Who: Adam & Apollo What: Three Two Trials Where: Apollo's digs When: July 16, 2010 Warnings: None
He’d called earlier that day to make arrangements to meet, made sure he had the right address, then simply gone when Shiri was taking a nap. It was the easiest way to hide what he was doing, and the only reason Adam planned to hide it was because, for a change, he wanted to surprise her.
Stepping up the stairs of the front porch, the mortal raised his hand and knocked on the door loudly, then shoved his hands into his pockets as he waited for Apollo. He was slightly nervous about the meeting, though there was little that could be done otherwise. hopefully Apollo was in a good mood.
Apollo had been in a good mood, and while it hadn’t exactly disappeared with the call from Adam, he was...wary. It was never good news when the mortals his sisters were absorbed with came looking for him; they always had something to say that was not exactly what he wanted to hear. At least he’d been bracing himself for it all day... He followed Elvis to the door, but didn’t bother to hold him back as he pulled it open; let the kid get a face full of Border Collie. “You rang?”
The dog may have wanted to do his normal greet of the mortal, but Adam simply gave a commanding ‘down’, then pushed the dog away anytime he tried to get near Adam’s face. When the dog was calm and sitting though, or at least not jumping, he was willing enough to give scratches. Dogs didn’t bother him.
He nodded as the god came out. “I wanted to ask you something, but I thought it would be best to ask in person,” he opened. Only then did he think that it might have been good to bring some kind of tiny gift. But he was already here, and he doubted it’d make much difference anyway.
Well. If that was how he was going to be, Elvis didn’t want much to do with him; boring; chasing the cows was far more entertaining.
A gift would have been good. Apollo liked gifts. They meant that whoever was coming to see him understood that if they wanted something from him, no matter how small, they had to give something in return. That’s the way it worked; how it had always worked. At Adam’s answer, he allowed himself a small grimace. “I thought it was going to be something like that; what now?”
The dog gone, Adam simply shoved his hands into his pockets, letting a small amount of his nervousness show, despite his attempt to look casual. “I would like to ask for your permission to ask Shiri to marry me.” That might have sounded awkward or weird to others, asking someone for permission to ask someone else if they would marry them, but Adam knew well enough that if Apollo said no, then there would be no marriage. It was that simple.
Somehow, he’d seen this coming. On the one hand, that was great, because he’d been having some trouble with the whole ‘predicting the future’ gig, and even a vague notion coming to pass was a good sign. On the other, well, the twerp wanted to marry his sister. He backed away from the doorway, and indicated that Adam should get inside. Now. “What makes you think you deserve my sister? You think you can just walk in here and ask for my permission and I’ll just smile at you and say ‘Sure thing, kiddo! Don’t forget to invite D & I to the reception!’’?” Frown!
That was not good. But he stepped inside as asked, closing the door behind him, then staying right where he was until told otherwise. He may not have expected the answer to be a happy yes, but there was the thought that at least he wouldn’t be completely shot down.
He hung his head slightly as he put together his response, then turned his eyes up to the god once more. “I knew I needed to ask you first. She’s a goddess, and has no need for a mortal husband, but she’s taken them for different reasons through out her history, sometimes because they were favored mortals.” He paused, briefly, to find the next reason he had thought of earlier, something that might help prove to Apollo that he wasn’t a bad choice as far as mortals went. “I already worship her. I know she’s a goddess and deserves special treatment as that. She’s also a muse and a huge source of inspiration for me, but she’s chosen to inspire me and favor me, and she pushes me forward. I love her. I don’t want to see her deported, and marriage is one way to help keep her in the U.S. and with you and her sisters.” Adam shrugged. “I know she loves me, and I know my place, which is why I’m here. I promise that I’ll take care of her, if she says yes.”
It was probably the longest speech Adam had given outside of a class report or prayers in a long time, but he’d thought some about the reasons, and was ready to try to prove himself. It was also why he’d try to let Apollo know him at least slightly, so he wouldn’t be a complete stranger when this day came. He wondered though, what exactly would be a good enough case for the god?
Apollo crossed his arms and studied the paint on the foyer ceiling; it needed redone; the humidity was starting to make it peel. He hoped he looked half as uninterested in the speech as he really was. Yawn.
“I’ll say one thing for you, kiddo, you certainly have the humble act down.” Did he have siblings? That might have helped it. Or really overbearing parents. “But it’s all just words. In the end, they usually mean nothing and you can always swear you never said them.”
Adam blinked, and arched his eyebrows. He knew he’d been worshipping Polyhymnia for a fairly decent time now. He was her priest, as well as a favored mortal. He thought about a response for a moment, glancing away before looking back to Apollo, and shrugged once more. “All of my actions have been towards Shiri, or Polyhymnia, so I only have words to show them.” Unless Apollo wanted to watch him pray... And while possible, it might be a bit boring for him.
“You’re missing the point.” He looked back at Adam, glaring slightly. “You’re going to have to *prove* to me that you’re worthy. Reciting some lame speech you practiced on the way over here isn’t going to cut it. Hell, kid, you didn’t even bring me a gift. Gifts are *traditional* when asking for this sort of thing. So that’s one strike against you already and we haven’t even started.”
He decided not to bother with an excuse. He didn’t have one, and it would make little difference that he assumed Apollo would shun anything he had brought. So he stood, hands in pockets, waiting. “Alright.”
Apollo turned and headed into the living room, assuming that Adam would follow. He plopped down on the couch, and stretched out, making himself comfortable. “Well. Let’s see. What can I have you do...” Ponder. “You want your trial one at a time or all at once?”
Picking up the cue, the mortal followed after, though he remained standing as he awaited directions. In response to the question, he only lifted his shoulders in nonchalance. “Whichever you’d prefer.”
He studied his nails for a moment, then folded his hands behind his head. “Fine then. Traditionally there’s three tasks, but I haven’t thought up a good third one yet. So we’ll just start out with two and see how it goes, shall we?”
Yawn. “Let’s see. First, you’ve got to kill a boar. An actual boar, not a pig, and don’t think I won’t know if you just go to some market and buy a dead one. And no asking for any secret Norse help, either; I’ll know about that, too. Second, I want you to paint me a portrait. Of me. But not just plain old me, because that’s too easy. I want it to be of me how I used to be; something to remind me of my greatness. It’d had better be the most glorious fucking thing I’ve ever seen.” Apollo propped himself up a bit, and raised an eyebrow at Adam. “Any questions, kiddo?”
“As long as I do the tasks myself, can I ask for help, or is everything under the radar?” To make ‘the most glorious fucking thing ever’, he’d need the help of a muse. Preferably, his own, but there were others that could ask as well, helping to keep it a secret. That, and he didn’t know off the top of his head where he could even start to look for a rear boar to kill... “And does it matter how I kill the boar?” If he had to do so with archery, as the god himself might, the task would take a very long time as he learned how to master a bow and arrow.
“I should think you’d want to keep it mostly to yourself, wouldn’t you? My sisters are horrible gossips, you know.” He flopped back down on the couch. “Of course you have to do it yourself; how am I supposed to tell if you’re worthy or not if you go out and ask everyone and their godly relatives for help? That’s not very fair, is it? As for the boar, I’ll be reasonable; kill it however you want as long as it makes it back here in mostly one piece. I’m sure D’ll find a use for it afterwards.”
Adam ran a hand through his hair. No muse to ask how Apollo once looked, except what he’d heard and done in the past with Shiri. It would mean more research, but that would be easy enough. It also meant he’d be stressing himself out as he tried to perfect the piece of art.... And keep it a secret from his girlfriend. He might have to ask a friend to do the work at their place. Though it was a mild relief to learn about the boar. He’d still have to figure out how he would kill it though, and hunt it, for that matter. He had a lot of work ahead of him. But he nodded as he accepted the terms. Not like he had any choice. “Alright. Kill a boar, and make a painting. You’ll let me know when you decide the third task?”
Apollo rolled over onto his side and tucked one of the decorative pillows under his head. “I’ll be generous; no third task until you finish the first two. Gives us both plenty of time, doesn’t it?” Plus, if the kid happened to fail at either of the first two tasks, then he wouldn’t have to spend his time thinking up a third one.
The mortal shrugged. If that’s how Apollo wanted it done. “Do I have to complete the tasks by a certain time or anything?” Besides ‘before Shiri graduates’, but that was already a decided time, at least as far as Adam was concerned.
“I guess that’s an important point to cover.” Hm. How long was too long? Waiting until she’d graduated probably was. Hm. “Let’s say...Christmas. It’ll give me something to look forward to, since I’ve usually got nothing.”
Christmas? That was a few months out. Hopefully it would be enough time. Somehow, he’d make it be enough time. “Alright. Anything else?” He shoved his hands into his pockets, looking to the god, and expecting to soon be dismissed.
Was there anything else? Hm. Not really; Erato had already brought him food. Oh. “Yeah. Tell my sister I’m very disappointed that she hasn’t been around to see me lately. I’m starting to think she doesn’t love me anymore.” There. That covered all the bases. Toodles.
Adam nodded once, then stepped back to take his leave. “I’ll let her know...” Somehow, without revealing why he was talking with her brother again. At least he’d done it before, so it wouldn’t be a complete surprise. When Apollo said nothing more, Adam turned and headed for the door to let himself.
Summary: Adam goes to Apollo to ask an important question, but is given work to do instead of an answer.