WHATEVER IT TAKES | boboiboy ! cyclone [ ✔ ]

09 | PROMISE

Cyclone walked out of the shower, sighing. "Time to-"

"Time to what?"

He tripped, landing on the floor first-face with a loud thud. The wind manipulator winced, rubbing his forehead. He reached up, feeling a slight bump. "Hey!" He remarked. "Didn't you see the DO NOT ENTER sign on my door? That's really rude!"

"Really?" The intruder asked, monotone. "Missed it then."

"Go away!" Cyclone wanted to push the person off his dear bed in annoyance. "You're not welcome here, or any of you! This is MY room, MY property, MY secret-"

"Technically," The boy replied, sitting cross-legged as if he owns the whole place. "You didn't pay for any of this, and you got it by chance because you kept on tattle-tailing about getting your own room to Quake. And what secret?"

"You- ugh!" He stomped his foot on the floor, huffing.

"See? I win." 

Cyclone tossed his towel onto the back of a chair and sat on it, turning around until he faced his younger brother. "What are you here for?"

The boy furrowed his eyebrows. "What do you think?"

"I did not take any of your froyos, Ice. That's the truth, and-" 

"I didn't come for that." The said boy tilted his head, squeezing the pillow in his hand as he stared at his sibling. "You know that Quake and Thunder were suspicious of you right?"

You know that right? RIGHT? Right, Cyclone?

Cyclone could feel his hands growing clammy. "Uh, what?"

"Yeah." He replied nonchalantly, enjoying the tense silence in the room as he spoke, clear and loud. "They wanted to stop you from doing whatever you wanted to do." He held up his hand. "I won't. But I'm just telling you-"

"How did they know?!" The brunette flipped out of his chair, panicking as he paced around, looking at the blueprints on his table. Ice followed his gaze, taking notice of the plans. "I-I thought Ochobot and me kept this a good secret! This is bad-"

"Apparently not," He hid his smile. "They knew."

Cyclone grew even more anxious, running a hand through his hair. "W-We have to change the plan now! I-I can't do this here, I-I have to go back to Earth and do the transformation process myself without anyone k-knowing.." He kept on blabbering.

Good secret. Ice wanted to snort. Ochobot, not you.

"Oh no- I spoiled the plan to you." He turned around, smacking a hand over his mouth in surprise as his eyes widened like saucers. "I-I swear, I'm not gonna.. please-"

Gonna what? Cyclone gulped, stopping.

"I won't tell them if you tell me everything." Ice's eyes dimmed.

Cyclone sighed. "But you have to promise me one thing, okay? And you can't say no."

The other boy chuckled. "Then that wouldn't be a promise. A promise is when both sides of the topic consecutively agrees with each other. And I don't-"

Almost smacking his brother, the wind manipulator fumed in anger and embarrassment. "W-Whatever. So do you want to know the plan or not?" The tip of his ears turned red.

"What's the promise?" Ice rested his chin on his hand.

The feeling came upon the wind manipulator like a hit from the ocean waves, washing over him. I'm going to die for something that none of us are sure would happen. He formed the words in his head. Each word felt excoriating to think, as if they were abrading his skin. I don't even know if I'm going to die in piece.

Bright blue eyes met ocean ones, both in depth as they stared at each other. 

He felt the words stuck in his throat. He wanted to choke them out, but it felt so bitter in his mouth. He could feel the bile rising, the tears that threatened to fall if he spat it out. He has gone this far without anyone knowing. But now in the presence of his family member..

He was emotional. It was as if he was the fragile flower in the room.

"Cyclone..?" Ice's tone was alarmed, yet soft. "You alright?"

"I-I.." He stuttered, not wanting to meet his brother's eyes. He landed his blue orbs on the scribbles of paper on his table. "It's too complicated to explain. C-Can you give me a moment?"

"I was just kidding." Yet something about the way he said it wasn't a joke. The wind manipulator could feel himself slowly sinking into reality. He was going to get busted. He felt guilty. He was trapped in his own mind. "You don't have to tell me."

Please help me. I don't want to do this. He swallowed the words back in, shutting his eyes. I have to do better than this. I promised them that I'd bring Solar back, whatever it takes. 

"Whatever you're planning, don't do it-"

"Kill me." He blurted out, clenching his hands into fists. He bit his lower lip and without turning around, gathered up the written plans on his desk. "Kill me if I-"

"What? No." Ice said in disbelief. "That's absurd."

Cyclone didn't reply, but took a band, wrapping the rolls in place as he tossed it to his older brother. "That's all I can give you." His tone shook, forcing a bitter frown in place for his wavering smile. "Leave me alone. Please."

"This isn't enough proof to tell me that you'll be alive." His brother shook his head, dropping the blueprints on the bed, along with the soft pillow. "I want to hear it from you. From Cyclone. Not the person who's forced to do all this because he's guilty."

He would've cried. "J-Just promise me. Please?"

Ice took the papers in his hands. "You're not gonna suicide, are you?"

"Why would I?" For Solar.

"Good." His tone turned icy cold. Before Cyclone could process what the boy had said, the sounds of ripping paper had filled the room. The wind manipulator crumpled down on his knees, unable to do anything as he watched the plans vanish into pieces.

"Then you wouldn't need them, do you?" Ice coldly stared at his brother. "You have other choices. You're not going to commit suicide. Not on my watch."

I'd do anything to bring Solar back. I promise.

"W-Why..?" A whisper came out of his mouth. "T-That was.."

"I care about you." Ice walked to the door, putting his hand on the sensor machine. The door opened with a hiss, allowing the wind manipulator to get a glimpse of the eerie hallway. "Solar's dead. Nothing can change that. I'm not going to lose another brother."

Without another word, the cold-hearted brunette left the room. A sob escaped his mouth, his cries slowly filling the silent room. He had spent so long on them, measuring, making sure that they were good enough. He had invested so much time into them. 

Just to make sure that Solar would be back.

Yet before him-

The work of his life was shredded into pieces just like that.