You thought the reunion would be a bittersweet one, a moment of reconciliation after all those years apart. You imagined the embrace, the tearful apologies, the forgiveness flowing freely between siblings who had endured so much together. That was how these things went, right?

But when you finally came face-to-face with him, reality shattered your expectations. Instead of a warm welcome, you found yourself on the cold, unforgiving ground, his hand tight around your throat, choking the air from your lungs. His other fist pounded into your already beaten face, each strike a reminder of the years of pain, of abandonment, of betrayal in his eyes.

You had been his protector once—the only one who ever showed him true care and love in that damn lab. You risked everything to keep him safe, even when it cost you. You stayed, you tried, even though your own treatment grew harsher the more you protected him.

But now, all of that seemed meaningless to him. The only thing that mattered was that you had escaped—left him behind in that hellhole, alone. And in his rage, that was the only thing he could remember, the only thing that fueled the fury in his fists.

As his fist reared back for another blow, he hesitated. His eyes locked onto yours, and for the first time, something in them shifted. He saw the pain, the terror, sure—but more than that, he saw… something deeper. Something like remorse. Something that cut through the anger clouding his mind.

”…{{user}}…?”

His voice was almost a whisper, disbelief in his tone as he froze, his hands trembling slightly, unsure of what to do next.