"- So Poseidon decided to pour water onto the grease fire in attempts to put it out-" Chapter 10 Treading in The Unknown
Poseidon rubbed his face looking at the clock in anguish. He was running out of time and he couldn't put it off any longer.
The sixteen-year-old had been assigned with his younger brother Zeus to make mother's birthday cake.
The problem is that he never made a cake before, and he didn't think Zeus did either. Demeter always baked the cake, but his sisters took their older brother to visit different colleges as he was a graduating high school this year.
Poseidon never really cooked anything from scratch before and was nervous as his mother was very particular about how she likes her cake.
Poseidon looked away from the clock towards Zeus who was looking out the window with his hands clenching the windowsill. Poseidon rolled his eyes as his brother was being dramatic as always. It's obvious that Zeus did something that his parents wouldn't approve of and he is contemplating on what to say.
"Have you baked a cake before?"
"No." Zeus answered without taking his eyes off the backyard.
"Great."
Poseidon picked up the piece of paper on the counter. It was a recipe of a red velvet cake, it had no instructions other than the portions listed.
"You're better with solving puzzles. I'm going to need your help with baking this cake as there are no instructions."
Even with a compliment Zeus didn't stop brooding. He must've done something really stupid this time around.
"Whatever you have done it couldn't be as bad as when you got two teen girls pregnant."
Poseidon expected a retort or at least a snarky comment, but he still stayed silent staring at the blades of grass. His fingers tapped the edge of the windowsill.
Poseidon rolled his eyes once more at his dramatic behavior, "Either you tell me what you've done or help me with this cake."
Zeus paused at the window, before joining Poseidon at looking at the piece of paper, "I think we start with the flour."
"That much is obvious. I remember hearing something about separating the dry and wet ingredients on the cooking show. Do you think that applies here?"
"Why separate them if you're going to combine them later?"
Poseidon paused, Zeus had a point there.
Zeus added flour to the bowl as Poseidon was cracking the eggs.
"Did mother say when father is coming back?"
Poseidon looked up from the bowl with an eyebrow raised. Between the five siblings none of them spoke about their father. It was very out of the ordinary for Zeus to speak about him.
"No, she never does. It's only been two weeks, his business trips usually takes five weeks."
"Right. Do you even know what his job is?"
"No, no one but mother knows. Why are you asking these questions?"
Zeus shrugged, "Does it not bother you that we don't know what our own father does for a living?"
"No."
Zeus sighed his eyes straying back to the window.
"Whatever has you upset either say it or shut up and make this cake."
"You do know that Hephaestus and the twins will be over tonight to celebrate mother's birthday."
Poseidon blinked, it has been three years since his eldest nephew had been born and he still isn't used to his younger brother being a father. It wasn't just one child but three as he cheated on Hera with Leto and had twins two years ago.
"They come over for every celebration, why would this one be any different?"
Zeus broke eye contact and poured sugar into the bowl, "Forget what I've said."
"Is that why you keep mentioning father? Is it because you are a father?"
"Perhaps."
Poseidon mixed the batter, he already started the oven for the cake to be baked. He is at a lost as Zeus was obviously looking for direction and he isn't able to provide any as he wasn't a father.
"I'm not equipped to say anything about this. If you're worried, the best advice I could give is don't be like father."
Zeus dropped his shoulders, "I'm trying not to be."
"You're only fifteen and a freshman in high school. You still have time to figure things out."
Poseidon poured the batter into a square pan making sure to evenly spread the batter on the pan. After the batter filled the pan he put it in the oven.
That didn't go as bad as he thought it would, but he still had to make the frosting. Poseidon glanced back down to the recipe and just like the cake it didn't have instructions other than portions.
The frosting should be easier to make than the cake, Poseidon hoped. He set out a pot to make the frosting.
"Do you think mother likes surprises?"
"Absolutely not! Do you not know her? She has never like them. What is with these questions?"
Zeus shrugged again, his eyes moving back towards the window.
Poseidon went back to the pot and added the sugar before turning the stove on. He frowned as he didn't quite know what texture the frosting should be as the recipe didn't state.
"Should I tell her she's going to be a grandmother of four tonight?"
It took a moment for the question to register in his Poseidon's brain, but when it did, he spun around with wide eyes to face his younger brother.
"No. No! No? You've got to be joking? Tell me that you're joking!"
"So that's not a good idea?"
Poseidon dropped the spatula he was holding. "Oh my - you're being serious! You're not even old enough to drive and you are having a fourth child! Zeus!"
"I'm taking that as a no."
"Is the mother Hera, or Leto? Or did you hook up with another girl?"
"Hera."
"For goodness sake! Amphitrite and I never had this issue. Zeus, I don't even -"
Poseidon stopped short as he felt searing heat behind him. Poseidon quickly turned to see the pot of frosting caught on fire.
Poseidon grabbed a glass of water that was on the counter and threw it at the fire. He didn't expect it to make it worse as the flames grew in size.
Poseidon panicked for a second as he didn't know what to do. He thought water was the way to put it out, and he didn't know another solution.
However his panic was resolved when white foam covered the pot extinguishing the flames. Poseidon breathed a sigh of relief but tensed back up when he saw who was holding the fire extinguisher.
Hades stood in front of their sisters and mother with the fire extinguisher. His sisters shared horrified expressions as their mother surveyed the scene with a deep frown.
"We left you alone for two hours and you've set the house on fire!" Demeter shouted.
Poseidon stayed silent glancing at Zeus who stood there shocked.
Hades snorted, "We walked through the door as this idiot" he pointed at Poseidon, "threw water at a grease fire."
"I thought you can put it out with water." Poseidon mumbled.
"You can, but not with a grease fire." Hestia gently explained.
"I'm ashamed of you Poseidon."
Poseidon's shoulders dropped at his mother's words. He never enjoyed upsetting or disappointing his mother.
He wondered if it was Zeus who threw the water if she would be as disappointed. It always seemed that no matter what Zeus did she would never get as mad rather than her other children doing it.
As soon as that thought entered his mind an itch grew. He couldn't take all of the blame as it was also Zeus's confession that made him turn away from the pot.
Poseidon scratched the itch, "Zeus is having a fourth child!"
"Poseidon!" Zeus cried
"What!" The sisters shouted.
The siblings all flinched at a heavy thud behind them. Their mother fainted with all of the commotion.
"Why on earth did you say that!" Zeus yelled.
"I wouldn't have if you haven't told me. There wouldn't have been a fire in the first place."
"Enough! We're having company tonight and we have some cleaning to do. Demeter go run and pick up a cake. The three of you boys are cleaning the kitchen while I help mother." Hestia instructed.
Demeter let out a few curses before grabbing her keys and heading out. Hestia kneeled next to their mother trying to wake her up. Hades just shook his head before throwing the pot out.
Zeus crossed his arms and glared at him. "You said it yourself that mother doesn't like surprises, yet you did so anyways."
"I couldn't let all the blame fall back to me."
"Poseidon!" Hestia scolded.
Poseidon shrugged not feeling sorry at all. This will only become a memory they can all laugh at in the future.
Ages:
Kronos: 44
Rhea: 40
Hestia: 22
Demeter: 20
Hades: 18
Poseidon: 16
Zeus: 15
Hera: 15
Hephaestus: 3
Artemis: 2
Apollo: 2
*THE UPDATE : I moved the chapters around and that's why it's "updated." New chapter should be posted tonight or later this weekend*
Have a good weekend!