» banquet hall

@taehyung k. › asclepius。 What exactly did she expect? Jieun never was that kind of girl that yearned for her parents, never even felt the desire to go looking for her father. Even when she found out who he was and where it was most likely to run into him, she didn't care. And now, standing face to face with him, she can't help but burst out into a silent laughter, not bother to even hide it.
"Well:", she says and nodded once, lifting one of her shoulders in a soft shrug. "It's not like I expected you to be, honestly. I know you're not the same man. My mother described you completely different."
Now this is becoming kind of awkward, she thinks to herself while tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear, pressing her lips together into a thin line. "You know. I didn't say that to... I don't know. It doesn't really matter. I just thought maybe it would be just fair to let you know, right?"
With that she gives the God another subtle bow, muttering: "Enjoy your dink. If you need me, I will be at the bar."

There is no need to stay longer than necessary and make things harder for them than they already are. More awkward. The problem is that Jieun doesn't even know why she said it in the first place. There is nothing to gain and nothing to lose by unveiling her parentage to the God who fathered her. But maybe... perhaps if he is willing to... He could be the only person who would be able to explain to her what exactly is going on with her. How... she did it. Perhaps Taehyung is the only person on the planet who could tell her who - no - what she is.

@jieun l. › demi god。 Somewhere through the noise in his head and his thoughts, through the noise of the banquet hall the words seemed to cut through, jolting Taehyung out of his own thoughts and back to reality. Daughter. The very word has his mouth going dry and though the other pivots away Taehyung can't help but stare at her, confusion evident in the eyes that seemed to follow her every move. "Daughter..." again he murmurs that word, the word foreign on his tongue and finally the word seems to register to him and now he's flitting through his memories almost desperately searching for a connection between the woman in front of him and his daughter.

He finds it somewhere, buried in the recesses of his mind, of a child when he had been another being in another body. He finds an image of a baby, of a woman whose face he could not even remember. He remembers how they had met, how he had been drawn to her warmth, the instinct and need to heal and he remembers at the time there had been a hole in his heart that had needed temporary filling. It had not been a mistake, that would have been insulting to say but it had been a gross miscalculation on his part. A miscalculation that the other he was now paying for. And though Taehyung can feel the bile of panic rising up in his throat he's not quite sure what to say. Would it not be insulting to claim the other as not his own when she was there in his memories? Even as another being, would it be wrong to push away responsibility?

The moment she brings back the drink, Taehyung merely lifts it to his lips to take a small sip. Perfect, exactly what he had needed. Both strong and warm, not too tart but not overly sweet. "I'm sorry." the words spill out before Taehyung can think. His tongue had always been loose, even as a demigod "I'm not your father Or at least, I am not the same body as your father. But I remember you, in my head, somewhere, a cute baby." the man manages a weak smile "Sorry your dad was such a ."

@taehyung k. › asclepius。 Sometimes it was hard to maintain a professional smile, both friendly and aloof at the same time. A smile that would make any customer feel welcome, would make them trust - but at the same time would make them keep their distance, make them understand that even though Jieun would always listen to their worries they shared with her over beers and cheap whiskey, that she herself was off-limits in so many ways. And yet, it still made her uncomfortable when people stared at her. And stare the man in front of her did. But... something told her that in reality he was staring right /through/ her and not /at her. Like he was trying to decipher a thought, a voice in the back of his head. And so she stayed silent, keeping the simper on her face that made her eyes crinkle just the right amount, make her cheeks rise a little and the corners of her lips curl upwards like a cat.

"Alright, Sir.", she already started, only to freeze where she stood, the smile slipping off her face, suddenly clogged and dry. "I-in terms of drinks?"
Her voice wavered ever so slightly while she answered, trying to get her thoughts straight. She had been dancing around the subject of this particular God for the entire week while preparing the drinks for this event, almost as if she wanted to avoid facing the only reality she had yet to face. The thing that would probably make people assume was the only reason for her to come into this hotel. The search for this God. Asclepius.
"Well.", she started then, clearing and straightening her shoulders, trying to keep her composure. "As your daughter, it was my honor to create a variation of the classic Mint Julep. Bourbon, mint, lemon and as a variation Shiso. I will prepare the drink for you in just a second."
With that Jieun all but pivoted on her heel, pressing her silver tray against her chest while she made her way back to the bar, nearly running into her co-worker as she did so. And while she prepared the order, she kept her back to the God in the back of the banquet hall, muttering under her breath that this shouldn't matter - and it really shouldn't! She hadn't searched for him and she never had a desire to go look for him. This Taehyung... was probably just yet another body Asclepius was using and technically speaking... did this even make him her father at all? Delivering a round of different drinks to another table, Jieun purposefully kept the cocktail glass for the God of health on her tray, making her way back to his table with graceful and yet hesitant steps. The glass was sweating a little against her palm, leaving a few droplets rolling over her fingers as she lifted it up and placed it in front of Taehyung, dampening the white table cloth. "Your drink, Sir."

@jieun l. › demi god。 A drink only for his needs. A drink catered to him in specific? An interesting way to honor the gods that frequented this place and Taehyung was half prepared to wave off the girl, to merely utter the exact same words he had moments before but something stops him. Perhaps it's the smile that flickers on her lips or the fact that he could practically see her broadcasting out what she needed but Taehyung opens his mouth merely to close it again, quiet, considerate.

It was quite an easy thing she was asking for.

He would merely utter his name and who he was. And yet there's something tugging at him that keeps him silent for too long, a warning both not to be too rude and at the same time not to be too open. His gut was never wrong, and yet Taehyung couldn't place his finger on what exactly it was that made him tick so strangely. Perhaps it was a memory, somewhere tucked in the recesses of Taehyung's mind, a name to match a face that seemed oddly familiar. But Taehyung doesn't remember and dredging up his memories would take minutes, hours. "Asclepius, God of Healing." he doesn't register the deep intone of his own voice until he's nearly done speaking "But you can call me Taehyung. What will that net me in terms of drinks?"

@taehyung k. › asclepius。 A job was a job. And perhaps choosing to become a bartender wasn't exactly what her mother always dreamed about when she imagined her only daughters future, Jieun didn't regret a single second of working as one. Alright, it was a waste of pretty much all the years studying and paying tuition, but it gave her what she really wanted. A look into the human mind - or the mind of gods for that matter. She had spent her College time working as a bartender on the side, diving into the twists of honesty as soon as a human was intoxicated, quenching a thirst she didn't even understand. A burning desire deep inside of her that made her want to understand. Nothing else. It was as simple as that. The desire to understand that nature of things.

And so she found herself in the glittering world she maybe belonged to, slowly unraveling her own past, her own... purpose, perhaps. It was easy for her to balance drinks on a silver tray, gracefully making her way around the banquet hall to serve people with the wonderful, magical cocktails she created only for them.
This was work, nothing else, no need to pretend to be a cheerful person, shedding the mask of a bubbly young girl in order to become what she really was: A professional.
"Sir.", she bowed with the tiniest hint of a smile as a young man waved her over to order a drink - his words confusing her for a moment as her mind tried to make a list of things that would fall under the category of being "the strongest they had". There were a couple of things, sure, but it was almost against her pride to simply serve the man a glass of bland Vodka. "Sir, if you tell me your name and status, we will create a drink only for you and your needs.", she tagged along then, brushing a strand of her short black hair behind her ear, studying the young mans face, who was clearly a little rough around the seams.

@jiyeon k. › artemis。 Damn it all to Hades, would he ever be drunk enough for this?

Expectation is a complacent old friend that engulfs him the moment every gaze in the room meets his own. For a suspended moment, Jungkook occupies himself with the quiescent canvas that paints behind his eyelids, squeezing just hard enough to summon a flicker of outlined hues against stark black. But even the phosphenes can't deter his attention when Demeter nudges his side with the brunt of her elbow. He acknowledges her with a forced grunt lest she repeat the action, before finally bringing himself to a stand. The screeching chair against the tilework has more to say than he does, but he figures he ought to give this a go... Maybe this way, he won't be invited to anymore weddings, much less to actually SPEAK at one.

"Friends... Romans... Countrymen. Lend me your ear." He reaches down to pluck the empty champagne glass before him, lifting it in mock salute as if to show the entire reception that he's already initiated his own 'festivities'. There's an audible groan somewhere behind him, but as he opens his eyes, he can't bear himself to pay them any heed. Surrounding him are glances mildly glazed between concern and suppressed amusement, but in the inebriated eyes of Ares, he only sees varying hues of red. His lips purse and he commands himself to continue.

"We gather here today to--- Well, you already know why the we're here, but in any case I'm apparently supposed to speak about it." More squirms of discomfort from seats all around him, hesitation on their part bleeding into disbelief but he continues. "Quite the riot, huh? Whoever heard of the God of War toasting a wedding? Ain't matrimony, itself, enough of a battle?"

He's doing 'that thing' again--- loose lips and heavy gaze plundering the atmosphere around them. He's shocked no one's punched him out already, though the bride certainly appears half-ready to. He's sloshed enough at that point to most likely oblige.

But as he steers himself to speak anew, Jungkook can't help but refocus those obsidian orbs unto Jiyeon--- Artemis in every demeanor down to the starched appeal in which she carries herself. For some reason, her scrutiny had always seemed a touch judgmental to him, but at the moment it appears only affronting. As if to meet her goading, he narrows his eyes, only further endowing himself to see only what he wanted to see.

A challenge. And speaking of 'battles'...

"Sorry, there a problem, sweets? You rather finish this toast off for me?"

[ I'M SOS OR RY ]

@jieun l. › demi god。 The buzzing would never completely fade from Taehyung's mind, but if it was one thing that managed to always quell it, it was the burn of alcohol. More often then not when Taehyung wished to rid of the buzzing what he did was drink himself into a stupor, preferring the moments when he could not remember things and live in peace to the moments when he was sane, walking around with the sound of the voices in his head screaming for help. He would never be able to get a moment of silence, hear his own thoughts without hearing the words of others and though Taehyung had long gotten used to it, he was always tired when it came to them.

So the moment that he hears about a banquet, drinks included where all were welcome Taehyung knows exactly where he was heading. He made his way down to the banquet hall with his quickest possible lope, eyes alight with the prospect of being able to forget and the first bartender he sees he heads towards, sliding into the cushioned seats with a smile. His order is easy "The strongest thing you have please." he doesn't exactly need anything else, he always tried to get the strongest there was, something that would make him utterly wasted the faster. The drinks ended up changing most of the time but they all tasted the same to him, leaving his tongue burning with a contented taste that Taehyung could only get in his dreams.

Silence.

@jaewon j. › polemos。 The sound of her heels clicking into the hall melted in with the noise of conversation, laughter, rich music coloring the perimeter. What awaited her sights did not surprise Seulgi, it was like any other banquet, extravagant to the brim and very much akin to the tastes of the gods and goddesses whom once lodged on the peaks of Olympus. Gold traced its presence from every vase, every petal of every flower, to the dust sitting atop on the cheekbones of every being. Gods, goddesses, nymphs, demigods alike were dripping in jewels as they greeted and conversed with one another, it was a sight out a classical painting, perhaps the description of a Utopia. But Seulgi knew that even the most harmonious of creatures in this room was capable of mischief that could turn the entire world upside down. It was all just a show as they were all indulging in the sweetest of pleasures.

It wasn't a particularly auspicious day, but it seemed someone had felt the need to send the goddess of Victory an invitation to a charity auction. Now, the idea of gods performing charity seemed laughable to the unassumingly young woman, and she was sure she wouldn't attend, until word spread around that a certain someone had received the invitation too. Her lips remained slack, the corners pulling up to reveal one of the most serene smiles, as if she were radiating peace. The hem of her rose gold gown swayed gently at the hem because of the rhythm of her pace as she made her way to the table reserved for her.

There, in golden letters, spelled out the name of the divinity.
'Νικη', goddess of Victory. A mere glance at the placard could swell her up with pride. But a quick glance at the placard beside hers was enough for her expression to darken, even for a second. 'Πολεμος', spirit of War. The goddess didn't expect that she'd be sitting beside someone she considered to be a rival - and granted the majority of their arguments were for petty reasons - she figured it still wasn't the best idea to sit War and Victory together.

It may have not been the best idea, but it didn't mean it wouldn't be entertaining. Which is what compelled her to take her seat, the serene smile perhaps concealing a bit of a smirk that irked to taint her peaceful composure.

@jungkook j. Ceremonies such as the holy matrimony between two hearts weren't quite befitting to Jiyeon's taste. Why would it when she could be out and about, blanketed by the humid wind near dusk, instead of the shawl that dons her shoulders now.

Head in a daze, she stirred the glass of wine gingerly clutched between her fingers, gaze fixated onto the purple and red hue intermingling with the other. Sunken into the depths of boredom, Jiyeon would've failed to notice the ending toast to conclude the goddess' speech if it weren't for the sudden claps that echoed throughout the vast room. Snapping out of her reverie, she merely emitted a sigh and placed the cup down, joining her own two hands to offer the Goddess of Love her own raps of applause, although in a more lethargic manner. She really hadn't the slightest memory of what the speech was about -- even if was just delivered a moment ago.

Eyes flickering past the irrelevant figures, she had noticed that the rounds of orations weren't over yet, considering how the guests impatiently awaited the next god or goddess with gleaming eyes. Jiyeon, however, could only dread the next hour, for she was utterly done listening to cliche lines of 'eternal love' and whatnot. What a joke.

Leaning towards her companion seated besides her, the goddess lowered her voice into a hushed whisper, muttering her words loud enough for it to be audible only to the two of them. "Who's delivering the next speech?" Her acquaintance merely spared Jiyeon a bemused grin, and without as much as a hum, his gaze flickered over to the other side of the room. Perplexed at the silent response, her own honeyed orbs trailed after his, only to settle upon a face that turned her stoic look into a bitter expression. "You're kidding me."

As if this whole event couldn't get any worse, she'd had to sit through a whole speech made by the one and only, Ares. If he could deliver one, that is. Who ever thought asking the God of War to deliver a speech at a wedding was a bright idea? Her stare hardened once it dawned on her that he had took note of her appearance. Perhaps, they both felt the spitefulness that course through their every fiber. The rancor that existed between them was undeniable.

Resting back into her chair, Jiyeon folded her arms across her chest, the curvatures of her lips quirking into that of a smirk, belittling the god through unsaid words. A dark brow rose as if wanting to further provoke him to get up and head to the podium, awaiting the speech only the 'all powerful' Ares could ever conjure.

@jiyeon k. › artemis。 If he could off himself right about now, damn it all if he would.

Jungkook's currently afloat amidst an ocean of tables, boredom overcoming the veil of his gaze as he sweeps it across the reception. He's always hated weddings, even figured he'd be no more partial to his own if the time ever came and he was drunk enough to get hitched. But for the next few hours his muse is black, white, and a garish shade of violet to endow the decor of the festivities.

He's overcome with a restlessness that niggles a path between his temples and strikes an itch behind his teeth. He doesn't even remember who the esteemed bride and groom are, but his half-buzzed mind finds it all the more important to memorize the patterns in the table cloth over heeding the speeches of the gods.

, in all honesty, he's supposed to give one next, and he'd prepared. He swears it--- even scrawled it all ever so neatly on a folded napkin.

That he may or may not have wiped his with somewhere along the line. But before he could stifle a groan, Aphrodite finishes her speech and Jungkook wants to hang himself with his tie.

Just another toast left and he'll be next.

It takes considerable will in him not to bolt right then and there, but as his hazy gaze drifts he finds himself lingering on one particular face in the crowd. Artemis.

♚ ⟩ ❝ Χαίρετε.