The Devil's Favorite (Dio)

[Panic]

Panic was a horse. When he was around other animals he preferred to integrate himself as to not disrupt them or cause them any stress. Panic had plenty of stress for all of them. He wasn't doing very well as a horse, unfortunately. He was lying away from the others in the paddock, near the fence. He was not munching on grass, in fact one would probably assume he was sick or dying. His head was on the ground and his nostrils flared as he took in short bursts of air. Panic had been like this for hours. He'd been stumbling around as various other creatures before that ever since Hades had shown up. Panic hadn't stopped reeling from the conversation. What sort of deal had he just made? He should warn Della. He can't, he can't. Hades would know. He had probably already found her and it could take Panic ages to find her. They were both doomed. It was already done.

Panic whinnied mournfully. People nearby would certainly suspect he was at the very least injured. To be fair. He was injured. In his horse form there was a large burn on his right front shoulder. It still looked hot and painful. A Burn from the god of the Underworld wasn't an easy thing to heal from even for Panic. He wasn't to lie here forever. Or at least until everything with Della and Hades had passed. Why had this school brought him here? He'd just made a mess of things and brought a beautiful innocent into his disastrous world.

[Dionysus]

Dio loved horses. There was nothing more dramatic that sitting astride a horse, galloping through the fields, the wind in your hair. Or making an entrance, riding a horse through some huge double doors into a great hall, dismounting and standing wide-legged, hands on his hips, chin high.

Alright, so perhaps the horses didn't have all that much to do with the drama, that was all Dionysus. But still, they were a good prop. They added something. And they were pretty.

Except for that one. That one did not look good. As Dio watched, he thought there was something a bit odd about that horse - it looked strangely familiar, but yet... not. He moved closer, wondering if it was dying, in which case he should run and very dramatically call for help - it would be a fantastic opportunity for a hand to the head, a swoon, perhaps even a few tears. As he got closer, however, he noticed the burn, and his suspicions rose further.

You didn't grow up in the Underworld, raised by Hades, without being able to spot some of his handiwork. Dio moved to the fence and leaned on it, right by the sick and burned horse, and raised an eyebrow. He knew why the animal looked vaguely familiar.

"Panic! My dearest, darlingest, most favourite little minion! What did you do to upset Uncle-Dad?"

[Panic]

Panic squealed loudly when Dio said his name. So loudly that several of the horses nearby spooked and took off. He jumped to his feet despite the pain it caused him with the burn and swiveled his head around to look at Dionysus. He stared at him. What was Dio doing here? Had Hades brought him along for some reason? It had been a good long while since he'd left the underworld to set off on his own. Hades was always rather pleasant to Dio. It was hard to keep from feeling a bit resentful, but Dio was always rather pleasant to Panic. In fact, despite everything, Panic had found Dio a comfort in the Underworld. Thing were always better in Hell when it was more than just Panic and Hades. When it was just the two of them, Hades was at his most vengeful and extreme. At least, that's what it felt like.

Now, standing her with his four legs all sprawled out like he was learning to walk, he didn't know how to process the man in front of him. After a long pause it occurred to him to change back into a man, what was the point of hiding? Dio already knew it was him. He was still wearing the suit Hades had fashioned him, though it was dirtier and singed on the shoulder. He unconsciously grabbed the side of his wounded arm with his opposite hand and took a ginger step toward the fence.

"Dio...nysus?" Panic said softly, despite knowing it must be him. he didn't know what else to say. He felt a thousand mingled emotions. He felt a strange sort of lightness to see him and perhaps even comfort. The likelihood of Dio helping him in the long run was rather slim since he cared for Hades so much, but Panic did not have many people that would call him dearest or darlingest. Of course he still felt a lot of fear. Dio was very close to Hades, had Hades sent him to watch him? To make sure he didn't try to go after Della?

[Dionysus]

He watched the horse jump, calmly leaning against the fence and conjuring a glass of wine to sip. He knew it would probably take a minute or two for Panic to stop, well, panicking, and there was nothing better than a glass of wine while you waited. Especially when you were the god of wine, and your wine was, quite literally, the best thing in the world. All the worlds. And so, he waited calmly, watching as the horse stood and looked at him, giving a little sigh before Panic transformed back into his human form, and smiling when he saw the human face look at him.

He looked Panic up and down - the burn looked worse now he was in human form and Dio frowned slightly. "In the very flesh!"
He grinned widely, his arms outstretched. "Don't I just look fabulous!" It wasn't a question. "You, on the other hand... Panic, my dear boy. What did you do to upset Uncle-Dad this time?" He asked, holding his empty hand out towards the other man. Before it was fully outstretched, another glass of wine appeared and he offered it to Panic.

He'd always liked the little minion, finding his jumpiness sort of cute, and looking on him like a sort of little brother. Up on Olympus Dio was the youngest and the most resented by the majority of his godly siblings, but down in the Underworld things were different, his status was different, and Panic had been a companion while he grew up. He knew things between Hades and Panic were very different to how they were between Dio and Hades - Dio was lucky enough to have Persephone's favour, meaning Hades treated him very differently to how he treated, well, basically everyone else. But Dio had always had a soft spot for the minion, and although he never got in the middle of anything between him and Hades - he wasn't stupid - he'd generally tried to make sure Panic knew he had a friend down there at least. Of course, after he'd left the Underworld it had been difficult to stay in touch, never mind do anything to help Panic.

"That looks nasty." He commented, a sympathetic look on his face.

[Panic]

Feeling oddly dazed, Panic drifted closer to the fence to better see Dionysus, but he did not cross over. The fence acted as a comforting barrier. Panic felt safer on the side with horses than the side with a god, no matter which god. He listened as Dio spoke, but was grateful that his comment about being fabulous wasn't a question. Panic didn't have a very good idea how to answer if it had been. He wasn't exactly the type to go around judging what was fabulous and what was not. Dio moved on to address Panic's state a second time and Panic twitched his head toward his wounded shoulder and cast his eyes down. The mention reminded him of its ever present stinging.

What had he done to upset Hades? Panic had to think. Hades was upset at him, but Panic hadn't exactly done something intentionally to cause it. The school had sucked him back here while Hades was left minionless. This was the crime. Here, away from his master, Panic realized he may have not deserved such extreme wrath over something out of his control. Not that it mattered. For one it would heal eventually and, secondly, Hades needed a punching bag. He'd rather it be him than someone else. Yet...he'd gotten Della involved. Was he talking to her now? What would she say when she heard of the deal?

Panic was drawn out of his mind when he caught sight of a glass being offered to him. Dionysus was offering him some of his wine just like that? Mortals and gods alike would fight and nail over his special wine. This wine was for important people. People with power. People who deserved it. It seemed a shame to waste it on him. He could not accept. Yet, Dio had offered and he may be offended if he turned it down.

Panic raised a hand like he might take it, but stopped short. "I..I...th-th-thank you" He stumbled "But..I I d-don't think" He gave Dio an apologetic expression, trying to explain his waring thoughts and failing.

Dio addressed his wound a third time and Panic had run out of strikes to ignore it. Panic glanced to the side again. "He doesn't like that I am here" He said softly, nearly a whisper, unsure of whether he should be saying anything about it, unsure if Hades may be listening.

[Dionysus]

Rolling his eyes as Panic refused the wine, Dionysus blinked and the wine glass disappeared from his own hand and reappeared in Panic's. "Don't be ridiculous - if the god of wine offers you wine, you drink it." He waggled a finger at Panic. "You know what comes of insulting a god..." He teased with a wink.

He frowned a little at Panic's explanation, letting out a little sigh as he leaned forward, resting his forearms on the fence between himself and Panic. "Oh my dear Panic." He said with a sigh as he studied the little minion. "Now come on then, tell me all about it. What are you doing here?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. "You must have known he wouldn't be happy - you didn't disappear without telling him did you? You know how much he hates that."

He went to take another sip of wine, and paused with the glass halfway to his mouth as a thought struck him and he stared at Panic as dramatically as possible. "Oooo there's a girl involved, isn't there?" He fluttered his eyelashes at Panic as he leant back on the fence, resting his chin on his hand. "So, who is she?"

[Panic]

Panic nearly dropped the wine when it appeared in his hand, shocked, but steadied himself. He held the glass gingerly, a little away from him, unsure of what to do with the gift. Panic didn't often receive gifts. He didn't think Dio's joke was funny and winced a little at the idea of offending him and the reminder of what Hades had done to him. He'd better drink. He watched the wine ripple and move in the glass for a moment then brought the glass slowly to his lips. The glass felt cool and soft against his lip. Panic hadn't had much to drink at all these past few weeks, let alone held a fancy glass of any kind. His blue eyes glanced up toward Dio hesitantly, then dropped back down to the wine and he tipped it into his mouth gently.

It felt a bit cooler than the glass at first, but then instantly warmed as he swallowed. He'd only taken the smallest sip and, yet, he felt a dead man returning to life. His skin tingled and his muscles relaxed slightly. The burning on his shoulder seemed to lessen. He remembered how to breathe. It was just a sip and Panic felt better than he had in a very long time. Feeling a suddenly and impossible eagerness, Panic took another sip and the feeling doubled. Had his heart ever been so steady in his life?

Panic lowered the glass slightly, clutching it lovingly with both hands a looking a little dazed as Dio continued to speak. Panic felt like the words came far easier to him than usual. Normally it took a full minute of digging and pulling to forced the words from his lips, but wine had settled his thoughts enough that he found the answer easier. "I didn't come back on purpose" He said, still rather quietly, looking sheepish. The school had pulled him back, not that seemed to matter to Hades.

Panic went in for a another sip Just as Dio gave him the look. Panic's eyes widened and he choked before Dio even asked him the question he was fearing. He coughed a wheezed a few times before he regained himself enough to look back at Dio. Panic's heart thumped again. Could Hades hear? Would everything he said be held against him? Then again, Hades already knew of Della. If Dio did not, perhaps they weren't discussing him and he was not actually spying. Not to mention Hades didn't need a spy to get information out of Panic.

"She's..." Panic began, flustered and all but hiding behind the glass of wine. Panic sigh, thinking on Della and the mess he'd created. "Dio..." He looked at the god desperately. "I've...I made a d-deal." He said, fear growing inside him now that he was forcing himself to confront it. "Oh my gods...I gave her ssssoul to Hades" He said, his chest beginning to heave and his head spinning.

[Dionysus]

As he watched Panic drink, a smile played about his lips. After all, this wasn't just any old wine - this was Dio's wine, wine created by the god of wine himself. It was special, and if Dio was totally honest he was interested to see the effect it had on the little minion. Sure, he could have given him a watered down version, the kind he (mostly) gave to the mortals, but let's just call it this an experiment. He was pleased at the results - he was definitely going to give Panic wine more often. The guy needed to loosen up. Dio briefly wondered if he could find him a part in his next show...

He raised an eyebrow at Panic's almost defiant comment, smirking slightly. "You didn't come back on purpose? Oh Panic, you're going to have to come up with a better explanation than that if you want Uncle-Dad to not... you know..." He gestured towards Panic's injured shoulder.

His smirk widened into a grin as Panic's reaction confirmed his suspicions - Dio loved it when there was a girl involved. Romance always equalled drama, and there was nothing quite as dramatic as a good old Romeo and Juliet story. And if Dio knew his Uncle-Dad, this would be the ultimate tragedy. Of course, Dio felt sorry for Panic, but unfortunately the love of drama overtook that pity. For now at least.

His eyebrows rose exponentially as Panic made his revelation - oh this was just epic tragedy levels of drama, it was juicy! "You gave her soul to Hades?" Dio repeated, trying very hard to hide his enthusiasm, but failing. It was just too good. "What in the world was good enough to trade for the soul of the woman you love? Oh Panic I'm going to have to write a play based on this, this is fantastic!"

He noticed Panic's...  panicking, and quickly attempted to rearrange his features into a more sympathetic look.  "I mean, tell me everything, darling Panic.  Maybe I can help."  Yeah right...

[Panic]

Panic didn't hear him address his lame attempt at an explanation. He was too busy spiraling about Della. Panic already know it wasn't a good enough excuse anyway. There wasn't a good enough excuse. Panic would have been burned anyhow because, besides doing what he was told, he was Hades easy outlet for rage. If Hades didn't have a use for him outside of doing his bidding, certainly Panic would have been destroyed long ago. Panic could be loyal, but that didn't mean he was particularly good at carrying out orders. However, he was excellent at taking hit after hit after hit and not dying. An immortal punching bag.

"Trade?" Panic whimpered, reaching his free hand out to steady himself on the fence. "I didn't-I couldn't-he promised" Panic fumbled. Panic didn't get to trade things, he didn't get to say no to Hades. Hades could have told him to jump off a cliff and Panic would have been in the air before he finished. It was less of a deal and more of an instruction in Panic's mind. He was going to talk to Della whether Panic liked it or not. Not to mention all that about them living together and being together and safe from his wrath. Either he said yes and they were together or he said yes and they were apart and Hades deal was broken. There was still a choice.

By the time Dio starting talking about a play, Panic finally began to notice his enjoyment over his suffering. That wasn't unexpected. Dio adored drama and Panic had created quite a lot of it. Dio tried to recover, but Panic knew Dio either couldn't help or wouldn't. He needed to talk to Della. He couldn't avoid her forever. She at least deserved an explanation, anyway. Panic shakily brought the glass back to his lips in hopes that it might help him steady himself again. Honestly it mostly made him feel dizzier.

"You...you can't h-help" Panic said, looking at the ground near Dio's feet. He couldn't help because he was a god and gods didn't help other gods minions. He couldn't help because it didn't directly effect him. He couldn't help because he adored Hades and any help wouldn't likely involve something Hades didn't want. He couldn't help because there was no actual way of solving the situation. The rules were set and Panic had to play the game he'd found himself in. Thus is the nature of a world ruled by gods.

[Dionysus]

"Ohhhhh..." Of course Panic didn't get to trade anything. He was a minion, he was bound to Hades service - Hades didn't need to play his games with Panic. "I see. Well... that's not good." He pulled a face, expressing the awkwardness of the situation and took a long drink of his wine. "Wait, what did he promise?"

He couldn't help but feel sorry for Panic. He knew what it was like to be kicked around by gods, to be abused and treated like he was less than worthless. Sure, not quite to the same extent as Panic - he was at least the son of a god, a god himself, and his invention of wine had at least earned him a little respect up on Olympus. But still, he could empathise a little.

"I might be able to help a little." He said with a shrug, clicking his fingers and refilling Panic's glass. "I mean, I am Uncle-Dad's favourite, after all." He grinned, puffing his chest a little with pride. He had always loved that little bit more leniency with Hades than anyone else, that Hades cared for him in a way he didn't with anyone else. Except Persephone, obviously, but that was totally different.

[Panic]

Panic hesitated to respond to Dionysus asking what Hades had promised. The deal was they followed Hades plan and played by his rules and Della and he could be together. Hades hadn't been terribly specific about how they would be together, but Panic assumed this meant together and unharmed. If she was dead and he was not, they were not really together were they? For whatever reason Hades had not killed Panic up until this point so there was a large chance he couldn't kill Della and keep his deal intact. If Panic knew anything, he knew Hades did not like his deals top be broken. He always made them with a purpose. He needed Della and himself for some reason that Panic couldn't understand yet. All he knew was that he had agreed and now Della had to choose freedom or him. His heart ached, but he hoped she chose freedom. Hanging onto him was like choosing death. He weighted her down and was dragging her slowly into darkness. She needed to choose freedom.

Panic blinked when the glass refilled and he realized Dio was speaking again. Panic took another sip and jumped to catch a bit of wine that dribbled down his chin. He blushed and wiped his chin. He was beginning to feel very strange. Like there was a halo around his vision and a warm blanket draped over his body. Despite the anxiety he felt about both the topic of discussion and the discussion itself, he felt oddly weighted. He felt like he knew he should be more afraid, but his fear couldn't quite find the will to climb up and tear at his heart like it normally did. It made it a little easier to speak, but not quite easier to come up with words.

"You ssshouldn't help" he stuttered slightly. "He wouldn't like it." He said quietly, using his free arm to cradle the opposite elbow as it clung to the wine.