Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“It’s not fair” Bagi pouted, confined to her bed with a thermometer and a bunch of medicines laying on her nightstand.

”I told you to take a shower after getting wet in the rain, but you never listen to your big brother” Cellbit retorted, finishing lacing his boots.

”You’re older literally by only two minutes”, she had pointed out.

”So? Still wiser. Now get rest so you can join me again on our investigation”

”Okay, but make sure to write down everything you do or ask so that we can analyze it later”

They were currently on a streak of going outside everyday to gather clues about one of their friends who had suddenly ‘moved out of that part of the Island’.

Cellbit and Bagi both knew their friend would never move out without telling them, so it sounded more like a disappearance than moving out.

That’s why they had been ‘innocently’ asking the people in town if they knew where that family went to, writing down inconsistencies.

”Cellbit. Everything” she insisted, slightly afraid to lose on something important if she wasn’t there too.

”Heard you the first time” he answered annoyed, but after not hearing her banter back, he made visual contact with her and made sure to sound as serious as possible as he said: “Everything. I promise”.

That was the first and only time he broke a twin’s promise.

He tried not to, at first. But then he realized it would be too embarrasing to write down something like: Today I saw a boy playing with some dices outside of a cabin. He instantly caught my attention, so I decided to come up to him, only to get scared when he looked back at me, making me want to run and hide behind the nearest tree.

Like, come on. He was already twelve, almost thirteen. That was not a racional reaction at all. 

It was exactly what had happened, though.

It was something about the look on the boy’s face, a genuine curiosity that struck right into his brain.

Cellbit wondered if his eyes also looked as big and bright when he was solving his enigmas and mystery puzzles.

He forced himself to stay put, shoving away the dumb idea of running away from this kid.

”Hi” he ventured, looking down at the brunet.

“Hi” the boy returned, showing him the whitest of smiles.

”What are you doing?”

”I- I don’t know. I just found these dices in a box, so I made up this silly game…” the boy shrugged looking toward his dices kind of bored, and then suddenly looked up at Cellbit again, excited “Want to play?”

Cellbit thought about it, but he quickly decided whatever plan he had for the day could wait for later, as he indulged on the brunet’s petition. It’s not like he had the heart to just answer ‘Nah’ and keep going his way.

Cellbit sat down in front of him.

“Okay so, you throw both dices on the ground. You add both numbers up, and then, if you get an even number, you lose; but if you get an odd number, you get another chance”

”Another chance to throw them? Then how do I win?”

”When you get eleven” he explained, handing out the dices to Cellbit.

”Why eleven? Is that like your age or something?” Cellbit asked and the boy didn’t answer directly, but the proud smile on his face said everything he needed to know. “Off course it is” he muttered, amused.

Cellbit threw the dices. A five and a six.

The boy lifted both of his hands up and started counting with his fingers.

”Six plus five is eleven” Cellbit stated, raising an eyebrow at the younger.

The boy grimaced at Cellbit, restarting his count while he mumbled something Cellbit thought sounded like a ‘great, you distracted me’. Cellbit couldn’t help but laugh at his stubbornness.

When he finally got to his last finger, he widened his eyes in surprise.

”You have to have cheated” the boy decided.

”I did not cheat!” Cellbit argued, outraged at the accusation.

”You so cheated. Nobody has that much luck on their first time”.

”We’re playing with dices. They literally work like that”

”I don’t know about that” the boy sang childishly, at this point just wanting to tease him, unbeknown to the older.

”I’m leaving” Cellbit decided, a bit annoyed that a boy he literally just met was calling him a liar.

As he was on his half way up, he felt a hand gently grasp his wrist; he followed it with his gaze until he reached the face of the brunet, finding two brown eyes full of worry.

”Please, don’t go”

Cellbit felt his heart physically squeeze, and he sat down again.

He had been the one who approached the other, after all. And, quite frankly, he didn’t want to end their interaction this soon.

They stood in an awkward silence for a while, the boy distractedly fidgeting with the dices on the ground.

”So… my name is Cellbit” he suddenly started, and the boy looked up at him with a tiny smile.

”Mine is Roier”

Roier. He liked the sound of it. It was new to him, as he was used to the usual ‘Roger’.

”I had never seen you around” Cellbit pointed out, only now noticing Roier was wearing a white shirt with white cotton pants, the only pop of color being a blue headband.

Cellbit perceived Roier felt self-conscious about him studing his clothing, but the brunet didn’t comment anything on it.

He felt bad about it because, to be honest, he was even more curious about it now. He wanted to know where Roier had come from, and if it could possibly be related to his and Bagi’s investigation in any way.

”I just don’t go out that much” he simply said.

Another silence settled between them, this time less awkward.

He was trying really hard to not psycho-analyze his new friend, and was determined to change the topic already, so he was admittedly a little surprised when he heard Roier sigh.

”Just ask”

“I don’t have to know” Cellbit assured.

“But you want to” Roier objected.

”I’m honestly just wondering if that means blue is your favorite color” Cellbit lied.

”Wouldn’t it be more logical to think white was my favorite color?” Roier suggested, humor in his tone.

’Come on Roier, make this easier for me’, Cellbit thought, frustrated.

Now, Roier knew Cellbit was trying his best to respect his privacy. He just wanted to taunt him for his pure enjoyment.

”I do like blue. That’s why someone close to me gave me this headband. I wouldn’t say it’s my ultimate favorite color, though” Roier thought about it for a hot second, until he finally decided: “I think its both blue and red”.

“You don’t have anything red” Cellbit thought out loud.

”Then gift me something red” Roier replied in a tone that only needed a ‘duhh’ added to it.

“I don’t have anything red either” he answered truthfully.

Cellbit really would’ve liked to give him a little red detail Roier could take with him. He imagined him using it non-stop, treasuring it just as much as he surely treasured his headband, and Cellbit grew fond of that idea.

Maybe he could go to the market the next day and look for something red, if he had any free time.

“I was just kidding. But I would like you to come with me to the place that made me like red”.

Cellbit looked behind Roier at the tree’s shadow. It was most probably past 4:00pm, and it would soon be time for dinner back at home.

But watching Roier look at him with excitement written in those expressive eyes of his…

Cellbit wasn’t even that hungry, anyways.

“Let’s go”

Roier almost jumped to his feet and took Cellbit’s hand, running towards the woods, dragging Cellbit along.

Cellbit most definitely did not feel his cheeks warm up at the contact.

Smiling widely –Roier’s happiness turning out to be fairly contagious–, Cellbit ran, catching up to Roier’s speed.

But oh, could the boy freaking run.

When he finally came to a stop, Cellbit was panting, hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath.

“There’s a lake nearby” Roier suggested, ashamed of making Cellbit run that much without a break “The water is crystalline, and I’ve already drank from it once or twice before, so it’s pretty safe to say it’s drinkable”

Cellbit thanked him breathlessly, at least now feeling better enough to look up.

He didn’t know what he was excepting, but it most certainly wasn’t this.

Before him, tall trees with bright red leaves towered them both, some leaves falling softly to the ground, making a really pretty natural red carpet.

In the distance, behind the trees, you could also see big green mountains bordering the forest.

The sight was beautiful.

”Impressive, right?” He heard Roier say, and Cellbit just nodded, still gawking at the view. Roier laughed, and Cellbit instinctively smiled “Let me take you to the lake”

Cellbit was a little dissapointed when Roier didn’t take his hand this time.

When they arrived, he confirmed Roier was telling the truth: the waters were crystalline, and he could even see fishes swimming around. All of this just added more to this place.

They both took a seat at the shore, and the older used his two hands to bring water to his mouth. Feeling refreshed, he was now ready to voice his thoughts.

”This looks almost magical” he admitted, stealing a quick glance at Roier, not prepared to find him so lost in thought looking at the trees at the other side of the lake, the same shade of red.

”Wouldn’t surprise me if it was.” He commented vaguely.

Cellbit took that opportunity to watch Roier, taking in little details, like how dark his brown hair was, the tiny mole under his right eye, the shade of the color of his eyes and how they never hid his emotions, letting Cellbit read him with ease.

After a brief moment of comfortable silence, Roier opened his mouth then closed it again, as if he was deciding wether or not to speak about what was running through his mind.

”I ran away from the cabin once. The first time I stayed there, actually” he started, glancing at a rock beside his shoe. He started poking it, as he gathered his thoughts.

Roier fidgets when he feels pressured to talk, Cellbit noted.

Cellbit remained silent, now looking ahead, giving Roier the time and space he felt he needed, or even the chance to back down on it. But Roier continued.

”I remember feeling so trapped. So alone, in a way”

Roier liked Osito Bimbo. He really did. He was the one who gave him his headband. But as much as he wanted that to be enough, it wasn’t. It wasn’t the love of two parents giving their little child a tight hug with so much warmth, like the ones he had a chance to witness once.

Osito wasn’t warm.

At least not physically. Even with the fur, his touch was almost always cold.

He noticeably tried his best to take care of Roier, even going against direct orders…

But he was just an employee, at the end of the day, and his superiors had made sure Roier remembered that in more than one occasion.

For example, he knew the cabin was the place Osito asked permission to take Roier to every time he got unmanageable, so that he could ‘cool down’.

But even when he would beg Osito to just stay there forever, he’d always end up in the laboratories again.

“So I just opened the door and ran. Very fast, and without looking where I was heading to. That’s how I ended up here”.

Roier recalled that day very clearly. It had almost been four years.

Cellbit couldn’t resist the urge to put his hand on top of Roier’s, wanting to comfort him in some way –any way.

He didn’t know what Roier’s household was like, but considering his weird white clothing and how closed up he was to talk about it, it gave him the impression it was somewhat complicated.

Roier looked at their hands and then at Cellbit, and smiled tenderly.

“I’m okay now, don’t worry. But that day, this place was just what I needed. It somehow soothed me, and allowed me to process what I was feeling. Since then, I always come here to think” he made a pause before adding “You’re welcome to come here whenever you want too, obviously. With or without me”

’I’ll come if that means I’ll find you here’, Cellbit’s brain blurted out in his mind, surprising even himself.

That was a crazy thing to think about someone you just met.

But he felt so emotionally connected to Roier in that exact moment… he guessed he was just glad he now had him as a friend.

When he arrived home at 7:30pm, and after being reprehended by his parents, he faced his next challenge: avoiding his twin’s questions.

”News, bring me news” Bagi cheered and clapped excitedly, seated on her bed with papers scattered around.

“I decided to wait for you so that you don’t fall behind” he lied, even when he knew Bagi could easily detect when he did that.

Bagi visibly deflated, and after letting out a ‘Hmm’, she started distractedly reading one of the papers containing their leads.

”So what did you do, then?” she asked nonchalantly.

”I walked through a forest, then drank water from a lake, then sat down to think about stuff”

Bagi stole a look at his brother and, after a few seconds of examining his facial expressions, she decided he was telling the truth.

What a weird way of delivering that answer, she still thought.

Its not like Cellbit didn’t share everything with his twin, as she was the person he loved and trusted the most, but everything he lived with Roier that day felt very personal to him.

He would for sure introduce them in the future, but for now, he wanted to keep getting to know Roier on his own.

After a few minutes of silence in which they were both doing their own thing, Bagi remembered something.

”Mom is going to buy our new carpets tomorrow, and I feel much better now so I’ll probably be joining her. Pink for me and- you told me you wanted yours black as always, right?”

”Yeah” answered Cellbit, before making a pause and then, without looking up from the diary he was writing in, he corrected “Actually, make them red”

Bagi scoffed.

”Since when do you pick anything other than black?”

Cellbit grabbed a pillow with his both hands, and threw it hard at his twin.

”What do you care” he barked, gaining being hit by his pillow –and another two more– by a very much annoyed Bagi. 

Chapter Text

“Why do you keep doing that?” Bagi asked, confused.

“Doing what?” Cellbit retorted, just as confused.

“Every time we reach this point of the trail you look to your left. Like, for a long time, as if you were looking for something”

Cellbit’s eyes widened, like a deer being caught in the headlights.

“And now you’re blushing! So there is something!”

“It’s not a big deal” he tried, but the sentence coming out rushed sold him out.

Bagi abruptly stopped in her tracks and, two steps ahead, Cellbit stopped too.

So we’re having this conversation , he realized.

“Don’t try to bullshit me. Spit it out” she demanded.

Off course Bagi would respect if Cellbit told her he wasn’t ready to talk about whatever was happening to him; but she was also concerned about him, and wanted to at least know he was fine.

She was about to clarify that, when Cellbit spoke.

“Remember the day you had to stay in bed?”

Bagi knew something had happened that day. She just knew it.

“Yes”

“Well, I met someone”

“We have new neighbors?” she was shocked, as they all knew eachother around that area.

“Kind of. I don’t know. I think it’s complicated” Cellbit paused, he himself thinking about it, but then he just shrugged “Anyways, I guess I wanted to know if he was around”.

“Okay, but… why not tell me?”

Not even Cellbit knew anymore. It would be a whole lot easier to hang out with Roier if his twin knew about him. He was actually curious about how they would get along.

“Wanna meet him?” He asked, sincerely.

Bagi looked at Cellbit with a face that read ‘Do I really have to say it out loud?’, and Cellbit took that as his sign to start walking toward the cabin’s direction, excitedly dragging Bagi.

“Alright, follow me”

“Hold on” she planted her heels on the ground “Are you sure about this? Because you took almost a week to mention him, and that was after I pressed. Sorry about that, by the way”.

“Bagi, I’m sure. I’m also sorry for not telling you about it sooner”.

She thought about it for a second, but ended up nodding and following him into a trail made out of eroded soil, probably due to the passage of people.

After what felt like half an hour for Bagi – it had only been 10 minutes –, the cabin appeared in her vision range, and now it was Cellbit the one suddenly coming to a halt.

Bagi looked right ahead to understand what had made him react that way: a boy was kneeled on the grass, looking closely at a bee pollinating a pink flower.

Then, out of the blue, the boy let out a shriek, shaking his arms and falling backwards.

The bee had flown too close to him, apparently.

A soft laugh beside her caught Bagi’s attention, and when she watched Cellbit smile, eyes shining as he stared at the boy, she completely understood why he had kept it a secret.

“Hey, Cellbit, I think you’ll have to introduce us some other time. I just remembered I told mom I’d help her with something” Bagi announced, her hand resting in Cellbit’s shoulder.

Cellbit turned to her with the smile still lingering in his face and he nodded, completely oblivious to Bagi’s real intentions.

“Get home safe, okay? I love you. You’ll meet him next time” Cellbit watched Bagi return on the same path they had taken, and he found himself alone, kind off hidden behind a tree.

Ironic how this was always the situation.

Cellbit took a deep breath, exhaled, and started walking towards Roier.

“Cellbit” Roier smiled, once he noticed the older.

“How have you been?” Cellbit asked, this time being more discreet when looking at his, once again, white clothes.

“Perfectly fine” Roier said.

“I did see you falling on your butt, you know?” He informed and Roier blushed.

“It was the wind that pushed me backwards”

“Was the sharp scream the wind, too?” Cellbit asked with a snarky tone.

Roier paused, looking like he was trying really hard to come up with something, until he finally just rolled his eyes.

“Shut up, asshole” Roier snapped resigned, and Cellbit laughed.

Roier’s gaze returned to what he had in his palm: the bee, casually resting, pollen balls scattered all over it’s body.

“I think she was too greedy” he commented and Cellbit smiled at that concept.

They both watched as the bee took flight again, heading back to the trees.

“Uhm, Roier?” Cellbit called and the brunet turned to look at him “Have you ever been to the market downtown?”

“Well, no” Roier said, averting his eyes back to the grass, now following with his gaze a trail of ants.

Cellbit felt like it was intentional. Like he was trying to avoid making eye contact, maybe because he was aware of how easily his face gave away what he was feeling.

“I was thinking it could be fun if we went together. I’ll show you around, just like you showed me your special place last time”.

“I don’t know if he’ll be okay with it” Roier murmured to himself.

He. Was Roier referring to his dad..? It was the first time he mentioned any of the people that lived with him, and Cellbit wanted to ask about it right away, too afraid to lose his chance to understand Roier’s background a little better. 

“Does your dad not let you go far from the cabin?”

“Oh, no, not my dad”

“Brother, then? Or do you live with your uncle?” Cellbit tried.

“Don’t worry about it” Roier said, dismissively.

Roier felt awful pushing Cellbit away like that, but he actually liked having him around, and in other to keep it that way, there were strict measures he had to take.

He didn’t want to make the same mistake twice. He couldn’t. It would destroy him if the same happened to another friend.

“Okay, I’ll go” Roier decided, taking a look at the cabin.

It looked like it was empty – at least to Cellbit, who followed Roier’s gaze to the cabin’s windows.

“But we have to run” Roier announced with a challenging smile on his face, one that Cellbit returned.

Cellbit knew it was bad to not even consider the adult of the house, but he also knew nothing bad would happen to Roier in his guard, and he didn’t think it would be too long before they came back.

Without even letting Roier know they were starting, Cellbit ran towards the soiled trail, almost instantly hearing Roier’s steps catching up with him.

“Don’t leave me behind, you prick!” Roier barked and Cellbit laughed loudly.

Once they were near the main road, Cellbit took Roier’s hand to drag him to the right.

He didn’t let his hand go once they successfully took that turn, though. 

Roier didn’t seem to think anything of it, but Cellbit on the other hand did have a dumb little smile in his face as they kept running – now less rushed – until they arrived to their destination.

Cellbit stopped without a warning, making Roier crash into his back, making them both fall to the ground in the middle of the aisle of the plaza, all the nearest vendors turning to look at them with concern.

“Cellbit? Is that you?”

Cellbit raised his head to find the owner of the ice cream shop. One of his favorite people in the market plaza.

“Mr. Phillips. Good morning”

“Good afternoon, you may say”

Cellbit’s eyes shifted to the nearest light post, looking for it’s shadow. Almost 2 o’clock in the afternoon. 

“No way”

No way it was that late already. They had to hurry up a bit if he really wanted Roier to see the whole town. Luckily, this was a good way to begin with.

He stood up, then helped Roier off the ground, who immediately started shaking the dust off his white pants as much as he could, and then rearranged his headband.

“Mr. Philips, remember the exchange you gave me for helping you discover who the tip-jar thief was?”

“Yes, off course. Want to redeem it now?”

“Yes, please”

Cellbit internally promised himself to use some of his savings to buy Bagi an ice cream cone, taking into account that Bagi had been the one that helped him solve that mystery.

”Do you like ice cream?” Cellbit asked, gesturing the brunet to come closer to the glass with all the ice cream flavors.

”I actually do” Roier replied, looking at his options “I have never tried the pistachio one” he commented, impressed at how pretty the tone of green was.

”You’ll love it. I made it myself, those are real pistachios” bragged the old man, a warm smile on his face.

”That one, then” Roier returned the smile.

”You know I want my signature one” Cellbit said nonchalantly, deep inside trying to sound cool.

”A pistachio and a moccha cone coming right up”

As soon as they got their cones, Cellbit suggested to sit down on a bench; but Roier refused, eagger to start exploring.

”There’s something I have been meaning to tell you” Cellbit said and Roier raised his eyebrows as he licked his icecream, giving him his whole attention “I have a sister. A twin, to be exact”

Roier’s eyes widened at the new information.

“And do you look alike?” he asked, genuine curiosity clear in his eyes.

”We look close enough, yeah. I’d argue she has a thinner face, but it could just be our hairstyles” he rambled.

”And where is she right now?”

”At home, most probably. If we had more time I’d take you there for you to meet her”

Roier nodded, understanding.

They talked comfortably while they walked down the aisle of shops, down to the shore of the little beach at the end of the avenue, and meanwhile Cellbit told him about his and Bagi’s adventures.

How they once had four dogs running after them because Bagi had dropped her hotdog, and Cellbit still had his in his hand, accidentally working as a bait.

Or when they had accidentally crashed with their bicycles into an apple spot, thrown all the apples to the ground, and where forced to work for the vendor the rest of the day washing, promoting and selling said apples.

Roier listened to all his stories attentively, sharing a joke or laughing at him once in a while…

But his eyes looked a bit nostalgic to Cellbit, who would every now an then steal looks at the younger while they strolled.

“Do you have any similar stories?” Cellbit asked.

”Uhm” Roier thought about it “Not as fun as yours, I’d say. Being scolded for skating inside the house, or for sneaking out”

”So sneaking out is kind of like your thing” Cellbit pointed out amused.

“It depends. Does that make me sound badass?” Roier smirked, and Cellbit thought he looked cute.

‘What do you mean ‘cute’?!’, he told himself off as he felt his cheeks grow warm, making it now impossible to answer without sounding nervous. He must have looked like a scared puppy to Roier, because he laughed and punched him softly.

This had to be Cellbit’s worst nightmare.

Roier interrupted his embarrassment and mental self scolding when he shook his finally cone-free hands, and approached a stand.

Cellbit followed close behind.

Roier stared in awe at all the crafts the stand had, from pottery to big hats – but what caught his attention the most was a red and black thin bracelet.

”That bracelet costs five dollar” the seller informed, visibly bored.

“Sir, you cannot be serious” Cellbit jumped in.

”Can’t pay it, can’t take it”

”How long have you been scamming tourists like this?” Cellbit snapped.

”Don’t think just because you’re known around here I won’t call the cops on you, little rascal” the man spat.

”Cellbit” Roier tried, not wanting Cellbit to fight for him and get himself in a bad position.

And well, yeah, it was probably also better to not drive attention to himself, now that he thought about it.

”I actually dare you to-“

”Cellbit, please” Roier softly squeezed Cellbit’s hand and the older froze.

Then, Cellbit grabbed his hand entirely, slammed five dollars on the counter, took the bracelet Roier had liked, and started walking away without directing not even a glance towards the seller.

After they got far enough, Cellbit sighed.

”I’m so sorry, Roier. It’s just that most of us hate that man. He has no business reselling handmade stuff for like triple it’s original price” he complained, but then his eyes grew soft, as they connected to Roier’s “But it wasn’t my intention to ruin your downtown experience by potentially causing a scene” 

Cellbit started letting go of Roier’s hand, but had to try and do his best to disguise his surprise when Roier held his hand more firmly, stopping him from breaking the hold. Cellbit’s heart started beating fast.

This time it was not a coincidence, nor a circumstance type-of-thing.

”I love those” Roier said amused, referring to the idea of witnessing a scene ”And you didn’t. I was honestly more worried the cops would actually do something to you”

”They wouldn’t have. They know that seller is a menace” Cellbit promised.

They started walking back to the cabin. Their pace was slow this time, both of the boys enjoying the moment as if them holding hands was a one-time thing they were afraid would go away, therefore they had to cherish.

Once they were only a few minutes away, Cellbit couraged up and asked:

”Do you want me to say hello to your family? So that they know I’m not a terrible influence”

”Are you sure you’re not? Vandalizing apples and being ready to throw hands with that seller” Roier recalled casually and Cellbit snorted.

”That obviously doesn’t count. And I was still able to get you this” Cellbit said and took the bracelet out of his pocket, helping Roier put it on his free hand, both secretly refusing to let go of the other.

Roier looked at it in his wrist and smiled fondly.

Cellbit smiled too, feeling accomplished.

They kept walking for a bit more, then the cabin came into their sight.

”So…” Cellbit started again “would you like me to?”

”Another day” Roier assured.

”You promise?”

Roier didn’t say anything, but he squeezed Cellbit’s hand one last time, lingering just for an extra second, before finally letting go of him.

”Come see me again other day” he exclaimed as he waived goodbye from his porch.

Cellbit waved in return and started his way home, a little bit disappointed at the way the brunet had almost ran away.

Cellbit… he didn’t understand Roier.

How could he be such a genuine person, so open about his emotions, yet have such a mysterious aura? Dodging questions, or explaining them in a way that gives you a false illusion of giving you answers, when in reality he is just feeding you crumbs.

Cellbit wasn’t entirely mad at that, nonetheless. He liked riddles. He also considered himself a very pacient person, so he could wait until Roier felt comfortable enough with him. He, himself, was a very private person, and found it hard to trust in people when it was about his personal life.

‘Come see him again’, Roier had said.

And he would, once he stopped being overwhelmed at the events of the day.

That wouldn’t be until four days later, when Roier was least expecting it.

This will be an inconvenience, Roier would eventually think.

Chapter Text

The cabin was empty.

At first, he thought maybe Roier wasn't allowed to play outside for the day, but curiosity got the better of Cellbit when he decided to disrespect Roier's privacy a little bit as he peeked inside the window. And then the other window right next to it. Soon he had ran out of windows, each one either covered with wooden boards, or only showing a dark, unhabited-looking room.

'That's weird.'

He came by the next day: nothing.

Cellbit had returned home feeling defeated, and with the uneasy feeling that something had happened to his friend.

Roier did tell him this cabin worked as a 'vacation house' for him, but the interior didn't seem warm nor welcoming.

And then again, where was he? or the people he lived with? Could he have returned home and not told him about it?

Last time they saw eachother, it seamed as if Roier would be waiting for him. Like they had all the time in the world. Had he known he would be gone by the end of the week? Or did it take him by surprise too?

"I can physically see your brain frying" Bagi commented as she underlined sentences from her book she wanted to revisit later.

"Bagi, I think something happened to Roier".

"Roier? who was that again?"

"The one wh-"

"Oh, right" she interrupted with a snarky smile ", the boy you went on a date with."

"Stop that. He is my friend" Cellbit glared at her ". And I'm being dead serious, he just disappeared."

Bagi lifted her head to look at his twin. That last sentence he had said with an almost shaky voice, the hypothesis lying in the air between them without even having to say it out-loud. 'Did someone take him, just like they did with Mike?'.

"Sit right beside me. Bring your notes." Bagi ordered as she moved to give him space in her bed, and he complied as if in autopilot, his mind seemingly absent. "Do you have any main leads?"

Cellbit only sighed "I don't know, I..."

Bagi was starting to actually get worried. His brother, bless his heart, used to get a little pretencious when they sitted down to compare notes. Seeing him kind of numb when it came to a mystery was something new to both of them.

She rested a hand in his shoulder, her best attempt at comforting him. But nothing would really comfort either of them until they got to the bottom of it.

"Let's go by the chronological order. When did he first arrive?"

"The day before mom bought the rugs was the first time I met him, but he was here before that."

Bagi hummed as she reviewed her entries on 'Mike's case' from the last days they saw him.

"He said he comes from time to time and stays for a while before going back home" Cellbit continued, before quickly adding "but he would've told me if he knew he was returning soon. He said 'come visit me again' last time I saw him".

Bagi's eyes scanned the pages, trying to find something; anything.

'Entry 8: Mike was starting to get more and more paranoid about the woods. Could that be a clue? Talk to the rangers later!!'. That time, the rangers had assured  that more people would know if something was really creeping around the woods, as it was common for the people in the town to take shortcuts through it.

"Cellbit, do you remember a few months ago when Mike got mad at us for dragging him to the camping trip we took with dad?"

"Yeah, what does that have to do with anything?" he recalled Mike's parents almost kicking him out of the house, sustaining it would do good for him to get fresh air in a safer way than building his own playgrounds by himself in their backyard.

But that being related didn't make sense, no matter how much the older wanted to have at least a starting point in this case. The lake they went to wasn't even near Roier's cabin, anyway.

"Only asking" she commented as she wrote something down.

Could Mike possibly have known about Roier's cabin? Bagi had felt goosebumps when she first saw it – nothing against Roier. There was just an eerie air to it. 

She felt like she had very little information about it, and she felt like it was crucial that that changed.

She stuffed her notepad and pen into her bag "Could you take me to the cabin again?"

"I just came from there" he rolled his eyes, not knowing how to feel about the idea of going back and not finding Roier in his porch "And it isn't near our camping spot."

"Just do it" she stood up and walked towards the door, then waited for him. 

Cellbit growned, but complied at last. He knew better than to disrespect eachother's hunches. And currently, he himself didn’t have any of those.

As he made his way back to the place, he remembered Roier had given him an opening the first day they met, when Cellbit ogled his clothes, but he had ultimately decided to refrain from asking invasive questions. He kinda regretted that now.

He decided he would be more direct with Roier when he saw him again, and ask him all the obvious questions he didn't do.

'If I ever see him again', corrected the pessimist voice in his head.

'Stop', he scolded himself and walked at a faster speed, Bagi trailing behind.

He took the turn into the woods, his anxiety growing each step he took, feeling as if they were getting into something bigger than they had anticipated. First Mike, then Roier... who could assure they wouldn't be next? And yet, if they didn't investigate, who would? The police? Cellbit scoffed internally.

The ten minutes he usually took getting there, they did on six, finally stopping a feet behind the end of the trees wall and Cellbit extended an arm towards the cabin.

"Here. Happy? I told you it wasn't-" Cellbit didn't expect to see light coming out from one of the windows "No way"

Bagi smiled widely and practically started running in that direction, Cellbit trying and failing to stop her. "He never let me get inside, we dont know what we'll find!" he whispered in an agitated tone once they reached the entrance.

"We didn't get this far, and you didn't get this worried to not check if he's alright" she stated, but ultimately waited for Cellbit to take the decision, as it was his friend's house.

After a short pause, he nodded doubtfully and they both went up the three front steps and the window, slightly crouched.

Inside, Cellbit almost instantly recognized Roier's side profile and his heart skept a beat. He honestly thought not seeing him again could be a serious possibility, and he had never been more happy to be wrong. Not only because the implications of kids being serially kidnapped were less probable now -though Mike's case was still shady-, but because he had grown very fond of the brunet. His eyes went down to his wrist and he was pleased to find the bracelet there, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips.

"Who- what the fuck are them?" Bagi snapped him out of his thoughts, and he scanned the rest of the room he had left forgotten.

Two human-like figures with white hair standing in front of eachother, one putting a hand in front of Roier, as if protecting him from the other. The creepiest thing was the masks they wore, all white -just like their suits-, with a smiley face design, the smile made out of multiple fangs. Maybe those weren't their real factions, but it didn't make it any less ghoulish, and... were those bear ears real? could they be some kind of hybrid?

It was common to hear stories about humanoid creatures fused with animals, usually very agressive, that would steal kids who misbehaved.

Cellbit had always thought it was the dumbest way parents could get their children to do their chores, as the stories weren't even believable and those entities didn't make sense anatomically... did they?

The twins couldn't make out what they were saying, but it started to visually get heated, as they saw Roier scream something back, and the creature allegedly defending him looked like it was about to draw a weapon.

Suddenly, the brunet's eyes traveled to the window and went wide with surprise, followed by an anxious grimace. Cellbit watched those brown orbs intently, noticing the dry tears bellow them. He followed him as Roier took a step away, purposely driving both creature's attention even farther from the window.

'Not now' Cellbit saw Roier's lips mouth as he gave the quickest side eye, before going to a room even deeper inside the house, the creatures stopping their arguing to go after the boy.

"Cellbit" a shaky voice beside him "let's go home please".

Cellbit couldn't fall asleep that night.

He knew that, if he did, there would be nightmares about what he saw. About those fangy smiles. 

Was Roier okay? Had they abandoned him at his own mercy?

He knew they were all kids, he didn't necessarily thought of himself as an unbreakable hero, and his priority was getting his sister into safety; but he also was sure it would all be in his hands now. What to do? Could he trust the authorities? the plaza's guards had always been kind to him, but he didn't have any clue about how the actual police were; what role they had on this. Didn't they help cover up Mike's family disappearance? Telling the twins not to spread panic into the town with their theories when some people started to notice the inconsistencies as well.

He was used to having his mind bombarded with questions, but never, ever this complicated. If his parents knew what he had in mind... the plan he was considering... they would lock him up right this second.

And he couldn't blame them. Deep inside, he wanted his sister to wake up and notice him stuffing necessities into his bag, or tying up his boots; or for his parents to hear him prowl throught the kitchen, packing a lot of fruits and crackers and his water bottle.
He wanted any of them to run after him as he quietly opened the front door and stepped outside, not even leaving a written goodbye...

Because he knew he was doing it drived by the adrenaline,

and that it was a terrible plan,

and that everything could take a turn for the worst;

but they didn't... so he left, closing the door behind him, ‘not leaving a note' being his main motivation to return when all was set and done.

He started, for the third time that day, making his way to the cabin.