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lessons in fate
ATHENA WALKS INTO HER HOME WARILY. Her face is set into a glare as Josh trails in behind her, wandering around the space curiously.
"I've always wanted to see where Zeus spends his time on Earth," He drags his fingers on a mounted set of armor Athena had hardly looked twice at in her life, but now questions the authenticity of. "This makes a lot of sense."
She rolls her eyes, forgoing a house tour for the man. She'd thought him a nuisance on his worst days before, but it seemed that now she knew who he truly was, he was ten times more talkative.
She led them up to the kitchen, hoping to walk through the room and straight for the hallway that led to the staircase to the den. Athena stopped short, though, when she saw the lights on above the island. "Shit,"
Ignoring Josh's confusion she let her footsteps fall heavily on the ground as she entered the kitchen, finding her father standing across the room with his arms braced on the countertop.
"Oh," Josh breathed in shock, his blue-green eyes wide at the sight of the man.
The man gives him a nod in greeting. "Hermes,"
"Josh is cool, too," The blond boy shrugs, still wide-eyed. "Whichever you prefer."
"Josh," The man smiles, though it's tight around the corners. "Could you give me a moment with my daughter?"
The blond boy nods, waiting for Athena to wave him off before he begins his departure.
Athena stares unwaveringly at her father, her fingers twitching aimlessly at her side. "I'm busy,"
"You're avoiding me," He sighs, standing straight. "I understand."
"Do you?"
"I'm sure I would if you talked to me," He tries, earning a humorless look from Athena that makes him roll his shoulders back and straighten his spine more. "I'm sure you have a hundred questions, I'm willing to answer them to the best of my ability."
She scoffs, shaking her head even as she takes a seat on a stool. "What do you want me to say? That I understand why you lied? Because I don't. You did everything except tell me what I am, who I am. I took dance classes, I took defense classes, and I had tutors for every subject even if I was making straight A's. You were making me a goddess before I even knew they existed."
"I was preparing you for anything, Athena. I only ever want you to be safe, no matter what you do,"
"You expect me to believe that?"
"It's the truth!"
She slams an open palm down on the counter. "Why should I trust a word that comes out of your mouth?"
