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With a shaky breath White wrapped his arms around Black tightly. Tight, worried if he let go, he might disappear again.
“Phi-”
The word broke in his throat.
Pressing his face into Black’s shoulder, he choked back a sob. Familiar hands came up to steady him, stroking slow, gentle circles on his back.
“Shh… it’s okay, Nong,” Black murmured, voice gentler than White remembered. “I’m here now.”
Ten years.
Ten years since he had last heard his brother's voice.
Ten years since their parents had torn them apart;
Since White had been dragged across Russia, helplessly crying.
And now -
His brother was here.
In his arms.
Alive.
Warm.
Not gone. Not out of his reach. Not trapped in some hospital bed.
Startled by the thought, White jerked backwards, hands still gripping his brother’s shoulders.
“Phi, what - I thought you were - what?” White stuttered confused.
Black frowned slightly. “Nong? What’s wrong?”
“The coma, Todd, the soul connection. I-I thought?”
The realization hit Black quickly. He exhaled sharply, something akin to pain flickering in his eyes.
“That asshole put me in a coma” He said bluntly.
White froze, his eyes widening in shock.
Todd.
Todd did this.
After everything.
After all those years.
“But it’s fine,” Black continued, like it didn’t matter. “I woke up, I can deal with this now.”
White’s gaze hardened instantly.
“Phi I’m already involved, you can’t just push me away!”
Black’s jaw tightened. “This isn’t your mess, White. It’s not safe.”
“Oh right, because it’s perfectly safe when it’s you?” White bit out sarcastically, rolling his eyes.
“I’ve lived this life for years,” Black snapped. “You haven’t, you have no idea the danger you're walking into.”
“I’ve been pretending to be you for months Phi!,” White said, voice rising. “I burned Tawi’s house down! I’ve been in your fights, your mess, your life. I’m already a part of this - whether you like it or not.”
Silence fell between them.
Black lowered his eyes, “I just want you to be safe Nong,” he muttered, quieter now.
Hearing this softened some of White’s anger. “I’m safest with you Phi,” He said, voice softer as well. “Please don’t chase me away - not after everything.”
Black stilled.
For a moment, he didn’t say anything. Then he sighed, long and tired, like he knew he could never win out against White’s stubbornness.
“....Fine,” he sighed. “But you’re not doing anything too dangerous, I mean it White”
Relief flooded through White as he perked up.
“Thank you Phi!”
He threw himself back into his brother’s arms, wrapping his arms around him like he belonged there. Like he had always belonged there.
“Yeah, yeah,” Black muttered, but there was no bite in it. “Don’t thank me just yet.”
White laughed weakly against his shoulder.
After a moment, Black pulled back slightly.
“Now,” he said, tone shifting to something familiar. “Let's go ask those idiots at the garage how they didn't recognize you weren’t me.”
White huffed, “They’re your friends Phi.”
“They’re still idiots.”
White rolled his eyes, but he was smiling now.
They started walking side by side, shoulders brushing, the space between them gone like it had never existed.
Their voices slipped easily into bickering, familiar and warm.
And for the first time in years, White didn’t feel like something was missing.
After so long, they finally had each other again.
And this time, no one was taking that away.