I WILL 𝔹𝕌ℝℕ THIS WORLD.

she’ll admit, she does often miss the feeling of home. the upperworld, while beautiful, did nothing for her though the comforts of the mortal world could not be denied. a gentle smile for hecate, reaching out to brush fingers down the other goddess’ arm. “tartarus will always be my home, though you can’t deny that this world has something about it.” perhaps the death of zeus was making the primordial one a little giddy. “are you homesick?” nyx won’t deny she does miss the underworld often and returns as much as she can. 

… ☾ …

hades   had   been   kind   enough   to   offer   a   meadow   and   cottage   for   the   goddess   ,   something   she   loved   more   than   the   souls   that   lived   in   the   underworld   .   but   lately   hecate   was   spending   more   and   more   time   away   ,   her   soul   ached   to   go   back   and   visit   ,   and   to   build   her   small   fire   and   wrap   herbs   .   something   normal   and   not   threatening   .   they   sighed   ,   nodding   .   “   i   do   more   and   more   each   day   ,   ”   hecate   said   ,   smiling   thinking   of   all   of   the   small   parties   the   souls   loved   to   throw   .   “   i   miss   everything   about   it   ,   and   how   .   .   .   easy   it   is   to   be   down   there   .   ”

“Aphrodite, darling, you know how much I love you,” well this couldn’t be good. Seated on the floor, his back resting on the front of her seat, he looked up at her, reaching out to get a hold of her slender  hands, “but I’ve never been more bored in one of our little runways.” He could have easily blamed it on the models, but that would have been a mistake. They could do so much better than that. People expected him to be inspired and inspiring. It was safe to say that the death of Zeus might have taken a bigger toll than he had thought. Never one for grim thoughts, he found that his work reflected his current mood. Eros’ eyes met hers and he sighed, joining her on the padded seat. “What do you think?”

… ♡ …

aphrodite   hummed   and   nodded   ,   glad   the   other   agreed   with   her   .   they   were   missing   something   ,   but   what   ?   she   reached   out   ,   her   fingers   running   through   the   other’s   hair   as   she   thought   and   listened   to   him   .   eros   was   someone   aphodite   turned   to   always   tell   her   the   truth   ,   and   she   appricated   that   .   “   i   couldn’t   agree   with   you   more   ,   darling   ,   ”   she   nodded   ,   sitting   up   .   “   but   what   is   missing   ?   ”

Apollo was strumming on his guitar, fumbling around mindlessly without really thinking. Not until someone turned to him and tapped him on his shoulder. “Off– Offkey?” A flabbergasted look of offence crossed his face. “Excuse you? My guitar is perfectly in tune.”

… ღ …

helen   couldn’t   help   but   make   a   face   at   the   man   before   her   .   “   then   why   is   it   literally   killing   everyone’s   ears   ?   ”   helen   asked   ,   gesturing   around   to   everyone’s   relieved   looks   .   “   i   think   i   just   saved   everyone’s   lives   .   and   that’s   suppose   to   be   your   job   .   ”

Hephaestus tried not to react when they saw Aphrodite standing in the entrance with a smirk. They dropped their eyes away. “I said I’d call you when it was ready. Not yet.” That was all they meant to say, but it was her and so Hephaestus relented just a little. Call it old habits, but they gestured for Aphrodite to wait as they went back to grab the almost finished necklace. “I need to finish polishing it up. Should be done tomorrow.”

… ♡ …

the   way   aphrodite’s   body   reacted   when   they   were   close   to   hephaestus   ,   it   had   been   such   a   long   time   since   there   was   a   “   them   ”   but   still   if   aphrodite   wasn’t   thinking   her   hand   might   reach   out   just   to   run   her   thumb   over   their   cheekbone   .   but   she   was   thinking   ,   and   took   a   sit   instead   of   reaching   for   the   other   .   she   had   her   legs   crossed   as   the   other   searched   for   the   necklace   .   “   i   could   polish   it   ,   ”   she   said   ,   getting   up   and   dropping   her   purse   on   the   seat   .

she’s stirring her matcha latte with a thin wooden spoon, foam catching at the top. how it feels like hiding, the two of them sitting here. taking a break from the all-watching eyes of the deities roaming the city. though these days, there’s no one really watching, she doesn’t think. “hm?” the latte seems to take a lot of her focus. ariadne looks up, only now noticing the drops of rain. “yeah i was. briefly. heard there was a real commotion.”

… ღ …

helen   nodded   ,   sighing   .   the   other   sturning   their   latte   lost   in   thought   was   truly   now   helen   was   feeling   in   this   moment   .   confused   and   maybe   even   a   little   scared   .   she   hadn’t   picked   up   her   sketchbook   in   over   a   week   because   of   the   whole   thing   .   it   had   taken   something   from   helen   ,   and   she   wanted   it   back   .   “   i’m   scared   ,   ”   helen   finally   whispered   .   stopping   to   take   a   sip   of   her   drink   before   sighing   .   “   i   don’t   want   to   move   but   .   .   .   everything   was   so   easier   before   i   got   here   .   ”

a beat or two, a total pause, the thumping music creeping in and filling the cracks. icarus pauses, blinks, then holds his arms out. “funny! that’s funny, dude. but really.” he takes a moment to sip of the drink he’s brought over, a gesture made so hades can follow, but it doesn’t really matter if he catches up or not. “things are obviously changing around here. what’s the use holding onto old stuff?”

… ♔ …

the   two   shared   many   things   .   the   night   and   calling   the   underworld   home   .   or   at   leaste   hecate   thought   so   .   “   have   you   found   somewhere   else   to   call   home   ,   sister   ?   ”

the   goddess   enjoyed   learning   ,   if   not   about   herself   and   their   power   but   about   others   .   they   might   be   as   old   as   time   but   one   was   never   too   old   to   learn   .   “   excuse   me   ,   ”   hecate   asked   ,   tapping   the   other   gently   on   their   shoulder   .   “   you’re   a   god   ,   i   can   feel   it   .   what   are   you   the   god   over   ?   ”

hecate   had   always   had   respect   for   hestia   ,   and   enjoyed   what   the   other   presided   over   .   hecate   enjoyed   seeing   family’s   together   and   being   happy   .   something   hecate   was   content   with   watching   and   enjoying   from   afar   .   “   tell   me   of   your   job   ,   and   its   challenges   ,   ”   hecate   said   ,   over   their   cups   of   hot   liquid   .

she   had   enjoyed   the   rain   and   booms   for   about   a   minute   but   now   .   she   was   over   it   .   “   who   do   you   think   did   it   ,   if   not   odin   ?   ”

aphrodite   didn’t   remember   the   last   time   she   had   graced   hera   with   her   presence   .   but   finally   aphrodite   invited   the   queen   (   ?   )   of   the   gods   over   ,   and   the   two   sat   in   her   back   garden   ,   surrounded   by   roses   and   a   few   swans   .   and   of   course   doves   ,   the   animals   brought   her   peace   .   “   how   have   you   been   ?   ”   aphrodite   asked   ,   sating   a   sip   of   her   tea   .   

aphrodite   lounged   on   a   love   seat   .   in   one   hand   a   glass   of   light   yellow   liquid   .   she   and   eros   were   .   .   .   watching   as   models   walked   the   small   runway   her   botique   offered   .   some   were   weaking   her   designs   and   others   his   .   she   hummed   and   sighed   as   the   models   walked   and   ,   it   seemed   ,   as   soon   as   it   started   it   ended   .   she   sat   up   ,   her   feeting   touching   the   soft   carpet   and   her   glass   being   set   down   on   a   flat   surface   .   “   i’m   not   sure   ,   ”   she   said   ,   sitting   back   onto   the   overstuffed   love   seat   .   “   what   do   you   think   ,   love   ?   ”

helen   tapped   the   end   of   her   pen   on   the   table   .   she   didn’t   even   remember   how   long   she   had   been   at   the   cafe   just   trying   to   get   some   work   done   .   but   couldn’t   .   finally   she   turned   ,   tapping   the   other   on   the   shoulder   .   “   can   you   please   turn   down   your   offkey   music   ?   ”

the   woman   stood   in   front   of   the   mirror   in   a   dressing   room   .   it   felt   .   .   .   shallow   to   be   doing   this   ,   trying   on   new   clothes   when   there   was   a   storm   outside   and   at   a   gods’   doing   .   helen   wasn’t   one   of   those   who   was   up   the   gods’   ass   but   had   respect   for   those   who   were   more   powerful   than   herself   .   “   fuck   ,   ”   she   cursed   ,   shaking   out   her   curls   .   “   what   the   fuck   is   wrong   with   me   ?   ”