[OPEN][May Catch-all]

[inevitablerest]

🧙 WHO: Thanatos & YOU
⚔️️ WHAT: Catch-all for May
🕒 WHEN: All through the month
🗺️ WHERE: Noted in top-levels
⚠️ WARNINGS: None yet, will be indicated if they come up

[Feel free to drop a TL or prompt if you would like something! Hit me up at hardtostarboard or PM.]

✹ Honey Over Vinegar
✹ QUEST: Holo, Goodbye
✹ In which Thanatos is watching the stars and spending some time deliberately doing nothing

Comments

General OTA prompt

[inevitablerest]

[It's night, and Thanatos has found a spot far enough outside of Camelot that no light from the streets and homes obscures the sky. The stars don't move here, which is strange in itself, but that doesn't mean they aren't very pretty to look at.

He unclips the sword from his belt and lays it down in the grass, having left his scythe behind for the sake of an easy journey, and he lies back with his hands tucked under his head. He isn't quite lying in the grass, floating several inches up above it, but it's dark enough that he could still easily be almost tripped over if someone was really determined to not look where they were going.

Doing nothing is a task in itself for someone like Thanatos, who has spent his entire existence being endlessly, ceaselessly busy. It's something he's having to practice purely so he doesn't go mad with it.

But this..? This is fine. He's never really just... stopped and looked at the stars.]

[bloodandlife]

[Zagreus has taken to wandering around the city and its outskirts just to explore, or to stare at something amazing that he's never seen before for a while. He's even tried to take up drawing, in an attempt to sketch some of the beautiful things this surface world has to offer, but, well. He's not very good at it. Yet! He'll get there. Maybe.

It's hard to sketch in the dark, though, so he's on his way back to the city and staring up at the sky when he runs into Thanatos.

Literally.]

What--! OOF.

[Sure enough, he's tripped over his best friend and gone sprawling into the grass. He picks himself up enough to sit up and turn around.]

I'm terribly sorry, I really should have been paying more attention. I--wait, Than? What are you doing all the way out here?

[Surprised or not, his face lights up and he scooches closer to sit beside Thanatos.]

[inevitablerest]

[He should have heard him coming, really, but Thanatos is half asleep when he is rudely awoken by someone kicking him in the side and tripping right over his body. He thuds unceremoniously to the ground and is ready to be angry until he hears the voice of the person next to him.]

Zagreus. I should have known it would be you.

[They are magnets for one another after all. Thanatos sits up as the prince scoots closer, and gives the slightest grimace as he works a small ache out of the small of his back.

Ouch.]

I was... [Ah, it sounds silly when he goes to say it out loud.] Watching the stars. I've never had the opportunity to enjoy being on the surface.

[bloodandlife]

I can't decide whether you say that because you're used to me falling onto my face, or because you expect me not to be paying attention.

[Zagreus smiles, not thinking Thanatos' answer is the least bit silly at all.]

They're beautiful, aren't they? That was one thing I used to see plenty of even at home, when I could get past the temple. It's always night there, in that liminal space - Nyx's doing, I suspect - and always full of stars. I'm glad you're getting the chance to enjoy them now, at least. Hope you don't mind some company?

[He leans back, planting his palms on the grass behind them and tilting his head back.]

[inevitablerest]

I'll let you decide which it is.

[That is, if he's saying it because he expects Zagreus not to be paying attention, or he's just used to seeing him tripping over himself. He smiles slightly in return, settling back into the grass rather than floating off it again. The ground is firm and cool under him, grass lightly tickling the back of his neck and in the spaces between his fingers, and it's... nice.]

I never mind company if it's you. You know that, Zag.

[He has never minded Zag's company. Not even once.]

i'm going to turn this into something soft.

[verytired]

[ Why sleep in your room when you can sleep under the stars? Hypnos can fall asleep just about anywhere - anyway. He makes it a ways out (it's a hassle walking out here, but he's not stable enough yet with his kinetic magic to float himself here like he'd normally like to). But, the view seems to be worth it the further he gets away from the lights of the city.

It's nice here. Better than it is at home.

Which he'll never really say.

Thanatos will probably hear him approach and plop down right next to him. ]

Could use a pillow out here, brother.

bring it on.

[inevitablerest]

[He hears the footsteps and gives a sidelong glance in their direction for long enough to be able to make out the tall, slim form of his twin brother. After that he says nothing until Hypnos sits down, and might that be the barest hint of a smile on his face at his brother's words?]

You should have thought of that. [Thanatos tells him. He looks up at the sky for a few moments, then pulls one arm out from under his head and lays it out next to him on the grass.]

Come on. Before I change my mind.

[verytired]

[ Is Thanatos in the running for being the best brother ever? Yes, he is. Yeah, he probably should have thought about bringing a pillow. But, he can sleep anywhere. He would have easily sprawled out in the grass and just crashed out like it was nothing. But with Thanatos there - it's different.

He likes to be near his brother.

So, he takes the offered arm without any hesitation. He scoots in and flops down next to Thanatos, head propped up neatly on his brother's arm. ]

You wouldn't change your mind. Watching the stars, big brother?

Honey Over Vinegar

[inevitablerest]

[Perhaps not somewhere one might have expected to find someone like Thanatos. Even without knowing him, the tall and stern-faced god of death looks remarkably out of place amongst the cookie-trees. But he doesn't seem shy about being there, even if he doesn't really make that much conversation with people.

The height - over six and a half feet of it - might even come in handy for you should you happen to be struggling to reach a particularly delicious-looking bunch of cookies. Suddenly the branch is being pushed towards you by a dark-skinned hand and Thanatos is waiting for you to grab what you want before he lets it go.

Mostly, it's a show of support. He has just come from one war and is well-acquainted with the horrors such things can bring. Despite misgivings he might have about being here, he has no desire to see war come to this place as well.

Afterwards, he picks through his basket and is clearly very carefully separating the cookies into their respective types. He doesn't try one, though he looks curious about some of them.]

[milkmycattle]

[Crow is definitely struggling. He's of shorter stature than Thanatos, but you couldn't tell the spunky hedgehog that as he unsuccessfully jumps up and down to reach a few cookies on a branch. His fingers will just brush the surface of the confections before his feet meet the ground again. The redhead starts to look a little frustrated as his many attempts have been less than fruitful. Crow's so determined on his task that he doesn't even notice Thanatos at first.

He then pauses as he notices the branch lowering on its own, his eyes follow to where the pressure is being applied, to find the death god pushing down on the limb to within Crow's reach. At first, he stares at Thanatos with a wary look. The gesture is harmless, but somehow he feels the man might be pitying him!]

I could have gotten them, y'know!

[Though before Thanatos decides to let go because of his ungratefulness, Crow scrambles to collect as many cookies into his arms. He deposits his batch into his basket. The redhead curiously looks over at Thanatos as he separates his cookies. Despite his height and quiet demeanor, Crow doesn't seem to be afraid of him. He peeks from around his body to see how much he's gathered.]

Woah! You got a lot! It's probably because you're so tall!

[inevitablerest]

I'm sure.

[But he would be waiting for a long time for someone to bring him a ladder, and Thanatos had already seen attempting to climb the trees go poorly for some people. He does not let go, and waits until the youngster is finished before he lets the branch back up to its usual height.

At that point he assumes the interaction finished, but is a little surprised by the fact it continues.]

It has been an advantage. [He admits, picking one of the sugary things out of the basket and examining it.] Take some if you wish. I have no need of them.

[milkmycattle]

[ Once Crow finds someone interesting, he doesn't quite let the person go. In this case, Thanatos is stuck with the hedgehog for a little bit. He stares as the death god examines the confection, eyeing it like it's some foreign thing. Well, that's weird.]

Huh? You don't want any? I know we're in the middle of a competition, but how can you resist not eating just a little bit?!

[Crow, personally, has snuck a few into his mouth already. The cookies were pretty good!]

Have you even tried one? You don't seem like you're one for sweets, but when food is free, you should make exceptions!

[borderoflife]

[Yuyuko had been reaching for one of the cookies on the branch and probably could have gotten it if she'd used her magic to float upwards a little more, but she isn't complaining when the branch is pushed down towards her.]

My, my. Thank you for the assistance. [She takes a cookie off the branch...and promptly starts eating it. In fact, her basket seems to have hardly any cookies in it. It looks like she's just been eating most of them...]

[inevitablerest]

You're welcome.

[He waits for her to be finished before he gently lets the branch lift back up to its previous height.

It doesn't pass him by that she seems to have very little in her basket yet, though the fact she is already eating what she got from the branch means he doesn't really need to ask why.]

You appear to be enjoying yourself.

[borderoflife]

Indeed I am! I'm admittedly more partial to cherry trees, but these trees are quite fascinating in their own way. Such interesting fruits they bear.

[Ones that she's supposed to be gathering instead of eating, but still.]

I wonder if it's possible to get any seeds so I can take them back home with me later on. Perhaps my gardener could plant them for me...

[emet_sulk]

[ Emet-Selch is almost as tall so it isn't his height which makes these particular cookies difficult to reach. But he mutters thanks all the same as he plucks a few cookies and drops them in his own basket. He feels terribly silly doing this but it's preferable to waging war. ]

Hmm, weren't you the man I met on the beach? You seem to have settled in well enough.

[inevitablerest]

[Thanatos feels fairly silly as well, though he doesn't show it. It's easy enough when your default facial expression is incredibly stoic.

He looks the other man up and down quickly. Ah, yes. He remembers.]

It seemed the best option, given the alternatives. [He replies a little dryly.]

[emet_sulk]

[ He smirks faintly. Plucking another cookie more within his reach, he examines it briefly then takes a little nibble. ]

What magic did you end up with then? Something exciting, as befits your nature?

[ Small trace of sarcasm detected. ]

Holo, Goodbye

[inevitablerest]

[An easy enough request and a pleasing enough location. Thanatos is another of those who doesn't simply grab a stone and leave. He sits on the bank of the river for a while, observing the fairies and the flow of magic through the water.

It's always rivers, isn't it?

He does chuckle a little at himself with that thought. It's always rivers. Symbolic in life as well as death.

It gets quite late before he finally moves to pick up one of the stones, turning it over in his hand before he carefully pockets it. Perhaps next year this woman would have the chance to come here herself once more. Or... perhaps not.]

[mayoninofukucho]

[Hijikata is showing up awfully late for the quest. He initially decided to focus on the more dangerous ones - fighting monstrous creatures and doing his best to prevent nefarious deeds from being carried out in and around the city -, but ultimately he just couldn't shake off the mental image of the quest-giver and her ailing grandmother. It's not like he has a soft heart or anything, but he was just in the area anyway, so why not fetch them one of the stones on the way? (Never mind that there's really nothing else besides the holographic river shine festivities going on here, and that he just so happens to be carrying a bucket...)]

Oh, Thanatos! Are you also here for the rocks?

[inevitablerest]

Yes. Though I decided I'd spend some time observing while I'm here.

[That is, he's getting used to having the time to sit and do nothing except watch things happen, and he's growing to actually enjoy it. The sparkling river and dancing fae make for quite the pretty sight.

He glances briefly to Hijikata, but doesn't really seem to give him much mind.]

You may join me if you wish to.

[mayoninofukucho]

Sure.

[He sits down next to him and takes a deep breath. Unlike Thanatos Hijikata usually doesn't even try to relax, so being explicitly invited to do so is something his body is grateful for. It really is an idyllic scene, with the sun adding a gradually more orange glow to the rainbow shine of the river water and the faeries' music wafting through the air...]

Can I smoke?

[So of course he has to stink it up with his addiction.]

[suetekh]

[Set tries to do as many quests as he can. In this place, he takes everything seriously. It's for the sake of Egypt after all. Not that Set necessarily understands what gathering rocks is going to do for bettering himself but even he knows the big picture doesn't always get through to him. So fine, he'll gather the rocks for this person's grandmother then fine.

Of course, when the faeries see his golden nails, they clamor over them as Set frowns.] I clipped my nails already for your kind. I have nothing to give than just tearing my nails off and I'm not going to. Now shoo, I am doing something important. [He turns around and sees Thanatos. At least it's another god.]

Do they bother you like this? [Where he comes from, gods just have nails made of gold.]

ugh sorry this took so long

[inevitablerest]

[He hadn't been paying much attention to the commotion the faeries were making over Set, being far more focused on the sound of the river as it bubbles on by, but as he's addressed he glances up and looks the other god up and down with a mild expression of acknowledged familiarity.]

No, they haven't bothered me at all.

[Which, quite frankly, he's glad of... because it's not the kind of attention he'd want.]

What do they want from you?

[suetekh]

Then it's another difference between us.

[He shows his hand to Thanatos, more importantly, he shows his nails. That's the reason why the faeries are fascinated with him because his nails are just pure gold.]

Royal gods have nails like these. They annoy me every time for them but it isn't like I can make them grow any faster.