Sun in Your Eyes

Ra’s sun boat was one of the biggest ships Seth had boarded, but he wasn’t that surprised. He’d seen it from a distance many times, and knew it had to be large. The boat itself was golden and made of strong material that he imagined wouldn’t break like ordinary wood if he kicked it. The most powerful gods had come together to make this, and Ra had imbued her magic into it. Magic that had lasted centuries, through many battles. Even in the waters of Akhet, the western horizon, where everything seemed to have a strange light of its own, it shone with energy.

Seth tried to focus on what would be his new home and the gods who were aboard it in order to ignore the pain of simply being on the boat. Ra hadn’t been joking about the powerful gravitational force, which was almost worse than Anubis’ damn sword, crushing Seth down towards the deck, and making him want to dissolve into sand so that he could breathe. But he knew it would make him look weak, so he bore through it as best he could, just as he bore the powerful heat. He reminded himself that he was a god of the desert. Heat didn’t bother him. And he’d borne worse weights.

He set his feet, measured his breathing, and didn’t dissolve or black out. If anyone thought he was strange for standing near the boat entrance and not moving much, well… that was bearable, too.

Ra chuckled from where she stood nearby after leading him aboard. She was still tall, muscular, and heavily pregnant, and seemed to treat this all like some new game.

And why not? Seth thought miserably. She won her gambit. Isis agreed to this punishment. He still remembered the calculating look on Isis’ face.

And the way Horus’ arms had been tight around Seth as they listened. He could still feel an odd ghost of Horus’ touch, and he wasn’t sure what to make of that. The new king had won, after all.

“Not bad,” Ra said, still watching him. When he glared at her, she shrugged and continued, “I figured you might be strong enough to withstand the sun, but it’s still not all that pleasant, is it?”

Seth was a bit surprised Ra wasn’t gloating even more, given how much she liked to watch him struggle. Likely things would just get worse after the boat began its actual voyage and he met with even more troubles. Seth and Isis had discussed the sun boat’s journey in the past, partly for curiosity and partly because it might have been part of some strategy Ra was planning to use against the four siblings, with its gathering of powerful gods. But Seth still recalled his and Isis’ conclusion: the sun boat journey was too full of trials and tribulations for those on the sun boat for Ra to weaponize it against the four siblings, and it wasn’t valuable as a way for them to attack her, unless they had no other options.

And now Seth would be trapped here, rowing through all the horrors of the journey.

He tried to imagine centuries of being stuck on the sun boat. And he’d have to literally fight through it. It was a miserable existence… but it was his lot. He’d held back during the third match against Horus. He was weak, and he’d lost.

Seth clenched his fists. He’d borne worse. He’d bear this.

“It’s certainly fucking awful,” he finally said.

He tried to comfort himself with the fact that at least Horus was no longer here to bother him, and Osiris would never gain entrance to the boat from Duat. Ra wouldn’t countenance it.

Ra grinned brightly at him, in a way that almost burned his eyes. “Of course it is. You younger gods are so pampered down on Earth. It’s a shame.” Then she sauntered ahead to the central throne on the ship, where she sat comfortably. Servants made of blazing sunshine fanned her, and others knelt nearby with food. The golden throne was under a translucent awning, and as Seth neared – not knowing where else to go and not trusting the watching gods on other parts of the boat – he was surprised to see a large pale snake coiled around the top of the awning, gazing at him with bright green eyes. Its coils were thicker than Seth’s arms.

“You’ve never met Mehen,” Ra said, tilting her head back with her usual grin. “You don’t have a fear of snakes, do you?”

Seth snorted. “You don’t remember when I used sand snakes to fight you?” He’d waged countless battles against Ra and her forces over the centuries.

Ra grinned with bright white teeth. “Of course. Good.”

Seth wanted to get off this stupid boat and head… he didn’t know where. Heliopolis was hardly his home, particularly now that Isis and Horus were running the place. But Seth detested Ra at the best of times, particularly now, when he’d be stuck with her for who knew how long. He could already tell the other gods on the boat were eyeing him with aggression, likely sizing him up. The gods here were ancient and powerful, and Seth was a young nothing by comparison. Particularly with the bonds around his wrists binding him to the boat. Only Maat could break them.

His thoughts went to Anubis, still recovering from when Seth had cut his arm off while fighting Osiris, only to discover that Osiris had been using Anubis’ body to manifest. Anubis was doing better last Seth had seen him, given how he’d appeared before Seth’s sentencing, but still not well. Seth hoped Isis was looking after Anubis, given how she’d cared for him after his arm was cut off, but Seth didn’t trust her in the slightest. And he didn’t know if he could ever get back to Anubis, like Anubis wanted, now that he was trapped here.

“You’ll be useless at the oars today,” Ra said with a frown. “For now you’ll adjust a little to being here and stand guard. We can’t have any weaklings rowing and getting in the way of the other gods.”

Seth eyed the gods standing by the oars, ready to move when needed: it was a mixed grouping of immortals with a variety of animal heads and masks, and all were clearly powerful beings with muscular arms who gazed at him with unreadable expressions. He imagined they weren’t too pleased at the idea of a new god to deal with, either, particularly Seth.

Seth eyed the oars and felt he could manage the large, long things, even for a full day, but it would be a trial with the gravitational force and heat, and he didn’t know how patient these ancient gods were with weakness.

He wondered if he was meant to be grateful for the reprieve to better get his bearings. He was meant to row, according to his punishment, letting his actual skills as a war god go to waste. But the sentencing had simply been for him to stay and work on the sun boat, so he imagined his duties were up to Ra to decide.

“Bastet will show you around,” Ra said, leaning back in her throne. “You’ll guard the prow for your first day or so here. It’ll be an experience.”

A horrible one, I’m sure, Seth thought grimly as he looked up at the arrival of Bastet.

The cat goddess grinned at him, her face mostly hidden by her dark mask. She gestured to the prow and seemed completely unbothered by the gravity and the heat.

Seth followed Bastet obediently, but studied the other guardian gods as they walked, feeling the gravity still trying to crush him with every step he took. Ancient power wrapped around this place: something honed and ready to strike. Ra’s sun boat wasn’t a pleasure cruise: it was a warship, full of gods who could kill the most powerful of enemies.

Bastet finally stopped by the prow – which was decorated in colorful stories of Ra’s achievements in glowing golden script that faded in and out of sight – and said, “We take shifts so there’s always a good guard around to watch over Ra. I guess you’ll stick with my shift for the time being, until Ra says otherwise. When you're off shift, you'll sleep.”

“But we don’t need to sleep,” Seth said, confused. “We’re gods.” If none of them were bothered by the powerful gravity or the heat, why did they need rest?

Bastet smiled. “You’ll want the sleep. Protecting the sun boat is draining, and that assumes you don’t get injured and need to recover. Some battles are harder than others. Even those rowing sometimes have to fight.”

“Do you get injured often?” Seth asked, genuinely curious. Bastet had been part of the war with Ra, and he remembered she’d been quite fearsome. He couldn’t imagine her needing to rest every day.

Bastet shrugged. “Sometimes. We all have bad days. And Apep…” She frowned. “Well, he’s tricky. It comes of being a god of chaos.”

The boat began moving forward in the water. There was no massive fanfare. Just the normal movement of people around a boat, with some gods handling the oars.

Seth had to grab for the side of the boat to avoid falling down. He felt like he might dissolve into sand at any moment, and it was sheer force of will that kept him up.

Bastet tilted her head at him, slight amusement in her gaze.

Yes, it’s hilarious, Seth thought, embarrassed. The god you all ran from for centuries, struggling to stand up. If these gods were as powerful as they claimed, surely one of them would have done something during his reign if they could, but they hadn’t. He’d get the hang of this just like they had. He’d mastered other weapons, other difficult terrains. He and his siblings had beaten back Ra and her army. It would be fine. Then it was just… eternity. After even this reprieve, he’d be stuck behind an oar like those other gods.

But it was little different than the life he’d been living before, drinking himself into a stupor and wishing for an end.

Ra still sat in her throne, but gazed to her right, where a short god was talking to her.

“Apep usually attacks the sides these days,” Tefnut said as she stepped a little closer. Her blue skin glittered in the light around her lion mask. Seth had never been close to his grandmother, but now she looked tall and intimidating, and ready for whatever came their way. “You’ll be fine up here. You can see how the rest of us handle things, and come to our aid if needed.”

None of them are afraid of me in the slightest, Seth thought as he watched Tefnut and Bastet gaze at the water ahead, holding spears ready. Centuries of his reign, when all the gods had fled from him, and now they stood, unworried. Tefnut had been honest when she’d said she’d keep an eye on Seth. Seth knew that if he tried to escape, they’d be after him in a moment. As if Maat’s spell would break, anyway. He imagined he probably could get out of it if he really tried, but he’d be too weak to escape the other gods afterward. It was a prison within a prison.

The voyage itself was largely unremarkable, and Seth focused on finding his balance and staying upright. He wasn’t paying as much attention to where enemies might be hiding, but the sun boat had survived for centuries before his presence, they’d be fine with him getting his bearings for one day. He did notice when they passed from Amduat to Wernes, if only because there was more shouting and activity on the boat as gods moved around him but otherwise ignored him. They passed through the gate separating the realms and entered a land filled with clear water and fertile green shores, where birds flew and fish swam alongside the boat. More of it became a blur as he grew dizzier. It seemed the gravitational force and heat of the boat only grew as they moved, and Seth’s grip on the side of the boat was hard.

“You can go lay down,” Bastet said to him, as if through a fog. Her voice was almost kind, which was odd. “Your body will adjust a bit in your sleep. And Ra didn’t say you had to stay with me the whole time.”

Despite the fact that he’d had to make himself drunk to sleep for many years, he must have said yes, because when next he recalled, he was being shaken awake on a mat in a dark room somewhere in the boat’s bowels. It was small and not the most comfortable, but darker at least than the brightness of the rest of the ship.

A shining solar servant with a glowing flame for a head stared at Seth. Even without eyes he could see, their gaze was something tangible.

Seth frowned back, and in response, he heard something like a giggle, only it was almost a screeching noise. He just had the sense they were laughing.

The servant stood and gestured for him to follow, and Seth got up with some difficulty. It was a little easier to move now, but still difficult. He imagined the other gods on the boat got quite a lot out of the former God Supreme near collapsing outside.

He’d just have to show them he wasn’t one to be messed with. Contrary to whatever Horus seemed to believe, Seth wasn’t a pushover. He could stand on his own.

Topside, he blinked in the bright light, and when his eyesight settled, he discovered they’d entered Imhet, and he wondered if that was why he felt it was a bit easier to walk, rather than Bastet’s advice to rest and allow his body to acclimate that way. Sand stretched beyond the horizon, and it made him wish to leap over the side, even if he had to face Seker himself.

The boat was little different than he’d left it. Some of the gods had swapped places. A river god with a crocodile head was cleaning off a stain of various colors on the port side, and some indescribable pieces of gore were burning to ash over the deck. Some of the nearby gods only glanced at him before turning back to gaze ahead.

Seth wondered what he’d missed. An attack, clearly. But none of the gods were missing. Evidently, they’d been successful, if he’d slept through it.

“Sleep well?” Ra asked, still sitting on her throne as he walked up beside her. The servant guiding him left him and went to take their place behind Ra. In Ra’s lap rested Mehen’s large pale head, which she idly pet. Ra was gazing at Seth with those bright golden eyes of hers, some amusement hidden in their depths.

“Well enough,” Seth said, not sure what else to say. He hadn’t dreamt that he could recall, and that was always a miracle. He only imagined what his mind would conjure up from the damn sentencing.

“Good,” Ra said. “Because we’re about to visit your brother.”

Seth grimaced. He knew with Imhet that they were near where Osiris likely resided in Duat, but he had tried to ignore it. He’d agreed to his punishment, so he knew going near Osiris was inevitable, but he still trusted Ra and her guards would keep Osiris away. She didn’t like him anymore than Seth did, really.

I wonder if that’s why Isis agreed to this, Seth thought as he gazed towards the prow. I’ll be paraded by Osiris, just out of his reach. Truly, a masterclass punishment for us both. Seth returned to the prow. It was still easier to walk, just slightly, and Bastet had moved to sit on the boat edge, watching the water, which was on fire. It didn’t bother the ship at all.

“So you return,” Tefnut said with a grin from where she leaned back against Shu. His left hand was gently rubbing her left shoulder, and his right rested on a sheathed sword pommel. “We were betting you’d just dissolve into a pile of sand and stay that way for a century or so.”

Shu smiled softly and dangerously at Seth. Seth knew he had no allies in his grandparents.

But I didn’t expect to have any allies, he thought. Bastet was simply being practical earlier. An unconscious god would get in the way during a fight. “And here I hoped to see you all ripped to shreds so much it woke me up,” he simply replied. Arrogance would work with these arrogant gods. If they hated him more, so be it. He’d rather have an actual fight than this simpering hissing they were all doing.

Tefnut and Shu laughed.

Bastet grinned at him. “You’re fun. But watch yourself here. Especially as we leave Imhet.” A kind of silence surrounded them as they passed through the gate. The fire in the water burned higher, but the sand turned to darker mud. The sky was filled with stars.

“Is the core of Duat more dangerous than other areas?” Seth asked, walking to the boat edge. Had Osiris changed something?

“Every area we pass through is different,” Bastet said. “But Osiris’ palace…” She frowned and looked ahead. “Listen.” She rotated her spear.

Seth had sensed something, too, but he wasn’t sure what. He wasn’t used to water covered in fire, and the gravitational force was still demanding his attention. He formed a sand khopesh and readied himself, though.

Something creaked under the sun boat. Then something else.

“Whatever it is thinks it’s smart,” Tefnut said, idly.

Whatever it is probably wants to see where everyone on the boat is standing before it moves, Seth thought. But these gods all felt superior to him. Far be it from him to teach them how to strategize. He guessed the gate guards didn’t care what happened to Ra and the boat after they passed through. Their focus was just on the gate.

Ra didn’t seem phased, though.

That was when the first giant green tentacle launched over the side, racing for Shu. Shu dodged as Tefnut struck the tentacle with her spear, stabbing it hard, and making green liquid ooze from the cut. But more tentacles followed, crashing over the railing and making the boat shake.

Bastet ran over to stab some of the tentacles and cut them apart with her own spear. Shu was chopping away at tentacles with his sword.

Seth cast a glance at Ra, who was still seated in her throne. Mehen, though, had grown larger, and was coiled protectively around her. His eyes glowed bright as he gazed at the gods in their brawl against the new enemy.

Osiris is certainly brazen, Seth thought, even as he cut one of the rather familiar-looking tentacles nearest him up. He staggered afterward, the gravity making his blow weaker than it might have been.

Ra had fought Osiris before his death, so he supposed this was simply back to old times for her. But she’d still been surprised to see him at the trial. Have things gotten worse since then? What has Osiris been up to? And is Maat still doing nothing about this?

He supposed Osiris was mad they hadn’t simply executed Seth. At least in a way, Seth wasn’t quite in his hands yet.

“Seth… Come to me…”

Seth nearly fell over at the sound of that voice. He’d been expecting it, after a fashion, but it was so different here, seeming to surround him near completely. Even when Osiris had taken control of Anubis in Heliopolis, he hadn’t sounded this close.

“You are presumptuous, Osiris,” Ra said, still sitting on her throne. “Daring to intrude on the passage of the sun. Do you not care at all for the status of your kingdom? Or former kingdom, where your son and wife rule?” Endangering the sun boat’s journey endangered them all.

It’s a reckless move even for him, Seth thought.

Osiris didn’t reply, even as the tentacles moved towards Seth. Osiris didn’t care about Ra. He was still solely focused on one thing.

Seth cut more at the tentacles with his khopesh, but tried to keep an eye on what was behind and around him. Osiris could appear at any moment and come for him, he was—!

Bastet took a running leap and stabbed the central tentacle hard, making Osiris roar. All the tentacles in the area shrieked and then dissolved, and the thumping under the ship stopped.

“Archers,” Ra ordered. “Kill anything that moves.”

Bows appeared all over the deck. Seth would have joined them, but even the little he’d done had worn him down. He sank to a crouch by the prow, trying to get the strength to stand again.

It was pathetic. This was pathetic. They hadn’t even faced Apep yet.

“He must want to kill you badly,” Bastet said as she came to stand beside him again. She carried a large, decorated bow as well, and was watching the water.

Seth laughed at that. Yes, he does. But only so he can keep me as his toy.

There was more bumping under the hull. He heard arrows fly.

Horus blinked his eyes open. He’d been dozing after eating dinner, and his mind had sent him to the strangest place. His visions since ascending had been more and more vivid, but he’d never had one of Seth before. Not like this.

It’s been centuries, he thought, sitting up in the dark of his apartment. He lifted a hand and flicked the curtains on the nearby window open with a gesture to let early morning sunlight in to warm him. His large bed was rumpled and warm from sleep, and dark blue covers pooled in his lap.

His cellphone rang from the nightstand to his left. He reached for it and hit the speakerphone when he read the caller. “Yes, Mother?” They’d spoken – and argued – only the other day. And he wasn’t quite awake enough for another argument.

The same one they’d been having for millennia.

“You finally got what you wanted,” Isis said, angrily, making his eyes widen. “They’re releasing Seth from the sun boat.”

Horus’ heart raced. After all this time? “That’s… I don’t know what to say.” It was what he’d hoped for, for so long.

He could see Seth again, in the flesh, depending on the circumstances of his release.

“Maat has agreed that he must be watched.” Isis sighed. “Who knows how much worse he is after being on the sun boat. And since you’re the one who’s been advocating for him so long, you’re the one who’s been assigned to watch him.”

Horus

Horus didn’t know if he should have made tea or coffee for his visitors as he sat in the lounge of his apartment, waiting. It was early afternoon and sunny as usual, but after the news from Isis, Horus had all the curtains down and the lights on for privacy, and he’d been told to be ready for Maat and Isis’ visit, with their special delivery in tow.

I haven’t seen Uncle in thousands of years, Horus thought, as he’d thought many nights over the course of his life. Well… that’s partially true. He’d seen Seth in his dreams plenty, and not just the vivid one recently of Seth’s first time on the sun boat. He had dreams of seeing Seth in Khemmis, Seth during the trial, Seth in his arms during the sentencing… on top of a million fantasies over the years, all more ridiculous than the last. Some of them were part of his fantasy of finally getting Seth freed from his punishment on Ra’s sun boat, and Seth smiling as he ran into Horus’ arms, and then they went off into the sunset together…

It was all rather silly. And seemingly pointless, since Seth was freed without him doing anything. It was a bit humbling.

The air shifted, and Horus sat up. He wore one of his nicer suits, given this was one of the rare occasions where he was acting in his role as a god, and Isis always expected him to act in accordance with his station in such instances. The suit was deep blue with gold lining, and a pale red tie. It was comfortable, and one he’d gotten from a tailor whose family he’d watched over for generations, and who still venerated him. He wore his headdress, as well, and felt a little warm under it, even though that was purely made from his magic. He so seldom wore the headdress these days that he felt more comfortable without. Putting it back on reminded him of a time where he’d felt safer and stronger beneath it. Where he could hide some of his nervousness away. Where he felt stronger because he was like the other gods with animal masks.

Like Seth.

A portal of dark energy appeared on one of the room’s walls marked with Maat’s ostrich feather, and a tall, thin woman with dark skin stepped through. She wore a severe but beautiful black suit, and had her hair tied back in a tail, with her tall white ostrich feather poking out of it. She nodded at Horus and walked around the large table.

Horus tried to pay her respects as he stood and said, “Maat, it is good to see you again,” but his eyes were on the god walking behind her.

Seth was taller than Maat, so it’s not like she’d hidden him, but he was strangely quiet for the man in Horus’ memories, and was hidden by dint of that after a fashion. After so many years living amongst humans who wore various amounts of full-body clothing, it was strange for Horus to see Seth’s bare chest under his usekh and gold armlets, especially behind Maat’s sober suit.

But not bad strange, given, well, Seth was still as handsome and alluring as he’d ever been. Horus worked on keeping his blush hidden. It’s not like I’ve never seen him like this before.

Seth wore his black sha headdress with its clean white khat, which hid his eyes. He had a neutral expression on his face. He otherwise looked little different than the man Horus remembered holding in his arms all those years ago as the other gods gathered like jackals around them. Seth glanced thoughtfully around the room, and Horus wondered how strange it looked to someone who’d been battling enemies on Ra’s sun boat for as long as Seth had, who’d missed out on so much of human history.

Isis stepped out after Seth, wearing a bright green suit. Her dark hair was short, her eyeliner was sharp, and she frowned at Seth as he stepped aside for her. “Sit,” she ordered at him, like he was a dog.

Seth grimaced, but walked up to one of the chairs and pulled it out, sitting at the table.

Isis looked at Horus, and there was a familiar emotion in her gaze: the look of disappointment when she learned how adamant Horus was in protesting Seth’s case.

I won you back your throne, Mother, Horus thought, as he’d thought time and again. You sent Seth to the sun boat, per Ra’s idea. I am allowed my own thoughts and opinions. Many had not understood why he was so adamant about asking for clemency for the god who’d made his life a ruin and stolen his birthright. Who’d murdered his father and destroyed the life of his mother. Horus never had answers good enough for them, other than balancing the scales properly. And as the centuries of Seth’s imprisonment long eclipsed the length of time of Osiris being dead with no justice and Isis being on the run, the reasoning for the outcries against Horus’ pleas grew more nonsensical.

Seth gazed at Horus, and Horus wondered what he was thinking. Did he know Horus had spoken up for him? Was Seth mad about it? Or did he think he was there to be punished more?

“Mother,” Horus said, nodding to Isis.

Isis simply nodded back before frowning back at Seth.

A car horn honked loudly in the distance, and Seth glanced towards it with a frown, almost as if he could see it through the walls.

“It’s just a human thing, Uncle,” Horus said. “It's normal.” All these years, and he’d greeted his uncle like that. It was painful and ridiculous, and Horus wished he could better get across his feelings on the matter, even with Maat and Isis in the room.

Seth stayed silent and turned back to face the table again. It was worrisome. The last time they’d met, Horus had promised not to share what happened the last night Osiris was alive. And Horus had kept his promise: what Sekhmet shared with him stayed with him. But it had likely also stayed with Seth, given the way he’d acted. Did he still think about it? Or did his time on the sun boat make it even farther from him, emotionally?

Maat stayed standing and said, “The rules will be simple. Seth is on a probationary period to see if he can acclimate properly back into the human world. If he starts up any large conflicts with the humans, he will be returned to the sun boat for another 1000 years, at which point his sentence will be reconsidered.”

That’s harsh, Horus thought, gazing at Seth, who was contemplating the table some more. Do they expect him to start a war right out or something? He tried to imagine Seth standing in the desert thinking it would get him anywhere, and watching as human tanks went in completely different directions. He tried to imagine Seth taking over a modern seaport, and the idea was too ludicrous.

“As the one who defeated him in the past,” Maat said, meeting Horus’ gaze, “you will be in charge of ensuring he toes the line.”

It seems like a strange reward for winning, Horus thought. Unless they somehow expect me to be the first to complain about his behavior, which, surely they realize won’t be the case. Certainly, if Seth tried to start World War III, Horus would stop him. But any other god would probably report Seth for even twitching wrong. And Horus wouldn’t do that. And given Horus’ history, Maat had to know that, even if Isis said he was being given this duty because he kept asking for Seth’s freedom. Why agree to it? Because everyone else said no? Or because they wanted to see him regret his decision to try to get Seth’s freedom?

“There’s also the matter of no other god is powerful enough to watch over him,” Isis muttered, crossing her arms as she glared at Seth. “With Osiris still in Duat and most of the other gods in their own corners of the world, focusing on,” she fluttered her fingers in frustration, “you’re the only one who can be trusted with this anyway.”

That makes more sense, Horus thought, trying not to smile. For once, the gods keeping more to themselves and not caring about other people worked out for him. Though if Seth was happy about it, he didn’t say anything.

“But I’ll be watching, too,” Isis said, glaring at Seth. “My office is near Horus’ apartment. I’ll know if something is wrong.” She looked at Horus with a frown. “You’ll tell me the minute he steps out of line.” She spoke as if she knew Seth would.

Well, she can see the future to some extent… But Horus imagined that if she’d seen some specific event, she’d have never let this happen. Or at least Maat would have been more easily convinced to stop it. So likely this was just her frustration and anxiety. “Of course, Mother,” Horus said, gazing at her with as neutral an expression as he could. He wasn’t going to be calling her every five minutes, if that’s what she expected. He hoped she’d just be drawn back into her work at the hospital.

“I prepared a list of suggestions for duties he might be able to perform going forward,” Maat said as she pulled out her cellphone and quickly tapped something out.

Horus’ cellphone dinged with a new email, and Horus opened it up to scroll through it. He knew Maat’s penchant for detailed contracts and would have to take his time on it. Thankfully, he was able to read quickly, and didn’t see anything amiss, though it was relatively strict on Seth’s movements.

Horus wondered if this whole business was overwhelming, and that’s why Seth was so quiet. Horus wasn’t exactly trained for helping people from thousands of years ago acclimate to the present day, and he hadn’t exactly planned where to begin. Godhood would protect Seth from many issues that humans faced, and Horus’ money would make a lot of other things easier… but it was still going to be hard to acclimate to likely new languages, new etiquette, and modern technology…

Seth wasn’t even paying attention to his cellphone. Perhaps he knows what they are somehow and doesn’t care? Horus thought. If he didn't know, Horus imagined he'd have been more curious about them.

Or Seth just assumed his attention was unnecessary and had resigned himself to whatever other people decided for him. Just as he had for the sentencing.

“Good,” Maat said once Horus was done reviewing. “And this will not impact your duties?”

Horus shook his head. The humans didn’t need him precisely as much as they used to, though he still made his rounds to check on those who prayed to him. He had odd jobs when he chose to work, and mostly just spent his time responding to godly requests of one type or another. “Seth might even be able to help me with that.” It was something he’d thought of years ago, and he still believed it was a good idea.

Maat eyed Seth with a speculative look, and then shrugged. “I have a spell on him as well, to track his whereabouts. It shouldn’t affect his abilities, but it will let me know if he breaks the contract.” She met Horus’ gaze to ensure he understood she was serious.

He believed her.

Maat looked back at Seth. “As was stated when we took you from Ra’s sun boat, Seth: you will not start war with the humans or begin or take part in their destruction. And you will not attack your fellow gods unless in matters of self-defense. Horus is your keeper. If you attack him, you shall return to the sun boat. You understand?”

“Yes,” Seth said, quietly.

“This is too dangerous!” Isis said, glaring at Seth and clearly fed up with staying silent. “The damage he could cause before we can stop him…”

“You’ve already made your disagreements clear, Isis,” Maat said severely. “Horus has not given up his petition for Seth’s early release, and Ra finally agrees. Seth has served his sentence.”

Horus thought that was an interesting description of things. But he needed to calm Isis down. “I can look after myself, Mother,” Horus said, calling their attention to him. “Plus, Seth has been quiet this entire time you’ve been here. I feel like that shows his intentions well enough.” Seth hadn’t called for sand to destroy things, yelled, or started otherwise destroying the place. He was simply sitting, silent. It was worrisome, given how much it reminded Horus of when Seth had lost the third match all those years ago. But at least it would hopefully reassure Isis enough to leave.

Seth didn’t react to that comment, either. Horus recalled the dream, where Seth had been so angry and focused on not giving in. Yet here he was, quietly obedient.

Horus didn’t like it at all. What happened to you on that sun boat?

Isis breathed in deeply, still angry, but didn’t disagree.

“Then that’s that,” Maat said, reopening the portal. “I have other duties to take care of. Will you be staying, Isis?”

Isis glared at Seth more, and then met Horus’ gaze.

Horus didn’t back down from her look. If he was going to be given the opportunity he’d been waiting for, he wasn’t going to pass it up.

Isis finally sighed, and resignation entered her expression. She said, “Contact me if you need help.” Then she got up and followed Maat through the portal, which shut behind them.

The room was quiet afterward, and Horus looked back at Seth, noting the tension in his body even without Maat and Isis in the room. Horus tried for a smile and said, “Are you hungry? I can get you something to eat.”

Seth looked up at and studied him. After a time he asked, “Are you going to poison it?” There was a bit of his old sarcasm in his tone, but not much.

Horus winced, but he liked that Seth was talking to him, anyway. “No. You’re in my care, and I’m not meant to add to your punishment.”

Seth snorted and leaned back on the chair while crossing his arms. “Isis and Osiris will be disappointed.”

Horus was a bit annoyed at that. “They’re not the ones charged with watching over you.” Horus frowned. “Do you think I’m just them in another form?” He’d long since demonstrated he was neither of his parents in terms of his rule. But then again, Seth had been absent for much of it.

“I think you’re yourself,” Seth said, with some contempt. “A stranger in over his head.”

Horus put his phone down on the table and laced his fingers together. “I kept my promise,” he said, which made Seth frown. “I didn’t tell anyone what happened that night.”

“What night?” Seth demanded.

“The night Osiris assaulted you.”

Seth’s right hand twitched slightly, but his expression remained calm. “How do you even know about that?”

“Sekhmet told me.” They hadn’t had time to talk about it before Seth’s sentencing. Seth only knew that Horus knew a little. Unless Sekhmet had visited him, or Ra had said something… But Horus didn’t know that, either. And if Seth thought Horus would poison him, would Seth even trust anything Horus said?

Seth snorted. “Of course she did.” He shook his head, smiling bitterly. “I should have killed her when I had the chance…” But he made no move to dissolve into sand and get away. He just sat in his chair, his shoulders bowed slightly, making him look oddly small. “I was surprised when she didn’t show up to tell me this is all some kind of game.”

There was a kind of bitterness in Seth’s tone, and Horus wondered if Seth had protested the move at all. If he’d wanted to stay on the sun boat, if only to stay out of Horus’ care. But it was also oddly phrased. So he asked, “You didn’t know Ra had suggested this?”

“Ra and I don’t talk much,” Seth said. He grimaced. “One day she was mocking me, as usual, and then the next she said I was wasting my time on her stupid boat, despite the fact she only made me row half the time and defend her boat the rest. Then after that, Maat and Isis were there, with Isis furious about the whole thing, and Maat saying they were letting me go.” Seth shook his head. “Ra pretends at being fickle, but she’s always been a plotter. There’s something more to this, but I have no idea what.”

“Isis didn’t say anything?” Horus asked. He realized he should have asked more about this. Ra agreeing to this was too strange. Too dangerous. But he was far too distracted by Seth being present in his apartment for that. He’d only wanted Maat and Isis gone so he that he and Seth could be alone, so Seth could finally talk. It was the first time it had been just the two of them since Seth knocked Horus down in the sand.

“Not to me,” Seth replied. “Neither Ra nor Isis are my closest friends, after all.”

“But you served on Ra’s sun boat for millennia,” Horus said. “Surely she trusts you to some degree.” He couldn’t imagine Ra trusting just about anyone. He’d barely spoken with her at all over the years, though he knew she found his attempts to free Seth amusing.

Seth grimaced. “So did a lot of gods. Ra grows bored at times, even of taunting me.” After a moment he snorted and added, “Maybe Isis feels that this is Ra’s revenge on her now that Ra’s grown weary of me. Even if it was Ra’s idea to send me to the sun boat in the first place.”

“Do you think that’s what’s happening?” Horus asked. It was certainly a possibility.

Seth shrugged. “I have no idea.”

Silence reigned again. Horus marveled at how, after all this time, they’d had something like a conversation. He wanted to cradle it in his hands, fractious as it was. Seth was here and going to stay here. It was reality.

But Horus could also tell that Seth was deeply uncomfortable, reasonably so, and likely to get more uncomfortable as they explored.

Finally Horus asked, “If you don’t want to eat anything just yet, is there anything you want first? Getting you reacclimated to the world will be difficult, but we need to start somewhere.”

Seth studied Horus for a moment before saying, “I want to talk to Anubis.”

Seth

“Put this on,” Horus said as he dropped a large black piece of cloth on the table in front of Seth. Then Horus returned to staring at the tiny device in his left hand. “While I try to figure out how to get a hold of Anubis.” Something about Seth’s request had annoyed him, but Seth wasn’t sure what exactly. He'd asked Seth what Seth wanted, after all.

Weren’t you allies against me? Seth wondered, thinking back to the trial. He wasn't sure how close Anubis and Horus were, but it seemed odd for Horus to be annoyed about it.

But if Horus was getting him in contact with Anubis, Seth wouldn’t push it. He had enough to be suspicious about, given this was Horus. Though he didn’t like being given orders. He gazed down at the cloth, confused. “Why am I putting this on?”

“Most people aren’t going to want to see you topless outside a beach,” Horus said, glancing at Seth briefly and then away. His cheeks reddened. “Well… Some will. But it’s just not usual. It draws unneeded attention.”

“We’re gods. Why does that matter?”

“It’s just how people are now,” Horus said, clearly getting annoyed. “And if we do a video call, it’ll make things easier.”

Seth wondered what a video call was, but he got the message that putting on the garment would make success more assured. So he reached out and touched the garment skeptically, pushing it slightly. He wondered if it was a cloak… until it unrolled a bit, and he realized it was a kind of short shirt with arm wraps. He saw Horus, Isis, and Maat all wearing them, so it wasn’t quite unusual, but it looked like it would be uncomfortable to wrap around himself, given the smallness. The material itself was soft, at least.

“Oh, you probably don’t know how to handle these kinds of shirts… Here, let me help.” Horus looked down at him and put his device on the table to walk back over.

Seth was annoyed at Horus’ presumption. “I know how to put armor on!"

Horus paused, the garment in his hands, and studied Seth carefully. “I don’t mind helping.”

“I didn’t ask!” Seth said, taking the garment from him. He could see on Horus’ body something like how it was meant to work and pushed his arms through the arm wraps. It was open over his front, which was at least comfortable, though the material felt strange.

“You have to do up the buttons.” Horus pointed to the tiny ceramic-like piece along the inner sides of the shirt. “Put the buttons in the holes on the other side, which makes the shirt close properly, like this.” He tapped the center of his chest, where a line of buttons was visible.

Seth frowned and reached out to his shirt, getting one small button into a hole on the other side of the shirt. He did up all the ones he could see, and then frowned at the result, which was too tight and stretched weirdly, and was likely pathetic against attack. He knew Isis, Nephthys, and Osiris often dressed up for displays, but this felt ridiculous.

“Oh you did them a bit wrong,” Horus said with a smile. “Can I help? It’ll only be the once. You’ve skipped through thousands of years of clothing advancement, it’s not a mark on your abilities that you’re struggling with this.”

Seth scowled and said, “Fine.” It was better than floundering. If he could manage Tefnut showing him pointers with a spear, and Ra yelling at him how to row, he could manage Horus redoing the buttons of this odd top.

It unfortunately meant Horus moved in close to him, so that Seth could feel the heat from the other god’s body. Memories of their matches against each other came back to him, and of nights on the sun boat where Seth hadn’t been able to sleep for fear of an attack. As Horus’ hand brushed Seth’s stomach, Seth shoved him away and backed up, breathing hard.

He wouldn’t be ambushed again!

Horus blinked at Seth from where Horus was sprawled on the floor. But where Seth expected him to be angry and call Isis or Maat to revoke Seth’s probation, Horus instead asked, “Did I hurt you?”

“…No.” Seth remembered he was in a dwelling in the living realm, not on the sun boat. He wasn’t in danger here. Horus and Isis would see to that. “Sorry. Habit.” Seth breathed in. He could stand Horus being nearby. He could be still. “It’s fine. You can try again. I won’t shove you this time.” Was this violating the terms of his limited freedom? Would Maat return and take him back to Ra anyway?

“…If you’re sure.” Horus pushed himself up and approached slowly, keeping slightly back this time as he reached down to redo the buttons.

Seth kept his breathing even, glad that Horus wasn’t demanding he be dragged back to the sun boat. Letting an enemy in like this was a sure way to get yourself killed or at least badly injured there. You always had to be wary, at all times. The only time Seth was ever relatively at ease was when he was rowing, since he learned to recognize all the rowers. But Horus smelled different, and the familiar movement of the sun boat was gone. This all read wrong to him.

Once, I’d never been on the sun boat, Seth thought as Horus backed up, seemingly done with his work. Seth looked down. The shirt was a little tighter, but not overly so. It was comfortable enough. All the buttons were in their holes. He was a little warmer than he’d been.

“We’ll get you some pants later,” Horus said with a smile. “But you look good. I’ll have a tailor come over later to get your measurements.”

“…I don’t know what most of those words mean.” Seth could understand them, but he wasn’t sure what Horus was referring to.

“Ah, I mean an alternate kind of wrap for your legs that’s more typical now.” Horus indicated the wraps around his own legs, that outlined them well. “And a tailor is someone who can better create clothes for you based on your body size. They specialize in making clothes.”

“I can make my own clothes,” Seth noted in confusion. Are gods so lazy now? He grimaced. I sound like Ra.

“You can. But it’s good to have physical spares for emergencies.”

Seth didn’t really understand that, but clearly the living realm was a stranger place than Seth recalled.

There was a ding from the device Horus was using before, and he picked it up to look at it. He smiled. “Anubis says he can do a video call.” He looked at Seth. “That’s a way to see someone remotely. Anubis can’t come visit right now, but you can communicate to him through my computer, and you’ll be able to see and hear him.”

“Why can’t we just go visit him?” Seth asked as he followed Horus through the apartment. It was smaller than he expected, but not horrible. And it smelled faintly of flowers. The ground was made of wood, almost like a boat. There were soft, bright torches throughout the room, but they didn’t smell like fire or oil.

“He’s busy,” Horus said as they walked into a smaller room with a desk, on which sat a box-like device with a shining screen that brightened when Horus touched part of it. “He travels a lot for his duties. Humans are even better at killing each other than they used to be, so he has a lot of souls to look after. And there are just more humans generally.”

Seth remembered seeing Anubis less and less over the years the rare occasions Anubis would visit the sun boat when Anubis was in the area. Anubis always seemed like he had to go somewhere. As a god of the dead, it made sense he would be busy.

Horus paused and looked back at Seth. “He said he visited you a few times on the sun boat. Is that true?”

Seth nodded. Initially, Anubis had attacked the sun boat on Osiris’ behalf, but Ra had quickly put a stop to that, telling Anubis he was a fool if he thought he was performing his duties correctly that way. Anubis had stood before Ra on her sun boat, in his ascended god form, while Seth stared, still bleeding from the shadows Anubis had used to attack them all. Seth had been shocked that Anubis had ascended, and even more shocked to discovered he’d lost his memories. But Seth was unable to ask any questions. After Ra clarified things to Anubis, Anubis only visited rarely, to intercede on occasion when Osiris attacked. But even that stopped after a while, and Osiris attacked alone.

“He’s still alive,” Ra had told him many a time. “I’ll know if he dies. He’s a god now.”

Seth had the chance to speak to Anubis now, without worrying about Ra or the sun boat. Seth needed to know what had happened in his absence. It was one of the driving forces of his life on board the sun boat: speak to Anubis, learn what happened. Ra would never tell him, other than to confirm Anubis ascended, mostly because Seth saw it himself.

“This is your punishment, Seth, not a trip with your son,” Ra had said to him with a smile. “Now go back to learning to row properly. You’re slowing everyone down.”

“Got it!” Horus said with a grin. “Seth, come sit here on the chair.”

You need to stop ordering me around. But Seth assumed he didn’t have much of a choice, so he walked forward and sat in the cushioned chair Horus indicated. Then he had to grab onto the desk when the chair began to move oddly.

Horus held the chair and said, “Ah, sorry! It’s got wheels so you can move around on it!”

Seth looked down and could see that, yes, the chair had small wheels. He moved his feet experimentally, testing it. Why would you add wheels to a chair?

He wondered if humans these days attacked people from their offices often.

“So you’ll need to look here,” Horus said, calling Seth’s attention back. He was pointing at a dot over the bright screen, which Seth’s eyes adjusted to. “This is what Anubis will see you through.”

“…This isn’t a window,” Seth said, frowning at the device. There were objects on the odd glass, none of which he recognized. The glass was also strangely clear and shiny for what he was used to.

“It’s a kind of communication device,” Horus said. He lifted the small device he’d used earlier. “Like this. Anubis isn’t on the other side of it, exactly. But it’s connecting you to him. Kind of like a communication spell.”

Seth was skeptical of that, but he could understand the basics. “Okay.”

Horus reached out and touched a small, dark, round object on the desk, then pressed his finger down. That made the objects on the window move a little, and a square in the middle lit up. Then Seth saw Anubis blinking at him through the screen. Anubis looked just as he had the last time Seth had seen him: taller, with broader shoulders, and an unreadable expression. But the black jackal mask he wore was gone. Instead, dark eyes under long, wavy, dark hair gazed back at Seth.

“Father,” Anubis said. His voice was low and clear. “So you really are free.” He didn’t seem angry or even alarmed. Just neutral. Perhaps betraying Seth twice and having thousands of years to think it over had settled him a bit. He’d seemed a little less antagonistic over the course of his visits, and was mostly curious about Seth.

Or perhaps he felt this was an unsuitable medium through which to settle old scores.

“Anubis…” Seth said, feeling his breath catch. He was so happy to see Anubis, and without Ra or anyone else to pull him away. His emotions were like a flood, and he reminded himself Horus was standing just to his right, watching them. He couldn’t show weakness here. He cleared his throat and looked at the point Horus said he should look. “Yes, I’m free. But Horus is my… caretaker, I suppose.”

Anubis nodded. The area around him was blurry, and Seth wondered if the spell was weak. “It’s probably very weird to suddenly be in the modern world. How are you coping?”

Seth smiled grimly, aware that Horus was watching all the while. “I’ve only been here briefly, so I imagine as well as can be expected.” He hoped he wasn’t doing poorly. The shirt was embarrassing, but Horus wasn’t bringing it up, and Anubis wasn’t saying anything else about Seth’s appearance. Anubis also seemed to be wearing a similar garment, and his ribbon was gone, which made Seth a bit sad.

Anubis smiled. It looked soft on him and reminded Seth of Nephthys’ smiles.

I haven’t even thought about her, Seth thought with some alarm. Seth didn’t want to touch the thought at all, but if Anubis was able to get in touch with him, then…

“Do you visit your mother?” Seth asked. He didn’t know what answer he wanted, but it seemed like the right question to ask. He didn’t even know if Nephthys was still in Heliopolis, but if Anubis was traveling, it seemed likely she wouldn’t be with him. She’d never been with Anubis when he attacked the sun boat.

“A bit,” Anubis said. “We have a meal together every other week. Are you planning to see her?”

Seth tried to keep his expression neutral. “I don’t know. We’ll have to see what the future brings.”

Rather than get mad like he used to whenever he brought up Nephthys with Seth, Anubis only nodded. “I understand. We should all get together, maybe. If that’s possible.”

The idea was terrifying, but Seth didn’t want to say no if it meant he could see Anubis.

Anubis glanced to his left, at something Seth couldn’t see. “There are some things we need to talk about.” He smiled with an odd softness. “A lot of things.”

Seth smiled ruefully. “Yes, I imagine.” All in all this was going better than he’d imagined. “And… Osiris? Do you talk to him?”

Anubis’ expression grew cold. “No. We don’t talk if we can avoid it.”

Seth’s smile widened. “Good. That’s good.” Anubis was at least safe on that front, then. Though he wondered what the story was there. But it wasn’t the only thing he wanted to talk about. “And how is your godhood treating you? Are things well?”

Anubis shrugged. “I manage well enough. It’s a lot of work, but I’m used to it.”

“You’re getting proper rest?” Seth asked, a bit worried by what Anubis was saying. “Not that I think you’re not capable, but…”

Anubis grinned. “I get rest. Khnum makes sure I do.”

“…Khnum?” Seth said, suddenly wary. “The river god?”

Anubis nodded. “Yes. I guess it’s been… a long time. But it’s new to you, right? We’re married.”

Seth blinked, unsure he’d heard correctly. “What?”

Anubis raised his left hand before his face, where a small black ring with a blue stone in its center rested on one of his fingers. “Yup! We’ve been living together for about 1200 years. We can’t always be together because of our duties, but we make it work.” He lowered his hand. “I’ll bring him when we talk with Mother. It’ll be nice.”

Seth wasn’t at all sure what to say to all this. Anubis? Married? But Anubis looked so happy.

And then Seth grew slightly worried. He probably thinks I’m angry… He was always so aware of my moods when he was younger… So Seth smiled and said, “Congratulations! I’m glad for you!” 1200 years… I missed so much… “I’ll be happy to see you both!”

Anubis’ smile widened, which helped offset the butterflies in Seth’s stomach. Anubis glanced to his left and said, “I have to head out. But did you need to talk about something else before I go?”

“I just wanted to see you,” Seth said, shelving all the other questions he had for later. “It’s been so long. And… I wanted to know how you were doing.” Such little things, really. Anubis had this entire life without Seth. Seth was clearly in the way of that. Like he had been all Anubis’ life. After all, Anubis had ascended after Seth left it. “Ra never told me how you ascended.”

Horus twitched slightly, and Seth glanced at him, but Horus’ expression was neutral.

“There was a war after you left for the sun boat,” Anubis said, quieter, drawing Seth’s attention back to the not-window. Anubis’ expression was calm. “The humans needed help that the other gods, and a mere demigod, could not provide. So I ascended to help. Egypt might have been taken over by outsiders, otherwise.”

Seth was awed by that. But saddened, too. “I’m sorry that burden fell on your shoulders.” It should have been Seth’s problem. Or Horus’. Or Isis’.

Anubis shrugged. “Don’t be. It led to good things, didn’t it? I ascended, I got to work more with Khnum, and now here I am.” Anubis’ smile was strange, then. Seth thought it seemed a little forced. “I really need to go, though. Horus will give you my number when you get your own phone. We’ll talk again soon. I’ll call Mother to set up a meeting.”

“Of course,” Seth said, unsure what else to say, but unable to come up with a way to prolong the communication.

Seth hoped Horus knew how to handle ending the spell.

Anubis smiled. “It was good to talk to you again… Father.”

“It was good to talk to you, Anubis,” Seth replied, smiling warmly. He wished he could reach out and touch Anubis, but imagined that wasn’t possible. Or welcome.

Anubis waved at him, and the square on the screen went dark.

“The call ended,” Horus explained when Seth became alarmed. “But you’ll learn how to text him and call him again if you’d like.”

“There was a war?” Seth asked, looking up at Horus with a frown. “Anubis participated? No one told me there was a war.”

Horus’ expression was hard. “I didn’t know you didn’t know. You couldn’t sense it?”

“I was focused on staying alive on the sun boat,” Seth said, shaking his head. “Matters of the human realm like that… We could never see those kinds of things. Not with clarity.” Many of the realms the sun boat passed through were chaotic. And Seth paid more attention to that and his own survival than the glimpses of the land of the living. Plus, Seth rested at odd times, either from exhaustion or his own injuries. And his vision was limited when he was rowing.

“There was a war,” Horus said. “Egypt was victorious. Anubis helped. His ascension helped.”

Helped how? Was he hurt? Did someone specific attack him or someone else? Seth looked at the dark screen, feeling suddenly bereft. “I need to catch up on it all. Now. I need… I need to know what I missed.”

“It’s a lot of history, and we have time,” Horus said. “There’s no need to rush.”

“You weren’t stolen from your time!” Seth said, glaring up at Horus, noticing that Horus’ eyes widened in alarm. “You didn’t miss out on your family growing into themselves! Don’t tell me there’s no need to rush.” Seth felt a hard anger within himself, and he wasn’t sure what he wanted to use it on. Just that it rushed through him, ready to be used.

He clamped down on his powers, knowing that going off here would do him no favors. Horus hadn’t said Seth would be barred from seeing Anubis, so if Seth just kept calm, then perhaps…

“I know,” Horus said after a moment. “Though I did have my life with my father stolen from me.”

Seth grimaced. He supposed Horus had a right to that, even if Osiris was an execrable waste of space.

“I might have a solution to this as well,” Horus said. He pulled out his little communication device again. “Information like that isn’t my specialty. But Thoth owes me some favors. We’ll see if he can help.”

Seth

“You can use this room while you’re here,” Horus said, gesturing to a large bedroom in his apartment.

Seth walked in with a dubious look on his face, gazing around at it. There was a large bed with black sheets on it, and as Seth moved forward, he idly touched it. He was surprised at how heavily cushioned it was. The sheets were soft, too. He looked around to see a curtained window to his left, and walked over to it.

“Ah, I wouldn’t…” Horus started as Seth put his hand up to the black curtains and yanked one back.

Seth stared at the outside: a world of tall, strange-looking buildings, coated in twilight. Nothing looked familiar, and he realized they were higher up in the air than he imagined, like humans had built towers to live in for some reason. It somehow seemed even more daunting than Heliopolis. He let the curtains close.

“It’s a very different world,” Horus commented after a while.

Seth looked around the room more, and his eyes settled on a large version of the communication device they’d used for the call with Anubis. This was nearly as big as Seth, though, and sitting on a kind of chest.

“Ah, you should probably leave this alone for now,” Horus said when he saw where Seth was looking. “It’s going to be much more overwhelming than the window.”

Seth frowned, wondering what dark things lurked in the large black box.

“We’ll see that tailor tomorrow,” Horus said, “and we can probably order you some things in the morning, after you’ve settled in a little more.”

“What are you ordering?” Seth asked, confused. He’d never had a huge wardrobe in the past, unlike his sisters. The idea was overwhelming. And wasting time changing clothes all the time seemed stupid.

“Items the tailor won’t make for you,” Horus said. “I’ll explain more after Thoth comes by. He should be here soon enough.” He glanced over Seth, his eyes resting on Seth’s lower body. “I can get you some pants, though, if you’d like.”

“Pants?”

Horus frowned, and then said, “Stay here, please. I’ll be right back.” Then he left through the door, leaving Seth alone in the room.

Seth looked around the room to get a better understanding of it. It had the large storage chest under the communication device, and a smaller one near the bed, with an odd metal object he didn’t understand the purpose of. It had a papyrus lid over it, and he assumed it was decorative. He also noticed two doors in the room. When he opened one, it was clearly a storage space of some kind. When he investigated the other one, it was a smaller windowless room, filled with what seemed vaguely like a large tub of some kind, and a basin. His night vision also let him see there was a sort of mirror over the basin, clearer than any Seth had ever seen. He stared at himself in shock for a bit, before leaving. The world truly is strange.

Horus appeared at the door with a bundle of cloth in his arms and said, “I was gifted these a while back, but never used them. They’re pajama pants, but they should do for the time being. If they’re too large, we’ll figure something else out.” He held them out to Seth.

Seth gazed at the bundle for a while before taking it. He wondered what “pajama pants” were.

“They go around your legs, like these,” Horus said, tapping his left hip to point out his leg wrappings. “They’ll keep you warm, too.”

Seth supposed he did feel a bit of a chill in the dwelling.

A short musical tune played from Horus’ pocket, and he pulled out his small device again. “Ah, Thoth’s on his way. I need to organize a few things quickly, and I’ll let you get settled.” He walked over to the door and paused, before looking back at Seth. “There’s a lock on the door if you’d like. It’s not accessible from outside the room except in emergencies. Here,” Horus demonstrated how the lock worked on the door for him, and Seth walked over to try himself.

“If you want,” Horus said, “you can use it. Or not, whatever makes you comfortable.” He moved his hand to a small notch on the wall and flicked it, making the room go dark. “This is a light switch. It turns the overhead light on or off.” He flicked it back, and the light returned.

Seth frowned at what Horus was doing, but it was simple enough. A strange kind of magic, at any rate. He felt embarrassed to want to know how it worked. Every part of living here seemed full of strangeness. But he recalled there being a notch like this in the small basin room, so perhaps he could investigate that properly later.

“I’ll just be in another room,” Horus said, smiling. “Oh, and you should probably take your headdress off.” He dissolved his falcon headdress, making Seth’s eyes widen. His eyes were deep blue, like a river, and his face was somehow warmer underneath his short, dark hair. From the shape of his face, he took much from his mother’s looks, with an added level of allure that seemed his own, and lacked some of Osiris’ sharpness.

I’ve seen those eyes before, Seth thought. But he wasn’t sure where. Probably he was remembering when they fought during the trial.

“We don’t wear them unless it’s official business,” Horus explained, “and Thoth is just visiting as a friend.” He frowned. “Well, a friend who owes me a favor anyway.”

“Have gods debased themselves so much while I was gone?” Seth demanded. He wondered what favor Thoth owed Horus, but the headdress part was bothering him more.

Horus winced. “Things just changed a lot, Uncle. Humans changed. We adapted.”

Adaptation is one word for it, Seth thought darkly.

Horus smiled and said, “Take your time.” Then he walked out of the room.

Seth considered his headdress, breathed deeply, and made it dissolve, leaving his head bare. He felt somewhat naked without it and had to spend a moment breathing deeply in and out to settle. It had been one of his few protections when he’d been on the sun boat: he could always pretend to be stoic beneath it. An enemy could see too much.

Rather than investigate the basin room, he went to the cloth bundle and investigated it. It was a set of dark blue leg wraps that were quite large. He used his sand to shut the door and dissolved his shendyt before he tried them on, mimicking Horus. It wasn’t the most comfortable, but his movement wasn’t overly restricted, and it was warm. Then he sat down on the bed and rubbed his hands over the sheets, marveling at it. The room overall was larger than the small cabin he’d been given on the sun boat, and the bed was far more comfortable, so it wasn’t fully bringing back bad memories, but the enclosed nature of it was reminding him a bit too much of the sun boat, though he wasn’t quite ready to open the door.

Seth didn’t imagine the small door would change that feeling of being trapped or vulnerable, even here. Horus was a god now, just like any of them. It made more sense why Horus was left in his charge, rather than the demigod Seth recalled from the trial. And it was another reason Seth hadn’t just run through the front door  or the window to the outside world.

He had to remind himself he wasn’t on the sun boat anymore. Even if Horus attacked him now, Seth would be ready. Horus wasn’t one of the ancient gods Seth had worked alongside there, or the even older monsters they’d fought.

All of this was merely a distraction from his thoughts about Anubis: what Anubis had revealed, what they might talk about when they met again, the chance to see Nephthys again… It made his chest tight and his breathing stutter. It felt too unreal, and even if he reminded himself that it was real, it felt too daunting.

He strangely found himself missing the regularity and mind-numbing focus that rowing the sun boat required. And at least sometimes he could fight actual monsters to work out his frustration.

There was a knock on the room door. “Uncle? Are you all right?”

Seth innate sense of time kicked in and he realized he’d been sitting for quite a while. He stared at the door, thinking about the god beyond it. About the last time they’d been in a bedroom together before all this, and how Horus had gripped him so tightly on Seth’s failed assault. Seth was firmly aware he was wearing a piece of Horus’ clothing and living in Horus’ home and there was very little he could do about it. He considered just taking off the shirt Horus had given him, but it felt strangely childish.

“I’m sorry I had to leave,” Horus said, “but I’m free now. If there’s anything you want to ask, I’m here.”

You sound so worried, Seth thought. Like you actually care about me. It made no sense. Even if Horus had kept Seth’s secret for some reason, why? Was it the same obsession his father had?

But before he could reply, there was a loud chiming noise somewhere beyond the door.

“Oh, that should be Thoth,” Horus said. “You can come meet him if you’d like, Uncle. He’s here to help you.” Horus’ footsteps padded away.

Seth shut his eyes briefly, reminding himself to not be a coward. He stood up and had to stop himself from summoning his headdress. Seth walked to the door and opened it, walking out to where he smelled Horus’ lotus scent and heard voices. He turned around a corner and saw Horus chatting in the entryway with a familiar lithe man in another of those suits.

Thoth looked at Seth in surprise, and his eyes widened in shock. Whether from Seth’s appearance or the mere sight of him, Seth had no idea, given Thoth was often nervous around him. Thoth was still thin, with that same long, silvery-blue hair, and his blue god markings around his eyes. His hair was still tied back in a high tail, and he wore his golden pyramid earrings, but he looked strange without his gold ibis crown. He carried a large white box in his arms.

Seth kept his distance. Even without Maat around, Thoth could still be dangerous.

“Seth!” Thoth said with an awkward smile. “How um… nice? To see you?”

Seth glared. Was that meant to be convincing of anything in particular?

Thoth laughed awkwardly. “Yeah, I know. Maat talked to me about this. It’s uh… incredible!”

Seth wondered who it was incredible for. Thoth had never been his ally, after all. Just Nut’s, and she hadn’t spoken to Seth in centuries.

“Let’s go into the lounge,” Horus said, guiding Thoth through another doorway, with a brief glance at Seth. “And I can get us some forks and plates for your tart.”

Thoth quickly followed behind Horus, darting another nervous smile at Seth.

Seth followed after them, his arms crossed.

They ended up in a different room than the big table room. This one had large, plush couches and a lower table in the center, along with another curtain-covered window and a sort of thin table with another of those big black communication devices on it. Horus gestured for Thoth and Seth to sit on the couches, and then disappeared through another doorway.

Thoth moved to the biggest couch and set the box on the table before sitting primly nearby. He glanced up at Seth and smiled again. “So um… How’s it been to be back?”

Seth thought about it a bit, imagining how he could possibly manage, "After thousands of years I'm back in a tiny world surrounded by noise and full of weird objects and I'm treated like an annoying pet and have meeting my former wife who went behind my back with my brother to look forward to at some point in the unknown future since I don't set my own schedule and am under the charge of my nephew."

He settled on, “Strange.”

Thoth chuckled nervously. “Yes, I imagine! A lot has changed in the time you’ve been gone!”

“What does Horus need you for?” Seth asked, wanting to know what this was all about. “What are you going to help with, exactly?”

“Oh, well, that’s—”

Horus stepped back in with some plates, utensils, and small white towels, and set them out on the table. “Seth, please sit. Thoth got us a fruit tart, if you’d like some.” Then he sat on the couch beside Thoth.

Seth wasn’t sure what a fruit tart was, but he sat on another couch, watching Horus and Thoth suspiciously. He frowned when Horus opened the box and revealed a flat pastry of some kind, with odd-looking possibly fruit on it, and began cutting it up. It smelled oddly sweet.

“These are really good,” Thoth said, grinning at Seth. “I get them all the time!”

Horus placed a slice on a plate and handed it to Thoth, and then did the same for Seth, though he set it on the table before Seth, with a small smile.

Seth eyed the plate with suspicion. He didn’t think Thoth had the guts to poison him, but both Maat and Thoth had joined Isis to stand against him in the past. Anything was possible.

Horus took a slice for himself and picked off one of the colorful fruit pieces before putting it in his mouth, chewing it up.

Thoth quickly worked through a good chunk of his slice.

Seth found this whole thing bizarre, with the three of them all sitting together like everything was just normal, and the two gods besides each other hadn’t worked together to overthrow him in the past, and one of them wasn’t married to the judge who’d overseen it. And both believed Seth murdered Osiris (or at least one of them did, because Seth didn't know how much Horus knew of the night Osiris died). But as he apparently kept hearing, things had changed. So he eventually picked up the plate in front of him and took up the odd utensil, which was sort of like a strangely cut up spoon crossed with a knife. He’d been given rations when he was on the sun boat, and they were typically filling but tasteless. Good things didn’t survive the passage on the sun boat. But ignoring the food was useless, as well, since those managing the sun boat needed all the energy they could get to survive the day. And though the rations had been less than wonderful, Seth got used to them.

But at least I recognized what the food was made of, Seth thought as he eyed the fruit tart slice skeptically. Even if it wasn’t poisoned, he had no idea what any of it was. “What’s on it? I don’t recognize these.” He could still smell the sweetness of it, but that was all.

Thoth swallowed and lowered his plate. “Ah, yes, I can see the issue there.” He glanced at Horus. “Did you want me to just go for it now? It might be easier.”

Horus nodded. “If Seth is okay with it.”

“Go with what?” Seth asked with a frown, wondering what conversation the other two gods had without him. He didn’t like being treated like an oddity.

Thoth set his plate down and reached out for one of the small white towels to wipe his face off. Afterward, he looked at Seth and said, “I can grant you at least some of the knowledge you’re missing. You’ll have to sort through a lot of it, and there will still be things you struggle with. But you’ll have the basics. It will give you a leg up on things.”

Seth frowned. “Grant me knowledge? How?” Outside Thoth’s prophecies and his sharing the information he knew verbally, Seth didn’t exactly have much experience with Thoth’s magic. The bird always ran off whenever Seth was around.

“A memory transfer,” Thoth said with a smile. “I do them for my followers sometimes. And I’ve done it with gods before. This will be a bit more information than usual, but I don’t think it should be too much trouble. Knowledge should be shared, anyway.”

Seth didn’t want Thoth, or anyone else, rifling through his mind. His frown deepened.

“It’ll make things a lot easier for you, Uncle,” Horus said, meeting Seth’s gaze with a serious one. “You’ll be more independent, and you can move around the apartment more easily.”

Seth grimaced and thought about how all the strange changes had meant he’d been hesitant to wander as much. On top of not knowing what to make of a Horus who was being so amenable to everything. But Seth was still concerned. He looked at Thoth. “Are you going to read my memories?”

Thoth shook his head. “The spell works on its own to grant you what you lack. It’ll investigate and then pull from me what you need. But the spell will have to read you a bit. It doesn’t report back to me, though… unless the recipient dies, and you’re a god, so you should be fine.” When Seth frowned at him, Thoth laughed nervously, “Well… humans sometimes pray for more than they can manage, unfortunately. It’s rare, though. And only with humans.”

Seth didn’t trust that Thoth didn’t have some means to see what his spell was looking at, but Seth was also currently being defeated by a piece of food and a black box.

Seth was a god of war. He wouldn’t be intimidated by such things. “Fine," he said. "Do it.”

Thoth nodded and turned properly towards Seth. He reached out his right hand and lightly rested his middle and pointer fingers on Seth’s forehead.

Seth kept himself still.

Thoth’s blue eyes became unfocused for a bit.

Seth stiffened as he felt something almost like a river moving through his mind, flooding his thoughts. It felt like things in his head were shifting around. It made him dizzy, and he pulled away.

Thoth also drew back and breathed in deeply. “It should work. Just give it a moment. Give yourself more than that, actually.”

Seth put a hand to his head and stared at the ground, breathing in deeply and trying not to fall over. He gazed at the carpet under the… coffee table. It was a coffee table. Upon which sat plates, forks, napkins, and three sliced pieces of fruit tart. The tart slice had a strawberry, a slice of pineapple, a slice of kiwi, and some berries. The overhead light lit up the area in a way that wasn’t overbearing.

Seth grimaced and looked away, to face the… the television… sitting on a wooden stand.

“Give him time,” Thoth said, quietly, to Horus.

Seth hissed, annoyed at being treated so carefully, as if he was fragile, “I’m fine. I just…” A new wave of dizziness hit him.

“Do you want to go to the bathroom?” Thoth asked, his expression oddly kind. “You can just take a moment to yourself…”

Seth thought tossing actual water at his face and getting away from the two gods beside him wasn’t a bad idea, actually, and got up and said, “Where?”

“Right around the corner,” Horus said, pointing. He looked worried, but stayed seated.

Seth walked off and found the place, switched on the light, and then shut himself inside, locking the door, letting him pretend he was alone. There was another large mirror over the sink, and Seth stared at it, understanding what he was staring at, but still shocked it was so clear. He could see himself perfectly: he looked alarmed and strangely tired. His red hair was a little mussed, and he was sweating. The black shirt looked ridiculously large on him, and his golden usekh peeked out from underneath it.

He leaned on the ceramic of the sink, just breathing. He didn’t know what to make of this. All this information was whirling around in his head. He could look back in his memories and recall the video call with Anubis on the desktop computer, the cellphone that Horus was constantly using, the skyscrapers outside his window, the cars below…

Seth breathed in and out. The world now truly was different. Even knowing more about it, he felt like such an outsider, even more than he had during his failed kingship over Egypt. How could he even find a place in all this? Even with Horus helping him, he felt like he was stumbling along, holding onto someone else’s skirt. Was he always going to be like this? Never his own man? At least on the sun boat, he’d had some control over his actions, so long as he obeyed orders.

He blinked and laughed. “Is that what the point of the punishment was? Of this whole farce of a ‘release’? Send me here so I realize I’m better off on Ra’s stupid sun boat?” Seth put his hands to his eyes, finding it all darkly funny. Ra would love for him to come crawling back, begging to be taken in by her, willingly. Proper revenge for her defeat all those centuries ago, since Osiris was where she couldn't reach him in Duat.

I won’t go back there, he eventually thought, breathing in an out. I won’t go running back. I’m out. I’m back home, in so far as it’s still a home. He wiped his eyes. I’ll figure this out, just like I figured out the sun boat. He stared at himself in the mirror. At his bright red eyes and his look of determination. I’ll push through this just like I pushed through that.

Horus

Horus resisted the urge to run to the bathroom after Seth. The spell should make things easier for him, but it still made Horus worry how it might affect the older god. What if it’s all too overwhelming? Or what if it makes him want to go back to the sun boat? He grimaced. Isis would be happy, then.

“You’re worried about him,” Thoth said, startling Horus.

Horus glanced at the other god, who was studying him with a cool expression. After a moment, Horus replied, “Yes, I am.” I asked for his freedom for so many years, it’s not like Thoth doesn’t know that.

Thoth tilted his head. “You truly believe in your advocacy of him after all these years?”

Horus frowned. “Did you think I was putting on a show?” Many gods did, though none of them could explain why. Horus had meant to push for Seth’s freedom. That he couldn’t fully explain the reasons why Seth deserved a lighter sentence had been frustrating but ultimately immaterial.

Thoth smiled ruefully. “I guess not. It’s just strange that he’s here now. Is he like how you imagined?”

“He’s still adjusting,” Horus said, looking back towards the bathroom and trying not to count the seconds. “He’s taking it rather well, despite everything.” Certainly, Horus had expected Seth to turn into sand and break through the windows. But it seemed like he was just staying in the bathroom.

“What do you expect him to do now?” Thoth asked.

Horus looked over at Thoth, confused. "What do you mean? Maat has a list of things for him to work on." He didn't know that he agreed with the whole list, but it's not like Maat had let Seth loose to run wild.

Thoth winced. "Yes, but... you weren't alive when he simply served your father. He was distant. Cool. Respected, but... feared in a way he wasn't even during his reign. And that fear was proven right when he took the throne and wreaked havoc on Egypt."

Horus frowned. "And how much of these considerations are framed by fear and a particularly flighty nature rather than looking at what's in front of your eyes?"

Thoth blushed at that. "My flightiness doesn't interfere with my reason. Maat's tasks at your hand will perhaps give him direction, assuming he's willing to be a biddable errand boy, but he hasn’t had time to acclimate to life here, unlike the rest of us. It will be overwhelming. He'll want out. How do you know he won't just do what he did to your father?"

"There are safeguards," Horus said. "Maat's spell of binding was removed centuries ago under Ra's supervision, but it can always be activated again. And I'm not the god I was when last we met. I know even better how to take him down easily."

Thoth sighed and said, "And what if he tries to join the human military in what little spare time he has?"

“If he does, so what?" Horus asked, already having considered and rejected the idea as immaterial. "It’s part of his nature.” There were administrative gods who commanded great power in the nation’s government. Seth would hardly be any different if he joined some military outpost somewhere and took over.

Thoth looked uncomfortable. “Humans are so much more destructive than they used to be. They don’t even need us to keep them in line, they destroy each other so fast. If Seth started backing them… it could be dangerous for everyone.”

Horus knew that was true. If Seth wanted to go back to destroying mankind, it would be easier than ever.

But something didn’t add up. “Don’t tell me you actually care about the humans,” Horus said with a frown.

Thoth glared, looking like he'd been wronged. “I care about them!” When Horus only gazed back at him, unimpressed, Thoth corrected, “Some of them!”

“You care about your scholars," Horus said. "The ones who pray to you and offer you new knowledge. You don’t care about much else.” Thoth was a quiet god who attended and sometimes gave lectures at universities. His head was always buried in academia. It was useful, but it also changed his priorities.

Thoth grimaced and looked way. “I just worry. There are more gods who are more used to the way things are. They won’t take kindly to Seth muscling his way into the military like he used to. They might think he’s trying to be king again, even if you stop him from killing you.”

Is that a threat? Horus wondered. “He’s not doing it yet, and you know that’s catastrophizing. He was struggling to use a fork.”

Thoth’s gaze was measured. “He doesn’t need a fork to aim a nuclear warhead.”

Horus sighed, truly tired of this. “My mother can redirect rivers and still drown humanity as she pleases, yet she, along with all the other river gods, chooses not to. Seth stayed on Ra’s sun boat for thousands of years, and not once has Ra complained about him, nor have any other gods who came from there.” He’d asked them himself and learned precious little about what Seth had been up to. Even Anubis had never said anything about talking to Seth. “Ra even requested Maat's spell of binding be removed. The humans believe that prison sentences are enough penance for some of their people to be returned to ordinary society, with trust. If we are to listen to them, why not emulate them?”

Thoth smiled. “There aren’t really any imprisoned humans who could start a war with their bare hands.”

He really believes Seth is incorrigible, Horus thought. Does Maat think this as well? “If you believe so strongly that he’s unable to reform, why were you so helpful?” Horus frowned at Thoth. “I looked at your spell. There was nothing evil in it. You could have done much with it, but you chose not to.”

Thoth blushed and fidgeted with his hands. “I just worry, okay? I trust Maat knows what she’s doing, and I trust that you know what you’re doing… But Seth was sentenced to the sun boat for a lot of reasons. He hurt a lot of humans and gods.”

“You think I’ve forgotten?” Horus asked, gazing evenly back at Thoth. “Just because I’m younger than the rest of you, doesn’t mean I wasn’t by Isis’ side for much of her exile.” Even if he sometimes thought his mother forgot.

He’d been there. He’d seen the terrible things Seth had done. And Seth had nearly killed him during the third match of the trial, even if he kept hesitating, waiting for Horus to do it first. Now, Seth was meeker and quieter, with history behind his eyes Horus ached to know. Perhaps he was just waiting for his chance once he had things figured out, but that didn’t change the fact that Horus still stood by wanting his freedom.

“Then why advocate for him so much?” Thoth asked. “It’s been so many years and he’s out now… Why go so far?” His expression was worried, but there was a hungry look in his gaze, too.

He just wants to know the secret, Horus thought. It’s knowledge he doesn’t have. He looked back at the hall. “Seth, are you okay now?”

Seth stepped into the room from the hall, where he’d been hiding, clearly listening to some of the conversation. He looked calmer than he’d been when he fled earlier, and his expression was neutral, his bright red eyes giving nothing away. If he had any bad thoughts about what he’d overhead, he wasn’t voicing them in any fashion. He looked a bit tired, though. “I’m processing things. Why do you even have a bathroom? You’re a god.”

“I have human guests over sometimes,” Horus said, glad Seth was snippy and not furious. “It’s convenient for them.” He sometimes invited over his neighbors or humans he was negotiating with, or sometimes people asking for his help. Keeping up the facade of humanity mostly kept the human governments from bothering him too much, and allowed him more freedom.

Seth seemed to consider this while Thoth said, “You’re feeling a little more stable? The spell settled in okay?” He even sounded genuinely worried. Horus wondered why: was he just trying to get on Seth’s good side before Seth went after people, as Thoth seemed to worry?

Seth nodded slowly. He hugged himself, though, seeming a bit unsure.

“It’s late,” Horus said. He looked at Thoth, who gazed back at him. “It’s been a long day. Seth needs rest. Thank you for coming by on such short notice, Thoth.” Even though I kind of ordered you to…

Thoth laughed nervously and stood up, “It’s no trouble. I was free.” He bowed to Horus and smiled at Seth. “I wish you luck on your journey, Seth.”

“You don’t have to lie,” Seth said, making Thoth’s smile waver. Seth’s expression was hard. “You don’t like me, and your wife doesn’t like me. That’s always been true.”

Horus almost smiled. Perhaps he’s not as meek as I thought…

“Ah ha…” Thoth said with a nervous glance at Horus. “That um…”

“You’re afraid of me,” Seth continued, “Fine. Get lost, then.” His red eyes were bright and confrontational, and although Horus didn’t think Seth would start a fight with Thoth of all people, Seth seemed prepared for one as needed.

Horus was prepared to act if necessary. Even though I didn’t like Thoth’s earlier questioning, either. He was tired of all the years of being second-guessed and called a fool. I earned my right to make my own way, yet they still treat me like a child. He gazed at Seth thoughtfully.

Thoth swallowed, nodded, and made a beeline for the front door.

Horus stood up to go lock it behind him.

“He’s a god,” Seth said when Horus returned. Seth was still standing by the doorway, his arms wrapped around himself. But the aggression in his eyes had cooled. “He can create portals like Maat. Or fly. Why the pretense of walking in and out of here like a human?”

Horus shrugged. “Gods over time have adopted more human mannerisms. We have to engage more with them to get by, so it’s normal to act more like them, because they’re usually around. Such habits are hard to drop quickly.”

Seth frowned. “Like food? And clothes?”

Horus nodded. “Living in the human world is more taxing than it used to be. There’s so many of them, with so many expectations. They pull at us from so many directions and require so much of our strength. Many gods exhaust themselves trying to look after them all, and it’s easy to run out of power.” He breathed in deeply, thinking about all the prayers he was ignoring to focus on Seth. But I wouldn’t change it. I’ve wanted this for centuries. The humans can survive without me constantly watching over them for a few days. He met Seth’s gaze. “You’re still strong from your time on the sun boat, and you were always strong. But a few gods have been caught at bad moments without their powers when stretched to their limits, and needed to blend in with humans to survive, with no gods to help them. If you made all your clothes out of sand, and your powers failed, what would happen if you were in the middle of a crowded street? Or you lost your powers passing through a portal to get outside?”

Seth’s eyes widened. “That’s… That’s really happened?”

Horus nodded. “It’s honestly the least of the disasters that happen in such instances. Plus, it’s easier to buy clothes than make them, especially when power needs to be better used elsewhere. And walking more never hurt any gods.”

Seth sighed and looked back at the abandoned tart plates. “No wonder Thoth is so afraid of me now…”

Horus smiled sadly. “Thoth is a nervous creature by nature. If you weren’t here, he’d be nervous about something else.” He hoped that was all it was, and Thoth wasn’t off even now rallying other gods to put Seth back in prison. Perhaps it’s a good idea that we’re going to meet with Anubis and Nephthys… If Seth can get more allies, then he’ll be safer.

“But you’re not afraid of being able to control me when your powers might fail you?” Seth asked, watching Horus thoughtfully.

Horus stared back at Seth, feeling the tension in the air. Seth was clearly looking for weaknesses, and Horus had lived too long to show any so easily, at least when it came to this. “I don’t think I need to control you. You haven’t attacked me or tried to get away. Even after Thoth’s spell, you walked back easily.” You walked back to me easily. When you could have run anywhere else. He tried not to cling to that thought.

“I was rude to Thoth,” Seth noted. He almost sounded childish, like he was annoyed.

“I was about to be ruder to him,” Horus replied with a smile.

Seth’s eyes widened.

Horus sighed and assumed honesty was better here, particularly with Thoth’s spell helping Seth a bit. “I’m tired of them hounding me about asking for your freedom. For thousands of years they’ve always spoken about thinking about your victims, yet ignore when I was one of them, and that I can make decisions for myself.” He could recall everyone who’d done it over the years, but he’d kept trying, regardless. Anyone could be an ally if he could just convince them. Still, the process was draining. “It’s incredibly patronizing.” It had been eye-opening learning just how many gods viewed him merely as Isis’ puppet, and not an intelligent being in his own right. His attempts to free Seth had been seen as the cries of a child unfit for office, and he’d spent much of his time after proving he was the ruler people assumed he wasn’t.

Seth stared back at him, clearly confused.

"At least when you question me," Horus said, "I know it's not patronizing, but genuine curiosity. You see me for who I am." And I just like talking to you, even if I worry how far to go or not go. He kept his expression serious, though. "I believe in your ability to choose your own path. And that you don’t want to continue what you were doing before the trial. If you were as evil as they say you were, you would have found a way off of Ra’s sun boat.” Horus had known back during the trial that Seth’s heart hadn’t been in it. And now, seeing Seth before him, when Horus had ascended as well, he was sure of it.

Seth smiled dangerously. “Who’s to say I didn’t try?”

Horus raised an eyebrow at him, curious. “Did you?”

Seth gazed back at him thoughtfully for a moment. Finally, he shook his head. “I didn’t. I thought about it, but… where would I have gone?” Sadness entered his gaze.

Horus wanted to take all that sadness away from him, to let him rest, but knew it would be unwelcome. “I would have taken you in.”

Seth scoffed in disbelief. “And what? Hidden me from the rest of the gods? Turned rogue? Why risk so much for me?”

“Because I love you.”

Seth’s eyes widened.

The things I would do for you... Horus spent thousands of years thinking over what he would say if Seth came back. How amazing it would all be. All of it had crumbled in the wake of reality, but he was too old to waste time beating around the bush. It was out on the table now, and he would work with it. “Because I want to be by your side. I have ever since I first met you.” There had never been anyone else in all the time since. Many gods and humans had offered, and none had ever interested him. It had made Isis endlessly frustrated, but she eventually accepted his decision.

Seth’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. “You don’t know me.” All Seth knew of Horus was the trial, and the sentencing. He likely saw Horus as a simply temporary opponent still, and anything Horus had said to the contrary had washed away in the sands of time.

“I don’t know the god you’ve become in the years you were on the sun boat, it’s true,” Horus acknowledged, noting that Seth didn’t back away, for all he clearly didn’t trust what Horus was saying. “But I know the god you were back in Khemmis.”

Seth looked spooked at that. “…Khemmis? What are you bringing that up for?”

Horus breathed in, hoping Seth remembered. “You came to Khemmis while hunting Isis. And I found you there, drunk on wine and incense. You… You cried over me. You thought I was Anubis.” He breathed in, desperately hoping Seth was hearing him, and not still running from reality. “You held me and said you were sorry.”

Seth put a hand to his head, almost like he was in pain, but continued to stare at Horus. “That’s not…”

“You kissed my face,” Horus continued, wanting Seth to understand. To remember. “You begged for forgiveness.” Thousands of years later, and the memory was still fresh as ever in Horus’ mind. He’d cradled it in his heart and thought of it over and over. He knew the Seth before him wasn’t the same god, precisely, but… "And I saw how amazing the god of the desert was in all his power." “Stop it,” Seth said, covering his left eye. "I don't..."

Horus swallowed. Had he forgotten? Or was he choosing to not remember?

But then Seth frowned and gazed at Horus with wider eyes. “Those eyes… I remember your blue eyes…”

Horus felt his chest burn. “You remember!” He could still feel the warm and firm grip of Seth holding him. The soft curtain of Seth’s hair overhead. The way Seth had pleaded with him for forgiveness. "You were so addled from the alcohol and the incense and you never mentioned it later that I always assumed you wouldn't..." Seth truly was powerful.

Seth wrapped his right arm around his stomach, as if it pained him. “Maybe... But why? Why did you…? Why keep up the pretense? Why not kill me? You could have done it if I was so weak.”

“…I was jealous of the love you showed Anubis,” Horus said, trying to be calm enough to explain things properly, and grateful for all his centuries of practice in diplomacy. “I never experienced anything like that. In my life on the run, it was the first real moment of comfort I ever had. All-encompassing love and affection. And even then, I could see your power.” He recalled the sight of that vast desert, and how it had touched him all those years ago. If he gazed at Seth now, and shifted his sight, he could see it still, spreading in Seth’s shadow. It made the air burn. “I wanted more of the love of that god. Your love.” Horus swallowed as he daringly took a step closer. “I knew that you saw Anubis when you gazed at me… and I wanted to be the one you looked to, instead.”

Seth lowered his hands and frowned, but didn’t back away. “I’m not something you can just take. Your father tried that. And look where he ended up.”

Horus heard the threat there, and kept himself calm. Seth hadn’t vanished yet, there was still hope. “I’ve lived a very long time now. I’ve seen gods and humans act in some of the strangest ways when it comes to love and wants and needs. I don’t plan to just take you, Uncle. But if you want to know why I would gladly be by your side… Why I would gladly root for you, and wish for your freedom… That’s why.” Horus breathed in deeply, trying to settle himself. “You don’t have to return my feelings. I’ve made peace with that.” In a way. He still hoped that Seth might return them at some point, but he knew it might be futile. “But that’s never changed. Not after everything we’ve done to each other. Not after you being gone for so long.” If anything, his affection was stronger, seeing Seth now. It was still hard to restrain himself from pulling Seth into an embrace.

“You want me to owe you something,” Seth said, accusing. “By taking me in and helping me. That’s what this is.”

Horus shook his head. “I want you free to make your own choices, not shackled by the throne or Ra.” Horus smiled. “I want to get to know a you who is truly free of everything. And perhaps… be your friend. If you’ll let me.” He put his hand out, which Seth stared at with suspicion. “So… with Thoth gone, and hopefully your having a slightly better grounding in this place, I guess I’ll ask: are you still willing to accept my help?”

Seth

Seth stared at the offered hand Horus held out, with absolutely zero desire to take it. He looked up at Horus’ face: he had what looked like a hopeful expression, as if Seth was to be moved by all that Horus had said, rather than standing on the other end of all the time between them, even before they’d ever met. So he simply said, “The last time someone offered me help, it was when Osiris drugged me before assaulting me.”

Horus twitched.

“And then Sekhmet goaded me into assaulting you,” Seth said, glad he hadn’t seen her at all yet, and wondering what horrible mess she was no doubt up to now. “And then during our final match, you defeated me. Leaving me to spend thousands of years on Ra’s sun boat.”

Horus lowered his hand, perhaps the slightest bit ashamed of his behavior, if he could feel any feelings beyond his own obsession. “While I think the length of your punishment was wrong, it’s not my fault you were sent there. I didn’t suggest it, nor did I make you commit all the crimes for which you were sentenced.”

Seth smirked, pleased the farce was fading a little. “Good. And here I thought confessions of love had melted your brain.” Seth’s foolishness at Khemmis was one thing, but pretty blue eyes in a drunk’s memory didn’t change who they were to each other: enemies, temporarily pushed together at best. Seth was the evil god. Horus was the beloved savior, and child of the man Seth hated the most. That Horus confessed his love now only felt like a shadow of Osiris’ twisting words. Now that Seth was in his clutches, Seth knew Horus’ true colors would emerge. Gone would be the “generous” jailer.

Seth had seen what Horus was capable of during the trial, already, after all.

Horus looked unfazed by Seth’s reply and just gazed back at him. “I don’t plan to hurt you.”

“You’re my jailer,” Seth said. “What other choice do you have?” I didn’t see through your father’s lies, he thought. I won’t be fooled by yours. He’d spent thousands of years avoiding one cage while trapped in another; this was no different, and his head already ached from the experience.

Horus sighed in frustration. “In the morning, we can get you a phone. And I can help set you up with a computer if you’d like. You’ll have more freedom to communicate with other gods, if you wish, and learn more about what you’ve missed.”

The random topic switch surprised Seth, who expected more false reassurances.

“Anubis said he can meet in two days,” Horus noted, making Seth’s heart race. “That gives you a little time to settle.”

The idea of seeing Anubis again was tempered by the reminder of their circumstances. “And you’ll be chaperoning, I assume?” Seth asked, acerbically.

Horus bowed his head again. “Unfortunately, yes. It’s the terms of your probation.”

Seth rolled his eyes because of course the pigeon would respond in such a way. But the reminder of Anubis also made Seth recall what else had happened during the video call. “Why did you react oddly when I asked how Anubis ascended?” Seth asked.

Horus’ eyes widened. “I didn’t know you didn’t know. It was a difficult time for everyone, and Mother was quite upset about the whole thing.”

“Difficult time?” Seth asked as he crossed his arms. “Like the whole war you still haven’t told me about?”

“There have been many wars,” Horus said, neutrally, as if he was discussing the weather. “Not always around god squabbles, but sometimes.” He frowned and asked, “You really didn’t know about them?”

Seth shook his head, frustrated again at his isolation on the sun boat. “I’m a god of war, but it’s not like I can sense every battle in existence. I lead armies, I fight, I can be a soldier, I can sense aggression nearby… But I don’t have some instinct that tells me there’s a battle going on somewhere.” He’d been so busy staying alive or lost in his own misery some days on the sun boat he almost forgotten about the outside world.

Horus bowed his head. “I think Nephthys should tell you about this. It’s not exactly my story.”

Seth frowned, surprised Nephthys was brought up, and disliking the way Horus was trying to back out of explaining. “What do you mean Nephthys should tell me? What does she have to do with it?”

Horus breathed in deeply before he said, “After your trial, I spoke with Mother, and we discovered that Osiris trapped part of Nephthys' memories in a mirror.”

Seth’s eyes widened in shock. “What?!”

Horus grimaced. “The hand mirror was made by Ra for Hathor, and focuses on feelings of affection. There are two of them: one person looks into the controlling mirror, and when the person on the other end sees them, the second person, if they do not love the person they see, loses their feelings of love for whom they do love, and fall in love with whoever is in the mirror. Osiris found the mirrors when he raided Ra's temple after the last war he took part in with her, before Anubis was born. He gave the second mirror to the share of spoils that went to you... and the mirror found its way into Nephthys' hands, making her forget her love for you as her feelings were trapped in the mirror, and fall in love with Osiris."

It was bizarre, but it twigged something in Seth's memory, even long ago as it was. The celebrations they'd had, and Nephthys focusing on a mirror in the spoils Osiris sent him... "No. I... I let her..."

"It's not your fault," Horus insisted, taking a step closer. "Mother thinks... it's possible Osiris meant to use the mirror on you. But it caught Nephthys instead."

Seth just stared at him, horrified. "It was... I was meant to be...?" It was Seth's fault after all... He protected them all those years… until Osiris revealed his true colors and nearly killed Anubis.

How long was he planning all this? Seth thought in horror. And the monster had the audacity to say that Nephthys somehow just fell in love with Osiris because he was stronger?! And not because Osiris brainwashed her?!

He was stronger, Seth thought in frustration. Stronger than the fool who let her be assaulted. "And I never even noticed, like a blind idiot..."

“The loss of her affection for you,” Horus said, "was also coupled with some memory loss. It's part of why she never said anything about it. And how would you have suspected such a thing? You're not trained in that kind of magic. Even my mother didn't know until I told her about Hathor gifting me the second mirror."

"Hathor gifted it to you?" Seth said, trying to connect his frayed thoughts. "To... what?" He couldn't handle the reality that Nephthys really had loved him. It hurt too much after so much time. After all he'd done to her.

Horus smiled grimly. "Hathor likely wanted to make me fall in love with her if her courting attempts failed. If she and Ra had control over the future king of Egypt, they would have their revenge and be secure in their power."

It was a chilling thought, and Seth supposed things could have been worse for them all. He wondered if it wasn't some deeper ploy of Ra's to sow discord amongst the four siblings. But something else twigged his memory. “You said it was a hand mirror that Hathor had?”

"Yes."

“I caught Hathor muttering over one during the trial,” Seth said with a grimace. “Plotting something…” He pressed a hand to his forehead. "It was right there, that whole time..." He could have shaken the truth out of her somehow.

“Mother and I figured out how to undo the spell,” Horus said. “We restored Nephthys' mind, and she told everything she remembered. But..." Horus looked uncomfortable again.

"But what?" Seth demanded.

"But bringing this before Maat would have involved revealing what happened to you during the night of usurpation," Horus replied, grimly. "And I promised you that wouldn't happen."

"You're still trying to keep that promise?" Seth asked, quietly, and with some surprise. It had been so many years, and that promise had been so sudden.

Horus nodded. "It's all I could do. Even though I think Osiris should face punishment for what he did."

"Yes," Seth said, latching onto that rather than Horus' fervor. He wanted to go into Duat and rip Osiris apart again, though he knew he couldn't.

But he had another fear. "So Nephthys knows about... what happened on the night Osiris died?"

Horus shook his head. "She believes it was accidental. That Osiris looked into the mirror by happenstance. Mother and I discussed it in private."

Seth breathed in deeper, almost reassured. "So you lied to her." Despite Seth's own fears, Nephthys deserved justice against the man who'd hurt her. Seth had faced his punishment, Osiris should as well!

"She was already distressed," Horus said, looking not at all guilty. "Framing it as accidental seemed to soothe her."

"She might still trust Osiris," Seth said, angrily. "When he was the one who hurt her!" He hated that even now, Osiris escaped punishment for his crimes. Being trapped and seething in Duat wasn't enough!

"She stays from him as is," Horus insisted. "I don't think that's a risk."

Seth scoffed, furious at Horus' cowardice. But he knew that he, Seth, had no way to protect Nephthys anyway. No one would believe him if he claimed Osiris was guilty of all this. If Isis was against it, then Seth had no ground to stand on.

Finally Seth asked, "What does this have to do with Anubis' ascension?"

"Hathor still tried to manipulate me," Horus explained. "And during the trial, I fell victim to the mirror as well."

Seth raised his eyebrows in surprise. "But... you don't love her?"

Horus smiled as he replied, "If you love the person in the mirror, it doesn't affect you in the normal way. The person I saw was you, not her. So I was fine."

Seth's cheeks warmed and he looked away. "I never..." He shut his eyes. "When I ran into Hathor in Heliopolis, I looked into the mirror. That must have been when..." I imagine Isis counts that as another mark against me.

"I don't blame you," Horus said, a bit gently. "But it meant we were warned about Hathor and Ra's actions. Thankfully, Sekhmet helped Mother and I figure things out."

"You should never be thankful for Sekhmet's involvement," Seth said, angrily. It was true that Sekhmet had seemingly helped Seth see through some things, but she only ever pushed him towards disaster, as was her nature.

Horus nodded with a rueful smile. "She's dangerous and can't be trusted. But she showed Mother certain memories of the past, which allowed Mother to restore Nephthys, and gave us enough information to accuse Hathor. When Maat demanded Hathor present herself for a trial, Hathor refused to appear. She hid behind her allies, factions were formed, and the battle was fierce. Some humans were caught in the crossfire, and Anubis went to protect them. During that time, he ascended.”

Seth turned away, not sure what to say to all of this. His head was swimming with all the new information from Thoth. And now everything with Nephthys and Osiris...

Nephthys had been attacked on Seth’s watch, and he’d never known. No matter what Horus said, Seth felt like more of a failure than he ever had. Even Osiris' lies felt more truthful than ever: Seth's weaknesses were plain. He'd never once suspected Nephthys was bespelled. Though he couldn't do magic, he could have tried seeking out help for it. But he'd been so focused on himself that he'd missed Osiris' plots and Nephthys' pain... How was he a guardian, a soldier, an anything useful to anyone?

“You should lay down for the night, Uncle,” Horus said, quietly. “It’s been a long day. Rest could do you good.”

Seth wanted to shout back that he didn’t need rest, he was a god, he wasn’t on the sun boat anymore, he could walk easily and… he just felt tired.

When he’d still been acclimating to being on the sun boat, he’d had to take long rests most every day, not just because of gravity forcing him to the ground at every moment, or because of injuries sustained in combat with Osiris or Apep or other enemies, but also because of the mental toll of it all. He thought he’d gotten over it. But it seemed that wasn’t the case.

“Tomorrow we’ll handle your phone and maybe explore the city a little, if you’d like,” Horus continued, as if he was trying to make Seth feel better. As if anything could, let alone wondering in a stupid human city. “We can put off Maat’s list for a short while, at least.”

“You haven’t even shown me that,” Seth said, recalling the conversation Maat had with Horus only vaguely. He’d been overwhelmed by his arrival and not processing everything properly. He also had a weird time adjusting to no longer being trapped by the sun boat’s gravity, and managing his strength was difficult. He had to avoid kicking everything around him to pieces.

“I’ll send you a copy when you get your phone and computer,” Horus said. “There’s nothing secret on it. I’d print you a paper copy, but it’s decently long.”

Seth breathed in, only imagining what Maat had written out. “Fine.”

“I’ll answer all your questions,” Horus said. “But I really don’t think anything is accomplished by continuing tonight.”

Seth sighed and walked back to his room with a quiet, “Whatever.” He thought of appearing before Nephthys to apologize to her, but wasn't sure what to say. He'd failed her so deeply, the words didn't seem to exist. He wondered that she'd agreed to a meeting, given everything between them.

This is all Osiris still, Seth thought as he walked. He wants me off my game so I'm easier to attack. But he'd overcome it. He had to. And... he'd figure out what to say to Nephthys by the time he met with her.

If Horus was planning to attack him while Seth’s back was turned and he was distracted, he didn’t try.

Seth shut the door behind him, and then glanced at the lock. Horus can break it down if he pleases, Seth thought before he turned away and went to his bed. He dissolved into sand to get out of the annoying new clothing and lay on the bed in his familiar shendyt, feeling the softness of the blanket against the bare skin of his chest. His red hair pillowed around him, covering his eyes as he buried his face in one of the pillows.

He extended some of his sand to flick off the light switch, leaving him in darkness. He let it stretch over him, recalling that it had been a while since he’d been in true darkness. For so many years, Ra’s burning sunshine had always been nearby, like an itch at the back of his mind. He’d learned to sleep through it, row through it, fight through it.

No blazing sun servants came to call for him. No other gods snuck into his room to harass him. The floor didn’t tremble. Outside, he could hear the distant sounds of modern humanity, blissfully ignorant of the few troubles of a god older than the stone beneath them, lost amongst them like so much dust in the wind.

He wondered if Nut knew he was back. If Horus, Isis, or Maat had messaged her about him. If she saw him even now, in a world even busier than the one he’d left, when she’d have far more to watch over. Far more than her most embarrassing son.

He wondered if Nephthys thought about their ruined lives. How pained she must have been. How she deserved justice, and he... had to give it to her.

And he thought about blue eyes, rivers, gentle sky, and a world that felt even more distant than when he'd been on the sun boat.

“Because I love you.”

Seth's hands tightened on the bedsheets. He'd been professed to before. By Osiris. So what if Horus said he was trying to make Seth not feel shackled or trapped? He still was. Horus could be jealous of Anubis all he wanted, that only sounded like shades of Osiris' jealousy of Nephthys. And Nephthys hadn't... Her love had been destroyed. And Seth had gotten rid of any chances of anything else. All because of Osiris and his lies and manipulation.

Seth wasn't sure he was capable of being loved, despite Horus' comments. He'd fallen for Osiris' tricks. He'd failed Nephthys. He wasn't worthy.

Osiris is in Duat, Seth thought. And he cannot touch me here. I will survive his son. I will make amends to Nephthys, and if she never wants to see me again after that meeting, then... that is her wish.

Seth didn't know if it was his wish as well. There had been too much pain. He didn't know if he could explain it all away with a spelled mirror and misunderstandings. Too much time had passed.

He needed to talk to her. But he was afraid, too.

He finally shut his eyes, knowing thinking it over and over in his head was useless. He hoped not to dream.

Seth

Seth had walked across battlefields of dead and dying humans that felt less intimidating in some ways than walking beside Horus down a busy city street late in the morning. For some reason, despite the fact the pair of them were somewhat unusually taller than most of the humans present, they weren’t attracting as much notice as gods walking among humans normally did. There were even some rather tall humans wandering around, and the clothing styles were even more diverse than Seth remembered. It was also loud, full of humans calling out, music, and the sounds of vehicles moving and occasional car horns.

Mostly he disliked not wearing his headdress in public. Even on the sun boat, he’d been allowed to keep his headdress, and after the revelations about Nephthys and Osiris, Seth wanted an extra guard on his expressions. But Horus had said people would give them odd looks over it, and it was best to play it safe. Seth had complied, but despite the fact he was wearing a set of clothes Horus had provided to him – which was more than Seth had ever worn in his life – and trying to mimic Horus’ style of walking, he felt bared before everyone who passed them.

Horus kept glancing back at him, as if to see he was still following, which was strange. Seth wasn’t sure what he’d even do if he escaped during all this. He had no intention of hunting down Nephthys, and imagined he'd be more likely to just collapse randomly in an alley.

“Why does the air smell strange?” Seth finally asked, trying not to grimace too much because it made people stare at him in curiosity. Some of it was food smell from various carts and restaurants – he wasn’t used to being around such a wide variety of food – or people freely smoking on street edges, but there was another odd set of smells he couldn’t identify. “It’s like a sharp, bitter smell.”

“That’s the cars,” Horus said with a sigh. “Even in some of the cleaner places of the earth, the air is still rank with it. It’s made Nut have to sleep off the pain of it all at times.”

Seth glared at a man eying Seth’s bright red hair in wonder until the man looked away. Thoth’s gift had given him some jumbled information about cars and how they worked, but it was strange connecting that to the new odors he could smell in the air, even over the mixed scents of humans and animals. But then he wondered about Horus’ words and asked, “You talk with Nut a lot?” It made sense, given Horus’ blessings, but it still put Seth on edge, given Nut so rarely spoke to Seth for so long.

“Somewhat,” Horus said, gently pushing forward through the crowd. He wore slightly more casual clothes for the trip, but he still appeared clean, neat, and professional, and his blue gaze was sharp as he looked around. “We text every now and then. Sometimes we even call each other. She’s always busy, though.”

Seth tried to imagine talking to her so much. She had so much of the world to observe, and matters of the people below were too insignificant for her focus. She was always so close and yet so far away from Heliopolis, let alone the sun boat. Though he might get to talk to her more with modern human communication, he couldn’t quite fathom it, or how such a conversation would work, even assuming she’d want to talk to him.

Their first stop was to get Seth a cellphone. That had been the goal, Horus said, when Seth agreed to come out on this trip. As Horus guided them around, he avoided directly touching Seth, but ensured they could cut through the crowd and that Seth didn’t get lost in the mass of humanity around them. There were a great number of distractions, but Seth had spent centuries on battlefields with more, and used his training from that to focus on Horus.

As he adjusted, his mind wandered more, and he thought back to Horus’ admission the previous day, as he tried to avoid the whirlpool of pain around Nephthys. What does he mean he loves me? Seth wondered again. His memories of Khemmis were still muddled, and he felt uncomfortable that Horus had spared him after a fashion, all those years ago, even when Horus was a child. The other gods on the sun boat would have laughed, though they laughed and mocked most everything. It was a cutthroat place, and he’d barely survived it over the centuries.

Horus wasn’t little now, though: he looked tall and impressive as he walked among the humans, and exhibited none of the discomfort Seth felt being so close to so many mortals. Seth had to be careful to restrain himself and not bump people too hard as he moved: when he woke up, he’d accidentally broken the doorknob on his bathroom. Horus had said it was okay, but Seth knew he had to be more careful. He had no plans to be recalled to the sun boat because Isis got mad about a broken door.

He wondered if she still loved Osiris, even after learning about the mirror. He wondered if he would dare to ask.

The workers at the phone store were polite to Horus, and Horus took the time to explain things to Seth personally, particularly when the clerk trying to help them was too intimidated by Seth glaring at him. Horus instead led Seth around to different phones, pointing out the features and comparing them to his own. Seth wondered at the power of humans these days, to be able to accomplish so much in such tiny devices. The store itself, full of its futuristic devices, was intimidating in its own right, and had an oddly astringent smell to it that was distracting, but listening to Horus made some of that intimidation go away. Though Seth never frequented human shops before the sun boat, he reasoned it was just another kind of armory, and that also made it easier to stand.

What Ra would do if she could bother anyone as she pleased, Seth thought as he considered his options. Though for all I know, she does this already, and I was just completely oblivious. He’d made alliances with some of those on the sun boat – it was unavoidable in such a situation – but he wasn’t exactly social. And he was certainly no bosom friend of Ra’s.

And it certainly wasn't the only thing he'd missed in his life.

When he finally settled on a phone, Horus pulled out his phone to, according to him, order it online from a trusted supplier, and they left for a computer store. The process was little different, and Seth did get to test some of the computers there as well. He found typing strange, though it reminded him a bit of the care he had to take with his fingers in archery. He eventually made a choice, despite the humans standing around, clearly hoping for something from him. Horus again ordered the device from elsewhere, and they left, leaving wilted humans behind them.

“I thought I was the one who annoyed humans,” Seth said with a glance behind them as they walked back to the apartment. “You seem to be infuriating them more than I would.”

“They want more money for selling us something,” Horus said, unfazed. “Most humans at shops are like that. They’re also used to window shoppers, though, it’s part of the business. Unfortunately buying from them is risky because they’re not designed for us. Thoth has a company that specializes in providing technology for gods and other immortals: their tech last longer than regular devices, and allow you access to networks and data only our people use. It’s not something to just casually get from a human store.”

Seth frowned as Horus herded him along. “Then what was the point of going to the store for me to pick something out?” Was Horus just running him in circles?

“Thoth sells equipment that’s similar to what you picked,” Horus said. “It was important to see what you valued in an item you could touch, and while what you get might not be the same maker, I promise it’ll be roughly the same, and work better.”

Seth felt a bit annoyed about being manipulated, but he supposed Horus’ words make sense, though it was unnerving to consider Horus had been studying the way Seth had handled the strange devices. “You hide from the humans a great deal. I didn’t realize you all became such cowards.” He also wasn't used to not sharing technological advancements with the humans. He thought that was the point of gods.

Horus grimaced as they walked. “Part of it’s necessity. It’s actually easier than being blatant. I promise you that we’d have a lot more trouble if we just walked around as we really are. Human governments… they’re less trusting of the supernatural and the magical these days. And human religions vary more and have their own troubles, so staying off their radar is for the better.”

Seth didn’t like it. Hiding meant you could be dangerous, waiting to attack at the right time. Finding Ra’s hidden enemies had been an important part of work on the sun boat. Bastet in particularly had been good at sniffing enemies out. And when Seth had managed to get better control over his sand on the boat, he’d been good at it, too.

As they walked, Horus said, “The tailor should be by in a couple hours, so there’s not much else to do now. We could pick something up to eat if you like, though. Is there anything that interests you?”

Seth’s mood soured even more. Gods generally didn’t need to eat food, though some still did. He had spent centuries dealing with his revulsion to eating most meat, because rations had been an unavoidable requirement of life on the sun boat. It was all that gave him energy through many of the long days, especially when he was rowing. The rations were spicy, too, and seemed to burn in his belly, which was its own kind of discomfort. He’d grown used to it with time, but that didn’t mean eating was a pleasant experience, still, and given he hadn’t done all that much while he was here, he preferred to put it off as long as possible.

The fruit tart had been nice, but he didn't want to think about Thoth or... what Horus had told him after that.

“Whatever you want,” Seth said neutrally. Horus was the jailer, after all. It was his decision.

Horus glanced at him, and asked, “You can have whatever you’d like. I’d rather you had something you enjoyed.”

Seth frowned in irritation, tired of being poked and prodded about everything, and said, “I don’t want food. It’s disgusting.” A few humans glanced at him at his tone, which he hadn’t modulated well, but he glared them away.

Horus’ eyes widened, but he left it at that. They didn’t stop at any of the food carts or shops they walked past, which Seth counted as a small blessing.

Back in Horus’ apartment, Seth had a newfound appreciation for the milder scents. Even though Horus’ scent was everywhere, there was just less of everything else.

As Seth stood in the living room looking through the window while Horus pulled out his phone to type something up, Seth considered what they’d done that day and asked, “If Thoth is so smart and has such connections, why didn’t he just bring samples or something for us to look at? Surely Maat and Isis don’t want me wandering the streets with vulnerable humans I might go on a rampage against at any time?”

Horus looked up at him, and Seth really wished he’d get over that bright gaze that seemed to cut right through him. “I assumed you didn’t want to be around Thoth or his people. And it was a way to reintroduce you to the world again.”

Seth was surprised Horus was so… thoughtful… in that regard. He supposed he had nodded a bit to some of the humans, and even acknowledged the shop workers slightly, so in a way it was a kind of reintroduction. The outside didn’t feel so mysterious anymore.

“But you hated it,” Horus noted.

Seth grimaced and replied, “I would have hated either option.”

“You wanted to take more time to relax?” Horus asked. “I thought you wanted out of here, but getting you out of the city is difficult… at least for a few days.”

Seth ran fingers through his hair. “I don’t know what I want. And it doesn’t matter!” He had no better answers for what to say to Nephthys, and kept focusing on Horus and his odd confession or the strangeness of modern humans to avoid thinking about it. To avoid thinking about his own failures.

He wasn't sure Horus would give him alcohol, and wasn't sure he should ask, since he didn't trust himself with it.

The doorbell rang, and Horus walked over to it. He opened the door to someone with a large box and a form for him to sign. Horus returned with the package and placed it on the coffee table. “Your phone and laptop. Would you like to open them?”

Seth frowned and walked over, unused to this sort of odd gift-giving. “You probably should. I’ll rip the box open and destroy the contents.” The technology he’d handled had been far more delicate than he was used to, and even though Thoth had apparently had a hand in this stuff, Seth didn’t want to risk losing it and having to do everything over again or something. He felt like he was just owing more debts to Horus in order to get in contact with Anubis and Nephthys.

Horus pulled out a letter opener from the coffee table and sliced apart the tape on the box before opening it, making sure Seth could see it. “What you want matters, Seth,” Horus said. He reached in and pulled out a smaller set of boxes and placed them before Seth on the coffee table.

“To whom?” Seth asked grouchily as he studied the smaller boxes. It hadn't mattered to Osiris, Isis, Ra, or any of the other gods he knew. His frustration and stupidity were useless to everyone.

“What you want should matter to anyone,” Horus said as he set aside the big box and then took the larger of the small boxes and popped it open before handing it to Seth. “But it matters to me.”

Seth didn’t know what to do with that information, but he pulled out his new laptop, trying to be as delicate as possible. There was an ibis logo on the back of it, where he’d seen other symbols on the technology he was studying before. And the lid was pale red. But it was the same size as what he’d picked in the store, and lightweight. When he flipped it open, it turned on, making him blink. “Thoth was fast…”

“He always has people on standby for emergencies,” Horus said, not commenting on the change of subject. “And I made it clear this should be prioritized. The sooner we get you acclimated to the world, the easier everything will be, and the less stress Maat and the other gods will have to handle.” He picked up the phone box and opened it before showing the contents to Seth.

Seth eyed the phone before taking it out. The screen lit up in his hands and he followed the instructions he saw.

Horus waited quietly while Seth worked, and Seth could feel the younger god’s gaze.

“Making sure I’m not doing anything criminal?” Seth asked sarcastically as he finished setting up the first device.

“I’m sticking around in case you need help,” Horus explained with a soft smile. “I imagine it’s still a lot to deal with.”

Seth grimaced, disliking being babied.

“I have some phone numbers you can add to your list of contacts,” Horus said. “Anubis and some other gods.”

“You're sure they want to be where I can easily find them?” Seth asked, dubiously.

Horus smiled. “Some of them were your allies in the old days, and some are my allies. If you dislike my company so much, perhaps you’ll be more comfortable in theirs.”

Seth frowned. “My allies? Who?” Everyone had abandoned him, especially when Seth turned on them all. And he was wary of anyone from the sun boat contacting Horus about him.

He didn't think Nephthys would count... would she?

“There’s Sebek, for a start," Horus said. "He came around to support my position of shortening your punishment around 200 years ago.”

Seth had mixed feelings about that. He’d seen Sebek a number of times over the centuries, but they hadn’t spoken much. Mostly, Sebek had either observed battles or helped fight enemies on the sun boat, before returning to his own home. But to know he’d actually been on Seth’s side was… strange.

“Is there anyone you’d want to get in touch with?” Horus asked after he read Seth out an odd but unsurprisingly short list of names and numbers. “I can try to get you their contact information.”

There were a few gods Seth had encountered during his punishment whom he was curious about, but he wasn’t interested in getting in touch for the time being, so he shook his head.

He didn't particularly want anything he said to Nephthys to be in a text message or phone call. It felt too inadequate. Seth owed her more than that.

He felt so foolish, doing all of this. As if everyone was normal. As if everything he'd known hadn't been a lie.

Horus added, “Thoth set you up with an email account, so let’s set up your laptop and see what it is, and I can send you the list Maat gave me.” He smiled awkwardly. “I’m not sure how into it you’ll be, but it’s more suggestive than a requirement for your punishment. And…” He hesitated briefly before adding, “I can help you with that, too. If you want.”

Seth shrugged, not sure what else he was meant to do. Reject his jailer tagging along on his probation, whatever it was, outside this? “Whatever you want.” Horus had his tasks and he would do them. That was all they could do at the moment.

Horus frowned at that, but didn’t say anything while Seth set his phone down and focused again on the computer.

Seth

Seth didn’t like the tailor.

It wasn't because she was rude, but because of the whole reason for why she was in Horus' apartment at all. He remembered, back before he was king, when Isis would sometimes get her gowns fixed up, and would stand around for long periods of time messing with her clothes, wigs, and jewelry, usually using her magic to arrange it all in a way that seemed more complicated than a troop formation. He’d always thought it took far more patience than he had for anything. He couldn’t even tolerate anyone cleaning his own weapons.

The tailor was a small, older human with a kind, weathered face, and a tall younger assistant who followed almost entirely unspoken commands as they took Seth’s measurements in the now cleared living room of Horus’ home. All while Seth struggled to stay still and not just leave and tell them he’d walk around naked if he had to, he was powerful enough, maybe the power issue wouldn’t be a problem?!

While they waited for the tailor to arrive, he’d been reading through the instruction manuals for his new phone and computer, trying to understand so he could remove one obstacle between his contacting Anubis unaided. Thoth’s spell helped make it easier to understand, but it was surprising to see all the things humans had invented, all in one tiny place. Seth had even tested a phone call and text message with Horus before the tailor rang the ball, and Seth found he wished he could go back to that than trying not to move while a strange human moved all around him and made comments he couldn’t understand.

“Seth,” Horus said, grabbing Seth’s attention, “why don’t you focus on me?”

Seth frowned, looking at Horus like he was an idiot, and feeling shivers down his spine as the tailor worked. “And how will that help?”

“You can track where she is without watching her,” Horus noted. “Maybe this way you won’t constantly try to triple-guess where she’s placing her measuring tape.”

Seth’s lips tightened and he glared at a wall instead, trying to remain still. Of course he would suggest such a ridiculous thing, after leaving Nephthys vulnerable...

The tailor made a soft sound and Horus kept silent.

Thankfully, everything after that went quickly. The tailor gathered all her notes, was thanked heavily by Horus, and departed with her assistant and gear. All in all, but for Seth’s fussing, they had barely been there long at all.

“Well, now that useless experience is over,” Seth said, “I think we’re done here.” He turned and went to his room and shut the door. He leaned back against it, breathing in deeply, because if he didn’t, he’d storm out and smash something. He didn’t like people getting that close to him, and knew the tailor probably felt him stiffen when she measured his lower body. But nothing had gone wrong. She’d taken her measurements and moved on.

He heard Horus walking in the hall before the younger god called, “I can make us dinner. Or order something in. Do you have a preference?”

“…I’m not hungry,” Seth said, increasingly irritated.

“Well, I could make you something for later,” Horus offered. “When you’re feeling hungry.”

“I won’t.”

“All right. Well, you could also try taking a shower. Those can be rel—”

“If that’s not an order, then just fuck off!” Seth said, even louder. “Gods don’t need to bathe! Why do you do all this nonsense, even when there are no humans around to fool?!” He stood for being fitted for clothes he’d likely hate, judging by what he saw outside, he’d learned how to use the human technology, he talked with human shopkeepers… Did it not even end when he was in the place where he slept?!

Horus didn’t reply to that.

Seth listened to the sound of his labored breathing. He realized he was waiting, every second, for an attack to come. For Apep and his hoard of monsters. For Osiris and his hoard of servants. For the gods and immortals on the sun boat who sometimes had his back and sometimes didn’t. For Nephthys, furious at how he'd abandoned her. But nothing came. He just had to be around blasted Horus and his attempts at niceness. Horus’ attempts to help Seth learn to fit in to this nightmare place. Where gods bent to human whims instead of their own.

Seth spent thousands of years bending to the sun and working to keep the world safe, and now he had to be poked and prodded by a stranger for reasons he couldn’t fully understand. But if he couldn’t fit in, would he have to hide in in this tiny home forever? Or flee? And go where? He knew Maat and Horus would come after him. He knew he was being childish, but he didn’t know how else to be at the moment.

“I’ll leave you be,” Horus finally said. “Let me know if you need anything.” Seth heard his footsteps fade away as he walked off.

Seth breathed in and sank to the floor, feeling like a coward, a fool. He wondered if Horus would try to punish him later for the insolence. Or if Horus really meant what he said about his feelings for Seth, and if that was blinding him to the reality that Seth wasn’t being a docile enough prisoner. Horus didn’t have Ra’s humor or power, but he was still powerful, and he if wanted to punish Seth, he could do a lot.

There was a ringing noise from bed, where Seth had placed his phone and computer when the tailor showed up and they needed to clear the living room. He stared at the phone in surprise, recognizing the ringtone from Horus’ test call earlier. He didn’t think Horus would call when they were in the same building, but Seth felt that the more he understood Horus, the less he did.

Still, he finally stood up and walked forward, picking up the phone and staring at the name on it in shock before finally hitting answer and placing it on speakerphone, because the idea of pressing it to his ear was uncomfortable. He said, quietly, “Hello?”

“Seth?” a familiar voice said through the device. “It’s really you?”

Seth’s heart raced. “Mother?” He hadn’t believed the caller ID, and wondered if it was some trick of Horus or Thoth.

There was a soft laugh on the other end of the call. “Yes. It’s me. I can’t believe I’m talking to you. It’s been a while.”

He remembered the last time they’d spoken, centuries before, on the sun boat. He’d been in pain and could barely move. Osiris had taunted him. The gods on the boat had taunted him for his weakness. Seth had been left in his room to potentially recover, and Nut had whispered to him asking about Seth’s health, and Seth had asked, “Why are you never here when I need you?”

And then she’d gone silent.

Seth had squeezed the mat he’d been laying on, feeling the burning from his wounds, and said, “I don’t care about your comfort. It’s just empty words. You never helped me when I needed you, and you aren’t helping now. Just go away.”

And she had.

Seth never had it in him to apologize or ask her to come back. He hurt everyone he cared about. It was right that she was gone.

“…It has,” Seth finally said to the phone.

“Horus said you were upset,” Nut said. Her voice was a little different through the phone, and Seth wondered if it wasn’t her, just someone who sounded a little like her.

Seth sighed in annoyance. “Horus asked you to call me?” Another debt owed to the fucking pigeon, though Seth wasn’t sure if it was really a debt owed. He hadn’t told Nut to fuck off yet, but there was still time. With his short temper and all the bad history between them, this call might just be one more miserable experience in his miserable life.

“He said you might like to hear from me,” Nut noted. “And… I wanted to talk to you. To see how you’re acclimating.”

“You can see me any time,” Seth flatly said. He wondered if she’d been watching them outside. He imagined the gods still loved gossip, so they had to be aware of what was happening. But Nut was so busy, he doubted she'd bother. It was such a difficult thing, but it was easier than him visiting her or getting her attention on his own.

“It’s harder these days,” Nut said. “I sleep more than I used to. It’s… It’s no matter. It was easier to watch over you on the sun boat, since you were so close. Though I know you didn’t want me there, which made it harder in a different way.” She sounded sad.

Seth sat on the bed and picked at the blanket. “Why bother, then?” It was a question he’d never really asked her in all the times she spoke with him on the sun boat. One of many, given she never asked him about Osiris, Nephthys, or Isis. There was always an invisible but ever-present sense of tension in their conversations. Like they’d reached some sort of compromise, but they could break it any moment if they touched the part of their relationship that was just pain. He was surprised she didn’t berate him for Osiris or the way he treated Anubis or Nephthys. But there was only support for his injuries, and even, on occasion, encouragement. At times, Seth had hated it. And at still other times, it had been one of the few things that got him through days, knowing someone didn’t want him to give up on himself.

In the end, though, he couldn’t stand lying to himself that anyone cared about him. He didn’t want to mirage of her compassion. So he got her to leave, even if he later regretted it.

“I worried about you,” Nut said.

Seth snorted. “Since when?” Thousands of years without her doing much at all, and suddenly she was there at his side on the sun boat? He had pretended it was for his benefit, but he knew she was watching him just as closely as everyone else. Waiting for him to slip up to justify worse punishment. Or maybe she just liked watching him suffer. He didn’t know. The sky was an ever-changing thing, and not always that predictable.

“I’ve always worried about you,” Nut replied insistently. “I worry about all of you. I just never had the time to devote as much of my attention to you all as I wanted to. It’s hard with my responsibilities.”

Seth knew that. But there was a difference between his understanding and trying to not feel pain over it. He always felt that Nut was closer to his siblings, anyway. He often heard about things they’d discussed with Nut when he returned from war campaigns. And yet he’d never hear from her at all when he was out on them. He didn’t like the jealousy of it, so he always told himself she was just busy. Or perhaps she disliked the brutal work he had to do, work that no one else cared for.

But over time, his thoughts had wandered to other, more painful places. That even then, she was ashamed of him.

“The world is more complicated now,” Nut said into the silence when Seth didn’t reply. “I imagine it’s very overwhelming.” She sighed. “You always try to handle things yourself, though.”

Seth frowned and let go of the bed sheet, which he was seemingly destroying. “What do you mean?”

“Isis always said as much,” Nut replied. “She said you were closed off around your siblings, and hardly spoke about what you did on the frontlines, only explaining if your new strategies you and she planned worked or not. She worried that something bad happened to you sometimes, but you always came back fine, so she tried to stop worrying, even though it didn’t work.”

Seth hadn’t known Isis worried about him, and he'd always shrugged off any issues on the battlefield: he'd just do better the next time, and he usually did. He tried to wall his duties off from his family, afraid they’d be contaminated by the things he did. It was too bleak and depressing an existence.

“I know your probation will require much of you,” Nut said, “but if you need help, you can always ask for it.”

Seth’s lips twitched. “I asked for help once. From Isis. She rejected me.” He said it as much as to remind himself of that night as to refute Nut’s overly saccharine words.

He was glad at least that hadn't stopped Isis from helping Nephthys, but it didn't change anything between him and Isis, at least on the front of offering help.

Nut was quiet for a while before asking, “After you killed Osiris?”

Seth breathed in deeply and set the phone on the bed where he wouldn’t crush it. It had been easier to lie when she had never asked him directly about it. When no one had. He finally asked, “Why did you call? I’m the murderer of the only son you care about. You have no reason to talk to me.”

Nut was quiet for a long time.

Seth shut his eyes and wondered if that was the end of it. He couldn’t tell her the truth, even after all this time, even after Isis and at least to some respect, Horus, knew, and he somehow needed to get justice for Nephthys. No matter how many years passed, he couldn’t weaken himself like that. Not yet at least. His time on the sun boat had already shown him that he had to keep himself strong, and hide any weakness he had.

He wondered how she’d react if she knew. Would she be angry? Upset? Not believe him?

He assumed the latter.

“Because I trust Horus’ judgment,” Nut finally said. “If he believes in you, then I choose to believe in you, too.”

Seth felt his eyes heat. Of course I could never make her believe in me on my own.

“Do you think the other gods didn’t wonder why he stood by you all those years ago?” Nut asked, still in that quiet, calm voice of hers. “You didn’t force him to do it. Isis checked. Thoth checked. After everything you put each other through in the trials, after you killed his father, tormented his mother, and ruined his life, Horus stood by you. I want to believe he had a good reason for that.”

Ah yes, Seth thought, bitterly. All that is my fault. Not like your precious Isis couldn’t have waited for a moment. He thought back to Horus’ words, though, and said, “All those years he was advocating for me, and you never said anything.” She’d had little else to offer him on the sun boat that he'd stewed over what little she did say. He didn’t know what he would have done with the information, but it would have been a good joke or curious puzzle to consider to pass the time. And maybe it would have made Seth’s transition to Horus’ prisoner less bizarre, if he knew about Horus’ work in advance.

“I didn’t know he would succeed,” Nut said. “And I didn’t want to give you false hope. We all thought it was foolish. But he wore Maat and your mother down. He wore Ra down. And… and you didn’t want to talk to me anymore.”

Seth breathed in deeply. “I didn’t want to talk to you before that.”

“You called for me in your sleep,” Nut said. “On the sun boat.”

Seth remembered, long, long years ago, dropping into bed after a hard day’s rowing, wondering if he’d be able to feel his hands again. It was only his third day of it, and it felt worse than the first two. He’d drifted into a doze, but woke to feeling arms around him.

“Seth,” Nut had whispered. “You’re in so much pain…”

Seth had stiffened on the mat, fully awake, and stared into the dark. He was alone. But there was a small space in the wall for air to get in. “What are you doing here?”

“You called for me,” Nut said.

“No I didn’t.”

“I heard you,” Nut insisted. “You are so near to me now in the sun boat, I couldn’t ignore it.”

“…Fine, I called to you for some reason. But I don’t need you.”

She’d quieted after that, but as he lay on the mat, after a while, he thought he heard her singing. It was unnerving at first, but after a while, he fell asleep to it.

As time passed, he’d never understood why she came to visit him over the years, often to sing, sometimes to seemingly just worry over him, and he’d been too nervous about her answer to ask. They never talked about the trial. Sometimes she’d mention that Geb was with her somewhere. That Geb worried about Seth, too, in his way, which was strange, given Seth had spoken with his father even less than he’d spoken with Nut.

And then he’d gotten her to leave and that was the end of it.

“Well, I didn’t call for you now,” Seth said to the phone. He certainly hadn’t been asleep.

“Seth,” Nut said, sounding desperate, “please talk to me. All the years you stayed on the sun boat and never once rebelled. Never once tried to escape. After everything you did in Heliopolis, you served your punishment properly. I know you. And I know what you did to your brother. The god you were before Osiris died would have done what you did on the sun boat. But not the one who killed Osiris. He would have fought back.”

Seth breathed in deeply, clutching the blanket. “You don’t know me. You never once paid attention when it mattered.”

“What did I miss, then?” Nut asked. “Tell me. If you must damn me, then tell me what I am damned for!”

“You didn’t protect Anubis!” Seth said, standing up with the yell as his heart raced again. “You didn’t stop Osiris!” If there was one thing he hated about his family, it was their hypocrisy.

“Stop him from what?”

“From hurting Nephthys! Seth snarled. "From hurting Anubis! Osiris nearly killed him, and you never stopped him. I had to protect him. I had to—!” He swallowed, realized what he was saying, and pulled away. He was shaking.

Weakness, he thought.

“You had to what?”

His throat was stopped.

“Osiris attacked Nephthys and Anubis?” Nut demanded, sounding truly alarmed. “When?”

Seth stared at the phone, not knowing how to reply.

“Seth?” Nut finally asked. “Are you still there?”

Seth wondered how annoyed Horus would be if he smashed the phone to pieces. He recalled once, when he’d asked Bastet what she thought of Ra’s servants.

“You won’t get far attacking Ra’s servants,” Bastet had noted as Seth eyed one of them walking across the deck. “They’re liable to burn you alive where you stand. Or eat you.” She smiled at him. “Or just do it for fun. Save your anger with your situation for our enemies.”

Seth didn’t have enemies to attack now. He couldn’t destroy pollution by ripping the window open. And knocking out Horus would do him no good. And he wouldn’t get to see Anubis or Nephthys.

Nut didn’t say anything else.

Seth shut his eyes and put his face in his hands. He tried to drown out all his screaming thoughts by focusing on the fingers against his scalp. He knew that the problems he had weren’t with the world of the living. It was in his head. Where he couldn’t think up proper ways to solve anything.

There was a knock on the door and Seth looked up in alarm.

“Seth?” Nut called, alarming him even more. “I’m coming in.”

Seth

Seth stood up just as Nut opened the door. He didn’t know if he should put his headdress back on or what. Or if he should escape somehow. But… he didn’t know how to escape the sky.

Nut was as tall and striking as she always was, even wearing a more modern human dress. Her dress was black and fell loosely around her legs, and her neckline was still low, but hid more of her sky-blue skin, which glowed in odd ways in the artificial light. Her long, wavy, starry hair billowed around her like clouds. Her eyes were still dark, and her face was drawn in worry as she gazed at him. She shut the door behind herself, leaving them alone in the small room together.

“Why are you here?” Seth quietly asked, unsure what to do.

“Seth, you look terrified.” Nut stepped closer.

Seth stepped back, bumping against the bed.

Nut paused, and her golden necklace glittered in the light. “How is a god of war afraid of me, when I come alone?”

“You could end my probation,” Seth said, wondering if she genuinely didn’t realize, or thought he was too stupid to know. “I yelled at you. I…”

“That is not why you are afraid,” Nut said, still looking worried. “Why did Osiris attack Nephthys and Anubis?”

Seth’s mouth snapped shut. He couldn’t tell her. He wanted to lie. It had been easy when no one ever demanded the truth from him and just made assumptions. Gods, humans, they always asked other people. Not him. And he was content to leave them to their imaginings. It was hardly worse than anything else he’d gone through.

“Nephthys said she was in love with Osiris," Nut said after the silence continued too long. "And Osiris is Anubis’ uncle and biological father. Osiris would have no reason to attack them.”

Seth shut his eyes, deeply uncomfortable, and wondering if he should just tell her to leave again or something. If you assume Osiris had no reason to attack them, why do you think I attacked him?

“Seth, please…” Nut stepped closer. This time her left hand reached out to his right arm, resting on it. The air smelled of an oncoming storm. “Tell me. You are my son. No matter what has happened, I love y—”

“Don’t. Say that,” Seth said as he sharply pulled away from her grasp. “Don’t. You don’t…” He swallowed, feeling too shaky. He hated how weak he looked. How he could barely hold himself together. The phone call from before was even more embarrassing now. He wondered if he should just dissolve into sand.

Nut looked upset. “I watched over you when you went to the sun boat because I was better able to see you than I ever had been, and I thought watching over you would be my duty. My own penance for allowing Egypt to suffer under your rule. For not seeing when Osiris was killed and intervening before it was too late. I was ready to step in if need be. And I never had to.”

Seth grimaced, not sure what she was getting at, but he was used to his family going off on random speeches at him.

He wondered if she'd have tried frying him on the spot with lightning or something if he stepped out of line.

“I instead watched you toil day after day,” Nut continued, “year after year on that boat, under Ra. You fought, you were wounded… You nearly died a number of times. But you never tried to escape or wreak havoc on the ship. You obeyed orders. You worked with your fellow crew. No matter how hard it was.”

Seth remembered too much of it to want to rehash it with her. He wondered how much she’d really seen. How much she could tell when he’d felt like giving it all up. How much the hatred and viciousness just on the boat from the other gods got to him.

“I am tired of seeing you suffer,” Nut continued. “But even after you told me to leave, I continued to watch, wondering if that was when things would change. And they didn’t.”

Seth almost laughed: even when he gave up, his family refused to trust him, always expecting him to stab them in the back. He supposed he was lucky Osiris had been too arrogant to follow suit when it mattered.

“I went to Maat to protest for a decrease in your punishment,” Nut said, surprising him. “I supported Horus, because of your behavior. Osiris has been king of Duat for longer than you were king of the living. The price has been paid. But if… If there was something else… If you were on that boat for the wrong reason… Seth, I want to know.”

“Because you’re curious?” Seth asked, mildly, feeling distanced from it all. Nut wasn’t here for him. She was just here because gods thrived on gossip. It was easier to understand than her possibly being worried about him. “About what drove the god of evil to his evil ends?”

“Because you are my son,” Nut said, surprising him again. “And though you don’t believe it, because I love you. Because I once went to war with my grandmother over you, and I know how battle between family can go. Why did Osiris attack Nephthys? Why did Osiris attack Anubis and nearly kill him?”

Seth didn’t know if he could believe her entreaties. But he knew one thing, and said as much, “You won’t believe me.”

“I have lived through human history and beyond,” Nut said. “I have seen many, many things in my life. Indulge my ability to have an open mind.”

Seth sat on the bed and stared at his knees, thinking about what it would be like if he told her. If he pushed through his terror and explained to someone, for once. Nut wasn’t using a truth spell. She was asking.

Nut walked up and sat on the bed nearby. It was close, but not too bad. Like the sky always had been. Close but not close enough.

He hadn’t thought anyone would help him the night Osiris died. He’d felt more alone than ever. And perhaps… this was too late. But did it matter, then, to talk? And if more people knew the truth, he imagined Anubis would be safer.

He breathed in and quietly said, “No one else can know.”

“I’m not a gossip,” Nut said.

Yes, Seth thought, you only talk to Isis or Thoth. A part of him felt vindictive: he could show her what she missed while she was too busy with everything else. But he knew that she couldn’t change how her powers worked. So he breathed in deeply again to focus himself. He needed to find a good place to start, and he didn't quite know how to cover everything with Nephthys. So he began, “Osiris… the night I confronted him about Nephthys… he gave me drugged wine.”

Nut’s eyes widened. “What?”

Seth smiled. “They don’t tell it that way, do they? The stories say I drugged him.”

Nut shook her head. “I don’t care what the stories say. I care about the truth.”

Seth sighed. “Osiris… admitted he’s been obsessed with me for… long before that. Physically.” When Nut didn’t say anything, Seth continued, “So obsessed that he refused to allow Nephthys and I to have children. So he stole my seed without my knowledge for who knows how long, so that I couldn’t get her pregnant.”

Nut covered her mouth.

Seth grimaced and continued, “He said that Nephthys told him that I believe children are a sign of love or something… and that’s what he believed, too." While lying through his teeth, because he manipulated Nephthys into loving him. "So he thought… if he and I had a child, that would be his… symbol of love or binding of love or some other nonsense, I don’t really know.” He stood up and walked around the room, feeling frustrated. “Before Anubis was born, Nephthys went to Osiris for – according to Osiris – help to have children, since she and I couldn’t conceive. Osiris said he gave her his seed, in exchange for Nephthys giving him the power of creation that only goddesses have.”

He looked at Nut, who still looked horrified, but she wasn’t interrupting or looking away.

Seth had to look away, though before he continued, nerves making him shake a bit. “Nephthys said she loved him. And... there's more to that, but that's probably her story to tell, not mine." He wondered if she'd be mad he told Nut, especially since it seemed like Nephthys hadn't spoken to Nut about it herself.

Another thing I'll apologize to her over, he thought, miserably, knowing he was just looking for distractions.

"Okay," Nut said, encouraging him. It was so bizarre.

"But," Seth continued, "Osiris was preparing to use the power of creation on me so that I could have his child… using the soul of Anubis.”

Nut stood up and walked to him.

Seth hugged himself and turned his back to her even more. “He took Anubis’ soul for this.” Even the memory was terrifying. “I was so afraid, I just wanted Anubis to be okay.” He breathed in shakily. “Osiris forced himself on me briefly, so I knew that part of what he wanted was my body… So I offered myself to him instead. I’d sleep with him if he let Anubis go.”

“Seth…” Nut said in a sad voice. She rested her left hand on his right shoulder.

Seth breathed in shakily. “He… went along with it. At some point I fell unconscious. When I woke up, Sekhmet was there, and Osiris was unconscious. Anubis’ soul was restored. But Osiris…  he wasn’t dealt with for good. And when he awoke, he wouldn’t let me go.” Seth breathed in deeply, remembering his desperation. “I just wanted to be free of him. So I tried killing myself.”

Nut’s hand tightened on his shoulder.

“Over and over,” Seth said, remembering the pain of it. It had seemed like nothing at the time in comparison to what he’d gone through before. “But he kept bringing me back to life, insisting I lived or died at his behest. On top of that, Osiris said…” Seth paused to breathe in deeply, feeling the old anger. “He said that he was the one who made me what I was. That all my power is because of him. That I’m nothing without him.” He smiled. “So I opened a way to Duat, to show him the souls of those killed in war, and how they hungered for death, something I know all the time.” He felt it often on the sun boat, with the dead souls clinging to the boat for him. Those dead souls who died in war and went to work on the sun boat always had venom in their eyes whenever they saw him. It was one reason they always attacked him when they could. “The wine he drugged me with… it was filled with life, so when I seemed to die at the hands of the hungering dead, a piece of me managed to cling to life, in hiding. I assumed he’d give up and leave or something, allowing me time to plan some other strategy, maybe contact Isis for what to do next… But I watched Osiris devour the power of creation, sacrifice his own immortality, and enter Duat to follow after me.” He breathed in deeply again, feeling that it was hard to get air still, knowing Nut was listening to it all. “And so he was dead. Anubis was safe. Or… so I thought.”

“What do you mean?” Nut asked. She was still close to him, not backing away or pushing him away. Her touch was warm.

Seth grimaced and said, “During my reign, Anubis despaired and killed himself… going to Osiris for help. Osiris placed a lotus flower of life inside him to keep him alive, and used Anubis as a puppet up through the trial to appear outside of Duat. I imagine it’s the only way Osiris was able to manifest in the land of the living.”

“You mean during the opening of the trial…?” Nut breathed in a shuddering breath.

Seth nodded. “Osiris appeared again after the second match, and we fought. I injured him… but Isis intervened, revealing it was Anubis being controlled by Osiris. And we saw the flower.” He bowed his head. “After Isis explained about the flower, I knew then that… if I dealt with Osiris permanently, Anubis would likely disappear, too. But if I went to Duat… Anubis would continue to live.”

“…That’s why you accepted your punishment?” Nut asked.

“There was no alternative,” Seth said, some of his frustration leaking into his voice. “I… I didn’t want to give everything up. I refused to ever be Osiris’ toy. But at least Anubis might be okay if I did… but Ra changed things, with her plan. I didn’t expect Maat to go along with it.”

“It was surprising,” Nut said, quietly, “but Ra is like that. And… she’s had a fascination with you in particular for some time.”

Seth was never sure why. He’d never been close to the goddess, or done anything in particular to get her attention, even during the war.

“Seth,” Nut said, drawing his attention back, “what you went through… that was monstrous.”

Seth wasn’t sure what to reply. He'd thought so long about what happened to Nephthys and Anubis, and wondered if he deserved it.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Nut asked. Then before he could reply she continued, “No, don’t… Why didn’t you come to me? I would have…” She swallowed and asked, “May I hug you?”

Seth blinked in surprise at the question. But he nodded, and was even more surprised when Nut pulled him into a tight embrace, pressing him to her chest. The fabric of her dress was soft against his face, and her grip was firm but gentle.

“I never knew,” she said, her voice sad. “Oh Seth… I’m so sorry…”

Seth stood there in her arms and asked, quietly, “You believe me?”

“I believe you,” Nut said.

“Why?” Seth asked. The entire night and ever since, he’d expected no one to take his side. Isis had turned on him. Nephthys had already pulled away from him. Anubis could never know the truth. Sekhmet was mercurial. All the other gods loved Osiris and the lie of him. He hated that Nut, who would have been more able to see what happened, hadn’t seen it, but he was under no illusion why she hadn’t, with the way her powers worked, making her able to see everything at once under her sky.

It was Seth’s duty to guard, not be guarded.

Nut sighed. “You’ve never spoken of that night. Not to anyone. All you’ve exhibited is spitting rage towards Osiris. And you were never much of a liar in all the time I’ve known you. During the trial, you were arrogant and antagonizing, which was exceedingly strange. And when Isis was on the run, your vengefulness was even more odd. But given Nephthys’ confession, and what I know of your love for her and for Anubis… too much of this makes far too much sense with what you described.”

“But you all sided with Osiris at the trial,” Seth said, remembering Osiris’ simplified recital of what happened the night he died. It was arrogant and made Seth want to rip him to pieces, the way he was mocking everyone, including Seth, with his half-truths. And the other gods ate it up.

“We wanted the truth,” Nut said. “I wanted to know what happened. But even that day, and for long afterward, I wondered at all that was left out of Osiris’ testimony. His story was detailed in its own right, but also vague. Osiris has always been skilled at saying little while seeming to say much, reassuring his audience that he is wise, while giving away none of his secrets.” She sighed. “Isis always told me he was good at sweet-talking people, in a way that was a struggle for her, because he could talk her out of things she felt were the right decision. That he used it on the gods en masse is no shock.”

Seth considered that, and just how many gods had their doubts after the opening of the trial, and never voiced them. He just assumed all of them were unflappable idiots, happy to join in on taking Seth down after all he’d done to them. Unable to see through Osiris’ manipulation.

“It’s also not the best lie,” Nut noted. “It’s too detailed. And it’s clear you expect no sympathy from me for it.”

Seth breathed in deeply. “I didn’t expect you to believe me.”

“Does anyone else know?”

Seth sighed and said, “Isis knows. She came in while Osiris and I were arguing. And she used a truth spell to force me to tell her the rest during the trial.”

Nut breathed in shakily. “She never said a word of it.”

Seth wasn’t surprised. He added, “Sekhmet knows. Somehow. And… Horus knows. Sekhmet told him during the trial. No one else.”

“…No wonder Horus wanted to shorten your sentence.”

He loves me, too, supposedly, Seth thought miserably. But that wasn’t his secret to share.

“He’s always had a decent understanding of right and wrong,” Nut said as she rubbed Seth’s back, in a way that was strangely a little calming. “It might be part of Isis raising him to be her vengeance. And… in all this time, he’s never developed a close relationship with his father. Despite having the opportunity, and everyone expecting him to.”

“You don’t think he should anyway?” Seth asked. “His father hurt Horus’ worst enemy. Why wouldn’t he be happy, knowing the truth?” After all, Isis and Horus had gone to war with Hathor over the mirror, and that had been somewhat less bad than what Seth had done to Isis and Horus.

“If he knew his father brought about his own demise,” Nut said, “then no, I don’t think he should be happy knowing what you suffered. I’m not surprised Horus is the way he is. Even after everything you did to Horus and Isis… Your sentence was the sun boat. Not what Osiris put you through before it.” She pulled back and pulled him back to the bed with her so they could sit down again.

Seth went with the motion, not sure what else to do. Nut hadn’t yelled at him or accused him of making things up yet. She hadn’t leapt to Osiris’ defense, either. He knew she’d cried over Anubis during the trial.

Nut looked sad and kept holding Seth’s hand. “I’m glad you told me. I wish… I wish it wasn’t so hard to tell me. To tell anyone.”

Seth breathed in deeply and looked at the turned off television. “Well, I made up for it with my reign, didn’t I?”

“You’ve been serving your punishment on the sun boat for thousands of years,” Nut said. “More humans have lived and died a dozen times over in that time than those you killed during your reign. Anubis could tell you that better than anyone.”

Seth winced. “We haven’t talked all that much, yet. Though we’re planning to. I don’t know why he’s so okay seeing me.” Rehashing things with Nut had only reminded him how foolish he was to hope for things.

Nut sighed and said, “Things have been difficult for him. His ascension was… complex. And for a time he did work with Osiris… but then that relationship collapsed rather dramatically, and neither of them explained why. All we really knew was that two of the most notable gods in Duat were not working together. It made matters in Duat difficult for a time.”

Seth frowned. “Things were really that bad?” He’d only ever seen how things were around the sun boat, not in Duat proper. And it was easier to think about than what he’d said. It felt like so little in comparison to all that he’d missed being on the sun boat. Anubis had lived a whole life without him.

Nut nodded. “Maat and Isis were troubled greatly by it. And sometimes I saw much fighting in Duat itself. Anubis has more details on it, given he was more central to the conflict.”

Seth had a lot more questions for Anubis for their meeting. He hoped it would help distract him if Nephthys was there. “I remember he fought against the sun boat for a while, but I thought he was still angry with me.”

“It was on Osiris’ orders,” Nut said. “The other gods would gossip about it. How Osiris was finally claiming Anubis as his… but no formal announcement was made. And Horus still held his throne. The assumption was that Osiris didn’t want to anger Isis, who claimed Horus as their heir. And Anubis, though older than Horus, is a younger god than Horus.”

Seth frowned in confusion. “What?”

“Horus ascended before Anubis did,” Nut said. “Shortly after you left for the sun boat.”

“…But how?” Seth asked.

“You’ll have to ask him,” Nut said. “He never told anyone. Isis might know, but I assume you’d have better luck with Horus.”

Seth wondered about that, given Horus had contacted Nut. Everything was such a mess. And he felt too tired to sort it all out. "Maybe."

“And thank you,” Nut said. “For telling me all this.” She pulled him close to kiss his brow. Her breathing grew hitched. “My dear… You fought so hard. It's what you always do. I wish... I wish you didn't have to, for this. I wish I'd been there for you when you needed me. I'm sorry I wasn't. I'm sorry none of us were.”

Seth leaned into her, unused to the comfort, and wanting to soak it all up before it vanished. His eyes were hot again, and he felt tears leak from his eyes. A part of him still felt distant from everything. He knew he’d have to get up and move on eventually. But it was nice to pretend that things were somehow better, at least for a little while.

He still had to talk to Nephthys, after all.

Nut wrapped her arm around him. And for a while they sat together like that.

Horus

Horus was sitting at his desk in his office, working through a backlog of paperwork in an attempt to get things done and not overthink whatever Seth and Nut were doing in Seth’s room not that far from where he sat. He had excellent hearing, and he could use his powers if he wished… but he wanted to grant Seth some privacy.

He’d thought contacting Nut was a good idea: at least his intuition had said as much. And judging by the large lack of yelling and storming about, he imagined it might have been. He hadn’t expected her to show up and demand to see Seth, but he had her word that she didn’t want to hurt Seth, so Horus left it at that.

Another hour went by, and he was actually making a sizeable dent in his paperwork when he heard a door open. He stood up just as Nut came up to his office door.

Nut looked solemn and beautiful as usual: she’d been a firm presence in his case for Seth’s release, over the years. She finally smiled at him. “Thank you, for letting me visit. And… for fighting for him. And looking after him.”

Horus bowed his head, feeling embarrassed that he’d been unable to help when it mattered. He didn’t want to distress Seth even more, though Horus longed to comfort him in any way possible, if only Seth would let him.

“He’s sleeping,” Nut said. She sighed sadly. “He was tired.”

“Was your talk good?” Horus asked, desperate for information. If Seth slept, that was good news, and exhaustion was expected, but it also fed his worries.

Nut’s expression grew sadder. “It was informative. And… I must think on what I will do next. But I know what happened now. And… I am angry.”

“What happened when?” Horus asked.

“The night Osiris died. Before. And after.” She breathed in deeply. “I thought my leaving my children to be themselves would give them freedom Geb and I didn’t have. But it seems like all they did was hurt each other…” She shut her eyes, seemingly weary. “Seth never told any of us. We thought him mad with power and jealousy, trying to take over the seat his brother had. We thought… We never would have guessed such terrible things…”

Horus simply gazed back at her, letting her process. She hadn’t had all the thousands of years he’d had for it, after all. He’d been just as shocked as she was on the night Sekhmet had told him.

Nut opened her eyes to gaze at him. “Why did you not use this against him?”

Horus’ eyes widened in surprise. “What?”

“He is your enemy,” Nut said. “You could have used this to weaken him or his position. But you never brought it up.”

“…You are troubled over what happened to him and upset I didn’t use it to hurt him?” Horus asked, confused.

“You could have,” Nut noted. “But you did not. I want to know why. In all the time we’ve worked together to bring him home, all you said was that you felt his punishment was served. But what about before then?”

Horus gazed back at her for a while, thinking things over, before saying, “Because I love him. And I have loved him for most of my life.”

Nut’s eyes widened.

“I would never hurt him in such a way,” Horus said. “To reveal his secrets, when they hurt him so greatly? I would never do that. I swore I would keep the night of Osiris' death secret during his sentencing. And I have kept my promise.” He certainly didn’t imagine Seth would talk to Nut about it. He imagined Seth truly had been overwrought.

Nut bowed her head, and her hands trembled slightly. “We never knew…”

“He hid it,” Horus said. “He didn’t tell me.” He was almost envious that Seth had told Nut instead. “Sekhmet was the one who told me.”

Nut grimaced in distaste. “My aunt has always been manipulative. But why would she only tell you and not others? Laziness? Or something else?”

Horus shrugged, unsure what to think of Sekhmet, as ever. She was indeed manipulative and mercurial, and evaded attempts to be described otherwise, even after agreeing to speak to Isis about the mirrors. “She told me, and that’s all I care about.” It had infuriated him at the time, to learn such a thing, and to not know what to do about it. He had wondered if he should confront Seth, confront Osiris, confront Isis… and in the end, he’d confronted no one for too long.

Until Seth went to the sun boat.

Horus breathed in deeply. “I know, and I was prepared to never tell anyone. But if Seth finally wishes to speak of it… I think that is a good sign.” He hoped, anyway. Seth kept so much to himself, that Horus hoped Seth’s reaching out to other people was a good thing. If he understood, at last, that other people were there to help him?

Even if the people he reached out to weren’t Horus.

“I don’t think he does wish to speak of it,” Nut noted. “I think I cornered him into it.”

“…Ah,” Horus said. He began to regret calling her here, though he was unsure what to do with that now…

“But I think a part of him wished to speak of it,” Nut elaborated. “He let some of the truth slip out while we were talking on the phone, and then I practically begged him to tell me the rest.” She breathed in deeply. “And I think he knows that it helps to have someone to talk to. He seemed somewhat better after he knew he didn’t have to hide it anymore.”

Horus hoped she was right. He wasn’t sure how to do damage control on this kind of situation otherwise. After, Seth hadn’t talked to Horus about any of it… except when Horus cornered him about it. And Horus hadn't elaborated on matters with Nephthys out of nervousness.

I have no right to judge Nut, Horus thought, glumly.

Nut looked around the room for a moment before saying, “This information changes things, though. Maat should know.”

“If Seth wants to tell her,” Horus noted. It would have to be Seth’s decision.

Nut grimaced in frustration. “I know. But you should encourage him to at least know he has that option.”

“Are you leaving?” Horus asked, hearing the message in her words. She was handing off the situation back to him, even though she knew Seth had spoken to her, not Horus.

“I can’t stay for long,” Nut replied. “I must think on this… but he has my contact information. And I’ll be there for him as I can. As I was for you and your mother.”

Horus remembered how long he and Isis lived without Nut’s protection. And how much longer his mother had lived without it while she was pregnant. Nut’s promise wasn’t precisely encouraging, though he understood part of her absence and lack of awareness was how her powers worked: the world was so small in her eyes, and the being before him was only a piece of her, broken from the whole, which made her presence painful and complicated. She had tried harder since Seth’s sentencing, as clearly evidenced by her appearance here, but Horus knew it was difficult for her.

But when so much progress with Seth had been made, progress Horus struggled to make, it was difficult to consider Nut’s struggles. She hadn’t been sentenced to the sun boat for centuries, after all.

“You are angry,” Nut said.

Horus bowed his head slightly, embarrassed for being so transparent. “I do not like that he is upset. And that I cannot comfort him.”

Nut smiled a little and said, “You really do love him.”

“Of course,” Horus said. It was strong and burning, and hard to contain. But he focused on Seth’s needs, not his own. “I have for some time. Though… he dislikes my presence. For good reason. He views us as enemies.”

“And you are not enemies?” Nut asked with a thoughtful tone.

“I do not view us as enemies,” Horus insisted. He hadn’t, even during the trial. He considered the matches obstacles to be surmounted. A way to help his mother, nothing more. Seth was a difficult opponent, but not an enemy. Horus only wanted one difficulty dealt with before… he didn’t know. He had never really thought about what they might have if somehow things worked out in a way that Seth was still around after losing his throne. There were daydreams and imaginings, but nothing that made any kind of sense. “I wish to help him, as I can.”

Nut studied him for a while before finally saying, “I’m glad you contacted me. I’m glad he has someone else on his side. And you are a good ally to have, so I’m gladder of that, too.”

Horus wished his allyship did more. He knew it would be a difficult process to get Seth to acclimate, but so much seemed to just lead to more frustration. He didn’t want things to get worse before they got better, but that seemed unavoidable… if better was even possible at this rate.

“I always wondered about how you so often kept your council,” Nut said in the silence, bringing him back to her. She smiled at his confused expression. “It made me feel a kinship with you. Isis schemes and Osiris is guarded, but he both of them had tempers. Isis always sought alliances, though. She brought people together and shared information, except when it was a tool for power. But you…” She tilted her head at him. “You were a quiet child when she brought you to me. You’ve always been that way.”

Horus remembered first appearing before his grandmother. She was so tall and powerful, and Isis had ordered Horus to be respectful. Horus had been worried he’d mess up somehow, and had done his best to be his best.

After all, getting power from Nut was one way he could help his uncle, and that had been his true life’s goal, even more than helping Isis.

“I’m also quiet,” Nut explained. “Sometimes… keeping your own council is valuable. It lets you think things through. And sometimes it can isolate and weaken you, and make you not see when allies might help you.” She looked away, her expression sad. “If Thoth had not reached out to me… I may never have had your parents. Or my suffering would have been prolonged. I was too nervous to reach out, myself.”

“I work with my allies,” Horus said. He had many of them. He was routinely complimented for his ability to navigate difficult diplomatic situations. He didn’t know if Nut was criticizing him for that.

Nut smiled at him. “You do. But never before this day did I know that one particular reason you were so ardent about Seth’s case was your care for him, when perhaps knowing might have changed my stance on matters sooner. Was Seth right that few people actually know?”

Horus shook his head. It was a secret he wondered if he’d take to whatever grave awaited him.

“And while I can understand why you’ve been silent on that matter,” Nut said, “it’s meant you have been isolated in this for some time. And perhaps… Perhaps your nervousness is why you have not found many allies in your task of freeing him.”

Horus knew she was correct, but he replied, “And what would you have me do? For all this might have won him allies, it may have won him enemies, too, or changed nothing at all.” He breathed in deeply. “Besides, it is the past.”

“Then we must ensure the future is better,” Nut said. “Talk to Anubis, perhaps. Put more feelers out to those who have spoken of being open to Seth’s return.” She sighed sadly. “He was not so deeply disliked before he took over as king. Once, he was beloved and respected.”

“But everyone has forgotten that,” Horus said, with frustration. “Most remember him as an evil god.” Maat’s sentencing and Seth’s disappearance had heavily tarred his reputation.

“Would those on Ra’s sun boat think so?” Nut asked, making Horus widen his eyes in surprise. “He worked with them for centuries. Surely they’d have just killed him if they thought as much. My parents do not suffer blights in their presence.”

Horus had never approached Tefnut and Shu. He spoke with them on rare occasion, but it was always formal and distant. As for the other gods who sometimes worked on the sun boat… He was distant from them, as well. Ra hardly needed to guard her allies: they looked down on other gods and stayed apart. They were older and more powerful, and thus felt they didn’t need to fuss with modern problems.

Still, he thought it wasn’t a bad idea.

“Tell me what you find,” Nut said. “And if you can’t find anyone… I’ll reach out, too. Though it is difficult.” She smiled. “You have my support still, too, Horus.”

Horus was warmed by that. For all the faults he had with his family, Nut had his back for longer than most. He could rely on her in many ways. “Thank you. And thank you again for helping him. It… it means a lot.”

“…Does he know?” Nut asked. “That you care for him?”

“Yes,” Horus said. “He knows. Though I don’t think he understands it. Or wants it.”

“Will you force yourself on him?” Nut asked, neutrally, surprising Horus. “He’s in your power now. You could. As your father did.”

Horus blinked in surprise. “No! I… no.”

“I did not think you would, precisely,” Nut said. “But… I am learning all kinds of new things about my family today. I trust your promises.” She sighed. “But I trusted Osiris once, as well.”

Horus felt that almost like an actual physical injury. He looked away. “Well, I promise not to hurt Seth, if I can avoid it. Any more than I already have, anyway.”

Nut frowned. “What do you mean?”

Horus sighed and said, “He did not tell you about what happened after the second match?”

“No,” Nut said, clearly confused. “What happened?”

Horus sighed. “He attempted to assault me. He came to my room and got into my bed, but… I overpowered him.” The whole memory was muddy, filled with what he thought happened and what he’d recovered after dealing with Hathor’s mirror. “Hathor’s mirror that she'd given me… it affected me a little, and messed with my desires. So… I ended up assaulting Seth.” Horus clenched his hands into fists. He hated himself for it. “It was a shameful thing.” He'd had to confess it to his mother, and she'd been furious. At that point, he knew there was little chance they'd avoid war.

“…Why wouldn’t Seth mention this?” Nut eventually asked.

Horus breathed in deeply, unsure how to feel about her not berating him for his actions. “Pride. He has chosen to view it as a moment of bad luck, nothing more. And I do not imagine he enjoys looking back on the event.” He remembered the viciousness of the third match, how fully Seth had rejected him, even laughing about it.

“No wonder he views you as enemies still,” Nut said.

Horus nodded. “But still, I will do my best by him. If he lets me.”

“He has no choice in the matter,” Nut noted. “He is allowed what you allow him, under his probation.”

“I know,” Horus said with some frustration. “I’m trying to enable him to find his own freedom. But it’s hard. He’s… not ready to face the world as it is. But I know he can get there.”

Nut nodded and said, “So long as you don’t hold him back when the time comes.”

Horus didn’t know what to say to that, and simply gazed at her.

“I let you and your mother go at what seemed like the right time,” Nut said. “Even after I found you both and knew you both needed my help, and Isis asked for me to help you personally. I gave you what I could and let you go when you were ready. And you defeated Seth. Isis took her throne back. Perhaps not everything was as it should have been, but you did what you both set out to do.”

Did I? Horus wondered. It was a question he had pondered for many, many years. And knowing his uncle slept due to exhaustion from a traumatic day in a traumatic life in a room near him did not help convince him he really had accomplished what he wanted in the end.

“When the time comes,” Nut said, “you must do better than your father. You must let Seth go, if that is his wish.” Her gaze was hard.

Horus breathed in deeply and said, firmly, “I know, grandmother. I have always known that.”

Seth

Seth tried to remain calm as he sat in the chair of the private room of the restaurant where Horus and Anubis had set up their meeting. It was his first time out of the apartment in a few days. He’d slept nearly a full day after Nut left, and then he’d had to try on some of his new clothes, and learn how to use his computer and phone properly. Not to mention having to deal with a shoemaker showing up to get his proper shoe size to make shoes for him. It was somewhat less stressful after dealing with the tailor, but frustrating all the same.

He was tired of being poked and prodded.

Horus sat nearby, calm as ever, as if nothing in the world affected him. He’d been polite to the waitstaff and easily ushered Seth to the table, where at least they didn’t hear most of the restaurant noise and had a view of a garden outside. He’d been quiet and respectful since Seth woke up. He’d offered to talk about Nut, but not pushed when Seth refused to. He’d handled the shoemaker, getting the woman out as quickly as possible, and stayed in his office while Seth learned, but answered any questions Seth had. He also sent Seth some helpful tips for future questions in an email, which Seth was learning how to use.

Seth’s first text message was actually from Thoth, asking if everything was going okay.

Seth had replied, “Yes. Don’t message me again.”

And Thoth thankfully had followed through on that request.

Seth did a lot of reading up through archives of books and articles. There was a lot of human history he’d missed out on, which Thoth’s info dump didn’t necessarily help him with, at least on some of the finer details. A lot of it he was a bit glad to miss. He felt humans were still as ridiculous as they ever were, if not worse. Some of the newer weapons they’d invented sounded bizarre, and he felt supremely useless against a lot of it, though he felt he could learn to use and survive most of them. The amount of suffering humans had become able to inflict on each other was particularly daunting, and he realized he needed to know better how at least some of them worked.

“Taking you to a gun range would probably not make my mother or Maat happy,” Horus had noted on Seth’s request. He was sitting in his office chair and gazing up at his uncle calmly. “Though I appreciate you haven’t just started making sand guns in the apartment.”

“Your apartment is too small for most blades,” Seth had replied, unimpressed with the levity, “let alone ranged weapons. I’m not that unintelligent.” He actually had formed some of the smaller guns he’d found schematics of online out of sand, just to see what they were like, but he hadn’t fired any of them. They made him miss his more typical weapons, which was frustrating, because the last time he’d used those, he’d been on the sun boat.

Horus had sighed and said, “I don’t think you’re unintelligent. You were Egypt’s best soldier for a reason.” He looked at Seth for a while before saying, “I’ll figure something out. It’s good you know what you’re facing.”

Now Seth sat at this restaurant he didn’t know, and which smelled like humans and food that was threatening to make him ill, waiting to see his son and ex-wife in person for the first time in a very, very long time. Being out in public was still daunting, at least with so many humans around.

And he still hadn't come up with anything to say to Nephthys. He'd practiced, based on what he'd told Nut, but... He'd drawn a blank.

He felt it should be funny: he spent thousands of years fighting monsters, but when he finally got free of it, there were still monsters lurking here, too. They were just humans or other gods he hadn’t spoken with in an age.

He idly scratched his pants leg.

“Are you uncomfortable?” Horus asked, the first thing he’d said since they sat down at their empty table. Sunshine came in through a nearby window, making his eyes glitter and casting a gentle glow over his cheeks. If Seth weren’t so tense, he might even say Horus looked handsome. “We can always send the clothing back to the tailor for more fixes—”

“I’m fine,” Seth said, annoyed, disliking being scrutinized so much. “It all fits fine.” And really, it all did. The tailors had worked rather fast to bring him a variety of options, and although he hadn’t accepted everything, he’d taken in most of it, and stuffed it all in the closet and shelves in his slowly filling bedroom. Though he wasn’t sure how to use it all. He’d browsed a list they’d sent him if he had more things to try, and offered to make other things he had an eye on, or fit something else at his pleasure, but he hadn’t picked anything new out. He wasn’t like his sisters: he didn’t need new outfits all the time.

Horus, on the other hand, seemed comfortable wearing something new every day. He looked neat enough in the dark suit he was wearing, but it was just so… human. He looked like he could easily blend in with the crowds they walked through, even with his height.

Perhaps what disturbed Seth was that he now also looked like he blended in. Today he wore a light, cream-colored suit made out of some strangely soft fabric. His red hair was down, and he wasn’t wearing his usekh, which left his neck uncomfortably bare. Horus had offered him a variety of necklaces to choose from in exchange, and Seth had rejected them. He kept his golden earrings and cuffs on, though, particularly since he had to wear the sandals Horus had brought him. It just felt a little too restrictive in comparison to his usual clothing.

“If there’s a fight,” Seth commented, “this will likely get destroyed.” He gestured to his pitiful clothing. It wasn’t made of sand, after all. He’d just destroy it.

Horus nodded. “Hopefully there won’t be a fight, then. Anubis and Nephthys are pretty calm. Things should be fine.”

"Even after everything?" Seth asked. He supposed they might as well talk. He was still a bit deflated after speaking so long to Nut about far too much in his life. Reading about humans had only distracted him for so long. He didn’t know what Nut was up to, though she’d sent him good morning text messages every day, to which he replied with brief good morning messages in return. It didn’t make up for all the years of absence, or what he’d gone through. But it was… more. "You're close with them, then?"

“We’re cordial,” Horus said. “I can’t say we’re exactly close.”

“Why not?” Seth said. “He’s your half-brother. She’s your aunt.” And you are lying to her.

“We’re just different people,” Horus replied, keeping his expression neutral. “And we’re all very busy. Nephthys works with a lot of charitable organizations and travels a lot. Anubis is constantly moving for his own duties dealing with the dead.” He sighed, perhaps a little unhappily. “And I’m often out and about, managing a dozen different issues at any one time.”

“You’ve stayed in place while I’m here,” Seth noted. “Did you just stop being busy?” Or are you lying to me? Ra liked to disappear at odd times. He’d wondered if she was going to start new wars while he was trapped on the sun boat, or just make someone else’s life a nightmare.

“I’ve delegated some of my work during the start of your return,” Horus explained. “I have assistants and followers who can handle some of it. Mother is handling more than she usually does. And some of it can just wait.” He smiled kindly at Seth. “But I want to be more available to help you if I can. I don’t want you to feel you’re alone in all this.”

Seth felt his cheeks warm a little at that. It almost sounded like a lot of people were making sacrifices for his sake. It was bizarre. All the favors that Horus had called in, the help… Why? Because of someone Horus thought he used to be? Because of an illusion Horus fell in love with?

Osiris fell in love with an illusion, too, Seth thought with some annoyance. “You’re getting a lot of nothing for your efforts,” he commented.

“I don’t need anything,” Horus replied, surprising Seth. “I just want you to be happy. Or at least okay and able to find your own happiness. Even if that means we never see each other again at some point in the future.” There was an unreadable emotion in his eyes, but determination, too.

Seth turned away and clenched his fist under the table. Once upon a time, he’d have done anything for Nephthys, just to make her happy. And the same for Anubis. He wasn’t used to someone doing the same for him. It was further weird in that Horus seemed so protective of him. Seth was used to protecting people, not the other way around.

“They’re here,” Horus said, making Seth look up.

At the room entrance, Nephthys walked forward. She wore a short green dress covered in flowers and had her blonde hair tied back. She wore golden earrings that glittered in the morning light, and she smiled at Seth as she stepped closer. “Seth!” There was no anger or recrimination in her face. Only joy.

Seth stood up and smiled a little at her. “Nephthys.” It had been so many years since he’d last seen her at all, and before that he’d avoided her for so long, hating how blind he’d been. How foolish. She said she didn’t love him: she loved Osiris, and he’d come to accept that. Even knowing it had all been a spell Osiris had set up, he still didn’t know what they were to each other anymore. He only imagined she’d moved on in the years since, and even restoring her memories hadn't changed that.

And who was he, anyway?

I failed you, he thought as he looked at her. He felt like he didn't have the right to even look at her.

So he glanced at Anubis, who walked behind her, trying to find something else to do with himself.

Anubis was taller than his mother, and had his long, dark, wavy hair down. He wore a black suit that seemed to almost barely contain him, and Seth noted how people stopped to stare at him as he passed. His expression was cool, though, and he had his left hand wrapped in the hand of a man walking beside him.

Khnum looked odd without his headdress: he was slightly shorter than Anubis, and had long, pale blue hair that fell behind him. He wore a long white shirt and slightly baggy black pants. He smiled in Seth’s direction and paused along with Anubis at the entrance.

Seth wasn’t sure what to do with them, either, though he smiled awkwardly at Anubis, who met his gaze evenly.

“It’s good to see you, aunt,” Horus said, thankfully intervening. “Anubis. Khnum.”

The other gods bowed their heads and sat at the empty chairs at Horus’ gesture.

Seth sat back down with Horus, still feeling deeply uncomfortable.

He wondered if he was the monster lurking in the shadows all this time, judging by the semi-wary looks the other gods gave him.

“You look very handsome,” Nephthys said with a warm smile, as if nothing had ever happened between them. As if Osiris had never happened. And he supposed, to her, that was how things were. “Modern clothing suits you. But I think you’d look good in anything, too.”

“…Thank you,” Seth finally said, unsure what else to say. “You look good, too.”

Nephthys smiled brightly at him before she turned to Horus and said, “Thank you for setting this up. I imagine it was difficult convincing Isis to allow it.”

“I have discretion in a lot of these matters,” Horus said.

Seth tried not to feel like a pet someone was passing around.

“Father,” Anubis said, calling Seth’s attention. Anubis smiled. “It is good to see you.”

Seth felt his throat go tight. “And you, Anubis.”

Anubis’ smile widened before he glanced at Khnum, who nodded encouragingly at him.

After a bit of silence, Nephthys asked, “How have you been settling in?”

Seth considered all that he’d gone through and said, “I’m here, I suppose.” When that seemed inadequate, he added, “Mother came to see me.”

Nephthys’ eyes widened. “Really?”

Seth nodded. “We talked. It’s… been a long time.” He could feel Horus’ eyes on him. “Do you talk to her much?” He wondered if Nut had asked Nephthys about what Seth had mentioned. Nut hadn't said anything to him if she had.

“She’s still so busy all the time,” Nephthys said, with a bit of sadness. “But we do chat every now and then. It’s good she spoke to you! Have you contacted Father?”

Seth was glad Nephthys didn’t ask what he’d spoken about with Nut, because he wasn’t sure how he’d answer. “No. I hadn’t really thought about it…” Geb and Seth were never really the closest, despite the similarities in their powers. Seth sometimes wondered if it was because Geb didn’t want to be shown up or something by his own son. But Seth also knew that Geb was just distant, generally, and slept even more than Seth did.

“You should!” Nephthys said. Then she blushed, “I mean, if you’re comfortable! He’s a bit more talkative these days. We had dinner a few weeks ago. And I imagine he’s as curious as anyone about your being back.”

Curious if I’m still murderous? Seth thought bitterly. Geb had turned on him, too. He wondered, distantly, if Nut would talk to Geb about what she’d learned. She said she wasn’t a gossip, but this was her husband. The man she’d stood up to Ra for.

“Grandfather is trying to be more connected to the world these days,” Anubis noted, calling Seth’s attention. “The humans make it harder for him to sleep with all the pollution they put in the ground.”

“Is he able to do anything?” Seth asked, recalling what he’d seen while researching. The world was truly a mess.

Anubis shrugged and glanced at Khnum. “He and the river gods talk a lot. They work with environmentalists. But there’s only so much he can do, really. The humans who can do the most dislike caring for their environment. Wealth disparity is such an issue that wealthy humans can destroy the environment while living in their own paradises as the rest of the world burns.” He grimaced. “It keeps me busy.”

Seth felt like he still had so much more to learn about this world. Between what Anubis explained and what Horus had told him, everything seemed so bleak. He didn’t feel like he could protect anyone from this.

“It is a struggle,” Khnum said, quietly. “But we are trying our best. There are many good people trying to better things. It’s just… slow going in many ways.” He sounded tired, though.

Anubis reached out and squeezed his hand.

Khnum smiled at him.

Seth watched them thoughtfully. He was suspicious of someone who’d served Isis for so long, but Anubis was clearly happy, and Nephthys wasn’t saying anything. She even smiled at them. Besides, he thought, what would my saying anything do, anyway?

He wanted Anubis to be happy. Seth wouldn’t try to take what happiness he’d found away because of his own typically misguided doubts.

Seth turned to Nephthys instead and said, “Horus told me that your memories were trapped in Hathor’s mirror.” Thoth’s information had given him some details of the war, and a little about what happened with Nephthys, but it was fragmentary, and he wanted the full story from her.

Nephthys’ smile faded, and then she nodded. “Yes.”

"I... I should have protected you," Seth said, unsure what else to say in front of Anubis. "I'm sorry."

Nephthys sighed. “Even Isis didn’t really know, and she’d seen the mirror. It’s not your fault, Seth.”

“I was meant to guard you,” Seth insisted, angry with himself. “I failed.”

“You cannot protect everyone at all times,” Nephthys said, her expression sad. “None of us foresaw this, or I’d have been able to avoid it.” She smiled at Horus. "In fact, if Horus hadn't come inside the mirror, a part of me might still be trapped there."

"...What?" Seth asked.

Seth

Horus’ lips were pressed into a thin line, but he said nothing at Seth’s dark look. His eyes were guarded, as if he was ready for a fight.

Clearly there’s a lot more I haven’t heard, Seth thought, angrily. Was he afraid of what I might do if he told me?

“The space inside the mirror is somewhat timeless,” Nephthys said as she glanced between the two gods with a slight frown. “And dark and lonely…” Her voice was so sad then, and Seth’s hurt at it. “But one day, Horus appeared. He said he was the son of Isis. And this was during the trial in Heliopolis for the throne. I explained what happened to me, as I understood it.”

So far it all matched up with what Horus had said, and Seth supposed it made sense, given Horus hadn’t explained how he’d found out about the mirror, just that he’d talked to Isis about it.

But instead of going on, Nephthys looked fully at Horus. She had an odd expression on her face, like she was expecting him to talk.

Horus breathed in deeply before saying, “At the time, I didn’t believe Nephthys could get out of the mirror. Well… I believed that was what my intuition was telling me. So rather than help her, I left.”

Seth had to hold himself back from crushing the table and causing a scene. He also reminded himself that sending himself back to the sun boat wouldn’t help Nephthys, either. “You abandoned her?!” The sheer audacity of it infuriated him. “You left her in the dark?!”

Even Seth hadn’t pushed Nephthys into her cell. She’d put herself there of her own volition and refused to leave. And Seth had never pressured her to stay in there. He assumed for years she’d escape on her own and go elsewhere, especially if she disliked him so much that she went to Osiris… but she never did.

Horus gazed back at Seth, his expression hard. “Yes. I believed there was nothing that could be done.”

Seth felt his throat tighten. “You fucking coward,” Seth hissed, wanting to rip the man apart. Horus had everyone on his side who mattered. There was a lot he could have done! “No wonder you were okay with—” He stopped himself and glared at the plate before him.

He could feel Anubis, Khnum, and Nephthys all watching him in concern.

I can’t tell them about the night Osiris died, yet, Seth thought in alarm as his heart raced. He knew he wasn’t ready. And he couldn’t do it in a restaurant like this, where it was so public. He just… couldn’t.

Horus bowed his head and said, “It was a mistake on my part.”

Seth looked up at the man with a frown, wondering what excuses he’d offer now.

“At the time,” Horus continued, “I relied overmuch on my intuition for guidance, or at least what I presumed was guidance. This led to me massively misinterpreting what my intuition was saying. I believe it said that Nephthys would not get out in the near future, not that she could not leave. As I told no one about her presence, and anyone who knew of her presence there stayed silent, she very much did not leave the mirror. But without thinking over the possibility of alternate interpretation, I landed on my first idea for it and viewed it as she could not get out. And didn’t second-guess that conclusion until after your sentencing.”

Self-fulfilling prophecy, Seth thought with some annoyance.

“We have discussed this,” Nephthys said, making Seth look at her in surprise. She looked sad. “I cannot say I have precisely forgiven it, but Horus was young, then, and had a great deal on his shoulders. And my anger solved nothing.”

“You’re more compassionate than he deserves,” Seth said, thinking of all the years she lived in misery in the dark. And all the years she suffered for decisions that weren’t hers. “He could have gone to Isis for help earlier. They were always in each other’s company during the trial, save during matches. It wouldn’t have been impossible.”

Seth had told her to run if she wished once. And then he avoided her. And she never ran. But at least Seth had tried, even if he couldn’t be the lover she wanted him to be.

“Although that is possible,” Nephthys acknowledged, “it’s likely better Horus and Isis began their efforts after Ra departed Heliopolis. As it was, they began when Hathor was also absent, and so had an easier time undoing the spell without potential interference.”

Seth supposed that was true, given all the ways Ra had caused different wars during his time as the god of war. And Seth imagined that Ra was too focused on tormenting Seth on the sun boat to do much else.

Seth had the odd thought that his punishment may have helped Nephthys, which… gave him complicated feelings about everything.

“It doesn’t absolve him of not trying,” Seth muttered in irritation. He’d given up a lot in the trial, and he’d  been gone thousands of years. Horus had been helpful ever since he got back, and the visit with Nut was truly a surprise. But that didn’t meant Seth couldn’t be vindictive or critical. The sun boat had been a sharp place, after all, full of mockery. Mistakes were deadly, grudges were deep. If Horus avoided the obvious, what else was he missing? What else wasn’t he telling the truth about?

“No,” Anubis said in agreement, his dark eyes sharp. “It doesn’t.”

“Mother was aware of the dangers posed by Ra,” Horus said, ignoring Anubis, “and viewed her as a necessary evil in the lead-up to the trial, and perhaps to maintain control in Heliopolis after the trial. But when Hathor approached me with views of courting again, I went to Mother with what I knew, knowing that it would be even more dangerous to get tangled up with Hathor. I learned that Sekhmet had already visited Mother and was talking to her about such matters. And then Sekhmet showed Mother more about the mirrors.”

“The spell was difficult,” Nephthys said, looking uncomfortable. “But Isis worked hard.”

Seth grimaced before saying, “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault,” Nephthys said.

Even if Nephthys was right – Seth had neither cast the initial spell nor would have had any ability to break it – it didn’t change how he wanted her to feel better. But he supposed to he’d abandoned the right to comfort her years ago. When he’d first turned his back on her before the revelation of Osiris’ obsession, and when he’d been gone on the sun boat for thousands of years. Now they were virtual strangers, and he got to hear about their lives like listening to a storyteller.

“It hurt,” she said, smiling sadly at Seth, and then at Anubis, when he looked worried. “But when I was myself again… Everything felt right.” She lowered her head, sadly. “Even though I could see all the terrible things I’d done over the years…”

“You were brainwashed,” Seth insisted. “By… You were brainwashed. You can’t blame yourself.” It was always Osiris at fault. Manipulating and ruining people. He hated that Nephthys was trapped in that.

She smiled again, as if anything he was saying was remotely helpful. “I should have known that what I was doing went against my nature, but I did nothing about it. And I could barely speak to you about it.”

“I pushed you away,” Seth said, quietly, ashamed of himself. “Even if you tried, I wouldn’t have listened.” Forget Horus leaving her in the dark, Seth had walked away from her too many times. She’d been harmed while he’d been paying attention to her, let alone when he hadn’t, and he’d been none the wiser. It wasn’t on Nephthys to convince him to stop being so useless.

“You felt my pulling away from you,” Nephthys insisted. “I know you did.” She was still trying to reassure him, seemingly.

“I focused too much on myself,” Seth said, bitterly. “And left you in pain.” He bowed his head. “I’m so sorry, Nephthys.”

After a moment, a gentle hand reached out to rest on Seth’s clenched right fist. Seth looked up to see Nephthys’ sad expression.

“It’s really not your fault,” Nephthys said. “If I can’t blame myself for it, neither can you.”

I should have been the one to take the blow, not you, Seth thought, bitterly. But he was still afraid, still a coward… He couldn’t say it yet.

He knew Nephthys deserved better than him.

He almost smirked, because he imagined that if Horus loved him, perhaps it was fate: cowards deserved each other.

“The spell is gone now,” Nephthys finally said in the silence. “And it’s been many years. I recovered, and I was able to help Anubis acclimate after his ascension.” She smiled sadly. “I’m only sad I couldn’t properly speak for you at your sentencing. But it’s one of many regrets that I have learned to live with. Not that it changed anything for your punishment.”

Seth shook his head. “My crimes are my own. You have no part in that.”

“If I’d been there to support you properly—” Nephthys began.

“It’s not on you,” Seth insisted, almost angrily, making her hand move away. “It’s… There are other factors.” He’d thought long and hard over the years over what he’d done during his life, as there’d been time enough on the sun boat to remember all his foolishness. He could blame Nephthys’ infidelity all he wanted, but what was the point? Seth had failed to control himself. Failed to be stronger.

And learning about the mirrors just emphasized that: even at his best, he’d been too weak.

Nephthys looked worried, but didn’t argue.

He didn’t want her to worry about him or ask too deeply about things he didn’t want to lie more about. The years hadn’t made it any easier, particularly when he was facing her.

“How are you doing now?” Seth asked instead, wondering what her life was really like when Horus wasn’t the main way he was checking in on the world he missed.

Nephthys smiled again at that, clearly allowing the topic change. “Well. It took a time for Isis and I to recover our relationship, but things are much better between us these days.” Her cheeks warmed, and she seemed genuinely happy. “And I have lots of work where I can help humans and even other gods. And I see Anubis more these days.” She beamed at Anubis.

Seth felt so distant from it all. But he was glad she was happy.

Nephthys looked back at Seth. “And you? How are you doing now that you’re back?” He could see she wanted to ask about the sun boat, but likely hadn’t figured out how to ask about such a big thing.

Seth thought to what he’d learned about Osiris and the mirror. He thought about how Nephthys hadn’t once suggested things return to how they were between them, and that Seth didn’t want her to. He thought about his talk with Nut. About all the things he’d yell at Horus about. He thought about his anger at the way humans and gods were now.

He thought about how it was probably too soon to meet with her. But too late, as well. And he was glad that other people had been there for her when she needed it.

Even Horus, in the end, had helped her. Where Seth hadn’t.

“I’m fine,” he said, not sure he could lie better with a straight face.

Nephthys smiled and said, “You used to say that whenever you came back from campaigns. And then you’d go and be on your own.”

Seth grimaced a little, recalling how he’d sometimes avoid his family even when he was home. He’d been too worried about muddying them with what he had to do for their protection. Humans and their messes were too awful on the frontlines, and death in all its forms too miserable.

“We should talk more later,” Nephthys said. “Horus sent me your new number. If… it’s all right to contact you that way?”

Seth nodded and said, “It’s all right.” He imagined he’d be a mess, as usual. And he was unnerved that Horus had done that. But it meant Seth didn’t have to ask, anyway, so there was that to be grateful for.

Nephthys smiled in that sort of sad smile she had.

A phone ringtone went off, and her eyes widened in surprise. She looked down at her pink purse, which was sitting nearby. “Oh, I’m so sorry!” She reached in and grabbed it. “I just… I worry about emergencies sometimes and… Oh…” She and looked up at Seth with embarrassment. “Do you mind if I run outside really quick to deal with this? It’ll only take a moment.”

Seth smiled and said, “Go ahead.”

Nephthys smiled thankfully back at him before nodding at the others, grabbing her purse, and trotting outside.

Seth looked at Anubis, who was watching Seth thoughtfully as well. Seth also looked at Khnum, who was sitting quietly.

Seth ignored Horus as much as possible.

“So,” Seth finally asked. “You’re married now. Congratulations.”

Anubis smiled brightly and said, “Thank you, Father.”

“Thank you,” Khnum said, quietly, with a soft smile.

Seth wasn’t sure what to say, so he asked, “I heard you ascended during a war?” He looked at Anubis in worry.

Anubis smile grew grim and his gaze distant, as if he was remembering things. “Yes. I was trying to protect humans. To make up for not being able to protect them… and you.”

Seth’s eyes widened, surprised at the inclusion.

Anubis sighed in exasperation. “That was the step I needed. To not focus so much on myself. Afterward, my mind was a bit muddled… because of the spell Osiris did to keep me alive. I went to him for help, and he tried to use me as his servant again.”

“And that’s why you fought with me on the sun boat,” Seth said, quietly. He glanced at where Nephthys had vanished. “Does your mother know?”

“She knew I viewed you as an enemy for a time,” Anubis said, “but she was worried about trying to force me to pick a side between you and Osiris.” He looked at Horus, then back at Seth. “One time I was on the sun boat fighting, Ra said I should ask who used the mirror on Mother. And when I said it was Hathor, she laughed.”

Seth stiffened, realizing that Ra had said far more than he imagined.

“So I asked Horus about it,” Anubis said, his expression growing darker. “And he explained that it was Osiris.”

Seth could feel Khnum’s gaze on him, but Seth didn’t know how much Isis had told Khnum. And Anubis and Khnum were married.

This was just as risk as talking to Nephthys.

“I only told him that Osiris sent the mirror,” Horus said, calling Seth’s attention. “Nothing more.”

Seth wondered if he should feel grateful.

“In all these years,” Anubis said, “he’s refused to tell me. But despite seeming evidence to the contrary, I could put a few things together.”

Seth tried not to clench his hands together too hard.

“Osiris is still obsessed with you,” Anubis said. “I thought it was just because of the night he was killed, but based on the mirror’s timing, I think it’s far more than that. If it were jealousy about Mother, he would have spared even a single bit of affection or thought for her, but he’s never once spoken of her in all these years.”

Seth tried to keep his expression neutral as he began, “Anubis, I…” But the words failed him. He didn’t know how to comfort his son. He didn’t know how to explain what they’d so narrowly avoided the night Osiris died.

“You can’t tell me, either,” Anubis said with a frustrated sigh. “Because this family is still full of secrets.” He looked angry.

Seth didn’t blame him for the anger.

“You know our wedding,” Anubis said as he nodded to Khnum, “was a double wedding? Mother and Isis were married, too.”

Seth’s eyes widened in surprise. What?

“Mother doesn’t know how to tell you,” Anubis said, as Seth stared at him. “But she didn’t get me to promise not to. She’s likely on the phone with Isis now.”

Seth just stared at Anubis, who gazed back at him with an increasingly worried expression.

She remarried? Seth thought, dimly. To Isis?

“And Horus said it was Mother’s thing to tell you,” Anubis said. “So I know he hasn’t said anything.”

Seth laughed and rubbed a hand over his face. “Of course.” He glared at Horus, who still had a neutral expression on his face.

He recalled Horus’ words about Nephthys staying away from Osiris and shook his head. No wonder. Even if Isis lies to her, she probably keeps Nephthys away from him.

He supposed that was comforting on its own. He knew Isis would take proper care of Nephthys and protect her. Though he wondered how Isis, who clearly still hated Seth, could get along with Nephthys, who seemingly didn’t hate him. Unless Nephthys was a better actress than Seth knew.

“Are you really okay, Father?” Anubis asked with a brief sharp look at Horus. “I know this is a miserable situation for you.”

Seth was touched by Anubis’ concern. He smiled as warmly as he could. “I’m getting through it. It’s certainly not being on the sun boat under Ra’s supervision, at least.” He could walk far more easily, at any rate, and the bed was more comfortable. And Ra wasn’t around to taunt him.

“That’s not exactly high praise,” Anubis said with a sad smile. “You’re always welcome to message or call me. And we should meet again soon. Maybe next week?” He looked at Horus with a cooler expression, clearly expecting pushback. And ready to fight, if needed.

“If Seth wants to,” Horus said, simply.

How charitable, Seth thought, angrily. He forced a smile and said, “I’d love to.”

Anubis smiled back and said, “And maybe, one day… you’ll tell me what it is you’re also hiding from me about Osiris.”

Seth kept the smile, though his hands felt shaky, and replied, “Of course. One day.” He breathed in deeply. “So you don’t… talk with him much, anymore?”

Anubis shook his head, his anger clear in his fierce eyes and frown. “We barely ever do. He knows to avoid me when I’m in Duat, or I’ll make him regret it.”

Seth chuckled and said, “That’s amazing. Good job.”

Anubis smiled brightly at him, and for a second, it was just like when he’d been little, so happy for Seth’s praise. So happy to spend time together.

Seth also recalled how he’d cut off Anubis’ arm. He remembered Anubis’ entreaties before the sentencing. That little boy wasn’t quite visible in the face of the confidant god sitting before him, who was clearly willing to work hard for what he wanted, but Seth could almost see him, still. Anubis had a determination Seth envied.

Seth, meanwhile, had given up centuries ago of achieving proper reconciliation between them or restoring their family. And he’d assumed Anubis had moved on when he’d ascended, because why else would he attack the sun boat and Seth in particular? Despite that, Seth had still hoped to try to make things right with Anubis. To see him again and at least see how he was, if nothing else, without Ra around to interfere. And seeing Anubis sitting close with Khnum now, sometimes glancing at him fondly, and to hear that Anubis and Nephthys got along, that Anubis was safe in regard to Osiris, that he stood his ground with Horus…

It was good. And it was all things Anubis had accomplished on his own.

Both Anubis and Nephthys had found new family and friendships without Seth around. And Seth didn’t want to interfere with that. He realized again that they’d spent thousands of years living their lives, while he’d been isolated far away. They’d all moved past a lot of the things he felt were problems, and learned to keep living, without him.

What use was he to them anymore? Anubis didn’t speak of broken promises, betrayal, or any of that.

Does he really need me anymore? Seth wondered, feeling a thin part of himself that he’d walled off for years tremble in a fierce wind.

“I’m glad you’re off that boat,” Anubis said eventually. “I’m glad you’re back. Whatever anyone says.”

Seth swallowed, unsure how to respond. He finally managed a tight smile, and Anubis grinned back at him.

Nephthys came back, and they pretended nothing had happened, though Seth noted her cheeks were even pinker.

He was glad she was in love. He could be happy for her, even if she didn’t want to tell him for some reason. Maybe she was afraid of his response. Maybe she assumed he was still the monster he’d been through so much of their lives.

He couldn’t blame her for that.

He’d be happy for her. And Isis. And Anubis. And even Khnum, though Seth didn’t really know the man. He seemed to make Anubis happy, which was all that mattered.

Seth thought back to his time on the sun boat, moving between battles, learning how to survive, and guarding himself against enemies outside and within the sun boat. He’d been isolated for a variety of reasons, typically boiling down to survival. It meant he didn’t talk as much and lost much of the little art of conversation he used to have. He felt awkward and weird amongst his family now, with their complex lives in this new world he was still getting to know.

And he realized he wanted to be with them, even if he didn’t think he deserved it. He wanted to spend more time with Anubis. He wanted to hear more about Nephthys’ work.

But he didn’t know how to be with them without being an open, ugly wound on everything, to be appeased or pushed aside. A mark on calendar, and nothing more, at risk of jeopardizing beloved relationships the people he cared about had cultivated hard.

Meanwhile, Horus and Isis, the winners of the trial, had solved most everything, showing how much better things were when Seth wasn’t around. Seth wanted to appreciate Anubis’ admission and Nephthys’ kindness, but… he was beginning to realize he really didn’t belong. And maybe he’d have been better off staying on the sun boat.

Horus

As Horus and Seth walked back to the apartment from the visit with Anubis and Nephthys, Horus could tell Seth was closing himself off: his expression was cloudy and he stayed silent.

Horus supposed he should be happy Seth wasn’t visibly angry or making a scene, but he wasn’t sure the silence was a good sign, either.

“If you have questions,” Horus said as they waited at a crosswalk, “I’ll be happy to answer them.”

Seth made a noncommittal noise of acknowledgement but said nothing else.

Eventually, Horus asked, “Are you okay?” He knew it was a ridiculous question, after everything they’d listened to. But he couldn’t help but ask.

“I’m fine,” Seth said. And then he said nothing else on the walk back, leaving a frigidity in the air between them. He didn’t even look at Horus: he just gazed ahead in stony silence, his thoughts clearly elsewhere.

Horus’ own thoughts were in turmoil, reviewing what had happened, wondering if he should have stepped in more. But he also knew that he couldn’t change any of it now. Nor could he come up with the right thing to say that wouldn’t make Seth angry.

Back at the apartment, Seth immediately went to his room and shut the door.

Horus stared after him, still unsure what to do. He knew getting Seth a meeting with Anubis and Nephthys was a good idea. He knew Seth accepted things from them that he wouldn’t have from Horus. He hoped Seth didn’t only take away pain from meeting. But he knew Seth had been pained, at least a little.

Horus knew Nephthys would likely speak of the whole thing to Isis, and he wondered how Isis would take the whole event, though nothing bad had happened... She hadn’t contacted Horus yet, and Maat would have let him know if something was wrong, but…

Horus was uneasy. He’d grown into his role as king and his present role as a leader among the gods when needed. He handled prayers and disputes, watched over Egypt’s borders, and kept an eye on international politics where he could, which was an entire life’s work of its own. It meant he handled big and small problems on a regular basis. And yet here he was, failing to figure out this one.

Failing to help the person he cared about the most. Because that was one problem: he was still devoted to Seth. Still wanted the adoration he’d come to desire all those years ago. Having Seth in his own apartment, so close by, was driving Horus to ruin, and making his work difficult on its own.

But he knew Seth wanted Anubis. And perhaps Nephthys. Nut’s comfort. More than that, Horus didn’t know. Judging by the closed door, Seth certainly didn’t want to hear from Horus.

And Horus planned to respect that. Even if he would have done virtually anything Seth asked.

On the second day after the meeting with Anubis and Nephthys, Horus stood outside Seth’s room, rehearsing what he’d gone through in his head. He just had to knock and say, “Please, tell me what I can do for you.”

But even just gazing at the blank door was hard. Raising his hand to knock was worse.

He imagined Seth knew he was there and chose to say nothing about it. Or perhaps Seth was sleeping.

Horus finally went away without saying or doing anything, feeling like a coward. He knew that if Seth wanted help, he’d ask for it, and Horus’ presence would only be seen as invasive.

Seth had just been told that more of his life was a sham. He wouldn’t want comfort from his jailer.

Horus stayed in his office most of the time, doing work out of necessity and the knowledge he also needed something else to occupy himself. He’d been doing that for centuries, after all, in Seth’s absence. Trying to find things to occupy his mind when no one would fill the hole in his life where Seth belonged. He hadn’t exactly been successful at distracting himself, but he’d been good at his work.

Missing Seth seemed like a normal part of his life at this point. It made being around the older god all the stranger. His fantasies about their being together didn’t properly deal with the reality of Seth being absent from the rest of their world for thousands of years, and what impact that would have on him.

Or at least he thought he’d be dealing with more anger. Not this sort of shutting down. In some ways it reminded him of the trial, where Seth had gone silent in the face of certain confrontation, especially during their last match.

Horus worried it presaged an eruption to come later.

Horus also had messages from friends and acquaintances to look through, an increasing number related to rumors about Seth being released from the sun boat. Some asked for reassurances of Seth’s good behavior. Some offered congratulations for his success in his efforts. There was plenty of life outside of Seth, too: he had invitations to dinners, performances, more requests for help on various problems… There was plenty of news to catch up on, and status updates from the people who managed the properties he owned.

In his more foolish moments, he’d thought of traveling abroad with Seth, and exploring the world. He didn’t know if Seth wanted it: the older god didn’t seem to show any affection for Horus, and had already spent most of his life traveling around Egypt. But Horus had spent his youth moving from place to place with Isis. And he spent his kingship going wherever he was needed, not staying in one location.

Seth had also spent much of his life on the front lines before he became king. And traveling would give him a chance to see more of the world he’d missed out on.

Mother would never agree to it, Horus thought, dismally. And he imagined Maat would be against it, on principle, at least for the foreseeable future. But he thought that if Seth was aware of more of his options, if he knew that the world wasn’t just what he’d had to leave behind before his punishment, then maybe there was more to it than sadness and anger.

He tried to think back to what had worked on Seth in the past to pull him out of his spirals. Horus shouting hadn’t done anything. He wasn’t planning to attack the other god, either.

There was one person who’d been able to reach out to him, but Horus wasn’t sure calling Anubis over would be a good idea. Not when Anubis was possibly part of the problem.

Eventually, he looked back at his notes on Maat’s suggestions for Seth’s work going forward. He realized that perhaps they couldn’t travel far, but there were other excuses to leave the apartment that might help in little ways, and allow Seth to feel some confidence in his position.

“You’re comfortable letting me be around children?” Seth asked Horus as they sat in Horus’ living room together the next day.

Seth had come out of his room at last, looking weary and quiet, but sat with Horus to ask about some websites he’d come across. His questions were quiet and collected, and Horus gave him what answers he could, before he brought up the subject of Seth’s duties. One suggestion was helping to train lower income youth in martial arts after school.

“Just to supervise and teach,” Horus said as Seth glanced over the website Horus had pulled up. “Why? Would adult humans be any safer around you? They both are nothing before the power of a god, particularly you.”

Seth scoffed at that and said, “You know what I mean. Shouldn’t you make a show of protecting the weaker members of humanity?”

“When I was young,” Horus said, “you gave me hope to live. And these children have little to support them.” He scrolled down to photographs of the members of one of the dojos he’d been looking at. “They need programs like this to keep them busy, teach them life skills, and help make them strong as they grow up. As a guardian god, this is just the right thing for you to do.” It wasn’t being trapped on the sun boat, it didn’t involve direct interaction with Horus, Anubis, Nephthys, or any other gods, and it was a skill Seth had: teaching.

Seth grimaced. “When we first met, I’d murdered many children.”

“And are you planning more such murder sprees?” Horus asked in response. He hadn’t forgotten the sight of all those corpses. For all other immortals insisted he was a blind fool when it came to Seth, Horus was under no illusions about the danger Seth posed.

But he also knew that in the thousands of years since Seth was punished, he’d only ever attacked immortal monsters. And all the while he’d been living with Horus, he’d kept to himself, and the only animosity he’d shown to a human was brief bristling that caused no harm to anyone.

Seth scoffed, as if the idea was ridiculous.

“As I thought,” Horus said. “You are also not the only individual who could be a risk to these children. Surely that calls to something in you? The god who used to protect Egypt from invaders?”

Seth’s lips pressed together, and Horus had the sense he was getting somewhere.

“Teach them to help themselves,” Horus said. “Surely you can’t be averse to that? You taught Anubis once. You trained Egypt in the spear. You can do this.”

Seth still seemed skeptical, but eventually he nodded.

“We can wait a while,” Horus added after Seth was silent for a bit. “If you still need time…”

Seth sighed and said, “I might as well start and make something of myself. Moping is useless.” He sounded angry, but seemingly at himself.

“You’ve been through a lot,” Horus said.

“I’ve missed a lot,” Seth insisted, while keeping his eyes on the photographs, though Horus wasn’t sure he was really seeing them. “And the world’s moved on. That’s all. If you think I can do something here, then fine. I’ll give it a shot.” He finally looked at Horus with a narrow gaze. “But if Isis yells at you for this, it’s on you.”

Horus only smiled in return, making Seth’s frown deepen. And much as it clearly annoyed the other god, Horus didn’t think he could stop.

At least he’s talking, Horus thought. And not hiding away. Horus had hope in this.

Horus watched from the window in his bird form as Seth met his first class of students about a week later. The after-school class was at a quiet dojo, and ages ranged from 9 to 12, with a mix of genders. They were wary of a new teacher: these children often had new volunteer teachers who cycled through the free afternoon classes. And Seth’s red hair was a particular curiosity to them.

They’d already had a few meetings with the people who ran the facility, introducing themselves, and showing Seth’s admittedly faked credentials. Horus had summed up centuries of training humans in various weapons techniques and serving in the army with a more understandable military career over the past decade, with a focus on training new recruits, and some work as a physical education teacher. Seth was a fast learner and had watched a number of videos on how such things worked, and even read quickly through dozens of books on the matter. When the dojo owners had questions, Seth was readily able to answer them. And his clear familiarity with technique and student needs obviously impressed.

Horus imagined the teachers could see Seth’s charisma, too. When Seth was focused, he was deeply compelling.

Or at least, judging by comments the owners said, they were very short-staffed, and could use the help. The university students they typically used weren’t around all that much, and they didn’t have the funds to focus too much on free programs. They partnered with a community center for this weekly class, but everything was tight. Horus had found the program while browsing for things that were near the apartment, relatively small, and most in need. Plus, Horus had worked with the center before, and serves as a reference for Seth.

Seth had shadowed one class to observe their techniques. Now, one of the owners was watching Seth look after what might be Seth’s regular class, if he did well. Seth was thankfully not overly harsh with the students, but not timid, either. Once he was given full rein of the class, he managed to wrangle them into stretches, and then practicing the basics, starting with learning to fall.

Some of the children were confused with their first lesson, while the older ones knew it pretty well, and helped. There was even laughter, though Seth frowned in warning at times to keep them organized.

Seth didn’t look truly mad, and he never raised his voice or did anything forceful with his charges. Horus kept a sharp eye on him, and nothing ill came of it. The supervisor nearby had no comments either, and even sometimes had a soft smile on her face as she watched.

It all made Horus hopeful, especially since Seth hadn’t complained about the humans or their intricate work systems, and he came out of his room early, ready to leave. His focus on the task was commendable, and Horus thought it really had given him something positive to spend his energy on, rather than drowning in the feelings that made him self-isolate. It was also an excellent way to get him talking to more people and give him a sense of what gods had to do to blend in with mortals.

It wasn’t that Horus wasn’t aware of potential issues. But he also knew that keeping Seth stuck in the apartment didn’t stop him from hurting humans, either. He could cause a storm that would destroy the apartment building. He could break out the window and go on a rampage. If Seth really wanted to hurt humans, he could try to do so. And either there or here, Horus could still intervene to stop him. It didn’t mean it was right that Horus brought Seth straight to some of the most vulnerable humans out there, but Horus felt he was correct in his assumption that the situation was just what Seth needed: a reminder that he was meant to help those who needed him most.

Judging by the cool confidence Seth had, Horus thought it was working. When the class ended, Seth almost had a slight wistfulness in his expression as he walked over to Horus. But then his expression grew harder as he met Horus’ gaze. He looked at the supervisor, who pulled him aside for a talk about things. Horus heard some suggestions, but mostly compliments on Seth’s techniques with the children. When the woman was done, she released Seth and said, “We look forward to seeing you again!”

Seth walked out of the building and waited for Horus to join him in his humanoid form again – Horus shapeshifted in the dark of an alleyway – before asking, “So I passed?”

Horus smiled softly. “With flying colors. I think this suits you.”

Seth shrugged, as if it all meant nothing to him, even after all he did to get here.

Horus imagined even all this must have been nothing compared to commanding troops.

“We could try something else if you wish,” Horus suggested. “There are kitchens where you could help prepare food for the hungry, too.”

“…This is fine,” Seth said. “Is there something else we need to do or can we go back to your apartment?”

“We can head back,” Horus replied as they kept walking. “What did you think of your students?”

“They’re too small,” Seth said at one point. “Bigger than the humans I was used to in some ways, but they’re too thin.”

“Many of these children come from underprivileged families,” Horus explained. “Even in this world, where fewer people starve to death, hunger is common. Humans would rather hoard than share bounty.”

“So little changes,” Seth muttered. “Ra hoarded power to herself for so long. And Osiris…” Seth scoffed. “It makes sense the humans imitated them.”

“We strive for a better world every day,” Horus said, wondering about the comment concerning Osiris. It gave him hope that Seth was being more open, after everything. “But it can be hard.”

“A world that will one day be led by children like that,” Seth said, thoughtfully.

Horus smiled, glad Seth was seeing it. “They might do better than those who came before. Humans are capable of much, particularly if you give them more options.”

“And my teaching is an option?” Seth asked, clearly skeptical. “There are other teachers out there.”

“Too busy,” Horus said. “Trying to make money to keep roofs over their heads. Or they don’t have time for those who need it most. And none would be as skilled as you are, anyway.”

“I’m still surprised Maat approves of this,” Seth said. “Me, training children to be soldiers…”

“I don’t know that they’ll stick with it long enough for that,” Horus said. “School takes up a lot of their time. But it was a suggestion Maat made, of a sort, having you work with the underprivileged in Egypt. The humans still look fondly on the lessons of war they learned. And this does the least harm of your use of those skills. She knows going against your nature won’t work well.”

“And yet cooking is on the table as well,” Seth said, dryly.

“You haven’t done kitchen knifework,” Horus said. “There is a martial aspect to a great deal of food preparation.”

Seth looked skeptical again, but Horus took the conversation as a win. They were talking, things were less tense. And they chatted somewhat peacefully on the way back. It almost seemed like things were on the way to being better, and Horus was thinking over how to ask about Seth’s thoughts on Osiris.

But when they got to the apartment door, both of them were surprised to find someone waiting for them.

Horus wondered if he’d been too positive.

“Greetings Horus, Seth,” Nephthys said as she turned to smile at them. “I wanted to know if it was okay if I visited?”

Seth

Seth and Nephthys sat in the empty living room of  Horus’ apartment while Horus sat in his closed office a distance away. Seth imagined that the younger god could hear everything, but the appearance of privacy was something, at least.

Nephthys wore a pale green dress and sat primly in one of the bigger chairs. She smiled a bit apologetically at Seth and said, “Sorry for ambushing you, I just… had some trouble getting the courage to come talk to you, and so I came over as soon I got it.”

“It’s fine,” Seth said, putting a fake smile on his face as he considered what was troubling her. Perhaps criticizing him for what he’d done to her? What he’d failed to do to support her? “What did you want to talk about?” After their last meeting, he’d considered meeting with Nephthys again anyway, even if he felt superfluous to her life here.

He’d sat in his room, seething over what he learned, unsure what to do, and knowing he couldn’t just go for a run or go practice attacking fighting dummies without making people panic he was going on some sort of rampage. Or having Horus watch his every move.

He couldn’t attack Osiris, and that was frustrating. And he agreed that worrying Nephthys more about the realities of the situation be an issue, but that didn’t make him happy, either. It was part of why he’d acquiesced to Horus’ idea of being a fighting instructor for humans. It gave him an excuse to learn and practice modern martial arts techniques – with supervision – which let him focus on something else and get some of his anger issues out (at least if he was punching anything with Horus watching, Horus would assume it was for work, not other reasons). He’d been a fast learner, particularly since he could adapt techniques he already knew, but there was still more he could learn.

And at least the children he was teaching needed someone to help them. Someone the humans evidently weren’t supplying.

It didn’t fill up the emptiness in his chest, the sense of failure he couldn’t really avoid, but it let him compartmentalize a bit. And it put off his thoughts about returning to the sun boat, at least for a short while.

But then Nephthys showed up, ruining what was actually a decent day.

He supposed he wasn’t entitled to decent days, after everything.

“Horus told me that Anubis told you Isis and I are married,” Nephthys said with a soft smile. “I imagine you’d have figured it out in time, anyway, once you browsed online more. You could have easily found photos of us. But I just… didn’t know how to tell you myself.” She sighed. “It seems so cruel, to act like… like you were gone and I just… moved on or something.”

“I wanted you to be happy,” Seth said, quietly. “I’ve always wanted you to be happy. And if Isis makes you happy, then that’s all that matters.” He didn’t expect her to wait thousands of years just for him to get back and reject her again. And going back to her… It wasn’t even the last thing on his mind, it wasn’t an option. And he assumed she knew that, and didn’t want to get back together, either. He had never wanted her to live alone in suffering, though.

Nephthys smiled at him again. “I know you want that. And Isis does make me happy. I make her happy, too. But… I just think up too much as the years go by, I suppose.”

Seth could relate to that. Thinking was all he had most of the time on the sun boat. And he knew his thoughts were unpleasant company.

Nephthys breathed deeply and said, “Isis talked more to me about what happened with the mirror. More than I spoke about when we met the other day.”

Seth couldn’t keep himself from tensing.

“I know Osiris was targeting you,” Nephthys said, gazing at Seth with a worried expression. “I know… I know Isis’ perspective of what happened the night Osiris’ died. What she saw. Between you and him.”

Seth stood up and felt his heart race.

Nephthys stood up with him and put her hands up, “Seth, please, I just want to talk!”

Seth was breathing hard, and only force of will kept him from dissolving into sand. She knows! She’s known!

“It was wrong for her to break your confidence that way,” Nephthys said, still looking at him with worry. “And I’m sorry! But she wanted me to know why I should stay away from Osiris and stop… looking up to him, as it were. She… We were already more involved, and she felt she had to be honest if we were to continue.” She winced. “It was out of concern for my safety. And while that’s… not exactly a good reason to share your trauma, I… I’m glad I know. And Seth, I’m so sorry. I’m sorry for all you went through.” Her eyes grew wetter as tears fell down her cheeks. “I’m so sorry, Seth.”

Seth clenched his hands into fists. He didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know if he should be mad at Isis, understanding, or… He didn’t know.

He’d assumed Isis would have talked about it to everyone. Shared his indignity around. So he was surprised that so few apparently knew about it. But that she then went on to talk about…?

A part of him understood the reasons. The other part just wanted to scream into the floor.

“I don’t know if Isis told me everything,” Nephthys said. “I’m sure there are also things she missed that… I’m not asking for a full detail or anything,” she clarified. “I just want you to know that I’m here if you need me. You don’t have to run.” She smiled ruefully. “Though I ruined that by ambushing you, didn’t I?”

Seth shut his eyes, trying to calm himself. He was here, in this room, and Osiris wasn’t with them. Nephthys already knew, and he couldn’t change that.

He was able to gather his thoughts together, and finally said, shakily, “I always ran from you even before that night, though. I’m not surprised you felt you had to ambush me.”

“You never run from a fight, Seth.”

“I was afraid of what you might say,” Seth replied, gazing deep into her worried eyes. “I was afraid of you rejecting me. So I argued with you. I know you saw that.” He couldn’t imagine how hurt she was. He thought that was what made her run to Osiris, among other things. Even though he was seemingly wrong, it didn’t change what he’d done.

“I assumed it was the battles you were fighting,” Nephthys said, seemingly in an attempt to reassure him. “You had so much weighing on your shoulders. I didn’t want to make things harder for you.”

“That doesn’t excuse my being harsh to you to make you go away,” Seth insisted. He didn’t know why she wasn’t seeing him for who he was. It reminded him of her staying by his side during his reign, as if she was suffering for them both. He’d thought she felt guilty herself, then, but he’d hoped she’d just leave and find happiness somewhere else, or perhaps help his enemies fight him. Instead she just sat in her cell, unmoving and sad.

“You were never that harsh to me,” Nephthys said, looking a bit upset, but firm now, unlike how she used to be. “You were a good husband. A good father.” Before their falling out, she’d been a rock for him, keeping him happy on the harder days, teasing him, reminding him how lucky he was.

So he never forgot how much he let her down with his actions.

“How can you say that?” Seth demanded, quietly. “After… After everything…?” His voice was shaking. He’d thought about speaking to her for so long while he was on the sun boat. He’d wondered if she’d hate him more as time went on.

At one point, he’d asked if Tefnut and Shu ever fought much during their marriage, and Tefnut had laughed and said they argued all the time.

“Bastet helps us sometimes,” Tefnut said as she and Seth watched the port side of the boat with ready spears. “Sometimes you need someone to come in and knock your heads together before you go back and realize you still love each other. Having a partner isn’t always happy.”

“But don’t you ever hold grudges?” Seth asked as he watched a bird made out of bones fly over the water and vanish in a flash of light. “Doesn’t it ever go too far?”

“We talk before that happens,” Tefnut said. “Of course there are things I remember over the centuries, and that he remembers. But we work it out. If we didn’t, we wouldn’t stay together.” She smiled at Seth, looking fierce with her lion headdress. “He’s the one I trust most at my back and my side. And I know he feels the same about me.”

Seth wondered what would have happened if he’d just gotten over his fear and talked things over with Nephthys. If it would have made any difference, given Osiris’ madness.

“Being in this place also puts that kind of thing to the test,” Tefnut said, gazing ahead to where some other gods were chatting at their own watch, even as everyone was on alert for attacks. “There aren’t many gods here who maintain more than friendship, and even those can be hard. In a way, it’s a challenge: how do we find ways to love each other, despite the circumstances? And yet, century after century, we find a way.”

Seth wished he had Tefnut’s wisdom, since all he thought of were his own failings. “You must think your grandchildren are pathetic, then,” he commented. Seth and Nephthys had broken apart, and Isis and Osiris were in shambles. And they’d barely been together for a fraction of the time Tefnut and Shu had been together.

“I think it’s notable that you tried,” Tefnut said, surprising him. “Clinging to each other for love and comfort is something I can understand. I honestly thought you would try more things out, as there are so many gods now. But I don’t exactly dictate how you live your lives.”

It had helped him understand his grandparents a little more, at least, and made Seth feel like he still had so much to learn.

At least Nephthys and Isis figured things out, Seth thought as he gazed back into Nephthys’ wet, worried gaze now. Even after everything they both went through, they found each other.

He wondered what Tefnut would think of Osiris’ antics, and hoped she never knew.

“I know what I felt,” Nephthys said to him. “Even though I was manipulated by Osiris, I remember you as you were.” Her gaze grew distant. “You were always so quiet. And yes, you were often distant and closed-off. I remember Isis always had a better chance of getting through to you, especially as the years passed. But you were still kind and generous. And you loved our son, despite my deceit.”

“It wasn’t your deceit,” Seth insisted.

“Yes,” Nephthys said, more firmly than he expected. “It was. The mirror didn’t force me to stay silent, and my love for you never meant I had to go against my instincts as I did when Osiris encouraged me to treat Anubis as your son, which I interpreted as lying to you.” She sighed. “Perhaps much could have been avoided if I’d just been honest about that. If I’d told you what I’d done. But… I felt safer lying. And then the lie continued and then that night with Osiris, when everything came out, you were hurt even worse…” Her hands tightened on her knees.

“You can’t blame yourself for what he did,” Seth said, angry on her behalf. “It was all Osiris’ fault.”

“Yes,” Nephthys said. “He shoulders most of the blame for everything. And he shoulders all the blame for what he did to you. And what he tried to do to Anubis.”

Seth grimaced at that. He just didn’t want to think about whatever Isis said, but…

He had to know.

“What did she tell you?” he finally asked, quietly.

Nephthys winced and said, “Are you sure you want to know?”

“Yes.”

“Okay.”

They talked for some time. Seth wasn’t sure how much more Isis knew, based on the fragments Nephthys shared, but Seth was able to fill in any blanks. Nephthys looked horrified, but she didn’t turn away. She didn’t cast him looks of pity or disgust. She just listened and looked a little worried and surprised from moment to moment.

Seth wondered if Nephthys really was stronger than they all felt, considering how well she was handling everything. She said she’d felt safer lying to him, but while she was clearly upset, she sat up properly and listened as he talked about it all. She found courage to come see him and explain these things, when she likely expected him to floor or do something else to get out of it.

He wondered if Isis made her more confidant, or if time had really helped her far more than it had helped him. If the latter, he supposed he could be grateful.

When they were done, Nephthys asked, “Can I get you something to drink? Or eat?”

Seth looked at her in surprise, wondering how they’d ended up like this. Nephthys was the one who’d been brainwashed, after all.

“…I’m fine, thank you. You’re the guest, anyway.” Though he wasn’t sure what to fetch her. He wasn’t the most familiar with Horus’ kitchen, given how much he avoided it. But he supposed he could look around and see what was there if she wanted something…

Nephthys smiled sadly. “You did always have trouble eating, I remember.”

Seth looked away, feeling embarrassed. “I… It’s not as bad as it used to be. I needed to eat on the sun boat. So I did.”

Nephthys’ expression grew sadder. “It sounds like you’ve done a lot of things you had no choice over.”

Seth frowned as he replied, “I made choices when I was king. I did a lot that… that I’ve had to make up for.”

“I know you did,” Nephthys said. “I remember it all. I remember helping Isis with the labyrinth. I remember Anubis coming to me in tears while you were king, and my never helping him.” She breathed in deeply. “I don’t know how he forgives me for all of that. Or if he just… settled his anger elsewhere. On you. On Osiris.” She shook her head in frustration.

Seth hadn’t thought of it that way. He’d always assumed Anubis had Nephthys to comfort him if he wanted. Seth had been afraid they’d leave to be with Osiris somehow, and he knew that he wouldn’t be able to stop them, even though it was dangerous, but he was too afraid to explain why.

He only hoped Nephthys was wise enough to keep Anubis out of proper danger, but even that hadn’t worked.

“I don’t know how much Anubis knows,” Nephthys continued, quietly. “About what happened the night Osiris died.”

“He knows Osiris was responsible for what happened to you,” Seth said, wearily. “And he knows Osiris is obsessed with me. But… I don’t know if I can talk to him about it.” Anubis was the last remaining person it made sense to talk to, given Seth had no idea how to begin anything with Geb, but Seth was still ashamed. He felt hollow just talking about it with Nephthys. Hearing part of what she heard from Isis.

It felt like hands scraping over his body, picking the pieces apart.

“It’s okay,” Nephthys asked, trying to smile warmly. “You don’t have to talk to him about it. He’s curious and he wants answers, but it’s been thousands of years already. He can wait longer.”

“I owe him proper answers,” Seth said, firm in his resolve. He hated the pain in Anubis’ voice. His frustration.

“He’s a god in his own right now,” Nephthys said. “And married. Things are different. He’d want you to settle in more. Get the hang of things. I think he learned a lot when I was recovering from being restored. He was very helpful, and very patient.”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you,” Seth said, thinking of yet more he’d missed in his absence. “I should have been.” He didn’t imagine how he would have helped, but…

Nephthys smiled as she replied, “It’s not something you need to apologize for. You didn’t know. There was no way you could. And I recovered. And you were busy with your sentence.”

Seth felt it was cold comfort.

“It feels like we need everything upfront now that you’re here,” Nephthys said, “because we’re all adjusting. But we all understand that it’s been a long time for you, too. And you’ve been through a lot we can’t imagine, while we’ve all been rebuilding and evolving alongside the humans.”

Seth smiled grimly. “And here all I’ve done is had a serious conversation with Nut and gone back to training humans again…” He felt like he’d done little.

“I’m glad you spoke with Mother,” Nephthys said. “Was it a good conversation?”

“It was difficult,” Seth said. “I… told her about the night Osiris died.”

“So she knows as well?” Nephthys said, clearly surprised. “I’m glad you feel comfortable telling people.”

“Fewer secrets,” Seth said, remembering Anubis’ anger. “I wasn’t planning on it. But… she wanted answers and I was angry, so when I revealed more than I planned, well…”

“I understand,” Nephthys said. “Though it’s really okay to have secrets. You don’t need to share your pain with everyone if you don’t want to.”

“Isis told you in order to keep you away from Osiris,” Seth noted. “How else will people know he’s awful?”

Nephthys looked down at her lap. “During all the wars you fought, you worked hard for us. Hurt yourself to keep us safe. You didn’t like talking about it, but I could tell when you came home that you’d seen and done horrible things.”

“I didn’t want you all to have to deal with that,” Seth said, quietly, unsure where she was going with this.

Nephthys nodded. “Given your nature, I can understand that. But it was hard to be your partner and see you suffering and do nothing while I respected your space. Or tried to. And when we both pulled away more, I think it only got worse.”

Seth grimaced, annoyed with himself. “I only made it worse generally.”

“No,” Nephthys said. “That’s not my point. My point was… you spend a lot of your life cutting yourself open for other people. Going to war for us, sacrificing yourself for Anubis, and then the sun boat… Osiris is a terrible person, and he’s done horrible things. But I mislike the idea of you destroying yourself even more to deal with another threat.”

“It’s just talk,” Seth said, quietly, thinking about them sitting here, while the world continued to spin. “Does it really matter?” He could survive it, after all.

“If it didn’t matter,” Nephthys said, “would you have avoided sharing it for so long?”

Seth looked away.

“It’s hard to bare yourself that way,” Nephthys said in a gentler voice. “It is Osiris’ shame, yes, but that doesn’t exclude your pain from it all. He hurt you.”

“And I hurt others.”

“The two aren’t mutually exclusive,” Nephthys noted. “And it’s okay to take time for yourself. Even all the time you’ve been taking.” She breathed in deeply. “Osiris has fewer allies these days, anyway. It’s one reason Maat finally acquiesced to Horus’ plea. Your service on the sun boat has won you some favor again. And Osiris is seen as stewing in Duat while Anubis runs things on his behalf. Some people even equate him to Ra in the waning days of her reign.”

Seth frowned as he replied, “Things really are changing.”

“Slowly, perhaps,” Nephthys said with a warm smile. “But they are changing.”

Seth supposed he could try to take some comfort in that.

“And how are you getting along with Horus?” Nephthys asked. “He’s fiercely fought for your freedom for centuries, but you weren’t here for that.”

Fiercely? Seth thought. It’d make sense, given his affections. “It’s… been complicated. He’s supportive and respectful. And he seems to be a decent king.”

Nephthys nodded and said, “He is. And I’m glad. He’s made a good example of not being cowed by the manipulations of the gods. After what Hathor’s mirror did to him…”

“Yeah, he said she used it on him, too,” Seth said. “But what did it make him do?”

Nephthys nodded. “The mirror muddled his thoughts, and apparently made him attack you fiercely, for which he holds regrets.”

“It made him attack me?” Seth asked, surprised. “When?” Horus saw him on the night of the first match, and they hadn’t talked until the second match.

“After the second match,” Nephthys explained. “He didn’t go into much detail about it, but he was pained.”

The night I assaulted him, Seth thought. And he… That was the mirror?!

“Knowing how it felt when the mirror controlled me,” Nephthys said with a shiver that made her hug herself, “I can only imagine how bad it was.”

Seth frowned down at the coffee table, unsure what to do with this. Horus hadn’t asked for sympathy on the matter. Did he not expect it, after what he did? Seth wondered. Or did he think it wasn’t relevant? Or has he decided to move past it, since it’s been so many years?

“Ra, Hathor, and Osiris,” Nephthys continued, “they’ve hurt us all. And we all understand parts of that pain.” She smiled at Seth, who looked unsure. “I’m glad you’re opening up more. And I promise I’ll try not to ambush you in the future. But if you’re uncomfortable… please know I’ll listen.”

Seth wasn’t sure he’d have anything to say to Nephthys. He certainly didn’t have anything he’d come up with his during his sentence on the sun boat. But he could respect her trying to open the door again, when he’d shut it himself.

So he smiled in a way he hoped was agreeable and said, “Okay.”

She grinned back at him, as sunny as ever, almost like the old days. “Well, why don’t you tell me about the work you’ve been doing? You said you’re training humans again?”

“Just children,” Seth said, grateful for the topic change: he wasn’t sure about how to deal with Horus in all of this. “Kids who need something to focus on.” The familiarity was good. And focusing in a different way than just going through exercises on his own.

“Tell me about it,” Nephthys said as she sat back. “If you’d like.”

It was a calmer subject, and more direct. And Seth found he didn’t mind talking about it all.

“Okay,” he began.

Seth

Seth thought he’d be more mixed up after Nephthys’ visit: that he’d want to get out and do something or just resort to staring at the ceiling again. But their talk seemed to take a weight off his chest, and after sitting alone in his room for an hour or so afterward, he pulled up a book he’d started reading on his phone, and just got lost in that.

He had occasional thoughts about talking to Horus, based on what Nephthys had brought up, but he didn’t know how to do that. Horus was pushy and glad to talk about Seth's problems, but Seth didn’t push the people he cared about that way. It was likely one reason Nephthys sought Seth out, after being so used to him avoiding her.

Seth lowered his phone to gaze out the window at the darkening sky, thinking of  how both he and Horus had lived through things they didn't talk much about on the regular. He couldn’t imagine what Horus had gone through for much of his life, first under Seth’s rule, and then reigning as a king. Imagining Horus keeping quiet about what Hathor did was… a new tangle in understanding the younger god.

And he imagined that Horus might not have brought it up because he didn’t want to bring it up. Though that reminded Seth of all the times he’d pushed Nephthys away, afraid of what she’d say.

Horus wasn’t pushing Seth away, but maybe he stayed quiet because he didn’t think Seth would listen. But if Horus was there for Seth, was Seth meant to reciprocate? Horus had confessed to him and had advocated for Seth for centuries. Did Seth owe him a polite ear at least?

He's still my jailer, Seth though with some annoyance. Even if he's a nice one, what do I really owe him?

Given it wasn’t precisely something Seth could fix on his own, he turned to what he could do, which was study more of human history, learn more about modern self-distance and strength training, and try to adapt more to sticking around here longer.

He returned to the classes at the dojo, where his students were actually excited to see him. They didn’t come all the time, but they came a lot, and their enthusiasm was oddly infectious. He could recognize each of them by name, and learned more about their family situations, which made him glad they were able to come as often as they did. The sun boat had seemed so distant from humanity, which Seth imagined he'd appreciate more. But it made it easier to forget why he'd fought in the wars he had. Not just to help his siblings rule, but so their people could live in as much peace as possible. And in his absence, while he'd protected the world from greater threats, humanity had still suffered. He couldn't say he necessarily loved humanity on the whole, but he saw Anubis in these young children, struggling to make something of themselves.

He wanted to help where he could.

The people who ran the class offered to let him do three a week, which he accepted. He still had a lot of free time, and it meant he wasn’t stuck in Horus’ apartment as much. And he got permission from Horus to go to a local gym to train, though Seth had to work hard not to break the equipment. He discovered there was even community there, and he got to know the regulars, even if he was wary of talking to them. But he nodded at a few every now and then, and was even asked about his techniques at times, as people took him for a professional of some kind. Although in some ways he technically was, it was still strange to be asked. It reminded him of when young hopefuls would come to his temples to pray for guidance and strength, and how new recruits would listen hopefully to his lessons on combat.

Slowly, he acclimated to living in a world where Nephthys knew most everything, and where Nut knew, and Horus knew, and he kept on moving farther from the sun boat, rather than back to it. Nut messaged Seth almost every day, just to say hello and see how he was doing, and he sent her back little quiet thank you’s and noted that he was doing fine. Nephthys had sent him some reading recommendations on human history he might be interested in, and he was spending much of his days doing that, on top of reading everything else he’d missed. It still gave him a depressed view of the world, but he hadn’t exactly been in love with it even before Osiris’ death: he’d just done his duty.

He also had a lot of access to different art and history from different lands, which intrigued him. He hadn’t had much time for such study before his sentencing. And the freedom now was a bit overwhelming.

Anubis – apparently with Khnum’s suggestions, according to the text messages – sent Seth some movies and shows to watch. Sometimes with the comment, “Horus will hate this,” which Seth found somewhat strange.

Seth watched the movies on the bigger TV in the living room, and, despite Anubis’ comments, Horus would still come sit with him to watch at least some of it, not making any comment other than to offer snacks.

Seth wasn’t sure what to make of their relationship, but he could tell he was adjusting to living in the regular world, while Horus also picked up his own routines.

Sometimes Horus was just busy with work, and he didn’t bug Seth all that much. Seth realized he felt a bit forlorn about that somehow, like he needed someone to be paying attention to him, which was annoying. It was nice that Anubis, Nephthys, and even Nut, were talking to him, and trying to incorporate him into their lives. Isis still kept her distance, but she also didn’t bother Seth, or apparently get on Horus’ case enough to bother Seth, so he took that for the semi-blessing for what it was.

Seth considered approaching Geb, but wasn’t sure how to handle that conversation. His father was somehow more distant than Nut was. They’d never been close, partly because Seth always wondered if he should be wary of his father, given the similarities of their domains. But Geb never bothered Seth about the movement of the sands, or tried to lecture him about it.

Sometimes, while Seth was at war, he’d gaze into the desert and wonder if Geb was watching. Or just in the middle of another of his naps and completely oblivious. His siblings never spoke much of their father, either. They were all too focused on ruling Egypt, focusing on their followers, or their own private pursuits.

Seth wasn’t planning to think on Geb much, either, but Anubis’ comments had made him consider it more. But he wasn’t sure what to do with it.

Geb himself took the issue out of Seth’s hands by showing up one day as Horus and Seth walked to the dojo. Geb was standing by a light pole, wearing a bright brown suit that looked quite sharp on him. His head was bare, and his hair was closely shaved. Golden bracers glinted under his suit cuffs. Osiris’ resemblance to him was quite sharp, which was a bit off-putting to Seth. But Seth wouldn’t back down from meeting with Geb. He had no reason to. If Geb was mad about Osiris or anything else, he could make things clear himself.

Geb looked over to them as the pair approached, and then nodded to them both. “Seth. Horus. Nut said you’d be here?”

Why does my whole family enjoy ambushing me? Seth wondered as he and Horus walked over. “Father.”

Then again, he wondered if Geb also noticed that Seth was evasive. Maybe he knew it was hard to keep in touch otherwise.

“Grandfather,” Horus greeted the older god.

Geb’s expression was neutral as he said to Seth, “I hope you’re doing well. I heard you train humans here.” His right hand was in his pocket, but he met Seth’s gaze, looking cool and unbothered. “Is that going well?”

“I’m about to have a class,” Seth said. “And yes, it’s fine. Did you need something?” He imagined he sounded dismissive, but he wanted to focus on his class, not his weird non-relationship with his father.

“I just wanted to see what you were up to,” Geb said. “Nut’s spoken more of you, and I thought you might call, but…” He gazed at Seth pointedly. “Of course it’s been a while and you have a lot to catch up to, but…”

Seth was a bit annoyed that he was apparently meant to keep everyone abreast of his activities. He could see that was a popular thing on human social media, as they called it, but Seth found it unnerving and irritating. He liked seeing at least what Anubis was up to, and Nephthys posted with relative frequency to the socials she kept use of. He didn’t check on his other family much, and he kept his presence online to a minimum: he didn’t want to be ejected from that space as well.

Though he supposed he wasn’t sure how else Geb was meant to get in touch if the older god didn’t just call him like Nut did. Seth didn’t go out to do anything other than the classes. He read books or watched things in Horus’ apartment. He seldom ate. He slept when he could. The rare times he reached out to anyone he wasn’t already close with was to a few self-defense forums he’d found here and there to learn more from modern human martial experts.

He was still wary of the other gods, his father among them. And Seth certainly wasn’t the one who would have started that conversation. And he would have been wary if Nut, Nephthys, or Anubis had tried, just like he was wary of Anubis’ comments about Geb. That Nut had simply talked about him to Geb in a way that seemingly wasn’t negative was already interesting.

He still wasn’t used to her trying to keep them as a family of any kind.

“You could watch the class,” Horus told Geb. “If Seth is okay with it. And so long as I ask. And if it’s Seth you’re focusing on. Seth wanted to give some more demonstrations today.”

Seth wasn’t sure if he was grateful for Horus taking over or not. But he supposed this was fine. Better than trying to come up with things to say to his father.

“Oh,” Geb said. “If I’m not intruding…? I don’t want you to be late or anything…”

“It’s fine,” Seth said, forcing a smile. “As long as the people who run the classes are okay with it.”

Geb smiled back at him, ever so slightly, and Seth turned away quickly, not sure how to take that. He’d shown off for many people before, but his father was one person he’d long since given up impressing.

The people who ran the dojo were okay with it, so long as one of their own staffers was available to stand watch, too. As it was, with so many adults in the room, the children were a bit rambunctious, and Seth had them do exercises to get their energy handled.

Geb sat in a chair in a corner, watching quietly. If he had any criticisms, he didn’t voice them. He’d only been introduced as Seth’s father, and interested in seeing his son’s performance as an instructor, which the people who ran the dojo were happy to oblige.

But they eventually got to the part of the class where Seth needed someone to demonstrate on, and he called Horus up. For once, the younger god wasn’t in his bird form. He’d worn simple clothes this time, which he could exercise in, unlike Geb’s suit. It made his body look more obviously fit than Seth regularly saw. The pants he was wearing looked rather good on him, too.

Seth wore long shorts and a tank-top - something some of the trainers he'd followed had used - which allowed him maximum movement. His hair was tied back, not because he needed it, but to encourage his students with longer hair to protect themselves. Seth walked around Horus while he talked, making sure his students’ eyes were on him. They were still a bit restless, but their exercises had helped a lot. And they were curious about Horus, who was something of a stranger, still.

Seth had Horus reach his left hand out so that Seth could demonstrate a few types of grabs. He could feel the firm muscles in Horus’ arm just from the strength of his hand. But he filed that away: he knew back during the trial how strong Horus was, even though he’d discounted it. As a god, Horus seemed to have improved.

After the first demonstration, Seth had the class practice a bit. He didn’t have time to worry about Geb, because he kept on eye on the kids, making sure he was there to help if needed. They were all pretty quick and smart, but he still had requests for guidance, amidst a few awkward apologies for bumping into each other and nearly poking out eyes.

When Seth was satisfied they’d managed one exercise, he called them back for another demonstration. This involved Horus wrapping his arms around Seth’s chest from behind Seth’s back, so that Seth could break out of it.

They’d discussed this before leaving the apartment. Seth didn’t know the people who ran the dojo well yet, and Horus was available, so he made sense as someone to help. Plus, it meant Seth would be demonstrating on someone larger than him, which would encourage the children on the utility of the exercise.

It was different when Horus’ broad chest was pressed against Seth’s back, and his arms rested lightly across Seth’s stomach.

Seth had been in tight spots on the sun boat many times over the centuries. There were enemies besides Osiris with tentacles and grasping hands. One particular enemy was made of nothing but hands, and it had nearly ripped Seth apart before a quick bite from Mehen had stunned it, allowing Seth to break free and stab the attacking enemy, before shoving it over the side of the boat back into the water. Seth had been wary of that enemy ever since, in all their later battles, and could sometimes hear the way it clawed at the side of the boat on its way down in his sleep.

And it wasn’t like Seth hadn’t, at least on occasion, trained with the other gods. Bastet in particular had sought him out as a sparring partner. And though Seth had also fought with his grandparents, he observed them battle each other more than fought them.

The last time Horus had been at Seth’s back, or side, really, was during his sentencing, when Horus had cradled Seth and convinced him not to fight. And Seth… had listened. Because he didn’t know what else to do.

It had been unusual to be cradled by anyone, too. And Horus had been protecting Seth from the other gods there.

He’d faced some mockery for that: his being beaten by a demigod, for all he was the great god of war. He’d fought back against anyone on the sun boat who claimed he was too weak for it. He didn’t win all those battles: most of the gods on the sun boat were older than him, and many more powerful. But he won enough of them. And even the ones he lost, his opponent would typically acknowledge Seth’s fierceness, especially if Seth could pick himself up and stumble away.

And now here he was again, with Horus pretending to subdue him. But this time, Seth could break free.

Seth’s heart was racing, but he focused on the children in the audience, watching him with excited, curious faces. Geb in the distance, with an unreadable expression. Horus, waiting patiently behind him.

Seth knocked Horus’ hands aside with the grab, saying to their watchers, “You see? Even this is something you can escape. And you have to move quickly, too.” He turned and did some mock blows to Horus, which Horus blocked somewhat easily. “As long as you stay calm and remember you can do it, you’ll be okay. Even with a bigger opponent, because size isn’t everything.”

Horus’ expression was neutral as he faced Seth, and his hands picked up speed to block Seth’s attacks. It was like he saw every move, but wasn’t pushing: just meeting Seth in every moment.

It was a nice challenge, to think up things to get past Horus’ guard, and Horus not exactly being aggressive in return, but doing simple counters that could flow into the next move set. Seth felt himself pick up speed just a little, to see what Horus was made of, and Horus responded in kind.

They danced around the mat twice before Seth remembered they weren’t here just to practice spare, and Seth backed off.

Horus lowered his hands.

Seth looked at the children, who were awed. Seth grinned and asked, “Ready to try the breaking technique on your own?”

There were happy responses, and Seth had them pair up for it.

Horus stood back by Geb, being quiet and just watching.

Seth could still feel the warmth at his back, and wasn’t sure what it meant. It wasn’t fear. It was… something else. And the sparring had been nice. He didn’t think it would be.

He imagined learning to live with Horus was going to keep being complicated.

After the class, Geb met with Seth and said, “That was good. You seem to be doing well.” He had a soft smile on his face, as if he was pleased.

Seth really thought the day continued to get stranger, but said, “I’m glad you enjoyed it. If you want to contact me like Mother does… Though you don’t have to…”

Geb’s smile widened. “I’d be happy to.”

Seth wasn’t sure how to handle that, and stayed silent as they left the dojo.

“We could go get dinner if you’d like,” Horus suggested when they got back to the street. He gave a worried look to Seth.

“I don’t wish to intrude more,” Geb said. “I’m sure you don’t want me pushing into more of your day.”

Seth wondered if Geb wanted to just get away. Or if Seth had gotten his evasiveness from his quiet father.

“If you want to get something to eat,” Seth said at last, “we can. It’s not a big deal.” He wasn't into eating, but it would probably be less awkward than this.

Horus and Geb both looked at him in surprise.

Geb finally smiled slightly and said, “Okay. I’d like to talk more, then.”

Seth nodded at him, and ignored Horus’ looks. At least if Geb was there, it meant Seth wouldn’t have to remember the way Horus felt against him, and how he was meant to deal with that going forward.

Horus

The meal with Geb went surprisingly well, at least from Horus’ perspective. He’d been surprised when the older god had showed up, since Horus didn’t talk with his grandfather all that much. They met up every now and then, but Geb was a quiet man who still kept mostly to himself.

Horus wondered if that’s where Seth got it from, based on what Horus saw of Seth. If, before whatever Osiris did to him, Seth was just quiet, like he was now. But it would be impossible to know after thousands of years of being on the sun boat, surviving all that he’d gone through.

He still felt that Seth was acclimating well, especially when Geb left them seemingly pleased with the visit, and Seth acting calmer afterward. The supervisors at the dojo were pleased with Seth’s work, and Seth was ready to take on more. Horus still observed, usually in bird form, because he had to. But he could better appreciate Seth’s form than be wary of Seth’s actions, especially given Seth seemed to care for his pupils. The children loved him, and lit up whenever they were around him.

Of course the issue was Seth’s specific form. Every class he wore those damn shorts, which rucked up in particular ways around his ass… And the tank top was practically murder, showing expanses of Seth’s bare chest that Horus didn’t see as much these days, with modern clothing.

Horus spent too many evenings furiously jerking off in the shower or his bed, hoping the soundproofed walls protected him from Seth’s good hearing. He tried to focus more on his work, and to a degree, he succeeded. But then he’d have to watch the classes or would be sitting around when Seth walked past in the apartment.

It wasn’t Seth’s fault. It was Horus’ lack of control.

Horus had already lost one mug, which he’d dropped when Seth had been studying the microwave with some curiosity, and Seth had reached back to scratch himself just on the line of his waistband near his right hip while Horus was making tea.

Seth had been alarmed when Horus broke the mug, but Horus had said it happened sometimes: gods underestimating their power. Seth seemingly believed him and left the kitchen, leaving Horus to recover himself alone.

Horus reminded himself Seth was his… ward? Whatever he was. That Seth was working out his probation. That once Seth had proven himself, he’d be able to live on his own, and he’d likely never want to see Horus again. And that Horus wanted to get to know Seth as a person. And in a way, he was.

Seth wasn’t interested in museums, but he was slowly gaining a movie appreciation. He liked documentaries and mysteries, but couldn’t stand horror, comedy, or romance. He would ridicule action movies, pointing out the various issues with fighting techniques, and demand to know why so many action movies had so little action, and why most of it seemed to just be guns or car chases. The martial arts ones he respected a little more, but still criticized. Anything involving chariots looked too fake, and the actors had bad form.

He liked some fantasy and science fiction, but would regularly comment on this or that god he knew of who could do what was being shown in the fantasy movies, or critique the action and armor. As for the science fiction, he would ask why humans were so ridiculous, and he got irritated with a great deal of the human creations being satirized (“They have cameras everywhere? Disgusting.”) He enjoyed learning about space, though, and weather. Movies about tornadoes and dust storms fascinated him, even if they had issues, and he’d talk about the logistics of the storms, which was one of the rare occasions his eyes lit up in excitement.

He enjoyed reading, too, and read voraciously, far more than the movies and TV shows he was suggested. Horus got him a bookshelf, which Seth quickly filled up. And they even made one trip to a bookstore, where they stayed for most of the day while Seth explored. He got a library card on his own and spent the evening browsing.

Seth still disdained getting a proper wardrobe, other than what was necessary for his work and visits from family. And he liked sleeping, regardless of mood.

But there was another area Horus felt like finally talking about, if Seth was amenable.

“Is there a reason you’re not into food?” Horus asked one day as they watched a cooking show Seth had heard of, while Seth glared at the television like it had personally insulted him.

The show was Seth’s idea, not Horus’.

“We’re gods,” Seth said, angrily. “We don’t need to eat.”

“That’s true,” Horus said. “But it doesn’t usually make other gods angry to do it. Many even enjoy it.” Plenty of gods threw feasts and other celebrations these days, the more lavish the better. Even though Seth seemed very particular about a god’s dignity, those gods who didn’t align with his views weren’t precisely in the wrong, either.

Seth was quiet for a while before he reached out and muted the show. He was sitting cross-legged on the couch and gazed down at his feet. Eventually, he said, “Back when I was much younger… there was a problem with the army.”

Horus stayed quiet, waiting for Seth to share everything. He knew this was important.

“They starved,” Seth said. He sighed. “They were human, it was bound to happen. I wasn’t all that good with that kind of logistical issue, and war can be hard. And when they starved, and I couldn’t provide, well… they made do.”

Horus frowned, and when Seth stayed quiet, Horus asked, “How did they make do?”

“…The bodies of the fallen,” Seth said, quietly. “It was better when it was the enemy, but…” His expression was cold.

Horus’ eyes widened in horror. When Seth stayed silent, Horus said, “I know humans have resorted to cannibalism in difficult times, usually at sea, but… I didn’t know…” He’d never heard of this. Isis hadn’t told him.

Seth shrugged. “Isis eventually took over that side of things, and the problem went away. But sometimes… eating felt like eating a corpse.” He grimaced. “But on the sun boat, you really couldn’t avoid it. I needed all the energy I could get.”

“It couldn’t have been easy,” Horus said, thinking of forcing yourself to eat with such an association. He didn’t know if he could manage it, even after everything he and his mother did in exile.

Seth scoffed. “No. And Shesmu, who sometimes served as one of Ra’s cooks, didn’t make it easy. He usually just cooked for her, and if you were lucky, he might give you something nice, but he noticed I avoided even eating the basic rations we were given. He would… get angry. Saying that I was being wasteful. Picky.” Seth snorted in exasperation. “I ate just to make him go away.”

“He’s a fighter as well,” Horus said, knowing which god Seth was talking about, and his reputation. “Did he ever get physical?”

Seth shook his head. “Not in his threats, at least not directly. He’s a butcher, he enjoys the violence. But he always directed it at the enemy. Though he did seem to like showing off his work, and when things hadn’t settled between us, he’d look at me after a kill while he was still covered in blood… as if he was making a statement or something.” Seth seemed a little annoyed at this.

“I’m sorry,” Horus said.

Seth shrugged, like it was no big deal. “They all believed I was the worst anyway. That was hardly anything.” He gazed ahead for a while. “Plus, there was one time where he joked that I was a waste of good wine anyway… and I nearly killed him.” His red eyes practically glowed then. “Bastet had to pull me off of him.”

Horus’ fingers tightened. “What an asshole…” He didn’t imagine Shesmu knew what he was saying, but… he could only imagine how furious Seth would have been, with Shesmu hitting on old wounds.

Seth smirked. “Yeah…” His words sounded brittle.

Horus wanted to put his hand out, to embrace Seth. To hold him close and show him that not everyone meant to harm him. But he imagined it wouldn’t be welcome.

“Is there something you’d like to do?” Horus asked after a while. “Watch more TV or perhaps sleep?”

Seth scoffed and then muttered, “You’re one to talk. Do you get any work done?”

“Some,” Horus said, wondering if Seth was trying to just change topics. “But I don’t mind continuing my break. After all, I’m a king.” He smirked like he was trying to be funny.

Seth raised an eyebrow at him. “Isis will say I’m a bad influence.”

“She’s said that for centuries,” Horus said.

Seth chuckled.

Horus was happy to see him laughing. But after things quieted again, he asked, “Is this why you turned down the food kitchen?”

Seth breathed in deeply before replying, “Maybe. But I also don’t know how to prepare food. I’ve never had to learn. Or sought it out.”

Horus nodded and asked, “Would you like to learn? Maybe… that would help?”

Seth’s eyes widened in surprise. “What? Why?”

“If you know all the ingredients used,” Horus explained, “maybe that’ll desensitize you in a better way to what’s in the food. And maybe you’ll find things you like instead of things you can just bear.” It was a new form of distraction and integration. Every piece of it would improve his case to Isis and Maat, and show that Seth could better live in society. That his life wasn’t just war, studying to fight, and perhaps revenge.

Seth had a skeptical look on his face.

“Or I can just be warier of suggesting meals,” Horus said. “That’s not an issue.” He supposed he was lucky Seth hadn’t gotten visibly upset around Geb after Horus’ suggestion of dinner.

Seth snorted and shut the TV off before looking at Horus. “No, I understand. It made sense to have a meal with Geb. Things were a little less awkward than they might have been.”

Horus remembered the stilted conversation and wondered how bad it might have been. He’d still been a bit distracted recalling how Seth felt in his arms during the practice fight, so he supposed he was glad Seth hadn’t noticed.

“Do I sign up for classes, then?” Seth asked.

“I could teach you,” Horus said, making Seth give him another surprised look. “Depending on what it is. I’ve tried a lot over the centuries.”

Seth considered this for a while, and Horus wondered if he’d say not anyway. After all, Seth was still wary of—

“Okay,” Seth said.

Horus quickly realized he’d miscalculated.

They decided on a simple cookie recipe: brown butter caramel snickerdoodles. It seemed like something Seth might like, and it was a mix of simple and challenging. Seth stood by while Horus showed him where all the ingredients were – sometimes Isis came over to bake with him when she was stressed – and listened as Horus explained what the different items were for. They also walked through the recipe together, with Horus explaining along the way.

Seth seemed calm and focused, and he didn’t speak up much. He seemed to be earnestly trying to learn.

Horus thought it was kind of cute.

The real problem was that while Seth would stand back to allow Horus to move around, sometimes Horus would encourage Seth closer to look more at what Horus was doing, and their arms would brush. Or, like when Horus let Seth stir, again, they would briefly touch.

At one point as they worked, Seth made an intrigued noise and said, “That smells nice.” He had a truly surprised look on his face.

Horus wondered if he’d had a lot of moments like that. If someone like Shesmu had only tried the softer way to impress, maybe there could have been more.

But it also meant that Horus along could see this gentle surprise on Seth’s face, and he treasured that.

When the dough was mixed properly, Horus held up the blue spatula towards Seth and said, “You can try some if you’d like.”

Seth stared at the spatula in confusion. “But it’s not cooked yet.”

Horus shrugged and said, “We’re gods. It’s not dangerous. And it tastes good. But you don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

Seth frowned a little at that before he leaned forward to lick the spoon daintily, his pink tongue darting out quickly to the dough.

There was a cracking noise, making them both jerk in surprise and look down to see that where Horus had been resting his right hand against the countertop was now cracked from his fingers pressing into the marble.

“Apologies,” Horus said, embarrassed. His face burned. “I um… I was distracted.”

“Are you sure you’re up to cooking?” Seth asked, with a bit of humor in his voice.

“Yes!” Horus said, his voice sounding a bit high. “I’m fine!”

Seth had an unreadable look in his eyes, so Horus had them move on to rolling out cookies. Seth was pretty good at it.

“It seems ridiculous doing this,” Seth said as they worked, “that I’m… the way I am. It’s just food.” As if everything was so simple.

“You’re not ridiculous,” Horus insisted as they worked. “Trauma manifests in lots of ways. There are things Mother and I have issues with, even after all this time…” Horus wasn’t sure how to bring that up. He’d been to classes, he’d read things, trying to help his mother, help his own roiling emotions, his followers… but he was no expert.

“You sure you want to share them with an enemy?” Seth asked as he poked indents in the dough balls. “It could be dangerous.”

“You protected Egypt longer than you were ever my enemy,” Horus said. “And I don’t really think you were that, anyway. The world has also more than made up for those killed during your reign.” And he knew from Anubis that things were at least a little better in Duat to some degree, mostly due to Anubis’ work.

“But I tricked your father,” Seth said, quietly. “He killed himself for me.”

Horus paused in his work, thinking that over. Finally he said, “I know what my father’s done. And we aren’t on speaking terms. Haven’t been for a very long time.” They had nothing to speak about, and Horus had refused Osiris’ help with his petitions. He imagined Osiris maybe guessed some of Horus’ reasoning, but Horus also wasn’t sure his father was that bright, after everything he’d screwed up over the years: his kingdom, his family, and even his second throne in Duat. “You did your time, Seth. I don’t hold my father’s fate against you. He made his choice.”

Seth was quiet for a while before he finally said, “Nephthys mentioned how hard it’s been for you. With Hathor and the mirror.”

Horus wondered where this came from.

“Who do you talk to about that if you don’t talk to Nephthys?” Seth asked quietly. “Your mother?”

“No one, really,” Horus said. “We dealt with it.” It was an old issue.

“Ah,” Seth said. “Never mind.”

“No, no,” Horus said, realizing he sounded harsh. “I appreciate the interest. I just… It’s not something I really think about. I… dislike being reminded I was made to lose control. It made me worry Hathor or Sekhmet might have some control over me still, though it hasn’t happened since that night between you and I.”

“I see,” Seth said.

“I have regretted that night every day since,” Horus said.

“I assaulted you first,” Seth noted.

“But I took over,” Horus said. “I did worse.”

“That’s not how it works,” Seth muttered. “I was king, I knew at least some of the laws… You didn’t defeat me, anyway.”

“No,” Horus said, agreeing with him. He knew what Seth meant, and agreed. But after loving Seth for so long... “It just… what I did bothers me far more than anything else. I didn’t want things between us to be like that, and then it felt like I lost you forever afterward.” He realized what he was saying and quickly added, “Not that you were ever mine, I just…”

“You wanted more,” Seth said.

“I did,” Horus finished. “I do. But I wanted you to want it. And I won’t force that. We can add the caramel now.”

Together, they added the little rolled up dollops of caramel to the center of the cookies, before rolling them up.

“I’m making a mess of this,” Seth said with a laugh as he showed Horus one of his attempts, which did look a little squished.

“Just be gentle with it,” Horus said as he showed a demonstration. “Now you try.”

Seth mimicked what Horus did, but with a little too much force again.

Horus reached out and lightly touched Seth’s fingers, stilling them. “It’s okay to go slower. Don’t crush them.”

Seth nodded jerkily.

Horus realized he was standing behind Seth now, his chest nearly to Seth’s back. He let go of Seth’s fingers, and moved away a little, giving the older god room.

They kept working, with Seth figuring it out slowly. His mood seemed to improve as they rolled the balls in cinnamon sugar, which made him chuckle again.

Horus liked his laugh.

“I’m a mess,” Seth said as the last dough ball was placed on a cookie sheet. He raised his hands to Horus in amusement, showing off the dough and cinnamon sugar all over them.

Horus grinned. “You can wash it off in the sink or lick it off if you want.” He demonstrated with one of his own fingers.

Seth got a skeptical look on his face. “Really? Do you lick everything?”

“Depends on what it is,” Horus said with a grin.

Seth held out his right index finger, with a daring look in his eyes, mimicking Horus with the spatula from earlier.

Horus’ eyes widened in surprise. But when Seth didn’t move away, Horus leaned forward and moved his lips over Seth’s finger, laving it with his tongue.

Seth’s breath caught, but he didn’t step back or pull away.

Horus took a little longer than he might have licking Seth’s finger clean before backing off. His face was hot, but he kept his eyes on Seth, waiting for his reaction.

Seth seemed nervous, but he didn’t run. Instead he finally put his hands down and said, “I… think I should clean them in the sink…”

Horus shakily nodded, moving aside to let Seth do so. Horus followed suit before they put the cookie sheets in the oven and set the timer. They then got to work cleaning up what was left.

Horus could still feel Seth’s finger in his mouth, and so tried to focus on what he was doing. Though he didn’t know what they were doing. He wondered if Seth had really come around to things, somehow… If all of Seth’s comments during their time together had meant more than Horus realized…

Horus didn’t know if he should hope.

When everything was clean and put away that could be, and their hands were clean again, they stood in the kitchen, waiting for the cookies to finish.

Horus felt his heart race.

Seth breathed in deeply and turned to him. There was a determined look in his eye. “You really… really like me? Even after everything?”

“To be honest,” Horus said, “I’ve barely been able to contain myself around you since you’ve been here.” He glanced down at Seth’s shorts and then up again. “Those shorts have been killing me.”

Seth’s pale cheeks reddened. “You…”

“I’ve never stopped wanting to be with you,” Horus said. “You’re flawed, yes, and you’ve done horrible things. But you’ve more than made up for them. You’re a guardian god, thoughtful, smart, handsome, powerful… And I… forgave you for anything between us long ago.” He breathed in deeply before he said, “And if you could forgive me, though I don’t expect you to…” He didn’t know if he could ever have it, after what his father did. Another thing he could hate the older god for.

“Oh shut up,” Seth said before he walked forward and pulled Horus down into a kiss.

Horus blinked in surprise before shutting his eyes and wrapping his left arm around Seth’s back. His right hand went up to Seth’s left cheek.

Seth pressed up against him, and Horus felt he could have painted the outline of the man’s body.

Time seemed to stand still with them there.

The oven timer dinged.

Seth drew back, breathing hard. His lips were shiny, his eyes glassy.

Horus stared down at him, still wanting more. His body seemed to vibrate there.

“The cookies,” Seth said, quietly.

Horus wanted to let them all burn, but he pulled away to get them out of the oven and set the cookie sheets all on the counter. All the while he felt Seth behind him, watching.

They were lucky Horus didn’t spill anything in his haste.

When everything was done, Horus turned back to Seth and they gazed at each other for a while.

Seth finally stepped forward and grabbed Horus’ shirt, pulling him away from counter and back into a kiss against the far wall.

Seth

Seth leaned back against the apartment kitchen wall and wrapped his arms tightly around Horus, who leaned into him, for the kiss.

The air smelled like cinnamon and fresh cookies, but Seth didn’t care about them. He’d found learning to cook with Horus, seeing the younger god demonstrate his abilities, and another facet of how Horus had integrated himself within human culture intriguing. Odd, still, but Seth was learning to accept the oddities. Certainly, Horus was alive and seemingly thriving in this world, while Seth had come off an incredibly long stint of working on Ra’s sun boat, facing the consequences of his own actions.

On top of that, after missing so much with Osiris, Seth was hardly one to judge for what someone was meant to be doing or paying attention to in their life.

Horus’ left hand touched Seth’s right side, then smoothed down Seth’s clothes to Seth’s hip. Hot, firm fingers rounded around Seth’s ass, squeezing.

Seth shuddered in pleasure and then murmured into Horus’ mouth. His eyes were shut. His fingers threatened to turn to claws against Horus’ back. Not to wound, but because he was having trouble finding a proper equilibrium between patience and lust.

Back when Seth had been with Nephthys, they’d done out a lot: Nephthys was experimental and suggested a variety of things to try in bed. But Seth had to hold back at times, because he knew he was too strong. Nephthys was encouraging, but Seth always feared hurting her somehow.

Horus, though, pushed back into Seth, and the older god could feel the power in Horus’ body. Horus’ muscular chest pressed against Seth’s, to the point Seth could feel Horus’ chest rise and fall with his breathing.

Seth hadn’t stopped thinking about the demonstration at the dojo. Horus holding him. Seth knew it wasn’t the most professional – he’d certainly trained soldiers closely before, and nothing like this had happened then – but Horus pressed against him like this was entirely different from Seth’s imagination, or the brief, platonic touches in the studio. The air itself seemed full of heat.

Seth couldn’t pinpoint one specific moment where everything had changed. It felt sudden. It felt like forever. It felt good, too, the way Horus’ fingers moved down Seth’s right calf and rucked up Seth’s shorts.

Seth wasn’t sure he was allowed to feel good about this, after everything he’d done and failed to do, but he was too weak to resist it. He leaned into Horus’ fingers and raised his leg a little, groaning as Horus’ hand pressed under the fabric and caressed more of Seth’s skin.

Seth had been married to Nephthys for years. He was used to the difficulties of the battlefield and what soldiers turned to for comfort. He’d been on the sun boat and had many offers there for a bedmate, or something quick between shifts watching out for enemies. He’d always said no. Before, he hadn’t  been interested in anyone other than Nephthys, and later he wasn’t interested in things that way, not after Osiris, or his foolish night with Horus during the trial, and he didn’t trust any of the gods there for that. If he got off, it was on his own, in his room, where he felt no one could see him. Or at least no one said anything about it.

But here he was now, with Horus, again. Horus, who’d confessed to loving Seth for centuries. Who’d worked hard to free Seth from the sun boat. Who’d helped Seth reconnect with their family. Who didn’t stonewall Seth or try to manipulate him. Who helped where he could. Sat with Seth when Seth was feeling a bit too lonely but refused to admit to it. Had opened his home and spare time to Seth.

Horus, who was pushy but tried not to be. Unlike some of Seth’s other family, who seemed to realize ambushing him was the best solution to their problems. Horus simply invited Seth over, encouraging Seth to open up at his own pace.

Horus, who felt guilty for the things he’d done to Seth.

Horus’ middle finger pressed between Seth’s ass cheeks, teasing at the soft flesh within. The material of the shorts was tight against them both. Seth broke the kiss to press his head against Horus’ neck, embarrassed at his own neediness, but wanting more.

Horus hummed pleasantly.

“Just…” Seth said… “Be careful…” He could still recall the way Osiris mocked him. How Osiris said that Seth would get used to the pain. That he was actually enjoying it, when his body was just reacting and he was terrified.

Seth and Horus weren’t fighting for dominance this time. They were perhaps not the most clear-headed, but there was no battle for the throne anymore. No desperation in the dark, no mirror. All they had was a mutual want of each other.

Horus stopped moving his fingers before turning to press kisses to Seth’s neck.

Seth’s eyes widened in surprise.

“I will,” Horus said. “Let me know if anything hurts.”

Seth swallowed and nodded before saying, “I didn’t want you to stop.”

Horus chuckled before pressing his fingers forward a bit.

Seth used his sand powers to soften his insides a bit, inviting Horus to move forward rather than hesitate. Then he shut his eyes and tightened his grip on Horus’ back. He felt Horus press a finger inside of him. Seth’s body felt wound up, like it might explode into pieces at any moment.

Seth could feel Horus’ hard cock against his own. Seth knew he had admirers, but getting extra confirmation that Horus really was into this was… heady. It wasn’t like the lascivious looks some gods on the sun boat gave him, because Seth knew Horus far more intimately than most people. He knew Horus was genuine, despite everything they’d been through.

Horus’ finger thrust in and out, slowly.

Seth didn’t know when he started pushing back into it, which bumped their cocks together, too, but he noticed when Horus pulled out entirely, before returning with two fingers, fucking both of them inside Seth.

Seth hissed slightly and said, “This would be easier with the shorts off.” The friction as it was now was a mix of pleasant and too rough. His cock felt too trapped as Horus’ arm pulled against it.

“They practically trap me inside you,” Horus teased, making Seth shiver again. Horus was clearly happy with the set-up. “But if you want them off…?”

Seth used his sand to rip the material to shreds, letting Horus’ free hand push even deeper.

“Haah,” Seth said on one thrust. He wrapped his leg around Horus’ waist, holding him tightly. His red hair brushed his sweaty skin with each thrust.

“I liked you in them,” Horus said, a bit forlorn. “Though I do have recommendations for different ones, if you want.”

Seth laughed. “You imagine me in other shorts?”

“…Yes.”

Seth snorted as he replied, “You’re ridiculous.” He imagined wandering around the apartment wearing more clothes Horus picked out, with Horus trying to hide his hard-on.

It would definitely be amusing.

“You have a nice ass,” Horus said, thrusting his fingers and spreading them around. He added a third at last. “The way you move around in shorts is…” He swallowed thickly. “It looks good.” His voice then was very tight, and his thrusting grew a bit more erratic.

Seth grinned against the side of Horus’ face. “Well right now I want you of those pants of yours. It feels rude that I’m half-naked and you’re still fully clothed.”

Horus’ pants immediately fell to the floor, with only a wisp of wind lightly caressing Seth’s hair.

“So obedient,” Seth murmured, pleased. And so quick. He really is hungry for me.

Seth thought that was kind of cute.

Horus used his fingers in Seth’s ass to pull him closer and then upward, so that Horus’ cock gently rubbed the cleft of Seth’s ass.

Seth raised his left leg to wrap around Horus’ middle, pressing Horus’ cock downward a bit more. “You can put it in properly.” His body was practically thrumming at this point.

Horus breathed in deeply before pulling his fingers out, leaving Seth feeling empty. But Horus’ cock was quick to replace it, pressing inside.

Seth winced at the size of it, but it wasn’t too terrible, especially when he softened the way with his sand and Horus went somewhat slowly.

“Is that all right?” Horus asked, sounding worried.

Seth nodded, though he stayed as still as he could while he adjusted. “Just… move carefully… I’m not really used to it…” He knew his body reacted to it, and he’d since looked it up, at least after he realized he was physically reacting to Horus. There had been a lot of books and blogs on this kind of thing, and he’d gotten lost exploring for a few nights. He wanted answers for the world he’d only seen in glimpses: if his body was really interested in that, he needed to know all that he could.

He didn’t want a repeat of the night with Osiris. Or that first mistake with Horus. Knowing the mirror had affected Horus… it changed things. Horus wasn’t the same man Seth had met the last night they were together like this. They were both different. Every time they brushed each other in the kitchen, Seth could feel Horus’ aching want, rather than his shocked surprise that night Seth snuck into Horus’ room.

Seth had no interest in revenge. But he wanted so badly, in ways he couldn’t quite describe. He was glad Horus had eyes of his own, anyway.

Horus obeyed Seth’s earlier request and moved carefully as he slowly thrust deeper within Seth’s ass. His left hand held Seth’s right hip, and his right hand held Seth’s left thigh.

Seth’s back rested against the hard kitchen wall, and his face was buried in Horus’ shoulder. He measured his breathing. Horus’ cock wasn’t precisely pleasant so much as intrusive. But it didn’t hurt, either, which was an improvement.

Then Horus pressed deeper, and Seth’s hands tightened on Horus’ back as his breathing sped up.

“Did I hurt you?” Horus asked in alarm.

“Fuck,” Seth gasped, trying to focus. “Do that again! Do that… fuck—!”

Horus carefully withdrew before pressing back in at the same angle.

Seth moaned without thinking as a wave of pleasure went through him. His fingernails sharpened against Horus’ shirt, cutting into the cloth, as his body just reacted.

Horus’ breathing grew more labored and kept thrusting in at that angle, making Seth moan loudly each time in a way that went straight to his core, and gasp between each thrust.

Seth squeezed his hips around Horus’ cock, and felt his own cock leaking over his stomach.

“You feel good, Seth,” Horus said breathily. He squeezed Seth’s thigh. “So good…”

Seth laughed, not sure how to respond to that. Horus had only been angry and demanding the last time they were like this. And Osiris had focused on himself and how he felt Seth should feel.

Seth pulled his right hand back, reaching between them to grasp his own cock. He tried to time it with Horus’ movements, though he was a bit distracted by Horus’ breath on his shoulder. He was so close to release, he could nearly taste it.

He couldn’t have imagined a life like this after the sun boat. He thought he’d be trapped there forever, or sent to some other horrible punishment. And even when Ra had let him go, he’d thought that’s what this place was. Being trapped by the man who’d defeated him. Humiliated him in different ways. The son of the man who’d destroyed him.

But Horus cradled him close, now, like Seth was precious. He pressed his lips against Seth’s neck, like he was hungry and Seth was the perfect meal. His cock thrust deep inside Seth, out, and back in again, almost like Seth was made for him, and sent pleasure through Seth’s body.

Horus was handsome and kind, and wanted to help Seth work through his issues, and Seth still wasn’t sure he deserved this. He imagined Maat or Isis could pop up any moment and scream at him, and tell him he’d earned worse punishment for what he was doing: corrupting the better god fucking his way inside Seth’s body.

Nut and Nephthys had both encouraged him to reach out when he wanted something. Geb had said he was proud of what Seth was doing. Anubis was happy Seth was back.

Seth’s eyes were wet. Was he really happy he was back? Was this a mistake he was making because he’d dared to think, for a second, that maybe being here wasn’t a mistake?

“Seth?” Horus asked as he slowed his thrusting. “What’s wrong?” He sounded worried again.

“Don’t stop,” Seth said as he squeezed himself and Horus harder. “Keep going. Please.”

Horus hesitated for just a moment, before returning to his thrusts.

Seth shut his eyes just in time for pleasure to rip through him, and he cried out as he finally came, spilling into his hand.

Horus’ hips sped up, and Seth felt when Horus released inside of him. But he was too distant from it all to care.

The release kept him floaty and made him sag into Horus’ grip, grateful the younger god was strong.

He wondered if he’d ruined the cooking lesson.

“You couldn’t ruin it,” Horus said, making Seth realize he’d spoken aloud. “You were perfect.” Horus turned his head to kiss the right side of Seth’s brow. “Thank you.”

Seth didn’t know that he could be perfect. He hadn’t protected Nephthys. He’d doubted her for the wrong reasons. He’d struck out at Nut, ignored his father, hurt Anubis… But he liked that Horus thought better of him. He liked that Horus allowed Seth to want better than he was, better than he’d had in the past.

He liked that, at least for a moment, he could have better.

Seth

They did eventually get cleaned up and try the cookies, which turned out quite good. Horus was highly pleased that Seth enjoyed them and even asked for more.

This of course led to more kissing and Seth insisting they move out of the kitchen, which led to Horus asking, very seriously, which room Seth would like to go to.

Seth gave it some thought and decided on his own bedroom: he didn’t want to try Horus’ yet. Bringing Horus into his room was… significant, as he was letting Horus even deeper into what little privacy he had, but not something Seth couldn’t work through at a later date. They’d already fucked in the kitchen, after all, and Horus knew most of Seth’s secrets: Seth wasn’t sure what else there was to hide.

Horus was happy to oblige.

They spent much of the day together, with Horus cancelling his meetings and Seth discovering just how much thousands of years of being pent up was difficult for both of them. It was fun, exhilarating, and more than he’d expected when he’d gone for it in the kitchen.

Eventually, Seth fell asleep, too tired to keep going, and Horus stayed behind him, close but not pushy, spooned up against him, his arms wrapped around Seth’s middle. It was comfortable and warm, and Seth tried not to think about what it meant that he wanted Horus there, behind him, making sure he wasn’t alone.

Reminding him that it wasn’t bad to be here. To be happy here. That he was welcome.

Seth woke up at one point to gaze at the curtains of his bedroom. The room was dark: Horus had turned off the light at one point. Seth still felt tired.

His phone had buzzed, quietly, where it sat on the nightstand, since Seth had forgotten to turn it off. He’d ignored it during his time with Horus, but he’d rested seemingly long enough for the noise to wake him in the silence.

Seth reached out to pick the phone up, and saw he had a message from an unknown number.

[Unknown]: Hey! This is Bastet, wanted to check in

Seth stared at it, wondering if he was imagining things.

[Unknown]: Mom said I could get a break from the sun boat, and I planned to spend some time in the city. Wanna hang?

Seth clutched the phone and felt his breath shudder. It seemed like it really was her. He wondered who’d given her his number.

But when she didn’t keep sending messages, he wasn’t sure what else to say. Should he ignore her? She wasn’t like one of his immediate family members, or Horus. She was…

Seth didn’t know, really. Bastet had been a companion during his time on the sun boat. Perhaps not exactly a friend, but one of the closest things he had to one. She watched over him, to a degree. But she could be antagonistic and testy, just like everyone else. She was dangerous, and Seth never forgot it. He didn’t precisely trust her, either. She was Ra’s daughter, after all, and Ra had caused all sorts of trouble for Egypt, and was keeping him prisoner on the sun boat.

And he wasn’t sure he wanted to see Bastet. He wasn’t sure why she wanted to see him, either. He imagined she’d be glad she didn’t have to watch out for him anymore. The last time they’d talked, he’d rejected an offer of food from her: something she’d brought from the human world recently.

She’d laughed and said he needed to lighten up.

And then he’d left for his probation. It felt like lifetimes ago.

Horus nuzzled Seth’s neck before asking, “Something wrong?”

Seth’s face burned a little. It had been thousands of years since he’d been in bed with someone, like a couple, and with everything they’d done, he hadn’t fully processed it yet.

But Horus had asked a question, so Seth swallowed and said, “Bastet texted me. She wants to meet.”

Horus paused what he was doing. His arms were still wrapped around Seth’s midsection, and he stayed tucked up against Seth’s side. “Did she say when? Or why?”

“She’s going to be in town,” Seth said, gazing at his phone without quite seeing it.

“…Do you want to see her?” Horus asked.

Seth put his phone back and then breathed in deeply. “I don’t know.”

“You don’t have to see her if you don’t want to,” Horus continued, squeezing Seth a little. “You can just say no to her.”

“Do you think I shouldn’t see her?” Seth asked, wondering if Horus could take the decision out of his hands.

“I think you should do what you’d like to do,” Horus said, unhelpfully. “I’m not going to make the choice for you, either way.”

Seth thought that over a bit. It didn’t help him much, though he was glad Horus wasn’t running amok over his life any more than he already had. “Do you know her well? She used to leave the sun boat to come to visit the living sometimes.”

“We aren’t close,” Horus said. “But I have worked with her on occasion. I also used to ask her for information about how you were doing, but she was very close-mouthed about it.”

Seth frowned. “You wanted intel on me?”

“I was worried,” Horus insisted. He didn’t sound all that ashamed. “I just wanted information that would tell me about your well-being. That was all. Bastet never said anything, other than that you were alive and fighting enemies for Ra.”

Seth supposed he might have to be grateful to Bastet for staying quiet about him. Though he wasn’t sure what secrets she could share, anyway. She’d seen him in numerous states of disarray over the years. At worst, it would be a way to get his enemies to mock him. And Horus wasn’t the type of person to do that.

“And what if she’d told you anything?” Seth asked. “What if she told you about some of the times I struggled? The times I was injured? The times she and the other gods beat me in combat?” A never-ending stream of humiliations. He’d earned it, so he had to accept it. That didn’t mean he liked it.

“I’d have been angry,” Horus said, leaning his head against Seth’s. Seth could feel his muscular torso. “I would say I’d have pushed harder for your freedom, but I already pushed as hard as I could.”

“You don’t even know everything that happened to me,” Seth said, smiling softly in the dark, where he knew Horus couldn’t see him. It was still nice to hear. Even if he’d just jumped like an idiot into this physicality, he liked hearing that.

“I’ve heard stories about the sun boat,” Horus said. “Bastet isn’t the only god outside you who’s worked there. And I did hear some things about you, though I didn’t know how much was exaggeration.”

Seth almost didn’t want to know. He assumed it was all exaggeration.

Horus sighed and continued, “But I took whatever I could find. I just… wanted to know.” He leaned his head against the back of Seth’s head. “I wanted…” He breathed in deeply, tickling the softer skin of Seth’s neck. “I wanted…” His voice was full of pain and longing. Though his body was also demonstrating itself in other ways…

Seth felt Horus’ cock nudge inside of him again, and grunted. He pushed back on it, pulling Horus deeper and encouraging Horus to thrust faster. The bed creaked around them and Seth clutched at the bedsheets, knowing they were making a mess. He didn’t want Horus to be distressed over the things they’d missed out on. He didn’t want to focus on the regret.

He had too much as it was. And he hated that he’d been such a big part of Horus’ regrets. His pain. If Seth could give anything back to Horus… he wanted to do this.

And it was easier to fall into climax than focus on the messy nature of his former companions. He felt his release wrap around him, turn him into a tight cord, and then snap him in two, making him gasp and moan in pleasure.

The bedsheet before him was a mess, and he pulled back from it a little. He was too tired to clean properly.

Horus stayed inside of him, in a way that was almost uncomfortable. But Seth re-ordered his body structure to make it less irritating. Eventually, he relaxed against Horus, letting his mind drift on a sea of soft pleasure.

“I didn’t mean to focus so much on me,” Horus said as he pressed forward to kiss Seth’s neck. “You just… drive me crazy whenever I’m near you.”

Seth chuckled. “You sound so young.” He knew Horus wasn’t young, but still. He made it seem like everything was so simple: just being together, and ignoring thousands of years of pain.

“This is all so new,” Horus said, and Seth could hear the smile in his voice. “Being with you like this… I’ve dreamed of it. But the reality is entirely new.”

It was new for them both. Seth remembered gentler days he’d had with Nephthys, where they’d both explored each other, though they often had duties to attend to eventually, or Anubis to distract them. He remembered how they withdrew from each other: Seth first, and later Nephthys.

He wondered if that would happen with Horus. If Seth’s paranoia would shove him away eventually. It made Seth afraid: he didn’t think he’d fear losing this so much. And he barely had it!

“If you want to go meet her,” Horus said, calling Seth back from his dark thoughts, “we can set up a meeting. Mother doesn’t like Ra’s daughters much, but she’s gotten on better with Maat in recent centuries.”

And Seth knew that Isis knew that Bastet wasn’t Seth’s ally. Ra’s children couldn’t be trusted, even Maat, who was somewhat apart from the rest. Even Shu fit right alongside his sisters, mostly keeping silent so he could hide any plans he had. He was still a deadly spearman, and when he and Tefnut sparred, Seth knew that, were one of them less skilled, someone would be dead. And Shu could pull the air away from an enemy, strangling them to death.

Seth supposed he was curious about what Bastet wanted. Why she’d think visiting him would be a good idea. And he knew Bastet had a way of needling her way to what she wanted. It was always better to confront her head on than avoid her.

“I’ll go,” Seth said. He wasn’t looking forward to it, but he was a god of war: he confronted his problems head-on. “I’ll see her.”

The meeting was arranged for about a week later at an outdoor café. Seth and Horus walked up to see Bastet sitting in a corner table, watching people pass her by. She grinned and waved at the pair as they approached.

It was sunny, but the table was under an umbrella for shade. Bastet didn’t wear her headdress, just like the other gods: her short, dark brown hair looked neat and almost shiny, and her golden eyes sparkled. She wore a long white blouse and fine golden pants, and leaned back heavily on the chair. A gold and black cat necklace hung around her neck.

Seth and Horus walked over and sat with her, and the waiter arrived to take their drink order.

Bastet grinned bright sharp white teeth at Horus. “So, it’s been a while since we talked. Babysitting duty, is it?”

Seth had spent thousands of years learning to listen to and ignore Bastet’s barbs, and he found that, even being back amongst other people, many of whom somehow cared for him, he still had his armor. So he ignored it.

“Seth is not a child,” Horus said, his expression hard as he gazed back at Bastet. “But I do have to ensure he sticks to his probation.”

Bastet raised an eyebrow at Seth. “And you’re into that?” She was niggling at him, like she used.

“I manage,” Seth said, letting his hand rest around his cup of water. Even here, he could smell cigarette smoke and car fumes. He’d slowly adjusted to it, but he wondered if he’d ever get over how awful it all was. Even Horus’ home occasionally smelled of the different chemicals humans kept around, now that Seth knew what to look for. Though Horus kept fewer artificial scents since Seth pointed out they made his nose itch. “What is it you want, Bastet?”

Bastet made a sad sound and began, “And I came all this way to see you! How rude!”

Seth gave her an unimpressed look. “Trying to imitate Sekhmet will win you no favors.” He was just glad she hadn’t bothered him. Yet, anyway.

Bastet snorted at that and sat up a little straighter. “As if! I really just wanted to check on you, see how you’re settling back in. We all took bets for how long it’d take you to come back.” Her grin widened. “You’ve made a lot of people unhappy.”

Seth imagined that was inevitable. The gambling pool on the sun boat was a strange thing, with immortals betting on who could do the most kills, who would be injured, who would manage to attack in this or that way, what would attack them… It was a lot of immortals with too much time on their hands, basically.

And of course they didn’t believe he could stick it out in virtual freedom. He was the god of evil and chaos, after all.

“Though mostly people just miss having you around,” Bastet continued, surprising him. “You brought a lot of life to the place.”

“Sorry you’re all missing out on easy entertainment,” Seth said, drily. He knew they got a lot of laughter out of his failings.

She waved him off dismissively. “It’s not just that you were funny! You were impressive, too. People thought you had a lot of gumption, pushing as hard as you did, even against the gravitational force of the boat, Apep, and Osiris… A lot of people have noticed things just seem so dull without you there.”

It wasn’t quite what he’d expected, and he wasn’t sure how to react to it.

“Heck,” Bastet continued, “a lot of us miss you, you know? Shesmu’s had no one to tease and he gets more annoyed in combat these days, or to test his culinary skills against, because he used to try to find things you’d eat. And Tefnut and Shu have talked about making more trips to the humans, to see all their descendants. They never really did that before you showed up.”

Seth’s eyes widened. “But they… didn’t like me.” They were always threatening. They made sure he remembered all the terrible things he'd done during his reign. There were a number of gods on the sun boat whose temples he'd destroyed.

Bastet snorted. “Who do you think made sure the servants went down to look after you when you were injured? Yeah, Tefnut and Shu weren’t exactly like you and your siblings when it came to family, but they still tried to make sure you were okay. And Shesmu is proud of his cooking: he likes providing for people.”

Seth didn’t remember that at all. He’d tried to keep to himself apart from the others as much as possible. Nut had certainly never mentioned it.

“And Mehen always liked your sand creations,” Bastet continued. “He used to rate them with Ra, and he liked your creativity.”

Seth was getting a very weird impression of people he thought he knew somewhat well, as distant allies and sometimes enemies. It reminded him uncomfortably of what he’d thought of Osiris.

And how he’d made the same mistake, apparently. Though he wasn’t sure what he could have done differently if he’d known there were some semi-positives to his stay on the sun boat. He would still have been wary of everyone. His grandparents, Shesmu, Mehen, Bastet… everyone was dangerous, and they’d found ways to ensure he knew that.

But I never really talked that deeply to any of them, he though. Like with Nephthys, before Osiris died. Or even afterward. And if I had talked to them…

Well, he had his time back among the living to show for it. He got messages from his parents somewhat regularly, as well as messages and calls from his son and ex-wife. And here he was with Horus, warm at his side.

Horus’ right hand rested on the chair armrest very close to Seth’s left arm.

Seth wondered if he’d ever learn the lesson properly.

“I didn’t know,” Seth finally said. “I thought people generally disliked me.”

Bastet snorted and said, “Well when you were new, maybe. But you proved yourself time and again.”

Seth couldn’t say he remembered any of that with fondness. His time on the sun boat had been full of danger at every turn. He’d nearly died many a time. And whenever he’d been injured, it had taken some time to heal. Worrying over what Osiris was doing to Anubis, and what Osiris might do the next time they’d run into each other nearly drove him mad, until he started to accept it was an unavoidable part of his life. He’d just beat the other god and return the next day to do it again. And perhaps again and again until eternity, or he figured out how to dissolve himself permanently.

“But you seem happier here,” Bastet said, gazing at him thoughtfully. “You don’t have that bleak look you always had.”

Seth frowned, not sure what she was talking about.

“Whatever you’re doing,” Bastet said, “Keep doing it. It seems to be doing well for you.” She sounded encouraging and oddly genuine.

Seth thought of his family up here. His time at the dojo. His chats online with different martial arts instructors. The books he was reading, many of which were just for fun, after thousands of years of passing the time with sleep or combat. All the art he could explore.

He thought of Horus, and their long nights together. How Horus reminded him how fervent his devotion was. What it was like to be wanted.

“I plan to,” Seth said, quietly. He gazed up at Bastet’s firm look. A look that used to make him worry about what she had up her sleeve, like the times she’d left him to defend himself against great numbers, even if she’d insisted she had no choice at the time. And he still didn’t know if she was going to do something with this. Maybe she’d report back to Ra, talking about how Seth and Horus were too friendly. And Ra could talk to Maat and Maat would talk to Isis and then—

“Seth?” Horus asked, sounding worried.

Seth looked at Horus, who was gazing at him with those beautiful blue eyes. And Seth found calm there. Support. Horus’ right hand rested on Seth’s hand now.

“Are you all right?” Horus asked.

“I’m fine,” Seth said. He looked back at Bastet, who was looking between them in confusion.

Seth and Horus hadn’t fully discussed what to make of their relationship in public. But Seth had said they should probably keep things quiet for a time. Everyone knew Seth was on probation under Horus’ watch, and it would do neither of them any favors to have the relationship made public.

But in his distraction, he’d forgotten. Or Horus had. Or both. Though Horus was the one who was meant to see ahead and be careful.

Horus nodded and pulled his hand back, though his expression was still worried.

Seth felt a bit worried, too, as he gazed back at Bastet. He was glad that he wasn’t entirely unwanted on the sun boat, much as he couldn’t understand it, but he valued what he was building with Horus and among the humans more. Horus had spent only a fraction of the time Seth knew him being an enemy. Seth spent thousands of years on the sun boat learning to survive.

“I appreciate the information,” Seth said. “But I don’t intend to return any time soon. Is that what you were planning to ask me?”

Bastet scoffed and said, “Never! Though if you were doing worse, maybe. But I think you’re okay.”

Seth wondered what she expected him to do about it.

“So what have you been up to, otherwise,” Bastet asked, reaching out to rotate her glass of water. “What’s keeping you so good here?”

Seth faked a smile, and didn’t look at Horus as he started talking in an abridged version of what he’d seen during his probation. After everything he’d learned about Hathor and Ra in his absence, he knew he didn’t need to tell Bastet everything. Especially because she’d just repeat it to everyone on the sun boat.

Bastet seemed content to listen, only interrupting infrequently.

Horus calmed a little, but Seth could still feel him there, ready to move.

Seth marveled at that: having someone on his side this way.

It made him want to grin, and he had to force himself not to do it too much. They’d already given too much away.

Seth

Seth’s feelings cooled on the way back to Horus’ apartment. He was still glad to know he had more people on his side than he thought, and he was grateful Horus was there to support him. He thought of Bastet and her teasing, talking about people who missed Seth. He thought of everything he’d missed while he’d been on the sun boat, and Bastet’s encouragement to keep up what he was doing that made him happier.

Memories he’d tried to ignore while he’d been back among the humans and other gods were resurfacing, and sending him down dark roads, no matter how much Bastet promised him he was missed.

He thought of Horus, dancing around him. Who’d supported him all the way. After everything Seth had done. Everything Horus had forgiven him for.

And he thought of how he’d ended up on the sun boat in the first place. How fragile things still were.

Once they were back in the apartment, Seth walked to the living room, knowing Horus was following him, and it was awkward to talk about things in the entryway. Once he was near the couch, he turned to face Horus, who stopped before him.

Afternoon light shone in through the windows, bathing the room in a soft glow. On the sun boat, it never got dark. Ra’s power reached everywhere, even the cabins where people slept, or attempted to sleep. But here, it didn’t feel as invasive.

Paranoia would have had him believe Ra could see him here, but he’d spent too many centuries fighting her before he went to the sun boat, and the sun boat had illuminated even more that Ra couldn’t see everything. She just shone and let others in her path flourish or burn as they would.

Seth was the desert: he could survive the sun’s heat, where other people failed. But what about when that strength pushed the people he cared about away? When it shielded him from even the smaller kindnesses, let alone the bigger ones?

“What’s wrong?” Horus asked.

“That was a close one,” Seth said. “We nearly… That could have been bad.” Bastet could still ruin things for them if she talked about their relationship to the wrong person. No matter what she said about the sun boat, Seth was still wary.

Horus nodded. “That’s true. But I thought it went well.”

Seth could have let it go. He could have just let them sit together and watch movies or something. But avoiding talking about how he was feeling had ruined so much else in his life… And he couldn’t avoid the thought anymore, not after what had been running through his head on the walk home.

“Why haven’t you brought up all the times I called you a coward?” Seth asked. Things just weren’t adding up in his head. He’d talked about a lot of things with Horus since they’d gotten together, but not that.

Horus blinked down at him, clearly surprised by the question. “I… hadn’t thought about it much.”

Seth frowned, frustrated by Horus’ distraction. “You hadn’t thought about…?! I called you a coward!” Seth would have been incensed by that. It had led to a number of fights on the sun boat. He’d thought of several of them on their walk back. Memories he’d been avoiding as he adjusting to having Horus closer in his life.

But Bastet’s appearance was a sign he couldn’t run away from it all. Even now, he felt like what he’d built up here was a farce. That the reason he’d been doing so well was that he was running away from himself. Pretending.

Horus was strong, but was he strong enough for whatever was coming their way? Was he strong enough for Seth when he let loose?

Horus, for some bizarre reason, smiled. “I’ve been called far worse over the centuries, often in defense of you. And when I traveled with my mother as a child, we had to do terrible things to survive. “Coward” barely rates in comparison.”

Seth grimaced at that, not wanting to know all the terrible things gods and humans could come up to call someone: he’d heard enough on the sun boat. But the idea that Horus had faced worse defending Seth, pushing for Seth’s freedom…

It was difficult to fathom. And it made Horus’ reaction so bizarre. Seth had to bear with it on the sun boat for survival, but Horus didn’t.

“Why are you bringing this up?” Horus asked.

“Because the people on the sun boat…” Seth began. He ran a hand through his hair. “I was harsh with them. But Bastet said that they… that they didn’t entirely dislike me. And I just… I don’t understand.” He breathed in heavily. “We said far worse things to each other than calling each other cowards, and yet some of them miss me, and I just…”

He hadn’t cared about them. He’d been furious with Nut, and his grandparents were strangers. He hadn’t wanted to die. Making friends hadn’t even been on his list of priorities. Let alone…

Let alone what he had with Horus. Yes, they were happy now, but what about in a week? A month? A year?

“People are complicated,” Horus said in the silence when Seth was struggling to figure out how to continue. “But you knew them for a long time. It seems like they grew to care for you in some capacity, too.”

“That’s the problem, though,” Seth said, hugging his arms around himself. “I loved Nephthys. But I doubted her for years before I even knew I’d lost her, even ignoring the spell. And it’s my fault for doubting her, not hers. And she insisted it’s not my fault or that I wasn’t as bad as I remember, but I think she’s being too generous. I remember how I was. And it drew us apart perhaps almost as much as what Osiris did.” He remembered how he was on the sun boat. He couldn’t forget.

“You’ll never know that for sure,” Horus said. “I’ve talked to Nephthys, about her behavior after the spell was enacted. About her fears and the lying. I suspect some part of you sensed the changes in her behavior, and you withdrew somewhat as a result. If the spell hadn’t happened, you might have been happy together.”

“But I didn’t have to be cruel to her,” Seth insisted. That was all him. Not any miscommunication.

“She said you weren’t as bad as you think you were,” Horus replied, firmly.

“That’s not—!” Seth sighed, angrily. “The point is, I just…” He turned aside, angry. “I don’t even know. I just don’t see how you can forgive it. Even if you’ve been through worse.” The people on the sun boat had to live and survive with him. Horus could have Seth out of his hair at any time. How did love compensate for all that? How could it?

Bastet’s visit had reminded him that he just didn’t know himself or the people around him. Or how much he could damage everything if he screwed up again. If he was himself again.

“You’ve tried to kill me,” Horus said. “On multiple occasions. If I can move past that, I’m not sure how I can’t move past some words spoken when you were rightfully angry.”

Seth didn’t have a reply to that.

“Without meaning offense,” Horus began, carefully, “I understand that kind of language would hurt you. You’re a very proud god, and it seems like Osiris struck you where he knew you would be most vulnerable. But we’re not the same person, Seth. I’m proud, too, but not in a way that such a thing would hurt me.”

“I understand,” Seth said, even if that wasn’t entirely true. “But I keep doing this to people who care about me. To Nephthys, to the people on the sun boat, to you… I keep… I keep ruining things.” If he’d been less hostile, would have been slept easier on the sun boat? Would he have accepted leaving?

And if he was so oblivious, what was to stop him screwing up without realizing it?

“You don’t ruin things,” Horus insisted.

“You couldn’t ruin it.”, Horus said in Seth’s memory. “You were perfect.”

“I tried to ruin Egypt!” Seth said, turning around to glare at Horus, whose eyes widened in surprise at Seth’s reaction. “I tried to hurt Isis. I hurt Anubis. How can you all insist I deserve affection when I clearly don’t?! After everything I’ve done!” The people on the sun boat were bored and delusional. That had to be it… “I fought all the people Bastet was talking about… but if I was so wrong about them, I just…”

If he and Horus kept being close, Seth would find a way to ruin them, too. He’d known Nephthys a long time before he began screwing things up with her. Horus and Seth had only known each other closely for relatively little time. What if something happened in the future? What if—?

Horus stepped forward slowly and then reached out to brush tears away from Seth’s eyes. “You doubt yourself too much. You think you’re not worth loving.”

Seth breathed in deeply. It was the end of everything in his heart. Why he pulled away from Nephthys due to his work. The way he feared Anubis following in his footsteps. The way he even hid parts of himself from Isis.

“You are worth loving, Seth,” Horus said, despite the storm in Seth’s chest. He caressed Seth’s cheek. “Osiris manipulated you for centuries. And you did difficult things no other gods were able to do while protecting Egypt, in war and on the sun boat.”

“That’s not…” Seth swallowed. His voice felt thin. “I had to. I couldn’t do anything else.”

“And if you didn’t do those things, then who?” Horus asked. “My parents couldn’t have gone to war like you did. Even my father, who defeated Ra, didn’t go to war to defend Egypt afterward. Nephthys didn’t. The other gods outside you siblings didn’t. You defended Egypt and its people. You put yourself on the line and witnessed horror and went home to rest before returning again and again. I’ve seen the stories in my mother’s writing. I’ve heard her tales and Nephthys’ tales. I’ve heard your allies talking about you. And Bastet’s words only confirm that to me.”

Seth felt shaky. “And if I push you away again? What then?” He realized he was more afraid of that than anything else, still. This thing between them felt so fragile and new. What if it was just a phase? What if he returned to his normal self and started destroying everything again?

“Then we handle that then,” Horus said, which wasn’t really reassuring. “But I don’t see how that will happen. You’re acting like it’s in your nature to be cruel, when, from all that I’ve seen and heard, it’s not. You’re protective – that’s in your nature. You protected Egypt. You protected your family from your work. You protected yourself from pain. If I ever hurt you again, I’d understand you protecting yourself from me again.”

Seth doubted that would happen. “You spoil me too much.”

“I enjoy it,” Horus said, fondly. “I think you deserve, it, too.” He moved forward to lean his forehead against Seth’s and shut his eyes. “I want to spoil you now, after hearing you’re worried about pushing me away.”

Seth’s cheeks warmed. At some point he’d become afraid of losing Horus. He wasn’t sure when. But Horus kept him sane.

“Do you love me?” Horus asked quietly. “Is that why? You fear you push away and harm the people you love, and you’re worried you might do the same with me?” He sounded hopeful.

Seth’s throat felt tight. He wasn’t sure how to respond.

“Because I still love you,” Horus said as he wrapped his arms around Seth. “And…” his voice grew shaky. “If you felt the same…”

Seth tried to measure his own breathing.

“You don’t have to say it,” Horus said, eventually. He still sounded a bit disappointed.

Seth was angry at that. He turned his face up and pressed their lips together. His balled his hands in Horus’ shirt, keeping him close.

Horus pressed back against him, squeezing him just a little.

When Seth broke the kiss, he said, “I… I do care for you, Horus.” Was it love? He didn’t know. It seemed like more than you could squish into one word, but less, too. “I…” He breathed in deeply. “I worry about losing you. Not just because you keep this apartment and make sure I don’t return to the sun boat. But because… because…” He was kind and generous. Affectionate and sweet. Thoughtful.

He reminded Seth when he was being a panicky fool, like now. Bastet had brought back his mindset on the sun boat: having to watch his every move, not trusting anything around him.

Not Horus, who’d offered everything he had. Who’d worked hard to prove he could support Seth in all the ways that mattered.

“You’re everything I want and don’t deserve,” Seth said, quietly. “I just…” He didn’t know. He was afraid of who would find them next. He imagined Isis would come calling, and he didn’t think she’d be as willing to forgive old issues as everyone else Seth had come across during his probation.

“Then I’ll remind you that you deserve better as much as I can,” Horus said. He kissed Seth’s forehead. “If you get sick of it, you’ll have to tell me, though.”

Seth wasn’t sure he’d bother. It made him uncomfortable.

“Because otherwise I’m going to keep telling you how amazing you are,” Horus said. “How handsome you are. How cute you can be.”

“Cute?!” Seth said, confused.

Horus grinned. “Your face you make when you’re annoyed with something minor, or you go on rants about martial arts, is really adorable. And you have this soft look you make when you like what you’re hearing… It makes me want to kiss you every time.”

Really? Seth thought, confused. I… look cute?

“And you’re so smart and good at what you put your mind to,” Horus said, his expression growing softer. “You’ve adapted well to the modern human world. You get angrier at less than I thought, and you’re good at setting boundaries. The Internet certainly isn’t for the faint of heart, and you’ve taken well to it.”

“It’s not easy,” Seth noted, feeling embarrassed. “Mostly I just back off from things that seem weird and ask you too many questions…” At times he felt too weak. Too useless. Martial arts training was one thing, but the rest? He lacked experience and knowledge.

“I don’t mind your questions,” Horus said. “I’m glad you feel comfortable asking them.”

Seth sighed, still frustrated.

Horus leaned their foreheads together again. “Why don’t I show you how much I care about you?” His right hand moved down Seth’s side. “You don’t have to work until tomorrow, anyway.”

Seth shivered a bit as he tracked Horus’ hand. “In the bedroom, then. Not on the floor.”

Horus grinned and pulled Seth towards his bedroom. There, they undressed and Horus took his time kissing every part of Seth he could reach, leaving Seth shaky and wanting.

As Seth watched Horus pressing a line of kisses down Seth’s lower stomach, Seth said, quietly, “I shouldn’t have called you a coward.”

Horus looked up at him, his blue eyes bright in the lowered room lights. His hands rested around Seth’s bare hips, pressing Seth into the covers.

“I still disagree with keeping Osiris’ crimes private,” Seth said, turning his head away. “But it’s not like I ever did anything about it myself, when I’ve had ample opportunity.” He hadn’t told anyone before returning from the sun boat. And it wasn’t like anyone he’d spoken to had shared the secret, either. A few private individuals weren’t bringing Osiris to justice. “I think Nephthys and Anubis are owed justice. But… you are brave. In other ways.” He couldn’t change the past. He wouldn’t return to the sun boat for the people and difficult relationships he’d left behind there. But…

“What do you mean?” Horus asked, still watching him. His gaze was thoughtful.

“You still reached out to me,” Seth said. “Despite all my rejection. My attacks. Despite how difficult it was.” He’d been listening to what Anubis and Nephthys had been telling him since he’d started talking with them again more, and reading between the lines of that and what Horus told him. Things were hard for Horus for a long time.

“You persevered,” Seth continued. “Where other people would give up.” He smiled softly. “And I haven’t forgotten that you wanted me to have freedom, not be in your debt.”

“A bare minimum,” Horus said, dismissively. “You don’t owe me for that.”

“I don’t,” Seth said. “But it’s brave to look at an enemy and hope for them to be better. I… I tried, for so many years. For Osiris. For Isis. I gave up.” It was part of why he hadn’t trusted the people on the sun boat.

He smiled sadly. “A part of me wanted things to go back to the way they were. And I drowned that part of me, because it was just pain.” He’d wanted his siblings back. The world that had been taken from him. Not the strangers he had to contend with.

“You couldn’t have known about Osiris,” Horus said. “And Mother still struggles with her own pain.”

“That’s not the point,” Seth said, annoyed. He didn’t want to think about Isis: that would only send him spiraling in another direction. “To persist, regardless… I respect that. You’re not a coward.” He breathed in deeply. “And maybe we’ll figure out something to do with Nephthys. You helped me. Maybe I can help you.” Even though he hadn’t the faintest idea how.

Horus grinned brightly at him. “I appreciate the help!”

Seth scowled at him. “I haven’t done anything yet.”

“But you have ideas.”

Seth looked away. He had an inkling of something, with all the gods who’d reached out to him. All the ones he’d spoken to. He didn’t want to make a move of any kind yet, and he was unsure Nephthys would be willing. But… he didn’t know.

“I’m tired,” Seth said instead, letting his head fall back on the pillows. He hoped sleep would wash away all his anxiety, even though it seldom did. ”Weren’t you busy with something?”

Horus chuckled before moving his head back down to press his lips to Seth’s skin again.

Maybe I can do more good here, Seth thought as he shut his eyes under Horus’ ministrations. Maybe there’s a reason I came back.

Hope was still a strange thing to him. He wondered how long it would last. But he was glad Horus was with him for it. And he’d do his best to protect this thing they had, if Horus was unwilling to let Seth destroy it.

He returned to the dojo the next day, as ever, and his students were happy to see him. Horus was sitting on the windowsill in his bird form, watching. Seth felt more relaxed than he had the previous day, even with a text message from Bastet arriving shortly after he woke up.

No invites out this time. Just talking about her day after they parted ways: she liked to explore at night, and ended up in interesting places. It was like she was really trying to be a friend, like she’d seemed at their meet-up.

And Seth was polite and attempted to be friendly, too. He wasn’t the same person he was on the sun boat: she’d been right about that. And he was interesting in seeing who he could be. He wouldn’t forget everything that had happened there, but he didn’t have to pretend he couldn’t move past at least some of it, too.

The class went well: the kids were exuberant and paying attention. They reminded him of Anubis when he’d been younger, and somehow it didn’t hurt as much. Possibly because Anubis was still in touch, making him feel wanted in similar ways to Horus, Nephthys, and the rest.

After the class, some of the parents came by to pick up their children, but one unfamiliar figure stood apart, and Seth’s eyes went to him immediately.

He stood near the building’s entryway: an older man wearing a white head covering and clothes similar to many men Seth passed in the streets he walked with Horus. But he wasn’t going to any of the children. He watched Seth with dark eyes.

For some reason, the building security ignored him.

Seth walked over to the man, wondering just who’d shown up to bother him now. “Can I help you?”

The man smiled brightly at him. Up close, he was clearly older, perhaps in his early or late 60s – Seth was getting better at telling age with humans, though it was still difficult, given the variation and results of modern food and medicine. The stranger’s dark beard was long, and his face was wrinkled. “Perhaps. My name is Kuentamen, and I’d like to talk to you.”

Horus

Horus knew something was wrong when Seth walked up to the strange human at the dojo. Mostly, the humans who entered the building were quite normal, and Horus wasn’t worried about Seth protecting himself. But there was something particularly off about this man. Some odd aura he didn’t recognize, and his intuition was warning him about it.

Horus flew out an open window and into an alley to shapeshift into his humanoid form and quickly walked up to the building’s entrance, pushing through the crowd. He was worried about Seth.

Thousands of years on the sun boat and Seth’s own experience as a war god likely prepared him for confrontation, but he hadn’t been attacked while under Horus’ protection. And Horus meant to keep it that way.

He was in time to see Seth still standing with the stranger, eying him with a frown. Seth’s posture was generally neutral, allowing him easy maneuverability to fight if necessary.

“Perhaps we could get a bite to eat?” the human said as Horus walked up.

“Or we could talk here,” Horus said, his gaze hard. He walked over to stand beside Seth, daring the human to try something.

The human looked at him sharply. He seemed irritated at Horus’ interference, which was good.

The entryway was mostly cleared out, with parents ushering the last of the children home.

Seth glanced at Horus before meeting the human’s gaze again. “This is my friend, Horus. Horus, this is Kuentamen. And I think I’ll stick with Horus’ suggestion, Kuentamen.”

“What I have to say is… better for fewer ears,” Kuentamen continued, meeting Seth’s gaze with a warm smile. He was trying to butter Seth up, and just ended up sounding off-putting.

“You’re not selling yourself very well,” Seth said, clearly unimpressed. “I think you should leave.”

Kuentamen chuckled and said, “I can’t exactly do that, particularly now that I’ve approached you.”

“And what do you expect will happen?” Seth asked, raising his right eyebrow as he did. “Whatever you are, you’re still weaker than I am. This encounter doesn’t go well for you if you stay.”

Horus glanced at the last of the humans walking out, leaving the area empty. He used a spell Isis had taught him that would encourage humans to stay clear of the area for a while. A security guard by one wall walked into another room, leaving them alone. The spell would also make any cameras go haywire for a while.

“Things don’t go well for me if I leave, either,” Kuentamen said, looking somewhat regretful. “I was told to offer you an out from your current arrangement. Freedom from being beholden to Horus, who holds your chains.” He glanced at Horus with a slight look of disdain.

Horus gazed back, unsure what the human was trying to do. Did he think he could stand up to the ruler of the gods?

Seth’s gaze narrowed at Kuentamen. “And who told you that?”

“Osiris,” Kuentamen said with a smile. “I believe you know him.”

The air grew heavier as Seth’s gaze grew sharper. “You’re one of his underlings?” The hard floor near his feet cracked.

“Unwillingly,” Kuentamen said with a laugh. “I died years ago, and he preserved my corpse for his experiments. I was one of the few he’s ever been able to revive. But with you trapped on the sun boat, he was never able to properly put me to use, other than spying on his son’s court.”

“He can’t revive the dead,” Seth said, voicing one of Horus’ thoughts. “He’s tried.”

“He can create a form of half-life,” Kuentamen acknowledged. “And so I am.” He shrugged.

“I’ve never seen you before,” Horus said, studying the man closer now. He knew many gods sent spies to gauge Horus’ actions, and perhaps even to try to influence him. They failed when Horus or Isis intervened. But they’d have sensed something like the abomination before them.

“I am decently good at what I do,” Kuentamen said with a laugh. “In life I served as a high priest for Seth’s temple in Heliopolis. A role I was neither born nor raised for. So I know how to find my way through the channels of power. Who to bribe. Who to sweet talk. But I wasn’t put to much use before Osiris took me back. It’s the only reason I’ve been around so long.”

“You’d have to be thousands of years old,” Horus said, skeptically. “Osiris can control life in that way but… I’ve never heard of him doing that with a human.” Isis had discussed how she’d revived Osiris for Horus’ birth, a process that still bewildered her in some ways. She’d spoken of Osiris’ powers, as well, at least what she understood of them. Granting immortality wasn’t among them, or else Osiris would have likely returned from Duat ages ago.

“He is ambitious,” Kuentamen said with a shrug. “And he doesn’t let people get in his way.”

“He’s pig-headed,” Seth insisted. “And desperate. I have no interest in his deals.”

Horus didn’t like that the abomination was here. He wanted to get Seth home, away from Osiris’ schemes. He couldn’t imagine what it was like to finally escape fighting Osiris for ages, only to have him here, too, where he shouldn’t be.

Kuentamen glanced at Horus again, who said, “If Osiris wishes to interfere with Maat’s judgment, he is a fool.”

“I am only a messenger,” Kuentamen said with a shrug. “But leaving without Seth won’t go well for me.” He looked back at Seth, and his expression softened. “I say this as your former servant, and one who wished to one day meet you… Osiris has given me a weapon which can harm even you.”

Seth reached out to form a black sand khopesh in his right hand. “And you’re telling me this because you think I’ll spare you?” His voice was deadly, and he looked like he might chop up Kuentamen right there.

Horus supported that. And was tempted to do it for him. The undead human would be dead again, regardless. Though he wondered if Osiris had other schemes up his sleeve, and why he’d waited so long to act.

“I tell you because I have spent thousands of years hating my role,” Kuentamen said. “And Osiris is not as powerful as he thinks. Which you both know.” He reached into his robes.

Horus summoned wind, buffeting the man back from them both, even as thick green vines burst from the man’s clothing.

Seth lashed out with his sharp khopesh, slicing the vines apart and spraying green ichor everywhere, which burned the ground like acid.

The ground rumbled, and windows cracked.

Horus hoped his spell held, and any humans outside stayed away.

“Seth…” A thick voice said from the vines crawling over what had been Kuentamen, who was no longer visible. “Come to me. You don’t  belong here.”

“I’m perfectly happy here,” Seth said as he cut apart more of the vines reaching for him. “You can fuck off!”

“You belong with me!” Osiris said as vines smashed into the floor and ceiling, making dust fall from the air. “Now that you’re free from Ra’s control, you can go to where you should be!”

He sounds so pathetically desperate, Horus thought as he sliced through vines reaching for him. He’d never been close with his father, but he’d never really seen the man like this.

He was glad his mother wasn’t here for it.

“Thousands of years and you’re still fucked in the head,” Seth said as he cut more vines with his khopesh and used sand to trap and crush more. “Every time you try this, I’ve said no, and you refuse to listen!” He sounded furious.

“That was Ra talking,” Osiris insisted. “You know she twists everything!”

“I never needed Ra to tell me to stay away from you!” Seth said. He stomped down on a vine the size of his arm, splitting it in two. It made the sound of a split apple.

“There will be a reckoning for this, Osiris,” Horus said as he used his sword and wind to cut the vines. The lobby was slowly getting destroyed. “Maat and I will see to it.” And he imagined Isis would, as well.

“Seth, please,” Osiris said, ignoring him.

Horus didn’t feel snubbed, exactly. His father had never paid much attention to him. When Horus was younger, he’d wondered about his absent father, and even wished for something, some sign from the older god… but then years passed, and he felt abandoned. He knew he couldn’t do much in his weakened state, but he’d wished for anything… But Osiris, who sometimes contacted Isis sporadically, but never spoke to Horus, clearly didn’t care, and made Horus realize the person he had to think about was the one who’d stayed by him: Isis. And seeing Osiris in Heliopolis had shown him that Osiris viewed him as a pawn, not a son.

Horus knew his mother viewed him somewhat similarly, but he also knew she loved him, dearly. There had been only silence where Osiris was concerned, though. And a wall of vines attempting to sweet Horus and Seth apart.

Sand crocodiles rose up and bit through the vines, and Seth laughed as he said, “You’re an idiot, Osiris. And this is the best you can do?” He leapt into the air to crash down on vines closer to the central mass. “You just sent in one of your little underlings to try to entice me, and now you’re doing the same song and dance you’ve been failing with for all eternity?”

“He is weakening,” Horus said as they cut more plants apart. He didn’t like Seth constantly being forced to interact with Osiris. He felt like he’d failed in his goal of protecting his uncle. But he could at least feel the creature before them falling apart. Osiris wasn’t actually here, there was no way he could be. But whatever control he was using to appear was unraveling.

“Whatever dangerous weapon he has,” Seth said, “he hasn’t used it yet. Or it’s not enough for both of us.”

We need to end this, Horus thought as he worked closer to the heart of vines covering what used to be the human. All of this, despite how well they were doing, was a surprise. He didn’t want to deal with more surprises, particularly if one actually harmed Seth. He’d heard his mother’s stories about how Osiris beat Ra in the past…

“Honestly, Osiris, what is it going to take to get through your thick skull that I want nothing to do with you, and never have?” Seth stabbed into the thick mass of vines at the center of everything. Some vines flicked at his red hair, and Horus yanked them away with wind.

The vine mass made a desperate roar, but new vines were already falling down and dissolving.

Seth stepped back, yanking his khopesh out to let the vines leak green ichor. He avoided the ichor, and flicked his khopesh clean, letting it splash on the plants.

Horus walked to Seth’s side, looking around at it all, somewhat impressed at Osiris’ audacity, but depressed, too. It felt like such a waste for a powerful god. He’d heard his mother’s stories, and the stories of her followers. Osiris had once been beloved. And to fall so far…

“All this time,” Horus said, “he could have been helping the other gods, or humans. And he’s just been doing this?”

Seth nodded as they watched the mass try, badly, to reach for them. “He’s too desperate. Too trapped in his own foolish fantasies.”

“Seth…” Osiris begged again. “Please…”

“Oh fuck off,” Seth said. He wrapped his left arm around Horus’ back, surprising Horus. “I’ve never needed or wanted you. You ruined my life. And Nephthys’ life. And Isis’ life. And Anubis’ life. And Horus’ life, too.” He breathed in deeply. “The only thing you’ve been useful for is that Anubis is a good son, and I love him. And Horus?” He looked at Horus and his gaze seemed so suddenly vulnerable.

Horus smiled at him, grateful Seth was at his side. It was actually fun to fight with him this way. It was more than a practice bout, and less toxic than their battles during the trial.

“…I love him, too,” Seth said.

Horus’ eyes widened in surprise.

“What?!” Osiris demanded.

Seth grinned, showing his fangs at the shriveling mass. “He’s better in bed than you, too.”

Osiris howled and the whole mass of vines left reached for Seth and Horus… only to dissolve into dark dust. In their wake was left a dent against the wall and floor, and disturbing burn marks.

No humans appeared, at least.

“…Really?” Horus asked Seth, honestly curious and unable to consider anything else. “I’m… better in bed than him?”

Seth rolled his eyes and pulled away as he let his khopesh dissolve. “Do you honestly need to ask? He’s a rapist, that’s all. It’s almost more of an insult to you to make the comparison.” He seemed a bit embarrassed, though.

“So why say it?” Horus asked as they both surveyed the damage.

“Because I knew it would bother him,” Seth said, matter-of-factly. “And that would likely use up the last of his remaining power before he destroyed more of this place or was able to harm either of us.” He smirked. “I think he always hated Nephthys, because I loved her. It was something about the way he talked about my affection for her… Naturally, he’d hate you because I care about you.” He sighed as he looked around. “What a fucking mess…”

“And you really love me?” Horus asked, insisting on answers. They’d talked about it before, but… He wanted to know. He had to know.

Seth gazed up at him, his expression cooler than it had been. “I…” He breathed in deeply and scratched his neck. “Maybe? Yes. I…” He shook his head. “It felt easy to say before Osiris. So I don’t know why admitting it feels so hard now…”

Horus smiled, feeling hopeful, though he was less pleased Seth looked so distressed. “It almost seems more real, that you were able to tell someone else. I imagine Osiris isn’t happy down in Duat.”

Seth scoffed and said, “No, I don’t think he is.” He looked back up at Horus, his expression worried. “But I feel like I did you a disservice, using you that way, when I’m so muddled up like this…”

Horus dropped his sword, letting it dissolve, and reached out to wrap his arms around Seth, pulling  him close. He gazed down into Seth’s bright red eyes, and traced the lines of Seth’s handsome face. Felt the firmness of Seth’s body against his. The way Seth fit so easily into his arms. “You did me no disservice. I’m glad.”

Seth huffed and then wrapped his arms around Horus. “Good, because we’re going to have to figure out how to clean this place up and investigate whatever else Osiris has up his sleeve. And a positive attitude helps.” It really did look like a disaster zone. And there would be a lot of explaining to cover things up.

Horus grinned, though, and said, “Maybe I need some more encouragement?” He would do whatever he had to, so long as Seth was with him.

Seth’s eyes widened for a moment, and then he shook his head, amused. “You’re ridiculous.” But he leaned up to kiss Horus’ lips.

Seth

The benefit of being well-known in the city and having a long history of government connections was that it was relatively easy for Horus to get the dojo cleaned up, and to keep things quiet. The humans apparently thought some sort of appliance someone was testing in the lobby had exploded, causing most of the destruction, and construction would begin as soon as possible to restore the area.

It unfortunately meant that Seth’s classes were cancelled for a while, which bothered Seth. He missed the kids, and knew that the time was important for them. And he knew Osiris was to blame for ruining yet another thing in his life that he cared about.

And as he watched Horus chat with different people, trying to get things done, he realized that no matter how far he got from Duat, things wouldn’t end. Most gods who saw Osiris going after Seth would believe it was deserved, or blame Seth for it. No one would be on the lookout, and Osiris could come back, with more dangerous forces. People could be hurt.

Seth had to be proactive and get things done himself. And… much as he hated it, there weren’t many options for how to deal with that.

They were back at the apartment, in Horus’ office, while Horus made phone calls and emails. But at one point, when Horus breathed in deeply and said he was going to update Maat on things, Seth stopped him and said, “I need to talk to Maat as well.”

“I’m not sure how good an idea that will be,” Horus said, looking up at him. Horus had a spare chair for Seth to sit in, but Seth had been too antsy, and just walked around while Horus worked. “I can smooth things over with her pretty easily, but—"

“That’s not what I mean,” Seth said, gazing down at Horus. “It’s time Maat knew what happened the night Osiris killed himself. And on the sun boat. And…” He swallowed. “If we can convince Nephthys to testify, as well, Maat should know about the mirror, too.” He thought Nephthys would agree to it. She seemed to follow his lead on this, now that he was back and they were talking again. She’d messaged him while he was standing around, and noted she’d heard about what happened and wanted to see if he was okay.

He'd said he was fine, but that he wanted to talk in person soon. And he hadn’t shared more detail yet. He didn’t feel it was appropriate to talk about it over text. This required an in-person discussion.

"If we can convince more gods to be on guard around him," Seth said, "or even to make sure he stays in Duat and has less reason to come up here... Things would be better." He hoped, anyway.

Horus gazed up at him in surprise. “You’re… sure you want to talk about all that?”

Seth nodded. “I have to. I don’t know if he can make more pawns like Kuentamen, or what else he has in store. While I was on the sun boat, he never tried that. He always came himself to attack and try to pull me off the boat, or kill me.”

“…Every night?” Horus asked, with alarm in his eyes.

Seth nodded, “Every night. Some nights I wasn’t on watch, but… Yes. The other gods complained about it. They said Osiris was obsessive and annoying.” He found himself smiling. “Though it actually made them more likely to attack him to get the stupid song and dance over with. The faster we were away from him, the better.” He honestly assumed they’d be happier with him off the sun boat: Osiris would have no reason to bother them anymore.

It was another reason Bastet’s visit was so odd, given the other gods missed him. But Bastet never brought it up as an issue.

“But as the ruler of Duat,” Horus began, “surely the other gods would have found it odd he was so hostile to the sun boat’s passage?”

“Some of them wrote it off as Osiris bringing up old grudges,” Seth replied. “Ra and Osiris were enemies for a long time, after all. Given Ra was then sheltering one of Osiris’ enemies, me, Osiris would have even more reason to attack her in anger. As if whatever agreement they came to after Osiris took the throne in Heliopolis was ended, by Ra’s actions.”

“They thought he had the right to it?” Horus asked, surprised.

“Not exactly,” Seth replied. “But they could understand why he was doing it.” Discussing their enemies had been one of the more regular topics on the sun boat, and how to deal with them in future battles. For instance, a particular god’s armor might attract one particular underwater enemy, who could spot them, so that god might be moved or assigned work at a different time, after they’d passed where the enemy usually swam, thus avoiding a conflict. But for Osiris, that wasn’t possible: giving Seth up wasn’t something Ra was willing or able to do.

He'd asked her once, and she’d grinned at him. “All those years you and your siblings fought me, and all that effort I put into the trial and your sentencing, and you expect me to give you up just like that? For shame.” And then she’d sighed and said, “Plus, Maat would come after me, and that would be so annoying.”

 Seth had reasoned she liked her toys too much to give them up to Osiris. After all she’d lost to Osiris, it was one of the few victories she could have. Though she never really helped much during battles, unless things grew dire.

“He’s escalating now,” Seth said, gazing into Horus’ blue eyes. “He needs a way to reach me here. And given what I know of him, the longer time passes, the more desperate he’ll get. The more dangerous he’ll get. And… I can’t let that happen. There are things that I want to protect.” They’d been lucky that most of the dojo had been empty when Kuentamen arrived. But Seth suspected Osiris didn’t care about bystander injuries, and that such luck might fail them in future.

Not to mention Osiris clearly didn’t care about either of his sons.

Seth reached out to grab Horus’ left shoulder, squeezing it. He refused to see Osiris hurt either Anubis again or come after Horus. Horus was particularly in danger as the person Seth was with, just like Nephthys had fallen into harm’s way. Seth knew Horus could handle himself but…

Horus reached up and rested his right hand over Seth’s. He smiled, warmly. “You’re going to protect me?”

Seth scoffed and said, “It’s my job. Of course.”

Horus grinned and replied, “Well, I feel safer, then.” And he looked so ridiculous that of course Seth had to lead down to kiss him.

Horus pulled Seth into his lap, making the chair squeak. His right hand went to the back of Seth’s head, wrapped in Seth’s hair.

Seth’s chest pressed against Horus’, his left thigh resting on Horus’ lap, while their mouths pressed against each other. Seth could also feel Horus’ cock already hardening beneath his pants.

Seth pulled away and muttered, “Already?” He was used to Horus getting hard in an instant, really, just from being around Seth, but…

In a way it was flattering that Seth could bring a man like Horus to his knees so easily. Certainly, Seth hadn’t been lying when he’d said Horus was better in bed: Horus had demonstrated that to great effect, and in being together, they’d learned a lot more about each other, and what they wanted. It was nice.

“Mmm,” Horus replied, reaching out to mouth Seth’s right ear.

“Weren’t you insisting we get stuff with Maat cleared up as fast as possible or something?” Seth asked, jokingly. His left hand moved down to Horus’ dick, pressing on it in a way he knew would bother the younger god. “We don’t really have time for this.” But that wasn’t going to stop him teasing Horus.

Horus moved back a little gaze down at him. His blue eyes were even brighter than usual, and it seemed like all his centuries of age were present there, power stretching back through time to crush a weaker god.

Well, Seth was older, and he just smirked back, unfazed. He realized he was probably still smarting from the fight and needed something to clear the excess energy out, but he also knew Horus didn’t mind. So he pressed his hand again, squeezing Horus’ cock.

Horus breathed in deeply and picked Seth up, making Seth reach out to grab him. Horus then placed Seth down onto the desk, which knocked over a number of items. He reached out to yank down Seth’s shorts, while Seth moved back and lifted his ass up to make it a bit easier. The elastic still clung to his skin as it moved, but Seth didn’t care.

Seth’s back prickled with the papers he was lying on top of, but he didn’t care. He cared about how Horus was undoing his own pants and shoving them down, revealing his cock, and stepping forward between Seth’s legs. But rather than just pushing inside, Horus leaned over Seth for another kiss, and let his hands rest on Seth’s hips. A warm print of ownership.

Seth murmured contentedly into the warmth of Horus’ mouth, and reached up to wrap his arms around Horus’ neck, pulling him close. His right hand rested on soft, dark hair.

Horus maintained the kiss while moving his right hand back to lift Seth’s left thigh, his fingers gliding down Seth’s skin. He pressed two fingers inside Seth so easily now, and Seth pushed forward on the fingers, rutting against them, wanting them deeper inside.

Horus growled against him before pulling the fingers out and returning with his cock, pushing inside Seth quickly and easily.

Seth wrapped his arms around Horus’ back, pulling him deeper. His nose was filled with Horus’ scent, and the air was full of the sound of the desk creaking beneath them, flesh slapping flesh as Horus slowly thrust back and forth, and their moans and grunts. It was a contrast to the difficult decision Seth was making: to talk to Maat, to finally get everything out. He didn’t want to imagine sharing more of what he’d been through to more gods. He didn’t expect good reactions, even if they agreed Osiris needed to be dealt with on some level.

He wasn’t sure what he’d accomplish: could he really win people over to his side after everything that had happened? It was one thing for Horus to win good opinion, when Horus was beloved already. And it was another for the few gods Seth was close with to come around after seeing evidence of Osiris’ other crimes. But Seth was the evil god of chaos. And Osiris was beloved. Wouldn’t people just think he deserved it, after everything he’d done?

Horus broke the kiss to press his cheek against Seth’s as he slowly increased his pace. “I have you. I have you.”

Seth wanted to laugh, and felt his eyes heat up as he pressed up into Horus’ thrusts even harder, needing release. Where Horus would hold him at the end and make sure Seth remembered that he was supported by at least one god who loved him, truly. A god who’d stood by his side even when Seth didn’t know he was there. Who helped Seth find things that made his own life better.

I can do it if he’s with me, Seth thought as he felt Horus’ cock dick so deep inside him, sending waves of pleasure through Seth’s body, and making him moan loudly into the office. He’d been able to leave the sun boat with Horus’ help, and they’d worked together this far. If Seth needed encouragement, then…

Horus grabbed Seth’s cock, pumping hard to bring him to climax, too, and Seth pressed his fingers into Horus’ back, almost hissing as he pressed against the edge of release.

He can’t have you, Seth thought before he came with a shout. You’re mine.

Seth

“It’s not quite the same as swinging a spear all day, is it?” Ra asked from the doorway to Seth’s room on the sun boat. She was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, grinning at him, looking resplendent and completely unbothered by anything.

Seth sat in a corner, feeling weary. His arms hurt from a day’s rowing and he had a headache from the constant pressure just existing on the sun boat entailed.

But he wasn’t going to rise to Ra’s bait.

He’d been on the sun boat for nearly a week now, and he still hadn’t adjusted well to the fearsome pressure it took to move, let alone the difficulty of rowing, which wrenched his arms in their sockets every time. The oars were huge and quite heavy, and the various “waters” moved through were more powerful than any current Seth had ever seen. No other gods took pity on him and tried to help, save Bastet in her own way, and some of the other gods sometimes even got annoyed when he moved slower, or mocked him where he could hear it.

“You put in a good effort, though,” Ra said, lackadaisically. “And it meant Osiris bashed his head in on the wrong side of the boat, which was hilarious.” She grinned bright white teeth at him.

“Is that why you want this?” Seth finally asked. “To make Osiris make a fool of himself coming after me?” It would make sense.

“Would that upset you?” Ra asked in reply. Her gold eyes were sharp as they met his red ones. She was like a giant predator, waiting for the kill, and Seth knew he was right where she wanted him to be for that.

“It doesn’t matter either way,” Seth replied, refusing to get up. If she wanted to drag him back to row, she could. He wasn’t planning to help her. “I can’t leave.”

“Have we defeated you in so short a time?” Ra asked with a chuckle as she stepped closer, looking ready for the kill. “Where’s the god who stood up to everyone during the trial? Who cowed all of Egypt?”

“You have me working in a place meant to break me,” Seth said, angrily. “What do you think would happen?”

“Then you are broken, already?” Ra asked, peering down at him.

Seth glared up at her, wanting to strike back, even when he was weary. He recalled being dragged in chains before Maat, Isis, and all the other gods. He recalled groveling like a weakling, and having to rely on Horus’ charity for anything like hope. He hated being sent her, having to do this.

He hated being seen as weak.

Ra grinned at him. “No, you’re not beaten yet. Good.”  She backed away a little, giving him space.

“…What?” He was confused. Surely she would just take advantage of his weakness, somehow? Other gods did.

“Maybe it is just amusing to have you here,” Ra speculated, glancing at the walls of the small room. “One of the great-grandchildren I sought to stop being born, because of one of Thoth’s terrible prophecies.” She smirked. “And maybe it amuses me that the one man who beat my sworn enemy is here, at my mercy, while my enemy tries and fails to break my ship apart to get to you.” She looked truly intimidating, then, but he could tell she wasn’t aiming her viciousness at him.

“So it’s all for entertainment,” Seth said as he rolled his eyes. “Of course.” Of course Ra still saw this all as a game.

“Is that not how you ran things when you were king?” Ra asked, still smirking.

“And you’re not better than me,” Seth muttered. All the gods who mocked him, thinking they’d be better rulers. As if they wouldn’t fall to greed or make massive mistakes. Seth was just one of the ones who had the most power to handle things alone. Even now, without real help, he was surviving. Somehow.

Ra shrugged and stepped away. “I could have let Isis insist on destroying your soul. Or left you to rot in Osiris’ clutches.”

“If you’re expecting gratitude, you’re not going to get it,” Seth said.

Ra grinned and replied, “I really just wanted to see how you were holding up. You’re more entertaining when you’re fired up and ready to murder rather than moping. I didn’t think a little rowing would break you.”

“That’s not how you made it sound during the sentencing,” Seth replied, recalling her words to Isis.

“Still so boring,” Ra said with a sigh. She shook her head at him and said, “So you lost one fight, so what?”

He frowned at her, not understanding.

“One day,” Ra continued, “you’ll find something worth fighting for again.” She smirked. “And I plan to see that. It’s sure to be thrilling.”

“I’m just not sure inviting Ra is the best idea,” Nephthys said as they waited in Maat’s office in Cairo for the sun god to respond to Maat’s phone call.

It was barely two days after the attack on the dojo. Seth and Horus had spoken with Nephthys, and Seth – with Isis’ help – convinced Nephthys to testify.

Her main concern had been Seth. Was he really sure?

Seth had reassured her that he was. And even if he wasn’t, what choice did they have? He couldn’t let Osiris and his underlings cause more harm and risk the people Seth cared about.

Maat worked in an actual government building that some older administration had set aside and never really thought about much, particularly with Maat’s people rearranging things to keep it that way. Many of her followers were humans who often didn’t realize what they were getting into when they were assigned to work under her. It meant she got a handle on what was going on in the country without much oversight. Her office was large, with tall windows showing the city, and had a number of chairs for all her guests. Maat sat at her desk, looking frustrated.

Isis stood by Nephthys’ side, too frustrated to sit. Her right hand was on Nephthys’ left shoulder, and Nephthys’ right hand rested over it, reassuringly.

Seth sat nearby, with Horus standing by his back: a comfortable presence when Seth needed it.

Anubis and Khnum were farther back, overseeing things. Anubis had offered to go drag Osiris out to talk whenever they needed, and Seth was rather impressed by Anubis’ initiative. It helped distract him from the earlier, longer talk he’d given before Maat, where, after Nephthys gave her harrowing explanation of what happened with her and the mirror, with Horus’ added explanation that had made her lean into Isis for assistance, Seth had discussed more of the details of what happened the night Osiris died. Maat had been shocked and Anubis was furious, demanding to know why Seth hadn’t talked to him before.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Anubis asked at the end. “If I’d known…”

“I wanted to protect you,” Seth said, gazing at Anubis. Horus’ firm grip on Seth’s shoulder was most of what kept him going. “And… I didn’t… I didn’t want you to be ashamed of me.”

Anubis’ eyes had widened in surprise.

“Seth…” Nephthys said, quietly, clearly sad. She seemed to somewhat gather herself during his talk, or perhaps was just focusing on someone else to distract herself from things.

Seth grimaced, disliking how everyone could see him like this. But there wasn’t time to go slower, and—

“I wouldn’t have been ashamed of you,” Anubis said, cutting through Seth’s worries. Anubis’ expression was solemn. “It’s Osiris’ shame. And… mine for so blindly believing in him.” He looked angry, but not at Seth.

“No,” Seth said, shaking his head, not wanting Anubis to blame himself. “You… We all trusted him. That you trusted and believed in him makes sense.” He’d wanted to tell Anubis so many times, and it was one of his many regrets on the sun boat. But he hadn’t been able to explain it. And he imagined he never would, especially after Anubis stopped going to the sun boat.

Anubis bowed his head briefly, before looking up with a small smile. “Why do you think I would have been ashamed? I’ve always aspired to be like you. I’ve always followed after you.”

Seth felt his throat tighten. Even when I told you not to? He knew Anubis had wanted to be like him so much when he was younger, but…

Anubis glanced at Nephthys and said, “You and Mother… you’ve fought so hard for everything. Against Ra, against everything Osiris has thrown against you…” He smiled warmly at Seth. “I’m proud to be your son.”

Nephthys covered her face.

Seth breathed in shakily. He wasn’t sure if he should walk up to Anubis or…

Anubis made the choice for him and walked over, giving Horus an arch look before reaching out his arms. He paused to ask, “Is it…? Is it okay to hug you?”

Seth’s face burned, but he nodded and stood up so he could step forward, wrapping his arms around Anubis. Anubis hugged him tightly, and Seth thought he should be embarrassed everyone was probably staring at them, but he didn’t care. Anubis had accepted him, and that was what mattered.

“I wish you’d told me sooner,” Anubis said. “But… I’m glad you finally did.”

Maat had steeled herself during Seth and Anubis’ talk, and when the pair parted, she said, “This is all very grave indeed. But the question is what to do about it?” She looked at Seth, who was frowning. “I have no jurisdiction in Duat over Osiris. Just over the human souls. I can’t enact a punishment for him there.”

“We want your support,” Horus said, pulling Maat’s gaze. “The other gods look away when Seth and Osiris do battle, or support Osiris. When Seth and I make a statement to all these events, having your backing would be useful in getting the other gods to realize we’re being honest.”

“I’ll speak over the scales,” Seth said. “If the other gods will trust that more than my just talking.” He breathed in deeply before he added, “And I would appreciate your help as a go-between with Ra.”

Isis made a surprised noise before saying, “Seth, that’s dangerous…”

“I know,” Seth said. He and Isis hadn’t spoken much, still, and she still glared whenever she looked at him. But they both agreed that the truth needed to come out, because Osiris had to be stopped. “But Ra is most able to act against Osiris.”

“And if I’m to go to Duat to negotiate with matters with the gods of Duat on how Osiris’ authority will stand going forward,” Horus said, “Ra will be a powerful ally.”

“You’d go to Duat yourself?” Maat asked.

“If you can’t do much yourself,” Horus said, “then yes, I will. We could use your connections to the gods of Duat to gather allies to help stop Osiris from acting farther than he has.” Horus looked at Anubis. “Anubis and I have already discussed some of the political situation there, but with my backing, your backing, and Ra’s backing, Anubis would have more pull with the gods of Duat.”

Maat finally nodded and said, “Yes, I could do that.” She looked at Anubis. “We’ll have to talk about who to reach out to. I imagine you’re more familiar with the different factions of gods in Duat than I am these days.”

Anubis shrugged and said, “To a degree. I’m very busy and alliances change. But I’m willing to look more deeply into it, especially when Osiris presents such a dangerous threat to humans, gods, and the dead.”

Maat nodded and looked at Seth. “I’m surprised you’re not demanding your probation be ended.”

“…That’s a separate matter,” Seth said.

“I would demand it,” Horus said.

Seth tightened his hands into fists. He’d heard Horus’ explanation for this before they came here, but it was still difficult to see it in motion. He hadn’t expectd Horus to want to push so hard for him.

“Seth has performed his duty as a guardian god and god of war,” Horus continued, “and identified a grave threat to all the gods and humans. In all my years of living, but most recently, I have been made aware of all the ways Osiris abuses his position to endanger everyone around him. A human building which normally is used principally by children was nearly destroyed in one of Osiris’ selfish tantrums. What is to stop him from doing this again, when there are children inside to be hurt, or worse?”

“Then Seth is using his probation well,” Maat noted, which made Seth nearly roll his eyes.

“He is,” Horus acknowledged. “But I think it is inappropriate to leash him with that. He has spent thousands of years on the sun boat, and yet, rather than seeking vengeance or to destabilize the world he has returned, he has brought together many gods who formerly stayed quiet on the sidelines. Nut is more active as of late, as is Geb. Even the gods on Ra’s sun boat have taken more interest in local politics.”

“A brief bout of good behavior doesn’t justify ending his probation,” Maat said.

“I will continue to vouch for him,” Horus insisted. “And I would go so far as to marry him, if that would prove my belief in his innocence.”

Seth stayed still while Horus moved closer to him. Before they’d come to the office, Horus had pulled Seth aside at the entryway to Horus’ apartment and said, “You realize it will be hard to move against Osiris in your situation. You’re essentially my prisoner right now. But we need to show a united front on things.”

Seth nodded, not sure how to deal with that. “You think they’d insist you’re doing some weird powerplay with your father or something?”

“Mostly I just want to show I have full confidence in what you’re saying,” Horus said. He took Seth’s hand and laced their fingers together. “I trust you. I trust your instincts. And I want to be with you, wherever that leads.”

Seth’s face heated. “What are you trying to say?”

“I know we’ve only been together a short while,” Horus said. He knelt on the floor at Seth’s feet, and Seth had seen a bit too much of human media to not realize what was going on. “I know this is all hard and new for you. And I know I can’t wash away all the pain you’ve carried. But I promise to work as hard as I can to make a better world for you. Where you can be happy.”

Seth swallowed and wondered if his hand was sweating.

“Seth,” Horus continued, looking earnest as ever, “would you marry me?”

“Horus, what are you talking about?!” Isis demanded now, stepping towards them. She looked between him and Seth, and confusion and anger flashed over her face. “What have you been up to in the time he’s been under your care?!”

“Seth and I understand each other,” Horus said as he looked at Isis, still with a determined expression on his face. “And we work well together.”

“He is your captive,” Isis said, sounding incredulous, as if she hadn’t supported worse for him.

“He is,” Horus acknowledged. “And he loves me despite that.”

“I do,” Seth said, swallowing down his worries. He’d said yes earlier. He knew why this mattered.

Horus smiled warmly at Seth in a way that made Seth’s heart melt, before looking at Isis. “Seth and I have discussed this. It should convince the other gods of Seth’s sincerity.”

Seth still wasn’t quite sure what he felt. Rather than hardening his confidence before the meeting, the proposal had shaken him up a lot. He certainly hadn’t expected Horus to put himself out there like this. He couldn’t help but wonder if Horus would regret it.

But Horus kept standing by him. And was offering to go face Osiris himself in Duat.

It was certainly more of a declaration than most anyone else had ever done for him. His courtship of Nephthys had been very different, and though he’d talked to Isis about it, he’d still been more private with it.

“Seth?” Nephthys asked, clearly confused. Seth looked back at her, to see her gazing at him in worry. “Is this really what you want? It’s a lot all at once.”

“Yes,” Seth said, making himself sound confident. He’d been learning how it was okay to live, to want things. And if Horus wanted to be by his side, then Seth wanted him there, too.

“You don’t have to marry him if you don’t want to, Father,” Anubis said, frowning at Horus.

Seth smiled and said, “Horus has supported me in ways others haven’t. And I do care about him.” He reached out to take Horus’ hand. “I don’t know how much it would help, but… being more tied with Horus would make me happy.” His voice sounded pathetic to him, but it was honest, and he hoped that counted for something.

Horus pulled Seth close, and Seth saw Nephthys smile warmly at him.

“…I’ll call Mother,” Maat said, pulling out her phone. “It’s best we jump on this soon. If Osiris really is as dangerous as you’ve all said, then we need to act quickly.”

Seth wondered why they’d taken so long when he was king, but he didn’t think that would be useful. And it was nice to focus on the feeling of his head on Horus’ chest, especially because it helped hide Isis’ reaction from him.

Isis breathed in loudly.

“Isis,” Nephthys said, sounding soothing. There was a sound of a hand grabbing fabric, and quiet murmurs before, “Darling, it’s okay…”

“It’s just surprising, that’s all…”

Nephthys chuckled before saying, “Didn’t we surprise everyone once?”

There was silence after that, and then a soft kiss noise, before Isis said, “You’re ridiculous.” And then another soft kiss noise and a contented murmur.

Anubis walked into Seth’s line of sight, glancing between Seth and Horus and finally landing on Seth. “Father, I… I support you in this, if it’s really what you want.”

“It is,” Seth said. He could feel Horus’ hands around his back, keeping him calm enough. “I’m sorry I didn’t talk to you about it again.”

Anubis sighed and said, “I’ve wondered over the centuries if Horus had more complicated feelings for you than he let on. But I mostly just don’t want someone else dragging you along in their wake.” He frowned at Horus, who gazed back at him, unfazed.

“He’s not dragging me along,” Seth said, trying to sound reassuring. “I wanted this. And we’ve been together for a while.”

“A while?” Anubis asked, surprised. “How long?”

Before Seth could decide how much he wanted the precise day count to be a known figure to other people, Khnum stepped in and put a hand on Anubis’ back before saying, “That’s private information between Horus and Seth, isn’t it?” His face was gentle, and Seth had almost forgotten he was in the room.

Anubis looked chastened and bowed his head slightly to Horus and Seth. “Sorry. I just… It’s a lot in one day.”

Seth smiled kindly at him and said, “I know. I’m sorry.”

Anubis smiled grimly and said, “You don’t have to apologize. We’ll work through it, like we have for some time. And things will get even harder in the coming days, I imagine, as we face Osiris.”

“You will likely have more responsibilities in Duat going forward,” Horus noted.

“And you might have to hold court with more people there,” Anubis countered, his expression growing a little colder.

“Then we’ll both do our best, won’t we?” Horus replied.

Anubis’ smile was sharp enough to cut someone. Horus’ was equally so.

Seth felt very uncomfortable and wasn’t sure who to support in this matter.

“Well, well, well,” Ra said from the doorway, causing them all to look her way. She was as tall as ever and had to bend a little to step through the door. Her long, dark hair fell around her like it used to, and her ears glittered with golden earrings. She wore a sharp golden gown with a deep V-neck that cut down past her breasts to her waist, leaving little to the imagination. Her arms and fingers glittered with more golden jewelry. She stepped into the room, followed by Thoth, who wore a pale blue suit and looked nervous. “Here I am, to see what all the fuss is about, and I hear you’re finally going to deal with Osiris?” She grinned at Isis. “Even after I gave you that opening way back when, now you finally take it?”

Isis rolled her eyes and chose not to respond.

Ra looked at Seth, who was still wrapped in Horus’ arms. Her golden eyes glanced over the pair. And she grinned, showing her teeth. “So, I see you found something to fight for again, Seth.”

Seth simply frowned at her, thinking of all the time he’d spent running around her sun boat, trying to figure out what it meant. Trying to find some deeper meaning in all his struggles. And what had it led him to? A missed life and a whole world of people who’d been missing him in their own way.

But also the falcon god who’d gladly stand beside him to protect him from his own nightmares.

Ra was still powerful, and they both knew it, and a battle between them would be difficult. And maybe he did owe her for helping to save him being destroyed forever. But that didn’t mean he had to apologize for standing up to all that she’d thrown at him, or bow down in thanks. So instead he said, “I’m sure you’re just happy you can help us take down Osiris.”

Ra laughed. “I am. A bit. Especially with all of you coming for my help.”

“We’re not precisely doing that,” Horus said, moving so he was almost guarding Seth from Ra. “But we respect your authority when it comes to traveling through Duat. Your help would be appreciated in the days to come.”

Ra considered him for a bit, and then shrugged. “All right. I’ll at least listen to your proposal. based on what little Maat said on the phone, it seems like a treat.”

Seth was just grateful she wasn’t making demands yet. He was sure they’d come, but they hadn’t manifested yet.

It was late when Horus and Seth got back to their apartment: Ra had to depart to wrangle the gods on her sun boat, and Maat, Thoth, and Anubis had to spend time negotiating with the gods in Duat. Horus had said they’d meet when Maat called, but needed a break for the evening.

Seth had been willing to keep going, but didn’t want to push anyone else to exhaustion, especially when he saw Nephthys flagging a bit after the long day of discussion.

“I think we have a chance,” Seth said as the door shut behind them. He wasn’t sure how to feel now that Isis and Maat had agreed to end his probation. Isis still didn’t look all that happy, but Nephthys had stayed close to her all the while, soothing her.

He was glad they worked so well together. It made him wish for things he knew he couldn’t change.

And a small part of him was happy someone else was fielding Isis’ issues.

“I do as well,” Horus said. He reached out to clasp Seth’s arms. “Osiris cannot stand against our combined might. And once we’ve made our announcements, he’ll have even fewer allies among the other gods.”

Seth hoped so. He was encouraged by just the group of gods they’d gotten together so far. He was just anxious in interim, having nothing to do until presumably the next day, when they’d likely set off for Duat.

“That was brave of you today,” Horus said, smiling warmly and leaning forward to press their foreheads together. “I’m proud of you.”

Seth swallowed, feeling embarrassed and glad at least one difficult part was over, and said, “I can’t believe you stood up to Isis like that. That was amazing.” Given Seth felt like he was hiding behind Nephthys managing Isis, Seth couldn’t imagine how Horus had managed things.

“I have my moments,” Horus said. He leaned up to press a kiss to Seth’s forehead. “I admit, hearing you say yes earlier may have given me the courage to do so.”

“Then we’ll have to give each other courage,” Seth said as he reached up to wrap his arms around Horus’ neck. “Because you’re going to be stuck with me now.” His heart raced. Was that really what Horus wanted?

Horus grinned at him. “I couldn’t be happier."

Seth’s smile almost hurt.

“You make my life better, Seth,” Horus said, his blue eyes nearly glowing as he gazed into Seth’s red ones. “I’m glad you’re here in it. And I look forward to seeing the better world we’ll build together.”

Seth wanted to see that world. One where he wasn’t trapped on the sun boat, constantly trying to guess how best to survive, who to trust, and how to make it through every day. Where he could fall into supportive arms that just wanted to be close to him, not defeat him. He had people who loved him here, who wanted him to be happy. And maybe he still didn’t understand why, some days, but he was willing to try learning. To support them as best he could, including the man before him.

Things might be hard, but he wasn’t backing down. Not anymore.

Seth turned his head up to kiss Horus on the lips briefly. When he pulled back, he said, “I do, too.”