𝖔𝖒𝖓𝖎𝖆 𝖒𝖚𝖙𝖆𝖓𝖙𝖚𝖗, 𝖓𝖎𝖍𝖎𝖑 𝖎𝖓𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖎𝖙.

•••

34th Floor ;
Khun Eduan ;

Never in Khun Eduan’s wildest dreams did he think he was taking things he was more than privileged to have ever since he was born for granted, until the entirety of his body had settled comfortably under the heat of the springs’ water, causing his war-bred nerves to relax in mere seconds.

To be fair, it’s been a few years since he thought of taking a well-deserved vacation after spending almost every minute of his life on the verge of death. So, color him surprised when Jahad and Gustang— both crazy about climbing further up the Tower— asked the whole team for recommendations on where they should spend the day off.

Even Gustang and day off in the same sentence makes Eduan shiver, what more when they were being so goddamn nice about it?

Anyhow, after an impromptu debate starring the affection-deprived children feat deadly threats with one or two weapons in their inventories being pointed at each other’s throats, they conceded— a trendy family-owned hot springs resort deemed as the most suitable compromise.

If anything, no sane person would ever prefer a munera to spend their holidays on. Probably.

The point is, there they were, soundly asleep after filling their appetites to the brim with the honorary buffet prepared for them, who had rented out the resort’s most expensive suites, and here Eduan was, taking the golden opportunity of enjoying the bath peacefully on his own, without any room for distractions.

Footsteps.

It was faint— familiarly so, that it barely registered in his subconscious. Though, the sense of relaxation that enveloped the bluenet’s system washed over and muddled the alarm within him completely.

“This experience would be so much better accompanied with wine, don’t you think so?”

Eduan almost shrieked like a banshee when the newcomer whispered just inches away from his ear, placing a hot (not scalding per sé, but still hot nonetheless) towel over his eyes. On reflex, he shot a burst of electricity towards the other with eyes a glowering hue, ready to curse the intruder to eternal oblivion, if not for the iridescent amethyst gazing at him full of mischief.

“Okay, what the actual fu— V?! Y-You’re here!” the spearbearer choked out, his wrath dispersing into thin air as shame sank in. If earlier he wanted to rip the godforsaken bastard who had enough stupidity to disturb his rest into tiny, bite-sized pieces, now he wished the ground would just open up and swallow him whole right at this very second.

“Of course, I am. Quarter an hour before you, actually. I’m never one to pass up on such luxury, Eduan.”

‘That is hardly ever true,’ the latter thought, the look on his eyes softening as he began healing V when he realized that he had wounded the ravenet’s face. “My apologies. After this, should I come back later?”

“Oh, no!” V cupped Eduan’s hand with his palms in a state of panic, sending the man into a spiralling frenzy. Perhaps, the former realized this, so he sheepishly let it go. “You can stay. I don’t mind the company.”

Eduan could only muster up a defeated smile before dipping his head back once more, now enjoying the bath with the one person he genuinely liked hanging out with. It’s been a long while since they met alone after that ridiculous scene at the rooftop and made things slightly awkward for the both of them. Once the sun had risen, they immediately had to be separated to prepare for the next floor tests. Fortunately, due to this, he had been given the time to recollect his thoughts before he could embarrass himself any further than he already did.

If this emotion Eduan was feeling was really something like love, then he was fucked. Fucked, I tell you.

Love is for the weak.

Loving someone means allowing oneself to have weaknesses, and he cannot bear to have that, unless he wants the pain-in-the-ass named his family to force him into committing to someone that suits the tastes of the entire clan. There’s also the whole coming-to-terms with V and Arlene’s strange dynamic that he couldn’t put a finger on, because he couldn’t just force V to tell him anything.

Maybe he’ll just have to resign to the fact that perhaps, V doesn’t trust him as much as Eduan thought he did.

“I reckon you came to escape the others too?”

“You as well?” The bluenet groaned, placing the hand towel back to warm his whole forehead, draping it down to his eyes. “I swear to God they’re behaving more like children the more powerful they become. Yurin and Han, especially. Did you know that earlier, they challenged each other to a drinking contest but ended up passing out after the third bottle? If they couldn’t handle that little alcohol, then they should’ve just settled on something else! And do not even get me started on Arie and Jahad who almost destroyed half of the inn with their little game!”

‘It’d be fun, they said. It’s just one harmless bet, they said. Well, no shit, because they’re not the one paying for all the damages!’

A  smile graced V’s lips as he chuckled in amusement. “What a rambunctious bunch, they are. But, they deserved the fun. It’s getting harder to stay carefree when the whole Tower is starting to see you as some sort of hero.”

V’s gaze was distant, seemingly reminiscent of a yesterday he misses but does not want to return to. If that even made sense, because Eduan definitely does not get it either.

“I guess.” The latter shrugged the uneasiness off swiftly before it could ruin the overall mood. “Congratulations, by the way. I heard you're assigned to the frontlines again in the next mission.”

‘Honestly, I'm not too thrilled leaving you alone with Arlene and Jahad, but this will get those schmucks to stop underestimating you,’ he thought, convincing himself it was the best case scenario for his precious friend, who had spent his youth supporting them from behind the scenes and raising their reputations, causing some idiots to grow the nerve to belittle him.

“Thanks. Can I...”The wavecontroller’s smile faltered and the atmosphere between them became heavier with the silence. “Tell Eduan something?”

“Of course.” The latter leaned closer, catching the alluring scent of pine and bergamot.

“I’m,” V took in a sharp breath, and Eduan could see him tremble despite the warmth. “Afraid.”

The spearbearer blinked, dumbfounded. That’s something Khun Eduan doesn’t hear everyday, especially from V who seemed like he doesn’t fear even death itself.

“Jahad-ssi’s feelings for Lady Arlene seem to exceed the point of obsession, and while I know that the Lady has been consistent on turning him down, I fear that if push comes to shove, she might take advantage of that.” As much as the bluenet never wanted him to feel this bad, unlike V, he does not see Arlene in a rose-colored view, and her using such underhanded tactics was something he could foresee. “What should I do, Eduan? I don’t want to have to choose.”

“My, my. What a complicated life to live.” He drew in a breath and let it settle, fondly stroking the dark haired’s cheeks, almost melting as V leaned his weight slightly to his touch.

‘What a difficult woman you love.’

“There is not a decision for me to make.” The wavecontroller muttered with a bittersweet smile, implying that there was more than what he was letting on, and it frustrates Eduan so, because it makes him want even more.

“If I were you, I would have already gone past that door the moment she forces me to choose.”

He wanted to tell V that like him, he should value himself above all else. That he should exhibit freedom befitting his power. Funny how big Eduan is on freedom and shit when what he wanted the most was to cage the regular and hide him somewhere furthest away from the world, but close enough that only he can reach.

“But, we’re both different people, aren’t we?”

Something that could potentially last until the point of madness was something sacredly beloved. V’s devotion for Arlene Grace was clearly something so sacred that he would willingly let his own life waste away to maintain it. Khun Eduan’s childish feelings never stood a chance, Only wanting to have the other to his possession to satiate his selfishness.

But, wasn’t that what love was all about for mere mortals like them in the first place?

“Just know that if you would someday want a knight in shining armor to sweep you off your feet, call me and I’d come running with my white and valiant steed.”

Whose were the arms that V runs to when everything seemed to be on the verge of collapsing?

“Pfft...”

The wavecontroller chortled softly which may not have seemed too obvious, but did a number on Eduan’s already dwindling mental state. The bathhouse illuminating at the sound of V’s glee resonating like church bells— whatever the reasoning behind that analogy, he’ll never know, but it flowed smoothly, a well-written sonata pleasant to his ears.

They soon chattered away as if catching up on lost time about random things, talking and laughing like they never did all those years ago. Right. V was in Eduan’s embrace right now, not hers. Anything that might happen afterwards, the bluenet will take in stride like he always did.

「 CRASH! 」

Both regulars faced each other with a knowing look, as if telepathically communicating whether they should apprehend the possible intruder themselves before alerting the whole team and security personnel, or not. However, as if on cue, Ari Han and Ha Yurin’s barely sobered up, chirped voices boomed from the corridors leading towards the bath’s entrance, accompanied by the skip in their steps.

“Hello, is anyone there?!”

“Ari fucking Han, you piece of shit! Do you have to make a habit out of breaking antiques in every place we go to?!”

“Excuse me, it was not my fault you challenged every single one of us into a drinking game— which I won, by the way— and had us miss enjoying the mixed bath! If anything, I would have assumed you were doing that on purpose so that I would not be looking at other women!”

“Have an ounce of shame, will you? Perverted bastard.”

The raven smiled, mouthing a faint, ‘See you later, Eduan.’ as he bid the latter adieu. However, as soon as V finished draping the towel around his body, he slipped almost immediately on his feet which made the bluenet who was getting himself out of the water catch him on reflex, ending up in a compromising position.

“M-My apologies! Did I hurt you? Should we head to the infirmary?” Eduan’s mind emptied out, not having a grip on what was currently transpiring before him as V touches his back with cool fingertips, making his senses tingle, checking for any discoloration on his pale white pallour. Blood rushed to his cheeks, dusting it with deep crimson— acting as if any of this was beyond his fantasies.

“Hush! There’s someone in there!”

Eduan and V glanced at each other in panic for god-knows-what as the group drew nearer, their bodies still pressed against each other in the closest and friendliest-passing proximity one can imagine. Absent-mindedly, milliseconds before the curtains were swerved open, Khun Eduan, with all the strength he could muster with his muddled mind, shoved the poor, unsuspecting wavecontroller inside his lighthouse and hoped he does not kill him later on for his rudeness.

ー

There the rising Class D spearbearer stood, reciting the names of all the saints he never worshipped but recalled nonetheless, in the speed of sound as he was reminded in every minute wasted arguing with the goddamn drunkards that he had left V alone to fend for himself inside a cramped cube-like dimension with only a single dry cloth to keep him warm. It never did cross his mind that he would one day actually place a human being inside there, so heaven knows what kind of shit his best friend had already stumbled his hands upon in search of clothing.

Once he was back alone inside his room, he opened the lighthouse to see V half naked, droplets of sweat and water dripping along his skin. What mortified him was that instead of someone who was ready to give him a well-deserved beration, the sight of the ravenet crouching at the furthest corner of the lighthouse, trembling in fear and desperation, and his lackluster amethyst eyes lacking focus, punched Eduan in the face.

“V?” The aforesaid lifted his gaze abruptly at the mention of his name, but Eduan never saw even the littlest flicker of recognition within the wavecontroller’s amethyst orbs. “Is everything alright?”

A̴̧̢̡͚̬̞̕͘̕ļ̶̨͉͙̫̲̯̻̘̞̈̋̑͢͝r̼̫͍̳̀̃ͫ͌̌͂͋ͣ̆͒͛̽̽͘͢͠i̦͕̞͓̠̥͚̱̣͒̓̂͛̿̒̂̆͂͌̌ͪ͏̵̶͜͠͏̵̶̶̵̨̛̕͜͡҉̕ĝ̸̸̨̡̖̦͕͉̅̍̾̄̽̄͐̽̅ͣ̋̽͌̌h͈̖̝͇̜̋ͥͮ̌͐ͭ̋͜͝҉̷̵̢̛̛́̕̕͠t̨̛͉͍̤͇͔̘̻̞͓̬̥̖̳͈͚̃̀̅̐͟͠ͅͅ͏̸̷̸̀́͏̀͜͏̵̵̛͢.̪̺͔͎̥͙̭̪̖̱̳̩͍͇͚ͪ̈ͮ̑ͮ͂͌̇͐̂̈̑̏́͜͡͝͏̸̴̧̢͢͢͢͞҉͠҉̵͟͝.̭̞̜̰̝̟͙̜̪͓̖̩͉̱̯̔̈́ͤ̏ͩͮ͌̌̿̂͗ͬ͑̍̚.̶̸̭͓̼̖̐ͦ̈́͌ͧ̑̓͐͌̇͒̚͢?̓̿͂͐ͣ̄̃̐͂̽̂͂ͨ̃̃̓͂̒͏҉̵҉̷̢̢̛́̀͢͟͜͟͟͢͡

He muttered, still locked in a seemingly endless trance, deliriously smiling as he assured someone, perhaps not himself— as if he was a mere passerby watching everything and nothing transpire. “That’s right, he told us everything will be alright. They promised to return soon, didn’t they?”

Į̷̧̨̜̙̠͖̳͔ͩ̾ͩͧ̈̐ͪ̔͏̵̸̷̛́́̕͞͝t̢̡̩͖̦̬͍ͯͫ̀̀͢͠ͅ҉̴̴͏̨̧͢͜͏̴̡͡͠’̶̴̴̵̨̰̤̳̤̖̞ͦ̑̄̍̿͌́͢͝ͅl̴̴̶̛̓̊̍ͣ͂̏ͣ̀̀̕̕͘͢͟͝͞͝l̩͉̩͚̜̭̬͇͈͚̓͡͏ ̵̷̻̜̻̥̺̝̞̻̂ͦͮ̕͘͞͏͟b̸̨̡̛̦̥̿͗̂͢͏̀͝ė̳̻̰̜̔͆͊̎ͣ̀̈͡͝҉ ̴̗͂̓͌̇̆l̨̏̌ͩͯ̄̒͑̔ͥ̾҉̛͘͟͜͝͞͏̶̢̨̕͜͢ḭ̛̤͍̐͛̄̿ͪ̽͐͟͏̀͢͏k̦̙͇̩͍͓͢͡e̵̵̴̵̡̡̧̲͇̳̞̦͈̱͎̹̅̽̔̿̏ͤ̎ͥ̇̇̀́͝͠͞͡͞ ̸̢̧̢̧̛̛͎̍̀̌̒̓́͘͡͠͏̕͞t̕͘h̶̨̧̧̧̖̉ͦ͛ͧͦͤͬ̽̀̀̚͟͠ḙ̵͉̝̼̬͉̣ͩ̊̇͋̓̊̇́́͘͜͝͏̸̡̨́́͘҉̕̕͞ ̦͛̐̎̿͂̈́̏͏̶̨̢̡̛́́͜͟͠o̧͛̍́̏̓͘͡͡͞͏̴̡̡̡̨͢͢͞͠l͚̝͙̱͚͍̮̩͂͋ͩ̕҉҉̨̨̢́͘͘͜͢͟͠d̗̰̻͕̞ ̷̴̷̡̡̛̱̫͍̫̥̖͖̅ͥ͗́͛̕͢͡͡͞͝ď̘̲ͣͥ̊̑̉ͦͅȧ̵̵̧̧̞̱͔̂̀ͯ͊̈̒̀́͜͡͞͠y̵̵̶̡͟s̵̞̖̲̟͉̤̱ͭ͋̈́͐͢͠͡͏̴̡̡̨̢̡̢̛͘͟͠͝,̨̛̱̭̪̉ͬ̓ͩͧ̅̕͏҉̴̶͠͏̶̡̛҉̸ ̸̷̷̷̷̡͔͔̣̫̱̭͇̖̩̿̏̍̽̓͆͛ͦ̀́̀̕̕͢͟͝͠͡͏́͢a̧̢̗͙̪ͧ͘ģ̴̭̙̽͂ͯ̿͐̕͜͢͝͞҉̵̡̢̨͟͜͟͠a̸̸͓̤ͤ̎̒ͫ͠͝͏̶̶̢̡͢͠i̶̷͓̼͛͜͠͏̢́ņ̥̟̼̠̩ͫ͜͟.̴̷̷̶̧̧͍̫̪̫̣͈̳̭͍ͧ̑͐̿ͫ͊͜͜

The spearbearer didn’t realize he was holding his breath until he silently gasped as V shifted into a cradling position, like he was pulling a small child— children, into his tight embrace, shielding them from the world. What in the world was happening? “Hush, little ones. It’s fine. We’re fine. It doesn’t hurt anymore. No, not at all.”

H͙̦̆́ͅ҉̡̧̢́͘͘͟͟͠ẏ̡̛̛̯͖͈͐̃͋͠͡ṷ̢̥͇̯̪̱̙̦̎͗̐̈ͮͬͧ̕͢͟͠҉̴̸̀͟͝҉҉̵̷̵̨̡̀n̡̙̟̘̥̭ͯ̽̅̃̃͆ͩ͛̚͏̶̛́̕͘͟g̵̴̴̵̡̨̧̛͟͢͢͟͢͟͝͠͠҉ ̵̨͔̬̖̟̝ͤ̕͢͢͠͝ẁ̵̸̂͊̋i̢̢̝͈̥̽͛ͯlͧ͊̾̌l̸̶̢̨̛͟ ̨̟͍̪̇k̊̽ͦ̀̽ͤ̏ͭ̚҉̸̸̢̡̀͘͜͠҉ȩ̴̸̛ͧ̏͐̄̅̕͟͟͠҉̷̵̀͢͜͞e̴̎̇̊̅͗̚͞҉̀͏̶̸̵̢̢́̀̕͜͢͜͜͢p̨̨̛̹̝̯̜͐̌ͫ́̇́͜͢͝ ̫͕͐y̸̛̼̣̣̬͙̲͖̳̾̔͗̒̃͑̊̒͛͡ͅǫ̴͓̣͎̲̤͎̥̘͋͐̉̑͊͋͋ͪ̀͜͜͡ů̓͊̆̿́҉҉̸̶̡̨̡̛́͟͢͠ ̴̶̶̵̨̢͉̲̯̬͇̖̩̞̗̟ͧ̉͆̃̒̉̾͂̄̀̀͜͜͠͠s̺̳̟͚͍̻͑́҉a̵̷̡̢̧̛̤̪̩̜̬̭ͮͤ͛͐ͥ̽̀́͜͜͝͞͞ͅf̸̶̢̨̠̗̮̈́ͮ̓ͫ̐ͪ͘̕͘͘͢͢͟͠͏ȇ̸̶̖̠ͣͤ͊̀͜͜͏̸̴̢͢͡͞͞.̞̱̯͊̃͗̆͗ͨ̉́͟͡.̸̸̶̵̨͓̝̘̠̮̉͢͢͟͡҉̸̴͝͏҉̨̕͞.̱̫͑͋̍͘҉̷̷̨̧́̕͢͜͜͞͠͡͞͡

After the deadly silence, the sound of his dearest friend’s whimpers seemed unbearable to someone who had only seen him at his best. So, Eduan forced V into a deep sleep, catching the latter’s head before it hit the ground, and tucking him unto his futon after dressing him with one of his spare clothes. Minutes passed by, yet the bluenet remained in his seat, making sure V never shifts out off the sheets and wondered about many things. Like how V never displayed signs of being claustrophobic even within the times he was secretly observing him. Or how everything might be his fault for subjecting V into an environment that fostered trauma.

Even if he never knew about it.

The young Khun leaned closer, his companion’s soft breaths fanning over his face as he wiped a stray tear from the corner of his eyes, taking a few strands of V’s silken ebony hair in his fingers, before lifting it to his lips.

“Eduan...?” V sneezed and in a complete whim, Eduan gently pressed their foreheads together to check the former’s temperature. “Did something happen?”

“You’re still burning,” he stated in a stern tone, rejecting the other’s attempt to rise from the bed which made him purse his lips childishly. “Go back to sleep, okay? I’ll wake you up for medicine when the food I ordered is ready.”

“Can’t,” V yawned, relaxing as the soothing cold of Eduan’s shinsu seeped into his fervent skin. “I’m not really accustomed to having people nursing me back to health. Although, unless the next time you’ll want to see me will be with a dislocated spine, at least stay until you’re bored.”

‘Not even Arlene?’ the spearbearer wanted to interject but reigned himself into place.

“Pretty please?”

It was his mistake that caused V to be stuck in this predicament, so he had no right to stir up arguments— despite the unanswered questions piling up at the back of his mind, desperate for closure.

“Fine.”

“Oh, come on. You need not to look so unwilling. It’s not my fault you never thought of storing your own clothing inside that lighthouse,” the ravenet teased, chuckling to himself as Eduan threw a playful glare towards him. “Come here, I promise I’ll answer questions.”

Call Khun Eduan whatever you want, but in a heartbeat, he found himself laying on the bed’s  empty space beside V, staring at him full of intent as if the man will just vanish if he ever happened to take his eyes off of him which he had most definitely proven to be possible a long time ago. Now that he thought about it, this was the first time in years he was in the closest proximity to V without being intoxicated or high-strung on anything. Unlike the perfect untainted image he had of the regular within his memory, his whole body had scars engraved in it. Some more recent than the others, while there were also those that had already faded over time. 

“If I remember correctly, you owe me quite the life story, don’t you V?”

The ravenet’s brows furrowed in confusion before a hint of realization came to him. “You saw the marks on my back, didn’t you? It seems that I did not do a good job hiding them this time.”

“On the contrary, I think you’ve hidden it too well considering it was me you were keeping it from.”

“It’s nothing short of ordinary, Eduan.” V grinned wryly, his purple eyes a sheepish hue. “You have scars of your own too, yet you don’t see me asking about them, do you?”

‘And do you not think that you have delayed this topic from me long enough?’

Eduan gathered every bit of composure he had not to dive into them, getting lost in the array of swirling colors that seem to trick him into letting all this go. He wasn’t. Something told him that if he did, this would be the last chance to deeply delve in V’s life, and they would be reduced to nothing more than mere strangers. “I have always wanted to know more about you. What environment you had growing up, your likes and dislikes, what makes you feel the most— don’t you think I deserved to have that luxury as well, now that you basically know everything there was to know about me?”

“You do,” the sinking feeling got more prevalent as he senses an underlying ‘but-’. “But, I’m just not worth your curiosity.”

Electric blue orbs looked away, taking offense as he mumbled against the pillow he hugged tightly to his chest. “You’re being unfair again.”

“I can tell that you’re upset with me. Truth to be told, you always wore your heart on your sleeve whenever I am around, Eduan.”

“V!” the latter’s cheeks flushed in embarrassment, but where’s the lie, though?

He had long threw the notion of concealing his weaknesses and building a strong front ages ago— well, at least when it was V. Why would he not? Someone so pure and fragile as he should be handled with caution and clear intentions. Though, there are times, (at a distant, unforeseen future that might never come), where the bluenet would be overcome with the urge to pull the man into damnation and ruin him forever.

“But,” their sights clashed before V grinned lopsidedly, his eyes closing to a smile as his bangs covered the frame of his face. “I did promise you this.”

“You can just share what you’re comfortable disclosing.”

“That is going to be challenging because I feel quite at peace with you, Eduan.” V laughed and coughed his lungs out when the latter smothered him with the pillow he was holding, evidently not used to the flattery. “I’ll shorten this to the best of my abilities, but there is absolutely nothing interesting about this, okay?”

‘He doesn’t want me to be uncomfortable with him. But, what could possibly make me feel that way when I am already in too deep?’ V was such a silly man. Still, the spearbearer hummed in acknowledgement, attentively listening.

“Tell me, Eduan. How far are you willing to go for the ones who made something out of you, who was born from nothing?”

Though, Khun Eduan admits he failed to brace himself enough to this reality.

“That was what the Grace Family meant to a lowly slave like me.”