[ graphic: @recklessrebellion- / me ]

a jar of secrets
14 | wait, i'm a goddess?!

I wake up to a hard something resting on top of my arm and as I try to move it, the thing won't budge making my arm rather numb.

"Get off of me!" I grumble at the thing still half asleep. Maybe it is just a very big insect that weighted a tonne or maybe a puppy, ooh a puppy.

"No I'm comfortable," something mumbled into my arm.

Okay so not a puppy, unless they can speak English now which is highly unlikely.

"But my leg and arm is really hurting," I complain opening my eyes to see that it is Hades who is laying on my arm. "Hades!"

"Alright I'm getting up," he sighs lifting his head up to focus in on me, he smiles cheekily at me before stretching out his arms. "Wait did you say your leg?"

I nod my head as I lift the covers off of me to find that my bandaged leg badly needed changing.

"Can you go and get Pat, please?" I ask him trying to sit up in the bed as best I can.

"Here," Hades say putting another pillow behind me to help me sit up. "And there's no need to worry him, I can manage."

"Since when did you start liking my guardians?" I ask raising an eyebrow at his thoughtfulness. I watch as he gets up off the chair to head over to the dresser, coming back with another long bandage in hand and a rubbish bag.

"I've always had a soft spot for them, and..." he trails off as he starts undoing the blooded bandage around my leg. "You consider them as your brothers, I'm not a complete asshole who wakes people up before six."

It's a joke and I can't help but laugh at Hades making one, maybe Hermes is starting to rub off on him.

"Wait you've always had a soft spot for then? You've only met them once, yesterday."

Hades stays quiet at this as he cleans my wound and begins to rewrap it, he's very gently as he does this.

"You've met them before, haven't you?" I ask but I already know the answer, and the silence proves me right. "When? How?"

"I'm a detective-"

"No! Don't you dare tell me more lies," I yell at him and I see him look guilty at this as he finishes wrapping my leg. "And no more secrets, I'm sick of people keeping everything from me Hades."

"You and I, we're not like other people Persephone," he starts off in a soft voice, putting the supplies back onto the dresser.

That's exactly what Hermes had told me the other day as well.

"What do you guys mean by that though?" I cry out confused.

Hades turns around, watching me closely as he opens the door.

"We're gods."

And the door clicks softly behind him.

❦

Did Hades seriously expect me to actually believe that? Gods? As in actual real life Gods?

"I think he's losing it..." I mumble to the room as I go back over in my head what Hades had told me earlier in the morning. "Or I'm losing it?"

I add remembering the three kidnappers, flashes of light, the dude with the sword who  tried to kill me and the rest of Hade's friends I've met.

"He can't honestly expect me to believe it, right?" I ask the room. "Me a god? or goddess should I say. I can't even finish my chem homework let alone be a goddess and babysit people."

"Do you always talk to yourself like this?" Hermes asks opening the door with one hand, and in the other is a brown bag.

"Do you always listen in on people's private conversations?"

Hermes raises an eyebrow as he smirks.

"I see ducky is feeling more like herself today," he comments amused, stepping further into the room.

"And I see you are still the very same." I poke my tongue out at him as he sits the unopened bag on top of my legs and glare at him as the heat reaches my thighs through the blankets. "What's this?"

"Oh I thought you wanted me to buy you a colouring book and pencils?" I glare back at him as I open the bag.

"Very funny! Ha fucking ha!"

And I'm greeted by the freshly baked smell of-

"Choc-chip cookies!" I scream excitedly, taking the clear bag out of the larger one.

"Well at least we know you still like them," Hermes mutters before giving me a tight lipped smile.

"What was that?" I ask, glancing over at him. I open the bag of sweets and take one out, biting into it and letting the gooey chocolate run down my throat.

I sigh in utter bliss.

"I said it's a good thing you like them," he shrugs dropping into the usual seat beside the bed.

"Right?" I eye him. "And whys that exactly?"

"Because Hades told me to buy five bags of them."

My mouth drops open in surprise.

"Did you say... five bags?!" I repeat staring wide eyed at him.

I get to eat five bags of yummy, freshly baked, gooey chocolate-chip cookies. Hell yes!

"Yes!" he sighs leaning back in the chair with his eyes closed. "They think I'm going on a cookie diet or something. Oh and-"

I take another bite out of the cookie, looking across at him with my head titled slightly.

"- This little girl called me the Cookie Monster, she thought it was hilarious!"

I start choking on my cookie as I laugh, trying to cover my mouth with the back of my hand.

"I am not the Cookie Monster! Wait who even is this Cookie Monster person or well... monster?"

I laugh harder at this, causing tears to appear in the corner of my eyes.

"It's off a children's program, you obviously didn't have much of a childhood when growing up," I shrug once I can breathe normally again.

"Hey missy I-had-a-childhood-when-growing-up, I'll let you know that I stole Apollo's cow when I was a kid!"

I stare unblinkingly at him for a few seconds.

"You... stole his cow?"

I repeat puzzled.

"Was it a prized cow or something?" I add trying to understand why a kid would steal a cow.

"No I was just bored and wanted to do something for fun," he admits with one of his flashy smiles.

"I honestly don't understand you sometimes," I say shaking my head jokingly.

"Hermes! Seph!"

Both our heads turn towards the door as Ash rushes into the room, closely followed by Pat and Hades further behind them.

"What's going on?" I ask trying to lift myself up a bit more as I watch them come in. Pat and Ash share a worried glance between them both.

"We need to get you home sweetie," Ash tell me softly.

"What is going on?" I repeat the question, glancing from the boys to Hades who is standing by the door watching me.

"We didn't employ Hades Seph, he isn't a private detective like he says he is..." Pat starts coming to stand beside the bed, his hand reaches for mine but I pull back.

Yeah I kind of figured that one out already Pat.

"Just like your real names aren't Pat and Ash?"

Both boys glance at one another again in shock. Pat turns to look behind him, Hades stays back by the door emotionless. Hermes hasn't said anything either, although he's still standing close by.

"What do you mean?" Ash asks me, his tone worried.

"Don't keep lying about it Achilles, Hermes has already-"

"Did you just say Achilles?" Pat exclaims in shock. I nod my head, sighing.

"Yes duh! And you're Patroclus... did I pronounce that right?" I ask Hermes turning to face him, he smiles so I'm guessing that's a yes.

"You told her?!" Pat yells angry, turning to glare at Hermes who just shrugs.

I've never seen Pat this mad before, he's shooting daggers at poor Hermes and I notice the clenched fist he's making by his side.

"And you aren't even meant to be here!" Ash adds in his two cents, turning to face Hades. "If He finds you down here with her..."

"Stop it guys!" I say to them but they ignore me.

"She has a right to know the truth Patroclus," Hermes tells him not backing down although he is the shortest one in the room, except for me of course.

"How did you even find her in the first place?" Ash continues questioning Hades. He doesn't wait for an answer, not that Hades would have given him one anyways by the looks of it. "She doesn't belong there with you Hades. She's a spring goddess for christ sake, she belongs with her mother if anything."

And there's the word goddess again, I frown as I try to make any sense out of any of these conversations.

"We were going to tell her on her birthday, before she was kidnapped!" Patroclus explains to Hermes on the other side of the bed. "Did you help him kidna-"

"No!" Hermes answers quickly stopping him.

"Are you trying to get her killed? She is His da-"

I glance over the other side of the bed again towards Achilles and Hades, who to the most part has remained calm and emotionless standing there - until now.

"She is my Queen! I swore to her that I'd never let anything happen to her..." Hades tone suggests that he's pissed but he doesn't yell, not that he needs to however as Achilles is already lowering his gaze to the floor.

Patroclus and Hermes have also stopped their argument and are watching these two worriedly.

"Now you may have raised her for eleven years and she may see you as her older brothers but don't you dare overstep that mark or-"

"Hades!" I cry trying to get him to snap out of it but like before, I'm ignored completely.

"I will do something I won't regret Achilles, remember your place young one!"

Achilles has a scowl on his face but nods his head, taking two steps back from the tall man leaning over him. Patroclus edges around the bed to come to his partners side, taking his hand in his before looking up at Hades.

"We just want what's best for her, you must understand that Hades."

Hades copper eyes turn to him.

Not a good sign.

I quickly throw the blankets off of me and push myself up, my body aches in protest but I swing my legs over and stand up. This probably isn't a good idea either because my legs are like jelly, so I hold onto the edge of the bed not that it helps much.

"I said stop it!" I yell as loud as I can making everyone in the room stop and turn to look at me.

"Looks like the goddess has found her voice again, welcome back your highness!" Hermes jokes cracking a smile my way. "You were born to be a queen."

"Don't..." I close my eyes as I begin to feel quite dizzy all of a sudden.

"Ducky? Are you okay?"

"Is she bleeding?" Achilles asks.

I start to sway on my jelly legs and before I can hit the floor, Hades has swooped across the short distance between us and catches me in his arms.

"She must have pulled the stitches when she stood up," Hades mumbles answering Achilles question but he's looking down at me. His eyes are back to their golden brown and I can't help but smile shyly up at him.

"Don't call me a goddess!" I grumble crossing my arms over my chest. "I'd be the most uncoordinated-"

"You're a goddess!" Achilles snaps suddenly. Patroclus turns and slaps him on his shoulder with a groan.

"Babe, really!"

"What?! She was bound to find out eventually anyways." 

"I'm a goddess?" I ask them glancing from person to person until finally, I look up at Hades who is still holding me in his arms.

He nods his head.

"You've got to be kidding me?!"