Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Mydei makes it a habit to remember faces, being the heir of a conglomerate. Be it for the sake of social networking, or purely because of his good memory and the influence of his parents, he tends to remember a face he’s seen once.

The man with white hair and blue eyes—so vivid in their blues that Mydei can see him from a mile away—who approaches his corner in the Garbaniphoro Grand Library is one such familiar face.

“Hello there,” the man greets, voice light and tone affable as he smiles at Mydei. He has that boyish charm that he’s sure Aglaea would love in one of her models, even if Mydei doesn’t quite see the appeal himself. But then, he’s not really a man to be charmed by faces as much. The man continues, “I’m surprised to see a familiar face in the library! Though, I’m not sure if you remember me…”

“You saved me from a stabbing once,” Mydei reminds him, giving the other a nod of acknowledgement. He’d been thinking to repay his savior ever since that moment in the subway, when he’d ignored Mydei’s bodyguards to fend off another man who thought it wise to try and kill him in a crowded area. This man had succeeded in thwarting that assassination attempt, but he’d gone ahead—seeming in a rush—before Mydei could even try to get his contact details for repayment.

Perhaps it’s fate that led him to meet Mydei once more in the Grand Library sponsored by his family.

The other man rubs at his nape, looking sheepish as he says, “Ah, I hope my face isn’t a bad memory for you..?”

Mydei huffs out a laugh, smirk amused on his lips as he considers the young man before him. Though his face gives off the air of youthfulness, his physique says otherwise. Tall, muscular beneath baggy clothes, and strong—Mydei has never met another who could leave such a significant mark in his memory with only a few minutes of meeting.

“Hardly,” Mydei scoffs, shaking his head. “You saved my life. I wouldn’t consider that a stain on my memory, as it is a blessing.” He pauses then, considering his words, before he says, “Are you still in a rush today?”

The white-haired man blinks at him in seeming bemusement. “Huh? No, not at all. Why do you ask?”

“I was wondering if I could finally put a name to the face that had saved me, seeing as you ran away before I could thank you last time,” Mydei says, pulling out his phone to hand it over to the other man. “That, and your contact details.”

Blue eyes blink once, then twice in quick succession. A sly, almost teasing smile lingers on those lips as he says, “You’re rather forward in your flirting, aren’t you?”

Mydei’s the one who blinks this time, caught off guard at the teasing. This man had been completely polite before, almost sheepish even, but to think he could be just as audacious in a beat of a minute. “Pardon?”

“My name is Phainon,” the man answers, seeming amused at his bewilderment. Though he’d teased Mydei for his innocent question, he takes the proffered phone anyway, typing in his name and number with ease. As he returns Mydei’s phone to him, he says, “You know, I don’t usually give out my number this easily.”

“Don’t you,” Mydei drawls, raising a brow at him. Phainon, was it? “Then I’ll repay this honor swiftly, my Savior.”

The amused smile on Phainon’s face turns… soft, for a moment. “You don’t have to do that. I’ll be happy to just have your number in return.”

“Now who’s flirting?” Mydei hums, tapping open his messaging app to send Phainon a quick text.

Mydeimos: This is Mydeimos.

“Mydeimos,” Phainon mutters, voice so warm that it tickles Mydei’s ears for some odd reason. “A beautiful name for a beautiful person.”

“Laying it on rather thick, there.” Mydei shakes his head, pocketing his phone before he can mistype something from shock at the sheer audacity of the man before him. Handsome as Phainon is, Mydei isn’t so shallow that he’d be taken in that easily by such excessive flattery. “If you’re looking to date me, you’ll be sorely disappointed. I have strict requirements for choosing my lovers.”

Not that Mydei’s ever had any, in truth. Once upon a time, perhaps Hephaestion could have been his first… but something within him felt it prudent to keep their friendship safe instead of looking for something different.

Thus, Mydei has never had a lover. Not out of a lack of options, certainly, given his identity as a rich heir, but more because of a lack of interest. Perhaps if his parents had been stricter, more traditional in their ways, they would have pushed for him to find a partner already—but they’ve always been patient with him.

Plus, Mydei has their love story as a reference for what he wants in his future partner. How could he settle for anything less, when he knows that his father chose his mother after she beat him in a physical and verbal spar when he’d come to her gym that one time?

“Is that so? I’d like to hear these requirements, then.”

Phainon’s words promptly break Mydei out of his thoughts, reminding him of where he is and who he’s with—a bold man who has the gall to sit at the table Mydei had placed his bag on, looking for all the world like he’s ready for Mydei to attend to his whims even when this is the first time they’ve properly met.

Mydei considers, at length, the benefits to taking his bag and just leaving this man where he’s sat.

Then he remembers that this is the man who’d saved his life. That, for all his impudence, he’s not even being truly disrespectful as he is just…intensely interested, for someone who’s only now gotten to know Mydeimos.

Perhaps…

“I don’t date people who wish to be with me just for my money, influence, or fame,” Mydei says, taking a seat across from Phainon. “If your interest lies in any of those reasons, then my answer is no.”

“Oh, then I suppose you’ll give me a chance if it has nothing to do with those three?”

Mydei frowns. “What other reason would you have?”

“Let’s see,” Phainon hums, looking almost smug as he starts counting on his fingers. “I think you’re beautiful. I’m not usually the kind of person to be swayed by a pretty face, but you… you look like you belong in a museum.”

Mydei has to bite back a laugh at those words. He’s been on the receiving end of a variety of flirting attempts so it’s nothing new to him, but he can appreciate the certainty with which Phainon says it. It sounds like he truly means it, which is rather surprising given how trite his words are. “A museum, you say? If that’s how I look, you should know that museum displays aren’t meant to be touched or taken by any individual.”

“For that, I’m thankful that you’re not one of the displays,” Phainon says, voice deep and almost theatrical as he presses a hand to his chest. “I wouldn’t be able to bask in your beauty otherwise.”

“...flatterer,” Mydei scoffs. “What else is there? You were counting on your fingers.”

“Oh, eager to hear my praise, are we?”

Mydei nearly rolls his eyes at Phainon’s teasing. Yet he finds himself smiling nonetheless, something within him feeling… almost settled, in a way that he hasn’t felt before.

This man may as well be just like the others vying for his attention, but he feels real in a way that others don’t. Mydei isn’t one to be influenced so easily by a few sweet, kind words, having grown up with the full guidance of both his parents on the realities of living as a privileged child, but his gut can somehow tell that this man is being sincere.

It helps, somewhat, that Phainon acts like a little boy taunting his crush instead of anyone particularly smooth.

“If you have nothing else to say, I can always leave,” Mydei suggests.

Phainon jumps to a stand, eyes wide with alarm as he squawks, “No!”

“Shh!”

Phainon promptly sits down after being told to hush by the librarian, his face pink with shame as he bows his head.

Mydei shakes in his seat as he bears witness to Phainon’s foolishness, his hand barely able to cover the muffled laughs trying to escape from his mouth. Though this man had made his attempts at being smooth at the start, he panics quite easily, doesn’t he?

How cute.

“Go on,” Mydei says, clearing his throat after a moment of holding back his laughter. “You were saying?”

Fair brows furrow as Phainon pouts at him, like a child. “How cruel. You think my humiliation is entertaining?”

Bluntly, Mydei says, “Yes.”

“...alright, I deserved that,” Phainon huffs. “As I was saying…”

He flicks out a second finger, tapping it with his other hand. “You’re smart. You wouldn’t be spending time in a library if you weren’t, and I happen to like smart people.”

Mydei raises a brow at the certainty in Phainon’s voice. “That’s mere conjecture on your part. I could have been spending time here just waiting for someone, and happened to read some books to pass the time.”

Phainon hums, something disbelieving to the sound of his voice. Even Hephaestion had hesitated to be this bold with him when they first met as children, conscious as he was of the difference in their standing, yet this man could be so brave where others weren’t.

Was he just a fool, or does he know more than he lets on?

“Those are all historical texts,” Phainon points out, gesturing to the stack of tomes on the table closest to where Mydei is seated. “If you had been merely passing the time like any other average person, you would have chosen a novel. Or, well, one of those self-help books.”

“Useless drivel,” Mydei grunts.

Phainon grins. “See? I could tell from the way you carry yourself that you’re smart.”

Mydei stares at him. He thinks of the merit in admitting to one of his weaknesses, if only to prove a point. Would it be worth it? Perhaps not, considering the way this man seems to like taunting him, but he really wants to prove that he’s wrong.

“I’m not good with mathematics,” Mydei confesses.

Phainon only smiles, undeterred. “And that’s very adorable of you. I’m good at math myself, so I can balance out that flaw of yours.”

“...I don’t see how it’s adorable to be bad at math,” Mydei says dryly.

Phainon shakes his head with all the gravitas of a performer intent on leaving a lasting impression even to the audience at the very back of the theater. “Mydeimos, you just don’t see it because it’s your own self. A beautiful man having such a tiny flaw like that is adorable.”

“Voicing a thought doesn’t necessarily make it a fact,” Mydei drawls. “But alright, I’ll refrain from prying on how your brain processes aesthetics. Was there anything else?”

Phainon smiles at him. The impending sense of catastrophe is only just settling in Mydei’s stomach due to the mischief in that smile when Phainon says,

“How about we talk about it some more over some drinks? I know a place that makes some great fruit shakes and pancakes.”

Huh.

Mydei squints at the offer. While the invitation does sound like a date, more than that, he can’t help but be suspicious of where Phainon wants to take him. Most people usually assume he’s a man who likes coffee or hard drinks, if only just because he looks the way he does. He asks, “Who says I like fruit shakes?”

Phainon’s lips twitch. “You look like a fruity man.”

“...I’m leaving.”

“No,” Phainon whisper-whines, hand snapping out to grip Mydei’s wrist and keep him in place. “I was joking, I’m sorry! I wasn’t joking about knowing a good fruit shake place, but about you being fruity. You look very manly and handsome, I swear!”

Mydei finally gives in to the urge to roll his eyes. Unbelievable. The first time he’s allowed someone to flirt with him for this long, and it’s this ridiculous man. “Don’t force yourself to say things you don’t mean,” he grumbles, shaking off Phainon’s hand—or trying to, at least.

He blinks in confusion when he finds that he can’t tug his wrist away from that firm grip. Is Phainon that strong?

Hm.

“I really mean it,” Phainon pleads, his blue eyed-gaze so big and puppy-like that Mydei has to squint to resist the adorable quality of it. “You’re both handsome and beautiful, and very manly.”

“...whatever,” Mydei sighs. He uses his other hand to pry off Phainon’s fingers, and finds his heart skipping a traitorous beat when that strong grip only loosens under his touch. He might like strength, but Phainon has only gripped his wrist—that’s no true measure of him being Mydei’s equal. Not at all.

“You weren’t entirely wrong anyway,” he adds, voice more breath than sound as he frowns. “That’s why you kept flirting with me, right? You could tell that I like men.”

Phainon grins. “I wasn’t sure, but thank you for the confirmation.”

“...”

Mydei should really leave before he loses his mind over this man, and not in a good way.

“I need to leave,” he says aloud, ignoring the pathetic expression on Phainon’s face as he packs up the books he’d borrowed into his backpack. “Don’t look at me like that. Just send me the address to the shop and when you’re free—I’ll meet with you then.”

All too abruptly, the pout on Phainon’s face makes way for a bright, sunny grin. It’s so bright, even Mydei has to look away lest he burn his eyes on that blinding sight.

With a soft voice, so sweet and full of warmth that Mydei has to suppress a shudder (of disgust? Or is it something else?), Phainon says,

“It’s a date, Mydeimos.”

Mydei huffs out a laugh as he walks away.

“Think what you want, Savior.”

Chapter Text

Mydei isn’t one to be swayed by whims, or boredom. For all that he puts up a tough front, intimidating most people away with his seeming arrogant and mindlessly caustic behavior, he does put a lot of thought into his words and choices. Let the wrong people be intimidated, and the right people see through his facades—should anyone be so easily swayed by his persona as heir apparent, then they would likely not last in a friendship with Mydei in the first place.

When Mydei accepts the offer of a date with Phainon, he does so with plenty of factors in mind.

First: he can repay his savior in this manner. He wouldn’t stoop so low as to use the man’s feelings to get away with a light repayment, no, but it’s the easiest way in which he can keep contact with the man.

Second: he’s interested. He’s interested in the fact that this man could find him, even when they’d only seen each other’s faces in passing.

Phainon had said he was surprised to see Mydei, but those eyes of his… they didn’t reflect his words. He had seemed expectant, almost antsy, like he’d only been waiting for Mydei to come along in that specific library to meet him.

Certainly, Mydei’s face is a memorable one—it wasn’t so common to find someone with ochre eyes like his and ombre hair, along with red tattoos lining their face and neck.

But why would anyone search for him through such inefficient means, if they didn’t already know of his identity? If Phainon had only wanted a share of his wealth, he would’ve gone the direct route and found Mydeimos at his public office. And yet, they met at a library—a pleasant coincidence, as Phainon had implied.

Surely, he hadn’t gone out of his way just to date him? Regardless of Phainon’s adorable, puppy-like behavior, it didn’t make sense for him to go that far—searching out a random person he’d saved within a large city—just because he found him attractive. Mydei would have understood it more, if Phainon had intended to ask for money in repayment for his good deed.

Perhaps Mydei is taking him too lightly, just because of his youthful visage. Maybe Phainon was like any other sly hyena, hoping to gain his favor by creating the ideal scenario that would foster romance, of all things.

Yet, such a thought feels wrong, somehow. Mydei knows better than to ignore his instincts, and his gut is telling him that while Phainon is odd, he isn’t with ill intentions.

Third: he’s interested, on a personal level. Beyond how questionable Phainon’s intentions are, Mydei hasn’t seen, nor met, a lot of people who would dare  talk to him as if they were on the same level.

Most people bow down to him. Others deride him. Some may not know him, and some may feel affection for him…

But none, so far, have had the audacity to approach him so brazenly. Even his friends have some sense of respect for him as heir apparent, understanding that he’s in a position of power and influence.

As such, Mydei can respect Phainon’s confidence.

Thus, the “date”.

Phainon had sent the shop address for their meeting with a deluge of adorable chimera stickers, which swayed Mydei—just a tad—into thinking that perhaps he is just like that. A little strange, not entirely honest (Mydei still doesn’t believe that second meeting to be a coincidence), but genuinely energetic and bright.

He’s nothing like Mydeimos, which begs the question:

Would Phainon be the first to give up on attempting a second date, or would Mydei reject him first?

Mydei isn’t even allowed the luxury of dwelling on this question when someone who is not his driver gives a knock on his car door. White hair and blue eyes meet Mydei’s gaze when he looks outside, urging him to tell his driver, “It’s fine. Let him open the door.”

Zenon, professional as ever with all his years under Mydei’s employ, nods and promptly unlocks the door.

Phainon doesn’t hesitate when he swings the door open with a flourish. “It’s good to finally see you again, Mydeimos,” Phainon greets, smiling brightly. He’s dressed up more inconspicuously this time, none of his purples and yellows on his person as he is just wearing simple white and black. “Did you have an easy time finding the place?”

“It was fine,” Mydei says. He tries to step out on his own, but blinks when he finds a hand being held out to him.

“Really?” he asks, raising a brow. “I’m not some maiden you need to woo.”

“Must I say it?”

Mydei gives Phainon a look, refusing to take his hand just yet. “Say what, exactly?”

“I just wanted an excuse to hold your hand.”

Mydei stares at him. He takes in the sheepish smile starting to settle on that boyish face, those timid blue eyes, and wonders if he’d been overly critical for no reason.

Was it possible that Phainon genuinely had an attraction to him, and nothing else?

“You could just say that,” Mydei says, eyes narrowed into a squint as he rests a hand in Phainon’s hold. “You were rather bold the last time we met. I prefer your honesty then, over this timid act you’re playing at.”

Phainon helps him step out, his other hand on the upper edge of the doorway as if to prevent him from bumping his head. He doesn’t seem at all embarrassed about his excessively gentlemanly behavior, looking to be more focused on Mydei’s words as he says, “If my honesty is rewarded like this, then I’ll certainly be more honest.”

“You need a reward for your honesty? Are you a dog?” Mydei scoffs.

“Depends. Do you like dogs?”

Mydei gives Phainon a dry look, even as Phainon winks at him. Ridiculous. Did such terrible flirting also work on his past partners? Was his face enough to charm most others that he could resort to such a sad attempt at flirting and succeed?

“I can appreciate them,” Mydei says, choosing to take the question as it is. “Though I’m more inclined to cats.”

Phainon laughs. “That sounds about right. A cat suits you.”

Mydei takes quiet note of the fact that Phainon hasn’t released his hand, even as he leads him into the shop. That shamelessness is still clearly present, but Mydei can’t say he dislikes it. Phainon had asked for permission first, after all; had he done as he likes with nary a care for boundaries, Mydei wouldn’t have set foot outside of his car.

He looks up at the shop, and hums when he notices what kind of place it is. It’s quaint, more like a hole in the wall than anything corporate-owned, with tables that can, at most, hold four people at once, and walls littered with framed photos of animals, landscapes, and the occasional people.

“It’s small,” Mydei hums, looking up at the menu hanging right behind the cashier. Desserts and drinks are listed by hand using colored chalk on a blackboard, with prices cheap enough that Mydei has to wonder how the owners are getting by.

“Perfect for a date, right?” Phainon asks, leading him to a corner table. “It’s not as noisy as other places, and it’s hidden away just enough that it feels special. It’s not open all day either—just a few hours in the evening, since the owner does other work in the morning.”

It is then that Phainon releases his hand, only to pull out his chair for him with an eager smile. Again, he looks like a puppy yearning for praise, making Mydei wonder if he really has just coasted by with his good looks.

Though Mydei doesn’t particularly like the overly gentle treatment, he takes the offered seat. He says, “You needn’t treat me this delicately.”

Phainon laughs as he steps away to take his own seat. “Delicate? I’m just being a gentleman. Do you not like it?”

“I don’t dislike it,” Mydei admits. “But it’s not something I expect of you.”

“What do you expect of me, then?”

Mydei eyes him. “I expect to repay you for your kindness before. I’m not a man in need of wooing.”

“And if I want to anyway?”

Mydei observes those expectant blue eyes, and that patient smile. It’s strange, but the tenderness in those eyes feels real even when nothing of Mydei warrants it. Lust, he understands; curiosity, he’s familiar with; attraction, he knows well. Strangers have often taken their fill in looking at him as an object of desire and personal interest, but Phainon’s gaze is odd given its intensity.

Is he overthinking it?

“You wish to date me,” Mydei says, leaning forward to rest his elbow atop the table, and his chin on his hand. “You find me attractive?”

Phainon looks at him like he’s just made a funny joke. “I think anyone would find you attractive. But yes, I’d like to date you.”

“You’re aware of who I am.”

“Yes,” Phainon says, smiling. “Mydeimos of Strife Industries. But, you know? I’m not so desperate that I’d date you just for power, or money. I do have a job, and I like to think it pays well—even if it’s not at the same level as yours.”

“Which is?”

“I’m a model, also currently studying archaeology,” Phainon says. He sounds pleased, for some reason. “You might be more familiar with my stage name? It’s Khaslana.”

Mydei thinks.

It’s barely been five seconds when he says, “No, I’ve never heard of you.”

While he has a friend in Aglaea and he’s aware she manages plenty of models, he’s not in the habit of getting to know people he has no business with. He’ll remember faces, remember names—but only when he’s seen them himself, met them, and they have some relevance in his life.

He remembers Phainon’s face because the man saved him.

Beyond that? He doesn’t know anything. It’s not that surprising to know he’s a model given his looks and grace, but Mydei can’t say he remembers him in that specific context.

Phainon’s smile far too easily falls apart at his words, his brows turning up as if confused and… hurt? He covers his mouth, starting to mumble, and Mydei can only vaguely make out the words, “...what was the point, then..?”

Interesting. For every second spent with Phainon, Mydei seems to get more and more questions than answers. Instead of settling Mydei’s worries that he’s merely overthinking, Phainon makes him think harder, as if he’s some kind of puzzle that needs to be put together.

Mydei is no fool. How could he not pick up on Phainon’s strange words, his incomprehensible lines of thought?

“I’m assuming you’re well-known? You seemed confident I’d recognize you,” Mydei muses out loud, trying not to smirk and failing, going by the pout he receives from Phainon.

“...I thought I was, but perhaps not,” Phainon mutters. “It’s fine. I just need to work harder.”

Work harder for what, Mydei doesn’t ask. Instead, he says, “Don’t let my opinion sway you. Perhaps I just wasn’t the target audience.”

Phainon opens his mouth at his words, brows furrowed and eyes fiery as if intent on arguing with him. Then he pauses, seeming to rethink his words, before closing his mouth with a huff of breath. “I suppose you’d think that.”

So he does believe Mydei to be part of the target audience. Either he’s that confident that his usual partners are easily swept up by the charm of his looks, or…

What, exactly?

Mydei would need to know Phainon a bit more to extrapolate further.

“If you’re that disappointed, then,” Mydei hums and leans back into his seat, his arms crossed over his chest, “convince me that I’m the target audience. Show me your work, and perhaps I’ll tell you why I didn’t notice you before.”

Phainon gives him a wry smile. “You truly think I want to hear your critique now?”

Gold meets blue as Mydei eyes Phainon, raising a brow in challenge. “You come across as a confident man, so I had assumed you could handle a bit of criticism. Am I wrong?”

“When you put it like that, you make it difficult to refuse,” Phainon says. “Alright, go ahead.”

He brings out his phone as if it were a great weight in his hands, his blue eyes gleaming as he swipes and taps at his screen for photos of his modeling work. Eventually, he breathes out a sigh, and slides his open phone across the table to Mydei.

When Mydei looks at the screen, he’s met with the sight of a variety of photos arranged in a grid formation. Tapping on each image shows him a clearer view: Phainon in white, Phainon in all-black, dressed up, dressed down, lounging about, smiling at the camera, looking melancholy…

“Hm.” Mydei sets the phone down, and slides it back to Phainon. “I see.”

Phainon looks at him, waiting with bated breath. “Well..?”

“You look just like any model that my eyes would pass over you without my noticing.”

Phainon’s frowns. “What?”

Mydei taps at one image and points to that photographed Phainon’s face. He explains, “You don’t stand out to me. Your smile feels empty, as do your other expressions. You’re a handsome man, and you present the clothes and other products well, but if it’s only to that extent, it won’t be enough to get my attention. There’s nothing wrong with your work so far, but as for myself… I feel no sincerity.”

“And you value sincerity,” Phainon sighs, smiling softly. “Of course. I understand, Mydeimos.”

“There.”

Mydei reaches out, tapping a finger against Phainon’s chin. He takes in the softened gaze from those blue eyes, that gentle smile, and feels his chest warm pleasantly. Mydei already knows that Phainon is handsome, but with this smile he wears currently, he looks radiant. He feels alive, instead of like a beautiful mannequin posed to perfection by a director. “Your smile now, it feels more sincere. If I had seen your face like this on a billboard, I might have paused to look at you.”

Phainon stares at him, open-mouthed and quiet.

Mydei takes his hand back, and clears his throat. “I’m going to order. Tell me what you want so I can get it for you.”

“What? No, I’ll order our food for us,” Phainon insists, quickly getting his bearings back. “This is a date, so I should be paying.”

It’s then that Mydeimos finds his answer to the question he’d asked himself earlier:

Would Phainon be the first to give up on attempting a second date, or would Mydei reject him first?

Neither of those things will be happening today, it seems. Not the first option, because Phainon clearly seems interested in another date, and not the second, as Mydei still hasn’t figured out how to repay his savior’s good deed.

It can’t be helped either, that Mydei is intrigued by Phainon’s behavior. Seeming desperate yet not, calculating yet wearing his heart on his sleeve…

The man is a mess of contradictions, and Mydei thinks he’d like to uncover his truths with his own hands, piece this man together bit by mysterious bit.

“Pay for it next time, then,” Mydei huffs, standing up. “It’s my treat today.”

“...next time?”

Mydei tilts his head as he looks down at Phainon, who’s caught in the middle of getting up from his seat. “Yes, next time. Is that not what you want?”

Phainon gracefully sits back down, expression painfully bright with delight as he smiles up at Mydei. “If that’s the case, then I happily accept! I’d like honey suncakes and pomegranate juice with milk, please.”

Mydei falters. He’d been thinking of ordering the same, pleased as he was that a small shop would consider pomegranate juice and milk as a good combination at all.

But Phainon too?

That fair head of hair tilts to one side in confusion, having noticed Mydei stalling. “Is there something wrong?”

“...no, nothing,” Mydei says, shaking his head. “I was just thinking we had similar tastes.”

That bright smile returns to Phainon’s face. “Is that so? Maybe we have more things in common than we thought!”

Mydei huffs out a laugh. “We’ll see.”

The cashier—Livia, going by her name tag—smiles at him when he approaches. While pulling out his wallet, he says,  “Two honey suncakes, and two pomegranate juices with milk, please.”

“You like pomegranate juice with milk too?” Livia asks, giving him a curious look.

“‘Too’?” Mydei parrots.

“Ah, I didn’t say yet—I’m a childhood friend of Phainon’s,” she explains, giggling. “He’s never brought a date here before, so I was curious! He’s the one who had me add that drink to the menu, just so you know.”

Mydei blinks. “Oh. He’s always liked it?”

She leans in then, voice in a whisper, “He’s been curious about the taste since we were kids. It became his favorite ever since he got the ratio right, and he had me add it to the menu because he believed someone else might like it enough to buy it someday. I didn’t think it’d be his date!”

Mydei peeks over his shoulder at Phainon, only to find the man already looking at him. He smiles when their gazes meet, and cocks a brow as he gives a glance over at Livia—almost as if to ask what’s going on.

“He’s never looked that gooey in all the time I’ve known him,” Livia sighs, catching Mydei’s attention once more. “You must be pretty special! Please, take care of Phainon.”

Mydei huffs out a laugh, amused that she’d dare to request such a thing. Clearly, she has no idea of his identity. “I’ll do what I can, though it seems like he’s intent on taking care of me.”

“Haha, you too? Even when we were all kids, he’s been looking after everyone,” Livia agrees. “But… I think it would be good, for once, if someone looked after him. Or is that too big of a request..?”

Mydei is used to the manipulative words of Strife Industries’ board of directors, and other businessmen desiring to bring the business down through him. Though he abhors it, it’s unavoidable; where businesses rise from profit, there will always be others who seek individual gain even at the cost of dignity, pride, and their own morals.

Livia’s words bear none of that usual manipulation, her voice speaking of sincere concern more than anything else. She likely doesn’t even know that this meeting is just Mydei’s way of testing the waters, and that he doesn’t have an answer for Phainon’s proposal of a relationship just yet.

Still, he shakes his head. Tells her,

“No, it’s fine. I can do that much, after all…”

He smiles, looking back at Phainon, who looks back with a gaze full of curiosity.

“...he did save my life.”

“Oh? Wait, in a literal sense?” Livia stutters, shocked at his words. “What happened?”

“You can interrogate him on it later,” he says, chuckling. “Here’s the payment for our order.”

Livia takes away the tray for payment when he tries to put his cash on top. “No, no, this is my treat,” Livia insists, waving a dismissive hand at his money. “Any person Phainon likes must be good, and it’s rare for him to find someone he likes enough to take here. Please, allow me to cover it.”

Mydei blinks in bemusement. “I can afford this much, Miss.”

“And I’m the owner, so what I say goes,” she says, smiling at him. “Please, keep your money. Being able to see Phainon look sincerely happy is all I want as his friend.”

Mydei, though reluctant, tucks his money back into his wallet. “If you say so. In return, should you ever need assistance on anything at all, please give me a call.” He hands her his calling card then, and watches as the light of realization begins twinkling in those wide eyes at the sight of his company’s name.

“S-Strife Industries… I see,” Livia says, laughing breathlessly. “Of course Phainon wouldn’t settle for anything less.”

Mydei laughs. “Thank you for the compliment.”

“What are we laughing about?”

It’s only with Mydei’s natural keenness that he doesn’t jump when Phainon suddenly breathes down his back, his words a ticklish thing against Mydei’s ear as he presses close to his side. He’s smiling when Mydei glances at him, though… is he just seeing things, or did Phainon look strangely cold for a second there?

Hm.

“You,” Mydei says, raising a brow when Phainon squints askance at him. “You can ask your friend yourself if you don’t believe me.”

“I do believe you. I’m just not liking the implication that you’d be laughing at me when I’m sitting right there,” Phainon says. There’s a pout on his lips when he says as much, and in a move that even his friends wouldn’t have dared do in their earlier years of friendship, Phainon nudges him by the hip like they’re teenagers messing around.

Mydei’s brows rise at his audacity. How many times has it been now, that Phainon has toed the line of propriety?

Why hasn’t Mydei cut him off yet?

Instead of voicing any of those thoughts, Mydei says, “I will make sure to laugh in front of you next time.”

“Hey.”

Livia stifles a laugh behind her hand. “Ahem. You can go back to your seats while I take care of your order. And seriously, I won’t steal your boyfriend, Phainon!”

“We’re not boyfriends,” Mydei clarifies.

“Not yet,” Phainon adds.

Mydei barks out a laugh, caught off guard at Phainon’s sudden boldness. It’s one thing to confidently ask someone out on a date, but to dare imply that the blossoming of a relationship between them is an inevitable thing? “I can admire your audacity, at least. One only wonders where you get such boundless confidence.”

Phainon smirks at him, one eyebrow raised. “You’re here on a date with me. Doesn’t that count for something?”

Mydei huffs out an exasperated sigh. “One date does not create a long-term relationship.” He says as much while walking back to their table, Phainon sticking closely to his side—almost like a pet worried over losing his owner.

Mydei stifles a snort of laughter at the thought of comparing Kokopo the Third to this man. At least his cat has the pride to act like his clinging was his way of protecting Mydei. Phainon, on the other hand…

“Something funny?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” Mydei drawls, taking his seat before Phainon can pull it out for him.

“I would, in fact, like to know.”

Phainon’s smile has softened into something less teasing when Mydei looks up at him, his chin resting on his twined fingers as he looks at Mydei. Then, with a syrupy sweet voice that makes a shiver rise up Mydei’s spine with disgust (?), Phainon says, “I’d like to know more about you, Mydeimos. Nothing from articles, or online profiles—I want to know you, as the person that you are.”

“Does this usually work out for you?”

Phainon blinks. “What does?”

“The way you act, does it usually get you your partners?” Mydei asks, sincerely curious.

“Oh.” Phainon smiles at him, seeming amused at his curiosity. “I’ve never asked anyone out before.”

“...what?”

“I’ve never asked anyone out before,” Phainon repeats, leaning back into his seat with his hands to his lap. “I’m usually on the receiving end of confessions, not the other way around. You’re the first person I’ve asked out like this.”

“The privilege of being handsome, huh,” Mydei scoffs, looking away. “And? What happened to those confessions you received?”

“I used to accept them, back when I was young and didn’t know any better,” Phainon confesses, like it’s some great sin. “I never learned to return their feelings since I was so young and clueless then… but I did try my best.” Then, a sheepish laugh, making Mydei look back just in time to see the melancholy look on his face. “They always broke up with me in the end, saying that I was too kind, too much. Isn’t that unfair?”

“I wouldn’t know,” Mydei says. “I don’t have the full context, and it’s not my place to judge.”

“How honorable…”

Phainon leans forward again, resting his chin against his propped up hand. “Then, how about you? What were your romantic experiences like?”

“What does it matter?” Mydei asks, avoiding the question. Though he’s no skilled liar, he has enough experience to be able to omit truths. “Or did you want a point of reference on how to treat me?”

“No.”

Mydei cocks a brow at the firm answer. “No?”

A knowing smile settles on Phainon’s lips, making Mydei squint in apprehension at whatever it is he intends to say. Another thing for Mydei to scratch his head at? Or is he going to say something that’ll annoy him instead?

Phainon says,

“I know just how I’ll be treating you, so I won’t be needing that.” With a gentler smile, he adds, “But I’m still curious about your previous experiences.”

“Hah. Do you see them as competition?”

Phainon’s smile widens. “If I do?”

Mydei doesn’t say anything in response for a beat or two. He just observes Phainon’s smiling visage, those sparkling blue eyes, and wonders how strange it is that he could meet someone who makes him feel so…

So much.

And yet, he doesn’t dislike it. If he did, he would have left by now. Yet he chose to stay, allowing that brazen man to knock his feet against his own under the table, even bantering with him as if it were only natural.

“Here you are, boys!”

Mydei looks up to see Livia approaching their table, hands full with their tray of food that she carefully sets between them. With a grin, she says, “Enjoy!”

Just as quickly as she’d come, she leaves.

“Well, Mydei?” Phainon asks. Those blue eyes had never strayed from him, even when Livia had interrupted them with the arrival of their orders. A lesser man might be intimidated, or even discomfited—should Phainon consider himself lucky that Mydei has a better tolerance for such focused stares toward his person?

“You’re engaging in a fool’s errand,” Mydei says. He doesn’t elaborate, choosing instead to slice a piece of his suncake to eat. He thinks Phainon will needle him for more answers, or even wilt in disappointment, yet he does neither of those things.

Phainon waits. He looks, and looks, his smile unwavering as he just watches Mydei eat.

Eventually, Mydei grunts and lowers his fork with a clink when Phainon doesn’t let up even after he’s eaten half of his pile of suncakes. “Is there something else you wish to say? If so, speak up.”

“Hm?” Phainon blinks, as if he hadn’t just spent a few minutes staring, unblinking, at Mydei. “I’m just enjoying watching you eat.”

“...hah. Eat your own suncakes before they get cold,” Mydei scolds, frowning.

A grin settles on Phainon’s face. Though it hasn’t been long since they’ve known each other, Mydei is starting to see a pattern—Phainon seems to find joy in his scolding, treating it like something to tease him for. What a strange man. “Feed me?”

Mydei stares blankly at him. “No.”

“Haha! At least I can say that I tried,” Phainon hums, smiling to himself as he eats a slice from his pile of suncakes. “Maybe next time.”

Mydei chews through a mouthful of food. After downing the rest with his honey brew, he says, “Do you believe me to be so fickle that I would change my mind so easily?”

“No… in fact, you seem to be the stubborn type, to me,” Phainon says honestly, one eyebrow quirked in amusement. “I was just thinking… given the chance when we’re closer in the future, you might let me. Never say never, right?”

“Such confidence,” Mydei scoffs. “I’d like to see if such a day will ever truly come.”

Phainon grins at him. “I’ll do my best to make it happen, I promise.”

“Don’t waste your promises on such useless things.”

He receives a laugh in return for his advice. “I wouldn’t call it useless. In the same way that wooing a cat for affection is always worth it, I’d say you’re much the same.”

“So I’m a cat now.”

“An adorable one, yes,” Phainon agrees, blue eyes twinkling. “Surely, you understand the appeal? You did say you have a cat.”

“I didn’t have to woo my cat.”

“Probably because your cat saw a kindred spirit in you,” Phainon hums, before finishing off two bites from his suncake. “Mm. What do you think about the suncake?”

Mydei chooses to ignore the first half of Phainon’s statement. It’s not the first time he’s been compared to a cat—though it’s more often that he’s compared to a lion given his fierceness, instead of their smaller cousins. “It’s good.”

“My mom makes the best suncake,” Phainon says, smile softening into something fond—perhaps, nostalgic? “It’s been a while since I last came back.”

Mydei considers his options. Should he ask? Should he bite his tongue?

He sighs, and lowers his fork. He’s already finished his suncake, and he owes his savior more than just generic responses to his seemingly genuine attempts at conversation. “Back where, exactly?”

“Aedes Elysiae,” Phainon answers. His face looks almost brighter, as if he’s truly happy to have Mydei’s interest. “It’s a small farming village, and it takes a couple of hours just to travel.”

“What brought you to Okhema?”

“The usual reason you’d hear from anyone, I suppose,” Phainon hums, eating another mouthful of suncake. “Hm. I wanted to travel the world, but I didn’t have the money. I ended up finding a friend in Aglaea—she’s my manager, by the way—and she got me into modeling. I’ve been able to travel more because of her, and I even get to study in college because of her help.”

Ah.

“Aglaea, huh,” Mydei mutters. “She’s a friend of mine.”

Phainon’s entire expression goes blank for a moment. His blue eyes, previously bright with teasing and charm, become void of their previous light as he stares through Mydei instead of at him.

Then, as if nothing had even happened, Phainon laughs, finishing off the rest of his suncake. It’s such a swift change that Mydei catches himself staring, mystified at the reason for the sudden switch in mood.

Phainon says, “She didn’t tell me that she had a friend as handsome as you.”

Mydei elects to stay silent about that odd moment. If it happens again, he’ll call Phainon out on it; for now, he’ll choose to observe this man and his strange triggers. “She doesn’t make it a habit to talk about her friends unless it’s relevant to the conversation, from what I know of her.”

“Is that so…”

Golden eyes watch as Phainon’s mood dwindles from its earlier brightness to something more somber, quieter. And yet, instead of being intimidated by this man’s mood switches…

Mydei feels like he’s watching a big puppy with its tail drooping between its legs, whining for affection.

“Isn’t it better this way?” he ends up saying, unable to tolerate any more of Phainon’s gloomy mood. “Instead of knowing you as Aglaea’s model, I know you as my savior. If you wish to date me, isn’t that the more preferable starting point?”

Phainon’s cheeks gradually flush pink at his words. “Your savior, huh?”

Mydei raises a brow in the middle of drinking from his glass of honey brew. After gulping down what’s left, he says, “I’m not forgetting what you did for me. Or do you think I’m the ungrateful type?”

“Hardly,” Phainon says. His smile is soft, real, and the sight of it makes Mydei’s chest feel oddly ticklish. “But I didn’t do it just to get in your good graces. I saw the attack coming, and acted accordingly.”

Mydei huffs out a laugh. “I know. I could feel it, when you suddenly left without saying anything.”

“Ah, that time… I was on my way to work.” Pale fingers trace patterns on the table, signaling a kind of nervousness that Mydei had yet to see from Phainon until now. “If I wasn’t almost late, I would have stayed.”

“I know. I can tell, now.” Mydei chuckles as he sits back, watching Phainon turn big eyes up at him. He looks cute like this, almost innocent… but something tells Mydei that there’s something more lurking behind those vivid blue eyes.

He wants to know what it is.

“Seeing as we both remember what you’ve done for me, is there anything I can do to repay you?” He leans forward as he speaks, his hands clasped on the table between them. “If it’s a monetary favor, or if you need me to introduce you to anyone, I’m willing to hear you out and give you my aid.”

Fair brows furrow in seeming dissatisfaction at Mydei’s words. “I didn’t do that so you’d repay me.”

“I’m aware,” Mydei says. “You’ve got the air of a natural hero to you. Still, I want to do this.”

Blue eyes turn sharp then, the change so swift that Mydei has to blink twice to make sure he’d seen correctly. A smirk replaces the frown on Phainon’s lips as if it were all a lie, and he says, “Are you sure?”

Oh?

Mydei gives him a look. “Just tell me what you want, Savior.”

“You. Or, rather—ten more dates with you,” Phainon says, leaning in with his hands clasped, imitating Mydei’s posture as he grins at him. “That’s the only reward I want.”

“...hah. Playing the long game, are we?”

Phainon’s smirk lingers, before turning into a softer, more amused smile. There’s clear affection in his gaze, even if Mydei doesn’t feel like he deserves it just yet. If they’d been friends for a while, if Phainon’s relationship with him was similar to his relationship with Hephaestion, he would’ve understood.

But here, now, with their connection only supported so far by ‘coincidental’ encounters…

What is Phainon hiding from him?

He’ll either figure it out on his own, or he’ll ask Phainon himself eventually. Mind-reader, he is not, but he likes to believe he has a decent enough understanding of other people that deciphering Phainon won’t be too difficult over time.

If he’s too mysterious even after multiple meetings, then he’ll just ask. But not today, not when they’re still settling what their relationship will be, and he still isn’t certain on the sincerity of Phainon’s intentions.

“Not a long game, no… just a long courtship, since I’m aware that lions take their time to trust outside of their pride,” Phainon hums, wearing a relaxed smile. “But, if you’re unwilling, I won’t push. You don’t have to give me anything else either.”

Mydei laughs. How cunning.

“Alright, I accept.”

He watches as those blue eyes grow wide, bright and effervescent in their gaze toward him. That flush is back to those pale cheeks—even Phainon’s lips tremble with the strength of his smile, as if his body can’t seem to hide how thrilled he is by Mydei’s words.

Hm.

Maybe it won’t be too bad, getting to know this man. Where with Hephaestion, it had been a friendship and fondness that grew over time, this relationship blooming from the bud of Phainon’s coincidental heroic act…

It feels like fate, somehow. Though he isn’t much for prophecies or divinations, he can at least appreciate a fortunate first meeting.

“You won’t regret it, Mydei,” Phainon promises.

Mydei smirks, unclasping his hands so he can rest his chin on his knuckles.

“I’ll hold you to it, Savior. I hope you don’t disappoint me.”

The rest of their conversation after that promise becomes lighter, easier, as if whatever tension Phainon initially bore in his chest dissipated instantly at the assurance of future meetings with Mydei. They spoke of hometowns, of their parents, of siblings and a lack thereof, of pets—

“Our family dog is named Snowy! He used to be so tiny, but now he’s huge… I still think he’s a puppy, though!”

“Like you?”

“Huh?”

—until Mydei’s phone buzzed with a message and he checked the time, only belatedly realizing just how dark it’s become with that short glimpse.

Had he truly lost track of time just because of this man?

“Is it time to go?” Phainon asks, arranging their plates, glasses, and utensils on a single tray for easy clean-up. “Come on, I’ll escort you out.”

Mydei shakes his head. “There’s no need. Besides being a grown man, I do have bodyguards.”

“I know. I noticed them a while ago,” Phainon casually points out, gesturing to the man across the street and the car waiting outside. He chuckles when he sees the surprise on Mydei’s face, an easy smile settling on his lips when he says, “What? I’m a model, you know. We have our own security sometimes.”

“...I see.”

“I can usually tell when a camera is pointed at me too, even if it’s hidden, or placed somewhere far away.”

“An interesting talent,” Mydei murmurs, eyeing Phainon with interest as he stands up, accepting the offer of an escort as Phainon tucks his hand into his arm. “And a beneficial one. The location today is a good one, but should we ever meet up anywhere else, we might not have the same amount of privacy.”

Phainon laughs.

“How lucky that I’m on the same boat as you. Maybe I really was born to meet you, don’t you think?”

Mydei chuckles, leaning into Phainon’s side. Brazen Phainon may be, Mydei thinks he quite likes someone who’s easy with their affection like this, instead of making Mydei guess on what their boundaries are. “It’s too early for you to say that. When my cat decides that he likes you, I’ll reconsider.”

“Of course, I’ll work hard for Kokopo the Third’s approval.”

“Good luck with that, Savior.”

Again, Phainon is a gentleman when he opens the car door for him, no traces of teasing in those blue eyes as there is fondness. He says, “See you next time, Mydei?”

“See you for our next date, Phainon,” Mydei promises, giving him a nod and a smile. “And, seeing as I told you to pay for the next date… you don’t have to count it for the ten that I promised you.”

Phainon’s responding smile is so joyous, so sweet, that even Mydei feels his chest being filled with an odd sense of accomplishment.

Breathlessly, Phainon murmurs, “Thank you.”

He closes the door for Mydei then, giving a wave goodbye as the car starts driving away to head for home. His smile never wavers even as Mydei glances back at him, his hand only lowered once they are both barely out of each other's sights.

Mydei can only hope, given the speed with which Phainon had closed the door, that the man hadn’t noticed how stunned Mydei had been by the expression on his face.

Perhaps he's more than just intrigued, seeing as he's already accepted going on more dates with that man he calls "Savior".

But, to be truly sure…

He’ll have to go on those ten dates, hah.