The Gatekeeper (LGBT+)

Fruits of Our Labor

"You don't have to do that." I mutter.

I watch as David pulls one of the black pillows of the equally black couch props it up on the coffee table in front of the couch. He also lowers me down onto the couch. I scowl at him, thinking about how insulted I feel.

Of course, David doesn't mean to be insulting but I'm not a porcelain. Yes, my feet are swollen to the size of a grapefruit. Yes, my back aches. Yes, I'm pretty much waddling. Thinking about it, I can't remember why I'm bitching.

I slowly pull my legs up on the coffee table and rest my hands on my enlarged stomach. This is impossible. I never thought I'd long for the days when the spell was first cast. The feeling that this isn't entirely impossible.

On the plus side, things are normalizing between David and me. He's back to normal, so to speak. I'm still not sure if I can trust him. That's not what I mean. I'm still not sure he's free of Helios' influence. He's been touched by Helios' darkness.

I know what that feels like.

At the mention of being touched by darkness, my mind drifts to Finn and Lucas. Since I read the letter, I don't view their deaths, specifically Lucas', as such a horrible thing. Lucas was here so long that he had to view the world as he did. But beyond this world.

I shift at the thought. I haven't realized that David's staring at me. With concern.

"Hey, where'd you go?"

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Charlotte and Eva sit at the kitchen table as I pull out a loaf of bread, lunch meat, spicy ketchup and a banana.

I quickly make Charlotte and Eva turkey sandwiches. The two retrieve their sandwiches and take their seats at the table once again. It's time for me to make my sandwich. I quickly spread the ketchup on a piece of bread before plopping down pieces of banana and covering it with another slice of bread.

They weren't kidding when they talked about weird cravings. I know it's weird and I understand how incredibly gross it looks but it's the only thing that seems to curb my cravings. I realize Eva and Charlotte are staring at me as I'm about to put the sandwich in my mouth.

"What?" I ask.

"That is literally the grossest thing in world." Eva stammers, "And it's not a joke is it?"

"I literally hope that never happens to me when I get pregnant." Charlotte says with amusement.

"I know, it's so disgusting but it's so good." I say with a pronounced sigh. I clear my throat, "Okay, so our plan is getting harder and harder to pull off. I don't think Helios is inside him anymore, not in the way we thought."

"Which is why we can literally be in the same room or even think about each other?" Eva says with a chuckle, "Do you know how hard that was? I almost busted a blood vessel."

"Yeah, it was torture." I nod, "But it's kind of done. We still need to find a way to murder this asshole but—"

"How are you doing?" Charlotte asks out of nowhere. When she realizes that I'm staring she sighs as if to signal recognition in me. She sits her sandwich down, "Of all the people who died, Lucas and Finn—"