After declaring their immature love for each other, Arthur and Nyx take a nap together.
They sleep the rest of the morning and only wake up to the sound of Arthur's stomach growling again.
The last interaction with Nyx got him so excited, and his metabolism very accelerated, strengthening his body quickly but also making him hungry.
Arthur is the first to open his eyes to see the sweet Nyx hugging his body like a sloth clinging to its mother.
Their legs and arms intertwined, and her serene face rested on his chest.
"I know you're already awake," he whispers in her ear and kisses her face. "Playing the sleeping princess?"
'If it makes my prince wake me up with kisses...' she comments in his mind, her tone more confident than usual despite still being shy.
"So precious," Arthur smiles; if he could wake up like this for the rest of his life, it would be perfect.
Despite being hungry, Arthur is not in a hurry to get up; he wants to enjoy the cute and loving Nyx in his arms a little longer.
In the meantime, he also pays attention to the changes in his body. He not only feels himself getting stronger quickly but also his senses improving.
He opens and closes his hand, feeling a powerful energy running within his veins, something he instinctively feels connected to his Nexus and the connection with Nyx.
Arthur doesn't know how to use or control that energy. He only became aware of it recently and never learned from Aria how mages control their energy or how people with Astral Beasts do the same.
While he tries to understand it on his own, the bandages on his arm fall. They got wet after the bath earlier, but he didn't want to take them off because it was the first time Nyx cared for his body that way after he suffered such cuts fighting the bandits in the tavern last night.
Now, it is impossible to prevent the wet and weak bandages from falling apart, but what surprises Arthur is that he does not see the wounds on his arm anymore.
"What the??" He is confused because not only were the wounds completely healed but there is not even any sign that they ever existed, not a scar, and even the thin and tiny blonde hairs on his arm have already grown back.
Arthur has seen wounds healed in a similar way when Aria uses her magic on light scratches, but those cuts seemed worse than just scratches.
"Did she do something while I was sleeping?" Arthur wonders if his mother used some kind of magic on his arm.
But that doesn't seem to be the case since he made it clear that he wanted to appreciate the bandage made by Nyx and also, in part, by Margaret.
"Nyx, look at this," He shows her his arm.
She opens her eyes, still half sleepy. "Hmm, it healed quickly."
"Yeah, too quickly, I would say." He responds, still confused.
Nyx holds his arm and gently runs her fingers where his wounds were before. "I think it's because of our energy."
"I was thinking the same," He comments. "Should this be normal?"
"I'm not sure," She responds honestly. "But this is good, right?"
Arthur smiles lovingly and kisses her forehead. "Everything about you is good, my dear."
Nyx smiles happily and proudly; she feels so satisfied now that not even her shyness can stop her from showing how much she likes Arthur and appreciates his affection.
Still holding his arm with delicate hands, she brings her face to it and places tender kisses on his skin lovingly.
Arthur watches Nyx being so affectionate with a proud and happy smile on his face. "Oh, dear…"
But she seems to get more excited quickly and goes from kissing his arm to kissing his shirt over his belly.
Her small hands roam his body, looking for an opening to get under his shirt and touch his chest directly.
"Nyx... this is good..." Arthur is concerned that both are getting turned on so fast, but how can he stop his lover from showing her affection for him?
Things seem to get dangerous quickly.
*Grrrrr*
But then his stomach growls even louder, making it clear that if Arthur wants to have fun with Nyx, he first has to get more fuel.
"Damn!" He laughs at that embarrassing sound.
And Nyx gives him a timid smile. "You are so hungry…"
"You have no idea..." Arthur comments while looking at Nyx with bright, hungry eyes.
Despite the complaints of his stomach, what his body most wants to devour is not food but the little lamb in front of him.
Nyx can see the burning desire in Arthur's eyes, and she feels the same; she wants to be the little lamb devoured by him so badly.
She lets her shyness blush her cheeks and stands there, with her eyes begging for a passionate attack...
Arthur almost gives in to his instincts, but then they both hear someone running in the hallway.
It's impossible not to recognize those immature and clumsy steps, and the sounds of knocks on Aria's bedroom door follow shortly after.
*Knock-Knock* *Knock-Knock*
"Big brother? Are you in there?" Eve's cute voice comes from the other side of the door.
Arthur gives Nyx a sorry look and kisses her lips quickly just before she returns to his Nexus.
"Eve?" Arthur speaks to his sister. "You may come in."
She quickly enters the bedroom and sees Arthur in their mother's bed, which makes the little girl pout. "Big brother, did you just leave me sleeping alone?!"
"My bad, my bad!" Arthur speaks in a sorry tone.
Eve tries to look upset, but she ends up jumping on the bed and hugging her beloved brother.
"You're going to have to make it up to me!" She asks in a sweet tone.
"Of course, little bug," He strokes her hair.
Eve would like to stay like that, just hugging her brother and enjoying his scent, which makes her feel very safe and happy.
But her eyes shine in a smart way, very similar to Aria's. "Oh, Mommy said to tell you that lunch is almost ready."
"I see," Arthur is no longer surprised by how perfect his mother is. She is finishing making that delicious food right when his stomach started to growl.
Without wasting time, he starts his morning routine, even though it's no longer morning.
He starts by washing his face, brushing his teeth, and everything else, but this time, he doesn't take a bath as he doesn't need to hide Nyx's scent on his body from Aria anymore.
Eve doesn't seem to notice that smell, or rather, she doesn't understand it yet, and Draven also doesn't seem to have the ability to notice it.
Arthur also lets his little sister help him with those small tasks; she especially enjoys brushing his blonde hair, which Nyx always leaves in a mess during the night.
Then the duo descends the stairs and finds Aria in the kitchen, waiting for them with a delicious meal and a warm smile on her face.
The three have a great family lunch together, and while little Eve and Aria don't seem to miss Draven, Arthur can't help but feel that a part of his perfect family is missing.
Yet, since his mother and sister seem so happy, he can't feel sad.
In fact, Arthur notices that Aria seems happier and happier after knowing about his secrets, it's bringing them even closer together.
But just as Arthur is about to finish his third plate of Aria's tasty food, the trio hears the front door being rudely opened.
While Eve just gets a little startled, Aria's expression becomes dark and hostile.
They look to the living room and see Draven appear, his clothes dirty and damp, his shoes full of mud, and his whole look in a mess.
The bad smell of beer spreads quickly through the living room and kitchen, making it clear where he has been the whole morning.
He casts a sad look at his family, and nobody knows what to say. Well, Aria simply has nothing more to say to him.
Draven feels many conflicting emotions within his heart.
The sight of his happy family around the table reminds him of all the moments he lived with them, but he can't stop thinking about the shadows inside his son and how Aria has become hostile to protect Arthur.
Draven sighs and heads to his bedroom at the back of the house, leaving Eve with a confused expression and Arthur with a sorry look.
"You can't do anything, dear," Aria speaks to Arthur in a loving tone.
Arthur can't help but think about how his life was perfect until the previous night. But now everything is crumbling, and he can see that he lived inside a bubble of lies all this time.
He doesn't blame his parents; after all, they did that so that he and Eve could have a perfect childhood, and it was like that for him.
And even though the part of this perfect life that includes Draven is breaking apart, the part that includes Aria, Eve, and Nyx is rising with the most powerful bonds of love and trust.
'It's like the universe is compensating me for something bad with something incredibly good...' He thinks.
But despite being very excited about how his relationship with the three women he loves the most is going, Arthur can't let go of the past so easily.
He needs to understand who Draven really is and what he plans next to know if he can still have his father in his life even if living far from them.
"I'm going to talk to him," Arthur says and gets up.
"Brother?" Eve gets concerned. She doesn't mature as quickly as Arthur, but she inherited all the potential of Aria's sharp mind and her keen eyes.
"Everything is fine, dear," Aria holds Eve's hand and calms the little girl. "Your brother is just going to talk to your father."
Arthur smiles at Eve before going to Draven's bedroom. There, he finds his father stuffing a backpack with clothes and grabbing various silver and gold coins he can find.
"Where are you going?" Arthur asks.
"I need some time alone to think," Draven responds without looking at his son's face.
"Alone or away from me?"
"..." Draven stops and feels his heart hurt. He feels like he failed as Arthur's father, but at the same time, he can't help but think that it's Arthur's fault for being so different from what a normal child should be.
"You don't understand, Arthur," Draven doesn't feel like calling son as he did for those fourteen years.
"So explain it to me," Arthur asks, holding on to the last thread of hope that he can still have a father.
"It's your mother..." Draven says with a tone full of resentment and frustration. "She doesn't want me here now, and if I stay, the house may not be able to endure her fury."
Arthur shakes his head with disappointment in his eyes. "So you're going to run away?"
"RUN AWAY?!" Draven turns furiously and points his finger at Arthur's chest. "You think I'm some kind of coward???"
Arthur feels as if Draven's finger could pierce his chest as easily as a hot knife in butter.
But he doesn't back down. "If this isn't running away, what is it then?"
Draven sighs. "You can't understand! And I can't make you understand now... maybe it's too late for you, and that's my fault too."
Arthur can't understand why his father is acting so extreme because he can't see the whole context yet.
"This is really your fault," Arthur speaks in a disappointed tone. "You left Mom that way, not me."
Draven looks at Arthur's face with eyes full of anger and envy. "I did this to her? You really are a spoiled and foolish boy!"
"Don't you understand that she used me all this time??" Draven asks, furious. "Now I see it... I thought we had something good, but she only wanted my genes to make you..."
"Her handsome little boy... perfect on the outside but rotten inside... only someone like that could give her the shit she always want-"
Arthur gets furious with the way Draven is talking about his sacred mother and punches his father in the face.
*BAM* *CRACK*
He uses all his strength, uncontrolled, his internal energies running wildly through his body, and the result is as he expected: his fist hits Draven's face as if it were a solid iron wall, and several bones in his hand break.
Arthur feels an absurd pain electrify his body, but he contains any desire to scream and remains serious, his eyes colder than ever.
Draven's face shows no reaction to Arthur's fist, but shockingly, his father smiles, a golden glow appearing in his eyes.
"You did well, my son," Draven calls Arthur his son again. "You can't let any man speak like that about your mother, even if she's wrong."
Arthur ignores the pain in his hand while his mind becomes a mess due to his father's contradictory actions.
In a quick movement, Draven grabs Arthur by the neck and presses him against the bedroom wall, but his gaze shows affection, which leaves Arthur more confused.
"Maybe I can still fix this," Draven speaks with hope in his eyes. "Yeah, I can take all the evil inside of you... turn you into a fine man..."
*Tremble* *Tremble*
The entire house shakes, not due to Draven's action but because of Aria's magic.
"Are you asking for a slow and painful death, Draven?" Her voice sounds in the hallway, full of determination and hostility.
"It's okay, Mom!" Arthur shouts to his mother without much difficulty because Draven is not using his strength to squeeze his neck hard.
He can see in Draven's eyes that his father doesn't want to hurt him.
Draven makes a sorry expression and releases Arthur; he can't deal with his conflicting feelings now.
"I will come back as soon as I figure out how to deal with your mother," Draven speaks in a determined tone. "I won't give up on you, Arthur."
Then he grabs his backpack and quickly leaves the house while Aria looks at him with a hostile expression.