(Untitled)

[turnofemperor]

Life had been... busy since the start of all this, so to speak. Between the chaos that'd rampaged through most of campus and Cayden's own rushed pact with Narc- Allen, he'd been on the move nearly non-stop. The only times he'd been able to get a rest was when he managed to make his way back to the room he was sharing, completely exhausted, and

Comments

[oneofthreepaths]

Ravel felt worse than useless. He didn't know what to do to help and shuffled off to the back by first Ky and then his brother and then it seemed like everyone he came across just made him feel all the more like a burden being passed on. He knew he shouldn't feel so, that everyone was just trying to keep the students without the ability to fight (read, useless) safe, but he couldn't help himself. He'd wandered down the halls filled with worried faces and tight lips, some crying, some just starring down, others trying to distract themselves with some semblance of normality . . .but nothing seemed right. The wave of mental pressure had driven him back to the room, his nerves not helping with his mental shields and he longed for the familiar room back in Loki

[turnofemperor]

He didn't move when Ravel entered, didn't say a thing when his brother climbed onto the bed and curled against him.

He just smiled. Slightly propped himself up with one elbow, turning his head to look at the top of Ravel's out of the corner of his eye and spoke in that soft tone he reserved for when his brother needed comfort. Which he looked to need very much right now.

"Of course I'm safe. I told you I wouldn't let anything happen to me."

[oneofthreepaths]

That's a promise you can't keep. That was what Ravel wanted to say. But saying that would only get them two started on another of their arguments of what was destiny and what was choice. Ravel didn't want to fight right now. He just wanted to hold Cayden close and not let him go out, not let that tall man with his long blonde hair and smirky smile take him out to fight. He wanted them to be away, back in Australia even. He shifted so he could bury his face in his brother's back, smelling the familiar scent.

"I know."

[turnofemperor]

He arched his back a little, awkwardly, because that spot was always a little ticklish.

"You don't sound very comforted." He let himself drop back down onto the pillow under his arm, closing his eyes as he exhaled into the soft material.

"Are you doing all right here?"

[oneofthreepaths]

"It is, I guess." Ravel ran his hands up his brother's back again but his face stayed still. He bit his lip for a second before replying as he leaned forward, renewing his attention to the massage.

"Sometimes I think things would be better if it was just us back at the house again. Like now."

[turnofemperor]

For a long moment, Cayden didn't respond, but when he did, his head was angled just so Ravel couldn't see his expression, half buried into the pillow.

"You like being contained like that?" he said quietly, not in his usual soft voice, but one he couldn't remember using with his brother, "Being commanded like that?"

[oneofthreepaths]

Ravel felt a sinking feeling in his chest but he didn't let his hands stop as he ran his hands under the edge of the dress-shirt, massaging. He could feel the slight change in his brother. These days, they always seemed to wind up arguing about this.

". . .we all have a purpose, a role to play, love." He started quietly.

[turnofemperor]

His interjection was softly whispered, but the tone was still the unfamiliar one from before.

"I don't want to see you become someone's puppet."