Again, the shock struck Rilon; this time it literally brought him to his knees. “They…” he didn't need to know who 'they' were. Even without context, he knew what his alter had been talking about.

He shook his head, helplessly reaching for the door handle. “I don't need… those memories back. I... don't want them. “

This was a deliberate act. Hyde wanted something from him, something in return, but for what? Rilon had nothing to give.

Did he want out?

He had nowhere to go if he did — Rilon had locked himself in. The worst Hyde would do was tear up his room, and even that would be fixable.

“I thought you were supposed to protect me.” He snarled, having long given up standing. Still helpless, he stared up at the door. Was his brother even coming, or was he still hanging out with this so-called 'friend' of his?

Either way, Rilon needed company. The voice in his head was no longer trustworthy. Didn't that mean that he himself was no longer trustworthy?

In a daze, Rilon fell back against the door. He no longer felt like himself. Four years, with Hyde. This had never happened.

“Ri? Um, Lear sent me...”

Rilon broke out of his trance, but didn't reply. At least Asi had returned, which made him hopeful.

“He said that… you weren't feeling well. I came up to… check in on you. You don't have to answer. Could you please unlock the door, so I can see that you're alright?”

“Don't you have a key?”

“Your bedroom has a different lock.” Relief came to Asiah's tone, knowing that his brother was, in fact, okay, even if he wasn't entirely all there. “Could you unlock it?”

“It's unlocked,” Rilon murmured. As his brother went to open the door, he quickly added, “But I'd rather you stay out there.”

He heard a quick protest before Asiah fell silent. A moment later, he slid back against the door, and said nothing.

At least Rilon wasn't entirely alone, and he was relieved to know that his brother had chosen his family over his friend, especially on what was meant to be the best day of his entire year. Yet, it almost made him feel terrible. Some days, Asiah was too sympathetic, too… empathetic. He sacrificed too much for Rilon.

“What about your… friend?” Rilon’s voice was hoarse, hardly audible. He knew that that was another thing his brother had sacrificed today.

“He… can wait.” Asiah sounded regretful. For a moment he had considered staying with his friend instead of coming to check on Rilon. Then panic rose in his voice. “I’m sure he’s got… better things to do.”

Uneasily, Rilon shook his head. He knew that was an excuse, but then again, it was a good one at least.

His brother was terrible at lying.

He heard Asiah’s head shift on the door, and an audible, longing sigh came from him. He didn’t reply, but instead fell silent.

Rilon stared at his hands, echoing his brother’s sigh. The feeling of foreboding returned to his mind, threatening to choke him. He was kept company by his brother, but had not rid him of his anxiety like he hoped it would.

Could there be something that could help him, or was the foreboding going to be a normal thing now, a thing he would have to live with?

“Asi… I…”

He couldn’t finish, not due to his anxiety, but rather due to the fact that he heard soft snores on the other side of the door. Asiah had fallen asleep, judging from the soft snores Rilon heard.

It’s been… a strange day.

I can agree, murmured Hyde. He himself had calmed down from his little act. I’ll explain later.

“Later?” Rilon lowered his tone, cautious. He didn’t want to wake his brother, or worse, make him think that he was crazy. “No, Hyde. I need an explanation now.”

When he leaves, which, I don’t believe is going to be for a long while.

Rilon leaned his head back against the door, listening for any noise aside from the sound of his brother. There was nothing, so he shut his eyes, pacing his own breath with his brother’s. There, he lay in a dissociative haze for what felt like an eternity, until he was aroused by a sharp intake of breath, and his brother rising, away from the door.

“I’ll bring your dinner back for you.” He didn’t wait for a reply. “Unless you’re not hungry.”

Rilon nearly jumped as his brother shut the door.

How long had actually passed? Had he blacked out?

Hyde?

You dozed off.

How long?

I don't know, but it’s definitely evening from the way your brother mentioned dinner.

Yawning, Rilon turned to face the window. It wasn’t exactly dark, but it wasn’t exactly light either. Twilight? It couldn't be past six or seven in the evening from that.

He got to his feet, stretching like a cat, hearing long-rested joints click — and painfully feeling them as well. Turns out that sleeping beside a door wasn't the best option.

Rilon turned to face his bed, which had been made as his brother promised. Slowly he paced toward it. As he did reach it, he brushed away a small crease that had found itself in the covers. Although such a thing would not have usually bothered him, it somehow brought Rilon a feeling of agitation.

Rilon sat on the bed and silently sighed. Only the thought of dinner being brought to him was the single thread keeping him from falling asleep.

He fell back on the bed, landing with a muffled thud. His head dangled off the other side, watching the upside down form of the city. The longing feeling he'd briefly felt was now suddenly dashed by an odd feeling of premonition.

Again, he rose from the bed and fixed the creases he had left there.

His hair fell out from where it had been fixed, and he took off his glasses, which suddenly felt foreign upon his face. He left them upon the bed.

For a strange reason, his coat also felt foreign upon his shoulders. He discarded that on the bed along with his glasses.

Now he felt much lighter, more alive.

He ran into the bathroom and locked the door behind him. A feeling of claustrophobia overtook him. He hadn't been aware of how small it had been until now; in fact, he didn't think he'd ever been here before.

Movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention. He turned his head accordingly, and...

Found his reflection.

He'd never seen his reflection before.

It's a mirror, dumbass. Never seen one before?

“No,” He replied, and found that it wasn't a lie. Of all the times he'd let himself out, he had never found himself in front of a mirror. “It was stupid anyway. “Plus, Arlett, I'm not a dumbass.”

Please don't call me Arlett. Rilon was less than amused by this point. Then his voice seemed to rise in panic. Shit, I forgot to lock the door.

“Who's the dumbass now, Arlett?”

Rilon lowered his time again. I said don't call me Arlett. What part of that do you not understand?

Hyde shrugged, a sneer on his face. He was more involved in staring at his own reflection than involved enough to give an immediate response.

He looked… too much like his alter. The fading anxiety he could still find within his ice-blue eyes, and his hair wasn't enough of a mess to tell the two apart. He looked... too calm. He was only a fracture of Rilon's broken mind, nothing more.

Hyde wanted to be more.

Unsteady, Hyde grabbed onto the sink counter with enough force to nearly break it. A grimace contorted his face into something inhuman.

Suddenly, he didn't want to see his reflection anymore.

He heard the mirror shatter before he saw it, before pain registered in his hand. With a sharp intake of breath, he seized the sink again and fought back nausea.

I'll show you more.

Hyde.

Hyde picked up a fallen shard, broken from his emotions, and held tightly onto it. Blood began dripping from his hand to the floor. He unlocked the door and left the bathroom.

Hyde, you're scaring me. You can't —

“I should be. Be grateful, Arlett.” Coldly, Hyde threw the door open, stalking into the main room of the apartment. Nobody was there.

Good.

Hyde was going to look suspicious, but didn't take any consideration into it. Casually he left the apartment, muttering curses under his breath. He stashed away the shard in one of his pockets and headed for the stairs.

The lights slowly began to dim as he reached his destination. A maze of a floor stood out before him, but fortunately — and thanks to Rilon — he knew the layout despite the darkness.

Vaguely, he searched his memories — no, Rilon's memories for what he could possibly know about Lear. He knew Lear never — or rarely — attended dinner after his wife died, often preferring to eat alone. He knew that his bedroom was near a window, from distant stares outside.

Hyde sniffed as he started his trek through the maze.

Lear was virtually going to be helpless.

It took several minutes for Hyde's vision to adjust to the darkness, but even then he still couldn't see well, and he got a sneaking feeling that he wasn't alone.

He was being watched.

Hyde stopped and stilled his breath. Her heard his heart's pace quicken, pounding in his ears.

He waited a few moments, but no response came. Hyde quickened his pace, but it did not ease his anxiety.

Mein Gott, Hyde. What are you doing?

“You should be grateful when you find out.” Hyde kept his voice low. It wasn't steady, though.

Hyde… grateful for what?

Hyde didn't reply.

There were footsteps.

They weren't Lear's.

Again, Hyde paused, sucking in a sharp breath.

A guard, Hyde. Get out of there.

“Like hell I am.” Hyde quickened his pace, turning a sharp corner. Footsteps rapidly followed after him.

Hyde, that's a guard. Get the hell out of there.

“Do you think I want to listen, Arlett?”

It was too late. Hyde had risen his voice too high for him not to be noticed. The footsteps behind him quickened, and he nearly caught off guard by a gunshot. A warning shot, he figured. He heard it sail past his head, and glass shatter.

A window.

He was near.

“Don’t. Don’t move.” The voice came from behind him.

“Are you going to shoot an unarmed man?” He held up his hands in mock helplessness and turned around to face a silhouette. “Is that even legal… guard?”

“J-Jastyn.” The guard stammered. “And you’re on the President’s floor.”

“Oh am I?” Hyde lowered his hands, forcing his expression flat. “You see, I’m just out for a stroll, and you have the audacity to shoot at me? Would you like your President knowing about this?”

“I-” Jastyn stammered. He saw that her silhouette shook her head.

“Then put your gun down and I won’t hurt you.”

She didn’t listen, instead raising her gun higher, straight at his head.

She only obeys Lear, or Asi, or me. Your voice is too deep. You’re not an Arlett.

Hyde ignored her. “Oh, I’m an intruder to you?”

Jastyn’s breath quickened as he slowly approached. She obviously was new, inexperienced, a replacement for that other guard. One of his failed experiments.

Experiments?

Hyde needed to move quickly. It was likely that the President had heard the warning shot and would be coming soon. With guards.

This was going to make Hyde’s job so much harder than he had planned.

“Am I?” She was just an obstacle. Dispatch her and the job would be so much easier.

Yet he couldn’t reveal that he was armed too soon. She’d raise the alarm.

“Am I, Jastyn? Am I an intruder to you?” For a final time, Hyde repeated the question, losing his temper. “Would you shoot an armed man?”

“N-no.” Jastyn shook her head again. She dropped the gun, finally at her breaking point. “I wouldn’t.”

Hyde pulled the shard out of his pocket, away from her gaze. “That’s good.” he said. “I’m glad you wouldn’t.”

He hesitated.

Did she really deserve it?

It was one less person in billions. In seconds, her missing number would be replaced within seconds. It didn’t matter.

Did it?

Get out of there.

No. You can’t tell me what to do. This is my life, not yours.

He sucked in a breath, and quickly did what needed to be done. The guard collapsed in his arms, blood pouring out of the wound he had inflicted upon her, a slit in her throat that could have been small, yet he couldn’t tell otherwise.

I just… killed someone. Oh my God, I just… The panic was clear in Rilon’s tone.

“Get over it - it’s happened before.” The guard died almost as soon as he spoke those words. He felt a sense of guilt overcome him, one that very nearly moved him to tears.

He could not cry. Crying was a luxury that he could not afford.