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 Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2026 9:59 am
Riker’s head tilted just slightly, glancing toward Nic when he said that Ganymede was not a great name to be attached to.
He didn’t mean to tense, but he did. His hand dropped to his knee, fingers tightening over the fabric of his jeans as he tried to make sense of what that even meant. Ganymede wasn’t perfect, sure, but she’d helped him. And she’d helped Énna. She’d saved them -- was there when he was bleeding out in the street, calling for backup.
Riker’s brows furrowed slightly. He hesitated, careful with his words. “Why’s that? Not a great name, I mean.”
He wasn’t challenging, just confused. He didn’t want to sound defensive, though the edge in his voice probably gave him away a little. He didn’t know enough to understand what Nic’s words meant, but he didn’t like hearing someone talk about Ganymede like that without having any context.
“I mean, she’s… she’s done a lot to help us,” he added quickly, but his voice was quiet, like he was trying to smooth things over before he said too much.
He wasn’t sure if he should say anything else, or if he’d already said too much. He kept his eyes down after that, thumb brushing over the band of his ring to keep himself occupied and steady, second guessing opening his mouth at all.
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Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2026 10:00 am
“Sure she has,” Nic said—easy, like he didn’t see any reason to argue the point with Riker. If he said Ganymede helped them, Nic was prepared to accept that truth. It didn’t contradict anything he’d learned. “But last I heard, she’s made powerful enemies. Gets herself into things some of the rest of you have enough sense to avoid. Maybe she does it ‘cause no one else will. She’s still got a target on her back, which means anyone with her name has a target on them, too.”
Énna inhaled deep and exhaled slowly.
He knew to some extent that Dad was right. The Negaverse wouldn’t care for distinctions. Knights guarded their Wonders and got their power through the Code, but the names attached to them still had meaning. Énna didn’t often consider what being a Knight of Ganymede might mean to those who wanted Ganymede dead. No one had given him much reason to worry before. Neither he and Riker nor their friends had experienced the worst of the Negaverse yet, at least not before tonight.
Nic felt Énna deflate against him as much as he saw the way his face fell and his shoulders sagged. He tucked a lock of hair behind Énna’s ear and looked him over. Énna was paler than usual. Even the flush in his cheeks, put there when he was shy or embarrassed or overexerted himself, had been drained away. He had dark smudges beneath his eyes, which themselves looked dull beneath the glimmer of stubbornly restrained tears.
“Enough about that tonight,” Nic decided. “You need rest. We can talk more in the morning. Figure out what the hell that blood magic is.”
He caught Riker’s eye again. Nic scrutinized him, tried to figure out for himself what must be going on in Riker’s head. All Nic had to work with was what he saw, what he heard. Riker cared about Énna. Riker wanted Énna safe.
“You can stay the night,” Nic told him. “Don’t worry about the couch. Énna’s got a big enough bed. But you leave the door open, you understand?”
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Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2026 10:00 am
Riker blinked.
“Oh,” he said, then a moment later continued, “Right. Yeah, of course.”
His ears went pink almost immediately, and he shifted a bit nervous and sheepishly where he sat on the couch. He knew exactly what Nic meant by door open, and he didn’t blame him for it. Not after how the night had gone, and especially not after… well… everything else. Still, the implication made him a bit flustered.
He cleared his throat and forced himself to nod again. “Yeah, I get it. That’s fine. Thank you. For, uh… letting me stay.”
His voice softened at the end, more genuine than embarrassed now. The last thing he wanted was to argue. Énna needed rest. And if Riker was being honest, he didn’t want to be alone that night, either. Not after everything they’d been through.
He glanced over at Enna and stood from the couch. “I’ll keep the door open,” he added quietly, holding out a hand to help Enna up if he needed it. “I’m not going anywhere.”
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Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2026 10:00 am
Énna felt unsteady, like the world had tipped off its axis. Too immersed in the thoughts swirling through his head, he had no energy left to argue or feel embarrassed. The concept of sleep seemed so foreign all of a sudden. How could he sleep after what he’d just learned? How could he sleep after waking from death?
He stood slowly, reaching for Riker’s hand. Dad stood with him and kept him upright with an arm around his shoulders. When Énna had his feet under him enough to walk, Dad kissed his head and nudged him toward his room. Énna paused to hug him, to breathe him in, to ground himself in the familiarity.
“I love you,” Énna whispered.
“Love you, too,” Dad said.
Énna wanted to ask more about Daddy. He wanted to ask Dad about his own experiences—what he knew; what he didn’t; how he’d learned it all and when. He wanted to know what Dad was doing to find whoever had killed Daddy, if it was even possible. He wanted to tell him everything about Yvoire, and everything about Reims, and all the things he was afraid of.
As for what happened in the basement that night, Énna was content to let it rest. The less he talked about it, the less he had to think about it.
He pulled away and laced his fingers with Riker’s, then led Riker to his room—around the loveseat, past the record player beneath the pictures on the wall, to the little hall that branched off to three doors. Énna went through the door on the right where the walls were turquoise. Fairy lights glowed in the dark, illuminating the room just enough to make out its features: a queen sized bed tucked into a corner with a single side table; a desk littered with various papers and a sleeping laptop; a pair of closet doors, and a large picture window shielded by pink curtains.
Énna cleared his throat, suddenly nervous. He looked around like he had to refamiliarize himself with the room, then glanced up at Riker in apology.
“I don’t think I have anything for you to change into,” he said. “Nothing’ll fit.”
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Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2026 10:00 am
Riker could help but smile a little when they stepped inside Énna’s room. It was exactly the kind of room he’d expect for Énna. Soft colors, little touches of warmth and personality filling every corner. The fairy lights made it feel calm, almost like the quiet breath after a storm. He hadn’t realized until that moment how much he needed the calm.
He glanced over at the desk, the curtains, then the bed, his expression fond despite everything. “This is… very you,” he said quietly, almost to himself. “I like it.”
When Énna mentioned clothes, Riker’s smile twitched wider, just enough to show the slight hint of amusement. “Don’t worry about it,” he said, shaking his head. “I, uh… brought a bag. It’s in the car. Didn’t want to make things weird if your dad decided he didn’t want me staying. Figured it was better to look like I wasn’t assuming I would be, you know?” he muttered sheepishly.
“I can go grab it real quick. Will you be okay on your own until I get back?” His voice went gentle near the end. Careful, as if he didn’t want to disturb the peace of Énna’s room or the soft quiet that had finally settled around them.
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Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2026 10:01 am
A shy smile twitched onto Énna’s face, but it was gone in seconds, like he didn’t have the energy to sustain it.
It was difficult not to make comparisons against his wealthier friends. Énna wasn’t jealous. His house was comfortable; they had everything they needed. He liked his room, but it was smaller than Atticus’—so cramped he had to keep his dresser in the closet. Énna couldn’t help but be self-conscious, even if he sensed no judgment from Riker. He didn’t often bring anyone else into his room. It was like exposing a part of himself he’d previously kept hidden.
He did that a lot with Riker.
“Yeah, I’ll be okay,” Énna said.
He smiled again, aiming for reassurance. He let go of Riker’s hand slowly, like he didn’t want to part with it.
While Riker went to get his bag, Énna moved around his room stiffly. The overalls were easy to get off, loose enough to fall and pool around his ankles when he unbuckled them. He stepped out of them and pulled off his sweater and t-shirt together, tossing both into the hamper but kicking the overalls close so he wouldn’t have to bend down for them. The ache in his midsection was more difficult to ignore, like he’d strained something from all the heavy crying.
He had to sit down along the edge of his bed to get his pajama pants up his legs. The accompanying shirt was too thin to keep him warm, so Énna pulled another sweater from his closet.
When Riker returned, Énna hobbled off to the bathroom to let him change in peace. He brushed his teeth quickly, then dug through the medicine cabinet for a bottle of pain reliever. He brought it back into his room and took two with a sip of water from the thermos on his bedside table, then offered both to Riker.
“I know you’re in more pain than you’ll admit to anyone.”
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Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2026 10:01 am
Riker moved fast enough that he probably looked like he was trying not to. Nic was back in the kitchen when he passed through. Riker gave a small nod. “Thank you again, sir,” he said quietly before slipping out the door.
The cold air hit his skin, grounding him for a moment. He drew in a breath, pushed away the lingering image of Énna bleeding against him, and grabbed the duffel bag from the car.
When he came back in, the house was still quiet. He changed quickly once alone inside the turquoise room, but as told, left the door open halfway. Sitting on the edge of the bed agitated his chest, and he winced before he could stop himself. It wasn’t bad… just familiar. Pain like this never really surprised him anymore.
When Énna came back with the bottle, Riker gave a faint smile. “You caught me,” he admitted. “Hurts, yeah… but I’ve dealt with worse. I’ll be fine.”
He took the pills anyway, because he didn’t want Énna wasting the energy to argue, then helped pull the blankets back. “You should lie down,” he said softly. “I’ll sit for a bit, make sure you’re comfortable.”
He couldn’t help but think how Julian liked the wall side of the bed, but decided not to comment on it. While Énna was getting comfortable, he checked his phone and texted Evan and Zac.
Hey. Safe. Met Enna’s dad. Staying here tonight. Heading home in the morning.
Then, after sending a similar text to Julian’s phone, for whenever he got back from Dering, he set the phone down and leaned back against the bed.
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Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2026 10:01 am
Énna wasn’t used to sharing a bed. Once or twice Atticus had stayed the night, but most of their sleepovers, sporadic as they were, happened at Atticus’ house. They fell asleep wherever they happened to be when they got tired enough. Énna didn’t have a preferred side, but he thought Riker might like the ease of rolling off the edge of the bed whenever he needed to leave, so Énna gingerly climbed on and took the side closest to the wall.
He winced and suppressed a hiss of discomfort by biting his lip. Moving was a special sort of agony. Every bend or shift or twist or stretch pulled at his wound. Énna put a hand to it like he feared he might need to hold himself together, flesh splitting, blood pouring…
A flash of memory sent a wave of nausea through him: twisting ropes of—
Énna swallowed. His hands shook as he settled along the mattress. He forced himself to consider the more practical matters of comfort and movement. Lying on his back might provide the most relief, but how would he rise later? What if he rolled in the night and hurt himself? No one had cautioned him that the magic might fail, but what if it did? What if his injury was too much even for magic to hold it together? He could wake up at any point in a pool of his own blood, fading from existence as the receding darkness of sleep carried him toward the permanent darkness of death.
No, he told himself.
He had too much to live for. There were too many questions needing answers. There were so many chances he wanted to take now that he had another opportunity.
Énna sat first, breathing slow and even until his heartrate calmed. Then he inched down until he was half reclined against the pillows. Like this he could hoist up or roll out later without having to lift himself too far. Once he was steady, Énna turned half onto his side, grabbing the blanket he’d slept with since he was a small child while worming his way under Riker’s arm to snuggle against him.
He’d thought it would take hours to fall asleep, that fear would keep him prisoner late into the morning, that the eternal sleep he should have slept would make ordinary sleep an arduous task.
But Riker was warm. Riker was safe.
Énna drifted off before he could finish mumbling his thanks.
He didn’t dream.
Fin!
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