rise with the moon, set with the sun.

@mpxtohil

Mani liked to think he was doing pretty well. Like that perhaps some actual progress was being made and that he was starting to be able to hold his own against the other god, but then he’d be shoved to the ground, placed in a chokehold, or his current dilemma and least favorite, pinned to the ground by the other god, with the tip of his own sword pressed a little too close to his throat. It was during these moments that he’d be reminded that he was painfully ignorant on the subject of combat, and painfully unprepared to face the wolves, “Okay, I yield! I yield!”

Tohil on the other hand, was a remarkable warrior. Mani was well aware that he wasn’t in any real danger considering how skilled the other was at combat. Though if they weren’t on friendly terms, Mani was also certain that the other man would make an intimidating foe. Thankfully for him, the Mayan god was just training him and not out for his blood. Otherwise, he’s certain that the sword would not have just stopped at his throat.

“Ease up, please...” he says softly, though it’s partially strangled, still trying to catch his breath while raising up a hand to nudge the tip of the spear aside. Once the weapon is a good ways away from nicking any major arteries, the moon god lets himself relax there on the ground and tosses an arm over his eyes. “You know... I’m starting to think you get a kick out of tossing me around like this,” he jokes despite the ache that settles in his bones.

angst meme: still accepting!

“You... You what?” the moon god thinks he’s misheard the young man. Left speechless by the sudden confession because really, even if he had thought he’d heard right, he’d have trouble believing Seojun’s claim. As far as he knew, the young demigod was bright and loud. He was friendly and full of life and Mani just couldn’t picture him in that light. Picture him as a murderer. Though, it wouldn’t have mattered to him if the younger was a murderer or not. What Seojun or anyone did in their spare time was none of his business. So long as no one came after anyone he cared about, he was content.

@mpxsol

He stands there eyes wide, mouth gaping slightly, and heart racing from what was most likely fear. Right there, before his very eyes was his sister, no more than a foot or two in front of him, looking as lovely and as radiant as ever. He does what he can to not wince when the smile on her face disappears as soon as he comes into her line of vision. And does his very best to ignore the pang in his chest when he's acknowledged with an unimpressed frown.  "I... They..." he starts off dumbly trying to explain himself despite the fact that he was certain that he was the last person she wanted to see tonight. "Sister, before you punt me across the room..." he begin slowly, trying to find the right words.

He points off to the side where a few of his favorite demigods stood by as audience to his current affair, casting them a pointed glance before returning his attention to the goddess before him, "A few of the young ones have requested that... we dance together," in actuality, they'd collectively pushed the moon god in the sun goddess' direction telling him to dance with his sister before taking off once he was close enough. Something that he really didn’t appreciate if he was honest, but figured that they had done it with good intentions, so he couldn’t really be upset.

angst meme: still accepting!

“Do we have to?” he answers back with a question of his own, though his words are muffled by the pillow he’s stuffed his face into. He knows he’s acting a tad foolish, but he can hardly help it. His head is still reeling from all the alcohol he’d had the night prior and with the bits and pieces of memory he does have, he’d prefer to save himself some dignity for just a tad bit longer. The moon god simply decides on laying there motionless, face still buried in the down pillow until it gets uncomfortable.

 angst meme: still accepting! (note is at the bottom of the thread)

‘She’s tired. She doesn’t mean it. She’ll forget about it when she’s wide awake and coherent once more. She hates you, don’t forget that,’ He tells himself all of this to stop himself from getting his hopes up. But still, the gentle words spark a fragment of hope in his chest that maybe, just maybe things won’t always be like this between them. Won’t always be this way. “And I would still do anything for you, sister,” he murmurs softly in response, a small yet sad smile on his face as he glances at the sleeping goddess in his arms. The sentiment still ringing true to him despite everything that’s happened. He continues making his way to their apartment building, humming the tune of an old lullaby as he goes.

 And once he arrives, he heads straight for his apartment figuring that it was the better option. He just didn’t have the heart to wake her after all. And rather than letting himself into her living space and facing her subsequent wrath for doing so without her permission, he figured that he’d let her into his. It’s not long before he has the goddess tucked into his bed, sitting at her side for a moment to make sure she’s comfortable enough. He quickly jots down a note and places it on his night stand for her to read when she awakens as well. “Goodnight, sister,” he murmurs, barely above a whisper before rising once more. As he takes his leave, he lingers by his bedroom door and glances back at her.

It was a strange and bittersweet feeling to know that the only peace they’d ever share together would be while she was asleep. Though he’s unsure of whether a circumstance between the two of them like this would ever come up again. Somewhere in his head, he’s certain that it wouldn’t. And there’s so many things that he wants to tell her. So many stories that he’d like to share, but he knows that those will have to wait for another time. If the time ever came. “I promise you, sister... I will make things right between us, someday,” he says quietly. “I will make up all my wrongs to you, one way or another...” he finishes just as he shuts the door behind him and leaves for the cafe.

‘Dearest Sol,

Do not be alarmed. I found you half asleep in the park and brought you back to my apartment. There’s tea or coffee, and snacks in the kitchen if you wish to have some before you leave. And do not worry, I’ll be sure to stay out of your way until you’ve returned to your respective living quarters. I hope you slept well. 

angst meme: still accepting!

“Right...” he nods his head, turning away from the other god. And he’s glad for it, otherwise perhaps Osiris would have seen the look of hurt in his eyes. Mani wills himself to relax his shoulders. Busies himself with refilling his kettle once more and forces himself to act unbothered by the words because what was he supposed to expect? Just because he wasn’t on the run at the moment didn’t mean that they’d pick up things right where they left off in the past. It would be unfair of him to assume such a thing. The moon god finds himself taking a deep breath.

angst meme: still accepting!

‘I won’t...’ he has the words in his mouth, but he hesitates to say them. “Bora...” he begins with a sigh, silvery eyes conflicted all of a sudden. He does not wish to make a promise he can’t keep, especially not to anyone that he’s come to care for. But how cruel it would be of him to not offer her at least the slightest bit of comfort that he wasn’t going anywhere. At least not anytime soon. He sighs again and smiles at her despite himself. Resting his hand gently on top of hers, squeezing it reassuringly, he speaks again.

angst meme: still accepting!

Mani’s brows furrow at the statement and he frowns. “Of course you’re not, Minsung,” he says gently. He extends one of his hands to grasp the young man’s shoulder and squeezes it in a sort of reassuring manner, a look of concern crossing his features. “Did... Did someone say that you were?” he asks and he can’t help it. He wondered how anyone could say such a thing about the demigod or to his face. 

angst meme: still accepting!

“No, no, no... Of course not, Yuta,” he soothes with an apologetic smile on his face. It had really been too long since he last visited the young man. Too long since he last visited his brother as well. Far too overwhelmed and caught up in his own hardships, the moon god had more or less neglected the world around him in favor of sulking in his turmoil. “I’m so sorry...” he continues, shaking his head and patting the demigod’s shoulder. “I didn’t mean for you to feel this way...” he trails off, looking down.

angst meme: still accepting!

“I’m sorry, I’m not trying to do that...” he sighs softly. Regret and guilt dripping in his words. It’s not long before he’s loosening his grip on the young man’s arm, but not letting it go entirely. It had been a reflex to stop the other when he reached out to get a better glance at his scars. One that he had yet to learn how to stop. He looks up at the demigod and offers him a gloomy smile. “Willis, I know that you mean well,” he starts off, “And I appreciate what you’re trying to do...” he trails off, looking down and sucking in a breath. “But these scars...” he sighs again and looks up. “I’m not saying that you are not powerful in your own right... and I mean that in earnest,” he tries to reassure the other, though he’s not quite sure it helps.

angst meme: still accepting!

“But it’s better if I do, isn’t it?” He slurs. His head is screaming for him to get up and open the door. To let her inside so that she can knock some sense into him, and his muscles twitch with the intention to do just that, but the moon god restrains himself. Instead Mani just lifts the bottle of ale up to his mouth and swallows down whatever remains. The alcohol burning him, almost choking him on its way down. When it’s empty, he tosses it aside carelessly. Adds it to the growing pile scattered on the floor of his apartment. “You have better things to do than to waste time on some pathetic lowlife such as I...”

Ixchel had been around a long time. Both on the mortal plane and not. She’d seen the likes of empires rise and fall. She’d seen gods and mortals lift themselves out of darkness and be crushed by it. She’d felt their pain, their jor, lived their every victory and tasted every defeat. As the mother goddess of her pantheon she held a special kind of empathy only a goddess like her could have. So when she’d found the Norse god of the moon standing scared and wary over the bridge that connected the island to the mainland, it hadn’t taken her long to learn of his suffering. Norse or Mayan it didn’t matter, they were both lords of the moon and she took it upon herself to see to it that Mani felt no need to fear on this island.

“Of course I did. And I would do it again should the need arise.” There was a stern compassion in her gaze as she stayed by his side. “There is no shame in pain Mani. Physical, emotional. We all have our demons. Even the gods.” She can feel the tool the nightmares have taken on him and the trauma of his past as it eroded his spirit bit by bit. “Encontrar la paz en el abrazo de las lunas.” She held him steady and let the moon’s light revitalize him through her. Just as she had done many times before. “These dreams, they are becoming more frequent or more intense?” She was of the belief that dreams were not just dreams but visions. Messages of things they needed to see or know. Whatever was happening to Mani she was positive the answer was in the night terrors he’d been having. 

He sighed heavily, his chest rattling a little in the process and let’s his eyes close. Some of the tension in his shoulders ease and he relaxes a bit. “Thank you…” he croaks, heart heavy but a little lighter if just for the time being. It astounded him at times how Amber had that comforting affect on him. Appreciated her to no end because she was someone he could truly trust. She was compassionate and unjudging, and helped him a great deal more than he deserved. He doesn’t know if he’ll ever be able to repay his fellow moon god, but that was the least of his worries right this moment.

Mani opens his eyes, ponders her question for a few moments, gnawing at his lower lip as he thinks over his answer. “Both…” he concedes not long after. “They’re…” he pauses, looking down. “They’re usually the same thing over and over again, but there are some details to them that…” he looks down. “That makes them so much worse…” he trails off, voice dropping below a whisper. He’s not sure how he’d be able to explain himself. Actually, he’s not sure if any of what he’s saying makes sense and it frustrates him a little. “Sometimes… I’m being betrayed… And it feels like a memory,” he breathes, silvery eyes closing themselves once more.

[...]

so for all the norse god of the moon knows, he’s a total stranger sneaking into his house. or well; maybe the god knows, because he’s been extremely quiet so far and this is around the time that mani usually goes to bed - or at least it used to be the last time they met in some forgotten town northwest of moscow. it’s part of the norse god’s charm, he thinks, or maybe that’s just because it gives him an excuse for lots of cuddling during his own waking hours - and boy how he loves his cuddling.

once he’s properly inside, he casually tugs his shirt comfortably around his frame again, then walks further into the house like it’s no big deal at all that he’s there and there’s absolutely zero issue with it. he’s not entirely a hundred percent sure yet what he’s going to say when his old lover comes to confront him, but then he doesn’t quite mind that as he likes himself the occasional improvisation situation - and hah, that rhymes, he’s keeping that one in mind for future use when someone else is around to hear him say it as well.

He’s in his kitchen when the other god enters his living quarters. Too absorbed in his usual bedtime routine to notice anything amiss, the moon god busies himself with filling his kettle with water and letting it boil over the stove top. The sound of it all obscuring any commotion that might have been made. He carries on his task of making tea without disruption and completely at ease.

The moon god stands casually, propped against a counter, absolutely absorbed with the book in his hand. This was his home after all. Had been for a while and for as long as he had been in that particular apartment, he hadn’t had to worry about anything or anyone. It was only natural that the deity let his guard down overtime, and it showed in the way he carried himself now.

There’s a black mug on the counter space to the left of him, crescent moons painted all over the exterior to embellish it, and a canister of loose leaf Chamomile tea right beside it. Completely relaxed, Mani hums a soft tune as he waits for the water to boil, completely unaware of the intruder in his home.

His hair is still a little damp from his earlier shower and he’s dressed in a cozy pair of sweatpants and dark short-sleeved shirt. It was a simple outfit, contrasted with his usual attire of long sleeves or sweaters, coats, and long pants, basically anything that covered him up. This however was something that he usually wore when he was by himself. Though he still preferred to throw on something with longer sleeves whenever he had company over of course.