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The Galpin basement felt a bit empty now that it was only the two of them. Things had changed, and sometimes the realization that they would never be the same made Tyler's heart ache. It hadn't been ideal, far from it. He had been feeling angry, lost, and confused. The reality of his mother and her trauma was a lot to digest. Still, he had liked the weird little family the three of them formed. A group of criminals bonded by blood, love and revenge. And hope, somewhere in-between.
Now it was only Isaac and him. His uncle had somehow triumphed over death once again, and had now become his new master. But this time, it was different. This time, it was his choice. No injections or being locked in a cave for hours. No hypnosis and having another Hyde force their bond on him —even if it was to save him. This time, Tyler had had a say in this. And he had chosen Isaac.
That would have seemed unthinkable to him, a few months ago. Him? Accepting a master? He would have rather died in the sewers than come to this solution. But once again, things had changed. Tyler had learnt to know Isaac, to get past his arrogance. Sure, his uncle still had a way to make him feel small and ignorant sometimes. But he could also make him feel like he was the single most important person in this world, the one who'd always take priority over anything else. A precious treasure to be cherished, protected, yet without making him feel weak and useless. And that mattered to Tyler.
Their relationship had taken a turn for the weirdest, as they had found themselves close to a point that went far past that of family members. But right now, lying in bed together, wrapped in the blankets, in each other's arms, their bare skin warming the other up, Tyler didn't manage to care. He knew it was wrong, he knew it was disgusting. He wasn’t stupid or ignorant. But this was all he ever wanted. That warmth, that deep trust, that touch that didn’t hurt or scare him, but on the contrary made him feel safe and loved −he craved it. And if he had to find it in Isaac, then so be it.
Isaac was sleeping already. His body had finally given up after two all-nighters in a row, surviving on coffee and one pack of instant noodles −Tyler had been horrified when he had found out about his uncle’s disastrous lifestyle when the hyperfocus would hit. The scientist had been dead set on finding a way for his nephew to escape an early death, but had conceded to do it in a way that would preserve his Hyde powers, which had touched Tyler more than he would like to admit.
He himself was lying against Isaac’s right side, head pressed to his chest, clockwork heart in his line of sight. He was utterly fascinated by the shinning device. He could look at the way it moved, ticked and huffed for hours, the way the pistons would move up and down, the way the walls of skin around it would slightly shift as his uncle's chest rose and fell in rhythm, how that metallic heart was enclosed in his body... There was something both uncomfortable and captivating in it, in this open hole in his body. Repulsive and attractive at the same time, like an itch to scratch and something so unique you could not help but observe in awe.
Speaking of an itch to scratch, the desire to touch the clockwork heart had been growing in Tyler. He had never had the chance yet, only watching his mother clean it from the dust and rust accumulated over the years. Even during their more intimate moments, the boy had never dared touch it, nor had he asked in other occasions. After all, maybe Isaac was sensitive about it? Maybe he wouldn’t want to feel like a freakshow, a rare item from a cabinet of curiosities, displayed for his nephew to examine? He could empathize, remembering the hordes of fangirls who had attempted to see him at Willow Hill −excepted they hadn’t really been here for him. They had wanted the Hyde, the fantasized version of him, what he represented in their eyes: danger, thrill, excitement.
Tyler couldn’t take it anymore. After a quick glance at Isaac's face ensuring he was still asleep, he raised a hand, long fingers gently grazing the ornate caging. It was warm. Tyler didn't know why that surprised him, did he expect it to be cold? It had been in his body after all, and while his uncle was prone to feeling cold and inflicting his freezing fingers and feet upon his nephew, it was only natural that his core would remain warm.
The boy started tracing the curves of the caging, still fascinated by its beauty. He knew Isaac had been only 12 when he had built his heart. How much despair was he in, to attempt something like that as a child? How scared and abandoned by the medical team, by his parents, had he felt? Tyler wondered: had the heart always been that big? Did he make several versions of it, to gradually replace them as his frail body was growing? His mind started to picture a younger version of Isaac, with a heart too big for him. In a way, it fitted. His uncle could play God, pretend to be above pathetic human emotions while mocking other’s “emotional weaknesses”, Tyler knew the truth.
Isaac was full of love. Driven by it, ready to take all the risks, to make all the sacrifices, in the name of love. The only difference with most people was that he reserved this love only for an extremely restricted circle of people, only those who truly mattered to him. And now, Tyler was lucky enough to be included in that small circle −if not the only living member. He smiled to himself, absent-mindedly tracing the contours of the machinery.
"Having fun?"
Tyler jerked his head up in surprise, but didn't remove his hand. He looked at Isaac who had woken up, though his half-lidded eyes and messy hair were clear indicators he was still engulfed in sleep.
"Sorry..." he tried to come up with an excuse, but couldn't find one that wouldn't stroke his uncle's ego or make him look infatuated with Isaac. It was ridiculous, he knew, to be so stubborn as they were sleeping on their side, facing each other, legs entangled, and so close it felt they could merge into the other. Still, Tyler struggled to admit his feelings even to himself, let alone confessing them to Isaac. He could always pretend it was only physical. After all, his uncle was his age, and it’s not like he saw him grow up so of course he’d be attracted to a boy his age he had only met a few months ago, right? It was only because he was lonely, and on the run, and desperate for affection…
…
That didn’t make it sound any better, did it?
Isaac chuckled.
"Be gentle. After all, you literally have my heart in your hands..." his voice was still raspy.
Crap, of course he would manage to make it sound romantic.
Tyler remained silent, gently caressing the warm metallic swirls once more. Part of him wanted to take the opportunity to finally ask Isaac all the questions running in his mind. The other didn’t want to break the softness of the moment by sending his uncle into a tunnel of scientific explanations that would feel more like a lesson than a discussion. Not now.
Then an idea popped into his mind −or rather, an impulse. Not caring to repress it, he leaned forward, and pressed his lips to the metal. He could hear a soft gasp from Isaac, who hadn’t expected the gesture. Still, he remained silent −maybe he didn’t want to break the moment either, Tyler thought to himself. It was rare that he managed to shut his uncle up, and he reveled in the rare feeling.
He pressed a few more kisses to the metallic device, gently nuzzling the edges of skin around it. Then he moved to Isaac’s chest, planting soft kisses on the thin skin, making his way up to his collarbone, neck, jaw, cheek, and… He stopped there a moment, slightly pulling away to get a better view of his uncle’s face. The look Isaac was giving him was intoxicating: his usually dull eyes were vibrating with love, desire, and trust. They were shining as if about to cry from the gentleness of the moment. After all, they both craved the same affection and peace. Isaac had taken the lead in offering that love and protection to Tyler, but right now, it was Tyler’s turn to give to his uncle. Make him feel loved and cared for −if he would allow it to happen.
They looked at each other in silence for a few more seconds, before Tyler leaned down and planted a final kiss on Isaac’s lips −one that quickly became much more. Their mouths caressing in synch, hands in each other’s hair, back, pulling the other closer. After all the violence and pain and rage he had known the past few years, that felt almost too good to be true.
And a snarky little voice in the back of Tyler’s mind was telling him that it was. This is your mother’s brother you’re kissing, you sick fuck. But he quickly shut it off. Taking it to a dark corner of his mind to dispose of it cleanly. No, nothing would spoil this moment. Not guilt, not disgust, not what anyone could think about them. He was exactly where he wanted to be right now, with the person he wanted with all his being.
And this person was Isaac. Isaac and his love too big for his chest. He would love him, with his unnerving little habits, his tendency to self-destruction, his extreme reactions, his love for drama and his oh-so irritating arrogance. He’ll love him whole, no matter how “incomplete” his uncle was perceiving himself.
Because this was the happiest he had ever felt in years.