“Are you coming to the park with us?”
Dionysus felt a mix of disappointment and guilt at Ariadne’s question. They had planned an evening walk through Concordia Park which was decorated for the holidays. The only reason he’d wanted it to just be him, Ariadne, and Acamus was because he thought it might be the perfect place to propose. He realized he was being an asshole. Medusa could join and he could still stick with his plan.
“Oh, I don’t know,” Medusa said, hesitating, eyes darting to Dionysus.
“You should come,” Dionysus said. “You’ll love it.”
Despite his hesitation, he and Naia had worked to give Medusa experiences she never had, many of those boiled down to just being included.
“Aren’t you mad at me?” she asked.
Ariadne looked from Medusa to him, confused.
“No, Medusa, I’m not mad,” he said.
Frustrated, maybe, but he wasn’t going to say that out loud. Unlike her, he had a filter. Mostly.
“Are you ready to see the lights?” Dionysus asked Acamus.
He nodded his head vigorously, curls bouncing.
“So, we’re ready?” Ariadne asked, she looked at Medusa who was still watching Dionysus. The God of Wine raised his brows. “Medusa?”
“Yeah, I’ll come.”
They left the theater. The streets were also decorated for the holidays, making the walk just as magical as the park which was only a few blocks away. Acamus let Dionysus carry him for a short distance before he got bored and insisted on walking. He took Medusa’s hand and trotted alongside her. He smiled, watching her point to various decorations with just as much awe as Acamus.
“Why would you be mad at Medusa?” Ariadne asked.
“She always thinks I’m mad,” he said.
Ariadne made a noise and Dionysus looked at her. “What was that sound you made?”
“Nothing,” she said. “I just…I mean, you have seemed more frustrated recently.”
Dionysus frowned. He didn’t know what to say. He hadn’t felt any different, maybe a little more anxious considering his plans.
Suddenly, he felt very insecure.
“Am I…I’m not mean…am I?” he asked, the affliction of his madness never far from his mind.
Ariadne’s eyes widened, realizing his fear. “No, no, of course not.”
She slipped her arm around his, hugging it close.
“You’re always wonderful,” she said. “Even when I’m not…especially when I am not. And you transform when Acamus is around. You are an amazing uncle.”
His chest swelled with her praise, and he felt overwhelmed by how much he loved her, completely certain about marrying her.
That feeling only grew when they made it to the park, laden with drifts of crystal snow. Since Demeter’s attack on the city, the gods had limited snowfall to the parks and ice to the rinks. It was enough to keep the holiday season magical without triggering everyone’s PTSD.
They followed a lighted path to the center of the park which was decorated to look like one of those small, ceramic Christmas villages. There were several food and holiday shops, each one trimmed with garland and lights, all arranged around a large tree packed with ornaments and dusted with snow.
“What should we do first?” Ariadne asked, rising on to her toes as if that would help her see better.
There was certainly a lot. The park had an observation wheel, a carousel, a train and light trail, and a variety of games.
“Do you want to try skating?” he asked Medusa who looked particularly hypnotized by the sport.
