Helios let out a sigh of relief, sinking back against the pillows. "Good," he murmured, his voice still heavy with exhaustion. He took a deep breath, willing his strength to return, though every part of his body throbbed from the injuries Sephiroth had inflicted.
Aerith studied him with her soft, watchful gaze. "You're lucky we found you when we did," she said, her voice gentle. "From the looks of things, it seems you went through quite an ordeal. You were covered in blood. What happened to you?"
Helios managed a faint smile, brushing off her concern as best he could. "Let's just say… it was an encounter with someone who didn't exactly take kindly to… the young man I was with so I stepped in to stop it."
Yuffie, now leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, gave him an amused grin. "Sounds… intense. I'd like to know who could leave a mark like that on you, but something tells me you're not going to share."
Helios offered a slight nod, grateful for her intuition. "Maybe another time," he replied, keeping his voice steady. "For now, I'm just glad to be in one piece."
Just then, another figure entered the room, his expression as stern and reserved as always. Squall—or rather, Leon, as Helios knew he preferred to be called—stared at him with a hard look, his arms crossed over his chest.
Lea and Isa entered the room, trailing behind Leon, their expressions a mix of relief and frustration. Isa's face softened at the sight of Helios awake, a slight smile breaking through his usually composed demeanor. Lea, however, crossed his arms and huffed, his gaze flicking away the moment he saw Helios was fine.
Yuffie chuckled from her spot against the wall, raising an eyebrow at the trio. "Looks like the relationship between you three has changed," she said with a teasing grin. "Did you all have a fight or something?"
Lea's voice came out louder than intended, almost defensive. "We're not friends," he declared, though there was a hint of embarrassment in his tone. "Helios made that pretty clear last time when he decided to chase us off. I guess he didn't memorize the time we spent together."
Aerith, with her warm smile, walked over to Lea and put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You know, sometimes people say things they don't really mean," she said, her voice soothing. "Especially when they're worried about others getting hurt." She glanced over at Helios, her eyes kind but knowing. "Lea, when you and Isa first heard that Helios was injured, you dropped everything and ran over here. That sounds like a friend to me."
Lea muttered something under his breath, his arms still crossed but his face softening a bit as he looked over at Helios. Isa, meanwhile, approached Helios's bedside, his gaze steady. "I'm glad you're okay," he said, his tone sincere. "Is this why you chased us away? So we wouldn't get dragged into things like… whatever nearly killed you?"
Helios gave a cold smile, deflecting the sentiment. "I told you, you don't need to worry about me," he replied, his voice firm. "You should be worrying about getting stronger, especially since you're both still weak. Being close to me will only make things worse for me."
Leon frowned, stepping closer with his arms crossed. "They're doing just that," he said, his tone carrying a hint of reproach. "They came to me, begging me for training, and have been pushing themselves hard every day. Now I understand why." He glanced between Helios, Lea, and Isa, his eyes sharp. "It's not right to dismiss their efforts. They're trying to protect themselves—and you, too."
Helios held Leon's gaze, a flicker of guilt crossing his face before he quickly masked it. "Fine," he said finally. "I appreciate it." He paused, wincing as he shifted in bed, his injuries reminding him of his limitations. "But I need to get home. I have… things to take care of."
As he made a move to get up, Yuffie stepped in, placing a firm hand on his shoulder and pushing him back down. "Whoa there, tough guy," she said with a playful grin. "If you want to leave, you'll have to tell us what's going on first. Otherwise, we're not letting you take another step out of here."
Aerith offered an apologetic smile. "Lea and Isa told us what you said to them," she explained gently. "We all care about Radiant Garden, Helios. If there's a danger you're facing that could affect us all, we deserve to know. We just want to protect the people here, too."
Helios took a steadying breath, feeling the weight of their expectations. He knew they wouldn't back down, and a part of him felt a twinge of regret. These people weren't his enemies, and would have liked to save them but he could derail the story too much.
Finally, he looked at Aerith, then at each of the others in turn, his voice steady but firm. "The best way for you to protect Radiant Garden… is to let me leave. The things I'm involved with, the things I'm dealing with—they're not something anyone here can fight. Not yet."
Lea bristled, stepping forward with a determined expression. "You don't get to decide that for us, Helios. If there's something out there that could threaten Radiant Garden, we have a right to know what it is."
Isa nodded, his gaze steady. "If it's a danger to you, then it's a danger to all of us."
Leon crossed his arms, his expression firm. "You can't keep carrying this alone, kid. Whatever you're facing, we're stronger if we face it together."
Helios shook his head, pushing down a swell of frustration. These guys were making things hard for him. He knew that their hearts were in the right place but he really couldn't say anything.
Aerith placed a gentle hand on his arm, her voice soft but resolute. "Help us understand, Helios. Let us in, even just a little. We don't have to fight your battles for you, but we can be there to support you."
For a moment, Helios found himself wavering, the genuine concern in their faces piercing through his defenses. But he steeled himself, his resolve hardening. He couldn't lose his reasoning over this. Somewhat recovered Helios cast the Hex of Forgetfulness which caused the target to forget something important, like a key detail or the name of someone they were just talking to.
"It's better this way," he said, his voice colder than he intended. "Trust me. You're safer if you stay away from me. Now forget I was ever injured or here. You only found an injured Cloud."