the-pillar

[the-pillar]

@thestargatherer

“Parts of it!” Virgil pulled the book out of his bag, a slip of ribbon marking his page in the Alice in Wonderland that Phileas had let him borrow. “It’s quite odd. I don’t understand most of it, if I’m honest. Growing big and small and all the strange beings she meets- it’s a bizarre twist of magic that I’ve ever seen. What is a pocket watch anyway?” 

-- "A watch that you can put in your pocket, I would say." Phileas tilted his head. "As opposed to those you wear around your wrist. Mh, wait a moment."

He started rummaging through the pockets of his pants, an almost comically short-legged piece (on Phileas' gigantic frame anyway) of clothing that was worn for decency rather than fashion or protection. Seeing as the summer nights were warm enough to go without them, Phileas usually would not have bothered with it. But he feared Virgil might have been uncomfortable.

After a few moments, Phileas pulled out the sleek black smartphone that Hassan had left him with a few months ago. To listen to music if he ever felt too lonely, to look up unknown words and places instead of asking a million annoying questions every time Hassan came around to visit, and to make sure they could stay in touch if anything happened... just in case. While handling the phone had been strange at first, Phileas' fingers easily navigated the search engine now.

"Here." He held out the phone to Virgil, a collection of pictures of pocket watches on display. "They meassure time. But I do not think people use them a lot anymore."

[the-pillar]

𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒

feel  free  to  change  any  pronouns  or  subjects  (or  reverse).      tw  for  blood,  death  and  physical  violence  mention.

‘  is  it  complete?  ’

‘  who  are  you?  ’

‘  who  is  this?  ’

‘  why  are  you  bleeding?  ’

‘  what  would  i  do  without  you?  ’

‘  do  you  feel  alright?  ’

‘  what’s  your  name?  ’

‘  why  do  you  hate  me?  ’

‘  do  you  want  something  to  eat?  ’

‘  aren’t  you  supposed  to  be  someone  important?  ’

‘  did  you  read  it  yet?  ’

‘  can  you  help  me?  ’

‘  why  do  you  act  so  weirdly?  ’

‘  what  do  i  do  with  someone  like  you?  ’

‘  you  awake?  ’

‘  can’t  you  tell  left  from  right?  ’

‘  how  dare  you?  ’

‘  can  i  have  a  word?  ’

‘  why  didn’t  you  fight  back?  ’

‘  can  you  stop  interupting  me?  ’

‘  why  are  you  here?  ’

‘  what  happened?  ’

‘  haven’t  you  said  enough?  ’

‘  why  are  you  still  ___?  ’

‘  why  don’t  you  shut  up  and  be  quiet?  ’

‘  what  did  you  dream  of?  ’

‘  why  are  you  yelling?  ’

‘  how  could  you  say  that?  ’

‘  is  that  mine?  ’

‘  why  did  you  turn  out  this  way?  ’

‘  are  you  talking  to  me?  ’

‘  why  won’t  he  date  me?  ’

‘  why  did  you  hit  him?  ’

‘  why  are  you  crying  yourself  to  sleep?  ’ 

‘  are  you  serious?  ’

‘  who  did  this?  ’

‘  will  i  regret  this?  ’

‘  do  you  promise?  ’

‘  is  that  mine?  ’

‘  am  i  dead?  ’

‘  can  you  stop  moving?  ’

‘  is  he  looking  at  me?  ’

‘  does  it  hurt?  ’

‘  how  did  that  happen?  ’

‘  what’s  the  weather  for  tomorrow?  ’

‘  are  you  in  love  with  me  yet?  ’

‘  is  it  that  important?  ’

‘  want  some?  ’

‘  was  that  an  accident?  ’

‘  what’s  the  deal  with  you?  ’

‘  who  do  you  think  you  are?  ’

‘  can  i  ask  you  something?  ’

‘  why  don’t  you  leave  then?  ’

‘  how  could  you?  ’

‘  is  this  all  you  can  do?  ’

‘  why  is  this  here?  ’

‘  how  did  you  get  in  here?  ’

‘  is  it  freezing  to  you?  ’

‘  what  are  you  making  tdday?  ’

‘  are  you  lost?  ’

‘  has  it  been  that  long?  ’

‘  how  could  you?  ’

[the-pillar]

“I am tired of being told I am loved and cared about but never made to feel that way.”

— your actions and words never match

[the-pillar]

Post Halloween feels

[the-pillar]

The Nymphaeum of Trajan, Ephesus, Turkey

[the-pillar]

Guard Cat of the Library of Ephesus

[the-pillar]

thestargatherer​:

Virgil had just poured himself some tea when the door rattled before opening. He stood frozen in place when he turned around and found Phileas standing there, pale in the kitchen lights and terribly, terribly naked. 

“Oh!” 

Hot tea sloshed over his fingers as he nearly dropped it, turning around to set it on the table before he made an even bigger mess of things, his face feeling as hot as his scalded hands. It was almost as bad when Valhalla went prancing to and from the baths with no concern or propriety, his companion having not an ounce of shame. But Virgil had gotten used to Valhalla’s quirks- Phileas he was still trying to wrap his head around that he liked company. 

“I- hello Phileas.” The words came out in a hurried mumble, busying himself in searching for another cup and not keep awkwardly staring at Phileas. “I- er- I made tea? I’m sorry.” 

He wasn’t quite sure what he was apologizing for. Staring? Intruding? Making himself at home and making tea without Phileas’ consent? Virgil felt off kilter, uncertain as to what to do with himself and his inexplicable appearance here in Phileas’ home. It wasn’t that he didn’t mind seeing his tentative friend, he really did enjoy his company, but showing up out of the blue must be terribly rude, and Phileas had far better friends and company than himself. Phileas had told him countless times he was welcomed here, but even now Virgil felt he was intruding somehow. 

Virgil poured Phileas tea before realizing he hadn’t even asked if the man even wanted it, setting the pot down and tucking his feet under him as he sat on the chair at the table before his own cup, ignoring the pain in his burnt fingers as he picked at his tunic. 

“I… how have you been?” It was both politely honest and painfully awkward, but Virgil wanted to know all the same. His friend was important, and he wasn’t sure how long it had been since he had seen him last. Time worked oddly between the different dimensions and worlds, and he would feel terrible if it had been years since Phileas had last seen his face when it had been much shorter for him. 

  Months, only. Long enough for Phileas not to believe that he would ever see the other again - especially after he had made such an unusual exit. Surely, finding the time and nerve to come to Ephesus was difficult enough for most living on the same continent already. He could not imagine how great of a feat it must have been for Virgil.

  Initial surprise melted away in favour for a sudden rush of warmth in his chest as Phileas made his way further inside the cabin. If his heart had been beating with anxiety of a potential threat before, it was now drumming against his ribcage with a whole different kind of excitement. He wanted to approach Virgil, wanted to express his joy and confirm his hopes with a gentle hug - but Phileas knew that nobody he had ever met appreciated the gesture, and so he didn’t.

  “Me?”, he echoed, entirely unbothered by his own nudity. “I am okay, nothing has really change. But how are you? How did you get here? ...is this ginger tea?” He picked up the cup that had not been spilled and raised it to his nose to sniff it. “It smells really nice.”

[the-pillar]

eaterofnightmares​: 

No one ever returned?  Except for the one.  “I wonder… perhaps it is something about the magic of this place.  When one leaves… one forgets.”  He offered Phileas a smile.  “I can think of no other reason those who discover you wouldn’t wish for future interactions.  And your friend Hassan… is immune somehow, perhaps?”  Of course it was a theory that would have to be tested carefully.  Alejandro had no desire to forget his time with Phileas.

As the curious man talked of those who’d built the house, the pesanta nodded.  “Anger can be a powerful tool against the world.  But some forget that it is a balance of emotions that creates the fullest life.”  Alejandro hesitated in thought when Phileas asked about other friends.  “I have many human acquaintances, but very few I would call… friends.  Not anymore.  Creating attachments to those who can so easily die…”  For a moment pain flickered across his face as he remembered the man he’d loved… and been forced to kill.  Pushing those thoughts away, the pesanta sighed and shook his head.  “Eventually I grew tired of losing them.  These days, it is far easier to keep my distance.  Safer, you could say.  But I suppose it can make things rather lonely at times.”

He hesitated briefly, considering his next words carefully.  “For one such as yourself, however, I think I could make an exception.  After all, death - while always a possibility - seems unlikely.”  Another hesitation.  “Would that be agreeable to you?  I have no desire to insert myself into a place or a situation where I don’t belong.”

  The question came unexpected, making Phileas stop mid-motion as was reaching for the kettle to fill both of their mugs with hot water. He looked over his shoulder, the fleeting notion of confusion gracing his face. Had he heard right? Though then again, even if he had... what difference did it make? Turning to his business on the small counterspace, Phileas went back to preparing tea for the both of them.

  “Oh, but I can easily die... I think.”, he muttered with a sad smile. “I am neither strong nor quick. I do not know how to fight. They tried to teach me, but I cannot see or use my limbs well enough. Anyone could kill me. One man almost did. I...”

  On any other day, Phileas would have simply nodded his head and expressed his delight over being able to make a friend - no matter how much experience had taught him to fear such hollow phrases. A tiny hope remained, however, and he did not wish to offend those making their promises in what he could only assume to be good faith, if not outright lies. Something about Alejandro though made him feel like he would not hold a grudge against his honesty. Phileas filled their cups in bitter silence before carrying them over to the small table.

  “I am sorry.”, he said as he sat down, eyes fixed on the steaming water that was slowly changing colour. “But everyone who said they would be my friend and visit me never came back. Or sometimes they do, every once in a year, when they remember me for some reason, and the same thing happens again. I... I want to believe you are different. But if you are not...” He sighed.

  “Do not make any promises you do not want to keep. I-it hurts, you know. You said you are tired of losing friends, so you understand, right? ...So please. I will be happy to have you here. Even if I am not in the house, you can let yourself in. I will come around once the sun goes down. But don’t just say it and then go, okay?”

[the-pillar]

° • ? ( QUESTION SENTENCE STARTERS.

❛ What are you doing? ❜ ❛ Where are you going? ❜ ❛ Where are you taking me? ❜ ❛ How is that working out for you? ❜ ❛ Is everything okay? ❜ ❛ Why are you acting like this? ❜ ❛ You think I would lie to you? ❜ ❛ Are you telling the truth? ❜ ❛ Are you sure you want to do this? ❜ ❛ This is your bright idea of a plan? ❜ ❛ What else do you want me to do? ❜ ❛ What else can I do? ❜ ❛ What do you think I should do? ❜ ❛ What makes you think that? ❜ ❛ Who told you that? ❜ ❛ Who are you? ❜ ❛ Why are you here? ❜ ❛ Who invited you? ❜ ❛ How come you ever asked me? ❜ ❛ Did you really mean all those things you said? ❜ ❛ Why did you have to go? Why did you have to leave? ❜ ❛ Why is it so hard for you to see that? ❜ ❛ Why don’t you understand? ❜ ❛ What don’t you understand? ❜ ❛ Are you joking? ❜ ❛ Did I miss anything? ❜ ❛ You don’t remember? ❜ ❛ Did you really say all that stuff about me? ❜ ❛ Did you think I would forget? ❜ ❛ How can you sit there and say that? ❜ ❛ How do you even sleep at night? ❜ ❛ Are you coming or not? ❜ ❛ Am I the only one freaked out right now? ❜ ❛ Are you laughing or crying? ❜ ❛ Who did this to you? ❜ ❛ Did someone hurt you? ❜ ❛ Is it just me or are you, like, ignoring me? ❜ ❛ You want me to apologize for something you did? ❜ ❛ Are you going to kiss me or not? ❜ ❛ Aren’t you the one who said it though? ❜ ❛ So, you don’t like me like that? ❜ ❛ Where do we go from here? ❜ ❛ Are you being serious right now? ❜ ❛ How was I supposed to know that? ❜ ❛ Oh, is that a challenge? ❜ ❛ Are you flirting with me? ❜ ❛ Are you going to let me go now? ❜ ❛ Are we done now? ❜ ❛ Why didn’t just ask me? ❜ ❛ You’re going to believe them over me? ❜ ❛ How can possibly think that? ❜ ❛ Did you even miss me? ❜ ❛ Did anyone even notice that I was gone? ❜ ❛ Why do you go around and kiss everyone? ❜ ❛ Did you kill them? ❜ ❛ Who’s blood is that? Is that your blood? ❜ ❛ Do you think this is a game? ❜ ❛ Are you having doubts? ❜ ❛ Why haven’t you been at school/work? ❜ ❛ Is there something going on that you need to tell me? ❜ ❛ You said you wanted to talk? ❜ ❛ What am I supposed to do? ❜ ❛ What did you expect to happen? ❜ ❛ How long you think you can keep this act up? ❜ ❛ You don’t like me? Do you? Like in a more than a friend way? ❜ ❛ Is that what everyone is saying now? ❜ ❛ Who do I remind you of? ❜ ❛ Are you hungry? Want to go get something to et? ❜ ❛ Are you drunk? ❜ ❛ Are you lost? ❜ ❛ What’s so great about any of that anyway? ❜ ❛ Are you even listening to yourself? ❜ ❛ What are you going to do about it, huh? ❜ ❛ What are you staring at? ❜ ❛ What are you doing out here? ❜ ❛ Why did you call the police? ❜ ❛ Wait, do you hear that? ❜ ❛ Why don’t you tell me anything? ❜ ❛ Hey, did you get me anything? ❜ ❛ Why didn’t you come over last night? ❜ ❛ What did you find out? ❜ ❛ Can I stay here for the night? ❜ ❛ Are you throwing rocks at my window? ❜ ❛ Are you crying? ❜ ❛ What are you laughing at me? ❜ ❛ Are you laughing at me? ❜ ❛ Do you not understand the word no? ❜ ❛ Is that it? Is that all? ❜ ❛ Are you in some kind of trouble? ❜ ❛ Yeah, but, you have me. So why bother? ❜ ❛ What’s love got to do with it? ❜ ❛ This is where we kiss, right? ❜ ❛ Do you ever not just only think about yourself? ❜ ❛ Are going to leave me again? ❜ ❛ What’s wrong with that? ❜ ❛ Do you have anything you need to say to me? ❜ ❛ I think I’m going to puke. Is there a trash can in here? ❜ ❛ You really don’t know why I’m mad at you? ❜ ❛ Why do you treat me like I’m not important to you? ❜ ❛ Why are you telling me this? ❛ Are you ready? ❜ ❛ What’s with all the questions? ❜ ❛ I thought this is what you wanted? ❜ ❛ Where do you think you’re going with this? ❜ ❛ You’re just going to leave? ❜ ❛ Do you trust me? ❜ ❛ You love me? Or you think you love me? ❜ ❛ When will it ever stop? ❜ ❛ Do you think it’ll ever go away? ❜ ❛ What are you doing this weekend? ❜ ❛ You called for back up? ❜ ❛ What did I just witness? ❜ ❛ How do you cope when the one you love is with somebody else? ❜ ❛ Have you ever thought it? ❜ ❛ Are you wearing a wire? ❜ ❛ Is there something wrong? ❜ ❛ Is it something I said or something I did? ❜ ❛ What’s wrong? I thought that it was okay? ❜ ❛ Are you going to hold that against me forever? ❜ ❛ So, tell me, what else is new? ❜ ❛ You never actually cared, did you? ❜ ❛ You went to a party without me? ❜ ❛ Why wasn’t I invited? ❜ ❛ Do you think that’s a little fucked up? ❜ ❛ Oh, so you do speak? ❜ ❛ Do you think it’s really worth it in the end? ❜ ❛ How many more times do I have to tell you? ❜ ❛ You didn’t think that it would bother me? ❜

[the-pillar]

thestargatherer​:

Quiet Pillars

@the-pillar

Virgil wasn’t certain how he managed to come back here. He remembered bent over papers and text, delving into their secret knowledge, and then he blinked, looked up, and realized he was here, sitting on familiar floorboards with rain pattering against the glass. 

Valhalla called them his Wanderings. The term was… perhaps apt, if a bit odd. 

Slowly the scholar peeled himself off the floor, finding himself without shoes (a common trait, it seemed, in his so-called Wanderings), bare toes chilled against the cool floor. A quick glance around the small home told him Phileas wasn’t in yet, so he carefully put himself to work putting a kettle onto the stove and preparing some tea (it still felt so odd, being left to do as he pleased in another’s home, but Phileas had told him again and again it was quite alright). 

A few of his papers had ended up under the kitchen table, while his bag and other things had been left behind. He bent to pick them up, stacking them neatly onto the table before he settled onto a chair, curling knees up so his feet were off the floor as he waited for the water to boil, and perhaps for Phileas to return from his tasks.

He hoped he didn’t mind him turning up uninvited, out of the blue like this. 

  For Phileas, returning to his little home at the edge of the ruins was tied to the matter of passing time rather than active choice. As the sun slowly disappeared behind the horizon, taking with her the last few idling tourists and staff, the cool wind of the approaching night breathed an entirely new sense of life into the ancient remains of Ephesus.

  Stray cats that had been napping in the shade all day suddenly began to bend and stretch, ears perked at the low rustling of mice scurrying through the low bushes and out of hiding. Somewhere up in an old olive tree, an owl opened its eyes. Marble turned to flesh, and by the time Phileas’ fingers and toes had taken full shape, the rich and peachy colour of the sky was already fading into darkness. Naked but sufficiently comfortable with the warm summer night, the pillar boy made his way back to the cabin. 

  The first thing he noticed was the light. Phileas knew for a fact that it had been turned off when he had left the house in the early morning. He was also certain that he had locked the front door before hiding the key in its usual spot up by the bath house. The key was still there; obviously, as he had retrieved it from the same place a few minutes ago and could feel the warm metal inside the palm of his left hand right now. The only one he imagined might have found and broken into his borrowed home would have been Hassan - who did not care for artificial lights and usually tended to chill out in silent darkness until Phileas made his appearance. Huh. Very strange.

  Hesitation quickly yielded to pragmatism, however, as Phileas unlocked the door and - to his more than pleasant surprise - actually found a blurry but familiar face staring back at him. It definitely did not belong to Hassan.

  “Virgil...?”

  The scent of steaming tea welcomed him gently as Phileas stepped inside and closed the door behind himself.

  “Is it really you? καλησπέρα!”

[the-pillar]

"You don’t always have to put on a brave face, dear."

  “I am only being realistic.” With a small shrug, a gesture he had adapted from watching tourists who used it to lessen the weight of their statements, Phileas went back to stacking the old drawings he had wanted to return to their shelf.

  “I have little to offer anybody coming here at night. People never stay for long, and they hardly ever come back. I never go anywhere else, so being friends with me is difficult work. I have been on my own for a long time now. Being scared of or sad about the fact is not going to change things. Nobody really cares about some crumbling stone.”

[the-pillar]

WAYS TO SAY I LOVE YOU: CRITICAL ROLE CAMPAIGN ONE EDITION feel free to change pronouns / descriptors. 

screw you, i want my final words with you to be indignant and irritated. 

you know i’m in love with you, right?

do not go far from me. if we are out of earshot, you are too far from me.

i’ve missed you guys.

you’re all kinds of fucked up all the time. we all are. and that’s why we’re together.

i don’t want to be here if you’re not.

don’t cry. i’m just a little cold.

your hair’s a mess. sit still.

you are my heart. you are me. you are my other half. you are welcome with me always.

you don’t always have to put on a brave face, dear.

take me instead.

we’re family.

c’mere, you.

i love you. if i can find you, i will. if not, stay alive.

if he’s gone i won’t be the same.

i made a choice. this is my family.

in many ways you are my total opposite. but you are also my best friend.

fix him!

i can’t have you gone. i need you here.

don’t ever fucking do that again.

thank you for believing in me.

you had us all very worried.

come here, you shithead.

never forget you’re my favorite. and i’m so sorry.

i just love [name] so much.

i don’t accept this.

she is my heart, and my judgement… and the future that i have chosen. 

right, don’t you move: go ahead and get your shuteye, and we’ll be back. you rest here.

try not to have too much fun without us. 

i just want to thank you for working your magic yesterday, again.

no one kills you but me.

you did it.

i know it’s hard, and i’m sorry.

i will see you again.

get your rest.

good night, brother.

it was an honor knowing you.

you are intelligent and charming, and good in a tight spot.

c’mere, that’s on crooked.

i love you for that. and don’t be afraid to be that.

it’s gonna be alright. it’s gonna be alright.

i’m never gonna leave your side. i’m always gonna be there.

i saved your life, so….

[the-pillar]

neartmhar​: 

Doesn’t…leave? The witch found herself glancing around again, “But-there’s just…” ruins, wasn’t there? She had noticed a small building before, but she hadn’t thought much of it. Now she wished she had. She had to  start being more observant about some things. 

But then he continued, “Two thousand?!” She was used to her kind living loads longer than muggles, but two thousand years? She studied him and moved slightly closer. He didn’t…he didn’t seem to be lying. Okay. She could work with this. She was opened minded. She had seen a lot more than most people. She just needed to try and get her shock under control. “You, uh, you look great for your age then, mate!” Yes. Compliments were good. Everyone liked those. 

Ginny continued to pet the cat at her side, and another had hesitantly made its way towards her up the steps, so she pet him as well.  She grinned, “Yes. I feel like people are enchanted by it. It…has a magic, a story, and a feeling that i’ve never been able to notice anywhere else. I like it here though too. The history is…it seeps from everywhere. And you – if you lived through it! You must have amazing stories!” 

“None that are my own.”

  He shrugged, eyes searching for the other cat that he knew for a fact had to be there, though his vision failed him once again. The compliment faded before he could have thought of anything to say about it. Did he really look great? It was difficult to find a point of reference when you were evidently the only creature of your particular kind. Phileas had actually never seen a regular human of that age to compare himself to either. But granted, since he was one of the very few pillars of the temple still largely intact and standing, he could probably claim to have kept himself well.

  “Until recently, I was mostly just watching. People rarely took note of me. I watched them enter and leave the house of Artemis, speaking to the priests and the goddess about a lot of different things. I was here when Arsinoë sought refuge within the temple walls, and I saw how they took her outside one last time before they executed her. I survived when Herostratus set fire to the roof. And when they broke the walls to use the material for a new temple for their new god, I was here, too. But you can find all of these stories written in history books too. I did not add anything to them.”

[the-pillar]

neartmhar​: 

Well, that was good at least. The two seemed to be getting on alright, despite the fact she had sort of snuck up on him. She smiled when he spoke, hoping he would see it in the dark and didn’t think the silence meant more than it actually did. Again, she was careful about what she asked, not wanting to step on toes. 

“Herakles, now him I’ve heard of.” She knew him better as ‘Hercules’ – but she knew his legends and had learned about him in school. She had never heard of him referred to as ‘Iraklis’ though. Huh. That was something she’d have to try to remember. “Taught you language, so kind of like a big brother, then?” She asked curiously. She was distracted a moment by the cat’s purring and she grinned down at it again before looking back up. 

“Here?” Surely she had misheard him. How could he live here? But no, she hadn’t. As he went on, her eyes roamed over the ruins again, “What? Like-like a caretaker?” She questioned. Though a caretaker would be able to go into the city whenever they wanted. “Oh, um, England. London, more specifically. Have you ever been?” 

  Not to step on any toes. Hah. Phileas had been friends with people of a much worse temper - people who had yelled at him, thrown things at his face, laughed at him, destroyed his art without a second thought. Granted, he would not consider those people friends any longer. The times when he had passively put up with abusive treatment like that were long gone. Still, most any display of respect or politeness towards his person tended to surprise him.

  “No.” He blinked. Had he not made himself clear enough before? “I do not leave this place. I am a part of it. I wish I could take care of it, but my eyes are bad and I do not know much about conservation, I guess. I have been here for more than two thousand years.”

  There. That should be enough. He really did not feel like explaining the whole pillar issue again and again for some strangers to take out into the world and put him at risk. Hassan had warned him. Though then again, who would believe it anyway?

  “But I have seen pictures, and I read about it in books. It seems to be a popular setting for what they call fantasy fiction.”

[the-pillar]

neartmhar​: 

He was strange, this person. Maybe that’s why she felt a kindredness with him. She knew she was far from what society expected – both muggle and magic, so she found herself smiling gently before moving a bit closer. 

“Phileas?” She repeated it more for herself than for him. It would help her to remember it. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Ginny.” At the mention of the cat, her head leaned towards the side again. So not his cat then, just a cat. It wasn’t like she hadn’t noticed the high number of strays, and she found herself feeding as many as she could and wishing she could take everyone home with her. She knew it was impossible, but the thought still persisted. 

“Iraklis..that’s a pretty name. Is it from something or did you come up with it?” 

To her surprise a cat found it’s way up to her now and rubbed its head against her leg. Ginny immediately started to grin and scratch it under its chin and it’s head. 

“You live here? In the city, you mean? It’s a beautiful place, you’re very lucky. It’s my first time here and I think I already want to come back.” His mention of guests threw her off a little, unsure of what he meant exactly, so she didn’t comment on it.

  “It is nice to meet you too.” His voice remained gentle if not somewhat monotonous, a quality a few people considered quite soothing while others thought it to be absolutely unnerving. But Phileas had never been one for strong emotional outbursts. That was not to say he never got angry or sad. In truth, he could never seem to shake off a certain air of melancholy.

  “Iraklis was the boy who gave me my name and taught me language. It is also a different spelling of the name Herakles, son of Zeus. But I named them after my friend.” Glancing down at the cat, he watched as it happily leaned into the woman’s affectionate touch, doubtlessly relieved to have its itching flea bites scratched.

  “And no, I do not live in the city. I have been there once because someone took me to a book store, but my place is here within the ruins.”, he explained. “Where are you from, Ginny?”

[the-pillar]

[the-pillar]

neartmhar‌: 

She had slowly sat down by this point, near enough that they didn’t need to shout, but far enough to not be uncomfortable. 

“I-I’m sorry if I scared you.” Ginny brushed her hair behind her ears, “I just..I just heard the music and– I should have left you alone, my apologies.” 

Her gaze dropped, though snagged on the cat. Her hands twitched, itching to pet it. It made her miss her multiple cats back home in England. 

“Me?” She was surprised by the question, never having even thought that could possibly be the answer. “Well, I reckon I’d probably be bad at it. Perhaps we could come up with something together? How does the song make you feel? And what’s your cat’s name? They’re lovely.” 

She glanced up at the ruins around her, still bright white in the moonlight, “I didn’t really think I’d meet someone else here this time of night. What’s your name?” 

  Questions, and a lot of them. Phileas felt himself in no hurry to answer. Anyone who came to the ruins at night had questions, most of which being about him and his business here so late in the day. As repetitive as they were, and as often as people disappeared again soon after, promises of coming back to see him again already breaking as they fell from their lips, the pillar boy did not mind them at all. It was still nice - talking to a new voice every now and then. Looking up from his ukulele, fingers still gently resting on silent strings, he turned towards her.

  How small she was. Almost as small as Hassan. Illuminated only be the pale moon shining above and reflecting in the white marble below, he could barely see her - pale eyes searching the dark for anything more than a blurry shape to focus on.

  “My name is Phileas.”, he said after a moment. “And I do not know the cat’s name, but I call him Iraklis.” Just another stray, like the other two dozen who littered the place, feed off the pity of foreign tourists during the day and unsuspecting mice at night. Most of them never really bothered with the strange man of flesh and stone. But somehow, this one had taken a liking to Phileas some time ago.

  “We live here. And you did not scare me. I do not mind having guests.”