Private Finished Care To Explain?

Morgan followed Cam, thinking of the thousand and one ways he could talk about this. Yes, Morgan was the smart one, but he wasn't the one that was good with socialising. How could he explain this? Just explaining the fact he summoned a demon when he was eleven years old was proving to be too much. He ran his hand through his hair as he thought about it.

It didn't really surprise Morgan that Cam had an apartment rather than a dorm. Morgan could've gotten an apartment, their parents were willing to give Morgan as much money as he thought was necessary. But he didn't want to take more than he had to. Just enough money for food and clothes. That's it. He took off his trainers and set them next to Cam's boots. He didn't have any bags or a jacket on, just his usual jeans and tank top. Work clothes. He was in his work clothes more often than not, nowadays.

He knew that his time had shortened. When Morgan initially took the deal, he was informed he had at least 11 years shaved off because that was how long Cam had been alive up to that point. But the amount of time taken off would be proportional to Cam's own expected lifespan. The increase recently... He knew it was time. He likely had a few months at least... or at best.

Again, Morgan wasn't the social one. He was going to say it in one go, take questions after. Rip it off like a band-aid. "Cam, when we were eleven, when you... were dying. I got desperate. You didn't deserve to die, and there was nothing to save you at the time. You know I still loved the stories mom told us when we were really young but I always kind of believed them. Honestly, at the time, I think it was a coping mechanism but it worked." This was a lot harder than Morgan anticipated.

He swore he could feel a sting on his back, exactly where the brand was. "I did research, while you were in hospital. I finally found something that seemed legit and I gave it a go. It turned out it was real, and I summoned a demon one evening." He cleared his throat and took a deep breath in. "I made a deal with the demon. You got better, and they taught me how to apply engineering to magic, and vice versa." He desperately hoped Cam wouldn't ask the cost of this. But, knowing his brother, Morgan knew he would.

He just delayed the inevitable answer by seconds. Morgan hated wasting time, so why was he doing it so much now? He took a deep breath in. "The demon was pleasant. He knew I was a child, and he took a liking to me. He didn't just kill me outright." He mentally kicked himself. He wasn't making this any easier for himself or Cam. He couldn't let Cam be angry with himself. This was Morgan's decision.

"The deal was that he would heal you, and give me the knowledge to start becoming proficient in magitech when I was older. The payment in return was... most of my lifespan. Enough to save you and give me the knowledge." This was going to be near impossible to salvage. He shuffled where he stood as he looked away from Cam. He couldn't look at him. Morgan was okay saying this to strangers on the island, if anything it was relieving he could finally talk about it after 8 years. But now, to his own family, to Cam no less.

For once, he didn't care about wasting time. He was going to dedicate however much time he had remaining to helping people, but he wasn't going to survive. "There was a catch where for every invention I made, and for every person an invention helped, I would gain a minute back. However, the lifespan that I lost was somewhat proportional to the one you gained, and would change accordingly." He pushed his glasses up just enough to rub his eyes with his hand. He wasn't gonna cry, he couldn't allow Cam to see him like that. "But, your lifespan has increased. Mine has decreased accordingly. Before, I had around 10 years. Then it dropped to 5, for reasons I don't know. Now... I only have a few months at best, I don't know." Band-aid, he really had to do this like a band-aid.

He took his glasses off and sat down next to Cam. He looked down at the floor as he refused to look at Cam. "Cam. I'm going to die. But, don't be angry at yourself, just be angry at me. This was my decision, I brought this upon myself. I was prepared for that when I made the deal, I was prepared for the past 8 years. I would do it all over again for you and anyone else in our family."

Morgan looked up at Cam. He had a mixture of emotions as he looked at him. He wasn't surprised, he was proud, angry, happy, scared. He sighed as he shook his head. "Cam, no... It's a contract, I can't back out of it. The only way now is to break it." He sounded calm as he spoke. He couldn't let Cam die, not after all of this. "But doing so would mean you would die." His voice had gone quiet this time. It scared him, that Cam knew now. He was scared of so many things now but he would never voice those fears.

He stood up and placed a supporting hand on Cam's arm. He knew Cam had his balance, but he always did this. He also put his hand there in the hopes Cam wouldn't slip away. He looked at Cam, despite the difficulty he had without his glasses. He shook his head. "Cam, I'm not letting you die. Not after all of this." His voice almost shook as he looked at his brother. His back still felt like it stung as he looked at Cam.

He didn't care that he would die. He would do this a thousand, no, a million times again. For Cam and anyone else in his family. It was cruel, in a way. For one of them to survive, the other had to die. That seemed to be the only way.

Morgan once again felt that mixture of pride and fear. He knew Cam would do this. Despite their family not being magical or anything, they had a stubbornness that seemed to rival most. Of course Cam would have the exact same.

He sighed. “I know nothing I’ll say will make you stop. Just... please be careful. Please.” He looked into Cam’s eyes with a slightly fearful look. He took a deep inhale then took his glasses back out and put them back on.

He looked at Cam for a while longer then hugged him. “I’m so glad I’ve been able to see you again, Cam.” He didn’t know how many somewhat calm, peaceful moments they would get like this. So, Morgan made the most of it. He had to.

Morgan frowned the tiniest bit as he looked at Cam. It really did make it difficult that the two of them were as stubborn as each other. “We have been stuck together since we were born. Of course I know you. I also know you can get careless, Cam. Just be careful.” The reason he was so concerned was because of that fact he knew Cam. Morgan himself had gone to some extreme lengths to save Cam. He knew Cam would try to do the same for him. He didn’t want Cam to make a deal to save Morgan, like how Morgan had.

Morgan shrugged. “I can’t really help it. But, I’ll try.” He then chuckled as he shrugged again. “I have little social filter, Cam. I’m afraid morbid can be part of the package.” That was Morgan’s attempt at humour. A little crude, but an attempt.