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"Zagreus, can we stop for a moment?" Melinoë pants, silently scolding herself when he stops mid-stride to turn to her, his eyes immediately looking over her form with worry.
"Of course. I'm surprised you haven't asked sooner. That massive shadow-spiller really did a number on you." Zagreus says, almost chipper as he sits on a large, petrified stump. Melinoë glances around before sitting beside him, rubbing her sore ribs. Crossing his legs, Zagreus rests a hand on his knee, looking out over the edge of the clearing. Melinoë grunts in pain, hands shaking as she presses them to her side again, trying in vain to ease the pain. Zagreus glances at her in sympathy before clearing his throat as casually as he can.
"I once got an injury like that. Hydra's head slammed me right in the side. Somehow, I managed to finish my run despite it." He says, bright and cheery despite the subject. "You should have heard what Father said when I walked back into the House."
Melinoë drops her hands from her side, allowing herself to be distracted from the pain by Zagreus' story. Tilting her head, she raises an eyebrow in expectation.
"What did he say?" She asks, feeling the slightest tickle of laughter in the bottom of her lungs when Zagreus sits up straight, thumping a hand to his chest as his expression turns stony and serious.
" Zagreus! Clean your room with that kind of energy! "
Melinoë immediately squeaks, face falling into her hands as her shoulders shake. She can barely contain her giggles, a broad smile hidden as her snorts and chuckles are softened. Melinoë had spoken to their Father enough to recognize how skilled the impression was, making her brother's antics more amusing. Her bruised ribs scream in anger at her laughter, but it isn't enough to stop her quiet giggling. She continues to hide her face, her voice muffled when she speaks.
"You're lying- you have to be. This is some cruel prank to make my ribs hurt even worse." The Princess hisses, interrupting herself with another less hidden shriek of laughter when Zagreus leans towards her slightly, voice still gruff.
" Why won't he clean it, Melinoë?! "
With a squeal, Melinoë folds in on herself, laughter filling the clearing as her hands move from her face, arms wrapping around her middle as she struggles to catch her breath. Zagreus joins her, his own laughter mixing with hers, making the trees shiver at the edge of the clearing. The inherent sadness and grief of the woods of Erebus seem to flee at their joy, chased away when Melinoë giggles and weakly slaps at her brother's arm. That makes him laugh harder, instinctively reaching out and grabbing her shoulder to keep her from falling off the stump when she lurches forward to chortle. The two seem to calm, their boisterous laughter fading into calmer chuckles. They gulp in the air to soothe their aching lungs. Wiping the mist from her eyes, Melinoë forces herself to stand, shaking her head as her cheeks begin to ache from smiling.
"You're a menace." Melinoë scolds, rolling her eyes when Zagreus hops up, stretching out his shoulders as he follows her to the gateways at the edge of the clearing.
"He called me that too." Zagreus pokes back, light-hearted and thankfully in his usual tone, finally giving Melinoë's ribs a chance to rest.
With the smallest huff of laughter, Melinoë steps through the gateway, eyes focused on the river as she calculates how long it will take for the two to reach Asphodel again.
"Well, he was right." Melinoë snaps, clearly teasing. With a small snort, Zagreus nods.
"Probably."