Defection (MentalModel!Brothers and OC)

Chapter 5

I wandered around the new expanded city; visiting old hangouts where my friends and I used to go, checking out the library that had gone through some renovations to patch up the damage that it had taken throughout the years, and heading down to the bay to watch some of the smaller boats skirt around the shoreline of the bay to prevent from going into the deeper waters where it was possible to cause a Fleet of Fog attack if there was a ship nearby. I hummed in thought as I bit down on a granola bar for a snack, dissuading my stomach from protesting until lunchtime was a bit closer.

Seeing the boats drive right by the watertight doors of the naval base made me curious if they would be that close if they knew about the two Fleet of Fog vessels resting underground. I stopped chewing as my focus lowered to the green grass under my shoes, my thoughts wandering to the two ships that I apparently had under my 'control'.

Were they all right on their own in the base? Were they being inspected with scrutiny by scientists that only wanted to dismantle them to find out their secrets, or were they being left alone like my dad was hoping for?

"You look busy."

A familiar voice pulled my attention from the large base doors towards my twin brother walking towards me from somewhere near the shoreline, his uniform crisp and clean. I finished off the granola bar and eyed him in suspicion.

"What is a colonel doing all the way out here?" I shoved the wrapper into my pants pocket as I leaned back, propping myself up with an arm as I held Jon's gaze.

"I should be asking you why you're so close to the base."

"It's quieter here," My green hues swept across the pearlescent blue of the bay before it was swallowed by the darker blue of the ocean closer to the horizon, "Even after all these years, it's somewhere I can go when I just want to think about things."

Jon let out a soft sigh as he sat next to me, taking off his cap and setting it on one of my knees like a hat rack, "I can't get you in trouble during your second day back, so I won't report you. But you'll be warned that this is now military property."

"Pfft," I blew a raspberry at him in disbelief, "No, it's not. Sign says right over there that it's still considered a park, and I didn't need to show my ID to get here."

"No, I'm absolutely serious, sis," He caught my attention with his tone, my skepticism falling as I realized that his expression remained firm. Jon held the look until he scoffed loudly through his nose, looking away before he burst out laughing. The doubt fell from my face as I pushed his closest shoulder away from me, laughing in response to his teasing.

"You have a horrible poker face!" I jested as he pushed me back, grabbing his cap before it could fall to the ground.

"I'm the sternest, meanest motherfucker on this base," Jon tried to keep his composure as another round of laughter exploded from his lips, "I can stare down our old man any day!"

"Oh, I doubt that!" Rebounding from the push, I tucked my legs underneath me as I sat up once more, "But in all seriousness..."

The tone of my voice quieted my twin's laughter, his expression settling into a neutral look as he looked back at me, "...I feel like I shouldn't be here."

"Why do you say that?" Jon's voice was soft.

"I did something that no one's been able to do ever since the global blockade was set up," My gaze fell from the bay before looking over at Jon, his hues matching my own, "I crossed the ocean and lived. Yes, I had help from the enemy...but it still happened."

"Were you expecting to die at sea?"

"I guess? I knew that what I was doing was crazy, and it was only happenstance that Todo -- the Admiral Hipper -- was nearby on the fifth day. I shouldn't have made it home like I did..." I rested a chin on my hand, propping it up with my knee as I looked back towards the bay, "I guess I'm feeling...some form of survivor's guilt. For leaving people behind in Europe."