On a Tennessee back road at three in the morning, two young men rounded the corner going a respectful thirty-five miles per hour.

If you think this sounds boring and road-rage inducing, let me assure you- it was.

"Moony, please," Grim groaned in the passager seat, "Speed up a little. Its gonna be sunrise by the time we get to Waffle House."

"I'm going to safe, reasonable speed limit for nighttime driving!" Artemis barked, hands clenching the steering wheel, "Not everyone drives like a crazy person!"

Artemis let his eyes veer from the road. "Are you sure you wanted to eat there?"

"Hey, today's your day, Moony. I'm up for whatever you want," Grim smiled, a earnest and gentle expression.

Pulling into the Waffle House, the parking lot was desolate. Diners in Tennessee were almost like alternate universes at three in the morning, and Grim and Artemis ventured into the Twilight Zone with no one but the employees aiding them. They were shown to a somewhat sticky table and sat down.

Grim put his coffee cup to his lips as he slid a bundle of money across the table. Artemis's eyebrows knit.

"What's that for?" he asked, putting down his menu.

"I've put you through a lot. I think it's time you got a little payment for your services," Grim said casually, shrugging.

"Aw, cool," Artemis said, immediately pocketing the cash.
"Wait, I didn't think you'd actually take it!" Grim cried, "I thought you'd pull some 'Oh Grim, I love you so much, I don't need money to be with you,' or something!"

Artemis grinned. "I'll always take money. You're a bit of a handful."

Breakfast, if you called food at three in the morning breakfast, passed by in mostly silence, but not the awkward kind of silence. Grim's and Artemis's silence was a sort of mutual, familiar understanding, the kind that two people who's known each other for their entire life use to have a friendly conversation without words.

As Grim and Artemis trudged to their car, a gust of wind blew back Grim's bangs. He looked up, immediately remembering Eris and how the wind carried away the dust that was once her body. It was odd to think about, that tiny bits of his mother was blowing all over Earth. He wondered what she was thinking about.

The wind blew somewhat more forcefully on his face, and a speck of dirt went down his throat. He coughed, choking on  the air.

Grim took that as an omen that Eris wasn't thinking of very nice things. She may have been only visible only a microscope, but she could still screw with him (even if it was laughably petty).

But that's the thing about gods: they don't like to die. Yeah, their son can blow them to a million pieces, but you just can't kill them. It's nature.

Author's Note- and we're finished!!! im so thankful that you all stuck through with me till the end :) this was a really fun story to write! i hope you all enjoyed this!!!!!!!!