Taekwoon was surprised when Hongbin invited him out for coffee.

Firstly, he hadn't known he was back. To be honest, he had thought that the younger would be held back and forced to serve the gods or something, but he was mildly happy that he was back. At least Hakyeon would now be happy.

He wasn't sure where he and Hakyeon were at the moment.

Yes, even though he had been a and all to him, it was all under the influence of his own powers. And when push came to shove, he had risked his life and another meeting with Eris to save him. 

When he really needed him, he had stood by him, saved his life.

However, he couldn't deny all that had happened. 

Perhaps they could pin this all on Eris and her strife causing abilities, but a part of him could never stop wondering, what if Nayoung had been an actual human? WHat if, it had been genuine and not a game?

Would Hakyeon have still become a slave to his powers and become jealous? 

Or would he have happily stepped back and let the marriage continue?

These thoughts never left his head as he met up with Hongbin on a fine sunny day.

He also wondered what the younger would have to do with him. 

"I'm sure you're wondering why I called out you," Hongbin said.

Taekwoon nodded. "I definitely am," he admitted. "You're Hakyeon's friend. Why would you want to meet with me?"

"Because, your father has a message for you," Hongbin took a deep breath.

"A message?" Oh yeah, Hongbin had spent the last week or so up in Olympus doing god knows what. It made sense that his father would use that to pass on a message to him.

Hongbin nodded. "It's similar to the one I gave Hakyeon-hyung, but Kratos was especially insistent that I deliver it to you personally."

"What's the message?" Taekwoon asked, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Kratos feels that Eris might have set her eyes on you particularly," Hongbin wasted no time and got straight to the point. 

"Eris?" Taekwoon's mouth felt dry as that name escaped his lips. He didn't have the greatest memories of that goddess. 

Hongbin nodded. "Zelos has his hands full keeping her in check, but he may not always be around to balance her out," he explained. "Your father fears that if she somehow escapes Zelos, she may come looking for you. Apparently, she had 'a very good time' with you," he said, using finger quotations. 

Taekwoon wouldn't deny that that small piece of news didn't make him feel unsettled. He still remembered what she had done to him, taking advantage of the fact that his heart still saw her as the woman of his dreams, while his mind knew that she was a conniving goddess. 

She had done everything, putting realistic illusions in his mind.

He had felt like he was right back home, like it had all been a bad dream. That he was with her again, kissing her, making love to her, like normal.

All the while his mind had been screaming at him that it was all a trick.

It made him shudder. If she ever came looking for him, it would not be a good idea to go unprepared, now that he knew whatever she had done to him was just a sliver of her true power, and that she was capable of worse, much much worse.

"Which is why your father sent you this," Hongbin said, pushing over a necklace to him.

Taekwoon narrowed his eyes. it was exactly like the one his mother had given him, with the gold chain and the blue topaz stone shining in the pendant. "Will this hide me from her?" he asked.

Hongbin shook his head. "It won't hide you, not anymore," he explained. "But, it will help you channel your rage and power. With this and Hakyeon at your side, you'll stand a fighting chance against her."

That was comforting, he thought sarcastically as he reached out for the necklace.

He picked it up and considered it, his thumb running across the blue stone.

All this time, he had thought that the secret to controlling his powers lay in suppressing his emotions lest they get out of hand.

Perhaps this gave him an answer. Perhaps, with this, he would be able to control his powers better. 

Perhaps, he would be able to protect Hakyeon better with this. 

He kept in mind Hongbin's warning.

It wasn't over.

It never would be.

It took a whole another week before Hakyeon gathered up enough courage to call Taekwoon over for dinner.

Things were still awkward between them, but he knew that they needed to sort things out, especially after the warnings from their fathers.

So he invited Taekwoon over to his house after he cleared Hongbin out ("go stay with Sanghyuk for tonight! He won't mind!), but Taekwoon's early arrival had surprised him. His cousin had then volunteered to do the cooking, so he put in Jurassic Park and prepared drinks while Taekwoon made rose pasta.

Hakyeon had chastised him for taking a whole 40 minutes to make a 10 minute dish, which he had shot back with a challenge whether Hakyeon could do better. Hakyeon had been two seconds from taking that challenge before realizing that the only thing he could make that was edible was cupcakes and desserts.

They couldn't have dessert for dinner, now, could they?

They laughed, joked and teased each other like normal.

But Hakyeon would be stupid if he didn't miss the wall that seemed to be between them.

It saddened him.

So they sat on the floor in front of the TV, eating the pasta. Taekwoon had gone strangely silent, saying that he just wanted to watch the movie, when Hakyeon knew that in these types of settings, the movie would just be background noise for them to discuss stuff.

He sighed. "Look, Taekwoon," he broke the silence. "I won't say that all I said was just under the influence of the jealousy and that I meant none of it," he sadly admitted. "But, those words came from me, from my feelings, however warped they may have been. However, I do want to let you know that I've never seen you as anything less than my brother."

Taekwoon silently watched him as Hakyeon threw his head back, running a hand through his hair.

"I won't say that I never felt jealous as you soared through school while I struggled. I won't say that I never felt bad when you were praised and I was ignored. I won't say that I never felt hurt when a girl I fancied liked and wanted you," Hakyeon admitted. "But, I learned to live with that. You've had your own struggles, and you have a pure heart. You deserved all of it, even Nayoung."

Taekwoon raised an eyebrow.

"Would I like all those things? Sure," Hakyeon continued. "But if it meant losing you? I couldn't take that. I'd much rather give up everything if that meant that I would lose you."

He turned to Taekwoon. "In truth, you're all I have."

He looked away again. "So, what I'm really trying to say is...I'm sorry."

Taekwoon gave a big sigh. "I'm sorry too."

Hakyeon turned to him. "For what? I was the one who went nuts and nearly got you killed."

"I was too ready to judge you," Taekwoon sheepishly admitted. "I was ready to give you up for that life with Nayoung, and now, that thought scares me."

He cast his eyes towards the ceiling. "If you hadn't come to my rescue at that moment, taking on Eris herself, I-I-I don't know what would have happened to me."

"It was only natural," Hakyeon shrugged.

"Yeah, but sometimes, these things change you, give you a new perspective," Taekwoon said. "I was so close to death," he exhaled. "I-if you had given up on me, and made your escape when Hades set you free, I might be dead now."

Hakyeon stayed silent, quietly reaching for the remote and muting the television. 

"But I take it Hongbin gave you the message from our fathers?" Taekwoon asked him.

Hakyeon nodded. "I take it he gave you that?" He pointed to the necklave hanging around Taekwoon's neck.

Taekwoon looked down at it, gingerly holding pendant in his hand. "This won't hide me," he cleared up the doubts in Hakyeon's mind. "But it will help me control my power, in a much, healthier, way, I hope."

"Than actively pushing your emotions down to the point its a psychological issue?" Hakyeon suggested.

Taekwoon shot him a look, to which the elder just shrugged. "What? It's true!"

Taekwoon's lips erupted in a grin and he playfully pushed Hakyeon's shoulder. Hakyeon unmuted the television and the two continued their movie, making small talk during it.

One thing was left unsaid, but it was alright.

It wasn't over.

It would never be over, at least for them.

But as long as they stuck together, the sons of Zelos and Kratos, brothers by blood, everything would be fine.

They would make it through anything as long as they trusted each other.