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Realistic or Modern Oracle Manor

Burning amber eyes remained upon the body, face down in a pool of red in front of her, but the feelings that Essa expected to hit her... never did. Instead she felt... nothing. No fear, no horror, no guilt. Instead, her mind and heart were silent, empty. As though what she had just done had taken something from her.

A small furrow began on her brow, born out of confusion, and she was so focussed upon this that she didn't hear Hayden approaching so started slightly when he pressed a warm hand to her shoulder. Surprise filled her then as she turned to see him looking at her, his face unreadable, yet Essa felt a glimmer of something within her chest at the consideration that Hayden approved of what she had done. He wasn't spitting at her in disgust so that had to count for something, right?

For once, she allowed him to guide her away and relinquished control to someone other than herself, the warmth of his hand remaining upon her skin even once it had been removed. Jade and Jay were an unwelcome sight in amongst the chaos and Essa remained quiet, dispondent until Hayden spoke again to her, his tone unfamiliar. She glanced at him, that same crease upon her brow because was that... almost a compliment? Was it a compliment? Surely she had misheard, surely... But it wasn't long before she caught herself and became quietly dismayed that she was more bothered about what Hayden thought of her than the girl she had just murdered who still lay bleeding out a few feet away from them. Dismayed but also quietly... pleased?

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The gong came not a moment too soon.

Essa traipsed through the rest of the challenge in a far away daze. She was focussed and yet unfeeling. Her eyes were glazed, her thoughts somewhere that nobody but her could reach and by the end of it all, it appeared that she wasn't the only one. The group of wannabe Chosens regathered with suspicion marring their features; it was as though everyone had realised that each person here was their enemy and what the reality of that entailed. It didn't matter if they weren't competing for the same spot, they could wind up on an opposing teams and that's all it would take. To end a life. To change something forever because it was kill or be killed; what other choice did they have?

As the contestants seemed to huddle , Essa flinched upon hearing the happy, sing song boom of the MC once more. It felt out of place in amongst the blood and the dirt; if there had ever been a correct place for it here at all. Amber eyes shone with something close to fury, to hatred at the messenger's joke about something that had killed numerous people. Her stomach churned slightly and without fully realising it, she stepped a little closer into Hayden's side, seeking... warmth, seeking comfort. Not that she'd ever have readily realised such a want within herself. Everything else about her however was rigid, focussed. Had this all been for nothing?

A silence followed the MC's suggestion and he tutted lightly, yet remained unphased by his steely audience. "So without further ado!" Lights flashed and cameras were suddenly thrust upon the stage while Hermes's Chosen welcomed the audience at home. Essa cringed in the brightness, as introductions were made and summaries given, wishing she could beg, no demand that they just get this over with. Only did her ears retune into the words being boomed into a mic once the MC prepared for his announcement.

"But in amongst the vicious battle there was but one clear winner and I... well, I doubt this is going to come as much of a surprise given one particular contestant's track record but please, ladies and gentleman, join me in welcoming to the stage the winners of today's challenge... Group 4 consisting of Hayden Kaneko, Jade Bullen, Jay Singh and Essa... Hariki!"

Applause sounded but it wasn't from around them as spotlights searched the groups for their targets. The contestants turned this way and that, and when they found those responsible for the deaths of their teammates they stepped aside with scowls, parting to allow a way forwards to the stage. Essa smacked her lips and started to lead the way, part jubilant, part.... numb.

The journey seemed endless as their party shuffled forwards and when they finally stood in front of the MC, bloodied, dirtied and bruised, especially in comparison to his vibrant attire, the hostility emanating from the crowds was palpable.

"Well my dears, here you are." The MC held out his arms. "And Miss Hariki, for a second time, no less."

Essa said nothing. Did nothing.

"Congratulations to each and every one of you. Now it goes without saying that we have quite the prize lined up for you this evening. Would you like to hear what it is?"
 
Hayden couldn't help but wonder if the same pageantry had been a part of the God's myth's and legends from the days of old. Did such honourable battles between men at the inclination of the Gods always leave a bitter taste in humanities mouth? The God's had shaped them, moulded them out of the earth and brought them life- they'd gifted them with fire and the means to grow as a society and thus they would always been in their debt. Hayden couldn't help but wonder if this would always be the cost to keep the graces of those that looked down upon them. Perhaps he was a hypocrite as he was unable to feel anything other than victory from the result of his actions- and yet he couldn't find the honour in this.

The bodies of the dead were removed from the grounds and those that remained had no opportunity to mourn or send their fallen opponents off to the shores of the Styx. Instead their blood was covered by rolling red carpets, glitter and pomp. Perhaps Essa felt the same as Hayden felt the warmth of her body near his side as she stepped closer to him. He reacted on pure instinct, moving his arm to give her the space to get closer and his hand hovered over the small of her back before it fisted and fell away back to his side. He felt the brush of her knuckles against his and he stayed perfectly still, keeping his hand right there as Hermes waxed on about the competition.

With a loud boisterous voice he called for their champions and Hayden blinked against the brightness of the spotlights that found them in the waning crowds. Perhaps the blinding light was its own blessing in disguise as it saved the winners from the glares and seething disdain from those around them. They made their way onto the stage and Hayden placed himself as a barrier between the overly cheerful man and Essa. He told himself it was because he wanted to be seen first and as the leader of the group, perhaps the Gods and those at home might foster some respect for him, but in truth he stood where he stood because of Essa. Everything about her posture screamed that she was done with the event- with being under the watchful eye of those invested in this.

"We are on the edge of our seats." Hayden said dryly into the microphone that Hermes waved in front of them, hoping that one of them might answer his question as to the content of their prize.

"As are we Mr. Kaneko!" With a great flourish of glitter and tailcoats Hermes swirled back to the camera, his grin almost as bright as the spotlights. "This prize comes as thanks from one of our mortal sponsors: Alliance Nations- the voice of the Gods! It's through them and the hardworking individuals there that we're able to put on this show for you exactly to the God's design. It is my great pleasure to announce that they worked closely with Aphrodite and Dionysus to bring you the ultimate prize." Hermes Chosen winked and it seemed to Hayden the man was all but hearing the 'ooohs' of the viewers at home. it took everything in him not to roll his eyes.

"For the first time ever in the history of this game we will be carting the winners off for a five day cruise down the coast to see the temples of their chosen. Your private yacht will be staffed by only the finest individuals hand chosen by Alliance Nations! And perhaps if you're lucky, at the temples you might get the opportunity to speak to the God's themselves. Maybe they'll grace you with a little more advice for the upcoming events." Hermes chosen started clapping, and he was the only one- though that didn't seem to deter him one bit.

Hermes hand lifted to the little ear piece tucked behind his ear then and a wry smile curved his lips, with a dramatic flair he pointed up to the sky. Hayden followed the man's direction and groaned at the sight of a pitch black helicopter as it descended down on the grounds.

"No need to worry about packing! We'll take care if it all upon your arrival!" Hermes shouted over the whap whap whap of the helicopter blades slicing through the air. The gardens around them came alive with the swaying foliage as it was caught in the powerful wind of the helicopter. Contestants backed away from the mighty machine and Hayden found himself frowning...

Well... there went his plans for that bath.
 
After a while, Essa stopped hearing any of the gold plated bullshit that was pouring out of the MC's mouth. Her hands tingled with where she and Hayden's knuckles had brushed, but that was the only sensation she could currently feel. Even standing under the dazzling lights, even in front of the watchful eyes of those who most likely wanted to see her dead. Not even the full announcement of their prize could stir emotion from her numbness, or at least that was until the whirring of the helicopter began to sizzle through her mind, the gusts of wind from its propellors disrupting the people that stood before it.

All she'd wanted to do was go back to her room, to curl up in bed under the sheets, to disappear, not to step onto an unnatural deathtrap that could fall from the sky at any moment. It would appear however, that Essa, as was so often the case, did not have a choice.

The MC ushered the group forwards, "Now go forth, my young companions. Seek your destiny... and perhaps a little bit of fun on the side." Another sickly wink followed while the four of them were encouraged into the vehicle one by one and handed a pair of headphones with attached mics. Essa scooted into the furthest side by a window, her hands already trembling as she attached the headphone over her head. Moments later, those same hands were balled into the familiar fists that Hayden had commented on during their first meeting, her nails creating the little half-moon indentations on her skin. Jay and Jade's gushing excitement spilled out between them but Essa couldn't hear it, couldn't focus as the door closed them in and finally... the helicopter began to lift.

"Fuck..." The word was breathed out softly, not intended for anyone to hear. Essa was usually so much better at controlling herself than this but it was almost like she was simply... overwhelmed, done with the events of the day, focussing on her fear of flying rather than the reality of what she'd done, perhaps?

The helicopter began to climb slowly at first, the ground below them disappearing, but it was when it began to move followed by a sharp bank to the right that Essa closed her eyes, screwing them shut in an attempt to concentrate on breathing past the impending nausea climbing up her throat. She had to get a hold of herself, she had to...
 
The voices of Jay and Jade crackled in his ear as Hayden slipped his headset on. He wasn't so much interested in joining in their reverie as the door to the helicopter slid closed and the ground slipped further away from them. Already his mind was whirring with the implications on what their time apart from the manor meant. In way it brought them all safety from the many faces that had looked on them with contempt- it gave him a second to recoup and collect his thoughts. It also brought him one step closer to convincing Hades that he was the right man for the job. There were disadvantages to leaving as well, there would be no way to determine who had it out for him the most- or learn the nature of any plans that might be unfolding. He could only hope that Beau would be willing to fill him in upon his return. Truly it was better to keep ones enemies close at all times, he felt the insane urge to throw himself out of the helicopter and back down to the manor.

"Fuck..." Hmm, that was strange, the little voice in his head sounded strangely like Essa. Hayden eye's slid across from him, he'd taken the seat right behind the pilot and subsequently right across from Essa. He was reminded of their first meeting and noted the way her hands curled tightly into fists- every bit of colour had drained from her face and those sad eyes of hers were shielded from him as they were screwed up tightly. Hayden didn't think, didn't let logic talk him out of this one as he subtly slid his foot into the narrow space between them, the toe of his sneaker bumping against her foot.

Her eyes flickered to his and Hayden inclined his head, his coal like eyes scalding the air with his silent reassurance. Jay and Jade's conversation about what their team name should be became white noise as he held her gaze. Hayden sat in that helicopter seat like he owned it- his other leg coming out to press against hers as he lounged. He was the picture of ease as they flew over the rocky cliffs and out over the deep blue waters of the ocean. He'd thought himself battle worn and done, and yet one look at the silent well guarded fear in her face made it easy to brush off the dust and pain and get back up again. His body ached, his mind wanted nothing more than to black out and forget the way it felt to take a life into his hands but he forced the queasy dark reality from his mind and he focused on Essa- on getting her through this one last hurdle.

He leaned over, his hands finding the knob on her headset and switched her away from the channel that Jay and Jade were still chatting over. Hayden stayed where he was, perched on the edge of his seat and leaned forward as he reached up and switched his own headset to the same channel he'd put Essa on. The pilot would still be able to hear them but he paid that no mind.

"Just think of all the stories you'll be able to tell that little sister of yours. First plane flight, first helicopter flight and now spending time away on a private yacht. Just think of sharing that with her when you return to her. You'll tell her about how you spent your first night on the waters drinking and eating your fill of only the finest foods as the stars twinkled above your head. Just think about how you'll look back on all this fear and pain and have pride knowing you weathered it all." If Essa looked close enough she might see the tinge of rose under his filthy blood spattered skin. Damn... he'd meant only to give her a word of two of reassurance but it seemed once he'd gotten going he couldn't stop.

Abruptly he leaned back in his seat, his legs untangling from hers as the pilot's voice crackled in their ears, "prepare for landing."

Their touch down was smooth and the pilot let the bird wind down before staff on the boat rushed forward onto the helipad and opened the door, welcoming them with bright beaming smiles as the blades above them swirled lazily. The rock of the boat under his feet was familiar and Hayden gave the yacht a cursory glance over- two hot tubs, a small pool and a poolside bar already staffed. He saw cushy lounge furniture, a small dance floor and even a waterslide that led to the ocean. The staff had laid out a spread of food and drink near the poolside and gave them the tour below deck where three more floors with fancy suits were to be their rooms. It felt more like a small cruise ship than a yacht.

Hayden slipped into his room without delay, tearing off his clothes and finding a towel. As per the God's tradition all bathing was done publicly and so armed with new swimming trunks, the worlds fluffiest towel he dragged his aching feet down the plush carpeted way and towards the baths. He was greeted by a member of staff outside, one who offered him a goblet full of red wine.

"A gift from Dionysus." The server explained. "It's from his latest batch and is sure to please with hints of pomegranate. Hayden's brows lifted in surprise- he'd been afforded many privileges in his life, and yet he'd never gotten his hands on the ambrosia of the God's before. He gave the server a gruff thanks before slipping past him, his arms laden into the space reserved for bathing.

It felt almost as if he'd stepped into ancient times. Marble columns, all expertly carved framed the pool. Intricate tile work wove vines and forest nymphs into the floor and walls- and soft yellow lighting filled the space. Hayden threw his towel onto one of the nearby loungers and perched himself on the edge of the pool. He sighed as his feet sank into the warm waters, it felt like fucking heaven. The un-drank goblet rested in his hands, swaying gently with the rocking of the boat. There was a part of him that was unwilling to lift it to his lips and try it, it felt almost as if he didn't earn the liquid gold in his bloody hands. Would he want his killer enjoying such finery?

He thought of the cold eyes of the man he'd hit over the head, those that hadn't escaped the kitchen in time. Hayden lifted the goblet in the air, raising a toast to those that would live forever in his mind.

"Sorry for not seeing you off to Styx." He muttered, hoping the staff had given them their coin to pay the way. "I'd like to shake your hand when this is all over," and with that he brought the goblet to his lips and sipped the most amazing taste to every grace his tongue. "Holy shit." He groaned, all but melting onto the tile.
 
The words were as surprising as the physical contact was.

Essa had been spiralling into the darkness of her own fear until Hayden, of all people, managed to pull her back out of it. The tip of his toe nudging the side of her foot was what unscrewed those amber eyes, only for them to be met with shining, black coals that were filled with a feeling she didn' recognise. Then came the touching of their legs as her teammate lounged back in the leather seat of the helicopter as though he owned it, as though he belonged. Essa was simply mesmerised by him before he'd even said a word, her heart thudding now for a different reason, her focus upon the hand that reached to switch the channel on their headsets, even though Jade and Jayden's voices had stopped being heard long ago.

When Hayden began to speak, his voice and breaths clear in her ears, Essa found that she could not look away from him, her own features and expression unreadable. Perhaps she should have felt confused, should have spent the time wondering what angle he was coming from, should have been more concerned with figuring out why. But instead Essa only felt relief that the surprise of this offered her such a wonderful distraction from her fear. Relief and... something else. Something deeper.

Hayden's words pierced an armour that Essa no longer separated from her own skin. They caressed where none had reached before and settled upon her like a fan providing a much needed cooler breeze underneath the scorching sun. Her balled fists gently uncurled a little, her shoulders dropped slightly and maybe for just a moment, there was something close to gratitude reflected in her own shining jewels because even if it wasn't truly meant... nobody had ever felt a need to look after her before. To take control, to comfort. It was as comforting as it was alien.

For the rest of the journey, Essa remained calmed with odd glances stolen for the man sat opposite her. She couldn't figure him out, wasn't sure she had the energy to question why Hayden Kaneko had felt the need to intervene in her moment of need. Rather than spin the questions over and over in her head though, she instead allowed a kind of peacefulness to wash over her, one that was mostly formed of protection, but nevertheless a welcome change to her earlier panic.

It wasn't long before the helicopter began to descend towards the land and Essa was grateful when they were finally led from the vehicle. Now that her adrenaline had been quelled she simply felt exhausted, drained. Even as they were led to the cruise ship come yacht, Essa could barely muster the awe or wanderment she might have usually felt at a sight that was so incredibly foreign to her.

As they boarded their home for the next few days, Essa realised that the interior of the yacht meant that it stopped feeling like a boat altogether. It was lavish, it was over the top, it looked like some kind of... premier hotel, a floating night club more than anything else. Yet while Jade and Jayden gushed and rushed forwards to pass their blood free hands on all that was on offer to them, Essa was hot on Hayden's heels and without a word, slipped from his company and into her own room at the same time as he did into his.

For a moment, Athena's chosen simply stood there, leaning back against her closed door and shutting her eyes to take in the peace and quiet. She could so easily have crawled into the plush bed that stood before her, with the orgnate golden carvings up four equidistant posts, and the silken tresses of sheets that hung invitingly over pillows, promising perhaps the best night sleep she'd ever had. Her body ached for it, her muscles craved the let up of stress; mentally, she was already dreaming. Yet of all the things to convince her not to do just that, it was the colour of the sheets compared to the colour of... her that gave her food for thought. For the first time since the trial had ended, Essa realised how damn dirty she was. Her clothes were the colour of ash, her skin almost unrecognisable, and that was before she noticed the splatters of blood on her leggings. The sight in itself churned her stomach and she was moving again then, quickly, tearing the clothes from her body and rummaging through the pristine wardrobe in search of... a black bikini and sarong.

A small huff of disapproval was all she could muster as she slipped covertly from her room in her new attire and tiptoed towards the public baths, praying to Athena that nobody else had the same idea as she did. She had just been about to enter when a voice sounded from behind her, causing a small jump start that almost send the glass of red wine being held out to her flying.

"A gift from Dionysus."
"Oh. Oh no, I'm okay, thank--"
"It's from his latest batch and is sure to please with hints of pomegranate."

Essa blinked and followed with a very slow nod. She didn't want the drink but right now she'd simply accept it to get into the water quicker. Holding out her hand, Essa eventually murmured her thanks before slipping into the warm steam of the room. It took her a moment to adjust to the heat but when she did, she finally took in the space before her.

The pristine, shining tiles, the pillars of white and gold... and the muscled figure sitting on the edge of the pool.

Essa knew who it was immediately, recognised the broad shoulders, the lightly tanned skin, the sweep of dark hair. But rather than this realisation turning her around... Essa felt even more compelled to move forwards than she did before. The feeling was fleeting, momentary, but it was strong enough for her to follow it without question with a hint of convincing herself that the real reason was because she just really needed a bath. It was when she heard Hayden's voice however that she paused again, listening... and understanding. Understanding how he felt, what it was he was apologising for.

Her chest lurched slightly before wordlessly, Essa stopped beside him and placed her own goblet down by her feet.

Hayden's groan upon taking a sip from his almost made her smile.

"That good, huh?" The question echoed in the room and the dark haired beauty did not look at her companion as she eased herself down beside him, slowly dipping her slender feet into the crystal water in front of them.

"I almost declined but now I am... very I'm very glad that I didn't."
 
Despite the horror of the day and the weariness that settled deep within his soul Hayden could not stop the way his eyes roved over the poor excuses of fabric that dared to be called a bikini. A sick sort of primal satisfaction moved through him as Essa approached, a visage of temptation and settled herself right next to him. They both were still covered in the the remains of the day and the dead- and perhaps it was the last dredges of his adrenaline that wished to hook an arm around her waist and tug her too him. The idea of all that glorious skin pressed to his sounded like the best kind of comfort after they day they both had.

What would it be like to drag his fingers down that powerful back, marred only by the strings that held up her suit. Could he press his lips to that subtle rise of her collar bone and accept the peace that vision offered him. He only had to reach out and- by the Gods, he needed to pull himself together. Hayden blinked those silent usually knowing eyes of his in confusion. Shit, she'd said something to him and he'd been off in a world of his own.

"You have to try it." He said, gesturing to her matching glass, hoping that she'd been speaking about the wine and nothing else. "It's unlike anything I've ever tasted." He didn't feel totally natural and at ease as he rushed to press his own drink back to his lips. Once more the taste of pure summertime splashed over his tongue and even though he burned with embarrassment he couldn't stop the way his eyes shuttered at the divine sensation. He could feel the way the ambrosia traveled down to nest warmly in his stomach. He took another sip for good measure and he felt his brain fuzz at the edges ever so deliciously.

He felt pulled to sink into the water, and after gently placing the goblet down he pushed off the edge of the tiled pool and sank into the blissfully warm waters. Across the way from them was a metre long waterfall that offered the chance for the pools inhabitants to wash their hair, and it drowned out the splash of his entrance. It wasn't the deepest pool, and Hayden could stand easily in it- his legs didn't seem too inclined to work however, and he let his body float in the cleansing waters.

"Perhaps we should lock the door- having the others anywhere near this would ruin my peace." He thought... or had he said that aloud? Hayden ran a weary hand over his face, brushing away some of the filth and dirt that had found rest there. "Gods, that stuff is strong." He muttered- he'd taken three sips and already he felt chattier than he'd ever been in his life. "You'd better join me." He muttered- he started to send an accusing glare towards her still full goblet but his eyes tripped over her legs. They glistened with droplets of water as she lazily moved them through the waters, and it took every bit of his self control to not bite into his bottom lip at the sight.

Don't tell her what's on your mind. Don't tell her what's on your mind. The words repeated over and over in his head- a mantra he had no difficulty ignoring.

"Your discovery with the cave... and the way you handled yourself today..." He met her eyes and for the first time in a long, long time he looked sincere. "I was glad to have you on my team. But don't think I won't go all out next time you and I are pitted against one another." He warned- lifting a finger out of water to waggle it at her.
 
A part of her expected to be ordered to leave, or ignored at the very least so when Hayden did neither, Essa couldn't fully mask her surprise, surprise that wasn't altogether unpleasant. This was a thought which might have usually worried her if she hadn't been so god damn tired. Nevertheless, she remained mostly oblivious to the dark eyes roaming her light brown skin, until she noticed that there had been a significant amount of silence between her statement and a response. Amber lifted to meet coal beneath dark lashes, curiously, expectantly, but when Hayden's words came, it was clear that they had not been what Essa was expecting. The corners of her mouth twitched a little though still, she did not take a sip of her drink. Not yet, anyway.

"I've never been one to drink," she admitted, unsure of where this information about herself came from, as well as the need to share it. "In my experience, alcohol usually leads to something... bad." Her thoughts flickered briefly to shouting matches between her parents, violence on the streets outside their flat... smashing bottles and the smell of whiskey, or beer. A small shudder ripplied through her at the same time that Hayden slipped into the crystal waters before them.

Even with the dirt and blood covering his body, Essa could see the muscles that rippled beneath, the strength behind agile shoulders, the smooth, lightly sun-kissed skin. Hayden looked like a God himself, now floating effortlessly upon the water and it was ultimately this thought, and the warm feeling pooling in her stomach that forced Essa to pick up her goblet, mainly for something to do, a distraction. What she was not expecting though, was the sudden burst of flavour onto her tongue.

Essa had never tasted something so exquisite in her entire life. It was like a bunch of the ripest, most succulent berries exploding in her mouth, sweet, a little tart and... warm, so deliciously warm; a summer's day. She could feel the heat trickling down her throat, she could feel something fuzzy already tingling at the edges of her mind. In fact, it was so inviting she took another sip almost immediately after, her eyelids fluttering.

"Gods, you weren't wrong," she murmured, only pulling the goblet back to marvel at it, before setting it down onto the side of the pool once more. She had been focussed upon the red liquid until Hayden spoke an admission, one that immediately saw her head whipping up to attention, as if she thought she had misheard the words that had fallen from those perfect cupid bow lips.

"Are you trying to suggest that I am not someone who is shattering your peace?" Essa quipped back, her amber eyes shining with the water reflected within them. "I don't believe that for a second." Then with her feistiness, she slipped into the water herself, a gentle caress of liquid washing over her own dirtied skin. It felt heavenly and she felt so... light. So playful. Perhaps she should have considered why someone like Hayden might want to lock her in a room; wasn't it obvious? And yet suddenly it felt so easy to bat the suspicion away, to want to ignore it. In the end it was once more, all Essa could do to turn and take another sip from her drink in response to Hayden's suggestion, a sip that she damn near choked on at his next confession.

In the aftermath of those words... the approval, Essa's cheeks had warmed slightly pink and it was for this reason that she did not turn around until she had set her glass back down again. She was surprised that when she met Hayden's gaze he looked like he had meant every word, and any amusement she had planned to express softly melted away with his sincerity. Such compliments were lost upon her, as was knowing how to accept them. That wasn't the world she came from and it never would be. Would it? It was the last part and the waggle of Hayden's finger in her direction that caused a smirk though, one she couldn't stop even if she wanted to. Essa looked down at the water with a small shake of her head and without warning, she sunk into it, letting it cover the rest of her body and pool over her hair.

For a few moments she stayed there, enjoying the silence, the knowledge that the day was being washed away from her, as though she would be cleaned of what she had done. When she emerged once more it was only to take a breath, small hands pushing back sodden curls that tried to spring back into place and defy their newfound weight.

"I'm sorry," she eventually began, opening her eyes once she had pushed the droplets from her face. "I could have sworn that just then you gave me a compliment, Kaneko. I had make sure I'm not dreaming."

A light chuckle, an actual chuckle followed this statement, before Essa came to rest her back against the tiled wall of the pool, thoughtfully, disconcertingly so.

"I wouldn't expect anything less from you," she then went on to say, more seriously this time. "As much as it pains me to admit it, I think we are... alike when it comes to what we want and what we will do to get it." Essa smacked her lips together before raising her gaze again, trying to not let it drop to the strength of Hayden's neck muscles.

"And I respect that. Perhaps I should fear it, but I don't, I... I understand it. Even if I do not know the reasons for why it exists..."

An invitation if ever there was one.
 
Essa's legs moved through the water like she was a trained dancer, leading the silky waves in an intricate swirl through the warm pool. A rosiness covered her cheeks and the waters illuminated her eyes with such fantastical light that Hayden could have sworn he was looking at a siren. Her song had come in the form of a confession, hesitant words that gave way to a past he was certain she'd rather stay uncovered. He wanted to ask her what it was like; to live in the streets below his skyscraper, but no amount of booze or ambrosia would willingly force that question from his lips. Instead he watched her as she contemplated the goblet that held liquid gold.

Hayden could count on a single hand how many time he'd been truly uncertain- he was a king at strategized theories and being one step ahead of his opponents. But in this moment as the goblet was held in suspension, he truly didn't know what she would do. His coal like eyes were locked on her as she tilted back, her throat moving in a fluid motion as she took her first sip of Dionysus's finest and then another.

She caught him in a trap of his own making then- scoffing at him in absolute utter disbelief that he might find her company preferable. He scowled at her, the logical part of his brain went to war with the silly little organ in his chest. You know we enjoy her, Brain. You're an absolute idiot, Heart.

"I'm merely saying that you're far more... tolerable than the other two." Hayden grumbled unable to side with either stupid part of himself. Essa dipped into the waters and Hayden had to force his eyes to a point just beyond her shoulder, if he looked too closely he wasn't going to be getting out of the pool for a long while. Thankfully she didn't seem to be looking at him either, her skin was ablaze the lingering effect of the words that had been guided by his heart and not his head. He did that too often around her- though at the moment Hayden found it hard to find that fact troubling.

He needed to do something with his hands as the urge to grab Essa as she floated on by was far too much temptation to risk, taking another sip seemed like a fine idea and so he did- but the drink caught in his mouth and stayed there as Essa dove under the surface. The riches berries farmed from only the finest groves coated his tongue as Essa rose up, looking once more like the sort of creature that lured men to their deaths. Her hands swept through her hair like she was in a goddamned romance novel and he was fucking done for.

He barely felt the burn of his hearty swallow, "don't get used to it." He muttered half-heartedly in response to her noticing his compliment. She chuckled and Hayden had to place the drink down in fear it would slip through his fingers and turned his full attention to the goddess across the waters from him. There was restraint to her words and yet there was something so incredibly inviting about the way her gaze pulled him in like a magnet. There was truth and sincerity- perhaps a fair exchange for the words he'd given her, but Hayden couldn't help but feel there was something more: an invitation to draw closer...

The tile drew rough patterns in his feet as his feet led him towards her without giving his mind a second to disagree or think his way out of it. They'd been nose to nose before but he couldn't deny how different it felt to see her this close when there wasn't ire or rage burning in those amber eyes of hers. One of his hands found the edge of the pool, just next to her shoulder and he rested it there, leaving the other hand at his side and way for her to move away if she needed.

"When you talk like that Essa, it makes me think you'd like to explore- to understand why each time you and I butt heads we end up right... here." His free hand lifted and with the barest brush of his thumb he captured a few errant drops that remained from the pool waters from her cheek. He kept his gaze locked with her as moved his thumb to his lips and ventured out his tongue to drag his finger along it in a slow lick. He kept his eyes on her, gauging each reaction and filing it away to dwell on for hours later.

"You should tell me that I'm wrong, or I'm going to kiss you." He whispered, drawing closer still, his lids hooding further as he draw his other hand up, leaning it on the pools edge on the other side of her head, caging her to the floral tile. He could feel the rush of her breath over his skin, smell the rich wine between them. Gods he wanted to do more than kiss her, there wasn't a book big enough to list all the things he wanted to do to her.

He'd just about to check off item number one when the last two people he wanted to see in the earth crashed into the room.
 
Her words were an invitation, certainly, but Essa had not truly considered if Hayden might take her up on it.

In the end, he did far more than that.

Her confidence faltered just a little as the body that looked like it had been carved by the Gods themselves began towards her. His walk was slow, purposeful. Predatory. Her lips pressed together in a hint of her defiance, but her eyes... her eyes told a different story in that moment. There was a flicker of uncertainty, of vulnerability. Essa didn't know where this was going, what she had started, if she'd even meant to, and she certainly didn't understand the heavy thrum of her heart against her ribcage that conjured a feeling of anxiety and... excitement.

Hayden had reached her now and stood before her in the crystal waters. One of his hands pressed into the tiles behind her and Essa found herself wishing that the other would too, that he would capture her fully, removing option to leave simply because it was almost easier to believe she didn't have a choice in this, than she was staying put of her own accord. As fucked up as that was.

It was Hayden's next words however, that short-circuited wherever those thoughts had been headed, the fear within Essa sizzling into something hotter. Her pupils grew at the contact that was made with the soft pad of his thumb against the light freckled curve of her cheek. That dark gaze remained upon the carrier of the droplets to Hayden's cupid bow lips and the way his tongue tasted the water, her body, her thighs stiffening, her mind racing with thoughts of what this meant, of why she was thinking about Hayden's Kaneko's fucking tongue...

He drew closer then and Essa stood stock still. They had been this close before, but usually it was marred with fury, with emotions laced thickly over their actions, acting almost as some kind of excuse. This was different, though, this was considered, it was...

Her lips immediately parted at the mention of a kiss, a small gush of air leaving between them, small tingles erupting all over the surface of her skin. Essa's eyes dipped to the lips that were now mere inches from hers and then back up to those burning coals that threatened to engulf her. She didn't know why he was doing this, didn't know what was going to happen next, had never felt anything like it before, didn't know what to say, what to do, what she wanted... So when the next words pushed past her mouth, Essa wasn't sure where they had come from, or how she had even managed to utter them.

"And why..." She breathed in a husky whisper. "Why would you want to do a thing like that?"

The words hung between them as Essa's gaze searched Hayden's, her orbs a solar eclipse, burning amber framing endless black. She hadn't told him that he was wrong; she had challenged him maybe, which if he intended to stay true to his words meant--

The crashing of laughter and loud voices shattered the moment like a bullet might a glass window. Essa felt as though a cold bucket of ice had been doused over her head as Jade and Jayden laughed and joked and ultimately came to a stop paused upon seeing the view in front of them. Hands flew to mouths and muffled giggles of shock poured forth. "Oh! Oh, I'm... I'm sorry. We didn't realise we'd be interrupting."

Jade snickered into her hands and Jayden stood there, slack jawed. Essa exhaled but she did not look away from Hayden, not straight away. Instead she answered for them both. "You're not. We were just talking." And with that she began forwards, pushing out of his arms, away from everything that she wanted to do to the man who seemed to have captured a part of her in that moment she hadn't realised existed.

The words that followed were lost upon Essa as she traversed through the pool to the waterfall, took a breath and dunked herself beneath it. Her focus now seemed to be upon removing the remainder of the grime from her body, but in reality she needed a distraction, needed space, needed to gather herself. That wine was fucking dangerous, if she drank anymore she wasn't sure where she'd end up this evening, what she'd end up doing, where her feet might take her once she left this god damn pool--

A muffled voice from somewhere beside her caught her attention before she could finish that thought and Essa opened her eyes to be met with the sight of Jayden of all people now sitting beside her, legs dangling into the water. She didn't know what had happened to them between her leaving Hayden and moving to the other side of the room, so focussed had she been on making her body work normally, but Gods, if Jayden wasn't the last damn person alive she wanted to speak to right now. Mm, except for maybe Jade...

"So, you and Kaneko, huh?"

Essa stepped out of the cascading water, once more pushing droplets from her face. Her now amber eyes flickered over to where Hayden was, being approached by Jade in a similar way to how Jayden had approached her. They were so transparent it was practically laughable.

"What?"
"You and Kaneko over there looked... close, when we walked in. We didn't mean to interrupt or anything..."
"You didn't. Like I said, we were just talking."

Moving then, Essa hardly looked at Jayden as she went to make for the side of the pool to haul herself out of it. Just as she did though, water sloshing around her, Jayden stopped her once more with a large hand wrapping around her ankle. "Hey, don't go. We don't have to talk about it." And with that, the larger blonde boy who very much felt like a sudden thorn in her side waggled a bottle at Essa, a bottle of what, she wasn't sure but had a pretty good idea of what might be inside. Once more, amber eyes flicked to Hayden and Jade who was stood before him, a subtle arch to her body. Essa licked her lips, a plan, a stupid one but a plan all the same forming in her mind as she lifted her foot from Jayden's unwanted grasp, turning back to him with a forced, almost smile. Slowly, thoughtfully Essa sat down on the edge of the pool, not much space between her body and his.

"Alright. Keep my glass topped up too and maybe we have ourselves a deal."
 
"Why would you want to do a thing like that?" Essa's husked words were a challenge- a push and a caress at the same time. There was no questioning the dilated pupils, the harsh dip of her breasts in the water as she fought against the undeniable instinct that seemed to pull them together. Hayden knew desire when he saw it, and he was certain he looked much the same with his lips parted and rosy flush dusting his cheeks. There wasn't a single doubt in his mind that she wanted this, that she craved it like he craved knowing what it would be like between them. Freckles dotted her skin, little constellations that he wanted nothing more than to taste.

He leaned in, hands tightening on the lip of the pool. She wasn't saying no, there was no better way to answer her question than with his actions, with his mouth, with his tongue... The door came open with a crashing noise, and their 'teammates' stumbled into the room a mess of limbs and giggles. Clearly he and Essa weren't the only ones who had been gifted with libations. The sizzling air between them vanished, replaced with the thick tension of the knowledge that they'd almost been caught.

Essa was quick to cover for them and at her insistence that they'd only been talking he let his hands drop from the edge of the pool, where they floated listlessly next to him. He felt achingly empty the moment Essa pushed past him, the waters lapped up at his chest and shoulders as she made her escape. Jade and Jayden let out another bundle of giggles that grated down his spine. A muscle in Hayden's jaw ticked as Jade waggled her neatly plucked brows at him.

"Looks a lot less like talking and more like... getting to know one another." Jade sauntered up to the edge of the pool and Hayden schooled his expression into a visage of aloof boredom. He wasn't going to give these two wastes of space anything else to latch onto. "You know, with your lips." Jade added when he said nothing. Hayden only raised a brow and with a subtle shake of his head he turned away from Jade and Jayden who broke into another peel of laughter. Normally Hayden would up up and out of the pool and closing the door behind him without another word, but leaving the water in his current state was absolutely out of the question. He was like a goddamned teenager, hormone riddled and lacking of any self control, and it was going to take a solid few seconds of deep breathing before he could make his escape.

For some inexplicable reason, Jade took his departure towards his goblet as an invitation to follow him and before he could reach his drink she snatched it playfully away from him and held it to her baiting suit clad chest.

"What's with the frown, Mr. Grumpy Pants. We just won! You should be celebrating!" Jade gave him a saucy smile before seating herself on the edge of pool, her legs spread almost in invitation should he wish to grab his drink back. Hayden made no move towards her, instead he folded his arms over his chest.

"I was celebrating." He muttered.

"Mmm, yes I saw." Jade answered, she leaned back on one arm and Hayden didn't miss the way the woman put herself on display for him. He'd seen it time and time again at charity galas and important meetings. He was drunk enough to let his eyes slip down, to take in the view she offered him.

"You know, we could get to know each other too..." Jade lifted the goblet to her lips and Hayden frowned at the image of Jade sipping from his wine. It didn't escape him that he felt absolutely nothing for the image when minutes ago Essa had taken a drink from her own goblet and he'd been entranced. No, Jade was no siren and he'd been about to tell her as such when Jayden's deep booming laugh echoed through the bathing hall.

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Jayden and Essa were leaned in close, seated on the edge of the pool. They were too fucking close, and that slight upward tilt of Essa's lips filled his lungs with a crushing sort of rage that threatened to drown him. He knew for a fact that Jayden had done nothing to earn any sort of smile from Essa, and the knowing that she gave him one now made all sorts of devious schemes run through his head. If only he could get his hands on a phone- one quick call would give him all the information he needed to know about Jayden, a second would have him draining the man's bank accounts and leaving him with nothing should he survive the games. Fuck... he needed to get a hold over himself.

"Whaddu say, Hayden... do you wanna play?" Jade purred. Hayden give the couple across the way one last look, he lingered over the way Essa's neck curved, arching towards Jayden.

"Fuck it." He hissed out, taking the step forward towards Jade and plucking the goblet out of her hands so that he could take another sip. Jade's excited squeal was like nails on a chalkboard and Hayden hid his grimace with another thick swallow.

"Oh I just had the perfect idea! Jayden! Essa! We should all play a game." Jade slipped into the waters next to Hayden and wasted no time in wrapping her curvy body around him.

"I'm so in." Jayden followed suit, slipping into the water and offering a hand to Essa. "What game?" He asked over his shoulder.

"Hmm. Never have I ever? Marco Polo? I bet Hayden loves to chase." Jade giggled, clearly the wine of the Gods was getting to her.
 
Hayden Kaneko was a ghost, surrounding her, teasing her, haunting her. Essa could still feel his presence, how close he'd been, the way his thumb had scorched a path of fire along her cheekbone. It didn't matter that there was space between them now, he was still standing right in front of her, caging her.

And perhaps worst of all, it was where she wanted him to be.

Jayden was a somewhat welcome distraction to a point, although he wasn't quite able to stop her gaze from flickering across the rippling waters to where Jade now sat, legs open, wine goblet between her thighs, for all intents and purposes, propositioning Hayden with her body language alone. Essa felt a drop in her stomach, like a stone into the depths of an endless lake but she forced herself to shake off the feeling of missed opportunity. Hayden Kaneko didn't matter. He was filthy rich, the type of man she was so sure could have any woman he wanted... and that woman couldn't possibly be her. She was poor, dirty... a street rat, despite not wanting to sound like a fucking musical number. Did he see her simply as a challenge? Someone he didn't want but wanted to prove that he could have?

Yet that didn't quite explain this... this feeling between them. The draw that seemed to pull them together, the way that they felt similar, detached from the other contestants. Or was that something in Essa's mind that Hayden was well versed in enough to monpolise on?

Jayden's guffawed response was what finally pulled Essa from her trance. She blinked slightly, realising that she was holding out her glass to Jayden who was now topping it up. Without a second thought she took another sip, her amber gaze once more sliding over to Jade as she squealed, slipped into the water and then draped herself over the chiselled torso that Essa fucking knew would play a starring role in some of her best dreams whether she wanted it to or not.

A feeling that could only be described as irritation began to simmer through her bloodstream at the sight, and whatever half smile had been playing upon her lips before had turned now into more of a grimace. She needed to up her game. It was as simple as that.

It was for this reason that Essa didn't immediately cringe away from the mention of a game, or from the hand that was offered her way as Jayden agreed to it. Placing her smaller fingers into his palm, Essa looked at him for longer than felt completely natural before slipping from the side, wine goblet still in hand. She didn't miss the way that he refused to let go of her, or the way he seemed to think he was leading her into the fold. In fact, the very thought amused her into a smirk as she once more met Hayden's gaze, the closer they drew to him.

Game. On.

It was written all over her features, even when she turned to face Jayden head on. Her hand finally detached from his, but only so she could rest both of hers on his broad shoulders. "Help me up?" She asked with feigned innocence, genuine mirth sparkling behind her eyes at the way Jayden seemed to buffer at the request before with a wide grin, he wrapped his fists around her waist and lifted her onto the side of the pool beside the wine glass she had placed down moments earlier. Jayden was quick to follow, his arm curling around Essa's back, hand resting flat beside her thigh.

Despite her little performance though, Essa had to take yet another drink of her wine to stop the eyeroll that coursed through her upon hearing Jade's suggestive observation, and the following hit of trauma at the thought of playing a game that in any way replicated the events of the day. A brief flash of the girl she had killed flitted through Essa's mind and she stiffened, her voice coming out much colder than she intended it to when she finally did speak.

"Never have I ever would be a good place to start." Essa fixed Jade with a catlike stare but it was Jayden who broke, or rather didn't notice, the tension. "Alright, let's do this! Time to turn up the heat. Ess, why don't you go first?" A muscled shoulder nudged into her back and Essa turned to look into expectant blue eyes. He was trying to be kind... so that he could get into her pants. It was so transparent she almost admired him for it and for a moment she rested her chin on her shoulder to gaze at Jayden, before finally pulling thoughtfully away.

"Okay." She licked the remnants of blackberry wine from her lips and slowly, almost lazily looked around the group, landing on Hayden last, naturally.

"Never have I ever... had a one night stand." The suggestion came out in an almost childlike drawl, mockery underlying the very fact they were playing this game at all. To Essa it felt juvenile in comparison to where this night could have gone if she'd had less self control, and so she was responding with equal juvenile involvement.

"Pfft," Jade blew a raspberry through her lips. "Essa! What are we, fifteen? That's so tame!" Both Jade and Jayden raised their drinks to their lips, but Essa lifted hers around a smirk, holding it by her mouth yet not drinking. "Of course we've all had one night stands! Probably some more than others." Jade squeezed herself a little tighter into Hayden's side in suggestion while Essa finally drank, eyes glimmering with unspoken humour.

"Jade," Jayden sighed, "Have you ever tried like... not being a bitch? Why don't you take a turn if you think you can do better?" He rumbled, snaking his arm over Essa's shoulders in what he believed was a needed gesture of comfort.
 
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The hits to his gut just kept on coming. Boxing had taught him to weather even the most furious storm of blows and yet nothing could compare to the infuriating primal energy that coursed through him each time Jayden put his fucking hands on Essa. It was a kick to his chest when Essa asked the bastard for yet another touch, her voice had turned sweet, almost sickly so as she requested to be perched on the edge of the pool. Beside him, Jade fawned for his attention, nestling closer and closer but Hayden couldn't take his eyes off Essa.

He watched as her chin perched on her shoulder, looking like the playful siren she was as she considered Jayden's suggestion that she go first. Upon her agreement her eyes swept away from the lecherous bastard over to Jade and then finally... him. Right where they belonged. Hayden's chin tilted up, the barest sign of what her attention did to him. Inside he was all but preening, that was until she spoke about never having a one night stand- the joke and the mockery clear in her tone.

Jade called Essa out, and from the way she nestled in closer to his side he knew Jade had been privy to the page six gossip mill. He lifted his own drink, taking a sip of the incredible fruit wine and tried not to linger over the idea of anyone else touching what he so desperately craved. Did they please her? Or was she left wanting and aching? It wouldn't be that way with him, Hayden was precise and stubborn in all things, including wringing out every bit of pleasure he wanted from his partners.
Gods, this wine was doing terrible things to his self control.

"Fuck off Jayden..." Jade rolled her eyes at the man, giving him the most immature response to his jab that she could and Hayden found he had to take a step away from her. If Jade got any closer to him she'd be slipping between the spaces between his ribs. "Of course I can do better, I actually lead an interesting life."

"Doubt it." Hayden couldn't be sure if he'd spoken that aloud or had just thought it, but from the way Jade thundered on, he hoped it was the latter.

"Never have I ever... been arrested." There was something almost insinuating and assuming about the way Jade's eyes glared towards Essa. Jade didn't drink, and neither did Hayden. Jayden however, lifted the glass and gave them a meek smile and a shrug.

"Nothing serious, just got caught with weed before it was legal." He told them. All eyes turned to Essa then, and Hayden tilted his head slightly as he watched whatever her action might be. He was still watching when Jade splashed some water in his direction.

"Come on then, Mr. Billionaire Kaneko. It's your turn." There was something in the way she moved on so quickly from Essa that made Hayden think the woman wasn't a fan of Essa having the spotlight on her. Hayden took in a deep wearisome breath, letting them all know in no uncertain terms what he thought of this game. There was so much he'd rather be doing.

"Never have I ever left my sexual partners with only one petite morte." He said dryly, his gaze focused only on Essa. He ignored Jayden shifting uncomfortably next to the woman he shouldn't want. The wine was working its magic on him and he was ready to say fuck it to his self imposed rules.

"What the heck does that mean?" Jade's nose scrunched up, clearly not familiar with the French expression.
 
Jade's jibe echoed around the pool, yet her words didn't seem to pierce the armour that Essa held around herself. She was so used to people making assumptions about her, about her family, where she came from, and she wasn't about to let the words of someone like Jade do anything more than spatter against her outer shell, and die the inconsequential death that they deserved. What caused more of a reaction however, was Hayden's direct disagreement that went seemingly unnoticed by their intended target. Not by Essa though, who for a moment felt something that closely resembled a flicker of gratitude if she hadn't known any better. For a split second, her features softened in surprise but very quickly resumed their indifference when Jade made yet another, obvious, pointed reference to what she thought of Essa as a part of their game, and a person.

A smirk curled at Essa's lips behind the rim of her glass, because if anything she was simply amused by the whole thing. Jade was as transparent as Jayden was, and Essa felt somewhat pleased she seemed to have riled the girl as much as she had by simply... existing. It was the perfect revenge in her opinion, in exchange for having to watch the show of desperation that Jade was inflicting upon them.

Sipping from her wine as an admission to being arrested, Essa was a little relieved when Jade moved the spotlight from her before she was asked to divulge her story of being wrongly accused, simply because of where she lived. Nobody in this circle deserved to hear that about her as far as she was concerned. Although the thought of talking about such an event felt slightly less... intrusive than it might have done an hour or so ago, something which Essa could verify was most likely down to the near half a bottle of wine she'd drank in a short space of time.

With her legs swooshing gently through the water, Hayden's siren quietly observed Jade splashing at him, and the way he... stepped away from her in response. If she was being honest the movement, just like his earlier rebuke, surprised her. Jade was laying herself out on a plate for him and he... seemed to be repulsed by the behaviour, which wasn't exactly what she expected from an uptight billionaire. Her head tilted slightly as she watched him from where she sat, her eyes meeting his again while she considered how different his reaction had been to her and why that might be.

What could only be described as a bolt of heat zipped through Essa's small form however, at Hayden's turn in the game, at the way his voice curled around the meaning of the French phrase, at the way that he was looking at her as he said it. Her toes curled slightly in the water under that predatory gaze and what it seemed to want from her, as though those words were meant for her and her alone, and gods if they were... Essa took a steadying inhale and in an attempt to feign nonchalance, cocked her head to the side.

"What, never?" She asked him, ignoring Jade's question altogether. "How do you know? How do you know that some of them weren't faking it...?" Her lips twitched slightly, humour underlying those amber jewels now, alongside an almost ferocious curiosity. "If only there were a way for you to prove yourself... to put your money where your mouth is." She tapped her chin in thought. "Or maybe there is? It seems that you have one very willing participant, at least..." Essa practically purred the words as though she didn't care about them, but in reality, it wasn’t totally clear who she was talking about with her observation.

"Um, hello? I said, what the heck is a petite... a petite..."

"Petite morte," Essa confirmed for Jade, flicking her gaze only briefly to the girl who was glaring back at her apparent rival. "It means the little death in French and refers to the clearing of the mind during or after a sexual climax." Essa paused. "A clearing of the mind that is akin to the one that supposedly happens just before death."

It took a moment for the words to settle but when they did, Jade looked between both Hayden and Essa and wrinkled her nose firstly in confusion, and then in something else upon seemingly finding something that she didn't like within this exchange.

"Oh, right. Well, whatever. I don't think Hayden needs to do anything for us to know what his answer will be." The blonde tried to walk her fingers along his shoulder and then announced with a sigh, "I'm bored of this game now. Let's play something else?"

Essa, still feeling… ruffled by Hayden's admission, shook her head slightly before placing her glass down and pulling herself up from the side of the pool and out of Jayden’s embrace that suddenly felt too hot against her skin.

"What, like spin the bottle, perhaps? Or Snakes and Ladders?" The last jibe was muttered as she ran a hand through her still damp curls and looked around the group. "Why don't we reconvene in the lounge shortly? I'd like..." A breather? A cold shower? Hayden to follow me to my bedroom? "... some fresh air, before we continue."
 
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So Hayden's siren wanted proof? Hayden was more than willing to oblige. Every drop of wine in his veins screamed at him to pluck her up off the edge of the pool and scurry her away so he could spend languorous hours giving her that proof. Fuck, he really was drunk. Hayden had enough presence of mind left to set the goblet down- from the way his mind fuzzed on the edges he knew he was done. He wouldn't take another sip because the thought of loosing the memories of Essa moving through the water, of how her chin tilted up in that stubborn way it did seconds before he'd been about to kiss her; loosing any of those moments was out of the question.

It would be those memories that would keep him warm in that lonely bed. How funny it was that he would think of a bed as lonely. Before Essa a bed was just a bed, now the thought of being in one without her seemed almost to painful to think about. The wine roared through his soul as his thoughts turned dangerous, of how he belonged right next to her. A muscle in his jaw ticked, the last remnants of his sanity muddled and faded as they tried to reason with him.

There was to be no distractions.
Focus on winning.
Think about your wish.

Hayden would much rather think about the way Essa's legs would fit perfectly around his head, or his waist. It was Jade's sudden touch that tore Hayden out of his imaginings and with a distasteful look he pulled away from those slimy, annoying fingers trying to walk their way up his shoulder towards his neck. Essa was quick to jump onto the idea of a new game and when she suggested spin the bottle he sent her a look so lethal he was surprised she didn't flinch.

No one was going to touch her. No one but him.

When she suggested that the reconvene he gave a grunt of affirmation and pushed himself up and out of the cleansing waters with a graceful move. The water rained off of his skin and shorts, splattering on the tiled grounds as he went for his towel. He wrapped it tightly around his waist after giving his hair and face a quick rubdown and regarded the rest of the group as they too got ready to leave the bathing chambers.

"Sounds like a plan!" Jayden said enthusiastically. "I'll see if I can find us another bottle and meet you guys there." Jayden gave Essa's goblet a meaningful look. "I always keep my promises, baby girl." He gave her a wink that Hayden thought looked rather stupid and forced. Jayden gave off a full body shudder as he passed Hayden's cold glare- it was almost as if the man could feel the frozen hands of death that threatened to come for him if he continued on this path.

"They gave me the cutest selection of dresses." Jade told Hayden as meandered towards the door, "I don't suppose you have a favourite colour?" She asked biting down on her lip, and peering up at him through her lashes.

"No. I don't." He lied. Instantly his mind flashed the deep amber of Essa's eyes- and how it warmed him like the expensive bottles of whiskey and rye he'd been around since adulthood.

"I guess you'll just have to be surprised." Jade wiggled her shoulders in way he supposed was meant to be flirtatious but the woman before him didn't set him ablaze. There wasn't even a blip of interest, it was strange... on paper Jade was beautiful- the sort of women he'd surrounded himself with in the past. The sort of woman he thought he liked- but there was no comparison. Jade left the room then, leaving the two of them alone once again.

Hayden felt the invisible strings of his longing beg to pull him closer, but he stood his ground. "When we both can think straight and this wine isn't fucking with us- I'll give you all the proof you could possibly stand." His voice was a dark growl, a promise of ever depraved glorious thing he wanted to do to her. "Until then... how about some fresh air and food? I'm fucking starving." He didn't give Essa the option to be alone- he couldn't fathom watching her leave, something he'd likely hate himself for later, but while the wine still ran through his body he was going to take in every delicious moment with Essa that he could.

He opened the door for her and bent to whisper softly in her ear as she passed. "Perhaps we could avoid the lounge as well?"
 
It was an effort not to stare at the way Hayden lifted himself from the pool, gracefully, full of understated strength. The water rained off his smooth skin and his hair was tousled out of its usual neatness. Essa licked her lips, momentarily completely distracted by the heat that sank to her lower belly upon considering his self-declared ability to please his partners, how she wanted to believe it to be true...

Such heat was very quickly doused however, by the slimy wink Jayden sent her way. Suddenly it was an effort not to laugh, rather than stare and the same could be said about Jade's obvious attempts to capture perhaps the most eligible bachelor of the trials. Yet despite the humour that bubbled within Essa, there was something unmistakable underlying it. Something closer to irritation, or perhaps even outright fury, that she tried to swallow for the simple fact that she didn't understand it. If Jade wanted him, she could have him... and yet her body tensed at the thought, as if she was willing to physically drown the woman if she tried it. Thankfully, the wine Essa had consumed provided the perfect get out of jail free card, one that she was happy to accept if it meant she didn't have to think about such feelings too deeply.

So far into these thoughts was she, that Essa didn't immediately notice when she and Hayden were finally left alone once more, or at least not until the dark growl cut through her reverie. Amber eyes flashed at the very thought of such a promise, a shudder of heat rippled beneath her skin, spreading, seeking. A pool of desire and longing clouded any further questions about what Hayden was suggesting; he wanted her, that much was very clear and Essa found that she... wanted him. Regardless of whether she should, of what that meant. Her body was drawn to him as her mind was, in a way she hadn't been drawn to anyone before.

Finally, she looked up at her opponent who was standing in front of her now, regarding her with a hunger that made her mouth run dry. It was an effort not to approach him, to allow her body to graze against his, to imagine exactly how he would give her the proof she sought. Instead, Essa forced her body to remain motionless, her voice when it came out of her, hoarse and low with unfettered need.

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Hayden."

A smirk. It was all she could manage as Essa forced her body to move, one foot in front of the other, away from what could so easily happen between them right there on the side of the pool if they saw fit. Gods above she needed that fresh air now more than ever, and it certainly didn't help matters when she felt Hayden's breath, warm and tickling against her ear when she passed by him. Her skin reacted with sensation prickling along every inch of it, but the sideays glance she offered the man who was currently her greatest mystery gave nothing away.

"What, you mean you're not excited to see the colour that Jade picked out for you? Spoil sport."

Such playfulness was new, Essa observed silently as they began down the corridor towards their rooms. She clutched her own towel around herself and once more wondered if this new faction of her personality was down to the wine... or something else, something more. Something closer to the man who walked just behind her, who seemed to be beginning to tease out a part of herself she hadn't known existed, a part of herself that had never been given the chance to exist.

When they finally reached Essa's room, she stopped by her door and turned to face Hayden, her expression perhaps a little softer than it had been previously. He wanted to spend time with her. He wanted them to get food and fresh air away from the others, and even though his reasons for why may not have been innocent, rather than rebuke such an offer, Essa found that she was inclined to accept. Wanted, to accept. Considering why that was could wait until later. Regrets could wait until later.

"Five minutes," Essa eventually spoke into the thoughtful, yet not uncomfortable, silence between them. "I'll meet you in the kitchen in five minutes."

Then before Hayden could protest, or Essa could do something unthinkable like drag him into the room with her, she opened her door, stepped through it and closed it without looking back.

In the privacy of her own company, she took a moment to rest against the wood behind her, to close her eyes and just... breathe. Her body was tired from the days events, her mind from the thoughts and feelings that were ravaging her. She needed to get it together. This... Him. It wasn't why she was here. Esther was why she was here. Her baby sister, who she'd left at home, alone, to fend for herself in a way she'd never been able to without Essa by her side.

The thought was indeed a sobering one, and Essa tried to run with it. She allowed it to drive her forwards, to peel herself out of her wet bikini and change into one of the many options of clothing available in her wardrobe. Instead of opting for anything... enticing, Essa chose some simple, navy checkered lounge pants and a baggy black t-shirt, and her wild curls she clipped into some kind of order against the back of her head, the unrulier curls pinging softly against her forehead and temples.

It was close to five minutes later when Essa finally emerged after splashing multiple handfuls of cold water against her face, to pad barefoot down the corridor and towards the smell of food. She could hear Jayden and Jade's voices from somewhere on the yacht and was grateful to find that when she finally reached the kitchen where bowls and plates of untouched food remained, she was alone.

Taking a breath, Essa began her search for plates and ended up fetching two. One, for herself that she began to fill with delicious looking salads and bread, the second, which she placed on the side, awaiting who she knew and hoped would soon be joining her.
 
"Fucking idiots." Hayden muttered at Essa's mention of Jade and if whether or not he wished to see which colour of clothing she might select with him in mind. His head shook as he fell into step beside her and they padded through the lush carpeted halls of the yacht. "Those two are so caught in the high of our win, they think they deserve to celebrate a victory they haven't earned." He wanted nothing to do with hapless contestants who were more than happy to ride on their coattails. They found their way back towards the wood doors that led to their bedrooms and when Essa turned to him she asked him for five minutes.

It hit Hayden that in that moment, when he was all wine drunk, and she was sun kissed, damp from the pool, he couldn't have denied her anything. He gave her a nod, his damp hair curling over his forehead as he peered down at her with a thoughtful expression. Why did it feel like they were both taking steps towards something they both knew was wrong, there was no denying that Essa was here to win- just like he was. So why could neither of them deny the invisible rope that seemed twisted around them so tightly, it seemed an impossibility to untangle it.

"Five minutes. Kitchen." He repeated and when Essa slipped inside her room he stayed where he was. Watching the shadows under the gap of the door as she lingered and pressed herself back against the door. There was something settling in the knowledge she was just as affected as him, and with a wry smile he didn't even know he was wearing he disappeared into his own room. He ignored the welcome package from the prize's sponsors that had been left on the bed and headed straight for the closet.

There he settled on a plain white v-neck and in a choice that wasn't entirely based solely on comfort, he slipped on a pair of grey sweats. They sat low on his hips and after one appraising look in the mirror and a quick brushing of his unruly hair he made his way back out of the room. The journey to the kitchen felt a bit like a game itself, and when he heard the grating laughter of Jayden and Jade his footsteps grew quieter on the carpet. He slipped past the unaware Chosen and the second his turned down the hall and away from the lounge he felt lighter- freer.

The scent of the kitchen hit him before he even found its door, freshly baked bread and the lingering warmth of something with spice filled his nose. His stomach grumbled at the tantalizing tease and he all but burst into the kitchen, eager and ready to fill his stomach. The sight of Essa warmed him, there was something cozy about the clothes she'd chosen- like she was ready to tuck in and start a movie marathon. It felt... domestic. Hayden might have been drunk, but he had enough presence of mind to know his longing to join such a cozy scene had never been his style. What the fuck had Dionysus put in that wine?

"Thanks." Hayden said as he stepped next to Essa and spotted the plate she'd gotten for him. The simple gesture shouldn't have been notable or worthy of lingering on, but the idea that she'd thought of him, perhaps been eager for him to join her made his heart thump uncomfortably in his chest. He wasted no time in filling his plate to the brim with all manner of goodies- the few slices of bread he'd snagged teetered perilously on the edge of his overfull plate as they made their way around the counter to sit at the stools.

The kitchen was modern, all stainless steel and top of the line appliances. The far wall held two portholes that gave glimpses to the waters outside. It was a cloudless night and the stars gleamed, their constellations nestled comfortably in the blanket of space. Moonlight caught on waves, sending glimmers of the ocean's reflections dancing over the ceiling.

"There's that peace again." Hayden mused. "Or at least as much peace as this game will allow." He buttered up a slice of bread and took a large bite. Next to him, Essa dug in as well and Hayden caught himself watching her instead of focusing on his meal. It was strange to feel so close to this woman next to him, when he barely knew a thing about her.

"When we met on the plane- you were a bit of a brick wall. Which is fair, I wished only to know my competition and anything you would have given me- I would have used against you." Hayden mused, he peeked at Essa out of the corner of his eye while he bit into a deviled egg. "Would you tell me about yourself Essa? Or will you play the game we both need to win?"
 
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It wasn't long before Essa heard the pad of soft footsteps and a presence emerged beside her. She knew it was Hayden without needing to confirm it, and the thanks he gave for the plate she'd set out for him sent a trill of warmth through her. There had been no expectation that he would notice and yet inexplicably, Essa found that she was glad that he had.

When their plates were full, the two moved to the bar stools and Essa took in her surroundings for the first time since she had entered; the modern sleekness of the counter tops, the portholes looking out into the crystal waters. It was so far away from what she was used to; this, sitting companionably with someone else who wasn't Esther, was so far away from what she was used to. But as she felt the uncertainty rising within her, Hayden's next words about the peacefulness of it quickly pushed such feelings back down again. He was right of course - the quiet was comfortable. Welcome. A far cry away from what they might find elsewhere within these games, or even on the yacht.

Essa didn't say anything return, but instead glanced at Hayden just after he'd returned his own focus to his food. Her fork hung in the air as she quietly took him in, now comforted by his admission of what he thought of Jayden and Jade's advances. Amber eyes roamed from his dark, still damp hair, to the V of his white top and then... the grey of the sweatpants, where her gaze lingered for perhaps a fraction too long. The green bean she had been munching on suddenly felt heavy and unwanted in her mouth and it was an effort to swallow and continue yet she did, when Hayden's began to speak again. Essa skewered a tomato in thought, a wry smile almost gracing her lips.

"You could have tried," she returned, her voice low, teasing almost. However, there was a gap that hung between Hayden's questions and her answer, one in which Essa attempted to gather her thoughts surrounding the choice being laid out before her. "As much as I would like to play with you Hayden," she quipped, turning her gaze upon him and studying him for a few beats longer. When she finally finished her sentence though, any amusement left her on a gust of a gentle exhale, her gaze returning to her plate. "... It's been a long day."

Such an admission was spoken much more softly and afterwards, Essa dipped into a brief, thoughtful silence to consider what he was asking her. Did Hayden truly want to know her? It made no sense - why should he? He could still use knowledge like that against her, and that's why the game was safer. Easier, in a way. And yet... something tugged within Essa, something that closely resembled curiosity about him, curiosity that ran beyond what she already knew. Was it the same for him? Or was this just the wine speaking for the both of them?

Essa knew that Hayden was drunk; she could tell by how much more forthcoming his words were and because... she felt it too, the alcohol that flowed through her system. Loosening her, opening her up, convincing her that it didn't matter if she spoke her mind. Perhaps that's why what came out of her mouth next, did.

"You already know everything worth knowing," she responded eventually, the statement laced with self-deprecation. "You know where I come from, that I'm here for my sister and that I'm not a big fan of flying, apparently." As she contemplated this, Essa was hit with a flashback to the helicopter ride, to the foot nudging against her own, the words that felt sincere. Hayden had helped her earlier and in the end what came out as a response to this was a genuine question, if not perhaps a distraction too, from the risk of her divulging more about herself. Play the game indeed.

"Speaking of which," she continued pointedly, drawing confidence from the alcohol that still pulsed through her system, allowing her to ask a question she may have never asked without it. "You helped me." It was almost an accusation. "On the flight over here." A pause. "Why?"
 
"And you would have shut me down with equal force." Hayden scoffed at Essa's suggestion that he could have tried. "Come now Hariki, I may not know you well, but I know enough." Essa let out a sigh then and Hayden could all but see the heavy set weight of the day pressing down on her shoulders. Dionysus's wine was splendid, working its magic through their bodies, but there was no denying the truth of the days events, even with the haze of liquor blurring their emotions. They'd put their all into the game, given everything to prove to the gods they were worthy of the task; even their innocence and morality.

Perhaps it was that reality that made Essa shrink back into herself. Hayden could all but see the brick walls in Essa's mind being fortified and grouted over once more, fighting against the cracks he'd been a part of putting there. It didn't sit right with him that she thought so little of her origins, that she could think to capture the essence of her life in a mere sentence. Wisely, he held back his tongue from asking the sorts of questions that would give away his interest all to clearly. He didn't need to know what sorts of things made her smile, or what gave her hope more than anything. They both needed to win and that was that. If she caught wind of how much his interest had falling into friendly categories verses the adversary column they belonged in, she would have leverage over him.

Hayden held back his wince as her next question teetered closer to the truth than he could allow. He took his time, chewing on a large helping of salad as his wine addled brain desperately sought a way out of explaining what seeing her fear had done to him.

"There isn't much to say there." Hayden's fork dug through the salad, spearing lettuce and crushing croutons. "I couldn't be certain if there were camera's hidden in the helicopter." The lie felt sour in his stomach. "I didn't want my team to seem weak, and I figured if there were camera's it might endear some of the crowds to me." Hayden's full fork was dropped to the plate, he couldn't find it within himself to take another bite. His eyes were dark and his smile was entirely too bright as he turned in the stool to face her. "It was just an act... you know?" Abruptly, Hayden stood- his feet pressing to the cool tile of the kitchen floor.

"You're right... it has been a long day." Hayden fist tapped down on the counter next to Essa's elbow, and he forced his fingers to stop twitching with the desire to touch her. "Lock your door tonight." He told her, hoping that she would assume he meant the words as something more precautionary against Jayden and Jade, when in reality he knew he needed all temptation of visiting her removed. Hayden made his way towards the kitchen door and pulled it open. There was a moment of hesitation before he glanced back at Essa, his dark, coal like eyes dim and barely filled with any of the fire he held within him.

"Good night, song bird." He rasped, and then left without another word or another glance.

Hayden made his way through the ship with ease, avoiding any sounds that seemed to come from the lounge and headed straight for his bedroom door. The lock clicked behind him and Hayden shuffled to his bed. His shoulders were slumped and after pushing the gift basket off the bed, Hayden crawled between the sheets. He lay on his back, eyes staring sightlessly into the dark as his aching body sank into the plush mattress.

His eyes closed, and snapped open seconds later as his chest shook with a huge, shuddering breath. There had been so much blood... and those eyes- one moment filled with fear and then cold, vacant... All light extinguished, and he'd been the one to do it. Hayden's eyes closed once more and he did everything to ignore the sight of what he'd done and the sound of his lies.
 
Hayden made a fair point and it was for this reason, as well as her impending exhaustion that Essa chose not to retaliate. Besides, why should she bother when they both knew what he said to be true?

The same however, could not be said for his next answer to her question.

She had expected an outright refusal to explain himself, or maybe even some thinly veiled truth that she would spend the next couple of days dissecting in her head but what came out of Hayden’s mouth was so, so much worse than anything she could have anticipated. A wave of what she knew to be disappointment flooded through her, dousing anything that was left of the fire burning in her veins. Hayden had comforted her because… he thought it would make him look good?

Amber eyes didn’t raise from the plate in front of her, couldn’t bear to look at him for fear of what they might find. Robotically, Essa forced herself to keep skewering vegetables to feign nonchalance but in reality she was deflated by what he had just told her and hating herself for feeling that way, for allowing even a smidgen of hope to have bloomed inside of her chest. Because it had; whether Essa wanted to admit it or not. Her question had simply sought something more but instead, had ended with a soured memory and a coldness in her heart that she was all too familiar with.

She still didn’t look at Hayden as he stood, and she tried her best not to flinch away from the knuckles that rapped the counter top so close by her arm. Hayden’s songbird was simply just… done. Done with this, done with tonight, done with him. She placed her fork down onto her plate and had been about to slip from the stool when Hayden advised her to lock her door. For the first time she looked up at him properly, her stare calculating, assessing the threat behind the instruction, only to find that dark, shark-like gaze was almost as flat as her own.

Essa looked immediately away and still she said nothing, even as Hayden bid her goodnight and left her alone in the kitchen. For a moment her small form stood in the deafening silence, her breaths growing more and more laboured the longer she stood there. In the end, it was shrieking laughter from Jade that shook her from the impending darkness, and chucking her plate and cutlery into the sink with a clatter, Essa finally departed so that she could return to her room and the solace of her own company.

The next morning came around far too quickly. Essa woke with a start just as the sun was breaking across the sky. She knew it was early, but it didn’t matter how many times she buried her aching head into the pillows, sleep refused to stop the thoughts rampaging around her mind. The feeling of wood slashing through flesh and bone, the blood leaking into the grass below… and Hayden’s words, his words lingered in between the unwanted memories of the trial; it was just an act… you know?

Essa groaned and sat up, rubbing at the bleariness of her eyes, the dryness of her mouth. Gods, she didn’t even remember drinking that much but her head felt heavy and her thoughts muddy. It was enough to pull her from the bed, to wrap a jumper around herself and pull thick knitted socks onto her feet. She had slept in the comfortable clothes she’d worn the night before but she paid no mind to this, or the wild disarray of her curls as she padded from her room in search of caffeine.

The yacht was blissfully quiet, nothing but the sound of seagulls piercing through the peace. Essa fixed herself a steaming mug of tea and meandered out onto the balcony, setting herself up on one of the outdoor sofas to quietly watch the sunrise. It was beautiful as it streaked pale, cotton candy pinks and sea foam blues across the sky, rippling light across the silent waters. Essa had never seen the ocean in person before, hadn’t given herself chance to take it in last night. It was… mesmerising, vast, open. It made everything feel a little easier, allowed her to breathe against the dull ache of her chest, one born out of homesickness and perhaps after last night, something else.

No. Essa’s voice immediately roared to interrupt such thoughts; she had agreed not to think about it, to take what Hayden had told her and to learn from it. She was alone in this. Last night they’d had too much to drink and she’d almost, almost made a fool out of herself, had almost been distracted from what she was here to do.

To win. No matter the cost. It was all that mattered and the goal had re-centred itself in her mind.

So deep was she into these thoughts that it could have been hours or days later when Essa felt the presence of the boat shift. Heavy footsteps sounded behind her and her small body tensed until Jayden’s hulking form came into view. With a groan, the man sat down beside her, closer than she would have liked, his head held in his hands.

“Rough night?” Essa couldn’t help the smirk that passed across her features and Jayden groaned again in response before he finally lifted to look at Essa through slightly bloodshot eyes.

“You…” He began, “Where did… you go?”

Essa thought back to her suggestion to reconvene with Jayden and Jade in the lounge and how it had been railroaded completely by her and Hayden’s time together. Her lips thinned.

“To get food and then… to bed. I was tired.” She shrugged.

Jayden paused before speaking again, asking pointedly, “… Alone? Or did you and Kaneko…?”

Essa’s eyes flew to his. “Alone,” she snapped in confirmation. “There is no me and Kaneko.”
 
Morpheus, the God of dreams was absent from the boat that night- letting all of it's chosen ruminate on the path they'd left in their wake. It was all Hayden could focus on- that deep empty hollow of death that he'd been a part of. It was strange to him that he could carry the weight of what he'd done, and yet he couldn't find it in him to be guilty for playing this game of the God's design. To win would mean everything- it would give him the freedom and a wish he'd already planned down to the finest detail. No, he certainly wasn't guilty. Essa's face popped into his mind and Hayden twisted in the sheets, trying to escape even the notion that he should feel guilty over his harsh words. What was he thinking almost kissing her? What a fucking idiot.

He'd known from the moment she'd returned that flower of warning that she would be nothing but trouble- he just hadn't considered the trouble would be of his own making. His body felt stiff and achy as he rose from the bed, a sure sign that the deep throes of sleep hadn't reached him. He dressed without care, settling on black joggers and a matching black tee. Faintly he wondered if there was a gym on the boat when he looked at his scruffy reflection in the mirror.

"It was just an act... you know." The words echoed in his head, sounding at once like him but unlike him. He wanted to punch his reflection.

"Get your shit together Kaneko." Hayden muttered to himself as he forced himself to step out of his room and into the long hallway of the yacht. Soon a strong cup of coffee, black, steamed in a mug and he followed the red carpet that let to the outer decks of the yacht. It wasn't hard to spot Essa and Jayden as they took up residence on one of the sofas near the balcony. Hayden's toes curled in his shoes at the sight of her wild hair swayed in the sea breeze.

A feeling entirely new to Hayden filled his veins, then. He'd wanted for nothing for the most of his life- there was nothing his money or charms couldn't afford him. And yet as Jayden shuffled closer to Essa, Hayden felt the insane urge to just throw the man off the side of the boat and wave him farewell. He wanted to curl back every finger that dared inch closer to her perfect honeyed skin and make sure Jayden would never have use of his hand again. It was a poisonous feeling- one that reminded him that while he could have everything else in the world, Hayden couldn't have Essa.

The ocean breeze caught the last of Essa's words and they drifted to Hayden halting him from approaching them, "there is no me and Kaneko." Her words were harsh, completely true, and entirely devastating. Abruptly Hayden turned on his heel- ready to scour each and every inch of the boat for something he could punch. Surely feeling that familiar pain in his knuckles would be enough to dull the ache of longing in the pit of his stomach. Instead, he turned and came face to face with one scheming Jade. She looked entirely too pleased with herself as she hooked her hand in the crook of his arm and all but dragged him to join Essa and Jade on some of the nearby loungers.

The conversation was stilted and guarded. With the wine of the Gods no longer blurring the line's they'd drawn in the sand, Hayden kept his walls up higher than he'd ever built them before. Each word, gesture and smile was calculated- he was the picture of ease. He didn't think he'd ever worked as hard to appear natural as he had in those moments- and the only way he could make it work was by not looking at Essa. The second his coal like eyes burned on hers foreign feelings sluiced through him like harsh rainfall. Feelings that longed to stake his claim in front of Gods and country that her heart and body belonged to his as much as he belonged to her. Each time their eyes mistakenly met a faint ember of terror at the magnitude of his desires sparked and danced.

The morning was painful- and despite his best efforts Jade didn't seem inclined to let Hayden leave the group to find his peace, nor did Jayden seem inclined to let Essa anywhere out of his arms reach. As the sun reached its apex in the sky and the group was served lunch, Hayden took note of the crew taking up station around them, and when he peered towards the bow he saw the reason for it. A mound of stone pierced the ocean long and flat enough to house some of the most beautiful temples Hayden had ever seen. White marble pillars held up an ancient ceiling decorated with mosaic stone work. From this distance he couldn't make out the carvings or art on any of the roofs, but a few errant tiles caught the suns rays and glimmered back to him, giving the structures an ethereal light.

It was hard to tell from the distance, but there appeared to be four temples, each placed in the four quadrants of the small island and in it's middle stood a courtyard with 4 massive statues standing like sentinels. Hayden could make out the shroud and robes of Hade's, the gnarled staff he carried with him that seemed to point the way to North-most temple. He stood, ignoring Jade's rather boring tale of a time time in collage and walked to the rail of the ship, leaning heavily on it as he scanned the rest of the statues- all seemingly pointing in the directions of their place of worship. Nearby a crewmember made some adjustments to rope tied to the deck.

"How long till we make land?" Hayden asked the man.

"Should be anchored and ready to disembark within the hour sir."
 
Jayden had held his hands up in surrender at Essa's harsh words, but there was a hint of satisfaction upon his features that roiled through Essa, speaking to the darkest parts of herself. An deep inhale of breath is what steadied her briefly, but the calm was short-lived when two more presences appeared, Hayden on the arm of Jade who also looked mightily pleased with herself. It was an effort not to scowl at them, an effort not to tense where she sat, so in the end Essa pointedly looked anywhere but at Hayden and his eye candy, the only hint from her that she was bothered by his presence the tightening of her small hands upon her coffee mug. Because despite how much Essa wanted to believe that she wasn't bothered by what had transpired between them, the almost kiss, his cutting words over dinner; she couldn't help the way her stomach churned with the thought she might never get to taste those lips, couldn't deny the way that her heart raced whenever he was close. Without realising it, Essa had become acutely aware of Hayden's every move, every breath, but for the life of her, she didn't understand why when she had spent most of her life disinterested in anyone or anything but her sister's wellbeing.

The conversation between all four of them was mostly carried by Jade and Jayden throughout the morning. Essa caged herself into her own mind, her own thoughts, retraining that sharpened focus she'd come into this whole thing with. She needed to do what she had to to complete the trials, win them and get home. That was all that mattered, nothing and nobody else... although such thoughts were easier said than done as pesky emotions stirred within her, simmering just beneath the surface of her skin, threatening at every turn to undo the steely resolve that Essa had come to be known for.

It was a relief then, when Hayden stood and left their little gathering, which Essa took as her cue to do the same, leaving Jayden to lap up Jade's boring college tales. She bypassed the kitchen to drop off her mug and then continued into the yacht and back to her room, where once inside she locked the door, showered and dressed for the day; a pair of simple denim shorts and a cropped, white t-shirt that glimpsed the smooth skin of her torso when she moved. By the time that she re-emerged, feeling marginally more refreshed, the yacht was just beginning to dock at a jetty that led into the courtyard of the island.

Coming to a stop by the same railings that Hayden had (but far enough away that conversation would be difficult), Essa took in the beautiful sight before her. The sun was beating down upon the marble columns and the polished white statues that stood proudly in the middle of the temples. Amber eyes fell upon the form of Athena first, taking in the feathered helmet, the mighty staff and shield in each hand and the carved owl upon her shoulder. She stood before a temple to the south, Essa's destination she realised as four more figures appeared where the jetty reached white, blazing sand. One of them she immediately recognised as Athena's emissary and as the yacht anchored and the crewmen wound down the steps on the side of the boat, Essa was the first waiting by them when the captain announced that passengers could finally depart.

Without looking at any of the others, Essa started down the steps, relishing in the feeling of steady ground beneath her feet as her sneakers thumped against the wood of the jetty. She made her way towards the end of it, vaguely aware of footsteps behind her and stopped just short of the line of men and women who greeted them. One stepped forwards, an emissary she didn't recognise, her eyes sparkling with an inexplicable intensity as she held out her arms and said, "Welcome Chosen, to the Isle of Divinity."
 
Right behind Essa was Hayden. They converged onto the isle with heads held high and purpose driving their steps. He did his best not to peek but Hayden had to admit he liked the proud stance Essa took as they waited for the others. He recognized Hade's emissary, champion and chosen ducking their heads in silent greeting as one of the other emissaries stepped forward with a wide knowing smile. Immediately Hayden kicked himself for not knowing which God their greeter belonged to, this was the kind of information he'd have known if one of Athena's chosen didn't have him as wrapped around her finger as she did.

"It's rare to have an invitation of the God's this early in the competition, but I suppose it's not often we have such an... explosive start to things either." The emissary leaned forward, like she was about to let them in on a grand secret as she held a hand up next to her mouth and stage whispered, "word to the wise, conserve your energy- save those big explosions for the end when everyone's watching." Hayden only blinked in response while Jayden and Jade whispered softly to one another.

"Are we in trouble...?" Jade hissed.
"Won't the God's know that we had nothing to-" Hayden stopped listening to Jayden's whining, focusing his gaze towards the large statues in the centre of the island. Once more he was drawn to the dark robes and staff as it rose high above their heads. Some might look at that imposing presence and fear the death that would come for them all, but Hayden took comfort in it. There was only one absolute and that was death.

"I've been made aware that not all of the God's have seen fit to grace us with their presence today, but we invite you to visit the temples of those who've chosen you. We'll serve meals in the centre courtyard and you can expect a helicopter to pick you up and return you to the mansion at nights fall." The emissary told them, gesturing to the courtyard where loungers and chairs were set artfully around the greenery and statues feet. Off to the left Hayden spotted a refreshment table. "Please also note that the competition is still on going, even here." That drew Hayden's full attention and his gaze snagged on the speaker who gave them all a cunning smile.

Hayden's shoulders flared back and he drew himself to attention as his gaze swept over to the other chosen before he did a quick turn, trying to see if any weapons or tasks that he might have missed. He took a step away from the group, keeping his body language and facial expression as neutral as possible, but there was no mistaking the way his gaze swept over everything, analyzing, waiting, assessing.

"Best of luck, Chosen." The emissaries stepped away from them then, and Hayden followed- wasting no time in breaking from the group and heading towards Hade's temple, though he kept an eye on the others as he went. There was no way he was going to let any of them attack him while his back was turned.

Hade's temple was darker in colour next to the others- dark veins of gold and silver glittered in the dark grey rock that made up the stairs of Hade's temple. Hayden let his head drop back, marveling at the massive stone work that held up the tile decorated roof. He recognized the river Styx and it's ferry men, shepherding souls to be judged. One foot went after the other soon Hayden stood at the top of the steps, the entrance to the temple a gaping maw of darkness- he couldn't see a single thing beyond its marble pillars. He twisted on his heel then, turning his gaze to the other chosen as they too climbed up the stairs- Hayden could see the lights on in all of their temples. A sinking feeling filled his stomach and Hayden turned back to the entrance. Perhaps Hades was the God who had deemed fit not to show up.

Hayden's hands clenched, forming tight fists at his side as he took the first step into the endless darkness. The second he stepped inside all light vanished and the entryway behind him vanished with a faint pop. It was so dark. Hayden blinked, trying his best to sus out any sort of information of his surroundings when a hot wet huff bathed over him, followed by two more similar noises.

"Hello?" Hayden called out, his arms waving wildly around him in the hopes that he would find a wall, or something to hold onto. He was beginning to feel like he was floating in the endless nothing. Not even the ground under his feet could bring him any comfort from the dizzying abyss.

Sniff, sniff, sniff.

Hayden paused at the outrageous but familiar noise. What on earth...? He whipped around trying to find the source of the rapid inhaling. Something cold and wet pressed against the back of his neck and Hayden's entire body shuddered as more hot air exhaled over him. A nose, a really big fucking nose was pressed to him and it was soon joined by two others, pressing against his chest and legs. Hayden stood stock still, letting the massive beast take in its fill of him- his eyes open wide, hoping desperately for any sign of what was surrounding him. His hand shook, the fingers trembling as he reached out trying to touch what was pressed to his chest.

His fingers met soft fur, wrinkled skin. Instinct took over and Hayden rubbed the spot just above the massive nose, earning him a massive lick from the centre of his chest to the top of his head.

"Answer me this human." A deep rumbling voice surrounded him, it come from nowhere and everywhere at once. "Why does my dog smell the divine hand of another on you? Who, Hayden Kaneko, has you wrapped up in their divinity?"
 
She wasn't sure what it was about the emissary's words, but Essa felt her hackles rising slightly, her arms folding across her chest in both an attempt to keep her emotions within and to send a message that she really, truly wasn't in the mood for playing games right now. Not after last night, not when she already felt so... sensitive about how close she'd come to letting her guard down. It would seem on this occasion at least, that she wasn't the only one irritated by the woman, and Essa had to choke back a laugh at just how quickly Jayden was willing to throw her and Hayden under the bus for their... explosive antics. She supposed she would have done the same in his position, but she wouldn't have been so damn obvious about it.

Nevertheless, it soon became apparent that despite Essa's ire with playing, the emissary was quick to remind them that they were not out of reach of the competition even here. A ripple seemed to roll through the group at that, with Jayden standing a little taller, Jade's eyes flashing with a kind of catlike superiority complex while Essa... she simply stood, expressionless, trying her best not to look at Hayden who she could feel stood imposingly behind her without even turning to look at him.

Gods, she really did need to get a fucking grip.

Essa was thankful at least, when the emissaries finally turned to leave, their task complete, the expectation clear. Slowly, she moved towards the others who seemed to look between one another as though waiting for the first to make their move, which in the end was Hayden himself. Amber eyes lingered upon his retreating form for a beat longer than they should have done before Essa was the second to move, moving away from Jade and Jayden without explanation as she headed to the cream coloured columns above which perched a golden figure of an owl that glinted in the midday sunshine like a beacon, calling her forth.

Athena's temple was grand and sat a little higher than the others that surrounded it. The front closely resembled images that Essa had seen of the Parthenon, but the columns upon closer inspection were adorned with tons and tons of intricately carved olive branches that wrapped like twisting vines around each one, the leaves tipped with shimmers of gold. The structure was beautiful, very much fitting for a goddess and Essa considered that in it wake she had never felt so... small, so insignificant as she climbed the steps up to the entrance, twisting her head this way and that, keen on taking in as much as she possibly could so that once she won this thing, which she absolutely intended to do, she would be able to regale Esther with as many memories of her time away as she could.

The interior of the temple was no less grand than the exterior. A white, marble floor stretched out before the entrance, reflecting the sunlight that filtered in in between the columns. Above her head the ceiling depicted scenes from The Odyssey in frescos that were hued in soft, romantic pastel shades that were as calming as they were awe-inspiring. Essa stepped slowly down the steps and onto the marble, her head tilted backwards while her body circled slowly, taking in Odysseus and his adventures, the rise and fall of a hero.

It was when something else caught her attention however, did Essa slow, her golden eyes trailing downwards to the... owl that sat on a lonely perch at the opposite end of the room. The sight was unfamiliar and yet... familiar at the same time. She knew of course, that owls were indicative of Athena's presence but she had not been expecting something that was also so tired to the human world. Although she had to admit, seeing the bird sat there, its yellow eyes unblinking as it stared at her, she couldn't help but feel as though she was being watched by something other than the animal that she carefully approached, taking in its speckled wings and the large talons that gripped the golden ledge upon which it sat. Essa wasn't sure why she felt the sudden need to dip her head but she did so, offering a small display of respect before she finally reached the perch and noted that sat beside the owl on a circular tray was a goblet that held within it a dark, ruby red liquid.

"What do you have here, hm...?" She murmured to the bird, moving towards the goblet but stopping short when a voice, loud and clear and powerful echoed around the temple.

"Drink child, and enter the dreams of truth."

Essa hesitated, glancing once more at the owl who continued to watch her, her heart thundering now within her ears. "What... what's in the goblet?"

"Drink," the voice spoke again as those yellow eyes bored into her, "Drink and you will see..."

The human girl swallowed under the weight of that voice, the tone that was commanding... almost logical in a way, but not unfeeling. Essa didn't feel frightened of it, but rather... inclined to do what it asked of her, as though she sought its understanding, as though... she trusted it without a real reason for why. Was this not why she was here? To speak with her God?

So, reaching out a trembling hand, Essa wrapped her fingers around the goblet and peered down into the liquid, her own reflection staring back at her. "Drink..." The voice spoke again, quieter this time, almost like it was closer, encouraging her, pushing her... until in the end, drink is exactly what Essa did.


When Essa awoke, she couldn't remember falling asleep. Her body felt rigid, stiff and when she opened her eyes to be met with the familiar surroundings of the temple once more she found that she had crumpled onto the marble floor beneath her. Glancing around herself, golden eyes squinting, the first thing that she noticed was that the light filtering in from the outside was so bright that she could no longer make out anything other than a shimmering glow, as though everything in the world except for the temple she found herself in had been swallowed by it.

With a soft groan, she began to slowly pull herself to her feet, swaying slightly as she planted them into the ground, her hands reaching out to steady herself. She remembered the owl... and the goblet but then... nothing.

It was with this thought though, that Essa lifted her head towards where the bird had previously been stood, only to find that this time she was not met with an animal or a cup... but instead a mirror that stood alone, with nothing to aid its upright position. Essa could just about make out a glimmering reflection from where she stood but it was not clear what the reflection looked like, only that there was one and it was curiosity that got the better of her then, as it encouraged her to approach it so that she could better see what waited for her there. The reflection seemed to become clearer the closer that she got to it, and although she assumed that she would be met with the mirror image of herself, when the figure finally seemed to settle into focus, Essa was surprised to find that it was not herself who stared straight back at her but rather... it was Hayden.
 
The darkness was all consuming, it suffocated him like the thin red line wrapped around him. Revealed only with the power of the the Lord of the Dead, Hayden could see it as it circled up his leg, wrapped around his waist and found rest around his heart and throat. He couldn't feel it, couldn't see his own body in the everlasting darkness as the rope twined around him. His brain kept tricking him, making him feel like he could feel it's ghostly embrace like wisps of cobwebs. All that existed was the confounding words of his deity, the truth that hardly felt like it could be real and the thin red line of fate, leading him away.

"Follow it, gentle warrior, and I will follow mine." Hades rumbled out, and Hayden bent, finding the line as it led away from him. Before he took a step he lifted his head, and had a light been shone on him, his frown would have been sharp enough to cut glass. The darkness seemed to reverberate, like a deep chuckle had overtaken the God- though Hayden didn't find the situation funny at all. His breath shuddered in his lungs, and he forced away the angry words threating to bubble and boil out of his lips. He turned back to the thin red line and noted that it curled and swayed away from him, disappearing into the fog of black.

It felt like he wandered in circles following the godsdamned line through the haze until finally he stepped into the almost blinding light of the temples stairs. Hayden caught himself before he stumbled, his eyes blinking and watering at the bright later afternoon sun. He peered through his blurry vision, following the path of the line with his eyes as it wound down the stairs. It's path led through stepping stones and grass, all the way up the stairs of the temple directly across from him. The line moved through ornate vine covered pillars and into the lit temple entrance.

Athena's temple.

Hayden's hands curled into fists and the moment Essa stepped out of the temple he saw her just as wrapped up as he. It curled over her shoulders, between her breasts and down her hips. He took it all in, and when her eyes met his across the way he heard a faint noise, almost like a relieved sigh. He could no longer see the line between them, but there was no denying it's pull- like a harsh tug on his chains that demanded he go to her.

This wasn't him. This was the God's pulling on strings and forcing them to be their puppets. Well fuck that, he thought. Whatever the God's thought they could accomplish though him was a waste of time. He was here for one thing, and one thing only- and that was to win. That wish would be his, even at the cost of Fate. In the courtyard between the two temples sat Jayden and Jade, lazing upon chairs as the shadows of the God's statues shielded them from the harsh sun. The sipped on fancy looking cocktails and when the spotted the two chosen bound together they sat up and waved excitedly, gesturing for them to come and try the myriad of foods laid out for them.

Haden stomped down the stairs, his gait matching in time with Essa as she moved as well. He couldn't seem to keep his eyes off of her, and he took in the way her crop top swayed with each step, revealing bits of stomach with each stride. The shorts that she wore should have been illegal, for they were likely to make him drool and he couldn't be acting like a lovesick fool when it wasn't real. None of this was- it was the God's design.

Like a choreographed dance, they stopped near the food table, ignoring suggestions from the others on what was good. Instead they stared at the food, making no move to grab any. Hayden's jaw ticked, and he was certain Essa could likely hear the grinding of his teeth as he fought for the words.

"This changes nothing Essa. Nothing at all." He didn't even know if she knew. He didn't care, he needed to speak his intentions into existence.
 
That same, blood red thread led Essa from the dream space, back into reality and moving towards the exit of Athena's temple. Her breaths were ragged, her eyes stinging with everything that she had just learned and everything that it meant. She suddenly felt a desperation for fresh air even though the temple itself wasn't enclosed, to rid herself of the thread that bound her, that she could see encasing her body but could not feel; if she could just make it to the steps, she would be able to gulp in a mouthful of oxygen and just breathe, and breathe and...

Essa's footsteps halted however, when she felt a tug upon that thread, bringing her to a stop just before the first step in a chain of others that would lead her back down to solid ground. Slowly, with her blood thrumming in her ears she lifted her amber eyes, and beheld the sight before her that was the very last thing she currently wanted to see. Her gaze followed the line of red to the feet of another, how it twined and rippled up two legs, a defined waist and broad, muscled shoulders, how it hovered around the chest area and wrapped around the neck of the one it was binding her to.

The sigh of relief was heard but one that Essa ignored the feel of. Her eyes, still full with unspent tears met the familiar darkness of the one who stood across from her, a familiar expression of angst and confusion written upon his own features, one that she knew he did not wish for her to see, but one that she could because she was Essa, and he... was Hayden.

He was moving before Essa had a chance to react, to speak and so was she; blindly she followed, rushing down the steps, her body willing her to go to him but her mind screaming at her to stop, to stay away, to fight.

She was a crazed bundle of different emotions, her thoughts a broken ship tossed around on a rampant sea; there was no logic anymore, only the way she felt, the desire to deny everything that fought with a need to know more, to find evidence, proof that what Athena had told her? It couldn't possibly be true because if it was....

Essa didn't hear Jade and Jayden's calls her and Hayden to join them, didn't even see them as she stormed past, her gaze solely focused upon the retreating figure she needed to catch, the figure whose silhouette against the blazing afternoon was a shadow of dark perfection - the shape of him, the way that he walked, the stern expression she knew his angular features held and the shine in his eyes that seemed to be reserved just for her. The way he spoke to her on a level that Essa could understand, the way her body tensed whenever he was near, the way that she couldn't seem to keep her eyes off him whenever they were in the same room, the way that she knew he was made for her even if she wasn't ready to accept it.

Her feet hit sand but Essa's momentum didn't change, didn't falter as she angrily shoved these thoughts, these deep, unwanted feelings from her mind. By the time that she reached Hayden he was standing by a table laden with food that she didn't acknowledge, or notice for that matter. Instead, her frenzied desperation forced her to reach out and grab the top of his arm, yanking him away from the table and around to face her, to face what appeared to be anguish written upon her features, her eyes almost brighter than the sun itself. It was the most undone that he had probably ever seen Essa, but she didn't care, didn't care about the way her hand upon him tingled with the contact, didn't care about anything other than the questions that she needed to ask him.

"What..." She rasped out through gritted teeth. "Did they say to you?" The question was posed as a demand rather than a request, in the way that her chest heaved with the exertion of her journey, in the way that her fingers remained curled into Hayden's bicep, in the way that she ignored his own ground out words completely and didn't give him a chance to respond before she exploded.

"Fucking, tell me, Hayden!" Essa practically yelled the words but it didn't matter, it didn't matter that Jade and Jayden now watched from where they sat, didn't matter that her voice caught on his name. She needed this; she needed to know.

"Is it true?"
 
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