A loud silence took over. Their eyes locked. Both of them were utterly surprised. They both had a jumbled mess as they glared at each other, seemingly taken aback.
The one who was surprised the most was Logan Hayes. As he stared at his long-lost cousin, he couldn't believe his own eyes.
Yes, he guessed it was the Devil who told him that Rapture needed him after the text that came with the nickname 'Devil,' but he wasn't expecting it to be so soon. To just lift his head up and see his cousin and best friend gazing down at him...
After all those years?
What angered him was the name he used — "Damon."
Why Damon Blackwood?
The only Damon Blackwood was him, Logan Hayes, yes. But that Damon was gone after the day he packed up and left. And went far, far away from that life with the monsters he called family, called friends.
And...
Getting to think of it, Damian, his only Devil, was a monster too. Logan's frown deepened as he stared angrily at Damian Blackwood.
This wasn't how he expected their reunion to be — in the form of a fight. But it turns out, their first reunion after a long time was going to involve him updating the old memory of the Devil who stood in front of him.
"Logan." Damian's sharp whisper broke the silence. "Logan Hayes." Something about the way he repeated the name made it sound teasing.
Why wouldn't it?
Damian Blackwood couldn't believe his own Devil had turned into this...
This someone he didn't know but felt was a loser. This isn't his Damon, his cousin and his best friend, and before he would leave, he had to confirm that Damon was going back home with him. That his mission was completed easily. But the look on Damon's face proved otherwise.
Logan remained silent, his green grassland eyes suddenly cold and intimidating as memories tried rushing in.
"Wow, I cannot believe my ears. Did you just correct me to call you by that stupid new name you gave to yourself?" Damian spoke, cold blue eyes piercing, his hands still buried in his pockets. Logan Hayes looked away for a brief second, trying to cool down.
Trying to suppress the anger that was boiling in him. Then he turned back to Damian, a glint of anger glimmering in his unrelenting gaze.
His nails digging deeper into his palms.
"Stupid?" Logan Hayes hissed through clenching teeth, a bitter smirk escaping suddenly and then vanishing within a second.
"That's what you call it?" Logan Hayes asked, each word building his tone from asking to demanding. But even staring at him, looking so intimidating, Damian Blackwood was still indifferent.
Why? Because he had actually seen worse... ten thousand more worse of his Devil's anger.
"That's what it is," Damian answered, his voice as calm as snow and a glint of pure determination dancing in those cold blue eyes he held. A lazy smirk graced his lips.
Logan Hayes took a deep breath, trying his best to suppress the anger bubbling up. He loosed the fist.
"What do you want, Damian? Why are you here?"
Damian Blackwood exhaled.
"As for what I want, it's actually easy," he began answering, "and that is you, Devil. You are who I need, now. Rapture sent me to come for you."
Logan Hayes just stared at him quietly.
"I see you're still their lab rat, aren't you?" Logan Hayes drawled, his hand slipping into his pockets.
His next gesture was a sharp shrug.
"I don't blame you though; those monsters have a way of letting you do what they want."
Damian just stared at him, emotionless.
Or so it seemed...
Because Logan Hayes knew him. He knew how Damian reacted when he got hurt, even if slightly.
And?
He was.
Behind his exterior of indifference was a guy who was hurt with words. Words which seemed to be true. Which bothered him countless times, but he thought it was no biggie. Because it wasn't... right?
"I am not a lab rat to anyone, Damon." Damian spoke, his voice not taking the coat of calmness off for even just a second.
Logan let out a scornful laugh.
"Okay, if you say so. Just grow up early to learn sense, Damian," Logan warned in a mocking tone that angered Damian, who didn't let it show. He hid his emotions and Logan knew that.
It'd take only a person too close to Damian to realize his real emotions under his indifference.
"And now, you don't use my nickname no more?" Damian asked, switching the whole topic.
Logan looked away, hiding his hurt expression. It wasn't his fault that he was behaving that way, but he didn't like the life his cousin had. The life his cousin lived for.
"So, how did you find me?" Logan asked, turning back to Damian, with a frown this time.
"Have you forgotten about the cunning investigators the Blackwood family has?" Damian Blackwood questioned, answering Logan's question easily.
There was an awkward silence again.
"I made my answer to Rapture clear, didn't I?" Logan Hayes spoke.
Damian just stared at him.
It was obvious they were done with their conversation... At least, in Logan's point of view.
Quietly, Logan Hayes began walking away. Damian Blackwood caught his arm.
"I would not stop until I take you back to where you belong."
Damian's voice went low and cold, sending shivers down Logan's spine.