GODLY AUDIENCES - TAKAOMI SHISHIMARU

[divus]

Comments

[bakaomi]

How new is "new"? You said you've been going at it for a long time.

[ and also that they've been alone for a long time but that's awkward to bring up in a first conversation or ever ]

[divus]

Longer than you know. [A correction.] We're not the oldest gods, but we've been on the job for--[And suddenly there's a strange sort of abrupt sound as if their tongue's curled up on itself.]

Oh come on, I can't even say that? [Ugh, fine!!] Guess that's a little too important to share right away.

[bakaomi]

... so there's certain things you're just not allowed to say?

[ intewesting]

[divus]

Wonder how long that's going to last. [So perhaps this means it won't always be the case, nor was it always the case. Hm. Intewesting indeed.]

[bakaomi]

Soooo what decides what you can't say or not?

[divus]

[Sigh.] ...when we started this contest, all of us made a bunch of rules to try and keep each other accountable, but some of them were vague at best and impossible to interpret at worst. We ended up under divine oath when we made them and now there's no going back.

[We already established the gods don't have their shit together, are you surprised?]

[bakaomi]

[ oh my fucking god ]

Did you pick your names out of a hat too?

[divus]

We didn't have a real say in that. It just...happened. When we were chosen and ascended. I don't think any of us thought to ask or question it because it felt right and we just knew who we were.

[bakaomi]

Huh.

You don't seem very... merry.

[divus]

It's complicated. [Is it?] I'm not exactly cut out for responsibilities and everything, but if that's the title I was given there has to be a reason why.

[bakaomi]

Hm.

The other ones I was offered were Love and Beauty. Would they be mad I didn't pick them?

[divus]

No. Well actually... [Man. Okay.] Love wouldn't mind. Love is the type who wants everyone to pick what's best for them, and Beauty's a little overdramatic and might be offended for a few minutes but they'd get over it. ...they're both good kids.

[Though that brings up a question:] Why did you choose me?

[bakaomi]

[ he shrugs. ]

Going by the names alone didn't really help. But... I guess Merriment just didn't sound as bad as the others.

[divus]

[...they end up laughing, a little disbelieving and also a little relieved.]

It's also been a long time since I've worked with anyone. But if you stick with me, I'll do my best to make this work. [They almost sound a little more cheerful, god.]

[bakaomi]

I don't see any reason to abandon ship.

[ they seem to get along just fine? taka was worried what kind of person he'd get stuck with, but he hasn't gotten annoyed even once this whole conversation and that's like

kind of amazing. ]

[divus]

[Their shoulders relax and they lean forward, suddenly a little more trusting. That's...good news, isn't it? That someone will stay.]

Let's hope I don't give you a reason to then. [Hm.] What power did you pick?

[bakaomi]

The one that lets me ignore curfew.

[ it seemed like the most useful one. ]

[divus]

[Mood, Taka.]

Makes sense. All sorts of interesting stuff happens at night. You learn a lot about a place when the rest of the world isn't active.

[Merriment should know.]

[bakaomi]

I have a question on how that works though. If someone, is sleeping near me, would they be able to notice me getting up and leaving?

[ listen he knows how clingy senri can be so he wants to be ready for the inevitable of when that binch tries to do sleepovers. ]

[divus]

[One day Merriment's going to notice and mercilessly tease Taka, but until then.]

Unless they have the same power? Nah. They'll sleep right through it and won't notice at all.

[bakaomi]

[ stop he'll die on the spot ]

... good.

[ that was his main worry about it. ]

Do you have any idea what the other gods are doing or do you keep it from each other?

[divus]

In general? Or with their followers? [This time Merriment leans back and sort of lounges over their chair, casually tucked up and also revealing the fact they're not wearing any shoes.]

I can't see what any of them are saying to any of their followers if that's what you mean. Goes against our whole "no interference" thing. But we talk to each other sometimes.

[bakaomi]

[ of fucking course they don't have shoes on. ]

Can you lie to each other?

[divus]

[Who needs shoes, not this asshole.]

Of course we can. There are some rules we have in place that make it a little more complicated, but everything we say to you guys is off the record and we don't have to disclose the truth if we don't want to. It'd be a little harder to play against each other if we were transparent, wouldn't it?

[bakaomi]

Can you lie to us?

[ a pause, and then he snorts. ]

I realize the irony of asking that.