Chapter Text
It all started quite innocently with some drapes.
He'd thought he'd done well, making it all the way to Megaera before she cut him down.
He'd like to say he lasted a long time against her. In truth, he was so busy trying to dodge he ended his life quite quickly in the spike traps.
It was weird that he came back to life so easily, as if nothing happened. Weirder still that when he examined his pockets, Charon had left all those gemstones he'd found while rooting through all the urns and chests amongst his father's domain.
Why not just take those too? Charon had already taken all his money. Were gems worthless to the boatman? Dead weight?
He rolled the small stones against his palms, feeling the rough edges, the differences in texture between the pieces.
He really didn't know what to do with them.
Really, he'd just sort of been grabbing everything he could in the vain hope that maybe some of it would help him escape somehow. Now he was back here, it seemed unnecessary. What did you do with gemstones? Put them on your shelf? Use them to hold down parchment?
He'd heard tales that mortals used to fight wars over them, sometimes. Bribe people with them. Compare their lovers to them. Jewels were something important to the living. He'd thought they would be.... bigger. More impressive. More.... well, anything, really. They were sort of just rocks.
Of course, he'd seen gemstones in decorations before, but he'd assumed ones from the surface would be different somehow.
It was sort of weird to think some of the shades here had probably died for these stones.
Suddenly, he didn't really feel like keeping them.
He slunk around the corridor, trying to avoid his father's attention as best he could, especially given he was carrying what he supposed was technically stolen goods.
"Boy."
Not so well, then.
He tensed, then forced his shoulders to relax.
"...yes, father? What is it?"
His father's gaze was as vicious as ever. Funny how a man who was supposed to be an even judge of souls could look so absolutely disgusted by everyone around him all the time.
"You know damn well what it is. What do you think you're doing, running around like that? Are you aware of the consequences of your actions?"
Oh, he was one to talk.
"Consequences like what? Tracking dirt into your hallowed halls?"
"The carnage you sowed through my realm did not end at these doors. The house itself has been ruined because of you."
His glare was everpresent. Zagreus took a step back defensively.
"Now I'm pretty sure I was busy trying to get out of here. How would I have time to mess up the house too?"
"You upset Cerberus. He ruined the lounge. Which means you ruined it. This is on your head, boy, and you'd better fix it."
Ah.
Great.
Being told he'd ruined something was one thing. Being told he'd made the dog sad was something else entirely.
He hoped Cerberus would forgive him.
He didn't respond to his father, instead sheepishly slinking over to the house contractors.
"So.... how much is it to fix up the lounge...?"
It seemed fate had given him something to use his gems for after all.
By the time he'd helped them clean out the lounge, he still had a handful of gems left, and he still very much didn't want to have any on him.
"Say, Contractors." He leant on the table casually. "Do you only do fixes, or can I pay you for other services?"
The contractors didn't have mouths, yet he was sure they were smiling at him. With a heavy thump, a pile of parchment scrolls were placed on the table, each one stamped with a name. "Great Hall". "West Hall". "Lounge". "Bedchambers".
It felt like being shown illicit goods.
"Oh." Said Zagreus. "Wow."
He reached for the closest one, unfurling it to read.
In neat handwriting, a list of purchasables trailed on and on and on, ordered by price.
How much did he have again....?
He checked his pockets. Fifteen chunks of rough gemstones. Right. What was fifteen gems?
....drapes?
Sure, why not.
"I'll... purchase those drapes, then." He pointed to a random listed colour of drape. The contractors nodded, and struck it off the list.
Nothing seemed to happen immediately.
"Right, then." Relieved of his gems, and still being scowled at by his father, he decided to retire to his bedroom, where he could plan his next escape.