Early in the morning

[cowgoesmoo]

[ Just before dawn, anyone monitoring the low-band station that Rem's transmitter is usually set to might hear the following short message from a child who is clearly trying not to panic. ]

Blades, this is Feathers-home, Feathers-home calling Blades, what's your twenty? Where are you!?

[ There's a pause of about a minute, then the message repeats three more times, and finally the transmission ends with: ]

If anyone out there knows who this is and you see my brother, tell me right away!

Comments

[procreation]

[ Vash beams at that, looking so proud. ] That's talented, Nai! You'll get the best control in no time, I know it.

[ There was nothing his perfect brother couldn't do, after all. Even when tiny like this.

At the question, Vash nods a little bit, rubbing the little boy's back gently. It's a lot of responsibility on a child, but what can he do? This place brought him in without his adult brother.

The sick Vash and his dogs said it would damage Nai of he told him all these things and showed him who he was, but his brother is so strong. He seems to be understanding everything perfectly. ]

Only you. Only you can check to make sure they're growing fine, only you can help them be born when the time comes. They need you.

[ornamentals]

[ his face heats at the praise. his abilities are nothing worth while now, he wants to say. nothing strong enough to keep what was important safe. power was a dangerous weapon to wield, it humbled even the very best. cautionary tales spoken over countless centuries, delivered to him in the pages of books and movies and now in the shapes of brothers in various states of agony and suffering.

if vash needed him, then it was nai's responsibility to take care of him. the difference in age didn't matter, not to him. ]

Okay. [ he nods, coming to a decision far bigger than himself. ] Okay. I'll take care of you, Vash.

[procreation]

[ He's so small but so good and Vash is so proud of his brother. The protector, the warrior, the older brother. He cuddles Nai closer, their bond full of affection and unconditional love to the point of obsession.

Vash is doing his best to not seem to unhinged, because despite his strange mania he is a father and he doesn't want to scare a little boy.

However... ]

Would you take a look at them? [ He asks, gently cupping the round little face in his hand and leaning their foreheads together. ] Remember I told you the filthy dog hit me with a car? I've been tired ever since, and I'm concerned it has something to do with the damage I took affecting our children.

[ornamentals]

[ nai stares up at vash, eyes widening at the suggestion. see them? their children, their children... he rubs his cheek against vash's palm, eyes fluttering shut for a moment as they come together. ] I remember. [ he has to bite his tongue from saying something terrible, something he knows his older brother would be ashamed to hear him say. so he swallows it back. ]

I want to see. If something is wrong, maybe... maybe I can fix it. [ nai raises a hand up to cup vash's hand over his, holding his cheek. ] If it's something I can do in the future, I should be able to do it now... right?

[ he can hope, nervously, that whatever it is will come to him instinctively. there's no room for self-doubt here, not when vash needed him. ]

this was lost in my inbox nooo

[procreation]

Only if you think you can handle it, Nai. It might be a lot.

[ Vash says, gently rubbing his thumb over the cheek where their hands join. His voice is so gentle but proud, affection in every word. He wants the world for his Nai.

How anyone could think he would ever hurt his brother is beyond him. He'd die for him if asked. ]

You'll learn, eventually, to just open my gate with your mind. Like the way we can share each other's. Our own spaces, controlled like lucid dreams. We can try that.

[ He looks his twin thoughtfully. He's not quite sure the boy can do that yet, though. ]

A more physical way is to put your knives in me, like a key to a lock. That will force the gate open, but it's still an option. Our children are more important than comfort.

NOOO

[ornamentals]

I can handle it.

[ he has to, he must. vash depended on him and so nai would deliver. his brother deserved that much, and more.

whatever it took, nai would give freely in exchange for the future his brothers had suffered at his hands.

but... of course, it's much easier said than done. nai's abilities were still terribly limited and the way vash describes it, he couldn't help some thread of uncertainty. what if he tried and failed, worse if he failed would it be a detriment to vash and the children? what would be the consequences of his failure? the anxiety leaks through their connection against his will, as much as he tries to stuff it down.

his brows pull together and frowns.]

No way. I'm not going to hurt you, Vash.

[procreation]

I know. You're so strong, Nai. Just know that I don't want to push you too far.

[ The dogs and the sick him were wrong. None of this would traumatize his smart, bright brother. Even so young, he's perfect.

Asking him to use his knives might be a bit much, though. ]

A last resort only, I promise. I know you do not want to hurt me.

[ Only when he has to. Only when he's done something wrong. ]

Let's start with trying to open it in our minds.

[ He leans his forehead against Nai's again. ]

Concentrate on joining our minds. Our pulse, our breath. We're one.