erase my scars [greece/athens||open]

The world was a dull, putrid gray. The storm clouds casting the sky in ever darkening shades, thunder rumbling and rain pattering the ground in harsh lashes that reminded the ancient of the strike of a whip, though without the Earth shattering flesh ripping noise. How he remembered what that sounded like, he would never know, even as his midnight eyes shifted to glance at a display window, showing sweets and treats of all sorts, just as colorful and rich as the city he wondered. Long, rain soaked hair tickled against his chin, causing small rivulets to run down his throat and into the collar of his shirt, running down his chest or absorbing into the loose cotton, covered by a black, leather jacket. The dark wash of his jeans was made dark by the water soaking into them and the heavy boots he ware seemed to have gained another twenty some odd pounds with the puddles he seemed unwilling or unable to avoid as he ambled onward, hands shoved as far into his pockets as they would go and head down, looking up through the locks that came forward and trailed down before his dipped down head, blending in with the storm’s deep shadows.

He’d come to Athens without really giving a thought as to why he’d decided to come here. Maybe it was the call of memories, the call of his homeland and the harsh ache in his chest as he moved though the nearly deserted streets, watching a couple share and umbrella, the woman with her arm wrapped around his, laughing at something he said and brushing at her damp hair with her free hand, pushing blond locks out her pale sapphire eyes. His hunter’s nose picked up the lingering scent of jasmine and day lily, reminding him of home even more so and the flowers that had bloomed in the gardens next to his bedroom window and a soft, charmed smile curled his lips, causing another passerby to pause as the flash of white teeth against the darkness of his clothes and air flashed. They seemed mesmerized for a moment and then, he was passed them and he cast a glance over his shoulder, watching them blind, seemingly surprised as why they had stopped walking at all in this downpour before giving a hearty shake of their head and shuffling on, seeking shelter in whatever place happened to be their destination.

The walls of buildings, much younger than he, but just as beautiful, faded away until tall green trees and soft jade hued grass lay before him and his head finally rose, strong, masculine features greeting the air before him rather than staring stoically down at the ground under his feet. Sapphire eyes shifted about, taking in the park he’d stumbled upon. Nature was a wondrous thing, growing stronger and more beautiful with the pitter patter of rain that softened the soil, allowing the vegetation to absorb the moisture it so craved, though, it’s life line would not be complete if the sun did not peek around a corner at some point to lighten their days and allow their life cycles to continue and unfold, but this was not why Sebastian came to pause in this place, no, he was here for another reason, a reason yet unknown to him, but none the less, he turned his face up to the rain. He drew in a deep breath before releasing it slowly, the chill in the air causing his warm breath to puff out in a small cloud of breezy white and long legs shifted under a leanly muscled body.

Hades wanted to run, wanted to shift forms and run for as long as his legs would carry him, but he didn’t. The man just dropped his head once more, deep, dark azure eyes locking on the ground as a sigh was released and he pivoted around, heading back the way he has come, the scent of day lily still fresh and lingering under the hard wash of rain that had him wishing for days long passed. His mind wondered to those times, those times of blood and hate and war and regretted it as he always did. Regretted the lives he had taken without a single thought, regretted the families he had broken without a flinch of his heart. Now he thought about those lives and now his heart flinched at those families. Giving a soft, deprecating laugh, long, callused fingers came up to run through dripping locks, shoving them back and out of his face as he walked once more, along the edge of the park, in the shadows cast by the storm the cried and the buildings that tried to so desperately to give light and yet all they managed was to cast long shadows that had fingers that reached out to touch him.

The streets changed and he became curious, not recognizing most of them, realizing after a moment that he hadn’t been here in a long time and that, like everything else, it changed and shifted and became something new and it made him curious as to how this could happen in such a short amount of time, but in mortal years, ten years was not a short amount of time and it was a concept he was still growing to understand. Even in the rain, children raced and played, throwing balls and playing tag. It caused a slow, lost smile to bloom across his well sculpted lips, making him think of the times his own children had once played that way and then that dull ache was back, beating hard and heavy in his chest, constricting it, making it feel near impossible to breath and he felt his heart break not for the first time in all his eight thousand years. It broke every day he lived, ripping in two without a moment’s notice. Letting out a heavy breath, he took one last step and felt a solid weight collide with his chest, causing him to take a sharp step backwards and to the side. “I’m sorry. I dinna see you.” His words were soft, but rough as he spoke, his ancient accent and the newer Scottish mingled and trickled together.

• complete: yes • muse: good • comments: none • word count: 1041
[style=font-family: times; letter-spacing: 1px; font-size: 15px; color: #660000;]SEBASTIAN NIKKOS HADES GRYPHON