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Melpomene | Romeo Morning ([info]somethingtragic) wrote in [info]nevermore_logs,
@ 2021-02-27 12:21:00

Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend!  Next Entry
Entry tags:calliope, melpomene, thalia

WHO: Melpomene, Calliope, Thalia, open to the other Muses
WHEN: Monday night (22nd)
WHERE: Melpomene's house of misery
WHAT: A house of misery
WARNINGS: TBD



Melpomene had given Tragos a key when he left her. A key and instructions to use it to lock the door behind him. Her nap on him had been the final blow to any energy reserves she had for the day and she didn’t want to get up for anything. Even the thought of rising to open the door for future visits was a nightmare. And she wanted to keep Tragos closer; he should have a key.

When he left her, when the pull of Ares on him was too strong and he left her, she messaged her sisters, and it was the least they’d fought in a long time. It made sense; another bigger fight was coming, had begun already, a fight for this child between Muse and Olympian, a fight that might crack Ares and Aphrodite apart for good, a fight that might even see Ares and Apollo pitted on the same side against Aphrodite. Melpomene didn't know. She could feel every possibility crackling in the air, all of it too fresh and new and messy to see where it would end.

All she knew; she wasn't letting go of this baby for anything. And for once, her sisters agreed with her. Even Clio, who Melpomene thought was done with her for good.

It was the least they’d fought... since Alan left her, she realised. He was still never far from her mind. Some days it felt like he'd walked out that door years ago and other days felt like hours.

And as she waited for Calliope to rearrange her day to come and take care of her, Melpomene lay on the couch and stared at Alan’s picture on her phone, her thumb hovering over the green call icon. He’d sworn to care for her son if she died, and to keep him away from Aphrodite. Was it a promise that would last beyond a breakup? Would it destroy her to find out that it wasn’t? Yes. Did she want it to destroy her? Maybe.

Did everything not hurt enough? No.

She had enough energy left in her to cry, and the mourning filled the time until Calliope arrived. Ate the time. Corroded the time. She looked an absolute nightmare when she finally rose to go to the bathroom, her face in the mirror a shock even to herself. She wore a split lip, and the signature of Aphrodite's fingernails on her face, and a bruise was developing on her forehead. Tragos had wrapped her desperately sore right hand before he'd left, but there wasn't much he was able to do for her face apart from clean it.

She looked like a fighter. Good. She was one.

There was a sound at her front door as someone with a key arrived, one of her sisters. Melpomene gave herself one last look in the mirror, then moved slowly out to meet them, her tired hand pressed against the wall as she moved for support.


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[info]firstofnine
2021-02-27 12:23 am UTC (link)
Calliope sometimes felt like the only one of the muses with any sense in her head. Not often, but sometimes. Even Clio was capable of getting a little dramatic at times.

But, they were muses of the arts, after all, and they were her sisters, and she loved them dearly. She liked being able to be there for them, liked being needed as their elder sister and leader. So she rearranged appointments and called for a taxi and made her way across town to Melpomene's apartment.

She knocked to herald her arrival before opening the door and looking in. "Melpomene, it's Calliope," she called, but wanting Melpomene to fear unwanted intruders. She looked towards the shuffle of feet in the hallway and set down her bags. "Dear one, let me look at you," she said gently, walking over to take Melpomene's face gently between her fingers. "What a mess she's made of you."

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[info]somethingtragic
2021-02-27 01:12 am UTC (link)
"I made a worse mess of her," Melpomene said, her voice weary from tears and her hand resting on Calliope's arm. "I think I broke her pretty little nose." She hoped, anyway. Hoped she wore it for weeks.

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[info]firstofnine
2021-02-27 01:48 am UTC (link)
Calliope gave Melpomene a sympathetic look, and then pulled her into a careful hug. "It must have been frightening," she said, rubbing Melpomene's back gently. "And you've grown so much since I saw you last!" Indeed it was hard to miss the sizeable bump between their hug.

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[info]somethingtragic
2021-02-27 03:11 am UTC (link)
"She doesn't frighten me," Melpomene muttered into Calliope's hug, scowling. "She infuriates me. I hate her. Presumptuous, greedy-" She could go on - for hours, usually - but right now sitting back down was a more pressing priority. She clamped her hand around Calliope's wrist and pulled her back toward her couch, lowering herself with her hand on her belly. "Yes," she agreed. "He feels like he's getting heavier by the day, now."

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[info]amusing_muse
2021-02-27 04:00 am UTC (link)
By the time Thalia had left Clio, her sister had been smiling again, widely and warmly enough that Thalia was almost able to ignore the tight kernel of worry that had taken root in her heart. Things had been bad, and she got the distinct impression Clio had only told her the half of it, and since that half had included Lucifer and public torture, Thalia was quietly dreading hearing the rest of it.

And yet— I'm happy, Thal, Clio had said, with her hand curling around Will Stutely's. So happy. And her face had lit up when she'd recounted how they'd met and how Ella had fallen for him, and if Clio could still smile so brightly after what she'd been through, that had to be reason for hope. They would figure out a way through this. Six of Nine in town now, and they were always stronger together, and they had so many friends on their side. They'd find a way.

Thalia's bubble of optimism lasted right up until she next checked her phone and saw the new message from Melpomene. I was right, Aphrodite wants my baby. And just like that, the anxious kernel speared its roots in deeper.

What do you need? she had asked. Food and my sisters, had been the reply.

The bakery where Thalia had bought Clio's cake was just preparing to close up when she burst through the door for the second time that afternoon. This time, she chose a chocolate mousse tart, bittersweet, with a rich layer of spiced date caramel. This time, she didn't get any message frosted on top.

Soon after, she stood on Melpomene's doorstep, subdued and worried. She knocked.

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[info]firstofnine
2021-02-27 04:36 am UTC (link)
Calliope sat down with Melpomene and nodded with her words. She remembered this stage of pregnancy well, how cumbersome and heavy it was, getting so close to the end.

"I'll get you some tea," she said, just as there came a knock on the door. "Oh, were you expecting someone? You rest, let me get it." She got up, preparing herself for any eventuality. If it was Ares, or Apollo-

"Thalia!" Calliope let out a breath of relief, and held out her arms to pull her sister into a hug. "I've missed you darling! You brought cake! Come in!"

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[info]somethingtragic
2021-02-27 04:51 am UTC (link)
It had been long years since Melpomene last laid eyes on Thalia, and she did not get up but she did straighten, looking across the apartment toward her two sisters, hugging in the doorway. The exhaustion, perhaps, was getting to her, for she felt quite apart from this warmth, this joy of reunion. Her son shifted, not as violently as earlier, as if the fight had sated his spirit for the time being, but she still shifted her hand to press gently against him, in response to his movements. She felt quiet apart from everything, except for him.

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[info]amusing_muse
2021-02-27 06:19 am UTC (link)
It was Calliope, rather than Melpomene, who answered the door, and Thalia felt a surge of warmth and gratitude as she sank into the hug. Calliope was the wisest of them; Calliope was practical and maternal; Calliope would know exactly what to do. "I've missed you, too," she whispered into her eldest sister's shoulder.

"Is Mel— Melpomene!" Her eyes lighted on the figure on the couch, on the swell of the heavily pregnant belly. Separating from Calliope, she crossed the room, set the bakery box down on the coffee table and drew Melpomene into a careful hug. When she pulled back, her forehead crumpled as she took in the scratches and the split lip. "I can't believe she attacked you."

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[info]firstofnine
2021-02-27 07:41 am UTC (link)
Calliope smiled to see her sisters together, and went to the kitchen to set the kettle to boil and fetch plates and a knife for the cake.

She gently set the crockery down, looking at Melpomene as Thalia examined her sister in much the same way that Calliope had. "It's unconscionable, what she did," she said with a brisk shake of her head. "Claiming your child as her own. I knew she was possessive, but this-"

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[info]somethingtragic
2021-02-27 07:49 am UTC (link)
Melpomene's hands curled around Thalia's arms, and her smile at the pair of them was tired, but there was a twist of irony to it. "What a family I have made myself a part of," she said. "Ares' son beating me up from the inside, his wife doing the same from the outside."

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[info]amusing_muse
2021-02-27 09:11 am UTC (link)
There was a black humour in that, but Thalia's smile was weak and anxious; after the barrage of awful news this afternoon, she wasn't entirely sure how literal Melpomene was being. She was talking about the baby kicking, right? She'd have mentioned if she'd been having complications with the pregnancy... right? "That's your son in there," she said. "Aphrodite can get her own. She's a literal sex goddess, it's not like it's hard for her." (Well, in point of fact, everyone was hard for nope nope not the time.)

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[info]firstofnine
2021-02-27 09:47 am UTC (link)
"You still have all of us," Calliope said, opening the cake box and cutting a few slices. "All of us, no matter what is happening between you and Clio. We Muses stick together. Thank you for the cake, Thalia, it looks delicious."

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[info]somethingtragic
2021-02-27 10:34 am UTC (link)
It was part of Thalia's influence, perhaps that Melpomene actually laughed, just a short and bitter 'Hah' but a 'hah' nonetheless. "Yes, that's why there's only two of you here," she said dryly, reaching for a piece of cake and sulking back down into the corner of the couch with it. "Clio refuses to take action until after Aphrodite's taken my son, deafening silence from Erato because none of this is sweet and romantic enough for her, and you can't tell me Urania's not home and just pretending none of this is happening," she said, jerking her thumb toward her windows, in the direction of Urania's apartment.

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[info]amusing_muse
2021-02-27 10:55 am UTC (link)
"No, Melpomene, that's not true," Thalia protested, worry wrinkling her brow again. "They care, they all care, you can't think any of us would let someone take your baby away."

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[info]firstofnine
2021-02-27 11:15 am UTC (link)
Calliope gave the slightest of sighs and raised her Eyebrow. "You only told me an hour ago that you wanted me," she said, very reasonably. "How could everyone else know? Clio was quite emphatic about defending you, I thought. Erato is friends with Aphrodite but you know she'd always defend you. And Urania isn't pretending it's not happening. You and she haven't had the most productive of conversations online lately, I've noticed, so perhaps she is avoiding a repeat of that." Her tone stayed absolutely reasonable and calm the whole time, but she fixed Melpomene with a Look as she passed some cake on a saucer. "We all love you, Melpomene. We want to help. But you haven't made it easy to show it of late."

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[info]somethingtragic
2021-02-27 11:34 am UTC (link)
"Oh forgive me," Melpomene said, as heavy with sarcasm as she was with child. "I'm sorry things haven't been easy for you lately. Here's some advice, then: when someone gets attacked in the street, or when someone gets dumped eight weeks before they're due to give birth, it's nice if people come over and visit! I didn't think that kind of shit needed to be spelled out!"

She turned on Thalia, then, gripping her teaspoon like a weapon, though there was a shake to her hand, and her voice. "Listen - I won't let anyone take him away! And you know what - neither will Ares! He doesn't want her to have this baby. He's on my side. Even if he did take my knife off me." Damn everything, he was going to end up being the second Olympian in a month she'd had to demand her knife back from. She slumped back into her corner again. It was a good corner. Supportive. It had never disarmed her. It had always been here when she needed it.

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[info]amusing_muse
2021-02-28 09:11 am UTC (link)
Thalia took the saucer from Calliope, grateful all over again for their eldest sister with her sensible words and her firm Looks. Thalia just wasn't good with conflict, not when it was between people she loved. Her own bubbling worries got in the way of words, and everything she said came out wrong, and then she'd try to smooth it over with a joke, and— she didn't think a joke would go over great right now. But Calliope was Eloquence itself; she always knew the right thing to say.

When Melpomene whirled on her, sharp words flying, Thalia shrank back, just a little. What were you doing with the knife? She had enough sense not to ask the question out loud, at least. Instead, a touch uncertainly, she ventured, "W-well. That... that makes it seven against one, right? No, eight, there's Apollo, too. So she can't win."

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[info]firstofnine
2021-02-28 09:42 am UTC (link)
"What you say you want from us for support is as changeable as the wind," Calliope said, getting up and going to get the kettle and the mugs for the tea. Melpomene was always so dramatic. She wasn't the only one, of course, but she was spikey when she was hurting, making her hard to soothe. Calliope was going to come back around to that knife, though, the literal spike in her fist.

On her return to the room, Calliope calmly poured the tea. She didn't get riled in response to Melpomene's sarcasm, just let it slide off her like water off a duck's back. "People might visit you more, my love," she said gently, making the three of them tea how they liked it, and holding Melpomene's mug up to her, "if you were a little more willing to let them in."

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[info]somethingtragic
2021-02-28 10:03 am UTC (link)
This is why no one likes you Urania's voice, clear and cold as starlight, rang through her memory after Calliope's words. Fierce tears burned in Melpomene's eyes, but none of them dared fall.

Calliope's sense was infuriating, though, and Melpomene curtailed her attempts to run headfirst at that particular brick wall and said to Thalia, instead: "Eight against one is not impossible odds." Her voice was rough and dark, though it was a beast lurking in the shadows rather than one actively pouncing for the throat.

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[info]amusing_muse
2021-02-28 10:58 am UTC (link)
Eight against one seemed like pretty good odds to Thalia when two of those eight were Olympians, but the rough edge of Melpomene's voice reminded her that pretty good was cold comfort when it was your baby on the line. She retreated a little further into her own corner of the couch and gazed down at her plate, fruitlessly chasing a piece of tart with her teaspoon.

"Artemis," she said suddenly, looking up. "I forgot about Artemis. And Kratos! That's ten. At least ten." Because, come on, who could possibly take Aphrodite's side on this?

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[info]firstofnine
2021-02-28 11:19 am UTC (link)
"There won't be a fight over this," Calliope said firmly, sitting back with her tea. "It won't come to that." She was a firm believer in the power of words. Why throw a fist when a well-timed remark could cause much more lasting hurt? And she hardly believed that Aphrodite would stand in the face of such combined resistance and attempt to fight them at all.

"Besides. Firstly, you said yourself, Ares has spoken. He's made his wishes known. Secondly, Artemis is out of town currently, so she cannot help. It will be okay." She glanced up at Melpomene, aching to reach out and give her a reassuring hug, but not wanting to move too soon and end up trying to hold a cactus. Perhaps she could hug Thalia again instead, the poor thing was looking far out of her depth. She gave Thalia a small smile to bolster her.

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[info]somethingtragic
2021-02-28 11:41 am UTC (link)
Melpomene narrowed her eyes at Calliope, the utter clarity - and calm - of her older sister making her feel she was a stormy ocean around a lighthouse; there was little the ocean could do to disable said lighthouse, no matter how violently she threw herself against the foundations. Equally, though, there was little said lighthouse could do to calm the sea.

She didn't know where Thalia fit in this metaphor, but she had to grudgingly admit that remembering Kratos would do anything for her was a tiny bit reassuring.

And she really was very tired. "You can't promise me things will be okay," she muttered, still glowering, but quieter and folded her arms. "Nor that Aphrodite will act alone. You don't know. No one knows."

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[info]amusing_muse
2021-02-28 12:19 pm UTC (link)
Melpomene's expression lost none of its darkness, but Calliope's smile was a welcome reassurance. Thalia finally captured her spoonful of tart and popped it into her mouth, letting the mousse melt on her tongue.

"You don't know that it won't be okay." It seemed like a perfectly reasonable point in her head; out loud, the words sounded naive and just a little sullen, and she stumbled over herself, adding, "I, what I mean, it's not hopeless. Calliope's right, it doesn't have to come to a fight, we can work it out..."

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[info]firstofnine
2021-02-28 12:31 pm UTC (link)
Calliope nodded to Thalia. "There. Aphrodite probably is too used to thinking a certain way. She just needs to have things explained to her and she will see reason." Of course, the "certain way" of Olympians was highly self-involved. Aphrodite was a smart woman, though. She would come around. And Ares was stubborn as a mule, he wouldn't want his word to be gainsaid. The two had a tempestuous relationship, but he was certainly enough to prevent Aphrodite from acting all on his own.

"No, nobody knows, not even Apollo knows. But we can be reasonably certain. I am reasonably certain this can be talked out. You will keep your babe in your arms, sister."

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[info]somethingtragic
2021-02-28 09:29 pm UTC (link)
Calliope kept speaking of reason, but in Melpomene's experience of the world, reason rarely played a central role. Pain is stronger than reason she'd told Will Scarlet, and it was still true.

And pride, pride could drown reason like a kitten. Aphrodite's pride was legendary. Good luck reasoning with that.

"You can try your way," Melpomene unfolded her arms and wrapped them, protectively and churlishly, around her stomach instead. "I'll try mine. I'll fight anyone who tries to take him," she swore it outloud, to her sisters, to herself.

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[info]amusing_muse
2021-02-28 10:48 pm UTC (link)
Thalia looked between her two sisters, Calliope with her calm certainty that reasoned talk would resolve everything, Melpomene with her spiky conviction that nothing would be resolved without blood. For her part, Thalia felt only uncertainty. Lucifer tormenting Clio again, Aphrodite attacking Melpomene... she'd been back in town all of six hours, and already nothing was like she'd expected. "We'll work it out," she repeated. The words sounded thin and inadequate. "She's not taking your baby, she's not."

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[info]firstofnine
2021-02-28 11:03 pm UTC (link)
"Of course you will," Calliope said with a nod. "It's not going to come to that point, though. Speaking of points- did you pull a knife on Aphrodite?" Not a good way to resolve a situation, especially when Ares' position on her side was so very self-centred. She didn't know how supportive he'd have been if she'd stabbed his wife.

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[info]somethingtragic
2021-03-01 04:46 am UTC (link)
Melpomene took a moment to reply, reaching for the saucer she'd balanced on the arm of the chair. "Yes," she said, simply. She did not regret it, but neither was she ignorant of the fact that if Tragos had not grabbed her, things may have ended a whole lot worse. Ares would not have been as gentle.

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[info]amusing_muse
2021-03-02 04:58 am UTC (link)
Thalia couldn't hide her wince. "Mel, why?" Dumb question; duh, she was trying to get Aphrodite to back off. But... holy escalation. You didn't wave knives at Olympians; you just didn't! There were whole sagas written about it! And most of them were Melpomene's kind of story, the kind that ended ugly.

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[info]firstofnine
2021-03-02 10:32 am UTC (link)
"Well you definitely won't be doing that again," Calliope said firmly. "It's asking for trouble." She shook her head and took a mouthful of tart. "And you should be resting."

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[info]somethingtragic
2021-03-02 06:30 pm UTC (link)
"Because this baby is everything," Melpomene said fiercely to Thalia, to the both of them. "Because I can feel fate working in me like I haven't felt in years. And I am resting," she said, with a sharp gesture to herself, sitting on the couch. "Look at me resting." She dug her spoon into the tart and took a bite, caught off guard by how delicious it was and taking three more spoonfulls in quick succession. She had not eaten anywhere near enough today and as soon as the tart graced her tongue her body was demanding more. It rather undercut talk of fate and dangerous behaviour around Olympians, though.

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[info]amusing_muse
2021-03-03 04:54 am UTC (link)
"Resting is good," Thalia nodded encouragingly. At least it was an improvement on brandishing pointy things at Olympians. "Resting and desserts. Can't channel the workings of fate on an empty stomach." Probably untrue, but she was trying to be supportive.

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[info]firstofnine
2021-03-03 08:54 am UTC (link)
Thalia had a point. Food always helped. There was no point trying to arrange things if one was hangry. She narrowed her eyes a little at Melpomene though. Workings of fate? Sounded quite... dramatic. Naturally. But then they all were prone to it, weren't they. It was in their very nature.

"And how are things going with the baby, then?" she asked. "Everything the way it should be?"

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[info]somethingtragic
2021-03-03 09:58 am UTC (link)
Melpomene missed the look Calliope was giving her, because she was giving Thalia one of her own. She felt like Thalia was mocking her; fate shouldn't be treated so lightly. But then... this was Thalia, who in many ways was the other side of her coin, light where she was shadow, and they always did have different views on fate... Looking at Thalia's nervously eager-to-help face, it made her realise that she wasn't the right target for any of her ire.

That was the problem with ire, though. It didn't care about innocent bystanders. Even ones that came bearing cake.

Melpomene dropped her eyes from Thalia for a moment, then raised them again, and gave her a thin smile. It wasn't quite apologetic, but it wasn't lobbing emotional detritus at her either.

When Calliope spoke, Melpomene breathed a deep breath in - as much as she could with her squashed up lungs - and it shook a little on the exhale. "He's a strong and as active a boy as you'd imagine Ares' line to produce," she said, rubbing a hand tenderly on the sore spot by her ribs. "He... hurts. And my body had been trying to prepare me for weeks with these contractions. I'd say - it's all to be expected." Her voice thinned a little. There were moments when she felt so ready for labour, to face it with her head held high, strong and unafraid. Then there were moments when the thought terrified her so much she could barely think of it. She wasn't sure quite where she stood right now, but whatever it was she was feeling, it thinned her voice.

Then problem was, when you stopped lobbing emotional detritus at other people, that left you open for the world to hurl some right back at you.

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[info]amusing_muse
2021-03-03 11:23 am UTC (link)
Melpomene's look was dark enough to bring Thalia's shoulders up around her ears. But there was something else in her face, underneath the simmering moodiness. Thalia realised she'd glimpsed it before, in the tired shadows beneath her sister's eyes and the way Melpomene had hungrily attacked the tart, but it had been masked by the righteous anger. Now, as she answered Calliope's question, Thalia saw it clearly – the little wobble to her breath, the weariness that marked her face.

Oh, Mellie. Of course she must be feeling fragile. Pregnancy could be tough enough when you didn't have an angry goddess trying to fight you for your baby. And it wasn't like she could count on Ares to hold her hand through labour.

There was a small hesitation in Thalia's voice when she spoke again, half-expecting Melpomene to spear her with another look. "Do you... have someone to be with you? For the birth?"

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[info]firstofnine
2021-03-03 12:01 pm UTC (link)
"Have you been seeing a midwife or a doctor? Please don't say you've been suffering this alone," Calliope said, reaching out to lay a comforting hand on Melpomene's leg. "I told you I would help you. Whatever you need. If I can shepherd Erato through pregnancy, I can certainly help you. You have any and all of us at your disposal. Well-" She paused. "Just make the right decision on a birthing partner. I'm not sure Erato or Urania would be good choices." A slight grimace and a shake of her head, trying to make a small amount of brevity to lighten the mood.

She had told Melpomene she would not let her die in childbirth. She had told her that she didn't have to go that way. But was Melpomene too far gone already? Too stuck on a tragic route to have a happy ending?

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[info]somethingtragic
2021-03-03 12:26 pm UTC (link)
Melpomene didn't spear anyone, no - Thalia's question began to unravel her, and Calliope's comment about a birthing partner undid her completely; her eldest sister's brevity didn't stand a chance.

She shook her head frantically. "I did," the words came out of her mouth in a sob, and she pressed a hand against her lips, her eyes squeezed shut. "I had Alan - I had my Alan-a-dale - he was going to -" She shuddered with emotion, curling in on herself - though she could not curl very far at all - and her hand gripped down on Calliope's hand, hard. She stilled missed him as fresh and as raw as if he'd just walked out, there was no healing to be had here, no reconciliation, no hope - And Calliope spoke of choosing a birthing partner? As if there was anyone in the world who could replace him!

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[info]amusing_muse
2021-03-04 08:13 am UTC (link)
The brittle shell of anger cracked further, and Thalia felt her own heart break in kind. Clio had said something about a breakup – that it was one of the reasons Mel was lashing out – but seeing her now, tear-choked and hunched over her pregnant belly, Thalia realised just how raw the hurt still was.

She reached out for Melpomene's free hand and gave it a squeeze. "We'll be there," she promised. "For whatever you want. You won't be alone."

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[info]firstofnine
2021-03-05 01:11 am UTC (link)
"Oh my love," Calliope sighed, her heart breaking a little for her sister. She held onto Melpomene's hand just as firmly. "As Thalia said. We won't let you be alone. We will be here."

She wasn't sold on exactly how helpful a bard was at bringing new life into the world, but he could've given Melpomene the will to stay alive. Now... Calliope was worried, and though she stroked the back of Melpomene's hand sympathetically, she did fear for her sister's impending health. She would have to find someone who knew what they were doing in an expert capacity to help too.

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[info]somethingtragic
2021-03-05 02:15 am UTC (link)
Each sister held one of her hands, and Melpomene clutched back, but struggled to find the strength in her hands to clutch has hard as she wanted to. To have her sisters there instead of Alan wasn't what she wanted, and she struggled to accept that it was all she was going to get. Acceptance was still... a long way off, through a whole landscape of denial and regret and protective anger. Melpomene's sob turned into a long groan of pain at another jab of sharp discomfort against her ribs. Denial and regret and anger and physical pain.

She didn't want to accept that they were all she had, but she didn't want to let go of them either. "I'll have Apollo too," she gritted out, reminding herself. "He'll - he'll be there." He'd better be, after she'd lost so much for him already. He'd better be there for everything.

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[info]amusing_muse
2021-03-05 10:36 am UTC (link)
Thalia nodded firmly. "Yeah, he will," she agreed, entirely confident on that count. Apollo might get distracted or difficult sometimes, but he was always there when it counted, and he knew Melpomene was pregnant. Of course he'd be there. "Maybe we can call Artemis, too?" she added, looking to Calliope for confirmation. She hadn't actually gotten around to asking where Artemis was – somewhere with phone reception, she hoped, though that couldn't be guaranteed with Artemis. "Apollo would know how to reach her."

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[info]firstofnine
2021-03-06 11:52 am UTC (link)
"I'll talk to him," Calliope promised. "I need to speak with him anyway. I think he will know how to reach her." She nodded to Thalia, and then smiled at Melpomene and rubbed her arm. "Everything will be fine."

If she said it enough times, it would manifest as truth. But Melpomene was loosening up, and opening up, and that was so important right now. "I love you both. We will be alright."

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