"Ah, right. You will come and watch too right?" Adam asked, "The PSL. It's held in Islamabad this year."
The man laid down on the floor turning away to his right, "Hm… if I have that energy. Or else, I'll just watch the TV no problem at all."
Adam unconvinced by his reply went over, "No way! You will come! I'll ask Seraph and Cassiel to urge you too!" he sat beside him pulling him at his side.
The man clicking his tongue, looked at Adam who blinked with puppy dog eyes, "Please~"
Unable to evade his gaze he sighed, "Alright, alright. Just go already." he pushed his face back.
"Haha!" Adam laughed standing up, "Then, I'll go! And, I'll bring Sera, Sera and Cassiel too!" he waved heading out.
"Ah, right…!" Adam instantly turned around smiling lovingly, "At the shrine, I'll pray for you too. For your health and prosperity since you're broke and also, for you to come and watch me play and take care of me forever."
The man stared surprised, Adam turning around immediately left.
The man tracing his small back exhaled, "Oh dear, oh dear~ just how early has this little back grown up? However... the broke statement was unnecessary to add." he clicked his tongue smiling.
______
"Huff! Huff!" Poseidon and Helios panted rushing inside the hospital's entrance. Stepping in, they could clearly hear commotion around. Poseidon gulped anxiously.
Tracing the receptionist, Helios asked, "What's going on?"
The woman on the counter turned over confused . "We are extremely sorry for this inconvenience sir. However, there's a conflict going on in between a family on the second floor. We are trying to do whatever we can to control it…" she assured.
Helios and Poseidon instantly rushed up taking the stairs. However, before they could climb any further, they immediately traced Ezekiel who came down. His expression hidden. A woman shouted behind him madly with two girls crying as the staff tried to calm the situation down.
"Ezekiel…!" Poseidon whispered rushing to him. Grasping him by his shoulders, Ezekiel flinched fearfully looking up.
Grasping a look at his face, Poseidon's stared stunned. Tears, bruises and even blood dripping his cheek, in his grasp Ezekiel's entire body trembled. "Vice… cap-ta-in?!" Ezekiel whispered wide eyed, his voice quivering and choking. Helios too stared baffled.
"Take him out! Don't ever let him get near my son ever again! Even his shadow is a malice this daredevil!!" the woman shrieked throwing a harsh object towards Ezekiel.
Poseidon immediately tracing the object stood before him grasping his shoulders tightly. As soon as the object hit his back he winced, "Hiss…"
A handbag falling down on the ground, Helios glared mad. Ezekiel shook his head speechless. Poseidon with his expression blackened and wordless grabbed Ezekiel's hand taking him out.
"Vice-captain…" Ezekiel uttered looking at the cannula in his hand simultaneously his back which was hit however, Poseidon interrupted, "Don't say anything. Don't ask me anything. Let's just leave! Or else, I might do something unbelievable." his voice menacing and eyes squinted mad.
"Ezekiel Vincente!!" the woman shouted again as Ezekiel halted glancing back, "If I see you anywhere near my children or family ever again! I'll make sure to pull the police in as well! This is my final warning!" she threatened.
Ezekiel flinched looking away as Poseidon grasped his hand tight. "Involving the police~?" Poseidon asked. His voice chilling, "Feel free to pull the entire army in. Because no matter where ever you pull him. I'll make sure to pull him back out even if it's hell!" he fought back.
Aleena jolted.
"And as for your son…" Poseidon smiled at Ezekiel lovingly turning to her, "Humans are no one to judge life or death. Even someone like me who had to die when only 5, is now standing here right in front of you living a
Tracing him leave, Helios looked up at his family disappointed. "Related by blood or not. He is still your family aunt Aleena…" Walking to the receptionist, he took a sheet of paper and a pen writing, "For whatever offending remarks Poseidon said I apologize for it. And this is my mother's number. Layla Zadeh is her name and she is a head doctor in the WingLine hospital, feel free to contact her for your son's treatment. Take my name Helios, for reference and I'm very sure she's going to help you a lot."
"Poseidon whom you just hurt right now is also her everyday patient. Seriously… Ezekiel getting injured was infuriating enough, for you to hurt Poseidon as well, and right beside me over that, when even an insect wouldn't dare to. You definitely aren't on my good list. And the reason Ezekiel even came here was because I asked him visit to you all. I sincerely apologize for that." he gritted vexed leaving the hospital.
The chaos immediately dying down. The young boy standing beside Aleena stared at Helios dazed.
Poseidon with his pace high, walked away from the hospital, grasping Ezekiel's hand tight. As soon as he felt himself turning calm and the distance between them and the hospital widen, he halted leaving his hand.
The two staying silent for a while, Poseidon took a deep breath turning around. His expression full of remorse and guilt, he stepped forward pushing Ezekiel's hairs back to reveal a hurt, disheveled and a bruised face. Helios too joined them panting as he carried first aid medicines in a bag.
Ezekiel looking at the both of them apologized, "I'm sorry…" "I didn't meant that Vice-captain. I am sorry, you got hurt because of me…" he continued to apologize.
"It's not like that." Poseidon interrupted clasping his arms, "It wasn't your fault at all Ezekiel. And, it really doesn't hurt. You don't have to apologize, you did nothing wrong." he assured.
Helios nodded.
"In fact, we should be the one's apologizing to you instead. We were the ones who urged you to visit home." Poseidon added guilty.
Ezekiel biting his lip with tears resting on the brink of his eyes looked below.
"Why didn't you come to us Ezekiel? I told you to come to us if something happens or if you didn't want to go. We didn't force you. So why did you stay and endured all that?" Helios asked politely.
Ezekiel instantly shook his head, "I promised you both. I didn't want to disappoint you or even run away. I had to listen to your advice no matter what, because there was a little hope in me to improve my relation with my family. I thought I could take in everything they did to me, be it ridiculing me, hurting me or even beating me up but… Sob, Sob…" Ezekiel stuttered unable to keep it in, "It hurts… it hur-ts a lot…! " he cried falling on his knees and clasping his chest tight, "I didn't… ev-en do any-thing… then why…?" he wailed hard, "If only… I could've tak-en his place!"
Poseidon anxious crouched patting his back, "Don't say that!"
Helios too knelt down embracing him ruffling his hairs. His desperation was something he had never felt in his entire life however, he understood his fear. Since, he had gone through something exactly alike. He knew how fragile a human life was. And, believed that humanity still existed. He was just a mere 12 year old child, "It's alright… you did you best. You don't have to apologize for something you didn't do Ezekiel. Don't blame yourself and don't position yourself in Eisen's place either."
"Do what you want to do. Didn't you promise you'll play for him? Then, there's no need to cry. His encouragement is right beside you. What else do you need?" he consoled as Ezekiel clenched his fists tight.
Suddenly Poseidon's phone vibrated as he took it out. Ezekiel calming down collected himself as Helios tended his wounds.
"They are heading for the shrine by the sea, Helios." Poseidon informed.
"Then shall we head there too?" Helios asked as Ezekiel sat dazed from the trauma he had gone through. Poseidon nodded restless.
"Take care of him while I call home and tell mother we won't be back." Helios stood up.
Poseidon nodding walked over to Ezekiel. Tracing his bruised hands he gently put a Band-Aid on his fingers glancing at him time to time who gazed with his dull sky blue eyes broken and impassive.