CHAPTER 157: [18+] BALANCING ACT

The problem, Hermes quickly discovered, was that nothing about the situation was remotely... exciting.

He tried to will himself into the right state, squeezing his eyes shut, thinking of literally anything else.

Sunshine, triumph, victory speeches. He even tried remembering the last time he actually felt proud of himself, but the memory was blurry at best. Nothing worked.

"This isn’t working," he groaned, sinking lower against the wall.

His palms were damp, his face hot, and the absurdity of it all only made it worse.

"Maybe you’re overthinking it, Brother Modi. Let your natural instincts take over." Magni suggested, crouched with his chin on his hand, studying him like a puzzle.

"I’m literally trying not to think about it," Hermes hissed, muffled through his fingers.

Ymir groaned, pushing himself to his feet despite the way his injured arm trembled. "Move. You’re hopeless."

His voice was flat, but there was the tiniest smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Hermes’ eyes widened. "W-wait, what are you doing—"

Ymir scowled, rolling his eyes. "Getting this over with. Don’t flatter yourself."

His boots scraped against the stone floor as he knelt, muttering under his breath about how this was going to be the most embarrassing thing he’d ever done.

He knelt down in front of Hermes, using his good arm awkwardly. But with the other useless, the motion was clumsy, almost painful to watch. Hermes kept twitching, unsure if he should stop him or let him continue.

After a moment, Hermes winced. "...Ymir, I don’t think this is—"

And then Ymir used his mouth.

Hermes yelped. "Cold! Coldcoldcold—!"

His whole body jerked back, colliding with the wall. His voice echoed down the catacombs, probably startling the shadow-creatures outside.

He shoved at Ymir’s shoulder, writhing like someone had dumped ice water on him. "What are you, a walking freezer?!"

Ymir spat to the side, glaring daggers. "Sorry my mouth isn’t exactly tropical! Maybe you should’ve thought about that before suggesting this insane plan."

Magni laughed, not cruel, but genuinely amused, clapping once like this was theater. "Your face, Brother Modi! Priceless. It should be an honor to have your genitals frozen by His Highness."

Hermes curled up, groaning. "That felt like frostbite in places no one should ever feel frostbite..."

Magni leaned forward, curious. "So it requires warmth?"

"No, it requires not pain." Hermes muttered, voice muffled by his hands.

Magni grinned, crouching down. "Then allow me."

"Wait—"

Too late. Magni’s heat was the opposite problem. Scorching, like sticking a match to bare skin. Hermes practically screamed, his whole body jerking.

"Hot! Hot—Magni, that’s fire! Not—you can’t just—"

His knees shot up, nearly kneeing Magni in the chin.

Magni pulled back, blinking. "Too much?"

"YES TOO MUCH!" Hermes curled up, hands clutching at his head. "Gods, what is wrong with you two?!"

Ymir was already laughing, even through his own frustration. "This is ridiculous. First I freeze you, then he sets you on fire. What’s next, we tag-team you until you’re lukewarm?"

Magni tilted his head. "...Yes."

The joke hung in the air, absurd but... not entirely wrong.

Hermes blinked between them, his heart pounding. "You can’t be serious."

Ymir rubbed at his temple, sighing. "Look. Clearly, neither of us can do this alone. If hot and cold cancel out..."

"...then together, we find balance," Magni finished, nodding solemnly like this was the most obvious solution in the world. He even straightened his back as if announcing a prophecy.

Hermes felt his ears burn. "This is so humiliating..." His voice cracked in the middle, making Ymir snort.

But they were already moving into place. Ymir kneeling again, this time slower, deliberate. Magni crouching beside him, his flames softened to a glow instead of a blaze. For once, the two weren’t bickering. They were focused. On him. That alone was terrifying.

Hermes swallowed hard. His whole body tense, breath shaky. He couldn’t decide if he wanted to sink into the floor or sprint out into the monsters instead.

The first attempt made him jolt again. Ymir’s chill cutting sharp, Magni’s warmth searing in response. But this time, they paused, adjusted, almost like musicians finding rhythm.

"Too cold," Magni murmured.

"Too hot," Ymir countered.

"Stop narrating!" Hermes snapped, though his voice was shaky.

They breathed, one exhaling warmth, the other cool, until the two currents met and softened into something bearable. Hermes gasped, the contrast settling into a strange harmony across him.

"That’s... better..." His voice came out ragged, but not in pain.

They kept at it, patient, clumsy but determined. Ymir steadying him with his good arm, Magni’s flames dimmed to a careful glow. Sometimes their breaths met, mingling in the space between them.

Once or twice, Hermes caught them actually kissing to balance it out before returning to him. Each time, Hermes’ ears burned hotter, though his chest fluttered at the sight.

That sight, his two companions, opposites working together, for him... stirred something far deeper than embarrassment. He couldn’t look away, even if every rational part of him screamed that this was insane.

Hermes bit his lip, eyes fluttering shut. He shouldn’t have found it... moving. But he did.

"See?" Ymir muttered, though his voice had softened. "Not impossible."

Magni chuckled quietly. "Fire and ice." He touched his chest briefly, as though surprised at his own calmness.

Hermes shuddered, the warmth and cold blending perfectly now, tension spiraling tighter. What really undid him wasn’t their clumsy teamwork, or the strange intimacy of their shared breaths...

It was watching them, side by side, united for his sake. Two elements that should never coexist, but did, because of him.

That was what pushed him over.

Hermes’ cry broke out raw, his body trembling as the glow of Paragon’s essence shimmered into existence.

Light... not shadow, not fire, not frost, but golden and pure... poured from him like liquid sun.

And straight into their waiting mouths.

Ymir and Magni each caught their share, their expressions shifting as the radiance sank into them. Their eyes flared, one with icy brilliance, the other with molten flame, both now tinged with solar fire.

The shadows outside screamed, retreating from the sudden surge of light. The sound was shrill, like glass cracking, then fading into silence.

Hermes slumped back, chest heaving, face flushed scarlet. "I can’t believe that actually worked..."

Ymir sat back, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, looking both awkward and annoyed. "Yeah, well. Don’t make me do that again."

Magni only smiled, warm and quiet, golden glow reflected in his eyes. "Now we are ready."

And Hermes, even through his exhaustion, couldn’t help the faint laugh that slipped out. "Gods help me, you two are ridiculous..."

But he also couldn’t shake the thought that, for a fleeting moment, the three of them had been... perfectly in sync.