"renjun told me you trained together today. how was it?" chenle asked excitedly while jisung took a seat next to jeno.

"pretty good. he is a very good teacher." donghyuck answered, munching on his food.

night had settled a few hours ago, and it was time to have dinner.

once again, chenle and jisung had joined donghyuck and jeno to talk about their day and share funny memories.

"renjun is the one who taught me everything. he's the best out there." chenle nodded in approval.

"i find his techniques better than jaemin's." donghyuck added, thinking about their demonstrative fight again.

"that's normal." jeno interrupted the conversation. "renjun is a strategist. he thinks more than he fights. and this technique is good for those who don't like contact very much, just like you, donghyuck. jaemin is quite the opposite. he's full strength. he uses his fists rather than his brain. but that doesn't make him any less strong. he is very precise and hits hard. this technique is better for those who enjoy fighting like brutes, just like me."

chenle nodded, completely agreeing with what jeno had explained, and jisung even clapped a few times.

"that was the best explanation ever." he said.

"thanks dude." jeno winked at him. "i'm not zeus' son for nothing."

"what about you?" donghyuck asked chenle and jisung. "what did you do today?"

"nothing exciting..." chenle shrugged.

"we searched for a good quest to do, but we didn't find any." jisung explained.

"a quest?" donghyuck furrowed his brows.

"yeah. every demigod has to participate in quests to help the camp and other demigods. they take place outside of the camp and last minimum one week."

"for real?" donghyuck widened his eyes. "and what do you do out there?"

"mostly find demigods and bring them back to the camp." chenle told. "but sometimes, we have to capture monsters or make sure the humans aren't put in danger because of the numerous mythologic creatures."

"o-oh..." donghyuck stuttered, not expecting the last part.

"but none of the quests available today was interesting. there were only demigods ones. and jisung and i like when we have to fight." chenle started again.

"t-to fight...?"

"yeah. the war between titans and gods is far from being finished. and the earth is some kind of battlefield for them. and we are helping the gods fight the creatures sent by the titans." chenle told happily, earning a glare from jisung. 

"war?" donghyuck asked, looking at jeno. "there is a war?"

"it started decades ago." jeno replied. "it's a war for power, obviously."

"b-but... i never saw any fight in the streets..."

"it's a secret war." jisung explained. "we're not fighting each other openly. the titans send some monsters every now and then, and the gods destroy them. but there are no real fights for the moment."

"what do you mean, for the moment?"

"one day or another, the titans will attack for real. but that will be when they'll have found a way to win. for the moment, they have nothing that can make them overtake the mount olympus, so they don't attack." chenle told calmly.

donghyuck nodded, slowly processing this new information.

"but you don't have to worry about this, hyuck." jeno said, breaking the ice that was slowly forming.

"yeah, that's a casualty. you have to live your best life, not caring about it." chenle added.

donghyuck sighed, pushing his plate away from him.

this conversation had created a lump in his throat, and cut his appetite.

and so, the tanned male listened to chenle and jisung's funny bickering for the rest of the night, trying to forget the fact that maybe, he wasn't safe here since there was a war taking place.

Ω

"what went through your head?!" jisung whisper-yelled, turning chenle around to face him.

"what are you talking about?" the smaller raised a brow.

they were peacefully walking back to their bungalows together, and jisung just had to snap when chenle mentioned donghyuck.

"why did you tell him about the war?" jisung asked.

"are you blaming me, jisung?"

"yes, i am."

chenle scoffed, rolling his eyes.

"everybody knows about this war. even the humans!"

"he obviously didn't know." jisung crossed his arms.

"and how could i know that, huh?"

jisung sighed. "you couldn't."

"see- "

"but you had to stop immediately when you realised that he didn't know about it." jisung scolded the older boy.

"him knowing about the war is nothing bad, jisung. i don't understand why you are this worked up about it."

"because..."

jisung stopped talking, looking around for a second before pulling chenle closer not to be heard.

"donghyuck has to worry about this war." jisung whispered.

"huh... i don't think so. donghyuck is here to be protected. the war has nothing to do with him."

"of course, it has!"

"i don't understand how donghyuck and war could be linked when- "

jisung slammed a hand over chenle's mouth to prevent him from finishing his sentence in a high voice.

"well, well, well..." a low voice spoke behind them. "am i hearing right?"

jisung turned around, keeping his hand over chenle's mouth and pulling the smaller boy closer to his body.

"what do you want, mark?" jisung furrowed his brows.

"oh, nothing." he smiled fakely. "i was just walking mavros when i heard you two arguing about donghyuck."

"and? is there a problem with that?" jisung asked on a harsh tone.

"no. i'm just curious about what two such... unskilled demigods were arguing about. mostly if donghyuck is involved."

"you don't need to know. you have nothing to do with donghyuck." jisung spat.

"oh, you think so?" mark chuckled. "ask donghyuck himself then. i'm sure he enjoys my company."

jisung glared at hades' son.

he didn't really like him. there was something about his persona that radiated evilness. and jisung didn't really trust him.

"whatever." jisung told. "we're leaving."

"yes, of course... go." mark smiled devilishly, watching the two pure souls leaving quickly.

"i told you to be quiet." jisung said, taking his hand off chenle's mouth while walking towards the older's bungalow.

"i didn't know he was going to be here."

"anyway. you shouldn't have mentioned the war." jisung brought the topic back.

"i still don't get why you are this worried. he'll eventually know about the war."

"but it's not about the war. it's about him." jisung said.

chenle furrowed his brows. "what about him?"

jisung sighed. "you don't understand, do you?"

the smaller male shook his head no.

jisung leaned forward, his lips getting closer from chenle's ear so that he could whisper in his ear.

"donghyuck could be the thing needed by the titans to finally win the war."

chenle gasped loudly, slamming both his hands over his mouth in shock.

"for real?!" he asked, eyes widened.

jisung simply nodded.

"b-but... that's horrible!" chenle exclaimed.

"i know." jisung told. "that's why we need to make sure he stays safe."

"count on me, ji." chenle said, determined.

"oh! the blind lovers!" a loud voice interrupted them.

chenle and jisung lifted their heads to find lucas, chenle's brother standing in the doorframe of hermes' bungalow with a wide grin.

"lucas, we are not lovers. just best friends. nothing more." chenle rolled his eyes, repeating the same sentences as always.

"whatever." lucas rolled his eyes. "we're waiting for you to play, lele."

chenle nodded. "i'm coming."

"and tell your boyfriend he can join if he'd like." lucas added with a smirk.

"he's NOT my boyfriend!" chenle yelled in a dolphin voice.

lucas ignored him and got back inside.

"sorry about him..." chenle said, fidgeting with his fingers. "he can't seem to understand what i tell him..."

"don't worry." jisung told.

"so... you want to play with us?" chenle asked, head tilted.

"no, thanks." jisung declined politely. "the others are waiting for me as well."

"okay. well, see you tomorrow then."

"yeah, see you." jisung muttered, looking at chenle hopping to his bungalow and leaving him alone in the dark.

liking your best friend sucks.

and it sucks even more knowing that he would never return the feelings.

and that was jisung's everyday life.