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“Anton, come on. Just sit with me and get cozy before you have to go back.”
They pulled him back down onto the bed and shifted so they were straddling him, making sure he couldn’t go anywhere without taking them off of him.
He definitely didn’t have the heart to do that.
“Fine.” Anton playfully rolled his eyes and held onto them. “But you know I can’t stay too long. I can’t let Avior down like that.”
Sugar sighed and rested their head against his shoulder. “D-” They immediately cut themself off. “Uh- nevermind, actually.” They chuckled nervously and wrapped their arms around him. “I’m just being a little silly.”
He furrowed his eyebrows and pulled them back so he could see their face. “What did you want to say, Sugar?”
“Do…do you have to go?” They asked, looking down in shame at asking such a question.
Helping the D(a)emons with their rebellion was something that was extremely important to Anton. It was obvious in the way he talked about it passionately, going on tangents about how corrupt the Academy of Dahlia was until they could no longer make out what he was saying.
Anton could be loud when he wanted to be.
And of course they supported him. But him actually putting himself in potential danger by helping people when it may not have ended up working was something they hated to think about.
He snorted and held their cheek. “No, I don’t have to go. But I am going to. Because these are people that deserve to be heard. The Empowereds need to stop using their magic so much or everyone will die.”
It was either they lost him to President Moore’s wrath, or they died together.
Choosing between two deaths.
Laughable.
Sugar hummed and leaned into his touch when he traced little hearts into their cheek. “You’re always so right. Why can’t you just stay a normal person for once?”
“If everyone was a normal person, we wouldn’t be where we are today in the world.” He snorted softly, took their hand, and rested it on his heart gently. “It’s scary when someone you love is in harm's way, but it is also something you’re just going to have to live with. This is what I want to do. I want to help make change.”
They looked him in the eyes and huffed, smiling at him in a newfound light.
“You really are something else, mister Anton.” He grinned and pulled them in for a kiss, tucking their hair behind their ear.
“So are you.”
“Not really.” They said, shifting again so they could get more comfortable on him. They rested their forehead against his and kissed his nose gently. “I don’t think I could ever be as brave as you. I admire you, Anton.”
He was someone worth admiring.
Even if he wasn’t doing anything as big as Avior was, it would still make a huge difference in the end. And that could make him an enemy in the eyes of the Academy if things didn’t work out the way they had planned.
But, as Anton had explained, such was life.
They were just happy to spend the remaining time they did have, with the love of their life.
And he seemed happy to do the same.
“I’m proud of you.” They mumbled, closing their eyes as they relaxed. Anton hummed in appreciation and put his hands back on their sides so he could pull them closer to him and hold onto them tightly.
His fingers trembled against their shirt, and they kissed his cheek for comfort.
For under all that bravery, Anton was a human. And he was nervous about the prospect of danger.
Someone isn’t admirable for their courage and will to fight, but for the ability to admit that even under all that false bravado, they were still a human being.