#this is why even as a die-hard Maven stan Cal is still very important/special to me

[snakerdoodlle]

It’s nearly 2 AM and I’m literally crying over Cal and Maven rn

The way Cal defended Maven and stood by him until the very end, being the only person who still loved him despite everything. Cal hanging on to any kind of hope for his brother that he could, searching desperately for someone that could possibly help him. Cal putting off the inevitable for as long as possible, never wanting to give Maven a death sentence but being forced to by the court/Scarlet Guard with so much regret behind it. Cal knowing that it’s not Maven’s fault. Cal blaming himself for years and years for never seeing what was happening to his baby brother, and for never shielding him from his mother. Cal going to Maven’s body first when finding him and Mare. Cal burying Maven on Tuck with the hopes that maybe at last, the broken, lost boy he knew could finally have peace. He promises he’ll always keep Maven with him, he’ll never let him go, never let him be forgotten in his memories. He gave Maven a proper headstone, he made sure his brother could have what little honor he was able to offer. It also basically served as Cal’s final message. Cal will always love Maven, he will always regret what happened, he will always wish he could’ve changed things, he will always have guilt weighing on his shoulders, even if it eases with time. Cal will never abandon Maven like so many others.

And then the way Maven spared Cal the final blow, letting Cal believe he was truly gone despite it being a lie. He hurt Cal just to save him the much worse pain it’d have caused him if he knew the truth. Cal would’ve done anything to try and save Maven if only he’d known, and Maven was aware and didn’t want Cal to go through that. They both knew nothing would’ve come of it, but none of that mattered to Cal ever. He would’ve been willing to do anything.

I am so unbelievably emotional over these two brothers good god