Chapter Text
Zag,
Morning. Mother usually cooks around 9, or you can help yourself, as I’m sure you’re aware. I work until 8, if you plan on staying here. If not, I’ll see you around. Try to not get abandoned anywhere after midnight if you can help it.
P.S. Anything Hypnos says is a lie.
P.P.S. I found him the other day while cleaning. Thought you’d like to know he’s safe. If you want him, he’s yours.
Thanatos
Zagreus holds the stuffed rat tenderly in his hand as he reads over the letter, which is even more of a challenge to decipher Than’s tone than verbally. But giving Mort to him, surely that must mean something. And if he knows Than, not accepting him will be seen as a rejection.
He stuffs Mort in his jacket pocket.
He’d awoken when Than did, though the other was surprisingly fast in turning of his alarm. Zag feigned sleep as he heard Than gather some clothes and leave his room with the faintest click he had almost missed it.
He slept for a solid four more hours after that, still recovering from the emotional wreck yesterday was– having a hsteric Aphrodite turn against him causing Dionysus to cry had not been on his agenda, and neither had Than confessing to… whatever last night was. Loneliness? Anger? Jealousy?
Zagreus leaves to go to the bathroom, rooting around in the cupboard until he finds the spare toothbrush that he claimed years ago and… promptly realizes he should probably get a new one. How long were toothbrushes meant to be kept? Should he–
“Oh, hey, Zag! Sorry, didn’t knock, not used to people here after Than and Mom leave. Hey, we’re bathroom buddies!” Hypnos says, bursting in on Zag holding his toothbrush retrospectively.
“Yeah, sure,” he says distractedly. “Hey, so, is Than mad at me?”
Hypnos hums, rubbing an eye, “He sure is! Don’t worry though, he still likes you.”
So I haven’t totally fucked up our friendship, Zag thought. Though, in all his worrying about Than, he hadn’t really considered his brother. Just because they weren’t as close doesn’t mean Hypnos deserves this treatment either.
“I… wanted to apologize. I realized I haven’t really been fair to you or Thanatos. I really didn’t mean to ignore you two, everything just… changed so quickly. I hope you can forgive me.”
Hypnos waved a hand at him, “No worries, I gotcha. New family, new people, all very exciting! Nice to know you didn’t forget about us, though.”
“I don’t think I could,” Zag insists. “You guys were my first real family, I think.”
“Aw, sweet,” Hypnos croons. “Do you think I could piss now, though? Not to ruin the moment.”
Zagreus sighs.
“Sure, go ahead.”
*
He has a plan. Well– parts of a plan.
Than deserves something nice, he’s decided. The man doesn’t do much other than work for his Father, and Gods know he doesn’t get many breaks from him.
After sounding some ideas off Hypnos– some helpful, some… not, he comes up with a plan for dinner. Homemade dinner, after Hyp confesses his brother has taken a habit of getting shitty fast food after work out of exhaustion.
Problem is, he can’t cook. Last time he tried to his Father had yelled at him for probably half an hour and Dusa still hasn’t gotten the scorch marks out of their counters.
So, Eurydice.
“Please,” he begs, “I will owe you so many favors. As many as you want. I’ll get you another bottle of Nectar, hm?”
Eurydice hums through the phone, “Hm, interesting. And if I were to say yes, what is this even for? You’re just that hungry?”
“It’s for Than. I kind of… hurt him. Recently. And I want to make it up through a nice dinner.”
“Aw!” she squeals, “You should’ve said it was for your marriage problems. I would’ve said yes right away!”
“Still aren’t married,” he reminds her, “not even dating. But Gods, thank you. Could I pick it up around six?”
“Not yet, you mean. And sure, that sounds good. I’ll even throw in some exta Pom dessert for my two favorite lovers,” she teases.
“You’re a blessing. Seriously.”
He had managed to get a hold of Nyx to let her know his plans. She was very supportive of this idea, promising to keep herself and Hypnos out of the house during dinner even though Zag insisted it wasn’t necessary.
“I can even get some food for you two! I don’t want to kick you out of your own house, Nyx. Really.”
“Nonsense, child,” she chided. “It is of no worry. It would be benfiifcal to spend time alone with him, I believe. It’s far past the time for Hypnos and I to be together, as well.”
Hence, the food situation is solved with solid family approval, all he needed left was decor. Zag cleared off the dining table and found a red tablecloth in a corridor, even snipping a few flowers from the garden to be the centerpiece. If people didn’t want Zagreus randomly cutting things they wouldnt leave him with scissors, he reasons.
It looks… almost good enough. He sets out some plates and silverware, gingerly adding Mort next to the flowers after, and it was done.
He’d been so busy preparing the setting of their night, he forgot about himself. Zag was still running around in sweats and Than’s old college T-shirt when the man came home.
Zagreus was fighting with the stove when he heard the front door open, and rushed out to confirm it was him.
There Than stood, cluncking down keys in the bowl and toeing off his shoes.
“Zag. I wasn’t sure if you’d stay.” Than says, and Zag tries to not feel the bitterness in his words.
“Of course. I actually… well, I have a surprise.”
Than raises an eyebrow at that, looking slightly flushed.
“Um, it’s almost done, so give me like, uh, one minute. Just relax or– something,” Zag says, feeling more and more nervous by the minute.
“Are you okay?”
He gives a thumbs-up as he dashes to the kitchen to plate their meals, noting a splash of sauce on his shirt, shit. There’s no hiding that now.
“Okay, you can come in,” Zag calls, feeling slightly like a failure. Half of their food looked slightly burned where he had left it on the stove too long. He just realized he hasn’t found any napkins yet.
“What…?” Than questions, walking in and freezing.
“I made dinner,” he blurts, desparate to fill the silence. “Well, kinda, Eurydice cooked it but that’s only because I’m not trying to kill you. But I kinda– burned some of it? And I just realized I got a stain on your shirt. I’m sorry. This isn’t going very well,” he states matter-of-factly.
“You made dinner for me. Wearing my clothes. And you–” Than mutters, stepping forward to grasp Mort.
“I’m not saying I don’t want him” Zag assures, “I just thought maybe he’d be good decoration. Like before,” he adds.
“You...why?”
Than doesn’t look mad, just… baffled. Maybe a smidge of hopefulness in his tone.
“You’re important to me. I think… perhaps the most. And I haven’t been good to you lately, so I wanted you to know. How much I care.”
“Care?” Than echoes.
“Care. And, y’know. Love,” he confessed quietly. He felt pinned under Than’s gaze, unable to say anything but the truth.
Than seems to move to him as if gliding, Mort returning to his spot on the table.
“You love...” Than says, so quietly he almost misses it.
Something flutters in Zag’s stomach. He could scarcely believe this was happening.
“I love you.”
Zagreus did not imagine this is where the night would lead, but Gods if he wasn’t grateful for what his nervousness and chatter had gotten him.
He could see Than’s pupils dilating, moving closer. “I love you too,” he whispers, hands gracing Zag’s waist. Their height difference felt obvious now with Than towering over him, Zag’s chin tilting in response.
“The food is gonna get cold,” he hears himself say as their lips grow closer, as if being pulled by a force beyond them.
“I’m willing to deal with that,” Than whispers in response, lips finally meeting Zag’s in a soft, tender touch. He could taste coffee as Than’s mouth opened and he followed, hands seeking out his shoulders. They moved together until Zag’s back hit the wall, Than letting out a small moan.
“Okay wait,” Zag interrupts, pulling away, “Though I could happily stay here all night, I’m seriously not gonna reheat the food again. We should eat.”
Thanatos scoffs in disbelief, mouth forming a small grin.
“You’re impossible. But yes, let’s eat.”