Anthony struggled to breathe as he closed the heavy door to his house with shaking hands. He couldn't believe it. After everything, he'd been discarded again.

It figured. Why would things suddenly change for the better? They hadn't for centuries, and any weak attempt to do something about it was pointless.

He looked around, trying to find a glimpse of comfort. Tried to listen for signs that Tom or Richard were home. The fact that they were mortal remained, and they would die soon enough no matter how hard Anthony could try to slow time, but they were all he had left.

"Richard?" his broken voice finally echoed when no one showed. "Tom?"

He just needed someone. He didn't want to be alone again. The dreaded yet familiar feeling was already stabbing his chest, and he sat down on the couch beside the fireplace to bury his face in his hands.

Why did he have to endure it? He'd begged. He'd threatened. He had shown every drop of despair that filled him, but even then, mercy was a privilege he'd never be granted. His portrait remained intact somewhere and would stay there to the end of days. Death would never welcome him no matter how many times he faced it. No matter how close he was to reach it. He was turned away every time.

And to what?

He was so easy to discard. As soon as Damien had gotten rid of the supposed mortal threats to Anthony's happiness, he stopped caring. He returned to his own goals. He just patched him up enough to keep him going, only to throw him aside.

And now Lucius as well.

Anthony hadn't meant it before when he claimed Lucius and Damien were of similar minds. He'd been engulfed by rage, panic and betrayal, and the idea that Lucius would never let him die either if he had the choice. It had been enough to make him compare them, but he hadn't actually thought the statement through.

Until now.

They just wanted him around, like some decoration in the background. His life was nothing but a fun pastime for them, conveniently placed for them to care about at will. He would never come first.

"Richard?" he croaked again as a hopeless wish.

"They're not here," an unexpected voice said next to him, but Anthony didn't flinch, nor did he bother to look up.

"I wish you weren't either. You can't just enter without permission."

"You've been avoiding me for long enough," Damien said before kneeling down in an attempt to face his son. "It's time we talk."

Anthony scoffed.

"And what would that amount to?"

"My hope is some understanding."

"You've already tried that." Anthony's eyes narrowed. "Many times."

"It's not just about understanding me." Damien gently removed Anthony's hands to look him in the eyes. "I'm trying to understand you."

Anthony averted his gaze, swiftly wiping hints of grief from his eyes.

"Pretty certain you've tried that before as well."

Damien sat in silence at first, but then continued his attempt with a look of frustration.

"It's different this time though, isn't it? Even you can't justify what he's done. Anyone should want him gone, not just me."

"You pushed him to it," Anthony reminded him with a low voice. "You would have killed him."

"And wasn't I right in trying to do so? Would you defend anyone else if they did the same thing as he did?"

"He did it to survive." Anthony wouldn't have it. "He did it for the two of—"

A sinking feeling of horror grabbed him, and his breath escaped him again.

It hadn't been about him, or them. Not really. Lucius had made it clear. First and foremost, his goal had been to take over the power in town. Not the other way around.

He stifled a sob behind a shaky breath, unable to lean away as Damien removed a tear that had run down his cheek.

"He's not worth your tears, Anthony."

Anthony's eyes darkened, and he pushed the hand away.

"Perhaps not, but neither are you."

"I know you don't understand it, and that you resent me for what I've done..." Damien looked down at his rejected hand with a mournful frown. "... But despite what you think, I want you to be happy. It simply won't happen the way you're trying right now. You can't find joy the same way mortals do."

"I don't want happiness," Anthony growled through gritted teeth. "Not anymore."

"Anthony—"

"Why can't you just give it to me?" Anthony glared at his father, cold eyes eerily similar to his. "Do the right thing for once. Don't force your son to suffer like this just because you can't stand the idea of being alone."

Damien inhaled a silent breath.

"Everything I've done has been for my family."

A pitying laugh escaped Anthony's lips.

"And how did that turn out? Mother refused immortality, you've pushed Ethan away, and you've barely kept me alive out of desperation just to fill a void. So you won't have to acknowledge your failure." He leaned forward, lowering his voice into a hiss. "But you will one day. You'll realise you've pushed away the one son who wanted to remain in this world, and by your side. You'll realise that the useless pursuit of supernatural people— Innocent people— is an irredeemable crime you've committed in the name of an Archon you don't even believe in. That your soul can't enter The Unity nor The Waste anymore. You will realise—"

"Anthony."

"— That you sacrificed yourself to eternity for nothing."

"That's enough." Damien turned his head away, frown deepening. "I've accepted that you're angry, and I've come to terms with your contempt, but that won't change my mind. Whether or not you see me as family anymore, I cannot allow your suffering to continue."

"So give me—"

"We'll start over," Damien interrupted. "Again."

Anthony shook his head.

"You can't stop my pain this way."

"I know I can," Damien insisted. "But you need to let me."

Tiredness weighed Anthony down. It wasn't unusual, but a bother nonetheless. He was so tired of it all.

"... What about Lucius?"

Damien closed his eyes with a low sigh.

"He blew up our organisation. Everything we've built. He killed over a hundred people, and he tried to kill me, Derek, and Catherine as well. You can't justify me letting him live."

"I can, because I want him to."

"That's not good enough."

Anthony fell into silence again before giving the room a slow, grieving glance.

"... And if I leave?"

Damien stared at him, trying to read his face.

"Why would you—"

"You wanted to send me away. Probably to remove me from everything going on here, so... I'll go." Anthony locked eyes with Damien. "On the condition that you leave Lucius alone."

Damien stood in dumbfounded silence again, and Anthony took the liberty to continue.

"I will do what you ask me to. I'll help gather up people to restore The BBT if you want, but you won't hurt him in any way. You will not interfere with his life in a way that could harm him. You're going to leave Lucia alone and never try to reveal that secret again, and should it ever come to it, you will pull him out of danger if you can."

"Why him?" Damien shook his head. "Why would you leave for his sake? He would cause you nothing but grief."

"I'm the one who's caused enough pain to those I've loved." Anthony gritted his teeth. "If it's me or him, I'd rather be the one to disappear. I won't have any more people I care about suffer because of me."

"So send him away." Damien scrunched up his nose. "He doesn't deserve it, but I'd rather see him alive and gone than you not being here."

Anthony looked down at his knees.

"He's not leaving. Much like someone else I know, this town means more to him than I do."

"And you'll give up your life here for someone like that?"

"Wouldn't be the first time." Anthony narrowed his eyes. "And this isn't about my well-being anymore."

"No." Damien shook his head again. "This isn't right. We just need to get rid of him, and we can go back to how it used to be."

"But I won't let that happen." Anthony clenched his fists as he stared into the cold fireplace. "So if you won't let us be together, I'll leave regardless. Even if you kill him."

"You're being ridiculous."

"The difference would be that if you kill him, I won't be coming back."

Damien did not look convinced.

"Of course you would."

"You're not giving me my painting anyway, so why would I?" Anthony's mouth twitched. "And I assure you, if I find out you've killed him after I'm gone, I will make sure you never find me again. Even if I have to tie a rock around my body and jump in the ocean."

Damien laughed, but it was not as confident as he would have wanted it to be.

"You're not serious."

"Want to try me?"

There was no reply, and Anthony let out a deep sigh.

"For once, be just the slightest part of who you used to be and do the right thing."

Silence filled the room again as cold, stubborn glares refused to look away from the other, until Damien decided to break it.

"How can I be certain you won't end up in more mortal misery when you're gone?"

"Give me enough work to prevent it." Anthony shrugged. "Maybe even away from people."

The inner turmoil in Damien's head was obvious, yet he kept a straight face to the end.

"And you'll stay away until he's gone?"

"By natural causes, yes."

"You realise he's put himself in life threatening danger a handful of times in just one year?"

"But he's also survived every time."

With that, Damien closed his eyes in resignation.

"Very well, then. Throw your life away."

"A very short amount of life, considering," Anthony said gravely. "Just let me grab some things and... Say goodbye to the others."

Damien gave him a sorrowful look before slowly embracing him.

"He'll only try to manipulate you again," he whispered, somehow sounding genuinely convincing. "So, no. You leave immediately."