milliways_bar | (no subject)

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Today has not been a very good day, but eight has never been one of Sun's lucky numbers. Maybe tomorrow will be better.

She does not know if she likes these caves. They are dark and she misses the stars overhead and the sound of the waves lapping against the shore. But Jin is her husband and for now, she does as he asks. For now, she owes him that much. Nightgown in hand, she steps through the rock opening and does a double-take, and then another: where is this place?

With the nightgown clutched protectively to her chest she steps forward, brows furrowed, eyes darting back and forth. There is no comfort in the location or in the sudden profusion of company.

"Jin-Soo? [Help me.]"

But Jin is not here, and he cannot help her. Her hand goes to the top button of her sweater; she makes sure it's fastened.

"[Excuse me... where are we? What is this place?]"

[작은 꼬리표: Hercules]

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That does it: she bursts into tears. The nightgown slips to the floor again; she covers her eyes with her hands and sobs.

It's too much.

Herc is not sure what to do.

"Dost thou need a hug?" he offers.

A... hug?

Earlier she moved from the beach to the cave, under the protective arm of her husband who thinks he has the right to tell her what to do. And now, suddenly, she is at a strange... bar, talking to a tall and bare-chested man who speaks the strangest English she has ever heard, and he tells her she is not free to leave this place.

And asks her if she needs a hug?

If there was ever a time to accept the kindness of strangers, this is it. Wordlessly, she nods and all the while, tears stream down her face.

Hercules' hug is quite gentle, for a man of his size.

He knows how to temper his strength, when the situation calls.

There is nothing she can do with this information. Nothing beyond sob into the huge man's hug and feel like disappearing. That is exactly what she would do if she could.

Herc pats her on the back, gently.

"I am sorry."

The pat-pat of his hand on her back is soothing; it quiets the tears. Once she's composed enough she steps back and looks up at him and she knows she is a mess, a mass of red eyes and tears and runny nose. It's hard to be dignified under those circumstances; she wipes her face with the only thing at hand: the fabric of her nightgown.

"If I am stuck here... what do I do?"

Is he also unable to leave?

"How do I... live?"

"There are rooms," Herc says. "Upstairs. The bar can provide you with sustenance."

"A... hotel?"

That fills her with such mixed feelings. She almost doesn't want to ask, but she does anyway. "Who runs this hotel?"

Sometimes, coincidences can be unthinkable things.

"The bar," Hercules says.

"The bar runs the hotel." She gives him an indulgent and small smile. It's all right: he's been very nice to her. If he wants to make a little joke, that seems fair by now. After all, she just cried all over him.

Her mother would be scandalized.

"So I just... check in at the bar if I want to stay?"

It's ridiculous, she knows. Any time now, reality is welcome to return. She would like that very much.

"This is how it works," Herc says. "The bar is friendly. Also, it shall give you your first drink for free."

"Hwa! First drink free." It must have quite the captive audience. People like her who cannot leave and have nothing better to do than follow the first drink with a second, and the second with a third, and so on.

"You have been very friendly. Can I ask one more thing of you?"

Then, after this, she will leave him to his business. He must have better things to do than let strange women cry on his shoulder.

"I am Hercules," he says. "I am used to doing many favors."

He thinks he is the same Hercules of legend. When she was a student, she majored in art history. She has seen many sculptures, carvings, and engravings of Hercules. There is some similarity to the legend.

All right, more than some.

A lot. She can think about that later.

"Can you show me how I... check in at the bar?"

Hercules points over to the bar. "Forsooth, follow me and you shall be led the way."

"Thank you." Feeling tiny, she follows the huge scandalously-dressed man as he moves across the room. She gives the empty wall behind her a forlorn glance, but there is still no door.

Jin-Soo. She does not know when she will see him again. Perhaps her feelings on this should not be as mixed as they are.

Herc leads her to the bar, which he pats.

"Bar, this woman doth need lodgings. And you shall charge it to my Olympian tab."

A key appears; she glances at Hercules.

"You are very generous. I cannot accept. I must take care of my own debts: my husband will insist." How she'll manage is unclear. The only thing she has of value is her ring.

"Think of it as a gift from the gods," Hercules says. "As fortune, not from any specific individual."

A gift from the gods.

Yes. Either this man is crazy or he is who he says he is. If he is crazy, then would this key have simply appeared at his command? And if he is who he says he is, how can this be?

Then again, how can she and Jin and more than forty other people have survived a plane crash?

Maybe there are such things as miracles.

"Thank you."

"It is the job of a hero to help those that need it," he says. "But I am glad to have helped you, especially."

Why her? Why her especially?

It is a question she will not ask. Instead, she accepts his help. He seems very honorable, and that means everything to her.

When she can, she will repay the debt.

"I think... I should find this room. Thank you again."

Hercules nods and gives her a wave. "If I see you again, I shall hope you are happier."

What does one say to a legend? Or to one who thinks he is a legend, and acts with such kindness? Sun simply turns and bows, then memorizes the number on the room key before disappearing up the stairs.

She is no stranger to hotels, after all.

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