T frowns as he stares at Deez's hands.
He still couldn't believe it.
How similar her burns were to theirs.
The way it twisted and pocked the skin.
How red and raw it was-
How taut-
D was going to have scars.
He blanks.
D was going to have scars from burns.
He frowns.
D.
The Isle's Fire Princess-
Burned.
It was significant.
A solemn reality crash.
None of them were getting out of this unscathed.
Not even the demi-goddess was safe from-
Wait!
He scrambles to his feet before he bolts for the exit.
"Well now, it been bein' a bit since I last be seein' that grin." Harry startles him when he's yanked back by his hood, "but since we ain'nah interested in losin' ya to yer great ideas, how can I be ah helpin'?"
"Oh yeah," he grabs Harry's wrist, "Ume's be back in a bit," he starts dragging the pirate, "takin' Hook-"
"Where the fu-"
"Uma, he's excited and taking Harry. Can't he please have this?"
"Right!?" He gestures to Deez, "an' the longer ya wait ta let me do this, the longer I'll be gone. I swear, it ain't even dangerous."
"What on the Isle ain't dangerous?" Gil asks with a raised eyebrow.
He turns and points at Gil, "A-" he stops, "ha! Nice try!"
"Damn, that usually works…" Gil sighs.
He sticks his tongue out, "not today," he turns back to Uma, "C'mon." He whines, "please? I'm takin' Hook, What more do ya want?"
Daniel raises his hand.
He shrugs, "And-"
Don't you dare!
Oh, so you are here.
"No!" Uma snaps as she pulls Daniel to her, "you don't need to go out on the Isle. T has, Harry, I need you here because you know so much about medicine and healing."
"Thanks for the assist, Lil' Demon." He taps his fingers to his head as he yanks Harry with his other arm. "Ya heard the Cap, I have Hook, you hold down the fort."
Uma glares over Daniel's dark head, "ya best fucking check in. And eventually tell me what the fuck yer up to."
"You'll be like the fourth to know." He agrees absently as he drags Harry behind him.
Uma's snarl echoes through the cave, followed by Deez saying, "Uma, he means he will know, Faustina will know, and Harry will know, making you the fourth."
His grin widens.
Oh how he loved D..
"Literally!" He shouts back, losing his shit when a roar of rage follows.
Why? Why must you be this way?
You mean the way you made me?
Me. Make you? The meandering mannerless moron? Puh-lease.
Jesus, you don't have to sound so insulted at the concept.
Then stop accusing me of making you, it's insulting.
Ouch?
He scowls at her silence.
Now who's rude?
According to everyone who's ever met you, rest assured, dearest brother, that it will always be you.
An' here I thought your boy was number one.
This time her silence makes him chuckle.
That's what I thought.
Gil was excited. He didn't want to admit it, but he was.
He couldn't remember the last time T looked like that-
Like he had that day, he'd invited him to join Book Club.
Whatever it was that brought that spark back to his eyes was going to be awesome.
He had no clue what would be awesome.
But he knew.
Just like he knew it was something related to Deez.
It had been harder to contain it earlier-
His eyes follow Uma as she quietly gathers things from around the room.
But now that Uma was in the know, and there wasn't anyway she didn't know, not with the complete one eighty in her attitude.
Which in turn just made him even more excited.
Not that he was complaining about not knowing anything.
It had been so long since any of them had something to look forward to, and T had even been stopped before heading out alone.
He was just-
Excited.
She stares down at her hands, but for the first time she couldn't even see the scars.
Her fire.
Her fire was gone.
She takes a slow breath before she sets the small ingot of cold metal aside.
That's what was missing.
Why she felt so empty.
Cold.
She pushes her hair out of her face as images of her fire swirling around the blade sticking out of her haunt her.
Mim stole her fire.
Made her mortal.
Mortal enough to bleed.
A chill runs down her spine.
How many times had she asked for this?
Wished to be rid of her fire?
And now, as soon as they needed it-
She closes her eyes and hides her face in her arms.
But she figured it out.
She knew her fire now.
Everything she did for her family.
Warm them.
Help make weapons.
Decide when to be a weapon herself.
Her throat squeezes as pain far worse than Mim's stab lodges in her chest.
Who was she without her fire?
A sob catches in her constricted throat.
"Treasure," Gil whispers somberly as he places a hand on her head.
No.
No. No. No.
She staggers to her feet, the room around her blurry as she backs away from the touch.
No.
She couldn't think straight.
"Baby Girl?" Uma questions in concern before Daniel barrels into her, knocking them to the floor as brilliant blue fire lights up the cavern.
"What the- Who is- What is going on?" Her father's demand cuts sharply through her haze.
Not now.
Not yet.
Not like this.
She blinks as a shadow blocks the fire.
"You're the one who barged in here," Uma seethes, "Now. Put. My. Advisor. Down."
"You're-" Hades looks around in confusion, "but-" He slowly puts Yensid to his feet. "What the hell is happening?"
"Again, you're the one who fuckin' ran in here with my damned Advisor over your fucking shoulder, fire blazing, scaring the shit outta us and pissing me the fuck off."
"If I may, Captain, Lord Hades," Yensid steps between the two of them as he looks around the room, "Deez, are you alright?"
She quickly wipes her hands over her face and nods.
"Liar!" Hades stomps his foot, "who did it!" He turns to glare at Gil, "what'd'ya do Lover Boy?"
Something red-hot, like the rocks when she could melt them, slips into her stomach, driving away the oppressive gloom that had trapped her. "I'm fine! It's nothing new!" She takes a deep breath through clenched teeth, "I'm just broken and useless since Mim stole my fire!" Her eyes narrow as she takes several steps towards him and slashes in the air with her finger accusingly pointed at him, "since you let her steal my fire!"
"I uh," her father's eyes widen as he looks her over, "I- uh. I mean let is a strong word, uh-" he puts his finger over his lips and stares at her as if she were a wild animal, "but I uh, I unfortunately feel you're not in the mood to talk about this," he laughs nervously as he backs away, "am I right?"
"For once, yes." Gil agrees with a glare.
"So why don't you get out." Uma continues with her own venomous glare.
"Once? Really?" Hades glares at Gil before she takes another step towards him, "ya know what, not important, I'll just-"
Daniel waves smugly.
"Ugh." Hades groans, "she started it." He huffs as he turns and disappears just as abruptly as he'd entered.
Yensid shakes his head before he looks back, "I'm sorry." He whispers as he places a hand on her shoulder, "know that I am here when you want to talk. But for now, I should resume watching over the God, lest he get into more trouble."
Uma sighs, "thanks."
She takes in a breath as Yensid leaves.
"Deez," Gil whispers.
"I need a minute."
It was all she could spare them.
She hated herself, but she needed to be alone.
It was too much.
Overwhelming.
"Whatever you need, Baby Girl," Uma offers sadly, "just know we'll be here."
As if it were a dismissal, she takes off running.
"Uma?"
She sighs as she pulls her eyes off the hall Deez just disappeared down.
What a mess.
"She needs time, Gil." She responds heavily.
Gil sighs but nods solemnly.
"Thank you."
Gil drops his eyes.
"I know, Sweet Boy, I know. I don't like it either but-"
Deez lost her fire.
Her vision blurs.
Deez had her fire stolen.
She swallows hard against the lump in her throat.
Deez had her fire ripped from her.
"Seaagodfuckingdamnit!" She curses as she smashes her fists against the wall as the entirety of the situation settles over her.
They'd all lost Deez's fire.
"It be ah feelin' ah mite cold to ya?" Harry asks with a raised brow as they make their way through the cave tunnels.
"I mean, not exactly the best person to ask." T shrugs as he pinches a piece of his hoodie and tugs.
"Cold cold ain'nah bein' the only cold," he absently corrects, "an' the cold I be meanin' be the kind that don'nah be carin' 'bout yer layers."
He'd never been able to fully understand the bad feelings he got, but he knew better than to not trust them at this point.
T slows to a stop as he looks around in concern, his daggers drawn. "Weird, cause I ain't feelin' shit."
He closes his eyes and takes a slow breath in before it finally hits him.
There were no sounds.
No light echoes of work from the lab.
No talking.
Nothing but the waves and wind.
"Ther ain'nah bein' no one workin'." He turns and looks at T.
"Oh." T frowns, "yeah, you're right. It's like a ghost town in this bitch- The fuck?"
"Ya don'nah be thinkin'," he braces himself, "Senior be messin' with-"
Deez grunts as she trips and falls to the ground, the pain in her back and stomach helping to clear the fog shrouding her brain.
How long had she run?
How far?
She presses the heel of her palms to her eyes before she rolls to her back and looks around.
And where was she?
Nothing about the tall cave she was in seemed familiar.
And there were no orbs.
Which explained the blind running.
She blinks.
Wait-
She looks back up at the extended ceilings.
Something was wrong.
There was no way, even on her best day, she would have melted out such a high ceiling.
Her heart slams against her ribs.
Where in the underworld was she?
How was she going to find her way back?
Her chest heaves as she tries to breathe in, but her lungs wouldn't take air.
She scrambles until her back presses against smooth rock, gasping but still unable to pull in a breath.
No.
She'd told her family she just needed a minute.
Dark ringed spots of blinding light dance in front of her eyes.
"Whoa- take it easy Kitten."
She twists to find the voice.
Her father.
"Look, um, I know it ain't like, easy when you find out something was stolen from you, but um, ya still gotta breathe. Right? I mean, now, definitely, I think. More so, than before…"
Strange laughter bubbles up in her aching chest.
"Okay. Well, that's a reaction. I mean, not the one I thought you were gonna have- but clearly I am no expert on Kittens." Her father sighs as he walks into her vision, his hands held up in front of him, "can we have a truce?"
She stares at him as her lungs burn, until she finally manages to gulp air.
"Oh look, you can breathe. And you're not doin' that creepy laugh anymore, so good."
"If-" she shakes her head, forcing herself to ignore the tremor in her voice before she can continue, "if you're calling for a truce, does that mean you admit you were at war with me?"
"I-" Hades pauses, "war is such a harsh word. Battle of wills maybe?" he taps a finger to his lips, "Ooh, yeah I like that." He snaps, "you are very willful."
She did not want to admit it, but this was helping.
He was helping.
Just sitting here and talking to her.
"I guess I get it from my father."
Hades snorts, "had ta get somethin'."
She looks down at her hands.
"Hey, there are worse things ya could'ah got." He points to his jagged yellow teeth, "these aren't exactly mortal friendly."
She couldn't argue that. She takes several more breaths, which help to clear the spots. "You wanted to talk, right? I'm guessing you know the way back?"
"I did and do."
"Then I guess I'm ready."
"Really?" He asks skeptically, "right now, with all the not breathing and tears?"
"It's not like I have anything better to do," she sighs as she drops her hands to her sides, "not anymore."
Hades eyes narrow, "yeah but is like, now, the time for it?"
"I'll start." She rolls her eyes, "what did Mim do to me?"
"Ugh." Hades slaps his face, "don't start with shit I don't know. That's like bad etiquette or something."
"That's all I want to know." She looks away as she presses her hands to her face, "I have to fix this. They need me."
"Those-" he clears his throat, "fuck I am not good at this. I just, you're not dead, Kitten."
"You would know."
"Ha, funny. I didn't know you had a sense of humor."
"To be fair, you don't really know anything about me."
"That's not true." Hades huffs, "I know you like pink, pirates, and skulls."
Her eyes narrow, "oh yeah? And how do you know that?"
"Ara-" Hades closes his mouth.
"That's what I thought."
"Cause I asked! I care, I think."
She bangs her head back against the rock, "not important. And I don't care. I'm glad you find them entertaining because I know it means you won't hurt them. So, what else is there for us to talk about?"
"I wanted to make sure you were okay."
She blinks as she turns to look back at him.
"I'm a shitty fucking father, okay. But I'm still like, that. To you.."
"You are my father, as you've reminded me since I can remember."
"Yeah, but I didn't know what to do about it. I wasn't expecting a, child. Like, ever. It's repulsive."
"I didn't ask to be born your child."
"No one asks to be born, period."
"Where was that wisdom when you needed it?"
Hades closes his mouth, "doesn't matter."
Faustina.
That's where he was getting all of this.
She thought it would piss her off or hurt, but right now?
It was weirdly nice.
Was this how Faustina felt when she talked to him?
"So, is this a caring parent moment, then?" She asks as she sits up straighter, wincing from the pull of the stitches and the pain.
Hades shifts and is suddenly beside her, "idiot, I smell blood. Are you bleeding?"
"It's fine."
Oh. That's why they said that.
Huh.
"Is it? I don't feel like they're gonna be happy about it, but you're not freaking out, what's the play here?"
"They're not going to be happy about it, but it's still fine. I'm the one that tripped."
Hades stops before the hall goes up in blue flames. "Your eyesight get worse too?"
She shakes her head, "no. I just tripped because I've never been here," she sighs in frustration, "and it's hard to blind run somewhere you've never been."
"Blind run huh?" Hades looks around, "how do you like my new additions?"
"I was wondering about it, I didn't know you stooped to manual labor."
"I stoop to a lot of places, thank you." Hades crosses his arms haughtily, "see, it's not like you know much about me either."
"Are you fucking kidding me? The only stories you let Pain and Panic tell me were about how great you are. The only times you talked to me were to tell me about yourself-"
"And I never mentioned my stooping habits?"
"This would be the first time you stooped to help others." Her eyes narrow, "and before you try it, without it also helping you."
"Well, this is technically helping me too, so that caveat makes it moot."
She takes another deep breath, "okay then. So, what do we do? I don't trust you-"
"You shouldn't."
She rolls her eyes.
Yeah, cause that's what she wanted to hear.
"And I'm useless to you." She holds her burned hands up, "so, what are you even doing here?"
She waits a moment.
Then two.
"You don't know either?"
"I mean, nothing bad. I just- was, worried. That was one helluva hit. Even for a Hades. I was just… yeah… Worried"
"You all but told her to do it."
"What- No! I did no such thing!"
"I saw your face, father. It's the face you wear when you're weighing your options. I was an option to you-"
"Well, yeah, I'm not a saint."
"My death was an option to you."
"No! That was not an option. I was weighing options, and you ended up heavier than freedom, so, yeah."
"No, T interrupted and saved me-"
"I'm the only reason Firebug was there in the first place, he was about to kill himself looking for you. It's not my fault he chose for me to distract! He was awful at the follow through. Distract. Attack. Distract. Attack," He throws his arms in the air, "it was supposed to be so simple, and he fucked it up, and you almost died because you decided to save his ass."
She blinks in surprise.
She wanted to call him a liar.
Wanted to yell and scream and kick and punch-
Stupid.
Conniving.
Manipulative.
But she could tell he wasn't lying.
"Mim had you all figured out Kitten." He sighs in defeat, "the moment Firebug jumped out at her and your eyes shifted, she knew where your weakness was. I was distracting her. I would never have let her hurt you. Take away part of who you are. But she did it anyway, and I killed her for it. And let me tell you, when I return to the underworld, there are a few special additions I need to make because," he shakes his head, "there are apparently many kinds of souls. And there's nothing bad enough I can do to torment them, but me damn it if I ain't gonna try."
She startles when the room blurs.
"What? No! Why are you crying? Fuck, I'm dead. Arachne will find a way to kill me." He drags his hands down his face, "oh me fucking dammit. Do I go back in my father's stomach? Is it a cycle? I don't know. I don't like not knowing!"
"Huh, that kinda sounds like a mortal worry."
Hades stops short, "I've never thought about me dying before. OR you dying before. Or," his eyes widen, "oh my me, they're so squishy."
She bites her lip as she nods before she carefully reaches out between them to pat his wrist. "Yeah, we are. And it sucks."
Hades watches her hand until she pulls it away.
"You're not mortal, Kitten. Between me and Yensid, we'll figure something out. Or," He sighs deeply, "when we get out, I'll take you to my brother for help."
"Zeus?" She questions in disbelief.
That's what he was implying, right?
That he'd actually be willing to speak to the person he hated most-
Loathed above all others-
"Ugh, we don't call it by its name, but, ugh, yes. If that's the only way to get the spark back, yeah. I'll make him fix it."
She watches him carefully.
It was the single nicest thing he'd ever said to her, and she had no idea how to respond.
Hades turns in confusion. "Don't do what?"
"I didn't-"
But she stops at the soft echo of T's litany.
"Don't do it. Don't do it. Don't do it."
"T?"
"It amazes me that he can get so close before I know he's there."
"D!" T leaps through the flames.
"Don't do what?" She and her father ask at the same time.
T tilts his head, "oh!" He grins cockily, "you. I didn't want him to fix you."
"Concerning," Hades frowns as he stands, "but since I don't know how-"
"Seriously? You can't jus' like pilot light her again?" T pouts.
"And why don't you want me to fix her, if you thought it would be so easy then?"
T closes his mouth and turns his head, "well, now I don't want to say, not with that attitude."
She grins as T offers her his hand.
"What the? No. You can't not say."
"Oh, I can totally. See, doin' it."
"Thanks for the caring parent moment." She waves over her shoulder as T pulls her away.
"Wait- No. Firebug you lil' bastard-"
"Later!" T throws his hand up.
"I will remember this! You interrupted a moment- An important one! That's on you!"
The laughter that leaves T is sadistic in its glee.
"Where are we going?" She asks in a whisper once the echoes of her father's rant dies down.
T grins at her, "nice try."
"T," she frowns, "I hate surprises."
"Correction, you're bad at surprises. And it's fuckin' like impossible to catch you unaware."
"Though I guess far less dangerous now."
T pauses, "we can figure out how to make a flamethrower, an' ya might still be able ta wield your scythe. That's plenty dangerous."
She frowns.
He thought she could still be useful?
Even without her flame?
"An, hey, have you tried like tryin' to control fire that ain't yours? That's a thing- Pyrophelia-" He tilts his head before he grimaces, "pyromancy."
"I haven't." She smiles at the absolute faith he had in her to still be a badass, "thanks T."
"What-" T stops short, "how? I- there wasn't-" He stammers in exasperation.
Her brow furrows before she grins, "I could take advantage of this and pretend I do know, but I was just saying thanks for believing in me. Calm down."
"Oh," T pshts, "duh. It sucks. Like a fucking lot. But you've never just been your fire, D. Now if you lost your hands? Then you'd be fucked."
She glances down at her hands, "good thing I still heal."
T glances down at her, "hey, everything's got a silver lining if you stare at it long enough."
"I've always stared long enough."
"Then don't look away now." T pulls her quicker, "you an' Gil are gonna fuckin' love this. And it's gonna look so fuckin' dope on you."
She tilts her head to the side, "you might want to stop, I still have my dot connecting."
"Fuckin' Constellation Chaser," he snorts, "but, when you put it that way-" he grins before he yanks her off balance and sweeps her into his arms before he bolts. "I don't trust myself either."
OMFG, I forgot how much I love D and T together when T is in a good mood-
Which, fuck, how long has it been since T was this… T?
Too fucking long, I'll tell you that as his writer, not gonna lie, this chapter took me off guard in all the best ways-
What about you guys?
What is T thinking? What idea made his whole demeanor slip into his nature? Tell me.
It's just a few words in a box and a click to the enter key… It won't take long, promise ;P
And fuuuuuuuuuck!
That D and Senior moment though-
Like WTF?
Like, seriously, the fuck?
Was Senior-
God of A+ parenting-
-actually slaying it with the whole conversation?
I was personally super impressed with that particular scene, I'd completely forgotten about it…
Honestly, forgot about this whole chapter…
Which is insane because it's the one we figure out D lost her flames-
Speaking of-
WTF?
Deez having her fire stolen.
Stripped from her in the most agonizing of ways…
Poor fucking D.
Everyone is going to be feeling that loss-
And I don't think the timing could have been worse…
Much love and shit
-Twisted
Oh, and T's whole Silver Lining, don't look away shit? Not Faustina ;p