Morning in the Realm of Goddesses arrived with its usual breathtaking calm—but Aerion had officially stopped trusting peaceful mornings.
Because in this place…
Peace never lasted long.
He walked through the lower celestial gardens with a quiet sigh, hands tucked casually into his pockets as floating petals drifted lazily through the air around him. The previous day's almost-incident with Lyraelle—and Lyria's perfectly timed interruption—was still fresh enough to make him mildly paranoid about standing too close to anyone.
"…I swear this realm is trying to set me up," he muttered.
"Talking to yourself again?"
Aerion flinched slightly and turned.
Arelia stood beside one of the crystal fountains, sunlight catching in her soft golden hair. Compared to the other goddesses, her presence was gentler—warmer—but there was still an unmistakable divine elegance in the way she carried herself.
And lately…
She had been watching him more.
"…I am not talking to myself," Aerion said defensively. "I am having a strategic internal discussion."
Arelia's lips curved into a quiet, knowing smile.
"Of course you are."
There was something about her tone—soft, lightly teasing—that made the back of Aerion's neck warm slightly. He cleared his throat and looked around.
"…So uh, what are you doing here this early?"
"I could ask you the same," she replied smoothly.
He opened his mouth.
Closed it.
"…Fair."
Arelia stepped closer to the fountain, picking up a small crystal vial resting on the marble edge. The liquid inside shimmered a soft rosy pink, catching the light in a strangely pretty way.
Aerion eyed it immediately.
"…That looks suspicious."
Arelia glanced at the vial in her hand, then back at him.
"It is simply a refined divine tonic," she said calmly. "Used to stabilize energy fluctuations."
"…Why is it pink?"
She paused.
"…Aesthetic reasons."
"That is the least reassuring answer you could've given."
Arelia huffed a soft breath of amusement.
"Your distrust is noted."
Before Aerion could reply—
A faint ripple of energy passed through the garden.
Not strong.
Just enough to make the air shimmer briefly.
Aerion instinctively stepped forward.
Unfortunately—
His foot caught slightly on the edge of the marble step.
"…Oh come on—"
He stumbled forward.
Right into Arelia.
Her eyes widened.
The crystal vial slipped from her fingers—
Aerion reflexively caught it.
Unfortunately…
The cork popped open on impact.
And the glowing pink liquid went straight into his mouth.
Everything froze.
Arelia stared.
Aerion blinked.
Then swallowed.
"…Huh," he said.
Arelia's face went pale.
"…Aerion."
He frowned. "What?"
"…That was not a stabilization tonic."
Silence.
Aerion slowly lowered the empty vial.
"…Define 'not.'"
Arelia looked genuinely alarmed now.
"It was a diluted affection elixir."
Aerion blinked once.
Twice.
"…You're going to have to use simpler words."
Her cheeks colored faintly.
"…Love potion."
The world paused.
Aerion stared at her.
"…You're joking."
"I am not joking."
"…You're absolutely joking."
"Aerion."
"…I have made a terrible mistake."
The effect didn't hit immediately.
For about five seconds, everything felt completely normal.
Then—
Warmth.
It started in his chest.
Soft at first.
Then steadily… spreading.
Aerion's posture stiffened.
"…Oh no."
The warmth deepened.
His heartbeat began to pick up—not painfully, not overwhelmingly—but noticeably faster.
And the worst part?
His gaze kept drifting back to Arelia.
Very insistently.
Very traitorously.
Arelia noticed immediately.
Her breath caught softly.
"…It is activating faster than expected," she murmured.
Aerion rubbed his face roughly.
"Okay. Okay. We're calm. We're fine. This is manageable."
He was not calm.
He was not fine.
The air between them suddenly felt much warmer than before.
Arelia stepped forward slightly, concern clear in her expression.
"You should sit down before the effects peak—"
Bad move.
Very bad move.
Because now she was closer.
And the potion-enhanced warmth in Aerion's chest reacted immediately.
His breath hitched.
"…Arelia," he said slowly.
She froze.
"…Yes?"
"You're standing way too close right now."
Her eyes widened slightly.
"Oh— I was only—"
The warmth surged again.
Aerion instinctively reached forward—
Not aggressively.
Not intentionally bold.
Just… drawn.
His hand caught her wrist lightly.
The moment their skin touched—
The affection elixir spiked.
Golden-pink particles flickered faintly around them.
Arelia's breath hitched sharply.
"Aerion—"
"I know," he muttered quickly. "I know this is the potion talking. I am very aware."
But unfortunately—
Awareness was not stopping the effect.
The warmth in his chest deepened, pulling his focus back toward her face.
Her eyes.
Her lips.
Dangerous.
Extremely dangerous.
Arelia looked visibly flustered now, which was rare for her calm personality.
"You should release me," she said softly.
"…Working on it."
He did not release her.
Not yet.
Not because he didn't want to—
But because the potion was making his reactions just slow enough to be very inconvenient.
Arelia's cheeks had turned faintly pink.
Her voice softened.
"…Aerion."
That did not help.
At all.
He leaned slightly closer without fully meaning to.
The space between them shrank.
Warm.
Breath close.
Way too close.
For one dangerously quiet second—
It really did look like something intimate was about to happen.
And then—
Aerion's body abruptly shut down.
Mid-lean.
Mid-moment.
Mid-disaster.
"…Huh," he mumbled faintly.
Arelia blinked.
"…Aerion?"
His grip loosened.
His posture swayed.
And before anyone could react—
He dropped straight into her arms.
Completely asleep.
Dead out.
The love potion glow flickered once…
Then faded harmlessly.
Silence.
Arelia stood frozen, supporting his unconscious weight, her eyes wide in disbelief.
"…You fell asleep?" she whispered.
Aerion, naturally, did not respond.
Across the garden, two very familiar presences appeared almost instantly.
Lyraelle.
Lyria.
Both stopped mid-step.
Both took in the scene.
Aerion asleep in Arelia's arms.
Very close.
Very suspicious looking.
Lyria's eye twitched.
"…Explain," she said flatly.
Arelia, still slightly pink, sighed softly.
"…It is not what it looks like."
Lyraelle's gentle gaze flicked between them, thoughtful but calm.
"…He drank something again, didn't he?"
Arelia nodded once.
"…Accidentally."
Lyria pinched the bridge of her nose.
"…Of course he did."
Meanwhile—
Completely unaware of the chaos he had just narrowly avoided—
Aerion slept peacefully.
For now.