Chapter Text
Kobra took a deep breath and counted to seventeen, opening his eyes to stare out at the horizon. The sun hadn't quite peaked up all the way, small trickles of light seeping up from the flat earth. It was all too much. Kobra Kid was pathetic.
He mourned the pack of cigarettes he found with Party last week, they burned them way too quickly. A cigarette sounded heavenly right now. His thoughts would finally get drowned out by something other than gunfire or the smoke and ash from an explosion.
The metal of the Trans Am's hood was cold underneath his hands, wind blowing through his dirty blonde hair.
The desert wasn't so bad when the sun wasn't up.
Kobra felt a weight shift on the hood, someone familiar taking a seat next to him.
"Awfully early. Don't think I could ever get you up at this time to save our lives."
"It's easy to be up this early if you don't sleep in the first place."
"We talked about this, Kobra. You're no good on a run if you're fallin' asleep at any given time."
"I told you, 'Nide. I can hold my own just fine. I don't need you babyin' me like everyone else."
Cyanide Kid groaned, sliding one of his feet up the hood to rest his elbow in his knee.
Kobra was being far too stubborn about this.
"Who sent you?"
"What?"
"Which of them sent you out here to watch me? It was probably Party, I don't even know why I'm askin'."
Cyanide shook his head, scooting closer to Kobra to place an arm behind him.
"I came out here on my own volition, Kobra. 'Was worried, y'know."
"Nothin' to be worried 'bout."
"That's what you think."
Kobra glanced over at Cyanide for the first time in this interaction, taking his sunglasses off and resting them in his lap.
"'M fine."
"Not gonna believe that for a second, idiot."
"Shut up."
Kobra's expression softened slightly as he shifted where he was sitting, scooting closer to Cyanide and leaning into his side. He lowered his head, shutting his eyes in the process. Cyanide slipped an arm around Kobra, squeezing his side firmly before tracing circles against it through his jacket.
""S gonna be okay, Kobra."
"Right."
Daylight eventually emerged, the two of them shuffling inside the diner and into a booth as the other Killjoys started waking up.
Party was already rambling on about another plan, faded map spread out on an adjacent table with marker scribbles scattered on its surface.
"Gotta make some progress further into the Zones. Here would be a good starting raid." He circled a spot on the map in red pen. "Here too." Party continued making marks, humming quietly to himself with a furrow in his brow.
"Do we even have enough supplies to go on raids right now?" Jet chimed in, leaning against the table Party's map was on top of.
"Hell no, we're low on almost everything." Ghoul frowned, shaking his head. "Even PowerPup, and that's always our last resort. We've really gotta stock up before pushing further in, Pois." He sauntered over to Party, leaning into his side.
"I'll go on a run." Kobra finally spoke up, peering out from his and Cyanide's booth. "I've got the list of places we haven't touched yet. I'll only stop at the one's worth a look."
"Kobra, you're not rested enough for th-" Cyanide was shut up by a firm stomp on his foot, a sigh of defeat leaving his mouth.
Party glanced over at his brother, expression softening. "As long as you don't go alone, you know the rules. Ghoul and I are goin' by Death's place later to see what intel he's got for us."
"I'll keep an eye on 'em!" Cyanide grinned, nudging Kobra's side and earning a displeased glare.
"I'll be fine, Pois. 'M gonna get ready." Kobra abruptly stood up, strolling into their back room with Cyanide in tow.
Ghoul and Party shared a knowing look as Kobra shut the double doors, Party sighing and massaging his temples.
"He's not holdin' up like he wants us to think." Party bit his lip, damn near drawing blood.
"'Nide will keep 'em straight. Though, I think it's gonna be time for you to intervene here soon. He's getting reckless with himself, y'know. All destructive n' stuff." Ghoul rubbed Party's back, hand lingering between his shoulder blades.
"Yeah, I've seen it. Gettin' worried. When he and 'Nide come back tonight, I'll say somethin'."
-
Kobra groaned as he slid a new tank on, discarding his old one carelessly onto the floor.
"They're treatin' me like I'm some damn baby."
"We're a family out here, Kobra. They're just lookin' out for you."
"Ghoul's younger than me, and yet Party still finds a way to limit me more than they limit him."
"You know that's got everythin' to do with you being his little brother, doll."
Kobra shakily sighed as he slouched forward, leaning down and burying his face into Cyanide's collarbone. He received a hand on his lower back in return, tugging a small smile onto his lips.
"We should..get goin', 'Nide."
Kobra detached himself from Cyanide's arms, slipping his jacket back on before strolling back out into the main room. Party was perched up on one of the counter tops, arms folded in his lap.
"You two ready? Packed your bag, Kid."
Party tossed Kobra a worn cross-body with patches stuck all over it, soft expression playing at his face.
"Thanks, Pois." Kobra mumbled, sliding the bag on to rest over his chest. "Are we takin' the Am or my bike?"
"I think you should take the car, Kobra. Ghoul and I can drive the bike to Death's tonight if you're not back."
Kobra slowly nodded, taking the keys from his brother's outstretched hand while Cyanide strolled over towards the front doors.
"Kobra?" Party mumbled, hopping off of the counter to stand in front of his brother.
"What's up?" Kobra met his brother's gaze, expression slightly softening.
"Love ya, be safe." They spoke softly, stepping forward and pulling Kobra into a tight hug.
Kobra returned the embrace, gently patting Party's back before letting go and strolling over after Cyanide.
"Yeah, whatever. Love you too, Pois."
Party watched as the two slid into the Trans Am, quietly sighing to themselves.
"I hope he's okay."
-
The drive to their first raid spot was relatively quiet save for Cyanide's humming and Kobra's left leg bouncing up and down against the floorboard. His darty gaze was hidden behind his sunglasses, lips pressed into a thin line.
He parked the car outside of what looked like an old gas station, windows smashed in and one of the doors boarded up.
"This is it. Grab your gun, let's go."
"Right behind you, Kobra."
Kobra slid out of the Am, one hand resting tight on his holster while the other instinctively bunched up in Cyanide's jacket sleeve as they approached the double doors.
"Looks..stocked." Kobra mumbled, kicking the door open before stepping inside.
"No kiddin'. A little too stocked, if I'm bein' honest." Cyanide sighed, eyes darting around the shelves before resting back on Kobra.
"Think it's a setup?"
"Could be."
Kobra bit the inside of his cheek, slowly strolling further into the store, past broken shelves and empty cans.
"Take what you can fit in your sack, 'Nide. I..don't feel good 'bout this."
Cyanide softly nodded, walking through the aisles behind Kobra to sweep cans off the shelf and into his bag. "Damn. They've got canned pasta and veggies, all this shit's been left untouched."
Kobra glanced behind him through his sunglasses, brows furrowing. "We should get outta here..All of this being untouched this far is..strange. Too strange."
Without a second thought, he grabbed Cyanide's sleeve and ran outside. Dust and sand started to whirl around them, the gas station's working door swinging open.
"What the-!!"
Tires skirted on the flat earth, sending a dizzying wave of sand at them.
Kobra frantically waved his arms, attempting to clear his vision and thin out the cloud of dust.
"'Nide! Can you see anyth-"
His ears started to ring, the dust finally clearing up to reveal..
Dracs. Loads of them.
-
It was all a blur, really.
Kobra partially snapped back into consciousness with the feeling of familiar hands underneath his arms, it almost felt like he was being pulled back from something.
That's because he was.
Cyanide looped his own arms underneath Kobra's armpits, dragging him up and onto his feet. He was yelling, but Kobra couldn't hear. All he heard was ringing.
"-bra." What?
"-obra?" What was he..
"Kobra!"
Kobra took a deep breath and counted to seventeen, shakily exhaling and rapidly blinking his eyes to bring them into focus.
He looked down at his pants, covered in a concerning amount of blood. Enough that the splotches appeared to be shiny, the fabric couldn't absorb it all.
His eyes darted to the Drac laying on the ground, limbs splayed out and body beaten to a pulp. It was merciless-looking, violent and horrible.
Now that he thought about it, it wasn't just his jeans covered in blood. It was his hands, his arms, his boots, everything.
It wasn't his, of course it wasn't. He'd be in pain if it was.
It was the Dracs'. That was strange, though. Kobra almost always shot Dracs. He was never close enough to get this much splatter on him, never wanted the trouble.
That voice rung through his ears again, it was Cyanide.
"Hey." That sickeningly sweet tone. "Kobra, what happened back there?" Cyanide had led him back to the Am, leaning against it's front bumper. "You went all..haywire."
"I..did?" Kobra mumbled, letting out a sigh. "I don't remember."
"You definitely did." Cyanide nodded his head over to where all the Dracs' bodies layed, red splattered so far out that the earth from there to the gas station was stained a sickening, orangey color. "Are you okay?"
"Was that because of me? I-I.." He almost whispered, voice trailing off.
"I think you blanked out, doll. You were yellin', screamin' even. Probably just angry."
Each of the Dracs surrounding the one in front of him were given the same treatment, broken bones and stab wounds outnumbering any gun shots they had. Kobra never fought like that.
Cyanide looked at Kobra with soft eyes, gaze narrowing as he stepped forward and pulled Kobra into his arms.
"'S okay. You needed an outlet, anyway. We've all seen how..uptight you've been."
"That's just..strange. I don't even remember doing that. I'm not usually so, so violent on purpose. I-" Kobra let out a shaky breath, biting his lip harshly.
""M okay, and so are you. That's all that matters, Kobra. C'mon, let's get these supplies back to the others."
Kobra hesitantly nodded, not fighting back as Cyanide coaxed him into the passenger seat and buckled his seat belt for him.
The ride back to the diner was quiet, Kobra falling asleep against Cyanide's arm.
Cyanide was worried. Kobra lashed out without care for a half hour straight.
-
They pulled the car into it's usual spot in front of the diner, Cyanide catching a glance inside through the glass double doors. Party was sitting on one of the pulled-out diner chairs, likely keeping watch.
It wasn't a shocker when he came running outside at the sight of his brother covered in blood.
Party barely stopped without falling over, boots sliding on the ground and leaving a cloud of dust as Cyanide helped Kobra out of the passenger seat.
"That's..a lot of blood. Holy shit. Is he- Are you okay, Kid?" Party bit his lip, reaching out and squeezing Kobra's shoulders.
"'S not mine, Pois." Kobra mumbled, a cold expression taking over his face.
"Not yours? What the fuck happened, then?" Party's brows furrowed, holding Kobra's wrist as they walked inside.
"Dracs. Loads of 'em. Taken care of, though. Area's been cleared with tons of supplies left inside."
"No kiddin'. Bring me your clothes when you change, Ghoul n' I will try and get that blood out."
Kobra nodded absentmindedly, Cyanide trailing behind him as he tiredly stumbled into the back room.
"Here, let's get this shit off." Cyanide muttered in that soft tone Kobra loved, helping him out of his stained outfit piece by piece. After they both got changed, they hauled the worst stained pieces out to the wash bucket.
"That was bad."
"Don't dwell on it too much, Kobra. You're okay."
""S hard not to." Kobra mumbled, picking the wash bucket up by the handle. "Gonna bring this out to Party, wait for me in the back?"
"'Course, doll." Cyanide smiled, hugging an arm around Kobra's neck and pressing a kiss to his jaw before turning around and making his way into the back.
-
"Pois?" Kobra called out, setting the wash bucket next to his feet once spotting the familiar head of red hair.
"Hey," Party turned around, a small smile tugging at his lips as he removed the cigarette that was between them. "Got your clothes? Lemme take a look."
They both knelt down in front of the bucket, Party picking each piece up to examine the stains. There was a comfortable silence between them. Kobra liked the quiet.
""S not seeped too deep into the fabric, some bakin' soda will knock this shit right out."
"Yeah? That's good. Can't really afford to need new clothes right now."
"If it came down to that, I'd just give you my spares. Don't worry too much about it, Kid."
The comfortable silence returned save for the sound of Party scrubbing his tank on the washboard. Kobra was sat crisscross next to the bucket, arms wrapped around his middle as he breathed in the smoke lingering from Party's cigarette. Kobra liked the smell of cigarette smoke.
"How are you really doing, Kobra?"
""M fine."
"I call bullshit. I know you, Kid, and I know somethin's up."
Kobra paused, fidgeting with his sunglasses that rested in his lap.
""S really nothin'. Just..I dunno. All of this is just gettin' to me again, like it always does."
"'This' bein'?"
"The world as it is right now. Survivin'. It always bothers me at some point, just..comes in waves."
"It's okay to feel that way, y'know. I think we all do sometimes, Kid."
"I need to get over it, Pois. I'm obviously more..messed up when I'm like this." Kobra groaned, burying his face into his hands. "What I did to those Dracs was just..inhumane."
"We'll work with you, like we always have." Party dried their hands before sliding the wash bucket aside, scooting over to wrap their brother in a gentle embrace. "Don't worry too much 'bout it."
"I won't."
Kobra was going to worry about it. In fact, he was going to worry about it a lot.
-
It was quiet in the diner.
Jet and Ghoul were already knocked out and Party lingered outside a little longer to work on Kobra's clothes. It was peaceful, or rather, it would feel more peaceful if Kobra's mind wasn't going a couple hundred miles a minute.
He quietly opened the door to the back storage room of the diner, his room.
The sight he walked in on was at least slightly relieving to his mind. It was Cyanide in his sleep clothes, sitting cross-legged on their floor bed with a worn comic book in his lap.
"Look who's back. Hey, Kobra." Cyanide offered a smile, setting the comic book on the floor adjacent to their mattress.
"Hey," Kobra carelessly slipped his jeans off and kicked them aside, sliding under the covers on the mattress with a soft sigh.
It was quiet again for a moment, Kobra snapping back into reality at the feeling of arms wrapping around him.
Cyanide slid in behind him, sitting with Kobra between his legs and wrapping his arms around him.
"How're you feelin'? Hm? Any better?"
"Talked to Party." Kobra muttered, leaning his head back until it rested against Cyanide's shoulder. "So, kind of. I dunno. Somethin's still..gnawing at me."
"What happened with the Dracs is probably makin' it worse, huh?" Cyanide sighed, one of his hands slipping up and under Kobra's shirt to trace circles on his bare skin.
"..Yeah." Kobra bit his lip, smoothing his tongue over the jagged scars. "I hate how horrible of a person all of this makes me."
"You're not a horrible person. This is stressful for everyone, doesn't mean you don't have the right to feel it."
Kobra paused, hot tears welling up in his eyes.
"I'm just so scared. Scared of everything, even though I know I can't afford to be scared." He sighed shakily, the tears overflowing and spilling down his cheeks.
"You're allowed to be scared, Kobra. 'S a scary world we live in."
"It's been my reality for years now, I'm just a fuckin' coward."
He turned around in Cyanide's arms, burying his face into his collarbone.
"Doesn't mean you have to be used to it. I'm definitely not, and we've been livin' like this for the same amount of time. You don't think I'm a coward, do you?"
"'Course not. I'm just..I don't know. It's different when it's about myself."
Kobra took a breath, breathing Cyanide in and pressing a kiss to his jaw.
"Mikey. I love you, and it's goin' to get easier."
Mikey. His name. His real name.
"I love you too, Pete."
Mikey took a deep breath and counted to seventeen, everything was going to be okay.