Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Chapter One: Cringe Usernames

“Saga of Heroes?” Phainon lounges back in his desk chair as he scrolls on his phone, “The graphics look pretty solid for an MMORPG.” He presses on the mobile ad with rapidly growing curiosity which brings him to a website filled with gameplay footage and in-game screenshots. Critically-acclaimed is slapped onto every paragraph that talks about the game, a phrase that Phainon feels has been overused nowadays, but he can’t help but feel like this game may live up to it.

He places his phone down to sandwich himself in between his desk and his chair to boot up his computer. The fans whirr to life before sputtering a bit and Phainon mentally notes to himself to clean out the dust trapped within them later. After he logs in, he pulls up the website again and scrolls down to the installer, which won’t let him download the game without making an account first.

“You have to buy every expansion separately and pay a monthly sub?” He mutters, but he still ends up entering his debit card information with a frown. He thinks he’ll regret it later considering he’s already blown eighty bucks in the span of ten minutes without spending a single second in the game, but MMORPGs are a dying breed nowadays and he just really wants to try socializing with people again. It had been almost a year since the last game he enjoyed got hit with an EOS notice and his guildmates vanished along with it. Unfortunately, there was no such thing as SkyCord back then, so he had no way of contacting them or finding out if they moved onto another game. Maybe he’d get lucky and find they jumped ship here too.

His computer dings, symbolizing the successful installation of the game. The wheels of Phainon’s chair squeak as he rolls himself closer to his mouse and keyboard. He slides on his headphones and a beautiful leitmotif rings out as the title screen animates in. The words Saga of Heroes is gilded in gold atop a clear blue sky, light rays piercing through each letter. Phainon chuckles to himself. Opening the title screen at night would be a horrible flashbang, but at least it was pretty.

Phainon settles on Amphoreus. It was the first one on the list and he wasn’t too picky.

Phainon mulls over it for a bit before just settling on his old gamer tag Deliverer. He’s had it since he was eight years old playing MapleTale because he thought it sounded cool. Sixteen years later, his attachment to the name Deliverer stems from nostalgia which heavily outweighs the cringe he feels when someone calls him by it.

After spending an inordinate amount of time on the character creator, he is satisfied with his human Paladin. Short white hair mirroring his own, golden eyes, slightly pointed ears, and a gilded, white chestplate with matching metal breeches.

He loads into one of the starting towns and his screen is immediately bombarded with beginner tutorials. He’s played this genre of game before, so he quickly closes all of the windows and decides he’ll just wing it. If it gets too hard without help, he’ll just look up a guide or the game’s wiki page.

He declines, he assumes they probably request every un-guilded noob they see since they didn't have the courtesy to message him first. But it does make him think he should join a guild, so he walks up to the bulletin board in the town square to peruse the different guilds available.

Absolutely not. Phainon thinks.

He wasn’t huge on roleplaying either.

“Isn’t advertising trading in a guild header against the rules?” He wasn’t a stickler for rules but he did find it cringe when people did this. It clogged up the search menu.

Guilds that advertised themselves as drama-free were normally quite the opposite.

“This one seems good enough and the guild tag isn't bad.” He says aloud as he settles back into his seat. Phainon sends in a guild application with a simple, ‘I’d like to join’ message. To his surprise, he’s accepted in minutes.

[Welcome Message]: Sorry, the guild storage is locked to the GM and Guild Officers for the time being. Blame Nyan.

Deliverer: Hello everyone, thank you for having me.

3B: Welcome in! I’m 3B, one of the guild officers. Sorry for the welcome message, we don't get new members often.

Deliverer: Oh, it's okay.

xNetherwing: Welcome in!

Deliverer: Thank you!

He opens up the guild menu.

The guild is max level, and everyone online has max level characters too. He sticks out like a sore thumb, but grinding has always been his forte, so he isn’t too worried about catching up. Plus, this guild has every EXP buff imaginable active. After scoping out the guild menu, he decides to go level a bit in one of the tutorial areas so he can queue for the first dungeon later.

Lush green foliage comes into view as Phainon loads into the map labeled [Faerie Hearth]. There are already a few people grinding in parties, so he settles on a small patch where a few slimes have spawned. He looks at his hotbars. Only one skill—Justice Blade—is slotted in due to him being level one. He doesn’t expect to have his whole kit already, but one skill feels a little lackluster. Nevertheless, he raises his weathered broadblade and plunges it into the back of an unsuspecting slime, its viscous skin sticking to the blade like strawberry jelly.

[All] SunRender: CC Noob!

Phainon ignores the shout message and fells another poor slime.

[All] SunRender: I said CC we were here first.

[All] Deliverer: What a wonderful welcoming committee. I feel right at home already.

[All] SunRender: **** OFF NOOB! LEECHING IS CRINGE.

Phainon continues slicing down slimes oblivious to the player turning red in the face trying to get him to change channels. Suddenly out of the corner of his eye, he sees a Game Master with a red name tag spawn in. The player, SunRender, blips out of existence along with the GM, leaving the rest of his party members in stunned silence.

Lol. Lmao even.

Despite the initial hiccup, Phainon reaches level 5 and gets an instant queue for the first dungeon.

“Woah, this game is pretty active,” He says, “Back in GunZ the queue time was abysmal. It took nearly twenty minutes to find a party.”

He loads into the instance joined by three other new players all with beginner badges next to their names.

[Party][LikeNSub]: o/

[Party][AltFarmer]: Tank stance?

[Party][FarmersFlower]: They’re probably new.

[Party][Deliverer]: Sorry, it's my first time playing. What’s tank stance?

[Party][FarmersFlower]: You're a PLD? The yellow icon. It gives you increased enemy aggro. Always have it on when you’re in a party. It keeps enemies off of us.

He finds the yellow icon named Iron Oath and binds it to his hotbar. His character lights up with a bright aura and immediately every enemy in the room zeroes in on him; the curved red lines of enmity blink in his line of sight.

[Party][Deliverer] Thank you!

[Party][FarmersFlower] Np! I remember my noob days.

The rest of the dungeon run goes relatively smoothly. Flower keeps feeding him advice whenever he messes up or fails to draw all enemy aggro while Farmer and Sub stay mostly silent.

[Party][FarmersFlower]: Tyfp! If you need any more advice feel free to message me, I’ll add you.

[Party][Deliverer]: Tyfp and thank you for your help! If it's not too much of a bother, I’d like that.

[Party][LikeNSub]: tyfp o/

[Whisper][from: AltFarmer]: Hop off my gf, dude.

[Whisper][to: AltFarmer]: I'm not interested. She was just helping me unlike you.

[Party][FarmersFlower]: Babe, I’m literally playing right next to you. Sorry about that Deliverer, he’s a bit intense, but he means well!

[Party][Deliverer]: No problem. I’ll catch you later.

Phainon leaves the party and accepts Flower’s request, but he thinks he’ll refrain from messaging her any further seeing how her partner reacted.

[xXNyanXx] Time is money. ƪ(˘⌣˘)ʃ

xNetherwing: Welcome back, Nyan.

3B: Welcome back!

Deliverer: Wb!

xXNyanXx: thnx

xXNyanXx: oh. new guy. sick name.

Deliverer: Thanks, yours is cool too.

xXNyanXx: you don't have to lie, but i appreciate the flattery. ☆〜（ゝ。∂）

xXNyanXx: it was a cringe gamer tag i made when i was younger but now it's just stuck.

Deliverer: Same, lol.

xXNyanXx: speaking of cringe gamer tags.

xNetherwing: Welcome back, Prince.

Phainon laughs, but he doesn't type his response. He doesn't want to seem too comfortable when he’s only been in the guild for less than an hour, but he does find the name Prince quite amusing. Normally arrogant types have names like that, King, Sovereign, etc, but he guesses he can't be one to talk either with a name like Deliverer.

Prince: Yeah, yeah laugh it up. Good luck getting a carry in A2 later. Thanks Nether, by the way.

xXNyanXx: LOL. ica is carrying me. i don't need your help. plus you're a dps, our queue time would be mega ***.

Deliverer: Oh my queue time was fast.

xXNyanXx: yeah bc you're a tank.

Prince: And you were saying my name is cringe. Deliverer? lol.

Deliverer: Hey, I didn't say it was, it was Nyan.

xXNyanXx: deliverer, how could you?

Deliverer: Sorry.

Prince: You're also low level. Queues are faster for noobs.

Deliverer: I’ve played mmos before, I’m not a noob.

Prince: You’re a noob until you do your first raid.

Deliverer: When can you do raids in this game?

3B: You'll have to complete the MSQ to do raids.

Deliverer: MSQ?

Prince: Get a load of this noob, he doesn't even know what MSQ means.

Deliverer: You could just explain it to me instead of being a smart***.

Deliverer: Wait, can we not curse in this game?

Prince: lol.

xNetherwing: Please don't pick on the new person Prince. You’ll have to uncheck the profanity filter in the settings, Deliverer.

Deliverer: Thanks xNetherwing!

xNetherwing: No problem. ♪(๑ᴖ◡ᴖ๑)♪

3B: MSQ means main story quest. And don't mind Prince, he’s just grouchy since he’s been farming for a low drop rate item and hasn't gotten it yet.

Prince: Oh come on.

xXNyanXx: LMFAO

Deliverer: LOL. I’m guessing that’s the item?

xXNyanXx: yeah, little prince wants that useless cosmetic.

Prince: It's not useless. The red aura looks cool.

xXNyanXx: instead of suffering why not just buy it off the market board lol?

Prince: I don't want to hear that from you of all people. You leveled all your crafters and gatherers out of spite because you didn't want to pay 5 balance coins for an hp pot.

xXNyanXx: fair. anyway, when’s ica coming on? she’s supposed to carry me in A2.

[LittleIca]: Dispel the gloom~ ٩(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)۶

LittleIca: Sorry for logging in so late! I had to take Ica for a walk. Nyan, are you ready for A2?

xXNyanXx: finally, i won't have to wait for one hour in the dps queue. meet me at the guild house.

3B: I have to log out for the night. Welcome again, Deliverer. I hope you enjoy the game. Good night everyone!

Deliverer: Thank you! Good night.

LittleIca: Good night!

xXNyanXx: night little red.

Prince: Night.

xNetherwing: Oh no, I was in a dungeon. I’ll message them goodnight on the Cord.

Deliverer: Oh yeah, I saw that there was a skycord.

xNetherwing: Yeah, I can send it here if you want to join. Don't feel pressured to join though, we mostly only use it for movie nights or raiding, it's not required.

Deliverer: Oh, I’d like to, if that's okay.

xNetherwing: skycord.gg/ChrysosHeirs

Deliverer: Thanks.

Phainon clicks on the link. The SkyCord is small, only a few more members that he hadn't talked to were in the offline list. His eyes land on Prince’s icon, a fluffy, orange cat bathing in sunlight, such a contrast to his abrasive messages. He shakes his head, there’s no need to already assign personalities to people he barely knows, and regardless of him bumping heads with a member, everyone else seemed pretty nice and welcoming. He sees in the announcement channel that there’s a watch party on Saturday night, tomorrow, so he clicks the notification bell to get pinged for the event. He tabs back into the game.

xXNyanXx: ica, do you have any spare pots? i’m out.

LittleIca: Already? I do have some though. One second.

Prince: ?

xXNyanXx: hey, i’ll reimburse you too little prince.

Prince: I’m not buying it. You said that last time I let you borrow some. Also, Ica, don’t give her any, she can craft them herself.

xXNyanXx: don’t you have a cosmetic to farm (and not get btw).

LittleIca: It’s okay if you can’t pay me back Nyan, but you should give Prince his pots back.

xXNyanXx: what, why?

Prince: It’s fine, I’ve already come to terms with the fact that ‘lending’ something to Nyan means giving.

xXNyanXx: oh come on, i’ve definitely paid you back before.

Prince: You mean when you played a prank on me and made me trade my entire stash of balance coins by accident and then “graciously” gifted it back?

xXNyanXx: yeah, exactly. you have such a good memory little prince!

Deliverer: LOL

Prince: Nyan, is this one of your friends?

xXNyanXx: no, little red added him.

Deliverer: You could just ask me. I’m right here.

Prince: Sorry. You’re right.

Oh.

He didn’t expect an apology.

Prince: I’ve been a bit rude to you since earlier. I just thought you were making fun of my name when I first logged in.

Deliverer: Oh, it’s okay. you don’t have to apologize. Nyan and I were just talking about how our gamer tags were cringe when you logged on.

Prince: Oh, so it was Nyan’s fault.

xXNyanXx: [Sound Effect 11]

Deliverer: LOL?

Prince: I hope you can’t clear A2 in a single lockout.

xXNyanXx: fuck u. also how could you say that when ica’s carrying me?

Prince: She’s already gotten her clear. I feel bad for her back, carrying all your dead weight.

xXNyanXx: i hope that if you ever get that cosmetic that they do a system rollback and you lose it.

Phainon nearly tumbles over from the sheer laughter that erupts from his gut. Tears well in his eyes as he leans over his keyboard to type his next message.

Deliverer: Well, let’s hope the servers don’t rollback.

Prince: LOL.

Phainon’s lips quirk into a smile. He feels a little smug now that he got the seemingly stoic man to laugh.

xXNyanXx: enjoy your little victory. you’re gonna eat your words when i get this A2 clear.

Prince: Anyway, Deliverer. If you need help with any content, just send me a message.

Deliverer: You don’t care that I’m a noob anymore?

Prince: No that still stands.

xXNyanXx: LMFAO. see what happens when you burn our alliance deliverer?

Deliverer: You’re right, let’s form a truce Nyan.

xXNyanXx: you have betrayed me twice in the past hour. i’ll need some collateral.

Prince: Extorting a noob is low, even for you.

xXNyanXx: [Sound Effect 11] anyway can’t talk. we’re starting the countdown.

Deliverer: I appreciate the offer, Prince, but I think this noob can handle a little leveling.

Prince: If you say so.

Deliverer: You don’t sound so sure.

Prince: It’s just that you’ll probably level sub-optimally, but as you’ve said you can handle it.

Deliverer: I bet I could hit level 100 by the end of next week.

Prince: LOL. I’d like to see you try.

Deliverer: It’s on then.

Chapter Text

Chapter Two: Commendations

LittleIca: Sorry Nyan. We’ll get that clear tomorrow for sure.

xXNyanXx: it's not your fault. you were oom from all of the other dps eating vuln stacks like candy.

LittleIca: I need to add more callouts to my macros, maybe that’ll help? Some of the boss tells are really fast.

xXNyanXx: you can't esuna stupidity ica.

LittleIca: It wasn't that bad! Don’t be mean.

Prince: You tried your best Ica, but alas Nyan is too heavy a burden to bear.

xXNyanXx: 凸ಠ益ಠ)凸

Prince: lol.

xXNyanXx: prince, can you meet me at the guild house real quick?

Prince: Hell no.

xXNyanXx: boo, you’re no fun.

LittleIca: I’m sorry again that we couldn't clear A2, Nyan.

xXNyanXx: it's nbd. get some rest. you normally don't stay up this late.

LittleIca: You’re right, we can try again tomorrow. Good night everyone!

Prince: Night, Ica.

xXNyanXx: gn

xNetherwing: Good night!

Deliverer: Good night.

Deliverer: I should head to bed as well. Good night everyone.

His guild members all bid him a good night as he sets his headphones down with a groan. “What was I thinking when I said level 100 in a week?”

He joins a SkyCord called the Equilibrium that has the largest repository of guides on Saga of Heroes that he’ll need if he wants to prove Prince wrong. It's an impossible feat. Unless he uses hacks or quits his day job, he’s absolutely fucked. He powers off his computer and plops down on his bed as he sighs.

The regret settles in a little like a mild itch he can’t scratch. Phainon doesn't think he’s one to bite at obvious bait, but something about Prince sets his competitive spirit alight.

It's all a problem for later Phainon, he decides, right now it's three a.m. and he needs to wake up early if he wants a fighting chance. He settles under the covers and opens the ChrysosHeirs SkyCord on his phone. There are a few channels: #general, #media, #the-bathhouse, #guides, #pets, etc. Phainon knows it's a little weird to scroll back and read or look at every prior conversation, but he’s a little nosy. He tells himself he’ll only indulge a little bit.

The #pets channel is the first place he checks. He remembers that when LittleIca logged in she said she had taken Ica for a walk. Well, the eponymous creature is staring straight back at him as he opens the channel. Ica is rotund. It's a well-fed baby pony, its white legs are stubby and can barely fold underneath its body. It’s endearingly cute, he assumes LittleIca dressed it with the bowtie and knitted crown that sat upon its cute, round head. Nyan, aptly named, posted her cat in the channel as well. A gray, mischievous shorthair that tipped over a flower vase in the picture.

Nyan had captioned it, ‘I raised that boy.’

Prince had replied to her with a simple, ‘Cute cat. Don't scold him too hard.’

Cute. He thinks.

He rubs his face with his palm. What was he doing? He’s projecting onto a faceless stranger. Can you become parasocial over someone in less than five hours? He thinks with another heavy sigh. He shoves his phone under his pillow and decides not to sit with his thoughts any longer.

***

Phainon wakes up after four hours of restless tossing and turning to drag his balls through glass; to begin the grind of torture. Nether is the only other guild member up at this ungodly hour when Phainon logs in for the day.

xNetherwing: Welcome back, Deliverer.

Deliverer: Thanks Nether.

He dreads starting the grind immediately so instead he opts to make small talk until he can work up the strength to focus.

Deliverer: I must admit I am a little curious about your username, since Nyan and I were discussing names yesterday.

xNetherwing: Oh, I picked it because Nyan said it would be cool. She said putting an x in front of your name made you look badass.

Phainon chuckles.

Deliverer: It does.

xNetherwing: Thank you! Deliverer sounds pretty cool too. I believe yesterday you said it was an old tag of yours?

Deliverer: Yeah I’ve had it since my MapleTale days.

xNetherwing: That's a name I haven’t heard in years. Prince and Nyan used to make me play all the time. I hated the grind especially since you lost EXP on death.

Deliverer: In years? How long have you known Prince and Nyan?

xNetherwing: Oh, they're my childhood friends. We all used to live next door to each other. Not anymore though, but I’m glad we have this game to communicate still.

Deliverer: That explains a lot.

xNetherwing: Nyan’s teasing? Yeah, she picks on Prince and I a lot, but she's a really nice person. I hope she hasn't been messing with you too much.

Deliverer: Not at all. Everyone in the guild has been really kind.

xNetherwing: I’m glad to hear it! You can always rely on me and the other guild officers if there’s a problem.

Deliverer: Will do, thank you.

Phainon opens his character window to survey his progress from yesterday:

The EXP he gained from the dungeon run yesterday was a pittance and barely got him towards the hurdle of level 6. Apparently it was suboptimal to grind dungeons before a certain point. Randomly spawning events otherwise known as RATEs, random active time events, on the world map would give him more exp for the time spent. He opens up the Equilibrium SkyCord for the channel that has live timers on each RATE so he can plan which ones to go after. He doesn't have a mount yet, unfortunately, so old-fashioned walking will have to suffice.

He barely makes it to the nearest RATE before the adds are already felled. There’s one left and it's killed before he can even tag it for a sliver of participation EXP. Even then, tagging one mob wouldn't be enough even for the bronze medal of completion, so he doesn't let it bother him too much.

Phainon slightly grimaces at his computer screen.

Prince: On the grind early, Deliverer?

Of course he would point it out.

Prince: Morning Nether.

xNetherwing: Good morning, Prince!

Deliverer: You know those levels aren't going to level themselves.

The cringe sets in after the message has already been sent. He awkwardly shifts in his chair while rubbing his face before he looks back at the screen.

Prince: Right…

Great. He thinks.

Deliverer: Anyway, I have another RATE to get to.

Prince: On foot? You do know you’ll never make it on time before all the other newbies demolish them right?

Yes, he did know.

I’M QUITE AWARE| He backspaces.

Deliverer: I’ve made it to a few.

He lies.

Prince: To spectate? LOL. Your level hasn't changed since yesterday.

Deliverer: You’ve been keeping track?

Prince: Just observing. I mean, if a newbie says they're going to get to level 100 in a week, how could I not be intrigued?

Phainon’s eyebrow furrows. He can feel the blood vessel in his right temple threaten to pop.

Deliverer: You think it's impossible?

Prince: I didn't say all that.

A pause.

Prince: It would be a walk in the park for me though.

Deliverer: Prove it.

Prince: Oh?

Deliverer: Or are you just all talk?

Prince: Nether, can you add my alt to the guild? I’ll whisper you the ign.

xNetherwing: ouob

Deliverer: Really?

xPrince: What? Nyan said xs are cool.

He stifles a laugh.

xPrince: Hurry up and get to level 20 so you can ride a mount, but until then RATEs will be inefficient.

Deliverer: But what about the Equilibrium guide?

xPrince: It assumes you have a friend that could ferry you around which in that case, yes, it's technically correct in terms of efficiency. But for a friendless noob like you, playing with AI party members might be best.

Deliverer: Hey!

xPrince: And, you wouldn't subject your party members to you learning the game. It’d be like a headless chicken walking on a keyboard.

Fine. He had a point. But Phainon would not admit that aloud. He decides against responding and begrudgingly enters the first dungeon again, but this time with the computer controlled party members.

He regrets it almost instantly.

The AI party members don't use their entire kits, the healer only heals with no damaging spells to help clear up the trash mobs, the other two dps are dead weight and it's up to Phainon to carry as a tank. Clearing the dungeon takes thirty gruelling minutes, thirty minutes that Phainon could've wasted chasing RATEs in futility.

Deliverer: Did you suggest that on purpose to spite me?

xPrince: No.

He says simply and Phainon feels like he’s being honest oddly enough.

xPrince: You can manipulate the AI a bit if you want to make your runs faster.

Phainon’s pride doesn't allow him to ask how, so instead he types:

Deliverer: Thanks, I’ll do that.

Except he doesn't know how to do that and he runs to the Equilibrium server to see if there’s any tips. He combs through the channels and realizes that he hadn't been gathering all the trash packs together and instead had been doing them one by one. Farmersflower told him about it yesterday but he hasn't thought about applying it until now. He queues up again with his new found knowledge.

xPrince: That was faster this time. Good job.

Phainon’s heart thumps a little harder than usual.

Deliverer: Thanks.

He’s now acquired level 7, but to his dismay, xPrince is level 10 already.

[R3ason] In a world full of lies, I am the only truth.

xNetherwing: Welcome back, Reason!

xPrince: Morning.

Deliverer: Good morning.

R3ason: Morning everyone. We have a newcomer? That is quite a rare occurrence.

xNetherwing: 3B thought it would be nice to get some fresh faces in the guild. They put up the post yesterday.

Deliverer: Nice to meet you.

R3ason: Likewise.

xNetherwing: Does your scholar society usually meet this early, Reason?

R3ason: No. We will meet tomorrow. I’m logging in to harvest nodes for my alchemist.

xNetherwing: Oh, good luck. The ones that spawn at this time have a terrible drop rate.

Deliverer: Nodes?

xNetherwing: Oh, they’re these shining spots on a map that you can only see when you’re swapped to a gathering class. You can extract materials from them to craft items with. Some are limited time, as in they only spawn during certain times of the day. I don’t have the patience Reason does. Some require waking up as early as 4:00 am or a lot of investment to even have a chance at harvesting an item.

Deliverer: Sounds like there’s a lot to do in this game.

xNetherwing: Yes, it’s why I always enjoy coming back to it. There’s something for everyone.

[xXNyanXx] Time is money. ƪ(˘⌣˘)ʃ

xXNyanXx: FUCK. i’m late to the node. what is the point of waking up at the ass crack of dawn?

R3ason: Punctuality has never been your strong suit, Nyan.

xXNyanXx: i hope you fail the node.

xNetherwing: There, there, Nyan.

xPrince: Ironic log in message. I guess money isn’t that important?

xXNyanXx: hey deliverer, did you know prince made this alt account last night as soon as he challenged you?

Phainon sat up in his chair with a disbelieving look.

xPrince: I thought conversations we have in private, stay private, right Nyan?

xXNyanXx: he wouldn’t stop talking about you over the phone btw.

He could feel his cheeks flushing with heat. So he wasn’t the only one who was oddly worked up about their little rivalry.

xPrince: That’s just simply untrue.

xXNyanXx: he doesn’t have a lot of friends so forgive him for being a little socially awkward, deliverer.

It’s cute| He backspaces, thinking the better of it.

Deliverer: Was calling me a friendless noob projection, Prince?

Is what he types instead.

xPrince: Think what you want.

Phainon wants to tease him so badly, but he refrains through sheer power of will.

xPrince: And besides, do you have time to indulge in fantasies when you’re 3 levels behind me? Focus up.

His hands twitch over his keyboard in mild annoyance and he once again has to ignore it or else he’ll be playing into this guy’s hand. Back to the mines, he supposes.

Now that Phainon is level 7, he can queue for the dungeon after the beginner’s dungeon. It’s awful, it’s a winding mine shaft. The trash packs are spread throughout multiple little crevices, and they hit like trucks for some ungodly reason. Phainon’s AI-controlled healer can barely keep up with all of the damage he’s taking and he dies. With a sigh, he tries again and pulls from wall to wall only to end up in the same sorry situation. He exits the dungeon slightly frustrated and decides to swap out the healer for a different healing class. When he requeues, he realizes he accidentally queued with real people.

Heroic Party flashes on the screen and he cringes before looking at the party members.

Phainon’s mouth goes dry.

[Party][Deliverer]: What are you doing here?

[Party][xPrince]: I misclicked.

[Party][Deliverer]: Are you following me around?

[Party][xPrince]: Does your head hurt from churning out delusions all the time?

[Party][Puecesta]: I hate to intrude on this lover’s quarrel, but I have raid on my main account in 20 minutes, so if we could hurry it up?

[Party][Hephaestion]: Don’t be rude, Puecesta, but we are quite in a hurry, unfortunately.

Phainon gulps and turns on his tank stance a little nervous that Prince will be the one to heal him, especially since he failed this dungeon so spectacularly on his own earlier. He tentatively pulls the first trash pack.

[Party][xPrince]: You can pull more than that, you know?

[Party][Puecesta]: Please do, we don’t have much time.

Phainon groans and begrudgingly draws enmity of every mob on the first floor and drags them all the way to the elevator that would take them to the next one. He presses his one button of mitigation available to him at level 7 and prays.

Prince kept him alive.

Easily, even. The next floor flies by even easier. The trash packs that had absolutely obliterated him earlier—like his armor was made of paper—are nothing in the face of Prince’s healing prowess. If they weren’t going toe-to-toe, he would be begging Prince to duo queue with him. The group finish the dungeon in less than fourteen minutes, a record that even Puecesta is floored by.

[Party][Hephaestion]: Tyfp!

[Party][Puecesta]: Tyfc, make sure to comm the healer, Phae.

[Party][Hephaestion]: Yeah, of course. If it’s okay, let us send you a friend request, Prince. We can run some dungeons later.

[Party][xPrince]: Sure, but this is my alt, I won’t be using it much after this week.

Phainon awkwardly stands there as they all exchange information in whispers, before Prince’s character turns to him. He gets to look at the character he made for the first time since the dungeon started since he was so distracted by the mobs. His Bishop is dressed in the plain beginner gear, a black priest robe and a wooden staff in his hand. His long hair is strawberry blonde in the dark mine lighting, his eyes amber and bored. It’s a basic human model just like Phainon picked himself, but it has a soft gruffness to it, almost androgynous. He finds him a little pretty, but he wouldn’t dare say that to him.

[Party][xPrince]: You did well. This dungeon is notorious for crushing noobs. I told them they should be giving commendations to you instead for how you handled the packs. It made my job easier.

Phainon blushes from the straightforward praise. He shifts awkwardly in his office chair, the sound of it creaking making him painfully aware of how much this was affecting him. He inhales before typing a message that comes off more cool than he feels.

[Party][Deliverer]: No, they were right. You were amazing. I failed this dungeon earlier with the AI companions.

[Party][xPrince]: I wouldn’t recommend doing this dungeon as a tank with the companions, it’s nigh impossible. That’s why I picked a healer class, faster queues and you can control the outcomes of the runs a little bit better. But, newbie tanks normally don’t even use their mitigation, so you’re already doing better than a significant portion of the player base.

[Party][Deliverer]: Are you still taking confusion damage from the rock mobs? You’re being nice for once.

[Party][xPrince]: You’re right. I don’t want you getting a swelled head. This is still a competition after all.

Prince’s character does a shrug motion, his head tilts to the side revealing a beauty mark on his right cheek. Phainon imagines that he probably does this in real life too.

[Party][xPrince]: And don’t misclick next time, noob.

The instance kicks him out for loitering for too long as he ignores Prince’s last message, and instead focuses on reading his message of praise again and again. His chat box beeps with notifications as he spawns back in town.

The whole party ended up giving him comms, but all he could focus on is that Prince made it a point for them to. His heart thumps again in his chest, harder this time, and he doesn’t know what to make of this weird feeling.

Chapter Text

Chapter Three: Sappy Romcoms

Phainon is level 23 when it’s finally time for the SkyCord watch party. As much as he hates to admit it, Prince’s advice helped him get this far and level 100 seemed way more feasible than he initially thought. He’s ahead of the expected curve for his time investment by 8 levels if he goes by the Equilibrium Cord’s estimates. Prince is only two levels ahead of him, the jump in EXP to get to the next level has gotten wider making it easier for him to catch up to Prince as their EXP gain in turn has gotten slower.

He looks over to the #movie-night voice channel and sees that Nyan, Nether, and 3B are all in there waiting for the last few people to shuffle in. He hates that his first thought is whether Prince will join or not. Not that it particularly matters, everyone will be muted anyway.

He joins the voice channel and sees the flood of emotes welcoming him in over in the #movie-night-text channel.

xXNyanXx: prince is gonna be late btw. and he gets on me about punctuality lol.

3B: It's okay. We’re waiting for Reason as well. Goldy can’t make it tonight, she’s still on a business trip.

He belatedly realizes he hasn’t met the guild master yet. She hasn't been online for the past two days since he's joined the guild, but he supposes it is natural. They are adults after all.

The Skycord plays a jingle alerting him that someone has joined the vc and Phainon whips his head over so fast he fears he might've broken something.

It's Reason, but his camera is on. He’s curled up in his office chair cradling the game mascot, a dromas, to his chest while wearing a matching dromas onesie with the hood pulled over his mint green hair. Mint green hair that is rather long but cut messily, the ends uneven and disheveled, his shaggy fringe obscuring one of his eyes.

His face is stoic compared to the cute garb he’s dressed in, until he realizes that his camera is on. The feed goes black, but not before Phainon sees his cheeks turn red and his lips slightly parted with embarrassment.

3B: Unfortunate, that join glitch is. They need to make it so your camera is auto disabled when you enter a voice chat.

xNetherwing: Your dromas onesie is really cute though!

R3ason: Enough. I don’t want to talk about it.

xXNyanXx: we’ve seen you before though. it could’ve been worse. you could’ve been naked.

R3ason: That would have been preferable.

xXNyanXx: you're a nudist? gross.

R3ason: I was being sardonic. You’re being purposely obtuse.

The join sound plays again, and as evil as it is to think, Phainon hopes Prince’s camera glitches too.

It doesn't, but he gets something just as good instead.

The clatter of an object being set down picks up on Prince’s unmuted mic.

“Why did Cipher tell me to rush my shower?” the voice says with an exasperated huff.

Phainon does not shiver, but it's a near thing. Prince’s voice is deep and a little rough at the edges, raspy, husky, and thick. He doesn't know if he likes or hates how it's doing things to him right now.

xXNyanXx: your mic is on btw.

Phainon petulantly curses Nyan in his head a little bit, but he tamps his annoying feelings down as he notices how childish he’s being over this.

Prince’s mic status turns to muted and he only slightly mourns the loss of his sultry voice. Now that the seed has been planted, he can't stop thinking of all of the messages he’s read from him with it.

Prince: Thanks, Nyan. Sorry about that everyone.

Don't be. Is what his traitorous little mind thinks. He groans and presses his head into his deskmat. Why is he acting so weird about this, has his lack of socialization over the past year due to drowning in work eroded his social skills this badly? He exhales another hefty sigh like he’ll die if he doesn't let one out every minute on the hour and hoists himself up to look at his monitor again.

LittleIca: Sorry, I’ll be a little late, so don't wait up for me.

xNetherwing: Take your time!

3B: Oh, Deliverer, you haven't logged off yet, right?

Deliverer: No, should I?

3B: Not at all. Come join us at the guild house. We have a little theatre that we like putting our characters in while we watch.

Phainon rouses his Paladin from afk status in one of the main town hubs, to teleport to the guild house. The guild house, Genesis, is more akin to a palace. The golden gates part as he walks up revealing a beautiful Greek-inspired building. The yard is filled with plots of flowers well tended to, the wooden stable next to the flower beds houses two dromases, one light blue and the other a striking crimson, they graze lazily at the red soil at their feet. There’s a white fountain like a bird bath in front of the cobblestone steps, the soft sound of running water burbling from its spout. Chiseled limestone pillars draped in red fabric adorn each side of the entrance that he stops in front of to admire. The door opens without him pressing the command and his camera view is blocked by another person’s character.

[Whisper][from: Prince]: What’s been taking you so long?

[Whisper][to: Prince]: Aw, did you miss me?

Phainon adjusts his camera while he knows Prince is probably fuming typing his response. His main character isn’t too different from the alt he saw earlier. He’s still pretty, flirting with the line of androgyny, his strawberry blond hair is shoulder length and tied back into a small ponytail. Red warpaint is smeared around his golden eyes and a faint blush cosmetic makes his cheeks slightly rosy. He's proudly wearing his prize, Wrath of Kremnos, it casts a menacing red aura around his scantily clad body. For someone named Prince, he dresses more like a warrior, one that is unprepared for strikes aimed above the waist, considering the sorry excuse he has for a top, one small, red sliver of fabric across his chest that leaves almost nothing to the imagination.

[Whisper][from: Prince]: Never. You’re just holding everyone up.

Prince’s character shrugs.

[Whisper][to: Prince]: You're getting better at your excuses. It's okay to admit the truth sometimes.

[Whisper][from: Prince]: And you need to get your head checked, Deliverer. Hurry up.

And with that, Prince leads him into the guild house. He doesn't get to see a lot since Prince sprints off like a waiter trying to show someone to their table, but the interior that he does get to see puts the outside to shame. He makes a note to afk at the house more instead of one the main hubs. It’ll also help him get less flirty whispers from people who want to roleplay or cringe messages where people still ask for a/s/l.

They arrive in a room decorated like a movie theatre. It's cozy and everyone’s characters are huddled together in the red seats facing the blank projector on the opposite wall. Nyan’s character spams the throwing popcorn emote while Nether’s character panics. 3B stands up and uses the sweeping emote, materializing a broom twice the size of their character to clean up Nyan’s pile of kernels on the floor.

Prince walks over and takes the seat on the left of Nyan, the only free seats left are in the back row next to Reason. Now that he has a face to assign to Reason, his character doesn't look that different from the glimpse he caught of him irl, they share the same brooding look, but his hair is long and blonde and tree branches perch on top of his head like a crown. He’s a wood elf, Phainon guesses if the shape of his ears are anything to go by.

xXNyanXx throws popcorn at Deliverer.

Phainon chuckles as he settles down to the left of Reason.

xXNyanXx throws popcorn at Deliverer.

xXNyanXx throws popcorn at Deliverer.

xXNyanXx throws popcorn at Deliverer.

xXNyanXx throws popcorn at Deliverer.

Prince: Can you turn off your emote messages, you spamming scoundrel?

xXNyanXx throws popcorn at Prince.

xXNyanXx throws popcorn at Prince.

xXNyanXx flips off Prince.

Deliverer: LOL.

xXNyanXx: see i won't turn it off, even your deliverer finds it amusing.

Phainon’s cheeks flush with heat. The gentle ribbing seeps into him and becomes something a bit more real than he’d like. His rationality catches up before his brain does as he begins to type:

I’m not his|

Prince: He’s not mine.

3B: That's enough teasing, Nyan. Sorry Deliverer. Please let me know if we ever make you uncomfortable.

Deliverer: Oh, it's fine. I don’t mind it, but are you okay, Prince?

There’s a considerable pause before Prince sends his next message and Phainon worries if he’s said the wrong thing.

Prince: I’m fine. I’m used to Nyan’s endless jabs, but I need to stop responding to her so seriously.

xXNyanXx: i’m only this way because you’re never honest. （´∇｀''）b

Phainon doesn't think he has the capacity to parse what she means by that right now. He’s still reeling a bit from her prior message.

[LittleIca]: Dispel the gloom~ ٩(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)۶

LittleIca: Oh, you all didn't have to wait for me.

xNetherwing: It's not the same without everyone here. We would have waited regardless.

3B: Nether is right. Come have a seat, Ica.

Ica prances across the room to sit right next to him. Her character is a wood elf, like Reason, with long cotton candy colored hair tied into twintails. She has every layer of cosmetics on, a rosy blush, the expensive eye cosmetic from the cash shop that permanently makes your character starry eyed, pink glittery eyeshadow, and a cute pajama set dyed pink and green that matches her white mage staff made of fluffy clouds.

LittleIca waves at Deliverer.

LittleIca: Nice to meet you, Deliverer. I’m sorry I haven't been able to greet you properly these past few days.

Deliverer: It's no problem, nice to meet you as well, Ica.

LittleIca beams at Deliverer.

Rainbows and sunbeams sprout from her head in gentle pulses as she smiles and her hands clasp together with glee. It's an adorable emote, one that he’s almost tempted to ask her about, but decides against it. It's probably cash shop gated too. He’s glad at least that there’s a free smile emote in the emote menu that he can use.

Deliverer smiles at LittleIca.

3B: Okay everyone, starting the movie now! You can tab back into the SkyCord if you’d like.

It's a romcom.

The cheesy type his childhood friend always made him watch when her parents dropped her off on the hot summer weekends because they had a pool in their backyard. He doesn’t mind them—in fact—because of her interest in them he finds himself watching them over other genres more often than not.

It's about a young girl who wishes she were older and cooler, but regrets it after realizing it's not all she hoped it would be. He watches rapt with attention until the group messages start to fly by.

xXNyanXx: oh man. i would be upset too if the childhood friend i rejected turned out to be a hottie. too bad i don't have to worry about that.

Prince: Are you insinuating that I’m ugly?

xXNyanXx: i’m glad you know how to read between the lines.

Deliverer: You asked out Nyan, Prince?

The thought of him being rejected by Nyan given their current relationship was quite humorous, but he also loathed that he was ridiculously and needlessly curious.

xXNyanXx: ohoho? curious aren't you?

Prince: Does a five year old lending their favorite crayon count as asking someone out? One that I never got back, just so you know.

Taking Nyan’s words at face value was proving to be an exercise in futility. Of course she was just messing around. He feels a little dumb for falling into her obvious trap once again.

xXNyanXx: it made good fodder for my melted crayon painting. ƪ(˘⌣˘)ʃ

Prince: You melted it?

xXNyanXx: you still care about a crayon from twenty years ago? LMFAO?

Prince: …

Deliverer: What color was it?

Prince: Sunset Orange.

Fuck. He’s so cute. Phainon thinks as he bumps his head against his wrist in defeat.

xXNyanXx: more like sunset borange. manatee is the best color.

Prince: It's barely a color.

xXNyanXx: ugly and bongwater taste, pick a struggle little prince.

LittleIca: Oh, this part always makes me cry.

Ica must’ve been watching the movie the whole time. Phainon muses. He’d been too distracted by Nyan’s antics to pay attention again. He turns back to the movie and watches as the main character gets rejected by her childhood friend. She cries alone in her closet as she wishes she could turn back time and mercifully she’s granted that wish. She runs out of the closet and embraces her childhood friend that she rejected in the alternate timeline and they end up getting married, thus living happily ever after.

xXNyanXx: too corny for my tastes. ƪ(˘⌣˘)ʃ

R3ason: Agreed. And if one were to have the power to affect time and reality, why would they waste it on such a trivial thing?

Deliverer: I don't think it's trivial.

He types before he can think.

R3ason: Oh?

Deliverer: She realizes all she idolized wasn't what it seemed and that those who saw her for who she was were worth treasuring. She stumbled initially but came to the right conclusion in the end and was given a second chance to rectify her regrets. I don’t think that’s trivial.

xNetherwing: Wrlk sssadi

LittleIca: She got a second chance at true love! I think that’s wonderful.

xXNyanXx: you lot are so sappy. (=^▽^)σ

Prince: Nether, are you okay?

xNetherwing: Sorry. I meant to say well said. My eyes were a little teary from the movie.

3B: I think it was cute. Goldy would've liked it too. What did you think, Prince?

Prince: It was fine.

xXNyanXx: that means he liked it btw.

Prince: Are you my personal interpreter?

xXNyanXx: i’m criminally underpaid too. my boss is a tyrant.

Phainon laughs.

Deliverer: I think you should quit.

xXNyanXx: woah, someone with my best interests in mind. take a page out of his book little prince.

Prince: Whatever.

3B: Thank you all for coming tonight and once again welcome to the guild, Deliverer. I hope you enjoy your stay.

Deliverer: Thank you and thank you everyone for welcoming me so warmly.

xNetherwing: It feels like you’ve been a part of the guild since forever. We’re glad to have you.

xXNyanXx: yeah i haven't seen prince this lively in ages.

Prince: Cipher. [Message Retracted]

xXNyanXx: doxxing me now? smh my head.

Prince: Oh fuck, I’m sorry.

xXNyanXx: idgaf. LOL. we all know each other and have met up multiple times. deliverer, you’re not going to use my information for nefarious purposes, right?

Deliverer: No. Never.

xXNyanXx: see dei, don't get your boxers in a twist.

Prince: ???

xXNyanXx: a doxx for a doxx.

Prince: You’re insufferable.

3B: Guys, can we refrain from sharing personal information if we don't have permission from all parties?

Prince: It’s fine. It's just a nickname.

Phainon tries to erase that information from his brain to leave him some modicum of privacy, but all it fires back is: Dei, Dei, Dei, his nickname is Dei.

R3ason: I’m retiring for the night, Ica and I have our Grove meeting tomorrow morning.

LittleIca: Oh right! Good night everyone!

xNetherwing: Good night you two, I’ll also be heading out early. I have to pick up a graveyard shift in an hour.

3B: Good night!

xXNyanXx: night. i’m gonna keep watching a2 guides.

Prince: Good night.

Deliverer: Good night everyone.

The voice channel leaves only him and Prince in awkward, muted silence.

Prince: Don't you have levels to grind?

Deliverer: Speak for yourself.

Prince: I was going to offer to do RATEs together since you now have a mount. It would be more efficient.

Deliverer: Aiding me again? Efficiency always seems like it means more with you.

Phainon watches as Prince is typing… appears and disappears over eight times in the span of a minute. He wonders if this is how he always is when he’s responding to him, picky over his words until he finds the ones that feel right.

Prince: It's hard watching a friendless noob stumble over himself.

xXNyanXx: if you guys are gonna flirt can you do it in whispers?

Deliverer: We’re not flirting.

xXNyanXx: you might not be but prince certainly is.

His heart thuds and he reminds himself not to read too deeply into her words. Prince doesn't type anything further into the #movie-night-text channel and he wonders if there was some semblance of truth behind what Nyan said.

He tabs back into the game and hears the jingle for whisper messages.

[Whisper][from: xPrince]: Do you want to grind or not? I don't have all day.

[Whisper][to: xPrince]: Is that how you ask nicely?

[Whisper][from: xPrince]: Did Nyan possess you? Are you two conspiring behind my back?

[Whisper][to: xPrince]: And if we were?

[Whisper][from: xPrince]: Then, I’d have to deal with you.

Phainon shivers then. For some odd reason, he wants to provoke him, tease him, something, to make him feel even a fraction of the weird throbbing in his chest.

[Whisper][to: xPrince]: Since you whispered me, does that mean you wanted to flirt in private?

A pause.

[Whisper][from: xPrince]: In your deluded dreams.

[Whisper][to: xPrince]: That took you a while to fire back, Prince. Is dishonesty not your forte?

[Whisper][from: xPrince]: Has your brain rotted? You scoundrel.

[Whisper][to: xPrince]: You know, I wouldn’t have any doubts if you weren’t vehemently denying it.

[Whisper][from: xPrince]: You too would be defensive if everyone kept insinuating something so ludicrous.

[Whisper][to: xPrince]: I don’t think it’s that crazy. I’m a catch.

[Whisper][from: xPrince]: Of course you think that, you pompous brat.

[Whisper][to: xPrince]: A pompous brat that you keep carving out time for even though it was never asked for?

[Whisper][from: xPrince]: Talking to you is like talking to a brick wall.

[Whisper][to: xPrince]: A wall that you want to keep you company.

[Whisper][from: xPrince]: I’m going to farm by myself.

Phainon types his next message with more confidence than he feels. Testing the limits of this fragile, new bond they have.

[Whisper][to: xPrince]: Is that really what you want?

A second passes. Two.

[Whisper][from: xPrince]: No.

Who would’ve thought two letters could make Phainon jump from his chair to pump his fist in the air like he’s just won a gold medal in the Olympics, but they do.

Oh how they do.

And Phainon accepts with his cheeks pulled taut from the embarrassingly large grin on his face.

Chapter Text

Chapter Four: A Dromas Ride for Two

Prince’s alt character materializes in front of the guild house atop a red, imposing dromas. He looks more like the title he’s named after now, as regal as one could be in level 20 beginner gear on a creature that finds nipping at the soil by his feet entertaining. He despawns the huge beast, its body dissipating into thousands of gold particles—so many in fact that Phainon’s frame rate drops for a second—to stand face-to-face with his character.

Deliverer waves at xPrince.

xPrince tilts their head in question at Deliverer.

[Party][Deliverer]: Can't spare a wave of courtesy for this peasant, Your Highness?

[Party][xPrince]: Must you nitpick everything I do?

[Party][Deliverer]: Do you want me to reply honestly?

[Party][xPrince]: Nevermind.

Deliverer smiles at xPrince.

[Party][xPrince]: Blightwood (33.5, 50.0)

[Party][Deliverer]: Woah, how did you do that?

[Party][xPrince]: On your map you can set a flag and paste the coordinates into the chat. Or if we get separated and you want to send your direct coordinates, you can use [pos].

[Party][Deliverer]: Thank you.

xPrince shrugs at Deliverer.

[Party][xPrince]: It’s nothing, just basic information that a noob should know. You skipped all the tutorials didn't you?

[Party][Deliverer]: Guilty as charged.

[Party][xPrince]: No wonder you're so hopeless.

[Party][Deliverer]: But you keep helping me, why?

[Party][xPrince]: People tend to quit this game easily because of the learning curve and you’re the first new member we’ve had in years. I just don't want to see 3B upset is all.

[Party][Deliverer]: Why would 3B be upset if I did?

[Party][xPrince]: 3B has been looking for new members for a long time. They’ve been worrying if us being one of the top PvE guilds in the game was a detriment to gaining new members.

There's a long pause before Prince sends his next message.

[Party][xPrince]: They’re really happy you joined.

Phainon smiles from his words, the warm honesty refreshing. He’s glad too, the past two days have been more fun than he expected when he downloaded the game. Some delusional part of him thinks that there's more to his words, that he's happy that Phainon joined as well. Feeling a little courageous, he shoots back:

[Party][Deliverer]: And you?

[Party][xPrince]: That remains to be seen.

A response he definitely should've seen coming, but for some reason it doesn't upset him but rather becomes a challenge he wants to rise to. He wants to make him say he’s glad for his company.

[Party][Deliverer]: How long have you been in the guild, Prince?

Another long beat of silence fills the air.

[Party][xPrince]: It doesn't matter. Come now, we’ve already wasted a lot of time with idle chatter.

He can tell when he shouldn’t press a topic any further so he relents and watches as Prince summons his dromas and destroys Phainon’s frame rate again.

[Party][xPrince]: What are you standing there ogling me for? It's a two-seater.

[Party][Deliverer]: Oh, how do I get on?

xPrince shakes their head at Deliverer.

[Party][xPrince]: Right click my avatar and select the ‘Ride Pillion’ option.

Phainon’s character materializes on the dromas, but his hands wrap around Prince’s waist and his head slots, more like clips due to the older software, into his neck. It's weirdly intimate despite them both just being an amalgamation of pixels and he feels weird for getting slightly dizzy over it.

[Party][xPrince]: Sorry, this is one of the few account-wide mounts I have, so please bear with it.

[Party][Deliverer]: It's fine.

He types back a little too fast and he’s thankful that Prince doesn't comment on it as the dromas takes them into the night sky. The clouds blur by as the stars twinkle around them, shielding them in a veil of night. The mount music lulls softly in his ears, barely a whisper over the thumping of his heart.

Phainon wants to say something to fill the silence, but no words come to mind. Just the sound of rushing wind, mount music, and the dromas’ grunts to fill the air. Phainon clicks Prince’s avatar idly and realizes that Prince is still looking at his character, the targeting bars above his head giving away his prying. As if caught, his character’s name disappears from Prince’s targeting bar, but he knows what he saw.

[Party][Deliverer]: Snooping?

[Party][xPrince]: I forgot to untarget you from when I emoted at you earlier.

[Party][Deliverer]: A convenient lie.

[Party][xPrince]: I believe it's called the truth. Why were you looking at me then?

[Party][Deliverer]: Because I wanted to.

He takes pleasure in the stretch between his message and the next because he knows Prince is definitely flustered.

[Party][xPrince]: You scoundrel.

Phainon chuckles. He doesn't know why he finds this prickly man so endearing but it makes Phainon all the more curious about what lies beneath. He thinks he can empathize with Nyan a little bit; if he were in her shoes, he thinks he’d also tease him endlessly.

The clouds part as they descend into Blightwood. Curved rotten trees devoid of their leaves pop into their view, lights made of purple mushrooms and yellow onion bulbs guide them down towards the dry, blackened grass. Prince despawns the dromas without warning, sending Phainon tumbling down after him. The fae that are still around in the aftermath of the blight enveloping the wood are corrupted, mottled things, their skin splotched violet and black.

The battle music commences and Prince and Phainon are surrounded on all sides by fae. He remembers to turn on his tank stance and gathers as many fae as he can to draw them off of Prince.

He has more skills in his kit now, thankfully, so he uses his mitigation, Distance, which slows enemies’ attack speed when they pierce his shield, then his skill, Total Eclipse, to hit every enemy within a certain radius. Prince is at his back, his staff raised as damage spells rain from above. Phainon’s HP gets dangerously low, but he knows Prince likes waiting until the absolute last possible second to heal him back up.

[Party][xPrince]: You didn't panic press your mits.

[Party][Deliverer]: A good healer has my back.

Another wave of fae spawn, cutting their conversation short. Phainon slices through them all, no matter how many spawn nor how many in droves, he keeps them off Prince so he can finish casting his spells. Their synergy needs no words, they dance around each other covering each other’s weaknesses seamlessly.

[Party][xPrince]: I actually get to use my damage spells whenever you tank. You’ve improved even more since last time. Have you been looking at rotation guides on the Equilibrium?

[Party][Deliverer]: Yeah, but there's not many on the lower levels.

[Party][xPrince]: Most people don't even care to optimize at these levels. Hence the lack of guides. You’ve played an MMO before?

[Party][Deliverer]: You were too busy calling me a noob when I told you.

[Party][xPrince]: Well, not much knowledge from other ones carry over here. My words still hold true.

[Party][Deliverer]: And by that you mean, that I’m a noob.

[Party][xPrince]: Yes.

[Party][Deliverer]: What happened to that speech earlier about keeping new people around?

[Party][xPrince]: You take what I say in stride and improve. Would you rather be coddled?

[Party][Deliverer]: No.

[Party][xPrince]: Exactly. You like being provoked.

He should definitely feel more embarrassed that he’s been read like a book, but all it does is make him flush with heat. He readjusts his position in his chair, trying not to read into his words any further and definitely not trying to read his messages in that husky voice of his.

The SkyCord blips with the join sound as music begins to fill his ears. It's slow and melodic, like the type of music you would slow dance to, cradling someone deep in your arms as the strings of the violin guide you.

[Party][Deliverer]: I didn’t take you for the romantic type.

He says in jest.

[Party][xPrince]: Nyan.

Is all Prince types back.

Phainon tabs out of the game to see Prince and Nyan arguing about the music bot that she added to the vc.

xXNyanXx: what? i was just trying to set the mood. ദ്ദി๑-؂•̀๑)

Prince: What mood?

xXNyanXx: both of you are sitting in the vc alone at 2:00 am. (˵˘ ³˘˵)ฅ

Deliverer: We’re just grinding together.

xXNyanXx: yeah we can tell. at least do it in private.

Phainon curses the unfortunate gaming term in his mind, because now Nyan is planting images in his head that are definitely going to plague his dreams.

Prince: Fuck off. !leave

The music bot gets booted from the voice channel, a sad, unnecessary casualty of their heated fight.

xXNyanXx: what's the point of wasting bandwidth though if you're both going to be muted the whole time? might as well just leave.

She has a point. He thinks. Phainon assumes Prince is just going to leave and suggest that they should stick to typing in-game, but his heart nearly jumps out of his throat as he sees the mute icon disappear.

“It's easier to communicate this way, but if you would prefer, we can go back to typing in-game. No pressure.” Prince says, his voice smooth like honey.

Phainon’s hand trembles as it hovers over his mouse. He should lie and say that he feels better typing because in all honesty he doesn't think he can handle listening to his voice for a few more hours despite his internal protests earlier in the night. Also, he’s afraid of sounding like a total idiot in front of him, unable to mask himself in a suit of uncaring armor that typing provides.

He must've taken too long because Prince mutes himself once more.

“No, it's okay, we can talk over voice.” He finally responds. His voice doesn't betray him, thankfully.

xXNyanXx: sheeple. it's just too easy. ʅ（◞‿◟）ʃ

xNetherwing: Nyan don't you have a shift tomorrow morning?

xXNyanXx: gamestart doesn't open until noon. i love my job.

xNetherwing: You were just venting about it in #the-bathhouse last week.

xXNyanXx: don't you have a shift to work?

xNetherwing: Break.

Nyan seems no match for Nether. He laughs softly. Phainon notices that Prince unmuted again, but hasn't said a word.

“Are you okay?” He asks.

“...Yes.”

“That’s not very convincing.”

“You don't sound like what I expected.” Prince responds breathily.

Oh.

“You were imagining my voice?”

“...”

Fuck.

Phainon’s curiosity gets the better of him, “Did you really talk about me with Nyan?”

“...We’re going to fail the RATE if you keep talking nonsense.” He says steadily this time.

He tabs back into the game to see his paladin sprawled across the grass, dead, the game screen black and white to emphasize his folly.

Prince is fending off the horde of fae by himself, but there's too many for him to cast any GCDs safely. He’ll die as well at this rate if Phainon doesn't step in.

“Do you have enough MP for a res?” Phainon asks.

“My swift is on CD. Give me 5 seconds.”

Prince’s status bar lights up with the swiftcast icon and he gets Phainon up with just a few seconds to spare.

“Thanks.” He turns back on his tank stance and his ears almost rupture from the sound of all the enemies’ enmity lines zeroing in on him.

Prince makes a noncommittal grunt in response. They finish the RATE without speaking, only the sound of their keyboards clacking and mouse clicks to fill the silence.

“Hey, we can go back to typing if you would prefer, Prince.” Phainon offers.

Prince’s status goes back to mute, which Phainon assumes is agreement. He mutes himself as well. There were no protests on his tongue nor thoughts against it in his mind, because he could feel the shift in Prince’s demeanor after he spoke. He didn't want to make him uncomfortable, no matter how much he longed to hear him speak again.

[Party][xPrince]: I’m sorry.

Phainon sits up in his chair. What could he be sorry for? The awkwardness? The silence? Phainon didn't particularly mind, but maybe it was a bit too much for him.

[Party][Deliverer]: There’s no need to apologize. I get it's a lot to vc with a relative stranger.

[Party][xPrince]: It's not that.

[Party][Deliverer]: What's wrong?

[Party][xPrince]: It's distracting.

[Party][Deliverer]: My voice?

[Party][xPrince]: Yes.

He opts for a lighthearted response:

[Party][Deliverer]: Did I sound like a SkyCord mod?

[Party][xPrince]: Your voice is not unpleasant.

This man is going to kill him.

Well, either he will or the next horde of mobs.

Their conversation is once again cut short by another RATE spawn, but this time it has special fanfare and a longer timer.

[All][TrashRacoon]: HOLY SHIT GUYS IT SPAWNED.

[All][FrogJuice]: I didn’t even think it was possible.

[All][BronSeele4Ever]: Thank you for the spawn!

[All][Hack3r]: I’ve been spawn camping it for three days, finally.

Phainon finds Hack3r’s message particularly funny considering that he and Prince cleared the RATEs before this one all on their own. Something, something, stolen valor. He thinks.

[All][GunsNRoses]: Nobody pull until 20 minutes on the clock to give people time to TP in. They just pinged it on the Equilibrium.

Characters pop in left and right on Phainon’s monitor—so many—that his frame rate drops abysmally low and he has to lock his fps down to 60 in the menu so his computer doesn't explode.

[Party][Deliverer]: Is this RATE that rare?

[Party][xPrince]: Yes. The conditions for it are really strict and no one bothers to attempt to spawn it since it's in such an early expansion.

Nyan cuts through the crowd. She sits atop a gaudy chair made of gold coins that sparkle and jingle as she moves, her catgirl, with marks on her face that denote she’s of the moon faction, is adorned in a tight-fitting, black bodysuit that glows blue in the dim moonlight. She tilts her head and her manatee colored hair slips out from her hood, a singular gray braid tied off with a bow.

xXNyanXx points at xPrince.

[Say] xXNyanXx: hey lovebirds, invite me to your party.

[Party][xPrince]: For the last time, we are not acquainted like that.

[Party][xXNyanXx]: you still added me to the party first without denying it. isn't his shyness adorable, deliverer?

[Party][xPrince]: Don't drag him into this. And for your information, I didn't want you blabbing in Say chat with all these people around.

[Party][xXNyanXx]: boo, who cares. people erp in say chat all the time.

[Party][xPrince]: What those ERPers do in public has nothing to do with this.

[Party][Deliverer]: So you're the type to whisper ERP.

[Party][xXNyanXx]: LMFAOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[Party][xXNyanXx]: he’s so dramatic. gimme party lead. and dw btw he’s not actually mad.

Phainon relaxes a little bit considering she knows him better than he does and grants Nyan party leader. Nyan and Prince face each other; their characters’ lips move as they do which means they're talking through whispers or a private in-game group chat. After what feels like minutes, a notification pops up.

[Party][xPrince]: I don't ERP, just so you know.

Phainon bursts out laughing at his monitor. He thinks it's just like Prince to want to clear the air over a very obvious joke. Phainon can’t imagine Prince ERPing anyway; he thinks the other man would explode before he could even send an erotic message over text. Not that he needs to, Phainon already loses it over his regular messages that leave enough room for interpretation. He wipes at his eyes with his left palm as his chest heaves with one more dry laugh.

[All][BigCat]: Pulling!

Phainon doesn't have time to tag any mobs due to how quickly they're disintegrating. The RATE syncs down player levels so that anyone can do the content at its intended difficulty regardless of being max level or not, but the sheer amount of people make that a non-issue. After all of the adds are dispatched, a fae the size of a building spawns. It towers over them with its skin covered in decaying leaves that fall with each twist of its body as tanks fight for aggro, its beady obsidian eyes open wide with visible anger, and its branch-like hands cleave the ground wiping out any players who dare stay in the AOE marker.

[Party][xXNyanXx]: deliverer, u can just spam ur enmity increasing skill, dont worry about ur rotation. itll help w participation.

He does as he's told but he also notices Prince spamming heals more than normal. He guesses it's probably for the same reason he’s spamming Total Eclipse.

Ring of Eternity?

[Party][Deliverer]: What's this ring for?

[Party][xXNyanXx]: check ur inventory.

Phainon lets out a strangled sound which causes his fluffy Samoyed, Snowy, to nuzzle at the door with worry. He gets up from his chair to let him in and he licks at Phainon’s fingers and paws at him gently to make sure he’s okay.

“Good boy, Snowy.” He pets him gently and presses a kiss to his furry forehead before sitting back down. Snowy pads around the chair to rest at Phainon’s feet with a soft huff. He’s thankful for the distraction because his heart almost hammered out of his ribcage.

[Party][xXNyanXx]: lame. you can't sell them.

[Party][xPrince]: Considering that they’re also for sale in the cash shop, it wouldn't make much sense.

[Party][xXNyanXx]: well, that saves me a bit of cash, i guess. hey, deliverer wanna get married?

Phainon sputters. Snowy perks his ears up, but realizes his owner is being silly and lowers them again.

[Party][xXNyanXx]: you get crazy exp buffs and other benefits from it. you’ll have to pay for the ceremony tho.

[Party][xPrince]: Nyan, stop teasing him.

[Party][xXNyanXx]: i’m completely serious. agy already turned down my idea when i asked her last week.

[Party][xPrince]: Of course she declined, you mess around too much.

[Party][Deliverer]: Why don't you marry Prince?

[Party][xXNyanXx]: LOOOOL ABSOLUTELY NOT.

[Party][xPrince]: Absolutely not. Have you gone mad?

So there was something the both of them could agree on for once.

[Party][Deliverer]: Okay Nyan, sure why not?

A little EXP gain advantage could give him the upperhand in getting level 100 by next week.

[Party][xPrince]: Wait, don’t.

Out of respect for Snowy, Phainon doesn't jump from his chair, but it is a very near thing. This isn’t good for his health at all. His poor little heart will be nothing by the time he’s 30 at this rate.

[Party][xPrince]: I mean to say, she’s just tricking you. And it's permanent per character.

[Party][xXNyanXx]: interpretation: i don’t want anyone stealing you away from me. where’s my money bossman?

Don’t take her words at face value. He repeats to himself like a mantra.

[Party][xPrince]: I just don't want you to regret a hastily made decision down the line, is all.

A level-headed response that makes the most sense given the circumstances. He’s known Prince for at best 20 hours, they know almost nothing of each other, but a feeling is growing inside of him that's getting harder and harder to ignore.

[Party][xXNyanXx]: here comes the serious police to ruin my fun. [Sound Effect 11] anyway, i need to go to bed for my shift in a few hrs. gn lovebirds.

Before either of them can protest she logs out.

[Party][Deliverer]: With how opposite your personalities are, I’m surprised that you both get along.

[Party][xPrince]: Getting along is subjective. But, yes, we’ve known each other our whole lives. Trust that is forged from sharing in each other’s hardships is hard to break, it seems.

[Party][Deliverer]: Interpretation: I care about her a lot no matter how much she vexes me. Did I get that right?

[Party][xPrince]: I think I should replace her as my interpreter.

That’s as close to a yes as he thinks he’ll get from him.

He’s so fucking cute. He groans.

He’s so utterly fucked.

Chapter Text

Chapter Five: Honesty

Phainon wakes up at his desk with a puddle of crusted drool smeared across his cheek. He sits up and immediately regrets it as his back tinges with a streak of pain that shoots straight up his spine. Fuck. He hadn't made it to his bed last night and the curtains were still drawn casting his room in darkness despite it being daytime, or at least he hopes it's still daytime. The game and SkyCord are still open on his monitor, but he’s been booted to the title screen of SoH for being AFK for too long and kicked from the vc for being inactive as well. He gives his back another tentative stretch; he’s really hoping it’ll feel better tomorrow or else work is going to be a pain in the ass.

It was 1 pm.

He and Prince stayed up all night farming and talking in between RATEs as they rode on Prince’s dromas, and as much fun as it was, he needs to be more responsible today. He’ll only allow himself a few hours of gaming because unfortunately he has to wake up early for work tomorrow and he needs to make up for the lack of proper sleep he’s gotten this weekend. Phainon slides his chair back quietly to not wake Snowy, but fails in his attempt; Snowy rouses from rest at his feet and licks at his ankle.

“Morning Snowy. After I freshen up, let's take you for a walk.” Snowy’s tail wags faster than a propeller cutting through water as he follows Phainon out of the room. Before he heads to the restroom, he takes Snowy downstairs to the automatic feeder. Snowy already ate his portion of food for the morning, good. Phainon smiles with a nod. He refills his other bowl with water and sets it down in front of him. Snowy laps at the water messily and lets out a quiet satisfied bark. Phainon can't resist giving him one more pet before heading back upstairs.

In the bathroom, he scrubs at his face—clearing up the excess drool—brushes his teeth, then hops in the shower. As the warm water washes over him, he thinks of last night again. He didn't realize how much he missed connecting with people, the other guild members made it easy, Prince made it even easier. Spending time with him in the quiet, early hours of morning felt almost right; like they had done it time and time again before. He stores that thought away for later—It's only been two days—he reminds himself with a sigh.

He wrings his washcloth until it’s damp to the touch and slings it over the shower rod as he draws back the curtain. He pads back to his bedroom, soaked like a wet dog, and grabs a towel from the clean laundry hamper. Phainon’s not too fussed about what to wear, so he puts on the first t-shirt and joggers from his dresser. The yellow shirt doesn't particularly match his red pants, but he’s only taking Snowy out for an hour, not going out to meet people.

Elysia is a small, quiet town where everyone knows everyone. A few of his neighbors wave and greet him as he walks and some stop to run their hands through Snowy’s well-maintained fur. Snowy enjoys the attention and he laps at the hands that reach for him with his soft tongue. Phainon can't really focus on the walk though; he wants to hurry back home and see if anyone is online. Especially—He shakes his head, he needs to reel in his fascination with Prince. No matter how adorable and prickly he is, he’s still a relative stranger. The Prince he knows is only what he decides to show and even then Phainon has to work for it, but he doesn't mind working for it and somehow that's worse.

Before he realizes it, he’s back in front of his little townhouse. He unlocks the door and slides off his sneakers to place them on the shoe rack then unclasps Snowy’s harness. Then he’s practically sprinting up to his room with Snowy in tow.

“IRL meet up,” Phainon says while rubbing at his face in disbelief, “Two weeks is so soon.” He doesn't think he can wrap his brain around seeing Prince in the flesh in two weeks. He stops that train of thought, he’s running on the assumption that all of the guild members live nearby. They could be across the cosmos for all he knows and besides even on the miniscule chance that the meetup is near him, would Prince even attend?

xPrince: How was sleeping in, Deliverer? I’ve gotten a level over you in your absence.

Deliverer: Terrible, my back hurts.

LittleIca: Welcome back!

Deliverer: Thank you!

xPrince: Did you fall asleep in your chair?

Deliverer: Unfortunately. Did you even sleep?

xPrince: I slept enough.

Deliverer: We were up until 7:00 am, you couldn't have gotten that much.

xPrince: I’m off tomorrow, I’ll just catch up on sleep then.

Deliverer: Why not today?

xPrince: You’re working tomorrow.

He rubs at his chest as if that’ll soothe his throbbing heart. He opts for a teasing reply otherwise he’ll end up typing something he’ll regret.

Deliverer: Aw, you don't want to play without me?

xPrince: I didn't say that.

Deliverer: You didn't have to.

xPrince: I can't even catch a break on a day that Nyan has work.

Deliverer: Then you should try being more direct with me.

xPrince: I have been. You’re the one who's been misconstruing my words.

Deliverer: Says the guy that needs an interpreter.

xPrince: Fine, I’ll bite. What would you like me to say?

Deliverer: What I want is for you to be honest. There’s no point in you saying what I’d like to hear if you don't mean it.

xPrince: And what would you like to hear, Deliverer? If we’re speaking of honesty.

Phainon shifts in his seat. Prince is very obviously trying to rile him up, but talking to him is a very delicate balance. Being too honest here could scare him off and Phainon doesn't know if he wants to be that vulnerable yet, especially since he has to keep reminding himself that they barely know each other. All he knows is that: he’s sensitive about his username, he cares deeply for his friends, his favorite color is Sunset Orange, his nickname—which Phainon should not be privy to—and that his voice gets a little breathy when he's shy—He shakes his head like that can clear away the fog of lust that starts to cloud his mind.

What even was the question again?

xPrince: Was that too forward of me?

Deliverer: Not at all, sorry. I was just thinking to myself.

xPrince: About what? Surely my question doesn't need that much brainpower.

Deliverer: You’re being awfully curious today.

xPrince: And you're being awfully coy.

Deliverer: Am I?

A pause.

xPrince: It seems like you are, I mean.

Deliverer: And what else do you know about me?

xPrince: That you're grating my nerves.

Deliverer: What happened to our vow of honesty?

xPrince: That was me being honest.

R3ason: Not particularly sorry to interrupt, but could you two use the [Friend] chat or a Linkchat. You lot are not the only ones online.

LittleIca: It's totally okay you two!

R3ason: Ica, don't encourage this behavior.

LittleIca: We’re not using the guild chat right now. I think 3B would only have a problem if multiple people were talking over each other.

R3ason: That's besides the point.

Deliverer: Sorry, we can take this somewhere else.

R3ason: That would be preferred.

LittleIca: He’s a bit miffed after today's meeting of the scholars. Don’t take his words to heart.

Phainon’s attention is drawn elsewhere when he receives a call through SkyCord.

It's Prince.

He stumbles out of his chair and paces back and forth in front of his monitor. Snowy lets out a startled bark, but trails behind Phainon as he makes indents in his rug. Phainon doesn't think he’s been this nervous since he had a phone interview for his current job. And this was different, Prince was willingly reaching for him first, something that he could tell was rare for the other man. It makes his heart swell with something akin to pride.

The incoming call reaches towards the end of its jingle and his brain reminds him that he should be picking it up.

“...Since we were speaking of honesty prior. I’ll allow you this one thing. This is much more convenient, so don't read too much into it.”

He sounds a little flustered if Phainon strains his ears hard enough, but it also sounds a bit rehearsed. Was he practicing his words over and over until Phainon picked up?

“It is convenient,” he replies, “We’ll waste less time while grinding.”

“Farming.” Prince quickly corrects.

“Do you have an issue with the word ‘grinding’?”

“Not particularly, but I know how you enjoy innuendos and I’d rather not indulge you.”

“Are you still hung up on the ERP comment from yesterday?”

“...” So, he’s right on the mark then.

“I don't think that you do if that's what you're so concerned about.”

“Have you done it?” He asks like one would ask about the weather.

Phainon nearly chokes on his saliva. Honesty, yes, was the topic of today, but this was far beyond his expectations of conversation starters. Prince was curious about him being intimate with someone else, in character, no less.

“I’m not keen on roleplaying. I mean I used to—Not erotically.” he specifies, “But I’m…” The cogs in his brain start turning as the most obvious thing about this absurd situation comes to mind, “Wait, why are you interested in if I have or not?”

The call goes silent on the other end.

“You just didn't seem like the type.” Is what he settles on after a minute.

“And what do I seem like, Prince?”

“Deliverer.” He says in warning. His voice sounds raspy; Phainon can hear the click of his tongue as if he’s wetting his dry mouth.

They’re crossing a line right now, but he can't find it in him to care.

Boldness consumes him, “You’ve thought about it, haven't you?”

“No.” He says a little firmer this time, but still lacking the convincing factor. His ability to lie could use a bit more work, but Phainon supposed that was another endearing thing about him.

“I thought we were being honest.” Phainon chides.

“That’s your favorite word today.” He huffs.

“You didn't like me acting coy so now that I’m not you take issue with it? I’m not sure what you want from me, Prince.”

“I want you to stop talking.”

“But you called me.”

“And you’re making me have second thoughts about doing so.” Prince says without heat.

But Phainon can tell that he’s won and that's enough for him, for now, and so he relents, “Where are we farming today?”

Prince sighs, irritated, “Accept my invite. You’ll have to start doing the MSQ again soon if you want to level any further.”

Prince sends him the coordinates of the next area, a beach-themed resort with sandcastle mobs and turtles that have blue buckets for shells.

“Oh nice, I’m almost level 30 now.”

“Mm.” Prince hums in agreement, “Which god did you pick to worship when you created your character?”

“I don't remember actually. I was more focused on making my character look decent.”

“You call that decent?”

Phainon scoffs, “I don’t want to hear that from you of all people. Your main character is scantily-clad.” He slices through a bucketurtle with a hint of remorse as it despawns; leaving its pail behind as loot.

“That top is my best-in-slot. If it provides good stats, who cares how it looks?” Prince tags a few mobs and brings them over to Phainon for him to take the aggro from him. Phainon tags them all with Total Eclipse and draws them a little further from Prince to give him room to safely cast spells.

“And here I thought you cared about your appearance.” Phainon responds with a soft chuckle.

“I do. I just can't be bothered to make more costume prisms right now. And besides, I’ve been stuck with you the past few days so I haven’t had time to focus on my main.”

“You don't have to help me if you don't want to.”

“It's not that I don't want to—” He stops himself like he’s been caught red-handed. His character stills on Phainon’s screen, only to be jostled by a few angry mobs.

“So you can be honest.” Phainon smiles.

“I feel like I lose brain cells when I talk to you.”

He needs to change the subject before he ends up saying something corny, like, I feel lots of things when I talk to you. He racks his mind before he settles on, “Are you going to the meet up?”

“Wouldn't you like to know?” Prince teases and Phainon knows without a doubt that he’s smirking. It's funny how quickly his demeanor can change when he holds the reins in the conversation.

“I wasn't going to attend.” He lies, “I was just curious.”

“Oh.” Prince says, tone neutral.

“Are you disappointed?”

“I thought you would jump at the chance to see my face.”

He’s not wrong, but it does douse Phainon with a bit of shame when he hears it said aloud.

“So, you are going.”

“That remains to be seen.”

“If I don't go, you won't?” He supplies.

“I didn't say that.”

“You never say much of anything.”

Both of their characters come to a halt on the beach; the mobs around them long forgotten.

Prince sighs, “I am attending. It's one of the few times I get to see Nether, Nyan, and the others. Are you happy now?”

“I’m a little sated, yes.” But it's not enough. He wants Prince to say he wants him to come. It might be a fool’s errand, but he’s feeling quite foolish today.

“I’m not going to say whatever thing it is that you're thinking.”

Caught.

“And how do you know I’m thinking of something?”

“When are you not? You scoundrel.”

“Fair point.” Phainon laughs softly, “Where is it usually held?”

“In Janusopolis.”

Janusopolis is a two hour drive from Elysia. Depending on the hours of the meetup, he would have to wake up early and leave the event early to get there and back at a decent time. Still, two hours was significantly better than it being in another region or country all together.

“It's not as far as I initially thought. Maybe I’ll go.” He lays the bait as casually as he can, hoping to entice him.

“You're in the area?” He asks, the indifference slipping from his tone.

It's too easy.

“I might be near Janusopolis on that particular day.”

“I’m not going to beg, if that's what you're after.”

“It isn't. I didn't even think you knew of the word.”

“It seems that there is some semblance of brain activity that goes on in your head.” Prince replies smugly.

“You—” Phainon’s retort dies on his tongue as his attention is brought back to the game.

[Say] Puecesta: Hey Dei, why haven't you been grinding alts with us anymore recently?

[Say] Hephaestion: He’s playing with his partner, Pue. We should leave them be.

The familiar IGNs jolt his memory as he reads their messages. “You queue sniped me?” Phainon asks in surprise. He’s used to people thinking they're together by now, so he doesn't think much of that bit, but finding out that the dungeon run they shared prior wasn’t an accident, is a completely different story.

He can hear Prince groan through his headphones alongside the sound of him furiously typing.

[Say] xPrince: He’s not my partner. He’s a guildmate that I have a leveling bet with currently.

[Say] Puecesta: ?

[Say] Puecesta: Why are you helping your rival then? Wouldn’t leveling with us be faster?

[Say] Hephaestion: I hate to say it, but Pue has a point.

Phainon can see their characters’ mouths moving and the sound of Prince typing, but no further messages appear in Say chat. He wants so badly to know what they’re saying now, especially if it's gotten Prince this flustered.

“Prince,” Phainon tries again, “Are these your friends?”

The typing comes to a halt and Phainon can hear him sigh softly, “...Yes.”

“And you queue sniped me the other day with them.” He says more like a statement than a question.

“...”

“You told me I was delusional for thinking it was on purpose.”

“It was one time.” Prince scoffs.

“What am I going to do with you?” He admonishes.

Phainon can hear him suck in a breath, faint, but there's no mistaking it.

“I thought you didn't like innuendos?” Phainon continues.

“We shouldn't.” Prince breathes out. He doesn't have to clarify what he means for Phainon to understand, because he’s right they really shouldn't. Not now when there's barely a thread of friendship between them. Not now when it could make things awkward and strained and Phainon will have to go looking for another guild. He doesn't want that.

But above all Prince’s comfort is the most important to him. So he says, “We don't have to do anything you don't want.”

His voice barely picks up on the microphone as he whispers, “Wanting is the issue.”

Chapter Text

Chapter Six: Counterbalance

Phainon should feel way more guilt with how quickly he palms at his cock like a lust-addled teenager, but his mind is so focused on the shaky breathing that pulses through his headphones that he can't find it in himself to care. Prince is quiet, save for the strained exhale he lets out and the sound of rustling that fades in and out from the SkyCord noise-cancellation.

“Prince.” He nearly whimpers, the moniker sitting wrong on his tongue. He wants to say his name, his actual name, not just the tiny sliver he’s been falsely given. He hears Prince let out a groan in response, the sound muffled like there's something in his mouth. A shirt, perhaps, and that thought sends a chill down his spine.

“Are you touching yourself right now?” Phainon asks, his voice steadier than his hand fumbling at the drawstring on his joggers.

He’s given another punched out moan for his trouble. They're really doing this. The sound of slicked skin picks up in his headphones and Phainon’s mouth suddenly feels too dry, his skin too warm. He’s so fucking aroused he thinks he could pass out from all the blood rushing to his cock. Prince is just as desperate, they’re barely exchanging any words but Phainon can hear him panting like he’s starved.

“Prince—” He starts again.

“—Dei… Call me Mydei.” Prince—no—Mydei, manages to say between stuttering breaths. Of course his name is just as pretty as the stifled moans he’s making. The threads of his dishonesty unspool at the seams of pleasure and it's making Phainon lightheaded.

“Mydei.” Phainon replies. His hand meets bare skin and he should be more embarrassed by the precum that coats his palm, but he can't even focus on that, not when Mydei nearly whines—only nearly—just from the sound of his name on Phainon’s lips.

“Deliverer—” Phainon can’t help the soft chuckle that spills out from hearing his in-game name.

“Phainon.” He supplies with a smile that melts as his eyebrows furrow with pleasure, his bottom lip wedged between his teeth. This is not how he imagined they would exchange names, but he can't really imagine anything when reality is Mydei lust-stricken and wanting, and it's almost maddening how badly Phainon wants, too. He pumps himself harder, the sound of his shuddering breaths secondary to Mydei’s panting.

“I’m close.” Another quivering exhale escapes his mouth, his voice thick with desire, “Phainon.” Phainon’s heart stutters out of rhythm and the pad of his thumb brushes his slit, coaxing more precum from his cock. Phainon whines now, the sound almost pathetic to his ears, but he's too far gone to care. He hears Mydei’s rhythm falter, it's more erratic and desperate. They are both getting off on this sorry excuse for sex, both so pathetically hungry for each other, neither honest enough to admit it.

Phainon chases his climax, warmth coiling in his stomach, threatening to burst free with every jerky, twist of his wrist. Mydei tips over the edge first, he whispers Phainon’s name in a half-grunt, half-prayer and it’s almost enough to make him cum right then and there. He says Mydei’s name again, lets himself savor something that he didn't have to wrest nor coax from him; a secret freely given.

With one last pump, his thick, sticky spend covers his hand. His breath gets caught on a moan, and in response, he hears Mydei inhale shakily. The silence stretches on aside from the sounds of them catching their breath. It doesn't feel as awkward as he thought it would; the question now was if that feeling were mutual.

In his post-orgasm haze, he belatedly remembers that he’s covered in the evidence of what they’ve done and excuses himself to go towel off. In his haste, he doesn't even wait for a reply. Phainon grabs a towel from the clean laundry hamper and wipes at his hand, rubbing the cloth in between each finger, then a gentler touch below as he hisses from overstimulation. He tosses it into the dirty hamper and then leaves his room to wash his hands. He thanks every god above that Snowy slept through all of that, his fluffy body curled up on Phainon's bed, blissfully unaware.

When Phainon sits back down at his desk, Prince is still unmuted, thankfully, and his breathing is steady again.

“Are you okay?” Phainon asks.

He takes a moment before responding, “Yes.”

“Was that too much?”

“No.”

“I didn’t make things weird did I?” He can't help himself from asking.

“No, Phainon.” The sound of his name even more dizzying out of the fog of lust, “I wanted to.”

The admission shakes him a little bit. That he—as roundabout as he normally is—makes sure that Phainon knows firmly that he wanted to have sex with him.

“I wanted to, too.” He admits.

Mydei makes a grunt in affirmation, Phainon’s response clearly affecting him, and says, “There is one slight issue.”

“What's wrong?” He asks, worry starting to seep into his skin.

“We didn't get a lot of leveling in today.” Mydei says simply.

“What?” His mouth agape, wide enough for a fly to make its home, “That's what you're worried about right now?”

“I think you're not worried enough, Deliverer.” He can feel his shrug through the screen, “I mean, who was the one that declared he could best me in a week?”

Phainon laughs, soft and disbelieving, “You're something else, Prince.”

***

The shrill chirp of his alarm clock rouses him from his restless sleep.

It's Monday.

The fun of the weekend has dissipated and reality has settled in. Another thing has as well, settled and made its home in his mind even, the fact that he had SkyCord sex with Prince. He rubs his hands over his face as he lets out a groan. He should really feel worse about it or at least, he thinks he should. Barely being friends to having sex online in a span of time he’d rather not remember, lest he gets hung up on it again.

He waits for the shame to wash over him, but it never does.

After he goes through the motions of his morning routine and makes sure Snowy ate his breakfast, he opens his calendar to see that he has a Zip call with his boss in a few minutes. Showing his face today is the last thing he wants to do, but he doesn't have much of a choice. Phainon shimmies into something more presentable, a simple oxford button down and not much else considering that she’ll only need to see his top half and joins the waiting room. She lets him in on the hour, punctual as always.

“Phainon, good morning.” She says. Her sea-green eyes shimmer in the sunlight like gems, her golden hair is curled into loose ringlets and pulled up into a hefty bun.

“Lady Aglaea, good morning to you as well.”

“I’d like to have just a brief meeting about the drafts you sent prior. They’re good, but I want to request a few changes.” The screen flickers white for a second before her desktop appears on screenshare.

And for a glimpse before she opens Photo Viewer, he sees an oddly familiar icon.

“Saga of Heroes?” He says before he can stop himself.

Her lips quirk with amusement, “Yes, do you play as well, Phainon?”

“I’ve only gotten into it recently. It’s fun.” Fun, he says, like he didn’t just have phone sex with a guild member mere hours ago—and not just any guild member—Prince, who he’s been hopelessly entranced by since the moment they butted heads. Fuck. He and Mydei were really in it now and it takes every bone in his body not to get hard at the thought.

If Aglaea sees his inner turmoil, she gracefully ignores it, “Quite. I haven't had much time to play it myself these days, especially since I just came back from my trip this weekend. I hope my guild isn't too hectic in my absence.”

“Your guild?” He asks, his curiosity getting the better of him.

“I’m a guild master, but only in name.” She says fondly, “I should log in again soon, but enough about that. These drafts, Phainon, I like the palette choice you’ve made to accentuate the garments, but I’m not particularly fond of the visual elements that accompany them.”

He nods along as she annotates his concept boards and makes note of everything she says verbally. Aglaea isn’t picky, she expects perfection, it’s how her garmentmaking business has taken off so fast in the past two years. Phainon applied for a graphic designer position from a listing she had posted back then and in the past year, business was booming, so much so in-fact, that he spent nearly every weekend playing catch up. The workload has lessened substantially allowing him free time to spend all weekend gaming and hooking up—

Aglaea’s voice cuts through his thoughts, “Phainon? Are you okay? Your face is a bit rosy, you’re not getting sick are you?”

“I’m fine.” He barely manages to squeak out.

Her face remains puzzled, but only momentarily, before she continues, “I would like to see these revisions by Wednesday morning.”

“Yes, Lady Aglaea.”

As their meeting wraps up, Phainon asks the question that had been plaguing his mind the entire time, decorum be damned, “Lady Aglaea, if I may ask, what is your in-game name?”

She smiles, it’s a slight, gentle thing, “Goldweaver.”

***

Oh fuck.

His guildmaster is his boss.

LittleIca: Welcome back, Deliverer!

xNetherwing: Welcome back!

3B: Welcome back!

xXNyanXx: wb.

Goldweaver: It seems we’ve gained a new member in my absence. 3B has told me all about you, Deliverer. Welcome.

Lady Ag| He backspaces, remembering that he hadn’t disclosed who he was and that he would be doxxing her in the guild chat of all places. Psychic damage ticks over time in his brain as he also remembers that there is an IRL meet up in two weeks, which his boss may or may not attend. What are the chances that he joined the one guild in the myriad of guilds that belonged to his boss? Or maybe it was the same kind of fate that drew him to her job listing all that time ago.

Deliverer: Goldweaver, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for having me.

xXNyanXx: woah, loverboy is being so formal.

Goldweaver: Loverboy?

If the ground could swallow him up right now, that would be ideal. He is not going to discuss his love life or lack thereof or the weird limbo he’s in with his boss of all people.

Deliverer: Nyan is just making a joke from when we did a RATE together the other night.

Goldweaver: Nyan has been helping you farm? In my absence you became a model member?

He is just as skeptical as Aglaea right now, but he needs Nyan to clutch this.

xXNyanXx: of course, noobs need the guidance of op mentors, like me. ദ്ദി๑>؂•̀๑)

Thank fuck that she cares more about looking cool in front of Aglaea than making fun of him.

Goldweaver: Now that sounds more like you.

[Whisper][from: xXNyanXx]: you owe me btw.

Nevermind.

Of course she only covered for him for leverage, but still owing her was better than the alternative if he were to weigh poison against poison. He knows he’ll regret it, but he asks anyway:

[Whisper][to: xXNyanXx]: What is your price?

[Whisper][from: xXNyanXx]: what did you and little prince do yesterday?

It’s a sunny day outside, but there’s nothing he wouldn’t do to be struck down by lightning right now. No, someone has to look after Snowy. He thinks. He needs to calm down, this isn't a big deal. They are adults and they are free to do what they want, but talking about it with someone else is a bit different, he supposes, especially if that someone is the other person in question’s childhood friend.

[Whisper][to: xXNyanXx]: Is he okay?

[Whisper][from: xXNyanXx]: idk, shouldn’t you know? did you guys make out or something bc he’s acting more lovesick than before. it’s gross.

The first thing Phainon feels is relief.

The second is that Mydei might be the cutest man he’s ever known.

The third is how bad could Mydei’s shift in demeanor have been for her to pick up on something changing between them?

He opts for lying:

[Whisper][to: xXNyanXx]: We just grinded together.

[Whisper][from: xXNyanXx]: oh i’m sure you did.

Fair, he walked into that one.

[Whisper][to: xXNyanXx]: Seriously, we just stayed up all night the other day after you left, and hung out yesterday afternoon.

[Whisper][from: xXNyanXx]: whatever. i’ll find out the truth eventually. ʅ（◞‿◟）ʃ

He hopes for both of their sakes that she doesn’t.

Prince is online, but he hasn’t contacted him yet. Well now that he thinks about it, Prince has always invited or called him first, so he decides it’s his turn to pick up the slack.

His invite is accepted in seconds.

[Party][Deliverer]: Hey.

[Party][xPrince]: Deliverer.

[Party][Deliverer]: What have you been telling, Nyan?

[Party][xPrince]: That mouth of hers knows no bounds it seems.

[Party][Deliverer]: I think she just really cares about you.

[Party][xPrince]: Do you fully believe the words you’re typing right now?

[Party][Deliverer]: Not really.

[Party][xPrince]: I thought so.

He realizes Prince is being avoidant about what he told Nyan that caused her to ‘worry’. He was so good at leading Phainon right where he wanted him and being led by him wasn't as frustrating as it should be.

[Party][Deliverer]: She asked about what we did.

A minute passes by and if Phainon were to guess, it's because Prince is typing and backspacing trying to feign indifference and failing.

[Party][xPrince]: What did you tell her?

Prince has given up on subtlety it seems.

[Party][Deliverer]: That we had sex.

[Party][xPrince]: Phainon.

Riling him up shouldn't feel so good, especially when Prince is admonishing him.

[Party][Deliverer]: I just told her that we’ve been hanging out a lot which is true. Did you get nervous?

[Party][xPrince]: I don't get nervous.

xXNyanXx: look agy they’re in a party again.

Phainon curses the guild menu for showing their mutual statuses.

Goldweaver: Leave them be. Or are you acting petulant because you can't bully Prince all the time anymore?

xXNyanXx: ew. never say that again.

xNetherwing: Nyan, can you craft me some pots?

xXNyanXx: do i look like a charity to you?

xNetherwing: I have the mats.

xXNyanXx: what about payment for my labor? first bossman, now you, i should go on strike.

xNetherwing: Ica, can you craft some pots for me?

LittleIca: Sure thing, Netherie ♪(๑ᴖ◡ᴖ๑)♪

xXNyanXx: what am i, chopped liver?

Goldweaver: You are a one man show. Come to the guild house, we have much to discuss about the items you stole. Surely, you needn't extort anymore payment from your fellow members?

xNetherwing: Ha.

xXNyanXx: fuck u princess.

Goldweaver: Come along now, Nyan.

[Party][Deliverer]: It seems there are two people that can put Nyan in her place.

[Party][xPrince]: The guildmaster is a good counterbalance to her.

[Party][Deliverer]: And what about me? Am I a good counterbalance to you?

[Party][xPrince]: In your dreams.

And Phainon can hear the soft laughter between his words.

Chapter Text

Chapter Seven: Change in Perspective

What the fuck was he doing?

He groaned as he leaned back in his chair.

He knew of discipline, he knew of restraint, he knew of social norms, yet all of that amounted to nothing in the face of Deliverer—no—Phainon.

Phainon. An odd name, he thought, but one that fit him surprisingly well. Odd just like the man it was attached to.

What started as mild interest has quickly blossomed into something more. What that more is… He doesn't want to delve into that because he's sure he won't be too keen on what he might find.

He, at the very least, wanted to be acquainted with him, but the threads that tied together his self-restraint unraveled the moment he heard his voice. Phainon’s voice wasn't unpleasant, very much the opposite, and that was a problem. Lots of things about Phainon weren't unpleasant: his straightforwardness—Mydei enjoyed that he didn't have to parse his intentions—his thoughtfulness, his adaptability, his laugh—warm and rich—his moans—

Mydei slapped his hand over his face in frustration.

The pace they are moving at isn’t normal, what Phainon is doing to him isn't normal. He’s like malware, infecting every part of his mind, making him do things he would never even think of in his wildest of dreams. Like SkyCord sex.

All of the teasing had been getting to him.

And that scoundrel knew it.

What was more embarrassing about the whole thing, in the aftermath, was how quickly Phainon caught on to him touching himself. It was like a dam had burst and all shame had evaporated from his body. He’d never been like this in his life.

When Phainon asks, “I didn't make things weird, did I?” Some part of him can sense Phainon’s trepidation. In that moment, he felt that if he gave him the wrong response, he’d close off from him forever. He doesn't want that. So when he says, “I wanted to.” He means it. Even if he had to dig deep down within himself for that sliver of honesty because he really wanted to, more than he would ever like to admit.

He still hasn't moved on from it, but for the sake of his pride, he needs to. Or else he’ll crumble from the knowledge that his horniness trumps his rationality.

***

xPrince: I need to start catching up on the MSQ.

Is what he tells Phainon. It's true but it’ll also serve as some much needed space so he can get his thoughts in order. He also needs to remember that they're competing. No matter how much more fun it might be to party with him.

He queues into the next dungeon on his leveling list and grimaces as the duty instantly pops. Being a healer has its benefits, but being a healer for one of the dungeons that's touted as a newbie wringer is not one of them.

[Party][Skott]: Hello.

[Party][SkottIsAPig]: o/

[Party][3rdWheel]: o7

An e-couple. Great.

Skott, the tank, RP walks out of the gate as the duty starts. His duo spams the kissing emote at his character and pulls out lightsticks to cheer him on as he shrugs on his tank stance just to tag one measly mob. Mydei cannot believe his eyes right now. He has to refrain from typing something snarky, especially around unfamiliar company. This game is infamous for taking reports seriously and all it takes is for one improperly worded insult for his account to wind up temporarily suspended. He’s already eaten a suspension before—he still doesn't regret the reason why—but the time away from the game wasn’t exactly enjoyable, so he has since then been a bit more reserved.

He’s patient at first. He really is. It's a virtue his mother had taught him a long time ago, but when they're twenty minutes into the run only to have just made it to the first mini boss, his patience runs thin.

They exit the first mini boss’ arena and enter the room he’d been dreading since he first saw the duty pop. It's the room with over 40 mobs, notorious for wiping parties if the tank and healer sucked. Not that he has to worry about wiping since this run is the equivalent of drowning in an inflatable kiddie pool.

A snail could run laps around this god awful tank.

Frustration getting the better of him, he sprints ahead and tags every mob in the room, the screech of the enmity sound effect blares in his ears as he runs back to the party so that his terrible tank can pull aggro off of him.

[Party][Skott]: You pull, you tank.

[Party][SkottIsAPig]: How dare you make my hubby pull more than he can handle?

Holy fuck, this insufferable duo.

He doesn't have time to type back because if he does, he's definitely going to die and the last thing he wants is for this smug fucker to have the satisfaction of being right. Fine. He doesn't need a tank. The other DPS, the red mage, hesitates for a second before helping him out. He thinks they’ve probably grown tired of this slog too, but didn't have the guts to say anything out of fear of rocking the boat. Together, they clear the horde of mobs while the e-couple watch. Mydei smiles, the tank’s griefing goes unrewarded.

Until the dungeon fades to black and Mydei is teleported back to the front of the guild house.

“Those fuckers abused the vote-kick.” He sighs. All this over pulling more mobs so that the dungeon run wasn't the length of a feature film. He’s taken Phainon for granted. The other man would have quickly taken aggro off of him, no questions asked. He freezes in place, why was he thinking about Phainon? He’s played just fine all these years without him so what did it matter now? There would always be terrible tanks and teammates, playing with him the past few days wouldn't change that fact so why—

His headphones ring with the whisper jingle.

[Whisper][from: 3rdWheel]: thanks for trying to salvage that run man.

[Whisper][to: 3rdWheel]: It was nothing.

[Whisper][from: 3rdWheel]: still, i appreciate it. i quit the duty and reported them for abusing votekick. hopefully you won't have to deal with that again, you're a good healer.

[Whisper][to: 3rdWheel]: Thanks. You're a better tank than he was.

[Whisper][from: 3rdWheel]: i don't think it takes much to be.

Mydei’s lip quirks into a small smile at that.

[Whisper][from: 3rdWheel]: but thank you.

He accepts the request out of courtesy. He hopes they don't continue making small talk because it isn't really his forte. Mydei just wants to make it through this level grind with the least amount of distractions and the least amount of incompetent teammates.

Thankfully, 3rdWheel doesn't message any further. And Mydei decides maybe he should contact Hephaestion and Puecesta so that he doesn't have to go through that agony again.

[LC#3] xPrince: Hey guys.

[LC#3] Hephaestion: Oh, hey Dei.

[LC#3] Puecesta: Look who came crawling back. LOL.

[LC#3] Puecesta: Did you have a falling out with your lover?

[LC#3] xPrince: How many times do I have to reiterate that we aren't together?

[LC#3] Puecesta: Yet.

[LC#3] xPrince: Never.

[LC#3] Hephaestion: Even I have a hard time believing that, Dei.

[LC#3] xPrince: Get lost.

[LC#3] Puecesta: Our prickly prince has gotten even pricklier than before. He’s even snapping at you Phae.

He rubs at his temples. Dealing with Puecesta was like dealing with Nyan, equally annoying and tiring to deal with.

[LC#3] Hephaestion: Did something happen again? I’m still sorry about the beach thing.

Hephaestion was a different story. Being mean to him felt like kicking a puppy, evil and objectively awful.

[LC#3] xPrince: No, nothing happened. And I should be sorry about what happened at the beach. Despite being miffed about having my plan exposed, I shouldn't have been rude in the linkchat.

[LC#3] Puecesta: Holy shit. Dei admitting he deserved his comeuppance? The game is EOS tomorrow.

Mydei can feel his eyebrow twitch with annoyance.

[LC#3] Hephaestion: Come on Pue, is that any way to react after he’s apologized? It's okay, Dei.

[LC#3] Puecesta: If I hadn't known you all these years, I’d think you were faking being a saint, Phae.

[LC#3] Hephaestion: You're being exaggerative. I’ve gotten mad before.

[LC#3] xPrince: I just experienced the worst YPYT in the universe and I think even that wouldn't give rise to anger within you, Hephaestion.

[LC#3] Hephaestion: You overestimate me. I think it’d definitely annoy me.

[LC#3] Puecesta: Oh that's why you came crawling back. You remembered the true nature of this game. Your rose tinted days of love and reverie are nothing in the face of what us normies have to go through, pugging.

[LC#3] xPrince: Do you ever tire of being irritating? Just curious.

[LC#3] Puecesta: I love you too, Dei.

[LC#3] Hephaestion: Really? That’s the third time this month.

[LC#3] Puecesta: I’m gonna get my account flagged at this point if you keep doing that.

[LC#3] xPrince: That's a foolish superstition. You know that.

[LC#3] Puecesta: If my account disappears tomorrow would you miss me?

[LC#3] xPrince: No.

[LC#3] Puecesta: I walked into that one.

[LC#3] xPrince: Look, are we going to run dungeons or not? I’d rather not queue with randoms if I can avoid it.

[LC#3] Puecesta: Yeah, yeah. It's hard being the other man. My boyfriend only comes home when he wants something.

[LC#3] xPrince: Bold of you to assume you’ve earned the status of the other man.

[LC#3] Hephaestion: LOL?

[LC#3] Puecesta: WHAT THE FUCK? PHAE DON’T LAUGH. FUCK YOU DEI.

Mydei chuckles at his monitor. He feels a hint of regret for neglecting them the past few days, but admitting that would be cringe, so instead he types:

[LC#3] xPrince: Accept my invite before I change my mind.

***

Cipher calls him right at 8pm when her shift at GameStart ends, like usual, on her drive back home.

“Dei, I had the most bongwater day today.” She sighs. Mydei can hear her seat belt click and the car door shut. The car doesn't start yet, so he knows she needs to concentrate to tell him her story. He’s mildly curious about what could cause her to deflate so badly, but he wouldn't give her the satisfaction of his interest, even for a bad day like today.

He waits for her to continue.

“One customer came in, a woman in her 30s, and you might be asking, why is this important? Please keep this fact in mind when I tell you the rest.”

Mydei knows she doesn't like being interrupted so he gives a small grunt in affirmation.

“She didn't even look at any of the games on display, just walked up to the front desk and told me that she had to pee. In my mind, I’m wonderin’ ‘what does that have to do with me’, but I’m on the clock so I tell her, ‘sorry, it's employee only.’ She starts clamping her legs together, dude. Does like that weird squirmy dance that you do when you have to go really bad. And I have to repeat myself. I’ve been told not to let customers in there no matter what.” She sighs again, heavier this time.

“She keeps doing the weird dance and asks me if I have any morals. I do, just not on the clock. So, I turn her down again. She looks me straight in the eye and says that she’ll piss herself. A biohazard violation, mind you.”

“Holy shit.” He whispers to himself.

“Yeah, holy shit is right, Dei. So, I’m like what are the rules in the employee handbook for this situation? I ended up just saying fuck it and let her go. We have carpet so it wouldn't have been an easy clean either.” Cipher’s car starts up in the background.

“And then I got yelled at by bossman for letting her go. What the fuck was I supposed to do? Let her piss on the floor? I’m not made for cleaning piss off of floors, Dei. If I wanted to do that, I’d be a staff member for a diaper fetish convention.”

“I’d pay to see that.” Mydei laughs quietly.

“You’d pay to see me clean up piss? You sick, perverted man.”

“No, to see you humiliated.” He jests.

“A humiliation kink too. Doctor, I fear it's a severe case of perversion.” She clicks her teeth in disapproval, “Do you think Deliverer is into that?”

“What?” He nearly yells, “What does he have to do with this?”

“He’s your boyfriend, isn't he?”

Mydei’s brain short-circuits for a second before he retorts, “He’s not my boyfriend. He’s barely an acquaintance.”

“You two are well acquainted alright. How was the phone sex?”

“He told you?” His indifferent facade began to slip.

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” Her laugh is so earsplittingly loud that he has to move his phone from his face, “You guys had phone sex? HA.”

He feels so stupid for falling for her bait. Of course Phainon wouldn't tell her about what they did. He doesn't know why, but he feels like he can trust him, only slightly, so he feels awful for doubting him.

“Fuck you.” He mutters.

“Man, it was a shot in the dark, I’m good at this.” Her laughter begins to die down,”And before you answer, no, I don't want to know about what you two got up to.”

“I wouldn't have told you regardless.”

“Yeah, yeah. You haven’t been telling me as much stuff lately. I’m feeling neglected.” Her dejected tone makes him feel a little guilty. “...Sorry Cipher.” He manages.

She bursts out laughing again and Mydei can feel irritation starting to well up inside him, “You’re so easy to mess with. Besides, we still talk every day. That's not going to change any time soon is it?” She says a bit more seriously.

“No.”

“Good. Because I need someone to take the load off after A DOGSHIT SHIFT. I love my job, in case you couldn't tell.”

“Yeah, I couldn't, could you explain it to me again?”

“So there was this lady—” She starts.

“Cipher.” He laughs softly.

Mydei hears her pull into her driveway, “Okay, I’m home. I’ll hop online after a shower.”

“See you, Cipher.”

“See ya, Dei.” The call ends and Mydei places his phone down with a fond sigh. As irritating as she was, she was irreplaceable in his life. Cas and all the other guild members too. He wonders if he’d call anyone else like this, just to share in daily worries or secrets.

Well, whoever it ends up being, it’ll have to be after Cipher’s shift.

Chapter Text

Chapter Eight: Set Your Heart Ablaze

xXNyanXx: listen up worms. i wanna do treasure maps on sunday.

3B: I’ll be free. Goldy should be too.

xNetherwing: Me too, Ica and Reason should be as well, but Reason might not attend if Weaver does.

xXNyanXx: tell him to suck it up. what about you lovebirds?

Deliverer: I have to reach level 100 by midnight on Sunday because of the bet, remember?

xXNyanXx: ok and? if u don't make it, just buy a level skip so we can do treasure maps. we need 8 people.

xPrince: I know much doesn't go on in that head of yours, Deliverer, but can you at least deny her words?

Deliverer: She’s going to keep doing it regardless, so why give her the satisfaction of us vehemently denying it?

xXNyanXx: wtf. don't give out my secret recipe like that. if dei doesn't freak out what is the point?

Deliverer: Actually, it makes sense when you put it like that.

xPrince: Who’s side are you on?

Deliverer: Whichever side that makes you squirm.

xXNyanXx: i knew u were a kindred spirit deliverer.

xPrince: It was already enough to deal with one insufferable headache, now there’s two.

xXNyanXx: wait, it just occurred to me. Σ(°ロ°) you guys r supposed to be competing.

Deliverer: You’re kidding.

xXNyanXx: tbf i didnt gaf about you two’s competition before. now, i just don't want little prince to win. call off work or something n focus up.

xPrince: ?

Deliverer: I can't call off out of the blue.

Aglaea would kill him.

***

“Phainon, you’ve been looking awfully red lately, are you sure you’re not getting sick?” Aglaea says in concern as she looks over his revisions.

It’s Wednesday morning and as promised he’s finished modifying everything she asked for down to the minute details. Despite his mind being occupied with Saga of Heroes, he’s been good at not opening it during work hours, something that should be the bare minimum, but nonetheless a feat in its own right.

“I—” He pauses for a moment, Nyan’s words pop into his head. No, he shouldn’t use his limited vacation days for something this unimportant. Well, it wasn’t unimportant to him, but he could use that time for a game release he’s been looking forward to or booking a hotel just to get away for a few days, not just for an extra day of grinding—in the farming sense—mind you.

“Oh dear, this might be more serious than I thought.” She says, worry painting her perfect face, “I’ll note you as off for the day tomorrow.” She pushes up her glasses with one manicured hand before she types away at her laptop, “Finish up the work with incoming deadlines that are posted on the spreadsheet that I’ve shared with you, so you can rest tomorrow.”

It takes every muscle in his face not to gawp at her, “Thank you Lady Aglaea.” He says dumbfoundedly.

She smiles softly before ending the call and Phainon sits in stunned silence. Silence that is breached by the sound of his phone dinging.

It's a SkyCord ping.

xXNyanXx: @Deliverer you lucky dog, there’s a burning event from wednesday night until sunday.

Deliverer: A burning event? Like MapleTale?

xXNyanXx: holy flashback, yeah like that. peep the site. https://www.sagaofheroes.com/events/burning

Phainon clicks the link while hoping it's not some elaborate phishing scam by Nyan.

“This seems way too good to be true.” He mutters.

Deliverer: You didn't doctor this link, right?

xXNyanXx: i’m offended that you think i have so much free time that i would dedicate it to pranking you.

Deliverer: I don't know, Nyan. It would've been a pretty good prank.

xXNyanXx: true. i wish it were fake now. ( ´_ゝ`) but it's not so you better beat prince or else.

Deliverer: Or else what?

xXNyanXx: [Removed for violating SkyCord’s Terms of Service.]

Deliverer: LOL?

Deliverer: But I will say, I already planned to cinch the victory.

Prince: Bold words, Deliverer.

Deliverer: I’m just stating the truth, Prince.

Prince: You're mighty cocky for someone who didn't even know what the letters MSQ stood for a few days ago.

Deliverer: I suppose, but aren't we at the same level currently? You talk big but your knowledge only amounts to the same amount of progress as this so-called noob.

Prince: Levels you would have failed to otherwise gain without my assistance.

xXNyanXx: (￣▽￣;) am i interrupting something?

Deliverer: Not at all, Nyan. The floor is yours.

xXNyanXx: i might make an alt for the event idk yet. but that’s a lot of work.

Deliverer: Oh, what would you have an alt for?

xXNyanXx: wouldn’t you like to know, deliverer boy?

Deliverer: You two really are childhood friends.

Prince: What do I have to do with this?

Deliverer: Alike in so many ways, yet you don't even know it.

xXNyanXx: i think he’s finally lost it.

Prince: Agreed.

Goldweaver: I was wondering why my notifications were going haywire. Nyan, don't you have a shift in an hour? And Prince, aren't you on the clock?

Phainon nearly jolts from his seat from the sight of Aglaea’s name. Thankfully, she doesn't comment on what he should be doing, but his anxiety spikes all the same.

xXNyanXx: here comes the responsible police. i’m already dressed. can't i just relax before i head out?

Prince: I’m on break. What about you, Weaver? Surely you're working right now.

Goldweaver: It's a tad hard to focus with my phone buzzing incessantly. You all are rarely this lively during work hours.

xXNyanXx: i blame deliverer.

He rubs his hand across his face in despair. He knows Nyan doesn't know how much agony this is causing him yet he can't help feeling like he's being thrown under the bus.

Deliverer: Nyan was just helping me.

Goldweaver: It seems Nyan has been aiding you a lot recently, something she very rarely does. Should I have you to thank for her change in behavior, Deliverer?

Deliverer: Not at all. Nyan has been very accommodating and kind since I’ve joined.

He cringes as he sends the message. Even he doesn't believe what he wrote.

Goldweaver: You're being very modest. I’m sorry I’ve been finding it just a bit hard to believe.

xXNyanXx: you wound me.

Goldweaver: I wouldn't have my doubts if you didn't have a history of making things difficult for the other members.

xXNyanXx: i don't think cleaning up the guild chest counts as a difficulty.

Goldweaver: I think we have very different definitions of the word cleaning.

Goldweaver is typing…

Goldweaver: Regardless, I’m sorry to interrupt you all. I’ll be silencing the server until I’m off for the day. Please ping me if the need arises.

Prince: Later, Weaver.

xXNyanXx: bye agy.

Deliverer: Goodbye, Weaver.

xXNyanXx: dude you get so formal around her it's so funny.

Deliverer: Why wouldn't I show the GM respect?

He lies.

xXNyanXx: bc she's a normal player like the rest of us?

She has a point. But how does he say, ‘Goldweaver is my boss and I will evaporate on the spot if she finds out who I am?’ without sounding crazy. And then there’s the issue of the IRL meet up. He’s in such deep shit.

Prince: Is something the matter, Deliverer?

Prince being concerned about him without trying to disguise his words in layers that he has to peel back in order to get to the root of them makes his heart thump a little harder than usual.

Deliverer: No, it’s nothing. I have to get back to work.

xXNyanXx: slacking on the job? smh my head.

Prince: Nyan, you’re going to be late at this rate.

xXNyanXx: idgaf. i can be late as a treat for what i had to go through the other day.

Prince: Fair.

He’s a little curious, but he’s already announced his exit. He wonders if he could ask Prince later. He shakes his head, even if he did ask, Prince would probably laugh at him and it wasn’t particularly his business either. Phainon stretches back in his chair before going back to work; he has a long day ahead of him especially if he wants to allow himself some leeway for Friday’s workload.

***

“Level 100 doesn't seem like a distant dream now.” He says as he adjusts his headphones.

Every single map and instance is flooded with player characters. The servers even temporarily crashed from the surge of activity which caused the queue time to get back into the game to be over an hour. Phainon luckily was 33rd in queue so he got back in relatively pain free. His guild members on the other hand haven't been so lucky.

xPrince: Finally. That queue wait time was abysmal.

Deliverer: Welcome back.

xPrince: 6 levels in my absence.

Deliverer: You're welcome?

xPrince: Thanks.

Deliverer: You do remember your manners, I’m glad.

xPrince: Get lost.

Deliverer: I worked very hard to log in after the servers crashed. I’m not going to let that effort go to waste.

xPrince: That was corny, even for you.

Deliverer: Did you laugh at least?

xPrince: You wish.

If he were to be honest, yes, he does wish that he would laugh. But for someone that demands honesty from others, he finds himself lying a lot. Especially to Mydei.

Deliverer: Never.

xPrince: Someone’s not very honest.

Phainon can feel his face flush with heat. Prince’s ability to discern his lies from the truth always makes him feel hopelessly exposed. And if he’s feeling this way, why not share the feeling, after all, sharing is caring.

Deliverer: I think some introspection would do you well, Prince.

xPrince: I appreciate the concern, Deliverer, but I don't think pointing out the truth warrants such a thing.

Deliverer: I believe it does. You’re looking awfully pot shaped right now.

xPrince: ?

Deliverer: The idiom the pot calling the kettle black?

xPrince: Sorry the brain cells I have left from speaking with you were struggling to form a connection.

Deliverer: Accidental self burn?

xPrince: Focus on your leveling noob.

Deliverer: So you're resorting to name calling because you can't think of a good retort. Cute.

xPrince: I’m not cute.

Him denying it somehow makes him even cuter.

[xXNyanXx] Time is money. ƪ(˘⌣˘)ʃ

Deliverer: You’re adorable.

xPrince: You scared her off.

Deliverer: She’s willing to go through the queue again for an hour for a joke?

xPrince: You severely underestimate her commitment to the bit.

Deliverer: But earlier she told me she wouldn't dedicate time to a prank.

xPrince: She loses nothing from this.

Deliverer: We’re not that bad to deal with.

xPrince: ? How am I involved in this?

Feeling bold he sends:

Deliverer: It's your fault for being so cute.

The stretch between his message and Prince’s next is borderline torture, but filling in the gap by imagining him flustered is enough to tide him over.

xPrince: Can we not do this here?

Deliverer: Then where do you suggest?

xPrince: Why decline?

Deliverer: We’re competing, remember? I don’t want to halt my farming progress.

He’s lying of course, his character stands still near a teleportation crystal as his black-scaled dromas nips at his feet. He feels a little remorse for leaving Prince with only one other option, but he’s been avoiding him recently. If this was the only way to force his hand, then so be it. His lips curve into a smug smile when he hears the telltale sign of his victory.

The sound of the SkyCord incoming call jingle.

“...”

“Hi.” Phainon says, his prideful smile permeating through the word.

“Hurry up and say what you need to say.” Prince huffs.

“Is there something in particular you want me to say?”

“You're wasting my time.”

“You seem pretty impatient today, Prince.” Phainon chuckles softly. His stubbornness is deeply endearing; Phainon should feel bad about teasing him so much, but he doesn’t. Not if it gets the other man to behave this petulantly.

“Someone refuses to get to the point.”

“It sounds like you really want me to say how cute you are.”

The call goes silent.

“Is something the matter?” Phainon asks.

“That brain of yours.” Prince manages to retort back.

“I think my brain works perfectly fine, thank you very much.”

“I beg to differ.”

“What do you have against the word cute?”

“I think it's a word reserved for things that deserve it, like cats.”

“You're like a cat, prickly like one too.” He says easily.

“And you're like an annoying puppy.”

“So you're saying I’m cute.”

“No, I’m saying you need to be trained.”

Through sheer willpower he doesn't get hard at the insinuation that lies behind those words. He needs to behave, but the low hanging fruit is too irresistible.

“Are you offering?”

Prince scoffs, “I don't have time to dedicate to training a mutt. Especially one that yanks at its leash at every turn.”

“I can behave.”

“I have a hard time believing that.” He lets out a quiet laugh and Phainon's heart thumps like a drum out of rhythm.

“Your laugh is nice.” He says before his mind can stop him.

“...”

“You don't take compliments well, do you?”

“No one has the gall to call me cute or compliment my laugh like you do.”

“More people should.” He replies and he means it. It's a wonder how more people haven't discovered his charm, but then some twisted part of him thinks that it's better if only he knows this side of him. He sighs internally as he buries the thought.

“I’d prefer if they didn't.”

“So it's okay if I do?”

“Is misconstruing my words your favorite pastime?” Prince sighs.

“No, but seeing you flustered is.”

“I’m hanging up.”

“Okay, I’ll talk to you later, Prince.” Phainon smiles.

Yet, the call doesn't end.

“...”

“I thought you were going to hang up?”

“Do you get a kick out of stating the obvious?”

“A little.” Phainon admits with a laugh.

“You're infuriating.”

“And yet you're still here.”

“I have nothing better to do.” Is what Prince settles on.

“So that’s all I’m good for, huh?” He says in mock disappointment.

“Nothing more.”

“Now that's just a lie.” Phainon moves his character as he gets hit with the AFK warning to avoid getting booted out and forced to experience the hellish queue wait time.

“You wish.”

“Hmm,” He says while his mind drifts back to earlier, “What happened with Nyan’s shift?”

Prince lets out a large sigh and he thinks he might have asked the wrong thing, but before that train of thought can leave the station, Prince responds, “It's a long story.”

“That bad?”

“Yes.” He agrees easily.

“Then I won't pry.”

Prince laughs, “It's not like that.” He relays the story to Phainon without Nyan’s signature dramatic flair.

“She did deserve to clock in late today.” Phainon says with a soft laugh.

“Agreed. I don't know what I would have done in her place.”

“What do you do for work, Prince?”

He pauses for a moment before responding, “I work for Kremnos’ Tomes.”

“One of the largest book-selling chains? I heard their CEO is really young.”

Prince clears his throat, “Yes. Or so I’ve heard.”

“I didn't take you for the book reading type.”

“What's that supposed to mean?” He asks, affronted.

“It's not meant as a slight. I mean, look, we play video games in our spare time.”

“I read on my breaks. Or in the mornings before I log in on the weekends.”

“Oh.” Is all he can say. Imagining him, or rather, his character sitting while captivated by a book is a pleasant image. Prince is far from what Phainon initially thought and he’s never been more happy to have his preconceived notions be wrong.

“Hmph.” Prince huffs back, “And what about you, Deliverer, do you enjoy reading?”

“A bit. I prefer reading about antiques and art history.”

“Oh.” He says thoughtfully, “I wouldn't have expected that from you.”

“It seems we have a lot to learn about each other.”

“I’m not particularly interested in learning more about you.” Prince says.

“Translation: I want to know more about you, but I’m bad at expressing my interest.”

“You're fired.”

“Come on, I think it was pretty spot on.”

[LittleIca]: Dispel the gloom~ ٩(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)۶

[xNetherwing]: I shall remember this warmth.

[xXNyanXx] Time is money. ƪ(˘⌣˘)ʃ

xXNyanXx: that was not worth the wait.

Deliverer: Welcome back everyone.

xPrince: Welcome back.

xNetherwing: Thank you!

LittleIca: Thank you ^^ Thank goodness the queue popped right as I came back from walking with Ica.

xNetherwing: Oh cute! Can you send pictures of him in #pets again later?

LittleIca: Sure thing, Netherie! ٩(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)۶ He’s gotten a little plumper since last time.

xXNyanXx: thnx. are the two lovebirds done clogging up the chat?

xNetherwing: Oh did something happen while I was away?

Deliverer: Nothing, Nyan is just being Nyan.

xXNyanXx: and you guys are busy being gross.

xPrince: I did nothing of the sort.

xXNyanXx: i bet you were swooning while deliverer was calling you adorable.

You know what, he deserves this for sending that message in the guild chat. He closes his eyes and sighs in defeated acceptance.

xNetherwing: Now that would be a sight to see.

xPrince: Not you too, Cas. I did not.

“What no jokes on your tongue, Deliverer?” Prince asks.

“Have you become so conditioned that you expect one at every turn?” He jests back.

LittleIca: So when’s the wedding?

That stops both of them in their tracks. Phainon nearly chokes on nothing as he hears Prince try and fail to stifle a cough.

xPrince: We’re not getting married, have you lost it?

LittleIca: I don’t think so, no?

That gets a laugh out of Phainon.

“Shut up.” Prince mumbles to him.

“Sorry.” He says, but they both know he doesn’t mean it in the slightest.

xXNyanXx: being mean to ica is a new low even for you dude. he’s whipped guys.

xNetherwing: Well, I for one am happy for you two.

xPrince: What? Don’t go along with whichever narrative suits your fantasies.

“Deliverer, can you say something?” Prince says over the call, almost pleading.

Deliverer: Something.

“I fucking hate you.”

xXNyanXx: see? deliverer’s not even denying it.

Phainon should not be laughing as hard as he is right now, but he can’t find it in him to care. His eyes well up with tears as he swings his body back in his chair. He hears the sound of the call end jingle blip in his headphones and that only serves to make him laugh even harder. Fuck, teasing him should not feel this good nor be this funny. When his chest heaves with strain, he lets out one more dry laugh before sliding his chair back up to his desk.

xXNyanXx: does he know that the queue time is now up to two hours?

Well, at least Phainon can widen the gap a little bit more before Prince gets back on.

His direct messages on SkyCord light up with an image from Prince.

Prince: Deliverer, you’re dead meat.

And Phainon can’t help the flood of laughter that spills from him, laughter that Prince can always easily draw from him.

Chapter Text

Chapter Nine: Soup for the Soul

Having today off to play SoH would be amazing under any other circumstance. Except in this particular one, Phainon wakes up plastered in sweat with a fever. Staying up all night until 4:00 am and grinding while getting little to no rest all week has finally caught up to him. His head hurts something awful and as he forces himself to sit up, the throbbing intensifies with every small sway of his head.

Snowy lifts his body from Phainon’s stomach and noses at him with worry. Phainon absentmindedly smooths down his fluffy fur with his fingers. He needs to brush Snowy’s coat later so that his fur doesn't get all matted. He sighs. His body aches like he's pushed himself too hard at the gym, his skin is warm and clammy, and his voice comes out a little hoarse when he attempts to speak. There's something to be said about Aglaea’s clairvoyance; he’s simultaneously in awe and upset about it. He did need this day off; just not in the way he expected.

He shifts out of bed with effort and opens the door so that Snowy can eat his breakfast. Before he turns back to lie down, he remembers that he has to refill his bowl with fresh water so he slogs behind Snowy down the stairs to the kitchen. After making sure Snowy ate his food and lapped at his water, he slinks back into bed with a tired groan.

When Phainon wakes up again, he’s soaked through the bedsheets with sweat. Light doesn't peak through the slit of his curtains and he knows for a fact he’s slept through the whole day. He rolls over to check his phone, it’s 7:32 pm. It's around the time he would be playing after work anyway so if not for Aglaea’s kindness, he would have spent the time he slept at his desk. If he thinks about it like that, it makes him feel a little better.

He sits up and places an order on a delivery app for soup and calls for Snowy with his gravely voice. Phainon may be sick but Snowy still needs to go outside for the day. Since his body aches, he takes Snowy to the dog park and unlatches his harness to let him roam free.

Phainon settles down on one of the plastic benches; the cold of the plastic seeps into his sweat-damp pajamas as he pulls out his phone to see what notifications he’s missed. He nearly leaps from the bench when he sees that he has a few unread direct messages.

Prince: Are you logging in today? You normally beat me to it. Sent at 7:00 pm

Prince: You didn't respond immediately, is everything okay? Sent at 7:15 pm

Phainon clenches his phone gently as he presses his wrist to his sweaty forehead. He ponders for a moment if there's a word that encapsulates Prince any better than cute and he finds that there are no other contenders. He’s so cute it's almost maddening.

Deliverer: I’m sick and overslept a bit. I’ll be on in twenty, I’m walking Snowy right now.

Prince: Snowy?

He snaps a quick photo as Snowy stills to tilt his head at him. It's a little grainy in the low streetlamp light but he sends the picture anyway; the failings of technology cannot diminish Snowy’s charm anyway.

Deliverer: [Tap to open 13.3 MB attachment]

Prince: He's cute. His coat looks good too. Samoyeds are pretty high maintenance.

Phainon feels his chest puff up with pride.

Deliverer: Thanks, I need to brush him again soon.

Prince is typing…

Prince: Are you feeling okay?

Deliverer: If I say no, will you comfort me?

Prince: You have the energy to joke around so it seems you're well enough.

He hesitates for a moment before sending his next message.

Deliverer: If I’m being honest, I don't feel too well.

He cringes internally from allowing himself the moment of vulnerability. Snowy pads over to him and sits obediently as he waits for Phainon to attach the leash to his harness. Phainon, thankful for the distraction, slips his phone in his pocket and shakily kneels down in front of him.

“Good boy.” He says fondly as he gives him a soft pet. Phainon opens the gate of the dog park’s exit and lets Snowy lead the way home.

When they arrive, the porch light’s gentle glow illuminates the take out container on the door mat. He’s glad he placed the order before he left because waiting another excruciating hour would have turned his stomach to dust. Snowy’s feeder dispenses his dinner as Phainon opens the front door and slides his shoes off. He unclasps Snowy from the harness and watches him take off in a flurry of fur. He chuckles weakly and sets his food down at the table to eat next to him. Phainon melts into the chair as his body shakes with chills.

The soup is still warm and the savory broth kindles his dull tastebuds. He places his soup spoon down to curl some of the rice noodles around his fork, they're still a little chewy, thankfully not dissolved into mush from sitting in the broth for too long. Phainon lets out a gentle hum after he slurps them down. He takes a bite from a sliver of meat and a few crunchy bean sprouts then belatedly remembers that he was messaging Prince prior to walking back so he checks his phone again.

Prince: Do you want to talk about it? Sent at 8:12 pm

Prince: It's okay if you’d rather not. Sent at 8:15 pm

Prince: Phainon? Sent at 8:30 pm

Phainon groans in frustration. His throat protests against the sound causing him to cough weakly into his arm. He feels so bad for forgetting, especially when Mydei seems so concerned. Despite how gravelly his voice is, he decides to call him.

Mydei picks up on the first ring.

“Hey.” Phainon says, more like, rasps out.

“You sound awful.”

“Thanks?” He laughs dryly which is a mistake due to how much it makes his throat burn again.

Remorseful, Mydei says, “Sorry. I didn't mean it like that.”

“I know.” Phainon replies softly. He idly picks at the remainder of his food with his fork, “It's okay.”

“Are you sure you're okay with talking?” He pauses, “…It's not hurting you is it?”

“I appreciate the concern, but I called you. I think I can handle a little bit of talking.”

“Says the same guy who got sick from barely sleeping.”

“Wha—” Phainon gasps, affronted, “How am I the only one in this predicament then?”

“I, unlike you, got adequate rest. Remember how I told you I was off on Monday?” Phainon makes a muffled sound in affirmation, “I slept in then and yesterday too.”

“How do you have so much time off with a retail job?”

Mydei pauses before offering,“...My boss is very generous?”

Phainon contemplates that for a second before agreeing, seeing as how benevolent Aglaea tended to be, it didn’t seem to be outside of the realm of possibility, “You know I had today off—” Phainon stops as he hears a sound from Mydei’s microphone, “Are you that happy to hear me speak that you're purring?”

“Your sickness has made you delirious, Deliverer, it's my cat, Leo.” He says incredulously.

Phainon perks up a little, “Wait, send me a picture.”

“He’s my profile picture.”

“And?” He replies petulantly, “I want a candid, right now.”

Mydei huffs but Phainon hears him shifting around. And sure enough, his phone dings with a new message.

Prince: [Tap to open 2.1 MB attachment]

Phainon tries not to verbally make a noise when he opens the attachment but fails as his throat catches, and a garbled sound breaks free. Leo with his dense, orange fur sits contentedly with his eyes glued shut in Mydei’s lap, but what catches Phainon off guard is Mydei’s muscled and tattooed arm wrapped around his body. Phainon can feel his mouth go even drier than it already was.

“Is something the matter?” Mydei asks, his tone uncertain.

“No, nothing.” Phainon says dumbly, “I just didn't expect you to have tattoos.”

“You’ve imagined how I look?”

“How could I not? Surely you’ve imagined me too.”

“Can't say that I have.” He replies stubbornly.

“Says the guy who got off to my voice.”

“...”

“No witty retort today, My— Prince?”

“Your prince?” Mydei says, quick on the draw.

“Ah, there it is.” Phainon laughs, more like coughs, “Apologies, I didn't know if you would prefer me calling you Prince.”

“...Mydei is fine,” He mumbles then corrects with, “At least when we're alone.”

“Mydei.” Phainon tries tentatively, testing the weight of his name on his tongue.

“What? Don’t wear it out.”

“Are you shy about me calling you by your name?”

Mydei huffs, “As if.”

“If I didn't know any better, I would assume that was the case.”

“Aren't you assuming right now?” He hears Mydei’s chair creak and a soft meow, “Hurry up and log in.” Mydei whispers gently, but Phainon can still hear him if he strains, “Sorry Leo, I just had to move a bit.”

“Someone’s eager.” He smiles.

“Whatever.”

***

xNetherwing: Welcome back, Deliverer! o7

LittleIca: Welcome back! ♪(๑ᴖ◡ᴖ๑)♪

Deliverer: Thanks Nether and Ica!

xNetherwing: Don't push yourself too hard.

LittleIca: Mm! Proper rest is important.

Deliverer: Oh, did Prince tell you I was sick?

xPrince: What am I, your messenger?

Phainon pointedly ignores his message, despite still being in a call with him.

xNetherwing: Oh, you're sick? I hope you feel better soon.

LittleIca: You should be in bed! >:( Also, I hope you get well soon, Deliverer.

Deliverer: Sorry, I’m not quite following.

xNetherwing: We just assumed something happened, you didn't log on until now.

Deliverer: Is that my reputation now?

xNetherwing: My apologies, my message wasn't intended to be rude. It's just you’ve been fired up about leveling recently, so when you didn't log in today everyone was a bit worried.

Phainon’s heart swells a little, he’s a little embarrassed that he's gained the reputation of being a no-lifer but the fact that they were worried about him makes him more emotional than he’d like to admit.

Deliverer: No need to apologize, Nether. I’m touched that you all thought about me, thank you. I hope you're all taking care of yourselves too.

LittleIca: Of course. ٩(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)۶

xNetherwing: As best as we can. We need to be in top shape for next week.

Deliverer: Next week?

Phainon can hear Mydei sigh, “What?” Phainon asks.

“Nothing. I’ll let her explain.”

xNetherwing: The 3.0 patch is next week. New PvE content will be released alongside PvP, crafting, etc. I don't know if everyone is up for defending our top 10 PvE title, but Nyan and I are going to aim for reaching the new level cap as fast as possible.

Deliverer: What will the new level cap be?

xNetherwing: Level 200.

Mydei stifles a laugh as Phainon sputters. He’s only level 66. He hadn’t even thought about reaching the level cap yet, 100 was daunting enough.

xNetherwing: Don’t fret though. The new MSQ is normally enough to raise one class to the level cap. I have an alternate account that I use to read the story since I have to skip it to level fast enough.

Deliverer: What about Nyan? I thought she didn’t have an alt?

LittleIca: She’s a story skipper. o(╥﹏╥)o

xNetherwing: I keep trying to convince her to read it, but she’s stubborn as always. It’s really good. Have you been reading your quests, Deliverer?

He can’t say that he has. He’s been so one track minded about leveling that the thought of stopping for the story hadn’t occurred to him.

Deliverer: I haven’t, sorry.

xNetherwing: It’s okay, but if you ever have time I would suggest going back to read it! No pressure, of course.

LittleIca: Cassie writes fanfic of two of the heroes from the MSQ. She includes lore tidbits even I didn’t know about.

“Oh, that’s cool.” Phainon thinks aloud.

“They’re pretty good.” Mydei says offhandedly.

“You’ve read them?”

“Why not? I thought we established that I enjoy reading. Why not support a friend’s hobby as well?” He says as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

xNetherwing: Ica!

LittleIca: Oh, sorry was that supposed to be a secret? I think they’re really good, Cassie. I recommended some to De, aren’t they good De?

Phainon tries and fails to stifle a dry laugh as he hears Mydei groan.

“Not a word.” He responds and Phainon can hear the embarrassment in his tone from being found out.

xPrince: I like your writing, Nether. Especially the stories about their rivalry.

xNetherwing: Thank you. I feel a little exposed, but I know it wasn’t malicious. (っ- ‸ - ς)

LittleIca: I want to apologize, Cassie. I really like your work. If it helps any, I haven’t said that it’s you to the other people I recommended your work to.

xNetherwing: Who else did you tell about my slash fiction?

LittleIca: Everyone in the scholar society, I think? Some IRL friends and my fellow shift workers at the hospital. I read them during my short breaks.

Phainon doesn’t have to know nor see Nether to guess that she’s probably screaming internally.

xNetherwing: How many people are in the society’s CWLC, Ica?

LittleIca: About 400, why?

LittleIca: Oh dear, I’m going to go call her. Good night all.

She logged out before Phainon could even type back ‘good night’.

“Is it that bad if other people read it?” Phainon asks.

“I think it’s because of the…subject matter.”

“What’s in it? Isn’t it just fanfiction of two of the characters from the game?”

“It’s…” Mydei coughs awkwardly, “You’re not going to make me spell it out are you?”

A lightbulb goes off in his head, “It’s erotica.”

“Yes.”

“You read erotica?”

“Of course, that’s where your mind takes you after that entire conversation.” Mydei grumbles.

“How could it not? I just found out that you read—”

“Fuck off, how is it surprising that I read books?”

“I didn’t finish my sentence,” Phainon admonishes, “I was going to say I just found out you read erotica. I didn’t take you as the type.”

“You didn’t take me for the reading type either, so I think it’s not wholly wrong for me to assume that you were going to make another joke about my lack of literacy.”

“I wasn’t going to, I think you’re very literate.” It comes out of his mouth more sardonic than he intends.

“Sure,” Mydei says unconvinced, “Let’s say that you do, then what’s wrong with me reading erotica?”

“Nothing’s wrong!” He replies a little too fast and his throat rasps, “Ow, if Nether permits it, send me the link later. I’m curious now.”

“I doubt she will. She’s only recently gathered the courage to post them all. And now they’re plastered everywhere.”

“Oh, you knew of her work before?” He asks before piecing it together aloud, “She did mention that you’re one of her childhood friends.”

Mydei hums thoughtfully, “Yes, we don’t get to talk as much anymore outside of the game due to our incompatible schedules. Ica and Nether are closer because of that, but I’ve always known Nether writes stories. What about you, Deliverer, any childhood friends?”

“Back to Deliverer, again?”

“It’s more comfortable.”

Phainon feels that it’s not fully the truth, but he doesn’t push it, “I haven’t kept in touch with my childhood friend in years. Somewhere along the way we’ve lost contact. I think it’s nice that you still talk to yours and have managed to make it work.”

“I agree,” He says so softly, it makes Phainon’s heart skip a beat, “I’m sorry you haven’t been able to keep in contact with yours.”

“It’s no big deal. I still cherish a lot of things from her, so even if we don’t talk anymore it’s like she’s still around.”

“Like what?” Mydei asks, curiosity coloring his tone.

“My enjoyment of sappy romcoms.”

“You do seem like the sappy type.”

“You’re allowed assumptions but I’m not?”

“Because mine are correct, yes, I’m allowed them.”

“Your logic is so backwards.” Phainon says, but he laughs anyway.

“You didn’t deny it though.” Mydei shoots back.

“So you’ve imagined that I’m sappy.”

“No.”

“You were doing such a good job at being honest today. I feel bad to see the streak broken.”

Mydei scoffs, “I’m always honest.”

Phainon doesn’t justify that lie with a response.

“You can enjoy your silence all you like, Deliverer. It’s true, I haven’t imagined you in that way.”

“In the sappy boyfriend way?” He tries.

“What are you on about?” Mydei bites out, clearly shocked by his words.

“Too soon? I mean we’ve already—”

“Not another word,” He says through gritted teeth, “Clearly your sickness is not just of the body, but of the mind too.”

“Then help me feel better,” Phainon murmurs as he slumps against his deskmat. His brain fog, that he’d been ignoring, feels like it’s closing in on him.

“What do you want?” Mydei sighs, giving in.

“Just keep talking.”

And Mydei obliges.

Chapter Text

Chapter Ten: And Thus the Victor Is Crowned

To Nether’s credit, her works are really good.

After being encouraged by Ica to be more proud of them, Nether shared the link to her works in the SkyCord server. Phainon is still as under the weather as ever, but Aglaea graciously gave him a half-day—part of which he spent in bed reading Nether’s slash erotica. He’s particularly invested in the budding romance between the paladin and the dark knight, their oaths polar opposite of each other, yet that doesn't matter in the face of their love—maybe Mydei was right about him being sappy.

He gets up from bed to log into SoH for the day; his body is still sore, but his brain fog has cleared substantially. He has 30 levels left to go and a little less than two days to do so. Luckily, it's Friday, so he can stay up as late as he wants, even if future Phainon will severely regret it.

xXNyanXx: wb

3B: Welcome back!

xNetherwing: Welcome back!

Deliverer: Thank you all!

Curious about Mydei’s progress, he decides to take a peek:

Mydei is 10 levels ahead.

Last night, Mydei spoke to him until his eyes grew heavy. This time he heeded Mydei’s words and made it to his bed before sleep overtook him instead of in his office chair, thus sparing his back. Phainon recalls hearing him clacking away at his keyboard in the background and a few disgruntled sighs, ones that could only stem from playing Saga of Heroes, but 10 levels seemed like a lot; especially considering Phainon was 6 levels ahead not that long ago.

He’s getting complacent.

He has less than 36 hours to reach level 100; less than 36 hours to prove Mydei wrong.

Speaking of Mydei, the whisper notification plays in his headphones.

[Whisper][from: xPrince]: You're on early today.

[Whisper][to: xPrince]: Are you too embarrassed to message me in the guild chat?

[Whisper][from: xPrince]: What are you on about? I don't want to inconvenience everyone else.

[Whisper][to: xPrince]: Aw, are you afraid of getting all sappy in front of them?

[Whisper][from: xPrince]: It seems your sickness isn't gone yet. You're clearly still delirious.

[Whisper][to: xPrince]: It would be impressive if I got over a cold in a day.

[Whisper][from: xPrince]: So you don’t deny that you’ve lost your mind.

[Whisper][to: xPrince]: Far from it.

[Whisper][to: xPrince]: Anyway, I have levels to catch up on. Stop distracting me.

His SkyCord rings and he chuckles to himself before he picks up. Mydei has been way more proactive recently and he wonders if it's because he's worried about him, or the more delusional part of Phainon thinks—it's because he likes him. Not that Phainon believes Mydei would ever admit that out loud, but it's hard to tamp down the feeling of hope that sprouts within his chest.

Hope?

That gives him pause. Phainon likes Mydei, yes, but in that way?

Who was he kidding, he's already fallen for his prickly charm. Somehow it isn't some new revelation, but rather, the warm feeling in his chest blooms and spreads in a gentle pulse. He picks up the call; suddenly more self conscious than usual.

“You wanted to hear me that badly?” He jests, trying to stave off the blush filling his cheeks.

A call lasting 5 seconds with Prince has ended.

Deliverer: Really?

Prince: I felt so revolted by your comment that I had to leave.

Deliverer: ?

Deliverer: But you called me?

Prince: A mistake on my part.

Deliverer: I guess we won’t be able to talk today.

There’s no way he’ll fall for it.

Prince is calling.

He’s never been more happy to be wrong.

“What caused the change of heart?” He asks, unable to hide his smugness.

“I’ve grown accustomed to your incessant yapping while playing that it’s hard to focus otherwise.”

Isn’t that just a roundabout way to say you like spending time with me? He thinks, but doesn’t have the courage to say, so instead he replies, “Oh? My services don’t come for free, you know?”

“They seem pretty free to me.” He challenges. Phainon can’t really argue against that. It’s true, he relents too easily to Mydei.

“Well, it’s hard to deny a customer who’s so eager for it.”

“You wish.” Mydei responds, but Phainon can tell he’s a little flustered.

Phainon chuckles before changing the subject, “How did you get 10 levels up on me? I was ahead the other night.”

“I got lucky with rare spawns during RATEs last night. You know the maiden that gives extra EXP and drops on defeat?”

“No, I didn't even know that was possible.”

“I think her spawn rate is .03%. Not that it matters, I was able to fell 4 of them with my party.”

“And here I thought you were grinding harder.”

“More like you’ve been slacking lately. What happened to all your bravado newbie?” Mydei taunts.

“In case you've forgotten, I’m sick. But it's of no consequence, you’ll be eating your words soon enough.”

“Hmph. We’ll see.” He responds, clearly unconvinced.

Phainon goes through the RATE party finder to see if there are any slots open. Every single group disappears the second he refreshes the page. It doesn't help that every map is filled to the brim with players and that Shout chat is spammed with people complaining about kill stealers. It's inevitable when there's only so many instances and maps to farm, but if it continues this way, dungeons will be his only option.

“How are you finding a party to farm with? There's none available.” Phainon finally asks.

“I have friends grinding with me.”

“You have friends?”

“Fuck off.” Mydei says, unamused.

“It's just you have been spending so much time with me I didn't think that you did.”

Phainon can hear Mydei open his mouth and close it, clearly unable to come up with a retort.

“You're not going to refute me?” Phainon laughs.

“Get lost.”

“If I do, you’ll just call again.”

“...”

“Okay, okay,” Phainon says gently, “I’ll stop teasing you.”

“I find it hard to believe that.”

“Fair. It’s just you’re so cute—”

Mydei huffs, “Not this again.”

“Is handsome better? No, that doesn’t work, I don’t know what you look like.”

“You’ll find out soon enough if you go to the meetup.”

“It sounds more like you’re eager to see me.”

“In your deluded dreams.” He scoffs.

“Okay, then I won’t go.”

“I’m not falling for it.”

Phainon laughs, “You’re learning.”

“You irritate me to no end.”

“That’s a weird way of saying you like me.”

“I thought I fired you from your interpreter job. You’re still shit at it.”

Phainon pouts, “Aw, come on. You rehired me because you couldn’t resist my charm.”

“I would sooner die than do that.”

“Now you’re just being melodramatic, Mydei.”

“Didn’t you say you needed to focus?”

Phainon does recall that in some capacity, but he’s mindlessly farming, and talking to Mydei is a nice reprieve from the repetitive grind, so he replies,“I don’t mind you interrupting my focus.”

“First you say you mind, then you say you don’t. Which is it?”

“Hmm, I’ve decided that I like being bothered by you.”

“So now I’m a bother,” Mydei jests, “Don’t come crying to me when I beat you.”

“I’m starting to think you’re the delusional one.”

They sit in call again, nearly all night—until Mydei has to clock out a little earlier than usual. He mumbles something about catching up on work and reluctantly, or at least Phainon thinks so, leaves the call. Phainon spends the rest of the night grinding in silence, feeling a weird ache in his chest. The game is fun, yes, but it just doesn’t feel the same without talking with Mydei.

***

Phainon wakes up after 4 hours of sleep to get back to grinding. Sickness be damned, he was getting level 100 before midnight. He’s down to the last 10 levels and Mydei isn't logged in yet. He’ll make so much progress it’ll make him regret taking this competition so lightly.

[Party]PlsCommend: Hi everyone!

[Party]Deliverer: Hey.

[Party]Here2Party: o7

The healer doesn't send anything in chat which isn't particularly weird, lots of players refrain from greeting the party, but Phainon should have known that was the first sign of the ensuing disaster.

Phainon casts his Sprint spell and grabs all of the trash mobs until he reaches the invisible barrier that blocks the next room off. He uses his first mitigation spell and goes through his rotation, but he realizes his health is falling way too fast; especially considering that he has a White Mage healing him. But then he hears it, the dreaded, grating sound of the Cure I spell.

Cure I in a level 90 dungeon.

Even though he's only been playing for a week, he's looked up guides on healers to better understand how their spells impact his tanking, and he knows for a fact that it has no place in high level content. His character goes down from lack of proper heals and subsequently the rest of the party goes down with him, with his enmity lost, the mobs tear through his party’s HP bars like paper.

[Party]Deliverer: Hey, sorry to bother, but could you use your higher tiered heals? Cure I unfortunately isn't enough to keep me up even with mitigation.

[Party]PayolaLegend: There's a 15% chance it won't cost any MP.

Freecure fishing.

In a level 90 dungeon.

Kephale, his chosen patron god, grant him strength.

[Party]Deliverer: It's mana inefficient to spam Cure I hoping for a free Cure I proc. You have a lot of mana conserving spells in your kit. ⤷Please use them.⤶

[Party]PayolaLegend: You don't pay my sub.

Phainon closes his eyes and shakes his head in defeated acceptance. This run was fucked and he’d be better off eating the penalty. But a 30 minute queue ban was a lot especially when this dungeon was super efficient until level 94.

He tries to appeal to their humanity:

[Party]Deliverer: You're right, I don't pay your sub. I just wanted to help so that we can have a run that's fun for everyone.

PayolaLegend: Do you think I need your help? I cleared Aquila Ultimate.

The WHM shows off their scepter made from Aquila's spine—the orb settled at the tip of it—the god’s rainbow eyeball, pulsing in different hues intermittently. Sure, they had the weapon to prove the clear, but the fact that they were using Cure I in a level 90 dungeon, mind you, didn't do much to assure him that it was acquired legally.

He tries again.

[Party]Deliverer: I don't think you need my help. We’ve just party wiped so I wanted to make sure it doesn't happen again.

[Party]PayolaLegend: Well I’ve cleared many runs of this dungeon without any problems, so it must be a skill issue on your part.

I’m sure you have| He backspaces and takes a breath. He's not going to fall for this obvious ragebait.

Phainon silently thanks whichever party member started the votekick and watches as the healer gets booted from the instance.

[Party]Here2Party: sorry for the late votekick, i just wanted to see what excuse they would come up with.

[Party]PlsCommend: Yeah, props to you for not blowing your top man.

[Whisper][from: PayolaLegend]: You fucking snake. I’ll report you for abusing the votekick system.

[Party]Deliverer: I don't deserve any, but I almost did, unfortunately.

[HealingPerSecond] has joined the party.

[Party]HealingPerSecond: Duty in progress? Something happened here.

[Party]PlsCommend: You don't wanna know.

[Party]HealingPerSecond: That bad, huh?

[Party]Here2Party: we almost got a bingo. ydpms, paid ultimate weapon, and cure i. lvl 90 btw.

[Party]HealingPerSecond: LMFAO.

[Party]Deliverer: You're not going to let me die, right?

Phainon jests.

[Party]HealingPerSecond: I’ll let you get dangerously low, so don't panic press your mits. I won't let you die though.

[Party]Deliverer: Good, that's the way I like it.

The rest of the dungeon goes on without a hitch. The autofilled healer true to their word kept him alive. Unfortunately, the hiccup at the beginning wasted way more time than if he'd just ate the penalty and did RATEs until it wore off. He sighs, no use in worrying about what he could have done.

He queues up for the next dungeon and hopes that luck will be on his side this time.

***

It’s 11:59 pm and Phainon is 33 EXP away from hitting his goal.

He cancels his dungeon queue and teleports to the closest farming area in hopes of finding a quick mob to kill. After spawning in, he pops Sprint and grabs the aggro of a stray mob 5 yalms away from him to secure his hard-earned victory.

The clock strikes midnight.

“It’s my victory.” Phainon says triumphantly. Mydei is quiet on the other side of the call, probably processing his own defeat.

“Hmph.” Mydei responds, petulantly, “It appears so.”

He thinks he should feel ashamed for spending all those long nights staying up to squeeze in an extra hour of farming, for meta gaming and following guides, for neglecting his health to the point of getting sick, but he doesn’t, not when victory tastes this sweet.

3B: Congrats!

xNetherwing: Congratulations!

LittleIca: Congratulations!

Deliverer: Thank you everyone!

xXNyanXx: that’ll be 200k balance coins Ica.

xPrince: You two bet on it?

LittleIca: Not exactly. I couldn’t pick either of you, so Nyan said if Deliverer won I’d owe her, so I reluctantly agreed. I still feel bad for us not being able to clear Aquila-2.

xPrince: Nyan.

xXNyanXx: what? you wanna pay me in her stead?

xPrince: Or you could stop trying to extort Ica.

LittleIca: It's fine. 200k is no big deal.

xXNyanXx: spoken like a person with limitless pockets. do u wanna chip in more to the prize pool?

xPrince: You're shameless.

xXNyanXx: you wouldn't understand the plight of us poor folk. ʅ（◞‿◟）ʃ

LittleIca: Do you need more money, Nyan?

xPrince: Ica, don't fall for it.

xXNyanXx: go make our with ur boyfriend.

xPrince: For the last time we aren't dating.

LittleIca: You still aren't?

xXNyanXx: LMFAO. since you’ve made me laugh i’ll lower the price to 500k balance coins.

xPrince: Don't you mean raise? And Ica, there is no ‘still’, we’re not going to.

“Why don't you ever help me out when they do this?” Mydei asks, slightly miffed.

Phainon pauses in mock thought, “Because it's cute seeing you flounder around.”

“I shouldn't have asked.” He sighs.

“Anyway, now since I won the bet, I get to choose my prize, don’t I?”

“Well, I am a man of my word,” Mydei relents, “But, I have the right to decline if it’s outrageous.”

“I want a picture of you.”

“...”

“It’s okay if you’re not comfortable with it and would rather not. I—” He pauses, a little embarrassed by how desperate he is, “...I just want to see you.”

Mydei is quiet for a moment before the silence is broken by Phainon’s DM alert notification.

Prince: [Tap to open 21.96 MB attachment]

Phainon lets out a strangled noise that he’s sure breached the noise suppression of his microphone.

Mydei is breathtaking.

In the picture, his lips are set in a half-frown, a blush blooming from his ears down to his neck, his striking amber eyes set on the camera, sending a shiver down Phainon’s spine, his lashes are long and thick. His blonde hair streaked with red is tied up in a messy, low bun with a single braid that has slipped out his hair tie which is capped off with a brass piece of metal that glints from the harsh light of his computer. Mydei’s arms and scarlet tattoos are on full display as he’s wearing a black muscle tee that strains across his bulky, muscled torso and if Phainon looks close enough, he can see the thin sheen of sweat coating his sun-kissed skin.

Phainon realizes that his in-game character is not too far off from him, just as soft yet virile which should be a contradiction, but nothing else he can think of can encapsulate his duality. He’s beautiful and so undeniably Phainon’s type. He’s not proud of it, but he saves the photo in case Mydei decides to delete it later. His chair creaks when he awkwardly shifts in his seat as he feels heat begin to pool in his gut. It should be mortifying how easily he’s gotten hard over just a candid of him, but he’s already accepted that no matter how Mydei looked it would have caused the same reaction.

“Phainon?” Mydei asks, his voice piercing through the haze of lust that starts to well up within him.

“Mydei.” He breathes out, and he knows that he’s failed to keep the desire out of his tone.

Mydei laughs, but there’s no humor in it, only poorly veiled hunger, “Really? Over a picture of me?”

“Have you seen yourself?” He bites back, no longer trying to hide his arousal.

“No,” He pauses, “Why don't you tell me how I look to you?”

“Beautiful,” He says without hesitation and he hears Mydei suck in a breath, “I want to press a kiss to every inked line on your body.”

A quiet groan escapes Mydei’s mouth.

Phainon continues, “I want to press my tongue against your sweat streaked skin—slot my lips against your neck, and taste you.”

Mydei’s breath hitches again and Phainon can't help but find it cute how hard he fails to hide his want. Phainon’s hand slips into his boxers and it’s instantly smeared with precum. He adjusts himself in his chair to get his wrist at the right angle as he lazily pumps himself, spreading the slick across his cock.

“I’d let you.” Mydei responds breathily and Phainon can’t help the moan that slips out.

“Mydei.” He says as he opens his eyes despite them squeezing shut from the pleasure thrumming through him to stare at the picture again, he’s so ridiculously aroused it hurts, his cock throbs, hot and heavy, begging for more attention. He hears Mydei’s shuddering breaths, the sound of his skin squelching from pumping into his fist, “Are you imagining that my hand is the one wrapped around you?”

“I wish it was,” Mydei admits, “I want you to touch me, Phainon.” He’s so honest with his desire that Phainon feels lightheaded.

He swallows, “I’d touch you everywhere you’d let me. I want to make you come undone.”

“Everywhere I’d let you?” Mydei laughs, voice husky, “It seems you do know how to behave.”

“You've trained me well.”

“Good boy.”

Phainon shivers violently, “Fuck,” His hand moves faster around his cock, “Where would you let me touch you?”

“Everywhere. Places no one has been allowed to touch. I’d let you, Phainon.” He lets out a shuddery breath.

He barely staves off his orgasm that threatens to spill just from Mydei’s words alone. “I wish I was inside of you,” He pleads, so achingly desperate, “Would you let me? Please, I’d be good, Mydei.”

“Yes.” He whispers, clearly affected by the thought of Phainon filling him up inch by excruciating inch, “You’ve been so good for me.”

Phainon feels so fucking hot—he peels off his shirt with his free hand, and wipes at the sweat beading on his forehead. He ruts shamelessly into his hand. His chair creaks from the pace he’s set and he's sure Mydei can hear it from the way he bites back a groan.

“I want to see you.” Mydei pants, voice raspy and fraying. He can tell he’s close.

Phainon obliges like Mydei controls every bone in his body; maybe he does. He turns on his webcam, almost shocked by how fucked out he looks in the preview.

Mydei did this to him.

“Phainon.” Mydei gasps, his breathing heavy and uneven. The sound of him pumping into his fist comes to an abrupt halt as he tries and fails to stifle a shaky moan.

Phainon whines in disbelief, “Mydei, did you just—” His words are caught in his throat as Mydei’s camera flicks on, showing him lying back in his chair, his thick, spent cock drooling on his shirt. His sunset eyes are eclipsed by his pupils, blown wide from arousal. His lips are red and parted; his pretty, pink tongue peeks out to wet them. Phainon swears this image will be seared into his mind forever. He barely completes another pump before his body lurches forward; he’s coming all over his fingers, coating them in his seed—seed his lust-addled brain wishes he could bury deep within Mydei. The other man shudders, his cock weakly twitching from seeing Phainon climax, and fuck if that doesn’t reignite his desire that hasn’t even had time to die down.

Mydei’s eyes bore into him, ravenous and filled with want; he feels so exposed under his gaze, but he can't pry himself away—he allows himself to be devoured.

“You're…” Mydei starts, “better than I expected.”

“Thanks?” Phainon responds dumbly.

“Sorry, that didn't come out right,” His voice is so ragged that Phainon feels weirdly prideful, “You’re pleasant to look at.”

“You are too. I mean we got into this over your picture.”

“You should take one.”

Phainon nearly sputters, “So you can jack off to it?”

“That's what you were going to do with mine, isn't it?”

Phainon can't deny that.

Mydei smirks, “I thought so.”

“I’m becoming a pervert because of you.” He groans.

“You already were one.”

“You wish,” He feels the cum on his hand begin to cool, “I need to clean up. You should too.”

Phainon nearly explodes internally when he closes the door behind him and makes the trek to his restroom.

They did it again.

One time can be written off as them both being pent up and seeking release in any way possible, no matter what stranger it might’ve ended up being with, but two times, is harder to justify. Not that he could deny his feelings for Mydei anymore. He’s made that clear enough.

Either way, guilt still doesn’t make its appearance, but instead hunger does.

The picture of Mydei isn’t enough.

Seeing him on video isn’t enough.

Phainon wants to kiss him, wants to taste him; wants him in any way Mydei will allow him. He thinks he’s never been this horny in his life—no—that’s not quite it; he likes Mydei, more than he thinks he should for the length of time they’ve known each other, but he can't find it in him to care.

Phainon likes Mydei.

He just hopes he feels the same.

Chapter Text

Chapter Eleven: Something Treasured

xXNyanXx: @everyone treasure maps in one hour worms. you can bring your own too, but i’m clearing out my stash first. i’ll be relaying info in #soh-vc. you can mute yourselves if you want and type in the guild/party chat instead.

xXNyanXx: also give me prio on rolls or i explode you. thnx (*´ω｀*)b

LittleIca: I’m so excited! We haven't gotten to play together as a guild in a while. ٩(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)۶

xNetherwing: Me too. Owner needs, everyone greeds @xXNyanXx?

xXNyanXx: yeah, if i get what i want we can ffa the remaining maps.

LittleIca: What item are you hoping for, Nyan?

xXNyanXx: Zagreus’ Cloak of Trickery it has an abysmal drop rate. 3 billion balance coins on the market board btw.

Phainon tabs back into the game. Mydei has abandoned his alt account, xPrince, and asked for it to be removed from the guild since he’ll probably no longer be using it after he lost the bet; he made it to level 99 before midnight but ended up being 100k EXP off. Phainon is a little sentimental about it, but Mydei’s main isn't too dissimilar from his other character except for a difference in modesty.

Mydei pads up to him on a ferocious, orange lion, its mane thick and streaked with red not unlike its owner. He’s unequipped his [Wrath of Kremnos] aura and instead has bracelets made of red crystals slotted in his accessory slot. He’s still almost practically naked, the only heavy armor on his body are his brass greaves that slot over his sabatons. He hops off of his lion, despawning it, his feet clanking against the ground as he folds his arms with a grin.

Prince: It feels good to be on my main again.

Deliverer: Sorry to pry you away from it for a week.

Prince: Although I may have not achieved my goal, it wasn't unfun. Victory will be mine next time so prepare yourself, Deliverer.

Deliverer: Already raring to go again? I guess my victory wasn't crushing enough. Don't you feel ashamed for losing to this noob?

Prince: A noob that needed the assistance of an EXP boost event to barely scrape by. Shouldn't you feel ashamed of your hollow victory?

Says the guy who came from seeing my face| Time, place, occasion—Phainon reminds himself; they are talking in the guild chat.

Deliverer: I think my victory was very fulfilling, Prince. Especially for you.

Prince: Anyway, the race to level 200 starts tomorrow, and you're off on a worse foot. Let's see if you can accomplish that goal in a month.

Mydei clearly understands the subtext in his words and refrains from taking the bait, a pity.

Deliverer: But what if I’m not up to the task?

Prince: Are you turning down a challenge?

Deliverer: Of course not. I just don't see how you only having 50 levels to grind versus my 100 is fair.

Prince: Hence, why I’m giving you a month to do it. The EXP gains needed to level up after 100 are steep. I assume the level cap rising will only serve to make it worse. I’m not saying you have to beat me, you just have to do it in that timeframe.

Deliverer: And what if you win?

Prince: You’ll see when the time comes.

Deliverer: You sound so assured of your victory.

Prince: Why wouldn't I be? You should be more nervous about it.

xXNyanXx: sorry to interrupt you guys’ foreplay but we’re meeting up at The Vortex (26.0, 91.0) in 10 minutes. i pinged but you both didn't respond.

Prince: What is wrong with you?

xXNyanXx: is that not what this was? ( ´_ゝ`)

Phainon prays to every god above that neither Nyan nor Prince continue this conversation.

Goldweaver: Hello everyone.

Deliverer: Welcome back.

Prince: Welcome back, Weaver.

xXNyanXx: wb agy.

[LittleIca]: Dispel the gloom~ ٩(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)۶

[xNetherwing]: I shall remember this warmth.

[R3ason] In a world full of lies, I am the only truth.

[3B] See you tomorrow.

Goldweaver: Welcome back all.

Prince: Welcome back.

LittleIca: Thank you!

Deliverer: Welcome back.

xNetherwing: Thank you!

3B: Thank you everyone!

R3ason: Thanks.

xXNyanXx: The Vortex (26.0, 91.0) bring your maps if you have them n make sure your inventories are clean. we’re getting a lot of useless drops today.

[Whisper][from: Prince]: If you want, we can ride my two-seater. It’ll be more convenient.

[Whisper][to: Prince]: How romantic.

[Whisper][from: Prince]: Nevermind.

Despite what he’d typed, Mydei spawns his dromas and lets Phainon ride with him. When they arrive at The Vortex, everyone is already gathered around Nyan.

xXNyanXx: lovebirds, vc, remember?

Phainon hops in the #SoH-VC and immediately mutes, if Aglaea hears even a breath from him, he’s screwed. Everyone else in the voice channel is muted except for Nyan and Phainon realizes this will be the first time he hears her.

“Listen up, I have 70 maps to go through. Before anyone complains, I’ve heard the probability of getting a portal is less than 20%. If anyone else has maps after we clear my stash, we’ll do them. Remember, loot rules are Need for me, Greed for thee. After I have gotten my items, it’s a Free-for-All. If there are any objections, speak now or forever hold your peace.” No new messages appear in the chat, “Good. Starting now.”

Nyan’s character scans the area with her hand pressing against her forehead; her torso twisting side to side looking for any signs of loot. A treasure chest appears in a flourish of confetti and smoke at her feet. She cautiously reaches down to open the chest and a horde of monsters spawn in—completely surrounding the party. Mydei and Phainon turn on their tank stances and he realizes that Mydei will be his co-tank, he’s so used to seeing him on Berserker on his main that he forgot he had other classes leveled. Mydei takes the pack to the right while Phainon takes the group on the left. Their characters’ backs face each other as the party splits up to burst down the mobs. Ica keeps his health above 1 HP, the only hit point that matters, and focuses on spamming Holy IV, which flashbangs his screen with every cast.

After the monsters are felled, Nyan walks up to open the chest again and when she does a rainbow colored portal appears.

3B: Oooh! First try!

LittleIca: I’ve never gotten a portal spawn, I can’t wait to see what’s inside. ٩(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)۶

“Maybe lady luck is on our side today.” Nyan says smugly.

The black screen fades away and they’re all greeted with a treasure trove fit for a dragon. The walls are lined with an endless sea of golden coins, statues that hold large basins pour out liquid gold into rivers that split down the sides of the room, the floor beneath their feet is stained glass with the image of three cherubs that all carry envelopes marked with gold wax seals. Phainon is in awe of how beautiful the place is but also shocked that it’s a piece of optional content, the room seems way too intricate for something that could be easily skipped.

xXNyanXx: fuck it’s doors, i wanted to gamble.

xNetherwing: It’s the first portal, we could end up getting the roulette later.

xXNyanXx: but gambling is awesome. doors is like gambling but without the adrenaline that comes from betting your life savings and your wife. even the forced dungeon exit animation sucks.

Prince: ?

xXNyanXx: let me put it in simple terms, loverboy. the high i get from gambling is the same high you get from talking to ur boyfriend in the guild chat.

Prince: I’m not even going to entertain this anymore.

R3ason: Can we commence the duty? It’s already enough that I have to be here with that woman.

Goldweaver: And here I thought you would behave today, Reason.

R3ason: Only at the behest of Ica. You are not owed my civility.

Deliverer: Sorry for being frank, but Reason, if you dislike Goldweaver, why are you still in the guild?

Nyan bursts out laughing over the voice chat and swiftly mutes, forgetting that she is the only person in the call with her mic on.

Goldweaver: Reason was supposed to be a temporary member back when our guild used to be a static. But even after all these years, despite saying he’s going to leave, he’s stayed. I wonder why that is?

R3ason: My obligation isn’t to you and this guild is the most convenient for me.

xXNyanXx: erm. anyway. the timer is ticking down so let's get a move on.

Nyan’s muted icon disappears as she speaks, laughter still tinging her words, “We’ll decide which door we’re picking by sending numbers in the guild chat. 1, 2, or 3. We have to defeat this first set of mobs though.”

They step out of the starting gate and Nyan opens the chest on the center of the floor. One mini-boss, a large slimy frog with a top hat appears with a set of three ads. Mydei takes the boss and one ad, while he takes the other two trash mobs. Ica, Aglaea, and Nyan split off to help him with his group of mobs and when they’re dead they all converge back at the boss which Mydei has facing North away from the party. Once the boss goes down, the chest is able to be opened again.

xXNyanXx: LOL a 1, holy shit.

Deliverer: You were saying?

xXNyanXx: thank fuck the need button exists.

The rest of the guild members roll the item, but since Nyan rolled Need, it trumps all of the Greeds even if they rolled higher, so she pockets the loot. The screen flashes and two gigantic playing cards appear on the screen, one with its face revealed, the other concealed.

LittleIca: Nyan, you got your wish.

xXNyanXx: always gamble. gambling is an investment, you will win.

The card with its face revealed to the party has three clubs.

xXNyanXx: this one is easy, so i will be picking higher, but for the other ones we will put it to a vote.

Nyan selects higher and the concealed card flips revealing seven hearts. The loot table on the screen doubles, all of the items marked with x2 rewards.

This time the card facing the party shows five spades.

xXNyanXx: fuck right in the middle.

LittleIca: Higher!

Deliverer: Lower.

xNetherwing: Lower!

3B: Higher!

Goldweaver: Lower.

R3ason: Higher.

Prince: Lower.

Lower wins out so Nyan selects the option and the other card flips. It’s six clubs.

xXNyanXx: FUCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK

R3ason: Is this the part where I gloat about how I picked the right answer?

xXNyanXx: 凸ಠ益ಠ)凸

3B: Oh well, maybe we’ll get another Gambler’s Lure.

xXNyanXx: you sound mighty confident about us passing through these doors.

Large marble doors stand opposite of where the loot originally spawned, they all look exactly identical, but Phainon suspects that 2 of them are traps.

xXNyanXx: time to cast your votes everyone, which door r we taking?

3B: 3

LittleIca: 2

Deliverer: 2

R3ason: 1

Prince: 3

Goldweaver: 1

xNetherwing: 3

Nyan walks up to door number three and turns the knob. After swinging open and instilling false hope in the party, the door slams shut, alarms blare as the screen flashes red and the room begins to fill with liquid gold, trapping them all under its crushing weight; the screen fades to black and the party members are transported back to The Vortex.

xXNyanXx: if this is any indication of how the rest of the night will go, i’m going to jump and not for joy.

Deliverer: LOL?

Nyan leads the party members to the next treasure spot and after going through the motions again, they get lucky with another portal spawn. This time, there are no doors, but a roulette surrounding the stained glass floor, the buttons on the roulette the size of trampolines.

xXNyanXx: GAMBA.

xXNyanXx: gambling is so awesome.

LittleIca: RNG is kind to us today. ٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و ♡

Nyan excitedly sprints up to the chest and opens it. A weak set of mobs spawn all dying in about two aoe hits. The loot is pitiful, but it’s the first room. Phainon hopes they can get past the first spin safely, so he can see what a whole run might look like, but he’s not too confident if their previous gambling attempts are anything to go by.

The camera angle shifts giving them a top-down view of the roulette as it spins. Rainbow lights blink and swirl across the screen as anticipatory music plays; Phainon finds himself holding his breath a little as the dial swipes past a red exit button, only just barely. It lands on a yellow button which lights up and another mini-boss spawns in the center of the room. This one is significantly tougher taking them a good three minutes to kill it. The loot goes to 3B who rolled the highest since Nyan decided to pass. A Gambler’s Lure doesn’t appear much to the party’s dismay, but on the bright side they’re not booted from the instance when the roulette spins again.

Dramatic fanfare plays as spotlights all converge in the center of the room. A golden frog in a tophat appears with a massive health bar and a separate designated timer. It bows to the party as it peels off its hat, revealing its reflective bald head.

“Holy shit. Guys, focus up, please.” Nyan pleads.

The special boss is tanky, wildly so, they’re only given 5 minutes to kill it and even then they barely squeak by with 33 seconds to spare, but when they do the spotlights go up and confetti rains down. A chest appears in the center of the room and everyone receives 5 million balance coins, a large sum compared to the paltry 10k they’ve been getting from the other chests. Unfortunately for Nyan, her cloak isn’t included amongst the loot items, so she begrudgingly passes and allows the other members to roll.

The roulette spins again and it’s the final spin. All of the guild members huddle together, anxious about which result they’ll receive. The dial comes to a slow halt and catches just barely on the tip of the red button. A frog spawns in the center of the room and unhinges its large slimy jaw sucking in everything within the room like a black hole. The party gets sucked into its mouth one by one before the screen fades to black, booting them out of the instance.

3B: Close! I’m sure we can get lucky again. That was only map number 2!

xXNyanXx throws tomatoes.

xXNyanXx throws tomatoes.

xXNyanXx throws tomatoes.

xNetherwing: Yeah Nyan, don’t get too down about it, and besides, that was really fun.

xXNyanXx: fuck fun. i want money. and my rad cloak. your enjoyment is secondary to the sick fit i’ll have after i get my loot.

Phainon checks the SkyCord for the item that she linked earlier and damn, he has to admit, it’s pretty sick.

LittleIca: Come on, Nyan. Let’s get you that cloak.

After four hours of treasure hunting, Phainon’s pockets are heavy. He’s amassed over 25 million balance coins just from the rewards alone, not even counting the items he can sell on the market board. Nyan, luckily got her cloak after 34 maps, and the rest of the loot was distributed amongst the guild members. 3B took the loot they received and placed it in the guild chest so that they can raffle it off to the other members later in the month. Prince dumped all of his items on the market board, not particularly interested in anything he ended up winning from Greeds.

Phainon is sitting on the steps of the guild house AFK when his SkyCord rings.

“Hey.”

“What did you think of the treasure map farming today?” Mydei asks.

“It was fun. I liked being able to play with everyone, how about you?”

“It wasn’t bad. A bit tiring though.”

“I’m glad you had fun.” Phainon laughs.

Mydei lets out a cute huff, “You’re still fired.”

“I miss my job, Mydei.”

“I’ll let you know if the position opens up again.”

“Really?”

“No.”

Phainon pouts even though the other man can’t see it, “Anyway, what did you want to tell me?”

“Follow me.” Mydei says as his character materializes in front of Phainon’s.

And in that moment, Phainon thinks he’d follow Mydei anywhere.

Mydei leads him to the roof of the guild house down to a semi-hidden area on its backside. It's a balcony, obscured from view, fairy lights line the limestone balustrade that overlooks a field of vibrant sunflowers. There’s a red rug beneath their feet, covered in plush pillows and stuffed chimera plushies. To Phainon's right, there’s a telescope pointing at the starry night sky—a stack of books leans against its tripod.

Deliverer sits down.

Mydei’s character settles down next to him on the pillows, “I come here to AFK sometimes. Nyan is the only other person that knows it’s here.”

“It’s beautiful,” Phainon says, “Thanks for showing me.”

“It’s nothing.”

They sit in companionable silence, their avatars staring up at the beautiful night sky. If Phainon squints, he can see a shooting star streak across the deep black. He childishly wonders if he could make a wish on it. If he could, he’d wish to stay like this with Mydei a little longer. It’s funny to think how abrasive he initially was towards Phainon especially considering that now they’re sharing a spot under the stars, almost like lovers.

Phainon turns to stare at Mydei, a question popping into his head, “You know, I never got to ask you why is your IGN Prince? It suits you, but you don't seem like the arrogant type.”

Mydei is completely silent and Phainon can feel the air shift.

“If it's too personal—”

“My mother used to call me her little prince.” He says after a beat, “The kids at school used to mock me for it. It didn't help that my family was better off than most, so they twisted it into a condescending retort. I was a bit spoiled back then—as kids typically are—so I don't think it was completely unwarranted,” Phainon hears him sigh wistfully, “Cipher used to beat them up whenever they picked on me. She would always come to my house after school covered in scratches and bruises while Cas would treat her wounds and scold her gently.”

“She's always had your back.” Phainon smiles.

“Yes,” Mydei chuckles, “It's partially why she's the only one I'll let call me little prince,” He sighs again, heavier this time, recounting it clearly hard for him but he continues, “I have an attachment to the name. I can wear it proudly now—unlike when I was younger and I petulantly told my mother I didn't want to be called it anymore. I remember she gently kissed my head then and said, ‘you’ll always be my little prince, no matter how much they try to take your power away,’” He's quieter now, Phainon has to strain to hear him, “But she stopped calling me little prince after that because she saw how upset it made me. I just wish I could have heard her say it one last time.”

Mydei inhales deeply before speaking again, his voice uncharacteristically quiet, “...I’m sorry to spring that on you.”

“No,” Phainon says firmly, “I asked, I wanted to know, Mydei. Thank you for feeling comfortable enough to tell me,” He pauses, opting to speak from the heart, “Your mother sounds wonderful. I’m sure she would be proud of the man you've become.”

“I can only hope.”

Phainon wishes he could see his face right now, hold him in his arms, but all he can offer right now and what Mydei needs is reassurance, so he says, “She would be. She is.” He corrects.

“Thank you,” He says softly. Phainon can hear Mydei gather his breath before speaking again with his usual confidence and steadiness, “So what about you, how did you get the name Deliverer?”

“There’s not a huge story behind it,” He laughs, “I just remember going through heroic names with my childhood friend Cyrene, who I told you about before, you know, the sappy romcoms?”

Mydei makes a sound of agreement.

“When she said it, I thought it was the coolest thing ever so I named my character on MapleTale, Deliverer. And ever since then it’s been my gamer tag.”

“It fits you.” Mydei says simply.

Phainon feels his face fill with heat, “Thanks.”

“Wanna see who can stay logged in the longest after the servers go down?” Mydei challenges.

“You’re on,” Phainon jumps down from the balcony, “Let’s see if anyone else is staying on until then.”

Mydei follows him to the front of the guild house where Nether, Nyan, and Ica are all huddled together on a rocking bench swing. Ica sits on the bench’s right, her character wearing the pajama set he remembers first meeting her in, she’s using the reading emote—her face in deep concentration. Nyan is squished between the two, stretching lazily as she yawns, her tail swishing back and forth between Ica and Nether. Nether is on the far left, her hands clasped around a scythe three times her size, her forehead pressed to the snath. He sees all of their characters’ heads move in their direction, targeting them as they approach.

xXNyanXx: hey lovebirds.

LittleIca: Hi Deliverer, hi De.

xNetherwing: Deliverer, Prince, nice to see you two again!

Deliverer: Hey, are you guys staying logged in until the servers go down?

xXNyanXx: yup, we’re trying to see who lasts the longest.

Deliverer: Oh nice, Mydei and I are too.

Oh fuck.

xXNyanXx: mydei, huh?

Phainon can only imagine the smirk behind her words.

Mydei groans, “Phainon.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine,” He sighs, “It’s just she’s going to be insufferable about this.”

xXNyanXx pops a bottle of champagne.

xXNyanXx pops a bottle of champagne.

xXNyanXx pops a bottle of champagne.

xNetherwing: Congratulations you two!

LittleIca: I knew my senses were right.

Phainon decides he might as well commit all the way seeing as he's already fucked up.

Deliverer: Thanks!

Mydei sputters,“What the fuck are you saying?”

Phainon nearly busts his gut laughing, “Sorry, I just wanted to see your reaction.”

xXNyanXx throws confetti.

xNetherwing: Nyan is the first to go. Dinner’s on her next weekend.

LittleIca: Oh, did we pick a place yet?

LittleIca: I’ll ask on Skycord later.

LittleIca: So, who asked who out? (*´ー｀*)

Deliverer points at Prince.

Deliverer: He did.

Phainon tries and fails to stifle another laugh.

“What goes on inside that brain of yours?” Phainon begins to open his mouth to retort, but Mydei speaks again, “Nevermind—don't answer that. Now we can’t even clarify. Do you know how much they're going to spread that around?”

“I didn't think this would rile you up that bad.” Phainon admits.

“That's because you don't know the depths of how much they’ll blab about it.”

“So the issue isn't particularly if we were hypothetically together, but rather them talking about it.” He teases.

“...”

“Wait,” Phainon pauses, “Which one of us got booted out first?”

“I don’t know I was too busy being distracted by your idiocy.”

“Hmm. I guess it’s a draw then Mydei.”

“No matter. We still have the leveling bet. That’ll be my victory.” He replies smugly.

“You wish. You also sound a bit too excited about it, are you planning to have me as your prize?”

“I think your cold obliterated the small amount of brain cells you had left. It’s a pity.”

“And yet you call me every day. You’re so contradictory.”

Mydei yawns, “And yet you pick up every time.”

“Because I like talking to you.”

Mydei goes silent and Phainon wonders if he’s being too honest too fast, but then Mydei says, “I don’t mind talking to you either.”

And Phainon takes his small win, one that feels like he’s won the lottery.

Chapter Text

Chapter Twelve: Just Hitched

When Phainon wakes up in the morning for work on the day of the patch drop, there are two messages he receives that he doesn't expect. One is on Zip from Aglaea stating that she’s out of office for the week and that her assistant will be handling all communication and projects for the time being while the other is a direct message that states:

Prince: Let's get married.

Phainon rubs at his eyes wondering if reality has merged with his subconscious. He decides that he must still be dreaming. He lies back down with a tired yawn before shooting up from his bed in realization.

One, if it was a dream, isn't imagining marrying Mydei a bit too far despite his feelings for him?

And two, if it isn't a dream, isn't Mydei rushing things a bit?

Sure, they’ve done things a little out of order but marriage before meeting was out of the question. Phainon shakes his head, his train of thought was in dire disarray from just waking up; he couldn’t even fathom why he was genuinely entertaining this.

Deliverer: Aren't we moving a bit too fast?

Prince is typing…

Prince: Is your head okay? I meant in-game. You know, for the EXP bonuses?

Deliverer: Weren’t you the one who intercepted Nyan’s proposal because it permanently binds two characters together? Also, didn’t you just get on me yesterday about using an EXP event to “cheat” my way to victory?

Prince is typing…

Prince is typing…

Prince is typing…

Deliverer: Are you typing a paragraph? LOL. Caught in your own web I see.

Prince: And here I thought my loyal dog would jump at the chance.

Phainon should hate how much of an effect Mydei’s words have on him, but he doesn’t, regrettably so.

Deliverer: What happened to romance? Courting, have you ever heard of it?

Prince: Why would I need to do all that? We’re just getting married for the bonuses.

Deliverer: I love how you keep reiterating that like it’ll take away from the gravity of the situation.

Prince: I didn’t know you held such strong views on a virtual marriage, Phainon.

Deliverer: I don’t, sorry, I just thought it would be funny.

Prince: Whatever, so do you want to or not?

Deliverer: You don’t care about everyone talking anymore?

Prince: No matter what we do, I believe the outcome will remain the same, so why not have some semblance of agency?

Deliverer: Wow. You really want to marry me, huh?

Prince is typing…

Prince: Go to work Phainon.

Deliverer: Deflecting because you’re embarrassed, classic.

Prince has muted this conversation.

Phainon sets his phone down with a laugh and goes through his morning routine before settling down at his desk for work. He’s got a long day ahead of him, especially without being able to pester Aglaea, so he mentally prepares himself as best as he can before turning on his computer.

***

“So, you bought the wedding package, because you forgot that your alt gained the ring.” Phainon says.

After a grueling day of work, he’s AFK with Mydei at his secret hangout spot while talking over SkyCord. Their characters are huddled together, a bit closer than usual, and Phainon tries not to get too hopeful about the recent shift in their relationship.

“I didn’t want to marry you on my alt.” He says, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

Phainon chuckles softly, “I guess my message this morning was true. You’re so eager it’s adorable.”

“How you manage to twist my words every time is a bit impressive. I’ll give you that much.” He huffs.

“I wouldn’t have to do any twisting if someone wasn’t so stubborn.”

“You’re delusional and insufferable.”

XxNyanXx: pls tell me we beat those fuckers from [Council].

LittleIca: Congrats all!

Deliverer: Congrats!

Prince: Congratulations.

Goldweaver: Thank you.

xNetherwing: Thank you everyone!

XxNyanXx: life is so worth living guys.

Goldweaver: I’m not as young and spry as I used to be. 16 hours of farming has taken its toll on me, so I will be retiring for the night.

xNetherwing: Thank you for the party and the runs, Weaver! I hope you get some good rest.

xXNyanXx: night agy, tyfp.

Deliverer: Good night, Goldweaver.

Prince: Night, Weaver.

Goldweaver: Good night all, get some rest when you can.

“So,” Phainon says, “Back to our prior topic. How does the Ceremony of Love Eternal work?”

“Before we can conduct the ceremony, you and I have to complete a few quests together—mostly monster slaying, I believe. There's invitations to handle if there's anyone you’d like to attend,” He pauses for a second in thought, “And we have to reserve a timeslot.”

“This is a lot for just a few bonuses and an instant teleport.”

Mydei sighs, “You can decline if you want.”

“It wasn't a rejection, Mydei. I do want to marry you.” He says in jest.

But then he hears Mydei’s breath hitch. Subtle, but there was no mistaking it.

“Anyway, Phainon,” He says clearly flustered but putting on a surprisingly good farce, if Phainon didn't know him well, it would've fooled him, “When will be most convenient for you?”

“Let's do the quests today and let's get hitched tomorrow.”

***

“We have to clear the trials of Mnestia, the god of romance.” Mydei says.

“The god of romance wants us to kill these cute little toads?” Phainon pouts.

“Yes, 12 of them to be exact.”

Mydei despawns his dromas for them to hunt down twelve squishy, pink toads.

Mydei swaps over to a healing class, Bishop, and it feels oddly nostalgic even though it wasn’t that long ago that they teamed up like this. He feels most comfortable when he knows Mydei has his back, even if it’s against mobs that barely do a tickle’s worth of damage. After Phainon’s sword cleaves through one last undeserving toad, he turns to Mydei, “What’s next?”

“We have to bring the items they dropped to the altar of each patron god and ask for their blessings on our union.”

Phainon chuckles at the flavor text before closing his inventory. Mydei summons his mount again and Phainon climbs onto its back, cradling Mydei’s waist as they fly into the sky. When they descend, they land on cobblestone arranged into a circular pattern. On the outer edges of the circle lies an altar for each god within the game; each altar has a basin on top, inscribed with the god’s mark, which they are supposed to place their offerings in. They walk over to the first altar, Nikador’s, Mydei’s chosen god—and place the dart in the empty basin. The bowl overflows with gold before the item disappears and a hushed quiet fills the air.

Prince bears an offering.

Deliverer bears an offering.

The next is Kephale’s, Phainon’s chosen god.

Deliverer bears an offering

Prince bears an offering.

They repeat the process for each god until there are no more Darts of Eternity in their inventories. The altars all light up and gold converges in the center of the cobblestone, shining brilliantly on their virtual bodies. Their characters turn to each other and embrace before the gods, the sound of their quiet approval humming in the air.

It’s just for the bonuses. He has to remind himself.

Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

***

When Phainon and Mydei arrive at the chapel atop Mydei’s romantic two-seater, there's loads of mounts lining the edge of the path leading up to the entrance. Thank his patron god, Kephale, he capped his fps or else his computer would explode from the sheer amount of polygons in front of him. Their friends are dressed in formal garments, all astride ceremonial dromas or sitting in 6-seater limousine mounts. It's oddly endearing how committed everyone is to this—especially Mydei. He’s dressed in a white suit that's complementary to Phainon’s black one with red and gold accents. He even visited the aesthetician to change his hairstyle; his blonde and scarlet hair is tied back by two thick braids, roses interwoven in the strands. The soft androgyny of his character is even more pronounced now.

Phainon's heart hammers a bit in his chest. This ceremony is just for the benefits, he reminds himself again, it’s not real, but it's a little hard to believe that when Mydei seems excited in his own way about it too.

[All][LittleIca]: There they are!

xXNyanXx showers Deliverer in flower petals.

xXNyanXx showers Prince in flower petals.

LittleIca throws flower petals.

[All][xXNyanXx]: s> photos of the lovely couple 10k balance coins each!

[All][LittleIca]: Oh, I’ll buy a set.

Phainon wonders how thick Ica’s pockets are with how often she falls for Nyan’s scams.

[All][xNetherwing]: Me too!

He thought Nether was safe, alas not.

xXNyanXx pops a bottle of champagne.

[All][xXNyanXx]: thank you for your patronage.

[All][Puecesta]: Never thought I’d see the day. Our Prince grows up so fast.

[All][Prince]: Your prince?

[All][Puecesta]: Can you humor me a little?

[All][Prince]: …

[All][Hephaestion]: Thank you for inviting us.

Hephaestion bows.

[All][Prince]: Thank you all for attending. We’ll begin soon, we ask for your patience a little longer.

[All][xXNyanXx]: i’m just here for the free cake after. ( ´_ゝ`)b

Phainon and Mydei walk into the chapel alone, they have to start the ceremony at the NPC near the altar and wait 10 minutes after initiating the process for everyone to be able to spawn in via their invitations. After Mydei talks to the NPC, they're separated and spawned into different rooms. A ten minute timer appears on the screen, the pearl-colored numbers intricately decorated with rose petals raining down as the seconds tick.

Phainon is suddenly nervous.

He paces, or rather his character does, around the room. There’s a checkbook on the table for him to confirm their ceremony settings. Phainon told Mydei yesterday that he was okay with any of the options he selected, but he doesn’t even know what that all entails. He just hopes it’s not something too ridiculous.

Was there kissing in this game? He doesn’t remember. And now a new fear settles under his skin. There’s no way there would be a wedding without kissing or maybe there are kissless weddings, he’s not entirely sure. His avatar comes to a halt in front of the mirror and his reflection stares back at him.

Deliverer smiles at the mirror and adjusts his tie then the screen fades to black.

When the black screen dissipates, Mydei and Phainon are walking down the aisle linked arm-in-arm. The whiplash the cutscene induces is almost enough to make him pass out.

The camera pans over their characters’ faces, smiling and radiant, as their friends throw flower petals and cheer, excited for their new union. The chapel is beautiful. The stone walls are lined with tall blue and red stained glass windows, the oak pews are decorated with white roses and blue fabric, and a long white carpet, soft beneath their feet.

xXNyanXx: woah, they’ve upped the spectacle since the last time i went to one of these.

LittleIca: This is my first time attending an in-game ceremony! ٩(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)۶

xNetherwing: I think it’s the premium package, the highest tier.

xXNyanXx: do i need to say what we’re all thinking or?

Goldweaver: Enlighten me.

xXNyanXx: you know what, i think i’ll refrain.

Goldweaver: That would be wise.

As they reach the end of the aisle, two chimeras with wings too small to hold up their chubby bodies, descend and place crowns made of roses on their heads. The camera zooms out to show the altar and the devotee of Mnestia who will preside over the ceremony. Another timer pops up on the screen, this time it’s counting down from five minutes, and the camera is unlocked again allowing both of them to freely control it.

[All][xXNyanXx]: i’m accepting donations of balance coins on behalf of the soon-to-be wedded couple. pls send me a trade and i will make sure that every single coin ends up in their pockets.

Nyan switches the icon next to her name to the open for trades symbol. She's so ridiculously shameless that Phainon can't help but laugh; it's a huge part of her charm though, he muses.

[All][Prince]: All donations are non-refundable, so please make sure that you're okay with never seeing those funds again.

Phainon laughs even harder at Mydei helping her for once, his lungs almost hurting from how funny he finds this when Nyan shoots Mydei a thumbs up from across the pews. A scam well done.

Mydei targets him before he sends a message.

[Party][Prince]: Ready?

[Party][Deliverer]: As I’ll ever be.

Mydei initiates the ceremony and the game’s camera shifts back to cinematic mode, horizontal black bars slide onto the screen as Mydei and Phainon turn to each other and clasp each other’s hands. It’s so intimate that Phainon has to steady himself for a moment. It’s for the bonuses, he reminds himself a third time, but it doesn’t feel as convincing anymore. The officiant waxes poetic about the importance of love and the ties that bind people together. Their characters nod along enthusiastically, occasionally sneaking peeks at each other with loving eyes. Phainon has to physically look away from his screen at times because of how overwhelmed he feels. It’s a virtual wedding. It’s no big deal.

Or rather, it shouldn’t be.

Phainon’s hand shakes slightly from the nerves before he selects ‘yes’. His character turns to Mydei and smiles as he slips the Ring of Eternity onto Mydei’s waiting finger. Mydei’s character stares at it with such tender eyes. His eyelids flutter shut as he presses his lips gently to the silver band. Phainon knows it’s a scripted cutscene, but his mind superimposes IRL Mydei onto it and his heart hurts so much from how much he likes him it’s almost maddening. He’s oscillating between this ceremony being the best or worst idea ever.

[All][Mnestia’s Devotee]: You may now kiss your partner.

Their characters ascend above the altar with glowing white wings bursting free from their backs, feathers and glitter sparkling behind them as their lips press together in a chaste kiss. The chimeras flit back into frame and shower them with rose petals, their tails intertwined as they do so. Mydei and Phainon descend with their hands clasped to each other’s tightly—braced against each other for safety—as their wings dissipate into millions of shards. The devotee walks over and hands Phainon a bouquet while congratulating them both.

[All][xXNyanXx]: Congrats lovebirds!

xXNyanXx pops a bottle of champagne.

[All][Hephaestion]: Congratulations to you both!

[All][3B]: Congrats Dellie and Prince!

[All][Puecesta]: I’m so proud.

Puecesta wipes tears from their eyes.

[All][3rdWheel]: Thanks for the invite! Congrats to you both.

[All][R3ason]: Congratulations on your union.

[All][LittleIca]: Congrats! ٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و ♡

LittleIca throws flower petals.

[All][xNetherwing]: Congratulations, thanks for having us!

xNetherwing wipes a tear from their eyes.

[All][Here2Party]: ty 4 the invite, congrats!

[All][HealingPerSecond]: Congrats, tyfti!

[All][Goldweaver]: Congratulations to you both. May Mnestia smile upon you always.

[All][Deliverer]: Thank you everyone.

[All][Prince]: Thanks for coming, everyone.

Phainon tosses—unequips—the bouquet of roses from his hands and watches as they disappear from his inventory to spawn on the ground. A few people surge forward, fighting to acquire the rare item first.

[All][xXNyanXx]: The Bouquet of Eternity 120k balance coins, take it or leave it folks.

[All][Prince]: Really?

[All][xXNyanXx]: can u imagine me getting married?

[All][Prince]: Fair point.

[All][Goldweaver]: I’ll take it.

[All][xXNyanXx]: really?

[All][Goldweaver]: Why not? It’s romantic.

[All][xXNyanXx]: are you finally accepting my proposal?

xXNyanXx tips their fedora at Goldweaver.

[All][Goldweaver]: Maybe in a million years.

Phainon’s chat pings with a whisper notification, drawing his attention from Nyan and Aglaea’s bantering.

[Whisper][from: FarmersFlower]: Thank you for inviting me! It was fun. I wish you and your beloved well.

Phainon's face flushes at her earnest well wishes.

[Whisper][to: FarmersFlower]: Thank you for coming. And it's just for the bonuses, but I appreciate it.

[Whisper][from: FarmersFlower]: Oh sorry, did I read the situation wrong? It seems like you both are really into each other.

Phainon hopes that’s the case.

[Whisper][to: FarmersFlower]: Who knows, maybe we’ll renew our vows.

[Whisper][from: FarmersFlower]: I wish you luck!

He should feel more embarrassed that she easily surmised the truth of his words without him spelling it out, but he thinks everyone knows that he likes Mydei now. Except for maybe Mydei himself, he’s not quite sure. Phainon looks away from his chatbox to see Aglaea now is holding the bouquet of flowers the officiant gave him. He almost feels a little compelled to reveal his identity to her and to just get the awkwardness out of the way before Saturday, but he freezes up a little bit. He doesn’t even know how he would approach the situation, ‘hey, thanks for coming to my wedding with one of your IRL friends?’

He would rather die.

A timer appears on the screen and it’s two minutes this time. They have a few minutes to take pictures before they get kicked out of the instance.

[All][LittleIca]: Picture time! Everyone gather around! ٩(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)۶

Mydei and Phainon settle into the middle of the frame while their friends flank them. Nyan poses with a bottle of champagne in her hand—Ica at her right with a small peace sign. On Nyan’s left is Aglaea with the bouquet in her hands with Nether’s arm linked around hers. Reason is posed to the side looking away from the camera with his arms crossed, while 3B tugs at his shirt and smiles at the camera. Their other friends fill in and shower them with flower petals and confetti. A camera shutter sound goes off after everyone is in place.

Phainon notices that after the ceremony that there's an exclamation point on his chat box. Before he can click on it to remove the notification, it disappears after a message from Mydei.

[Beloved][Prince]: I guess we can use this now instead of whispers.

Holy fucking shit.

Mydei is going to be the death of him.

Chapter Text

Chapter Thirteen: Caught IRL

Phainon stands by his car in front of a karaoke bar in the middle of Janusopolis on a Saturday afternoon.

Fuck, he was so nervous.

He was going to see his boss, he was going to see his other guildmates, but most of all he was going to see Mydei. If he were to be honest, he is still reeling internally from how the virtual wedding ceremony made him feel and now just a few days later he was seeing his virtual husband—for the bonuses, mind you—in the flesh.

He’s wearing an outfit that Aglaea suggested for him after seeing his, in her words ‘interesting fashion choices’, back when they had their first Zip call—a white oxford, without a single button unclasped, a deep sky blue cardigan that pools around his wrists, and black slacks held up by a matching belt. He's dressed more like a college student, he thinks, but the other options were too formal or 'eclectic’ as Aglaea would say.

He smooths down his shirt and adjusts a few stray wisps of hair from his face. With one shaky inhale, he walks into the karaoke bar. Trendy pop music greets him as he steps through the door. The reception area is bright—almost blindingly so—the LED lights harsh against the white tiled floors and the walls lined with mirrors. He can’t hear any of the other patrons singing and conversing in their rooms so he assumes that each one must be soundproofed.

Phainon walks up to the front desk and swallows awkwardly before he speaks, his voice cracking a little at the edges from nerves, “Hello, I have a reservation under the name ChrysosHeirs.”

“Oh, you're part of that big group that came in earlier!” The receptionist says, enthused, “It's Room 8, down the hall on your right and then the door left when you reach the end.”

“Thank you.”

Phainon follows the directions the front desk staff gave him with trepidation. Suddenly his shirt feels a little too tight, his collar, suffocating—he brings his hand to slip his collar button free and even that doesn't help; he still feels like he can't properly breathe. His hands are clammy so he rubs them against his slacks, dampening the fabric. He’s anxious just like he was for his phone interview with Aglaea all over again.

He’s near the end of the hall when he realizes he can't stall any longer.

His sweaty hand curls around the door knob; his heartbeat throbbing like drums in his ears. He imagines everyone behind the door hushed and waiting in anticipation, all of their eyes trained on him, expectant. He shakes his head, they're his friends, it’ll be fine.

With one final, deep breath Phainon opens the door.

The karaoke room is dimly lit save for a disco ball hanging from the ceiling, casting a garish ray of hues. A flat screen takes up half of the wall across from where he stands and a jukebox with the selectable karaoke songs nestled underneath. His eyes are so laser-focused on what's in front of him, he can't bring himself to turn his head to make eye contact with anyone in the room.

“Deliverer,” Phainon shuts his eyes like a child being scolded as he hears her familiar voice, “What a pleasant surprise.”

He rubs the back of his hair, slightly damp from his nervousness, “Lady A—Goldweaver. It's nice to meet you.” Aglaea doesn't look at him with surprise like he expected she would; instead her eyes are filled with mischief and yet she doesn't say anything further. She flashes him a small, knowing smile before tilting her head.

Phainon feels a delicate hand wrap around his wrist, “Come in, sit, sit.” He's dragged away from the doorway by someone with pink, fluffy cotton candy hair, “Oh sorry, where are my manners, I’m Ica.” She’s dressed cutely like her avatar, a short, frilly pink dress covered in silky ribbons; it flares at the bottom like an upside-down sunflower. The bell at her neck jingles with every excited step she takes.

“Ica, nice to—” The words get caught in his throat as she leads him over to a padded booth seat in the corner, where he sees him in the flesh for the first time.

He’s even more breathtaking in person.

His black turtleneck top is tight around his body, Phainon can see the entire outline of all his muscles underneath. His red sweater hangs off of one of his shoulders loosely like he purposely wears it that way. Mydei’s hair is down today, pooling around his shoulders, his signature braid neatly done. He wears a chain cuff earring with a bright sapphire jewel at the end in the ear facing him—the same shade as Phainon’s eyes and he wonders if he wore it today for a reason. Even if Mydei were to call him delusional, he thinks it's not out of the realm of something he would do.

He’s so cute after all.

Mydei turns away from a conversation with another guild member on his left to look up.

His face lights up with stunned recognition as he makes eye contact with Phainon. His skin flushes a soft pink and Phainon tries not to think about how adorable Mydei’s expression is, how he can't conceal his feelings with a virtual mask now that Phainon is in front of him. Ica lets go of his wrist and flashes him a satisfied smile.

“We should do our introductions for Deliverer, everyone!” She says to the room before turning back to Phainon again, “Everyone knows everyone, but this is the first time you've been able to meet us in person. Just remember that you don't have to disclose your name if you don't want to.” She walks back across the room to sit at Aglaea’s side.

The girl on Mydei’s left has the most smug look on her face. Her manatee colored hair is tied into two low pigtails with her bangs swept away from her mischievous eyes; he can tell without her introduction that she has to be Nyan. She lifts one clawed hand and reaches it out for a shake, her mannerisms surprisingly feline like, “Nice to meetcha, lovebird. I’m Nyan, but you can call me Cipher if you want.”

He steps closer to shake her hand and he hears her break out into laughter when their palms meet. She gives him a firm shake and draws back, lifting her other hand to show his leather wallet slotted between two of her clawed fingers.

“When did you—” He starts.

“Cipher,” Mydei says, commanding and admonishing. Phainon goes ramrod straight like he's the one being scolded. Fuck, he tries to will the boner he feels starting to form away, and semi-succeeds. He's half-mast just from hearing Mydei speak. He has to remind himself that he's not just some horndog that can't behave and that he likes Mydei for more than just his voice and body. Mydei reaches over to take his wallet from Ny—Cipher and turns to him.

“Here.” Mydei’s face blooms a deeper shade of red as he holds out Phainon’s wallet. He takes it from his hand and their fingers brush against each other's; the contact making Phainon flinch back a little. Mydei’s hand is hot, almost scaldingly so; he wonders if the rest of him runs hot, if that's why his body was covered in sweat when he took that photo—he needs to stop, he needs to be normal.

“...Thank you.” He manages to finally say.

Mydei’s eyes scan his body—his desire undisguised. Phainon shivers under his gaze, not caring how they must look to everyone else.

“Holy shit you guys, get a room.” Cipher says half-amused, half-disgusted.

Okay, he does care, a little.

Phainon’s skin flushes with embarrassment and he wishes he could crawl in a hole; Aglaea is right across the room and he doesn't want to turn around to see what face she's making right now—his imagination is already terrifying enough. Phainon settles down next to Mydei leaving a good foot of space between them, shame creeping into his body with a vengeance.

Ica waves from across the room, “Hi again, I’m Ica or you can call me Hyacine. Nice to finally meet you!”

“I’m Goldweaver, also known as Aglaea.” She says cooly, “Pleased to properly make your acquaintance.” Phainon is glad she’s keeping up appearances because he doesn't think he wants to explain to everyone in this room what their connection is.

A woman with pale purple hair and a lopsided smile speaks next, “I’m Nether,” Her voice is soft and calm, “But you can call me Castorice or Cas, if you prefer.” She awkwardly fidgets with the sleeves of her purple sweater before she turns to the next person.

Phainon's eyes follow her gaze. It's R3ason, he remembers—from the webcam incident—his hair is swept from the eye that was obscured last time and Phainon notices now that he has a medical eyepatch. He wears a white blouse with a black underbust corset, his arms crossed against his chest with disinterest.

“The name’s Reason or Anaxagoras. I’m not fond of nicknames, so if you would refrain from doing so, I’d appreciate it.”

“He says that but he's fine with Naxy!” A short redhead yells out. Anaxagoras turns from her with a disgruntled look on his face, clearly not fine with it but he acquiesces anyway, “I’m 3B! You can call me Tribios or Tribbie.” She smiles, warm and bright, and Phainon reckons that’s why Anaxagoras is not able to be cold to her.

Mydei clears his throat next to him, “You already know who I am.” Phainon tries so hard not to laugh at how awkward Mydei’s being about this.

“Pfft,” Cipher's hand goes over her mouth as her cheeks swell, “Look who's trying to be cool.”

Mydei’s cheeks turn red, “Anyway, it's your turn.” He says to him.

“I’m Deliverer, but you can call me Phainon. Nice to finally meet you all. It's been a pleasure playing with all of you the past few weeks.”

“Of course, we love having you!” Hyacine exclaims as she claps her hands together.

“Yes, quite,” Aglaea says, “It's gotten much livelier since you've joined. We have you to thank for it.”

“Not at all,” He replies modestly, his face suddenly hot from her acknowledgment, “You’ve all treated me well and have shown me the ropes. I’m really glad I joined the guild.”

“Yeah, we can tell.” Cipher teases.

Mydei wraps his arm around Cipher and nudges her head with his fist, ruining her hair, she playfully claws at his arm while laughing, “Get off of me, you reek.”

“We both know that's a lie.” He says as he releases her from his grip.

“Oh you’re right, you've probably washed every crevice for—” Mydei’s skin turns impossibly red with every word she utters.

“Cipher,” Aglaea says sternly, “Behave. Anyway, now that the introductions are out of the way, how about we order some items off the menu?”

Everyone breaks off into their little groups; all of them huddling around the small, plastic menus. He and Mydei end up sharing one, their proximity dizzying as he has to sit shoulder-to-shoulder with him to read the text. With their distance, Mydei’s scent wafts in the air, pomegranate and sea salt, and Phainon is hit with another bout of lightheadedness.

Mydei turns to him, his cool breath fanning his face as he speaks, “What would you like, Phainon?”

Phainon swallows, his tongue heavy in his mouth, “Sorry, I haven't been reading it to be honest.”

Mydei chuckles softly, the sound deep and adorable, “Here,” He presses to him impossibly closer and points to an item on the menu, “We come here often, so I can tell you which items are good and which ones are duds. This one is my favorite.”

Phainon has to pry his eyes away from Mydei’s beautiful face to look at where he's pointing. It's a strawberry milkshake with thick artificial syrup on top. Phainon tries not to make assumptions about people but he didn't expect Mydei to have a sweet tooth with how fit he keeps himself. It's another thing to mentally add to his long list of charms.

“But isn't dairy terrible to have before singing?”

“Do you think me so weak that I would lose to dairy?” Mydei scoffs.

That draws a laugh out of Phainon, “Why is everything a battle with you, Mydei?”

“Why shouldn't it be? It's more fun that way,” He slides his finger down the menu, “The shredded meat here is good too, hmm… and this.”

“I’ll let you decide what I should eat. I trust your judgment.”

“What if I order you the worst things they serve here?” He challenges.

“Then I’ll eat it all with a smile because you picked it out for me.” Phainon beams.

That gets Mydei to blush, he turns his head away and places the menu on the table, “Stop speaking nonsense.” His arm now rests at his side, right against Phainon’s.

“It's true.” Feeling emboldened, he moves his hand over Mydei’s. Mydei makes a small, shocked noise before flipping his palm up and cupping his hand back under the table. Mydei’s hand is so large in his. The pads of his calloused fingertips brush roughly against Phainon’s skin. He is so in awe of how cute he is, all muscle and softness, he says as much to him.

“Stop that. I’m not cute.” His face is still turned away and Phainon wishes so badly he could see his reaction right now.

He rubs Mydei’s hand with his thumb, feeling him shiver against him in real-time, “You said it was a word reserved for things that deserve it. I think you're very deserving.”

Mydei's head whips back and he looks like he's going to admonish him, but instead their faces end up so close they could kiss if either of them shifted slightly. Mydei's eyes glance down for a second, so quick it could’ve been easy to miss, before he moves away, remembering that they have company—even if the booth is a little more private.

Phainon shifts, his hand slightly clammy around Mydei’s now. He wishes they were alone, so he could kiss him, touch him everywhere he’d let him, hear those breathy sounds in person, be inside of—

Phainon excuses himself from the group and Mydei so that he can go to the restroom to clear his head.

Both of them.

He briskly walks out of the room, his skin burning, the hallway passes by in a white blur from how fast he’s speed walking. He can’t hear anything, he can’t think when his mind is filled with Mydei. He didn’t think he’d be this overwhelmed by seeing him—he thought he had some semblance of self-control—but not nearly as much as he initially assumed.

He’s in front of the restroom door when he hears footsteps behind him.

“What are you—” Phainon barely manages to say before Mydei opens the door and pulls him inside. It's a relatively spacious single occupant bathroom, but it feels all too claustrophobic when Mydei is closing in on him, locking the door behind both of them.

“Phainon.” Mydei breathes, and that's all it takes.

Phainon slips his hand underneath Mydei’s shirt, gently caressing his side. Mydei is so soft despite his thick muscles. His fingers catch on a few raised scars that litter his skin, and he thinks about how he wants to take his time to kiss each one—maybe Mydei will let him. Mydei shivers underneath his touch as he brings his hand down to the small of his back. His skin burns like he’s running a fever, searing Phainon’s hand with its heat.

He draws back to look at Mydei; his eyes are half-lidded and glassy with want. Phainon already feels his self-control fraying. Mydei’s pretty lips are set in a half frown, like he wants to ask Phainon for something—he’s way too prideful to do so, but Phainon thinks he can piece it together pretty easily.

“Do you want a kiss?” He asks but the way Mydei shudders against his hand makes it harder and harder for him to refrain from pressing his lips against his the way he wants to.

“…” Mydei turns his face away, his blush spreading and blooming into a deeper red hue. Phainon presses his head on the space above Mydei’s clavicle and turns so that his breath tickles Mydei’s neck. He takes the hand settled at his back and brings it up to tug down his collar. He gives a tentative kiss to his warm, exposed skin and smiles as Mydei twitches beneath him. He presses another soft kiss against him, barely a brush of contact, reveling in the way Mydei’s breath hitches; he’s so sensitive it makes him wonder how Mydei will react to his touch when they actually have sex.

“More.” Mydei demands—not pleads—and who was Phainon to deny him?

He parts his lips to lick a stripe up his neck. His skin tastes salty from the sheen of sweat that coats it. The scent of pomegranate is stronger here and Phainon has to stop himself from breathing him in like a pervert. Closing his lips around his skin, he sucks gently; he has to stop himself from leaving marks, no matter how badly he wants to—they have company to return to, eventually. He litters kisses all the way down the column of Mydei’s neck, Mydei’s broken gasps like music in his ears.

“Phainon,” He says, his voice a little shaky, but firm, “Kiss me.”

“I am kissing you,” He teases as he presses another kiss to his warm skin, but Mydei makes a little frustrated sound in response.

“You know where I want it,” He responds defiantly, “I thought you said you were good for me.”

Phainon shivers against him, “I am.”

“Then do as I say.”

Phainon’s heart hammers in his chest as he brings his hand to Mydei's cheek, and finally presses their lips together. Mydei sighs contentedly against his mouth, finally receiving what he deserves. Their foreheads brush against each other, sweat-slicked and eager. Phainon can’t think of why he denied him this, denied them both this pleasure.

Heat blooms into his body anew, Mydei’s lips are plush and soft squished his, he’s so pliant against Phainon, melting into him with every heady press of their lips. Dizziness overcomes him for a moment as Mydei wraps his arms around his neck beckoning him ever closer. Mydei’s panting shamelessly now beneath him, kissing Phainon like he's a man dying of thirst and Phainon is his oasis. Phainon's so overcome with want, feeling and tasting Mydei is so much better than any of his fantasies or their long-distance sex. He's so hard he thinks he could come from kissing alone.

Phainon laps at his lips until Mydei parts them for him, his groan stifled as Phainon’s tongue prods into his mouth. Mydei tastes like warm cinnamon and spiced vanilla. He wonders if Mydei anticipated this, made himself taste good so Phainon could lick it out of his mouth. He whines into Mydei’s mouth at the thought and Mydei devours it hungrily.

Phainon brings his hand down where he can feel Mydei’s erection straining against his skin tight jeans. He fumbles with the button for a moment before he's able to slip his hand into Mydei’s boxers.

Mydei makes a pathetic sound as Phainon's hand touches his cock. It's so hard and thick and heavy in his loose grip. He runs his hand up his shaft to his head. His cock is drooling precum all from a bit of kissing, fuck. Phainon rubs his palm against his head, coating it in his arousal, Mydei moans softly, almost imperceptible if not for their proximity. He uses his lubricated hand to pump him gently, the sound of slicked skin echoing in the enclosed space.

“Feels good…” Mydei manages, his voice husky, “Phainon.”

Phainon stifles Mydei’s groan with his mouth when he makes a particularly fast pump, he arches into his grasp, desperate for more.

“Did you like that?” Phainon asks as he presses a kiss to the corner of his mouth. Mydei's lips are so swollen now, it sends another wave of heat to his cock.

“Yes,” He admits, pleasure unlocking the door to his honesty that he’s kept so tightly shut, “It feels so good when you touch me.”

“Fuck, Mydei.” The way his cock throbs from his words is almost enough to make him pass out. He pumps Mydei’s needy cock harder, drinking in his breathy sounds with his kiss-bitten lips. His hand is so sticky with his precum and he wants nothing more than to make Mydei taste himself, let him taste the proof of what Phainon does to him.

“Phai—Phainon,” He gasps against his mouth, “I’m close.” His arms around Phainon’s neck begin to tense as he shudders. Phainon moves his face back, he wants to see Mydei’s face scrunch up in pleasure as he makes him climax. He looks so beautiful on the edge, his pupils dilated, swallowing those sharp sunset eyes, his pink lips puffy and wet, his eyebrows furrowed and quivering.

Fingers rapping against the door bring them both out of their lust-filled haze. Mydei’s cock twitches in Phainon’s slick hand—his impending orgasm halted—as he draws in an aborted breath. Phainon blearily thinks that Mydei has a fetish for being caught with how he looks at him then.

“Excuse me, is there someone in here?” The person asks.

“Yes, sorry.” He says, voice clearer than he feels right now, “I’ll be out soon.”

The footsteps disappear and Phainon lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. Mydei presses one more heat-laden kiss to his lips before unlooping his arms from his neck. Phainon slides his hand out of Mydei’s boxers, the feeling of his warm cock seared into his palm.

“We should…” Mydei’s breaths are uneven, “head back.” They’re so fucked. Mydei looks so flustered and pretty and so utterly ruined and they’re absolutely going to get found out.

Phainon walks over to the sink to clean Mydei’s precum off of his hand. Fuck, he hasn’t touched himself this whole time and his cock aches so much it hurts. He looks at himself in the mirror and curses, they’re so thoroughly fucked. “I have to stop thinking with my head.” He mutters.

Mydei’s reflection tilts his head in mock-confusion, “You? Thinking?”

“I don’t want to hear that from the person who followed me here and got us into this mess.”

Mydei relents easily, acutely aware of how screwed they are, “Fair point.”

Phainon sighs and adjusts his very obvious erection as best as he can before running his hands under the sink water again. Mydei moves from his place on the wall to fix his hair in the mirror, it doesn’t look as pristine as it was before they came in here, but it’ll have to do. Phainon watches as Mydei tugs his turtleneck back up and he sees the patch of skin where his lips were. He, thankfully, in his horny haze did not leave any marks on Mydei’s neck but it was a near thing.

“I’ll walk out first, just to make sure no one is outside.” Phainon says. Mydei gives him a noncommittal thumbs up and walks out of the door’s view.

The person who Phainon assumes knocked is standing to the left of the door. They perk up when they hear Phainon come out, almost eager to go inside. Fuck. He’s glad Mydei is out of view right now.

“Hey, sorry to ask this of you, but my friend pissed himself.” He lies, “If you could spare his dignity real quick and turn around while he comes out, he’d appreciate it.”

“Oh, that sucks.” They look genuinely distraught for a second before turning around.

He walks back into the bathroom to signal to Mydei that he can come out and Mydei sprints down the corner before Phainon turns back to the person who’s been patiently waiting, “Sorry about all that, thank you for being understanding.”

“No problem. I’ve been in that situation before.”

Phainon doesn’t quite know what to say to that.

“I’m glad us taking so long didn’t result in that happening again?” He offers.

“It’s a number two.”

“Oh. Good luck.” Phainon says awkwardly.

“Thanks.” The person walks past Phainon and closes the door with a click. He stands dumbfounded by the interaction for a second before walking back to Mydei.

“Pissed myself? Really?” Mydei asks when he’s back in earshot.

“I had to think of something on the spot, okay? At least they bought it. And besides they didn’t see your face.”

“Hmph.”

It's obvious what they were up to when they arrive back at their private room. Mydei’s lips are so swollen and his skin is so flushed—it's impossible not to notice, but if anyone does, they are kind enough to not comment about it and Phainon is grateful for it. Especially because he can't even begin to think about what excuse he would conjure up; he already used all his brainpower on the bathroom situation.

Phainon and Mydei slide back onto the booth seat next to Cipher who’s watching Hyacine sing in front of the jukebox with divided attention, but she doesn't turn away from looking at her as they sit down. All she says is, “Couldn't wait, could’ya?”

The embarrassment Phainon feels in that moment is enough of the feeling for a lifetime.

A knock at the front door draws Aglaea's attention away from Hyacine’s performance and she gets up to let the staff members wheel in their orders. Two strawberry milkshakes and thick, buttery meat pies are placed in front of Phainon and Mydei. He’s suddenly very glad he allowed Mydei to pick out his food when the scent fills his nostrils, all grease and spice.

Thunderous applause fills the room as Hyacine finishes her song, her cheeks flushed from singing her heart out.

“Encore, encore!” Cipher yells, pumping her fist into the air.

Hyacine laughs softly, “Thank you everyone!” She gives a small bow to the room then places her microphone back on the rack before padding over to her spot on one of the couches.

Phainon picks up his pie when it's cool enough to the touch and takes a bite. Mydei is watching him intensely, gauging his reaction. The crispy crust flakes up in his mouth, so rich and fatty, the savory meat filling follows, spiced and hearty with a muted mint flavor. His tongue swipes at the corners of his lips to catch any excess crumbs and he sees that same desire flicker in Mydei’s eyes as he watches him.

“You missed a spot,” He says, but they both know he didn’t. Mydei presses the pad of his thumb to the corner of Phainon’s lips and draws it to his mouth. Phainon swallows down the sound that threatens to slip free as Mydei licks his finger, his tongue slow and deliberate.

Cipher grabs her plate with a disgruntled sound and leaves the booth, “Yeah, that’s it. I’m going to lose my appetite if I sit here any longer.”

“I find that hard to believe,” Mydei retorts, “Your stomach is a bottomless pit.”

She looks at him disgusted, “Even bottomless pits have limits and I clearly learned today that I have one.” Cipher stalks off with a huff to bother Castorice and Anaxagoras.

Mydei laughs before turning back to Phainon, “Did you like it?”

Phainon’s brain takes a second to catch up as he realizes Mydei is talking about the food, “Yes, the meat pie was really good. The taste kind of reminded me of home.”

Mydei nods, “That’s why I like it too. The menu is an amalgamation of a lot of cuisines, but they nail the Greek dishes really well.”

“You’re a foodie?” Phainon asks, intrigued.

“I cook a little in my spare time.”

“I’d like to taste your cooking sometime.”

Mydei takes a sip of his drink in mock thought, “We’ll see. You’ll have to earn that.”

Phainon pouts, “I haven’t leveled up our bond enough for a friendly dinner?”

Mydei’s lips quirk around his straw, “You’re so corny.”

“Hey, I was born on the cob.” He retorts.

That draws a huge laugh out of him, and Phainon’s heart throbs so painfully in his chest seeing Mydei’s eyes crinkle with mirth, his shoulders shaking with unbridled laughter. He likes Mydei so much it feels like it’ll threaten to spill out of him like a dam bursting and he’ll be helpless to stop it. But when he sees Mydei like this, he doesn’t want it to stop, he wants him to know, for that smile to be his alone.

“Phainon!”

Hyacine waves him over with a huge grin on her face. He’s thankful for the distraction—his heart is beating so fast in his chest he thinks he’ll die if he stays in Mydei’s vicinity right now.

“Go ahead.” Mydei says, a smile still fresh on his lips.

Phainon gives him a stilted nod back before sliding out of the booth to walk over to her.

“What's up?” He asks, curious.

Hyacine pulls out her phone from her fanny pack and as she wakes the screen he sees a picture of Ica.

“Ica is your lock screen?”

She looks up, a little surprised that he remembered, “Yep! Isn't he the cutest? He’s gotten so round,” She gazes at the picture fondly, “Did you know we’ve had to buy 3 bags of horse feed per week to keep up with his appetite? Our daily walks aren't enough to keep the weight off anymore. The doctor says he's healthy though!”

“He's really cute. You’ve taken good care of him it seems.” He nods.

“Thank you,” She beams at him like a ray of sunshine, “Oh, sorry Ica’s not what I called you over for. Cassie, can you come here as well?”

Castorice gives Hyacine a relieved look as she walks over, “Thank you for getting me out of there.” She says softly, “Cipher was telling us a horror story about one of her shifts, I could hardly stomach my meal.” It seems Hyacine saved two poor souls in one action.

“Cassie, you work at a hospital.” Hyacine says perplexed.

“You do as well, and I think you would agree with how horrific it was if you heard it. Would you like me to recount it to you?”

“I think I’m good for now,” She responds gently, “Anyway you two, have a seat if you'd like.”

Phainon and Castorice sit down next to Hyacine on either side, curious about what she could have called them over for.

“I’ve gotten everyone else's opinions earlier except for you two. I’m thinking of planning a trip together if we can find some way to coordinate our schedules. Don't worry about expenses, De said he has some connections to make it happen,” Hyacine lifts her phone up, “It'll have to be next year, of course, but I was thinking we could go here.”

It's a beautiful beachside villa, definitely large enough to accommodate eight people, if not more. Mydei in swim trunks immediately comes to mind, his skin lovingly kissed by the sun, and Phainon thinks he needs to accumulate enough PTO next year to make his fantasies become reality.

“I’d love to.” He says.

Castorice nods, “I have no objections either.”

“Great! I’ll note you two down as well. Phainon, when you can, please send me your email via SkyCord DMs so I can relay all the information about the trip to you.”

“Sure thing,” He pauses before adding, “Thank you for including me.”

Hyacine and Castorice exchange confused looks before Hyacine speaks, “Of course, you’re basically a part of the family already. It feels like you’ve been with us since the beginning.” Castorice nods in enthusiastic agreement.

Phainon doesn’t cry then, but it’s a near thing.

He’s always felt like an outsider no matter where he went. Even when his old guild broke up, he never got to stay in contact with any of them, never even tried to form a connection beyond the game. He doesn't know what compelled him to download Saga of Heroes that day, but he feels overwhelmingly grateful that he did when he sees their faces smiling back at him.

“Thank you both. Sorry I keep sounding like a broken record, I just don’t think I can convey my gratitude enough to you all for welcoming me so warmly.”

Hyacine beckons him closer, “Did you know that Naxy and Agy used to bicker in the guild chat every day?” Phainon shakes his head, “They toned it down because they didn’t want to scare you away, but I think it made them be more cordial to each other even if they wouldn’t admit it. Tribbie wanted to host more guild events after you joined, you know, this is the first IRL meetup in months where everyone showed up. Usually De and Naxy decline or Agy’s busy. Even Cipher’s gotten more lively lately.”

“Really?” He asks, a little stunned that his presence was regarded so highly.

“Mhm,” She glances back over to the booth where he sat earlier, “I don’t think in all the years I’ve known De, that he’s smiled as much as he has today. What I’m trying to say is, we appreciate you and you’ve reminded us of the reason why we do all of this.”

“I can’t take any of the credit,” He replies modestly, “I couldn't think of a better group of peers to play alongside—a better group of people to be friends with. I feel like you all have filled a void I didn't even know was missing. So, thank you, truly.”

Hyacine gives his hand a little comforting squeeze, “It's no problem. Remember if you ever need to talk, all of us are here for you, even Naxy.” Castorice nods again this time but looks a little uncertain at the mention of Anaxagoras.

Phainon laughs, “I’ll keep that in mind.” And he means it. She unclasps his hand and gives him a small wave. Castorice waves too with a soft, crooked smile of her own. He stands up and bids them both farewell before turning away with a warm feeling in his chest.

As Phainon walks back to his seat, the jukebox starts playing again and he turns his head to see who's going to sing.

It's Cipher, she clutches the microphone with a serious expression as she turns and faces the group, “I don't need to look at the lyrics. I know this banger by heart.”

Castorice claps her hands excitedly, “I love when you do this one! It's better than getting Rick rolled.”

“Hey, Rick rolling is still fucking funny,” She says displeased. The lyrics start showing up on the screen and Cipher schools her expression again, “At first I was afraid, I was petrified.” Phainon settles back in his seat, intrigued.

He glances over at Mydei who's watching with his full attention, a soft smile on his face. Phainon's heart stumbles out of rhythm a bit at the sight. This expression suits him far more than any other he’s seen on his face, and he thinks he wants to see him like this forever.

“And I will survive, I will survive,” She points to the crowd, her guildmates, and everyone except for Anaxagoras, who looks unimpressed, and Phainon, who doesn't know the cue, exclaims ‘hey, hey’ back at her. Phainon laughs softly, entertained by her effortless crowd work. He thinks she’d do well as a performer.

When Cipher finishes, the room erupts with cheers and claps; she bows dramatically with the microphone to her mouth, “Thank you to all my loving fans who came out tonight. Groupies can meet me in the parking lot later, I do take autographs.”

Mydei chuckles next to him, amused, “It's not worth it, she overcharges.”

“Hey, stop trying to hinder my scam—moneymaking ventures.” She retorts, “Anyway, you’re up.” Cipher points the head of the microphone towards Mydei.

“Why not?” He grins as he slides out of the booth seat.

Cipher nimbly tosses the microphone to Mydei who flips it in his grip a few times before he turns around to fiddle with the jukebox. Phainon’s heard Mydei hum occasionally over their long calls but he’s never heard him sing. At this moment, all of his attention belongs to Mydei—there's never a time it hasn't, but even more so now—anticipation thrums through his body.

Tribbie claps her hands excitedly, “I haven't heard De sing in so long.”

“It has been far too long,” Aglaea agrees with her hand pressed against her face, “Especially for someone with the talent for it.”

Phainon didn't know his excitement could build any higher, but it does, especially when everyone is so transfixed on Mydei, even Anaxagoras—who often fiends disinterest—is watching.

Mydei smirks and it sends a ripple of heat throughout Phainon’s body. The music begins and Mydei looks so focused; it's like he's going into battle. Gripping the microphone tightly between both hands, he closes his eyes as he sings a few lines of the first verse. Mydei’s eyelids flutter open and land on Phainon with a heated intensity as he sings, “We’re on the borderline, dangerously fine and unforgiving.” He shudders almost violently before Mydei looks away and continues singing to the room.

Phainon rubs at his shirt, like it’ll stop his heart from beating out of its cage. Mydei looks completely in his element, his eyes shining like embers, his voice strong and clear, Phainon can’t look away—doesn’t want to, he’s so entranced.

Mydei tucks his hair behind his ear as he reaches the end of the song. Sweat beads at his forehead and his chest rises in quick stunted beats as the instrumental fades away. There's a pause before everyone starts clapping, breaking the spell Mydei cast upon them. Phainon didn't think he could be more enamored with Mydei, but he always manages to surprise him. He claps as hard as he can and knows Mydei notices when the blush over his skin from exertion deepens into a darker hue. A small smile breaks across his lips before he holds the microphone out to the group, “Does anyone want to go next?”

Cipher’s hand shoots up in the air, “Actually, I have another song I want to sing.” Mydei and Cipher perform a hand off again and Cipher’s look of determination crumbles as she fails to stifle a laugh while sifting through the songs. He can already tell she's up to no good.

She turns back with a satisfied huff and a long instrumental begins to play, and by long Phainon means it, a minute had gone by and Cipher still had not begun to sing. She keeps up the awkward air by standing with one hand on her hip, her eyes scanning the room for even a whiff of a reaction—thankfully, no one indulges her, at least not yet. After a long grueling pause, her mouth curves into a mischievous smile before she brings the mic to her lips and utters one word, “Tequila.”

The whole room groans.

Cipher, no longer able to tamp down her laughter, nearly keels over while cackling and smacking her leg. Tears stream from her eyes as Castorice walks over and peels the microphone out of Cipher's clawed grip. Her legs buckle and she stumbles over, almost taking Castorice down with her.

Castorice turns to the group with Cipher grasping onto her arm whilst still shaking from laughter and says, “That's enough nonsense for tonight.”

The instrumental continues to play in the background and Cipher gets up with the aid of Castorice as she gasps for air and squeaks out, “Tequila.” Only to burst into another fit. Looking unimpressed, Castorice drags her away from the jukebox while Cipher protests between laughs.

After the music dies down, Hyacine lifts up a box of playing cards into the air, “I brought these if anyone would like to play! We can gather around in the booth on the right.”

“Phainon, can I speak with you for a moment?” Aglaea says from across the room as the others gather around Hyacine.

His heart plummets.

He knew he couldn't avoid this talk forever, but he still wasn't mentally prepared. He slinks over to her with a look of guilt plastered across his face.

“Aglaea, why didn't you seem surprised? Did you know it was me all along?” Phainon blurts out.

Aglaea pats the spot next to her on the couch, “Do you recall when we spoke about your interests when I was interviewing you for your current position?”

He awkwardly sits down leaving ample room between them, “I can't quite remember, I was so nervous about that phone interview that I just blabbered away. Could you kindly refresh my memory?”

She laughs softly, “I asked you what you did in your free time and you said you enjoyed playing MMOs to which I responded that I did as well. I asked if you’d like to exchange contact information and you said—”

He cuts in, the memory suddenly flooding back to him,“—Sorry my username is a bit cringe, it’s Deliverer.”

“Precisely,” She says with a gentle smile, “But we never got to play together because GunZ put out an end of service notice shortly after.”

“But surely my username wasn’t enough to give me away, there are plenty of other people who could have had my gamer tag.”

She hums thoughtfully, “I started piecing it together for sure when you were sick and I had you take some time off. Cas messaged me saying she was worried that you logged in late one time and then clarified to me later that you were sick, which aligned with the day I let you have off.”

Phainon groans, “I’m sorry I played video games on my day off, Lady Aglaea.”

“Just Aglaea, we’re not on the clock, Phainon. What you do with the time you’re given off has nothing to do with me. I’m just glad you’re feeling better.” She regards him with her sharp eyes, “Though I will say, do spend a little less time gaming, you’ll make yourself sick again and I’d prefer if you could avoid that.”

“You’re right.” He deflates like a pitiful balloon.

“And Phainon, we communicate five days a week via call, email, and IM and have done so for two years. Did you really think I couldn’t recognize your writing style from in-game messages and the SkyCord? You would always become so formal when addressing me.” She smiles, amused.

He dug this hole and he deserves to lie in it.

“Come on, Naxy, just one song!” Tribbie yells out.

“Absolutely not.” He huffs.

Hyacine pouts, “Pretty please? I’ve never gotten to hear you sing before.”

“If Anaxa sings, I’ll order a beer and drink it out of my shoe.” Cipher laughs.

Interest flashes in his eye, “I’d like to see that. And it’s Anaxagoras.”

“So…” Phainon says during the awkward pause as he tries to change the subject, “You and Cipher seem close.”

Aglaea’s eyes crinkle as she smiles, “Quite. You know, she's why I decided to continue garmentmaking.”

“You were going to quit?” He asks, surprised.

“It was before you came on board. I had taken out a loan to open up my first shop, and I hadn't received any customers for almost a month. I tried to keep up with the latest trends and I made pieces that my heart wasn't fully in. I think the window shoppers that walked by could tell,” She sighs softly.

Her gaze moves across the room, “When I was selling all of my items at a negative profit to cover my debt, Cipher came in. I had left a box of shoes out that weren't meant to be displayed since they were just a passion project of mine. She picked up those shoes that I poured my heart into out of the sea of garments and bought them. I recall her telling me how much she adored them and I broke the unfortunate news to her that I would be closing down after I sold everything in the shop.”

She pauses before continuing, “Do you know what she said?”

Phainon shook his head.

“‘That would be a shame’,” Aglaea smiles wider, radiant and bright, “It was such a simple string of words, but it encouraged me to keep going.” She inclines her head to him, “And then I found you. Your work helped market my garments—all I needed was a different approach. It’s funny how life works.”

Phainon smiles, mirroring hers, “I’m glad you didn't give up Aglaea. I have Cipher to thank as well.”

“Are you only saying that because you would be unemployed otherwise?”

“Wh—what, of course not!” He replies flustered.

“It was a joke, Phainon.” She laughs softly.

He didn't know she could make those.

“Woah, what did you say to Agy?” Cipher asks with her hands on her hips as she walks up to them, curious.

“We were just talking about you.” Aglaea says.

“And how awesome I am?”

“Yes, actually.” Aglaea responds. Cipher looks pleased with her response, her lips curving smugly. He thinks if she were a cat, her tail would be swishing behind her happily.

Phainon is oddly grateful to see this side of his boss, more playful and relaxed. He supposes he was the one putting this weird barrier between them and now he could see who she truly was. He has more things to thank SoH for now it seems.

“Make room, loverboy.” She swats at him and he moves over so that she can wedge herself in between them. After she settles down, she turns to him with a whisper, “Dei is getting lonely without your company. Don't tell him I told you though,” Cipher draws back, presses her hand to her chin in thought before she turns to him to whisper again, her voice uncharacteristically serious, “He seems tough, but he's very soft on the inside and doesn't let people close. If you betray that trust, I’ll bury you.”

He wants to say he can't promise that he'll never hurt him, because he might, all people do even when they don't want to, because they're human, but he knows he’ll do his best to protect Mydei’s heart. It's too much and too nuanced to condense to her, so he settles on, “Never. I don’t want to hurt him.”

She doesn't look fully convinced but she draws back, “Go.”

And Phainon goes back to Mydei’s side.

***

When the reverie dies down and everyone is heading to their cars for the night, it’s 2:00 am. Phainon can’t trust himself to make the two hour drive back at this hour, so he sits in his car searching for nearby hotels on his phone until he hears a tap on his window.

Mydei is hunched over leaning his arm against the roof of his car and Phainon thinks for the eightieth time this night that he is breathtaking. Phainon cranks his window down with the turnable handle to hear Mydei talk.

“...Are you going to be able to make it home? I recall you saying that this drive was a bit far for you.”

“Thanks for worrying,” He says honestly, “I was just going to book a hotel room nearby.”

“I live twenty minutes away. We can leave your car here and I’ll drive you back to pick it up in the morning.” Mydei says smoothly.

Phainon’s brain short-circuits. What Mydei proposes is reasonable, a kind offer even. But Phainon’s mind immediately goes to sex and when he looks back up at Mydei, he knows it’s on his mind too.

His tongue suddenly feels too big for his mouth, “Mydei.”

“We don’t have to do anything, Phainon. I just want to make sure that you get home safely in the morning.”

“You’re worried about me?”

Mydei scoffs, affronted, “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“It’s just, we haven’t, you know—talked about how we feel about each other.” Phainon hesitates, suddenly nervous about what Mydei will say next.

“I wouldn’t let you touch me if I didn’t like you.”

Oh.

“What?” Phainon says dumbly.

“I can’t say it any clearer,” He huffs, “Do you think I would do all the things we’ve done with someone I don’t like?”

“Maybe?” He squeaks out weakly, but he knows that he’s wrong.

Mydei steps back from his vehicle to rub his face in frustration, “Get out of the car.”

Phainon cranks the window back up for a few seconds making the situation more awkward than it already is before stepping out and locking the door behind him.

Mydei presses him against his car and cups his cheek gently, “Do I have to repeat myself?”

“No.” Phainon breathes.

“Good. Your answer?”

“I like you too.” He admits.

A lopsided smile crosses Mydei’s lips as he says, “I know.” He captures Phainon’s lips in a kiss, more chaste and slow, like they have all the time in the world. It’s such a huge contrast to their unrestrained desire in the restroom earlier, more intimate, and Phainon melts into it—into Mydei, so content that his feelings are reciprocated. His heart sprints faster out of rhythm, stumbling over every beat. They’re pressed together so close that he’s sure that Mydei can feel it.

Mydei draws back for air first, his breathing uneven from such a soft kiss. He's so cute, Phainon thinks he’ll explode from cuteness aggression before he even gets to Mydei’s house.

Mydei’s hand falls from his face to clasp around his wrist.

“Let's head to my place.” Mydei says.

Phainon follows Mydei through the parking lot to his car and his eyes nearly bulge out of their sockets when he sees it.

“A Rolls-Royce? Really?”

Mydei stops in place, turning his head with a conflicted look on his face, “It's inherited. I would never spend money this frivolously, if that's what you're thinking.”

“You didn't seem like the type.” He agrees.

“At least you know. Come on.”

Phainon slides into the passenger side and tries not to think about how he's sitting in a car that costs more than his little townhome.

“I’ll just get this out of the way before we get there,” Mydei says, uncharacteristically unsure, “My house is… I guess house isn't an apt descriptor,” He pauses, “I live in a mansion.”

Mydei’s eyes are focused on the steering wheel in front of him. It doesn’t fully show on his face, but Phainon can tell he’s hesitant about something. “There’s something more you want to say, isn’t there?”

Mydei’s shoulders slump a little bit, “You always agreed easily whenever I omitted bits of the truth. I never outright lied about it, but you asked me what I do for work.”

“You work at Kremnos’ Tomes.”

“Yes, but you assumed that I was a regular employee.”

The cogs start turning in Phainon’s brain, “The young CEO, it’s you, isn’t it?”

Mydei nods wordlessly.

“I can see why you wouldn’t want to disclose that.” He says easily as he sits back in his seat.

Mydei turns to look at him slightly bewildered, “That’s it? You’re not surprised?”

“I definitely am,” He chuckles softly, “But you’ve had people treat you weirdly when they’ve found out in the past, right?”

“Yes.” The tension starts to ebb from his voice.

“Even if you didn’t have a penny to your name, it would change nothing between us. I liked you before I knew and I still do now.”

Mydei presses his head into the steering wheel with a groan, “You’re so sappy. It’s gross.”

“I thought you liked it?” Phainon teases.

“Somehow, and that’s worse.” He mutters.

***

Phainon doesn’t have time to process Mydei’s mansion or the furnishings inside because he’s being dragged all the way up the marble staircase to his bedroom. They come to a stop in front of a pair of white doors with an intricate golden trim and Mydei begrudgingly lets go of Phainon’s wrist to open them. Phainon follows after him, watching as Mydei hurriedly peels off his shoes when he's inside. He pries his eyes away from him to look at where the soft light is coming from.

Moonlight filters into the room through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The sheer curtains are parted revealing the rear garden and a stunning sea of sword lilies. Water flows at the center of the garden from a 3-tiered, white marble fountain—glistening under the gentle glow of the moon. Phainon thinks about how he was so close to staying in a hotel alone tonight and now he’s in his lover’s room. His heart thumps loudly at the realization.

Mydei is his.

Mydei is down to his boxers and turtleneck when Phainon looks away from the view outside. He’s so beautiful cloaked in moonlight, he thinks if Aphrodite were real, Mydei would be her most favored. Phainon slides off his shoes and fumbles with his belt until Mydei walks over with a huff and helps him unloop it. He’s given a kiss for his trouble, one that deepens until heat pools in his gut. Mydei’s hands unclasp the buttons of his oxford impatiently while their lips press together unhurriedly, the juxtaposition makes him slightly dizzy. Phainon parts from the kiss, remembering an orange ball of mischief.

“Where’s Leo?” Phainon asks abruptly.

Mydei pauses, “We’re about to—” He closes his eyes and exhales in disbelief, “And you're asking about my cat?”

“Yes?” He says awkwardly, “What if he scratches at the door?”

Mydei laughs and guides Phainon over to his canopied bed, “That won't happen, we’re all alone tonight.”

Phainon swallows, “You planned this?” All of the blood in his body rushes to his cock.

Mydei settles on top of him, his muscled thighs pressed against Phainon’s, “What do you think?”

“That I want you so badly right now.”

Mydei smirks, pleased with his answer, “Good, now take what I give you.” His hands travel down Phainon’s body, leaving goosebumps in their wake. Phainon jolts forward as Mydei’s hand stops to rest atop of his clothed cock, heavy and hot. He cups at his erection through his boxers coaxing it to fill even more until it strains against the fabric.

“Mydei.” He nearly whines.

Mydei frees his cock through the fly of his boxers. He flinches against the cold air, but his dilemma is quickly remedied when Mydei’s warm hand moves to pump him gently. He’s teasing him. The friction isn't enough, his touch too soft, but fuck if it isn't driving him mad with desire.

“You’re well-proportioned.” Mydei says. Phainon’s cock twitches pathetically at his words against his loose grip. “I thought as much when I saw you on camera last week.”

Phainon sucks in a breath as Mydei’s thumb rubs across his head, spreading his sticky precum in lazy circles. Phainon wants so badly to thrust into his grip, but he has to be good—has to only take what Mydei gives him.

“Yeah? Is it better than you expected?” He manages. He’s getting so lightheaded just from a bit of foreplay, maybe it's just because it's Mydei.

Mydei gives him one tight stroke and he arches into his touch, desperate for more of that tightness. “That’ll depend on your behavior.” His touch is soft again, each pump slow and deliberate. More precum dribbles out in little rivulets to slick Mydei’s hand—to make the glide more smooth.

It takes everything in his body to not squirm against him, “Mydei, please, I’m good.”

“That remains to be seen.” He says and Phainon shivers.

Mydei slides off of Phainon's lap and before he can complain, Mydei settles in between his legs. He presses a wet kiss to his head and his cock throbs against Mydei’s mouth. It’s so red and angry next to Mydei’s pink lips.

He looks so pretty like this, Phainon can't decide if he wants to paint his face in his cum or to plug him up with it. Mydei seems pretty intent on drawing it out from him with his mouth. He tucks his hair behind his ear and lavishes Phainon’s cock with kisses. Phainon needily twitches under every bit of contact, the attention so heady; he tries to stifle his moans, but Mydei draws back until he lets them free, rewarding him with another caress of his lips on his shaft.

“Mydei,” He tries again, “Please.”

Mydei’s lips part to reveal his pretty, pink tongue. He traces over Phainon’s cock in hot, quick swipes. It feels so fucking good to be at his mercy especially when his tongue prods against his head coaxing more of his clear arousal out. Phainon lifts a shaky hand to smooth the strands of hair out of Mydei’s face and the look of pure pleasure Mydei has just from pleasing him is almost enough to make him spill.

“Fuck, Mydei,” He breathes out, “You're so perfect for me.” Phainon twitches as Mydei presses another heated kiss to his cock in response, “I want to touch you, can I?”

Mydei stops and fixes him with a half-focused stare, he’s so gone just from kissing and licking his cock, “No. Not yet.”

Mydei’s plush lips circle around his head until he opens his mouth to suck him in. Phainon's thighs tense from the sensation, all of this edging has brought him so close, he can feel the heat pooling deep within him, threatening to burst free. Mydei knows it too. He looks so pleased as he draws him in further until his nose is nuzzled against his thick, white curls. Phainon feels the tip of his cock kiss the back of Mydei’s throat and his toes curl against the sheets. Fuck, he's so close, just a bit—

Phainon whines as Mydei withdraws his mouth. A thin string of saliva and precum connects the two of them despite the break in contact. Mydei sits up wordlessly, his pupils blown wide, and Phainon surges forward to capture his lips with his. Mydei doesn't protest, just lets Phainon kiss and lick into his mouth like he's hungry for it. His hands scramble to pull off Mydei’s shirt, to feel him skin to heated skin. He presses Mydei down into the mattress and breaks from their kiss to run his lips down the column of his neck. Mydei shudders against him as he sucks, a hickey blooming on the surface of his skin. Phainon nips and sucks—sloppily painting Mydei’s neck with an array of reds and purples—tasting the tangy salt of his sweat.

His hand slips into Mydei’s boxers and it comes back completely soaked in his seed. Phainon makes a sound in awe, “You came from sucking me off? Is that why you stopped?”

His answer is given in the form of Mydei's blush deepening into a dark scarlet.

Phainon shivers, “What happened to all of that bravado earlier?”

Mydei clasps his hand over Phainon’s mouth, “I’d prefer if you would stop speaking.”

He chuckles and licks at Mydei's fingers drawing a few quiet gasps from him. He presses a kiss to his palm before drawing his hand back to look at him. His scarlet tattoos run farther than he initially expected, they curve and curl around his ribs and even further, dipping into the seam of his boxers. He wets his hand with his tongue, licking the remnants of Mydei’s arousal. His spend is not unpleasant to taste, only mildly bitter and slightly salty, and he loves that Mydei is watching him with ravenous eyes; his cock stirring with renewed interest.

Phainon glances over to the bedside table and sees a bottle of lube in the dim light. He slides over Mydei to grab it, mildly amused to see that it's half empty. He crowds over Mydei again, places the bottle on the sheets, and peels him out of his wet boxers. His cock is curved against his stomach again, drooling with the promise of more cum.

“You're so beautiful,” Phainon says, “I’ve thought that since I first saw you.”

Mydei groans and covers his face with his arm, “Sappy.”

“For you, yes.” He says easily. Phainon takes the lube and warms it between his fingers before pressing the pad of his index finger to his puffy rim. Mydei’s cock twitches against his belly as Phainon’s finger is swallowed by his greedy hole. Watching it disappear into Mydei only serves to make him grow unfathomably harder. He needs to take his time to prepare him, but he can't stop thinking about what he’ll look like stretched out on top of his cock. Phainon shivers, his skin feels akin to a furnace just from the thought. He curls in his finger deeper, prodding and searching for the spot within him that’ll make him squirm and he knows he found it when Mydei jolts—his breath catching on a moan. Phainon presses a kiss to his inner thigh as he rubs a second finger to his entrance and slips it in.

Mydei’s breath hitches in a stuttery rhythm with every thrust. He accepts the intrusion with little resistance and Phainon wonders if he’s been touching himself with Phainon in mind, stretching himself on his fingers imagining it's Phainon filling him instead. He asks on a particularly deep thrust and Mydei responds with a broken moan.

“Yes,” He breathes, “—wanted this.”

Phainon shuts his eyes like it’ll stop the incoming wave of arousal that hits him, “No wonder you’re taking me so well.” Mydei stifles a moan. “Let me hear you, Mydei. Let me hear how much you wanted this.”

He prods at Mydei’s prostate, feeling the soft, firm flesh, reveling in the sounds of Mydei’s gasps, unbidden. He curls his fingers, watching closely as Mydei’s face crumples with pleasure. When his third finger slips inside, Mydei’s breaths are heavy, his thighs flex against Phainon’s head, his second orgasm close.

“Phainon,” He rasps, his shaky hand coming to rest atop Phainon’s head, “I want you inside.”

Desire seeps into the very core of his body and he wants nothing more than to honor Mydei’s wish. He withdraws his soaked fingers, slicks up his cock with the remainder of the lube, and presses his leaking head to Mydei’s wanting hole. Their breaths catch in unison as Phainon slides in. Mydei is all heat and tightness around him. He presses in deeper until their bodies are practically fused together. At this distance, he can kiss Mydei’s lips and he does, savoring the feel of his lover's lips against his, running his tongue over his as Mydei trembles against him. The heels of Mydei’s feet press into his back, urging him deeper and he obliges. He swallows all of Mydei’s sounds hungrily as he thrusts into him achingly slow and deep.

It’s so intimate, seeing Mydei like this, that he’s allowed Phainon to take him apart. Mydei who is guarded yet kind, muscled yet soft, honest yet dishonest. All pliant beneath him demanding more, not begging, never that, because Phainon will give him everything and anything without a word. It feels so good to be inside him, to kiss and touch deep inside of him with his cock, to feel his silky heat. Phainon draws back to wrap his hand around Mydei’s neglected cock; the mix of his precum and previous orgasm making the glide easy. Mydei’s back lifts from the sheets in a small arch—his eyes squeezing shut.

“I’m gonna—” Mydei tenses then shudders against Phainon’s grip, his cock twitching in his hand, spilling his hot seed. Phainon pumps him a little more trying to coax all that he can out of him until Mydei lets out a quiet whine from overstimulation. Fuck, he’s so pretty, and he’s all his and it’s making him so dizzy with want. He wants to make this last, but he feels himself fraying, melting into Mydei.

“Mydei,” Phainon breathes, “Mydei, Mydei—”

His hips start to stutter out of rhythm, white-hot heat searing his eyes as he shuts them and presses his body as close to Mydei’s as he can, coating deep inside of him with his thick, hot cum. His cock twitches, once, twice, with small spurts of seed desperate to be inside his lover. They’re both coated in sweat, but they hold each other close while Phainon’s cock softens.

Phainon slips free of Mydei's hole with a broken moan, his sticky spend dripping down between them. Mydei shivers underneath him, his flushed chest rapidly rising and falling. His eyes are a bit unfocused, his lips swollen and puffy, and he’s still just as beautiful. Mydei’s eyelids flutter shut as Phainon presses a kiss to his cheek and a soft sigh escapes Mydei’s lips. He turns away from the bed to find something to wipe Mydei down with, but he's stopped by a firm hand around his wrist.

“Let's stay like this a little longer.” Mydei says. Phainon settles back on top of him and cradles him in his arms. He rubs his hand across the expanse of Mydei's back, reveling in the way Mydei twitches against him with every brush of his fingers.

“You’re so cute, you know that right?” Phainon murmurs into his hair.

“Shut up.” He mutters.

“I like you even when you’re all prickly like this.”

Mydei turns his head, his voice so quiet when he says, “I like you too.”

***

When he wakes the next day, Mydei is curled up against his side, his back unguarded as it faces him. Phainon presses a soft kiss to the space beneath his neck receiving a contented sigh from Mydei in return.

“Good morning,” Mydei says groggily, his shoulders slumping with a deep yawn, “Did you sleep well?”

“Better than I have in ages, how about you?”

“Mm,” He turns to face Phainon, his honeyed amber eyes peering through his disheveled hair, “It was nice to have you at my back.”

“You're being so honest today,” Phainon says as he leans down to capture Mydei’s lips with his own. Mydei kisses him back softly, his movements still laden with sleep. Phainon presses his palm against his cheek to kiss him deeper, satisfied when Mydei relents easily. Their phones ring beneath them and Phainon draws back a little miffed, “I’ll check it. It's probably a Skycord notification.”

xXNyanXx: if anyone's still in the area, let's have brunch at waffle home, dei’s treat. @everyone

xNetherwing: Did he offer or are you just freeloading again?

xXNyanXx: he’ll pay, especially if he wants to thank me. ƪ(˘⌣˘)ʃ

Deliverer: Thank you for what?

xXNyanXx: oh awesome, deliverer is chipping in too.

Deliverer: Sorry, I don't quite follow.

xXNyanXx: i do all this heavy lifting and this is how i’m repaid? ( ´_ゝ`) you two have finally stopped tiptoeing around eachother and it was all thanks to me btw. u r welcome.

Mydei sits up, “What’s that face for?”

Phainon places his phone down, “Cipher said that you and I are paying for everyone's food at Waffle Home.”

He laughs softly, “That can't be all, what else did she say?”

“That we owe her for us getting together,” Phainon pauses, “We are together, right?”

Mydei pushes at his chest, “You're usually so quick to piece things together, Phainon. What's with you today?”

“Well, excuse me for wanting to hear it from your mouth.”

He lets out an exasperated sigh, “My husband is so demanding.”

Phainon chokes on air, “That’s unfair.”

“How does your own medicine taste?” Mydei asks as he gets up from the bed, his nude body on full display. Phainon swallows thickly. He can see all of the marks he left last night, a motley of deep reds and soft violets. He’ll have to wear another turtleneck today or something to hide Phainon’s hunger.

“You're deflecting as always. Too scared to say the word boyfriend?” Phainon challenges.

“Scared? Hardly. I’m just afraid of how large your head will get from it. It’s empty enough as is.”

He pouts, “Can I not be proud to call you mine?”

Mydei stops in place, and a blush spreads down to his back. Phainon can’t see his face, but he knows it’s probably the cutest thing he’ll ever see in his life.

“Do as you wish.” He huffs. Phainon supposes part of the reason he finds Mydei so charming is when he gets like this; his affection and acknowledgement not so easily earned.

He slips off the bed to hug Mydei from behind, his erection pressing against his plump ass.

Mydei shivers, “Really? This early? Insatiable.”

“Can you blame me?” He presses a kiss against Mydei’s flushed neck, “You're so beautiful, Mydei.”

“Is that all?” Mydei teases, but his voice is a little unsteady.

“I think we’d be here all day if I told you everything I liked about you.”

“Another time then,” Mydei turns around and presses Phainon onto the bed. He moves until he sits astride him, hand braced on his abs, “No words of dissent?”

Phainon aches, “Take what you want.”

“You’re being so obedient, good boy.” Mydei smirks and rides him for all he’s worth.

Chapter Text

Chapter Fourteen: Man I Love Fishing

“Hiya lovebirds.” Cipher says with a toothpick wedged between her lips like a farmer; she waves at them with her clawed hand, directing them towards the large booth she reserved for brunch. She's wearing a black cat ear-shaped beanie and a gray oversized sweater that sags on her shoulders. Hyacine is on her right dressed in pink fluffy pajamas, her face still laced with sleep as she leans on Cipher’s shoulder. Castorice sits across from them with her pale, purple hair tied up and a large, black hoodie that has her OTP screenprinted on the front.

As they approach, Phainon suddenly feels nervous about whether any of them will comment on the fact that he’s wearing Mydei’s clothes. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to piece together what could've happened between them last night; especially since everyone knows Phainon had to drive out for the event.

Cipher scans them up and down with a knowing look on her face, her wet toothpick now slotted between her fingers as she points at them, “I hope you guys enjoyed the honeymoon,” Her cheeks swell, “It seems the resort even had matching outfits.” She slaps the vinyl of the booth seat with her hand as she cackles. Of course it wouldn't get past her.

He looks down at their clothes, they are accidentally matching. Mydei is wearing a red turtleneck to hide all of the marks Phainon left on him and black skinny jeans. Meanwhile, he's wearing a spare red sweater of Mydei’s and loose fitting pants. He even smells like Mydei too—the same pomegranate soap and detergent—it makes him feel a little warm inside.

“Hey guys.” Phainon replies, opting to ignore her second comment.

Mydei grimaces at Cipher, deciding not to dignify her words with a response. Phainon sits down first next to Castorice—who gives him a small smile—leaving room for Mydei to slot at his side.

“Hi Mydei, Phainon.” Castorice says cordially.

“Hi…you two.” Hyacine yawns while blinking the sleep from her eyes.

Cipher slides a menu over to Phainon, “We’ve already placed our orders,” She turns to Mydei with a grin, “I already placed yours too, Dei.”

“Thanks.” Mydei replies with a small smile.

“Thank you,” Phainon picks up the menu and glances over it, “Does he order the same thing every time?”

The three girls nod in unison before Cipher speaks, “Four strawberry waffles and a steak melt. Every single time.”

Phainon hums, “That sounds good. I’ll have that too.” He decides as he sets the menu down.

A worker comes over, scratches down Phainon’s order, and takes his menu before heading back to the open griddle. The smell of grease and flour wafts in the air and Phainon’s stomach growls in response. Mydei laughs softly and discreetly intertwines their fingers together under the table; his hand a welcome weight against his. The jukebox plays quietly in the background as the other patrons chatter. Phainon likes this—an easy morning surrounded by friends.

“Oh yeah,” Cipher thinks aloud, “Deliverer, you should hurry up and get to level 200.”

“Is there any particular reason why?” He asks. The waiter comes back to set two glasses of water in front of him and Mydei, “Thank you.”

“We’re thinking of turning the guild into a static again.” Her nails tap on the table out of rhythm, “We now have eight people, so why not?”

“I don’t think my micro is good enough for high-end raiding nor do I know the mechs like you guys do.” He replies, unsure.

Hyacine lifts her head from Cipher’s shoulder, “It's okay, we can teach you. Agy will also be doing callouts while we raid, so you’ll only have to remember the mechs that you need to resolve on your own.”

Phainon looks over to Mydei, “You're going to raid too?”

“Pfft, you wanna know if your boyfriend’s joining?” Cipher snorts.

“Sure, why not?” Mydei responds.

Hyacine’s jaw unhinges as she looks at them both, tiredness draining from her body, “I was just teasing before, but you're actually together now?”

Phainon's face fills with heat as he squeezes Mydei’s hand. Mydei, without turning his head, gives him a reassuring squeeze back. It’s surreal to have him not outwardly deny it, especially when he seemed so adamant about refuting that they were into each other prior. Maybe—Phainon thinks hopefully—Mydei is just as excited to call him his.

Cipher turns to her with an incredulous look, “They’re both wearing little prince’s clothes, they arrived together, what did you think happened?”

Hyacine’s head swivels back and forth between all of them as she blurts out, “They could be very good friends? I don’t know?”

Cipher bursts out laughing again.

Castorice pipes up, “Cinnie, do you think the guys I write about in my stories are good friends?”

Phainon has to tamp down the laughter that threatens to erupt from his throat at her question.

Her face flushes bright red, “Okay, I concede,” Her voice is quiet and flustered as she squeaks out, “Congrats you two, by the way.”

The awkward conversation is broken up by their orders being placed on the table. They thank the waiter in disjointed unison as they slide their plates around to the correct person. Phainon makes a joke about which order is his or Mydei’s which falls flat when Mydei fixes him with an unamused scowl.

Cipher cuts into her two chocolate chip waffles and stuffs her face like she hasn't eaten in years. Hyacine spreads whipped cream across a plain waffle while Castorice slices into an omelet and hashbrowns. Castorice turns to Phainon with a fork stabbed through an equal amount of egg and fried potato.

“You were staring really hard, want some?” She offers.

Phainon opens his mouth and slides the food off the utensil with a hum, “That’s good, thanks Cas.”

Her smile unfurls like blooming asphodels, “I’m glad.”

Mydei’s hand squeezes against his, “I think Mydei wants some too.” Phainon jests. He didn’t take Mydei for the jealous type, but the new information makes him impossibly cuter, he keeps that in mind for later.

“You—” Mydei blurts before Castorice presses her fork to his lips. He reluctantly opens his mouth and eats it; a deep blush spreading across his face as he does so, “Thanks.” Mydei mutters.

Cipher sputters around her food and Phainon thinks if she continues they’ll have to make a trip to the ER.

“Can you stop that?” Mydei admonishes.

She just smirks and continues shoveling her food down. Mydei sighs and lets go of Phainon’s hand to slip his hair through a hair tie. He cuts into his food like a prince would—Mydei’s mother was right to bestow that title upon him. He’s elegant and rough around the edges and all his, Phainon wonders if he saved the world in his past life to deserve him, to deserve all this happiness. Mydei clears his thoughts with an offered fork, his cheeks scarlet like his tattoos.

“Didn't you guys get the same thing?” Cipher asks.

Phainon smiles before he wraps his lips around Mydei’s utensil, but can hardly taste the food because Mydei’s staring at him so hard. Cipher reaches over with her fork and jankily slices herself a piece of one of Mydei’s waffles. He doesn't protest, seemingly used to her doing this, his face resigned as he asks, “Why don't you ever order some for yourself?” He withdraws his fork from Phainon's mouth, the moment shattered.

“It tastes,” Her cheeks puff up like a chipmunk, “better when it's yours.” She says as she swallows, “Right, lovebird?”

Phainon wants to agree just to rile Mydei up but he’s still debuffed with embarrassment.

Mydei slices around her shoddily cut portion and puts it on her plate. She looks up, her face contorted with confusion.

“I don't want your germs.” Mydei says petulantly.

“But his are fine?” She points her fork at Phainon.

Mydei’s face blooms a soft red, the innuendo not lost on him, “Can we not discuss this right now?”

Phainon gives him a pat on the back which earns him a cute little glare. He wonders if this is the face Mydei makes when he teases him online.

“Cinnie, do you not have a scholar society meeting today?” Castorice asks. Phainon sees Mydei give her a grateful look for changing the subject.

“It’s only twice a month and I don’t attend all of them. The CWLC is more than enough for most communication.”

“I’ve been meaning to ask about that,” Phainon says, “You and Anaxagoras are both in it, right?”

“Yes! It’s like a club, Cassie is in one too. A reading club, I believe.”

Castorice’s face turns pink, “It’s a concrit club. We share our slash fics and revise them based on feedback. Clubs aren’t an official thing sanctioned by the game. They tend to be CWLCs dedicated to specific topics or communities that don’t want the added pressure of making a SkyCord. In my case, we do have one so it’s easier to share critiques.”

“There’s a lot of small communities in SoH, it’s nice. I don’t know if you have attended any, but did you know that there are roleplay bars, Phainon?” Hyacine asks.

Slightly intrigued, Phainon replies,“I didn’t. How do those work?”

Cipher taps her fork against her plate that has been wiped clean, “I think those are better experienced for yourself. Words can’t even begin to describe what goes on inside them.”

Curiosity starts to take hold of him.

“Don’t put stupid ideas in his head.” Mydei huffs. Mydei’s attempt to thwart him only makes his interest bloom further.

Cipher smirks, “Afraid he’s gonna drag you along?”

“Hey, what’s wrong with going to a roleplay bar, Mydei?” Phainon asks.

He shoves at Phainon lightly, making him laugh softly. “How do you both keep dragging me into your nonsense?”

Hyacine deflates, “Sorry for bringing the topic up. I didn’t know you weren’t too keen on the idea, De.”

“No, it’s fine,” He says, backpedaling to spare her feelings, “It’s just Phainon gets persistent about things.”

“I can te—” Cipher starts.

“Fuck off.” Mydei groans as he leans back in the booth seat. Phainon snakes his hand on his thigh to rub comforting circles over his jeans. Mydei shivers under his touch, his annoyance waning.

The conversation drifts more into Hyacine, Castorice, and Cipher airing out their grievances about their jobs when Hyacine asks Phainon what he does for work.

He blanches, he forgot that he hasn’t broken the news to everyone else, “I’m a graphic designer,” He steels himself before continuing, “For Aglaea.”

Hyacine’s fork clatters against her plate, Castorice’s face mirrors Hyacine’s shock, although not as exaggerated, and Phainon feels Mydei’s thigh slightly tense under his hand in surprise.

Cipher interjects,“When Agy’s business started taking off, she told me she hired someone to make promotional adverts, it was you, huh? Small world.”

“Yeah, and she told me you were the one who made her keep moving forward with her passion.”

Cipher’s chest puffs up with pride, clearly pleased by the acknowledgement, “So you saw the beauty in Agy’s works too? I knew we were kindred spirits, lovebird.”

Phainon smiles at her, “So you’re interested in that truce now?”

“I’ll think about it.” She smirks.

Phainon looks over at Mydei who’s looking at him so fondly that his heart almost explodes on the spot.

He feels his skin grow ridiculously hot, “I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you—” He turns to everyone else, “That I didn’t tell any of you. I was too embarrassed to admit it and really, what are the chances that the guild I chose happened to be the one my boss was the leader of?”

“Sounds like a light novel title.” Castorice says.

“Wait—” Cipher’s voice is on the cusp of another hearty laugh, “Is that why you kept being so formal?”

Phainon closes his eyes, resigned.

“AHAHAHA—”

Hyacine turns away from Cipher’s loud cackling in her ears, “It’s okay Phainon, I can’t imagine if I were to play Saga of Heroes with my boss.”

Cipher stops laughing to cut in, “But didn’t you used to work under Anaxa?”

“He doesn’t count,” She pouts, “We were acquaintances long before I worked for him and besides that was only temporarily. I really needed that job at the time.”

“Cinnie used to be Anaxagoras’ lab assistant before she went into nursing.” Castorice explains.

Hyacine nods, “I’m glad I do triage now though, despite the many ups and downs.”

“It fits you,” Phainon says easily, “A healer in-game and IRL.”

Hyacine beams, her smile all sunrays, “Thank you!”

The rest of their conversations flow without a hitch. Phainon thinks back to the words he exchanged with Hyacine and Castorice last night, and he feels a surge of gratefulness fill him again. He really couldn’t have picked a better guild to join that day.

After the rest of their plates are cleared and their chatter dies down, Phainon and Mydei split the check—they fought over who should pay for five minutes before Cipher swiped both their cards and handed them over at the register. Phainon guesses it’s the least they could do considering that she played matchmaker, although unintentionally, he thinks. The girls bid them farewell and huddle into Cipher's worn down car, leaving Phainon and Mydei in the parking lot next to Mydei’s car.

“Let me drive you back to the karaoke spot so you can get home at a decent time.” Mydei says as he unlocks the car doors.

“Time really flew by.” Phainon replies wistfully.

“It did,” He agrees, “I was curious about if you were going to come or not.”

Phainon perks up as he slides into the passenger side, “You were worried that I might have lived too far?”

“Not particularly.” He lies.

“You're too shy to admit that you were happy I came.”

“I’m not.” His voice grows quieter, “Seeing you and everyone wasn't bad. I haven't gone to one of these in a while.”

Phainon smiles, “You can say you had fun, Mydei.”

“I don't want to give you the satisfaction of that.”

“Oh come on, I won't be annoying about it.”

The face Mydei shoots him makes him wilt a bit.

“That annoying about it?” He corrects.

“You're ridiculous.”

“But you tolerate me.”

Mydei sighs, “Unfortunately.”

“And you like me.”

“...”

His sunkissed skin turns a rosy red and Phainon can’t resist the urge to kiss him. He slides out of his seat to capture Mydei’s lips with his. Mydei relents easily, letting Phainon crawl onto his lap. Mydei’s already hard, his erection pressed firmly against Phainon’s growing one, Mydei’s body always more honest than he. Mydei gasps into his mouth as Phainon’s hands roam up his shirt, his fingers ghosting over his hardening nipples. Phainon sucks Mydei’s bottom lip into his mouth, nipping and licking at it, hoping to draw out more sweet sounds from him.

Rationality grips Mydei before it does Phainon and he draws away, his lips puffy and red, “We can’t. I don’t want to drive home in wet boxers.”

Phainon pouts, but he knows he’s being unreasonable. Mydei gives him one more kiss out of pity and moves so that Phainon can slide back into his seat.

The car ride goes by fast, the restaurant was only five minutes away from the karaoke bar. And Phainon is already mildly—extremely—sad about the prospect of not seeing Mydei again for a while. He's also still painfully aroused, but that's secondary to the longing that's settling in even though Mydei is right beside him.

Mydei flicks his forehead softly with his finger, “You look like a sad puppy. It’s hard to believe you’re the same guy who bothers me incessantly.”

“I don’t want to go yet.” He admits, no longer worrying about sounding petulant or not.

Mydei regards him thoughtfully, “I’m not far.”

Phainon catches the implications in his words, he always does, “I know, but only getting to see you every once in a while won’t be enough.”

“You’re so greedy.” He says, but Phainon can tell he likes it. Likes how much Phainon wants to monopolize him.

“I can't help it. I know you don't want me to leave either.”

Mydei laughs, quiet and husky, “You wish.”

Phainon gives him another pout which only serves to make him laugh harder. He should be more offended but Mydei’s laughter is such a gift, he’ll go through any length just to hear it even if he has to take a shot to his pride.

“When are you free again?” He asks.

Mydei smiles, barely a curve of his lips, but a smile nonetheless, “Wouldn't you like to know?”

“I would, that's why I asked.”

He sighs in fake exasperation as he softly shoves at Phainon's shoulder, “Goodbye, Phainon.”

“Goodbye, Mydei.” He says fondly. He slides off his seatbelt and closes the door behind him. Phainon walks around the back of the car to get to his parked one and takes one last glimpse of Mydei.

“Phainon.”

He stops in his tracks.

Mydei doesn’t look away from the dashboard as he says, “I’m glad that you joined the guild.”

Phainon turns back and slides his head through Mydei’s open window to kiss him. He can’t believe he got Mydei to admit it, something he’s wanted to hear from him since that night they shared in front of the guild house. Something so small yet it feels like a significant admission when it comes from Mydei.

“Me too.” He says against his soft lips and they both know their words contain much more than what they’ve said aloud.

***

Phainon logs into Saga of Heroes later than usual at 8:00 pm. After the drive from Janusopolis, he had to pick up Snowy from the sitter’s house. He apologized in person for having them keep him another day and wired them extra funds and then some. In hindsight, he should’ve known he wasn’t going to come back home the same day, but he didn’t want to assume anything would have happened between him and Mydei. Though he would be lying if he said he would’ve been okay with them staying friends, especially after getting to have a taste of him. He’s in deep, but somehow he doesn't mind.

He tabs back into the game to see Cipher messaging at him in the guild chat.

xXNyanXx: hey deliverer, come fishing with us.

Deliverer: What are you up to?

xXNyanXx: i just want to repay you for brunch of course.

Prince: She's lying, you get extra EXP if you party with a new fisher.

xXNyanXx: ok fine. the jig is up. i need to level my fisher and we need some of the mats for the new raid food.

Prince: Your culinarian isn't even leveled yet.

xXNyanXx: yeah and? you're the one who's gonna cook.

Prince: Oh really? Do you have the means to employ my services?

xXNyanXx: deliverer, did you know that before the meetup dei called me and asked me for advice on what he should wear?

Phainon didn't know that. Thinking about Mydei being so worried about what to wear that he swallowed his pride to ask her, is a fact that won't be leaving his mind anytime soon. He always tries so hard to act unaffected, but now Phainon wonders if Mydei’s more smitten than he is.

Prince: That's enough.

Prince: I’ll make the raid food, just don't say anything further.

[Beloved][Deliverer]: Did you really?

[Beloved][Prince]: What does it matter?

[Beloved][Deliverer]: I didn't know you worried about my opinion that much.

[Beloved][Prince]: I didn't have to, it seems. You would have jumped my bones even if I wore a trash bag.

[Beloved][Deliverer]: Is that a kink of yours?

xXNyanXx: what did u say this time deliverer?

Deliverer: I don't want to talk about it.

xXNyanXx: that bad huh? LOOOOOOOOOOL.

xXNyanXx: anyway, hurry up n do your quests while you wait for him to log back on.

Phainon speeds through the beginner fishing quests and meets Cipher and the rest at the docks. She's dressed to fish: sunglasses perched on her bucket hat, a beige, cropped fishing vest, blue shorts and matching sandals. Her fishing rod is gripped in one hand while her tackle box is held in the other. Hyacine and Castorice wear similarly coordinated outfits and he wonders if Cipher put them up to it.

Mydei logged back on sometime in between his quests and he sits at the edge of the dock facing away from the group. Phainon waves to the girls before walking up to his boyfriend.

Mydei's character is wearing a red floral shirt that's unbuttoned at the top, showing a bit of his chest, and his bottom half sports tight, black board shorts. His hair is tied in a low ponytail and his sunglasses hang low on his nose. Phainon would pay good money to see him wear this in person. His mind starts to wander, he imagines peeling the board shorts off of Mydei, kissing his tan lines until he begs for Phainon’s lips against his. Phainon sighs, Mydei was right, he is a pervert.

[Beloved][Prince]: The boat is about to leave. You’ve been standing there like an idiot for the past 5 minutes.

[Beloved][Deliverer]: Sorry, I was imagining you naked.

A beat passes.

Two.

He thinks Mydei is going to admonish him or log out again, but instead he says:

[Beloved][Prince]: Why imagine when you can have the real thing?

Phainon’s blood rushes to his dick so fast he almost passes out.

xXNyanXx: can u guys stop sexting in your marriage chat and get on the boat? we might not load into the same instance at this point.

How she always managed to be correct in her assumptions was eerie.

Deliverer: We weren't.

xXNyanXx: no one believes you. now hurry up.

He’ll admit he deserved that response. He and Mydei both talk to the ocean fishing NPC and load into the instance together. By lucky RNG they all end up in the same party out of the twenty-four other people on the boat. Three other random player characters are added to their group and Phainon hopes Cipher doesn't say anything crazy in the party chat.

[Shout][MilfHunter]: The bait is krill, krill, plump.

[Shout][WateredSprout]: Holy shit a useful mentor, thank you.

[Shout][NeverLoved]: It takes two seconds to look up the website with the bait line up. Don't praise mediocrity.

[Shout][TwistedMime]: I’ve never seen a more fitting ign before.

[Shout][xXNyanXx]: it's not that deep guys. let's just fish.

Cipher walks all the way to the tip of the bowsprit and sits down on a small wooden stool. Phainon is behind her with Mydei, Hyacine, and Castorice lined up behind him. He pulls out his fishing rod and places the krill on the hook. Considering his fisher is only level 2 from the quest, he only has 3 skills: Cast, Hook, and Rest.

The screen fades to black momentarily and plays a cutscene of all the player characters hanging out on the boat. Cipher is sprawled out on the deck with her face scrunched up, mid yawn, Castorice walks past her with a determined look, Hyacine is steering the boat, the ship’s wheel larger than her body, while Mydei and Phainon are chatting near the bowsprit. It's a cute, immersive cutscene and Phainon is more excited than he’d like to admit about virtual fishing now.

As the cutscene ends, his hotbar lights up again allowing him to finally cast his rod. The first fish he reels in is a stubby little thing; the scoreboard on the side of his screen denotes that it's worth a measly 15 points. He casts his line again only to get the same species of fish barely larger than the previous one, giving him a grand total of 38 points.

His SkyCord rings as he's waiting for the third fish to bite. It's always a pleasant surprise when Mydei calls, but lately his forwardness makes Phainon’s heart stutter.

“Did you miss me?” He jests as he picks up.

Mydei doesn't immediately hang up to his surprise.

“We can't type while fishing and I need my background noise.”

“I’ve been promoted to background noise?” Phainon chuckles.

“I see a demotion in your future.” Mydei replies dryly.

“I’ll be the best background noise I can be, sir.” He jests.

Mydei goes quiet.

“It seems I was off about the trashbag, but a ‘sir’ kink, really?”

“You’re infuriating.” Mydei grits out.

Teasing him any further would be cruel considering he's been picked on by everyone all day. Phainon decides to grant him one small mercy and does something he rarely does—let it go.

His inventory is filled with useless catches so he reels in his line and puts his rod away to clear it. The screen fades to black again and another cutscene plays; when it dissipates, they're in a new area, and a few players run over to the NPC on the boat that supplies bait to refill their bait boxes.

[Shout][MilfHunter]: Reminder, the bait is krill for this zone.

Phainon slips krill on his hook again and casts his line.

“Mydei.”

“What?”

“I didn't ask this earlier, but why does the bait matter?”

“That's why.” Mydei says.

His screen shakes and a funnel of water erupts from the ocean spraying all of the players as it surges up. The ocean pulses with rainbow hues and dolphins swim and leap by as an exhilarating song begins to play in the background. His character starts reeling in more rare catches which earns him significantly more points on his scoreboard.

[Party][xXNyanXx]: nice job lovebird. now this run isn't screwed.

[Party][Deliverer]: Is it that rare?

[Party][LittleIca]: It can be depending on your luck. We’ve had some runs before where we don't get any currents.

[Party][xXNyanXx]: yeah and the fish we need for the raid recipes only show up during currents.

[Shout][theycallme007]: pls trade me after this

[Shout][PiggyBank]: T> 5 million balance coins for it.

[Shout][IL0VECAPS]: PLEASE ILL DO ANYTHING FOR IT XXNYANXX

[Shout][DaFishingGod]: I’ve been fishing for that for 2 years, wtf.

[Shout][xXNyanXx]: nfs everyone. sorry ʅ（◞‿◟）ʃ

[Party][Prince]: You turning down money? Who are you?

[Party][xXNyanXx]: poor little prince, he doesn't know the first rule of trading.

[Party][Prince]: ?

[Shout][PiggyBank]: Fine. 25 million for it.

[Party][xXNyanXx]: it's just too easy.

[Shout][xXNyanXx]: deal. meet me at the docks afterwards little piggy.

Phainon can hear Mydei sigh on the line.

The spectral current and all the fanfare that came with it dies down soon after and they're ferried to the last zone; MilfHunter reminds them that the bait is a plump worm this time, so Phainon digs into his bait box and attaches it to his hook. Not soon after he's cast his line, the music starts up again.

[Party][xXNyanXx]: lady luck smiles upon me once more.

[Shout][DaFishingGod]: Finally a double spectral run. I was starting to believe these didn’t exist anymore.

[Shout][TwistedMime]: Right, lol.

[Party][xXNyanXx]: i guess deliverer is our lucky fishing charm.

The spectral current ends and Phainon catches one last fish before the screen fades to black again. After the last cutscene plays, where their avatars wave to the camera as the ship nears the city, their characters are unceremoniously dumped back at the dock. He had a rough start, but he ends up with 9k points from the voyage and 31 levels.

xXNyanXx: i got 5 levels off of that run, ocean fishing is so efficient especially if u r lazy ƪ(˘⌣˘)ʃ

xXNyanXx: oh brb. the piggy is trading me.

xNetherwing: I also acquired 5 levels. It was fun, thank you everyone.

LittleIca: Thanks for fishing with us!

Deliverer: Thanks for having me.

Prince: Thanks. It wasn’t bad.

Deliverer: “I had fun everyone.” - Mydei

Prince: I didn’t say that.

xXNyanXx: ⤷Marriage chat⤶ ⤷Please use it.⤶

Phainon laughs as he hears Mydei groan like he’s in pain.

“That made me realize I don't have your number.” He says after his small fit.

His Skycord blips with Mydei’s contact information almost immediately after asking. Cute. He puts the number into his phone and after he saves him as Mydei (Prince) ❤︎, his phone asks if he wants to change his name to the suggested one provided.

He stares at his phone almost wide mouthed as he asks, “Wait, Mydei is also a nickname?”

“Yes. Though no one really calls me by my full name anymore.” He replies simply.

“Can I?” He asks.

There’s a pause before Mydei responds, “...Sure.”

“Mydeimos.” He says softly, his name like a secret on his tongue.

Phainon can’t mistake the sound of Mydei’s breath hitching, not when he’s heard it so many times before.

“Do you mind if I call you by it more often?”

“Do what you want.” He huffs.

Phainon laughs, “You’re so cute when you’re not honest, Mydeimos.”

The call end sound dings in his ear and he knows he deserves it, but all it does is reinforce that he has the cutest boyfriend in the world.

Chapter Text

Chapter Fifteen: (Erotic) Roleplay

[Beloved][Prince]: Absolutely not.

[Beloved][Deliverer]: Why not? I haven't gotten to do it yet.

[Beloved][Prince]: Ask me if I care.

[Beloved][Deliverer]: Do you care?

[Beloved][Prince]: No.

[Beloved][Deliverer]: I know I said I wasn't into it before, but curiosity is getting the better of me.

[Beloved][Prince]: Satisfy it by yourself.

Deliverer: Hey guys, does anyone want to go to a roleplay bar with me?

[Beloved][Prince]: What are you doing?

xXNyanXx: dei said no LMFAOAOAOAOAOOAA

How she always managed to be so on the nose was beyond him.

LittleIca: I’d love to! I know I suggested it a while back, but I’ve never tried it myself. ٩(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)۶

xNetherwing: I would like to go too. I need material for my next work.

LittleIca: Ooh, I can’t wait to see how you’ll incorporate it into your next fic, Cassie!

xXNyanXx: only if we go to one of those rp casinos, i wanna make some cash.

Deliverer: Sounds good, let's meet up at the teleport crystal in Okhema Square.

When Phainon arrives, Cipher, Castorice, and Hyacine are huddled together by the crystal; their statuses all marked with the [Roleplaying] tag. It’s nice that his friends always readily go along with his schemes, always just as enthused as he is about them. Cipher wears a black tuxedo while Hyacine and Castorice wear dresses fit for a night on the town. He supposes he should dress for the occasion too, so he goes through his preset costume tabs until he settles on a black dress shirt that exposes a bit of his chest with matching black slacks.

xXNyanXx: agy told me you had an “interesting taste in fashion” but that’s not half bad deliverer boy.

Deliverer: Mydei picked it out for me when I was organizing my costume tabs.

xXNyanXx: that makes way more sense.

Deliverer: I’m just going to take that as you complimenting my boyfriend.

xXNyanXx: i think i’m gonna be sick. ( ´ཀ` ) hurry up and pick a venue before i change my mind about this whole thing.

He does as he’s told and opens the Party Searcher window to find listings available for tonight:

Deliverer: How does The Velvet Room sound? It's ward 15, plot 20 of the Marmoreal Beds.

LittleIca: Oh it's run by [LostIndulgence] one of the biggest RP guilds. That’s a good first choice.

He supposes Mydei isn't coming, which he should've expected. They’ve already spent ten minutes congregating at the crystal, which should’ve been ample time for him to show up, but he hasn’t. It shouldn’t upset him, Mydei has every right to not want to participate and they don’t have to be attached at the hip all the time—as much as Phainon wishes that were the case. He selects ward 15, plot 20 on the housing menu and initiates the teleport spell.

Phainon arrives in front of the house when he hears the telltale jingle of wedding bells—the sound of the Ring of Eternity teleport. Mydei appears before him with his arms crossed as heart particles and sparkles burst from his character—dissipating when the teleport animation finishes. He nearly bursts out laughing from seeing Mydei’s character, who is clearly disgruntled by the fact that he caved and came to the RP bar despite being against it prior, juxtaposed with the cutesy particle effects from his wedding ring. He can't resist teasing him.

[Beloved][Deliverer]: Did you miss me that badly?

[Beloved][Prince]: Hardly. I just want to see how you’ll manage to make a fool of yourself.

[Beloved][Deliverer]: Hey, I told you that I have LARPed before. This will be a cakewalk.

[Beloved][Prince]: I think you severely underestimate how dedicated people are to roleplaying in this game.

Phainon changes his in-game status to [Roleplaying] and targets Mydei while he emotes.

Deliverer points at themselves smugly.

[Beloved][Deliverer]: Watch and learn, Mydeimos.

Prince sighs.

Phainon materializes inside of the [LostIndulgence] guild house; the lighting is so dim he can barely make out what's in front of him. On his right is a reception table manned by a catgirl in skimpy clothing, she waves at him as he takes a few steps further into the room. Light slips into view on his left from a staircase that leads to the basement of the house. Before he can make it there, he's stopped by a tall elven woman dressed in black butler attire. Her gloved hand rests against her bosom as she bows.

[Say][TheVelvetBouncer]: Welcome to The Velvet Room. If you are an owner of our Black Velvet VIP card, please send me your information via Whisper. For further information please visit our website: thevelvetroom.unpaidfordomain.com A gentle reminder that any disorderly conduct will have you expelled from the club and permanently blacklisted. Please enjoy your visit and as always Stay Velvet.

[Say][Deliverer]: Thank you for your warm reception, TheVelvetBouncer.

Deliverer winks.

[Beloved][Prince]: This was a mistake.

Phainon ignores his pessimistic boyfriend and heads down the stairs on the bouncer’s left.

[Whisper][from: TheVelvetBouncer]: Esteemed patron, please make sure to only walk within the establishment.

Phainon isn’t quite happy to do so—considering he's played the game for a month and a half now—but he turns to Mydei for help:

[Beloved][Deliverer]: How do you walk again?

He adds the ‘again’ in hopes that Mydei will just think he forgot.

[Beloved][Prince]: Who was the one that told me to watch and learn?

He should have known that he wouldn’t help him. Phainon opens a new tab on Oogle and hastily searches ‘how to walk in SoH’ before tabbing back into the game.

[Beloved][Deliverer]: I was just testing if you knew already. It's left shift by the way, since you clearly didn't know.

[Beloved][Prince]: Real smooth, Phainon.

Nothing gets past Mydei either, he supposes. He RP walks down the stairs this time and he’s greeted with completely different scenery in the basement of the venue. There’s a dance floor in the center of the room, LED tiles that pulse softly with interchanging hues. It's relatively crowded with groups of people dancing closely, leaving no room for Kephale, or exchanging heated touches. Across from it is a stage with dancers dressed in clothes that leave nothing to the imagination and thigh high heels, behind them a band playing live music with in-game instruments. There’s a bar with a bunny girl dressed in a white shirt and slacks, rows of glasses and alcohol propped up on the wall behind her. There’s booth seats, but also a section to sit or lie down on a bed of velvet pillows.

[Whisper][from: TheDom]: a/s/l?

Phainon looks around the room to see who’s whispering him when his eyes land upon a tall dragonborn man staring at him unabashedly.

[Whisper][to: TheDom]: Sorry I’m not interested. I’m here with my husband.

His husband that is nowhere to be found at the moment, he notes.

The dragonborn stalks off, affronted, probably looking for another piece of prey—hopefully someone unmarried this time. Mydei finally appears next to him with his in-game status set to [Do Not Disturb] and his arms folded firmly across his chest. Clearly he's far more experienced at dealing with this than he had let on prior. He opens Mydei’s status window, a bit curious if he's changed his search info:

Phainon's heart swells at the sight of ‘bonded’; Mydei has such a way of being cute without even trying.

[Beloved][Deliverer]: What took you so long?

[Beloved][Prince]: Whisper spammed. The people here are like vultures.

[Beloved][Deliverer]: Stay close to me.

[Beloved][Prince]: I wasn’t planning to be anywhere else.

Phainon nearly falls out of his chair. He can hear Mydei’s words in that blunt voice of his, not meaning anything deeper, but it still makes Phainon’s heart race all the same. He really wishes he could see him right now. Mydei walks ahead of him, only a little bit, and guides him over to the girls who made it inside the venue while they were idling. Hyacine and Castorice are sitting at a booth in the corner while Cipher stands in front of them with her hands on her hips, her head swiveling around as if on guard against anyone who dares to approach.

LittleIca beckons Deliverer and Prince over to the booth.

Deliverer: How did you do that custom emote thing, Hyacine?

LittleIca: Put [em] before you type your message!

Deliverer is now accompanying his husband Prince.

xXNyanXx: ew. ( ´ཀ` )

xNetherwing: Have you tried ordering a drink yet?

Deliverer: Not yet, have you guys?

LittleIca: I ordered a Siren’s Kiss Mocktail.

xXNyanXx: no. the prices for drinks are crazy here.

Prince: Don’t listen to the world’s largest cheapskate. It’s probably reasonably priced.

Deliverer: Well, it couldn’t hurt to scope out the menu. We’ll be back then.

Phainon walks over to the bar and sits on one of the stools in front of the bartender. Mydei settles down on the stool next to him, his arms unfolded this time. The bunny girl turns around from checking inventory to greet them with a small wave.

[Whisper][from: VelvetBartender]: Hello, doll. Please have a look at our drink selections: thevelvetroom.unpaidfordomain.com/drinks

He clicks the link, ignoring the game’s warning, and prays it’s not an elaborate virus:

[Say][Deliverer]: One Velvet Special, please.

Velvet Bartender’s manicured hands wrap around a chilled lowball glass that she procures from the freezer. She sets it in front of you, places an iceball inside, and uncaps a bottle of orange liqueur with her index finger and her thumb. The sweet, heady scent of oranges fills your nostrils as you look on with rapt attention.

The liquid fills the chilled glass with a soft hiss as it runs over the rounded ice. She places the orange liqueur on the table before pouring a splash of coffee liqueur in the glass, the colors intermingling like dark velvet. Her hands shake a carton of heavy cream, and she pours it atop your drink, it falls like marshmallow fluff, thick and soft. She stirs the mixture gently with a silver spoon as she adds in a drop of dye. The drink blooms into a beautiful deep red, pure velvet on ice. You lean in, pure anticipation thrumming through your veins.

The last finishing touch, a gentle kiss blown at the glass, and one at her adorable patron. She slides the drink across the counter, sets a napkin at its side, and waits patiently for you to speak.

The trade window opens after she finishes and it's one of the generic vials of syrup a Culinarian can craft at level 10. He gets the fantasy now though, the creative ways people get around the game's limitations to create vivid imagery.

[Say][Deliverer]: Thank you. It looks delicious.

[Say][VelvetBartender]: Take a sip, doll, I want to hear your thoughts.

Deliverer brings the drink to his lips.

[Say][Deliverer]: It’s sweet and milky, but with a soft bitter aftertaste. I like it.

[Say][VelvetBartender]: Glad to hear it.

Phainon targets Mydei who has been patiently waiting for his turn to order.

Deliverer tips his glass to Prince.

[Beloved][Deliverer]: Do you come here often, handsome?

[Beloved][Prince]: Can you fuck off?

[Beloved][Deliverer]: Let me at least pay for your drink before I do.

[Beloved][Prince]: Really?

By the twewve, i hath accidentawwy sent thee an unfwattewing powtwait of mine cock awnd bawws: pwithee ewase iwt! 'west thou desiwe tuwu wook? i jest of couwse...Though if thou enjoy iwt... Nay, vanquwish the thouwght! wemove iwt in entiwety! dost thou fancy iwt? 'west?

[Beloved][Prince]: Genuinely, what is wrong with you?

[Beloved][Deliverer]: That was not me.

More…❤︎ Harder! ❤︎❤︎❤︎

Phainon turns from the bar to see two people down to their underwear having ‘fun’. And by ‘fun’ he means misusing emotes to do very raunchy things. He didn’t even know the pushup emote could be used like that.

[Shout][TheVelvetBouncer]: Dear esteemed patrons, please keep lengthy conversations and erotic roleplay within the designated areas, we have private rooms for anyone who would like to engage in such acts. Thank you.

xXNyanXx: can we go to the next venue already?

Deliverer: I think that’s a good idea, Cipher.

Deliverer: Let’s try the IPCasino, everyone! [Penacony Hotel Room 7]

The group teleports to the front of the Penacony Hotel, a line already forming at the entrance.

xXNyanXx: i can taste the money from here.

Prince: You sound oddly confident for something that is left entirely in the hands of probability.

xXNyanXx: or is it?

Prince: ?

xXNyanXx: tell ‘em cas.

xNetherwing: What? What am I telling him?

xXNyanXx shakes their head.

xXNyanXx: smh my head.

The line finally clears up and they spawn into room seven. It’s oddly spacious in the hotel room. There’s five dealer tables, a few slot machines, a pool table, a bar, and even a section of TVs for horse racing. When the group moves to split up at different tables, they run into two familiar faces.

Goldweaver: Oh hello, everyone.

xXNyanXx: agy! and ‘naxa, i guess.

R3ason: Cifera. Everyone.

LittleIca: What have you two been up to?

Goldweaver: Anaxagoras said he could best me in a game of poker, but thus far we have only tied.

Phainon notes Aglaea and Anaxagoras have the [In A Party] status on. For two people that supposedly hate each other, they are always somehow in the same place.

R3ason: Which shouldn’t be possible. I am sure she’s rigging it somehow.

Goldweaver: As if. You think quite highly of yourself. I wouldn’t waste time on something so trivial.

R3ason: Trivial, but you’ve spent the past two hours here with me.

xXNyanXx: can everyone in this guild stop dating or something? i don’t want your love-infested parasites to take over my brain.

Goldweaver: We are not dating.

R3ason: We are not dating.

xXNyanXx: that’s what the lovebirds said and look at them now. all of u disgust me.

Goldweaver: I can assure you that would never be the case. No offense, Phainon.

Deliverer: None taken.

R3ason: Enough of this nonsense. I am logging off for the night.

xXNyanXx: LOL. anyway let’s get a table. i’m itching to win big.

Phainon sits down at a table with Mydei and Cipher while Hyacine, Aglaea, and Castorice sit at another across the room from them. The dealer turns around and greets them with a bow.

[Say][IPCDealerThea]: Hello esteemed patrons, welcome to the IPCasino. I will be your dealer for tonight. At this table you can play 21. I will take a sum of 5k to 2m BC from each of you at the start of each round, if you win I return your original bet plus an additional 100% of its total.

[Say][IPCDealerThea]: The rules are simple, try to get as close as you can to the number 21 with the [Roll Dice 21] command, going over 21 is an automatic loss and your money will not be returned. When you roll, you can choose to ‘stop’ or ‘hit’, stop means you are content with the number(s) you’ve rolled, hit means you want to roll again to hopefully get your sum closer to 21.

[Say][IPCDealerThea]: I will roll at the end of all of the player’s turns. I am only allowed two rolls and must roll two times regardless of the first number I receive. If I win, I keep the entire prize pool. Do you all agree to the terms?

[Say][Deliverer]: Yes.

[Say][xXNyanXx]: yep.

[Say][Prince]: Yes.

[Say][IPCDealerThea]: Good, now please place your bets.

Phainon sends over 200k BC. He’s not too fussed about winning or losing and 200k won't break his bank at all.

[Say][IPCDealerThea]: All bets are in, if we could start with Deliverer then make our way down.

[Say][IPCDealerThea]: Stop or hit?

[Say][Deliverer]: Hit.

[Say][IPCDealerThea]: 19. Stop or hit?

[Say][Deliverer]: Stop.

[Say][IPCDealerThea]: Prince, you're next.

xXNyanXx: LOL.

Prince: Hmph. Someone doesn't know that the probability of me staying under 21 now is higher. The choice is obvious.

[Say][Prince]: Hit, please.

Phainon bursts out laughing at his screen. He can only imagine how flushed Mydei’s skin is right now from embarrassment. He's probably doing his signature scowl while his eyebrow twitches, absolutely adorable, Phainon thinks.

xXNyanXx: LMFAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

xNetherwing: What's happening at you all's table?

Phainon stops clutching his stomach and daydreaming about how cute flustered Mydei is to type.

Deliverer: Mydei had a grand speech about beating probability just to lose to said probability. He rolled a 2 and needed to roll a 19 or lower out of 21 to be safe, but rolled a 20.

LittleIca: The same thing just happened to Cassie. She placed a max bet too, unfortunately. How much did you bet De?

Prince: …

xXNyanXx: AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Phainon joins in with Cipher as a second bout of laughter hits him.

[Say][IPCDealerThea]: 22. I’m sorry, Prince. Your bet will not be returned. xXNyanXx, if you would.

xXNyanXx: probability means nothing to me. just win 5head.

[Say][IPCDealerThea]: That is an automatic win. I will hand you your prize after I roll.

[Say][IPCDealerThea]: 17. Deliverer, you have also won.

[Say][IPCDealerThea]: I am accepting bets for round two.

Phainon places a bet of 1 million balance coins this time.

[Say][IPCDealerThea]: All bets are in, Deliverer, you first.

[Say][Deliverer]: Hit.

[Say][Deliverer]: Hit.

[Say][IPCDealerThea]: 21. Congratulations. Prince, your turn.

[Say][Prince]: Hit.

xXNyanXx: LMFAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[Say][IPCDealerThea]: 32. I am sorry, Prince. Your bet will not be returned. xXNyanXx, you’re up.

[Say][xXNyanXx]: stop.

[Say][IPCDealerThea]: 26. Both xXNyanXx and Deliverer, please come and collect your winnings.

Phainon and Cipher’s winning streak doesn’t stop. Round after round they rake up more and more balance coins. Unfortunately, Mydei taps out after his 8th loss and instead chooses to watch the two of them drain the dealer dry. They end up winning so much that she has to leave the table after every round to withdraw money from the vault—her guild chest—in order to give them their payouts.

[Say][IPCDealerThea]: I’m sorry, patrons but I will have to stop the game for the night. We have run out of Balance Coins from the vault.

xXNyanXx: holy shit we wiped them clean.

Deliverer: We made more in one hour of gambling than we did doing hours of treasure maps.

xXNyanXx: man, u do come up with good ideas on occasion deliverer.

Deliverer: I try. Speaking of good ideas, why don’t we try the Fight Club next? [The Belo Bogs Ward 3 Plot 5]

Fight Club is packed with people. Phainon can barely see anything inside besides the huge, rusted metal cage in the center of the building with a fighting ring clipped inside. A catboy referee stands in the center of the ring in black and white striped attire with a whistle in his mouth as he paces back and forth. Two other characters stand in the ring, a dragonborn lancer and a human summoner.

UnluckyTicket pulls out a megaphone.

Phainon looks over to the bunny boy with a megaphone pressed to his lips standing behind a ticket booth—a crowd of people swarming around him.

[Shout][UnluckyTicket]: Place your bets here for ColdDragonYoung vs. TrashRaccoon! 10k balance coins turns into 50k balance coins if your chosen fighter wins! 50k > 150k, 500k > 1m. Next round starts in 10 minutes, after that the trading window will close!

[Shout][UnluckyTicket]: Also, please be courteous to your fellow spectators and despawn your pets, we are reaching max capacity.

[Shout][ClubRef]: Welcome all to Fight Club. We have some amazing matches lined up for you folks today! Make sure to get any last minute bets in before the booth closes.

Phainon and the group move to see if they can secure any seats, which he doubts at this point, seeing as people have started crowding around the ring on the ground floor. They move up to the second floor which is just as jam-packed with people. There’s a section with a vinyl booth seat blocked off by a velvet rope and 3 bodyguards dressed in black suits and sunglasses; when he stares for too long one of them speaks.

[Say][FCSecurity1]: VIP section only. Show proof of VIP status or keep it moving.

He doesn’t have to be told twice, so he continues up to the third floor, which is significantly less crowded, but the view of the arena isn’t as ideal. He sees another familiar face when they all move to sit down in the cinema seats.

3B: Hi everyone!

Deliverer: Tribbie? I didn’t know you were here.

3B: I wanted to surprise you all since I saw you guys were venue hopping. I saved some seats, come, come!

Deliverer: Did you bet on anyone?

3B: 50k on TrashRaccoon.

xXNyanXx: my sweet little red is a gambler too?

3B: Are you trying to butter me up?

xXNyanXx: of course not, i was just shocked that i didn’t know all these years that you were a kindred spirit.

3B: It’s my first time placing a bet, I normally just spectate when I come here. Doing treasure maps with everyone made me realize how fun taking risks can be.

xXNyanXx: see guys, gambling is awesome.

[Shout][ClubRef]: Before we begin, please familiarize yourself with the rules: fightclub.fc/#rules

[Shout][ClubRef]: Without further ado, let's fight!

A sea of red lightsticks light up around the ring as the crowd cheers.

[Shout][ClubRef]: It's time to go on the offense. Make your move, TrashRaccoon!

[Shout][WiseOwl]: TrashRaccoon had breached ColdDragonYoung’s seemingly impenetrable shield!

[Shout][TrashRaccoon]: ur days are numbered lol.

[Shout][ColdDragonYoung]: Hubris will be your downfall.

The two competitors take turns using their flashy skills while trash talking each other in between their rolls. It’s oddly entertaining to watch just from the atmosphere alone.

[Shout][ClubRef]: Let’s have a word from one of the spectators! What brings you here today, Hack3r?

[Shout][Hack3r]: I bet 50m on TrashRaccoon. I know my victory is assured. I never lose.

Hack3r throws up a peace sign.

[Shout][ClubRef]: Did you hear that folks? Let’s hope the crowd favorite can live up to her expectations!

[Shout][ClubRef]: And now, it's time to go on the offense. Make your move, ColdDragonYoung!

[Shout][WiseOwl]: What an upset! ColdDragonYoung’s lance pierces through TrashRaccoon’s paper defenses, can they turn it around with one round remaining? Or will everyone who bet on them go home with empty pockets and shattered dreams?

xXNyanXx: rip little red’s money.

3B: There’s one more round left. I have faith.

[Shout][ClubRef]: Round 3, the final round! It's time to go on the offense. Make your final move, TrashRaccoon!

xXNyanXx: holy shit.

[Shout][WiseOwl]: IT’S OVER 9000! AND THE CROWD GOES WILD!

[Shout][WiseOwl]: What an incredible reverse sweep! Your new Fight Club Champion is TrashRaccoon!

[Shout][ClubRef]: ColdDragonYoung, do you have anything to say to TrashRaccoon?

[Shout][ColdDragonYoung]: You were a formidable foe. Victory did not favor me tonight.

[Shout][ClubRef]: Now, let’s have a word from our winner!

[Shout][TrashRaccoon]: Git good n00b. GGEZ.

The crowd erupts into cheers once more as TrashRaccoon pumps their fist into the air.

[Shout][Skott]: FUCKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK

[Shout][Hack3r]: As I’ve said. I never lose.

[Shout][Triumph]: I bet all the money in my guild’s chest. It’s over.

[Shout][FCBartender]: The bar has been bought out for the night, courtesy of TheGambler. Feel free to load up on free drinks!

[Shout][UnluckyTicket]: Come pick up your winnings! The booth will be open until the next match in 1 hour.

3B: See Ciphy, never give up hope.

Tribbie gets up from her seat and waddles down back to the first floor to get her winnings.

xXNyanXx: i wanna bet on the next one. this is actually sick. cas, did you get any new material?

xNetherwing: I was thinking a meet-cute at a bar, then they go to an underground fighting ring?

xXNyanXx: …

xXNyanXx: i don’t think we picked good places tonight for your fic.

xNetherwing: Perhaps not, but it was fun at least.

LittleIca: Yeah! Cassie and I might’ve lost most of our money tonight, but I got to spend it with you all, so it was worth it. Thanks for the invite, Phainon!

Deliverer: Of course. Thank you all for coming.

[Beloved][Prince]: This place isn’t bad.

[Beloved][Deliverer]: You can say you like things, you know.

[Beloved][Prince]: I’ve said I like things before.

[Beloved][Deliverer]: Oh? Enlighten me then.

A pause.

[Beloved][Prince]: You.

I lov|

He backspaces. They’ve only been together for about a month now, it's too soon to say something that heavy, even if he's sure the way he feels about Mydei now will never change. He decides to steer the conversation back to Mydei or else he’ll expose how he really feels inside.

[Beloved][Deliverer]: You're being more straightforward than usual today.

[Beloved][Prince]: You deserve to taste your own medicine sometimes. I know that you short-circuited from my message.

[Beloved][Deliverer]: So that's the only reason why you said it?

[Beloved][Prince]: Who knows?

And he can tell for a fact that Mydei is smirking behind his computer screen.

The last place he drags Mydei to after everyone logs off for the night is Phagousa’s Bathhouse. It's quiet. He and Mydei are the only ones there besides the receptionist that handed them bathrobes upstairs. They change into the garments provided and slide into the hot water, their backs pressed against the warm stone. The distance from the reception desk to the bath is far enough that none of their say or emote messages will appear to anyone but them and it makes Phainon feel bold.

Deliverer runs his hand under Prince’s bathrobe.

[Say][Prince]: What are you up to?

[Say][Deliverer]: We’re finally alone. Why don’t we try some ERP of our own?

[Say][Prince]: Have you finally lost it?

[Say][Deliverer]: If you don’t want to, we don’t have to. We can just enjoy our bath.

[Say][Prince]: Fine. You never got to prove to me that you’re good at roleplaying. Let’s see how you fare.

Deliverer’s hand palms at his lover’s cock underneath the water. He savors the quiet moans Prince tries to stifle, his body giving into desire. He can feel Prince’s muscled thighs flex as his skin turns red not from the heat, but from his slow, deliberate touch.

Phainon's phone rings, bringing his attention away from the game.

“Myd—”

He hears Mydei panting on the other line; all from a little bit of teasing. Heat unfurls deep within him and his hand finds its way around his cock.

“Keep talking.” He breathes.

“I’d kiss you while touching you. I wanna feel you jolt against me every time I lick into your mouth.”

Mydei's sweet sounds only spur him on further.

“I’d let you get close, so eager to come that you almost beg for it, and then I’d stop because I want you to come while I’m inside of you.”

“Phainon.”

“You’re so pretty when you come. I want to see the way you bite your lip and try to stop yourself from crying out because you feel too good.” His hand moves around his length faster, the image of Mydei beneath him with his brows furrowed and his eyes glossy, makes him so dizzy with need.

“I’m—” Mydei’s voice breaks on a moan and Phainon feels himself getting close too. His phone beeps and he sets it on his desk to see that Mydei sent a picture of himself. He’s wearing Phainon’s blue cardigan that he left at Mydei’s house after the first time they had sex. It's pulled up to his chest, his abdomen covered in his cum. His skin is flushed completely scarlet, his sunset eyes eclipsed with desire. The sight is enough to push him to the edge. Phainon hunches over his desk and kisses his phone as his release jolts through him; coating his hand with thick spend.

He sighs.

He really misses his boyfriend.

Chapter Text

Chapter Sixteen: Epic Raid Progression

“Did you watch the guide I sent you?” His boyfriend says from the doorway with a small travel bag around his shoulder and a laptop case in the other.

Phainon laughs in soft disbelief as he runs his hand through his hair, “We haven't seen each other in weeks and that's the first thing you say?”

Snowy runs past Phainon to sniff and paw at Mydei as he slides off his shoes with one hand; he lets out a soft bark as he circles around him—his thick, fluffy tail swishing eagerly as he presses his wet snout to Mydei’s jeans. Phainon has never seen Snowy this excited to see someone besides him after he's left him at the dog sitter's place for a few days.

“Snowy, you know better.” He calmly chides.

“No, it's okay,” Mydei bends down to pet him, his shoes now hastily splayed on the entrance mat, “He’s cute. Your blurry pictures don't do him justice.” Snowy licks at his face, making Mydei stumble off balance with soft laughter.

Phainon loves him so much.

He takes Mydei’s bag and laptop case and brings them upstairs so that Mydei can run his hands through Snowy’s fur properly. When he heads back down, Mydei is snapping a few photos of Snowy—who obediently sits still while Mydei does so.

Phainon crosses his arms while he leans on the wall, “Let me see your photos then since mine are blurry.”

Mydei stands up and Snowy whines, something he never does, and Phainon doesn't know if he's jealous or happy that Snowy is just as attached to Mydei as he is. Mydei holds out his phone and Phainon has to admit, it's a pretty flattering photograph of his dog.

Mydei smirks, “It's a good picture isn't it?”

“Passable.” Phainon turns his head with a huff.

He feels warmth bloom against his cheek. Mydei's soft lips on his skin.

“Jealousy isn't the worst look on you,” Mydei says as he draws back, “Come on, let's head up. We need to log in soon.”

Phainon presses his hand to his cheek as Mydei walks past him with Snowy in tow, “You're unfair.”

“If you're thinking that now, it'll only get worse when you see your punishment.”

Right. The bet.

Phainon missed the level 200 deadline by a week and Mydei has been so ominous about what his loss entails that he's starting to get a little worried. On the bright side, now that he’s hit the level cap, he's eligible to do the raid tier with the other ChrysosHeirs at least.

He's been studying up on MeTube guides and double checking his level 200 rotation on the Equilibrium SkyCord. Phainon is a little nervous if he were being honest, everyone else is experienced with high-end raiding in this game except for him, and he has one of the harder jobs alongside Mydei. Timing his mitigation, making sure it aligns with Mydei's cooldowns, knowing the boss’ tells, and not letting the party die are all things he has to juggle. Hopefully, it won't be as daunting as it seems and he hopes his knowledge from GunZ will carry over at least a little bit.

He picks up Mydei’s shoes and sets them on the rack before following him upstairs. Mydei walks through his house like he already lives there and Phainon’s heart picks up its pace the more he dwells on the idea.

“Oof—” Phainon grits out as he smacks into Mydei’s broad back, clearly so immersed in his thoughts he didn't realize Mydei stopped in the doorway to his room.

“I bet you were thinking something perverted.” Mydei smirks.

“Not this time, actually.”

“You're shameless.”

Phainon laughs, “I don't want to hear that from you of all people.” Mydei fixes him with a glare, but it looks more adorable than malicious. “Why did you stop abruptly?”

“It's my first time seeing your room outside of pictures and video calls. It's even nerdier in-person.”

“Hey!” He walks behind Mydei as he looks up to his floating display shelves.

“Pink Legume from MapleTale?” Mydei says as he inspects one of his figurines, “I didn't even know they sold figures of it.”

“It was a limited run and it released after the patch that had mixed reception and people quit the game in droves.”

“The Great Collision?” Phainon nods. “Cipher, Cas, and I all stopped playing around then. The changes were egregious, it practically wasn't the same game anymore.”

Phainon scoffs softly, “And you call me a nerd.”

“That point still stands.” Mydei moves away from the shelves to stride past his desk and he comes to another abrupt halt.

“Mydei?” Phainon can't see his face from where he stands.

“You printed our wedding photo?” He whispers.

He did.

Phainon went out to have the photo printed on glossy paper and framed so he could place it on his desk and stare at it every day while he's working on projects for Aglaea. The problem now is that he completely forgot that Mydei would see it when he came over. He was more preoccupied with the fact that his boyfriend would be sleeping over than remembering to hide it.

“Yeah,” He tries to say coolly even though his heart is thumping from nervousness, “is that an issue?”

Mydei doesn't turn towards him as he says, “No.”

Phainon strides over to peer at Mydei who turns his head quickly. His cheeks and ears were completely flushed, Phainon notes. He wraps his arms around Mydei and slots his head onto his shoulder.

“You're being uncharacteristically quiet, what’s on your mind?”

“It's not that I’m quiet, it's that you never shut up long enough to enjoy the gift of silence.” Mydei retorts.

“You're deflecting,” He presses a kiss to Mydei's neck, “Did seeing the picture make you happy?”

A long stretch of Mydei’s favorite, silence, fills the air before he finally responds, his voice soft, “Yes.”

“You're so cute.” Phainon smiles.

“And you're insufferable,” Mydei tries to pry his arms off with a huff, “I don't want to get an earful from Cipher about being late, so can you let me go?”

“You're the one who got sappy over our wedding photo.”

“Says the guy who printed it out in the first place.”

“But we both know I’m the sappy one in this relationship. You, on the other hand, are the prickly one.”

Mydei scoffs, affronted, “I am not prickly.”

“On the outside, but we both know you're just as soft as me on the inside.”

“Is this another one of your perverted jokes?”

“Is being alone with me in my room giving you ideas?”

Mydei shivers against him, “I only came over to raid because you begged me incessantly, nothing more.”

Phainon kisses his neck again and Mydei nearly jolts, “Are you sure you’ll be satisfied going home without—”

Mydei's phone rings and Phainon's arms loosen enough for Mydei to fish it out of his pocket, “...Yes. I’m logging on soon. Why would I know why he hasn't logged on yet? Can you fuck off? Fine. See you in-game.”

“Cipher?”

“Who else?” Mydei slips out of Phainon's loose hold to sit on the bed. He pulls out his laptop from the case, the front of it covered in orange chimera stickers.

“Cute stickers.” Phainon says as he scans the room to look for his wooden laptop tray.

“Thanks. Cas got them for me from one of the cons she tabled at.”

“Castorice tabled for a con? What did she sell?” He moves to his closet once he finds that the tray isn't anywhere out in the open.

“She publishes her fics with other authors from her SkyCord group into an anthology and sells copies of it. I think she's sold some of her longer works as standalone novellas and I have a few of her handmade zines too.”

He rummages past all of his figurine boxes stacked on the floor of the closet and finally settles on the laptop tray. “You're really supportive of Castorice’s hobbies.”

“Why wouldn't I be? She's good at what she does.”

Phainon hands over the tray to Mydei, “You’ve said before that you've read Castorice’s work in the past, but how does that even come up in conversation, especially considering the subject matter.”

“It's not my particular story to tell, but all I can say is she used to get bullied over her writing. I just thought it was unfair to be made fun of for something you're passionate about. They were jealous and took it out on her.”

“I’m glad she had you to encourage her. I read her last story, it was really good.”

“It was. I will probably get a copy for Hyacine if Cas ends up publishing it. Too bad Cipher isn't fond of reading.”

“That explains why she's a MSQ skipper.” Phainon laughs.

Mydei raises an eyebrow, “Have you been reading the MSQ dialogue?”

“Why else do you think I lost the bet? The last arc had one of the best stories I’ve experienced in a video game. Aglaea scolded me for looking like death in the morning the day I finished this patch’s story. I don't know how SoH flew under my radar for so long.”

“I’m glad it did.”

Phainon’s heart thumps, “Why?”

“If you joined any earlier, you would've flirted with the first person who helped you.”

“That's not true. I didn't flirt with Flower.”

“That's because she has a boyfriend.”

“I wouldn't have regardless. I've liked you since the first time you laughed at one of my jokes.”

Mydei's cheeks are dusted with a soft red as he says, “Hurry up and log in.”

“You're starting to sound like a broken record.” Phainon slides into his office chair and turns on his PC. “That reminds me, when did you decide you liked me?”

“I’m still debating if I do.”

“Allergic to honesty as always.” Phainon laughs as he starts up Saga of Heroes and opens SkyCord in the meantime.

xXNyanXx: @everyone make sure to join #raid-vc. and read below.

xXNyanXx: we’ll be starting at 1:00 pm, make sure your gear is melded and repaired btw. if not, ask little prince, ‘naxa, or i to repair your gear while we’re in the instance so we don't have to load back in. agy will be handling most of the callouts, we’ll do three lockouts then disband for the day if we don't get a clear.

Phainon joins the voice call and sees that Mydei beat him to it with his mic muted.

“Hey, everyone.” Phainon says.

He's greeted with varying levels of enthusiasm from Hyacine’s excited ‘hi Phainon’ to a very dry and curt acknowledgment from Anaxagoras.

“Dei, unmute.” Cipher says pointedly.

“Mydei is at my place right now, so we’ll both be talking through my microphone.”

“Information I didn't need to know. Anyway, do you have your raid food and tinctures?”

“Yes, Mydei crafted them for me.”

“What the fuck. I had to extort him to craft mine.”

“Please doesn't exist in your vocabulary?” Mydei says from the bed.

“Tell Dei he sounds muffled.”

“I can hear you.” He retorts.

Phainon chuckles and moves his boom arm so that it's settled between the two of them. He also belatedly remembers that there's a dial to change the polar pattern of the mic, so he cranks it to omnidirectional and gestures for Mydei to test it.

“Is this better?” Mydei asks.

“Yeah. You don't sound like you're talking through a blender anymore.” She pauses, “Oh, by the way, I will be running ABT in the background.”

“ABT?” Phainon asks.

“Advanced Battle Tracker. It's a plugin that lets you see the damage done during an instance. I won't upload any of them to sologs unless we get to enrage or a clear.”

“Why enrage, wouldn't a clear be better?”

“You can plug logs into HeroAnalysis and it'll tell you about your uptime and mistakes. So if we hit enrage, but don't clear it's most likely a damage or buff misalignment issue.”

“Don’t worry too much, Phainon,” Mydei says, “It's your first time doing high-end content. We’re only planning to see the second phase if we're lucky today.”

“Yeah, what little prince said. Damage trackers aren't a big deal.”

Mydei gives Phainon a glance from across the room that clearly reads ‘she’s full of shit’ and he laughs way harder than he should.

“Hey, what did Dei say, lovebird?”

“Nothing.” He manages between giggles.

“It's fine. I’ll pay him back tenfold later.” Phainon can practically hear the grin behind her words; Mydei is absolutely fucked.

Phainon tabs back into SoH and accepts Aglaea's party invite while Cipher yammers about the instance in the background and presses ‘yes’ to the raid entry request.

Aquila descends from the sky cloaked in flames and lightning, their pulsing rainbow eye scans over the arena as they let out an eerie, ear-piercing screech. Their bones twist and turn until they loom over the party menacingly—taunting them to raise their weapons and fight. The screen fractures into shards of fragmented glass then fades to black.

“Food check.” Cipher says.

Phainon sifts through his inventory and downs two of the hearty soups Mydei crafted for him.

[System]: Stats increased for 70 minutes.

Glowing columns of light with numbers and letters floating above them appear on the ground.

Cipher strolls to the bottom right corner of the column labeled ‘1’. “Two parties of four, tank, healer, and two dps. Stand on a corner.”

Mydei walks over to the column labeled ‘2’. “I’m not micromanaging Cipher.” Anaxagoras immediately trails after Mydei to stand on the same column in quiet solidarity. Phainon silently wonders how bad she must be for both of them to react this way; she was relatively fine when they did treasure maps and RATEs together, but then again, he never had to heal her or focus on her health bar like he has to now.

“Fuck you. I barely get hit.” She spits out.

“You will greed until the last possible second to boost your damage logs. I’m not wasting The Darkest Night on you.” Mydei scoffs.

Castorice and Hyacine shuffle over to the first column.

“Phainon, it looks like you're our tank.” Hyacine says.

Phainon looks over to Mydei’s group standing on column 2, “Wait, does this mean I’m the main tank?”

“Do you want me to MT, Phainon?” Mydei asks.

“I’d prefer it if you were.” He admits.

Mydei puts on his tank stance without another word and Phainon is thankful he won't have to take the lead this time around. He memorized both the MT and OT duties, but he's not confident in how well he would execute the main tank’s, especially for his first run.

“I’ll handle the countdown,” Cipher declares, “Remember we’re using tinctures while progging in case we manage to see enrage or even get a clear today.”

A twenty second timer appears on the screen. Tribbie summons their pet while Anaxagoras calls upon his fairy to help him heal. Cipher starts precasting a few of her attack strings, but he knows she won’t finish them until the timer is closer to three seconds. The waymarkers on the floor change positions and mimic the pattern Phainon remembers seeing in the video Mydei sent him; they’ll help the party to remember where to stand for certain mechanics later in the fight.

The timer ticks down until it reaches the last three seconds.

3… Mydei pops Sprint.

2… Phainon starts casting Holy Essence.

1… Everyone’s casts near completion.

Mydei hits the boss with his ranged skill then runs up to face it north. The rest of the party spreads out with the melees standing on the edge of the boss’ hitbox and the ranged players on the cardinal markers.

[Aquila]: One shall be set ablaze.

“Tankbuster.” Mydei says, “Mit.”

Anaxagoras covers Mydei with a hefty shield that barely dents from the boss’ attack and Hyacine is able to squeeze out one more Gleam cast during that window rather than spending it on topping Mydei back up. Phainon pops his tincture for his first burst window and he hears a few other party member’s pots and buffs go off in quick succession as he does so.

[System]: Aquila gazes upon the party.

“Check your debuffs,” Aglaea explains, “2 stacks of Helium flash in, 3 stacks or more out on the cardinal markers.”

Phainon sprints to his assigned marker and stands in max melee range in order to continue his combo while the debuff animation goes off.

“Raidwide, mitigate. DPS please feint or addle if you have it.”

[System]: xXNyanXx has used Feint.

[System]: Deliverer has used Holy Veil.

The room flashes a deep red—flames flicker and scorch the arena as Aquila ascends into the sky and shrieks—golden beams of light discharge from their skeleton, melting the party’s HP down to 10%. Anaxagoras’ shields evaporate from the raidwide and Hyacine quickly heals everybody back up before Mydei gets slammed with another tankbuster. Aquila’s right wing lights up, then both of its eyes pulse, the top eye first, then the bottom one.

“Cleave on the right side of the boss, then two donuts. Move into the boss’ hitbox after the cleave then move out after the first animation finishes.” Aglaea says.

The right side of the arena gets engulfed in flames, then the party moves into Aquila as their wing sweeps in a circle leaving only the center safe from the fire; another circle appears as the party members move out; molten lava pooling beneath the titan’s hulking mass.

[System]: Aquila gazes upon Prince.

Mydei gets marked with a lightning bolt debuff and the rest of the party huddles behind the boss. Aquila starts charging a sphere of searing light, its bony beak angled at Mydei.

“Phainon, Provoke.” Mydei commands as he pulls the boss further north.

Aquila shoots out a beam of lightning onto Mydei then turns to Phainon who stands in front of the party and unfurls his wings of radiant light to shield them from the titan’s second lightning strike.

“Good, now Shirk.” He says.

Phainon quickly passes the enmity back to Mydei after the mechanic is resolved.

[System]: Aquila has raised the temperature!

“Aquila’s top eye is glowing, the order is top to bottom.” Aglaea relays.

The arena splits into nine sections with Aquila settled in the center. Cubes of ice, lightning, and molten fire appear in random groups of three above each split tile. Phainon remembers this mechanic, he just has to soak the damage from the top cube, which on his section of the arena is ice, then fire, then ice again. As long as he doesn’t soak the same damage type twice, the party doesn’t wipe. He has the easy pattern, meanwhile a few of the other party members have lightning cubes, which will one-shot the party if anyone steps on them. Mydei, being the main tank, has to swap spots with a dps in order to change his element and account for any deviations in the patterns they’ve studied. Watching Mydei do it makes it easier for Phainon to understand the mechanics compared to the powerpoint presentation video of the fight Mydei sent him a few days ago.

[System]: Aquila is charging…

Agalea lets out a soft sigh, “Second phase, raidwide incoming. Good job so far, everyone.”

The screen flashes with pulses of lightning and suddenly the arena is plummeting fast beneath their feet. All of their characters get hit with an ‘Out Of Action’ debuff, freezing them in place as Aquila transforms, their body becomes alight with blue flickers of lightning and two adds in the shape of eyeballs spawn. Aquila is unable to be targeted during this phase, Phainon recalls. Aglaea speaks again, “Split into your smaller parties from earlier.”

“Phainon take one add to the south,” Mydei says, “And don’t let yours near mine or they’ll fuse together and we wipe.”

Phainon nods and takes his mob over to Hyacine, Cipher, and Castorice. The eyeball’s health melts incredibly fast and Phainon looks over to Mydei’s group; their eyeball is only down to 30% while Phainon’s group rapidly approaches 10%. Phainon stops casting and instead opts to use his lower potency spells.

“Party 1, hold,” Aglaea sighs, “Cifera.”

The eyeball explodes in a burst of rainbow light, wiping the entire party, and they are promptly thrust back to the beginning of the fight.

“Okay, so the adds were during my second burst window—” Cipher starts.

Mydei groans, “You do know that both adds have to go down at the same time to pass that section right?”

“No shit, but do you expect me to break my combo chain? My beautiful parse…” Phainon can hear her fake pout through his headphones.

“We can do a parse run later, can we just focus on clearing first?” Mydei sighs.

The countdown starts again, but this time Mydei runs ahead, pulls the boss, then shirks onto Cipher, killing her instantly. Her character’s model glitches out into a prone position and slides across the arena into the instant death zone. She bursts out laughing while the rest of the party walks into the edge of the arena to die and reset the fight.

“You can be so childish sometimes, Mydei.” She cackles.

Phainon looks over to Mydei who’s smiling at his laptop like an idiot, relishing in MPKing his best friend.

“You cost us our prog. Phainon didn’t mess up and it was his first time.” Mydei responds and Phainon hears the laughter threatening to slip into his tone.

“Mydei, Cifera. Please focus.” Aglaea chides.

Anaxagoras walks across the arena and rescues Aglaea into the death zone also killing her character instantly. The rest of the party kills themselves again and Phainon hears Anaxagoras let out a small chuckle as the instance reloads. He didn’t even know Anaxagoras had any emotions other than bored and mildly disinterested.

“You are unbelievable.” She huffs and that’s the closest to angry Phainon’s ever heard from her.

After everyone gets the griefing out of their systems, which takes a good ten minutes—Hyacine rescued him into the death zone four times while giggling innocently—they make it to phase two without a hitch again. This time, the eyeballs are dispatched properly and Aquila becomes targetable once more. A few of the mechanics from phase one occur in a random order, but in addition, a gauge labeled ‘Thundercloud’ appears on the screen. Black clouds cover the moving arena and start to surge towards Aquila, filling the gauge.

“Stand in front of the clouds to slow them down, if the gauge reaches 50 or above it is a party wipe.” Aglaea states.

The gauge, thankfully, stops at 30 and Aquila’s castbar finishes dealing heavy raidwide damage and after the white screen dissipates, they are brought to phase three, the final phase. Aquila’s spine splits down the middle into two, the death zone around the arena disappears and now falling off of the platform will result in an instant-KO.

“Holy shit, phase three.” Cipher says, excitement coloring her tone.

“Let's not cheer preemptively and finish this cleanly first.” Aglaea reminds her.

A thick wave of miasma falls onto the party giving them ‘Rot’ debuffs. Phainon has one of the longer timers, so he moves to one of the outer cardinal markers. The other melees and Mydei luckily received the shorter timers, so they stay closely tucked under the boss on the inner cardinals.

“This attack will go off three times, do not move until I tell you to. Please use True North if you’re a melee, your positionals are not worth wiping the raid for.” Phainon can tell that Aglaea is clearly addressing Cipher.

Three beams of lightning hit the party in rapid succession before Aglaea tells them to split into their smaller parties again. One of Aquila’s heads moves to face north and the other faces south. Phainon stands in front of his small party and everyone else stands in a line in order from tankiest to squishiest: Castorice, Cipher, then Hyacine. Mydei is positioned north with Aglaea, Tribbie, and Anaxagoras behind him. Rays of light shoot out from Aquila’s bony maw in seven quick flashes, each beam chipping a fifth of the party’s health bars; Hyacine keeps their side from falling by a tiny sliver—only enough to keep them alive in order for her to squeeze out one more damage spell. Tribbie gets downed on Mydei’s side when their shield wears off from the sixth beam and Anaxagoras quickly gets them back up, unfortunately, they have a resurrection debuff which reduces their damage output by a significant percent but on the bright side, Tribbie is revived in time for the next mechanic which requires them to stand on the outer and inner cardinals again; if they hadn’t made it in time, the party would’ve wiped from one mech not being properly resolved.

The titan lifts their beak and screeches, shaking the screen before a raidwide hits the party, then another, and another, then Aquila starts casting ‘Godsfall’; the cast bar fills up incredibly slowly as they do.

“It’s enrage,” Cipher yells, “Pump!”

“I’ll break my limits.” Castorice says as she presses the ‘Break Your Limits’ skill. She splits the screen with her scythe and purple butterflies flutter out from the fissure it leaves behind. It’s a beautiful ultimate skill, but it does take up the entire screen and ends with a headache-inducing flashbang. Luckily, it does bring Aquila’s HP down to 0.2% from 1.2% and Phainon hears a few more tinctures pop as people try to squeeze out every last bit of damage they can.

“Come on.” Cipher strains, he can hear her button mashing through her noise cancellation.

Another deafening scream pierces the air as the cast nears completion, but just before it does, Aquila dissipates into a shimmering rainbow and a million radiant fragments. The clouds part revealing a beautiful blue sky and the party members turn to each other with satisfied smiles on their faces as the titan’s shards fall like raindrops over them.

The call erupts into cheers and ‘good jobs’ as the cutscene fades away. Two golden chests spawn in the center of the arena and Cipher immediately runs to open them like an auto-looter. There's six gear tokens, a music scroll, and a mount inside.

“DPS can Need for the gear, everyone else Greed. The scroll and mount are both free-for-all.” Aglaea says.

Cipher wins two of the six gear tokens, Aglaea wins three, and Castorice one, leaving none for Tribbie who does at least win the music scroll as a consolation prize. Phainon knows he's lost his chance at the mount when he hears Cipher laugh before he sees what number he rolled, which was in fact a big, fat zero.

Deliverer: Congratulations!

xNetherwing: Congrats, Cinnie.

xXNyanXx: show me what the mount looks like later since it hasn’t been datamined yet.

3B: Congratulations!

LittleIca: Thank you! And I will, meet me at the guild house after, Ciphy. ٩(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)۶

Goldweaver: Good work today, everyone. We’ll meet tomorrow for T2S.

3B: Thank you all. See you tomorrow!

Prince: Tyfp.

Deliverer: Thank you for the party.

LittleIca: Thank you, everyone!

xNetherwing: Thank you, see you all tomorrow.

xXNyanXx: gg

R3ason: Thanks. Please be on time tomorrow.

xXNyanXx: LMFAO, you heard him, lovebirds. also check skycord.

Phainon tabs back into SkyCord and looks at Cipher’s recent message.

xXNyanXx: sohlogs.com/log/33550336

Phainon opens the link and sees that he received a 55; he immediately scans for Mydei’s IGN and realizes that he got an 82. He pouts and he hears Mydei laugh softly under his breath.

“Noob.” Mydei smirks.

Phainon grabs his Pink Legume plushie off of his desk and throws it at him; Mydei catches it easily with a cheeky grin.

“What happened to all the encouraging talk about how it was my first time?” Phainon asks.

“It was my first time doing that fight too.”

“Can’t you give me a compliment or something?”

“You did well,” Mydei pauses before adding, “for a noob.”

“Fuck off.” Phainon can’t help but laugh when Mydei is giving him such a radiant smile over his own stupid joke. He slides out of his office chair and settles at the edge of the bed. Mydei sets the laptop tray onto the floor and beckons him closer with the smile still dancing on his pretty lips. Phainon doesn't know when they started kissing or when their clothes came off, but he does know that Mydei feels so good against him, like they were meant to slot together.

“Wait, Phainon.” Mydei gasps against his lips.

He almost whines, “Yes?”

“Your punishment, fetch me my bag.”

And for some odd reason both excitement and trepidation rise within him at Mydei’s words.

Chapter Text

Chapter Seventeen: Honesty (Reprise)

“Mydei…”

“Do you not like it?”

“I do like it, therein lies the problem. Isn't this supposed to be my punishment?”

Mydei sits above him, naked, on the edge of his bed, a black leash wrapped around his fist, clasped to the collar Phainon wears, pulled taut so that his neck juts towards his boyfriend on the other end. He also picked out fluffy, white ears that match Phainon’s hair color; the imagery of Mydei searching online and being oddly meticulous about all this almost makes him laugh—except the sound gets caught in his throat when his eyes meet Mydei’s ravenous ones.

“You’ll see why soon enough. Come here.” His tone laced with lust as his hand tugs at the leash.

Phainon eagerly moves to where he's guided until he's settled between Mydei’s toned legs. He shivers as Mydei runs his hand through his hair, then further down to cup his cheek and as Mydei’s calloused fingertips press into his skin, he remembers one of their late night video calls, those same rough fingers strumming idly against his guitar. Phainon sat up in his chair enthralled as he asked Mydei to play his favorite song for him.

A wistful smile formed on Mydei's lips, causing Phainon’s to falter slightly, as his fingers twisted the tuning pegs to the right pitch. His voice was soft then, softer than Phainon had ever heard it, like the gentle flutter of a butterfly wing.

Melancholy and hope were etched into every quiet note. Though he knew naught of the language he sang in—besides the few words Mydei had taught him—his heart understood it all the same. A song filled with fondness and yearning meant to be shared between loved ones.

“Phainon,” Mydei asks, worry seeping through his tone, “are you okay?”

“Yes,” He presses a kiss to Mydei’s palm, “I was lost in thought from your calloused fingers.”

“Too rough?”

“No, I like them. It's from all of your guitar playing.”

Mydei's eyes crinkle slightly at the edges, “You're oddly sentimental at the weirdest times.”

“Sorry, please instruct me.” He jests, his body rigid like a soldier ready to salute.

Mydei huffs, clearly unamused, “You can only touch where I allow you to,” He pauses, “No using your hands either.”

“Where can I touch you now, Mydei?”

He visibly shivers, “Up to here.” Phainon watches Mydei’s hand leave his face to trail up his leg and rest atop his thigh; his cock already flushed and curved towards his stomach.

Phainon leans in close and presses a soft kiss to where Mydei’s knee creases, then up to the supple flesh of his inner thigh; Mydei’s skin runs feverishly hot and it sears his lips with every lingering kiss. He can hear Mydei’s breath hitch and catch above him, the sounds he tries to swallow down but slip helplessly every time Phainon presses deeper—like he can fuse them together from Mydei’s heat. His legs part further as his free hand comes back to rest in Phainon’s hair; his blunt nails running against his scalp in short, twitchy lines.

Phainon can’t figure out what his punishment is supposed to be. Giving Mydei pleasure—seeing him unravel like this—is the greatest gift he could receive. If Mydei thinks being patient is punishment enough, he's sorely mistaken; Phainon could service him forever and be satisfied from the act alone. His tongue peeks out to lap at Mydei's salty skin and his small gasps only spur Phainon on further.

“Haa…” Mydei exhales above him, his fingers digging deeper into his scalp. He wishes he could see his boyfriend’s face right now, wishes he could see his soft pink lips parted as he sighs with pleasure—he huffs, his imagination will have to tide him over for now. Phainon’s breath ghosts closely to where Mydei is aching, but he takes his time working towards it, opting to gently suck a hickey into his skin, then another and another until Mydei’s inner thigh is peppered with splotches of pale violets and deep reds.

“Phainon.” Mydei’s legs tense as Phainon licks closer to his cock, all he has to do is turn his head to give Mydei what he wants. After deliberating for a moment, he decides he's been teasing his lover long enough, so he flicks his soft tongue across Mydei’s drooling head.

“Good boy.” Mydei shakily breathes out.

A thick wave of dizziness overcomes Phainon, fuck, he wants to hear Mydei say it again, wants to make his boyfriend feel good. He presses a wet kiss to Mydei’s shaft and a moan is wrest from his lungs, loud and unrestrained, he’s so pent up from Phainon’s teasing that he can’t control his volume. If a kiss is enough to get him like this, he wonders how he’ll react to his lips wrapped around his head; he doesn’t let that stay a thought for long either as he opens his mouth and sucks the tip of Mydei’s cock.

Mydei’s hand tugs at Phainon’s hair as his legs tremble; Phainon sinks lower and lower until his nose nuzzles deep into Mydei’s thick curls. He almost gags when Mydei bucks involuntarily into his mouth, his cock knocking against the back of Phainon’s throat, but he takes it—welcomes Mydei as far as he can take him. His tongue brushes against his shaft as he bobs his head up and down, occasionally stopping to lavish him with sloppy kisses.

“Phainon,” His thighs squeeze against Phainon’s cheeks, “Mm—I’m—’m close.”

Phainon draws back to lick at his head before taking Mydei back down to the root. Mydei shudders with a curse as Phainon feels his cock twitch in his mouth; his come coats the back of his throat in thick, heady spurts. Phainon breathes heavily through his nose as he swallows and Mydei pets his hair with a shaky hand through the aftershocks of his orgasm. When Mydei is too overstimulated from his small licks to get the last of his spend, Phainon sits back and lets Mydei inspect his mouth with his thumb pressed to the pad of his tongue. Mydei’s eyes are so glassy and unfocused as he stares down at him and Phainon shivers.

“You didn’t have to swallow.” He says, even though he’s clearly aroused from the fact that Phainon did.

Phainon sucks his thumb, “I wanted to. Was I good for you, Mydei?”

“More than good,” He withdraws his hand and loosens his hold on the leash with the other, “You deserve your reward.” Mydei shuffles around on the sheets until his arms rest in front of him and his supple ass is fully bared to Phainon.

Mydei is in his bedroom, on his bed, pliant and asking to be fucked.

He’s never been more happy to lose a bet in his life.

He hastily grabs the lube from his nightstand and preps Mydei as quickly and carefully as he can, but he can tell that Mydei’s self-control is fraying just as fast as Phainon’s is.

“Phainon.”

“Patience.” Is what he says as he withdraws his fingers, yet he needs to be inside him just as badly.

Mydei pulls the leash and Phainon stumbles over, his cock brushing against the cleft of Mydei's ass.

“Now.”

Phainon swallows as he obediently coats his cock with lube and presses his throbbing head to Mydei’s furled hole. They both moan out of sync as Phainon bottoms out—Mydei’s warm, velvet heat enveloping him whole—and when he draws back to thrust into his boyfriend properly, Mydei abruptly yanks at the leash again. Stars spot the edges of his vision as he slams his cock into him, his arms braced on the sides of Mydei’s muscular back. Mydei holds him there, keeps him pressed to the deepest part of him, then loosens his grip and Phainon takes that as permission to pull back and fill him again.

“Good boy,” He murmurs, “There—haa—Phainon.”

Phainon lets Mydei take the lead, lets him tug him forward when he wants Phainon to kiss inside him deeper, lets him relieve the pressure when he wants him to draw back, follows the rhythm Mydei sets to give him the most pleasure. He could get used to this, being Mydei’s loyal dog, no, he already is, everything he has belongs to him. He feels that familiar heat coil deep within him and he tamps it down, he wants Mydei to come again while he grinds into him first.

“Phainon,” He breathes, “I’m gonna—”

The leash slips from Mydei’s hand as his body trembles from the sheer force of his second orgasm. His head slumps to the side and Phainon can see his flushed face, the saliva dripping from his reddened lips, and he’s so breathtaking that Phainon feels his impending orgasm begin to crest and he can no longer fend it off.

“Mydei—” He bites down on his lip as he shudders against Mydei, his lover’s sweaty back pressed against his chest as he fills him with his seed. He doesn’t collapse on top of him when he feels his cock throb weakly one last time, but it’s a near thing. Mydei sighs softly as Phainon pulls out and lies down next to him with his arms open; Mydei curls into him, his forehead pressed into the divot of his neck. Phainon presses a kiss into his damp hair and holds him tightly.

“Are you okay?” He asks.

Mydei nods, his hair tickling against his skin with the gesture. “Are you? Is your neck okay?”

“More than okay. I’m just tired.”

“You can’t fall asleep yet.” Mydei admonishes, but his voice is laced with fatigue too.

Phainon tugs at his collar, “Take me to the shower then.”

“Pervert.”

“Takes one to know one.”

And Mydei remains silent.

***

When he wakes, Mydei is there.

He's dressed in Phainon’s shirt and Phainon’s scent, chamomile and basil, his hair slightly damp from another shower. He startles back a bit as if caught; his face blooming with the beginnings of a blush.

“Were you watching me while I slept?” Phainon groggily asks.

Mydei sighs before begrudgingly admitting, “Yes. Just making sure you didn't die in your sleep.”

Phainon laughs, “Is that a worry of yours?”

“With what little brain cells you have left, it's a very plausible fear.”

Phainon nudges his arm softly, “It wouldn't hurt to be nice to me sometimes you know?”

“I am,” Mydei says as he gets up from kneeling beside the bed, “I made breakfast.”

“A home cooked meal? You spoil me, Mydeimos.”

“Put some clothes on. I don't want you scaring Snowy.”

He sits up and notes that Mydei is only wearing boxers underneath his shirt. His legs are covered in Phainon's marks which have only darkened since last night.

“You look like you fought with a mosquito and lost.”

Mydei’s eyebrow twitches, “And whose fault would that be? You’re just as persistent as one too.”

“What can I say?” Phainon shrugs, “You just taste too good.”

Mydei throws a shirt at him, “Your incessant buzzing is giving me a headache.”

He laughs as he takes the shirt in hand and slides out of bed to cozy up to his boyfriend. Mydei cups his cheeks, his eyebrows furrowed with scrutiny as he lifts Phainon’s head, “Did I pull too hard last night?”

“No. It could've been harder,” He says suggestively, but Mydei frowns. “What? Did it leave marks?”

His fingers rub at Phainon’s neck tenderly, like he's something precious, “Yes. I’m sorry.”

Phainon's heart squeezes, “Don't be. I liked it,” His lips brush against Mydei's wrist with the ghost of a kiss, “I should be sorry for all of the marks I left.”

“I don't mind them.”

“In Mydei terms that means, ‘I liked it’?”

Mydei pinches his cheek, “Hurry up and get ready, the food is getting cold.”

“Classic deflection.”

Phainon speeds through his morning routine to join Mydei downstairs in the dining room. The table is covered in Greek dishes, some of which he hasn't had in years: custard pie with crispy phyllo dough, creamy rice pudding, a few savory dishes served with bread, and a platter of fresh fruit.

“Mydei,” He says awestruck, “When did you have time to prepare this?”

“I went out this morning. You slept like a log.” Mydei replies as he coats a piece of bread in strapatsada.

Snowy curls up at Mydei's feet with a satisfied huff as Phainon sits down across from him and as he reaches out to start plating his food he realizes how truly spoiled for choice he is.

“Thank you, Mydei. You didn't have to—”

“I did.” He says, deadpan, “Your fridge was practically empty. Everything we don't finish will be stored so you're not eating air for the rest of the week.”

Phainon pouts, “I like my air.”

“Can you eat so I don't have to listen to your yammering?”

“But you said you liked my background noise.”

Mydei sighs in defeat and presses a grape to Phainon’s mouth in an attempt to shut him up. Phainon parts his lips to eat it but as he does, Mydei's finger slips inside by accident. They both jolt, however Phainon recovers first and licks at it, watching with rapt attention as Mydei’s face fills with color. He draws his hand back with a shaky exhale and he tries to resume eating like normal even though they're both ridiculously aroused again.

Phainon can barely process his meal even though he knows it’s delicious and that Mydei worked really hard on it, because he can’t stop staring at him for more than three seconds. Mydei is a work of art, he thinks, and he sits in Phainon’s home like it’s a museum made for the sole purpose of viewing him. If he weren’t such a coward and didn’t care about figuring out the logistics of it, he’d ask Mydei to move in with him, to let Leo and Snowy meet, to let Mydei fill in all of the gaps in his home like he filled the one in his heart. It’s still too early, he reasons, he hasn’t even told him verbally that he loves him.

“I can see the cogs in your brain working overtime.” Mydei says sardonically as he takes Phainon’s plate to the sink.

Phainon ignores his jab and gets up from his seat in a hurry, “Let me wash the dishes, you’ve already done enough by cooking.”

“I need to make sure all the food is properly stored too. And besides, you’re the type of guy to use the dishwasher.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? Why would I handwash them when I have one, it’s in the name, Mydei.”

“That’s exactly the problem. Handwashing is superior.”

Phainon almost snorts, “There’s hardly a difference.”

Mydei gives him the most affronted look and he realizes this is something Mydei takes very seriously.

It’s awfully endearing.

“I’ll help,” He corrects, “I should have spare rags for drying in the bottom cabinet.”

Mydei eyes him approvingly and turns on the faucet without another word.

After the dishes are washed and the food is stored, they make out lazily on Phainon’s bed like they have all of the time in the world and it feels like they do, until Phainon remembers that they have to raid in twenty minutes. His hand travels further under Mydei’s shirt and he sighs contentedly against Phainon’s lips. Phainon doesn’t know how he’ll wake up tomorrow without this—without his Mydei next to him. He squeezes him tightly and Mydei squeezes him back with a husky chuckle, like he can read Phainon’s mind—maybe he can—his affection is always laid bare in front of him; he could never deprive Mydei of it.

“Stop thinking so much,” He whispers, “It doesn’t suit you.”

Phainon pouts, “I resent that.”

Mydei chuckles again, “You know I don’t mean it like that. You normally say what’s on your mind without mulling over it too hard.”

“That’s because it’s easy with you.” Everything is easier with you, he doesn’t say.

“Then, what’s on your mind this time?” Mydei asks earnestly, his sunset eyes piercing through the veil of uncertainty that shrouds him.

“You.”

Mydei doesn’t laugh. He just rubs Phainon’s back with gentle encouragement.

Phainon continues, “I don’t want you to go.”

“I’m right here now. Don’t focus on what hasn’t happened yet.” He replies softly.

“You’re right. It’s just—I keep thinking about how much longer it’ll be until I can hold you like this again.”

“I can just drive down again next weekend.”

“I can’t keep making you drive for four hours every weekend, Mydei.”

“Then, we can alternate or would you rather—”

Phainon covers his lips with his, he thinks his heart will burst if Mydei so much as jokes about living together. He knows that Mydei can clearly sense his distraction, can feel his heart thudding against his chest, but he allows Phainon to divert his attention with a kiss that conveys all of the things he can’t bring himself to say.

Not yet, at least.

When Mydei leaves, it feels like he takes a piece of Phainon with him. Snowy sleeps curled into him that night like he knows something—someone—is missing from their little home too. He holds Snowy a little tighter and drifts off into a dream filled with his beloved.

***

[Beloved][Deliverer]: This is the first time I’m hearing of this. You volunteered to have it at your place?

[Beloved][Prince]: Why not? It’ll be cheaper than renting another karaoke room. And besides, the home theatre hasn't been used in a long time.

[Beloved][Deliverer]: Home theatre? I am still owed a proper house tour. You practically dragged me up to your bedroom the last time I came over.

[Beloved][Prince]: …

[Beloved][Deliverer]: It's nothing to be ashamed of. You could afford to be more overt in your desire for me.

[Beloved][Prince]: And risk your head exploding from how conceited it would make you? I’d rather not.

[Beloved][Deliverer]: I’m sure the head you're thinking of is not the one that would explode from the praise.

[Beloved][Prince]: I’m not entertaining your stupidity today.

[Beloved][Deliverer]: You wound me, Mydeimos.

xXNyanXx: for anyone who wants to dye farm, the belobog restoration area is about to open for rates.

Deliverer: Invite?

xXNyanXx: oh deliverer, you haven't done them before. it doesn't require a party, but i guess we can if u want.

3B: I’d like to join too!

LittleIca: I need a few Pearl dyes. ٩(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)۶

xNetherwing: I’ll join after I finish this run. I should be able to make it to the second RATE.

xXNyanXx: ok. he hasn't asked but he's clearly online.

xXNyanXx: Belobog Restoration (22.5, 5.0)

Phainon teleports to the location Cipher forwarded and is instantly swapped into his severely underleveled Culinarian. He leveled it a bit since it’s Mydei’s favorite crafting class, but the grind was a bit too expensive for his liking; he burned through a million balance coins just to get it to level 30. He’ll attempt leveling it again someday, but today is not one of those days.

The restoration map is covered in snow like the rest of the Belobog-themed areas, but there’s balloons littered around, festive banners draped over lampposts, and confetti raining from the sky. The sheer number of characters gathered in the area makes Phainon lag out a bit, so he turns down the player density in his settings to make it a bit more manageable. Cipher plays dead on the ground in front of him while Tribios and Hyacine sweep over her body with wooden brooms. Mydei stands by his side with his arms folded, his culinarian is dressed in a cute pink apron that he wears over his white chef uniform.

[Festival Guide]: The Belobog Restoration RATEs are about to begin!

[Festival Guide]: To kick off the festivities, we have our three mascots: Tatalov, the king of trashcans, Pom-Pom, the conductor of the Astral Express, and Bronya Rand, the Supreme Guardian of Belobog. Now to earn full participation in this RATE, please emulate the pose of the mascots while targeting them, you’ll have six opportunities to do so!

Phainon’s hotbar is replaced with three emotes: a muscle flexing motion, a sweeping motion, and a gun aiming motion.

[Festival Guide]: First, we have the mighty Tatalov!

BronSeele4Ever flexes their muscles for Tatalov.

TrashRaccoon flexes their muscles for Tatalov.

Prince flexes their muscles for Tatalov.

xXNyanXx flexes their muscles for Tatalov.

Hack3r flexes their muscles for Tatalov.

GunsNRoses flexes their muscles for Tatalov.

3B flexes their muscles for Tatalov.

BigCat flexes their muscles for Tatalov.

LittleIca flexes their muscles for Tatalov.

Holy shit.

Phainon turns off the ability to see other people’s emote logs for the time being.

[Festival Guide]: Second, the adorable Pom-Pom!

Deliverer sweeps the floor in front of Pom-Pom.

[Festival Guide]: And last but most certainly not least, Bronya Rand!

Deliverer aims their gun near Bronya Rand.

[All][BronSeele4Ever]: BRONYA I LOVE YOU!!!!

[All][IHateCouples]: Can you not use the serverwide chat for that?

[All][WifeGuy]: This guy is single asf, everyone point and laugh.

[All][Hack3r]: (=^▽^)σ

[All][BronSeele4Ever]: (=^▽^)σ

[All][BigCat]: (=^▽^)σ

[All][xXNyanXx]: (=^▽^)σ

[All][TrashRaccoon]: (=^▽^)σ

[All][IHateCouples]: Reported. Have fun in GM jail for harassment.

[All][BronSeele4Ever]: (=^▽^)σ

[All][xXNyanXx]: (=^▽^)σ

[All][TrashRaccoon]: (=^▽^)σ

[Festival Guide]: And from the top once more, Tatalov!

Deliverer flexes their muscles for Tatalov.

[Festival Guide]: Pom-Pom!

Deliverer sweeps the floor in front of Pom-Pom.

[Festival Guide]: And Bronya Rand!

Deliverer aims their gun near Bronya Rand.

[Festival Guide]: Next up dear festival-goers, you will have to sew Pom-Pom plushies to be distributed to the children of Belobog. Take the materials from the boxes laid out, make your toy, then take it over to be loaded into one of the trolleys.

xNetherwing: Hi everyone!

xXNyanXx: sup, princess.

Prince: Hi, Cas.

Deliverer: Hi Cas!

3B: Hello Cassie!

LittleIca: Cassie ( ˊᵕˋ )♡.°

Phainon kneels next to the box of fabric and needles and clicks on it. His character pulls out his cooking pan for some odd reason and starts doing a sewing motion over it. He guesses the devs didn’t want to have a unique motion for an event that occurred every once and a while so he ignores it and lets the castbar finish.

The Pom-Pom plush appears—their felt body is three times the size of Phainon’s character—in his hands and he’s hit with a transportation debuff that prevents him from sprinting; he’ll have to walk the plushie all the way down the steep slope to the trolley.

xXNyanXx: this is my least favorite one. being unable to run sucks so bad.

xNetherwing: Agreed. At least the plushies for this RATE are cute.

LittleIca: I wish I could make a big Ica plushie.

xXNyanXx: didn’t you knit ica a crown before?

LittleIca: Yes, but I don’t think I could make anything of this scale.

3B: A small Ica plushie would be cute.

Prince: You should ask Aglaea if she has any advice, Hyacine.

LittleIca: True, Agy would be the expert on this. I’ll see what I can do. Ica in plushie form would be a dream come true.

[Festival Guide]: Heroes, please make sure to turn in your Pom-Pom plushies before the timer runs out. These trolleys will have to depart on time, so please make haste!

A few people hastily sew Pom-Pom plushies and head down to the trolleys, but others who have turned theirs in hang around with plushies over their head as they jump up and down. Phainon crafts another and joins them. Cipher walks over with her plushie and spams play dead until the plushie glitches out and floats menacingly above her.

Deliverer: LOL?

xXNyanXx: i didn’t even know that was possible.

When the RATE completes, the rest of the Pom-Pom plushies despawn except for Cipher’s and she has to relog to clear it.

[xXNyanXx]: Time is money. ƪ(˘⌣˘)ʃ

xXNyanXx: worth it.

[Festival Guide]: Over here near the Central Plaza, there are six presents. You must find six golden trashcans and turn them into me, but open the wrong present and you’ll be turned into a silver trashcan for ten seconds!

Phainon heads for the first present on his right and immediately his screen fills with smoke as his character shrinks into a trashcan. His status bar shows a transformation debuff that can’t be removed and he’s unable to interact with another present until it disappears. He looks over and sees that Mydei’s first present was also unfortunately a transformation spell. After the debuff wears off, he luckily gets his first golden trashcan; he runs down the paved stairs to hand it to the Festival Guide. When he walks back, Mydei is still transmogrified; it has been at least twenty seconds since he stepped away, which means he opened two duds back to back.

xXNyanXx: LMFAOOOOOO. i’ve gotten 3 toys in the time dei has been a trashcan, pls tell me someone’s recording this.

xNetherwing: On it.

3B: Cinnie has also been getting the short end of the stick.

LittleIca: I don’t want to talk about it.

Seeing her chat bubble come from her little trashcan mouth makes Phainon burst out laughing. He feels a little bad but this event does make for pretty funny screenshots—he files it away for later. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Mydei poof into a trashcan again and he pulls his side from the sheer laughter that erupts from his chest.

Prince: Fuck this.

xXNyanXx: deliverer, please make sure dei never gets addicted to actual gambling. i think he would have you guys living out of a cardboard box with how much money he would lose.

Deliverer: I think I’m inclined to agree.

Prince: Fuck you both.

xXNyanXx: i’m good and i’m sure deliverer already has you covered.

Deliverer: Sufficiently fucked, to be precise.

xXNyanXx: u know what? i can’t even say gross, that was pretty funny.

Prince: ?

xXNyanXx: if you have time to type, you have time to be turned into a trashcan.

Deliverer: LOL.

3B: Poor Cinnie…

Phainon looks over and sees Hyacine using the play dead emote in front of the NPC. Getting turned into a trashcan an inordinate amount of times and seeing Mydei get ragged on for it must have mental boomed her to oblivion.

Deliverer pats LittleIca.

LittleIca: Thanks.

3B pats LittleIca.

xNetherwing pats LittleIca.

LittleIca: Thank you, everyone.

xXNyanXx pats LittleIca.

xXNyanXx throws tomatoes at Prince.

Prince: ok.

xXNyanXx: he’s mad as fuck LMFAOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

[Festival Guide]: That’s all for the Everwinter Festival, until next time, dear Heroes!

xXNyanXx: make sure to turn in your rate tokens for dyes. and don’t undercut me on the market board or i’ll [Redacted for violating Saga of Heroes TOS]

Prince: Wouldn’t dream of it.

Phainon can almost hear Mydei dryly reciting his message. He sighs, what he wouldn’t give to hear it in person right now.

xXNyanXx: LOL.

His inventory is filled with blue presents by the end of the celebration. Phainon looks around and sees all the other players spam opening them—confetti bursting in a flurry of rainbow hues from their characters as they do so. He decides to try his luck and opens the first stack. The first six presents give him two emotes which sell for a pittance on the market board, a cheap dye, a cute orange chimera pet that reminds him of his boyfriend, and two tokens. He equips the chimera before continuing.

[Shout][rnghatesme]: holy shit he’s hacking. no way.

[Shout][RNGesus]: One of the rarest mounts in the game, what the fuck, man.

[Shout][Snitchin]: And the dyes too???? GMs???

[Shout][SharkGuy]: GMs send this guy to the penis explosion chamber and have his penis exploded immediately.

[Shout][Snitchin]: Isn’t you saying that in [Shout] chat grounds for a report?

[Shout][SharkGuy]: Anyone who reports me for a funny message is a killjoy and gets no bitches.

Phainon watches as a GM spawns in and disappears with SharkGuy—it’s almost comical how fast GMs respond to reports in this game.

[Shout][Snitchin]: Consider me bitchless.

Snitchin dissipates into the void as well. A fitting end.

[Shout][TrashRaccoon]: Get rekt n00b.

[Whisper][from: NotAScalper]: 5m BC take it or leave it.

[Whisper][from: Dr3ssUpD0ll]: 1m for the white dye?

[Whisper][from: bottedaccount33550336]: 200m BC for the mount.

[Whisper][from: Fashion4Life]: 2m for the pure black dye?

Phainon turns on [Do Not Disturb] and enjoys his peace and quiet once more, well, as much as he can with the people crowding him from his lucky pulls.

Deliverer: I know the dyes are expensive, but is the mount really that rare?

xNetherwing: It has a .00000000000002196% chance of dropping, there’s only one other recorded instance of someone receiving it on the SoH Collection Tracker website. Mydei’s been hunting it for years.

Prince: Keep it. You earned it.

xXNyanXx: i can take it off your hands if dei won’t deliverer boy.

Deliverer: Tempting, but I think I’ll have to decline, Cipher.

xXNyanXx: your loss. ƪ(˘⌣˘)ʃ

If Mydei won’t accept it by conventional means, he supposes he’ll have to do it the old fashioned way: mail. He stuffs the mount in the mail carrier’s pocket, addresses it to Mydei’s character, and closes his own mailbox so that it can’t be returned to sender. In mere seconds, the [Beloved] tone plays in his headphones.

[Beloved][Prince]: Phainon.

[Beloved][Prince]: Turn off your Do Not Disturb so I can trade this back.

[Beloved][Deliverer]: I don’t want it. It’s either you keep it or I dismantle it for a pile of Stellaron Sand.

[Beloved][Prince]: …

[Beloved][Prince]: Thank you.

[Beloved][Deliverer]: You can thank me by showing me how you look on it.

Hearts burst forth from the wedding teleport animation as Mydei pops up in front of him. His character despawns for a second before appearing on a throne made of ruby red crystals; his legs spread and his head haloed in scarlet flames.

[Beloved][Deliverer]: Do you like it?

[Beloved][Prince]: After years of farming for it, it’s not as cool as I thought it would be. I think I liked the novelty of it.

[Beloved][Prince]: But, you gave it to me.

[Beloved][Prince]: So, I like it.

Phainon’s hands move before his brain can catch up:

[Beloved][Deliverer]: I love you.

His heart feels like it’s going to escape from his chest with how hard it's thudding against his ribcage. He exhales shakily as he tries to type another message to dampen the blow from whatever Mydei will say next.

Sorry, that was too soon wasn’t|

It’s okay, if|

Was that too|

I’m sorr|

[Beloved][Prince]: Me too.

Oh.

Mydei—

Mydei loves him.

Mydei loves him back.

He didn’t have to coax it out of him, didn’t have to decipher the meaning behind his words, didn’t have to piece things together from what he’s left unsaid. His honesty so freely given in the form of the words Phainon wanted to hear the most.

[Beloved][Prince]: Pick up the phone.

He’s been so stunlocked that he didn’t even realize his phone’s been ringing for the past minute. His hands tremble around the device as he brings it to his ear.

“Say it again,” Mydei demands, “I don’t want the first time you say it to be online.”

Phainon laughs, soft and bright, “I love you.”

And Mydei responds, just as gently, “I know. Me too.”

Chapter Text

Chapter Eighteen: Duty Complete

“You're early.”

“Because I missed you so much.” Phainon says as he wraps his arms around a very disgruntled Mydei.

He paws at him with a tired sigh, “We just video called yesterday.”

“And? I still missed you.”

“You’re so clingy.”

Phainon pouts, “But I thought you liked it?”

“Not right now, I’m sweaty and I have stuff on the stove.”

Phainon swipes his tongue against Mydei’s neck and he feels his boyfriend shiver under him. “You are, a little bit, but it’s not bad.”

“You’re a pervert.” Mydei whispers.

He presses a kiss to Mydei’s warm skin and inhales, “It's just us we could—”

“Hey, you're out of—” Cipher, with an empty carton of cream dangling in her hand, comes to a screeching halt behind them—she closes her eyes and shakes her head before she swiftly leaves the room without another word.

Mydei groans with irritation as he peels Phainon off of him, “I never said you were the only one here.”

“Is there anyone else here I should know about?” Phainon pouts.

“What you should know is to behave, then you wouldn't have to worry about getting caught.”

“But I thought you liked the prospect of—”

Mydei presses his palm to Phainon's lips with a grimace, “Can you be quiet?” He draws his hand back before Phainon can even think about licking it. “You really know nothing of time, place, and occasion.”

“Or shame.” Phainon supplies with a smile.

“Fuck off.” Mydei sighs again, “Go sit in the parlor room. Tribios should be in there with snacks.”

Phainon steps away from Mydei before turning back to ask, “Which one?”

Mydei blushes, seemingly realizing how ridiculously large his mansion is, “...The one on the left.”

Tribios strains forward on a wingback chair in the parlor, her hand outstretched towards a puff pastry resting on a three-tiered, silver serving tray. Phainon picks up one of the tongs on the table to grab it for her since her arms are too short to reach.

“Thanks, Dellie.” She smiles.

Phainon carefully sits on the expensive looking settee across from her, “No problem.”

“You're so stiff.” Tribbie says whilst chewing, “De doesn't mind if you slouch on the seats.”

“He doesn't mind crumbs either?” He jests.

“Maybe a little.” She laughs.

Phainon grabs a pastry, “Then, don't mind if I join you.” He takes a bite, it's buttery and flaky on the outside and crunchy on the inside from the chopped walnuts drenched in honey. For someone who only cooks in their spare time, Mydei’s food is Michelin restaurant worthy.

“It's good isn't it?”

He nods, “More than I’d like to admit.”

“De’s cooking is the best. I was over the moon when he offered to host the meetup.”

“I know he volunteered his place, but he specifically asked you about the meetup first?”

“Yeah. He was oddly excited about it too, well—as much as his calm tone of voice will allow.”

Phainon mentally notes that to tease him about it later.

“You two get along well.”

She nods happily, “We met on Saga of Heroes years ago through Ciphy. De used to stay up to listen to me while I complained about IRL stuff. A lot of it was trivial now that I look back at it, but some of it wasn't—we bonded over shared…hardships.”

With the way she looks at him for a moment, Phainon can only conclude that she's insinuating she lost her mother as well.

“I’m glad you were able to have someone to confide in Tribbie.” He says softly.

“De’s a good listener.” She agrees, “And a good friend and I’m glad that he has you.”

“I’m glad to be with him.”

She sighs, “Now if only Agy would find someone too.”

Phainon laughs as a thought comes to mind, “Could you imagine Aglaea dating someone from Saga of Heroes?”

Tribbie snorts, “Never. She’s too old-fashioned.”

“I couldn’t properly imagine it either. I think I would get chills if I had to attend Aglaea’s in-game wedding.”

Tribbie nods seriously, “You’re right. I think I should leave that hope alone for now.”

“Tribbie.”

“Yeah, Dellie?”

“I’ve made it a habit of asking everyone about the origin of their usernames, what about yours?”

“I’m the eldest of three triplets, which is where the three comes from. Trianne and Trinnon don’t like playing video games nearly as much as I do though,” She tries to grab another pastry and fails, so Phainon picks it up for her again—she thanks him excitedly before continuing, “After I met Ciphy in person, she started calling me little red but before that she used to call me little b. So 3B it was.”

“Wait, so that means you had a different IGN before you knew Cipher?”

She nods, “It was Messenger.”

“What about the origin of that one?”

“It's a secret.” Tribbie smiles with a glint in her eyes.

Phainon shivers—an odd familiarity washes over him as he looks at her, like being reunited with an old friend. It fades nearly as quickly as it came, like warm sunlight obscured by fluffy clouds, and she stuffs her face with food once more.

Mydei peeks into the parlor with his car keys in hand, “I’m heading out to get heavy cream and a few other ingredients for ekmek kataifi.”

Phainon perks up, “Can I tag along?”

“Sure. Tribbie, make sure Cifera doesn't get into trouble while I’m gone.”

She hops onto her feet with a mock salute which makes the crumbs on her dress disperse into the furs of the vintage carpet, “On it, De.”

“Remind me to vacuum in here when I get back too.”

The local market is relatively quiet when they arrive.

Mydei allows Phainon to steer the cart while he looks at his hastily scribbled shopping list. Phainon feels his hands grow clammy over the handle of the cart while he pushes it beside Mydei; his head is filled with silly ideas and he swears Mydei can read his mind.

“What’s that look for?” Mydei asks as he places a box of pudding mix in the cart.

“...I was just thinking about how nice this is.” Mydei tilts his head in question. “Doesn’t it feel kind of like we’re—” He swallows, “married?”

Mydei laughs softly as he scans the next shelf for ingredients, “I thought you were my husband already?”

Phainon blushes, “Mydei.”

“Being perverted is like second nature to you, but being romantic gives you pause?”

“When you put it like that I sound awful.”

“You're not. I don’t mind your enthusiasm.” He corrects, “When we're alone.”

“Or when someone could catch us.”

Mydei’s hand tightens around the glass of vanilla powder he was about to place into the cart. “I don’t know why I even entertained the idea of comforting you.”

“I’m sorry.” Phainon says genuinely. “No more teasing.” Phainon says not so genuinely.

Mydei eyes him with thinly-veiled suspicion before he presses his hand to Phainon's forehead, “I knew it.”

“Huh, what?”

“No wonder you lied to me so easily, you have a fever, you're delirious.”

Phainon swats away his hand with a laugh, “Very funny, Mydei.”

“You are a little warm though.” He smiles, “Don't give Aglaea any more trouble.”

“Aren’t you going to offer to nurse me back to health?”

“Hm, that was part of our vows wasn't it?” He asks, his tone bordering on serious.

Phainon's heart almost thuds out of his chest. “I’m not allowed to tease you anymore but those kinds of jokes are okay?”

Mydei places a bag of kataifi into the cart as he tilts his head, “It wasn't a joke, though?”

Phainon wheels the cart away as heat fills his face. Mydei's earnestness is going to make him faint in the middle of the sweets aisle.

“Wait, Phainon, I still need that.” He whisper-shouts after him with a tin of cinnamon in his other hand.

Mydei catches him after a minute of scanning through the aisles with a weird look on his face, “What has gotten into you today?”

“I really love you, Mydei.” Phainon sighs.

Mydei looks at him and Phainon can see the question mark floating above his head like his avatar in-game, “I thought we already established that? I love you too, Phainon.” He takes the cart from his sweaty hands and taps Phainon’s forehead lightly with his knuckle, “Stop thinking too hard by yourself. Your head wasn't made to expend that much energy.”

Phainon laughs gently, “Fuck you.”

***

When they arrive back at Mydei’s place, three more cars are parked out front.

“Hi Phainon and De.” Hyacine beams as she opens the door.

“Hyacine,” Mydei smiles, “Is everyone else here?”

“Yes, Naxy drove me, Agy came right after us, and Cas, Tribbie, and Cipher were already here when I arrived.”

“Good.” He says as he lugs some of the bags in, “I just have to make dessert then chill it for later on, then I’ll join everyone. Did you eat yet?”

“I had some of the snacks in the parlor. They're so good, De, you need to open up a bakery.”

“Maybe one day. Who knows.”

“Do you need help prepping the dessert?”

“No, it’s fine. Just relax, you're my guest.”

“Okay,” She nods, “Let me know if you need anything.”

Phainon turns to him as they set the bags on the kitchen island. “You want to open up a bakery?”

“Not anytime soon.” He sighs, “It's just a small dream of mine. A quieter life in a quieter place. Maybe after we settle down and I know that Kremnos’ Tomes is taken care of.”

Phainon freezes in place.

After we settle down.

After we settle down.

After we settle down.

Mydei already sees a future with him, already knows where Phainon slots into his life—where he wants Phainon to slot in. His words at the market really weren't hollow jokes, but rather an inevitable eventuality. Mydei’s sureness pierces Phainon to his very core.

He wants what Mydei wants just as badly.

His feet move before his brain catches up and his arms are wrapped around Mydei’s sturdy body. Mydei hugs him back without a snide remark or a gentle tease and Phainon can feel Mydei’s heart beating just as hard as his against his chest.

It seems Mydei was just as nervous as he was all along.

***

“When you said home theatre, I didn’t expect something this grand.” Phainon’s jaw is still unhinged when he settles into his seat after helping Mydei make dessert. Well, more like watched Mydei make the dessert. He was very particular about where things went and how he liked things handled, so he relegated Phainon to be his white-noise machine after he burned the first batch of custard. In his defence, he only burned it because he was too busy looking at Mydei completely in the zone with his hair tied back.

The projector screen is even larger than the ones at the cinema, the velvet of his seat is soft against his skin, and the chair reclines all the way back with a remote. There are tables to dine on in front of the seats and every table is covered with the food Mydei tailor-made for each of the guild members. The dessert he prepared will be served after the two films they plan to watch when it’s adequately chilled. Mydei’s so thoughtful and it makes Phainon even more enamored with him.

“It is a bit over the top.” Mydei agrees, “But, I’m glad it's getting some more use.”

“Do you ever watch anything in here alone?” He asks.

“No. Cipher comes over to watch a film or show occasionally though. I think the last thing we binged was an amateur baking show.”

“I’ll make sure to come over to make you watch that vampire movie everyone either loves or hates.”

“I wouldn't mind that, but I’ve already seen it. Cas recommended it.”

“What was your opinion of it?”

He shrugs, “Not my thing, but the music in it wasn’t bad. Don't tell me you liked it?”

“Remember what I said about sappy romcoms?”

Mydei groans, “No way. Really?”

“I did find the reveal part hilarious though. I couldn't take that seriously at all.”

“I’d be shocked if you did.”

“You can be shocked?” Phainon teases.

“I think that's my default when I’m with you.”

The first film starts, but Phainon isn't really watching it. He's too busy staring at Mydei as always.

“Want some?” Mydei asks as he holds his fork out.

Phainon opens his mouth and chews before speaking, “It's good. Everything you make is good, Mydei.”

“Thanks.”

“I forgot how corny this movie is.” Cipher yawns as she stretches from two rows in front of them.

“Cifera.” Aglaea says from the seat next to her.

“Yeah Agy?”

“You suggested this one.”

“I must have mixed it up with another movie I like.”

“I find that hard to believe. This is very much up your alley.”

Cipher scoffs, “Not true.”

Castorice cuts in from her left, “Aglaea is right. This has you written all over it.”

“Et tu, Brute?” She gasps.

“The movie isn't that bad, Ciphy.” Tribbie says from the front row. So she still finds it bad to some degree, Phainon thinks.

“Thanks little red.”

“It would be nice to actually be able to hear it.” Anaxagoras says from Tribbie’s left.

“I find it hard to believe that you are genuinely interested in it.” Aglaea responds.

“...”

Cipher bursts out laughing, “No way. You really can't judge a book by its cover.”

Anaxagoras turns back to the screen with his arms crossed—clearly embarrassed by the situation at hand. If Phainon strains over the surround sound speakers, he swears can hear Hyacine giggling too.

“What do you think of the movie so far, Mydei?” Phainon asks quietly.

“Hm?” He replies groggily. He looks a little tired.

“Sleepy?”

“A little. I woke up early to prepare.”

Phainon lifts the arm rest of his seat and reclines it, “Do you want to get some rest?”

Mydei shifts over a little until his head rests on Phainon’s chest, “Wake me up when this one ends.”

He says he will, but when Mydei instantly falls asleep in his arms, he decides he’ll give him a little extra time to rest. The remainder of the movie is as corny as Cipher said it was, but Phainon, as always, lives for these types of movies so he finds it endearing in its own way. Mydei stirs when the film finishes and before Phainon can debate waking him up properly, Mydei beats him to it and lifts his head. There’s drool plastered across his chin and his eyes are barely open, but Phainon finds him just as breathtaking as always.

He wipes at Mydei’s face with his sleeve, “Good morning.”

“Mm.” He yawns, “I have to put the next film on.”

“I’ll do it.” Cipher says as she springs up.

“Is that okay?” Phainon asks with a semblance of worry. Cipher is definitely up to something.

“She’s the only person besides Cas who knows how to do it.” He yawns again.

“Teach me how to do it later.”

“So you can make me watch your sappy romcoms? No thanks.”

“Oh come on, Mydei.”

Mydei rests back on his chest, “I want to get more sleep, so I’d like it if my pillow would stop talking.”

“Demoted again?”

Mydei’s soft sigh is all he gets in response.

The vampire movie they discussed earlier pops up on the screen. Phainon would have bursted out laughing if it weren’t for his boyfriend lying peacefully on top of him.

“Blame Cas.” Cipher says as she plops back in her seat.

He doesn't mind a rewatch, but he wishes he could look at Mydei's expressions as he has to endure the cheesiness of the film again.

“Didn't they make a parody movie of this?” Hyacine asks.

“Oh yeah. Remember when there was that weird box office trend when they released a bunch of really terrible parody movies?” Cipher responds.

“Unfortunately.” Aglaea sighs, “Those were absolutely horrendous.”

“I’m inclined to agree for once.” Anaxagoras says begrudgingly.

“One thing I don't particularly like that much about this movie is the one scene at the end,” Hyacine says, “You can't suck venom out.”

Cipher guffaws, “Are you trying to apply actual medical logic to a vampire movie?”

“Wait, I haven’t seen this yet!” Tribbie exclaims.

Everyone refrains from commenting further to not spoil Tribbie’s first watch of the movie.

Phainon pays more attention to the music when watching it this time due to Mydei pointing it out and he has to agree, it's good. Especially the scene where the vampire plays the piano while his muse listens—that song sticks in his mind long after the credits roll.

“What did you think, little red?” Cipher asks as the lights turn back on.

“Can we watch it again?”

She laughs, “Sure thing.”

Mydei wakes up halfway through their second rewatch in deep confusion, “What? Did I not sleep that long?”

Phainon is so close to making up a lie on the spot but decides against it, “We’re watching it again.”

He sits up with a sigh, “And here I was hoping that I slept through it.”

“But what about the music?”

“That's the only tolerable part of it.”

“I paid attention to it because of you. I really like the song with the piano.”

He agrees, “It’s the best one. Next to the song that plays at the dance.”

“So you remember this movie well enough to recall the scenes?”

“...”

Phainon's grin widens, “You like it, don't you?”

“Wipe that smug look off of your face.”

“Hey everyone, Mydei likes—” Mydei covers his mouth with an embarrassed look plastered on his face.

“Likes this movie? Yeah we know. That's why Cas and I picked it to begin with.” Cipher says.

Phainon’s eyes almost bulge out of his head in surprise as Mydei turns away from him, his hand still pressed firmly against his lips.

“Not a single word.” Mydei says as he drops his hand cautiously.

“You are just as sappy as me.” He realizes belatedly.

“What part of ‘not a single word’ did you not comprehend?”

“You’re so cute, Mydei.”

He huffs. “Get lost.”

After the movie ends—Mydei watched it completely captivated despite his initial shame—everyone heads to change into their night clothes before meeting in the kitchen for dessert.

“This is delicious, Mydei,” Hyacine says, “Oh and Phainon too, you helped right?”

“I was merely emotional support.” He laughs.

“If emotional support allows Dei to make it taste this good,” Cipher says in between bites, “I’ll allow it.”

“Thanks for your blessing, Cipher.” Mydei deadpans.

Tribbie holds up her plate for Mydei to scoop her an extra slice, “Thank you, De. It’s amazing.”

Mydei smiles, all softness and warmth, “No, I should thank you. Thank you all for coming and for eating what I prepared today.”

When the dessert pan is cleared, all the girls all split off together towards one of the large guest rooms while Anaxagoras takes a smaller room for himself. Phainon figures he's only staying because he's Hyacine’s ride back, but he also thinks if he wasn't enjoying himself to some extent he would have just left and drove back up in the morning.

He still can't get a proper gauge on his temperament.

Phainon follows Mydei back to his room and they lie on the bed in a mess of tangled limbs.

“Did you have fun today?” Phainon asks into his boyfriend’s soft hair.

“I did.” Mydei whispers, “It feels nice to have everyone here. To have this empty house feel like a home.”

Phainon kisses his scalp, “You should tell everyone you want to host again.”

Mydei nods gently, as much as he can with Phainon’s lips pressed against him. “Might as well make use of all of this space more often. Did you…”

“Of course. I love spending time with everyone and with you.”

“Good.” Mydei hums.

“Are you going to be able to sleep like this?”

“Not yet.” He says.

“Not yet? What do you—”

Mydei shifts around until their eyes meet and presses his warm lips against Phainon’s. Phainon wraps his arms around Mydei as they softly kiss over and over, unhurried and gentle. He doesn't know how much time passes as Mydei’s lips melt into his, but somewhere in between, they fall into a deep slumber.

When Phainon wakes, Mydei is already out of bed. He hastily brushes his teeth in Mydei’s bathroom then yawns as he walks down the grand staircase and smells breakfast cooking. Cipher and Anaxagoras are at the kitchen island with freshly brewed coffees in their hands while Mydei is at the stove flipping honeycakes.

“Good morning. Where is everyone else?”

“Morning lovebird, they're in the parlor room. You woke up late and everyone else already ate. Lover boy is making your breakfast now.” Cipher says as she walks past him.

“Wait, where are you going?”

“I don't want to see whatever you two are going to get up to. Come on, ‘naxa.”

“It's Ana—” He starts.

“Okay. Enjoy being a voyeur on your own. I don't care.” She waves.

He begrudgingly follows behind her with a grimace.

When they're alone, Phainon slips behind Mydei who sighs but doesn't pull him off.

“Phainon. It’s hard to cook with you clinging to me like this.”

“But you still can, right?”

“You won't mind if I burn your breakfast?”

Phainon unhands him and sits at one of the spare seats, “I would say you wouldn't do that, but that would be a lie.”

“As long as you're aware.” He chuckles, “Here.” He slides the cakes onto a plate and drizzles them with an ample amount of honey.

“Thank you, Mydei.”

“Mydei, oh and Phainon, good morning, I will be heading out early. I have urgent matters to attend to.” Aglaea says from the entryway.

“Have a safe drive back, Aglaea.” Mydei responds.

“Good morning to you as well, Aglaea. I’ll see you on Monday.”

“Bye you two and thank you again for your hospitality, Mydei.” She smiles.

Everyone files out one by one after Aglaea’s exit until only Phainon is left with Mydei and they spend quality time handwashing all of the dishes together.

“Phainon.”

“Yes, Mydei?”

“When are you visiting again?”

“You're already thinking of next time?”

“Yes.”

“Oh.” He blushes as he dries the dish Mydei hands to him. “I can drive up in two weeks. I’m busy next weekend.”

“Okay.” Phainon can hear the small amount of disappointment in Mydei’s voice no matter how well he's hidden it.

“I’ll figure something out soon.” He says, “So that you don't have to be alone in this big house anymore.”

Mydei looks at him with something akin to hope flickering in his eyes, “Is that a promise?”

“It's a promise, Mydeimos.”

Chapter Text

Beach Episode: Kisses Like Sea Salt

The hum of Mydei’s vehicle comes to a stop at a gas station in the middle of nowhere two hours into their drive to Mydei’s villa. Hyacine informed them last month that Mydei would be providing his villa over the one she had shown on her phone at the party prior—Mydei’s ‘connections’ were merely a ruse or maybe he had intended to offer his place all along.

Dry, beige sands that stretch on forever and tall cacti reminiscent of the cute mobs they remorsefully slaughter in Saga of Heroes come into view as Phainon looks out the window.

“I gotta stretch my legs.” Cipher says with a tired yawn as she slips out of the car with nimbleness befitting of a cat.

Hyacine slides out of her seat after her with a soft smile, “I’ll get some refreshments.”

Castorice, Tribios, and Aglaea are stuffed inside the car behind them, which has also parked for a mini pit stop. Anaxa is coming tomorrow; he couldn't scrounge up enough PTO to cover today, Friday, so he’ll be driving down Saturday afternoon.

Only three more hours to go of their little road trip until they get the beach vacation of their dreams. Phainon still can't believe it's been a little over a year since it was proposed by Hyacine, which means it's been over a year since he and Mydei started dating. It still feels like yesterday when Phainon admitted he liked him for the first time and his heart still stutters out of rhythm whenever Mydei looks at him, kisses him, teases him. All this past year has done is solidify that Phainon wants to be with him forever and they will be, if any of their previous conversations are anything to go by.

They’re already in the process of getting a home together in a rural area—a quiet place surrounded by an endless field of golden wheat. The only thing stopping them from finalizing that dream right now is Mydei’s insistence on paying for everything. Sure, he has a larger salary than Phainon by two entire digits, but Phainon wants to pay his share—for them to be proper equals. His mind drifts back to the box settled deep within his bag but he is swiftly brought back to reality as Hyacine slides back into the car with a huge pack of sour gummy worms and a 12-pack of ice cold SoulGlad.

“Can you believe they had the limited edition Saga of Heroes flavor?” She says.

Cipher reaches her hand into the car to grab a bottle from Hyacine, “Thanks, Pinkie.”

“Nice find, Hyacine. I wonder what it tastes like.” Phainon says as she hands him one.

Cipher pops the metal bottle cap effortlessly with her thumb and takes a sip, “Bleh. Like carbonated sugar. I can't really taste much else.” She sticks her tongue out like it’ll cleanse her palate.

“You're going to dry your tongue out, Cipher.” Mydei laughs as he takes a bottle from Hyacine, “Thank you, Hyacine.”

“You're welcome. I’ll finish the rest, Ciphy.” Cipher gladly passes over her partially sipped drink to Hyacine. After taking a swig of it, she says, “It’s not that bad. There’s a soft hint of basil in it.”

“Really? I couldn’t taste it under all of the sugar.” Cipher deadpans.

Phainon holds out his bottle after struggling to open it for the past two minutes, “Cipher, can you do that cap popping trick again for me?”

She wordlessly holds out her palm and flicks the cap off with ease before handing it back. “I want some gummies.” Hyacine lifts the bag towards her outstretched hand and draws back after Cipher’s grabbed a clawful.

Phainon takes a cautious sip of his drink. Cipher was right, the SoulGlad is so ridiculously sweet to the point that it almost makes him nauseous. Mydei’s sweet tooth persists even now, Phainon notes, his bottle is completely drained of SoulGlad. Hyacine gives Mydei the remainder of her drink too and he chugs it with as much fervor as a frat bro.

“You’re a pro at that, Mydeimos.” Phainon says.

Mydei’s face twists like he just licked a sour lemon, “It’s too sweet but I didn’t want it to go to waste.”

“Considerate to a fault.” He chuckles.

Mydei turns away and Phainon can see the reddened tips of his ears as he says, “Hyacine, check if Tribbie might want some, she has a higher tolerance for sweets than I do.”

Hyacine nods and shuffles over to Aglaea’s vehicle allowing Cipher to steal her seat.

“Hand me the aux.” Cipher demands as she lifts her head from her phone.

Mydei sighs as he glances at her through his vanity mirror, “No. The last time I did you played that insufferable shark song for hours.”

“That’s when we were teens. My music taste is more refined now.”

Mydei looks at her skeptically once more before handing over the cord. Phainon almost wonders why Mydei gave in so easily, but considering how Cipher is when she doesn’t get her way, this is the lesser of the two evils.

Hyacine returns without the box of SoulGlad and instead a few snacks crowd her arms in its place. “She liked it. Good call, De. In return, we have sesame bars and chips.”

As Hyacine distributes the snacks, Cipher’s song blares through the car speakers. She chooses a normal song for once, a gentle melody that carries the sound of the ocean and washes over him in tender, undulating pulses. The car starts back up and the breeze tickles through his hair as he sticks his head out the window.

He feels a warm hand on his thigh and he turns away from the wind whipping at his face to look at Mydei whose eyes are trained on the road.

“This song isn't bad.” He says, only loud enough for Phainon to hear.

“I like it too.” He replies softly.

Mydei’s hand rubs his thigh once over before gripping the steering wheel with both hands again. He already misses his absence—his thigh burns where Mydei touched it.

“Oh, Dei used to love this song.” Cipher remarks as she selects a song on her playlist.

The starting guitar riff for “Sweet Child O’ Mine” begins to play and Mydei instantly starts tapping against the steering wheel with a faint smile, “I still do. It's good. Turn it up.”

Cipher obliges as she hums along to the beat. Hyacine joins in too, to Phainon’s surprise, but he reexamines his bias after she belts the chorus along with everyone else. Everyone watches rapt with attention, Mydei does so with brief glances through his rear-view mirror, as Cipher does a sick air guitar solo and Hyacine joins her while mimicking the drums.

The rest of the road trip continues with everyone passing around the auxiliary cord until their throats almost go hoarse from singing. Luckily, the villa comes into view as Phainon finishes belting the song that Hyacine picked. They unload the back of Mydei’s car and Phainon’s bag falls to the wayside as he stands in stunned silence in front of Mydei’s beach house.

Beach mansion is a more apt descriptor.

The massive, beige exterior is split into three floors, all of them with huge floor-to-ceiling windows. He can see the expensive furnishings for each room from outside: the large glass chandeliers, velvet settees, and fluffy canopied beds. He belatedly wonders how much of a pain it is for housekeeping to get all of the sand out of the furniture. There are balconies on the second and third floors each with a set of tables and chairs with an umbrella sticking out the middle to block out the sun. Phainon can’t believe he's thinking it, but this place might be more grand than Mydei’s mansion back home.

Cipher runs ahead of everyone, the sand softly giving way under her feet, “I call dibs on the third guest room on the first floor.”

“Why that one specifically?” Aglaea asks, slightly amused.

“Cipher and I used to come here a lot when we were younger. She has a special attachment to that room.” Castorice supplies, “She threw a fit the one time I unpacked before her and took it. Needless to say, it wasn’t a pretty sight.”

“Hey, hey—” Cipher’s face turns a bright pink, “Who told you to rat me out, princess?”

Mydei laughs, “So you’re allowed to poke as much fun as you please unchecked?”

“Of course.” Cipher says matter-of-factly.

Mydei walks past her and nudges her shoulder as he does, “Phainon, let me show you our room.”

“Gross.”

“I can't wait for the day you expand your vocabulary.” Mydei chuckles.

“Ironic.” She mutters.

Mydei walks Phainon all the way up to the third floor to one of the rooms that face the sea. It feels a bit more lived in compared to the other rooms they passed—there are fragments of Mydei’s youth plastered throughout.

“This place is beautiful, Mydei.” Phainon says as he rummages through his bag.

He nods as he reminisces, “I like coming here. It reminds me of the quieter days I spent with Cas and Cipher. My parents too.”

“Thank you for offering it to us all.”

Mydei smiles, “Of course. It would be nice to make some new memories with everyone.”

The rest of the day is spent settling in while Mydei grocery shops for ingredients for the rest of the trip. He falls asleep somewhere in between waiting for Mydei to come back and dinner, missing lunch entirely, and his stomach growls so loudly when he reaches the kitchen that everyone bursts out laughing.

“Come have a seat, lovebird.” Cipher cackles as she pats the chair next to her, “It seems you need this more than any of us.”

***

Phainon wakes up early the next morning out of habit and when he does, Mydei isn't there.

He walks groggily down the stairs, past the kitchen where he smells the remnants of breakfast, sweet flour and browned butter—Mydei probably woke up early to cook for everyone, but he's not in the kitchen either. Phainon slips on a pair of sandals sitting by the door and walks outside. He’s greeted by the soft, orange sun as it starts to rise—the view just like the warm eyes of his beloved.

A figure lies in the hammock in front of the villa, his eyes trained on the thick book wedged between his fingers.

The soft sand crunches under Phainon’s sandals as he approaches. “What are you doing out here so early?”

Mydei closes his book and sets it down on his body, “You complain whenever I turn the lamp on while you sleep.”

“That is true.” He relents.

Phainon inspects the book splayed across Mydei’s broad chest: Bringers of Shadow by T. H. Keia. The cover has two men clad in legally distinct Paladin and Dark Knight armor respectively. If Phainon weren't as intimately familiar with Saga of Heroes as he is, he would think it's an original medieval fantasy book, but since he knows it like the back of his hand, it's very clearly a derivative work based on two popular NPCs. His curiosity starts to get the better of him.

“That's Cas’ newest work.” Phainon says.

“She asked for it to be exclusively sold at Kremnos’ Tomes bookstores. I’ve been busy with calls and emails the past few weeks because of it.”

“Because people are asking for the rights to sell it?”

Mydei nods, “It’s slated to release in two weeks. Depending on your behavior, I might let you read it when I’m done.”

Phainon grabs the side of the hammock and tries to maneuver into it so that he can lie beside Mydei. It shifts awkwardly as Mydei starts to slip from the seat of the hammock from Phainon’s rough movements.

“What—” Mydei grunts as he tries to keep a grip on the book and the hammock, “This wasn't made for—Phainon—”

“Look, it fits both of us.” Phainon says as he slings his arm around Mydei’s waist.

“I can hear the trees creaking from our weight.” Mydei says with an exasperated sigh.

“It’ll be fine.” An abrupt cracking noise fills the air, “...Maybe.”

“Must you always cling to me?”

“Ye—”

“Actually, don't answer that.” Mydei huffs.

“Don't be like that, Mydei.” Phainon’s hand moves to rest on his boyfriend's broad chest, “It's not that uncomfortable is it?”

“...No.” He says after a beat.

“Good.”

“Phai—” He captures Mydei’s lips with his and Mydei melts into it easily. The book slips from his hand onto the sand below, unfortunately for the time being, forgotten.

The gentle sea breeze brushes against their cheeks as they rock in the hammock with slow, heated kisses. His hand slips under Mydei’s half-buttoned floral print shirt to cup at his chest. Mydei’s tongue is heavy and persistent against his—Phainon feels Mydei’s hunger with every fiber of his being. They shouldn't go any further than this, anyone who looks out their window could see them, but that thought is relegated to mere drivel when he feels Mydei’s erection press against him.

He could press into Mydei—have him warm his cock while they lie together and no one would be able to tell. It's a dangerous thought but it seems more reasonable by the second when Mydei sighs breathily into his mouth, already falling apart from just a bit of kissing.

The sound of Anaxa’s car pulling into the driveway draws Phainon out of his desire-filled haze and Mydei sits up with a dazed look plastered over his beautiful face.

“We should,” He says slowly, “head back inside.”

“To finish what I started?” Phainon supplies.

Mydei turns impossibly redder as his blush spreads and he hastily tries to get out of the hammock to get away from Phainon’s knowing eyes, but as he does so it ends up twisting the fabric and the webbing straps which sends them both face first into the warm sand beneath them.

Phainon spits out a mouth full of sand with a dry cough, the sandy landing sobering him up, “A shower is in order.”

“This is all your fault.” Mydei sighs as he fetches the book out of the sand, “I just wanted to read in peace.”

Yet, he was just as aroused as Phainon was, but he refrains from commenting on it for both of their sakes.

“So does that mean I won’t be able to read Cas’ book?”

“You can read it when it’s released.” He huffs.

***

After freshening up and eating the breakfast Mydei prepared, everyone changes into their swimsuits. Castorice rests under a large beach umbrella with sunglasses on her face and a book in her hands. At her side, Aglaea rests on her stomach as Cipher dutifully rubs sunscreen into her skin. Anaxa stands to the side with a can of hard cider talking excitedly to Hyacine who sips on a glass of water with a straw as Tribbie circles around them to follow Mydei into the house.

Mydei and Tribbie dig deep into one of the storage areas of the villa to grab surfboards and a few inflatable swimming tubes. Phainon and Mydei make a competition out of who can pump the tubes with air the fastest and to both of their disappointments it ends in a clean tie.

“Thanks you two!” Tribbie says as she takes an inflated swimming tube, seemingly unaware of their competition.

Hyacine grabs one shaped like a unicorn and follows Tribbie into the water, “Thanks guys.”

“Aglaea, would you like one?” Phainon asks.

“I’m quite alright. Thank you, Phainon.”

“Do you know how to surf?” Mydei asks.

“I’ve never tried.”

“Come here, I’ll teach you.” He says with a smirk.

Mydei is a natural at teaching, surprisingly enough, Phainon finds himself able to confidently stand up on the board and ride a wave within an hour. Mydei paddles beside him before popping up to catch the next wave with him. Mydei cuts through the currents with ease—the summers he spent in his youth at the villa never truly leaving him—like he was meant to split the sea. Phainon can barely focus when Mydei looks absolutely breathtaking and a current swiftly overtakes him. Mydei paddles over to him with a worried crease in his brow as Phainon’s head bobs to the surface.

“Are you okay?” Mydei asks.

“Never better now that you’re here.”

“Aglaea!” Mydei shouts, startling Phainon, “He’s clearly sustained a brain injury.”

Phainon splashes seawater at his face as Mydei laughs, “Fuck off.”

After a few more hours at sea and when Phainon’s legs are painfully sore, they return to the shore where Hyacine is handing out packaged ice cream from one of the coolers.

“Make sure not to go back into the water for at least an hour after eating.” She says to Cipher.

“Fine.” Cipher huffs as she takes a bite of her bar. He nearly cringes for her teeth from the action.

Phainon runs a towel against his cool skin as he tries to get all of the tiny grains of sand off which is proving to be a Herculean task without a proper shower. Water strikes him right on his abdomen after he had diligently towelled off and he almost has half a mind to yell at the perpetrator before he sees who it is.

“Water guns, really? Come on, Mydei. We’re not kids anymore.” Phainon says.

Mydei twirls it in his hand before landing another clean shot on Phainon’s abs, “Sounds like someone is afraid he’ll lose.”

Phainon’s eyebrow twitches, “Oh, you’re on.”

They chase each other around in the sand until they’re both drenched again and Anaxa has to begrudgingly call them in for dinner. Mydei enters the kitchen, still sopping wet, to turn off the pressure cooker he set to run earlier this morning. He lifts off the lid and immediately the smell of savory, seasoned meat fills the air and everyone lines up with eager appetites for Mydei to ladle the stew into their bowls. After a hearty dinner, Mydei and Phainon clean the dishes in their familiar assembly line set up, with Mydei washing the dishes while Phainon dries them and puts them away. When they’re all done, they join everyone outside around the fire pit and stay up until Tribbie begins to fall asleep on the sand.

In the afternoon of the second day, Phainon joins Aglaea and Hyacine to divide and roll out the pita dough to bake for lunch while Mydei works quietly on the other side of the kitchen preparing the meat and other fillings. Initially, most of the meals were to be handled by Mydei, but after a lot of back and forth, he reluctantly agreed to splitting the work with everyone, which now meant that Phainon has Hyacine and Aglaea teaching him how to make the perfect pita bread. Hyacine is shockingly not as patient as he initially thought when it comes to cooking and after he burns the bread once, she shoos him off to take on another job.

“I’m sorry, Phainon,” Aglaea says, “It would take a while to prepare more dough in a reasonable time, so I will have to go along with Hyacine’s ruling on the matter.”

Hyacine’s ruling happens to be the correct one because Phainon is better suited to finely slicing the vegetables for the gyros. With all four of their hands on deck, the rest of the preparations for lunch goes smoothly and they gather everyone outside on a huge blanket as they pass around the ingredients and share in each other's company.

On the third night, Mydei works the grill. This was one of the few days where no one else helped prepare the food due to how strict Mydei was about anyone being anywhere near the grilling area. Phainon spends the time waiting for dinner with Cipher at the supermarket as she is relegated to buying stuff off of Mydei’s list.

“So,” She says as she deftly places a snack into the cart that is definitely not on Mydei’s list, “You look like a nervous wreck.”

“Really? Is it that obvious?”

“A little. Don’t tell me you’re planning to drop the question on the trip?” Another snack falls into the cart with a heavy thump or maybe it’s the sound of his racing heart. He hates how Cipher seems to know everything without him ever disclosing it.

He sighs, “I was. Our anniversary was a while back and I planned to do it then, but I hesitated.”

She folds her arms over the handle of the cart with an uncharacteristically serious look, “After how shameless you are all the time, I really didn’t think you knew of fear.”

“I didn’t think so either,” He admits, “But, when it comes to Mydei, I…I just don’t want to mess this up.”

“I don’t think you could. You’re too deep in your own head.” Cipher pushes the cart further down the aisle for him to follow after her.

“Am I?”

“I don’t know, are you? Has he given you reason to think otherwise?”

“No.” He finds himself saying quickly.

“Then that’s all you need, isn’t it?”

His nervousness eases slightly, “You’re oddly good at this.”

“Is the ‘oddly’ really needed?” She says as she throws a bag of gummy worms at him.

He catches it with a smile, “You’re good at this.” He corrects.

“Of course I am.” She responds smugly, “Now, don’t you have something else to say?”

Phainon places the snack next to the other items, there’s more snacks than actual food in the cart, “I wanted to get your blessing.”

Cipher shrugs, “Yeah sure.”

His jaw unhinges, “That’s it?”

“You two being married changes nothing. I doubt you two can surpass the level of annoying that you’re already at.”

“That’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

She smiles, “You’re so gross.”

“Second nicest.” He corrects.

And she laughs until he has to wheel away the cart by himself to clear the line of cart traffic that had piled up behind them.

***

On the fourth night, Phainon has trouble staying asleep as the day of the proposal looms overhead, and he sees Hyacine and Castorice sitting around the fire pit with skewers in hand from the large window of his room. He quietly shuffles out of bed, even though Mydei sleeps like a rock, to join them in his cactus-themed pajamas.

“Hello, Phainon.” Castorice says as formally as ever.

“Hi, Phainon.”

“Hey Cas, Hyacine.”

“We’re just making souvlaki. Care to join us?” Hyacine asks as she holds out a skewer.

He takes it and holds it over the fire, “Thanks. Is this what you were marinating in the fridge earlier?”

“Yes,” Castorice says, “We got a little hungry after staying up so late, but there should still be some for tomorrow’s lunch.”

“I didn't take either of you as the type to stay up all night, well—outside of work, of course.”

“Ciphy has turned us into night owls.” Hyacine laughs, but it lacks the usual mirth, she’s clearly distraught over Cipher’s antics. “Agy fell asleep first the other night so Ciphy covered her hand in shaving cream and tickled her nose. Needless to say, when Agy woke up to a face full of cream, she scolded her for a good bit.”

“Did Aglaea get her revenge?” He asks, mildly amused.

“Thankfully.” Hyacine says, “Ciphy says cilantro tastes like soap to her so Agy handed her a bowl of cilantro ice cream that she picked up when we were out shopping yesterday. Her face scrunched up almost instantly after taking a bite.”

Phainon chuckles, “A taste of her own medicine.”

“And I’m a little glad for it,” Hyacine admits, “She’s stopped with the pranks.”

“For now.” Castorice adds.

“Seems like that’s spoken from experience, Cas.” Phainon says.

“She never truly stops. I believe trickery runs through her like blood, something wholly inseparable from who she is. Remember when I told you soon after you joined the guild that she picks on Mydei and I a lot?” Phainon nods. “Well, when we were younger Mydei was more of a crybaby, so every day she’d find a way to scare him. Whether that was hiding under his desk, under his bed, or in the cupboards of his house. She took it too far once, felt a little guilty, and then went right back to her regular routine the next day.” She takes a bite of her skewered meat, her cheeks swelling like a chipmunk, “Mydei said it was fine though, he enjoyed Cipher’s tricks and only cried because it seemed to amuse her. I just think he said that to save face.”

Mydei pretending to cry to cheer Cipher up doesn't seem far out of the realm of possibility, Phainon thinks, but he doesn't say so.

“What about you, Cas? Do you scare easily?”

“The horrors I’ve seen at work have cured me of fear for a lifetime. Well, that and Cipher’s work story from before.”

Phainon laughs, “She is truly something else.”

“Hey, what are you all getting into without me?” Cipher says as she plucks Phainon’s skewer from his hand.

“We were talking about your antics.” Castorice says plainly.

Cipher takes a bite of Phainon’s food, “This is pretty good. And which ones—were they funny at least?”

“Funny is debatable.” Phainon replies as he takes his skewer back.

“Oh you're full of it, I heard you laughing from my room.”

“Does the sound carry that much?” Hyacine asks, her tone a tad concerned.

“Nah, I’m just messing with you.” She says with a grin.

Phainon has never seen a more frustrated look on Hyacine’s face than he had that night.

***

On the fifth day, there’s a volleyball net placed in the sand and a cart filled with volleyballs sits right next to it. Mydei stands with his arms folded as he splits each of the guild members into teams: Aglaea and Hyacine, Phainon and Tribbie, Anaxa and Castorice, and himself with Cipher. The four at the bottom of the bracket will be on cleaning duty while the four at the top will be tasked with cooking.

“Wouldn’t you want to pick someone better for your odds?” Phainon asks.

“I picked Cipher precisely because I wanted to even the playing field.” He says.

“Fuck you, I’ll make you eat your words, little prince.” She scowls.

“Cipher is going to do her best, so I encourage you all to do the same.” Mydei smiles.

Evil. His boyfriend is pure evil.

Anaxa’s team goes up against Aglaea’s first and Anaxa does one weak serve before falling over dramatically and proclaiming that he's but a feeble man and that this exercise is far too strenuous for his older joints. Nobody buys it, but Castorice gracefully accepts her fate as a member of the cleaning crew.

Aglaea’s team moves on to face Mydei’s and surprisingly, Cipher does indeed give it her all, although, he can tell it's not just because of Mydei's words, she also wants to thoroughly defeat Aglaea. It comes down to one point where Hyacine’s balled fist narrowly misses the ball and it lands on her side of the sand court. Aglaea’s team moves down the bracket to face off against the losers of the next match.

Mydei radiates confidence as he spins the volleyball in one hand, and while normally that look would make Phainon weak in the knees, right now he wants nothing more than to wipe it off Mydei’s face with a clean victory.

“Leave the saves to me.” Phainon says to Tribbie.

She gives him a determined thumbs up and he knows they have this game in the bag, or rather, they would have, if Cipher gave her usual amount of effort, unfortunately for the both of them, Cipher is nimble and her spikes are downright disgusting. Phainon is sure his arms will be bruised tomorrow. The match ends in a tie and it was so fatigue-inducing that Tribbie declares that she’ll just join the cleaning crew. Phainon decides to go along with her decision; he’ll challenge Mydei to a proper rematch after dinner if he’s up for it.

They end up tying again anyway much to Phainon’s dismay.

***

Phainon wakes up well into the afternoon of the sixth day to see Tribbie and Hyacine building a sandcastle, well, more like an amorphous blob.

“Hi Dellie.” Tribbie says as she scoops more sand into her pail.

“Phainon.” Hyacine waves.

“Hi you two, what are you up to?”

“We’re trying to make the guild house, but it’s proving to be a harder task than we thought.” Hyacine says.

“It is pretty intricate.” He agrees, “Why don’t we call everyone over? I think if we all put our heads together we could figure something out.”

“It would be more fun too.” Tribbie beams.

Cipher joins them with a box of sand sculpting tools and buckets that she scavenged from one of the storage rooms. Anaxa is in charge of sculpting the flower beds and dromas stable, Hyacine on the water fountain and pillars, Phainon, Castorice, and Cipher on the general structure of the house, and Mydei, Aglaea, and Tribbie on the finer sculpting details.

Phainon walks over to fill a few pails with water and he carries four heavy buckets with ease. Castorice gets to work on mixing the sand and water together to form a solid mixture that they can mold easily. Cipher spends more time digging through the sand for small sticks and seashells to decorate with than helping them fill the molds while Anaxa takes his task far more seriously than Phainon thought he would; he meticulously outlines the bed for the flowers and spends an inordinate amount of time trying to make an accurate depiction of a dromas, unfortunately for him though, his sculpting skills can’t match up to his expectations.

After the base of the sand castle is done, Phainon relaxes under the shade with a bottle of water besides Castorice as they watch everyone else finish their respective jobs. Mydei and Aglaea have a natural talent for sculpting, but the shoddy base that he, Castorice, and Cipher made doesn’t allow them to make full use of it. Tribbie carves into the sand with her heart, making fun lines and scribbles that don’t quite fit the Greek aesthetic of the house. Hyacine doesn’t fare any better despite her knitting knowledge—none of it quite transfers over to sand sculpting skills.

When the group finishes, the sand castle is more akin to a third cousin twice removed in relation to their guild house, but they made it together and that’s what matters. Cipher fishes out an old tripod from storage and sets her phone on a timer to capture a picture of everyone together around the guild castle and Phainon’s heart feels so full as he looks at the photograph.

“I’ll post it in the SkyCord.” Cipher says as she stares at it with a soft smile.

Tribbie huddles next to her, “I want to make it my background.”

“Me too.” Mydei says fondly.

Almost everyone except Phainon and Cipher nearly exclaims from Mydei’s sudden softness.

“I think De is broken.” Hyacine says sardonically.

Castorice places her hand on her cheek, “I think Phainon is contagious.”

Mydei nudges her arm with a laugh causing Castorice to smile. “Knock it off.”

“We should all match.” Tribbie says, “Wait, Naxy what is your background right now?”

Anaxa holds out his phone with a smug smirk, “Isn’t it adorable?”

A rotund, blue dromas plushie stares everyone in the face from the light of his phone screen, which shouldn’t surprise Phainon as much as it should considering that they all know of his fondness for the animal, but it does nonetheless.

“Wait—” Hyacine says, “You made the plushie I gave you for your birthday, your background?”

“It was a good gift.” He says simply.

Cipher’s mouth gapes with disbelief, “I think Nax is the one who’s broken around here.”

“Agreed.” Aglaea hums, amused.

“Silence, Weaver.” He says with a grimace.

“Naxy is a sap too!” Tribbie cheers.

The speed at which Anaxa trudges through the sand to the house in his flip flops is almost commendable if not for the fact that he stumbles towards the end and tries to play it off coolly.

***

On the morning of the last day of the trip, Phainon, thankfully wakes up before Mydei. He rummages through his bag until he finds the small mahogany box that’s been burning a hole in his brain this entire trip. They’ve talked in-depth about the prospect of marriage before and when they did it was not a matter of ‘if’ but rather ‘when’, despite that, it still doesn’t quell the incessant beating of his heart as he opens the box once more to make sure that the ring he picked is resting in the center of the soft cloth. A marquis cut, shimmering, scarlet ruby with a simple gold band stares back at him and suddenly it all feels too real. Mydei could tell him it’s too soon, they haven’t even agreed on how they’re going to split their mortgage payments yet, that despite how quickly everything else fell into place that this could be pushing it, that Phainon’s eagerness to tie him down is offputting—

Mydei’s rustling brings him out of his spiraling thoughts. He shoves the box into his pocket and heads down to the living room. He’ll face whatever the outcome is when it arrives. He needs to have more faith in his partner like Cipher said—Mydei has given him no reason to believe that he doesn’t want to be with Phainon forever either. Anything that suggests otherwise is just his insecurity gnawing at him.

Cipher is already downstairs fully dressed with her arms folded firmly against her chest.

“I don't know how you all wake up this early. This is disgusting.” She yawns.

“I’m sorry, Cipher. I’ll make it up to you.”

“Of course you will. That's the only reason I’m helping you out.”

“And not because you care about both of us?” He laughs.

“Don't get a big head just because I gave you my blessing.” She scowls but it's more playful than anything.

“Thank you again for doing so.” And he means it. Cipher is someone irreplaceable to Mydei and she's become someone special in his life as well. Her approving of them means more than he could ever convey.

She looks at him for a moment before unfolding her arms and waving him off, “Yeah, yeah. It's not like I would've been able to stop you anyway. You both are insufferable.”

“Don't you mean ‘inseparable’?”

“Nope. I said what I said. Anyway, Pinkie, Little Red, and Agy are outside finishing the decorations. I’d be surprised if Nax is helping them at all.”

“He should be waking up soon. Just make sure that he doesn't come towards the back of the house.”

“I know. We should be back in an hour after he gets down here so make sure you're ready by then or it'll be embarrassing for everyone involved.” She huffs, “Oh and don't get cold feet this time or I’ll eviscerate you.”

“I wouldn't dream of it.”

“Good. Speak of the devil.”

Mydei hovers on the staircase in Phainon’s shirt with a massive case of bed head. Sleep still lingers in his eyes as he rubs at his face with a deep yawn, “Morning.”

“Good morning, Mydei.” Phainon smiles.

“Morning, Dei. Hurry and get dressed. I need to pick up some stuff before everyone leaves today.” Cipher says.

Mydei makes a little disgruntled noise before trudging back up the stairs. Cipher shoots Phainon a quick thumbs up before she moves to grab her bag from her room. In the meantime, Phainon joins his friends who are setting up outside. The sound of bickering fills his ears almost immediately as he walks towards the group.

“It’s off-center.” Anaxa says.

“I beg to differ. Tribbie, what do you think?” Aglaea asks.

“Sorry, I think it would be best if I sat this one out.” She says.

“Phainon,” Anaxa turns to him with his arms crossed, “You see reason…most of the time. Now, tell me, is it off-center or not?”

Hyacine cuts in, “Naxy, can you help me with the tablecloth?”

He internally thanks Hyacine for saving him from the flames of Aglaea’s and Anaxa’s wraths. Phainon aids Hyacine in setting the table after the red cloth is set upon it. It was a difficult affair preparing all of the dishes last night without Mydei catching wind of it, but he's glad he toiled away when he sets a pot of fig stew on the table and a few other traditional Kremnoan dishes that he spent time tirelessly researching before this trip. He can't fully recreate the Kremnos Festival like the days of eld, but he can serve Mydei’s favorite food and the dishes that were traditionally eaten at them. After everything is set up, all that is left is the ring that burns in Phainon’s pocket and for Cipher to arrive.

The sound of Mydei’s car parking disrupts the small talk that had begun to sprout amongst his friends. In an instant, everyone besides Phainon runs to hide behind the banquet table. His heart thuds against his ribcage as Cipher walks into view with her phone recording in one hand and the other hand cupping Mydei’s to guide him as he begrudgingly has his eyes shut.

“Stop pouting, I won't make you go into the water, promise.” She says but it doesn't sound convincing to Phainon’s ears either.

“Of course,” Mydei replies dryly, “you have no history of doing the exact opposite of what you say.”

She laughs, “You can open your eyes now.” Her palm lets go of his, “I kept my promise.”

Mydei reluctantly opens his eyes, his shoulders relaxing as he sees Phainon. His eyes then flicker over to the table, over the large glossy print of their in-game wedding photo, over the bouquet of sword lilies, and Phainon can already tell he's piecing together the scene.

“Phainon.” He says so warmly that it melts him to his very core.

“Mydeimos.” Phainon smiles as he begins to kneel, “Will you marry me?”

Without missing a beat, Mydei says, resolute, “Yes.”

And all of the heavy weight of his doubt begins to ebb little by little, not fully, no, but Mydei makes trusting easier, makes everything easier. He takes Mydei’s strong hand in his and slides the gold band onto his ring finger and it looks like it has always belonged there. The cheers of their friends are drowned out in that moment as he gazes upon his beloved Mydei, warmth spilling from his honeyed amber eyes like the gentle embers of a fire. Mydei kneels down into the sand with him and cups his cheek with the hand that now holds his engagement ring.

“I’d wipe your eyes, but I’m afraid of getting sand in them.” Mydei grins.

“That would be unfortunate.” Phainon laughs wetly.

Mydei’s thumb swipes over his cheek before he draws him in for a brief kiss, short enough to not disturb their friends but long enough to leave him breathless. He barely registers Mydei helping him up or the words of congratulations and pats on his back. Nothing feels real in this moment besides the radiant smile on Mydei’s face.

The two of them sit together on a corner of the beach slightly away from the others with their utensils in hand.

“This was really thoughtful of you, Phainon.” Mydei says, “Did you make all of this?”

“I had help from Cipher and Cas with the dishes. They taste tested everything as well, as we tried to replicate the flavors from your childhood. Everyone had a hand in setting up too.”

“You’re not great at hiding things under normal circumstances.” He admits with a soft laugh, “I’m surprised you managed to hide this from me all this time.”

“I was a bit nervous about whether you’d find out or not.”

“Rest assured, I was blissfully unaware.” He nudges Phainon’s arm with a smirk, “You did throw a wrench in my plans though.”

His heart thumps, “You were going to—”

“Propose, yes, but the ring has been stuck in transit for the past week.” Mydei says simply as if he's not dropping an earth-shattering statement upon Phainon.

“Then, since your plan has been ruined, what are you going to do?” He asks shakily.

“It hasn't been ruined at all. We're together and that's all that matters. Everything else is merely a formality.”

Their sentiments are always in sync, two halves of an imperfect whole that slot together just right.

He loves Mydei dearly.

“I’ll gladly accept your proposal when it arrives.”

“Of course.” Mydei huffs.

After their hearty meal, Hyacine, Cipher, and Phainon all pile into Mydei’s car to drive back to Mydei’s place where all their cars were parked during their vacation. He’s sad that it has finally come to an end, but at the same time, what the future holds is even more enticing. Soon, they’ll have their little farm home to come back to and vows that bind them together for eternity—vows that are no longer virtual and fleeting. Their friends will be there too and they’ll have many more adventures and memories to make.

Phainon hastily unpacks for the night after he parts from Mydei and their friends and when the post-proposal jitters have fully left his body, he does the only thing he hadn't been able to do all vacation: log onto Saga of Heroes.

Guild Message: Welcome to ChrysosHeirs! The guild chest is locked to the non-Initiates and above. Please be mindful of the other guild members when withdrawing loot.

xNetherwing: Welcome back, Phainon!

Goldweaver: Welcome back.

xXNyanXx: wb lovebird.

3B: We have three new applicants. MissPinkElf, HerKnight, and HerTyrant. I wanted to ask first if they were friends of anyone here before accepting.

3B: Oh, welcome back Dellie!

Deliverer: Thank you, everyone.

xXNyanXx: another e-couple? gross.

3B: Okay, so that’s a no for Ciphy.

Phainon pauses.

He looks at the list of usernames Tribbie listed once, then twice, then thrice.

MissPinkElf.

Only one person he knew had a username like that. It wasn’t common by any means and if it happened to be her, how many coincidences could that possibly be? Aglaea, his boss, is his GM and Cipher unwittingly created his job and she just so happens to be the best friend of his now fiancé. He takes a deep exhale, there's no way it could be his childhood friend.

That would be absurd.

Goldweaver: Feel free to accept the applications, Tribios. I trust your judgment. After all, you’ve brought us together, haven't you?

3B: Welcome MissPinkElf!

3B: It seems two of them are offline. Everyone please make sure to welcome them properly when they log in for the first time!

Goldweaver: Welcome.

xXNyanXx: fresh meat. welcome.

xNetherwing: Welcome!

Deliverer: Welcome.

MissPinkElf: Thank you everyone! ♪

MissPinkElf: What a coincidence Σ੧(❛□❛✿)！You have the same IGN as one of my old friends, Deliverer.

That seals the deal on all of his speculation. Just because the possibility of something seems so minute—it doesn't mean that it's zero.

Deliverer: The coincidence lies elsewhere I’m afraid, but it is nice to hear from you again.

MissPinkElf: You’ve kept that cringe username all this time?

Deliverer: It's not that bad.

xXNyanXx: objectively it kind of is.

Deliverer: And yours isn’t?

xXNyanXx: i concede.

xXNyanXx: xs are still badass though. ʅ（◞‿◟）ʃ

Prince: We have new members?

Deliverer: She's a childhood friend of mine.

Prince: Welcome.

MissPinkElf: Thank you. ♪

MissPinkElf: Should I tell you all of the embarrassing things Deliverer got into as a kid?

Prince: ?

xXNyanXx: i’m all ears. someone needs to knock this lovebird down a peg.

MissPinkElf: Lovebird? Please spill, I love hearing about romance! :;(∩´﹏`∩);:

xXNyanXx: your friend just proposed to little prince over here today.

Phainon’s face fills with heat as he melts into his seat. Hearing someone else say it makes it feel more real. He really did propose to Mydei, Mydei really did say yes, and Mydei even confessed to wanting to propose as well. His fiancé is probably still wearing his ring right now as he types and that only serves to make Phainon more flustered. The only thing that manages to make him calm down is knowing Mydei is probably just as red as he is—his normally calm exterior is probably a blushing mess right about now.

Cute.

MissPinkElf: I used to make him watch sappy romcoms all of the time, but he always said they were cringe.

Prince: Really? That's news to me.

xXNyanXx: how ironic. he's a walking sap.

Goldweaver: Yes, quite.

Phainon physically cringes as he crumples dramatically into his gaming chair. Even Aglaea, his trusted ally, has betrayed him.

Deliverer: I grew to like them in your absence.

MissPinkElf: Better late than never, I suppose!

A pause.

MissPinkElf: When is the wedding~ ♪

Phainon nearly stumbles out of his chair. He hadn't thought that far. His mind was so preoccupied with the proposal that he hadn't even started getting the ball rolling on wedding planning. It wouldn't be within the next two years at least; he just wanted to make sure Mydei was his not just with words but with his actions.

Prince: Not any time soon.

xXNyanXx: i’m surprised that you're taking it slow for once.

Deliverer: This is something that needs no rushing. We already have each other and that is enough for now.

Goldweaver: Well said, Phainon.

xXNyanXx: …i think i’m gonna be sick.

MissPinkElf: How romantic! (*´꒳`*) I guess you truly have been giving romcoms a try. They grow up so fast.

Deliverer: You're younger than me.

MissPinkElf: But not in spirit~ ♪

xXNyanXx: you're not half bad, missy.

MissPinkElf: I’m flattered, Nyan, please call me Cyrene. That goes for everyone as well!

[Beloved][Prince]: Looks like fate has given you another chance to reconnect.

[Beloved][Deliverer]: You remembered our conversation?

[Beloved][Prince]: Of course.

[Beloved][Prince]: Anyone who is important to you is important to me.

Phainon’s heart swells. He’ll never fully fathom how he's gotten this lucky. Maybe the string of coincidences is in fact fate and he is always meant to be at Mydei’s side.

He hopes so.

No, he knows so.

[Beloved][Prince]: And she has information on you that would be hard to pry out otherwise.

It seems no one is on his side today.

[Beloved][Deliverer]: Two can play at that game.

Deliverer: Cipher, I’ve crafted that new thief top that you’ve been eyeing on the marketboard.

[Beloved][Prince]: You wouldn't dare.

Oh, but he would.

xXNyanXx: what's your price, lovebird?

Deliverer: What’s Mydei’s most embarrassing story?

[Beloved][Prince]: Phainon.

xXNyanXx: when he cried over being cast as tree #3 in our school play when he wanted to be the lion. it was so bad that his dad called the school and made them compromise on adding a cub with no lines to the script since his acting skills weren't up to snuff.

xXNyanXx: trade first, console him after.

Phainon turns away from his PC to call Mydei who picks up after a few rings, which is highly unlike him, but it gets the point across enough for Phainon to feel a little guilty.

“You're adorable.” Phainon says.

He hears Mydei groan on the other line, “That's exactly the reaction I knew it would draw from you. I didn't want to hear it.”

“So you knew you were cute?” Phainon beams, “I’m glad you’ve finally come around to it.”

“Even after all this time your terrible habit of twisting words hasn’t ceased.”

“I have time to change.”

Mydei scoffs, “I would sooner trust a con artist.”

“You wound me, do you not trust your future husband?”

That gets Mydei to pause.

“I do.” He says earnestly and it squeezes Phainon’s heart so much he almost feels bad for joking around. “But, you could learn a little restraint.”

“And what else, Mydei?”

“...I’ll compromise.”

Phainon perks up, he couldn’t mean—

“...the house.” Phainon catches the tail end of his sentence. “I thought about it and for once you’re right.”

“Hey—”

Mydei chuckles, “It wouldn’t be fair to you to keep refusing, so I’ll split the mortgage with you.” He pauses with a sigh, “I’ve been uneasy about having you pay for anything because of our…wealth disparity, but I can see how my refusal could be read as not trusting in you or not seeing you as my equal.”

“Mydei.”

“You are my equal, Phainon.”

Phainon laughs with unbridled fondness as tears bead in his eyes, “We have to stop having our serious conversations over the phone.”

Chapter Text

The Finale: Vows (Renewed)

“I can’t thank you enough for making this, Aglaea.” Phainon says as he turns away from admiring himself in the full-length mirror. Aglaea worked tirelessly for the past few months on the white suit that now comfortably hugs his frame. The fabric is incredibly soft to the touch, the accents on his cuffs and lapels are sewn with delicate sky blue thread, his matching blue tie that is perfectly centered and set in a half-windsor knot. Aglaea also gently advised him on how to style his hair with pomade for the occasion since his other attempts ended in her turning off her webcam to laugh—to Phainon’s dismay, she forgot to mute herself.

Twice.

Her laughter still mocks him.

Aglaea’s smile is warm and radiant as she dusts off his shoulder with a gloved hand, “If I left it to you, Mydei would bolt from the altar.”

“I resent that. My taste has gotten better over the years.”

She looks at him thoroughly unconvinced and clears her throat awkwardly before speaking again, “How are you feeling?”

“I don’t feel nervous like I thought I would.”

“Good. Cifera informed me that your fiancé feels the same.”

“She did?” Aglaea nods. “He’s always so resolute. I can’t imagine him being nervous.” He laughs softly.

“I agree.” She steps back towards the door, “Are you ready, Phainon?”

Both he and Mydei have been so busy preparing for the wedding these past few weeks that Phainon hasn’t seen his fiancé outside of heading to bed for the night and even then, most nights he sleeps alone until he hears Mydei try to silently sneak into bed at 3 am. Today will be the first time in what feels like forever that he’ll see his beloved's face. It thrills him in a way words can't even begin to encapsulate.

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

He looks in the mirror one last time with a soft smile then he turns towards the door. The world doesn't fade to black this time, but instead brilliant sunlight filters into the room as he steps outside. It fully sets in that he's marrying the love of his life in real life, that the virtual vows that brought them together will soon become realized.

The venue is breathtaking, the weather, thankfully, decided to cooperate for once. It was forecasted to rain today, but in a stroke of luck, the sky turned out to be completely clear—not a cloud in sight. The rows of white ladder back chairs tied with blue ribbons are set on smooth, beige stone and a white carpet runs down the center of the aisle, the end of it stopping in front of the gazebo which is covered in fresh flowers and draped in white fabric.

He’s the first to walk down the aisle with Aglaea’s arm wrapped around his, her pale blue dress shimmers in the warm sun as she strides confidently next to him. Everyone quickly rises to their feet as they head towards the altar under the gazebo. There’s familiar faces all around: FarmersFlower, who he now knows as Livia and her boyfriend, Piso, Cyrene’s family, Mydei’s former mentor, Krateros, Mydei’s friends from his in-game linkchat, Aglaea’s assistant, a plethora of other people they’ve befriended from Saga of Heroes in the past six years, and of course their guild mates—their closest friends—in the front rows.

Aglaea gracefully unloops her arm so that he can stand in front of the officiant, who just so happens to be another familiar face, Cyrene. In the time they’d drifted apart, her love of sappy romcoms that she infected Phainon with culminated in an obsession with romance; leading her to pursue her dream of becoming a wedding planner.

Phainon and Mydei gratefully accepted her help when it came to putting together the ceremony, catering, et cetera, but it was a bit of a surprise when she told them she was officially ordained as well and could oversee the wedding if they so chose. Phainon has stopped trying to decipher the odd string of coincidences that keep cropping up and now welcomes them without a single question.

Tribbie and her sisters, Trianne and Trinnon, walk down the aisle after him as they spread the petals of sword lilies across the carpet. Phainon insisted that sword lilies be the flowers used for the wedding ceremony since they are the official flower of Kremnos and they symbolize strength and resilience, two words he finds fits his Mydeimos perfectly. Said Mydeimos appears at the base of the aisle with Cipher and Phainon swears his heart stops.

“Mydei—” Phainon's voice catches in his throat.

His husband-to-be is perfect in every way. His hair is pinned back in a large braid with sword lilies carefully placed throughout. His suit mirrors Phainon’s but with red accents, his tie is a deep scarlet like his tattoos, and he wears not a veil, but a traditional Kremnoan flower crown made of red and white sword lilies. The tailcoat of his suit flares out into a long, white train that captures the flower petals raining down onto the aisle from their friends and family throwing them. Cipher withdraws her arm from around Mydei's with a small bow to stand at Aglaea’s side.

Before he even registers it, Mydei turns into a beautiful, blurry blob in his vision, and he feels the warmth of his beloved’s hand, his calloused thumb gently rubbing away the tears from his eyes. Phainon has never seen Mydei cry once in the six years they’ve been together, but he notices that Mydei’s eyes are a little glossy too, so he reaches out and the knuckle of his index finger catches the first tear Mydei sheds.

Cyrene waits patiently to begin the ceremony as they both get the last of their tears out, but he can see out of the corner of his eye that she also started to get a little weepy. Phainon rubs Mydei’s cheek one last time gently before signaling to Cyrene that she may begin.

“Welcome all, thank you for gathering today to bear witness to the loving union between Phainon Khaslana and Mydeimos Macedon.”

Flower petals flit into the air as the breeze picks up, the thunderous applause of their friends carrying on the wind.

“The two of them met on the critically acclaimed MMORPG, Saga of Heroes, that has an expanded free trial of which you can play through the entirety of A Belobog Reborn and the award winning Amphoreus Saga expansions up to level 80 with no restrictions on play time. Mydei’s first words to Phainon were: ‘And you were saying my name is cringe. Deliverer? Lol.’” Cyrene pauses to allow the audience to laugh, “And from there their romance flourished.”

“On this special day, six years ago, the two of you joined together in a virtual union and now it is time for you both to complete your vows in the real world. Now, Phainon if you would.”

Phainon takes a deep breath before speaking, “Mydeimos, my beloved Prince, I never thought that I would meet the love of my life—my equal, through a video game, but I am eternally thankful that it led me to you. Every day of these past six years has felt like a dream, even on the harder days when we’re both at our wits ends, you remind me that everything will come to pass, that another dawn will break. Every hurdle we can overcome together, every burden we can share. You make me better—you push me to be better. I would endure a million hardships, a million lifetimes, if it meant I could stay by your side always and forever. You make me the happiest man alive, Mydeimos. I love you.”

“Phainon, the only one worthy to have my back, my rival, my equal. My mother, Gorgo, always told me to cherish those who come into your life—I have always struggled with expressing myself to others so I’ll keep this brief. You’ve always made an effort to understand me despite your incessant teasing and terrible jokes. My burdens are halved when I share them with you, my joy is doubled when I share it with you, and my life is whole when I share it with you. I love you, Phainon. There is no one I would rather spend the rest of my life with.”

If seeing Mydei made him tear up, his vows make him sob. He lifts his arm to wipe his face into his sleeve, but Mydei cups his face and wipes his tears with a handkerchief he procures from his breast pocket.

“Sorry for ruining your handkerchief, Mydei.” He sniffles.

“I brought it because you cry so much.”

“I do not. Today is just an exception.”

Mydei looks at him with amusement as he pats Phainon’s rosy cheeks, “And every other day, I presume?”

“F—” Phainon belatedly remembers his decorum, “...You're unbelievable.”

“Nice save.”

Cyrene giggles softly as she holds out her hand to motion towards the ring bearer, “And now for the exchanging of the rings.”

Hyacine walks down the aisle with a white pillow tied off with blue and red ribbon. Atop it lies both of their wedding bands: Phainon’s silver with a thin strip of tiny sapphire crystals running down the center, and Mydei’s gold band with a strip of shimmering rubies. Phainon’s heart thumps erratically as he takes Mydei’s ring in hand. It’s cool to the touch and small in his palm, yet it signifies something greater, their eternal commitment to each other. Mydei holds out his hand first for Phainon to slip the band onto his ring finger. He gets distracted for a moment taking his soft yet strong hand, his callouses rubbing against Phainon's palm as he cups it.

The band looks even more fitting than the engagement ring on Mydei’s hand did when he slips it on, simple yet striking. When he lets Mydei’s hand go, he feels Mydei's other warm hand encompass his; he slides on Phainon’s silver band with a tenderness that makes his heart melt. Before he can draw his hand back, Mydei presses a kiss to his ring finger and he shivers as his sunset eyes open, all warmth and fierce devotion staring back at him.

“Phainon, do you promise to take Mydei to be your wedded husband, for better or for worse, through sickness and in health, for poorer or for richer, to respect and cherish him, for now and for eternity?” Cyrene asks.

“I do.”

“Good, now Mydei, do you promise to take Phainon to be your wedded husband, for better or for worse, through sickness and in health, for poorer or for richer, to respect and cherish him, for now and for eternity?”

“I do.”

“Before you both kiss, if you would both kneel to each other, reiterating your mutual respect for one another and eternal commitment to each other.”

They both take to their knees and lower their heads, almost like warriors on a battlefield acknowledging each other's strength as they draw their last breaths, evenly matched and sated. A fleeting thought runs through his mind, the feeling is all too familiar—maybe they have done this before.

The thought snaps like a thin thread as Cyrene steps back with a gentle smile on her face as she proclaims, “You may now kiss your lovely, wedded husband.”

Cheers erupt as Phainon lifts Mydei into his arms to kiss him but all of the sound is drowned out when their lips meet. Mydei kisses him back eagerly yet it's so gentle and unhurried. He wishes they were home away from prying eyes so he could kiss him properly, but the kiss is chaste and short-lived much to his dismay. When they part, Mydei looks at him with a fiery look in his eyes that sets his nerves alight.

The applause swells in volume around them as Cyrene announces, “Now presenting, Mr. and Mr. Khaslana!”

“Flaunting your strength?” Mydei asks.

“I don’t have to do any heavy lifting when you're as light as a feather.”

“You struggled to lift a bale of hay a few weeks ago.” He deadpans.

“Hey,” Phainon laughs, “it was 180 kilograms.”

“That's enough to stop you?”

“I’ll hit the gym harder.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

The cheering wanes after a while, allowing Cyrene to speak once more, “Everyone, if you would please make your way into the main building for the reception.”

The main hall is dimly lit with ornate, gold candelabras settled in the center of the round tables draped with white lacy tablecloths with pale blue trim. Life-sized replicas of their Saga of Heroes weapons, Phainon’s longsword and Mydei’s claymore, sit behind the long banquet table in a glass display case. The banquet table is covered in silver chafing dishes filled with traditional Kremnoan cuisine, Greek dishes, a few Saga of Heroes themed foods, and an assortment of desserts. Their wedding cake sits at the end of the table on an elevated stand; Mydei desired a traditional, 3-tiered wedding cake—a simple white one with flowers made of sugar and a smooth buttercream finish. His insistence on it despite being relatively neutral about everything else gives Phainon pause, surely Mydei has something up his sleeve for later.

On the other side of the room is a stage with a few LED spotlights shining onto it and a wide, wooden dancefloor lined with balloons and a barricade made of velvet rope. Mydei is still nestled deep in Phainon’s arms as he approaches their table which sits in the center of the room. It is far larger than all the rest to accommodate all of their friends and their plus ones—or twos in Tribbie’s case. He almost drops Mydei onto his chair from shock as he sees their small placard labeled: Phainon & Mydeimos Khaslana. His heart thuds so hard he can barely hear Mydei speaking to him over its pulsing drum as he sets him down.

“You're not going to faint on me are you?” Mydei asks with a brow raised in concern, “Your heart was pounding like a war drum.”

“It's far too early for me to croak.”

“Good. It would be unfortunate to become a widow on my wedding night.”

“That's what you're worried about?” He chuckles.

“And you, of course.”

“Very convincing, Mydeimos.”

He shrugs with a smirk, “I’ve learned from the best.”

After everyone finds their tables and sets down their belongings, Cyrene announces that the guests may help themselves to dinner by lining up in order based on the number on their table placards. Phainon gets a little bit of everything and a separate plate that he piles up with desserts for Mydei; his sweet tooth has only grown in recent years despite him saying otherwise, so he knows Mydei will be modest when it comes to loading up his plate, therefore, Phainon has to make sure he gets his fill, especially on their special day. When he’s satisfied with his spread, he makes his way over to their table.

“Everything looks delicious.” Tribbie says as she sits down.

“Affirmative, Dux Fatorum,” HerTyrant, Cerydra interjects, “the offerings for dinner are sumptuous, both Dux Princeps and Dux Solis have exquisite taste.” Phainon still finds her manner of speaking intriguing to say the least, but both her and her partner, HerKnight, Hysilens have been welcome additions to their little family.

“Imperator, you have a little crumb here.” Hysilens is just as quirky as her, so they make a perfect match, Phainon thinks.

“Thank you, Cerydra, Mydei coordinated with Cyrene for the catering, he even made some of the dishes himself.” Phainon says.

“Peucesta’s family owns a restaurant that specializes in Kremnoan cuisine and music. I was lucky that he was willing to cooperate for once.” Mydei laughs.

“What did it take to convince him?” Castorice asks.

Cipher sputters around her drink as she sits up in her chair, “Oh you guys are gonna love this—”

Mydei’s face turns beet red, “Cipher, don’t—”

“Peu made him perform at their restaurant for a week until he was satisfied. Do you know how funny it is to see Mydei singing love songs while he thinks about—”

“You did that for our wedding?” Phainon interrupts, his voice slightly shaky.

Mydei chucks his handkerchief at Phainon with a groan, “This is exactly why I didn’t want to reveal it.”

“Holy sap fest.” Cipher points to her mouth and mimics retching.

Phainon dabs at his eyes with the handkerchief as he asks, “Did you get it on camera?”

“Of course I did. Who do you take me for?” She smirks, “It’ll be fifty euro each.”

“Deal.”

Mydei swipes his handkerchief back like a cat, “I can’t believe you.”

“Nothing should surprise you about my devotion to you anymore.”

Castorice and Tribbie make fond ‘aw’ sounds while Anaxa excuses himself away from the table. Phainon turns to Mydei with the plate of desserts he collected and holds out a spoon covered with the cream and sweet filling of the first one. Mydei tastes it with a deep, rumbling sound and Phainon shivers.

“This one is good.” He says, “Thanks.”

“Of course.” He feeds Mydei each dessert until the plate is wiped clean. His favorite ended up being the first dessert he fed him so Phainon makes a mental note to write down the name of it so he can surprise Mydei with more back at home. When everyone’s plates are relatively cleared and their appetites are sated, Cyrene steps onto the small stage at the front.

“If we could have the first Maid of Honor speak, Lady Aglaea.” She says.

Aglaea stands up as the crowd claps and makes her way towards the stage. “Mydei, Phainon,” Aglaea smiles, “Congratulations to the both of you on your union. It has been wonderful to see you both grow together with love being your guide. What you have is something beautiful to witness and I am glad that I have been able to accompany you both on your journey thus far. Fate is a curious thing, from one encounter to another we all touch and intertwine our lives with each other like finely interwoven thread. I know that the Phainon of years prior would have found it odd to have his former employer speak at his wedding, but I speak now not as your boss, but as a dear friend. May love always guide your steps forward.”

When the applause subsides, Cyrene takes the microphone back, “Thank you for that lovely speech, Lady Aglaea. Now if Lady Cifera would please come to the front as well.”

Cipher dramatically stretches before hopping up onto the stage, “Lovebirds, congrats on finally tying the knot. You both have been practically married since you first spoke. This is just a formality, right? First, I want to say, thank you to Dei for PalPaying me to speak here today.”

Mydei flips her off with a smile.

“Don’t worry everyone, he’s just shy.” The crowd laughs, “Phainon, thank you for being there for Dei. I worried whether he would ever find someone that truly understands him and would take the time to see past his seemingly gruff exterior. I teased you both a lot and I don’t regret it—” Laughter interrupts her delivery again briefly, “but you both are good for each other and I hope you both can continue to be good to each other. And Dei, I’m glad to see you smiling again, you deserve this happiness no matter what anyone says. You are deserving.”

Phainon looks over to see Mydei cover his eyes for a moment; without hesitation Phainon wraps his arms around him as he silently shakes. Cipher’s sincerity permeates through the room, there is no laughter as she gets off of the stage, only stunned applause. She walks back to the table and gives Mydei one firm pat on the back before sitting down.

Cyrene takes the microphone in hand once more with a small sniffle, “Thank you, Lady Cifera.”

Slow, romantic music begins to play from Peucesta’s live band, Phainon guesses that Mydei had to do another favor in order for him to perform at their wedding; he’ll make sure to thank both of them properly when it's over.

“Newlyweds, please make your way towards the stage for the first dance.”

Phainon releases his hold on Mydei to see his eyes slightly red but otherwise not a trace of tears. Mydei takes his hand as he leads him onto the dancefloor. Earlier on in their wedding planning, they took a few dancing lessons before they got too busy and Phainon is glad that his muscle memory doesn't fail him as he cradles Mydei in his arms. They take the first step in sync, Phainon’s right arm dips them down then up before he unlaces their fingers to spin Mydei around. Mydei moves like flowing water, yet like a fervid flame all at once, he twirls under Phainon’s guidance, melts into his arm as he dips him towards the dancefloor, grips his back when they rise back up together, and Phainon can’t look away.

“Relax.” Mydei whispers against his ear.

He closes his eyes and breathes, the tension that only Mydei would notice begins to ebb, Mydei takes the lead this time, places his strong hand on the small of Phainon’s back. Phainon lets himself be led, follows Mydei’s sure footsteps, follows where Mydei takes him—he always does. He doesn’t realize his eyes were still drawn shut until the music comes to a soft halt and applause fills his ears. Phainon catches his breath that seizes up in his throat as he makes eye contact with Mydei, his beautiful Mydei.

Mydei’s grin grows wider as he says, “It went just like we practiced it.”

“It did.” He agrees easily, “You’re a natural.”

“I wouldn’t say that.”

“Modest as always, my dear Mydeimos.”

Mydei slips from his hold with a soft flush, one that blooms not from the exertion of their dancing, “We need to cut the cake next.”

Phainon falls into step behind him with a giddy grin on his face, “Did you like that? Should I say it more often?”

“I think my husband is rather fond of the couch.” He mutters.

“Wait, please, we have barely spent time with each other these past few weeks.”

Mydei smirks, clearly happy to have regained the upper hand in the conversation, “Then behave.”

Phainon tries not to dissect all the ways Mydei could mean that right now or else he’ll be thinking about it all night.

Not soon after, they arrive at their wedding cake to make the first slice; Mydei holds the cake knife with a steady hand as Phainon holds his wrist and he slices into the cake on one side then they swap positions so that Phainon can make the cut on the other side while Mydei takes his wrist in hand. Mydei slides the cake onto a plate and scoops up a piece for Phainon to taste. The orange blossom syrup is refreshing against the dense, almond flour sponge, sweet, but not so much so that it’s nauseating, a delicate balance; Mydei accommodated his preferences well even when it came to their wedding cake. He takes the fork and feeds Mydei next, his soft eyelashes flutter as he takes a bite and Phainon wants to kiss him again, taste the delicate frosting off of his soft pink lips. He tries to focus again—his fantasies have been running far too wild in his head because by the time he is fully cognizant again, Mydei is looking at him with a knowing grin. He withdraws the fork from Mydei’s mouth with a tiny amount of shame—practically nonexistent if he were honest, and sets the plate down on the edge of the table so that the two of them can serve the rest of the guests.

After the line dwindles down, the two of them slouch back in their chairs with a tiredness that seeps deep in their bones. Phainon knows that weddings are an all-day, on your feet affair, but the adrenaline starts to wear off a bit. He looks over to Mydei who gives him a small smile and the weariness instantly melts from his body. He hasn't forgotten for a moment why they've done all this, but Mydei reminds him, grounds him—his firm anchor.

“We still have a little more to go after this. Do you think you can hold out?” Mydei asks.

“Of course. How about you?”

“I’m good. Something this grand is fine every once and a while.”

Phainon smiles, “I agree. How about another one on our ten year anniversary?”

“Let’s get through this one first.” He laughs.

Cyrene walks over to them with a few papers and a pen, “Hello newlyweds, congratulations again to you both. I’ll need you two to sign these papers so that I can mail them off to have your marriage officially documented.”

“Thank you again for overseeing all of this, Cyrene.” Phainon says as he takes the papers in hand.

“Thank you, Cyrene, this wouldn’t have been possible without your aid.”

“Oh you flatterers. It was no biggie,” She presses her finger to the paper, “Make sure to sign here too. I’m glad I was able to help.”

“You did more than just help.” Phainon adds.

“That’s what I’m here to do.” She takes the papers back and carefully slides them into a pink folder before taking the pen back and turning to address the room. She clinks the pen against Phainon’s glass to bring the room to a hush,“It’s getting quite late into the night, so thank you everyone for attending. Any gifts that you would like to leave for the couple I will be accepting on their behalf, please leave them with me at the front. For those who have been invited to the after party, please make your way to the limousines.”

When going over logistics for the wedding, Mydei told Phainon to leave all of the after party planning to him and no matter how many bribes or times Phainon has tickled him to get the information out of him, Mydei has never relented. He has no idea what his fian—husband has planned whatsoever. Their friends all crowd into the first limo, it’s spacious enough to accommodate all eleven of them plus Trianne and Trinnon. Cipher pops the cork off of a fresh bottle of champagne with a loud cheer and pours it into their glasses. Phainon drinks Mydei’s share since he isn’t quite fond of bitter drinks nor alcohol in general. He sets their empty glasses in the cup holders after downing them as Hyacine talks to the driver through the partition. She grabs one of the remotes to control the radio and thumbs through until she finds something soothing to put on. The RGB lights in the limo gently pulse to the beat of the music and Phainon finds himself dozing off for a little bit against Mydei’s shoulder, but before he fully does he feels a comforting, strong pressure at his side, Mydei’s arm wrapped around him.

Phainon sluggishly removes himself from Mydei’s shoulder as the limousine stops in front of a familiar PC cafe, Cafe of Whimsy, Cipher’s newest business venture after she quit her job at GameStart two years ago. She gets out of the limo first and magically retrieves the keys to the cafe from her dress—Phainon has no idea how she stored them comfortably in there for the past few hours. Sleep retreats from his body as Phainon slides out of the limo after Mydei now with curiosity thrumming eagerly through his veins.

Phainon chuckles, “The after party is being held here?”

“You’ll see.” Is all Mydei says.

The cafe lights turn on and sitting atop the reception desk is a small, ornate cake with figures modeled after their in-game characters pressed into its center. At their feet are replicas of Leo and Snowy, and a field of vibrant flowers. The flowers are an eclectic mix, the colors picked for the flower petals denoting every single one their friends. He knows that handiwork—the piping could only be the work of his beloved.

“Mydei.” Phainon’s voice cracks.

“Don’t get sappy on me now.” Mydei smiles, “We have to renew our vows.”

“Is that why you rented out Cipher’s place?” He laughs wetly.

Mydei nods with a small smile.

Cipher walks towards the front of the room and pulls down a projector screen while the rest of their friends settle in front of the computers. Mydei takes his hand and guides him to a PC next to him. Small talk fills the room as they log into their accounts and Phainon looks over from his monitor to see that Mydei logged out in front of the chapel instead of their usual spot on the balcony since the last time he played. Their friends line up for the procession and Phainon runs up to join Mydei at the chapel steps. The ceremony plays out relatively the same, the flying chimeras, the flower crowns and rose petals, but the officiant's dialogue plays out a little differently this time.

[All][Mnestia Devotee]: These two beloved souls have reunited once more in front of Mnestia’s altar to reaffirm their eternal love for one another. To bond with another is a joyous thing—something fragile, tenuous can become something unbreakable when nurtured. Keep nurturing each other, keep growing together, and keep loving forever.

After the officiant finishes their speech, Mydei and Phainon’s avatars lift up each other’s hands and kiss each other’s rings in perfect sync. Light bursts forth from where their lips press against each other’s bands and it dissipates into beautiful glimmers of tiny iridescent particles. A wedding bell rings out thrice before the screen fades to black.

[World][LilGui]: I think that's the longest marriage streak I've ever seen!

[World][SayCheese]: Congrats!

[World][TrashRaccoon]: Woah I remember seeing you two around, congrats! Dan Heng let’s get married.