With no plans to do anything else in the temple, Kaiden cast a final look back at the statue of his mother before he followed the other demigod out. He had a very basic idea of the camp layout, knew which house he was staying in and that was about it so was curious to see what the other would show him. âDo you give tours a lot?â He asked with an amused smirk.Â
âNo,â Ender said calling out behind him, pleased that at least he was being followed. If this other hadnât he would have simply gone to his room or the spot by the lake he spent his mornings now at, drinking and smoking while staring out into the water. There were healthier coping mechanisms but, well, âhealthy coping mechanismsâ and âEnderâ arenât usually words that were put together. âSo consider yourself lucky and stall, I wonât wait up during this tour.âÂ
âI know the feeling.â Kaiden replied. Although heâd never turned to alcohol or drugs to numb his many pains, something that still surprised Kaiden to this day considering his time on the streets, he could completely relate to the desperation and need for something to just take it all away. Sometimes when things got too much, the memories and the pain, Kaiden didnât even know what to do to make it stop hurting. When the flask was offered to him, Kaiden shook his head. âNo thanks.â He replied, the smell of alcohol still sometimes turned his stomach when he was having a particularly bad day. Today wasnât one but he didnât want to chance it. âBits and pieces, I havenât really explored everything fully yet.â
Ender shrugged when his offer of the flask was turned down, instead bringing it to his lips and drinking the contents himself. He was going to have to fill up again soon at this rate. âCome on then,â with a motion of his head and a spin on his feet, he began to head out of the temple not even glancing behind to see if the other was following him or not.Â
âNot particularly, just those you could consider âmainstreamâ.â Kaiden shrugged casually. Heâd read a little here and there as a kid, sketching had been a big part of his life, still was, and sometimes heâd make up character designs or pieces of artwork taking inspiration from books. Greek gods had been one such book. He listened idly, hardly batting an eye at the fact that the other demigod was lounging all over a statue. It wasnât like Kaiden had any respect for the gods currently, although mostly just his own mother. Vampires was an interesting comment, but he didnât press. âSo you go looking for magical shit to drink just to get drunk?â Kaiden smirked, mildly amused, but he knew the look in the others eyes, so didnât judge. Sometimes you needed to numb the pain or quiet the nightmares.Â
It was a bit of an ego stroke to have someone recognize his father like this. He knew of the man before he realized his connection to him, purely because of the theatre and the impact Dio had in it. So many times he had walked by a student backstage offering prayer up to the god before an audition or stepping out on stage on opening night. Even in a way they all offered up their thanks to the god after opening nights when they drank so much they had no idea who they were tumbling into bed with. Yet others had no idea who Dionysus was before they stepped into camp, making Ender realized how unique his growing up was. Not everyone grew up running through the wings of a theatre with his siblings in tow. âI have too,â he said softly with almost a bit of sadness creeping around the edges in his voice. âWhen nothing else works anymore a man gets desperate...â There was a silence and then almost realizing that this conversation was a bit too dark, he hopped down from the statute and extended the flask. âHave you seen the rest of camp yet?â
âAnd here I was expecting to be an outlier.â Kaiden mused. Heâd almost expected the other demigods to like their godly parents, perhaps even revere them or more given he didnât know how any of them came to be at camp. He was curious to learn of others experiences, especially now that it was clear some of the others might also have complicated feelings towards their deity parents. Kaiden casually followed the other demigod as he moved to sit at one of the statues. He looked up, making note of a the few details that stuck out to him, mostly the grapes and wine chalice. âI heard that was a thing.â Kaiden replied, icy eyes finally turned back down to Ender. âSo the son of Dionysus can only get drunk on the godly stuff?â
âOh so you know your gods then,â Endre said with a smile as he leaned against the statue from the base he was sitting on. It was probably sacrilegious or blasphemy to be lounging like this on a âsacred statueâ in the temple but he didnât care. Brining his flask up to his lips he took another sip and hummed softly at the burn that it brought. Anything to take the dull ache that now lived in his chest. âIt has to be magical,â he said answering the newcomers question. âNot just godly shit. A few weeks ago, I got drunk off of shots in a night club--I think it was vampires, but not important. I thought I was a glow stick and that is important. Fuck, I need to get my hands on that shit again...â
He knocked on his friendâs door before leaning his forehead against it and just waited. Waited to hear if a sign of life would come from the other side or if it was hopeless. If Amadeo wasnât there then he would try someone else, find someone else that he could take up a small space in the corner of their day just so he didnât have to be alone. It had been comical to him months ago when he had been transported into the nightmare not believing that loneliness was something that scared him at the time. But now? Now it was fucking terrifying and every time he realized he was alone his chest began to tighten up clenching hard around his heart trying to squeeze every last drop of misery he was feeling. âDeo,â Ender called out, his voice cracking with desperation, âplease tell me you are in there...â
Kaiden rose a brow at the snort but didnât question it much, it was pretty obvious this guy had also been burned by the gods themselves. He was idly curious what had gotten his ire but didnât ask, mostly to void the question being directed back at him. Kaiden might not be ashamed of what heâd suffered but that didnât mean he so freely talked about it with strangers. âMy expectations have always been rock bottom when it comes to parents.â He shrugged casually. Kaiden did raise a brow when the other said he drank the ambrosia so easily, on a regular basis no doubt, finding that odd because when heâd drank it, he thought he was going to die. âThat stuff doesnât bother you?â
âLooks like you fit right in then,â Ender said moving some in the temple but not to leave. No, he made his way over his fatherâs statue and sat on the base of it casually with somewhat of a grace but not as graceful as he normally was as a drunk. It had been a long bender already. âOh no, it does. When I first took it, I tried to drown myself in the lake.â The only reason he hadnât succeed was because Greyson had caught him in time. âIâll be right here with you.â Emotion swelled in his throat and he reached for his flask, opening it up and drowning the rest of the contents. Bringing his hand up he wiped his mouth with the back of it and just said, âbut itâs the only thing that gets me drunk.â And black out drunk was what he needed to be.Â
He didnât need to be too close to the healer to know what was up. Viorel left a note on Enderâs door and he, himself, off in Voithosâs garden. Whether Ender followed through with the note or not wasnât his concern. Sorin sat to his left and a basket of gardening tools, seeds, to his right. Galen simply worked on gathering nectar from one flower to the next in the greenhouse of the healers.Â
The letter itself was simple:Â
âEnder,
I know. Iâm in the garden.
-Viorelâ
@vinummagicaeâ
Of course as soon as he reads the note, Ender makes his way to the garden. Silently he slips into the greenhouse and makes his way to sit next to who he considered his best friend at camp. Normally he would have began speaking, telling Vio all about his day or going on about something he found excited that the other just had to know about. Yet uncharacteristically for him, he was silent for a while just watching as Sorin and Galen helped Viorel out. Perhaps it was because he had no idea what to say at first or more likely he was so consumed by sorrow that the man who tended never shut up, did just that. So he sat there, hands folded in his lap content watching the others work away trying to figure out what Viorel was growing exactly in the greenhouse; Ender has his own little section that had tendrils of grape vines beginning to produce.Â
âYou asked me once what friends did together,â he said, his voice croaking some as he spoke. The drunken demigod usually tended to be more put together, slipping into his clothes in the morning as if it was a costume for a performance but there he was sitting next to his best friend in a random pair of jeans and jacket he had gifted Greyson. It was the final nail in the hammer when it was returned to him, knowing that the son of Pan would have kept it with him if he was still here with them. âThe truth is, Iâm still figuring that out myself but this--â This felt right; like it was something friends did together.Â
Again he felt silent and he shoved his hands into the jackets pocket, the subtle movement causing a bit of Greysonâs lingering scent to hit him. Tea and pine. Would he ever be able to smell those things without thinking of him? âThank you...â because there wasnât much else for him to say in that moment to show his friend how much sitting there next to him meant to him. How much he needed it in that moment.Â
Ender wasted no time flipping the statue of the goddess off. Keeping his middle finger in the air he turned to the other and asked, âwhat did she do to you?â He didnât recognize him, it was a new face but then again there were always an influx of new faces coming in like waves. Ender at least assumed that this man was a demi, he wasnât creative enough in his drunken state to think of what else he could be. âYou are new, arenât you?â His words were a bit slurred as he spoke.
Kaiden gave a satisfied smirk when the other flipped off the statue of his mother. A well deserved action, before he shrugged when asked what sheâd done to him. âNothing, thatâs the whole point. She didnât do a god damn thing for me.â He said, a growl and heat to his words, the air around them already spiking a few degrees hotter before Kaiden took a breath. âYeah, I got here a few days ago. Havenât had the chance to really meet anyone yet. This is my first opportunity to really explore after that whole ambrosia business.â
A sound escaped him almost like a snort, that wasn't very attractive but he was too drunk to care. It would be a miracle that he would even remember any of this in the morning. "Yeah, they tend to do that," he said glancing from the man and over his shoulder for a second at the gods he had first flipped off when he arrived. Both had let Greyson die without lifting a finger to help. "Don't expect much from them." Was all he said before focusing on the new demi. "You drank it already? Shit, I could have joined you. Been drinking that all day," or was it days now?
He lost count after three. Three bottles of ambrosia consumed and laid broken on the other end of his room. That had been last night and time since he threw the third bottle against the wall, was all a blurr now. No idea where he went or where he was going he found himself at the temple. It probably would have been smarter to turn around and head back to his room, but the three bottle of ambrosia said otherwise and he walked inside. His feet took him up to the statue of pan and silent he rose a single middle finger at the God who was his father in law. This was for not saving him. He thought bitterly before turning and facing his own father and flipped him off as well. This is forâwell just because. When he was done with that he noticed that he wasnât alone and glanced at the man. âWant me to flip them off too?â
-
Kaiden assumed the temple was used for quiet reflection and preyer so he was rather surprised when another male seemed to stumble in making a racket and proceeded to walk straight up to one of the many statues and flip them off. He rose a brow at the whole scene, mildly amused. Maybe he wasnât the only one who hated his godly lineage. Kaiden didnât hate the power, that had freed him from his cage, saved him from an early grave, but he hated the abandonment.Â
He met the otherâs clearly angry gaze, a fire burning in his eyes that Kaiden could recognise, heâd seen it in himself many times. âGo ahead, she deserves it.â He agreed, no love for Hestia in his look or the tone of his voice and Kaiden didnât even try to hide it.Â
Ender wasted no time flipping the statue of the goddess off. Keeping his middle finger in the air he turned to the other and asked, "what did she do to you?" He didn't recognize him, it was a new face but then again there were always an influx of new faces coming in like waves. Ender at least assumed that this man was a demi, he wasn't creative enough in his drunken state to think of what else he could be. "You are new, aren't you?" His words were a bit slurred as he spoke.
So this was where he was supposed to save the world? Kaiden still wasnât convinced about that pitch, but he knew there was something special about him, something that he needed to understand and if coming here meant that could happen then he would figure out the rest along the way. He was good at that.Â
Since arriving at camp and being given the âtourâ, the first place the son of Hestia went was to the temple. He needed to see the face of the mother who abandoned him, who left him to rot with that despicable man. He stood in front of her huge marble visage, a deep frown creasing his brow, already feeling his palms grow hot with rage but Kaiden took a few breaths to calm himself. When he heard the temple doors open he expected to see one of the nymphs or satyrs perhaps even an acolyte coming to tend the statues, either way he continued to glare at the woman heâd never call mother.Â
He lost count after three. Three bottles of ambrosia consumed and laid broken on the other end of his room. That had been last night and time since he threw the third bottle against the wall, was all a blurr now. No idea where he went or where he was going he found himself at the temple. It probably would have been smarter to turn around and head back to his room, but the three bottle of ambrosia said otherwise and he walked inside. His feet took him up to the statue of pan and silent he rose a single middle finger at the God who was his father in law. This was for not saving him. He thought bitterly before turning and facing his own father and flipped him off as well. This is for--well just because. When he was done with that he noticed that he wasn't alone and glanced at the man. "Want me to flip them off too?"
right when he became my everything, i had lost him.
Ender had no idea when it started but every time one of them left on a quest, the other stayed behind in their room. Of course there were rare moments that they went together - and those were his favorite moments - but most of the time it meant that Ender stayed in Greysonâs room waiting. Just waiting. It wasnât that bad, his bed was comfortable and it smelled like the demigod; tea mixed with pine and undertones of dark chocolate. No, Ender was more than happy to stay in bed sprawled out while his husband was off at war, saving the world and taking names. Or whatever it was he did when Ender wasnât around to stare at his husbandâs rippling muscles under that armor.Â
âWhat do you think he will bring back this time?â He asked out loud in the silent room, rolling his head to look over at Liza who was currently curled up in Kaliâs spot. She just blinked at him before falling back in a pretense sleep clearly not in the mood for conversation. So Ender kept talking, this time to himself. âAs long as itâs not another dinosaur, Iâll be okay with whatever it is.â Though honestly Ender didnât even mind the dinosaur at times now that he had gotten used to the idea that it was something that was apparent his life. When they had shared a small flat in London, Greyson had brought home all kinds of animals to the point that when there wasnât something small and wild living there, it felt well... off. It was one of the many reasons he loved the younger boy; the way he was so open and loving to any animal in need. People may come hard to understand for Greyson but if he saw an animal that needed him there wasnât anything he wouldnât do to help them.Â
Maybe thatâs why he was drawn to Ender. The drunken demigod had just been a broken man when they met, hiding behind his haze of drugs and pretty words but still Greyson had seen something inside him that caused him to fall for him. Twice. Ender knew that he had to have done something right in his past life to get Greyson Darcy to fall in love with him because there was no way in this life he had done anything to deserve the love and kindness the younger gave him every day.Â
Between sleeping and scrolling his phone, time passed by fairly quickly as he waited in Greysonâs room and soon starlight was filtering in through the windows. Sitting up in the bed, he grabbed the first thing he could find - a shirt and a pair of sweats that were both Greyonâs and a bit too small on him - and filtered out of the room himself. At first he just stuck his head out of the room and listened curious to see what voices he could pick out behind the walls. Liamâs voice and Deanâs were the first ones he could hear and-- well werenât they on the quest as well? It wasnât unusual for Greyson to go off on his own during quests or come back at different times than the others, so Ender just closed the door and lied back in the bed. This time he was joined with a glass of wine to help settle the butterflies that were starting to flutter around in his gut. It was excitement of seeing Greyson again, thatâs all. There was nothing to be worried about; it was normal to miss your husband when he was away.Â
Hours passed by and the bottle of wine Ender had pulled out to share with his husband when he returned home was slowly beginning to become more empty as the time passed. About the halfway point, Ender had placed an order for a pizza and had gone to pick it up thinking that of course Greyson would be starved when he came back from a quest. He even included the disgusting olives on them just because he knew that they were his husbandâs favorite. Wine, pizza, semi naked Ender, it was the perfect âwelcome back from surviving another questâ greeting but all that was missing was the tattooed man it was for.Â
More time passed, the ticking of his watch only aggravating him more and more with every second that went by. The excitement that had been building up in his stomach was now turning to worry that maybe something had been wrong; perhaps he had been injured and was in the infirmary. Two bottles of wine gone now, he threw on a jacket not caring how he looked and stormed out of Mageia all the way to the infirmary. There had been curious glances shot his way but he ignored them fully knowing he probably looked more insane that he tended to normally appear. Throwing open the doors when he got to his destination, he paused not seeing the familiar mop of curls lying in a bed.Â
He wasnât there. He wasnât hurt in the infirmary, he wasnât in his room in Mageia--Â
Where the fuck was his husband?Â
âYou need to be more careful on quests. Because if you didnât come backâŠ.âÂ
The butterflies of excitement had turned into a hurricane of fear as the slow realization kicked in. No, Greyson wasnât in the infirmary hurt, nor was he in his room in Mageia or with Kali and Cera in the woods because--Â
Because Greyson wasnât coming back.Â
Vision going blurry, he turned and ran and ran, not stopping until he was by the lake. Knees hitting the grass he finally let the tears fall down his cheeks as he stared at the water in front of him.Â
âIâll be right here with you.â
His heart was cracking in his chest in an all too familiar way but for once he didnât care if he died again or not. There was only one possible solution why Greyson wasnât there, why he hadnât come back from the quest with the others hours before. The weight of the ring on his finger felt heavy and he clutched that hand to his chest with a fist as he sobbed, letting the sorrow flow through him as he just stared at that water.Â
âSo if all you want to be is those things, just the party guy, the drugs guy to everyone here then you go ahead and be that but thatâs not who I love.â
He loved him. Greyson Darcy had loved him and now he was gone, ripped from this world--from him at too young of an age. Ender finally understood why Romeo had taken the poison when he discovered Juliet dead, or why Antony stabbed himself when he thought he had lost his Cleopatra.Â
This time not even booze could fix him; the love of his life was gone and Ender was now alone.Â
âFirst day of the rest of your lifeâŠâ Blake emerged into the morning air, feeling the early warmth of the sun start to radiate against his skin as he took in a long, deep inhale of breath. Was he nervous? Heâd be lying if he said he wasnât, having been thrust into a world that he knew very little about, but, as with everything he did in his life, heâd adapt and run into it head first, full speed.
Or maybe it was worth taking things slowly, for once, give himself time to truly get a feel for the place. He stretched, tipping his neck slowly to both side letting his joints click as he did before heading off in a direction that he assumed people would be. The sooner he made at least one friend, the better. âCâmon B. You got this.â
It was a rare morning that Ender didnât step out of Mageia but his own house and into the sunlight. Sunglasses over his eyes, cigarette in his mouth he glanced around almost seemingly lost himself in the early mornings. He wasnât lost, just still a bit drunk and confused why he was even up this early. Normally he would be in bed still, used to staying up late at night and tumbling into bed at the early morning hours. Yet for some reason he was out with the sun that morning, hissing softly as his sunglasses seemed to do nothing to help block the beams of sunlight.Â
He took a few more steps out of the house and into the grassy knoll when he paused spotting a man who was--well also looked lost. âDo you normally talk to yourself?â Ender Brooks was never one to not say what was on his mind. âOr are you just going a bit insane?â Welcome to the club if that was the case.Â
âWhy, thank you!â Giselle giggles, the sound of her dress ruffling as she twirled around. âI made them from the loveliest drapes in house Mageiaââ
âMiss Giselle,â Hudson interrupts her, giving the unseen woman a pair of puppy dog eyes. âCould you help us with the mess?â he gestures towards the invisible broken dishes. âYou knowâwith a song?â
âOh, why of course!â she claps, giggling. âAhh, ahhhh, ahhh!â A scurry of feet, feathers, and buzzing gather around Ender. âAll right, everyone! Letâs tidy things up!â The sound of flutes begin to fill the air, and Hudsonâs quick to jump in and clean up the invisible mess. âCome my little friends as well all sign a happy little working song! Merry little voices clear and strong!â
âMerry little voices clear and strong!â Hudson sings along, twirling around as he passes something to Ender. âA bag! Could you hold it open?â
âWait--â Ender said looking where the voice was coming from at the mention of Mageia. âMageia? Which drapes did you take...â Oh someone wasnât going to be happy if she took it from one of their rooms. He hadnât heard if Greyson was missing his but then again the last conversation they had was a bit rough.Â
Though he didnât have much time to think about such things as the wind began to kick up feathers around him indicating that something was happening. Ender still couldnât see what the child was but he had a picture in his mind, already as well thinking about how he could use something like this mixed with his abilities in a quest--Â
âWhy of course I can,â he said smiling at the child taking the invisible bag and holding it open. While he didnât know the lyrics to the song, he did hum along softly unable to help himself. If there was a melody Ender was going to me drawn to it. âThis is kind of catchy...where did you come up with this song?âÂ
âYeah! Sheâs great! Just met her a few days ago!â He also, just happened to have seen Enchanted for the first time a few days ago. âHere, hold this pie!â Hudson hands off the invisible plate of delicious pie, and cups his hands around his lips. âGiselle?!â he shouts out into the open air, the other toons around Ender still going about try to help Goofy up off the ground and getting his pies back in order. âDoes anyone know where Giselle is?!â
âHow âbout a wish on the house, eh, kid?â A voice, that sounded disturbing like Robin Williams, says to Ender. âLet me just take that plate oâ pie off your hands!â
âGiselle!â
Thereâs a swooshing, and a chime. âIâm here! Whatâs seems to beâoh my! Goofy! Are you okay!â
Â
âWe made a messâŠâ Hudson says, rather shyly, as he turns to watch the princess help Goofy. âRight, Ender? This is my friend Ender, Giselle.â He points towards the man. âEnder, this my friend Princess Giselle. Sheâs amazing!â
âHello, Mr. Ender, a pleasure to meet you! Oh, what curtains did you use for that shirt?!â
This was all almost felt like the semester of improv he took in high school; just going along with the flow of whatever was in this childâs head. So he took the invisible âpieâ when he was given it and just watched as the young boy call out for this Giselle person.Â
He was so focus on watching the child, mentally taking notes for his own use on how he acted and interacted with the invisible friends, that when the voice came up to him he jumped. âShit!â Turning he didnât see a man to match the voice he heard but then again was this all just the boyâs games? What kind of magic was causing all this...Â
âHmm?â He pulled his focus back to the child he was now--wait was he now babysitting this child? That sounded like a recipe for a disaster. âUh right! Itâs nice to meet you Gisselle, my what a pretty dress you are wearing,â at least he hoped she was wearing one. âCurtains?â
Liam sighed as the other sat next to him. He leaned over, resting his head on Enderâs shoulder. âMuch cooler, right?â he sighed again into the air. He took another sip of the alcohol, not even sure what it was, but the burn was comforting. He knew that burn, and he clung to it. He let it consume him, let it riddle his brain. âStill too hot, though,â he pointed out, rubbing at his chest through his clothes, and then he was pulling his shirt off, revealing himself. He looked up at Ender, âArenât you hot too?â
When the head rested on his shoulder, Ender reached up and gently ran his hand through the hair needing to touch the other in that moment. Liam was cool to the touch under him and he shivered slightly at the feeling. Growing up he had only experienced the cool weather that came with visiting New York. It was something he never fully got used to, craving the sun more than the chill. Yet being this close to Liam, he found that it wasnât like the harsh winters in New York or the dreary rain of London that never seemed to end; it was almost comforting and he wanted more. âNow that you mention it--â pulling away from the younger, as much as he didnât want to Ender began to lift his own shirt off curious if that comforting chill could be felt more skin to skin like this.
Greyson crossed his arms over his chest and rose a brow at Enderâs dramatics, the son of Panâs gaze easily readable as saying âwhat did you expect?â. âHonestly? If people canât handle her then I donât think they have the nerve to be at camp at all.â Grey replied, voice slightly exasperated. If the other demigods at camp were afraid of Cera then really what were they doing at camp at all? They were demigods, they had powers and skills, faced foes far more deadly than one little dinosaur. âKali is more terrifying than Cera.â Grey pointed out, to which the saber added emphasis by letting out a roar. She easily stood almost eye to eye with Greyson himself, body built with thick powerful muscles. âYouâll listen?â Grey questioned dryly. âI got her, what does it matter how? Nothing happened on that quest, I was barely in danger.â
Ender just rose an eyebrow when Greyson crossed his arms over his chest in a way that was almost as dramatic as Ender himself. And they call him dramatic. âYes and you saw how most people first reacted to her.â He wasnât even fully sure why he was bringing all these points up in the first place; perhaps he was trying to keep Greyson from getting hurt if someone was afraid of the small dinosaur. Even if he was going about it the wrong way... âYes of course I will listen,â it was his turn to huff and roll his eyes. âSeriously, Greyson what is your problem today? I ask a simple question about your quest and you are being impossible to deal with now.â He had no idea why he even bothered.Â
đđđđ đđđđđ đđđ đđđđ, thumping two fingers against enderâs sternum. âin the words of a great sage: that was nothing, really.â as far as kite was concerned, no widowers would exist so long as he stood in aspida. âeven had i not taken the shot for you⊠hm.â he pauses, retrieving the flagon from ender, âi get the feeling there is absolutely no way someone as obnoxious as you would die so easily.â and that was something kite was sure of, he thinks, as a tiny grin makes itâs way onto his features.
âi only hope we clash together on the battlefield once more⊠albeit without all the hedonism before it.âÂ
for a second he paused mid sip and tilted his head to the side some in thought. or perhaps it was confusion. was that a compliment, being called obnoxious by the other? all the times he could remember people being called obnoxious it was in a teasing way that border-lined bulling when he was a child.Â
deciding that he would take it as one, ender shrugged and continued to finish the sip he had paused on. if he was too obnoxious to kill then at least that meant he would be alive for a while then.Â
âi agree but also disagree. while i would be open to âclashing with you on a battlefieldâ what you call hedonism was the fun part.â ender had truly been in his element there. âi hadnât been to a party like that in--well almost a year now.â
