Dante Lot (unseen_miami) wrote in olympian_rewind, @ 2010-11-20 19:42:00 |
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Entry tags: | dante lot, hades, hera, june marris |
Who: Hades & Hera
What: Strange comforts
Where: The Lot Children's Million Dollar Playhouse
When: Not long after these texts
Warnings: none
Hades had reached the house before Hera. So far his plan was working. His Jag was parked in the car port and he paced the porch so she could see him when she appeared as well. He had gotten here first, but that was as far as his plan had actually been constructed.
He knew too little to plan further and it bothered him.
His baby sister wanted to drink and it bothered him.
He supposed it was good she didn't want to drink alone...
Still, he continued to pace, trying to brace himself with no information to draw on.
It had taken slightly longer than Hera had wished and intended to remove herself from the hotel, and find a suitable bottle for the drinking she was planning. She choose two different forms, and drove out to the address given, pulling up and parking beside her brother's car. She saw him easily as she climbed from her car and walked to the porch steps. The bottle with the bag and some cheap glasses within held in one hand.
She nodded to him as she approached. "[Brother.] I hope I am not keeping you from something else."
If it wasn't Hera and the situation didn't seem so dire, Hades would have replied that he was just being kept from his family, whom he loved very much. But such was not the case. He watched his sister carefully as she approached him, his pacing halting instantly at the sound of her voice, “[Hello, Sis]. It's fine. If you needed someone to drink with, I am here for you.”
"I could drink alone, but I do not wish to return to my wife in a sour mood. And she would be displeased with the topic. I would prefer to spare her disagreements over our differences in character." Hera's words were meant to have some form of a light air to them, as if to dismiss the topic as unimportant. Despite such attempts, she was clearly annoyed, her back straight as she approached the door, assuming that they would be going within the house.
Hmm, some of Hades' unease about all of this eased away at the sight of her annoyance. That was a different brand of drinking and one he could deal with and understand. Why Hera was annoyed, he didn't know, but he was certain she had made the right choice by drinking with him and not bringing it home to Hestia. “That's very considerate of you towards her,” he opened the door then, “Come on in.”
"Thank you." She stepped inside and took a look about the space, immediately moving through the entryway to an area that looked most likely to hold chairs suitable for conversation. Perhaps an office space, more closed in and private, would be more appropriate for the conversation than an open living space, but she would need to wait for Hades to dictate where within the house he wished them to go. "Another home that you own?"
There were very few rooms in the Million-Dollar House turned Full Sized Playhouse to have an angry conversation coupled with booze, considering most of the walls had been redone to allow children to draw on them or climb up them and the furniture clearly there to be sized for toddlers or fun to play on.
However, Hades motioned for her to follow him, opening the guard gate from the stairs as he ascended them. “Kinda. It's really the kids'. But there's an adult room up here...”
With a few presses on a keyless entry, he opened the door to a sparsely but yet comfortably furnished room. A futon sat along one of the walls overlooking the tinted windows, a small table with chairs sitting a little bit a way from it. “Put this in just in case they wanted to stay overnight. In theory, I'd have to sleep somewhere... so...
Hera followed behind, arching an eyebrow as she noted the room he had reserved for himself. "I am surprised you do not have more within," she mentioned off hand, before stepping in and walking straight to the table and setting her bag down. She wasted little time in pulling out two bottle, followed by the cheap glass. "I assume the children enjoy it?"
“Have done the lavish just for myself thing before. It'd rather have sparse with everything being theirs,” Hades replied casually and then sat down at the table. That seemed to be where Hera wanted to drink, he wouldn't complain. After all, she brought the booze and issued the invite. But he also wouldn't force her to talk about her reason for being here. “But they do enjoy it. They all have their favorite games to play alone and with each other in here.”
"A well made place then," she mentioned, pouring him a drink of what she suspected would be his preference, then a glass for herself, before finding a seat to settle into. She could feel that the minor chit chat was covered, and felt it most suitable to now simply launch into her reasoning for the bottles. "[Demeter came to the hotel today.] “
Hades fought the urge to smirk. Now he understood the reason for him being invited. If Hera was angry and the conversation began with Demeter, he could believe she was angry at her. And for probably very good reasons. It wasn't hard, he knew to have them. “[What did she do, sis?]”
"[She slept with Zeus.]" Hera took a drink as a manner of pausing, turning to face her brother directly. She had not been foolish with who she chose to drink with, and knew well enough that one night of drinking and anger would prevent her from stewing in it for weeks. She could not bring that to her wife. "[Prior to leaving Miami, she was carrying his child as well.] “
If Hades had known the entirety of her motives, he would have applauded her. That was a lesson he still failed to learn. It was so very hard to break a thousand year old habit of repression... luckily, Persephone knew his habits well enough. He simply assumed he was called because it was anti-Demeter. For now anyway. He nodded a long with her story, unsure whether he should confess he knew about it until shrugging a little, “[I was told of that. And what happened to the child.]”
"[She did not know that I knew of the pregnancy, though I had no knowledge of what occurred after. At first I did not realize who she was, and she attempted to flee without even acknowledging who she was.]" Hera shrugged. "[Once I realized who she was, we... discussed things.]" The way she spoke the word 'discussed', heavy and with a strong helping of annoyance, was a good indication of just how such a discussion had gone.
“[Discussed... hmm...]” Hades sipped at the drink he had been provided, but only because it was an automated response. He was far more focused on watching Hera's expression and listening to the tone of her voice. He could only imagine how lovely her conversation with Demeter had gone. “[I assume what you really mean is she spoke at you, not listening or caring about anything you said, because she had her own thoughts in mind and would not be swayed by reason, logic or another person's point of view.]”
"[I believe I surprised her a time or two, but she seemed to have had a conversation with me a time or two in her head before arriving at the hotel.]" Hera would admit well enough that Demeter had been forced to hear what she had to say, but there was somethings that were clearly being seen in different lights. "[... She asked me if he truly ever loved us...]
Hades couldn't help putting down his drink as his eyebrows lifted in confusion, “[If he truly ever loved us...]”
Hera nodded. "[If Zeus, truly ever loved both she and I.]" She met his eyes, then stood, moving to the couch and sitting at an end.
Hades stood and followed her, sitting on the futon with her, leaving his drink at the table. He wasn't sure what concerned him more: the grieved anger of his baby sister or the sheer irrational insanity of his hated one. Tactfully, he held his tongue and opinion on the question posed; he didn't think 'in his own Zeus way' or 'not enough' would be very helpful at the moment. “[So you met a despairing ] Madeline [then. It's nice to see that's there's two emotions she can pull off and both are infurating.]”
"[I told her she was a fool to question it. He granted her a child after all, did he not? So short a time sleeping by my side once more and already in the bed of another, creating a child when I...]" She gestured, as if to let Hades finish the thought on her own as she took another sip of her drink. While she was left without. True she had chosen to keep herself infertile for the moment, but he had never truly made it known he wanted another child now. They had agreed with all the trouble it was poor timing. And yet... He had not only gone to sleep with another, to give her a child... "[She does not understand her worth to him if she dares to question or doubt that he loved her. She is a pure fool. Each of our brothers went to her, granting her children, and she whines of how they left her, how she was foolish to love them, to let them into her heart, to trust them. She swears that she shall never love again, and is too heart broken to risk another child. She claims the Fates are telling her this is her path...]" Hera shook her head. She simply could not believe what her sister seemed to be seeing.
Hades lowered his gaze to ponder it – the Fates to be denying Demeter love and children. If it were true, he would finally have proof they were on his side and were just seemingly slow in their plotting against her. “[She was wrong and irrational to say it, but maybe we should let her believe it. I say this because I know you won't share it, but she shouldn't be allowed to raise goldfish, nonetheless children... ]” He shrugged a little, “[Besides, if she can not see that Zeus held even any love... because she asked did he love, not the measure, for her then she won't be made to see any logic at all.]”
"[She is free to be with any that she wishes. There and many mortals who would love her, grant her children and happiness. As a goddess of life, who clearly has no dislike toward mortals, I see no reason she does not run about like a slut. There is nothing to prevent her from creating life and enjoying it as she does so. Yet she must take to her bed a god who is married, knowing in heart and mind to fear for any child created with the union, and does not even pause to seek that there is no life created!]" Hera tipped her glass to her lips, closing her eyes, even as her jaw tightened. "[She will take my parting words as a threat, when they were merely truth. Once again I am the vindictive and cruel wife, preying on the poor women of my husbands liaisons...]" One last time. She almost smiled at that thought.
While he didn't especially, or even remotely approve, of Hera's vindictive nature against the children of Zeus, it truly dawned on him then how totally irresponsible it had been of Demeter, not only to Zeus, who would not limit his own actions, to Hera, who should have been considered as to not hurt her and to the child, who would have had to endure for their parents' sins. But then again, Hades rarely believed Demeter looked beyond herself in considering much of anything. It was a biased judgment, he knew.
Gently, he then took the glass from her hand and placed it to the floor, before wrapping his arms around her. He had heard clearly the unspoken words that Zeus had denied Hera a child, while freely giving on to Demeter and the pain that ached in his little sister's heart over it, even now. He could do little about it, but he could bring her close in a hug.
Hera shifted and settled into that hug, safe and protected once more within her elder brother's arms. It was instinctive, something from her youth, before all the stories of them were even born. She enjoyed her strength, but at this moment, she merely needed someone who understood enough that she would not have to hide behind such a wall. "[I would have sought to raise the child,]" she murmurs. "[His last child, and it should have been mine. I do not know if admitting that truth would be more painful to her than the truth I spoke, to remind her that she would raise the child with fear, always fearful that I would come after her... But if she were away, I would have not hunted her down... I would have crafted another plan.]"
Hades kept his arms around her, falling into an instinct that was as ancient as some of his earliest memories. Her words and her pain touched his own heart. How many years had he spent longing for a child? How many years had he spent watching Persephone have that same desire? That longing was something he would wish on few... “[If you had said it, she might not have believed you. If she did, it may have hurt her more, but by using the death of a child to do it. You picked the better way.]”
Had she? She only knew that she had wanted her sister to feel pain, and somehow, revealing that the child might have come out unharmed seemed like the kinder justice, and was why she had refrained. "[I do not choose it out of kindness,]" she mentioned, almost bitterly, feeling angered and tense, though the alcohol also worked at keeping her from tensing to the point of throwing things. "[Sister of mine that she may be, I do not see how she can be so dense to things. She is perhaps the freest of us all, and yet she goes about as though boxed and chained.]"
“[She's dense because she's dense.]” That's why she doesn't understand my anger toward her, he continued in his head, but didn't say it aloud. None of this was about him and he had made it about hims enough, about him and his spite of Demeter. It was just so novel... and actually comforting to have someone mirror that anger toward the plant goddess. “[Was she always like this?]”
"[I do not know of always, but I know that she has seen things in her own manner for a rather long time. And she has long seemed to wish to avoid me, whenever presented a choice.]" She shifted, leaning against him, and rested her hands over his as the wrapped about her.
“[That's what I figured, I just didn't have my own personal evidence after a certain point. Just my own observations and judgment... and unreliable witnesses of her children.]” Hades shrugged and loosened his grip of her as she shifted, but kept his arms loosely around her at the feel of her hands. “[Do you mind her avoiding you?]”
"[I do not like the barriers, but I doubt that I could see her now with a kind word on my lips.]" Her lack of ability to see Hera's pain, her place in causing more of it, would only bring out anger from the goddess of marriage. And, most likely would do so for at least a number of years.
"[I do not like the barriers, but I doubt that I could see her now with a kind word on my lips.]" Her lack of ability to see Hera's pain, her place in causing more of it, would only bring out anger from the goddess of marriage. And, most likely would do so for at least a number of years.
For a short while, Hades remained quiet. It wasn't because he had nothing to say, but because he thought a moment of quiet could calm her as well... calm her just a little. Sometimes a little was enough. Emotional conversations continuously spoken only churned the emotion more... if only he could use that knowledge when he was the one on the other side of these things. “[You know, baby sis, I think this now makes you eligible to receive the club newsletter.]”
Hera arched an eyebrow and twisted to look at her brother. The comment surprised her, drawing her from her other thoughts. "[Oh?]" She did not entirely follow what he was referencing too.
“[When you make amends with her, you will have to send notice as to not receive the newsletters anymore though...]” he whispered in her ear, enjoying the surprise upon her face.
It took a moment for her to realize just what this entailed, but quickly she understood. "[I believe I can do so. I suspect that it will be a long subscription, however.]" She doubted that he would find difficulty with such things.
“[I guess I actually have to get the lemon squares now for the meetings, too, with someone else there...]” he continued to whisper, shifting just a little more finally releasing her from his loosened embrace. But he did move away from her, simply released her.
Perhaps for the best that he did not, as she continued to lean against him, comfortable. "[You will need to tell me when and where the meetings are. Perhaps we can rotate who has the food duties for the meetings,]" she offered, a small smirk upon her lips.
Her comfort was the exact reason he didn't move away from her. Considering she had come here to drink, he found this to be a fine alternative. She was even smirking. He smirked in return. He couldn't help it when the joke was about meeting procedures for an Anti-Demeter club... it was as absurd as it was refreshing for him. “[I'll have to check the constitution when I go back. It's been a long time since I've had to consider new members.]”
"[Had to?]" she questioned. "[While the honor may be mine in the joining, you are less than forced into offering such membership,]" she teased lightly, in far better spirits with the relaxing effects of the alcohol and the support of another in her opinions of the moment. She had no desire to see things from another perspective and attempt to be understanding of her sister. "[Will there be a test with admission into the club?]"
“[I mean, find the constitution. You don't even know how old it is...]” If it actually existed, he probably would have embroidered it on a stretch of finest silk with gold thread just because he had it around. Hades kept a careful eye on his sister, all his focus on her, which had the added benefit of not allowing his focus and thoughts to wander to other topics... “[But no, there's no test. You passed the test already.]”
"[Ah, then I will not need to brush up on current politics further.]" Though she already felt rather familiar with a few of them. "[You were merely need to give me all the information in a welcome packet or some such. I will study it once I have the opportunity. It would be best delivered to my office however. I do not believe my wife would smile upon such a membership.]"
“[Of course. Hestia will probably never me in this club with us. She's doesn't have it in her to do so...]” That kind of virtue to be unable to be so bitter, petty and spiteful had actually been one of the things that had attracted him to her all those months ago. It had shone around in his eyes along with her flames... But he pushed the thought aside because it was widely out of place while Hestia's wife reclined against him. “[It will be nice to have company though I do wish I didn't... it came by hurting you.]”
"[My sister and I have rarely been on good terms, though I often thought we were at least fairly neutral to one another. It should not be nearly such a shock, though that lessens the blow none.]" She sighed, and turned to look to her brother. "[Thank you, Brother, for understanding. I am not happy that you suffer, but I am glad to have such good company.]”
“[Blows from her are always heavy and harsh. Especially if you let her near you in some way,]” The words were tinged with a deep bitterness that he couldn't help or hide, but he did manage to shrug and even offer a smile to his sister. “[You're welcome, Baby sis. You know of all people I would.]”
"[True.]" Smiling in return, she slowly reached up to lightly touch his face, before dropping her hand to her lap once more, her thoughts turning inward.
Hades frowned. Simply through the gentle touch falling away from his face, he could tell where he thoughts were. Not on him. Not on anything in this room. He knew that well and he knew it was rarely a good thing. He took her hand that had fallen away and pinched her. “[No.]”
Hera gave a small surprised squeak at the pinch, and turned to look sharply at her brother. What had she done to deserve a pinch? "[No?]" she questioned back.
He released her hand, “[No thinking. Not like that anyway.]”
She blinked at him and briefly brushed a hand over where he had pinched her, before relaxing against him once more. "[Very well, what should I ponder instead?]"
“[Why do you have to ponder anything?]” Hades was honestly asking the question. He meant it literally and tried his hardest to convey that fact in his tone.
A small smile came to her lips, as she heard the question and tone. "[And what would you propose instead? You took away my glass, and I am very well situated.]"
“[I could probably reach down and grab it, but we could just enjoy a quiet moment...]” Hades shrugged a little. If that were possible for her. He understood that her anger or resentment could always bubble back up... He knew that very well.
"[The last time I went quiet for a moment, you pinched me,]" she taunted, though mildly teasing as she did so.
“[I pinched you because you were thinking.... Not because you were quiet.]” It was the most matter-of-fact tone he could muster.
"[So you intend me to not think in the quiet?]" she questioned, clearly unable to see how such a thing was truly possible. Perhaps it was, but there were far to many thoughts to easily let them all go.
“[Yeah, I can't really do it either. Sometimes I can turn it all off for a few minutes. If I'm doing a mantra or something like that a little bit longer but...]” Hades' gaze lifted toward the windows and beyond them for a moment and then quickly shook his head. No. No thinking. “[It would be nice if it were possible. Just sit and be.]”
"[It is far easier to sit and be, when outside or viewing something that can allow minimal idle pondering and reflection.]" She once tended to be careful to always have such a place, but of late, seemed to find no location that fully met her needs, without driving farther than she would like.
“[I try to focus all my thought into a single, meaningless point. If all of it is there, it cannot wander elsewhere.]” He took a deep breath then and closed his eyes, letting his head rest against the back of the futon as he settled a bit more. “[So, I guess I have no proposal for what we could do besides think. But we still shouldn't do that.]”
Hera felt him shift and turned enough to look up and see. Smirking, she reached her fingers up and lightly tickled him beneath his chin on the now more exposed throat. "[What do you do whenever you are bored?]" she asked simply.
Hades flinched at her touch and then settled back again when he understood what was going on. “[Not ticklish. However, I will flinch if I don't expect something...]” he muttered and then continued, “[If I am alone, I mess around with my phone. If am with my children, I play with them....]”
"[For now, we will not discuss children,]" she mentioned, placing her hand flat against his cheek and letting it rest there lightly. It was comforting to her simply to have the contact. "[I typically read, or watch something. Perhaps there is something about that we could watch, or a game that could be played.]"
Hades opened his eyes at the touch, this time not flinching as he met her eyes. “[If you want, there is a swing set in the house...]”
Her eyebrows rose. "[A swing set?]"
He nodded, “[A real full sized one.]” It had just been easy to get a full sized one and in theory, put the booster seats on it... Not that he had managed that last step. The child seats were left in a closet. His children had other activities to entertain themselves with, delaying his project.
"[I see. And you are suggesting that we go and play on said sets?]" she asked, an amused tone to her words, even as she could not image herself on a set of swings.
“[You said you wanted to play something... ]” Hades shrugged as he nudged his sister off of him and slowly rose to standing. “[That or watch something for a little bit. The swings are probably the only thing actually age appropriate for us. Besides, I like swings. I proposed to Dahlia once on a swing set. It was an ill-fated marriage and not how I wanted to propose but I still did it.]”
Hera reluctantly stood to follow her brother, biting her tongue on the thought that it would be best not to mention such a thing to Demeter. She could see, somehow, that the goddess would in turn say that it was also part of her punishment from the Fates. "[I suppose swings will merely have to do then,]" she mentioned, the idea of swinging still odd in her mind.
If Demeter took any pleasure in the ill-fated marriage that was their second, he would either point to marriage three or bring up the fact that it was Persephone's own confession that it had been wrong to end the second one. That one fact eased all the grief from it. That and that his wife had made amends for her actions... So few ever did. “[It's not like you have to swing full blown.]”
"[No...]" She paused, and her eyes darted to her brother. "[I truth, I do not know if I have ever been on a swing.]" It was merely something that she had not bothered to try.
“[Now you have to. It's just not good when I'm more socialized than someone,]” Hades murmured and turned to direct to where he had stashed the swing room in the glorified play house.
"[Swings were often reserved for children, and I had little need to be on one myself,]" she mentioned. She had been the governess to more than a few, but that was more of them tending to the swings themselves, or perhaps her pushing, than fighting her skirts to participate in the act.
“[Excuses, excuses...]” Hades managed to tease.
"[Reasons dear brother. Very acceptable reasons.]" She shot back, following along as he lead to the swings, and what would be her first experience on them.
“[Very acceptable reasons can still be excuses,]” Hades shot right back, and then glanced over his shoulder at her, “[Just keep it to you and Hestia. I may still have a serious reputation to keep. So do you...]”
"[We can pinky swear if it would please you,]" she mentioned. Mutual blackmail in a way. It would be difficult for her employees to take her seriously if they knew she could have fun.
“[I think I will simply take you at your word.]” How would they swear not to mention the pinky swear if they did? Hades managed a smirk. He was a bad influence on his sister, but right now with this, he was pleased with it. She was in a much better mood now than she was. It selfishly made him feel like a better brother being able to fight back the demons of her anger and hurt. “[Can I keep the alcohol?]”
She considered and arched her eyebrows, considering. "[All of it?]" She had little need for it, though she knew her brother could afford to replace it as easily as she could. "[Do I need to ask if you will be safe with it?]"
“[I promise to not drink and drive.]” He would not promise that he wouldn't lock himself in his basement at some point and drink all of it though. Hades was not a liar, nor would he make a promise he would not keep. Eventually he would lose focus on the pleasant, and then he would need to drink. “[I'll consider it a gift.]”
"[Mmm, perhaps for the best... Though I had first brought it with the intent to share.]" Sadly, most of what had been a growing buzz seemed so minor and mellow now. A pity. "[But if you wish it, you may have it.]"
“[You don't seem to need it anymore...]” He shrugged then and opened the room to the swings. There they were, full sized swing set bolted down to the floor with a fine view of the windows that didn't open, “[Thank you, sis.]”
"[Thank you, Brother.]" She glanced in at the swings and stood beside him, brushing against him as she looked within. Now the question was, how did she swing?
Summary: Hera is not pleased (understatement) about her conversation with Demeter. However, the stars were all aligned it seems, and Hades was able to cheer her up a little.