Summary: Of course it was the one time they separated; the one time that he didn't give into his brother that something had to happen. And now Gene was gone...
Characters: Oliver, Gene
Warnings: Spoilers. Sad.

Disclaimer: Not mine~

Cry

He dropped the sweater, staggering backwards to fall into his bed. His brother was gone... gone, gone, gone. Just like that; in the space of a few minutes – though it had felt much, much slower – his brother had been taken from him. And all Oliver could do was cover his face with his hands and ask... why? Why did it have to be Gene? Why did he have to be taken from him? Why, why, why?

Gene, who had been there for him even when he didn't want him to be. Gene, who had kept coming back no matter how many times Oliver pushed him away. Gene, who had pestered him and pushed him into spending in time with other people. Gene, who had known almost everything that went through his head even without having to check their mental link. Gene, who was borderline empath with how well he could read people. Gene, who was there after every psychometric vision. Gene, who made gallons of tea for him a day combined with a faux insult or words of encouragement. Gene, one of the few people out there who could match his wit. Gene, who everyone couldn't help but be charmed by...

He was gone.

It was a tough pill to swallow. Oliver had never once thought that Gene might not be there. Every future he envisioned had them together in some way. Gene was supposed to be a constant. He had been at Oliver's side for as long as he could remember, being annoying and yet endearing at the same time. Oliver had never been able to refuse his brother for long and it was the same way for Gene. They relied on each other and rarely separated.

So of course it was the first time they were going to be apart that something happened to one of them. Of course it would be the one time they had disagreed on something so heavily. Of course it would be the one time Oliver didn't give in. It was the first time that Oliver had told his brother no and stuck to it. He was not going to Japan. Why couldn't Gene have followed his advice and just waited until they could go together? But of course his twin had to be his usual stubborn and impatient self. And now the Davis twins were no more.

It was just Oliver.

There was a deep set ache in his chest, throbbing and pulsing with every breath he took. Never before had he hated psychometry so much. He felt... broken. Split. Half of a whole that would never be unified. Without Gene, he was incomplete. He'd never realized just how much he depended on the knowledge of Gene being there... until he was gone.

You never know what you have until it's gone. A fitting saying for this moment. He'd never made an effort to be close to his brother; never tried to bond with him the way they had always heard that other twins did. He'd distanced him just a little less than everyone else, and that had been fine. Until now. And now he regretted it. Would it really have been so bad to let that one person – the one person who had been there through it all – in?

No. But he had been too selfish; too absorbed in himself to realize that.

The ache pulsed a little harder that breath, and he turned to his side, waiting for the inevitable tears to come. It had been a very, very long time since he had cried. He'd bottled himself up and plugged the stopper so deep that his emotions hadn't even gotten any air. But he was sure that if anything, the loss of his brother would be enough to dislodge that stopper. He sure felt enough guilt and sadness for the tears to come.

But they didn't. Out of all the people, out of all the situations to be in the world... he couldn't even shed a single tear for his brother? Another pang of guilt, this one stronger and harder. He couldn't even let his guard down for his brother's passing?! Were his walls so carefully crafted, so maintained that even this loss wasn't enough to shake them down?

Or was it that he was unfeeling enough? Did he just not care enough?

He squeezed his eyes shut, only to snap them open again when he saw those headlights... No. He wouldn't watch it again. Not while he had a choice, because he knew that as soon as he fell asleep, the whole vision would play along his line of sight yet again. Though he was sure his mind would have it's own twisted add ons.

Come to think of it, perhaps it would be better if he didn't sleep? Yes – if he managed to sneak a big enough stack of paperwork home from the office, he could spend most of the night working... And maybe he could work on his latest book? Oh – he knew he would crash eventually; no human could go forever without sleeping, but if he could put off the vision for just a couple nights at least?

He doubted it. Luella wouldn't stand for it.

Speaking of Luella... since he obviously wasn't going to grieve outwardly for his brother – he was too selfish for that, obviously – he should probably go downstairs and inform them of... of Gene's passing... (With as much pain as those words caused, you'd think he could at least shed one tear. But no – he was the great Oliver Davis who didn't even crack a smile.) Moving slowly, he picked up his brother's sweater once more and exited his room.

He'd never felt so sluggish and... weighted as he did when he walked downstairs. He had everyone gather in the living room – everyone being Luella, Martin, Madoka, and Lin – and then he recounted the news in a slow, monotone voice. He kept his eyes riveted on the sweater in his hands, unable to look anyone in the eyes. The moment he finished recounting the vision, Luella had enveloped him in a warm hug. She had gone teary eyed the moment he came downstairs, looking hollow and squeezing the sweater in his hands.

For the second time that day, the sweater hit the floor as he returned his mother's embrace.

Luella, who's first contact had been tentative, squeezed him harder when he clutched her. Oliver had never felt the desire to be close to someone before, but right then, he needed all the comfort he could get. His mother – who had never acted like one was better than the other, who had given them both all the love and affection she could muster – was there for him and that was all that mattered. In that moment, he didn't care about his own aversion to touch... he just knew that he needed this comfort like never before.

Eventually, Martin came over, wrapping an arm around his wife and carefully rubbing Oliver's back. And once again, instead of protesting or pulling away, Oliver accepted the contact. He didn't even tense. Madoka had started clinging to Lin, and Lin just stared off into the distance. They stayed like that for a while, absorbing whatever comfort the others could offer.

And still, Oliver didn't cry.

Which irked him to no end. Gene was his brother. The person who he could always count on, the person who refused to leave his side, the person who knew him inside and out. He had been there no matter what, and had dragged Oliver every where he could possibly think of. Gene had been irritating and annoying, but he had also been warm and kind and empathetic. He had sympathized and helped almost every spirit he had ever come across, and did the same with most people. And his own brother couldn't even shed a few tears over him.

Oliver reached a decision. His brother deserved better than a watery grave. And Oliver felt he owed him that much, at least. If he couldn't even shed a few tears when everyone else was – even Lin had shed a few. Lin of all people – then he would ensure his brother's body returned home. That his spirit was put to rest, if he hadn't moved on already. Actually, knowing how stubborn Gene was, Oliver wouldn't doubt that he would linger around. It would be just the thing his brother would do if he felt his time was cut short. Stupid medium... With that thought in mind, he finally pulled away from his parents.

"I'm going to Japan," he said firmly, leaving no room for argument. "I have to find Gene."

Tauria: So the thought came to me that "what if Naru didn't cry when he found out Gene died?" and I was going to write a couple hundred words about that, because I figured it might be something he'd latch onto and beat himself up over...

And then this happened. I was going to set it at the end of the manga, when Mai mentions leaving him alone so he can grieve... but again, my plans were foiled XD

Oh well, I'm proud of it. Though I feel it does get a bit repetitive toward the end there... Hopefully that's just me!

(And now I'm going to go read something happy, because I'm sad now...)

Hope you enjoyed reading it ^^ Please review~