1 month after Operation Skyfire and Ares' return...

It was a warm autumn afternoon. The trees leaves were turning orange, Halloween had just been and gone, the weather was getting colder and nights getting longer.

Ares had moved in with Midas and the others for the time being since he had nowhere else to go.

Cubes that had come crashing from the Mothership deep in the ocean were rolling around, leaving orange stains of corruption on the roads and grassy plains. The blue one was the only cube that hadn't budged in the slightest.

However, that didn't concern Midas and Jones. Each others company was all they needed to be happy.

---

"The stars look so pretty tonight, don't they?" Jones smiles, resting his head on Midas' shoulder.

"Indeed they are...they never change, yet they continue to be so mesmerising..." He smiles, looking over at him. "Just like you."

Jones snickers lightly, a cute grin on his face causing both to blush a bright red.

"You're awfully corny Midas..but I like it, hehe."

"I'm serious. You're more beautiful than any star up in the sky."

"Really?"

"Of course."

The blond laughs with his hands on his cheeks. Midas chuckles slightly, sweat forming on his brow.

"Oh Midas... You don't deserve me..."

His lighthearted smile had suddenly faded and been replaced with a frown.

"And... I mean it... You don't deserve me..."

Midas seemed...confused at his quick mentality change.

"Wha... What do you...?"

As they stand up, Jones faces him with an empty blank expression. His eyes were blacked out, tears rolling down and staining his cheeks. Midas backs away slightly, a little disturbed.

"You don't deserve anything..."

The scenery around him was starting to fall apart like shards of glass from a mirror. Even Jones was even glitching out. Midas was becoming more and more uncomfortable in his current position.

"What makes you think I'll accept and regard you as someone normal? If you were normal your hands wouldn't be stained in shame."

Tears brim in his eyes, hurt by the foul words coming out Jones' mouth. His voice sounded a bit like his father's...

"Now go away!!"

Jones kicks Midas in the stomach with his foot, pushing him through a barrier of glass scenery and letting him fall into the dark abyss below. He rolls around and slides to a stop with the ground scratching his cheek.

The mastermind flinches, a hand on his chin. He begins hearing the voice of his father, shaming him and his curse.

"Worthless waste of life."

"You're just another brat to feed."

"Why are you my son?"

"You're not worth anything."

"You don't deserve sunlight."

"You're a disgrace to this world."

"Pathetic freak of nature."

"Why haven't you killed yourself yet?! No one wants you here!"

Midas covers his ears, shedding tears as he desperately tries blocking out the voices. But they only increase in volume, getting louder and more demanding. He couldn't take it. He just wanted to scream at the voices and tell them to go away.

And he does just that, heart wrenching screams coming from his throat as he drowns in his self hatred.

An illusion of his father appears in front of him, a cruel smile on his face. Clenching his fists he yells in anger with his already battered vocal chords, and punches it.

However it shatters into shards of glass and goes towards him, a big piece flying into his right eye...

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It was the dead of night and all was quiet in Pleasant Park, well except for one house...

"AGH!! LEAVE ME ALONE!!"

Jones is jumpscared from his sleep as a pained scream wakes him. It was so sudden and unexpected that adrenaline was pumping through his body, his heart beating.

"Jesus christ...what in the-"

He turns to his left and finds Midas crying his heart out and shaking violently in his bedsheets. Jones covers his mouth with a sorry expression and turns on the nearby lampshade.

"Oh my god... Midas!"

He appears unresponsive. His teeth clenched, gold crawling up his arms and his breathing increasing in speed. Jones was sure he was a having a panic attack of some kind and goes to wake him up, staying clear of his hands as he knew how unstable his powers got if he was emotionally unstable himself.

"Midas! Midas wake up! I'm here!"

Tears stream down his face as he grips on to his bedsheets tighter, gasping for air. Jones carefully sits him up and gently begins rubbing his back in attempt to calm him down and wake him up.

"It's okay. Everything's okay. I'm here..."

Slowly but surely the broken man's breathing begins calming, seemingly hearing the sound of Jones' comforting voice. His eyes flutter open, adjusting to the dim light. His liquid gold iris gazing into Jonesy's dark blue ones, both men's eyes brimming with tears.

"Midas are you okay?! I-I heard you scream and I saw you crying a-and I think you were having a panic attack."

He continues gazing into his eyes, reaching out his shaking hands, putting them on his cheeks and feeling them. Jones looks at Midas, highly concerned. He retracts his hands when he finally realises he's no longer dreaming.

"Oh my god... Jones...I-I...I..."

He looked like he was on the verge of a mental breakdown, his hands shaking with one on his head.

"Oh Midas..."

The broken man covers his face, sobbing into his hands. Jones taps his shoulder and opens his arms.

"Shhh... C'mere..."

Midas wraps his arms around the blond tightly, crying into his chest. Jones sighs sadly, tightening the embrace.

"Shhh, shhh. It's okay love. Everything's okay now." He coos, rubbing his back softly. "You're okay. I'm here, I'm here... I'm not gonna let him or anyone else hurt you."

Midas' cries slowly turn into sniffles but he continues to hold Jones tight, still shaking from the awful nightmare. The blond plants a soft kiss on his forehead, resting his head against his.

"Take as much time as you need. I'm not going anywhere. Take deep breaths."

They huddle close together. Jones keeping a tight yet soft grip around Midas, rocking him slightly, and giving the poor man a sense of comfort and safety.

It takes a few minutes, but eventually Midas' crying and sniffling begins to subside. Just enough so he can talk clearly in sentences again. Jones wipes his tears and moves messy strands of hair away from his eyes.

"You alright now?"

He nods.

"You wanna talk about it? If not I understand."

After a few sniffles Midas speaks up, his voice raspy and tired.

"I had this nightmare. We were on a date... But you suddenly started telling me I didn't deserve you...in a cruel way..."

He pauses.

"You kicked me away and I fell through the scenery landing in an empty void. My father's voice rang out, telling me I'm worthless...a freak...a monster who isn't supposed to exist..."

Jones takes in every word, brushing a hand over his cheek.

"Maybe he's right. Maybe I AM a monster. I'm not worth anything to anyone! I don't deserve anything!-"

The blond stops him there.

"Hey. Listen to me. You're worth EVERYTHING to me. You're not a freak or a monster. You're an incredibly talented and intelligent man, and if Ares can't see that he's the one missing out."

Midas smiles a little.

"Besides, you've got nothing to worry about. We're going out together to dinner later in the afternoon, remember?"

He blushes a bright red, his smile growing.

"Heh... I was the one to arrange the date wasn't I?"

"I know it'll be a great afternoon."

Midas chuckles softly, his eyes trailing over Jones and landing on his lips. He's hesitant, unsure if he should or not. The blond could see it in his eyes, a soft question within that golden eye. The two of them lock lips, embracing each other.

Almost immediately the fear and tears Midas had seemingly melted away. He quickly deepens the kiss as Jones rubs his back, a soft quiet noise of relief slipping out as he clings on to the man, needing him more than ever.

They eventually part, Midas laying his head in Jones' chest. He could feel the heat coming off from Midas' pink cheeks.

"Remember though, we've got to keep this relationship under wraps because-"

"I know. You don't want your dad to find out you're gay." Jones says, his cheek resting on Midas' head.

"Exactly. Don't need him to find another reason to disown me as his son."

Being the jerk he was Ares had taken Jones' room, expecting the blond to sleep on the couch downstairs. However Midas wasn't going to allow that, so for the past month the two of them had been sleeping together.

Needless to say, Midas really enjoyed having someone else with him. Made him feel safe...secure. Their feelings for each other only grow as they spend more time together.

"I'm surprised your scream didn't wake up your dad."

"It probably did. Not like he cares anyways..."

"True, true." Jones agrees. "Listen, why don't you try going back to sleep. If you need anything, I'll be right here."

Midas lets out a quiet 'mhm' before slipping away into a deep slumber, snuggled up in Jones' arms just as he plants a soft kiss on his forehead. He takes his hand, rubbing his thumb as his own eyes begin closing.

Jones could tell that Midas' PTSD and childhood trauma was being amplified now that his father was back from the dead. And he was afraid things were only going to get worse...

But he wanted to help him no matter what.

That's what awesome boyfriends do, right?

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