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A Few Days Later
Back at Force 127 HQ

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Tristin finally woke up in Taeyong's room, completely fearful and unaware of his surroundings.

He cautiously looked around, eventually spotting Tayden sleeping on a nearby couch.

"Tayden..."

Tristin was a bit hesitant and scared, but he carefully got up and made his way over to his sleeping son.

"...Tristin?"

The man stumbled once he realized that Doni saw that he was awake after saying his name, and fell right in front of the couch.

This, in turn, immediately caused Tayden to wake up.

"Dad! You're finally awake~! Are you both feeling alright???"

"Are either of you in any pain?? I'm sorry that I startled you.."

Tayden expressed his concerns to make sure Tristin and Li were ok, along with Doni.

"N-No, I'm fine"

"Why do you want to know if I'm ok..?"

Li asked after Tristin reassured them.

"We always wanted to help you both feel better"

"Despite all of the evildoings you've both committed, we still couldn't help but worry"

Tayden and his Li confessed.

"Even though I didn't know you before Li, I still consider you my best friend, just like Tristin"

Doni added.

Li momentarily took full control of Tristin, but this time, just to express how he felt.

"I'm flattered, really I am. But I truly don't deserve your kindness. I tried to kill all of you without mercy, and I didn't think to consider Tristin's feelings. I just thought that if I helped him reign at the top, then nothing else would matter, not even you two. But in trying to accomplish that goal, I completely lost my mind and forgot about what he truly wanted. All I wanted to do was take it upon myself to make sure no one hurt Tristin again.. I really messed up..."

Li confessed, feeling absolutely ashamed by what he had done.

"You're both being too hard on yourselves. Father thought that he had to push us away to protect us, and you thought that making him an unstoppable god would keep him from being hurt, even at the cost of destroying everything he loved. All either of you wanted was to live in peace, but our family took that away from you. You just wanted to rectify what happened in your own way, but ended up becoming misguided"

"Tayden's right. This whole mess started because your family wanted you to be something you didn't want to be, and they took away your happiness and freedom to try and achieve that goal. You both may have done a lot of bad things, but it was neither of your faults from the start. We still love you both and would do anything to help you. That's the only reason we chased after you and risked our lives fighting you. If it meant helping you both see the light again, then we would've done anything to save you both. And we'd do it again in a heartbeat"

Tears suddenly run down his face from both Tristin and Li, indicating that they both felt absolutely heartbroken and guilty about what they had done, but also felt the same love they felt for them.

In that same instance, being reunited with the only family he had left reignited his status as a god of love.

"...You all have my thanks"

Li thanked them before returning control to Tristin, only for him to frantically apologize and hug both of them, not wanting to ever let them go again.

"Please... D-Don't leave again... I promise that I'll make up for everything that I've done.."

"I'm never leaving you dad, ever"

"We'll both stay by your side for as long as we're able to"

They both reassured the man, doing their best to try and calm him down.

It might've taken a while, but they eventually got Tristin to calm down and stop crying.

"Hey, I just remembered. Renjun mentioned to us before that he can bring Ruby back with his Meta Resurrection ability if you wanted"

Doni explained to the two.

"...I'll have to pass on that offer"

"...Me too"

Both Tayden and Tristin quickly decided that they didn't want to bring Ruby back, despite it being possible after all.

"Don't get me wrong, I really miss her. She was my wife after all, and we raised Tayden happily together before her murder. It's not that I don't want Ruby back, but we all know too well how dangerous our worlds are, and how new threats that are increasingly more powerful than the last are always popping up out of nowhere"

"We would rather let mother rest than to have her suffer again. She wasn't the strongest to begin with, and she was never a fighter"

The two explained their reasoning behind declining the offer.

Unbeknownst to them, Renjun secretly stood in the hallway with Taeyong since they wanted to hear their answer, and walked away with smiles on their faces after hearing their responses.

"I see... I'm sure Renjun will understand. Your reasoning is indeed valid"

"Oh! Speaking of Ruby, I remembered something! While I was sleeping, I remembered something that she used to make that I want to cook for everyone. You both remember the Garlic Parmesan Duchess Potatoes she used to make, right~?"

"Do we~?!"

"That was her signature dish~"

"You really do remember~"

Tristin widely smiled for the first time in forever, happy that the two remembered the dish.

"What are we waiting for??? Let's head to the kitchen now~"

"Yeah~. We'll even help you make it~"

Tayden and Doni excitedly helped him up and led him to the kitchen, eager to bond with him after so long.

"Let's hurry before it gets too late then~"