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the-snake-and-the-statue · 2 months ago

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The dungeon door suddenly opens.

Slyn drowsily lifts his head as Icia and... someone else comes into view. His eyes narrow.

"What do you want now?" he hisses.

Icia steps forward, kneeling in front of him and presenting something.... a pillow. Slyn's head tilts as he stares at it... what is this? Some kind of mockery? A gift?

He looks up at her face. "Icia, wh-"

He stops dead in his words. There are tears running down Icia's face.

It's been so long since Slyn has seen her cry like this... last time, it was of grief and anger. Her silver eye gazes back at him... there's no anger. But there is grief. So, so much grief.

Slyn feels a cold shiver down his spine as his anger temporarily subsides.

"... what is this?"

"It.... was in Achilles' will."

It takes a moment before the daunting chill flushes through Slyn's face. His eyes widen as his hands take the pillow... the heads of snakes that make up his fingers rest into the plush sensation as a rushing forms in his ears.

"...... did he....."

Icia only nods, kneeling as tears race to drop and hit her hands in her lap. The person behind her glows blue in the dark... or moreso, parts of them glow blue.

Slyn's head drifts from side to side a little, as if his neck is losing strength to hold it up. A sick, nauseating, familiar feeling wells up in his stomach as he holds the pillow closer.

He doesn't have words.

There's a moment of silence.... before a very loud, muffled scream almost causes Icia and her guest to startle back. The pillow barely keeps Slyn's scream at a tolerable level.... his voice gives out after a few minutes, and he lowers the pillow, hot tears matching Icia's as they pool down his face.

I didn't even get to say goodbye, is what he wants to say. The words don't present themselves like that. They come out as ".... was he happy to go?"

Icia nods. Slyn can't decide if he feels better or worse about that, the ill feeling inside churning as if trying to break free from his stomach and take over his whole body. He can't remember the last time he felt that pain, despite its familiarity.

The misery is too much for him to be angry. How could he be? Achilles has been wanting this for years, and he finally got it. How could he be mad?

After a moment, Slyn manages to collect himself. Icia hands him a letter.

"In his will, he left you a pillow... and I decided to give one of his blankets as well. I know you don't do well in the cold."

"Don't pretend to care about me and if I'm okay in the cold or not."

"She's not pretending."

Slyn's head snaps up at the unfamiliar voice.... he focuses on the figure behind Icia, a masculine figure with strange legs... they seem to shrink a bit under his natural glare.

"... Icia," he mutters, bitterness returning. "Who is that."

Icia stands, motioning the figure to come closer... Slyn squints in the dark, eyes more then well adjusted but still unable to see some of their details. As he approaches, the plaid pattern of an unbuttoned shirt starts to grow visible, white eyes a stark yet not blinding contrast to the black around him.

".... Antonio, this is Slyn. Slyn, this is Starro, your... younger brother."

The hollow, bitter resent reclaims its stake on Slyn's mind as he makes out whatever details about this straner that he can. The glowing, bluish patches on his body are shaped like stars, he can see that clearly. Starro awkwardly waves, the star in the middle of his hand being easy to track through the absence of light.

"Hi..." Starro mutters. Slyn bites back an expression of disgust, hearing that young, almost feminine voice. If Icia didn't introduce them as such, he never would have even imagined two people so obviously different to be related.

Speaking of which, he can feel her gaze stiffening on him... she's expecting him to say something, and it's a challenge for him to not simply say 'fuck off'.

".... hello," Slyn finally spats. He hopes that this person can hear the hatred and disdain in his voice... which, given the way his eyes drop to the ground and Icia's narrow, certainly was heard.

Icia's sigh is almost just as frustrated.

"I have some business to attend to down here, cleaning up the rocks and glass so you aren't walking or sleeping on all of that stabbing crap."

"You don't need to."

"Oh for gods' sake, Slyn, I know I don't need to, but I want to. You do not deserve these living conditions... and I'm honestly ashamed I've let you live in them for so long."

Slyn mutters under his breath and looks away, arms folded. He bites back a 'thanks' as Icia goes back up the stairs of the dungeon and comes down with a broom and dustpan.

"You two may talk as you please... I only ask that you keep things civil," she says with a cold stare at Slyn before going to one corner of the dungeon. Starro takes a seat on the ground where he is, and says.... nothing.

For what feels like forever, there is no sound except the gentle sweeping of the broom. Slyn's hateful gaze never leaves Starro.

"..... are you... lonely down here?"

"No."

"Got it, got it, um.... you have a nice plant. You seem to take really good care of it"

"........"

The uncomfortable tension rises as Starro stiffens.

".. Come on, man, work with me here, I'm trying to talk with you."

"And I'm trying to not," Slyn hisses through barred teeth. "In case you haven't realized yet, I hate you."

Icia's head snaps up as she starts a harsh correction. "Slyn-"

"Viv, lemme talk to him, it's fine."

"Fine???"

Starro turns towards his sister. "This is our conversation, I can manage it just fine. I promise. Just let me talk for myself this time."

After a short pause, Icia nods and returns her attention to sweeping.

Starro turns back to Slyn, whose expression hasn't changed in the slightest.

"I was kind of expecting that."

"Good, so you aren't completely brainless."

A small dash of red shoots through the pale indigo within Starro's cheeks as Slyn continues.

"I'll say it again. I hate you. I fucking hate you, and I fucking hate your sister. I hate our whole fucking family, but I hate you two the most for replacing me and-"

"Replacing???"

Slyn's bitter yet controlled ranting grows into a harsher snarl.

"Don't act like you don't know- our mother and father gave me up when I was barely 3, and I went to the shittiest orphanage she could find. The one time I look them up and try to find her when I'm 12, what do I see? I see you four. Happy. Thriving. The whole happy-family experience."

"Now wait just a minute-"

"No, kid, you don't get to tell me to wait. I waited in that orphanage 'till I was 16, and then I was out. I waited for our mom to come back for me while you guys had her and our dad. You all had the good family while I was fucking forgotten and thrown out for NO damn reason!!!"

Starro stands, the rest of the indigo fading into a pale red. "Don't you talk about our family like we were perfect, you had no IDEA what we went through!!! And for the record, we didn't even know about you until a few months ago! You can't be mad at US for something our mom did, and we didn't!!!"

Slyn stands as well, raising only slightly above Starro. "I'll be angry at you two all I FUCKING want. I should have been part of your family! I should have had the family meals and parents who celebrated my goals and whatnot, but instead, I got stuck with even MORE women who didn't give a shit about me and only paid attention when I did something wrong!!! I don't care what your mom did, she was supposed to be mine as well!!!"

If it weren't for a serious glare from Starro, Icia would be pulling him back up the stairs by now, muttering about how terrible this idea was. Her legs freeze in place (for once, not literally), however, and she finds herself unable to do anything but watch as Starro steps towards Slyn. Angry tears prick his eyes.

"You don't know the hell that woman put us through," he seethes, stars brightening. "You don't know the hell she put ME and VIV and OUR DAD through. Our mother was an insane Catholic woman who would berate you and hit you for anything that didn't align with her conservative values!

"And it was so much worse after Viv here disappeared, because she was so insistent that her golden child would come home that she took all her anger out on me and our dad, who was too fucking meek to stand up to her. Our mother was an ABUSER, AND SOMETIMES I WISH I DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A MOM BECAUSE OF WHAT SHE PUT US THROUGH!!!"

"DON'T YOU EVER FUCKING SAY YOU WISH YOU DIDN'T HAVE A MOM, I WOULD HAVE GIVEN ANYTHING TO HAVE A MOM EVEN IF SHE WAS SHIT, BECAUSE AT LEAST SHE WAS THERE FOR YOU GUYS!!!" Slyn screams, eyes blurry with red and tears.

"YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT OUR FAMILY, I WOULD HAVE GIVEN ANYTHING FOR WHAT YOU SAY WE HAD!!!"

Slyn can't remember the last time he felt this angry, as he rears his hand back and prepares for a slap. Icia's eye widens.

"Try it, Slyn. Hit me. I fucking dare you to try."

Starro doesn't flinch. He doesn't move. His voice has lowered to a deathly calm yet threatening tone.... for a moment, Slyn thinks he sees the flickering of a glitch those glowing, white, tear-filled eyes.

His hand shakes...

Come on Slyn, do it, fucking hit him already, he deserves it, go on, hit him, he replaced you, it's all... his... fault....

.... and he falters.

Slyn's head tilts to the ground, tears falling onto the stone below.

"... it's all your fault," he whispers angrily. Starro shakes his head.

"... no. It's her fault."

Slyn staggers back until he feels his hand against the mossy wall, and he sinks down and leans his head against it in a pathetic attempt to hide his tears. Starro follows and sits next to him, crying softly as well.

"... it isn't fair," Slyn mutters. "What kind of a person gives up their child and then goes on to have two more, not even a few years later...?"

Starro just looks down, blue starting to overtake the red of his stars.

".... not a good mother, that's for sure. And she wasn't one, not at all. She hurt us all. She tried turning us into things we weren't, all in the name of love."

"I would have taken it regardless."

Slyn turns to Starro. "All I wanted was to be loved by someone."

Starro looks back at Slyn. "It wasn't love, though. She thought it was.... but it wasn't. It was hatred. It was paranoia."

"Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference."

Starro looks down.

".... not if you know what real love looks like."

Slyn's closes his eyes, trembling as he curls his hands into fists. "She could have shown me what it looked like."

"No, she couldn't. Her delusions and religious ideas warped it all. Her view of love was just as fucked as yours is now. Abuse isn't love, no matter how you justify it."

Starro turns so his back is against the wall, as he stares at the large plant. The memories are painful... it hurts to hear Slyn say how he wishes he had their mother, knowing who she was.

"Beatings... yelling... cursing... I tried everything to escape it. Viv had to protect me sometimes, she was the only one who could really calm Ma down. I was nothing to our mom without Viv."

Icia feels as if she's been stabbed with those words.

"And when she was gone.... everything kind of went down the drain. I tried to be a good son for her. I really did. But everything about me was wrong... my face, my style, my voice, my behavior, my friends...."

He looks back at Slyn. "You wanted a loving mother. You deserved a loving mother. That wasn't what our mom was."

Slyn doesn't respond.

".... I'm... sorry she gave you up. I'm sorry you had to live in that orphanage..... and I wish I could tell you why she did it. I can't, though. I just can't. But... to be honest... I'm kind of glad you didn't have to deal with her. Not having her meant you didn't have the abuse... the yelling... the fights... the stupid church...

"But, we seriously didn't know anything. She probably kept you secret for a reason... probably 'cause I think if we did know, we'd have tried to find you by now. Does it, I dunno... make you feel better to hate us?"

Slyn hesitates before shrugging.

"... you're the closest things to her, I guess."

"We aren't her though... we were fucked over by her, too. Not in the same way that you were, but she kind of fucked us all over. It's not a 'you against us' kinda thing. It's us against her."

Starro looks at Icia, who quickly resumes sweeping and pretending she hasn't been near tears this whole time. He pretends to not notice, redirecting his gaze to Slyn still leaning against the wall. He's stopped crying, but tears and specks of dirt streak his face.

"... can I admit something?"

Slyn's gaze lifts to Starro.

"I was really kind of excited to hear that I had a sibling, when we first learned. I've always wanted a brother."

"You don't want me as your brother, kid," Slyn retorts, turning away. "That's the most ridiculous piece of bullshit I've ever heard, look at me."

"I mean... Viv does, and she had to deal with you first hand. If she likes you enough to still want you in our family, I wanna give you a chance too."

Slyn tries to maintain the disdain in his voice. "That's long overdue. I don't wanna be part of your damn family, especially not with that poor excuse of a mother."

There's a silent moment, and Slyn wonders if he struck a nerve. Not like he cares though... why would he? Right?

"... what if it was just us?"

"... what is that supposed to mean?"

"I mean, we're... kind of all we have left. You don't have to deal with her."

Starro looks back at Viv again, who's paused to stare at a shard of glass in her hand. She swallows thickly, the forming tears in her eye glistening in the dark and reflecting his blue glow.

"Again, I don't understand what that's supposed to mean."

Starro hugs his legs a little.

"... last time I saw my mom, I was paying for her hospice care at an old nursing home. There's no way she's still alive. And... our father passed a couple years after Vivian disappeared, heart condition."

He stares straight ahead.

"Any grandparents we have probably aren't around anymore... we don't have contact with any of our cousins or aunts or uncles.... it's just us."

A tense, melancholy silence hangs in the air.

"... sorry for your loss."

Starro wipes his eyes a little, the grief coming off as a kind of numb feeling that brings a dark, pale blue to his stars, before he turns to Slyn.

"It's just Viv and I now... but it could be all of us. We can't really give you the feeling of having a mom that you've wanted, obviously, and Viv and I aren't perfect with each other either, we're both still dealing with what our mother did and we have our ups and downs... but it's better than nothing."

"... so..?"

"So, we can be an actual family. The three of us. We can be that healthy family you thought we had, with family dinners, and talks, and whatever. That's what Viv's been wanting to do this whole time with you, after all..."

Slyn's irritation, unbeknownst to him, starts to fade.

".... you realize how fucking cheesy all of that sounds, right?"

Starro shrugs. "I may have watched a tad few found-family movies growing up."

Slyn stares before bringing a hand up to his mouth, stifling what Starro really hopes is a genuine laugh. "Yeah, that makes sense... you know what else you are?" he asks with a possibly real smile.

"What?"

"Stubborn as a damn mule."

Another shrug. "Runs in our blood... from what I've heard, you used to be pretty stubborn, too."

"Used to? This man STILL won't accept that people actually care about him here, even with everything Yume, Raina, and I have been doing," Icia chimes in.

"No one asked you," Slyn retorts with a growing grin. Both Icia and Starro force a laugh in response, though neither particularly dislike the comment, as Slyn turns around and rests his back against the wall. "Besides... I don't need to accept anything I don't think I'm worth."

"You're gonna have to accept that some people like you eventually."

"Yeah? What about the other residents?"

Starro looks away, sucking in air sharply through his teeth.

".... no comment?"

Slyn sighs and rests his chin on his knees. "I really don't understand why you're trying so hard. Why you and Vi- Icia, both are."

"Do you seriously need me to summarize everything I just said before...?" the younger asks. Slyn shrugs.

"Our mom fucked us all over, and our dad let her. Maybe not all in the same ways, but she still fucked us over. She fucked you over by not giving you a family, so the least we can do for you is try and give you one now. Or at least a good support system while you- while all of us- heal. Mainly from her, but also just everything in general."

"... even with who I am?"

"Who you used to be, Slyn," Icia interjects. "It's not you anymore. You've changed and grown a lot, you aren't the abusive king you once were."

Starro nods. "People change, for better and for worse. You got people here who want to see you get better... and I'm willing to bet money that you want to see yourself get better, too."

The silence is deafening, but not nearly as tense as before. Slyn tilts his head back, thinking about their conversation so far. The short screaming match, the tears, the admittance, and the reassuring... all from this one person he knows nothing about.

"..... question. How old are you....?"

Starro falters at the sudden question.

"... um... 25?"

"Huh.... 7 years younger than me and still wiser."

"You're only 32?!" Icia exclaims, once again pausing from her cleaning duties.

"... yeah."

"You said this whole time you were 40."

Starro stifles a laugh. "I can believe that."

"Hey!!"

The laughter of all three echoes through the entirety of the dungeon.

"Uh... yeah. I honestly don't really know why I lied about it."

"I mean..." Starro stretches his legs, adjusting his shirt. "I lied about my age all the time when I was a teen-"

"Antonio!!!!"

"Lo so, lo so, that's why I didn't tell you, Viv, or else you'd never let me hear the end of it. Be glad I'm not telling you why."

"I don't think I want to..."

Slyn chuckles a bit... something sounds oddly genuine about it.

"Lo so, hm?"

"Yeah, it means "I know" in Italian. ... wait, did you live in Italy?"

".... yes? Until I was 17." he nods.

Starro feels that he probably should've realized that. "Sooooo... parli italiano?"

Slyn hesitates. "... um."

Starro's mild excitement disappears. "... you can't speak italian, can you...?" he asks, a little disappointed.

"I never needed to. I wanted to get out of Italy as soon as possible, so I didn't put effort into learning the language aside from basics. The only subject I put in any effort in school was English, and I moved to England once I turned 17."

Starro wrinkles his nonexistent nose a bit. "England?? Really?"

"What, do you think I was going to go to America? The states?"

"Kinda... but like... England? Really?"

"That would explain the accent you had when we first met... you've really lost it over the years," Icia thinks, remembering how he used to speak. It was a slight accent, but noticeable nevertheless.

Slyn shrugs. "In hindsight... I certainly could have gone somewhere else. But at the time, I just wanted to get as far away from Italy as possible."

"Jesus... you really aren't a fan, huh?"

"It's just the memories.... unfortunately, England didn't end up being much better, either. Bad memories were replaced by even worse ones... ones I'd really rather avoid talking about right now."

"That's fair, I get that..."

There's a small, awkward pause.

"... your name is... Starro? Right?"

He nods. "Mhm. Fitting, huh?"

"Mmh..."

Starro looks down at his hands. ".... you can also call me Antonio, though. If you want. It's something just for friends and family."

".... I'll stay with Starro. We're not quite family. Or.. friends."

A little glow of blue seeps in through the tips of Starro's cheek stars, but he shrugs. "I mean, I would consider you both.. but alright, up to you."

"You barely know me. We're family only by blood," Slyn replies. His tone is relatively neutral.

"That doesn't change things for me."

A hint of annoyance grows in Slyn's voice. "You only met me today. We have had one somewhat decent conversation, and that's all it takes for you to consider me a friend? Is it seriously that easy for you?"

Starro tries not to look away or feel embarrassed... he can't tell if this is Slyn trying to shame him for it or not.

"... yes?"

"..... Icia, is this also the way you see me?"

"Yes, it is, actually," she answers, gathering the glass and rubble she's swept into a large pile, gathering it into a large dustpan. "The difference is, I know you more. No, I don't know what your past is like, and no, I don't expect you to care for either of us, especially if you think us to be 'replacements'... but I still know you. I know what entertains you. I know what bores you. I know what you enjoy, and I know some of what you cannot stand."

Icia shakes her hands out, sweeping dust off them. "I remember many of our interactions and bickering, Slyn, even long before 'her'. I have known you for quite some time, just as you have known me."

"... and you're still insistent on me being part of your family."

"Once again, I know you. You will hear it so many times, you are not as terrible as you once were. You deserve good things.... whether you accept it or not. Do you also deserve to atone for your actions? Yes. But do you also deserve to heal and embrace a kinder, healthier life where you are loved now...? Also yes."

Slyn's head hangs low as Icia approaches.

"I know you don't like us whatsoever as if now... but, as Tonio said earlier, it's not you against us. I hope you accept that, one day... because we both want to embrace you as family."

It doesn't make sense, he doesn't understand.

"... why, though....?"

"That's the question, isn't it?" Starro chimes in.

"We moreso think of it as... why not? Not like we have other family to consult about this. It isn't like you being a Marino will affect anyone else in a negative way."

"And if it does..?"

"Well...." she shrugs. "We'll cross that bridge when we reach it."

Slyn says nothing for a long, long, long time. Neither do Icia and Starro, as they wait for some response, any response.

".... I would like some time alone, please. To think it all over."

"That's completely understandable. And perfect timing, I just finished cleaning," Icia nods.

"... did... um...."

"..?"

"... did you at least enjoy our conversation....?"

Slyn stares at Starro's hopeful face... it's so interesting to him how such simple eyes can be so expressive, full of almost a childlike hope.

".... yeah. I did."

Starro's stars glow a warm yellow as he beams.... the color reminds Slyn of something surprising. Fireflies.

"We'll let you rest now, Slyn. Do you need anything else?"

Slyn thinks a moment before shaking his head. "I don't believe so.... but um... thank you for visiting today. And.... the pillow, and blanket, and cleaning up down here so no one gets hurt."

Icia's smile is soft and warm. "You're very welcome, Slyn."

She suddenly pauses. "Oh- I almost forgot, I have something for you."

Slyn tilts his head as Icia pulls an old photograph out of her skirt pocket. His eyes widen; its the photograph of him and his mother when he was born.

Icia hands the photo to Slyn, who stares before taking it. "I know you probably don't want this... but I feel you should be able to do whatever you want with it. It's yours, after all."

Slyn immediately turns over the photo, not wanting to look at the picture. He already saw it the first time, he doesn't want to see it again. Instead, he turns it over.

"Benvenuto primogenito, Vincent Marino"

.... Vincent Marino...

The more he reads the name, the more it regains its familiarity until it's no longer just a name. It's his name.

"It's a nice name, I'd say... Vincent Marino. It fits. Vincent, Vivian, and Antonio... Vin, Viv, and Tonio..."

Slyn does not respond.

"We'll leave you be now.... Tonio? Anything else to say?"

"Not that I can think of.... it was really nice meeting you, Slyn, I hope we can talk again sometime soon. Even if you don't like me, I really enjoyed talking to you," Starro says with a smile, standing up.

"I agree. I hope all three of us can talk more in the future... but until then, goodnight Slyn. I hope you sleep well. Thank you for being at least somewhat willing to talk to us."

Icia goes and grabs the broom and dustpan, before walking up the stairs with Starro. The dungeon entrance closes softly behind them... and just like that, Slyn is once again left in solitude with his thoughts.

Normally, after this kind of thing, Slyn would find himself with bitter tears falling down his face, or he'd punch the wall until his snakes are bruised and bloody. This time, however... he feel calm. Tranquil, almost.

He looks down at the photo in his hands, turning it over and staring at the picture. Even through the dark, the outline of his mother causes a hint of anger to swell within him. He still doesn't understand why she left him, or why she had kids after him. He stares at the baby in her arms... such an innocent, unaware, little being, who grew to be abused, and then eventually an abuser. He wishes someone could have scooped that child into their arms and given it the love it deserved.

Slyn wonders if his mother held his siblings in a more loving way when they were born... he almost wishes he could still be mad at Icia and Starro, but they're right. Its not him against them. They didn't know, how could they be at fault for their mother's actions?

The fact they still want him to be their brother, though... it still doesn't make much sense to him. After everything he's done to others, after everything he's done to Icia. How could she be willing to forgive him? Why is she willing to forgive him?

Slyn lies down, resting his head on the pillow. It's been so long since he's laid his head on something soft other than his arm or a patch of overgrown moss. Pulling the blanket over himself, he finally feels truly warm for the first time he can really remember.

Slyn stares at the photo as his eyes grow heavy.

"... Vincent Marino," he whispers. "Marino. I'm a Marino."

For the first time since learning about it, he doesn't entirely hate how that sounds.

Their mother won't ever be my mother, he thinks, shoving the picture under his pillow. And... they won't be my siblings.

Not yet.

But....

He closes his eyes.

I guess it's not so bad to have someone who cares for me. Better late than never, I suppose.

....

Goodbye, Achilles. Thank you for giving me something to sleep with. I'm sorry you aren't here for me to see it.

He curls up and falls asleep, mixed feelings drifting around his mind.

#slitheringredemption #frozenblade #starsprings

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