You're My Chase

Chapter three

Purpled 3rd Person POV:

"Punz?"

He walked further, running his hand over the items scattered around. It was mostly computers in neat rows, lined up like soldiers, scattered office chairs, and the occasional coffee cup. Purpled sighed and picked those up, before tossing them into the nearest trash can.

"Hey, P! How are you?" a voice asked, and he made his way over to it.

"Theseus tried to catch me today," he replied lazily, sinking into the couch on the far side of the room. He stared at the unfinished mark on his palm. It felt like it was always burning, sizzling into something that would always stay. He hated it.

The sound of metal things falling alerted Purpled to the other side of the room, and a not-so-silent curse word that followed right after. Punz raised a finger at his younger brother as he stood up, brushing metal flakes from his legs with his other hand. "Don't you ever say that word and become another me."

Purpled grinned. "Frick."

He sighed. "Don't play with me. But at least you didn't copy me."

The kid stretched out on the couch, relaxing into its pillows. "I won't become another you. Don't worry." He became silent before mumbling, "Mostly because I might not get that chance."

"Huh?" He flinched at the sudden nearby voice. "How come?"

"Geeze, Punz, you weren't supposed to hear that!" Purpled reprimanded, pushing off the couch and allowing his brother to sit next to him. "Stop being such a good Runner for one second!"

Punz took the invitation. "Well, I did. Now, care to tell me what that was about?"

"I still don't know how you got your name when you are neither grateful, nor appreciative."

"Too bad. Now, why won't you get the chance to become me? Is it because of Tommy?" Punz fixed his white sweater before putting an arm over Purpled's back, and Purpled leaned into his brother.

"Maybe."

Silence reigned in the room for some time, just them and a mute, ticking clock.

"Can you . . . explain?" Wordlessly, Purpled held up his palm. Punz carefully took it and examined the faint mark. "Oh, he got close, didn't he?"

He nodded. "I don't like that, Punz. I don't want to be captured, I want to live freely like you do."

"Kid, I live like trash. It's only because of you that I'm actually trying here. If I didn't have to care about you, you don't want to know where I would be right now."

"Yeah, you kind of do live like trash," he giggled. "I had to throw away five empty coffee cups this time."

Punz rolled his ice blue eyes, but ruffled Purpled's hair affectionately. "I'm sure you'll live a great life. If Tommy did mark you, I don't think it would be the end of the world."

"Yeah, but, I don't want him to mark me! Or anyone! I only have five runs left, and he knows this. Along with Dream. Both of them will be neck and neck with each other, trying to get me."

Punz nodded, unconsciously tightening his grip on Purpled's hand he still held.

"Ow, Punz."

Widening his eyes, he immediately dropped his arm. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to," he said, flustered. "Does it really hurt, or?"

"I'm fine," he said, blushing, laying his head on his brother's chest. "It doesn't really hurt, it was more of a reaction type of thing."

Punz curled his arms around his brother, pulling him tighter. "I'll kill Dream. Mark my words."