Chapter Text
He catches the card millimeters from the flower’s stem before the razor-sharp edge can make contact.
“Be the reason for its death, and there will be consequences,” Rover hums pleasantly and shoves the card into his back pocket.
Scar laughs in delight from where he is sprawled over the low stone wall. He must have been at his wit’s end without Rover’s attention on him for the last five minutes. “Oh, but you should know by now that I will enthusiastically take whatever you give me, dear heart,” Scar replies sharply. Suggestively.
And yes, Rover does know. It makes it frustratingly difficult to even attempt any punishment for Scar’s frequent misbehavior. Don’t get him wrong, Scar is awfully compliant with Rover’s actual wants and needs. It’s the mundane stuff he tends to turn into a royal pain in the ass about.
One short moment of turning his focus away from Scar can result in a magnitude of severe annoyances born from seemingly insignificant things.
Rover has had a few years to work out the inner workings of Scar’s twisted mind, and he is only marginally better at understanding it than he was at the very beginning of their partnership. Insults get thrown right back at him, often evolving into scathing banter. Fights and inflicting pain only spur him on further. Delegating him to do the grunt work or forcing him to deal with the papers results in nothing being done properly.
Positive or negative reinforcement doesn’t work either because he is fully aware that, at the end of the day, Rover will also give him whatever he desires. Their relationship goes both ways. It’s no secret that Rover is exceptionally weak to the way Scar’s eyes soften whenever they are together.
Still, there are some pretty effective ways he can threaten him. “We haven’t seen Camellya in a while,” he points out as he gets up from the crouching position and brushes his hands off on the white pants. It leaves red streaks on his thighs.
Just as he looks over, Scar’s hands fumble in the middle of shuffling his cards, and a few of them fall down to the grass. He stares after them mournfully but does not move to pick them up.
“You just enjoy making me suffer, don’t you?” Scar pouts dramatically, slumping down to lie on his back. And in a fashion true to his forever unpredictable state of mind, the disappointment vanishes in a manner of seconds in favor of amusement. “Say, do you reckon he would have been grateful to you for nourishing it with blood?”
“Does it matter?” Rover hums conversationally, sweeping his gaze over the small field of Emortias. There is a puddle of blood off to the side, slowly trickling its way toward the flower he planted in Jiyan’s memory. “We killed him, he doesn’t exactly have an opinion anymore. I am simply keeping my promise.”
“Such cruel apathy,” Scar almost purrs with approval, quickly licking his lips. Insatiable.
Rover steps over the dead body laying amidst the blooms with a chuckle and walks in his direction. It was one of the last patrollers left in Jinzhou. Rover doesn’t know what he must have thought to attempt to arrest two of the Overseers without any backup. Perhaps it was foolish courage, maybe a way out of the city’s crumbling ruins without hurting his pride.
“I would call it a realistic approach.” He leans down to gather the discarded cards, counting four as he presses them close together. Scar pushes himself up to sit straight, watching him intently.
He smiles as he pats Scar’s cheek with the flat side before shifting them to the sharp edge and drawing a line on his cheekbone. The cut is shallow, but the vibrant red of his blood still comes up to the surface.
Scar tilts his head with a grin, daring him to cut more. Instead, Rover leans up to press his lips against the one he’s just made, smearing the blood on the pale skin around it. He licks his lips clean as he pulls back, tasting the copper.
He steps away and towards the pavement platform, done with the first task they had come all the way to Jinzhou for, and ready to waste some time before the second objective of the day shows up. Scar jumps off the wall to follow him without missing a beat.
It doesn’t escape Rover’s attention that he takes care not to step onto the patch of grass filled with flowers.
“You’re behaving so well today,” Rover muses, crossing his arms. He expected Scar to maim at least a few of the insignificant Emortias in an act of petty defiance and jealousy at having Rover’s attention occupied with something else. “What’s the occasion?”
“I’m in a good mood,” Scar replies with a short laugh. He strides closer to Rover until their foreheads are touching. “And it might even improve, soon enough.”
And with that cocky statement, he places both of his hands on Rover’s waist and backs him against the signpost at the end of the pavement where the dirt road begins.
Well, Rover cannot say that he is partial to sex in the open, even if he has indulged Scar a few times in the past. But they do have about ten long minutes of waiting, and perhaps if he paces them, it won’t get quite far enough.
It will also frustrate Scar enough to make him deliciously desperate by nightfall.
So, he gets on with the program quickly, reaching up to tug roughly at the white strands of hair and widening his legs so that Scar’s knee can slip between them. He knows that Scar must be aching to put a fresh mark on one of his shoulders, to draw blood and leave a print of his teeth for all to see. Which is why before he can get to that, Rover grabs him by the nape and pulls down. He immediately licks at the Tacet Mark, smirking against the black pulsing with energy as he feels the choked-off exhale leave Scar’s throat.
Infuriatingly enough, it does go straight to his cock. It twitches in his underwear, and the friction Scar provides with his knee is absolutely not helping.
Who is he lying to, they have never been able to pace themselves.
Damnit, maybe they can get off quickly right now, take the edge off?
Rover places his free hand on Scar’s hip and grips it tightly while moving the other to cradle the scarred cheek, pressing his gloved thumb against the uneven skin beneath the red eye.
Scar finally gets his brain back on track and realizes that Rover is more than on board with this, and his hands also get back into the action. One of them moves down to Rover’s ass, squeezing and pressing him impossibly closer. His left hand trails up Rover’s spine, teasing the skin as it brushes through the ribbons that tie his vest securely until it reaches the base of the twin tails at the back of his head.
Predictably, he yanks on them to detach Rover’s mouth from his neck, and at once replaces the warmth of skin missing from his lips with his own tongue. Rover instinctively gives him access to slip it inside, making an appreciative sound.
He loves kissing Scar.
Whether it’s rough and full of teeth, in the heat of the moment as they fuck against the desk in one of the offices, simple quick pecks when they are on the go, or if it’s slow and steady, licking into one another.
“Rover!” Comes a shout from down the hill, just behind Rover’s back.
Embarrassingly, because two of the Overseers should always be thoroughly aware of their surroundings, it startles them both. Rover’s head jerks back without his permission, creating a loud clang as it connects with the signpost he’s been leaning on. He narrowly avoids biting viciously on Scar’s tongue, who actually loses his footing and stumbles past him, in an attempt at what, Rover does not know.
Of fucking course they are early. Rover really should have known better by now.
“Never mind, I’m about to be in a terrible mood,” Scar whines, dropping to a crouch. He is staring miserably at the ground when Rover glances over.
He doesn’t respond, instead letting out a quiet hiss as he tries to massage the sore spot on his head.
He also forces himself to remember the one time Phrolova walked in on them back at the HQ and how mortifying that was. They couldn’t get back in the mood for at least a week, and certainly not in that building for another month. He focuses on the fact of just how much worse it would be if the two people that are heading their way right now were to catch them in the act. How would he ever look Encore in the eye again? At the back of his mind, he is aware that she definitely knows about sex by now. But he doesn’t think he will ever be able to actually acknowledge it.
“Encore, wait!” Comes the second shout, a bit further away. Perhaps still by the river.
A few seconds more—which is thankfully enough to adjust his pants and his now fully softened dick—and the bubbly teen runs straight at him to gather him in a hug. It could have ended so, so badly.
She slips away just as fast, always so energetic. It gives Rover an opportunity to search for any changes since he last saw her a few months back.
Unexpectedly, his eyes widen when he notices the dark pink horns adorning her head. Just recently, she was still unsure about showing that side of her heritage to the world at large. It’s one thing to let them slip out when she’s in the midst of a battle frenzy, about to kill any enemy that has glimpsed them. It’s another to openly walk with them on full display.
Rover carefully doesn’t comment on them, knowing he isn’t the person whose opinion she would ever be concerned about. He made sure she was aware he would always support her no matter what. He does smile, though, noting the little golden ornaments, twinkling from the tips of said horns.
Otherwise, it appears she has grown annoyed with wearing her hair loose around her shoulders by now. She switched to a simple high ponytail, tied with an enormous pink ribbon. The Blake Bloom sits nestled right at the center of it, showing proudly which organization Encore is a part of. She still wears Aalto’s old but modified coat, adjusted by her to look less… messy than it used to. Now, it’s just the back part that functions more as a cape, the ends dyed in pink of a shade similar to her hair.
She is wearing a pink and white dress that he is pretty sure he has seen before. If he remembers correctly, it has an open back, along with the visible slits on the sides to not hinder her in combat. It’s decorated with black and white accessories, too many details for Rover to even attempt to catalog without gaining a headache for his efforts.
When his gaze reaches up to her face, he sees her frowning in concentration and running her eyes up and down Rover’s body, clearly scrutinizing his brand-new clothes with great focus.
Right, that is clearly the most important thing about their meeting today.
Which means he obligingly turns in a slow circle to show it off to her without a prompt.
He knows he looks good. He happens to quite like this variant of his outfit as well—as opposed to the previous one that got utterly destroyed on the last mission.
It’s nothing so special, though.
Simple white pants with dark red seams and thigh bands of the same color. Off-white vest, tied at the back with crimson ribbons in a mimicry of a corset, courtesy of Scar. Similar stripes of fabric are artistically wrapped around his arms in place of sleeves starting at his bicepses, with the excess hanging loosely at the wrist and elbow. White gloves, one with an open back to show his Tacet Mark, while the other portrays Scar’s black sheep symbol in the very same spot.
Accessories are hanging from the threads and his red belt—random charms he picked up on their travels, as well as small gifts from Encore. He vaguely remembers there being some crimson prints on his back and low on his trousers, but the latter is too soaked in dried blood to tell anymore. The color should be matching his combat boots now, though.
Aside from all that, bite marks litter his neck and shoulders which are always in the open view as of late. However, that might as well be a permanent addition, seeing as Scar meticulously reapplies them every single day.
Just as he shifts back to face her, Aalto skids to a stop right before Scar’s still crouched figure, panting as he doubles over and rests his palms on his knees.
Scar looks up at him with plain disdain. “Your stamina is in a pathetic state,” he scoffs. “I would think you could at least manage running for longer distances without an issue.”
The only response he gets is a half-hearted middle finger. Rover snorts at the exchange.
“I like the white,” Encore eventually decides, evidently satisfied with all the small details she must have cataloged away in her mind, and nods in approval. Coming from her, it’s a big compliment. “You look as beautiful as ever, big brother.”
Rover returns the bright grin she sends him without hesitation. He has missed her. Perhaps he should find some excuse to pull her and Aalto away from the duties for a week or so.
“Of course he looks beautiful,” Scar agrees with a grunt and picks himself up from the ground. He walks back to Rover’s side, immediately draping himself over his shoulders. “I picked it all out for him.”
Encore reels back in surprise, her nose wrinkling at the words. “Encore finds that hard to believe.”
“Ha? What’s that supposed to mean?” Scar glares at the girl, but Rover can hear the petulant undertone in his voice. “Why aren’t you acting that sweet towards your actual big brother?”
“Scar is mean and ugly,” she sticks her tongue out with a scowl of her own. “Rover deserves much better.”
Scar seems genuinely taken aback by the statement for all five seconds. Like he cannot fathom someone suggesting Rover could be anyone’s but his. It’s so adorable that Rover cannot resist the urge to grab him by his cheeks with one hand, just as his expression changes to anger, and pushes their lips together in a chaste kiss. He can’t quite imagine that either.
Encore gags theatrically in the background.
Rover pulls back with a chuckle, happy to see that Scar has already entirely forgotten about being frustrated with his little sister in the first place. So easy to appease.
“When will you grow out of running away from me?” Aalto pipes up suddenly, finally having caught his breath.
She grins mischievously, clearly enjoying the way she makes Aalto scramble after her. It’s moments like this where the resemblance to Scar shines through. Sure, Encore is still the kindest and most creative girl he’s ever met. But Rover has heard the stories of how her absolute lack of filter puts many people in disastrously awkward positions, the number of times she makes others run in circles for her amusement, and how she sometimes enjoys fighting a little bit too much.
They might not look like one another, but whether they are happy about it or not, they cannot escape their similar behaviors.
As is Scar’s endearing pouting face and the softest grins he sends Rover’s way when he is genuinely pleased that mirror Encore’s regular mannerisms. He will take that one comparison with him to the grave, though.
Encore spins on her heels to regard Aalto cheerfully. “Someone has to keep uncle in shape!”
“Hey—" Aalto falters with a distraught expression, clearly not having expected that.
“The brat is right,” Scar abruptly agrees, gesturing vaguely at their friend. “You bring shame to your entire organization with that pitiful display just a moment ago. You look like you might have gained some weight as well,” he hums the last part as if to himself, tilting his head in contemplation as he stares at Aalto’s figure.
Encore snickers at their side and nods her head vigorously.
Aalto stutters out a protest of sorts, his eyes jumping between the siblings frantically before they settle on Rover pleadingly.
“I think you look lovely.” Rover decides to take pity on him. “Added weight or not.” Not entirely, though.
His response prompts loud laughter from both Scar and Encore, accompanied by Aalto’s loud groan as he rubs his hands over his face in despair.
“You always gang up against me,” he grumbles and puts on his glasses while covering his mouth with exaggerated anguish. “No one appreciates my hard work around here. One day, I will transfer out and you will realize you should have been kinder to me.”
“Ah!” Encore gasps, ignoring Aalto’s dramatics, and turns back to Rover with excitement. “I almost forgot.”
She digs through her pockets eagerly, biting on her cheek when she cannot dig out whatever she’s searching for. Even with such a small space, Rover can easily imagine a magnitude of shiny rocks and nice materials thrown haphazardly into the pockets whenever she stumbles onto something remotely nice looking. She is like a little magpie when it comes to trinkets.
Eventually, she emerges victorious with a self-satisfied noise, sticking her closed fist out with expectation.
Rover dutifully reaches out to cup her fist with his open palm until she uncurls it and drops the object into it. When she takes her hand away, a bracelet of sorts is revealed. The cord of a muted pink, twisted around itself in an intricate pattern. Three red gems sit at the center of it, thrumming with the fusion energy. Clearly her own handiwork.
“It’s gorgeous. I think it will match the ribbons perfectly.” He nudges Scar to dislodge him from his shoulders and gestures for him to tie it around the wrist with his symbol right above it. When he is done, Rover shakes his hand around a few times, testing how secure the hold is. He was right, it does fit well. “Thank you a lot, Encore. I love it.”
He smiles at her in sincere gratitude, always happy whenever she puts effort into creating something for him. Encore returns it tenfold, beaming at him. “You’re welcome!”
She truly brightens up any space she is in at the time. Sometimes, Rover wishes she would have joined Fractsidus along with them, but he knows that the Black Shores are a much better place for her. When he breached the subject with Scar at one point, even he grumbled that they could use the way she so expertly portrays herself as harmless for the most confidential spy missions.
Rover glances up at said man out of habit, just to see him eyeing Encore carefully. Ah, so he has gathered up his strength to finally play nice for once like they talked about. Rover is truly proud of him; he didn’t think Scar would actually say anything today.
“The horns suit you, little lamb,” he says and actually manages to sound casual. “I have heard you are doing a damn good job in that silly organization of yours.” Much to Rover’s amusement, his eyes dart to the side in clear discomfort before he looks at her again. What a baby. He clears his throat and finishes in a much more Scar-like manner, “Don’t go fucking it up now.”
Surprisingly—or maybe not so much—Aalto nods in clear approval, as always protective over Encore’s well-being. Both of them know that while Encore is content, and even happy, with the current state of things, Scar is the only biological family she has left. Their relationship goes from hostile to somewhat pleasant in seconds depending on the day. Thankfully, they do get along more often than not.
And it undoubtedly goes both ways.
Rover remembers the time Scar thanked Aalto for taking care of Encore for so many years. In not so many words and many more unhinged remarks scattered in between so that he wouldn’t come off as soft. He is pretty sure Aalto left that meeting profusely confused and not entirely certain whether the meaning got across. But Aalto is a smart man, he must have eventually realized that Scar actually cares about her, in his own twisted way.
“You—!” Encore’s mouth opens and closes as no words follow up the first one.
In an impressive manner of time, her cheeks gain some color as she tries to gather herself together. Scar’s cheeks are also slightly red, even if significantly less so, clearly embarrassed about the whole ordeal just as she is.
“Encore will show you that she is the best!” She eventually squeaks out in determination, taking it as a challenge.
Rover can almost see Scar shift the gears back into the bickering, only for his expression to change into an expectant smirk. Just like Rover, he has definitely sensed that their esteemed guest has arrived. They turn around to watch her step onto Knell Square from the direction of Lake Heights.
“How adorable,” Jinhsi comments in a monotonous tone once she notices them looking, seemingly unconcerned. “Who would have thought you could still feel compassion of sorts.”
“Oh, come on,” Scar protests with a scowl and crosses his arms. “I am perfectly capable of any feelings. Or forming attachments. Be it to the gem of Solaris-3 that stands beside me, or the insufferable brat.”
Jinhsi’s pale eyes shift to Rover’s without acknowledging Scar’s defensive retort whatsoever. The warmth and hopefulness she regarded him with years ago have long since extinguished. Now, she watches him with calculative coldness. “And you as well,” she muses, coming to a stop a few steps away from their group. “I assumed you must have gotten rid of any emotions you possessed to have switched sides like that.”
In her defense, to any outsider, it must have appeared very… spontaneous. But it isn’t like he’s ever given them the impression that he actually gives two shits about it all. He only followed along to see the situation for himself before making a proper choice.
“I’ve listened to your cause. I even meddled with your issues. I have let everyone give me their version of the events. Isn’t it only fair to give the same courtesy to the Fractsidus?” Rover asks rhetorically, raising his eyebrows at her. Certainly, it took a tremendous amount of time spent on negotiating their ideals to make it work between them. But at least they were willing to share everything and compromise, unlike other factions. “And to answer your assumption—of course not, I’ve never been happier.”
“How unjust the universe can be,” she mutters under her breath, closing her eyes briefly.
He doesn’t know whether she thinks it’s unfair that Rover chose the radical approach of fixing the world, or that her enemies are actually enjoying their lives while she suffers. But it’s alright. She won’t suffer for long anymore.
She exhales softly before regarding her again with a detached expression. “I see you have invited representatives from another organization to help your cause.” Her gaze sweeps over the other two. Encore waves at her in a friendly manner, entirely uncaring about the thick tension surrounding them. Aalto, meanwhile, smiles nervously and squirms in place. “Let’s begin, shall we?”