phobos

WIllow was swaying to the song playing on the side of the room, a glass of champagne in hand as they did so. They were humming to the song, in their own little world when a familiar face came to stand beside them, mentioning their discomfort. Willow’s face went from mellow and musing to an interested smile. “Oh my dear! You are really feeling too uncomfortable? Well, I try to just enjoy what I want to in places like this. I get odd looks a lot, and decided a quite an early time not to care about the uncomfortable but focus on the pleasant…. so…what might I do to make this evening more pleasant for you?” They asked, teetering on their feet as they waited for an answer.

egon recognized the face instantly, giving the other one a small smile. it was the stranger that offered him ice cream. he let them pet demi. “it’s just a weird night,” he stubbled, his eyes moving to the champagne glass and back to the other. “most people drink to get comfortable but i can’t do that.” egon took a small breath in as he shrugged his shoulders. “i think the only thing that could make it more pleasant would be ending. but it’s nice to see a familiar face, willow.”

“that might be so, yet maybe i can teach you a thing or two.” ambros nodded his head, “that makes sense. and you’re here despite probably not wanting to be here. at the very least scope it out and then decide whether you want to be here or not.”

“Oh, I know that can’t be true. You seem…rather hard on yourself for someone who still came to the party.” Maybe she wasn’t entirely pleased that the party was happening in the first place either, but she was trying. “I know them…unfortunately.” She mumbled the last part with a short sigh. “I think they threw it truly to celebrate themselves. That’s the only reason I’ve come up with so far.” And maybe getting insight from anybody like Phobos who didn’t remember was her best bet at finding out more on why the hosts wanted everybody at the same place.

“i’m not sure why i was even invited to be honest. i don’t know the hosts all that well, if that all.” egon sighed as he looked the other over. it did seem rather unfortunate to her that she knew the hosts. “you really think they threw all of this? to celebrate themselves?” he asked honestly. “that... that seems like a waste of time and money.”

“why would anyone want any of us here? it’s not as if i understood what the invitation meant. i was too curious to stay home.” ambros listened to the other, nodding along. “maybe those things aren’t easy, but they aren’t impossible to master either. have you put yourself around people more often than not or hid in the shadows?”

“Maybe they thought you were an important figure. Or maybe…” She trailed off, a short shrug rolling off of her shoulders as she tried to help him make sense of what was going on. “Insanity does seem like something the hosts would be known for. And maybe it was random, though, I don’t know how they got everybody here all in one place either.” Granted, having the messenger god probably helped.

“me? important? i don’t think anyone has had that thought about me since the day i was born,” he said mostly to himself as he looked around the room again. “so you know the hosts well? do you know why they’re throwing the party in the first place? you seem to be more well versed with the faces around here than i am.”

“i suppose it’s what most do, when faced with uncertainty. falling back into the first predictable patterns they can comprehend gives them an illusion of control.” there was something about the ambiguity of fear being unable to look her in the eye, but it soon gave way to a quieter understanding. how often these younger gods would excuse their darker traits as though they were to be atoned for. “you’re not. and you should never apologise for being honest with yourself, far too many waste their time with societal expectation.”  

ambros couldn’t forget the other since the first day they’d met. it was eerie how familiar he felt towards the other, racking his brain for days on where the two might’ve met. “someone wanted you here whether you think so or not. and people don’t look at you because you’re unapproachable. there’s ways to work on that.”

Charlotte nodded, never losing her arcadian smile. She noted the information, tucking it away should it come up again. “Perhaps then just know that I think most people feel at least confused,” she replied, “Do you know our hosts at all?” 

“so it’s not only me? that is a bit comforting,” he sighed, clearing his throat a bit. “i... don’t. i’ve heard about them. but i’ve never actually seen them. zara is a big ceo isn’t she?”

speaking to phobos of his discomfort was certainly a conversation the goddess didn’t think she would be having tonight - but mortal minds made for mortal disposition. she had made it her business over the length of the curse to at least recall who remembered and who didn’t. without harbouring the fear of others, egon was little more than the human manifestation of his old design. “no, not at all. i think the unknown nature of the invite was enough to make most feel that way.”

ambros had come to the party out of pure curiosity, the invitation rather sparse of much information as to why he’d be invited in the first place. and after seeing the hosts, he was even more confused about the intentions. “you’re probably not the only one, though maybe not so visibly uncomfortable as you seem.”

“Yeah…I was going to say the same thing.” Not that Nemesis had an idea in the slightest what this was all about, but it seemed like a set up, maybe a ploy even, to see the hosts even playing again, like this was just all controlled by the Fates too. Still, she didn’t want to scare Phobos away, and instead insisted that things were weird for now. “All of this just seems…over the top.”

egon turned to the woman, nodding his head slowly. at least he wasn’t alone in this. “truly i don’t.. i don’t understand why i was invited. i don’t even know the hosts or.. how they know me. i recognize a few faces from around town but.. why invite someone like me to a ball?” a small laugh left his lips. “i think they missed over the top and went straight for insane.”

Charlotte almost laughed. The point of a party was not to feel comfortable. It wouldn’t be a lie to say that most people were uncomfortable at one point or another during a party. However, the years of etiquette training that she remembered stopped her from fully laughing. It was hardly a ladylike thing to think, let alone say. “Most people would take that as a sign you need another drink,” she said instead. 

egon turned to the voice that spoke up, giving the other an uneasy smile. “unfortunately i can’t partake in that tonight. i’m sure there is enough to go around for everyone else though,” he nodded towards the woman. 

winter fest ready.

What is your go to drink of choice?

just water for me thanks.

What song would bring you to the dance floor?

...none of them? i’m not in business of making a fool of myself. 

What are you most afraid of?

“why do you say that? people are naturally curious and are going to stare and look away for various reasons.” his eyebrow quirked, almost amused with how hard the other seemed to be studying him. “i’m not really sure. maybe just a deja vu moment or something. i come here often so it could be a thing.”

“A shame really. Do you ever…let yourself have fun? Is that something that you’d ever want to do?” Heather didn’t want to force anybody to do anything they didn’t want to, but she also knew sometimes it was hard to step out of that comfort zone too, something she knew all too well at getting people out of in just the right ways.

egon had to think about it for a moment. “i don’t.. really know. a lot of things make me uncomfortable now, especially after..” shaking his head, he cleared his thoughts of the moment he knew he would never be the same. “most people have a different definition of fun than i do. i’m sure you enjoy going out and drinking but i... i can’t do that.”

“at least don’t look like i’m forcing you to sit here.” most mornings ambros would’ve enjoyed being left alone, but didn’t mind being next to the other. an eyebrow raised at the question, studying the other for a moment. “maybe you’ve seen me around, but…i don’t think we’ve met.”