The sun beat down on the workshop by the sea, where Hephaestus was meeting with Poseidon. The two gods had been friends for centuries, and Hephaestus always enjoyed the rare occasions when Poseidon would pay him a visit.
But as Hephaestus handed Poseidon an envelope with a smirk, he knew this was not going to be a typical visit. "I hope you're ready for some exciting news," Hephaestus said, his eyes twinkling with mischief.
Poseidon rolled his eyes and took the envelope, muttering under his breath about how Hephaestus always seemed to find trouble. "Just burn it, will you?" Poseidon said, trying to hand it back. "I don't have time for whatever nonsense this is."
But Hephaestus held onto the envelope, a determined look on his face. "Oh, you're going to want to read this one," he said. "It's from Medusa."
At the mention of her name, Poseidon's face darkened. He and Medusa had a history, one that Poseidon would rather forget. "I don't want anything to do with her," he growled, trying to toss the envelope into the fire.
But Hephaestus was quick, snatching it out of the air before it could burn. "You might want to reconsider," he said, opening the envelope and pulling out the letter inside.
As Hephaestus read the letter, his face grew serious. He looked up at Poseidon, a surprised look in his eyes. "This isn't just any letter," he said. "It's child support papers."
Poseidon's eyes widened as he snatched the letter from Hephaestus, scanning it quickly. "Twins?" he muttered, incredulous. "She had twins?"
Hephaestus couldn't help but chuckle at Poseidon's reaction. "Looks like your carefree bachelor ways have finally caught up with you," he said, clapping Poseidon on the back.
Poseidon grumbled, running a hand through his hair. "How much do I have to pay?" he asked, dreading the answer.
Hephaestus named the amount, and Poseidon let out a low whistle. "Are you sure about that?" he asked, hoping Hephaestus had made a mistake.
But Hephaestus was firm. "It's only fair," he said, reminding Poseidon of the consequences of his actions.
Poseidon tried to argue, but Hephaestus stood firm, refusing to back down. Finally, defeated, Poseidon agreed to pay the child support. "Fine," he said, sighing. "But you have to promise to keep this a secret."
Hephaestus grinned, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "I can't make any promises," he said, winking at Poseidon.
Poseidon rolled his eyes, but couldn't help but laugh. "You're lucky you escaped Medusa's clutches," he said, as he left the workshop.
Hephaestus returned to his work, a smile on his face. But as he worked, his mind kept wandering to the twins. He wondered what they looked like, and if they had inherited their mother's green eyes and black hair.
The end.
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