Blink and you'll miss it

Vol. 6 Chapter 9: Brothers

(Y/n) turns and crouches down to check on Blake. He smiles and reaches out a hand and cups her cheek, wiping a tear from her eye.

(Y/n): "Hey..."

She sighs and leans into his touch with a content smile on her lips.

Blake: (jokingly) "You're late."

(Y/n) chuckles nervously.

(Y/n): "I know... I had some stuff to work out..."

He turns his head to glance at Adam who just stands there confidently.

(Y/n): "Speaking of things I need to work out..."

He turns back and picks Blake up bridal style and carries her away from the fight.

Blake: "Wait! (Y/n) stop! Let me help!"

(Y/n) puts her down near the trees and turns away from her.

(Y/n): "Naaaah. I called dibs years ago. And this, this is personal... it's time I destroy the monster I created."

He takes a step forward but is stopped when Blake grabs his hand. She's shaking. He can feel her hand trembling even as she tries to hold him back.

Blake: (worriedly) "Promise me you're coming back..."

(Y/n) squeezes her hand lovingly.

(Y/n): "I promise."

He turns his head back to her, giving her a sad closed eye smile, almost like he was saying sorry. He lets her hand go and steps forward across the snow covered dirt. Blake's chest tightens and her eyes begin to water as she watches him leave. That look. It was the look of someone who was ready to die. She stretches her hand toward his back and tries calling out to him. Trying to yell at him, to make him mean his promise. But she can't. Her words get stuck in her throat and not a sound escapes her mouth.

Adam sneers as (Y/n) approaches.

Adam: "So this is how you want this to end?"

(Y/n)'s face falls into a scowl as he stops ten feet from Adam.

(Y/n): "I don't want to have to hurt you Adam..."

Adam: "Just like you didn't want to hurt Lain?"

(Y/n) winces and looks down, gritting his teeth. Adam smirks.

Adam: "Oh yah, I know all about the train. I saw him off that day. The last member of our family. I watched him leave for that assignment. Guess Theo's death wasn't enough. You needed another faunas's blood on your hands."

(Y/n) doesn't meet Adam's piercing gaze. The guilt evident on his face.

(Y/n): "You know that's not the case!"

His words sounded hollow. Like he was trying to convince himself more than Adam.

Adam: "Do I?! You left us! Left me! You ran at the first chance you got! We took you in! Treated you like you were one of us! And you repay us by driving a blade through our backs like a COWARD!! You didn't even try to help us!"

(Y/n) snaps his head up to look at Adam. 9 years worth of regret and pain bursting forth through his words.

(Y/n): "No! Lain and the others made both of us run away! They wanted us to escape! For us to live a life they couldn't! When you got caught, I did come back! I came back for you! For Lain! For everyone! I wanted to live with my family! I had to watch the guards brand you, watch them slaughter the others! I thought you died when you stopped moving! I had to sit there! Helpless! A scared little boy trying not to cry as he watched his family get beaten and slaughtered! So yah, I ran. I ran that day because I was weak! Too weak, too small, too scared to act! I made a promise that day that I'd never run and let the people I love get hurt because I was weak! And I intend to keep that promise, even if it means fighting you!"