perfect_wife (perfect_wife) wrote in olympian_rewind, @ 2010-05-15 21:03:00 |
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Entry tags: | hera, hestia, june marris, tessia sloac |
Who: Hera and Hestia
What: A proposal
Where: Near Hades' mostly
When: 5/5, after the text to Hestia
Warning: None really.
Hestia gave a last wave to her brother before turning to face the door that now presently barricaded her from Hera. Or Hera from her, really. She took a deep breath and reminded herself. Slowly. Carefully. And if it didn't work out, it wasn't the end of the world. Hopefully she'd remember her own advice. But she realized as she placed her hand on the knob just how badly she wanted this to work. Selfishly, not just for Hera's own happiness; the prospect of having another person in her home, even temporarily, had filled her with joy. So the idea of having a spouse, permanently, one as steadfast and singular as Hera's personality was whipping her subconcious into a frenzy.
Her heart was pounding.
With a breath inward, she knocked.
SInce the funeral, Hera had been good about moving about a bit more than before. She did not know where to go, and tended to trace over familiar paths again and again, but she was at least making the effort. She had also tried other common hobbies such as reading to help pass the time. Thus far, the results were varied. So the knock on the door was not answered with a call to enter, but rather with the goddess herself opening it after a few moments. She stepped out of the way to reveal a bedroom, and invite her sister in.
Hestia gave her a quiet smile. "[Sister. You look well,]" she said in greeting, walking in and putting the door behind her.
Hera quietly closed the door. She did not bother to glance down at the black dress she was wearing, taking the comment as an idle greeting. "[You look well yourself, sister,]" she returned calmly. Within the room was, of course, the bed, but also a desk and chair, and a window seat. The desk held little besides a closed books and set of unfinished crosswords.
"[How are you feeling?]"
Feeling? She considered and dismissed a handful of phrases. Standing properly a short distance from the door, she folded her hands before her. "[I am fine. And you?]"
"[Well. Hades invited me, as you probably guessed. I'm glad to see you.]"
"[I see. I thought that he was at home,]" she offered.
"[He is, he's downstairs with Melpomene...]" Hestia paused as she realized that for the first time since Zeus' murder, Melpomene was not at her younger sister's side. "[It's a nice day out. Have you been in here all day?]"
"[I went outside briefly this morning.]" She had some vague hope of being inclined to gardening, but look at the grounds stirred nothing in her. There was no desire to do much of anything. She was beginning to consider places she could go and do nothing, and not have it be a hinderance to others.
"[Well...]" Hestia nodded to the window, to the fluffy clouds and green grass outside. "[Would you like to go for a walk?]"
Not especially... But that was a rude thing to say. Slowly, some of her ingrained manners were resuming there hold. "[If you wish.]"
The elder sister gave the younger a smile and reached for her hand to walk with her out the door, if she so wanted.
A hand offering? Hera glanced at the hand, unsure what the meaning was at first, before accepting it. If Hestia would feel more comfortable holding her hand, then she could grant that small allowance.
Well they were sisters, were they not? She walked out towards the door and out towards the outside world, still holding onto Hera's hand. "Whoo! It is hot though," she remarked with a laugh once they were outside. "Even for me. Summer is definitely here."
Hera squinted in the brightness of the day, though easily letting her sister lead the way around. "I suppose that it is." Summer, winter... The difference would rarely matter. When you were inside, you could choose what season you preferred it to be.
Hestia nodded in agreement. "Anywhere in particular to go?" she offered to let Hera take charge of the situation.
She had no interest in taking charge of the situation. She was outside because her sister had asked her to, and there was no better choice at hand. "No. This is not my house."
"Well, we're not in the house, are we?" pointed out Hestia with a small laugh. Nonetheless, she let go of Hera's hand and tugged her with her to the sidewalk. This way!
Hera kept her frown to a minimum at her sister's reply. Should she have replied that it was not her property? It mattered little. Clearly Hestia had something in mind, and was in a cheerful mood to express it. She followed along.
In actuality, Hestia merely walked. She looked around as they went down the sidewalk with only their footfalls making any sound. When she did meet Hera's eye, she gave her a smile, clearly hoping to see one back but not expecting it. She was trying her best to simply be comfortable in Hera's company and not rile up any unfortunate emotions... at least not yet.
And she wasn't. Hera was accepting that Hestia was generally an optimistic one, and it was impossible to expect anything else. On the other hand, Hera did not feel like being happy nor chipper, and thus was uninclined to offer a return smile. Hestia would simply have to accept that. She made an effort to not be negative however. It was the best she could offer.
"Melpomene isn't with you," Hestia noted calmly after a while, glancing over to Hera.
"Did you expect her to be?" she returned. She was capable of spending time alone without someone on suicide watch.
"She's been on you like a fly and honey for a while. It was a bit surprising. I was just noticing."
"She also will go to work with our brother." What Hera did not point out was the slightly more obvious reasons. Perhaps the muse was bored, or there was no more left for her to do with Hera.
Hades? That was... worrisome. Not that Mel in herself was bad news, but for her to cling so to relatives was something to note. Hestia made a point to remember it later. "If you don't mind me asking, are you feeling any better?"
Hera nearly stopped in her walking to stare at her sister directly. It was only through a force of will that she keep her steps smooth and tone cool. "I do not intend to attempt death again, [sister], if that is what you are concerned for."
"No!" Hestia retorted with a sigh, dragging her hand over her face. "That's not what I meant at all! I meant-- Just, in general."
"In general, I am fine." She kept her eyes ahead, rather than turning to look to her sibling. Was there another response that she was truly expecting?
Gently, Hestia reached for one of her hands, taking it into both of hers. She had been expecting as much, but Hera's pain wasn't hard to find.
Hera allowed the touch without comment. She sister had held her hand as they first came out. It made little difference if she chose to hold it now as well.
After nearly a minute of silence had passed between them, Hestia murmured, "I have an offer. I'm not saying it has to be said yes or no right now. You don't... don't even have to answer right now. But, will you hear me out?"
Hestia was nervous about something. And seemed to fear the negative opinion of her sister. Frowning, she quickly began to cycle through the different possible reasonings. There were none that made immediate sense. "Very well."
"You said yourself that without your marriage, you have nothing," said Hestia, turning Hera lightly to face her. To keep her own hands from shaking with nervousness, she kept them in the other woman's. "What I'm offering is this: join me, in my house. With... me. I... I don't care to replace Zeus. I never will be able to, even if I wanted to. But what I do want more than anything is for you to be happy, to be well. I know it's not traditional, but nothing is for us anymore. If-if you don't want to, it's okay, I understand. But I wanted you to know that it is an option."
She frowned more carefully as she listened to Hestia babble, a slight confusing showing in her features. She suspected that there was something far m ore to what Hestia was offering than it appeared on the surface, but what, was hard to know. "You would like me to move in with you?" Ah, free their brother from having to be responsible from her. She had not realized what a weight she must be placing on his shoulders. "If Hades asked you to do this, you can inform him that with a simple request I will find a home of my own and he may have his privacy back once more."
"N-no. Not just move in," Hestia said. "More like... permenantly." Another pause, a deep breath, and she added, "Marriage."
Now Hera has quiet, not with confusion, but surprise. She stared without expression at her sister, as the proposal began to sink in. Marriage... Could it work? It was impossible to tell. Except that, because she would be part of the marriage, it would almost have to work. She would force it to. Hestia was not Zeus, but that would be part of the benefit. There would be no reminder, and no true comparison to make. Eventually she blinked, and focused on her once more. "Is that something you would truly wish?" she asked softly.
Hestia's eyes glanced down to the ground but only for a moment before she forced them to meet Hera's. She had to be firm. To show that she was someone worth wanting to be with. "You are my sister. I want you to be happy above all else. I won't lie... Another person would benefit me. Humans can live well enough alone, but I'm not the same; I am part of my home as much as it is part of me, and if my house is empty, so am I. But I won't pursue anything without your consent. It's up to you."
With Hestia's first comment, Hera's back straightened and jaw tightened. She would not accept a marriage as a pity offer. Perhaps she did not know what to do with herself, but she had memories of what it meant to have self pride, and stooping to a level of accepting marriage offers simply because her sister thought it was the only way to make her happy was far too low of act to be acceptable. But as Hestia continued to speak, she could see that the offer was not merely one of pity. For while there may have ben a hint of pity within it, there was also selfishness and need. Hera was needed. She gave the tiniest of smiles at that. "[Hestia, are you asking me to marry you?]"
"[Y-Yes.]" Hestia returned the smile a little shyly, her cheeks turning almost as red as her hair. "[Yes. I am.]"
And almost instantly, the posture of the goddess of marriage changed. Her smile became more true, and while her posture was straight, it was not with the bracing of will as it had been before. Intuitively, the offer felt .... comfortable. "[Than I accept.]"
The hearth goddess stared for a moment, clearly stunned. Then she let out a laugh of pure relief. "[I thought you were possibly going to strangle me,]" she admitted. "[I-I wondered if I was supposed to go on one knee. Hee. I'm sorry, I shouldn't be joking, this is serious, damn now I'm babbling, I--]" With a sigh, Hestia clamped a hand over her own mouth to silence herself.
Smiling kindly, Hera gently pulled her hand from her mouth, then leaned in to place a light kiss on her cheek. "[Every couple has their own story for the proposal. If you wish to create a more elaborate one later, I believe we can design one. But you are happy, and that is a good reason to be jesting.]"
Hestia couldn't help but smile. Hera was smiling! She seemed more relaxed, happier. It felt like a switch had been turned on for the both of them. When she saw Hades again, she was going to make sure he got roast lamb every day for lunch for the rest of the year. "[You're right. But, you usually are.]"
"[Something that few seem inclined to remember when they should.]" She squeezed the hand that she still held, before turning and looping Hestia's arm through her own. She was not yet a wife again, but already there were things that seemed most natural to do with her future bride. She frowned briefly though as another minor bit occurred to her. "[I do not wish to rush you, but I would like a personal exchanging of vows soon...]" Would Hestia wish for a wedding? She would be agreeable enough to that, but only if she did not have to wait for it to have the exchanging of vows and a form of marriage to be made.
"[How soon? I wasn't sure if there should be a ceremony... I know a ceremony would be traditional, but there's not really a tradition for what we're doing,]" Hestia replied, easing into the embrace. The physical meant little to her in the face of seeing such relief in Hera's face and frame. "[I feel like we're going down this completely new path. It's scary. But... a little exciting, too, I will admit.]"
"[Women making vows to other women is not new. This state does not recognize the marriage between women, so we do not need to wait for them to acknowledge it to make it true. It would be very easy for us to make our vows to one another, declare ourselves married, and have it be so, if that is what we agreed to. Our brother would be witness if we decided there was a need for one and requested it of him.]" Arms looped together now, it was only natural for the two of them to continuing walking. Back to Hades, or further down the street? Hera barely noticed.
"[What would you like to do?]" queried Hestia. "[This is your domain. I want this to be perfect for you.]"
That statement caused Hera to pause in speaking and consider, even as they continued walking. "[Let us ask our brother once we return to witness. Perhaps he will have something we can use as rings or cord at hand as well. After that,]" she gave a small shrug, and smiled to Hestia. "[I will let the choice be yours.]"
Hestia returned the smile, beaming with relief. "[That sounds good. Let's get back, then.]"
Hera turned her attention forward once more. She had barely paid attention to the path they had taken out, but she trusted they would arrive safely. As they walked, she tested out different vows, considering words, dismissing them, seeking out something simple, but sincere. Forgive me, Zeus. I am a poor widow.
Summary: Hestia comes over to Hera to make the proposal she had discussed with Hades. We all know where this is going.