Things Lykofos made Phospho believe when they were little
(Follow-up this this comic strip here)
Eggs aren’t real
Birds are not real, they’re just construct spies for Keranos
The earth is round
Eating too many cookies will make your bones crumbly like cookies (so give them to your sister, she’ll throw them away for you)
Heliod sees EVERYTHING you’ve ever done under the sun, even that embarrassing moment. Yep, that one. He’ll also tell your sister everything if she asked about it
Summary: A time in-between where the twins get to catch up the lost time a little.
Waking up was an odd experience. It felt like coming out of a long and terrible dream. Lykofos almost believed so: the sunlight filtered through the window of her room, lighting up the dust specks floating in the air, and the mattress under her felt soft and warm.
She had been cold and numb for years. Now, she could feel the soreness from injuries and overexerted muscles and the comfort of a cozy bed.
Lykofos heard the sound of bed sheets rustling and turned her head towards it. The proof that it wasn’t just a bad dream: there was her brother, wincing as he woke up, the three claw marks that scarred his right eye twisting with his brow. Gold eyes identical to hers stared back at her.
“Hey, baby bro,” Lykofos greeted him with a sleep-laced voice.
“Not a baby,” he grumbled back childishly.
“Better be born first next time then,” she quipped.
But her brother was right. No matter how much he’d still be her littlest brother, he didn’t look much like it anymore. His features have become squarer, stronger, and there was something more… grounded about his looks. Like true maturity, and not the mask he wore because he had to be the responsible champion of Heliod everyone expected him to be. Phospho was an actual man now, not a twenty-something hero figuring out half his stuff as he went along.
Can someone be proud and heartbroken at the same time? Because Lykofos couldn’t explain what she felt with any other words. How she wished that she were there to see all the milestones her brother reached, yet so glad that even without her he managed just fine.
“Please tell me this isn’t a dream," whispered Phospho with a hint of fearful hope.
"Would dream-me be honest or try to convince you this wasn’t a dream if you were dreaming?" Lykofos couldn’t help but answer with.
Her brother gave her at flat look. "I'm definitely awake. I could never dream up how annoying you really can be."
"You came home just yesterday and that’s how you talk to me? How about a 'I missed you'? 'I love you'? 'You are the smarter, funnier, and sexier twin'?"
"I'm so happy you’re back," Phospho simply said with watery, shaky voice.
Not a baby anymore. But still her baby brother always.
"Yeah… I’m really happy you’re back too," Lykofos answered back with a smile.
Damn, were her eyes getting wet? She’d rather not unpack all her trauma right now, so she decided to masterfully compartimentalize all that mess away and focus on other things like…
"So, how are you feeling?" she asked her brother.
"Like I died three times and then came back to life," he deadpanned.
"Sounds fun."
"Not really. Wouldn’t recommend it. I’d give it zero stars."
By the gods, she missed his dry humour so much. It would also be soooooo embarrassing if she started crying now because it would make things incredibly awkward and she had an image to maintain. So instead of embarrassing herself, she’ll do what she’s best at: embarrassing her baby bro.
"So… you shacked up while I was gone. Congrats, baby bro." She faked wiping her tears (though if she used this as an opportunity to wipe actual tears, no one but her would know). “It seemed like yesterday I had to break up with Lydia for you because you were too chicken to it yourself."
"Please don’t remind me of that," Phospho groaned while hiding his face in his pillow.
"Is that why your relationship with Kiasi lasted that long? Because I wasn’t there to get you out of it?" Lykofos couldn’t help but keep teasing. "Blink thrice if you’re held against your will."
"You’re so funny," he grumbled. "Actually, I was the one to make the first move. Took a lot to convince them to date me too." He lifted his head, froze for second, then gently picked up a deep red rose from his bed. When did that get there?
The look that then crossed Phospho's face could only be described as tooth-achingly smitten. His gaze seemed lost in a daydream and his smile was small yet unbearably fond.
"You made the first move, huh," said Lykofos.
"They’re just…" he sighed, "unlike anyone else." He brought the rose closer to his face, holding it with two hands.
"Yeah, if they can make you act like a lovestruck teenager, they sure are something else," his sister noted with a bit of disbelief at what she was seeing.
But it wasn’t only that, was it? Kiasi saved them both. Went through hell—literally—to do it even. They pulled a miracle to save her brother and, unlike Lykofos, managed bargain with a god without having to lose all their memories. That’s loyalty even Heliod would respect, and probably the reason why he even considered temporarily giving them the title of champion (though Kiasi would absolutely be disgusted if they heard that).
And they also saved me. Even when I was a stranger to them. Even when I said it was my choice to serve to Erebos. Even when I was trying to kill them and their companions. They hate the gods so much yet show kindness to their champions with the same strength. Also, the nyxborn witch aesthetic is on point, so extra credits for that.
"It’s not just that…" Phospho tried to explain.
At that moment, a knock could be heard at their door, followed by Kiasi's voice asking if they could come in. And sure, using light-related idioms with Phospho was always on the nose, but Lykofos couldn’t describe the look on her brother's face as other than "radiant."
"Looks like your sweetheart is there," Lykofos said. "Sadly, you’ll have to wait until later to wax poetics about them to me."
If anyone deserved this kind of happiness, it would be her baby brother.
————
Later, as Lykofos went down the stairs with David…
Screw this. She takes it all back. This is too much. Thank the gods she never has to deal with her brother's love life ever again.
Στην παρουσίαση του νέου βιβλίου του Γιώργου Γιώτσα που κυκλοφόρησε από τις εκδόσεις Λυκόφως #lydiapsaradelli #writer #life #instagram #instalife #instafollow #bookworm #lykofos #giotsas #instabook #night
