Cain and Abel * 2026
Summary
The Cyger and Saggs brothers have a talk together, it doesn't end well.
This work contains/touches upon intense topics and includes vulgar language. Viewer discretion is advised.
content warnings
- Subjects written/depicted covering past child abuse
- Familial abuse and physical assault
- Degrading and derogatory words and language used
- Transphobia & Deadnaming
- Heavy allusion to past child sexual abuse
“A trouble shared is a trouble halved” while not a well-used idiom, it’s concept is simple to understand is it not?
However, we find ourselves eavesdropping upon the start of what was supposed to be a good faith, mutual discussion between two brothers. They’ve been with each other through thick and thin, highs and lows, what else could they gain? Or better suited, what more could they lose from a one on one.
Like another idiom goes, blood is always thicker than water…
The day had gone by like an other had, same old duties, same old qoutas to fill, hardly anything was unique or off-schedule to bring attention to, attention that could be better rerouted to the ever lasting, in their side’s view, stubborn, animals attempts to stage a coup against C.O.G.S INK. All of this could already contribute to a loathesome headache that would last for days to C.O.G.S INK’s very chairman, Robert Cyger.
Everything was just piling up, little by little, even if it wasn’t noticeable by the plebians and the rabble of those damn toons or his worthless employees, it meant everything to Robert. Like an hour glass counting down time through it’s grains of sand, slipping and falling away with no care for your personal concerns. Time is precious to Robert, and time is money, money was what made the world spin.
Yet, everyone in his damn company was taking their sweet, sweet time on important company matters and threats. Robert felt like he had been patient enough, it had long run dry. Three strikes, and somebody’s out he thought to himself. He’d teach some pathetic low lifer in his company why they didn’t want to strike out on Mr. Cyger himself.
By the evening, as employees were starting to clock out of their shifts, while others came by for their nightly hours, Robert found himself passing through the halls that lead to his second in command’s office, his chief operating officer, Thomas Saggs.
Without warning, Robert invited himself into Mr. Saggs office, Thomas flinched slightly, not expecting the sudden appearance of his little brother, at this hour on a random work day. But even if Thomas was the elder brother, Robert was still his boss, he had no say on if he is permitted to stay or leave on his turf.
“… Good evening Robert, what brings you here?”
Thomas blurted, after a few good awkward seconds of silence, he had switched his desk radio off to better focus on whatever Robert may have came here for, or just whatever he needed to tell Thomas.
“We’re still in a work environment Saggs. Treat me with some dignity for cogs sake.”
Strike one, this was not a good start for their face to face conversation of the evening, Thomas simply gulped and apologized for the miswording.
“Apologies accepted, don’t get too distracted over that. To answer your question, nothing brought me here. But I work and oversee all production and management in this company, so it isn’t completely stupid to believe I should check in with my chief operating officer. Remember, you work here and share as much responsibility as I do for C.O.G.S INK.”
Straight and to the point, Thomas couldn’t argue against his brother, he was always the better entrepreneur, the better businessman.
“Yes I do Ro- Mr. Cyger… I would never shirk out of my duties as your second in hand, I apologize if I came off as such.”
That should’ve been a good enough response, right? Just let it ride out, don’t overextend the conversation if not needed.
“For cogs sake Saggs, stop apologizing every two seconds, this act isn’t endearing me you know.”
Strike two, Robert started to fiddle with the leaves of a random potted plant of Thomas he had laying around his office, occasionally pressing into it’s leaves to deeply, denting and brittling it. Robert didn’t understand his brothers strange fixations and obsessions.
“I know I know, look Cyger sir I’d honestly like to inquire more on the impromptu visit. If you needed to talk about anything specific or important we could discuss it and please, don’t damage my plants.”
Thomas was honestly growing tired with his little brother’s combativeness in their past interactions, he wished secretly that Robert could just leave and be on his merry way, they’d never need to bring this occasion up again and Thomas would learn his lesson on how he talked to his boss. Robert became very offended however upon hearing what came out of Thomas’s mouth.
“Don’t you talk back to me like that. I’ll have you know I can do whatever I please and like without any explanation to you, you are owned nothing. Don’t underestimate me and what I know from running my business.”
Red was starting to show from Robert’s hide, his explosive anger was a trait he couldn’t easily hide ever since he’d left on his own. Thomas truly was not in the mood to fight, he attempted as best as he could to pacify his brother, he sympathized for his poor anger management issues, Thomas has also struggled badly with similar, this is why they went to management classes together, once upon a time.
“Please Robert, speaking to you not just as your coo but as your brother, maybe we should take a breather… at your state it isn’t good for your oil pressure…”
Thomas stood from his desk, walking towards Robert, in some final attempt to soothe his brother, do his job as the older brother to help his junior out. Robert was seething.
“Again with the informalities, you really cannot get what I’m saying through your thick skull. Don’t you dare feign concern over my safety or health, you keeping this up is what will kill me some day Saggs.”
Pressure rising, mixtures of feelings and emotions boiling over and bubbling up to the surface, neither could get to the other.
“Robert… please enough with this, I’m sorry but how do you expect me to mind read what you want and expect? I’m afraid to say you’re being extremely unreasonable for no reason, I’m not trying to fight”
“UNREASONABLE? You’re the unreasonable one, see this is your problem you take issues and what I say way too personally, for cogs sake Carla grow a spine won’t you.”
“… Don’t call me that, you know what my name is, this is a professional environment…”
As if it was what Thomas believed could bring his brother to be a little more understanding of Thomas’s frustration, he continued
“You would know better about being called a name you haven’t gone by anymore don’t you?”
Strike three, nothing was off the table anymore. Three strikes and you’re out.
Robert pounced onto his taller brother’s body and balled up his hands into fists, hitting and punching wherever he can, attempting to tackle and pine Thomas’s body onto the floor.
Thomas was shocked over the suddeness and how much energy Robert held within him for their ages and bodies, struggling to wrestle his little brother off his lanky body. Robert would not relent.
“Robert! Robert what the fuck! Please stop this brother-”
Before Thomas could finish his sentence, he felt a sharp slap hit his face, effectively silencing him. Thomas entered into a trance, shocked by his brother’s action and what he had just done, Robert took this opportunity to successfully push Thomas’s body down onto the ground, the both of them thrashing and struggling in the grasp of one another, causing a mess in Thomas’s already messy room. Both had no sign of stopping.
“YOU DON’T PULL THAT CARD ON ME, YOU REALLY CAN’T COMPREHEND WHAT YOU DID TO ME BACK THEN. STOP PLAYING UP YOUR VICTIM CARD YOU COWARD.”
Robert was shrieking, yelling from the top of his lungs as spit flew onto Thomas’s suit, the both of their attires were getting messed up from their neatly crisped appearances minutes ago.
Robert was continuously punching his brother’s body, at as many angles and points he could strike at, his chest, his face, his arms. He’d wanted to do this for so long, he longed to beat the ever lasting shit out of his brother like his parents had him. If he couldn’t pay their parents back, their next in line will have to do just fine.
Thomas was still struggling to remove Robert’s presence off of himself, attempting to roll and push his brother out of his grasp, it was no use though, at some point he stopped struggling more and more. Thomas accepted the blows and hits he was being dealt at the hands of his dear younger brother, he couldn’t help but tear up still.
“You are actually fucking pathetic you know that Thomas.”
Robert slurred his words, making sure to inject whatever malice he had built up in that last word.
“You’re five years older than me and you’re crying, you’ve always played the poor, weeping princess role you know? You can’t keep it up forever.”
Robert was starting to slow down, less frantic and adrenaline ridden, but fiercely punching and slapping down as hard as he could. He wanted to see Thomas’s body in a trash heap somewhere rotting.
“We’re nothing alike. Don’t you dare compare me to you. I’m nothing like you, I’m not a fucking Saggs and I know it. I’ll never be corrupted by you or your parents, it’s no wonder you let them sodomize you into submission. You’re such a fucking degenerate, so stop acting like I’m anything like you.”
Robert was striking a nerve of Thomas, whether he meant to or not, Thomas couldn’t believe it, how cruel his brother was acting towards him. Yet Thomas did nothing to protest, to fight back, even a rebuttal.
Thomas just stayed quiet as Robert flung insult upon insult and blow upon blow on him, he knew secretly that Robert was hurting ultimately. He knew Robert was right in a way, what he spoke was not entirely false, he knew that he deserved this treatment.
Nothing wrong was happening, if all was right in the world, what his little brother was doing was completely justifiable and morally correct. Thomas was just playing the role of his families victimless crimes. Like a puppet attached to strings, once severed from it’s ties, it falls limp onto the ground.
Soon, nothing but sounds of clanks and crunches came out of Thomas’s office, Robert trying as hard as he could to strike one more hit onto his brother, Thomas taking it all as he could, the silence was deafening.
Robert came to a pause, huffing and breathing out loudly, staring down towards Thomas’s batten body, Robert didn’t go unscathed either, but it was obvious who “won” the fight. Tears streaked from Thomas’s face, he tried his best to look away from his brother’s gaze, he really was pathetic.
Finally, Robert stood up and allowed for Thomas to collect his composure, slightly raising himself propped up against his desk. They just stared at each other, their faces unreadable, lips quivering.
Robert finally broke the ice with a sigh and an apology for unprofessional behavior, leaving Thomas with a message to not push his buttons again and to never speak of this incident.
Thomas nodded as Robert finally limped out of his office, slamming the door shut, footsteps trailing off further and further.
Thomas had no more tears to shed, no sympathy or pity to be held, he just stared at the walls of his office blankly, as if waiting for a miracle to occur, his lucky star to strike.
Nothing came, after all, nothing had actually happened. Nothing had happened between the two of them, nothing at all was happening between Mr. Cyger and Mr. Saggs.
As another idiom would put it, it’s water off a duck’s back.