Ambition comes before the fall.
Iason put the last of his necessary belongings into a canvas backpack and strapped his transformable blade to his hip. He turned to the person beside him, his younger brother. More precisely, his adoptive brother, who was currently staring at the frosted grass of the estate's backyard. Iason placed a hand on his brother's smaller frame.
"Lav.. you should really come with me. Father isn't a stable man."
Their father, Wilson Wintry, was the one who adopted the both of them. Iason Viole in Vacuo and Lavande Belle in Mistral. For someone with such a large estate in Atlas, their father had a great tendency to travel around for questionable reasons, mainly to increase business particularly in Mistral's black market. For someone so prestigious in both the political world and the underworld, not many consider how the children he "adopts" are not quite meant to be children but meant to be used as tools for whatever personal purposes he pleases.
The other male remained quiet, intensely thinking over possible outcomes. There was a very high chance of their father finding them if they were to run away to Mistral. Seriously, what was Iason even thinking when he decided to sneak to Haven Academy? Lav was sure Father's friends would find them and contact their father. He could only imagine the magnified rage of Wilson Wintry. Thus, there were many risks in Iason's plan, even if he was right about the sick quality of their father's character and tempermant. Finally, he whispered, "I know, but I'm not leaving."
"Then why..?"
"W-what if he finds us- you?" His lip trembled at the thought of what could happen.
"That's why you have to come with me!" Iason emphasized as his grips on his brother's shoulder tightened. "Once he finds out I ran away again, he's gonna take it out all on you."
"But how will we make it? I can't survive or make it in a combat school like Haven. Besides.." His voice quieted. "With that much people.."
Fog swirled from their breaths and halted as the conversation came to a pause. Lav was right that he wasn't as suited for combat like Iason and that Lav's Semblance could potentially become an inconvenience.
Iason's hands fell to his side as his fingernails dug into his palms. His eyes were downcast and his eyebrows furrowed together, thinking of anything that could convince his brother to come with him. The cold outside air of Atlas bit at the two figures standing under Remnant's night sky. "Maybe- maybe I can hide you somewhere? No, that won't work.. Maybe I can set up a place in the city where you can stay near the school..? Yeah! That's it! I'll get you an apartment near school.." The boy desperately rambled off on his idea.
Lav sighed and sadly smiled at his brother's recklessness. "There's really no stopping you."
Iason smirked impishly. "Of course not!" He slung an arm around Lav. "It'll just be you and me far away from that bastard."
"You know, Father has a lot of connections and contacts in Mistral."
"Connections and contacts whom I am very good friends with. And don't forget that you have some Mistral friends of your own."
"Right.." Lav replied stiffly. He didn't want to say it outright since it might shatter Iason's plans, but there were some things Lav didn't want to be reminded about Mistral, his birthplace.
"..too soon?" Iason tentatively inquired.
Suddenly, the muffled sound of heavy footsteps became apparent. Time was running out. Lav was usually a slow decision maker so Iason decided to take matters into his own hands. He grabbed his brother closer and whispered, "Just stay close to me."
With that, he took off, lugging Lav with him as he ran outside his father's main estate.
With that much hope from a dreamer, there's really no stopping Iason from doing what he wants.