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thebiscuiteternal · 6 years ago

Text

Catharsis

The Commander finally snaps a bit. Written for @lohelim

Keeping track of time was a pain when you were underground. Sinnigia had begun tracking the hours by visitors. Rox, Braham, Buri, Denny, Luci and Turi, Zafirah, Each of the Cosmogen girls, even Canach and Rytlock had eventually found their ways back to leave tribute or Aurene or food for them.

By her count, it had been two days.

Taimi had yet to come down. Sinnigia couldn’t blame her for that. And then there was-

Familiar heavy tread made her look up to see Denny approaching, three bowls and a water skein balanced on a makeshift tray. “Your turn again already?”

“Nah,” he said as he laid the tray down on the crystalline floor next to her. “I switched ‘shifts’ with Veppila.” He sat down as well, then leaned around to look at Cloeme, still silent and still in her arms. “Any luck yet?”

She sighed. “I managed to coax a few sips of water down her throat, but she’s…” She looked down at her twin, then swallowed painfully. “I’m afraid if I let go of her now, I might never get her back.” After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence, she tilted her head towards him. “Do they need us?”

He made a motion that wasn’t quite a shrug. “Want, definitely. Need… our crew’s holding up giving the orders for now. Mainly just focusing on getting everyone rested and healed before we try anything else. Hilina’s already forging more spears. Honestly… there are a lot who are worried about both of you, but nobody wants to bother you yet. Except for-”

They both stiffened at the sense of a familiar presence. Speaking of bothers... “Caithe, out,” she snapped without turning her head.

Ignoring her order, now-audible footsteps approached. “Cloeme, please liste-”

Glare sharp, Denny started to get up. “Caithe, why don’t you just-”

"No."

Sinnigia blinked in surprise at the raspy mumble beside her and instinctively pulled back to let Cloeme haul herself to her feet before realizing something was very wrong. There was still no life in her twin's gaze and her movements were.... unnatural, but when she reached up to close her hand around Cloeme's arm, her sister shook her off.

"No," Cloeme said again, slowly advancing on a suddenly very nervous Caithe, her gait stilted, almost puppet-like, "Let her speak her piece. Come on, Caithe, tell me you know exactly how I feel."

Sinnigia traded nervous glances with Denny, then she got to her feet as well to catch her unsteady sister.

Again, Cloeme shook her off, more forcefully this time.

"After you spent my first year condescending to me, hiding things from me, outright lying to me even while I tried to help you get your friends back and fight a war at the same time. After you stole Aurene's egg from me and dragged the entire Pact into your idiocy. After you swore you'd do right by her, even die for her, only to show up and complain to me about not getting enough rewards for the job you took on.”

Three more steps forward, no less stilted, and Caithe backed up. “After you begged me to trust you again, promised you'd earn it again, only to spy on Blish and me and do nothing to help until it was convenient for you. After I trained her, went through the trials for her, crawled back from death for her, only for you to be rewarded for all your backhanded bullshit by being the only one to hear her voice before she was gone. After all that, go ahead, Caithe, tell me you know exactly how I feel!"

Not waiting for a response, Cloeme turned away from the openly gaping target of her rage, only for the motion to pitch her weakened body forward. Sinnigia lunged to catch her around the shoulders and waist before she could hit the ground face first.

"Or just go back to hiding in the shadows until you feel like pretending to be helpful again," Cloeme muttered, the last of her strength and anger spat along with the words and leaving her sagging in exhaustion and trembling in her twin’s arms. "That's what you've always done best."

Carefully, gently, Sinnigia lowered her sister down to sit back on the ground. It wasn’t quite back at their vigil spot, but she didn’t want Cloeme trying to walk again in her state. When she looked up, she was hardly surprised to see Caithe gone, but Denny still remained, watching them in open worry.

“What do you need?” he asked quietly.

Sinnigia took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Could you see if there’s a spare blanket for her?”

It was more a request for privacy than any real need and they both knew it. But he nodded and leaned down to put a hand on her sister’s back in reassurance before heading back towards the barracks.

She turned her attention back to her shaking sister, and found Cloeme had folded in on herself, fingers digging into her own arms hard enough that they threatened to split bark and cellulose. “Cloe. Cloe stop that,” Sinnigia coaxed, finally having to carefully pry Cloeme’s hands free. She gripped her twin’s wrists in one hand and folded her into a tight embrace with her other arm, resting her cheek on Cloeme’s petal hair.

“I’m sorry,” Cloeme murmured, barely loud enough to register as actual sound. “I’m sorry.”

It was hard to tell what she was apologizing for. Or to. Going off on Caithe? Losing Aurene? The failure of the plan?

Sinnigia chose the first, allowing them to avoid the deeper pains for a moment. “Shh, shh. Don’t be sorry,” she said, giving Cloeme a squeeze and beginning to rock her gently. “If you hadn’t said anything, Denny or I probably would have punched her.”

The noise that came in response could have been anything from a sob to a laugh, then empty quiet fell over them once more. She closed her eyes, willing back the uncomfortable weight that settled in her mind as Cloeme’s presence faded.

She heard Denny’s return approach and started to lift her head, only to make an undignified squawk when she was blinded by fabric. Freeing a hand to pull back what turned out to be a blanket over her head, she shot him a not at all serious glare, to which he gave an unrepentant grin.

“They had two,” he said as he wrapped the other around them both, then sat back down where he’d left the food and water. “Is she…?”

“She’s sunk back into herself, yes,” Sinnigia said, managing to keep most of the hurt out of her voice.

Denny nodded in understanding, then offered one of the bowls. Letting go of her twin’s hands and resolutely not watching them fall limp in their laps, she reached out to accept it one-handed.

They ate in oppressive silence as they kept watch over their family, the one they’d already lost and the one they still might yet lose again.

#gw2 #guild wars 2 #all or nothing #fanfic

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