Unity found something foreign touching his thoughts as he neared Unison’s quarters. A sensation so old and estranged that he barely recognised it, weighing heavy in his mind and threatening to burn a hole clean through the rational web on which he’d carefully placed himself.

Uncertainty was a wretched thing, experiencing it for moments was enough to remind him why he’d been so careful to cast it out in the past. And still it persisted, giving him no more choice in the matter than pain did when his flesh was struck.

Calm down, Eden. It’s Unison. You’ve no less familiarity with him than your own hands.

Clarity came only as he reached the door, knocking without thought, waiting without patience. It took the better part of a minute for his brother to answer, and Unity could barely relish the man’s surprise when he did.

“I wasn’t expecting you.” He said, the obvious escaping his lips with the same enthusiasm it always did. “It’s good to see you though. To what do I owe this pleasure, Unity? Do you need money?”

The jab drew a smile from him as he answered.

“I’d like to speak with you, actually. If you don’t mind. I think there’s something we should discuss. It’s quite important.”

Unison eyed him wearily, nodding slow and careful as though expecting a trap. Sensible.

“Come in then.” The man said, red eyes suddenly unmissable with the intensity behind them.

Unity was barely through the door when Unison began to speak, tone betraying the preparation of his words.

“You did well in your last task by the way.” The man said. “In terms of performance, but also in terms of… I don’t want to say behaviour, but… well, behaviour.”

Right. Unity thought. I’m a particularly well trained animal. Thank you ever so much, brother-mine.

“I actually came to talk about that.” Unity confessed. “Or more specifically, something I realised today during the task’s length.”

In an instant he had his brother’s attention. Unison looked at Unity as if listening for final words, gaze almost passing through him, eyes almost drinking his entire body. It was as disconcerting a sight as ever.

Pit, why couldn’t you have been born with normal irises?

“While I was fighting alone, that is while I fought those two members from team Rajah, I found myself wanting to hurt them, like I often do when… well, there’s no need to retread the details. You already know the types of thoughts I get in situations like that.”

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Unison nodded, solemn.

“Except this time I thought of something else, too. You see Crow Tempora’s been… strange. Friendly to me no matter what, constantly reaching out, overlooking even things like that boy’s death a few tasks ago. He has this sort of blinding optimism to him, and I think it’s started to catch onto me.”

He didn’t miss his brother’s growing smile.

“This is great, Unity!” Unison cried, a grin washing over him the moment it became clear he had no more to say. “Do you realise what this means?”

“That I’ve found my salvation.” He answered, not meeting his brother’s eye, fearing the man might grow bitter in Unity seeing it elsewhere than him.

“What the pit are you talking about?” Asked Unison.

“I mean what I said. I’ve finally found someone who can reign in all the monstrous fucking shit that weasels around inside my skull.”

Unity managed to force his eyes upwards, finding a concerned gaze bearing down on him from his brother. It drew no less annoyance than ever.

“You don’t need another person to keep you from behaving like a monster, Unity.” He said, voice carefully level, as it might be when addressing a wild beast. “Your restraint is… yours. It proves you have it in you to turn away from your darker impulses, not that Crow Tempora gives you the ability.”

Turning from his brother to hide his face, Unity just managed to keep the emotion from his tone.

“Then why is it that he’s the only new variable in this equation? Because believe me brother, I’ve tried to be normal. I spent years trying to be normal. It didn’t work.”

Absently, Unity thought back to the bleaker days of his life. To the earliest whisperings of his twisted impulses, when they’d assailed him at too young an age to be discerned as the abnormalities they were.

He thought back to the maid who’d first brought attention to what he was, finding himself suddenly at risk of showing his rage as an outward tremble.

“Maybe the only new variable in this equation is you. You’re not the person you were a year ago, pit even six months ago. You’re growing older and wiser by the day, closing in on adulthood. Maybe the boy you were isn’t the man you need to be.”

There was an inarguable rationality to Unison’s words, at least on the surface. It was one Unity turned himself away from, heading towards the door and biting his tongue.

However logical his brother’s views seemed, Unity couldn’t dismiss their convenience. It seemed far too perfect for him that something so trivial as age might wipe the slate clean in his wretch of a soul.

The alternative, that the power to change had rested with him from the start, was simply too terrible to even consider.

“I only really came here to tell you where I stand currently, thought you might take solace in it.” He managed to say. “I don’t have the time to stay long, so I’ll be bidding you goodbye now.”

Unison said nothing as Unity turned to leave. Appropriate. By Unity’s reckoning he’d made it perfectly clear where the two of them stood. The pang of discontent that oozed through his belly was worth the clarity.

Sorry brother, but I’ve no time or chance to place my bets on your wild optimism being right. I imagine plenty of people will thank me for not relying on my own judgement, sooner or later.

He left without another word.