Victorious

Warden would look back to Kyou as the other lifted his face.  His hands moving to hold Kyou’s as the cupped his cheek.  He knew Kyou was right.  Kyou was always right but that didn’t mean he had to like it.

The albino moved to kiss his love’s forehead.  “Be safe.” he whispered “Please…”

He supposed that he and Loki could busy themselves with a plan until Kyou came back.  That might help increase their chances and keep him distracted.

He offered a smile at Warden. A faint, wavering smile... But an attempt to be reassuring nonetheless, his head turning lightly to press a kiss to Warden’s hand. “Of course. Hekete won’t even know I’m there.”

There was far too much at stake for that to happen.

Kyou left his husband to do what was needed on his end, hurrying off to gather a few other heroes and get started on rescuing Sadie. No one to go with him, of course; A bigger group would reduce the stealth that was needed. No, just a few people to monitor what was happening. Someone to open the portal that was needed and maintain it. Another to keep an eye on what was happening on the other side with him.

Even Glacier was on stand-by; If anything should happen, her ice might just give an advantage just long enough for Kyou and Sadie to escape.

And, just in case the plan did go horribly wrong? Instructions to inform both Warden and Loki. Just in case the both of them needed rescuing. Or if someone had to go back in for Sadie.

It didn’t take too terribly long for them to get set up. Maybe an hour, to ensure that the portal was stable. With that done, Kyou went invisible and stepped through, taking a moment to gather his thoughts and surroundings. Figure out where he should go. He could recall that they were on a bed, from what he saw in the video call... Which meant that there had to be a bedroom.

He did his best to stay off of what solid surfaces he would find, doing everything he could to avoid alerting Hekete of his presence. Which made his powers quite useful, using small, extremely dim platforms of light to traverse through the god’s lair. And, thankfully, it wasn’t hard at all to find the room that he needed.

Kyou’s heart nearly shattered when he saw Sadie. It was worse than what the video had shown, seeing his baby bird curled up in a bundle of feathers and a wing that should not be lying the way it was.

“Shh, shh...” Sadie visibly flinched when Kyou touched him, the blonde gently hushing his son. “I’m here. Oto’s here. We’re gonna get you home, okay?” His voice was quiet, Sadie biting his lip and silently nodding. Ah, Kyou wanted to take care of him right then and there. Bandage up his wounds and set the wing so that he would stop hurting.

They didn’t have time, though. And he knew how much setting a dislocated joint would hurt. So Kyou had to settle for simply bundling him up instead, helping hold the injured wing as they started to make their way back to the portal. Of course, Kyou extended the bent light to be around Sadie as well.

Warden’s eyes widened when Kyou suddenly proclaimed that he would venture into Hekete’s lair to save their son.  The albino grabbed his husband’s shoulders.  “N- No!” he snapped “W- What if you get caught?  I… I- I couldn’t…”  He looked down at their feet.  Unable to bring himself to look back at the blond.

What if Hekete caught Kyou?  After what he’d done to Sadie there was no telling what he would do to the Guardian’s spouse.  He didn’t want Kyou to get hurt.  Kyou was always getting hurt because of him.  What if this time Kyou didn’t come back?  What if he was maimed?  He couldn’t stand the thought.

At the same time though, deep down, he knew Kyou was right.  They needed to get Sadie away from that man and out of the two of them the blond was far more suited for stealth.  Not to mention that Warden could easily be drowned in Hekete’s lair while Kyou could make his own solid platforms that Hekete couldn’t destroy.

He was scared.  Scared and confused and angry.

Kyou couldn’t blame Warden for his reaction. Their son was already hurt, and now he was suggesting something that could end horribly if he were to be caught as well. It was obvious that Hekete had no issue with using the people Warden loved against him. But there was also no telling what Hekete would do if they took too long to do something. Anything.

There weren’t a whole lot of options. And he was scared, too. This was a god they were dealing with; He knew if he were caught, he wouldn’t be able to fight back. Not effectively, at least. Not to mention the last time they had done a rescue mission for someone...well...

It made him shudder to recall those memories, a hand reaching up to rub at his cheek.

“You know I’m best suited for this kind of thing,” Kyou said after a few moments, his voice quiet. He reached up, gently lifting his husband’s head to look at him. “With my powers, I can at least make myself and Sadie invisible.” No one else in the league with powers like his had that kind of control. “And even if we give him what he wants...” The words were quickly lost in his throat; They both knew what would happen if Warden went to fight Hekete.

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He openly clung to his husband, trying his hardest to ground himself so that he could think clearly. Come up with a plan. That was what they needed. A plan.

“That... That’s what he wants you to do,” Kyou muttered after a moment, reluctant to pull away from Warden. “And the moment you charge in there, guns blazing, he’s going to kill you. Or hurt Sadie even more. Or both. He’s trying to play us.” At the moment, he was only half talking to Warden. Kyou was just trying to sort through his thoughts.

After a few moments, he finally pulled away, looking up at his husband. “I’ll go in there,” Kyou blurted out. “I’ll sneak in, find Sadie, and get him out of there. If Hekete doesn’t have him, then he can’t use our own son against us.” And they’d be able to take care of Sadie. Better protect him, help him.

Warden’s horror turned to rage as he continued to glare at the screen.

Hekete continued to gloat as he released Sadie’s chin.  Though his arm stayed around the teen.  He grinned deviously when he saw Kyou looking over the albino’s shoulder.  "Oh, looks like mom is here too.  I have to say, I’m rather pleased that my new little trophy doesn’t look like his father.“ the man spoke as he nuzzled Sadie’s hair.  He looked back to the screen and smirked.  "Well now, that’s a scary face.” he would manage to say before the phone was shattered in Warden’s hands.

The albino stood there in silence for a moment before letting out a scream as he slammed his fists down on the desk in front of him.  Splitting it and causing wood, splinters and nails to burst across the room.  The Guardian stood there.  Breathing heavily.  "I’m going to kill him.“ he growled.  He moved to leave the room.  Grabbing the door handle and without really meaning to ripped the door off its hinges as he started storming down the hall.

Even Kyou had to admit; For a moment, he was scared as well. Raging, yes, but Warden’s outburst had scared him as well. He’d never seen his husband so furious before, instinctively covering his face as the desk was destroyed. But now wasn’t the time to cower. It wasn’t the time to wait, or linger, or anything of the sort.

That was their baby bird, after all. Their son, who had looked like he was shattered beyond repair.

It hurt, even just as a memory.

“Warden...!” Kyou hurried after the albino, flying up and over to land in front of him. Hands were pressed against the man’s chest. “Warden. Hun. Love, light of my life, breathe. We can’t...” A shuddering breath was taken in, hands clenching into fists. Bunching up Warden’s shirt in between his fingers. “He has Sadie. We can’t just storm in. We don’t know what else he’ll do. Not after that. Not after what he’s already done. Oh, gods, our baby...”

His shoulders shook, but he was trying. He needed a level head, if they were going to save their son. But this was worse. Worse than any of the times Owen had kidnapped him. Worse than when they had to save Warden from the Nether. He focused on the ground, trying so hard. Thinking out how they could fix this, without it getting worse. He was the leader, the head of the league. He should be able to figure this out.

“...I... I d-don’t know what to do...”

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That had to be the worst of it, too. There was no one who could save him this time. He couldn’t even save himself.

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It didn’t take a genius to figure out what Hekete meant by that. Unfortunately, it brought his struggles to a stop for a brief, brief moment, only for Sadie to renew them with more vigor than before. Kicking, pushing at the god’s arm with his only free hand, anything that could get him free. Especially as he felt a hand snaking up his shirt, right up against his back...

Thankfully, the bone didn’t break. But it still let out a rather sickening pop! as it was pulled from the socket, his wing going limp as the teen let out a pained sound. Almost like a cross between a scream and a whimper, nails digging into Hekete’s arm as his squirming finally stopped. It was all he could do to not scream himself hoarse; His back felt like it was on fire, as Sadie gasped for air from the god’s tight grip.

He almost didn’t register the fact that he was being dragged along until they were almost to the roof’s edge, staring at the drop with a newfound terror. His wing was dislocated. He wasn’t going to be able to fly. “N-No... No! No, let me go...!”

Have thanks for small blessings, he supposed... But he wasn’t sure if being back in the watery cavern was any better than being a splat on the pavement. He pulled himself up to sit, once he was on solid ‘ground’, forcing himself to try and take deep breaths. It was hard. He was still hurt, injured wing splayed awkwardly by his side, the other tucked tightly against his back.

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Ah, there he was! Or, at least, there was a call from him. Sadie answered pretty quickly, a hand rest on his hip. “Jared, you jackass, we wer--”

His voice caught in his throat when he was cut off, eyes growing wide as he face paled. That definitely wasn’t Jared’s voice. No, it was a voice that sent chills down his spine. Anger. The sudden urge to run. Not like he was even going to get more than a step or two away, his gaze lifting to see Jared’s phone.

No...!

His phone slipped out of his hand as he tried to make a run for it, but he was too slow. The toad had an arm around his waist before he could go anywhere, pinning his wings against his back in the process. It didn’t stop Sadie from struggling, especially when Hekete licked him. That gross, sticky tongue... He shuddered, turning to glare at the god.

He knew he should be listening to his dads. To his grandfather, too. Joss was going to be a lot safer for him, so long as that toad of a god is out on the loose. But, at the same time, Sadie could barely stand it. He didn’t like being grounded in one place. And while he may have access to an entire world, it still felt oddly stifling.

Which was precisely why the youngest Burgess was sneaking back to Earth, after getting invited to go hang out with some of his friends. Just a night doing karaoke or something; He wasn’t completely sure. Jared seemed awfully distant and vague over the texts, Sadie only managing to get him to actively agree on a place to meet. One of their old hang out places, down by the docks, specifically.

Maybe they’d actually do some proper outing planning in person.

Loki scratched behind his ear “Yeah, I know, and deep down he knows but, Hekete was after him from the beginning.  He feels like he was the one who put you in danger in the first place.”

The goblin was glad when Saisei finally woke up.  Laughing and talking with the two boys and even sharing his own stories before their fathers finally walked in.

Warden gave Kyou’s hand a light squeeze when the other point out that they were right.  Kyou was always right.  He should have already learned this.  A small weight was lifted off his shoulders at the statement though.  As if his husband was solidifying what his eyes were seeing.  Walking over to Sadie Warden sat on the edge of the bed.  "H- How are you feeling?“ he asked.

Sadie in 10+ years.

Loki shrugged at the question.  Leaning back in the chair that sat between the bed once the food had been ordered.  “Probably just another day or so?” he estimated “You are a demigod by technicality so you’ll heal faster than your brother.  You might even be outta here by the end of the day though I wouldn’t quote me on that.  I’m a god, not a doctor.”

He pulled out a phone “Ah, I should probably let your dads know that you’re awake at least.  Your papa’s been kinda beating himself up over this.”  His son didn’t need to voice his feelings to Loki for the goblin to know what he was thinking.  It was written all over Warden’s face and in his body language when he last saw him.  Maybe seeing that his son was okay in the end would help ease his nerves a little.

After shooting Kyou a text Loki put the device back in his pocket.  “Hopefully Saisei’ll be awake by the time your dads get here.  They’ve been pretty worried about him too.”

Well, that was true... He had the benefit of not being entirely human; Saisei was probably going to be stuck there for a few days, judging from what he could see. Meanwhile, Sadie was already starting to feel better. Like he hadn’t nearly drowned twice. “And I probably won’t be told until Oto and Papa come back...”

A frown appeared when Loki shared how Papa was feeling, though. “But it’s not his fault? Hekete just sucks. Like, big time.” He still shuddered to think about what if the old toad had won, recalling what he’d said. No way in hell was he going to be some old man’s ‘trophy’. Sadie was pretty sure that he’d rather die first.

“Well good, cause you look it.” Loki joked.  He knew the joke was probably made in bad taste considering the situation that had lead up to Sadie’s present undead appearance but the old god couldn’t help himself.

The goblin stood up and walked over to the door.  He would step outside for a moment to speak to the nurse at the nearby station.  After a few seconds she would hand him a can of coke.  Stepping back into the room the goblin walked over to a small counter on the other side of the room.  He picked up the hospital menu and the phone and walked back over to Sadie.  “I know hospital food probably isn’t what you want right now but I’m a little worried to leave you and Saisei alone.” he spoke, handing Sadie the soda and a straw as he sat back down.

He lightly ruffled his grandson’s hair “We were all worried sick about you two.”

Sadie definitely wasn’t thrilled about hospital food. But he supposed it was better than nothing, given how hungry he was at this point. “I mean, Hekete did sorta seep through the cracks at home... But you totally owe me something better when I’m outta here.” The boy grinned at that statement, obviously meaning it as a good-natured joke, before looking at the menu. All of it looked...unappetizing... But he eventually settled on something that should be safely tasty, pointing it out to his grandfather and getting it ordered.