Aftermath

After a fun shower full of water aggravating my wounds, I was finally free of dirt and ash. I then had an even more fun night of sleeping in a bathtub so as to not get blood all over the place. The next morning was an early one full of burning clothes and cleaning the house.

I was fortunate enough to clean everything by the time anyone got home.

Even more lucky that my wounds were healed due to running <blood> imbuement all night.

When my parents and brother got home, it was time for our weekly family breakfast.

After we sat down it was time for the usual small talk, read interrogation.

"So, when are we going to meet this girlfriend of yours." (My mother)

"Yeah, kiddo. We would love to sit down with her and embarrass you, as is our right as your parents that you have so willfully denied us all these years" (Dad)

Luckily, I was saved by the bell, well ring tone.

"I much as I would love to continue this conversation, I must take this." (John)

I walked into the living room.

"Whoever this is, thank you." (John)

"Come outside." (Layla)

I did not like what I heard in her voice, anger and a note of sadness.

"What's going on?" (John)

"Just come outside. We need to talk." (Layla)

"That's never good." (John)

"No, it's not. Just come outside." (Layla)

"I'll be right out." (John)

As I walked outside, I beheld my lovely girlfriend leaning against that beautiful car of hers with her arms crossed and her cute face scrunched up. Something tells me I'm not going to like the conversation that is about to occur.

"I saw it." (Layla)

"Saw what?" (John)

"Your scar." (Layla)

"I would imagine, we have known each other for quite some time and have gone swimming together." (John)

"I saw it last night." (Layla)

"Oh." (John)

"Oh indeed." (Layla)

"So, who am I talking to right now, Layla my girlfriend or Plant Girl the Ward?" (John)

"I think that depends on how this goes." (Layla)

"Ok. You must have some questions?" (John)

"Why did you not tell me?" (Layla)

"Layla, we have gotten close these past couple of months, but that's just it. I have only known you for a couple of months and that's as two teenagers. I had no idea what you would do with the truth." (John)

"You didn't trust me?" (Layla)

"That's rich coming from you." (John)

"What's that supposed to mean?!?!" (Layla)

"The fact that the Ward Plant Girl is the daughter of Olympus's vice leader Hermes." (John)

Funny how quickly blood can drain from a face.

"What are you talking about?!" (Layla)

"I should have realized the second I saw that car, but that's more hindsight. It being 20/20 and all. What truly revealed you was his response time last night. I have no doubt that Olympus would send backup and I don't doubt who they send would be fairly motivated to arrive quickly, but not as quickly as Hermes did." (John)

With that she deflated.

"Can you just call him Brian or something, it's weird that you keep calling him Hermes." (Layla)

"That's rich coming from Plant Girl, but ok. Brian could not have arrived that quickly unless he was keeping an eye on the wards and was willing to drop anything, no matter its importance, to get there. Then there was that look in his eyes, he tried to hide it, but it was there. Would have missed it if I wasn't running my superspeed." (John)

"You're a killer." (Layla)

"I put down a rapid dog." (John)

"How can you say that?!" (Layla)

"Because it's true. Lung lived by the law of the jungle and died like a member of it, but you know what if you can look me in the eye and say that Lung had even a sliver of humanity, an ounce of anything one could attribute to positivity or light, I will admit my fault, hell I will walk into a police station and confess if you so wish." (John)

She didn't say anything, but the look in her eyes as she averted her gaze spoke for her.

After a few moments of awkward silence.

"So where do we go from here?" (Layla)

"Where would you like to go? I don't see how anything needs to change. We both had good reasons not to reveal our respective secrets." (John)

"Fair enough. So, rainbow superpowers?" (Layla)

"Why don't I drive us around in that sweet car of yours and talk about it." (John)

"One of your superpowers must be disconnection from reality if you think I'm letting you drive my car." (Layla)

"All righty then. Away we go." (John)