Pandora's Box

Chapter 26

(A.N: i don't even know who's pov this is in please bear with me. (but i think mostly taehyun's))

"What in the fuck are we gonna do about this mess?"

Kai had gestured between the two as they were barely sitting down. To both of the others' surprise, Taehyun let a laugh escape him.

"Sorry. It's just...literally what are you talking about? I try to keep up with your brain, but even this is too much for me. What are we doing here?"

Kai rolled his eyes, but the annoyance was clearly toward realizing Taehyun was right. He cleared his throat, before attempting to explain. "I mean, how are we gonna get you two out of this battle business?"

Beomgyu went rigid, Taehyun just silent. Kai looked as if he'd regretted bringing it up, but then shook his head and continued. "Look. I know you both don't wanna talk about it, I don't blame you. But if we don't talk about it, how are we gonna fix it? We need time to think of a plan to keep both of you alive."

In reality, there was no 'we' with Kai, but Taehyun didn't comment on the other's inclusion of himself in the battle.

Taehyun put his face in his hands. "I already told you, Kai. There is no fucking way out. And I don't appreciate you ruining what little fun we have left by making us think about this."

What little fun we have left.

Beomgyu glanced at him questioningly, and he tried not to cringe from admitting that their 'impending doom' was even more impending than he knew.

"I know you've told me that there's nothing to do. But now we have Beomgyu's brain! Why can't there be an idea worth trying?" Kai asked.

Why can't you have hope, were the unspoken words.

Taehyun glanced at the boy beside him, who hadn't spoken since sitting down. When Beomgyu wouldn't look back at him, and simply shook his head while staring at his own feet, Taehyun spoke. "You can't cheat the fates, they'll just find another way to accomplish the same goal. One of us dead."

As if on cue, the doors to the cafeteria swung open.

If you asked Taehyun to name any two students in the entire school to walk in at that moment, or walk anywhere together...Well, quite honestly he would probably tell you to leave him alone.

But the very last two people he would name, Changbin and Ryujin, were both walking towards their table at that very moment.

He'd noticed earlier the glow surrounding Changbin's face. And he hadn't missed the way Felix held that same aura when the two left minutes before.

But at that moment, the glow was gone, as well as any warmth in the other boy. Taehyun didn't know about Kai, but in all of their years at Pandora he had never seen Changbin look that weak.

Ryujin, he didn't know as well. But she was also sporting a teary frown, and was looking at Taehyun with pity that made his stomach plummet.

"Hey...Taehyun, Beomgyu, can we talk to you guys?"

Forget the man's mood, Taehyun had definitely never heard Changbin speak that quietly.

Beomgyu looked as cluelessly nervous as he felt, but both nodded and followed them over to a different table. Taehyun shot an apologetic glance back at Kai, but the other shook his head understandingly. It seemed they could all feel the ominous importance of the two's appearance.

The four of them were at a table across the cafeteria to avoid Kai's ears, though no one was beginning to speak. Finally, Changbin sighed. His voice remained thin.

"Our parents have just told us...everything. Obviously, I knew a little bit from you guys. But there's more..."

Ryujin swiftly wiped a tear from her cheek, and Taehyun found himself appreciative of her genuine sympathy for their situation. Almost as if, in a way, she understood. Her voice was bitter as she spoke.

"There's things that they feel we need to tell you. To prepare you for how it happens."

When both of the boys simply stared at her, lost, she sighed.

"Our parents. Seeing as we're..."

Of course. Taehyun mentally slapped himself for being so stupid. Of course the gods would choose the daughter of Athena and son of Ares to explain the battle.

The information even seemed to register for Beomgyu, and in any other situation Taehyun would have laughed at the way the other literally slapped a hand to his forehead in embarrassment.

"It's pretty simple, really." Changbin tried his best to convince himself of the sentence. "You'll both go to the woods on the day it happens."

Ryujin continued for him. "In the woods, there's a trap door reserved for battle supplies and hiding spots. They figured it would be easier to have a place secluded from campus, something that could hold all of your...aids."

"Who's they?" Beomgyu asked. Taehyun couldn't help but wonder the same.

"Well...we heard this from Athena and Ares, obviously. But they're not, like, in charge of the battle. Actually, none of the gods are. But they know better than to mess with The Fates, so they're trying to keep this as organized as possible."

Taehyun's stomach convulsed. Every time the battle was brought up, it was described as a creation of The Fates. He hoped what he thought he knew was wrong."What do you mean by aids?"

"When you battle, there will be certain...physical help. I'm assuming you both know about your powers?" Taehyun and Beomgyu glanced at each other uneasily, then both nodded.

"Then it'll mostly be related to those."

Taehyun frowned. Most of his powers didn't have any physical needs. However, he realized it would make sense if Beomgyu had a bow and arrow or something.

Changbin then looked at them both with a surprising amount of pity. "Whatever you do...don't try to skip out. Don't try to cheat, or get out of whatever the result is. It has to be one of you." He swallowed thickly. "If not...It'll be both of you."

"They're gonna kill us both if we don't do this?" Taehyun breathed. He looked over at Beomgyu, who was following his expression of disbelief.

Changbin and Ryujin met eyes, then both nodded sadly. He slumped back in his chair, releasing a frustrated sigh. As much as the battle sucked, he knew there was no question of having to do it.

Any result which lost the other wasn't worth attempting. He glanced once more at Beomgyu.

Any fear of death he'd had before was starting to dissolve. It wasn't worth the certainty of the other dying.

They made eye contact again, both unaware of their thoughts being mirrored by the other.