Chapter Text
The past few days had been unbearably tedious. Nothing held Phainon's attention for long. Every moment felt like a repetition of the last, unchangeable, predictable, dull.
He lay in bed, eyes locked on the ceiling, as if staring hard enough might make a difference.
He couldn't wait anymore, the need for something different- Something new... Grew by the second. Something had to change.
The journey began with a simple decision. To break free from his routine. And for that, he knew just the person. Someone with a mind brimming with ideas and possibilities.
The sound of the waterfall was soothing, a soft breeze circling around his body. It was one of Phainon's favorite things, relaxing him to the core.
He stepped onto the platform and rode it to the top, where he spotted the one person he'd hoped to find.
Phainon approached Aglaea slowly, determination flickering in his eyes. “I need your assistance.” He said.
His hair was still messy from just getting out of bed, but Aglaea didn't acknowledge his disheveled state. Instead, curiosity lit her expression. Why was Phainon here, of all places, at eight in the morning?
“What would that be?” Aglaea questioned in her usual soft spoken tone.
Phainon took a deep breath, feeling rather stupid saying it out loud. "I feel trapped in a never ending loop, like every day is just a repeat of the last. I need something fresh, something to break the cycle, to bring excitement back into my life."
Aglaea studied him. “And what exactly do you expect me to do about it?”
“Uh.. well i thought, perhaps you had a few suggestions..?” Phainon didn't really think about the possibility of Aglaea not being able to help. She always seemed to jump effortlessly from task to task, regardless of the challenge.
“Well.. I don't particularly understand as to why you would come to me, to ask this question.. But if i were to give you advice on how to keep your routine slightly different from time to time. I would simply just tell you to do what you want to do. So long as it does not get you in trouble, of course.” Then she turned away from him, as if the conversation were over.
“Ah.. Well thank you, for the suggestion.. Lady Aglaea.” He sighed. That clearly didn't help at all. He couldn't just do whatever he wanted, but the more he thought about it... What did he want?
“One last question, do you know where Mydei is?”
So there he was, making his way to the private bath chambers. Where Mydei was supposed to be, according to Aglaea. The moment Phainon stepped inside, the warmth hit him like a wave, his body quickly absorbing the heat. Sweat beaded on his forehead, a reminder that his decision to enter in his usual work attire, might not have been the wisest.
As Phainon scanned the room, his breath grew shallow, the thick fog and oppressive heat making it difficult to think clearly. The air felt heavy and suffocating. And still, no sign of Mydei. It didn't make sense, a room this hot couldn't possibly be empty.
“Mydei?”
...
No response...
Better for him, atleast he wouldn't have to endure this atmosphere any longer.
“Looking for me?”
Just before Phainon reached the door, a very familiar voice echoed from behind.
“I was indeed.” He turned, relieved. But... No one. The room remained empty.
“What do you want?”
Phainon's eyes narrowed. Mydei's voice was close... Too close. Then he spotted him, barely visible, soaking in the water. The sound of dripping water and gentle footsteps soon gave way to his full reveal.
“This is going to sound a bit stupid but, i'm really bored.” Phainon admitted, eyeing Mydei from head to toe, watching as water dripped down from his hair all the way down to his legs. The towel around his waist clung heavily, soaked and barely holding on. (He hoped it fell.)
“So you came to me? I'm flattered.” Mydei scoffed, pretending to not notice the way Phainon eyed him like he was a statue in a museum.
“Don't be. You're just the first person i thought of.. But, would you like to spar?”
“I'm not opposed.” Mydei crossed his arms.
“It won't take too long. I'll take you down in the blink of an eye.” Phainon smirked before turning towards the door, opening it and letting the cold air embrace him, feeling the weight lift from his chest as the fresh air filled his lungs.
“You wish.”
“What was that?” Phainon lifted an eyebrow in confusion.
“Wait for me outside.” Mydei walked back in to dress himself up.
“Oh- Yeah right, your clothing.” Phainon had a feeling that wasn't what he said, but paid little to no attention to it, assuming it was nothing important.
A few minutes passed in silence, before the door behind him creaked open. Mydei stepped out, dressed in his usual attire.
Phainon turned his head, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “Took you long enough.”
Mydei stepped into the cold, steam rising faintly from his hair. “Some of us take time to actually look presentable.” Mydei said flatly, sparing a quick glance at Phainon's hair which was still messy.
Phainon chuckled. “You always dress like you're about to walk into a duel.”
“I always am.”
“Then let's jump right into it.” Drawing his blade, he spun it once between his fingers before pointing it lazily in Mydei's direction. “First to land a hit wins?”
Mydei's hand drifted down to his hip. “And what do i get if i win?”
Phainon drew back his sword. “Prize is decided after the winner is determined.”
“Fair enough.” Mydei brushed his shoulder against Phainon's, pushing past him as he walked towards the training area. Phainon walked close behind, and just as he was about to speak.. Mydei beat him to it. “What made you come looking for me?”
Phainon thought about it for a moment. Truth be told, he couldn't quite explain why Mydei was the first name to surface when Aglaea said, 'do whatever you want to do', but he just had to pop up right into the crevices of his mind, and now, he was here. “I told you, i was bored.”
Mydei was not falling for it, he could tell when Phainon was lying, it was painfully obvious. “Why are you lying then?”
“I'm not, i really am bored.” It was the truth but not the whole truth.
“Hmph.”
Arriving at the arena, both Phainon and Mydei began to stretch. Phainon rolled his shoulders, the metal of his armor creaking faintly with the movement. Mydei moved with precision, even in something as simple as stretching. He held an elegance that made Phainon's movements feel clumsy in comparison.
“So,” Mydei said, glancing sideways, “if i win, i want the truth.”
Phainon froze mid stretch. “...What truth?”
“You know which one.” Mydei's tone was mild, but his gaze was sharp, unflinching.
Phainon groaned, raking a hand through his hair. “You're really gonna turn a sparring match into a therapy session?”
“You're the one who came looking for me.” Mydei smiled faintly, but it didn't quite reach his eyes.
Phainon laughed under his breath. “Alright. If you win, you get your ‘truth’. And if i win...?”
Mydei raised an eyebrow. “You won't.”
“Oh, is that so?” Phainon's blade twirled again between his fingers as he stepped into the ring. “You're always so arrogant.”
“And you're always so predictable.”
They circled each other, the tension hanging between them thick and familiar. Phainon feinted first, his blade flashing low, Mydei parried without effort. The clang of steel ringing sharp in the crisp air.
“You didn't answer the question earlier.” Mydei said between strikes, eyes never leaving Phainon's.
Silence.
“Answer me.”
“I told you-”
“Don't lie.”
Phainon growled under his breath, blocking a particularly aggressive strike. “You're delusional!”
Phainon took a step forward but Mydei countered instantly, drawing a shallow line across his shoulder with the tip of his blade. Silence fell. The hit was light, but it counted.
Phainon sighed. “Damn it.”
Mydei lowered his weapon, not smirking, just watching. “Your move. The truth.”
Phainon stared at him, chest heaving slightly from the brief exchange. “Do i really have to?” He smiled weakly like he had been caught doing something he wasn't supposed to. Mydei stood silent, his eyes speaking for himself.
He hesitated, then finally. “I wasn't lying when i said that i was bored, but there's more to it, lately, i've been feeling stuck in the same routine, i wanted a change. So my first thought was to ask Aglaea for any possible advice, but all that she said was ‘do whatever you want’.”
“When it hit me, all i could think of was you..”
For a heartbeat, Mydei said nothing. Then, softly. “And what exactly do you want from me, Deliverer?”
Phainon hesitated. He didn't have a clean answer. Just a feeling that had grown too heavy to ignore.
“...Maybe i want just to be seen. And maybe you're the only one who actually sees me.”