twenty four

"I don't even know if this'll work."

Jeremiah sat before the mirror, looking over at Ivan as he stood at the side of the bathroom door.

"All you did was sit here and...wait for your reflection to shift slightly from your own?"

"Yes."

"I don't think it'll be that simple for me." Jeremiah admitted awkwardly, facing back forward as he settled his hands on the counter. "What if he...doesn't want to speak?"

"Tell Jeremiah to stop questioning things and just do it!" Luv snapped in frustration.

Exactly Ivan just went to Jeremiah and gave him a hug. Instantly alleviating Jeremiah's anxiety to the idea as he relaxed into his arms.

Luv remained silent now as he saw Ivan pull back, staring right up into his eyes. Eyes that were just like Primus'...someone he couldn't feel still.

"I trust you. You can do this. I don't think he'll ignore you. Who could ignore someone as sweet as you?" Ivan murmured, pressing a kiss to his cheek. When he looked back at Jeremiah he saw how the way he looked at him.

It instantly had him blushing as he backed up, the both of them still looking into one another's eyes. Once he was past the doorframe, he smiled at him.

"You got this."

"Thank you, Ivan."

Ivan grinned, closing the door for him now as he quickly leaned against the wall. Ignoring his fast beating heart that beat for him, shyly and excitedly.

"You got excited over a simple interaction?" Luv mocked, but Ivan ignored him as he just hoped for the best for Jeremiah. He didn't want this to go negatively because he also knew the importance of the this as well.

Not just for Luv, but for Jeremiah as well.

Unaware of Jeremiah who stood in front of the mirror, staring on in anticipation. His heart still raced excitedly towards Ivan's kind words, and it made him want to achieve this even more.

"I don't even know what to say," He chuckled, just continuing to see himself and glancing off, "Ivan told me I can do this, so I know I can...and I want to. I hope you understand why I want to speak to you so much. I never doubted your presence...even if I don't know what I'm supposed to be feeling in regard to you. Except if you weren't alive or...there, I don't think the curse would've been alleviated. Nothing would've changed and I wouldn't feel so...different. I am certain in myself, I just want to be certain in you too. In your presence, that is. That's the only thing I'm uncertain on now."

Jeremiah pursed his lips, still seeing only himself move.

"There's no rush...just to let you know. I know you've waited for a long time so...I don't mind waiting too." Jeremiah grinned, looking back at the door as he already wanted to see Ivan again.

To have and to hold...

Unaware of the altered reflection that began to stare back at him, his eyes set upon him. He was aware of Jeremiah's want to see Ivan, sighing.

"If you want to see him, you can. You don't have to waste your time speaking with me."

Facing forward quickly, he looked on in shock to see his reflection not move with him.

"You...are alive." Jeremiah breathed, becoming excited at the sight of Primus staring right back at him in the reflection. Except he looked so...drained and almost dead inside.

He went from seeing himself, nervous and full of anticipation- to seeing Primus' reflection. Someone who looked like they didn't want to be where he was right now.

"Primus, I just want to say that-."

"Don't ask me to do something I don't wish to do." Primus spoke up deeply, even taking Jeremiah aback by how firm and dominating his voice was. "Never did I think that curse would be broken, but I was fine with that. I deserve this punishment after letting myself become someone I'm not for my Mate. I should've said no, but I didn't. Because of me, I could've ruined the balance for all Alphas and Omegas. And I put my daughter in a situation she didn't deserve to be placed within. Luv hates me...for helping her punish us, and his hatred is the last thing I ever felt from him when I came here. If he hates me, I don't wish to see him...I can't be around someone who can't understand how wrong we were and hates me for doing the right thing. You won't get how I feel..."

Jeremiah looked behind him at the door, knowing that Ivan was outside of it. He wondered if he could hear what he was seeing, or if it was a mental thing.

"I get some of it," Jeremiah faces back forward to him, grinning, "I am - so I've been told countless times by Luv - just a byproduct of your story. What I've experienced with Ivan isn't necessarily anything original-."

"That is false, he's telling you false narratives to have you feel the anger and frustration he feels. That's just how he is, and he's wrong for making you two feel like you aren't your own - because you aren't us. You are still you, he's ridiculous." Primus shook his head in disbelief as he looked within Jeremiah's eyes. "You still have a soul. Every new life that is created from this curse, has different actions and events that lead up to the same ending. That's all, you and Ivan are still your own selves. If you were our 'byproducts', then you'd be unintended, you were intended. That's where he's wrong, all of this was intended by our daughter." Primus informs him properly.

Hearing him say that did make him feel much better about it all, he'd be lying if he said it didn't bother him a little. Except he should've known that Luv was lying...he just didn't think he would.

"So...you don't want to see Luv?"

Primus remained silent, not saying a word.

Jeremiah wondered what was going on in his mind because he wasn't saying much of anything. Much of anything in regard to himself and Luv.

"What is there to see? Besides his hatred and cruelness towards me?" Primus questioned him, grinning solemnly at him. "I sat within each body for thousands of years. I could still feel Luv's anger and lack of understanding to the mess we've caused. It's only my fault, no one else's - in his eyes. He hasn't changed."

"But he has-."

"He has not." Primus spoke over him once again and that took Jeremiah aback once again. "For thousands of years I felt his hatred and anger towards me. He doesn't love me as much as I love him, and that kills me! Why would I subject myself to the torment of his cruel words and behavior? He's already been cruel to you...I heard him. Blaming you for me not being 'felt', it's because I'm hiding myself from him. I don't want him to feel me, I'm not ready to deal with his nonsense."

As he said that, Ivan could hear everything he was saying. And that meant that Luv was hearing it too.

Just at hearing Primus' words, Luv felt heartbroken. He didn't necessarily have the right to be angry at this point.

His anger only disappeared when the curse was finally broken.

The way Primus spoke reminded him of the version of Jeremiah he had to deal with in his second chance. More harsh, less considerate, more direct...even if it hurt his feelings.

"The Primus I once had would've never spoken this way..." Primus spoke within Ivan's mind, and he chose to not respond as he felt he'd say more. "It's because of me, I ruined a good man. Now he wants nothing to do with me. How am I supposed to...accept this-."

"Just because he is saying this doesn't mean his mind can't be changed. He has a right to be angry, yes, but if you show him you aren't like that anymore-."

"And how the hell am I going to do that when I'm stuck in your body?"

Ivan sighed, because that was true. Except he began to realize something too.

"You took over my body before."

Luv began to like that idea, instantly wanting Ivan to put that idea out for Jeremiah.

"Well...you know what it can feel like," Jeremiah spoke to Primus, smiling at him despite his look of incredulity. "I know better than anyone...what it feels like. I went from wanting to do anything to please Ivan, to then realizing how wrong it all was. How wrong he was to me, but how wrong I was to myself. It's understandable that you want to put boundaries or even...give up, but in the case of someone you love-."

"Don't try to use such flowery language on me. It's like what I said before, we are not the same. We have not experienced the same thing. I was the Luna once - a duo with Luv, I looked over every single Alpha. My pain and hurt...transcends your comprehension and years of living. And I don't mean that rudely, I just mean that my pain...and hurt isn't just a decades worth. It's thousands of it. It's harder to just forgive and forget."

"No one's telling you to forget, don't forget," Jeremiah pointed at the bathroom door that they stood outside of. "I forgave Ivan, but I didn't just forget it all. I feel him and I feel his sincerity. He has changed...and he loves me. Can you still feel Luv?"

Primus closed his eyes, feeling like it was pointless to speak to him.

"We are not...the same, you won't understand what I mean. I can still feel him outside that door and he misses me, but he is no different. I remember the Luv I once had, and the Ivan you have now, is the Luv I had before all this. I want him back, and I don't know how I can do that when this is our fate-."

The door flew open, Jeremiah seeing Ivan come towards him. Unaware that Ivan had let Luv take control of his body to speak to Primus. Standing before the mirror, he looked at Primus who instantly knew who it was.

"What can I do to show you that I am different?" Luv asked desperately, wishing to touch Primus right through the mirror. "I have missed you so much...I have wanted to say so many things to you-."

"What can you say to me that can account for thousands of years of torment of feeling your anger and hatred. Blaming me...as if I had anything to do with your choices?" Primus interrupted him calmly, looking away from him. "Even looking at you right now ...I don't even know where to start or begin with you. I just feel so uncomfortable right now. How can you stand before me and act like you are changed?"

Luv was at a loss for words as his head whipped onto Jeremiah. He saw him looking down at him awkwardly and he wondered if he was seeing him or Ivan.

He looked away and back at the mirror, where Primus was back to looking at him.

"I have changed...and realized my mistakes. When we were cursed, I should've hugged you and apologized. You were only trying to protect everything we worked and build for, but also trying to protect our people. That's not...a bad thing, and I just didn't think it all through. I was so blinded by Luka's words and visions. Of what I could be...when the me at that time was good enough. But...you also let me have that, you loved me so much that you let me be what I wanted to be. And...you can't entirely blame me for how it all went down. You could've said no."

Jeremiah sighed, already hearing the one thing that no one wants to hear.

Primus shook his head, and Luv began to feel nervous based off of his expression alone. He wanted to touch him...to have his arms around him once again. Except he could tell he already made a mistake.

"You have not changed, at all."

In that instant, Jeremiah's reflection disappeared from the mirror. Luv now was seeing himself in the mirror and he turned around quickly to face Jeremiah who looked just as disappointed as Primus.

"What are you looking at? Bring him back."

"I can't force him to show himself to you. You...asked for this kind of response with your words alone." Jeremiah tells him as Luv began to glare at him. "Now, can you please give Ivan back to me?"

Luv was sick of this. He was sick of feeling like he was now the problem when the curse was no lifted. This was supposed to be over. Now it was like things were being put onto him when the curse is now gone.

"You...and everyone else want to mess with my life. Primus needs to just speak to me face to face...physically. So he can feel my hand and know that I am a better person. Speaking through a fucking mirror won't fix or change anything." He snapped.

"It's over now. We can try again another day, but I want my body back. Being angry and taking it out on Jeremiah won't do you any good. It's like what Primus said, he still sees everything. The way you treat Jeremiah is all he needs to see to show him you haven't changed-."

"Shut up." Luv sneered harshly, and Jeremiah was quick to grab his shoulders as he pulled him closer.

"Please don't talk to him that way-."

"Let go of me!" Luv slammed his hands into Jeremiah's chest as Jeremiah now grabbed his wrists to keep him from doing so. "Why is all the blame being put on me when he accepted everything I did?! He could've said no-!"

"And what would you have done if he said no?" Jeremiah questioned him firmly.

Luv froze, wondering if he was speaking to Primus at first. Only to see Jeremiah just looked tired of his antics and behavior.

"I can speak for him when I say that when it came to you, there was no such thing as no. We were conditioned and ready to give you anything you want in fears of what you'd do to us. If you'd break things off, leave us...say hurtful things to break me down." Jeremiah faltered for a moment, clearing his throat as he begins to grin. "He loved you so much that he tried to do two things right. The first one being what you wanted, while the second is the people you have to protect. The whole world! And...you trying to put the blame on others as if there wouldn't have been repercussions is not right."

"You know nothing of what we went through."

"I know enough."

Instantly, Luv had enough as he let Ivan have his body back fully. Ivan was shocked himself by how easily he just gave his body back to him, even though he shouldn't have been.

In that moment, Jeremiah knew that was Ivan as he brought him into his arms. Hugging him close, he began to inhale him in.

"Primus is alive...so I'm not crazy. I didn't fail-."

"I knew you didn't. The curse was undone, so...it isn't possible that you failed in any kind of way, shape, or form. You are an Alpha, my Alpha. No one has the right to tell you otherwise. I always believed in you...I always knew you were feeling what you truly felt. Us being Mates...tells me all I need to know." Ivan murmured to him, grinning up at his kind eyes. "You don't need to be the stereotypical Alpha that everyone believes you should be. All you have to be is mine, and the way you are right now...is perfection."

"Oh Ivan." Jeremiah fawned, capturing his lips immediately. The both of them kissing tenderly as Luka stood at the bathroom doorframe.

His face staring on in amazement to his dad's locked lips.

"Daddy?"

The both of them pulled away quickly, seeing Luka staring up at them. A shy smile on his face as he clamped his hands onto his face.

"You both kissy..." He gushed, beginning to giggle as Ivan pressed a big kiss onto Jeremiah's cheek again. Causing Luka to squeal excitedly.

"I can do that too! Look!" Jeremiah plastered a wet kiss onto Ivan's cheek too. Causing Luka to giggle uncontrollably in amusement to his dad's antics.

The both of them smile at one another as they went towards Luka, that's when Ivan realized.

They've been so busy worrying about this curse and now trying to help Luv and Primus... That they haven't been spending true and quality time with Luka. It made him feel bad.

"Luka," Ivan crouched before him, smiling at his curious expression. "Is there anything you'd like to do with your daddy and me? I feel like it is long overdue. What does Luka want from us?"

Jeremiah nodded ecstatically, sitting on his legs before Luka. "I agree! Mommy and I have been so busy recently, and we apologize for that. We want to make up for it...have a break from our work and focus on what makes us the most happy."

"What make most happy?" Luka asked innocently.

"You, cutie-patootie."

The both of them watch Luka begin to blush shyly, as his little mind thought of all kinds of things to do with his parents. He instantly came up with something.

"I know!"

"What?" Jeremiah and Ivan said in-sync.

Luka gripped each side of their face with one of his hands, staring up at them. The both of them completely at a loss for what he would possibly ask for.

"I want..."

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♡˗ˏ✎*ೃ˚🍌:;

↳ ❝ [ i will be updating this once a week (all depends, but at least, every five days). i want to keep people wanting more- 🙇🏽‍♀️. did i succeed? ] ¡! ❞

finally!

i was busy with uni.

i could barely write 500 words a day... 😪

i am now on break tho! 🙇🏽‍♀️

at least Primus is nice, right.

vote, comment, follow~✨

- yolo🍖