After Hades had fully evaporated away, Atticus knocked on the door of the apartment. There was no answer. Knocking a few more times, Atticus concluded that Dianthus wasn't there, and sat on the ground, resting his head on the wall next to the door of the apartment. It was then that he heard classical music coming from the apartment, and he quietly hummed along, closing his eyes contently.
A few minutes later, however, the door clicked open, startling Atticus. Walking cautiously into the apartment, the first thing he noticed was Dianthus asleep on the countertop.
'But then, who opened the door?' Atticus thought. 'Maybe it was Hades?'.
Shaking the thought out of his head, he started preparing for an early dinner.
~
Dianthus woke up to the comforting smell of food cooking, and looked up gingerly, seeing Atticus' back as he carefully cooked dinner.
"If I'm dreaming, don't wake me up," he said, softly.
"Nope, not dreaming," Atticus murmured back in response.
Dianthus suddenly stood up from his chair, and moved to Atticus, pulling the younger male into a tight hug. Atticus, stunned temporarily, stood motionless, but returned the hug, feeling Dianthus tremble on top of him. He was reminded of the smell of cigarettes and the warmth of fire once again, the combination almost feeling nostalgic.
"You okay?" Atticus softly asked Dianthus.
Dianthus nodded, pulling away from the hug, "What did he say?" he asked, taking over cooking the meat Atticus was frying.
Atticus briefly explained each option, while Dianthus wrinkled his nose at options 1 and 2.
"Okay, well it's up to you, so do what makes you happy," Dianthus said simply.
As they finished cooking dinner together, Dianthus laid out two glasses, with ginger beer and a bottle of vodka next to it.
"What's the occasion?" Atticus asked.
"To your return, and to the future." He responded.
They toasted and dined on beef cubes, fries, and salad. Dianthus finished his meal fairly quickly and started indulging himself in the liquor, Atticus soon following suit.
~
An hour had passed, and Atticus had had a fair bit to drink, so he took the educated decision to stop. However, Dianthus seemed to have decided the exact opposite as he downed drink after drink. Atticus glanced over at Dianthus in concern, to which Dianthus reassured:
"Don't worry. I can hold my liquor well,".
YOU ARE READING
The Prey of Truth
Pertualangan"You're in the Underworld, Atticus. Enjoy your time here. It's going to be an... interesting ride for both of us." When Atticus falls off a cliff, he unexpectedly wakes up in the Underworld, greeted by a strange man with bubblegum pink hair, Dianthu...
