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I Can Tell That You Hate Me

Summary:

In which Twist worms his way back into Eli's life in the same way the Shane wormed into Twist's head over and over again.

It had been far too long since Twist got to see (re: fight) Eli Shane in person. When given the opportunity again after all this time, some compulsion makes him desperate to reach out to the ex-"friend" he betrayed so long ago. Maybe to mock him openly to his face or get a good punch in. Only issue is, Twist and Eli never got over their feelings for each other nor their rage.

Everyone but the two of them seems to realize that putting two sparks together is bound to lead to an all-consuming wildfire that may just eat the both of them whole. Shame they both liked toying with danger. (Why did that danger have to be someone you're supposed to call enemy when you used to call them friend? Oh, Floppers. This is gonna get complicated.)

Notes:

Gonna be real I'm not sure what direction this fic is going but I can not WAIT to find out with y'all.

(All two people that actually read this, anyway.)

Chapter Text

Eli Shane knew a lot of people. On one hand it meant he met plenty of heroes and people who helped him in his journey to improve and protect Slugterra. On the other, he met plenty of back stabbers and people he never wanted to see again. Both lists were always growing but the latter seemed to be infinitely larger. His life was too busy to be bitter about every sting in his chest and every slap in the face, though, and luckily he had enough distractions to keep him from lingering too much. His friends would always support him and even if it would only be the four of them, it was all the family he needed. 

But really, who needed family? When you were one of Dr. Blakk's top men, power trumped anything else. No scrounging for survival, no running away, just pure winning. That's how Twist saw things, anyway. It had been a long time since he had last rode with the Shane Gang and even longer since he even got close to them in battle after his betrayal. After all, Dr. Blakk knew well that the two of them couldn't be together too long without a catastrophe. 

That isn't to say Twist never thought about Eli. No, that would be too wishful of thinking. In reality he couldn't help but have the Shane in his mind despite how hard he worked to keep him out. Every time he heard some lackeys talking about him, he left the room as if he had something better to do. Every time he laid in bed and let his mind wander, he'd shut his eyes so tightly it hurt to get the thoughts away. But no matter what, he couldn't stop thinking about Eli. Twist lied to himself about it, too. Blaming it on a mixture of his loyalty to Blakk and a desire for revenge… But the dreams didn't lie, the traitorous bastards. 

Every now and again, he'd see that face. If it was a nightmare, he'd see Eli's smile and feel the reassuring weight of his hand on Twist's shoulder after giving praise. If it was a good dream, he'd see the sudden realization in Eli's blue eyes and see the betrayal on his face. Though it didn't happen in real life, Twist's dreams would show him turning his head and walking away. Leaving him forever, not that Twist could blame him for it. Still he'd feel the pain of losing one of the only people who ever believed in and cared for him. Just like his da --

Sometimes he woke up reaching out to stop him. Most of the time, though, he woke up pretending he dreamed nothing at all. 

But whatever. The work that Twist did now was too out of the way for the Shane Gang to intervene. Whether it was Blakk or Twist’s intentions that led to this almost protection, it wasn’t clear, but that was fine with Twist. If he focused on his work and kept his head down, he’d keep getting resources and ‘lessons’ from Blakk and he’d never, ever, have to see Eli Shane again... The realization of that fact hit him now and again, that Blakk didn’t trust that Twist got rid of every ounce of affection for the Shane. And every time he remembered, the realization arose so much anger it was quickly trumped out by it. Twist wasn’t normally known for his temper but those who worked with him knew that he was on a hairpin that could result in a few Hop Jacks to the face or to the cavern wall. Maybe even some houses if he was in the area and the mood. A silent few knew just who would trigger such anger. 

To make a long story short, for a guy who didn’t care about Eli Shane (and couldn’t as a part of his job), Twist sure thought about him a lot. 

But that wasn’t important. What was important to Twist at the moment was the Ghoul transport he was overseeing. It was a more boring job but it was a necessary evil and Twist had no other important task that day. Really, he was standing in for another man, not that the transport was anything special. Blakk’s trains were near indestructible when faced with slugs and people tended to not care about Ghoul transport anymore so it was practically like taking a break, as long as the workers did their incredibly easy jobs and none of the Ghouls escaped. 

Twist took a slow walk down the length of the train, eyes passing over the rows and rows of Ghouls all being transported to a dispensary that he’d never been to before. The vibrations of the train shook through his frame but he was so used to it, it hardly bothered him. He didn’t fret when there was a slight bump that ran through the train. Or another one. But by the third, he prepped a slug in his blaster and made his way back to the cab. 

“What’s happening?” Twist demanded of the two faceless lackeys. He had to grab the back of one of the chairs with his free hand in order to stabilize himself, staring out the tinted windshield to see if there were future impediments to the ride. The tracks ahead were clear, leading him to figure the train’s difficulties were from behind. The lackeys were speaking over radios but quickly turned attention to Twist with his questioning. 

“It’s the Shane Gang, they’re--” He didn’t even finish before Twist’s expression became pure, hot rage and he bolted out of the cab. He made his way past the screeching Ghouls and to the back of the fairly small transport train. Twist tapped Loki’s barrel and suddenly he was bathed in an illusion. To anyone else, Twist was just some random lackey in Blakk Industries uniform with equally random slugs. Once he was assured that his illusion was up and Loki was concealed as a more common Ghoul, he opened the back door and stepped out onto the outside platform. 

A pit formed in Twist’s stomach when he saw it truly was none other than the Shane Gang. It had been a while since he saw them last in person and he could notice a few differences immediately, even as the Gang rode after the train on their mecha beasts. He didn’t have the time to dwell on his thoughts when they started slinging at him. Twist ducked and shot what he could at them. But before long he realized that they weren’t trying to beat him. Right. In their eyes, he was just some random guy who likely couldn’t sling his way out of a cardboard box. If they weren’t shooting for him, then they were trying to knock the train off the tracks and render it immobile. 

“Floppers,” Twist growled. That was a good plan. He knew it was because he'd do it, too. The current train was low security besides the man not piloting in the cab and Twist himself. He reached back into the train cabin and grabbed two Neoshards from the racks. He shot both at a rapid speed to create a wall to prevent the Shane Gang’s access to the train that was four times as thick as a normal, singular Geoshard. He wasn’t foolish enough to look away under the assumption that things were done with, instead preparing himself for their continued attack. Of course they’d find a way through the wall of… 

Wait a minute. There wasn’t any motion after that crystal wall was raised. Twist looked around frantically with his blaster raised to prepare for the next attack--but it didn’t come. He stayed with his blaster out for too long before finally reaching up to activate his ear piece.

“The Shane Gang is taken care of. Continue the route to the dispensary,” Twist said calmly, as if he wasn’t taking gulps of breath seconds before. His heart pounded in his chest, in his throat, in his ears, but he managed to calmly walk back into the train as if nothing was wrong. He won, technically. He’d have to alert backup about the Shane Gang tailing the train and likely knowing the final destination for the transport… Which was odd. This load wasn't particularly high priority or high value and Twist could easily list off other locations that would have better targets. He couldn't think of why they'd care about it. But whatever reason, he could use their interest for his own benefit. 

"Actually, change of plans," Twist announced as he entered the cab once more. Both men looked at him in confusion but without protest--you never fought with one of Blakk's higher ups if you knew what was good for you. "You heard me. Now, here's what's gonna happen…" 


Eli was the one who called for a stop when the walls of crystals raised despite knowing he could destroy it. Though he couldn't name it, something had sunk into his chest and disturbed him greatly. If he wasn't already riding LK-E then he might have fallen. 

"Why aren't we using Dozer or anything to get through?" Trixie protested, though she had to stop regardless of her thoughts because of the wall. Eli was the one who had Dozer and the Slyren was the only one that could break through the wall. Sure, they could make their own path over, but the fact that they stopped at all was something that needed questioning. 

"Yeah, Eli, we almost had it!" Kord added. Their confusion was reasonable and they found themselves concerned about Eli. After all, he had a distant look on his face after calling off the attack. Even Burpy was squeaking indignantly. 

"As much as Pronto would love to hear your thoughts behind it… this is stupid and we are running out of time," Pronto deadpanned. 

"Something was off. I can feel it. Most goons aren't so good with a blaster or..." Eli shook his head. He couldn't elaborate on a gut feeling if he tried. "Something is wrong here.” 

"Maybe he just had some extra training, who cares?" Trixie waved a hand. "We're running out of time! If they get to the dispensary they'll have more backup than we can handle!" 

Eli frowned and made a thoughtful sound before he shot Dozer at the crystal wall. After it shattered and fell, the Gang leaped over the remains and continued down the trail of train tracks. (Of course scooping Dozer up along the way.) 

"You hear that?" Kord asked the group, looking around after the crunching of crystals beneath their mechas' pedes stopped. 

"Hear what? The train getting away?" Trixie asked with a twinge of annoyance.  

"No, no, not that. Well, kinda that. Our source said that the train was heading to a dispensary. That way." Kord pointed to their left. Far up ahead was a split in the tracks that would lead left or right, leading into vastly different caverns. Their whole plan revolved around the train going left based on some information they had gotten. "Now listen again." 

It was a bit hard to pick up on, with the echoing caverns, but soon enough it clicked. 

"They changed course. The train's on the right track instead. What's even down that way? I thought there wasn’t anything there." Eli glanced at Trixie as she took a tablet out to check their map. Besides being a normal map of Slugterra, there were also more detailed marks of Blakk Industries facilities, caverns, and so on. 

"There isn’t anymore, really. It… Looks like it's an old Blakk Industries building. No one's been there in years. Why would they go there of all places especially when we're on their tail?" Trixie wondered. "Wouldn't it make more sense to keep going to the dispensary, for all of the backup against us?" 

“Probably a trap there already, maybe our source was trying to set us up,” Kord suggested. 

“Should we even follow? That train didn’t have that many slugs, perhaps it isn’t worth it,” Pronto added. Eli frowned and thought about it. The break in the tracks was coming into sight and the decision had to be made quick. 

“We’re gonna need an answer soon, Eli,” Trixie reminded in the midst of the pertaining silence. It was a little odd, really, that Eli wasn't being the chatterbox he normally was. Maybe it was something about that strange feeling he got. Instead of answering Trixie verbally, Eli turned LK-E to the right to follow that line of tracks instead of their planned route. The Gang glanced at each other but followed behind regardless. Even if Eli seemed off they couldn’t just leave him alone. Trap or not, there was always danger surrounding Blakk's work and Eli was always good at sniffing it out. 

Soon enough they could see the signs of a since dead cavern. Any cavern around Blakk's buildings started to die from the copious amounts of Dark Water. (Blakk's main citadel was a purely dead zone, one of the few in the 99.) But whenever the goons were chased out, healing started to sink in once more as slugs reintroduced themselves. This cavern looked like the half healed kind, with limited slug energy in the air but a lucky lack of anything that hinted at a totally-dead-or-near-it cavern. In a way, it was reassuring. In another, it brought more questions as to why in Slugterra was the transport vessel going here

"It's pretty quiet," Trixie noted as they rode in. 

" Too quiet…" Pronto glared at the offending environment as if it was going to come alive and attack them. 

"I think she meant that the train came to a stop." Eli chuckled and slowed his mecha though kept its path forward. The others followed suit and took a closer look around. "We'll have to be extra careful. Like Kord said, this might all be some elaborate trap." 

"Blakk's guys don't change plans often unless it's to counter us." Kord raised a brow at the sight of a slug falling off a rock trying to get a closer look at the passing Gang. "I just got a bad feeling." 

"I do too. I don't know, something about it…” Eli frowned.

“Is it that same feeling you had earlier, with that one goon?” Trixie asked. Eli nodded. 

“Blakk’s goons aren’t so well trained unless they already have that background before joining him. And if they do, they aren’t in the usual uniform. So how was that one goon so good when he was attacking us?” 

“Perhaps Blakk is putting more budget into training,” Pronto suggested. 

“I doubt it. I’ll be the first to admit--I have no idea what all these hints are leading towards.” Eli grabbed binoculars to take a closer look and what they were facing. Up ahead, he could confirm that the train had come to a stop at the end of the tracks in front of the abandoned Blakk Industries building. Eli swept his vision around but couldn’t see any hint of other activity. 

“Somehow unsurprising,” Kord mused. “What’s it look like up there?”

“Looks like nothing.” Eli frowned and lowered the binoculars, though he moved them to shoulder height so Burpy could get a look through them too. 

“Okay, this is totally psyching me out now,” Trixie said with a confirming tone as if someone had asked her first. “Nothing to do now but go in and see how it goes.” 

“Ah, improvisation! That is Pronto’s specialty!” The molenoid rubbed his hands together in anticipation. Despite Pronto’s antics usually adding a hint of humor, something kept Eli from paying attention to it. His instincts were begging him to stay alert for an unseen danger up ahead.


“Sir, are you sure this is the best option? The track turntable isn’t powered without any active staff at the location,” the train’s operator told Twist with visible anxiety rising in his limited exposed face. “The Shane Gang’s got us cornered.”

“You think I don’t know that?” Twist tossed an empty Ghoul canister in the air and caught it before repeating the motion. It was a simple action that took his attention while he waited for the Gang to approach. The slight sound it provided dully filled the cab when there was no talking or doubtful sounds. 

“Then why aren’t we moving? A-and why are we here at all when--” the man continued before Twist suddenly stopped his idle activity to grab him by the collar instead. 

“You don’t get paid to ask questions.” Twist narrowed his eyes. “You’re gonna listen to what I have to say. Both of you. One of you needs to go out and activate the turntable while the other stays here ready to drive the train away. Don’t move until you get my order to.” 

“But… We won’t be able to go to the dispensary now, with the way the train is--'' The man began to protest one last time before seeing Twist’s expression. He finally nodded lamely and stopped speaking to try and avoid any sort of punishment. 

“Good. Glad we’re all on the same page.” Twist let go of his collar and tossed the empty canister aside. Twist noticed the operator jump with the sound of it hitting the floor and felt a twinge of happiness as a result. 

“A-and what of you, sir?” The other man asked. Twist glanced at him before focusing his attention on walking out of the cab. 

“I’ll make sure the Gang is taken care of.” Twist shut the door behind him and made his way to the back of the train. He could hear one of the men leave the front cab to go activate the turntable. Chances were that there wasn’t even power to it anymore, but Twist needed the time it’d take to assure that. Many of Blakk’s men were surprisingly smart for how easily they were fooled, so the man would likely go through a few troubleshooting actions before coming back to relay any bad news. Considering Twist’s show a minute ago, he might add some extra time to avoid angering him with said news that Twist practically knew already. 

Now that he had the time… Had it really been so long since he had seen the Shane Gang that their visual growth surprised Twist? Of course, expecting things to stay the same over time was a childish fallacy that he lost a long time ago. But still. Eli was so set in his attacks, so intent on his goal. Did he always have that seriousness about him? Or did Twist only see the true extent of it when he was on the business end of the blaster? If it wasn’t that, then the time he spent away led Eli through so many perilous journeys that he got visibly weathered at such a young age. 

It wouldn’t be too surprising to see some gray among that blue hair of his’ , Twist mused. He spent a little too much time thinking of that pretty hair while he walked out of the train. Now that he had his quiet again, internal and external, he had begun to come to terms that he had no fucking idea what he was going for. What was he thinking would happen? He’d get Eli separated from the rest of the Gang with only himself and possibly one other person as pressuring firepower? And what would he even do then, have a nice chat over tea as if Twist hadn’t grabbed Eli’s heart in a vice to see how much pressure it took to see it go pop like his love was little more than a Flopper? 

Whatever he ended up working out, at least he’d get some pleasure from it. After all, who wouldn’t be proud of taking down a Shane? 

Twist’s attention was taken when he heard a snarl. Or, well, one that stood out, since Ghouls were all always growling and whatnot. Twist looked down and opened a canister to let Loki hop onto his shoulder. Loki ‘spoke’ to him, having sensed Twist’s stupid decision long ago but moreso questioning the uncertainty that was only starting to rise. 

“You better not be yelling at me. I know what I’m doing… Uh… That’s not true, actually.” Twist moved behind cover to keep himself hidden from the approaching Shane Gang and put the empty canister back in its place. “I’ll figure it out, probably. How hard can it be? Fooled ‘em the first time. Whatever I do, they won’t see it coming.”