Who: Melanie and Triton What: 'The talk' Where: Melanie's apartment When: Tuesday night around 11 p.m. March 16, 2011 Warnings: Freaking out Melanie
Her tears had finally dried up as she'd made herself a hot pot of Earl Gray tea to calm her nerves. Pouring a cup she waited impatiently for Lane to show up. She didn't know what was more nerve wracking. What 'Poseidon' had told her or what Lane wasn't telling her. Something felt so confusing about this situation and she wanted to run and hide again.
Pacing the kitchen she sat down only to get up again, her heart still beating frantically. The afternoon had been so terrifying and yet nothing had really happened. Nothing she could really do anything about, but it still didn't wash away the feeling that the guy was still watching her from down below or through some telescope from another window. It gave her chills. Covering her arms in a blanket from the back of the couch she opened the door immediately when Lane knocked and she'd looked through the peephole. She stared at him carefully for a minute being absolutely sure she was looking at him before she threw her arms around his neck.
He had not expected that. He had brought the candy she'd requested, as he'd brought other things to make his story more convincing. He hugged her, closing his eyes, before opening them and closing the door behind him.
He could kill his father for this really. And all to get a reaction out of him. Sighing he looked her over, offering her the bag of candy, "As requested." Gently he guided her to the kitchen, "what exactly did he tell you?"
Having him there, in her arms made it all seem to disappear, at least for a little while. Her heart was still beating entirely too fast but she held on tightly.
She reached out from that blanket to take the bag of candy offered, giving him a clear visual of the bruise that had formed on her upper arm from Poseidon's grip. She held the candy to her chest, looking a lot like a little girl as he took her into the kitchen. She sat down reluctantly as she didn't like this feeling inside, or where this conversation could go.
She stopped trying to remember, taking a seat close to him, as if his presence could take it away. "That you were someone else. That you were his son." She looked so confused. "That...." she paused not wanting him to think her crazy. "That he's some Greek god."
Of course his father would do it this way. He was half glad Poseidon hadn't found his sister and had done it that way. But then a bruise wouldn't be the only thing Mel would have.
Sighing he ran his hands through his hair, taking out a small conch shell. Dammit he hadn't wanted to do this this way. He had wanted her to be more calm, not so distraught. "He's not wrong."
He ran his hand over his eyes, "You had to have noticed I haven't aged. I told you I was seven years your elder, logically time should have had some effect on me by now. A subtle change, maybe. Truth is, he is Poseidon and I am his son." He watched her, wanting to see her reaction.
"My name is Triton. My mother is Amphitrite."
She stared at him for a while which seemed like forever with her mouth to the floor before she could find words. Anything to say. He was right he hadn't aged at all, he still looked the same as he had the first day she'd met him. Now that she was twenty-three, he should be thirty but he still looked younger.
No words could come out of her mouth. Was she supposed to believe this?
The only thing that could come to mind was The Little Mermaid when he said his name, but he was nowhere near a white-bearded man with a trident. "Like Disney?" Oh god, someone tell her he didn't have a Calvary of daughters with one named Ariel.
Usually that was a reminder of a period he tried to ignore, but now it made him chuckle, "no. They took my name and used it. They're known for that. I am my father's herald. I used the conch to soothe his tempers." He sighed, "I can prove this to you."
He closed his eyes, his skin becoming greener and greener and when he opened his eyes they were the color of the dark sea. He released a breath and he reverted back to his 'normal' self. "I can't do that for long anymore."
Her eyes grew even wider, blinking multiple times at what she'd just seen. She touched his arm when it had turned back to flesh colored, petting it like a cat as if it were still there. "Do you have a tail?" she asked petting his leg in the same way.
She wasn't sure what she believed now, it was all a little weird.
Again he laughed before remembering he should be trying to calm her, "only in water. Not pools or anything like that. Somehow the chlorine kills it, but oceans and stuff yeah there's a tail. Oddest thing trying to get used to legs." He smiled before growing serious and taking her hand, "we exist, because you make us exist through belief. There's all sorts. My father's one of the worst. I imagine you learned of him in class?"
He paused, "he's worse. He'll hurt you for kicks, to try and get to me, if you're not careful. Saying no just makes him all the more eager for it." He sighed, "I wanted to let you in slowly, get you used to this world of mine. As usual, my father fucks it up." He ran his hand through his hair, "and you know why? Because he's determined to prove I'm like him. That I'll let my temper get the best of me."
If she'd been a little kid she'd have wanted to throw water on him to see what it would do, knowing full well this wasn't like the movies. She nodded carefully finally looking up to his face. "He rules the oceans and kept Odysseus at sea for ten years. I remember reading the Odyssey." But that was honestly all she knew as far as 'Poseidon' was concerned.
"What does he want with me?" she suddenly turned more worried, brows creased upward scared. "I didn't know what he'd do today. He just appeared," she could feel those tears hit her eyes again, "I was sure I'd end up dead somewhere and no one would know where I was." There was a tremble to her bottom lip.
"I've never seen you angry," she said shaking her head and looking down to his legs again trying to not think about what could have happened today.
"They had refused to offer to him," he shrugged. "I helped Odysseus once. Paid for it later, but the man deserved to go home. Father enjoys his grudges. You know of Medusa? That was him being vindictive to both the girl and Athena."
He shook his head, taking her hand again, "no he wouldn't do that. He wanted to scare you, knowing you'd come to me. He wants to seem e act out, react in some way. I'm calm, everything he's not. He's determined to prove it the other way." He smiled and shrugged, "I don't often get angry. He just gets under my skin. I just want you to avoid him if you can. I know some people that will help you, that will tell you more if you want. I'll ask my Uncle if there's a way to keep you obscured."
The stories of Medusa, how could anyone forget that. They all knew that story though it changed from one shade to the next. "Why? What did she do to him? Why's he like that?" she felt herself panic again for a moment, like she couldn't breathe. "He wouldn't, but would he...." her voice trembled and she waved her hand trying to get the words out and breathe at the same time, "would he rape me?" There was a story there herself as her last boyfriend in Japan had been more forceful with her, it made her jittery and scared in a whole other way now.
"What's your mother like?" she asked wondering how such a horrible person could make the guy sitting in front of her who was calm even now as if this really was 'normal'.
He could feel her panic and settled his hand on her legs, "it's alright, I plan to keep you safe." He sighed, "she said no, or yes. I don't know the details. He and Athena have always had a rivalry, so Medusa was a pawn. She was cursed for my father's greed." At her question he shrugged, "I don't know why he's like this. He's always been like this." Her other question made him tense. "No. I'll make sure of that Mel. I have plenty of family who likes me and would keep you safe."
At the mention of his mother he smiled, "more like me. But father made her vengeful and cruel to the girls he took to bed. She's kinder though. Miserable, of course, but she can't leave him. She loves him, somehow."
Of all the people to come across she had to walk right into this family? She wasn't sure what she'd believe in the morning, but she'd never had reason to distrust anything Celano---er----Triton told her. She still couldn't catch her breath feeling a little like she was starting to hyperventilate into a panic attack. Her skin crawled, she felt dizzy and everything felt fuzzy. "I can't be raped, I don't want that to happen like---" she paused feeling faint.
"How can she love someone like that that's done such things? Has she ever tried, I mean," she swallowed heavily, "I couldn't stay around with someone that hurt me." It's why she'd left the last guy at the drop of a hat.
"Shh." Gently he grabbed her and settled her on his lap. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you. Not now, not later. Alright? I promise." He ran his fingers along her arms, trying to calm her down and wondering what had happened, and who he needed to punish for it.
"You can't break those marriage vows, or Hera would have long left Zeus. And she did try. She ran to Greece, and was kidnapped by some men who then later assaulted her. They took her against her will. It's why she needs me."
Melanie shut her eyes tightly. She'd not yet told him about that, part of her had blocked it out until today. She felt his warmth, the soft touches tears still breaking down her cheeks. She was just so scared. "I'm sorry I ever left." It suddenly felt like everything was a harsh reminder that she'd ran away from him too and every bad thing that had happened now was because of it. "I...the last guy he turned mean. I couldn't trust him, he tried...." she buried her face into his chest, arms wrapping around his neck.
She seemed shocked to hear that. How such a horrible man could have a nice wife and the tables turn like that. "How'd she get back?"
He may not have his fathers temper completely, kept his more under wraps, but when she hinted at someone hurting her even he wanted to drown the mortal man for even daring. But she didn't need that right now. He pushed his temper aside and settled his arms around her, running his fingers down her back. "Shhh, it's alright. I'm here now."
"I'm not sure. He found her and brought her back."
She felt so useless right now. So completely lost when just a few weeks ago she'd been bubbly, happy and not a total wreck. Why was this happening to her? What had she ever done? For so long she'd been on her own, making her own decisions and now it was as if that was all taken away from her. "What did I do? What did I ever do?" she whispered.
Her body shook as she cried trying to stop, but it seemed as if she was an endless emotional bundle of nerves.