fourteen~ [they told me you were no good~]
After surviving her first night in the hotel of horrors (at least that’s what she was calling it after some creepy thing in a maids uniform attempted to tuck her in last night and sing her to sleep), Pheme had decided it would be best to stick to the hallways instead of staying in a room. There was a better chance of her spotting one of the other people milling about that way, and since she knew she had better odds of survival if she found an adult she was willing to try anything so she wouldn’t spend another night alone.
She didn’t think she’d have a hard time convincing someone to let her pal around with them; Pheme was not only a short teenager, but she was a master of looking sweet and innocent as well. Besides, who could really resist a kid in a chipmunk pajama-costume anyway? With that in mind, she had wandered about the hallways until she found a lobby-like area. Taking a seat, she tilted her head to one side, closed her eyes, and just listened to the world around her to see what she could hear.
It almost felt like she was back home - not Agravaine’s apartment, but her real home - except for the fact that she was almost (slightly, very slightly) afraid she might hear something she didn’t like.
~*~
There was a someone else here. Or something else.
Oh, he hadn't caught a clear sight of her right away but he knew he wasn't alone anymore from where he was planning on enjoying a cigarette. He had just pulled one free from his pack. And when he turned his head ever so slightly, he paled.
There were no such things as giant chipmunks. Immediately, he had to reason that out despite what he had witnessed when the darkness came. Giant chipmunks did not make sense or go with the theme of the creepy things that creeped around here. So he leaned a little more to try to see the chipmunk's face. Wasn't it a little early for costumes? And who would wear something so--
CHILD. Instead of sliding out of view, he stumbled a bit forward, having leaned a little too far from his place around the corner. Children were tactile creatures. They touched and grabbed and made him feel all sorts of discomfort. The cigarette was dropped and he started to back away with the zero-stealth.
~*~
As she did her best to get into a more relaxed state, two things occurred to Pheme.
First off, someone was nearby. And they had a cigarette. She recognized the smell of tobacco, even if it wasn’t lit yet, having been around smokers most of her life. Opening her eyes, she glanced in the direction she thought the person was, and nearly started laughing.
There was a man there, tall and somewhat severe looking, and he appeared to be backing away from her. Was he somehow threatened...? Reaching up to pull her hood back enough so that her face was mostly visible, she stood up quickly. “Hey, you, where’re you goin’?” It wasn’t the most polite thing to say, but she wanted to get his attention and since she didn’t know his name she figured this would work.
She waited a few moments to see if he was actually going to stop and answer her, but she’d never been the most patient of creatures so what was in reality about thirty seconds seemed like much longer. She started walking over to where she’d seen him peeking out from around the corner, a bright and friendly smile on her face. “Wait up!”
~*~
Oh. Oh no. He knew that face from the community. There weren't that many girls there who seemed to be all over.
It was Pheme and he felt his discomfort turn into a mild panic. Forgetting grabby, she probably could pull things out of him that he didn't care for anyone to know. Public material probably only got her so far and the gossip goddess surely had other methods.
Oh no. He was not getting caught by her. Not here, not ever.
And that awkward backing away turned into a neat little spin-n-sprint. Now is an ok time for this place to lose me somewhere.
~*~
What the actual fuck? This guy was full-out running from her, and she didn’t even know what she might’ve done to offend or upset him.
“Hey!” This wasn’t cool at all. Agravaine had told her if she found someone to stick with them, and Thanatos was the first person she’d found so she wouldn’t let him get away that easily. Taking a moment to whip off the hood completely, she shook her head and started the chase.
Sure, her outfit looked silly, and a little on the bulky side, but her mobility was still good.
He had a head start, but she was an active thirteen year old. He better hope he had Atalanta or some other speedy type on his side, because it was on.
~*~
For his height, he did have good legs but he wasn't ever going to be a runner, not with the drinking and smoking he did. Just after twelve feet, he bent over and started to hack, cursing even while he did so. The profanity was nothing new to him and, from what he had seen on the community, probably nothing new to her either.
Not that he was entirely self-conscious about swearing in front of a kid. There were many things in his life he had done in the presence of a child and that did include getting drunk and urinating on a wall but that was back in The Netherlands and no one was hearing THAT story.
Unless she catches up and she will. MOVE YOUR ASS, THANATOS. The best he managed was a little shuffle forward before leaning on the wall. "Ah, fuck."
And then he reached for his cigarettes.
~*~
Hiking up the legs of her outfit, she moved as fast as she could but had forgotten that even though the one-piece garment was comfortable it was also ridiculously warm in there. That made it a bit harder to run as quickly as she would like, even if she was in better shape than him. There was also the fact that she was distracted attempting to figure out who he was.
How many tall guys were on the forums and could possibly be in the hotel? Far too many for her to keep track of, other than being sure it wasn’t Agravaine or Mordred. The amount of people she’d met was pretty big, and he didn’t look at all familiar. “At least tell me who you are!”
She’d paused at the top of the corridor, giving him time to catch his breath. She just wanted an answer, so later she could blast the fucker for ditching her.
“I get that you know who I am, and you don’t like me, but come on.” Dick.
~*~
A hand was lifted right about to the level he suspected her face was (it would actually be a few inches higher) while he coughed and attempted to shake out a cigarette. When he did manage a few words they were "be quiet" and he retracted his hand to pull out a lighter.
Finally, once the cigarette was lit, he turned to slouch against the wall and stared down at her. "You chased me. Why the hell would you chase a guy trying to get away?" Did she know who he was? He knew he wasn't overly vocal about himself. Or was anyone a good target for her gossip needs.
Maybe he needed to make another run for it.
~*~
An indignant little squeak (unintentional, really) was her response to that hand and the first words he spoke, her entire body stiffening into a more defensive posture at his behavior. Who was he to speak to her like that? Oh, he was gonna get it good when she retold this story.
She looked up at him with an expression that clearly indicated her level of disbelief. “I chased you because you’re the first real person I’ve seen since I got here, and I was told to find someone.” She found him, and the way this was supposed to work was that he would feel compelled to protect her. This wasn’t going according to plan at all.
“Besides, why would you try and get away? I ain’t even got a weapon.” This guy was weird.
~*~
"Your command of the English language is questionable," he muttered. "And you have a weapon. You are the weapon. You are Pheme. I know exactly what you are. That's right, 'what'. Not 'who'. Although 'who' does apply..."
Rambling. He ceased and took a drag, trying to collect himself. He doubted he could make another twelve feet and that would be pointless anyway. He could duck into a room. Go into the stairwell. Push her down and then maybe try for it. He wasn't some sort of angel here, ok?
But none of that happened because...he was still smoking.
~*~
“You got what I meant anyway, right?” she shot back, scoffing at what he’d said. “Yeah, that’s right, I’m Pheme, and I’ve got a way with words. But I’m also most likely the shortest person here, if not the youngest, and I won’t mess with someone willing to help me.”
Though that didn’t mean she’d make it pleasant for him if he did agree to work with her, not after what he already put her through. It was more than obvious that he wanted nothing to do with her, and regardless of Agravaine’s earlier words she figured she was better off doing this alone.
“Fine, you don’t wanna help me? You wanna get away? Go ahead, but just know that I’ll make sure everyone knows what a jerk y’are...” She still didn’t know which god he was but a description would have to do.
~*~
"Understanding you doesn't mean it's not painful to listen to." He really didn't want any of this. He was still debating on losing another cigarette, shoving her and bolting. Yes, she had an uncle who looked like he could kill a man just from punching them but he did not want this. Because she was a dangerous creature. Perhaps more than his sister Nemesis or Eris.
Gossip was a wicked thing. Death at least was final. Gossip and rumours never seemed to die.
"The opinion of others doesn't matter to me. I have always been hated and feared," he pointed out, scowling. "Tell them I'm a bastard straight out of hell if you want but I don't care. I can't help you anyway. what do I look like, a fighter? A hero? A knight? What?"
~*~
Well, that shut her right up. Nobody had ever told her she was painful to listen to before, and she had no idea how to take that. If she was anyone else of her age she might have cried, or even just pouted, but after a few seconds of glaring at him (which, considering her current attire and overall appearance wasn’t as effective as she might’ve hoped), she backed up a few steps.
Whoever he was, it no longer mattered. She would find out, and file it away for future use.
“Everyone, whether they admit it or not, puts some stock in the opinions of others. If they didn’t, you wouldn’t be nearly so freaked out by me,” she responded. Yeah, she went there. “You told me all I need to know anyway, you can’t help me. So good luck, and fuck you.” With that, she turned on her heel and stalked off, her little tail bobbing with each heavy stomp.
~*~
He was a master of tact, Thanatos. Uptight, impossible. He rubbed elbows best with family and turned surly and rude around most others. It didn't help that he was also still semi-panicky about her...'job'. Although the whole giant chipmunk thing was still easing the anxiety for him. A little. Except now he would think of her whenever he saw them (no more feeding chipmunks, then).
Never mind all that. She was leaving. He let her words wash over him, a prick of unease forming. The gossip goddess had learned something and he wasn't sure what or how or even when it would come back to bite him in the ass. The cigarette suddenly wasn't helping anymore and he crushed it once he dropped it.
It was so very wrong how Pheme was now a bigger threat to him than any other spooky thing in the whole damn place.