The Fleece Job (Olympus Drive Chronicles)

Chapter 23: DID I THINK THEY DIED??????

Gale

From the moment I found out this child existed, I worried about protecting them. From the day their mother held my hand to her stomach, that secret smile on her face, telling me she was carrying my child, I was afraid. I had never seen her that happy. I had never seen her smile like she did when she held that baby aloft in her arms, grinning in absolute joy at the child's happy fat little face.

I knew I had to protect them.

"Your son I suppose," she whispered, carelessly, kissing the child's plump cheeks as the babe giggled at her touch. Fat little tires on their fat little legs that she would wiggle to make them laugh till they threw up. Always a happy baby. They didn't like me. Didn't care for me to hold them. That was fine. I didn't know what to do with a baby. But that child made her so so happy. But I told myself I could do it. Just one person that happens to mean the world to their mother. Just a regular child. It's not like the odds of them dying would be that high anyway.

Yeah, they've died four fucking times now.

The first time was the worst. I didn't know they were in danger. I didn't know till I saw them lying there in their own blood. I carried their soul here to eternal sleep. Then I went and held their mother in my arms while she sobbed, hitting my chest. I had bruises from where she shoved me. Telling me to use whatever powers I have to bring her precious baby back.  And all I could do was shake my head and cry too, wishing I'd never met her to give her this child that was so horribly tugged away.

I thought that if I kept them safe with their mother, tucked away from everything horrible in this world, that they'd be all right. Live a good life. Make their mother happy.

Yes, I just found them in the Underworld soaked from the Styx.

I shake their shoulders, then go back to hugging them fiercely. If only I had the mouth to form the words to get it through their head they need to stop dying. I don't think that's an unreasonable request. Stop fucking dying.

But no. First they get shot. Then they get blown up by a missile. Then for a change of fucking pace they get shot again. Then they fall in the goddamn Styx. What am I supposed to tell Brianna? I mean, it's not like I can talk so that's a problem right there. Would this be happening if I could actually speak to the child? I like to think not. I mean, there has to be some explanation. Some reason. Clearly this is my fault.

"I'm fine, dad. Calm down. I didn't die, and look--- I was in the Styx so that technically makes more durable or something. Also Ari's here and he can raise the dead so if I die he'll bring me back again."

"THAT IS NOT A FUNCTIONAL PLAN," at least Ari says it for me.

"Seriously, I'm fine. You didn't tell mom I died again did you? She'll be mad," Ev dead ass trying to walk away like I'm ever letting go of them for the rest of their unnatural life. I'm not even gonna fucking ask how in hell they got out of the Styx. Just let that be a surprise when some creepy ass demon shows up asking me for a favor for saving my precious accident prone kid.

"Probably not, but we asked him to tell her because we thought you were dead and to be honest still do," then there's that. That bastard. That stupid imbecilic rat bastard demon child. Who with his destruction and his bad ideas and his poor decision making was never supposed to be near this precious sweet innocent child Brianna likes so much.

I glare at Jason through Ev's hair. Telling me they were dead. One of these days this kid is actually gonna die and I just won't believe it for entirely too long.

"What? They did fall in the Styx?" Jason says, shrugging at me.

I tried with that kid. What would you do, I ask, if you knew you had a descendant who happened to be the most chaotic, destructive, impulsive thing to walk to the earth for centuries, who by very nature, tended to tick off gods and devils alike, and was gonna have to reincarnate at some point and you wanted to minimize mass casualties and property damage? I would like to think that you too, would give said rat bastard hell demon child to your wealthy boyfriend to raise in his actual castle. Where said rat-bastard hell demon child will want for nothing. Will not feel the need to conscript half of his cousins in a dangerous quest to piss off a bunch of Titans for no good reason. That was a solid plan. A good continent and a half separated him from this precious sweet child Brianna likes.

And yet here they are. Together. Wearing matching fucking t-shirts. In the underworld. Doing something stupid I don't even want to understand.

"Dad, really. I'm super fine, if you told mom I'm dead, I need to go text her and tell her I'm not dead," Ev says, trying to get up again. Reluctantly I let them, scrubbing my face with one hand. They've got no bag, nothing. I should have brought them something to eat.

"I'm telling your mom that we're having fun and will call later," Penny says, texting. Another rat bastard demon child I'd prefer if the precious little child Brianna likes didn't associate with.

"Oh, okay, cool thanks," Ev says, brushing off their shirt and straightening it.

"Dad? Hello? Are you just here to cry or what because we are busy?" the rat bastard demon hell boy says. Oh Lucifer's bones it still has that sword. That can't possibly be good.

"Be nice, Jay, he looks sad—,"

"He always looks like that—,"

"Dad, we're going to get Ari out, do you want to help?" Ev asks.

I don't know how exasperated my expression is. But I feel like it's enough because I really don't have a way to speak the words to tell them how utterly stupid that sentence was.

"So that's a no. Cool, all right see you later then?" Ev says, shrugging their thin shoulders a little. Your son I suppose. They don't look like much of anything. I suppose neither do I. Their soft skin still glows an almost silver light from the Styx, multi colored hair hanging a bit in their face, still wet. They move to tie it back.

I sigh, rubbing my face with one hand. If I take five goddamn minutes to say 'go home. You morons' I feel deeply like they will choose not to do it. But what am I supposed to tell their dad and their mom? Who like them? Sorry, lost your kids in hell? Yes of course I told them not to do it? Well no, not really, I don't talk, but like I gestured at them not to do it? And I got the point across? It's not like they thought they were supposed to do it? Yes, I'll feed them while they're in hell what do you take me for?

"We'll be fine dad, this is like the fifth least dangerous thing I've done," Ev says.

I glare at them.

"I realize that's not making you feel better."

"Come on, we need to get moving if we don't want to be caught which I mean, we will," Ari says, looping an arm around Ev's shoulders.

"Just tell mom I'm fine—maybe edit out the Styx part."

I nod giving them my best 'do I look stupid' face.  I have to do something to try to stop them.

"Can-----can," I close my eyes to focus. It doesn't help; the words don't want to come.

"Can what?" Jason is the least helpful person on the planet when I'm stuttering I swear to fucking god.

"Can---can you can you----can you— not?" I ask, pinching my nose.

"Not exist, do anything at all, or what we are currently doing? Option one, two, or three?" Jason asks, holding up three fingers. Okay that's moderately helpful.

I point to all of his fingers.

"Right. Should have seen that coming."

"We'll be fine. It's not that big of a deal," Ev who died for the fourth fucking time, says.

I point two fingers at my eyes than at Jason. I know this is his fault, damn it. It's always his fault. Well fine. I'm telling his father where he is. He listens to his dad, he idolizes him.

"Don't you dare tell dad—"  Jason realizes what I'm thinking, "He probably doesn't even know what the Underworld is he's gonna flip---—"

I nod, then vanish.