PHILTATOS // Foolish X Reader

7

Sofo's temple was an identical replica to Anoitos' in everything but color - and homage to the fact that they were born at the same moment. You supposed you were biased in your thinking, but you liked Anoitos' temple better. Where Foolishs' temple was made of a rosy peach marble, Sofos' was built out of a cold white. Silver replaced gold in the smaller details, only adding to the wintery feeling that emanated from behind silver doors. You had never stepped foot in Sofos' temple, but you imagined the inside was just as detached-feeling as the exterior. It made sense though - they were twins, but they were opposites in everything but flesh.

You slowed as you reached the bottom of the temple steps. You had been hoping to catch Anello before he disappeared on his own business for the rest of the day, but you feared you were too late. There was no sign of anyone around - the temple was silent, the sound of prayer missing from the pillars before you. It made sense though - you had had to turn back to retrieve your prayer beads, and taken time to sort out your thoughts before you had made the trek to find Anello. He was probably long gone, already busy doing whatever being head of the acropolis required - and you wouldn't want to disturb him when he was doing something as important as that anyway.

Turning back, you started down the stone path that would lead you back to the center of the hill. You would just have to make it a priority to catch him this evening after mealtime, or tomorrow morning before everyone headed to temple again...

The sound of a door sliding open behind you made you stop, turning back around. Anello stepped out of the temple, head bowed in respect as he exited the house of whom he was devoted to. Relief bloomed in your chest - you hadn't been too late, and even better, you had caught him alone.

You waited until Anello raised his head before calling out. "Praise be, Anello!"

His eyes wandered over to you, a smile breaking out across his face, causing the corners of his eyes to crinkle up. Raising a hand in greeting, he returned, "Praise be, Y/N."

You retraced your steps until you stood at the bottom of the stairs to the temple, hands folded as you waited for Anello to make his way down, his meandering gait causing him to roll down each step. You had never minded waiting before - slow and steady was just the way of Anello - but now you twiddled your thumbs.

You weren't even sure how you were going to tell him. Where did the story even begin - what had triggered it at all? Did you start with your break from the traditional format of prayer, or when you had forgotten your prayer beads? What was important and what wasn't? How did the old stories about encounters with the gods go?

"What brings you here, my child?" Anello asked, stopping next to you as he reached the bottom of the stairs. "You're deep in thought about something or other." His steady cadence brought you back to reality to see the concern etched onto his face.

"Anello, I..." You began, only to trail off. Though it couldn't have happened more than an hour ago, you were already unsure of the story - the middle you knew, but the beginning was blurry and the ending was a guess at best.

Anello didn't push you though, simply extending an arm for you to link together, and starting that slow steady gait down the stone path. You kept pace beside him, trying to put the words you felt dancing around on the tip of your tongue into something coherent. Part of you wanted to get to the big part right away - but it felt more proper to start at the beginning.

"How was the worship this morning?" Anello asked, patting you on the arm that was linked through his. "Nothing was amiss in the temple?"

"No." You said. "Well - not when I first arrived, ah... when was the last time any of the gods appeared in corporeal form?"

The question left your lips like a burst of cold rain in the middle of a warm day. Anello's eyes snapped to yours, and something in his expression shifted. His usual tired eyes were suddenly almost manic, and the hand that was holding onto your arms gripped tighter. "Why do you ask?" He said, looking at you intently.

Discomfort curled in your stomach, and suddenly, you felt like telling Anello anything at all would be a terrible idea.

"Did you see something?" He asked, more intent now.

Extracting your hand from his grip, you offered up a sympathetic smile. "No," You lied. "I only wished to know how long it had been since the last time." You paused, watching disappointment flood Anello's eyes. "I'm having more and more trouble bringing myself to worship each day with  no result."

Anello sighed deep from his chest, whatever energy had possessed him draining. "I understand your concern all too well, my child." He said. "There isn't much I can say on the matter - the longer these troubling times drag on with silence from the gods, the more I am beginning to waver myself."

Anello folded his hands in front of him, resting them on the bulge of his stomach as you walked along. The silence stretched over you, and you glanced at him out of the corner of your eye - he still lumbered along beside you. The sudden interest had hit him so fast that you almost could have imagined it, but the feeling of him gripping your hand still lingered.

Perhaps it had been a bad idea to try and tell Anello. You wouldn't have been able to stop the lie from leaving your lips even if you'd wanted to.

Anello sighed again, tipping his head back slightly to look at the sky. "What can we do but pray, though, when faith is the last thing we are certain of having?"

You hummed in agreement, thinking back to the way Foolish had gingerly handed your prayer beads back to you.