son_of_counsel (son_of_counsel) wrote in olympian_rewind, @ 2010-10-18 12:34:00 |
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Entry tags: | cato jube, demeter, madeline scott |
Who: Cato and Demeter
What: First (?) meetings
Where: Beach, then Demeter's grove
When: Monday evening
Warnings: None
The beaches of Miami were different than the beaches of New York state. There was just something different about the atmosphere this far south on the eastern seaboard. Demeter might've been a goddess who preferred to be landlocked, but even now she still occasionally gave the vast oceanic expanse long, lingering looks.
Ever since the wedding, she'd been reminiscing about her past loves. Earlier that day she'd stopped by Zeus's old home, but didn't get too close. She just wanted to see it for herself. Then, when that got to be too much, she migrated to a beach miles away from that location and was now thinking about Poseidon and her other young daughter as she sat on the end of an otherwise empty fishing pier, her sandals resting beside her as she dangled her feet over the edge.
She breathed in deeply, taking in the scent of the ocean, the taste of the salty spray, and the warmth of the sun on her skin.
And just as she was surely taking in the relaxing scene, a frisbee hit her in the back of the head.
"Ow!" she exclaimed as she clutched the back of her head. It didn't cause any serious damage, being just a frisbee, but the blow still stung. Demeter looked around for the source of the offending plastic disk.
"Oh! Oh! I'm sorry!" cried out a voice. The face and body belonging to it quickly appeared as a tall young man jogged up to her, apology written all over his expression. "I'm so sorry! I didn't see you..."
Demeter debated on whether or not to scold the young man, but in the end she just shook her head. "Don't worry about it," she said. "It was just an accident." She gave him a reassuring smile. Then she glanced around, looking to see where the disk had ultimately fallen, hoping that it didn't end up in the churning waters below.
The tide threatened as much, but he quickly scooped it up, turning back to a small group of college students to wave a hand to go one without him. Back to the woman, he said, "I could have been more careful. Are you hurt?"
"Maybe just a little bump later, but I'm sure I'll live," she quipped back. Then she looked over at his group of friends. "You don't have to stick around for my sake. Go on. Have fun with your friends."
The boy smiled shyly even as he realized something. "Thank... you." Wait. He blinked once and then leaned a little closer, fascinated. "Um. May I ask a question?"
Demeter drew back a little bit, surprised at the invasion of her personal space bubble. "Ah, sure. Ask away," she said politely.
"Is... is your name...?" No, it couldn't be. She hadn't been seen since... A flashback caught Cato off guard and he shivered as his core warmed. Whoa. Not called for. Flustered at the sudden memory and the intimacy of it, he murmured, "S-sorry Madeline. Excuse me!"
She was confused for a few moments at his stammering. "Are you alright...? Wait--Did you call me 'Madeline'?" Her mind began to whirl, and she could feel her nerves setting themselves on edge. Who was this young man, and how did he know her name?
The youth's face paled a little. "Um, yes, I'm sorry, I just mistook you for someone else. It's-it's nothing."
"No. It's not 'nothing'," Demeter said insistently. "How do you know my name?!" She rose to her feet, standing barefoot on the pier, staring down the strange man as if she were trying to dissect his soul with her eyes, which she was.
Despite being taller than her, he shrunk away. "It's, um, a common name?" he offered rather pathetically.
Demeter's eyes turned from brown to green, and it was clear that she was becoming more agitated. "Who are you?" she said with quiet, deadly seriousness. "Are you with the Subrosa, because if you are..." Her voice trailed off, but there was the heavy promise of painful and possibly deadly injury hidden within the tone of the silence.
And suddenly the man's face went from confusion to anger. "No. Not Subrosa. Anyone else, but never, never--" Cato caught himself, closing his eyes as he took a deep breath. At least this way he had confirmation. Quietly, he whispered, "[Never them.]"
The goddess's anger dissipated into the winds, though the confusion remained in its place. She looked at the young man's face, trying to find any familiar feature. Something... Anything... "[Who are you?]" she asked softly.
"[You haven't heard? You must not have been here long...]" he said, opening his blue eyes again to watch her.
She shook her head. "[Heard what? I don't understand,]" Demeter watched him as he opened his eyes, and found herself drawn to his eyes. Something about them...
Running a hand along his hair and shifting awkwardly, he sighed. "[My name is Cato. Cato Jube.]"
"[Jube?!]" Her eyes went wide, and she brought her hands up to her mouth. Now that an all too familiar name was attached to the face, she could see the similarities that now clawed at her heart.
"[Y-yes. And is your last name is Scott, still?]" he asked, looking to her carefully, watching every move for a hint of disapproval or disdain.
There was no disapproval. There was no disdain. There was only grief. Though for the rest of the family, Zeus's death might be turning into distant memory, for Demeter the wound was still raw and bleeding. She nodded, though she didn't say anything out loud just yet. Here she was, standing in front of Zeus's son... A son she never knew of, and most likely from another woman from his more than checkered past, but he was still his child, and how could she ever not care about a child who carried his ichor?
The pain evident in his aunt's face... a face he remembered with such kindness and affection though sometimes plagued with distrust and even open dislike... and it hurt. His voice prickled as he said, "[Then you do know who I am.]"
She took a deep breath to try and steady herself. "[You're... Zeus's son,]" she said simply. "[One from a recent, but earlier relationship, judging by your age. I... I'm sorry about your father. I only just found out that he had... died.]" Obviously, though, she hadn't been told everything regarding Zeus's death.
He nodded gravely, but some of her words stuck out. "[An earlier relationship?]" More like... the first?
Demeter shrugged. "[Well you look to be about in your early 20s, and the fact that you introduced me using the name Cato Jube, and not the name of any of his other known, but missing children...]" Her hand moved in a vague fashion.
Cato's mouth fell open but no words came out, leaving him in the classic pose of one who's speech has failed to catch up with his thoughts. He gave out a rather classic 'oh' to boot before closing his mouth again. "[No. It's-- No. Did... did no one tell you? How he died?]" It seemed odd to him that they wouldn't... it had been rather dramatic, and even he knew how much the Greeks loved to gossip, especially about each other.
The earth goddess shook her head. "[The only one I've spoken to about your father's death is Persephone, and I'm afraid at the time she didn't go into too much detail.]" She sighed. "[At the time, I suppose she wanted to spare me the gory details. I didn't take the initial news of his death very well.]"
"[It wasn't that it was... Okay, well, yes, it was slightly gorey.]" With the sigh of someone long past their polite patience but prepared for the moment anyway, Cato avoided her gaze and said, "[I killed him. There, I said it. I was born when he died, crowning from his head. He didn't have enough power left to keep himself alive, at least in body. Subrosa was responsible for that, at least.]"
Demeter stared at Cato, her expression reflecting the shock she felt jolting her to her very core. Zeus had died... the man she'd loved had died... giving birth to Cato as he had Athena so many eons ago. Despite the comfortably warm weather that had been in the mid 80s there on the beach, a cold chill began to seep into the air, dropping the temperature drastically. Though she was able to restrain the snowfall that had happened back at her home when Persephone had shared her news, the grief she experienced could not be completely held back. She sank back down to the wooden pier, her legs feeling too weak to support her weight. She wrapped her arms about herself tightly at first, but then moved her hands so that she could bury her face in them. She was trying so hard not to cry out, to stay in control, but it was a losing internal struggle.
As gently as possible, Cato knelt down with her, his hands resting on her forearms. "[I-I-I'm sorry,]" he murmured, feeling stupid because it was a dumb thing to say, and especially dumb because he could see there was no smart thing to say anyway. "[It wasn't supposed to happen. I wasn't supposed to happen. Not-not in his plans. I'm sorry.]"
She shook her head a little and wiped her eyes before looking up at Cato. She took a deep breath and tried to steady herself. Demeter, being her, wanted to be reassuring. "[It's not your fault,]" she said with a wavering tone. "[You didn't mean to cause his death... When a child needs to be born, they just... It's not their choice really... It's not their fault... It's not... It's not... ]" Demeter held his gaze as best she could as she spoke. But as she spoke she not only felt Zeus's death more keenly in her heart, but the loss of her own unborn child as well. She tried to speak more encouraging, reassuring words, but they were choked off by a broken sob as tears flowed down her cheeks. She clapped her hands to her mouth to try and swallow the rest within herself.
A choking sound escaped Cato and, without another thought, he wrapped her up into his arms. Activity and sunlight had made him warm and firm, different from his father's cool touch, though there was the same clean and crisp smell around him. Part of him wanted to tell her not to cry, but it didn't seem like quite the right time. So he gave her a small squeeze instead, remaining silent.
Demeter sobbed as quietly as she could manage. But in her broken-hearted state, it was a while before she'd calmed enough to regain some semblance of composure. When she did calm down, though she still felt grief-stricken, at least she felt slightly better for the sudden, bitter release. Being in Cato's embrace helped with that...
Zeus's last gift to the cruel modern world.
"[I miss him so much,]" she finally managed to say, her voice hoarse from crying. "[Despite everything we went through over the ages, I still loved him.]" She sniffled and rubbed her eyes with the heel of her hand.
"[I know. He knew, too,]" he murmured, reaching up to pull away a small strand of stray hair away from her eyes. "[Trust me.]"
Demeter studied Cato's expression. Her own was both wistful and yearning. Inwardly she wondered if her child had been born, would she have had a son like Cato? How like the Fates to be as cruel as this, to weave their threads to make her lose her child while she carried it, and then to take Zeus's life from him while he gave birth to his son.
Not being psychic, the younger god could only wonder at her thoughts. But she didn't look mad! Or terribly upset, at least not as much. He offered her a careful, lop-sided smile; it was a haunting reflection of his sire's, though it clearly lacked his charisma or confidence. "[I'm sorry,]" he said again. "[It's a shock, I know. I... It's hard to explain.]" But he tried, giving her the entire story; he felt, as Zeus' sister and on-again-off-again lover, she deserved as much. He paused when she needed time to absorb, tried to avoid the details of Zeus' incarceration, but was all too happy to talk about the end of Subrosa. It was their fault, he told himself very sternly, and they deserved every piece of retribution they got.
Cato's aunt listened closely to the tale, taking all of it in with a sort of numb acceptance. Though the destruction of Subrosa was welcomed news, in Demeter's heart the price of their end was still far too high. "[I see,]" she said softly as she sat there on the pier, still leaning against her nephew. Though he wasn't Zeus, his presence was a comfort.
He visibly relaxed at her own secure pose, letting out a small sigh. "[And your self? You must have some exciting stories since you left? It's been a long time, I think. Time gets taking used to.]"
Demeter's expression became sadder, though she wasn't going to break down as she had earlier. "[It's been about two years since I left Miami,]" she said. "[Just... Didn't feel safe in Florida anymore.]" Inwardly she wondered about exactly how many of Zeus's memories he had stored within his mind. He obviously had some, since he knew her mortal identity earlier without her telling him.
Cato's stare fixed on her, thoughts milling through his mind as he considered them with care. Yes, he did have his father's memories, that was an easy way to put it. Or he was part of his father's memories. Or his memories were just close enough... but whatever you called it, he knew she was lying. "[And the reason you left?]" he murmured, busying himself with some sand on his shorts that weren't really there.
The goddess turned her gaze towards the ocean. Should she tell him? Did it matter now? Cato wasn't his father. The child she lost wasn't his. Still...
The boy's face flushed and he glanced away. "[I shouldn't have probed. That was rude.]"
"[No,]" she said. "[It wasn't. It's just...]" Demeter sighed. "[When I left Miami, I was carrying Zeus's child... But before he or she could be born...]" She drew up her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. "[...It just wasn't meant to be.]"
"Ah," he said without really saying anything at all, and left it at that. The situation, as far as he could see, called for a subject change; he glanced up to the shoreline. As the sun approached it, it cast a glow over the water while boats idled through it. "[It's... a nice day out,]" he offered, as an escape from the pit of conversation they'd fallen into.
Demeter smiled appreciatively at Cato, glad for the change of subject. The air was still a bit chilled from her mood swing earlier, but was slowly rising in temperature back to normal. "[It is,]" she agreed. "[So tell me more about yourself? Must be odd being so new to the world, and yet appearing so much older than you are.]" When she spoke to him, it was with great warmth and kindness. "[Who are you close to among the family?]" she asked curiously.
Cato considered, ticking off his fingers as he did. "[Uncle has been more help than I ever imagined. He's helping me with college, and before that he spoke with me often, gave me a place to stay and an allowance. I have to repay him, someday. Shiri and Vad were nice, too. Hestia tries to be helpful, but she doesn't want to upset Hera, I think. No one else talks to me much.]"
Since Demeter knew that Poseidon was still out of the country, that left only one uncle that Cato could've been referring to. She restrained the world-weary sigh that always wanted to come up whenever she thought about Hades. Just thinking about him made her feel worn out these days. She didn't quite know who Shiri and Vad were, but she certainly recognized the last two names. The earth goddess felt a little sad at the thought that no one else in the family was very close to Cato, although she could understand the reasonings behind it. "[That's too bad for them,]" she said. "[You seem like a very nice young man.]" She studied him quietly. Were her siblings and her ever so young back in the old days eons ago? Were they ever so innocent?
A red blush flowered over his tanned cheeks. "[You're too kind sis-- Aunt. But, then, you always were. Except when he pissed you off really good, right?]" he replied with a laugh.
"[He had a knack for that, yes,]" Demeter chuckled softly, though in the back of her mind she caught his slip of the tongue and mulled over it briefly before dismissing it outright. Did he almost call her "sister"? No... She was just hearing things, what with everything that had been revealed today. Cato was Cato, and her brother was gone. She needed to accept that and just move on, or else it was going to drive her back down that path of spiraling depression that had sent her to New York in the first place.
Speaking of which, there was more Demeter wanted to speak with Cato about, but it was fast approaching dinnertime, and she wasn't about to spend her night on the beach.
The goddess tilted her head inquisitively at Cato. "[Are you hungry?]"
Cato's face only got redder at his own slip. His mind was swimming with memories of Demeter, old and new, distracting his tongue. "[A little,]" he admitted.
Demeter then got to her feet and dusted herself off. "[Well then, would you like to have dinner with me at my home?]" She hadn't had much company since returning to Florida, and she hadn't really had a chance to make a meal for anyone yet besides herself and occasionally Thanatos when he dropped in for a visit.
Looking a little stunned for a moment before recovering, he smiled graciously with a respectful bow of his head. "[I would be honored.]"
The goddess was about to mention something about her lack of a motor vehicle and ask if he had one of his own when a more interesting mode of transportation crossed her mind. It was how she'd come to this part of the city in the first place. It was also an idea that stirred itself up after the depression of the earlier conversations in an effort to try and lighten the mood.
Plus, using her powers in such a blatant fashion always gave her a bit of a rush and made her feel so much better when she was feeling down.
A quick glance around reassured her that there was no one within eyeshot of the pier. She then reached out and offered him her hand with a mysterious smile as her eyes began to shift to from brown to green. "[You don't have anything against near instantaneous transportation, do you?]" There was a hint of mischief to her tone of voice.
"[I could always try flying, but it's becoming hard,]" he admitted with a sheepish grin, taking the offered hand to stand. "[You?]"
"So he can fly like his father too." Briefly she tried to imagine Cato with his father's wings before filing the mental image away in the back of her mind. Demeter wrapped her small, slender fingers around his hand and helped him to his feet. "[I still can't stand flying too much,]" she admitted as a gentle breeze began to pick up around them, a flurry of leaves beginning to materialize around their feet from the thin air. "[But I do have my own methods of getting around, if you trust me.]" She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.
Cato was silent only a moment, glancing down to her hand, before looking back up to her with confidence. "[Without doubt,]" he said and returned the squeeze.
Demeter's heart warmed at his response and she smiled with genuine happiness for the first time that afternoon. "[Whatever you do, don't let go,]" she said as her eyes turned completely green. The air swirled around them and more leaves appeared in the vortex, obscuring their view of the world beyond them. From the outside, it would've looked a lot like small whirlwind of leaves had swallowed them up and then scattered to the winds, like a magician's disappearing act. From the inside, though, the leaves swirled around them, blocking their view. Then, after a minute, the winds began to die down and the leaves along with them. As their view of the world returned to them, they could see that they weren't at the beach any more. They were in the front yard of Demeter's home in the country.
And yet, at the same time, it wasn't quite the same as the last time anyone had visited. Though the house was still the same, the landscape had changed drastically. Where there had once been vast open fields with a few trees peppering the view, there was now a grove of trees, seemingly decades old, inhabiting the acreage and surrounding the goddesses home. There was a odd, otherworldly feeling to the atmosphere, as if it were charged with energy that was distinctly Demeter's, but was tinged with something else. It was similar to the atmosphere of Olympus back in the golden age, but not.
Since she'd returned to Miami, the earth goddess had certainly kept herself busy.
Cato let out a squeak of surprise; the warning of letting go wasn't disobeyed, with him instead wrapping his arms around her in a moment of panic as the world swirled and merged around them before the scenery reappeared. A leaf stuck up in his golden curls as he stared around, amazed. "[By Olympus...]"
Amusement colored Demeter's expression as Cato had grasped her. Soon as the winds were calmed, though, she squirmed to free herself from his embrace. Using her powers in this way left her body buzzing with residual energy that made her practically euphoric for a few moments. Had it been Zeus she traveled with instead of his son, she might've pounced him in her delight. She wasn't so far gone, though, that she would do so with Cato. Instead she just stepped away from him and stretched leisurely, a deliriously happy expression on her face. "[Ah! That felt so good! I love traveling like that!]" Then she looked down and realized she was still barefoot, having left her shoes on the pier. Ah well. The grass felt good beneath her toes anyways.
The energy was contagious; Cato felt more flush and aware than he had in weeks, a rosiness rising in his cheeks, and as they parted, a small static charge charged between their skin. He shivered, grinning now that the fear was fading. "[That was amazing! How- how did you do that?!]" he asked as she flexed. She looked radiant in her glee, with almost an aura about her. Old memories of their last meeting surged up into his mind, and he found himself blushing for a different reason. "[That must have taken a lot of power... Even Zeus could not simply teleport from place to place like he used to.]"
Demeter turned back to look at Cato, her smile still ever present on her face. "[Not as much as you would think,]" she said, and then she grinned impishly. "[But, that's because...]" She glanced around, admiring her handiwork as she mulled over her thoughts for a bit. "[Well... I'm not quite the same as I was before I left Miami.]" There was a bittersweet note to her words, though she wasn't depressed or letting her sadness take over again. Her expression was more contemplative than anything else. She motioned towards the house. "[Let's get inside and I can tell you more while I'm cooking.]"
Mmm. Food. His mouth salivating already at the idea of eating Demeter's renowned cooking, he nodded and followed obediently.
Inside the house, it was certainly looking more lived in than when Persephone had visited. The dropcloths had been removed from the downstairs furniture, and there had been a bit of redecorating in those same areas, though the same wouldn't have been able to be said about the upstairs. Nothing was touched there, even in the bedrooms. "[Make yourself at home,]" she said as she led the way in. "[I'll start some coffee.]"
"[Thank you.]" Cato entered the doorway and... froze. As Demeter wandered away, he remained in the living room, staring at the furniture and walls all around him. It was all the same... all of it. For a moment, he was afraid he'd lapsed back into a memory but, no, this was reality. It was... odd.
Demeter didn't realize that Cato had stalled in the living room at first. She started the coffee maker and was about to start taking ingredients out of the pantry and fridge when she noticed that she was alone in the kitchen. "[Cato?]" she said as she poked her head back into the living room to look for him. "[Is everything alright?]"
"Huh?" He looked back to her, eyes wide. "[What? Oh. N-no, everything's fine. Just... I didn't realize it would be so familiar. I thought I had walked into the past.]"
"[Familiar?]" Deme looked around, then back at him. "[So you remember this place?]" Then a thought crossed her mind that caused the color of her cheeks to redden slightly. "[Exactly how much else do you remember about your father's time here in this house?]"
The red in Cato's face and the sharp intake of breath probably said it all before he was actually able to say anything else. "[It- it was a bit like... do you ever have times where you think back to something, and you know you were there, in a way, but you felt like a passenger, not in control, more as a visitor or audience than the actual person in the memory? It was like that.]" His own sense of decency decided not to elaborate on what 'it' was, though.
Demeter felt her own face warm up considerably. "[Ah.... I see...]" She was silent for a moment. Then, "[Ok.... I think I'm going to go back into the kitchen and start cooking.]" She stepped back into the kitchen, took out a bottle ouzo and two glasses. She poured a shot for herself and for Cato, even though he wasn't there yet.
Oh gods.
Turning back around so his face was hidden, Cato seemed to suddenly become interested in the wallpaper. Oh yes. Very nice shade of color. Mmhm. But as time passed and even his slow attention span began to wane, he sighed. He'd have to face it sooner or later, the awkwardness. Better to do it head on. As a son of Zeus. Right. Steeling himself, he walked into the kitchen and took a seat.
By the time Cato made his way into the kitchen, dinner was well underway. It was a simple, but hearty stew with fresh bread baked that morning. The aromas from the pot on the stove filled the house. The bread and a dish of real butter sat on the table next to the bottle and glasses of alcohol. Soon as he sat down, Demeter turned away from the stove and nudged the glass of ouzo into Cato's hand while taking up her own. "[To memories,]" she said as she raised her glass in toast.
Oh phew. She didn't seem upset. Relieved, he mirrored the toast. "[To memories,]" replied the younger immortal before he drank it down, unable to help the hard shudder as he did. "[Oh, yeesh, I don't think I'll ever get used to the burn.]"
Unlike Cato, Demeter barely even flinched as she smoothly tipped her head back while draining her glass dry. "[It does take a bit,]" she said as she set the glass back down on the table. "[Help yourself to the bread and butter while I finish cooking.]" She went back to check on the stove.
Cato coughed as the last of the vodka went down. "[Thank you.]" The taste of the alcohol still hung in his mouth, but he was all too glad to replace it with the warmth and saltiness of the buttered bread. He let out a groan of satisfaction upon biting into the slice. "[Ooh. It all smells wonderful. I don't know how I can repay you. Mmm.]" Gods! This was so much better than the cafeteria food! He guiltily wondered if he could ask to take leftovers.
Demeter smiled as she glanced over her shoulder at him as he enjoyed the food she'd made. He looked so much like his father at that moment that it made her wistful. Then she put the thought aside. "[You don't owe me anything,]" she told him simply. "[You're always welcome to my home and the food contained within it.]" She glanced out the window at the yard outside. Dusk was falling and the atmosphere of the grove beyond her yard was shifting as well, becoming even more ethereal. Fireflies began to come out and flit lazily in and out of the shadows. There also seemed to be a few plants in her garden that were actively blooming and glowing in the waning light, as if nightfall was just what they were waiting for. She sighed with contentment. Her grove was almost the way she wanted it to be.
Definitely taking leftovers, then. But at the pause in conversation, he followed her eyes out the window, to the comforting scene outside. It was dryer than he remembered. Very pretty, though. "[Your garden is beautiful,]" he noticed, "[And it's even bigger than before.]"
"[I've been putting a lot of myself into it since I've returned,]" Demeter said before she sampled a taste of the stew. She then plucked a few sprigs of herbs from a windowsill planter and tossed them in. The plants she took the sprigs from almost immediately regrew their lost stems and leaves. "[Though most of my focus have been on the grove.]" She took another taste, then took down a couple of bowls and filled them with the thick, rich mixture of lamb and vegetables, though she made certain to give Cato considerably more than herself. If his appetite was anything like his father's when it came to her cooking... She placed both dishes on the dining table and sat down across from the younger god.
"[The flowers are beautiful.]" He took the bowl, giving it a taste, and let out a happy sigh. "Mmm..."
"[You like?]" she asked as she idly stirred her spoon in the bowl.
Cato mumbled something but, remembering his manners, paused a moment to chew before continuing with, "[Wonderful! I can't remember the last time I had lamb so good. Thank you, again, Demeter.]"
Demeter smiled and let Cato eat as much as he wanted. She ate a little as well, happy for the company. Once dinner was over, it had grown completely dark outside. She poured out two cups of coffee and invited Cato to join her outside. There was a stone firepit surrounded by comfortable outdoor chairs and lounges. "[Could you get the fire started?]" she asked as she made her way outside, motioning with her head towards a stack of firewood next to the tool shed.
He nodded and dutifully went about building a happy little fire. Demeter didn't know that he hadn't ever built a fire with his own hands, but inherited memories and a lighter ensured the task got done.
After the fire was built, Demeter gave Cato his coffee and took a seat on one of the lounge chairs. Now that they had finished dinner, and the atmosphere was nice and relaxed, the earth goddess felt like she was ready to answer whatever questions the young god might have for her. "[So Cato, is there anything you would like to ask me?]" she said curiously. "[I know earlier you might've had questions, but I was out of sorts, to put it lightly.]"
Sipping on the coffee, Cato looked up to the sky as he thought. But, after a thought, he shook his head. "[Nothing. The only thing left to talk about is the past, and it just seems to hold sad things for both of us. What about the future? What are your plans now that you're back?]"
Demeter nodded in agreement. It would be best to avoid mention of the past, especially now that both of them had settled into a nice, comfortable happy place. Future was definitely better to look upon. "[I've got a few things in mind,]" she said. "[Mostly, though, I plan to just... work on my grove.]" She glanced back to the woods which surrounded her home, which had taken on a very ethereal appearance now that night had completely fallen. A bluish glow from the night blooming flowers prevented the area from being swallowed up completely in darkness. A series of mushrooms also seemed to act as the borders of a pathway that meandered through the garden and ultimately became swallowed up by the depths of the grove.
"[I want this place to become a sanctuary... a stronghold for our family and friends,]" she continued, then turned her luminous green gaze to Cato. "[We may not have a mountain any longer, but that doesn't mean we don't deserve to carve out a corner of the world just for ourselves.]" When she spoke, her voice was firm with purpose and colored with the air of someone who was more secure in her divinity than she had been years ago.
"[That sounds like a good idea. A place to... let our hair down, I guess would be the phrase?]" said Cato, chuckling. "[So you power it then? Doesn't that drain you?]"
The goddess smiled with amusement. "[You'd think that, wouldn't you?]" Then she shook her head. "[This... isn't exactly fed by my own powers alone. All this...]" She waved a hand outward. "[...is fed by faith.]"
"[Faith? As in followers?]"
"[In a way,]" she said with a nod. "[It's a little complicated, but the simple explanation is that over the last two years I've found both new allies who will welcome us into their folds and mortals who can and will believe in us as the gods we are. I've gained new believers, as well as Thanatos, who was traveling with me at the time.]"
Cato listened dutifully, slightly blank in the face. And, sure enough, "[I'm not sure I understand, entirely. But it sounds like a good thing, and you seem to be happy with it.]" He offered her a warm smile. "[I'm sure it'll do well.]"
Zeus would've understood, Demeter thought to herself, and perhaps even been excited. Still, she told herself that technically Cato was still a child and that he probably wouldn't understand how potent belief and faith would be to their family until he experienced it for himself. She reached over and patted his hand reassuringly. "[One day you'll understand. I'll help you learn.]"
"[You're too kind,]" he replied, head dipping instinctively with humility. "[If so, I couldn't ask for a better teacher.]"
And reflexively, Demeter rose up so she could place a kiss on his cheek. "[It'd be my pleasure,]" she said. Then she looked into her nearly empty mug of coffee, and then upwards at the sky. "[It has gotten pretty late, and I'm not sure if you've got plans for the morning or even later this evening. But if you don't want to return to the city, you are welcomed to spend the night here. There's plenty of room.]"
Cato's face flared red in even the twilight darkness, and he swallowed as he considered her proposal. It was starting to get dark... and by the time a taxi got here, it would no doubt cost quite a bit and his roommates would be asleep by the time he got home. "[I... yes. I would appreciate it; if I remember correctly, it's a bit of a drive from here to the university. Thank you for the offer, Aunt.]"
"[Don't worry about cab fair,]" Demeter said as she led the way back inside. "[I'll give you a lift to wherever you need to be in the morning.]" Once they were both inside, she looked up the stairs. "[Feel free to borrow any room except the first door to the right.]" Though she didn't say what that room was, in fact it was the empty nursery that even she hadn't had the nerve to set foot in since she returned. "[I need to take care of a few things down here, so go ahead and get some rest. It has been a long day for both of us.]"
He followed her eyes, glancing back to her momentarily. "[Aunt... Demeter. Madeline.]" Reaching out with his hands, he put them over her wrists since her hands were still full of coffee cup. "[I just want to say, thank you. I expected you to be angry or upset with me. But... you've been kinder than I had hoped. And I was wrong to expect you to be otherwise. Th-thank you.]"
Since the cup only had a negligible amount of liquid left within it, Demeter had no problem wrapping her arms around Cato and giving him a warm hug. "[You are the last gift to the world your father left us,]" she murmured. "[No matter the situation of your birth, I will always cherish your presence within the world.]" She gave him another kiss on the cheek, then stroked his hair with her free hand. "[It's the least I can do now, for both you and him.]"
The young god smiled, ducking his eyes at the gentle touch. "[I'd say thank you, but I'm worried you're going to start thinking I'm trying to flatter you.]"
Deme smiled at him, then made a shooing motion towards the stairs. "[Go on and get some rest. I'll see you in the morning, Cato.]" Then she turned back towards the kitchen and through the back door into the yard. She would work for a few hours, long into the night, encouraging trees to grow to great heights, and setting down patches of flowers and other plants here and there within the depths of her grove. Eventually, she would pass out from sheer exhaustion, but in the hammock in her back yard, comfortable enough so that her glamour had fallen away to reveal her true appearance.
Obediently, Cato walked up the steps, hearing her own footsteps behind her as he did. This place... he'd never expected to come back. Or, well, be here at all; it wasn't really 'coming back' for him, not truly. He hoped he hadn't confused her... at least not as much as he confused himself.
... But it was nice to return.
Summary: Cato bumps (in a way) into Demeter; the two reunite and reminisce.