5. He’s a Toddler
Chapter five
He's a Toddler
Ione
I dreamed of when I found the ring. It was night, a full moon hung over me illuminating every piece of soil that I dug out of my way.
I knew the box was there, the only thing on my mind was to find that box.
I was digging in the soil, my hands pushing through dirt until my fingers scratched the edge of the wooden box.
As I pulled the box free from the compacted soil around it, I could feel the earth give way almost like it didn't want me to have it. The sky was dark blue, the moon was silvery-white, but as my fingers gripped the edge of Athy's prison the moon began to turn red, and the sky became black.
There was no feeling of malice, no doom and gloom washing over me, just want, need, a desire to see what was sitting inside. Was it because I already knew? There was no wax, and as I opened the box Athanasius appeared before me. Much larger than he really is, he towered over the trees.
"Put it on, rabbit," He whispered, but his voice sounded like rushing wind. "We are in covenant you and I, this is your destiny, I will ask my sister to confirm, but you belong to me, to the night."
I couldn't breathe. My fingers, my hands shook as I reached for the gleaming silver. "What if I say no?"
"You won't." He chuckled. "You aren't stupid, Ione, not like the rest, this I recognize." Kneeling, Athanasius' huge finger tilted my chin to look at him. "There's greatness in you, Ione, put it on."
I don't know what came over me. This nagging, pulling, gnawing feeling that I need to obey. Like my nature is tied to his. The shadows surround me, whispering, gently touching me with their tendrils. Comforting me, and Athanasius' watchful eyes, just waiting.
My fingers touch the cool surface of the ring. The silver warms as it absorbs my heat and I lift it away from the velvet. "That's a good girl," Athanasius chuckles. "So obedient, good girls receive gifts, but what can be yours? A Primordial of death and darkness, I need someone at my side."
What happens when I accept this? But I did, so what does this mean for later? The ring slips onto my finger, Athanasius smiles, his split tongue flicks towards me, and he reaches down picking me up in his massive hand.
"Pretty rabbit, you'll be my greatest avatar yet."
"Wake up, rabbit." Athanasius is shaking my shoulder. "Wake up female, I need food and we are on a mission today."
"What time is it?" I grumble, as the dream rolls through my brain and the weight of the ring reminds me of my choice.
He grunts. "The sun has risen and has not made it midway into the sky."
Rolling my eyes, I turn over in bed and glance at the time. 10:14 am. Athanasius stands in front of me. "Why are you still naked?" One dick in my face would have been enough but two? I'm too tired to deal with him.
"Why not?" He flexes. "The glory of my form is a marvel and you should be thankful that I allow you to gaze upon me." Grinning, Athy reaches down and snatches the covers from my body. "Rise, female, and bask in my glow."
"You are a piece of work you know that?" Sitting up, I stretch and yawn. He's watching me like a specimen in a jar, but reaches for his tunic, putting it back on.
In the bathroom, I find a spare toothbrush and put the paste on before offering it to him. "What is that?"
"To brush your teeth so your breath won't stink." I say after spitting. "Do what I do."
He sniffs the paste, flicking the right part of his tongue against it. "I have no need for this, female, my breath doesn't stink."
Raising an eyebrow, I watch as he places it in his mouth like a toddler and moves it around slowly. "I would like to not find out if it does, but good job, you're doing well."
Athanasius shoots me a glare. "I am not one of your infants. I do not need your coddling." He brushes, spits, and rinses his mouth with the cup I offer. "It does feel nice."
"Glad you agree." He mimics as I wash my face, watches as I spray my hair and retwist a few strands.
A few times he reaches out and fingers my hair between his thumb and forefinger before letting it drop back down.
"You were talking about other primordials yesterday," I start as we walk down the stairs. "Are you going to look for them today?"
"I will send a message for them today." He replies, staring out of a window. "Why?'
"Curious." I answer, opening the fridge to remove eggs, butter, milk, and cheese. In the freezer are blueberry waffles, and in the cabinet are grits. "Time, Destiny, Life and Light." I'm saying this, but really I'm asking.
"Yes," Athanasius replies. "Your neighbor is looking over here again, she is frightened."
"What?" He has the blinds pulled all the way up, face in the window staring at her. "Change your fucking face! She probably thinks you're trying to scare her!" Realization dawns on me that he's not 'human-looking.' "Athanasius!"
"Do not speak to me so commonly," He sneers as I push him from the window to smile and wave at Ms. Taylor. She narrows her eyes at me and shakes her head, but waves back. "She is the one leering into my home."
Did he just? As I close the blinds, I turn back to him.
"First, this is my home. Mine. I found you in the dirt and you have invaded my space, attached yourself to my finger, and insist that I take care of you so you can enact some legion of doom or world terror shit that you haven't fully explained and I am completely not on board with. "
He crosses his top arms over his chest. "You put on the ring. You chose me."
"So we're ignoring everything else I said?" He shrugs. "Brilliant."
He huffs. "My plan is to make the people of this world suffer, however, to please my avatar, I will shelter the ones that are close to you." He's acting like I'm inconveniencing him. "Does that suffice?"
"I have an idea," Walking over, I take his hand and lead him to the couch.
"This is a television, the people on it are for entertainment.
Watch it and learn." Turning it on, I find cartoons and then decide against that before settling on a romcom.
"This button turns the volume up or down.
This button changes the channel, which means something new will come on. "
He tries the buttons, raising his eyebrows as different shows appear before his eyes. Leaning forward, Athanasius hums softly. Good, he's quiet.
In the kitchen, I'm able to think about what's transpired over the night and into the day.
I found a box, a ring was inside connected to a primordial being.
I put on the ring, and because I did that, I am now his avatar or priestess, which is to me feels like a glorified servant.
Now, I have a primordial with a vendetta waiting to take his revenge on humanity, instead of the avatars and mages who locked him away.
As I set the plates of food on the table, I've overcooked for Mr. Yum-yum-eat-em-up, I sigh and sit down.
"Athanasius, come eat." He doesn't move, and it's now that I notice that he's watching some matchmaker show. "Oh my god, anything but that." Getting up, I turn the TV off only for him to glare at me like an angry toddler. "Come eat."
"Explain to me why human females are chasing subpar mates?" He asks. "I do not understand why they are doing that. Even a female who might be inferior among her peers is better than the average male." He sticks his finger directly in the grits, tasting them. "This is good."
What. The. Hell. "Why the fuck would you do that?" We can get to the conversation of women lowering standards for men later. "Really?"
"What did I do?" He sits at the table. "Serve me."
"No!" I can't deal with this. "You can't just touch food like that. I'm going to eat this too."
He grunts. "I am not a human. I'm not dirty, you can still eat it, female."
"That's another thing!" Setting his cup down harder than intended, I snap at him. "Stop calling me fucking female. Don't say human either. My name is Ione, and even though you're trying to use rabbit as an insult, I'll take it." He gets apple juice, since he wants to act like a baby.
Athanasius continues to stare at me. "You yell at me like it's going to change my mind." He points at the waffles. "What are these?"
Clenching my jaw, I sit down hard and ignore him making my own plate. Let's see what he does when I don't answer him. He has four arms, he can use them. He's quiet though, breathing hard, and grunting. I don't even look at him, putting syrup on my waffles, I bite into some eggs and hum happily.
"Stop ignoring me." He growls.
Still doing it. I sip my orange juice, and he moves about in his seat.
"Ione. Speak to me when I speak to you."
Nope. I didn't hear that he was sorry. Damn, these grits are good.
Slowly, his lower hands move forward and he picks up the spoons placing eggs, grits, and sausage on his plate.
He grabs four waffles, and pours syrup and holds up his utensils moving them around in his hands.
Good thing I gave him 2 forks and 2 knives.
He cuts into his food, slowly, decides that it's too much and then begins to eat the waffles with his hands.
I'm finished, standing up I notice that he's watching me with his lower eyes, and as I clear the table he continues to eat, devouring nearly everything.
As I finish washing the last dish, there's something touching my back.
His shadows, pulling my shirt, wrapping around my legs.
I allow myself to be semi-carried back to the table where they deposit me into my chair.
"Do not ignore me."
"Don't do ignorant things that make me ignore you." I reply dryly. "It's very simple."
He bites into sausage link. "I enjoy this meat."
"Good."
He sighs. "You are still angry with me."
"I am irritated with you, not angry." The shadows continue to move near my feet, touching my legs, rubbing my thighs. "Why are you holding onto me with these things?"
He grunts. "It calms you."
"Not really," He doesn't stop. "You owe me an apology."
"For?"
Why am I even bothering with him? He doesn't think he's done anything wrong, and I don't feel like explaining to him why he's wrong and why he should apologize! Besides, if he did, it'd be because I asked him to and not because he felt like he should.
"Men of this age are a different breed." I start.
"They used to go to war and die with dignity, now they ask what women bring to the table and demand we go to work, care for children, clean the home, cook food, and have sex with them while respecting them as autonomous beings and obeying their every demand.
" Shrugging, I continue. "Many think of this 50/50 mindset in which everything is shared, but a woman should do traditional womanly duties and they can do whatever they like.
The men that are providers seem to be a dying breed, or there are not enough of them to go around. "
Athanasius stares at me, licking the syrup from his fingers. "Kill them and start over."
"Excuse me?" Not that I haven't heard this before, but from someone like him? No.
"They are inferior, flawed, useless. I too, remember when males were worthy of titles like duke, king, lord.
They fought and died with pride and honor.
They tended their homes and flourished what they had or made in order to woo females to mate with.
They showed themselves as prospects to pass on their genes.
" Athy sighs, pushing himself away from the table.
"They cannot provide, what use are they?
They do not deserve breeding rights. They can work as slaves and be content with that position or culled for the betterment of everyone around them. It's a simple solution."
I'm not going to say he's wrong, especially with the prevalence of incels.
"Patriarchy." Is my only answer.
"The balance of life was never meant to tilt so foolishly," He rumbles, grabbing his plate and glass to set them into the sink.
"Patriarchy is a perversion, a desperate grasp of the lesser to claim dominion over the greater.
Nature does not abide by such arrogance—strength lies in the womb of those who can create and hone.
Where wisdom flourishes, it is followed.
That males would twist this order to serve their own vanity is an offense to the very essence of existence. Disgusting."
Color me shocked. "I don't think I expected you to say something like that, especially since you call me female and human."
"Both of which you are. Make no mistake, I call you what you are because you are lesser than me.
If you were a male, I'd call you that." He rubs his chin with one of his hands.
"I can see what you mean. It is not said in dishonor of your gender.
" Sighing, he growls. "I do not mean to upset you, never again deny me the sound of your voice. "