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

[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. ]

[outforblood]

[impossible.

what mitsunari's learned regarding the situation with the government here has left him conflicted - mainly over whether he should care or not. it's hardly his land, and he doesn't think it can cause him any more grief than it already has, but ... hades has granted him a far better fate than he was expecting. he holds a wary respect for the man, and intends to assist him in this however he can.

it's confusing, irritating, unsettling - and he hates being in that sort of mindset for more than three seconds at a time.

he nods at the dismissal and stalks back to his part of the quarters, fully intending to make good on his assurance. sleep doesn't factor into his plans.]

[rottings]

[ what did the bread ever do to you!

hades doesn't sleep, either, but he has a sort of excuse. the next morning, if mitsunari looks for him, household staff will direct him to hades' room. he's waiting there, dressed in looser, less formal robes than the day before, and lying on his stomach on the bed, reading a scroll. there's a platter of grapes and cheese to the side, apparently untouched. ]

[outforblood]

[its crimes are too great to expound in mere words.

mitsunari arrives shortly after being directed, looking much the same as he did the night before, with a scroll gripped tightly in his hands. for a moment he stays outside the door, watching hades carefully; then he enters, but silently, unwilling to speak first and interrupt anything.

he'll wait for as long as he needs to. in some matters, he actually can be patient.]

[rottings]

[ there's not that much to interrupt, really; though hades is reading, he doesn't even seem interested in the words on the page.

patience may be a virtue, but hades doesn't bother much with that. he eventually turns to look at mitsunari over his shoulder, eyebrows slightly raised. ]

[outforblood]

[he offers up the scroll when hades' eyes land on him.]

This is everything I heard during last night's dinner. Every lie and dismissal I made particular note of.

[his jaw clenches for a moment.]

It isn't word perfect, to my shame, but it is as precise as I could get.

[rottings]

[ hades takes the scroll, turns it over in his hands for only a moment before turning to recline on his side instead. ]

Sit. [ he pats the light blanket next to him, if that isn't obvious enough. ]

[outforblood]

[mitsunari stares at him for a moment, uncomprehending, but warily approaches and obeys.

somewhat awkwardly, though. he's tense as ever, ready to stand again at the first indication, and clearly isn't sure what to do with the rest of himself.]

[rottings]

[ well, that's a start. hades reads over the scroll silently for a few moments, then looks up at mitsunari in silence. the work's good and all, but... ]

[outforblood]

[as hades reads, he stares at the floor, trying to work out what exactly it is he's supposed to be doing here. at hades' look, his jaw tightens, the uncertainty doubling.]

Have I done something incorrectly?

[rottings]

If I told you to lie down, you would.

[ not exactly a question. he adjusts his weight to lie on his side, head propped up on an elbow. ]

That is an odd trait. But not unappealing, to some.

[outforblood]

[the uncertainty fades a bit, replaced by something like irritation.]

Then it is a strange world you live in, if simple obedience is considered an odd trait. Do you not require it of your other servants?

[he pauses, looking over at hades after a moment.]

Do you find it unappealing?

[rottings]

It is not "simple obedience."

[ but it isn't unappealing. ]

Lie down, then.

[outforblood]

[there's still wariness in his gaze at that lack of answer, and his jaw tightens for a moment as he debates asking for one.

but that only lasts for a breath before he complies. he's still tense, and lying down he's no less awkward than when he was sitting, but he does try to settle himself in a slightly more comfortable position almost as an afterthought.]

It is the obedience required of anyone who serves another. Anything else is negligence.

[rottings]

[ hades doesn't seem to mind the oddness of the situation at all; he stays with his head propped up, gazing at mitsunari with quiet eyes. ]

Why serve? It is your choice, still. Is that not "negligence"?

[outforblood]

[mitsunari meets his gaze once, then looks down, trying to work out an answer.]

I don't see how it could be. It is a duty that cannot be ignored, and to make the decision to not serve to the fullest extent one is capable of deserves death. Provided one serves a worthy master, at least.

[rottings]

Worthiness. [ he pauses, a smile crossing his face. ] And what of your own worth?

[outforblood]

My worth? That is determined by what I do, and if I have done it well enough to deserve being deemed worthy.

[he shifts again, a spark of irritation in his face as he tries to figure out where to move that won't encroach on hades' space.]

Outside of that, such things have no relevance or use.

[rottings]

[ hades makes a neutral noise of acknowledgement, lying still despite the elbow nearing his ribs. ]

"Such things." "Relevance." [ he repeats the words, turning them over in his mouth slowly. after a few more moments, he sits up, not bothering to adjust the fabric of his robes as it slips off his shoulder. it's a warm day. ]

Sleep. Here, in my... realm.

[outforblood]

[it's with a sort of wariness that he watches hades now, eyes fixed on his face, glancing momentarily at the slip of fabric. his jaw works, still wondering if the right answers to these questions are completely out of his reach.]

... if you wish it of me.

[he manages to arrange himself properly and rests his head on his forearm, trying to sleep. it's not going to happen anytime soon, he suspects, but damned if he won't try to force it.]

[rottings]

[ seeing mitsunari trying to force himself to sleep is amusing in its own way. hades doesn't need sleep, either, but humans do, no matter how intently they try to ignore it, especially in this case.

hades sits up on the other side of the bed. he looks for a moment at the scroll again, but his interest disappears as quickly as it came. words are words. he's more interested now in killing time with the one who recorded those words.

speaking of, mitsunari's not going to get much space to lie around in. hades pushes a lock of hair away from hanging directly in front of his face and stays sitting where he is. hope you like having an equally awake bedmate when you're trying to sleep in daylight, mitsunari. on the upside, hades sits ver, very still. ]

[outforblood]

[under normal circumstances, having someone else awake in the room - even this close - would make no difference. but hades is not just someone else, and despite any confusion mitsunari might have about where on the internal respect scale hades may be, he's still the one in charge here.

he lies fairly still on his own, trying to take up as little space as possible, but the feeling of being watched is setting him on edge. he shuts his eyes if they won't close on their own and demands his body shut down. when it doesn't comply, he snarls the demand under his breath, only partly aware of doing it.]

Rest, damn you.

[rottings]

[ ...well, there's definitely something to be said for his force of will. ]

...what keeps you here?

[outforblood]

[there's a moment of annoyance that flickers across his face and vanishes when hades speaks. eyes still shut, body still arguably approaching relaxed, he considers an answer.]

I have nowhere else to go.