The City of Gods

"From what I gather, I don't fit in around here. Everyone's tanned and handsome and in peak physical condition, and I'm... not. If I do get banished here, I think I'll just wander around until I find a secluded cave somewhere. Saying that, I wouldn't have TV or pancakes or warm, fuzzy blankets, so... so maybe I am starting to like it here. A little," he shrugged, having come to that conclusion a while back. It was hard not to develop content feelings for the place when he'd spent his first night cooped up in bed with a few classic pieces of human literature and a box of chicken nuggets.

Thousands and thousands of years back Home didn't come close to that night, so sure, maybe he wasn't too horrified by the prospect of banishment.

"And I'm a what? An OG? I don't-- again, you're not helping me because I don't understand a thing. I'm old, I'm one of the first, but that stands for nothing. They think I'm creepy-- humans think I'm creepy too. I'm pretty sure that only animals like me."
 
"OG? Like, original. You're one of the oldest Gods, like you said. Look, you can probably get on with people if you tried. Locking yourself up all day isn't going to cut it, you realize that, right? I mean, you'll have to interact if you end up staying here with us, because you'll need to go and get groceries. Cordelia and I pay for this place, so it's the least you could do. That means you'll have to talk to a clerk while buying food, which is social interaction." Proteus explained, intentionally going slow to tease the man.

"Let's just enjoy this documentary. Granted, I wouldn't trust them all, though. There's this one show on The History Channel that just babbles on about aliens and how they're the ones who really created everything. It's silly, obviously, since we know they didn't. It's sort of funny, but can be kind of confusing when you know it isn't true."
 
"For someone who's been here a while, I'm surprised you don't know about a cute little thing called online shopping? I haven't actually been to a supermarket during my time here, I've just ordered things online. And then there are these cool things called takeaways. I don't need to leave this house, it's great. I don't socially interact much. People are... not my cup of tea. They're full of germs I can't afford to catch, they're loud and obnoxious, and if they seem nice enough for me to say hello, they'll just end up calling me some names, so I'll just stick to the couch," he countered, smiling to himself in an almost proud way. He liked and felt rather comfortable away from Home, but that was only if he got to avoid people-- and the advancements in human technology meant that avoiding people really was tremendously easy.

"I won't be a problem. I'll order food in for myself and I have the TV, so I'm all sorted. I'm an easy house guest, you'll forget I'm even here."
 
"That's cheating," he grumbled childishly as he closed his eyes, "I just want you to help around the house. We could make you sleep on the street for the next month but instead you're here, because I'm an okay person. You need to go outside. It ain't that foreign of a concept, babe. Look, it doesn't matter, okay? Sit on our couch all day and do what you want."

With a grunt, Proteus sat up a tad and tightened his robe bashfully. Sure, he had happily wandered about completely naked with Cordelia and a few friends, but he was still afraid Of how the other would react to his body.
 
"What, head out and end up getting teased relentlessly by some tanned, perfect-looking folks? Sure, that sounds grand," he remarked back sarcastically, tugging the hood up to cover most his face. Much in the same way Proteus tied his robe up, Daeron wasn't a huge fan of eye contact and face-to-face encounters. He'd much rather have his hood up covering his face to save himself people's inevitable reaction to his ghost-white skin and bagged eyes.

He may not have had many verbal remarks made, but he'd had more people staring at him than he'd like, and sometimes that was worse.

"...Maybe I'll go for breakfast tomorrow at that nice cafe. And I'll apologise to your friend, if that helps things. I'm not above apologising."
 
"She deserves an apology, yeah. Cordelia might be blunt, and a bit of a cunt, but she's one of the most important people in my life. I get that you don't really care about other people, but she's the closest to a sister I could have, you know? You probably don't, nah. You just like being alone all day," he grunted before sighing wearily.

"Look, that would be good. Not everyone is a tanned, blonde bimbo who just wants to suck dick for money. Dee and I have gone across the country before and some of the best people were still in California. You just gotta get to know more people, you know? If you've only met five people, you're only going to base yourself on five people."
 
"...I don't think she's horrendous, by the way. I just think that you and her are having your idea of fun, and that it's not really my cup of tea. And you might think I'm some narcissistic asshole, but I'm not going to judge you for what you do. I may have come to that conclusion in the last few seconds, but at least I came to it, right? And... I'll go out tomorrow, I'll try and speak to people-- but if I get berated by some jumped-up wannabe celebrities, you have to stick up for me," he drawled seriously, though was only really half-serious about it. Sure, he'd love to have someone defend him for the first time in his life, but he hardly expected someone he'd referred to as a 'whore' earlier on to help him out.

"I think you and Cordelia are pretty sweet together, as it goes. Your folks said, before I came, that you and her were friends from kids, that's an achievement. You know what most Gods are like. They fight like cat and dog. The fact you guys stayed friends all this time is pretty... cool, I suppose."
 
"That's because all of you older Gods are so... I would say selfish, but I know they say the same thing about Dee and I. I just don't understand why they care so much, you know? I mean, I do know. They don't want to be made fun of for having kids that went off the wire, you know? They're so full of themselves that they're willing to put resources into finding us when we don't want to be find. They'll just split us up, and then what? Do they really think I'm just going to immediately do what they want? I'm not a child anymore, man. I should be able to do what I want, I'm a fucking adult!"

With a huff, the God sat up a tad and returned his attention back to his phone, just like that. It had become his form of comfort when he didn't physically have Cordelia, after all, and he immediately began to reblog things from his many media accounts, his lips pursed. "... I'm really sorry that you got involved with this whole shit."
 
"I should have known it was a ridiculous idea the moment I stepped down here, but your father was very... persuasive. Apparently if I didn't get my ass down here, he was going to make sure I was banished somewhere back Home that would make me wish I was mortal so I could kill myself. He has such a way with words, your father. Very creative with his threats. I'd be impressed if he didn't terrify me," laughed Daeron, only half-serious. Sure, the man was large and domineering and had a booming voice that could break glass, but Daeron wasn't that intimidated by him.

He was just as old as Poseidon was, after all, and he refused to feel frightened by a man he was near enough the same age as.

"Why don't you just go to bed? I'm not a child, I can handle the dark. I'd have liked to stay with you but you want to return to your friend and... and I'm too tall to share a couch. I need to stretch my legs out."
 
"You sure? I don't want to leave you here and have you freaking out and making a ton of noise all night, that would sort of defeat the purpose," he grunted in response as he paused his typing, only to start once again. He couldn't help but spread a smirk to his lips as he stared down at the phone.

"Nah, I changed my mind, dude, you're not getting rid of me. You made a whole big deal about getting me here to comfort you in the dark, and here I am. Now you have to put up with me. Simple. They always play the funniest infomercials around now, you know?"
 
"You sure you don't want to go cuddle that giant of a best friend you have? I'm all bones and ribs and... don't try cuddling me in the night is all I'm saying. You'll get your eye poked out with my elbow," muttered the elder God, a little conflicted. He'd chased after him to convince him to stay, yet, once embarrassment settled in, he was suddenly eager to get rid of the other.

And it was just his luck that Proteus now seemed determined to stay. God knows why because he was certain the younger man hated him, but... well, he could at least enjoy the company, couldn't he?
 
"You just need to get some meat on your bones, mate. Eat something properly - or just eat a sit ton of junk food and hurry the process," he offered before getting to his feet, tightening his robe as he yawned heavily. Sure, he didn't need to sleep, but he had become so used to doing so that the idea of staying up as late as they were was strangely draining. Nevertheless, Proteus wandered to the kitchen to pop in a cheap bag of popcorn into the microwave. If he was going to stay up and tease Daeron, he wanted to at least enjoy himself.

"Seriously, though, if you're saying Dee is fat, I'll beat your ass. She's the perfect size, got it?" He grumbled, his eyes locking on the other's even from the other side of the home. "She's probably the most perfect Goddess from Home. She deserves a lot better, you know?
 
"You're putting words into my mouth. I never said she was fat, did I? I don't think it matters, personally, what she looks like. She'll always dislike me, no matter what I say. I was simply alluding to the fact that she's... you know... shapely or whatever. She's a woman, she's literally the Goddess of Love. She's... going to be... attractive-- can we stop talking about it now? It's an awkward topic and I'm not great with it," he grunted, shutting it down as quickly as he could. He was well aware that his awkward ramblings had made it appear like he had some sort of crush on the woman, which wasn't exactly true.

She was beautiful, he knew that. Even if women weren't his immediate preference, he wasn't against finding them attractive and he wouldn't be totally against dating a girl either - if he wanted to date, which he just didn't. If he did, though, Cordelia would definitely be someone he would like to be with, assuming she had a personality change.

Though, it wasn't going to happen so he didn't sweat about it. She was into women, she'd made that abundantly clear, and he wasn't fond of dating. Besides, if he did decide to go out there and do something dramatically uncharacteristic of him like dating, he was pretty sure his attention would be drawn to a man first. All the Gods he'd seen back Home had drawn his attention more than the Goddesses had.

"...If it helps you at all, I suppose they'd have to consult me if they were looking to banish you. I'm part of the counsel. They don't invite me to their meetings often, for obvious reasons, but they have to invite me if we're looking to banish someone. I'd vote against splitting you and your friend up."
 
"Wow, that... actually means a lot, Daeron. Like, I know you don't have to do that. The minute we have to go back Home, you can go and live the rest of your life doing whatever you want and simply never have to see me or Dee anymore. Like, I dunno... I'm scared, to be honest. I'm so used to living with humans that I don't think I can just stroll in and say hello, go back to how everything is, you know?" He explained as he poured the popcorn into a large bowl before wandering over and handing the bowl to Daeron with an insistent nudge.

"I don't know what you know about human culture. Do you know what this is? Like, it isn't like the food at Home, but it's pretty delicious. Eat a lot of this and you'll be properly plump in no time. Clearly, you like television, so... that's something? What have you been watching? You're so ignorant to everything yet I'd say television is the first place to go to, to understand how they work."
 
Silently eyeing the popcorn with an amusing and very unsubtle look of wariness. He'd tried a variety of human food, but he had never had popcorn before but, considering how well he thought he was getting on with Proteus, and how nice the food smelled, he figured this wasn't a huge joke. He could almost imagine himself going to eat it and getting laughed at for idiocy, but that paranoia dissipated when Proteus casually smiled at him.

After that, he assumed he was just being far too worrisome.

"I... I've been watching the History channel and I... have a guilty pleasure for this show called The Real Housewives, that's... there's so many episodes and different seasons and... it's addictive TV," he shrugged, taking the bowl from him to warily take a few bites. Once deciding it tasted beyond amazing, he shovelled a full handful in with little regret. The fact he was so thin wasn't from lack of eating. He had an appetite to rival Cordelia's - he just didn't put on much weight.

"I think I look fine, by the way. I like how I look. I've always looked like this-- maybe I was a natural blonde before they shoved me to the outskirts. Your father was integral in that, by the way. He's always been a fucking bastard-- no offence."
 
"You act as if I'm offended," he snorted as he reached for a few kernels himself. "I used to daydream of him being stabbed over and over again when I was a child. It isn't like he could die, after all, so some intense injuries would be good enough for me. I'm a simple man, you know? Cordelia is a way better person, she doesn't threaten anyone or anything... with a few exceptions. Only people who seem to fuck with me, you know?"

With a grunt, he snatched the remote and mindlessly surfed the pisspoor quality advertisements and shitty reruns of Property Brothers, his lip gripped between his teeth. "What do you even do when you're alone, in that cave of yours? There are only so many books, dude."
 
"...I find plenty to do. I paint, I read, I tend to the flowers I've managed to grow. Nothing grows in the outlands but I've managed to get a few flowers to spring up. I suppose now, in my absence, they've died, but... I have thousands of years ahead of me to regrow them," he admitted, faintly aware of how boring and shit his life sounded, but he enjoyed it. He loved the silence, he liked his own company and he loved his little cave that he'd managed to really deck out and decorate to, what he believed, a high standard.

"You wouldn't like it, let's just put that out there. You'd go mad within a week, but I'm... used to it. Let's be honest, I'm hardly going to live in a castle, am I? I'm the God of Death, I'm almost expected to live somewhere bleak."
 
"Oi, that isn't necessarily true. That's like saying I absolutely need to live by the ocean and, as you can see, I'm pretty far from a body of water. I drive to the coast every now and then, sure, but I don't need to be right there. You don't need to lock yourself up in some creepy cave just because of your birthright. Hell, you could just abandon it all like we did. You're more than the God of Death, Daeron. Remember that when we get back, okay?" He grunted casually as he nestled his cheek on the arm of the couch, yawning.

"... Do you think I should splurge? I mean, I'll only be here for another month, why not buy all the shitty copper pans I can? Cordelia would probably flip out. We barely cook, to be honest - I'm trying, though. Took me fifty years to try, ain't that hilarious?"
 
In quite literally all of the thousands and thousands of years he'd been around, nobody had once told him he was more than just a title. Even the Gods on the counsel, people he was supposed to be close to, had simply abandoned him and failed to make him feel like he was someone beyond some silly title.

And he found it hilarious that the first person to do that was Proteus-- though that wasn't to say he didn't appreciate it. On the contrary, he appreciated the words more than the other deity would ever know.

"I... yeah, go mad on some shopping frenzy, why not?" He shrugged, holding his knees to his chest and burying his head down, just to try and hide the fact his face had, annoyingly, flushed red at the earlier words. It was the greatest boost of his self-worth he'd had in his whole entire life, so sure, he was going to blush a little. It didn't mean he fucking liked the annoying little prick, not at all. Nope.

"Maybe buy me some clothes with colour, I'll experiment."
 
"You feeling alright?" Proteus teased as he peaked over his phone. "You? Wearing colors? You're, like, the Emo King, mate. You pretty much are the poster amalgamation of Hot Topic and Tumblr, Daeron. I could see you wearing a 'normal people scare me' sort of shirt. I mean this as affectionately as possible, I hope you know that. Luckily, for you, black and white is in now."

Offering a smirk for emphasis, he decided to lightly nudge the other God with his foot. "I'd bring you out shopping if you decided to step into the sun for a bit."
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back