#skynapple

When the door to the NXX meeting room cracked open, Marius had fully expected it to be Vyn trudging in late. As haughty as the psychiatrist could be, he was notoriously not a morning person, and Marius had made it his personal mission to give Vyn grief every time he was not exactly on time. (Perhaps more accurately, when he was not at least 3 minutes early. Was that unfair? Perhaps. Did Vyn deserve it? Absolutely.)

But the man who stumbled into the room was significantly taller, with hair significantly darker, and a face that was significantly less punchable.

Everything around him faded and dimmed, to backgrounds not fully developed as he focused on the person taking center stage in his painting. He thought Rosa might have jumped up behind him, but her startled words as she clung to Luke were not discernible. Luke's voice was mere static in Marius' brain, but he sounded angry and accusatory.

A figure moved out of the corner of his eye; judging from the size and colors, Artem. Of course, Artem would know who had just intruded on what was supposed to be a private meeting, for a top-secret group.

But Marius was not going to allow anyone to make a move before him.

All of the young heir's senses returned at once, and he darted forward, pushing his long legs to their limit so he would be the first one to the newcomer's side.

Much to his relief, Artem did not stop him.

"Giann!" Marius cursed himself internally for the way his voice cracked, for showing an ounce of weakness, but he would just hope that the other three people here would extend some mercy. "Giann, you're home!"

After all, his beloved older brother had been off the grid for so long, and now... and now he was in Marius' arms again!

Marius flung his arms around his brother, causing the older von Hagen to wince slightly. But Giann did not retreat; instead he leaned into Marius' shoulders and returned the embrace, albeit weakly.

What a funny scene, for Marius to be holding his taller, older brother like this.

"Sorry for making you wait."

"I'll tell you how to pay me back later."

Now that he was grounded, now that he knew for a fact that the person in front of him was his dear brother, now that he knew he was not dreaming or fantasizing or hallucinating or reminiscing, the rest of the background began to seep more fully into Marius' mind. He was able to transform the mismatched buckets of colors, weave them and brush them and mix them into something new. It was not what he had envisioned, these hues or shapes or patterns, but it was his. He could handle this again.

He would be stronger with Giann here, after all.

"Giann?" Rosa's voice was clearer now in his head. "Mister Giann von Hagen, sir?"

"How do we know it's actually him?" Luke's wary words came out in a low growl, and Marius whipped his head around immediately to provide a stinging retort.

"I also know Giann, as I worked with him on the NXX cases prior to your arrival," Artem reminded the others calmly, "and while I appreciate your caution, I do not believe it is necessary, Luke. That man is undoubtedly the real one."

Marius made a mental note that he owed Artem for speaking up on his brother's behalf.

"Mister Giann von Hagen, sir!" When had Rosa approached? Her footsteps were so quiet, despite the way her eyes were glowing with wonder and her body was practically quivering with excitement. "Ah, I mean... please pardon my interruption!"

"No need to apologize. If you're here, then I know you are a person who both Artem Wing and my brother trust." Giann straightened up to his full height (much to Marius' chagrin), giving Rosa a polite but feeble smile.

The way Rosa began bouncing on her tiptoes did not escape Marius' notice.

"Jiejie..." Marius whined as he adjusted his position, still standing (nearly) shoulder to shoulder with his brother. "You never address me so politely... I'm just Marius to you... just the brat... You don't even call me King...."

"King?" Giann echoed. "Is that the codename you chose for yourself?"

A deep flush illuminated Marius' face, stretching from ear to ear and covering him in a faint red glow. "I... For the Pax Group and our family name, obviously! I had to do them justice, you know!"

"Obviously. I know."

Still reeling as he tried to recover from being mortified by his brother in front of the woman he had a massive crush on, not to mention the other two dorks on the other side of the room, Marius averted his gaze.

But even without looking at Rosa, he could hear the excited lilt in her voice and imagine the way she was beaming as she continued to speak. "Marius has spoken so highly of you! I have had no doubt in my mind that you must be a wonderful person, and it is such an honor to meet you, sir!"

A gentle laugh left his brother's lips. "No need to be so formal. Clearly you and Marius are good friends, so you are already a friend of mine."

Good friends. Marius felt as though a paint scraper had been stabbed into his chest. "Let's sit down, Giann," he urged. "You seem really exhausted."

Giann did not argue, instead allowing Marius to guide him to the couches and seats further in the room.

"I am so sorry!" Rosa piped up as soon as they sat down. "You clearly need time to recover! Any of my questions can wait for a later time!"

Giann waved his hand dismissively. "I don't mind. Really." He smiled, with soft glow like that of a sunrise about to brighten up the world. "I want to learn about you. And about this young man, too." He nodded to Luke.

Whether Luke ever got to speak to Giann that day, Marius could not recall. He was too focused on the way in which Rosa's eyes sparkled, in the way in which she leaned forward when Giann spoke, in the way in which her hands fiddled nervously with the edges of her sleeves, in the way in which her left foot tapped with a mix of eagerness and anxiety, in the way in which her voice hummed when she responded to his questions, in the way in which her chest seemed to tremble as her rapid heartbeat burst against her ribcage.

She did not only bask in the glow of Giann's warmth and glory, but she returned it in full force.

Oh. Of course.

Giann was the true genius. Giann was the true leader. Giann was the go-getter, the organizer, the one who people loved. Marius was only ever a substitute, an inferior stand-in. Whether as president of Pax, or as a member of the NXX... Marius was never meant to stay. Marius' job was simply to ensure that nothing fell apart, and to keep Giann's name in good standing. To ease Giann's transition back into his rightful role when he returned. Marius was just... a child, a dreamer, an idealistic fool.

No wonder Rosa was enamored with Giann. Maybe she even loved him, or would love him soon.

A blank canvas, devoid of color, light, or life.