Hercules and the Modern Girl

Just A Spoonful of Sugar

Just A Spoonful of Sugar

"Eat up, sweetpeas," Minthe encouraged everyone as she refilled Hades's mug. The imps were devouring their breakfast like starving wolves, thanking the nymph in between bites.

"Ya know, boys," Minthe advised the imps sweetly, "nobody can comprehend what you're sayin' if you keep talking with your mouths full."

"Really?" Pain swallowed his bite in one gulp. His eyes widened, completely astonished. "That does explain the lack of response."

"Yeah," Panic nodded, "to think it was on purpose." Hades and Nattie slyly gave each other a knowing look. The imps weren't entirely wrong. Pain tried again, stuffing a smaller piece in his mouth.

"Is this better?" the words were clear, yet he continued to smack his bite, disgusting the modern girl and the lord of the dead.

"Look, Miss Minthe," Panic poured sauce all over his front happily, then lifted the dripping napkin from his lap to show the results. "I spilled some syrup, but I'm not wearing it this time, just like you said! See?" He may be syrup free, but the floor received drops from the wet cloth.

"Oy," Hades, clearly not impressed, buried his face in his hands and shook his head.

Nattie ignored the boys to praise the maid, "This is amazing, Minthe. You get five stars - ten out of five. Thanks for the cooking and cleaning and everything!" She wasn't usually the touchy-feeling type, but this was an exception. She hugged the nymph's waist, smiling.

"Aww, aren't you a sweetpea?" Minthe patted the teen's head.

The imps and Hades couldn't help but snort at that remark as if Minthe had told them a joke. If only she knew the truth. Nattie, who wasn't amused, tried to kick one of their legs, only to nail her toe against the rock table leg instead. She ground her teeth and inhaled sharply, holding back her agony.

"You okay, Nattie? You don't look too good," Hades's words may seem sincere though his sadistic smirk said otherwise. Karma was indeed crappy. "Do you need medical assistance?"

"Nope, I'm good," Nattie forced to say, shaking off the painful numbing sensation throughout her foot. "I'm good."

"Best we double-check. That nasty plague in Athens might've passed, but we can never be too careful," Minthe placed a hand on the teen's forehead, humming in concentration, "You're not running a fever. Praise the gods." She walked in the kitchen momentarily to retrieve something from her kit.

"I'm good, really." Nattie insisted.

"Here comes the chariot, open wide," however, it didn't stop Minthe from forcing a spoonful of elderberry into Nattie's mouth like a mother forcing a child to take her medicine. The nymph explained to her that elderberry boosts the immune system. The teen protested, only for Minthe to pinch her nose.

"You can't get better unless you take your medicine like a big girl. Now open!"

The lack of air forced Nattie to open her mouth, allowing Minthe access.

"Atta girl," Minthe praised, patting the girl's back. "That wasn't too bad, was it?" This would've been tolerable if the elderberry tasted good and the boys weren't around to tease Nattie- that wasn't the case. Nattie stuck out her dark-coated tongue in disgust while the men snickered.

"Memo to me," Hades declared with a toothy grin, lifting a finger, "consider adding gratuity for that entertaining display."

"And now for the caboose," Minthe cooed with a spoonful of powder in one hand while hovering the other under to prevent a spill.