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[center][img]https://i.pinimg.com/originals/90/55/94/9055948b94acfb2c86f7c41d98107813.jpg[/img][/center]

[b][center][color=f6989d]Dionysus[/color][/center][/b]
[/h1][/sup][/color][indent][sub][COLOR=f6989d][I]???[/I][/COLOR][/sub][/indent][indent][sup][right][COLOR=f6989d][b]God of Hangovers[/b][/color][/right][/sup][/indent][hr]
Constantinople was a city that never stopped moving for any occasion.  The world could be ending and sure enough, there would be a vendor trying to sell you some trinket.  The large market that filled the westernmost plaza of the city was no exception to this habit, even a few hours after the sun had set.  Covered lanterns lit up the large area that would have been an open field if were not for the hundreds of tents that cluttered the plaza.  People shuffled through the small corridors that naturally opened up between ramshackle shops.  Citizens of the metropolis, rich and poor alike, came to purchase many of the items they needed in their day to day lives. At one vendor a wealthy patrician could be seen purchasing some form of roasted meat, while only a few steps away a small peasant woman was haggling over a rough piece of sheep’s wool.

Between the thousands of people gathered in the orange light of the lanterns, the god Dionysus was attempting to purchase some herbs from a small eastern woman who might just have lived as many years as the ageless diety.  [color=f6989d]“Trust me, this wine is worth more than any gem or ore anyone could try and trade you.  Just take a sip and you’ll understand what I mean.”[/color]  Dio used his best smile while he said this, the same smile that could sway any mortal being only a few decades ago.  [b]“As if I would drink something a strange boy tries to force-feed me.  You don’t get my age just trusting any honeyed words that come your way.”[/b]  The old trader showed a near toothless grin as she pushed the skin of wine away from her.

[color=f6989d]“You also apparently didn’t live that long by being generous.”[/color], Dio spat back at her.  He was growing increasingly frustrated with this imp of a woman who dared defy him.  Mortality was still something that Dionysus was adapting to daily, even though he had previously spent centuries roaming the planet.  Back then he had been something “beyond” human, a being who merely existed near humans.  Never did he have to pretend to be one of them.

[b]“If you're going to take that kind of attitude with me I might as well raise the price to four denarii.”[/b]

[color=f6989d]“Fine, fine take your money, you greedy woman.”[/color]  Dio tossed the money onto the table next to him and grabbed the herb before she could raise the price another time.  Rushing away from the vendor Dio slipped through the crowds back east towards the center of the city.  No matter how agile he was he couldn’t help but bump into some people earning himself some indignant shouts and curses.  The young god ignored the insults and focused on making it out of the plaza as quickly as possible.  Finally reaching an end to the mass of people Dio took a deep breath before continuing his jog into the city.  As he headed inwards the smell of the sea receded somewhat and new scents began to overwhelm the senses.  Imported spices from India and cured leather from the western edge of the empire dominated his nose as he passed by the shops of the many craftsmen who inhabited the city.

Dio stopped on a dime and ran down an alleyway between two tall buildings.  He pulled aside a small curtain on the side of the rightmost building and made his way up the stairs that started at the entrance.  Only once he reached a small door at the top did the god slow his ascent.  Before entering Dio leaned against the wall and steeled himself against the growing pain he could feel pierce his heart.  Dio faked a smile and entered the small room.

The room was cluttered and looked more like a large cupboard than anything.  Shelves on the walls held an assortment of plates, cups, and random personal belongings.  The floor was covered with colorful Persian rugs that only matched if one happened to be color blind.  In the middle of the room, furs were piled to form a makeshift bed that was currently occupied.  A slender form was curled up on top of the furs fast asleep oblivious to the world.  Dio stood still not wanting to wake the resting woman and merely stood there gazing down at her.  He didn’t know how long he stayed like this, Dio just knew he could wait here forever if she could be at peace asleep like this.

Eventually, the sleeping form began to move and raise its head.  It was then that Dio could see the eyes of Ariadne, his wife.  Even though her brunette hair was disheveled and she was a shade paler than healthy, Dio could feel his heart stop.  Ever since he found her crying on the island of Naxos he had felt this way.  Before the Colossus had happened he used to tell her she made him feel mortal.  When Ariadne had asked what he meant by this he had at first hesitated, before voicing it best he could.  [color=f6989d]“I have never feared death, for why should I?  I am something beyond mortals and their limited view on life.  I was born in the underworld of all places, dying would be a simple trip home.  But when I am with you I truly feel afraid.  I feel afraid that I could die at any moment.  That I could be ripped away from you.  An eternity in the pit of Tartarus can’t even compare to a minute without you.”[/color]

The tired eyes of Ariadne panned over the room until she saw her husband standing at the entrance.  [b]“How long have you been standing there?”[/b]  When Dio saw his wife attempt to sit up he rushed to her side and put a hand on her back.  Looking into her eyes Dio stopped faking his smile and whispered in her ear, [color=f6989d]“Not any longer than I would have wanted.”[/color]  Ariadne giggled at him until a dry cough overtook her and she brought her hands to her mouth.  When the coughing finally subsided Ariadne pulled her hands away from her face and let them fall onto her lap.  A small amount of blood was visible on her palms and Dio quickly began to lay her back down.  Dionysus pulled the herbs he bought out of his pocket and began to crush them into a bowl with the pommel of a small dagger.

[b]“You are such a hopeless romantic.  When I’m gone you better find someone to take care of you.”[/b]  Dio winced when she said that last sentence, not wanting to remember the new mortality of his wife.  [b]“Dio, I need you to look at me.”[/b]  He turned to face his wife and could see her clearly in pain trying to stay awake.  [b]“I need you to promise me you won’t cry for eternity when I’m gone.  Try to enjoy your time here on earth.  You can finally truly interact with humans without hurting them, I know you hated that your curse hurt those around you.  Enjoy this freedom and live. Not as a god or a king, but as a human.  Trust me, it’s not as bad as you think.”[/b]

She grabbed his hand and held it to her lips.  She lightly kissed his knuckles before pulling him into a real kiss.  Dio embraced her as best as he could without hurting her any more.  Letting him go, Ariadne, stared into his eyes.  [b]“Hold me for the next few minutes, until I am gone.  I want to feel your warmth.”[/b]  They sat there still for a time with her eyes closed.  Dio watched her breath as her breaths became more and more shallow.  Tears could no longer be stopped as he waited for the love of his immortal life to die.  His vision now clouded Dio couldn’t say if he sat there for seconds or hours, but when he could finally see again her breathing had stopped.
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The entire world seemed to rock as Dio rocketed awake, jumping up from where he had been sleeping.  As the world continued to spin he put a hand on a nearby wall to stabilize himself with.  Eventually, the spinning stopped for long enough for him to realize the wall he was leaning on was brick, which happened to not be what his walls were made of in his apartment.  Taking a look around himself Dio could make the simple observation that he was in some kind of back alley.  As he turned to take in his surroundings a sharp pain pulled his attention towards his abdomen where he could see his shirt was covered in blood.  Confused Dio used his free hand to search the pain he was feeling.  It was there that he could feel an incision just below his ribcage on his left side.  It was then that he saw a small glint of steel towards the exit of the alley.  As he got closer he saw it was a small pocket knife covered in blood.  Seeing it caused Dio to somewhat remember what had happened before his unplanned nap.  A young adult had approached a drunk Dio and attempted to rob him.  When the young god had proved uncooperative the youth had tried to scare him off with a knife.  This conflict escalated until the thief had stabbed Dio.  To the would-be murderer’s surprise, his victim had taken being shanked better than most.  Dio took it so well in fact he pulled the knife out and stabbed it into his attacker’s shoulder.  It was then that the thief decided Dio’s wallet wasn’t worth the trouble leaving Dio to pass out from either alcohol consumption or bleeding.

Leaving the back alley Dionysus began to make his way towards the general direction he was sure he lived. He checked his phone and noticed it had been several days since he had wandered away from the conclave to get drunk somewhere. Thinking to himself as he walked he came across a genius idea.  He stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and clapped his hands together.  Dio had finally solved how to be rid of the colossus and return to his wife.  [color=f6989d]“I just have to die, that’s it!”[/color]  The problem was he wasn’t sure if death by leaving the colossus was the same as a normal death.  It was better to be safe and find another way to die.  [color=f6989d]“Now I just need to find someone who can kill me.”
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