June and Charles weren’t sure what to make of the scene before them. What they had expected was a normal family dinner, full of tense silence and penetrating glares between Hero and Persephone. June had been dreading the awful things Persi would say to Hero, and the biting remarks Hero would return. Charles had been waiting to share apologetic glances between himself, Hawk, and Alerik.
The parents had no clue who these people were sitting around their table. It was loud, teasing, playful hitting and name-calling. Hawk threw his head back and laughed, Alerik was whispering something in Persi’s ear that made her giggle and blush before he planted a kiss just under her earlobe. Hero and Toji were arguing over the best way to combine meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Persephone and Hawk would make faces at each other, but there was no hate or malice behind them. They even talked amiably about current affairs and her job as a paralegal for a law firm here in the city.
Hero had looked sideways at Hawk when he heard that but Hawk shook his head.
She doesn’t need to know anything right now, Hawk said.
I disagree. Especially since she’s with Alerik. Eventually she’s going to find out about him, and therefore us.
Maybe, but now’s not the time.
Hawk…
Can you trust me on this one, Hero? Please?
The inward sigh and eyeroll almost hurt Hawk’s head. I trust you in everything, babe. You know I do.
Then trust me and let me be the one to bring her into all this, okay? There are other things we need to worry about right now.
Why do you have to be the one? She’s only now starting to accept you.
The look in Hawk’s blue and amber eyes said all Hero needed to know and he dropped it.
Not one person at that table even had a hint of the internal dialogue that had been shared between the two. Outwardly, they continued talking and laughing with everyone else, not breaking their stride for a moment.
June and Charles, finally overcoming their initial shock, had joined in on the exuberance, even laughing as Toji and Hero raced each other back to the kitchen for more of the meatloaf.
Persephone rolled her eyes when Hero brought back a complete, untouched second loaf, laughing with mock mania, his head thrown back and his eyes wide. He would have eaten that entire thing if not for June stepping in and cutting it up.
“That is entirely unfair, Mother!” Hero pouted. “I had to suffer months without this delectable tray of meat and now I have to be rationed?! So rude.”
“Oh, like you’re not going to raid the fridge later for the leftovers,” Persephone said.
“You’re assuming there will be leftovers,” Hero responded, pointing his fork at her.
Hawk shrugged. “He has a point,” he said, taking in a large forkful of mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables.
Alerik turned his head and leaned it on his folded hands, facing Hawk so as to be somewhat discreet as he asked, “When did you start eating human food?”
Hawk glanced over at Hero then back at Alerik. “A couple months ago, maybe? After the trip to the mountains with Jordan and Elaine.”
“Blood transfer?” Alerik nearly whispered. Hawk and Hero could still hear him loud and clear with their acute hearing but Hero ignored him.
Hawk nodded almost imperceptibly. “You’ve noticed changes in him, too, I’m sure. Aside from the obvious. It’s because of the soul binding ritual and the blood exchange. There’s more to it, but I’ll have to tell you later. Your girlfriend is staring at me.”
Alerik turned his head back to Persi and winked at her, drawing her curiosity away from what they were talking about.
The mood settled into a calmer ease during dessert. Toji yawned loudly at that point and excused himself to his room. He wasn’t a huge fan of sweets, and he was genuinely tired. He waved to everyone at the table before climbing the stairs slowly, his feet heavy with exhaustion.
Hero chuckled and Hawk shook his head, running a hand through his hair. They exchanged a glance before digging into their pie and ice cream.
“Maybe he’ll behave on the plane tomorrow,” Hero said. “Now that he’s thoroughly wiped out.”
“One can hope,” Hawk muttered.
“Did he not like the flight in?” Alerik asked.
Hawk shook his head. “Toji isn’t a fan of enclosed spaces. More specifically, enclosed moving spaces. He gets claustrophobic and irritable.”
Alerik nodded. “Makes sense, given where he came from.”
Hawk had to acknowledge the same; Hero, too. Persephone and June, the only two in the dark, gave Hawk a curious look.
“He said he came from a big family, right?” June asked.
Hawk nodded. “He did. They live in a pretty open space so being enclosed anywhere he can’t touch the sky is suffocating to him.”
“That explains why his window has been open this whole time,” June nodded. “And why he’s spent so much time out of the house.”
“I’m sure he’ll be happy to be home, though,” Charles said.
Hero nodded, grinning. “He’s already making plans.”
“What about you two?” June asked. “Any upcoming plans? Outside of wedding planning, of course.”
The two exchanged a glance and Hawk gave a small nod.
“Um, well, actually there is something we wanted to talk to you about,” Hero said, suddenly nervous. “I’m sure you know I’ve been writing and composing music and putting it out there online, but no one has really paid much attention. Well, there’s this national orchestra that’s doing a special tour where they select music from local and unknown artists and playing it live.” He shifted in his seat and cleared his throat.
“I submitted a piece I wrote a few years ago and, well, they accepted it and—”
The entire table erupted with excitement, June nearly coming out of her seat as she squealed with delight. Persephone clapped and Alerik grinned broadly at him. Charles patted him soundly on the back and Hawk laughed, taking his hand as Hero turned red at all the praise.
“When is it?” Persephone asked, her eyes bright. “Can we go?”
“You’ve always been so talented, of course they’d accept it!” June said.
“There’s no way I’m going to pass up an opportunity to hear your music live, kid,” Charles said.
“Yes, I’m quite intrigued myself!” Alerik chuckled.
Emboldened, Hero sat up a little straighter. Why he had been so nervous to mention this, he couldn’t recall. “They’re coming to our city next month. We were wondering if you wanted to come and hear them play?”
Hawk said, “We’ve looked them up online and they’re actually really good. Plus, Hero’s has been involved in making sure they’re treating his music right. If the director has any questions or concerns, he calls Hero and plays parts of it over the phone so Hero can weigh in on what might need to be altered or if it’s okay.”
“Have you heard any of it?” Persephone asked.
Hawk shrugged. “Bits and pieces, but not the whole thing. He won’t let me,” he added with a chuckle.
Hero glanced between Persephone and Alerik. “Persi, I’d really like it if you came, too. I know you didn’t really care or understand why I used to devote so much of my time into this sort of thing, but—”
“I’d love to.”
Hero jolted, his eyes wide as she smiled brightly at him.
“I mean, I did just ask if we could go.”
Hero rubbed the back of his neck, averting his gaze. “Yeah, I guess you did,” he said.
“You’re welcome to stay with us,” Hawk offered to June and Charles. “We have more than enough room.”
The elder Grace’s exchanged a look and nodded. “Yeah, I think we’ll take you up on that offer, Hawk,” Charles said. “Thank you.”
After the dessert dishes were cleared away, June yawned loudly with a stretch. Charles put his arm around her waist and kissed her temple. “Can’t say I disagree,” he said. “When is your plane leaving?”
“Around ten,” Hero said.
“So you’ll be able to stay for breakfast?” June asked. “All of you?” she added hopefully, glancing over at Alerik and Persephone.
Everyone nodded and the parents retired to their room at the opposite end of the house. The two couples made their way outside, opting for a short walk around the property and up to the overlook.
They talked and laughed, enjoying the cool night air, the tangy smell of the sea tickling their noses. Hero huddled close to Hawk, soaking in his natural warmth.
“Ugh, how much longer before I don’t have to worry so much about this cold?” he asked quietly.
Hawk wrapped his arm around Hero and drew him in close, Hero resting his head on his shoulder as they walked in a steady rhythm. “Not much longer, probably,” he said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you didn’t start noticing the change now.”
“It’s still cold, though.”
“It’s not that cold,” Hawk laughed.
“Says you!”
“Says all of us, you weenie,” Persephone chimed in. “You’ve always been more sensitive to the cold, though.”
Hero had to admit she was right. Even if his body temperature increased to the point where it never bothered him, he was sure he would still feel the cold.
“Even if that’s the case, I’ll still keep you warm,” Hawk said, kissing him on the top of the head.
When they finally reached the overlook, Alerik held Persephone’s hands as she sat on the bench next to Hero, the two Divine deciding to lean against the railing to gaze out across the darkening sea. At this time of year, it was beginning to get darker sooner, but they had made it out just in time to watch the sun go down amidst the waves, something the Grace kids hadn’t done in years.
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