Chapter Text
“Wednesday sent you.” Bilquis said, she had been expecting one of her dates to meet with her, had prepared herself for a different meeting than this one. When a boisterous trickster God slunk inside the smoky bar instead she was tempted to flee, and did, that was until he knocked on her door upstairs from the bar. She was faced with two options, jumping out the window or talking to him.
Damn, it had been years since they talked. It had ended as it always did, with her storming out. Nothing got under her skin quite as easy as the trickster God. She would crush him under her heel if she had the actual opportunity, but all their livelihoods were at risk, they needed all the Old Gods they could get, Anansi included.
“Of course he did. Thinks we’re friends.” He said and ducked, sliding under her arm and turning all in one fluid movement. Bilquis gripped the door handle tightly but did her best to remain calm, to keep her composure, to be the Queen she would always be.
“Why would he think that? What did you tell him?”
“Told him all the old Gods fell on hard times, thought you might be interested.”
“A war is coming, I just want to keep my head down and stay out of it.” Bilquis said, it wouldn’t be the first war and certainly not the last but she wanted to stay out of it regardless.
“And just how long you expect to hide?” He asked looking around her room, his eyes focused on the bed at the back wall, how the candles illuminated it. “Even I picked up on the missing persons ads. You think they won’t find you and end you once and for all.”
“I’ll be fine just like you’ve been fine.”
“This isn’t fine and they damn sure ain’t gonna be nice when they come for you. You should die on your feet rather than on your ass, or in your case, on your back.” He said and she walked over to him running at full force to slap him. As if she had wanted to be reduced to these horrible transactions.. He had always been so brash, and thought without speaking. For a supposed great storyteller he acted so foolish at times.
He caught her hand, his human form slipping as his chelicirae retracted before her, opening his dripping maw to reveal wisdom and the heart of man, which was pure darkness, deep unending darkness. It was frightening, it was beautiful. Anansi was so much more than a myth, more than a child’s story, he was frightening, he was beautiful. He had stolen from the Gods to give to man and what had he gotten in return? He had been forgotten.
“We could be great together. Makeda and Anansi. Love God and Trickster God, got a nice ring to it, don’t it?” He said, a million visions of Anansi passed over her eyes. He was the stranger watching her in the crowds, a child begging for scraps, the elder at the center of town, and a patron, one who had come to lay sacrifice at her altar at least once, and tried to swindle her out of a sacrifice at a completely different time.
“I don’t trick people.”
“Do you think they’d really come here if they knew what was gonna happen? Ain’t no piece of tail that good.” Anansi said and released her hand, he hadn’t looked away from her eyes and she smirked at him. In his form, his true form, he was still a God, an old God, but one who had come to pay his respect at her altar at one time another. For him. For his people. For Nyame. It wouldn’t be the first time he risked his life and pride for his people and they had forgotten, nor would it be the last.
Bilquis thought long and hard about what such a union with such a God would mean. What was a world without stories and love? Both required human connection and sacrifice at one time or another. Separate they were fine but together they would outlast the ages, the people, the ability to pass on stories of their greatness and love they had for their world and their subjects, that was damn near untouchable Even the new Gods couldn’t beat that. “What’s that look about?”
“I must be going crazy, actually considering working with you.”
“With me? No, for Wednesday.”
“Wednesday and I have our own issues. I’ll be dealing with you and you only.” Bilquis said immedaitely setting the terms.
“… There’s this new kid.” Wednesday said as he looked out the window before looking back at her.
“I know, but does he know? How long will you keep Shadow in the dark?”
“Makeda some things never change.” He said smiling at her, of course it was better to keep certain people in the dark until they were of use, “And I thought you didn’t keep your ears to the street.” He said and straightened his hat. “Well…”
“Well what?”
“Get ready. Time to go,” He said and tapped his watch, the damned thing looked fake and she assumed it was, “I hope you didn’t think I was gonna leave you here.”
“I can get there just fine.”
“And what type of gentlemen would I be if I let you go by yourself?”
“You’re a gentleman now?”
“Always have been, in my own way…some of the times…maybe..” He said and spun slipping into his form, his true form, as he rested on her shoulder. “And I’d take the backdoor.”
“Why?”
“That white boy with the crazy hair was outside.”
“I’d be better off jumping out the window.”
“If you think it’d save us time, sure. Go for it.”