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veilbreak2026-01-27 03:43 pm
andcaboodle) wrote in veilbreak2026-01-27 03:43 pm
Entry tags:
(no subject)
CHARACTERS: Archie & Kit
WHAT: the brothers reunite for the first time in years
WHEN: 6 months ago
WHERE: Kit's room
WARNINGS: feelings
Being on the Mnemosyne was an exciting experience. Archie was on a ship in the air that was pretty cool. Though Archie’s anxiety and jittery nerves was not attached to the new experience of being in space or damn near close. No, it was seeing someone he had not seen in a long time. It felt silly to feel so anxious about seeing your family but it had been a while and more importantly this was without the veil. It may have been a few years since Archie was unveiled, but it was still an adjustment.
With a hesitant shift of weight from one foot to the other he finally knocked on the door. He had found out which room was Kit’s. Archie was still unsure what he would even say or do when the door opened but he was here and that was the first step. He worried his fingers together as he waited.
"Yes?" Kit's expression was curious as he opened the door. He wasn't expecting guests— as far as he was aware, he didn't have plans— and the young man waiting on the other side of his door was a stranger. But—
He studied his face. It was achingly familiar, give or take fifteen years, but there was no way. It had been nearly two decades since he left his life behind. He would always be seeing ghosts, but there was no reason to think his past would resurface now, here.
No matter how it seemed like this man was here to haunt him.
"Hi?"
He couldn't explain why his heart was in his throat.
Archie wasn’t sure what he expected when his brother opened the door. He had played the moment over and over in his mind. Though now it was happening he froze. It had been years, more than a decade for certain. Yet, Kit still looked like Kit or well an older version. Whereas Archie had gone from a child into a young man. He couldn’t expect his brother to instantly know who he was. Archie also had the luxury of knowing who he was approaching where as Kit had no idea. Yet, Archie still froze when it became clear it was his turn to introduce himself.
Nervousness got the better of him. His mouth opened and closed like he was some sort of guppy as he tried to find the words. He was searching for words and willing himself to stop being frozen with anxiety.
“Hi,” he finally managed. “It’s Archie,” he hesitated a moment. Almost sounding like he had news of his brother he realized how he had phrased it wasn’t helpful. “Me. I’m Archie.” He knew that was clear and he felt accomplished so he smiled warmly like he had done his part.
Kit simply stared, dumbstruck. It wasn't possible. God, was Archie even old enough to be here? He couldn't imagine that the little boy he used to comfort after nightmares, who once begged Kit to watch the Lion King with him every night for a week, who used to slip drawings into Kit's school bag that his friends would tease him about but he was always touched by— he couldn't be old enough to be a part of the resistance.
But yet— his curls were less wild, his cheekbones sharper, but he was unmistakably looking into Archie's eyes.
"But you're all grown up," he spoke softly, and his voice cracked.
There was that moment of recognition he saw in Kit’s face and he could see his brother connecting the dots. When Kit finally spoke Archie couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah, I have it on good authority that is what happens over time.”
Archie shrugged his shoulders. “I figured I should come by since I came on board.” It would have been rude not to seek him out. “But it has been like fourteen, fifteen years.”
"Longer," Kit corrected. He'd been gone for over half of Archie's life (he tried to ignore the way guilt knotted his stomach at that realization). "How are you here? God, you remind me of mom." He dragged a hand over his face with an exhale. He had always hoped he would see his brother again but he wasn't emotionally prepared for this today. "Sorry, can I— can I hug you?"
“Huh,” Archie replied when Kit said longer. He was right, it had been longer. He hadn’t seen his brother in a long time. It made it all the more precious that he was here now and could actually say hi. Though there was a sudden worry that maybe Kit wouldn’t want to see him. That fear was fleeting as he heard the next words his brother spoke. “Of course!” He held out his arms ready to accept the embrace.
Kit took a step forward and wrapped his arms around him. "You've gotten so tall," he muttered. It was stupid, of of course Archie had grown up. Still, he had witnessed his first steps and first words, had offered him words of encouragement before his first day of school, had cheered him on during a childhood football match, had consoled him when he lost his favorite teddy bear— and then Kit left and missed everything between then and now, leaving him with a brother he no longer knew and could hardly recognize.
"I'm so sorry."
As he felt Kit’s arms wrap around him he wrapped his arms around Kit. His face buried into his brother’s shoulder. Archie had not realized how much he needed that hug. It had been so long. The emotions that hit him as he made contact were a lot. “I get it now,” he said. He understood now why Kit had left. The unveiling was the reason he had to go. Years he had not understood why his brother had left, but now he did.
“It’s okay. You had to.”
"Yeah, but you must have felt—" Kit paused. Had Archie actually felt anything or had the veil completely erased the justified sense of betrayal and abandonment? Had he not questioned why his brother left for university early and never came back? "Terrible." But even if Archie hadn't felt anything when Kit left, all those emotions would come rushing back eventually.
He pulled away so he could look at him though he still held Archie's shoulders, to remind him that he was real, that he was here. "I never wanted to leave you," he told him. "But I didn't want to put you at risk either. I thought about you all the time though."
Looking back at his brother, it almost felt surreal. But Archie was here with his brother after all this time. “I,” he started and paused, uncertain really of how he had felt. He was still navigating the memories and the feelings. “At the time, it was fine,” Archie assured him. “I noticed but didn’t feel everything.”
At the time repeated in Kit's mind. He couldn't escape the implication that later, it wasn't.
Archie nodded his head in an attempt to convey that understanding. “It wasn’t safe with you at home, I get that now.” One of the reasons he had left their dad behind. However, their dad being veiled was probably for the best at least for now..
"How's dad? Wait, let's come inside." They were still hovering in the doorway, which seemed like no place to have this conversation. Kit released Archie entirely now as he stepped aside to usher his brother inside. "You can take a seat, if you want."
Archie entered the room taking in just how similar it looked to his own. Though he couldn’t say he was surprised. “Thanks,” he said, taking a seat and rubbing his hands on his thighs almost out of nervousness. Dad, he knew he would have to talk about dad.
“Dad’s okay,” he said to start. “But I haven’t really seen him in a few years. Since I unveiled.” He looked at Kit. He had done something similar to Kit, just made up a reason to leave. However, it probably felt different because sons were supposed to leave the house eventually and not leave and no longer contact your brother. Not that Archie was mad at Kit for it. But not reaching out to his dad didn’t feel the same somehow.
"You've been unveiled for a few years?" Kit asked, eyes wide. That seemed more important than their father right now because Archie was the one here; there was nothing either of them could do for their father right now. "Did you have help? Did you find other unveiled people or were you on your own?"
“I found others,” he nodded his head. “I was in one of the resettlements. It was good though.” He wanted to assure Kit. It wasn’t like Kit would have known he was unveiled and out there. “They helped so much, why I wanted to join Dislinked and give back.”
It still should have been him, Kit thought. How that would have worked, he didn't know, but the point remained that he should have been there to help ease the transition. I'm sorry sat on his tongue once more, but he imagined if he apologized again, he would never stop; he had a lifetime of things to apologize for.
"I'm glad you weren't alone," he said instead. "I remember how terrified I was at first— I'm happy you found people to help you."
“It was a lot to manage, I don’t remember anything but being veiled,” Archie admitted. “So it has felt a lot getting used to life without. But people were helpful.” He looked over at his brother, not sure what to say. “I couldn’t imagine how hard it was to experience that alone and with dad and I still under it.” Archie could understand his brother's reasoning for leaving as he did.
Kit exhaled. "It was difficult," he answered, but he left it at that; he wasn't eager to rehash the experience and besides, there was still so much to learn about Archie's life. "I think I've got some snacks stashed away— how about I find them and you can catch me up on the last few years?"
Archie’s face lit up. “I would love that.” Snacks he would never turn down, but more importantly, a chance to catch up with his brother after all these years had him beaming.
WHAT: the brothers reunite for the first time in years
WHEN: 6 months ago
WHERE: Kit's room
WARNINGS: feelings
Being on the Mnemosyne was an exciting experience. Archie was on a ship in the air that was pretty cool. Though Archie’s anxiety and jittery nerves was not attached to the new experience of being in space or damn near close. No, it was seeing someone he had not seen in a long time. It felt silly to feel so anxious about seeing your family but it had been a while and more importantly this was without the veil. It may have been a few years since Archie was unveiled, but it was still an adjustment.
With a hesitant shift of weight from one foot to the other he finally knocked on the door. He had found out which room was Kit’s. Archie was still unsure what he would even say or do when the door opened but he was here and that was the first step. He worried his fingers together as he waited.
"Yes?" Kit's expression was curious as he opened the door. He wasn't expecting guests— as far as he was aware, he didn't have plans— and the young man waiting on the other side of his door was a stranger. But—
He studied his face. It was achingly familiar, give or take fifteen years, but there was no way. It had been nearly two decades since he left his life behind. He would always be seeing ghosts, but there was no reason to think his past would resurface now, here.
No matter how it seemed like this man was here to haunt him.
"Hi?"
He couldn't explain why his heart was in his throat.
Archie wasn’t sure what he expected when his brother opened the door. He had played the moment over and over in his mind. Though now it was happening he froze. It had been years, more than a decade for certain. Yet, Kit still looked like Kit or well an older version. Whereas Archie had gone from a child into a young man. He couldn’t expect his brother to instantly know who he was. Archie also had the luxury of knowing who he was approaching where as Kit had no idea. Yet, Archie still froze when it became clear it was his turn to introduce himself.
Nervousness got the better of him. His mouth opened and closed like he was some sort of guppy as he tried to find the words. He was searching for words and willing himself to stop being frozen with anxiety.
“Hi,” he finally managed. “It’s Archie,” he hesitated a moment. Almost sounding like he had news of his brother he realized how he had phrased it wasn’t helpful. “Me. I’m Archie.” He knew that was clear and he felt accomplished so he smiled warmly like he had done his part.
Kit simply stared, dumbstruck. It wasn't possible. God, was Archie even old enough to be here? He couldn't imagine that the little boy he used to comfort after nightmares, who once begged Kit to watch the Lion King with him every night for a week, who used to slip drawings into Kit's school bag that his friends would tease him about but he was always touched by— he couldn't be old enough to be a part of the resistance.
But yet— his curls were less wild, his cheekbones sharper, but he was unmistakably looking into Archie's eyes.
"But you're all grown up," he spoke softly, and his voice cracked.
There was that moment of recognition he saw in Kit’s face and he could see his brother connecting the dots. When Kit finally spoke Archie couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah, I have it on good authority that is what happens over time.”
Archie shrugged his shoulders. “I figured I should come by since I came on board.” It would have been rude not to seek him out. “But it has been like fourteen, fifteen years.”
"Longer," Kit corrected. He'd been gone for over half of Archie's life (he tried to ignore the way guilt knotted his stomach at that realization). "How are you here? God, you remind me of mom." He dragged a hand over his face with an exhale. He had always hoped he would see his brother again but he wasn't emotionally prepared for this today. "Sorry, can I— can I hug you?"
“Huh,” Archie replied when Kit said longer. He was right, it had been longer. He hadn’t seen his brother in a long time. It made it all the more precious that he was here now and could actually say hi. Though there was a sudden worry that maybe Kit wouldn’t want to see him. That fear was fleeting as he heard the next words his brother spoke. “Of course!” He held out his arms ready to accept the embrace.
Kit took a step forward and wrapped his arms around him. "You've gotten so tall," he muttered. It was stupid, of of course Archie had grown up. Still, he had witnessed his first steps and first words, had offered him words of encouragement before his first day of school, had cheered him on during a childhood football match, had consoled him when he lost his favorite teddy bear— and then Kit left and missed everything between then and now, leaving him with a brother he no longer knew and could hardly recognize.
"I'm so sorry."
As he felt Kit’s arms wrap around him he wrapped his arms around Kit. His face buried into his brother’s shoulder. Archie had not realized how much he needed that hug. It had been so long. The emotions that hit him as he made contact were a lot. “I get it now,” he said. He understood now why Kit had left. The unveiling was the reason he had to go. Years he had not understood why his brother had left, but now he did.
“It’s okay. You had to.”
"Yeah, but you must have felt—" Kit paused. Had Archie actually felt anything or had the veil completely erased the justified sense of betrayal and abandonment? Had he not questioned why his brother left for university early and never came back? "Terrible." But even if Archie hadn't felt anything when Kit left, all those emotions would come rushing back eventually.
He pulled away so he could look at him though he still held Archie's shoulders, to remind him that he was real, that he was here. "I never wanted to leave you," he told him. "But I didn't want to put you at risk either. I thought about you all the time though."
Looking back at his brother, it almost felt surreal. But Archie was here with his brother after all this time. “I,” he started and paused, uncertain really of how he had felt. He was still navigating the memories and the feelings. “At the time, it was fine,” Archie assured him. “I noticed but didn’t feel everything.”
At the time repeated in Kit's mind. He couldn't escape the implication that later, it wasn't.
Archie nodded his head in an attempt to convey that understanding. “It wasn’t safe with you at home, I get that now.” One of the reasons he had left their dad behind. However, their dad being veiled was probably for the best at least for now..
"How's dad? Wait, let's come inside." They were still hovering in the doorway, which seemed like no place to have this conversation. Kit released Archie entirely now as he stepped aside to usher his brother inside. "You can take a seat, if you want."
Archie entered the room taking in just how similar it looked to his own. Though he couldn’t say he was surprised. “Thanks,” he said, taking a seat and rubbing his hands on his thighs almost out of nervousness. Dad, he knew he would have to talk about dad.
“Dad’s okay,” he said to start. “But I haven’t really seen him in a few years. Since I unveiled.” He looked at Kit. He had done something similar to Kit, just made up a reason to leave. However, it probably felt different because sons were supposed to leave the house eventually and not leave and no longer contact your brother. Not that Archie was mad at Kit for it. But not reaching out to his dad didn’t feel the same somehow.
"You've been unveiled for a few years?" Kit asked, eyes wide. That seemed more important than their father right now because Archie was the one here; there was nothing either of them could do for their father right now. "Did you have help? Did you find other unveiled people or were you on your own?"
“I found others,” he nodded his head. “I was in one of the resettlements. It was good though.” He wanted to assure Kit. It wasn’t like Kit would have known he was unveiled and out there. “They helped so much, why I wanted to join Dislinked and give back.”
It still should have been him, Kit thought. How that would have worked, he didn't know, but the point remained that he should have been there to help ease the transition. I'm sorry sat on his tongue once more, but he imagined if he apologized again, he would never stop; he had a lifetime of things to apologize for.
"I'm glad you weren't alone," he said instead. "I remember how terrified I was at first— I'm happy you found people to help you."
“It was a lot to manage, I don’t remember anything but being veiled,” Archie admitted. “So it has felt a lot getting used to life without. But people were helpful.” He looked over at his brother, not sure what to say. “I couldn’t imagine how hard it was to experience that alone and with dad and I still under it.” Archie could understand his brother's reasoning for leaving as he did.
Kit exhaled. "It was difficult," he answered, but he left it at that; he wasn't eager to rehash the experience and besides, there was still so much to learn about Archie's life. "I think I've got some snacks stashed away— how about I find them and you can catch me up on the last few years?"
Archie’s face lit up. “I would love that.” Snacks he would never turn down, but more importantly, a chance to catch up with his brother after all these years had him beaming.
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