This is set after Itisha's family is involved with a demon attack and she loses some children. She also dislikes greatly Artemis' insistence on screwing around with Ash and his hair when he clearly dislikes it. So Itisha takes steps to make sure Artemis cannot fuss with his hair again.

Acheron was used to people looking at his body and wanting. That terrible weight of the gaze that made him feel ill more than it complimented him. It warred inside of him. The body reacting against his will. He hated it. He hated the feel of anyone behind him. The feel of someone touching his back or shoulders or breathing down his neck.

He stayed stone still as the woman fiddling with the new streak of color in his hair was blowing it dry. He swore she read his mind every time she stood where he could see her. Even put a towel at the base of his neck to keep the air from rushing against it. He never said a word to her about it, but somehow she knew. Sure he had magic for this, but as much as it made him nervous, he also enjoyed the touch.

There was nothing sexual in nature about it. Just simply comforting. There were so very few in the world that he could get that from. A study of the mirror as he opened his eyes. A rich green streak snaked its way through his hair with little silver strands glittering that matched his eyes. He still wasn't entirely sure how she managed that aside from the magic in that odd rinse bowl of hers. The roar of the hair dryer turned off and he relaxed finally as she set it aside and worked something into her hands and ran those fingers through his hair.

Ears rang and he closed his eyes again, realizing that she was humming. A shift as she moved behind him and he opened his eyes slightly just to watch those pale hands start on the top of his head and work his hair into a braid against it, causing the brighter colors to streak into it as she nimbly worked her way down fast. Ash appreciated that Itisha didn't dawdle there. If she ever had to step behind him at all, it was a speedy thing.

Of course today she was just quiet. Ash didn't blame her at all in the slightest. Their world was dangerous, and she was a part of it. Yet people had been hurt. Her family had been hurt. It had torn at him when it happened. From the start, he couldn't see the future with any of them. It had confounded him when he first met the woman and she didn't have a future in his eyes.

Instead she befriended Simi. She befriended him and others. The encouragement to talk to adults other than a single goddess and a classmate had taken work. The woman was distracting herself with things she still had to do. Even now she was doing it. When she finished she removed the little cape and towel and settled down on a stool, "All done." She tried to say it with her normal zest. It wasn't working.

"Thank you, Itisha." He said quietly and shifted. A look upstairs at the thumping sounds of feet and running around. Simi was playing with the little ones. Helping them stay just as distracted. A frown tugged at his lips, "How are they holding up?"

There was a tight smile as Itisha looked away, "Surviving. It isn't the first time something has happened. Though last time was a long time ago. Fates have a way of reminding me that when you keep raising kids for so long, there will always be some that don't make it. They already lost so much, I was hoping to keep them from doing that for a while. Let them be children and have to worry about the tougher things as adults."

Dammit, he wished he could fix this for her. The only consolation had been that he assured her they went somewhere good. That some had found their families again on the other side. They weren't alone. Itisha told him that it was probably like Neverland for them all. A family made up of lost children.

"Simi keeps offering to kidnap some children for me." Itisha finally said softly, a pained smile pulling on her lips, "Which is entirely appreciated. She seems as distraught about it as I am. The were slayer families keep bringing their young over so that I can help take care of them and not feel as alone. Fill the empty beds and rooms and chairs and…" She trailed off and closed her eyes tightly.

Ash reached out and closed his hand around hers. Standing up, he moved to envelop her into a hug as she trembled. Eyes closed as he spoke softly, "I am sorry I cannot fix this for you, Itisha."

A hiccup and an attempt to shake her head. "Don't apologize for that, Ash. I am used to not having people to fix it. I don't like screwing with Fate that much. It hurts but… I give them as best a time as I can while they are still here. I just wish it could be longer. I keep seeing lives pass me by and I get so tired of it sometimes. Sometimes I just want the monotony. Except I am so bad at it. I get restless and… suddenly a house full of children who have nowhere to go."

"How long have you been doing this?" He had never asked. never thought to ask.

"About half as long as you have been alive. My heart aches for those I wasn't able to save. So many people hurt as children. Being a woman was horrible back then, stars. I had to pretend to be a guy so many times. Helping children didn't include my own house so much as relocating them. I hated hiding. They didn't deserve to hide too. I… someone thanked me for doing so much… they helped me establish somewhere to stay and I just started taking them in. I don't even remember when it was. I just remember the tiny infant I scooped up who just wanted their mother. They were too young to know what happened and I brought them home."

"You have a lot of courage and love then to do that." He murmured softly. His heart ached for her. Though it was hard to tell how much of that was her own pain bleeding off of her. Even muted, it was still strong. The world knew her pain quite literally. "They are all lucky to have you, Itisha. I wish more people had your courage."

That made her just cry against him. She didn't feel courageous. Didn't feel all that great at all. Her babies… her babies were hurt emotionally and physically. Some were gone now too. Eyes squeezed tightly and she finally wrapped her arms around his waist and held him close.

"I hate that it hurts so much, Ash."

"I know, Itisha. That is why we are here. So you aren't doing it alone."

"I know. Thank you. I just… it is going to take me a while. I don't hold back on them. I love them with every inch of my being."

"And they know that too. You gave them a gift better than Aphrodite could even give them." A slow consideration then and he drew back a little, "You give a lot of yourself. I think you need someone to give a little bit to you."

She drew back a little and stared up at him with glassy crystal blue eyes, "Like what?"

"Well, I might as well return the favor of all that hair coloring you have been doing. Plus the braiding. Trust me enough to not ruin your hair?"

"I can fix it if you do. I'd appreciate it, actually. Can we put the kids' favorite colors in? I would… like to do that for them."

"Sure." He dipped down and kissed the corner of her lips softly and then stepped back and tugged her gently over to the chair he had been sitting in, "Just walk me through the steps."