antidote

4. Ares

Helios put his notebook in his bag and walked in the library. He walked so fast that he bumped into someone. 'Sorry!' He blurted out. 'No don't apologise it's my fault I didn't..' The young man looked up and paused before continuing and Helios didn't hear what he said because he was too caught up by his beauty. 'What's your name?' Helios asked unaware of the end of the boy's sentence. 'Ares' He replied and Helios almost fainted right there.

'Yours?' Ares asked, 'Helios' he replied somehow out of breath. 'No way!' The boy chuckled, 'Can't believe we're both named after Greek gods!' and Helios found himself a bit flustered. 'Yeah right? It's such a weird coincidence.' Ares spoke again, when he truly thought the conversation was over and they would go separate ways and never see each other again. 'What's your favourite book?' He asked and Helios was surprised, he could have asked anything, like the university where he studied at or what he was doing in this library, even his age or where he lived but no, it wasn't like that.

'I- I don't know.' He replied unable to find a proper answer. 'Oh c'mon, I know damn well you at least have a title running through your head.' Ares didn't seem to be the type to give up. Helios sighed, 'The secret history by Donna Tartt' and Ares frowned, 'Never heard of it, do you want to know what's mine?' and Helios obviously nodded, quite curious to know but still deranged by the fact he do not know 'The secret history' Ares was proud to reply, 'The picture of Dorian Gray' and obviously it was this book, he looked like the type of guy whose favourite book is 'The picture of Dorian Gray'.

'Do you want to finish this discussion in a pub? or would you rather stay in this aisle?' Ares asked, with no fear or doubt. Helios started thinking that this guy may be flirting with him but then it hit him that if this world was in the 70s – oh no The secret history was published in 1992 that's why he didn't know it – there is no way Ares would like men and openly flirt with him. No way. Helios thought about the most logical thing to do, ask if he could stop and buy the newspaper to check the date and year. 'Yes of course mate, just let me buy the newspaper before if you don't mind?' and Ares nodded, 'No problem.'

So, they headed out and Helios knew something in the air was different, he wasn't afraid anymore, he was eager to live in this unknown yet so familiar world.

Helios bought the newspaper and read the date, 21st of September 1978.
He tried not to react but he zoned out for a second, 'Are you good?' Ares asked which made Helios snap out of his moment of absence. 'Let's go, I know a nice place 'round the corner, it's called 'Hope and Anchor'' and they walked, side by side, in this mysterious world where Taylor Swift is not even born yet.

It was raining harder than they thought it would, they started running towards the pub and laughed for no reason at all. In this moment, Helios just felt happy and free, he looked over at Ares when they stopped and entered the pub and he thought that there was no place on earth, no alternate universe or timeline where he would rather be. The pub was crowded with people and a band was playing. They sat at a table in a dim booth. Helios suddenly paid attention to the song that was playing and almost got a heart attack.

'Why won't you ever know that I'm in love with you, that I'm in love with you'

'Are you okay? Do you want to go somewhere else?' Ares asked with a frown, 'NO! Sorry, no no I love it, it's just–' He stood up and walked towards the band. This could no be happening right?

'Dancing in the deepest oceans, twisting in the water, you're just like a dream, you're just like a dream'

'Dude do you even know the band that is playing right now? That's The Cure!' Helios exclaimed with pure happiness as he started humming the lyrics. 'I don't know them no, it's cool that you know underground artists!' Ares replied and Helios had to keep himself from saying anything.

Instead they came closer to the small crowd and ordered drinks.

'Daylight licked me into shape, I must have been asleep for days and moving lips to breathe her name, I opened up my eyes and found myself alone, alone above a raging sea'

Helios started singing and dancing, Ares followed but didn't sing because it was his first time hearing 'Just Like Heaven'

'That stole the only girl I loved and drowned her deep inside of me'

Helios looked at Ares this time, taking his gaze away from the band and sang.

'You soft and lonely, you lost and lonely, you just like heaven'

The song ended and the boys went back to the booth and sat, Helios talked about the band to Ares and they discussed music and Helios' heart almost exploded when he heard that Ares has tickets to see Queen next month. 'You're kidding right?' and Ares frowned, 'No, why?' Helios felt his cheeks turn pink, 'I don't know.. maybe I want to go with you because it's one of my favourite bands ever.' He said hesitantly and Ares' face lit up.

Helios was listening to The Cure live while eating some chips and a burger with a guy that people write songs about, he was going to experience a Queen concert and he had never felt at home before, until now.