Chapter Title: Eyes On Me
Series Title: Unlikely Brothers
POV: None (Dialogue only story with Colton, Dashen & Tanner)
Ages in this chapter: Tanner (13) Dashen (19)
Chapter Summary: In a precarious position of plummeting into the empty pit of space, Dashen gets help from Colton and Tanner.
This stemmed from a writing prompt of dialogue only and the first three sentences were provided in the prompt.
"Hey, just relax. It's okay. You're doing great. I've got you."
"Don't let me fall - you can't let me fall!"
"I won't let you fall, all right? Ow! Your fingers... stop looking down. Everything's fine, just hold onto me."
"Damn it, Colt! If you drop me, you're responsible for the kid."
"If I drop you, you're probably dragging me down with you. Stop moving your legs, you keep swaying. I can't keep hold of your hand if you keep moving so much. I barely have ahold of your. hand now, stop squirming, Dashen."
"Can't afford to die right now. Right in the middle of a job. How embarrassing would that be?"
"You're under my employ, Dashen. Probably more embarrassing for me. Think of my reputation. Would you stop moving your damn legs! And if you look down one more time, I will drop you on purpose."
"Colt. There's just empty black empty space down there. Seriously."
"I am being serious and I will not drop you. I promise. But I need you to just be still. Hang as still as you can. It's all right, Dash. Believe me, okay?"
"I'm trying. I really am. I hardly have one foothold and it keeps slipping..."
"Look at me."
"No, you told me not to move."
"Damn idiot, look at me!"
"Fine. I'm looking. What now?"
"I will not drop you. I will not. Know that. Tell me you know that."
"Colt..."
"Dash. Tell me. Now."
"You won't drop me. I know you won't drop me."
"Good. Now, stop running your lips and focus on being still so I can get a better grip. I don't have much leverage here, laying on my stomach hanging over a platform to nowhere. You pull too hard and we're both in trouble."
"My hands are sweating, I'm gonna slip."
"You're not. I'm not letting you go. Just... can you reach your other arm up to grab hold of my forearm?"
"I can't get a grip, maybe something's broken. The bone feels weird. And this ledge is only inches wide, my foot keeps slipping off. Colt, please. I can't hang on much longer and there's just black empty below me. Where's Tanner?"
"He's on his way."
"Oh good, just in time to see his brother plunge to his death. Good times."
"You are not plunging anywhere, if you'd stop running your mouth and focus."
"I'm focused as well as I'll ever be, Colt, and you know I run my lips when I'm scared out of my damn boots. I babble, it's a fact. This is bad. There's nothing below me, just empty that goes on forever."
"Dashen, stop it. You are not dying. You are not leaving Tannerlin alone. You are not dropping into the empty below. Eyes up, kid. Eyes on me. Come on. You're okay. It'll be okay. I swear it. Believe me. Can you believe me? Have I ever willingly lied to you in a bad situation? No. Not once. It's okay. Promise. Good. Eyes on me. Slow down. Hey. Hear that? Sounds like the thundering feet of that little brother you worry so much about. He'll get here, toss around some of that magic of his and you'll be safe in seconds. You good?"
"Yeah. Yeah. Okay. M'okay. Tanner's coming. He can help."
"Good, kid. Real good. Keep your eyes on me. Attention only on me. Not anywhere else. All right?"
"M'okay, Colt. M'okay."
"Colt! Where is he?"
"Tannerlin. Here."
"Hey, Dash, I'm here. I'm here. I can help."
"No, Tanner, can't let anyone see you."
"There's no one here, Dash. If there were you'd not be hanging for your life on a shelf the size of my thumb. Let your brother help."
"Dash, I'm here, okay, let me focus for a minute. I've never moved something your size and shape before, at least not any distance."
"I'm not that big, Mouse, help me!"
"Don't talk. And you are tall and dangly."
"What the hell does dangly mean?"
"Shhhh! Okay. Got it. Colt, don't let go of him."
"Not planning to. There's a lip here though over the edge, he can't come straight up. Has to be out just a short distance and then up."
"I got it. I can do this, big brother. I won't let you fall. Okay? I promise."
"Everyone keeps promising that, but I'm still here hanging on this ledge to small that moving one inch to my left and I'm plummeting into the black hole of space. Less promise, more rescue please."
"Okay... Colt, on three, hold his hand tight as you can. I'm gonna bring him up. One. Two. Three."
"I've got you, Dash. Don't look down. Hold my hand. Have faith in your little brother. There. You're moving now. He's got his magic working. Eyes on me, kid. Eyes on me."
"Colt! Please!"
"It's all right. You're all right. Easy. Let your brother focus and lift, see? It's working. Stay calm, Dash. You're okay. It's okay. Up a little higher and out just a bit. And back closer and almost. I've almost got you. And... there."
"Colt, you have him?"
"I do. He's safe. You can let go, Tannerlin. You did great, kid. You both did. I've got you, Dash. You're safe."
"Ugh, damn it, damn it, damn it. Damn, I'm shaking all over. Colt, I can't stop shaking."
"I've be worried if you weren't shaking, you idiot. Just sit with me for a minute. Your brother is right here. He's catching his own breath. That was one hell of an effort."
"Sith hells, my heart might beat out of my chest. I can't calm it, why c-can't I calm down? Why am I sh-shaking so bad?"
"Come on, Dash. Breathe. You need to breathe. You're in shock. That's all it is. The body is trying to cope. It'll settle down soon enough. Here, here's your brother. Tannerlin, sit on his right. I don't want to let him go yet, but he needs you close."
"Hey, big brother. I'm here. Everything's okay. No one saw what I did, I promise. Take my hand and squeeze real tight. Don't let go of Colton yet though. We can sit here until you can stand and walk. Until you stop shaking so bad."
"Sorry. Can't... can't seem to st-stop... it. Don't normally get f-freaked out like that. Ugh, feels like it's w-worse now. Colt."
"That's normal, kid. The body needs time. The mind too. Your brother and I will sit here with you as long as it takes. I've got Sydenious coming in to fly us home when ready. Only when you're ready."
"H-hate this. M'cold now. Th-that normal?"
"That's normal."
"Normal. Mm'k. S'normal. Whr's Tnr?"
"He's slurring, Colt. Is that normal too?"
"It is. The body and mind do funny things when pushed to extreme limits. Just hold onto him. It'll offer him a grounding."
"This isn't the worst?"
"Not from my experience."
"Colt... m'ready to g'home n-now."
"I know, kid. Soon. Stop trying to talk so much. Just, quiet."
"Sorry. S-still little f-freaked out."
"You were really scared, Dash. But that's okay. I get scared too, big brother. But you always tell me that it'll get better and it does. It'll get better. Colton won't let you go. I won't let you go."
"That's my comm. Sy's signal. He's on approach. It's up to you, Dash, we can wait until you can walk on your own or we can go now, get you in warm place and headed home. Your call, kid."
"G-go home."
"Okay. The landing platform is a few minute walk. I'll carry you. Tannerlin, take his hand and don't let go."
"I won't. Squeeze my hand, Dash."
"Eyes on me, kid. There we go. Damn. You're heavy for being a tall skinny stick person."
"N'that s-skinny."
"Yeah. Yeah. Whatever. Be at the ship in a minute. Hold on."
"C-can walk on m'own, C-colt."
"Sure you can, kid. But I'm just helping you along this time, okay?"
"T-thought was g-gonna die."
"But you didn't. Tannerlin and I weren't about to let that happen. Took us a long time to train you to the point that we can tolerate you. Can't afford to lose you now can we? Almost to the ship."
"T-tolerate..."
"We love you, big brother, you know that."
"Tannerlin, he's slipping further into shock. See his eyes are floating around. Run ahead, pull some blankets, set him up on the lounger in the ship's back room. Tell Sy to warm that area and be ready to take off immediately."
"Got it."
"C-colt..."
"I know, kid. I know. We'll get you warm and better real soon."
"Colt, the blankets are ready. The room is warming up. Sydenious is ready to go once Dash is down."
"Tell him to go. Now. We need to get him home. Here you go, Dash. Get you down, warm. Your brother's here. Tannerlin, come. Sit. Keep contact with him. He may get a bit wonky, but he'll come back to us. If you can convince him to sleep, it'll help."
"He's shivering so bad, Colton."
"An hour and we'll be home."
"Hear that, Dash? You'll be in your own bed soon. Sleeping away the day. The week even."
"S-s-sounds g-good. W-warm too. S-so cold, T'nr."
"I'm here, Dash, Right here. Hold onto me."
"I've got you on the other side, Dashen."
"C-colt?"
"What? You thought I'd leave? I'm invested in you, kid. I blame you both for that by the way. But yeah, I'm still here. You and your brother here. Not going anywhere."
"S'nice. D-didn't have that for... ugh... l-longest t-time."
"What's that?"
"S-someone who gave a cr-crap 'bout m-me. S'nice."
"Now you have two someone's, so don't screw it up, yeah?"
"T-trying hard n-not to."
"Just lightening the mood, kid. I told you, I'm invested now. In more ways than one. In both of you. It'll be all right soon enough. You'll be back to annoying the hell out of me in no time flat. So, think about that. Now, you're brother's going to help you sleep for a while until we get home. You know, that magic of his that you love so much. It'll only work if you let it, and when you wake up, you'll be in your own bed, warm and comfortable. Can you do that? Listen to your brother?"
"I c-can do th-that. S'really cold though."
"Hey, big brother, eyes on me this time. That's really good. Now you can close your eyes. Feel my hand on your temple, okay? On one, you take in a deep breath. On two, you release it slow. One. In. Slow. Two. Out. Slow. One. In. Slow. Two. Out. Slow. And again. Should make you sleepy. See? It's okay. Don't fight it, Dash."
"D-damn J-jedi and d-damn m-mag-magic."
"You know you love it, big brother."
"Nuh. L-love y-you, M-mou-mouse. Not th'dm magic."
"Yeah. Love you too, Dash. When you wake up, we'll be home. I'll see you in a little while."
"Home huh."
"Home."
"S'okay. M'okay."
"You are okay, Dash. And you will be. Colton and I will make sure of it. Promise. Now, sleep."
"Slee..."
"Yeah, sleep. See you soon, big brother."
END
