C:STP Chapter 17 (Patreon)

"Farlan, old friend..." The man sinisterly smiles, as if he's planning the usual assassination. However, he's been stripped of weapons even before entering the Schliemann gates. "Hmm... still chasing after Járed? Should I even be questioning the humanity of a Mafia Boss?"

"Still trying to brainwash that kid you kidnapped?" Farlan pointedly stares at his scar, making a point that he's barely human as well. "Tougher than I thought... even managed to blind you."

"Well, I wear this as a badge of honor. An expression of love, if you will," Miroh steps forward with a smile stretching his scar. He is handsome enough to make ladies swoon, but terrifying enough to make babies cry.

"Oh, so the rumors were right..." Miroh says, staring at Miles through the glass. "The blueprint is a man with a beauty that can destroy the Levough."

"The Shabdkoshi destroyed the Levough," Farlan corrects him.

"Someone from inside Carvalle initiated the attack," the cheeky Don Llorona further corrects him. Farlan kept a hard face, until the man asks, "How are you so confident I won't kill you right then and now? After all the attempts I've made... you still call me here?"

Farlan keeps quiet.

"Always unpredictable... or reckless, Diablo..." Miroh taps the glass with the underside of his ring.

"I ask to make amends, Miroh," Farlan says, finally facing him. "Once Járed wakes up, I want all of us to be with him. All as friends. I need more help to find Navi."

"Hmm. You want to bring back the feeling of being kids again," a deep yet playful voice concluded, "How sentimental of you, it's adorable... not worried that I might seduce Járed once again?"

"You have your own bítch."

This made Miroh laugh, very much amused that he pissed off an old friend again. "Ahh, it was worth a try. It'll be funny seeing such a composed man like you lose your shít."

Farlan sighs, "I just want to make Járed happy."

Miroh calmly raised both of his eyebrows. "What will I get from friendship, Schliemann? It is useless to me."

"The Levough will fall soon," Farlan announces, perking Miroh's interest. "The Llorona will be part of the Unholy Trinity once they do so."

"Oh, how will that be? You're bringing back the Levough's Master..."

"I'm keeping him," Farlan whispers almost as an assurance to himself, staring at the Doctors' backs as they operate on a fully sedated Miles Taylor. Then, the Schliemann Master turns around to exit. "And I will make sure the Levough is destroyed."

Miroh once against raised a curious eyebrow, definitely pleased with what he's hearing. Farlan is doing the dirty work for him, and the Llorona will not have the Levough's blood in their hands. He takes one last look at the operation in front of him, before exiting as well.

MUCH, MUCH TIME GOES BY,

Miles sees himself driving a car, successfully arriving at the nearest Manchester hospital.

"Help! Help, please! Help them!" He screamed, making the employees rush the two unconscious boys into the emergency room. Miles had no visible injuries and fully functioning, so they assumed he was just escorting the patients.

He was stopped when he tries going to the ER. "No, no no! I have to go with them! Please, please you need to-"

"Sir, only medical personnel is allowed please calm down, we will be doing our best-"

"No, let me go! I have to-Taewon! Jihun, please!"

"Sir please, or you'll have to be restrained!" The nurse scolds him, but it wasn't that making Miles fall to the floor in tears. It was him being overwhelmed by desperation and sadness.

After all they've done just to stay with me... fate is against us. Are they meant to be apart from me?

He remembered what Taewon said in the car, about how they won't make it if Miles proceeds to the hospital. And when he does, their last moments together will be a room apart.

Miles suddenly took a security guard's gun, completely shocking the man. Then, he shoots himself in the stomach, making everyone in the waiting lobby panic. He did not care, he wants to be with his boys.

And so, the Doctors rush him into the ER. There, he saw the two men he fell in love with, muzzled up with oxygen and several doctors trying to remove their bullet wounds as fast and precise as they can. Meanwhile, Miles watches over them while an oxygen mask is also pressed against his mouth.

He wants to reach out, but because of his recent suicide attempt earlier, his hands are handcuffed to the sides. This made him wish he wasn't immortal; no mutation, no regeneration. He wishes he could just die here with them.

"We're losing this one!"

"Doctor!"

"We need two defibrillators!"

"Charge up!"

Jun Taewon... Jun Jihun... They were right. They'll never make it... and now we're apart...

"Charge!"

"Clear."

The monitor had no choice but to continue its sound, for it no longer detected life within two boys.

Miles cried so much, trying to break free of the handcuffs as doctors try to treat his nonfatal wound. He starts to scream through the oxygen masks, closing his eyes at the constant pain and tears.

Then upon opening his eyes, a constant, slow heartbeat is being detected by a monitor. The room is empty, and no Doctors are surrounding him. He lays on a bed, body fatigued and seeming restless while unaware that he's been asleep for an entire two weeks.

Miles Taylor woke up from what could have been, and his increased heart rate notified the doctors that he regained consciousness after laying dormant for days. Letting the Doctors record his vital statistics and testing basic movements, his tests were completed after an hour.

A nurse had gone to inform the Master through a handheld radio, "Sir. Miles Taylor is awake and has suffered no side effects so far. Latest records from 40 minutes ago, yet to be observed further."

"Thank you," he replied from his office.

Soon enough, he was facing a gloomy Miles who seemed to be crying so much at his first moments of recovery. Farlan erases his cold demeanor and starts to smile warmly, "Lisichka. What a good boy you are. We successfully extracted your bone marrow enough to do seven tests on seven people. But, no worries... we'll only use it on one person."

Miles, ever so coldly, asks him, "Are you done? Are you gonna dispose of me now?"

"Why no," Farlan chuckles, walking to his bed and carefully kissing him on the temple. "You are still the most valuable person in the world. I would never dispose of you."

"Even when you have Járed now?"

"Járed is no one but my business partner," Farlan smiles. Yet his one eyebrow raised because Miles dare question him. "Why, are you afraid he might recognize who destroyed his precious school?"

Miles gasps, immediately thinking of the boys and how Farlan knows but the Master adds, "The Shabdkoshi destroyed it all just to get you. Poor Járed Levough..."

Miles released a breath at least, knowing Farlan might not know about his history with Vanya and Misha, the real culprits of Carvalle's destruction.

"Not to worry, I won't sleep with you until you've fully recovered," he says. Although Miles already feels like nothing was ever done to his body, that's how mutated it is. He keeps silent though, just staring up at the Schliemann Master.

meanwhile,

IN ANOTHER PART OF THE MANSION,

Misha fidgets around with his lighter, a cigarette between his lips waiting for a light. But, he simply is not in the mood for a smoke. It's what the doctor said, to stop further nosebleeds. Was that the consequence of smoking for years? Why is he so scared to smoke right now?

"Mikhael, you [bástard]," Yasha comes into the Gang's lounge room and steals his lighter, taking a cigarette for her own. "You haven't visited many brothels at all, Mandy misses you. What, balls dry?"

"I simply have to look after my health. After I tested clean, I can't risk getting diseases for real," Misha lies about the reason. Time simply flew by for him and his desire for women slipped his mind. While his thoughts venture onto séx, an image of a curly-headed male infiltrated his thoughts and made him zone out.

"Health? Tch," Yasha smirks, "You talk about living long while working for one of the deadliest fields?"

"It's not about living longer, it's about not being in pain while heading for death," Misha sneers at the female gangster, finally throwing his cigarettes away. "What more do you know about the Master's bítch."

"Miles Taylor? Oh," Yasha thought long while taking sips of her cigarettes before answering, "Well, we stole him from the Shabdkoshi... but he used to work for the Levough. I hear he used to be the Levough Master's concubine as well. Can't blame them, he looks enticing."

Misha scowls at the thought, internally slútshaming Miles yet again. But, instead of discouraging his desires, it amplified his selfishness even more. He has the body to seduce two rich men, why is he going after two disabled brothers?

Miles Taylor surely doesn't act like a gold-digging slút, just someone who knows how to make a man hard. Seeing him get fúcked by the Master... unwillingly, makes Misha feel something different deep in his hea-

"Misha, the Master wants you to escort Miles Taylor upstairs," Yasha interrupts his thoughts after getting a radio transmission from Farlan himself.

"He's awake? They're done experimenting on him?"

"You'll probably be escorting a dead body, just go do it," Yasha sternly commands, making the man roll his eyes before standing up.

"I'll have to remind you I'm the leader here," Misha grumbles.

"Then act like one," she teasingly smirks, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

Misha gets annoyed once again, appointing the help of two gangsters for the job but, "On the other hand, no. Get my brother." Vanya would... want to see him...

later on,

The two Schliemann gangsters were escorted themselves by Nurses who are instructed to strictly supervise the recovering Miles Taylor. There, the Nurses assisted a weak Miles by the arm because of his unstable nerves. His legs are on a constant static cramp because the newly regenerated stem cells have yet to adjust to the body, affecting his nervous system. Still, he refuses a wheelchair as he can still walk.

Once he sees the brothers waiting for him by the door, Miles grew a relieved smile that seemed to light up the room. I want to hug them! I survived!

The nurse hands him to Misha who is now gently wrapping his left arm around his shoulders and the right hand on Miles' right arm to stabilize him.

"You're finally awake."

Taewon sounds less grumpy. And Miles stops himself from being too emotional by holding a smile, "Did you guys miss me?"

"Ew, no..." Misha huffs, while Vanya shyly hooks his right arm onto Miles' waist for further support.

"Vanya misses me?"

"He doesn't."

"I wasn't asking you, Misty."

Misha should be annoyed just like he did with Yasha's sharp tongue, but looking at Miles' innocent face right now made his anger nonexistent. In fact, he has the urge to nuzzle his nose against his neck from how nice he smells. Hold on a minute...

They led him to the Master's quarters where Miles is seated on the well-made bed, his dark hair standing out among all the white, beige, and gold themes of the Master's bedroom.

He still belongs to the Master... Misha thinks, staring down at Miles who then noticed.

"What are you looking at me like that?" Miles asks, but then smirks, "Fallen in love?"

"I want to carve your face like a Jack-o'-lantern," Misha mutters, looking away. "We should leave."

Misha had already rushed out but Miles held onto Vanya's hand, "No, don't go! I... I'll need assistance! I still can't walk! You're gonna leave a person in need here?"

"You're not disabled, that's just a cramp," Misha spitefully replies, despite being torn himself.

Miles didn't want them to leave him alone so he suddenly yells out, "Aghh!" while clutching his thighs, crying out quite exaggeratedly. "Ow, ow... it hurts...!"

Misha looks back to see his brother suddenly kneeling down to tend to a pouting Miles' legs. "Wha-"

'Massage,' Vanya signs with one hand but Misha still understood. Now the silver-haired man is sitting on the bed, a sniffing Miles extending his leg for him to squeeze.

"Thank you so much, Vanya," Miles says, smiling proudly. Then, upon looking at Misha he terribly mouthed, "Ow."

"Ugh, this bítch," Misha rolls his eyes and turns away from them, only to hide his amused smile because Miles really reached for the stars just to get them to stay. And so, to mess around with the recently recovered Miles, he offers to massage his hand as well.

"Oh? How nice of you, Misha..." Miles happily gives the gangster his hand as he sits down beside him. "You know, kindness makes you look more handso-OW!"

Misha had pressed onto his forefinger's knuckle and intentionally broke it, before giving a proud yet innocent smile to a pained Miles. Vanya glares at him, thinking that his brother just sucks at massaging.

"Well," Misha takes back the hand and carefully kisses the broken yet currently healing finger, "If you want to be crippled so bad I can just break your limbs or...?"

Misha teasingly looks at his body, to which Miles horribly blushes at. He gasps, "I just came out of a coma! Vanya, your brother is so rude! He broke my finger!"

The man just looks at them back and forth, a little confused as well because Misha usually never flirts. Also, he doesn't see an issue with the finger since it looks fine right now. Still, he offers Miles a kiss on the shoulder as an apology, while focusing on his thighs.

Vanya is liking him too much, Misha cringed, feeling yet a little selfish again. I... "Hey, slútty Tsarina. Why does Vanya get a kiss?"

"Oh, you want one?" Miles giggles, but then suddenly...

I feel selfish... Misha grabs him by the neck and leans in to catch a kiss without waiting for permission. He just wants to see, to feel; he just wants to know if he can feel happiness through being selfish. And yet, he can. He feels heaven with these lips; his scent. Is this what my brother really likes? I am... getting addicted...

I want to be selfish for Miles Taylor... Misha looks at his brother, who is just staring at them kiss. Then, his grip tightens.

meanwhile,

Farlan rushes to visit a certain VIP patient in the laboratory. In fact, the most important person in the world next to Miles right now. After almost a month of observation, 93 hours of surgery, 72 hours of constructing and installing a new body courtesy of the Shinji, the Scientists and Doctors finally declared Járed Levough stable and conscious.

Barely, since they have yet to observe if Járed accepts his synthetic half of a brain so he's functioning no more than a robotic vessel with no emotions or thought. His recovery is nowhere near finished, yet he is here with a pulse, and waking up.

Farlan is speechless, watching the curious and clueless eyes of a silent zombie-cyborg of a corpse roam all over the room. He is behaved while the nurses insert a needle on the back of his hand for the drip, mainly because he couldn't process what danger is yet. They did manage to distract him from the pain with quick snaps of their fingers.

"Your version of the formula failed, Farlan..." Don Llorona casually mocks him with a playful tone, standing right beside the Schliemann Master. Both men from opposite sides of the spectrum, yet both stay in the same level of darkness.

"It's not a failure, it brought him back," Farlan mutters, eyes only on Járed who is staring back and forth at the nurses and doctors.

"Yes, as an infant..." Miroh mocks him with an amused smile, "He doesn't even have half the brain of the one you fell in love with, is he even the same person?"

Oh, how Farlan dreads that question. He hates that he can't convince Miroh that he has no feelings for Járed; this half-blind man can see through anything. He merely watches his precious experiment, who is confused on why there's a plastic wire connecting his hand to that hanging waterbag above.

"As long as he is alive and breathing... I don't care even if he's possessed by a demon," Farlan answers.

"And I thought I was persistent," Miroh says, recalling how he himself kidnapped the person he desired. "How far can our power go...? Is your love strong enough to betray your friends?"

"Don't talk about betrayal, Llorona. You tried to kill me, and almost killed Lei with that missile in Guatemala," Farlan angrily snaps, "I've never betrayed any one of you,  in fact I'm trying to bring us together-"

"Never?" Miroh's smooth and deep voice mocks Farlan even further. "You're forgetting about the one right in front of you... manipulation is still betrayal, old friend. You're just as terrible as me."

"Fúcking focus on finding Navi and attacking the Shabdkoshi, or shove your entire coke plantation up your nose; don't accuse me of being like you."

Farlan refuses to listen to the cheeky little bástard. Kino is more tolerable than him. He turns away, leaving Miroh in order to enter Járed Levough's confinement room. It made the doctors panic a little bit, especially when Farlan entered with an unpleasant face.

And finally; finally, Járed's eyes finally met the intruder's. His eyes grew darker than black because of decomposition, so they lost their rich browns. He has yet to grow back half his hair after brain surgery, so the majority of his head is wrapped in bandages to protect the stitches. His eyes look at Farlan with no emotion at all, but not stoic. Just wide enough to highlight his cluelessness in all of this.

Yet, Járed Levough remains handsome and his innocence is highlighted with how lost he looks right now. His prominent nose, pink because of fluster, his under eyes freshly pink with tire as well. His personality is entirely stripped off as his brain resets. Maybe it's perfect for Farlan to exploit.

"Leave us," commands the Master. He'll gain back his cognitive abilities in more or less a month... for now, he's worse than a newborn.

Farlan approached the bed slowly as to not startle him, sitting on the edge without breaking eye contact. Thankfully Miroh or whoever else is watching cannot hear when he says, "Your eyes... no longer the same... it breaks my heart... that you may never act like the reckless idiot that you are. But I doubt... that we will be high school best friends again... since I killed your precious brother."

Járed cannot understand whatever he is saying. He thinks Farlan is just another female nurse because of his long hair, so he is waiting for him to mess with the monitors or the stickers on his body.

Expecting this, Járed didn't react when Farlan reached out for his cheek, feeling the revived flesh of what once was frozen to avoid rotting. The stem cells did a great job in renewing his entire being; his stitches might heal by tomorrow. But, since the procedure is not identical to what was done on Miles Taylor, Járed can no longer heal or regenerate. His mutated genes died with him.

"You are beautiful," Farlan whispers in his own language. "And soon, you will know nothing but to be by my side..."