Discovering Recovery (Brypu fanfic/ Origins of Olympus AU)

Chapter 33 - A Ripped Page...

(A/N: Why did all the villains peak near the end of everyone's POVs, smh /lh)

Aphrodite's Mansion (Focus: Bryan)

Bryan gripped Inpu's hand tightly, "How's the pain?"

Inpu blinked, "I don't think the concern should be me-"

Bryan gripped him harder, "I said, how's the pain?"

Inpu sighed and gripped Bryan back, "My demigod blood is helping me not bleed out, but the pain? Not so much. I can still feel a mild throb whenever I try to do something."

Bryan shook his head and tsked, "Then you should let me help you."

Inpu frowned, "But you literally are still recovering! I can't ask that of you."

Bryan sighed and summoned a healing circle, surrounding Inpu with light, "Let me care about you, Inpu."

Inpu whined, "But dear..."

Bryan shushed him, watching the healing circle slowly dissolve.

He stared right into Inpu's eyes, "How do you feel now?"

Inpu gave him a soft smile, "I feel better, thank you."

Bryan's wings flapped softly, "Good, good."

The two snuggled deeper into the bed, ignoring the chirping of birds and the bright afternoon light.

~~~

Inpu woke up to the soft sound of chirping crickets. The light from the sun was already giving way to the night. Inpu signed and shifted, about to fall asleep until...

"Bryan?" Inpu whispered, hearing the sound of footsteps.

"..."

"Bryan?"

Inpu looked at his boyfriend, who had fallen back asleep, wings enveloping the two of them. Inpu looked at him fondly and slowly tried escaping his feathery confines. 

Fail.

Bryan frowned and grasped for Inpu, trying to hold him closer. Inpu sighed and placed his pillow into Bryan's embrace, who snuggled into it instead. Now with an opening, Inpu got off the bed and slowly crept towards the sound, ears trained on any unknown noises.

A flash of movement caught his eye and he glared. His eyes narrowed as he heard flapping.

He followed the noise to the kitchen area, where the figure was shifting through the pantries. 

He let out a soft huff, startling the other person.

"Who's out there?" they called.

Inpu's eyes widened, "Wait..."

The other person gasped and their wings flared out, "Inpu?"

He stood up and allowed the window light to show him, "Bri? What are you doing here?"

Bri sighed, sounding exhausted, and moved into the light, "I didn't know you moved here already, thought you would wait for marriage."

Inpu blinked, "We're not there yet. Also, why are you here? I thought you were with the Polynesians?"

She shuddered, "Actually, I've been away, with Austin. Didn't my letters come through?"

Inpu raised a brow, "What letters?"

She shook her head, "Nevermind, you're here. Look, Inpu, while I've been out...learning stuff...Austin and I found a library of sorts. We were hoping we could get you to help us."

She went back to sifting through the pantry, "I need supplies too, it's almost a full day's flight from here and I feel bad for leaving Austin alone."

Inpu sat on the tile floor, "So, you went out, found a place, and now you want me to help you with finding something you need?"

She shrugged, finding a basket and placing items inside, "Since it's a library, you'll probably find something you need in there too. I had a letter from Xylo asking for the Polynesian's help on finding a...book?"

Inpu shuddered, "We gave up on that a while ago and that was a mess on its own already. But I suppose I can still help you."

She hummed and finished packing the basket, "Well, that should be everything. I think I can carry you if you want."

Inpu blinked, "Um, ok."

Bri clapped her hands, "Good! Now, let's get going."

Inpu let himself be dragged by Bri out of the mansion, watching as the mansion grew smaller and smaller.

~~~

Library of Alexandria (Focus: Inpu)

"We're almost there, Inpu! Do you see it?" Bri called out, starting to fly lower.

Inpu blinked and stared at the building in front of them. It looked...destroyed, to put it nicely. Almost nothing remained, appearing as though burnt thoroughly. 

Bri handed him the basket and fixed herself, "The entrance is cloaked by an illusion. Actually, this whole building is. Welcome to the Library of Alexandria, I guess."

Bri led Inpu inside, the latter gawking at the sheer amount of knowledge inside. His left and right were filled with stacks of books and scrolls, stretching all the way to the ceiling. In front of him stood more bookshelves, pristine even with the times passing.

Looking down, Inpu noticed a few lightly burnt footprints, leading to a contraption at the end of the building. 

Austin stood on the stone part of the thing, holding a book in his human hand. He waved over at the two demigods, staying eerily silent. Bri waved back, walking towards him.

"Hi, Inpu," Austin greeted, walking over to Bri and giving her a look over.

"So..."

Bri nodded, "It calmed down, but I don't think it was a permanent solution."

Austin frowned, "Ok..."

Inpu stared at the two, "What happened?"

Austin shared a look with Bri, who nodded. Austin let out a tired sigh and looked at Inpu. 

"Her corruption came back."

Inpu winced, "Jakey told me about that."

Bri cringed, "Ah, yeah...last year."

She stared at the book in Austin's hand, "So, did you find something?"

Austin nodded, "This book mentioned something about memory loss. I couldn't understand much more, though."

Bri sighed and began skimming through it herself, "Take the basket with you, I ate back at the mansion. Inpu, can you look at the upper floors? We missed them."

Inpu nodded, and Austin pointed at some levers.

"The left one goes up, the right one goes down."

Inpu nodded again and pulled on one. He felt a nauseous lurch in his stomach as he was teleported up. He looked around and sighed, it appeared that Bri meant all the upper floors.

This was going to take a while.

~~~

"Inpu!" Bri called out, "Have you found anything?"

Inpu jolted from his reading stupor, "No, I just finished the 3rd floor, though. Do you think we're missing something?"

"I'm not sure, but maybe check the fourth floor?"

Inpu rolled his eyes, "Ok."

Inpu teleported to the final floor, beginning to scan the nearest book spine.

"Hey!" Austin yelled, "I think I found something! Inpu! Come down!"

Inpu groaned and joined the other two demigods on the floor level. Austin held a small, wrinkled page tightly. Bri smiled tightly at Inpu, holding the book from before.

Austin handed Inpu the page, "I have a weird feeling that you might need this."