Power Thief's Revenge [BL]

"Alright, just a little prick," Eirwyn said gently, inserting the needle into Fiero's arm.

"Ow! I thought this was just a check-up!" Fiero whined. "Why does this needle look like it's for cows?!"

"It's a department-wide wellness survey," Eirwyn replied, calm as ever. "Checking hormone levels, iron content, and a few... dietary markers."

Hermes stood nearby, doing his best to look casual and not like someone trying to commit fraud via syringe. 

"It's for these enhancement pills that are under clinical trials. You may feel your powers disappearing for a few moments, but that's part of the process. Once the pills is released, you can get 2x stronger."

Fiero blinked. "Woah. That's a thing?"

"It is." Hermes lied. "But it's top secret, so don't tell anyone.

Fiero flexed his arm. "That's actually cool! Imagine 2x the Ironcaging that I can do! The whole world will be my cage!"

"…Sure."

Two vials of blood later, Fiero gave him a fist bump and walked off, humming the Golden Apple theme song.

***

Victorina was even easier to convince.

She didn't ask questions. 

Just lifted her arm and said. "Anything for my recovery, doc. Just don't spill them on my clothes. It's hard to wash."

Hermes smiled. "You're the best."

She winked. "I know."

***

Cam, unfortunately, had a little more brains than his buddy.

"Why are you involved in medical check-ups?" He asked, staring Hermes down.

"Helping Eirwyn gather samples. For science." Hermes said quickly. "I thought that maybe if I consume syringes, I can gain healing abilities like Eirwyn. Then I can be a medic for the team."

Cam raised an eyebrow. "Then why haven't you done that yet?"

"Uh… The idea just came to me now"

Cam still didn't budge.

Hermes hesitated, then added. "This could really help me in my mission this weekend."

"A solo mission?" Cam laughed. "So soon? You're cockier than I thought. Or just dumber than Fiero."

Hermes hesitated, but he really needed Cam's ability. Especially because he does not know anything about Trivia, nor most government papers on her. She had escaped prison many years ago, when she was only a teenager. Her powers have probably developed more as he grew older and stayed in the Void.

"If you give your blood sample… I'll entrust you with my secret. You wouldn't have to use your ability on me."

Cam stared at him for a long second. Then sighed, rolled up his sleeve, and said."If I find a single weird photo of me in your fridge, I'm reporting you."

Hermes gave a short bow. "Appreciate it."

***

By the time he got back to the lounge, Somner was already waiting for him, arms crossed, smug grin in place.

"Are you gonna ask for my blood too?" He said with that sly, feline look.

Hermes blinked. "I didn't think you would realize. It's for—"

"Stop right there." Somner interrupted. "I already know what this is for."

He pouted. "Even though I don't like the idea of you putting yourself in danger just to cure someone's foot… I do owe both you and Eirwyn a favor."

Hermes blushed. "Wow. You know, you're actually a good person, Somner—"

"No vials." Somner cut in. "Take it directly from the source."

"…What?"

Somner pressed his body against his, blowing air unto his ear. "Bite me. Kiss me. Drink me. Whatever. But only in the morning you leave for Village AD18, ok? Treat it as a goodluck charm for my sweet Master~"

Hermes: ".... I take it back. You're just a pervert after all."

***

That just left Ymir.

Hermes found him training alone, where the frost from his last spar still lingered in the corners. He had his Cryoshift back, and he's reacquainting himself with it.

"I need your power," Hermes said.

"No."

Hermes frowned. "You didn't even hear why—"

"I already know why," Ymir snapped, throwing ice daggers into the air. "You're gearing up for your little duel, and now you're collecting abilities like some schoolboy collecting nerdy playing cards. Too bad."

Hermes clenched his jaw. "Why do you hate me so much? All I ever did was admire you."

"That's the problem." Ymir gritted his teeth. "I don't need to be admired by someone like you. Especially when you brought up that stupid solo mission where I almost lost everything."

Hermes hesitated. "It just slipped out. But maybe if you'd tell me why it bothers you so much—"

"Don't." Ymir growled. "Don't dig into things you don't understand."

"But I want to understand!" Hermes shouted. "You can't keep pushing people away because of one memory! What exactly did I do that got your blood boiling, huh?"

Ymir looked ready to throw him across the training grounds. But instead…

"It's because I saw myself in you." He said softly.

Hermes blinked. "What?"

Ymir's expression turned gloomy as he looked at his own reflection in his ice dagger.

"You lose control when you're overwhelmed. You don't know what you are. You hate the parts of yourself you can't explain. That was me. My first mission was against a Void Primordial —my ancestor. Skadi. Goddess of Winter."

Hermes' heart skipped. "You're descended from a Void Goddess?"

Magni popped out of nowhere like a geyser eruption. "Told you two you had more in common than you thought~"

Ymir glared but didn't deny it. "My parents never told me anything. It was the first time I learned about it. Skadi tried to make me embrace my Void lineage. I refused. And I've been suppressing it ever since."

Hermes swallowed. "That's why you reacted to me like that… But it's no excuse. I didn't deserve to get hurt just because you were in pain. 

"... I know."

Hermes sighed. It wasn't an apology, but it was acknowledgement, at the very least. Perhaps it's too early to expect someone like Ymir to say sorry. But even when Hermes still despises him, he can empathize with him.

It must not be easy.

"Then… I won't force you." He turned to leave. 

But Ymir's voice stopped him.

"Wait."

Hermes turned back.

Ymir looked away, ears red. "Somner told me about how you can… share powers. Temporarily."

Hermes raised a brow. "You want to share Cryoshift?"

"I'm not giving it." Ymir adjusted his glasses with a stern expression. "But… maybe we can co-use it."

Hermes blinked. "Seriously? But… That would require you to share more blood for it to be effective. Hold on, I'll ask my system how much you need to give so I can use your ability for a whole day.."

His system popped up. [If the Power Thief only steals, a vial is enough. But if you are sharing, you need to ingest 100ml and the Cryoshift user needs to also consume the same amount.]

Hermes relayed this information to everyone.

Eirwyn spoke up, as he had been by the sidelines this whole time waiting for Ymir to agree to give a blood sample. "Is there no other way? A 5ml vial is fine, but Ymir just lost so much blood last week. His body is still recovering."

Ymir scowled. "Then… we'll exchange life essences."

Magni choked on his own spit when he heard this. "Whoah whoah whoah! How come you two are skipping to that part of the mating ritual already while the prince and I haven't yet!? 

Ymir hurled a rain of ice daggers on him. "Shut up! It's not mating, it's for practical use only, Pebblebrain!"

Hermes was still processing what he just heard. Him and Ymir… tasting each other's 'life essence'...

His former boss and bully snapped at his face. "Hey, power glutton. Do you agree? Because if you want it, you better speak up now before I change my mind—"

"I want it!" Hermes blurted out, a little too enthusiastic than he wanted to.

Ymir ran his fingers through his stark blue hair. "Just... come back later then. When I've had something to eat."

"…Okay."

Hermes immediately searched on the internet on how to make his 'life essence' taste better and other things for… research.