(Part 12)

With that, Helios shot through the academy gates, fixated on one goal: reaching Poseidon before fate threw yet another obstacle in his way. He sprinted all the way to the hospital, lungs burning, legs aching, but determination stronger than ever, his breath coming in short bursts by the time he reached the entrance.

Pushing inside, he hurried down familiar corridors, briefly passing his parents with a hurried wave of his hand, before finally arriving at Poseidon's room. He skidded to a stop before the door, breathless but triumphant, finally!

But then he noticed the lights were off. The curtains were drawn, the room bathed in darkness, and Poseidon was—of course—fast asleep.

Helios stared at him, gripping the door frame in disbelief. His eye twitched. "Are you freaking kidding me?!" his brain practically went screaming.

Dropping his bag onto the couch with a dramatic sigh, he puffed his cheeks in frustration.

Was this a personal grudge or something? What on earth was Poseidon sedated with that he was only asleep whenever he visited?! For a moment, Helios had half a mind to grab him by the shoulders and shake him awake. But then his gaze softened.

Poseidon looked peaceful, his breathing steady, his expression serene.

Helios exhaled, his annoyance melting away into something quieter, something more tender. With a small smile, he reached out and gently ruffled Poseidon's hair. Pulling a chair from the desk, he settled beside the bed, resting his arms on the mattress. "Idiot…" he murmured under his breath.

He sat there for a while, absently playing with Poseidon's fingers. The quiet hum of the hospital, the dim light of the bedside lamp. It was calming. A little too calming. Slowly, his lashes grew heavy, his breaths deepened, and before he realized it, he, too, had fallen asleep. 

A while later, the faint rustle of fabric disturbed the stillness of the room. Poseidon's eyelids fluttered open, his vision adjusting to the soft glow of the night lamp. His body felt lighter than before. The ache duller, the heaviness on his chest somewhat lifted.

For the first time in days, he felt truly awake. Even if the surgery had only been a temporary measure to manage his syndrome, the pain was bearable. His gaze soon landed on the figure slumped beside his bed.

Helios, head resting on his folded arms, lost in the depths of sleep. His breathing was steady, his expression slack with exhaustion.

The sight made Poseidon smile, soft, amused, and touched all at once. "Idiot," he thought, the very word Helios had mumbled before falling asleep.

Shifting slightly, Poseidon sat up, adjusting himself against the pillows. He turned his attention back to Helios, reaching out to gently tousle his wavy hair. He could only imagine how long Helios had waited, how many times he had come only to find him unconscious. Yet, even now, he hadn't woken him. He simply watched.

Helios had worked hard. Really, really hard.

Minutes passed in quiet contentment until Helios finally stirred. A slow inhale, a twitch of his fingers, a slight shift of his head, then his violet eyes cracked open. He blinked groggily, still caught in the haze of sleep, before his gaze focused on Poseidon.

Poseidon grinned. Wide, bright, brimming with mischief and life. "Rise and shine, sleepy cat," he greeted.

For a moment, time rewound. Back to the days when that grin was constant. When laughter filled their world. When life was full of innocence, untouched by fear or loss. When Poseidon stood beside him, always smiling, always laughing, always there.

A lump rose in Helios' throat, his fingers clenching against the bedsheet as the hardship of the past week crashed down on him. The fear, the helplessness, the unbearable thought of losing this forever.

Without a word, he leaned forward, arms wrapping around Poseidon, his face burying into his shoulder. His breath shuddered, his body trembled, not from exhaustion, not from weakness, but from sheer relief. "Thank goodness…" he whispered, voice barely steady.

Poseidon didn't say anything. He didn't need to. He simply placed a hand on Helios' back, his touch light but grounding. A silent reassurance that he was still here. Still breathing. Still smiling.

Then, a teasing chuckle broke the moment. "Haha, so… is my older brother actually crying for me?" Poseidon grinned.

Helios pulled back, raising a brow, "Hmph. You think too highly of yourself."

"Oh?" Poseidon smirked. "Then maybe I should go back to sleep… and never wake up—"

"Tch," Helios clicked his tongue, already lifting a hand to flick Poseidon's forehead, "You've gotten bolder, huh? Running your mouth like that. Maybe I should teach you a lesson."

"Haha!" Poseidon laughed, dodging his hand, "Doctor, doctor, look~! Someone's bullying a patient..."

Helios snorted, shaking his head before grabbing his ears lightly. "I'm sorry, so sorry, Little Sea~" he mocked, grinning as Poseidon laughed louder.

The two dissolved into laughter, their voices filling the once-quiet room. Then, Poseidon lifted his fist toward Helios.

Helios smirked, bumping it back.

After a brief silence, Poseidon spoke, "You lost the Inter-Academy Nationals, didn't you?"

Helios sighed, nodding, "Yeah, I did. I was missing your esteemed presence on the team."

Poseidon rolled his eyes, "Drama king."

Helios chuckled, but his expression shifted, just slightly. A flicker of disappointment settled in his eyes, his shoulders slackening.

Poseidon caught it immediately. "Heli…" he called softly. Helios looked up at him with a smile, but Poseidon wasn't fooled. The grief behind it was unmistakable.

Poseidon's voice was steady when he spoke, "It's alright. For everything that slips away, something better is always waiting..."

Helios met his gaze, silent.

"Opportunities are never ending. Chances will always arise. With an unwavering will, endless paths will forever be carved, believe me," Poseidon's smile was small but certain. 

For a moment, Helios just stared at him. Then, slowly, his lips curved into a real, genuine smile. He nodded. "If you say so, Little Sea."

Then, as if snapping out of the moment, he added, "Oh, but you know what? Even Atia Edencity lost. Aitcheson Academy won the championship for the first time in seven years."

Poseidon blinked, "Wait—Kenzo lost?!"

Helios nodded, "Yup, it was a huge setback for him this time. And, a lesson for us as well."

"Well, that's something…" Poseidon muttered, still processing the news. T

hen, as if snapping back to reality, he asked, "Oh, and what about the academy? How's everyone doing?"

Helios smirked, a teasing glint in his eyes, "Well… mid-terms are right around the corner."

Poseidon groaned, visibly unimpressed, "Seriously? That's the best news you could give me?"

Helios chuckled at his reaction, unable to hold back his amusement.

And just like that, the conversation flowed naturally, slipping into familiar rhythms. Teasing, laughing, and exchanging thoughts, as if no time had passed at all.