My brother, my responsibility

"Sister." The voice echoed through the cold, damp dungeon, sending a jolt through Noctis's chest. Her pulse raced as she stepped closer, eyes locking onto the frail figure of her brother.

He leaned weakly against the cell bars, his body battered, bruised—just a shadow of the brother she remembered. Torn strips of cloth barely clung to him, and his hair, once so vibrant, was now matted with grime, his face drawn and pale, drained of life. The dungeon's bitter cold hadn't spared him, leaving him shivering, yet they hadn't even given him decent clothes.

"Noctis..." His voice was barely audible, a ghost of a whisper, but the pain in his eyes hit her like a blow to the stomach. The weight of it settled heavily in her chest, and she swallowed the lump in her throat, fighting back the tears.

I always hated coming down here to see him. I hated the way he looked once vibrant and full of life to beaten. Broken. Trapped. But I have no choice but to come and see you, I'm the only way you can survive and I won't leave you. 

You're my family, and my responsibility. 

She fumbled through her bag, hands trembling as she retrieved a vial of potion. The vial was small, but the contents were potent—exactly what he needs right now.

"Take this," she whispered, forcing a smile that felt unnatural on her lips. Her voice trembles despite the calm she was trying to project. "It will help with the frostbite."

His hands shake as he reaches out, accepting the potion, his fingers grazing hers for a brief second. She helped him tilt his head back, steadying him as the potion trickled down his throat. His face contorted in pain, a soft wince escaping his lips, but he swallowed it all.

For a moment, Noctis thought she saw a flicker of hope in his eyes, as faint as it was. A weak flicker of life in his eyes. 

"How are you holding up?" she whispers, her voice soft, strained with worry.

He chuckles softly, but the sound is bitter, hollow. "Could be better, sister... But I'm still here."

Tears threaten to spill, but she fights them back, refusing to break. Not now. Not here.

"I won't leave you," Noctis promises, her voice firm, a sense of resolve pushing through the cracks of her fear. "I'll get you out. I swear it."

His gaze softens, but the exhaustion in his eyes is unmistakable. "Noctis... You should stay obedient. There's no escaping this place. They'll kill you, too."

She shakes her head, her jaw tightening. "Not if I can help it. I have a plan."

Her eyes sweep over the dungeon, taking in the cold stone walls and the oppressive silence. Then suddenly a bang of the cell gates surprise her as he falls back, hitting her butt on the cold stone. 

"No! No! No!" He shouts coming closer to bar his hand pressing against the poles. "I don't want to lose you too! So don't do anything!" His eyes bulge out his socket fright etched into every fibre of his being. 

"B..But." His face controls into fear as he looks at him, astonished on the way he's acting. 

"I said listen to them!" He yells again, dropping to his knees and clawing at his skin on his face and arm. " Be obedient, listen, listen, listen." He repeats like a maniac. 

"Brother, calm down." She gets back up at once, moving to him and sticking her hand inside of the cell and he scratches it with his nails, and blood immediately flows out through the wound but Noctis doesn't flinch once. 

"I'm…" He stares at what he's down, shaking his head. "I'm..."

How could a person from being so full of life turn to this. 

"What have they done to you, Lorn." She voices in disbelief, slowly dropping into a stoop. "It's fine, just breathe." She whispers gently.

"I'm sorry…" His eyes waters, and comes closer to her but hesitantly. "I'm sorry sister." He mutters as they both touch their foreheads together, while he takes a few breaths in and out. 

My only family left. 

The last person who has my back and I have his. 

My only reason for living, my brother. 

"A scratch is nothing." She mumbles, looking into his eyes. "I've been through way worse." 

"Me too." He chuckles softly, and she joins. 

"I know, that's why I'm always here for you, no matter what happens we only have each other." She smiles. 

"Only each other." They both say together. "Now, until we return to dust."