The Yin-Yang Complex

All Done

It had been several days since Grace had been given the necklace. All the victims had been found and turned back. All but one. Barry stood, with Sebastian at his heels and a bird cage in his hand, outside of his brother's apartment. He slid the key, which he found in the ally with the rest of Sebastian's stuff, into the lock and clicked it open. He pushed open the apartment door with his foot and stepped into the darkness. He placed the keys and the cage down gently and turned on the light. He could hear the pitter patter of paw pads against wood behind him, so he turned to his brother and pulled a vile out of his pocket. It had a glowing blue liquid in it that shimmered softly in the light. He pulled the cork out and gave it to the feline, who awkwardly held the open end in his mouth, "I will be outside the door, let me know if it does or doesn't work," with that he left the extortionately clean apartment, and stood in the hallway. The hallway wasn't too bad, but it did look kind of strange and antique. The carpet was a deep maroon colour with hundreds of little green patterns on it. It wasn't the most attractive, but it was better then the maroon walls with a singular yellow stripe at head height. Barry could only guess that at one time these colours had been brighter and maybe even worked together, but they were very faded now.

Barry wasn't sure how long he was sitting, waiting by Sebastian's door, but he knew it was a while because he found himself counting patterns and designs on the carpet below him. He felt his mind begin to stress over little things, like if his brother hated him because he didn't realise he was a cat. He was beginning to think Sebastian would never come out when the door creaked open. Barry shot up and looked his brother up and down. He was fully dressed and looked no different from any average day. Aside from everything his eyes, they were tired, very tired. He looked like he was on the brink of collapsing. Barry opened his mouth to say something, but he was cut off when Sebastian enveloped him in a hug. Barry blinked a few times to see if he was imagining things or not. He felt happiness and relief rush through his system. He found himself speechless once more, "thank you," Sebastian mumbled, almost inaudibly before he pushed Barry back slightly and returned to his apartment, closing the door. Barry glanced around slightly, he couldn't believe what had just happened. Sebastian had hugged him and said thank you. He must have been exhausted. Barry shook it off and began to walk away with a goofy smile plastered onto his face.

Sebastian relaxed into his seat at CCJitters. He had a mountain of paperwork to catch up on and he couldn't think of a better place to do it. He sat in a corner, close to the window. He loved cafes. There was just something so sweet and relaxed about them that made him feel comfortable in his own skin for once. The tantalising smell of coffee drifted around the room and the soft colloquial chatter of customers filled his ears. None of them were paying any attention to him, it was like he was invisible, and for once in his life, he was enjoying that. He was working efficiently at a quick speed, all his focus was on the paper in front of him. So much so that he didn't even notice his own father sit down at the opposite end of his table, "Sebastian?" Henry asked for the attention of his son.

Sebastian looked up, shock was evident on his features, "D-Henry?" He asked. Of all the people, Henry was the last one he had been expecting. How did they keep on finding him?

Henry felt his heart lift, he had noticed Sebastian's slip up, and it made him so happy that he was so close to forming a bond with his son again, "did I startle you?" The older man asked.

"No, not at all, I just... what do you need?" Sebastian asked, putting on his hardened exterior. The last thing he needed was to get close to these people. He just wished they would leave him be.

"I want to talk to you Sebastian," Henry told him. They needed to have a heart to heart, and Henry knew it wasn't going to be easy to force Sebastian into one, but he might as well try.

"About what?" Sebastian asked bluntly. He was itching to have this conversation too, but he knew he would need to be careful about what he said, he didn't want Henry to catch on to how he felt about him, or even to show weakness. Again.

"I just wanted to let you know, that Barry and I are here for you, we know you have been through a lot and it is at times like those when you need family the most," Henry told him with a sympathetic face. He wished the twins' mother was here. She always knew what to say to in this type of situation. She always knew how to take people off guard. Henry on the other hand, was not the best.

Sebastian felt his heart clench, but he wouldn't show any emotions on his face, he kept blank and empty, "I don't consider you as family," he replied, he was rigid like a brick and his whole outer shell was just blank.

"That's a lie and we both know it," Henry smiled sadly, "I don't know why you want to distance yourself so far from us, but we want to be closer to you, we really do, we just don't know how," he really wanted Sebastian to give him a sign, any sort of sign that he was getting closer.

"I don't need your help," Sebastian hissed, not denying Henry's statement, they had seen him at his worst, of all people it had to be Barry and Henry. It had to be the two people he wanted to be distant from the most.

"Yes you do," Henry insisted so passionately that Sebastian nearly flinched, "Barry told me about how terrified you were when you were dreaming bad dreams, he said that it was awful to watch, that you were physically trembling," he enforced his point further, "you need to help, that isn't good... and if not from us then someone else," he admitted. If he couldn't help his own son, then he was going to make sure someone else could.

"I already got help," Sebastian was hearing himself speak, but he had no control over it, he felt emotions swarm his head, "that didn't work, the only person I need to rely on is myself," he had no idea why he admitted to that, perhaps it was the heat of the moment or his cloudy judgement, but as soon as it left him mouth, he regretted it.

Henry felt annoyance bite his heels, "you can't live like that Sebastian, you need someone to lean on, that is human nature, you will crumble and fall if you don't," Henry insisted, "please, just let Barry and I in, let us help you,"

"No," Sebastian replied as he collected his stuff and stood up to walk away, "having to turn to you for help when I was a cat was bad enough, but don't think it means that all of a sudden we are all best friend, skipping along with linked arms," he snapped with brutality, hurting both himself and Henry.

"That's not what I-" Henry was cut off by Sebastian.

"I don't need your help, so please just stay out of my life, and I will stay out of yours... it's better that way," his voice cracked and wavered towards the end of the sentence, but he strutted away, false anger shrouding him. Henry shook his head in disappointment, he just wanted to have a relationship with his son again. He just wanted his family back together, but that was beginning to look hopeless.