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 Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2025 6:54 am
Follows A Hidden VoiceTakes place April 9, 2025
The park was still empty when they arrived back at the place they’d left. Or at least it looked empty. But he wasn’t a fool. He could feel the two Knights lingering on the edge of the park, just close enough that he could sense their aura.
He didn’t make any indication that he could feel them. Didn’t even glance in their direction. He knew they were hiding. Possibly ready to spring a trap -- or prepare for one.
But he wasn’t there to fight. He got what he wanted.
Jet glanced over his shoulder at the two young Knights. Dering still hadn’t said a word. Ephesus looked like he was just barely holding it together -- tension in his shoulders and fear curled around them like trapped prey animals.
He let out a quiet breath.
“Consider this done,” he said simply, with no kindness nor coldness in his voice. He didn’t teleport. Instead, he turned to walk towards the dark end of the park, opposite of where the other Knights were hiding. He had a lot to think about and process, so some time alone before getting back to work was ideal. He didn’t need to show off his power to them. As much as he hated it, he didn’t want to burn any bridges prematurely. Ephesus remained frozen where he stood, still clinging to Dering’s arm, watching Jet’s retreating form. It was only when he was gone -- truly gone, with no prickle of Chaos at the edges of his senses -- that he let out the breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding.
He didn’t collapse from the weight of everything they’d just experienced, but he wanted to.
Now that he was fairly certain it was safe, he reached out to wrap his arms around Dering in a tight hug, before gently directing him away from where they’d been standing, not knowing if Jet would change his mind and come back.
‘It’s safe… I think,’ he thought to Amarynthos, already fighting back the tears that sprung into his eyes. ‘We’ll come to you.’
“Are you okay?” he asked Dering again as he swallowed back the emotions that had been kept buried. It didn’t matter if Dering answered, as long as he knew he had someone with him. He reached up to smooth his hand over Dering’s back, struggling not to stop to hug him again.
But they’d made it out alive. That had to count for something.
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Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2025 6:56 am
Dering’s gaze followed Jet for as long as he could see him, and lingered even longer on the empty space he left behind.
Held his lute like it was made of glass, still hot from the kiln. A fragile treasure, burning into his skin. He cradled it gently, but with full expectation that it might explode, or burst into flames, at any second.
He didn’t even look at it.
At least for now he had the excuse of watching Jet’s back fading into the shadows, or scanning the horizon as if he might be able to spot some danger a second before it pounced.
Dering held his breath, the way he did when he just wanted to be still. As if, by not moving–by not even breathing–he could slip between one second and the next without being noticed. Ephesus hugged him and he didn’t respond at first. His eyes were still locked in the distance.
When Ephesus hugged him again, his muscles finally relaxed. Not much, just enough to soften the stiffness. Shifting the lute into one hand, he lowered it and tucked it under his arm. Then, wrapping his other arm around Ephesus’ back, he offered a quick, placating smile. His eyes roamed over Ephesus, tracing each line of worry carved into his face, before he turned his gaze forward.
“Yeah.” His voice was soft, an easy platitude, spoken as if saying too much might summon Jet back to their side. Dering was tense, still on edge, but he appeared calm. Maybe a little tired, like the effort of the evening had finally worn him down. He moved with a softness that seemed to scream, not in volume but in echoes. He took small, hesitant steps towards the two Knight energy signatures on the horizon, already certain they were Reims and Amarynthos. “Sorry, Effie. Are you okay?”
He had seen the fear in Ephesus’ eyes. The wetness. He didn’t need an answer.
He smoothed his hand down Ephesus’ back reassuringly, in the same way that had just been done for him a moment before. His touch was light and he moved his hand in small, consistent circles. Dering’s face was still, absent but for the focus on the path forward. He didn’t look at Ephesus again but still managed to give him all of his attention.
'Okay. Reims and I don't want to stay put, we want to come to you. He looks like he's about to take off. Can we meet you in the middle? We can wait here if we have to. But I want to hold you.'
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Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2025 6:57 am
He remembered smiling like that. The kind that attempted to smooth over bruises even before they formed. The kind that told people, ‘It’s okay, don’t worry about me,’ even when it wasn’t. It felt like a lifetime ago, back when smiling was a shield and silence was survival. So when he saw it on Dering, who was so gentle and kind and should never have to wear that expression, his heart fluttered painfully.
He didn’t think Dering saw his friends the way Ephesus once saw the people who were supposed to be his family. But the deflection… the way he changed the topic, focused on anything but himself? Ephesus recognized it.
And it scared him that he didn’t know what to do about it.
He had Elliot, and Devyn, and Michael, and then so many others in his life to surround him and rebuild him from the broken pieces he once was. He got his strength from them. He only wished he knew how to pass it to Dering. He knew it wasn’t something that could be forced.
So when Dering wrapped an arm around him and smoothed a hand down his back, Ephesus gave him a tighter squeeze. It wasn’t much, but it was what he had to give right then.
“It’s okay. I’m alright,” he promised. He wasn’t trying to lie to Dering, and he wasn’t! Not really. He didn’t want to add to the weight of what Dering was carrying. He would have a lot to think about, and the offer from Amarynthos to hold him sounded really good.
‘We can meet in the middle,’ he thought back, maybe a little too eagerly. Maybe it was enough to betray the panic that was swirling beneath the calm exterior he was trying to show for Dering. But he needed that warmth. Amarynthos’ steadiness and safety he offered. He hurried his friend onward, letting out a quiet breath of relief when Amarynthos and Reims appeared from the darkness.
And once they were close enough, after one final squeeze for Dering, he let go. He stepped into Amarynthos’ arms without hesitation, burying his face against his chest and arms wrapped around him as though his boyfriend was the only thing keeping him from being washed away in a storm.
It was a good thing that they’d agreed to let them meet halfway in the middle, because Reims had already been pacing. Slow, deliberate steps like a lion in a cage, back and forth and back again. It hadn’t been his idea to wait. He was still wound tight with the kind of fury that came when people touched what was his. His friends. His family. The people he protected.
So when he spotted Dering, looking small and tense and too quiet, he didn’t wait for an invitation. While Amarynthos went to Ephesus, Reims pulled Dering against him, wrapping his dark cape around his shoulders like a barrier, hiding him from view as he assessed the situation.
“Yeah, that ******** better run,” he hissed, glaring into the dark where he’d last felt the burn of Chaos disappear into the night.
“Did he hurt you? Are you okay--?”
Oh, he might need to un-hide Dering to be able to see him. He moved his cape out of the way and took him by the shoulders instead with surprising gentleness, given his volatile mood. He looked him over, pressing his fingers gently to Dering’s arms with just enough pressure to tests for hidden injuries. And then finally, when he couldn’t locate any point of concern, he reached up to gently cup Dering’s cheeks between his palms and look him in the eye, silently searching for… something.
After a long couple seconds, a quiet breath escaped. He pressed a kiss to Dering’s forehead, and wrapped his cape around him again.
“Alright,” he breathed. “You’re safe now.”
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Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2025 6:57 am
Dering had not pressed Ephesus for more than he could give, and–as expected–he’d folded into Amarynthos’ arms as soon as they opened for him. He kept his gaze on them for just long enough to make sure Ephesus was safe, but then he looked away to grant them privacy.
Amarynthos had not made Ephesus wait for comfort. He’d wrapped his arms around him immediately and gathered him into the air, holding him up so Ephesus could wrap his legs around him. He tucked one arm beneath Ephesus to support him and pressed the other to his neck, pulling him close so he could kiss his cheek.
‘I’ve got you,’ he promised, once in his mind and then once into his ear. ‘We’re going to go home. I won’t put you down. You’re safe. Your dads are going to be here soon but I want to keep moving. I love you. Talk to me, Effie, tell me what’s going through your mind right now.’
Dering was quiet, more often than not. He held the silence with ease. It wasn’t usually that he felt confined to it. Mostly, he just found it more enjoyable to listen than to speak. It wasn’t like that tonight. The silence clung to him, heavy and dense, but not thick enough to shroud him into invisibility.
He let Reims maneuver him. He stayed still when the cloak enveloped him. When Reims’ fingers searched for bruises,. Even when Reims framed his face and forced his gaze.
Dering offered it freely, because to do otherwise would just worry Reims more.
So, he made sure to maintain the connection until Reims backed off first. It felt like passing a test, though it brought him no relief. He simply stayed fixed in place while Reims doted on him.
When he spoke, it was quiet. Respectful, because he didn’t want to interrupt Ephesus and Amarynthos.
“He just wanted to talk,” he explained, but held no delusions that Reims would be so easily reassured. The tension rolling off of him was palpable, like watching a tightly wound wire begin to fray. Dering didn’t want to be the weight that snapped it.
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Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2025 6:57 am
Safe, in Amarynthos’ arms, Ephesus let himself squeeze his eyes closed, biting back the emotions that threatened to spill over like a compromised dam. He had his arms wrapped around his shoulders, fingers sinking into his dark hair at the nape of his neck. Something familiar and comforting. Grounding.
‘I love you, too,’ he thought back, not sure if he could speak even if he tried. Not now that he was finally allowing his defenses to break down a bit. He didn’t want to be completely off guard, but it was easy to melt into the safety and warmth and familiarity that was Amarynthos.
‘I was so scared,’ he admitted, but even his thoughts felt shaky, like he wasn’t sure if he was allowed to feel that way. He knew how important it was to stay as small and silent as possible when dealing with a threat. If they didn’t draw attention, the likelihood of them getting out unscathed was higher. But it was still terrifying to know that Jet could have killed them in an instant if he really wanted to.
‘While it was happening, there wasn’t time to think. I was so focused on the problem in front of me that I didn’t have time to stop and wonder what would happen if I never saw you again. Or our parents. Or-- what would happen to you? Or them?’
Now that he did have a chance to think, now that the carefully constructed walls were being lowered, it was easier to cry. He didn’t want to worry Dering, so he sobbed as quietly as he could against Amarynthos’ neck.
‘I’m sorry-- I’m okay. Just-- I’m sorry. Dering gave me a chance to stay. He was going to go alone with Jet and I-- I couldn’t let him. I didn’t know what would happen, but-- now that I’m thinking about it--’
So many bad things could have happened.
Reims clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth when Amarynthos immediately picked up Ephesus. Yeah! Well! He could do that too. And he would have--
But there was something about the way Dering spoke, the way he was silent… He knew Dering. How he operated, what it meant when he was quiet like this, allowing himself to be touched and examined and fussed over without flinching. There was more there that Reims could see under the surface.
He didn’t believe that Jet had just wanted to talk, but he didn’t argue.
He ignored Amarynthos and Ephesus, and focused only on Dering.
“Yeah, well… next time he wants to talk, he can find someone his own size to harass,” he growled, but soon sighed. “You don’t have to explain anything, you know. I’m not upset with you. I just… I wish you didn’t have to go through s**t like that.”
He wrapped his arm around Dering’s shoulder as they started to follow the other two. “I could carry you too,” he huffed, clearly itching for just that, but wanting to give Dering space if he needed it.
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Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2025 6:58 am
Selfishly, unfairly, Amarynthos found himself wishing that Ephesus had stayed. Dering had given him an out but Ephesus had still followed danger.
He took after his parents more than he knew. But, he was different from them.
Ephesus was a fighter, but because he knew how to take a blow, not give one.
If Jet had attacked, what would they have done?
Dering had a shield, and Ephesus could heal.
Would either of them have fought?
Ephesus had his summon, he wouldn’t have been helpless, but–
Jet was dangerous. Dering didn’t have a summon, or offensive magic, but he would have been at his Wonder. Wouldn’t it have protected him if–
‘That was very brave,’ he murmured, glad for the earrings because it meant he could still speak while lavishing soft, desperate kisses across Ephesus’ cheek, as if he could kiss away the fear.
If they’d been going to Ephesus instead, he’d have wanted Dering to go, too. It wasn't fair to expect that Ephesus should have stayed behind. They looked out for each other, they all did. They were stronger together.
He just hated seeing Ephesus come undone for anything.
‘I wish I’d been there with you. I’m sorry. I hated being away from you like that.’ He’d hated feeling so helpless. ‘We’ll be more careful in the future.’
He didn’t want to think about what he’d have done if he never saw Ephesus again. If Jet had decided the Knights were of no use to them, if he’d killed them and discarded them up on Lysithea–
Amarynthos tempered his thoughts, because his mind was not his own and he wouldn’t let those ideas bleed into Ephesus’ mind. Instead, he drew in a slow, steadying breath. He tilted his head just slightly, letting Ephesus hide in his shoulder and neck and hair.
‘I don’t want you to have to feel like you need to apologize for looking after Dering though, okay? You two made it back in one piece,’ he said gently, ‘Would you have done anything differently, anyway? …Even if you’d known how things would turn out, would you have changed what you did if you’d had the chance to?’
Dering and Reims walked next to the Moon Knights, a few feet away. Close enough to offer support, but far enough to preserve illusion of privacy. Ephesus was crying–obvious, despite his best efforts. It was expected, but that didn’t make it any easier.
He was safe with Amarynthos. And in the face of that, Dering kept his distance–not because he wouldn’t have done anything to make Ephesus feel better, but because there was no greater comfort he could provide that Amarynthos didn’t already have mastered.
Dering didn’t match Reims’ frustration. He seemed patient, as always. Maybe even more than usual. There was a carefully curated calm about him, devoid of its usual softness and certainly without the easy gentleness that followed him. It wasn’t uncomfortable, just different. Dering pressed into the mold he’d made for himself.
Reims’ arm around his shoulder was a steady guidance. He walked at Reims’ pace, matched him step for step. Moved his lute out of the way, careful not to let it bump them. He held it by the neck and with only enough care not to drag it on the ground.
“You can,” he said, not because he was asking for it, but because Reims was. In his own way, which consisted of speaking around the request, but not really stating it.
Reims said ‘I could carry you’.
But it sounded more like ‘I want to carry you’.
So, as Dering did, he said yes.
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Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2025 6:59 am
Sometimes, Ephesus hated that he didn’t know how to stop himself from crying. When things were difficult or dangerous, he could focus on what he was doing easier. But as soon as he was allowed to reflect, to start thinking, to take a step back and assess everything, it was like the waterworks were turned on and the valve to turn it off was broken.
He hid it as best he could from Dering. He didn’t want to trouble him with his emotions. Not when they’d both gone through something terrifying. He clung tighter to Amarynthos, arms holding onto his shoulders for comfort and to make sure he didn’t burden him with too much of his weight.
‘No,’ he thought softly, knowing why the question had been asked, but knowing that Amarynthos probably already knew the answer. ‘I wouldn’t have changed anything. But… I don’t think it was brave. It just--... it was Dering. I wasn’t going to let him face that alone.’
He could still see the worry in Dering’s eyes, and remembered the way Jet’s presence loomed around the both of them. A serious threat with the very real likelihood that they wouldn’t survive the encounter. He already knew he wouldn’t have been able to live with himself if he stayed and something happened. He would have done everything he could to protect the both of them.
‘I don’t think anyone would’ve stayed behind if it had been me, either.’
And that thought was terrifying. How easily Jet could have killed any one of them. They were strong -- but not that strong.
‘I wish you were with me, too. But… it might have been good that you weren’t. I think Jet didn’t see me or Dering as threats. You and Reims? He might have--’
Ah… no, he didn’t want to think about it. But he knew two young knights who looked meek and helpless, who knew how to keep their mouths shut, who did as they were told and didn’t cause problems… they had a higher chance of survival than someone who might look at Jet with confidence and determination.
Reims was already halfway to bending down when Dering said he could carry him. That was all the permission he needed. In one practice motion, Reims scooped Dering up into his arms.
“Good,” he huffed, making a bit of a show of it because if he acted like it had been Dering’s idea, maybe it wouldn’t look like he had just been itching to keep him close. Not that he needed an excuse. Carrying Dering felt like the most natural thing in the world to him. With one arm hooked under his knees and the other against his back, Reims held him easily and confidently. He had strong arms that allowed him to be useful.
He didn’t expect Dering to talk. He knew how he got. Quiet, withdrawn, eyes that wouldn’t quite meet his -- or at least look through him. But… he didn’t need the full story right now. There would be time.
“You don’t have to tell me anything now,” he said softly, just a whisper for Dering’s ears only. His grip tightened around him slightly. Just to reassure him. “Don’t go so far that I can’t reach you later, okay?”
With Dering -- with his friends and those he cared about -- he could be patient and offer no judgment. He just didn’t want Dering to withdraw so much into himself that he felt like he was being swallowed up by what happened.
“And don’t worry, I’ll keep everyone else off your back.” If they dared try to harass Dering into talking when he didn’t want to, Reims would just have to tell them off.
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Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2025 6:59 am
Amarynthos knew that in every situation, Ephesus would have chosen to try. It was part of why he loved him so much. Even in the face of danger, he was willing to show up. Even when terrified, he pushed past it.
‘Fair point,’ Amarynthos finally agreed. ‘If Reims and I had been there, he might not have been so lenient. Being outnumbered four to one might have put him on edge. And you and Dering both seem more gentle than Reims and I.’
It had worked in their favor tonight but it might not be the same next time. The thought made his stomach flop but he pushed that thought from his mind, too.
‘You’re so clever, Effie. You’ve got good survival skills. That’s the most important thing. That I can hold you in my arms right now. That I can kiss you.’ And, he did. A few times over. ‘I want to stay with you tonight. I don’t want you to leave my arms. Is that okay?’
He wanted to be there to chase away the fear. To give Ephesus some stability, support.
Some love.
-
While being lifted, Dering made himself accommodating–easy to pick up and easy to maneuver. He sank into Reim’s arms with ease but didn’t completely relax. He kept himself slightly upright so he could keep his eyes on the path ahead.
Reims permitted Dering his silence, but how long would it take to stretch into something uncomfortable? How much time, how much effort, would Reims spend trying to decipher what happened in his absence? How much energy would he waste on patience?
There was no need to drag it out. Dering would spare him what trouble he could.
His lute was large, and not the most comfortable thing to hold. Ordinarily, he might have cradled it in his arms and tried to make it smaller as he curled around it, but tonight he was just limp in Reims’ arms. Agreeable. Malleable.
He held the lute by the neck but let it and his arm dangle. If it strained his arm, it never showed. He kept it at a fixed distance, never letting it come close enough to bump into Reims.
“Nothing happened,” he told him. “He wanted to speak to the Code, so I took him to see it. He had questions, it had answers. And then it gave him some energy, and then we came back. That’s all.”
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Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2025 6:59 am
The kisses helped. Ephesus’ eyes fluttered open for a few moments so he could pull back enough to look at Amarynthos’ face. So he could lean close to press a gentle kiss to his lips, and then settle back down with his face buried against his neck.
He knew Amarynthos was stressed as well, so he lightly scratched the back of his scalp with his nails as he was carried, trying to blink away the tears and hold his breath to settle the hiccups that came from crying too much too suddenly.
‘More than okay,’ he thought back, the relief not just obvious in his voice, but in the way he melted a bit more against his boyfriend. ‘You’re so good to me. I’m sorry that I worried you. I just… I thought if I could buy us time. If I could help get Jet what he wanted, that maybe he would just let us go.’ Oh, he was trying not to start crying again. He just wanted to stay in the safety of Amarynthos’ arms for as long as he could.
Reims didn’t comment on the way Julian didn’t quite relax in his arms, or the way he was awkwardly holding his lute. He pressed his lips together and did his best to focus on the path ahead of them. His goal was to make sure they got home safely. He would worry about what was going on with Julian then.
Because he was too calm. Too easy going for facing off against a General King. Ephesus was in tears, and while that was pretty normal for him, Julian usually had his own way he curled up and retreated from everything. But now…? It was too calm. Too easy.
“Right,” he said gently. There was no anger in his voice, but it was laced with disbelief. He leaned close and pressed a soft kiss to Dering’s temple. He wouldn’t fight him for the information. He could wait.
“What did he want from the Code?” he asked despite himself. He tried catching Amarynthos’ eye to see if he was getting the same information from Ephesus, but he didn’t want to force a big deal about it. “Why now?” Had it been random that he picked Dering and Ephesus? Were they the first Knights he ran into?
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Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2025 7:00 am
While Ephesus tucked his head closer, there was a brief moment when Amarynthos turned to accommodate him and locked eyes with Reims. Almost apologetically, he shrugged. He hid it by adjusting how he was holding Ephesus, eager to keep him comfortable. There wasn’t much for Amarynthos to share right now, but he seemed less stressed than before.
Ephesus–and Dering–were in one piece.
It was better than how he thought he might find them. He didn’t need to ask for more miracles than the one they already had.
‘Don’t be sorry for worrying me. It’s not your fault you’re so lovable. You did everything you set out to do. You bought time. You helped keep Jet placated. He let you go. You did a good job, Ephesus. Everything you did tonight worked out. So give yourself a chance to breathe, okay? You did a good job. You made it back to me. You’ve carried so much already tonight. Now, it’s my turn.’
Ephesus fit easily into his arms. Comfortably. Amarynthos would have leaned into the fingers in his hair if doing so wouldn’t also mean pulling back so he just enjoyed what he had.
-
Dering didn’t flinch from the kiss but neither did he lean into it, or even seem to acknowledge it. Sometimes, Dering thought so deeply that he forgot to pay attention to the world around him. For several long seconds, he just stared into the darkness ahead of him.
And then, as if a switch had been flipped, he tilted his head slightly so that when he spoke, it was towards Reims instead of away from him.
“He wanted to know what more we could do to protect Earth. He asked about the storms. The Negaverse is making shields, too. He said he needed energy, so the Code gave him some. He knew Lysithea, when she was in the Negaverse,” he volunteered, even if it wasn’t a question Reims had asked.
Dering was just trying to fill the silence with something, even if the effort didn’t quite feel worth the payoff. His voice was low and tired, almost like he was reciting something from a page more than speaking from the heart.
Dering looked tired, too. His eyes were half-lidded and he wasn’t really looking at anything anymore.
“I don’t think that had anything to do with him coming to us, though. He might have gone with any Knight. We were just there. He just needed to speak to the Code. I don’t think it mattered which one.”
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Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2025 7:01 am
Amarynthos said it was okay for him to breathe, so Ephesus did. He took in a shaky breath and let it out slowly. It was a bit wet and ragged, but he was grateful that Amarynthos didn’t seem to mind him being weepy all the time.
‘Thank you, Mary,’ he thought with closed eyes as he clung to his wonderful, most perfect boyfriend. He didn’t want to move. He was safe there, and wasn’t ready to let go just yet.
At the edge of his senses, he thought he could feel the aura of another two, but he was too tired to look up to see if it was his dads or not.
He could hear Dering’s soft voice as he told Reims what happened, and he nodded quietly against Amarynthos’ neck in confirmation.
‘Jet took Dering’s lute from him. Played it…’ he thought, the memory of it happening weighing heavily on him now that he had a chance to reflect on everything. ‘Dering didn’t speak again until he had it back.’ His heart ached, because while Jet hadn’t broken the lute, he’d taken more than just Dering’s weapon from him.
Reims was quiet as he watched Dering. The way he stared into the middle distance before coming back to the present to answer him. The way he looked like he was too tired to even think. The pieces of the puzzle were being offered. They made sense... but there was no real life behind it. Like a dream being narrated rather than real life.
Once again, Reims gave him a little squeeze and tucked him closer to him, adjusting him a bit so he could rest more against his shoulder if he wanted.
“Okay,” he conceded. He didn’t like the way Dering’s voice was sounding so flat. He wasn’t going to force him to say more than was necessary. “You’re safe. Just rest now. We’ll figure the rest out later.”
Dering didn’t have to carry it all by himself, but Reims had a feeling that he would try. He wasn’t entirely sure if Dering was even listening, or if he was just reacting, but he kept his pace steady, a bit slower now but staying in pace with Amarynthos. If Dering needed to shut down, that was fine. Reims would be there when he came back.
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Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2025 7:01 am
Amarynthos listened, quiet and attentive. He eyed the lute briefly but saw no damage, only the way Dering held it. He couldn’t see Dering’s eyes but he could see his tired face, and the notable lack of any effort to smile. He was used to the faint shadow of something pleasant on Dering’s face but there wasn’t anything like that visible tonight.
Dering must have felt Amarynthos’ eyes on him because he turned his head just slightly to meet his gaze. Instinctively, a smile. Mechanical, precise. Brief. It didn’t reach his eyes. And then he turned away again, pressing into the shoulder Reims offered.
Amarynthos couldn’t see much of anything after that, only the way Dering was able to effortlessly fold into Reims’ arms like he knew how to fit into place without even trying. Dering looked like he could have been sleeping, if not for his grip on the lute that now looked so out of place.
A second of his time was spent catching Reims’ gaze again, but then Amarynthos kissed atop Ephesus’ head and picked up the pace a little. He trusted Reims would keep up. He wasn’t going to leave him behind but he wanted to get out of there, get home, as quickly as possible.
‘I might try to lay low if someone had my weapon. He doesn’t have a summon like we do, does he?’ It was bad enough to have to deal with a General King, but while unarmed, too? Amarynthos probably would have gone the sweet-talking route himself, but neither Dering nor Ephesus liked to make waves.
He was glad it hadn’t turned into combat. It didn’t make him trust–or like–Jet, but he appreciated that there hadn’t been any bloodshed tonight.
Yet, whispered the doubt in his mind, but he knew Alastor and Sessrumnir were nearer now than before, and they’d be home–safe–soon enough.
‘Is there anything I can do to help?’ he asked, like he always did. He was going to go home and pamper Ephesus–make him safe, hold him, tell him he loved him, give him whatever support he needed. It didn’t matter if every time it had been enough before; Amarynthos always kept opening the door to do better.
He loved Ephesus. He loved his friends differently, but he would have done anything to help them, too.
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Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2025 7:01 am
Ephesus knew he was lucky. Somehow, he caught the attention of the nicest boy he’d ever known. But more than that, instead of just being nice and going back to exclusively hanging out with his other friends (and he had many of them), Elliot wanted to spend time with him. To get to know him. It still didn’t seem real sometimes. And sometimes just thinking about it made his eyes fill with tears. Because he was overwhelmed by how much he loved Elliot. And knew that Elliot loved him back.
‘Just stay with me, please,’ he thought quietly, pressing his lips to Amarynthos’ neck as he held onto him, echoing what he’d requested before when he and Dering had been alone with Jet.
He was worried about his friend. He shook his head to confirm that Dering didn’t have a summon like they did. At least not one he’d seen. But he looked content in Reims’ arms. And Reims looked like he would fight the world to give Dering a moment of peace.
He thought he could feel the aura of a couple close by, but the auras soon disappeared from his senses. At least until he could see the two coming out of the shadows. Along with a large, fluffy cat.
“Took you long enough,” he growled, although his anger was misplaced. He was grateful that Amarynthos called Sessrumnir and Alastor there. It meant they wouldn’t be alone in case Jet decided to come back.
But he really just wanted to get Dering home and tucked into bed.
“We’re fine. They’re fine. Just spooked,” he explained, holding Dering closer to him as though that would protect him from unnecessary questions.
He’d heard Reims say that Ephesus and Dering were okay, but he still met Amarynthos’ eyes to verify, and let the tension relax from his shoulders a bit when Ephesus lifted his head from Amarynthos’ shoulder.
“You sure it was Jet?” he asked, voice graver than he’d intended. Of all the people in the Negaverse they could have run into, he hadn’t expected Jet to just… let them go.
It had taken longer to get there than he would have liked. There was an aura of a Captain too close for them to lead them right to the teens. But after running into Lucien, it was easier to move with their auras masked.
And Lucien was perched as a lookout on Alastor’s shoulders. His ears were twitching at every little sound, tail swishing with agitation.
“The Negaverse should have more important things to worry about than harassing young Knights,” he frowned, puffing out his chest at the vexation of it.
“Should be making more shields if they have time to wander around the city.”
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Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2025 7:02 am
‘Of course,’ Amarynthos promised easily, and though he relaxed when he saw three familiar faces, he resisted the urge to exhale deep enough to push out the tension building within him. Ephesus could probably feel everything he did, held as close as he was to his chest right now. ‘I’m not going anywhere. Do you want me to put you down? I don’t want to, but since your dads are here…’
It wasn’t that he wanted to be separated from Ephesus, just that he knew he might find more comfort if he had a few extra hugs. Amarynthos knew that his were more than adequate, but he also knew that Atticus had every reason to feel safer, more secure, in Alastor’s arms.
He’d been alive for a thousand years. What could hurt Ephesus in an embrace like that?
Alastor must have thought the same, because he walked from Sessrumnir’s side to the two Moon Knights and wrapped an arm around Ephesus. He didn’t take him from Amarynthos, didn’t even try. Just pressed his hand to his back and rubbed in small circles as he took in the sight.
No blood, no bruises. No Chaos clinging. Tears, but those were expected.
“Pretty sure,” Amarynthos answered, because he trusted Ephesus when he said so, and it wasn’t like Dering was speaking up. He cast a brief glance at the other two, where Dering had sat up again in Reims’ arms–not because that was the position he wanted to be in, but because there was a larger audience. It would have been rude to lie there in Reims’ arms in the face of the others. He couldn’t disrespect Sessrumnir, or Alastor, or Lucien, like that.
He didn’t fight against Reims’ tight grip, only adjusted within it. His face had settled into something not entirely empty, like he had returned to putting effort into being more presentable. Less worrisome.
Was it Jet? Yes, he nodded. But he didn’t tell Sessrumnir that he knew this because the man had said as much. Ephesus could tell him. Maybe he’d already told Amarynthos.
“You can borrow the earring and Effie can show you,” Amarynthos offered, but didn’t take his earring off. It didn’t matter who it was right now. He wasn’t willing to break the connection he and Ephesus were sharing. To spare either of the other Knights from repeating anything, Amarynthos repeated, “He wanted to talk to the Code, and he took some energy from it. But it sounds like he’s more preoccupied with Earth than fighting with us.”
For now.
Maybe it was just a ruse to try and find a weakness in them, to make a crack in their walls and find a way to creep through it later.
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Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2025 7:02 am
Knowing that Amarynthos didn’t want to put him down was all Ephesus needed for him to shake his head. For a moment he considered getting down, if only to give Amarynthos some reprieve from carrying him for so long. To give his arms a rest from holding him up.
‘I don’t want to leave your arms,’ he shared, pressing his face against Amarynthos’ neck for a moment longer, before looking up at his dads. Alastor had been first to move closer, and Sessrumnir was there too. Any worry that might have still been lingering was gone.
“It was,” he confirmed about the General King’s identity, even if he was only a General. His voice sounded a bit wobbly, but he wanted to make sure his dads knew he really was okay.
Reims couldn’t rub Dering’s back, but he wanted to. He clicked his tongue to the roof of his mouth and gave him another little squeeze instead.
“Who knows what those assholes want. They tried convincing me that we’re the bad guys for having Chibi Senshi and that I could protect everyone by joining them,” he huffed, although maybe he shouldn’t have shared all that. It didn’t matter. He didn’t go with the Negaverse. He found his own strength and he was determined to use it to protect those he cared about.
Alastor had placed a hand on Ephesus’ back and looked him over, and while Sessrumnir looked Ephesus and Dering over as well, his eyes returned to the other two Knights. They’d already been through so much together. It was comforting, knowing that they had each other at least. It had been extremely difficult when there’d been no one else.
“Make sure you never let Jet -- or anyone else in the Negaverse -- find out that you know me,” he warned, his expression sharp with worry. “Before you were Knights, I--... Let’s just say I gave Jet a reason to be vindictive against me. He killed Empyrean as payback. Kidnapped Ganymede. I doubt he’d stop there.”
Lucien let out an indignant huff at the suggestion that they were worse than the Negaverse for having Chibi Senshi. What were they supposed to do? Allow children with starseeds screaming to be awakened to just… what? Be eaten by the monsters the Negaverse released into the world?
But he did brush his tail against Ephesus and Amarynthos’ faces since he was close enough to do so.
He wanted to ask Sessrumnir exactly what he did to cause such a reaction, but wondered if now was the best time. Dering and Ephesus looked worse for wear, despite being uninjured. Their injuries were likely deeper than flesh.
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