The situation was so mundane, so routine. Sitting here and having tea with his brother, taking the time to ‘catch up.’ Not like he ever had anything to share nor did he particularly want to hear half of the stories Eminence shared with him; not that it stopped him from listening anyways. He could never bring himself to ignore his twin, not entirely.
His mind wandered as he took a sip, barely even tasting the drink. Once more he couldn’t help but ponder the question of how they’d ever gotten here, how this all happened. Sure he could see the line between ‘here’ and ‘there,’ it was lit up in painfully bright neon lights, but did it have to have come to this? Was this some kind of inevitable fate? Or were they simply cursed.
It’s not like he couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment when everything had changed; the day they’d first met Him. XGaster. The one person Witness felt comfortable squarely laying all of the blame on, even if perhaps that wasn’t fair; it was still nothing short of what He deserved. For everything He ever did to them, put them through. It only felt right to blame Him for where they ended up; the hell He damned them to.
They’d been so terribly young back then, naive even; though both of them would have vehemently denied it at the time. Thinking that they knew so much better than they did but they didn’t even know yet what they didn’t know. Something which quickly changed under His so-called tutalege. Tired eyelight flicked to look over his brother, light still caught out by the changes. The traces of His powers and influence left over in him; the things which still screamed wrongness to his senses. The proof, plain as day, that he was no longer the same brother he’d grown up with; of just how much everything had changed…
He couldn’t help the sigh that escaped him; the wave of pain which he knew his twin would pick up on in a soulbeat. They always had been so attuned to each other's emotions, even beyond the usual for their empathy; so was the bond of twins. Perhaps that was why it still stung so badly? That Eminence ever thought Witness wouldn’t choose him; that his own twin had thought he’d reject him, pick everything else over him. Never.
“Are you quite alright, my light? You seem distressed.” The use of that name snapped him fully back into reality. It was one of those little things he could never quite explain? Why it hurt him so that Eminence couldn’t even do him the decency of using his name any of them. He knew it was supposed to be a cute nickname but honestly? He sort of hated it. Not simply because it wasn’t his name but also for what it meant, the pressure it brought. Being the last bastion of his brother’s humanity and kindness took its toll. It was a thankless job and one he was frankly starting to doubt he was capable of, yet one he still had none the less.
Empty reassurances fell from his lips, as easily as the tears that now permanently dripped from his remaining socket. “No need to worry brother, I’m fine. Just a touch tired perhaps?” It was a lie and they both knew it. Nothing about any of this was fine. Witness was quite sure half of everything they said these days were lies; pretty words simply meant to dress up the situation they found themselves in. Yet that fact went unspoken, that they were both letting it happen.
“Perhaps you should rest then? I would dearly hate to be keeping you up after all, I am aware that you need your rest.” Despite the concern in Eminence’s tone, Witness knew it was less of a question and more of a command. Em was telling him that their tea was over, that he was done with Witness for the time being.
“You’re always so thoughtful, it’s appreciated. I do think a nap may be in order for me. I’m terribly sorry if I’ve spoilt our tea?” While he likely wouldn’t be sleeping, some more rest may just be in order; he was, as always, feeling awfully fatigued.
His twin simply waved off his concerns, “I doubt you could ruin anything even if you tried. Go, rest.”
With the far more obvious dismissal, Witness slowly rose to his feet. Needing to hold onto his chair for balance as he was struck with a wave of dizziness, vision tingeing black for a brief moment. Once he was certain he wouldn’t fall the moment he moved, he started back to his rooms. Leaving his brother and all their complications behind, at least for the time being.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
AN: Witness & Eminence are a pair of X!Dreamtale twins! Witness is a partially-Shattered Geno Dream & Eminence is a semi-corrupted Nightmare with the power of Overwrite.
Their relationship is.... certainly something. It's very Not Good. Em clinging to the one good part of his past he has left; Witness unable to let him go even if he really should. They have IssuesTM
Tag/s: @t3m1
(feel free to ask to be tagged!!)
