Little later than I wanted but that's what happens when your mother jump scares you with a road trip then school starts and anxiety and depression give you a jump scare any way enjoy! also if you read stellurlune already disregarded all of the knowledge in there.

Linh POV

Linh stood outside Tiergan's house. She couldn't knock. It hurt too much to know that on the other side of this door was her brother and a hooded Neverseen member. Or ex-Neverseen member. It didn't matter to Linh all she knew was, that monster had torn her and her brother apart. And it hurt—a lot.

After 2 minutes of standing there with her hand raised to pull the string that rings the doorbell, she pulled the string letting out a fun little jingle that did not fit her mood. Tiergan opened the door so fast Linh jumped a foot in the air.

"Linh what a pleasant surprise! How are you?" Tiergan said ushering her inside.

"I'm ok I guess," Linh said softly.

"You worried about Tam aren't you," Tiergan stated.

"Yeah … I don't know what to do without him, but I'm so mad at him too. I don't want to fight with him but he's just not listening," Linh whispered.

"Want some advice? Maybe hear his side and I mean really listen and perhaps see if he's ok, he's been wincing at light recently." Tiergan said.

"He winces at light? He's never done that before," Linh whispered.

"He says it hurts his eyes, too bright or something."

"That's weird."

"You want me to get him?" Tiergan asked already walking away.

"I'll be in this living room," Linh said walking to the nearest one. Three minutes of pacing later, Tam came in the room looking extra emo with black fingerless gloves.

"Hi Hai," He said waving shyly. Linh rolled her eyes, the childhood tease feeling out of place for the conversation they were about to have.

"Hey Tammy, we need to talk."

"Yeah, I know," Tam said flopping onto one of the plush couches, burying his face in his hands.

"Stop being dramatic"

"No."

Linh dragged a hand down her face. It's ok start over she thought. She took a deep breath.

"Tam, I am here to hear your reason for trusting Glimmer."

"What?" Tam said lifting his head.

"I want to know why you trust her," she repeated.

"Why?"

"You're my brother Tam I don't want to fight with you. And also I kinda miss you." Even though she whispered the last part she could tell Tam heard.

"I miss you too Linny."

"I'm also here to see if you're ok."

"Why? I'm fine."

"Stop acting like a teenage girl Tam. You were kidnapped and enslaved for months with weird glowie light things on your wrists and Tiergan says you are wincing at light."

"No, I'm not! I'm fine, they didn't hurt me," Tam said standing up.

"That is not true! When you wouldn't shoot me with shadows you started screaming," Linh raised her voice.

"That only happened when I didn't do what they wanted!" He yelled back.

"How often was that?"

Tam pierced his lips. Ok so often Linh thought.

"Seriously Tam I need a number," she pressed.

"Three times a week," he whispered.

"WHAT?!"

"Linh, chill I'm ok,"

"No your not!"

"Yes, I am!"

Linh pulled back the shades and the sun shone directly into Tam's eyes. Tam cried out. His hands flew to cover his eyes. Linh quickly closed the shades and ran to her brother.

"Oh, my goodness are you ok? I didn't realize that it would do that. Oh my gosh-"

"Linh chill I'm ok," Tam said shoving his hands in his pant pockets.

"No your not Tam. You are not ok. I'm taking you to Elwin." Linh grabbed his arm and started dragging him to the door.

"What? No, I'm ok. I don't need to go to Elwin." Tam tried and failed to make Linh let go of him. Halfway to the door, Tam tugged hard enough to pull out of Linh's death grip.

"Linh, I promise I'm fine. I don't need to go to Elwin. Besides if he's taking care of me who will take Sophie's house calls?" Tam tried to joke.

"She'll have to get a different doctor," Linh said in a no-nonsense tone. Tam winced Linh never used that tone, only to their parents. Linh grabbed Tam's arm and shoved him through the door up the stairs to the lampmaster and through the light.

It took an hour to track down Elwin. Linh noted that after every leap Tam got dizzy and needed to wait a few minutes before he could leap again. They found Elwin at his house. They gave him a real shock when they knocked on the door. "What are you two doing here?" Elwin asked opening the door to let them in.

"I want you to check Tam," Linh said firmly. It wasn't a question something was wrong. Tam's concentration was always higher than hers. He shouldn't be getting dizzy after one leap.

Elwin blinked "Oh." He lead them to a room with a massive bed and shelves full of multicolored vials and an entire shelf dedicated to just bottles of youth.

"Ok Tam, sit down," Elwin pointed to the bed.

"No, I don't need you to check me. I'm fine it's just Linh freaking out," Tam said rolling his eyes.

"I'm not freaking out! Wincing at light and getting dizzy after one leap is not ok."

"Dizzy after you leap? Tam that's not ok, that's very dangerous. How about this, I check you, and if everything is ok, Linh owes you something," Elwin said pushing Tam toward the bed.

"Fine."

Tam sat on the edge of the bed. Elwin put on his glasses and snapped blue light around Tam's body. Tam yelped and his hands flew up to block his eyes.

"What's wrong Tam?"

"Too bright," Tam squeaked.

Elwin frowned and the light faded. Elwin held Tam's hands and shone a white light directly into Tam's eyes. Tam screamed. Elwin snapped away the light.

"Light poisoning," He said shaking his head.

"But isn't light poisoning when you leap too much and doesn't your eye color change?" Linh asked.

"Well, that's light poisoning for everyone else but shades are a little different. The medicine is different too," Elwin explained.

"And that is?" Tam asked.

"Gonna put you in a dark room for a few days. Don't worry it's not painful. I've been told it's very relaxing." Elwin reassured "Oh and you are dehydrated," he said handing him a bottle of youth.

Tam drank it in one gulp. Elwin handed him another one which he drank just as fast. And another one, and another one, and another one. Until he almost finished the shelf of bottles.

"I think that's enough for now, besides I have to get your room ready. Oh and maybe emotional support stuffed animal. But what should it be? Maybe an owl. Ooh or a bat. No coyote! The coyotes are awesome. I'm thinking out loud aren't I," Elwin asked dryly.

"Yeah," both twins said at the same time. They looked at each other. It wasn't often that they had the same opinions on anything.

"Sorry, I think out loud when I'm at home I don't have company often," Elwin explained sheepishly.

"It's ok," Tam said flopping back on the bed, stretching his limbs out like a starfish.

Tam POV

30 minutes later Tam was given a black coyote stuffed animal which he refused to admit was adorable, and a pitch-black room. And when I say black I mean like midnight black. And not one other color just black. It had one window that was quite large but was covered in thick black curtains that blocked all the possible light. The bed had so many black pillows that he could barely see the black covers. Next to the bed on both sides were ebony side tables. That's all there was a bed a window and a door that lead to a blinding white bathroom.

"Alright, Tam are you ready to sleep for a few days?" Elwin asked.

"What?" Tam asked his eyes going wide.

"Well since you're basically going on a detox, you need lots of rest!" Elwin said with a dizzying amount of energy.

"But I'm not tired.," Tam stated dryly.

"That's why you need to drink this," Elwin said wiping a vial out of seemingly nowhere.

"That's a sedative isn't it?" Tam asked boredly.

"Mhm."

Tam rolled his eyes and put the vial to his lips.

"Wait!" Linh called out rushing into the room with a bundle of something pink and black in her arms.

"What is that?" Tam asked. Linh triumphantly handed him a pink shirt that said in big purple letters. 'Happy Shadow Thoughts' on the front, ' ANGRY ECHOS BEWARE!' on the back, and black pajama pants.

"Thanks, Linh,"

"You're welcome. Now go get changed so you can go to bed," Linh said pushing him toward the bathroom.

Tam changed as slowly as possible. When he was done he left his clothes in the bathroom. Tam took a deep breath and stepped out of the bathroom. He shoved half the pillows on the bed onto the floor and crawled under the thick covers.

"OK, Tam you ready?" Elwin asked.

"Sure,"

Elwin handed him the vial again. After confirming with Linh that they were in fact ready, Tam drank it in two gulps.

"Ew! Elwin that tastes gross!" Tam exclaimed. But before he could hear what Elwin had to say for himself, Tam fell into a dreamless sleep.

When Tam woke up there was a note on the bedside table from Elwin.

'Tam,

When you wake up open the curtains for 5 seconds then close them. There should be a few bottles of youth next to this note drink two or three before you drink the next sedative. Hopefully, this one tastes better. Sorry about that by the way.

Sweet dreams,

-Elwin

Tam blinked why did he need to open the curtains? He shrugged and got up. He pulled the curtains back. The light of the afternoon sun momentarily blinded him. He counted to five as quickly as possible then closed the curtains. After drinking three bottles of youths he got back into bed and drank the sedative. Nope still gross. Then Tam fell into a dreamless sleep.

The next time he woke up Elwin was just coming into the room and the bright light from the hallway felt like it was burning his eyes.

"Oh good your awake," Elwin said placing the tray he was holding on the side table.

"How long have I been asleep?" Tam croaked sitting up.

"Around 32 hours."

"WHAT!"

"Well you look a bit better," Elwin said.

"I was asleep for 32 hours, how is that possible!" Tam asked astonished.

"You were drugged to be fair," Elwin said unmoved. He put on his crazy glasses. Tam grabbed the tray of food and started eating the blue globs and red tubes.

"'kay, Tammy boy you ready for a checkup?" Elwin wasn't asking he was going to do it anyway. Tam rolled his eyes and nodded. Elwin snapped his fingers pink balls of light appeared from nowhere. Tam dropped his fork with a yelp and covered his eyes. Elwin frowned.

"Should have guessed it wouldn't fix itself overnight. Alright, finish eating. I gotta put the stuff I've been brewin' over the fire for a few minutes."

Elwin stood up and was about to walk out but tam grabbed his hand.

"What have you been brewing?" he asked nervously.

"Don't worry about it. It's just going to help speed up the healing prosses. It goes in the sedative," Elwin said pulling his hand away.

"Is that what tastes so bad?" Tam asked

"Yeah sorry."

Tam flopped backward with a groan. Elwin gave a sympathetic smile and walked out. 3 seconds later a blur of blue and black rushed over to his bed and threw her arms around him.

"Yo Linh chill. What's wrong?" Tam asked wrapping his arms around her.

"Nothing I just got worried," she said her voice muffled by his shirt.

They stayed in silence for another few minutes. Both finding comfort in each other's arms. Linh sat up wiping her eyes. Tam sat up as well. Linh passed him the discarded tray of food. Tam glanced at his sister. She had bags under her eyes, and her clothes were wrinkled and looked loose on her already small frame.

"You haven't been eating or sleeping have you?"
"Not really" Linh rearranged herself into a pretzel rubbing the back of her neck. Tam gave her a look. "I had breakfast," she tried. One look at his watch told him it was 7 pm.
"Seriously Linh you go at me for not eating lunch but you don't eat lunch or dinner?" Tam said eyes narrowed. Linh failed in making herself smaller. He wordlessly handed her the fork.
"Tam you need to eat too," Linh argued.
"We'll share then," he argued back. Linh sighed "Fine"

5 minutes later Elwin walked in with a tray of vials in different shades of grey each one getting darker than the last.

"How's it going in here?" Elwin asked placing the tray on the bedside table.

"Good," they said together.

"Great, Tam, time to drink all of these darkest to lightest. Got it?"

"What are they?" Tam asked.

"Shadows in a bottle plus a bit of shadow vaper," Elwin answered.

"How'd you do that? You're a flasher," Linh asked.

"I asked Lady Zillah to help me. Once I told her who it was for she helped me no problem. now drink up the last one is a sedative by the way."

"Thanks, Elwin," Tam said as he reached for the first bottle. The lights abruptly turned on. The light burned his skin. Tam screamed all of the shadows in the room zoomed toward him wrapping him in a soft embrace.

"Tam are you ok?" Elwin asked.

"I-I think so. Could you turn the lights back off please?" Tam asked his voice up several octaves higher than usual.
"Ya sorry hit the switch by mistake," Elwin said "Real quick question though how hard is it to use your powers?"
Tams eyebrows forward that was a random question.

"Its fine. Why?"

"You sure?" Elwin asked

"Yup"

"You sure your sure?" Elwin pressed.

"I mean it's the usual rush then frozen feel in my fingers and toes then warm pit in my stomach. So I think it's fine."

Elwin tilted his head and turned the lights back off. The shadows slipped back into their places.

Tam began drinking all of the bottles but halfway through he noticed that Elwin was staring at him

"What?"
"The way you described using your powers. All the shades I've spoken to described it differently," Elwin mumbled.

"Really what did they say?" Tam asked curiously.

"Well, they said everything slows and their fingers and toes heat up, then there's a cold feeling in their stomachs," Elwin explained sitting on the other side of the bed.

"So what your saying is the way my powers work, is different?"

"Looks like it."

"Oh" Tam looked down at his hands.

Linh looked at her brother, he looked confused and lost not something she was used to. He was the twin that always knew what to do and what to say when she was having a hard time with her powers. Now she had no idea how to help him.
she scouted next to him and wrapped her arms around him. Tam leaned into the hug but didn't blink or look away from his hands. They sat there in silence for 5 minutes before Tam grabbed the last of the vials and gulped them down all at once.

"No, wait-!" Elwin tried to worn him but Tam already passed out without even complaining about how disgusting it tasted.
"He's gonna regret that later. Oh well."

Linh looked at Elwin with a sad smile. Looking back at her brother she lifted the blanket higher and brushed Tams bangs back. Elwin tapped her shoulder. Linh looked up.
"Come on I think it's time for you to get some sleep to," Elwin whispered pulling her up and out of the room.
"Ok," She wasn't gonna argue with the man that could just knock her out anyway.
Elwin tucked her into bed and she fell asleep.

So I'm not in love with how it ended but oh well.

Fun fact! Tam's name means twin his second name is beloved/shine/tremendous. Linh's name is Soul and her second name is Sea so...Beloved Twin and Soul Sea are very close and love each other dearly.