Experiment ZARC AU.
Moar you shall get @presidentstarscream
Declan didn't even realise he'd moved till he was already standing between Zarc and his father. He hadn't seen his old man in person, face to face in years, hadn't seen Zarc in even more...and yet here he was.
"I won't move, you won't hurt him ever again" said Declan, he refused to. Gravity itself could vanish and he would refuse to float away.
He knew everyone was watching, knew they were shocked and found he didn't care.
Declan had spent too many nights agonising over lab reports, of tests and procedures that made him feel ill but would force himself to read.
The least he could do for Zarc was to know what they'd put him through.
Every single one of those reports only reminded him why he was here.
"Why am I not suprised that you would face me, that you'd pick that monster over Ray."
Declan glared, anger welling up inside his veins making him shake. "Don't you dare! Don't you dare utter her name! You don't deserve to use it, not after everything you've done. If you knew Ray at all you'd know she'd he right here with me!"
Declan was yelling now, he couldn't keep his usual composure.
He found he didn't want to.
The fact his dad would invoke her name so casually pissed him off.
Ray had stood by Zarc till the end, had personally gone to try and calm him down from his rage... It wasn't her fault nor was it Zarc's. It was accident, plain and simple.
What wasn't an accident was their father using it as a cover up of his own crimes against humanity, using his defiant daughter as a martyr and the product of his actions as the monster for the mob to turn on.
If Ray was here she would've flipped him the bird, she was sweet and soft but she was rough around the edges and cursed like a sailor. She was bold and loud and spoke her mind, she ruffled his hair and smuggled Zarc ice cream into the lab.
And their father had tried to erase her, to make her image more agreeable for him. Ray would've hated it, and so did Declan.
He really thought she would choose him?
A stinging sensation was felt on his face and Declan stumbled back but stayed on his feet. His father was suddenly standing before him, enraged.
So Declan did the only thing he could of at that moment and spat at him like the child he was.
"Ra help me Declan if you keep that monster from me, if you stand in my way. For I will be rid of you if I must."
Declan rolled his eyes "been saving that one for a while haven't you."
That's when he felt something else, another hand but this one tugging on his clothes. Shy, hesitant and wasn't painful at all.
"Declan?"
Declan felt his heart stop, keeping his guard up but lightly tilted his head to see Zarc behind him.
He looked so afraid, and he was clinging to Declan like he'd vanish at any moment not that Declan would blame him.
"It's okay" smiled Declan, ignoring the stinging of his cheek. "We're gonna get out of here yeah, and get ice cream like we promised." Like they were going to do before everything went wrong.
Zarc looked at him, all wide eyed but their was no sign of that hopeful twinkle Declan had grown up with. He looked so lost and confused, he didn't dare look Leo in the eye and instead coward behind Declan like he was a sheild.
It broke his heart and made his rage grow, he turned back to his father.
Not needing words 'if you want him, you'll have to go through me'