Work Text:
A/N: This has been rotting in my files and I was in a writing mood. SO here's a short oneshot. (❁´◡`❁)
.
.
.
.
The screams.
The torment.
The helplessness.
Gempa hated it more than anything in the world.
He had been on a mission with Blaze and Solar.
Just the three of them.
Rescue a captured Power Sphere and get the hell out of there.
A simple retrieval mission.
Then everything went downhill when they accidentally tripped on one of the alarms just as Solar had managed to free the power sphere from its hutch.
Blaze took the bot and made a run for it under Gempa's instructions.
Gempa tried to follow as he was the slowest one and needed a head start.
He trusted Solar could just transport away to safety.
But then—
“GEMPA! LOOK OUT!”
A loud crashing sound came from above, he had no time to react when he felt a sharp pain from the back of his head and everything just went black.
Next thing he knew…
…he woke up— captured, powerless… but worst of all…
…next to an unconscious Solar.
His stupid, selfless brother who ended up getting captured trying to save him and foolishly told the captors that he had the answers they needed about TAPOPS just as they were going to grab Gempa for interrogation.
The anguish Gempa had to suffer as he watched them drag Solar away only to throw him back into their cell after who knows how long, barely conscious and coherent.
He wanted to cry but he couldn’t afford to break down now.
He practically pulled his brother into his trembling arms while their captors scoffed and mocked them.
He ignored them, pressing his face closer to Solar’s, trembling hands pushing bangs aside to see bruises and scratches.
His one eye looked swollen, his lip was cut— blood was dripping from his nose and Gempa felt this hot, coiling rage burn through his core amplifying at every injury he discovered.
Everything was suddenly static.
His surroundings— nothing but a blur and every noise muffled by the loud beating of his heart.
His captors sneered at the other side of their cell.
The jeers, the insults.
Nothing mattered at that point.
All his focus was solely on his brother whom he had failed to protect… again.
“...Solar…” He whispered, pulling him closer and towering over him protectively.
He remained limp and unresponsive.
“...Cahaya, talk to me… come on.”
No response.
He vaguely heard the doors opening, a voice talking— but all his thoughts and attention were on his brother’s shaky breaths and that one singular goal to make sure he never gets hurt again.
“...powerless without your watches anymore, huh?”
“Come on, we already got all our answers from the brat. Let's just leave them to rot here.”
“Nah, I wanna see the so-called Heroes of the Galaxy!”
Gempa could feel the roar of emotions he couldn't control anymore as he clung to his brother, breath picking up and eyes tightly shut as he felt them prickle with tears.
He felt like he was barely clinging to his own sanity—
“...ignoring us now, HUH?!”
He opened his eyes just in time to see the alien reach and grab Solar's dangling arm—
—and all Gempa saw was red.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
It was that soft whimper that made him slowly come to.
“...mpa… please…”
He smells something burning and the sounds of creaking and groaning metal all around him.
He tensed up at the sound of something breaking from afar.
Everything was dark.
He let out a shaky breath, blinking rapidly as he felt something shift in his arms.
He looked down and realized his golem hands were back and in his arms was Solar.
He felt his breath hitch when he heard a crunching step approaching and he looked up with a warning snarl, pulling Solar closer to his chest, heart clenching at the small muffled whimper from the action.
He sees dark figures in front of him— surrounding him.
He tried to adjust to the darkness, but for some reason his right eye was stuck shut by a sticky substance that dripped from his head— and unfortunately, with just one eye open, everything around him was too hazy and blurry.
The never ending clouds of dust and small debris that kept falling did not help at all.
Doesn’t matter.
He needed to protect Solar.
No one will dare touch him—
“Gempa… calm down…”
He froze, midway from slamming a fist to the ground— immediately recognizing the tone, the voice.
“It’s just us.” Another step forward and Gempa automatically stiffened, “I’m—I’m sorry it took us long to get here. But we’re here right now.”
“Gempa… we need to check on Solar—”
“Don’t touch him.” His voice was dark with unbridled rage and promised threat; it actually got the group to back away.
Good.
However, Gempa knew he couldn’t keep this up forever. Not when he could feel his energy slowly depleting and his injuries screaming at him to drop down the ground and surrender.
He couldn’t even remember how he got the wounds, or how he suddenly finds himself in ruin when just a few moments ago he had just been in their cell desperately trying to keep Solar away from the enemies— he shook his head trying to keep his attention focused on the possible threat in front of him.
Despite his dwindling strength, every stuttered breath from his youngest kept him from falling over.
He’ll attack if they dare do anything funny—
A crackle of energy got him to look up.
His eyes widened when a familiar lightning sword appeared and in one smooth motion stabbed the ground next to the person who had summoned it, providing that small amount of light to see.
The red glow that reflected on Halilintar’s face showed nothing but pain and regret.
The eldest septuplet stepped forward and one of the shadows behind him grabbed his arm, “Hali, be careful. Gempa almost crushed Blaze with a boulder a while ago. Maybe we should-”
But the teen merely pulled away and approached Gempa, who at the moment, was reeling at the fact that it was his brother!
How did he not— he almost attacked him.
The eldest septuplet carefully crouched in front of him, ruby eyes glowing with intensity as it met gold.
“You did good.” His brother spoke so softly for a moment he was confused if this was really their usually brash eldest speaking, “You protected Solar and kept him safe—”
He hissed.
“Don’t–” Gempa’s voice was tight with emotion, already feeling tears burn through his eyes, “I couldn’t— they took him— I— I couldn’t do anything—”
He couldn’t finish his words as sobs tore out, echoing brokenly around their ruined surroundings.
He was aware that Solar was in his arms, still breathing— alive.
But that exact memory of him screaming to take Solar back haunted him in more ways that he couldn’t stop holding his unconscious brother against his chest protectively.
His body refused to let go.
He just can’t—
“Tanah.” Halilintar’s gentle tone pierced through all the intrusive thoughts threatening to drown Gempa in, “We've got him.”
“I can't—”
Slowly, Hali held out his arms— careful, cautious… not once breaking eye contact, “You've done enough. Okay…?”
Gempa's breath hitched as his arms trembled— as if his own body was fighting him against letting Solar go.
The choice was obvious as clarity slowly settled in his foggy mind— holding on to his brother can delay the help he obviously needed.
He let out another broken sob as he finally loosen his grip and the sudden movement made the light manipulator whimper in pain.
Halilintar's expression turned pinched as he finally got to see their youngest, but his arms held high as Gempa carefully maneuvered him to his hold.
“You're alright now.” Hali continued to assure, still acting so out of character and subdued, “You’re both safe.”
And as soon as the weight in Gempa's arms was gone, it was like all his energy was taken from him as well.
He tipped forward, consciousness pulling away from him as the other figures— his brothers— yelled out his name in concern.
And the last thing he recalled was someone catching him before darkness took him.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
“Gempa… really did a number on the enemies and their headquarters… just… just how?” Taufan spoke.
.
.
.
Blaze scoffed as he hefted Gempa on his back, “Yeah, well… there's a reason we never mess with someone like Gempa.”
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
“He can be very scary when he's protective.’
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
End