THE destination | the Rebel & the Seeker

Chapter 6

Only after Dian sat down in the emergency hall finally, he could feel his mind and body is realizing the situation. On one side he was "happy" that his guess was right, on the other hand, he was starting to tremble when he thought about how it could have ended up...

"Good evening. They told me you brought Thanos to hospital so I suppose you are Dian," a deep slow voice stopped Dian's apocalyptic thoughts. When he lifted his eyes, his heart skipped a beat as there was Thanos standing over him!
Well, so it seemed for the first look, but the very next moment Dian realized that something is different. He hurriedly stood up and nodded: "Good evening..."
Now he could see clearly that this person was so not Thanos. In a manga, he would be the dark version of the kind and smiling Greek boy. His face lacking the tenderness and warm tone of his friend.

And as his black eyes were piercing Dian through, he started to feel frightened, like the person in front of him was looking for Dian's deepest fears on the bottom of his soul.

Dian quickly understood without a doubt that he is facing Spiros, te older brother of Thanos. But how could two persons be so similar yet so different...?

However, once Spiros spoke, Dian could feel somehow he is really caring for his brother although his voice or gestures did not show any emotion: "The doctor said he arrived in last minutes, they had just time to prepare for a problemless operation."
Dian froze: "So bad...?!"
Spiros nodded. "Thank you again. If he was home alone, he might not call for help in time. Or...," he took an angry breath in: "...at all!"
Dian remained silent, the thought made him anxious.
"A ruptured appendix...if you do not arrive to hospital in time..." he did not need to explain more, Dian was well aware of the consequences, but only now, spoken out loud, the shock was starting to hit on him.
"The boy is so stubborn!" Spiros' anger rose: "He was supposed to go to a doctor the first time he felt the pain...! But he never listens!"

Dian was surprised by the sudden emotional explosion of this man that looked like a rock nobody could move.
He realized, Spiros was a perfect example how person's appearance can mislead one's judgement about his personality...

"Here...I wanted to give you Thanos' bag."

Spiros nodded, now calm again on the surface. He took out the car keys and handled them to Dian: "Take his car to get home," his decisive voice made Dian accept them despite him being reluctant.
However, he will leave only after he gets the news that the intervention is over.

A doctor stopped by twenty minutes later to tell them that the operation ended without problems.
Since they carried out a laparoscopic surgery, Thanos will stay in hospital just overnight and Spiros can pick him up the next day. The convalescence at home should take 3 to 10 days, excluding physical exertion and heavy meals.

That night, Dian had his first dream after many months since he left Thailand.
A nightmare about losing his new friend, full of despair and anxiety, but followed by a wake up in the morning light which brought the blissful relief that everything is alright.

And as to reassure him, the phone beeped to deliver him a message:
"Thank you for yesterday, words cannot express enough. T."

And a second one just in few seconds: "Actually they can: I owe you my life."

And a third: "Can I see you soon...?"

* * *

"But wasn't Phobetor the son of Ares, the ancient Greek god of war...?" Dian was wondering loud who would give such a name to a guesthouse. Literally it should mean "fear, panic".

"No, that was Phobos," Thanos smiled at Dian's shyness when he realized he spoke out loud his doubts about Spiro's hotel's name.
"But Phobetor was one of the gods of dreams, son of Hypnos, the god of sleep. He appeared in dreams in the form of beast or bird or the long serpent," he smiled lightly: "So his popularity was also not high."
But before Thanos answered to Dian's unspoken question, he had to ask curiously: "But how do you know so much about Greek ancient mythology?"
"Never underestimate the power of computer games and anime," Dian winked making Thanos laugh about the kinda absurd but true fact.