The Captive Titan [ManxMan]

Chapter Twenty-seven: Where to Go

~Chapter Twenty-seven: Where to Go~

It was many long, harrowing hours of talking about our grief as well as the aftermath of the attack - including the Titans' lack of reappearance and likely return to Tartarus - before Gwyn and I abandoned the backyard to retreat inside, even though the hounds remained outside to avoid crowding the house. My entire body hurt in a way that it had not in a very long time, and the skin on my face felt tight and crusty from crying earlier, but there was also a sense of relief that had started to settle. I still felt a numbness nestled in my soul - a certain dispirited feeling that still weighs me down - but it was lighter, less oppressive, and Gwyn's constant hovering over the last few hours had been a useful and necessary reminder that I am not facing this alone.

That I am not alone.

Though even if I felt emotionally alone, it is very hard to feel physically alone when, not an hour after we enter the house, it starts to feel a bit crowded, even without the addition of the hounds. After all, between Gwyn still hovering, Frida's and Estrid's bubbling energy, Ullr's eagerness to tell stories, Laura's stress baking, and Nate's anxious observations, it is hard to find even a moment of silence. And Loki, who had returned - very vocally - mere minutes ago by teleporting into the kitchen and scaring Laura into screaming, only adds to the chaos that is the current state of this house.

I'm too tired to deal with this all.

Of course, my exhaustion is not helped when Loki eventually migrates into the living room, where everyone but Laura has gathered to either sit on the couch, the commandeered chairs, or the floor, and Ullr asks, "Any word from above?"

Loki does not have a chance to respond, however, because Nate promptly interrupts, "Frida, Estrid, how about we watch another episode of you-know-what before dinner?"

Though the girls immediately sit up on the floor in interest, they are apparently shrewd enough to sense that something else is going on, and they hesitantly glance from Loki to me and my uncle, and then back to their father. Still, if they notice anything, that does not stop them from jumping to their feet when Nate stands up and racing each other down the hall with joyous cheers about cats and ladybugs. Nate offers us all a weary smile before following after them at a much more sedate pace and disappearing into their room.

Their bedroom door slams shut only a moment later, likely closed by one of the eager girls, and in the brief silence that follows, I close my eyes for a moment and take a deep, steadying breath because I just know that I am not going to want to hear whatever Loki has to say if his devious smirk is anything to go by, especially if it is no longer going to be censored for mortal ears. The fact that I do not want to hear it, though, does not stop Loki from telling us anyway.

"Odin wants us to bring Ainmire back to Asgard until we can get into contact with his pantheon."

Far too tired for this.

Since I know that Loki has seen my uncle, as he nodded to Gwyn upon entering the living room, I do not look pointedly at the god who is undeniably from my pantheon but instead just stare at Loki in tired annoyance. The last few hours have been exhaustive, and if Loki just wants to stir up trouble, then I want no part in it.

Gwyn, on the other hand, either does not recognize Loki's attempts to cause chaos - which is unlikely since he practically raised me and also spends more time with the Fae than the gods - or does not care for what Loki is insinuating, as he immediately tenses at the statement. "Ainmire will be returning with me to Faerie," is my uncle's prompt disagreement, while he moves closer to me on the couch so that he can rest his hand on my shoulder almost defensively.

And for a moment, it looks like Loki is going to argue, which only makes Gwyn tense further and Ullr look towards the ceiling, as if hoping his step-grandfather is going to appear and tell them to stop. However, as suddenly as the tension grew, it just as quickly dissipates when Loki unexpectedly takes a step back and holds up his hands in mock surrender with a guileless smile on his stupid face. "No objections here," Loki announces cheerily, drawing an annoyed huff from my uncle.