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“Aramis?!”
The taller man stared, bewildered at the sight of him. Aramis stared back.
The hair, the face, even the voice was…familiar.
His cousin- Atmis, no doubt. He thought out of all people he would've fled for Metropolis or Central city- like the coward he is.
“I- I thought you were dead! Oh m-”
“-and who's fault would that have been?” Aramis interrupted him quickly, though it came out calmer than he had wanted.
He was not used to feeling this angry. Sure, he's been irritated and aggravated before, but right now he is furious. It was an overwhelming feeling. Almost like what he felt with Curio, but that was positive, and this was wildly negative.
Atmis's face fell immediately.
“I…yeah. Yes, it- it would've been my fault.”
He hesitated before speaking again.
“I'm sorry, okay? I was stupid- I know that. I didn't think that I would be able to take care of you in that stage of my life, and- my parents…I knew they wouldn't take you in. You- you remember how they were,,”
He took a short breath before continuing- “Knowing that you refused to be put in the system… I…didn't know what to do.”
That answer only made Aramis more upset. He stomped his foot on the ground- as if it would do anything except make him look more pathetic-, furious.
“Bullshit! You know I would've taken whatever you gave me-”
His voice cracks embarrassingly, a huff of breath leaving him. “You left me alone!! A 12 year old alone in Gotham, for the gods’ sakes!”
Atmis paused, unsure of what to say.
What could he say?
Aramis was right, and that was that.
“...I..know. I wish things had gone differently. If- if I could go back in time and fix this, I would, I swear..”
Technically, he could- but Aramis didn't care enough about that right now. He doubted that Atmis could actually change things if he tried.
It was dark out, few stars in the sky and a crescent moon high above them. Its raining.
Small droplets of water reached Aramis's hair, only making him more uncomfortable. He hadn't treated it yet today.
Atmis wouldn't even know he had to care for his hair in a specific way. He wouldn't know his interests, his friends, his new family- he wouldn't even know his favorite color.
Not that it was of importance.
But it would be nice.
His breath was heavy, but it was starting to soften,, slow down. Tired. That's what he is. Damn him for being so malnourished, he barely had the energy to be upset.
“-I don't care.”
He spoke as he could barely inhale properly,
“I. Don't care. That you're sorry.”
Maybe he did a little bit. But it didn't matter how much it was.
He could start to hear his heart beating in his ears. Weird. That usually doesn't happen.
“I'm going home.”
Aramis steeled himself despite his exhaustion.
“Ami, please-”
He turned back for just a moment, a look of anger and frustration on his face.
“Don't call me that.”
With that, he ran. His house wasn't too far from here, he'll be fine. Probably.