Meet Adrian and Marcos, brothers in California 2026. Disliked on principal by both killjoys and civilians, the twins are registered neutrals in the depths of Neon Ghetto. Adrian hopes to gain citizenship someday, while Marcos has his gaze turned towards the desert - but for now, the eyes in the walls say play it safe and keep your head down.
Don't wanna be here? Send us removal request.
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gilt-cage
…Whatever. Clean the machines when you’re finished. I’m not the maid.
Yes ma’am~
#giltcage#Adrian#//little smile#he catches onto her act faster than marcos did because (via marcos) he knows a little bit about her
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gilt-cage
Are you going or not.
...
...I mean. I will if you want me to, but I wasn’t... actually, um...
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gilt-cage
Mm. Next time, don’t operate that machine by yourself. Tell… Marcos when you’ll be in and. Someone will help you.
Oh... um. Okay. If you’re sure.
#giltcage#Adrian#//Marcos trusts her so Adrian does too#but it still feels weird to tell someone when they're breaking the rules lol#//still too quiet for the cameras to pick up
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gilt-cage
If you’ve got somewhere to be, then get out.
Yes ma’am.
...
...it’s nice to meet you.
#giltcage#Adrian#//too quiet to have to worry about any cameras picking it up#but he's also on his way past her in case she's mad lol
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gilt-cage
Mm. I know you have a brother, too, identical. And if he wants to use the facilities, it’s fine by me, but he should at least think to bring a valid form of ID. Just in case.
...
Yes ma’am.
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gilt-cage
…
Can I see some identification, Draculoid Silvas?
Here. You know me, though, I don’t know why you need it.
#giltcage#adrian#//it's the gym pass#I think he took Marcos' actual id with him a few times at the beginning but he's never had trouble so he stopped doing so
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gilt-cage
You’re going training, or you’re going home? What training can you do if you can’t do this? At three in the morning,
No, I mean, I’m going home now, because I’ve got to go to training later. So I need to, like, get ready. And stuff. I should really be sleeping, but it’s kinda too late for that, so,,,
#giltcage#Adrian#//getting FLUSTERED#he's a bulldog when he's defending marcos from her but otherwise she's fully able to intimidate him lmao
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gilt-cage
I want to know why you’re quitting after 10-pound weights.
…and if the inflammation is bad, I… can give you something. Let me see.
...thank you, but they’re fine. I’m really just tired, that’s all. And I should get going, I don’t want to be late to - training. I need to head home.
#giltcage#Adrian#//HE'S IN TOO DEEP#also he can't remember what Marcos' schedule is for the day so he's praying Julia doesn't know either
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gilt-cage
Wh–
…
…Let me see your fingers.
....
Why.
#giltcage#Adrian#//the first 100% accurate Marcos impression lmao#he doesn't like /anyone/ looking closely at his hands
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gilt-cage
Right…
Well, I suppose we all have our slow days. Why’s this yours?
It’s, um. It was a long patrol. I couldn’t do my full reps yesterday, and I was up early, so I came in now. I think I’m gonna call it, though, I need to just wait until tomorrow.
#giltcage#Adrian#//deer in the headlights lol#he's pretty sure who she is but does NOT know how Marcos speaks to her or what mannerisms to use
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Y-uh.
Yes ma’am. Just not a lot. I’m just, uh. Warming up.
Look alive, Silvas. I know it’s nearly to early to be counted as morning but–are there even any weights in that?
#giltcage#Adrian#//taken off guard and rapidly trying to work out who she is and how marcos would respond to her#//this is a good time to note that adrian's stopped bleaching his hair and their hairstyles more or less match again#adrian's is just a teensie bit longer#//also this is taking place at like 3am
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il--dottore:
The urge to grab at Matthew was nearly overpowering. But Giovanni didn’t do that; he didn’t touch Matthew first. He never did that. But how much could he say here? What could he say to diffuse this situation? Matthew’s temper was unpredictable and capricious; at least it seemed so to Giovanni.
But he must be careful to avoid appearing soft.
“If you would like to discuss some dissatisfaction you may have,” Giovanni said in a tone that was carefully enunciated, warning, “then see me privately about it. In the meantime–”
Matthew rounded on him in a sudden movement which sent medical supplies showering to the cement floor in a deafening clatter.
“DON’T–” Matthew’s hands froze, poised in the air as if in mid-reach for a strangle. “Start. Okay.”
“No, don’t you start with me.” Giovanni’s gaze flashed to Marcos’ wide eyes momentarily–they couldn’t do this here, right now, but– “I can’t read your fucking mind, Matthew, whatever miscommunication is happening here is your fault. How many times have I–”
Giovanni found himself looming over the shorter man–not too close, the phantom impressions of Matthew’s teeth stinging in his face–and the subtle expression of a cornered animal darkened Matthew’s pupils and quickened his breath. But he did not back off because he never did, in Giovanni’s memory. He had the look of a dog itching for a throat between its teeth. Regret and caution flooded Giovanni’s haphazard thoughts, but at the edges, there was a dark satisfaction, too. The moment hung suspended.
And then, suddenly, a form was interposed between them. Unnoticed by either, Marcos had jerked to his feet when Matthew spun around, and as Giovanni moved closer, all height and aggression, a protective surge rose up and managed to overwhelm even Marcos’ fear. Darting in front of Matthew, so close that his back pressed against the man’s chest, Marcos faced Giovanni with a pounding heart and shallow breath. His fists were raised, but held close in a gesture that was far more defensive than threatening, and though he had absolutely no plan besides perhaps to take a blow meant for Matthew, he stood now with a panicky defiance. “Don’t.”
Three’s A Crowd
#ildottore#somebloodysaint#Marcos#//brave boy#brave boy who doesn't understand the dynamic between the other two lol
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some-bloody-saint:
il–dottore:
Giovanni watched as Matthew’s eyes flicked briefly to Marcos, with an almost detached sort of interest, as if he’d walked into a room with something unexciting playing on television. Then they were back on Giovanni, and they burned suddenly like acid.
“Shut up, Silvas. Callaghan, Leave.” Giovanni was immediately aware of how petulant it was, how Matthew would see through it, and he scowled at the involuntary redness which bloomed at the tips of his ears. How dare Matthew. How dare he pull this in front of Marcos, of all people, whose use to Giovanni hinged entirely on Giovanni’s ability to intimidate from a high, untouchable place.
But now he was angry that Matthew was doing this, angry that Matthew had been playing him all day, angry that Matthew had clearly decided to punish him for some imagined slight which Giovanni hadn’t the foggiest idea of. He’d had the nerve to be worried, enough to put Matthew on this team when he had no such qualifications, just to see him and be close to him.
“Go wait in the hall, if you’re so impatient. That’s an order.” It was almost worth it, seeing the angry flush spread over Matthew’s face.
“Oh fuck off.” The venom tasted good in his mouth. Matthew began to cross the room to Marcos, Giovanni a vibrating, fiery beacon in the peripheral of his awareness (always), an anxious pit in his stomach, but belated fury sizzled around it. He positioned himself between the Exterminator and Marcos. His back felt naked.
Matthew’s fingers fumbled numbly with the clasp of his satchel. He could feel Giovanni’s eyes on him, though no retort was forthcoming; he was no doubt deliberating between embarrassing himself further and some other unknowable plot. Don’t always have a comeback, now, do you.
“Let me see it,” Matthew muttered, this time to Marcos, though the wound danced red-hot in front of his eyes. He blinked, frowned down into the contents of his kit.
“Matthew-” Marcos reached up and grabbed the man’s wrist as he tore open an alcohol wipe and raised it towards Marcos’ face. At first his grip was light, but when Giovanni shifted slightly in the background and Marcos refocused on him, his hand clenched around Matthew’s wrist and then abruptly released him. The utter disregard and disrespect Matthew exhibited was only matched in discomfort with the strangely convoluted anger now radiating off the Exterminator. Knowing he was repeating himself and already positive that it would make no difference, he whispered urgently, “Matthew please, just wait in the hall? I’ll be out in like five minutes, please-”
Three’s A Crowd
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Marcos’ eyes flicked over to Matthew, though he barely turned his head. He’d stayed seated when the others were dismissed, but was beginning to wish he’d been standing. It was true that the mission had gone well, and he’d enjoyed - if you could use that word in the context of a mission under BLI orders - the chance to work with Matthew. It was rare for Marcos to see Matthew in a professional setting, which was perhaps explained in part by the way the Exterminator had repeatedly assigned them to opposite locations in the party’s radius. It was nice to have a friend on the job.
Now, though, he was reminded of the last time he and Matthew had spoken of Giovanni, and he was not at all confident in how, exactly, Matthew would behave. Trying to catch the medic’s eye, he said, “I think I’m okay. It barely stings. I can meet you out in the hall in a few.” He just seems tired. I’ll be fine, whatever he wants to tell me shouldn’t take long. Let’s just get out of here as soon as possible and go get food.
Three’s A Crowd
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some-bloody-saint
What…? What–which friend?
Ludovico. You might want to check on him. I don’t know where the rest of his team is but he sounds like he could use a hand getting home before he bothers the wrong person.
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@some-bloody-saint
Matthew. Your friend is being stupid.
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some-bloody-saint
Oh. I mean–right.
I’ll call you, then. Or I’ll see you. Or–one o’ those. If anything happens. When–when somethin’ happens.
Okay.
...night, then.
#somebloodysaint#Marcos#//suddenly awkward#but he didn't ask matthew to double confirm that he'll call#which means he trusts that he will
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