Hephaestus | Leonard Smith (hammer_down) wrote in forgotten_gods, @ 2009-12-30 22:03:00 |
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Entry tags: | hephaestus, jofranka westwick |
Who: Jofranka Westwick (chooseyourfate) & Hephaestus (hammer_down)
What: The inevitable in-person meet.
When: Shortly after Christmas.
Where: Heph's place in Bethlehem.
Warnings: Nothing likely.
"Make a cage," Zeus said by way of Iris. "Make it a coffin."
Even through an intermediary, Hephaestus heard his father loud and clear. The Thunder King spoke. Whether he liked it or not, he was obligated to listen.
So the smith left New York and came home. Hephaestus locked himself in the forge after a brief visit to both art gallery and inn, devoting himself to the task of building the better Titan trap. War's new arm was already finished, a plus against the larger minuses of work being left to gather dust, of the pantheon falling into disarray, of Allegra still being MIA.
Only a small plus, however. And when he checked his voicemail and heard the inn's Victoria informing him that Jo received his gift but had decided to leave shortly afterward, Hephaestus could only shake his head. He'd meant to stop by and say hello. He had. He'd intended to learn the crazy young woman's name in person rather than through a message, to ensure that she was all right after her spate of traveling, and that Tim and Victoria were well in turn. Mortals, after all, he liked. Hephaestus found himself invested in them.
But he did not stop by, did not learn Jo's name after a handshake. Instead he bounced between responsibilities like some high-strung fool.
They all had their roles to play, Hephaestus supposed. Doubtless that was why his house lay cold and empty, while the forge's fires raged on hot enough to clear some of the snow surrounding the building. Because instead of checking on one mortal girl or tracking down another, he was building a coffin for his grandfather.