She nodded.“Precisely.”
“But, like...don’t gods and goddesses divine fate themselves?”he asked as he sauntered to the next item, a scrap of a cloak once worn by the oracle of Delphi.
Calliope looked upon it with fond memory.She’d been quite close with the oracles, then, in her youth.
“Misconception,” Calliope said, slowly coming to stand beside Theo once more.“Gods and goddesses are divine beings, and divine beings can not shift fate for themselves.It would go against the laws of fate.”
Theo looked at her with his deep green eyes, twisting his lips.“That kind of sucks.Having all that power and not be able to give yourself what you want?”
His body moved slightly closer to her.She pretended not to notice, though the moment he did so, her insides heated like a flame.
“It is...a nuisance, yes.But...to want is human, is it not?”She licked her lips, staring at Theodore’s reflection in the panes of glass surrounding the cloak.
“To err is human,” Theo said softly.“Everyonewants.Everything wants.The flower wants rain, the dog wants the bone.The kid wants the cookie, and...”His gaze drifted to hers in the reflection of the mirror.
Calliope noted the way he was looking at her.Like she was the artifact on display, not the scrap of fabric encased in glass.He looked at her as he had last night, right before he’d dropped to his knees.Calliope could not help the way this made her feel, nor could she help the way her body responded of its own accord, leaning closer into his space until their arms were touching.She stared at their reflection as he spoke.
“I want to take you to dinner.”
His words were solid, not confident as he had been before, but hopeful.She could feel the truth in them as he spoke, though she could not trulyfeelor sense what it was he wanted, and that made her nervous.
Calliope could always sense what a person wanted, what they needed, especially from her.But it seemed with Theodore next to her and all the insanity of this day, Calliope could not sense anything except the rapid beat of her heart from his words.
“What doyouwant?”he asked carefully.
She closed her eyes, shaking her head as she moved away.“What I want does not matter, Theodore,” she murmured as she opened her eyes and headed toward the empty case.The sun was setting and it cast a golden haze through the windows, bathing the gallery in its light.
“Of course it does,” he said, coming to stand next to her once more.
Calliope hated the fact his very presence warmed her, soothed her.But she loved it, too.
To want is a curse all on its own.
“Theodore...”She sighed, just as her stomach growled, protesting her resistance.
He chuckled.“Sounds like you could use some dinner.Have you even eaten at all today?”
She crossed her arms, shaking her head.“That is none of your?—”
“I’m just saying you can’t survive off pineapple wedges, Callie.”
She laughed at his attempt at humor.It was...sweet.
It made her feel warm and cozy, like a fire.
“And what of you, Zorro?Have you taken care of your needs today?”
Theo blushed six shades of red and Calliope found herself wanting to knowwhy.What had she said to irk such a response?
He cleared his throat.“Not all of them.”
Her stomach growled again.
Be quiet you!
“You’re closing up right?”he asked.
Calliope raised an eyebrow.“I am, but how did you?—”
