The Pigeon

They made it back to his apartment by flashlight. The air between them had changed. It wasn't just roommates or goddess-and-mortal anymore. It was... something real.

They fell asleep on the couch, tangled together.

The next morning, Leo woke up to a scratching sound.

He opened his eyes. There was a pigeon sitting on his coffee table. A very large, very judgmental pigeon.

"Coo," the pigeon said.

Then, in a voice that sounded like tectonic plates shifting, the pigeon spoke.

**"THALIA OF THE MINOR PANTHEON."**

Leo fell off the couch. Thalia woke up with a gasp.

"Hermes?" Thalia rubbed her eyes. "Why are you a rat with wings?"

**"Budget cuts,"** the pigeon boomed. **"Your meter is full. The mortal has Hope. You are recalled. Immediate extraction."**

Leo looked at Thalia’s wrist. The bracelet was blazing with white light. It was blinding.

"I..." Thalia looked at the meter. Then she looked at Leo.

"You did it," Leo said, a cold knot forming in his stomach. "I hoped. So you go home."

**"Departure in one hour,"** the pigeon said. **"Rooftop access required. Do not be late, or your immortality will be revoked. Permanently."**

The pigeon pooped on Leo’s coffee table and flew out the window.

Silence filled the apartment.

"So," Leo said, standing up. "That's it then. You go back to the nectar and the togas."

Thalia stood up. She looked terrified. "Leo, I..."

"It's okay," Leo said, turning away so she wouldn't see his face. He reverted to the only defense he knew: cynicism. "It was a fun week, right? I got a job. You got a vacation. Win-win."

"Is that all it was?" Thalia asked softly. "A transaction?"

"You're a goddess, Thalia. I'm a guy who trips over rugs. Let's not pretend this was sustainable." He grabbed his keys. "I'm going to... go to the site. You should pack."

He walked out. He left her there. He walked down the stairs, telling himself he was doing the right thing. She belonged in the sky. He belonged in the dirt.

If she stayed, she’d lose her immortality. He couldn't ask her to give up eternity for a guy with bad luck.

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