Security Breach Adventures

Boiling Up and Over

In which New Moon is still struggling with his ill-temper, and things come to a head one day when he loses his temper while working the daycare. Able to see the damage being done to all parties by letting this go on, Eclipse resolves to step in and take control to help his brother. (TABB AU.)

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"Fine then, I'll leave you all be so you can play your games in peace, BUT DON'T COME CRYING TO ME WHEN ONE OF YOU SHITS BREAKS YOUR LEG BEING A DUMBASS!"

"Moon! Moon, that's enough!" I shout, grabbing Moon by the shoulder and moving him back. "I'm taking over, go upstairs and cool off!"

Moon stiffens up and grits his teeth as he takes a breath to protest, but I quickly cut him off, "Do not argue this with me, go upstairs right now or I will make you go! Don't test me!"

"I-" He sucks in a sharp breath as he takes a few steps back, his gaze flitting around as he takes in all the frightened, crying kids upset by his outburst of anger. In a flash, the anger on his face withers into regret, pain and guilt, so stark to see that I can feel my servos tightening as I imagine exactly how awful he must feel now.

"Moon-" I start to speak, to try and balm my harsh words, but he shakes his head as the hook of the flying wire comes down, clipping to the loop on his back.

"Don't, Eclipse, I- I just..." Moon looks back to me, letting out a shaky breath that only worsens the pain I feel in my chest, especially as I notice tears welling up in his eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry..." And then the wire goes taut, pulling him off the ground and carrying him up to the loft balcony before I can really react or say anything more.

I know I can't stop him- not after I told him to go, but I shouldn't have snapped back at him. I let my programming react before my own mind, and I lashed out at my own brother when I know he didn't mean to be so harsh to the kids.

Stars, speaking of the kids- I look around at them as well, their teary eyes and red-splotched faces, and I know I have a lot of work to do soothing them. So better late than never...

-- Timeskip --

My boots subtly thump against the wood of the balcony, then with a metallic click, the hook comes loose and the wire retracts with a hiss. Slowly, I push myself forward into the darkened loft, the lights still off as Moon and I had left them this morning.

I'd almost think Moon wasn't here at all if I couldn't hear his sobbing from Sun's room. I swallow hard and blink back tears of my own, trying to ignore the pain in my chest- it's worse than getting hit with a sledgehammer, I swear.

I climb down the latter and tread over to the plastic tunnel in the wall, peeking into the room and quickly finding Moon, sat on the floor by Sun's bed and curled in on himself, hiding his face as he cries.

"Brother?" I call, keeping my voice especially soft to try and make up for how harshly I spoke to him before. Moon huddles in further on himself. "You can come out now if you want. Everyone's gone home... And- and I want to apologize, I-"

"I don't deserve it," He interrupts, and I startle at just how weak and hoarse his voice is. But then, he's been up here, crying all by himself for hours.

I let out a heavy sigh, already able to see just how deeply he's mired in guilt for this. Not that I can blame him, I know from experience just how quickly it gets you, the guilt... How it sinks its claws into you and hangs on tight. Never letting go until someone can help wrest its claws from you- but it even then, it finds its way back.