Mephisto's eyes flew open. His chest was rising and falling quickly, he knew he was scared, and yet he didn't feel the need to sit up and be dramatic about it. A voice in the back of his head was yelling: Sit up! Gasp loudly! Sob even! Just get attention! From someone, anyone!
Mephisto did sit up, but he did none of those things. It was odd, fighting such a natural reaction to… whatever it was that caused him to wake up. But people seemed to resent him enough as it is. It made sense to him to not make a scene, even if it's what he wanted to do. He turned to his side and sure enough, the Solarian Princess was fast asleep on a cot next to him, her bright red and gold boots propped up against the side. Other than that, the princess hadn't changed into any sort of night wear.
Tiana was facing Mephisto, sleeping on her right side. Her right hand tucked just under her cheek. Her chest rose and fell softly; her lips were slightly agape, occasionally letting out a soft snore. Mephisto didn't want to disturb her. But whatever had woken him up wasn't letting him go back to sleep. He huffed and fell back on his pillow loudly, the only dramatics he allowed himself.
What had woken him up in the first place, anyway? He closed his eyes, in an attempt to fall back asleep. Tossing and turning, Mephisto finally gave up on sleep.
"I have got to get out of here," he muttered. Throwing his covers off, Mephisto carefully maneuvered himself out of bed. He knocked his cast against the side of the cot as he swung his legs over. "Shhhhhoot," he grunted. Only a couple hours of sleep and he'd managed to forget he had a broken foot. He had to admit though, while not one hundred percent normal, his foot had felt infinitely better. Despite their animosity towards him, the Ephedian healers really did a top-notch job. He'd have to thank them in the morning.
Careful not to make anymore nose (though Tiana was proving to be a very heavy sleeper), Mephisto hobbled to his feet and grabbed his crutches. He needed some air, and what better time to go for a walk than in the middle of the night?
A few people saw Mephisto leave the tent, though no one stopped to question him where he was going. The glares and sneers he got told him they didn't care much, either.
Mephisto wondered around a clearing just inside the forest that he and Tiana had exited only hours before. His foot throbbing now, Mephisto sat down on a long, flat bolder dead center in the clearing. He lay back on his back and stared at the inky purple night sky.
"Curious…" he muttered. "Shouldn't the sky be black?" A pain panged in his temples as his locked away memories fought their way to the surface. The pain told him he did this a lot, before his accident, though he still couldn't fully remember anything prior to waking up when Tiana splashed water on his face. The fact that he couldn't remember anything was one of the biggest thorns in his side. "Grrraaah!" he shouted, clapping his hands over his face. Wind tousled his dark burgundy hair. It was chilly, and he felt his skin prickle with goosebumps. He was glad the medics had given him a shirt in the tent, albeit a thin one.
He let go of his face and let his arms dangle off the side of the boulder.
"You should really keep that foot elevated," came a voice. Mephisto snapped his head around, looking for the source of the voice. He hadn't heard anyone walk into the clearing... And while he hadn't felt it when he woke up, the ache in his joints had returned. His flair for the dramatic returned, but now it was his body that wouldn't allow it.
"Who's there?" he said, slowly sitting up. His lower lip pushed outward in a pout when he realized who had entered the clearing. "You know, for someone who doesn't trust me, you seem to be quite obsessed with me." Mephisto huffed as Jodan walked closer.
"It's because I don't trust you that I should keep an eye on you," Jodan fired back. He stopped just a few steps in front of Mephisto, crossing his arms. His expression was a curious mix of amusement, curiosity and distrust. How one face could convey all three at once, Mephisto wasn't sure, but Jodan's face seemed to do it all. "When someone said they saw you leave the medical tent, I had to make sure you weren't off to contact anyone... say your sister perhaps?" Mephisto felt his jaw open, and Jodan's face changed also. What was meant to be an accusing statement, Jodan had clearly not expected the reaction Mephisto gave him.
Mephisto let out a loud sob as fragments of memories and a name came crashing into his mind.
Praxina.
Praxina.
Praxina.
How could he have forgotten Praxina? His beloved twin sister. His partner in crime, literally. His best friend.
"Prax…" he sobbed. "Is Praxina okay?" Mephisto asked through his tears. Jodan shifted uncomfortably.
"It's... it's best if we don't talk about her," he said, not meeting Mephisto's eyes. He scratched his bicep as if to give himself something to do other than not answer Mephisto's question. "If you really don't know as much as you say you don't, then we don't need to talk about Praxina."
"What happened to my sister? Is she okay? Is she hurt? Is she... dead?" Mephisto half shouted.
"It's not for me to tell," Jodan said simply. "Though if anything has come out of this, I guess I trust you a little now." Mephisto could tell the other boy was trying to lighten the situation. Praxina was the only definite thing he could remember at this point, besides his name and his fear of Gramorr.
"Did Gramorr do something to her?" Mepisto pressed. When Jodan didn't answer, Mephisto leaned back and stared at the sky again, not bothering to wipe away his tears. "Sit," Mephisto said. He didn't look up to see if Jodan was eyeing him suspiciously, as he had been doing since they met. But after a few seconds, he heard the footsteps on the grass. Jodan sat a few inches from Mephisto's head.
"The Ephedian sky is really different than the Earth sky, isn't it?" Jodan asked.
"What's Earth?" The name, like almost anything Jodan said to Mephisto, sounded familiar. But what memories he did have were jumbled up, and of no help to him. Jodan let out a hearty, genuine laugh.
"Princess Iris," he started, "was born here on Ephedia. But shortly after her birth, Gramorr's forces attacked the Main Land after conquering many other places. Her parent sent her to this… fascinating planet called Earth, where she grew up. You and Praxina were sent there, too."
"To get away from Gramorr?"
"I didn't realize how on Earth, the sky was completely black at night. The stars can be seen so clearly. Here on Ephedia, the sky has this tinge of purple. It's not super obvious, unless you're really staring at it, but it's beautiful in it's own way, too. And the stars look a little blurred, don't they?" Mephisto didn't say anything. He found himself liking listening to Jodan talk, even if it was to avoid answering questions Mephsito wasn't sure he wanted the answers to.
Mephisto wasn't sure when he had fallen asleep. But he again woke with a start, his head only jerking up a few inches. It was still dark, with no sign of the sun rising. He couldn't have been asleep for any more than an hour. Even more curious was the fact that he found himself sleeping next to Jodan, his right arm draped across the Prince's broad chest. Jodan was fast asleep. And he was in the crook of Jodan's arm; the prince's hand rested softly on Mephisto's lower back. He grew envious of Jodan and Tiana's ability to sleep so soundly. He was growing envious of just about everyone who could live normally, actually, he realized.
Again, he woke with a clawing fear in his chest, but when he tried to remember the dream, only a vague idea of it would form. He knew it was about someone, someone close to him, doing terrible things. But who that was, what terrible things they were doing, he couldn't be sure. All he knew was this: the person in his dreams was someone he knew and they were doing unspeakable evils, wherever they were.
It was in that moment that Mephisto became hyper aware of his position with the slumbering Jodan. He felt his face grow hot, hotter than it ever had been before and sat up as quickly as his aching body could allow him.
"Jodan," he whispered fiercely. "Jodan wake up."
"Hmmm?" Jodan muttered sleepily. He realized how close Mephisto was to him, and a short glimpse of fear flashed across his face before he settled into it. "What?" He made no attempts to push Mephisto away, or move away from him either. Then again, Mephisto wasn't doing either of those things, either. "Did we fall asleep?"
"Yes," Mephisto said, "and I think it's best if we head back to a place where… it's more comfortable to sleep."
"Are you ashamed to be seen with another boy, Mephisto?"
Mephisto was wrong. Now his face was hotter than he had ever felt it before.
"N-No!" he said, now making an effort to move away from the Voltan Prince. "I just… I'm sore and I don't want to sleep on a rock, okay?" Jodan's smirk was playful. Teasing, even. Part of Mephisto wondered… "Can you just help me and get my crutches?" Jodan stood, stretched for a moment before getting Mephisto's crutches. "Thanks," he muttered.
The two walked the short distance back to Izira's camp. Mephisto stopped. "Wait, Jodan," he said. Jodan stopped and turned, and Mephisto almost expected the prince to glare at him for telling him what to do. Perhaps he was still too sleepy, or perhaps it was something else, but when Jodan turned he was actually smiling. Genuinely smiling. "I thought you hated me."
Jodan's smile faltered a little. "I don't hate you, Mephisto. I never have. Part of me thinks what you did to me back on Earth… well… It wasn't entirely your fault. Sure, you blackmailed me, but I think Gramorr must have been doing… something to you." He paused. "I still don't know that I trust you one hundred percent, but… your reaction to Praxina is telling me that your memory loss is… more serious than I was giving it credit for."
Something wasn't totally sitting right with Mephisto. Gramorr. Doing something to him? That… that didn't seem right.
"I wouldn't put your trust entirely in me just yet," he said, surprising even himself. "Saying Gramorr was doing something to me… like he was brainwashing me or something. I don't know. I honestly can't remember my time before waking up, but whatever I did for Gramorr, I think it was honestly of my own free will." Jodan was quiet. Disappointed, almost. "I'm afraid that if… when I regain my memories, we'll go back to being enemies."
Mephisto didn't wait for a response. He hobbled back to the tent on his crutches as fast as he could, not daring to look back at Jodan. Because if he did, Jodan would see the tears that were streaming down his face. What he wouldn't know, however, was the turmoil Mephisto was feeling inside. He had just met Jodan for the first – second – time and he could already tell feelings were developing. But he also knew that while he didn't remember anything of his first encounter with Jodan… it didn't seem so far off base to say that Mephisto did in fact blackmail him. And with pleasure, no doubt.
How could he let anything develop between them? Especially when he knew there was a strong possibility of the two of them going back to enemies when his memories returned?