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Neither of them, at least not quickly enough by his own reckoning, and Albite couldn’t quite hide his awe for the display that laid Faustite out, loosed with only a word. Heliodore’s magic as pretty as any Senshis ever was, quick with the onset. Powerful. Albite felt his own flare and fizzle uselessly over his skin, pop-rocks in his mind for how often he’d primed it and then, like the world's worst edging session, gave it nothing to loose itself on.

The frustration was fine though, especially when the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding slipped through and grew into something more airily jovial — or maybe that was the sound of stress being cut free like tension wire? Didn’t matter nearly as much as the fact that Faustite speaking meant he was breathing meant he was still alive enough to complain — always a good sign.

“Both of us, maybe. Though I’m getting this kinda — knives in my back itch — tellen me if I don’t give your boy here ‘kiss of life’ dibs? I might not wake up tomorrow,” he teased the pair easily, needled at the one c***k in Helios armor he knew of with all the friendliness of a bird darting in to peck at a shark.

He was bound to pay for it later.

For now it was an acquiescence accompanied by a nodding of a tag in, and as good a way as any to test if the water based magic had done anything more than briefly soak and temper his beloved's unnaturally hot blaze. If Heliodore could touch Faustite — even for a little bit?

Besides, Helio deserved some fire-free cuddle time in the same desperate way Faustite deserved to move without char-broiling his own lungs.

Albite was eager to give it, easily overwon by his own general softheartedness for every time Aelius called Eion something endearing; a nickname, a pet name, a loving wordy embrace of syllables. All the jealous cloying boys his husband chose to loop in and entangle with hand carved symbols of bone, gem, and steel.

All the ones he didn’t: the flighty one timers, the ones who circled the periphery steadily and swept in to claim a bit of warmth on occasions. The dedicated unwavering types who desired no trinket of claim at all. The Kamacites, Taenites, and Ashanites of the world….

He wouldn’t stir that salty silt up enough to rub in, though. For all that the numbers of lovers could’ve been in triple digits and continued to bother him none at all.

So long as Faustite continued to be alive, at least.

“I thought it was a pretty good attack tho, didn’t kill you. Always a plus, that.”

"He can kill you later," Faustite informed Albite. Maybe once they'd sorted out what to do next, especially if his only option was to throw away most of his memories just to be human again. The thought of it rekindled the bleak sense of doom he felt whenever he considered what Encke said. He told himself there was a chance that the senshi was lying, but Faustite always found him too bland and unimaginative to have mastered that level of duplicitousness. However, thinking on the joke about killing Albite now? Wasn't funny at all. Left him feeling more hollow and fearful of the future than ever.

He felt sick, too. A nauseous wave churned in him, despite feeling marginally cooler for the magic Heliodor had cast. Parts of him detested it, however; his heat blisters burned and the molten cracks in his skin felt raw for how the water had slapped against them. There was little to do for it now, however.

When he felt Heliodor touch his face, he instinctively jerked. That he could touch Faustite at all without burning himself was a small wonder afforded by the magic, but Faustite was uncertain that he could continue enduring that tidal wave of water just for the boy to touch him for a couple seconds. It was brutal, painful, and nauseating. Once he felt the boy's lips on his, it was only natural to return that kiss, only natural to reach for lacing his fingers through Heliodor's unending hair, but his hands stopped short impotently before touching him.

Then it was over, soon as it started. No more cool hands or cool lips. Heliodor offered a hand, so Faustite shifted, and —

He stopped. Waited. then he bent double and retched out a small sea of black onto the deprecated cul-de-sac. "********,” Faustite cursed as he spat on the ground. "Wasn't you," he added over his shoulder. Well — that wasn't quite true. It was Heliodor's fault, but not the fault of his kiss.

He coughed again afterward, wet and scraping. The breath that left him was caught between a sigh and a moan of pain. "Feels like I'm going to ******** die," he confessed. It was then that the tears slipped out — thin, black rivulets that carved their own paths down his pale face. "I'm going to ******** die," he echoed with a small sob.

Albite, a man the world would forever know as one with many words, very succinctly stated every turmoiled emotion boiling within Helio’s chest and stomach. All of this, it wasn’t worth it. The damage and pain being done was just not worth it. They needed to fix this. One way or another. No matter what it took. Even if it meant them all being forced to rebuild from the bottom up. Helio would ******** do it. Anything for the life that quite literally was burning away within Albite’s very arms as he cradled their love.

“Whatever it takes.” Helio said quietly as he looked to that black stain left behind. Left to soak in and make its mark, a forever reminder of the struggles of the night. “You aren’t dying. Not when there’s still a chance at this so don’t you dare give up on us.” Helio was as adamant as Albite. He brokered no arguments in the matter. “We will get through this one way or another.” Even if that another was the least desirable of choices.

Albite’s command to deal with the door had the super slipping ahead of the two. It was something to do. Something that he could focus on. An old habit from days of old to just do and not think, not argue. A turn of the knob, cool against hot hands, and the door sprung open, Helio pushing through it to keep the doorway open for Albite to slip inside with Lex. Only when they were safely inside did Helio close it behind them.

A glance to Waru, and Helio was moving again. No words. Lex’s room wasn’t far. Up the stairs that creaked under foot. Another door to open. He allowed the Eternal and his charge entry before following suit, closing the door behind them once again. A quiet hush. The only sounds coming from any coughing or sputtering from their beloved. So much was coming to a head.

“We are going to figure this out. Make plans. Set everything up right. Even if….if you do need to purify we will bring you back. But the one damn thing I refuse to accept is you dying, ok?” The words were strong even if his voice attempted to comfort and soothe. All three of them needed it, but Lex most of all.

“I only just got you back. You can be damn certain I am not gonna let you go any time soon. Not if I have any say in it. Dying isn't an option, El.” Helio practically bounced on his toes. Unable to soothe physically, not how he wanted. Plus Albite still held their General close and Helio couldn't blame him. Funny, when presented with such tragic choices how quickly jealousy and possessiveness flitted away from the forefront of his mind. All that mattered was everyone's well being. Especially Lex.