Greyson felt a strange sense of familiarity with the scenario in front of him. He stood at the end of a room, and Deimos blocked his only way out. And just like before, he just stayed in the same place he was standing. The only thing he could do was look at Deimos. Though unlike before, Deimos didn't move either. The two of them just stared at each other.

He looked around as he searched for another way out of the room. Maybe there was a door that he missed, or perhaps a window he could jump out of. If he recalled, he was just on the lab's second floor. Though just as he tried to conjure up a plan, he paused and shook his head. No, he was not going to jump down a window. If anything would go wrong, he might break his bones in ways that not even Anthea could heal.

He heard Deimos take a step forward. When Greyson turned his head back to him, Deimos immediately took a step backward. "I... I can explain."

Greyson's ears flopped down, and he felt his heart stop for a split second when his back hit the wall. "S- Stay back..."

"I want to talk."

"I said stay back!" Greyson reached for the pistol on his waist, then pointed it towards Deimos. The gun visibly shook in his hold, but he still placed his fingers near the trigger. "I'll- I'll shoot you if you won't!"

Deimos's brows furrowed down, and he crossed his arms. "Do you even know how to use that?"

"Yes I do!"

He did not.

Deimos stared at him for a while, and his eyes scanned him from head to toe. "Well then. If you're sure you know how to use that, shoot me. I won't stop you."

Greyson's eyes widened, and he wasn't sure if his heart was stopping or pounding even faster. He didn't want to kill anyone, he didn't want anyone's blood on his hands. His fingers reached for the trigger, and he swallowed the lump forming in his throat. Should he shoot? Maybe he didn't even need to aim at Deimos, he could just show that he knew how to use a gun.

He nodded to himself, then aimed the gun at the floor. Then, Greyson pulled the trigger.

But instead of a loud ear-tearing noise, the only thing he heard was multiple clicks.

His brows furrowed down, and he lifted the gun closer to his face. Was there something wrong? Was it defective? He pressed his fingers on the trigger multiple times again and—

"Don't do that!"

Greyson jumped up, and he almost screamed when Deimos reached for the gun in his hands. Greyson heard a few clicks, and the magazine dropped down from the gun. "It's loaded," he said as he placed the magazine back inside. "Why did your mother think giving you a gun was a good idea?"

"I..." He shook his head and stepped away from Deimos. "That doesn't matter. G- Give me a reason to not call anyone and run off right now."

Deimos handed the gun back to him. Then, he grabbed something from his pocket, which Greyson recognized as the device he showed back in the basement's control room. "Firstly, you won't be able to call for help right now. And secondly, I... I genuinely want to talk to you right now."

Greyson placed the gun back in his belt, and he gripped the end of his jacket. "How can I know that I can trust you? How- how did you even know that I was here?"

Deimos was silent for a short while. Then, he took a step backward. Greyson lifted his head as he met Deimos's eyes. Just like the first time they met, he felt smaller than he already was. A part of him wondered if he would ever be that tall. Internally, he sighed in relief when Deimos lowered down to meet his height, though his relief was cut short when he brought out his device again.

"You have your flash drive with you, don't you?" He pressed one of the buttons, and the screen flashed open. A map popped up, and two bright red dots stood out. "Dayanna Linn's files are corrupted. I planted a virus inside them that lets me know where their location is. That's how the Underworld's sure that you've been trying to find Demon. And if it gives you any comfort, your friend is alive. Hurt, but alive. His brother managed to arrive just in time."

Greyson clenched his hands into fists, and he gritted his teeth. He hoped that it was enough to stop the tears that threatened to fall down from his eyes. "A- Are you here to apologize for killing Ate Dayanna? Because if you are, then I'll- I'll never forgive you for that! She was a friend!"

"I'm... I'm not here to ask for forgiveness. Like I said, I just want to talk." Deimos lowered his head, and a sigh left his lips. "And I'm not forcing you to talk to me. You can say no if you want to, I completely understand. But just know that I don't have any ulterior motives. And if you do choose to talk to me, you don't have to answer every question I ask."

Greyson bit his lower lip, and he lowered his eyes from Deimos. A part of him wanted to bolt out. This was finally his chance to go back to the car and sleep there until they would all go home. But at the same time, there was a tiny part of him that wanted to talk. Maybe this was finally his chance to get a few things off of his chest. It wasn't going to be a pretty conversation, but it was a conversation nonetheless. And it was what Deimos wanted, too.

Finally, he turned his gaze to Deimos. "What do you want to talk about?"

For a brief moment, he thought Deimos smiled. But when he blinked his eyes again, his face was back to that stone cold expression. "I'm... assuming you know who I am."

He nodded. "But honestly, I wished I didn't."

"I don't blame you. Is there a reason why you didn't know about me until now?"

"Lucinda, uh, she never mentioned you." He placed a hand on his nape as he flinched. He was used to calling Lucinda by her name. But right now, it felt wrong, and he felt a stabbing pain in his tongue that lingered. "She never brought you up, so I saw no reason to ask. And- and besides, it's not like it's strange for families to not have a..."

Deimos raised a brow. "A father?"

"Yeah, that."

A shiver traveled down his spine as he thought of the word. He never thought about it before. Most people in the DUO like Anthea never knew their parents and grew up inside the HQ's walls. And besides, he had seen families with no fathers, no mothers, some even with two mothers or fathers. So he never thought about his own.

But seeing his own right now in the flesh... he wasn't sure what to feel. All sorts of emotions stirred inside him, and he was scared to know which one was going to spill. Was it joy that he finally met Deimos? Should he be happy that he wasn't at least trying to hurt him? Or should he be scared that he was working for the organization that had done nothing but give Greyson nightmares for the past months?

Deimos stretched his hand and placed it on Greyson's shoulder, making him immediately shrug it off. "S- Sorry, I just- I don't think- I..."

"I understand." Deimos paused again. His eyes flicked up and down before he continued. "You look just like your mother."

Somehow, Greyson managed to chuckle at the comment. He grabbed a strand of his white hair and replied, "M- Mom's really pretty, so I'll take that as a compliment. I guess."

"She is." Deimos chuckled as well. Then, a sigh left his lips. "Do you hate me, Greyson?"

"Wh- what?"

"Do you hate me?" he repeated. "For not being there in your life? Or do you resent your mother for not telling you about me?"

"I... maybe I do hate you." He lowered his eyes again and gripped the straps of his backpack. "But- but it's not because you weren't there for me. And I'm sure that Lucinda has her own reasons for not telling me. I trust her."

"Has she been good to you?"

Greyson's ears flopped down. She was. Lucinda had done nothing but be kind to him. She gave him everything that he needed, maybe even more. She wasn't always there when Greyson needed her, but he understood that she was busy with work. Her time wasn't always for him, and he didn't have any issues with that. But regardless, Lucinda was the best mother he could ever ask for.

But if that was the case, how come he couldn't say it?

How come he only shut his eyes and cried again?

"Greyson." Deimos placed a hand on his shoulder once more. This time, Greyson didn't bother shrugging it off. "Did Lucinda ever hurt you?"

He shook his head. "N- No."

Deimos grabbed a microfiber cloth from his pocket and passed it to him. "Did she ever tell you anything you didn't want to hear?"

"No." He wiped the tears from his eyes and removed his glasses, then wiped the lens. "If- if anything, I don't think she's telling me anything. Like- like I said, I know she has her reasons, and I trust her. I just wish she'd tell me something sometimes."

Greyson wore his glasses again and frowned. Why on earth was he telling Deimos everything? If he chose to run instead of talking, then none of this would have happened. He didn't want to talk bad about his mother, he didn't want to tear his heart out of his chest just so it could stop hurting.

He just wanted to go home.

In front of him, Deimos stood up and dusted his white coat. He grabbed the device from his pocket, then turned around and faced the entrance. His brows furrowed down, and his lips curled into a frown. "It seems like you haven't outgrown that eavesdropping of yours, Lucinda."

Greyson's eyes widened, and his arms dropped to his sides. He heard a sigh, followed by soft footsteps. Lucinda slowly came into his view, and the sight of her made him gasp. Her white hair was no longer in a braid, and some of the ends had been stained with blood. Her coat was off of her shoulders and tied around her waist, letting him see the multiple red lines around her arms. When she clenched her hands into fists, her blood slowly weaved into threads and traveled to her fingers, slowly crystalizing into a sharp blade.

And Greyson wished he couldn't see her eyes. Like before, they were still dull and lifeless. But this time, it didn't even look like she wore any emotions to disguise them. Her golden eyes sucked him in, dragging him into a deep abyss. Even her lips were drawn to a thin line, matching her emotionless stare.

Deimos stepped in front of Greyson and huffed. "I would ask you how long you've been standing there, but you've been following me the entire time, haven't you?"

Lucinda didn't reply.

"Are you just going to stand there and give us the silent treatment? You could at least say something."

Greyson gulped. "L- Luce, please say something. Please."

Finally, she took a deep breath and exhaled. "What do you want me to say?"

"Something! Anything!"

Greyson stepped in front of Deimos and walked closer to his mother. His tears blurred his vision, but it felt like it was better this way. He  wouldn't be able to see what her reaction would be. He wouldn't be able to see if she was glaring or frowning. At least if she would yell, he could just tell himself that it was just something he made up. It was easier to forget what she said than remember what she meant.

"Doctor Anthea was the one who told me that you know Deimos," he began as he gestured to the man behind him. "Kuya Ciel was the one who told me that I can quit the DUO if I wanted to. For the Guardian's sake, even Director Simeon at least told me he found me incompetent! At least he told me something! Over the past few days, I don't think I heard a single thing from you! You told me that I was important to you, but did you say that because I am, or because you knew I was listening to you and Kuya Viktor?!"

When Lucinda stayed quiet, Greyson gritted his teeth and hung his head.

"Lucinda... do you see him in me?"

Lucinda shot her head up. "What?"

"Do you see him in me? D- Do I look like him so much that I'm not Greyson to you anymore and I'm just another Deimos? Are you ignoring me because I look like him? Or do you hate me because..."

He wasn't sure what he was saying anymore. Deimos was still behind them listening, and the thought made Greyson's face burn from shame. Maybe he shouldn't have left Ciel alone in the hallway. Maybe he should have taken a different turn instead of going to a room that trapped him with Deimos. Maybe he should have left the flash drive at home, or maybe he should have stayed at home instead of being a part of this mess. Or maybe...

"Is that how I make you feel?"

Greyson lifted his head and looked at his mother in her eyes. For a split second, he thought he saw light reach through the surface, though it was gone before he could be sure. But still, his mother's brows were furrowed, and she was still frowning.

"Sweetheart, is that how I make you feel?"

"Y- Yes." He paused and lowered his head. "No. I don't know anymore!"

"Come here. Let's talk—"

The moment Lucinda knelt down to his height, Greyson didn't waste a single second to wrap his arms around her. He buried his face on her chest, and his fingers gripped her hair. He couldn't hear his sobs, the only sound that reached him was his mother's soft hushes. Her hands brushed his own hair, then rested on his nape.

Her hands weren't smooth or soft, but they were still his mother's hands.

"It's alright, mahal, it's alright," she whispered as they parted from the hug. She pressed a soft kiss on his forehead, then wiped the tears from his cheeks. "Is that how I make you feel?"

"I- I don't know. I just- I just thought that maybe that's what you felt about me because I look like Deimos. Or maybe..."

"Maybe?"

"Maybe... you regret having me..."

"Regret—" Lucinda placed a hand on his face and brushed his hair away. "Greyson, don't say that. Don't you ever say that, alright? I- you- I don't regret having you."

"But I... but you..."

"But no, alright?" A sigh left her lips. "Listen, I made a lot of mistakes in the past, and most of them are ones I'm too ashamed to even think about now. But if I'm given the chance to relive my life, then I'll live it the same way as long as it means I get to meet you again. Because you make it worth it, Greyson."

Greyson stood still as he stared at his mother. Tears still fell down his cheeks, but no sob left him. His heart pounded in his chest, but it didn't hurt anymore. Even though he was still wearing his backpack, it was like the weight behind him disappeared. He hugged his mother once again, this time tighter than he ever did in his entire life.

"I'm sorry," he whispered when she returned the hug. "I'm- I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing for things you didn't even do. You're not at fault here."

Just as Lucinda stood up, another sound in the halls made Greyson turn to the entrance. In an instance, there was a flash of red, and something warm landed on his chest. He didn't get the chance to double check what it was, as Embers immediately grabbed the hem of his shirt. At first, Greyson furrowed his brows. Then, his eyes widened as he remembered.

Viktor.

"Go." Lucinda placed a hand on his shoulder and nodded. "He needs you."

"But..." Greyson turned around, remembering once again that Deimos was in the room the entire time.

Lucinda, however, simply hummed. "I'll be fine this time, I promise."

Greyson nodded. When he turned to the baby dragon once again, he nodded at Embers before following her down the halls. People in the DUO had two options when at crossroads: to follow orders or to abort the mission.

And he had one order left to follow.

I'm a bit worried about this chapter since it's personal to me and I'm worried if people take this the wrong way so uhh please let me know what you think about it :iminnocent:

Okay maybe I am trauma dumping in this chapter but what are you gonna do about it :karen: