Rhenakos and Osiria marched their way in with Reva in hand, and a reluctant Izori followed. She huffed when Lady Angela made a comment about how she looked like her sister. “It’s not my fault she practically raised me.” She stuck her tongue out almost defiantly. She would rather be anywhere else but here, but because of Reva and the rest of the Raize family’s check up Toya insisted she go, in case something was wrong.

‘Insisted’ was a strong word. More like Izzy was thrown out and told not to come back without the check up. Izzy had a sinking feeling that Toya would know if she lied, and that was something that the girl was definitely going to avoid at all cost. There were a lot of scary things in the world, but Aunt Toya was at the very, tippy top of that list.

“How’s my sister? Is she doing okay? Are these numbskulls feeding her right?”

That earned a glare from Rhenakos, but he sighed. That was probably earned, as there were nights where Izzy had gone without dinner due to a variety of different reasons.

“Look, I said I was sorry…”

Angela was checking over the charts. “Yes, Izzy. Reva is a good weight and healthy to boot. Osiria you have really calmed down and become the modest housewife.”

Osiria blushed a bit and looked up at Rhenakos, “We said we would do better. We meant it, Izzy.” Os offered her a smile.

“They are trying Izzy. You have to believe in that. Also.” Angela took her quill and their heartstring appeared. It was almost a full red now. “You’ve been working on your relationship. Good job.”

Osiria was now bright red as she pulled Reva into her lap. “I didn’t know this was for us.”

“It’s for all of you. For your children to be healthy… You and Rhenakos need to be healthy. You are also healthy Rhenakos.”

Reva was sitting there with a grin on her face as Angela rubbed her hair, “Thank you, Auntie!”

“You are very welcome sweetheart. I will say that Reva has a weaker constitution than her sister. So that means you’ve been doing wonderful.”

“Is that why Reva gets sick so easily compared to Izzy?” Os seemed concerned now.

“It could be. As long as you watch what she eats and make sure she stays physical… Eventually, it will be fine.” Angela rummaged around and got out some herbal jelly. “Give this to her in the morning. Just a dab of it. Tastes like raspberries.”

“I LOVE RASPBERRIES!” Reva squealed.

“I know you do.”

“Any questions?”

It was hard to hear the truth, even from a goddess, and Izzy merely huffed and turned her head away at the statement that Rhenakos and Osiria were trying. “Just keep it up. I’ll be making surprise visits and asking Reva how things are going.” She crossed her arms and let out another huff. “You better take care of my sister… I can sic dragons on you now. If…Toya lets me borrow them…”

Angela finished up with Reva, and when the little girl said how much she liked raspberries, Izzy smiled. “Maybe I can make you a raspberry pie when I get home. Would you like that Reva?” Izzy walked over and bopped Reva’s nose. “You’re the best sister anyone could ask for.”

Rhenakos sighed as Izzy led Reva out of the room before the other two, and shook his head. “I really am trying.” He looked back at Angela. “Thanks…for showing us how far we’ve come. It really has been a struggle, but I think we’ve managed to do well. And a lot of that comes down to your help. I…don’t think we would have survived without it.”

Reva smiled up at Izzy, “I love Daddy and Mommy a lot! They do good!” The little girl couldn’t understand Izzy but she loved her sister all the same. “Pie!!!”

Angela smiled a bit. “I know you are trying. That little girl has a lot of Toya in her now and it means proving yourself for a while. Osiria and yourself have grown up a lot. Not all couples are compatible on the working together part. You care about one another and love each other. That’s very clear to me and I would never lie about my sphere.”

She reached up and patted Rhenakos on the head. “I think it would be best if you tried romancing each other.”

“Romancing? Don’t we do that enough?”

“I didn’t say fucking Os. Lewis and Simone go on a date a few times a week. Start by actually being romantic. When was the last time you took Osiria out?” She looked up at Rhenakos. “On a date. Not to a tavern. Like… a boat ride in Jayou… or a nice restaurant. I have suggestions for days.”

Rhenakos looked at Osiria, and then back at Angela. “R…omancing?” He thought for a moment. Crossed his arms. More thinking. He opened his mouth to say something, and then paused. He started to tap his foot.

“There was that one time in…wait, no…that didn’t…” He cocked his head to the side. “There was the lake…but…no…that was just straight sex…” Rhenakos looked down at the floor. “Have we…ever gone on a date? Ever?” He looked to Osiria. “Most of what we did was work related. Or…well…just surviving. I don’t….think we’ve ever gone on a date.”

That was one hell of a revelation for Rhenakos. The Goddess of Life and Love was telling him he needed to go on more dates with Osiria. The demon hunter took a deep breath. “We..should go on a date then, I guess Os…” He thought for a moment. “How…does that even work?”

Osiria looked at Rhenakos, “I don’t… actually think we have…” She realized the same thing that Rhenakos did.

Angela thought about it, “Perhaps it’s best to hear it from someone who isn’t me. I have only the worst ideas for dates. But remember that dates don’t have to go perfectly. They just have to make you both happy.”

Osiria reached over and took Rhenakos’s hand in hers. It was rare when they were gentle with one another but they really did want it to work. “What do you suggest?”

“Me? Little ol’ me?” Angela chuckled. “Ask Lewis for advice. He is quick on his feet and he normally plans everything with Simone in advance and they surprise each other. Their relationship is healthy and full. They would be the best people to ask.”

Rhenakos slowly nodded, “Yeah…Lewis outta know. He’s great with- Hey wait, how does he surprise Simone when they’re in each other’s head? How does that even work?” He was met with a shrug from Angela, and the hunter sighed. “Guess I can ask him that too…”

From the other room, Lewis sneezed.

Rhenakos waved his hand, “Thank you, Angela…” He and Osiria walked out of the room and back into the waiting room. To his surprise, Lewis and Simone had waited. The kids seemed to be wrestling on the floor, and there was a warning from Lewis not to hurt each other. Again.

Xeik was sitting down with Mia leaning against him as he pet her softly. Rex and Hazel almost mirrored it across the room.

Lewis looked over to Xeik, nodding. “So…everyone up for dinner? We can host, or we can go out…or whatever.” If it was based on his appearance alone, everyone in the room would have guessed that he was wholly uninterested in dinner plans, but the group could tell that he was actually being rather generous with his emotions today.

Mia huffed at the sound of dinner and wrote, “Lobster and lamb chops.”

“Jeeze, she has expensive tastes,” Simone added on.

“It’s the baby. Blame Xeik.” Mia held up the sign again.

“I could really go for a nice big bowl of salad… and maybe some bacon…” Hazel blushed a bit since she wasn’t used to offering up what her cravings her. “And maybe some blueberry pie.”

Simone smirked a bit, “I think we can manage that at home. We have all of that. Come on! If we go out we’re just going to get into trouble.”

Simone got ahold of Silva and gave them what they wanted for dinner. “We normally don’t eat friends but lobster is readily available so we get it for dinner parties… Should we need to have them.”

“Pearl deserved it,” Shaya spoke up as she was given a cup of juice.

“I’m sure she did…”

“What did she do?” Osiria tilted her head.

“Oh, she made a comment that Shaya won’t share so she broke her nose. We had to have a dinner party to offer our ‘we’re sorry your child is a spoiled brat and ours hit yours.’ No bad blood for now…” Simone smirked. “But I’m going to find out what she said Shaya.”

“I don’t feellllll like attending funerals,” Shaya said as she colored at the table. Osiria and the others giggled while Simone had a disappointed look on her face.

“Really Shaya?”

“Yeah.”

Lewis smirked and knelt down, patting Alshaya’s head before picking her up. “I bet you missed this, spoiled girl.” His smirk changed to a genuine smile as he held her and opened a portal. “All right…everyone in.”

The kids were ushered in first, and Xeik took Mia’s hand to help her through. He shivered a little as he passed the smiling Lewis, though. That was something he would never get used to. The portal opened up to the inner gardens that Simone had been working on. The lighting was almost perfect, and there was a table with pre-meal snacks and hors d'oeuvres for anyone interested.

“Silva works quite quickly,” Lewis said with a smile.

“She has help,” an older voice said as Lewis’ father came waltzing in with a pail filled with ice and wine. “How did the check up go?” Since he had joined the Terrowin household, Roma had become much happier and lively. He hadn’t realized it, but the life he had been living before was taxing on his health.

“It went about as expect-” He looked down to see Everett and Alshaya wrestling again. “Can you at least stop for the night?”

Everett grunted as he shoved Alshaya off of him, “She started it! She said I look better with a broken nose!”

Rex helped Hazel sit down at the table and they were lovingly rubbing her belly. They were talking all hushed which was a first for Rex if you knew him before Hazel.

Alshaya smiled up at Lewis, “Yeah! Carry me some moreee~”

Simone hugged and kissed Roma’s cheek as she watched some of her youngest raising all unholy hell in their courtyard. “Shaya don’t tell your brother that… Come on.”

“He shouldn’t have threatened my pets!”

“YOU DON’T EVEN HAVE THEM YET,” Everett yelled as he threw his hands up. “You are impossible!”

“No, I’m not. Women are just sophisticated,” Shaya said with an eye roll and sass.

Simone chuckled a bit more. “Princesses shouldn’t be rolling around in the dirt like an animal.”

Everett and Shaya looked at each other and grinned, “REX WHY AREN’T YOU ROLLING AROUND IN THE DIRT?!”

Osiria smiled a bit and Reva had settled into Rhenakos’s lap, “You should go ahead and ask… Now is a perfect time. We aren’t eating and we have some time.” She rubbed his shoulders trying to give him a bit of confidence. She knew Rhenakos didn’t really like asking for help.