The day was coming to an end and the streets of New Orleans started to fill up with people leaving their 9-to-5s, their retails and their services. Going home to their partners, their kids, their pets.
Some only now coming out of the woodworks, going to their graveyards and their sides.
Though not going home, nor having anyone to come home to, Ezra unfortunately belonged to the first group.
9 to 5. Not coming in a minute earlier, not leaving a minute late. They left at five on the dot, not wanting to subject themselves to any more sirs, my mans or attaboys.
Socially and emotionally drained, the demigod walked to the nearest park on autopilot. To unwind with a good book in a gorgeous area.
With the way the Egyptian wandered absent-mindedly, it was almost a miracle they hadn't bumped int--
.·:¨༺….::::•°✾⋆★⋆✾°•::::….༻¨:·.
"I'm sorry!"
Ezra locked their eyes with the man they just bumped into for a second, blinking as the gears in their brain ran a million tours a second to figure out where they've seen this man before. It must've been a brief encounter such as this one, since they only vaguely recognized the him.
It clicked, right when the stranger turned away again to go on his merry way.
"Wait! Excuse me!" they called for the other's attention. "I'm sorry, this might be a strange question, but have you ever been to New Orleans before?"
The move went as smoothly as moving does. It was always stressful, sweaty and tiring. Flopping down on the couch with a beer in hand he was ready to relax.
Wow, it’s such a nice home.
"Yeah, it is. The renovations went really well."
Why would you destroy their home?
"Well it’s my home too."
Exactly, they left it to you, the mortgage is paid off. You can do what you want.
It’s left to you because they’re DEAD.
"I know, I KNOW. I found them. "
They never wanted you to find them like that, you know that.
"They wanted to die naturally."
What’s more natural than predator vs prey? Survival of the fittest.
"Enough!"
Why can't you take the truth? It hurts. You know you could’ve saved them.
"I couldn’t have, I was at work. "
You were doing your job, you were helping a family with the loss of their loved one.
"I can’t just leave whenever."
You could have finished earlier. You were dragging your ass. Lazy!
"I wasn’t! I had a long day, I was almost awake for 24 hours!"
You did the best that you could. Don’t listen to her.
Getting up Ben looked around the house, spinning on the palm of his foot only to stop at the wall. Photos hung in a tree shape, one photo for each of his family members.
The photos look nice, you picked a good wall to have them.
"They’re right when you walk in, so everyone can see them right away."
Why do you need to have them displayed for everyone to see? Look everyone! It’s my entire family who’s dead! I couldn’t save them!
"That’s not true!"
You could've save them. You didn’t even try!
You were young. You didn’t have any way to.
"Exactly! What can an 8 year old do?"
Stay still and not move. Weren’t you taught that in school you stupid kid?
“ENOUGH!” He screamed out as the beer can flew across the room.
Oh, big talk. You think you can just be happy? Do you think you deserve to be happy?
"Everyone deserves to be happy."
Exactly, you deserve the best, especially after everything that’s happened.
Do you really think so? Do you deserve to be happy? When everyone who loves you is DEAD. They don’t get to be happy anymore.
" I don’t have to be sad all the time! No one wants to live like that!"
You will honor their memories, they are living through you.
"I have the memories, I have recipes."
And when you get old and get dementia? What if the house burns down?
"My kids will have them. I can put them online."
Your kids will love your stories and want to hear about their family history.
As if someone wants to have children with you! You’re broken! Nobody can love you. Nobody should love you!
Benjamin, you are so worthy of love!
His knees hit the hardwood floor, the creaks bounced off the walls.
Get up! No man would bow down to anyone! On second thought, you’re no man!
Stay here as long as you need, you’re safe. No one can hurt you.
"I can’t do this anymore."
Let someone else have the house, someone who deserves it. Someone who will pay for it.
"No! You can’t make me!"
You don’t want to see them again? You know the fastest route.
"I will see them at the end."
You’re not ready yet. Keep fighting.
"When it is my time and it’s not now!"
As Benji stood, he grabbed the beer can and walked to the kitchen. “It’s time for you to leave.”
But it’s been so much fun visiting you. You really need to learn to take advice.
Remember, you have people who do love you, who want you to be happy. Reach out to them Benjamin.
It’s okay to not be okay.
The silence grew louder as Thalia and Melpomene made their exit.
Eventually all that could be heard was the soft whimpers of the demigod.
“I deserve to be happy. I want to be happy. Please….just let me be happy.”
They had been in her apartment watching any and everything horror as they usually were, with her curled up against him and hugging a pillow just in case anything scary came up. She usually wasn’t as scared, but this one hit a few soft spots for her and even then, Kaya wanted to watch it in its entirety. Her eyes were glued to the screen when a sudden sound made her jump and squeal in surprise– it hadn’t been the movie but Benji’s phone going off. Something about him going in to his job on the mainland. “W-Wait, so you’re leaving me here?” She grips the pillow tighter and looks at him with wide eyes whispering “Alone?”
Luckily, Benji seemed to like her enough to ask her to tag along. Being half scared and half curious, she agreed, asking him what felt like a dozen questions about his job. “I’m a mortician.” was enough to have her excitedly skipping next to him all the way there. Their friendship was a peculiar thing, started from a post on social media, and immediately decided they were comfortable with one another to make watching movies and series a regular thing for them. As unfriendly and closed off as Kaya was, she found herself liking him and his company.
“So I’ll get to see you do mortician things?” Her silly grin took over her face while she toyed with the wrapping on her lollipop, unsure of where they were but fully trusting him as he opened the door for them. “Also, is it really okay I’m here with you? I don’t want you to get into trouble.” As much as she loved mischief, putting her friend’s well-being and job security wasn’t something she wished to do, even as her eyes shone with excitement while peaking around.
The poet was all ready to go to the gala - their first ever, at that. Their makeup done, jewelery carefully selected. Their shoes were already at the door, waiting for Ezra to step into... But still they were hesitant. Indecisive.
Ezra lost count on how many times they've changed the bottom half of their outfit. Pants off, skirt on. Strike a pose, do a twirl, stare for a bit, think. Skirt off, pants on, repeat.
Pants off, skirt on... @benji-mp showed up at the door. No more time to reconsider. The universe had spoken.
❛ with you by my side, i feel like i can do anything. ❜
Okay, that was it.
Kaya's eyes widened and her lips turned into the biggest pout they could possibly muster.
"Do you mean that?" She asked softly. Her and Benji meeting was not something either of them planned, but as it turns out, maybe even fate itself had it hidden in its sleeve.
They'd become spooky friends; watching everything and anything horror and going into the woods at night to see what they would find. They would explore abandoned houses in the mainland, the little ghostbuster duo—
Kaya wasn't too affectionate with many, finding physical touch only appropriate when she was close with someone, so when she reached to hug Benji's arm, the wave of safety and acceptance made her realize that she felt the same about him. "That's because we're ghostbusting buddies. We got each other's back."
❛ everyone’s got good and bad in them, it’s up to us how we use it. ❜
He might've noticed something.
"Yeah —" Carter mused, setting the remaining books in his arms to their rightful places on the shelves. He was certain it was different for everyone, finding out the truth about themselves. Some might've even always known! But there seemed to be a similar thought among the people he's met there; being defined by good and bad. He'd been hearing plenty of hero talk and he couldn't help but wonder if there was some unspoken thing going on.
"But what is considered good and bad also depends on who you are, what society around you deems as such , and many other things..." It might've been because he just didn't see things as black and white, maybe add in that his powers weren't astounding as some others, but categorizing something solely as 'good' and 'bad' felt like a huge disservice to the beautifully complicated beings they were. "It just seems kind of unfair to oneself to think of just that, you know? We're just a range of so many things..."
“Aside from being drop-dead gorgeous, what do you do for a living?“
ᴛᴇʀʀɪʙʟᴇ ᴘɪᴄᴋ-ᴜᴘ ʟɪɴᴇꜱ ; ꜱᴛᴀʀᴛᴇʀꜱ 🩸
Noel's eyes widened slightly in surprise at the question, his coffee cup held against his lips for a moment too long as he processed what he'd just been asked. He didn't expect it from Benji, but found the approach rather endearing and humorous, so the tattooed man didn't think much of it. "Well—" He began with a soft chuckle, looking over at the younger man fondly. "Aside from tattooing, I paint." Among other things, but his criminal record was best left for another conversation.
"What about you? I know barely anything about you, friend."
“Can you touch my hand? I want to tell my friends I’ve been touched by an angel.“
Terrible PickUp Lines || Starters || Closed
The God chuckled at the request, finding it kind of cute that the other had approached him like this. "Well, my dear child, I'm far from an angel but this flattery will definitely get you somewhere, my dear!" he exclaimed, extending his hand with a laugh.
He casually shakes the other's hand with a playful grin. "There, now not only can you brag that you've been touched by an angel but also have gathered the god of the forges and fires approval," he said, grinning widely.
