museboxofmuses | (no subject)

(no subject)

Transitioning from living with Mentor Métis has been somewhat difficult for the lot of them. Hades was enjoying his newfound freedom to address his burgeoning and overactive libido, Hythlodaeus was finally able to do whatever he wanted with his sleep and wake cycles, and Prometheus had decided to make himself a nuisance for an entire department. Hades was both amused and proud, though sometimes (often) annoyed by his behavior.

It was a nice enough afternoon for Hades. Hythlodaeus and Prometheus had plans of some kind, so Hades thought to being a girl back for an hour. Technically, they were study buddies, but they didn’t get much studying done. Currently, Hades’ robe was tossed aside next to him. He was seated on the bed, slacks open and pulled slightly down to give the young woman in front of him a little space to work with her mouth. She was still dressed, they clearly hadn’t gotten very far before their interruption.

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“And yet, you’ve disturbed the habitats of twenty-some young Amaurotine men and women in your pursuit for... what, exactly?” Hades asked, sticking a spoonful in his mouth. He eyed Prometheus eyeing his ice cream with dull incredulity. As children, Hythlodaeus would claim that the sweets Hades created were just better, but as he grew older he came to understand that his age mates just wanted to experience his doting or attention. And if they couldn’t have that, his ire was just as good.

Hades took a spoonful, holding it out for Prometheus as he spoke.

“Have you considered, perhaps, that patience and discipline are what you’re really supposed to be learning here? Zypherion University would not put up with your shit. No matter how much you idolize Professor Thea.”

Honestly, the idea of him wanting to go somewhere he wasn’t irritated him beyond compare. In his mind, it was because he thought Prometheus helpless without him. In truth, he didn’t want to imagine parting, even if briefly.

“Or if you could stay under the radar for one goddamned minute, maybe someone would write you a letter of recommendation. Not that they would ever let you go without a bodyguard.”

Because Prometheus was a little shit, he ducked a little to eat the spoonful of ice cream without taking the spoon, straightening up with a small frown at Hades's semi-scolding. He saw where he was coming from, yeah, but Prometheus could be well-behaved when he felt like it. He just didn't feel like doing it here, because he was resentful. But he couldn't admit he was resentful, because resentment was Bad and he'll be once again lectured by the 'Social Behaviour Counsellor' on How To Manage Your Feelings.

He's had that lecture about five times now. Prometheus didn't think he could endure a sixth without glassing the whole building in a fit of desperation.

(Needless to say, the How To Manage Your Feelings lecture was not sinking in)

"It's in pursuit of peace and quiet, obviously," Prometheus said snidely, "Do you know how loud these people are? I feel like I'm stuck in the middle of an angry swarm of bees, with how much they- they buzz. It's the same in those damned lectures too - how the hell am I meant to concentrate on learning 'patience and discipline', as you say, with all of that going on in the background?"

Really, if it wasn't the dorm-manager coming for his head, it was the Akadaemia's headmaster (one rank below Lahabrea) for skipping the mandatory, Akadaemia-wide debate lectures. Too many people were there, so he, er, just, didn't turn up...

Hades gave him such a withering look. “You know I love you, dearly. Patience and discipline refer to how you must act in less than ideal situations. Maybe try to make a few friends and they wouldn’t all seem like just noise to you.”

Rich, coming from Hades. He wasn’t a great lover of the people exactly. That would come later. He, too, only enjoyed engaging with others on his own terms.

“Maybe... just go with the flow for a while. You haven’t even mastered your attunement with the Underworld.” Of course the bastard would bring that up. He was a rather shining example in comparison to his agemates. All of them with an affinity to the Lifestream... but Hythlodaeus was shiftless and had no discipline for things that didn’t interest him. He only Created what he felt like Creating, which was hardly for the benefit of all.

And Prometheus was Prometheus.

Hades, on the other hand, had been chasing his skills as a sorcerer, trying to outdo himself at every turn. The Underworld had graced him with a form containing unyielding strength. It was good, all agreed, that Hades was fairly agreeable. Sassy, but harmless to his fellow man. Hades had it easy in comparison to Prometheus, he felt. His lot in life was straight forward, his gifts obvious in their benefits. His ability to see aether and discern structure did make him nap from time to time in class however. Like his agemates, he didn’t tolerate boredom well.

Not for the first time, Prometheus wondered why he came to Hades to complain. His friend always did this; poking holes in his rants and irritation and self-pity, forcing him to grudgingly concede that maybe Hades had a point about this or that. Hythlodaeus was far more agreeable and always humoured his complaints with a few sympathetic words and strategic nods. He never really offered any helpful advice, though, whereas Hades...

"I don't wanna go with the flow," he said petulantly, crossing his arms and pouting. He wasn't even bothering to hide his sulking, "And I don't wanna master my attunement with the Underworld. It's dumb and stupid and I hate it."

Yup, definitely sulking. It's like he regressed several decades into the melodramatic brat he sometimes decided to be.

Hades stared at him, then huffed and rolled his eyes. “Look, I know this is hard. Come here,” Hades begrudgingly lifted an arm to allow him to cuddle in. If he’s gonna act like a kid, maybe he wanted to be treated like one, too. Prometheus did just endure his scolding like he was Mentor Métis.

“But still... We should find some other solution to this that isn’t so... cruel to our classmates. This is their first time away from home, too.” He’d beat empathy into him one way or another. Love for fellow man and all that. “Besides, what are you going to do if they throw you out? Not that they’ve ever done it before...” But neither had anyone disregarded the common courtesy so thoroughly either.

Prometheus toyed with being contrary, just to wind Hades up a little, but really, he could do with a bit of physical closeness with his agemate. Sighing loudly, he made a show of grudgingly sitting down on the bed next to Hades and tucking himself against his side. It was warm and comforting, but Prometheus made sure not to let such emotions trickle through his soul's borders.

"I'm not being cruel," Prometheus grumbled, "And if they throw me out, I'll go and live in the woods or something. Become a wildman."

Hades was going to lose his eyes out of his head with how much he was rolling them. He wagged the spoon over his shoulder near his face, inviting him to take it. It’s not like he could eat in his position anyway.

“Don’t you think that you would get lonely?” His voice softened as he rubbed his arm.

Prometheus took the spoon and the tub of ice cream, grumpily stabbing it into the treat. It was chocolate and vanilla, which suited him fine.

"No," he said stubbornly, then, after a spoonful of ice cream, amended grudgingly, "Well, maybe a little. I'd miss you and Hyth and Mentor Metis, but not anyone else. Hrmph."

“You don’t have to miss everyone. That’s just unnatural. But you should be able to live in harmony with them. They tolerate you... so you should tolerate them, hmm? Leave the accepting to us,” Hades said, feeling like a very good sport. But if the alternative was losing Prometheus to the woods...

“Maybe... Maybe what you need is a small break. Let us go fill out an application for a week break... Get away for a bit.” With any luck, they would be able to restore the wing, let students move back in.... and find somewhere else for Prometheus to be.

Prometheus crammed another spoonful of ice cream in his mouth, giving Hades an unreadable look. He pulled the spoon from his mouth, licked his lips and asked with innocent idleness; "But whatever will your study partners do in your absence? With how often you study with them, one would think you'd keel over dead if you missed even a day, let alone a week."

He tried to ignore it, but he really was painfully aware of how Hades seemed to tumble from one bed/partner to the next. It didn't bother him as such (well, unless he walked in on him doing the deed), but he did feel... something about it. Hythlodaeus had been unhelpful when he grumbled about this too him, had merely said that Prometheus wasn't used to sharing his agemates with other people, but it wasn't that. For example, Prometheus didn't mind Hythlodaeus swanning into various social groups and charming everyone there like the social butterfly he had become - after getting over his crippling childhood shyness, of course. He didn't mind Hades getting a circle of admirers and friends either.

It was just...

Whatever. Hades was an adult and could sleep his way through the whole of the Akadaemia if he wanted (though Prometheus would judge him if he tumbled into Lahabrea's bed. Convocation member or not, he was like, a billion years old!). It probably was childish, petty jealousy or something. He'd grow out of it, no doubt.

Hades’ fought with himself, with his expression. He’d attained some docility, but he couldn’t resist poking the half-proverbial bear.

“You don’t care about their needs or wants, so what’s the real issue?” Hades didn’t think it was jealousy, not in the true sense. In no way did he imagine that he wanted attentions from the men and women he charmed into bed. His next thought was Hythlodaeus’, that he merely didn’t like sharing. But he knew he didn’t care that they had other friends, so what was it?

“Do you think I should be more loyal to a single one? Are you ready for me to being someone into our fold?”

Prometheus felt an abrupt jolt of revulsion at the thought of someone intruding on the dynamics of their trio, barely managing to compress that feeling before it filtered through his soul's borders and got Hades asking questions. Or make him talk about his emotions, which was equally unpleasant.

Instead he just gave him a bland smile, "No. I'm just wondering where that voracious appetite came from."

Hades foolishly thought he might have a genuine answer, or at least catch him on his back foot.

“What do you mean ‘voracious’? My appetite is entirely normal,” he said with scrunched brows. Which was not strictly true. What was true is that he was rarely turned down, and the reason often was because his potential partners did actually need to study things that Hades could measure and see naturally... Hades’ impression of others is that he fucked a normal amount.

“I wouldn’t need to go an entire week, I could pop by a settlement...”

Irritation spiked in him, and this time he didn't bother concealing it, even if he couldn't properly identify its source.

"A settlement," he said flatly, stabbing the spoon hard into the ice cream and leaving it there, "You know, I was joking about you unable to survive a week without fucking someone, but it seems it's true. Nice to see you have figured out your main passion in life: other people."

Oh, now that he didn't restrain it, that irritation was bubbling up into a proper snit, a whole lot of weeks of compressing and sitting and ignoring that thorny tangle of emotions - many unrelated to Hades entirely - boiling over. Even the ambient temperature seemed to drop several degrees.

Hades bristled back, and he wasn’t shy with others feeling his emotions.

“What the hell is your issue?” Hades withdrew his arm as he turned to face Prometheus. “You aren’t better than me just because you only care about birds! Maybe you would understand if you got laid once in a while.”

Damn it, where was Hythlodaeus?

"I don't want to get laid. No one will touch me like that," Prometheus hissed, abruptly standing up and putting the ice cream tub down harder than intended on Hades's bedside dresser, "And I'm not saying I'm better than you either!"

In fact, Prometheus wasn't really sure what he was trying to say. Emotions were complicated and messy, and Prom didn't want to deal with that. So, he ignored and sat on them, but everyone here was so- so sociable, invading his personal space or trying to speak to him, but he fucked it up or found it exhausting and he ended up hating feeling like a weirdo because unlike everyone else, he had no drive or desire to become 'part of the community'.

He found this place stressful. He wanted to go home.

...ah, maybe that was it. Maybe he was jealous at how easily Hades was transitioning into this new stage of his life, while Prometheus lingered in homesickness until he felt nauseous from it. He hated it. His stupid, inability to...

Prometheus, with some effort, bottled it all back up.

"... I'm saying," he continued in a very measured, controlled tone, "That I would prefer it to be just us. Not you going away to hang out with other people."

Hades huffs and rolls his eyes. “Fine, brat. Just don’t surprise me in the shower.”

Masturbation it was, then. If his cock healed up enough to not distract him too badly... He shakes his head. Enough of that. Prometheus wasn’t doing super well. He didn’t even get to spend nights with them...

“Then let’s go... go home first. Have you seen Mentor Métis since class began? The weekend is here anyway; I don’t have any lectures. Let’s go see her.”

Hades was sure that Prometheus would find his footing eventually. Maybe... Maybe he really would run away into the woods before finishing his studies.

Prometheus hadn't visited Mentor Metis since classes began, mostly because he felt there was an unspoken rule that it was inappropriate to go crawling back to your mentor so soon after leaving the nest. He fidgeted.

"I thought we weren't allowed," he admitted uncertainly, "To go back, I mean."

“What do you mean by allowed? Who is going to enforce that?” Hades sighs. “I’m sure she worries about you. Maybe she has some advice. I’m sure we would like some company that can hold a real conversation.”

If they were going to go back, he’d have to rope Hythlodaeus into it, too. That wouldn’t be difficult. As much as Hades was soft in his studies from time to time, Hythlodaeus was even worse. His gift made him lazy.

“At worst, we’ll bring gifts and ingratiate ourselves.”

Prometheus sort of stared at him for a bit, clearly flummoxed at Hades so easily planning what he'd assumed to be a forbidden thing.

"But, I mean, we've completed that stage in our development," he said slowly, like he was trying to figure out the answer to his question before he finished asking it, "We weren't allowed to return to the creche, and no one else's talked about going back to their mentors, so I thought... it was one of those 'unspoken rules'?"

“You turned a wing of the dorms into an aviary. When have you ever cared about the rules?” He was right, and he knew it. This was just Prometheus’ stupid social anxiety kicking into high gear.

“Also you don’t talk to people and you don’t care about the rest of the unspoken rules, so how would you know? Adjusting to change is difficult, even when you want it. There’s a little joke that the instructors are just students who simply out-stayed everyone else.”

“And anyway, the crèche is different. What would be back there for us?”

Well, it all sounded stupid when Hades explained it all like that. Prometheus felt his face warm, crossing his arms in discomfort as he looked away. He hated feeling stupid, especially when it came to these kind of social things. While he excelled in almost everything academic and practical, when it came to socialising and figuring out people...

"Well, nothing, I guess..." he mumbled quietly, "But, if it's fine then, sure. Whatever. We can visit Mom- M-Metis! We can visit Metis!"

Hades' grin spread at the accidental word choice. "I think it's natural to want to see her. And natural to think of her as Mom. We were a people that used to raise our children as separate families once upon a time. I think we still long for that."

Hades nonchalantly takes his ice cream back. "So, if we're taking you on vacation... Where would you like to go?"

"I said we could visit Metis, not go on vacation," Prometheus said, just to be a contrary little shit, but he did give it some thought.

"Well, I'm not allowed to leave the city without 'proper supervision'..." Which meant an 'adult' or Mentor Metis would have to accompany him, which was just lame. Prometheus wanted a vacation, not a field trip like he was a baby again. So, it'd have to be within the bounds of Amaurot, which was a little dull. There wasn't anything interesting in the city. Well, unless...

Prometheus glanced at Hades thoughtfully, "What if we go... ruin-diving?"

Amaurot, after all, was built on the crumbling skeleton of a very ancient settlement - the Great Bath was one of few buildings that survived to the current age, mostly because of dedicated historians upkeeping its maintenance. But below the city, tangled amongst the modern sewer system and normally avoided due to its derelict nature, were ancient ruins. Kids used to enter the upper chambers leading into it on dares, but only the crazy yet curious archeologist-types really went in there.

It was dangerous, but nothing an Amaurotine couldn't handle. A few shielding spells, air purification aura, a non-flammable light, etcetera, and it should be a fun adventure!

Luckily for Prometheus, Hades hardly ever turned down a proper chance to flex his powers. And he had never actually been in the ruins.

"There's a beach right there," Hades said in half-hearted protest. But this was for Prometheus. "... That does sound like fun, I suppose. I'm sure Hythlodaeus will want to come. All three of us may as well perish at once instead of just us two."

He was being a bastard about it, but he was genuine in that he would join for an adventure. "He's a better healer than you, anyway."