chaos and control | druig ✔︎

15 | autumn

15 | you return like autumn, 

and I fall every time

2023 - Chicago

Hestia sat down at the table while Ikaris and Sersi spied on Jack and Phastos. Hestia chuckled at them as they tried to run to the table and act natural when the inventor walked to the living room.

"Yeah. Incredibly natural, guys." Phastos smacked his lips together, disappointed in the two. Hestia put her hands up in defence, but he just laughed at her, knowing she wasn't spying on him. He pulled out a chair, sat down and took off his glasses.

"So, after all these years, even you fell for Ajak's lies." Phastos looked directly at Ikaris.

"No need to rub it in." He muttered back.

"It all makes sense why she wouldn't let us interfere with human conflicts. Conflicts lead to war and war actually leads to advancement in lifesaving technology and medicine." He explained. "So, our mission was never to make a peaceful and harmonious world, but to increase the population at all costs. Just farming humans as food for the Celestials, right?"

Hestia was surprised at how much the man knew, and even his explanation made her rethink everything Ajak did and told them to do.

"That's bleak." Ikaris defended Ajak, even in death.

"Well, so is telling your husband and your child that they could be dead within a few days." Phastos reasoned.

"So much for giving up on humans, ey?" Hestia implied. "We're not going to let them die." She said on a more serious note, not wanting to let Jack and Ben die.

"I got lucky." Phastos sighed. "I have a family now. They give me faith again. And I see the good in humanity in them every single day."

"So, look, I cannot help you." He raised his voice to make his statement get through to them. "I am never leaving them."

"Phastos..." Sersi tried interrupting him. "I'm sorry, Sersi. It was wrong of me to use my powers without thinking of the consequences in the first place. So, now, I choose to use my hands, to fix my child's bicycle, okay?" He ranted.

"Do you?" Ikaris challenged and Hestia knew what he was up to, though she didn't say anything.

"I don't use my powers anymore." Phastos said casually, but Hestia squinted her eyes at him, and he noticed.

"You sure?" Ikaris raised his eyebrow, and he used his powers on his door. Immediately, a force field became visible.

"What the hell is wrong with you! My child is right down the hallway!" Phastos scolded Ikaris, pointing a finger to where Jack was.

"That looks like someone's been using his powers." Ikaris joked. "I bet you've built the perfect safe house." He gazed at the ceiling and the walls for extra effect.

"What is this even made of?" He was talking about the wooden table they were sitting at. "Vibranium?" He lifted his hand up to test his theory. Right before it came down on the table, Phastos screamed "don't!" but it was too late.

The table broke right in half. Sersi had put her hands up and stared at the table in shock. Phastos just looked at Ikaris with a disappointed look on his face.

"Fall collection. IKEA. Ass." Phastos said to Ikaris. Hestia let out a small laugh, receiving a glare from Ikaris and Phastos.

"How did you even deal with this guy for over 5,000 years?" Phastos questioned Sersi, however she didn't get the time to respond.

"If you stay here, you might as well invite the deviants to dinner. Never mind waiting for the end of the world." Ikaris stated.

"He has a point." Sersi and Hestia said, looking at each other, surprised that they said the same thing. "I never thought I'd agree with Ikaris." Hestia added.

"No. I'm sorry. You can't just show up in my life and expect me to go with you." Phastos made a lot of hand gestures and Ben had shown up at the doorframe. Only Hestia noticed him, and she gave him a warm smile, which he returned.

"I'm not gonna..." Phastos was interrupted by his husband. "You should go, habibi."

"You want me to go?" He was startled.

"You know what my mom would say to you right now, right?" Ben posed. "Quit procrastinating, Phil, and take care of your business." He said in Arabic.

"He's a chronic procrastinator." He told Sersi and Ikaris.

Phastos stood up. "I'm not leaving you two. No way."

"I'm not happy about it, but if there's a chance for us to watch Jack grow up to live a life of his own, we should take it." Ben looked his husband in the eyes.

-

"Before we leave, Hestia, can I talk to you for a minute?" Phastos walked back into the living room, Hestia following close behind.

"What do you wanna talk about?" Hestia put her hands behind her back.

"Did you guys already pick up Druig?" He questioned the girl.

"Yes. Why?" She was hopping from one foot, onto the other, unable to stand still.

"Don't forgive him so quickly, okay?" The man put a hand on her shoulder, with a sad smile on his face. "I saw how long it took you to stop hurting, so don't forgive him in a second."

Hestia had stopped moving. "I didn't forgive him yet. At least, I don't think I did." She sighed. "I gave in for a moment and I felt weak, but the weakness felt so good."

Phastos let her talk, he saw that she needed to let her emotions out for a little.

"I wanted to come here so I could have a bit of time away from him, so I could figure out what to do." She whispered, gazing up at Phastos.

"Talk to him, but don't let him talk, let your own feelings out first." He told her. "As soon as he starts talking, you'll give in again, I know that. So, tell him that he needs to sit down and shut up, and tell him everything."

Hestia held her arms open and walked closer to Phastos, giving him a hug. "Thank you." She muttered.