Chapter Text
It started with an innocent tweet.
KHASLANA @phainonofficial✔
To us, forever and always.
[Image: A hand, presumably Phainon’s, holds a glass of wine. In the background, the scene blurs, but it’s clear he’s seated in a high-end restaurant— soft lighting, white tablecloths, and the subtle glint of silverware catching the glow.]
33.5k Likes | 5.0k Retweets | 3.4k Replies
“Did you see it? Phainon’s newest tweet? They’re together, I’m telling you!”
“So? It could’ve been in a friendly kind of way.”
“Sure. I also have romantic dinners with my homies sometimes.”
“No sentence in that tweet implies romance. It might not even be Mydeimos he dined with."
“Denial is a fucking river in Egypt, Stephanie.”
The murmurs grew louder as time passed, then—
The door swung open and a familiar figure stepped into the room.
“Good morning.” Anaxa greeted, voice rough. Their professor looks exhausted, like he hasn't slept all week. Knowing his reputation, the assumption might not even be false. They hadn’t heard of any lab being blown up though, so maybe he succeeded in doing what he intended. That would explain the happy vibe he’s currently emanating. Not that it could save them from whatever hell they’re about to go through.
“For this lesson, we’ll delve into one of the most fundamental concepts in chemistry— the synthesis reaction.” Anaxa watches as several students’ faces twist in confusion. The topic seems tame compared to their usual class. And easy. Like, high-school-level-chemistry easy. Impossible. This is the same professor who allegedly used his own eye for an experiment. They wait for the catch.
“Don’t worry, I’m not here to bore you by repeating what you already know. Who do you take me for?” He scoffs.
They knew it.
“For today, we’ll try a more… hands-on approach.” Anaxa grins, revealing several containers he had in his arms. “After all, what use is knowledge if you don’t know how to apply them in real life?”
They squinted to see the label on each container. Sodium cyanide, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, hydrochloric acid — Why are there so many acids?? — and many more poisonous (or dangerous) sounding substances.
Their jaws dropped.
This is it.
Today is the day they’ll die. Painfully too, if their memory of how these chemicals interact is right.
Some students began praying and the rest tried to find an excuse to leave class early.
One student braved himself and raised a hand. “Professor Anaxagoras?” His full name, because frankly, right now he needs all the extra points he can get.
“Yes?” An eyebrow raised.
The student gulped. “Isn’t this experiment kind of illegal, uh, sir?”
“Depends on how you look at it.” He laughs, almost maniacally. “What’s illegal about learning? It’s not like I’m teaching you all to maim people using these materials.”
Attempt one, failed. Though, they should’ve known better than to argue with Professor Anaxa, of all people, about the legality of anything. The man once pulled out a gun on a student for disrupting class. The professor claimed it was only a prop but none of them believed that for a second.
Another student tried again. “But wouldn’t it be dangerous, sir? We’re not professionals.”
“Only if you do it incorrectly.” Just like that, attempt two was shot down as well.
They turn their heads to Teaching Assistant Hyacine, their last hope. She had been quiet, smiling blankly at the terrified students. They sent her pleading looks.
She didn’t respond, too busy hammering out messages on her phone.
At this point most students already look resigned, accepting their death.
“If there’s nothing else, then we shall head to the lab immediately—”
A loud blast of music filled the room, interrupting him mid-sentence. Several students perk up, recognizing the song as Wrath of Man by Kremnos, their favorite. Though, they did wonder which poor student who’s about to have a meet and greet with their creator for disrupting THE Professor Anaxa’s class.
Anaxa reached to his front pocket and pulled out his still ringing phone. Instantly, every student’s brows shot up. Professor Anaxa is the last person any of them would think to use that song as his ringtone— or any song for that matter.
Their professor looks at the caller, then announces, “my apologies, I have to take this.”
Without even bothering to leave the room, he just answered the call right then and there. “What?”
Professor Anaxa didn’t turn on the speaker, but the front-row students could still hear the voice on the other end of the call.
“Hyacine texted us, she said you’re terrifying your students again.”
Anaxa shoots a glare at his teaching assistant, she beams in response. “I am currently teaching them the wonders of modern chemistry.”
A snort. “Scaring them with your collections, you mean.”
“This experiment is a very important part of my syllabus." More like a very dangerous and most likely illegal part, students think.
“Just dial it back a little, Anaxa. You, we can trust, but a bunch of inexperienced college students playing with dangerous chemicals?” They can practically hear the other person shaking their head. “Even I’ll be worried.”
“It’ll be fine.” Professor Anaxa assures. “Most of these won’t even blow up.”
Titans, save us all. They prayed.
“...that bar is so low, even for you, ‘Naxa.” Few students blinked at the use of nicknames and the fact that their professor didn’t even correct him. Whoever is on that line must’ve been a very important person.
They let out a small sound of disappointment when Professor Anaxa stood up and left the room for the rest of the phone call.
His voice is still audible from the inside, but no one can catch any words that were said.
All of them were still as Professor Anaxa finally finished and went back into the room. His face clearly filled with annoyance (and he’s most definitely not sulking, nope).
“A change of plans.” He let out a sharp exhale through his nose, sending one last glare to Hyacine. “No lab session for today. Open your books. We’ll learn this the boring way.”
Praise Kephale, they almost cried. They flipped their books open to where they'd last left off, silently thanking whoever had just come to their rescue. His voice sounds really familiar, but they’re too relieved to care about that right now.
And so, Anaxa’s students survived another lesson.
✶✶✶
“Still sulking, love?”
No answer. Yep, he is.
Mydei scooted a little closer, the leather couch creaking beneath him. Anaxa didn’t look at him, eyes fixed at his phone.
He did, however, shift slightly, leaving another gap between them.
Mydei waited for a beat. Then, quietly — too casually — moved again. Another inch closer.
Anaxa moved instinctively, another slide to the left. But this time, he hit the edge of the couch. Nowhere else to go.
And then, with deliberate calm, he lowered himself off the couch and sat cross-legged on the floor.
Mydei laughs. “Seriously?”
Mydei wrapped his arms under Anaxa’s, hooking them firmly at his sides. Then, with ease, he hauled him back onto the couch. Anaxa landed in his lap with a soft grunt, arms caught awkwardly, legs splayed half off the floor.
Mydei held him there, arms snug around his torso. He rested his chin lightly on his shoulder, breathing steady.
“‘Naxaaa.” He drawls out. “Don’t be mad.” He buries his face onto the smaller man’s shoulder.
With a huff, Anaxa reached back to ruffle his hair. It’s hard to be mad at Mydei when he’s like this. He already built some sort of immunity when it comes to Phainon’s puppy eyes, but Mydei doesn’t act like this often. He recognized a losing battle when he saw one. “I’m not mad.”
“You were.” His voice was muffled.
“You ruined my lesson plan.” Okay, maybe he’s a little mad. To be fair, he had been planning this lesson for weeks. If he had known this would’ve happened, he wouldn’t have bothered.
“Hyacine told me she saw one of your students write his last will.”
Tch. Dramatics. Every last one of them. As if Anaxa didn’t already anticipate every single possibility of what could have happened. It would have been fine.
“Hyacinthia should mind her own business.”
Mydei chuckles. “The wellbeing of you and your students is kind of her business, especially after what happened last time.”
‘What happened last time’ wasn’t even his fault to begin with. Worse, he wasn’t even in the room when it happened. He will not take the blame just because someone — one of his colleagues — decided his personal lab was their playground and touched things they shouldn't have.
The fool then tried to sue him for attempted murder to which his answer had been—
“If I’d truly been trying to kill you, you wouldn’t be standing here, flapping your mouth like a blabbering fool.” He said sharply. “Besides, I wasn’t the one who entered my lab uninvited, was I? Perhaps you should explain what it is you were after.”
Anaxa himself doesn’t really care what the intention was so long as it doesn’t hinder his research, but the man’s face became so pale, he could’ve been mistaken for a corpse.
It goes without saying, the incident was buried afterwards.
“ That had nothing to do with this.” Anaxa stubbornly said.
“Yes, yes.” Mydei conceded, squeezing Anaxa. “But we’ll still worry, regardless.”
As they spoke, the front door opened with a faint click, drawing both their gazes instantly. They paused, expecting the familiar, cheerful call of “I’m home!” that usually came right after.
When the greeting didn’t follow, they looked at each other, puzzled.
“Phainon?” Mydei calls, body tensing, preparing to fight any intruder who dares—
“Hmm?” They relaxed when a familiar voice answered back. “Oh! Sorry, I’m home, guys.”
Phainon looks sheepish as he enters the room. When he spotted the other two cuddling on the couch, an idea pops in his mind. Mydei and Anaxa can see the exact moment the lightbulb in Phainon’s mind appears.
With twin horror expressions they watched Phainon come barreling toward them.
“Wait—”
“HKS, don’t!”
A blur of limbs crashed into their laps. "Cuddle pile!" he declared triumphantly, half-laughing as the winded pair tried to recover from the impact.
“Phainon—” Anaxa half-gasped, body almost got pinned beneath Phainon’s weight.
Mydei wasn’t faring any better. While Anaxa’s bodyweight was almost nonexistent, Phainon had a build nearly identical to his own, and having all that suddenly dropped onto the couch felt like being tackled by a boulder. A very cheerful and energetic boulder, but a boulder nonetheless.
“Titans, you’re heavy.” Mydei grunted, awkwardly shifting beneath the tangle of limbs. One of Phainon’s knees was pressing into his ribs, and someone’s elbow — most likely Anaxa’s, judging by how sharp it was — was jabbing into his side.
“Excuse you. This body is all muscle.” Phainon corrected with a grin, completely unbothered as he made no effort to move.
After several more bodies wiggling, they finally managed to settle into a somewhat comfortable position.
Anaxa was still sitting on Mydei’s lap, slightly off to the side, trying to stay balanced. Mydei had one arm around his waist, the other braced against the couch to keep them steady.
Phainon was sprawled on top of both of them, half-sitting, half-leaning. His head rested in Anaxa’s lap, eyes closed like he belonged there, while both of his legs were dangling on the edge of the couch.
They stayed like that for a while.
It was so peaceful, Phainon actually almost fell asleep when Anaxa called his name.
“Whuh?” His eyes blinked sleepily.
He felt Anaxa’s fingers comb gently through his hair, steady and calming. “Did something happen?”
Ah, as expected, nothing can get past his lover.
“Mmm, have any of you checked Amphoreus Weekly today?”
Like the name suggests, Amphoreus Weekly is a tabloid that covers news all over Amphoreus. And like any other tabloids, they were made to attract readers. The articles they released were mostly nothing but clickbait and empty rumors.
“Since when do you care about some gossip?” Mydei asked, raising an eyebrow.
“It’s not the gossip that I’m worried about,” Phainon said as he pulled out his phone. “Here.”
He turned the screen toward them, revealing Amphoreus Weekly’s latest post.
Amphoreus Weekly News @amphoreusweekly✔
SPOTTED: Love in the air? — Okhema’s current biggest celebrity and Kremnos’ ever-charismatic leader seen getting very cozy over dinner at Dawncloud Reserve 🍷❤️ Are these two going to be Amphoreus’s next power couple?
[Image: Phainon and Mydei seated at a corner table at one of Okhema's most exclusive restaurants, a bottle of wine between them. Both looking at each other with soft expressions.]
20.1k Likes | 3.2k Retweets | 2.0k Replies
Anaxa was quiet as he read. Speculation about Phainon and Mydei’s relationship was nothing new, both of them were public figures and often interacted with each other after all. It made sense, especially since they’re technically half-correct. The rumors had always floated around, mostly harmless, mostly ignored.
But this… this looked damning.
The way the article was worded, the carefully chosen photos, even the fact that they had cropped Anaxa out of the frame to make it fit their own narrative, made his eyes narrow. The replies in the comment section, however, are eating it up like starving dogs.
PHAIDEI REAL?!?!? @phd4life
Replying to @amphoreusweekly
I KNEW IT. EVERYONE WAS CALLING ME CRAZY BUT GUESS WHAT. I WAS RIGHT. SUCK IT.
655 Likes | 30 Retweets | 34 Replies
HeeHee @pasithea1
Replying to @amphoreusweekly
Phaidei looking so?? soft?? for each other??? My heart 😭
235 Likes | 10 Retweets | 22 Replies
WATCH KREMNOS NEW ALBUM!! @mydeilover
Replying to @amphoreusweekly
IT SHOULD’VE BEEN ME 💔💔💔
133 Likes | 2 Retweets | 5 Replies
One particular comment caught their eyes.
Dance dance dance @imsotired
Replying to @amphoreusweekly
I was actually there that night and Im pretty sure there was 1 more person? He had light green hair, kinda small. I remembered because he wore a hoodie. Who wears a hoodie to an expensive restaurant?
2 Likes | 0 Retweet | 34 Replies
DontTagMe @o123456978
Replying to @imsotired
Me when I lie:
13 Likes | 2 Retweets | 1 Reply
Serene✨ @iloveprettymen
Replying to @imsotired
Threesome? 👀👀
9 Likes | 0 Retweet | 0 Reply
Chimmy @chimerasaresuperior
Replying to @imsotired
Maybe it’s a fan? I wouldnt be surprised. Some of yall are creepy asf
5 Likes | 0 Retweet | 0 Reply
Wyeth @DiscipleofCerces
Replying to @imsotired
Just say you hate phd and move on. no need to spread misinformation
10 Likes | 1 Retweet | 2 Replies
Each comment was getting worse and worse. Phainon watched anxiously as Mydei’s expression grew darker with each reply he scrolled past. But it was Anaxa who worried him more.
Anaxa had always been the composed one between all three of them, but now his face was unreadable, blank in a way that wasn’t normal even for him. Phainon couldn’t tell what he was thinking.
Mydei turns to him. “So? What are we doing about it?”
“Well, Ms. Aglaea gave me a few choices.” Phainon said, choosing to ignore Anaxa’s eye twitch at the mentions of her name. “First one is we deny everything. No more half-answers, no dodging questions. We say ‘no’ and that’s it.” It would hurt. He could tell neither Mydei nor Anaxa was fond of this one either.
“Second choice, we can confirm all those rumors, which are basically just not denying it outright and let the crowd do the rest.” Phainon actually hated the second option the most. It felt… unfair, to Anaxa especially. They were already rarely home to begin with, always busy with work, always leaving Anaxa alone in an empty house. Pretending Anaxa wasn’t also theirs, even only for the public, made his heart filled with guilt.
This is why Phainon hopes the two of them will choose the third option.
“Lastly… we reveal everything.”
Their relationship will be broadcasted for everyone to see. The public will want to know each and every detail. And Phainon… honestly Phainon had no problem with this. Oh, he had no doubt there would be a huge backlash but he loved that they wouldn't have to hide anymore. He could go to Mydei’s concert without a disguise. He won’t have to sneak into Anaxa’s office whenever he visits. They could simply be.
Mydei would probably feel the same but he knew Anaxa would—
“ No.”
—reject the suggestion.
“Anaxa.” He whined. He knew Anaxa values his privacy. The third option means Anaxa’s life will be the most affected, so he should have the final say. Still, he can’t help but want.
“I refuse,” Anaxa repeats, voice steady. “We are not some spectacle for their amusement. If we want to do it, I want it to be on our own terms.”
Phainon’s eyes lit up at the last part. “Does that mean…?”
Anaxa went quiet, a rare flicker of uncertainty in his eyes.
“I will think about it.” Anaxa replied at last.
“Whichever you pick, we’ll be there with you.” Mydei plants a soft peck on his cheek. “If you agree with the third option though, we might need to assign you some bodyguards.” Some of their fans are quite nasty. Mydei and Phainon are used to it but if something happens to Anaxa because of them, they won’t be able to forgive themselves.
Anaxa looks visibly pained at this, clearly hates the idea of being followed all day by strangers. “I know, I know. Like I said, give me time to think about it.”
“Of course.” Phainon agreed, kissing the other side of his cheek.
Anaxa groans softly, dragging a hand down his face. “Sentimental fools. Both of you.”
Mydei laughs, unbothered. “You love us.”
He doesn’t deny it, just rolls his eyes and lets his shoulders relax.
✶✶✶
That night Anaxa couldn’t sleep.
He stared at the ceiling, though he couldn’t see much of it. The moonlight barely reached their corner of the room. His thoughts were louder than the silence, refusing to let him drift off like the others had.
Mydei and Phainon were currently pressed up against him — limbs tangled, breaths steady in the dark. Oblivious to the quiet unrest twisting in his chest.
In the quiet of the night, Anaxa turns to what he does best— he thinks.
Find a solution. No matter the problem, it had to have an answer. A way out. Anaxa just had to find it.
Inhale, exhale.
First, let's analyze the situation.
The majority of the public was sure Phainon and Mydei are dating. The public are not wrong in their assumption, but they only know half of the truth.
The full story is this: Phainon, Mydei, and Anaxa are together. All three of them.
That woman gave them several choices to control the outcome. Deny everything and pretend none of them were involved, confirm only what the public already suspects— that Phainon and Mydei are together, or reveal the full truth.
Asking Phainon and Mydei to deny their relationship for his sake would be cruel. Anaxa won’t even entertain the idea. He refuses to make them hide what they have just for his own peace.
Conclusion: Remove option one from the list of possible choices.
That still leaves him with two other choices. Both have their own advantages and downsides. He recalled Phainon’s expression when he told them about the second option. His face was akin to someone who had just eaten a whole lemon, eyebrows were scrunched up in distaste. It was obvious what he thought and Anaxa can’t find within himself to disagree. However, to him this is the best possible choice with the most agreeable outcome. Their lives won’t change (much), and there’s a chance the rumor will once again be forgotten. Logically speaking, Anaxa should choose this option.
He can’t seem to take his mind off option three though.
He knows he shouldn’t. Just thinking of what would happen to his relatively quiet life if people were to know about their relationship is already giving him a headache. Not to mention his students. He knows for a fact about half of his students were a fan of Mydei, while the other half practically worships Phainon and the ground he walks on. He doubts any of them would be able to concentrate on his lessons afterwards.
Mydei also mentioned bodyguards but Anaxa doesn’t really want to think about that yet.
All in all, option three comes with a lot of drawbacks for him.
But both of his lovers had looked at him with so much hope back then, and Anaxa could pretend all he wants but it won’t change the fact that he wants it too, damn it. He wants to stop hiding. He wants to stand beside them in the open, not in the shadows. He wants to stop pretending he’s just a footnote in their story when, in truth, they’ve written entire chapters in his heart.
After almost an hour of weighing his options and still unable to choose, Anaxa knew what he was missing.
Data. He needs more data.
Reaching blindly toward the nightstand, he fumbled for his phone. His hand froze when Phainon shifted beside him, mumbling softly in his sleep. When Phainon settled back into stillness, Anaxa let out a quiet sigh of relief. He’d rather not wake his boyfriend just yet, not over this.
He settled back against the pillows, phone in hand, eyes scanning the dark room as his mind raced. If he was going to make a decision, he needed to understand everything first— every consequence, every possible outcome.
Anaxa scrolled through his phone, searching for the post from earlier, the one that had started this whole spiral.
It didn’t take long to find. The algorithm had latched onto it like a leech, boosting it to the top of every feed. He stared at it for a long moment, thumb hovering over the screen.
The comment had gotten much larger than before, he didn’t even think that’s possible. Perhaps seeing his boyfriends act like smitten fools everyday made him forget how popular they actually are. Compared to them, he…
Ah, forget it. Since when does he care about such things?
Without further thoughts, he clicked the post and skimmed through the comments. Nothing changed much, most of them are singing the same tone as earlier. Except, the comment about him earlier had gotten a lot more attention than before. Well, fuck.
Dance dance dance @imsotired
Replying to @amphoreusweekly
I was actually there that night and Im pretty sure there was 1 more person? He had light green hair, kinda small. I remembered because he wore a hoodie. Who wears a hoodie to an expensive restaurant?
985 Likes | 234 Retweets | 224 Replies
WRATH OF MEN @kremnosno1fan
Replying to @imsotired
WAITTT IS THIS HIM??
[Image: The photo is blurry but it’s clear it was Mydeimos next to another person. The man had mint green colored-hair and was wearing a classic Kremnos hoodie merch. Mydeimos’ hand was resting on his waist. ]
340 Likes | 80 Retweets | 121 Replies
…it’s undeniably him. He remembers the exact moment that photo was taken, but he hadn’t thought much of it because of how much time had passed. Of course, it had come to bite him back on the behind. Thankfully though, nobody seems to know it was him because of the blurry photo.
Still, the comments are a little… concerning.
WRATH OF MEN @kremnosno1fan
Replying to @imsotired
WAITTT IS THIS HIM??
[Image: The photo is blurry but it’s clear it was Mydeimos next to another person. The man had mint green colored-hair and was wearing a classic Kremnos hoodie merch. Mydeimos’ hand was resting on his waist. ]
340 Likes | 80 Retweets | 121 Replies
Dance dance dance @imsotired
Replying to @kremnosno1fan
OH SHIII IT IS!!!
210 Likes | 12 Retweets | 8 Replies
Pete @idkdontask
Replying to @kremnosno1fan
Why he kinda ugly tho? 😭
10 Likes | 2 Retweets | 3 Replies
Cae @GalacticBaseballer
Replying to @fwordnous and @kremnosno1fan
Its blurry, what are you on bro?
5 Like | 0 Retweet | 0 Reply
Incorrect Amphoreus @amphoreustxt
Replying to @kremnosno1fan
Its clearly ai
2 Like | 0 Retweet | 0 Reply
Burnet @consPIRACY123
Replying to @kremnosno1fan
hear me out.. what if theyre together but mydei was cheating on phainon with that mint guy?
1 Like | 0 Retweet | 3 Replies
Caenis for President @F0RAMPH0REUS
Replying to @consPIRACY123 and @kremnosno1fan
AND THE RESTAURANT PHOTO WAS PHAI CONFRONTING HIM OMG LET HIM COOK
2 Likes | 0 Retweet | 0 Reply
OD @iamareader
Replying to @consPIRACY123 and @kremnosno1fan
Why tf would they go to an expensive restaurant for that you dumbfuck
7 Likes | 0 Retweet | 0 Reply
Ava @januspriest2k25
Replying to @consPIRACY123 and @kremnosno1fan
My king would NEVER
5 Likes | 0 Retweet | 0 Reply
Loate @PraiseKephale
Replying to @kremnosno1fan
Its bad enough they’re 2 men in a relationship. Adding another one on top of that?? May Kephale save their soul
2 Like | 0 Retweet | 1 Reply
Skott @ipcmkt
Replying to @kremnosno1fan
It's obvious they're making it up for drama. Phainon’s acting career is seriously going downhill fast and Kremnos’ ticket sales are tanking. Their ‘glory days’ are over, they’re desperate.
1 Like | 0 Retweet | 2 Replies
LETSGO LESBIANS @trashracoon
Replying to @ipcmkt and @kremnosno1fan
Wtf is bro talking about
5 Likes | 0 Retweet | 0 Reply
If the public already reacted this negatively when it was still a speculation, he doesn’t want to know what they’ll do if they ever reveal everything.
Anaxa doesn’t care what could happen to him. He’s used to people wanting to burn him on a stake for his opinion. A teenager’s hate tweet won’t affect him that much.
His lovers’ career on the other hand, depended heavily on public rating.
Anaxa won’t let himself be the reason they lose everything they’ve worked for. He can’t.
He laughs quietly.
In the end, it wasn’t that much of a choice.