The Unmaker Claims the Throne

Delfarius dresses and gestures for Future Delfarius to follow. Together they step onto the Obsidian Tower balcony, where clouds stream endlessly beneath the floating black stone.

Future Delfarius watches him with unmistakable worry, his composed posture failing to hide the tension around his eyes. He remains near the balcony doors, giving Delfarius room while refusing to look away.

Delfarius sighs, then lets his familiar smirk return. He leans over the balcony and looks down into the rushing clouds, leaving the question hanging between the open sky and the Tower’s dark walls.

Below, the cloudbank parts for a moment, revealing distant sunlight across the world. Future Delfarius waits behind him, patient but visibly afraid of what answer the silence may contain.

Chance sleeps undisturbed within the bedchamber. On the balcony, Delfarius turns back to Future Delfarius, lowering his voice until the Tower’s wind nearly carries it away.

Delfarius tilts his head and lets a dark smirk touch his mouth. His admission remains quiet, stripped of spectacle, while the clouds stream beneath the balcony.

Future Delfarius’s worry loosens, though it does not vanish. He steps nearer, studying the familiar dark curve of Delfarius’s smile and finding no hidden appetite beneath it.

Delfarius lets out a soft laugh and gestures toward the clouds. Future Delfarius comes closer, his concern dissolving into amused curiosity as the balcony wind carries away the last tension.

Future Delfarius laughs quietly beside him, relief replacing the last of his worry. Below, the clouds stream past the Tower, and the confession settles as an absurdly successful story rather than a warning.

Delfarius gives Future Delfarius a soft, companionable bat of his hand, his smirk brightening as the balcony wind carries their shared laughter into the clouds.

Future Delfarius answers the bat with a light tap against Delfarius’s shoulder. The gesture is affectionate, effortless, and entirely free of the fear that had tightened his posture moments before.

Below them, the clouds stream past the floating Tower in silver rivers. For a moment, nothing demands investigation, conquest, or explanation. Their shared absurdity is enough.

Delfarius looks up at the stars, letting their cold brilliance stretch across the silence. A long sigh follows, deliberately shifting the balcony’s easy mood.

He opens his eyes wide at Future, bewilderment breaking through his usual smirk. Then he shakes his head softly, as though the question has become too large for any single answer.

Delfarius shakes his head as the pattern settles into focus: every powerful bond around him has carried leverage, danger, or a bargain, except the one shared by his selves.

Future Delfarius steps close and places an arm around his back, drawing him nearer without interrupting the reflection. Resonant True Self Awakened answers between them, recognizing concern without turning it into control.

Legendary Reasoning tests the advice against every remembered bargain, while Resonant True Self Awakened supplies the missing comparison: trust between his selves survives because neither must win. The distinction is clear at last.

They turn together toward the bedchamber. Chance lies beneath the rumpled blankets, breathing with suspiciously perfect steadiness while pretending sleep has claimed him completely.

Chance’s breathing catches for half a heartbeat, then resumes its exaggerated rhythm. The praise has reached him, and the quiet admission leaves Delfarius’s affection plainly exposed.

Delfarius raises an eyebrow as Chance’s thoughts betray the performance. Future Delfarius catches the same tell and mirrors the expression, their shared amusement sharpening into a quiet ambush.

Delfarius says it loudly enough for the bedchamber to carry. Hadrun’s Deception Insight finds the precise weakness in the performance, and Delfarius places the bait where Chance’s pride cannot ignore it.

Chance’s false breathing stops. He sits upright beneath the blankets, eyes narrowed and cheeks flushed, caught between outrage at the insult and the dawning realization that both Delfarii trapped him.

Delfarius gestures toward Chance’s flustered, angry face, his smirk making the accusation unmistakably playful. Chance’s glare falters beneath the evidence of his interrupted performance.

Future laughs openly, and Delfarius’s victory settles between them without sharpness. Chance remains flushed and annoyed, though the corner of his mouth betrays reluctant amusement.

Delfarius sits beside Chance, ruffles his hair, and kisses his cheek. Future Delfarius leans over Chance’s flustered face, laughing softly while framing the scene with his hands.

Chance’s annoyance dissolves beneath the kiss and reassurance. He catches Delfarius’s hand, presses it against his chest, and looks openly pleased rather than threatened.

Delfarius’s smirk grows darker as Hadrun’s Deception Insight catches the contradiction beneath Chance’s denial and Legendary Diplomacy keeps the question playful. Future Delfarius watches, puzzled, as Chance realizes he accused Delfarius of jealousy when he came to meet him alone.

Chance’s protest exposes the very jealousy he tries to deny. Future’s confusion shifts into amusement as the trap closes without malice, leaving Chance only his fairness argument to defend.

Future Delfarius raises both hands as though framing a portrait, then makes a sharp clicking sound. Chance stares at him in bafflement.

Delfarius breaks into laughter, and Chance’s confusion deepens as Future maintains an innocent expression, clearly pleased with his imaginary picture.

Delfarius leans over and gives Chance a warm kiss on the cheek. The demi-god’s startled look softens, his irritation disarmed by the affection.

Future Delfarius laughs darkly and pantomimes folding away the vanished phone that captured the moment. His grin sharpens with theatrical satisfaction.

Delfarius joins Future’s dark laughter, the shared mirth rolling across the balcony. Chance watches them both, bafflement overtaking his amusement.

Future’s shoulders shake harder, while Delfarius’s laughter makes the explanation feel deliberately out of reach. Chance folds his arms, trying and failing to look offended.

Delfarius gives Future a knowing look, followed by a soft sigh. The meaning passes between them without words, clear as any spoken farewell.

Future crosses the balcony and closes the distance between them. He gathers Delfarius close with familiar tenderness, leaving the Tower wind to move around their joined silhouettes.

Future gives Delfarius a long, loving kiss, then rests their foreheads together for a quiet breath. When he draws back, affection remains bright in his eyes.

Delfarius laughs as Future opens a portal to his own time. Violet light spills across the balcony, and Future steps through, smiling until the portal closes behind him.

Delfarius shakes his head, then turns from the balcony and returns to the bedchamber. He sits beside Chance, who watches him with an amused, expectant expression.

Chance’s question hangs beneath the violet lamps, plainly chosen to lure Delfarius away from the more revealing subject. His grin remains bright, patient, and entirely unrepentant.

Delfarius studies him for a long moment without answering. Chance’s amused expression grows more cautious, as though he has realized the explanation may be stranger than the advice.

Then Delfarius laughs, the sound breaking through the quiet bedchamber. Chance blinks once before laughing too, accepting that the answer will not be simple.

Chance settles back against the pillows beside him, still smiling. The question about Future’s advice remains safely postponed, while the room holds their shared amusement.

Delfarius shakes his head, then rests it against Chance’s chest. The demi-god goes still beneath him, confusion flickering across his face as the Tower’s violet lamps soften around them.

Chance’s confusion deepens, but his arms settle around Delfarius instead of resisting the absurd promise. He accepts the invitation to rest, choosing curiosity tomorrow over questions tonight.

Chance closes his eyes and eases back into the pillows, keeping Delfarius against his chest. The bedchamber grows quiet, and the promise of a morning conversation remains safely postponed until they wake.