Emerald

In the midst of it all

§Kharon§

"Good morning, Medusa," a smile curved my lips as she entered the kitchen wearing her black PJs with a blanket over her shoulders — she likes to blast the AC.

"Morning," she replied quietly with a hoarse voice and swollen eyes — last night I held her until she fell asleep, crying. She tried her best to keep it all inside but I begged her to let it all out because she needs it to heal but it seemed to be for more than just the death of her children.

"I made you soft boiled eggs for breakfast and some bagels with cream cheese and strawberry marmalade, and tomato juice," I pointed at the kitchen island where all her food is. "How are you feeling?"

She shrugged, making her way to the living room; she hasn't eaten since I got here, but I won't let this habit continue "I want it to stop hurting but I know it will take me a long time to be okay or at least at peace with it."

My feet took me to the living room to join her "Medusa, you need to eat and stop blaming yourself; in that specific order," I told, sitting to her right to wrap my arm around her and hold her close.

"I don't think I'll ever stop blaming myself because I'm guilty of it, Kharon," she whispered, gripping my sweater.

"You did everything in your power to defend them, sweetheart and that was all you could've done," I whispered, combing her hair with my fingers. "I'm sure none of them would like to see you like this, blaming yourself when they know you used every bit of power in you...come on Medusa, you need to eat."

Medusa looked up at me with her puffy eyes "Okay..." she sniffled "I'll eat."

"Good," I got up to go get the tray with her food. "What do you say we try to go outside today? We could just—"

"Not yet Kharon," she softly said. "I can't go out there just yet."

The curtains around the house have been closed since yesterday and Medusa likes to stay in her room "All right," I went back to her with a light smile "then we can watch an awesome movie and have fun inside, maybe bake a cake or something," I placed down the tray on the coffee table.

She slowly nodded "Baking a cake sounds nice," the woman looked at me "it always makes me feel better."

"Then we shall bake a thousand cakes," I leaned down to peck her forehead. "Eat, beautiful."

Medusa ate all the breakfast I made for her and then we stayed in the living room for fifteen minutes; she leaned her head on my shoulder and played with the hem of my shirt in silence.

She got up and took my hand to lead me to her bedroom "I want you to tell me about you," Medusa said as she lay down on the bed.

I sat beside her with a gentle smile on my lips "Well, my parents are Erebus and Nyx and I have many siblings, but the one I love the most is Azrael," my smile grew. "She's my best friend and she is so kind—"

"Kharon, I asked you to tell me about yourself," Medusa told with a light giggle. "What do you like? Where do you like to go? Your favourite everything."

"Oh," I felt my cheeks turn hot "it's just that I rarely speak about myself because I'm always more of a listener and keep things to myself."

"Then talk as much as you want," she reached for my right hand to intertwine our fingers. "I like listening to you talk; it soothes me. When you talk at night I just close my eyes and listen to you."

My cheeks turned even hotter. I raised my hands to my face to cover my blush "I'm sorry if I've been keeping you awake, I won't do it again—"

"No no," she softly giggled "I just told you I like it so please don't stop doing it. Now, tell me about yourself."