~Book Dedication~
For the Black Sheep of the family. Even though you try somehow it's still your fault. You're trying and others see it even if they don't say anything out loud. It's not your fault, don't let them make you believe it too.
Ayden has...
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"Ayden!" Thalassa threw open the girl's door.
"Hmm," Ayden grumbled as she pulled the blankets over her head.
"What are you doing? Don't you know what day it is?" Thalassa laughed as she moved forward yanking the blankets off the bed. Ayden let out a long sigh and sat up rubbing her eyes.
"What?"
"It's Christmas!" Thalassa screamed. Ayden grimaced and looked at the doorway. Chaos and Aion were standing together both smiling.
"So?"
"So?!" Chaos smiled. "Just wake up and come downstairs."
"It's Christmas," Thalassa waved her hands in the air. Ayden hasn't experienced a real Christmas, ever. Her mother did when she was younger, but Ayden couldn't remember those years anymore. The last few she'd been on the run so she had no place to give herself her own Christmas. Ayden woke herself up and got dressed.
When she made it downstairs she saw that they'd decorated everything overnight. None of them had said they were going to celebrate Christmas, in fact, they had only mentioned the holiday a few times. Aion had been messing with the time in the house so it was hard to tell how long she'd been there for. A week could have been a year or two she didn't know, but he would always reset it.
"There she is!" Aion yelled. He had a cup in his hand.
"Are you drinking?" Ayden yawned.
"We all are, here," Thalassa handed her a cup. Ayden sniffed it. She'd never had alcohol before, but she knew the pungent scent even through the eggnog.
"I'll pass." Ayden put the glass down on the table next to her. She looked around the room at the bright decorations. "When did you all have time to do this?"
"All night," Nyx came in with a present in her arms.
"And presents?" Ayden asked. "I didn't—," She scratched the back of her neck. "I didn't know we were doing gifts. I would—."
"Don't worry, this isn't for you," Achlys walked in with a smirk on her face. Ayden's cheeks heated as she watched her set the gift down. "Not all of these are for you."
"Speak to her like that again Achlys, just try to open your mouth," Chaos threatened. She kept a soft smile on her face, but it didn't reach her eyes. She looked horrifying.
"I was—." Chaos was over in front of her in the blink of an eye.
"Ladies," Aion moved his hand reversing each of their positions until Achlys was back out of the room. "Let's not fight on Christmas morning. Achlys didn't mean it like that, she's just not great with kids." Chaos watched the goddess return to the room.
