Semi Gods [Seventeen apply fic]

10

Emily

The shock about my mother was still more than present. I could not even take a bite, my eyes fixated at the point where Hera had been just minutes before. My mother. The words felt odd, even in my thoughts. My mother. Suddenly I had a face to add to the title, but to be honest, I was not so sure what to feel about it.

I had already expected the gods to be a bit self-loving and inconsiderate from what Nao had told me. But my mother was in addition cold and bitter.

"Emily", Nao patted my shoulder.

"Hmm".

"Emily, aren't you going to eat something?"

"No. I am not hungry".

Nao sighed. She lightly tore on my arm, turning me to look at her. "It's because of your mom, right", she looked at me softly, "You know, gods are not really the best parents. I never even saw or talked to my dad and he is the god of messages, so he spends most of his time outside of Olympus. For them we are just one of hundreds of children that are probably more of a mistake than a wish. But they kind of need us, for things like this".

"Gods are not the only ones who suck at parenting", I whispered, but took a bit of pasta to drop the topic.

I was just about to take the first bite, when someone squeezed down between me and the guy next to me. He was hot. Big, sharp eyes, soft lips and cute little canines that seemed to shine whenever he smiled. His hair was parted and highlighted in blue.

He happily chatted with the guy next to him, whom I remembered as Jun. Since Nao was occupying herself with fitting as much food in her mouth as possible and my only other alternative was to think further about my families messed up relations, I spend the dinner secretly listening to their conversation.

The hot guy's name was Mingyu, he grew up in Olympus, since his mom dies shortly after his birth. His father was, just like Juns, Posidon and this was his seventh, although biggest mission.

It was fascinating to hear about the missions. I knew about Greek and roman myths, but some of the creatures he mentioned were still new to me. It was odd to listen to two handsome guys, discussing about wether it was possible to kill a sphinx or not. And more weirdly, that none of them seemed to have the smallest doubt that such mixed species existed.

Slowly I realized the extent of changes my new live had brought with it. Unbeatable, immortal goddesses, that sucked at parenting and were not as unbeatable as I first thought. Thousands of monsters, I couldn't even imagine, that were out to hunt me and my siblings.

Siblings... I had siblings, I was a sister. I turned to Nao and stopped the flood of food she was devouring.

"Nao, you said I was one of many children. Does that mean I have siblings?" I looked at her in hope. It would be nice to have a little sister or an older brother. Someone to share the whole my-mom-is-the-goddess-of-family-and-marriage-but-she-got-me-and-totally-ignores-me-oh-yeah-and-no-one-likes-me situation.

"Well, for starters, you are Hephaestus, Ares and Hebes little sister. And ... your other siblings ... I think there was a son of Heras, who fought in the first world war. Or was he Hestias son? Honestly, I can't think of any other semi god. But that's mostly because, you know, it's kind of a disgrace to be a daughter of the goddess of family, who by the way is still married to the king of gods".

Great, I am a disgrace. Which was just a nicer way of saying that I was not wanted and shouldn't exist either. I bit my lib, to stop myself from crying. This new live was more horrible than I first thought.

Nao looked at me worried, obviously cursing herself for what she just said. "Oh, no. Emily, I am sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I don't think you are a disgrace or shouldn't exist. You are my friend, I like you. It's just a really old-fashioned way of seeing things".

She pulled me into a hug and patted my head.

"Nao".

"Yes".

"You are squeezing me and my head hurts. You don't do this really often, do you?"

"No, I am usually on the hug receiving side", she adorably smiled at me, squeezing her eyes to small slits.

Maybe it was her squishy face or the fact that her mouth was nearly half the size of her face, so wide she had opened it, but I let a few wet giggles out.

The filled plates were getting less and the kids bellies fuller. With a feed stomach, tiredness took over and I caught myself, slowly dozing off. The missions weren't forgotten, but I had stuffed every thought about it into the smallest corner of my brain. Not caring much about anything and already to exhausted wondering about everything I had learned and heard today.

The plates had disappeared long ago and Nao next to me was already using the now empty space to bed her head on it. I was about to do the same, when a young guy at the end of the table stood up.

He was an irritating mix of European and Asian, depending on the angle you looked at him, he seemed to change his nationality between those two. Still, he was undoubtedly good looking. And when he stood up, his movements were filled with authority and self esteem. He seemed to be the typical dream boy of an American high school movie. The guy, the main character would fall in love with, and who was so amazingly charming, cute and caring, that everyone else would follow her right after.

"Team 1, the dinner is done. We should start our mission, just like goddess Hera asked. Everyone of team 1, please leave the hall, I believe our transportation is waiting right outside". 

It took me a few secound a to remember, that with team 1, I was included. And I hoped off my chair, no sign of tiredness, to get me bag and follow the leaving kids. But I stopped as soon as I noticed, that Nao did not follow me.

"Goodbye Emily. Good luck and get back well", she hugged me. And only then I realized, that Nao and I would be in different groups. That we would separate right here. Sure I had only known her for two days and it was not like she was my dearest friend I couldn't live without. But she had been the only one who was nice and welcoming to me so far.

So I pressed her on my, wishing her all the luck back and biting goodbye to her before I took off with the others.