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It was painful to do so, but Hephaestus forced himself into a kneeling position before the woman who'd raised him. "Beloved foster mother" he began solemnly. "I must return home and take my place among the gods"
"They will not appreciate you" Thetis warned. As supportive as she would be of any decision he made, she did not want him to go through anything under false notions of how things would pan out. "They will only judge you by the way you look"
"Then they are fools" the blacksmith declared. "I don't care what anyone thinks" he continued. "My mother threw me away. She must pay for that insult"
Thetis nodded in understanding. She couldn't come up with an argument, nor did she want to- Not when he was so determined. So, she instead packed him a small bag and wrapped him in a tight hug.
"You always have a home here if you need it" she told him, getting a small nod in response. "I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors" she continued. "And I love you"
"I love you too, foster mother" Hephaestus replied with a crooked smile. "Thank you for everything. I'll try to visit sometime"
"I'll be here when you do"