Pomegranate Kora, Ch. 6
"So... I have to go to the underworld?" Kevin's voice was hesitant. He looked back and forth between the deities sitting in his living room. "What does that mean? I mean, I wouldn't even know how to get there, you know?" The past few days had been difficult for him. He had had to come to terms with the fact that there was no place on earth where he could go to see Nick again, that he had lost, suddenly, the most important person in his life.
It took him two days to realize that Nick wasn't actually dead; he was alive and, hopefully, well, living with gods in the underworld. And, while he knew it was somewhat crazy to want to fight the gods to get his lover back, he also knew that there was a gaping hole in his life without him, and if he died trying to rescue him, so be it. At least that would bring him closer to him than he was now.
So when David and Selena whisked their way into his house to check up on him, he wasted no time asking if there was any way to get Nick back. By the smug look Selena gave her companion, Kevin discerned that they had discussed at length whether or not Kevin would be willing to attempt the journey.
Now, David was lounging in his chair at the kitchen table, and he sighed. "That is why I'm here. I can take you as far as Styx. You have to buy your journey in the boat with your most prized possession..."
Kevin was already nodding; he knew the stories well enough. "But, you'll take me? Really?" When David nodded, Kevin breathed out a sigh. "What's the catch? I mean, what do I owe you?" Gods never did anything for free.
David hesitated, looked over at Selena, who quirked her eyebrow up pointedly. He sighed in defeat and shook his head. "Nothing more than daily offerings at my temple. My wife's happiness pleases me enough."
Kevin smiled at that, nodding. "I can do that. There's a temple on my way to work."
Selena stood, slipped her hand into Kevin's, signifying that she wanted him on his feet as well. "Then you should pack a bag. As I understand it, the journey is long."
Kevin nodded, turning to move into his bedroom. He still looked haggard, he knew, from crying and lack of sleep, but it didn't matter. He needed to find Nick. He couldn't spend another day away from him; it hurt too much, like someone was pulling his heart strings tight around a pole and playing them like a guitar. It all seemed too unfair to him, and maybe this was his payment; he prayed indefinitely for Nick to return his love, and Selena had answered those prayers in the most direct way, by coming to him to assure him that it would work out. Kevin knew that she had come so that he would stop with the prayers, but after that, they just became prayers of thanks.
Selena was the first person at his side when he discovered the death of his mother; she had passed of a heart attack. No one had seen it coming. Kevin was left so numb that it didn't even occur to him to go home to be with his family. He just continued attending his classes until his teachers were made aware of his loss and refused to allow him into their classrooms. He didn't know what to do with himself when his photography professor told him to go home to his family. He just stood in the doorway, staring at him as he walked away.
That was when Nick scooped his things off his desk, hooked his bag onto his shoulder and came to his side, gently leading him from the room. He took him home and helped him pack, bought two plane tickets and, when Kevin finally broke down, held him while he cried. Kevin was still so grateful to Nick, just for being his best friend when he really needed one.
They started dating a month later. Kevin had never been happier than he was with Nick and, when he moved in with him, he knew - knew - they were forever. He thanked his mother for bringing them together. He knew it was truly Selena's doing, that she had taken whatever means necessary to unite them, but his mother made the sacrifice. He only wished she could have met the beautiful boy she had died to give him.
And, thinking about all of this just helped him to resolve himself to what he needed to do, and he hitched his duffel bag onto his shoulder, returning to his living room where the deities were still sitting.
Selena stood, smiling gently at him, and held out her hand for him to take. "Are you ready?"
He took it, squeezed thankfully, nodding. "Yeah. I am."
It took him two days to realize that Nick wasn't actually dead; he was alive and, hopefully, well, living with gods in the underworld. And, while he knew it was somewhat crazy to want to fight the gods to get his lover back, he also knew that there was a gaping hole in his life without him, and if he died trying to rescue him, so be it. At least that would bring him closer to him than he was now.
So when David and Selena whisked their way into his house to check up on him, he wasted no time asking if there was any way to get Nick back. By the smug look Selena gave her companion, Kevin discerned that they had discussed at length whether or not Kevin would be willing to attempt the journey.
Now, David was lounging in his chair at the kitchen table, and he sighed. "That is why I'm here. I can take you as far as Styx. You have to buy your journey in the boat with your most prized possession..."
Kevin was already nodding; he knew the stories well enough. "But, you'll take me? Really?" When David nodded, Kevin breathed out a sigh. "What's the catch? I mean, what do I owe you?" Gods never did anything for free.
David hesitated, looked over at Selena, who quirked her eyebrow up pointedly. He sighed in defeat and shook his head. "Nothing more than daily offerings at my temple. My wife's happiness pleases me enough."
Kevin smiled at that, nodding. "I can do that. There's a temple on my way to work."
Selena stood, slipped her hand into Kevin's, signifying that she wanted him on his feet as well. "Then you should pack a bag. As I understand it, the journey is long."
Kevin nodded, turning to move into his bedroom. He still looked haggard, he knew, from crying and lack of sleep, but it didn't matter. He needed to find Nick. He couldn't spend another day away from him; it hurt too much, like someone was pulling his heart strings tight around a pole and playing them like a guitar. It all seemed too unfair to him, and maybe this was his payment; he prayed indefinitely for Nick to return his love, and Selena had answered those prayers in the most direct way, by coming to him to assure him that it would work out. Kevin knew that she had come so that he would stop with the prayers, but after that, they just became prayers of thanks.
Selena was the first person at his side when he discovered the death of his mother; she had passed of a heart attack. No one had seen it coming. Kevin was left so numb that it didn't even occur to him to go home to be with his family. He just continued attending his classes until his teachers were made aware of his loss and refused to allow him into their classrooms. He didn't know what to do with himself when his photography professor told him to go home to his family. He just stood in the doorway, staring at him as he walked away.
That was when Nick scooped his things off his desk, hooked his bag onto his shoulder and came to his side, gently leading him from the room. He took him home and helped him pack, bought two plane tickets and, when Kevin finally broke down, held him while he cried. Kevin was still so grateful to Nick, just for being his best friend when he really needed one.
They started dating a month later. Kevin had never been happier than he was with Nick and, when he moved in with him, he knew - knew - they were forever. He thanked his mother for bringing them together. He knew it was truly Selena's doing, that she had taken whatever means necessary to unite them, but his mother made the sacrifice. He only wished she could have met the beautiful boy she had died to give him.
And, thinking about all of this just helped him to resolve himself to what he needed to do, and he hitched his duffel bag onto his shoulder, returning to his living room where the deities were still sitting.
Selena stood, smiling gently at him, and held out her hand for him to take. "Are you ready?"
He took it, squeezed thankfully, nodding. "Yeah. I am."