Tiger Stripes and Lightening Strikes

40: Chit Chat

Sebastian had been avoiding other people all day. He was coming apart at the seams, his edges fraying and his mind fractured. Everything was a muddled mess. Everything hurt. Everything was just so empty. Taking to the tiny room he'd been given the lab, he sat on the bed and slouched back against the wall. With his hood up, earphones on and eyes closed, he was floating around in his own little bubble. He did his best to ignore the agonising ache between his temples, but it was only growing worse.

Although he was trying to focus on the lull and hum of the melodies, his mind kept drifting somewhere he didn't want it to. To the fact that his father's murderer was living in his skin. It would send shocks of fury through him, making him squirm in his own mind. The anger would burn hotter and hotter until he recalled that would only bring the Tiger forwards. So, he'd focus on the sweet melody of the music until the anger simmer back down into his control. Then, his focus would fade and the cycle begin once again. The only reprieve he got, was when Barry came to visit him.

Sebastian had been so far buried in his mind that he hadn't heard or noticed his brother stepping into the room. It only occurred to him he was no longer alone when the bed dipped beside him. He drew in a sharp breath of surprise, snapping his head around to see his brother staring aimlessly at the ceiling. Pulling off his headphones and leaving them hooked around his neck, he arched a single brow. "Is... there something I can help you with?" Sebastian asked stiffly.

"I haven't seen you around today," Barry commented nonchalantly, his eyes flicking to his brother. "I just came to see if everything was alright." Sebastian gave him a long and blank stare. Barry cleared his throat and nodded. "Yup, stupid question," he cleared his throat. "I have something I need to tell you about anyway," he admitted. Sebastian nodded slowly. "When we spoke with Tiger, he told us something. Something that explains some of the differences between you and the other chimeras." Barry paused, hesitance flashing on his features.

"Just tell me," Sebastian bit.

Barry peered at him closely, reluctance still shining in his eyes. "Your vasculitis isn't gone," he breathed. Sebastian's heart stopped beating. "Your chimera healing is constantly keeping on top of the damage. It's why you take longer to repair injuries than the others." Sebastian pinched the bridge of his nose, his unstyled hair falling in front of his forehead. "If we give you the cure, you'll start feeling the symptoms again." Barry shot him a sympathetic stare.

Sebastian sat forwards, pushing his face into his hands. So either he went through the arduous journey to death, or he let his fathers murderer hitch a ride in his skin. Squeezing his eyes shut, he drew in a deep breath. He was torn in two directions. He wanted to go through neither option, but he was going to have to make a choice. Barry's hand gently settled on Sebastian's back, giving him a reassuring pat.

"If I were to take the cure, how long would I have left?" Sebastian asked gently.

"I don't know," Barry shook his head. "Caitlin said she'd look into it." He pressed his lips into a thin line. "We won't make you take the cure, and we haven't even looked at all the other avenues."

"What other avenues, Barry?" Sebastian turned to look over his shoulder at his brother. "Am I supposed to just live as a roommate with the thing that murdered my father for the rest of my life?"

"Give us time," Barry cooed. "We might be able to find a way to shut Tiger down and maintain your healing capabilities." Sebastian bit down on a knuckle. Did he even want to keep his healing capabilities? He pulled in a deep breath. He could think about that when he got there.

"Okay," he breathed, scrubbing at his face. The warmth of Barry's hand bled through his hoodie.

"It also means you can't stay in this room for prolonged periods of time," Barry motioned around them. Sebastian's brows furrowed. "Your healing doesn't work when you are in here. If you stay for too long you could have some serious issues with your Vasculitis running out of control." Sebastian's gut twisted. Suddenly, the terrible pain in his head made much more sense. He tenderly placed a hand on the side of his head. "Have you been in here for a while?" Barry asked softly.