Chapter Text
They had a plan.
But Scott is one slippery deer.
So of course when they had a meeting - that was totally not an intervention in disguise- he just didn't show up. All his vigilante gear was also missing so he definitely did it on purpose.
Pearl knew Scott for a while. She lived with the prick for the entirety of college and was probably the most familiar with him. Impulse might have known him longer but definitely not better.
Catching on that something was wrong was easy. He usually hides it pretty well but this time anyone could tell really. He wasn't chatty like usual, he disappeared every other night and avoided questions like a hawk.
Scott never liked talking about his past. Pearl knew that much. She loved investigating her friend's backgrounds but Scott hid his very well. Didn't help that he just so happened to be a journalist as well and for some reason was always a step ahead of Pearl.
From blocking her search engine (which isn't fair by the way and definitely counts as taking advantage of her lack of knowledge about the internet as a farm girl) to literally placing newspapers in front of her where he had the audacity of circling the information Pearl was looking for like she would miss it otherwise. The latter might seem like a help but really it just proved that she only knew as much as Scott let her.
Of course living together for 5+ years did mean that Scott had weak moments. Though she would never admit it when asked, Pearl knew about his nightmares. She knows there's more to the story of his parents being cut off than just religious differences. She knows how he wakes in cold sweat after getting triggered during the day. She knows he has masks on even when you think he's genuine. She knows he keeps people at arm's length. She knows he must have been hurt before.
And she pushes. She wants to know the how and the when, she wants to help. But Scott wouldn't budge. So she keeps pushing so that maybe one day he'll crack and finally let her help him.
But he doesn't. He brushes off comments. He changes topics faster than you'd notice and has a silver tongue when it comes to his past. Or, he mostly does. Or really, he thinks he does.
Because if the mask would be perfect then Pearl wouldn't have figured it out.
She doesn't know know. She has no actual idea.
But she spot a liar any day.
It takes one to know one.
But she doesn't confront, she only asks. She knows that it's sensitive, that much is clear and if he wants to play, she doesn't mind. Or she tries to at least.
She wants to know but she doesn't need to.
In turn Scott lets her past slide as well. The moments where she freezes, the sudden flinches, the looks of terror… He's very perceptive and he covers for her.
He doesn't push at all. He doesn't question why she hides her wings. He doesn't question how she knows the heroes.
She's honestly jealous about how well Scott can hide curiosity. She doubts if the roles were reversed she could withstand a full on interrogation.
There's also a possibility he already knows but if that's the case, let her live in blissful ignorance.
But Scott has an image that he maintains. She's not sure which part is playpretend and which part is her friend but she learned to live with that uncertainty. Scott was confident, never haunted by his past, he took failure in stride and never showed weakness. He doesn't cry, no, not when someone can see him. The only times Pearl ever saw him shed a tear is when they were roommates in college, even then the dude was asleep. That's how she knows he has nightmares. Not every night but often enough that Pearl could tell without specifically looking for it.
She knew damn well that it was because of his family. She's not stupid, okay? What, he just happened to have inherited a huge chunk of money from his grandparents passing and cut off his parents with no trauma? Nobody just cut off their parents like that. Something must have happened. If she had to take a guess it was probably the money. Money tears families apart, she wouldn't be surprised if it happened to him as well.
When the two criminals showed up, honestly she didn't think much about it at first. Scott letting them go after stabbing Jimmy was strange, yes, but unlike how Cleo and Impulse were reacting Pearl was really just curious.
From experience, Scott probably just dated one of them. Look he did this with Martyn as well, avoidance of the topic, more lenient than usual and being shaken up afterwards. He even pretended to not know the guy until Martyn literally walked up to them to say hi.
This ain't Pearl's first rodeo, Scott got as many exes as excuses for leaving a conversation. With the most love possible, he was a gay wreck who dated every other guy in existence. Dumb blonde was his favorite to be exact.
So when a dumb blonde showed up and Scott was way more lenient with him than usual, it was as clear as it could get.
They dated.
Cleo and Impulse doubted her but it's 100% the truth. Yeah maybe the deer could complicate things but if Scott has a type in bloods, why can't his ex have a preference for deer hybrids? Really that was just proving her point.
“I think I know why Scott has been acting strange.” Cleo said, bringing Pearl out of her head and back into the meeting. The Gs, except Scott who they couldn't find, were still having a meeting. The meeting was supposed to be an intervention about what Scott was doing because despite Pearl thinking it's not that big of a deal it was strange that it's been so persistent. Of course Scott conveniently ditched like she mentioned but they ended up turning it into summing up the information they have on him.
“We already knew that it was the two guys from earlier.” She stated as they already knew this. They haven't encountered any of the two since their first fight, that is until yesterday. The Cheetah was at the location of the robbery but they never had a one on one with him. Cleo stayed out of that fight as something came up so she doubts they found out any more than before. Impulse on the other hand was very suspicious, making Pearl think he's hiding something, just not sure what.
“Look, Scott told me some stuff yesterday night and I think I figured most of it out but I can't be sure.” Cleo said as if to defend her information, that got Pearl attention right away.
“Wait, was that when he cried?”
Scott talked. Well, this really did push him far then. Maybe she was wrong? Maybe there was more to it than just a failed relationship? Or was it really that bad of a break up?
“He cried? I honestly didn't think it was that important to him.” Impulse said as if to make a mental note of it. He definitely knew something. Pearl was just about to call him out when Cleo beat her to it.
“Impulse, I know you know more than you told us.”
“...” Impulse looked away with the most guilty looking expression Pearl saw in a while.
“What!? Impulse!” She wasn't surprised per se, she was already kind of convinced that Impulse was hiding something but she thought if it was about Scott's state he would have at least mentioned something.
“I only learned it yesterday, okay! I was going to bring it up, it's just… Scott didn't want to talk about it yet.”
Well when does Scott want to talk about anything! He's the fakest star in the galaxy. He always dodges questions, of course he doesn't want to talk about it! That's exactly why they should talk about it!
“So something happened while he was cut off.” Pearl confirmed, just to be sure, he definitely was doing something shady alone, she just didn't think it was talking to Impulse about stuff.
“He cut himself off.” Impulse responded.
“Oh that prick-”
“I didn't finish! He cut himself off because he wanted to talk to Joey one on one.” Impulse added like that helped. The prick did cut himself off! She knew it! She so knew it! And that cheetah guy? He was still there! She knew he couldn't have escaped! She's going to have such a long chat with Scott once they piece together his past.
“Who's Joey?” Cleo asked, which was strange as Cleo 'supposedly' knew why Scott was acting strange.
“It's the cheetah, isn't he? I knew those two had a past together, you both owe me 20 bucks!”
10 for it being the cheetah and 10 for the lover thing that she's willing to claim early victory on.
“You're actually wrong, he knew the other guy, apparently named Xornoth. They knew each other when they were younger.” Impulse corrected.
What? Xornoth? Yeah, she's never heard of that name before so it's definitely something that Scott didn't talk about. Did he actually date a deer?
“Yeah that checks out with what I know, though I would say more than just ‘knew each other’.” Cleo ended her sentence with a foreshadowing veiled in glass as it was clearer than the sky on the sunny day. Cleo knew something, something that Pearl didn't and it bothered her. Pearl has been living with Scott for way longer and for some reason she feels oddly threatened by the idea that Cleo might know him better.
“No way, he isn't the secretive type.” He definitely is the secretive type but that's between Scott and her. She knew him best, not Cleo. “He would have mentioned them if that's the case.”
“Well, he thought he didn't need to.” Cleo reasoned except this reasoning was BS and unclear.
“Why?” Impulse tilted his head.
“Because they died.”
They did what now?
“...”
Yeah so rerouting- Scott and the deer knew each other when they were kids, so probably not dating, got it. Scott thought this Xornoth person died so he never mentioned them, which to be fair is a very Scott thing to do considering he likes to omit irrelevant but important information, and now that they're back and alive he doesn't know how to go about it.
Geez that dude needs therapy.
“So he doesn't know how to tell us about his childhood friend who he thought was dead. Pretty straight forward as far as mental crises go. We can probably skip fully addressing it and tell him we know so he doesn't need to go in detail.”
“Yeah that will probably help if we finally track him down.”
“So, problem solved?”
“Pearl, I'm pretty sure Xornoth is his brother.”
…
HUH?!?
“But No- he's an only child. Look, Cleo, he's definitely an only child I mean have you looked at him? He could be the only child mascot with how obvious he makes it!”
No, it just couldn't be-
“That's what I thought as well! Then he randomly mentions a brother at 4am, crying saying he misses them!”
“No but Scott always said he was an only child, why would he-” lie to me. To me. To his friend.
“Because his brother was dead!” Cleo snapped.
“He still could have mentioned it! No that's definitely not right -” it's just not possible - why would he tell her? Why tell Cleo?
Why not her?
“I swear it's what I was told by him just earlier this morning!” Cleo was getting irritated but Pearl didn't care- It doesn't make sense! It just doesn't -
“No. I'm refusing to believe that until he himself confirms it! That just - that can't be!” Pearl was having a panic attack, she knew the signs, all just because that prick didn't tell her about his brother! How stupid. She's freaking out for what? Because Scott didn't tell her about one person?! Ha!
“I mean, I did say that he could be a relative but I still didn't think they would be siblings… There was another deer hybrid he was close with in high school but they weren't related at all.” Impulse added, it just made her more upset.
She doesn't even know about that deer either, does she know anything about him?
Was everything he showed a lie?
Did she fall for the mask she claimed to notice?
“At this point we might as well ask whether he's really a hybrid or something! This is just ridiculous -”
Pearl stormed out of their base furious.
How could he lie?
How could he not trust her after all this time?!!
She didn't even think as she put on the goggles, she just flew out. She needed air. She needed time alone where nobody knew her.
Why couldn't he just trust her?
She thought he trusted her.
___
She has been flying in circles. She turned off all her communication devices. Was it childish? A bit. But if the prick was allowed to do that, so was she.
She just couldn't believe it.
She's not even sure why she was so upset.
She thought she was fine with him keeping secrets, she really was.
But now…
She is just so upset.
She's not sure if she's more upset at the fact that he didn't tell her about his brother or that he told Cleo first.
Was she too hostile? She thought she gave him enough space…
If Scott would have just told her-
She also has a past! She has stuff she wants to hide! But maybe - maybe…
If Scott told her she would have told him about Grian too.
No!
She's upset because Scott kept this from her. This has nothing to do with relating! This has nothing to do with how she felt like losing her brother.
She could have helped him, she could have been there for him but he kept her in the dark…
Just how many times did Scott do that?
How many times did he brush off comments about family that Pearl didn't notice?
She knew something was up, why didn't she try…
To help…
To ask the right questions..
At the right time…
Damn it, Scott is her best friend and she didn't even know he had a dead brother! She knows nothing about his family! Nothing! Not his grandmother's name nor why he even cut his parents off.
She thought that was alright.
He doesn't know her family.
He doesn't know her past.
But now…
She's upset.
She's upset that she doesn't know his.
That he kept his hurt from her, kept her from helping.
He was hurt and she didn't know.
And more hurt than any lies she might have believed.
__
It's been hours. She was getting tired.
She was just going round and round above the city making sure not to be noticed by bypassers. She didn't feel like running from the cops today for being above both speed and flight limit.
She made another round above a particularly tall building.
She noticed something though.
A blue puff of hair and the iconic golden antlers.
She swiftly landed against her better judgement. She was still angry, upset, betrayed- her mind was seething.
“Scott.”
She doesn't even care about the names she just wants answers- why- why-
“Oh, it's just you.” Scott didn't even look up. The prick didn't even face her, just sat idly on the edge of the building.
She had so many things she wanted to ask but only one thing left her mouth.
“Why are you here?”
“Well… long story short I didn't want to talk to you guys.” Scott kicked his leg like a little kid.
“You prick.” Pearl chuckled, surprising even herself. “Really? That's your answer?” Such a stupidly simple answer, one that spoke honesty to a fault.
“Look, I don't really wanna talk about them. I know you're curious but- it took me so much time to accept they're gone, I can't just go back…” Scott still didn't look at her. She wasn't sure how much Scott thought she knew but…
“You could have told us you had a brother, even if a dead one, or heck, told me! I… I once thought my brother was dead as well. If anyone, I would understand.” Pearl sat down next to him stretching her tired wings behind her.
“Maybe you would, maybe you wouldn't…” Scott was just staring at the world below.
“I would have. You know that.” At least I thought you knew that. I thought you knew you could trust me.
“He died when I was twelve… or I thought he died then… I actually didn't know if he died at all, it's just…sniff ” Scott quickly whipped his eyes, trying to look the other direction to hide his face, he had his visors down which was unusual…
“Don't start crying on me bastard. Look, we had a little talk with the others where we went over what we know- which isn't a lot but you know - and all of us are okay with putting this behind us. Now come on. We're going back home and figuring out a way to contact your brother, okay?”
Pearl stood up reaching a hand out for Scott to follow but he didn't take it. Pearl retracted her hand and decided to stretch instead, getting ready for the flight back.
“And I won't have to explain?” Scott put back his visors without even turning towards her once.
“I didn't say that. I'm still mad at you somewhat for hiding this from us and the only apology I accept is an explanation but- as I am a lenient woman - you can explain after we got this sorted out.”
“Thanks, Pearl.” Scott turned to her with a weak smile making Pearl finally see the tearmarked face of her friend.
He really is an idiot.
“Now get up already. We're leaving.”