Chapter Text
It appeared that a couple of days weren't enough to get prepared for such an event, indeed.
Every shop selling either clothes or accessories was fully crowded; hairdressers and barbers could hardly keep up with the amount of customers coming in. In a span of one day the town became livelier than ever, people chatting and gossiping about why in the world such a famous family would acquire a property in this part of the region; it was nothing but a bed of countryside, with nothing more than forests and meadows, crossed by quiet rivers and dirty paths.
And yet, sightseeing would be the only reason to bring such dignitaries around here, Thanatos reasoned. Perhaps were they cast away from the main family branch; that could explain it. Or was it a whim of sorts from Miss Aphrodite? She was known for having the oddest fantasies at the strangest timings. It could also be Hermes' own will, or perhaps were they eloping, Olympia family was so big it was hard to tell at which degree their parentage could be.
Anyway, reflecting on this didn't solve Thanatos' current issue. Right now, his biggest predicament was to actually find a way to trim his hair correctly, by himself. If he couldn't care less about the outfit he would wear—some formal slacks and jacket would do for sure—he was, however, determined not to let anyone see the poor state of his hair.
Hypnos had suggested letting him cut it—at least the split ends—but Thanatos refused in a flash: no way in hell he would let his brother do his hair, or any kind of styling that would involve his own body. Thanatos would always remember that time when Hypnos tried to file his nails: he knew his brother asked with a sincere intention to help, but Hypnos was just way too clumsy for his own good. The simple idea of asking Eris or Nemesis was out of way, and seeking for his mother's help felt a bit too shameful for his taste.
So there he was, staring at the mirror in the bathroom, struggling to find a way not to show his lack of hair-care. At least the softness was still present thanks to the last remains of his conditioner, but that aside... He could just take that damn pair of scissors and cut it short, once and for all, but he knew the regret would be instantaneous: he looked grim enough already, no need to push it further.
Thanatos tried leaving his hair down, and arranged it so the strands would frame his face, save for one that would cover a part of his forehead. Then he tried a low ponytail—an option he quickly gave up on as it only made him look like a teenager. High ponytail? Old fashioned. Side ponytail? Too fancy; though the idea wasn't that bad. And no way he would make a bun.
After another failed attempt, Thanatos ruffled his hair with a frustrated groan. It was reduced to a messy and all fuzzy silver mane, and perhaps he would just go like this then.
"This is ridiculous," he muttered to his reflected image. Getting worked up over hair trimming wasn't in his habit; he was just this close to throw everything away and remain alone in the house while everyone else would go at this stupid party.
Then a picture of Charon with one of his rare smiles, formed in his mind.
If even Charon showed the will to try to socialize with people, even if it was for the sake of their mother, then...
Thanatos sighed and rubbed his temple. He didn't like being stuck over something, particularly when it involved such a trivial matter.
He peered at the mirror. Seeing the mess he had caused himself to his own hair, Thanatos let out a long sigh and began to comb it all over again. Maybe he should just go with a beanie.
"Hey, Thanny!" Hypnos' voice came from the other side of the door, "can I get in? Urgent stuff!"
"The toilets are in the next room."
"Not this urgent stuff, I mean other stuff! Come on, hurry up!"
Sighing, Thanatos paused his fight and went to unlock the door. As soon as it cracked open, a huge pile of clothes barged in and half crashed against the nearest wardrobe. Hypnos sighed in relief and gave a thumb up to Thanatos with a smile.
"Saving the day as always, twin of mine!"
"Did you just decide to move all the content of your dressing?" Thanatos asked skeptically. "Odd timing."
"Heh, I could have, but I gotta tell you got it all wrong, brother," Hypnos mused as he began to sort the clothes between tops and bottoms. "Gotta find something good to wear for tonight."
Thanatos huffed. "Aren't you a bit late for that?"
"Aren't you?" Hypnos countered with a mischievous smile. "Lucky us we got several bathrooms, you've been locked here for the past hour."
Thanatos suppressed an offended groan and resumed his previous struggle, turning back to the mirror and staring at himself. Behind him, he heard the sound of clothes being tossed in the hamper and the soft humming chant of Hypnos to break the silence.
"Have you tried braiding your hair?" Hypnos asked after another failed attempt.
A frown drew on Thanatos' face and he stopped himself to make a mess of his hair.
His eyes lit up in realization. No, he hadn't—surprisingly enough.
Then, meticulously, Thanatos pulled three large strands, only leaving two locks to frame his face and one to cover a part of his forehead. As he did so, he applied a bit of hair wax on the roots and ends to make it look soft and bright, and braided the strands loosely. His fingers worked smoothly, weaving through the hair with ease, finding their way as if he'd never stopped to do it after he grew up. Once he was done, Thanatos bound his braid with a tight black hair-tie—the one decorated with a fancy purple colored butterfly—and did a quick check, turning his head to the right and left.
It actually didn't look that bad. Behind him, Hypnos woo-ed appreciatively before resuming his task. Perhaps Eris and Nemesis would have their own comment on his hairstyle choice, but Thanatos didn't care; at least he wouldn't have to stuff his hair under a hat.
And really, he was ready to get bored at this party, anyway.
***
Charon wasn't the stylish type, so to say. He went with his old fashioned dark purple jacket and a pair of black pants. Thanatos did pretty much the same, tucking his formal outfit from the hanger in his wardrobe. It was just a plain dark grey suit, with golden lines around the collar and cuffs; an outfit that would make him go unnoticed for a party of this scale. They would do their best to leave a good impression to please their mother, then would find a quiet spot (as much as it would be possible) to remain at for the whole night. It was a win-win deal.
That was the plan, though Thanatos didn't think about any what-if situations that could happen if someone, anyone, showed interest in them. It would hardly happen anyway; Eris would try to steal the show for sure.
"Nervous?" Charon asked in his high pitched and raspy voice.
Thanatos lifted his head from the book he couldn't focus on reading. "What for? Tonight? Why would I be?" he said with a frown.
"You keep fidgeting your hair when you're nervous," Charon noted, pointing out Thanatos' now messy braid.
"Tsk— I'm not nervous. It's just, I'm not used to those fancy parties, I don't like crowds, and it's going to be so damn noisy," he complained when rearranging his hair. "I only do it for Mother's sake and yours. Those Olympias don't seem to have any hint of an idea that you don't organize large scale parties at the last minute."
"You're nervous," Charon concluded with a nod.
He wasn't very talkative, but when he was, Charon could be quite annoying . Thanatos scoffed and resumed reading the novel he still couldn't focus on, brows knitted together and started to fidget with his braid again.
He didn't like when Charon was absolutely right.
***
The Asphodel estate wasn't that far from their home—not from Nyx's perspective: for a lot of people, walking a half an hour was a big no, but to Thanatos it was just a matter of a habit.
The family left early so they would enjoy the freshness of October's falling night. For an unknown reason, Nyx loved to watch the darkening sky and the stars slowly patching it with their distant and bright light. The sky was clear and the wind had calmed down; if it wasn't for the chilly temperature, the weather could almost be mistaken for summer.
Nyx led the group, clad in magnificent dark purple robes—a couturier masterpiece that she wore for special occasions only. The numerous silky veils almost floated in her trail, and never once grazed the dirt of the road. Her steps were so swift and assured, as if she was gliding, never bothered by the irregularities of the path she was walking on. Her makeup was flawless as well, with purple eyeshadow tainting her lids and black khôl to enhance the brightness of her gold irises. She had chosen light jewelry to compensate for the fantasy of the colors, with a pair of amethyst earrings and an onyx pendant choker to decorate her pale and delicate neck. Nyx was truly a surreal beauty, and didn't earn the Starlight Lady nickname out of nowhere.
She was followed by Eris, Nemesis, and Hypnos, all three chatting lively about the party, while Charon and Thanatos followed a few steps behind. As expected, their younger siblings had done their best to look ostentatious, it was almost embarrassing.
Hypnos had chosen a flashy red outfit and had tied up his messy curly hair with his favored poppy hairpin he had searched for a couple of hours (I swear I really lost it accidentally in your desk! he had said again to justify himself). His silhouette, tall and thin, made him look quite elegant and feminine. Too bad his high pitched tone ruined the charm.
Eris and Nemesis wore matching high-brand attire, and various silvery Gothic-styled accessories wrapped around their neck and wrists. Coupled with their excited cries, they sure wouldn't get unnoticed.
Thanatos and Charon contrasted them very much. Admittedly, a dark purple three piece and a grey and gold suit weren't very common, but honestly who would care where they were going to.
Thanatos' biggest worry was actually Eris and her flawless ability to bring unwanted attention and chaos. His mind began to flourish with what-if scenarios about his little sister causing ruckus at the party, and in consequence, he began to fidget his braid as the thoughts snaked around his brain, scenarios getting more and more disastrous and—
"Than, it's okay," Charon said.
Thanatos blinked and looked at his brother. "...Were I that obvious?"
"You chew on your hair when you're too nervous."
"... Ah."
A faint blush rose on his cheeks when Thanatos checked. Well, they probably still had a bit of walk, probably enough time for him arrange it—
"We have arrived, children," Nyx announced.
Oh, dammit.
They had walked through a long alley bordered with high trees, and were now standing right in front of the main gates of Asphodel estate.
The garden preceding the main building was magnificent, mostly made of red plants.
Everything was perfectly maintained, from the freshly mowed grass to the finely trimmed bushes bordering the alleys, and the roses snaking along arches and various decorations. But it was the heart of the garden that made Thanatos’ mouth fall agape.
It was a patch of grass, holding a single piece of furniture: a finely forged bench, situated right at the center. It was protected from the sky by three large pomegranate trees planted around it, where the branches intertwined to form a natural roof. Three ranges of poppies encircled the place, themselves separated from the main path with white stones.
"Whoaaa … they like poppies!" Hypnos observed. "They must be good people, right?"
"Isn't it a bit too much red?" Nemesis commented.
"Nothing is too much red! I like this place already! Let's hurry in!"
"Children, please behave," Nyx demanded softly.
As they passed by that fascinating sight, Thanatos noticed a small path made to allow access to the bench in the middle. During summer, there was no doubt the master of the house would have a perfect view from there.
Squinting his eyes in the dark, he could still distinguish a few details on the said bench.
The seat looked to be a real piece of forgery. The armrests were shaped like fanciful seahorses, while the back was made of thin trails of silvery metal, much like the pomegranate branches, with leaves carved in a circle and painted in gold (he believed, it was hard to tell in the dim light of the lamps lightening the road) at the very center. Even the feet were carefully made, shaped like curled fishes.
Thanatos felt a soft twitch at the tip of his fingers. He couldn't wait to open his sketchbook he had carefully tucked under his jacket, and write some words about this garden. Maybe with chance, he could escape from the crowd and try to seek retreat there; it looked large enough for his tall frame to lay comfortably.
"Hey Than, stop daydreaming, come on!" Hypnos' voice called from afar.
Thanatos snapped out of his reverie and noticed everyone—including Charon who smirked knowingly—was waiting for him at the entrance of the main place. Feeling heat rushing to his face, he hurried to join them.
***
It was crowded indeed.
The sumptuous dining room, though quite large, almost looked cramped under the crushing number of guests and employees swimming around like fish zig-zagging across reefs, dodging drinks and plates expertly to avoid any unlucky incident.
Thanatos' group scattered like bees as soon as they made their way on the ground floor; Eris and Nemesis hurried to a group of young men sitting at a table, while Hypnos stared at the buffet. Nyx couldn't hold back a light sigh and sat at a near table with Charon and Thanatos, finally able to rest from their long walk.
Thanatos looked around and observed the master of the house was quite into the red color. Everything, from the table sets to the window curtains, was made of various hues of red fabric, from crimson to yellow, like a hell fire. Coupled by the natural heat emitted by the crowd, it was close to being suffocating and soon enough, Thanatos felt the urge to move away.
"Are you unwell, Thanatos?" Nyx asked with a hint of concern.
"Just… need a breath," he muttered as he stood up abruptly.
"I’m coming with you," Charon said.
"Be cautious not to run into anyone, children. And try to keep an eye on your siblings as well, if possible."
"We will," Thanatos promised.
They both got up and struggled to reach the stairs leading to the upper floor.
The upstairs landing was a long corridor going around the whole floor, with an opening on the center that allowed them to see everything below, and was secured with a guardrail. Thankfully it was deserted when they arrived, as most of the guests preferred to enjoy the space beneath, making the air cooler and more breathable here. They both rested their arms on the guardrail and observed the party.
At the other end of the dining room was a quintet, made of a piano, two violins, a trumpet and a vocalist. Old fashioned but enjoyable, Thanatos noted. They were quite skilled, and a few people stayed near the little orchestra to listen to them.
His eyes drifted towards the buffet, and noticed a red-colored spot around the long table, indicating that Hypnos was roaming there, seemingly enjoying every single plate. Thanatos squinted his gaze to check on his younger sisters. He saw one of them, likely Nemesis from the black and white hair, dancing with two young men near the terrace. It was rare for her and Eris to separate ways, especially during parties. And it was concerning, actually: Eris was unpredictable, and she could cause a ruckus at any time, and thus bring the whole family into trouble. Thanatos searched for any hint of pale skin or silky black hair, feeling just a bit alarmed. He eventually found her coming back from the terrace accompanied by a man, and she looked quite excited. Thanatos sighed in relief and let his eyes wander around.
He spotted their mother, and the guilt snaking in his stomach about leaving her at her table faded when Thanatos observed she wasn't alone. A good looking man was sitting across from her, clad in an ink black suit, that contrasted strongly with the brightness of his white hair. They both looked to have an interesting conversation, as far as Thanatos could tell from his perch.
That aside, some people were dancing on the stage, while most of them were chatting, making their way through the crowd, or going back and forth between the terrace and the reception hall. Nothing out of the ordinary and, more importantly, his sisters weren't causing any trouble. From the corner of his eyes, he noticed Charon looked relieved as well. Relaxed, even.
As they watched over the party, Thanatos came to wonder which ones in the crowd were their hosts. If they were related, then there was a chance they would be sticking together, talking to some people. Thus, a man and a woman, most probably dressed in formal and eye-catching attire. But everyone was dressed in formal and noticeable attire. Couples made of a man and woman were countless down there, as well as the number of larger groups. They could be anywhere, and it was strange they didn't announce themselves yet.
"Oh, hey there, tired of the crowd already I suppose? Well, I guess even the terrace may be a bit crowded, huh. I didn't expect so many people to attend the party, though I'm grateful they accepted our invitation!"
Thanatos and Charon jumped a few inches and whirled around.
Right on their left was a young man leaning against the guardrail and looking at them with a wide grin. He was dressed in a splendid white tuxedo decorated with an orange cravat; something perfectly visible from anywhere. He was also quite good looking with his light tan skin, dark brown hair and strangely shining black eyes.
"Ah, yeah, I know, I know," the man laughed, "I always make this impression. I'm quite skilled at hiding my presence, sneaking in and all; some quirk of mine I'd say, I also like to jump right into the main topic in a conversation, because there's no need to keep beating around the bush, don't you agree?"
Both Thanatos and Charon blinked. This stranger was a faster speaker, to say the least.
"Oh, yeah, sorry, I forgot my good manners!" the man said again as he reached a hand out. "I'm Hermes Olympia, nice to meet you."
The two brothers gaped.
Hermes Olympia.
They didn't know what to expect from their hosts; but neither Thanatos nor Charon would have suspected it would've been someone this young—hell, the guy looked to be barely older than them, if not the same age.
Nevertheless, Thanatos quickly recalled he had a behavior to keep, and gathered himself. "I am Thanatos. Thanatos Khthónios. And this is my older brother, Charon."
The latter nodded and reached for Hermes' hand as well in a brief and firm handshake.
"Woa, you got quite broad hands, mate!" Hermes observed. "Well, you both have quite the look, heh, I must say I saw plenty of guests tonight but you two are quite the pair, outshining them all for sure, I tell you."
They both glanced at each other and blinked, doing their best to suppress the embarrassment their friendly—but maybe-too-openly-honest—host was causing them. Hermes didn't seem to mind though, and kept talking.
"Oh, have you eaten anything by the way? The buffet has been made by my brother, Dionysus. I'm sure you will like it, but—ah—maybe you guys don't want to go down there, right? Just wait a minute, I'll come back with some samples!"
And without waiting for them to respond, Hermes flew downstairs.
Thanatos and Charon stared at each other, processing what just happened.
"...Did our host just talk to us and compliment us and actually go out of his way to offer us food?" Thanatos said.
"Guess so."
Thanatos rubbed his temple. His plan should have been flawless; no one should have ever noticed them. And yet, not only had the very master of the house run into them, but also took a liking to them as well, it seemed. What's more, Hermes was a real chit-chat, and even though he looked sincerely friendly, his nature reminded him a bit too much of his younger siblings, especially Hypnos.
Hermes was also a man of his word, and came back with a plate crumbling under a large set of various amuse-bouche and toasts.
"And there!" he announced proudly. "I don't know what you like so I picked a little bit of anything I could get a hand with. You should try the salmon mousse, it's delicious! Oh, but there's also this, here, it's a verrine of avocado and shrimp; my own Uncle Poseidon made a special delivery of sea products for tonight's party, you see, hopefully you don't have an allergy by the way?"
His way of speaking was too much for Thanatos. He wasn't a slow mind, but Hermes' quick paced way of speaking managed to make his head feel dizzy. The overall buzzy noise from the party wasn't helping either, and soon enough, Thanatos felt like rubbing his temples to soothe an incoming headache. He glanced at Charon, convinced his brother surely wasn't looking any bet—
"I'll take this," Charon said, picking a toast with butter and caviar.
Oh, great.
Hermes beamed and picked a piece as well, raising the slice of bread to cheer at his guest.
Thanatos gaped. Charon wasn't known to be greatly sociable. He wasn't very talkative, merely nodding or mumbling most of the time. For him to openly initiate a gesture and respond to an invite, what was happening to him?
"Hey, pal’, you alright? You're making a face," Hermes observed, a furrow of concern drawing on his face.
"Oh, hum, nothing, just need a breath, if you excuse me…" Thanatos apologized and rushed outside without further explanation.
***
Of all his siblings, Charon was the one Thanatos least expected to befriend anyone here. He couldn't resent him for that, of course, but it was ironic that the least talkative guest of this party ended up discussing with, apparently, the most chatty one. And the host of the night, at that. If Fate existed, it sure made quite an outcome for Charon tonight.
Thanatos inhaled the fresh air of the garden as soon as he stepped outside, replenishing his lungs with the pleasant scent of poppies and roses. Perfectly delightful.
He walked along the alley, eyes half closed, enjoying the pleasure of the silence, the chilly wind of autumn, and the serenity of the night. The sky was clear, the moon was high, very good for his inspiration. Thanatos pulled his sketchbook and his pencil from his jacket and decided to give a try at writing a few words; after looking around, his eyes caught sight of that bench he saw earlier.
Well, there was no sign forbidding people to trespass, so no one would mind anyway, right? As long as he didn't trample the flowers, there was no reason anyone would scold him for finding a seat outside. And it was pretty much the only piece of furniture to sit on.
Thanatos breathed in and darted in that direction, careful not to scratch his clothes when approaching the roses, and made his way on the short path. An arch had been made at the entrance; though currently there was no more wisteria on the bars, during its season there was no doubt it would be magnificent.
When he reached the bench, though, his body froze. Someone, it seemed, was already there, seemingly sleeping according to the faint snore he could hear.
Definitely, if Fate existed, they surely took a liking to teasing him. Where could he go now? He couldn't just sit on the path nor the grass, his pants would be ruined.
The shape suddenly moved, emitting a familiar noise of someone grumbling in their sleep. Though the weather wasn't that cold, it was still impressive that anyone was able to sleep so soundly at such a time.
From his position, Thanatos could observe that the person has jet black hair; even though the dim light of the moon, it looked darker than Hermes'. He slowly approached and walked around the bench to face the silhouette, curiosity winning over his reason. Then his heart stopped for a second.
It was a man.
A beautiful young man, his brain instantly registered (and Thanatos blamed it for noticing such a trivial detail firsthand), clad in a magnificent three piece outfit mostly colored red, white and black. From the faint glow of the moon Thanatos could observe the stranger looked younger than him, though appearances could be tricky. His height looked to be short enough to allow him to fully lean on the seat, and he had bundled his jacket under his head to sleep more comfortably. Thanatos was impressed to see the man sleeping so peacefully when the temperature wasn't very accommodating for a nap, especially at this hour.
Words began to rush into his mind. Words of fantasy, of poetry, about fairies and mystical creatures living in the woods. Of a single soul, hair colored as black as crows' feathers, wandering in a foreign landscape. Of pomegranate trees aligned along a dirty path, their red leaves flying on the autumn wind.
Thanatos quickly opened his sketchbook and, unbothered by the fact he was still standing, wrote his ideas down. His pen ran on the pages, with that ever satisfying soft scratching sound of the tip sliding on the paper. The world slowly shut down around him, leaving only him, his book and his ideas running wild and free.
"No one ever told you it was weird standing before sleeping people?" a voice suddenly spoke.
Thanatos jumped so violently he dropped both his fountain pen and book. He lifted his head to the source of those words, and blinked as he came back to reality.
The young man was staring at him, apparently fully awake now, and Thanatos got instantly struck by the eyes looking at him. Two mismatched irises gleamed in the dark, one as crimson as embers, the other shining in a vivid green.
Beautiful.
"Hey, are you listening?" the stranger asked with a hint of annoyance.
"Ah—Sorry. I was just— trying to get some air," Thanatos explained clumsily.
"By staring at me in my sleep? You've got a weird taste."
"I wasn't staring, I was—"
Thanatos clasped his mouth shut before it was too late: no way in the world he was going to say he had been carried away by a stranger's beauty.
The man arched his brow, then looked at Thanatos' feet, and frowned. "Wait… were you drawing a portrait of me ?" he asked incredulously.
Before Thanatos could bend to pick up his book, the man stood up and snatched it in a flash. Then, without invitation, he opened it and flipped the pages randomly. His gaze seemed to soften when he realized that Thanatos wasn't some sort of creep; a light frown still remained on his face, though.
"This is a bunch of prose," the man stated after a while. "So what, you're a writer? Or a poet?"
"Hm, a bit of both," Thanatos said tightly. "Anyway, can you give that back to me now, please ? It's personal."
He only got an absent hum in response, as the man stopped turning the pages to read a poem. Thanatos felt his stomach twist and tense. He didn't want to be rude, for obvious reasons, but his hands started to sweat, yearning to snatch his precious sketchbook away from that obnoxious man.
"Hm. Not bad," the stranger commented as he handed the book back. "But I've seen better, I guess. If you're a poet, then you still have a long way to go."
Thanatos' mouth dropped. Who did this guy think he was? Of course Thanatos wasn't a poet—not at a professional level, though—of course he still had a long way to go. He felt his nerves starting to tense, and the need to tell that guy a piece of his mind slowly rose.
"Hey, coz! Are you there?" a familiar voice suddenly called from the mansion. "Come on, don't miss the party, there's a dance contest, you should take a look!"
They both frowned, turned around, and walked out of the patch of grass to see who was speaking.
Hermes was waving at them, and close to joining them if he needed to. Then, Thanatos' brows pinched together as he connected the dots. "Coz… ?" he repeated slowly.
The stranger sighed and scratched the back of his head. "Yeah… Hermes is my cousin. He insisted on bringing me to this party, though I'm not a big fan of crowds." He stretched and picked up his all wrinkled jacket to pull it on, then headed back to the building.
"The bench is free now, though I'm sorry, no more models to stare at," he said, gesturing to the bench before departing.
Despite the dimness of the moonlight, Thanatos swore he saw the man snarking before he turned away.
Really. This was the worst night ever.