Chapter Thirty-Two
"Is it too much to ask for a son that doesn't do anything? Just once, I'd like a prophecy to say something like, your son will do literally nothing and have no effect on anyone and we'll all live happily ever fucking after. That's all."
"Instead," Hades continued, shooting me a glare for slurping loudly on my milkshake, "I'm stuck with too many of you dramatic motherfuckers. That's it. Lucy, you get to take the testosterone train to Tartarus. I'm going to stay here with the girls to avoid going fucking insane." Lucy seemed to be trying to smile, but it came out more like a grimace. I swung my gaze over to where Bali, Wednesday, and Dania sat at the huge business meeting looking table. Bali looked up, blinking owlishly and Wednesday was picking her nose before she thumped her fist on the table at the prospect of spending time with Lucy. Dania cocked her head and averted her eyes.
"Ah, yeah, you're gonna wanna take that last part back," she said, making Hades and Lucy look at her curiously and she smiled grimly, "Yeah, mama done pissed the angels off, sorry, daddy. Oh, and other daddy." Hades and Lucy looked at each other before Hades tilted his head back and covered his face with his hands, moving away from the table before he slapped someone.
After an hour or so of calming down the Windstorm clan long enough to get them settled, the rest of us had retreated to the wonderful gaudy palace in Hacian. By the rest of us, I mean Hades put out an urgent call to all of his children, and Lucy's, who now sat around the table.
This family was way too fucking big, I decided.
It didn't help that Lilith and Apollyon had also gotten bullied into attending the family meeting and were standing near a banquet table of finger foods. Everyone else managed to get a seat at the table, except Theo, because he was gross and insisted on sitting in Adonis's lap so he could play with the guy's hair while he ate cheese sticks in hot sauce.
I glanced over where Malachi was sitting tensely with Adrian at his side. Adrian was murmuring something to him and stroking his hand, but Malachi just closed his eyes and lowered his head, almost like he was ashamed of something. Adrian looked pained at the gesture and leaned in to wrap him in a hug. I rolled my eyes, then looked over where Lily was picking up food from the table and showing Apollyon, who simply grimaced.
"There's no way that is edible, Lily, put it down," he muttered, trying to look around Lily at Lucy, who was frowning at him from the table.
"But it tastes so good," Lily exclaimed, popping it in her mouth, "Ooh, it's so spicy! This is so much better than beef stew, sweetie, really, you must try it."
"Lily, I don't think--" Apollyon's complaint was interrupted when she popped the food in his mouth against his will. Apollyon decided to make a big deal about choking it up and glaring at her and Lily just smiled innocently at him.
"Okay," Hades announced, returning to the table once more and silencing the murmurs, "Let's lay it all out on the table then. Right here, right now. What the fuck is going on and what are we going to fucking do about it."
"Why do we need to do anything," Cain scoffed from his seat beside Abel, who sighed and stared up at the ceiling as if asking for assistance from the Source, "This isn't our fucking problem. We have bigger fish to fry. In case we've all forgotten, Hera's still gunning for us. She seems more dangerous than a fucking prophecy, which by the way, is what anything this guy says a prophecy or is he just trying to spook us?" He gestured with his thumb toward Apollyon, who frowned at him. Lilith beamed and eyed Cain with an almost evil grin.
"You don't believe he speaks prophecy? Baby, wait 'till you find out what Apollyon did to your--"
"Anyway," Hades said loudly, glaring at Lily, who whistled innocently and looked away, "That's not important. I mean, it is, but it isn't. Goddamn it, we're getting hit from every angle. It can't be a coincidence."
"Hera decides to attack, an apocalypse is on our heels, dad has another kid," Abel sighed, shrugging, "I think this is all per usual, isn't it?"
"Not at the same time," Charon said, making everyone glance at him in surprise, which makes sense since Charon spoke as many words as I could count on one hand-- and I sucked at counting, "There's something off about this recent development. I don't think it's a coincidence at all. I think the events are lining up in accordance with an overall prophecy."
"What, like the Shifter thing," Cerberus asked, "But that was a bunch of events that had to happen in order for the universe to fall apart. What the hell is this prophecy and what does it do?"
"It's the same prophecy Apollyon had," Lilith replied, making us look at her and she shrugged as she took a bite of a cracker, then made a face and put it back on the table, "Apollyon received his prophecy shortly after his full change over to a hybrid angel. Angels are not supposed to conceive with gods, but Hera went and did that in order to make a stronger beast, which I'd say she did, but she accidentally triggered a prophecy in the process. That prophecy states that only a mutant angel can truly destroy Yhwhwa and all the angels, oh and like, everything else, I suppose. It wasn't too specific, was it?" She looked at Apollyon, who frowned and looked at Hades, who glared at him.
"Do not encourage my son to destroy an entire realm," Hades said coldly, making Lilith shrug and Apollyon frown more deeply, "He's staying here where he'll be safe. He's not going out anywhere to destroy anyone or anything, but apparently the angels don't believe that, do they?" He swung his gaze to Dania, who cleared her throat and tapped her fingernail nervously on the table top.
"Ah, well, no, according to the angelic texts, it was foretold that a mutant angel, a blasphemy before Yhwhwa, was going to take them all out and take over what was once Heaven and will quickly become just another Hell realm," she explained slowly, glancing at me. I scowled.
"That sounds like a lot of work. Can we just, like, deport them or something?" I asked. Cain snorted and Cerberus chuckled while Dania shook her head.
"No, sweetie, angels don't like being told what to do by anyone who isn't Yhwhwa."
"Okay, well, why doesn't Yhwhwa tell them to shut up and relax?"
"Because Yhwhwa also believes in the angelic texts," Dania said, making everyone groan and she nodded, "My informant in Heaven told me that Yhwhwa received those texts from the Paradise realm, at the beginning of time."
"Who wrote the texts?" Adrian asked.
"That's just it," Dania muttered, "No one knows. Only Yhwhwa knows, but he's not really in the mood to talk to anyone outside his inner circle."
"Who's that? Jesus?" I asked drolly, poking my straw around in my milkshake, then paused when I realized no one was speaking and I looked up with a scowl to see everyone considering that.
"What? We're gonna go find Jesus? Does anyone even know where he's at?" I asked dryly.
"Jesus won't help us," Lucy stated, making a few people nod and grimace, "Jesus is loyal to Yhwhwa. If he knew for one second that Apollyon and Four even exist, he could request to start a war to retrieve them."
"I thought Jesus was a hippie," Cain deadpanned. Abel looked at him.
"Jesus is a hippie until it comes to his family," Abel pointed out, "You know, like us. Once someone pisses off one of us, the whole hive is out of control?"
"Okayyy," I said slowly, setting my milkshake on the table and folding my arms over my chest, "So, what are we supposed to do now? Now we have two problems to deal with. The Mother and this prophecy, which by the way, I think is total crap. I'm not really in the mood to destroy angels, Yhwhwa, and take over Heaven. I just want to kill Hera and go home."
"All in favor of just killing Hera and going home, say aye," Cain announced, holding up his hand.
"Aye," said everyone in the room, a few holding up their hands in agreement.
"Great," I said, clapping my hands together and pushing away from the table, "Problem solved. I'll get my killing shoes and we can just--"
"No," Hades said, making me snap my head around to glare at him as he leaned forward on the table, "Sit your ass back down, we're far from finished."
"Oh, come on," I snapped, turning back to lean on the table, "You don't want to kill her just because she's your sister, but in case you haven't noticed, the bitch is fucking insane. She's stealing peoples' genetics and she's making fucked up franken-artificials so she can kill you and your entire family and take over the universe, so I'm sorry, does that sound like someone we just shake hands with and go to therapy?"
"He's got a point," Ambrosius said, making Hades growl, "What? I'm not looking at this from a heartwarming perspective, dad. Four is right; Hera isn't family. She's just the psycho bitch aunt that we stopped inviting to family reunions because she always has to start some kind of shit."
"Agreed," Cain chirped, "Never liked her, never needed her, and still don't. She has done nothing, but cause us grief. And, am I the only one who remembers the fact that she wasn't exactly that nice to you either, dad?" Hades frowned, opening his mouth, but he really didn't have a chance to jump in now.
"Cain's right," Cerberus agreed with a nod, "Hera never stood up for you when the other Olympians were shit-talking you, dad. She never tried to help you and she definitely never talked to you like you were a person. I mean, the only time I heard her talk was to condemn everyone else, but herself, so tell me again why the fuck we should consider her family?"
"Never met her, not interested," Dania said, "I think we'd be doing the world a favor, honestly."
"Tell me about it," I snapped impatiently, looking back at Hades, who gritted his teeth in frustration, "Are you forgetting she's got literal babies locked up in her compounds of torture? Do you think she's going to just be nice to babies all of a sudden? Oh, and are we forgetting she fucking tortured Bait for centuries, or are we going to keep pretending Bait doesn't even exist?" I glared around the table and a few people looked away uncomfortably, except Hades, who met my eyes squarely.
"We are not killing Hera," Hades said, making everyone look at him in confusion, "That's the end of that discussion. There are other ways to bring her to heel."
"Oh, sure," I said with a shrug, "Let's buy her a new handbag, maybe a new makeup palette. I'm thinking maybe Demonic Fashion's Evil Bitchress? I'm sure all that will calm her right down and make her crawl into bed with a snuggie and a fucking donut! Jesus Christ, man! She's a fucking psychotic bitch! She tortured Bait! She tortured me!" Hades glared at me, but didn't speak, because he couldn't. What was he supposed to say in her defense? How do you defend someone who did something so clearly wrong and fucked up?
"Y'all keep chirping about fucking family," I sneered, looking around the table, "Family this, family that. You fuckers have family photos all over this fucking place, and do you know who isn't in any of those photos or birthday cards or what the fuck ever you guys give each other?"
"If you consider Hera part of your family," I said, getting up from my seat, "Then you can fucking consider me gone, because I don't make company with fucking crazy ass bitches who condone fucking rape. She can suck a fat one while I stuff her ass into the bowels of the Source. Hera is going to die whether you like it or not, Hades, and if that means we gotta sit on different sides, then fucking fine. Go stand in your fluffy family corner, asshole, and see if the power of love and friendship fucking saves you." I shoved away from the table and headed for the doors.
"Four, wait..." Lucy started, but I ignored him and kicked the doors to the meeting room open and stepped out.
Across the hall, River pushed off the wall in a burst of relief, coming to meet me as I came out of the room. I could hear shuffling feet behind me and realized Lilith and Apollyon were also departing from the room, but more calmly.
"Are you alright," River asked softly, stroking the hair back from my face, "You were yelling."
"I always yell," I grumbled, but fuck, it was hard to stay pissy when River was stroking my cheeks and cradling my head against him like I was unspeakably precious. It was such a surreal, foreign feeling that I really liked. I settled for letting him hug me against him, petting my head.
"That went well," Lilith said as River and I broke apart to look at her warily, "Hades is just as defenseless against his family as usual. Such a pity. I'd pick my baby over my sister any day. Except I don't have a sister." Apollyon frowned slowly.
"Speaking of picking your baby over your sister," he started, but Lilith cleared her throat and clapped her hands together as she came up to River and I.
"Well, I suppose congratulations are in order," she said, making us frown and Apollyon sigh in frustration, "I am so looking forward to your wedding. Please tell me Apollyon and I are invited, because I've already got ideas for your wedding gift."
"Yeah, I didn't hear Hades confirm anything," I said dryly, but Lilith smiled at me almost like she knew something I didn't. Or maybe she did know something I knew, because according to that weird glimpse of the future or whatever I'd had before, River and I were married.
"Things will work out," Lilith assured, patting me on the shoulder and giving River a secret grin, "Trust me, they always work out in the end." River looked at her, confused, but Lilith didn't expand as she rose on her toes to kiss him on the cheek, then turned to kiss me on the cheek before she turned to face Apollyon, who frowned at her.
"Come along, sweetie, I think we should start looking at places to stay around here."
"Here? Lily--"
"I saw the cutest place for sale in town--"
"No, you didn't--"
"It'll be perfect for you, me, and the babies," she said, pausing to pat her stomach and Apollyon blanched.
"Babies? Plural?" He demanded. Lilith ignored him and gave River and I one last wave before they vanished together in a plume of smoke. River and I stared at the place where they stood, then looked at each other.
"Weirdest couple ever," I stated and River nodded quickly, then shook his head, then nodded, which made me raise my eyebrow. He took a deep breath.
"That's not the point," River said, making me shrug, "The point is there's a lot going on right now, Four, I don't know if we can get married in the midst of all this--"
"What? Are you taking back your proposal?" I demanded. River stiffened.
"Absolutely not."
"Then chill. There's always gonna be shit going on. It's never a good time to get married, but we're gonna do it whether the universe likes it or not," I said, making River sigh, "We don't need Hades and we don't need Lucy. We can get married on our own. So it won't be a big fancy event like you people do it, so what? As long as we are together and someone confirms it, that's all that matters to me. I don't need fancy clothes or colors or themes or what the fuck ever. All I need is you."
River seemed taken aback by that for a moment before he melted on the spot. He wrapped his arms around me and I hugged him back fiercely, gripping his jacket.
"Me too," River said at last, pulling back to cup my face in his hands, "All I will ever need is you." I smiled at that, then leaned in to capture his lips in a kiss that he returned with the same ferocity. I was tempted to back him up against the doors and let him fuck me right then and there outside the meeting room, but I wasn't really in the mood to deal with Hades's whining about it.
"How about we meet upstairs for some movies," I asked, making River raise an eyebrow, "I need a break from all this prophecy bullshit. I'm just gonna grab my phone, I left it in my room."
"Alright, but no detours, alright?" River asked. I shrugged.
"Might pee."
"That's fine, but no outdoor detours."
"What if I want to pee outside?"
"Just hurry up," River snapped impatiently, making me grin. He rolled his eyes, but he was smiling anyway as he gave me one last kiss on the forehead before he headed down the hallway. I watched him go, feeling a tingle in my stomach. It was such a weird feeling. It was like... excitement?
I checked my pulse.
Yup, my heartbeat was a little quick.
Did River do that to me?
I liked it.
I liked it a lot.
I'd never gotten excited about someone before. It was a whole new feeling and I kind of liked it, liked the rush of it... liked River. It was so weird to like someone. Because even at the weirdest moments, I found myself thinking about River.
Like standing over the toilet, texting him I was peeing, while I was peeing.
Im going to watch this movie without you, River texted back teasingly, its an action movie.
Okay im comin just finishing my piss, I texted back, then tucked my phone away and zipped up my pants, heading to the sink to rinse before I stepped out. I headed out of my room, only to slow down and double back, heading in the opposite direction so I could find Hades's office.
He didn't know about the weird future dream I had earlier, and something told me it would be important to maybe let him know. Not that I liked Hades, but even I had to admit he knew a little something about magic and magical entities. Plus, someone had to tell him River and I were getting married ASAP, without his permission or not.
I spotted Hades's office door a crack and was ready to throw the doors open, except I could hear Hades and Lucy inside talking.
"We talked about this," Hades was saying in frustration, "We agreed. No more kids."
"I understand that," Lucy responded calmly, "I am not saying the conversation never happened--"
"And yet here he is, another fucking kid," Hades snapped, making me frown, "She knew, Lucy. She knew we agreed on no more kids and she knew exactly how to hit my button. Now Four is here and there's nothing I can do about it."
"What are you talking about," Lucy asked in surprise, "We can do exactly what we're supposed to do."
"And what's that, Lucy? Enlighten me. Am I supposed to take him to school, pick him up from baseball practice, play catch in the yard with him? He can't look at me without sneering. I can't look at him without seeing him in a fucking casket and she knows that, Luce. She didn't create Four as a weapon. She created him to get back at me."
"And you're just proving her right by panicking, Hades. Four is not a crutch in this ordeal. He's an asset and he's our son."
"And you see exactly how my other kids turned out," Hades said impatiently and I stepped forward to peer through the crack where Hades was leaning back on his desk, his head hanging low so his hair fell like a curtain around his face.
"Yes, I do," Lucy said, rising from his seat across from Hades and approaching him to lift his face up so they could look at each other, "Your children are strong and beautiful and loving and absolutely fantastic, Hades. You made mistakes like every parent does--"
"I hurt them," Hades seethed, then closed his eyes, even as Lucy kept his face in his hands, stroking his cheeks as if to soothe him, "Every single one of them, Luce, and it's only a matter of time before Four hates me, if he doesn't already, and I'm fucking tired, Lucy. I'm tired of being hated by every single fucking person--"
"Hey," Lucy snapped, giving Hades's chin a jerk and Hades sighed in frustration, trying to pull his face away, but Lucy grabbed him and forced their eyes to meet, "Listen to me. Your family does not hate you. I do not hate you. Your children do not hate you, and I guarantee Four does not hate you, Hades, for god's sake, can't you see it every time you look at him?"
"See what? That I failed to help him when he needed me most?"
"No, Hades, what happened to Four was none of your fault. You had no idea--"
"I should've known Hera was up to something, Lucy, she's my sister--"
"Hera slammed the door shut on your face years ago when you told her no," Lucy said softly, making me frown and cock my head so I could hear better, "When you told her the truth. How she took that news is not on you."
"Yes, it is," Hades groaned, pushing Lucy's hands away, "I should've tried harder to fix things. I should've tried harder with Hera from the beginning. It was just so easy to forget she was even there. She was always so quiet as a baby that I thought she was mute for a few days until I found her screaming in that pit, and it was my fault she was in that pit in the first place, I should've told her--"
"You had no idea," Lucy exclaimed, backing away as Hades pushed off the desk to move away from him, "Hades, you had no idea what the place had done to her. You could've never predicted it and you were in that hellhole yourself. You were so busy trying to stay alive and keep everyone else alive that it was a bit difficult for you to focus on her solely and she should know that--"
"Yes, but she needed me and I wasn't there for her, just like I wasn't there for Malachi or-or Theo or--"
"Hades, stop, this is going to drive you insane. The more you keep stewing, the further away Four gets and the more dangerous Hera becomes. We don't have time to play shoulda, coulda, woulda. We don't have time to dwell on the darkness out there. We have a son who needs us right here, right now. If you're so worried about him hating you, why don't you take the time to get to know him? Spend some quality time together--"
"Oh yeah," Hades snorted as he sat at his desk, wiggling his mouse idly, "I'll just grab the ol' mitt and ball and we can just throw the ball back and forth while we discuss the fact that he grew up in a fucking brainwashing facility created by my motherfucking sister. Plus, are you forgetting that the kid already hates me? The way he looks at me--" Hades stopped speaking abruptly and frowned at his computer screen for a while. Lucy watched him and it took me a moment to realize Hades was watching the family photos come across his screensaver.
"Look at the way they look at you now," Lucy said softly, coming around to place a hand on Hades's shoulder, "My own children call you father, Hades." Color me fucking shocked because there was the slightest tinge of pink in Hades's cheeks, like the thought was almost embarrassing for him.
"They shouldn't," he said through clenched teeth. Lucy squeezed his shoulder.
"They should. You are their father, Hades. You are Four's father. We are both Four's fathers. And even as you stew, I know your cup is overflowing with love for Four and he needs to know that now more than ever."
"How can I possibly express that in a way he understands," Hades growled, "He's fucking stubborn and he's honestly right. I don't think I can do this."
"Do what?"
"I don't think I can kill Hera, Lucy."
"She's your little sister," Lucy said quietly, then turned Hades in his swivel chair to face him so they were looking at each other, "I know that, and I know your heart bleeds for her, and I know for a fact that you will do the right thing in the end. You will make the right choice. Because I know you, Hades, and I know that your love for your sons will always and forever come first. You once told me that, despite your renewed connection to Zeus, that if he were ever to come after one of your children, one of our children, you would bury him in an instant. Well, Hera is coming for our son, Hades, and she's coming for the rest of them too. Four wants to know if you will choose him over Hera. He needs to know if he can count on your loyalty, and while I myself know I can, Four doesn't know you as well as I do. He needs to see something, anything, to show him that you love him, and to be honest with you, I think the first step would be to let them get married."
"No," Hades said, making Lucy sigh and step away, "You don't get it, Luce. The shit that happened to him, that's not something you just get over--"
"Don't you think I know that? I'm married to you," Lucy exclaimed, then took a deep breath to steady his voice, "And I have seen it tear Raven apart. You weren't there at the beginning, Hades, you didn't see the shell that remained of the boy I raised. Raven is different. He's healing, and he's taking it one day at a time and he is growing so fast, so well, so wonderfully, despite everything that has happened to him, and you know what? I've seen you grow. I asked you to marry me the first time--"
"And I said no."
"The ring says otherwise," Lucy said, flashing his finger at Hades, who averted his eyes and slumped back in his chair. Lucy smiled sadly and knelt down in front of Hades, who frowned at him.
"Hades. The world will always be falling apart, piece by piece around us, but as long as we stick together, as long as we as a family stand together, we can take our time picking up the pieces and rebuilding the world, not just for ourselves, but for our babies, our grandbabies, their grandbabies."
"Show Four that you want to see him succeed," Lucy murmured, "Show him that the world outside Hera's isn't scary or dangerous or menacing all the time. Show him the way you smile, the way you laugh, the way you love. I've seen you love, Hades, and it is so very special."
"If he goes with River, and that asshole hurts him--"
"I guarantee you that River will not harm Four. I think that is the last thing on his mind."
"Yes, but he'll take him--"
"Take him away from you," Lucy suggested and Hades averted his eyes, "No, he won't, Hades. I think River may be one of the only people who can keep him close to you, actually. Remember, it was River's idea to get your permission to marry Four in the first place. Show them your love. Show them that the world isn't as bad as they think it is, not when we're together."
"He's not going to suddenly love me because I let him get married," Hades ground out, "He's going to get hitched and pack up and disappear."
"No, he's not."
"Yes, he is, he already said as much--"
"I said I'm going to pack up and move out," I said, cracking the door open and both Lucy and Hades jumped, startled and staring at me as I stepped into the office, "I didn't say I was gonna disappear, asshole, you don't even listen to me when I talk." Hades glared at Lucy, who held his hands up in defense.
"I wasn't the last one in," he told Hades, who rolled his eyes as he rose to his feet.
"Listen, kid," Hades started, but I waved him off, making him frown.
"I don't need your lecture on misplaced feelings," I said, making Lucy raise an eyebrow as I went to the desk, then paused to lean over and look at the screen at the same time a photo of Adonis and Theo had faded from the screen and was replaced with an image of Ambrosius, Thorn, Hadrian, and Lumen. A second later, the photo dematerialized and was replaced with an image of Theo hoisting me up onto his shoulders while Cerberus sprayed me with a can of beer, which made me smirk.
"I won hide and seek," I said, referring to the photo and Hades glanced at it before looking at me, "Look, I don't know shit about family. Don't know shit about love or like or happily ever afters. I think the reason is because in Hera's world, there was never a happily ever after. She's going to find hers, even if it means killing everyone else and destroying their happily ever afters." I looked at Hades, who frowned.
"Hera wants to take your happily ever after, and mine," I said, making Lucy blink, "And yeah, I'd say I got my happily ever after, in a way. River and I are getting married. We're going to lead the Windstorm clan and train them properly to use the powers they inherited from Apollyon and Lilith. We're going to show them that when family stands together, they can tackle just about anything."
"Because that's what I've seen since I got here," I said, pushing away from the desk and looking between Hades and Lucy, who looked at me curiously, "Family is fuckin' weird. Y'all argue about the dumbest shit, from who's watching what to who gets to hang out with who. We've had at least six major dinner parties since I've gotten here and several birthdays. Y'all celebrate fuckin' birthdays. At the compound, we got a certificate of achievement, then kicked in the ass and sent to training."
"Family argues," I continued, fingering one of the skulls on Hades's desk, "Family hashes it out. I've seen Theo and Cerberus go at it and even Cain and I have gone at it. At first, I thought that was normal, because that was how the compound was. You always got into fights. Except here, the fight isn't to the death over a potato chip. It's like... play fighting, which is weird, because I didn't really think that was a thing until I got here. Family also supports you. The entire time I've been in this shitty palace, bitching about you motherfuckers constantly, there's always someone here for me. Whether it's you guys or Theo or Cerberus or Dania or Bali and Wednesday, Cain, Abel, Zelios, Malachi, Alaric, Ambrosius, fuck. I could go on forever. Hell, I've even had a good time with Jaques's wife, Naia, a regular nothing special human being. You even trapped one of the assholes who hurt me and gave me the weapon to make sure he didn't hurt anyone else."
"I don't know exactly what love is yet," I admitted with a shrug, "I just know it makes my heart go really fast and I get really excited for no reason, except being around whoever it is I love. I mostly thought I felt that way about River and no one else, but I dunno. Sometimes I get really excited about the idea of playing with Theo and Cerberus or wrestling with Cain or listening to Dania talk about the latest gossip somewhere in the massive universe. You wanna know something else I got excited about?" Lucy nodded and Hades frowned as I met those glowing blue eyes.
"Apparently I have these two guys who are my dads and at first, I was really turned off, because I didn't want another parent who would use me, chew me up, spit me out, and walk all over me afterwards without so much as a thank you," I said, "But then I heard you talk like an actual person, like, with feelings, who isn't a robot voice behind a camera or some goddess with a complex."
"I don't hate you, Hades," I said, surprising myself and apparently Hades too, because those blue glowing eyes seemed to widen and if I didn't know any better, I'd say the glow got more intense, "I really like the way love feels, so I'm gonna work on it, but I can't be the only one who's constantly carrying the feelings in this relationship. I know you didn't want me in the first place, and that's okay, but I'm here and I'm willing to make it work if you are."
"I never said I didn't want you," Hades said, making me blink, "I just... Sometimes we want things, but we're not sure if we're ready to want it or not."
"That's cool. I wasn't sure if I wanted to get married at first," I said with a shrug, "Turns out, though, the future is real bright when it comes to that." Hades scowled.
"What?"
"Oh, I had a weird vision," I said, making gestures with my hands as Hades and Lucy stared at me, "It was back at the Windstorm place when I went belly up for a sec. I saw River and I living in this really cute place and then you came to visit, but you were kinda pissy and making artificial kids for us and--"
"I'm sorry, fucking what?" Hades demanded. I raised an eyebrow.
"That's what I said, so if you wanna get mad at River for anything, it'll definitely be on him if we have kids, because no fucking way I suggested that shit."
"I'm going to murder him," Hades decided, moving away from the desk for the door, but I darted out in front of him.
"Why? He didn't stick his baby stick in me and mix up the batter, idiot, he just suggested that maybe we could have an artificial kid, like you made for Zelios and Noe," I said. Hades stiffened, then looked at me.
"Daphne May was the last artificial I created," he said, making me frown, "And she will remain the last. There is a reason I stopped creating artificials, Four, and it's not because I wanted to." I frowned.
"Why? In my vision, you said you needed samples to create kids for River and I, and you made it sound so easy--"
"It's not," Hades bit off, making me cock my head, "Daphne May almost died when I created her. She still has moments where she malfunctions and needs to come in for health check ups almost regularly. Artificials are a lot more fragile than people think."
"Someone should tell Hera that."
"Something tells me she's finding out on her own," Hades muttered, making me frown, "In Hera's fucked up little world, she thinks she can create an entire army that obeys her every command. Rhea thought the same thing. But there's a reason artificials are fragile compared to other warriors."
"And what's that?" I asked.
"Artificials are people," Hades said, making me raise an eyebrow, "Just like any creature in the world, they need tender love and care. They need patience and time and sustenance. If you create an artificial, if you create a baby naturally, and you raise it the way Hera did... You create fear and confusion and chaos with abilities far beyond our understanding. Hera was trying to create the most dangerous army in the world. The only problem is, she has not and never will be the mother that she longs for. In the process of creating an army, she's creating a problem, for her and for everyone else. Sooner or later, those artificials are going to get a mind of their own."
"Like me," I said, making Hades nod, "Or Seven, Six, Three... Bait." Hades frowned.
"Yes."
"We need to get the artificials to defect from Hera," I said, making Hades nod, "We need to show them the world that is possible outside the walls of the compound."
"But it won't be easy," Lucy said grimly, making us look at him, "It's been over a year since you've been with us, Four."
"So? I gave up on the whole Mother bandwagon thing months ago," I said with a snort, making him raise an eyebrow, "What? Just because I'm an asshole, I'm siding with the Mother? Are you looking at who my dad is?" I gestured with a thumb to Hades, who froze at that. Lucy stared at me for the longest time too. Clearly neither one of them expected me to call Hades "daddy" this fast.
"What? I'm just stating facts," I said dryly, "Hades is my dad and he is also a dick, which I happened to inherit. 'Course, the good looks probably come from Lucy, but I would've liked not looking like a fucking twink. I'll consider the whole mutant angel hybrid thing as payment for that one."
"Yes," Lucy started, then scowled, "Wait, no, what--"
"So, we can continue this talk later," I said, making them both scowl at me, "You know, after I take a breather with my husband downstairs. Maybe schedule a meeting to talk about this shit."
"Which shit?" Lucy asked incredulously as I headed for the door.
"Oh, you know, family shit, Hera shit, impending apocalypse shit. Shit."
"Okay, but--"
"Oh," I said as I got to the doors to hold them open while facing them, "And do me a huge fucking favor. Start locking your fucking doors, idiot, I could hear your woeful conversation from down the hall, goddamn." I shut the doors and turned and headed toward the lounge at the same time I got a text from River.
You took a fucking detour. He sent. I grinned.
Yeah sorry i was just getting confirmation from the dads about marriage.
Wait, we're--
Should we start sharing a room now or do you think Hades will throw a fit?
I don't think we should push it... but this sofa down here is big enough for the two of us.
On my way, babe.