Dante Lot (unseen_miami) wrote in olympian_rewind, @ 2010-08-22 00:04:00 |
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Entry tags: | cato jube, dante lot, hades |
Who: Hades & Cato
What: Hello there.
Where: on the beach
When: After this solo with Hades on the Beach
Warnings: none
Another one!
Sitting down carefully on the beach and holding the delicate piece in the water for a moment to clean it, Cato inspected the shark's tooth. Very nice. He'd spent the evening looking along the beach, preferring the cooler air than during the day, along with less people. It also proved nice to calm his mind a little; things had begun to weigh heavy on him, things like future, money, family, meaning of life... the usual stuff.
The youngest god dropped the tooth into a small baggie and continued on his way, staring down to the sand as he went.
An older god, Hades laid under an artificial rock ridge that had been created on the beach, for what he assumed to be ascetically pleasing for tourists. Artificial or not, being in the shadow of the rock ridge made him feel better. His hands kept shaking regardless and he couldn’t catch his breath or calm his heartbeat... Doing something mystical on the open beach had been a stupid idea but he was glad he was at least still invisible...
But now he heard something. Someone was here.
And peeking out from his hiding spot, he held back the sigh of the relief. Just Cato... who could be helpful. “Pssss. You...”
Cato jumped and looked around, failing to see who called him. Um. "Hello?" he called, feeling very foolish when no one answered him at first. Wondering if perhaps someone in the sea had called him and ducked back under, he turned back to it, confused.
Someone had called him, but the sea was the wrong direction. “Behind you, Cato.”
The squeaking sound that came from his throat was most definitely not the sound a son of Zeus should make. But Cato made it anyway before turning around again.
The older god shook his invisible head at the sound but at the same time, withheld any further judgment. Cato may have been squeaking at sudden voices but at least he wasn’t hiding under a rock invisible and trembling from power exhaustion. “Come here. It’s me.”
"Oh... Sorry, uncle," apologized Cato once he had caught on to who was speaking. He followed the sound of the voice, tip-toeing so he didn't trip.
If only his hands would stop shaking, Hades’ problems would disappear from him but at least his breathing was getting under control as he remembered the ancient art of breathing in and out deeply, “Good evening. By any chance, did you drive here?”
"Hm? Oh no. I have a bike, or I use the bus."
“Bike?” Of course. Just of course. Hades should have known things would not be simple and he couldn’t just park himself in the back of Cato’s nonexistent car... though now he remembered that he could just call a cab. “You should get yourself a car.”
Cato's face twisted up in guilt. "Sorry," he admitted.
The guilt on his face somehow eased Hades right out of his own concerns. What was he even apologizing for? “It’s just they’re such a symbol of independence...”
"I know... I'm looking for a job, really," said Cato, his tone more suited to a teenager trying to explain to his parent why he'd failed to do something, rather than a god who had been 'alive' for longer than most countries had been in existence. "But, well, the economy. Or at least that's what people are telling me."
Hades wrapped his arms around his chest, contented that his breathing had calmed but that fact that he could hear his own heartbeat in his ears. It was distracting... distracting him from this conversation. Was Cato blaming the economy for unemployment. “Well, glad you’re looking for work but any job affected by the recession is an odd choice...”
"I don't have any training or expanded education. I think I may ask Alana for a job, but that seems like cheating," admitted the younger. "I'd like to find something on my own."
“My whole company exists because I wanted to slack off...” Hades carefully moved from out of the rock ridge, braving the open beach again and more carefully trying to not get sand all over himself. He smiled a little as he spoke, not that Cato could see.... “My degree of higher learning is worthless.”
Little sounds betrayed him though, and Cato’s eyes followed them. “But you know about business and money and such. I don’t.”
Talking also betrayed him. Hades just hated sand clinging to him while invisible. Hated it. “Wish I had a tape recorder. Would have you repeat that and tape it so my assistant could hear...” It was so odd. If he wasn’t invisible, he would be certain that he would be called outfor smiling so much. For the moment, he couldn’t help it. Just like how he couldn’t help how his head was pounding or how his hands shook or how he felt like the sun was directly against his back... Oh well. He’d felt worse. Sadly. “You figure it out.”
It wasn’t just his head that was effected. Cato’s face became an expression of concern and he asked, “Are you all right? You sound tired.”
“Exhausted. You lose track of time when you’re deep in thought sometimes, Cato.” Though now Hades’ eyes snapped to Cato... even in power exhaustion, he would be blind if he missed that expression of concern over the younger god’s youthful face. He added, “I’m fine though. Nothing falling directly on my bed won’t cure...” Or a pit. Or open grave. Whichever comes first.
“Are you sure you don’t want something? Or to lie down?”
All the Mojitos would be good, he continued to think to himself as he focused on his own invisible hands to try to will them to stop trembling with limited success. But Hades chose against that thought. Alcohol was probably a bad choice right now... “If you had a car, I would ask for a ride. Having a bit of car problems tonight. You only have them when you’re away from your house.”
Cato chuckled, “Of course. We can take the bus. I have enough for us both.”
Take the bus and being spotted... Hades shook his head, a touch of laughter escaped in an exhale, “That’s alright. I’ll just call a cab. Then I get to bypass all the stops.”
The nephew was about to protest on the grounds of price, but remembered who he was talking to and shook his head. “If that’s what you like. Would you mind if I went with you? I would hate it if I sent you off alone like this...”
Hades carefully rose to his feet, very very slowly until he was certain of his own balance. Every day, he found new reasons to be thankful for invisibility though he didn’t look forward to when he finally released it. That fact made him both wonder if it was a good idea to oblige Cato and at the same time knew it was the smart idea. If releasing his invisibility sent a painful jolt right down his spine that sent him reeling to the ground - it was probably better not to be alone. “You really sound concerned about me...”
“Why... wouldn’t I be?” asked the confused youngling. “You’re my family.”
Hades smirked but held back the snicker that longed to escape him. Why wouldn’t he be concerned? And his reason was that they were family? It hadn’t been long at all since he both watched and remembered that that fact didn’t always mean his family cared or was concerned about him. His words eased the pride away from him that threatened to try to back out of his agreement of sharing the cab. “That isn’t what I meant. Meant what makes you concerned right now? Is it finding me on the beach in the middle of the night?” Saying the sentence, he could see why someone would be concerned.
“Partly. You also sound very sad and tired,” Cato pointed out with rather blunt honesty. “You usually sound like either one of those coupled with sarcastic or angry, but usually not both at the same time.”
“Not sad... not exactly. It’s hard to explain but I am tired.” Standing there, saying that sentence and trying to explain as he considered Cato’s blunt words. If he did sound sad and tired, sad and tired enough that Cato was concerned about him, perhaps he shouldn’t head directly home. “Where are you heading?”
“I wasn’t going anywhere, I like the beach at night,” said Cato, standing closer, but unsure what to do with himself. A few people were glancing over to him as they jogged by, no doubt wondering why the crazy if handsome young blond was talking to the rocks.
"So, if you get into the cab with me you would be going out of your way to a place you have no need to go to?" Hades replied as softly as he could, catching sight of the joggers. Oh, how much did joggers annoy him. They were always so curious about everything and pretending they weren't. "I'll be okay. You don't need to come with me."
Cato continued to star at his uncle in confusion. Perhaps he’d done something to anger him. Possible. But he didn’t recall what. “If that’s what you wish,” he replied, “but is there any other way you need help? I don’t mind, really.”
And Hades saw the confusion and sighed a little. “I’m just don’t want to take you out of your way.”
“If you like. It’s not like I have any pressing social whatnot or something pressing me like you would, though. Don’t worry about it so much.”
“You would think I would learn my lesson about overthinking and worrying...” The “but I didn’t” was left implied as he turned and looked around the beach. It was so open. Why did he ever think this was a good... Right, he didn’t plan on becoming visible on the beach. “Well, if you want to come with me, help me find a place to been seen...”
“Oh! I know one.” Cato pointed down the beach, towards a small grouping of rocks only a short walk away. “You can hide between them.”
Hades nodded, not that it mattered and walked over the small grouping of rocks. His hands had stopped trembling completely... But his head still ached, his temperature still felt too high. No, he wouldn’t be heading directly into the house tonight. He needed to be more rested and stronger before he faced Persephone... That hole they still had behind the house, however, sounded like a great destination for him.
He clenched his eyes shut as he crouched down between the rocks and then released his invisibility...It felt like a thousand daggers had stabbed him all at once as he returned to being visible and he bit his tongue to remain silent. The pain of becoming visible was the worst part of his divinity post-fall...
Cato’s eyes went wide once he caught sight of his relative. “Dante! Gods. You look pale as...” His mind failed him. “Er, something very pale.” With concern, he pressed the back of his hand to Hades’ forehead. “You’re hot, too!”
“Pale as a ghost, you were looking for...” Hades flinched at the touch of Cato’s hand against his forehead and reared back a little against the stones at the younger god’s exclamation, “Shhh, I know, I know.”
“Do you need a power boost?” That was a stupid question, Cato decided. “Would you like one?” he added, feeling it was more appropriate.
The question made Hades laugh. The irony of it, he had remembered his life and yet forgot that was even a possibility. It hadn’t even crossed his mind... The irony helped distract him from the lingering pain becoming visible caused him in his divine exhaustion. “Just enough that the cab driver doesn’t think anything is overly off with me. The rest I can just recover from.” In that whole in my backyard. Sat myself down on a beach... I really was young and foolish with that decision.
Cato smiled, glad to be of use. “Of course.” And leaning in close, his hands on his uncle’s shoulders, he lost some power. His own body shivered hard at the sensation, but he was able to stay upright. Brr! “Is that better?” he asked, rubbing at his arm to scare away the goosebumps.
A thousands time yes, but Hades didn’t say that. Or even think it. He simply knew it as he eased out from the confines of the stones and stood up tall. The pain was at least gone, his nerves steady, his temperature a bit cooler... He could feel all that easily as he let out a sigh of relief. “Yes, I still have headache but I don’t think that’s gonna get zapped away by anything.” His head just didn’t want to accommodate centuries upon centuries of information suddenly resettled into it. “You okay?”
“I’ve never done that before,” admitted the younger god, a little paler himself but none the worse for wear. “Interesting, to say the least...”
“Ever been in a cab before,” the older god asked as he pulled out his iPhone from his slack’s pocket, “Because it may just be another interesting, first for you.”
“I have a bike, remember? And cabs are expensive. I know you help finance me for now, but I don’t feel quite right spending your money when I can use less.” Walking with him to the corner, he waved down a taxi. “Father took them a lot. He liked to test the drivers, like he used to test villagers and such.”
“The only test I want to give a cabbie is if he knows where I’m going. Most people wouldn’t pass any other test I would give them...” Hades replied as he kept pace with Cato, taking deep breathes not because he needed them but to steady himself for what he had to do later. He had to tell those he cared about that he could remember... hopefully they would appreciate that fact. If they didn’t... He didn’t know what if they didn’t. He pushed the thought aside, “Maybe you should go to school... get a degree or learn a trade. We can discuss it in the taxi.”
“I’d like that,” said Cato with a smile as he guided his kin to the sidewalk and flagged down a taxi.
Summary: Cato was walking the beach before the sun rose and was called over by a talking rock... and that talking rock proved to actually be Hades suffering from power exhaustion after his mystical trial. Cato helps him home.