TribeTwelve Slow Destruction AU

[Part 3]

Milo had his newly won boyfriend over. They were laying on Milo's bed. "Hey, let's check if Noah's home... I'm kinda worried about him, I don't ever see him again and we were pretty close before..." Milo said, "Ever since he started dating your brother he became... Different... Really distant and he started avoiding me..." "Yeah, we should maybe... Don't ask why, I just have the feeling something is off..." Firebrand said. That was a lie. He knew exactly something was. His burns were hurting a little more than usual. Which for some reason was a sign that somebody unknown to the Keeper was brought to the Boardwalk. And Firebrand had the strange feeling that it was Noah. The two teenagers got up and knocked on Noah's door. No one gave them an answer. Milo just decided to let himself in. What he saw shocked him: Noah was laying on his bed, passed out and completely pale. "Noah!" Milo screamed and rushed to his cousin's side. Firebrand was close behind him. He could sense the Boardwalk's energy around Noah. He knelt down next to Milo who was on the edge of his cousin's bed and shaking him. "Noah, wake up! Noah! For fuck's sake, Noah! Noah Maxwell, come on!" the Asher boy almost cried out. Firebrand tried to stay beside his boyfriend. The Boardwalk's energy on Noah hurt him. Because he was becoming an ally to one on the outside. But he wouldn't force Milo into the Collective. He wasn't like his brother who seemingly was trying to bring people to the Boardwalk none stop until they were approved. Or not. Ever since Observer got his heart broken because of that Kevin boy, he got into trouble like that. Not that Kevin was dead, no. He just got his memories about the Collective, the Boardwalk and Observer erased. Something about other timelines as the Keeper had explained. Firebrand never wanted to join the Collective in the first place but since his parents died his brother was to decide. And his brother chose to go completely insane. "Firey? Are you alright? You're crying..." Milo suddenly asked. Firebrand didn't even notice the tears falling from his cheeks. But the pain in his burns and scars was getting excruciating. He shifted away from Noah and just nodded as an answer. Milo wasn't done with him there but his bigger worry was Noah. His cousin. The one who was like his brother. Just then Noah sat up straight in his bed, sweating like hell and seemingly confused. "WHAT THE FUCK?!" he yelled out of confusion. "Noah!" Milo squealed and hugged the older boy. "Milo? How- What the- Huh?" Noah stuttered. Firebrand was pretty tensed up but when Noah woke up that made the pain go away a little. "Noah, right?" he carefully asked. The older boy nodded. "Can we have a quick talk? Just the two of us?" Another nod. Milo left the room, he had the feeling Firebrand knew what was going on. "Alright, eh... Noah, what did happen before you woke up here?" Firebrand asked. "Well, I was with Observer, my boyfriend ya know... And he took me to this place, I think it's called the Boardwalk? And then I kinda just passed out... It was weird... The weather and climate completely changed... It was all warm and damp and over all not something I really like... I guess that's the reason I passed out..." Noah explained. "Fuck this, I knew it... Noah, what you need to know is that Observer is my brother... The Boardwalk is like our home but if you enter it to often it can become dangerous... The Boardwalk is home to a cult, the Collective... I... I was forced to join it when I was really young because of my brother... And... Well... He tries to get the Keeper to accept you as one of us... You know Kevin? Kevin Haas? He was the first guy Observer tried this with... He'll get you hurt... All those scars and burns are something I got from the Collective... And I don't know what you joining will mean to our timeline..." Firebrand explained. "Collective? Keeper? Timeline? What the hell are you even talking about?" Noah asked. "It's complicated, Noah... I shouldn't have told you this but you needed to be warned... I'll leave now... Tell Milo I had to go home..." Firebrand said. And just like that he was gone.
When the small, fragile boy appeared in his home, the Keeper was already waiting for him. "Firebrand." it spoke. The boy flinched, "Yes? What is the issue, Sir?" "Your brother brought someone again. And you are making allies on the outside. He has already been punished. But what you did is worse. Allying with one on the outside. We will wait for you at the spot. You know where to find us." the Keeper spoke to him before it disappeared. Firebrand sighed and went to walk another walk of shame. Fear told him to just run but he knew better then to try and run from the Keeper.
Suddenly a spot of colour appeared. A demon like entity in a vibrant purple. "Hey Buddy!" it said in a double-toned voice. "What? Eh- Who are you?! How did you get here?! The Keeper won't like this!" Firebrand stuttered. "I know, I know... The Stick-In-The-Mud won't like anything... But I'm here for you! Not to kill you or anything... But to save you! You wanna get out of here? I have the solution!" the demon said. "Who even are you?!" Firebrand asked, panicking. "Oh sorry, I forgot to introduce myself! How rude of me... I'm Habit!" it gave a quick introduction, "You're Firebrand, right?" "Yeah?" Firebrand answered. "That's great! Come on! We'll leave now! You like this sweet boy, right? Milo is his name? I'll get you to see him!" Habit said to the small boy. "How do you know about Milo? How do you know about me? Wha- I-" Firebrand stuttered. "Just wait and see!" Habit spoke before taking Firebrand's hand and disappearing, leaving the Boardwalk like the two of them had never been there.