PHILTATOS // Foolish X Reader

22

In the days that followed Anello's announcement, change took the city by storm.

It seemed that a bit of hope and festivity was just what everyone needed, because the news was only met with support from the people of the city (or so you heard). You hadn't thought about that part of it when Anello had announced it to you at the pavilion, and seeing people have something good to think of lessened your worry about the expense. If it was lifting peoples spirits in a time like this, it would be worth it.

You hoped, anyway.

You saw less and less of Anello as preparations picked up - he was on call with the caesar most days, guiding the setup of things. Slowly but surely, silver banners appeared on shopfronts and street corners, parade routes were planned, altars were constructed in open squares - and resources were set aside to be burned as offerings when the night of the festival came.

In the same strain, the excess silver fabric from the banners found it's way to the shanty tents that filled alleyways. Crowds of homeless people congregated around statues and mosaics of Sofos, setting up little shanty towns around the altars that had been erected there as well.

As the days crawled forward, closer to the night of the festival, it seemed the entire city's gravity was shifting towards Sofos. However, even when the city was bathing in silver, your thoughts turned to gold.

You still hadn't heard from Foolish. It had been a few days now since you had seen Foolish for the last time. Each morning, when you brought the daily offering to the temple, you hoped he would be there - that something had just happened with the gods, and it was over and he was back. Each morning, you would open the door and look to the stairs up to the altar and be disappointed when you didn't see him.

Still, you kept up hope. One day, he would come back. He had to - he wouldn't leave without saying anything.

As you opened the door to the temple today, your eyes immediately fell to the altar. You stomach sank as you scanned over the empty steps - there was no one waiting for you, except for the statue of Foolish that stood on the dais. It was a cheap mockery of what you were looking for - the statue's dopey grin just wasn't the same.

Letting the door swing shut behind you, you made your way over to the bottom of the altar steps, setting down the plate of offerings at the statue's base. Staving off your disappointment, you slipped your prayer beads off your neck, running your fingers over the beads as you let the chain pool in your palm.

Bowing your head, you began to pray.

Not the sort of traditional prayers you had used for so long - of course not. It had been too long of talking as friends would for you to go back to praying from a distance. You tried to let the words drip from your mouth as they would if Foolish had been sitting right next to you, even though he wasn't. If he was listening, he would appreciate it.

"Hello Foolish." You led in, thumbing over the golden beads in your hands. "I brought you some berries again."

You paused, looking over at the plate of offerings you had brought with you. The plate was piled high with sweet berries - something you'd hoped would entice him back to the temple. It hadn't worked so far (and you were a little guilty about it), but you kept trying.

"The preparations for the festival are underway." You continued. "They're covering the city in silver - they even washed the mosaic of you and your brother in the agora. It looks nice - the emeralds in the eyes really catch the light now."

It was strange, talking to an empty room. You were so used to Foolish responding - or carrying an entire conversation by himself while you just listened - that the silence was grating. You had gotten used to this place being full, not empty.

"Everyone around the hill is getting ready for it too." You said. "The priests and priestesses of Sofos are dividing the altars between themselves. They're all going to light them at the same time - it's going to look amazing. I'll bet it's going to look even better from up there... I'm sure your brother will love it."

You trailed off at the end of the spiel, letting the silence wash over you for a minute. It was approaching a week now since you had seen him last.

"If I've done something to upset you Foolish, I'm sorry." You said, letting your eyes drop to the beads in your hands. "I don't know if it was me, or if it was the city in it's whole..." You trailed off, remembering how Foolish had sighed and told you about how his brother received more prayers than he knew what to do with... and that you were the last person who prayed to him. Obviously a festival in his brother's honor was going to sting a little bit.

"But I want you to know that I'm sorry." You continued on. "I know seeing a festival thrown in your brother's honor might hurt, but just know that I'm here. And that I know you're there, even if everyone else has forgotten you. Even if this is how it has to be - if we have to go back to just me talking to you like this - I promise I'll keep coming every day."

You fell silent then, just running the beads over in your hands. The only sound in the room was the gentle clink of the beads hitting each other along the chain as you passed them through your fingers. You weren't sure what else to say... how did you express the hole that had opened up in your heart since he had left?

"I miss you, Foolish."