it's not often that he gets family visiting, let alone his precious twin. father had visited on more than one occassion, but the interaction had been brief and caden had always felt a little dirty afterwards, like it was a part of a conjugal visit.

[break][break] but CIAN MAHER is different.

[break][break] he's happy to see him.

[break][break] at the joke, caden snorts. "don't bother. caden's just fine."

[break][break] he walks over to his brother, handing him a can of coffee that he's gotten from the local vending machine. pulling out a chair for him to sit, he looks at his twin curiously.

[break][break] "yeah, no shit. it's always a busy day. you wouldn't believe how many notes i have to write." a pause. for some reason, as enjoyable as this banter is, caden feels like this isn't the reason for his brother's visit.

[break][break] he frowns.

[break][break] "what's up? ... are you injured?"

[break][break] though he is normally fairly nonchalant when dealing with his twin, this time his gaze turns sharply as he observes him for any injuries. he knew that being a gym leader was no easy task, and surely if it was a rocket mission and serious enough, he would've ended up in rocket's med bay.

[break][break] after all, father was pretty strict on making sure his sons didn't go walking around with any grievous injuries. it was bad for publicity. but cian had always been the more defiant one between the two of them.

[attr="class","ooc"] CIAN MAHER [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-hypno"]

"bro if i was injured do you really think i'd be sitting in the canteen?"[break][break]

besides, he'd have access to the infirmary on the submarine, not to mention all the league facilities between rustboro, lilycove, and sootopolis. so, no, he's not here because he's injured.[break][break]

"no, i'm fine. there's, uh, something i wanted to talk to you about."[break][break]

he recalls their day at the beach; the crystablooms they found; the conversations they had.[break][break]

the can of coffee sits idly between them as he leans in.[break][break]

"leave rocket with me."

[attr="class","ooc"]caden maher[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-kecleon"]

"..."

[break][break] his brother had a point, but caden didn't feel like giving him the satisfaction. at least, not right away.

[break][break] "i don't try to guess what you do, dude. i can barely keep up with my own life, let alone yours."

[break][break] that was as much as agreement that he was going to give, though his expression did soften a bit once he realized that his brother was okay. he didn't often worry about cian, knowing that his twin could more capably take care of himself, but he did worry sometimes. because cian was so defiant, he knew that his father was not always the kindest.

[break][break] "oh?" he asks, taking the moment to cracking open the can of coffee and sipping it.

[break][break] big mistake.

[break][break] caden coughs loudly, nearly choking and alerting the look of a nearby orderly, who he waves away with a hand. glaring at CIAN MAHER, he hisses, "what the hell? fuck. come over here."

[break][break] he stands up abruptly, smiling thinly at the orderly, as he grabs cian by the elbow and drags him outside of the canteen towards the west corner. he tries to make it as nonchalant as possible, but it would be easy to see how agitated he is.

[break][break] leave rocket? was his brother insane?

[break][break] his badge flash through another room, and then doors open wide to a garden that is seemingly unattended. the president's garden, usually unoccupied except for the occasional intern.

[break][break] caden turns on his brother then, folding his arms.

[break][break] "what the fuck, man? i'm at work."

[attr="class","ooc"] CIAN MAHER [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-hypno"]

a laugh escapes the same way his brother's cough does, unable to help himself as there's just something about the way caden reacts that's amusing to cian. perhaps that's one of the reasons why he'd decided to have this discussion in such a public place in the first place.[break][break]

not that it lasts for very long.[break][break]

once the doors to the garden slide shut behind him, he slips his arm free, stretching it a bit.[break][break]

"so? there's literally no good place to talk about it."[break][break]

he clicks his tongue, annoyed, but he quickly reverts back.[break][break]

"yes or no, caden? it's a simple request."

[attr="class","ooc"]caden maher[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-kecleon"]

his brother is fucking annoying.

[break][break] it's not the first time he thinks it.

[break][break] "my house? your house? bo's house?" he clenches his jaw.

[break][break] even though he knows that cian makes a good point. with his job, it made it nearly impossible for them to meet.

[break][break] "it's a stupid request," he says, folding his arms. "what the fuck's gotten into you lately? since when do you care so much?"

[attr="class","ooc"] CIAN MAHER [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-hypno"]

"i don't know where you live. i live with my girlfriend. and bo's not speaking to me at the moment."[break][break]

so, really, the hospital seemed most appropriate given how it would be rather inconspicuous as well. just cian visiting his twin, and nothing more.[break][break]

"what the fuck do you mean? i always care even if i don't show it at times."[break][break]

he folds his arms as well.[break][break]

"come on. leave rocket with me."

[attr="class","ooc"]caden maher[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-kecleon"]

"that's bullshit."

[break][break] to be honest, caden doesn't know if it's true. he finds it hard to believe that he wouldn't have told his brother where he lived — at some point — but honestly, his last few shifts had been blurring together so much that he forgot if he mentioned to his brother that he'd moved out of his shitty apartment in slateport and in with a hot muscled redhead named symon blessing .

[break][break] caden is more worked up at the fact that is at work and more irritated that his twin didn't seem to care than the topic at hand. when the topic is brought up again, though, it does nothing more than continue to ruffle his feathers.

[break][break] "why all of a sudden? what's with you?"

[break][break] it's evasive.

[break][break] but caden is trying to buy time. he doesn't have an answer yet.

[break][break] he'd always sided with his father, whenever it came to the two of them. dad didn't think they should go on that school trip? they couldn't go. dad didn't think he should date that girl? he'd break up with her.

[break][break] but lately, ever since the sudden appearance of the sibling that they didn't know they had, cracks had been forming on the surface. distrust had bled in, ever since that rocket meeting where he'd watched their organization tried to aid in the ending of the world.

[break][break] as a doctor, wasn't he supposed to stand against those sorts of things?

[attr="class","ooc"] CIAN MAHER [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-hypno"]

"what do you mean what's with me? i'm trying to fucking leave, that's what."[break][break]

it's evasive and cian picks it out almost instantly. he's always had a feeling he would've been met with this response but he didn't really want to believe it. after all, what reasons could someone have to justify staying in team rocket?[break][break]

"no better time than now before it all goes to shit. i don't know about you but i'd rather be fighting for the good guys when the war comes."

[attr="class","ooc"]caden maher[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-kecleon"]

they've had this conversation so many times. on the beach, at dinners, in their father's house. each time, caden had always somehow managed to evade the topic, make a joke out of it.

[break][break] or someone would interrupt them, a phone call, a text message, their father walking into the room.

[break][break] but no one was here now.

[break][break] "that's fucking naive, and you know it, cian." no brother. no affectionate nickname. this was real bullshit. "i'd like to be on the good side too, but you know it's not an option."

[break][break] 'they're not bo.'

[break][break] they're not lucky.

[break][break] "what makes you think they would take us in?"

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] CIAN MAHER [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-hypno"]

"holy shit you're so fucking dumb sometimes."[break][break]

it's frustrating to be on the receiving end of the same criticism time and time again. you're so naive. grow up. be realistic.[break][break]

cian has never seen things clearer nor has he ever been so certain of anything in his life. why can't people see that? people he's closest to?[break][break]

"because i've been fucking working with them for the past few months, that's why."

[attr="class","ooc"]caden maher[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-kecleon"]

cian always had it easy.

[break][break] the golden boy, the popular kid.

[break][break] things always came easily to him. caden had always envied it.

[break][break] if he wanted to leave rocket, he could. he just did it. he never had to worry about any repercussions, because things would just always work out for him.

[break][break] even so, it's not what caden's expected. his eyes widen briefly before narrowing.

[break][break] "with bo, you mean?"

[attr="class","ooc"] CIAN MAHER [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-hypno"]

"huh?"[break][break]

he blinks, realizing a second later.[break][break]

"oh no. fuck bo. i've been working with the league to make sure i can leave without a problem."[break][break]

he leaves dahlia goode out of the conversation. despite being twins, there's only so much he trusts caden. the fact that he's yet to agree to leave is telling enough.[break][break]

"well, i made sure we could. so come on. let's fucking leave."

[attr="class","ooc"]caden maher[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-kecleon"]

the league.

[break][break] since when had his brother been such an idiot?

[break][break] "is it because of your minor league shit?" he hisses. "what makes you think you can trust them? that we can trust them?"

[break][break] despite his tone, however, there is something that flickers in caden's gaze as his brother pushes him. like the little caden inside of him who still worshiped his twin, who still pedaled in his footsteps, still wanted to listen to him. the little caden who thought that his brother meant the world to him.

[break][break] "... what kind of deal did you make with them, cian?"

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] CIAN MAHER [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-hypno"]