#robard

«What do you think you’re doing…?» Eobard hisses, but when the other wrenches his arm free he doesn’t force it. 

«Oh because you don’t think I saw?» Robern leans in, and with his height he easily towers over his older brother. «I wonder how many other interesting things I’d find, if I were to pay more unannounced visits. Or if I were to just turn this on-» He reaches over and motions to flick the monitor back on. Eobard grabs his wrist again, gritting his teeth and simmering with rage as Robern fixes him with a level stare. «Or if I were to confiscate your equipment for a search, even.»

«Are you done?» Eobard clicks his tongue. «You’re not a cop yet. Overriding the security systems of my living space is an infraction, and so is stealing a master keycard from whoever you took it from. Those things leave a trace on the cubicle’s log, so now I’m the one who wonders what would happen if I were to submit those logs to the-»

Police training made Robern quicker, enough that Eobard doesn’t expect the blow from the way his brother’s body slightly rears back. It’s an elbow hit below his chin which knocks him back hard, and by the time his head stops spinning he’s being pinned to his desk again, arms brought up as the zip ties get secured around his wrists and a nook of his holographic library. Eobard grunts, a tremor breaking out at the feeling of blood trickling through his hair and wetting his neck. Stunned as he is, he can’t focus either on the instinct to defend himself or on the learned, ingrained lesson that hitting his brother is something he just can’t do. And so Eobard ends up just trying to pull away as his vest is grabbed and tugged to the point of ripping open on his chest, down to the already disheveled state of his bottoms. He’s held still by the hair on the top of his head, and the momentary doubling of his vision suggests he has to be concussed.

He ends up wondering what on Earth has happened that got Robern so riled up. Something at the academy, probably. It is in fact none of Eobard’s business, but he’s never been manhandled like this, because this… it’s worse than usual, isn’t it? He’s never been tied down. Being hit is not new, though. The way his chest is being gripped and squeezed isn’t, either. But there’s a glint in his younger brother’s eyes that feels almost entirely foreign.

«You’d let me do anything to you.» The younger Thawne mutters under his breath, roughly yanking open Eobard’s knees to fit himself in between. «You are a disgrace. Letting your own brother have his way with you.»

(...)

I think Robern was also used to hold Eobard down in "familiar" ways, likely holding onto the same spots (back of the neck, upper arms etc) since it's been happening for so long, and especially before he left for police school, those spots had to be pretty much always bruised. It had to feel relieving not to have them anymore but also a bit strange? Like it was a familiar ache, not feeling it anymore leaves some sort of hollow space.

But I also don't think Robern would do it on purpose. I don't think he's either particularly sadistic (just enough to you know, keep doing what he's doing), or feels the need to be territorial. They're very isolated - school happens through VR and Eo wasn't able to pursue a higher education because he had to take care of his brother, so he likely didn't interact with many people beside his close relatives.

But I also ALSO think that if Robern was dared, then hell yeah he'd probably try and carve his name into his brother's side, figuratively speaking. See at the end of I can't see forgiveness he's got his little video and he will show it to his peers. Imagine the reactions of a bunch of younger children who have hella complicated feelings towards their considerably more attractive, "failure" older siblings. Or anyway the reactions of a touch starved bunch of 18 to 25 yo full of hormones. Robern would be dared to do a whole bunch of shit, and leaving lasting marks on Eobard (which then he will have to film or anyway immortalize) is surely going to be one of them.