Persephone: Leonidas' Domina

9- Leonidas

*A dress of Persephone's*

Leonidas stared at his reflection, the now very obvious purple bruise glaring at him, his breath hitching in his throat as he stared.

His hands let the turtleneck sweater slip back to his neck, covering his little art, though a part of him wondered why he was even hiding it.

Because it is disgusting, because normal people don't hurt themselves, because we are trying to hide that tattoo on your back.

He sighed, staring at his hair that had been gelled back before the door to his room opened and he turned, seeing his friend who had his hair brushed in a perfect wave form, a purple silk chiton, a gold leaf crown and gold glitters on his eyelids with his gold choker and rings glistening under the light in his room. "You are not allowed to be sad today, I have put all the energy I have to make this work. ALL OF IT."

Leonidas gave a weak smile in return. "Is it too late to say that I am grateful?"

Loukas green eyes shone like a serpent ready to strike. "You can show your pitiful gratitude in that ballroom. Now."

"I do not know." His voice trailed off as he looked at the reflection "This sort of thing- It is the kind of thing you will like. How am I supposed to -."

"Listen to me."

Loukas was behind him now, his hands on his friends shoulder digging in tight as he looked at their reflection on his mirror and said, "You, are the sun of this ball. Yes, I shall take some light and be the star but you're the one that's going to burn to them to the ground with those fiery eyes of yours. You're an Aetos, act like it."

Yes, thank you for reminding me that I should be a man but I do not really feel like it.

And then Loukas' nails dug deeper. "And Stylani Laskaris is here already, in my hall, awaiting her -." Loukas' face showed that of disgust as he said "Beloved."

Leonidas chuckled, resting a hand on his friends cold ones. "She looks beautiful, yes?"

Loukas looked at his friend like he was suddenly mad. "She is an Aphrodite familia, what did you expect? A hag?"

He stood now, turning to his friend. "I suppose that is something I will like to see, beauty has a way of clearing the mind."

"Yes, just don't look too deep and you might not see the dirt underneath her beauty." Loukas muttered under his breath making Leonidas chuckle.

As they headed outside, according to what Loukas had said, Stylani was outside, her hair in a chignon that brought out the oval shape of her face, and her in a pink tulle floral off shoulder gown. "Leon!"

Leonidas flinched inwardly at the name as usual but smiled at her. "Hello, Lani."

She giggled and rushed to his side, practically shoving Loukas away who let out a snake like hiss before wrapping her arms around him, as she always did. "You look stunning."

Leonidas knew he was not.

He had a double breasted suit and white pants with a white turtleneck sweater then white tendrils at the corner of his eyes, white signifying the colour of the Zeus Familia.

"You look like Aphrodite herself." Leonidas said, and though he did not know the goddess or ever seen her, he got the reaction he hoped for.

Stylani's eyes went wide as she said, "Really?"

He was sure she had heard it a lot, that sort of compliment, but with the way she looked up at him like she had just been given a new revelation, he wondered if she ever believed the others. "Yes."