Jordan: I just saw this on my 'My Stories' list and I realized how much of a douche I am for not finishing this, so that's what I'm gonna do.
Henry: And he doesn't own much more than an iPod and the clothes that he wears.
Jasper was the first to break the silence whose only accompaniment was the rustle of the pinstripe suits that they were pulling on. "So, that was your brother?"
Henry responded in a deadpan tone, his eyes fixed on the floor. "Yeah, that was Tobias."
Jasper's head tilted to the side as a look of confusion spread across his features. "Henry, what's wrong? You just met your long lost brother, and you're acting like you just contracted the bubonic plague." The brunette's finally met those of his lover; however, those eyes almost didn't look right. Because there was a battle going on just behind them.
"Jasper, there are a lot of things in this world that are too complicated to explain." He wanted to leave it at that, but he knew that Jasper's inquisitive nature would never let him get away with such a vague answer, love or no love.
"Like an undersea dystopia? Like a sea slug that gives superpowers? Henry, I think that we are way past the point of complicated." But when Jasper saw the sick look on Henry's face, his own expression softened. "C'mon, you know that you can tell me. I won't freak out on you." Their gaze met again and Jasper noticed small tears welling at the corners of his blonde cousin's eyes.
"Jasper. Just take me at my word that I love you. Before I tell you, you have to swear that you know that my feelings for you will never change." One of Henry's tears spilled past his eye and rested at the crease of his lips. Salted like the water that surrounded them.
"I would never doubt you." Jasper wiped the tears that had begun to slowly leak over Henry's cheeks. "I trust you."
"Those old scientists that I told you about. Well they tried a lot more boys before us. But they were so aggressive, they wore themselves to death. Tobias and I were the only ones who survived. And those stupid sick fucks never wanted us to be separated. They gave us the same Daddy, we slept in the same bunk bed, and we were made to stay together, but that couldn't be enough. They decided that eventually, our personalities would come to a crossroads, and we would become our own person. So they made sure we couldn't leave each other." Henry felt like telling Jasper this was crazy. In fact, he thought that it was both stupid, and insane, but by now, he couldn't control himself. He had to face the fact that he would always be crazy and stupid near Jasper. Because love makes you that way.
"And so they decided to bond us together. Just like they bonded us to Daddy. But they didn't know what the hell they were doing." His head fell into his hands, infuriated by the idiocy of starry-eyed adults. "They used too much, and although they certainly succeeded in bonding us, they had left us to face one unforeseen circumstance. Tobias and I were in love. We loved each other more than our favorite toys, and more than that poor man in a decrepit diving suit." He looked up to see Jasper's calm expression, but he knew that it was just a façade; he knew that it hurt him to hear this.
"Okay." Jasper spoke in a low monotonous voice. He knew that Henry still loved him. And to Jasper, this was just another obstacle of Rapture. And just like everything else, they could face it together. "So how do we end it?"
"Honestly?" Henry asked as though he didn't already know the answer, and Jasper nodded. "I have no fucking idea. I'm hoping that Tobias may have learned something to do it, but until then I'll just keep my hands to myself." And with that last sentence, they were fully dressed, and exiting the room to meet their new companion. And as Henry saw Tobias' face, he felt a new sense of ease that he only felt when near his brother. "So." He spoke swiftly so as to avoid any misspeaking. "The Apple yes?" Tobias provided a curt nod before embracing Henry tightly.
"I missed ya bro." He said as he pulled back, quickly moving to wrap his arms around Jasper. "And it's good to finally meet the mysterious Jasper that's been roaming the halls of our fair city." He smiled at the brunette and then began to walk down the hall, leading them onward.
As they passed an open door, a huge brute of a splicer jumped out to attack Tobias, but before Henry and Jasper could move, the young man had dodged the attack, grabbed his attacker by the head, and looked the mutant directly in the eye before its head fell in upon itself, with not a drop of blood spilt. "Holy shit." Henry managed to squeak out.
Tobias looked back over his shoulder at his two followers, his lengthy brown hair flipping at the sudden movement. "Things have changed Henry; I don't need a Daddy anymore." He pulled an ADAM extraction needle from the small of his back to show them before replacing it, an action which made Japer cringe, for he still hated the semi-innocent appearance of a baby bottle mounted onto a large needle.
They continued to walk briskly through the barnacle-encrusted bronze hallways, finally exiting Pauper's Drop without any more untimely interruptions. It was during this long tiring walk that Jasper was able to get a good look at Tobias.
He was thin. Not in an unhealthy way, but he definitely didn't have the luxury of getting fat. His entire body seemed to be covered in lean muscle, and it was all highlighted by the thin clothing that he was wearing. His face; however; wasn't very similar to Henry's, but Jasper could definitely see the resemblance. They shared the same jaw and nose, but Tobias' cheekbones seemed a bit more defined, his cobalt eyes set a bit deeper, his lips thinner. And it was all topped with light brown hair, about the same length as Jasper's. Jasper had to admit that the brunette twin was quite attractive; just as his brother had always been; but for some reason, he just couldn't see Henry and Tobias being twins, even fraternal twins.
As they entered the station for the Atlantic Express, a high pitched whine rang through the room as the intercoms crackled into life. Henry and Jasper could just barely hear the murmur of "Shit." escape Tobias' mouth.
The brown boxes sputtered a few times before a teenage boy's voice moved over them. "Did you think that I wouldn't find you Tobias? And who are they? Could that be your little old brother? Why Henry! I haven't seen you in ages, I'm sorry I have to kill you, but I can't risk you two destroying my pretty little palace now can I?" And with that, the doors opened to a flood of splicers. "I'm sorry old friends. Sweet dreams." With those parting words, the intercoms clicked off.
"Right, you two get on the train." Tobias commanded. When Henry and Jasper looked at him with confused expressions, he yelled. "Now!" They did as he commanded, and looked out the door to watch a crowd of splicers gather around Tobias.
"Leave. Us. ALONE!" He screamed, and his blue eyes began to shift and glow a vibrant purple color that Henry had no name for. His hands began to throw off colored sparks, and with a loud yell, a huge explosion of energy engulfed all of the splicers around him, purple flames melting the boil-covered and mutated flesh from their bones. And a loud clatter alerted Henry to the thousands of clean white bones simultaneously hitting the floor. And with a quick sigh Tobias collapsed to the ground.
Noticing that Henry was frozen in place, Jasper ran out and collected the unconscious teen, placing him on a seat in the train before running to pull the switch. And as the vehicle jerked to life, Henry was jerked out of his petrified state, only to freeze again when he looked at his sleeping brother, remembering the raw power that he had just exhibited.
When Jasper reentered the train car that his companions were in, he had only one thought on his mind. "Henry, Jesus Christ, can you do that too?" Henry's eyes widened slightly as he looked down towards his hands.
"Not that I know of." He glanced down toward his brother with a proud look in his eyes. "He must've been practicing a lot in my absence." His eyes finally met Jasper's worried gaze, and he quickly stood up to take Jasper in his arms, pressing their lips together softly. "I'm fine, don't worry." He whispered as they parted. "I'm just a bit tired, and I know you are too. Let's just forget about all of this stuff right now and get some sleep, we'll be on here for a couple hours." With that, he pulled Jasper with him to lie down together on the seats opposite Tobias. And as their eyes fluttered closed, a thought of what's to come passed through Henry's mind, but he just as quickly dismissed it. And he finally allowed sleep to take him and his lover into her shadowy comforting arms.
I could see the splicers going for Jasper, but I couldn't do anything, I just curled on the ground crying as they carried him away. And suddenly, I wasn't crying water anymore. It looked like I was crying liquid gold. And I could feel the immense power coursing through my veins, like fire lapping away at my muscles, heating them to the breaking point. And at that moment, I knew exactly what to do. "Stop." I commanded, my voice deepened by at least an octave. I raised my hand to the group of splicers as they froze in place, staring at me. Looking down, I understood the looks of fear that I was receiving, for an aura of gold color was surrounding me as I raised my arm, palm facing upward. I could see the immense fear in their eyes as my hand slowly curled into a fist, and their entire bodies followed suit, imploding until nothing remained, save a few scraps of tattered, blood-stained clothing. And with that, I ran to Jasper, taking him in my arms. "No one will ever hurt you. I'll always be here to protect you." His eyes met mine, and a small smile crossed his lips. "I never doubted you for a second." He said quietly. "And I know that's crazy, but love makes you do crazy things." He finished before leaning up and slanting our lips together. "I love you Henry." He said with a smile as the edges of my vision began to fade into darkness. "I love you too." I whispered in his ear as my vision faded completely.
Henry awoke as the train rails screeched slightly above him. His hands found their way up to his eyes, rubbing them slightly as he sat up, careful not to disturb Jasper in his resting state. He looked across the aisle to see his brother curled up, snoring slightly in a peaceful slumber. A smile crossed his lips as he laid back into the arms of Morpheus. Hoping that Jasper's sleep-induced fantasies were full of happiness.
Suddenly I could see Rapture explode beneath the surface of the water as we stood at the foot of the lighthouse. I could see the solemn looks on Henry and Tobias' faces, however I knew that there was happiness in those minds. There was happiness that the end of six decades of a hopeless city had finally come to an end. And I saw happiness in the mind of the man standing behind the three of us, a man who I didn't know, yet I felt as though I knew him through Henry. For on that fateful day, an underwater dystopia had been destroyed, and with it, three people were finally given true freedom. My beautiful Henry was finally free from the horror that once plagued him. My new friend, and brother was finally free of the prison in which he had spent so many years. And as the sun broke through the clouds, my mind fixated on the third person to be freed. For I had now seen and felt the happiness of a free man whose moniker fit so perfectly with his destiny. For he was Omega, and just as such, he was the end of all things Rapture.
As the train came to a jerky stop, the door creaked open, and the trio stepped out into the station, gazing in wonder at the somehow pristine condition that it had been kept in after so many years.
"So Henry." Tobias murmured quietly. "Are you ready to get our Daddy back?" And with a swift nod, they departed for the Apple, a trail of anticipation floating in their wake.
Jordan: So ya'know, thanks to all the people who read this, and who have reviewed, because those kept me going while I was writing it. Please continue to review, and I'll do my best to keep writing.