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“I figured, though such play of dominance is always joke and serious at the same time. No apologies necessary, I was playing along. If I'm going to be male, may as well engage in some form of machismo swapping, yes? “ Lucius stood, working his left hand open as far as it could and then closed again.

”Unstopper it, please, and catch the blood. So that you may have starlight with you always, to give you and yours hope when there is none. What Exists is infinite, so too be your joy and destiny. ”

He felt like Creation, speaking like that. Still....it felt appropriate. Almost like a benediction, as if there were some power to the words. Maybe there was. The words of the true gods had altered worlds once, why not aid a gift?

He supposed a question like that shouldn't seem as strange as it did. It was hard to think of anything, prompted on a spot, or even just prompted anymore. He enjoyed objects well enough, but did not lust for them. Now he knew he never had much. Appreciated, but not chased after. Then he had been a primordial, now he was something...lesser. He felt it.

But the fact remained that he had neither attachment nor pressing need for anything, clothing, food, jewelry, money...anything. He blessed the lack of birthday celebrations between the gods. He would never manage a gift list for such ridiculous events.

“I...cannot say.“ He refrained from allowing his hand to train to his neck. It was an old gesture, a thinking one, seeking the comfort afforded by a certain ally and open wisdom. The greatest gift of a previous age he had received. Memories die hard.

”That you even came here, with no reason except for company, if an amazing gift.” The words cut his tongue as he said them It had been a long time since someone just sought his company. Chance meetings, purposeful trading, tasks or information were all reasons that drove others to seek him before he fell and after. But just company?

He had been social in his youth, marked by smiles and light pranks.

”I'm afraid I'm not much help..." He curled his hand back against his stomach when it was done, focusing on the flicker glow of the bottle instead of Nergal's face. "I have not had much time for hobbies, since my rebirth. When I served Harmodius I ran errands, took lessons, read, trained, looked after the shop. There was never much time for recreation other then interacting with others. Now, not even that. "

An invitation? Lucius perked, his wing arches lifting much the same as his visible eyebrow did. "Do you have a dwelling then, that I could...visit?"

'Attend' was too strong a word, archaic and perhaps a little suggestive. 'to be at your leisure' seemed equally suggestive, old, and lowered himself. "I would be honoured to come to your grounds. A welcome anywhere is an expensive gift, Underworld. "

He dipped his head gratefully. Where would the young god dwell? He didn't seem frequent enough in the halls of the pantheon for his primary residence to be there. It would mean dealing with that uncious, grovelling creature that had come before, no doubt. Anger shadowed his good eye only briefly, the finite life of a solar flare, and his expression evened again. "For then and now, do you take to any particular sport? Game, riddle, hobby or task for your relaxtion? "

It didn't, honestly, seem likely. He looked like all business, mostly, the way that any smile seemed painful or about to crack his face. Lucius was fairly certain that the other must seek normal companionship as well, considering the size of the rod that looked to be already rammed up his a** (as opposed to someone else's? His own?...nonono, none of that). 'Something approproate' indeed. But he'd caught that. That was an attempt to get past the formality that they'd been playing at. Formality which was stale, long documented, and easy to adopt to get through things.

"Then our path is clear for time spent in each other's good company, " Lucius smiled, and a few stars shimmered through the clouds that darkened his element. "We can try our hands at games and things and laugh at our inadequacies together. Experiment with what hours we have..."

He wondered if the other would be willing for such sport. The idea of appearing a buffoon was never a trial for himself, but Nergal seemed self-aware/important enough that it might matter that he should appear in control and dashing at all hours. Never to be inadequate at anything....he personally couldn't see the point in that sort of boring attitude, since only Harmodius had any claims at complete perfection in all things. The rest of them just had to make due with what they practiced, learned or had naturally.

But not everyone felt that way. Though sometimes, if the company was right, the straight laces could come undone. Or liberal application of alcohol.

Or maybe Lady Echo? Hair braiding indeed. So this one had a fetish? He wondered vaguely if his own unruly mane of cobalt fell into place with Underworlds 'dark fantasies'. Universe's smile trickled into his visible eye. He looked genuinely pleasant....even having fun....for the first minutes in a very long time.

“Wonderful....my first suggestion, since we've only just begun our agreement, is something easy. My host was a collector of bizarre, old trinkets. I have here still a game of his and how it was supposedly played, though I never tried it. “ He motioned to a jeweled relief that only after looking at it seemed to be the handle to a drawer. "In there, if you would be so kind to bring it out."

”The mortals do not remember the name of it anymore, so now it is called 'Hounds and Jackals'. Five dogs are against five jackals. There are three pieces of silver coin to use to determine movement in the set. The goal is to reach the five points on your side of the board and win the dates. For tossing the coins, one head equals one move, two heads is two, three heads is three, and three tails equals five and a free move. ”

"And best of all, we start with a friendly stake. What do you say? Are you game?"

This felt natural, to be playing at parlour things with a fellow god, bettered by the fact that it was Underworld. When had such a god last been seen playing anything in the waking lands. Promises of further games, warm blushes and uncertain pauses. They were both warming into this, and Lucius stretched his wings luxuriantly in the light of it. It was like being alive again.

What for his half? Easier to think of something to ask for in winning then what to offer. They barely knew each other. Something that was of the god himself, but not too valuable to cause discomfort if lost....“Should I win, I lay claim to one of your hair ornaments. Fair enough? And what of you, Underworld....what should you claim if you win?"

“My h-?" Lucius grinned like the cheshire cat. He had been right, Underworld did have something of a fetish. What a delightful pervert. Perhaps it was fitting. The stodgy ones were usually the ones wearing bondage gear beneath their starched suits.

And such a fair blush! Underworld could be quite fetching when he was off balance. Universe memorized the sight, Underworld's shy focus on anything but the board below himself, the fall of his hair, the curve of his throat, the set of his broader but still feminine shoulders.

Perhaps he could reprise that kitsune's old habit of art.


“Yes, that sounds fitting to me. If you win, mind you, " He gave the last words light, masculine bravado. “Hounds or Jackals for you? "

“That's only if you go by pure statistics, Underworld. We are gods....why shouldn't the masters of luck, whatever spirit of their is left in the cosmos, show favor on one or the other of us?" He winked his visible eye at Nergal. It was a little like flirting, he considered, looking back immediately on the gesture. Friendly at least. He didn't mind either way which of them won the game, both stakes were in his favor. There certainly wasn't anything objectionable about getting one's hair braided.

That, of course, contingent on whether or not Nergal could even successfully tame his hair, which always seemed resistant to that sort of thing. If Destruction had had a mind to do anything regarding binding his hair, sheer ridiculous notion anyway, he probably would have failed miserably.

“The left is your board then. I'll be kind since you're the younger," Lucius teased, “You may go first."