( GERARD MACANTHOS ):
Any doubt about this being anything but an unpleasant conversation vanished within seconds of the magnetron opening his mouth. They’d never been enemies exactly, but they’d never gotten along, either. For most of their lives, Gerard hadn’t spared a thought to the older Samos sibling. Distance was a blessing in that way- he hadn’t even had to think about his own brother, away at the Choke for so long, let alone spared any thought to Alessa’s.
In the past year that Augustus had been back at Archeon, however, the animosity between the two had grown. Now, Samos looked about as happy as Gerard felt, but he quickly shoved that thought from his mind. He didn’t like the idea of having anything in common with Augustus Samos, especially not something as minute as this.
It showed that they thought the same way, and he hated that.
The older man’s words struck him as odd however- while he’d been headed to get his hands on some alcohol, he hadn’t yet touched a sip. “Daydreaming about me, Samos?” Gerard asked, ignoring the man’s intended taunt. “I can’t imagine why else you’d think to have seen me with a drink.”
“Unless you’re trying to accuse me of something?”
Except for their shared family name, ability, and features ( brown hair, blue eyes, and a jaw cut like a diamond ), the Macanthos siblings had little in common. From what he had heard from Graham’s own mouth, it had been this way for ages, the fissures between each sibling only growing as each year passed. Truthfully, he couldn’t remember a time when Alessa wasn’t the rationale behind his actions and even if he could, he didn’t care to.
Looking at Gerard now, Augustus recognized elements of his best friend’s looks mirrored in his own brother’s. It wasn’t surprising ( they did, of course, share more than a handful of genes ), but it was a bit DISARMING. He could hear his voice in the back of his mind, dolling out advice in spades, telling him that making a scene here would be rather petty and foolish.
Drinking the last bit of liquor, Augustus set the now empty glass on the makeshift counter in the booth, the beginnings of a grin making itself known on his face. He’d listen to his conscience, but he wouldn’t forego all fun. “ Hm, odd. I could’ve sworn someone pointed and said that it was the Champion of the Fe— ” he stopped as if he had come to a realization, “ Oh yes, I forgot, that’s no longer you. ” Shooting the other a sympathetic look, Augustus shrugged sheepishly, “ Mea culpa. ” Then motioning to the barkeep, he spoke again, “ Whatever he gets, its on me. ”
Without looking back, he left Gerard there, satisfied with what had just happened. Perhaps it seemed a bit kind of him to make up for his folly, but Augustus hadn’t paid for a drink all night and he wouldn’t pay for THAT one either. It was of little consequence to him.
— FIN













