As the family rested in the tranquil fields of Hellsgate, the air felt lighter than it had in months.
The sun was warm, the breeze calm, yet beneath the peace there lingered an unspoken tension. Safari and Angeleva sat close, but not too close. Their eyes met in brief, stolen glances, only to dart away again, leaving silence between them.
It wasn’t exhaustion that weighed on them. Nor was it the looming fight against Raven. It was something more personal, something that hovered unacknowledged between them.
Legend noticed. His sharp golden gaze followed the way they avoided each other, their subtle distance despite their flawless synchronization in battle.
“Olive,” he said quietly, turning to her, “do you see it? Safari and Angeleva… there’s something they’re not confronting.”
Olive had been watching too. She nodded slowly.
“Yes. They’ve mastered the battlefield, but emotionally… they’re still unsteady. Their bond is strong, but I don’t think either of them has fully accepted the weight of it. They’re both haunted by what it means to rely on the other. Their Fairy–Devil nature… it’s not something either can easily forget.”
Legend frowned, his aura dimming as he considered her words. “Could that hinder them against Raven?”
Before Olive could answer, Zack spoke, steady as ever.
“They’ll be fine. When the stakes are highest, they’ll step up. They always do. Pressure brings out the best in them.”
Jen, sitting beside him, shook her head softly. Her voice was calm, but carried a deeper truth.
“It’s not about whether they’ll fight well. It’s about how they feel. I know Safari big bro—he carries shame from relying on Angeleva big sis against Lucifero. And Angeleva big sis? She hates the idea of being forced to lean on him, like she did during the Zozo battle. She clung to him because she had no choice, and for her, that feels like weakness.”
Legend tilted his head, curious. “How do you read their minds so easily?”
Jen smiled faintly, eyes thoughtful.
“We’ve been through too much together for me not to know. They’ve both relied on each other in desperate moments, but neither of them knows how to process it outside of battle. For big bro, it’s pride. For big sis, it’s independence. They both struggle with the vulnerability of needing someone else.”
She paused, her gaze softening.
“And there’s more. They’ve grown closer these past months—bonding, laughing, trusting each other. But beneath that, they’re suppressing something deeper. They’re afraid of it. Afraid of what might happen if they admit what’s really between them.”
The family fell quiet, her words heavy with truth.
“So…” Legend murmured, “they’re afraid.”
Jen nodded gently.
“Yes. Afraid that acknowledging it could break the bond they’ve built. So they bury it, pretend it’s not there. But the weight only grows heavier.”
Silence hung over the group until Ian suddenly broke it, strolling in with his usual careless energy—though his eyes carried something more serious. He carried a bundle of photos.
“Hey, everyone,” he said, laying them across the table with a flourish. “Got something to share.”
The first set was expected—battle shots, Safari’s hammer mid-swing, Angeleva’s wings blazing beside him. But then came others: candid moments they hadn’t noticed Ian capture. Safari handing Angeleva water after training. Angeleva steadying Safari’s arm when he staggered. The two of them laughing quietly together when they thought no one was watching.
Ian grinned sheepishly.
“Yeah, okay, so maybe I took a few extra ones. Secret shots. Don’t tell them—I like living.”
Groans and eye-rolls followed, but the family leaned closer anyway, smiles tugging at their lips.
“You know,” Jen said warmly, “they do look adorable together.”
Olive smirked, arms crossed.
“I’ll admit it. They care about each other more than they want us to believe.”
Ian’s grin faded into something more genuine.
“Exactly. I’ve watched them—really watched them. I saw how big sis worried over big bro on Angel Planet, and how big bro nearly broke when Zozo took her. They’re always there for each other, when it counts.”
He hesitated, then continued, his voice quieter.
“They act distant because they’re afraid of what it means to be that close. But if they keep running from it, it’s only going to get harder.”
For a rare moment, Ian looked vulnerable. He glanced at Olive, forcing a crooked grin.
“Not that I’d know much about fear of connection. I mean, look at Olive—”
Before he could finish, Olive flushed and kicked him in the leg, sending him sprawling with a yelp. The family burst into laughter, the tension lifting just a little.
But Legend’s eyes lingered on Safari and Angeleva. They still avoided each other’s gaze, but now the truth of their silence felt clearer than ever.