I'm with Jeremiah after a long day of intense practice for our next upcoming music video, when he calls her.
"Clarissa? Are you guys at the warehouse?"
"No. Something happened to Dylan, I'm taking him to the emergency room."
My heart drops from the strained panic I hear in her voice. Something's wrong, and Dylan is involved.
"I need to go, then="
"Where are you guys headed?"
It's Alphonse. Jeremiah's let me know that he's quite against us using our powers whenever we want in public, even if nobody can see them.
"Let me drive you."
The second the car is parked at the hospital. I unbuckle my seatbelt fiercely and run inside, past the automatic doors. My throat feels like it's closing up, yet I'm able to scream with the strength I've barely maintained.
"Dylan!"
My knuckles turn white with how hard I grip the receptionist's counter. Her words are blurry, and I only focus on what's most important.
"... staying in room 513."
I find my own hands shaking before the door is even opened. I'm the only relative, so everyone else is in the waiting room.
A nurse is noting some things down beside his unconscious body. She hears the creaking of the door and turns to me.
"The doctor confirmed that he has a fever of 105 degrees. It's good that he was brought here, since such high temperatures can be fatal."
"Fatal…?"
My steps feel heavy as I walk towards the rest of them. I can only muster up a quiet voice.
"The doctor said it could be fatal, but he's just unconscious right now."
I see Alphonse shift his gaze towards Clarissa, asking her to speak privately. Jeremiah looks at me, and I whisper a quiet apology before heading back to Dylan's hospital room.
Hours have passed, I presume. When I wake up again I'm still in the same spot against his bed as earlier in the afternoon. However, the sun is close to setting now-
And Dylan has just woken up.
"Max,,?"
Is he actually okay? Is this really not a dream? His hand is still hot as it touches mine, and I can't help my voice from shaking.
"Dad?"
I know that's not his name. But the doubt is manifesting itself all too clearly with the tears in my eyes.
"Can I ask you something?"
Maybe I shouldn't bombard him with questions right now. He might be tired, yet I'm too selfish to wait.
"Hmm… sure. What is it?"
My question seems a little stupid just thinking about it. It makes more sense to ask about what happened before he passed out. I don't care about that, though.
"Why did you adopt me?"
Was it only because of my powers? The ones that didn't even exist back then?
He thinks about my question for a long moment. Neither of us say anything, but I squeeze his hand tighter.
"Well, mostly because the opportunity had presented itself. I never looked into adopting at all until I met you, and got to know the real you."
"And who is the real me?"
I can tell he wants to chuckle at what I just asked, but his lips curve up in a softer smile instead. He must still be weak.
"Kid, you're the guy who stole my last pint of mint chocolate chip ice cream and tried to blame the dog, even though we don't have one. You're also the same dumb genius who once built a castle out of Legos in the living room at 3 a.m. because "the vibes were right". The real you? Trauma doesn't define that."
Leaning closer towards me, one of his hands comes up to ruffle my hair, knowing how annoying I find that. But I don't care right now. If anything, I savor the familiar touch.
"And yeah, I did adopt you when you were that scrawny ten-year-old giving me the side-eye like I was gonna vanish, too. But here we are… you calling me "dad" by accident just now, me still supporting all your crazy ambitions with a "number one fan" t-shirt. Literally. I've worn it to some of your concerts."
"Gosh, you're such a sap-"
I fall against him with a stifled sob, closing my eyes and letting my emotions calm themselves down. Here feels safe. Here feels like home.
"Thank you for everything, I mean it… I wouldn't wanna be raised by anyone else."
Clarissa decides that we should all go eat dinner since it's getting late. Though she looks extremely guilty, and Jeremiah asks.
"Are you still feeling worried?"
"Dylan is a human. His extremely high temperature was due to the powers of a cupid, in the same way anti-cupids can cause hypothermia."
Alphonse's voice is firm and serious between us, and I tense up with uncertainty.
He's… human? So he really didn't adopt me because of that-
"Wait, so he's just been training with us for no reason?"
"What training?"
My mouth quickly shuts, but Jeremiah's father is already looking irritated. He looks at both of us.
"You guys shouldn't have gotten involved! Jeremiah, I already told you this!"
"How did you know that?"
Her voice is quiet, and all our eyes turn to Clarissa. Her fists are clenched on the table.
"Know what?"
"Know that cupids and anti-cupids can hurt humans with their powers alone!"
The table is silent, forcibly so as the waiter brings our food over. I hate this tension, but Jeremiah keeps me a little grounded by holding my hand under the table.
"I've seen it happen. That's all. I've seen people of our kind kill humans without even meaning to."
I almost feel sick. What if I accidentally hurt someone with my powers? How would I… live with myself?
"We should eat."
Jeremiah chimes in, and that's exactly what we do. Quietly.
"I'm not letting you near my son anymore, Clarissa-"
"So what? Are you just gonna get a restraining order?"
"What?"
Jeremiah scoffs, almost looking offended that his dad didn't get the message.
"I'm not doing this for her. I'm doing this for my boyfriend."
He looks at me with the softest smile, and suddenly this whole dinner feels less intimidating. Clarissa's eyes widen.
"You guys- you're dating each other?"
"How dense are you to not even know what your own kid is up to?"
A line was crossed right at that second. Moments later, she stands up and slaps him.
"I don't remember… telling anyone about that. I thought only Dylan had known, that he was the one that ruined my life-"
Her voice is scary. I don't even know what this fight is about anymore. In an instant she stands up and runs out of the restaurant, and my heart drops.
"Clarissa!"
Jeremiah keeps his grip on my wrist, looking concerned. But so am I, about her.
"Don't go-"
"Follow her."
I see Jeremiah's expression looking annoyed once again, but with his father's next words, I quickly run out…
"Do me a favor and follow your mother, Max."
They're still at the restaurant. I don't look back.
"Clarissa! Wait, please!"
I'm chasing her for almost five minutes when I hear a thud in the dark.
"Stupid leg…"
I manage to catch her on a sidewalk, gripping her calf, which is covered in bandages.
"You're bleeding!"
Quickly kneeling beside her, she flinches away. The night is quiet.
"Clarissa."
"Why did you come after me? What about Jeremiah and his dad? Gosh, you're probably closer to them than me anyways-"
"Were you the one that named me Maxine?"
That isn't the right question. I'm scared that if I ask, I won't have the strength to keep myself together.
"Are you… my biological mother?"
She looks away from me, and I have to resist reaching out. Even the breeze is louder than her voice.
"I didn't want you to know. I knew I had messed up. I wanted a second chance, but… you're so happy with Dylan."
"Jeremiah told me my mother still had to be alive. I almost didn't believe him."
I help her up, and she leans against my shoulder as I walk her to the nearest convenience store for bandages.
"I abandoned you after the anti-cupid used his powers on me. I held so much hate in my heart for your father, but wasn't entirely sure why."
"I don't care about him, he's happy with his new family and I've accepted that. Dylan is my dad, and I know he loves me."
She doesn't say much until we have the bandages, and I rewrap her leg. Actually seeing her expression now illuminated with the light, I see her horrified face.
I almost drop the bandages.
"Clarissa?"
"Someone told me your father was dead- I was sent to his grave…"
"Really? Because his new wife posted a photo of their family on vacation a month ago…"
"Why would I be lied to? Unless they have something to do with everything happening now- like the woman who sliced my leg."
"It was someone else that did this to you?"
My fear spikes. I can't imagine that blood coming out of me.
"Can they… kill us?"
"No. As long as we have our powers, we can't die. But we can feel pain."
"As long as…?"
"People can get rid of them… but the cost is immediate death. It doesn't matter how old you are."
"Do you know anyone?-"
"I thought I didn't. But Alphonse… I think he's the one that used his powers on me all those years ago. He knew that we could affect the temperatures of humans. I bet he knows more than he's letting on."
"Why would he hide things?"
"Why do you think?"
He couldn't happen to know something about the assailants, could he?