Balm in Gilead Chapter 8 (Patreon)

A/N: Soooo, I've been a bit busy lately and kinda forget yesterday was Monday. Sorry everyone! Here's the chapter! 

*~*~*
*~*~*

The smith raised her eyebrow, fox ears flicking on her head.

“That’s… a lot of gear.”

I looked at the pile of assorted armor and weapons that Lili and I had salvaged from our last few days of dungeon delves.

“Huh, it is.” I turned to my supporter, who was standing right next to me. “Is you bag bigger on the inside?”

Lili shook her head. “Lili is just very good at packing.”

“Well, there you go.” I said. “We need some new gear, and I’ve been really satisfied with my pickax.” The thing was surprisingly durable. During our fights with Soma Familia in the upper floors, I’d seen adventurers shatter blades with poorly placed blows, done it myself a time or two as well, but the pickax I’d gotten from this little shop had survived it all.

“Well, thanks, I guess?” The woman rubbed the back of her head, a somewhat confused smile flicking on her face. It made one of her abnormally large canines poke over her bottom lip. “But ah, you’re puttin’ me in an awkward spot, here.”

She poked the pile of armor, and the stack of breastplates and greaves tottered once, before collapsing. The metal rang like chimes as it clattered over the edge of the countertop and to the floor of the shop. “Where’d you say you got all of this again.”

I sighed. It was inevitable. Still, dumping all of this off at the guild for their bulk rate on metal was less than palatable. We’d barely gotten any actual delving done the past few days, and both of us were sorely in need of some additional funds.

Lili more than me, I assumed.

“A Familia has a problem with me.” I shrugged. “These are from the people with more Vallis than sense.”

The fox woman raised an eyebrow. “This many, huh?”

“What?” I tilted my head. “You think I could have gone after this many people on my own? The dungeon is a big place.”

“I mean, when you say it like that, you have a point.” The smith hummed, nodding twice. “But then I look back at the pile of bloody armor on my counter.”

I sighed again. “Alright.” I shrugged. “Figured it was worth a shot going to someone I knew, but the guild will always take it.”

It would put us at a loss for this week.

But I had a feeling my supporter wouldn’t be complaining.

The red-haired smith blinked. “Huh? Just like that?”

“I’m not here to make trouble. If you won’t take it, I’ll have to find someone who will.”

The thought of the Hephaestus familia came immediately. But they’d—or rather their goddess—had already done so much for me. Even with my ‘amazing’ bargaining skills, I knew I’d gotten my new arm at a percentage of what it was worth, if even that much.

Going back to them for more charity after that?

Unacceptable.

I helped Lili repack her bag.

Then the smith coughed. “Why d’ya keep going back to the dungeon anyway? If they keep going after you.”

I gave her a grim smile. “Because if they keep looking for me there, they won’t be looking for my goddess.”

A complicated expression crossed the woman’s face. Her eyes went over us, taking in my own damaged armor and bloodied clothes. The tears in mine and Lili’s cloaks. We looked like we’d been through hell and back.

The last Soma group had come with twelve.

“Ah, fuck me running.” The woman ran a hand through her hair. “That cute little thing you brought in the other day? How could I stop myself from helping her out?”

My eyes narrowed. “She’s off limits.”

“Whoo, someones a protective little kid, ain’t she?” The smith gave me a foxy grin. “I don’t need all of this, but I’ll take the metal off you for a fair price.”

I paused, setting a battered helm back on the table. “Any chance we could barter for some new armor with that as well?”

She chuckled, “I think we might be able to work something out.” She fixed me with a glare. “But I’m not taking this off you as anything other than scrap.”

I chuckled, rubbing the back of my head. “I think we can work something out.” I echoed. The woman glared, and I relented. “To be fair, most of it probably is scrap.”

My pick was not kind to armor, not the least of which because of my own rapidly growing strength.

“Right, well, start laying it out, and I’ll let you know what I’m interested in.” She folded her arms, pushing up her breasts. What was it with smiths and form fitting shirts? “And no big pile this time! I like to actually see what I’ll be working with.”

I nodded. “My supporter will need some armor as well. Do you do leather, or light chain?” I glanced back towards my companion. “She needs something that won’t weight her down too much.” Or interfere with her movement, for that matter.

I did my best to protect Lili, who was already looking up at me with narrowed eyes, but she’d had a few too many glancing blows in the past for me to be really comfortable with her going into the dungeon unarmored.

“Lili doesn’t need your help.” The girl’s glair only deepened as I chuckled.

“Well, consider it part of the price of joining my team.”

The fox smith looked back and forth between the two of us, gold eyes shimmering. “And why’d she want to be on your team in the first place.”

I smiled, and the woman shivered. “I guess I’m not the only one who has a problem.”

To my side, Lili nodded.

*~*~*

Hestia perked up when she heard the door to the shop ring, she turned around from where she was polishing an armor stand. “’Dite-chan!”

“Helloooo, Hestia!” Aphrodite waved from the front of the shop.

The God of Love was in high spirits as ever, just like every other freshly ascended deity. The mortal world was just so different from heaven, filled with new and exciting people, all the center of their own little stories. There was joy in learning those stories, in meeting new people after countless eons with only the other gods for comfort.

Hestia wished her friend the best of it.

She returned Dite’s hug when the boy slammed into her, giggling as they both went rolling across the floor. “Dite, stop, you’ll get my uniform dirty!”

“Oops, Sorry!” Dite hopped up, pulling Hestia back to her feet. “Can I keep hugging you though?”

“Of course!”

Dite grinned, shifting slightly so he could rest his head on Hestia’s shoulder. Hestia smiled softly, combing a hand through Dite’s flowing golden tresses. They’d already grown slightly from the first time they’d seen each other, reaching the god’s waist. Hestia wouldn’t be surprised if by the end of the month the golden banner of hair went all the way down to his ankles.

Gods didn’t have to change or age in the mortal world, but if they wished to, they could.

A moment later, the door opened again, letting Hephaestus into the shop. She took one glance as Hestia and Aphrodite, before letting out a long-suffering sigh. “Should I be worried? My own employee is seducing my wife.”

Hestia giggled again. There wasn’t any heat in the words, and Hephaestus looked happier than she’d been in a long time.

Dite on the other hand, just opened up his arms, beckoning towards the goddess of the forge. After a moment, and another dramatic sigh, Hephaestus flipped the sign on the door to ‘closed’ and meandered over to join the other two in a hug.

“I love hugs.” Dite whispered in Hestia’s ear. “I think Hephy needs more of them though.”

“Mmm!” Hestia nodded. “She gets grumpy when she isn’t hugged enough.”

“Oi, I’m right here you know.”

Aphrodite giggled. “So, you are!” She pushed forward, hugging then both more tightly, until Hestia lost her balance with a squeak, and the three of them staggered back against the counter.

“Dite…” Hephaestus rolled her eye, shifting her grip to better support her new armful of deities.

“Yes, dearest wife?”

Hephaestus managed to keep her stern expression for just a second, before it collapsed into another sigh. “What am I going to do with you?”

Aphrodite fluttered his long golden eyelashes up at his love. “Why don’t you think about what you’re going to do to me, instead.”

“You’re insatiable.” Hephaestus shoved Dite and Hestia away playfully. “This is why I keep telling you to get a familia already.”

Aphrodite pouted. “But I want to make up for all of the loveI’ve missed giving you, Hephy!” She sauntered closer, licking her lips in a way that made Hestia blush. “And all the love I couldn’t get from you.”

Hephaestus coughed, looking away. “You know that it wasn’t possible when you were still in heaven.”

“Oh, I know…” The petite god leaned forward, hooking Hephaestus’s collar. “But that just means you’re long overdue on your payments.” He smiled. “And I intend to collect.”

Hephaestus reached out grabbing her husband on his slip, oh so grabbable shoulders. She took a deep breath. “Later.”

Dite pouted. “Mou, Hephy!”

Hephaestus rolled her eye. “Tell you what,” she said. “You behave for the rest of the day, and I’ll do that thing you like.” She met her husband’s eyes. “With my tongue.”

Aphrodite popped out of Hephaestus’s grip, snapping off a ramrod straight salute. “As you wish, my dearest love!”

Hephaestus sighed, again. “Well, I guess that’s the best we’re gonna get.”

“Yep!”

Hestia giggled, covering her mouth with a gloved hand. “So why did the two of you come here anyway?”

“Oh, oh, can I? can I please?”

Hephaestus glanced over at Aphrodite, before waving a hand.

Aphrodite squealed. “We’re going to be working together!”

Hestia blinked, “We are?”

“Yep!” Dite reached forward, grabbing Hestia’s hands as he bounced in place, gauzy shifty flouncing in time with his hair. “Hephy noticed what a big upswing in business having a goddess working the shop is, and what’s better than one goddess?” He tossed his hair. “Two goddesses!”

“Technically, you’re a god though?”

“Even better!” Aphrodite took a step back, pirouetting. “Don’t I just look scrumptious?” He tilted his head, putting on a cute wide-eyed expression. “And that armor looks… really c-cool on you, onee-sama.”

“Guh!” Hestia clasped her hands to her chest, critical hit! It took her a moment to come back to herself. “But what about your familia? You can’t really recruit adventurers if you’re working at a shop like this.”

Aphrodite returned to his normal posture. “That’s true, but… I kinda want a break, you know.”

“Hmm? A break?”

“Yeah!” He stretched his arms up over his head, flashing his trim stomach. “I’ve been running things in heaven for a while now, ‘specially after Freya descended! I want a break before starting my own familia. Also, I really wanted to help Hephy out!”

“Oh, so that’s why you’re working here?”

“Well, kinda.” Dite waved Hestia closer, cupping her mouth. “Do you know Hephaestus hasn’t even gotten herself a mortal yet? It’s unconscionable!”

Hestia blinked. “You want to be around high-level adventurers… to try and pick out a lover for Hephaestus?”

“Yep!” Aphrodite grinned broadly.

“But…” Hestia glanced over her shoulder, to where Hephaestus was rubbing her brow. “What if she doesn’t want someone else.”

“Oh, she does.” Dite waved a hand, Hephaestus blushed. “At least sometimes. And even if I’m more than enough to fill all of herneeds, what kind of god of love would I be if I didn’t help her fulfill all of her desires as well…” He started to giggle, pupils dilating as he looked off into the middle distance. “Like having a big, strong, adventurer use me for pleasure, before discarding me like a used dishrag after he’d taken his fill and turning towards a bed strewn with roses and—”

Hestia placed her hands over Aphrodite’s mouth. “I think that’s more than I need to know.”

Dite blinked. “Huh? Oh probably.” He grinned. “After all, you burn with a singular desire right now, don’t you?” Hestia blinked. “When do I get to meet her?”

And Hestia blushed.

*~*~*

I paused.

It took Lili only a second to notice it, glancing up from where she was organizing her bag. “Taylor?”

I stood, yanking my pickax out of the Soma familia warrior at my feet. It had been an even bigger group this time, but I was growing to match them, both in skill and power.

That wasn’t why I stopped of course.

“Is something wrong?” Lili asked.

“I felt…” I frowned, glancing up at the ceiling. “I could have sworn…” then my eyes narrowed, on a single, thin stalactite as it trembled. Immediately I sank down to the floor, pressing my metal hand to the stone.

Hephaestus had really out done herself with this. It obeyed me seamlessly and had a more accurate sense of touch than even my flesh and blood hand.

And through it I felt vibrations.

“Earthquake?”

Lili shook her head. “There are no earthquakes in the dungeon.”

“Then why is the ground shaking?” My eyes narrowed, “it’s getting stronger.”

Lili blinked at me a few times, before her face went ghost white.

“Stampede!”