Work Text:
“Dusa?”
The Gorgon gave a start at the mention of the fond nickname that had been bestowed upon her by the Underworld Prince.
“Oh…! Yes, Prince?” she asked, blushing slightly.
“I just wanted to see how the feast preparations were coming,” Zagreus said. “…Are you alright, though?”
“Oh, yes, yes—just fine!” Dusa insisted, beaming. “I’ve been supervising the preparations and am pleased to report that everything is going according to plan! No detail has been missed!”
“Glad to hear it—though I never had any doubt,” Zagreus commented. “But I am concerned about you; you seem a bit… out of it.”
“I was just… going over the place settings…” Dusa trailed off as she glanced over two of the place settings, one which had been marked with the Crest of Poseidon, and the one beside it, marked with the Crest of Athena.
“…Dusa?”
“I do love working here, Prince,” Dusa said, seemingly changing the subject. “I value your friendship, more than anything. You’ve shown such kindness to everyone, but even to those who were sent here for misdeeds that they’d done in life. Sisyphus is one of them. You took a look at his shackles and you decided that they didn’t matter. Well, he’s not the only one with shackles—others carry them, even if you don’t see them.”
“…What are you saying?”
“You asked me once about my past, and I told you I didn’t want to talk about it—but that I’m no longer the person I once was,” Dusa said.
“Yes, I remember.”
“While I am ready to put that behind me, I have no way of knowing if… certain members of your family are ready to do the same. And I don’t know what feelings I’ll have if I see them again.” She looked more embarrassed than Zagreus had ever seen her before. “There were a lot of negative feelings from everyone involved.”
“Dusa,” Zagreus said, gently. “Would you prefer not having to be present at the feast?”
Her face continued to burn with embarrassment.
“I’m so sorry, Prince—!”
“Dusa, you have nothing to apologize for. I know my family isn’t easy to get along with. You don’t have to tell me what happened; I’ll make excuses for you if anyone asks for you—assuming that even happens. With Dionysus’s wine, focus tends to be… very restricted, shall we say?”
“Prince… thank you,” the Gorgon replied, her eyes glistening with tears of gratitude.
“Think nothing of it, Dusa—you don’t realize how good a friend you’ve been to me; something like this is the very least I can do.” He gave her a smile of encouragement. “I need to go have a word with the Head Chef; will you be alright?”
“I will, Prince,” Dusa promised.
She sighed as Zagreus headed off. The Prince was truly one of a kind; indeed, the kindness he had shown her had played a role in her decision to choose a better path for herself.
The old, negative feelings still threatened to push through—but she was better than that now, anyway.
…Still… It didn’t mean that she couldn’t be slightly petty, at least…
Dusa bit back a smirk as she casually switched the place settings around so that the Crest of Aphrodite was now on the Crest of Athena’s other side, knowing that the two goddesses couldn’t stand each other.
…Even Zagreus would get a laugh out of that.