Chapter 431: _Slowly Find Their Way Home

Hale-Ferguson Residence, Aurelia

“Rose? Dinner’s…” Devon froze, swallowing the rest of that sentence. “Right. Almost forgot.”

He’d been walking down the hallway to Ambrose’s room, ready to drag him down for dinner. Viktor had even assisted, and if he was being honest, it looked really good.

That’s when it struck him that his boyfriend had been away for a week.

And so has their son.

A bitter smile curved his lips when he recalled the way Ambrose would groan about checking something out with the system or some other crazy new interest.

Devon would stand by the doorway glaring until the stubborn Guide leapt to him—mostly after he threatened that he, Orion and Viktor would eat his share.

“Dev?!” Viktor called from the kitchen downstairs, snapping him back to reality. “Where did you crawl into? Gabe and Val will be here any minute.”

The S-Rank ruffled his own hair, pulling in a raspy breath through his mouth.

How long could they keep waiting before deciding something was wrong?

Ambrose had said they should contact him through the links if anything important came up. The only thing important to him now was his desire to see him again.

“Don’t tell me,” Viktor called again, “you’re going to bail on this dinner and leave me to host. Because I’m not going to—”

“I’m coming, you overstimulated husky!”

“Like I haven’t heard that one before.”

He rushed over to the dining room, the faintest smirk managing to play on his lips. Viktor had done a good job adding the finishing touches to the dining table, even including decorative candles.

A roasted duck sat at the centre of the table.

The Ice Prince peeled off his apron, eyes lifting to meet Devon’s.

“Where did you scurry off to?”

Devon waved dismissively. “Doesn’t matter. So you said the others—”

“We’re here.”

They both turned to the living room.

Standing as though they’d always been there were none other than Gabriel and Valentine. The duo made their way to the dining table, both dressed in a yellow blazer and black leather trench coat, respectively.

“Phew.” Valentine rubbed his palms, sitting without waiting for any pleasantries. “Nice of you to treat us to this, Devon.”

“And nice of you to not disappear with zero contact like the last time.” Devon passed him a steaming plate of chicken soup. “Anyone heard from Loki yet?”

Just like he expected, the door swung open a few seconds after he asked that.

“Hi, hi, hi!”

Their perfectly timed entrances never got old.

The lord of chaos took off a stylish jacket, flinging it to Viktor, who’d been about to sit. “How are you boys doing?” They grinned. “I have to say this is quite the unexpected gathering.”

Gabriel exchanged a glance with Valentine. Then Devon.

When neither man said a word, he swerved back to Loki. “You seem way too jolly given our current circumstances.”

“Jolly?” Loki blew raspberries, crashing onto a seat with one leg over the other. “This is how I am all the time.”

“My point exactly. Show some decency.”

“You mean let myself fall into depression or worse?” The SS-Rank’s snark could cut through the duck. “No, thank you. What’s the point of sulking around? It’s not gonna solve any of our problems, so we might as well move on with our lives and hope for the best.”

The space god’s jaw tightened.

He was going to say something else, but Valentine grabbed his knee from under the table, squeezing gently.

“They’re right,” He sighed. “We all know Rose is… alive. And so is Orion, wherever he is. They’re both powerful in their own right, and I’m sure they’ll come back.”

Gabriel didn’t say anything.

He just grabbed a bottle of wine and popped it open, pouring a full glass for himself without regarding any of the looks the others gave him.

Underneath his agitation was a man who wasn’t confident he could stomach another loss.

Gabriel stared into the wine swirling inside his glass for a long while before finally speaking.

“I keep telling myself they’ll come back.” His voice wasn’t loud. If anything, it barely carried above the clink of cutlery. “I’ve repeated that sentence so many times over the past week that I’m beginning to wonder whether I’m trying to convince all of you… or myself.”

Silence settled over the dining room.

Nobody rushed to answer him.

He let out a quiet laugh devoid of humour before taking another sip.

“Barely two weeks ago I buried my father.” His eyes never left the wine. “Now Rose is gone. Orion is gone. Javier is trapped inside a monster. The world is on the lookout for a woman who could just blink us out of existence if she puts in the effort.” He shook his head. “I know everyone expects SS-Ranks to stay composed, but lately… I’m tired.”

The confession hung over the table like a weight.

Valentine slowly reached over, pulling the bottle away before Gabriel could refill his glass again.

“You’ve had enough.”

Gabriel didn’t resist.

For once, he simply let him.

Devon rested both elbows on the table, rubbing his face. “I hate this house when it’s quiet.”

That earned a small chuckle from Viktor.

“I never thought I’d hear you say that.”

“I mean it.” Devon looked around the dining room. “Rose would probably be arguing with Aura over some ridiculous system purchase. Orion would be running around pretending he’s invisible even though we could all still see him. You’d complain about him stealing a parfait again.” He pointed at Viktor before looking toward Valentine. “Val would pretend he wasn’t smiling while secretly encouraging him.”

Valentine clicked his tongue. “I did no such thing.”

“You absolutely have.”

Loki snorted loudly.

“You’re all forgetting the best part.” They leaned back in their chair with a grin. “Every single time Orion got caught, he’d immediately blame Ambrose with that innocent little face of his.”

A reluctant smile finally appeared on Gabriel’s face.

For a few precious seconds, the heaviness inside the room eased.

Then Viktor quietly looked toward Ambrose’s empty chair.

“When this is over,” he murmured, “I don’t care if Rose comes back stronger, weaker or completely exhausted.” He smiled softly. “I just want all of us sitting at this table again.”

No one argued with that.

For the first time since dinner began, they simply ate together in comfortable silence, each of them holding onto the same fragile hope that somewhere beyond the countless worlds separating them, their family was slowly finding its way home.