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Sandalphon is loath to admit it, but he has a crisis on his hands.
Yes, the Supreme Primarch of the Sky Realm has a crisis that’s eating away at him, and he’s not too sure what to do about it. He’s a far cry from the archangel that he used to be—wandering the gardens of the research laboratory aimlessly as he pondered his purpose; inciting the cataclysms that nearly threw the whole universe into disarray; gunning towards Pandemonium focusing solely on his promise to Lucifer with everything around him obscured from his vision. Sandalphon has become someone worthy of the title Supreme Primarch, exploring the expansive blue skies with twelve wings adorning his back, and he wears them with pride.
But all that pride, all that bravado, all that confidence, has slipped from his fingertips. Perhaps he’s not used to slotting himself into a life where he’s free of troubles—2,000 years stuck in Pandemonium, followed by nothing but battle after battle in the skies, might have left him a bit restless. He’s sure the other primarchs would be amused to see him tripping over himself, mulling over the glaring mistake he made that has yet to be resolved.
Sandalphon sighs deeply as he raises his cup of coffee to his lips, gently blowing on the liquid before he takes a small, tentative sip.
He grimaces the moment the liquid touches his tongue, pulling away as if he accidentally burnt his tongue. Normally a cup of coffee is enough to ease his nerves, but it has the opposite effect this time. His coffee is so unreasonably bitter and the overall quality of it screams of an amateur.
He frowns as he sets his cup down, taking a deep breath. He’s thankful that he’s alone in the Grandcypher’s kitchen. Sandalphon thinks that if anyone saw the miserable state that he was in, looking as if someone plucked all the feathers from his wings, then he’d have no choice than to plunge face first into the Crimson Horizon.
He closes his eyes, rubbing his temples as he feels a headache coming on. This isn’t like him.
He thinks back to a few days ago—right when his crisis began.
After the showdown with Lucilius and peace returned to the Sky Realm, Sandalphon made the definitive decision to stay on the Grandcypher for as long as they would have him. The same crew that had been a thorn in his side in the past had now welcomed him with open arms, regarding him as one of their own.
So he’s been traveling from sky island to sky island, helping them fulfill any requests from Sierokarte. Some days he runs errands for the Grandcypher, stocking up on any supplies that are running low. Other days he finds himself in the kitchen, working on a new coffee brew and watching as some of the crew members slip into the dining room, enticed by the tempting aroma that fills the air.
And then there’s some days where Djeeta, Lyria, and Vyrn rope him into any kind of situation. And Sandalphon really does mean any kind of situation. The trio always did enjoy following him around, like baby ducklings trailing after their mother. Back then he thought them to be a bother—he simply didn’t understand why they wanted to get to know him better, why they were trying to be amiable even when he caused so many problems for them.
But the Singularity, the girl in blue, and the red dragon have always been an unpredictable bunch, one that Sandalphon has admittedly grown fond of as he slowly adjusted to life on the Grandcypher. He’s never said it aloud, but they’ve truly brought some light into his life, coloring it with purpose. He truly would do anything to ensure that no harm came to them.
Sandalphon took it a step too far as of a recent, however.
The four of them were just doing a simple errand run in town, placing an order with Sierokarte after they finished one of her requests. Sandalphon was merely running low on his favorite coffee beans, the ones that could only come from the 2,000-year-old coffee bean tree on the coffee plantation they visited a long time ago. After they were done putting in the order, they originally planned to return to the Grandcypher to rest up, but Lyria had worked up an appetite and wanted to eat.
Now that should’ve been enough for them to make haste back to the ship, but the town they were in had a popular cafe that was all the buzz among the locals and tourists. Not sure when they would next return to the island, they had decided to take their chance at visiting the highly praised cafe.
There was a line, to no one’s surprise. But they were quick to seat guests, so they decided to wait. Everything had been going well, and the four of them were engaged in idle conversation as they were waiting for their turn to talk to the hostess.
When it was finally their turn, however, that’s when issues arose.
Lyria had approached the hostess with a warm smile, a skip in her step, when a tall, burly man had cut in front of her and almost pushed her aside. She cried out in surprise and almost fell over from the sudden intrusion, but Sandalphon was quick to catch her, helping her regain her balance. Djeeta was quick to come to their side, checking on Lyria to make sure she wasn’t hurt.
“Hey, we were here first!” Vyrn was the first to speak up, sending a fierce glare in the man’s direction.
“Huh?” The man sneered, looking back at them with a cocked brow. Sandalphon nearly had to bite back his scowl when the man gave all of them a once-over before he let out a mocking laugh. “What’re a bunch of kids doing here?”
“We were waiting in line before you came stomping in,” Vyrn said, his wings flapping frantically as if he’s trying to hold himself back from unleashing hell on the man.
They weren’t the only ones who had been waiting in line. Several parties had been patiently waiting behind them, and even they started to voice their discontent upon seeing him rudely cut in front of everyone.
“P-Please, sir, we’ve been waiting a long time now!” Lyria finally spoke up after regaining her composure. Sandalphon has to commend her for how she still remains kind even when others treat her otherwise. “There’s others who have also been patiently waiting, so please, if you could go to the back of the line—“
“Or what?” The man rudely cut her off, an almost menacing look on his face. He gave off the impression that if they so much as looked at him the wrong way then he would really cause trouble not just for them, but for everyone else around them too. “I’m keeping this cafe in business by offering them my patronage! Or do you want them to lose a loyal customer because you kids don’t know when to quit?”
“You’re not the only customer here,” Sandalphon sternly said, narrowing his eyes at the man.
The man’s gaze snapped to Sandalphon, who stared at him hard. “Speaking up for the kids, pretty boy?” The man scoffed. “What are you, their babysitter?”
Sandalphon didn’t know if he should’ve been offended at the fact that he was being reduced to a mere babysitter, or that the man believed that Djeeta, Lyria, and Vyrn were in need of a babysitter. If only he knew that if the three really put their minds to it, they could knock him off his feet before he’d even get the chance to realize what was happening.
He had to bite back his tongue. There were too many people watching them, and Sandalphon was already growing uncomfortable with the scene that was rapidly unfolding around them.
Calling himself the Supreme Primarch was out of the question. The average skydweller wasn’t going to know the weight of such a title, let alone believe a word that came out of his mouth if he tried to prove that he was the equivalent of a god.
So his mind settled on the next best thing—which, looking back on it, he really should’ve taken a second to weigh the consequences of the words that came out of his mouth.
“I’m their big brother.”
Sandalphon said it with such confidence that he barely had a second to suffer from whiplash, instead noticing the way Djeeta, Lyria, and Vyrn’s expressions all instantly shift with shock and confusion.
“Huh?” Lyria squeaked out.
“Huh?!” Vyrn nearly yelled.
Djeeta didn’t say anything, but even she looked visibly thrown off by his sudden proclamation.
The man started obnoxiously laughing. “Big brother? Babysitter? There isn’t much of a difference,” he jeered, shaking his head as if he was amused. He started making his way over to Sandalphon, but the latter didn’t move. He stayed in place, leveling the man with a steady gaze. He was only a few inches taller than Sandalphon, and even now he tried to come off as menacing and intimidating, but nothing could deter Sandalphon. The man could only scowl at the sight. “Where do you get off, acting all high and mighty?”
“I believe it’s in my right to speak up when you are disrespecting not just my friends, but the people who have been patiently waiting alongside us,” Sandalphon said, staving off the intense heat that threatened to flood his cheeks after what he just said earlier.
“People like you really piss me off,” the man sneered. Sandalphon noticed him practically seething with rage—for what reason, he wasn’t so sure. He didn’t think that a single man would feel so strongly and be so rude to others within his vicinity, but there’s always something out there that’s going to surprise him.
Before Sandalphon could even open his mouth, he noticed the man’s hands shaking by his sides before they clenched into tight fists. Sandalphon narrowed his eyes, which in turn only seemed to rile up the man even more who looked as if he was practically shaking with rage. To think that the man could get worked up so easily, and Sandalphon hadn’t even lifted a finger.
He did, however, take a step back when the man swiftly raised his arm to swing his fist in Sandalphon’s direction. The crowd immediately broke into surprised cries and shocked gasps, backing up at the first sight of violence. Sandalphon nearly scowled—he didn’t want to cause a scene, but the man clearly had other plans.
“Hey, stop it!” Vyrn cried out.
“Djeeta, Sandalphon is in trouble!” Lyria said, quickly hiding behind the other girl. Djeeta held out her arm in front of Lyria as if shielding her. Her brow furrowed with concern, almost like she was contemplating how best to approach the situation when Sandalphon spoke up.
“Stay back,” Sandalphon called out as he dodged another attack, carefully stepping around so as to not get too close to the trio or the townsfolk. From the corner of his eye, he could see Djeeta studying him carefully, her lips pressed into a thin line. And yet, even as Sandalphon dodged the onslaught of punches thrown his way, she didn’t intervene.
Sandalphon paid attention to every move from the man that wished to harm him, and it was near laughable how quickly it took him to understand the man’s fighting patterns. While it was clear that each punch had a decent amount of power thrown into it, the man’s movements were by no means coordinated. He fought akin to a wild animal, not caring for his surroundings or who he could possibly hurt.
…There! Sandalphon dodged to the side as the man thrust his fist forward. But before it could reach past him, Sandalphon raised his hand to catch the man’s fist. The man, whose face had scrunched up with anger before, now looked at him in shock, almost like he wasn’t expecting Sandalphon to retaliate. But before a sound could even leave him, Sandalphon quickly rushed in, sweeping one of his legs at the man’s ankles.
The moment his foot made contact, Sandalphon used all of his strength to quickly swing the man’s arm behind his back. The man’s legs came forward, while his upper body was being pushed back, and it didn’t take long for him to meet his fate on the ground. Sandalphon let go of his fist as he fell, and the man cried out in shock and pain as his back collided with cobblestone.
Sandalphon let out a deep exhale, raising his gaze to survey his surroundings. The crowd from earlier hadn’t fully dispersed, but some people were whispering amongst themselves and pointing to the man that had raised his hand towards Sandalphon. Others looked utterly in awe of the scene that had unfolded before them, and it wasn’t long before some of them began cheering.
“Wow! Sandals handled that pretty well, don’t you think?” Vyrn’s voice broke Sandalphon out of his daze. He glanced over at his companions to find their expressions smooth into ones of relief.
As Lyria and Djeeta let out a collective sigh that they were no doubt holding in, a few figures dressed in uniform came rushing in. He surmised that they were authorities that had caught wind of the scuffle. They warily eyed Sandalphon before their gazes fell onto the man that was still on the ground, his groans loudly ringing into the air.
“Are we to believe that you’re responsible for this?” One of them, a woman, asked Sandalphon.
He raised an eyebrow at them. “And if I am?”
“Who threw the first punch? Was it you or him?”
“He retaliated first,” Sandalphon responded, folding his arms across his chest. “I merely spoke up when he decided to cut in line, and that seemed to be enough to warrant a punch or two thrown my way.”
The woman looked at her companion and he nodded in understanding before walking towards Sandalphon. He nearly tensed up, thinking that he was about to suffer some consequences for what had happened, but he inwardly sighed as the man walked past him to tend to the one on the ground. From behind him, he could hear the metal clink of handcuffs being withdrawn from his pocket.
“You’re not going to take me in?” Sandalphon asked the officer.
“It was merely an act of self defense, was it not?” The officer asked him in return, her eyes landing on the man her companion was handcuffing. “Besides, we’ve been trying to capture this man for weeks now. We’ve constantly received reports of him messing with the townsfolk in some way, only for him to attack them once they start expressing their discontent with his actions. And every time we rush to investigate, he always manages to get away.”
“Who knew that all it took to put him out of commission was to just throw him off balance?” The other officer nearly snickered as he clicked the handcuffs into place. Sandalphon looked over his shoulder to see the officer quickly urging the man onto his feet. The man was practically seething with rage, flashing a look of anger in Sandalphon’s direction. He snarled, but the officer nearly pushed him along past Sandalphon and the crowd, muttering something about how he’ll answer for disrupting the townspeople’s lives behind bars.
Even Sandalphon had to admit that the man went down too easily, but he wasn’t about to question it too hard. After all, not all that appear intimidating and scary are strong as they like to boast. If all it took was a simple sweep of the feet to knock the man out of commission and render him useless, then Sandalphon had to accept that outcome.
The woman bowed before Sandalphon, a look of gratitude on her face. “I must thank you for handling him. But I must also apologize that our incompetence to handle this ourselves had gotten in the way of your time with your companions.” She glanced over at Vyrn, Lyria, and Djeeta.
“Hehe, I’m sure Sandalphon didn’t mind at all!” Lyria spoke up, a smile tugging at her lips.
“Yep! He might look grumpy, but he’s pretty reliable when it comes down to it!” Vyrn added, gently bumping against Djeeta’s shoulder. “Ain’t that right?”
Djeeta nodded, flashing the officer a small smile.
“You guys–” Sandalphon loudly cleared his throat, coughing into his fist. They were getting a bit too bold, speaking up for him.
The officer laughed in amusement, though Sandalphon couldn’t tell if she was amused with the trio’s enthusiastic replies or with Sandalphon’s terribly hidden embarrassment. “In any case, we’ll take it from here. Enjoy the rest of your day, you four!”
She bowed again before walking in the direction of where her companion had taken the man away. Sandalphon could hear the townspeople sigh in relief, conversation gradually starting up before the familiar bustle and liveliness from earlier returned, almost as if nothing had happened in the first place.
And he should’ve been thankful that things were handled near flawlessly, the lunch that they had originally sought out within reach.
But he can’t get his own words from earlier out of his head.
I’m their big brother.
Even if it had been a mere slip of the tongue, where did he get off on calling himself that in the first place?
Now that Sandalphon wasn’t occupied with anything, his thoughts had come crashing into him like a tidal wave. Something about his own words didn’t sit right with him, as if he had muttered mere blasphemy earlier. And, perhaps, he might have been overreacting, but Sandalphon couldn’t scratch the itch that was gradually crawling its way up his body.
“Glad that’s over with!” Vyrn said. “Now, let’s say we grab something to eat–”
“I think I’m good. You three enjoy your lunch,” Sandalphon murmured, turning away from them so he wouldn’t see their expressions. He needed to get out of there and simply ruminate. “I’m heading back to the Grandcypher.”
He walked off before any of them could fully process what was happening or what he was doing.
“But wait— Sandalphon!” Lyria called out to him, her voice lilting with both confusion and surprise.
He didn’t listen, weaving through the crowd without a second thought. He considered it a miracle when he returned to the Grandcypher and found that they didn’t chase after him.
Days have passed. He’s avoided them like the plague ever since—and Sandalphon knows he’s being a fool. Part of him can’t tell if it’s pure luck that he has managed to go this long without encountering them somehow, or if his behavior was so off-putting that day that they decided to leave him alone.
If Sandalphon is being honest, he can’t tell which one is worse.
It’s not as if he’s proud of himself for taking off the way that he did, let alone avoiding the trio as a result of his actions. He knows them—they’re not the types to hold grudges or allow something to hold them back from saying what’s really on their minds. His first few encounters with them alone have proven that they are willing to push and break barriers if it means that they can achieve their goals, all while saving others in the process.
It’s that selfless nature of theirs that draws people to them—and it’s precisely why Sandalphon has been feeling so off-kilter for days. The fact that Djeeta, Lyria, and Vyrn haven’t so much as come to bother him in the kitchen when he’s making coffee tells him that he absolutely, definitively, undeniably, fucked up in ways that don’t even hold a candle to what he has done in the past. And that has him, the Supreme Primarch, on edge.
…Is it too late to dive headfirst into the Crimson Horizon?
He resists the urge to pull at his hair out of frustration. Things would be much easier, would have been resolved faster, if he sought them out instead of dragging things out. Life would’ve returned to normal by now–they would still make their daily trips to the kitchen to get a taste of his coffee and fill the air with their laughter. Now the kitchen feels too empty, sounds too quiet, for Sandalphon’s liking. It reminds him too much of when he would spend time in the laboratory’s gardens, surrounded by nothing but blue skies and verdant green plains as far as the eye could see–but completely devoid of a presence that he yearned to grow closer to.
Sandalphon ignores the way his heart tightens at the revelation.
A light knock from the kitchen’s doorway causes those thoughts to flee from his head, shoved back to a spot in his brain that will ruminate over it later. He slowly opens his eyes, directing his attention to where the sound came from.
His breath nearly catches in his throat when he notices Lyria, Djeeta, and Vyrn all peeping around the doorway, looking at him curiously.
Sandalphon immediately straightens out his back.
“Yo, Sandals!” Vyrn says, waving at him as the dragon hovers over Djeeta’s head.
“Are you busy right now?” Lyria asks, flashing him a gentle smile.
Sandalphon almost wants to flash them a scrutinizing look. From the way that they’re positioned, he can most certainly notice the way Djeeta’s hands are hidden behind her back, as if she’s holding onto something. Strange. Did the three of them read his thoughts or something? How much of a coincidence is it that they showed up now of all times?
“I’m not up to anything currently,” he replies, trying to ease himself into the conversation. He clears his throat. “Did you guys need something?”
The trio all exchange looks with each other before nodding resolutely. They move from their spots, striding into the kitchen with all the confidence and joy that he’s so used to seeing from them. Sandalphon watches them, moving his cup of coffee off to the side as they stop in front of him. Now that he’s getting a better look at them, he notices that Djeeta is hiding something behind her back, and before he could even ask what they’re planning, she carefully presents it to him.
“...What is this.” Sandalphon stares at the nicely-wrapped box that she sets on the counter in front of him.
“It’s a gift for you, silly!” Vyrn says as if it’s the most self-explanatory thing in the world.
“Go on, open it!” Lyria nods enthusiastically.
Sandalphon can’t help the incredulous look he gives them. “A gift,” he repeats. “And, pray tell, why did you guys buy me a gift?”
“Don’t think too hard about it, pal.” Vyrn waves him off, flying down to gently nudge the box closer to Sandalphon. “Come on, you’ll like it!”
Sandalphon looks at the box, looks back up at the trio to meet their expectant gazes, then slowly looks back down at the box. The big red ribbon on the top doesn’t do anything to ease the anxiety that’s clawing in his chest. He has no reason to believe that they’ve gotten him anything that would bring direct harm to anyone in the surrounding area, but with the way his thoughts have been running rampant, he believes that anything is possible.
He takes a deep breath before he starts tearing away at the wrapping paper. As he uncovers the box, he hears several items rattle and clink against each other. Sandalphon grimaces—whatever they must have gotten him must be fragile, so he takes extra care to not accidentally break whatever is inside.
When he finally rips away the wrapping paper, he’s met with a plain white box with a lid. Sandalphon doesn’t realize he’s holding his breath until he’s carefully sliding the lid off and takes a tentative peek inside.
He almost drops the lid in a shock as he freezes up.
A few weeks ago, they visited a sky island that specialized in creating and selling pottery, which served as its main source of income. While browsing through one of its stores, Sandalphon stumbled upon a set of red and blue teacups and saucers. At first glance, they might not seem too extraordinary, but the golden designs that decorated the rim and handle were pleasing on the eyes. The saucers matched the teacups as well, making it a set that he wanted to get, whether it be for the cage he was in the process of setting up or for personal use.
At the time, he was in a rush and had left without buying the set. The regret had weighed heavily on his heart, and he wasn’t sure if it would still be there by the time he revisited the island.
But Lyria, Vyrn, and Djeeta went out of their way to buy it. For him. They must have been paying close attention to him when they were on that island, for he never brought it up to them. How they managed to find the time to go back and buy the set, he’s not too sure. Sandalphon surmises that he must have been too busy toiling away in his own mind to have been paying attention to where Rackam has been steering the Grandcypher as of late.
He opens his mouth, only to promptly close it when he realizes he can’t get a single word out. He’s at a complete loss for words. The set is absolutely gorgeous, and he knows that he should be grateful—really, he is—but there’s a small part of him that feels guilty. Like he can’t help but think that they bought him a gift out of pity.
Before the thought can fully take root in his mind, he notices a small piece of paper that’s tucked between two teacups. Sandalphon reaches inside and gingerly picks it up between two fingers before he holds it up. He realizes that the paper is folded in half, and as he unfolds it, he notices that there’s some writing on it. In large, loopy letters, the paper reads:
‘To the best big brother in all the skies!’
Sandalphon sharply inhales. His eyes begin to sting as his chest tightens.
He definitely needs to dive into the Crimson Horizon at this point.
They remember. They remember what he said and to top it all off, they went so far as to get him a gift and put it all out in writing to remind him of his slip-up. Did the universe decide to play some cruel tricks on him after he almost tried to throw the Sky Realm into disarray? Was this his punishment for daring to lay a hand on the Singularity when they first met?
Sandalphon feels a wave of emotions wash over him all at once. His cheeks flush with warmth as embarrassment, guilt, shame, and sadness all coalesce within him. Everything that he had been holding in for the last few days was now reaching a tipping point, and before Sandalphon has a second to process it, a single tear escapes one of his eyes. It slips down his cheek, and he tries to hurriedly brush it away, but it’s too late. Lyria, Vyrn, and Djeeta have already noticed him crying.
“S-Sandalphon?” Lyria calls out to him, concern laced in her tone.
“Do you not like it…?” Vyrn asks, his eyebrows scrunched up with worry.
Sandalphon quickly shakes his head.
Don’t look at me like that, he almost wants to tell them. I’m not deserving of any of this.
That’s what his mind wants him to believe.
He has spent so much of his life pondering his existence, trying to find a purpose, that when he’s shown a single shred of mercy and kindness, he’s not sure what to do. It’s hard for him to believe that there are others who are looking out for him, that pay attention to all the little things that bring him joy or make him tick. And for Sandalphon, someone who had the role and title of Supreme Primarch passed down to him so suddenly, it’s hard for him to register that there are things in life that do come without any strings attached.
His vision blurs with unshed tears as he looks up at Lyria, Vyrn, and Djeeta. He should be ashamed of himself for acting this way in front of him, but circumstances demand that he receives answers from them.
“…Why?” Sandalphon asks, trying to keep his voice steady. “What did I do to deserve this?”
The trio exchange confused looks before Lyria starts talking.
“You left in such a hurry a few days ago… We wanted to ask you what was wrong, but you looked so upset that we didn’t want to accidentally bother you.” Lyria explains with a sheepish smile.
“So Djeeta got the idea to buy you a gift! We knew you were eyeing the teacups and saucers awhile back, and figured it would cheer you up.” Vyrn nods as he puffs his chest out.
“You bought it to cheer me up?” Sandalphon tries not to frown, not out of anger or dissatisfaction towards them, but to prevent himself from self-loathing any further. He got it all wrong—he got them all wrong. They weren’t avoiding him because they were mad at him for what he said; rather, they wanted to give him space, even if they couldn’t quite understand what upset him so much in the first place.
He should’ve known better, but he knows a part of his mind can’t help it. He can’t help the small part of his brain that makes him believe that he’s far from deserving any of the kindness that they’ve shown to him.
A weak sniffle escapes him. “After everything I’ve done… I—I had the gall to call myself your big brother during that scuffle a few days ago, and yet you guys still—“ Sandalphon nearly bites his tongue.
It sounds so ridiculous, hearing the words leave his mouth again.
I’m their big brother.
But he can’t deny that there’s a lingering warmth that’s left in his chest when he declares such a thing.
To his surprise, he notices Djeeta struggling to stifle a giggle while Vyrn looks at him in amusement.
“Were you really hung up over that, Grumpyphon?” Vyrn teases him with a laugh. “I didn’t realize you got your feathers all ruffled up over that.”
Sandalphon scowls, but there’s no real heat to his words as he says, “I wasn’t hung up over it.”
Really, he should be more mad at Vyrn for making light of the situation, but Sandalphon can’t bring it on himself to argue. This level of lighthearted bickering is something he has been desperately missing for days now.
As if trying to ease the tension, another person speaks up.
“We would never get upset over you calling yourself that!” Lyria chimes in, her smile as radiant as ever. “In fact… it really made us happy to hear it from you.”
Sandalphon blinks. “It did?”
They all nod in unison.
Absurd. Just absolutely absurd. How can they earnestly tell Sandalphon that and expect him to not find it anything but absurd?
But surely… if he was able to bring them even an inch of happiness, that means Sandalphon must have done something good, right?
All you need to do is spread your wings and follow your heart.
Lucifer’s parting words to him echo in his mind, etching themselves on his heart. Isn’t that what he’s been doing this whole time ever since he decided that this is where he wanted to be? At his friends’ side, not just as the Supreme Primarch, but as their protector, their equal?
Just like how Lucifer found solace in Sandalphon, Sandalphon has undoubtedly found solace in Djeeta, Lyria, Vyrn, and the rest of the Grandcypher crew. There are people who would stand behind him, just as he would with them.
You belong with us.
Djeeta had declared that without hesitation in the past.
Sandalphon realizes that he’s a fool. There should’ve been no room for doubt to begin with.
His place was always meant to be here on the Grandcypher, traveling and protecting the skies one day at a time.
Just like before, his mind moves faster before Sandalphon can comprehend what he’s actually doing—only this time, it’s done with intent. He holds out his arms to them, making a vague gesture for them to come to his side of the counter.
“Come here, you three,” Sandalphon says, ignoring the way his voice cracks as he does his best to hold back his tears. He’s older than them, after all; he should be setting an example for them by staying strong.
Yet when they rush to his side without a second thought, giggling to themselves as they wrap their arms around Sandalphon, he finds it getting harder to keep his emotions at bay. It’s a bit hard for them to have a proper hug with his armor in the way, but none of them seem to mind as Sandalphon slips his arms around them, pulling them closer without a shred of hesitation.
The hug is warm. All the doubt and stress that have been weighing on him all vanish in an instant. Now this is something that Sandalphon can believe with his own eyes and heart.
It’s all the clarification he needs to know that they would, without a doubt, always choose him and bring him back to their side. And Sandalphon knows that they know that he would do everything in his power to protect both them and the Sky Realm with all his being.
He can feel his resolve as Supreme Primarch grows stronger by the second. Would Lucifer be proud of him if he were to see Sandalphon now?
He glances down and catches Djeeta’s gaze for a split second. The captain stares at him before flashing him a large grin.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better big brother,” she says in full confidence, her grin not wavering for even a second. Sandalphon hears Lyria and Vyrn hum in agreement.
Sandalphon takes a deep breath. What absurd little siblings he has.
But he knows he wouldn’t trade this for anything else in the skies.
When they finally part from the hug, Sandalphon has to look away to gather his composure. He quickly wipes his eyes with the heel of his hand, clearing his throat before looking back at the trio.
“You’re all too kind for your own good. Since you all got me such a nice gift, how about I put it to good use and serve you all a cup of coffee? My treat, of course,” Sandalphon suggests with an easy smile.
He has to hold back a laugh when everyone’s eyes light up.
“Oh, yes, please!” Lyria cheers.
“It’s been forever since I’ve had your coffee! I’ve been dreaming about it in my sleep…” Vyrn trails off, a dreamy look on his face.
Sandalphon fixes the dragon with a somewhat serious look. “Vyrn, I’m afraid that might be called a caffeine addiction.”
“Another thing he and Djeeta have in common,” Lyria giggles as she looks at the two.
Djeeta looks at them in faux offense. Vyrn gasps loudly, shaking his head.
“I do not have a caffeine addiction!”
“Vyrn, it’s okay to admit you enjoy Sandalphon’s coffee~.”
“Yes! I enjoy the coffee. That’s different from having an addiction, Grumpyphon.”
Sandalphon smirks. “It’s just like you to flip-flop between the truth and what you want to tell yourself.”
He doesn’t get a good look at Vyrn’s face when he turns around to grab the current pot of coffee to dump it out, but when he hears multiple clinks against his armor, he doesn’t need to look to know that Vyrn is trying to punch him where it hurts.
“Argh! You’re a jerk, Sandals!” The dragon huffs, even when his hits carry no real weight behind them.
“Vyrn, don’t hit Sandalphon!” Lyria admonishes him, though it comes out as more of a laugh than anything else.
The kitchen starts to buzz with activity again after Sandalphon has found himself surrounded by silence for days now. Even now, as he begins to prepare a new pot of coffee while the trio go off to wash the tea cups and saucers for him in the midst of waiting, he feels as if everything is returning to normal. His chest fills with warmth in the mirthful atmosphere.
The scent of coffee that begins to fill the air tells him everything that he needs to know as he gazes at those who look up to him as if they’re his family:
This part of the skies has finally returned to peace at last.
phasmaars Fri 22 Aug 2025 01:07AM UTC
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