Parental Figures

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<sub>Andy definitely didn't have ver pleasant memories of that man, and he was all too happy that the man now had the same scars as he did. Granted that means Dula hates him even more than ever, but he's sure that the Dulan kids back then would appreciate that man being put down.

"Hahaha! At least I could fight back!" He'd punch Cepheid's arm playfully, finishing up his coffee and then putting the cup on the ground. He'll pick it up later. Though Cepheid had actually mentioned that about his parents, Andy arced his brow in a curious manner.

"You did? I mean... I knew you could, because I didn't want to face my parents after what happened... How were they?" Oh poor Andy. You had no idea what was going to happen.</sub>

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The only memory Ceph had of that man was a very traumatizing one. While nothing had happened, he knew full well what was about to. It had only been swift action on Andy's part that saved him.

"I never needed to, you did it for me while I made tracks." He laughed, taking the punch in stride.

When their parents came up, he felt his own joyfulness start to diminish some. He took a breath and tried to figure out how to explain. "They...were well. Too well. Our family was never very wealthy, yet when I arrived the house showed great wealth. I didn't think anything of it right away, though..."

He thought back to what had happened. He didn't want to relive it but Andy deserved to know. "When I stepped through the door. Mom looked horrified. Like she was scared of me; I didn't know why. Dad came in and he spilled the beans by accident. I can't remember exactly what happened, but I'll explain the best I can..."

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Cepheid Callidum ran as fast as his fifteen year old legs could carry him, easily dodging the guards on his tail and hiding out in an old attic he was able to access from the rooftops. Hours passed and finally things quieted down, and he made his way to a familiar location. His and his brother's old home. He could tell right away their parents still lived there, and despite everything, he was excited to see them again.

He walked carefully along the side of the house, and peered through the window. Huh, he didn't remember the place being quite so lavish. He was seven last he saw, though, he was likely just remembering wrong. He hopped up to the door and, considering knocking, just opened the door and stepped through, closing it calmly behind him. He'd call out to ensure he wasn't a burglar. "Hello?"

Footsteps, and an older woman dressed surprisingly well rounded the corner curiously, and her eyes widened in horrified recognition. She couldn't make a sound except a small shriek, and Ceph gave a confused expression. What-?

Then his father came in, in reaction to Ceph's mother's scream, and he also looked at him in horrified surprise. What was going on..?

"Dammit, makes sense those scoundrels would use the children we sent them to kill us." He muttered, grabbing a sword from the wall and holding it aloft.

"W-What?" Cepheid Callidum's world was reeling, it took his teenaged mind a moment to realize what his father had just said. Their wealth, their reactions... "Y-You sold us...?" He had heard of it happening, but never thought his own parents would actually do it.

Grief turned to anger, and in a perfect example of Callidum fury, Cepheid took up the fireplace poker and-

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Ceph choked back a sob. Despite everything the thought of what happened still upset him, and he tried to fight back the tears that he refused to shed back then. He didn't miss the parents who sold them. He missed the parents who chased them across the yard for putting worms in a cake or smothered them with towels when they got out of the rain. "I...I couldn't focus. I just acted and-" He was having trouble talking, scooting off of the railing so he didn't fall over, trying to meet his twin's gaze through bloodshot eyes.

That was the first and only time he had ever truly lost control and became like his brother. He had reveled in what he did and thinking about it now made him sick.

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<sub>Andy smirked when his twin was punched, but he knew full well the price he paid for this kind of body. Mostly because he also had little fat on him and the tone easily showed in his body. Any fat would cover that. Either way, he asked about his parents and he could easily tell something was very wrong.

"... I don't remember our parents ever being rich. Mom would yell at us to not knock the table with our silverware, and even I remember the silverware being tarnished..."

Andromeda's expression went through a variety of emotions as he heard the story. Shock, betrayal, horror... and of course sadness. The older twin opened his mouth to speak up, but nothing came out. He really... had no words for it. At least until his twin broke down.

"You... killed them?" His expression was blank for a moment, but then those words came through his head. They sold us... like Vladimir did to Nerys...

Silently, Andromeda pulled his brother into a tight hug.

"... I don't know if they deserved it or not. I shouldn't be the one saying that after what I've been through and what I have done... but..." Just the hate for his parents he felt. The betrayal. How many close family members would turn their backs on him and his twin? No... he shouldn't think that. The girls and his sons have proved enough that they would die for him just like how he would die for them.

Andy tightened his grip on Cepheid, almost afraid he'd slip away.

"... I wish things went differently." That was the only thing he could choke out.</sub>

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Cepheid was doing what he could to keep his composure, but was failing. "Y-yes. I did. I took the valuables to make it look like a robbery, and used them to bribe the dock worker to let me stow away on a ship." He croaked.

Younger twin clung to older as he let loose fifteen years of retrained tears, sobbing into his coat as he finally faced the fact that he had in fact killed their parents in a fit of anger over what had been done to them. Despite the depravity of their actions, he couldn't help but think he was not justified.

He felt Andy's grip tighten, and as the captain feared the other would slip away, he himself feared that he'd also fall into nothingness if let go as he tried to get his emotions under control. For an almost 30 year old man, he was acting rather childish with the tears, though they were justified as he felt the guilt gnaw through his system.

"I'm so sorry." He choked.

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<sub>Even Andy couldn't keep up his composure. After all, this is the man who believed that his parents would never do such a thing that Vladimir would do like Nerys, and considering that this is the man who skewered the lower torso of that man with a hot poker, it really did mean quite a bit on how he felt about it.

"... So you got out of there." At least Cepheid was safe, alive, and in one piece he was going to be okay, but that feeling in his gut, that he knew Cepheid would never be in one piece just like Andy himself still nagged him.

It's quite justified how the two of them would break down like lost children. They hadn't seen each other since they were children, and they were expressing emotions that were when they were fifteen. There was no other way to cope with it other than breaking down.

"... No, it's not your fault. They sold us... like items on the black market, like we meant nothing to them but money... I thought they loved us..." Andy let out much of his frustration by pulling one of his arms away and punching the railing on the deck, letting out a loud cracking sound and he winced in pain. He was going to feel that later. "... Even I know better than to fucking do that to my own children...!"</sub>

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Ceph would never try and claim he was in worse shape than his brother, having been fortunate enough to find a 'family' after he was separated, but the fact that he did actually made him feel guilty.

He held onto his twin as they both broke down, listening to his sibling's words and trying to grasp them. "I thought they did too..." He hiccuped. When Andy let go and punched the railing, Ceph looked at it and frowned slightly, looking at the hairline crack before turning to his sibling, inspecting Andy's hand for any breaks or dislocation.

"Sometimes...I wish our roles were reversed." He said softly. "That you had escaped instead." If any of Andy's fingers were dislocated, he'd inspect the hand and give it a yank, relocating anything that needed it.[That is, if Andy hadn't gotten all grumpypants and yanked his hand already.] "I hate seeing you like this. Especially knowing that I was somewhere else while..." He trailed off.

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<sub>Andy was glad he had his own little family even in the boarding school at Dula. He had Sine, Crash, Rusty, Meredith, and the others. He was fortunate that he was never completely alone even in his exploits. Andy rested his head on his brother's shoulder for a moment, taking deep breaths to calm himself.

His knuckles would look pretty sore and start to bruise, though he would let his brother pop them back in place, barely wincing at the pain. He'd shake his hand and then carefully rest it on the railing.

"... No." He murmured quietly. "Because then I would be saying the same thing when we meet up. I took a risk taking the bullet for you, and in the end, I'm glad that you had a life I couldn't. I'm glad you're here to help me push through." He paused, pulling away and looking at his twin. "We just can't argue that fate, Cepheid."

He then smiled, an earnest Andysmile. One of those silly half-smiles he'd always do. "My life's been so much better with you. I'll let you know that. I may be a rogue, but at least I have people who can stop me."</sub>

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Ceph winced as he heard the crack of his brother's hand, then looked up to the other's face. If they weren't brothers, I can see a lot of shippers ATM. :/

He kept his gaze on his twin and sighed lightly, with a hint of sadness. "I guess so..." He didn't know what to say much at this point. He wiped at his eyes with his sleeve and hoped none of the girls came onto the deck to investigate the loud noise.

When Andy smiled at him, Ceph smiled back too, a weaker smile, but an honest one none the less. "Despite everything you've ever done, you are a decent person." He knew his victims and their families wouldn't agree, but...

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<sub>Andromeda would back up and keep a good space between them as the other pulled his hair back and looked up, closing his eyes and letting the smell of the air flow around him. Mouse even that probably won't stop shippers, even the fact Cepheid is dating Nerys. Messed up group of fans, they are.

"Yeah. Trust me on it." He'd smile and then ruffle his twin's hair again. "As cold as it may sound, it's probably better you than me. I would have done so much worse..." He mildly wondered if the house is still there and he can loot it, or if the police or other thieves had taken everything.

"Sometimes I try and think that way, but..." He sighs. "My good actions will never outweigh my bad choices. It's a fact."</sub>

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"Gah!" Dammit Andy, stop that! Ceph gave his twin a slightly irritated look, but it was quickly drowned by a smile as he chuckled. Though the smile didn't last long either as Andy commented on how it would have been had they reversed. "Hm." Yes, the house was there, but Dula likely claimed whatever was in it already. It had been over fifteen years.

Ceph didn't reply to what Andy said, knowing the words were truth and as much as he wanted to argue it, doing so would hurt Andy more. So he remained silent.

Well, the mood had died quickly. He put his hands in his pockets and, with nimble footsteps, tapped out a small rhythm, of a subdued dance as he tried to think.

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<sub>Andromeda definitely enjoyed cheering up his twin. After all he was happy to cheer Cepheid up, since it cheered the older twin up quite a bit too. He stopped smiling thinking about the house, and how much of a disarray it might be in. Too bad it was in Dula or he'd remodel it and live there.

"Well, we can't do much about that." Andy leaned on the railing and then looked out to sea as the conversation went quiet, but then Cepheid's foot started tapping. ... Hn, reminded him of those old shows, he tried to copy them too, finding their style so fun...

Andy started snapping his fingers in beat with Cepheid, his expression a bit of an amused smirk.</sub>

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Ceph didn't realize he was shuffling until Andy started to snap, and even then he'd look at the other confused for a moment before realizing what he was doing. Oh!

Oh~ Andy wanted to play that game then. Alright then, Ceph was pretty light on his feet, lets see if the big bad pirate captain could keep up.

Suddenly, as though a switch was hit, Ceph flew into well executed dance moves of well practiced swing, coming to a stop after a spectacularly nimble flip and cocking an eyebrow at his twin, as though saying 'Top that, bub'.

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<sub>Andromeda smirked when Cepheid gave him that look. Yes he was going to get you to go into a dance off whether you like it or not. He would snap his fingers and then start tapping his foot as Cepheid pulled out an incredibly slick dance move.

And surprisingly, the pirate captain did manage to keep up, pullig out some killer taps on his feet as he pulled a 360 turn and then jumped up, ending in the splits and pulling himself back up and doing the moonwalk. OW!

He did, however, pull a white bowler hat from out of nowhere and put it on, posing like a badass and pointing his fingers to Cepheid. Now it was HIS turn.</sub>

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Ceph watched his brother pull off a surprisingly agile move, and with a snooty look that said 'Is that all?', he easily mimicked the move only when he came back up, he managed to flip backwards, using his hand as a springboard, and land nimbly on his feet, moonwalking backwards with a sneaky grin and snatching his twin's hat and putting it on his own head.

He'd look straight back at his brother from under the hat and lift an eyebrow. "Can't touch this, bro."

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<sub>Nerys had woken up only very recently, stretching in her bed and then grabbing the hairbrush for her to detangle her hair and then grab something to drink and eat. Looks like Andy had made coffee so she would take some, and then after she finished nibbling on her meal, she washed her face and then shuffled up to the top.

She would naturally beeline for Cepheid and see where he was. She had no idea the serious conversation they had earlier, nor was aware of the situation that they were in, but for now she would find them and bug them.

Granted, as she peered through the door that led to the deck,squinting her eyes in the sunlight and having a mild headache, she could spot Cepheid and Andromeda and... were they dancing?

Nerys could not help herself. Despite the headache, she let out a really squeaky laugh, before covering her mouth, and then bursting into a fit of giggles.</sub>