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 Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2024 6:34 pm
Takes place immediately following the events on Urania in March 2024. Even though it had been after midnight by the time the teenagers were able to get to the Moon, they stayed up for a few hours longer. They ate the pizza they’d talked about getting (and got), were introduced to the little bear cubs that had taken up residence at Amarynthos, and settled in with some comfortable conversation.
Thanks to Soleiyu and Lucien’s help, there was enough solar power gathered for them to make tea and hot chocolate. Amarynthos and Ephesus had been working hard on their Wonders, and had full bedrooms set up in case they ever stayed the night. They managed to pull in cushions and couches from other rooms, all topped with plush blankets and throws and pillows to make their time there more comfortable.
Yvoire had to leave, which was understandable. Not everyone was able to sneak away or not be missed. Or had relatives that were able to relay where the teenagers were -- safe, was most important. And so, they saw the Squire of Ganymede off, with promises to get in touch soon, if not the next day. Ephesus thought it was sweet that Reims requested Yvoire send him a message when he got home, but other than sharing a smile with Amarynthos, said nothing about it.
They’d all agreed to stay powered up. Both Reims and Rose had voiced discomfort with powering down while they were on Urania, and Dering seemed to be in agreement. Ephesus and Amarynthos respected that, although they didn’t feel like they had to hide who they were to their friends. Ephesus already knew who Cynthus was, and vice versa.
The weather was mild and comfortable. Reims insisted on sleeping on the floor (on plenty of blankets) to allow Rose and Cynthus to share the bed. There was a couch for Dering, and Amarynthos and Ephesus seemed to have no problem curled up together on an overstuffed chair and ottoman so they could lay down and stretch out some. Ephesus made a mental note to set up more places for people to sleep for the next time they got together. Maybe some air mattresses.
And better blackout curtains. Despite it being very clearly night, there was still a glow that came through the windows. Or maybe he was just restless, despite having used up a lot of his magic, both on healing and with his tiger.
He couldn’t have snuck out of the room without waking up Amarynthos if he’d tried, so he offered him an apologetic smile as he took Amarynthos’s hand so they could creep out of the room without waking up the others.
“I must be overtired,” Ephesus sighed once they were out of earshot of the others, standing on a vine and flower covered balcony not too far down the hall. He turned so he could rest his forehead against Amarynthos’s shoulder. For just a moment! He didn’t want them to have to stand while they were supposed to be resting, but he also wanted to take a moment to peer over into the garden.
“You sure you’re okay?” he fussed, smoothing his hands over Amarynthos’s chest. “You used more energy than me to bring everyone up here. I’m sorry if I’m keeping you up.”
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Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2024 6:38 pm
“I’m okay,” Amarynthos promised, just like he’d learned from Sesrrumnir and Alastor. “I’ve used way more energy than this before. I’m surprised you’re still up and walking, I thought you’d be asleep as soon as we got up here.”
He wrapped an arm around Ephesus to help support him and leaned against the balcony as he held him. He turned his gaze to look over the garden.
“I’d rather be up with you, anyway.”
The view was beautiful here, but being at his Wonder meant that he already had the advantage of recovery on his side.
“Do you want to take a walk over to Ephesus and rest there for a bit? I can carry you.”
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Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2024 6:39 pm
Ephesus sighed somewhat dramatically, maybe a little bit like Devyn, as he rested more heavily against Amarynthos. Not enough to knock him over, but enough that he probably wouldn’t be standing upright if it weren’t for him.
“I’m so tired, but I keep thinking about everything and can’t sleep.” Even curled up with Amarynthos, he wasn’t able to drift off like he usually was. Maybe it was because they’d had food so late. Maybe it was the lingering unease of being surrounded by so much Chaos.
Another sigh as he tipped his head back to look up at Amarynthos. He stared up at him for a few moments, and then straightened up a bit, himself.
“You’ve gotten taller again,” he pointed out, although he wondered if it was really necessary. It seemed like every couple months or so, Elliot was in need of new pants because they no longer covered his ankles.
“I don’t think I could ever say no to you carrying me. You think the others will be okay? No bear cub maulings?”
As he spoke, he lifted his arms again so he could wrap them around Amarynthos’s neck and make it hopefully easier to be picked up.
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Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2024 6:53 pm
When Ephesus looked up, Amarynthos looked down. He couldn’t get a good view of him but he tried anyway.
“Oh, please. The only thing those cubs could maul is the leftover pizza.” Ephesus made it easy to scoop him up so Amarynthos took full advantage of it. He was an expert at this point, and being a Knight meant he had all the strength he needed to carry Effie in any way he wanted. Even if he was tired.
He made sure not to let his eyelids droop too much and he wore a little smile as he carried him bridal style.
“I think they’ll be okay. And if anyone wakes up, they’ll be able to tell where we are. I doubt anything will go wrong between now and then.” It was late, and more peaceful than Earth.
He carried Ephesus effortlessly. He knew his Wonder, and Ephesus’ very well by now. Maybe a rest by the Code Piece would give him enough calm to drift off. “It’s nice that my uniform grows with me. I’m not even sure where I’d go shopping to update this outfit,” he laughed, and kissed atop Ephesus’ head. “I might have gotten taller, but you’ve gotten prettier. What are you thinking about that’s keeping you up?”
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Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2024 6:56 pm
Ephesus couldn’t help but grin and giggle about the bear cubs. He absolutely knew they wouldn’t hurt anyone, but he was doing his best to keep things lighthearted, especially when they were both so tired.
Of course Amarynthos had to be sweet and say nice things. Ephesus squeaked and used one hand to hide his face while the other was still around Amarynthos’s shoulders, clearly flustered but also looking like he enjoyed the compliments. Amarynthos probably knew it too. It was difficult for Ephesus to hide his smile.
And, if Ephesus was being honest, it wasn’t as though he didn’t try to look pretty. Or at least look in a way that he could look into a mirror and be happy. Well… he also curled his hair and picked out his clothes and put on his little bit of makeup with Elliot in mind. He felt better when Elliot was looking at him like he was the prettiest person he’d ever seen. Even if he knew his boyfriend was a bit biased for him.
“I was just thinking about how many more worlds there are out there, still suffering from Chaos. And how many Senshi will need help. I feel like there should be more we could do. I’m just not sure what,” he sighed as he looked up at Amarynthos, but soon turned to look around them as they made their way from one Wonder to the other. The flowers always seemed to be in bloom, and they shimmered in the light reflected from Earth.
“Not everyone is lucky like us. We have really good friends who take care of each other. And our Wonders aren’t ruined by Chaos.”
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Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2024 6:58 pm
Ephesus was so predictable, Amarynthos loved it. He barely hid his smile as he balanced the smaller teenager in his arms.
“Yeah, I think we’re pretty lucky these days.” It wasn’t always like that. He knew what things had been like for Atticus before.
“But that just means that we’re in good condition to help others, I think. Being at our best is kind of the best thing we can do for them. It’s why we have to work so hard to stay in good condition and be kind to ourselves. There’s a lot of people and places that might need a helping hand so we’ve gotta be in top shape so we’re there to offer. I’m going to keep trying to get stronger. And to learn more. I’ll have to pick your dads’ brains about Chaos when we get back.”
He brushed his thumbs in circles over Ephesus’ back as he carried him.
“I’m sure all of us feel the same way. Every time there’s a problem, we all get together to try and help. Maybe we should try to train together more. Or, I don’t know. I wish there was some way to maybe detect if there are traces of Chaos on a world. Like a preventative measure so if something happens we can track it down early. It won’t help the worlds that are already infected but it would be nice to have a little bit of a safeguard against those that still could be. But it’s a lot of work no matter what.”
He hummed in thought and then kissed Ephesus’ forehead. “If you get any ideas, don’t be shy. I want to hear all of them.”
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Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2024 7:00 pm
“Is this you scolding me for using too much magic?” Ephesus asked softly, and a little sheepishly, but he was still smiling through the flush to his cheeks. He knew Amarynthos cared deeply about him, and their family and friends, and didn’t want anything to happen to them. But staying in good condition and being kind to themselves felt like a gentle poke of concern.
Even if Amarynthos hadn’t said it with him in mind, Ephesus leaned close to press a kiss to Amarynthos’s cheek in return for the kiss on his forehead.
“Thank you. I promise I’m listening and trying to do better,” he said as he nuzzled his forehead against Amarynthos’s neck as he carried him. Of course, Amarynthos could take his own advice. He was the one using his energy to take more people to the moon. But that was okay, because Ephesus would be there to help him.
“That’s a really good idea. I wonder if there’s something Soleiyu and Lucien and Lucasta could make. Something that detects traces of Chaos. And safety measures. Something to delay the Chaos from growing until we could gather enough people to help,” he hummed, hopeful that they could figure something like that out.
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Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2024 7:02 pm
“Scolding you? No, never. I trust you. I know you know your limits. I just also know you’re the type of person to push past those limits if it meant helping someone else. So of course I’ll worry about you.”
There was no reproach in his voice, but there never was when Amarynthos was talking to Ephesus.
“Do you think the three of them could work together?” he mused. Even with Ephesus’ weight in his arms, he walked with a bounce in his step. “I mean, I’d like to see it. I bet they could come up with some really wild things. We should ask, when we get back. Just to see if it’s possible. If it could help even just one person, it would be worth it.”
Another kiss to Ephesus’ forehead, for good measure. They must have been close to crossing into his Wonder. Some borders were easier to see than others, and Ephesus and Amarynthos bled into each other at more than one point.
“How are you feeling, Effie? For real. Just tired? We’ve been through a lot, I just want to make sure you’re not bottling anything up.”
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Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2024 7:16 pm
“Selfishly comfortable,” he couldn’t help but giggle. He squeezed his arm around Amarynthos’s shoulder in apology.
“I’m feeling better. Since getting here it was as though the adrenaline was taking forever to settle down. Like there were little shocks of electricity. Oh, but it didn’t hurt or anything like that. I think it was just from running around and being worried and using my magic,” he explained, hoping that it made sense. He wasn’t really sure what it was, but as long as he was with Amarynthos, then everything would be okay.
“I was scared,” he admitted. “I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t want--”
Ephesus paused and sighed, clearly worried about bringing up bad memories.
“I was worried that it would have ended up worse than it did. But we’ve come a long way since Alastor.”
There were no big differences in the way the land looked as they crossed from one Wonder to the other. The large white estate that was Ephesus seemed to shimmer in the light that reflected off the flowers and trees. It was peaceful and beautiful. A slight breeze that danced along the flowers made the pedals brushing together sound like little bells.
“What about you?” he asked, although he felt guilty for doing so. He knew Amarynthos didn’t like giving him an excuse to worry, so would likely play down how he felt. But if he wanted to talk, then he was more than willing to listen.
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Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2024 7:54 pm
Amarynthos hummed, long and drawn out, like he really had to think about how he wanted to answer. It was far more simple than he let on. “I’m okay,” he finally answered. The smile was in his voice as much as it was on his face.
“I guess I thought it was going to be a lot worse. I prepared myself for something really bad. But I think we got lucky.” Or maybe they were just with a really good group of people. “I don’t want to let my guard down or anything, but I felt like I kept waiting for the floor to crumble beneath us.”
He was glad it wasn’t like on Alastor. But Ephesus was right.
“Alastor was a long time ago, we’ve come really far. And we’ve got friends that have come far, too.” They might not have been on Alastor with them, but they’d been working together for a while now.
“I couldn’t even tell you were scared, you know. You were so brave. So cool.” There was nothing selfish about Ephesus being comfortable in his arm, Amarynthos was comfortable, too.
“Your adrenaline isn’t still shocking you, is it? We could do some stretches or something if you still have tension you need to work out.”
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Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2024 7:57 pm
“Oh, I’m okay,” he promised with a quiet laugh. It was expected for Amarynthos to suggest exercise to feel better, but Atticus was perfectly content, well… not. He had a feeling that Amarynthos knew that as well.
Walking through the flowers on a mild night on the moon was lovely. If Ephesus wasn’t careful, he could probably easily fall asleep in Amarynthos’s arms. Oh! That was probably a good thing then, because he was having trouble sleeping, otherwise.
“I’m glad the floor didn’t crumble. If it did, I wouldn’t have left your side,” he hummed. If something happened and there was no escape, he absolutely would have stayed with Amarynthos. He meant so much to him and gave him so much hope for a good future. If anything, staying with Amarynthos would give them their best chance at surviving and making it out, if anyone asked him.
“I love how everything just glows,” he sighed dreamily as he rested his head on Amarynthos’s shoulder. They were close enough to the manor that he could probably be set down, but he was selfishly holding on. He could already feel his energy recharging a bit. Everything seemed a bit brighter. Quote: Powered Enhancement: When Ephesus is feeling hopeful and at peace, his freckles and hair will start to shimmer as if kissed by moonlight. This is subtle and does not offer enough light for Ephesus to see in the dark, but others may be able to see him. Those in close proximity to him while his passive ability is active may feel more at peace, or feel like it is safer for them to relax. If he is stressed or upset, the shimmering stops until he has calmed again.
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Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2024 8:06 pm
“If the floor crumbled, I hope you wouldn’t jump down with me! Wait and see if I can climb up! Then you can jump down. And I’ll catch you.”
He’d always catch him. And not just because he liked the way Ephesus felt in his arms.
The breeze was gentle and Amarynthos dipped his head back just slightly to encourage the wind to tease his hair. He was neither warm nor cool but instead, a perfect between. He knew this path well so he wasn’t afraid about tripping. Briefly, he admired the stars, and then he closed his eyes.
His steps slowed–not enough to be noticeable, but enough for him to really just breathe.
If he’d had any tension leftover, it left his body when he exhaled.
They were almost to their destination so he opened his eyes and continued with renewed vigor, but it was brighter than before. Nothing substantial, nothing that made him think Ephesus was playing on his phone, but enough that something in the back of his mind had snapped to attention. Just as he opened his mouth to ask Ephesus if he noticed anything off, he found exactly what he was looking for.
“Effie! You’re glowing!”
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Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2024 8:12 pm
Ephesus understood what Amarynthos wished. He knew he wouldn’t want him in danger, but Ephesus couldn’t imagine letting Mary fall on his own. He wanted to be with him, no matter what.
Mary’s surprise was a little startling. Normally, Amarynthos would give him sweet compliments and praise, but the way he said it…? Effie looked up at him with confusion, before down at himself.
“O-oh!” he gasped and lifted his hand to see better. The freckles all across his skin seemed to be giving off a faint glow. Not only that, but the hair that spilled over his shoulder seemed to have a glow as well.
“What… what is this?” he stared in surprise, touching his hair and looking once more at the freckles on his hand. He could feel a warmth. Not externally, but inside him. Like there was something radiating out.
“It doesn’t look silly does it?” he gasped, because that would be embarrassing to start glowing and it be weird.
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Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2024 8:13 pm
“No, it looks really pretty. Just like you always do. Except it looks like you painted all of your freckles with starlight.”
If Amarynthos had a free hand he would have tried to brush his thumb across Ephesus’ cheek to see if he would wipe off the glimmer, but it was for the best that his arms were full because it gave him a moment longer to admire it.
They were on their Wonders, where many strange things had happened. It was surprising, confusing, but not worrying.
“Do you feel okay?” he asked, because that was the most important thing. They could figure out what was going on after he was certain that Ephesus hadn’t contracted some beautiful space disease. “Better, worse, than before?”
He was ready to text Sessrumnir, or to run full speed to the Code Piece to get some answers if Ephesus thought he was even in the slightest danger.
But really, how could something so beautiful be dangerous?
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Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2024 8:17 pm
Did he feel okay? Ephesus glanced over himself and then gasped.
“Oh--”
He lifted one of his legs a little more, still in Amarynthos’s grasp to look at the shimmering freckles there as well. It was followed by a quiet fit of giggles because it was just so strange but it didn’t look bad. Or at least he didn’t think so, and Mary already said it looked pretty.
“Oh… yes! I feel okay. Better than before. I feel warm… and relaxed, but that might just be because you’re holding me,” he said once he could control himself. He leaned up to press another kiss to Amarynthos’s cheek, grateful for how much he took care of him.
And it was followed by a yawn, which he stifled with the back of his hand.
Maybe this was why he couldn’t sleep. Because some kind of magic was ready to burst out. He wasn’t sure what the magic did, if anything other than make his freckles and hair shimmer, but that was okay.
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