towerofanimus | Herald of the Future

Characters: Abel Nightroad and Cain Knightlord
Setting: Their room
Format: Actionspam
Summary: Cain and Abel got very dead, they're waking up.
Warnings: Mentions of death, probably foul language.

[There was a resounding CRACK and then everything had gone black. Not more than a heartbeat of consciousness left to know he was dying for certain, and yet he managed to feel so much in that singular moment.

Fear... He had never been afraid of dying, he had never truly believed that it would happen. He had always had the security of being the most valuable commodity on Mars, as well as being the pinnacle of achievement even among the clones. When things seemed bad or hopeless, he always believed in their superiority deep inside. He had never really been afraid, because he didn't have to be.

But more than anything, there was fear for his brother. He was so scared of Abel dying too, of his twin getting hurt in any way. Sheer gripping terror of separation, of being alone. They were one... one heart, one mind, just two sides to the same coin. They weren't made to be alone, they couldn't endure it. People might believe that Cain would cope with that possibility better, that he was more mature and level-headed. But the truth was, Cain needed Abel more than he needed oxygen, and the thought of being separated with such finality was enough to have him losing his mind.

Anger... It took him by surprise, the sheer force of his rage, like a swirling tsunami crashing through his body and razing everything else to the ground. He was furious that his death should be so meaningless, so ignoble, so... SOON. He had been patient, he had been SO patient, smiling and waiting for the perfect moments to act in order to get the future he wanted. He had deserved that future. He was better than them, better than anything they could throw at him, and he absolutely refused to die as a tool to humanity.

And then... it was all gone.

How long it had been, he didn't know. An hour? A day? A week? All he knew is that he had been dead, and now he was suddenly breathing once more. Unharmed, no pain, just sucking in a ragged breath as his body refused to move. Paralysed... he was... It might have been more frightening if his whole being wasn't focused on his brother, long minutes passing with only the sound of his hammering heartbeat for company.

Until abruptly he was moving... lurching off the bed almost drunkenly and looking around wildly for his brother, blue eyes intense as they swept the room.]

ABEL!

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...Do you think she's safe?

[Ruana.

not that he's concerned with her well-being of course. it's not like he's secretly grateful for her help, even if he's still wary of her or anything. but she had opened the doors-- granted them access, and if she was being held down in the Admin levels somewhere, maybe she was being kept by them somewhere. maybe they'd punish her for this.]

[Ah...

He is surprised at the question, and more so because it came before Cain had even thought of it. What did she matter, really? It was Abel that filled his mind now.

Still, he forced himself to push that aside and focus, nodding slightly.]

I hope so, I wouldn't want her to get hurt for us.

If they kill her or remove her access from the network, we might not be able to use her again.

[which is clearly the priority. who cares if she dies, amirite.]

[It's not like he secretly agrees or anything, even if his expression shows distaste.]

She helped us out of hope we could do the same for her, we're not using her.

You have no idea why she helped us.

For all we know, her 'help' is just a ploy and we only saw what they wanted us to see before they killed us.

I know that right up until--

[His skull went concave.]

--I saw she was trying to manipulate the door and drones to help us.

Which could mean a number of things.

If she's with them -- and even if she's not -- she would know we wouldn't... stay... the way we were. [no; he is not ready to talk of that candidly at all.] Maybe this was orchestrated to gain our trust.

[or maybe he's just suspicious of anyone outside of his family helping anyone else without some personal motivations. if she wanted their help, wouldn't she have been more forward about how, exactly, they were supposed to aid her?]

[He can't deny that Abel, paranoid as he is, has a good point. They had no way of knowing Ruana's true motivations, but...]

Even if she is with them, she has to aid us to a certain extent in order to gain our trust. We can still learn from her.

If she hasn't been punished or subjugated by the administrators for what happened, then... I doubt she can be trusted.

[he is not going to let his brother be pulled into danger like that again.

--it's his fault, isn't it? he had called him to the elevator... and he had pushed Ruana about it.

...fuck. he pulls him a little... tighter...]

...

[No.

It had been Cain that made the final call to step into the elevator; he has no doubt that Abel would have followed his lead if he had decided the risk wasn't worth it, just as he had trusted Cain to make the right choices when they were down there.

His fingers smooth down Abel's spine gently, almost as though he were soothing a baby.]

...Focus on my heart beating, it's okay now.

[shaking his head. he's got just enough of his head together that his pride ruffles at this-- he may want the closeness to reassure himself his brother is alright, but he won't be coddled like a child. much.]

...I'll kill them for this.

Every single one of them is going to suffer, before I let them die. [it's a little unnerving, how quiet and calmly he murmurs this, like it's an afterthought.]

[For once in his life, he doesn't argue. Perhaps because if he came face to face with them first, he wouldn't hesitate to make them suffer himself for what they had done.

Not to him, that he could learn to reconcile with. But for what they had done to his brother... that was a fatal mistake, and they would learn that when the time comes.]

...Are you tired?

[Coming back from the dead, it must be hard work, right?]

...I don't know.

[really, he has no idea what he is right now... or what the fuckballs to do with himself.]

I just... want to get my hands around their necks...

[and barring that-- he doesn't know what else to do.]

...Lay down with me.

I know it's hard, but it's living we have to focus on now.

[Mindless revenge will only get them killed once more.]

[a grudging sigh. he knows his bloodlust will remain insatiable, even if he killed them all right here and now.

nothing could make up for taking his brother away.]

...Mm.

[Gently but firmly, he pulled his brother down onto his bed and twined his arms around him, slotting them together like two puzzle pieces.]

Close your eyes and rest.

[and this time, there are no complaints. childish though the gesture they should've outgrown might be, he goes right along with him and does as he's told.

...he can listen to his heart, like this. there's no complaints.]

[He doesn't know if he is tired or if he will be awake for hours yet, but he is content to spend that time here like this.

Just holding his brother and being held, rest of the world be damned.]

Herald of the Future

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