A Very Cleaver Nightmare (xposted for archive purposes)
Harmonia stretched out on her canopied bed, lying on her stomach as she looked at the school books in front of her. She was supposed to be studying for a history test, but had started to daydream; instead making little "Harmonia hearts Strife" doodles in the margins of her notebook on pink ink. (At least… she had thought it was pink ink… everything seemed to be in varying shades of black and white, a fact that only made a slight impression on her subconscious.). Her more active mind was just thinking that she needed to scribble out the doodles before one of her brothers might see, and decided to tease her about it. She just started to remove the evidence when she heard the door open and close downstairs, her father's voice ringing out "Honey, I'm home!"
She slid off the bed and straightened her skirt before going into the hall and skipping down the stairs, arriving just as her mother stepped out of the kitchen and embraced her father, taking his suitcase from him. She loved the way her parents always greeted each other with loving kisses to the cheek. She waited patiently for her mother to step aside, then smiled at her father, receiving the habitual hug she got every afternoon.
"How's my princess?"
"Fine, Daddy… how are you?"
"Always good, now that I'm home from work."
Her father loosened his tie, and stepped out of his work shoes before going to his recliner, smiling as her mother handed him his after-work martini.
"Dinner will be ready soon, dear."
"Perfect! What are we having?"
"Pot roast, of course… it's Thursday. The twins will be home from school soon - Phobos has track and Deimos has wrestling. I think Cupid and Anteros will be home from college this weekend, for homecoming. For dessert, Harmonia helped me make a cake."
"Did she now, dear? There's nothing better then cake made y my two favorite girls."
"Your daughter has news, too… Go ahead and tell your father, darling."
"Tell me what, pumpkin?"
Harmonia smiled at both her parents, ignoring the small feeling in her head that something was wrong. (Like… Anteros? Huh?) Instead she just crinkled her nose lightly, and blushed.
"It's nothing, really. I learned today I'm Homecoming Queen."
"My Princess is going to be a Queen! That's great news, sweetheart."
Just then the door opened, and the twins tumbled in, joking with each other as they made the way in the house.
"Hey Mom, Hey Pop, Hey Squirt."
"Hey Mom, Hey Pop, Hey Sprog…"
Aphrodite tut-tut'ed them as they each gave her a kiss on the cheek, trying to appear stern.
"Now boys…. Be nice to your sister."
"Oh, we're sorry, Mom…" Both boys turned contritely to Harmonia, then broke into song.
"God save our gracious Queen, long live our noble Queen, God save the Queen! Send her victorious, Happy and glorious, Long to reign over us; God save the Queen!"
"Gah… how did you hear!?"
Harmonia blushed furiously, stomping her foot at them even as her mother frowned at the twins, and their father tried in vain to hide his laughter at his son's playful antics.
"Easy, little sister… it's not every day a sophomore beats out upperclassman for homecoming queen. You're news."
"Now you just need a date to the dance."
"A date? Now, angel… you know the rules…"
"Daddy!"
Harmonia first glared at Deimos who brought up the need for a date, then turned puppy eyes on their father as she perched on the arm of his chair, using a technique that had gained her many victories over the year, yet had to date never once gotten him to relent on his strict rules about her dating.
"No."
"Daddy… it wouldn't be a date date. I just need an escort to the dance."
"Well, then one of your brothers can take you."
"Pop!"
"Pop, we've got dates already."
"Daddy… they have girls they want to go with. Besides - I'm queen. I can't go with my brother."
"And who do you think you should go with, young lady?"
"Well… I was hoping strife would ask me…"
"No."
"Daddy! Why not?"
"Really, Ares… maybe we should let her, just this once… Oh, there's the oven."
Hearing a "ding!", Aphrodite left the room towards the kitchen, shooing her two sons out of the room in front of her, telling them to go clean up. She knew they'd only tease their sister, and possibly make things worse… She remembered her own days of her father, and went to pull fresh bread out of the oven before going to get changed for dinner. In the living room, Ares and Harmonia still discussed the boy issue.
"Because I don't trust him with my daughter."
"Daddy… You're being silly. He lives down the street, his mother is in Mom's sewing circle, He's friends with the twins, and he's never done anything to get into trouble. He even helped you with the lawn work last summer when Phobos broke his arm and Deimos was at wrestling camp."
"You're too young to date, particularly an upperclassman."
"What's going to happen? The twins will be there, Cupid and Anteros might be there… We're just going to dance."
"Harmonia. I said no."
She stood, tears threatening as she crossed her arms. "You never want to let me do anything! I'm not a baby!"
"Then stop acting like one, young lady! Go to your room and clean up for dinner."
Harmonia ran up to her room and slammed the door, sitting at her vanity. Her head down, she cried, not noticing the door opening and her mother stepping inside until she felt the hand on her shoulder.
"Baby… don't cry."
"Mom… He's being unreasonable. It's just a dance, and I'm 16. I won't go, if he won't let me go with someone. Then I won't be queen. It would be too embarrassing."
"Hush now…"
Aphrodite led her daughter to the bed, and sat down, arms around her daughter's shoulder. She smoothed the black curls away from Harmonia's pretty features, murmuring till she stopped the tears.
"He's your Father, and he worries about you. You're his only girl, and his baby. He loves you very much, and only wants what's best for you."
"But he's ruining my life!"
"Your father knows best, honey, but maybe I can sway him. I do have my ways… and maybe an idea."
"Oh, Mom… You're the best. If you could, that'd be great!"
"now, don't get your hopes up, dear… go get washed up for dinner, now."
Aphrodite kissed her daughter's cheek, and went back downstairs, to the kitchen, smiling as her husband walked in behind her, snaking arms around her waist.
"Dinner smells delicious as always, dear."
"Thank you, love…I know it's your favorite."
"You're my Favorite." He leaned to kiss her cheek. "But Pot roast is a close second. How's the girl?"
"She's upset, honey… We might be being a bit hard on her. It *is* only a dance."
"She's too young. We agreed."
"If you had your way, she wouldn't date until she was 30."
"Nothing wrong with that."
Aphrodite laughed. "What if we went the dance? You played football… it's your homecoming, too. And we'll drive them. Then you'll be there to watch her."
"Well… I don't know…"
"Remember our prom, at the same school? You looked so dashing in your tux… Maybe they'd play our song…"
"If it means dancing with you, she can go…" Ares chuckled, spinning his still-gorgeous wife around, doing a small dance there in the kitchen with her as she laughed.
"Ares! I'm trying to get dinner. Go wash your hands, and call the kids down, please."
Shaking her head as he went, she gathered together the dishes for their meal, taking them out to the dining room table, placing the rolls down just as the three kids all rambled into the dining room, The boys teasing each other and Harmonia looking forlornly hopeful. She hushed them all and told them to take their seats, she herself sitting at the foot of the table as Ares claimed the head.
"Your mother and I have decided, Harmonia, That we will allow you to go to the dance with Strife, providing we drive you there. Since it *is* homecoming, we will be staying for the dance and festivities."
"Eee! Daddy, you're wonderful!" She hopped out of her chair, hugging him around the neck as she kissed his cheek. "I love you."
"I love you too, pumpkin. Remember - this is a one time deal. This doesn't mean you're allowed to date."
"I know… thank you thank you."
"You're welcome… go sit and eat dinner while it's hot."
"Pass the butter, your majesty."
"Say please, peon…"
"Harmonia!"
"Yes Mom… sorry…"
"These rolls are wonderful, dear.."
"Thank you… I made them today after the shopping was done.. Don't forget we have a Town Council meeting tomorrow night."
"Of course… to discuss the pool hall being opened… nothing but trouble, I say…"
"Yes, well… we'll see what the council says. How did your sales meeting go today?"
The dinner dissolved into a typically wholesome family affair, everyone loving and teasing, passing the time as a family naturally and without friction. Like most days in their household, Dinner was a time for fun and discussion, the problems of the day having been put away. There was nothing that couldn't be solved with the loving guidance of her parents.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Harmonia awoke with a start, sitting straight up her bed. Her bed, without it's canopy, in it's room with color, in her real world that was normal and didn't have a 25-minute limit on how long problems and differences could affect a family. A world where her very functional family ate dinner together, and her mom was her best friend. It all flashed through her head in the space of about half a second, and Harmonia opened her mouth, and screamed.
She slid off the bed and straightened her skirt before going into the hall and skipping down the stairs, arriving just as her mother stepped out of the kitchen and embraced her father, taking his suitcase from him. She loved the way her parents always greeted each other with loving kisses to the cheek. She waited patiently for her mother to step aside, then smiled at her father, receiving the habitual hug she got every afternoon.
"How's my princess?"
"Fine, Daddy… how are you?"
"Always good, now that I'm home from work."
Her father loosened his tie, and stepped out of his work shoes before going to his recliner, smiling as her mother handed him his after-work martini.
"Dinner will be ready soon, dear."
"Perfect! What are we having?"
"Pot roast, of course… it's Thursday. The twins will be home from school soon - Phobos has track and Deimos has wrestling. I think Cupid and Anteros will be home from college this weekend, for homecoming. For dessert, Harmonia helped me make a cake."
"Did she now, dear? There's nothing better then cake made y my two favorite girls."
"Your daughter has news, too… Go ahead and tell your father, darling."
"Tell me what, pumpkin?"
Harmonia smiled at both her parents, ignoring the small feeling in her head that something was wrong. (Like… Anteros? Huh?) Instead she just crinkled her nose lightly, and blushed.
"It's nothing, really. I learned today I'm Homecoming Queen."
"My Princess is going to be a Queen! That's great news, sweetheart."
Just then the door opened, and the twins tumbled in, joking with each other as they made the way in the house.
"Hey Mom, Hey Pop, Hey Squirt."
"Hey Mom, Hey Pop, Hey Sprog…"
Aphrodite tut-tut'ed them as they each gave her a kiss on the cheek, trying to appear stern.
"Now boys…. Be nice to your sister."
"Oh, we're sorry, Mom…" Both boys turned contritely to Harmonia, then broke into song.
"God save our gracious Queen, long live our noble Queen, God save the Queen! Send her victorious, Happy and glorious, Long to reign over us; God save the Queen!"
"Gah… how did you hear!?"
Harmonia blushed furiously, stomping her foot at them even as her mother frowned at the twins, and their father tried in vain to hide his laughter at his son's playful antics.
"Easy, little sister… it's not every day a sophomore beats out upperclassman for homecoming queen. You're news."
"Now you just need a date to the dance."
"A date? Now, angel… you know the rules…"
"Daddy!"
Harmonia first glared at Deimos who brought up the need for a date, then turned puppy eyes on their father as she perched on the arm of his chair, using a technique that had gained her many victories over the year, yet had to date never once gotten him to relent on his strict rules about her dating.
"No."
"Daddy… it wouldn't be a date date. I just need an escort to the dance."
"Well, then one of your brothers can take you."
"Pop!"
"Pop, we've got dates already."
"Daddy… they have girls they want to go with. Besides - I'm queen. I can't go with my brother."
"And who do you think you should go with, young lady?"
"Well… I was hoping strife would ask me…"
"No."
"Daddy! Why not?"
"Really, Ares… maybe we should let her, just this once… Oh, there's the oven."
Hearing a "ding!", Aphrodite left the room towards the kitchen, shooing her two sons out of the room in front of her, telling them to go clean up. She knew they'd only tease their sister, and possibly make things worse… She remembered her own days of her father, and went to pull fresh bread out of the oven before going to get changed for dinner. In the living room, Ares and Harmonia still discussed the boy issue.
"Because I don't trust him with my daughter."
"Daddy… You're being silly. He lives down the street, his mother is in Mom's sewing circle, He's friends with the twins, and he's never done anything to get into trouble. He even helped you with the lawn work last summer when Phobos broke his arm and Deimos was at wrestling camp."
"You're too young to date, particularly an upperclassman."
"What's going to happen? The twins will be there, Cupid and Anteros might be there… We're just going to dance."
"Harmonia. I said no."
She stood, tears threatening as she crossed her arms. "You never want to let me do anything! I'm not a baby!"
"Then stop acting like one, young lady! Go to your room and clean up for dinner."
Harmonia ran up to her room and slammed the door, sitting at her vanity. Her head down, she cried, not noticing the door opening and her mother stepping inside until she felt the hand on her shoulder.
"Baby… don't cry."
"Mom… He's being unreasonable. It's just a dance, and I'm 16. I won't go, if he won't let me go with someone. Then I won't be queen. It would be too embarrassing."
"Hush now…"
Aphrodite led her daughter to the bed, and sat down, arms around her daughter's shoulder. She smoothed the black curls away from Harmonia's pretty features, murmuring till she stopped the tears.
"He's your Father, and he worries about you. You're his only girl, and his baby. He loves you very much, and only wants what's best for you."
"But he's ruining my life!"
"Your father knows best, honey, but maybe I can sway him. I do have my ways… and maybe an idea."
"Oh, Mom… You're the best. If you could, that'd be great!"
"now, don't get your hopes up, dear… go get washed up for dinner, now."
Aphrodite kissed her daughter's cheek, and went back downstairs, to the kitchen, smiling as her husband walked in behind her, snaking arms around her waist.
"Dinner smells delicious as always, dear."
"Thank you, love…I know it's your favorite."
"You're my Favorite." He leaned to kiss her cheek. "But Pot roast is a close second. How's the girl?"
"She's upset, honey… We might be being a bit hard on her. It *is* only a dance."
"She's too young. We agreed."
"If you had your way, she wouldn't date until she was 30."
"Nothing wrong with that."
Aphrodite laughed. "What if we went the dance? You played football… it's your homecoming, too. And we'll drive them. Then you'll be there to watch her."
"Well… I don't know…"
"Remember our prom, at the same school? You looked so dashing in your tux… Maybe they'd play our song…"
"If it means dancing with you, she can go…" Ares chuckled, spinning his still-gorgeous wife around, doing a small dance there in the kitchen with her as she laughed.
"Ares! I'm trying to get dinner. Go wash your hands, and call the kids down, please."
Shaking her head as he went, she gathered together the dishes for their meal, taking them out to the dining room table, placing the rolls down just as the three kids all rambled into the dining room, The boys teasing each other and Harmonia looking forlornly hopeful. She hushed them all and told them to take their seats, she herself sitting at the foot of the table as Ares claimed the head.
"Your mother and I have decided, Harmonia, That we will allow you to go to the dance with Strife, providing we drive you there. Since it *is* homecoming, we will be staying for the dance and festivities."
"Eee! Daddy, you're wonderful!" She hopped out of her chair, hugging him around the neck as she kissed his cheek. "I love you."
"I love you too, pumpkin. Remember - this is a one time deal. This doesn't mean you're allowed to date."
"I know… thank you thank you."
"You're welcome… go sit and eat dinner while it's hot."
"Pass the butter, your majesty."
"Say please, peon…"
"Harmonia!"
"Yes Mom… sorry…"
"These rolls are wonderful, dear.."
"Thank you… I made them today after the shopping was done.. Don't forget we have a Town Council meeting tomorrow night."
"Of course… to discuss the pool hall being opened… nothing but trouble, I say…"
"Yes, well… we'll see what the council says. How did your sales meeting go today?"
The dinner dissolved into a typically wholesome family affair, everyone loving and teasing, passing the time as a family naturally and without friction. Like most days in their household, Dinner was a time for fun and discussion, the problems of the day having been put away. There was nothing that couldn't be solved with the loving guidance of her parents.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Harmonia awoke with a start, sitting straight up her bed. Her bed, without it's canopy, in it's room with color, in her real world that was normal and didn't have a 25-minute limit on how long problems and differences could affect a family. A world where her very functional family ate dinner together, and her mom was her best friend. It all flashed through her head in the space of about half a second, and Harmonia opened her mouth, and screamed.