Chapter Text
Despite the good sunny day outside and happy citizens, doesn't mean that everyone would've a good day -- something that happened to Cyrene when she woke up this morning.
You see, she's usually very bright and has an imprenetable patience -- obvious since the Eternal Recurrence. She's the kind of person who can wait unless if she really need to be fast, and even than she's usually very polite about it.
... It's not the case with her this morning, it seems.
"Oh Titans, have you always been this slow?!" Cyrene hissed in annoyance at the coffee maker, "I swear if you are not done in another minute, I will replace you-"
"Chill out sis, that coffee machine will be done when it's done." Phainon says from where he sit on the sofa, "what's up with you today? You are not usually this impatience."
Cyrene grumbled something incoherent under her breath as she tries her damned hard not to take a cigarette from it's box that she carefully hid inside of her jacket pocket. Thankfully, the coffee maker finally finished it's daily morning job before Cyrene decides that today is it's last day. She (aggressively) took a cup of coffee before sitting with Phainon on their sofa in the living room, leaning slightly to rest her head on her brother's shoulder. Sniffing lightly to the faint, soft calming scent from Phainon.
"Tired?" He asks, softly ruffling through soft pink hair -- which draws a soft purr from his sister. Cyrene just hummed as she sips the coffee she just made, hopefully getting rid of her sleepiness.
"You should take more breaks you know?" Phainon chuckled, "you've been everywhere and anywhere all at once! Overusing Passage's and Trickery's Authority through 'As I've Written' is not exactly healthy you know?"
Cyrene let out a soft growl, "as if you haven't done the same."
Phainon flicked her forehead at that, "but I didn't overuse the authority of another coreflames still in my body."
"You still run around town like a headless chicken, doing errands that seems endless." His sister took another sip of her coffee, "you have basically revoked your right to lecture me."
Phainon put a hand on his chest, dramatically acting as if someone had just shot him death, "oh? Am I really? Who's basically on the brink of death this morning? Did you even sleep last night?"
"Shut up." Cyrene says as she lightly smacked him on his arm, "you should really getting ready instead of doing this. We've got that weekly meeting, aren't we?"
Phainon sigh, a bit dissappointed, "right. We definitely has that meeting."
Something in his voice make Cyrene look up to him, and found that Phainon has that kicked puppy face on him. She sigh tiredly.
"You know, work is important and very tiring." Cyrene start, holding her brother's hand, "but if you want, we can definitely hang out later in the evening -- or have a movie night."
Phainon look straight to her eyes, his expression brighten and all of that subtle exhaustion seems to evaporate. His eyes twinkle brightly as he stared at her in disbelieve, "you're serious?????"
Cyrene roll her eyes, "I am serious -- so long that you are."
Phainon smiles oh so brightly, the kind of smile she hadn't seen on him for a bit while -- usually has that edge of exhaustion. Cyrene can feel her heart ached. Oh how long had she missed him among the lonely days and nights where she'd usually burried under scrolls upon scrolls; some are history scrolls with the wrong label that she must fix, some are notes from the many meetings with the IPC, some are notes from meetings with the Chrysos Heirs; and how long had she missed him when she's home but he's not, busy helping around Okhema, running his own errands and usually either at the Grove or Castrum Kremnos.
Cyrene shivered slightly, the word Castrum Kremnos reminded her of a certain Alpha -- The one Alpha that she had given permission to court her Beta brother a long time ago, yet somehow he gives her some annoying, icky feeling.
Thankfully, Phainon doesn't seem to notice anything a miss. He than stood up and went to his room, saying that he'll getting ready for the meeting. Cyrene slumped at the sofa and downed the coffee in one gulp, already missing his warm.
Ahh, now why is she so clingy today? Cyrene knows that she's an affectionate person and preferring physical touch, but she's usually not this clingy..
Oh well. She should get ready too.
So she stood up and wash her used cup before waiting for Phainon near the stairs. Eating her toast for breakfast all the while.
When he's back, Cyrene took note of his clothes: a white shirt and doubled with an unbuttoned navy flannel. He also wear a pair of long jeans today along with that sunglasses resting on his head. Looking nice enough and definitely won't give Aglaea a heart attack.
"Looking good today, prince charming." Cyrene teased him, which Phainon responded with a laugh.
"You are looking so fine yourself." He told her, "a white sleeveless top and a jeans short and your usual baby blue jacket. Isn't it hot today?"
Cyrene shrug, "I do run cold. Even if I woke up weirdly warmer this morning.. Eh, shouldn't be a problem ♪"
Phainon arched an eyebrow, "woke up warmer..? You sure you didn't catch a fever?"
Cyrene shook her head, "nope -- checked it already."
"If you say so.." Phainon replied, a bit unsure. He still open the door for them anyway, "should we go now?"
Cyrene just gives him thumbs up with a tired smile.
**
"Ah! Good morning Lord Phainon, Lady Cy-"
"Grrr..." Cyrene growled at the elderly who just waved and greeted them -- which make him stumbled on his step, almost falling. Phainon laugh nervously.
"Sorry.. She's been very growly since she woke up this morning.." He explained timidly, his polite smiles more forced than usual, "just.. Don't mind her. I guess."
The elder sigh, but still trying to be polite by smiling. Phainon sigh, exasperated.
"Seriously sis, the heck is wrong with you today? You are not usually the growly type." Phainon ask, a bit concerned and weirded out by his sister's unusual behavior. Cyrene huffed, annoyed at something Phainon can't even start to guess.
"He smelled wrong, and everyone elses stare too much."
Phainon frowned at that, "I don't think that's a valid reason.. Especially for being purposefully intimidating like that."
Cyrene doesn't answer him, but she does hissed at a guy who seemed to walk to their direction. The poor guy jumped back at, holding a defensive stance as he tries to walk pass them. Just before Cyrene can bite anyone, Phainon hold her back by the scruff of her neck -- than once again apologizing to the poor man who just happen to walk in their direction.
"Alright, that's it." Phainon says, deadpan, "I know that you don't like being treated like a kid, but an air jail it is. At least until we get inside and met the other."
When Cyrene growl even louder at a group of students, Phainon sigh, loudly.
"Titans.." Phainon exhaled harshly, "you know what? By the Authority of Law, you, Cyrene of Aedes Elysiae, shall lose all ability to growl, hiss and biting until we get to the meeting place."
After the words are said, Cyrene automatically can't growl, hiss nor bite for the aforementioned time frame. This might seems a bit much, but Phainon seriously doesn't want to risk it. Especially since he doesn't know what happened to her. So for now, the Authority of Law it is -- especially since Cyrene is still more inorganic than even him, some of the matter that made her still based off the codes from when she was still The Demiurge and PhiLia093.
Though somehow, everyone still avoid them -- even when Cyrene doesn't make any attempt at intimidating; maybe except for glaring. But glaring shouldn't do so much, right?
(Alas, being a Beta, Phainon completely missed the protective pheromones that Cyrene released. It doesn't necessarily smells nasty coming from her, but it does smells sharp. Sharp enough to be clear that Cyrene does threaten them all.)
(He also definitely forgot that his sister is an Alpha with a very big influence, especially on being kind and basically the embodiment of Love. So to see her glaring like that does make your spine crawl.)
Either way, they quickly reached the Heroes Bath and immediately greeted by Aglaea-
"GRR!!" Ah, fuck. The rule Phainon put on her automatically fall by the time they reached the Heroes Bath -- and for some reason unknown, Cyrene decide to growl at Aglaea of all people; pretty aggressively too as she trashed around with her fangs bared, claws out and her ears pressed down, trying to get out of Phainon's hold on her. Phainon holding her closser, this time on her upper arm when his grip on the scruff of her neck start to loosen. At this point, Cyrene definitely is looking for a fight.
Weirdly enough though, Aglaea growled back. The Goldweaver still hold her polite posture though. Tribios beside her tugged on her sleeve and the Romance Titan quickly get back to her senses, even if her eyes still trained on Cyrene whom still trying to maybe get a punch in.
"Ah, I'm sorry teacher," Aglaea says quietly, "I'm not sure what happened for me to.. Growl at a fellow friend and pack.."
Tribios sigh, and than walked closser to Cyrene as she let out a calming scent to hopefully lessened Cyrene's trashing. It did work, but the Genesis Titan still glared and growled openly at the other Alpha. She take one of Cyrene's hand, giving it a soft massage to maybe get her to retract her claws.
Only when Cyrene stopped her trashing with a heavy breath does Tribios finally ask, "what's up Reney? You are not usually so aggressive.."
Cyrene doesn't answer, but she does smell the worry radiating from the Passage Titan. Her senses however, immediately recognized her as one of her pack -- the Chrysos Heirs pack, one of the main Omegas -- so she tries to calm herself down even a little bit, to hopefully doesn't appear as angry and scary to the red haired omega. Phainon stared at Tribios in what is probably shock.
"Huh.. How did you do that?? She had been growling and hissing around all the way here to the point that I restrained her ability to growl, hiss -- and even biting, just in case -- using the Coreflame of Law at least until we reach here.." the Deliverer ask, genuinely curious -- and also glad as he loosened his hold on Cyrene; not lose enough to let the girl to pounce at Aglaea of course.
Tribios chuckled, "just a bit of calming scent, and soft approach. Also, I know that you probably can't really smell out our scents since you are a beta, but I think your sister had been releashing intimidating scents."
Phainon gasp, "she's what?!"
Than he looked at Cyrene as he turn her (a bit forcefully) to face him eye to eye, "why'd you do that?!"
Cyrene just let out another incoherent growly grumble under her breath. Phainon frowned, "do you perhaps have any idea on what's happening..?"
Tribios sigh, "I think I might have a slightest bit of idea..-"
"Oh, you two are finally here?" A new voice says, Mydei as he came from the changing room behind Aglaea, dressed only in his bath robe. Phainon blushed a bit.
"Oh Mydei!!! Hey!! -- Urm, Yep. We're here now." Phainon says with a shy smile, turning Cyrene back -- she immediately glared at Aglaea again, whom doesn't stop glaring back either. At least until she recognized Mydei's scent and her glare moved to the ex-prince of Kremnos. Her expression dark as she tries her best to not attack him especially with Tribios's hands softly massaging one of her hand-
Mydei walk towards them, followed by Hyacine and Little Ica who heard him from the snack aisle. Unseen by the little crowd of the heirs, Cyrene's pupils turn to slits as she caught a whiff of Phainon's scent on him -- rather strong too and in a way that her inner Alpha doesn't like.
"Welcome!-" Hyacine stopped on her track, sniffing the air, "uh oh -- wait Mydei! Don't get any closser-!"
"Huh, what's up Hyacine?" Mydei ask, still oblivious -- now standing next to Aglaea, "is something wrong?-"
Cyrene suddenly gone in ice shards before reappearing in front of Mydei as she pounced at him -- claws out with her fangs bared as she hold Mydei down by his neck. Phainon yelped as he run to them, shouting curses as he tries to pry his sister off his mate. Aglaea who just snapped out of her aggressive glaring at the pink haired Alpha tries to help by using her golden thread -- except Cyrene barely budged.
Mydei gasped for breath as he glared at his attacker -- yet holding his growl and snarl to the minimum at the back of his throat when he realized that it's his sister in law who attacked, afraid to accidently doomed his relationship with Phainon by offending her somehow. Her glare make him shiver, as if she's threatening him just like back then, after he got her full permission to court her brother. Mydei still tries to fight back, to show that he's not weak either.
It took a while until they manage to get Cyrene off of Mydei. Hyacine and Tribios both has to work together to have their scents mixed together and creates a calming scent -- though only when they manage to get Cyrene got a full koala on Phainon does she finally, truly calmed down. A soft purr rises from her throat.
Mydei rubbed his bruised neck, golden blood trickled down his body from the scratches Cyrene left. He stood a few foot further than the rest of the group with Aglaea whom now staring at the Genesis Titan in worry.
Phainon frown deepen, "alright, so what happened to her? It's the first time she snapped this much."
Tribios and Hyacine both looked at each other, before letting out a soft breath.
Hyacine look up at Phainon, "I think your sister is entering her Rut."
Phainon's eyes widened; both Aglaea and Mydei also seemed surprised.
"Her rut doesn't seems to come with the desire to mate like most Alphas -- maybe because the relationship she usually has are platonic, especially with you." Hyacine explained, "she's always been protective of you, the rut just makes her even more protective."
Tribios nodded, "that, and she'd became more.. Cranky, irritable."
Phainon open and closed his mouth, as if even he doesn't know what to say.
"So that's why.." he decide to say in the end.
Hyacine tilt her head slightly, "I know that you are a beta, but usually betas can easily pin point when someone from their pack, especially family, went into heat or rut -- but it seems like you just found out now too."
Phainon sigh, "no.. I didn't know.."
Tribios frown, "hm.. Do you at least remember when was the last time she has her rut?"
Phainon bit his lips, "I think it was.. Urm.. Before she took the Authority of Time..?"
Tribios arched an eyebrow, "which is..?"
Phainon grimaced, "I think the first hundred year of every.. Cycles..? And each cycle all has at least more than a thousand year..? But after the first hundred cycle I'm pretty sure that she took the Coreflame earlier -- doesn't even bothering to officially join the Flamechase..? I don't know about the 33.550.337 and 33.550.338 cycles though.."
"I don't think she has any of it at 33.550.336 cycle either..? I'm not sure..?"
Hyacine frown at that, "that means she only has rut every few millenia? Why doesn't she has any rut after she took the Time Coreflame?"
Tribios sigh, "maybe that is her curse. She did mention that she doesn't really able to grow up during the Eternal Recurrence, didn't she?"
"Her.. Curse..?" Aglaea repeater, confused.
"Yep." Tribios replied, "to stop growing up, or stopping time from affecting her. Which mean her body is not even able to reach it's next cycle of rut. Forever stuck in a form from when she took the Coreflame."
"Oh." Phainon breathed out, "do you think she even know that she's entering her rut..?"
Tribios shook her head, "maybe not. The good thing is that at least it seems like she doesn't necessarily need a mate either seeing how engulfed in your scent is enough to calm her down."
"Cyrie would be better off staying at home" Hyacine told him, "but from what Lady Tribios says, that means you are to stay with her."
Phainon sigh, "so you mean that I must stay home too?"
Tribios and Hyacine both nodd.
"Don't worry about work, I'll have the other took up both of your errands and run it." Aglaea told him, already opening her teleslate, "take as much time you need."
Mydei nodd along, and than sigh in slight disappointmen, "it also seems like that we can't hang out together for now. Your sister might as well kill me if she sees me even looking at you."
Phainon huffed tiredly, "right.. Oh well."
The Deliverer stood up with his sister in his arms, "well, we'll be heading back than."
His friends nodd, than Hyacine walk up to him, "I'll come visit later to check up on her if its's okay?"
Phainon nodd, "that'd be nice.."
Then his wings materialized from thin air, before taking off to the sky -- avoiding the crowd.
.
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It will be a long week, wouldn't it?