Stuff I've Drawn

 ( @kaminoanbat I actually did Not Like my last chapter of this so here, have a rewrite before I dive into the rest of the series ^0^ I like this one waaay better. The first scene with Rogue and Cat I kept the same since that one was actually good imo)

Rogue said nothing when Doriana followed Rowan outside. In fact he tried not to react at all,  though he did see Switch roll his eyes and mouth ‘finally’ to Cat. He swallowed and looked down at his datapad again, burying his other hand in the purring tooka’s fur. When the two came back in, any fool could see how close they were standing. How red Rowan’s face was, and how dark Doriana’s stripes had gotten. But nobody mentioned it. Well, Damyan whistled under his breath, but that was just him being a brat. Of course they were being completely obvious about it, but he knew Rowan at least wouldn’t like people noticing. Rogue kept pretending to read, and while he did smile slyly at Rowan and Doriana, his mind wasn’t really in it. Everything about being around other clones- especially Cat - and seeing Rowan and Doriana do the same dance he’d done once (the glances and smiles, the sneaking around and thinking nobody would notice) - all he could think of was Winger. His Winger, his heart. All he could think of was him, and he hurt.

Rogue huffed and shook his head, his silver earrings jangling. It wasn’t fair of him to be depressing and moping around when everyone else was so happy. He’d just spoil it. So he took those thoughts - those precious memories - and buried them deep in his heart where nobody could see.

When he looked up again, he could see it hadn’t worked. Dreu was watching him with her arms crossed and looked like she wanted to smack him, which was her way of showing worry. Draake had much the same expression, if slightly less aggressive. He smiled and shrugged as he looked at them, and then away. He’d sort of expected those two to notice.

What he didn’t expect was Cat noticing too.

“How’s it hanging, Witcher?” Cat swung down from the beam he’d been perched on and dropped into Rogue’s lap, grinning at him.

Rogue rolled his eyes and pushed him off so he fell to the floor with a huff of laughter.

“It’s Rogue, you little miscreant,” he said affectionately. “And I’m pretty sure you’re the only one hanging around here.”

Cat popped up from the floor, pushing his curly hair out of his eyes and grinning. He wasn’t at all bothered by falling, it seemed.

“What’s with the sour face, brother? I thought you liked it here.” He hopped up nimbly onto the chair beside Rogue, perching with his knees up like some kind of unholy Acklay hybrid.

Rogue sighed, rolling his eyes and setting the datapad aside. Obscure Rylothian witchcraft rituals would have to wait, apparently.

“I know you weren’t part of Topple very long,” he said in a low voice, leaning closer. “But I know you remember Winger.”

“Course I do,” Cat said, losing some of that bright cheerful spark he had. It almost looked like the whiskers on his cheeks were drooping.

“Well, he and I, we….” Rogue swallowed. “Before the tank -”

“I know.” Cat hopped over to share Rogue’s chair and leaned against him. “He wouldn’t shut up about you even back then. Gods, he was so annoying.”

Rogue tried to smile past the lump in his throat, blinking back the tears that stung his eyes. Witcher! Where are you? The echo of a scream from long ago rose in his mind. He wrapped an arm around his brother’s shoulders.

“I miss him so much,” he whispered, voice cracking slightly. “I don’t even know if he’s alive. What if he doesn’t even remember me?”

Just saying the words out loud sent a chill of horror through him. He touched the fortune charm around his neck and whispered a spell to ward off evil things.

“That would never happen.” Cat sounded totally certain, and even a bit defensive. “Winger would never forget you. Ever. Just like I would never, ever forget Mouse.”

Rogue blinked at him, raising an eyebrow. “You and Mouse were together?”

Cat shifted over and rested his chin on his knees, staring moodily at the dinner table. “Nah. Never got the chance to be.” He sounded casual, but there was weighted sorrow behind the words. “But….I would have, if he’d asked.”

Neither of them said anything for a while.

“Dori told me I’d see him again, once,” he murmured finally. “Read my palm and everything. I dunno if it’s gonna happen, but….well, who am I to argue with Fate?”

Cat sniffed and stood up, stretching. “We’ll see them again,” he said. It didn’t much sound like he believed it, but Rogue appreciated the sentiment anyway.

…………