Redemption [malexmale]

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

I was eager to have Hades out of my home.

His presence was making the air thick with misery and irritation. My plants were practicaly wilting from it and my patience dying with them. He was incredibly snarky and sarcastic. He took nothing seriously; nothing, except pressuring his lifestyle and dreams on Ambrosius, who seemed to wilt along with the plants the longer Hades stuck around.

All the progress I had made with Ambrosius was slowly draining out of him. It was like watching a balloon deflate and it made my heart ache for him. He stood by his father like a silent shadow of misery and woe. The light in his eyes slowly faded and his smiles ceased. Even when Dania nudged him or tried to make a joke, Ambrosius barely paid her any mind. Thankfully, Dania didn't make a scene about it because she knew well enough what was happening to Ambrosius.

"I say we take Hades out back and douse him in Greek fire." Dania grumbled under her breath as she, Raven, Alaric, and I made lunch in the kitchen while everyone else had gathered in the dining room with Hades making comments about everything the entire time.

"For once, I'm with Tank Girl," Alaric muttered as he poured olive oil into a frying pan and stepped aside to let Raven do the actual cooking, "Maybe we can take turns kicking him too."

"Ssh," Raven shushed him and Dania, who both glared at him, "Hades is a god. He's probably listening to you guys right now. Besides, if we killed Hades, the natural balance would rupture and the world could spiral into catastrophe." Dania rolled her eyes and planted her fists on her cocked hips, an eyebrow raised.

"Just because the Fates spewed that bullshit doesn't make it true." She snorted.

"I rather not test it," Raven said dryly, "I actually value my life and that of my soldiers. Let's just torture the Greek by corrupting his son." I frowned at that as I put together a potent wine that Lucifer enjoyed.

"That probably won't work either," I muttered, making them look at me as I sprinkled herbs into the pot and stirred, "In case you haven't noticed, Ambrosius is practically melting under the pressure his father is applying to him. And Ambrosius is so scared of him that he won't fight him."

"I noticed that," Alaric grunted, hopping onto the island counter and folding his arms over his chest, "No offense, Thorn, but you picked a really pathetic puppy to get horny for. Why don't you just find some whore in town?" I shook my head as I turned the heat off and placed a top on the pot.

"I'm tired of whores... I want Ambrosius." I responded. Dania and Raven shared grins, while Alaric scoffed, as if the idea were ridiculous. He didn't say anything, though, much to my relief. I didn't want to get into it with Alaric. He'd been irritable the whole day, but then, he was almost always irritable. It was just a youngest sibling thing. I wondered how often Jaques had gotten fed up with me when we lived in the same home.

"Well," Dania said after a moment, hopping up onto the counter beside Alaric, folding one leg over the other, "We'll just have to bring back our playful Ambrosius as soon as Hades leaves. Or even better, we'll just do it while the god is still here. Let's all just strip down and--"

"No!" My brothers and I snapped in unison.

"What are you, a nudiest?" Alaric demanded.

"What are you, a misogynist?" Dania challenged. Alaric scowled, but didn't respond, just turned his head away and Dania rolled her eyes, sticking her tongue out at him. Raven shook his head at them and turned back to the frying pan, using a wooden spoon to stir the contents.

"We shouldn't get Ambrosius in trouble," He said, "Let's wait until Hades leaves, then we can cheer him up with a family movie night." Dania whooped excitedly, punching the air with her fist repeatedly.