(Stop Playing This Game)

Mars POV

I'm so confused. I think, as I put my bedroom in good order, for the fifteenth time that night.

I suddenly realize that Lola had made herself comfortable, leaning on the door frame.

"Hey, Ares," she snickers.

"Will you please stop calling me that?" I mumble.

"No, I'm afraid not,"

"Ugh, what do you want?"

Lola frowns. "I want you to leave Korri alone,"

"One, she's the one who has been wanting to talk to ME," I say. "Two, she's been alone for the past seven years. She's been lonely. And I can sympathize."

"I DON'T BELIEVE YOU."

I already know that.

"But okay, don't believe me," I breathe. "But I believe you, I believe you hate me, and you want me gone, and you love your sister. You don't see me judging you."

"Do not play that game. STOP PLAYING THIS GAME."

I chuckle. "Nah, I'm 'friad not."

"Ugh," and Lola leaves the room.

I decide to go looking for Korri, and find her out on the front porch.

"Hey Mars," Korri breathes. "Guess what I found."

I go sit next to her, and examine a small object in her hand.

She's holding a small, iridescent bird, and keeps trying to escape her hands, but it's too afraid it'll fall.

"Cool, huh?" Korri smiles. "She's really pretty."

"Yeah," I nod.

We sit in silence, both feeling Lola's burning gaze lingering on us through the living room window.

"I'm sorry, about... well... everything." Korri says finally.

"Don't be." I smile. " would probably do the same thing as Lola if I were in her position."

"Yeah."

"Do you wanna try a game tonight?" I ask.

She shakes her head. "I don't... I dunno if I an sit next to Lola for that long."

She stands. "I have something to ask you, at dinner tonight actually."

"What?"

But she'd already left earshot.

Every time I get too close to her, she immediately pushes herself away, and I chase after her again.

I hate that we do that.

I walk back in the house and Lola corners me.

"Where did Korri go?!" she snaps.

"She said she needed a breath of fresh air."

"I don't believe you," but she backs off a little.

"Please just let me go to my room,"

"Fine,"

"BUT IF SHE DOESN'T COME BACK TONIGHT, I'M ASSUMING YOU KILLED HER, AND I'LL KILL YOU!"

"You realize I'm not what you say I am."

"Does it matter?"

"Fair, I guess it doesn't."

She storms off with a huff, and mutters things I can't understand.

☪

That was weird, I think.

I agree, Zeus says in my mind.

Oh no.

Oh YES

Please leave me be,

I still have more to explain-

THEN GET IT OVER WITH!

That was what I was trying to do, when you so rudely interrupted me. My father materializes before me and follows me into the living room, and I shut the doors behind him.

"Well?"

"I wanted to apologize for what I said."

"Screw the apologies. Tell me the real reason you've been doing this to me."

"How- Oh dammit. Well, I needed to talk to you about more of your heritage-"

"Oh not this again."

"But this is different from last time."

"How so?"

"THEN QUIT INTERRUPTING ME!"

I roll my eyes, but say nothing.

"Well you have 'other' relatives." Zeus continues.

I frown. "Yeah, like Apollo and Athena?"

"No, not like that. You have a- a twin."

"WHAT?"

My life's getting more messed up by the minute.

The door slams and I turn to see Korri.

Her cheeks are flaming, and she looks like she's about ready to pummel Zeus 'til he begged for mercy.

"Hello, young Korri. I've heard so much about you." He says, as he turns to face her.

"Wha- How- okay what are you doing here? Mars?"

Zeus raises his eyebrows. "Oh you still hate the name Ares, son? Does she know of this?"

Korri licks her lips, looks him in the eye as she breathes, "Oh I am completely aware of that. What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to discuss things with Ares- I mean "Mars"."

I sigh. "I'm still here."

They glare at me with annoyance.

Zeus's expression stays that way but Korri's changes from annoyance to forgiveness.

Zeus chuckles. "Aw. She likes you back."

"Oh that's- no it's- not that." We say in sync, and we both glare at him with fury.

"Jeez. No need to get feisty." Zeus says.

"I think it's time for you to leave." I say, as I open the front door.

"We still..." he sighs, leaves the house, and enters into the freezing rain.

"Well what was he doing here, again?" Korri asks, turning to face me.

"He wanted to talk about heritage, again. The other gods interrupted him last time he came. Not the "last time" when I came falling out of the sky."

"Ah, that makes some sense." Her sarcasm obvious.

"Well, um, I-I'll start dinner, you can find Lola, and uh... shut down for the night, huh?"

"Yeah, yeah sure."

Then all went black.

"Hey, you still there?" I shout.

"Yeah. What happened?" Korri says, as her hand finds mine.

"I have two different theories. One, is that Zeus is pissed off, and is messing with us, or something or someone turned the power off."

"I'll go check the breaker."

And I hear her footsteps recede into the black.