[h2]Picking Up the Pieces[/h2] [h3]The China Doll Port Shuttle Day 2 Night [/h3] Joint post with [@Winters], [@Yule] [table] [row][cell][url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5281577][img] https://i.imgur.com/1CPW58D.png [/img][/url] [/cell] [cell] [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5281589][img] https://i.imgur.com/66r372Q.png [/img][/url] [/cell] [/row][/table] [hider=Skye’s Music] [youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBdeADZYS8E[/youtube] [/hider] Mathias dumped himself into the pilot's seat next to Issac. "That spot on the console looks clean enough to eat off of …" 'Nailed it.' Mathias thought dryly. Isaac's eyes lazily rolled from the spot on the floor he was so intently gazing at over to his brother and then to the day, responding with a rather unconvincing snort of adjustment. 'Well, at least he didn't he open with [i] Hey, buddy...[/i]' he thought to himself, thinking about how ridiculous his brother would look trying to comfort a sad toddler. The thought of [i] that[/i], on the other hand, did elicit a small grin, if only for a moment. "Thanks." Isaac said curtly. The teenage brooding was overwhelming. "You wana … I dunno … talk about it or something?" Mathias said lamely. He has no clue what pearl of wisdom Cyd thought he could impart on his little brother. It sucked. It will continue to suck. It will not get better, just more tolerable. Not exactly the thing a lovelorn teen is going to want to hear. Isaac lazily shrugged his shoulders at his older brother, breaking eye contact to fix his gaze on something inanimate. He was never good at putting on the 'brave face' when it came to his sibs. And if he kept looking at Mathias, the older Skye would undoubtedly wear down his resolve and he'd spill his guts about the whole situation. "Nah, not really." The younger conceded, slumping back into the co-pilot's chair. "Well if you ever want to talk about it-" Mathias said, moving to get up. "It's just that-" Isaac started, leaning forward onto the edge of his seat and unwittingly blocking his brother's attempt at escape. [i]God Dammit![/i] Mathais plopped back down in a fit of adult dramatics as Isaac let loose. "I mean," Isaac continued, "everything was going so great, ya know? Then I told her we were leaving tomorrow and she got so sad, then so mad! Why do we always have to keep moving like this?" He didn't wait for his older brother to respond before continuing his barrage of questions. "Why couldn't Cap say when we'd be back to New Melbourne? Least I could have told her [i] when[/i] I'd be back, ya know? Why'd Sarah get so upset? I-I told her the truth! Now she thinks I was just stringing her along for fun or something." Isaac punctuated the last bit with his body slumping back into the chair, then continuing his list of grievances where he left off. "It's not like I've got any say in the matter. 'Isaac, go where you're told. Isaac, do what you're told.' And she's nice, Mat. Like [i]super[/i] nice! And sweet too! And she likes me. Well, [i]liked [/i] me," the younger Skye corrected himself, "before I went and hurt her feelings like a jerk." "I don't think you were being a jerk. Just honest and upfront. Not that it makes ya feel better." Mathias explained trying to recall how he had been at that age. At the very least he knew what [i]not[/i] to say. "It's really the best thing you can do, be upfront and hope for the best." Isaac shifted his weight towards the armrest closest to a window and propped his elbow into it dropping his cheek into his hand. "I guess" he replied, unassured by his brother's reassurance, as he stared out the shuttle's window at whatever activity he could spot that would distract him from his current dilemma. "Yea, I know it's not what you want to hear." Mathias said, leaning back on the seat. "I could lie and say it gets easier if you want." He shrugged. Isaac cocked an eyebrow at his brother. "How are you two twins and she's so good at this while you're so bad at it??" Isaac had intended that to be said in his inside voice but, quite possibly due to lacking a filter in his current emotional state, that came out in his outside voice. "Okay, when was the last time you ever saw me on a date? Or Cyd with anyone longer than a day. What is she going to say differently? Other than giving you cavities from the sugar coating she would dump on?" Mathias asked. "I dunno, maybe the reason she sent me in is cuz there isn't a nice way to sugar coat it. It sucks, it will continue to suck, our lives are not going to change anytime soon and the worst part is it won't get better. But you will get used to it and the one thing I can guarantee is your family is always here for you. That's about all I got for you cuz honestly it's the only thing that really keeps me going." Isaac was quiet for a long moment. Mathias was right. But, more importantly, he was being brutally honest. Mathias rarely showed insecurity and the only people he ever allowed to see that side of him were Cyd and Isaac. Still, it happened so infrequently that it always surprised Isaac when it did come out and honestly, Cyd wouldn't have put it that way, maybe she couldn't. The younger Skye finally broke the silence. "Thanks, bro" was all he said, his voice calm. " … that and always use a condom." Mathias smirked. "Dick." Isaac laughed in spite of himself. "Exactly!" Mathias laughed.