CHAPTER 175: AN ALIEN’S REQUEST

The apartment room fell into chaos the moment Hermes finished explaining.

"You what?" Ymir’s voice cracked like thunder, shaking the walls.

His fists slammed the table hard enough to rattle the cups stacked on it. The water inside them turned into ice.

"That... that alien bastard suggested you.... what? Share powers like that?"

Somner’s face went red, his jaw clenching so tight a vein popped along his temple. His laugh was sharp and bitter, a bark of disbelief.

"Oh, that’s fucking rich. He already gets to prance around as your public boyfriend, the face you’re allowed to be seen with. And now he wants that? No. Absolutely not. He doesn’t get to sink his teeth where the rest of us have to stay hidden."

Aphrodite didn’t laugh. His face was pale, lips pressed tight. When he spoke, his voice was small but trembling with worry.

"Hermes... this isn’t just about jealousy. This could be a trap."

Hermes frowned. "Trap?"

"Yes, a trap." Aphrodite burst out. His quietness cracked, his words spilling fast. "Think about it... Eirwyn stole your essence once. He used you to copy your powers. What if Raphael’s planning the same thing? What if he wants Rewind for himself? Permanently. He already have so many powers, and now he’ll have the power to control time. And he’s not even—"

Aphrodite hesitated, then whispered, "—he’s not even human. How can we trust what he’ll do with that?"

The room went heavy.

Hermes leaned back in his chair, silent. They were only saying aloud what he’d already thought.

Ymir paced like a caged animal, hands flexing open and shut. "This proves he’s not serious about keeping things business-only. You don’t suggest that if you’re trying to keep it professional. He’s playing with you, Hermes. He wants more than he says."

Somner’s jealousy was loud enough to scorch the air. "We’re the ones who should be asking for more. You—"

He jabbed a finger at Hermes’ chest, eyes burning, "—you’ve already made us hide. Hide like we’re shameful little secrets while he gets to flaunt his smile next to you. And now he’s asking for more? He’s not satisfied being your ’official.’ He wants to take what we have too. No way. No fucking way."

Hermes finally raised his hands, palms out.

"Enough." His voice was calm, but carried authority.

The three of them froze, breaths ragged, anger crackling in the air like static.

Hermes looked at each of them in turn. Ymir’s righteous fury, Somner’s bitter jealousy, Aphrodite’s trembling fear. He took them all in, then shook his head.

"I already rejected him," Hermes said. His voice was steady. Final. "I told him we’d share powers the same way as before. Blood. Nothing else. The mission still stands, but his... request won’t be happening."

The silence stretched.

Magni was the only one unfazed. Leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, the Voidling tilted his head, his sharp eyes flickering with vague interest.

"Essence, blood, flesh... it’s all just energy in different forms. Doesn’t matter how it’s shared."

Ymir shot him a glare. "You don’t get it."

"I do." Magni shrugged, unbothered. "I just don’t worship your little taboos. To me, power-sharing is power-sharing. If Hermes asked me, I’d give it without complaint."

Somner’s head whipped toward him. "Oh, shut it, Rockhead!"

"Hey!" Ymir snapped at him. "Only I get to call him that, Fishbreath!"

Aphrodite stood up for his best friend. "Somner’s breath doesn’t even smell that bad. If anything, you’re the one who needs a mouthwash—"

Hermes sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "That’s enough out of all of you. I’m not asking for your permission, and I’m not entertaining his request. End of discussion."

They didn’t like it, but they didn’t push further. For now.

***

Later, Hermes lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. Sleep eluded him. The darkness pressed close, but his mind replayed every word.

Raphael’s voice. The calmness, the boldness, the impossible suggestion.

Hermes had been stunned.

"You can’t be serious," he’d said.

Raphael had leaned in, eyes soft with something Hermes couldn’t name. "I am."

"Why?" Hermes had snapped. "Why would you even ask me that?"

For once, Raphael’s smirk had faltered. His words had come quiet, almost fragile.

"Because I’ve never been allowed to explore it. Not my body. Not intimacy. Nothing. Since the day I was pulled from that comet, SHIFT and the Stripes have had me caged, examined, catalogued. They taught me what I am with charts and data. Never with touch. Never with experience. Do you understand what that feels like?"

Hermes had stared at him, throat tight. He’d imagined it: a boy who can fly and shoot sunbeams from his eyes, trapped in steel walls. Cold hands pressing needles into his veins. Scientists scribbled notes as he struggled to breathe Earth’s air.

Surrounded not by family or friends, but by monsters... And he’s not just talking about the Void shadows. Creatures eager to dissect him, control him. The only companions he had were books and movies about a world he wasn’t allowed to touch.

And Raphael’s voice had cut through that image, raw. "I don’t even know what it means to be... touched by choice. To share myself with someone. I want to know. For once, I want to feel what it’s supposed to mean, beyond sterile explanations."

Hermes had swallowed hard. "...And that’s your excuse?"

Raphael had smiled faintly. "It’s not an excuse. It’s a request.... my Lord."

"Ridiculous." Hermes had shaken his head. "Sharing powers through blood works just fine."

Raphael had tilted his head, the faintest gleam in his eyes. "Blood fades. But essence... lasts. Intercourse makes it stronger. Longer."

"How do you know that?" Hermes’ eyes narrowed. "I never even told you about how the powers can be shared with essence."

Raphael just smiled. "It doesn’t take a genius to figure out why Eirwyn became a fetus... With your malformed spawn attached to him. That is why you have Rewind until now, right?"

Hermes closed his mouth into a thin line.

Raphael took that as a cue to continue convincing him. "Doesn’t part of you want permanence, Hermes? Don’t you want to hold onto powers instead of constantly borrowing them?"

Hermes’ heart had lurched. He hated that part of him did want it. Permanence. Strength. No more needing others to complete him.

But he’d forced his voice steady. "That’s not how it works. The only way for me to permanently hold powers is if my seed—"

Hermes had stopped, heat rushing his face.

Raphael had leaned closer, finishing the thought for him, his tone slow and deliberate.

"—is inside me."

Hermes froze from how easily he just said those words.

And Raphael, with that same terrifying calm, whispered to his ear.

"I don’t see what the problem is. If anything... I would be happy to be part of a miracle. The very first creation between a man and an extraterrestrial."

A/N It feels like recently nobody’s been reading my book. But I already anticipated as much.

If you’re reading at this point, know that I will still stand by my promise to finish this book. But I am writing out of obligation, not motivation. I just want it to be over soon.