••••
"So what happened?"
"Did you do it?"
"Did you guess it?"
"Did you guys kissed?"
"Did you guys hugged?"
"Or a better question, did you guys lewdly held hands?"
"What the fuck?" I found myself glued on the front door after opening it. My friends surrounded me like the bunch of gossips they are. They're like dogs waiting for their master to come home, but dogs are cuter, more understandable than these people.
"So?" Mist smiles brighter than the models in a toothpaste commercials while waiting for an answer.
"Can I request personal space first?"
"Yes your highness," Mist grins sweetly then bark at the people beside her.
"Step back, bitches. We need to hear this shit." And that they did.
Ten steps away from me to be exact. Damn, I never thought I could control them like this. Didn't know related to romance can be this powerful. I should have just hired a fake date eons ago if I know this is gonna happen.
I take my shoulder bag and coat off before calmly looking at them, scanning their faces.
I just finished submitting my latest article and it's already erased from my mind, needed to do that to free up space. Makes me wonder why I had to give a hard copy every time to my boss, though. He's a weird human being.
"Time is running, Tee. Give us the deets already, we're dying for some tea!" Mist stomped her feet like a child she is.
I shrugged, removing my shoes, "We just had dinner and watched a movie last night. That's it."
"You suck at storytelling, Athens. I don't know why are you even a journalist." Persy groans, collapsing on the sofa, disappointed.
"Hey! That's a job, this isn't." I pointed out.
"But was that really all?" Herc pops out of the kitchen snacks on his muscled arms.
I shrugged, contemplating, but after a few seconds, I spoke, "She kinda won the bet, so she'll be staying here for four days and I'll be her servant."
"Ooohhh kinky." Venus whistled, wiggling on her seat.
"It's not kinky if it's not sexual."
Besides, I think she just wants to stay here because she doesn't wanna cook.
"Pft. We all know the gorgeous babe can make it that way." Sero says, dancing around me, his hands leaving feathery touches to annoy me.
I slap away his hands and ignored his statement because it's true.
"I'm gonna catch a nap. Don't burn down the house." I gave them a salute then proceeded to fall down on my bed.
Sleep immediately took me.
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"Athena..."
"Athene!"
"Fucking Athena! wake up!!!"
"WHAT!?" I angrily got up and felt my eyes like they were on fire. Heck, I felt my body was on fire.
I immediately got face to face with a guy that has a white ashy complexion and seems like a push back black hair with blue flames dancing around it?
What really got my attention aside from the burning hair are his eyes. It's like a void of nothingness.. it's just empty.
But of course, I had to comment on his hair. Those flames are seriously can't be real.
".. your..uhm- your hair is on fire."
The weird guy looks up and cackles when he sees it, "Oh sorry, forgot to put that out in a hurry." then he calmly put the flames out by patting his head with his bare hand.
Bare hand. With his fucking bare hand.
I blinked then released a laugh.
"I must be dreaming." I fall backwards, back to the bed and close my eyes.
"Fucking wait. No! You're not." I felt hands grab me and starts shaking the shit out of me like a shake shake fries, "Here me out, I'm here for a reason, you know."
Welp, guess my paralysis demon evolved into a guy in his late twenties and now can touch me. Man, demons are evolving while we humans are just devolving. How unfair life is.
"Do I have to?" I whined, still being shake like a half full piggy bank.
"Fucking yes."
If Persy's signature phrase is 'Holy shite,' this guy's signature is 'Fucking.'
I'm surrounded by potty mouthed people. I'm not a saint, but damn.
"Then stop shaking me and talk, dude. I'm not a bingo vase."
The guy finally halted his attack and laughs nervously, "My bad, sometimes missing your wife can get to you."
I froze when I heard that statement and I robotically turned to him.
He stares back in question.
"Am...am I your wife?" I pointed a finger at myself.
I watched him flushed red.
"Fuck- no! Where did you get that idea?"
"I don't know, man! You just popped out of nowhere and spout some nonsense ever since you got here!"
"Alright! Alright." He stands up and starts throwing a pomegranate up in the air like a base ball while pacing the floor.
"You see, Athene-"
"Wait, before that...who are you and how did you get here?"
"I've been here for a while and you just started questioning it?! When did you become so dumb, A?!"
I threw my blankets off me and wear my owl slippers aggressively. The wood floor is still cold even when I'm mad.
"I.Am.Not.Dumb! You're the stupid shit here."
"Stupid shit? That's rich! Coming from someone who look like a hobo right now!"
I gasp and glared at him, tying my robe like I'm wearing a martial arts uniform.
"This hobo is gonna kick your lousy ass, dickhead!"
"Fucking- gods..I actually missed this shit." He grumbles, laughing, rubbing his face.
"What was that? Can you say it more clearer?" I say, stepping closer to him, defense up.
"I said you can call me Haden, or for short.. Hades." He drop his hands to his side, for once looking normal, no more fruits and flames business around. Just a dude ready for a funeral party.
I stand down and slowly relax a bit.
"I'm here to tell you to don't trust your friends' words so much... especially the newbie's."
Newbie? Did he meant Minnie? Is this bitch a stalker?
Before I can fire some questions, he continued.
Hades or Haden tilted his head and smiled, "You'll never know..maybe they're lying to you.." He steps towards me and put a hand on my shoulder, his eyes swirling with intense darkness, but somehow, his stare is comforting.
"I got so tired watching you looking naive and useless, A. I had to step in and be a good buddy...for once...For once I had to warn you."
He whispered the last part with a hint of regret that made me visibly confused amongst the other things he have said.
What could he have regretted? For my perspective, I never knew this man til now.
'I know him...'
You've been quiet.
'That's what you want, right?'
Sometimes..so can you tell me who he is?
Hey..?
The voice didn't answer back for the first time we've been together. It doesn't feel right.
My brows furrowed, heart aching a bit.
I look up at Hades and he just grins.
I was about to open my mouth when rapid knocks came outside of my locked door.
"Athenaaaa! Are you okay? Why are you screaming by yourself?!"
Hades and I exchange looks and then he shrugs, opening the window.
"That's my cue, dear Athena. I have to go now." The blue flames starts swirling around him again, like several fireflies dancing in the night.
It's kinda cool to see.
"Wait-"
"Say hi for Persy for me." Hades smiles for the last time and jumps out of the window.
I gape and look at where the damn weird guy was standing awhile ago and then to the window where he just jumped.
"What the actual fuck?"
My flat is located on the 9th floor of this building, so excuse me why I was beyond shock when I just witnessed a person flew off the window like a fucking bird.
At the same time, my bedroom door sprung open, my friends piling in the room in panic, all have ridiculous shit in their hands.
Herc have a slice lemon and juicer, probably was preparing his healthy juice. Persy have thick sticks on each hand ready to fight someone, Snow White edition. The Love Twins have a rope and a leather belt, I rather don't wanna know whose and where did they get that.
And of course, my best friend have a straightjacket on her hand like the bitch she is. Ready to lock me in an asylum.
I sighed and spread my arms in exasperation.
"What's wrong with all of you?"
And what's wrong with that random guy that visited me? I turn to the window again, hoping something out there will give me an answer.
All I know at this moment is how familiar that Hades guy was..like long time friend from a past that isn't there..or something like that.
"Athena, are you fine?" My friends gaze at me with concern.
...Should I really not trust the words of these people that's looking at me with care? And should I believe a weird person that just came out of nowhere?
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