Disclaimer: I do not own Detroit: Become Human. This story contains violence, abuse, and dark themes. Viewer discretion is advised.
DATE: -, -, -
TIME: 12:37:06 P.M
"What is your name?" He didn't answer the question. He didn't want to. Instead, he gnawed on his bottom lip, keeping his mouth shut and glaring down at the table. It was a cream-colored polished top that reflected his face back at him like the surface of a glittering pond in summer. Across the table, Eli gave a heavy sigh. "Please, we need to get through this. What is your name?"
"… My name is…" his throat clenched. "…Gavin Reed."
"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Reed." Eli greeted, smiling politely. "How old are you?"
"… I turned 26 in October."
"Happy late birthday, Mr. Reed. When exactly was your birthday?"
"October 7th."
"What year?"
"2002." Eli nodded in approval.
"Let's talk about your family, Mr. Reed. Who is your mother?"
"… Maria Reed."
"What about your father?"
"Scott Reed."
"Do you have any siblings?"
"… No, I'm an only child."
"I see. So how did your parents raise you?"
"They didn't. They died in a car accident when I was three."
"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that. Where did you live after your parents passed?"
"I lived at the Maple Woods orphanage in North Carolina until I was eighteen."
"When did you move to Detroit?"
"Last January."
"And why did you come to Detroit?"
"I wanted… to live a new life here. To become a detective."
"I hope that works out for you. Now let's see how much you know. Who is the Kamski family?"
"… I don't know who you're talking about, but I know the guy who founded CyberLife is named Kamski."
"Do you know this Kamski?"
"I've seen him in magazines."
"Is that a yes or a no?"
"… I mean, I know who he is."
"Mr. Reed, have you ever spoken to Kamski?"
"I can't say I have."
"Have you ever shaken his hand?"
"No."
"Has he ever contacted you?"
"No."
"So, you don't know Kamski?"
"I... I..."
"Mr. Reed, just say, 'You don't know—"
"I can't do this, Eli!" Gabriel's angered scream cut off Eli, a loud band accompanying it as he pounded his bandaged fist on the table, shaking it. Eli didn't flinch. He just sighed solemnly.
"... I understand this is difficult for you, for both of us. But I know you can do this."
"No, I can't," Gabriel argued back, his voice grumbling, unlike Eli's soft one. "This is a stupid plan. Let's just forget this whole dead act and show them I'm alive. Then you don't have to worry about keeping this secret, and I still get to call you 'Eli.'"
"You know it won't be as simple as that."
"I don't give a damn. What more can they do to me, huh? I've taken their shit for years. A few more won't hurt."
"The Kamski family isn't for you to be a part of anymore." Eli's tone sharpened like the end of a blade. "You don't know how close you were to death. Believing you could survive a second time is a false hope. You must understand that this will give you a second chance at life. A better chance. Don't you want that?"
"Not if it means I leave you behind!"
"… Gabriel," Eli sighed, his tone softening and losing its edge. "You aren't leaving me behind."
"But—"
"Listen, please," Gabriel felt Eli's hand grasp his. "Don't see this as you abandoning me. On the contrary, this is you finding freedom for the both of us. I can't explain how happy I'll be reading about how you saved lives in the latest magazine. To me, that'd make all of this worth it. To see you have a life you never had the chance to live. Can you do that for me?"
"I…" he squeezed Eli's hand, building his resolve, "Yes, I can do that, for the both of us… But, if something ever happens… If you're ever hurt, I'm coming back for you."
"Thank you. You don't know how happy you've made me." Eli smiled contently, wiping his eyes with his free hand. "… Are you ready to continue?" Gabriel held on tightly to the hand for one lingering moment before letting it go.
"Ready when you are, Mr. Kamski." Gavin finally answered.
DATE: December 18, 2038
TIME: 9:13:05 P.M.
"It's pay to enter." The burly bouncer demanded with an outstretched hand impatiently waiting.
"Yeah, yeah, here you fucking go," Gavin huffed, rolling his eyes as he shoved the crumbled bills into the bouncer's hand. The bouncer let him through the door, and the musk of body odor mixed with alcohol and the pounding of heavy bass assaulted his senses. The red and purple lights of the dance floor illuminated the gyrating bodies while more patrons watched from the crimson-cushioned booths sipping on their drinks. He felt stuffy in his black leather jacket.
"You look troubled, Gabe."
"Troubled?"
"Yes. If it's about the raid, know you won't be alone."
"Pfft, I'm pumped more than anything for this raid."
"… Then what troubles you?"
Gavin pushed a lock of his greased-up hair behind his ear and clicked on his earpiece.
"I'm in." He said.
"Good," Allen's voice vibrated in his ear. "Locate our targets, then get out of there."
"Not a problem." He maneuvered through the crowd and to the bar. It took a while for one of the bartenders to get him, but she had a smile on her face.
"What can I get you, hotshot?"
"A dry martini would hit just right."
"You got it." Despite it taking a minute to be served, his drink came promptly. He'd say this was a fine establishment if it weren't for the drug dealers. He looked over the crowd as he sipped on his drink.
"It's just something stupid."
"Stupid or not, I want to hear it."
"So… you know how Connor and I were attacked by those white suits."
"Reed, you're here?" Gavin snapped out of his daze at the question, looking to his side to see Leo staring at him aghast. Gavin nearly dropped his drink.
"What the fuck are—" He paused when he realized he was shouting. Even with the loud club, he didn't want to risk drawing any kind of attention. He slapped a couple of bills on the table before grabbing Leo by the arm and dragging him through the crowd.
"Hey, let go of—" Leo was cut off when he was shoved through the bathroom door, the booming music and chatter of the club becoming muffled in the stale bathroom.
"What are you doing here?" Gavin firmly questioned when there were no signs of anyone else in the bathroom.
"Why does that matter to you?" Leo scowled, brushing off the arm Gavin had grabbed as if it were stained with dirt. "I think it's more weird that you're here. What are you up to? Does E—"
"Listen, to me, Leo," Gavin interrupted, grabbing Leo by the shoulders, "I don't have all the time in the world right now. I'm here for police work, now what's you're excuse? Run out of ice?"
"Fuck no!" Leo looked appalled, "I'm here because…" his gaze drifted to the side, "Because Elijah hasn't called me or texted me or anything. It has me real worried, you know?" He looked Gavin in the eyes. "Then, when I was cleaning up one night at Baker's, I heard some guys talking about coming here to figure out what they would do with Elijah. I wanted to try and catch them in the act," he lifted his jacket, revealing a small camera shoved into the inner pocket. "I just wanted to help."
"… Right," Gavin let Leo go, tone less strict, "You don't have to worry about those fuckers, 'cause that's why I'm here. To make them pay. You need to get your ass out of here before everything goes to hell."
"But I want to help."
"Yes, I know. What about that?"
"Yeah, well, when we fought, I got the upper hand on one of them, and I…"
"You what?"
"You're no help if you're dead," Gavin said. "Elijah's been avoiding you because he doesn't want you caught up in all this. He'd kill me if I let something happen to you." Leo looked like he was about to retort but kept his mouth closed. "Get out of here, got it?"
"Yeah, fine. But after this is all done, could you please ask Elijah if he can at least say 'hi.'"
"Sure. Now, get out of dodge." They left the bathroom, and Gavin watched to make sure Leo had left the club before looking for the suspects. He found two of them, Woods and Simkin, drinking at a booth with other drunk men. He reached up to his ear.
"I've got Woods and Simkin. They're sitting in the fourth booth on the south wall with three other men."
"Got it." Allen curtly responded. He looked around for the remaining two and found Gallo hanging the DJ booth, his arm around a woman's waist.
"Gallo's in front of the DJ booth. He's with a woman."
"Noted. Find Combs, then get out of there."
"I took her knife from her, and I went to stab her… But then I saw her eyes, and I couldn't go through with it."
"Gabe—"
"I know, I know, I can't play nice and all that. I wasn't planning to. I mean, I could beat that killer android, but her…"
Gavin didn't find Combs, but he did find a striking pair of green eyes that stared down at him from the second-floor balcony. He smiled as he waved up at Felix, whose scowl deepened. He went to the stairs and had to squeeze past a woman in black and Combs, who was sliding ever so closer to her, to make it to Felix. He raised his hands, showing they were empty. After a moment of scrutinization, Felix motioned for him to follow, and he went further back into the club where no patrons could be found, and the few people present shot him nasty glares.
"What are you doing?" A female voice hissed into his ear.
"Trust me." He whispered back
"I'm giving you three minutes." Felix opened the door squished between two steely-eyed guards, holding it open for him.
"You first." Felix didn't hold back the disdain from reaching his voice.
The large office was like an isolated island free from the chaos of the club that had a luxurious atmosphere with the red velvet walls and black leather furniture. One of the black suits he'd seen in the footage, a man with sharp green eyes and clean-cut silver hair, stood aside from the main leather armchair. Siting relaxed in the sleek black armchair, with a curious gleam in his eyes and a luring smirk, was Urban. He looked different from the footage that Gavin had seen. His fringe was combed over to the other side, a patch of irritated scalp peeking through, and bandages were wrapped around his neck and hands, but that didn't stop him from wearing his jeweled rings and necklace. The most notable difference was that his canine tooth was now golden, making his smile glimmer in the warm light of the artificial candles.
"I was the one that started the fight with her. She looked so young. Barely out of high school, if that. If I had taken the knife to the android, he would have come back like nothing ever happened… She wouldn't."
"I see… Have you shot people before?"
"Shooting someone charging you with a knife and stabbing a girl you've pinned down to death isn't exactly the same thing."
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Gav." Urban greeted Gavin like the detective hadn't just been locked in the room with him. Gavin noted the two exit doors on either side of the room. "Please, have a seat." Urban gestured to the chair across from the coffee table.
"I'll stand," Gavin said, pushing the chair aside, but Felix went to push it back.
"No, no, let him do as he pleases," Urban said, and Felix stepped back with a nod. "He is our guest, after all. And as our guest, I'm sure he'd like a drink." He snapped his fingers, and Eunice came over with a tray of fizzing champagne glasses. She didn't look him in the eyes as he took a glass, but not a sip. "Look at you," Urban quirked his head to the side as he tapped his chin, "You don't look as threatening as everyone's been telling me."
"That's because I haven't kicked your ass yet." Gavin scowled.
"Oh, you're feisty. How fun," Urban mused, leaning back in his seat. "What business do you have here?"
"I want to make a deal."
"A deal? How bold of you. This better be worth my time. Your well-being depends on it."
"Reed, what's your status?" Allen questioned in his ear. Gavin reached up and pulled out his earpiece.
"There's a SWAT team outside right now," He said, "They have their sights on four of your drug workers for the 'break-in' on Master Elijah's residence. Let them take the fall so the DPD can drop this case."
"Hm, you're asking me not to interfere for your sake?"
"No, not my sake. I've got some real delicate footage that journalists would drool over." Gavin couldn't help the smile that crawled onto his face when Urban's faltered. "All I'm saying is that I'll keep that cursed footage to myself, and you let this case settle and leave Master Elijah alone."
"… Have those slobs as you please. But you want me to leave that traitor off Scott free," Urban scoffed, "You must have lost your mind." Gavin clenched his fist.
"Haven't you sick fucks done enough?"
"You think that's enough?" Urban's face split into a grin as he laughed, "Hear my words, Gav," he leaned forwards and reached underneath his coat, pulling out a golden knife that he twirled between his fingers, "Enough, would be dragging a knife across his throat. I don't know how Elijah wrapped you around his finger, but I assure you it's all a façade. That soulless psycho doesn't have any care or love to give a lonesome orphan such as yourself. You are nothing but a pawn to him, and he'll never give you another thought after you're reported dead tonight."
"Gabe, that feeling deep inside of you that keeps you from committing horrors is a blessing. You have a sense of self-control that most of our family lacks and deserve more admiration than they ever gave you."
A commotion erupted from outside the room, with screaming and shouting and the unmistakable booms of gunshots. But the most alarming of all was when the door to the office was violently kicked open. The woman in black barged in, her dark top and skirt stained, and her black bob was messy. Chloe pointed her handgun at Felix, who charged her. Gavin used the distraction and hurdled his glass at Urban's face, the delicate cup shattering and slicing his face. The golden knife grazed his temple as he moved in to punch the stunned man, but his fist was caught by the black suit, who twisted his arm and swept his legs out from under him.
"But, as much as that trait is a gift, it is also a curse. A curse that will damn you the moment you expose your underbelly."
"Come, Master," the black suit urged and pulled Urban from the chair and rushed him to the office's back door. Gavin caught sight of Eunice's gun as he was getting to his feet and hurriedly flipped up the coffee table to shield from the incoming bullets. Unfortunately, some struck the bulletproof vest he had underneath his leather jacket, and he kicked over the table to crash into Eunice.
"Reed," Chloe urgently called out to him as she kicked Felix out of the office, where a collection of running footsteps rushed towards them. "Move it!" Gavin led them through one of the exit doors while Chloe covered the rear as they ran through the halls.
"They're this way!" someone shouted from behind as Gavin burst through a door into what looked to be a storage room filled with stacked boxes and shelves lined with old junk. They both crouched down behind two different stacks of boxes, and Gavin pulled out his gun, racking it back.
"Damn." He heard Chloe curse when she realized that her gun was empty.
"Here," he took out one of his extra magazines and slid it over to her, just as the door was slammed open.
"Those bastards gotta be in here."
"Light 'em up as soon as you see 'em. The boss wants 'em six feet under."
He felt his palms sweat and his heart rate quicken as the multiple pairs of footsteps approached, and he looked over to Chloe. She gave him a firm nod, angered determination burning in her narrowed blue eyes. Gavin nodded back, tightening his grip on his gun, and edged close to the corner. In a nearby mirror, he caught a glimpse of the head goon with his muddy eyes searching and finger on the trigger.
"There'll be times when you must rid yourself of any trace of mercy and restraint. This will be one of them. They seek to do more than destroy you. And you must fight back."
The first bullet he shot grazed the goon's cheek, but the second hit its mark, burying itself in his head before anything could be done. He ducked back at the hail of bullets that came his way and maneuvered to a more secure form of cover. Chloe had a different strategy, leaping from cover to rush them, but miraculously dodged every bullet while shooting her own. After the hail of bullets subsided, Gavin took a deep breath and charged out of cover.
"You need to find that heinous part that lurks deep inside you and welcome it with open arms."
He shot the first goon he came across, stomping over his crumpling body to shoot another before one managed to grab his shooting arm, trying to pull it away. Gavin quickly released the magazine from his gun, falling to the ground with a clatter. Then, he heard the click of a gun ready to fire.
"Embrace whatever atrocious impulse floods your mind."
He twisted the man's arm and swung him around, using him as a human shield to take the hail of bullets, and waited for the empty click to kick the body crashing into the other goon. The heel of his boot was crushing the goon's throat a moment later.
"Don't let it consume you but guide your hand."
Footsteps rushed him from behind, and he went for an elbow that the larger goon shrugged off. The meaty mitts grabbed him by the throat and rammed him against the shelves, shooting pain through his back and making him struggle for air as the hands squeezed. Gavin's hands reached back to the shelves, his right hand wrapping around something metallic and firm.
"I know you have it in you."
He whipped up the object and cracked the wrench across the goon's skull, but the large man held firm with a pained groan. Through gritted teeth, he swung again, but this time there was a wet crack that made the goon back off, releasing Gavin, who hunched over, coughing. Gavin finally breathed through his sore throat, glaring down at the goon cradling his bleeding head. His grip tightened like a vice on the wrench.
"Do not be afraid of this feeling."
Gavin brought down the wrench again, a burst of red spraying into the air like crimson fireworks and again with every strike. He didn't know which hit snuffed out the goon's life. He only knew that he wouldn't be getting up when bloodied grey matter clung to the stained wrench.
"With it, you will be victorious."
He looked around and saw no more goons but heard Chloe fighting a few aisles over and went to help her. An electrifying pain greeted him when he came around the bend, sending him reeling back into a stack of boxes he toppled over. There was a ringing in his ears, and he felt warm blood oozing from his head as he forced himself to get up, holding onto his wrench. Felix's electric baton buzzed with energy as he stood before Gavin, glaring at him past the blood dripping from his snapped stitches. The snap of a switchblade sounded behind him, and he glanced to see Eunice flanking him, not looking any better.
Gavin made the first move and charged Felix, swinging his bloodied wrench. A sparking crack popped in the air as the metal wrench and electric baton collided. A burning shock surged through Gavin's entire arm, forcing him to drop his wrench and dodge the following baton swings. Eunice's knife was cutting into the nape of his vest as he grabbed Felix's grappling hand and kicked back, hitting her away.
Their balance was lost in their grappling match that involved kicks and punches, but Gavin twisted so he'd land on top of the man. Eunice was there to kick him in the jaw before he could take the weapon and he fell to the side, she putting all her weight on his chest. Gavin made sure his legs fought to keep Felix pinned down by the neck, kicking at his thrashing arm while holding Eunice's arms at bay as she desperately tried plunging her knife into his throat.
"Just die," she pleaded through her gritted teeth as a biting pain dug into his calf. He could feel his muscles struggling to keep on fighting, exhaustion starting to loom closer. He couldn't die here, not when he hadn't yet made these fuckers pay for all the horrors they forced his brother to endure. Releasing one of his hands, the knife cut into his collarbone, but that must have been a flea bite compared to what Eunice must have experienced when he drove his thumb into her green eye that popped like a fresh grape. She rightfully screamed in pain as he dragged her off him and ripped his leg from Felix's teeth, kicking him straight in the side of his head. "Bastard!" she vehemently cursed as she dug her knife into the wrist of the hand that had gouged her eye. He shrugged it off.
Beside him, he saw Felix shakily getting to his feet. Chloe came barging in and taking the baton-wielding man head-on with bare fists. Gavin focused back on Eunice, who ripped the knife out of his wrist to stab again but paused, staring at the knife with her remaining eye. The end of the blade wasn't colored crimson but a dark purple that dripped like ink from the knife's edge. His bloodied hand swiftly snatched the knife in her grasp, and he pinned her head back by the hair. Without a moment's hesitation, he plunged the knife into her chest and violently twisted it out, her single green eye-widening in shock.
"You're lucky that's all I did." He hissed, getting off her dying body and running to help Chloe despite his fatigue. He rammed the knife into Felix, who was in mid-swing, allowing Chloe to deliver a nasty punch to his head which Gavin followed up with a kick to the gut. Felix faltered, falling back hard onto a metal table, knocking off old papers and nick knacks atop it as his head thumped against the edge. He groaned, holding his bleeding head.
"Reed, let me." Chloe firmly said, her eyes like daggers piercing into his own form with her hand outstretched. He handed her the knife.
"You think..." Felix's sentence died as his eyes drifted past the pair. Gavin knew his eyes were witnessing the image of a dead Eunice. "… Sis," his lip quivered, and his shaking hand latched onto his baton. "I… I have one last request," his glossy eyes snapped to Gavin, "Tell Master Elijah…" he slowly got to his feet, swaying unsteadily, "That he deserved every cut, burn, bruise, and more." He lunged at Gavin with a snarl, and Chloe met him halfway with the knife, ducking under his slow swing to bury the knife into his throat and sending him crashing to the ground. She then took his baton as he clawed at the knife and brought it down on his head in one clean blow. He went still. Chloe stepped back, her black heels disturbing the fresh puddles of blood. She looked at Gavin, and Gavin saw just how bloodstained she was with red and blue.
"Are you alright?" she asked.
"Yeah," he breathed, feeling numb from his adrenaline crash, "You?"
"Functional."
"Good, good." She moved closer to him, her stunning blue eyes having lost any ire.
"You know what happened to Elijah." She stated solemnly.
"… Not everything, but I saw enough to make me wanna puke."
"Does he know you know?"
"No, or I don't think so, at least."
"Alright… You need to leave and reunite with the PD."
"And you?"
"I have everything under control. Make sure to hide your wrist."
"Right. Stay safe, Chloe."
"You too, Gavin."
The cold air from outside was refreshing for his sore and tired body, snow crunching underneath his staggered footsteps and ragged breath coming out in a frosty mist. He walked around to the front of the club, where silhouettes danced in front of red, blue, and white lights that flashed brightly in the night.
"Hey, Reed's over here!" he heard someone yell, and a silhouette raced over to him. "Holy shit," He had to fight against flinching as Troy grabbed him by the arm, looking relieved yet taken aback as he led him over to paramedics. "What the hell happened to you?"
"Angry drug dealers." Gavin only let the paramedics clean up the wound on his head and give him a bottle of water before shooing them away. He was sitting on the ground leaning against a police car with a blanket over his shoulders and a water bottle in hand when Allen came over to him. He didn't look pleased in the slightest.
"What the fuck happened to the plan?"
"I'm good, thank you." He grumbled. "Look, I didn't plan to get jumped when I was looking for Combs. They scattered when they heard you guys bust in. How did apprehending the suspects go?"
"Everyone except for Woods was shot dead in the shootout, but he's not talking. We've got him in custody, and the Lieutenant will have a crack at him tomorrow."
"That's something, at least. Do you need me here for anything?"
"No, we have everything under control here. Go get some rest."
"Yeah… That's probably for the best."
TIME: 11:37:09 P.M.
"Are you sure you don't want to go to the hospital?" Tina asked for the fifth time on the ride to the motel.
"Yes, I'm just a bit beat up, not dying," Gavin said, trying to ignore his slowly growing headache.
"I told that idiot to take this seriously. He's lucky you're still alive."
"I wouldn't blame him. No one expected that attack to happen. But, at the end of the day, I still kicked ass, and we got one of our suspects in custody. So I'd say this was a success." Tina stopped the car in front of the motel and gave it a skeptical look.
"This is where you're staying while your apartment's being fixed?"
"Hey, it's cheap." He stepped out of the car. "Thanks for driving me while my car's in the shop."
"Anytime, Gav. Get some rest." He closed the door and watched Tina drive off. The front desk worker didn't look too surprised by his state when he walked in, glancing up from his phone once before being sucked back in on the device. He ambled to his room door and went to knock, but his knuckles met thin air as Eli opened the door.
"Come in," He ushered him inside and locked the door, "We need to get you cleaned up." He brought him to the bathroom, which already had medical supplies set up on the counter.
"Damn, slow down, Eli. I'm not that badly hurt. Though my wrist isn't in the best shape."
"Which one?" Gavin held out his hand, purple fluid staining his wrist, and Eli grabbed it, examining the damage.
"It's fixable. Take a shower to get all that mess off you, and I'll patch you up."
In the shower, Gavin thoroughly cleaned out the bite on his leg and washed out all the bodily fluids that tainted his hair and skin. He didn't leave until the red water running down the drain turned pink and then clear.
"I've heard there were fatalities," Eli said as he finished bandaging Gavin's leg. They sat on a towel on the bathroom floor, the scent of blood and alcohol heavy in the air.
"Yeah, shit got real messy," Gavin said, pulling down his sweatpant leg.
"You did what you had to to survive."
"That's how things are, aren't they?... Leo was there."
"He was?" Eli raised a brow.
"Yep, he was there because he thought he'd get information to help your situation, even if it was a dangerously stupid idea. Said he was worried since you weren't contacting him and that he wants to hear from you. You know he cares a lot about you, right?"
"Oh, I couldn't tell," Eli sarcastically remarked, picking up a needle-like tool with a glowing blue end. "I'll get in touch with him after all this is over." He tapped the rim of the tub, and Gavin rested his injured arm there.
"Do you know who Felix and Eunice were?"
"Yes," Eli nodded. "They had visited my residence in the past." A weird tingling sensation tickled his fingers, and Eli stuck the tool inside his damaged wrist. "From how you speak of them, I am assuming you had to put them down?"
"You make them sound like animals. Though you wouldn't be wrong to. They enjoyed watching you burn." Eli froze, and Gavin bit his tongue.
"How…" Eli removed the tool, keeping his gaze low and voice controlled, "How do you know they were there?"
"I…" Gavin contemplated lying but decided against it. Eli would find out sooner or later. Why not now? "When I first ran into them, Eunice was going over the footage. Footage from… your house. She uploaded it to a drive that I took from her. I—"
"What all did you see?" Eli interrupted him, a twinge of dread in his tone.
"I couldn't watch all of it, but I saw enough. It—"
"Gabe," he interrupted once again, but this time there was a bite to his voice that made Gavin uneasy, "Tell me exactly what you saw."
"Well, uh, I saw when the Gorski's first came and did… the pool stuff." He tried keeping the images out of his brain as he spoke, "There was that time when that witch took a hot poker to your back. Then there was the Gorski game."
"Which one?"
"The… one with the whips. And that's all. I couldn't watch anymore." He watched Eli pinch the bridge of his nose with a disturbed sigh, looking anywhere but him.
"I'm sorry you had to see that."
"Hey, don't apologize for that. I wanted to know." He moved over closer to his brother. "And I tried using it as leverage against that sadist. He said he'd wouldn't interfere with this case… But he still wants to skin you alive. Most everyone feels that way towards you. Do you know why they hate you so much?"
"… Yes," Eli sighed, leaning against the rim of the tub. "When I still believed you had truly passed, a piece of myself died with you. I can't explain how I felt, but I know it made me… take out my frustration on the family. I didn't kill anyone; however, I didn't need to to bring them the same suffering that I felt. They believed I got off easy when I agreed to Father's deal to remain in that dammed house. So, I wasn't astounded when given a chance to properly punish me, they'd wholeheartedly enjoyed it. And… I don't entirely blame them for that."
"You're talking like you deserved all this."
"Deserved or not, it happened, and holding a grudge against them for it will drag everyone down. This is simply how things are."
"That doesn't make it right!" Gavin's frustration rose as he snapped.
"Do you think they care whether it's right or wrong?" Eli almost chuckled. "We take pleasure in being cruel to each other. And so, we shall partake in cruelty's desserts. Can you comprehend all the horrors they'd do to you if they found out you're alive, to get back at me? I can and those horrid thoughts were what helped me to endure it all. Let them take all their hate out on me, even if it kills me, so you don't have to suffer at their hands once again." His hands curled into fists. "That's all I wanted to accomplish, but I couldn't even do that because of my weakness. I've dragged you back into this living hell! The one fucking thing I wanted in this goddamned world, and I can't even—"
"Eli," Gavin reached out and grasped his brother's shaking hands, "Breathe. It's alright." Eli seemed surprised by his outburst and slowed down his breathing. "It's impossible for you to do everything, and there's nothing wrong with that. You can't protect me forever. I don't want you to end up getting yourself killed trying. I know shit's gonna get fucked up, and I'll be here with you for it. I told you then I'd be there for you, and I'm here now. I'm not going anywhere, not this time."
When he squeezed Eli's hand, his brother squeezed back. Eli leaned forwards and rested his head against Gavin's, letting out a heavy sigh and a single tear running down his cheek. They sat there in silence together.
