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Without any further means to defend himself Playmaker's attack went through, hitting Borreload Dragon. The sheer power of the attack threw him back, his vision going black as his head connected full force with the floating rocks of their duel field inside the datastorm.Falling to the ground as their monsters and the duel field disappeared Revolver barely caught himself on one knee without toppling over. This was Link Vrains but he knew he would feel the pain of the impact after logging out, as his brain would be trying to process the shock in a natural way.He looked up and tried focusing on his opponent through a still somewhat blurred vision."Give me that information now, like we agreed!"Right, that information. His father was watching but maybe there was still a way to talk to Playmaker. Revolver was sure he remembered correctly. He had met him before during the experiments ten years ago.His thoughts were interrupted."I'll take it! I'll take all of it!"His Ignis eagerly escaped from his duel disk while yanking at his arm and took on a nightmarish form as it swooped down, quickly closing the distance between its owner and its target. Revolver couldn't react quickly enough and lost his balance as he tried to get out of the way of the approaching Ignis. Trying to steady himself his right arm reached out in front of him, just as the Ignis reached him.A jolt of pain ran through him as its jagged mouth bit down hard on his arm, tearing it off below the shoulder with a clean bite. He immediately expected blood to gush out but of course there were only sparkling remnants of data, torn from his avatar. The Ignis collected all of it as best as it could, then turned around, getting ready for another attack, its single hungry eye locking onto Revolver. Revolver cradled what was left of his arm, getting ready for another attack. But before the Ignis could reach him a second time a bright light filled the digital sky. His father had come to help him, stalling the Ignis' movement with a lightning-like interference while also taking control of Revolver's avatar to guide him to safety. He didn't want to leave. He needed to talk to Playmaker. But he saw no way to at the moment.The Ignis was called back by Playmaker, yelling in frustration. At least its failure made him feel a little better about his loss. He threw them the virus removal program for Blue Angel as he had promised."As long as you have this Ignis this won't have been the last time, Playmaker."His vision blurred again, this time from his avatar's transfer. Arriving at their Link Vrains base his father greeted him as he restored his avatar's arm. Revolver could already feel a slight tingling sensation while moving it. He knew it would hurt a lot more later.His father's frustration met his own. There was nothing they could do at this point.When his father went back to start analysing his duel's data Revolver was left alone with his thoughts. So Playmaker was one of the children from back then? It was bad enough that they hadn't managed to track down the escaped Ignis for so long but now it had partnered with the child it had been based on. The audacity of this Ignis left him speechless. The tingling in his arm grew stronger and distracted him long enough from his thoughts to make him look up. He realised Spectre wasn't there with him, nor logged in anymore. He knew the tingling in his arm would only grow into pain if he logged out but he was exhausted from his duel and needed to rest. There was no use in putting it off any longer. With a sigh he braced himself and logged out. Even before opening his eyes again to the real world he was hit with nerve pain in his right arm. Gasping at the burning, shock-like pain flowing through him his left arm instinctively reached over to hold his right. He was surprised to find it in a brace. Spectre immediately stood up from where he was sitting close-by and moved over to his login station."I logged out right away when it happened. Are you alright?" "Yeah." Gritting his teeth, grunting at the pain in his arm and head and shivering with cold sweat he sat up with Spectre's help. He began examining Revolver right away, shining a small light into his eyes while talking."This brace will press on certain nerve points in your hand and arm to help numbing the pain a bit. This reaction was to be expected."He kneeled down in front of where Revolver was sitting and checked his pulse on his left wrist while looking up at his pained face and holding him steady. Both his pulse and breathing had calmed significantly after logging out, Spectre had expected the slight response delay while checking his pupils. Revolver was only suffering from a small shock despite what had happened to his avatar's arm and head. It could have been much worse.Relieved Spectre let go of his wrist and embraced him, careful not to disturb his right arm. Revolver still shivered a bit as he hugged him back but he was no longer gritting his teeth."You had me really worried. Your arm will take a while to recover and we'll have to wait for a bit until I can give you something for your head but I'm so glad you are otherwise alright." Revolver buried his face in Spectre shoulder to combat his pounding headache and sighed with relief."I'll be more careful next time.""So you just gave them the removal program? We could have lured out Playmaker again if you hadn't."For Spectre it was wasted potential but he was also disagreeing with his decision because it had been him who had given the virus to Blue Angel. "I gave my word. This is what we dueled for after all. His Ignis or the program."Revolver kept his voice calm but he was far from it, a slight headache still bothering him. After logging out he had only waited until his stomach could handle the pain medication and had fallen asleep right after, exhausted from the pain and the duel. Now was the time to discuss it.Sitting next to Revolver Faust was examining his arm and testing his reflexes. "Spectre has a point. There are times where you should reconsider being so honest. Especially with what's at stake." He concluded his examination and reached for the brace to adjust the position of the small pressure points inside. Spectre watched him closely, taking mental notes. Revolver was thankful Faust had come at such a short notice the following morning, even if that meant he now had two people disagreeing with his decision. He looked down at his arm, saying nothing."Has your father said anything about it?" "No. But he has already started working on the next plan after analysing this duel's data a few hours ago."Faust fastened the brace. "You dueled one of the children from 10 years ago, right?" He looked up from the brace and locked eyes with Revolver. Seeing his expression darken and knowing firsthand what he had been through after the incident he could almost read his thoughts. He put his hand on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "Don't let it get to you. Rest and concentrate on getting better first, then we'll go hunt down that Ignis together. Okay?"His reassuring smile made Revolver smile, too. "Okay."Faust gave a satisfied nod and got up, grabbing his jacket. Turning to Spectre he reminded him of the necessary treatments.Four days passed. His headache was gone but Revolver's arm remained in his brace for most of the time. The pain wasn't as bad anymore but sometimes it would flare up unprovoked, especially at night. He had trouble moving and his fingers were a bit numb.Spectre kept to Faust's treatment plan and adjusted the pressure of his brace accordingly after massaging his arm twice a day. Other than that Revolver did as much as he could on his own with his non-dominant hand, not wanting Spectre to have a hard time with him any more than he already did. He didn't let him see it but Revolver knew Spectre was tired. The air around him had changed. Not able to do much and with his father working on his own in Link Vrains he was spending most of his time sitting in their living room, watching the ocean and occasional seagull, thinking about his last duel as well as analysing it and his opponent. Spectre had not addressed it but Revolver wondered if he was also thinking about Playmaker. Revolver looked down at his right hand. He could not see his tattoo hidden under the brace but he knew it was there, reminding him of his mission and of the six children.He looked up at Spectre, also one of them, who was cutting and peeling vegetables for their dinner in the open kitchen area next to the living room. With no AI-operated robots to help them with household chores and food preparation both had shared them so far. Now Spectre had taken over Revolver's chores as well. He prepared more than usual as they were expecting company. Revolver watched him, skilled fingers working quickly.His mind soon wandered. He had taken Spectre in when both of them had been all alone, after his father had been taken by SOL. He remembered going back to the then already fenced off site of the incident out of habit, just as he had done before to witness his father's work. At that time he had thought that maybe his father would just be there, working just like he had been for the past six months. Instead he had been surprised to find one of the children there, even more surprised when he had returned to him still been there two days later. A well-known alarm sound brought him back to reality. He stood up right away but Spectre was already wiping his hands on a towel. "I'm going.""It's fine. It's probably just his breathing again. I'll go and check."Glad there was something he could take care of on his own Revolver cut in front of Spectre and went to his father's bedside to check on the alarm. Spectre followed him just in case. Once the alarm had been turned off and his father's condition was stable again Revolver sat down at his father's side to hold his hand. Spectre gave them space and wordlessly went back to preparing their meal. He hadn't slept much during the past few days and he was feeling sluggish. That someone would oppose and beat Revolver, someone partnered with an Ignis no less; someone who had also shared that time of the experiments. It made him furious but he couldn't do anything to hunt him down himself at this time. If Revolver hadn't been able to beat him he doubted he could. The last time he had felt this angry and helpless was when he had found his motherly tree gone, chopped down while he hadn't been there to interfere. According to the caretakers of his orphanage, who tore him away from what was left of it, his tree had become too large and as it was partially hollow it would have collapsed during the next storm, possibly falling onto the nearby orphanage walls. What a pitiful excuse that had been. He had also not slept much afterwards. Spectre shook his head, not wanting to remember that time. It was bad enough that Revolver was in this situation now. He didn't need more negative thoughts."How long are you gonna stand there with the tab running?"He jumped at the sudden voice. He hadn't even realised he had left the water running. Immediately he turned if off and looked up at their visitor.Genome chuckled and put some more groceries on the counter. "You're gonna cut yourself. Let me help you with that."He went to wash his hands, then helped him cut the rest of the vegetables. They chopped away in silence for a while until Genome couldn't stand Spectre's gloomy aura anymore. "Why are you cutting it this small? Revolver's mouth is working fine, right?"He teased with a sly grin while looking Spectre up and down in an exaggerated way to make his joke even more obvious.As so often his crude sense of humour made Spectre smile, they had always gotten along well. They were joined by Revolver, Faust and Baira."What are you two secretly smiling about again?"Both Genome and Spectre shook their heads and suddenly concentrated a lot more on cutting up their food. Revolver could tell that whatever they had been joking about had probably been about him. Baira and Faust went to join them. Revolver paused as he realised he wasn't going to be of any help. He turned around and was about to go sit himself down in the living room again when Baira called him back."Where are you going? Use your left arm and help me stir in the cream."Cooking and eating together like this was something they hadn't done in a long time and maybe it was also because of this that both Spectre and Revolver enjoyed their food much more than usual. It was a nostalgic feeling. Maybe before they had just eaten to stay alive on most days, not tasting their food to the fullest. They knew the three of them were trying their best to lift their spirits but Revolver's defeat and injury really had been a serious blow to Hanoi. Revolver had even called off his knights for the time being, not wanting them to head out into Link Vrains without any plan and with the Ignis no longer hiding there. Still, both were thankful for their company.After they were done eating they moved to the living room, leaving the cleaning for later. Faust lit a cigarette and leaned forward in his armchair."We know it's not been easy for you, taking care of your father all the time and now with your injury. You two should head out tomorrow and catch some fresh air. We've decided to stay here for a while." Spectre had insisted on making the evening tea as always and was now looking up from where he was pouring their cups."All three of you? Won't it interfere with your work?""That is not gonna to be a problem." Genome took one of the cups and without even tasting the tea added two spoonfuls of sugar. He looked at Revolver."We'll need to talk to your dad anyway, if he has decided to go along with his new plan." Baira and Faust nodded in agreement. They all looked over at Revolver for a final decision. "Thank you. I appreciate it."The next morning Revolver and Spectre slept in for the first time in months. Refreshed they headed out after a quick breakfast, not wanting to let the day go to waste. Den City's climate was surprisingly stable for a coastal city but this year's spring was a bit warmer than expected. Revolver had insisted on walking so Spectre soon carried both his own and Revolver's jacket. They went along the winding pathway leading to their home, down to the ocean promenade. "We're lucky again today." Revolver had spotted a certain food truck parked at the usual spot. Its owner offered food at this site from time to time which was pretty unusual for a remote location like this. At this time of year only tourists visited during the evening hours to catch sight of the shining ocean view along Stardust Road. It wasn't even midday yet so the owner wasn't busy. They usually sat on a bench overlooking the ocean while eating, Spectre went ahead to look for a free area for them to sit while Revolver went to order. As he approached the truck he was greeted with a warm and welcoming smile. He ordered two hotdogs and a drink as usual. The owner offered handy cardboard carriers so Revolver could easily carry everything with his left arm as he went to the sitting area nearby. Looking out onto the ocean while eating both of them felt liberated. Even in their mansion being as big as it was they had gone stir-crazy. Going outside really had been the best decision. Their meal was delicious. The hotdog buns were light and fluffy, soaking up the grease of the grilled meat. A side-filling of lettuce leveled the amount of saltiness and a sweet mustard sauce made sure it had a slight kick to it. They had soon finished eating. The owner stepped out for a break when Revolver came back to order again."Can I get you anything else?""Two more iced teas, please.""Right away."He brought out their teas, ice cubes crackling as he sat down the cups in another cardboard carrier and handed them over. His eyes fell onto Revolver's brace for the first time."Oh, what happened to your arm?"Revolver took a sip from his tea. He didn't know the owner too well but he liked his warm, natural friendliness. Sometimes he wished he could make normal friends like him. They would probably get along well."I fell. It's nothing serious.""That's good. Still, that must've hurt."A sizzling from inside the truck made him hurry back. Revolver had waited so he continued talking while he cooked. "You live nearby, right? You always come to eat when I'm here.""Yes, up the cliff." He motioned to their mansion at the top of the cliffside. Seeing it from this far away felt weird. He wanted to return as soon as possible but he also wanted to enjoy his freedom a bit longer."Really? Must be amazing with that view! I envy you a little bit." The owner laughed and filled a paper bag with two more hotdogs he had just finished making. Beaming he held them out for Revolver to take. Revolver raised his eyebrows in question."It's on the house, as a little thank you for being a regular. You're here with company, right? You shouldn't keep him waiting."He motioned again for him to take the bag. Just when Revolver reluctantly took it the owner's phone rang. "Talk about timing. Gotta head into town now but I'll see you around, I'm sure.""Sure. And thank you!" Revolver smiled. The owner nodded contently and returned his smile."You're welcome. Get well soon!"With that he closed the front window from inside. Revolver went back to where Spectre was waiting, the truck driving past him on his way. After they had finished their second hotdog and drink they sat on the bench for a little longer. Their full bellies, the sound of the waves and seagulls and the pleasantly warm sunlight made them both feel at ease.Revolver leaned his head on Spectre's shoulder and closed his eyes. "Are you tired? Should we head back?""Let's just stay like this for a while."They did and Revolver soon dozed off for a bit. Spectre kissed the top of his head and leaned his chin against it, looking down at Revolver's arm. The brace was held in place by a two-piece sling but it still looked heavy. He reached out a hand and supported his brace a bit to relax his shoulder. They headed back home soon after Revolver's nap. Going back required them to go uphill so even with a fresh ocean breeze taking away most of the afternoon heat they worked up a sweat. Their bedroom was the closest from the entrance and offered a bathroom as well so they headed there, announcing their return to Baira along the way. They were thankful to be out of the heat, their air conditioned room letting them feel the slight dampness of their clothes. Spectre helped Revolver take off the brace and his shirt. "Let me massage your arm before we take a bath."Spectre took off his own shirt and sat down on the bed. Looking up at Revolver he waited for him to join him. Something in Revolver stirred. He went and sat down. Spectre took his right hand and began massaging it, focusing on the exact patterns Faust had shown him. The numbness in his arm had lessened enough for Revolver to enjoy it almost like a regular massage. It was deeply relaxing. This and watching Spectre's hands and concentrated face got him in the mood. This and probably the fact they hadn't done it for a whole week. He leaned forward and pulled Spectre's head closer with his other hand. Spectre's hands went limp as they kissed. He felt Revolver wanting to go further as well but holding his hand reminded him that he was injured. Still, it took effort to pull his head back when he eventually did, making Revolver release his hold. Puzzled Revolver looked at him, his mind clouded. "What's wrong?""Your arm, we shouldn't be careless."To calm himself down and distract himself Spectre hastily got up."I'll go get the bath ready."He went to the bathroom, leaving Revolver sitting on the bed, dumbfounded. Sighing he took off the rest of his clothes, some of which had gotten annoyingly tight, and joined Spectre. When he came in Spectre acted like he didn't notice his obvious arousal and put down the bathroom stool for him to sit on."Sit. I'll wash your hair." "With your trousers still on?"Revolver noted with slight amusement, aware of Spectre avoiding eye contact. "Yes." The amusement was gone."Okay then."Revolver sat down with an annoyed sigh. Spectre got behind him, glad to be out of sight, and began washing his hair."But I'm all better, you know. It's fine. Really.""It's far too early to be doing that."Spectre rinsed his hair, then washed his back. Revolver hadn't replied and he couldn't see his face. Spectre still felt his frustration after he had rinsed his back so in the end he decided to give in. He reached his hands below Revolver's arms and hugged him, one arm pulling him back against himself while the other reached down between his legs. Startled Revolver grabbed his wrist. Spectre put his chin on his shoulder and smiled."It's alright, this much should be fine."Revolver didn't let go."What about you?"He didn't wait for an answer. Instead he pulled back, rose and turned around. Not letting go of Spectre's wrist he pushed his leg between his, shoving him against the wall. Spectre gasped at the impact but all sound was muffled by Revolver's deep kiss. His left was holding Spectre's wrist so his right hand moved to take off his trousers but it was still too weak to get a good grip. Spectre wasn't moving to help nor interfere despite his other hand being free. He wanted it as much as Revolver did but Revolver's recovery came first.After fumbling aimlessly Revolver finally cursed and broke their kiss and his hold on his wrist in frustration, letting his head fall onto Spectre's shoulder.Spectre was panting with his eyes half open and unfocused, Revolver's leg still between his, pressing against him. He could feel Revolver's hot breath against his bare chest. It was almost too much."I don't want to do it alone."He took his hands in his and interlaced their fingers. Revolver raised his head and locked eyes with him. That was it."I just hope we won't regret this later."A whole week caught up with them. Eager to be connected and fulfilled he took out his fingers and lowered himself onto him, not going as slowly as he usually did. His partner gripped his hips, surprised at his tempo but equally eager and pulled him down in rhythm. It was easier to move in the bathtub with the water supporting them but they hadn't planned for this and the water level was way too high, water splashing onto the ground with each thrust. The sound of water and their moans filled their ears, the echo only wanting them to go at it faster and harder. He didn't last long before collapsing backwards into his welcoming arms, sending another wave of water over the edge. Only a few thrusts later his partner joined him in bliss. Thankfully they were already in the bathroom. They cleaned themselves up before collapsing onto their bed next door. Holding each other close they soon fell asleep, exhausted.A knock on the door woke them up the following morning. They realised they had slept through dinner and were famished. Spectre answered the knock and then quickly helped Revolver into a shirt."I'm sorry I forgot the brace yesterday. How do you feel?"Spectre was massaging his arm again before putting on the brace, visibly concerned. He had been so resistant for his sake that Revolver didn't dare tell him his arm had gotten worse again. It would still take him a while to get better but he was fine with it taking longer now.He pulled him into a kiss."Right now I feel like I'm starving. Let's go!"