#ngccabe

Kraatz's mask is on. Even though Cabe's the only one present around him, he's outside, simply. Even on top of their resident building, it's possible for someone to see him. So, he wears his mask.

Cabe, meanwhile, wears a leather jacket, rather fitting on him--a new garment. Well, not too new. He's had a couple times to break it in.

"You had something to tell me, right?" Cabe starts, but Kraatz interrupts him.

"It can be said after this."

Cabe allows a small silence, but he doesn't look annoyed; clearly Kraatz is focused on what's ahead, and he has every reason to be. In fact, the demon should be offended if his brother weren't focused on it.

"Very well. Rules are same as always," Cabe says smoothly, interlocking his fingers and stretching his palms out towards Kraatz. His knuckles crack. "I say when the we're done."

"Got it," Kraatz agrees. He's tense.

Cabe couldn't look more relaxed.

"You have three seconds," Cabe says suddenly, and his smile causes chills to run up Kraatz's spine. "I'll count."

"Three."

Kraatz crosses his forearms in front of him and thrusts them to his sides; red half sickles immediately slice themselves out of his skin, razor sharp.

"Two."

He clenches his fists and uncurls his fingers; with them his trademark red claws spring out of their knuckles.

"One."

Kraatz is breathing hard and standing at the edge of the roof. He's uninjured, not counting the eight neat cuts on the back of his hands and the two gaping lines on his forearms. And, perhaps, one or new two bruises.

Cabe, on the other hand, is perfectly untouched.

"Had enough already?" he asks, smiling.

Kraatz tries to retort, but he's still catching his breath. He's drenched in sweat. It's been an hour and a half. He's tired.

I still can't graze him.

It's annoying. It's really annoying. He grits his teeth and--

And suddenly Cabe's in front of him.

He can feel the air ripple from the force of his arrival, and he twists on his heel to try to leap back, but it's too late, far too late. Cabe's palm slams into his chest, and Kraatz feels his lungs empty out as he's sent flying backwards into the quiet air of the city.

For a split second the shock of the blow fades, and Kraatz's eyelids flutter. He doesn't have enough blood to make wings, not even enough time to try to get back to the rooftop.

He wonders what it'd feel like to fall.

And Cabe's behind him, arms encircling his torso; he feels a push and they're rocketing back to the roof of their building. Cabe lands neatly on his feet, his shoes skidding the rooftop for a yard or so.

He places Kraatz on his feet and lets go, though the boy promptly kneels down, hunched over his own coughing. Cabe watches with a smile.

"Not bad, not bad at all~" he says, as if Kraatz hadn't been promptly defeated just ten seconds ago. "I'd say you nearly nicked me about thirty four minutes in."

­Kraatz just scowls underneath his mask and stands up, slowly. The area Cabe struck felt sore already. It was less than a foot away from his heart.

If Cabe had hit him there, he would have most definitely died.

Cabe watches him, his smiling slowly fading. Now that he's won, his patience dies.

"So. What is it you wanted to tell me?"

Kraatz looks at his brother as his breathing steadies.

Cabe looks back with love, as always.

He takes a breath.