could you even imagine how hard it must be for paregoros to be imogen’s goddess of all oracles? imogen, who cannot sleep at night unless she’s tightly wrapped in lou’s arms. her face pressed snuggly against his bare chest, with legs wrapped around him so tight you’d think she was trying to hold him in place. she just can’t rest well if she doesn’t feel the warmth of his skin on hers and smells a faint hint of imogen’s body wash he used in the shower and also her lotion to moisturize his skin. she’d sleep just like that all night. always nestled next to him with some variation of tangled limbs to match. and somehow mornings would be even worse. her full lips would be pulled into the saddest pout as she groggily wiped her eyes. she’d feel around the bed searching for him just to see that he isn’t right beside her. paregoros would only get a brief moment to absorb how cute imogen looked before lou came barreling back into the bedroom sensing she had woken up. his filthy hands reaching for hers before flopping back into the bed and pulling her into a tight embrace. she’d have to listen to him disgustingly coo “morning, angel” to her pythia. peppering imogen’s perfect face with kisses from underserving lips. she’d only get a moment of reprieve when she’d hear imogen sweetly ask him where he went, just for it to be promptly ruined by lou’s grating voice telling her that he went out for a run. she hated seeing him. she hated hearing him speak. mornings with those two almost always sucked.
although some mornings pare would get lucky. imogen would get up to start her morning after only a few kisses. after she showered, brushed her teeth, and dressed she’d go to the altar she made for paregoros. she’d change out the flowers, refresh the glass of water, and clean up the residue from previously lit incense. she’d leave for a bit and come back with breakfast. a plate and cup of tea for her, and a matching set for pare. imogen would always put more care into paregoros’ plate than hers. sometimes she’d adorn it with edible flowers or cut up various fruits she had known pare to like. other times she’d simply give her a larger portion, especially if she had something to ask or wanted to say thank you. imogen would light a candle and offer pare praise before presenting the meal. they’d talk until imogen’s plate was clean and the items on paregoros’ were dried out— a good sign that pare had thoroughly enjoyed the offerings presented to her. on days where imogen was really pleased with their conversation she’d smile widely, the dimples in cheeks deepening with the gesture before politely bowing her head and thanking pare for communing with her. paregoros relished those days. they were so golden that just the memory of them could practically clear her mind of lou. practically.
however on most mornings she wasn’t as lucky. she’d always turn her head in disgust when it happened. just the thought of his dirty hands pawing at imogen’s body was enough to nauseate her. seeing it happen only sickened her even more. it absolutely repulsed her the way he’d lick a long stripe up imogen’s neck or seat her on his face. to see him dig his fingernails in imogen’s plush sides as he fervently rocked her hips against him. being forced to hear him choke out her name through heavy breathing and whiney moans. telling her how perfect she is, how badly he needs her. and seeing him litter her perfect golden skin with bitemarks and bruises made her want to strike him down. but she could do nothing but watch and listen. she had the ability to do nothing. such is the plight of a lesser god. pare would try to ease her anger by only focusing on imogen. though lou was a burning stain on her retinas, imogen was a sight to behold. she always looked beautiful like this. her brown coils splayed across her pillow or the mattress. her neck perfectly exposed when she’d throw her head back in response to lou’s motions. watching her claw at her own chest as she rode him. and to hear the sweet sound of her voice whenever she’d let out a particularly loud moan or beg lou not to stop. it was a sound paregoros quite liked and was almost enough to get her through the remainder of their exchange. until she heard imogen say it again “wanna have your baby— please?” pare’s stomach rolled at the sound. she couldn’t understand why imogen would ever want to have one of his mutts. another lycan would be nothing but another stain on the world. they were filthy wild creatures. driven solely by bloodlust and carnal instinct. their entire existence was a curse. why would she ever want to sully her body by carrying one of those? but just as she’d ask, lou would give her what she wanted. she’d have to hear him tell imogen she could have all of him. anything she wanted. to completely use him dry. she’d have to watch as he happily basked in afterglow when he finished. pleased with what he had just done. she’d have to watch how soft and lovingly he tended to imogen after. making sure she was alright and that he hadn’t hurt her at all. how he’d tell her how much he loved her. how she was all things good in his life and he didn’t know what he did to deserve her. and she’d have to hear imogen tell him how he was half her soul. that even if she got nothing else in life, she was happy to have had him. she’d have to hear how much they truly loved each other and cared for the other above all else.
of all the oracles in the world she just had to fall for this one.