[008]

[bloodsugar]

A): phone - mid-morning.

[OPEN;]

[one hazard of spending a good deal of your time lurking on the phone lines is that one might become prone to forgetting that people can HEAR you while you listen. so, it's entirely innocent, of course, when the half-absent and somewhat petulant mumble comes across the phone lines sometime this morning.]

...all this talk of Valentines Day... honestly! As if they're rubbing it in some of us are destined to be forever alone. 'Vow of celibacy'? More like vow of perpetual and ongoing boredom.

[...a pause.]

It's not like I wanted to find out what a romantic holiday with another human being is like, regardless... eh? I'm sure edible underwear isn't all it's cracked up to be, anywa--

[...]

Eh? [wait for it.]

AH--

[...there's a rather flustered squawk, and a hasty CLICK of the phone into the cradle.]

[filter to Charles Fei-Ong]

Alright, so maybe I'm a little late in checking in. You'll forgive me, right? After all, I'm sure you've been busy collecting recipes and taste testing! [no really are you okay... :| last time he saw you, after all, was... uh, colorful, to say the least.]

...I don't suppose you'd be up for a cup of tea, Charles? [he has a feeling you'll just bs him even if you weren't alright over the phone, anyway. CLEARLY HE MUST BE NOSY IN PERSON.]

[filter to Esther Blanchett]

Esther-- do you have a minute? There's... ah, something I wanted to ask you. [AND IT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH EDIBLE UNDERWEAR HE SWEARS DEAR GOD.]

[filter to Django]

How are you holding up, partner? I hope the radio silence is because you've been gloriously enjoying the sunshine, hm? Making up for lost time and all that...! [are you okay partner? :(]

B): action; 1648 Albright Lane - lunchtime.

[there's the smell of something burning, late in the morning approaching lunchtime -- and if Rachel or Cain follows their nose, they might find the source in the form of one (1) Abel Nightroad with his drone wife's FRILLY PINK APRON several sizes too small draped around his neck and haphazardly tied back in the process of butchering... grilled cheese. yes, he is a total failure.

...somehow, he's gotten butter all over the counter and is trying to catch an overturned bottle of orange juice that is apparently spilling its contents over and onto the floor. the pan is burning and he's jostling cups and plates, trying not to drop EVERYTHING EVER as he fumbles to cease the spill of juice fruitlessly.

NO ONE SAID YOUR DAD WAS GOOD AT BEING DOMESTIC. this is why.]

C): action; around town - afternoon.

[the tall, lanky, and often times clumsy priest is among your streets today, Mayfield! anyone similarly prone to hitting up the bakery quite often might recognize his face, or simply wish to gape at the way he's leaving cheerily with a bag under his arm and so engrossed in the effort of inhaling the vanilla frosted doughnut in his hand he is clearly not paying attention to anything else. ...like the sidewalk. which, he may or may not inevitably trip over at an uneven crack and WOEFULLY lose his doubtlessly precious bounty as the bag tumbles to spill the fruits of his labor everywhere...

...and maybe his doughnut might happen to ah. misplace... itself from his hand and end up on your face. WHAT DO?]

D): action; church - evening.

[Abel's day eventually brings him to someplace to seek solace, to rest a weary soul... or something of that effect. one who enters might be hard pressed to FIND said priest who should be more or less easy to spot on the regular, right? how many 6'4 lanky bastards in cassock ARE there in here?

...but if one is apt enough, they might notice that the Father's side of the confessional is occupied. do you care to confess? ...or notice that said Father might just be lightly snoring if you listen hard enough...]

Comments

[kinship]

[It's a good job he speaks brother... gently stroking fingers through silver hair.]

I'm here, just close your eyes.

[bloodsugar]

[there are benefits to being twins joined by some subconscious bond amirite...

...little to the left.

[kinship]

[...all those benefits are hair pets, obviously. He adjusts his hand accordingly. It feels almost like they're back on the colony, one of them taken and 'tested' until they were in pain and needing the other's comfort for sleep.]

[bloodsugar]

[hngh little brother, why are you so cute? and good to him. ...even if you're also mean to him geez this wasn't a nice dare.

but he's starting to sincerely relax after a minute or two; it's not like he could resist the comfort of Cain's presence, nevermind an affectionate gesture.]

...hey... Cain?

[kinship]

[He can't lie, giving Abel comfort is something he enjoys immensely too... it's a private thing, a reaffirmation that nobody can soothe his twin like he can.]

Mm?

[bloodsugar]

[he squints an eye open.]

You know I love you, right?

[...]

Even if you poison me.

[kinship]

I know.

[Ah. His voice has softened and there's a real, genuine smile at his lips.]

I love you too.

[bloodsugar]

...good.

[and never forget it, either!!]

[kinship]

You're my little brother, I'll always love you, no matter what.

[So go to sleep, he's right here.]

[bloodsugar]

[well he's sorta... kinda maybe... drifting off because... fingers are magic and...




zzz.]

[kinship]

[Awww, baby brother. Don't worry, he'll be right here the whole time you sleep. He won't go anywhere.

Except watching Abel sleep is kind of hypnotically relaxing, and before too long Cain is asleep too, curled up on the floor beside the couch.]

[bloodsugar]

[b'aww... Cain... ;;

when Abel stirs from his pleasant dreams of a world in which his little brother doesn't troll him into repeated bouts of poisoning, he finds that little man so adorably curled up beside the couch and his heart tugs. he looks so cute this way... tiny and vulnerable. ;;;;; HIS HEART.

he gently scoops him up and lays him down on the couch, reaching for the blanket neatly folded over the arm and draping it carefully around him, trying not to disturb his slumber. it seems now would be a good time to go and see to a few things, while Cain enjoys his pleasant little nap. <3]

[kinship]

[He doesn't stir when he's put on the couch, just curling up tighter under the blanket... he'll probably still be there when Abel gets back.]

[bloodsugar]

[in some ways, it looked like Cain was still getting back on his feet from the events of the surgery. ...no... more like the past few months in their entirety. he knows he's been woken by the sound of his little brother's nightmares more than once before; peaceful sleep is a blessing when he can get it. :( have a good nap, bro.

Abel makes some phone calls, and slips from the house after getting in contact with Sister Esther; it's gotten dark out by the time he returns, dinner hour having come and gone as the door opens and clicks quietly shut behind him.]

[kinship]

[He's definitely woken up by this time, not happy to find Abel gone... questioning the Astha drone only brings a 'you know your Dad, he'll be out with the boys from work'.

So he's sat by the window, waiting for his brother to come home. Where did you go, bro? ):]

[bloodsugar]

[...oops well the conversation was a little more intense than he thought it would be... ;( he took some time to get his head together and piece out how he could possibly approach Cain after it, and...

he looks a little surprised to see him there by the window.]

Cain?

[kinship]

[You don't look happy, bro... He smiles, as if he wasn't just worried, nope not him.]

Welcome home! Miss Astha made stew.

[bloodsugar]

Ah... did she? I'm sorry; I got caught up a little later than expected.

[offering an apologetic smile! and shrugging out of his cloak. all the herps.]

[kinship]

Where did you go?

[It's not like Abel to go out and not tell him where he's going, especially after recent events.]

[bloodsugar]

...I took a walk with Esther.

[wiggling out of his wet boots, next -- the drone had chewed him out for that one last time -- he awkwardly rubs at the back of his head, before gesturing to the couch to sit.]

Can we... talk a second?

[kinship]

[It doesn't take a genius to figure out why he had gone to Esther after what they had talked about, and he feels a flash of betrayal... Abel had gone without him, when Cain he specifically asked to be there too?!

He just nods, coming to sit on the couch where he'd gestured. He shouldn't jump to conclusions, Abel would only be looking out for him... he must have gone to make sure he was definitely still alive so he could reassure Cain. Right? RIGHT?]

Of course.

[bloodsugar]

[it was true he'd gone behind his back to look out for him, if in a different way than his brother imagined. what he had gotten was not what he had wanted to hear at all.

however... perhaps it was what Cain wanted in the end, regardless, in his ignorance of the entire situation, of his fate. but... Abel wanted it that way. he had a chance at being happy and having hope this way, right...? even if it was blind hope, blind faith, he'd be clinging to. it was better than the desolation of nothingness.

Abel sits beside him, looking less than enthusiastic to be partaking in this conversation -- but he knows from his brother's expression he knows what subject he's about to broach between them.]

...I know you wanted to be there, but...

[he gives him an apologetic shake of his head.]

I had to ask myself, or I don't know that... I could've asked at all.

[kinship]

[Abel isn't looking overjoyed; in fact, he's looking like distinctly unhappy... it had to have been hopeful news though, it just had to have been.

He doesn't understand why he couldn't have been there, they were twins and there should be no secrets or holds barred.]

What... what did she say?

[bloodsugar]

...

[there is a long pause as he tries to pull together all the ways he had gone over and over this moment in his head as he'd walked Mayfield's streets tonight in preparation. every single word of what he told himself he'd say had fled him when it came down to the crucial moment, naturally; he's left floundering and crossed between the guilt of what feels deceitful and the necessity of protecting his precious baby brother.

...

he ends up rubbing at his face, irritated at himself -- the words caught in his throat as he swallows down an effort to start that ends in stopping before he can get anything out.]

You-- were... right, Cain. You're still--

[...still alive. somehow, he had failed to destroy the monster -- and it was now playing games with Esther's life, and heading the Orden.]

[kinship]

[The initial flare of hope is tinged with trepidation at Abel's expression, his brother doesn't look as happy as he should. So what if the Crusnik had survived too? It at least gave him a shot at life again one day, at freedom.]

--but?

[There has to be a but, Abel wouldn't be looking as though he were facing the headsman otherwise.]