Life is hard, that's why no one survives (half-closed)

[dodgeouttahell]

WHO: Zagreus et al.
WHERE: wherever, whenever
WHEN: Dec and perhaps January
WHAT: Catchall and closed starters for people. Pls find my plotting comment here or throw me a wildcard if any of the prompts work.
WARNINGS: TBU

Comments

The Door and The Room

[dodgeouttahell]

[Oh hey Mike.]

[It's a good thing Zagreus knows people who have boats. It's not a hard task to hire a boatman to take him close to where he knows his room is, and perhaps you were there needing to take a ride. Or you insisted on going with him. Something like that.

Zag himself seems a little different. He's calm, but the seemingly everpresent smile on his lips is not there.

When you arrive, you notice something odd:

Zagreus' door does not exist.

In fact, it's the entrance to a narrow, dark tunnel that seems to be heading downwards.]

Right. Are you sure? I'm fine just heading in there.

[salvageable]

[ Ain't nothing good ever been waiting on the end of a long, dark tunnel. Dokja knows this. If he concentrates hard enough, he thinks he can hear the distant sounds of boss battle music. Or maybe that's just the ache in his head reverberating around his skull, but either way, everything about this spells out bad news.

And isn't he quite a magnet for those. ]

Hey, before that, isn't there supposed to be a door?

[ What is this... The entrance to the Underworld?? ]

[dodgeouttahell]

[Actually…?]

I have noticed that others do, but… mine never did.

[He sends Dokja what he hopes is a reassuring look, though he's somewhat restless and somewhat ambling awkwardly toward the entrance already.] You can just stay here if you'd like. I just… need to check on something.

[salvageable]

[ That's weird as shit and Dokja's kind of into it.

Which is why he steps forward without further questioning it. Alright, Zagreus, into the dark, spooky tunnel, then. ]

No, I'm interested in coming along.

[ It'll give him a better idea of what he might have to face later on, he tells himself. ]

I'll follow you in.

Your Uber is Here! (Deliveries, interrupting french girls, snuggling and #justgrannythings)

[dodgeouttahell]

1.

[If you suddenly see a very fast bundle of blankets, mugs of hot beverages, or even firewood at insane amounts in someone's arms, those arms probably belong to a lad called Zagreus.

Hanahaki slightly ails him, but with some intel in his phone and the help of very good friends, he's slightly better and able to do most things. He's more concerned with others and how this cold is particularly nippy.

His little Mediterranean heart almost doesn't take it, even when he's a walking human furnace and has flaming feet and laurels. But Zag is a jock through and through, so instead of sitting down and trying to huddle by the fire?

He runs back and forth. Relentlessly.

(He's running on fumes).

Perhaps you interrupt him in the middle of his deliveries, to which he replies with a 'Hey! Didn't see you; how are you doing? Need a blanket/some tea/hot cocoa/help with anything?'

Or perhaps the delivery is exactly for you.] Hello. I brought you what you asked for. Do you need anything else?

2.

[He's super happy with the way things are going, with other Restless asking for things constantly. This delivery? Turpentine, a big bottle of it, and he's being careful not to break the large flask and therefore doesn't knock when he steps in.

He's pushing the door open with his shoulder, calling out for the sake of not wanting to surprise anyone.

Except, eventually, he should have asked before entering, right?

Because there you are.

Being drawn like a french girl.

Zag blinks, averts his gaze, and pointedly looks at the painter.] Apologies, I should have waited for you to say it was fine for me to enter.

[Except the painter is right next to said painting and well.] Oh, quite uncanny.

[He raises a hand before you protest, an apologetic look on his face even if there's a hint of a smile in his very pointedly-not-looking eyes.] Sorry. I won't peek anymore. It's very good, very tasteful. I'm sure you'll like it.

3.

[Or perhaps you don't find him busy going to and fro, but in a rare moment of respite as he falls into a break or heads home. Steam comes out of him like fog. Zag falls into step with you with the stealth of a three-headed dog.

Which is to say, not much. Still, he starts by looking so glad to see you, beaming like the Fates are smiling at him.

But his smile does falter at the way you're all hunched over and not having a good time.] Hey, are you alright?

french girls, lol

[unalign]

[ but thankfully not the way rose was drawn in the titanic!

the painter did assure her that she can sit however she wants so long as she's comfortable, a much-needed reprieve after being asked to take off her clothes. not that she's done nude modeling before so she's entirely uncertain how this commission is going to go, but it's been so far ... uneventful.

at least, until a familiar face suddenly showed up and lumine instinctively sits upright from previously hugging her knees, blinking. her cheeks flush in embarrassment, the color creeping down to her shoulders. ]

Ah ...

[ the painter gestures and she slowly returns to her original position. we're almost done, aneth tells her. ]

Is it really? [ not that she's doubting aneth's skill, but! ] I don't know if I'd put it up somewhere, though.

[dodgeouttahell]

[How to say this without sounding like a total creep? Zagreus smiles towards the floor, somewhat relieved that Lumine is actually making conversation despite the obvious embarrassment he's pointedly not looking at but can definitely feel.]

I only glanced at it, but I could only tell it was you because of the same position you were in. [Aneth looks at him sharply, and that's actually where Zagreus starts looking embarrassed.] I mean, you're painting in a way that obscures Lumine's face, that's all. As I said, the rest is uncanny.

['Ah, you had me scared there, kid,' Aneth looks at his handiwork, talking about shades and coloring. Zag is definitely looking at him, not at the painting itself, but listens with a nod or two. Although he does seem to realize something while making sure his eyes are aiming above her.]

Oh, Lumine, do you need water, something? You've been sitting there for quite a while. I can go get it.

[Aneth waves him off, claiming he's also very stiff and will take a break, too.] Oh, in that case. [Zag then goes get a blanket.] May I?

[unalign]

[ tbf, creepy wouldn't have been the first word to come into her mind if zagreus said his thoughts out loud. for one, he's never really given her that impression since meeting him the first time; for another, it seems like a genuine compliment.

lumine doesn't miss the way aneth looks at him, an expectant expression on the other woman's face, stifling a laugh when he tries to explain himself. not surprising, artists can be quite sensitive when it comes to their artwork. she supposes she shouldn't have asked, after all.

she finally relaxes when aneth waves them both off, feeling grateful that she can feel something again. ]

Oh, I can get water for myself, don't worry ... [ she says this as she starts getting off the platform, possibly giving zagreus a view of herself—only to return to her seat in a panic. ] ... Sorry about that.

2 closes eyes

[paraselenes]

[ Never in a thousand, million years did Dimitri expect to end up at this juncture in his life; the most skin he ever shows is a sliver between his glove and his sleeve, and only because he has no gauntlets here to cover it. But he's endeavored to collect the soul-coins here in some vague hope that he might be able to reforge them into people—and doesn't that mean taking any opportunity that he can? He's no longer a king in charge of coffers.

Also, maybe he had no idea how to back out once he realized this wasn't normal modeling.

The painting focuses mostly on his back, so it takes him a moment to realize someone else is here, though it's obvious when he notices, because he goes rigid. ]

...

[ Aneth doesn't need to scold him for breaking his pose, mostly because he's frozen in place while he stares at Zagreus? Hi. He contemplates bolting into the woods never to be seen again. ]

[dodgeouttahell]

[Buddy, it's fine, have you looked at Zag? The only thing he's not showing is his legs because he's actually wearing leggings.

Zagreus makes small talk about the turpentine delivery, with Aneth asking him to pour it into what seems to be a mason jar filled with other brushes and to set it by another palette that he will be using for the skin tones. He had no clue what it was for and was only told not to drink it.

A good thing that they did, too. With the Hanahaki and everything, he's been parched.

Then he does look straight into Dimitri's eyes, making sure he's not looking anywhere. Those blue eyes look like a deer's or a shade that doesn't want to believe they're dead, and Zagreus is about to call Hypnos to draw them asleep before they make a scene in the great hall. He's acting pretty naturally about it.] Is there anything I can get you before I go, Dimitri?

[paraselenes]

[ Zagreus is the best person to have run into for all this, if there were really a "Best Person to Run into Totally in the Buff" superlative to win from all this.

But while Zag is apparently perfectly calm about all this, Dimitri has gone pink all the way down to his chest. This would be enough to cause scandal in Faerghus, certainly. After a long moment, he sighs, trying to sound tired rather than embarrassed and somehow managing both. ]

...That robe. If... you would.

[ He gestures behind Zagreus, where there's a . Aneth makes a sour expression, but doesn't protest since it's about time for a break anyway. ]

Are you the next model?

3. And 1. From the prompt below.

[pissoffbook]

[Kainé is wallflowering, leaned against the wall with her arms crossed, far away from the crowd, as she's not the social type. Despite the cold, she's dressed in her usual lingerie, bandages and heels, with a flower of almost 'perfect beauty' woven into her hair; not even bothering to dress up in something different for the party.

When he comes by, she immediately starts walking away, again, to distance herself from people.

But then he falls into step beside her and starts talking. Kainé huffs a little then stops and answers him.]

I don't even know why I came to this stupid party.

[dodgeouttahell]

[Two scantily clad videogame characters walk into a party.

There's a joke there somewhere, but who knows what it may be? Zagreus, though, gives Kainé an inquisitive look, somewhat concerned that she's not really having a good time here. The point was for everyone to be jolly and merry and all those holiday sayings, and he knows it's only an ideal that's very rare to achieve.

But hell, if he won't try to help that out a bit.] What's wrong? Were you expecting something in particular to happen?

1!

[shadowier]

( they've been doing this for awhile now, but despite zagreus' good nature--and the state of his fire feet, which megumi finds alarming only for a moment before he realizes that it's just how it's going to be--and his willingness that borders on stubbornness, he worries that maybe they're both running out of steam a little, and that despite the fact that they're helping others, zagreus appears to be the type that isn't quite as willing to help himself.

for awhile they continue on, making deliveries of blankets and firewood, hot coffee and fresh warm food, and for awhile it's amicable: he finds that he enjoys zagreus' company in person as much as he enjoyed their conversation over soulidarity, that he's a good guy who just seems to want the best for people around him, the kind of guy where a person can relax around him. and he knows he's likely the dead weight here, without anything in particular to offer to others besides the deliveries and a few polite words, but--he watches zagreus continue on, waits until they've circled back to check to see if there are any more deliveries left on the list. they're in the storehouse they've been using to keep track of the supplies--and solemnly, megumi picks up one of the blankets. )

...I think we're on our last delivery. ( there's no one left on the list, though, which might be a little puzzling. ) Sit down.

( his words are firm--and unceremoniously, he reaches up to drape the blanket around zagreus' shoulders in clear indication. )

I feel like you're going to run out of batteries otherwise...

[dodgeouttahell]

[Zagreus' mismatched eyes do widen a little on the tone, more than the actual order and the draped blanket over his shoulders.] What…

[A titter escapes him, though he does look around to see where he could sit down.] What do you mean? I feel quite alright.

Filí for everyone

[dodgeouttahell]

1.

[Who knows where you're coming from and where you're going (Cotton Eye Joe playing muffled from someone's house), but mistletoe is everywhere. Really everywhere.

At this point, it's impossible for Zagreus not to know what the whole thing is about, with the sprites insisting on telling him about what they're doing in great detail: Paying tribute to this earthly being and how he should do the same if he does cross its threshold. Ever respectful, Zag had acquiesced, wondering if there are more stories surrounding the whole thing.

And lo and behold, a sprite drops on its behind on the top of Zagreus' head to call his attention.] Hey, little one, be careful; you'll get burned.

[The sprite points at the sprig above you. His eyebrows shoot up.] Oh. [His eyes cast down to you.] Er. Have you heard about what you're supposed to do with this?

[No offense, mate, but he doesn't want to convince anyone to smooch him, even if it's only to respect this little herbal god. Consent is a great thing.]

2.

[Or maybe you catch him in the midst of the festivities, sipping at the eggnog, looking a little loopy if anything because of the hanahaki meds that he had to down with the alcohol since it makes him talkative and a bit too nostalgic.

He makes a beeline in the middle of the crowd to get to your vicinity and then taps you on the shoulder.] Are you enjoying yourself?

2

[terraria]

( having just recently detached himself from a restless, aspen takes a moment to recuperate. just watching the party is usually enough for him - he smiles as he watches the merriment, trying to squash down his own loneliness. the cold has encroached on his heart, but no matter who he tries to pick and flirt with, it's never good enough. it's not aza. it's not wisteria.

he's almost about to give up, really. maybe he should go back and study some more of the vegetation here.

at least, that's what he thinks before zagreus taps his shoulder and speaks to him. oh, here's the baby sun. )

I've been better. ( he places a hand over zag's on his shoulder. ) You look a bit addled. Have you been drinking?

[dodgeouttahell]

[Zagreus' face falls, concern weighing down his eyebrows.] 'Been better'? Why's that? What's wrong?

[He pats at that shoulder again, reassuringly squeezing it at the end of the motion. He's thankful that Aspen has noticed enough to look a bit concerned, although another part of him is grimacing internally for letting it show. This is a time of merriment! He's had enough of those flowers. So he shakes his head.] I had to take some medicine due to that illness that has been going around. It makes me a little light-headed, but it's not unpleasant.

1.

[lackluster]

[ zag can't look down when he's supposed to be shorter than childe smh

Either way, Tartaglia's eyes follow where Zagreus is looking, glancing upwards at the pesky parasitic plant dangling right above him. Man. These things really are everywhere, huh. It almost feels like there's no escape.

And maybe there isn't, what with how persistent the sprites have been in making sure everyone is indulging in the tradition. ]

I'm supposed to give you a big kiss on the lips. Or something close to that.

[ He shrugs. ]

[dodgeouttahell]

[He's looking down from looking at the ceiling, silly.

Unless Childe is just as tall.

The sprites are already looking expectantly at them both, to which Zag actually scoffs.] "Supposed to" doesn't necessarily mean you have to. And why is it you giving me a kiss in the first place?

[Don't tell him it's by height order.]

1. CRAWLS IN HERE A WEEK LATE.......

[appeale]

[ it was a mistake to try and continue some of their housing restoration project this month, even on a day where the wind is just slightly less cutting than it has otherwise been. Ruby had thought they were safe after she checked the front doorway and found no mistletoe, but of course she isn't that lucky—the little bastards had set up further inside the building, and she didn't catch it in time.

none of her outrage shows on her face. she does stare up at the sprite for longer than Zagreus, though.

Excuse me? In my house??? ]

Yes... I-I've had it happen a few times already. [ more than a few. she ducks her head to feign at shyness, fidgeting with her fingers. ] It's a little embarrassing... but the curses are rather unpleasant, too.

Not at all I've been absent, this is perfect. <3

[dodgeouttahell]

[Zagreus does a double-take, both at the way Ruby looks at the sprite, who wiggles softly in the air, expectant, observant, and at the sudden bout of shyness to Ruby's front, her fingers weaving through each other.

He looks a little sheepish. Well, he certainly doesn't want to make anyone uncomfortable, even if he has no qualms with kissing someone square on the lips.] Why do you find it embarrassing? Isn't a kiss something nice?

[Though, he does know mortals hold very high standards for who they're close to and apparently how to show affection or respect. He bows his head, if only slightly, in an unconscious gesture of empathy, setting down the plans that he had been carrying when he walked in.] I do understand if you wish to avoid it, though. Both, I suppose. I'm alright either way.

[He'd rather be cursed than have Ruby (or anyone, really) feel forced by his laid-back approach.]

Notice board

[dodgeouttahell]

1. The Harbor

[Those of Chthonic origin will always sing for death. It then resonated when Zagreus saw the notice board about funeral rites and paying respects to the fallen. He already lives close to the harbor, so one day he gets up early and asks a favor from a known fishmonger to borrow their small stove and working station.

Making loukoumades is not easy for someone who barely even stepped into a kitchen. But Zagreus does try, and perhaps you find him around the stove looking attentively at the sizzling balls of dough, or you find him placing a dish of them at the edge of the pier, along with libations, as the fire roars in the distance.

He smiles if he sees you peeking at them. He whispers.] I made some more; no need to steal. I can't promise you they're good, though. It's my first time making them.

[He unwraps a bundle of fabric. Within it, there are more loukoumades. They're still warm.] Here.

2. The Crystals

[A very warm godling offers a very warm grin.] This will be piece of cake. Want to pair up?

3. The Banshee

[It's a full moon, and Zagreus has a sword in his hand.

It is not the Stygian blade, no, nor the Varatha, but it'll do. He looks up at the light's source, muttering something about Artemis and Selene and giving them guidance in this hunt. Looking over his shoulder, however, he looks confident, if a little cocky.] Are you ready?

3. b-b-banshee time

[ulfrkysst]

[Eivor has procured a skeggøx for the occasion, though the metal already looks rusted and the handle feels hollowed in her hand. If they are to fight this screaming troll, she hopes it's soon, before this realm leeches the life out of her weapon.]

We must be quick about it.

[Adjusting her grip, she ducks down to enter the barrow... and swears loudly as she immediately gets slapped in the face by a whole mess of bats for her trouble.]

[dodgeouttahell]

[An axe. That's something he never wielded, and he's so very excited to see Eivor work with it.

Although, yikes on trikes, those bats should be a bad omen. Are they bad omens? They're similar to that darned tiny vermin at the Temple of the Styx near the entrance of hell, so he feels that they may be.

Back! Back! Shoo! He waves his sword about to move the bats away, and thankfully the sound does make them swerve around the both of them instead.

Zagreus looks up at her.] Are you alright?