the-twinventors

[the-twinventors]

((soooo... ya girl finally caught the big ol’ funky virus that’s hecked up the world these last two years... I’m doing OK, but my full uninterrupted return is unfortunately gonna be delayed a little longer as a result >.<))

[the-twinventors]

a-bitter-resentment

Char hated that he had been the one to cause Jayce to react in such a way. He couldn’t tell if it were fear, avoidance, or aversion. No matter the reason, Char had been the one to put that doubt there, and it tore at him to know that his own confusion and assumptions had been what caused this.

Yet Jayce didn’t leave.

He stayed.

Char had felt numb until those fingers had slipped into his own, had felt out of control with the thoughts screaming in his mind to push Jayce away and demand he leave him be. And yet, as the jack settled down at his side, the very idea of those words soured on Char’s tongue and disintigrated into the ether.

He didn’t want to hurt Jayce. He didn’t want to push him away.

Char’s grip had been light at first to those fingers, but gradually grew in firmness as he fought to stifle his sniffles and dry his shameful tears. Yet Jayce remained rigid, tense, and it did little to ease Char’s self doubt and internal guilt.

“M'sorry… Yer afraid… I can feel it. Chaos, Jayce…m'sorry.” And yet he couldn’t bring himself to release those fingers from his own. Even drew them closer and held them to his chest, over his frantic heart.

It took time for the sniffles to die off and the tears to stop their flood down freckled cheeks. And by the time they did finally cease, the hedgehog looked wrecked. Exhausted. Tired.

His voice cracked when he spoke, still weak from disuse. “I know…you wouldn’t intentionally hurt me. M'sorry fer…freakin’ like that. I just…” A shaken breath was exhaled as brows pinched and Char drew Jayce’s digits to his face, nudging them softly. “Everyone that’s used those words with me? There’s always somethin’ they want. An’ when I can’t give em what they want? They used the same words ta hurt…” Watery aqua hues closed as he steadied his breathing slowly, only opening those eyes when he turned a tentative glance to Jayce himself.

“I didn’t mean ta scare you. If you want me ta leave, I can. I don’t…don’t know what came over me. The last thing I wanna do is hurt or scare you an’ yer sis…”

Jayce felt like kicking himself. Even when he did his best to focus on someone else’s distress and help them through it, he still somehow managed to make it all about himself. He wasn’t even trying to, he never was, but it just happened. Maybe Talia and everyone else was right - maybe he really was just a selfish--

No. Stop that. It was already obvious that Char had noticed his brain going a million miles an hour - if Jayce let himself go off on the stupid self-pity train, things were only going to get more complicated. This wasn't anything to do with him - he needed to stop. Focus. Focus. Focus.

He took a deep breath, doing his best to force all of the turbulent thoughts to the back of his mind and lock them in a box where they couldn’t interfere. As always, he could still hear them yelling, but as long as he didn’t focus on them, then they couldn’t interfere. Hopefully. Maybe.

Chaos alive, he hated his brain.

Jayce finally looked up as the taller hedgehog started talking again. Why was Char sorry? He had nothing to be sorry for! His instinct to help started raising its head again, and he shifted on the couch, turning to face him as his hand was brought up to his chest. He could feel Char’s heartbeat - going so fast it was a little concerning. It was then he realised his own heart was flying at a similar rate, and not from anything good. Man, he hated that tight feeling in his chest that came with anxiety - it felt like a heart attack half the time...

His fingers twitched as Char nudged them, but he didn’t move to pull away. He waited until he was done talking before opening his own mouth again.

“No, I... I’m scaring myself. Cuz I... I know what you’re talking about.” He squeezed the hand holding his own again, taking a moment to think of the words. “... growing up, Stella and I... all we had was each other. No one to tell us that what was happening to us... wasn’t normal. We had to figure it out on our own, learn the difference between... between the truth, and the people who twisted it for their own benefit, to get something out of us. And even now, I still can’t tell the difference, because the liars are so good at it - at lying, at perfecting their sob stories so they can get close enough to screw us over and leave us completely fucked in the head for the millionth time...”

They didn’t have this issue with Talia, of course. But that was another story for another day, when they weren’t so emotionally charged.

“But now? I don’t even know what’s going on in my head... and that’s what’s scaring me. Not you.” Jayce finally broke the eye contact, ducking his head again. “... guess we’re both pretty fucked in the head, huh?”

There was a tone of defeated acceptance behind his words. As if he well and truly believed that this was all he was good enough for - for people to use and toy with and manipulate and then just toss to the side with little regard once they got what they wanted. Why else would anyone ever want to talk to him?

“... you don’t have to leave, it-- it’s getting late, anyway.” As much as Jayce’s brain was screaming that they both needed space from each other, something wasn’t letting him just let him go. “... you, um... you don’t have to come in with me tonight if you don’t want to, though... o-or you can take my room and I can stay here, I-I don’t wanna make you uncomfortable or anything...”

Stupid. Stupid stupid stupid. He wished he could just switch his brain off...

Closed plotted starter for @the-twinventors​

The television was droning, but Char wasn’t focused on the documentary playing. At best, it was background noise, nothing more than static to fill the way his mind had been circling in on itself time and again, over and over. Revisiting his past, turning it over in his mind, debating the what if’s, and how he could have done something different to avoid this outcome.

Jayce and Stella had been his saving grace, and since his rescue, he hadn’t left their sides for longer than an hour, tops. More specifically, Jayce’s side. Char had taken to being practically glued to the jack most days, the hedgehog only deterred each night when Jayce retired to bed. And that was on the off chance that the hedgehog didn’t silently ask to join him after a nightmare. Stella had, once or twice now, caught them nestled in Jayce’s bed together, limbs entangled and snoozing, a nose tucked between a canine chin, and a soft purr resounding from a usually quiet chest.

A sound caused a torn green ear to perk upward, hushed voices not a room away. The television’s volume was lowered and a curious note flickered behind carefully guarded eyes. It didn’t sound like a fight per se, but Stella and Jayce were clearly speaking about something serious. Should he include himself? 

His name was dropped, he could hear it. And that damnedable curiosity got the best of him as he pushed himself up from the couch and moved to stand beside the door to overhear the conversation and best decide on how his input might help. But he wasn’t expecting exactly what it was he overheard.

[the-twinventors]

just because i write something it doesn’t mean that i condone it.

just because i write something it doesn’t mean that i condone it.

just because i write something it doesn’t mean that i condone it.

just because i write something it doesn’t mean that i condone it.

just because i write something it doesn’t mean that i condone it.

[the-twinventors]

a-bitter-resentment

Logically, Char knew that the twins would never stoop to such a level as to use him like that. But past experiences tended to cloud his mind, his judgement, and his rationality. Especially after the recent events involving the prison.

While he trusted Jayce and Stella above all others, he still relapsed from time to time, today being one of those days apparently.

The word had been a trigger. And until he understood that Jayce and Stella would never use the term in such a vile way, he still reacted negatively to it.

Heart.

That word elicited a reaction from Char, his eyes opening up to peer up at the jack openly. Honestly. Vulnerably.

Unlike most, Char didn’t equate matters of the ‘heart’ with 'love’. They were different matters entirely. Because one could be used for nefarious purposes, while the other was an expression of open honesty.

So long as the word itself wasn’t involved, he was surprisingly accepting of the concept itself. He just hadn’t connected those dots as of yet.

Seeing the other step back though, that conflicting mess of emotions warring over a face, Char felt terrible. Like he’d pushed Jayce to take that step. And the question to follow? Char had no idea how to answer. Because this was just as new to him as it was Jayce. Opening up wasn’t something the fugitive did often, so he was still bound to muss it up when he tried.

“Yes..? N-no..? I…I dunno. I dunno what I want.” He both wanted to be alone, and yet not alone at the same time. He wanted to calm himself, to get back to a solid foundation, yet he didn’t want to be left with his thoughts spiralling in their current direction, lest he make the situation worse with misunderstandings.

“I dunno…m'confused. I really don’t know what I want right now.” There was only one thing he did know he wanted, and it was for that expression to vanish from the jacks face. Something Char made known when, despite his inner turmoil, he reached out to take Jayce’s hand and held tight.

“Please…stay…”

Had Char explained this thoughts, Jayce would have gone off on an entire tangent about how he understood. How no matter how loud his rational mind was, his broken, tormented mind was always louder. And it sucked - to know that everything was alright, that there was nothing there to hurt you, and yet your brain still screamed that you were in danger, that someone was out to get you, and you weren’t and never would be safe. After Talia’s attack on Stella and Galaxy, Jayce would be lying if he said he and his sister didn’t feel a similar level of threatened.

They were a lot more similar to the older hedgehog than they initially realised.

But Jayce wasn’t thinking about their similarities right now, his mind hyperfixated on his perceived screw-up. It was taking every inch of focus he had to not descend into a panic attack from his rising anxiety - Char was feeling enough of it for both of them, he didn’t need to add to that. His tail stayed completely rigid and frozen behind him, not even twitching, like it wasn’t even a part of his body anymore.

He had to focus. Focus. This wasn’t about him, this was never about him. Char was the one in distress here, not him. He needed to stop being so selfish...

Ears pinned back, Jayce dug his claws into the heels of his hands. They were trimmed so far back that it did nothing, but it gave him something to focus on that wasn’t the whirlwind in his own mind. Hearing Char’s words, he swallowed again, head still down, and stayed silent. He’d fucked up enough by talking, he’d just fuck up even more if he said anything else.

Especially if he said what he was thinking - “I don’t know what I want either.”

However, when the older hedgehog grabbed his hand, clinging to it like a lifeline, the younger canine couldn’t help freezing. He wanted him to stay? After all of that? Didn’t Jayce cause this? Wouldn’t it be better if he just left? Yeah, that’s what he needed to do - gently pry his hand free, and head back into his room. They needed to sort this out apart from each other, clear their heads and come back at it with a calmer mindset.

“... OK.”

And yet, against his better judgement, Jayce found himself squeezing Char’s hand and slowly taking a seat on the couch next to him. He still made sure to put a bit of space between them, though - who knew what being too close would do for his current state.

Even as he sat, his entire frame was stiff with anxiety, his tail still completely motionless behind him. What the hell was he doing?

Closed plotted starter for @the-twinventors​

The television was droning, but Char wasn’t focused on the documentary playing. At best, it was background noise, nothing more than static to fill the way his mind had been circling in on itself time and again, over and over. Revisiting his past, turning it over in his mind, debating the what if’s, and how he could have done something different to avoid this outcome.

Jayce and Stella had been his saving grace, and since his rescue, he hadn’t left their sides for longer than an hour, tops. More specifically, Jayce’s side. Char had taken to being practically glued to the jack most days, the hedgehog only deterred each night when Jayce retired to bed. And that was on the off chance that the hedgehog didn’t silently ask to join him after a nightmare. Stella had, once or twice now, caught them nestled in Jayce’s bed together, limbs entangled and snoozing, a nose tucked between a canine chin, and a soft purr resounding from a usually quiet chest.

A sound caused a torn green ear to perk upward, hushed voices not a room away. The television’s volume was lowered and a curious note flickered behind carefully guarded eyes. It didn’t sound like a fight per se, but Stella and Jayce were clearly speaking about something serious. Should he include himself? 

His name was dropped, he could hear it. And that damnedable curiosity got the best of him as he pushed himself up from the couch and moved to stand beside the door to overhear the conversation and best decide on how his input might help. But he wasn’t expecting exactly what it was he overheard.

[the-twinventors]

@of-diffxrent-wxrlds​ asked:

“Double Pupper Trouble!”

“... is it really double anymore when we have these two?” Jayce turned to look at his sister. “What do you think?”

“Ha! Just wait until Zephyr starts crawling around.” Stella grinned mischievously. “Him and Galaxy combined will be the new double trouble!”

[the-twinventors]

Had it been a year already? Time flew much faster than either twin could anticipate nowadays. While neither of them liked to recall many of the day’s events, there was one thing they could wholeheartedly agree on - the end result had absolutely been worth it. And now, as they finished up decorating the cake and cookies they’d made for the occasion, all they could think about was how they couldn’t wait to see how much the tiny jackal-dog toddling around the apartment would continue to grow and flourish as the years passed.

“You think she’ll like it?” Jayce set down his piping bag, turning to look at the small cake his sister was finishing up - no bigger than four inches in diameter. “Wild to think this’ll be her first taste of cake...”

“Is it, though? I mean, I ate cake when I was pregnant with her, so she’s had it before.” Stella set down her own piping bag, picking up the plate to move to the table. “Though I suppose now we get to see her reaction to it. Galaxy, c'mere!”

Hearing her name, the newly-turned one-year-old spun on the spot, looking for the source of the call. Seeing her mother kneeling down to her level, she broke out into a toothy grin, toddling over with her arms out to meet her. “Mama!”

“Hey, little bean!” Smiling delightedly at her daughter’s call, Stella scooped her up, balancing her on her hip. Galaxy may not have any idea, but she was getting spoiled today. “How does birthday cake for breakfast sound?”

Galaxy looked over at the table, eyes landing on the tiny cake. Jayce was currently lighting a single candle he’d stuck in the icing. Seeing the flame light up, along with the colourful icing Stella had used to decorate, the toddler’s eyes lit up, and she squealed eagerly, clapping her tiny hands.

“That sounds like a yes!” Grinning, Stella carefully slotted her daughter into her high chair, grabbing her bib off the table. “Let’s just get this on you, and we can blow out the candle!”

Jayce stepped away from the kitchenette to go grab Zephyr, who was quietly observing in his baby bouncer, and bring him over to join the small celebration. Sure, it may not be a huge party, since the birthday girl was still too little for massive get-togethers, but no one was being left out, especially not family. Once the small family was all gathered around the table, Stella picked the plate up again and brought it as close to Galaxy as was safely possible, not wanting her to grab for the candle flame.

She looked down to watch her daughter, unable to hold back the surge of warmth that flooded her system at the sight of her giggling and clapping her hands. It had been a turbulent year for sure, but throughout it all, the pup had been a constant ray of light in the darkness of their lives. Always smiling, always laughing, always eager for a cuddle... no matter what, her happiness kept them going. And Stella hoped she could maintain that happiness for as long as possible - ensure that her daughter had a long, happy life.

Smiling softly, she leaned down in preparation to help blow out the candle, turning her head so the toddler could hear her clearly.

“Happy birthday, Galaxy. Here’s to many more.”

[the-twinventors]

((FUCK. I am so sorry for the lack of activity y’all, but seasonal depression whacked me hard over the holidays and I just had zero motivation to be on this blog ;_; Along with that I had to send one of my beloved dogs over the rainbow bridge just before Christmas, so my brain’s just been everywhere lately. I’m hoping to be able to get back into a routine of at least logging in daily and updating my dashboard, and hopefully be able to get some new threads and interactions started.

On that note, here’s a note for any of my mutuals that I have outstanding threads with - if you want to continue those threads, please let me know either via IMs or my Discord if you have it, otherwise I’d like to drop them. I’d like to be able to get the twins caught up to the present day, if that makes sense. If we do drop a thread we have, I’m open to discussing privately what happened in that gap. On a related note, I know I’ve been really bad at keeping up with threads lately, so I’m going to try and do a better job of actually seeing them through to the end instead of just letting them fade out. I apologise profusely for anyone who’s had a problem with that issue of mine, I swear it wasn’t intentional ;_;

Here’s hoping things’ll pick up now that I’m logging back on, and I hope y’all have a happy 2022!))

[the-twinventors]

familylightfox

It had been worth a shot to try to distract Galaxy from the tone of the room, but even Harmony knew that it wouldn’t really last. Not when the topic the adults were discussing were so heavy. Volt didn’t even blame them for crying, despite the fact that he himself had yet to shed any. Maybe part of that was because he knew that it wouldn’t do anything.

The most he did was look off to the side, remaining steadfast in the spot he had chosen to stand while filling in the twins with everything they had up to that point. When his violet eyes raised, it was to nod at the question of the other resident speedster of the Zone. “He was infect the same day I was.”

He saw no sense in hiding the reality of the situation. Many of the Freedom Fighters had come to the same assumption, that things were truly becomes dire the longer they allowed this virus to spread across the globe. While it seemed like a slow, yet extremely painful, crawl across Volt’s body; the same couldn’t be said for others that had been infected. The hero himself was already dealing with partial roboticization and was having to be constantly on the move to even attempt to slow the spread.

As Volt listened to Jayce questions about the stasis chamber, a part of him was tempted to explain his own worries about it. None of which were that he doubted it would work. Instead he took a breath and waited for Stella to finish speaking to actually answer the questions as best he could with the knowledge they had at the moment.

“Eggman is using nanites to roboticize the infected. They’re being studied as we speak and hopefully we’ll be able to find a cure quickly.” He had to offer some reassurances that there was a light at the end of the tunnel. “But you if it makes you feel any better, the stasis unit is more like suspended animation in our Zone.”

“It don’t…” Harmony’s hushed voice barely was caught by her father, but he offered her an apologetic look before turning back to the twins.

“It’s unfortunately the only option they have on being able to stop the virus in its track on me.” A minor pause, debating on mentioning the use of the collar on himself before looking at Stella and sweeping it from his mind. “I know it sucks, but I’ll be under the best watch. Augustus was brought in to help with the breakdown of the technology.”

That might have been one of the better things to mention. The older canine was someone who was well known as being the hybrid’s most trusted friend and a brilliant mind in his own right. Not to mention he might have proven once or twice before just how protective he was of the two hybrids. After a moment of silence in the room, Harmony slowly moved to take her hands back from Galaxy so that she could stand back up straight.

“Ya won’t be a bother if ya wanna call and check up on us. I’ll call ya too when we got updates, oki? That way ya know what’s going on.” Even though she might not answer if our on a mission, that wouldn’t stop the preteen from also checking in on them and seeing how they would be holding up.

“I know you… just got here, but…” Volt winced and grit his teeth as another attempt was made by the infection to spread. Just barely were the agonized sounds kept to himself in hopes of not worrying Galaxy any further than the infant already was. “It might be best to head back to your Zone…”

Another reason might have been because he didn’t want Stella to watch him as he was place in the stasis chamber.

It took so much effort on the twins’ parts to not just scream in frustration at everything that was going on. Why was this Zone going to shit the way it was? What had they done for Chaos to be punishing them like this? Why couldn’t Eggman - any iteration of Eggman - just get out of their lives and stop causing all this trouble and sadness?

Stupid question, that last one. They knew why. People like Eggman never changed. People like Talia never changed. They didn’t want to.

They listened quietly as Volt continued with his explanation, taking in every detail. Nanites, huh? That was what he used to disguise his arm, right? So it was a mechanical thing... the twins’ area of expertise, and yet they had absolutely no idea what they were dealing with. Their lives had been so turbulent and jam-packed with day-to-day responsibilities that they’d never found the time to study nanites, to figure out how they worked and understand the technology behind them. And then Galaxy and Zephyr were born and there was even less time to dedicate to anything that wasn’t schoolwork or childcare.

Now they were kicking themselves for not finding the time. Maybe if they had, they’d be able to help in some capacity, provide their own insight and ideas. But they couldn’t. And not being able to help distressed them, far more than it normally would. The comment about the stasis pod being like suspended animation didn’t do anything to alleviate their concerns either, and they just quietly shook their heads, both in silent agreement with Harmony. The entire time, Galaxy was looking back and forth between all the worried faces, babbling anxiously, while Zephyr continued to quietly observe, still trying to figure out what was going on.

“... we’re sorry...” Jayce sighed, head down in... shame? “... we should’ve looked into the technology sooner, then we could actually be helpful...”

“... nothing we can do about it now.” Stella’s voice was completely dull now, the voice of a tired, defeated fighter giving up hope. Or maybe she was putting on a mask to keep from distressing Galaxy further. Either way, her emotions were on lockdown. “Better just keep out of the way and let the actual experts do their thing...”

Sighing again, Jayce nodded in agreement. It wasn’t like they could do much else - they’d just be in the way if they tried offering help as they were now. Besides, they had their kids to protect...

It didn’t stop him from looking upset when Volt suggested they should probably head back. Already? Sure, they weren’t exactly safe right now, but he didn’t feel right just leaving them like this when they were in desperate need of support, no matter how minimal. But Stella’s further lack of response or protest was leaving him torn. Shouldn’t she be protesting the most out of the two of them? This was her fiancé and stepdaughter-to-be, after all...

Eventually, though, the sound of Galaxy beginning to cry made the decision for him. No, this wasn’t fair to the little ones - the longer they stayed, the more upset they were getting.

“... OK.” Nodding in defeat, Jayce took a step back, giving them room to open the Warp Ring again. “... just... promise you’ll call us when it’s all over, OK?”

Stella slowly stood up, her own head down, and went to stand by her brother, both hands moving to try and comfort her crying daughter. Galaxy tried desperately to reach out to Volt again, desperate for a cuddle, only to sob louder as Stella held her back again. Her wall was starting to crack as her own tears began forming again. “I know, sweetheart, I know...”

@the-twinventors liked for an Event Starter

     When they had said they wouldn’t be gone long, Harmony hadn’t been expecting them to have been as long as they had. But with the current state of her father and just how often he was having to spend in Tails’ workshop, it really was up to the preteen to be making phone calls. Thankfully her father had thought enough to pull her completely out of the Zone’s school system so she wasn’t having to answer those emails for him, but she knew that the next number on the list was also in the school system.

     And they also had infants to be looking after. The Zone wasn’t safe right now. Not by a long shot, but they deserved to know what was going on.

     “Hey Uncle Jayce… Can ya put me on speaker?” Her ears were listening for the sounds of movement before she continued. “Both of ya might wanna be sittin’ down right now.”

     Again she waited for the sound of movement on the other end of the line. After a breath that certainly seemed to draw her father’s attention from across the room, the preteen spoke softly. “Daddy and I aren’t gonna be able t’ come back t’ yer Zone fer awhile. Eggman’s doing so really horrible things t’ our Zone and I gotta help the Freedom Fighters.”

     “Harmony. Who are you talking to?” Volt’s question brought her head up as he made a few careful steps across the room to see the name on the handheld. While it did make his heart drop into his stomach, a part of him was relieved that he wasn’t having to be the one to explain to the twins what was going on. But that didn’t stop him from adding something from himself for them.

     “Before either of you ask… We’re fine.”

     “Speak fer yerself dad…” Harmony wrinkled her nose as he shrugged.

     “It’s dangerous right now in our Zone. Eggman’s scheme this time is spreading faster than we can keep up… But if you want to come to the HQ, I can stop you guys.” A pause as Harmony looked up at him. 

     “Just promise me that you won’t try to touch me right now.”

[the-twinventors]

Please like/reblog this if you're willing to roleplay with villain characters without acting like the mun is a terrible person.

I writing evil or nearly evil characters more fun than writing good guys. I’m sick of feeling like people are going to judge me for my characters. I have a right to rp what I want and explain my characters actions, but not try to justify them. Because I know why a character acts a certain way doesn’t mean I think they are excused. The world isn’t black and white.

[the-twinventors]

familylightfox

    If there had ever been a moment when Volt want to reach out, it was when he saw Stella’s expression and the way her legs wobbled. It took so much of his will power not to move forward and remain rooted in the spot he had chosen to stand. One ear folded completely back while the partially roboticized one only made it half way. Cybernetic fingers gripped the metal panel of his once organic arm as he looked to the side.

    Harmony’s ears had lowered as well, looking off to the side as both twins processed all the information Volt had been able to give them. No one had been expecting this to happen. Eggman had been so quiet since the last time he went up against the Freedom Fighters that the preteen had begun to hope that he had just given up. Some of the others had a similar mindset.

    And now they were kicking themselves for it.

    Violet and emerald eyes lifted and turned as Jayce brought up a question, meeting one another for a second before Volt turned his head again. If he wouldn’t be the one to bring up the options, she would.

    “Tails is workin’ wit Mr. Rotor, Grandpa GusGus and Nicole t’ find a cure. They’ve been workin’ really hard on it but it’s slow…” She paused, just long enough to look at her father again before making her way over to the bench so that she could play with Galaxy and distract the infant from the current mood. The pads of her fingers tapping against tiny hands in a soft rhythmic motion. “There ain’t a way t’ slow it down since it’s already spreadin’ a lot slower on daddy than it is on Sonic or any other Mobian.”

    “But they did give us an option that might stop it completely in its tracks.” Volt’s voice took over where his daughter paused again, violet eyes downcast but he continued. “We have a stasis unit available that would hopefully be able to stop it from spreading any further on me until they can find a cure and reverse the conversion. But it also means that I’ll be completely out of this fight until then.”

    The very idea still had outright terrified him, but he knew that it would be a better glimmer of hope for his fiancee than it would be for the second option. He could already tell that they would veto the idea of using an inhibitor collar on him and hope that it suppressed his kinesis for the long run. Plus, he and Harmony had gone back and forth the night prior over what was the better option.

    She won with the use of her puppy eyes and trailing tears.

    “I’m not sure when we’ll be able to talk again, but Harmony has both our Warp Ring and my handheld. If you guys need anything, she’ll be able to answer.”

    “Unless I’m on a mission. Then I gotta focus cuz I ain’t letting none of my teammates get infected.” She paused, changing her tone slightly to be less in mission mode (the only way she’d been able to remain sane). “I’ll call ya right back though once we’re back in the HQ.”

This was so unfair. Why did things like this have to happen to the people who deserved it the least, if at all? It seriously felt like Chaos or Gaia or whatever higher power there was up there seemed to get off on torturing the innocents instead of going after the truly reprehensible people, the people that any world would be better off without. It just reinforced their belief that karma wasn’t real, that no matter what happened in life, the innocent always suffered while the guilty got away scot free.

There were already tears springing up in both twins’ eyes from the sheer unfairness of it all. But they did their best to hold them back. Crying about it wasn’t going to cure Volt...

All they could do was listen. Listen helplessly as the hybrid pair continued to explain everything and answer the questions burning holes in the twins’ minds.

Even Galaxy couldn’t be completely distracted from everything going on anymore. She knew something was wrong, and she wanted to know what it was and why everyone was so sad and scared. Her hands idly grasped at Harmony’s fingers as they were gently tapped, but there was no proper attempt to play, just slow, unconscious movements as she looked around and tried to gauge what was happening. Even Zephyr seemed to be clueing in that something bad was happening, and went abnormally quiet, so much so that Jayce looked down at him anxiously.

“Wait--” He suddenly cut Harmony off as her words registered in his head. The name hadn’t registered before because of the first revelation. “Sonic? For the love of Chaos, please don’t tell me Sonic got infected...”

Wordlessly, Stella leaned over, elbows resting heavily on her knees, legs apart to accommodate Galaxy. Why did everything just keep going from bad to worse? What had they all done for Chaos or whoever to be punishing them like this?

As Volt continued, it was clear that neither twin was happy with the idea of the stasis pod either. Jayce was the one to voice his concerns first, the anxiety beyond visible in his eyes. “But... is that even gonna work? I mean, if it’s an Eggman thing, then it’s gotta be some sort of machine, right? So would a stasis pod even work on a mechanical thing? There’s-- there’s gotta be a safer option than that...”

“Jayce, stop.” Stella’s voice was no more than a mumble, yet it seemed to be the loudest thing in the room. The voice of defeated acceptance, of someone who was tired of protesting all the injustices of the world. “We don’t get a say in this. It’s not our fight.”

“But...” Jayce faltered, thrown off by how quickly his sister had given in. She was the one he’d expected to be the most vocal about everything happening...

He glanced back at Volt and Harmony as they continued, swallowing hard to get himself together. One of them had to be the collected one, and it was obvious his sister couldn’t fill that role right now. “Well... I mean, we wouldn’t wanna be a bother - I mean... this is your whole world at stake. We wouldn’t wanna be interfering with that...”

Stella said nothing, just staying in her hunched over position, one finger idly flicking at her daughter’s hand. Seemed like she didn’t have anything else to say...

@the-twinventors liked for an Event Starter

     When they had said they wouldn’t be gone long, Harmony hadn’t been expecting them to have been as long as they had. But with the current state of her father and just how often he was having to spend in Tails’ workshop, it really was up to the preteen to be making phone calls. Thankfully her father had thought enough to pull her completely out of the Zone’s school system so she wasn’t having to answer those emails for him, but she knew that the next number on the list was also in the school system.

     And they also had infants to be looking after. The Zone wasn’t safe right now. Not by a long shot, but they deserved to know what was going on.

     “Hey Uncle Jayce… Can ya put me on speaker?” Her ears were listening for the sounds of movement before she continued. “Both of ya might wanna be sittin’ down right now.”

     Again she waited for the sound of movement on the other end of the line. After a breath that certainly seemed to draw her father’s attention from across the room, the preteen spoke softly. “Daddy and I aren’t gonna be able t’ come back t’ yer Zone fer awhile. Eggman’s doing so really horrible things t’ our Zone and I gotta help the Freedom Fighters.”

     “Harmony. Who are you talking to?” Volt’s question brought her head up as he made a few careful steps across the room to see the name on the handheld. While it did make his heart drop into his stomach, a part of him was relieved that he wasn’t having to be the one to explain to the twins what was going on. But that didn’t stop him from adding something from himself for them.

     “Before either of you ask… We’re fine.”

     “Speak fer yerself dad…” Harmony wrinkled her nose as he shrugged.

     “It’s dangerous right now in our Zone. Eggman’s scheme this time is spreading faster than we can keep up… But if you want to come to the HQ, I can stop you guys.” A pause as Harmony looked up at him. 

     “Just promise me that you won’t try to touch me right now.”

[the-twinventors]

a-bitter-resentment

Char hadn’t meant to allow things to dredge into such touchy territory, but his emotions were wired and he was at a loss. The subtle admission in the back room had been akin to a slap to the face to the hedgehog, since he had yet to hold any semblance of understanding of the word ‘love’ and it’s true meaning. He wasn’t as far along as Jayce in separating the two meanings.

Because love could be abused. But that wasn’t it’s intention, nor it’s definition, like Char so adamantly believed it to be.

That was why, after his frantic signing, his arms had crossed over a chest, as if to protect himself from some unseen enemy as he listened to Jayce’s response. Ears folded back and a hand hastily wiping at the well of tears, Char struggled to keep himself together. After the recent escape from prison, he’d kept nearly every instance of reaction under tight lock and key, so it had only been a matter of time before those emotions overwhelmed him, as they were now.

The honest admittance, followed by those sincere words, it brought confusion to his features, yet also caused his breath to still, hitching within a throat, heart hammering double time. His hands were shaking far to harshly for him to sign, and frustration at being unable to express himself bled into the crack of a weak, disused voice.

“I w-wanna be alright too…but m'so f-fuckin’ s-s-scared all the time…”

And hearing that word from Jayce’s lips had brought that terror to life. Char couldn’t hold his tongue on this, he needed to understand the jack’s viewpoint.

“When you both…mentioned love…I just…I have nothin’. I don’t know what more you could want from me w-when you’ve already s-seen me at my lowest… People…only use that word when they want somethin’ from me…”

His own reply was honest, shaking, his claws digging into the flesh of his forearms, as if to physically keep himself in one piece. Speaking his truth aloud was akin to ripping open all the old wounds he had allowed to fester for years. Perhaps for most of his life itself.

This was him at his most vulnerable, at his rawest state. And Jayce just so happened to be the unlucky witness to that version of Char.

The aloe was dropped and burn forgotten in favor of Char drawing his knees atop the couch, a subconscious effort to further shield himself from a nonexistent threat. He was an absolute wreck, and any sane person would have probably left him alone to his emotional meltdown by now.

If Char didn’t know to handle the situation, Jayce was so far out of his depth that he’d definitely be drowning. With the current dilemma, with the whole concept of love, with everything that life was supposed to be. As much as he wanted to be helpful in some way, he had absolutely no clue what he was supposed to do here. Now that his inner debate was out in the open, he had a feeling his usual tactics weren’t going to work...

By the looks and sounds of things, it’d probably be better if he was left alone. What if Jayce just made things worse by trying to help??

No, he couldn’t think too hard about the possible ways this could go wrong. This was about Char, and Char alone.

He stayed anxiously quiet, waiting patiently for the older hedgehog’s reply. He honestly wasn’t expecting a vocal response, eyes flicking back and forth between his hands and his face - he wasn’t about to force him to speak if he felt he couldn’t. However, he froze as Char opened his mouth, and was stunned to hear the weak, cracking voice emerge. Immediately he was hit with the instinct to run and grab him a glass of water, but he fought it back, focusing on what the other male had to say.

He wouldn’t lie, it kind of scared him. The idea that anyone could think that he was capable of being so cruel and manipulative, especially after having known him for... what, almost a full year now? He didn’t say so out loud, though - right now, his feelings didn’t matter. Instead, he still kept a reasonable distance to give Char the space he needed, fidgeting with his hands as he mentally scrambled for an answer. “... we don’t... neither of us want anything from you. Love isn’t-- it’s not supposed to be what we grew up with. I mean, I don’t know what it’s meant to be, but I know it’s not that. Stella and I just-- we know what it’s like to have the word used against you. We don’t-- we don’t wanna put anyone else through that. And you know Galaxy’s incapable of any kind of malicious intent - she worries about you just as much as we do.”

Jayce’s tail hung frigidly behind him, not a single trace of movement now. “... we’d never hurt you. I swear on my heart.”

He didn’t know what prompted him to say ‘heart’ instead of ‘life’, but he instantly felt a twist of anxiety in his gut as he realised he’d said it. Oh fuck, he’d just made it so much worse, hadn’t he?

Swallowing, he took a step back, head lowering in... shame? Fear? “... do you... do you want me to leave you alone...? Cuz I will if it’s what you want...”

Closed plotted starter for @the-twinventors​

The television was droning, but Char wasn’t focused on the documentary playing. At best, it was background noise, nothing more than static to fill the way his mind had been circling in on itself time and again, over and over. Revisiting his past, turning it over in his mind, debating the what if’s, and how he could have done something different to avoid this outcome.

Jayce and Stella had been his saving grace, and since his rescue, he hadn’t left their sides for longer than an hour, tops. More specifically, Jayce’s side. Char had taken to being practically glued to the jack most days, the hedgehog only deterred each night when Jayce retired to bed. And that was on the off chance that the hedgehog didn’t silently ask to join him after a nightmare. Stella had, once or twice now, caught them nestled in Jayce’s bed together, limbs entangled and snoozing, a nose tucked between a canine chin, and a soft purr resounding from a usually quiet chest.

A sound caused a torn green ear to perk upward, hushed voices not a room away. The television’s volume was lowered and a curious note flickered behind carefully guarded eyes. It didn’t sound like a fight per se, but Stella and Jayce were clearly speaking about something serious. Should he include himself? 

His name was dropped, he could hear it. And that damnedable curiosity got the best of him as he pushed himself up from the couch and moved to stand beside the door to overhear the conversation and best decide on how his input might help. But he wasn’t expecting exactly what it was he overheard.

[the-twinventors]

Writing about a child rapist did not make Vladimir Nabokov a child rapist.

Writing about an authoritarian theocracy did not make Margaret Atwood an authoritarian theocrat.

Writing about adultery did not make Leo Tolstoy an adulterer.

Writing about a ghost did not make Toni Morrison a ghost.

Writing about a murderer did not make Fyodor Dostoevsky a murderer.

Writing about a teenage addict did not make Isabel Allende a teenage addict.

Writing about dragons and ice zombies did not make George R.R. Martin either of those things.

Writing about rich heiresses, socially awkward bachelors, and cougar widows did not make Jane Austen any of those things.

Writing about people who can control earthquakes did not make N.K. Jemisin able to control earthquakes.

Writing about your favorite characters and/or ships in situations that you choose does not make you a bad person.

It’s a shame that in this day and age these things need to be said.

[the-twinventors]

Jayce and Stella were exhausted. A full week had passed since they’d begun their investigation, and they were no closer to finding out who their suspect was than when they’d started. They hadn’t said anything to their group chat, not wanting the culprit to take measures to prevent discovery, but they had wordlessly put them on a strict information diet - no more photos, limited and to-the-point updates that gave nothing away, and shutting down anyone who asked for more.

The only person they were trusting 100% right now was Gadget - he was equally furious that this was happening, and had promised to keep his ears to the ground for any signs of treachery. Max had also been alerted to the situation, and was taking the riskier path of questioning Lane, their father, to see if he knew anything. So far, he had no answers either, but had promised to snoop through Talia’s phone the second he got the chance.

Hopefully, with the additional help, they’d be able to stop the leaking in its tracks and feel a little safer in the apartment - fuck, the sooner they graduated and moved out, the better...

[the-twinventors]

familylightfox

    Of all the times for the virus to try to take a further chunk of his body. It had to be while he was explaining everything to their loved ones. Thankfully he had managed to remain standing, but Volt fur bristled in the spots the static had been jumping to while it tried to stop the virus in its tracks. As he managed to straighten himself back up, his semi organic arm hung limp by his side.

    “We dunno how much longer till it completely spreads.” Harmony answered the question, ears lowering as Volt nodded his head and turned it so his eyes could meet with Jayce’s.

    The next words he spoke were somber.

    “But I likely won’t see a full conversion… My kinesis attacks the converted parts until they’re no longer a threat.” It likely didn’t need to be elaborated on, and Volt wasn’t going to as he answered the first few questions from Jayce before his episode. “As for how it spreads and the mindset after. A full converted Mobian can only spread the virus through bites or scratches. Someone like myself… or Sonic, we’re more contagious because the virus is still working on converting us.

    “A roboticized Mobian will only follow Eggman’s orders. Their minds are completely taken over by the programming he created…” He took a breath and placed his cybernetic just above the encroaching metal on his other arm. “Right now, that command is to infect every other living organism on the planet.”

    There was no reason not to be completely honest with what was happening, and how dangerous the Zone had become. They were working as fast as they could for a cure and trying to find Eggman, if only to put a stop to him manually spreading the virus like they had seen in video feed.

    She might have looked like she was standing tall, but there was a heavy weight on her shoulders that felt almost like it was more than she could hold. But she still offered the twins as bright of a smile as she could before looking back to her father.

    “Miss Sally says that New Mobotropolis can hold off an attack for the time being and we’ve been evacuating others here where we can…” She paused for just a moment. “But if it gets to be too much, The Freedom Fighters have orders to evacuate to the Sky Patrol. We might soon be all that stands between Eggman and the entire planet becoming his robot slaves.”

    While it seemed like she was composed, Harmony could keep up a good front. She had to. For her team, their friends and for her father. But as much as she wanted to smile and act like there was nothing wrong, that was too far of a stretch from the truth.

    “This might be the last time we talk until this is all over… Sorry we weren’t able to contact you both sooner.”

Jayce and Stella alike looked terrified at the sight of those metallic patches creeping a little further along his fur. Even Galaxy seemed a little alarmed, seemingly aware that this wasn’t the same thing as her stepfather-to-be’s fancy arm and it was, in fact, a bad thing. Zephyr was the only one who seemed completely oblivious to the gravity of the situation, but that was to be expected.

Not having a solid time frame only worried the twins even more, but what really scared them was Volt’s explanation about what was happening to his body. Stella was the first one to catch on, and the colour completely drained from her face, legs trembling as they threatened to give out underneath her. Jayce quickly wound his arm around her back to support her in case she did collapse, though he wasn’t looking too fresh himself as the realisation came to him. So... Volt was actively dying?

Stella swallowed hard, releasing a shaky breath as she took a step back. “... I... I need to sit down...”

“Easy, sis.” Jayce carefully guided her over to a nearby bench, helping her sit down and lean back against the wall. Once she was situated, he returned his attention to the older hybrid, listening as he continued to answer his questions. So they were like actual zombies once they were fully converted, huh? They’d always wondered and theorised about how they’d handle an actual zombie apocalypse, but they’d never actually anticipated one to spring up, even when it wasn’t in their own Zone...

Harmony’s smile didn't fool either twin at all. If they were in shock about the revelations that had been dropped on them, they had to wonder how she’d taken it as his daughter. Her father was slowly dying with each passing second, and a good portion of the world was suffering with the plague that was killing him.

They couldn’t even imagine their own children being in that position - their parents compromised and forced to be much more mature than they felt...

“It’s fine... you had a lot on your plate. You still do.” It was Jayce’s turn to swallow hard, taking a second to think of his next question. “... so, there’s no cure, but... i-is there at least some way to slow it down or something until you guys can find a cure? Like, some kind of treatment or something?”

At that, Stella looked back towards the group, the faintest glimmer of hope visible in her eyes. Was it possible? Could her fiancé’s fate be prevented? Maybe she was a little selfish for thinking of herself in that moment, but she didn’t know how she’d cope if she did lose him - it might actually tear her apart mentally. The thought of being without him terrified her.

Sensing her mother’s desperation, Galaxy looked between her and Volt, desperately trying to work out what was going on with a stressed whimper.

@the-twinventors liked for an Event Starter

     When they had said they wouldn’t be gone long, Harmony hadn’t been expecting them to have been as long as they had. But with the current state of her father and just how often he was having to spend in Tails’ workshop, it really was up to the preteen to be making phone calls. Thankfully her father had thought enough to pull her completely out of the Zone’s school system so she wasn’t having to answer those emails for him, but she knew that the next number on the list was also in the school system.

     And they also had infants to be looking after. The Zone wasn’t safe right now. Not by a long shot, but they deserved to know what was going on.

     “Hey Uncle Jayce… Can ya put me on speaker?” Her ears were listening for the sounds of movement before she continued. “Both of ya might wanna be sittin’ down right now.”

     Again she waited for the sound of movement on the other end of the line. After a breath that certainly seemed to draw her father’s attention from across the room, the preteen spoke softly. “Daddy and I aren’t gonna be able t’ come back t’ yer Zone fer awhile. Eggman’s doing so really horrible things t’ our Zone and I gotta help the Freedom Fighters.”

     “Harmony. Who are you talking to?” Volt’s question brought her head up as he made a few careful steps across the room to see the name on the handheld. While it did make his heart drop into his stomach, a part of him was relieved that he wasn’t having to be the one to explain to the twins what was going on. But that didn’t stop him from adding something from himself for them.

     “Before either of you ask… We’re fine.”

     “Speak fer yerself dad…” Harmony wrinkled her nose as he shrugged.

     “It’s dangerous right now in our Zone. Eggman’s scheme this time is spreading faster than we can keep up… But if you want to come to the HQ, I can stop you guys.” A pause as Harmony looked up at him. 

     “Just promise me that you won’t try to touch me right now.”

[the-twinventors]

For a while, it seemed like life had been progressing as normal. Galaxy, now a happy, healthy nine-month-old, was continuing to make leaps and bounds in her development - she was beginning to use the couch and coffee table to pull herself onto her feet, and had learned how to wave goodbye. A couple of her teeth had come through now, and she was starting to try sounding out words. She still hadn’t actually said a proper word yet, but it was still progress.

Meanwhile Zephyr, who was now two months old, had shown some remarkable improvement in his condition - he was still fussy and irritable, and still had trouble sleeping through the night, but his skin was no longer jaundiced and his twitching and convulsions were less frequent. The doctors at the hospital were very happy with his progress, and had lowered the dosage of his medications, making a new appointment for him the following week to check in again.

As for Jayce and Stella, they were busy with all their usual activities - attending class every day, going to their arcade shifts, searching the housing market for their new house, and their task of the month - preparing for their kids’ first Halloween. They were half tempted to have matching family costumes - that’d make for good photos, and better memories. Sure, the little ones wouldn’t remember it, but the twins would - and the more of their negative memories they overwrote, the better.

They were in the middle of scouring the internet for costume ideas, sipping on hot cocoa to help them fall asleep, when it happened.

While they were in the middle of discussing two options they were stuck between, Jayce’s phone, face down on the coffee table, pinged with a text alert. Both twins eyed it in surprise - it was just past midnight. Who the heck would be texting at this hour?

Well, when Jayce picked up the phone and turned the screen to face them, they found out. And they honestly should not have been surprised.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, her again?” Stella flopped back against the couch, groaning in annoyance. “What the hell does she want?”

“Let’s find out.” Jayce immediately fired off a reply, opting to play dumb to begin with. Maybe she didn’t know yet...

Lowering his phone, the older twin turned to look worriedly at his sister. “You don’t think she somehow found out about Zephyr, do you?”

“How could she have? Then again, we never found out who leaked our address to her last year...” She moved to sit on her hands, to keep herself from biting her fingers from the nerves. “But what reason would she have to still be in contact with them? Or any of the student body besides us?”

Right then, the phone pinged again. Jayce brought it up for them to see Talia’s response.

And immediately, they felt like throwing up.

It was a photo they’d uploaded to their group chat a couple of days ago. Their peers had asked for an update on Zephyr’s condition, and Jayce had been happy to deliver. And now they knew that someone in that group chat had sent it to Talia, without the twins’ knowledge or consent. But who? There were over 50 people in that group chat - it could be any of them.

Stricken with anxiety, Jayce had to ask. He knew it was moot, she wouldn’t tell him, but instinct overrode his rational thought.

Of course, it didn’t take Talia long to get back with a deprecating response.

They told her about the NAS, too. Of course they did. Groaning again, Stella buried her head in her hands. “... figures her only concern is how she looks and not the kid’s well-being...”

“What she thinks doesn’t fucking matter.” Jayce’s thumbs danced across the keyboard, his tail rigid behind him as his anger slowly rose. “I want to know who the hell betrayed us like this.”

They waited a while. The ‘texting’ icon popped up a few times, then disappeared - Talia was clearly deliberating her answer. In the silence, Stella closed the main tabs on her laptop and opened the group chat, scrolling through the list of users to begin identifying possible culprits. There were a few that were obvious - too obvious, like the ones who kept openly insisting the twins should try to reconcile with her, even after knowing what she’d done to Stella and Galaxy. There were those who begged a little too eagerly for news and photos, probably wanting to spread their business all over campus. Heck, it could even be someone in their building, wanting them out because they didn’t want to put up with the kids’ fussing anymore.

So many options, and no way of immediately determining who was responsible...

Eventually, Talia sent her reply. Immediately the texting icon appeared again, soon replaced by a second message.

“Of course. Of course she won’t tell us.” Jayce flopped back against the couch, snarling angrily. “What did I expect? Why would she give up the chance to keep sticking her big nose in where it isn’t wanted?”

“Jayce, calm down.” Stella grabbed her brother’s shoulder, looking firmly at him. “I know you’re scared for Zephyr, I am too, but going off at her is only gonna turn into one of those arguments.”

“Yeah, I know, I know...” Jayce took a moment to collect himself, inhaling deeply. Releasing his breath, he lifted his phone again, sending a short, snippy message. Immediately after, he sent another, longer one, laying out the land.

Stella nodded. “Good thinking reminding her about the video. Man, I love being able to blackmail her for once...”

“I know. I was so hyped sending her that...” Jayce was distracted as his phone pinged again.

Both twins snorted out loud at that. Their mother? Their mother? Oh, she was about to get hit with the Hammer of Truth. Determined to end this conversation before it could spiral anymore, Jayce laid it out for her one more time.

With that, Jayce set his phone back down on the coffee table, screen down. It started pinging again, over and over as Talia tried to get his attention, but he ignored it, instead glaring up at the ceiling in justifiable anger. After a few seconds, he sighed, turning to look at his sister. “... what now? Now she knows about both our kids, and there’s still someone in our midst feeding her information about us and them...”

“Well then, that’s our top priority. Finding out who the traitor is. The sooner we get that person on an information diet, the better.” Stella sat up straight. “When we get home tomorrow, we’ll compile a list of possible suspects, and look into all the facts we have about them. I’m thinking we start with the most obvious ones and work our way through. Sound good?”

“... it’s the best we can do.” Sighing, Jayce stood up, grabbing his phone and laptop to head to his room. “I’m gonna head to bed. I think Zephyr’s gonna be waking up in a bit anyway.”

With that, he disappeared into his room. With a sigh of her own, Stella began collecting her own things. Her own phone started pinging, but she ignored it, grabbing it and her laptop and heading into her own room.

The hot cocoa was left to go cold on the coffee table.

[the-twinventors]

How are you ruined?

----------

[the-twinventors]

a-bitter-resentment

Char had indeed noticed the odd new behavior. But oddly, he couldn’t find anything within himself to see those honest and genuine actions as anything other than…

…adorable…

Jayce seemed happy, and as if he were trying to hide that fact. So…why was he so happy? Certainly it couldn’t have anything to do with what he and his sister had been discussing before, could it?

And in Char’s mind?

That wasn’t a good thing to be happy about.

Not when he associated that word ‘love’ with manipulation and abuse, underhanded tactics to get what you wanted from someone. Words only meant to use another for your own gain.

Did it bring Jayce joy to revel in that thought? That couldn’t be right. No, Char had to be missing something. Jayce couldn’t hold those intentions with him, could he?

Too wrapped in his thoughts, he had missed when Jayce had closed the distance between them. And when the canine spoke, Char practically jackhammered in surprise, flinching away from the voice, his ears folding down tight and eyes averted.

A clear display of panic across his face. Fear in his quivering eyes. His own tail had tucked naturally, and his breath had stilled.

There was still a lot he needed to work through, if his reaction was any indication. All the steps he’d taken forward felt as if they were vanishing before his eyes, all his progress diminished in the face of this. But, he couldn’t hold his tongue, could he?

No, he needed to talk about this. Or there would be misunderstandings to arise. Fingers signed a rushed, ~~I need to sit, bring the aloe.~~ before he was moving to do just that. It wasn’t until he was seated atop the living room couch that he released a trembling breath, conflicted and torn hues turned to Jayce as he approached. His fingers were signing once again, seeking clarification, seeking answers.

~~I overheard you and your sister talking.~~ His fingers began to shake just as terribly as his shoulders. ~~You were talking about…love…in regards to me?~~Hands dropped to knees, where digits curled into pants, squeezing tight to abate the shaking. He hadn’t even realized when the tears had started, nor the way his breath hitched with emotional turmoil.

After all, in his mind, one of his best of friends had just semi-admitted to wanting to bring him pain in the long run. And it hurt. His trust was wavering, all over a simple misunderstanding. Which was why his fingers were jerky when he signed again, watery eyes meeting Jayce’s own, a look of the beginnings of betrayal dwindling within them.

~~I don’t understand. I thought we were friends, Jayce? So, please tell me I misheard.~~ His heart was beating a dreadful staccato, and he felt sick. ~~Do you want something from me? You know I’m more than willing to give you just about anything. So why would you even consider that word? I just want to understand… Have I done something wrong? Am I falling short somehow?~~ He couldn’t liken the man before him with the way that word had been used to twist his heart in the past. Char couldn’t see the canine using it to get his way, when Char had been more than forthcoming in his care for him. So, what more could he want from him?

Because, in his case, people only said that word when they wanted something from him in the end. And usually something he wasn’t willing to give. Getting him to open his mind and heart to that? It wasn’t an easy task.

If only he knew that the odd sensations that flittered through his heart any time he and Jayce were near one another happened to be the very reason he’d misunderstood the entire conversation spoken behind partially closed doors.

The main reason Jayce was trying to keep his emotions in check was because he still had no idea what it was he was even feeling. All he knew for certain was that whenever he was close to Char like this, his stomach started fluttering and he felt a lot more relaxed and happy. The times they’d cuddled, he’d fallen asleep with ease, warmth spreading throughout the core of his body to all of his limbs. Heck, even now, his head was fuzzy with delight just from the close proximity, his fingers and toes tingling.

But it was clear he was doing his best not to let his emotions loose too much.

Although Char’s reaction definitely helped him on that front. Seeing the panic on his face, the older twin immediately withdrew his hand, taking two quick steps back to give him some space. Was... was he OK? Something had to have happened while he and Stella were holed up in her room. Did something appear on the TV that triggered his trauma or something? He sideglanced over - well, that documentary was still playing... so what had happened?

Seeing the rushed signing in his peripheral vision, he quickly looked back over, catching the last of it. “Oh-- yeah, no problem.” He waited for Char to sit first, wanting to make sure he still had some space, and then followed him over, only getting close to hand over the aloe and then stood back again, nervously crossing his arms. His forefinger tapped on his elbow rapidly, betraying his growing anxiety about the situation.

Eventually, Char began signing again, and Jayce’s stomach immediately dropped. So he had overheard them, huh? Nerves began writhing furiously in his stomach as he looked away, a desperate attempt to hide the flush of red across his muzzle. “I, uhh... I-I don’t know if that’s what I’d call it, I-I’m still figuring it out...”

However, the older hedgehog’s reaction violently threw him off, and the blush was gone as quickly as it had appeared, confusion flickering across his expression. He kept an anxious distance, waiting for what would be said next. The more Char continued signing, though, the more confused and worried Jayce looked.

“W... what...? I don’t...” Bewildered, the canine took another step back, arms dropping to his sides. What was Char talking about? Did he think Jayce meant it in a bad way? Like how the twins’ mother had so frequently used it to manipulate and abuse them? But that wasn’t how he meant it - if it even was love he felt. After all, he’d had the definition so warped and twisted for him, as well - growing up, love was strictly conditional, and could be taken away at a moment’s notice as punishment for even the smallest mistakes. They could misspell a simple word and Talia would scream at them for hours about how stupid and useless they were, how they’d never function without her.

Jayce didn’t know what true love was, but he knew it wasn’t that.

“I... I don’t want anything, I just...” Still keeping his distance, the older twin swallowed. When he next spoke, his gaze and voice alike were filled with sincere honesty. “... I just want you to be alright. I-I just wanna be some form of help to you.”

Closed plotted starter for @the-twinventors​

The television was droning, but Char wasn’t focused on the documentary playing. At best, it was background noise, nothing more than static to fill the way his mind had been circling in on itself time and again, over and over. Revisiting his past, turning it over in his mind, debating the what if’s, and how he could have done something different to avoid this outcome.

Jayce and Stella had been his saving grace, and since his rescue, he hadn’t left their sides for longer than an hour, tops. More specifically, Jayce’s side. Char had taken to being practically glued to the jack most days, the hedgehog only deterred each night when Jayce retired to bed. And that was on the off chance that the hedgehog didn’t silently ask to join him after a nightmare. Stella had, once or twice now, caught them nestled in Jayce’s bed together, limbs entangled and snoozing, a nose tucked between a canine chin, and a soft purr resounding from a usually quiet chest.

A sound caused a torn green ear to perk upward, hushed voices not a room away. The television’s volume was lowered and a curious note flickered behind carefully guarded eyes. It didn’t sound like a fight per se, but Stella and Jayce were clearly speaking about something serious. Should he include himself? 

His name was dropped, he could hear it. And that damnedable curiosity got the best of him as he pushed himself up from the couch and moved to stand beside the door to overhear the conversation and best decide on how his input might help. But he wasn’t expecting exactly what it was he overheard.