"Someone call Xl-l-l—!"
The television chimed from the hallway—the sound of which echoed straight into the surrounding rooms.
A door creaked open, and footsteps followed towards the living room.
The area was illuminated by the screen, as shadowed moved along Felix's face.
At the sound, he turned his head to look at the silhouette of the person standing beside the sofa he was sitting at.
"What can I help you with?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.
"..."
Felix turned back toward the television.
"It isn't like I'm supposed to be sleeping, you know."
Still, Helio remained standing there.
Felix's eyebrows furrowed.
"It isn't like I am supposed to be sleeping you know. My sister is out there, risking when life trying to solve a mystery and solve problems with the Empire... And you are standing there looking at me like I am supposed to not be worried and stay in bed until the frustrating morning sun comes out."
He stayed silent for a while, with his arms folded. Then, "it is not like I don't know what you are going through... But I am looking after your health, which you are clearly not."
Felix gritted his teeth while pulling his knees up to his chest, hugging it and burying his face into it before groaning.
"It always has to be some sort of life-ending situation... Doesn't it?" He whispered with a muffled voice, which was still clear enough for him to hear.
"Well? It is not like your sister didn't warn you about it," he folded his arms. "Besides... She has reasons behind why she does something. And I can't defy it, even when I dislike it."
With that, Felix reached beside him and grabbed a pillow.
Thump!
He caught it by his hands before it could collide with his face, lowering it a bit to look at the kid in front of him.
"Why are you mad?" He simply asked.
"Why, you ask?"
"..."
"Because my sister is out there chasing behind a serial killer who wants to slit her throat and you are here standing in front of me and telling me to go back to bed..." He answered while pointing an accusatory finger at him.
Helio's expression remained surprisingly calm.
And somehow—
That only made Felix angrier.
"For once I thought that you would protect her... But you are only here, sleeping peacefully while I stay up biting my nails in fear of hearing about my sister's death!"
Helio's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Firstly, I am not acting like everything is fine."
"Then why are you so calm?!" Felix's voice echoed through the living room. "You are her fiancé!"
That made Helio stop.
Completely.
Felix noticed.
His expression changed slightly.
Helio looked toward the television instead. The ridiculous program continued playing in the background.
For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.
Then Helio slowly placed the pillow beside Felix.
"I am calm because someone has to be."
Felix stared at him.
"And because you are making the situation sound worse than it currently is."
Felix's eyes widened. "Worse?"
"Yes."
"My sister is being hunted by a serial killer!"
"She is currently in a completely different kingdom from him."
Felix blinked.
Helio continued. "She isn't alone. She knows who Kazimir is. Kazimir knows that she knows who he is. And Aefia has already started moving before he can make another move against her."
Felix remained silent.
"She also has people around her."
"Not all the time."
"Enough."
"And if they aren't enough?"
Helio sighed. "Felix."
"What?"
"Your sister is a combatant."
The younger boy's expression stiffened.
Helio's voice lowered. "She has survived things that would have sent most people running in the opposite direction."
"That doesn't mean she's invincible."
"I know."
"Then stop talking like she is!"
"I am not."
Felix stood from the sofa.
"Because it really sounds like you are."
Helio's expression remained fixed. "I am saying that Aefia knows what she is doing."
"And what if she doesn't?"
"Then she makes a mistake."
"She could die!"
Helio went quiet.
Felix's breathing became heavier. The words had come out harsher than he intended.
But he couldn't take them back.
Helio looked down. When he finally spoke again, his voice was quieter.
"Do you think I don't know that?"
Felix froze.
Helio rubbed a hand against his face. "This situation is probably going to take her longer than usual."
Felix looked at him.
"It involves her from the very top. Kazimir isn't some random criminal she can just drag into prison and forget about. He's connected to Mides. To the royal family. To things that existed before she even became involved."
He leaned against the back of the sofa.
"She has to deal with the King. Rosetta. Cedric. The Empire. And whatever Kazimir decides to do next."
Felix's gaze lowered. "So... you think she will be gone for longer?"
"Probably."
"How long?"
"I don't know. Maybe three weeks, three months, and somethings important and lengthy takes her half an year or more."
That answer was honest enough to make Felix's expression fall.
Helio noticed. Then he sighed. "But I do know one thing."
Felix looked up.
"If Aefia thought she couldn't handle it, she wouldn't have gone alone."
"That's not comforting."
"It wasn't meant to be."
"Brother Helio."
"What?"
Felix sat back down.
"You are really irresponsible as her partner."
Helio stared at him. "...Excuse me?"
"You heard me."
"I am irresponsible?"
"Yes."
Helio let out a quiet laugh of disbelief. "That's interesting coming from someone who was sitting here five minutes ago waiting for exhaustion to knock him unconscious... You really are like your sister."
"That has nothing to do with this!"
"It has everything to do with this."
Felix crossed his arms. "You should have gone with her."
"And she would have thrown me out."
"You don't know that."
"I absolutely do."
"Then you should have followed her."
"She can teleport."
Felix opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
Helio smirked.
"Exactly."
The silence lasted a few seconds.
Then Felix glanced sideways at him.
"...How did you two even meet?"
Helio raised an eyebrow. "That is a random question."
"I know."
"Why?"
Felix shrugged. "I want to know."
Helio looked back toward the television. For once, his expression softened. "She was annoying."
Felix stared at him. "That's your answer?"
"Yes."
"Seriously?"
Helio shrugged. "She was strange. She would appear, disappear, get involved in something dangerous, then act like I was the weird one for worrying."
Felix's eyebrows rose. "That sounds exactly like her."
"I know."
"And you just... fell in love?"
Helio immediately looked at him. "No."
Felix smiled.
Helio continued.
"Absolutely not."
"You did."
"I tolerated her."
"You bought her an engagement ring."
"That happened later."
Felix stared at him.
Helio sighed.
"At first, I thought she was impossible."
"And now?"
Helio remained silent for a moment.
"Now I know she is impossible."
Felix snorted.
Helio's lips twitched. "But..."
He paused.
Felix looked at him curiously.
"She became someone I wanted to keep seeing."
Felix's expression changed.
"Then someone I wanted to protect."
Helio looked down at his hands. "And eventually, someone I couldn't imagine not coming back to."
For once, Felix didn't make a joke.
The room remained quiet.
"...That's almost romantic," he finally muttered.
"Don't tell anyone."
"I will tell Nada."
"Felix."
"I'm joking."
Helio narrowed his eyes.
The younger boy smiled slightly.
Then that smile faded.
"...Can I see her?"
Helio looked at him.
"When this situation gets lighter."
Felix's expression tightened. "I mean it."
"I know."
"I haven't seen her properly in a while."
Helio was quiet. Then he nodded. "When things settle down a little, I will take you."
Felix stared at him. "Really?"
"Yes."
"You promise?"
Helio sighed. "Why do you need a promise?"
"Because you are her fiancé. You are legally obligated to make dramatic promises."
"That's not how engagement works."
"It should be."
Helio stared at him for several seconds. Then finally—
"Fine. I promise."
Felix's expression softened.
"Thank you."
Helio looked away.
"Don't make it weird."
"I didn't."
"You did."
Felix reached beside him and grabbed another pillow.
Helio immediately pointed at him.
"Don't."
Felix smirked.
Then Helio's expression changed.
Not dramatically.
That was what made it worse.
The teasing ease he usually carried around Felix disappeared for a moment, leaving behind something quieter.
Something tired.
He looked toward the television.
The ridiculous program continued playing in the background.
Then he looked back at Felix.
"Thinking back... Do you genuinely think I am sleeping peacefully?"
Felix went silent.
Helio walked around the sofa and sat on the armrest beside him. "I haven't slept properly either."
Felix's eyes narrowed.
Helio pointed toward the dark circles beneath his own eyes. "Do you think these appeared because I enjoy staying awake and looking miserable?"
"...You always look miserable."
"Thank you."
Felix looked away.
Helio sighed.
"Listen. I know you are worried about her."
"No, you don't."
"I do."
"You don't know what it feels like."
Helio paused.
Felix immediately regretted saying it.
Because the silence that followed was different.
He slowly lowered his knees.
Helio's gaze remained fixed on the television. "...I don't?"
Felix didn't answer.
"Felix," Helio said quietly. "I have watched your sister disappear before."
The younger boy's expression stiffened.
"And I couldn't find her. For three months straight once."
Helio's fingers curled against his trousers. "So don't stand there and tell me I don't know what it feels like to wait for news."
Felix stared at him.
Helio let out a slow breath. "I know exactly how terrifying it is."
For once, Felix had nothing to throw back at him.
The television suddenly erupted with another loud—
"Someone call Xl-l-l—!"
Both of them stared at it.
Helio reached forward and turned the volume down.
"Much better."
Felix remained quiet.
After a few seconds, he leaned back against the sofa.
"...Then why aren't you doing anything?"
Helio glanced at him.
"Because Aefia told me not to."
Felix's eyes widened slightly.
"What?"
"She told me she would handle it."
"And you listened?"
"No."
Felix blinked.
Helio's lips twitched faintly. "I contacted people."
"People?"
"People who are capable of finding things."
Felix immediately sat up straighter. "What people?"
"None of your business."
"Brother Helio!"
"And before you start," Helio added, "I did not send an army after her."
"You thought about it?"
"Very briefly."
Felix stared at him.
Helio shrugged. "She would kill me."
"Not literally."
Helio looked at him.
Felix paused. "...Actually, yeah. Probably."
"Exactly."
The room became quiet again.
Felix pulled the pillow back onto his lap.
His fingers slowly tightened around it.
"I just hate this."
Helio's expression softened. "I know."
"She always does this."
"I know."
"She says she's fine, then suddenly she's fighting someone, getting dragged into some palace argument, nearly dying, finding another enemy, and then telling us she has everything under control."
Helio stared ahead. "...I know."
Felix turned toward him. "Stop agreeing with everything."
"What would you prefer me to do?"
"Tell me she's wrong."
Helio remained silent.
Felix's expression fell.
"Exactly."
A few moments passed.
Then Helio reached out and placed his hand over Felix's head.
Felix immediately recoiled.
"Don't touch my hair!"
"Sorry."
"You weren't even sorry."
"I wasn't."
Felix glared at him.
Helio smiled.
But only for a second.
Then he looked down at the engagement ring he wore around his neck, hidden beneath his shirt.
"Sofia is reckless."
Felix stared.
Helio continued. "Stubborn. Annoying. Has absolutely no sense of when she should stop."
"Yeah."
"And somehow, she still comes back."
Felix's expression changed slightly.
Helio's voice lowered. "That's the part I am trusting right now."
"...What if she doesn't?"
Helio went silent.
Felix immediately looked down. He hadn't meant to say it. But the thought had been sitting inside his mind for too long.
What if this time was different?
What if Aefia went after someone she couldn't defeat?
What if the next letter they received wasn't from her?
Helio slowly leaned forward. "Then I will go looking for her."
Felix looked up.
Helio's expression had completely changed. "And I won't stop until I find her. For your sake."
The answer came so simply that Felix didn't know what to say.
After a while, he leaned back again. "...You really love my sister."
Helio glanced at him. "Unfortunately."
Felix's mouth fell open. "Hey!"
"What?"
"That's a horrible answer!"
Helio smirked. "I know."
"You were supposed to say something romantic!"
"I don't do romantic."
Felix pointed toward him.
"You literally bought her flowers last week."
"Those were tactical flowers."
"What does that even mean?!"
"I have no idea."
Felix stared at him for several seconds.
Then, despite everything, he laughed.
A quiet one.
But it was enough.
Helio looked at him.
"Feel better?"
"No."
"Good. Because I wasn't trying to make you feel better."
Felix immediately grabbed the pillow again.
Helio raised both hands.
"Wait—"
Thump!
The pillow hit him directly in the face.
Felix finally smiled. "Go to sleep."
"You first."
"...Fine."
And for the first time that night, Felix stood up and started walking toward his room.
But before disappearing through the doorway, he stopped.
"Brother Helio?"
"Hm?"
"...If she comes back hurt again, I am blaming you."
Helio stared at him. "How is that my fault?"
"I don't know."
"Great logic."
"Goodnight."
"Goodnight."
Felix disappeared into his room.
Helio remained alone in the living room.
The television continued flickering. He stared at it for several seconds.
Then slowly reached into his collar and pulled out the ring resting against his chest.
His thumb brushed over the metal.
"...Come back soon, idiot."
He switched off the television. And the entire house went dark.
But as he walked over to his room, his eyes fell on Aefia's which had been empty for so long...
It was claustrophobic.
With a deep breath, he turned the knob of his door and slipped in—not even locking it before flopping face first onto the bed.