[nospaces]

[attr="class","caden"] the cool air fills his lungs, sun shining along his back. he breathes it in, focused on the moment, trying not to worry about the destination.

[break][break] fuck.

[break][break] a dangerous thing hope was.

[break][break] he laughs. "you losing your touch, brother?" he calls, pushing himself forth against the sand.

[break][break] cocky.

[break][break] he can't help it, not when it comes to cian.

[attr="class","noodles"] CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","rules"]+ crystals in bloom

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[nospaces]

[attr="class","caden"] there were a million things that CIAN MAHER could've said that caden wouldn't have batted an eye at. the basis of their relationship was them throwing subtle jabs at each other from time to time, teasing each other; they were brothers, after all.

[break][break] "maybe i just let you win."

[break][break] let him win?

[break][break] for some reason, heat boils in his veins as he steps forward to catch up with the other. his hand curls around his brother's shoulder.

[break][break] "did you?"

[break][break] no teasing brother. no scathing remarks.

[break][break] just a deep, imploring stare.

[attr="class","noodles"] CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","rules"]+ crystals in bloom

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[nospaces]

[attr="class","caden"] he should've known. they're twins after all, born from the same mother.

[break][break] but there are some things that even twins don't tell each other.

[break][break] "no," he says. "you're not. you just haven't practiced."

[break][break] he lets the topic die — only because it infuriates him even more than cian purposefully letting him win that cian has somehow gotten stale. he's the one who had their future bright in front of them. he's the one who didn't have it ripped out from underneath him. he's the one that their mother had —

[break][break] caden follows his brother to the crystablooms, the tension of their moment dissapating quickly into the summer air.

[break][break] "the fuck are these? have you seen them before?"

[break][break] the doctor leans down to inspect them with a critical eye.

[attr="class","noodles"] CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","rules"]+ crystals in bloom

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[googlefont=Poppins:500,600,700|Roboto]

[nospaces]

[attr="class","caden"] as his brother fantasizes about some girl (typical, really), caden is staring down at the blooms with a critical eye.

[break][break] unfortunately, he's a human doctor not a plant one. his general biology courses didn't cover this.

[break][break] "is that what you tell all your hook-ups?" he snorts.

[break][break] even so, caden listens and blows on the flower. sure enough, one of the petals detach and flow in the wind, drifting atop the sea and floating away.

[break][break]

[attr="class","noodles"] CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","rules"]+ crystals in bloom

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[nospaces]

[attr="class","caden"] "cursed?"

[break][break] it was something that caden had thought of before. unlike his brother, however, it had never revolved around anything romantic in nature. many sleepless nights had considered — rather cursed & mdash; whatever malevolent god had decided to destroy his career, why him and why not some other hopeless fool without a future.

[break][break] "listen to yourself. do you know how crazy you sound?" he smirks at his brother, nudging him. "no. we're not cursed. you just haven't found someone to meet you at your level."

[break][break] at least, that was the excuse he had given himself when he'd broken things off with @sirocco all those years ago.

[attr="class","noodles"] CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","rules"]+ crystals in bloom

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[googlefont=Poppins:500,600,700|Roboto]

[nospaces]

[attr="class","caden"] they're twins, but sometimes CIAN MAHER couldn't be farther from him. they had spent much of their childhoods racing after one another, racing neck-and-neck. literally, but also metaphorically as well.

[break][break] surely, there was a time which cian would've been so damn philosophical. wouldn't have even considered the notion of soulmates.

[break][break] and yet.

[break][break] "your what?" his nose wrinkles, staring at his brother.

[break][break]

[attr="class","noodles"] CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","rules"]+ crystals in bloom

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[googlefont=Poppins:500,600,700|Roboto]

[nospaces]

[attr="class","caden"] "of course."

[break][break] he smirks, a sparkle of their enthusiasm in his gaze. it's a rare sight on him these days, drained by the stress of his work and the trauma that he won't talk about, but if there's anyone that can draw out the childish side of him, it's his twin.

[break][break] when the other does give in, though:

[break][break] "your other half."

[break][break] caden laughs — he can't help it. it sounds exactly as cheesy as the both of them know it to be. he snickers.

[break][break] "who kidnapped my brother and replaced him with you?"

[break][break] he arches a brow.

[break][break] "seriously?"

[attr="class","noodles"] CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","rules"]+ crystals in bloom

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