new Orleans. 🍎📻

next morning

*Ping, ping!* My phone is going off.

"I have to get my phone," I said.

"Mh. Five more minutes," Alastor said. I summoned my phone. Hades and Poseidon went back to their homes. I put it back.

"You didn't leave this time." We lay there. "Good morning," Charlie said.

"How could this day get ruined?" I said.

"Well, I think our clothes are still in the main room," he said, kissing my neck. I looked at the duck ring. He looked at his ring. "I wouldn't mind mixing our DNA," I said. He started to play with my hair.

"I need to shift if we're going to make a baby," I said.

"Like into a woman there?" he said.

"There's only one way to make a baby. If you're uncomfortable at all, just say 'apple' and we can stop," I said. The room is soundproofed. Sound won't leave, but I can hear the outside.

Charlie POV

We're all awake in the living room. I look at the empty kitchen. "I'm going to wake Dad to see if he knows any good restaurants." I start to walk to the stairs, noticing a trail of clothes and claw marks in the wallpaper leading to all the bedrooms. There's a used condom on the top step. Nope, not checking. I'm going back down; I don't want to think about it.

"You look like you need a bucket," Angel said.

"No, just let's wait until they wake up," I said. One hour later, Dad came down in a red layered fluffy robe, with Alastor behind him in pajama pants and slippers.

"Breakfast," Alastor said.
"I love watching you cook," Dad said as he hopped on the island.

"Can you upgrade the kitchen and have food in the pantry?" Alastor asked. Dad waved his hand.

"Thanks, my little hen," Alastor said.

"I like the sound of that," Dad said, his legs swinging as Alastor cooked. He handed Dad coffee like they had been doing this forever. We suddenly had coffee in front of us. Alastor and Dad came in with plates of food.

"Why did you sleep in late? And you never sleep," Husk asked.

"I sleep just occasionally," Alastor said. Dad sat in an awkward position.

"How can you sit like that?" I asked.

"I just..." he said.

"Before we leave, I want to see how much they got right about my murders," Alastor said.

"And be awake to see the city," I said.

"You always fall asleep in that chair. It's adorable," Alastor said, with Dad resting on him.

"Sleep. I'll show them around," Alastor said.

"I just need coffee, then I'll be awake," Dad said.

"You hardly sleep," Alastor said.

"I'm bipolar; it isn't a symptom," Dad said.

"And ADHD, a dash of autism, depression, anxiety," Alastor said.

"You love my messed-up head," Dad said.

"I do. Now go sleep, or I'll use my voodoo," Alastor said.

"No," Dad said, as he drank the coffee. Alastor said something in another language, and Dad fell asleep.

Alastor moved Dad, who was sleeping on the couch. He held him in his arms and lifted him up.

"Okay. Now that the king is finally sleeping, who wants to go?" he said.