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WIP Wednesday (on a Thursday!!)

my beloved @figsandphiltatos tagged my main in this and i think it’s such a fun idea!! check out their stuff, they’re currently working on a retelling of the Telemachy from Peisistratus’ perspective!!! and it’s so good!!!!! go read their work!!!!!<333333

i haven’t worked on much over the holidays, but i did spend the majority of nanowrimo working on the same piece! i’m almost scared to finish hh so sometimes i fear i’ve been dragging it out to avoid the inevitable (but also, i’m still having fun, DAMMIT. who would complain since i’m still using it to build characterizations and relationships? it’s GOOD. i’m having FUN.)

here’s one of the more recent updates of hh!<3 i was on the fence about introducing Lux (because spoilers?), but i just...fell in love with him immediately. introducing him alone is why i’m also deciding that maybe i’m not ready to start the process of finishing abc yet!

tagging @wikipedie @coffee-laytte-two and @courtjester69420 (although, no pressure!!!!)

happy last out of touch thursday of the year!

--

The Old God groaned. Todd rarely stayed Backstage without Branwen present, but he’d insisted she go ahead without him. It pained both him and the Old God to see her so distressed, and her lack of resistance was in itself a cause for concern. Todd stepped forward and held the Old God by their shoulders.

“Mmmrgh.” Tell me.

“I wasn’t lying,” the Old God protested. “Ardan being here is a good thing, and he does adore that girl. Her and Celeste, and you. There’s nothing any of you need me to say about it.”

The world melted away. Grays of all shades dripped from the iron wrought furniture and the cafe’s front. The black of the cobble stone itself seemed to be receding away from the pair, being replaced with soft browns and reds, before disappearing altogether. The Old God stood facing Todd as trees seemed to spring from nowhere and grow up thousands of feet to scratch the sky. The Old God squinted against the deep greens and browns of the forest, as if a light had been shined directly into their eyes. In the distance the sound of waves lapping a beach roared.

Where Todd had stood was a short whose skin was the same light brown as Ardan’s. Her eyes and hair were the same shade of black, and her canines were far too sharp when she smiled joylessly.

“Where are we?”

“If you don’t want to talk to me that’s fine,” she said, letting go of the deity and making a show of brushing her hands off on her trousers. “I know someone who will.” With this, she turned and began off toward the waves.

Although the Old God was a monochrome idol in this place, they felt a color they didn’t have drain from their face. “Todd, not them!”

She spun around to face them. “Why? You know, he would really be an excellent ally to have! Sure, he couldn’t care less about the New Gods, but he loves Branwen. Do you really think he’d let anyone do anything that could hurt his little golden girl?” Todd’s voice dripped with a dare to be challenged. “I think he’d want to know if something was happening, since he can’t afford to keep tabs on her anymore, don’t you think?”

The Old God seethed. “Todd!”

She resumed her purposeful march to the beach, the Old God trailing behind her. They stopped right at the treeline, watching as Todd held her arms out as she walked toward the man.

He stood on a flat, gray outcropping at the beach’s edge, the water lapping up onto the rock to darken its corners. He looked over his shoulder toward the forest at the sound of Todd’s steps crunching on the sand. Upon seeing her, his face brightened, a feat which should have been impossible as the god cast a bright glow on everything around him. “My darling!” He shouted, voice booming over the waves. The Old God shuddered at the sound and concealed themselves behind a particularly thick tree.

“Lux!” Todd squealed as he lifted her into the air after closing the distance between them with imperceptible speed. He finally set her back down and held her face in his strong hands. She squinted slightly and he quickly released her apologetically, the gold of his skin having reflected directly into her eyes.

“What are you doing here, my dear?”

“I don’t want any false pretense,” Todd began. “I’m sorry this wasn’t a casual visit.”

Lux waved a hand dismissively. “There will always be time for that later.”

“I’m worried about Branwen.”

Lux’s face darkened and the sun that beat down on the beach seemed to dim. “Did that bastard hurt her? Where are they?” With this they turned from Todd to study the treeline. “They’re here, aren’t they?”

Todd reached out for his hand and turned his attention back to her. “They haven’t done anything,” she promised. “Really. But I need to talk to someone who’s always had her best interests at heart.”

The Old God strained to hear the continuation of the conversation, despite the pounding in their chest after Lux’s call. Strange, they thought in a moment of detachment. I don’t even have a heart…I don’t think.

“I try to. As much as I can,” Lux said, words laced with deep anger. “They have made it nearly impossible.”

“Lux,” Todd gripped his hand tighter. “Listen. I know you can’t watch over her like you used to because of…”

“The parasite? Todd, we’re not supposed to feed off mortals like that! What do they call her, an avatar? There’s not a single god who didn’t know she was my favorite, and they still got to feed off all that belief. I don’t even know what the Nameless One calls themselves these days, but they shut all of us out,” he said seriously. “I don’t care about the others, Todd. She was my favorite.” The sky above the beach continued to darken.

She exhaled. Really, these gods and their tempers. She wondered if she was ever this petty with her siblings. “Lux.”

“I’m sorry,” he said, the sky lightening slightly. “You don’t care.”

He sighed. “What do you need?”

“You can’t see her, but you can see Celeste, right?”

The sky became completely clear, the sun beating down mercilessly. Lux brightened accordingly. “Of course! You know, I like her so much more than the last one. I’m sad to hear she’s having trouble adjusting to immortality, we need more immortals like her. But, of course, you know I like the sunny ones.”

“And…Ardan? The er, other one the Nameless One’s claimed for themselves.”

“Ah,” Lux said quietly. “Yes, I know him. Branwen likes him. That’s good.”

“Tell me why.”

“He’s in your blindspot, darling,” Lux said, resting a hand on Todd’s head. “Walk with me.” He offered an arm out to her, which she readily accepted, and the pair walked along the water’s edge.

The Old God peered out from behind their tree to follow Todd and Lux’s stroll further and further away from them. They cursed the god quietly, knowing he was well aware of where the Old God hid, despite well-acted ignorance. They watched as Todd stopped in her tracks to face Lux, his own face wearing a self-assured smile to counter her own look of horror. She stared back into the treeline, eyes locking directly with the Old God. Shit. Shitshitshitshitshit.

Todd held Lux’s forearm gratefully, her dark eyes locking with his yellow ones. “I can fix this,” she said.

“Yes,” he agreed. “You can. Now get that monster out of my domain.”

She hugged him close and his arms warmed her skin. “Next time will be one of those casual visits,” he said. She broke away and nodded before starting back toward the trees.

“And Todd?” He called behind her.

She turned. “What?”

Lux stepped forward slightly. “I want you to bring her with you when you come. Celeste too.”

Todd smiled then. “Of course.”

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