Chasing Normalcy

Chapter 1

Wake-Up Call

The room was cloaked in the eerie pre-dawn darkness, where shadows clung to every corner. Toxic stirred on the worn-out sofa, groaning as he shook himself awake. His dark hair was a tangled mess as he fumbled to tie it up into a low ponytail.

Bits and pieces of a nightmare still lingered in his mind, a dark and fractured landscape he couldn't quite grasp. The echoes of pain, of a past he'd rather forget, clung to his subconscious like cobwebs.

Shaking off the remnants of the dream, Toxic begrudgingly pulled himself to his feet. "Another day alive, yay," he muttered to himself sarcastically, striding toward Diamond's room.

Toxic found Diamond tangled up in his bedsheets, a mop of blond hair sticking out in every direction and his scaled tail wrapped around his leg, webbed ears twitching slightly as he slept. He couldn't help but crack a grin, shaking his cousin awake with a playful shove. "Rise and shine, asshole. I'm locking you inside if you're late."

Diamond groaned, rubbing the sleep from his sky-blue eyes. "Ughh do you have to do that? What happened to the good old nudge someone awake?"

Toxic chuckled, a hint of mischief in his eyes. "Where's the fun in that? Besides, you sleep like a rock. A cannon wouldn't wake you up, let alone a nudge."

As Diamond reluctantly peeled himself from the warmth of his bed, Toxic couldn't help but notice the contrast between them. Toxic's own attire was dark and practical, a black jacket over a gray turtleneck, his hair now neatly tied back. In contrast, Diamond was a chaotic burst of colors and whimsy, with his blond hair wild and his attire an odd mix of bright shades.

Despite the playful banter, a shared history loomed in the background, something neither was willing to discuss openly. Toxic had his own reasons for his relentless teasing, a shadowed past that still haunted his nightmares.

With one last teasing remark, Toxic headed into the kitchen to make himself a much-needed cup of coffee.

As Toxic sipped his steaming cup of coffee in the kitchen, Diamond wandered in, the scent of toasted bread following him. He busied himself making breakfast, the clinking of plates and cutlery punctuating the quiet morning.

Toxic glanced over, a sardonic grin playing on his lips. "Taking your sweet time, aren't you? You'll miss the bus."

Diamond shot him an exasperated look. "I've got plenty of time, Toxic. Unlike you, not everyone is on a tight schedule to destroy the world."

Toxic scoffed, taking another sip of his coffee. "Someone's gotta keep things interesting around here."

The banter flowed between them, a dance of words that belied the deeper connection they shared. They debated the merits of Battlefield 1 versus Battlefield 5, the familiar argument a comforting backdrop to the morning routine.

Meanwhile, across the city, Alex sat at the kitchen table, exhaustion etched into every line of his face. His eyes were heavy-lidded from only two hours of sleep, his breakfast a hastily thrown together sandwich that promised to leave him hungry in an hour. But right now, he couldn't bring himself to care.

Dem descended the stairs, a judgmental look in his eyes. "Really?"

Alex looked at him with a half-hearted smile. "What? I'll eat something else later." When Dem's only reaction to that was a lifted eyebrow, Alex put his hands up mockingly. "I promise!"

Dem sighed, but refrained from further comment. Instead, he set to work making coffee for both of them, the rich aroma filling the kitchen. He then turned his attention to preparing for the day ahead, a sense of purpose guiding his movements.

"Dude! Battlefield 5 is totally better! You're stupid for thinking anythig else!" Diamond yelled, still arguing with Toxic over this. "Diamond you fucking idiot, I swear I'll smack you so hard if I ever hear you say that again. Battlefield 1 was the best version, it only got worse from there!" Toxic countered, pinching the bridge of his nose, face full of disappointment. "Oh fuck you, it's not my fault you're a-" Diamond started before being (very rudely in Diamond's professional opinion!) cut off by Toxic smacking him across the head. "You'll miss the bus you moron. Go on, out of my sight!" He scolded (this word is to be changed when I remember what to put) him while pushing the guy out the door, promptly locking the door behind him. "Wha- Toxic!" He yelled out, turning around and trying the door a few times before begrudgingly turning around and stomping down the stairs of the apartment building they lived in. As Diamond headed out to catch the bus, the echoes of their morning routine lingered in the air. Each of them carried their own burdens, their own battles to fight. And yet, in this moment, they found solace in the familiar rhythm of their lives.

The city woke around them, a symphony of distant sounds that hummed with the promise of a new day. And as the morning light pierced through the shadows, each of them faced the day with a determination born from the bonds of family and the shared understanding that they were never truly alone.