001;

[tigresses]

[ Action: 1648 Albright Lane ]

[ Okay, this? This wasn't her room. As far as she knew, this wasn't even her home. Astharoshe growls in annoyance before turning over and noticing--

Oh, hell no. This had to be a nightmare or something like it. Because she doesn't know why else the stupid priest would be in her bed with her. She doesn't know

Comments

Cain --> Abel --> Astha (and maybe Rachel popping in at some point if she sees this?)

[kinships]

[Cain had taken to sleeping with Abel on a night, too frightened of waking up with him dead and gone to leave him alone even for a moment longer than he had to. Of course, this usually meant he was used as a buffer between Abel and his drone wife, not!Esther.

He had been huddled down right under the covers, so it's no wonder Astha didn't even see the small boy at first glance, but he's not staying there long. Sitting bolt upright with the shouting, he blinked around blearily.]

Wh--What?!

[custodismundi]

[ahh, ahhhh... Abel had been peacefully slumbering the morning away -- it's one of his favorite passtimes, you know, and a decent sleep bereft of nightmares is a very nice gift after all that nuclear nonsense--

and, let's be honest. Abel is no stranger to being screamed at. Caterina, Esther, or Astha -- his subconscious just sort've takes it into stride, and he's trying to shift a little closer to his little brother (who doubles as a rather adorable teddy bear, for your information).]

Mmmn. S'not morning, you're just... seeing things! S... so... [ZZZzzzzzz.]

[tigresses]

[ Well, one thing hasn't changed and that's Abel's idiocy. So, Astha takes a glance towards Cain and Abel before deciding to whap the silver-haired one with a pillow and it's rather hard. ]

Wake up and start explaining before I really get mad.

[ Ah, feels just like home doesn't it? ]]

[kinships]

[He's confused at being so thoroughly ignored so this woman can attack Abel (albeit with a pillow), and he has to assume it's because she is suspicious of the motives of the adult man in bed with her.

Sliding to the side to intercept that pillow, he raised his hands in a placating gesture.]

Ma'am, please calm down. I promise you're safe, I'll try and explain everything, but attacking won't help you.

[custodismundi]

[ughhh, his teddy bear is moving around!! what is with THAT, guys--

eh? he hears...]

...Cain, did you catch... that? I think I heard a familiar screeching voice, just now...

[tigresses]

[ Just when Astha's about to hit Abel again, she finally recognizes the little kid. A slight dumbfounded expression crosses her gaze as she sighs a bit to calm down. ]

Screeching, huh? I'll be sure to remember that, Abel.

[ Then, she shifts her attention to the kid. ]

You would be...?

[kinships]

[Familiar voice? She knows his name? This must be someone else from... He feels a lurching in his chest, a little sick whenever he thought of that future where nobody even knew his name. Gone, as though he had never existed, as though Abel had only ever been one and not part of a pair.

But the polite and calming smile on his face never wavers, as he holds one hand out towards her (despite the weird situation of being in bed together), while prodding Abel to wake up with the other.]

I'm Cain, it's nice to meet you.

1/2

[custodismundi]

Ah... yes; a little shrill... one that puts goosebumps down my spine, as it's usually accompanied by that fond fist to the fa--

[...face?]

2/3 i lied

[custodismundi]

[LSKJDFLKSJDF SITTING UPRIGHT-- and gawking--

GAWKING

.......and then GAWKING some more because clearly there hasn't been enough of that yet--]

M... Miss-- Astha?!

3/3

[custodismundi]

[...heh]

Wh. What are you. Wearing, it's... [yeah he's going to maturely snicker now. shut up he just woke up WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM HIM.]

[tigresses]

[ Through all of that gawking is one very displeased glare being sent in his general direction. And then when the snickering starts, she throws all the pillows at him to make him stop. ]

--ahem. I'm Astharoshe Asran, Cain. Pleasure, I guess.

[kinships]

[He ducks to avoid one of the pillows hitting him, as he is halfway between the two.]

I take it you know my brother?

[custodismundi]

[wait wait hold on. he's rubbing at an eye, yawning lazily...

clearly this is just some weird dream since he had too much sugar right before bed or something, because the prospect of Astha in his bed is just. he can't. he just can't even...

he's fumbling for his glasses on the nightstand as if they would at all help. (spoiler: they won't.)]

A-ahh... Cain, Miss Astha is a friend of mine from the Em... Empire. [oh. ...oh. he didn't... exactly tell him about the Empire and Methuselah, did he? he's sobering up a little bit as he slides the lenses onto his face...

...and realizes he's still in his pajamas and so is Astha and so is Cain and they are all in bed and how do these things happen God why]

[tigresses]

--Brother? You didn't tell me you had family, Abel.

[ Well, she wouldn't exactly use the word "friend", but as long as he didn't say they were partners - she couldn't care less. ]

But, yeah. Abel covered how I know him. Now, an explanation as to why I'm in the same bed as him would be great.

[kinships]

[...didn't know he had family.

Cain knew already, had known when Esther hadn't known about him, that Abel had kept him a secret. But it still hurt... deeply. To know he was so long gone that he was erased, that he was no longer by Abel's side.

Worse, almost, is that Abel doesn't speak of him. At least if he had to be gone, it would be better to have been kept alive in Abel's memories and anecdotes to his friends. But... his twin had decided to bury all traces of him, so even the people closest to him don't know his name.

Cain's shoulders sag almost imperceptibly, a huge concession of how much that hurt to anyone that knows him well, but the smile remains fixed in place.]

I know this might seem a bit unbelievable, but we're not in our world any more.

[custodismundi]

[ah. Abel rests a hand lightly on his brother's head, ruffling his hair softly in a silent apology that seems for all intents and purposes a simple gesture, but he's sure his brother understands it. watch him motor right along with that poker-face cheery smile.]

...Um-- how about I, ah, get us some tea? Or just get out of the bed? Getting out of bed sounds good.