((Ya know this probably won't make sense to any of y'all but-
It's with Duality and Kurosu and it's in their past so they're younger in this n stuff))
A soft breeze grazed past the open window. It was a quiet day- as it had been for weeks now. Honestly they were losing track of just how long it had been since the gala. No one inside had brought it up, not really. So the sudden slam of the front door was more than startling when a very angry Duality came storming in. When he opened his mouth his voice rang like ripping off a bandaid that had sat for too long.
"What is that outside?!" Duality yelled, alarming his father who looked where his son had motioned to outside the house. He had pointed towards the hill where once a single tombstone had stood became two.
"A tombstone?" Rowan replied in a puzzled tone.
"No- why is there a second one?" Duality says through clenched teeth.
Rowan lets out an exasperated sigh and rubs the bridge of his nose between his thumb and pointer finger. "You know why, Duality..." He mumbles.
"No- no I don't know why! I don't know why we have a tombstone for someone who isn't dead!" Duality stomps his foot to emphasize his words.
——
The training grounds were alive with the sounds of sparring. Each boy had been put into groups and assigned a trainer that would prepare them for battles to come. It had been weeks since Kurosu's arrival but he found himself getting knocked down day after day. He gasped staggered breaths just to let himself breathe as his instructor towered over him. Pressing his palms against the mat Kurosu attempts to look up at him through hazy eyes.
"Get up boy. It's only morning and you've already managed to disappoint me. If you can't get up here how can you even think to get up on a battlefield. It's pathetic." His superior spoke.
"I.." Kurosu pants, his flat palm curling into a fist against the floor. As his frustration grew so did his energy- it sparked, quite literally. A flame-like light encircled his wrist and he shuts his eyes just to maintain the focus to keep it lit.
"You what? Spit it out." The instructor said in a more demanding tone.
"I am not pathetic!" Kurosu roars and with a final push of strength he pounces towards his trainer with a newly formed weapon in his hand. With the flame he had summoned a sleek blade in his hand and had thrust it towards his opponent. His arm and his weapon sliced through the air. The movements were quick but with his exhaustion they had become messy as well. The instructor had been able to slide past every single attempt to strike him with ease and with a swift movement he not only disarms Kurosu but also manages to slam him back against the mat. He presses the knife against Kurosu's neck just to keep him in place and not hard enough to draw blood. Though the line between the two was thinning.
"Hm. If it weren't so sloppy I would say you actually did good. But you didn't. You have to learn to control your anger." The instructor told Kurosu while keeping him in place. The smaller only growls in response, but obeys by staying still in fear of the cold metal coming any closer to his skin.
His superior continued, "allowing your emotions to sway you will only get you killed. You won't have someone out there to keep an eye on your sorry ass if you let your feelings get out of hand again in battle. The only way you'll survive out here is with yourself and your mind. So start using it."
——
"We are not having this argument again, Duality. I told you before and I will tell you again you are not going out there by yourself! You won't survive out there alone!" Rowan puts his hands in front of his son causing him to stop his actions. Duality had been packing a bag but paused.
"I am perfectly capable on my own! Kurosu is out there somewhere and I will find him! You cannot stop me so stop trying!" Duality snaps.
"You don't understand-" Rowan starts but is cut off before he could finish.
"No- /you/ don't understand!" Duality growls. "You don't understand that he is alive! That he is probably lost or hurt and we just left him! Did you even send any search parties? Did you even try to search for him? Did you try at all or did you not care enough to even give him another thought and just called him dead!"
Rowan slams his hand down against a dresser with a loud thud. Duality went quiet at the uncommon outburst.
Rowan exhaled a shaky breath, bringing his other hand up to his face and hiding his expression behind it. "...I tried. I tried and I tried- after finding Xavier in the rubble of their home I searched. I ran through the gardens, I sprinted through the halls. Kurosu was no where to be found and I couldn't let Xavier die there with his wounds so I brought him back. From there I went to our borders. You know we can't go further than that. We're already on thin ice with the others.. but.. I did try, Duality. I can't imagine how you feel but know that this tears me up inside too. Just like he's family to you he is family to me and with this I already lost one son so I can't-" he hesitates to calm himself, bringing his hand down to face Duality. Both had tears in their eyes and Rowan continues, "...I can't afford to lose you, too."
