I do not own Familia Myth or any of the characters.
Recovering
Ethan smiled as he stepped out of the way, letting Ryu into the mansion. He closed the door behind her and they headed to the common room where the others all were.
"Good evening, Ryu," Bell greeted her.
"Good evening, Bell," Ryu said. "Thank you for letting me come over, everyone."
"It's fine," Hestia said. "You're welcome any time. You can even just stay the night if you want. You come over to check on him every evening after you get done work anyway, and we have plenty of empty rooms, so feel free to use one."
"Thank you, but that's alright," Ryu bowed, then turned to sit on the couch beside Ethan. "How are you feeling?"
"Cabin Fever's starting to set in," Ethan sighed. "I feel useless. I'm no good to anyone wounded."
"Then you should have thought about that before you went back into the dungeon," Ryu said curtly.
"I suppose," Ethan said. "How was work?"
"The same," Ryu said. "No one got into any fights this time. Oh, Mama Mia suggested I bring you this." She held out a packaged meal. "She taught me a few new recipes that are supposed to help the body heal faster."
"No, Ryu, come on," Ethan said. "You can't just keep giving me things. I already owe you for the sword, and-"
"No," Ryu said flatly. "I bought you that because I wanted to. You are not paying me back."
Ethan groaned.
"I told you so," Anya said from across the room where she was talking with Cassandra and Daphne.
"Shut it, Anya," Ethan said, accepting the meal, since he knew there was no point in arguing. "I seriously can not wait to be able to go into the dungeon."
"Well, that's too bad," Ryu said. "It'll be at least another week before you can go."
Ethan sighed. "I know."
"I'm going to bed early," Mikoto finally said, heading for the door. "Goodnight everyone."
"Goodnight!" everyone called after her.
About three minutes later, Bell, Lili, and Welf all snuck out the window. Ethan sighed. They were about to get into trouble. Again.
"You're not going," Ryu said firmly.
"I know that!" Ethan said. "Doesn't mean I have to like it."
"Well, what would you like to be doing right now besides leaving the house?" Ryu asked.
Ethan was quiet for a moment while he thought. "I don't know. I'd like to try out my new weapons, but I'm not allowed. I'd like to go have a drink, but I'm not allowed." He sighed. "Being under house arrest sucks."
Ryu sighed, shaking her head. "You're going to have to get used to it."
"I know," Ethan sighed.
"If it'll make you feel better, though, I'll bring drinks tomorrow," Ryu added.
"Yes please," Ethan smiled. "I'll pay for them either whenever I'm allowed out of the house or I'll give you the money so you can take it to Mama Mia for me."
Ryu gave him an unimpressed look, and he rolled his eyes.
"I can buy my own drinks, Ryu," Ethan said.
"No," Ryu said.
Ethan sighed heavily and relented. They all chatted for a while longer, the conversation alternating between individual groups and everyone in the room, before Ethan began to feel his body telling him it was time to rest.
"I'm going to head to bed, I think," Ethan finally sighed.
"Alright," Anya said, standing.
"That's alright, Anya," Ryu said, helping Ethan stand. "I've got him."
"You sure?" Anya asked.
"Yeah," Ryu smiled. "It's no trouble."
Anya nodded, smiling, and sat back down as Ryu and Ethan left the room, Ryu helping Ethan up the stairs and to his bedroom. He went to the bathroom quickly before heading back to the bedroom. Then sighed as he sat on the bed, wincing as his main wound ached.
"I actually kind of forgot how slowly my body healed without magic," Ethan said.
"It does take a while," Ryu nodded. "But you are healing quickly, so it won't be too much longer."
Ethan nodded, looking around.
"Is there anything you need?" Ryu asked.
He hummed thoughtfully. "Not unless you feel like giving me a massage."
"A massage?" Ryu asked, raising an eyebrow.
Ethan shrugged. "Everyone loves massages. And I'm so tired my whole body aches all the time."
"Alright," Ryu nodded. "Are you alright to lay on your stomach?"
"Wait, you're serious?" Ethan asked.
"I am if you actually want one," Ryu said.
Ethan nodded, gently laying on his stomach. Ryu knelt on the side of the bed beside him, gently beginning to knead his shoulders and back, careful not to press down hard enough to aggravate his main wound, and being careful to go around the others. As she worked, Ethan smiled comfortably. After about fifteen minutes, she paused, seeing he had drifted off to sleep. She smiled to herself, standing beside the bed before bending down and kissing him lightly on the cheek. Then, she walked out of the room, closing the door softly behind her. As the door clicked closed, Ethan opened one eye, staring at it in silence for a long while before closing it again and allowing himself to sink back into sleep, a million conflicting thoughts whirling through his head.
Ethan worked his way into the common room to find Bell on his knees, Hestia standing in front of him with her arms crossed, and Welf, Mikoto, and Lili standing to Bell's left.
"You went to the Pleasure Quarter and didn't come back until morning?" Hestia asked.
"Y-Yes," Bell stammered.
"Lady Hestia, as I said, it was all my fault!" Mikoto said.
"Wow," Ethan said. "Of all the conversations to walk in on, this has got to be my favorite yet."
"Shut up, Mikoto and Ethan," Hestia said before smirking and leaning forward. "So, Bell. Does that mean you did what I think you did?"
"What you think..." Bell's eyes flew wide open. "N-No way!"
"Then what were you doing?" Hestia asked, then held out a small vial of a red liquid that Ethan recognized as a very powerful, and extremely expensive, aphrodisiac that some of the males of the Apollo Familia often blew their money on before going to the Pleasure Quarter. "And I also want to know why you had this."
Ethan let out a long, low whistle. "Damn, Bell. You come prepared."
Bell's face turned scarlet instantly. He hesitated before staring at the ground. "I-I didn't do anything weird, okay?"
"Lady Hestia..." Mikoto trailed off.
"You can't lie to a goddess," Hestia finally sighed. "Bell's telling the truth."
Bell smiled up at her in relief.
"But I'm still mad at you for going to the Pleasure Quarter!" Hestia snapped. "I'm mad that you even wanted to go to the Pleasure Quarter!"
"I told you, I didn't want-"
"I'm going to punish you!" Hestia interrupted, turning away from him. "You're ordered to go help the neighbors!"
"O-Okay," Bell sighed and bowed before leaving.
The others all left as well, leaving Ethan and Hestia.
"I'm going to go out on a limb and guess Bell ran into Hermes while he was trying to find Mikoto and the others again, and Hermes probably gave him the aphrodisiac and swore him to secrecy," Ethan guessed.
"Probably," Hestia said. "He's definitely the type. Have you ever been there?"
"No," Ethan said. "The furthest I ever went was the main gate to pick up my sister, though apparently that was all to make me think she was actually going to brothels, and not slowly paying for a hieroglyph weapon for me."
"Sounds like she worked hard to surprise you," Hestia said.
Ethan smiled, nodding. "Yeah. She's the best sister I could have ever had."
Hestia nodded in agreement before smiling. "How are you feeling?"
"It still hurts, but less so today than it did yesterday," Ethan said, raising a hand to the gash across his torso. "And thanks to Ryu giving me that massage yesterday I don't ache as bad."
"That's good," Hestia said. "Hopefully you'll be healed soon."
"I hope so," Ethan sighed. "I want to go to the Dungeon. I need to get my stats back up."
"Well, walking around wounded should be increasing your Vitality status," Hestia said.
"True," Ethan nodded. "Still not enough, though."
Hestia nodded and Ethan sighed, turning to leave.
"I'm going to go practice my form before Anya wakes up and makes me act like a cripple again," Ethan said.
"Alright," Hestia said. "Just don't overdo it."
"I won't," Ethan said, raising a hand before heading back to his room to collect both of his blades then headed to the front door, only to find Ryu walking up the path as he opened it.
She glared at him the moment she saw the swords but he simply rolled his eyes and walked over to a spot of grass of the the side before driving the blades into the ground.
"You're supposed to be resting," Ryu said.
"I rest all day every day," Ethan said. "I want to practice, even if it's only basic form. What are you doing here so early, anyway?"
"Mama Mia gave me the day off," Ryu said. "I brought drinks."
"Thank you," Ethan said, pulling the sword she'd given him from the ground. "Would you care to help me train?"
Ryu glared at him flatly before sighing and pulling her wooden sword out, taking a ready stance, Ethan doing the same. He made the first move, keeping his strikes slow and soft enough to not aggravate his wounds, and Ryu nodded once as she blocked the first strike. It wasn't sparring, so much as she was giving him something to practice his form against, and telling him if he made a mistake. They spent a while training with him only wielding that sword, during which time he found that despite it being made so that two hands could be used, it was even lighter than the saber he'd used after the Black Goliath was killed, making it more than light enough to be wielded with one hand. After a while, Ethan picked up the other blade as well and began to train with both, alternating between holding the shorter blade in standard and reverse grip. Eventually, they headed back inside so Ethan could rest, and spent several hours doing nothing. They passed the time by sipping at the drinks and relaxing, and once everyone else got back, they all joined them.
Ethan groaned miserably as he leaned back against the couch.
"It's not that bad," Anya said.
"I'm so bored!" Ethan complained. "Why can't I go practice my form again?"
"Because you're wounded, and you shouldn't have done it yesterday," Anya said. "Since it was with Ryu I let it slide."
"You're killing me, Anya," Ethan said. "I'm going to die of Cabin Fever."
"You'll be fine, drama queen," Anya said, turning the page in her book.
"I'm telling you, it's true!" Cassandra said as she and Daphne walked into the room behind Ethan.
"What's going on?" Ethan asked, tilting his head back to look at them.
"I had a dream that a toad swallowed a rabbit!" Cassandra said. "Bell's in danger!"
"I'm telling you, there's nothing to worry about," Daphne said. "Bell's going to be just fine."
"Better safe than sorry," Ethan said, moving to stand, jumping on the chance to leave, only for Anya to pull him back into the seat.
"You're not going anywhere near the Dungeon," Anya said.
"Oh come on!" Ethan groaned. "We have to help Bell!"
"Bell will be just fine," Anya said. "Her dreams don't mean anything."
"Yes they do!" Ethan said. "They're visions!"
"No," Anya said.
Ethan groaned. "Sorry Cassandra."
"It's okay," Cassandra sighed. "At least you believe me."
She and Daphne sat down off to one side, but after her ignored warning, conversation was basically dead. Finally, Ethan stood, going to get what was left of the alcohol just to have something to do. Later that day, as the sun was beginning to set, Lili and Welf ran into the room.
"Lady Hestia!" Welf shouted. "Bell and Mikoto have been kidnapped!"
Everyone stared at him before Cassandra and Ethan both turned to look Daphne and Anya, who both sighed heavily.
"It's a coincidence," Daphne said.
"Why won't you believe me!?" Cassandra wailed.
"How do you know they were kidnapped?" Hestia asked. "Is it possible that they're lost in the dungeon again?"
"No," Lili said. "We were fighting a huge group of Lygerfangs and Bell and Mikoto disappeared. But when I got where they were, I saw a bunch of Amazonesses running away. I think it was the Ishtar Familia."
"That's really, really bad," Hestia said. "I'll have Take come over so we can discuss what to do."
The others all nodded and she quickly left to get him, the others, minus Ethan and Anya, beginning to get themselves ready for a fight.
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