@• thoma • Ajax smiled softly at the other and let out a small hum as he read through the articles. “Thanks. Ah.. I meant to ask.. if I do actually find some things about this.. would you like me to let you know? Like I can text you about it or something.. if I find new information” he said, taking a couple pictures of the articles.
@• ajax • 'I wouldn't expect you to but in my defense, we did just meet.' Thoma kept mostly quiet, getting lost in thought and maybe overthinking just a tad about things he didn't need to be thinking about at all. His worst thought was one that had him stopping and clenching his jaw; would their parents still be around had someone not been out to get the latter? 'Yeah.. yeah, go ahead,' he finally managed to get out, putting his attention back on cooking.
@• thoma • Ajax blinked and looked towards the other in amusement before shaking his head "don't worry I won't take anything. All of it is important to you, I wouldn't want to take something that's important to you" he said before focusing back on the binder and reading the article thoroughly. "I don't know really.. but.. do you think I can take a picture of some of these articles?"
@• ajax • 'It's just.. I've spent my life collecting everything, if any were to go missing.. I don't think your family would be your biggest threat.' Thoma wasn't one for violence or ill feelings at all but the idea of something he'd spent so many years on being tampered with and broken apart struck a chord in him that he didn't like. 'But, the box with the letters.. it had pictures, birth records.. all are yours, so I have no right to keep them from you.' He went about cooking, trying not to get back into digging deeper because he ended up in a dark place the last time. 'It does, doesn't it? Is there.. anyone at home you could trust not to react badly?'
@• thoma • Ajax smiled and nodded "of course. I won't take too many with me, I'm sure if they're really behind all this I don't think taking back what could work as evidence against them would.. put me in a good place" he said, looking through all the articles in the binder "I still can't believe this.. happened.. it sounds like something you'd see in movies.. or dramas..."
@• ajax • 'Of course.. take anything that's addressed to you. I can't let you take anything else though, for obvious reasons.' Thoma was already stepping away and into the kitchen, already rifling through cabinets and the fridge to prepare something. 'That's fine with me,' he answered with a small shrug despite knowing he probably couldn't be seen even with the open floor plan. 'Let me know if you have any questions on anything, I most likely have the answer.'
@• thoma • Ajax nodded and pursed his lips "mmh I see~ Can I take the letters home and read them letter?" he asked, setting the box of letters off to the side, "I want to see the articles and stuff first" he said, looking up at the other "oh that would be nice, thank you~ I did ask them to pack the food we barely touched, I'll probably pick them up later and take it back to my hotel or something if that's okay with you~ For like a late night or early breakfast thing? That way I'm not wasting the food you treated me to either"
@• ajax • 'Mhm,' he nodded and settled on the arm of the couch, 'not at all. She simply did it as a gift.. the first letter explains. Considering she had two kids and started at age one for both of us.. I think she did it as not only a gift for us when we got older but also just in case something happened?' He frowned at the thought but shook it off pretty easily, sighing. 'Take your time, I've got no reason to rush you..' he mumbled, moving to stand up once more, 'but, I did kind of cause us both not to eat so, I could cook while you're reading?'
@• thoma • Ajax blinked and looked at the box. “She.. wrote letters… to both of us..?” He asked, opening the box to see a good handful of letters stored and unopened. “Did she.. expect something to happen to her.. or.. because if the accident happened when I was three and she passed in the accident.. then how.. did she have all this pre-written..?” He asked as he picked up one of the letters and opened it, reading through it with a small pout lingering on his lips. “Ah yes thank you I’ll look through it all eventually. I’ll probably start with the newspaper articles so I can actually see what happened and how it was.. published.. because sometimes those stories seems very twisted..”
@• ajax • 'I guess, if that's how you want to word it.' Thoma shook his head, bringing the smaller box to him, 'I didn't expect you to but I am offering.. you existed when they passed and I was old enough to be aware of having a brother. Whether you're supposed to be here or not isn't relevant when you are,' he answered, setting the box on his lap. 'Mom wrote us both letters for our birthdays up until eighteen.. Dad didn't seem to be so sentimental.' Sighing, he moved back to the counter, looking through the binder he'd forced himself not to look through a year ago. 'All of this is.. newspaper, interviews, anything you want to look at.'
@• thoma • Ajax pursed his lips and let out a small hum. “I mean I guess all families have some sort of… emergency measures. Some are a little more extreme..” he said, looking around in awe. “Ah I wouldn’t want to just appear and take things. They’re yours since I’m technically not even supposed to exist. Unless you have things you specifically want me to have and want me to take with me” he said, settling on the couch. “Oh that’s quite a lot of material you got there!”
@• ajax • 'Sounds like some family you've got,' he chuckled faintly but he was actually pretty concerned, not liking the idea that his life could be at risk because of the information he was giving. 'Can't tell if you're being honest or just being cocky, considering we're related.' Thoma rolled his eyes with a soft laugh and nudged his shoes off as he stepped inside, offering a shrug. 'Of course. Yeah.. parents and grandpa left a good bit of funds behind.. outside of helping people around here, I thought having a decent place to live would be nice. Which, since I'm not the only one left.. you are technically entitled to some of it.'
Moving to the book shelf that lined the living room, he crouched to open one of the locked doors, pulling out a small tote. 'It's up to you what you want to claim, I won't keep anything from you.. there's things in here for you, too.' He moved to the counter and opened the tote, pulling out a few binders and a small box.
@• thoma • Ajax pursed his lips and nodded "yeah.. I have a feeling if I do bring it up.. I may not even be alive the next day so.. I probably shouldn't even try" he said, looking at the other "How can I refuse when someone handsome as you is inviting me over to meet?" he asked, giving the other a small grin "Thank you. It's really nice in here~"
@• ajax • 'Not many people are willing to question things when it could cause trouble within the family,' he commented, offering a small shrug, 'if these people had something to do with it.. maybe you'd be safer without having brought it up?' He wasn't really trying to imply anything specific, only going off of what he was hearing. 'Uh huh.'
'I see.' Thoma was positive he was in the same position with the people around him but he'd known that for years. Upon coming up to the familiar door, he unlocked it and stepped inside, letting the other in. 'Welcome.'
@• thoma • Ajax blinked and tilted his head “I mean I knew something was up but I guess I never really questioned much of it until now” he said, letting out a small huff. “But no I’m here meeting you because I wanted to meet you” he said, following the other with a small hum.
“Hm? Well.. being the family doctor.. being gone for too long may cause some issues.. but I’m not aware of anything else on that note. Not that I’m aware at least” he said, looking at the other with a small smile
@• ajax • 'Doesn't sound like a very good family,' he pointed out but he wasn't going to ask what he really meant by the one part. 'Is that.. why you're out here? Yaknow, meeting me?' Thoma chuckled at his own words, burying the hurt that came with it; maybe the outcome was something they both needed. Thoma had long forgotten what it was like to really have family, so having his new found blood relation around might not be so bad.
'Although, even though you came looking for me... You've got no one back in Snezhnaya waiting for you..? I don't mean family. You're.. I don't know how to say this anymore but, charming. I find it hard to believe no one is sitting and waiting for your return.'
@• thoma • Ajax let out a soft sigh and wrinkled his nose "well.. my new family.. is always full of secrets.. and most of them are kept from me anyway.. I've always wondered why they never included me in any of their so called 'meetings' but I mean if I was never one of them to begin with, that all makes sense now.." he said with a small huff, following the other towards his home.
@• ajax • 'Sounds like your new family is keeping secrets from you.' Thoma didn't like the idea, especially since he was one who didn't like secrets in general; he could take them to the grave but that didn't mean he enjoyed it. 'Dangerous?' His eyebrow went up, suddenly all too curious about just what kind of people had taken his brother in. He wasn't sure if it was alright to poke and pry so he let it go for the other to discuss on his own time if he pleased.
'Don't mention it.' He shrugged, set on his path back home and thankfully it was only a couple roads out of the city.
@• thoma • Ajax let out a soft sigh and shook his head "if.. this really was planned.. or staged, I'm quite positive I'd probably never be able to get to the bottom of it at all.." he admitted and looked over at the other "could even be dangerous for the both of us if I decide to bug them and dig it up so I probably can't bring it up to anyone back home honestly.."
He gave the other a small smile and nodded "thank you. I appreciate it, really~"
@• ajax • 'No one may ever know.' It was a depressing thought the more he lingered on it but he let it go, brushing that aside; he didn't need any more upsetting thoughts. 'Don't.. take this the wrong way but if what happened is exactly what I always assumed, I feel like most of your answers are going to be... back "home".'
Thoma nodded slowly, shrugging. 'It was Mondstadt. There's always a witness somewhere.. always someone watching the city, the streets, the neighborhoods. Only place I would have thought you couldn't get away with something like this,' he mused, shaking his head. 'You will, don't worry.'
@• thoma • Ajax blinked and pursed his lips "mmh.. makes sense.. I wonder what really happened.." he muttered, his brows furrowing slightly "and I doubt if I ask about it back home.. anyone would tell me.." he said, nodding at his words "mmh possible, yeah"
"There was... an eye witness story?" he asked, looking at the other "I'd like to see everything, yes.."
@• ajax • 'Yeah, well.. when a kid goes missing from a horrific car crash that killed everyone else, you have to wonder it it was really just an accident.. probably a reason you don't remember.' Thoma had read every journalists theory, listened to the interviews, and delve deeper than he should have in his teen years. 'Hm.. maybe some weird sibling thing, I guess but uh, seems like it, yeah.'
'Relive?' He looked over at him as he shoved his hands in his pockets, shaking his head. 'I was eight and I wasn't there. All I remember was growing up with grandpa- there's nothing to relive.' He was trying his best not to get upset a second time, knowing that his past wasn't going to be the reason it was hard. 'I can do my best to help.. but I spent years obsessing over it.. the trail goes cold after the supposed eye witness story.'
@• thoma • Ajax pursed his lips, his brows knitting in confusion "I don't remember anything.. even my most earliest memories about anything.. is Snezhnaya.. I have three siblings back home.. this.. makes no sense.. I'm confused.. but every time I visit Inazuma I've always felt a.. weird sense of security..." he said softly, biting his lower lip lightly "so.. my life.. has been.. entirely a lie.."
He sighed softly and nodded "I guess that's true.. but now that I know I really want to get to the bottom of this.. I know it'll be hard but... could you help? I understand it you think it'll be too much for you to have to relive some of this through you can just find them for me and I can look at them myself.."
@• ajax • Thoma pushed aside his self pity thoughts for the time being, wanting nothing but to return home and suffocate himself in bed. 'That would be correct,' he nodded a few times, 'I don't really know how else to explain it to you. You were just... missing. People looked for days and no one found you, obviously. It was weird and when you read the articles.. it gets weirder.'
Pulling him up to his feet, the male shook his head. 'Not all traumatic events stick that way.. especially if you were that young, you could have easily blocked out what you saw. I doubt you'd be so sane today if you didn't.. I've seen the pictures and.. had I been there, I would have been traumatized.'
@• thoma • Ajax glanced over at the other with a soft sigh "Life.. isn't fair.. I've known that all along but this really isn't fair" he muttered softly before pursing his lips.
"So.. you're 4 years older than I am.." he said, his eyes widening a bit at his words "an accident.. and I was.. gone? Why do I not remember anything.. I mean.. I guess I would have only been.. three.. but if it was something that traumatic.. it should have stuck.." he said, nodding and took his hand, pulling himself up onto his feet.
@• ajax • His eyes rolled and he laughed, something that sounded bitter and just as heartbroken as he was. 'You would be the first but look how that turned out? My point exactly,' he muttered, clenching his jaw before relaxing. 'No point in being upset about it, not something I can fix.'
'Twenty five,' he answered, 'there's a lot that happened that night, okay? There was a pretty big accident.. and, it got a lot of coverage because.. mom and dad didn't make it but you were gone.' Thoma hadn't spoken about anything that had happened that night to anyone, especially when he got older and began questioning things; he kept his thoughts to himself. Getting up to his feet, he offered a hand out to him. 'Let's go then.. hurry up,' he moved his fingers, trying to speed him up.
@• thoma • Ajax bit his lower lip lightly and looked over at the other "don't.. say that.. I didn't think you weren't dating material. If we weren't related I would really like us to work out.. that's why I was hoping we would be able to meet and all.." he said resting his chin on his knees.
"How.. old are you..? And wait.. What do you mean newspaper clippings.. did.. something happen?" he asked, tilting his head in pure confusion. "I.. would like to know.. what happened, yes. But also, I'm very aware of that and I'm aware it's going to take time.. but I hope we'll still get to talk and everything.."
@• ajax • 'You don't get it,' he snapped back, lifting his head to drop it back against the wall, doing his best to calm himself, 'I have tried.. for years to have what I had with you and it never works. Albeit, it's never this bad but it never ends well.. because, I'm apparently just not the world's choice of dating material.' Thoma rubbed his face and sighed deeply, keeping his head up and his eyes straight, knowing he wouldn't be able to look him in the eye anytime soon without his guts twisting.
'I only had one brother and the last time I saw him, I was seven.' He couldn't give him much information, considering he wasn't there to witness the accident that took his family away but he would give him what he could. 'I.. I've been the only remaining bloodline for a while now. I don't know what happened to you, I don't know.. how you got out and our parents didn't. But.. I've got all of their journals, photo albums.. you can look through whatever you want.. I've even got the newspaper clippings from the night it happened.' This was one thing Thoma couldn't simply fix and it somehow made it ten times worse; he was a fixer, a helper - how could he be faced with something he couldn't complete? Frowning deeply, he reached aside, reluctantly, and pat the latter's knee; 'I'll let you look at whatever you want.. but this, if it ends up right.. I can't just suddenly take everything back and be your brother over night.'
@• thoma • Seeing Thoma so small caused a little tug on Ajax's heart a little. He never really was one to open up to anyone or fully trust anyone but for some reason he, too, wanted this to work out, probably not for the same reason Thoma possibly had. But whatever the reasoning was, he had enjoyed all their interaction and all the time they spent together online. But now that the truth is out, none of that really could continue in such fashion.
"I'm.. really sorry.. you probably don't even want to see me now.. I really liked what we had.. and hoped.. after today it would.. develop into something a little more than just.. texts and calls.. but life is so unfair.." he said with a soft sigh, dropping beside the other and hugging his knees to his chest.
@• ajax • 'I wouldn't think we'd be in this situation if one of us already knew,' he muttered, rolling his eyes as he pulled his knees even tighter to his frame, 'ground zero? You may be glad to suddenly have family but.. nevermind.. you apparently wouldn't understand.' Thoma could feel another wave of heavy tears creeping up on him, realizing even before they knew just how one sided his hopes had been. Hearing his name, he ended the call and dropped his phone beside him, not too concerned with it cracking.
'Was calling me not bad enough?' He answered, keeping his head down and his face hidden against his arms, curled in on himself as much as be could. He'd spent years being good and nice and friendly and the world just never rewarded him, he was pretty much mid nervous breakdown at that point, trying not to throw up.
