Born with one purpose

ㅤ Balan and Luke watched through the glass as Asch lay in a sterile intensive care unit. He didn't have long to live. And, as luck would have it, he'd written a categorical refusal of the experimental treatment. He'd had enough of that kind of treatment as a child… "What a stubborn fellow," Balan said loudly. He'd brought Luke to say goodbye, because he and Asch had been raised as brothers, something Asch wasn't happy about, leading to regular bickering and fighting between the boys. But they didn't allow others to hurt each other… Luke felt obligated, while Asch defended his own dignity. "It's too hard to find a donor for his blood type," Balan continued, "and he has very little time left. I'm afraid this may be your last chance to say goodbye to him." Luke watched in silence. Asch never missed an opportunity to remind him who he was, that he wasn't really human. They argued over every little thing. In defiance, Asch even learned to use his left hand just as well as his right, just to be a little different. But… they grew up together. They had common ground. It wasn't as if they didn't get along at all. And seeing Asch's distress, Luke constantly felt indebted to him for his uninvited birth. "If Asch doesn't want to use artificial organs, then use real ones," Luke said, as if still lost in thought, though he had already emerged from the depths of his subconscious. "My organs will be perfect." It wasn't that Balan hadn't expected this outcome, but he did deign to feign surprise. "But what about you?" "It's all right," he said, his voice uncertain and quiet. "This is exactly what I was born for, right?" Luke smiled resignedly. He's not human. His creation is a mistake. He was created against Asch's will. Luke has long since realized and accepted his nature… He should never have existed. "Well then…" Balan drawled, motioning the junior staff member over. "If you're sure, then please sign here," he said with an inappropriate smile, handing over the contract with its fine print. Luke signed it without looking. "You won't even read it?" he asked, surprised. Usually, patients at least asked what they were signing, often taking the doctors at their word. "No need," Luke said, as if he'd long since given up on life. He didn't want to die… But if the choice was between him, a pathetic replica, and Asch, the original, there was no question. Asch had to survive. The operating room was prepared suspiciously quickly. Luke tried not to give in to fear, so the general anesthesia would take effect faster. After all, he would simply fall asleep. And the idea of ​​"forever" was just a convention. But the deeper he sank into sleep—into darkness—the more distinctly the sound throbbed in my temples, the more frightening it became… Until the sound suddenly stopped.

* * *

A periodic beeping sound overhead pulled his consciousness out of oblivion. Luke tried to open his eyes, but a bright light struck them, forcing him to squeeze them shut. He had given up hope of waking, thinking he'd simply entered the afterlife. However, the pain that shot through his body as he tried to sit up convinced him otherwise. There was nothing he could do but lie there and blink, hoping his eyes would soon adjust to the light. After a while, squinting hard, Luke even managed to take in his surroundings: a spacious room for two. On one side, sunlight streamed in through the open window, warming the fresh air. On the other, Asch lay peacefully unconscious. The peace and solitude didn't last long: Balan swaggered into the room, with a satisfied smile looking at the patient, which eyes had already become accustomed to the light. "Look, you're the first one up," he greeted with a nod, quickly adding, "But I wouldn't advise getting up, it's still early." "Uh-huh…" Luke responded, mentally adding, 'Too late.' His attempt to get up, though brief, was memorable: the pain was etched into his memory. "Why I’m…?" Luke tried to ask, but Balan mercilessly interrupted him: "Alive? Then you should be careful what you sign," he chided Luke, shaking his head and complaining. "No matter how much we wanted to, we don't have the right to transplant organs from a living, healthy donor. But if there's an alternative… As an exception, for scientific purposes, under the donor's responsibility, we can replace the organs with spyrix alternatives, leaving the real ones for preservation. The truth is, the preservation vessel in our case is not a cryogenic chamber, but a completely living person," Balan winked. "But I…" Luke hesitated, "I'm a special case." "That doesn't mean we can just kill you. You have a full right to life," Balan said sternly. But then he switched back to his playful tone: "And to avoid accidentally shortening it, I strongly advise against overexerting yourself! The spyrix-organs aren't yet ready to withstand heavy loads and can explode if the internal components overheat!" "Explode!?" Luke jerked sharply, touching his stomach and chest with his palm, causing another wave of pain. Which only added to his anxiety. "Don't worry!" Balan hastened to reassure him. "The risk isn't that great, otherwise we wouldn't have been allowed to conduct the experiment on humans. But it's still a possibility, so I'm warning you just in case." "Thank you very much…" Luke muttered, catching his breath. He turned his head to the side, mentally grumbling at Balan. He caught sight of Asch out of the corner of his eye and considered. "Can you grant me one request?" "Huh? What request?" Balan asked, interested. "Can you transfer me to another room?" Luke locked eyes with Balan, who was listening intently, waiting for an explanation. "It's best for Asch not to worry too much right now, and if he sees me, he'll get angry again. And if he finds out about the organs…" "And about you being willing to die for him… We know, we know!" Balan smiled broadly. "But why not consider the situation from another angle? Like the possibility of establishing a connection while being unable to move, meaning fighting, in a confined space? I think you'll have plenty to discuss." "There's plenty of time. I'd prefer Asch recover first…" Balan grinned, glancing at the "twin" in question. "Asch doesn't hate you as much as you think. And he certainly doesn't wish you death. And right now, he won't even have the energy to argue. He's also unlikely to want you transferred to the basement test ward, since we simply have no other option," Balan continued, still staring at him. "Right, Asch?" No reaction. But Luke thought he saw his original frown. "Asch," Balan pestered, "I know you're awake. A-a-asch," he said even more insistently. "Just shut up and disappear already," Asch said sullenly, in his usual, perpetually dissatisfied tone, without opening his eyes. Luke understood him perfectly… With the sun shining like that, it was hard to open his eyes. "See?" Balan turned to Luke. "He agrees! So relax and rest. Asch isn't the only one who needs rest to recover." "…Thank you," Luke said hesitantly. He still doubted he should have stayed in the same room with Asch. He had nothing against the basement: having come to terms with his origins, Luke had stopped being capricious. When Balan left, Luke repeated again, more confidently: "Thank you." "He's already gone, fool." "I know," Luke smiled modestly, knowing Asch couldn't see. And then they both fell silent, soaking up the peace and quiet, along with the sunlight and the caressing warm breeze that wafted into the room in rare gusts. For the first time, they were next to each other without arguing or grumbling. ㅤ