i put socks on my feet

[rottings]

[ hades himself isn't much one for social pleasantries, but he there's great importance to dinners like these, and watching their interactions really is fascinating. the meal is already winding down, but the poet who's been declaiming for the better part of an hour is still going strong.

hades is mostly ignoring him and picking at his food, humming occasional acknowledgement to when people talk to him, as head of the house. most of the slaves waiting on them are positioned around the perimeter of the room, while hades has left mitsunari largely to his own devices. ]

Comments

[rottings]

[ hades leaves the house slaves to clear dinner, picking up a few nuts to eat on his way back to his room. he gestures with his head for mitsunari to follow along with him. ]

Have you eaten?

[outforblood]

[it takes him a few moments to realize hades' gesture is for him, and he starts briefly before glancing around the room. (but it's being taken care of; this is not his duty.) he follows after, a little slower as he contemplates all he's heard and what is worth telling hades.]

No. [he idly curls his hands into loose fists, lets them uncurl.] It seemed unimportant.

[rottings]

What was important, then?

[ hades keeps walking towards his room, but on their way he pauses abruptly and turns to face mitsunari. he extends a pecan in his fingers towards his mouth. ]

[outforblood]

The work you set before me --

[he stops a moment after hades does, startled, instinctively pulling away from the proffered nut like it's a threat.]

... what?

[rottings]

It's a pecan.

[ he just keeps extending his hand further towards mitsunari, expression unchanging, before he stops quite abruptly as if he's just thought of something. ]

Would you prefer walnuts?

[outforblood]

[mitsunari keeps leaning away until he can't anymore, not unless he takes a step back, staring at hades in bafflement.]

I'm not hungry.

[rottings]

You say that quite often during mealtimes.

[ he retracts his hand after another moment, watching mitsunari with his flat black eyes before turning and continuing to walk. once he reaches his room, he waits for mitsunari to enter behind him before taking a seat on a cushioned lounge. there's two other seats for mitsunari to choose from, if he does. ]

[outforblood]

I am often not hungry.

[hades' pause gives him pause, but he follows anyway, returning to hades' private rooms in silence.

he takes neither seat, and contemplates what he's heard, watching the wall past hades without seeing it.]

... some tonight claimed your family has far less power than it truly does. What they hope to accomplish through such ridiculous lies escapes me.

[rottings]

[ hades matches mitsunari's thousand-yard stare with a long gaze of his own, eyes focusing on some point neither on mitsunari's face nor behind him, somehow stopping behind his eyes.

after a moment's pause, he blinks and turns to look out the window instead. ]

Lies are spoken and written for their own purposes. Selfish desires, or generous ones, perhaps. They will pass without substance guiding them.

[outforblood]

Pathetic purposes, then, with deceitful goals.

[his disdain is clear and hateful, and he falls silent again to wrangle that into something worthwhile. he heard more than he imagined he would.]

Others claimed much the opposite, but only in whispers. That your power is too great. Unfounded. Undeserved. Most of them, I noticed, left alone, regardless of who they had come with.

[traitors. his tone betrays him.]

[rottings]

If it is a goal, is it deceitful?

[ hades gives him a soft smile and extends a hand towards mitsunari's face—not holding a pecan this time. he can't reach up quite far enough to touch his face, but his fingers hover a few inches from his jaw. ]

Whether it is undeserved, or otherwise... what would you say?

[outforblood]

Deceit is the goal, for most.

[he almost doesn't notice the movement, caught up in his own anger, but the fingers nearly brushing his jaw make him start and watch hades very carefully again.]

Of your holdings? It is not my place to judge such things, but ... I have read the histories you permitted me. Your family earned what they have through strength of every kind. If they wish it for themselves, it's up to them to take it with equal strength.

[rottings]

And of deceit as a means... I suppose you would think of that, as well.

[ he makes another considering noise and gets to his feet, fingers now brushing mitsunari's jaw. if the man is angry, it isn't for hades' or his family's sake. at least—that's what he can gather. ]

What of your means?

[outforblood]

[mitsunari tenses a little more at the touch, but doesn't draw away or try to push away hades' hand.]

What about them? My means are yours to direct, and I would not be so traitorous as to attempt to take what you have. [he grits his teeth briefly.] But when I act, it is out of loyalty, and out of strength.

[rottings]

[ his fingers slide further up, his palm resting gently on the side of mitsunari's face. ]

It could be said, then, that you have betrayed already.

But it is of no matter to you, at the moment. [ hades removes his hand just as abruptly as he placed it there. ]

...your strength will wane without sustenance. [ he reaches for a slice of bread from a plate near his bedside and puts it into mitsunari's hand. if he doesn't reach to accept it, he takes him by the wrist and holds his hand in the appropriate place. ]

[outforblood]

[he stiffens at that simple statement, expression hardening in anger and offense and hurt realization. and then hades removes his hand, only to reach out with bread instead, and mitsunari is slow enough to react that it's only when hades' hand closes around his wrist to make him accept it that he finally tries to pull back and speak.]

I have never --

[but he falls silent, and considers hades' words. grits his teeth again in grudging recognition of that fact. he finally accepts the bread and breaks it into smaller pieces to eat.]

It's ridiculous that such things are necessary.

[rottings]

Is it that weakness which makes it... ridiculous?

[ he watches mitsunari eat without really blinking, but a soft smile crosses his face all the same. ]

[outforblood]

Yes.

[he eats quickly, like he detests the very act and wants to get it over with as soon as possible.]

It is a waste of time that could be used otherwise and causes crippling detriments when not heeded. Sleep is much the same. That the body cannot obey without such things is an incomparable annoyance at best.

[rottings]

[ don't choke or bite your tongue, friend. ]

You can taste, can you not?

[outforblood]

[miraculously, he manages to avoid both, and glowers in hades' direction at the question.]

How is that relevant? I eat as necessary to maintain the strength required to do as my lord - [he pauses, chokes on the word, but continues after a moment.] ... as you wish of me. Nothing more. Anything else is an excess.

[rottings]

If you cause decay, you may as well rot in the meantime, along with them.

Though, it is a different kind of rot. [ he smiles beatifically at the thought. ]

[outforblood]

[mitsunari's glare wavers, very slightly, but he doesn't look away from hades.]

I am already rotted.

[rottings]

All are, and yet you stand.

...eat a little more before you go.

[outforblood]

Few would reach the depths of it that I have.

[He glares at the food available, but reaches for another slice of bread regardless of how he might feel about it, eating more slowly this time.]

I will compile a list of all that I heard and bring it to you by morning.

[rottings]

[ stop glaring at the bread, sheesh. ]

Hmph. [ hades waves a hand vaguely at mitsunari, dismissing him for the night. while the situation in the senate technically concerns him, it would be a lie to say that hades was actually worried. things will pass, as always. perhaps embroiling the man in his affairs was a poor idea, but... it's interesting, still. ]