Chapter song: What More Can I Say - Teddy Swims
The rest of the day was uneventful with each boy busying themselves with their own thing.
It was a lively Sunday evening when the house buzzed with activity again, the boys having returned from their weekend away. Julius welcomed the return of the noise with relief, and even more so, the return of Silas. There was something oddly comforting about his presence.
"Yo little Jules, did you miss me?" Silas bellowed as he burst through the door, his voice echoing through the hallway.
Julius eyed the red-haired whirlwind with a bemused expression as Silas clumsily dropped his things in a heap.
"Who's little and who's Jules?" Julius asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Why, you, of course! Unless there's another Jules lurking around that I don't know about," Silas replied with a mischievous grin.
Julius shook his head, opting not to indulge in Silas' antics.
"So, how was the weekend with the leader?" Silas asked, plopping down on his bed.
"Not as terrible as you made it out to be. Sure, cleaning wasn't the highlight of my weekend, but it was manageable."
Silas fixed Julius with a skeptical look, his eyes betraying a hint of disbelief. "Really?"
"Yeah." Julius shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant.
"I'm surprised Agares made you clean. He's usually pretty easygoing with the newbies," Silas remarked.
"He didn't make me clean; I offered," Julius clarified.
Silas raised an eyebrow. "You offered to clean? Why on earth would you do that?"
"No reason," Julius said, deliberately avoiding eye contact.
Silas' curiosity was piqued. He had always thought Julius was simply nervous around Agares, like most people were. But now, seeing Julius' awkwardness around the topic, Silas began to wonder if there was more to it.
"What did you two do besides clean?"
Julius glanced at his bed and quickly looked away. Silas, ever observant, noticed the subtle shift.
"Huh?!" Silas exclaimed.
Julius looked alarmed. "What's wrong with you?"
"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you?" Silas shot back.
Julius looked genuinely puzzled by the question. Silas began to second-guess his assumptions.
Maybe I've misread this. It's Saint Agares we're talking about. Even if Julius has a thing for him, there's no way Agares would...right?
Feeling a wave of calm after his internal debate, Silas let his usual playful smile return.
"Well, I can't imagine anything else happening between you two. Anyway, have you started on the history homework?" he asked, steering the conversation away.
Julius noticed the shift in Silas' demeanor but chose not to press. Instead, he handed over his homework.
"Uh, yeah. I did."
*
In the student council room, Epaphras began the meeting with a nod of thanks to the gathered crowd.
"We will begin today's meeting. I would like to thank everyone for taking the time out of their busy schedules to attend," he said, addressing the large group.
Agares stood to address the students. "We are here to discuss a proposal from Saint Ambracia Academy for a friendly match involving our top teams," he explained.
"If approved, the matches will take place here, and an award will be granted to the winning school."
The room erupted in protests, just as Agares had anticipated. The student council president glanced at his vice-president, who gave a nod in return.
"Everyone, please settle down. Your objections are noted, and you will all have a chance to voice your thoughts, so please quiet down," he commanded, his authoritative tone bringing silence.
"Now, as I mentioned, the proposal has not been approved yet, as the headmaster is still deliberating. We have discussed joint activities with Saint Ambracia before to improve our current relationship, so this shouldn't come as a surprise. However, as your president, I value your opinions and am open to hearing your thoughts."
The first to speak up was Nathanael, the leader of House Apollo. "I understand the need to mend relations, but the last incident was recent. What's to prevent a repeat during these matches?" he asked, echoing the sentiments of several in the room.
"Your concern is valid. Should this proposal go through, we will implement measures to ensure the safety and privacy of our students," Agares replied.
Reese chimed in next. "How will we decide which teams to send? Our sports teams have had numerous victories—who will be chosen?"
"That's a fair point. We'll allow Saint Ambracia to select their top teams, and we'll match them with our own," Agares explained.
"Are there any other questions?" Epaphras asked.
"Is it really wise to bring them here, President? We all remember what happened the last time one of them was allowed entry in our school," Aenaes said.
The room quieted again as the students watched the two brothers exchange intense looks.
"I believe that question has been addressed. If there are no other relevant inquiries, that will be all," Agares said, his tone icy.
Aenaes didn't seem offended, offering a polite smile before leaving with his entourage.
Once the room cleared, Agares sighed heavily.
"Do you think the headmaster will approve the proposal?" Epaphras asked, trying to shift Agares' focus away from his brother.
"It's hard to say. The headmaster has been rejecting all proposals from Saint Ambracia so far, but they keep coming back. If he continues to reject them, it might reflect poorly on us," Agares said.
Epaphras nodded. "We'll appear petty and unforgiving if we don't extend an olive branch. Even if we don't accept the proposal, it'll still be a win for them."
"That's right. Whether it's accepted or not is fine with me, as long as I don't have to see Serene again," Agares sighed.
"She still hasn't given up?"
"No. Persistent as ever, I'll give her that."
"Serene de Beauvoir: the embodiment of 'try, try again,'" Epaphras joked.