Chicago, in the near past.

[2020sight]

You don't see people using payphones much nowadays, but they are still around if you look for them.

The drunk sleeping it off in one of the little phone cubicles wakes up and blinks groggily as Epimetheus steps into the next cubicle, picks up the receiver without putting any money in the slot, and says, "Meda."

The phone purrs in his ear. He leans back against the Plexiglass wall and give the drunk a cheery finger-waggle.

Comments

[mycursedface]

Brr-brr. Brr-brr. Brr-brr. Brr-

"Afwan," a woman's voice breathes at the other end. That is understandable enough. Classic Arabic, excuse me, as in 'sorry'. What follows next is an almost unintelligable rush of Darija and the sound of the phone being placed on the table.

There might have been mention of having to rescue someone from drowning, but it's an uncertain thing.

[2020sight]

". . . Or I guess I could wait."

[mycursedface]

Eventually, the phone is picked up.

"Samehini," Medusa says then, still breathing heavily. "I had to rescue one of the chameleons from being adventerous in the fountain. Um, who is calling?"

She's still speaking Darija, but it's easier to understand when she's not babbling it.

[2020sight]

"Oh!" He grins. "Okay, well, that I can forgive."

Is that hint enough?

It might also help that he's speaking something a little older than Ancient Greek.

[mycursedface]

Beat. Be-

"Epimetheus!"

[2020sight]

"Right in one. How've you been, cousin?"

[mycursedface]

"Wonderful, actually. Yourself?"

[2020sight]

"Weeeeeell," he drawls. "I've been okay. I wanted to ask you something, though. You remember Milliways, right? You still go there at all?"

[mycursedface]

"Of course. When my door decides to behave...?"

[2020sight]

"Yeah. See, the thing is -- I've been going in there, and the you that's there is from back in the old days."

He cradles the phone against his shoulder, scratching his neck.

"And you came in as a ghost, a while back."

[mycursedface]

"I remem-"

came in as a ghost

"-ber."








This not the sound of someone going 'oh, fuck'. Repeatedly. This is the sound of someone going 'oh, fuck' repeatedly in her head.

[2020sight]

Wry: "Little warning mighta been nice, is all."

[mycursedface]

Medusa is many things. This list, long and occasionally contradictory, involves being incredibly honest. When you have a golden wingspan of twelve feet, being deceitful isn't really an option.

Which is why the Gorgon, instead of saying the things she'd think up later, just stutters.

"I...Um. Epi-I, uh."

[2020sight]

"Hey, hey." He frowns. "I'm not mad. Just -- why didn't you ever mention that? It was kind of a shock."

[mycursedface]

"I, um. I don't. I am so sorry!." Possibly, the Gorgon's clear voice is now more akin to a wail than a flute.

"It's, um. You know...you know how you keep putting things off? Because they hurt or-or it's stupid or something and you know you should but you don't want to bring it up up because it'll make things hurt or people worry and so you put it off and you put it off and then, and then it happens?

Sorta, uh. Sorta like that? I think?"

[2020sight]

Dry: "Few thousand years is a long time to put something off."

Then he shakes his head, adding hastily, "Not that I blame you! I mean, I'm as guilty of that as anyone."

Possibly more than many.

[mycursedface]

"Well, I don't-" And then he finishes talking. There's a silence for a moment, then she sighs.

"Yeah. But you know, it was really only two or less, given I was a little...crazy, and you went AWOL..."

[2020sight]

"Huh. Yeah. Fair point."

Awkward moment of phone silence.

"Hey -- did it help any? What I told you then?"

[mycursedface]

"Oh! Um. Eyeh. I mean, yes. It helped...so much. Thank you."

[2020sight]

Epimetheus blinks, and then fist-pumps silently.

The drunk gives him a Look, which Epimetheus waves off. He helped someone. This is worth a victory dance.

"Good! That's good to hear." He leans back, grinning. "So're you gonna come to the States to visit me one of these days, or am I gonna have to drag my sorry ass out to Morocco?"

[mycursedface]

"...I don't fancy the flight. As much as I love you...no."

Beat. Beam.

"You have to come here!"

[2020sight]

"Aw, I'm not worth a few thousand miles?"

He is Hurt.

[mycursedface]

"Well, I can't exactly fly by plane, and a trans-Atlantic flight on my own? And swimming is a pain when I have to go out that far and fight with sharks."

[2020sight]

"Pshaw. Just drop my name and they'll leave you alone."

[mycursedface]

She laughs, wickedly.

"Or my mother's." It's entirely possible that baby sharks are told in no uncertain terms that Ceto is going to gobble them up.

"The trouble is, getting them to listen..."

[2020sight]

"Yeah, they do tend towards single-mindedness, don't they."

He sounds fond.

Of course.

[mycursedface]

"Just a little."

She likes sharks. When they aren't trying to eat her.

"There is always Milliways if you are desperate to show me the grand old US of A."

[2020sight]

"I will take you up on that, y'know."

[mycursedface]

"I'm terrified. Really."

[2020sight]

"You should be. Chicago is a wild place. Mobsters, you know."

[mycursedface]

"Oh, wonderful!"

[2020sight]

"Was that sarcasm, Meda?"

[mycursedface]

"No? Mobsters sound neat..."

[2020sight]

"Oh! Well, then, I'll make sure to drum some up when you visit."

:D?

[mycursedface]

:D!

"Thank you. You are the best cousin ever."

[2020sight]

"I know, I know."

Humility, thy name is . . . not Epimetheus, that's for damn sure.

"How're Stheno and Eurayle?"

[mycursedface]

"Ali's flitting about the south of Spain being a...thief, I think. Her last call was a little garbled. She sounded like she was having fun, though. And Stheno's the same. Snarky, sarcastic, grumpy-"

Distantly, there is a yelled 'I heard that'

"- and of course utterly delightful. Making a new chest and it's beautiful."

Making their own furniture is only...practical, really.

[2020sight]

He laughs. "That's great."

Epimetheus approves of making things, even if he doesn't do it himself anymore.

"Tell them I say hi, yeah?"

[mycursedface]

"Sure, I will. Could always come over and say 'hi' yourself one of these days, though."

[2020sight]

"Well obviously, but it'll be a lot quicker if you say hi to them now."

[mycursedface]

"Oh, fine. I will. You take care, mm?"

[2020sight]

"Don't I always?"

Beat.

"Well, don't I usually?"

[mycursedface]

"Mmmm, I'm not commenting."

[2020sight]

"You can't see it, but I'm making such a face."

[mycursedface]

She laughs.

"I'm sure you are."

[2020sight]

Laughing: "I'll do my usual stellar job of taking care of myself, okay?"

[mycursedface]

"Okay. Talk to you later."

[2020sight]

"Talk to you later, Meda. Stay safe!"

He hangs up, tips the drunk a cheery salute, and heads off into the streets of Chicago.