Death's Lover

Thanatos

I open a new rift and sweep my hand for them to go before me as Cate takes Amara's hand before leading the way as I follow behind them and close the rift. Ah, home sweet home. "I will prepare you a place to sleep as I am sure you are both exhausted." I say before heading through one of the doors down the hallway. It is more of a cave than a house but considering the state of things I'm sure they have more important things to be concerned with. I bring a soft mattress in and lay it out before covering it with sheets and a blanket as they watch me. Cate is practically falling asleep already, leaning against Amara as I finish up and turn to meet her eyes. She raises a brow at me before moving around me to help Cate lay down. After getting her settled in, she turns and walks over to me. "So, if you have no food that we can eat does that mean you have nothing to drink either?" she asks quietly before looking past me to the kitchen that is really more of a dining room with a cabinet and sink off in the corner.

"Am I to assume you mean something stronger than water?" I whisper back as I take a moment to indulge in her presence. Her hair has started drying in lazy auburn waves, framing her delicate face and falling past her shoulders. A soft scent of soap mixes with the scent of her and draws me in as she brings her focus back to me.

"Could seriously use something with a kick after this shit show of a day." she replies with a roll of her eyes.

"Hmm, let me see what I can rustle up." I say with a smirk, "Any preferences?"

"Tequila would be nice." she says as I turn and move to the cabinet, reaching through the veil to one of the bars Dionysus owns and grabbing a bottle and a shot glass. Turning back to her I see that she has taken a seat at the little table and is looking around my humble abode. For the first time ever, I find myself a bit self-conscious of the meager surroundings and hope that she isn't judging me by what she sees. Her amber eyes meet mine as I place the bottle of golden liquid on the table and place the shot glass in front of her.

"Damn has it been a Don kinda day" she laughs humorlessly as she uncorks the bottle and pours a shot. I take the seat across from her and watch as she tosses the shot back and coughs a little after she swallows.

"Could you stop that?" she asks with frustration once she recovers and looks at me.

"Stop what exactly?" I reply confused.

"Staring. Watching. Observing. Whatever the fuck it is that you've been doing since you pulled us into your little fucked up world." she whisper shouts, glancing over at Cate to make sure she is still asleep. If I could blush I might very well, "My apologies. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable, but you are very intriguing." I say as I avert my eyes and try to resist the temptation to look at her again. "I must say though that my world is not the, ahem, fucked up one in my opinion."

"Well of course it's not to you." she scoffs as I hear her pouring another shot.

"It was still your world, where you were bought and being kept captive." I remind her as she takes a deep breath and sighs deeply.

"Yes, well it is your world that was the cause of that and as nothing makes any sense right now, I feel the statement remains true." she says with a hint of mockery to her tone.

"I suppose, but truly my 'world' can be beautiful. Whereas the mortal plane is full of horrors that can leave even the primordial speechless." I retort with a chuckle as I attempt to find something in the room to focus on besides her.

"Okay, seriously?" she says with a huff pouring yet another shot, and I can't help but look at her, "What the hell are you? I get that you're clearly something magical and you live in an alternate plane and shit but who the hell even talks like that. Much less the shit we saw when you were 'working'." she rants, even throwing in finger quotes on the word working before she throws back the shot and stares at me expectantly.

"I, my dear, am the incarnation of peaceful death and you should probably take it slower." I reply firmly, taking the bottle before she can grab it again, putting it under my cloak and into the cabinet.

"Oh well gee, guess that clears it all up." she says with a sneer, her mocking tone increasing.

"Surely you have heard of the Olympians and the variety of gods and goddesses alongside them." I say with a scoff.

"I didn't waste much time on paying attention when I was in school. I had more important things to worry about, like how I was going to survive to the next day and shit." Perhaps it was the alcohol, but she almost seems embarrassed as she averts her eyes, her pale skin turns pink along her cheeks, and I feel a twinge of something uncomfortable as I look away again. A silence settles between us, I see her looking at Cate from the corner of my eye and wait to see if she will elaborate. When she doesn't, I feel the need to ask, "Life has not been kind to you then?"

"You could say that, but I'm sure you will find that out for yourself when you go snooping into my past some more." she says and my eyes snap to her, the look of mistrust in them gives me pause. Suddenly finding myself wanting nothing more than her trust and to better understand her. "If it is something you wish for me not to look at, I won't." I vow.

"Do whatever you want, oh primordial being." she slightly slurs, throwing her hands up before standing and moving behind her chair, still refusing to look at me.

"I am not a primordial being," I reply, "but my parents are."

"Ugh, okay, whatever." she waves me off as I stand before she finally returns her focus to me. "So, what, you're like a Greek god then?"

"Essentially, I suppose." I say as I bask in her honey eyes finally being on me again. "I do not wish to pry nor make you uncomfortable. The information I got today was simply because of the curiosity of this situation."

She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly before nodding her head slightly, "I guess that makes sense, and no life has not exactly been kind. Between an addict of a mother and being rejected from one foster home after another, honestly, school was very low on my list of priorities. I dropped out when I was old enough to get a job and too old to ever hope to be adopted." A sadness flashed in her eyes quickly before a hardness took its place as though it never existed.

"I'm sorry to hear that." I say softly as she sways a little and moves towards the bed to lay down. She gets under the blanket and closes her eyes before saying, "Well other people have still got it worse so no reason to feel sorry." and I can't seem to tear my eyes away until she adds "And stop looking at me." sleepily as though she can feel my eyes still on her as I watch her drift off. I quickly look away and try to start piecing together what the meaning behind all of this is as I listen to their soft breathing.

There is information I need to be able to understand the bigger picture of what Dolus is up to but if I go to him directly, he will figure out I have the girls he bought. I have always kept a safe distance from the family drama unless I could not avoid it and it would be strange if I suddenly took an interest in his ordeals. I return to my seat with a sigh and try to focus as my eyes are inevitably drawn back to Amara. Her auburn hair is fanned out around her as her breaths come and go deeply, her face at last peaceful as she slumbers. The strange pull I feel towards her is unsettling and I can't seem to shake the feeling that I should know her as I watch her. What is your purpose Dolus? The same question keeps going around and around getting nowhere. I sigh again as I stand up again, turning around only to find Hypnos staring at them as well, "What the hell do you think you're doing!?" I whisper shout at him, an unexpected anger flooding my veins.

"I was just wondering the same thing, dear brother. Here I am returning from the most glorious party only to find two guests, mortals no less, being watched like by a hawk." he says haughtily raising his eyebrows at me as if I’m the one being crazy right now.

"Well, you could at least let your presence be known." I reply with a huff before heading into the kitchen for a drink with him on my heels.

"Soo, what's going Thanny?" he sing songs, using a nickname he knows I loathe.

"Dolus is up to something." I curtly reply, refusing to rise to the bait he is laying out.

"Dolus is always up to something." he scoffs, "But what's that got to do with the two lovely mortals sleeping in our living room?"

"He bought them and was holding them captive, I happened to be there when they escaped and helped them to hide." I explain quietly.

"Has he realized it was you that helped them?" he asks with an over dramatic gasp.

"Not as far as I am aware, but I was forced to go to Hestia, and I am sure it won't be long before he puts the pieces together." I grumble as I get myself a cup of nectar.

"And I thought you didn't like to get involved in the family drama, Thanny." Hypnos laughs, shaking his head.

"It wasn't intentional." I sigh, moving around him to look back into the living room. Amara and Cate still appear to be slumbering but Amara's face is scrunched up now, as though some dream is disturbing her. I look back at Hypnos to see him watching me skeptically, "What?" I bite out at him.

"Oh, nothing." he says airily, "I was just wondering what your plan is now. You know considering you have taken it upon yourself to be their protector."

"That's what I was trying to figure out when you interrupted my thoughts." I say taking a drink.

"Hmm, well what about talking to our sisters? Surely, they would have insight on what the master plan is." he suggest with a shrug.

"I had considered that but what if they are working with him?" I voice my concerns.

"Ha!" he exclaims, "As if they work with anyone."

"Perhaps. I suppose it is worth a shot anyway." I say with a look around the room." I will go and talk to them while they sleep. Do me a favor and make sure they don't wake before I return."

"As you wish brother." he says raising his hands innocently and giving me a cocky smile, causing me to grow suspicious and narrow my eyes at him.

"They have been through a lot and do not need you messing with them." I say seriously.

"I promise they will come to no harm while you are away." he replies his face falling serious and I see the truth in his eyes. Despite our many differences, my twin has always been the one I can count on, and I reassure myself of that fact as I look at the sincerity on his face. Giving him a nod, I move through the veil and appear before a door similar to ours.