"Then, I choose you. Dui, right?" I simply say, pointing too the brown hair man with the kind brown eyes.
It only made sense to choose him out of the rest of these self-proclaimed gods. Since I recall him showing me nothing but kindness and being a real gentleman... or gentle-god.
"Yes." His gentle expression reassures me.
"Great. So, uh, I'll just be going now?" I say, stepping back, pointing to the doors behind me.
"Wait." Dui, takes me hand in his, stopping me from going anywhere. His face then gets awfully close. "Your eyes, they really are beautiful."
His face is actually so close it looks like he's ready to kiss me, and I can feel the temperature in my face rise.
"Uh, ever heard of personal space?" I squeak.
Dui realizes how close he is. "Oh, sorry."
I clear my throat and look away.
"The stars in your eyes are just so pretty...I forgot myself." Dui says, looking off to the side, as his hand releases my own.
I chuckle nervously. "No big deal."
"Hey, why did you pick Dui and not me?" Ichthys cuts in, pressing himself close to me.
I realize that I'm still standing in the room with five other gods who do not look pleased.
"Uh..." I push my hands up against Ichthys' chest, to remove him from my personal bubble.
Are all these gods so touchy-feely?
"Come on, Ichthys. You're scaring Abbey." Dui warns.
"I'm not scared. Just uncomfortable." I comment, taking a step back.
"It was her decision. We have no choice but to accept it." Huedhaut intervenes.
Scorpio clicks his tongue. "Tch... stupid woman."
I glare at Scorpio, then come to notice that everyone's eyes are on me, and if I thought I was uncomfortable before, now I'm even more so and want to run home and hide.
I still can't believe I'm stuck working with a bunch of gods. How could this be happening? I think to myself still trying to wrap my head around everything.
"Abbey..." Dui calls my name.
"Hm?" I face him and realize he's grabbed my hand again.
"I just want to thank you for choosing me. I'm going to do my best to make sure this goes well."
"O-oh...okay." I nod. "And when you say 'this goes well' you mean about...erasing your sins, right?" I ask to clarify.
"Yes. We've sinned through a.... variety of different circumstances." Dui explains. "And so it is up to one person on Earth who can absolve our sins: you."
"R-right, I remember that being explain." I mumble loud enough for them to hear.
Still can't believe its me though.
"B-but, I don't have special powers." I say, repeating what I've told them earlier. "I wouldn't know how too erase your sins."
"Yes, you do. You are the reborn goddess." Teorus says charmingly.
"So I've heard..." I groan.
"Before you became human, you were a god like us." Dui tells me.
"Uh...huh..." I begin rubbing my temples feeling a headache coming on.
"Her reaction isn't unreasonable." Huedhaut tells everyone. "She's a human now, she shouldn't have any memory of her time in the heavens. We can only use our powers when we touch you..."
I sigh as Huedhaut continues to speak.
"That must have something to do with the fact that you're a former goddess."
Scorpio steps in to speak. "Yeah, besides, the stars in your eyes prove it."
"I'm getting deja-vu..." I say, knowing we've had this conversation before, but yet I'm still having a hard time processing everything.
"So, there we go! You're the former goddess who will erase our sins and we can return to the heavens!" Teorus cheers.
"Hm...that's easier said than done."
"I've got just one thing to say." Scorpio directs his attention at me. "It's not like we're hanging around you because we like you. You are a tool we need to erase our marks."
"Honestly, I wasn't seeing it any other way..." I respond, monotonously.
"And you don't really have a right to refuse." Teorus says, almost in a threatening.
"Yeah, I figured that out the first time we met." I say, as I recall what happened yesterday.
All right, well, standing here thinking about it, and them explaining everything again to me isn't going to make anything better. Just suck it up and accept it. I vow to myself and take a deep breath.
"Dui?" I turn to face him and ask him seriously. "What exactly did you do to get branded with a mark of sin?"
Right as the words leave my lips Dui looks at me shocked as everyone else in the room stiffens.
Dui's expression falters as he's caught into a daze, eyes show nothing but pain.
It is a look I recognize all to well.
For it's when you remember something from the past you wish never happened, you wished you could forget, but you're reminded everyday by the mark it left on your body.
My hand crawls up the back of my lower neck, rubbing the rough, grooved in skin that hides beneath my clothing and hair.
I watch Dui's eyes lower to the floor as he doesn't respond.
"Dui?" I worriedly call his name to get his attention. "I-I'm sorry. Forget I asked okay?"
"Tch...know your place, filthy human! Don't stick your nose into the business of the gods!" Scorpio yells.
"Hey! I said I was sorry. I just thought that knowing what caused him to sin would help figure a way to absolve it!" I don't hesitate to snap back.
"Why you..." Scorpio takes a step closer, but Dui steps between us.
"Scorpio, it's fine." Dui reassures him, then looks at me. "Sorry, Abbey. It's not a very interesting story."
"Abbey?" Teorus speaks, looking uncomfortable. "Will you let Dui tell you that story himself when he's ready?
I nod, then speak to Dui. "Of course. Tell me when you're ready, I'll listen. But, don't feel the need to tell me because I asked."
"Thank you." Dui says with his smile returning to his face.
I return the smile.
Teorus' cheerful voice speaks out again. "Abbey, don't worry about any of that, okay? All we need you to do right now is erase our sins. Just say 'okay'."
I purposely think on it for a moment, grumpily looking among the other gods. "Hmm...no." I sigh. "But, okay, since I can't refuse."
Leon enters the conversation after standing on the side lines observing. "Goldfish, if you're clear on the situation at hand, get to it."
I snort. "Whoa, whoa, wait. 'Goldfish'?" I repeat the word that stood out.
"There are so many humans. We can't tell them apart." Teorus says. "To us gods, you guys are like pets we have to take care of. So, we'll call you goldfish."
I look pass Teorus' sparkling, princely demeanor and see that he's ugly on the inside.
"Unbelievable..." I smack my hand against my face, dragging it down as I groan.
"So, get to it woman. Absolve our sins." Scorpio demands.
I take a deep breath, my hands balling into fists so hard I hear my knuckles crack. "Okay, I'm going to say this one more time, so listen carefully. I. Don't. Know. How."
Leon and Scorpio look at me shocked.
"Yeah, still processing all this with my little goldfish brain." I sarcastically say.
Leon and Scorpio look of surprise suddenly turns into looks of anger mixed with threatening, devilish smiles.
Then Dui intervenes, just in time. "Abbey?"
"Y-yes..." I quickly stand by Dui's side.
"What would you say to spending you days off with me from now on?" Dui suggests.
"Oh, uh...I guess?" I ask.
"Well, since I can't use my powers without you, you'll help me with work?"
I suppose spending time with Dui as much as I can will help figure out a way to erase his sin.
Seeing as this is the only plan, I nod to Dui. "Okay."
Dui smiles brightly. "Good. I think we're going to make a great team."
I rest a hand on my hip and crookedly smile at him. "Yeah."
Helping a god, huh? Who would of thought. How bad could it be?
"Okay, so I'll see you on your next day off."
I hold out my fist to him, feeling much better. "Okay, cool."
Dui looks at me puzzled.
"Uh, fist bump?" I ask.
Dui blinks at me.
I chuckle. "Here." I take his hand and curl his fingers into his palm. "Then we..." I gently bump his knuckles against mine. "Fist bump."
Dui laughs sweetly.
I feel myself blush.
Then Leon mumbles loud enough for everyone to hear, eyeing me carefully. "I've never been so eccentric as to enjoy spending time with a useless goldfish..."
I sigh. "Gee, thanks."
"Hey, filthy human." Scorpio barks.
"Oh what, your too cool to call me goldfish?" I ask him.
He glares.
"What?"
"You'll regret being so useless..."
"Hey—"
"Scorpio! Please, don't threaten her." Dui steps in front of me as a human shield.
Scorpio looks away, clicking his tongue in disgust.
"Dui..." Ichthys worriedly speaks. "Be careful of you-know-what."
My eyes widen slightly, as Ichthys remark catches my attention.
"Oh ...yeah." Dui mumbles. "I know, it's okay."
What the hell?
I observe as the conversation takes a more serious but vague turn.
"The earth is filled with impurities. Don't take those shifty eyes of yours off of him, scorpion." Leon says.
"Damn it, lion, I don't need you to give me instructions on every little thing." Scorpio snaps back at him.
Leon turns to me, ignoring Scorpio. "Goldfish."
"Abbey." I say my name, already getting irritated with the nickname.
"You were the one who chose Dui." He begins to say.
"Yeah?"
"You're responsible for whatever happens now. Act with that in mind." He warns me.
I feel worried but I don't let it show as I ask. "Responsible?"
Leon sighs. "You should have understood the first time."
"Ugh. Fine. It doesn't help you that you don't elaborate on what you mean though..." I roll my eyes and I turn away from the crowd of gods as they begin talking among themselves.
"Abbey..." Dui calls my name.
"Yeah?"
"Come with me." He beckons me to follow him.
I feel relieved thinking he's going to allow me to return home, however as I follow Dui, we end up in his room. Not wanting to be rude, and unable to turn down Dui after what he's done to try and make me comfortable and safe, I go along with him.
"Come on in. This is my room." He says opening the door, allowing me to step in first.
"Oh, thanks." I walk in.
I glance around to see the luxurious room but it holds a simple, plain-Jane look to it that makes it feel cozy.
"So...does everyone live here?" I ask as it's the first question to pop into my head.
Dui comes to my side after shutting the door behind him. "Yup. We all have to work, you see, while we're on earth."
"Ah, okay. What do gods do for work?" I fire him another question and turn to look at him.
Instead I'm hit with a rich fragrance. The scent makes me loose my train of thought as Dui holds me in his warm embrace.
What in the hell?!
"U-uh..." I croak.
"Do you want to get to know me better?" He asks, whispering in my ear.
I get chills down my back as my body stiffens. "Yeah, but I don't think this is how it's done, Dui." I nervously speak.
"Watch my fingertips."
"But—"
Still holding me Dui raises one hand and snaps his fingers. At his snap a rose appears in his hand.
"A present for you." He kindly says."
I stare down at the rose, my cheeks flushed as Dui is incredibly close that I don't know how to handle being in a situation like this without throwing a punch into his face and running away. But I manage to control myself, hoping Dui means no harm, but I'm unable to control my racing heart.
"I guess it's the mark's fault. Part of my power is sealed now, I can only use it when I touch you." He says, as his hand moves, gently tucking the delicate flower in my hair.
I flinch at the affectionate touch, but Dui doesn't seem to notice.
"Thanks." I quietly say.
I've never received a flower before...
Abbey, do you really think you can erase my sin?" His low and raspy whispers tickle my ear.
That's what he's asking in a time like this?! Does he not see the position he has me in right now?!
"I...um.." I gulp as I try to think of words to say to him.
Dui continues to hold me tenderly, his face only centimeters away from mine, our eyes locked, and the only thing that could be heard is the out of control thumping of my heart.