Castor ❡ Pollux (thedioscuri) wrote in forgotten_gods, @ 2010-11-28 23:52:00 |
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Apollo was not an easy god. He was not a forgiving god. He was not a kind god. And he was not someone who took betrayal kindly- and in his eyes Syrinx had done just that by calling Pan to their room. The stench of that goat-god remained, Syrinx firmly wrapped around the lingering tendrils of Pan's power. And yet...
He liked to turn defeat into victory (although Nike was nowhere to be found right now) but Apollo would not let such a slight go unpunished (though such a shame, such a pretty, frail creature... and he could not break her since his toy had not gotten enough use).
Leather-bound necklace caused her skin to bruise and break, but Apollo was still congratulating himself on his self-control (she only had a swollen lip visible) and he decided to dump her with the twins and let them deal with her. (Of course with instructions to not break).
The doorbell was rung- five times in a row, Apollo holding the end of a scarf tied uncomfortably tight around Syrinx's neck.
"Hold on, take it easy already," called out a voice from inside, but it was difficult to tell which twin it belonged to. When the door was unlocked and tugged open (because it didn't take a genius to know who that familiar presence belonged to), it was revealed to be Pollux, appearing slightly rumpled and sleep deprived. The way he squinted at the pair made it obvious that he'd been woken by the doorbell.
"... G'morning."
Apollo glared down at the twin (which was interesting since they were about the same height) but an angry Apollo was a sight and while Pollux was not the source of his anger he could well get a few snappy comments. "Morning." he grumbled.
He entered the flat looking rather cross when he stumbled into a chair and kicked it (not unlike Pan's gesture of kicking the stall door). "Why is that chair in my way?" he glared at the poor inanimate object, then as if reminding himself that he had a dog on a leash, he yanked the scarf.
The one half of the gemini froze in the hallway after closing the door, not entirely prepared for the chair to go crashing down so soon after he'd been interrupted from sleep. He didn't know why the god was so ticked off, but an angry god was never a good thing. Nor did it mean good things for their belongings. Or their safety.
"It's not anymore," he reasoned, his eyes flickering from Apollo's face to Syrinx's, and then to the article wrapped around her tiny neck. "Uh... Bad night?"
Apollo turned to Pollux, a smile which should have been beautiful and pleasant on his face (but his eyes were anything but). "You could say that, this ungrateful thing--" Because truly, this god was just throwing a tantrum over a thing, not a person. The same way he had taunted Eros or punished the crow for bearing bad news. "-called for Pan." An escape attempt? Plans? He would have none of it and shoved Syrinx roughly.
"As if I've mistreated her." Nope, in Apollo's eyes, he had been more than kind and accomodating to this nymph, "Maybe she ought to be mistreated a little." But the sun-god needed a bit of...calm. He was rash at times, too much.
Summoned by the sound of voices, Castor suddenly appeared through the doorway nearest to the angry Nymphagetes, looking more tired than his brother if possible. He peered blearily at the three of them, but it was Pollux who spoke.
"Maybe. But before there's any mistreating, would you like some coffee? Or breakfast? I can get you another chair to kick, because we seriously have too many..."
Apollo ignored Syrinx, who was still and quiet, just moving enough to curl a little. If anything that quietness made him even more angry. "Sure, coffee will do." He stepped past, opting for ignoring the nymph completely.
The twins made a move to follow, and upon passing the girl, Castor gave her a sleepy smile once he was sure Apollo couldn't see his small act of kindness. Pollux immediately set to grabbing coffee beans from the cupboard, leaving his brother to tiredly tend to the sun god.
He leaned up against the fridge, eyes on Apollo. "Mmm, how was your show thing? You mentioned playing on Thursday..."
Syrinx felt warmed by the sleepy smile, but did not move or show any further aknowledgement than a glance. Apollo was making himself at home, clearly, leaning back against the counter (apparently, he was a morning person) and waving his hands about to tell his story. "Oh it was good, I was fantastic of course, and nymphy over there was not bad. Of course she had to ruin. everything by calling for Pan." He called out those words into the hall where Syrinx had been left behind, "You just could not behave, all you nymphs are stupid, stupid, stupid creatures."
Scowling he shook his head, "And you two- how was it with your sister and her stuck-up prince?"
"Our sister was wonderful, as always," Pollux continued once he'd flashed his brother a concerned glance. They really had such little sleep on the plane, and having come in so early that day only to get only two hours of sleep before the Olympian came over left a sick feeling in his stomach. "But her Trojan wasn't all that bad once we got him to loosen up."
Still leaning up against the fridge, Castor hmmm'd. "Alcohol works wonders, you know. He didn't flush as adorably as Pol, though..."
A laugh. "Be quiet, you."
Apollo managed to crack a small smile, yeah, the twins did amuse him- though his look darkened considerably for a moment, "If it weren't your sister you went to see, I'd be rather upset that you left me alone during thanksgiving." Not because he cared for the holiday but because Syrinx had not behaved. He wondered if that lack of obedience came from the twins, or Pan or where. It was annoying.
But it was also interesting for him.
A sunny smile once more, "No one flushes as adorable as Pollux."
The busied twin shook with more laughter. "Cas is forgetting about how we have the same alcohol tolerance, and that just because he's the pretty one, that doesn't mean he doesn't flush less. He-- oh, don't think you can apologize with hugs," Pollux started as Castor sidled over to slip his arms around his brother's waist, chin to shoulder.
"It's worked before. Give in already."
"This is the part where I drown you out with the sound of coffee beans being ground." And so Castor was, but that didn't stop him from flashing a triumphant grin in Apollo's direction.
Apollo grinned, if only Artemis was so easy to win over- of course he missed his twin, but he was not as co-dependent as these two. It was amusing and also ridiculous (or so Apollo thought, but it might have been his own personal jealousy). "You two are amusing." A compliment yes, but there was a note of disdain in his tone too, "I'm leaving the nymph with you." he announced after a pause, then moved to take something out of his wallet.
It was money. A lot of it.
He set it down on the counter wordlessly, "Now that better be some good coffee."
"For how long?" Castor didn't move to take the money (his arms were busy) but he did eye it for a moment. Because for that much money... it sounded more like he was dumping Syrinx on them for good. Finishing up the preparations for the coffee, Pollux, too, risked a glance at the money, and then at Apollo.
"Until I'm less likely to strangle and dump her body into the river." Apollo looked at the twins and raised an eyebrow, "She's very much still mine." She was not for sale or for giving away, "But I do not have time to play babysitter to her right now." Again arrogantly assuming that the twins would have that time to spare- and if not, the money would be enough incentive.
The two were quiet for a short time as they considered his words. It wasn't an offer, but an order. And if they disobeyed... well, this was no longer Greece, but angering any Olympians was not on their list of things to do before the end of the year. Pulling away as Pollux moved to hand a steaming mug to their resident sun god, Castor crossed his free arms.
"We know she's yours. And we'll take good care of her." He paused. "Unless you don't want us to."
Apollo knew that, "I have no doubt you will reign her in, you both have a gift with horses do you not?" And stealing cattle, the mug was warm and it smelled good. "Thanks." He lifted it a little as if he were toasting to them and took a sip.
"Don't you want to? Or are you too busy?" The question was both curious and cold, almost as if he were expecting them to try and challenge this little task he was 'asking' of them.
Fear wasn't an emotion that often found itself crossing Castor's face, and when it did, it was brief and fleeting. "No, we're not -- what I meant was, do you want us to treat her well? You're not very pleased with her, so I thought maybe you'd want us to teach her a lesson."
The idea of that didn't sit well with either of the twins, but they didn't vocalize this shared thought.
Sometimes it seemed those who had been mortal before becoming gods were a lot kinder, or at least did not have the arrogance some of the Olympians did. Apollo smiled, he never liked soiling his own hands after all. "Just don't bruise her, I don't like anyone marking my things." Anything else was fair game, though Apollo did not state whether he did or did not want them to mistreat her. Whether the Dioscuri did or did not- he would get what he wanted in the end- to teach her a lesson.
Maybe, just maybe, Apollo might have felt a stab of pity for the nymph (or...not) the point being that when everything was said and done, she would become a full extension of his power and not just a shakey one at best. Something to manipulate and play, Apollo loved that.
He was right to think that that the twins didn't know much of his brand of arrogance, of having things to play with, but they did know what it was like to want to possess something. To be possessive at all. They exchanged a glance before offering an identical smile.
"She's in good hands."
The smile was returned.
Apollo considered telling them not to get too attached to his thing, but decided against it- because he did not care if they did or did not. None of that was his concern, "Good hands that will keep her from Pan." He didn't ask, he stated, and then he took a few good sips. "Don't dress her in rags or feed her junk, she has to look good." And marks. He was quite content with the one around her neck. "And this is impressively good coffee, Pollux."
This prompted a mock curtsy from one, and a laugh from the other. "Pan would be an idiot to come anywhere near here," Castor pointed out, sharing another look with his brother. "And besides, we can take him. Can't we, Pol?"
"Oh, you bet we can. And maybe you can stab him with one of your fencing swords for good measure."
"That is just so funny."
Finishing his coffee, he set it down on the table, "Pan is an idiot." He reminded the twins, running his fingers along the edge of his jacket. "And Syrinx is not." Which made for a bad combination, too much trouble than was worth. Apollo didn't want to know, so he laughed, instead taking on the fencing topic.
"Cute children, I must go, it is early in the morning after all and I have things to do."
Not really, but he wanted to be anywhere else than here, the apartment was too constrictive for his tastes.
The boys nodded, and Castor, still feeling sluggish, glanced toward the entrance and back.
"If you have things to do this early, we're going to quietly feel very bad for you. Are you sure you don't want breakfast or something? Pollux may make good coffee, but he's got nothing on my omelettes."
"No, thanks." Apollo added some gratitude to his tone as he turned away from the twins, moving to adjust the jacket. "You boys get some sleep or whatever it is you were doing." Obviously sleeping but Apollo is ...himself. "And I'll be on my way."
Admittedly, he felt far more content without the worry of strangling Syrinx to death in a fit of anger... nor the jealousy at having her call Pan. None of that for him right now.
Especially not this early in the morning.
Dutifully ignoring the saucy grin Pollux shot him, Castor led the way toward the door, where Syrinx had remained. Again, he gave her a little smile, feeling that wave of pity crash on him when his gaze landed on her split lip. Without paying her any more mind until Apollo was seen out, he paused at the door, hand hovering at the doorknob.
Apollo didn't even look at the nymph, not his problem right now. "Lovely coffee, Pollux." And as he headed out the door, he gave Castor an affectionate pat on the arm. "Always good to see you both," of course even more so when he had his way.
There was a moment- very quick and brief- where he did turn to look at Syrinx, and smiled. In a I'll see you later- but that later would not be a good one.
After closing the door behind the Olympian, Castor turned, pressing his back into the wood. His brother hovered a few feet away from the nymph, arms crossed over his chest and offering him a suggestive look, and so he crossed the space between him and Syrinx. With gentle hands, he reached up to loosen the scarf around her neck, giving her a much more genuine smile than Apollo had.
And so the nymphsitting had begun.