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Sha-Cha did not think like most of the other constellations.
That was not to say they were better than their dear friends. It was merely a fact. Sha-Cha and the other ‘Evil Gods’ were not like either the Old Gods or the New Gods. The Old Gods had once, in such a distant past, been mortal. And yet years upon years of peace and existence had bored them and warped their perspectives. Leaving behind nothing but the thirst for cruelty in its wake.
The New Gods however had no such issues. They’d been alive for many generations, yes, and were currently far above their previous status of gods. And yet for some reason they…clung to their past.
None of them were completely aware of it aside from Sacrifice of course, but they were all so very human.
No, not just human- mortal.
Aldin had specifically chosen people who had no connection to their home. No loved ones they’d care to leave behind, no aspirations or goals, nothing that’d make them want to go back. It was quite clear that the constellations (aside from Jang-Wan once again) were all rather unattached to their pasts.
They embraced Avartin fully. They took to their roles without a second thought, creating, building, being. And to many of their followers and creations they must seem so grand. So vast.
But to Sha-Cha- a being so old -all they could see were children.
It was no secret why they’d ended up on Avartin. Fighting in a bloody and endless war against the Old Gods. Their children- the Deep Ones -were suffering. Falling into the monstrous maw of such a cruel world. Ocean could not stand it. Could not simply continue on with knowing those of theirs had been tricked and damned in such a way.
So they’d come, willingly, to such a horrible place.
When they’d first realized that the New Gods did not work for the Old Gods all they could think was how. Of course it was revealed later on that this was a ploy from Aldin and the Old Gods. And yet that question never truly left their mind, it simply changed shape. Changed form.
The how morphed into why.
Why would these mortals- gods- constellations choose to enter such a world? Struggle against one another, build up long forgotten civilizations, fight, be.
Until they realized how reminiscent it was of the fate of their own children.
Avartin was like a siren. Beauty had explained the concept of them once, alongside a variety of differing myths associated with them. Something beautiful, sure, but that was how it lured you in. Dangerous and breathtaking.
Sha-Cha hadn’t ever thought of it. Back on Avartin the New Gods were just more enemies who sought to plunge them back into years of suffering. Then they were unlikely allies against the Old Gods. And now they were something greater than what they used to be. Now, in the Hall of Myriad Stars which bustles with sound and laughter and sadness and joy and life—
They realize just how terribly young and mortal their precious friends were.
———
“Is something the matter Eldar?”
“Ah! No I- no nothing’s wrong,” Eldar said as they tried to clean up their spilt ingredients. Likely trying to create some new recipe for their cafes. Sha-Cha visited their cafes often, intrigued by how domestic they were.
“I’ve made you spill your ingredients, I must apologize,” Sha-Cha began but Eldar just shook their head. Waving off Ocean’s concern easily as they snapped and the mess disappeared with a faint glow. They then continued with what they’d been doing. Measuring, pouring, mixing- the smell wafting through the small kitchen.
“I’m fine, really. Having some company is actually quite nice.”
“If you truly don’t find my presence bothersome.”
“Of course not! You’re always welcome here.”
Sha-Cha stayed. They spent much of their time with their old friends of course, the family they’ve had for centuries, but they did not shy away from ‘hanging out’ as Enthusiasm liked to say. It felt like the least they could do to make up for any strife they’d unintentionally created for their dear friends. Even if Nebula insisted none of them minded. Water under a bridge, Eldar once described it. Sha-Cha quite liked the metaphor.
“Why are you doing this?”
“Hm?”
“Harmony tells me you’ve been baking for hours. Many hours. Are you not tired?” Sha-Cha’s words only earn them a bright smile. They start scooping out balls of dough onto a tray.
“I am. Not terribly so of course, being a constellation has its perks- but I’ve been working hard trying to develop a new recipe from these flowers native to that one forest in Nebula’s kingdom. The inhabitants use it as a flavoring agent in drinks so why not try and infuse it into foods like pastries? Every attempt has been slowly getting better,” Eldar explained happily. Grabbing the full tray and placing it into the oven.
“Why not just get a follower of yours to do it?” they did not understand why Eldar insisted on doing it themselves. They had plenty of chefs in their afterlife who’d be more than honored to develop such things.
“Where’s the fun in that?” Eldar huffed. Sha-Cha tilted their head to the side.
“It’s efficient.”
“Maybe so, but not everything needs to run based on efficiency. Sometimes it’s just more fun to do things yourself,” Eldar explained as they began whipping up frosting while opening the freezer to pull out a tray of chocolates. They smiled warmly while offering one of the small chocolate pieces. Ocean accepted it gracefully.
Sha-Cha sat back and watched as Eldar continued baking. Nibbling on the sweet as they tried to figure out what about Eldar’s words seemed to…stick.
The Old Gods had never been like this. They’d gotten rid of simple things such as chores or eating or any of the other hundreds of mortal traits that may have caused issues for them. They were constellations, far above the need to do simple labor such as baking. But Eldar seemed to genuinely enjoy the menial task.
Sha-Cha was startled out of their musings when Eldar offered them an empty bowl.
At their confused stare Eldar laughed, pushing a few ingredients near them as well as a whisk. They washed their hands- not by commanding themselves clean but by doing so manually -before walking over.
“I feel a bit bad doing all of this while you watch so, um, if you wouldn’t mind- baking can be a fun social activity as well?” their words were awkward and stilted but full of sincerity. Sha-Cha stared at the ingredients and found themselves…intrigued.
“I do not know how to bake.”
“That’s fine, I’ll teach you.”
“Are you certain you’re okay with this?”
“Of course,” Eldar smiled. They did that a lot. Somehow the years of war and conflict and perspective of true death hadn’t turned them bitter and hollow. It was that type of attitude that had made Sha-Cha place their faith in Nebula and his pantheon in the first place.
Well, it is not like I have much else planned, Sha-Cha hummed as Eldar instructed them to scoop out three ‘cups’ of flour. At the unfamiliar measurement term they tilted their head to the side, watching as Beauty flushed a soft pink as they murmured something about ‘America’ and ‘different measurements’.
The confusion was quickly resolved as Eldar repeated their instructions in the standardized measurement system from Avartin.
Sha-Cha wasn’t used to baking. Or doing any activity so…trivial. They were a constellation now, and a parent yes, but not a mortal parent. They’ve never cooked or cleaned or, well, worked before. Not to say they did not understand responsibility or such but fighting a war and baking pastries were two very different things. It was a level of domesticality that they’d never truly partaken in before. So many years spent in a seemingly endless war would do that to any being.
Despite Sha-Cha’s inexperience, the two constellations managed to create something edible.
“Here,” Eldar said as they pushed the steaming pastry into Ocean’s hands. Smiling as they held up their own floral treat. “You helped make it. Don’t you want to try it?”
Sha-Cha stared down at the colorful frosting piped to resemble a flower bud. Layered upon a warm pastry base. A cupcake. Something they did enjoy ordering whenever they visited Eldar’s cafes. This was the first time however that they’d ever been involved in the process of creating such confections. It was a…strange feeling. Not bad, just strange.
They shoved the entire thing into their mouth.
“Oh,” Eldar said softly as Sha-Cha looked at them curiously.
“Is something wrong?” Sha-Cha replied softly and Eldar seemed even more disturbed. Was I meant to chew? I have yet to observe anyone chew when consuming these…
“Uh- no? I guess it makes sense you would eat it whole considering…” Eldar fidgeted nervously with their own cupcake. A quaint little bite taken out of the side.
Perhaps that’s how Eldar eats it? As far as Sha-Cha knows, cupcakes were eaten whole. The esteemed Constellation of Justice Lakrak sure didn’t eat it in multiple bites. They were also pretty sure they saw the Constellation of Martial Arts eat an entire cake whole. It also couldn’t be a human thing? Sha-Cha had personally witnessed Enthusiasm eating an entire apple without chewing.
Though Harmony had yelled at him after he did that. Especially since he’d begun coughing violently. Hmm…
“I eat it how everyone else eats it,” was the answer Sha-Cha settled on. Eldar looked puzzled.
“Do people usually eat it with the cupcake lining still on…?”
“What lining?”
“…oh dear,” Eldar murmured as they pulled the strange textured paper fully off their pastry and discarded it to the side. Taking a bite out of their creation and looking quite put off for whatever reason. Sha-Cha nudged them, waiting for Eldar to face them as they spoke.
“This has been…fun. If you would not mind I’d like to join you in future baking activities Beauty,” Eldar blinked before their face lit up. Bright and cheerful as they nodded quite happily.
“Oh- oh of course! I’d be happy to have someone to bake with. Please, come over any time you want,” despite how many years the former New Gods had lived, there was something so human about them that remained. Sha-Cha really shouldn’t be so endeared by such a simple act such as baking. Except they were endeared and unfortunately they found themselves drawing parallels between their own children and the constellations younger than them.
Perhaps they could learn to be a little more human from their precious friends.