As Khal was having a fever dream, Devion and Ayen were getting busy to lower his temperature. He started getting convulsions, so they had no choice but to put him in a tub filled with ice.

Khal’s body took cold temperatures really well, so Devion was not as worried about the amount. Although there was a concern about whether it could truly alleviate his fever or make it worse.

They had no choice but to do this.

Devion rummaged for things that they could use: medicine, potions, anything. The jar could help for sure, but that was something tied to Khal. Only he could use it.

Ayen remained beside Khal, holding his hand. He was still under the backlash symptoms, and even if he was not, one had to look after Khal.

Ayen stared at Khal’s pale face. He held Khal’s hand and grasped it firmly.

The temperature was going down. He sighed in relief at that. Since earlier, even holding Khal’s palm almost scalded him. That was when he knew that this was no normal fever.

"You must have exhausted yourself again."

Ayen wanted to guide him... But he stopped himself. He was already in a backlash symptom, and it was not a good idea to guide during one.

He would only be making them worried if he did that. Khal probably would not like it.

"Mhmm..."

Ayen snapped in his thoughts. Khal was groaning in his sleep, and his expression twisted.

"Khal?" Ayen held Khal’s hand tightly. "Khal?" He called again.

Yet, Khal continued to groan in his sleep, his breathing becoming faint.

Ayen almost jumped in alarm.

"Devion!" He shouted as he held Khal firmly in his hand, afraid that he would disappear. "Devion! Come here!" Ayen’s voice became louder than the first time.

Rushing footsteps were heard, and Devion returned. He quickly went to them and held Khal’s other arm and caressed it.

"What happened?" Devion met Ayen’s eyes, who did not really need to explain anything.

Devion was not hoping for answers either.

He brushed Khal’s hair and whispered comforting words that would apply to all of them.

"It’s going to be alright, Khal." Devion leaned and whispered in Khal’s ear. "Baby, everything will be alright."

Khal could not hear it, but it did not matter. Devion wanted to say it regardless.

Miraculously, Khal’s body stopped trembling. Although his eyes were still shut tight, and his breathing was not stable, his fever showed signs of going down.

Both Devion and Ayen made sure to dampen Khal further in the ice tub. Devion also put a potion and several herbs in the ice tub, giving Khal a medicinal bath.

Once Khal’s shivering completely stopped and his condition stabilized, Devion took him out of the tub. They did not want the condition to get worse; they could not risk it even if Khal took the cold well.

They returned to the room, Khal in his new pajamas. Something he almost did not wear, or never at all.

For a few moments, Ayen and Devion fell silent and watched Khal sleep, his breathing even. It was as though he were only peacefully sleeping, if not for the obvious exhaustion in his face.

"This is not my first time seeing Khal sick," Devion shattered the silence and looked at Ayen as he continued with his words. "But it was a long time ago, probably around five years ago?"

Ayen remained silent and locked gaze with Devion.

"But... this was intense. It’s hard seeing him this vulnerable, you know? Uh, I know he just... He just forced himself to be calm sometimes. When things get hard, he tries to be strong and never shows me his weak side."

"It’s hard for me to see him like this, too."

Ayen reached out and held Devion’s hand, which was interlocked with Khal’s other hand.

Devion stared at Ayen and took a deep breath. His mouth parted, but the voice seemed to become stuck in his throat, and he was forced to close it again.

He licked his lips to moisten them and sucked in a breath.

"Ayen," Devion bit his lips and lowered his gaze. "Everything is my fault. I... did this to him."

Ayen shook his head and was about to say something, but Devion beat him to it. He looked up and met Ayen’s gaze again.

"I know you’re going to say it’s not my fault." A humorless smile cracked on his lips, something so out of place that Ayen wanted to kiss it off his lips.

Devion glanced at the sleeping Khal.

"He will definitely comfort me with the same words, too."

Devion’s smile only lasted for a few seconds before it gradually faltered, and he swallowed, even though there was a lump in his throat, making it hard to breathe.

"But the point is..." Devion looked up to Ayen. "...it started with me. Ayen... I brought this curse with me. And... and everything falls apart."

Devion knew it was his reckless decisions that fucked them all over. Khal was suffering with him, and now... Ayen was becoming implicated, too.

All because... He was madly arrogant.

"Khal, he... he didn’t say anything. You know. He, he never asked me. He voluntarily went to this hell with me. I don’t want to, but he’s very stubborn." There was genuine amusement that flashed in his eyes.

"Just like you are now. Both of you. And maybe I am too. I can’t let go... Even if I knew how much he was hurting, I never left."

This was something they knew all along. But they were pretending that none of this was happening for years. Uncertainty and madness, for some reason, kept the two of them going.

"Khal knew... I can escape. I can leave again."

Devion, while not at his peak, was still an SS-class esper. And... He was fast. Khal could never catch up to him if he tried to run.

"I’m pathetic like that."

This time, Ayen quickly dismissed it.

"No, you’re not." Ayen shook his head. "It’s not that you’re pathetic, Devion. You just love him. And you know it too. Khal loves you so much to let you go."

And so, this seemingly hide-and-seek did not happen. They did a tug of war instead.

Who would give up...

was like letting go of the string that put them together.