm more than content with the fact I prevented anymore harm." He sucked in a big breath of air and sighed.

"What if I had showed up sooner? Could I have done more?" His mouth shook slightly with his words. "What if I had showed up even *Seconds* Later?"

For once Ares seemed so unsure, he wasn't confident. He was frustrated. About what could've happened, with himself, with the angels. Anger was common for him, but not like this.
Darlene
Something in his tone cracked at the exhausted, probably traumatized place in Finleys mind. They'd all been through so much today, Valio more than anyone. But Valio was in the hospital. She would be okay. 

While Fin was grateful for that (beyond words), they'd have to help out the *Hermano* She left behind. It was Ares. And Finley would do anything for Ares. 

A freezing hand (curse their damn hands) slipped into a very warm one, and Finley stopped in their tracks. Their heart pounded in their throat - adrenaline of every sort, butterflies climbing their ribcage.

"You did the best you could. You ran as fast as you could - you saved Valios life!" 

Finley looked into Ares's face. He already seemed older. 

"You did so well," They said, their voice softening. "I'm so proud of you. And so is Val - even if she can't really tell you right now."
Clara
Ares felt a shock and frankly a shiver when Finley interlocked their fingers with his. It was comforting, natural, it was reassuring. A part of Ares wanted to break down into tears, let all the anger and emotions flow out of him, but he didn't. He just stood there, looking down at his shaking hand. 

The warmth began to soak into their cold skin, every part of Ares was so grateful that Finley was here. If he was alone, he didn't know how he would've handled this. For once he can lean into someone, even if it was only for a second. He wouldn't let himself go entirely, but he could stay here in this moment without regret.

Their words stuck into Ares, they meant so much. How could he even begin to articulate that? It was a sort of electrifying feeling in his chest, mixed and muddled with all the anger and sadness, he didn't know what to feel. Maybe that was fine.

He was with Finley. Valio would be okay. *He would be okay.*

"Thank you Fin." 

Ares lifted their hand towards him, pulling them into a hug. He wrapped his arms around their shoulders, and rested his head against their hair. He stood like that for a minute, holding them ever so tightly. Like maybe if he let go, they would disappear too. Something about them meant so much to him. He cared so much about both them and Valio.

He wanted them to be okay.
Darlene
Fins heart practically fell onto the pavement, stark still as Ares pulled them to his chest.

 The sounds of the nightlife fizzled and bubbled around them, the remaining footsteps of their classmates echoing off the buildings in the Industrial District.

"I'm here." 

Fin wrapped their arms around his torso, squeezing for just a moment before settling into the hug. They shut their eyes tight. 

"I'm not going anywhere, okay?" The words were slightly muffled, but still there. "I'm not going to leave you." 

And they weren't. Finley had no business being here. They were not a fighter. Not a tank. If they had gotten there earlier, what would they have done? Taken on a creature that took *Two* Of the strongest in school to *Knock out?* Finley would have been annihilated. And Owen - oh, poor Owen, their best mate, how the two of them panicked the entire way and yet still came.

Both he and Valio meant so much to Fin. And Owen.
Clara
Ares just stood there, seconds, minutes began to pass of the two just standing there in comfortable silence. It was nice, more than nice. The way they fit so naturally in his arms was something Ares couldn't compare to anything. He loved his siblings, the way Safya used to hug him. The way Valio hugs him, all of them wonderful. Yet, something about Finley was different. Maybe it was the fact Ares was viscerally upset, maybe Finley was just something *New.* Ares didn't know, he didn't want to know right now.

Right now he just wanted to be here with them.

He pulled away slightly to look down at them, his hands still on their shoulders.

"I appreciate you being here. I don't know what I would've done." Ares hesitated for a moment. A soft, almost pained smile on his features. An expression of gratitude.

"You help far more than you know." 

His voice was quiet, and rough. Deep like the rumble of thunder, the aftermath of a storm. Ares didn't restore distance between them, he stayed close to Finley.
Darlene
"Of course." Fin matched his smile, something melancholy and sweet all the same. They shrugged a little bit, a matching gesture off one shoulder. 

"I... *Dieu,* I won't lie - if you hadn't been here, I think I would have been flattened." They laughed, something uneasy. "I couldn't have done this without you either. I don't even know if I would have come at all."

A spark flickered just off the bridge of their now free hand, and Finley flickered it away. 

It had to be a raving crush thing, had to be, but Finley just wanted to stay here for just a little while longer. Even if they were out in a dangerous part of the city, with a cult nearby, they still were content to stay here, if it meant being with Ares.

How much they had both changed, then, in the year they'd known one another. 

"You help me too, you know," They admitted. It was all on the tip of their tongue, but they bit it back - everything they'd sworn Owen to secrecy for. "I mean it."
Clara
The way Finley spoke made everything a little bit easier. Their words were comforting, and smooth. Every word was easing tension in Ares' mind. Valio would be okay, he had made sure of it. Everything was going to work out. Now that he was certain of, thanks to Finley. 

His stress hadn't disappeared. Finley wasn't a one hit cure. It still pressed against the walls of his mind, loud and pounding, but Ares could shut it up for long enough to be content. Even just for a moment. 

"Im so glad." 

His deep brown gaze met Finley's electrifying blue eyes, there was such honesty and genuine kindness behind them. Ares knew Finley was telling the truth, that was something he appreciated about them. Never once had they ever lied to him. 

Since when did Ares start thinking such sappy things?

The taller boy shook his head with a short laugh, trying to get himself into a better mood. 

"Cmon. Lets head back before your hand freezes off." He snickered. 

With a short movement, Ares returned his hand to Finley's. Their fingers interlocked, two perfect puzzle pieces. Ares had tried a great deal of girls, none of them felt like this. Finley was so different, and Ares wasn't entirely sure what that meant. He could toss and turn over it later, for now, that stress was behind him. 

The two walked shoulder to shoulder with each other, content despite all the stress. Despite everything. 

The true calm after the storm.
Darlene
Splotches of red spread over Finley's face, embarrassment wrapped up in some form of fluster. Despite the madness of the day, they still had something to go excitedly tell Owen later. There was something about that they still smiled about.

They gave Ares's hand a little squeeze, content to have it in his. They'd be okay with having it there more often - duh. The last person they'd ever held hands with was Victor, some while ago. This was different. Much different. Finley was safe here 

Finley gave their hands a little swing as they walked back home, bumping purposefully (gently) into Ares's shoulder.

"I think I'll be alright," They said, grinning back.