Who: Helios and Rhode What: Can't get the girl out of his head, but still doesn't remember who he is to her. When: Wednesday night, November 23, 2011 Where: Rhode's place
He didn't approve of getting in the middle of this situation between Rhode and her husband. She believed so heavily, her and Demeter both that he was the man that belonged to her. It would account for all the dreams, all the time her face had haunted his thoughts, but this was entirely too fantastical to be believable for him. Even if he wanted it to be true. He had no hard evidence other than their word, as he still felt himself a mortal. He could not despite that disregard the strange way his heart beat when touched by one of them. His visions had started to become more frequent, those panic attacks becoming more of an annoyance than just a random occurrence. They would stay until he fully remembered himself as the Titan he was. For now he was still just Holden, with an unexplainable need to be near the girl he had met just a few days ago.
He'd memorized her address, taking a walk after his security shift was over. With the holidays, the Statue was still open but he had been given the day off. He had no family to speak of, for as long as he could remember he had always spent the holidays alone mostly.
Standing outside her apartment he looked up, studying her window where the light was on before trucking up the stairs to knock on the door. If he had her alone, spent some time with learning what she did and what she'd been doing all this time, maybe, just maybe something would jog his memory. If this was a farce, he would have wasted his time in a situation he should have never gotten involved with in the first place. But Holden was strong, determined and dived into a situation when he wanted it. This was no different, but sadly, hurtful.
Rhode hoped that the more time Helios spent with her, the sooner he'd remember who he was. She was tired of waiting for him to figure it out on his own, visions and dreams or no. So when he'd asked to come over, she'd never even considered refusing him. And she had a secret weapon to pull out.
In a box in her dresser, she kept a sun pendant he'd given her shortly after they were married. If an archaeologist or historian had gotten their hands on it, they probably would have peed themselves from excitement. It was so old it was practically a relic, but Rhode had taken care of it every day since she'd gotten it. Sure, it was a little tarnished, but that honestly couldn't be helped.
She felt him approach and went to open the door, motioning him inside. "Hello, Holden. Please come in," she said with a smile.
It was a tiring situation, for the both of them. It was difficult to turn away once her sweet and small smile invited him in. He stepped inside, ducking his head as he entered, still the tall giant of a man that he was before. The son of a Titan was not small.
"Thank you," he spoke gently, that necklace she wore not unnoticed.
"Can I get you something to drink?" she asked. "I think I have some scotch around here somewhere, or coffee if that doesn't sound appealing." Her hands smoothed the pendant unconsciously over her shirt. It was a tangible link that connected the two of them, and she hoped it would spark something deep in his memory.
As he had that first day he just starred, his now dark eyes hiding their once brilliant color because of his lapsed memory. They focused to the pendant, the slightest sparkle hitting along with what for the first time felt like a memory.
A fresh-faced bride, her soft skin touched by that same pendant, with a brighter shine than it held now. "It's beautiful, it suits you," he said of the necklace, his hand reaching to touch its surface without another thought. Now he was in such a close proximity to Rhode, it made his heart beat a tinge faster.
She could almost see the slight spark in his dark eyes, and mentally cheered. This was definitely a step in the right direction.
She stood her ground as he moved closer, his finger on the pendant. "Thank you," she replied. "It was made by a master craftsman, I've worn it almost every day that I can remember."
His finger brushed her neck as he moved his hand away, pausing to feather her cheek. His mind was floating back to that vision. When he touched her it was if he had done so before.
"It makes your eyes light up."
He was stepping in too close, but it was almost as if he couldn't control it.
Her breath caught a little in her throat as he came closer, his hands on her igniting all sorts of memories that had been forgotten for a long time. It was familiar and alien all at once, but she'd expected that.
"Everyone tells me that," she said softly. "It's my favorite."
His thumb ran gently across her lips, eyes searching her whole face, wondering if it would disappear at any moment. So often in his dreams she'd been just a phantom.
"You're real."
Fingers curled to brace her jaw softly, diving right in to kiss her without another thought to the 'husband' she'd made mention of. It was as if his body pulled him when his mind was trying to fight. This time the heart won out. He had to feel her.
She drew in a deep, shuddering breath. "Flesh and blood," she confirmed. "And believe me, I'm not going anywhere."
When he kissed her, it was like coming home. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him as close as she could get, twining the fingers of one hand in his hair. And gods, it was so good.
She was such a tiny girl but she had the force of the ocean behind her. His lips were soft, opening up more than just the sweetness of her kiss.
He wrapped an arm around her small waist, a familiarity beating against his chest. He'd discovered this feeling with her before.
The children of Poseidon all had something in common: when they claimed someone as theirs, they held on for dear life. They were as tenacious as bulldogs, and ferocious as Dobermans when threatened. Rhode was not going to let anyone or anything come between her and Helios ever again, not while she still had breath in her body.
His kiss dragged her under like a riptide, back to a time when they were together and happy, when all they had to worry about was Helios leaving to pull the sun across the sky. But then, at least, they'd had the night to look forward to. Life on Rhodes may not have been glamorous, but it had been theirs.
Warmth hit his skin the longer he was connected to her. That warmth spread in his touch, his thumb moving in circles against her cheek. He didn't want to let go. Not for a second.
His mind became hazy, drifting in and out to that fantasy world he didn't like traveling into. It made no sense of the world he'd created for himself now.
His eyes still flashed that light golden color when he pulled back, but the moment the connection was taken from her, so was the warmth. He looked at her so confused.
She saw his eyes flash gold again, and mentally put it down as another step toward helping him remember. Even if it took months, even if he took one step forward and two back each time, she'd stay with him until he remembered. She hadn't come so far only to give up now.
"You OK?" she asked quietly.
"What did you do?" his question came out far more accusing than he'd meant it. New thoughts plagued his mind all at once, a mad rush to the surface only to be pulled back down by his level-headed mentality.
He shook his head, hands bracing the side as he felt his temples pound tightly against his skull. He was overworking muscles that had kept him hidden from his real identity for so long. This world made sense, not this make-believe place where he was a Titan sun god.
And yet....
Holden took a seat, ironing out his mind as it still had his pulse quick. There were still some thoughts pounding to the surface.
He'd touched those lips before, tasted them, held her close, touched every part of her body before. How could that be real?