Chapter 30: Chapter 29: Brick by Brick
A few days passed quietly since Ethan and Lili had agreed to work together. The church, once abandoned and crumbling, had slowly begun to look like a place someone could call home.
Boards had been patched, cracks sealed, and new cloth curtains now hung over the once-bare windows. It wasn’t luxurious—but it was theirs.
The morning sun crept through the dusty glass panes, catching the dust in the air as Ethan hauled a wooden beam to the back wall. He wore a worn black shirt, sleeves rolled to his elbows, hands covered in dirt and sweat.
"Hold it there!" Lili called out, standing on a small ladder, hammer in hand.
"I got it," Ethan said, steadying the beam with ease.
She hammered quickly, tongue slightly sticking out in focus. "Almost... and done."
The beam locked into place with a satisfying knock. Lili hopped off the ladder, giving Ethan a small satisfied grin. "Nice teamwork."
Ethan smirked. "You’re pretty good with a hammer."
"I used to help with repairs at home," she said simply, brushing off her dress. "Kind of had to. No one else would."
He gave her a glance, sensing the weight behind those words, but didn’t pry. He knew better than to ask about scars people weren’t ready to show.
Meanwhile, from across the room, Hestia watched the two of them.
She sat on a small stool, unrolling fabric for a new curtain she planned to stitch together. Her eyes lingered on Lili a moment too long, her hands pausing mid-motion.
She didn’t dislike the girl. Not really.
But something about her being here every day, talking to Ethan so casually, sharing laughs with him over crooked nails and broken shelves—it tugged at her.
Is she using him? Trying to get something out of him?
The thought soured her stomach.
She didn’t want to be unfair. Lili worked hard—sometimes harder than she had to. She didn’t slack off or complain. She was smart, too, and clearly cared about Ethan. But still... something gnawed at Hestia’s chest.
She’s stealing him.
The thought was petty, but it surfaced all the same. Stealing him from me...
"Goddess?" Ethan’s voice snapped her out of her daze.
She blinked, startled, and looked up to see him holding a half-empty bucket of water.
"You okay?" he asked.
"Y-yeah," she said quickly, standing up. "Just... thinking."
He raised an eyebrow but didn’t push further.
Lili walked over carrying some sandpaper. "The left wall’s almost ready for paint."
Hestia gave a small nod, brushing off her apron. "Good. We’re almost done with the inside."
The three of them spent the next few hours sanding, patching, and cleaning. There were a few awkward moments—Hestia giving short answers when Lili asked questions, or Lili hesitating before handing tools to her—but they pushed through.
By afternoon, the sun cast golden light into the church. The stained-glass windows they’d cleaned sparkled faintly. The place felt warmer—less forgotten.
Lili stood near the front entrance, staring up at the ceiling. "This place... it doesn’t feel like a ruin anymore."
Ethan looked around, wiping sweat from his brow. "It’s still a long way from perfect."
"It doesn’t need to be perfect," Hestia said quietly, surprising them both. "It just needs to feel like home."
Lili turned to her. "I think it already does."
Their eyes met. For a second, Hestia thought she saw something genuine in the girl—something unguarded. Not a rival. Not a thief.
Just a girl who, like her, didn’t want to be alone.
Hestia looked away. "Well, don’t think I trust you completely yet. I’ve got my eyes on you."
Lili didn’t take offense. Instead, she gave a small smile. "That’s fair."
Ethan gave a short laugh. "You two getting along is the most terrifying thing I’ve seen this week."
Hestia huffed. "Don’t get used to it."
Lili nodded solemnly. "Agreed."
They all shared a tired laugh.
As the sun dipped lower and the shadows stretched across the newly cleaned walls, the church stood a little taller. It wasn’t just a place of worship anymore.
It was becoming a home.
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