{ Chapter Sixteen }
[ A/N: I would just like to say, due to my apparent love of torturing myself with character names beginning with the same letter, I made an oversight in my proofreading! I mentioned ‘Ace’ once in the previous chapter, when actually I meant ‘Auryn’. Ace was not there in chapter 15! ]
It was to be expected that any plan Finian concocted would fall to ruin when his little soul was involved. Above all else, he had wanted to minimise any stress caused to his son, which involved removing Ace from the planet as swiftly as possible and to absolutely avoid detection. But when had fate ever been on his side lately?
Just as they took a step out of the thermal on #OWS3, where the bite of cold air stung any exposed flesh, another personal transporter had only just landed and begun its sequence of disembarking. Both the style and code were familiar, identifying it as a craft belonging to the Spiritual Hub. Which meant it was registered to Yulia.
These transporters were not limited to her usage, however. They could be freely used by all those who called #OWS3 their home.
One of which popped their face out of the doorway, infamous grin on display. Remi joyfully tottered down the staircase which unfurled from the transporter. His big hazel eyes just as revealing in their emotions as the refreshing expression on his face.
“You’re back!” The young man shouted in excitement as he scurried over, the very depiction of someone who was carefree. The only hint of visible hesitation was in Remi’s insistence on keeping the thick material of his shawl in place around his neck.
He stopped directly in front of Yulia, chatting familiarly and quickly covering any information that had been lost in the short time they were apart.
“It would seem you’re back, too. Where did you go exploring today?” Yulia kept her hands clasped in front of her, the long fabric of her sleeves falling over any exposed skin. Even though it was obvious she held a special place in her heart for Remi, she never once offered him any form of physical greeting.
As the inquisitive creature that he was, Remi’s gaze had already slipped to the one face he didn’t recognise. Afterwards, he had to force himself to return his attention back to Yulia, feeling the usual flush of heat on his cheeks when he came face to face with bewitching Omegas.
“I didn’t go too far, promise, I just went to kidnap Caius who refused to accept my transmissions.” Remi pretended to pout, with his arms crossed in front of him, but a grin took over. “I couldn’t land on #OWS4, so I had to pester him until he gave in.”
From the doorway of the transporter emerged the lithe figure they were talking about. The young teen had completely bundled himself up in layers, and if Finian hadn’t been aware of how his son preferred to cocoon himself when cold, he would have suspected that Remi had managed to capture him in the excess material and used that to leverage Caius into the transporter.
Being the first to greet his son, Finian went further and tucked the fur-lined collar flush around his neck.
“If you had wanted to come earlier, you could have told me.”
Caius shook his head, “I wasn’t going to come. Remi isn’t lying when he said he pestered me, I couldn’t even concentrate on my painting.” Towards the end, he mumbled impatiently. His long and dark lashes demonstrating a perfect curve as looked down; Caius’ attention reverting to the odd splotches of paint on his fingers.
His papa couldn’t keep the smile off his face. “See? This is what happens when I leave you for even a short while, you end up using your entire body as a canvas.” He brushed strands of Caius’ hair behind his ear, “I have lost count of the amount of times my treasured child has disappeared into his art studio only to return looking like he has fiercely battled with a paintbrush.”
“Then it could be considered a draw this time?” Caius mused.
The older Omega who treated every piece of clothing he owned with meticulous care, who most certainly wouldn’t be caught painting, distinctly laughed and managed to ease any frustrations Caius had about being pulled away from his easel.
“Are you leaving?” Remi asked Yulia a couple of steps away from the transporter.
“I’m just escorting someone this time, I won’t be gone for long.”
As for whom they were escorting, Caius was able to catch a glimpse of him over his papa’s shoulder.
“Ace!” His reaction was instantaneous, excitement bubbling up and out of him when he remembered all the things he wished to share with Ace. Along with questions which had come about through his studies with Yulia.
But he had only just brushed shoulders with his papa when he was stopped in his tracks.
That soft expression which had once been directed at him, had disappeared in favour of looking straight over his head at the poised man whom Caius had called out so lovingly to, who had yet to move from his position. There was a silent moment between the two, tension Caius had never seen between the elder Omegas.
The way in which his papa looked at Ace would make it highly unbelievable, to anyone on the outside looking in, that they had grown to be close friends over the past few years.
Caius didn’t notice that in his frantic looking back and forth, Ace had subtly nodded his head. Agreeing with whatever terms hadn’t been spoken aloud, and yet wholeheartedly understood.
And with that, Caius was released from the hold.
He turned his head but found his papa walking away from him, making his way over to Yulia without looking back. His whole figure was visibly tense.
“Little star,” Ace called out and opened his arms,
Given the situation, there were many things that would have made him hesitate if it was anyone else but Ace. But all Caius could see was his teacher who had ultimately become his first genuine friend. Spending that much time with someone would naturally relax any doubts.
Caius reached his recently absent teacher and greeted him in the same way that was forced on him from early on in their lessons. Wrapping his arms around the man and squeezing tightly.
Ace genuinely laughed, laying a gloved hand on the top of Caius’ head. “It’s only been a few weeks and I feel like you’ve gotten bigger. Not to mention your strength, I pride myself on my splendid physique and yet you make me feel like a twig ready to snap.”
“Nonsense.” Caius scoffed, but couldn’t resist asking, “Where have you been… I’ve missed you.”
Above him, from the man that didn’t hold back in responding to the hug, there was the familiar sound of the soft clinking of metal coming together. It was one of Ace’s many preferred accessories; which on this occasion was a cluster of silver stars pinned back into the dark obsidian colour of his hair.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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“Do you like it? It’s another piece I created inspired by a certain little star which now stands so brightly in my life.” Ace touched one of the metal arrowheads that tickled at the side of his face in the open air.
Caius nodded, “I like it. The silver stars look better than gold.”
His teacher went very still. His hand slowly came down from his face and rested on one of Caius’ hands. “What makes you say that?”
“Am I wrong?” Caius suddenly doubted himself. “I just thought that the silver looked better with your hair colour.”
Gradually Ace relaxed and his smile returned, he cupped Caius cheek. “I see. I understand now. But remember this for the future, Caius, I much prefer the soaring of strong wings than the brightest of the golden stars.”
The more he looked at his mentor, the more certain he was that the smile on his face was masking something else entirely. It had always been difficult for Caius to look beyond people’s facade, mostly because he hadn’t understood why it was necessary to put one up around him.
But over the short time he had been learning alongside Remi and under the careful instruction of Yulia, he briefly got a look into the sea of mistruths and the dangers that could lurk closer than expected.
It was a different feeling when he looked into Ace’s dark eyes. The many times he had coaxed Caius out of his unsettled thoughts came to mind, and it led to him reaching out and laying a hand on Ace’s cheek.
“Why are you sad?”
It was easy to see that it took the man by surprise, and soon enough he gave a melodramatic cry and wrapped his arms around Caius once again. “I feel so bittersweet. I’m so happy you recognise that I’m upset, but I’m sad for what I must tell you.”
He paused but didn’t give Caius the opportunity to respond, and went on to say, “This is our goodbye for now, little star.” His tone much more sombre.
Leaving Caius to explode with questions, ones that had once been filtered. They were legible from short distance away, where Finian stood beside Yulia. Both adults devoid of their smiles as they monitored the distress Caius was now in.
As such, Yulia turned to Remi. “Child, would you mind setting up the coordinates for #OWS2 in one of the Transporters? We will be leaving shortly.”
Remi appeared somewhat reluctant to move, but considering who was asking, he nodded his head and took off walking towards one of the spare transporters, all while shooting a worried look towards his friend.
It allowed Yulia to devote her attention to the young man beside her, whose gaze seemed far more interested in what the lifeless ground had to offer. She couldn’t help but smile, knowing Finian as many things but definitely not timid.
“It would appear we underestimated how curious he was.”
Ace tilted his head sideways, offering her a glance. “No, I knew how much he was struggling. That’s what makes it worse. I could see the burning questions in his eyes whenever he looked at me.”
Yulia never offered judgement. She took a deep breath and slowly nodded, her fingers still entwined in front of her. “Then I suggest you give him something, Fin, because imagine standing in his shoes right now and finding out one of the few people you trust is being sent away without a valid reason.”
A gust of wind caught the silky strands of Finian’s hair which was tied back and blew them over his shoulder, creating a temporary curtain between him and Yulia.
“You know that one answer won’t be enough. It will lead to many more questions. I’m not ready for that.”
Yulia stepped in front of him, so it was impossible for their gazes to be broken. “I will be honest with you, as I always have been. It no longer matters if you’re ready or not. Ace is testament to Nova’s brazen actions as of late. We were very lucky to find the connection between him and the Governing Body. But as you know, luck is something I do not believe in.”
She added, “You are keeping your child safe, there is no doubt about that, but keeping him ignorant makes the risk of others manipulating him greater.”
Finian’s expression changed, his jaw tense. “That’s why I brought him here, it was under your recommendation to ensure Caius is taught about the galaxy we are in.”
“My sweet, Caius was a very contented child who has always been vocal about his disinterest in any thing that didn’t involve art. The only reason he agreed to attend lessons with me is because he wants to know more about his father. I can tell him that Nova is a threat, that Ace was sent to provide intel on him, but why would he believe me?”
Yulia looked over her shoulder and sighed when she saw Caius shaking his head as Ace spoke.
“Caius cherishes those around him, even if he may not say it in so many words. And one of those people is Ace, who he doesn’t doubt for a second and hasn’t been given a single reason to by us. Which is why you are the one who needs to tell him.”
Finian had followed Yulia’s line of sight. From there he didn’t respond. Not for a good while, where the only showcase of time passing was the bitter temperature that had creeped into his bones and made him shudder.
“I just wanted him to live freely, simply. If I tell him why Nova wants him, I’m afraid of how he will look at me — how he will think about Zixin.”
The unfamiliar name surprised Yulia, but she maintained her expression perfectly. She let it soak in that Finian had, intentionally or not, revealed something so crucially precious to him. But she didn’t comment on it at all.
Only offering a gentle look, “How could Caius possibly make an assumption about the man he knows hardly anything about? You said you’re not ready, and despite everything, I’m never going to force you. But just don’t let him learn about such personal aspects of your lives from the mouths of those with callous intentions.”
Auryn Tryst targeting Caius on the day of the coming-of-age ceremony came to mind. It was still a fresh wound, and Finian wished he could turn back time and stop himself from momentarily freezing. That sudden fear that had overcome him at the thought of Caius finding out about the man he continued to love every single day, from the mouth of a poisonous creature like Auryn.
He was beginning to understand that he was left with no other choice. All he wanted was to see that gorgeous smile.
Meanwhile Caius asked for the umpteenth time, “Why do you have to go anywhere? What’s happened?” He was squeezing Ace’s hand as tightly as possible.
Who didn’t seem to mind. “You will probably hear different reasons, but all I will say to you is that I took for granted how peaceful being in your life has been. Even in times you will understandably doubt me, just know that I have never had any intentions of doing what Nova asked of me.”
He cupped Caius flushed face, the warmth of his multiple layers cross with the cold breeze would inevitably take a toll on his health if the conversation went on for too long. “You are a beautiful soul, and I cannot wait to see you again. But just remember that you don’t have to be what others may want you to be. There’s nothing wrong about losing yourself the beauty of art, though don’t forget the tricks we perfected for maintaining control. You are stronger than you realise.”
It was a inevitable goodbye, and Caius struggled to form a response. He could only hold onto Ace tightly. But the man in return planted a kiss on his forehead and gently detached himself.
He took a few steps away then paused.
Shooting a grin and then a wink over his shoulder. “I hope you continue to love my gift. It will give you plenty of inspiration on your art journey.” He wriggled his fingers, looking like a wave, when in actuality he was showcasing his wrist.
As Ace walked casually back over to the sides of his papa and Yulia, Caius stood alone for a few moments. He was completely numb. Only the reappearance of Remi standing right beside him brought him out of his scrambled thoughts.
But he didn’t take his gaze away from the three figures. Then to his papa, who now also looked his way.
“We should go inside the thermal, where it’s warmer.”
“No.”
He misinterpreted Caius response. Looking conflicted, “It’s not good for us standing out in the open like this.”
Caius shook his head. “No, I don’t want to be here right now. Everything is too loud.”
Remi may have been a little bit of a know-it-all, but he was able to do something that Caius still battled with, and that was make quick decisions.
So Remi took his friend’s hand, applying suitable pressure to let him know he was serious, and marched them across the barren lands of #OWS3 and to the transporter they had only just arrived on.
“I’m long overdue a tour of your house anyway.” He managed to circle back to the one topic Remi nagged Caius about regularly. Despite the clear awkwardness of the situation, he still managed to keep a cheeky smile on his face.
*//* *//* *//* *//* *//* *//* *//* *//*
Contrary to what they suspected, no one stopped them. They vacated the planet and while one passenger had been completely silent, looking glum, the other had filled the space with idle chatter. This continued right up until they had landed, where Caius had to confirm that Remi was a recognised visitor in order to get through the dense layer of security.
Remi had looked around with big, glistening eyes at the abundance of colourful flora overflowing without restriction of a thermal pocket. But as much as he wished to explore, he understood Caius’ stronger need to get home. Which he completely understood when he took his first look at the house in the meadow.
There was an instant sense of privacy, from the trees that distantly surrounded the white building and those which lined up either side of the single path leading up to the house. But another aspect that made Remi smile, was the smell.
Fresh flowers, untouched by genetic modification, were clinging onto the last fat droplets of rain. And because of shift in weather not too long ago, the smell of fresh vegetation was so vivid. It was identical to the scent that clung to Caius and his father.
Remi was so taken by the beauty of it all that he neglected to pay attention to the only person who knew the layout. He turned his head and spotted the front door to the large house was left ajar, the young man who had moments beforehand been inputting a code, gone.
He jogged over and hesitated only slightly upon entering. He poked his head around the door, looking left and right.
The simple grandeur of the interiors shouldn’t have taken him by as much surprise as it did. It was only because it was similar to a location in his past, a previous life as Yulia told him to rationalise and come to accept it as.
Remi expertly put a stop to the momentary imbalance and, with a habitual brief check of the material comfortably resting around his neck as a part of his shirt, retained his smile but kept on searching.
“What are you looking for?” Caius had to ask from halfway up the stairs. His hand held the railing, his saddened posture disrupted by confusion.
“The robotic helpers. Don’t they usually come to take our shoes and coats?”
Caius followed his friend’s glance around the open entrance hall. “We don’t have robotic helpers, nor human.”
Remi had to crane his neck to look up at the stairs, clearly surprised. “None at all? In a house of this size?”
“Is it that strange? But I don’t remember any robotic helpers on #OWS3…”
The change was instant, Remi laughed and took off his shoes. “Just ignore me. It’s just from something I read somewhere.”
Soon they finally reached Caius’ bedroom, and Remi smiled to himself when he confirmed his own suspicions. The room was as he expected, simplistic yet very eye-catching.
While Caius flopped on his bed, taking a much needed moment to himself to process everything, Remi walked around. He came to a halt in front of the easel, the same one he suspects he had pulled Caius away from when he came to fetch him earlier. Which in hindsight was probably not the best idea.
On the canvas, and what captured Remi’s eye, was the startling dominance of the shades of purples. Given that the art piece was in its earliest stage, the shape was hard to determine. But if the colours were anything to go by, Remi was eager to see how it turned out.
To ease his curiosity, he asked his unresponsive artist friend if he could look at some of his older pieces. A single grunt was enough of a confirmation.
The more he looked, the more amazed he became. Every single piece was extraordinary. Remi had seen the occasional sketch, more intrigued by the very old utensils he was using at the time. But now he saw why Caius had such a passion for it, and that it came through strongly in his artwork.
“Where’s this one?” Remi blurted, referring to the setting of the painting he now held. Forgetting that the creator was slightly incapacitated.
Caius’ face, which was being smushed into the covers of his bed, lifted. It was probably a force of habit when it came to his love of art. “The first designer planet, #OWS5. It’s unique from the rest, has old architectural features you don’t see elsewhere.”
Remi nodded along, admiring the piece before putting it back where he got it from. From there he left the art and made his way over to the bed. He took a seat on the very edge. “You’re incredibly talented, you know?”
That didn’t get a response like before. So Remi tried again, “I don’t fully understand what happened today, but I can see that whatever happened has made you feel a little powerless.”
Caius turned his head to look at him, his expression not telling him if he was correct or not.
“We’re young enough where others still take responsibility for us. Yulia makes them for me and the others all the time, and I know it’s to keep us safe.” Remi leant back on his hands on the bed, gently swaying his feet over the edge.
“But at times it’s slightly annoying. I wish I had somewhere like this to escape to after hours underground on #OWS3. But that doesn’t matter, what does is that there is something you can do when you feel out of control of the big things.”
Caius at least looked somewhat interested now, and Remi tried not to chuckle as he explained:
“You take it back by being in control of the little things.”
After a beat of silence, “Like what?”
Remi hummed, tilting his head back as he wondered what he could suggest that would be perfect. It would have to be the only thing Caius was remotely confident about.
“I like to think that I have a good eye for talent. I don’t just read any old book, you know?” He winked at his companion who was rapidly losing faith in him, “Anyway, when I said you’re talented, you truly are. And I think you could even win competitions.”
“Competitions?” Caius pushed himself up onto his knees.
“Yep! There are all sorts of competitions that you are missing out on. When I’ve looked in the past, the winners were using boring holographic art that can be perfect if you know the correct coding. It lacks all the emotion that your masterpieces do.”
Caius looked doubtful. He knew his papa would disapprove and tell him it was risky, and then neglect to tell him why.
Remi somewhat understood his apprehension, “Don’t worry, Caius, I wouldn’t have suggested it if I didn’t have a way around certain issues. There are competitions which are hosted by impartial sites, who also don’t require the participants’ identification. All you need to do is choose a display name, and then submit a scan of your favourite artwork.” He shrugged his shoulders, as if to say ‘simple, right?’
Then he seemed to think of something, cocking his head to the side, “The only area where it’s remotely tricky is where, if your work is advanced to the next level, each participant has to supply snapshots of a neurological link as they create their submitted piece. But I can help you with that.”
Caius sat in silence for a few moments. He looked at Remi, “I don’t have a Communicator.”
“Then… I could submit it for you?”
If it was any other time, Caius wouldn’t have entertained the idea. But he couldn’t get the sad eyes of Ace off his mind.
He was nodding before he realised it himself, “Ok.”
“Really?!” Remi grinned broadly.
Caius got up from the bed. He walked over to his wardrobe and gathered some clothes. Before leaving the room he looked at his young friend, “You choose which to submit.”
“Me?”
“You said you have a good eye. Then choose for me.”
Remi liked the challenge. “I can choose from any of them inside this room?”
Caius nodded his head and paused in the doorway. “I’m going to change my clothes… you should probably make your decision and scan it as you said, before I change my mind.” The second-guessing was already beginning to grip his thoughts.
Remi was left alone in the room. He jumped to his feet and excitedly looked through the paintings, each just as impressive as the next one. He thought he had decided on one when he spotted the corner of a canvas poking out of the wardrobe.
Carefully bringing it out the rest of the way, his breath got caught in his throat. It felt vastly different from the rest of the paintings, which were typically far more colourful. But there was something individually striking about the composition in Remi’s grasp.
His eyes travelled to the door, but returned just as quickly.
There was so much more to it than just the lone figure surrounded by darkness. There was the tiniest of details that made it incredibly emotive. Remi couldn’t take his eyes off it. But he knew he had to if he was going to do as promised to Caius.
Luckily, he had made his decision.
Much to the delight of hundreds and thousands of people who currently had no idea that in the future they would fall completely in love with a single piece of artwork made entirely of archaic materials.
{ To be continued }
A/N: Spoiler for Chapter Seventeen > Finally there were answers.
Thanks for the chapter, author sama~
so exciting!!! i really wish that i could see our little angel’s paintings