Page 16 of Perfectly Matching Again

Erato reached out and brushed the silky strands out of Demeter’s face. A gorgeous, peaceful face. It was always gorgeous, but such peace, such total beatitude, found it rarely, Erato assumed. No, Demeter was always preoccupied, always busy. Worrying, hurrying, doing the labor of seemingly all ten Olympians—Erato excluded Aphrodite and Athena—if those lazy asses knew what work actually was.

As her fingertips caressed a sleep-warmed cheekbone, Demeter stirred. Her smile woke up first, eyes still closed, it bloomed on her full lips, delighting Erato.

The delight was, however, short-lived, as the rest of Demeter awoke too. The eyes opened and immediately turned wide and horrified, and then the knee, so snug between Erato’s legs, rammed upward and the muse fell off the bed with a yelp, gripping her crotch.

“Hades, Goddess of the Underworld, I am sorry for every single wayward thing I’ve done on this side of Styx, take me now!” Erato could barely push the words out, but even as she writhed on the floor, Demeter was next to her in a blink of an eye.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Erato, please, let me see?—”

Since Erato was still clutching her privates, the request sounded extremely confusing. But it was perhaps the pain. No way Demeter was trying to see her… Judging by the hand that flew to her mouth and the smile Demeter was clearly attempting to hide behind it, she had also realized the error in her words.

“Oh, sure, laugh at my misfortune. Maybe even send Hermes around with this news to ensure everyone else laughs.”

Erato finally sat up, elbows on knees, and looked at Demeter from under her lashes. The longest on Olympus, thank you very much.

Demeter was still smiling, but she let her hand fall down and reached for Erato’s. She waited for a nod before she allowed her fingers to touch and then, as Erato watched dumbfoundedly, warmth spread from the fingertips touching her forearm. She felt like singing. The pain was gone, the scent of petrichor intensified.

“Why am I about to burst into song?”

This time, Demeter’s smile was smug.

“You might have the longest lashes on Olympus, but I still have the nurturing touch, Muse.”

Erato covered Demeter’s hand with her own.

“You called me by my name earlier.”

Demeter, clearly done with the sentimental stuff and satisfied that she had repaired the damage she had caused, wiped an errant tear from Erato’s cheek and got up.

“You must’ve been dreaming.”

With that she turned into the direction of the bathroom, all but dragging Erato behind herself.

Once they were back on the plane, Erato pulled out her laptop, but did not open it. The Goddess next to her was elbow deep in spreadsheets again. Erato was beginning to recognize the logos. World Trade Something, UN Food Something Else, and about a dozen others. As Demeter signed a few papers, a realization suddenly dawned on Erato.

“How many of these do you run? And I know they have directors and such, but you’re behind everything?”

Demeter lifted her head and blinked like an owl, busted. She recovered quickly and waved Erato away.

“That isn’t any of your business, Muse.”

Erato stretched out in her seat and fingered the corner of a spreadsheet.

“See, that would have been true, except here I am getting dragged halfway around the world, by someone who seems to be in charge of half a dozen of the world’s biggest organizations dedicated to eradicating hunger and yet we are attending… what is it this time around?”

Demeter slapped Erato’s hand away from her precious spreadsheet, but the gesture had no malice in it and no sting. She set her pen aside and gave the muse a sideways glance.

“The world is huge, Muse.”

“Well, yeah, I mean…” Erato trailed off as Demeter rolled her eyes.

“I am but one Goddess. I used to help a few hundred of thousands Greeks back a few eternities ago, give or take. Now? Eight billion. And I am failing. There aren’t enough hours in the day. Plus, there are other factors that interfere more than assist…”

“You mean like the wars that Ares starts? Or the corruption and climate change that Zeus’s enterprises instigate and propagate? Seems like you’re alone in the face of not just billions of souls, but also a half dozen louts and co-conspirators, hellbent—forgive me, Hades—on undoing your work.”

The moment her words were out of her mouth, Erato wished them back. This was why she had been making herself scarce for centuries and rarely showed her face on Olympus. Her big mouth. And her penchant for seeing everything. You had to be very observant and very direct to be good at sex. And she was the one deity directly responsible for it. She started to change the subject, but Demeter’s hand on hers effectively cut her off.

“How very perspicacious of you, Muse. Did any of the nymphs share that with you?”

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