Cease the Suffering - Etrian Odyssey II (BoyxBoy)

Chapter 32

AN: Thanks you so much SakuraiYoake for commenting and voting on the previous chapter!

New summary!

For the first time, Lynus knows what it feels like to be happy and truly in love, but the dark past he's worked so hard to outrun is about to catch up with him in a way that could destroy any chance of a future with Axel.

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Chapter 32:

As they did most days, Hamza had asked the others to gather in the tea room in order to discuss the day’s events. But this meeting in particular was going to be about their battle they just struggled through yesterday. An event that was still quite fresh in their minds.

Axel had gone in search of the others in order to gather them into the tea room. It wasn’t hard to round everyone up. They knew the routine anyway. He just had to locate Lynus, who was probably running around like a chicken with its head cut off in order to see if everyone was truly safe and sound.

And, sure enough, he found his Medic fussing over Rahas, the brooding Dark Hunter resisting at every chance. Axel knew little about the Rahas other than he was also under that bastard Taksony’s control at one point, but very little other than that. And the fact that Lynus seemed overly concerned about him.

“Lynus,” Axel said as he approached. “Hamza is going to hold a meeting about the Hellion.”

Turning away from the restless Rahas, Lynus looked over to Axel and smiled that beautiful smile of his. “Ok,” he said, nodding his head in understanding as he tried to turn back to Rahas, only to looked disheartened to find that he had slipped away the moment he was distracted.

“You’re coming, too,” Axel said as he placed a hand on Lynus’ shoulder, turning him back round to face him. “Remember, you’re a part of this guild now, too.”

A flicker of realisation appeared on Lynus’ face. “Oh, right!” he said, a small gracing his lips once more.

Axel chuckled as he slipped an arm around Lynus’ shoulders, Lynus pressing himself readily against his side and led him into the tea room where the others would have already gathered and would be waiting for them to arrive. Shutting the door behind them, Axel plonked himself down casually on one end of the couch, Lynus slipping into the spot next to him, sitting in-between Axel and Magnus, who was curled up on the other end of the couch.

Seeing that everyone was of his guild was present, Hamza began the meeting.

“I have just spoken with Minister Dubois and he sends his sincerest congratulations. With the Hellion disposed of, the Second Stratum and beyond is free to be explored. And it’s all thanks to you,” he said, in a proudly and somewhat fatherly sort of way.

He allowed a moment of silence to reign, letting his words sink in, making them realise just how far they had come and how much they were able to achieve.

“However,” Hamza suddenly continued, his smile fading, replaced by an expression of consideration. “I would like to discuss the battle with the Hellion. I cannot help but think that we were under levelled, as it were.”

They were a few murmurs amongst the others. And Axel felt Lynus tense subtly beside him, so he rested his arm on the back of the couch, behind Lynus’ head. Lynus glanced over to him and gave him a small smile, some tension from his shoulders dropping and he allowed himself to sink back into his seat.

“I agree,” Jhon was the first to speak out. “That monster was stronger than we had first considered.”

“Had it not been for Lynus' healing, the outcome would surely have proved different,” Hamza stated matter-a-factly.