by Dee King
“What?” Making me smile.
“Staring at me. You make me feel very self-conscious.”
She rolls out of the bed wearing a very revealing nightgown.
“You shouldn't feel that way. I just like looking at you... all of you.”
I roll my body towards her, staring at her, her whole body, from head to toe.
“Oh gods.” Her face flushes with embarrassment by what I have said.
“What? I can't admire my fiancé?”
“Sebastian...” She laughs again with a smile so radiant that it makes me forget my fears.
I make my way out of the bed standing in front of her, half-naked, looking at her.
“Um... hmm... what do we do today?”
“I have some ideas.” I grab her fast, catching her off guard, holding her body very close to mine.
“I doubt that's going to happen today.” She pushes me back playfully, sneaking a quick kiss of my lips.
I couldn't let her go, I didn't want to. I kiss her back, making it harder for her to want to move away from me. I feel her arms wrap around my neck. She is kissing me back, like never before. I move my hands up her body
and I hear her moan. That intensifies my feelings for her and I kiss her deeper. She is taking my breath away. I don't want to stop, but I know this isn't how she wants this to happen. Nor do I. I feel her body slowly moving back, and without words, I agree with her. We needed to slow
down before we got to a place we couldn't come back from. I release her from my grip, watching her pink lips, turn upwards into that smile I have grown so fond of. We move away from each other discussing what really
was going to happen today. How did a wedding work in Mount Olympus?
Do we get to do a dress rehearsal? She asked me a thousand questions. I didn't have half the answers she seeked. My dad was the one I knew would have the answers, but I had no clue as to how that was going to go today. I leave her to dress, shower, whatever she wanted to do, and make my way to the room that should have been mine. Opening the door, I see Cato. He wasn't alone. I cough loudly trying to wake him. No movement from him, but whoever lay beside him rolled over into him. Screw it I needed my clothes. I most definitely needed a shower, smelling my upper body. The closet was huge and filled with clothes, just not the kind I would wear. It's
as if my dad picked out my clothes. Suits, suits in many colors, and more suits. I wasn't my father, and I didn't want to wear a suit every day. I was going to have to go back to my dad's house, The House of Hades, to find
clothes I really wanted. Shutting the closet door quietly I heard someone gasp. I turn around and see who is in the bed with Cato. Standing there in my underwear, in front of her, I couldn't move. Cato still fast asleep, she sits up.
“Sebastian, what are you doing in here?” Her voice is a whisper.
“I guess I should be asking what you’re doing in here, but I can see what you’re doing.” I begin to laugh pointing at her where the blanket has revealed what she was wearing.
Nothing. She grabs the cover pulling it all the way to her chin, with her face turning a very dark shade of red.
“It's cool. I get it.” I try to leave the room, when I hear footsteps come in behind me.
“Holy..”
“Yea, that happened.” I couldn't stop myself.
The laughs began to come and I just stood there watching Selene's eyes, looking at her.
“What the hell?” Cato is now awake, rubbing his eyes, staring at Selene and I.
This had to be the most awkward situation. I'm half-naked, she is obviously naked, Cato is naked, and Selene is the only one with all her clothes on.
“Let's leave these two alone.” Taking Selene by the hand, we walk out of the room while Selene's head is tilted towards the two of them.
She starts laughing as I start laughing.
“I gotta go to my dad's to get my clothes. You coming?” Trying to change the subject of what we just witnessed.
“I'm not staying here... that was... whoa.” She is still laughing through trying to get out the words.
I get dressed in the slacks I wore last night, pulling my shoes on, but no shirt. Who cared what I was wearing?
“What about your shirt?” Selene is holding the shirt I wore last night in her hand.
“Nah, I'm good. We're just running over there.” Pointing in the direction to my father's home.
“No. No way. You’re wearing a shirt.”
“Why?”
“Because... just do it.” Her face is slightly growing pink and I think I get it.
She is jealous. I never thought I'd see the day where Selene was jealous. I liked it.
“No, nobody cares, plus, I doubt anyone will even see us.” Playing with her emotions, I watch her mouth twitch.
She wants to protest, but she doesn't. She didn't have to say anything. She walks right out of the room, stomping all the way down the stairs. It was fun to watch her get angry at me. It was cute. It was something I had
grown used to when all the times she would say she hated me to Chloe, but I would see her watch me walk away in the halls. High school, that seemed like a century ago now. I take the shirt she had thrown on the ground when she walked down the stairs, buttoning every button
on the way down the stairs. Her smile said it all. She was jealous of other girls seeing me partially undressed. This was a turning point for me. I had always been jealous of Selene. Watching her get angry with me for the
same thing, well, this was new, and I liked it.
“Thank you.” She smiles, but not so that I can see her.
It was the day before I was to be married and here was the love of my life worried that other goddess' would be checking me out. It really was fun. It's still dark in Alexandria as we walk down the road towards the mount.
We didn't talk, just walked hand in hand to my father's house with darkness everywhere. What time was it? I felt like we had overslept. We walk into my old house and no one was here. That meant my dad was either still with Zeus, or the Underworld. Now, I just didn't know if he was working, per say, or with Medusa. When I was a kid he always said he was working. Probably more like raising another son and taking care of another wife. Running up the stairs, Selene follows, chasing me. I run into my room, jumping on my bed.
“Join me.” Breathless, she puts her hands on her hips, not finding me funny.
“Just kidding... just kidding.” I move off the bed walking into my newly furnished closet that I know my dad and Ian had done for me before getting to Mount Olympus.
I know Ian had a hand in it because there were new Converse in boxes.
“That boy doesn't change much, does he?” Selene points down to the boxes of shoes.
“Not really. There is a funny story about the shoes.” I say taking my Adidas shoes, a pair of jeans, a new t-shirt, and underwear in my arms.
“Tell me.”
Selene was curious of the story behind the Cons. I move past her walking towards the shower, telling her about the shoes. When we first found out we were going to Earth for our high school years, we had to bring clothes or buy clothes that fit in with the mortals. We got to go on a one-day shopping spree on Earth before we left for Malibu. Ian happened to see a bunch of skater kids on the sidewalk riding skateboards. They all had Converse on. He said they looked like they were some badass mortals and he was going to dress like that. It was that simple. He thought the shoes were what made them look so cool. I just thought they were shoes and I would dress however I wanted. Not Ian, he wanted the persona he had on
Mount Olympus. Badass dad, badass brother, and he wasn't going to be the one to let the family down. The shoes just stuck. He never owned another pair of shoes but those damn Converse. Selene found the story pretty
funny, being how she was half-mortal, I thought she might.
“Shoes don't make the person.” She laughs.
“I know this, you know this, Ian... Ian doesn't know this.” We both laugh
with another, as I turn to her.
“I gotta shower.”
“Shit. I didn't do that.” She looks down at her clothes.
“We could shower together. Save water.” I offer, knowing that she would never say yes, but it's fun to watch her blush.
“Funny. Don't you have more than one bathroom?”
She folds her arms over her upper body. I nod yes, showing her to the shower I thought she would like -my mom's. It would be fully stocked with whatever a girl needed, and I did want her to be happy. She thanked
me, giving me a quick peck, and then shoving me out of the bathroom. Taking a shower, I felt better than I had. Clean, free for a short time of the drama, and in my own home. Thoughts of this being my home surprised me. I wanted to live here. I wouldn't go back to the dungeon that Zeus had built for Cato and me. Colin was right. The houses just didn't feel like home. What surprised me more was the fact that I was thinking of my father. Where was he? Was he okay? And did I really want to leave the
mount to live on Earth, when I could live here forever?
Chapter Eighteen
Fights break out
Dressed in my clothes, feeling refreshed, I walk to the bathroom where I left Selene. I could hear her humming a melody. My body slumped down the door of the bathroom, just listening to her. Never knowing she had a
voice of an angel, getting lost in her world, I didn't notice someone standing over me.
“Are you staying here?”
“I came to get my clothes, take showers, that's all.” My body stiffened as I stood to my feet.
“You’re allowed to stay here, son. No one said you have to live in
Alexandria.” My dad pats me on the shoulder.
This was a strange feeling. I was excited to see my dad, but then the feelings of what had played out the night before was on my mind.
“Where have you been?” I wanted to know exactly what he had been through and where had he gone.
“Oh you know fatherly duties.” My dad smiles at me, turning around towards his part of the house.
“Wait, that's all you got?”
“What else do you want me to say?” He is making me nervous.
“Where were you?”
“I had to explain what happened and how I will soon be wed.”
“Yea, Poseidon told us about that. So, Medusa will be your wife?”
“Not necessarily. I'm weighing my options.” He grins his arrogant smile at me.
“Dad, just tell me what's going to happen next?”
“To be honest, I don't know. Why don't we focus on you today and tomorrow? I can take care of myself. Okay?” He wasn't going to tell me anything. Selene puts her hand on my back startling me.
“Sorry to interrupt.” She speaks very quietly.
“Selene, sweetheart, you look beautiful this morning.” My father, always the charmer.
“Thank you, Mr. Andreas.”
“Please, call me Dad, Hades, or whatever, but never that.” He does a big fake laugh, with head leaned back.
“Yes, sir. I mean, Hades, sir.”
“No, sir. Just Hades is fine, darling.” He winks at her and then leaves us standing in the hallway.
“Sorry about that.” I try to apologize for my dad's odd behavior.
“Don't be sorry, he’s a charmer… Like his son.”
“Yea, I guess.” I smile. We walk down the stairs to the kitchen.
Any food that we can find, we are making. I hadn't noticed how hungry I had been. Selene was smiling, happy, and helping me in the kitchen. It was
fun imagining what our future was going to be like. Neither of us discussed what we had walked in on in Cato's room. It was embarrassing for everyone, yet I found it comical. Just when I was about to mention
something to Selene about it, the devil himself walked in.
“Good morning.” Cato is in the kitchen with us, this is a first.
He didn't grow up here, never hung out here, and yet here he was acting like he really was a part of my family. It felt unfamiliar, a territory I wasn't capable of having feelings for.
“I'm sure you had a good morning.” Selene and I both crack up laughing.
Cato, on the other hand, did not find the situation as funny as we did.
“That needs to stay quiet.”
“Sure.” We both say laughing again at him.
“I'm serious and your brother would freak.” He looks towards Selene.
“Why? What's the big deal?”
“What you don't know is this is the game they play. Colin and Cato.” I answer for him.
“Dammit, this isn't a game, Sebastian.”
“Right. So, are you guys going to have a duel over her or what? I mean how long are you two going to fight over Iris?”
“Shut up. You don't know what you’re talking about.”
Cato is trying to change the subject, by taking food from the plates.
“I don't? This hasn't been the reason why you and Colin hate each other? Tell me, big brother, how do you share with him?” Cato is furious.
I knew it would set him off but I cared for Iris and thought this love triangle had
gone on long enough.
“Colin likes Iris? I thought they were just friends?”
“They are friends. Friends with benefits like Cato here.” That was probably the last straw for Cato, but Selene and I laughed and that made it worse.
“Listen, you little bastard. You don't know me and you don't know my life so don't claim to know anything about me and Iris.” He drops the food he was about to eat down on the plate, moving fast to me.
Cato has me by my shirt, twisted in his hand. I grab his hand, twisting it back, till he gave way.
“No, you're the bastard. Listen to me, brother of mine. Stop treating Iris like she is a toy, only playing with her when you need her. You either stand up for what you want or let her go!” I have him by the arm, holding it
tightly to his chest, causing his face to turn bright red.
I release Cato from tightly gripped fingers, pushing him back. I saw it in his eyes before it was going to happen, so when he made a run towards me I moved fast out of the way, him landing hard on a chair.
Brushing himself off, he slowly turns facing Selene and I.
“You want more? Bring it.” I tell him, ready to fight with my hands in the air, ready for the first hit I was going to land on his pretty little face.
“Stop! Stop this!” Selene jumps in between us, yelling at each of us.
My father's voice echo's through the house.
“That is ENOUGH!” He is standing behind Cato. Cato turns around to see my father behind him.
“You two may not like each other, but I won't tolerate the two of you fighting in my home.” Cato and I stare at each other.
Cato throws his hands up, walking out the front door, running smack into Ian.
“Slow down. Jerk.” I hear Ian say as he walks inside with Zack and his father.
“What the hell is his problem?” Ian walks by my father, looking at all of our faces.
“He is an idiot. He always has been. You know this.” I shake my head at Ian.
“Yep. Cato is the devils spawn.” Ian pauses, taking a look at my dad, “No offense, sir.”
Aries hits Ian on the back of the head for saying something stupid in front of my dad. To everyone's surprise, my dad actually laughs, though.
“He is like his mother.” He keeps laughing making his way to the food we had made.
Zack asks Selene if she is all right, helping her to a chair at the table. Aries sits across from her while Ian and I stand there watching them.
“This is nuts.” Ian leans over whispering to me.
“No shit, Sherlock.” We both laugh and I take the other seat beside Selene, apologizing for my behavior.
My father, with his red glass, comes to sit down at the head of the table.
“What were you two fighting about this time? Wait. Let me guess. Iris?�
� Everybody at the table goes quiet.
“You know?” I ask him.
“Of course. He has always been in love with Iris. Colin has never wanted to give her up. She will have to decide between them soon though.” My father raises the glass to his mouth, sipping on his coffee.
“Why?” Zack was as curious as we are.
“Oh, yes, my bad. Because Zeus is calling for everyone to be married, soon.”
“What!” Ian can't believe what he just heard.