InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "COME AT ME BRO!"

Liam Mairi (farsight) wrote in valloic,
@ 2024-05-04 09:52:00

Entry tags:

!: action/thread/log, the empyrean: xaden riorson, ₴ inactive: liam mairi

Liam & Xaden

WHAT: Brothers reunited in a new world
WHERE: Morningside
WHEN: Backdated to April when Xaden arrived
WARNINGS: Spoilers for Iron Flame, talk of death, war, trauma
STATUS: Complete

“It’s good to see you, brother.”

This place was like a fever dream. Everything the DOA had told Xaden had gone over his head, but then he'd found Violet and she'd told him Liam was alive. Liam was here. Whatever else this place did to him, if it gave him the chance to see his brother again, he'd suffer it all with a smile. Or at least a tempered scowl. He wore a scowl now as he stomped down the hallway to the apartment Violet had directed him to, the key in hand. It was possible Liam would be out and he didn't have a life bond to help him track Liam down unfortunately, but he'd cross that bridge when he got to it. When he got to the right door, he gave it only the barest knock before he unlocked the door and let himself in. "Liam?" He was afraid to hope. Even if there was no reason Violet would tell him such a thing if it wasn't true. Hope was still a thing with fangs and he was a wild wounded creature when it came to the people he'd lost. Xaden moved deeper into the apartment and raised his voice, his heart hammering behind his ribs. "Mairi, if you're here and leaving me just standing here…" He didn't finish the empty threat. There was no point in promising anything violent when he wouldn't hurt Liam for anything in the world. Liam was still figuring Vallo out. It was an incredible world, unlike anything Navarre could ever hope to be, and it felt like there was just so much more to life here. There was no stigma attached to his name. No one thought anything of his Rebellion markings—unless it was to comment on them being cool, which evoked a weird mix of feelings in him. None of those things bothered him much at home, but they always lurked in his mind. Here, none of it mattered a fucking bit. All this downtime was new and not an opportunity he’d have back home. Being without Deigh was still weird, but he had Violet, and Tairn and Andarna seemed cool with him, which helped. He’d even picked up a few odd jobs to make some cash while he nailed down something more permanent, and he got to be crafty. It was all working out pretty well despite the people he missed. At that moment, he was out on the balcony of the Morningside apartment he shared with Violet, reclined back in his chair while he worked on a carving for Kamala—something called a Flerken, which, from what he'd been told, was a cat with mouth tentacles. As a dragon rider, he didn’t have much room to judge, but he was definitely saving the tentacles for last. A voice from inside carried out the cracked balcony door and caught his attention immediately. He’d know that voice anywhere and got quickly to his feet, reaching for the handle and poking his head inside. He grinned at the familiar sight of his brother and called out to his get his attention. “Over here, Riorsan!” Xaden felt like he'd been bowled over by a dragon, just hearing those three little words and seeing that bright face. He was aware suddenly in the moment that he'd never really had the time and peace to mourn Liam properly. Now was hardly the time either, but someone really needed to tell the painful twisted thing in his chest called a heart. "I swear if this is something twisted game…" He covered the distance between them groundeating strides until he was close enough to stare at Liam too closely, as if he could suss out the magic trick here if he just looked hard enough. But he didn't need to open up the pipeline to his inntinnsic abilities to know the man in front of him was Liam and that there wasn't any corrupt or malevolent in that familiar gaze. "Malek. It really is you," he whispered, just before pulling Liam through the door into a tight hug. Liam didn’t stumble when he was pulled forward, though there was a second of surprise before he wrapped his arms around Xaden and hugged him back. Something had looked strange about his eyes—familiar but not him, in a concerning kind of way, but maybe he was seeing things. He told himself he had to be because this was his brother; there was no mistaking that. Although the hug might make him think otherwise. Xaden Riorsan was not a hugger, but he would get no complaints from Liam. Violet had been hugging him every chance she got because he had died. They could hug him all they wanted. “It’s really me,” he assured, clapping his hand against Xaden’s upper back. “It’s good to see you, brother.” Xaden wasn't a hugger, but a brother back from the dead warranted an exception. He was reluctant to let go, honestly. This felt like a fucked up dream. He'd broken the cardinal rule and still managed to see Liam again? There must be some kind of terrible trick waiting in the wings. Swallowing painfully, Xaden finally stepped back but he kept one hand on Liam's shoulder. He was having a hard time making eye contact. "I…It's good to see you too. Better than good. I'd suffer that ridiculous speech and nosy questioning a hundred times for this." Still, he winced, rolling his shoulders back as dropped his hand away. "Sorry. My back is messed up. We just got out of an insane battle and then this." He jumped at the excuse to look away from Liam and around the room. "Can we sit?" “Sit,” Liam agreed, pulling back and nodding toward the living room couch. He’d heard a lot about how far they’d come in the war effort, what had happened since he last remembered, but he didn’t have a lot of specific information about Xaden. Which, given what they’d been up to in his last memories, was fine by him. “Violet knows you’re here, right? I’m guessing she’s the one who told you to come find me.” "Yeah, yeah, I uh, I found her first. At the library." Xaden swept a hand through his hair and sat down, careful of the wound. It still needed to be cleaned, but it wasn't bleeding anymore and it could wait. He'd be damned if he was going to leave yet. "She's kind of mad at me right now. I'm sure you're shocked." He managed a little smile and finally really looked at Liam. He looked healthy as far as Xaden could tell. But that didn't necessarily mean much. That could just be what he wanted to see. Xaden very nearly laughed, all the emotions he usually stamped down and hid between miles of stoic exterior determined to get to the surface. "Well how the fuck are you? Damn." “When isn’t Violet mad?” Liam joked right back. She was one of his best friends, and he loved her, but she had a temper on her. It was part of what he loved about her—the verbal sparring in their early days had endeared him quickly. “I’m good! I mean, this place is a whole different world than Navarre. Complete freedom, no war to fight. I miss Deigh, but.” He shrugged, though it really did pain him to be separated from his dragon. “I’m alive, so I’m hoping he will be, too, when he shows up.” He had complete faith that would happen. Tairn and Andarna were both here, so it naturally followed that Deigh and Sgaeyl would show at some point, too. He was grateful that whatever magic existed here was enough to keep the separation from killing them the minute they arrived. That would have been really fucking depressing for Violet to deal with. Xaden frowned. He wasn't sure he was in a hurry for Deigh to show up here. As much as he wanted the dragon to have another chance at life, he wanted Liam to be free to live a normal life more. A life without war and death around every corner. But he supposed if war did show up, he'd rather Liam had a dragon to watch over him. "She's got a good reason," he mumbled distractedly. "For being mad, I mean." He rubbed his hands on his knees and stared at Liam. "Listen, I'm--Malek, I'm glad you're here and you're alive and fuck. I don't want to throw terrible things at you. You deserve better. But I also don't want you to find out from Violet and think I'm keeping shit from you. I…I burned out in our last fight. Fighting the Sage. I didn't know what to do and I panicked because he threatened Violet. I…" Xaden took a shaky breath. "I pulled from the ground to stop him."’ Liam blinked for a moment, unsure what to say. He hadn’t expected one of the first things he heard from Xaden now that he was here to be a confession like that. That was a big deal. Enormous. It was a stepping stone toward becoming venin, and Xaden knew that. They had seen firsthand the corruption that took place when pulling from the ground in Navarre, the way it twisted and molded a person into something unnatural and inhuman. When he met Xaden’s eyes, he realized that was what he’d caught a glimpse of earlier. The red rims—faint but unmistakably there. That one pull amid a battle and an attempt to keep Violet safe had already kickstarted the process. He could be angry because Xaden knew better. He could be scared because this could easily lead to putting everything and everyone around them in peril. Venin were dangerous; there was a reason Navarre as a whole was in the dark about them, even if it was a reason Liam didn’t agree with. The terror it would cause across the nation would be devastating. Any semblance of structure in place would fall apart. But from what he knew, it had started falling anyway. He just hadn’t expected Xaden to join their ranks, even accidentally. “Are you okay?” he asked. It was a weak position to take, but Xaden was his brother. Liam was more worried about him than the fate of Navarre—or Vallo—right now. It wasn't what Xaden expected him to say, but it should've been. Liam was kind and compassionate. Xaden's shoulders sagged and he stared at his palms, frowning. "So far. I can feel it. Like an itch? But that's all. For now, at least." He knew that wasn't the most reassuring answer, but it was all he had. Only time would tell if he was turning into a monster. Right now, he mostly just felt weary down to his bones. And a little relieved he at least wasn't keeping this one secret from his brother. "I wish I knew what it means and what will happen now but I don't. But I'll figure it out. I don't want you to worry." “We’ll figure it out,” Liam corrected him. “This isn’t Basgiath, Riorsan. You’re not my wingleader anymore, and we’re all we’ve got here. You, me, and Vi. We’ll figure this out together.” He met Xaden’s eyes seriously, making it clear he wouldn’t be taking no for an answer on this particular matter. He had always been good about doing what Xaden asked without questioning or prying or nosing in where he wasn’t wanted. He still wouldn’t pry, but he was nosing in right now. This was one of those things Xaden would need support on, whether he admitted or not, and he was going to get it. And he had a feeling he wouldn’t be alone in that sentiment. Xaden's eyebrows raised minutely in surprise. That wasn't a tone he was used to hearing from Liam. It wasn't an unfair tone either, but Xaden was a stubborn bastard, no matter how far he'd come in opening up to the people he loved. He sat up straighter and scowled. "There's nothing for either of you to figure out," he growled. "You can't fix me. I don't even know if I can fix me. But I can make sure I don't put the both of you in danger. That much I can damn well do." Whatever it takes, he thought. Thankfully, his mental link to Violet was shut tight or she might have caught wind of that thought and crucified him for it. "Not that I don't appreciate the support," he added, apologetic but still as gruff as ever. “Look, I’m not saying I’m trying to fix you,” Liam argued. It was mild, though. He wasn’t looking for a fight, but he did want Xaden to hear him. “But you shut yourself off from everyone who tries to give a shit about you, and you don’t get to do that here. Alright?” Xaden opened his mouth to argue more, but the words didn't come. This was idiotic. Liam was fucking alive. He didn't want to fight him. Not today. "Okay," he said, raising his hands defensively. "Okay. I'm not going to shut myself off. I told you, didn't I?" He couldn't really have hidden it all that easily, but he'd hidden more complicated things for years. If he'd really wanted to keep Liam in the dark, he would've found a way. "Look, why don't we go get Violet from the library and you guys can show me around. We can get dinner. I have this weird money they gave me." Xaden fished the bills out of his pocket and held them out with a baffled frown. "I don't…I don't want to fight. Okay?" “I wasn’t trying to fight,” Liam assured him, reaching out to clap his hand over Xaden’s shoulder. “I just know how stubborn you are. I'm getting a head start on keeping you humble.” He grinned and, with his free hand, snagged the bills out of his brother’s hand. “Dinner’s definitely on you. Maybe it’ll make Violet like you again.”