The weight of the world, in that moment, felt infinite to Gabriel—too much to bear.
How did he figure it out? Was it that obvious?
It couldn't be. I was a dragonfly. My whole face was covered... there was no way he could know it was me.
Gabriel began to grin ever so slightly as he looked at his brother.
"Cat got your tongue, bro? There's no more hiding. I know it was you."
Daniel stood there confidently, arms crossed and a smirk on his face like he'd cracked the biggest puzzle of his life. To him, the pieces all fit perfectly—same height, same build, same hair. And the sudden change in Gabriel's behavior lately? That was the final box ticked.
Gabriel just watched his brother. The smugness was pouring off him like steam in a sauna room. Daniel even tapped a finger on his shoulder, as if daring him to deny it.
"A superhero for a brother..." Daniel muttered under his breath. "I could get used to that."
But then, a new thought struck him. Every superhero needed a name.
"Dragon Boy? Nah—too cliché. Dragonfly Man? No, not cool enough."
His eyes lit up. "I've got it—Dragonblade."
Gabriel paused. The name hit him in a way he hadn't expected it to.
Dragonblade.
It had a ring to it—sharp, sleek, powerful. A name fitting of a hero. It sounded like the gods whispered the name in Gabriel's ear themselves, anointing it.
But this wasn't the time to get swept up in a name. His little brother was getting too close.
Too close to the truth.
He needed to create distance between them, even if it hurt. Because now more than ever, Gabriel had to protect his little brother.
"Listen, bro," he said, keeping his tone light and calm. "I think you've been watching way too many superhero movies and too many anime series. Your imagination is wild. A super-powered dragon? Come on now, bro." Gabriel laughed, trying to throw him off the scent as best he could.
"Dragon man? Is he serious?" Daniel muttered to himself. "It's a dragonfly, not a dragon…"
For the first time, Daniel looked at Gabriel with doubt in his eyes.
Gabriel saw it too—the flicker of uncertainty seeping through, but also the sting of disappointment.
Man… it really means something to him.
I'd love to bring you in on this, little bro. But your life's already a rollercoaster—up, down, up, down. Knowing a secret like this would be too much. I can't put you in any more danger. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if something happened to you. I have to be the brother you need. The brother you deserve. This secret… it'll be mine to carry.
He steadied himself, took a quiet breath, then delivered the final blow to crush the theory once and for all.
"Bro… I'd love to be this 'Dragonblade' hero you just made up… but I'm not."
"I didn't just make him up!" Daniel snapped. "He's real. He saved me."
"Saved you?" Gabriel tilted his head. "Saved how? From what?"
Daniel froze instantly. He had to tread carefully now, because if he was wrong about Gabriel, he was about to reveal everything—and the consequences of being wrong, he knew, would be too severe.
He looked at Gabriel again. Build? Check. Height? Check. Hair? Check. Even his posture matched.
But as he locked eyes with his brother, Daniel hesitated.
Did I want him to be the Dragonfly so badly I created this image of him as my brother? Maybe I just let my imagination run too wild... Or maybe he's got one hell of a poker face. Ugh, I don't know anymore. My mind's been all over the place.
"Well… I guess I was wrong," Daniel finally said, holding his brother's gaze. Gabriel's face gave away nothing.
Stone-faced—like his brother was talking crazy.
"How cool would that have been, though?" Daniel said with a shrug. "Student by day, hero by night—you, combing through the city, taking out the darkness so the light can finally breathe. But I guess that's just a dream now."
But deep down, a new question burned in the forefront of Daniel's mind:
If it wasn't Gabriel under the mask… who was it, and why did they save him?
Daniel snapped out of his trance suddenly, remembering Gabriel's question.
He needed a cover story—and fast.
"Yeah, I was running out into the road. I wasn't looking, and as I turned my head, there it was—a car heading my way. The driver tried his best to slow down. The fear in his eyes told me as much. But it was too late. I closed my eyes and thought I was done for. Then I heard the crashing of metal, and when I opened my eyes… I was in his arms. And the car that was marked with my death sentence flung through the air. Dragonblade—as I call him—shot into action. It all happened so fast. The next thing I know, I blinked, and the driver was stood next to me. His car was a few meters down the road… and Dragonblade was gone."
Gabriel stood there in silence, biting the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing.
That's a wild story, little bro. Even for you, he thought, placing a hand on Daniel's shoulder. But I'll let him have this one.
"Man, that's wild," Gabriel said aloud. "I guess luck was on your side that day. Just be careful next time—there isn't always going to be a hero that's going to save you from being a pancake."
"I know, I know—wait, hold up. What?!" Daniel's eyes widened. "You actually believe me?"
"Yeah, why wouldn't I? I know you wouldn't lie about something like that," Gabriel said softly, rubbing his brother's arm.
Daniel shook his head fiercely. "No. I wouldn't lie about something like that."
Both of the brothers knew they were lying to each other.
But to Gabriel and Daniel, the lies in this situation were better than the truth—for once.
Their secrets were safe—for now.
But the weight they carried? That was just beginning.