SOME EARNED DOWNTIME

For some reason, I felt really sleepy after a giant meat fest. Helen went to Elena as I prepared our tents. I then immediately went to sleep. And immediately regretted it.

Why can't I get a good dream?

Mei stood by two massive warships. Behind them were ranks of soldiers and Amazons, with Morgan at their head. They were ready to set sail. Also, there seemed to be some demigods in that army - our new recruits?

Welp, I never got to figure that out. My father decided it was better to show me his highlights on the battlefield.

At least a week has passed since the last time the gods engaged the Titans on the Denali. I'm amazed they're still going at it. But it's still impossible to see them fight - my eyes only register blurry blurs.

But I could somehow tell the gods were losing momentum. The energy, shall I say, on their side was weakening. It was enough for Kronos to seize Poseidon's throat in triumph. Hyperion stalled Zeus, while Prometheus, Krios, and Iapetus pushed Athena and Hera back. Artemis lay on the ground, pulverized.

So, as expected, the gods retreated. Zeus summoned one last ounce of strength and hurled endless thunderbolts, which provided enough cover for a getaway. But the Olympians had lost Poseidon - one of their major players. Once Typhon was released, a new age was inevitable. The gods couldn't possibly win, not with so many odds stacked against them. But did we even need him? If the gods were this weak compared to the Titans, why not start the war now?

What did we need Typhon for?

I woke up. I felt better, somewhat. Once you go to sleep, you crave more of it. At least, that's how it is for me. But I'm not sure if I should go sleep again. Elena and Helen were probably drained right now. I should go help them.

Sure enough, the two were busy at work. Elena smiled. "Well, look who decided to wake up!"

"Sorry about that. I just really needed a nap. Did you guys need me?"

"Nope, we finished without you."

"Oh...ok." That grin of hers seemed forced. Was she actually mad?

Helen threw something at me - a coat. "Is this for me?"

Elena nodded. "She wouldn't take a break until it was finished. You owe her one."

"I owe her enough already." I hugged my little sis tightly. "Thanks a lot, Helen. I'll make sure it doesn't get ruined."

"It's going to get ruined," she giggled. "The coat's really tough. Even then, knowing what we go through daily, it might not last long."

"We shall see, little sister. If it lasts any longer than a minute, don't ever doubt me again."

"No."

"Ok." I let go of her. "But thanks. Really. This might be random, but are you doing ok now, even a little bit?"

Helen didn't look at me for a long time, and I thought she got pissed. Her fists clenched, but then they dropped.

"I don't know," she sighed. "I don't want to be alone like that ever again."

I was going to assure her I'd be with her, but I stopped myself.

"You're not alone. We have everyone at DGH now. As for me...maybe we won't always be together, but I'll always be by your side, Helen. If you need help with anything, ANYTHING, please just let me know."

"I'm not...I'm not sure if I want it anymore. Or if I should."

What?

"Helen..."

She pushed me back, albeit softly. "Don't take it the wrong way, Yiannis. I'm grateful...lucky to have a brother like you. But maybe too much so. I learned something while you were away. I couldn't do anything at all by myself. AT ALL."

"That's ok. I'll teach you-"

She cut me off. "I rely on you too much. Far too much. And I'm not a little girl anymore. I need to do what I can on my own. I realized that, even though it hurts. You won't always be with me, Yiannis."

"Is...is that so? I can't help with anything?"

"Of course, you can, but rather than doing everything for me, I want to ask for it."

"But Helen, you've done a lot on your own in the time we've been down here. You took care of food, cooking, and more."

"But whenever monsters show up, I can't do anything. I'm nothing but a burden, and I..."

I wiped tears off Helen's face. "You may walk on a cane because you've only got one leg, yet you're one of the best fighters I know. Hypsipyle and I wouldn't have gotten here if you weren't with us. And you're already better than me at using Hades's powers."

"You're just saying that to make me feel better."

"Well, it happens to be true too. Can't I have a win-win?"

We hugged one more time as Helen shed more tears.

"Maybe you're not a beast like Clarisse, but who is?. You're strong just as you are, little sis. You're not a burden to me, and you never were. I care about you a lot, is all."

"I don't deserve it."

"Don't say that. You deserve it even more after I couldn't see you for a year."

We stayed like that for a while before we let go of each other.

Helen wiped her eyes. "Sorry. I-"

"Don't be sorry. There's nothing to be sorry for."

Helen nodded. "Thank you, Yiannis," she said with one of the brightest smiles I've ever seen on her face. It was so beautiful - it made being her older brother worthwhile. Yet, if she ever learned what I was doing behind her back...I shook my head to rid myself of the thought. I couldn't bear it.

"Of course. And remember, if you need help, I'm here."

"Ok."

I put on the coat. "Fuzzy. It's gonna get scorching hot in here. I'm guessing your coat is hot as hell too, Helen?"

"Mine's isn't as thick as yours, so no."

"Why not? Why curse me?"

"Because you're the one who's always an inch away from the Underworld, and I have to heal you back to life," Elena groaned. "All the time. You may be Hades's son, but can you try not to love the land of the dead so much?"

"You don't seem to mind all that much, though."

"You forced me to get used to it."

"Should I apologize?"

"Obviously."

The three of us chuckled. I was reminded of life above ground for a second.

And then my dreams interjected, shoving me back into reality. But should I ruin the moment to have a private chat with Elena?

Nope.

But given that Mei had set sailing, we had two months, if not a bit more, to get to Typhon. How we'd get out of here in that time frame, I do not know.

Sadly, I had to ruin the moment.

"Hey guys, don't you think we should pack and get out of here?"

Helen cocked her head. "We just got here. And unlike you, Elena or I hadn't had a break."

Oh, right.

"Then do either of you have a problem if we depart tomorrow?

"Yiannis, is there something wrong? Why do you want to leave so early?"

"I'd prefer getting out of here as soon as possible. We haven't seen anything related to Kronos or the Titans, and we keep getting attacked by random monsters. That nap I had was the longest down here in a while."

"But we don't even know where we're going. I didn't want to think about it, but what if we never find our way out?"

Had I not been tired, anxious, and worried about how to survive in here all the time and how to get out, that would've been my first thought. Instead, it was never a thought - nope - never even considered it.

Although...

"Well, an exit doesn't pop out of nowhere. We gotta find one, even though we may become a pile of skeletons before we do."

"Every time we travel, we always find a new monster, and you find yourself in a near-death situation. I'm too tired for that right now."

"I did ask about tomorrow. Would you be ok with that?"

"Maybe. The one time we caught a break was at Menoetius's farm, and you were out cold for a week. Elena and I had to care for you and all the barn animals. Thankfully, the naiads were kind enough to help; otherwise, I might've just left you there."

"That's very mean. Then, do you want to stay here for a week?"

Helen's pleading eyes were begging me to say yes, and I couldn't find it in my heart to say no.

"Then we'll rest up for a week or two. I'll let you decide."

Helen thanked me with a bear hug, and it made me laugh.

"Sorry, little sis. I should've noticed you needed a break. How about you, Elena?"

She shrugged. "But a week is too long. How about 4 days?"

"No," Helen objected. She proceeded to have a staring contest with Elena.

"Five," Elena smiled. "I think we'll all be rested by then, Helen. To make sure, we'll make Yiannis do all the work."

"That's rather harsh. At least offer a little help."

The two replied with a big fat no in unison. We're so leaving tomorrow. After I do my own protest later.

Helen yawned and went to her tent, leaving me alone with Elena. How convenient.

"I'm guessing Mei's on the move?"

"Was it that obvious?"

"It was bold of you to suggest we leave immediately. You should know how tired your sister is."

I sat next to Elena. "I had forgotten you two were up to something. The latest dream was quite a handful."

"So Mei's set sail, and we have no clue when," she pursed her lips. "At least Poseidon's been detained. One less god we have to worry about."

"Doesn't seem much of a worry, given he was captured and the gods retreated. I'm starting to wonder why we need Typhon."

"Prometheus is the Titan of foresight. While he can't predict the future, he can sense how good or bad it will be."

"So you're saying that whatever's up ahead necessitates Typhon? That's terrifying."

"Very. But I'm sure Lord Kronos doesn't want to lose again."

"He's already beaten the Olympians. If Typhon decides to go against us, we'll be screwed."

"Well, I'd be amazed if your father didn't plan to keep him in check."

"Typhon gave the gods a run for their money. Let's hope Kronos is stronger."

"Of course he is. I told you not to worry about your father, Yiannis."

I gulped. "Do you mean that?"

"Yes. Lord Kronos is the Titan king. Very few are stronger than he."

"But then it makes even less sense why we're going through all this trouble if Kronos is already fully revived."

Elena shrugged. "Hard to say. We can't possibly guess what powerful deities are up to. They can see things we can't."

"You're right. We should focus on getting out of here."

"And that may never happen. As Helen said, we don't know where we're going. And we always get attacked by monsters."

"But we have a limited food supply. We could live off the bull we killed for a month. Not that long, considering we've already been down here for that long. We would have starved if we didn't come across Menoetius's farm."

"Not that we have a surefire way of getting out, but I suppose moving is better than sitting in one spot."

"I hope we can catch up with Mei. And I know you probably don't want to hear this, but..."

"I see. So you think Morgan stole my soldiers?"

"Well, they seemed to put up a united front as they left Lemnos. Either that's because Mei were there, and everyone acknowledged her as Kronos's stand-in, or Morgan has gotten more allies. I haven't had a dream about her specifically, so I wouldn't know what she's up to now. I think it's unlikely, but it's possible."

I placed my hand on top of Elena's. "If you need it, I'm happy to help you consolidate power. We can't have divisions now that we're so close to overthrowing the gods."

"Am I just a pawn to you, then?"

"What? No! Of course, I don't want you to be deposed again. Morgan and her friends might actually kill you this time."

"Are you lying to me?"

"No!"

"Well, in any case, some help is always appreciated. And in my land, you're an esteemed guest of honor!"

"Is that good or bad? I saw your people worshipping me."

"Ah, that old statue depicts another god. From what I'm told, he's not from Greek mythology, so there's no need to worry about him. It's an old custom that's gained popularity after what Aphrodite did to us, but had its origins even before then. Now that I think about it, he does resemble you. But you can relax - my people and I are certainly aware of your mortality."

"An old god? And he looks like me? Does that mean I become a god?"

"No," Elena snorted. "His name is lost to time, but his powers are said to be similar to Hades, your other father. He's considered the lord of the night."

"But Nyx is the one who rules over that."

"Yes, but this god was supposedly born even before the primordial ones. Of course, there's no way of knowing if he was real or not. But my ancestors venerated him for centuries."

"What got him the V.I.P treatment?"

"He's said to be a kind god, the one who casts a protective shadow over the downtrodden and unfortunate. When they called for him, he would severely punish those who had hurt them. The ruler of an utopia all flocked to, and feared by all the gods for his ideals, wealth, and power."

"If you ever go back to Lemnos, mind letting me tag along so I can see the statue myself?"

"You're free to come anytime."

"Thanks. But you're not going to object to Helen's demands, even though we don't know when Mei started sailing?"

"Your sister is right - we're exhausted. Well, me and her. You, on the other hand, could pick up the slack. Blame yourself."

"You could've just waked me up - I wouldn't mind."

"You could've listened to me and not talked to Helen. I was enjoying our banter. Although it seems you two needed that conversation." 

"We did." I sat besides her on the rock. "So, what do you wanna talk about?"

Elena rested her lap on my shoulder. "With you, I can never find a lack of topics for discussion," she laughed. "There's so much I still have yet to know about the present world." 

"Ask away, and I'll try my best to answer." 

"Tempting offer, but I don't feel much for a Q & A right now. I prefer our study sessions in the library anyways." 

As I was about to ask what she wanted, she moved to sit on my lap again and brought her forehead to mine. "I've missed doing this with you. I hoped to do it more often ever since we bathed together." 

"Unfortunately, the circumstances haven't been ideal, Elena." 

"They are now. There is nothing to disturb us." 

We locked eyes, hers radiating with a passion that stirred my own. I kissed those plump lips, her gorgeous eyes, her cheeks, and every inch of her face as her fingers tangled in my hair, murmuring in delight. 

Elena brought my face to hers. "Would this be your first time?" 

"Yeah, it would. Is that a problem?" 

"Oh, I couldn't care. Would it bother you if I guided what we did?" 

"Is it because I lack experience? And no, I don't. It might be for the best. You can tell me how to make you happy." 

"And you'll happily follow," she chuckled as our lips met again. 

I lifted her and carried her over to my tent. We giggled sheepishly as we helped the other undress and sat on my sleeping bag. Elena put her hands on my chest, and then went down to my abdomen, sending my heart aflutter. 

"You're brighter than a tomato," she smirked. "Nervous? Your heart is racing."

I nodded. Elena pulled me towards her as her hands roamed over my back, easing the anxiety in my body as we kissed. 

"How about now?"

"I'm glad you're the lead. Otherwise, I could have ruined this for you. Although I shouldn't feel nervous when it's you I'm doing this with." 

Elena rolled my head back as she kissed my forehead. "I was nervous my first time as well. And you don't have to force yourself into this if you don't want, or think you have to met expectations I never set." 

"No, I really want this. And I just want to see you smile and please you, Elena." 

"Then listen to me," she said as her soft lips smooched my nose, my eyes, my chin, and down my neck. "That's why I'm in charge, after all."

I pulled her to me for another passionate kiss. "What do you want to do?" 

"Have you enjoyed it so far? I noticed you've been gawking at every bit of me." 

"Oh, did you not-" 

Elena put her finger on my lip. "I don't mind, in fact I'm happy you want me so much." 

"Well, who wouldn't be on their knees for a goddess?" 

There was a brief silence between us, and I wondered if I had said anything wrong. But being pressed to the ground and kissed fervently quelled those doubts. My fingers glided along the hot skin on her back all the way to her ass. I flipped her over and started kissing her from the neck down, eventually arriving at her vulva. 

Elena stopped me. "Not there. Your mouth won't get me pregnant, but it might go beyond that if I don't stop it here." 

"Ok, then what should we do?" 

"Do you really want to leave all of it to me?" 

"You've done this plenty of times. You know better than I do what you'll enjoy most." 

"Well, is there anything you want to do? I want you to have fun as well, Yiannis." 

"Just letting me do this with you is more than enough," I pecked her forehead. "And a few of the things I wanted...well, you've set a firm boundary against it. I'm not mad, though." 

"Then..." Elena got up as she stroked my dick. Then, she turned around, rubbing herself against me.

"Alright, then I'll be putting it in." 

"Mm. Do it gently." 

"Of course." 

I grabbed her hips as I began thrusting. I loved the way her butt pounded against my legs. I kissed my way up her spine and turned her face towards mine, my tongue entangling with hers. Elena took my hand in hers and directed it towards her pussy. We rubbed it together as we kept kissing and letting out soft moans. 

"Yiannis, you can go faster. I want you to." 

"Thank you for letting me." I kissed her forehead once more before I tightened my grip on her hips, surrendering to a newfound lust that made me mad for her, breathing more heavily with each thrust until we came. I turned her around and lay her on the floor gently as I kissed her feet and worked my way up. My lips found eventually reached her tits as my hands firmly grasped them, eliciting a deep sigh from Elena, who brought my face to hers for another deep kiss as our fingers intertwined.

"How was it?" Elena asked.

"It was the best. Thanks to you," I clutched her tightly as we kiss again for what feels like hours. "I love you, Elena." 

"I love you too, Yiannis. But frankly, I could go for another round," she said as she caressed my face with that irresistible smile. "You?" 

"I could go all day. As many times as you'd like. What would you like to do next?"