Not of Sound Mind

by Pairiny10

Gavin Reed had escaped his family years ago and was now living a happier life, even after the chaos of the Android Revolution and some unwanted feelings developing. But the peace in his life doesn't last when a distressed ST200 runs into the precinct stained with his brother's blood. He's soon reminded of how much he loved Eli. He's also reminded of just how cruel Kamskis can be.

5. Chapter 4: When Can You Know Me?

Disclaimer: I do not own Detroit: Become Human. This story contains violence, abuse, and dark themes. Viewer discretion is advised.

DATE: December 12, 2038

TIME: 2:37:06 P.M

Gavin leaned against the hospital's waiting lobby wall, impatiently tapping his foot. Beside him, Connor and Anderson were seated, the human on his phone and the android probably reviewing files in his head. Gavin was both excited and terrified to meet with Eli. Excited to speak with him and terrified of what he had to say. But he couldn't let that show, unlike yesterday, where he was a frazzled mess of anger and fear. He had a decent poker face. He just needed to keep it up. He looked up as a nurse walked towards them, an android with a blue LED but no identifiers on her uniform.

"Sorry for the wait, Detectives," she apologized. "Mr. Kamski is ready for you now."

"Finally," Gavin grumbled.

"Don't mind him, Miss. He's an ass," Anderson said as he got up from his seat, Connor doing the same.

"It's alright, sir, I understand the frustration. Unfortunately, Mr. Kamski hasn't been… the most cooperative patient. Please follow me." She led them out of the lobby and to an elevator, pressing the fourth-floor button.

"Ms. Terri, what exactly do you mean by Kamski being uncooperative?" Connor asked the nurse as the elevator started to ascend.

"Well, with HIPAA, I can't give out specific details, but he's refused certain treatments and medication. He also wants to be discharged against the doctor's orders but says he'll stay until after you Detectives interview him." The elevator beeped as it reached the proper floor, and the nurse continued to lead them down a hallway.

"Has he said anything about how he got his injuries?" Gavin asked.

"No, he hasn't spoken much with the staff. But if he's willing to speak with you, he must have something to say." They stopped at a room with the number 313 and a patient's name reading Elijah Kamski. "Please knock before you go in, and if you have any issues, please press the help button, and we'll come to assist you."

"Will do," Anderson said, and the nurse walked away. "You two ready?" Connor and Gavin both nodded. "Here we go." He knocked on the door. "Mr. Kamski, it's Lieutenant Anderson and Detectives Connor and Reed. We're here to speak with you about the attack." It was silent as they waited for the cue to enter, but they didn't get one. The door suddenly opened with Chloe standing on the other side. She wasn't smiling this time.

"Apologies for the delay, Lieutenant, Detectives." She apologized. She shot Connor a slight glance.

"If you would like me to remain outside, I can." Connor offered.

"No, you may enter. I harbor no ill will for you. As I hope you don't have for Mister Elijah." She directed her gaze to Anderson. The Lieutenant nodded.

"Water under the bridge." She gave them all one final look over.

"… Then please come in." She stepped aside and let them in, Gavin being the last to enter. The rhythmic beep of a heart monitor was the only sound in the lifeless hospital room. Dim sunlight spewing from the large window draped over the medical machinery and white-sheeted bed where Eli was. Eli stared out the window, propped up by pillows. His left arm was bandaged, where IVs were protruding from the vein in his wrist. His other arm was in a sling with a brace. He was dressed in a pale blue hospital gown with his long dark hair flowing over his back and shoulders.

"How are you feeling, Mr. Kamski?" Anderson asked, sitting down in one of the chairs beside the bed, Connor sitting in the other. Gavin stood behind them, calmly leaning against the wall, hiding how furiously his heart was pounding in his chest.

"How do I feel?" Eli spoke up, voice still soft but monotone. He looked away from the window to face them. His complexion was sickly pale with bags under his blue eyes, though his greener-hued eye might have been bruised. Stubble had grown on his face, showing he hadn't shaven in a while. Angry purplish marks circled his neck, and Gavin doubted they stopped there. Eli was expressionless, his passive gaze lazily looking upon Connor then Anderson, not once drifting to him.

"I feel alive, Lieutenant." He finally answered in the same inflectionless tone. "How do you feel?" It took a moment for Anderson to respond.

"Fine for the most part."

"That's good to hear. What can I help you with?"

"We're here to help you, Mr. Kamski," Connor said. "We couldn't find any evidence of your attackers at the crime scene. Could you please explain what happened that night? We may get a lead on who did this to you and bring them in."

"That would be helpful." Eli mused. "Where to begin exactly?" He asked himself, staring off to look at something no one else could see. "It was around ten o'clock when the lights went out, and there was a noise in my bedroom. I had been reading on the couch in the living room with Chloe at that time. Chloe asked Charity to check the breaker outside and Chasity to look in the bedroom. That was when the attack happened…"

"And then?" Anderson encouraged Eli to continue. Another pause, the steady beat of the heart monitor filling in the silence.

"… We fought, and we fought…"

"We're they human or androids?"

"They were human. They sounded like there were on something. The fighting only stopped when the attackers retreated. I didn't realize Chastity was gone until then. To get help, I presumed. I told Chloe and Charity to clean up the mess while I went to rest in my pool room. But I couldn't find any peace there, so I went to the docks, where I remained," his eyes flicked over to Gavin for the first time since, looking just as empty as they had when looking at Anderson. The heart monitor sped up for a single beat. "Until Detective Reed found me." Eli's gaze returned to Anderson.

"I know that one of the androids went to get help," Anderson started. "But after the attack, why go outside in the freezing cold instead of going to the hospital?"

"I wasn't in the right frame of mind, and when my thoughts become so chaotically numb, I meditate. I do that best at the docks. As for why I chose to stay and not seek treatment, I didn't believe my injuries were serious."

"Not serious?" Gavin scoffed. "You broke your damn arm."

"I fractured it." Eli corrected, not looking his way. "And I didn't realize my arm was injured at that time." Anderson gave a quizzical look but kept his mouth shut. "You see," Eli continued, "I have a condition called CIPA."

"What's that?" Anderson asked.

"Congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis," Connor answered. "An inherited disease where there is an inability to feel pain and temperature, decreased or absent sweating, and in certain cases, a lack of hunger."

"Correct," Eli affirmed. "I may appear hurt, but truly I feel nothing."

"So, you wouldn't know the extent of your injuries?" Anderson asked.

"I would not, but my medical records have that answer."

"How about a question you can answer," Gavin started. "Why'd you have your androids clean up the evidence?" The question insinuated that the story told wasn't the whole truth, but Gavin had to question Mr. Kamski like he was in any other case.

"As I said before, I wasn't in the right state of mind, and neither were the girls." He glanced at Chloe, who stood unmoving with her hands behind her back. "I believe the trash has been picked up by now, so you'd need to go to the landfill to try and find anything. Is there anything else you want to know?"

"One more question, Mr. Kamski," Connor said. "Do you know anyone who would attack you?"

"... I can't say that I do. However, there may be someone who does. His name is Liam Zhuang. But he'll only talk if I'm there. So if you wish to speak with him, I'm willing to accompany you."

"You sure you don't want to be in witness protection?" Anderson asked.

"I would if my girls were at risk, but since they have refuge at New Jericho for the time being, I'm not going to hide. I hope I've given a suitable amount of information."

"You have. Thank you, Mr. Kamski." Connor thanked him as he stood up with Anderson.

"Please don't be afraid to contact us, gentlemen," Chloe said as she escorted them out. "And if anything were to arise, we'll get in touch with you." She closed the door. They walked away from the room before Anderson stopped and asked:

"Am I the only one that feels like he's keeping something from us?"

"You're not alone, Anderson," Gavin said. "There's something sketchy here."

"Mr. Kamski gave us something to work with, at least," Connor stated. "Investigating the landfill and speaking to Liam Zhuang. We can talk to Captain Fowler to see how he wants to tackle this." They continued down to the elevator, but Gavin stopped and felt his back pocket.

"Shit." He cursed.

"What's the matter?" Anderson asked.

"I think I dropped my keys back there. Go on without me."

"If you say so." He walked back down the hallway, the elevator with Connor and Anderson going down. He took his badge from his belt and shoved it into his jacket. The exciting feeling in his chest returned, growing stronger with every step. Chloe was standing outside Eli's door, patiently waiting for him. "Are you ready to speak with Elijah, Detective?" She asked softly.

"I wouldn't be here if I wasn't." He said, taking in a deep breath. She opened the door for him, and he walked inside.

He didn't know why he expected Eli to be in a different position; he sat just as he was before staring out the window while the heart monitor beeped rhythmically. However, this time, Gavin didn't need to speak first.

"You wanted to speak?" Eli asked, not flatly like before. There was a slight bitterness underneath his stillness.

"That's why I'm here." He slowly walked over to Eli's bedside and sat down on the edge. Eli didn't react, continuing to stare longingly at the window. He didn't come here to be ignored. He reached out a hand, gently placing it on Eli's. The beat of the heart monitor increased.

"What happened to you, E-"

"Don't get yourself attached. You know not to call me that, Detective Reed." Eli snappily cut him off, pulling his hand away, leaving Gavin's hand cold. Gavin tried pushing away the hurt that stabbed at his chest, curling his hand into a fist.

"Well then, Mr. Kamski, care to tell me what the fuck happened?"

"A little family drama is all," Eli said nonchalantly as if he were describing the weather.

"That ends with a broken arm?"

"It could have been worse."

"What were they pissed about?"

"There's too many grudges to keep up with. Things simply escalated more than I anticipated." That wasn't a clear enough answer, but he doubted Eli would give one if he asked. "There, now that I've told you, you can return to your life."

"And act like this never happened?"

"That would be preferable, Detective Reed."

"Well, that's not happening, Mr. Kamski," Gavin stated firmly, ready to stand his ground. "Let me help you. So, you don't have to fight them by yourself."

"I'm not alone. I have Chloe and her sisters."

"Yeah, and every single one of you is paying for it. You know deep down that this isn't right."

"That won't stop it from happening."

"Which is why you need me."

"If you believe I need you, you are sadly mistaken." Eli scoffed.

"I know you're just saying that to push me away." Gavin sighed, uncurling his fist. "I'm going to be here for you, whether you like it or not."

"Didn't I make myself clear? I said I don't need you, Detective Reed."

"Can you look me in the eyes and say that?" He challenged. Eli mumbled something underneath his breath and finally turned his head to look him in his grey eyes. The heart monitor spiked. "Gavin," Eli spoke just above a whisper as if he feared someone else would hear. "This is your last chance to turn back. If they find out who you truly are… you'll never have peace again."

"I'll never have peace knowing you can't have it too. I've been Reed for nearly a decade now. I can keep a secret. Tell me anything I can do to help, whatever it is, and I will." He reached out his hand again and gently grasped Eli's. "You just have to let me in, Elijah." Eli didn't pull away this time, sighing deeply.

"It was worth a try, convincing you to go." There was a soft knock on the door before Chloe let herself in, shutting the door behind her, LED yellow.

"They're here for you, Elijah. In the lobby." She spoke. "I've disrupted the cameras. I can give you roughly four minutes."

"I trust you will."

"Who's here?" Gavin asked, standing up.

"Caretakers and Mistress Kamski." Gavin felt the pit of his stomach drop. Mother was here? It was genuinely starting to dawn on him what he was getting himself into. But there was no cracking now, or ever. He wouldn't be a coward. Chloe went to Eli's bedside, grasping his hand as the holographic flesh on hers peeled back, revealing her true ivory skin.

"Be safe, Elijah." She said, almost pleading.

"I will, and you keep yourself in one piece."

"I promise, I'll make certain of it." She promised, letting go of his hand. She looked to Gavin, her expression hardening.

"Please, take care of him, Gavin. He's in your hands now."

"Trust me, I got him covered." He said, nodding confidently. She nodded back before hurrying out of the room.

"We have to get out of here, now," Eli said calmly. He held out his arm with the IV. "Get this out of me, and then get the bag from underneath the bed."

"Got it." Gavin quickly worked on pulling out the IV, before looking underneath the bed. He saw a black backpack and promptly grabbed it. He heard the heart monitor flat line and saw that Eli had taken the pad off his chest and thrown off the sheets. He took the backpack and pulled out a set of clothes. "Look away unless you want to see me change."

"You don't have to tell me twice." Gavin turned around as Eli got dressed, anxiously tapping his foot. Just to be sure, he pulled his gun from his holster to check that it was fully loaded. Hopefully, he wouldn't have to use it. After putting his gun back, he looked down at his watch, seeing that they had about three minutes left to leave. "You done yet?"

"I am now." Gavin turned around to see Eli putting his braced arm back in the sling, wearing black sweatpants with sneakers, and a plain grey hoodie, hiding most of his injuries. He took his glasses from the nightstand and put them on. The look kind of reminded Gavin of Eli during his college years. "Let's get to your car before the nurses get here." He said, slinging the backpack over his shoulder. Gavin peeked out of the room to make sure no one was in the hallway before leaving the room. "Take the stairs," Eli instructed.

"Will you be able to walk down all those flights?" Gavin asked.

"I can walk just fine." Gavin ensured that he was in the front of them as they hurried down the hallway and to the stairwell. Gavin heard the panicked voices of nurses down the hall just as he closed the door. They went as fast as they could without tripping, Gavin looking back periodically to see if Eli was still behind him. They finally made it to the bottom with Gavin's heart pounding painfully from exertion and fear. They just needed to get to his car without being spotted.

He cracked open the door and saw an empty hallway, down the left leading further into the hospital and the right to the waiting room he had been in earlier. He felt his heart freeze as he caught a glimpse of a woman sitting in one of the waiting chairs. Her back was to him with her dark brown hair streaked with grey that was tied up in a bun with her beige panted legs crossed over each other. Her ringed fingers tapped impatiently on the armrest. He shut the door.

"She's in the damn waiting room." He cursed.

"Wait a second." Gavin couldn't hear an ounce of worry in Eli's voice.

"Attention, please," a voice over the hospital's intercom spoke. "There has been a biohazard on the first floor. Therefore, we please ask that all guests on the first floor report to the hospital's front lobby. Please and thank you."

"Wait a moment, and we'll go through the back." Gavin used the moment to take a deep breath, keeping his nerves in check. He peeked through the door again, seeing that many of the lobby's occupants, including Mother, were gone.

"It's clear, come on." They headed down and through the winding halls of the hospital, ducking down and hiding behind walls on occasion to avoid the sight of hospital staff. Glancing behind him, Gavin saw Eli clutching his left side with a painless expression. "You good?" he still asked.

"One of my stitches came undone, but I'm fine."

"You're not fine." He growled back reflexively, rounding a corner. He immediately stopped in his tracks.

He could see the exit door, the glowing red letters above the door basically reading salvation, but the man standing in front of the exit door read otherwise. No, not a man. He was an android, with his short blonde hair neatly combed and course blue eyes the same hue as his LED. His face was recognizable, looking like one of the many early domestic androids he'd seen. The PL600? He wore a pristine white outfit of a nurse, but something told Gavin he didn't traditionally work here. His cold blue eyes were as piercing as icicles, instantly locking onto him when he rounded the corner, scrutinizing him in no way a caring nurse would.

"No guests are allowed back here, sir. There's a biohazard." His voice was just as harsh as his icy glare. Gavin glanced at his periphery to see that Eli hadn't been seen, still behind the wall. Gavin quickly regained his composure, scowling and squaring his shoulders.

"I didn't want to go to the front when my car is in the back." In his periphery, he could see Eli slowly opening the door of the nearest room.

"Is there a reason for the rush, mister?" The android questioned, further taking a step forward.

"I'm running late for a pick-up order, okay, you nosey piece of shit."

"I just want to make sure everything's alright, sir. The hospital is in chaos at the moment, unfortunately." He continued to approach. "Being back here, did you happen to see any patients out of their rooms?"

"No. Are patients not supposed to be out?"

"For the patient that is out, yes. Not to scare you, but he is quite dangerous when off his medication. He bit the finger off of one of our beautiful nurses. So, if you did truly happen to see him, you'd tell me, right?" The android was taller by a hair, but he still felt that he was being looked down upon.

"Look, I said I didn't see him. Maybe you should go find him yourself, plastic." The android's lips quirked, a mimic of a smirk, as his eyes narrowed. But then, abruptly, he adverted his gaze as his LED flashed yellow.

"You're absolutely correct, sir. I'll go look for him now. It was nice speaking with you, mister." The android gave him one last glare, almost like a look of disgust, before walking past him and around the corner, where his slow footsteps swiftly changed into rushed ones. When the footsteps completely faded, Eli came out of the room to join Gavin.

Gavin was greeted by the chilly afternoon winds of the hospital parking lot as he opened the exit door. He immediately pressed the unlock button on his keys to his black Honda and jumped in the driver's seat, Eli getting into the passenger side. He didn't need to be told to get to driving. They quickly pulled out of the parking lot, constantly glancing at his rear-view mirrors for any cars following them as he drove down the busy road.

"Too damn close." Gavin exasperated in relief, running a hand through his hair as the heavyweight on his chest lifted mercifully. "Is Chloe going to be okay?"

"She promised she would, and she isn't one to break her promises."

"Where am I driving to? Another one of your houses?"

"The only house I have is currently a crime scene."

"You're a billionaire with only one house?"

"It was the only one I was allowed to have. I'll explain later. For now, get as far away from the hospital as you can. Then we'll go to your apartment. No one will be the wiser." They came to a stoplight, and Gavin took the time to look over at Eli, immediately noticing the bloodstain on his side where his stitches ripped.

"You're still bleeding, ya know?" He pointed out, making Eli turn his attention to his own side before mumbling:

"Oh, right," and putting pressure on it. "I'll retie the stitches at the apartment."

"Because you don't want me to see how fucked up you are, Eli?" Eli exhaled deeply through his nose, almost like a scoff.

"I told you not to call me that and pay attention. The light's green." Gavin huffed at Eli's redirection, continuing to drive. There was something more to all of this. His gut feeling told him so. It would take a lot of pushing to get the recluse to open up, but he was ready and willing for the challenge. He turned on his music, an instrumental rendition of a popular song, and drove without another word.

TIME: 5:22:03 P.M

Gavin pulled into the back of the apartment complex, not anything luxurious, but not a total shit stain either. He was constantly looking over his shoulder as he used his key card to open the electronically locked back door and entered with Eli. Thankfully, they didn't run into anyone on their way to the elevator. It was an old thing that creaked and shook as it made its way to the third floor. His room was near the end of the rounding hallway.

"If I had known you'd be staying with me, I would have cleaned up a bit." He warned as he unlocked his door. After flicking on the entrance light, the first thing he heard was the high-pitched meowing of Junkie as she strutted out of the kitchen with her tail held up high. "Oh, yeah, I also got a cat."

"Figures," Eli said as he closed and locked the door. Gavin bent down, petting her head. "What's its name?"

"Her name's Junkie." Her attention went from Gavin to Eli, her big eyes narrowing at the newcomer in her home, cautiously approaching him. He kept still as she sniffed at his pant leg. She made a pitchy chirp, her tail shooting up and pawing at his leg. "Don't be afraid to pet her. She's not gonna bite you."

"Isn't that what all pet owners say?" he said, stepping away to her dismay. "Where's your bathroom?"

"Down the hall to the left. If you need anything, tell me."

"Will do. I'll tell you our next move when I come out." Eli said before heading to the bathroom. Gavin went about closing the curtains of his glass door to the balcony and locking the front door. Soon after, he fed Junkie when she knocked over her empty food bowl, giving her the loving pat Eli didn't. As far as he knew, Eli didn't dislike animals, so he wasn't sure why he was so hesitant to pet his cat. Maybe he didn't want to get distracted from taking care of his injuries. Unfortunately, that tended to happen more often than not. His ringtone went off in his pocket, and he pulled his phone out, checking to see who was calling. He groaned when he saw it was Anderson but still answered.

"What do you want, Anderson?"

"It's Connor, Detective." He was surprised, to say the least, when he heard Connor's voice over the phone.

"Connor? Why are you calling me on Anderson's phone?"

"We don't have each other's numbers, but you and Hank do."

"Why'd you call?"

"For one, to inform you that Captain Fowler is mulling over how to handle this case. He says he'll come up with a decision tomorrow. So all three of us may be working on the case or just Hank and I." Working alone was more of his style, but he doubted Fowler would put only one man on this case. "He also said he wants Mr. Kamski to come to the department tomorrow to file an official report if he can. Do you have any way to contact him?"

"No, but I have Chloe's phone number to call her and have her ask him. What else do you have?"

"I wanted to update you on the scans I have on Mr. Kamski." He walked further away from the hall and into the kitchen, not wanting Eli to have a chance to hear the conversation.

"What does it say?"

"Well, I would say, but somehow the file got corrupted. I am unable to view it." Gavin couldn't help the feeling that Eli had something to do with this. The answer to how eluding him. "I have his access to his medical records from the hospital, but most of the information is redacted. Let me send it to you." His phone dinged with the notification. "I'll inform you if anything else comes up. I hope you get some rest tonight, Detective." The feeling Connor's words gave him was different than the others. It had the same burn that made his face red, but not the nipping sting of anger that made him shun the sensation. It allowed him to say:

"You too. I bet Anderson snores louder than a boar." Connor made a light-hearted chuckle, which was utterly foreign to him, yet sounded so welcomingly familiar. Alive.

"Goodbye, Detective."

"Night." He hung up the phone and resisted the impulse to smack himself. Instead, he decided to distract himself from the shame torching his face off by checking in on Eli, lightly knocking on the door. "You good, Elijah?" There was a pause of silence before he responded.

"Yes. Do you need anything?"

"I wanted to tell you that the captain said you can come to the precinct tomorrow to file an official report if you wanted. But somebody's investigating regardless. He's still thinking about who."

"I see… Is there anything else you need?"

"Well, I'm gonna make dinner soon. Do you have a taste for anything?"

"… Whatever you make, I'll eat."

"You sure? You're a pretty picky eater, from what I remember."

"I don't have the flexibility to be picky. So make whatever you want us to eat, and I'll eat it."

"I'll hold you to that."

He looked through his kitchen for anything he thought Eli would actually eat. He narrowed it down to two items, an apple and turkey meat slices reserved for sandwiches. He was grilling the meat when he heard the bathtub water running. He'd make sure to leave a fresh set of clothes outside the bathroom door if Eli didn't have one. He thought Eli would be done by the time he finished making their dinner, but he was still held up in the bathroom even after setting the plates and cups down on the coffee table, swatting away Junkie when she tried getting at the food.

He was a bit concerned, but it would give him time to read the medical records. He turned on the TV to add on some background noise and sat down on the floor beside the coffee table as he opened the file Connor sent him and, with bated breath, read the form.

MEDICAL EXAMINATION RECORD

AM / PM DATE AND TIME PATIENT BROUGHT TO HOSPITAL:

- December 11th, 2038 – 8:08 PM

PATIENT NAME:

- Elijah Louis Kamski

DATE OF BIRTH:

- July 17th, 2002

DATE AND TIME OF ILLNESS/ INJURY:

- Approximately December 10th, 2038, 11:00 PM – December 11th, 2038, 4:30 PM

PATIENT'S DOCTOR:

- William S. Godfrey

PATIENT'S MEDICATION:

- [Redacted], [Redacted], [Redacted]

PATIENTS CHIEF COMPLAINT:

- None

MECHANISM OF INJURY / HISTORY OF ILLNESS:

- Causation: Physical altercation with armed home intruders

- Previous Illnesses/Disorders: Congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis (CIPA), Hyperopia, Anemic, [REDACTED]

INJURY LOCATION:

- Neck

- Face

- [REDACTED]

- Arm - Right

- Abdomen

- [REDACTED]

- Foot

INJURIES:

- Break

- Puncture

- [REDACTED]

- Cut

- [REDACTED]

- [REDACTED]

NARRATION OF INJURIES AND TREATMENTS:

- Facial bruising on the lip and left cheek – Cold Compress

- A spiral fracture to the patient's right arm – 6 weeks in brace supported by a sling

- Neck abrasions from strangulation – Medicated ointment

- Multiple [REDACTED] wounds to patient's [REDACTED] – [REDACTED] and medicated ointment

- Puncture wounds to the right side of patient's abdomen – 2 weeks of stitches and rest

- [REDACTED] – [REDACTED]

- Anemia – High Iron Diet

- [REDACTED] – Medicated ointment

- Cuts to soles of feet – Clean wound and rest

"What are you reading?" Gavin nearly dropped his phone from the startling fright the simple question gave him. He whipped his head around to see Eli standing behind the couch, staring down passively at him, his wet hair dripping on his navy-blue hoodie. "Apologies, I didn't mean to startle you."

"Yeah, right, asshole," Gavin grumbled, closing the file. "I was reading the texts Anderson sent me about what he thinks of the case." He couldn't tell if Eli believed him or not, as he gave no reaction besides a simple nod. "Did you fix your stitches?"

"It took a few tries, but I was successful."

"Of course, you were. You're food's on the other side of the coffee table. Don't let the cat eat it."

"Thank you." Eli walked around to the table. However, instead of sitting on the couch, he sat on the floor like Gavin. "I don't have a rule against sitting on the couch."

"I prefer the floor if it means we are at eye level," Eli explained as he pushed up his glasses. He picked up an apple slice on his plate, taking small bites. It was then that Gavin realized Eli had taken off the sling.

"Shouldn't you be in a sling?"

"It's recommended, not necessary. I'll put it back on whenever we go out. Since," Eli finished his slice before he continued, "I plan to file a report tomorrow."

"Be careful about what you say. Anderson and Connor suspect something more than a simple home intrusion."

"Which is why we need to cover this up correctly. Nothing ever good happens when a pedestrian gets involved in Kamski business, and I assume you don't want anyone at the precinct to get harmed." Eli wasn't wrong. He was an asshole, not heartless.

"I may not be on the case, though?"

"He'll put you on the case."

"How are you so sure?"

"Intuition."

"Okay, so you want me to destroy evidence and that type of shit."

"Anything to keep the story of house intruders alive. I'll do what I can as well. If everything goes right, this will be swept under the rug, and everything will return to as it was."

"With me being a shitty detective and you a sick recluse?"

"If that's how you see it." Eli shrugged, returning to the apple slices. Gavin kept himself back from biting out a spiteful retort.

"You still haven't told me why you can only have one house. Or are you gonna keep that from me too?"

"… I'll tell. You see, after I was kicked out of CyberLife due to… my lack of supporting the family's interests, to say the least, Father didn't want me to cause any more trouble. So we made a deal where he would forget everything I had done as long as I stayed in that villa where they could keep tabs on me."

"Were you allowed to leave?"

"If Father approved, yes."

"How often was that?"

"It happened…" he roughly counted on his fingers." "Four times." Gavin's eyes widened. "And before you say anything, I wasn't bored or lonely. I kept myself entertained, and Chloe and her sisters were great company."

"That still sounds god awful to be basically on house arrest for years." That dreaded feeling of guilt was starting to rise up again.

"I had visitors. Friends and family."

"Did they beat you up those times too?"

"No, it was only the one time."

"And why did they do it? Just to be twisted? Do you think I'm so goddamn stupid to believe that?"

"There's no need to get this upset, Gavin."

"Stop calling me that!" the wood of the coffee table shuttered under his fist's force as he screamed, letting out all the pent-up emotions he had been trying to subdue. "I'm not Gavin Reed. My name is Gabe, and I am your fucking brother!" Eli kept still, a glare on his glasses keeping him from seeing his eyes. He gritted his teeth. "Treating me like I'm some stranger is really fucking with me.

"I am the one who abandoned you. The one who left you to rot in that goddamn hell of a family. I am the shitty coward of a brother that l-let those sick fucks hurt you s-so badly you have to h-hide it on your damn m-medical records." He didn't realize the warm tears falling from his burning eyes as breathing became more challenging. "I-I should have never l-let you convince me to go. I should h-have been t-there for you. I sh-should of— I'm so fucking sorry, Eli!" he buried his shameful face in his hands. He had no way to stop the suppressed tears but could stifle the cries that threatened to tear from his throat. He probably looked so fucking stupid, having a tantrum like he was five years old again. It's what made him a coward. Letting his impulsive emotions get the better of him like a weak-minded bastard idiot. A cowa—

Warmth embraced him in the form of caring arms wrapping around his feeble form and pressing him against a chest where a heart pounded passionately. He froze, tears streaming down his face as his distressed mind was too slow to process Eli hugging him so tightly.

"I know who you are," Eli's soft voice soothed him like a cello's strings, "You are no idiot. You are no coward. You are a fighter. You are my brother," He felt something warm and wet drip onto his back. "I never forgot who you are, Gabe." Whatever left that was held back was released with a ragged cry. Gabriel wrapped his arms around his brother, weeping into his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Eli."

"None of this is your fault," Eli comforted him, "I was the one that made you leave. You never hurt me. Please stop telling yourself that you did." He nodded, holding onto Eli like he would disappear any moment. But he wouldn't. He wouldn't let him go like last time. This time, this time, he would hold on until he couldn't any longer.