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 Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2026 8:34 am
Though Amarynthos was glad to dominate a conversation, he was more glad to give Ephesus a platform to speak. He wanted very badly to nurture and cultivate that confidence so he was happy to simply listen.
Besides, Ephesus’ laugh was worth his patience.
He didn’t want him to stop touching him, so he dipped his head as if chasing Ephesus’ hand.
Lyon might have thought they were cute if he didn’t also think they were so disgusting about it. Of course, it wouldn’t have been gross if it were him and Riker, so the smile on his face remained as he daydreamed about that for a few seconds.
“Oh,” he said, “You’re very sweet. Yes, that sounds lovely.” He bit back the urge to say Atticus, just so he could gloat about how much he already knew.
“You really think Reims is such a good judge of character? Sounds like you have a lot of confidence in him. He was working really hard to come across as standoffish. Kind of the total opposite of you, to be honest. You seem like you’d be up for being friends with anyone.”
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Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2026 8:35 am
Ephesus laughed softly. “Maybe I am,” he admitted, his voice warm and unguarded, as he leaned his head against Amarynthos’s shoulder, soaking in his warmth.
“I like to think most people are just… trying their best. Sometimes they’ve had a bad day, or they’re scared, or they don’t know how to show they care. I’d rather give them a chance to surprise me.”
He tilted his head to glance up at Amarynthos, his eyes soft with affection.
After a moment, his voice dimmed a little as he continued. “But I know it’s not always that easy. There are people out there who don’t want peace, or who’ll hurt others no matter what you do.”
His arm tightened a little around Amarynthos’s shoulders, protective. The red colored water and blistering skin would likely never leave his nightmares.
“That’s why it helps to have people you trust. It makes it easier to tell the difference,” he said after a moment, smiling again. “Reims is good at that. Even if he acts like he’s not. He notices things, and he knows when someone’s trying.”
And then, because the mood felt too heavy for too long, he tipped his head back so he could press a sloppy, teasing kiss against Amarynthos’s jaw.
“But you’re right. I would be up for being friends with anyone,” he said, laughing softly. “You seem easy to be friends with, too. So I think we’ll get along just fine.”
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Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2026 8:35 am
Amarynthos chuckled, stretching his neck as if to offer a greater canvas for Ephesus to paint with his kisses. It was preferable to the heavier conversations, but they were no less important.
Lyon seemed to take the darker topic in stride and hummed. His hands were clasped behind his back and he walked with a little bounce in his step while contemplating.
“I am easy to be friends with, I’m very likable,” Lyon said, in a way that was somehow more amusing than obnoxious. Amarynthos laughed again but Lyon continued, “You two seem pretty easy-going. I like that, because I am, you know, a lot.” He said it shamelessly.
Lyon wasn’t going to change any time soon–but then, neither were they.
Probably for the best.
“You’ve got a big heart, Ephesus. And Amarynthos is no doubt here to protect it?”
“Of course,” Amarythos answered. “I’ll be friends with anyone Effie wants to be friends with.”
Lyon resisted the urge to point out that Amarynthos–Elliot–was usually the first person to try and befriend someone–loud, and friendly, but he couldn’t play his hand too soon. Man, they were both so obvious. He could have figured them out even if he didn’t already know.
“Has anyone let you down?” Lyon asked, tilted his head curiously. “I mean, with this whole magic stuff. Have you ever trusted the wrong person and it came back to bite you in the a**? You’ll have to teach me who’s safe to trust and who I should be careful around. I’ll have to bother you and Reims about it, since he’s such a good judge of character. I only have my Velencian pal, his name’s Aliez, but he’s shy so don’t go spreading that around. If you run into him, tell him I said hi. And be nice to him. He’s not having a great time on Earth so he could benefit from meeting some good people. I think you two fit the bill. He’d probably like you a lot. Well, as long as you aren’t making out in front of him. He probably wouldn’t get it. I tried flirting and it basically went right over his head.”
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Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2026 8:35 am
Ephesus’s smile faltered just slightly, the edges dimming. “Yeah,” he said softly. “It’s happened before.”
He reached up without thinking, his fingers brushing briefly over the center of his chest, before he let his hand drop back to Amarynthos’s arm.
“I used to think that if you were kind enough, if you tried hard enough, people would see that and want to do better. But sometimes they don’t. Sometimes they just want to hurt people.”
His voice wavered, but only for a moment. He looked up at Amarynthos then, the same quiet adoration in his eyes, but something a bit heavier beneath it, too.
“We got lucky,” he said, his tone more resolute than mournful. “We’ve both been hurt, but we made it back. Reims did, too. We’re still here, so… we should make the most of the life we were given, I think…”
He leaned in closer then, pressing his forehead to Amarynthos’s jaw, resting there. “I want to believe people can change. I just know now that sometimes you have to protect yourself, too. And the people you care about.”
He lifted his head again, smiling gently at Lyon. It was earnest, and maybe a little tired as it reached his eyes, but still bright. “We’ll definitely help you learn who to trust. And your friend-- Aliez, right? We’ll be nice. I promise. I know what it’s like to feel like you don’t belong anywhere. Maybe he just needs someone to listen. And don’t worry,” he added after a moment, a playful grin tugging at his lips as he nuzzled his face against Amarynthos’s again, his cheeks flushing a little at his own boldness. “We’ll keep the making out to a minimum. Maybe.”
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Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2026 8:35 am
Amarythos looked down at Ephesus as he spoke. His eyes were soft and his smile reassuring. As always, he was proud of Ephesus, and nodded as he spoke, as if the gesture could give silent reassurance.
He knew how hard it was for Ephesus to talk about some things. He knew how much Ephesus had kept bottled up, how much he’d been forced to carry.
When Ephesus tucked his head closer, Amarynthos just rested his chin atop the crown of his head protectively–not enough to trap him there, as evidenced by how easy it was for him to lift his head again, but just enough that he could admire how perfectly Ephesus always seemed to fit against him.
Lyon tilted his head slightly, watching the way Ephesus moved his hand. He didn’t quite understand the gesture but filed it away.
He expected the way the two seemed to cuddle at every opportunity, and he listened intently while they spoke because what he watched now extended beyond simple PDA. It wasn’t hormonal attraction, it was comfort.
…But then Ephesus was so bold, and Lyon laughed. He expected it from Amarynthos, but Ephesus? He laughed again.
“Oh, you’re funny. Yes–maybe. That’s good enough. You know? That was good, that made me laugh. I’ll tell you what, I’ll let it slide tonight. You two do whatever you want and I won’t nag you about it.”
And how could he anyway, when Ephesus was carrying such a weight in his heart? Lyon didn’t have to know the full story, he could infer enough.
If he wanted a few extra kisses, he’d earned it.
“I’m sorry, though. That someone took advantage of your kindness, and for all you had to deal with.” Of course he knew it wasn’t his fault, but–what, was the bad person going to apologize?
“Aliez will probably be happy to meet someone who tries so hard to be kind, and good. He doesn’t want to hurt anyone. I think he’s just expecting to get hurt. You two are both gentle, I bet you’ll get along just fine. I want to teach him how to make the most out of life. He seems like a workaholic. And I talk so much, I almost never get the chance to listen. So when I talk his ear off, maybe you can glue it back on,” he laughed.
He didn’t want to bring the mood down, and Ephesus still had a sort of faint, hollow look in the shadows of his smile. Lyon didn’t want him to dwell on that–especially when they had a full night ahead of them.
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Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2026 8:36 am
Ephesus laughed softly, the sound light, as if Lyon’s easy humor had helped lift some of the weight off his chest.
“I’d like that,” he said sincerely. “I’d really like to meet him. Your friend, I mean.”
For a moment, he leaned his head back on Amarynthos’s shoulder, his arms wrapped around him both to comfort himself and in a protective gesture. And then he perked up a little, his smile softening.
“Oh… I can feel the others nearby,” he said, glancing in the direction they were headed. They’d been feeling their auras the whole time, but they all seemed to be converging.
“I’m glad we ran into you before we all got there,” he admitted, looking back at Lyon. “It’s nice, having one more person to share this with. Especially someone Reims invited.”
He gave Amarynthos’s shoulders another squeeze, his voice still gentle. “We’ve all been through a lot, but maybe tonight will be something good. Maybe we’ll get to find some answers to the spooky mysteries about this place,” he grinned, even though it was a little nervous. He wasn’t really good with ghost stories, after all.
“Ready to meet the others?”
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Posted: Thu Feb 05, 2026 8:36 am
As Amarynthos looked down at Ephesus, nothing but love in his eyes, Lyon hummed.
“I think so. I’m glad I ran into you two first. Help me make a good first impression,” he insisted, but it didn’t sound like he had any serious expectation–nor did he seem like he actually needed help.
Even now, as they approached, Lyon seemed rather cool and collected, with the same somewhat lazy, smug expression that seemed perpetually fixed to his face.
“You’ll be just fine,” Amarynthos assured, but he smiled like he was ready to step in anyway.
Reluctantly, he was only able to impart one last kiss to Ephesus’ forehead before he set him down. He’d have carried him the whole way there, and always, but if they were getting ready to go into investigation mode, he might as well be prepared.
And, it probably wasn’t worth seeing how long it took someone in the group to start fake-wretching when he couldn’t help himself to Ephesus’ lips.
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