Shay made sure to help Blue down the cliff and up into the cave itself once Gabriel had merely flown down. It wasn't like she'd told them it would be down a cliffside and impractical shoewear could be a real bitch.
Once inside the cave, Shay was quiet as Gabriel spoke, unsure of what to say, or if she was meant to say anything, so she didn't. He glowed, which she hadn't expected and when suddenly his magic swamped the place, drowning hers out before mixing, Shay had to lean back against the wall, somewhat dizzy from it all.
She scrubbed at her face to help stabilize herself and rubbed her hands together. Well, he hadn't gone into a rage or anything, and he hadn't struck her, so Shay could safely assume the shrine was adequate a gift. Despite that, Shay wouldn't talk until he spoke to her.
♠♠♠
Mikhainon thought a lot of things, as he smoked. He wasn't usually one for contemplation, but he supposed now was as good a time as any to think back on the things he'd done. Did he regret his actions Y throughout the centuries? No. Regret wasn't part of his limited emotional range. Did he miss being a god? Yes, yes, he did. For all this adjusting, reevaluating, and redefining he'd done, he was still divine, and that was impossible to deny.
When Mikhainon had finished his cigarette, he snuffed it out and tossed it aside. He walked towards Eroshay with a blank expression, unreadable.
"You know, you didn't have to go out of your way like this to ask if you could worship me." He smiled, a bit smug. "All you had to do was ask. But, I suppose since the shrine's up, you can go ahead and use it."
When Mikhainon had finished his cigarette, he snuffed it out and tossed it aside. He walked towards Eroshay with a blank expression, unreadable.
"You know, you didn't have to go out of your way like this to ask if you could worship me." He smiled, a bit smug. "All you had to do was ask. But, I suppose since the shrine's up, you can go ahead and use it."
Shay would have backed away from Gabriel when he advanced on her, but she couldn't with a wall behind her. She gave one swift, worried glance to Blue.
What was with him and his creepy blank expressions anyway. She looked from left to right, using only her eyes. She was, quite literally enough, caught between a rock and a hard place. At least, Gabriel Baltimore smelled pleasant.
And then it happened. Worship him. Worship..... him? Worship him! Shay opened her mouth to speak, unable to keep the stupified expression from her face. She blew out some air, shifting to the side until she could step around him and not be against the wall.
Shay desperately wished she had something to drink, it would have given her time to find the right words. This went.... better than expected. Maybe too well, in fact. Why hadn't she...? Okay, a miscalculation on her part.
"Yes. Worship you. Right." She peered around, eyes wide. "This is a shrine. So, that is -- yeah, that is what a shrine would imply. Of course. Right. yes." She pressed her hands to her mouth, unable to help herself. "Should I have.... put that on the write-in on the apology card?"
Just as quickly as Shay said it, she shook her head. "Nevermind."
She wanted to point out that he had ruined a perfectly precise moment with his smugness, but that would have been hypocritical, seeing as she did that with her smart mouth all the time.
Once Shay's head was wrapped around the idea of being Gabriel Baltimore's follower she could get right down to the meat of this.
"I have a few questions. One, I don't have to sacrifice any livestock or anything, do I? Because I'm not sure I'm cool with that. I sang a lot of Old McDonald's Farm back in my day.
"Two, when you say use the shrine... Do you mean.... pray here? Like the whole, on your knees, hands together, and head bowed sort of thing?
"And three," Shay hugged herself, eyed him, tried to find a way to ask this without coming off... weird. "What, eh, what else does this entail?"
Shay was pretty sure she just went through all the five stages of grief in a matter of seconds.
♠♠♠
Mikhainon raised an eyebrow at the sudden hesitation. Was worship not what she intended for this? The shrine was really finely made. If she wanted a gift, she would've went with an offering, like a statue, a painting, or replicas of his sigil. Shrines weren't gifts. They served a purpose, and that purpose was for worship. If this was a lack of oversight on her part, perhaps she would've been acting unconsciously, her higher self pushing him at his direction.
Regardless, she accepted it remarkably easy, so he was going to work with it. He wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.
"Sacrifices can come in a multitude of forms. Anything personal, like items with sentimental value or perhaps bitterness, would do as sacrifices. Perhaps, a failed school test that frustrated you or your baby teeth." He waved a dismissive hand.
"Yes, pray. You don't have to bow. You just have to speak to me, either by talking or in quiet contemplation. I'll hear you best in direct prayer." He grinned. "And don't worry about being judged. I do know when to be professional."
As for the last bit, well, he thought about it. "Oh, please. You're not a toy or a servant. As odd as I may be as a deity to you, it should be fairly standard, as far as religions go." Now that the shrine was flooded was his magic, he took the amulet from the carved statue and put it on Eroshay. "You come to me with your problems and I guide you. Follower to god. That's all."
Regardless, she accepted it remarkably easy, so he was going to work with it. He wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.
"Sacrifices can come in a multitude of forms. Anything personal, like items with sentimental value or perhaps bitterness, would do as sacrifices. Perhaps, a failed school test that frustrated you or your baby teeth." He waved a dismissive hand.
"Yes, pray. You don't have to bow. You just have to speak to me, either by talking or in quiet contemplation. I'll hear you best in direct prayer." He grinned. "And don't worry about being judged. I do know when to be professional."
As for the last bit, well, he thought about it. "Oh, please. You're not a toy or a servant. As odd as I may be as a deity to you, it should be fairly standard, as far as religions go." Now that the shrine was flooded was his magic, he took the amulet from the carved statue and put it on Eroshay. "You come to me with your problems and I guide you. Follower to god. That's all."
It was so... so.. casual! So absolutely normal. It felt... okay? That was probably the weirdest part to Shay. But there was something still bothering her; she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
When he said she wasn't a toy or servant, well that certainly got him a look. Eroshay, while trying her best to behave and stay on Gabriel Baltimore's good side, was both a snark and terrible with this whole... giving self to someone.
She watched as he placed the amulet over her head. The worst part was, Shay felt a kind of excitement at it all. Belonging and being loved. Being accepted. But she couldn't. Not really. It wasn't real. It couldn't be. He'd judge her, or, or hurt her. Leave her at the first mistake.
Shay was either zero or one hundred in her dedication, there was rarely an in between. Could she trust giving Gabe one hundred percent? Usually, she pretended, because it was so much easier and it gave her time to prepare for inevitable abandonment. She didn't think she could pretend with this.
"Does this mean... I belong to you now?" She wrung her hands, fidgeting and shoving her hand in her pocket to finger at the locket she had there.
"'C-Cause, uh, I don't know how dad would feel about that. And I'm kind of like that adorable puppy that you love until it pisses all over your new carpet. Plus, you know, I have a bit of a mouth on me.
"When I'm nervous I just make facetious jokes, and I try not to, but it all comes spilling out, and then I start talking and talking and before you know it I'm not even saying anything worthwhile anymore..."
Shay paused, having backed away again. "Kind of like I'm doing now."
♠♠♠
Mikhainon thought about the question for a bit. "Yes, but not in the property way. It just means you're part of my people. You're one of my children, in a matter of speaking."
Klaus? These all seemed like pretty bad excuses. She was making up reasons not to do this, but he already had her. He just needed one more push. "It's a religion. It'd be awfully odd for Klaus to protest about his children having a religion, since he encourages them to pursue their interests."
Really, he didn't mind her rambling at all. The hot ones, like Blue and Klaus, all loved to chatter one way or another. He'd gotten used to it. He shoved his hands in his pockets. "As long as you don't test my limits or destroy my things, I have no interests in abandoning my people. If our religious connection is to be severed, that would be entirely up to you. I'm not forcing you to worship me, but you want this. It could help you. You don't have to be afraid."
Klaus? These all seemed like pretty bad excuses. She was making up reasons not to do this, but he already had her. He just needed one more push. "It's a religion. It'd be awfully odd for Klaus to protest about his children having a religion, since he encourages them to pursue their interests."
Really, he didn't mind her rambling at all. The hot ones, like Blue and Klaus, all loved to chatter one way or another. He'd gotten used to it. He shoved his hands in his pockets. "As long as you don't test my limits or destroy my things, I have no interests in abandoning my people. If our religious connection is to be severed, that would be entirely up to you. I'm not forcing you to worship me, but you want this. It could help you. You don't have to be afraid."
Gabe seemed much more tolerant toward her than he was before. Shay wasn't sure if she'd just gotten better at interacting with him, that was to say, not annoying him, or if it was this new development.
She had already done both of those things, but no reason to bring the past back up. Shay breathed and ran a hand through her hair. He was so confident when he said it. She wanted this. He could help her. Just give in.
Shay laughed, "Okay, Kaa." Growing solemn again, she met his golden eyes. She has a soft spot for golden eyes. The eyes of a predator, often intelligent.
"Maybe one day I won't be."
Shay pulled the locket from her pocket. It was newly bought, but it wasn't what was important. Inside was the old picture of her parents holding her as an infant. She thrust the locket at him, face set, not saying a word.
Shay had nothing. Nothing to state how she felt about the stupid picture. Staring at it for nights on end. Wondering if loving Vito and Klaus, if calling them her parents, was wrong. Was a betrayal.
She still didn't have those answers.
♠♠♠
Eroshay's response was cheeky, one of her never ending annoying habits, but what followed after wasn't. Mikhainon took the locket from her and felt the sentimental energy flow through it in waves. Bigger than her diary. It would've been worth a smaller wish. With a small delicate tap, he opened the locket and peered into the picture, looked at the picture of Eroshay and her parents.
Of course. She was a little shit because of childhood trauma. Mortals were a predictable sort. When you meet one, you've met them all. Having her right now as a teenager — a young one, too, not like his daughter — was unfortunate, but he could work with this.
He didn't thank her for her offering. He gave her an acknowledging nod, then placed the locket where his earlier necklace was, felt his magic gobble up the energy. She should feel that it was safe here. It was a part of the shrine now.
With that, he placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing. Accepting. Mikhainon didn't have high expectations for this, not at all lacking in power now, so he could appreciate it for what it was.
One shrine and one disciple wasn't bad.
Of course. She was a little shit because of childhood trauma. Mortals were a predictable sort. When you meet one, you've met them all. Having her right now as a teenager — a young one, too, not like his daughter — was unfortunate, but he could work with this.
He didn't thank her for her offering. He gave her an acknowledging nod, then placed the locket where his earlier necklace was, felt his magic gobble up the energy. She should feel that it was safe here. It was a part of the shrine now.
With that, he placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing. Accepting. Mikhainon didn't have high expectations for this, not at all lacking in power now, so he could appreciate it for what it was.
One shrine and one disciple wasn't bad.