Before long, Midas slowly awakens from his unconscious state. He groans in exhaustion, rubbing his head and yawning. He was back in the castle again, the statue now gaining a golden touch to it.

"Ngh...Oh my, what happened just now?"

It takes a second, but it eventually comes back to him.

"Jones!"

He's about to get up only to realize the arms wrapped around him. Jones had him in his lap on the floor, fast asleep with a little drool slipping from his mouth.

Had he stayed here waiting for him to wake up? If so, how long?

Midas relaxes back into his arms again, his head nuzzled under Jones' chin and closing his mouth. He couldn't help but chuckle slightly at his soft quiet snoring.

"He looks so silly when he sleeps..." Midas hums with a small smile. "He's such a heavy sleeper too...I wish I could sleep as easily as him..."

Jones shifts in his sleep, tightening his embrace around Midas with a dumb smile on his face. The helpless mastermind was starting to feel a lot like a plushie. He chuckles softly, pressing his lips against his cheek and giving him a soft lingering kiss.

"He's such a child...cute blond dork..."

He fidgets around with his golden hands and fishes out his phone from his pocket. He had about 5 missed calls from Jules and one voicemail from, unfortunately, his father. He double checks the time and his eyes widen in shock.

"4:15 in the afternoon? Good god we left the house around 10! How long did I fall unconscious for?!"

His panicked shout accidentally awakens Jones from his sleep, making him feel slightly guilty.

"Mmm... Midas? Is that you?"

"Oh, Jonesy! I'm sorry for disturbing you. I didn't mean to wake you up."

"Isss okay. Don't worry about it."

The blond yawns slightly and unwraps his arms from around Midas who hesitantly presses a finger against the voicemail his father left him 2 hours ago.

"M! Where the fuck are you and your little friend?! Being away from the house this long unannounced is completely unacceptable! You get your ass back here right now, and you better believe you're gonna be punished young man!!"

Jones covers his mouth looking at Midas, ashamed of himself.

"Midas I'm so sorry! I've gotten you into so much trouble. Your dad's gonna kill me."

He gets up, rubbing the back of his neck and turning to Jonesy. A sad smile lies on his face.

"It's fine Jones. It's my fault for blacking out for that long. But we should probably get going before he gets more pissed off than he already will be."

Jones nods sadly, taking Midas' hand as he summons his sceptre and teleports them away and in front of the house. As soon as they step inside a hand grabs the mastermind by the neck and drives him into the wall.

"Well what do you have to say to yourself young man?!" Ares yells.

"W-Wait! Ares I can explain-"

Ares tightens his grip slightly, glaring at his son. Tears brim in Jones' eyes, feeling guilty that he didn't take Midas back home while he was unconscious when he had the chance.

"Hang on Ares, we can explain-"

"Can it blondie!! I'll deal with you later as well." Ares growls, pointing a finger at Jonesy. "Something's going on between you two and I'm gonna find out what!!"

Jones remains silent, turning away. That comment hurt him due to the fact that Midas sometimes calls him 'blondie' as a way of complimenting him, or maybe even hilariously trying his best to flirt with him.

Midas sees his damaged expression and feels his heart drop in despair. He felt helpless in two ways. He couldn't comfort Jones and he couldn't ask him for help.

"Dad hang on! The two of us were investigating something related to the Cube Queen! I think Oro has some kind of connection to her!-"

"Pfft what? That god that started this whole mess?! Don't you dare mention him around me!"

Ares tosses Midas on to the floor. He flinches with a whimper.

"If he hadn't shown up maybe you would have turned out normal!" Ares yells. "I'm gonna give him a piece of my mind next time I see him."

Midas' breathing hitches, tears forming in his eyes.

"Well good luck with that because he's fucking dead!!"

"Is he now?" He chuckles. "Hmph. Good riddance if I say so myself-"

"Also, if he hadn't shown up to help you, mother would have died having me and your perfect normal child Jules wouldn't even exist!!"

Midas never meant any spite towards Jules with how he said that. He loved his sibling with all his heart and wanted to do his best to be a good brother and keep her safe. He was just trying to state a fact that if Oro hadn't healed Agatha she would have died and Jules wouldn't be here.

Unfortunately for him, Ares saw this fact as an insult to the little angel that is his daughter.

"You dare speak back to me about my little girl like that?!"

Midas backs away with sweat sliding down his face, lips wavering, an expression of fear and instant regret.

"That's it. Come with me young man. Your punishment is gonna be twice as bad."

Ares growls, grabbing Midas by the collar of his shirt as he frantically tries to apologise, and dragging him into the kitchen and locking the door. Jones remained stiff, frozen in fear with his mouth covered.

Out of the corner of his eye he notices Jules coming from behind the couch, tears streaming down her face.

*sniff*

"Jones I'm so sorry. I tried everything I could until he realised I was lying to him to protect the two of you." She sniffles.

The engineer walks over to him hugging her arms. Jones sighs and puts a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't apologise. It's not your fault."

They stand in silence, staring at the door to the kitchen.

"We've gotta do something about these two. It can't go on like this forever." Jones mutters, passing her a nearby box of tissues. "Can't you stop him Jules?"

"Huh?"

"I know he won't listen to me. But you're his favourite child. Surely he'll listen to you if you tell him to stop."

"Well... I would. But..."

Jones notices her worried expression.

"Are you afraid of him too?"

"...Kind of... I know he wouldn't dream of hurting me, but I can't help but think about it. Besides even if I did do something, I doubt he'd stop."

"Then... what CAN we do...?"

The two of them stand together, clueless on how to stop this ongoing problem with Ares and Midas.

-----------

An hour later...

Jones paces around the living room, looking out the window to the driveway. Despite having lied to him, Ares still treated Jules like an angel that hadn't done anything wrong and decided to take her to get a takeaway.

As the car drives away Jones dashes to the kitchen door and knocks on it.

"Midas? It's me, Jonesy. Is it alright if I come in?"

The door knob moves slightly and clicks as it's unlocked. Jones turns it and steps inside and gasps in horror.

Midas was curled up on the floor with bleeding scars on his arms, a bloodstained knife on the counter and a bottle of whiskey in his hand. Tears stained his face and his mismatched eyes were red.

He was shivering and breathing rapidly, almost on the verge of a panic attack.

"Holy shit..."

"... Hey Jonesy..."

"What the fuck happened in here? Did you do this to yourself?" Jones asks, taking the knife and kneeling next to his boyfriend.

He shakes his head, flicking off the lid of his whiskey and taking a swig of it. Jones puts the knife in the washing bowl and turns on the lights, knowing damn well Ares did this to him. Blood was trailing down Midas' arms and dripping on to the floor.

"Here, hang on a sec."

Jones quickly looks through the cupboard and manages to find a first aid kit. Taking it out he opens it and pulls out a roll of bandages and a packet of wet wipes. Then he kneels down to Midas and beckons him to stretch out his arms.

"Keep still for me. This might sting a little."

Midas sucks the air through his teeth with a hiss as the wipe makes contact with his scarred arms. Jones is soft and gentle as he cleans the blood off his arms, leaving no stain of red in sight. He then begins wrapping the bandages around them being careful not to do it up too tight.

"There. That should do it-"

Midas suddenly pulls Jonesy into a desperate kiss, cupping his face with his glittering gold hands. He could feel him shivering in his arms from the traumatic experience he just went through. He briefly removes his lips from his, looking up at him with tears streaking down his face.

"I'm sorry Jones. Truly I am."

"Hey, it's okay. You've got nothing to be sorry about." Jones reassures him, slowly getting up, his hand slipping out of Midas'. "Here. Why don't we-"

"D-Don't leave me! Please..."

Jones' tears begin to return as Midas begins to cry, begging him to not leave. He lets him sit in his lap as the shattered mastermind sobs into his white shirt. The blond brushes a thumb over his cheekbone, wiping his tears away.

"You're drunk aren't you Midas?"

He gazes up at Jones with a dazed look on his face before raising the bottle of whiskey to his parched lips again. The blond lowers it, shaking his head and taking the bottle away and tipping what little liquid was left down the sink. He cups Midas' shaking hands together with his own.

"I think you've had enough alcohol for one day. Want me to take you to your room?"

He nods with a hiccup, his unspoken words drowned out by sniffles and hitched breathing. Jones carefully picks him up, holding Midas close to his chest and leaving the kitchen and going to their room.

He lays Midas down in their bed, stroking a hand over his forehead. He was a little warm and bothered.

"If you're hungry at all do you want me to make you something to eat?"

He ponders the thought, gazing lovingly at Jonesy.

"Would you like soup? Salad maybe?"

"Ngh...n-no thank you. Not hungry. Thank you for the thought though..."

"Are...Are you sure? You haven't eaten all day and I don't want you starving yourself."

Midas doesn't respond to that question, burying his head into the pillow. Jones sighs sadly, pulling the bedsheets over his boyfriend.

"I'll come check on you later. If you change your mind just tell me. But for now, try to get some sleep. You need it."

Jones gives Midas a peck on the cheek, earning him the smallest of smiles from the other. He leaves his door open and turns down the brightness of his bedroom light, giving a little bit of light to the saddened man alone in the dark...

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