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𝑫𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 {A God RP}

^{𝓤𝓷𝓻𝓪𝓿𝓮𝓵
𝓤𝓷𝓻𝓪𝓿𝓮𝓵}

_{ʜᴏᴍᴇ 𝟾:𝟹𝟶 AM}

it is about the war not the battles.

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The pieces of the puzzle were slowly falling into place for Janus, though certainly not without a few headaches in the day. The derailed brunch included. There was more he wanted to cover, ideas to verbalize and information to gather, but so be it the ticking time bomb exploded before he had a chance to do so. Janus was no stranger to Venus’ emotions and had witnessed the scars of history that still pained her to this day. The fall of Rome had struck its Mother the deepest, and that made her all the more valuable to Janus. Venus had a debt to Rome and would submit to her own suffering for millennia if it meant returning her home to its former glory. Janus wouldn’t admit to ever considering the weight of her drunken words, but it was undeniable that what she said rang true for them all in that room, herself included.

There were many truths revealed to him that day, some more irking than others, but in time they’d all become a means to an end. There was never a god or man Janus had lost a battle of strategy and wits to; it hadn’t been in his realm of possibility, and he wasn’t about to open it up to failure now. The muscles in his hands tightened around the steering wheel’s leather, and his foot pressured the gas, allowing the 720 to roar through its acceleration as the irritation rippled through him. Clare Delune was interrupted by the shrill ring of his phone, and he answered with a clipped greeting, or tried to anyways but was promptly cut-off.

“$23,000,000.”

The second roar of the car and lurch of the sudden acceleration was the only indication of the fury that burned in the stone-faced god. The vehicle grew quiet, icy from the humanity that seeped out of Janus as he pondered every possible means of getting what he wanted without playing these games. How easy it’d be to stretch his influence and money into other avenues to teach the money-hungry mortals manners, but the image of a scowl unfitting for such pretty lips flashed in his mind and promptly ended that brief line of thought.

“Jan-“

“I heard you, Oliver.” The tone of his voice was no less than an angry snap, and he released a sigh, rolling his shoulders as he eased up on the speeding and stretched his fingers out before he damaged the impeccable pieces of machinery he rode in. “You’re sure you saw the right number of 0s?”

Oliver responded with a nervous chuckle, “Yeah… all six of them, I counted it ten times before calling you. And he wants it in 48 hours-- cash, or he starts an auction.”

It was Janus’ turn to issue a chuckle, though the sound of his was far from nervous, it was a dangerous sound that issued an uneasy groan from Oliver who immediately started babbling.

“Fuck. I’m sorry, he shot the price up when he found out Julius of Initium was the interested buyer. The asshole pulled one over on me! Me, the ultimate con artist getting outconned, I can’t believe it and now it’s going to cost you the key to the she-“ “Have Olivia transfer the funds from the business account.

“Excuse me? You’re going to give that bloke millions of dollars for the keys of a shed on the outskirts of Seattle? There aren’t even houses in that area worth a quarter of that! He’s obviously onl-“

“I’m well aware Oliver. The avarice of humans truly knows no bounds, and apparently neither does their ignorance.” Janus pulled into the parking spot of his destination and killed the engine, giving another sigh “Pull out the cash tomorrow and set up a time for us all to sit down and meet. A nice high rise restaurant, throw my name around if you have trouble getting a table. I can’t talk any longer, Oliver, I have other matters to tend to.”

“ Oh, you’re a brave man. Hopefully you keep your balls after tonight, give an extra big smooch to Miss Si-“ idiot

Janus brushes off the front of his suit coat as he exited the supercar. Among the surroundings the luxury vehicle stood out like a sore thumb, in fact, just his existence in the less than exquisite place seemed out of sorts. Nonetheless, aside from the Roman’s shared estate, this humble apartment complex was something of a second home to him, despite the verbal berating he often gave it.

Ascending the flight of stairs he stood outside apartment 3C, there was a brief moment of hesitance as he rose his fist, what’s the worst that could happen? Janus rapped his knuckles against the metal door in quick succession before taking a half step back awaiting the door to open.

It did open a beat and a half later, allowing a small peek into the apartment that must have had a grandmother for an interior designer. She appeared then, peering around the door with her hair mussed and dressed comfortably in an oversized shirt plus ill-fitting boxers that certainly weren’t hers. Despite her warm surroundings and welcoming appearance, she took one look at Janus and promptly shut the door in his face.

“The audacity.” She murmured to herself, grabbing a pillow and tucking herself onto the couch. Her unfinished papers lay forgotten on the table and she glares at them as if they should answer for her irritation. Oh, she would let Janus in eventually. Eventually. But she wanted to hear him beg to her door, first. She made sure to turn the TV slightly down so she can hear his pleas, and oh how he better plead.

Janus released the breath he had been holding, expecting a more violent reaction to his surprise visit, but perhaps he had spent too much time around Venus and her interactions with her ex-lover. So the door in his face was greatly appreciated before it turned into an object of annoyance. A part of him hoped she’d perhaps gotten over the… agreement he didn’t uphold in days past, but this reaction was an indication of anything but that.

“I drove across town just to spend my night with you, don’t let some last-minute RSVP changes sour our fun.” Janus’ voice barely rose in volume, his pride not daring to let his voice echo into the night sky. There was no discernible movement or sound from the other side of the door and he let out an annoyed grumble, “I understand a man is only as good as his word, and despite the circumstances that led to me giving you my word, I still went back on it. So allow me to make amends, little crow.”

Inside the apartment, the Morrigan was rolling her eyes, unimpressed and unsurprised. This man - no, god - really favored his pride over their reconciliation.

In truth, it wasn’t just that he never showed up that really made her angry. It was that he told her he would; Janus knew how worried she was about Hephaestus and how shaken up she had been. In all the long years she had lived, the millenniums and eons, she had never encountered a snipped thread. It was unnatural and it frightened her enough that she sought Janus out the same night to help her sleep. The Conclave was an important issue for her and she had hoped Janus being there would somehow help manage the other pantheons, just his presence would give her the strength. And he didn’t show. It occurred to her, then, that she couldn’t count on him.

Still, the Morrigan guesses this is the best she’s going to get from the other god. The door cracked slightly and she peeped up at him. She scowled, at him and because even looking at him had her yearning, “Is that the best you have, Janus?”

“Morrigan.” Her name rolls off his tongue in a way only he’s able to manage, an effortless tone of casual desire that draws a smirk to his lips. Janus steps forward, his palm pressing against the door, but not with enough pressure to push his way in, he wouldn’t dare risk pushing the mood into an unsalvageable territory, “I’m certain you’re quite familiar with the ‘best I have’, but maybe it’s due time for a refresher?” The suggestion wasn’t subtle as he leaned against her door frame. Janus’ eyes trailed the parts of her he was allowed to see through the small opening of the door. The sight of the goddess of War donning his missing pair of “lucky” boxers brought warmth to the corner of his lips, “Before that why don’t you let me in while you check your email?

The Morrigan eyed him up and down before letting him in with a grumbled, “Fine.”

Janus smiles victoriously, though makes sure to tone it down, as he steps into the cozily decorated apartment. The warmth that greets him demands his thick suit coat be hung near the door, and his frequent visits have his shoes left at the door. Nimble fingers work at the tie around his neck and the top buttons of his shirt as he wanders into the homey living space just behind the Morrigan.

Curious now, the Morrigan sits on the couch and picks up her phone, flipping through the apps until she arrives at her emails. She swipes through the many emails she has from students, resolving to answer them later when she’s less annoyed and busy when she arrives at a mysterious email from Janus titled ‘I won’t coerce you into this one’. Inside the email was a listed location with seating charts, catering, the whole nine yards, and it was all for the next Conclave. A small smile that she tried to push down came to her lips.

“It wasn’t coercion.” She defended, crossing her legs and looking at Janus with a small teasing smirk. Even though, and the Morrigan will only admit this to herself, she might have been coercing him at the time. In her defense, he was loving it.

Janus is more than familiar with the glint in her eyes, the trademark smirk of his own finding its throne, “I believe the circumstance you engineered to get my RSVP certainly fits the bill for coercion..” Janus stops in front of the Morrigan, a caress of his hand along the side of her face has her chin tilted up towards him, “Not that I minded in the least, it’s cute to see you put up a fight, little crow.” Desire entangled with a hint of belittlement weaves into his tone, the iciness he carried in his gaze all day had melted away into pools of a warm, welcoming ocean, and his thumb ran a gentle path along her bottom lip.

The Morrigan parts her legs and pulls Janus closer to her by his belt loops. She looks up at him with her innocent doe eyes and she can feel her heart dancing in her chest. Only Janus has ever made her feel alight like this, like a blazing fire in a blizzard. He was unpredictable to her, but maybe she could rely on him. It feels like it's the twenties again with the hesitancy of trust weighing on her shoulders. This is Janus though, he would never hurt her. He would be there if she needed him, wouldn't he?

“Coercion implies I had some control over you, Janus.” The Morrigan replies cheekily, biting the tip of his thumb, “Are you saying that your little crow can make the big bad Roman lose control?"

There’s a fire igniting in him, one only she had the means to spark. Janus bends at the hip, a storm of lust brewing in his eyes as his hand slips from her face to her throat, gently but not without command he moves both of them further against the couch. A knee bent on the cushion of the couch flush against her keeping her thighs parted, his face inches from hers, hovering above her, and moving closer yet, his lips ghosting against hers with each whispered word, “Would you like to see just how much control I can lose, multum magna meretrix?”

The Morrigan pressed into Janus, letting herself become encompassed in everything that was him. From his scent to the way the pads of his fingers pushed into her skin. The rational bit of her mind said she has to work in two days and makeup is expensive; the other part of her mind wished his fingers would leave bruises. “I want to see you come undone, macushla.”

A deep chuckle rumbled in the depths of his chest, those words swirling out of her pretty mouth appeased him. Only in these heated moments, in the comfort of a home that was not his did he ever unravel. To many gods, Janus appears cold and unmoving like a statue, the warm flesh of his was but a placebo effect to make them believe he was anything but an unfeeling god. Which he often believed of himself too, but it was moments like this, in the heat of passion did he hear the own beat of his heart in his ears and the desires of man urging him to fall further.

“Allow me then, to grant your wishes, little crow.” Janus’ words are cut short by a heated meeting of their lips. With practiced ease, Janus takes the Morrigan in his arms, lifting her from the couch and starting his path to a much-needed end to a long day.

The Morrigan wraps her legs around Janus, falling easily into their practiced dance. Her arms come around his neck and she peppers kisses along his collarbone; all of her misgivings melted away under his hot touch. He may have made a mistake, but he will always fall back into her arms. Her heart yearns to claim her arms as his home, that it is where he belongs; the rational part of her brain tells her to be careful, Janus belongs to no one.

Now is not the time for such sobering thoughts.

Janus takes her to her bedroom and the Morrigan leans backward, seeking her bed and taking Janus down with her. She’ll wrap around him so tight, envelope him, until all he knows is her arms, if only for this moment. Nails scrape down his body as she impatiently tugs at his shirt and belt, determined to feel him under her skin.

The Morrigan struggles with his belt, her fingers shaking and fumbling with excitement and anxiety. Their dance, their battles, are nothing new to the Morrigan; every time, though, the Morrigan feels herself light up with nervousness like a maiden. Only Janus has this effect on her.

“Janus, I need you.” She pants, giving his belt a frustrated yank when it doesn’t give under her trembling fingers.

“And you shall have me, Morrigan” Janus unbuckled the belt her finger had clumsily navigated. The expensive accessory fell to the ground at the same moment his luxury brand trousers met the same fate. Everything once on his body amounted to a price tag equal to that of the monthly rent for an apartment such as this. The same notion was reflected in the rest of his life, expensive cars, designer brands, luxury housing, his life was filled with riches, and to him it all meant nothing. The only thing Janus ever desired was spread before him, yearning to be taken and claimed as his. A wolffish grin appeared on his lips, his fingers pressing into the skin of her soft thighs, avarice controlled him now. Morrigan was his, and he’d take all she offered to him. Starting with the body that writhed and quivered beneath him.

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_{@fledermaus x @icy hot collab}

𝑫𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 {A God RP}

T h e R o m a n s

_{𝓒𝓪𝓷𝓵𝓲𝓼 𝓡𝓮𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓾𝓻𝓪𝓷𝓽 11:30 AM}

#familybondingtime

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interactions: @fledermausx @gothelkx @Heart of Thorns x@icy hot collab mentions:@metanoia@smarty0114

Vulcan’s strides were slow. He was still carving away at the skin of his forefingers with his thumbs, his arms dangling idly at his side as each approaching step made the event even more vivid. There they were, just like the pillars of Rome, except they were flesh and not carved stone. Regardless, they were still remarkable with their presence, casting an aura that effortlessly enforced an appropriate superiority. The three of his brothers and the once love of his life adjoined at a table with an empty chair remaining. He felt out of place, not deserving a seat at a table with gods of Rome. Vulcan set his jaw, unsure of the underlying intentions behind Janus’ beckon.

Vulcan stopped by the table side, his body in an obvious state of apprehension. He reached for the still water and filled an empty glass, though the water spilled over a little before filling the glass with ice-cold purified water. He would take a large gulp just before easing himself with a big breath.

He shoved one hand in his pocket, his eyes staring at the condensation of his glass as he swished the water around in delicate circles. “It has been a long time. I hope you all have been well.” And his introduction was weak, but his regret was strong.

Behind stoned eyes and a suddenly parched throat was a myriad of emotions most preferred unwrapped. That second glass of wine turned into a third, and a fourth and then a fifth before Vulcan took his seat. Servers watched the only woman at the table burn through seven thousand dollars as she beckoned wordlessly for another bottle of the best. Which for the elite class meant the most expensive.

A jumble of thoughts presented a challenge to the usually outspoken goddess. Venus could count on one hand, the times she had been rendered speechless, and this was the fifth occurrence. It was uncomfortable; it reached deep into a part of herself she had tried to separate from, a yearning for something outside of Rome. A desire for a love that she had deemed forbidden. Vulcan had always been a distraction to her, his love, his demands, and dedication to desire had always been the devil on her shoulder, whispering for her to give in, to give up. At this moment, after a handful of centuries believing he had fallen to their circumstances, hearing the rich gravel of his voice was both enchanting and haunting. Venus yearned to touch him, to caress his face to affirm he was real, but there was also a desire to strike him, to yell and throw a fit about his disappearance and the unease he caused to his brothers, to her.

Venus settles on a more tactful approach, her neutral gaze glued to Vulcan, “Why are you here? I thought you had been lost to the colossus Vulcan.” There is little warmth in her words, but hurt and controlled anger simmers in her tone, for a moment, she casts her eyes to Janus, who had been watching her intently. Venus feels herself bristle in response, apparently even she wasn’t off-limits to the games Janus played, and that pissed her off.

A hum dripped from Mars lips, eyes following the figure that left the elevator. They only left the men the second he seated, and soon his eyes were upon the pearl at his side, wondering as to how tight she had shut away. He could see she was torn between prying herself open and sealing herself away. Were Mars in her situation, he’s certain the same would have befallen him.

A whispered thank you honeyed his words at the server who brought his own wine, less expensive than Venus’ own, but tailored to his own tastes. He poured it himself; eyes slowly cast toward Vulcan. ”Wouldn’t that be quite the story,” Mars chimed in finally, ”Do share it, won’t you brother?”

He could feel the heat of Venus’ gaze even when it fell upon another. It soured with radiation, and Mars had to wonder at the same thing Venus likely had. But, he daren’t goad Janus on; if he wanted to reveal his hand, he would in time. Rather, Mars kept an eye on Vulcan as he grasped Venus’ wine in his own hand, twisted the top off, and graciously poured her a fifth. Sixth. Seventh? Mars lost count after her third. He carefully slid it back onto the table, not daring to taste for his own safety and peace of mind.

While everyone had their eyes on Vulcan, Jupiter had his on Janus. Jupiter trusted Janus with Rome; a good leader trusts the intuition of his advisors. If Janus thought it fit to unearth Vulcan from wherever he was hiding, then the only logical conclusion was that he had something in mind for their smithy brother. The likelihood of Janus bringing Vulcan from the aether just to piss Venus off was low; Janus had higher priorities that he aspired to. There was no way around it, Jupiter would have to ask Janus later. Not here, though, in front of the others.

“I’m also interested in hearing this story, but more importantly: why did you come from the woodworks now?” Let’s see what bait Janus dangled in front of the god of fire.

_{Because he missed her —} an immediate response in his head that jolted from his subconscious, pulling the strings of his badly repaired heart. He felt it; the pieces of a lost love glistening like broken glass under a spotlight. And in his audience were the culprits to his morose indignation, their eyes and questions like knives to his skin.

It was true that Vulcan had a faint fantasy that a part of him hoped would come to fruition. An idea in which Venus would be ecstatic to see his face again, with gleaming eyes and open arms only to accept him back into her life as the man he once was to her. He knew her, though. He knew her voice and her tone, her mannerisms and her body. What little warmth she projected in her speech only felt like ice to his fire, extinguishing him just as she was always capable of. Vulcan replied to her without even a glance in her direction, “Why am I here? I thought you all would be a little bit more excited. Lost, yes — to the colossus, no. But if I was, I would’ve assumed you would’ve felt the least bit of happiness knowing I’ve come to resurface myself.” And his response was a mixture of fire and ice, too.

Excited? Hardly. Relieved? Definitely. Venus left her thoughts unsaid, only issuing a halfhearted scoff at his words. Even in a less than glorious appearance he still had that flame burning in him, it made her nostalgic. Their many passionate nights, anger burned into a scorching lust that sizzled into a love that was taken and rarely given on Venus’ behalf. The goddess was not unaware of the hurt she brought Vulcan nor to the selfishness she treated him with, and even that extended to this moment. She wanted him to look at her, the aversion of his gaze irritated her and her need to be acknowledged made her restless. A single finger tapping against the table top to the beat of her heart as she remained focused solely on the man of the hour.

A waitress came over to offer wine, probably in hopes to catch him up with the lack of sobriety the rest of them had, but Vulcan kindly rejected. Seeing Venus was enough, and wine was a strong association to her that he couldn’t handle in the moment. Scotch and liquor was his preferred beverage since her leaving.

Vulcan looked up to Mars, and their eyes met for a split second before Vulcan would shamefully break away. Mars was everything he depicted since birth: a god welcomed by flames, not ones similar to Vulcan, but ones of a different intimidation and menace. He wasn’t pure destruction like Vulcan, but more tactical and full of honor and glory. “There isn’t much story, or at least not one that would be thrilling enough to tell. Maybe I can bore you with it another time when there aren’t more important matters at hand.”

And Vulcan went back to the initial question that stung him. His gaze moved to Jupiter, an equally stalwart god much like his brothers, so full of might and zeal. “It seems we’re becoming too distracted by the ‘whys’ when we should be more celebratory that I’m here, right? Unless the invitation was misplaced. Perhaps we should get into the specifics of the reason we’re all here.”

“Our talented brother here is right. Tales of his journey are best suited for another day. We’ll all have plenty of time to catch up after this reunion.” Janus intervenes in an encouraging tone, though they all know he’d be the last to engage in “meaningless” catch up. The past was useless to him, he cared not what Vulcan had distracted himself with up to this point, but instead what he had to offer them here on out. “There’s a god killer frolicking about in Seattle. While you’re hardly a being of war or strategy, it’s common knowledge there is power in numbers.” Piercing blue eyes shift from Venus and land on Vulcan, and Janus offers a sly smirk before standing from the table.

“We’ve had disagreements in the past on our loyalties to our people and country. Our objectives and motivations are not the same, and while your views on Rome are damnable, you are still a Roman.” Janus looks out the bay windows again his voice commanding in tone but softer in volume as if deep in thought, ”We have an opportunity that we must capitalize on, and a mystery we have to be the first to solve. A Grecian has been murdered, and I know neither who nor how, but I do know they were in cohorts for some time. I would bet the confidence of the killer only grows as their death pool does. We need each other. We have always been the strongest when we all work together.”

Mars shifted his gaze from Vulcan, though his brows remained knitted. Disagreements would have had voice on what constituted pertinent information, but Mars conceded. Time could be made, set aside for later discussions.

With the glass pressed to his lips, Mars listened. Wine burned his tongue with sweetness as thoughts surfaced.Rome together lay in capable hands as his eyes washed over the faces of his siblings-in-arms. ”Do you have anything tangible to cement our progress, brother?” Mars asked Janus, taking a sip of his wine, ”There’s something I have on the wind, but how it connects to everything is yet to be seen. I’m afraid I’m not quite as cunning.”

Janus shakes his head slowly and his eyes focus on the city line just beyond the large lake, “Nothing concrete. Whoever killed Hephaestus did so after decoding the tip I left them. Olivia and Oliver have been combing through the transaction history on his accounts and it seems they’ve found something worthwhile. I’m meeting with Oliver this evening to go over things.” Janus turned to face the seated gods crossing his arms over his broad chest, “If the disappearances can be tied back to Hephaestus it makes a better case for my actions, if not, we’ll consider it a necessary sacrifice.”

"Any Grecian's death is a necessary sacrifice." Jupiter shrugged, downing another glass of wine. As he spoke, his phone buzzed in his pocket and the sender made his face sour. "I have a meeting of my own tonight, it seems. Poseidon wants to meet with me; I'll see what he knows of the disappearances before I cut ties with him."

The betrayal still stung his pride and Jupiter glared at the now refilled glass of wine. If he keeps throwing them back, he won't be capable enough to dig his claws into Peter and rip information out of him. Jupiter glanced out the window and the skyline taunted him; he didn't deserve to be on the ground, he was better than this and the sooner he returns to his place in the sky, the better. Jupiter sets his jaw, his eyes replacing the skyline of Seattle to a vision of Rome.

"Make no mistake, Vulcan," Jupiter said, his voice commanding like the King he is, "we may side together now, but Rome will rise again. I only hope you see sense by then."

Janus, Mars, and Venus were his equals — creators of Rome, heralds of his people. They created Rome together and that cemented their place in Jupiter's eyes. But Vulcan? Jupiter's lips twisted at the thought of considering Vulcan an equal. Vulcan was a menial god, and Jupiter was his ruler. If Vulcan refused to bow to Jupiter, Jupiter had no place for him by his side and he'll be persecuted like any of the other pantheons.

With a smirk playing at his lips, Mars took another swig of his wine. He swished it around slightly, looking up at Jupiter. ”You quite like a fist of iron, huh, brother?” Mars remarked as a chuckle shook his chest.

Venus was quickly growing disinterested with the brunch. Halfway into Janus’ speech she had given up on the attempt to get Vulcan to look at her, instead turning her attention to her phone that she was tapping away at, in between her gulps of wine. A rather risqué picture of herself found itself somehow attached to her text message to her dearest friend, but that’d be an issue to deal with another day.

To: Arty 🖤
Have I told you recently that I loooove yu???? I mis you too Arty, these men are going to rot my brain w/ their politics and scandals, plz send help 😭 maybe this pic can seal the deal 😏😉

Venus giggles to herself as she sends the text, satisfied with her bargaining skills, she knows she is hot, and now Artemis could agree with her. With a heavy hand she slams her phone on the table abruptly causing a waitress passing by to jump, “Imm tired of this,Janoos” she grumbles with a short hiccup, “All this calculation is boring and pointless, you think you can all abandon your hearts to bring glory to Rome again?” she asked looking at each of them before her eyes landed on Janus icing over as she wrapped her fingers around the neck of the wine bottle, “I tried that, and look what our dear brother brought for me, I’d rather you have just slapped me in the face, vappa.”

Venus held her glare for a moment longer before stomping away, drinking from the lip of the bottle as she boarded the elevator and sent a classy middle finger to Janus as the doors shut.

"That went...swimmingly." Jupiter said, pushing his glass of wine away as if it would infect him with the same drunkenness it infected Venus with. "Mars, you should go take care of her."

It was only halfway through his venture to the elevator that he remembered Mars' detest for, er, Jupiter's suggestions. "I mean to say, will you go look after her? You are the best suited for the job. And hopefully you have the time. I do not, I have some fish to fry, unfortunately."

With that being said, Jupiter swooped through the place and into the elevator once it had arrived back up. He had a dinner date with a certain god of the sea, and this one doesn't happen to be in his pantheon. Jupiter scowls at the thought; the Greeks think they can make a fool out of him, he'll demonstrate the might of the King of the Gods.

A scowl bit Mars’ face, not bothering to throw it at the fleeing Roman. For a moment he stared at Janus, taking a few sips of his wine. Everything was digital, but if Mars listened closely he could hear his internal clock ticking. His eyes swept the remainder of the room, til they fell on Vulcan. Sadness pressed his lips into a thin line, barely budging before they turned toward Janus.Truth rang in Venus’ words and perhaps he himself should heed them.

”At least we got a few things out of the way before the madness descended,” Mars said. He rose, adjusting his suit jacket and taking out a large bundle of cash. It landed with a thud as Mars gave Janus one last look. ”Though Venus’ spoke with honesty, I think she forgot that you can’t quite lose a heart if one never beat in your chest to begin with.” He raised a brow and left the words at that, hardly giving Vulcan a side-eye before proceeding to the now empty elevator.

For a Father of Rome, he felt he had faltered at some point. Had he lost the heart he once held for Rome’s people. It took a lot to crack Mars’ face, but the man’s lips tugged down just slightly. It didn’t do to worry now, though, he had a ticking bomb ready to explode in a way he wasn’t quite ready to clean up tonight.

”Do be careful, Janus, not to tug the wrong strings.” Mars offered in his last parting words.

Seemingly unaffected by Venus’ drunk anger, Jupiter’s unamusement, and Mars’ parting advice, Janus pocketed the money Mars had dropped, intending to leave it for him back at home, “I’m sure you have your thoughts and opinions on how I tend to handle matters, but do know I have all of our best interest in mind…”

Janus handed his black card to the waitress and finished off his single glass of wine, “It’ll be in your best interest to figure out what it is you want from this world. A storm is on the horizon, and Jupiter’s patience thins with the coming winds, be diligent in your decision making, young blacksmith.” Janus offered a charming smile to the wait staff as he gathered his things, “I’ll be in touch, take care for now Vulcan.”

Post clean up

Just trying to clean up the Character list for the roleplay. But can we have these posts hidden/deleted:

Shango/Yeomoja/Anansi

Mot

Parvati

Raijin/Fujin

Melo

Aewin

Vidar

Hecate

Discordia

Menuo/Tsukuyomi

Asclepius

I see you. I support you.

---

ANTHONY MCCLAIN, 32 JULIAN LEWIS, 60 RAYSHARD BROOKS, 27 PRISCILLA SLATER, 38 ROBERT FORBES, 56 JAMEL FLOYD, 35 DAVID MCATEE, 53 JAMES SCURLOCK, 22 CALVIN HORTON JR., 43 TONY MCDADE, 38 DION JOHNSON, 28 GEORGE FLOYD, 46 MAURICE GORDON, 28 CORNELIUS FREDERICKS, 16 STEVEN TAYLOR, 33 BREONNA TAYLOR, 26 BARRY GEDEUS, 27 MANUEL ELLIS, 33 AHMAUD ARBERY, 25 LIONEL MORRIS, 39 JAQUYN O'NEILL LIGHT, 20 WILLIAM GREEN, 43 JOHN NEVILLE, 56 MICHAEL DEAN, 28 ATATIANA JEFFERSON, 28 BYRON WILLIAMS, 50 ELIJAH MCCLAIN, 23 JALEEL MEDLOCK, 21 DOMINIQUE CLAYTON, 32 PAMELA TURNER, 44 STERLING HIGGINS, 37 BRADLEY BLACKSHIRE, 30 ALEAH JENKINS, 24 JEMEL ROBERSON, 26 BOTHAM JEAN, 26 HARITH AUGUSTUS, 37 JASON WASHINGTON, 45 ROBERT WHITE, 41 EARL MCNEIL, 40 DORIAN HARRIS, 17 STEPHON CLARK, 23 RONELL FOSTER, 33 DAMON GRIMES, 15 JAMES LACY, 47 CHARLEENA LYLES, 30 JORDAN EDWARDS, 15 ALTERIA WOODS, 21 DEBORAH DANNER, 66 ALFRED OLANGO, 38 TERENCE CRUTCHER, 40 CHRISTIAN TAYLOR, 19 JAMARION ROBINSON, 26 DONNELL THOMPSON JR., 27 JOSEPH MANN, 51 PHILANDO CASTILE, 32 ALTON STERLING, 37 JAY ANDERSON JR., 25 BETTIE JONES, 55 QUINTONIO LEGRIER, 19 COREY JONES, 31 SAMUEL DUBOSE, 43 SANDRA BLAND, 28 SUSIE JACKSON, 87 DANIEL SIMMONS, 74 ETHEL LANCE, 70 MYRA THOMPSON, 59 CYNTHIA HURD, 54 DEPAYNE MIDDLETON-DOCTOR, 49 SHARONDA COLEMAN-SINGLETON, 45 CLEMENTA PINCKNEY, 41 TYWANZA SANDERS, 26 KALIEF BROWDER, 22 FREDDIE GRAY, 25 WALTER SCOTT, 50 NATASHA MCKENNA, 37 RUMAIN BRISBON, 34 TAMIR RICE, 12 AKAI GURLEY, 28 TANISHA ANDERSON, 37 LAQUAN MCDONALD, 17
CAMERON TILLMAN, 14 DARRIEN HUNT, 22 MICHAEL BROWN, 18 KAJIEME POWELL, 25 MICHELLE CUSSEAUX, 50 DANTE PARKER, 36 EZELL FORD, 25 AMIR BROOKS, 17 JOHN CRAWFORD III, 22 ERIC GARNER, 43 VICTOR WHITE III, 22 RENISHA MCBRIDE, 19 JONATHAN FERRELL, 24 KAYLA MOORE, 41 COREY STINGLEY, 16 JORDAN DAVIS, 17 SGT. JAMES BROWN, 26DARIUS SIMMONS, 13 REKIA BOYD, 22 TRAYVON MARTIN, 17 WILLIE RAY BANKS, 52 KENNETH CHAMBERLAIN SR., 66 CLETIS WILLIAMS, 57 ROBERT RICKS, 23 DANROY "DJ" HENRY JR., 20 AIYANA STANLEY-JONES, 7 OSCAR GRANT, 22 DEAUNTA FARROW, 12 SEAN BELL, 23 KATHRYN JOHNSTON, 92 ANTHONY DWAIN LEE, 39 RICKY BYRDSONG, 43 AMADOU DIALLO, 23 JAMES BYRD JR., 49 ELEANOR BUMPURS, 66 MARTIN LUTHER KING JR., 39 JIMMIE LEE JACKSON, 26 JAMES EARL CHANEY, 21 MEDGAR EVERS, 37 EMMETT TILL, 14 GEORGE STINNEY JR., 14. _{and so many others.}

---

I'm down to have a conversation. I'm down to listen to people feeling helpless, defeated, angry, sad, etc, right now. I won't entertain antagonizers though, so respectfully keep that to yourself. If you feel better PMing me go for it. I'm here offering support to my brothers and sisters and to connect with allies anyway that I can.

There is no such thing as a wrong time or place for people to feel seen, safe, and supported. Period.

𝑫𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 {A God RP}

I am very interested in joining this rp, i was thinking of making a sheet for either Baron Samedi, Angrboða, Cupid, Xōchipilli,Kali, or Thoth. Which one do you think would be a good fit for this rp?

@Eviledd1984

Hi! We actually just wrapped up our round of new player applications on the 18th. We’re just started part 2 of our current chapter And won’t be accepting any new players or characters for the time being. We assess our player/character pool near the end of each chapter and if we think we can/should take on more characters/players we will drop a little ad in the OOC. Keep checking back every so often and you might catch us in time! Thank you for your interest though!

𝑫𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 {A God RP}

𝓟𝓮𝓻𝓯𝓮𝓬𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷 𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓥𝓪𝓷𝓺𝓾𝓲𝓼𝓱

_{11 AM}

can’t get enough.

---

interactions: a @icy hot x @smarty0114

Eros was roughly pulling open the door of his car, intent on escaping this place. Being gone for decades upon decades and coming back to facing death on all fronts was too much to bear. The God of Desire hardly knew Hephaestus, aside from being the craftsman of the gods. They operated in different circles in their godhood and as mortals, but the turmoil his murder brought was unnerving. Had a millennium of living among mortals deteriorated their pride and dignity as gods? Were they now simple beings at the mercy of such carnal emotions and reactions?

Then to see Psyche in such a way, to be reminded of that time where he had sought after a finite conclusion to this painfully endless life. Things had gotten too overwhelming, perhaps a reintroduction to a smaller gathering of gods could be organized in another fifty years, or a hundred or never?

“I thought I’d at least get a goodbye this time around. Maybe a phone number, and a lunch date. A ride in that fancy car too?”

Or maybe now?

Eros turned around to face the Sun God, a casual brow raised in curiosity as he allowed his eyes to trail over the man before him for a moment. They lingered on Apollo’s lips, the warm smile reminded him of the rays that washed over his nakedness earlier that morning, for a passing moment his thoughts went further back to the times that same warmth wrapped around him in the past.

“And here I thought you were chasing after me for an autograph.” Eros issued a wink and his posture relaxed back against the white Vanquish, “I’ve got a reservation for two at Altura in two hours and an empty mansion before then?”

Apollo pursed his lips and cocked his head, mentally checking his busy schedule for an opening with a melodrama only he could pull off so well. “I should be able to fit you in,” he said after a moment of his charade. “I’ve got one thing I need to do first, though.”

Thoughts fled from his mind, all but one, and his feet carried him forward, his arms extending out to grasp the man who’d been sneaking into his daydreams for so long. To see if it was still as real as he’d remembered. His right hand traveled upwards, fingers winding themselves through Eros’ golden crown, pulling him down to meet the sun. Lips crashed together, and it felt as if the floor had fallen out from under him.

As quickly as they’d come together, Apollo pulled away again, smiling. It was still very, very real. “Nice,” he said softly. The sky seemed brighter now, if only by a bit. He could have stayed in that spot for hours, crashed into Eros once more, and let the entire world fall away, but he craved more than that. “Okay, I’m ready,” Apollo said, practically glowing with excitement.

Eros let out a soft chuckle, the radiance of Apollo’s disposition casting aside the gloom that once held onto him. Lips tingling from the brief kiss, he leaned towards the god stealing another peck before gesturing to his car, “Your chariot awaits.”

The crisp October wind whipped past the Vanquish, tousling the golden locks of passenger and driver. Traffic was light at 10 A.M on a Saturday, much of Seattle was still tucked into the safety and warmth of sheets after a sleepless night. Some sleeping off hangovers, others recovering from various nightly escapades, Eros belonged to both groups. Usually, he’d still be in bed hiding away from the sun and its demanding presence, but things worked out differently when he decided to carry the sun to his room after a few bottles of wine.

The passion of the night lingered in Eros’ senses, the airy sighs of pleasure, the taste of Apollo on his lips, the tension of muscle against his palms. Eros cleared his throat, his hands tightened around the steering wheel, and his throat suddenly felt dry, but his thirst certainly wasn’t for any overpriced glass bottled water. The warm sensation of an untapped power spread through him, willing him to unleash it, to turn this car ride into some more explicit.

Eros’ eyes flickered to Apollo for the first time since they entered the car after a slightly awkward morning on Eros’ end. The radio offered a bit of grace to the otherwise silent car ride, between fantasizing and trying to shake off his nerves Eros had been uncharacteristically quiet. The long redlight he sat at made his silence very apparent to him. Eros wasn’t sure why he felt such a boyish nervousness stick with him after waking up beside the man he had been dreaming of the past century, but morning affirmations in front of the mirror weren’t enough to shake them off so he’d just have to power through it- ”Uh, so last night was great.”--or stumble through it.

”You were- spending time with you was great.” Eros made a point to keep his gaze focused on the road as he fumbled that interaction. Who the hell was he? Where had the charismatic sex coach gone? The sexiest man of the year with the confidence to bed anyone he wanted? It was almost reminiscent of the first times he tried to impress Psyche; the memory made him chuckle; it was exactly like that time.

”Sorry, It seems even I am at the mercy of my own nerves.” Eros looked beside him to Apollo, this time holding his gaze as he reached a gentle hand to caress the side of his face, “I couldn’t have imagined a more perfect night, thank you.”

Apollo had spent most of the morning car ride chewing the inside of his lip, the creeping feeling of rejection beginning to wrap its tendrils around him. After a night of skin against skin, a night of letting Eros touch every single part of him, the silence that came with his rise was jarring. He felt like he knew what was happening; he’d made plenty of drives like this. You talk as little as possible and hope they don’t ask too many questions about your plans. And they don’t, cause they don’t want to seem clingy, and you leave them in front of their house without much more than a wave.

But then, he spoke.

Eros spoke, and Apollo beamed, saving his lip from the perils of anxiety. He stuttered, but the words reached the sun god’s ears all the same, while his touch reignited a fire that burned throughout him. “Do I make you nervous?” Apollo asked, smirking and raising his eyebrows in suggestion. His own hand sought out Eros’ leg, seeking any type of contact he could. He felt the chiseled muscle that made up Eros’ thigh, and remembered what they’d looked like without pants. “I thought it was perfect too,” Apollo said, almost reassuring, while meeting Eros’ gaze once more.

Despite the blush that burned at his neck, he felt the tension in his shoulder melt away, his lips parted to answer Apollo’s question, but the impatience of mortals ended the sweet spell that enveloped that moment. The car jolted forward in response to a blaring horn and Eros’ hand fell away from Apollo’s face as he gave a hearty chuckle to the tune of burning rubber, “Yeah something like that.”

Once off the freeway, Eros settled for obeying the laws of the road, if only to prolong the car ride. “Besides fantasizing about me-” he gave a toothy grin a trademark heart-stopper among his fans, and show of his regaining confidence, ”what does a sun god do to pass the time in a rather dreary place like Washington? I wouldn’t mind spending our days eating and stumbling into bed, but we certainly have more to offer each other and more things to catch up on.”

“Y’know, I get drunk with the boys, I sleep with some mortals, and I do my best to get a tan,” Apollo said, waving his hand as if to highlight the importance his daily routine lacked.. “I play some shows at Hecate’s bar sometimes, but I don’t know, there’s no point in being a rockstar when you can’t tour.” He’d learned that lesson the hard way. “For once, you might have a more interesting life than I do,” Apollo said.

”For once” Eros repeated with a chuckle and shake of his head, “I’ll have to make it a point to swing by Hecate’s more frequently, seeing you on stage sounds like something I need in my life.” Eros pulled the car to stop outside of the expensive-looking condos, “I have a few appointments scheduled today, but I can come by later if you aren’t too booked for the night .”

“I’ll make dinner,” Apollo said, his voice smooth as silk, gentle as the harpist plucking her chords. He thought he could get used to this, driving around in the Vanquish and staring into the eyes of sex personified, always ready for more. Quickly, he planted his lips on Eros, stealing another kiss like the one in the parking lot, only longer and deeper, burning with a reignited passion. Not since Hyacinth had he been so enthralled. Each kiss begged to last forever; each parting seemed impossible.

Finally, he pulled away, still smiling. “Alright, go save the sex lives of all these gods forsaken mortals,” Apollo said. “And while you’re doing that, think of the culinary masterpiece you’re going to experience tonight.” One last look, and he stepped out of the car and jogged up the steps to the Acropolis.

Eros watched Apollo go, hungry eyes trailing the length of his lithe body. The god of desire drank in every graceful movement he made that carried him further and further away until he disappeared entirely behind a heavy metal door. For a moment longer, he sat in silence, enchanted still by the taste and sound of Apollo. The ringing of his phone through the car speaker snapped him out of it, gave a dreamy ”Fuck~”, a light chuckle and sped off to hurry up through this day.

𝑫𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 {A God RP}

T h e R o m a n s

_{𝓒𝓪𝓷𝓵𝓲𝓼 𝓡𝓮𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓾𝓻𝓪𝓷𝓽 10:55 AM}

#familybondingtime

---

interactions: @fledermausx @gothelkx@icy hot collab @Heart of Thorns mentions:@Legion020@metanoia@beetlemoth

Janus pulled a seat out at the round table. A personal choice he made with each of their gatherings. Jupiter may have reigned as king once, but among the mortal world, they were all equals, and there was no seat for a king at a table when his empire had yet to be rebuilt. The oldest “sibling” paid no mind to the jest of his younger brother; Venus had said her piece and redundancy was a fault Janus was keen not to adopt. New developments and buzzing bits of information filled the morning to its brim and hidden beyond that stone face he wore, Janus was simmering with excitement for the coming tides of change.

With the wine bottles opened and light starters on the table, Janus leaned forward, his eyes scanning the faces of his brothers and sister. Save for a few absent faces; he was sure those seated here would be the leaders to usher in a new age and breathe life into the dream they all shared.

“I will take the liberty to skip the formalities, we all live together, and I’m sure we all have some business to attend to after this meal, so, let’s get to things. The morning news is doing its best to buy time on a fruitless investigation, the mayor is missing, and that makes for a perfect excuse to gather the group with the means to snuff out a god.” Bright crystal eyes landed on the God of War, the only Roman to attend the Conclave, “How was the Conclave? Learn anything of importance?”

Caught in his own web, of course. Mars refused to pout, but his cheeks tinted red at Venus’ remark. With his mouth open, he turned his eyes toward Janus as his elder sibling spoke. He promptly shut his mouth, though cast an indignant glare toward Venus before adjusting his posture and throwing an apologetic look toward one of the servers. He’d have to tip them heavily later.

”As expected, the Greeks made quite a scene, though that’s more for my amusement than it is of any import,” Mars explained, grinning to himself, ”Outside of the outbursts, Hephaestus’ death was the focus of the Conclave: the Morrigan explained that his death was unnatural. I’ve been examining a few disappearances that I think are connected to him. I suspect it may have something to do with what you’ve been up to, Julius. I’ve already notified and requested assistance from both Morrigan and Athena, since my pride allows me to work well with those outside of our Pantheon.” He threw a knowing glance at Jupiter.

”As well, while the Greek’s lost one, they gained another in Poseidon.”

Fingers tapped against the round table, the round table used to represent their equality in mortality. Jupiter despised the table - not that he hated being equal among his brothers and sister - but it represented the stripping of his power, the fall from his throne. Jupiter blew a puff of air from his nose, ears ringing with Mars’ report. Yada, yada, Greeks are awful, yada, yada.

“I see.” Jupiter ran a hand down his face, stubble stinging his palm, “We lose the mayor, and gain the Asshole of the Sea. I wonder how Neptune will feel.”

The wine in front of him was downed in one go, Jupiter never being the type of man to let things sit and swill. It wouldn’t be a good look to dismiss Poseidon’s new appearance, especially when the god had managed to avoid detection for such a long time.

He voiced his thoughts aloud, “We should keep a close eye on him and his goings, a god popping up after all these years at such an…opportunistic time is rather suspect.” Jupiter held his hand up, wordlessly asking for more wine.

Venus seldom had an interest in the musings of men. All their secrecy, betrayal, and death, it wasn’t good for her skin or something.Well at least that’s how she should have felt anyways, but the death of an enemy was something worth mulling over. The unsurprised look on Janus’ face confirmed her first assumptions; the damned man was always involved something or another. Like Jupiter she downed her first glass of red, since Janus was footing the bill she’d make sure to run it up a pretty penny.

“You know Jupiter, you can politely request a refill, I heard the humans love to have their existence acknowledged.” Venus’ voice was sickly sweet, but there was danger playing on her lips as she bared her teeth flashed a smile at him. Following her own advice she waved a hand to a passing waiter and offered a quick beam and happily received her refill, savoring this glass; her next two would be pounded back like cheap vodka.

Jupiter shifted uncomfortably at her smile, though he passed it off as adjusting his cuff link. His lack of words wasn’t meant to disrespect the human servers; it was just their place to acknowledge his wants and needs. He was a god, and they were mortals, whether they knew it or not was of no consequence to him. If he beckoned, they came. Still, when one of the servers filled his glass up, he gave a nod of thanks.

Enlightened by this turn of events, Mars took a sip of his own wine, looking up to offer a quiet ‘thank you’ to the server who offered a refill. The juice he could squeeze from this delighted him, but he awaited the opportunity to deliver his other bit of news.

“So it seems whatever our lovely two-faced brother has been working on is coming to fruition. A god slayer is on the loose, and you all seem more preoccupied with keeping your beds filled than uncovering the mystery.” Venus let out a sigh and took a sip, her eyes falling on Jupiter again, but only because he was across from her, “That’s a cute hickey by the way, that red-purple combo makes the color of your eyes pop.”

With a light cough, Mars shot a pointed look toward Jupiter. ”Speaking of that hickey,” Mars retrieved his phone from a jacket pocket, then tapped away for but a few seconds. He presented a picture he’d taken in a very non-discrete fashion of a man spewing chunks of fish sandwich onto Zeus’ ‘mighty’ boots. ”Your wonderful, terrible god of the sea. Honestly, he seemed pitiful and incredibly sad. I do like his podcast, however—very informational.”

Jupiter was a King of Gods, no matter what damn round table he sits at, and it’s only this reminder that has him keeping his face as stoic as the marble statues of his likeness. While the Greeks were notoriously the libidinous ones, Jupiter did have needs. He thought the man a simple mortal that he took to bed, but all this time, Jupiter had been laying with the enemy. If he were anyone else, he’d pick up his glass of wine and smash it against the wall. Fucking Greeks. Jupiter’s lip curls slightly, but otherwise shows nothing.

“Unfortunate.” Jupiter says, sipping at his wine just to give his mouth something to do while the gears turned in his head. “It does put me in an inconvenient position, but I haven’t revealed anything of import to him when I thought he was...ahem, human. Anything else we need to discuss?” Jupiter’s never felt more awkward in his life.

Janus cleared his throat, signaling an end to the battle of wits and gossip that could have carried on to fill the rest of the morning. Per usual, he ignored Venus’ pointed words, who he and his brother’s chose to have in their beds was none of her business, and as long as it did not impede on their plans, he would make it none of his. Janus’ own glass of wine remained untouched; his mind had been occupied by Mars’ confirmation of Hephaestus’ death; the news excited him more than it inspired fear.

“Well, the news Mars offers is deserving of celebration. The death of a greek sows the seeds of our coming victory, and the impending fall of our greatest enemies-” Janus rose his wine glass in the air in a toast just at the sound of the elevator’s arrival and hid his smirk behind the rim of his glass as he downed the contents. With a bit more enthusiasm, his eyes fell on the ever beautiful and ever confident Goddess of Love as he spoke his next words, “Please, join us Vulcan, it has been far too long.”

𝑫𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 {A God RP}

V E N U S

_{𝓒𝓪𝓷𝓵𝓲𝓼 𝓡𝓮𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓾𝓻𝓪𝓷𝓽 10:50 AM}

in vino veritas

---

interactions: @gothelk@fledermaus mentions:@Legion020@Heart of Thorns@HaleyTheRandom

_{I open my eyes so I can see with you.}

The flames of revolution were bright, their heat encompasses all her being, even from the miles she stood away from them. Pride swelled in her heart, growing bigger and bigger, consuming her and then growing bigger yet. Victorious her people were, chanting their praise and appreciation for their great leader, a demigod of great feats, a man favored by Neptune and Venus and Mars. A man who fought and conquered beside his men, a king who’s legacy was of bravery, compassion, and camaraderie. From babe to adulthood, the wonder in his eyes never stopped twinkling, the confidence in his voice never wavered, and the brilliance of his smile never dimmed. There was no other like Aeneas to Venus, the blood of her blood, the sun in her sky, she had given everything to him, and in turn, he gave them all Rome.

_{And I live so I can die with you.}

The flames of revolution burned bitterly this time. The heat was neither felt nor seen by the doting goddess. The Rome she mothered and protected, the history she helped create, and the success she garnered were all burned to the ground. The pain of the land she felt in her bones, the screams of mothers torn away from their children she heard in her dreams and the spirit of the warrior crumbling into nothing she felt in her soul. A single god who promised to heed prayers that had been left unanswered replaced the Romans who once protected the vast empire. Venus had remembered what it felt like to hold a dying Aeneas in her arms as she lived through the fall of Rome. The hollow screams of the mother in her echoed for centuries, that black void of emptiness expanding in the very depths of her spirit, washing everything in a bleak grey almost nothingness.

Only in the vision of shattered stained glass did she see the glory of her old self.

Aeneadum genetrix, hominum divomque voluptas,
Animum debes mutare, non caelum

The voice of war horns, of a warrior’s exertion, or victorious cheer echoes in her mind until-

With fluttering eyes, the face of a young woman fills her vision; there’s dampness on her cheeks she sets to ignore. Lifting her head and looking around in a small daze, she sees the familiar surroundings of her Seattle studio and none of her long lost child nor the place of her heart’s yearning. There’s a weight of hands at her thighs directing her vision down to the young woman who has gently woke her, she’s crouched, and worry furrows her manicured brows.

“Leo, are you alright?” Lana Morrison, Leona Faustus’ devout personal assistant, reaches a hand upwards towards the tears Venus realizes she’s still shedding. But the realization is all she needs to regain her composure, she pulls back, a wall slipping between her and the woman as she stands, a cold front has swept the room, and stoicism hardens her features.

“What time is it?” There was no acknowledgment for her inner turmoil. Decades after building herself anew, these dreams still plagued her, reminding her how far she had once fallen.

“It’s um 10:00 am, I was coming in to remind you of your meeting with your brothers, but I can call Westin and let him know you can’t make it if you need time to you-“

A single raised hand silenced her; she had been trained well by the unbecoming tyranny of the Mother of Rome, not that the mortal could never know of her many epithets lest she be more useful dead or in hiding.

A sigh rushed out of Venus’ lips, and she shook her curls by the roots, willing her poor mood to simply fall away.

“No need, it would be more a pain to cancel than to show up. Plus Mr.Canlis was kind enough to send over the wine list, and I think a taste of La Tâche, Grand Cru, 1990 will be enough to sedate my poor mood; otherwise, Marcus will just have to suffer.”

“La Ta- Is it wine? You and your fancy wines. What is this one $300 a bottle too?” Venus only replied with a coy smile and a shrug of her shoulders, she knows she has extravagant tastes, and so she's worked to create an empire that can afford such luxuries. But it is no Rome.

“Mox.” she ascends the stairs with her head held high, and her shoulders pushed back. An image of fierceness simmering in the pools of amber eyes held back by a millennium of practiced poise.

“Pick something nice out for me while I shower. A woman never arrives at an event on time, but there is a difference between fashionably late and being disrespectfully laggard.”

Venus was thankful for her assistant, especially when it meant she could drink as much wine as she wanted and not worry about taking her car home. Of course, that meant one of her fellow Romans would have to drop her off, but that was an issue to deal with after consuming all the wine she could.

“I know you designed that piece for someone else, but it really was meant for you... Perhaps it was on purpose? Lana spoke to Venus through the rolled down window letting a playful wink set her tone, “Don’t worry about calling me if you need anything, I only hav-”

“Lana, enjoy your vacation, I am very capable of handling myself… I think.” The two women shared a light laugh, and Venus waved a friendly goodbye. With her back turned to the departing car and eyes set on Canlis, it was time for business. Venus returned Joseph’s warm welcome with a pair of kisses applied to each side of his face and entertained his musings as he led her to the elevator.

“You know what I’m here for Joseph, please send a bottle up right away.” The closed doors afforded her a moment of quiet before the storm surely brewing in that private room of theirs. When the doors opened again, she was greeted by the beautiful views of the Pacific Northwest and then by her brother’s in arms.

”Don’t disgrace our language with such disgusting words, Marcus.” Venus pulled out the chair beside him and sat down leaning towards the God of War, ”And waiters are people too, or has your self-designated spot above them make you view them as less than?” Venus’ eyes twinkled with mischief, and her voice carried enough throughout the room to garner a couple of glances from the coming and going serving staff.

Lyrics from "Die With You" - Beyoncé