▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

✰ SCARED TO TELL HIM ✰
▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

The blended fruit and ice swirled lazily in Santana's cup as she sipped her smoothie, the cold sweetness barely registering as she walked alongside her brother. The halls were mostly empty, save for a few stragglers heading back from the last event. It was a rare moment of peace, just the two of them.

Nico, never one to let a silence sit too long, was already rambling about something—maybe the fight, maybe the scores, maybe how Iron Dragons were so full of themselves—but Santana wasn't really listening.

Her gaze had already drifted.

Across the hall, just for a second, she saw him.

Feng.

Even after all these years, he still carried himself with the same sharp, controlled grace—every step deliberate, every movement efficient. But there was something else there, too, beneath the hardened exterior. A flicker of something unreadable.

Then his dark eyes caught hers.

It was only a brief moment, but it was enough.

She didn't miss the slight clench of his jaw, the way his expression darkened. And just as quickly, he turned and walked away, his back stiff, the irritation in his stride unmistakable.

Santana exhaled slowly, lowering her gaze.

"You know him, right?" Nico's voice pulled her back.

She turned her head to see her younger brother watching her, smoothie in hand, but his attention now locked onto her reaction. "From Hong Kong," he added, as if he already knew the answer.

Santana cleared her throat, taking another sip before replying. "Uh, yeah."

They continued walking, their steps in sync, though she could feel the weight of Nico's curiosity pressing in. He wasn't one to let things slide.

"Go talk to him, then," Nico said after a moment, glancing at her. "I see you looking at him at every event. In the halls. Do you like him?"

The bluntness of his question nearly made her choke on her smoothie.

Santana paused, gripping the cup a little tighter. She didn't just like him.

She loved him.

Had loved him. Still did.

But none of that mattered now.

She scoffed softly, shaking her head as she looked straight ahead. "I think that's a pretty done deal, unfortunately," she admitted, her voice quieter now. "He doesn't think I'm the best person... and I don't really think I am either."

It was the most she was willing to give.

But Nico—ever the curious one—wasn't satisfied. He tilted his head, studying her, his dark eyes searching for more.

"What happened?" he finally asked.

Santana sighed. "It's complicated."

"That's what people say when they don't want to answer."

"Exactly," she smirked, nudging his arm.

Nico rolled his eyes but let it drop—for now.

Santana kept walking, trying to shake the weight pressing on her chest, but even as they moved forward, her mind stayed behind.

With him.

With them.

With everything they had been before it all fell apart.

One Year Ago - Hong Kong

Feng rolled his shoulders, still feeling the strain from the gym, but the familiar ache was satisfying. It meant he was getting stronger. He had been in a good mood all day, riding the high of a solid training session and looking forward to coming home—to her.

Santana had promised to cook tonight, which usually meant takeout, and he didn't mind. As long as she was there. As long as they were them.

The apartment was quiet when he walked in, but that wasn't unusual. She could've been napping or lost in some show on her phone. He set his bag down by the door, stretching his arms as he made his way to the bedroom.

Then he stopped.

The bed was made.

His brows furrowed. She never makes the bed.

It was a small, almost insignificant detail, but it struck him as wrong. His stomach twisted slightly as he turned his head toward the open drawers. Empty.

A sense of unease settled over him. He stepped toward the bathroom, his eyes landing on the cup by the sink. One toothbrush.

His.

The other—the one she used every morning, the one he used to tease her about because it was always a little worn down from how hard she brushed—was gone.

The unease turned into something sharper.

Feng lunged toward the drawers, pulling them open fully this time. Empty. All of them. No clothes. No small trinkets she used to leave behind. He crouched down, checking under the bed where she used to shove her shoes instead of lining them up properly.

Gone.

His heart hammered against his ribs. He turned to the nightstand, reaching for the small picture book she always kept there—the one filled with memories she refused to let go of.

Gone.

Everything. Every little piece of her.

Except...

His eyes landed on the nightstand on his side of the bed.

A small charm necklace lay there, its delicate chain still and unmoving under the soft glow of the bedside lamp.

Feng felt his chest tighten.

He had put each charm on that necklace himself. One for every fight he won. One for every birthday. A small, silent way of marking time together. It had been getting so full that he had thought about getting her a bracelet to match.

His fingers curled around the chain, but he didn't pick it up.

Instead, he looked around again, hoping—praying—that maybe he had missed something. A note. A message. A single sign that this wasn't what it looked like.

He grabbed his phone. No missed calls. No texts. Nothing.

She was gone.

Feng stood there for what felt like forever, the weight of it settling over him like a vice, pressing in on his ribs, making it hard to breathe.

He had never imagined this.

Never thought she'd leave without a word. Never thought he'd come home to this.

A quiet, empty apartment.

And nothing but a charm necklace to remember her by.

Present Day - Barcelona

Santana let out a slow breath as she made her way down the quiet hallway, her fingers tightening around the straps of her gym bag. The elimination rounds were coming up, but she needed a moment alone—to think, to breathe. She pushed open the door to her room, stepping inside, only to feel something solid beneath her shoe. She froze.

Her brows furrowed as she looked down. An envelope.

A strange, weighted feeling settled in her chest as she bent down to pick it up. It was heavier than she expected, and when she moved it slightly, she heard the soft clinking of metal inside. Her heart skipped.

Slowly, she shut the door behind her, fingers trembling as she tore open the envelope. She reached inside—and almost gasped.

A charm necklace.

Not just any charm necklace. Her charm necklace.

Her breath hitched as she turned it over in her hands, her fingers tracing over each individual charm, recognizing them immediately. Every little piece told a story—every fight Feng had won, every birthday, every moment he had thought of her and added another charm to the chain. She had left it behind a year ago, along with everything else. And now, here it was.

Her throat tightened as she turned the envelope upside down, hoping—dreading—that there would be a note. A message. Something. But there was nothing. Only the necklace.

She let out a shaky sigh, pushing her hair back as she blinked rapidly, trying to fight the tears that blurred her vision. But it was useless.

She gripped the necklace tightly in her palm and pressed it against her chest, sinking onto the edge of her bed. She didn't need a note to know who had left it.

Feng.

He wasn't done with her.

And maybe... maybe she wasn't done with him either.

"We have now entered the elimination phase of the Sekai Taikai. The dojos that do not win tonight will be heading home," the announcer declares into the mic.

Santana sucks in a sharp breath. One wrong matchup—one fight against the wrong team—and they could be out.

The points no longer matter. How they got here no longer matters. If they lose, they're done.

But Santana still had unfinished business. And that meant Nico, Luciana, and the rest of her students had to perform at their absolute best.

The matchups were set. First place would go against last place, second against second-to-last, and so on. Red Fury, ranked fourth, would face the 13th-place dojo—Falchi Della Notte.

"We're not sending two captains up at once," Santana states firmly. She turns to Luciana. "Luci, pick someone to go with you." Then to Nico, "Nico, do the same."

"If someone gets knocked off, we'll fill their spot," she adds, her tone cool and unwavering. "But don't get knocked off. Simple."

Luciana and Nico exchange determined nods; their pride evident. There's no room for hesitation now. It's all or nothing.

As expected, Iron Dragons secured another victory. Cobra Kai followed suit. No surprises there.

Now, it was Red Fury's turn.

This was their chance to prove themselves, to win—and to stay in the Sekai Taikai. Losing to a bottom-ranked dojo? That would be humiliating. And Santana refused to be humiliated.

Luciana stepped up first, choosing Mia as her partner. To their surprise, Falchi Della Notte sent two boys to face them.

Luciana wasn't fazed. Mia, on the other hand, was visibly uneasy.

Boys always thought they could one-up Luciana. It never worked. She'd spent years fending for herself, learning the hard way that toughness wasn't a choice—it was a necessity. She'd fought men twice her size and walked away victorious.

This? This was nothing.

Now, standing on the platform, Luciana met the boys' overconfident smirks with an unreadable stare. They thought they had this in the bag.

She'd make sure they learned otherwise.

The moment the fight began, Luciana wasted no time. She was fast—faster than her opponent expected. She weaved through his initial attacks with ease, countering with sharp, precise strikes that kept him on the defensive. Every time he tried to get an opening, she was already one step ahead, slipping past his guard and landing blows that sent him stumbling.

Mia, on the other hand, took a second to find her rhythm. At first, she was too cautious, reacting instead of attacking. But once she settled in, her strikes became sharper, her movements more fluid. She dodged a punch and landed a swift kick to her opponent's ribs, followed by a spinning back fist that had him reeling.

The boys weren't bad fighters, though. They fought back with aggression, forcing Luciana and Mia to stay on their toes. One of them saw an opportunity and swept Mia's legs out from under her, sending her skidding toward the platform's edge. She barely caught herself in time, her foot hovering dangerously close to falling off.

Her opponent smirked, seeing his chance. He lunged forward, ready to deliver the final kick to send her off the platform.

But Luciana had been watching.

Just as he lifted his leg, she sprang into action, leaping forward and driving a powerful kick into his side. The impact sent him flying off the platform before he could even register what had happened.

One down. One to go.

The last boy standing froze for a moment, shock flashing across his face. He took a few steps back, suddenly realizing he was alone.

That was all Luciana and Mia needed.

With an unspoken understanding, they moved in unison, sprinting toward him at full speed. He barely had time to react before both girls launched into the air, their kicks slamming into his chest at the same time. The force sent him airborne before he crashed down off the platform.

Luciana and Mia stood victorious, breathing heavily but triumphant as the crowd erupted in cheers.

Red Fury still had all of their members left while the other dojo had only four since Luci and Mia knocked two of them off already.

Falchi Della Notte sent two more members up. A boy and a girl to go against Luci and Mia who had not been knocked off.

Luciana and Mia barely had time to catch their breath before their next opponents stepped onto the platform. A boy and a girl—this girl, the only female member of Falchi Della Notte, carried herself with the confidence of a seasoned fighter.

Luciana immediately knew she was different. Strong stance, sharp eyes, controlled breathing. This girl wasn't just good—she was dangerous.

How the hell are they in 13th place? Luciana wondered, barely managing to sidestep a lightning-fast strike from her opponent.

The fight began with immediate intensity. The girl came at Luciana hard, forcing her onto the defensive, while Mia faced off against the boy. The movements were quick, precise, and unforgiving.

Luciana threw a punch, but the girl effortlessly parried it, countering with a devastating kick to Luci's side that made her stumble. The girl didn't let up. She pressed forward, delivering a series of sharp blows that had Luciana reeling. Luci had never been outmatched like this before. It pissed her off.

Mia, meanwhile, was locked in a fierce exchange with her opponent. The boy was strong, but Mia had speed on her side. She ducked and weaved, dodging his attacks and countering with quick, calculated strikes.

Luciana gritted her teeth, pushing past the pain. She needed to do something—fast. The girl smirked, lunging for a finishing blow, but Luciana saw her opening.

As the girl struck, Luciana twisted, grabbing hold of her opponent's gi and using her momentum against her.

The problem? She didn't account for the girl being just as fast.

They went tumbling together.

For a split second, everything blurred as Luciana felt herself falling—then impact.

The crowd gasped as both she and the Falchi captain landed on the mat below.

Luciana let out a breathless chuckle, lying on her back for a moment before pushing herself up. "Yeah... you were good," she muttered, shaking her head.

Back on the platform, Mia was left alone with the boy.

She inhaled sharply, steeling herself.

The boy smirked. "You sure you can handle this alone?"

Mia didn't answer—she acted.

She darted forward, slipping past his guard before delivering a sharp kick to his ribs. He staggered, but recovered quickly, aiming a roundhouse kick at her head. She ducked just in time, using her smaller frame to move in close and deliver a rapid series of punches that had him stumbling toward the edge.

One last strike—Mia launched into a spinning kick that caught him square in the chest, sending him flying off the platform.

The moment he hit the mat, the Red Fury side erupted in cheers.

But it wasn't over yet.

Two more fighters stepped up onto the platform—the last two members of Falchi Della Notte. Mia exhaled, preparing herself, but before she had to fight alone, a hand clapped onto her shoulder.

She turned just as Nico stepped up beside her.

Santana had sent him in.

He rolled his shoulders and shot Mia a smirk. "Let's finish this."

The match resumed with fierce intensity, neither side willing to back down. Nico and Mia moved in sync, their movements fluid and calculated, countering every strike thrown their way.

Mia dodged a brutal hook from her opponent, spinning around him before landing a solid kick to the back of his knee. He staggered, growling in frustration as he tried to regain his footing. But Mia didn't let up. She surged forward, sending a knee into his stomach—once, twice, three times. The force of her strikes had him gasping for air, his body curling inward. His guard broke for just a second, and Mia seized the opportunity.

With a fierce yell, she twisted and launched a final, devastating kick to his face.

Crack!

Blood splattered from his nose as his body went flying backward. He crashed onto the mat below, knocked out cold.

The crowd roared, but the fight wasn't over yet.

Nico was locked in a brutal exchange with the last remaining Falchi fighter, their movements rapid and relentless. His opponent was strong, but Nico was faster. He dodged a wild punch, countering with a sharp elbow straight into the boy's ribs.

Crack!

The boy grunted in pain, clutching his side, but Nico didn't stop. He delivered another vicious elbow—then another. The boy gasped, stumbling back as the pain wracked his body.

Then, Nico made his move.

With explosive speed, he sprinted forward and jumped high, his legs wrapping tightly around his opponent's neck. In one swift, calculated motion, he twisted his body downward, dragging the boy with him.

The crowd gasped as Nico flipped his opponent over and sent him flying off the platform. The boy crashed onto the mat below with a heavy thud, groaning in pain as he lay sprawled out.

Silence fell for a moment—then cheers erupted.

Red Fury had won and secured their spot.

Nico rolled onto his feet, breathing heavily. He turned toward Mia, extending his hand. Without hesitation, she grasped it, and together, they raised their hands in victory.

The crowd exploded in applause, their shouts echoing throughout the arena.

On the sidelines, Hawk stood with his arms crossed, his jaw slightly slack as he watched the Red Fury fighters celebrate. He had seen plenty of fighters come and go, but this? This was something else.

"Damn..." he muttered under his breath.

Beside him, Miguel glanced over, raising an eyebrow. "What?"

Hawk shook his head, still watching Nico with narrowed eyes. "That dude's insane. The way he took that guy out—brutal. And Mia? She fought like a beast."

Miguel smirked. "Told you they were good."

Hawk let out a low whistle. "Yeah, well... remind me to never piss them off."

The cheers were deafening, the energy in the room electric as Red Fury basked in their hard-fought victory. Their students rushed onto the platform, surrounding Nico and Mia, clapping them on the back and congratulating them with wide grins and excited shouts.

"You guys killed it!" Luciana grinned, pulling Mia into a tight hug before nudging Nico's arm. "Didn't know you had it in you, Captain."

Nico smirked, rolling his shoulders. "Had to make sure we didn't embarrass ourselves, right?"

Laughter erupted between them, but as the celebration continued, Santana moved through the crowd with a different purpose. Her eyes locked onto one person in particular—Feng.

Pushing through the sea of people, she spotted him standing at the edge of the arena, watching with an unreadable expression. But before she could reach him, two of his students stepped in front of her, their postures tense, guarding their sensei like a pair of sentinels.

Santana paused, looking them both up and down, sizing them up. Then, with little patience and even less care, she shoved them both aside with ease, forcing her way through.

Feng's dark eyes flickered with mild amusement as he cracked his knuckles. "I'd enjoy it if you didn't hit my students," he mused, though there was an edge to his voice, like a warning.

Santana barely heard him. Her heart pounded against her ribs as she took another step forward, voice firm yet laced with something softer. "Why did you give it to me? The necklace."

For the first time, Feng hesitated. He cleared his throat, gaze shifting slightly as if the cheers surrounding them were suddenly too loud. "I don't know what you're talking about," he lied, his tone flat.

Santana scoffed, frustrated. "Stop it," she said, hitting his arm. "If you wanted to make me feel worse about leaving you, it worked, but I—" she swallowed, voice cracking slightly. "I had a reason, okay? You have to trust me on that."

Feng let out a hollow laugh, shaking his head. "Trust you?" He stepped closer, forcing Santana to take a step back. "Trust is a funny word coming from you." His voice dropped, more venomous now. "I gave it to you because I'm tired of looking at it. I stayed up for days. Months. Waiting. And you never came." His fists clenched at his sides. "And you still can't tell me why?"

Santana's breath hitched as he glared at her with a mixture of anger and something else—hurt.

"You disgrace me," Feng muttered coldly.

His words cut deep, but Santana barely had time to process them before he took another step forward. She felt her own body tense, instinctively stepping back, the lump in her throat making it impossible to respond.

"Stay the hell away from me and my dojo... got it?" he asked, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Santana swallowed hard, nodding slightly as Feng turned his back on her. She instinctively moved to go after him, but his students stepped in front of her again, blocking her path.

She sighed, defeated, and turned back toward her team.

Before she could fully compose herself, Luciana, Mia, and the rest of Red Fury enveloped her in a group hug, their excitement masking her turmoil. Santana forced a smile, wrapping her arms around them, trying to push down the lingering ache in her chest.

But Nico saw through it.

As the others continued celebrating, his gaze flickered toward the Iron Dragons, toward Feng, then back at his sister. He studied her carefully before stepping forward and wrapping her in a hug, holding her just a second longer than necessary.

Santana let out a shaky breath, gripping the back of Nico's gi.

Neither of them said a word, but they both knew—this wasn't over.

Feng was just about to enter his room when he heard the sound of rapid footsteps approaching from behind. Before he could turn around, a voice called out.

"What's going on with you and my sister?"

Feng exhaled sharply, already knowing who it was. He turned slightly, seeing Nico standing there, arms crossed, his expression a mix of frustration and curiosity.

A humorless chuckle escaped Feng's lips. "As of now and forever? Nothing. So, do you mind?" He gestured toward his half-open door, clearly ready to end the conversation before it even began.

Nico wasn't having it.

"Stop with the tough guy bullshit. I know my sister, and I know when something is up. I know when she's in love, so what's the deal? Because I can't tell if you like her or hate her," Nico ranted, his eyes locked on Feng, daring him to give a real answer.

For a moment, Feng just looked at him, his expression unreadable. Then, his voice came out cool and steady. "If she didn't tell you, I'm not going to."

Nico scoffed, shaking his head. "I... I just don't want you distracting her, because I need her if I'm gonna kick your dojo's ass in the end. I don't know what she did, but you both are adults. Can't you just talk?"

Feng's lips curled slightly, but there was no humor in his smirk. He stepped forward, closing the space between them. "You will never beat my dojo. And I've tried talking—" he let the words hang, his voice edged with frustration. "That's more your sister's issue."

Before Nico could respond, a voice echoed down the hall.

"Nico!"

Both men turned to see Santana standing there, arms crossed over her chest, her expression unreadable.

Nico sighed, glancing back at Feng one last time. "Whatever she did, she had a reason. She tends to run away from the people she loves often. Just give her time... or don't, I guess. I don't care, man."

With that, he turned and jogged back to his sister.

Santana gave Nico a pat on the back before her gaze drifted past him, locking onto Feng.

For a moment, neither of them moved.

Feng stared at her, unable to look away despite the turmoil brewing inside him. Santana took a step forward—

Feng snapped out of it, turning abruptly and stepping into his room.

The door clicked shut behind him.

Santana heard the door click shut, and the sound felt like a knife twisting in her chest. She let out a shaky sigh, lowering her head as her hands came up to cover her eyes. The tears were already slipping through her fingers, silent but heavy.

"Sanny..." Nico mumbled, stepping in front of his sister. Without hesitation, he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. She was taller than him, so her head rested on his shoulder as she sobbed softly, her body trembling against his.

For a moment, he just held her, rubbing slow circles on her back, trying to soothe her the way he used to when they were kids. But the question gnawed at him, and he couldn't keep it inside any longer.

"What did you do? Did you cheat?"

Santana let out a bitter chuckle between her tears, shaking her head. "No, hermano, I didn't cheat. I just... I left him, but I didn't tell him I was leaving."

She choked on her words as she pulled away, wiping at her face with her sleeve before sitting down on the bench in the hotel hallway. Nico followed, dropping down beside her.

"Why? You care about him, right?"

Santana nodded, her fingers gripping the fabric of her pants. "I was scared..."

Nico furrowed his brows. "Of him? Did he do something to you?" His voice was tight with worry, his protective instincts kicking in.

"No... no, I was scared to tell him something."

His confusion deepened. "Sanny, I just... I don't know. Scared to tell him what?"

Santana lifted her head, and Nico froze when he saw her eyes—bloodshot, filled with a pain so deep it made his stomach turn.

"I was... I was pregnant."

Nico's breath caught in his throat. His body stiffened as realization hit him like a freight train. His mind raced, connecting the dots at a speed that made his chest ache. Santana didn't have a child with her. There was no baby.

There was no baby.

"Santana..." he whispered, his voice barely above a breath.

She swallowed hard and forced herself to say the words that had been suffocating her for so long. "I lost it, Nico. There is no baby, and I was scared to tell him because I didn't know I was pregnant until—until the baby was already gone."

Nico felt his heart break. He had no words, no way to take away the pain radiating off his sister in waves. All he could do was reach for her hands, gently pulling them away from where they trembled in her lap.

"Sanny..." he said again, his voice thick with emotion.

Santana let out a broken laugh, shaking her head. "I—I was going to tell him. I wanted to, but how do you tell someone something like that? 'Oh hey, I was pregnant with your child, but it's gone now, and you never even knew'?" She scoffed bitterly, wiping at her face again. "I didn't even get the chance to figure out how to be a mother before it was just... gone."

Nico clenched his jaw, his hands balling into fists. He wasn't just sad for his sister—he was furious. Furious that she had to go through this alone. Furious that she had kept it bottled up for so long. Furious that Feng didn't know.

"Sanny, you should've told me," He murmured, his voice barely steady. "You shouldn't have gone through this alone."

"I didn't mean to," she admitted, her voice shaking. "But I was already running when I found out, and I thought maybe... maybe it was easier this way. Maybe if I didn't tell him, I wouldn't have to see the look on his face. I wouldn't have to break his heart."

Nico exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand over his face. "Damn, Santana... He deserves to know."

Santana's head snapped up, panic flashing in her expression. "What's the point now? It'll only hurt him, and he already hates me."

Nico scoffed. "He doesn't hate you."

"He does."

"No, he doesn't," Nico insisted. "I saw the way he looked at you. If he hated you, he wouldn't have looked at you like that."

Nico stayed quiet for a moment, watching his sister as she stared at the floor, lost in her own grief. He hated seeing her like this—so vulnerable, so unsure. Santana was always the strong one, the one who never let anything shake her. But now, she looked like she was barely holding herself together.

He reached over, squeezing her hand. "You don't have to figure it out all at once," he said softly. "But you can't keep running forever, Sanny."

Santana swallowed hard and nodded, but she didn't say anything. The weight of everything she had kept buried was pressing down on her, making it hard to breathe.

A silence stretched between them before Nico finally stood up, exhaling sharply. "Come on, let's get out of here. You need air."

Santana hesitated before standing, wiping the last of her tears away. As they walked down the hall, she glanced back at Feng's door, her heart hammering in her chest. She wondered if he was standing on the other side, wondering about her the way she wondered about him.

But she turned away before she could linger too long. Some things weren't meant to be faced yet.

At least, not tonight.

▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃▃

authors note:
ummmm so... how is everyone... ? so i guess i finally figured out why santana left wolf. I do want to be serious and say miscarriages are no laughing matter and this wasn't to cause my oc more trauma. Santana running away was a response to what had happened. She didn't want to see Wolf hurt because she feels it's her fault. This happens often, even my mother and a lot of my family members. thank you for reading <3

thoughts? 💭

words 5006