The Wolf Brothers
Svenne14
Summary:
Sean and Daniel, now finally reunited with each other, have only one more obstacle to get through. The great border wall. Can they cross it and reach Puerto Lobos, so that they can finally be free...?
Notes:
This is the introduction to episode 5. It shows a little bit where both brothers are at, and we get some much-needed therapy. One brother to another.
Chapter 1: A Moment Of Calm
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
One week later…
Sean had never really liked cold weather much. But he would do almost anything, for just a few hours of… no fucking sun these days. After finally getting Daniel away from Haven Point they left with their mother, following her to… Away. Sean thought she was joking at first. Apparently, there really is a small community, way out in the desert, called Away. Not many people there, which was good for them. Karen said that everybody there could be trusted. Sean wanted to believe her. She did help them, but it was still… difficult.
Sean still felt very awkward around his mother, having so many things he wanted to tell her, ask her, but as always… he's too afraid. Meanwhile, Daniel had the time of his life. He just met his mother, his real mother, that is. Something he's waited a decade for. Sean feels like it's too late for himself to completely… sort things out. But he's happy that his little brother can finally have a mom in his life. Their mother was helping, the people were nice, all of that was great of course. However, not everything was perfect…
Haven Point definitely had a great… impact, on Daniel's mind. How he acts, talks, and does. A lot of things, subconsciously. Daniel never swears. Never. Granted, it's not like Sean wants to encourage him to, but he doesn't want Daniel to feel… trapped. He wants Daniel to be… Daniel. Sometimes, he still holds his wrist, while looking down at the floor in shame, and he rarely talks back to Sean. He tries to get Daniel to… open up about it. But it's not easy. Unable to sleep, Sean just stares at the ceiling, wondering… what lies ahead. He can hear Daniel breathing calmly right next to him… or not. Seems like he jinxed it.
"Uh… no… please don't. It- it hurts." Daniel's having a nightmare. Again. Happens every night. Poor kid wakes up screaming, every fucking night. Sean lays a hand on his shoulder.
"Daniel? Enano? Hey, wake up. It's- it's just a dream. You're fine. I'm here, ok. Sean's here." Daniel doesn't wake up, and he doesn't want to scare him awake.
"I- I don't… want to. I- I should just… kill myself… I deserve it." What the fuck?! Sean knows his brother's just talking in his sleep, but… he just gets this feeling. The big brother instinct. It tells him that… it's not too far-fetched, unfortunately. Is his little brother, his Enano, considering… suicide? Fuck! Sean doesn't even want to think about what he would do if- NO!
"AAAHHH!" Daniel wakes up, screaming, covered in sweat, and hyperventilating. Sean almost got a heart attack.
"Hey, Enano. It's ok. Just a bad dream. You're safe here, no one can hurt you. You know that, right?" Daniel just nods.
"You ready to get back to sleep?" Sean knew the answer, but it was worth a try. Like expected, Daniel quickly shakes his head.
"You wanna go get some air, buddy?" Daniel nods. Sean's fucking exhausted, and his body still hurts since Haven Point. Every time Daniel had trouble sleeping, the wolfbrothers would sit outside, watching the stars. Usually, neither of them talked much. Sean being too tired, and Daniel is too sad. Daniel would fall asleep after an hour, maybe two, and Sean would have to carry him inside. This would be different. Now the time had come for Sean to be… a psychiatrist. They both sit down outside. Sean takes a deep breath.
"Daniel… we need to talk, Enano." He does his absolute best to sound calm, caring, and just… nice.
"About what, Sean?" Daniel asks, staring up at the night sky.
"I- I don't really know how to ask-" Sean came to a dead stop when Daniel quickly turned his eyes towards him. He knew what this was about now.
"Ok, Enano. We both know that I… fucking suck at this." Daniel chuckles a little.
"But please, trust me on this. You need to talk about it. What happened to you at… that place? You know you can tell me everything. The good, the bad, and… the other stuff." The other stuff, being the… cuts, Daniel thought.
"It's… good, Sean. They were good to me. It was nothing…" Daniel tries to avoid, but Sean can already see the signs.
"Daniel. You're my little brother. I've watched you grow up since I was seven years old, and I've helped take care of you since I was eight. I know when you're bullshitting me and when you're lying to me. I can see when you're happy, or sad. What I see now, Enano… is pain. You're in pain, and I want to help you. Please… let me help you, Daniel?" Sean holds a very emotional speech. Something he's never really been good at. However, this was an exception. Daniel starts crying. Then, he speaks, while looking Sean directly in his one eye.
"They- they…" Sean doesn't speak, nor does he move. He gives Daniel the time he needs.
"They… hurt… me… Sean. They hurt me." Almost like Sean had pressed a button, his younger brother began telling him… everything. All that happened to him during his time in Haven Point. How he truly believed that Lisbeth was his only help in the entire world. About Nicholas beating the shit out of him. Lisbeth being furious after discovering his cuts, but not out of concern for his health. He tells Sean everything… almost. As Daniel's finished talking, Sean sits there, stunned.
"Holy fuck, Daniel… I'm… so sorry." A mere whisper. He was horrified about the things his brother's gone through. Still, there's one more thing bothering him. He must ask, even if it gets… awkward.
"Daniel…" He says, much louder, with more confidence.
"Yeah?" Daniel looks at him, he looks back.
"Please, I have to- are you- are you thinking about… killing yourself?" He saw Daniel's eyebrow twitch and instantly turned his head the other way. He didn't notice Daniel doing the same. Sean's convinced that he fucked up. That he was wrong.
"No, Sean." Oh, thank god.
"Not anymore." WAIT! What the FUCK?!
"Wait, you- you mean you…" Sean can't even finish the sentence, so Daniel continues instead.
"I thought a lot about… ending it. I really did. One part of me knew how messed up it really was. The other part… told me it would just feel good to… rest. Not be a burden anymore, never hurt anyone ever again." Sean can't hold the tears back. He cries quietly.
"One day, I had even decided that later, that evening, I would… do it. Then, you came back, Sean. I thought I had lost everything. Everything. But you came back. Then, you left. At least it's what… she… made me believe. If you didn't come back that day, Sean… I don't think I would be… alive." Sean can't take it anymore. His ten-year-old Enano, almost killing himself. Sean pulls Daniel into a hug, while sobbing heavily, and loudly.
"You're gonna be ok, Enano. I won't leave you again. I swear." Daniel sheds a couple of tears as well.
"Thanks, Sean. For… you know, being there for me." Daniel smiles towards him. The kid smiles more and more now. Sean's happy that he seems to be getting better. There hasn't been any more… self-harm, since they left Haven Point either. The four cuts on Daniel's wrist are healing, slowly, and they'll definitely be leaving four ugly scars… but still, healing. Sean turns his eye up, to the stars, while holding his brother in his arms.
"I'm so proud of you, Enano. I know dad would be too. You've come a long way, a really long way. You've gone through a lot of… bad stuff, but you're still here. Stronger than ever before. I love you, and I am so proud of you, Enano." Sean whispers to him, every word being honest and completely true. He is so proud of Daniel. The kid's come a long way from the little brat that was so afraid of the dark, he needed four lights on at night. Sean wonders… perhaps a bit selfishly, but also curiously if he had anything to do with it? Daniel growing up so fast? Did Sean do… good, taking care of his little brother?
A question he'll never get a real answer to. The only person able to answer it, according to Sean, is their father. Sean knows he would be proud of Daniel as well, he doesn't doubt that. What Sean can't be sure of is, would his father really be proud of… him? Would he be proud of Sean? He's done a lot of… questionable things, at best, in order to survive and provide for himself and his brother. Esteban always looked down on thieves, what would he say, if he could speak to Sean now? He doesn't know that either. Perhaps… it's for the best.
Sean thinks about their future. Puerto Lobos, Mexico. Dad's beach house. A house, bound to be completely trashed by now. Still, a house. Sean could get a part-time job of sorts, Daniel could go to school. At least, he hopes Daniel could do so. Otherwise, Sean's got no clue about what to do. He can't home school him because… Sean's a dumbass with a short fuse. Daniel's a smart-ass with a long fuse… not the best combination. He might be able to teach him Spanish, at best. But that's it. Oh, well… they're going, no matter what. They've come this far. No turning back now.
They could still stay here for a while longer. Daniel needed a break, and Sean needed to heal physically. There are tons of areas around here that Daniel would find awesome to explore. They could check it out in a few days. Daniel needs to be a kid again. Just… run around, not a care in the world. Connecting with his mom. Sean tries to deny it, but he knows it's coming. One way, or the other. He's going to have to talk to his mom, about why she left. Get it out of his system. This… might be the only chance he'll ever get.
As with every other night, his thoughts drift back to the next move. The end. The border, the… wall. How would they cross it? Can Daniel even tear it down? What if… he can't? The entire plan depends on that very detail. If it doesn't work, they're fucked. It scares him. What would happen if… they get caught? Could Sean get a… death sentence? No. He's just sixteen. He would get life in prison, a worst-case scenario. Best case, twenty years or so. But what would happen to Daniel? Sean's pretty sure that it's standard procedure to have someone live with the closest relatives.
Karen… probably doesn't want it. She's helping them, yes. But Sean can see it. Although she cares, she's not a mother at heart. Plain and simple. Which leaves… Claire and Stephen. They're good people, but Daniel's got so much… trauma, back there. Poor Chris. Please, for the love of anything, don't send Daniel to foster care. Just the thought of it keeps Sean up some nights.
"Uhm… Sean… can I… ask you… something?" Holy sh- He thought Daniel was asleep by now. Apparently not.
"Sure, Enano. What is it?" Daniel seems… nervous. Like he both wants to and doesn't want to ask him.
"Uh… your- your… eye? Is it- does it… hurt?" The way Daniel talks, Sean can just hear the guilt in his words. The answer? Does it hurt? Yes. A lot less now, obviously. Still, it hurts every second, of every day, and it drives him fucking insane. He wouldn't wish this on his worst enemy. Not Brett Foster, not the cop who shot his dad, not Hank Stamper, not Merrill or Big Joe, not the asshole who beat him in Haven Point. Not even Lisbeth. But he can not, under any circumstances, give Daniel even the slightest hint, that this is the truth. Never.
The truth would destroy him. For good.
"No, Enano. It just… itches… sometimes." All the time. But Daniel can't know.
"Oh, ok…" Daniel appears to be in deep thought.
"Sean, can you… tell me the wolfbrothers story?" Aw… he can't say no.
"Of course, man. Let's see… where were we…? Right…" Sean tells Daniel the story of the wolfbrothers.
"Once upon a time… In a wild, wild world… there were two wolf brothers living in their home lair with their papa wolf…" Sean continues…
"The little cub felt… trapped, and confused in the coyote-cult… the evil people in charge of the coyote-cult, hurt the little cub… and the little cub felt so sad that… he hurt himself…" Sean feels a lone tear, slowly making its way down his face.
"The wolf brothers, now reunited, followed their rogue mother… far into the desert… to her hideaway." Sean finishes the story, wondering how and when it's going to end. Time will tell, he guesses. Sean looks down at Daniel. His little brother's sleeping peacefully in his arms. By the looks of it, he's probably been doing so for quite a while. Sean probably told half the story to just himself. But he's fine with that. Daniel opened up tonight, a lot. Sean feels like it's… progress. The good kind. Tomorrow they would do something fun, just… mess around. They haven't done anything like that since… Humboldt. Sean shakes his head. He carefully gets up, Daniel in his arms, and walks inside. Sean lays Daniel down in the bed, with great care. Then, even more carefully, he gets in bed, next to Daniel. Sean carefully places his hand on Daniel's shoulder, whispering.
"Goodnight, little cub. I love you. And I'll never leave you. I promise." Definitely, a promise he intended to keep. Sean closed his one remaining eye, quickly falling asleep.
Notes:
Ok, that's the introduction for the very last episode.
I've now made up my mind about the endings, so this is how it's going to look towards the end: Two chapters, published (somewhat) simultaneously, each one with a different ending. YOU, the person reading, get to pick a chapter, and that is YOUR ending. The chapter names will probably just be "Cross the border" and/or "surrender".
I've decided that Daniel's gonna get a bit of a break in this episode, because seriously... the kid needs it. Life's been rough on Enano... so he got a bit of therapy here, much needed indeed. There will be a few more things as well...
Chapter 2: Diaz Brothers... Always
Summary:
The wolfbrothers catch up on some lost time, having a little brothers-only quality time. Daniel gets a birthday present, both delayed and unexpected. Meanwhile, Sean tries to clear the air with his mother.
Notes:
R.I.P. Farmor...
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The next day…
Sean's tired, really god-damn tired. He spent half the night awake, doing his best to be the child psychiatrist. It wasn't easy, nor was it fun, but it was worth it. However, he did kind of wish that they picked a better day for Daniel's very late birthday cake. Sean only got like, two hours of sleep. Considering what he's got planned for his Enano, it's probably going to be worth it. Hell, who's he trying to fool? He knows it's worth it. Just to see Daniel's reaction, and to hear… hers. Her, being Lyla.
Lyla Park.
The best freaking fighter, number one.
Also, Daniel's unofficial, yet still official in a way… crush.
No, Lyla wouldn't come here, obviously. The reasons for that not happening, being far too many. However, there was this one guy living in Away. Karen trusted him. David. Former military man, or something. He didn't like talking much about his past. He did, however, seem very inclined to help them any way he could. At some point, he mentioned he had a phone. Something he got from "an old friend." said phone was completely untraceable. The first thing Sean thought about?
Lyla! He still hasn't told Daniel about it. He figured it would be a nice surprise for the kid. Even, if it's definitely going to be… an emotional one. Sean looks at Daniel, the latter still asleep. Karen's standing next to Sean, holding a cake.
"Hey… Enano? Wake up…" Sean whispers calmly in his ear. Daniel starts moving around, groaning, like he's in incredible pain.
"Uhhh… leave me alone, Sean. I'm… sleeping." Yeah, we'll see about that.
"Ok, little bro. I guess me and mom's just gonna eat all the cake for ourselves then." Let's just say… he had him at "cake."
"OH MY GAWD! CAKE?!" Daniel jumps up from the bed, a bit too fast, resulting in him falling on the floor.
"Be careful, dude. The cake's not going anywhere." Sean laughs, teasing him.
"Uh, shut up, Sean. It's not funny… dumbass." But it was. Fun, that is. Not because Daniel's fall made Sean almost piss himself with laughter, although it did contribute a lot. It's because of Daniel… Daniel was pouting, whining, like a kid. A normal kid, without a lifetime of trauma. He's not crying, sitting in a corner calling himself a monster. He's just… being a kid. And it makes Sean so fucking happy to see it.
"Yeah, yeah… sorry, sorry." Sean pretends to apologize after Daniel pretended to insult him. Then, they all sit down at the table.
"So… what are we celebrating, Sean? Is it your birthday, mom?" God… Sean fucking hates the fact that he missed Daniel's birthday.
"You, Enano. You, and no one else." He looks at his little brother. Actually, he's not that little… anymore.
"Oh…" Daniel seems to have caught on but isn't sure how to react.
"When we were… separated in Humboldt, Enano… you were nine. The next time we met, you were ten years old. I missed it. Figured the least I could do is a cake, right?" Daniel launches himself at him, hugging him tightly. Shit, the kid's getting stronger too. Like, a lot stronger.
"I missed you so much that day, Sean. You and dad. The people in… that place… had this big party for me. I actually… had a good time, Sean. Then, it just hit me… it was the first birthday, out of many, that I would spend without you and dad." Daniel isn't crying, but there's a deep layer of sadness in his voice.
"I'm here now, Daniel. It's ok." Sean comforts his little brother, but Daniel's already let go of him. Damn… he's growing up fast. Sean's not sure how to feel about it. He's obviously proud of his brother. Still, when Daniel doesn't need him anymore… what the fuck will he do?
"I know you are, Sean. Now can I PLEASE eat some cake!" Daniel's growing up, true. But he's still a mere ten-year-old boy. And right now, the ten-year-old wants his cake.
They all eat, talk, and laugh. Sean had never been much for cake, but considering his… limited diet for the past year, just about everything tastes great. Except for ravioli, because fuck that shit. Eventually, Karen nods towards him, and he nods back. The signal is given, and Karen leaves the two wolfbrothers alone. This is it.
"Ok, Enano. So, I don't really have any money to buy you a present…" Sean begins, slowly, trying to get a reaction from his brother. It wasn't hard.
"It's… fine, Sean." Daniel's face, showing disappointment. Sean hates himself a bit for doing it on purpose, but Daniel's a smart kid, he'll understand.
"… but I did get you… something else." There's the look he wanted to get. Curious Daniel – The Return.
"What… did you get me, Sean?" Daniel tries to not show curiosity, and as expected, fails miserably.
"THIS!" Sean says, putting a phone in front of Daniel. As expected, Daniel's very confused. It looks like any other phone.
"A… phone… Sean?" The disappointment is back. Time to take back control, quickly.
"An untraceable phone, Daniel. We can call anyone with that, and nobody will ever know. Anyone…" Daniel seems like he begins to somewhat understand what it's all about. Sean continues.
"I've got a number pre-programmed. Why don't you just press one on speed-dial, Enano…? Maybe… someone's gonna pick up? Maybe even… someone you know…" Sean's got that look on his face. The look of I-know-something-you-don't…
"Sure, I guess…" Daniel's confused, he didn't understand shit of what Sean just said. But he just pressed the call button and put on the speakers. As he did, Sean felt something.
Panic.
What the fuck was he thinking? Lyla's got no idea about any of this. She might even think that they're dead. Maybe she's… moved on? Maybe she's in the hospital again? And Daniel's the one calling… shit! And Sean… he hasn't even considered the fact that he's not spoken to Lyla since Seattle. Until now, that is. Thousands of different scenarios, running through his head. Then, someone picks up.
"Hello?" It's Lyla. Sean wants to, so badly, just cry out her name. But he bites down, hard. Give Daniel this. The entire room has gone silent.
"Hello? Anyone there?" Lyla asks again, clearly annoyed. She always had a short fuse during her… bad times.
"L- Ly- Lyla…?" Daniel's already crying. His voice and body, shaking. The four-letter word he speaks, a mere whisper. The other end of the phone is completely silent.
"Daniel…? Is… that you? Daniel… Diaz?" Sean can hear that Lyla's crying too. Most like, she already knows the answer to her own question.
"Yes… it's- it's me, Lyla. It's Daniel." Daniel reaches out, grabbing Sean's hand, squeezing it hard. He got to give it to him, he's still hanging in there. Sean, on the other hand, is a sobbing mess. A quiet mess, but still… a mess.
"Oh my god, Daniel… I'm so glad you're alive… are- are you safe? Where are you? What- what happened? And what about-" Lyla's spilling out a year worth of questions at once, before going silent. Sean knows what's coming next, he prepares himself.
"Daniel… where's your brother? Where's… Sean?" He can hear the tone in her voice, how it changes. So subtle, yet so dramatic. Yeah, it's probably best not to draw this out any longer.
"I'm right here, Lyla." Sean now cries like a baby. For once, Daniel's the one comforting him.
"Oh, shit. You- you guys are actually… alive. I knew it. I fucking knew it." She almost sounds… shocked.
"Yes. Yes, we are, Lyla. Are- are you alright?" Sean's pretty sure that she's anything but alright, but he's got no idea of what to say right now.
"Am I alright…? Fuck that, Sean! What about the two of you?! Are you alright? What- what the fuck happened? That day? I- I still don't know…" Sean recognizes that tone. She's far from ok, but still, decent enough to pull through. At least that's a good thing. Sort of…
"Yeah… we're… good, Lyla. I- I miss you. So much." Daniel said, through tears. For once, he cried out of happiness, and not because of… all that other shit.
"Daniel… that's so great to hear. I miss you too. I'm glad you're alright." Lyla told his little brother, sounding sweet and caring. Then, her tone changed.
"Seriously, Sean. What happened? I… need to know. Please…?" The wolfbrothers look at one another, Daniel simply nods. Sean tells Lyla what happened on that day. Obviously, he avoids a few specific details, such as his nine-year-old brother murdering a cop with telekinesis. Lyla's quiet the entire time. So, Sean continues. He tells her about the abandoned cabin, Mushroom, Beaver Creek, and Chris. The only things not mentioned in the end are Daniel's powers, Haven Point, and Daniel cutting himself. Nobody knew how long they sat there. Afterward, he sat silently. Daniel had tears pouring down his face, and they could both hear Lyla breathing on the phone.
"Lyla… are- are you… ok?" Daniel asks, voice filled with concern. He's really growing up. Enano no more…
"Oh shit." The only thing Lyla could answer. Barely audible.
"How- how the fuck… did you…" She can't even speak a complete sentence. Too much to take in at once.
"It's ok, Lyla. Sean took care of me. All the time. He's been… awesome." Daniel tries to cheer her up. Sean knows from experience, it's not an easy thing to do.
"Well… except for in Humboldt. Back there, he was kind of an asshole. Right, Sean?" Daniel smiles at him. Lyla can be heard laughing a bit.
"Holy fuck… the shit you've been through. Both of you. It pisses me off. Still, I'm fucking proud of you both. Sean, you grew up. Daniel, you're still… you." That last part made Sean feel proud. He felt proud of his little brother for not letting all that trauma change who he was completely. Also, he did feel a bit proud of himself. All those sacrifices he made, all the beatings he's taken, this is the proof… it was fucking worth it.
The wolfbrothers spoke with Lyla Park for a long time. A very long time. Catching up on what had happened since they left, laughing, crying, and… getting an answer. Something both Sean and Daniel had to know, but both of them were afraid to ask. Daniel decides that it's time…
"Hey… Lyla? Can I… ask you something?" His entire demeanor changed. He closed his eyes, took long, slow breaths.
"Of course you can, man. Go ahead." Lyla answers, sounding almost happy.
"What happened to… to our- our house? And… dad?" Sean could almost hear Lyla's smile, fading away. She sighed.
"The house, and everything with it, was sold on some shitty auction. Listen, I- I may or may not… have broken into your house, and gathered all the shit I knew you would want. So, one day, you can get some stuff from… home." Damn… she's a true friend.
"Esteban got a funeral. It was… bad. They didn't do shit. I was the only person there. It was… fucking horrible. He's buried on the cemetery here, in Seattle." Sean's not sure how to respond to that. Just hearing about his father's funeral feels… weird.
"Thanks… Lyla." He can't think of much else to say. Eventually, the wolfbrothers say goodbye to their long-lost friend, and the call is over. As soon as it is, Daniel rises, and walks over to Sean, hugging him.
"Thank you, Sean. So much. You're the best." Daniel's not crying. Instead, he's got the widest smile Sean's seen in quite some time.
"Happy tenth birthday, Enano." It felt good, speaking to Lyla again. Sean had almost forgotten how great of a friend she truly was… and still is. He misses her, so much.
The brothers leave the trailer, walking outside. Well, Sean's walking. Daniel's running. But that's fine. Sean's just glad to have more of the old Daniel, Seattle-Daniel, back. He might be traumatized, ten times over, but he's recovering. Slowly, but he's doing it. Seeing his younger brother, running around in the excruciating desert sun, begging Sean to catch him, or just screwing around in general? Those things, feel like progress. It feels like the monster's dead. Buried. Gone forever. As is Felipe the freak, and Daniel the demon. The same thing goes for Daniel the abomination. All of those… gone. Now, only one existed.
Daniel Felipe Diaz.
The younger brother of Sean Eduardo Diaz.
A normal, albeit energetic, kid.
A few weeks later…
Sean had now officially lost count. He didn't know how long they've been in Away. He knew that the smartest thing to do would be to leave. Now. But resting… it just feels… too good. He didn't know how badly he needed it. In both mind and body. His soul, on the other hand, isn't resting. One thing is still bothering him. And it's doing it more and more. His problem is this simple, five-letter word.
Karen.
He still didn't call her "mom". She's still Karen to him. It just hurts too much. Sean feels out of place when she's near. Although he must admit that deep down, he's happy to see her. Still, things are… complicated, at best. However, Daniel's outside with Joan, levitating an old trailer for a sculpture of sorts. Sean can't say he gets it, but it makes Daniel happy. Karen's inside, alone. Daniel won't be back for a long time. This is it. Time to have… the talk. It's eight years overdue.
"Hey, Karen? Can we… talk?" Sean's not sure if he's seeing things, but did Karen freeze for a second? Almost as if she's been waiting for this to happen.
"Yes, Sean. Sit down." Yep. She has. Shit.
"I don't even know… where to start. Why- why did you… leave, mom? Why did you leave me?" He doesn't even notice how he just called her mom, instead of Karen. But it isn't just any Sean who's asking this question. This is eight-year-old Sean Diaz, the small part still left of him, asking why his mommy left him.
"I wasn't meant to be a wife… or a mother. I thought I was supposed to… I tried to pretend for many years… but I was unhappy and the urge to leave just became unbearable… I had no other choice, and I'm… sorry. I really am." What the fuck is this shit? Did she leave because she just… felt like it? Sean's disgusted by his mother's words.
"Bullshit, Karen. Sure, you helped us now, and we're both grateful for that. But it's still too late. Where were you when Daniel and I slept under a bridge, homeless and scared? Or when Daniel was sick, and I had to carry him for days through the forest, in the middle of the winter? Where were you then, huh? Where were you when I had to carry a broken Daniel, running for a train, while he's screaming horrible things at me… because he just saw his best friend die? Or when Daniel woke up alone, and scared, believing that I was dead? You were not there, Karen! Never." All words coming from Sean's mouth are full of hate, bitterness, and anger. But also, sadness, sorrow, loneliness, guilt, and a feeling of… not being good enough. Good enough for her to stay…
"Sean, I know-" Sean's not having it. Not today. He's been holding it in for eight years.
"You don't know shit, Karen! You- you fucking ruined my childhood!" Sean stands up, screaming.
"Do you know… how many nights I cried myself to sleep, wishing that you would be back the next morning? How many times I fell asleep and had dreams of you, coming back? Only to wake up, and for just five minutes, everything was perfect. Then, I remembered, Karen. I remembered that you… you actually fucking left. You left dad, you left Daniel, and you left… me." Sean sits down, hiding his face in his palms, sobbing quietly. All those emotions, everything that he's refused to talk about for eight years… all of them, being let out in less than five minutes. Both of them sit there, not saying anything. Then, Sean can feel a hand on his shoulder. It's almost like he's transported back in time, eight years, or so. Like he's a child again, being comforted by his mother. He acts on his first impulse.
"I missed you mom!" Sean said, then leaned towards his mother, hugging her. At first, he almost launched himself at her, like he did… back then. Also, like Daniel does now, to Sean. However, a seventeen-year-old teenager doing so, would likely not end well. As he realized what he actually was doing, he almost withdrew at first. Then, he felt it. The weight disappearing. All that bitterness, slowly disappearing. Sure, he's still… upset about her leaving. But… he just took a major step towards putting the past behind him.
"I missed you so fucking much, mom." For a long time, they sat there. Hugging out eight years of missed birthdays, Christmas Eve's, and various milestones in the life of Sean Diaz. Both of them, however, are scared to near-death, as the door opens with a loud bang.
"Hey SEAN?! Look, SEAN?! I made this-" Daniel had come running inside, full of excitement. Only to come to a complete stop. As soon as he saw Sean hug his mom. Not that it's anything weird with that, it's just… Daniel never expected it to happen. Like, never ever. He just stands there, smiling, feeling… proud. Can he be that? Proud… of his big brother? He decides that yes. Yes, he can.
"Hey, Enano. I know you're in here, I heard you shouting from like, a mile away." He kind of did. He just didn't care. This one time.
"Yeah… but it can… wait." Daniel doesn't want to ruin the moment or something. Sean just laughs, getting up.
"It's fine, Daniel. We had a… talk. We're good now… kinda, I think. What did you want, man?" Daniel lets his excitement take over again.
"It's what me and Joan have been working on. Close your eye, Sean. Trust me…" Sean doesn't exactly like the idea of his brother guiding him but does as told. He closes his eye and takes Daniel's hand. They walk towards Joan's trailer.
"Ok, Sean. You sure you're not peeking?" Daniel isn't teasing him. He actually sounds… very serious. What's even the big deal here? Sean doesn't even get Joan's art.
"I swear, Daniel. I'm not." He's up to something…
"Ok, Sean. You can look… NOW!" Sean opened his eye. At the very same time, Daniel pulled down a massive sheet with his powers. A sheet covering a sculpture. The sculpture had been built with whatever junk had been lying around. Although it's a bit… rough around the edges, Sean could immediately see what it was. The sculpture was a person.
A blue mask on his face.
Red cape on his back.
The letters "CS" are on his chest.
The sculpture is Chris Eriksen.
Captain Spirit.
"Do you… think he… would have liked it?" Daniel asks him, his eyes literally begging Sean to say yes. Seriously, even if this was the ugliest fucking thing in the world, Sean couldn't do that to Daniel. Plus, it's actually… really well-made.
"Daniel… he would have loved it. I know he would have, Enano." Sean says, trying not to cry as he reads the text on the plaque at the bottom of the sculpture.
"In loving memory of Captain Spirit. My friend, my savior, my mentor, my brother. /Superwolf" Sean decided not to ask Daniel about the meaning behind those words. It's… personal, to say the least.
"Thanks, Sean." Daniel says, trying to hide the fact that he's about to cry.
"It's… awesome, Enano. It… really is." Sean might not get Joan's art, but he definitely got this.
"Listen, Daniel… I've been thinking a bit…" He could see how Daniel froze for just a millisecond.
"What, Sean?" Daniel sounds worried. He feels… safe here. It's obvious he doesn't want to leave.
"It's been a while since you were… outside… Away. I was thinking that maybe we could do some hiking up in the canyon? You know, just you and me?" Sean feels like a jackass, and he doesn't even know why. Is this how it feels to become the lame older brother?
"That sounds… awesome, Sean!" Daniel's smile is back. Seems like Sean doesn't have to worry about becoming the lame older brother yet.
Hours later…
"Come on, Sean! Hurry up! Weren't you like, number one on the track team, dude?" Daniel teases him, as they walk up the canyons. Well, Sean's walking, and Daniel's running and skipping around happily. Just like his old self. Sean's absolutely thrilled to see it, but… DAMN!
"Holy… shit. Fuck… wait… up… Enano." He's absolutely exhausted. Number one, no longer.
"Oh, come on, Sean… are you tired already…? Bet you can't catch me!" Daniel yells at his face, before sprinting away.
"Daniel wait- fuck…" Sean doesn't know how he does it. He never did. How did his little brother get all that energy? Either way, after almost a year-long absence, it's back now.
"Ok, you little brat… think I can't catch up, huh…? Just… watch me!" Oh, the things he does for his little brother. Sean runs after Daniel, fully aware that he's got no chance of catching up. He's out of shape, and his body is broken. But it's of no importance. Daniel is back to being… Daniel. That's the important part.
The wolfbrothers reaches the top of the canyon, Daniel's already there when Sean arrives. His little brother's just standing there, watching. Observing. Sean stands right beside him.
"Wow… look, Sean." Daniel sounds amazed, not taking his eyes off the sunset.
"I know, right?" No more words are necessary. Sean puts an arm around his younger brother, and they both stand there, watching the sunset. Both brothers, caught in the moment for a long, long time… the oldest one, a bit too long, perhaps.
"I said, I'M HUNGRY, SEAN!" Daniel screams at his big brother, while simultaneously throwing an empty water bottle at him with his powers.
"Oh, huh?! What? Everything good, Enano?" Sean's in a world of his own, by the looks of it.
"Dude… are you ok? I've said like, ten times that I'm hungry…" Daniel's showing a bit of concern.
"It's fine, Enano. Just… got caught up, it's all. Ok, let's eat something." They both sit down, Sean rolls out their sleeping bags.
"Here, Daniel. Got… mom, to do me a favor today." Sean says, handing Daniel a large plastic container. Confused, Daniel takes it.
"What is this, Sean? Isn't it just food- HOLYFUCKINGSHIT!" Food, yes. "Just food?" Nope!
"Well, you don't have to eat it, dude…" Sean loves to tease Daniel when he's all excited like this. Never gets old.
"OMAYGAWDOMAYGAWD!" Said container, had been stacked with pizza slices. The last time Daniel Diaz ate pizza? That abandoned cabin, about seven months ago, give or take.
"I guess you like it then, Enano…?" Sean just smiles. Seeing Daniel happy, just makes him happy.
YES, SEAN YES!" Daniel screams, eyes glowing with excitement. Then, out of nowhere, he goes quiet. He looks at the massive pizza box, then at Sean, then back and forth a couple of times.
"… Sean?" Daniel's voice is now back to a more… formal tone.
"Yeah, Enano?" He could hear that something was up.
"Do- do you… want half? We can… you know… split it?" Ok, Sean sure as fuck wasn't expecting THAT. Daniel Diaz, Enano, actually sharing a pizza? Then, it hit Sean. Or, it hit him again. His brother's growing up. Slowly, but still, growing up. And it's stuff like this… the "little things" that make Sean so proud of him. And he really fucking wants some pizza…
"Yeah, Enano. That… would be awesome. Thanks, Daniel." Even the sacrifices of one Sean Eduardo Diaz has their limits.
The wolfbrothers eat in silence, and shortly afterward both brothers are in their respective sleeping bags. Sean can't believe that they actually shared a sleeping bag in Humboldt. Daniel's grown a lot since then, it would never work now. Still, their sleeping bags are right next to each other. It's almost the same… almost.
"Sean?" Daniel asks, with that tone that lets you know that he's about to ask something that's been on his mind for a long time.
"Yeah, Daniel?" He rolls over to his side, looking his little brother in the eyes.
"What do you think… dad… would say if he could see us now?" Damn. That's a deep one. Sean's actually been wondering that too. A lot more than he cares to admit.
"I… don't know, Enano. I- I think that… he would be proud. Of both of us. Proud of you for how long you've come, and for coming out stronger on the other side. Proud of me for… doing what I could… to take care of you. And proud of us both for becoming… the wolfbrothers." Sean didn't even think, he just spoke… from the heart.
"Thanks, Sean. It- it means a lot… to hear that." Daniel tries and fails, to hide a few tears.
"You've done an amazing job, taking care of me, Sean. Even, if you've been acting like an… asshole sometimes. I wouldn't change anything you did, brother." Daniel sheds a few tears but smiles at him.
"Thanks, Enano. You've been amazing too. Never let yourself believe different." Sean smiles back.
"Goodnight, Sean." Daniel closes his eyes, falling asleep almost instantly.
"Sleep tight, bro. Sleep tight." Sean does the same.
Sean's uncertain of how much time had passed, but it was still dark. He woke up to Daniel's voice. He talked in his sleep, desperately waving his arms around as if he's trying to hang on to something to avoid falling. At first, his mumbling sounded like pure gibberish. Then, it became more clear. Also, more troublesome.
"Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. - Revelations 3:19" Daniel repeated the same line, over and over again, in his sleep. That fucking reverend. Sean puts his hand on Daniel's forehead and carefully whispers.
"Daniel… little brother… wake up…" It crushes Sean, seeing him like this. Fuck.
"AAAHHH!" Daniel wakes up with a scream, but stays down, feeling Sean's hand on his forehead.
"Shhh, it's ok, Enano. Just a dream. You're safe. I'm here. Your brother's here." He tells him, a soothing tone to his voice. Calm, and caring.
"Sean…? Where- where are we…?" He seems… confused. Still a bit out of it.
"Were in the canyon camping, remember? You had pizza, buddy?" Daniel's breathing seems to settle a bit.
"Y- yeah… I- I think so… yeah." Daniel sighed, rolling over to his other side, his back now facing Sean. His brother seems to be stuck between wanting to be more independent and hanging out with the big brother he loves. Sean can understand it. They'll talk about it tomorrow, and more importantly, talk about… whateverthefuck Daniel said in his sleep. Creepy shit. Sean decides to not think too much about it now. Wait until tomorrow. He lies down on his back, slowly going back to sleep.
Sean awoke, several hours later. At least, part of him was awake. Mostly, he's still asleep. However, conscious enough to feel the desert sun, literally burning his face and arms. What the fuck was he thinking? Sleeping in the middle of the desert? He really is stupid sometimes. Sean can also feel… something, laid across his chest. For half a second, he panics, thinking it's a snake or some shit. Then, he heard someone groaning. Very close to him. Daniel's not that grown-up after all… he's still a bit afraid of the dark. Sean doesn't want to embarrass his brother, he pretends to be asleep, giving Daniel time to wake up. He can feel Daniel removing his arm, with great care, then… silence. Then…
"Wake UP, Sean!" Daniel exclaims as he gives Sean an elbow-drop to the chest.
"Ow, motherfuck- Daniel! What the hell, man? Can't you just say wake up?" Fuck… that hurt. It also threw Sean back in time. To his first real hangover. Dad sent in Daniel to wake him up, with similar results… he just can't be mad.
"I just did, bro." Daniel giggles.
"Anyway, look, Sean. You have to see this!" Daniel points towards the canyon. The sun was at the top of the sky, lighting up the entire canyon beautifully.
"Yeah… ok. You're right. It was worth it, man." He sits next to his brother, preparing himself to ask a few troubling questions.
"Hey, Daniel… I need to ask you something. About that dream you had…?" Daniel's smile completely disappeared.
"Y-yeah, what- what's wrong Sean?" Daniel almost sounds… ashamed. What the hell?
"You talked in your sleep, Enano. I- I think it was some… bible verses, maybe? Those whom I-"
"Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. - Revelations 3:19" Daniel immediately interrupts him.
"Wow…" Sean's a bit taken back. His brother had never exactly been the kid he expected to remember bible quotes.
"Every time I did… bad, Sean. They either… hurt me, or I had to write that quote. On paper. By hand. Three hundred and nineteen times. Every. Single. Time. That… sentence, I feel like it's ingrained to my fucking skull, Sean. I- I want to forget it… but I can't, Sean. I just… can't." Damn. Sean feels so… helpless. He wished he could just… take all the pain away.
"Shit. I'm so sorry, Daniel. But they can't hurt you anymore, in any way. You know that, right?" Sean tried to sound confident, he wasn't entirely sure Daniel believed him though.
" I know that, Sean. But it doesn't… feel like it. Sometimes, I feel like… she's around. Like she's coming after me, or that she's… hurting… you, Sean." Shit. Stay strong, dude. Stay strong.
"I'm sorry, Enano. But listen to me now, without you, she has no power. Without you… she's nothing, Daniel. Absolutely nothing. She can't do shit." Sean's convinced this is the truth. Nobody follows a cult leader who's been given a child from God, only to have said child leave her. Simple as that.
"Are- are you sure?" Daniel looks at him, tears flowing freely.
"Yes, Enano. I'm sure. I promise." Sean embraced his younger brother. What happened in Haven Point had left… major scars, both on Daniel's body, and soul. But Sean could feel it, see it, hear it. The signs were there every day. Signs that his younger brother is recovering. They've both been through hell, in more ways than one. Still, moments like these are what make him realize just how much they've changed over the past year.
From nowhere, Sean's hit with a feeling- no, not a feeling, more like a… desire. There's something he needs to do. He lets go of his brother, gives him a smile, and stands up, walking up to the very edge of the cliff. Daniel's still sitting on the ground, a bit confused. Sean takes a deep breath.
And he howls.
One long howl, for all the shit that they've gone through. The good and the bad. Daniel quickly catches on, runs up, standing next to his big brother.
And Daniel howls.
One howl, letting out all of his pain, but also, celebrating the fact that he survived it. Instead of letting them bring him down completely. Two brothers. Most people would say, one teenager and one small boy. Ask the brothers, and they'll tell you it's one young wolf and a small cub.
The Diaz Brothers?
The Wolf Brothers?
Perhaps… it didn't matter?
Perhaps the only thing that truly mattered was… brotherhood. Sean needs Daniel, and Daniel needs Sean. In more ways than one, because there's nothing they can't do… as long as they're together…
Notes:
This chapter is a lot because I've let Daniel go through so much shit throughout this series. The kid needs a break, the kid gets a break. I wanted to throw in Lyla for a bit since I don't really find the Away characters to be very... interesting TBH. Plus, just to have the brothers talk with her... felt like the right thing to do at this point.
Sean's talk with Karen was a must-have. It would have been in episode 4, but that was Daniel-exclusive, so it's here instead.
Daniel building the Captain Spirit sculpture is something I put there as kind of a way to show that Daniel can still remember Chris, without just feeling guilt. He can remember the good times too.
As I'm getting closer and closer to the end of this fic, I'm realizing something: I know it will have TWO ENDINGS. But I still haven't decided WHICH ONE'S.
So, if you want to, comment below which endings I should do...
Chapter 3: Fireflies & Independence
Summary:
The wolfbrothers share some beautiful moments with each other, while Sean realizes even more, that his brother's growing up. However, their peaceful life at Away, won't last forever. Eventually, they have to leave. One way, or the other...
Notes:
Yes, I do realize how much of a long-ass chapter this turned out to be. I kinda broke my own golden rule on that one...
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The next day — July 2nd, 2017…
The wolfbrothers, now back at Away, felt almost at home here. Well, at least Daniel did. The whole place was a little… too off the grid for Sean's liking, but right now, it's just what he needed. A quiet place, to relax. Daniel could take care of himself these days, more or less. And even if he couldn't, the people at Away were more than happy to help. Sean sat in a chair outside, sunglasses on, drinking his first soda in… a really fucking long time. He's just enjoying some peace and quiet. He didn't even realize, just how badly he needed it. Until now. Sean's almost fallen asleep when he hears a buzzing sound. Damn…
"Superwolf to Silver Runner, over?" Why, oh why, did David give him these walkies? Things in Away have been so… calm, that Sean's slowly falling back to his old self, bit by bit. He chooses to ignore Daniel, just this… one time.
"Come on, bro… I know you're not asleep. I know you better than that." No, Daniel. You don't. You're just… lying. Sean still ignores him. He really likes this chair he's sitting in right now.
"Ok, Sean. Never mind then. I guess you're just going to ignore your little cub, your… Enano." Sean clearly hears that Daniel's not offended in the slightest. He's just pulling out the "bad conscience card." The worst part is that it's actually working too. Sean immediately picks up his walkie.
"Ok, Enano, I'm… sorry. What's up?" Sean says, barely awake.
"Uh, didn't copy that, over." Oh, for fuck's sake… Sean sighs.
"I'm sorry, Daniel. What's up? OVER!" Sean had introduced a very young Daniel to "Family Guy" and their father had told him… "One day, Hijo… this will come back to bite you." Guess he was right.
"Oh, it's fine, Sean. I forgive you. Also, I can hear you a lot better if you finish your sentence with the word over… over." Daniel giggles, obviously having the time of his life.
"So… what did you want, Enano? Uhhh… over." Sean feels like an idiot. Still, he can hear how happy his brother is. Maybe he's done something right the past year…?
"I hid something super cool for you to find, bro. Over." The kid sounds more excited than ever. He's definitely up to something this time. Not a very good time to have just one eye, no it is not…
"So, I guess my sleeping time is over?" Sean already knows it is, but maybe… it can wait until tomorrow…?
"Your sleeping time is what? Over." What the-
I said… is my sleeping time ov- oh for fuck's sake, Daniel? Really? Over, over!" He can hear Daniel laughing from the other end of Away.
"Ok, Sean. Do you accept my treasure hunt? Over?" Sean can admit it, he's getting a bit curious.
"Alright, Enano. I accept. On one condition, over." Sean swears it… if he ever finds out who decided the whole "over" thing, he's about to be wanted for another murder.
"What? Over." Please, just accept it…
"Can we please, skip the whole over thing? Shit… over?" Come on, Enano…
"Ok, Sean. Deal! Now, get ready…" Oh, thank fucking god!
"You have two clues to collect. Only then… can you find the treasure!" Daniel puts on an incredibly cheesy pirate-like accent.
"Is the treasure in mom's trailer, Daniel?" Sean asks, a bit jokingly.
"Dude… I'm better than that. Don't you think any good of me, Sean?" Daniel sounds insulted.
"Right, sorry. What's the first clue?" Sean quickly changes the subject.
"Your first clue… is inside the yellow place, that used to take us to hell, Sean. Good luck…" What the… fuck? That's way more complicated than anything he would have expected from Daniel. When did his little brother get… smart? Either way, Sean's not getting outsmarted by a ten-year-old. He slowly begins to walk around the community, looking for… something yellow. Yay…
"Hey, Daniel? How did you… come up with this, man?" Did he really come up with it on his own?
"No comment, Sean. You're just trying to get me to reveal something useful." Damn. He's really into this…
"Damn-it, Sean. Think… something yellow… used to take us to hell… think!" He says to himself. After about twenty minutes, Sean can officially say, he's fucking pissed. His little brother is outsmarting him. The walkie beeps, and he hears Daniel's voice. Wait… is he… singing?
"Playin' in a rockin' band, hey mumma, look at me, I'm on the way to the promised land…" Ok, in ten years, Sean's never heard Daniel sing… once.
"Uh, Enano? Did you just… sing?" He asks carefully.
"Huh? No, Sean. I don't believe I did." Sean decides to not dive any deeper into it. Daniel's walkie must be… broken or something. Now, Sean can hear him whistling on the same song. What the hell…? He just keeps walking around aimlessly.
"Sean…? Really, dude?" Daniel says, pirate accent gone, replaced by his victorious smug voice.
"I… guess, Daniel. Yeah." Time to… admit defeat. Sean sighs heavily.
"Dude… seriously! Use your brain, Sean. Just… look a little to your left. You can do it." Daniel's really trying here.
"Sorry, man. I'm just not… seeing anything. Sorry." He's officially been outsmarted by a ten-year-old. Sean Diaz is NOT smarter than a fifth-grader.
"Sean…" Daniel says, making Sean almost see his brother facepalm before him, and because of him.
"Yes, Daniel?" He just ruined his treasure hunt. Great job, dude.
"… the school bus, estúpido!" One of the very few Spanish words Daniel knew. The school bus, holy shit, now he gets it…
Hell equals school, or at least, it used to. Daniel deserves credit on this one. But what about…
"Damn, dude, nice job. I get it now. But… I gotta ask. Do you really… sing?" Hope it's not some deep secret or something.
"Highway to hell, Sean. Don't you get it? A highway…? A bus, taking us to hell?" Damn. Kid be smart…
"Damn, Daniel. How- how much time did you put into this?" He's actually impressed at this point.
"Not telling. Now, go get your clue." Sean goes inside the bus, and taped on a window is… a map. Or at least, half of it. He's catching on.
"Alright, Enano. Next clue?" Shit. Let's hope it's a little easier.
"Your next clue is at the place where the monsters rest…" Sean… thinks he's got this. Joan's creepy, giant animal sculptures. That's got to be it. Unless there's a hidden pet cemetery around here…
"Ok, dude. I got this one." Sean walks over to Joan's. Just like he thought, on the biggest sculpture, is the other half of the map. What the sculpture's supposed to be, Sean's not sure of. Looks like a giant… frog?
"Easy, dude. I got the map. Now what?" Damn, is it over soon? He needs to rest…
"Put the pieces together, and the treasure will be… yours." Seems like Daniel the pirate is back. Sean does as told. The map of Away is now complete. Daniel's getting excellent at drawing, Sean feels proud. A small red "X" is marked at the corner of the map. Sean looks closer…
"Alright man, I can see the spot- wait a minute? DANIEL?!" Daniel's laugh could be heard from miles away… from Away. The red "X" was inside Karen's trailer. Seems like Daniel's a better liar nowadays as well. Shit.
"What the fuck, Daniel?" Sean feels slightly… upset, speaking with his brother through the walkie.
"Oh, come on, Sean. Admit it… you had fun. You know it…" Sean holds down the button, about to say something not very PG-10, to his brother. Then, he stops to think. He… did have kind of fun.
"You-you're right, Enano. I did have fun. Sorry for screaming at you. Now, where the hell are you? Let's go get that treasure." Sean just admitted defeat, and it didn't hurt one bit. That's a first.
"I'm right… HERE!" Daniel runs up behind him. Was he hiding behind a cactus the entire time? Either that or the kid's like a damn ninja.
"Hey… nice try. Ok, let's go." The wolfbrothers walk, hand-in-hand, towards their mother's trailer.
"It's under the bed, Sean. Be- be careful, please." Daniel's tone completely changing, now a more serious, almost… nervous little Enano. Sean digs around under the bed, pulling out a large package. He puts it on the table, carefully.
"Ok, Daniel. What is this?" Sean's really curious now. Daniel's literally shaking. Out of excitement, or nervousness, Sean can't tell.
"Open it, Sean." His little brother whispers, sounding very… emotional. Sean starts to open the package.
"I don't know what you're up to, Daniel… but whatever it is-" Sean came to a halt. He recognized the contents of this package. It's just that, he hasn't seen any of it for so long. About a year, or so. October 26th, 2016, to be precise…
Sean couldn't move.
Daniel couldn't move.
Neither brother spoke, for what felt like an eternity.
"I- I called Lyla back and gave her mom's PO box. She- she sent us this. We got it… four days ago, Sean. I hope you're not… mad… for not telling you." Daniel's face, covered with tears. How- how the fuck could he…?
FUCK HIM!
Fuck that kid!
Fuck him for even thinking like that. Why would Sean be mad about this? The fact that Daniel, at ten years young, would go through all this, for a box of their old stuff from Seattle… warms Sean's heart.
"Thank you…" He can't get any more words out, before breaking down completely. So instead, he just embraces his younger brother, showing him that he sure as hell ain't mad.
The wolfbrothers sat there, going through the box, a box full of memories. Also, full of… junk. Both of them, more than one time, picked something up, only to wonder how they could care about it so much… less than a year ago. Lyla had sent them many precious items. Sean's old sketchbooks. Literally, every single photo from the entire house. Photos of dad. Even some videos. Watching those old photos, it made Sean feel… weird. Both old and young, at the same time. They spent hours, going through everything. There were tears, laughter, nostalgia, and sadness. But also, finally… acceptance.
"This- this is the best thing you've ever done, Daniel. You're an amazing brother." Sean says as he put the lid back on. Daniel just gives him a smile. His eyes might be red from tears, but he's still smiling. Both brothers are pulled from their little moment as a car can be heard, honking its horn.
"Mom's back, Sean!" Daniel looks out the window.
"Yeah, looks that way. Come on. Let's help her with the groceries." Sean didn't need to ask twice.
"Hi, mom!" Daniel runs up to his mother, hugging her. It makes Sean happy, knowing that Daniel's connecting to his mom. Sean himself? He's… getting there, but it's not easy. She caused him a lot of pain.
"Hey, Daniel!" Even better, Karen's actually happy to be around him. Sean's getting a weird feeling. A strange combination of nostalgia, and… almost jealousy. Sean… didn't have a mom at the age of ten.
The wolfbrothers help their mother carry the groceries inside, as Karen puts three pizza boxes on the table. Oh, fuck yes!
"Wow, mom! Awesome!" Daniel sat down, not caring the slightest about waiting for the others. Sean and Karen join him, and they all eat their dinner. When finished, everyone's silent. Daniel's too full to speak, Sean feels about the same. As he looks at his mom, he can't help but feel that something… isn't right. She looks… sad. Sean's minds transported him backward in time, to one specific night.
"I promise you, Sean, I will never leave you." Those were the last words he heard from her for eight years. She left. That very night, she had a look on her face. A look that eight-year-old Sean Diaz couldn't decipher. Now, eight years later, she's got the same look on her face. Sean still can't quite decipher it, but he knows it's… not good. Maybe she's… realized that she doesn't want them here anymore?
"Listen, boys, I was thinking…" Shit. This is it. Homeless again. Sean starts to panic.
"I was thinking… maybe we could go for a short hike, up in the canyon?" Oh, thank god. They're not homeless. WAIT-
"Yes, mom. That would be super cool!" No… Sean could barely do it before dinner. How the fuck is he supposed to do it after eating an entire pizza? He needs to say no.
"Y- Y- yeah… sure. Great… idea." Well… shit.
Thank god for Karen and her slow pace. Otherwise, Sean would be dead in a ditch somewhere around the canyon. Daniel? He just ran ahead, as always… Sean still doesn't get it. The wolfbrothers, along with their long-lost mother, traveled upwards, towards the cliff they camped at last night. A long, grueling walk. The closer they come to their destination, the more Sean gets the feeling that… there's more to it. That this isn't just hiking for the sake of hiking. He didn't like where this was leading…
The sun has set, long ago. All three of them using flashlights to light the way. Daniel walks dangerously close to the edge of a cliff. Not as high as the one at the very top, but definitely high enough to… well. It takes every fiber of Sean's being, not to shout at him "Back the fuck away, man! Are you stupid?!" Somehow, he manages to stay quiet. However, he could taste blood, and his tongue was hurting quite a bit.
As Daniel stood right on the edge he looked down, then up. He looked up at the very full moon, and Daniel Diaz howled. One very loud howl, echoing throughout the entire canyon. After a few seconds, his howl actually gets a reply. No, not from Sean, and definitely not from Karen. But from another animal, far away in the distance.
"Wow, Sean…" Daniel almost whispers. Sean can almost hear the wheels inside his brother's brain, going around at full-speed.
"Yeah, Enano. I heard it." Sean stands next to him, trying to not look-the-fuck-down. Fear of heights, and no depth-perception while standing at a really fucking high ground at night… not to be recommended.
"Do you… think it was… dad? Calling out to us?" Fuck. Sometimes Sean forgets how deep his little brother can be. This was really deep… and painful. Sean puts his arm around Daniel's shoulder.
"Yeah, Daniel. I'm sure he's… watching over us, from up there." Was he? Sean never really was much of a believer in… anything, really. But he does want to believe that his father's in a better place, instead of just… rotting in a grave his sons can't ever visit. Plus, there's just no way, any way, ever, that he would tell Daniel it's just a coyote howling back. Especially, considering how Haven Point has become "The Coyote Cult" in their wolfbrothers story. Yeah… Daniel doesn't need to hear that.
"I miss him, Sean. All the time." Daniel says, with a sad tone, but also… a lot more acceptance. Like Daniel finally, one hundred percent have accepted the fact that his dad's dead.
"I do too, Daniel. Every hour, of every day. We both miss him, and it's ok to feel that way." Both brothers turn their eyes, and eye respectively, backward at the same time, hearing a sniffling sound. As they did, Karen quickly looked away, but it's too late.
"Mom? Are you… crying?" Daniel asks her, carefully. He almost sounds scared.
"No, not at all, Daniel. It's… fine." She tries to avoid it. Sean can tell where both of them got those great genes from. She's just as bad at it as he and Daniel.
"Enano, we… should move on. The top is just around the corner, and it's getting late." Sean knows better than to ask his mom why she's crying. Instead, he buys her some time to… recover.
"Ok, Sean. Let's go." Daniel grabs his hand, and they move towards the top.
When they finally reached the top, all three of them sat down on the ground. Sean's exhausted. Food-coma deluxe. Karen's worried expression's back, and Daniel's just… Daniel. At least that's good. Better than good. Karen takes a long, deep breath.
"So… I really appreciate the two of you staying here…" Aw, for fuck's sake! You could have fucking kicked us out before dragging our asses all the way up here!
"… it's been great seeing you. Getting to know you again, Sean. And getting to know you, Daniel." Guess it's over, again. He might as well…
"You regret leaving us?" That… probably came out angrier than he intended.
"Short answer Sean, is no. the long answer is… to complicated to explain here, and now. Let's just say that… I'm at peace with my fuck-ups, and mistakes. But I've never been proud of what I did. It was the hardest decision in my life. Now, I didn't come here to talk about myself…" Then, why did you?
"I'm proud of you both, who you are, and where you're going. And I know… Esteban would be too. But… I'm afraid I'm going to have to be honest with you…" Karen can't even look at her sons. Sean just feels the rage, building inside him.
"When we were in town today, we saw some newspaper articles. The feds are definitely tracking you down in this area. It won't be long before… they get here." FUCK! Sean just felt so bad, in so many ways. Bad because he believed his own mother would kick them out. Bad because now… they have to leave… again. Daniel has to leave another safe place. Shit.
"This… is it, isn't it?" Daniel's quiet voice said.
"Sí, Enano. We'll leave first thing in the morning." Sean answers, sighing deeply.
"So, I actually got these for the 4th of July, but I figured… today is just as good." Karen opened her backpack, taking out three lanterns. Now Sean understands why they had to come all the way up here.
"Ooo… I love those things!" Daniel exclaims, full of excitement.
Karen gives each of the wolfbrothers a lantern of his own, before taking the last one herself. Then, Sean takes his father's old lighter, the one with the Puerto Lobos crest, lighting up the lanterns. One at a time. When all three lanterns are lit, they stand next to each other, facing the near-endless canyon.
Sean's quiet.
Daniel's quiet.
"Let's light up the sky…" As Karen said those words, three lanterns simultaneously released, beginning their slow ascent towards the sky. Nobody said a word. Words were… unnecessary. A moment filled with so much emotion, and so much symbolism, everyone involved, was at a loss for words.
When the lanterns had risen, Daniel stepped forward. Sean didn't think much of it at first. His one eye, still stuck at the sky, his mind, caught up in this moment. Suddenly, Sean realizes that the lanterns slowly start to descend, back towards them. Daniel wants this moment to last, just a little longer. To be honest, so does Sean. Daniel waves his hand effortlessly, making the three lanterns levitate slowly around himself, Sean and Karen. All three of them, equally amazed, heartbroken, sad, happy… just about any emotion you could have, all at the same time.
Then, Daniel sends the lanterns back up, towards the sky. There, he lets them go, and they move on in their own way. Three lanterns. Was it one for Karen, one for Sean, and one for Daniel? Perhaps. Maybe it was one for Sean, one for Daniel, and one for Esteban. Because Karen didn't feel like a part of their family, or she just didn't want to. Or maybe… it's one lantern for every life taken by Daniel Diaz? His father, Mushroom, and Chris. Depending on which person were to answer that question, the answer would be… very different, to say the least. There was, however, one thing they all agreed on. They all saw it, but nobody said anything. Everyone just pretended like it didn't happen…
One lantern, nobody knew whose lantern it was… but everybody could see that it was… falling behind. Only to then, split away, going its own path. Was it just a meaningless coincidence combined with a bit of paranoia? Or… could one wolf brother… choose to part ways with the other? Could something even… worse… happen? Sean decides to save it for tomorrow. Because tomorrow, it's Puerto Lobos. Tomorrow… the wolfbrothers are going home. Finally.
July 3rd — 2017…
Sean wasn't hungry, he could barely eat. He couldn't even… breathe. Today's the day. Within twenty-four hours, the wolfbrothers would be in Puerto Lobos, Mexico, at their father's beach house. That's… the idea. But then again, they could also be in prison, separated for good, or even… dead. The number of ways this can go bad is… sickening. Sean's already lost his left eye. Daniel's been shot in the shoulder and had problems with self-harm. Still, the worst might be yet to come.
"Are you guys… ready to hit the road?" Karen asks, sounding concerned and sad.
"No. it sucks, mom. I- I don't want to leave. I'm… tired of everything. And I'm… scared." Daniel tells her, nearly breaking Sean's heart in the process. Fuck. He was doing so well here. Hopefully, it's over soon.
"We'll be alright, Enano. By this time tomorrow, we're in Mexico." Sean knew it wouldn't be that easy, but he had to try.
"I hope so, Sean. I- I trust you." Daniel still sounds scared. Shit.
"It won't be easy, crossing that border, Sean. Which is why I'm going to give you… a head start." Karen says, looking very seriously at him.
"What- what do you mean?" Burning down another church won't really help them…
"The cops are after me too, for what happened… at that place." She looks at Daniel. Sean's glad she avoided mentioning Haven Point by name.
"… so I'm going to turn myself in. they can't get me to tell them shit. When they realize it, you two will be long gone." Sean's at a complete loss of words. The mother who abandoned him, turning herself in… for her kids?
"Mom, no! I- I don't want you to go to jail." Daniel begs, but it feels like… he's not even trying. Almost like he knew that there's no point in trying to convince her.
"My mind's made up, Daniel. Consider it a way for me to… apologize, for leaving the two of you. It won't give you those years back, but it can give you more years with each other." Sean's just staring…
"Thank you… for doing this. Really. Thank you." Sean whispers, still a bit mind-blown.
"Don't mention it, Sean. The only thing that matters now, is getting you both to Puerto Lobos." Yeah, there is that…
"Just remember, both of you… stay true to yourselves. Never forget who you are, or where you came from. A lot of bad shit happened to you both, and you've been forced to do a lot of bad shit to get to this point. Just don't let the lines between right and wrong become too blurry. Because, if you do… it sends you down a dark path. Do what you need to, just… don't overdo it." It's probably easier said than done, at this point.
"It's just… I don't know what dad would think if he could see us right now. He never would have wanted us to live like… outlaws." Sean lets out the last of his emotions, because soon… he needs to be strong again. For him.
"Your father definitely had… different views, compared to me. He had a lot more faith in the system than I had. But I can tell you this, Sean. He would be proud of you. Very proud." Sean forces back his tears. No way, not now!
"Thanks…" Sean mumbles quietly.
"Ok, I think it's time." Karen gets up, moving towards the car. The wolfbrothers bags are there, along with food and water to last at least two weeks. This… is it. Sean and Daniel had both said their goodbyes to the residents of Away earlier in the morning. Now, every one of them, came outside to watch them leave. It was… painful. It hurt. Daniel walked towards his mom, slowly. Sean cried internally. Depressed Daniel's back.
"I'm so glad I finally met you, mom. I waited ten years…" Daniel cries as he hugs his mom goodbye, saying a couple of words only the two of them could hear. Then, Daniel gets in the car. Sean's left alone, face-to-face, with Karen. Awkward… it was still difficult. He felt… better about her. Still, one part of him wanted to almost punch her in the face. However, Sean settled for what the other part wanted…
"Thanks, mom!" Two simple words, combined with one hug. It said everything that needed to be said. They both knew it. Everything's not forgiven, but Karen Diaz, Karen Reynolds, Karen Whateverthefuck, could now officially be called the mother of Sean Eduardo Diaz.
"Be safe, Sean. Take care of your brother, and let him take care of you as well." Karen whispers in his ear, so nobody else could hear. Then, Sean got in the car. Immediately, he could hear the heavy sigh of his brother, Daniel.
"I know, Daniel. I know. It's almost over. I promise." Sean starts the car and drives away from… Away. Daniel rolls down the window, waving goodbye to everyone. Half of his body, hanging outside the car. Sean now felt like his brother wasn't much of a grown-up. As soon as they left Away, Daniel appeared, in Sean's eyes, smaller than ever before. A skinny ten-year-old, with a scar from a bullet wound on his shoulder, and four self-inflicted cuts on his wrist. His little brother suddenly seemed to be very… vulnerable. And that scared Sean. It really fucking scared him.
"Bye everybody!" Daniel shouts happily. Then, he sits down, silently. Sean, not being sure of what to do or say, stays quiet. Perhaps, there's nothing he can say, to make things better…
The wolfbrothers left Away behind them. Once again, they had left another safe place behind, because it wasn't safe any longer. Would they ever be… safe? Would Puerto Lobos be… safe? This isn't the time to start having doubts. They're so close now. After almost a year of pain and agony… they're almost there. The hours went by, most of them in complete silence. Sean is too nervous for small talk, and Daniel is back to being sad. Sad, and… thinking. Lots and lots of thinking. He didn't say it, obviously. But Sean still knew. He could see it, the look on his brother's face. Sean just hoped that it's… happy thoughts. As they were going down the road, Sean began to realize why they called it "The Highway To Hell." It just went on forever, and the heat was fucking unbearable, Karen's car didn't have air condition. Horrible, just horrible. After many hours of driving, he could hear Daniel taking a deep breath, and hitting his knees with the palms of his hands.
"Hey, Sean…?" Daniel says quietly as if he's afraid.
"Yeah, Enano?" He's probably just tired. This heat… it does that. Sean knows it better than most people.
"Can we pull over? Please…? It's… important…" Sean knows they don't have time to pull over. Not even to take a piss. But his little brother's got that look. The look that tells Sean it's really important for Daniel to do this. Whatever "this" is. Plus, he could really use a break. Driving with one eye makes his head hurt.
"Sure thing, Enano. I need a break anyway." Sean pulls over to the side of the road. He takes two water bottles and a blanket and gets out of the car. The blanket at least stops them from getting sand… everywhere, plus it protects a little against the insane heat of it. Also… it's from their house in Seattle. They both sit down. Sean takes a few sips of water, Daniel… does not. He seems… nervous.
"Everything good, Daniel?" Damn it, Sean. A year later, and you still can't learn. Do not, ever, ask stupid questions like that!
"We… I- I- want to…" Daniel's voice is failing him. But he fights through it. Sean decides to give him the time he needs.
"I just… want to- need to, say something, Sean." His brother had a very serious look on his face. A look very rare, both during the last year and in Seattle. Sean put down the water bottle, turning his full attention towards his brother.
"Ok, Daniel. I'm listening. Take as much time as you need." Still, Sean felt like he kind of wanted it to go fast. Daniel closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.
"Thank you, Sean." Although he now was ten and very much traumatized, Daniel now sounded like… he used to. Three short words, one simple sentence. Daniel, to Sean's ears, sounded exactly like his nine-year-old kid-self. Innocent, pure, and full of joy. This, however, meant that Sean's answer… had a vibe of Seattle-Sean. And Seattle-Sean… wasn't always the brightest kid in the neighborhood…
"For what, Enano?" Sean asks, feeling like an idiot. Did he miss something? Why is Daniel thanking him? His younger brother now opens his eyes, looking right into Sean's remaining one.
"For everything. Thank you for taking care of me, even if you didn't have to. For always believing in me, that I was… good, and not a freak. Thank you for cheering me up when I needed it, even if it didn't always work." Holy shit… Sean's just sitting there like he's lost his voice completely. Daniel's speaking, voice clear and formal, but still… Sean can hear it. Daniel's this close to tears…
"… and thank you for… helping me to… find a purpose again. To find the strength to… live another day, again and again. There are just so many times… where I would have… welcomed… death. But I never did. Thanks to you, Sean." Hearing this… it just makes Sean feel so many things at once. Sad, shocked, depressed, angry. But also… joy, happiness, a feeling of almost… success. But most importantly, Sean felt proud. So fucking proud. On the very first night after their father died, Sean Diaz had made a promise to himself and his brother. He remembers it like it just happened. Nearly frozen to death because he'd given Daniel his hoodie, he had made that one promise.
A promise to be a better brother, a good brother to Daniel. No matter what. Sean had doubted himself many times, uncertain if he really is a good brother, or not. Now, hearing Daniel speak like this… these doubts disappeared for good. Daniel looked up to him more than he ever did before. And not just because he "needed" Sean, but because he wanted to be with his big brother. Daniel's emotional speech is the living proof that Sean Eduardo Diaz kept his word. He's now officially, a good brother to Daniel Felipe Diaz.
The brothers have been sad…
They have been wounded. Emotionally, and physically.
Hell, at one point, Daniel had even been considered a holy angel…
But they're still here! Nothing can separate the wolfbrothers. Absolutely nothing.
"Just… thank you, Sean. So… much. I love you." Daniel embraces him, crying tears of, not sadness, but… almost happiness. Almost…
"God… Daniel. I- I don't even know… what to say…" He literally has no fucking clue. Nothing he says can come even remotely close, to topping Daniel's beautiful speech. He just settles for silence instead.
"There's… one more thing, Sean." Daniel says, breaking their hug. All that confidence Sean saw moments ago…
Gone…
Replaced by that familiar shaky voice, full of nervousness, and unfortunately, fear. Sean gives him time… again.
"You helped me get through a lot of… bad things, Sean. The pain is… still there, but it's… not as much now. Dad, Mushroom, and Chris. But there's one thing… I can't forgive myself for, Sean. And I think we can… help each other… move on, or something." Daniel looked down at the ground. He always did that when he felt ashamed or dumb. Sean wanted to ask, but he felt that this is not the time. Daniel's probably been waiting for the right time for… ages.
"… your eye, Sean." Daniel could see Sean about to speak up but immediately interrupted.
"And don't you dare… say that it's fine and that it wasn't my fault. I know it was an accident, but it's still… my fault." Daniel's voice is calm and collected. Still, it's very obvious to Sean, that there's no point to argue…
"I need to move on, Sean. You do too. I know you're in pain. Like, you're pretty terrible at hiding it, bro…" Daniel giggles, easing up the tension a little.
"You only wear… that… to protect me, Sean. Not because you want to." Daniel points at the eye patch. Sean nods, without really knowing why. Still, Daniel's right.
"We can't… avoid it forever. I don't want you to… wear it just for me… it's ok, Sean." Now, Sean can see where this is going. It would actually be… really fucking nice. But…
"Are- are you sure…?" Sean's voice shaking, along with his entire body. Daniel just smiles at him.
"Just… close your eyes- damn-it, eye, or whateverthefuck…" They both share a quick laugh, and Sean does as told. Sean feels Daniel's small hands on his head, carefully removing the eye patch. He can feel his little brother, shaking, afraid of what he's about to see.
"Ok… you- you can… look now. At… me." Wow. In over a decade, Sean had never heard Daniel sound so… insecure, so pitiful, so… sad. Was this really a good idea? Now, of all times? Either way, it's too late to back out. Sean opens his eye, with his head tilted down, so Daniel can kind of… ease into it. The first thing he sees, is Daniel's palms, holding the eye patch. He looks up.
"Well… Enano? Is it… bad?" Sean kind of avoided mirrors when he could. He asked Karen to remove every mirror in her trailer, to not see… himself. Also, he got Karen to do all the… eye-lube stuff… so he barely knows how it looks. Daniel screaming in fear… would actually break him.
"Uhhh…" Daniel doesn't give him a real answer. Instead, he takes his hand, carefully touching the area around the former left eye. Daniel's fingers twitch a little, as he feels the large scar, where the piece of glass used to be. Sean… can't breathe.
"Your… still… Sean." Yet again, three short simple words from Daniel, proving how much he's grown. Also, how much their relationship's grown. However, these words had about a ten-second gap between each other. Daniel hugs Sean, tightly.
"You're still just… Sean." He cries into his big brother's shoulder.
"Thank you, Daniel." Both brothers, now crying into each other's shoulders. After being in the moment for a few more minutes, Sean decides it's time to go. He gets up and packs the few things he took out.
"Hey, Enano? It's time…" Daniel seems to be… up to something.
"I know, Sean. This will take just a few seconds, I promise." Sean puts their things in the car and stands next to Daniel. The latter finished with digging a small hole in the ground.
"What are you doing, dude?" Sean knew he should have made him drink some water…
"It's for this, Sean." Daniel opens his palm, revealing Sean's eye patch.
"Oh…" He wasn't… following.
"We bury it. Here. In America. Then, we can start over in Mexico. Put all of this behind us… all of it, Sean." Damn, bro. Symbolical much?
"That… sounds like a good idea, Enano." Daniel's a lot deeper than Sean can handle sometimes. Daniel puts the eye patch down and fills the hole. Then, the brothers stand there, watching. Feeling. Sean feels better since he's not wearing the damn thing anymore. Daniel? He feels infinitely better. It's going to take some time to get used to, sure. But it wasn't… that bad. The scar looked… kinda cool.
"I love you, Sean." Daniel's said that more times today than he did in nine years in Seattle.
"I love you too, Daniel. Now, let's go." The wolfbrothers get inside the car, and back on the highway. A highway to either hell or freedom.
They're close now, Sean could feel it. He could also feel that… something's troubling his younger brother. Daniel seems to get more and more… nervous, the closer they get to the border.
"Hey, is there something wrong? We're almost there, ok?" Daniel just sighs in response. Something's up…
"So… what's the first thing you wanna do in Puerto Lobos, Daniel?" Maybe he should try to not be so… obvious?
"I… I don't care. Whatever." Ok, where's this coming from? This is NOT the time for pouty-Daniel to make his return.
"What's wrong, man?" Sean asks, feeling a bit concerned.
"What- what are we gonna do in Puerto Lobos? We don't know anyone or anything… we're like strangers…" He picked a bad time to… figure that one out. At least in Sean's mind.
"It's fine, Daniel. We'll finally have a place to stay. Permanently. No more running, no more hiding, no more looking over your shoulders. Everything's going to work out, trust me." Only now, Sean actually heard the way he sounded.
"But… what about… money, and stuff? What are we going to do?" Yeah, that's been on Sean's minds too. A lot more than he's willing to admit.
"We've got enough money to last for at least a month or so. It's more than enough time for me to… find a job. We're gonna be fine, Enano." Are they? Sean wants to believe that. But is it really true? Then again, they've been through worse… a lot worse.
"So, what about me, Sean? What- what will I do? I'm too young to work, right?" Sean's not having him work again. No chance in hell.
"You… can probably go to school there, Daniel. You would make friends fast. Think about it, everywhere we've been… everyone loved you. You're a natural, dude!" At least he got Daniel to smile.
"But… I can't even speak Spanish, Sean." Daniel sounds almost… desperate. As if he's searching for any flaws in their grand plan.
"I- I can teach you, Enano." As long as it's not math, it should be fine.
"Really? You- you would… do that, Sean?" Daniel asks, already knowing the answer.
"Sure, Daniel. It's not as hard as you think. I'll help you, man. Don't worry. And we'll get to hang out too…" Sean really tried to boost his brother's confidence.
"Yeah… I- I'd like that, Sean. Thanks." Not the lame brother yet. Crisis averted, now it's just-
"Wow, Sean… look." Daniel's voice whispered, full of… almost terror. Sean didn't have to ask what to look at.
The wall. High as a three-story house, and stretching on, longer than any eye- or eyes, could see. Made out of solid steel, and total weight, impossible to measure.
This is it.
They've made it.
End of the road.
Liberty… or death?
The wolfbrothers step out of the car, feeling the fear increasing, as the distance to the wall is decreasing. This… would not be easy. Could he really do it? Everything depended on that. Daniel can't do it… and they're fucked. What was he thinking? There's no "plan B" this time. Both brothers lay a hand on the black metal that is the border wall. It reminded Sean, weird as it was, of The Black Gate in Mordor. He probably shouldn't tell Daniel though. The kid found everything about Mordor to be terrifying.
"Ok, Enano. This is it. The final frontier. You ready?" Sean asks while they both back away from the wall.
"Let's do it, Sean. For dad." Daniel's got the look on his face. The look of you-can't-fucking-change-my-mind-because-my-name-is-Daniel-and-I-am-in-charge!
Yeah… that look. Sean used to hate it. It always brought trouble, one way or the other. Now, it's going to bring them freedom. Sean gives him some space.
"Do it, Daniel." Sean gives an approving nod.
Daniel raises his arms towards the great wall. Sean can see how focused his brother is. How every single muscle in his small body becomes tense. He can see sweat, not dripping, but pouring from his little brother's face. The massive toll this must take on Daniel… Sean didn't want to think about it. Not now at least. Sean heard a silent groan, and Daniel collapsed to the ground.
Nothing happened.
Absolutely nothing.
He… can't do it.
Fuck.
"I- I can't, Sean. It's- it's too much…" Daniel panted, completely out of breath. This is bad. Very bad.
"Yes, you can, Enano. I know you can. Just… try again…" You have to damn it!
Daniel gets up, slowly. He stands in the same position, once again arms reaching for the massive wall. Daniel's body begins to shake, small objects around him turn to dust. Sean could swear that he heard the boy's joints crack a little. A small metallic sound travels around the air, followed by another joint cracking, and Daniel collapsed. Again.
"I- I can't, do it, Sean. I- I'm sorry. So sorry." Exhausted, hyperventilating, not even his knees able to support him any longer. Daniel leans forward, setting his palms in the scorching hot desert sand. Sean decides to step in, going down on one knee.
"Daniel!" He says. Loud and clear, but not screaming. Just enough to pull him back from that abyss of failure. Daniel looks at him. He looks so small, so… helpless, so… lost.
"Try one last time. I believe in you, Enano. Take my hand." Daniel takes Sean's hand, standing up on wobbly legs. He turns towards the wall, with Sean standing right behind him.
"Take your time, you can do this. Focus, Daniel. Focus. Don't rush it." Daniel takes a very deep breath, closing his eyes. Sean puts his hands on his brother's shoulders, hoping it might give him some kind of strength.
Daniel tries again.
His joints cracking, sweat pouring down his face, his entire body's shaking. He opens his eyes, and the steel starts to crumble. Not visibly, but Sean can hear it. He can hear it… very clearly. Sean looks at his little brother's face, and it's a fucking scary sight. The kid's in a world of his own, not seeing anything but the wall. His eyes… burning with the intense fire that he so desperately needs to make this happen. His nose… bleeding, not a good sign. But Sean's not given enough time to think about that…
"AAAHHH!" With one final roar, Daniel Diaz quickly moved his arms forward, towards the wall. Everything within Sean's line of sight became completely white for about one second. Then, when he could see again…
The wall was still standing.
Two seconds later…
It was not…
An amazing sight, really. First, the initial panic he felt, seeing the wall still standing there. Then, the feeling when he saw it happen. The feeling he got when he saw how all those tons of black steel turned to ashes. Falling into one massive pile.
Holy shit…
He did it…
He actually did it…
Sean's interrupted in his train of thoughts as Daniel falls to the ground. Not a sound, this time. Shit. He did bleed a lot from the nose… what if… no, fuck it. Not now! Sean quickly rolls Daniel over, checking if he's alright.
"Hey, Enano? Are you still with me?" Sean's screaming at his younger brother, unable to hide his terror. But, as soon as he turned Daniel over…
He laughed.
Daniel laughed his ass off, and he deserved to do so.
"We… we did it, Sean! We actually… fucking did it!" He manages to say between all the laughter.
"You did it, Daniel. You did it." Sean tries to help his brother up, but Daniel wants to stand up on his own. His legs, barely able to hold him. They look over to the Mexican side of the border.
"Thanks for taking me down here, Sean." Daniel grabs Sean's hand, as they look at their father's home country.
"It's gonna be alright now, Enano. Come on. Let's go back to the car." The brothers turn around, moving towards the car. Daniel, apparently having replenished his energy, drops Sean's hand. Instead, he skips happily around, way ahead of his older brother, saying what he wants to do when they get… home. Sean's not really paying attention. He just realized something. It's over.
It's finally… over.
Over… for good. He felt more and more emotional baggage leave his body with every breath. Then… it all came back, thousand times worse.
Sean's not sure what he noticed first. Did he see the car? Or did he hear the rifle? All he knew, was that one second, Daniel's in front of him. One second later, he was not. A shot could be heard, from a rifle. It felt like it happened in slow-motion. Like he could see the bullet, piercing the small body of his ten-year-old brother, only to then, splatter Daniel's blood all over Sean's face. He could… he could fucking taste it. He wanted to throw up, needed to, had to. But he couldn't.
Sean Diaz stood there, unable to move a single muscle, as his brother fell to the ground. He could feel the panic coming. Was this it? Is this how the story of the wolfbrothers… ends? With the little cub dead, and the other wolf just… watching? Sean sees an approaching car and snaps out of it.
"Daniel?! Come on, Enano?! Talk to me!" Shit. Sean put his hand under Daniel's head… blood. Did- did they…
"Daniel…? Please, wake up. Enano?" Sean doesn't even notice how Daniel's red shirt is soaked with blood, coming from a bullet wound in his shoulder.
"Wake up, Enano. Just… wake up." His little brother's not responding. Sean's panicking without even knowing it himself. He believes that Daniel's been shot dead. Sean looks at the two people, an older man, and a middle-aged woman, coming out of the car. Heavily armed.
"You…" He says silently. The woman walks fast towards him, rifle in hand. Sean assumes she's the one who… killed his brother.
"YOU!" Sean screams at her, running towards the woman. Sean's got every intention to knock her to the ground, and beat the shit out of her so badly, that she begs him to kill her. He doesn't care if he dies trying. Sean's got nothing left now. He's… done.
Before he even knows what happened, Sean's on the ground, throbbing pain in his skull. Right next to him, lies Daniel. His brother isn't moving. Sean's convinced he's not breathing.
"Well, is he?" The woman asked her companion, pointing at Daniel.
"Who gives a fuck, Madison? We should just leave him here…" Sean's so angry and so broken.
"YOU FUCKING KILLED HIM!" He screams. For what purpose, he's not sure, nor does he really care.
"Hey! You shut the fuck up, amigo!" Madison twisted his arm, Sean's used to pain… bitch got nothin'.
"Fuck… you… bitch!" Sean makes sure to get out every word, loud and clear.
"Cocky bastard, aren't you? Let's see how that attitude works out… with them." Madison pointed at… something. Sean couldn't see it. But he could hear it.
Sirens.
Cops.
Now, it's over.
End of the road.
Madison puts a black hood over Sean's head before pulling him up. He's always been claustrophobic, so he's freaking the fuck out. Sean's screaming, begging them to take this thing off. He's screaming his brother's name. He screams for his dad, his mom, everyone, and everything, not having a clue about what's happening around him. Finally, when he can see sunlight again, he's forced to face a new form of terror. A very… familiar one.
Special Agent Maria Elena Flores, from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Mother of all FUCKS!
Yep. Sean's getting the death penalty now. Flores looks at him, almost as if she felt sorry for him.
"Hello, Sean. It's been a while. You're under arrest." Sean Diaz falls to his knees, letting out the most heartbreaking cry possible. They were so close. One minute or so, and they would've made it. Done. Home. Instead, Daniel died, and Sean's about to spend the rest of his life behind bars, at best… he failed. Again. Why does he always fail? The wolfbrothers are dead.
Los hermanos lobo están muertos… mierda.
July 4th — 2017…
Daniel woke up, slowly. He couldn't open his eyes yet. Everything hurt. Why did it always have to… hurt so much, being him? His memory's still a bit fuzzy from yesterday.
"Uh… Sean? Are you there? My… everything hurts." Because it did. A lot.
"Sean?" Still, no response. What the hell? This isn't like him. The last time… this happened was… back in… Humboldt.
"SEAN!" Daniel remembers everything at once, opening his eyes. He doesn't care that he's lying in a bed, in a sort of hospital ward. He needs to find his big brother. However, the handcuffs instantly pull him back down.
"OW! MOTHERFUCKER!" He could easily break these cuffs. That is if he wasn't completely wiped. He tries, over and over again, but he can't do it. Breaking down the wall, it just took too much toll on his body. There's a knock on the door, and a woman enters the room. Daniel's never seen her before, but the name tag says enough. He knows this situation is awful, and about to get worse.
"Hello, Daniel. I can see that you're finally awake. My name is Maria Flores. I'm a special agent-" Daniel cuts her off.
"I already know who you are." This is it, dude. Can't show any weakness.
"Very well. I want to ask you a few questions, Daniel." Wow. She could at least… try being subtle.
"Don't bother. I'm not giving you shit." Does she actually think… he's going to give up his own brother?
"That's fine with me, you can just listen instead. I just told Sean the very same thing. There's still a future for you, Daniel. All it takes… is for Sean to do the right thing. Why would you want to live in Mexico, Daniel? There's nothing for you there." Daniel fights, not show any emotions indicating that she might have a point.
"There's Sean. What more do I need?" It felt like a satisfying thing to say.
"And if Sean doesn't make it? What then, Daniel… would you do?" What the fuck?
"He will make it. Nothing… can separate the wolfbrothers. Especially not… you!" Daniel stared at her, his eyes glowing with pure hatred. But his voice… innocent and calm.
"I can see that… you've made up your mind. Since your brother won't take full responsibility, it's either juvie or foster care for you. A shame, considering how you could have lived with your grandparents. I'm heading back to the bureau now, Daniel. Tomorrow, I'll be back to separate the two of you. Forever." Daniel's heart literally hurt, but he did not move.
As soon as Agent Flores had left the room, Daniel sprints to action. He's feeling much more… clear now. With ease, he silently breaks his handcuffs. Then, carefully, he gets out of his bed. He studies himself in a mirror, he really looks like shit. Those assholes… they cut his favorite shirt… to pieces. A bullet wound he can live with, he's been shot before. But he got this fucking shirt from his father! Something awakens inside Daniel. Something… familiar, that he's been trying to… put away, in a box, never to be opened again.
The monster is back.
Sort of…
Instead of treating it like a thing to fear, Daniel met the monster halfway, embracing it, in a way. It might be just what he needs now. Just what they need. The wolfbrothers.
"I'm coming, Sean." He takes a deep breath. Then, he blows the door open, not even bothering to check if it was locked or not. Immediately, an alarm began ringing, and red lights flashing at his face. But he ignored it. One lone cop came running at him.
"Poor little dumbass, if you only knew what you were looking at." Daniel thought to himself, before throwing the officer to the other end of the room. Did his head hit the concrete wall? Maybe, maybe not. Is he alive? Daniel doesn't know, nor does he really care. Only one thing matters now. His brother. His rock, his idol. Where the fuck is he?
Three more cops stand in his way, all of them armed with shotguns.
"Don't MOVE!" The one in the middle screams, while firing a shot in the air. A combination that took Daniel back in time, to that day. They've done fucked it up… he swipes his hand, making two shotguns fly to parts unknown. Then, in the confusion that arises, he uses his powers to make the third shotgun levitate at face level. Barrel pointed at the officers. All three of them, shaking in fear of what they were witnessing. Daniel slowly charged the levitating shotgun, with three bullets.
"Run…" He whispered to them. And boy, did they run? They were out of the building within seconds. Daniel refocuses on the task at hand. There are not many rooms left. He sees a door, the other end of this hallway. Daniel walks through dozens of voices, old and young, and… very young, begging him to set them free. Any other day, he would have done it, no questions asked. But not today. Just as he's about to open the door, a cop exits from the room. As he did, Daniel could see Sean inside, for a split second. The officer who stood before him was sent towards the concrete wall, hitting it so hard that it cracked. So did his spine, at least Daniel thinks it did.
"SEAN!" Daniel runs up to Sean, pulverizing his handcuffs on the way.
"What- what the… Daniel? You- you're… alive, Enano? I- I thought… you were… dead." Sean's hit with everything at once. To him, Daniel's been dead for about twelve hours. The worst hours of his life. Not even a contest.
"What?! No way, Sean. I just got shot… again." Daniel almost sounds insulted. Almost.
"ENANO!" Sean hugs him, tightly. He knows they need to go, but still…
"I- I know, Sean. But… we have to leave. Now." Daniel sheds a few tears. Then they prepare to leave. Just one hallway and they're out. Suddenly, Sean comes to a complete stop. Two people are standing in a cell… screaming at them.
It's them.
The assholes who shot Daniel.
"Are these… the ones, Sean?" Daniel asks as if reading his mind.
"Yeah, Daniel. The woman's the one who shot you. Her name's Madison." Daniel steps forward, Madison does the same. Both of them, staring at one another. Both set of eyes, glowing with intense hate.
"Madison… kind of ugly name, don't you think, huh?" Daniel tries to get her pissed off. It didn't take much.
"Now you listen to me you fucking cholo! You do not speak to me that way, you hear me?" Daniel just smiled at her.
"I said, DO YOU FUCKING HEAR ME?!" This woman's… got issues.
"I would be a little nicer to me if I were you…" Daniel says, putting on his cutest face, along with the voice and all. Sean trusts him to know what he's doing.
"People like you… don't fucking deserve anything nice." Madison finished by spitting Daniel in the face.
Wrong move, lady. Wrong. Move.
Daniel slowly raises his right arm. As soon as Madison looks at it, she's lifted in the air. When the male tries to interfere, he's lifted too. Daniel isn't hurting them, but they cannot move. At all. Sean remembers how that felt. It was very… unpleasant. Daniel's voice changes tone completely, now full of venom, anger, and hate.
"All it takes… is me… closing my fists… and your spines… will be shattered… to dust." Sean can admit it, that tone… scared the ever-living fuck out of him. Then, Daniel's voice switched again, back to the happy kid.
"… but I won't do that, because I'm better than you assholes. See ya, bitch!" He drops them to the floor, unharmed. Then, he grabs Sean's hand, running towards the door.
They turn around the last corner, and- shit! Three officers, armed. Closing in on them. So far, they've only seen Sean. Daniel managed to hide. The officers scream at him, to get down, Daniel whispers at him, asking for instructions. Sean's frozen. Useless. When close enough, one of the officers knocks him to the floor with a punch to the face.
"I said… get DOWN!" Daniel felt the rage boiling. You do not do that and get away with it. He rises from his hiding spot and steps forward.
"Hey… kid. Hand in the… air." The officers were a bit concerned about pointing their guns at him. This wasn't the case in Seattle…
"You… do… NOT… harm… my… BROTHER!" All three of them flew to the far end of the room. Daniel didn't have time to care if they lived or not.
"Sean? Hurry, Sean. We got to go! Now!" Sean got up, and they ran outside. He heard the panic in his little brother's voice. It hurt him. But soon, this will be over. One way… or the other. The wolfbrothers got inside Karen's car, Sean hot-wired it with a little help from Daniel. Then, they drove.
For the border.
Sean's uncertain what the best thing to do here is. They could go for the hole in the wall, the one Daniel made. But it's bound to be heavily guarded by now. Plus, Sean's not entirely sure which way to go. That leaves only… the border. Like the "border" border. They will be expecting them unless they're extremely lucky. Then again, it is just a few minutes away. It's the only option.
They drive in silence. Both wolves, exhausted, in pain, and terrified of what's about to come. Sean can see that familiar black metal now, closing in on them in the distance. It seems… empty? He drives slightly upwards, now getting a better view of the border crossing.
"Shit…" He whispers, at the sight before him.
About a dozen police cars had set up a roadblock. The number of cops on the scene… too many to count. And as a final fuck-you… Agent Flores, yelling at them with a megaphone. She must have heard about their attempt to escape and immediately set this up. She… outsmarted the wolfbrothers. Fuck.
"Sean… what- what are we gonna do?" He could hear the heartbreak in Daniel's voice. How scared the small boy was. Sean didn't blame him. Problem was… Sean had no answer. He parks the car, within a distance of the border, turning off the engine. Sean leans forward, letting his forehead rest on the steering wheel. So tired. He's so tired.
"Remember that day… in Seattle… The day Dad was shot? I think about it every day… and I would give anything to change what happened… but I can't. I'm sorry for my mistakes… I tried my best, I swear…" Sean's not quite sure why he's saying this. It just feels like something he needs to say… before… this.
"Sean… please…" Daniel's crying. Not even bothering to hide it.
"I'm so proud of you, Enano. You were always the one with the real power. You're not a kid anymore.
"S- S- Sean… d- d- don't…" Daniel's crying so much, he can't even speak.
"If we surrender, they will separate us, Daniel. And if that happens, promise me that… you'll always do the right thing. Promise me that… you'll be smart, be strong, be brave, and be a fighter, Enano. Like you already are." Sean felt like his heart couldn't take any more of this. It's all too much.
"I- I don't wanna be separated, Sean! You're my brother… I- I love you…" Daniel's pain, visible in his eyes.
"No matter what happens… always remember… that you're Daniel Diaz… always remember that you're Daniel Felipe Diaz… and you're awesome…" Fuck. Sean bites his tongue, so hard he can taste blood.
"I- I will, Sean. I promise." Daniel answers him, sounding more broken than ever before. Then, the two wolves turn their eyes forward. They both sit in silence, knowing the question, but not the answer. Ultimately, Daniel breaks the silence. His voice, filled with fear, terror, lost hope, and an uncertain future. Words could never describe, how bone-chilling this question was.
"So… how does the story of the wolfbrothers end?"
Notes:
As I said, this chapter got a lot longer than expected. A few quick notes...
I don't know if a coyote can howl or not. It just seemed to fit.
Let's all agree that the lantern scene is the most beautiful scene in the entire game!
Daniel's little talk with Sean at the side of the road felt necessary to prove that he's evolving as a person, and tries to put the past behind him.
Towards the end, I did my best to do a kind of high/low morality combination. In order to not be too obvious about the endings. Speaking of which...
ENDINGS!
The remaining chapters will be published AT THE SAME TIME.
They will be named "Surrender" & "Cross The Border".
YOU choose the ending!
Chapter 4: Interlude...
Summary:
A brief interlude, before making your choice.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Interlude…
You've followed the story of the wolfbrothers this far. From the first night, when they slept under a bridge… to now, at the very end.
You've followed the wolfbrothers through pain, misery, loss, and sorrow. But also happiness, brotherly bonding, reunions, and beautiful moments.
Now, the wolfbrothers are trapped.
Cornered.
Someone… has to make a decision.
That someone… being you.
How does the story of the wolfbrothers end…?
Will they Surrender?
Or…
Will they Cross The Border?
That…
… is up to YOU.
To Surrender, go to chapter 5.
To Cross The Border, go to chapter 6.
Remember:
"Life Is Strange 2 is a story-based game that highlights player choice. Your actions and decisions will have consequences and impact the world around you and your brother."
Choose wisely…
Notes:
Make your choice, and stick to it. Again, choose wisely...
Chapter 5: Surrender
Summary:
You have chosen to surrender. This is how the story of the wolfbrothers will end for you. It is too late now, to change your mind. Stand by your choice, and keep on howling...
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
"So… how does the story of the wolfbrothers end?" His brother's words, bone-chilling. How did it end? What… is the right thing to do here? No matter what Sean does, the story of the wolfbrothers… ends. Here. One way, or the other. But… Sean doesn't want to… go to prison. He's just not… made for it. Then there's Daniel. How would his sweet little brother, his Enano, manage without him? Without his big brother, looking after him? It's not fair. It's not fucking fair. He turns to Daniel, looking into his eyes. Daniel looks back at him, his entire face, begging Sean to just… fix this. To just… get them out of here. Get them free.
But he can't.
The only way that would be even remotely possible, was if Daniel would… help. But Sean's never putting him in danger again. Sean Diaz has made his decision. He now knows how the story of the wolfbrothers will… end. Forever. He can't even look at Daniel. Sean knows he's not going to like it. Instead, Sean looks at his knees, as if in shame. He almost is…
"I- I think their story ends… right here, Enano." Fuck… this is it. This time, it's really it. They're… done. Sean looks at Daniel, recognizing the familiar signs. His brother starts to shake, tears are flowing freely. Soon, Daniel's going to… break. Forever.
"NO!" Wait, what? Sean snapped out of his depressing thoughts, as he heard his brother's voice.
"Daniel-" Sean tries, but Daniel cuts him off.
"NO!" This is… so unlike him. Sean's knows Daniel for ten years. He's seen him angry, sad, upset, depressed, suicidal… but never like this. He sounds so… scared, so… desperate.
"Daniel, come on-" Sean's completely wiped out. He's got no idea what to do, or say. Daniel once again cuts him off.
"So we went all this way, Sean?! all that… SHIT, for nothing?! You told me… you told me we're going to Mexico, Sean. You promised me. YOU FUCKING PROMISED ME!" Daniel screams at his older brother. His voice, echoing all the way to Mexico. His face, wet with tears, and his eyes full of… defeat. Disappointment. Being let down, again. Coming so very close, twice, and failing, also twice. Daniel couldn't go through with this.
No.
He won't do it.
"Now it's my turn to take care of us, Sean. Nothing… can stop the wolfbrothers. Everything will be alright, big brother. I promise." Daniel raises his right arm, rolling up the windows of the car. Then, he turns his eyes at the border.
Freedom!
So close, yet so far away.
However, before Daniel's able to do anything else, he feels a hand on his shoulder. Sean had put his hand on Daniel's shoulder, in the same way, he always did. Daniel could almost feel how the beast inside him just… vanished, back into whatever hell-hole from which it came. And along with the beast, his anger disappeared as well. Now, Daniel Diaz just felt… sad. So incredibly sad, it wasn't even possible to describe it.
"Daniel…" Just one word from his older brother. It didn't take more. Daniel now began to realize that the wolfbrothers… are fucked. At least the older wolf. There might still be hope for the little cub, but right now, he doesn't care.
"I- I get it… it's… not who we are, Sean." Sean felt incredibly proud of his younger brother for realizing it. He's not a little "Enano" anymore…
"Exactly, Daniel. We're not criminals… we're just kids. Both of us, Daniel. Just… kids." He hadn't really thought much about it. Now it actually hits him. Sean's a fucking minor, a kid, a teenager. And he went through… all this shit.
"Just remember, Daniel… that you're my brother… and I love you." Sean hugs his little brother. Daniel's crying into his chest, as he hugs him back. Neither brother says it, but they both know it to be true. This is the last time in… a very long time, the wolfbrothers will be together. Who can even tell when they're able to hug each other again?
"I- I love you too, Sean." He's never heard Daniel sounds so… honest. So… true, in a way. Like what Daniel just said, was to himself, the greatest and most important truth. Sean looks his brother in the eyes. Daniel's very sad eyes. He can now see the extent of how broken his brother really is.
"It's gonna be alright, Daniel. I promise." Yeah… Sean feels like his promises have done fucking wonders for them so far.
"You- you promise…? How do you know?" Daniel asked, in the saddest tone Sean's ever heard. It's even worse than back at the cabin, or after Chris… Sean's not sure… he believes it himself. This time… he really needs to believe.
"I just… know. We're doing the right thing." The right thing for whom? Sure as hell doesn't feel right for either of the wolfbrothers. Who else matters?
"Just… try to remember what I taught you… well, just the good shit, dude." Sean's not sure why, but he tries to ease things up a little. It… kind of worked. Daniel smiled back at him. But it's the saddest, most depressing smile he's ever seen. A smile that said, "please big brother, there has to be another way." If only things were that simple…
"I will, Sean. I swear." Daniel's voice, a lot louder and more clear. He pulled out the last of his confidence to say this. Sean slowly breaks their sad embrace, looking outside. He can see officers closing in on them. Sean sighs.
"Are we… ready, Enano?" Fuck! Fucking fuck! This might be the last time in… god knows how long that… he's able to call his sweet little brother "Enano." His… little guy, his… Enano might be an adult when they meet again. If they meet again. Fuck. Daniel looks at him, giving him a quick, silent nod. Then, the wolfbrothers slowly step out of the car, with their hands in the air. Sean can feel the tears about to come, but he needs to hold on a little longer. For him. Be strong. The brothers stop in front of the car, as the officers close in on them.
"On the ground, NOW!" Screaming hysterically at him, waving a gun? Yeah, this takes him back. But he can't be bothered to care anymore. Sean's exhausted. Part of him just wants to lie down and… rest. Perhaps, it's a good thing that it's over…? Sean and Daniel lie down on the ground. Sean's cuffed, kind of violently, but he doesn't care. He turns towards his brother, who lies there looking like all hope's lost. Their eyes meet, and Sean uses his very last strength, every fiber of his being, to give Daniel a genuine comforting smile.
It didn't do shit.
Sean's now being pulled to his feet, and the person standing before him is… of course. Maria Elena Flores, FBI.
"I'm so sorry about all of this." She says, looking at Sean with pity on her face.
"No… you're not." He's not sure why he said that. Maybe he's just… bitter. On life. His life.
"Yes, Sean. I really am. I never wanted things to go this far." She sounds… genuine, in a way. She puts a hand on Sean's shoulder, looking him right in his eye.
"We're gonna look after your brother, make sure he's safe." Part of Sean would have had him hug her if he wasn't cuffed. Hugging her, thanking her for doing so. The other part of him doesn't fucking trust this false bitch. Not for one second.
"You better." Sean stares her down, as he speaks.
"Ok, he's ready." Fuck! This is it. He turns his attention to Daniel, who's still on the ground. Maybe… it's better if Sean's just… gone when Daniel gets up? That way, he wouldn't have to watch him leave. Sean decides it's the best- or least bad, thing to do. He silently walks with the officers. As he turns around, he sees a police car. A type of vehicle that always means… bad things in his life. His dad died, Chris died, he thought for twelve fucking hours that Daniel was dead. Now… he's about to face his own demise. Someone might as well call out "dead man walking down the green mile." Fuck… how did it come to this? He's just a kid… or… he used to be. He can't hold the tears back any longer. Sean cries in silence.
"We… we were so close. So close…" He mumbles to himself. Then, at the back of his head, he hears a sound. Something… scraping against the asphalt, something fast. He doesn't care much about what it might be. It would take a lot to make this situation any worse than it already is. However, that's just the thing… the sound Sean heard?
Was Daniel.
Over the last year, Daniel Diaz had gone from being a normal, energetic little boy, to a completely broken child. At times, he felt, not normal, but… patched up, at best. The last month, that's when he really began recovering. Only to become more broken than ever before. Lying face down on the scorching hot asphalt, Daniel heard something. Something he's only heard a handful of times in his entire life. Most of those times, he wasn't meant to. The others, something bad… happened.
Daniel heard Sean cry. Not loud, but he still heard it. One second, Daniel lied down, face pressed against the asphalt, trying to somehow, burn the pain away. It didn't work. The next second, a lot of things happened. He was afraid- no, he's fucking terrified! He's just a little kid, what the fuck's going to happen to him? The panic, starting to spread throughout his body. He can't breathe. He feels… alone, lost. Daniel feels so small and… helpless. Fuck it! He doesn't think, he's… unable to comprehend how a life without his big brother would be. Instead, he just acts… or tries to.
Even Agent Flores dries a few tears, albeit discreetly.
"Sean! No! Sean! Come back, big brother! I love you, and I need you! Please, Sean, come back!" Sean turned around, as he heard Daniel's voice. The sight before him… broke him so much more than seeing his father's corpse. Daniel, suddenly forgot all about his powers, not remembering how easy he actually could break them free right now… instead, he just… ran.
The person running towards Sean wasn't "Superwolf." It's just… Daniel. A normal, innocent boy, who likes Chock-O-Crisp, laser tag, and wouldn't harm a fly. He was a child, in desperate need of comfort. A comfort Sean… couldn't give anymore. All he could do was watch… and listen. He could hear his Enano, breaking more and more, as the words left his mouth. Daniel knows he's lost, Sean can tell it. But his brother's so… desperate. Two officers lift the little boy up, telling him to calm down. But the little cub scratched, and clawed, trying to reach his older brother. Sean can't reach him, and he fucking hates it. But he can still speak to him.
"Daniel, you're not a little wolf anymore… never forget who you are! Never…" Sean's voice is failing him, he's barely able to get through the sentence. But it works. Daniel quiets down, his body relaxes, and Agent Flores tells the officers to put him down. Before Sean knows it, he's put inside the police car. It probably was… naive, at best, to expect Flores to give him a few minutes to say goodbye to his brother. Fuck. Agent Flores brings Daniel next to his car. Whatever energy Sean might have had earlier, was gone. The sad excuse of a smile he gives Daniel from inside the car is just so… empty. Hollow. Two officers get in the car and start to drive away. Sean immediately turns around, watching his brother becoming smaller and smaller… until he's completely gone from Sean's line of sight.
He turned his head forward, just staring. Sean heard nothing but the sound of the car engine. He felt like a part of him was just… cut off. Removed from his life, forever. Now, Sean began wondering what would happen… to him? Nothing good, that much is certain. But… what, exactly? The more he thinks of it, the more his body begins to shake. First, only a few twitches, here and there. Then, his hands and arms. After that, Sean's entire body shakes. Tears are pouring down his face, but he doesn't care about hiding them. What's the point? Daniel's not even… here. He can't do this anymore. Perhaps… he never could to begin with.
"I'm sorry, little brother. I promised you… that I would be a better brother. But I failed… I failed you." Sean whispers, hoping that somehow, Daniel could hear him. Then, he screams. Crying… just isn't enough. So he screams. Sean Diaz screams for his dead father, something he still hasn't fully processed. He screams for the wolfbrothers, and how they're torn apart. Forced into parting ways by the hunters. But most of all… Sean screams because of… injustice. All the pain the wolfbrothers have gone through, all of it… had started with injustice. Then, it just got worse and worse. A year of repressed trauma, screamed out.
"Ok, kid… shut the FUCK UP BACK THERE! You hear me?!" One of the officers in the front seat had had enough. Sean, feeling like he had nothing left to fight for, calmed down. Instead, settling for crying in silence. What the fuck is going to happen to him? Prison, at best, probably. But… he's sixteen years old. Sixteen. He can't be in prison. He's not… cut out for it. It… scares him. His future… feels so clear and obvious now. Still, he's never been more afraid of his future than he is now.
Meanwhile, at the border…
Daniel fell to his knees, sobbing. He saw Sean, trying to smile at him. He couldn't. Even his big brother knew… this was it. Daniel watched the car, driving way past the horizon. When he couldn't see it any longer, he just… lied down. Not a sound. There were tears, yes, lots of them too. But… not a sound. Just an eerie silence. Daniel Diaz felt nothing anymore. Almost as if he's… dead on the inside.
"Vamos, Hijo. It's time to go, Daniel." Agent Flores tried some Spanish, as a way to perhaps… make him feel better? She didn't know, obviously. Only one person… had ever called Daniel "Hijo." That person was Esteban Diaz. His father. Being called that by the same woman who just arrested his big brother… just sends him deeper into the foulest pits of hell.
They were so close. What happened? What, and how? Daniel doesn't react when spoken to. He's completely… shutting down, putting a barrier between himself and the real world. It's just… too painful. When Sean surrendered, he almost did it. Daniel almost fucking did it. But… he didn't, in the end. Now, he wishes that he did. If he wasn't such a coward, everything would have been fine. Daniel would've just pushed the car with his powers, through the border, not harming a soul. Simple, yet effective. But… it's too late for that now. Far too late. Daniel Diaz lies there, in a world of his own. And at this moment, it's the darkest world he's ever seen…
August 15th, 2017 — Sean Diaz 17th birthday…
Sean woke up, and just like yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that, he forgets. The first five minutes are always the best, a wise man once had told him. The reason for that being… you haven't remembered yet how shitty your life is.
And the life of Sean Eduardo Diaz… is a shitty one.
He's been here for three months now. King County Juvenile Detention facility, Seattle, Washington. Three months of hell, tears, blood, and pain. So much pain. On his first day… it only took an hour. One fucking hour. Before he even knew it, he had literally been surrounded. Ten-fifteen inmates, all looking at him in disgust. They had all seen the cop-killer that was Sean Diaz on the news. However, Sean didn't know… some accused him of kidnapping as well. Some people, apparently believed that Sean had killed a cop, and then kidnapped his younger brother. The crowd surrounding him… considered exclusively of those people.
He could only remember a sharp pain to the back of his head. Then, everything went dark. Sean woke up the next day in the infirmary, beaten and bloody. It was the first time. But unfortunately, far from the last. Today, Sean turns seventeen years old. In prison. Yay… like he gives a shit. He's got nothing to look forward to. No future. Nothing. He's heard no news about Daniel since surrendering at the border. For all he knows, his Enano could be picked apart at Area 51. Nobody tells him shit here. Every morning Sean feels like he just doesn't have a reason to… exist anymore. He's got no… purpose.
Things are bad, all of them. Nobody visits him in prison. Not even Lyla, despite being in the same fucking town. Not because he doesn't have people who want to visit him. That's not the problem. The problem is… him. Spending a year as a federal fugitive tends to come back and bite you in the ass. Therefore, Sean's not allowed any visitors or phone calls. The only exceptions being his lawyer and his parents. With one parent dead, and the other sitting in a prison in Arizona… they could just spit him in the face and be done with it. This is just… cruel. Evil. Not even his lawyer visits him anymore. Probably for the best, considering how he told Sean that "you should be happy to get off so easy."
Yeah… fifteen years. That's easy. Really fucking easy. Fifteen years ago, Sean was two years old, Daniel wasn't born for another five years… and his parents were both fucking alive and together! Fuck! He made the wrong choice. The wolfbrothers died at the border. But they shouldn't have. Sean could have gone for it… everything would be different. Good. Instead, he's seventeen, alone, in prison, waiting to be transferred to the adult prison. A moment he's been dreading. Here, in juvie… he's among the oldest, and most infamous, actually. He's about to be transferred to a place where he's the youngest person in the building, nobody giving a shit who he is. It terrifies him. And these days, Sean's always terrified. It's why he's sitting in his cell, all day long. Avoiding any human contact. He sighs, wondering… how his life got to this. Then, he hears a buzzing sound. Something he's learned to hate by now.
"INMATE 1004! DIAZ! Get your ass up!" Ok, two things. One, why does every guard have to be a dick? Two… Sean knows that his inmate number is more or less random. But really? 1004? Daniel's ten years old… and born in… April. Life isn't fair. Life is just… strange. Sean gets up to follow the guard. This is it. Time to be transferred. He won't last a week.
The guard walks silently, leading Sean towards an area of the prison which he's never been in before. Every door in the hallways reads "Visitor room." but Sean… isn't allowed any visits, right? At least, not any good ones. They're just passing through anyway. It's not like Daniel's going to be behind one of those doors. He's probably… forgot Sean by now. That's if he's even… alive. The guard leads Sean into a room, telling him to sit down at the table. Then he… removes his handcuffs. What the fuck is going on right now? The room doesn't have that sterile white color that the rest of the prison does. This room… actually has… colors. And there's also… a bed?
No!
Please NO!
The guard leaves the room, locking the door from the other side. Sean fully expects, at any moment now, a five hundred pound muscle-man to walk through that other door… and… do stuff… to him. He shakes his head, trying to get rid of just the idea. It didn't work. He just sat there, alone. Waiting. When he saw the doorknob turn, he closed his eye.
Meanwhile, in a different part of town…
Daniel's nervous. Nervous and… excited. Today is the day. Finally. After three months of not knowing anything, he would now see his brother. His big brother, his protector, his role model, his idol, and his best friend.
Today, he would see Sean.
It hadn't been easy for him though. After the border, Daniel had a severe mental breakdown. He went directly from the border to a children's hospital in Tucson. Daniel refused to eat, drink, and even move. He had completely cut himself off from everyone and everything. Any attempts to treat his wounds were met with screaming, clawing, and sometimes even biting. For weeks, Daniel had been sitting inside a hospital room, alone. Completely unrecognizable. The turning point had been when Claire and Stephen came. His grandparents had finally been awarded custody of him and came to visit him in the hospital as soon as they could. When they entered the room, he ignored them, just like he does with everyone else. It wasn't until Claire had told him…
"Daniel. I- we… want to tell you something. Stephen and I… have custody of you know." She, very carefully, laid a hand on his shoulder. Just like… Sean used to do. He doesn't push it back, but he's still not looking at either of them.
"So, if you want to, sweetie… you can come home with us…?" This had been the first time Daniel had somewhat snapped out of it. He slowly turned his eyes towards his grandmother. Looking at her, she seemed so kind.
"H… H… H… Home…?" Daniel hadn't spoken in weeks. Just screamed. He could barely get a single word out.
"Yes, Daniel. Home. You have a home now." Stephen tells him, putting his hand on Daniel's other shoulder.
Home.
Home.
HOME!
HOME!
Once he'd realized what that actually meant, it was like pressing a button. All those emotions he's been trying to avoid by cutting himself off from the world… came out. He cried, and cried, and cried, and cried. It was a terrible day, but still, it had been his turning point. Now, three months later, he's about to visit Sean… in prison.
From the outside, it didn't look so bad. The inside was a lot different. As soon as they entered, Daniel could hear Claire whisper "oh my" before covering her mouth. Metal detectors, guards with assault rifles, surveillance cameras, everything. Poor Sean. A guard then escorts them down a hallway, and they finally reach a door. The guard stops and turns towards them.
"Ok. Before we begin, are there any questions?" Yes. Many.
"Yes uh, I was wondering-" Daniel tries to be polite, but the guard cuts him off.
"No questions? Good!" Asshole… Daniel tries to remember how he looks. Just so he can do… something, on the way out. Like, tie his shoelaces together, so he falls the fuck over. Or pour a shitload of coffee over him. Harmless shit that doesn't really hurt anybody… too much.
"This is how it works. Usually, you have one hour, and one hour only, however… since it's his birthday…" The asshole guard is making a face…
"… you'll be given two hours. Time starts when you enter the room. Are we clear?" Yes, you fucking dumbass!
"Yes, sir. We're clear." Daniel feels like throwing up. But it's worth it, to see Sean. In his mind, he's giving the guard both of his middle fingers.
"Stephen and I… are going to wait outside, for now, Daniel. We… figured that you'd want some alone time." He doesn't even know what to say. He just nods, smiling. The guard opens the door, slowly. Daniel turns his attention to the room in front of him and- he's pretty sure that he saw his shadow first. Either way, he recognized him immediately.
"SEAN!" Daniel screams while running towards his big brother. Everything went so fast, Sean didn't even see him enter the room. Sean doesn't even understand what's going on. Daniel launches himself at him, full of pure joy. He also ends up flipping Sean's chair over, tackling his big brother to the floor. It sort of hurt a little, for both of them. But neither brother cared. Only now, Sean understood what was actually going on. He can feel those small arms around his neck, he would recognize them anywhere. He's pretty sure he heard the voice too. But he hasn't seen his face yet. It pains him to do so, but Sean breaks the hug and sits up.
"D- Daniel…? Is- is that… really you?" Daniel looks right at him now. He just smiles.
"Enano…" Sean embraces his little brother, crying heavily. For the moment, the wolfbrothers are back together.
"I miss you, Sean. I- I miss… being your Enano." Daniel cries, holding onto his brother like both of their lives depended on it.
"I- I miss you too, buddy. So fucking much." Eventually, the brothers break their embrace and sit down at the table. Daniel moves his chair, so he's sitting next to Sean.
"Sean… how are… stuff… in here? Is- is everything… alright?" Fuck. He could hear the very real concern in Daniel's voice. Sean had to dig down deep, in order to find his old self. The Sean that could just… pretend like everything's great. Even, when it's not.
"… yeah. I'm doing ok, Enano. I've gone through worse." It's a lie, and they both knew it. Daniel didn't say anything though. The reason being that he knew what was coming.
"What about you, Daniel? Everything… good? I don't know what happened with you after the border, man." Yeah… and Daniel wants to keep it that way. For now, at least.
"It's… ok, I guess. I just… miss you, it's all." He feels like such a fucking burden. Again. Sean tries to hide it, but Daniel can see it. The bruises, the scars, the way Sean seems to be limping slightly. This is a living hell. And Sean's here… because of him. The guilt just grows bigger and bigger by the second.
Sean knew his little brother far too well. He knew it was far from ok. Both brothers knowing that the other was lying. But neither of them, calling the other out on it. Sean still wants to protect Daniel from all the world's evil. Daniel doesn't want to burden Sean any more than he already has. There is an invisible barrier between the wolfbrothers. Things they don't speak of. Why they don't know. Perhaps it's too… painful. Instead, they sit there just… talking. About nothing important. Daniel tries to ignore Sean's bruises, Sean tries to ignore the bags under Daniel's eyes. The kid probably doesn't sleep much, if at all. After what felt like only ten minutes, there's a knock on the door, followed by the guard coming inside.
"Ok, five minutes left." This is it. Time to say… goodbye. Shit.
"Thank you so much, Enano. For being here today." Sean gives his brother a very genuine, thanks.
"Happy birthday, Sean…" Daniel answers sadly. Sean pulls him in, hugging him.
"Hey, Daniel. Don't be sad, dude. You've made this my best birthday ever." As true as it is sad.
"Really…?" Daniel looks at him, eyes full of hope.
"Yeah, man. Besides, you got your whole life ahead of you-" FUCK! Sean can literally see how the hope in Daniel's eyes just… dies.
"But… what about you, Sean? There's no future for you, big brother. There's… nothing and no one. You have… no one." Daniel looks at the floor in shame.
"I have you, Enano. It's all I need." A little corny, perhaps, but it worked. He got a little smile out of Daniel. But it didn't last very long…
"Ok, time's up!" The look in Daniel's eyes, it screamed… panic. But he had no choice. He gives Sean a quick hug before the guard escorts him out of the room. For a short while, both brothers felt… whole, complete. Now, they both just feel… empty. Again.
Ten years after the incident at the border…
Sean's sitting in the visitor's room, waiting. He's old twenty-seven now. But his body feels like it's sixty, and mind like it's ninety. And Daniel… he's twenty now. What the actual fuck?! His little brother, his Enano, The Zombie-King Of Pride Rock, is fucking twenty years old. A freaking adult. Sean's proud of him. So damn proud. Currently, Daniel works part-time as a barista. But he's been telling Sean that he's saving up money to start a business of his own.
"Wolfbros Inc" Was the working name. He would try to publish his own comics. Daniel had learned to draw, and pretty damn good too. He once showed Sean a few sketches for what would be the first edition of his future comic. They both cried on the spot.
"The Amazing Adventures Of Captain Spirit" it was called. Basically, one massive tribute to his old friend, Chris.
All of these things made Sean so very proud. It made him feel like his… sacrifice (?) wasn't in vain. It was worth it, thousand times over. However, there's always that little voice at the back of Sean's head. He doesn't like it, but he can't deny that it's there.
It tells him that Daniel doesn't care anymore, since he's visiting less than once a month now. It's true, he doesn't visit as much these days. When Sean could receive visitors regularly, Daniel visited him once a week, like clockwork. Now, he barely sees his brother. Sean believes, and hopes, it's because he's just… busy. Working, studying, or whatever. But a part of him is worrying that Daniel might even have… moved on. Sean snaps out of his thoughts as he hears the door opening, and Daniel enters the room.
"Hi, Sean!" Daniel's just as cheerful now, as back in Seattle.
"Hey…" Sean, however, is not. He doesn't speak much these days. He gets up to give Daniel a weak hug, Daniel's even taller than him now. They both sit down.
"Ok, Sean. I have something to show you. It was fucking hell getting it through the scanners because the guards had to go through my phone… as in pictures, videos, everything. Things got… awkward." Daniel's entire face becomes red. No matter what, he's still the embarrassed little brother.
"Anyway… here, Sean. Look at this." Daniel pulls out his phone, showing him a few pictures of Lyla and… a baby? No, she can't be a mom. Sean would have known.
"Yeah, it's Lyla? So?" Daniel looks at him like he's an idiot.
"Dude, really? She's a mom now!" What… the… fuck…? Nobody tells him shit these days. He had no idea.
"… what?" A barely audible whisper from Sean, causing Daniel to change his expression.
"Sean, didn't I tell you this? Like, ages ago?" Fuck's sake…
"No, Daniel. You didn't." Sean feels… hurt.
"Shit, bro. I'm so-" Sean cuts him off.
"It's fine, Daniel." Within a second, Daniel's smile is back. Is this what their relationship has come to? Not telling each other shit, while brushing everything under the carpet?
"Ok, Sean." Daniel once again pulls out his phone.
"I just want you to meet Esteban Park. Son of Lyla Park." FUCK!
"Wow…" Sean doesn't know what to say. Not that it matters. Daniel's phone vibrates, and they both know what's about to happen.
"Shit… sorry, Sean. But I gotta run. It was good… seeing you, man." You too. For ten minutes.
"You too… Enano." Daniel's out of the room long before Sean speaks. He sighs, letting the tears run down his face.
Fifteen years after the incident at the border…
Sean terrified. He's been looking forward to this moment for so long. Now when it's here, he's not sure if he can do it. Being released.
Fifteen years.
Fifteen long fucking years. Sean's inside a small dressing room of sorts. He's looking at a small box with a lid on it. Sean knows what's inside, and still, he's so surprised as he opens it. His old hoodie, his sketchbook, everything. Sean puts the hoodie on, and immediately feels like… himself. At least, a lot closer to it. He calls on the guard to let him know that he's ready. Ready to be… free.
First, he stood outside the prison itself. Every breath, taking in freedom for the first time in fifteen years. The only thing left now was those fucking bars in front of him. Sean hears that buzzing sound, hopefully for the last fucking time ever. Then, the gate opens. Sean steps outside. As he does, he feels a shiver throughout his entire body. Sean looks around, taking in the surrounding area. He knows what he should do. On his very first night in prison, Sean had promised himself… the day he becomes free, he would howl outside these walls until he loses his fucking voice. He should do that, right now. But he doesn't. He should feel happy, free, full of joy… but he's not. He's empty.
Broken.
Sean Diaz is broken.
"SEAN!" Daniel caught him in a fucking bear-hug. When did he get so… strong?
"Hi, Daniel…" The initial shock of just being free… is almost startling to him. Before he knows it, he's got people all around him. Daniel, mom, Lyla, little Esteban Jr… not that many people, perhaps. Still, more than enough for Sean to feel… uncomfortable… out of place. He hasn't been social in fifteen years and therefore has a hard time keeping up with what everyone's saying. It feels… exhausting. Everyone's talking over his head, and still, talking only to him. He needs to stop this, and there's only one place he wants to go to right now.
"STOP!" Ok… maybe not that loud… at least everyone's quiet now.
"Sean? What's wrong, bro?" Daniel seems worried. He can't blame him, really.
"Dad's grave. Where… I need to-" He couldn't say more. Luckily, he didn't have to. Without question, they all went towards the graveyard. As they stood outside, everyone except Daniel waited in their cars.
"Are you sure you're… ready for this, Sean?" Daniel asks him, voice full of doubt.
"No. I know I'm not ready, Daniel. But it's been fifteen years now. I have to do this." The old determination was there in his voice. But the look on his face was just empty.
"Ok. Do you want me to-" Sean cuts his brother off.
"No, Daniel. Just… tell me… where." Daniel gives him the directions, and Sean walks. It didn't take him long to find his father's grave. Lyla's right. They really didn't do shit. A simple stone reading "Esteban Diaz" no dates, no nothing. Sean got down on one knee.
"Hey, dad. I miss you, I probably always will. I tried, I really did try. To do what you raised me to do. But everything just… went to hell, dad. I had to stay strong for Daniel. But… I had nobody to support me. I- I didn't know what to do. I just hope that you can be… proud of… how I tried." He's not sure how long he sits there. Probably an hour, maybe more. Sitting there, mourning his father's death. Fifteen years later. When Sean feels that there are no more tears coming, he says goodbye and walks back to the car.
A couple of months later…
"Are you sure this is a good idea, Sean?" Daniel sure as hell wasn't.
"For the tenths time, Daniel, yes. It's fine. Think of it like processing the trauma… or some shit, I dunno." Not that Daniel had any problems joining him, but still. Their cars are parked, and just like last time, only a blanket and some cookies. The wolfbrothers are back at Mount Rainier's trout trail. They stand next to each other, Daniel looking at Sean.
"Ok. Are we ready, Sean?" Daniel's almost feeling… nostalgic.
"Yeah. Let's go." They begin their slow walk throughout the forest. Daniel looks around, memories coming back every second. He laughs at himself, how dumb he was back then. Eating those berries… he felt so bad. He remembers standing on the cliff yelling- actually, fuck it! He feels like doing it again, now! He runs forward, standing at the very edge of the cliff.
"HELLOOO DOWN THERE!" It got a small chuckle from Sean. The brothers sit down at the old wooden bench.
"I really like it here, Sean. A lot of… good memories, fun memories, came back." Sean looks away.
"I'm glad you remember this place… in a good way, Daniel. It's… different, for me." Sean sighs, before continuing.
"The last time we were here, it was only a few days after dad… died. I couldn't tell you the truth, because it… scared me, Daniel. But I couldn't show you any signs that… something was wrong. I had to cheer you up, try to be a good brother, and protect you. All that… without the pressure of everything breaking me. You- you were just a child, Daniel. You complained about being bored, or your feet hurting, and that's fine now. I would have done the same thing. Back then… I just felt so fucking helpless. I didn't know what to do. I never did. Just… I hope you can forgive me." Sean buries his face in his palms, crying.
Daniel sits there, completely stunned. He never thought about it… like that. He really is a dumbass, sometimes. Of course, Sean's memories of this place are way different from his. Sean's are bound to be a lot darker. Dad died, he was scared, confused, and god only knows what else. Also, Daniel feels like an idiot for telling Sean to call dad and pick him up back then. God… how did he keep it together? But wait- why is Sean asking him for forgiveness?
"Sean?" His older brother turns to him, only to be given a very hard slap to the face.
"Don't you FUCKING dare, Sean. There's nothing to forgive, you fucking idiot! Nothing! Fuck you, Sean, for even thinking that!" Daniel's screaming, but he's not angry. More… hurt.
"If you didn't do what you did, Sean… I would never have had a real life. I shouldn't forgive you, I should be thanking you. You gave up everything for me, Sean. Everything. I can't thank you enough. Thank you…" They sit in silence for a while. Then, Sean's body starts to shake, before he bursts into tears. Sean's sobbing heavily, and Daniel acts on impulse. He moves a little closer to Sean, puts his arm around him.
"Shhh… it's ok, Sean. It's over now. Nothing bad is going to happen, ever again. I promise." Daniel, now being the one comforting Sean, as the roles had been reversed. Daniel Diaz began to realize that his brother… just isn't the same person. He used to be strong, like a rock, kind and caring. Now, he's just weak, fragile, a shadow of his former self. Those fifteen years have taken a toll on him. Daniel knows he owes Sean everything. His brother sacrificed fifteen years of his life, just so he could run around and be a kid again. But the sixteen-year-old kid, named Sean Diaz? He died long ago. No, not in prison, not even at the border. Sean's future, died on that fateful day in Seattle, all those years ago, along with their father.
So… the wolfbrothers were forced to make a choice… they chose to turn themselves in… to the hunters… the oldest wolf was put in a cage… a cage where other beasts hurt him… every day… the little cub became very sick… he missed his older brother so much…
In time, the little cub was able to live with his grandparents… he felt home… the little cub was even allowed to visit his older brother in the cage… they were so happy to meet again… but they both felt it… something was different…
The year went by… the oldest wolf, still in a cage… the little cub, now a grown-up wolf… but their brotherhood… it just wasn't what it once was… when the older wolf was released from the cage… his fur was almost gray… his body and mind, broken… the younger wolf felt responsible…
The older wolf felt shame… he believed that he failed the little cub, long ago… those emotions… will likely stay with the wolfbrothers… forever… however, with the hunters no longer after them… they are both free… perhaps even… redeemed…
Notes:
You chose the moral way, Therefore finishing the story with the Redemption ending.
Thank you for following Sean and Daniel on their journey. Keep on howling...
Go to chapter 7 for the author's notes.
Chapter 6: Cross The Border
Summary:
You have chosen to cross the border. This is how the story of the wolfbrothers will end for you. It is too late now, to change your mind. Stand by your choice, and keep on howling...
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
"So, how does the story of the wolfbrothers end?" He asked his older brother. The latter, seemingly frozen in fear. Daniel knew he needed to snap Sean out of it, make him return to the real world. Return, and tell him what to do. Daniel knew what he wanted to do… it didn't feel quite… right. But it did feel like… justice. Maybe even… revenge. It was the only way for them to avoid being separated. Daniel couldn't stand thinking about growing up without his big brother. He's already had a taste of what that felt like, and during that time… he began cutting himself. It's not even an option for him, at this point. If Sean surrenders, Daniel forcing this car over the border himself. That, or he'll die trying.
He looks at his big brother. Daniel feels nervous, but not afraid. Sean, on the other hand… is terrified. He can't see a way out. Sean's looking rapidly between Daniel and the border. The panic is building up inside him.
"Sean…" Daniel puts both of his small hands on Sean's shoulders firmly, making his brother look directly at him.
"It's ok, Sean. Just… breathe, big brother. Breather… in… and out… in… and out…" Daniel does to Sean, what Sean always did to him when he had panic attacks. Eventually, his breathing calms down. Daniel lets him go, and Sean turns his head towards the border again.
"You wanna know how the story of the wolfbrothers end, Daniel?" Sean turns towards him, a blank expression on his face. Daniel's not afraid of cops… anymore. But he's terrified of what he's about to hear. He just nods, slowly.
"They make it to the other side." Oh, thank the fucking maker! Daniel was worried there for a second. Sean pulls him in so that their foreheads are touching. They both close their eyes.
"Wreck 'em, Enano. Give 'em hell, little cub." Sean whispered into his ear. If the situation they were in wasn't so serious, Daniel would have laughed. But there's no time for that. Still, he let out a brief giggle. Then, both brothers opened their eyes.
"For dad?" Daniel's not sure why he said it like a question. But Sean just smiled back at him.
"For dad, Enano." Daniel then exits the car.
"Good, Daniel! Good! Your safe now! Just… get down on the ground!" Oh, that annoying Special-Super-Secret-Agent Flores. Bitch doesn't know what's about to come. Daniel lets his smile evaporate, as he stands in front of the car. He slowly began to concentrate all of his power, all of his anger, on those cops in front of him. Small rocks around his feet began levitating around him, he had no idea how much his power had actually grown. Then, he's hit with a somewhat familiar feeling. Something… inside him.
The monster's back.
This time, however… instead of treating it like something to fear, hide from, and be ashamed of, Daniel greeted it like an old friend. Then, he immediately tamed the monster, forcing it to obey his commands. Daniel had once heard a wise man say "The darkness is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural." He doesn't remember who this wise man was… but he was right. Daniel's powers were unnatural, that much is certain. But as soon as he stopped pushing the monster back, and instead embraced it… he felt more powerful than ever before. They don't stand a fucking chance!
The cops, that is…
With his inner darkness embraced, Daniel could feel everything. Just reaching out slightly with his powers made him almost become overwhelmed. He could feel how worn-out the tires on each and every cop car was, how rapid every cop was breathing. Exactly how many bullets the small army in front of him had in their arsenal, two-hundred-and-eighty-three. Plus four hand-grenades in the FBI vehicle.
But most importantly… the fear. No, not his own, and not Sean's either. He did, however, manage to hear Sean whistling on some song he didn't know. Then, there were the cops… it's almost as if he could hear it. Smell it in the air, see it in front of him.
Fear…
The cops were afraid of the wolfbrothers.
They should be…
Daniel can see three cops closing in, and decides to just… fuck around for a bit.
"KID! On the ground, NOW!" Wow… in your eyes, I just surrendered. No need to be a dick about it.
"That's not very nice of you…" Daniel puts on the most childish tone he can muster, along with the adorable please-give-me-stuff look.
"I'm not joking here, kid! Hands in the air, NOW!" The guard points a shotgun right in his face. Daniel surprises even himself by how he manages to stay calm. He even lets his arms hang alongside his body… just to piss them off a little more.
"No." Daniel answers with the most casual tone possible. One second later, he literally feels the metal from the shotgun, pressed against his forehead.
"Get. The. FUCK. Down… or I will kill you, boy." Wow… just… wow. Daniel loses his cute face, replacing it with a look of… anger, hate, pain, intensity, and determination.
"No… you won't."
BANG!
Daniel could probably give him half a point. He did get pretty close. Daniel actually felt the bullet about to pierce his skin, before his powers stopped it. The guard lowered his shotgun, expecting to see a dead ten-year-old on the ground. He was… disappointed, among other things. Daniel held the bullet in his hands for a few seconds, feeling the weight of it. Then, he looked back at the shocked police officer.
"I told you…" He throws away the bullet.
"I told you, but you just had to try it… now… it's MY TURN!" Immediately after finishing the sentence, he uses his powers to break the arm of the officer in front of him. The other two quickly aim their weapons at him… and then fall to the ground, necks snapped. In front of Daniel, stands the man who tried to kill him, screaming in pain.
"What- what… the fuck… are you?!" Daniel gives him a look that could kill if that was a real thing.
"I… am… Daniel… fucking… Diaz…" Every word, full of hate. Then, one last push, and the officer hits one of the cop cars at the speed of light. Everything became silent for a few seconds. Long enough for him to prepare…
Daniel used his powers to create a shield around himself and his brother, they would need it for what's about to come. Less than a second later, every single cop at the border fired at him. Dozens of cops trying, and failing, to murder a seemingly defenseless ten-year-old boy. This is it. It's time to put an end to all of this shit. End the suffering that he and Sean's been forced to go through.
For dad.
For Mushroom.
For Captain Spirit.
Now, it truly was freedom… or death.
Daniel felt all of his bottled-up emotions about to explode, all at once. Cops took their dad away. Cops forced them to go on the run, leaving behind everything they've ever known. Tears were pouring down his face, as he looked at them.
The cops.
The hunters…
"You want to see a real monster? A real freak? You guys want to know why I used to believe that I was an abomination…?" Daniel closes his eyes, whispering silently. Obviously, nobody hears it but him.
"This is why…" Now, even more silent. Then, the little cub opens his eyes. So much anger, so much hate, and so much pain, for someone so young. But he was given no option.
He reaches out with his powers, causing the grenades in the FBI car to explode. Nobody's hurt by it, but it creates even more confusion. With one quick sweep of his arm, five cops are pushed into the wall, head first. Some unconscious, some dead. Either way, Daniel doesn't care. As long as they're out of the way. Daniel hears sirens from behind, causing him to turn around. Two more police cars had stopped behind their car. Daniel just shakes his head.
"Dumbasses… you should have known better." He raised both his arms, lifting the cars in the air with the cops inside. Then, Daniel just… clapped his own hands together. This caused the two vehicles to be smashed into one another with massive force, leaving none alive. He could see Sean turning his head back and forth, desperately trying to get a look at what just happened. In the end, he settles for just looking at Daniel. His little brother.
Enano.
It's amazing how much a person could change within less than a year. Back in Seattle, Daniel was nine years old. A small, adorable, insecure boy. Innocent as few could be, and would never hurt a fly… literally. He had a rough time in school, due to him having difficulties with math, having few friends, and sometimes being bullied. He loved two things in this world, more than anything else. Hanging out with his big brother, and eating Chock-O-Crisp. Also, he had a crush on Sean's friend, Lyla.
Fast-forward about nine months…
Daniel's now ten. He's got telekinesis, and he's used it to kill by accident. His dad died. He's been homeless. Daniel saw his best friend die. He's been stuck in a cult. Daniel's been shot… twice, nonetheless. And he's had problems with self-harm, to the point where he considered suicide. And now… he's in the middle of killing dozens of people. A while ago, the mere thought of it would have caused him nightmares. Now, it doesn't bother him. Do anything that's necessary to get to Puerto Lobos. That's the plan. The only plan they have.
Daniel's eyes glow almost red with anger, as he turns his attention back towards the border. He slowly pulls his arms back against his chest, and then…
PUSH!
An unknown number of cops went flying, far beyond the horizon. It's time to finish this.
PULL… PUSH!
More cops go flying, along with a few remaining cars. Only one person's left standing now. Well… technically, two. Agent Flores, and Daniel. He slowly moves towards her. Flores stands still, frozen, completely in shock of what she's been witnessing.
"It was him." She thinks, as she finally puts the pieces together.
"It was him… all along…" There's no point in trying to use her weapon. She's out of bullets, and judging by what just transpired… it wouldn't really be of any help. Daniel now stares into the eyes of the woman in charge of the manhunt against him and his brother.
"You… why couldn't you just… leave us alone? Why…?" Daniel believed at first that he would scream words of anger and pain, then use that fucking megaphone of hers… shove it down her throat. He literally could do that… instead, there was just sadness, and despair. Daniel Diaz opened up, showing how broken he really was. Showing that it was all her fault.
"Daniel… I- I understand that you-" Daniel uses his powers to just… close her mouth. She's not the one talking right now. HE IS!
"Why- why couldn't you just… leave the wolfbrothers alone? They never hurt anyone. They… I… never wanted it to go… this far. I never did." Daniel looks almost ashamed of himself, and what he's become. Half a second later, his expression turns into something far more sinister.
"… but you gave me no choice. It's not like I… want to. But I… have to." To Sean Diaz, who had been watching from a distance, everything turned very bright for a few seconds. When his eyesight returned to normal, agent Flores was gone. Just… gone. Without a trace. Her body would never be found.
Daniel closes his eyes, taking a deep breath. Is it over now? Almost. Not yet. We still have to get out of here. Opening his eyes, he breaks through the border gate with a roar that sounded… inhuman. Then, he stood there. Out of breath, exhausted, the adrenaline rush fading away. He did it. He set them free. The short walk to the car was slow. The little cub was so tired, but he knew now… that it was over. The question is, at what cost?
Daniel Felipe Diaz.
Felipe The Freak.
Daniel The Demon.
Daniel The Abomination.
Diaz The Beast.
The Monster Daniel.
Call them what you want, but one thing is now certain. Instead of being only demons inside his young, traumatized mind, these are now part of him. Forever. And they're not… good parts. The wolfbrothers might have gained their freedom, but the sacrifice they had to make, was a big one. Daniel had to sacrifice his childhood innocence, by doing what would be known as "la gran masacre fronteriza" or "the great border massacre." Sean sacrificed his innocence permanently, as he not only told but allowed Daniel to do so. However, at this moment, none of this concerns either brother.
"We can go now." Daniel's voice almost breaks as he gets in the car. Not because of what he just did. But because of happiness.
"Yes, Daniel. Let's go… home." Sean gives him his right hand, and Daniel takes it. The car drives slowly towards the border crossing, both brothers, holding their breaths. A few seconds later… they made it.
To Mexico.
Two long breaths were let out simultaneously. Nobody speaks or moves. The moment is just… too much to comprehend. They actually fucking made it. After driving in silence for about five minutes, Sean puts his foot down, causing the car to come to a screeching halt.
"Wow, Sean? What the hell, dude?" Daniel gets no reply from his older brother. Sean gets out of the car quickly, with Daniel following. He sees Sean standing at the side of the road, looking at the desert wasteland.
"Sean… is- is everything… alright?" It's… over now… right?
"It's over." Two short words from Sean's mouth. Then, Daniel could only watch as his older brother collapsed to his knees, crying. Sean finally felt like he didn't need to stay strong for Daniel. He could just be… Sean. With that, came all the repressed pain he's been ignoring for almost a year. Sean Diaz cried, not even trying to hide it.
"It's ok, Sean. We're safe now. It's over. The wolfbrothers are free. Home. Nothing can hurt us now, big brother." Daniel told Sean as he comforted him.
"Th- thanks, Daniel. For- for everything…" Daniel's a bit uncertain of what "everything" means here but decides not to ask. As a distant coyote was barking, Sean got on his feet, looking in its direction. Daniel knew what was about to happen, what they were about to do. Did he have any doubts?
Fuck no!
The wolfbrothers stand next to each other and simultaneously howls in victory. They howled until their voices became hoarse, and their throats nearly hurt. Victory. Before moving back to the car, Daniel looks back towards the border wall, giving it two middle fingers.
"Don't ever mess with dos hermanos lobos. Did I… say that right, Sean?" Almost, kid… almost.
"Hah… close, Enano. It's actually los hermanos lobos. What you said means two wolf brothers, so… you get half a point I guess." Sean laughs a little.
"Oh, come on, Sean. Not cool…" Daniel pouts over not knowing enough Spanish… yet.
"Hey, Enano… it's progress. Now, it's time to go home." They both get inside the car, driving away. Towards Puerto Lobos.
Arriving in their father's hometown, they both agreed that lying low was the best option for now. Exploring the town is for later. Now, let's just find the house.
"What about that one, Sean? Should we check that?" Daniel's a bit overwhelmed by this completely new environment.
"No, Daniel. It's not the one." Sean sighs. He's so tired.
"How do you know? You've never been here." Uuuhhh…
"No, but I've seen a lot of pictures. I know the place when I see it. Just… trust me." They keep on driving alongside the coast.
"And I run from wolves, owooooo. Breathing heavily. At my feet And I run from wolves, owooooo. Tearing into me. Without teeth…"
Wait, what the-
"Daniel, you do sing?" Kinda good too, if Sean's being honest.
"What- aw, shit… I- I didn't even realize it, Sean. Forget it. It's- it's stupid." Daniel's sounding like he's about ready to sink through the ground and disappear out of sheer embarrassment.
"Nah, man. It's not. You're way better than me. What's that song, by the way? It kinda… fits us, Enano." Daniel seems surprised that Sean's not making fun of him.
"I- I don't remember what it's called. I just remember the text…" Daniel's very hesitant.
"I'm not gonna make fun of you, Daniel. I swear." Sean says, giving him a pat on the shoulder.
"I can see through you. We are the same. It's perfectly strange. You run in my veins. How can I keep you inside my lungs? I breathe what is yours. You breathe what is mine."
"… and I run from wolves, owooooo…" Daniel eventually works up enough confidence. Both brothers howling together whenever it fits. Suddenly, Sean stops the car.
"Holy shit. Daniel… I think… that's the one. That's… dad's house." Right before them, lies the end of the road. Both literally and figuratively. The real-life road actually ended here, at their dad's house. An old worn-out building looks like it used to be white. Now, it's more like a concrete grey-ish color. The wolfbrothers were finally…
Home.
Sean parks the car, and they both step outside. Neither brother saying a single word as they walk towards their father's house. It seems… empty. Like it's been empty for a really long time.
"Sean… look…" Daniel says silently. Sean walks over to him, noticing a small red metal box beside his brother.
The mailbox.
"Look, Sean. He- he really did live here. Dad… was here…" Daniel lets a lone tear run down his face as he runs his hand over the mailbox reading "Esteban Diaz".
"Yes, Enano. He was. And I'm sure… part of him never left. He'll be watching over us here. Keeping us safe." The brothers move towards the house itself. Daniel carefully unlocks the door with his powers. Then, they went inside.
Considering what they expected, it wasn't that bad. Sure, the house had no running water, no heat, no electricity, nothing. But they didn't expect it to either. It was damaged, yes. Every single window, broken. Along with many other things. However, all the damages seemed to be… fixable. It would take time and a lot of work. But they could do this. Sean rolls out their sleeping bags on the floor. The rest is for… tomorrow. Now, the wolfbrothers need to rest. They got all the time in the world now. They lie down, with Daniel hugging Sean's arm. Both wolves, quickly fall asleep.
The next morning (well, evening)…
Exhausted, the wolfbrothers slept for nearly the entire day. Daniel's the first to wake up. Realizing this, he just couldn't pass on this opportunity. The old house still had a little furniture lying around, one of those being a chair. Daniel took the chair, carefully placing it right on top of the sleeping Sean's head. All four legs of the chair still touched the floor, as long as… Sean didn't get up. Daniel uses his powers to make sure that the chair can't even move an inch. Then, he takes a deep breath…
"SEAN, SEAN, SEAN! WAKE UP, WAKE UP, WAKE UP!" Ah, just like old times…
"Huh? Thefukshappen- OUCH! SON OF A BITCH!" Sean had risen, faster than ever before, only to hit his head on the unmoving chair… which sent him back down again.
"Good morning, Sean! Happy first day of freedom, dude." Free, or not, Sean feels like dying right now. He's convinced he might have a concussion. But you only have one first day…
"You… little… shit. You're… dead…" Sean says in that playful pissed-off tone, signaling that this is all just for fun.
"You're gonna have to catch me first! Race you to the ocean, Sean!" With that, Daniel sets off running. Sean, not too far behind. Daniel didn't care that his clothes were getting wet. Neither did he care about the saltwater getting inside his bullet wound. This was a day of celebration. Today… there was no pain, no misery, no sadness. Today, there was only victory, happiness, celebration, and… brotherhood.
The wolfbrothers spent the entire day, playing, messing around, exploring the house. Talking about happy memories of times past. As Daniel had fallen asleep that night, Sean lied awake, deep in thought. He wondered, how would the story of the wolfbrothers… continue?
April 11th, 2018 — Daniel Diaz 11th birthday…
They had been in Puerto Lobos for almost an entire year now. And today… today was a big day. Today, Daniel Diaz hits the "big eleven." Today, Daniel Diaz turns eleven years old, on the eleventh of April. He wasn't sure what to expect. The last year had been rough. Fixing up the house had definitely been… a process, to say the least. It cost a lot of money. Something they didn't have. Sean won't tell him how he got the money to pay for the renovations they needed, but Daniel knows enough. He sees the way people look at them on the streets now like they're scared. Sean's done something… bad. More than once.
But it got the house fixed at least, which left them with the next problem. Daniel couldn't go to school here, because he's not a Mexican citizen, unlike Sean. So Daniel stayed at home, with Sean doing what he called "odd jobs" here and there. He still knew virtually zero Spanish, because even if Sean's fluent in the language… he's not a natural teacher. Around Christmas, it all got too much. Daniel felt sad and was lashing out at Sean. His big brother wanted to help him out a little and gave him a phone as a Christmas present, non-traceable of course. This proved to be the biggest mistake ever.
The first person Daniel called, was Lyla. As soon as she picked up, he cheerfully called out her name. Then, Lyla interrupted him, with a tone neither of them ever heard from her before.
"I don't know… what the fuck the two of you did… but don't you ever… and I mean ever… contact me again. You are dead to me… both of you." Then, she hung up. Daniel had been depressed for weeks. He always had Sean, meaning he wasn't alone. But he still felt… lonely. Just him, and his big brother… against the world.
Now, he sits in his room, at his computer. Right, he actually has a computer now. Sean's odd jobs seem to pay well. Daniel's aware of the fact that it's bound to be some cartel-shit. At first, getting a computer again, felt like… heaven. Now, it's almost like… hell. Either hell or a new way for him to inflict invisible self-harm on himself. Sean strictly forbids him to use any social media, due to them being wanted. That, however, doesn't prevent him from looking at other people's profiles.
He looked up the Facebook page of his friend Noah from Seattle, and before reading a single word, got down to that date. When it all happened. Daniel had cried as he read every single post. His friend, desperately asking openly if anybody knew anything. Looking at the "have you seen this child" posters he shared. Then, a large gap for a few months, and people wishing him a quick recovery. But worst of all… the day Daniel saw as the day the wolfbrothers gained their freedom… just a few lines had been written.
"No friend of mine would do that." It was the first time Daniel tortured himself with an old friend's social media accounts. But far from the last. He would spend his entire days, looking through pages of old friends and acquaintances. Today, nobody wished him a happy birthday on his very old Facebook page. He's obviously not logged in, but he visits it, sometimes. That profile picture, he feels like it's a completely different person. Who knows, maybe it is…? There's a knock on his door, followed by his brother entering the room.
"Happy birthday, Daniel!" Sean seems really happy these days. Like he's finally adjusted to the life here. Daniel… not so much. But he always feels like he needs to… pretend like he is. It's not like he's got much of a choice, he can't go back to America. But his life here is just… empty. Sure, there's a beautiful beach, and dad's house with it. But it only took a week or so before he realized that… dad's not here anymore.
And seeing Sean so happy again… made Daniel feel like he had to do it. Sean sacrificed so much for him. Walking through the desert, nearly beaten to death… Daniel saying that he doesn't like it here would be like spitting him in the face. Instead, he just… endured. Hoping things would get better.
"Hi, Sean. Thanks." Daniel puts on his happy face as he hugs his older brother.
"Listen… I couldn't really get you any presents-" He expected that, but it's still sad.
"It's ok, Sean." No. It's… not.
"… but I did get you a couple of things, Daniel." Sean brings in three items. The first one, Daniel would recognize anywhere by now. His red, torn "space mission" T-shirt, worn on the day the wolfbrothers became free. It's way too small for him now.
"I know how much you value this, Daniel. So, I had it put in a frame. You gave us freedom that day, Enano." Daniel's not sure how to feel. Having it framed on the wall is both cool, and… disturbing, at the same time. Daniel realizes how they both view it in a different light. Sean looks at it, and he sees a symbol of their freedom. Daniel looks at it, and all he sees is a T-shirt his dad bought him. The only thing he's got left from Seattle. From dad.
"Thanks, Sean. It's… really cool." Daniel's voice is low as he takes the framed shirt, hanging it on the wall.
"I know you always liked looking through my drawings, Daniel. And… my sketchbook is kinda full now. So… here. It's yours, man." Wow… really? This is like… being gifted an ancient relic. Something invaluable to man.
"Sean…? I- I can't…" Fuck the what? He can, he will, and he wants!
"Just take it, Daniel. We both know you want it…" Daniel accepted the gift. As he did, he tried to imagine how he would have reacted to this… back in the day. In Seattle.
"Thanks, Sean. It's… I- I don't even…" Daniel's at a loss for words.
"… and finally, there's this. I put a lot of work into this, little bro. Hope you… like it." Sean reveals the third item. It's a drawing. A big one too. Like, half Daniel's size, framed and signed at the bottom corner "To my Enano. Happy birthday! /Sean".
The painting depicted their old house in Seattle, just like Daniel remembered it. In front of it, where a crowd of people. Daniel felt overwhelmed by emotions. Dad's there, in charge of the barbecue as always. Mom's there, which was weird, but it felt… right. Behind her stood Claire and Stephen, each with a hand on their daughter's shoulder. Daniel hopes this happened for real too. In the background, Sean could be seen with Lyla, smoking weed, laughing their asses off. Best freaking fighters forever. Then, Daniel saw them. It got too much.
In the foreground of the picture, Daniel could be seen. He was happy, running around playing. With him was Chris Eriksen, in his full Captain Spirit costume, his new crush Sarah Lee, and his old friend Noah. All of them, playing around happily as the small puppy Mushroom chased after them.
"Daniel…? Is it… good?" Sean's almost afraid to ask. Daniel doesn't think it's good. He thinks it's… beautiful. But he realized now, in this very moment… exactly how much he's really lost.
"I- I love it, Sean. Thank you!" Daniel hugs his older brother. The future is… uncertain, at best. He's lost so much. But as long as he's got his brother's support… maybe things can work themselves out?
Six years after the incident at the border…
They didn't. Work themselves out, that is. Daniel Diaz is now sixteen years old. He believes that he was about thirteen when he realized it. Sean had come home in the middle of the night, bleeding. His screams had woken Daniel up, and he ran towards his brother, only to find him passed out in the kitchen.
Sean had been stabbed.
It actually wasn't too bad. Mostly, it just scared the living fuck out of Daniel. So much blood. He managed to wake Sean up, and his older brother told him that everything would be alright. Daniel just needed to go to the store and buy some first-aid shit. Easy enough, right?
NO!
Here, Daniel realized just how helpless he was without Sean. He still didn't know more Spanish than your average five-year-old. Sean always did the shopping for that very reason. It took him hours to get back with the right supplies. He almost expected Sean to be… dead. But everything worked out… kind of. Moments later, gang members had kicked their door in, screaming words Daniel didn't understand. But he knew enough.
They hurt Sean.
They had to pay the price.
And they did.
The Mexican authorities never managed to find the spines that were missing from the three bodies. From that day, gang violence had become a regular problem for the wolfbrothers. About once a week someone shows up. Either to recruit them or to avenge their fallen brethren. The latter always ends up dead, creating a vicious, never-ending cycle. The wolfbrothers had no intentions of joining any gang. They just wanted to… be left alone. They never attacked anyone, unless they absolutely had to.
Sean had by now, finally managed to get their auto repair shop going. "Diaz Repair Shop" became its name. They finally earned their money through legitimate work. Nothing… sketchy. Being the only repair shop in Puerto Lobos was great. They earned a shitload of money. More than they could ever dream of. But with money, came more gang violence. Daniel always felt the need to protect his older brother. But what happens on the day he's not there? Does it even matter? A part of him thinks that Sean actually… likes this life. Looking at Sean, he can see how his brother's changed. He almost looks… scary.
His empty eye socket now has a fake eye, made out of a genuine onyx gemstone. His tattoos, something Daniel found cool at first… now covering both his arms, neck and back. Sean's body, covered with scars, and his sleazy clothes showing them off like badges of honor. Daniel hates to admit it, but Sean looks like… them. Sean looks like any of the various gang members he's seen over the years.
Daniel, however, has no tattoos. Neither is he planning on getting one. He looks, and dresses like any average sixteen-year-old boy would do… back home. He only has five visible scars. One on his shoulder, where Merrill shot him, and later that bitch Madison. How they both managed to shoot the same shoulder, he still tries to figure out. Then, there are the four scars on his wrist. The ones he did to himself. He always conceals them with Mushroom's old bandana. The rest of Daniel Diaz's scars are… mental.
Daniel's room is covered with objects most people would consider to be junk. To Daniel, they're invaluable relics, from a past life. Something he needs to… stay sane. The "space mission" T-shirt on the wall, Sean's sketchbook, mom's letter that Lisbeth kept from him. He even… saved the pine cones he collected back at the cabin. Daniel desperately clings on to the past, unable to move on. Sean, on the other hand, moved on long ago. He likes it here. Sean feels… home.
Looking at them, one would not be able to tell that they're brothers. Before all this, they looked, and behaved, so much… like each other. Probably more than either of them would ever care to admit. Now, one brother's clinging to the past, feeling lonely and uncertain of his future. The other brother feels more home than he even did… home. They both went through hell to get here. It may not be perfect, or completely safe. But, they still have each other, no matter what.
So… the wolfbrothers were forced to make a choice… they both agreed… there was only one true option… so the little cub, turned into a superwolf… clearing their path towards freedom… the wolfbrothers had finally made it to their father's land…
They were free…
But each wolf… had to pay for their freedom… with their soul… the oldest wolf, now feeling home and safe… would slowly lose grip of whom he really was… and who he is becoming…
The little cub would feel safe at first… he would spread his joy, everywhere he went… in time, however, he saw things… the little cub saw how his brother wolf was changing… he didn't like it…
As the little cub grew into a young wolf, he felt doubts about their lives here… and what they did… the little cub had to pay for his freedom… with his childhood innocence…
Two wolfbrothers… once so alike… with a brotherhood so strong… nothing could separate them… now, the wolfbrothers had changed…
The oldest wolf wore his scars proudly… he felt no remorse about their actions…
The little cub tried to hide his scars… but he always failed… always… his actions on that day… they haunt him… every day… and every night… he never told the older wolf…
Part of the little cub believes that the wolfbrothers… died on that day… and taking their place… was two other brothers… brothers only by blood…
Two Blood Brothers…
Notes:
You chose to put yourself and your brother, above all else. Therefore finishing the story with the Blood Brothers ending.
Thank you for following Sean and Daniel on their journey. Keep on howling...
Go to chapter 7 for the author's notes.
Chapter 7: Author's Notes
Summary:
Just me rambling a little to make sure the series gets 100 000 words in total...
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Well, here we are… end of the road. The story of the wolfbrothers has ended. No matter what ending you got, I hope you enjoyed the ride (and read).
I wrote and published chapter 1 of "The Good Brother" on the 27th of August. It was meant to be just another one-shot for my "LIS2 Anthology Series". The (very) basic premise of it was just "Sean right after the incident in Seattle." That's it, that's the entire idea from the beginning. The idea was to have it end at the cave, right after Daniel's nightmare. I named it "The Good Brother" due to Sean realizing that he's been a shitty brother and needs to change to be able to take care of Daniel.
After writing for a while, I realized that I was nowhere near finished, and it was (at the time) the longest thing I've ever written. So I felt like it's only fair to make it a fic of its own. I split the part I had written into two chapters, to not make them too long (lol, last chapter being 10 000+). Also, I decided that it would be three chapters in total. It felt like more than enough at the time.
I also wanted to get more creative with the chapter names. Previously, like in the anthology series, chapters are just named something simple. Like "Surprise!" or "Denial" etc. I wanted to do something different here. Just to… try something out.
Chapter 1: Chaos & Cookies.
The chaos part comes from all the chaos going on inside Sean's head. And the cookies? Remember Sean's line "yooo, cookies" that I here gave to Daniel…? Actually, it just happened, kinda. I never name a chapter until AFTER it's finished. At first, it was just called "Chaos" but I wanted something more. I scrolled through the text, saw the line, and the rest is history…
Chapter 2: Dear Daniel Diaz Delicious Dinner At The Diner.
Phew, where to begin with this one…? This is the chapter that was so short because I had to split up the text earlier. So with this… I went through a whole bunch of purposely silly names. I wanted to see how many words with the letter "D" I could fit in there. Still, best chapter name EVER! Come at me, bro:) This chapter is also a little personal for me since Sean's basically doing to Daniel what my older brothers did to me when I was a kid. Which was "Ok, we both know you can't have ice cream. So I'll buy you one if you don't tell dad." FYI: I sucked at keeping secrets…
Chapter 3: The Zombie-King Of Pride Rock.
Also, an interesting one. The name is a combination of Daniel's line "I got you, I eat you. Don't mess with the zombie." Seriously, most adorable line in the entire game. And of course, the Lion King and pride rock. Here I would also like to give a major thanks to "FalconeX" for giving me the core idea that would develop into this series. I hope I didn't scare you away completely by killing off Chris…
After this, I realized that it would feel better if the fic ran throughout the rest of episode one. So it became a fourth chapter. Then, I made the decision… to make this into a series. My first ever series, nonetheless. Before I figured out how it worked, I had gone through a shitload of edits of the first fics, changing the name over and over again. For a whole thirty seconds or so, the series was actually called "The Good Brother" and episode 1 called "Changes" at least I think that's what it was. I realized how fucking stupid it sounded, and quickly changed it back. Instead, I went with the other plan. Just naming ever new fic "The insert something here Brother." And named the series "Brotherhood". Short and simple, yet effective.
Episode 2 was definitely my favorite to write. There are just so many emotions going on and… well… I can relate to like, a lot of them. This is probably why it was easy to write it. Describing depression from a nine-year-old's perspective isn't too hard when you've been depressed yourself since the age of eleven. There are just so many things in this episode that are either inspired by stuff I've experienced or literally ripped off. Daniel feeling like a burden, not feeling any joy anymore, all that shit…
The name of chapter one, "Felipe The Freak, Daniel The Demon" gives you immediate knowledge of how Daniel views himself at the time. Still, I felt that it was important to show that he's still a normal kid, deep down. He's just very, very depressed. There's also a lot going on here that I wanted to dig deeper into. Stuff like Sean leaving Daniel alone, how it affected him, and Daniel just trying out his powers.
If "FalconeX" ever reads this: I was leaning towards killing off Chris as I finished chapter 1. Your comment there, made me make the final decision. (Sorry…)
The name of chapter 2, "A trial Of Ice, Blood & Ravioli" is a Game of Thrones reference, or so I thought… I legit looked it up now, realizing it's called "A Song Of Ice And Fire" not " A Trial Of Ice And Fire…
God-damn it… (read with Eric Cartman voice…)
In this chapter, I felt that it was important to show that Daniel's a bit conflicted about his powers. He's curious about them like any kid would be. Seriously, we all tried to see if we had superpowers, myself included. I know for a fact, that I can't use force lightning… at the same time, Daniel's also scared. Scared of what might happen, and scared of himself. I also felt like Sean had zero clue of how to do telekinesis training from the start, so he had to fail a bit at first.
Plus, Daniel needed a break. He suffers so much in this fic…
In chapter 3, I really began using Daniel's "inner monster/freak/demon, etc." a lot. It represents all of his trauma, all his pain, and how he views himself. As for the cougar scene… the cougar was always going to die. At first, I was going to make it even more brutal but decided against it. I wanted more focus on his inner demons, instead.
Having Chris be at the Reynolds house was a no-brainer. He needed more time in the story, and this was the easiest way to do it. Plus, it gives the reader an immediate comparison between the two. Daniel being depressed, silent, slow. Chris being… well, Chris. They both get some well-deserved fun, but also, a little therapy session.
Then… Chris dies.
I knew it would be a… controversial decision, at the very best. But I wanted to have a few twists here and there. This felt like one of those that nobody would be expecting. Especially since Chris seems to be a very beloved character (by me as well). Not everyone liked it, but I'm standing by it.
Episode 3… was ass to write. Too many characters to keep track of, not that much happening in the story. Still, a lot of emotions worth digging deeper into. I never planned on writing any "romance stuff." Two reasons, really. One, it would make me cringe, just writing it. Two, everyone would be expecting FINN FINN FINN!
I despise Finn, I truly do.
So, I hated writing episode 3. the end result is ok, at best. It didn't exactly help that I wrote the first chapter while being hungover on Stroh-Rum… DON'T EVER GO THERE! SERIOUSLY!
One thing coming out of chapter 3 is that this is where I really began to use my own… experiences, in my writing. I've been depressed, like… a lot. I have epilepsy (not fun). And I have older siblings, so I was basically the "Daniel" in the family as a kid. A lot of stuff I remember, I used in the story from chapter 3 and onward.
The way I describe Daniel waking up, at the start of episode 4 is something very… real to me. Every time, waking up after a seizure, I felt just like that. So with Daniel being so exhausted, it made sense. The names of both chapters one and two come from "The Book Of Daniel" in the in-game episode.
Daniel cutting himself is a bit… extreme, I can admit to that. But it fits the story if you ask me. He feels like he deserves nothing but pain for all the terrible things he's done. So he takes it to the next level. Then, he becomes an easy victim for Lisbeth to manipulate.
Also, somewhere around here, I began breaking my own golden rule: Do NOT, under ANY circumstances, write too long chapters. They become a chore to read, no matter how good they are. Instead, my semi-OCD kicks in. "Ohhh, every fic so far has had 4 chapters. This one should have 4 chapters too…"
The final chapter of episode 4 is called "Cuts, Cults & Can'ts" The name went through a lot of phases… "Reverend Mother Vs Brother W/Mother" "Reverend Vs Mother" "Reverend, Mother & Brother" but my personal favorite is still "Cuts, Cults & Cunts" with the latter part being Lisbeth… however, I decided against it…
Episode 5 is the one I thought would be really difficult to write. Since there's not a whole lot going on. Ironically, one chapter ended up being 10 000+ words long… I gave both brothers a break here, considering what's to come. I had a really difficult time deciding which endings to have here.
At first, I was going to have all four endings, but it felt like a bit overkill. Instead, I decided on having two of them. One surrender, and one cross the border. Blood Brothers was a no-brainer. It's the ending I got on my first playthrough, my personal favorite, and it fits the story I've written. Seriously, write a series called "Brotherhood" and choose Parting Ways? That… makes no sense whatsoever…
I really wanted to have the Lone Wolf ending… so badly. Just because… SURPRISE! And from a writing perspective, I love it. Still, it's fucking tragic though. For a good while I had even decided to use Lone Wolf. But I changed my mind at the last minute, choosing Redemption instead. One high morality ending, and one low morality ending. Kinda fitting… sorry if I gave anyone a heart attack by teasing a Lone Wolf ending. I just couldn't resist. The song Daniel sings in Blood Brothers is called "Wolves Without Teeth". There's an awesome Life Is Strange 2 tribute on Youtube with it... also, kudos to anyone finding the Darth Sidious quote in one of the endings...
At this point, I'm kinda rambling, time to end this…
Again, thanks to "FalconeX" if a user can be tagged, ffs let me know…
I say thank you to my older siblings. For being nice to me as a kid, giving me memories I could put to use here…
I send you a coded message in my native tongue: Historien om vargbröderna är nu över.
And most important of all: Thank you. For reading, commenting, and supporting!
Keep on howling…
K.S.