So she was a smartass in person, too? Hephaestus snorted, as unsurprised as he was amused. "All the shoe thieving's bound to catch up. Figured you might need protection when it did. Assuming any random chivas asked... that'd be my answer."
He shrugged then, a 'what of it?' lifting of massive shoulders, and shifted minutely to take weight off his bad leg. A moment ticked by while Hephaestus peered sidelong at her. When a gust of wind rattled its way through the yard, he grimaced. Bethlehem had been good to him, but he and winter did not exactly see eye to eye.
"Victoria said you left. You picked a strange time to go." Gesturing toward the forge, he wheeled around before starting to limp his way back inside. "You don't have to come inside, but it's too cold for old men like me."