If the day was trying for the two men, roommates by a wobbly arrangement, the evening would end them, they knew it very well. Lying in his bath to get rid of the sweat and the multiple smells of food, Day stared thoughtfully at his ceiling, letting his thoughts scatter and become a dark mixture of fear and anxiety modelled in words. His heart sank more and more in his chest as the minutes passed never to return. There was nothing he could do to prevent this New Year's Eve, he knew it, but deep inside him, a faint glimmer of hope was still alive. Perhaps he could escape through his bathroom window and flee by taking the first bus that passed? The thought, while seductive, only made Day despair. Nyx would catch up with him before he left town and there would be collateral damage.
He was listening to the soft traditional music as he imagined himself far away from this place suddenly stopped, leaving the silence to freeze the cold room. Before it was even time to call his roommate, someone knocked on his bathroom door before barging in.
"Oh, you're busy." noticed the man who had just barged in, without even looking away.
"Nyx!"
"He's busy welcoming the others. I wanted to come to see you first but you don't seem ready for."
"Get the hell out of my bathroom now! Voyeur! Pervert! Nyx!"
"Calm down, you need a towel to go out. Where are they?"
"You leave my bathroom before I call the police, deranged!"
"Eh oh, soft on the words. I raised you for a while I remind you, respect me a little will you!"
"What?"
"What what?"
Day fluttered before being struck by the realization.
"You are…" he began, embarrassed. "Excuse me, I didn't think you had arrived yet."
"I noticed don't worry." the man smiled while continuing to observe him.
"Could you get out while I get dressed?"
"I've seen you naked before, you know. Okay, you were young, but I've seen you naked before!"
"I don't remember so please come out. Now!"
"Hurry, your parents will be arriving soon."
The man was about to leave when Day sat up in his tub, suddenly fully aware of reality.
"How is he now?" The blonde asked, nervously pummeling his fingers.
Who?"
"My father."
"Physically or psychologically?"
"Both."
The bathroom intruder took a moment's thought before letting his smile fade slightly.
"Like you." he finally answered before closing the door behind him.
The answer called out to the younger one who hastened to mop the water off his body and dress properly, combing his shoulder-length hair as best he could before the door opened again. No reflection in the mirror. What a relief it was when he saw Nyx! At least in the beginning. Doubt germinated in his mind when the staring gaze did not tear away from him.
"Nyx?" he asked cautiously, tightening his grip on the edge of the sink.
"You are very… singular."
"And you strange. Why are you staring at me like that?"
"I'm trying to figure out what my brother finds interesting in you other than who you are."
"Your… You are not Nyx."
"No, you think so? I'm his older brother. Nice to meet or rather get to know you again. You've grown up well since the last time I saw you, even if you're still small."
"You are not tall either."
"More than you anyway. Sorry for interrupting the other idiot, he's uncomfortable."
"I noticed. You too."
"You are dressed, I waited in front. Anyway, I came to tell you that you are waiting and that you should think about expanding your house because it is really small to accommodate so many people."
"What do you mean? How many are you?"
"Enough for your sofa to be covered with people. Your parents are coming at eight o'clock."
"Fantastic."
"Your master will be there too. He can't wait to see what you've become since you left so hastily four years ago."
"I no longer have a master."
The last god of deceit and mischief narrowed his eyes and judged him for a moment before leaving without saying a word. Day waited a few seconds, in case someone decided to come to see him while he was busy before he finished getting ready. He tied his boots firmly and tightened his tie knot before putting on his jacket, automatically making sure all the buttons were there before stepping out of his bathroom. No sooner had he arrived at the end of the hall than he regretted having accepted. About nine gods had invaded his living room, his table having been miraculously extended while his furniture served as a seat. His sofa was taken by storm and all his cushions had a function other than decoration for once. It didn't take long for eyes to turn in his direction as he tried to escape them.
"It's him?" one of them asked, getting up from his chair.
"In person, this is Day adult version," Nyx said as he stepped out of the kitchen. "Day, these are the ones responsible for keeping you safe."
The young man only bent to greet them before turning his gaze to the god of night and death, smiling. Too smiling. Something was wrong, something was wrong with him. Some of his questions were lifted when the front door swung open to let the parents of the present gods enter, covered in snow. Tours were dumbfounded and Day couldn't utter a word, letting the heavy silence drag on for a moment.
"Is it snowing a lot?" he finally asked, staying in his place, his feet as if aimed at the ground by nervousness.
"Enough for the footsteps to be deep." Nyx's father replied suspiciously. "Something is wrong, I can tell it by your expression. What is it?"
"Are they coming soon?"
"Who?"
"Them."
"Them?"
"His family," explained the god of the spirit and the feelings, in full introspection in front of a pot of flowers.
A new silence took place before Nyx emerged from the kitchen again, a tile of chocolate between his sharp teeth.
"It's true, it's going to be eight o'clock now," he remarked, crunching in his piece of chocolate.
"I didn't even know I had chocolate," the younger sighed as he lifted his feet off the ground to step forward to the first chair in front of him.
"You didn't have one."
"Where do you get it from then?"
"From its packaging, it makes sense."
As the gods laughed at their sidekick's humour, Day bit the inside of his cheek and rolled his eyes before a chocolate tile was handed to him.
"I got out quickly when they arrived." his roommate confessed, watching him bite into the piece.
"They arrived recently."
"I was very quick, now the store is closed so don't eat everything."
"Are you aware that you have been cooking for several days? We will never eat all that we have prepared."
"Is this a challenge?" the younger god of earth and gravity proudly asked as he approached the kitchen. "Not everyone eats the same amount of food as you, twig."
"Eh!"
"Compared to me, you are, small."
"I am not small, it's you who are too big!"
"Sure. When do we eat? I'm very hungry."
"When they get there," Nyx slammed harshly, stepping in. "Stay away from the kitchen, you are not allowed to go there you can spoil my sauce by tasting it!"
"My cuisine is excellent!"
"It is excellent if you want to kill someone with sadism. Go back and sit down, you won't have access to the kitchen."
"He's right your cooking is excruciatingly bad, real torture. I'm sure if we give him a taste of your cooking again, he'll leave!" exclaimed the one who had barged into Day's bathroom.
Day looked at him for a moment, observing his clothes before suddenly remembering who he was. His brown hair with red highlights, his freckles, that childish air and that eternal smile… He remembered. The young man analyzed the others, the cogs of his memory unblocking one by one as the worried glances were more and more. He remembered.
"Foud, Foud Skye. Your name is Foud Skye." Day repeated, rising from his chair.
"Yes? You are starting to worry me. I hope you know that."
"His memory is working," signalled the god of the spirit, putting his hand on his shoulder. "It's okay. Sit down."
"I remember."
"About what?"
"From you."
"Haha, luckily."
"You could have told us that he didn't remember us! I look silly now…" sulked the lightning god.
"As usual. But you were, particularly, stupid for going to see him in his bathroom," Nyx's brother said with a dark smirk.
"You what?!" yelled Nyx.
The sudden rise in his voice made Day raise his head as he looked at the three men before raising an eyebrow.
"If you want to fight, go outside," the god of poison warned them.
"I'm not going to fight him, I'm going to beat him," the master of fire corrected while grabbing the collar of his sidekick.
"What is the difference?"
"I wouldn't have any bruises; he's going to end up with one less jaw."
"I didn't know he was still in his bath, I swear!" defended the god in question.
"It's worse, asshole!"
"Let go of me!"
"Who do you think you are, enlightened!? How did you think for a moment that you could fit in that bathroom?!"
"He didn't say no to me!"
"He didn't say yes either, apparently!"
"Nyx, loose Foud before his panic accidentally electrifies him."
"When I put my fist in his face, Lord… Wait, Lord?"
The god of death and night stopped shaking his friend and looked at the last three guests before turning to Day. He was staring at the three people who had just returned to his house, his family whom he had fled after finding him once a few years ago. His eyes locked on his father's, admiring the dark shade of brown in them before looking at the Lord. These black clothes contrasted with his brother's white clothes and his wife's light coloured ones. Nyx immediately released his friend and walked over to Day, putting his hand on his shoulder to keep him seated in his chair.
"It's been a long time," sighed the Lord in question while removing his hood.
"Four years is not a century," Day spat bitterly, grinding the tablecloth.
"It can be if you're worried."
"And these four years like a century can also be the time we will have to wait to eat. Seriously, no one comes to the table?" intervened the god of earth and gravity to ease the almost palpable tension in the air.
"What do we eat?"
"What he prepared with Nyx. I hope he remembered the next fact I'm gonna say: everyone can not ingest an astronomical amount of spice without fear of indigestion," the lightning god smirked as he took a seat next to the blond.
"My hand in your face, that'll be a hell of a spice," the latter grumbled as he sat down.
"That's it: he's upset."
"And you continue!"
"Ow, he really is. Do you have a fire extinguisher in your house Day?"
"Don't talk to him, voyeur!"
"It was an accident!"
"Shut up and eat!"
"We can never explain ourselves to you."
"Yes, once I don't want to mash you anymore."
"Ah yes, is it possible?"
"If you don't fit in the other's bathroom, yes."
"What are you afraid of, that I steal it from you? Hey, do you take me for a fool or what?"
"I am not an object." Day remarked. "Don't talk about me like you're talking about a pillow."
"Excuse me. But at the same time, it takes that to hit what serves as its brain. Besides, now that the subject is on, I want an explanation from you two. What could he have said you to make you accept to go out with a person as little patient and narrow-minded as him?"
Day's cheeks flushed immediately and looked away, nervous. He couldn't answer without revealing Nyx's lie or what he really thought of him. So he remained silent, not even realizing that his silence spoke more than his words. Beside him, without a smile, Nyx fled the dark gaze of Day's father at the end of the table staring at him. He could feel it. Perhaps he should inform his roommate's parents of his lie instead of letting them learn it and quickly realize that he had lied.