Before It Dies | Tratie

xix. over ourselves

     There were few things more upsetting than an upset August.

     It gave me this sense of irrational guilt that made my body tighten and my fists clench, almost like I had failed him. It was obvious he was trying to hold in his emotions but the silence sweeping over the room was just the oxygen needed for this bomb to explode. The eighteen-year-old satyr's intentions were as clear as always but this didn't do much to cease my nerves.

     I had a good father. He was the type always to drive me to soccer practice and buy me gardening supplies. Through rough and good times, he was there, loving me, supporting me, and protecting me until he couldn't. So when monsters were too strong to fight and the mist was too powerful to see through, August came in, saved me, saved Travis, and he protected us, loved us, supported us.

     He was a different type of parental figure, the one who filled the spaces of our godly parent, as ever satyr had done. The one year age difference mattered little to us. He would always see us as the demigods knowing nothing of the real world with undiscovered power.

     "What the actual fuck is this idea?" his yell was terrifying and it exploded through the thin walls of our room. Yet I stood my ground, unfazed by the impact and the emotion.

     Despite understanding the overprotectiveness that satyrs possessed in relationship to their demigods, I patiently waited for them to come to their senses. It was hard to blame his anger but I wished they would accept it. As an adult capable of making my own decisions, though the ones involved with my love life was a matter of its own, they should be helping me instead. This was purely professional.

     "It's a good idea," I said coldly.

     With immense frustration, August paced around the room and groaned. He ran his hand through his hair and his horns, something he only did when he was really emotional. I looked to the other demigods, who all looked as if they wanted to crawl up in the depths of Tartarus and roll in guilt.

     "There's no way you're seducing an old man, Katie," Conner softly agreed. "He's right. If any of us are somewhat of a good friend, we wouldn't let you do that."

     "And what would you do instead?" I cried. "Kill him?"

     "Honestly, I'd love to," August said. We glared at each other, exchanging a staring contest. He looked away first but my victory was sour. "Can't we ask someone else?"

     "It's stupid. We have a good opportunity and we would be fools to let it go."

     His pacing got more frantic. Thick hooves tapped against the wooden floor and filled the room with even more tension. I swallowed, knowing this argument couldn't end well.

     "Travis, did you come up with this? I know you and Katie are on bad terms but—"

     To my surprise, the elder Stoll stood up angrily, new fury burning in his robin's egg blue eyes, For what? Me? After what I had said to him?

     Fairly, I didn't expect him to open up to me about his mom now of all times, but he knew me. He knew that it would make me feel like shit. I hated that about him. He attached me to him in every way possible.

     "Fuck, August, you think I'd ever tell Katie to do something like that? Do you think I want her to put herself in such a position?"

     I wasn't flattered by his statement. "I can take care of myself! We aren't fourteen anymore! We're in Canada. It's been legal for me to do this for three years. Consent is at sixteen here. This isn't an innocent mission anymore! Even if I were fourteen, I'd still do this! Do you think that if it came down to it, Peggy wouldn't do it either?"