Dite's Decadent Delights, Saturday

[divinesurfchick.livejournal.com]

For the most part, things were the same. No reconstruction, no major inventory changes, no grand scheme to redo the store. Anyone who wasn't a regular probably wouldn't notice any difference between what had been and what was.

But the differences were there. A steady drop in the inventory of bondage gear, inventory that was never replaced or reordered. A small rise in things of a romantic notion; bath salts, body oils, perfumes, body paints. A slow expansion of the book section with more titles having to do with relationships and romance.

Even so, you could still get a set of wrist-cuffs if you really needed them, or a porn mag, or a sex toy, though the selection may be less than what it had been.

This morning Aphrodite was contemplating another catalog and half watching Hercules as he played with a catnip mouse. Without realizing it, she was also on the lookout for early visitors of a strange and deceased nature. She'd actually broken down in the last week and listened to the radio and the nightly news broadcast. Upon hearing that the dead were showing up in Fandom, she'd at first thought something had gone wrong in Hades, but since those who'd returned seemed to be from several other dimensions she'd dismissed that idea.

Still. There were people she wouldn't mind seeing again. Not that she expected them to show up, but she wouldn't mind if they did. As she flipped idly through the catalog, there was a hint of a smile on 'Dite's face as she let memories of long years past float through her mind. Anyone showing up would find an introspective goddess muttering to herself about stars, bards, warriors, and fate.

They'd be a welcome distraction.


(ooc: store and post open, and I should even be around for most of the day. 'Dite doesn't have anyone stopping by because her mun sucks, so come cheer her up.)

Comments

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Max wasn't dead (a fact which he found almost constantly surprising and gratifying, given his life), but he did come bearing pastries. He still wasn't really sure where he stood with Aphrodite. Or whether he'd ever be truly comfortable around her again, at least when it came to that easy comfort they'd had before the little incident.

But he hoped so. He had realized that there weren't many people he was comfortable going to for advice, after all.

"Hope I'm not interrupting anything important," he called.

[divinesurfchick.livejournal.com]

"Not at all. Hi, Max."

She was genuinely glad to see him, and if there was a hesitancy in her normal flirtation, it was her own fault and she knew it.

"Have you had anyone come -- visit you?" 'Dite didn't know if that was a tactful way of asking the question, but she was trying.

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Max snorted and shook his head. "Not me." That would require someone to want to, after all. The only possibility there was his mother, and... well... they'd never really known each other very well.

"How about you?"

[divinesurfchick.livejournal.com]

"Nahh." She shook her head. "I wasn't even expecting them to, really." Even if she'd halfway been hoping.

She leaned forward on the counter. "What can I do for you? Just here to chat or was there something specific you needed?"

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

"Nothing in particular." Max shot her a quick smile. "Just thought I'd stop by." Half checking up on her out of habit, half... well, to check up on on her.

[divinesurfchick.livejournal.com]

And 'Dite understood that. Her smile faded just a little. "You don't need to check up on me, Max. I'm okay. And I'm not going to hurt anyone."

Just saying the words made her stomach hurt, which was a strange feeling for the goddess.

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Max's wobble of a grin probably told her that he wasn't going to stop anytime soon.

"I'm as worried for you as I am about you. You've been through a lot, after all."

[divinesurfchick.livejournal.com]

"And you haven't?" She shook her head. "I should be checking up on you, not the other way around."

'Dite found it interesting how different his and Karla's attitudes were. She couldn't fault either of them, but she couldn't help notice it either.

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

"Eh, I'm a big boy. I can take care of myself." He even managed a half-hearted flirtatious smile.

Max didn't really think about it, but most of his reaction came from having made some rather impressive mistakes of his own at one point or another. He understood how hard it could be to recover from that.

[divinesurfchick.livejournal.com]

For Aphrodite right now it was less about recovery and more about equilibrium. As in finding some. Still, talking with Max was something she knew how to do, and it truly kept her grounded for some reason.

"You shouldn't have to. If you need anythi--" She stopped, not sure if it was her place to offer even an ear to listen.

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

Max grinned. "You never used to hesitate to offer your help," he pointed out just a bit chidingly.

[divinesurfchick.livejournal.com]

"I never --" Then she stopped. A deep breath, and then she was reaching for his hands. After all, he was right.

"If you need anything, even if it's just to talk to someone, please feel free to call or come by? I'm serious, Max."

[furious-maximus.livejournal.com]

"I know." Max's smile was gentle. A lot closer to the expressions he used to wear around her before... Well, before.

"It's who you are, after all." And one of the reasons he was fighting so hard not to lose their friendship.

[glacial_queen]

Karla was showing her parents around the town when she saw 'Dite in her shop. She was turning to point out the shop to her parents she realized that both her parents were standing stock-still, staring in the window at the goddess.

Oh Hell's fire...

[glacial-court.livejournal.com]

"Kay...." Ilyse said, her hand curling up to her mouth. "Karla, how is this possible? She didn't come through with us! But there she is!"

[glacial-court.livejournal.com]

"Is Ghislain here with her, too?" Audric asked. "How did she get here, Karla? I saw her die!"

[glacial_queen]

"This isn't Aunt Kay," Karla said slowly, reaching out to touch her parents, to bring their attention away from 'Dite and back to her. "That's Aphrodite. She's from this world." She decided to skip over the goddess part for a minute, since it would only confuse them further. "Sometimes...sometimes people on this island have an uncanny resemblance to others. No one knows how or why, but it just happens. 'Dite is my friend," present tensions aside "and my employer, actually. Would you like to meet her?"

[glacial-court.livejournal.com]

"I don't know..." Audric said, glancing at Ilyse, who was still peering into the window. "You're mother..."

[glacial-court.livejournal.com]

"I will be fine, Audric," Ilyse said, absently. "If this is someone important to Karla, then we should meet her. Resemblance aside, I'll know this isn't my sister."

[glacial-court.livejournal.com]

"If you're sure..." Audric murmured.

"I am, my love," she said, laying a comforting hand on his arm.

[glacial_queen]

"Then let's go in," Karla said, opening the door to the shop. "'Dite?" she called. "I've got some people that I would like you to meet."

[divinesurfchick.livejournal.com]

Even though they'd begun to clear the air between them, Aphrodite was still surprised to hear Karla's voice. She looked up in surprise, then smiled. "Karla, hi." She noticed the other two people with her friend. "And who are --?"

'Dite stopped, her eyes widening as the familiarity of their faces registered. She didn't need to look back at Karla to realize who they were.

"Oh . . . Zeus."

[glacial_queen]

"That's one way of putting it," Karla murmured. "I was thinking 'Mother Night' myself."

Then, louder, she said, "Mother, Father, I beg leave to introduce you to Lady Aphrodite, Greek goddess of love and proprietress of this store. 'Dite, this is my mother, Queen Ilyse, and my father Prince Audric."

[glacial-court.livejournal.com]

Honestly, 'store's proprietress' meant more to them than 'Greek goddess,' but Karla's parents were still a bit shell-shocked at 'Dite's resemblance to really be paying much attention at all. "Pleased to make your acquaintance," her mother said quietly, bringing up her hands to give 'Dite the traditional before dropping them again. "Just Ilyse, please. We're not being formal this weekend."

Her eyes searched 'Dite's face, marveling. "And it would be odd to insist on Protocol when you share--" she broke off, unsure if Karla had ever mentioned it to the other female.

[glacial-court.livejournal.com]

Audric slipped a comforting arm around Ilyse's waist to offer his support. "And I am Audric, Karla's father. Your store is quite nice."

Because he'd had a chance to look around when he came in, his eyes being glued to 'Dite and all.