Archive of Our Own

The sun spilled warmly onto the streets below, where people were mingling with each other, moving from one store to another, their voices blending together into a soft, familiar murmur that usually belonged to a city that had only ever known peace. The air was crisp with freshness; the sounds of children’s excited giggles as they plunged into a water fountain rang out in the distance.

It was nice. Peaceful. A day that didn’t leave much impression besides a honeyed feeling of warmth and contentment in people’s minds.

This was also not the Okhema that Phainon had just left.

Another cycle? a weary thought appeared in his mind. He slowly stood up from the grass that he had just been laying on, his movements slow and careful. He leaned against the dark oak tree as he looked around. But… he didn’t find the other him. He didn’t trigger the reset.

Phainon’s lungs were still aching from the putrid air of the burning Golden City of Okhema. The anguished screams and curses of the people he swore to protect – a vow given so long ago that he had nearly forgotten the excitement and pride he had felt in that moment – were still ringing in his ears.

His hand unconsciously gripped the familiar handle of his greatsword.

Golden blood spilled, bodies of his loved ones that laid like broken dolls on the marble floors and their confused expression as he turned on them. As he watched life seep out of their eyes, their faces twisted with shock even in death. Betrayed, hunted down, stabbed in the back by the last person they had ever expected to meet their end from –

Phainon shook his head with a quiet and anguished sound, his hand dropping from the handle of his sword. He pressed his palms hard against his eyes.

Memories of past cycles mixed in his head, producing an endless cacophony of sounds and memories of his past selves. It happened so often that Phainon had thought he had already got used to it, his body and heart so numb, so broken after thousands of cycles that he thought he was past it.

Apparently not, Phainon thought as he stared at his hands that were wet from tears. He wiped the tears on his cheeks only for a new fresh batch to appear almost instantly.  

He chuckled to himself, his form slowly sliding down the tree. His hand burrowed into the grass as he tried to make sense of what was happening.

Last thing he remembered was the fire that had swallowed Okhema whole. Phainon was running through the halls, dodging people left and right as the ran away from the fire and the crumbling walls. He swerved to the right, barging into the hall that led to a bath that he and Mydei used to frequent.

Half of the heirs were dead and their coreflames already taken. There was only a handful left and – as he locked eyes with Mydei that was standing in the middle of the hall – he knew the rest would not go quietly.

They never did.

The walls of the hall were destroyed, tapestries burned to a crisp. The marble steps were smashed in from the debris falling from the ceiling; the shelves that were once stocked full of supplies were now laying broken on the dirty floor mixed in with the fruits and sweets from the table that was now burning in the corner of the room.

Phainon gripped his greatsword as he skidded to a stop. He swallowed when he noticed Mydei’s lips twitching into a snarl.

They didn’t exchange a word as they stood in the burning hall, surrounded by bits and pieces of the place they once used to spend so much time in. They stared at each other, both refusing to back down.

Titans, how did Phainon wish it was easier. But if memories of the past cycles had taught him one thing it was this – Mydei had never made anything easy.

In another hall a column has fallen with a deafening sound. Only when dust settled did Mydei deign to open his mouth.

“What is the meaning of this,” he asked, his voice full of unfamiliar mockery as he almost spit out, “Deliverer?”

Phainon gritted his teeth as he fought back a flinch.

Despite what many thought of him, Mydei was not someone who got mad easily. He was not one to shout and scream when things didn’t go his way, he wasn’t an inherently violent or cruel person. And yet, his voice now could only be described as angry.

Mydei was pissed off.

And even after thousands of cycles, Phainon still didn’t know how to deal with Mydei that was angry at him.

He closed his eyes, a bitter smile appearing on his lips.

How did he wish that was one of the cycles where he had told the Heirs the truth of their world. It wouldn’t have made it any better but at least… at least they’d know that Phainon did not want to hurt them.

At least they’d know the truth.

Phainon breathed out, trying to calm himself down. He steeled himself and opened his eyes, meeting Mydei head on.

He just took one step forward, gripping his greatsword as sweat rolled down his neck, when he suddenly stopped. His hand flew to his chest where he could see something start to glow brighter and brighter with every second. A moment later a beam of light suddenly erupted from Phainon’s chest.

Phainon stumbled back, his hand flying towards the blazing light. He raised his head to meet Mydei’s confused gaze.

“I,” Phainon tried. “I don’t… This is not –”

A sharp pain pieced his heart, forcing him on his knees. He blinked hard, his breathing picking up. He didn’t know what was happening. Across thousands of cycles, this has never happened before.

His hand flew to his throat when he felt the pain spread. Phainon coughed, once, twice and before he knew it he was coughing out his lungs. He clawed at his throat, digging so deep he left deep scratches on his neck. He looked up at Mydei with teary eyes, confused and slightly scared at what was happening.

Mydei’s eyes widened in shock when the first drop of golden blood fell from Phainon’s ruined sun tattoo. All thoughts of betrayal forgotten, he ran towards Phainon, his gloved hand reaching for him.

“Stop!” he cried out. He jumped over a broken cupboard, kicking the burning chair away from his path. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?!”

The light in Phainon chest grew brighter.

Mydei ran faster.

“Phainon!”

Mydei’s voice laced with panic and his hand that was just centimeters away from Phainon’s fallen form was the last thing Phainon remembered before everything went dark.

And then he woke up here.

Phainon blinked back the tears and tried to center himself. His hand reached carefully towards his neck, expecting to feel deep gashes and ruined skin. His fingers trailed to his sun tattoo that got the worse brunt of that sudden attack but to his surprise the skin of his neck was still intact.

Phainon frowned. He then finally looked at his hands, his legs, his clothes. Somehow his broken hands and singed clothes were mended, brought back to their usual pristine state. He swallowed and realized that the burning feeling in his chest had also disappeared.

“Okay,” Phainon murmured quietly. “I must have accidently triggered a reset before my fight with Mydei. But,” he looked around. “Where the hell am I?”

He knew he was still in Amphoreus, there was no doubt about it. But in all the cycles he had never seen a hill like this.

Nor had he ever seen the house that stood in front of him.

One hand leaning against the tree, he stood up once more, this time making sure to pay more attention to his surroundings.

The hill he woke up on was overlooking Okhema. He could see people walking around the city, talking to each other as they went about their days. From this place Phainon could see a distant view of the Marmoreal Market and the Kephale Plaza that was bursting with activity. Phainon stepped outside of the shade that the tree provided and looked a little lower – there he could see multiple roads that led to this hill. Someone just a few meters below was riding a Dromas, whistling a tune as they rode back to the city.

The house that stood behind Phainon was a small two store thing. A pretty unassuming house with its bright sky-blue roof and a garden with its colorful and fragrant flowers being its only eye-catching features.

Phainon stepped away from the edge of the hill.

Aside from the Dromas rider and the bustling city, the hill was utterly empty of human presence.

There was no one around.

Except maybe… Phainon took a hesitant step towards the house.

“Hello?” he tried.

Nobody replied.

“Is anyone here?”

Silence.

Phainon breathed through his nose, frustrated. If this was a reset then he at least needed to know what date it was. He needed a plan but he couldn’t do anything until he found out where had the reset had sent him this time.

He stepped on the cobblestone that led to the house but instead of going directly to the door, he instead went for the slightly dusty stained-glass window. He walked around the wooden bench that stood below the window and peeked into the house.

Inside the house – though washed in red and blue colors thanks to the tinted colored window – Phainon saw a cozy living room. It was styled in standard Okheman fashion – light walls, a marble table and a kline that stood in the corner of the room and was covered with a thick lumpy blanket.

Nothing out of the ordinary.

Phainon scratched his head.

The house looked lived in – the tea set on the table and a tended garden were obvious signs – but he still didn’t see anyone.

He sighed. He’d have preferred to not involve Okhema this early but… City it was then.

Phainon started to turn around when a movement from the corner of his eye caught his attention. He stopped and with a frown looked into the room again, trying to figure out if he was mistaken and there was actually someone in the house.

And then he saw it – the blanket on the kline. It was moving.

Not taking his eyes off the shifting fabric, Phainon patted his clothes and took a white handkerchief that he always carried in his pocket. He wiped the slightly dusty window and looked closer at what he originally assumed was a simple quilt.

He observed for a little longer before pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation.

He was much more exhausted than he assumed, Phainon thought with a deep sigh. Because how else did he confuse an actual person for a blanket?

The person – and now Phainon was sure it was a person – unfurled from their fetal position and raised one hand from under the blanket, throwing it over their head. Their eyes remained closed.

Sleeping.

Phainon stepped away from the window, quiet as a mouse. After thinking for a few seconds, he went to the door.

He still needed to know the date, he tried to reassure himself. Between raising suspicions about himself so early in the reset and disturbing the sleep of a stranger – the choice was obvious.

He’d just apologize and be on his way once he had his answer, he thought with a nod to himself and raised his hand to knock on the door in quick succession.

No answer.

Phainon frowned and knocked again.

Still no answer.

He hesitated for a moment before he grabbed the door handle, checking if the door was locked.

With a low sound the door swung open.

Huh, Phainon blinked at the hall in front of him. Maybe that was for the best.

He stepped inside the house, his steps muffled by the thick carpet. Phainon looked around, quickly taking notice of the arched hallway that led further into the house, the various painting that decorated the walls and a small batch of antiques that were all pushed in the corner, as if the owner of the house didn’t have time to sort through them yet.

He stepped over the various chimera toys that were lying on the floor and quietly walked towards the dresser on the other side of the hall.

Perhaps they had a calendar somewhere in here, he thought as he rummaged through the documents and other random trinkets. He ignored the medical reports, not even checking who they belonged to. That way he wouldn’t even need to step further into the house and disturb the houseowner’s peace –

“Phainon?” a tired voice came from the living room. “You’re back already?”

Phainon froze. His eyes widened.

That voice –

He clenched the documents in his fist. He swallowed.

He’d recognize that voice anywhere.

“Phainon?” a low sleepy rumble followed by a soft thud of a blanket falling to the floor. “You seriously will make me stand up to greet you? How shameless are you?”

Phainon’s breathing picked up. Almost in a daze he looked towards the arched hallway that led to the living room.

That was –

“Mydei,” he whispered.

Last he saw him, Mydei was angry at him. Angry at his betrayal, at his treachery. His mocking Deliverer rung out in his ears, stabbing at his heart with how unusual – how unfamiliar – Mydei’s tone was.

And yet, another reset and he was here. His business with past cycle’s Mydei was not finished but for some reason he appeared in this new, slightly unfamiliar Okhema. In the new place with its homey house that stood on a hill that had never existed before.

And he knew – was sure – it had never existed before.

After thousands of cycles, he had learned every nook and cranny of Amphoreus, much less Okhema.

He knew this hill had never existed before.

And yet this knowledge did not stop him from taking another step towards the living room. Towards Mydei that was clearly asking for him, waiting for him.

He wanted so hard to avoid anyone from the city that it led him straight to the house that belonged to Mydei. Talk about fate.

Phainon stepped into the living room and all thoughts about previous cycles, about Okhema, about this unfamiliar hill – all was forgotten.

Because there he was – Mydeimos, in all his splendid glory.

He was laying on the kline, half-naked, golden skin on display and barely covered with a flimsy white blanket. One of his hands was thrown over his face, hiding him from Phainon’s gaze. The double balcony doors that led to the inner garden were open, letting in a light summer breeze and a clean smell of freshly cut grass into the room.

Not tearing his eyes away from Mydei, Phainon slowly stepped closer.

If he needed another proof that he was not in Okhema that was so familiar to him, Mydei’s appearance was more than enough to convince him of that.

Phainon has lived through many cycles, has met (and killed) many versions of his friends and loved ones over the course of these years and yet, even after all this time, Mydei has managed to surprise him once more. Because he had never seen Mydei – Mydeimos the Undying, Crown Prince of Castrum Kremnos, the Chrysos Heir bearing the power of Strife, the man whose hands and lineage were soaked with blood and violence and who was forced into destiny that he had never wished for over and over again – ever look like… this.

Soft, Phainon thought with his breath catching in his throat. He looks… soft. Comfortable.

Familiar and foreign features mixed together creating an image so enchanting Phainon couldn’t tear his gaze away even if he tried. Painfully familiar crimson tattoos, same shade of strawberry blonde hair that made Phainon’s hand itch with the desire to bury his fingers in those soft locks. Same build and strength that belonged to a body that was forged by one tragedy after another but there laid a difference – where once was hard and unyielding muscles now laid a soft layer of fat that only came with decades lived in comfort, something that his Mydei had never had the privilege of having. The locks that Phainon was so used to – shiny, a little wavy and with ends that were just uneven enough to get unnoticed by the general public – now were longer, shinier, wavier.

This Mydei was older, more mature. With scars painting his body that Phainon didn’t know the history behind and with experience that Phainon was never a part of.

The thought inexplicably made something in his chest hurt.

The sun slanted through the balcony doors at a slightly different angle and spilled onto the side of Mydei’s face, making his nose wrinkle in discomfort. Phainon stepped around the kline to block it, refusing to let it peek at Mydei as he stood above the now older man and catalogued every little change to his own eyes.

Phainon has traveled through many cycles and he knew that on his journey he’d meet different versions of his companions – some that still had their families and were livingly happily with them, never knowing the pain and suffering of losing their loved ones. Maybe some of them had found an unlikely friend in someone that used to be their mortal enemy in a previous cycle but who turned into a dear friend under different circumstances.

And perhaps, there were those that had even found love – a feeling so precious and yet so dangerous in how destructive it could be. Putting your heart into the hands of someone else was a feat not many were capable of and Phainon… Phainon knew that better than anyone else.

In his world – in his original cycle – he had never had the chance or the courage to confess his feelings. Had never said a word to Mydei, thinking there was no reason to do so not when the Flamechase Journey had taken over their lives. The prophecy, the weight of the world was more important than their feelings, they both were well aware of that.

And so, nothing changed between them. The tension remained, the eyes that were constantly locked on each other, smiles shared in the privacy of their rooms and touches that were only understood by them. No words or vows exchanged but they both knew the depths of their feelings.

‘In another life.’ That was the one thing that instilled hope into them. The possibility of a second chance, of a life lived to the fullest.

If only they knew at the time that there was no another life.

Maybe then they would have taken the chance back then.

Maybe then they would have allowed themselves to be happy if only for a second.

Once Phainon became aware of the truth of their world, he knew he’d meet different versions of his companions. And he knew, there was always that one chance that perhaps in one universe, in another cycle, that promise of ‘another life’ had actually come true.

That maybe a different version of himself had allowed himself to be selfish, to be greedy with his desire.

And, looking at Mydei that had just opened his eyes to grin with lazy familiarity at Phainon, it seemed that this was the case.

A sharp stab of jealousy pierced through Phainon’s heart.

Why couldn’t it be him?

“How long are you planning to just stand there?” Mydei asked as he raised his hands over his head in a long big stretch, his strong body going taunt for a second and pushing his ample chest in the air before he settled back on the kline. He yawned and propped himself up with some pillows that laid discarded on the floor. He raised his brow when he noticed Phainon’s dumbfounded look. “What are you looking at me like that for? Cat got your tongue?”

Don’t let him know you’re not his Phainon, he told himself. Act normally. This is fine. He’s sleepy, just think of some excuse and then you can run for the hills.

This is fine, Phainon’s thoughts suddenly stuttered as his eyes dropped lower.

What the –

Phainon nearly chocked on his spit. He gestured vaguely in the direction of Mydei’s stomach. “You…”

Mydei looked down, confused. He looked at Phainon with a frown, his eyes still holding that sleepy edge. “What is it? Speak properly, I don’t understand what you’re stammering about.”

“Your stomach…”

“Oh,” Mydei blinked. He gently placed a hand on his slightly round belly. “I don’t think it got any bigger? You saw it a few hours ago, our child didn’t grow up that quickly.” He looked at him weirdly, “What has gotten into you?”

Phainon let out a loud half gurgling half wheezing sound that sounded suspiciously like a dying whale. He stumbled back with wide eyes, his legs turning to jello and he would have fallen straight on his ass if Mydei didn’t snag him by the edge of his shirt in time.

His panicked wide eyes continued to stare at Mydei’s round – pregnant – stomach.

Mydei tilted his head to the side and squinted at him. “Phainon?”

But Phainon’s brain was already gone.

Disjointed words played on repeat in his mind, screaming and kicking at his sanity with each passing second.

Mydei.

With a child.

His, Phainon’s, child.

Before finally:

Mydei was pregnant with his child!

Phainon suddenly froze. His mouth dropped open. His mind turned blissfully blank.

Mydei wrinkled his nose. He covered his yawn with the back of his head. “You’re acting weird. Did you hit your head? I told you to be more careful.”

Weird? Phainon silently repeated, his thoughts taking on a slightly detached note. He was acting weird? Mydei was pregnant and he was saying that Phainon was acting weird?

Phainon let out another half wheeze before a thought suddenly struck him, Since when Mydei was even able to get pregnant? And, his eyes lost its hazy edge and sharpened on Mydei’s stomach. Did that mean his Mydei was also able to get pregnant? Was that a possibility?

If so, Phainon took a small unconscious step forward, his fingers twitching at his sides. That changed some things.

For, uh, the future cycles. Obviously.

Mydei scoffed. He leaned back against his pillows with a small grimace and patted a place next to him. “I’m too tired for your games. I’m done. Come here this instance.”

Phainon pointed at himself like a fool. “Me?”

“Do you see anyone else here?”

“Y-yeah. I mean no. I mean I’m coming.”

Phainon took another small step towards the kline and once he was in grabbable distance Mydei, too tired of waiting for Phainon, just reached out and with one hand pulled him onto the kline. Phainon stumbled from the force of his tugging, nearly face planting straight into Mydei’s plush chest but managing to twist just enough at the last moment to only get half of his face smushed against Mydei’s pecs.

Phainon, now laying on the kline next to Mydei and with his cheek pressed against Mydei’s breast, froze with wide eyes.

What –

Mydei wiggled for a moment, lowering himself a bit for comfort. Then he buried his left hand in Phainon’s hair and carefully guided him to his chest.

Seeing that brown nipple in such close proximity nearly made Phainon self-combust on the spot.

“Mydei, what are you –”

Mydei gave a small tug on Phainon’s hair in reprimand. “What? It’s all your fault. You put this child in me and,” his cheeks darkened. “My chest feels heavy. If only someone,” here he pointedly stared at Phainon that meekly looked up at him with wide blue eyes. “Didn’t constantly stimulate it, maybe then I wouldn’t have so much milk.”

The last word was mumbled so quietly that Phainon at first thought he had misheard. He repeated, a little dumbfounded. “….Milk?”

Mydei glared at him half-heartedly. “No, pomegranate juice. I’m pregnant, Phainon. Of course, my chest is full of milk. What else could it possibly be?”

How was I supposed to know that?! Phainon screeched in his own mind. I don’t understand what we’re talking about! A few seconds ago I didn’t even know you can get pregnant, how was I supposed to know your tits can be full of milk?!

“Right,” he instead muttered out loud. “That… Yeah, that makes sense.”

None of it made any sense! he cried out in his own mind. He didn’t know how to act around this version of Mydei that was so much more experienced than him, that looked like this and was just so –

He thoughts screeched to a halt.

He said ‘stimulate’… Phainon thought a second later. Did that mean he – the Phainon of that cycle – not only impregnated Mydei but he also regularly drinks his milk?

He clenched his jaw and stared at Mydei’s voluptuous chest – and now that he was so close to it, he could see that it was definitely bigger in size. His own heart swelled, green with envy.

Why was it never him.

Mydei looked down at him with a frown. “If you don’t want it, you can just so.”

Phainon blinked out of his thoughts. “…Want what.”

“Milk, Phainon,” Mydei deadpanned in response and Phainon’s brain blue screened.

Milk… He. Was he suggesting Phainon –

“It’s alright,” Mydei continued, unaware of the turmoil he had just caused to erupt inside of Phainon’s head. “I’ll just take out the pump,” he looked around the living room with a small pinch to his eyebrows and mumbled quietly, “Have to find it first… I never had any use for it but it can’t be that hard to –”

He never said any of that!

“No!” Phainon screamed as soon as what Mydei was saying registered in his brain. “I didn’t… I want to.”

Was it weird? Maybe. Did Phainon care? No.

“Stop acting like this,” Mydei scoffed. He moved to stand up from the kline. “There’s no need to force yourself –”

“I’m not forcing myself!” Phainon interrupted and made Mydei lay back down. Phainon swallowed and continued with a shaky smile. “I’ll be glad to help! You know, you said it was my fault so, I have to take responsibility.”

He plopped back to his place on Mydei’s chest and swallowed when he noticed the pearly essence already beading at the tips of brown nipples. He stared at it, his gold pupils going so wide it swallowed the blue whole.

“Why are you staring as if you’d never done this before?” Mydei returned his hand to Phainon’s hair and once again guided him to his chest. “Acting so shy now like it wasn’t you that had bitten me raw until I had to ban you from going anywhere near my chest for a full day.”

He grabbed Phainon’s hand that was hovering over his right pec and placed it on his chest. With a light shake of his head, he put his own hand on top of Phainon’s and gave his breast a squeeze. “Nikador help me, do I have to do everything here myself…”

Phainon swallowed and he ignored Mydei’s chiding mumbling. His hand spasmed, digging into the soft flesh of Mydei’s chest. “Can I –”

“…You’re really not acting like yourself today. Since when do you need so many permissions?”

Yeah, Phainon thought and closed his eyes, letting Mydei’s hand in his hair guide him towards his chest. Since when did he need so many permissions?

His mouth closed over the perky nipple and his mind turned blissfully empty, all worries and thoughts forgotten as soon as the sweet taste of Mydei’s milk hit his tongue.

He inched closer, burying his face in Mydei’s chest as he swallowed, hesitantly at first before Mydei gave him an encouraging pat on the head and Phainon’s buried deeper, drinking mouthfuls after mouthfuls. Warm milk traveled down his throat, pooling in his stomach, warming him from the inside out. A few droplets tried to escape and Phainon followed them with his tongue, licking a long stripe down the side of Mydei’s chest before he closed his mouth over his nipple once more to suck with a new vigor.

Mydei’s hand stayed buried in Phainon’s hair. He tugged on it slightly when he felt Phainon’s choke a little but still refusing to let go of Mydei’s tit. “Calm down,” he shushed him chidingly. “Don’t rush. There’s enough for you.”

Phainon whined around Mydei’s nipple. His mouth was hot, desperate for more, as if he was actually a hungry babe that got his first taste of his mother’s milk. He nicked Mydei a little with his teeth and breathed in deeply through his nose, eyes rolling back behind his eyelids when Mydei’s sweet scent mixed in with the heady scent of his milk hit his senses.

Mydei smoothed a hand down Phainon neck, rubbing his shoulders in calming circles until he felt Phainon’s frame relax against him.

“You can get your fill,” he brushed Phainon’s bangs away with his free hand and pressed his lips to his feverish forehead. Phainon looked up at him with half lidded, dazed eyes as he continued to suckle on Mydei’s chest. Mydei raised his brow at Phainon’s slightly bulging cheeks and relentless pink mouth. He swallowed harshly and ignored the heat that pooled at the bottom of his stomach at the sight of the man that was so desperate to get just a drop of his milk. “It’s okay.”

Mydei cradled Phainon closer to himself and pushed his chest into his eager mouth. Phainon went crossed eyed for a second before his eyes zeroed on the other nipple.

Mydei brushed over the sweat damp white hair with a feather light touch. “You can take it all.”

✦ 𓆩༺✧༻𓆪 ✦

Phainon didn’t remember when he fell asleep. Last thing that stayed in his hazy, honey like mind was Mydei gently carding his fingers through his hair as he guided him to his other nipple and let Phainon drink every last drop of his milk.

Phainon didn’t remember the last time he felt so at peace. He was still laying on the kline and was covered with the same blanket Mydei used before. Phainon wiggled his toes – Mydei must have taken off his boots for him when he fell asleep.

Gone were his exhaustion and the persistent ache in his chest and eyes; Phainon didn’t remember the last time he felt so energized.

(At the back of his head he knew that this dream must come to an end at some point, that there was no way for this to be more than a simple indulgence that Phainon would continue to dream about for the rest of his life as he continued to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders.

But… For now, it was enough. It had to be.)

Phainon knew Mydei was right there with him – he could hear his breathing, his body heat and his unmistakable sweet scent that permeated the air. He breathed in deeply through his nose, tucking himself closer to Mydei’s side.

He licked his lips, still feeling the sweet milky aftertaste. Phainon prepared himself to open his mouth – in a delusional hope that maybe Mydei would let him drink his milk again?... – when he heard something that made him frown.

Squelch.

Phainon heard Mydei’s breathing picking up. His head was still laying on Mydei’s chest – he felt every shift, every beat of Mydei’s heart; felt as his chest heaved on a particularly loud wet sound that made Phainon squirm in his place with his eyes still closed and the back of his neck burning with each passing second.

Fuck him, he thought growing hot under the blanket. Mydei couldn’t possibly be –

Mydei let out a small broken noise. The wet sounds grew louder. Faster.

Nevermind, Phainon blushed to the tips of his ears. Even he wasn’t this oblivious. He opened his eyes. Mydei totally was.

What met him was a sight he didn’t think he’d ever had a chance to see – lifetimes spent in cycles included. Mydei laid next to him, his face and chest flushed a pretty rosy pink, his nipples perked up as his hand moved rapidly between his strong thighs. He threw the other half of the blanket on Phainon, leaving himself fully nude to the world. His brows were scrunched up, the corners of his eyes red as he bit his lips and let small shudders course through his body.

Phainon’s felt saliva pool in his mouth as he watched Mydei pleasure himself right in front of his eyes. His gaze roved over the taunt lines of his body, over the crimson marks that went as low as Mydei’s calves, over his strawberry blond locks that were fanned around him like a halo. He swallowed, feeling his throat dry up as his eyes moved lower to Mydei’s hand that slowed down to languid strokes.

Phainon listened to Mydei’s breathy moans as the setting sun painted him in the prettiest shades of pink, bathing him in the soft colors of dawn. It was as if he came straight out of Phainon’s most secret, shameless dreams, ones that he refused to acknowledge at the light of the day and only dared to entertain in the privacy and the darkness of his room when no one was around and he could allow himself to be as depraved as possible.

But even after the constant dreams of Mydei and his visage that Phainon tainted with his perversions – nothing could compare to what was in front of him right now.

Mydei turned his head to the side, hiding his profile from Phainon, half-burying his face into the pillow. His knees went up, his hand picked up the pace as he let out the softest, “P-phainon…”

Phainon froze. The sweet scent of honey and pomegranates overwhelmed his senses; his mouth still retained the smooth aftertaste of Mydei’s milk and now this…

Was this some elaborate plan on assassinating him? Phainon thought as he swallowed harshly. His eyes were glued to Mydei’s hand and the shine of slick he could see glistening on his fingers. Because if so, it was working.  

Mydei didn’t notice that he had an audience; his knees locked up and his hips pushed into the air as he desperately rode his own fingers, low pleads of Phainon’s name falling from his lips matched with the speed of his hand moving between his legs.

Mydei threw his head back, baring the elegant line of his neck to Phainon’s greedy eyes. And there he saw it – the bruises.

Lovebites, Phainon’s mind corrected.

Because that’s what they were – some were yellow, some a light reddish color that made a nice contrast next to Mydei’s crimson tattoos and some were a deep angry purple that stood out against Mydei’s golden skin with how dark they were.

Phainon unconsciously reached out to touch the bruise underneath Mydei’s jaw.

Whoever left these marks, he thought, knew exactly what they were doing.

A brand. The person branded Mydei with their – his – own mouth.

A silent ‘do not touch’ painted in a violent purple against golden skin, in a place so hard to hide that it was the most obvious ‘mine’ stamped across Mydei’s skin. A shout from the rooftops would have been more subtle than this.

The Phainon of this world, Phainon traced the bruise with his own fingers and felt Mydei shudder under his touch, was one possessive bastard.

Mydei slowly turned his head to him. His amber eyes were teary, overwhelmed from the overstimulation. His bitten lips were the most perfect color of cherry red, his cheeks and ears flushed a pink so pretty it was as if someone came down from the sky to paint Mydei’s face in the most flattering of colors just for this moment alone.

And he couldn’t blame his other self, Phainon thought as he grabbed Mydei’s chin in a harsh grip and closed the distance between their faces. His slightly chapped lips met Mydei’s and Phainon felt something in his head shift when he felt Mydei go slack under his mouth. Because Phainon… was absolutely the same.

Phainon pressed deeper, his tongue plunging into Mydei’s hot mouth that opened under him like a flower under the sun. One of Mydei’s hand wrapped around Phainon’s neck, dragging him closer until they were chest to chest, with no space between them. Their lips moved in tandem – Phainon copying Mydei’s movements at first and then quickly finding the spots that made Mydei’s shiver from the pleasure.

Never say that Phainon wasn’t a quick study, he thought as he hovered over Mydei, one of his knees slowly pressing to Mydei’s core. Mydei ground against his knee, his moans taking on a slightly breathy quality as Phainon pressed harder and harder against his clit.

Phainon dropped one of his hands to palm his core, right next to Mydei’s fingers that were still buried in his pussy. Mydei broke the kiss, gasping harshly, and Phainon, ever the opportunist, immediately latched onto his neck. He rocked his clothed hips into Mydei’s pussy, his lips leaving dark bruises on Mydei’s neck, making the new lovebites overlap with the old ones.

“You… You don’t have to… This, this pregnancy is making me – fuck, yes, right there – act this way,” he cradled Phainon head closer, offering him more skin. Phainon’s ground his clothed cock harder against Mydei’s pussy and licked his neck in long thick stripes. “You weren’t… feeling well. I can just… do it myself. You don’t have to do anything. Just lay back down and rest. I can,” Mydei stuttered, his voice growing lower and lower with each desperate grind of Phainon’s hips. “…I can finish this myself.”

And then, in direct opposition of his own words, Mydei spread his legs wider. He wrapped both of his hands around Phainon’s neck, his grip turning iron as if he was afraid that Phainon would follow his advice and stop.

Phainon smiled against his neck.

At least here he remained the same, he thought as he grabbed Mydei’s free hand and dragged it to his own cock that was already tenting his pants. Mydei’s body was always so much more honest than his mouth.

Always so bashful in the face of any affection, so shy when people admired him, so oblivious at what effect he had on people. A hard shell that hid the softest of flesh – here Mydei remained the same.

Phainon held Mydei’s hand and palmed his hard cock. “I’m feeling amazing. Can’t you feel it?”

“Your head –”

“Is perfectly intact,” Phainon said. He wasn’t even lying, technically, Phainon thought as he rocked against Mydei’s pussy, letting him feel the weight of his desire. His head was fine. “Come on, Mydeimos. Don’t leave me hanging.”

Mydei’s brows scrunched, his face still a little conflicted as his hips continued to grind against Phainon’s hips on its own volition.

Not waiting for his response, Phainon unzipped his pants and took out his cock. He lightly slapped it against Mydei’s core, sliding it between his wet folds. Mydei’s hips stuttered as he tried to bite back his moans, slowly unraveling under Phainon’s attention.

Phainon quickly took off his shirt, not stopping his slow grind even for a second. He dipped the tip of his cock into Mydei’s entrance, already finding him stretched.

Huh, didn’t waste any time, did he? Or, he suddenly dipped his finger into Mydei’s hole. Mydei gave a little surprised yelp at the sudden intrusion. Thought so.

The finger came out covered in a mix of Mydei’s slick and cum.

Phainon knew it wasn’t him so that left only –

He and the Phainon of this world really shared so much in common, he thought as he grabbed his dick and give it a slow pump. Mydei laid under him, his face flushed, eyes glassy and his legs spread apart, pussy glistening from how wet he was. He stared up at Phainon with blown out eyes and then raised one of his hands to Phainon’s chest tattoo, caressing it with his shaky fingers before he dropped it to his abs, outlining their chiseled lines.

He used to dream of Mydei like this – so open, so vulnerable. With his chest heaving and legs shaking, his mouth and face turning slack under Phainon’s gaze as he pleaded for Phainon’s touch. As he invited Phainon to ruin him with his eyes and body alone. To pump him full of his seed, to claim him from the inside out.

This was the reality for the Phainon of this world. Why couldn’t it be true for him too?

Phainon clenched his jaw and dipped just the head of his cock into Mydei’s pussy. Immediately heat enveloped him from every side and Phainon’s hips gave an involuntary jerk, forcing his length to go deeper into Mydei. It took all of his willpower to not thrust any further and to allow Mydei to get used to his size.

Because even though Mydei was already stretched, Phainon knew he still had… a very considerable size, if the wide eyed looks he constantly received in the baths were anything to go by.

Mydei’s expression went slack. His whole body shuddered when he felt his pussy stretch to accommodate Phainon’s cock. One of Mydei’s hands flew to the side of Phainon’s tapered waist, gripping it with all his might.

Phainon stayed still for a moment, letting Mydei catch his breath. He ran his fingers through his damp hair, slicking it back and baring his forehead. Sweat dripped down his neck as he grabbed Mydei’s hips, his fingers digging into the soft flesh and leaving indents from the strength of his grip.

“Okay?” he breathed out.

Mydei buried his head in a pillow but a moment later her gave a small nod. His hips wiggled in Phainon’s hold, prompting him to move.

Phainon let out an amused huff. Still not saying out loud what he truly wants.

Phainon took a deep breath and prayed to every God that was out there to not let him cum on the spot. He gave a tentative, shallow thrust at first, testing the waters. Mydei wrapped his shaky legs around his waist, crossing them at the ankles. He then suddenly dug his heels into Phainon’s back, forcing him to go deeper.

Phainon wiped the sweat off his brow, “You –”

“Not made of glass,” Mydei half glared at him, his eyes still hazy and black with desire. “You can move.”

He wished he could, Phainon thought delirious with desire when he felt his balls slap against Mydei’s ass. Mydei was so much tighter than he expected, so much hotter. His sinful heat squeezed Phainon’s cock from every side, making his breath quicken and his hands shake from how hard he was holding onto Mydei’s hips.

Fuck, he was close already and they barely even started.

He didn’t want this to end so quickly but he also couldn’t hold himself back anymore – he slowly pulled out, feeling every drag and desperate squeeze of Mydei’s pussy around himself as he tried so hard to keep Phainon’s cock inside of him, and then Phainon let go.

His next thrust was harder, stronger. Primal in how aggressive it was, almost as if he removed the shackles that were wrapped around him for the entirety of his life. He immediately picked up the pace, fucking Mydei onto his cock so fast that his hands kept slipping up, his grip faltering at the speed of his thrusts.

He didn’t know where this feeling came from, this desire to see Mydei get utterly ruined, to see him get reduced to nothing but a babbling mess as Phainon drove deeper and deeper into his body but this feeling had followed him for so many years that it had long become a part of him. And now he was finally able to unleash it.

He gripped Mydei’s hair in his fist, pulling it until his he bared his neck. He licked a long stripe from the base of Mydei’s neck to the corners of his eyes, tasting Mydei’s sweat on his tongue, his tears that had slowly started to roll down his cheeks from the onslaught of pleasure.

“Fuck,” Phainon cursed lowly under his breath as his breath was punched out of his lungs by another squeeze of Mydei’s pussy around his cock. “You drive me insane.”

Phainon let go of Mydei’s hair and leaned on his elbow as he looked down, to the point where their bodies were joined as one – he could see Mydei’s chest jiggle from his hard thrusts, could see his stomach bulging from his cock, his small baby bump not yet able to hide the girth of Phainon’s length and how it stretched Mydei to his limits.

“Come here,” Mydei whined as he wrapped his hands around Phainon’s neck and dragged him down into the filthiest kiss that was all spit and no finesse. They kissed as if it was the last day on earth – teeth digging into the soft flesh of their lips and their tongues intertwined, thrusting into each other’s mouths at the same aggressive, relentless pace as Phainon’s hips that were driving into Mydei’s heat.

He lifted Mydei’s hips off the blanket, digging his fingers into those round plush cheeks. His hips hadn’t stopped, couldn’t stop, not until he had Mydei begging for him to let him take a break.

But, Phainon gripped Mydei’s ass harder, his finger accidently slipping between his cheeks that were wet from the slick that kept on pouring out of Mydei, making a mess everywhere. Looking at that smile on his face, Phainon still had a long time to go.

And Mydei was smiling. His cheeks were flushed, his hair a tangled mess and yet Phainon could spy a shadow of a smile in the corner of his lips.

“Right… There….” Mydei dropped his hands from Phainon’s neck and braced his hands against the headboard as Phainon continued to fuck him so hard that every thrust punched the breath out of his lungs.

Yes, he thought when he saw Mydei unravel with each hard thrust of Phainon’s cock; his hips grew faster. He gripped Mydei’s ass harder, pulling his cheeks apart as he fucked into him, his fingers digging in deep, almost slipping. Exactly what he –

Huh?

Phainon’s hips gradually slowed down.

That –

“P-Phainon? What –”

Phainon frowned and hooked Mydei’s legs over his elbows, nearly folding him in half. Ignoring Mydei’s breathless questions, Phainon’s fingers prodded between Mydei’s ass and once he found what he was looking for, he pulled out and bent Mydei even further, until his knees met his ears.

Flexible, he thought absentmindedly. He dragged his fingers down to Mydei’s ass, right to his hole. Mydei was always so flexible.

“Here too, huh,” Phainon murmured softly.

He fucked you here too, he dipped one of his fingers into the slick from Mydei’s pussy and then slowly pressed it into Mydei’s ass. His hole fluttered for a moment before it sucked Phainon’s finger in, the ring muscle giving in at the first sign of pressure.

Did his other self leave anything untouched? Phainon wondered.

Stupid question, he swallowed and looked at Mydei’s entrances, both stretched. Both waiting to be filled. The envy in his chest grew stronger. Of course, he didn’t. 

Mydei looked at him with wide eyes, his smile nowhere to be found. His breathing picked up.

“Phainon –”

Phainon shushed him quietly and pressed his second finger in, slowly stretching Mydei’s hole. “You don’t mind,” he asked quietly, slowly pumping his cock. He met Mydei’s wide dark eyes as he inserted a third finger into him. Phainon smiled, his blue eyes crinkling a little at the corners, and pressed the tip of his cock against Mydei’s fluttering entrance. “Do you?”

He rocked his hips against Mydei, shallowly pressing the tip of his cock into Mydei’s hole but not going any deeper.

Mydei’s brows furrowed. He wiggled his hips, trying to get more of Phainon’s length into him.

Phainon’s grip on his hips tightened, his fingers digging into his hipbones.

“I need a simple yes or no, Your Highness. Come on,” he lowered his head and nuzzled into Mydei’s sweat damp locks. He took a deep breath before he mumbled softly into Mydei’s skin. “Use that pretty mouth of yours.”

A violent shudder coursed through Mydei’s body. His lips trembled; he pursed them into a thin line and scrunched his eyes. He turned his head away, exposing his neck to Phainon’s eyes. Phainon’s lips immediately latched into the smooth bared skin.

Mydei’s breath hitched. “Stop,” he said with a trembling voice. “…teasing me.”

“Now,” Phainon let go of Mydei’s neck with a loud sound and admired his work. He continued to slowly grind against Mydei’s entrance and dropped one of his hands to play with the wet folds of his pussy. “Where is the fun in that?”

Mydei half glared at him from under his wet lashes.

Phainon grinned. He pressed the tip of his cock into Mydei’s hole at the same time as he plunged two of his fingers into Mydei’s pussy, penetrating him from both ends.

Mydei’s breath was punched out of his lungs. He fisted his hands into the bedding, his mouth dropping open.

“Come on,” Phainon whined. He twisted his fingers in Mydei’s pussy and then pressed his palm against his clit. He felt Mydei’s legs shake around his waist, trying so hard to make him thrust further, to make him feel Phainon’s length once more. Phainon leaned on his left hand and locked his knees, not moving an inch. “Just let me hear it.”

Let him hear Mydei beg for it.

To hear Mydei beg for him in that low voice of his, to see his muscle strain as he tried to impale himself on Phainon’s cock… To see him be so needy, so desperate for Phainon – who could truly blame Phainon for wishing to see Mydei be reduced to nothing but a hot wet mess that was begging for Phainon’s touch?

An unbidden thought appeared in his mind: if Phainon of this world could see this, why couldn’t he?

Phainon’s hips stuttered as he drove his cock a little deeper into Mydei’s ass. His palm pressed harder on Mydei’s clit, making him throw his head back with a loud cry.

“Phainon!”

Phainon cursed under his breath.

He didn’t like to compare himself to his other selves. Didn’t like to spend much time thinking about the what ifs – he had a goal he had to reach no matter what stood in his way. There was no time for wishful thinking.

But seeing Mydei – beautiful, gorgeous Mydei with his pregnant glow and his pouting mouth, his shiny hair and his eyes, his smile, his everything – panting so prettily under him like this… He couldn’t help but feel the bitter sting of jealousy worm into his heart.

Why, why couldn’t it be him?

Why was it always someone else?

Why couldn’t he have this?

“Phainon,” Mydei’s tearful voice snapped him out of his spiral. Phainon blinked hard and saw that Mydei was looking at him with wide pleading eyes. “Please… Move. I,” he turned away, hiding his face behind the thick veil of his hair. “…I want to feel you.”

Phainon’s hands went slack. His next breath tumbled out of him – shaky, trembling. A little scared. “Yeah?”

Mydei’s lips trembled when he smiled. “Yeah.”

He wrapped his arms around Phainon’s neck and dragged him into a soft kiss. Mydei nibbled on Phainon’s lips and gently caressed his face with his long fingers. “Please, Phainon.”

He breathed his next words straight into Phainon’s mouth, “Make me feel it.”

And finally, on his next thrust, Phainon sunk fully into Mydei’s body once more. Scorching heat enveloped his length – not unlike the one he felt when he first fucked Mydei’s pussy.

Mydei was just… tight, hot everywhere.

“Yeah,” Mydei mumbled into Phainon’s mouth when he felt his hips pick up the pace, fucking Mydei’s ass with hard thrusts. “Just like this. Just, fuck, just like this.”

Phainon pressed harder on Mydei’s thighs, folding him even further in half. He showered Mydei’s face, his neck, his shoulders, his tits with wet kisses, leaving his marks everywhere.

Mydei’s slick was warm against Phainon’s stomach. With each thrust into Mydei’s ass the hard rigids of Phainon’s stomach rubbed in all the right places against Mydei’s pussy, making his clit pulse with each press of Phainon’s cock.

“Good boy,” Mydei murmured. He pulled Phainon’s head lower until his mouth could latch onto Mydei’s nipple once more. Phainon moaned when he felt that familiar taste of sweet milk hit his tongue. His hips moved faster as his mouth latched onto Mydei’s chest. One of his arms squeezed Mydei’s other breast in a harsh grip, his nails biting into soft tender flesh; fresh, sweet milk drippled from Mydei’s nipple, down the round swell of his chest. Phainon stopped his sucking and switched to another breast, not letting even a drop of milk go to waste.

Mydei’s patted his hair with a weak hand and spread his legs even wider.

Letting – inviting – Phainon to ruin him. To use him however he wanted.

He let Phainon twist him in various positions, to manhandle him to his (and Mydei’s) heart’s desire. He let Phainon fuck him on his side with Mydei’s back flush to Phainon chest as he kneaded Mydei’s breasts as if they were his personal stressballs, licking the pouring milk that pooled in the palms of his hands and rubbing what was left back into Mydei’s skin.

He let Phainon fuck his face, push Mydei’s head until his lips met the wired white curls and until his throat was bulging from Phainon’s cock, his cheeks hollowed from each hard suck. Until Mydei drooled all around the cock in his mouth and his eyes grew hazy from each hard thrust.

He let him fuck him when they were both standing up with Mydei’s back against the wall and legs wrapped around Phainon’s waist as Phainon bounced him on his cock. His arms bulged, muscles rolled under his skin every time he dropped Mydei on his cock.

He let Phainon fuck him on his knees with Phainon pushing his head into the pillows until Mydei thrashed in the sheets, unbearable heat pooling at the bottom of his stomach when he felt Phainon switch between thrusting into his pussy and his ass, never leaving any of his holes empty for long.

“You,” Mydei groaned into the crook of his arm that he threw over his head, trying and failing to hide his ruined face – full of tears and spit – from Phainon’s eyes. Phainon pulled his cock out of Mydei’s pussy and turned him around until they were face to face. Mydei made an aggrieved sound when he felt Phainon’s left hand clamp around his own in a strong hold and try to pull it away so that he could see Mydei’s face. “Are so fucking greedy.”

Phainon chuckled. Just as Mydei he was fully nude – having lost his pants a few hours ago after they started – and his sculpted chest was gleaming with sweat. He had a healthy flush on his face, his white hair was tousled, blue eyes bright as he stared at Mydei with wide golden pupils.

“Can you blame me?”

Phainon slicked his hair back and took hold of Mydei’s ankles before sinking once more into his ass. He threw his head back, his strong neck straining, sun tattoo glowing in different shades of gold. He let out a harsh breath through his teeth as he then looked down at Mydei and marveled at the vision he made – with his long blond hair fanned all around him, his tits still leaking and his pussy fluttering around empty air. Phainon took pity on him and let go of his ankles; he gave his pussy a light flick before he pressed three of his fingers into him, making Mydei jump and squeeze tighter around his cock and fingers.

“Ah, Mydei? Can you?” Phainon bent down to and pressed a light kiss to Mydei’s lips. “When you look like you were made just to take cock?”

Mydei went to cover his face again, the tips of his ears going bright right. Phainon caught his arms with his free hand and raised them over Mydei’s head. “No, no. None of that. Come on, don’t hide from me.”

“S-shut,” Mydei swallowed down a whimper when Phainon flicked his clit with his thumb once more. He started to languidly move his hips, switching between shallow and deep thrusts, as Mydei tried to catch his breath, his chest heaving with each movement of Phainon’s fingers and hips.

He pulled at his hands that Phainon still had in his hold, his breathing growing more and more ragged. “…Shut up and just fuck me.”

Who would have thought, Phainon wondered as he started to move in earnest. He plunged three fingers into Mydei’s pussy and started to move them at the same pace as his hips that were driving into Mydei’s ass. That the Crown Prince of Kremnos would be so good at taking cock.

“Open your mouth for me,” Phainon murmured. He leaned down, his eyes dropping to Mydei’s parted mouth. He met Mydei’s dark eyes as he slowly let his spit dribble into Mydei’s open mouth. Without breaking eye contact, Mydei let Phainon’s saliva pool on his tongue before he swallowed, his throat bobbing.

Phainon breath hitched.

Titans, he rushed to kiss Mydei, finally letting go of his hands. Don’t let this end.

Mydei’s hands, now free, rushed to wrap around Phainon’s neck. He wrapped his legs tighter around Phainon’s hips, tugging him closer until they were flushed against each other.

At the back of his mind Phainon knew this moment couldn’t last – the Phainon of this cycle could come back at any given moment and Phainon would have no choice but to flee the second it happened.

But, Phainon kissed Mydei deeper and slightly opened his eyes. He watched Mydei’s furrowed brows relax, his expression going slack when Phainon twisted his hips just right. Watched with burning eyes as Mydei fell apart on his cock. There was still time.

Mydei gasped into his mouth. His back arched in a perfect arc.

And until then Phainon would take everything he could.

After all, he thought as his hips drove into Mydei, his pace stuttering, turning frenzied. Why should only one Phainon get to enjoy this?

✦ 𓆩༺✧༻𓆪 ✦

“Is he?...”

Mydei looked back – the kline was empty. “Yes, Lady Tribbie. He is gone. That should be the last one, right?”

A soft sound of tea getting poured into the cup, followed by a relieved sigh was heard on the other side of the call. “Yes. Our Snowy should be home soon.”

“He… he won’t be hurt, right? You mentioned before that the curse was relatively harmless.”

“Snowy is not hurt, De. Think of it as…  sleeping. Snowy is just sleeping right now, he’s not in any pain. Don’t worry, he will come back to you soon.”

“…Thank you for all your help. Once he’s back, we will make sure to pay you a visit.”

✦ 𓆩༺✧༻𓆪 ✦

The next time Mydei woke up he was already alone.

The sky outside of the window was turning dark, the night air was fresh and slightly chilly on Mydei’s skin. His body felt pleasantly sore, used in a way that he’d become long familiar with; his chest was bruised, his hips and his neck bearing new marks of Phainon’s passion. He was laying on his kline, covered with a familiar flimsy blanket; Phainon must have cleaned him – Mydei didn’t feel any stickiness or leftover sweat on his skin.

He did a full body stretch, his back arching of the bedding and toes curling. His thighs rubbed against each other and that’s when he felt it – something wet dripping out of him on the sheets below. Mydei stilled and frowned. He trailed one of his fingers under the blanket until he reached his entrance. He carefully palmed his pussy and dipped one of his fingers into his still tender hole. His legs kicked out on instinct and his breathing grew slightly shallow when he realized – Phainon didn’t clean him there. Mydei reached once more, this time towards his ass and felt his soft entrance flutter around his fingers.

His cheeks grew warm.

Mydei was still full of Phainon’s cum.

It was in his pussy, in his ass, in his stomach when Phainon had painted his throat white and made him swallow every drop –

It was everywhere.

Phainon had left his mark on every inch of Mydei’s skin.

“Welcome back, sunshine. You sure took your time waking up.”

Mydei flinched. He turned into the direction the voice came from and his eyes widened.

“Phainon.”

His Phainon, Mydei corrected himself, drinking in the sight of his husband. He was finally back.

The man looked the same as he did before he disappeared – all white hair and a familiar bright smile on his lips. His face was a little pinched and his usually blue eyes were now gold as he scanned every inch of the room.

The tension in Mydei’s shoulders eased slightly and he let out the breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding. He tried to stand up from the kline but at the last moment his legs buckled; he would have fallen straight on his face if Phainon hadn’t appeared by his side and caught him.

“Hey, now. Don’t hurt yourself,” the man’s lips twitched at the corners at the slightly wide-eyed look Mydei shot him. “It’s okay.”

Mydei hands flew to his face. “You’re back. How long –”

“Around an hour ago.”

“Why didn’t you wake me?”

Phainon brought them both back to the kline. He gave Mydei a little push until he was leaning on the pillows and covered his shoulders with a blanket.

“You looked like you needed some rest,” he looked pointedly at the bruises on Mydei’s body.

Mydei pulled Phainon until he laid beside him. He hugged him close and burrowed his nose in his hair, breathing in his scent. “I feel fine. This is nothing.”

Phainon’s eyebrow pinched. “Are you sure –”

Mydei pulled his head back by his hair until Phainon was looking at him with a frown. “You’re back after days of being cursed and your first move is to doubt everything I say?”

Mydei remembered how a few days ago a panicked Hyacine barged into his and Phainon’s home in the city and ordered him to pack their bags. Through her mumbled and hurried explanation he understood that something went awry during Phainon’s last mission with her. What was supposed to be a simple exploration of an old abandoned temple with Phainon accompanying Hyacine for safety reasons, turned into his husband falling into a cursed pond because of an overexcited pet pegasus and later a nervous Hyacine helping him pack their bags while Phainon was transported to the safe house because nobody knew how the curse would manifest in him, what with how little information they had on it at the time.

Mydei remembered how he ran into the safe house, preparing himself for the worst when he saw Phainon, still wet from the pond, grin at him weakly from the porch. Little Ica was fluttering all around him in a flurry of sparkles and rainbows, letting out soft apologetic sounds every few seconds.

Little Ica made another pitiful trilling noise, her round ears going flat against her head. “Doot doot.”

“Yeah,” Phainon sighed, his grin disappearing. “Doot doot, Little Ica. Doot doot.”

And then he directed to Mydei, “Before you say anything – it wasn’t my fault.”

“You always say it even when it is your fault,” Mydei got off from Kokopo the Third and with wide strides he hurried to Phainon’s side. “What happened?”

Phainon rubbed the back of his head. “Do you want a retelling on how I fell into the pond?”

“No, Hyacine already told me and I trust she treated you too. She mentioned a curse; do you have an idea of what we should expect?”

“Ah,” Phainon grimaced. “Right. The curse.”

“What is it?”

“We aren’t exactly sure. Hyacine brought the slate that was near the pond to Professor Anaxa and Tribbie but we are short on time – they had no time to fully examine it and they’d need at least a week to produce any results. They mentioned the curse had the symbols for ‘time’ and ‘split’ in it, and we also know that the curse attaches the person who got cursed – me, in this case – to the person who is the closest to him in his time – you, obviously. I go whenever you go, all that thing. So,” he spread his arms, “whatever this curse is, you’re stuck with me.”

“I wouldn’t expect any different from you. That’s the least surprising thing about it,” then Mydei frowned, “but split and time? This doesn’t sound good.”

Phainon shrugged helplessly. “…There are some good news, I guess? Tribbie said that the curse is relatively harmless and shouldn’t last long; not all hope is lost.”

“How long?”

“Less than a week. Maybe 3-4 days. In the meantime, Professor and Tribbie will try to decipher the slate and keep you updated.”

Mydei breathed out. “Alright. That… sounds like a plan. Is there something else we need to do?”

Phainon shrugged again. “Prepare ourselves mentally? What else could we possibly do but wait?”

✦ 𓆩༺✧༻𓆪 ✦

“A warmer welcome wouldn’t have hurt you,” Phainon mumbled and then tried again, “You know it wasn’t my fault! And you’re pregnant! You – ”

“Don’t you dare try this with me – we had sex that was thrice more intense just a week ago, you hypocritical bastard.”

Phainon sighed and stayed quiet. He wiggled a little until he was pressed closer to Mydei and stretched one arm over Mydei’s baby bump.

Mydei looked down at him with a raised eyebrow. “Now you’re sulking? Phainon,” he tugged on his hair. Gold eyes – Mydei was really starting to miss the usual blue – looked at him sullenly. “What is this about?”

“…” Phainon stared at him. “Do you prefer them to me?”

Mydei balked. “What?”

“Them,” Phainon repeated. “The other versions of me. I got their memories, you know. Once they disappeared. It’s a little weird,” he admitted. “Like I’m watching and living through their memories at the same time. As a bystander but also an active participant. But it’s not as different from the cycles and the myriads of memories that came from them. It just took me some time to get used to the feeling again. Hadn’t felt it in a very, very long time.”

“…Is that the real reason why you didn’t wake me up once you were back?”

“Partially?” Phainon tried to smile. “You really did look like you needed some rest.”

“I told you I’m fine. And I already rested – I feel good.”

Phainon ducked his head. “I guess.”

✦ 𓆩༺✧༻𓆪 ✦

The next day after they found out about the curse, Mydei woke up to an empty house.

His husband was gone.

An hour later someone else stood in his place –

and only then did Mydei understand the true nature of Phainon’s curse.

For standing before him was none other than Khaslana from the very first cycle.

✦ 𓆩༺✧༻𓆪 ✦

Mydei looked at him with furrowed brows. “Now, will you tell me what was this about me preferring your other versions to you?”

Phainon flinched a little. “It’s nothing. Forget about it –”

Mydei frowned. “What is your problem? I don’t understand. They’re a part of you. Without you they wouldn’t exist. What is there to prefer when,” he looked pointedly at Phainon. “I already have you here.”

“It’s just,” Phainon started. “I know I… look differently now. Your cooking really did a number on me and, I guess, seeing them – me, looking like that – with you just. Messed with my head a little. Told you it’s nothing. I’ll get over it.”

“…But you look better now,” Mydei said, confused.

And he did – Phainon’s frame was slightly bigger, arms and legs thicker. His white hair was shining with strands of silver and he was sporting tiny wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, a testament to a life lived in happiness. Years of peace and homemade cooking did wonders to his health and body – he might no longer have the body of the warrior that lived off of salads and water that he used to have 10 years ago but he was now twice as strong and healthy.

He looked good. Amazing even.

What the hell was his problem? Mydei wondered.

Phainon stilled. He looked at Mydei, gold finally bleeding out of his eyes to get replaced by a familiar warm blue. His mouth dropped a little, his expression slightly stunned. “Huh?”

“You look better now,” Mydei repeated, still as confused as before. “I don’t understand what you’re worried about.”

Phainon blinked at him. “You really think so?”

“Yes? What even gave you an impression that I didn’t?”

“I mean,” Phainon waved a hand over his body and his much softer muscles. “Look at me and compare me to the guy that was here the day before.”

“You mean a part of you? Compare you to a part of your own self?” Mydei deadpanned.

“…I guess.”

Mydei raised his eyebrow. “My answer doesn’t change, in any case. I don’t care for your looks but if you seriously wish to know, I actually much prefer the way you look now than what you used to look like before.”

Phainon propped himself up on his elbow and frowned down at Mydei. “You actually mean it?”

“Are you accusing me of being a liar?”

“No! I just… I’m trying to understand.”

“What is so hard about that? I told you I do not care for your looks but to me you look better now. You’re healthier, stronger. You look like you live a happy life. Why exactly shouldn’t I prefer this you to your past appearance?”

“Huh,” Phainon lowered himself and tucking himself back to Mydei’s side. “I never thought of it like this.”

“Of course you didn’t. It’s a miracle you even think at all.”

“Hey, don’t be rude now.”

Mydei pinched the back of his neck. Phainon squawked in surprise. “Remind me again how exactly did you get cursed and disappeared for 3 days, leaving me to deal with different versions of yourself?”

“I told you it wasn’t my fault!”

“Right, how could I forget. It was all Little Ica.”

“You don’t believe me but I’m telling you she really had a part in this. If she didn’t,” Phainon waved a hand around his face. “If she didn’t sprinkle weird glitter all over my face, I wouldn’t have fallen into that pond!”

“Whatever you say, Phainon.”

✦ 𓆩༺✧༻𓆪 ✦

“How many of them will appear?”

It was the end of the second day; at that point Mydei had been visited by Phainons from 2 different cycles.

And Phainon's - Mydei's Phainon - absence was like an aching void inside of Mydei’s heart.

“We don’t know, De,” Tribbie’s apologetic voice came from the teleslate. “Because of what Snowy went through the curse didn’t work as intended – instead of splitting Snowy into different versions by age, the curse instead latched onto his memories.”

Mydei slightly frowned. “You mean the curse was supposed to split him by his age?”

“Yes. From what we gathered, the slate mentions 3 different ages – 6, 16 and 26. If it wasn’t for Snowy’s memories, you would have been visited by them during these 3 days. But…”

Mydei ran a hand through his hair as he remembered what happened in the past 2 days and nodded to himself.

“I see. Thank you for telling me. If that is the case then I know who should visit me tomorrow.”

“Did you notice anything?” Tribbie asked, curiously.

“Yes,” Mydei hesitated for a second and looked outside of the window. It was getting dark. “I don’t think their visits are linear.”

“What do you mean?”

“They’re not visiting from the youngest to oldest,” Mydei explained. “It’s random. Yesterday I was visited by a Phainon that came from the very first cycle; but today it was the opposite – if I had to guess, he had to be from one of the later ones.”

A pause. “Did they do something?”

Mydei blinked as he tightened the blanket around his shoulders. It was at times like these that he especially missed his personal walking heater. Pregnancy has made him so much more sensitive to cold but it was just Mydei’s luck that the man who was responsible for keeping him warm went on a pretty harmless mission and somehow fell into a cursed pond. Just what was Mydei’s life?

“De?”

Mydei startled and his hand curled around his teleslate. “Still here. No, they haven’t done anything. They were pretty harmless, actually.”

Very guilty, very cuddly, very horny and then twice as guilty because of that.

They honestly acted just like his Phainon that was caught doing something he shouldn’t have.

Which made perfect sense considering that they were Phainons. Phainons that were missing a few memories but ultimately, they were the very same person.

“That’s good,” he heard Tribbie breathe out a sigh of relief. “We know they’re Snowy but you should still be careful, De.”

“Don’t worry about me, Lady Tribbie, I can take care of myself. Is there anything else I should be aware of?”

He heard a rustle of papers on the other side of the line and then Tribbie said, “No. That’s it. It should all be over tomorrow. Once tomorrow ends, our Snowy should be back in one piece and not missing any of his memories.”

“…And what about other Phainons?” Mydei asked hesitantly. “What will happen to them?”

“They are not exactly real, De,” Tribbie reminded him gently. “They are more like visions of the past. Nothing in their fate will change and they won’t remember anything. The only ones who will be impacted are you and Snowy once he gets back because, as I told Snowy before he disappeared, he more than likely will retain the memories of these 3 days. But as for the others... Everything else is already set in stone. There is no way to change the past.”

“…I see. Thank you, Lady Tribbie.”

✦ 𓆩༺✧༻𓆪 ✦

“Still not my fault,” Phainon – his Phainon – mumbled into Mydei’s chest. One blue eye peeked at Mydei accusingly, “And what are you complaining about. You had fun.”

Mydei tilted his head to the side. “I guess.”

Phainon leaned on his elbows, sputtering in disbelief. “You guess? I remember you, Mydeimos, don’t forget that. You might have not initiated anything first with the first two Phainons but even so, I know you were having a blast! I bet you were laughing at every little thing these guys were doing.”

“I mean,” Mydei thought for a second and then shrugged. “The only reason I allowed anything to happen at all was because I knew they were you and we – you and me – would be the only ones to remember these days. But I’ll admit, it was funny to see them pretend that nothing was wrong and that they were you. It hadn’t even occurred to them that me looking differently from what they were used to might mean that you weren’t exactly the same either. It was kind of cute.”

“’Cute’, he says,” Phainon muttered as he lowered his head back on Mydei’s chest. Mydei’s hand immediately buried in his hair. “Pretty sure these guys found out they had a mommy kink thanks to you. There was nothing ‘cute’ about that.”

“That’s rich coming from you. You were no better,” Mydei scoffed and pulled at Phainon’s hair. “Also stop saying ‘these guys’ – they are you and you had the exact same reaction as them. I told you before, Lady Tribbie said only we have memories of what happened. Quit being jealous of your own ghosts already.”

“I’m not jealous of –” he protested half-heartedly but Mydei could still see a twinkle of satisfaction and smugness in his eyes once he remembered that only he would remember these days. But like the hypocrite he was, Phainon didn’t say a word and just changed the topic, “…Don’t think I forgot about you sleeping in your Fig Stew form.”

Mydei’s hand in Phainon’s hair paused. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“My other self was there, Mydeimos. I practically was here. And you appearing out of thin air certainly surprised my past self – apparition, ghost, amnesiac me, whatever – enough to leave an impression.”

“That –”

Mydei didn’t even think that last Phainon noticed anything. He knew staying in his Fig Stew form for so long wasn’t good for him especially when he was pregnant – and usually when he turned, Phainon was there to remind him to turn back – but… His back, his chest, his legs hurt. And his Phainon went out and got his ass cursed. What else was Mydei supposed to do? These other Phainons didn’t know how to massage him properly. Sue him for wanting to get some relief on his poor back and chest.

“I didn’t think he’d notice anything,” Mydei amended.

Phainon half shrugged. “I don’t think he noticed in particular; he thought he was so tired he mistook you for a blanket. But,” he pinched Mydei’s nipple. Mydei swatted his hand away half-heartedly. “I know exactly what it was.” 

“Shut up,” Mydei scowled, his cheeks red. “Bold words for someone who tripped into a cursed pond and disappeared for 3 days because overexcited baby pegasus threw some sparkles in his eyes.”

“She blinded me!”

“With sparkles. Have some shame, Deliverer.”

“You are so cruel to me, Mydeimos,” Phainon whined into his chest. “You were so much nicer to the mes from before. What did I ever do to you?”

A moment of silence. And then –

“Fell into a cursed pond and –”

“Enough with the cursed pond already!”