Retribution [malexmale]

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

"Gross, just what I want. To sit in a room full of Atlanteans. It'll be like sitting in a steam bath with senior citizens."

I rolled my eyes at Hades's latest rant about the meeting we were heading to. Of course, Dorean was just encouraging him with his sweet giggles and my aunt Lea full on laughing, despite what could have been an insult indicating her. Lucifer just grimaced and seemed to be debating whether or not to push Hades out one of the many windows that lined the hallway we walked through.

"We better at least get shit done," Hades said at last, "The last thing we need is another distraction."

"Hades, I think you're the only one here with ADHD." I informed flatly. Hades scoffed at that.

"Oh, please. Yours is worse than mine. One second you're all about fighting the world and the next I see you curled up like a cat in bed past noon."

"I was really tired."

"Sure." Was Hades's one-worded response as he walked ahead of us and threw open the conference room doors. Lucifer shook his head and followed him inside. I paused by the doors to wait for the desdios to arrive, as well as to pull Dorean aside. My aunt Lea arched a brow at me, but I gave her a nod to indicate we were all right, so she went on ahead. Dorean looked at me curiously as we stood outside the doors.

"What's wrong, kitty?" He asked. I was still a bit uncomfortable with the fact that I'd broken down on him last night. It was extremely out of character for me. I was naturally good at hiding how I felt. I had to be with the curse that still weighed heavy on my shoulders. I'd lost count of the amount of times I'd been forced to assist in suicides, forced to make bargains that could hurt others, forced to do things that humiliated me and hurt me. I'd managed to keep a poker face through it all, until now. Everything had just crashed down on top of me at once and I couldn't take it anymore.

But Dorean didn't judge me for it, just like he'd promised. He'd held me the entire night and comforted me the best he could. It was why I'd been so tired and slept in until noon-- I'd spent the night cradling Dorean and crying like a damn coward.

Not anymore, though. I knew what I had to do. I had to accept my responsibilities.

"Dorean," I said quietly, cupping his face in my hands, watching his eyes flicker before he reached up to put his hands over mine, "I know you want to be involved in this. And I know you are smart enough and strong enough, for most of it, but I can't take any risks. If my family ever did to you what they did to Dexius, I wouldn't be able to live with myself anymore." Dorean blinked, before his expression became a mixture of worry and anger and he clenched his hands around mine.

"You can't make me leave, Xenon," He said, and the fact that he used my name meant he wasn't messing around, "I told you I would be here for you through everything and I want to be here for everything. I may not be able to take on the Atlanteans hand-to-hand, but I can still help. Don't treat me like a dog that you can put in a cage whenever you don't need him." I grimaced.

"Dorean, that's not it. I know you're capable, but my family is obviously capable of so much evil that could hurt you. If they hurt you..."

"They won't hurt me," Dorean responded sternly and this time, he pulled my face down so we were at eye level, "I'm not stupid. I won't get myself killed. I did not fight everything I have just to be taken down by a bunch of cowards using magic to protect themselves. I can't fight them like you or Hades or Lucifer, but I can fight them my own way."

"Dorean, please--"

"Then I can't let you go either," He said, making me scowl and step back from him, but he didn't relent and ended up backing me against the wall outside the conference room, "You can't go. They can hurt you in ways I don't even want to think about."