"A bottle of your finest wine." Athena says it suddenly, her voice quiet and stern. Abrupt. To the point.

Dionysus looks at her, his fingers curled around the stem of a wine glass. "I'm sorry?"

"The boy—" She gestures to that which hovers between them, a mirror-like glass that shows the happenings of the Underworld. "I bet you a bottle of your finest wine that he will call upon you first for a boon."

They share a nice picnic spread of cheeses and a middling, decent sort of wine. Not that he is picky. Dionysus swirls his glass around, motioning to her. "We already have booze, you know."

Athena regards him with a cool, but amused gaze. "I want the good stuff," she says.

"You're too straight-laced for it." Dionysus grins. "Besides, your boons are more useful—the ability to deflect? I'd prefer that if I were him."

"You aren't, though."

Dionysus waves his hand. "My boons are comedic, meant to rend his foes into blubbering, drunk messes."

"And to leech life from them." Athena leans an elbow against the table. "What do you say, Little Brother? Do we have a wager?"

Dionysus is a man that enjoys fun and indulgence, and Athena is rarely in the mood for it. He decides to entertain her unusually playful wish. He lifts his glass in a toast, more mocking than genuine. "Oh, you're on!" And then he drains it.

#

It takes no time at all.

Zagreus falls into a pickle and calls upon his aid, and when Dionysus meets Athena's gaze, she's trying to hide a smile behind the palm of her hand.

"Now listen—"

"I have enough grace to not say I told you so." She doesn't need to, though; the loss is felt deep in his bones regardless.

"You're gloating," says Dionysus, rolling his eyes.

"I do not gloat." Not aloud, at least. She certainly does as she smirks back at him. Athena waves to the mirror where a vision of Zagreus lays waiting. "Go on, our Cousin waits."

Dionysus makes him wait a little longer. "How about a wine that's of less fair vintage? Or—better yet—two out of three—"

"Going back on an agreed bet?" Athena tuts softly. "Dionysus, don't let the little mortals hear."

"They know that I'm the Lord of unconstrained inhibitions." Athena just stares at him. "Right, an agreement is an agreement. Let it be known, though, when I'm back, be ready for a second round."

"Oh, another bet?"

Dionysus reaches for the wine bottle and pours them each another glass. "There's more wine. We are not done until it's done."

"Brother, your wine bottles flow freely and endlessly."

Dionysus smiles wide. "Which is the fun of it. Now, pardon me—I'll be right back." He disappears in a swirl of purple smoke, the scent of grapes and booze lingering.

"Hey there, Zag—got yourself in a bind?"

Athena laughs.

#

"What is the point of asking for my help if he's going to make an utter idiot of himself?" Dionysus groans, dragging a hand down his face as they watch Zagreus struggle in his bid to reach the surface.

"Give the boy a chance."

"A chance? He's had numerous chances. How many times has he tried and failed by now?"

Athena hums, mildly amused. "I didn't think you were the annoyed type."

"Annoyed?" Dionysus scoffs. "I'm not annoyed, I'm just—"

"Miffed?"

"Ah, miffed is a good word." He grins and throws back a large sip of his wine.

Athena snorts softly. "A different word for the exact same thing."

"Pah." Dionysus waves toward her. "Semantics." There's a pause as they continue watching Zagreus claw his way through Asphodel, Dionysus refilling both of their glasses with the mediocre wine.

"You have to admire his determination," says Athena, taking her glass happily.

"Athena, dear sister, my girl—there is a difference in determination and madness."

Athena cocks her head to the side, settling back into her seat. "Do you think he is fueled by madness? I thought it was his desire to see his mother."

"Isn't that madness? You cannot possibly tell me that you'd willingly take a trip to see Metis—"

"I would not," cuts in Athena tartly. She takes a swig of her drink, failing to hide her discomfort at the idea. "But it should be noted that our dear cousin is different from, say, you and I. A familial bond holds a different sort of weight."

"Oh? You think?" Dionysus couldn't begin to even comprehend such a thing. He has affection for the boy, sure, but it isn't something as trivial as familial. At least, he doesn't think so. He's, admittedly, never thought about much beyond his booze.

He thumbs at his chin. "Didn't Demeter shack up with a human farmer, or something like that—"

Athena's mouth curls slightly at that. "Don't speak so crudely of Persephone's parentage. She is still a goddess, and deserving of respect." A pause. "But, you might be right. Zagreus does seem to hold a certain… mortal-like quality to him."

"That isn't a bad thing, I don't think."

"I didn't imply as such."

Dionysus drags a finger around the rim of his glass. "I wonder what it is like," he says softly, "to long for something so desperately."

Athena hums. "Do you not long for at least decent relationships among our siblings? Do we not have one?"

"Athena, darling, we're here, aren't we? Sharing wine and betting on your charming cousin? Isn't this what they call bonding?" She smiles wryly at him, and Dionysus realizes rather foolishly that she's teasing him. "No more wine for you, then perhaps. You aren't acting yourself."

"Nonsense." Athena points back to the screen. "Is it normal for Zagreus to catch on fire?"

Dionysus bursts into laughter. "You know, it depends. Sometimes he falls right into the lava the moment that he steps foot into Asphodel."

Athena chuckles as well, hiding a grin behind her hand. "You know, My Lord Dionysus—" He cringes at the formal tone that she uses, "Do you make it a habit to watch in on the boy?"

He sputters, sloshing his wine around. "Hey now, it's out of concern! He calls upon me enough that I opt to be ready."

"Hm, well, perhaps he'll call upon me next. Doesn't he often meet his end at the Bone Hydra?"

"Oof, yeah, Zag is—Well, to be fair, it is a nasty creature." He lifts his glass and shoots Athena a look. "A toast of good luck?"

"For him, or for you? You seem desperate to win the bet."

Dionysus thinks there are worse things to be desperate about.

#

Zagreus makes it to the depths of Elysium, and to the arena where Theseus and Asterius fervently cling to their hard-earned honor.

"They seem so aggravated," he says, looser-lipped than he usually is. He waves towards the screen, leaning back in his chair. "The bull and the—man? Mortal? Isn't he a hero, or something? I swear that I lose track."

"He slew the Minotaur." A pause as Athena's brow creases. "Wouldn't the Minotaur be the annoyed one, then?"

"Hm, I'd certainly be."

Athena tips a little bit more wine into her glass, just a few sips worth. "Does Zagreus usually fare well against these two?"

"No," says Dionysus with brutal honesty.

"Well then, perhaps we'll see the winner of our bet sooner than later."

"Pity, I've been having fun."

Athena straightens in her seat, giving him an amused look. "Oh? And here I thought that my stiff and proper visage was a bore to be around."

Dionysus waves a hand. "Apparently with some wine, you loosen up the right amount. Dare I say—you might even be considered funny."

Athena laughs at that. "Now, don't go too far. I have a reputation to uphold."

"Ah, yes, we cannot have someone of such wisdom and piety enjoying an afternoon, or anything." He chuckles as she reaches out to push at his shoulder. "Wait, wait, this is the good part."

"Where he gets slaughtered?"

"Hopefully," says Dionysus, clutching his wine close. "I knew that risking a good vintage was taking it too far."

They both fall silent as they watch Zagreus issue a challenge to King Theseus and his partner, Asterius. And they watch as the duo begins to pummel Zagreus into the ground. The boy doesn't fare well, and as the moments pass, and his future seems bleaker and bleaker, Dionysus shoots a grin toward Athena, preparing for a well-won victory.

Athena's mouth is pulled into a terse frown. "He… could still call upon a boon. I could help him."

Zagreus doesn't, falling to his end at the hands of the heroes. And then it's back to the beginning, pulling himself from the Pool Styx, sticky and dripping red.

"Well, dearest Athena, I think that means I win this bet."

"Regrettable," she says, sounding not one actual bit annoyed. She swirls the remainder of her drink. "I will admit, I was looking forward to acquiring one of your nicer bottles of wine. You seem to hoard those for yourself."

"Naturally, considering the work that goes into creating them."

Athena's brow raises. "Oh? You mean willing them into existence. Yes, truly the hardest."

Leave it to Athena to level him with her hard-handed teasing. It's a rare thing, but it's always a treasure when she's in a playful mood. Dionysus waves a hand and the screen they were watching disappears.

"Well, then, I think that is enough excitement for the day." Dionysus stands on perfectly stable feet, despite the amount he's imbibed. Perks of being the god of fun, he supposes. Athena finishes her glass and that too, winks out of existence.

Dionysus leans forward to press a sweet kiss on her cheek, his mouth lingering next to her ear. "There is always a chance for next time, you know? For a friendly bet, if you were to want to spend some time with your lovable brother."

"Lovable, hm?" Athena reaches out, smoothing the wrinkles from the cape around his shoulder, her touch lasting. "I might have to think about it."

"Spending time with me, or the fact that I'm lovable?"

A smile curls across Athena's face, and she says, "Wouldn't you like to know? Until the next, Lord Dionysus."

And then she's gone, leaving Dionysus behind to thumb at his mouth as he thinks, his lips spreading into a smirk. "And to think," he says, "I thought that she was a prude."