Raven jolted up, awoken by the sharp thud of his head hitting the floor.

His eyes shot open to the blaze of the fire. Something shuffled by his side.

His ears were still ringing from the collision. Panicked voices and pants mingled, resulting in an earsplitting static.

Disoriented, he propped himself up on his elbows, feeling the new headache adding to his already impressive collection of sores and pains. Tongue poised to curse everyone and their long line of dead ancestors, he glanced around grouchily.

"Aithan!"

Raven jerked his head up to see Wolfram's pallid face just above him. The cocky peachick appeared to have witnessed the ghost of God. His pupils were shot wide, all colors drained to the point where even his trembling lips looked white.

He barely had time to register the look of tangible terror on his face, when a typhoon of burgundy hair darted past them, vaulted over the fire, and disappeared into the dark.

Wolfram bolted after Aithan, his frantic footsteps echoing off the ruins of the manor.

Raven Alistair knew the sound of a brawl when he heard one.

And that grunt was unmistakably someone getting choked to death.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!!"

Raven was on his feet before he knew how. He took off in the direction of the howl, biting through the white-hot pain shooting up his leg.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!!" The scream pierced through his sleep clogged mind. Dread coiled in the pit of his stomach, cold and heavy.

He squinted, desperately trying to see through the gloom and the afterimage of the flames. His heart was pounding in his throat, and he swallowed it down with great effort.

Where was he?

Where was he?

He could finally see the towering shadow of his half-brother, locked in a vicious struggle to pry Missy off someone's neck. The boy was astride his victim, his knees ruthlessly digging into their guts as he tightened his grip around the neck like an unforgiving noose.

A chill licked down Raven's spine, a sensation he hadn't experienced in years.

Lunging at the boy, Raven seized his shoulder, hoping to jerk him away. The world exploded in a burst of stars as a brutal elbow crashed into his face.

"Motherf-"he clutched his nose, tasting the familiar metallic tang of warm blood.

Aithan pushed his brother aside and grabbed River by locking arms around his chest. "Riv!! He will die!"

Aithan growled, yanking him off the ground like a possessed cat thrown into water, finally freeing Valor from his death choke. "Let him go!"

"I'M GOING TO KILL HIM!!" River hissed, panting as he tried to break free from Aithan. The redhead's glasses were swatted off his face in the struggle, but he was too busy restraining the raging boy to notice. Meanwhile, Wolfram rushed to aid the man writhing on the floor, his body twisting in agony.

"I'M GOING TO KILL THEM ALL!"

Coughing and gasping for air, Valor clawed his way to his feet, attempting to speak but only managing hoarse wheezes and gags. The glare of Wolfram's healing glow illuminated the darkness and Val's frantic retching eased finally, though a waterfall of tears were cascading down his face.

Raven's heart lurched at the sight of his pale face and bluish lips. Valor's eyes were bulging as if they were about to pop, deep violet bruises encircling his neck. They were vanishing under the golden light, yet they stood in grim reminder of the violent choking he suffered. Had Aithan wasted another second, this golden child would have been shaking hands with his holy ancestor by now.

How strong was this brat?

The air was heavy with smoke and sweat, the tension cackling between them like the sky before a thunderstorm.

Aithan huffed, the strain of the feverish struggle catching up to him. The prim and proper man's hair was disheveled, his impeccable attire now a rumpled mess as if he had wrestled a toddler off a cookie jar. He dragged the kicking, scratching, biting boy as far as he could from his target.

"Calm down! "His grip tightened on the thrashing boy despite suffering a merciless kick to the shin.

"What the fuck happened!?" Raven bellowed, unable to decide who he should yell at.

"Attempted murder" Wolfram spat, glaring at him.

Raven couldn't resist the roll of his eyes. "I'm not fucking blind."

"You are!"

"Fuck I'm not!"

"People!" Aithan grunted through clenched teeth, veins bulging on his neck from the strain. "Help"

Raven looked at the little beastly thing caged between his arms and found himself staring at a total stranger. His wild eyes had lost their blue hue, glowing in a golden amber light. Their swollen rims were reddened with angry tears. Unyielding, they were fixed on Valor like two fiery suns in summer.

Raven knew the feeling all too well.

Anger starts warm and uncomfortable, like a pot of milk on a stove. You try to watch it, make sure it doesn't bubble and spill all over. Once it does, you can't undo the damage, you can never return it back to the pot. Words that said were said, punches thrown were landed and all that it leaves you is the rancid aftertaste of guilt and shame.

Raven always felt like Missy was watching such a pot for a long time now, perhaps more than one. He was running from one stove to the other, living in constant anxiety, wondering which of them would overflow first.

Raven knew the day would soon come when he gets sick of it and starts showering people around him in scorching hot milk and smashing pots over their heads.

He just didn't expect his beloved brother to land the grand opening hit.

"I- "Valor staggered to his wobbling feet, gently pushing Wolfram away. "Fuuko, I don't know what you are talking about!"

Missy started struggling with renewed vigor, gritting his teeth into splinters. Aithan nodded at Raven; his amber eyes widened in a silent plea for help.

Raven lived all his life in anger, tasted every flavor of it. He was a slave to the raw emotion that made his blood smoke, addicted to the excitement and relief that followed once you breath the fire out and witnessed the destruction it caused. The raging fury would combust in him, consuming him. Narrowing his world down. Once he let the anger claim him, friend and foe bear the same face, right and wrong are of the same shade.

"Missy," Raven sighed, tentatively limping towards him. Earning no response from him, he tried again. "Missy!"

The blazing orbs were on him now, the look in them enough to burn his soul into ashes. He held eye contact though, hoping it would distract and ground the younger boy. "What?!"

"Why are you angry at him?"

Milk can't warm on its own.

Under every pot of simmering milk was a fire.

No one was just angry. They are hurt and angry.

Jealous and angry. Betrayed and angry. Scared and angry.

"My niece!" Missy choked, tears finally spilling. "My baby!"

"Azi is fine Fuuko!" Val's voice thundered behind them. "I'm fine! Ay is fine!"

Raven felt River's fury seeping into him, igniting his core in harmony. He leered at yapping bastard over the shoulder, fisting his hands.

"Shut your fucking bread hole, cumrag. I wasn't talking to you."

"He let them brand her!" River shot an accusing finger at his brother, voice raspy with venom. "Raven! I begged on my knees! And he let them do it!!"

"Alistair!" Valor coughed, wincing at how grating he sounded. "It's just a family emblem! My father and mother have it. Every Verlice has it!"

River stomped his foot, shaking gods off the sky. "Val!!"

"You are overreacting!!" Val strode towards his brother, fists clenched. Raven threw him a warning glare, and it successfully stopped him on his tracks. The way Val raised his voice almost made Raven forget he was not someone he could punch casually.

"Overreacting?" River struggled in Aithan's clasp; hands outstretched to grab his neck again. "Have I not warned you? Again, and again?"

"Why did you do it?" Wolfram quipped; brows knitted together. "He clearly asked you not to."

Valor's face reddened, dark eyes narrowing. "Well, then tell him to explain to me why!"

Missy elbowed Aithan on the ribs, hard enough to knock him out of breath. The man doubled over, whimpering but did not loosen his hold.

"Can't you just believe me once!" Missy roared, clawing at Aithan's forearms.

"Because you keep things from me!" Val roared back, albeit with great effort. "If you know something, just tell me!"

"I'm protecting you!"

"From what?" Valor laughed mockingly, holding up a strange sigil on his arm. "A freaking inking? It's stupid tradition Fuu."

"You promised me you wouldn't let him get near Azi or Ayla!" River sobbed, desperation leaking into his anger.

"Fuu, he is my father. Her grandfather!" Valor reasoned, like he was explaining a stupid child something incredibly simple. "Why would he hurt her?"

"He's my father too!" River screamed, voice breaking with tears. "Haven't he hurt me?"

Valor wiped a shaking hand down his sweat drenched face, scoffing.

"Fuuko that's different."

Raven witnessed the exact moment River's soul shattered behind his eyes. The second when the vehement wrath bled into unspeakable sorrow. The flare in his eyes faded to their usual cold azure shade. The boy stilled and just stared, like he was having trouble believing what he heard.

Raven motioned to Aithan, and the tall man withdrew his grip on his chest, taking a cautious step back.

If Missy wanted to kill his brother, Raven would let him. If he didn't, he would do it himself. Either way, this man was not seeing another dawn. Not with all his teeth in his mouth.

"I know he wasn't the kindest, Fuu. And I'm not defending him." Val sighed, pinching his nose bridge. "But you don't know him like I do. He wouldn't do anything that hurt any of us."

"Really, now?" River tiled his head eerily, sounding small. "Us don't include me. I know"

"That's not what I'm saying!"

"That is exactly what you said." Wolfram commented from the sidelines, gently fanning the fire.

"He couldn't even bring himself to kill you!" Val explained, words stumbling into each other as he tried to get everything out while he had River's attention.

"Anyone else would have killed a deviant. He let you live!"

In his head, Raven bashed Valor's skull with a boulder like an overly ripened watermelon and felt a whole lot better.

River slowly sank to his knees, Wolfram's outer coat flowing around him on the dusty floor littered with dried up leaves. It made him appear like a withered lonely flower on a meadow.

The boy curled into himself, like the words physically jabbed him in an already festering wound. He hugged his knees, eyes glued at the fire burning in the distance. His shoulders relaxed and head drooped pathetically but tears never stopped flowing.

He was spent. And tired.

"Fuu," Valor's voice had mellowed out, brittle with tangible regret. "You know I didn't mean it like that."

Raven stepped in, standing between the two brothers. Whatever the elder says now was not going to change anything.

The milk had already been spilled.

With a groan, Raven lowered himself to the ground, blocking River's view of the fire. He cupped River's face gently in his hands, skin scorching hot and soft against his own. His eyes looked blank, sunken into their sockets in fatigue. He wished he didn't, but he knew that look in them.

It was the agony of defeat.

They were the eyes of someone watching years of sacrifices and efforts washing down the drain. The crushing weight one feels after doing everything they could, only to realize in the end that they had not done good enough. The gut-wrenching pain of having to keep silent because nothing they say or do would change the outcome.

He pressed their foreheads together, his fingers pulsating with the frantic beat of River's pulse under his jaw. He melted into the touch, body going limp.

"Cry." Raven pulled him against his chest with ease, the boy crashing on to him like a ragdoll. "Or choke him again. Do whatever makes it better."

"Alistair," Val started to say something, but Wolfram dragged him away by the collar, ignoring his protests.

"Leave him alone, you royal pain in the ass." Wolfram scolded as they disappeared into the distance. "You better grovel later!"

Aithan glanced around with widened amber eyes, looking incredibly concerned for the crying boy in his brother's arms. He too, then proceed to crouch beside them.

Raven watched amused as he crawled closer on his hands, frown etched to his face. Though he seemed uncomfortable to disrupt them he stayed on the dusty floor on his fours.

"Aithan, what the fuck are you doing?"

"My glasses"

"To your right"

Relief flooded his face when he fingers finally felt the coldness of the silver rims. He dusted them off and returned them to their usual spot on his nose bridge.

Aithan patted River gently on his sweaty head a couple times, trying to console him. River only sobbed even louder, hiding his face deeper into Raven's shirt.

"I'm-" He hiccuped, squirming away from Aithan's touch. "I'm sorry- kicked you."

He only recieved more head pats in answer. "It's alright "

Aithan was gone then too, ruffling Raven's hair lovingly on his way out. Raven used to hate him for doing that with passion. Only later he found it was a gesture reserved for people he cared about the most; his way of saying that he was there for them.

The silence settled around them, poignant in the aftermath of the chaos. Thunder rumbled somewhere outside, warning of an impending storm. A gust of wind swept past them, carrying dust and dried, dead leaves with it.

"Tell me what's wrong, Missy." He rubbed circles on his back, trying to smooth out his erratic breathing. He only shook his head side to side in blatantly fake denial and snuggled closer.

"Will you ever tell me?"

"There's nothing to tell, I disgracefully lost my mind for a while." He whispered weakly, wiping his nose. He pulled away sniffling with a pout.

"I'll move away now."

Raven giggled, tightening his embrace around his waist. "Come on, I know Missy don't want to."

The expected sharp remark or the sound slap never came. Raven felt his breastbone reverberating with a dull thud as River's head buried in his chest once again.

"I'll move away shortly."

Raven couldn't help but laugh out loud. He hoped it muffled the wild thumping of his heart that was threatening to ascend to heavens in bliss.

"I charge three coins per minute." Raven whispered into his ear, smirking. He gently ran his fingers through River's hair, massaging his scalp with a tender touch, as if trying to soothe away the headache he was definitely suffering from all that screaming and crying.

"I've heard that brothels charge less for an entire night." River retorted jokingly, even though the sadness still tainted his voice. He relaxed completely, on the verge of falling asleep.

"Two coins, last price." He breathed in the understated warm scent clinging to River's hair. Maybe he was a disgusting scumbag for being selfish, for wanting to hold him a little while longer. For being happy that he was in his arms right now, no matter how broken. For wanting more.

"I don't have that much." He mumbled sleepily. "How long can you hold me for five silvers?"

"Not for long enough, Missy."

But the boy was already on his way to dreamland, half asleep and half awake. "How long?"

Raven waited, silently, until his chest started falling and rising rhythmically. Until the tense lines of sorrow disappeared from his face. Until he fell into a troubled sleep in against his chest.

Then he kissed him on the forehead.

It sparked a mischievous giddy feeling in him, like he stole something sweet from an unsuspecting bowl while no one was watching.

So, he stole another.

"Forever"

Author has something to say.

Author re wrote this chapter twice.

She still feels like she wrote word vomit. The chapter is long Ik. But I needed get everything out.

Take care all of the lovely people! 

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Also The God's Game reached over 3k?! Like how?

thank you all for continued support!!

Author- The sigil of twin Fovers was mentioned in an earlier chapter.

Readers who don't remember                     Vs                     Readers who remember.

Author- Kai! Confess!

Kai- I once drank-

Author- No! To Einar!

Kai- *Runs away, giggling hysterically.

Author- Einar, you go first then.

Einar-*dies

Author- Raven, confess!

Raven- The list is kinda long, should I start with murder or tax fraud?

Author-No goddammit! Tell River you like him.

Raven- Fuck no! He's scary!

Author- River, do you like Raven?

River- *in a corner moping * Im a filthy monster who does not deserve love, ever.

Author- Why can't any of you be like Aithan and confess like a man?

Wolfram- But he didn't?

Author- So, you did?

Wolfram- Um..no?

Author- But you know that he loves you right?

Wolfram- I'm not sure to be honest. He is giving me mixed signals.

Author- HE IS LITERALLY STANDING OVER THERE WITH A GIANT "WILL YOU MARRY ME, WOLFY?" SIGN!!