✩ ━━━ autumn of 1997, hiroki's bedroom. ❝the stars you hope for only appear in the dark.❞

WHEN HIS FATHER DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO LEARN MORE OF HIS HALF-BLOOD HERITAGE, NAOKI BEGAN TO IGNORE HIS BROTHER. To seven-year-old Hiroki, the world might've as well have ended. A lot has changed since last year, the awkwardness between the brothers melted away with the seasons. Naoki refused to play certain games with him, still, because he has his pride as an older boy, but he stopped making fun of him for needing naps and now consoles him each winter when his wings molt old feathers and Hiroki can't stop from crying. He didn't think much of Yangyang anymore. Occasionally, a feeling of loneliness comes over the son of Hypnos—Hiroki never made more friends, but it didn't matter because he had his brother.

To his mother, his brother is not enough.

When she introduced the idea of visiting Camp Half-Blood, Hypnos hesitated, and refused to share why. He only began considering when Hiroki expressed some desire in knowing more about the rest of his kind. After all, he only ever met one half-blood and it felt like being seen for the first time in his life. Somewhere, there's a place filled with people like him; Blanketed in mist, unable to connect to the mortal world, unable to understand the weight of their parent's immortality, but being someone important in a whole new universe filled with actual gods at the same time.

(That would be his first question once he arrived at the camp, Hiroki decided. Does your parent look at you as if they would freeze time itself to admire you a little more? Isn't their love nearly suffocating—meaning it is difficulty in breathing, as his mother taught him? Is your father overly sensitive like mine, a simple hug is enough to make them cry? Does he frame all your drawings in gold-gilded frames and drags down clouds from the sky to make the fluffiest pillows? Do your other godly relatives coo over you like an infant despite being seven years old already?

Isn't it exhausting, but also wonderful, too?

Of course, having Hypnos as his father is a brag of itself; Hiroki knew none of the other gods could possibly compare to his father, but he liked to hear what the other godly parents did for their children.)

His father only relented after Hiroki agreed to be guarded by the Oneiros. He explained the camp is safe place for half-bloods, but barely so. He would prefer his son to stay by his side but understands why going to the camp is a good idea; if Hiroki's dream is to be the very best hero, then he'll be taught by Chiron, the best trainer of heroes. If Hiroki's wishes to befriend more demigods, then he'll go Camp Half-Blood and befriend them all.

With all that, Naoki ignored him, and Hiroki packed his bag; he didn't feel scared at all because his father reassured Hiroki would be accepted. He won't be ridiculed or avoided or mocked the way he was in first-grade or second-grade. This time, he will make friends and he'll learn all the myths and how to properly wield a sword.

Something hit him in the back of the head.

"Ouch, Naoki!" Hiroki complained loudly, hands cradled the sore spot as he stared at the shoe with disbelief.

From the open door, Naoki crossed his arms and huffed. "You couldn't even catch that! See, you're still a baby—I'm telling dad you're too little to go by yourself, so stop packing your stuff!"

"You're the baby!" Hiroki retorted angrily. "I'm seven already, stop calling me little! Mother said I'll be taller than you, Nii-san!"

"You're so weird," Naoki complained, storming into the bedroom. He shoved his palm in Hiroki's face, pushing his little brother away from the open suitcase. When Hiroki shrieked, Naoki shouted; "Just call her mommy! I know you do it when she tucks you in because you're a weird little baby! Nobody wants weird little babies at the camp, idiot, so you should stay here!"

With a burst of his wings, Hiroki flung himself forward, tackling his older brother to the ground. He didn't account for Naoki's head to slam against the hard wooden floor. Horrified with what occurred, Hiroki tried to move away to check for bruising, or worse, bleeding as his mother taught him, apologies spilling from his lips when Naoki gripped a fist-full of Hiroki's hair.

The brothers stared down each other.

Naoki's nose flare with anger.

With a scream, Hiroki lifted himself from the ground.

"Stupid baby!" Naoki shouted, picking up whatever he could from the suitcase; shoes, t-shirts, books, and plush toys. Hiroki continued to shriek, dodging everything thrown at him. "Get down here, idiot!"

Their mother burst into the bedroom. Scanning the room with fear-filled eyes, she let out a relieved sound before scowling at the spilled-over suitcase. "Hiroki," Hisa said with exasperation, "get down from the ceiling. No flying inside the house! Fifteen minutes of reflection. Naoki, you get thirty. Stop provoking him; Hiroki-kun is going away soon."

"What?" Naoki complained, subtly trying to hide the book he had the plan to throw. "Why do I get more than him? I didn't do anything!"

Hisa just looked at her eldest son and exited the bedroom with instructions to clean up. Hiroki descended slowly, keeping a wary eye on Naoki.

"Why isn't she agreeing with me?" Naoki huffed, suddenly dropping to the ground. "You're too small to go to a camp filled with strangers! It's not safe for you, at all!"

"I don't complain when you go to band each summer," Hiroki complained, kneeling down to repack his suitcase diligently. Naoki didn't reply, glaring at him. "Yeah, but I come back each time band is over. You're staying in that camp for the entire winter. That's too long! And you're too little!" He grumbled to himself before saying, "How am I supposed to protect you when you are so far away!"

Hiroki stared at the floor. His brother is not a quiet person; to hear him speak softly felt scarier than his livid shouts. "I don't need protecting," he gripped the ends of his t-shirt, uncomfortable. "When I come back, I'll be closer to becoming a real hero then I'll be able to protect you."

"You don't need to be a hero!" Naoki insisted. "They're all boring and sad and like, dead! Why would you wanna be that when you can stay here where we can play games and mom can make us yummy food and dad can defend us instead because he is the god! Not you, you're just a kid!"

Hiroki didn't want to explain, so he shrugged. "I just want to,"

"You're going to replace me!" Naoki wailed suddenly, throwing himself at Hiroki. "You're my weird baby! Dad said you're here because I dreamt of you! Not because of Morpheus or Phobetor or Phantasos—Or any of the stupid half-bloods at the camp! I wanted you first, so you should stay with me and do what I tell you!" Hiroki tried to steady himself, but Naoki held his shoulders and began shaking him. "If you tell dad now, he won't be mad! He's too lazy to get mad! I won't make fun of you either. I mean, about that, anyway!

"Father is not lazy. He is careful with what he spends his energy on," Hiroki corrected sternly, prying his brother's hands from his shoulders. "Going to camp is something I want to do. I won't replace you, Nii-san. Nobody at camp could ever be as cool as you! You're my forever brother—that means we'll be brothers in this life and the next. Even if I'm a demigod and you are not like it is now, or if I'm a bird and you're a cat! We are always going to be together."

"Not Morpheus, right?" Naoki tested guardedly; he seemed satisfied, underneath his worry. "Not even if he gifts you a miniature Pegasus?"

Hiroki shook his head, holding his older brother's hand. "Not even if he gifted me a nine-tail fox! Though that would be really cool."

Naoki thought about it, dark-brown eyes thoughtful. He nodded and reached to the necklace clasped around his neck, the one he always shouted at Hiroki for wanting to touch. "If you lose this, I'll break your knees." He said severely, securing it on his little brother. "My first dad gave it to me when I was a baby, before he died, but since you're sharing your dad, I guess we can share mine too; that way we'll be full brothers."

Hiroki's hand cusped the simple chain with awe, unable to control the way his feathers puffed out with delight. "Not half anymore? Even if Riley from the English thinks I'm creepy?"

"Duh! We have the same mom and the same dads now. You can keep Morpheus and the other two weirdos, though. I don't want them," Naoki flicked his forehead, cheeks turning red at the mention of his crush, Riley. "I promise to always be your brother and your friend. You have to promise too, dummy."

Hiroki giggled happily. "Okay, promise!"