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It was rare, but not uncommon, for Michael to go home to his siblings alone, as sometimes Armaros requested some time alone when Michael wanted to go home.
This time was another of those times.
Michael had been staying at his siblings’ house for a few days now, as Armaros had wanted to be home alone after a few weeks of rough nights hunting.
Michael had seen no problem in it, but had started to worry about him being alone, making him struggle to sleep at night, as he remembered everything that had happened every time one of them was left alone.
That night was another restless night for the big brother, at least at first, but then, he felt his body becoming lighter, as he finally managed to drift off to sleep.
OB was in the kitchen with Khole, preparing a breakfast for the family, as Michael walked in.
“Already up?” OB raised an eyebrow as he looked at his brother.
“Good morning, Michael. How did you sleep?” Khole smiled at him.
“Good…” Michael replied in a strangely deep voice.
“Huh? What’s wrong with your voice?” OB pointed out, frowning as he examined Michael.
As he examined him, OB noticed how pale Michael looked, and how his eyes had changed colors, from a bright white to a bright red.
A shiver ran down his spine. ’Oh no… No again…’
“I need to go out…” Michael said as he stepped close to them.
By reflex, OB got in front of Khole protectively, his position defensive as he looked at Michael.
“You’re not Michael.” He stated as Khole looked at him in confusion.
“Oh?” Michael looked at him surprised, before grinning darkly and stepping closer. “What are you talking about, bro? I’m Michael. Your brother.”
“No. You’re not Michael. Michael doesn’t have red eyes.” He pointed out, staying protectively in front of his sister.
Michael, or the spirit in his body, looked at him for a moment, taken aback, before laughing.
“And what are you going to do about it? You wouldn’t hurt your brother, would you?” He said with a dark smile as he kept advancing onto them.
OB stayed silent at that, making his sister back off, hitting the counter.
“Now, let’s start with you.” The spirit said before launching onto OB, grabbing him by the throat and trying to strangle him.
“OB!” Khole cried out at the scene, immediately trying to get Michael to let go off him.
OB, for his part, didn’t let himself be taken out that easily, trying to get the other’s hands off of him.
Still, Michael seemed to have a supernatural force, still managing to keep his hands around the other’s neck.
“Michael! Stop it! Please!” Khole pleaded as she kept trying to push him away from her older brother.
“This body is mine, and I won’t let anyone tell me otherwise!” The spirit said angrily, hitting and pushing Khole to the side before resuming his strangulation.
“Please… Michael! I know you’re still in there!” Khole, despite her cheek hurting from the hit, quickly went back to try to stop him from strangling her brother. “You have to fight it! Don’t let it kill our brother! Please!” She cried.
“You think this weak human can get back control? How foolish of you!” He hits her again, giving just enough time for OB to breathe again, before he returns to chocking him.
“What is goi-” Keith appeared by the doorway, having been attracted by the commotion, stopping dead in his tracks as he saw the scene, immediately understanding what was going on.
Without a word, he quickly went in the kitchen, close to his sister and grabbed the salt, opening the jar and throwing some onto Michael.
This one stepped back while crying out in pain, letting go of OB’s throat, this one falling to the ground, trying to regain his breathing.
“Beep B!” Keith called out to his brother as he watched him clutch the side of his arm in pain. “Fight it, Beep B!”
“Come back, Big Bro! Please!” Khole begged as well as she knelt by her older brother, as this one tried to breathe better, holding his throat.
“What are you doing! No! Nooo-” The spirit in Michael’s body cried out, his voices becoming farther away as he detached himself from Michael, leaving his body and disappearing away as the young man collapse to his knees.
“Beep B!” Keith quickly went to him. “Beep B! Are you alright?”
“I’m fine… Just… Weak…” Michael looked up at his brother. “Sorry…” He apologized.
“It’s not your fault, big bro.” Khole reassured, looking between her brothers as she stayed next to OB.
“I’m the one that got posse-” Michael started to argue.
“It’s not… your fault…” OB agreed with his sister, struggling a little to speak still.
“Still… I hurt you both…” Michael sighed guiltily.
“I’m fine.” Khole reassured, although a dark bruise was forming on her cheek
“It wasn’t … you…” OB argued, looking at his brother seriously.
Michael stayed silent at that, still feeling guilty about it.
“Let’s… eat something… Then you can… go back to bed…” OB offered, still struggling a little to talk as his throat hurt.
“Good idea OB.” Khole agreed. “We had just finished preparing breakfast.” She smiled as she approached Michael to help him up.
“... Okay…” Michael agreed quietly, letting his sister help him up and to the dining table.
They all settled at the dining table, eating in a heavy silence, OB struggling to eat a little because of his throat, but not saying anything about it to not worry his siblings, and to not make Michael feel worst.
Once they were done eating, Khole helped Michael back to his room, and to bed, followed by Keith, who wanted to stay by his brother.
They both had to sing a lullaby to him, to make him sleep, as he refused to do it, at first, not wanting to sleep after all that had happened, but succumbing under their song.
Keith stayed by his side as he slept, while Khole went back to check on her older brother.
Later that day, when Michael woke up, he found his brother and Armaros watching over him.
Armaros explained that Khole had contacted him to let him know what had happened, and that he’d decided he’d had enough time alone, and needed to go back to his job of protecting Michael.
Of course, Michael could tell that Armaros felt guilty to have left him alone, and left him be possessed again while he wasn’t there.
Still, Michael was reassured by his presence, managing to rest better now that he was there.