Ares And Mia

Chapter 28

My hands wring against my shirt, swallowing hard as I approached the door. Eros, dressed casually--well, as casual as being a God can get-- stands a few feet away, rubbing the back of his neck. "You sure about this?"

I let out a huff, before elbowing him in the side. "That's the eighteenth time you've asked me. I'm sure about this."

After the... incident with my hands and electricity, Ares told me that I should keep it a secret. It was probably better to, since I would only attract more attention as a supposed human with powers. Strangely enough, while the file completely disintegrated in my hands, when Ares touched me, he was unscathed. He brought me to my room, before telling me that I would be able to see my brothers.

No matter how much I tried that night, the electricity wouldn't come again.

It was like... a spurt of power that just... ran dry. Like a wire was cut between me and the power, like it was completely gone. I didn't feel very different, but some part of me changed. Awaken, probably.

I knocked on the door. Breathe, Mia. Lifetimes passed before the door finally creaks open or maybe just mere seconds. My heart wrenches in my chest when I see Trevor, standing with wide eyes, staring down at me. "Who is it?"

"Mia?" My name leaves his mouth and I feel like crying. I wrap my arms around him, squeezing my eyes shut.

"Mia?! Did you say Mia?!" I hear another voice shriek, high pitched and overjoyed, just as a smaller figure slams into me from the side. I laugh, wrapping my arm around him. It's been so long since I've seen them, they look good. Healthy, happy.

"Charles, hey buddy," I grin, ruffling his dark hair. He matches my smile, his braces a sky blue shade this month. "Who's she?" I glance toward Trev, tilting my head toward the figure inside of the house. She was ducked around a wall, but I picked up her presence.

Staying with the Gods really put into perspective how vulnerable I was. I guess the habit of scanning everything that I see the second something changes has ingrained itself into me.

"That's Calypso. My girlfriend." I raise my eyebrows, moving past the two and holding my hand out to her. She had sea-green eyes and blond hair, braided into dreads. Freckles splattered her face and her lips curved softly.

"H-Hi." Calypso stammered. She takes my hand and I shake it, ignoring the slight wetness of her palm. Meeting your lover's sister was probably something that was nerve-wracking.

"It's nice meeting you. You have a really cool name." I turn back to look at Eros and wave him in. He smirks, walking to my side. His movements were languid and smooth, almost as if he were lifting himself up. "This is..."

"River. I'm her chaperone." I roll my eyes at him, raising my eyebrows at his choice of names. Trevor nods, closing the door. Charles stares up at Eros with wide eyes and I head inside, ignoring the others for the time being.

The house that I left them in... It looks exactly the same as I left it. There's popcorn on the table, Charles's homework, and a paused movie on the TV screen. It was as if nothing changed. If I hadn't seen the file... No, if I hadn't met Ares at all, I wouldn't have suspected that something was wrong.

I wouldn't have even thought that I... Nevermind.

"It's not Christmas. Did something happen?" Trevor asks me and I turn. A lump forms in my throat and I feel Eros stare intently at me. Say it, Mia. You made this decision, you have to carry through with it.

What if they get hurt because of you?

I can't look Charles in the eye. "I'm going abroad. To work on a job that I found." Abroad as in Olympus, job as in figuring out what the hell the prophecy is going to be resolved. "I might be gone for a little while." I clasp my hands together behind me, smiling softly at the people before me.