"Ate the... I think maybe you need further hugs."

He will provide.

Hugs!!!

"Proverbial pomegranate. In actuality, I drank the fire river because it made no sense and I wanted to understand it. But. But still!! I totally did the trope!!!"

"...and that... oh you mean what Nyx said? I don't... think it means you cannot leave. Like I can't."

"Probably not, I tagged along with Thanatos just fine, mostly I'm just frustrated with myself. Narratively speaking."

Zag smiles despite himself. "Okay."

"I don't feel particularly trapped, just! Ugh! I'm dumb!!!!! I'm dumb even when I say I'm not!!!!!" Lean. "... Than's nice. I like him."

He starts petting her hair, stops himself, then resumes it. It's probably fine, right?

"Yeah. I like him, too. We've been friends for... for centuries."

"...... wait are you not dating?? I thought you were dating! Or, or, I don't know, the Greek equivalent where everyone says you're dear friends when actually they mean boyfriends and you're fucking!"

Zagreus splutters. "What? No, no, we're not—what gave you—did it look like we—"

"Yes! He dips out of his very busy job to help you and gives you hearts, Zagreus!!"

"Are... the hearts significant somehow? I give him gifts sometimes, too!" Pause. "This is not helping my case is it. I give lots of people gifts!"

"In my culture, yes, but I suppose it's different here. Do the people you give gifts to regularly get into killing contests with you in a way that is totally flirting, Zagreus. Do you joke about their love being conditional with them. Because I thought I had great evidence that you two were together!!!!!"

"Well, we're not, we've never—I mean, not that I'd say no—would I?—no, I don't think I would—do you think he would say no? Wait, do you think he wants it, was he—"

Okay it is now time for Zagreus to be the overwhelmed one, here.

Yvette snorts.

"I think this is probably all stuff to figure out with him instead of me," she points out, amused.

"...you've never tried talking to him about anything that might be even slightly uncomfortable, have you," he says, pursing his lips in amusement. "He just vanishes into thin air."

"Aw. That's adorable and also incredibly inconvenient. Have you tried writing him a letter with all of your feelings in it and handing it to him so he can figure out how he wants to respond in privacy with time to think?"

"...one, no, and two, I don't know what my feelings are, I'd never—considered—we've been friends since always! He's been around since I was born, it never—occurred to me—"

Pat, pat.

“Well. I recommend figuring those out first, and then deciding if you want to be patient while he poofs away if you sneeze too hard at him, and going from there.”

"Augh! Well! Thank you for pointing out how obviously my relationship with the god of death is more complicated than a regular platonic friendship and I had never noticed it before!"

"You're welcome! And good luck." Then she giggles.

"Very amused, aren'tcha."

"Yes. That is why the giggling."

"...you know what?" he says, releasing her from the hug and starting to march back whence they came. "I'm going to go talk to him right now."

"Okay. Do you want me to give you some space? ... I suspect he'll want me to give you two some space if you're going to make romantic overtures at him."

"But his reaction will be hilarious. ...I think he'll disappear either way but you may be right that he might say more words before that if you're gone."