[ Luckily, Vash isn't looking to linger in the various rooms and chambers of the ark, his intention lying soley with finding his brother and the disheartening hum of sick plants. When he steps into the sickly red room he feels his throat tighten, his gaze flickering from one plant to another and another almost endlessly.
He's not even looking at Knives when he's addressed but after a moment his gaze drops down, brow pinched upward as he takes another step closer, one hand coming to rest against the glass of one of the plants. ]
I'm sorry. You're hurting still, aren't you? [ He murmurs mostly to himself, the pad of his thumb brushing over the glass like someone would when holding an ailing sibling's hand. ]
[There's a confusing mixture of emotions that stir, seeing Vash express sympathy for their fellow plant. It's a sight he hasn't seen since they were children, but it also angers him at the hypocrisy of the act, and it's that indignation that wins out.]
Don't forget the role you played in prolonging their suffering.
[Helping the humans. Sabotaging Knives' plans. But it's an argument so well-worn at this point, he has to rein in his rage.]
What do you suggest? Relying on the crystals? Magic?
[ If he wasn't so used to that being thrown in his face at this point maybe it would have made him flinch, or hesitate. Instead, he exhales a breath and turns to face the pod fully, his gaze lifted upwards towards the tightly closed bloom hiding thier sibling. ]
Nothing like that. It might work, but you're right. It's dangerous.
[ See. He's not beyond accepting when he sees eye to eye with his brother. Right now, trying to use any magic here comes with cost and risk that even Vash isn't ready to levy against their siblings. He leans forward, pressing his head to the glass. ]
C'mon. Talk to me please? I hear you.
[ It doesn't seem like anything is going to happen for a moment, but then slowly but surely the plant's blossom starts to unfurl. ]
[Knives starts, impatient. Talking isn't going to fix anything, when all the plants can ever do is communicate their pain. But seeing their sibling respond, he moves closer, deciding to stay quiet and watch.]
[ It takes time for their sibling to fully unfurl and float towards the glass, their long fingered hands coming to rest just about where Vash's rest. Vash simply smile a little. It's been a while since he's had the chance to interact with one of their siblings, and it fills a part of him he hadn't realized had felt empty—the connection that both he and Knives share with their sisters had remained startlingly cold and silent for over a year. ]
That's it. Let me help.
[ The Plant seems to spare Knives a curious glance as Vash presses his forehead to the glass, familiar plant markings lighting up across his skin just as they mirror the same action. As emaciated as they may look now, the moment their eyes close there's a sense of peace. ]
[It's strange, for Knives to feel almost out of the loop in a way he's used to feeling intimately connected. He presses his hand to the glass, but his gate has never been able to do... this. To help, and as their sibling looks at peace, Knives recalled just how Vash had done the same for him a month ago when he had been cursed. Even if it couldn't rid him of it, it dispelled his anxieties and brought him a sense of calm, unlike anything he'd felt before.
So he doesn't interfere. He does, however, settle a hand on Vash's back. Even if he can't assist directly, perhaps he can lend his strength.]
[ They stay like this for a moment, resonating in a way that's symbiotic. It's hard to tell if anything is happening for a while before a warm swell of light blooms in the tank and the color shifts dramatically from red to a brightly glowing blue. In the same moment Vash breathes in again, like someone surfacing from deep underwater. He sways back, weight leaned in to that hand on his back and the backs of his feet as he watches their sibling float back away from the glass.
Before they do, however, their hand slides over to touch where knives' hand is for a moment, and then they push back floating fully in the center of the pod again. ]
[It's like witnessing a miracle. Knives can't help but let out an involuntary exhale of surprise as the plant changes from red to blue, and he thinks his heart might stop when that hand touches his own.
They're healthy again. They'll live. The relief is immense, but it also gives rise to an uglier feeling, and that supportive hand against Vash's back is soon seizing the back of his coat in a rough grip instead.]
You've done that before. Haven't you?
[And he's not just talking about last month. Vash has complete mastery over this part of his gate. The accusation is in a low voice, as if he doesn't want to lose his temper out of respect for their sibling.]
[ The grip jostles him, and Vash reaches out in front of him to grapple the guardrail in front of the pod to steady himself as he whips his head over towards his brother. Eyes widen behind the orange sunglasses perched on his nose, like he's pinpointed a rather blatant miscalculation...
but is still confused somehow. He should choose his words carefully, but Vash has never really been the type. ]
...Yeah. It's why I was there when we ran across each other back then. I heard them crying out, so I wanted to help.
[ He's done it plenty of times, more than he could bother to keep count really, the number not the important part. Their sibling simply watches, quiet and motionless for the most part, still where it floats. ]
I've just always known how, somehow.
[ He's never once figured it was something special, not really. It was just something he could do to earn himself a place. ]
And you never told me?! [Knives explodes, grabbing Vash by the shoulder to try to force him to turn to look at him fully. He shouldn't be surprised, given how often Vash has betrayed their kind -- betrayed him -- and yet he is.]
All this time, you could have helped, but you ran from me! Used your gift to serve those parasites.
[ Vash lets his brother manhandle him, swiveling on his feet and planting them to keep from tipping back, but instead of backing down he squares his shoulders and sets a fairly calm, if pained look in his twin's direction. ]
You didn't even try to hear me back then, Nai. I didn't get the chance to tell you anything. Would it have changed anything about that day?
[ He was weak. Worthy of a coward's weapon. And maybe back then he was weak, uncertain and terrified of both their situation and of his brother's anger. Of his brother himself. Even in Jenora he couldn't find his voice, nor would his brother listen. ]
We haven't heard each other for over a century and a half Nai. [ They've been trying, perhaps, here and there in this world. ]
All I hear is the passing of blame to that day, when so many of our kind were slaughtered. How many more died while you hid yourself away?
[Even if they've been trying in this world, what was it all for? Was he being used, to absolve Vash of his guilt? Because it was easier to avoid the contradictions Vash always tried to run from?
He lets go of his twin's shoulder. Knives should be thrilled to realise that he has this kind of power, but all he can muster is anger and contempt, that it's yet another thing he's denied so many of their brethren for so long.]
Stay here, Vash. [An order, not a request.] Starting now, you'll make amends for your negligence.
A lot of lives were lost back then that didn't need to be.
[ Human lives, plant lives... all of it unnecessary death. The tone his brother uses next isn't missed either, but Vash's only reaction is to flinch a little, stepping back away from his brother, the weight of his step on his heel.
If he can help them here, he has no reason to leave— order or not. Why would he go? ]
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no subject
He's not even looking at Knives when he's addressed but after a moment his gaze drops down, brow pinched upward as he takes another step closer, one hand coming to rest against the glass of one of the plants. ]
I'm sorry. You're hurting still, aren't you? [ He murmurs mostly to himself, the pad of his thumb brushing over the glass like someone would when holding an ailing sibling's hand. ]
Maybe there's something we can do, Nai.
no subject
Don't forget the role you played in prolonging their suffering.
[Helping the humans. Sabotaging Knives' plans. But it's an argument so well-worn at this point, he has to rein in his rage.]
What do you suggest? Relying on the crystals? Magic?
no subject
Nothing like that. It might work, but you're right. It's dangerous.
[ See. He's not beyond accepting when he sees eye to eye with his brother. Right now, trying to use any magic here comes with cost and risk that even Vash isn't ready to levy against their siblings. He leans forward, pressing his head to the glass. ]
C'mon. Talk to me please? I hear you.
[ It doesn't seem like anything is going to happen for a moment, but then slowly but surely the plant's blossom starts to unfurl. ]
no subject
[Knives starts, impatient. Talking isn't going to fix anything, when all the plants can ever do is communicate their pain. But seeing their sibling respond, he moves closer, deciding to stay quiet and watch.]
no subject
That's it. Let me help.
[ The Plant seems to spare Knives a curious glance as Vash presses his forehead to the glass, familiar plant markings lighting up across his skin just as they mirror the same action. As emaciated as they may look now, the moment their eyes close there's a sense of peace. ]
no subject
So he doesn't interfere. He does, however, settle a hand on Vash's back. Even if he can't assist directly, perhaps he can lend his strength.]
no subject
Before they do, however, their hand slides over to touch where knives' hand is for a moment, and then they push back floating fully in the center of the pod again. ]
That's better, isn't it?
no subject
They're healthy again. They'll live. The relief is immense, but it also gives rise to an uglier feeling, and that supportive hand against Vash's back is soon seizing the back of his coat in a rough grip instead.]
You've done that before. Haven't you?
[And he's not just talking about last month. Vash has complete mastery over this part of his gate. The accusation is in a low voice, as if he doesn't want to lose his temper out of respect for their sibling.]
no subject
but is still confused somehow. He should choose his words carefully, but Vash has never really been the type. ]
...Yeah. It's why I was there when we ran across each other back then. I heard them crying out, so I wanted to help.
[ He's done it plenty of times, more than he could bother to keep count really, the number not the important part. Their sibling simply watches, quiet and motionless for the most part, still where it floats. ]
I've just always known how, somehow.
[ He's never once figured it was something special, not really. It was just something he could do to earn himself a place. ]
no subject
All this time, you could have helped, but you ran from me! Used your gift to serve those parasites.
no subject
You didn't even try to hear me back then, Nai. I didn't get the chance to tell you anything. Would it have changed anything about that day?
[ He was weak. Worthy of a coward's weapon. And maybe back then he was weak, uncertain and terrified of both their situation and of his brother's anger. Of his brother himself. Even in Jenora he couldn't find his voice, nor would his brother listen. ]
We haven't heard each other for over a century and a half Nai. [ They've been trying, perhaps, here and there in this world. ]
Try to hear me the same way you hear them.
no subject
[Even if they've been trying in this world, what was it all for? Was he being used, to absolve Vash of his guilt? Because it was easier to avoid the contradictions Vash always tried to run from?
He lets go of his twin's shoulder. Knives should be thrilled to realise that he has this kind of power, but all he can muster is anger and contempt, that it's yet another thing he's denied so many of their brethren for so long.]
Stay here, Vash. [An order, not a request.] Starting now, you'll make amends for your negligence.
no subject
[ Human lives, plant lives... all of it unnecessary death. The tone his brother uses next isn't missed either, but Vash's only reaction is to flinch a little, stepping back away from his brother, the weight of his step on his heel.
If he can help them here, he has no reason to leave— order or not. Why would he go? ]
I wasn't planning on going anywhere.