Gathering. (Pt. VIII) (or... Pt. 8, for Egyptians)

[sia_dot_com]

The last beats of the song to which they danced ended in the sweet, slow draw of a solo violin. Sia dipped his goddess deeply over his arm, his hands strong and supporting. She was beautiful, graceful, strong... Everything he found desirable

Comments

[nephthys_dotcom]

Nephthys pulled her arms around herself, and smiled a little at Thanatos. With the hood pulled up over his head, he looked positively charming, very similar to the Western caricature of their function

[swift_wings]

He humbly smiled at the goddess seated beside of him, the tone of her voice at the utterance of those reassuring words was kind.

Joined suddenly by Sia, Thanatos watched their exchange joyfully and allowed Nephthys to introduce them, although they had already met, seeing another side of her he hadn’t witnessed until then.

Smiling in return to Lady Death then casting his eyes toward Sia, “We’ve met, however thank you Nephthys, that was lovely to behold. ”

“How are you tonight Sia?”

[sia_dot_com]

He squeezed Nephthys tight and released her, before he stepped over to Thanatos and offered his hand in greeting

[swift_wings]

Thanatos had arisen respectfully from where he sat to take his elder's hand, "Yes, all is well."

He looked off in the direction of his mother for a split second, and corrected himself, blushing momentarily, "No, allwill be well soon...I'm sure of it. Nyx is going to join us. I think I remember you telling me you have already met her?"

Smiling he watched the play going on between his companions, finding himself more attracted, no it was more relaxed in the presence of this more confident and carefree Nephthys that was being displayed. This is what she had needed.

Widening his eyes as Sia dropped to the ground, he couldn't have imagined Sia's weakness and laughed.

And so it was...

Deciding to give aid, in an instance, a thought he was behind Nephthys with his arms wrapped about her waist, playing also, "Hurray! Now is your time to escape Sia! Before you are tickled too death!"

[philammondotcom]

He managed to make it to the sandy beach without breaking down. Behind him, he could still hear the sounds of Nyx' party, and he longed to be a part of it, with Nyx at his side. Closing a hand over his eyes, he stopped at the shore, evaporating his dress shoes and socks in a quick thought.

"Ah, screw it," he muttered thickly, dropping his hand. His suit changed into a comfortable black t-shirt and a pair of jeans.

He couldn't believe he just left Nyx... willingly. She was there, beautiful, confident, radiant, mysterious as ever. She wanted to see him. When had that stopped being enough? Why couldn't it be enough? Why couldn't he be enough for her?

His feet walked him north on the shore. The sound of the ocean helped... It sounded like his own internal roaring. As long as the ocean was doing it, then he didn't have to. That's what he kept telling himself.

Finally, he found a large outcropping of rock and sat down, raking his hands through his head. How could he have done that? How could he have done that?

You're an idiot, that'

[circe_dotcom]

"We do not cheat." Came a chorus of voices.

Circe looked at her cousins and then at the splayed circular cards at her feet, tossed between her curled spot on the cove's shore and their splashing nest in the water.

"Then how come I'm almost undressed already ?"

"You have less clothes." One bright young thing said laughing, fluttering between all water maiden and something seeming flesh and blood.

Circe arched a brow. "I think not. How can I have more clothes than a niad. You've cheated to get me into the water. I know it." The cards in her hand shook a little with her own laughter.

[philammondotcom]

He stopped at the edge of the cove, finding Circe and a bit of her family engaged in what looked to be strip poker -- and Temptation was losing.

It was a measure of his distress that he didn't react as violently as he usually would have, at the inflaming sight. Instead, he turned toward the incoming sea again and cleared his throat. While he could still see them indirectly through his peripheral vision, he afforded her some privacy, in this manner.

"I'm sorry to have interrupted," he said. He did mean it, too, but the tone of his voice was flat, discordant, emotionless.

[circe_dotcom]

At the cleared through, half the naiads scattered, water droplets falling back into the sea.

Circe turned, however, puzzled and picked up her dress, wrapping it around her easily. "Philammon ?"

His words had been lost to her cousin's giggling, but the pose of his back, the fact that he was even turned away. She slipped behind him, arms going around his waist.

"Temptation's Beloved, what troubles you ?"

[melinoe_dotcom]

She was watching, but she wasn't watching Thanatos and the Egyptian Death. Meilinoe had been watching her mother...and Hades. Softly softly calm the tiger.

He'd felt uncomfortable around her.

There had been a moment where she was considering making her excuses and heading home. She still had the last chapter of a Nabokov to finish. However, it appeared that before she'd found her chance, everyone else had taken theirs and had left. Now there was just the Celtic goddess, Flidais, remaining.

"Death and Death. Yes, they are quite an interesting pair. Do you know Thanatos well?"

[flidais_dot_com]

Flidais nods and focuses on the goddess to her side.

"I've only met him recently but I am glad that I did. It's been such a pleasure to consider him my friend."

She glances in the direction that Than and Neph went off in.

"Thanatos seemed quite taken with her and she with him. I'd be thrilled for them both if they became a couple."

[melinoe_dotcom]

"He's...nice. He reads a lot of interesting books. If you have any interest in poetry or fiction, you should borrow some of his books. I still have to return some"

Meilinoe tucked her hair behind her ears.

"It could be the occupational link. He's never usually so...warming to people, as far as my experiences with him go"

[flidais_dot_com]

"Perhaps you are right and that common bond will be the base of a beautiful relationship."

Flidais smiles just a little, feeling in an oddly romantic mood tonight.

"I'd just like one of my friends to be in a happy relationship, preferabley one that lasts more than a few weeks."

A glass of wine appears in Flidais' hand as she glances at the other party goers.

"Thanatos hadn't mention a library but we have only talked about work mostly. I'll have to ask him about it next time I speak to him."

[ruina_occasus]

The young goddess of destruction had been at her father's, thinking and rethinking her visit with Strife. Something was twisting inside her, and she hated it.

Finally, she decided that enough was enough. She was going to Anteros, whether or not she knew how to find him.

Daddy will know, she thought.

And as simply as that, she appeared at the party, drawn by her father's presence.

She found him almost immediately, and he was with Mother... They looked.. er.... busy..

"Ewww..." she said, wrinkling her nose, and turning away. "Eww, eww, eww...PUNCH!"

Red tasty beautiful punch, like blood, and it looked so good!

She descended upon the refreshments table.

[ant_eros]

A bit thirsty after his rather in his opinion bitterly dry encounter with Morpheus, Anteros kissed his beloved Lachesis on the tip of the nose and suggested he get the two of them something to drink. He arose and moved across the patio toward a table toward a large bowl of punch, but someone else was already there.

[ruina_occasus]

She glanced up from the punch bowl... And who was this blond one? He was cute, in that sort of playboy way.. Nothing like her Strife!

She held out the glass she had been filling, and grabbed another one for herself, picking the ladle up again.

"Who are you?" she asked curiously.

[ant_eros]

Anteros needed another glass, he was afterall getting enough for two.

He took the offered glass, "Thank you and Excuse me, I need another glass please."

"Anteros, I didn't catch your name?"

There was something about her that reminded him of someone, she smelled of...

He shook the feeling, Strife wasn't here afterall despite the feeling he gathered from this one who seemed strangely familiar herself.