Genetic Broken Uprising

•6•

————————
|  Awakened Allies  |
————————

The invisible force holding First and Santa six feet in the air suddenly vanished, like a snapped rope, leaving them both to plummet without warning.

In a split second, First twisted his body, his arms shooting out to grab Santa and pull him close. His muscles tensed, the world around them seeming to blur as they fell. He could feel Santa's breath hitch in surprise as First shifted their weight midair, positioning himself beneath his younger brother.

The wind whipped past their faces, and the slick, grimy alley floor loomed large below. First gritted his teeth, bracing for impact. His back hit the wet cement with a bone-jarring thud, the force rattling through his entire body.

The sharp, cold sting of the ground shot up his spine, the rough pavement scraping against his skin through his clothes. Pain flared through him, but he clung tightly to Santa, shielding him from the harsh impact.

Santa landed on top of him with a soft grunt, his weight pressing down on First's chest, but he was unharmed. First's body had absorbed the brunt of the fall, and as they lay there, breathless and disoriented, First could feel the sting of sharp gravel digging into his back. The rain-soaked pavement beneath him felt like ice against his skin, but all he cared about was that Santa was safe.

Santa lifted his head, his wide eyes filled with worry as he looked down at First. "Are you okay?" he whispered, his voice shaky.

First swallowed the pain and nodded, offering a small, reassuring smile despite the ache pulsing through his body. "I'm fine," he gritted out, his voice strained but steady.

Santa bolted to his feet, his boots splashing through the puddles on the grimy alley floor as he rushed toward Boom. The panic in his wide eyes was unmistakable, his heart pounding with fear for his older brother. First, despite the dull ache radiating through his back from the harsh fall, forced his body to move. His muscles protested with every inch he crawled, but he wouldn't stop—not until he was by Boom's side.

Boom lay motionless on the cold, slick pavement, his body still and soaked from the damp alley. His sweater was torn and dirty, his skin bruised and scraped from where Niran had dragged him across the ground. His eyes, usually so full of life, were unfocused, staring blankly up at the night sky above.

"Boom!" Santa's voice cracked with desperation as he dropped to his knees beside him, hands trembling as he shook Boom's shoulders. "Boom, come on, say something." Santa's fingers dug into Boom's clothes, his face etched with worry as he tried to snap his brother out of his daze.

First crawled closer, gritting his teeth against the pain, his breath labored as he finally reached Boom's side. His eyes swept over his brother, taking in the scrapes, bruises, and dirt covering Boom's body. The sight made his heart clench, but relief began to bloom in his chest as he saw Boom's unfocused gaze slowly begin to shift.

Boom blinked, his eyes hazy at first, but then they started to zero in on Santa's face, recognition flickering back into his gaze. His breath came in shallow gasps as he tried to sit up, but his body was still too weak, too battered.

Before First could ask if Boom was okay, his younger brother suddenly threw his arms around First's neck, pulling him into a tight embrace. The sudden movement caught First off guard, and he winced as the sharp pain in his back throbbed, but he didn't pull away. Boom clung to him, his arms trembling as he held on, his face buried against First's shoulder.

Boom began to sob into First's shoulder, the weight of his emotions became palpable. His shoulders heaved with each shuddering breath, the tremors of his distress transmitting through his entire body.