The Initials | Nanowrimo 2023

10| The Awakening

An hour later Helel arrives at Mortelix's bar with Mr. And Mrs. Jefferson, walking calmly into the dragon's den with their guards raised high, silently scouring the place until they find Cloud seated with Mortelix.

"Looks like our other guests have arrived." Mortelix chuckles, gulping down the last of his alcoholic beverage but standing to greet the others. "Helel, it's been so long since you've come for a visit."

Helel pours himself a shot, ignoring the eyes of the others as he pours another for Mortelix. "Not long enough."

"You're probably right." Mortelix mutters, peeking down at the watch on his wrists. "Though I am surprised it took you this long to find me. Is father time finally catching up with you?"

"You're almost as old as me. You tell me. After all, I'm not the one who decided to piss off a Celestium."

"Fallen Celestium you mean?"

Both men lock eyes, their shared history keeping both parties tamed as they know how easily it could be for either of them to take the upper hand in battle. The tension already between them doubles, making it thick enough to cut with a knife, keeping everyone else in the room frozen in anticipation.

"Cloud, let's go." Amy calls, keeping her weapon aimed at Mortelix's head and her eyes locked onto Delainey who has her hand resting on a weapon underneath the counter.

It's only now that Mortelix acknowledges either of the Jeffersons existences, merely raising a glass and winking cheekily at Amy.

"I haven't hurt a single hair on your son's head, miss. He's fine. We were just having a little chat about his future."

Helel slams the bottle on the counter and closes the gap between them, standing an inch over Mortelix. "Hopefully you didn't say too much, old friend. I know how you can get after a few hundred of these."

Mortelix refuses to make eye contact, his flirtatious smile faltering as he hovers his shot glass near his lips.

"He doesn't know...but you and I both know if he's on my radar then he's on everybody's, and I mean, everybody." he utters, glancing over at Helel when he notices the man looking past him and at Cloud.

"Thanks for the advice but it is unnecessary. Everyone knows what'll happen if they interfere." Helel takes Mortelix's shot glass and gulps it down himself. "But perhaps we need a reminder."

Mortelix turns to Delainey once Helel up and leaves with the bottle, appearing less pleased with himself than he did only moments ago.

"That wasn't too-"

Three gunshots go off before the disco ball falls and drop on top of his bar, crushing a section of counters.

Mortelix sighs, hardly turning his back to meet the smoking end of Jonathan's weapon.

"Now we're even."

Once they're gone, Mortelix addresses Delainey, ignoring the sparking coming from the damaged disco ball. "I don't like surprises. Find out who that man was."

"Only if you say please."

Unfortunately for her, a larger section of the ceiling comes crumbling down, followed by a sad plume of dust that immediately starts flaring up Mortelix's allergies.

"Quickly." he calls over his shoulder, leaving Delainey and the rest of the employee's to clean up the mess, not saying another word to anyone.

"You used to." Delainey scoffs, shaking her head as he walks out the door, knowing that with his sensitive hearing he'll still be able to hear her.

Meanwhile, after hearing Cloud's stomach rumble, Amy and Jonathan decide to stop at a diner on the edges of Eden where his exposure to this alternate world will at least be limited exclusively to humanoids.

However, Cloud notices the strange looks of the diners regulars, stubbornly staring some of them down until he realises that their eyes aren't on him but the shirtless guy with the dashing looks.

Jonathan notices the look in Cloud's eyes as he stands up to go order for the table, playfully pushing Cloud on the side of his head. "Play nice."

Cloud glares at Mr. Jefferson, peering over his soldier to make sure both of his adoptive parents have left before facing Helel who pretends to be fascinated with the menu.

Cloud isn't sure what offends him more, being abducted twice in under twenty four hours or having to watch his rescuer hide behind a piece of laminated paper and pretend he doesn't exist.

"Do you ever wear clothes?"

Helel smiles but it looks forced as he tilts his menu towards Cloud. "Do you ever think before you speak?"

"No."

"You should."

Cloud squints his eyes once Helel goes back to hiding his face, taking a look around the interior of the diner.

It's a strange, little, place trapped in-between two larger buildings with the owner deciding to paint the walls bubble-gum pink. It's an eyesore and their music sounds like nothing he's ever heard but none of that really matters, he just hopes the food doesn't taste bad.

Cloud pinches the skin on the back of his thumb, a nasty habit he'd picked up at a young age that comforted him in moments when the stress was eating at him. "You said you'd be watching...when we left I mean."

Helel straightens his posture, scratching at his throat as he responds. "I'm always watching Cloud. Even...even when you can't see for yourself. I always have my eye on you."

"Is that right?" Cloud asks, rolling his eyes just to taunt Helel further, a move that shifts the power in his favour.

"I meant what I said. I can never lie to you."

"Yeah? Great, then riddle me this..." Cloud holds his breath, looking deeply into Helel's mysterious eyes, looking past the facial hair and the hardened features, looking past the glamour and glow. "...you're my real father, aren't you?"

As soon as the question leaves his mouth he wishes he could take it back, because as soon as he asks, he knows it to be true, making the rejection hurt twice as much as it should.

"Is that why when I was in danger it was you who came running? I mean, you literally hunted me down in an alternate universe."

Helel corrects Cloud after a drawn out moment of silence. "Eden isn't an alternate universe, it exists in another dimension from the place you call Earth."

"That's it? That's all you have to say?" Cloud scoffs, folding his arms as he leans further back in his seat, flicking his eyes to the ceiling every few seconds to hide the hollow aching of his chest. "Wow that's just...that's just spectacular."

Helel reaches across the table and places a tiny stack of tissue paper napkins in front of Cloud but instead of accepting the offering, Cloud slams his fist down, flattening the napkins, nearing the end of his ability to regulate his conflicting emotions.

"Say, something!"

Helel pulls away, neither confirming or denying Cloud's suspicions. "Your parents...they'll be back soon."