Episode 6

“You’re not going to wash with me, are you?”

 

Theo’s brow furrowed in disbelief.

 

“I‘m going to wash your clothes and blankets while you wash mine?”

 

Hestia shook her head as if she didn’t understand Theo’s expression.

 

“No.”

 

Theo’s answer was firm. The Andamun’s lips curled into a tight line as if he would never do that.

 

Soon Hestia giggled as if she had noticed something.

 

“Oh, no, you’re not embarrassed, are you?”

 

Her face was full of mischief, and her tail lengthened. It was like a grandmother teasing her grandson.

 

“Get out of here!”

 

Theo shouted, his head hanging low, unsure how to react to the teasing he’d never experienced before.

 

“You’re shy for a little crab. Okay, okay.”

 

Hestia giggled amusedly and moved away from the bathroom.

 

“I‘ll be an adult soon enough!”

 

Theo, halfway into the bathroom, yelled in frustration. The tips of his ears reddened with inexplicable embarrassment.

 

“Aren’t you supposed to be an adult for at least ten years?”

 

With a bang!

 

Theo slammed the bathroom door shut, not liking the way Two’s Hestia was still teasing him after being pushed out of the bathroom.

 

……I’m 14 already.

 

Theo’s small voice echoed from inside the closed bathroom door.

 

“Fourteen? I thought you were more like ten or twelve, but you’re still so skinny. I’m going to have to put on some weight while I’m here.”

 

Surprised by Theo’s age, Hestia’s face suddenly took on a determined look.

 

“For the first time in a long time, I have a reason to live, if only for a little while. Is this what Lou wanted?”

 

I should be flattered, or scold her for not caring.

 

Push, Hestia sighed softly and spat out a low mutter to herself.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Sweat beaded on her forehead as she fidgeted with her skirt, but she finished the laundry.

 

Hestia let out a hot breath as she sat down, almost lying down, on a chair in front of her house in what could hardly be called a yard.

 

Catching her breath, Hestia stared blankly up at the sky and muttered quietly.

 

“Uncle El.”

 

A moment later.

 

The birds, chirping and singing merrily, took off in a flurry of flight. Even the sunset sky, peeking through the trees, was suddenly swallowed up by a large, dark shadow.

 

Hiss.

 

A high-pitched, clean sound rang through the sky. It was a giant eagle.

 

To say it was huge would be an understatement.

 

The sound of the eagle searching for its prey caused an eerie disturbance in the forest once again, as even smaller flying creatures fled for cover.

 

Finally, the eagle, mistaking Hestia for prey, swooped down with sharp talons.

 

But Hestia’s face was unflinching in the face of the creature.

 

The suri quickly changed direction and landed on a thick branch above Hestia’s head, sending the tree shaking and shedding leaves in its wake.

 

“You call me to such a trivial task again.

 

Suri, El hissed, shooting Hestia a piercing glare.

 

“I‘m tired, and I don’t like to wash the quilt so often, but I can’t help it this time. Please, just look at it once.”

 

Despite Hestia’s pleas, El flapped her wings wildly as if she didn’t like something.

 

“Flimsy excuse.

 

A gust of wind whipped the leaves of the rain gardens.

 

“Ouch!”

 

Hestia scrambled to her feet and covered the basket with her body, fearful of getting any dust on her hard-woven quilt.

 

“Excuse me, can’t you see the beads of sweat on my forehead? I’m not going presbyopic already, am I?”

 

Then he shot a venomous glare at Elle.

 

“If you weren’t a special kind of human, you’d be able to…….

 

Elle stared down at Hestia as the words hung in the air, and then she soared into the sky, shooting downward at breakneck speed.

 

Thwack!

 

“Ehhh, kek, phew.”

 

Hestia barely opened her eyes from her kollox in the dust storm El had created, and El and the quilt basket were long gone.

 

“What’s the point of freshening it up if you’re going to do it anyway, we’re getting old together, and I don’t want Simbo to be that nasty!”

 

Hestia was dusting off her clothes and muttering something under her breath.

 

“Is…… okay?”

 

The bathroom door opened and Theo stepped out through a puff of clean smoke.

 

“Oh, did you get cleaned up?”

 

Hestia turned around and gave Theo a quick once-over.

 

“You little thing takes forever.”

 

Then she flashed a wry, mischievous grin.

 

“.…..I’m not little.”

 

Theo’s lips curled into a tight line at that smile, and then he spoke up.

 

His golden eyes twinkled with displeasure as if he didn’t like how Hestia kept treating him like a child when he was only an inch taller than her.

 

“Okay, okay. Okay, okay, relax.”

 

Hestia’s sunset-brown eyes lit up with amusement.

 

“What about the clothes? Well, they’re a little big on the arms, but if you fold the sleeves and pants, you can still wear them.”

 

Hestia checked Theo’s fit in the clothes she’d given him and smoothed out the sleeves.

 

“Whose clothes are these, anyway?”

 

Theo asked, still enjoying the touch. Though much worn, the clothes he was wearing were those of a civilian man.

 

“You can’t be…….”

 

Theo’s eyes narrowed with reasonable suspicion. Hestia quickly corrected him, her expression giving away what she was thinking.

 

“I‘m not married, I don’t have children, and that outfit is mine, don’t ask me when I wear it. And by the way, your face says everything you want to say, so be careful.”

 

Hestia’s answer was faster than he could say, and Theo had to shut up again.

 

And your face says it all……. Theo stood still and groped my face at the unfamiliar words.

 

Hestia burst out laughing and straightened up.

 

“There you go. Let’s go inside. The sun has already started to fall, so it’ll be dark before you know it.”

 

Theo turned his head and looked around. It was indeed getting darker and darker in the forest.

 

There was an eerie feeling in the air that wouldn’t be out of place if something jumped out at him.

 

“.…..Doesn’t it scare you to be alone in a place like this?”

 

Theo asked, genuinely curious as he followed Hestia into the house.

 

“What’s there to be scared of, I’m scared of me.”

 

At Hestia’s stern tone, Theo tried to gauge whether she was serious or joking, but she turned and walked away.

 

“It’s been a long time since I’ve shown you my skills, so look forward to dinner.”

 

Avoiding Theo’s gaze, Hestia rolled up her sleeves and headed for the kitchen.

 

Another prank.

 

Theo let out a small breath and shook his head.

 

How long has she known me, or rather, how many times has she seen me, to play a prank like this?

 

Confusion filled Theo’s face as he realized that Hestia had already caught him off guard.

 

Whether or not she realized how he felt, Hestia prepared to tinker with the ingredients on the shelves,

 

“Come on. You have to eat, don’t you?”

 

She placed the blueberry branches the rabbit had brought her on the table and called out to Theo.

 

Theo looked at Hestia as if to say, “What are you doing here?” and turned to face her.

 

“.…...”

 

Theo glared at Hestia when she didn’t give him any instructions as he approached the table, and when she finally broke eye contact with him, he asked cautiously.

 

“.…..Have you ever seen a blueberry before?”

 

From what he could tell, she didn’t look like she’d grown up in poverty, but what if she hadn’t?

 

“Not really…….”

 

Theo, momentarily stunned by the question, was about to speak up for clarification.

 

“Well, look. These little berries are called blueberries, and you just gently pull off the ripe ones like this. You have to be careful because if you touch it too hard, it will burst.”

 

Tap. Tap. Tap.

 

Hestia expertly plucked a handful of blueberries and held one out to Theo.

 

“Try this. They’re delicious.”

 

Theo narrowed his eyes and stared at the berries in Hestia’s hand.

 

“They’re really good, trust me, go ahead and try them.”

 

“.…...”

 

At her urging, Theo’s hand slowly reached for the fruit. After a moment’s hesitation, he opened his mouth slightly and popped the fruit inside.

 

As he carefully chewed the berry, the blueberries burst into his mouth, sending tangy juice everywhere. The sweet and tart flesh quickly disappeared down his throat.

 

“Wow…….”

 

It was the best blueberry I’d ever tasted, hands down.

 

Theo’s golden eyes widened in admiration, and his hand slowly reached for the blueberry branch.

 

“.…..!”

 

Theo gasped at the unconscious action. He sucked in a breath and quickly clamped his hand over his gaping mouth.

 

What the hell was he doing now, when he could be so vigilant and careful? Shame and embarrassment washed over Theo’s face.

 

But Hestia said,

 

“You can’t just taste it anywhere. This.”

 

She held up her head proudly, smiling brightly, before turning away and busily teasing him.

 

Shaking his head vigorously, Theo snapped back to attention and stared at Hestia, who was busily working.

 

Unsure of what he was thinking, Theo’s eyes sank low, a mixture of emotions flaring within them.

 

“I know I’m pretty, so stop staring and go pick some blueberries.”

 

“.…..It’s not like that.”

 

Theo looked away from Hestia’s words and began picking blueberries with awkward fingers, flicking, flicking, flicking.

 

“.…..This is how you pick blueberries.”

 

As he got more and more comfortable with the task, the corners of Theo’s mouth turned up in a strange sense of satisfaction as the berries piled up in his bowl.

 

By the time the house was filled with the smell of warm food, the table was set with the finished dishes.

 

“You don’t think I should try it first to see if it’s poisoned again, do you?”

 

Hestia smirked as she scooped up a bowl of stew and placed it in front of Theo.

 

The first savory smell made his salivary glands tingle.