×⦸× ⁞⁞ @musesbygeoff ⸢shamus⸥ & @jaggedpass
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The truth was, he didn’t wanna be here. Not yet anyway, and not like this. Nonetheless, Reiji (and, well… Syphoria) were unavailable; and because he had been there for his older brother, and Reiji had been there for him, Paul was following along in the tradition of being there for his younger brother in possibly one of the biggest battles of his life:
Today, Shamus was going to challenge Brandon. And Paul would be damned if he left his younger brother to endure that loud bastard’s self-righteous yelling all on his own.
Though, as they were greeted at the doors of the Battle Pyramid, and Paul immediately stuffed his pockets into his hands, he couldn’t help but muse that he likely wasn’t even needed here. Because, when he really took the time to consider things, Shamus was in many ways the strongest and most emotionally stable of the three of them. Sure, he had his… issues, but Paul liked to think that they were objectively easier behaviors to fix, as they were just that – behaviors – not a constant onslaught of self-hatred or self-doubt that liked to dick around in his head for no good reason.
Paul looked to his brother, internally forcing his brain to change the subject to the more positive sides of things: he was here to spend time with his brother. To,.. you know, see how well he had grown. Despite his temptation to mess with Shamus’ hair, he keeps his itchy fingers firmly in his pockets. “So. You ready? Gotta plan? Or’re you just gonna wing it.”
Shamus had been looking forward to this date for sometime. The youngest of the family wasn’t there to witness his older brothers battles against the Pyramid King, but he was happy to have Paul attend it.
At his older brother’s question he responded with a smirk.
“The Fire Warriors always got a plan, Paul. We know we’re up against the biggest challenge we’ve ever had. Besides, knowing that you and Reggie both lost, I’m not going to make the same mistake you both did. I had all day trainings this week. I’m ready, and if I wasn’t, I wouldn’t be here.”