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greekbros · 4 years ago

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"greek-Bros: The Return of an Old Enemy"

Chapter 12: Matters to Attend To

After a rough night of sleeping in the tough dirt with roughly 15 or so big cats, Dionysus prepares to leave for Olypmus. He was waiting for Apollo to pick him up, feeling as if he'd been gently shoved into a small box to sleep in while dogpiled by his own pet big cats. He drinks in the scenery of the morning, wondering what the day shall bring. Feeling the top of his head feeling a little bit warmer, he looks up to find Apollo riding above. "Ah there you are!", he shouts to his brother in the sky. Along with the ball of fire trailing behind Apollo's chariot, it's golden embellishments shined bright enough to create a blinding glare, leaving Dionysus to shield his eyes for a short second.

Riding down to Dionysus's position, Apollo waved back, "Good morning. How was your night?", he asked softly. Apollo also looked a little sleep depraved as well, after Dionysus's afternoon celebration, he had his own issues to deal with. Apparently, there had been issues around the coastal areas around mainland Greece that weren't related to wolves....but a bizzare influx of dolphins harassing the locals.

Dionysus yawned loudly, streched his arms and gave his back a good crack, "let's just say it's easier to imagine sleeping with big soft animals than it is to actually put into practice.". He groggiingly climbed onto Apollo's chariot. ".....so is there any seatbelts on this thing?", he joked.

Apollo shook his head and snaps the reins, off they went to Olypmus. "Well, hang on then, time is of the essence.", he chuckled. He snapped the reins and off to the clouds above the two went, the clouds at first felt like cool mist but slowly thickens into a softer fluff that opens to a sea of soft white and blue. Off in the distance, Olypmus stood proudly like an island.

Meanwhile, Zeus had returned to Olympus with the growing concerns that had become prevalent throughout the Mediterranean; the wolf attacks. Pacing back and forth, Zeus was pondering what to do about such an issue. "Wolves of all things", he though. Did he need to talk to the other gods about this? Was Hades responsible for this, inspite of his lack of evidence that Hades has yet to be responsible for any surface issues. He hadn't the foggiest idea what is causing it. "oooooh....where is that girl....I know she's the greatest huntress in all of Olypmus but she shouldn't be taking this long.....and Athena....my goodness with all her wisdom and intelligence....a little empathy wouldn't hurt once and a while.", grumbling on while rubbing his forehead, oddly enough even mentioned Athena's name gives him a mild headache. Inspite of this, Zeus still worries for all his daughters.

Hermes could only watch as he was growing more entertained by the hole in the floor Zeus had created. Hera was more disgruntled at Zeus because now the nice marble floor now have sizable divot. "..... Zeus can you PLEASE just sit down. You're not the only one here with a headache, how am I going to find a stonemason at this time in the morning?", she groaned. Spectating the whole issue, she really had become curious as to how Zeus could be blaimed for this, maybe its so bad that he would be banished and she would be made Ruler of the Sky, but she doubts that.

"I understand my dear, but there are more important matters on our plate.", as Zeus says this the sound of Apollo's chariot. "Oh thank goodness.". Zeus hoped with Apollo and Dionysus now present, there would be a few more heads working together. "Ah good morning boys.", Zeus urgently greeted them.

Dionysus slid down the marble floor for a dramatic entrance, while Apollo calmly walked in. "Good morning father, good morning Hera you look absolutely radiant today", Apollo greeted back. The two placed themselves on their designated thrones.

Hera wasn't too flattered but she appreciates the greeting with a head nod. "Morning... Apollo. So what has your father done this time?....". She has been watching over both Olympus and the earth while Zeus had been flying around. Tapping her perfectly sharpened nails on the arm of her gold and marble throne. "Well?", she inquired again.

With the rough sound of clearing his throat, Zeus interjects to answer for Apollo. "Well Hera, it seems we have a pest control problem, 'wolves'...........'wolves' have been seen doing such strange things .....but others say it's really not wolves. If memory serves me, we did not create wolves to act like this......boys, have any of you found any new information?", Zeus inquired.

Dionysus and Apollo looked at each other, remembering the day before and what had transpired during the Dionysian Games. Dionysus glances away, trying to deter any responsibility in being the first to tell anyone, Apollo is given the unceremonious task of explaining what had happened on Delphi. "Well.....let's just say, while Dionysus was having a...day time event, it seems that there was some semblance of a sighting. No one was harmed thankfully....", as he finished he looked at Dionysus, hoping he was going to going to fill in any details.

Dionysus, pretended that he wasn't paying attention. Apollo continued to stare at him until he took a coin from his pocket and aggressively flicked at Dionysus. The coin hit Dionysus's head with an audible tunk as it bounced off, "Ow! Fuck man what the hell?!", Dionysus rubbed the currently forming lump. He looked around as he saw Hera, Zeus and Hermes were looking at him, clearly knowing he knew more than he was willing to share. "Ugh....yeah....someone saw a dog thing? Yeah but as Apollo said, no harm no foul...", he hoped his flimsy confirmation would suffice.

Zeus obviously took this as a sign something was wrong and that these creatures were indeed becoming more and more brazen but he wasn't going to pry Dionysus anymore for obvious reasons. He was still wondering where Artemis and Athena were, probably assisting mortals or actively finding more information.

Zeus than turned to Hermes, usually his energetic messenger was more talkative, yet right now he was rather quite. "Hermes....is there anything you would like to share? Any news that would ....at the very least help us... Artemis told me you witnessed one of these creatures yourself?", Zeus asked. He could see Hermes looked a little anxious, in fact Hermes hadn't taken his encounter very well since he first saw it. "My boy, do you have something to say?", Zeus again asked.

The wings on his hat emoted his sudden alertness much like how a dog would, he was mentally elsewhere but quickly came back to planet Earth to put it 'mortally'. "Oh well.....it wasn't too bad.... Artemis shot it in the mouth...hehehe, but....I'm more use to things staying dead.", he rubbed the back of neck, "The creature came back to life shortly after she killed it. I've never seen something like that in my life.", Hermes responded somberly. He felt silly being scared of something that wouldn't be out of place in the Underworld, but he knew that it wasn't something he had experienced in its controlled chaotic environment. "Outside of that, it seems they're very sturdy and very fast.", he continued.

Off in the hall, Artemis and Athena had finally arrived, although both were empty handed, Athena had come with her pride humbly swallowed. The two sisters entered the throne room unannounced as to not disturb Hermes's story.

Dionysus went from playing with his curly locks to glancing past Zeus and seeing Artemis and Athena. "Oh cool, you're here!", he exclaimed with a smile. Artimes waved back, but Athena stayed stone faced.

"Ah there you two are! Where have you two been?", Zeus bellowed.

Artimes walked towards her barely used throne next to Apollo, slumped onto her seat, surprisingly exhausting. It was obvious Artemis had been doing most of the leg work of investigating what has been happening, meanwhile her brothers decided to have fun with their fake Olympics. ".......ugggh....", she groaned and turned to Apollo, "so....did you look over Delos like I asked?"

He had been so occupied with Dionysus that he had COMPLETELY forgotten to check if the island of Delos was untouched. Apollo struggle for a few seconds, as he was about to say something.

"You didn't fucking check didn't you?", Artemis interrupted. Lucky for her, she had checked Delos and the island was currently at the bottom of her list worries.

Apollo couldn't help but give an embarrassed half smile and immediately points to Dionysus and whispers, "this is your fault". Dionysus of course couldn't help but give an identical smile.

Athena stood in front of Zeus, "Father....I believe I owe you an apology for doubting your judgement....it seems.... Athens has come under a terrible affliction....the city has been relying on outside trade these past few days because the farmlands have been savagely ravaged by unknown forces. On top of all that......Theseus hasn't helped much politically, considering he is off on some pointless quest with the rest of his demi-brethren, the state executives have been scrambling for answers to the myriad of metropolitan issues. Disappearing blacksmiths, sightings of creatures in the night and hordes of food, metal, and wood supplies have disappeared over night. I seek your your guidance, for this is genuinely a force I have never experienced.", she was at a loss for words with her situation. Athens has had many terrible lows in its long history, but nothing of this supernatural sort.

He looked at his children, he shook his head. "Your apologies are always accepted my dear Athena. Laps of judgment always happen.", Zeus said with a smile.

She held her head up high, "If I may ask. Is there explanation to.our plights?".

Dionysus stretched his legs a little, "it's wolves I think....but they're kinda funky. Hermes says that THESE wolves can get hit with arrows and like...not die....it's kind of weird. Oh and apparently they like destroying food tents.", he interjected.

Hermes turned to Dionysus, "This thing wasn't a wolf! I know a wolf when I see it, this thing had hands! And it stood on two legs and was fast on them!", he corrected Dionysus was short burst of annoyance.

Obviously, Hera was about to toss herself from the top of Mt. Olypmus from all the sweetness of Zeus's love for his children, the destruction of anyone's food tent or anything, she couldn't care less about it. ".....Can we go on?", she strained. "Frankly Zeus, I just want to know what does all of this has to do with you.", She paused as she was just speaking at suddenly thought had dawned on her. ".... Zeus.......this "wolf" business doesn't have anything to do with Lycaon does it?....You DID say the problem was taken care of....right?", Hera spoke with a tone of ripe displeasure.

Zeus couldn't deny it any longer. An unnatural wolf, Athens in social chaos and the constant bickering between his children had to stop. "Children........it's time I told you the whole story....do you remember when I've told some of you the story of how I defeated the most evil man in the world?", he asked.

The other gods became curious, what did an old bedtime story that their own father had to do with all of this? Hera let out a long and disappointed sigh, it really did have something to do with him, but she had secretly hoped he wasn't responsible for it.

He continued, "Many decades ago, it should be a century or so....if memories serves me correctly....I was invited to a feast in Arcadia by King Lycaon himself. In the story, I told that I defeated him by turning him into a wolf and destroyed his desperately sons for serving me a feast made from the flesh of man..... however.....I may have left out a few.... important details....I did turn him into a wolf....but I left a small semblance of humanity in him so that he may suffer ridicule and hatred for the remainder of his life......that...may have been the greatest regret....I should have ended him when I had the chance.... however, I cannot contest for how he has managed to live for so long....but I do fear it maybe my power is what helped with his longevity.....I doubt he's alone too....", he solemnly ended his story.

The five Olympic offspring sat there in disbelief, the rumors were true and their own father had direct responsibility over the situation. Hera in the meantime, felt a little sorry for Zeus, if she was responsible for such a blunder she would no doubt feel an eating guilt in her heart. "Zeus, listen, what's in the past is done....you fucked up and honestly that's no surprise.....", she put it bluntly.

He turned around unamused but not surprised that his wife would take a swing at his ego, yet all he could do is agree. "Now..... children, we must spread ourselves around and look high and low for Lycaon...no matter the cost.", he declared.

A low crashing noise could be heard from halls, alarming everyone in the throne room. The boys screamed, Artemis was too tired to care and Athena raised her shield and spear ready to defend everyone in the room. Zeus and Hera were worried but there was a likely suspect on their minds. "Ares!", the two said in unison. If anyone would regularly break urns and vases in Olypmus, it was Ares. Whom oddly enough did not come to the meeting. Apollo, Dionysus, Hermes and Athena were the first to charge towards the noise while Artemis had no intentions of moving for the moment.

In another room, Ares was trying to help Ajax use armor and play with a wooden sword for the first time. Turns out, after a few hours of roughhousing with his own war hounds, Ares realized Ajax could use his paws to hold things. So one silly thing led to another, and Alex accidentally broke a vase. "Nice swing Ajax, you'll lead your own army in no time!", Ares chuckled with enthusiasm. Ajax wagged his tail and adjusted his ill-fitting helmet. "You know what, I'm hungry. Come on Ajax, let's go get something to eat", he gestured to Ajax to follow him to the kitchen. The pup's tailed wagged even more enthusiastically, he gently removed his helmet, placed his shield and sword down and followed his new devine friend.

As the two miscreants went to the kitchen, the rest of the Olympians just missed them by a few seconds. Apollo and Athena were armed and ready while Hermes and Dionysus were reluctant to have followed them.

Apollo and Athena both look at the obvious mess of broken urns and damaged marble along with the instruments of the crime. "Hm...It definitely looks like Ares may have been here....but what would he want with set of juvenile training armor?", Athena questioned.

"Hmmm....maybe he's taken up another Amazonian student?.... after all it's not like he's done it before.", Apollo speculated.

"Well I'm not cleaning up after his kids again.", Dionysus groaned brushing away a piece of broken pottery with his foot.

Hermes looked around and started to hear more clattering coming from the kitchen. "I think we'll get our answer shortly.", he pointed to the direction of what at this point sounded like a dog playing with its food.

The four than slowly cornered the entrance way to the kitchen, Apollo and Athena on opposite sides of the door. Dionysus, summons his thyrsos, to protect himself and Hermes who's just behind him. Athena motioned to Apollo to get ready to bust into the kitchen, he agreed with a stern nod.

Zeus and Hera have just arrived, spectating the mess of a hallway and had just about enough this. "OH FOR GOODNESS SAKE.", Zeus bellowed and opened the kitchen door to fine Ares mid bite into some meat and Ajex sitting on the counter, peacefully chewing on lamb chop.

It was a standstill for the ages.

"Son.....what is that?", Zeus asked calmly and sternly.

"Lamb chops.", Ares replied.

"....no.......I mean....what...is....that?.", Zeus pointed at Ajex.

Ares hadn't thought so quickly in his life and drew out his sword and pulled Ajex closer to him. In a deadpan tone and a blank stare, "Take one more step Dad I will wreck everything.". Ajex obviously was completely clueless and just innocently looked at everyone.

Everyone from Zeus and his children all armed themselves. "ARES I NEED TO YOU STEP AWAY FRO. THAT ABOMINATION.", Zeus commanded him.

Athena raised her spear, "Ares you dimwitted buffoon! That creature's kind has cost us all dearly!", she hissed at him

Ares still expressionless knew he wasn't going to let his family hard a single fur on Ajex's head.

The Olympians were all shouting and tried coaxing Ares to give the wolf pup but the god of war wouldn't budge.

Hera, finally pushing Apollo and Dionysus aside, "ARES! What is going on?! And why is that thing on the counter! You have no idea where it's been and I thought I told you no snacking before meals!", Hera shouted with a wag of her finger.

"Oh I gave him a bath before we started training.", Ares replayed.

"TRAINING?!?", everyone shouted in unison.

Zeus's voiced boomed, "YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THAT CREATURE IS CAPABLE OF!".

"FUCKYOUDADYOUCANTTELLMEWHATTODO!", Ares defiantly shouted back.

As the quarreling between the gods continued, Hermes at was fearful at seeing this kind of creature again until he started to get a closer look. "Wait a minute..... isn't this the dog with tattered clothes your thespian friend told you?", he turned to Dionysus.

As if a candle was suddenly lit, Dionysus than remembered the joust. "Hey it's that dog thing that cost you the joust you know the one you lost and got very very VERY humiliated in?!", he hoped reminding Ares about his loss would make him relinquish Ajex due to anger.

"Oh really? Well ok than accidents happen I guess. I guess little Ajex here had places to go. Ain't that right buddy", Ares said with a smile basically forgiving Ajex for costing him the joust. Ajex let out a little yip with glee.

"Damnit. I thought that would do it. Sorry guys I tried.", Dionysus shrugged.

Hera was distraught and disappointed, "Oh my gods you've named it too. Now we'll never get rid of it.", she said breathlessly.

"Come on mom, it's just a dog. I mean sure he's really misshapen for a dog but he's managing pretty well with me.", Ares still had no idea that what he was holding close to him....was more closely related to a cursed human.

"Son....that is no hound....that....is what I had turned Lycaon many years ago....I turned him into a part wolf monstrosity for the purpose of punishment! That right there!.....could be his very offspring! Or worse!....an innocent child who was transformed into wolf.", Zeus gravely explained.

Ares looked at Ajex, "....oh...so that's why he has thumbs.".

The rest of his siblings couldn't believe that Ares had just realized this and collectively groaned. Zeus could only nod in minor disappointment while Hera shook her head.

Hermes on the other hand stepped a little closer to Ares and Ajex. "....Well....thus one DEFINITELY isn't the same kind of beast me and Artimes saw.", he than started to feel extremely silly for being so afraid of this small and somewhat cute looking creature.

"That's because it's a wolf cub!", Artimes had finally caught up with everyone. "I mean seriously, you guys got worked up over a pup? I mean seriously it still teething.", She pointed at Ajex who was still chewing on a lamb bone.

Ares looked at Ajex, "you mean like how babies do?....cool. That explains why he bit me when we first met.", he fondly remembered.

Zeus went pale. "Son....did....did ugh...Ajex you called him? ....well....did he draw blood when he bit you?", he deathly asked.

Ares looked at his arm and saw no marks, then he looked everywhere else that Ajex had teethed on and still no marks. "Nope. Little guys' gonna have to grown into his big teeth later.", he knew that dogs had their own set of baby teeth much like humans did, so considering Ajex's lineage, there was a good chance he still had many of his baby teeth.

A deep sigh of relief was let out by Zeus.

Apollo than asked, "Father, why is it such an issue that it bit Ares, it's not like as if gods could die of an infection....even so I can fix it.".

Zeus shook his head, "Because I've seen what happens with mortals who survive an attack from these monsters....they become them.", the others became visibly worried, expect for Ares and Hermes. Hermes of course could always outrun them and Ares simply assumed he was impervious to injury.

Ares than realized if he hadn't been so physically hard to chew on he would be a half-wolf half-war god. "WAIT A MINUTE I COULD HAVE BEEN A WOLF WAR GOD THAT SOUNDS EPIC AS FUCK!", He shouted.

Apollo, Athena, Artimes and Dionysus looked at each other in clear worry, the idea of a beastly war god even more so vicious than what he currently is now is a far more unfathomably terrifying idea.

Hermes was still looking at Ajex with mild curiosity. Suddenly Ajex looked at him a tilted his head with equal curiosity. A sudden urge to do something Hermes wanted to do when discovered he could perform a neat little trick. He than raised the wings on his hat upwards in an alert position. Ajex's ears did the same thing. Than Hermes switched to a 3 o'clock position, Ajex than followed through and mimicked with his ears.

The rest of the gods looked at this strange display and went silent, surely something important was happening.

Ares however was starting to get jealous, "dude da fuk can you stop that's super fucking weird.", he asked but Hermes continued with different wing positions as if he was giving signals. Ajex was oddly enough having fun with this activity and let out a yip.

"I can't believe it.... we're completely in sync! You know what this means?", Hermes exclaimed at his wings alternated with Ajex's ears. "This could be like a secret handshake or something."

His brothers were obviously was confused, "Ugh...is this going to help us? I mean it's a cool trick but how is this going to solve anything?", Dionysus asked.

Hermes chuckled a little and replied, "oh no there absolutly nothing useful about this it's just fun to see if another animal would do it.". Another collective groan from everyone could be heard.

Athena rested her spear, "This has been a waste of time! All that's happened was the discovery of this creature infiltrating our ranks through Ares's pure ignorance and we still have no clue where to find these b-", she suddenly stopped mid sentence and looked at Ajex and started to formulate an idea "....... surely....this...Ajax has a family...I mean for such a young pup, he has to be missing his parents...", She glanced at Ares whom was still keeping Ajex close. He didn't want to part with him.

Zeus knew what Athena had been implying, he agreed with this plan but he didn't want to lose anymore of Ares's trust. "Athena, as much as that sounds like a wonderous strategy, I believe we can achieve our goal in finding Lycaon.... without harming the young creature.", Zeus walked up to Ajex, no matter if this creature had fangs, claws and fur, it was still in a sense a child.

Scoffing at Athena's attempt to gain her favors by being "tactful", she couldn't help but sense Athena was simply trying to be a little bit insensitive to Ares considering the two have had it against each other for years. "Or....I can just track down trail where me and Hermes found the first wolf. I mean, if I remember correctly there IS a complex cave system in Mount Parnassus.", she concluded.

Ares was relieved.

Zeus had than remembered what Athena had mentioned about Theseus and the rest of his half-born children. "By jove I've got it. BOYS! You're off to find Lycaon.", he announced.

Apollo, Dionysus, Hermes and Ares all looked at Zeus in mild disbelief. "Wait what?", they all murmured in unison.

#greek-Bros #greek bros #greek gods #dionysus #Zeus #hera #artemis #athena #ares #Apollo #greek bros: the return of an old enemy #chapter 12 #short story #fiction #greek mythology

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katcadecascade · 5 years ago

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Storybook for the Gods

Fair Game Week: AU/Freeday

God AU

Ao3

They say the gods left to become the stars in the sky.

They say the gods obeyed the Brothers Grimm, agreeing that humanity was a failure.

They say the gods died and their children are doing a horrible job.

Qrow says that everyone should just shut up.

It’s one thing for the world to contain monsters and magic but no. Humanity loves, hates, fears, and respects the new religions the left over gods have made.

The Remnant Gods as they’ve been titled.

Technically demigods as good old Oz would describe but that doesn’t change the fact that the chain of godhood falls onto their shoulders.

Qrow can only speak for Vale’s side of the story, the dominion of the great and powerful Odin where he bestowed powers to his own children as he goes on his own journey for research and wisdom.

But nowadays he goes by Ozpin, the only old god that didn’t abandon the new gods of Remnant.

Qrow can understand why the god changed his name. No one would think a scholarly dressed old man is secretly the god of Vale, wielding a cane and not a spear. Disguises are necessary now that civilizations are slowly rioting against the Remnant Gods.

Tensions are as high as ever what with mortal heroes rising and fighting in the name of their people and not in the name of any of the gods. Qrow can’t blame them, Hell, he was once one of them.

Not anymore ever since Oz saved his life.

If Qrow had to pick a god to owe a life debt with, Odin had to be the best pick of the batch. No way was Qrow going end up in servitude for Horus, that war god has been raging Vacuo’s deserts for centuries. He did hear rumors that Fuji was still a beloved god, distance as she was ever since she chosen a mountain as her vessel.

Another elder god is from the north but no one has heard a peep from him in nearly a millennium.

That is until today.

Qrow is a relatively a new asset of dear old Oz, just shy of having a decade’s worth of experience under his belt as Odin’s black bird. So he wasn’t expecting much when he was flying through a winter coated forest.

The mission for the year is to find this rouge Valkyrie, rumored to be harboring souls away from their designated afterlife. As the crow flew above the dark trees, looking for any sign of the whisky sparkles of souls detaching from their bodies, a sudden cold breeze hit his face and along with it, a scroll.

It’s not often paper mail is delivered this way, nature spirits keep to their selves or to nature gods. Somehow a winter spirit by the chill of it knew who Qrow worked for and on the edge of the rolled paper was a cursive address of ‘To Odin’

Ominous, not quite, suspicious, only to his birdbrain but curious, oh he definitively is.

Flying back to the cottage, miles away from the rest of the forest and small towns still growing, Qrow keeps the letter in his peak, its edges flapping wilding in the cold winds.

As if already aware, Oz is waiting at the doorstep. His arm up as Qrow took his landing with ease.

It took two attempts for the god to nab the paper from the bird having fun playing keep away.

“Very funny Qrow,” Ozpin chided, finally getting the scroll.

As he unrolls it, Qrow hops off and wills his feathers back into skin, a rush of shivers getting his bones into its original shape. He dusts off stray feathers out of his hair, “Got it from the northern winds. Do you know what that means?”

“Nicholas,” he answers, his eyebrows knitting together, “he needs us in Atlas immediately.”

“Wait us?” Qrow peeks over the god’s shoulder and sure enough the letter is asking for Qrow by his title, Muninn.

Now that’s pretty curious. Gods don’t often seek help from other gods of a different dominion. Usually they get it through their own pantheon and even that is a hassle.

Just look at what happened between Thor and Loki.

“A magical shapeshifter isn’t exactly a secret among gods,” Oz explained. “Making two in this new world is even more of a gossip.”

Oh yeah, he didn’t take in account of Huginn’s rogue status. Raven is probably making waves in Mistral right now.

Still though, there are only a handful of people Qrow introduced himself as Muninn. A few of them were Oz’ old friends but also two humans he and Raven befriended.

Last he checked, Taiyang and Summer are on a sea expedition in the Burning Ocean.

Yeah, Qrow decided not to go with them for obvious flaming reasons.

So now he’s pondering over on why the son of Atlas is asking for him and his patron god for a visit.

“We’re taking the express trip right?”

“You’re always so eager for a fast travel.”

“What, do you expect me to flap all the way to Atlas?” Qrow flaps his human limps.

“As amusing as that is, no,” Oz chuckled. He pockets the letter and holds up his cane, “Nicholas needs us now.”

The intricate clockwork mechanism in the cane’s handle winds up and it ticks loudly as a green light pulses between the weapon and its creator’s hands.

As rune circles appeared below their feet, Qrow giddily bounces on his feet.

This was always his favorite part.

A rainbow of colors consumes the god and the shapeshifter and all they can feel is pulsating brightness as their entire beings are flying through the sky.

In a matter of seconds, Qrow and Ozpin find their selves at the foot of a temple built upon the highest mountain of the northern lands.

Only the oldest of gods know of this place ever since the real Olympus was tarnished when their namesakes left. The ruins of Olympus only had one resident, a power older than most gods.

The last son of Atlas has the power of a titian but its strength is a mere tale since the old man rarely leaves the mountain peak. Qrow may not know the reasons but it must be similar to Oz’ own lifestyle.

Elder gods have increasingly become isolated from the world, leaving the Remnant gods with all the pleasures and pains of warding over humans. It’s a hassle really, getting devoted to or smiting usurpers or whatever. Again, Qrow can’t relate since his god chose to live in a cottage in the middle of nowhere.

This lonely damaged temple is Nicholas’ choice and honestly it is a nice view.

Ignoring the Olympians’ rumble, there is a grand stone staircase that curves into the mountainside, covered in chilly fog as it dives down. Beyond that is the view of the tundra of Mantle, a white slate with dots of cities.

Qrow is very tempted to go free falling into the clouds, feel the wind rush at him as his heart races. He can picture it now, falling as a human only to shift into feathers right as the world is nearing.

“It’s not the time for that Muninn,” Oz lectured, lightly whacking his cane at Qrow’s leg.

Muninn, he’s only referred to that title when they have company.

Tearing his gaze away from the clouds, the thrill of flying, Qrow looks at the only temple left standing.

Walking out of the temple of Atlas’ son are two men.

The tall one of black hair is easily recognized by his lighting blue eyes. James, the son of Zeus and is also a major stick in the ass according to Qrow.

“It’s good to see you, Odin,” James greeted but his tone is always so grim and serious. His eyes narrow at Qrow, “Why did you bring your pet?”

“Hey, I got invited by name,” Qrow huffed, straightening his back to have some sense of pride. It still doesn’t compare to James’ height but it’s the intention that counts.

Qrow doesn’t care if James is a demigod turned Remnant God, he can still match his speed no matter the wind pressure. Hell, James is not the only god to question Qrow’s power as a former mortal.

Speaking of mortals, Qrow notices the second guy, someone he distinctly recalls meeting at the piers of Midpass, “Wait, hold up, you’re that boat guy.”

A chuck passes through pink lips, lightening up his teal eyes, “That’s not my official title but yeah, that’s me.” The brunet holds his hand out, “I’m Clover, son of Poseidon.”

“Yep,” Qrow shakes his hand, “boat guy for sure.”

From the humble smile and adorable cheeks, Qrow innocently mistook this guy as mortal. He didn’t elude power like James or Oz and instead just came off as a regular fisherman.

A cute one at that since Qrow, day drinking with his friends, threw a bunch of flirts at Clover.

That’s probably why he didn’t clue in the fact that Clover suddenly appeared before them right as Summer and Tai were boat shopping for their expedition.

“I knew you were a pretty bird but I didn’t think you’d be the Muninn as well,” Clover winked.

“I’m just full of surprises,” Qrow shrugged off, “something Jimmy here can attest to.”

James grumbles, “Let’s go inside already, Nicholas has waited enough.”

Due to pride alone, James walks ahead with Ozpin at his side.

Clover follows with Qrow, as if he’s more interesting than an ancient Greek temple, “So you’re really Muninn? That’s amazing, there are so many stories about you and you’ve only been a god for a decade or so.”

“Technically I’m not a god,” he corrected before James could but in, “I just serve under Odin.”

“Not all the time right? I thought you’d be traveling with your friends.”

“Nope,” he popped, looking around the temple’s interior.

It’s all white pillars and high ceilings. The place has typical fancy architecture that scholars would die for even if there are some dust and dirt here or there.

Qrow continues, “If I went with them then their ride would definitely fall off the ends of the world or fall into the river Styx.”

“What does that mean?”

He ignores the concern from Clover as they enter the last room. It’s set up as an altar room where a stage is under a skylight. On the stage is Nicholas, the son of Atlas, and a pale woman with white, shimmering hair.

“Welcome all of you,” Nicholas nods with a sad smile, “I and Fria thank you all for coming.”

“Nicholas, is something wrong?” James immediately asks, the room dipping a few degrees colder, “This is about the storms in the west yes? I knew there is something coming from the horizon, I can feel it and-“

A heavy laugh stops the lightning god. Nicholas’ smile grows just a bit, “You focus too much on bad news, James.”

“Someone has to,” James side glances at Clover.

He shrugs, grinning innocently, “I just think you purposely give yourself dark clouds.”

“That was one time, Clover.”

“Yeah and it nearly flooded Athens.”

Qrow has twin instincts to laugh at James but also be terrified at the casual mention of how he almost flooded a populated city. These gods and their temper tantrums really are ridiculous, even more so if humanity suffers from it.

Oz taps down his cane, gaining everyone’s attention, “So why are we here, Nicholas?” His eyes shifted to Fria, “Although I’m starting to understand.”

The woman beams and suddenly a veil of frost coat her hair as she grasps Nicholas’ big hands. Her own hands are small and decorated with frostbite but their held hands brings a warm feeling to the room.

“We’re getting married,” Fria announces, a loving gaze on her fiancé as they nudge closer together, “but we want something more than that.”

“We plan to start a family,” Nicholas explains and now the tension in the room is back as the guests realized just who these parents-to-be are.

A child between these two would have the lineage of a titan, a being far superior to a god, and, from the looks of it, a winter spirit.

Qrow recognizes Fria now, her winter powers eluding off of her effortlessly. It is that same breeze that found him and that coldness still clung to him as he stares at the faery.

“That’s too dangerous,” James warns with a thunder in his core.

Clover grounds his cousin with a steady hand on his arm, “They know that and,” teal eyes trace over to Oz, “you asked for Odin to do something about this right?”

The wise god of Vale steps onto the stage, looking wearier than Qrow has ever seen him.

“You’re both giving up your godhood,” the old man said.

“We want to be human,” Nicholas corrects.

Qrow blinks, “Oh.”

That’s something he has never expected to hear. A titan and a faery want to become human to protect their future child from infinite power and consequences.

For Qrow he gave up his humanity to protect himself, well that’s what he claimed after Raven left him. He believed that working for Ozpin would further help humanity or so he hopes.

Muninn built up a name as an omen to malice but Qrow recently sees he’s a harbinger as well. Maybe it was the powers or some part of Qrow that amplified the moment he swore oath to Odin. There has been a trail of bad luck following him.

His only solution is to stray away from humanity, protect them from a distance as Oz has done.

Now before him are two ancient beings deciding to give up their powers and live in a world where humans are slowly thinking for their selves, where the gods are no longer their priority. Instead their priorities are their families.

That is what Nicholas and Fria want.

Oz nods gravely, “Alright, I’ll do it.”

“Wait what?” Clover questioned.

“Of course,” James bitterly concludes, “If Odin can grant power to mortals,” he gestures to Qrow and then James nervously gulps, “then he could do the reverse for his fellow gods.”

Okay, from that perspective that sounds terrifying, Qrow thinks, but this is Ozpin they’re talking about. The old man has spent eons making mistakes with humans and gods and other magical beings but has chosen to repeat for it all.

For some reason Qrow is one of the first things Ozpin saves and for that Qrow trusts him forever.

“I’m not that great and powerful,” Oz assures, smiling kindly at James.

James does the quietest relieved sighs.

“Or am I?” Oz notes humorously.

An angry noise comes out of James, his shocked and fearful face making Qrow laugh out loud.

Ozpin returns the conversation back to the couple, “I can do it but your powers will have to go somewhere because I for sure won’t take it for my own.”

“We thought of that,” Fria nods. “The sky is a fitting place to place winter and strength into it. I’m going ahead and naming it an aurora, after my mother.”

“It’ll be lovely,” Nicholas agrees and then the couple turns to Qrow, “and there’s one last thing too.”

With everyone’s attention on Qrow, he has the sudden need to fly away before something awkward or unfortunate happens, “Um, hi?”

“You’re Muninn, the Bird of Memory,” he announces and since Qrow blinks and points at himself, still confused, the son of Atlas clarifies, “We want to forget our godhood. You can take them away.”

“What?” He, Clover, and James practically yell.

“He can do that?” James baulks.

“You can do that?” Clover awes.

“I can do that?” Qrow nearly chokes on his spit.

Oz, helpful as he is, only shrugged, “Well that is a theory now.”

“Please,” Fria begs, walking over to the shapeshifter. Snowflakes trail behind her as she reaches Qrow and takes his hands into her cold ones, “We’re tired of this eternity we wait in and once we become humans we can actually start living.”

Her eyes look just like that tundra their temple views over, cold and clean and goes on for miles filled with emptiness. Fria barely reaches Qrow’s shoulders but there is an ancient power in her being that makes Qrow shiver.

It would be a mistake to think of her as human with the snow on top of her robes and how her hair is literally a mist of frost. Yet the gentle slope of her face reminds Qrow so much of his tribal Chief. Both lived a long life and now they want rest.

“I’ll do my best,” Qrow says, his voice barely trembling at this promise.

The winter spirit’s smile warms up the room, “Thank you, Muninn.”

The ceremony gets started immediately because gods can be impatient like that.

At the stage area, Ozpin stands as the holy figure before the couple, their hands held together. James and Clover stand on the side of Atlas’ son. The two were chosen to be here today because Nicholas trusts them to take care of their people.

Qrow is on Fria’s side of the stage and he still feels out of place. They only need him for his powers which aren’t news to him. Nearly everyone Qrow meets wants to use him for one purpose or another. But this is for a good cause, he remembers himself as he watches the couple share tender looks and words.

Their vows are of the typical stuff that happens in weddings, promises to love each other and all that jazz. Qrow quietly chokes up when they promise to die in each other’s arms.

The concept of death is different between gods and humans. If a god dies… well actually Qrow doesn’t know. Gods just become nothing, absolutely nothing but dust.

For humans, Qrow once wondered where he’ll go because the gods of death had different rules and jurisdictions and he doesn’t want to learn any of that since he’s pretty immortal at this point.

Nicholas and Fria finish their vows and Ozpin wraps it up.

With a tap of his cane, a brilliant light captures the room and if Qrow squints his eyes he can barely see how the colors are moving around Nicholas and Fria.

The light dims and with it, the chill of the temple disappears from the temple. Fria has pinkness in her cheeks and she buries her warm hands into her husband’s white hair. Nicholas himself looks almost bigger now that there is no more weight on his shoulders, a cursed pain that haunts his bloodline.

Human, Qrow realizes and accepts.

All of the colors are swirling above their heads, blues and pinks and purples dancing together until Oz sends it up high, passing through the open ceiling and to the dark sky above. The colors blanket the night and its stars.

They all stand witness to the first ever aurora borealis.

“Muninn,” Oz commands and waves him over to stand in his place.

Right, moment of truth, he thinks as he is presented to the newly wedded and human couple. Even without their magic, their eyes are still old and weary.

Not thinking, Qrow carefully presses the tips of his fingers on their foreheads.

As far as Qrow knows, Muninn can do two things: turn into a bird and kick ass.

He doesn’t quite know where the memory association came from but then again other gods can say the same thing with their gimmicks.

It can be through sheer luck or coincidence or fate that led Qrow to this moment.

Memory is not a title Qrow thought he would bare and yet here he stands, feeling something tingle into his bones as a light glows from Nicholas’ and Fria’s foreheads. Energy flows from them and into Qrow and it starts to do more than buzz his bones.

He can’t breathe as images are passing behind his eyes.

It’s the old world full of magic that no human could ever imagine where nearly everyone is a demigod and nature spirits thrived without fear of pollution. The world has colors Qrow didn’t think existed and now it lives on through his head, an honor and a chain.

Qrow blinks away new tears as the two ancient beings give up their lives to finally get some peace in their souls.

It is all over before he knows it. They wanted to forget everything from their godhood so Qrow tries his best as promised. He leaves things in there, the knowledge of old friends and the joys and grief shared.

Fria will know how she felt when she first felt summer, how Nicholas brought her a literal ball of heat. Nicholas will know how light he felt the first time Fria made him laugh, a rusty thing in his lifetime. They will both know how they fell in love, when the sun kissed the sky as they held each other in their arms as eternity passed them by.

Lastly it is this moment, the details of the other gods will be vague but their hope and relief that this is finally happening will stay with them until their dying day.

Qrow lets go, his face wet and heart beating achingly slow. While his eyes are blurry he sees how young Fria’s and Nicholas’ eyes are.

The couple blinks slowly but their smiles are wide, like they know what happened but he doubts that, he just took away their memories.

Ozpin and James handle their retirement plans, something about sending them to Athens where Pietro, the son of Athena, will smooth out the details.

“Are you okay?” Oz asks and steads a hand on Qrow’s trembling arm.

He tries to speak but his tongue is heavy. His whole body shivers with the weight of winter’s rage. Qrow bites his lip harshly, snapping himself back into stillness. He manages to get out, “I’m good.”

Oz frowns at the lie but doesn’t argue. Instead he walks over to Nicholas, Fria, and James where he readies his spell and a rainbow flies them away.

“Qrow,” Clover warns with great concern but he waves him off.

“I feel fine,” Qrow says before he collapses.

The son of Poseidon catches him easily, his muscles proving its worth.

Muninn is known for his elegance and raw power. Black wings hold the winds of old and can cut through the toughest of stones. Right now that warrior is a twitching, gasping mess who’s clinging tightly to the only person grounding him.

“Qrow, hey, look at me,” Clover carefully guides a hand through black hair, making their eyes meet. He rearranges their bodies, complexly supporting Qrow’s weight to cradle the shapeshifter in his arms.

Two lifetimes are running around in the bird’s head, too much energy with no outlet and they are literally squeezing Qrow’s own memories into a peanut shell.

Wow, Qrow really should have thought this plan through but he didn’t want to ruin two gods’ wedding day. He’s not that much of an asshole. That and he didn’t want to be smited.

Too bad his brain is occupied with tearing itself apart to even think of a resolution. He has two brain cells and they don’t belong here.

Literally, Qrow sees nothing but never melting snow that is casted upon men and beasts alike simply because they wandered into territory of the winter faeries.

Another memory takes the reins, this time Qrow is crushed with the weight of the sky as Nicholas attempts to save his father from eternal punishment.

It didn’t work. Nicholas stood numbly as Atlas’ body dispersed into atoms at the moment the moon shattered, thus starting a territory war between the sky gods.

Now that’s a story Qrow never thought he’d learn, it would be really cool if he learned this in a less painful, mind aching, way.

“Hey breathe with me,” a warm hand is pressed to his collarbone, heating the skin as Qrow’s heartbeat flutters.

With lungs on fire, Qrow barely registers the rawness in his throat.

Has he been screaming? The wails of agony from the grieving son of Atlas rings between Qrow’s eardrums.

It hurts so much, an intense drumbeat in not only his brain but the rest of his flesh and blood and he just wants it to stop.

But gods don’t get that luxury do they?

Humans can live and die and rest while gods just keep on going and going until infinity yells at them to catch up already.

Somewhere in the raptures, Qrow questions why exactly he gave up his own mortality.

“Qrow, I need you to focus on me,” a blurry figure begs and closes the inches between them.

Their foreheads meet and despite the bright light returning, all Qrow can see are teal eyes.

Burning sea salt takes over all sense of smell as well as the sudden loud crash of waves at the portside. The little sea village in Midpass suffers from near endless heat due to the enchanting fire that rides the seafoam.

Qrow’s sight of that ocean is torn away as a familiar, gruff laughter catches his attention.

On the wooden pier are other fisherman but three visitors are out of place. It is mind boggling and an out of body experience to see Summer and Tai walk around with a Qrow joking with them.

This was a month ago and yet this version of Qrow appears years younger, cracking a wirily smile at Tai as Summer throws a mock punch his way.

He can’t recall what he teased them about because this isn’t Qrow’s memory, it’s Clover’s.

When the trio is passing by, Summer voices her desire to on a sea voyage. Tai, being logical for once, points out that they don’t have a ship.

That’s when the son of Poseidon heeds this call, friendly introducing himself as an expert boatman or seller or whatever because Qrow, both present and past, is not paying attention to the dialogue.

Past Qrow is ogling the sheer amount of muscles the fisherman has while Muninn, the ghost of the future, feels everything Clover felt.

It starts with piqued interest in the trio, all eluding different personalities and loud friendship but the dark haired man is who really catches Clover’s eye.

As a god of the sea, water orientated powers comes to mind. So it feels kind of out of place to sense a person’s luck scale.

Maybe Clover got the luck thing from his other parent, that’s not uncommon considering a lot of Remnant Gods have multiple heritages.

Anyway, only a god with this type of power can see how bad luck just reeks off of Qrow and finding this out is really ticking Qrow off.

He knew it. He knew that he’s nothing but a bad luck charm. Qrow was right in his argument with Summer that he shouldn’t tag along. He didn’t to be the reason his friends drowned or burned to death.

A new feeling takes over. Its strong warmth pushes aside the misery inside the black bird. This fast heartbeat, breath leaving lungs, it all happened when teal eyes met red.

“So you’re an expert boat guy, huh?” Qrow had said with a bit of slur. The drinks in this town were rumored to be a High John favorite and he wanted to taste. The results ended up being this flirt and wink, “I just so happen to love seamen.”

“Oh my fucking gods, Qrow,” Tai seethed.

Summer and Clover are busy laughing, a breathless energy making Clover feel lighter than air as he blushes furiously. With each laugh, the ocean rumbles, something Qrow did not notice before.

“I am so honored to hear that,” Clover returned a blinding smile once the urge to barrel over laughing is settled.

“He’s better at this I swear,” Summer giggled, “Well actually no, he can be terrible at this too.”

“Brat,” hissed Qrow.

“No, no,” Clover shook his head with a grin, “I think you’re doing just fine.”

“You sir are one in a million,” Tai rolls his eyes.

“Huh, in that case, lucky you,” Clover winked to Qrow.

In that tipsy state of mind, Qrow beamed, practically preening at being called the opposite of what usual mocks him day in and day out.

That’s when Clover’s emotions shift a bit. There is flustered wonderment at seeing Qrow just simply smiling like this is the happiest moment in his life.

A sudden need to see more of that smile bursts in Clover, a selfless urge to be the reason Qrow smiles or at least keep this man in the world a little longer than death will plan.

Clover’s bundle of positively is conflicting with Qrow’s confusion on the matter. It’s a bit flattering to witness this but it is also a bombardment of sensations he doesn’t know how to unpack.

The fleeting images of Qrow and Clover in that perfect sunlight fades away. The world returns to the nightlight temple, the aurora coloring the sky.

Qrow ever so slowly leans away from Clover just enough to have their noses brush up.

“What was that?” He asks.

With the couple’s memories, he felt drained but with Clover, he honestly feels better.

“I don’t know,” Clover admits, a blush setting on his cheeks, “I just wanted to stop your pain.”

Well it worked as his head feels less heavy. It’s somewhere in him still, the knowledge he took away from Nicholas and Fria. As for Clover’s memory, it probably wasn’t stolen at least that’s what he guesses.

“I didn’t,” a sudden horror is in his head, Qrow needs to check, “do you still remember how we met?”

“Of course,” Clover assures and he rubs his hands up and down Qrow’s arms.

“Cool, um what was all of that?” He swallows down the saliva building up in his mouth, “All of those feelings and stuff?”

Teal eyes go wide and his cheeks equally turn red, “Oh you would feel that too, um. It’s just my first impression of you.”

“…If this is about the seaman thing, I really could’ve said something better.”

A laugh surprises him as Clover’s chest shakes with each rumble, “It was one of the best pickup lines I have ever heard.”

“Okay that has to be a lie.”

“No really,” he shook his head, “You really impressed me.”

Scoffing, Qrow shifts out of Clover’s arm despite liking how it felt to be encircled by them, “Now I know you’re a liar.” He scuffles over to sit at the edge of the stage. Leaning back, Qrow rolls his neck to stare straight up at the skylight, “So that’s an aurora.”

The demigod takes a seat next to him, “It’s their last gift to the world.”

“Is it for the gods or humans?” Qrow asks. The memories of the gods have lulled itself to sleep in his head but flickers of a beautiful world with a full moon catches his breath.

Maybe they missed their old world and they wanted to put a bit of it back into reality.

“Well, why did you become a power?”

He snapped his head to the demigod, not at all seeing the connection.

Clover actually lays his back down, his arm crossed behind his head to watch the sky. He continues, “Was it for Odin or for something else?”

Only close friends of his know the reason. He and Raven were considered heirs for their Chieftain but after a tragic monster attack they lost most of their tribe. Ozpin was there to save those who remained and as their tradition, the twins owed him a life dept.

They unknowingly pled servitude to a hidden elder god, just their luck.

All Oz wanted was some company so Qrow easily agreed and traveled with him while Raven took care of their tribe. Along the way the god later revealed his true power and granted the twins immortality for their loyalties.

They became Muninn and Huginn, the Black Birds of Odin.

But Raven saw it all differently, not at first but gradually she grew to despise how Oz just isolated himself from the world. He could’ve saved the tribe before disaster struck.

Qrow had many disagreements with his sister but this was the pinnacle fight that changed everything. He picked Ozpin over the tribe that forced him to kill another kid to have a place in their brutal community.

To him, both gods and humans are alike through bloodshed and harshness and bitterness.

It didn’t matter to Qrow if he just ended up living a hundred years longer than fate planned. He wanted to get away from everyone, something he believed Ozpin once felt until they started taking initiative on saving other towns from monsters and chaotic magic.

“I used to think it was all for humanity, the good parts of it,” Qrow answered, “but seeing Fria and Nicholas, well, I didn’t think gods needed saving.”

He looks down at Clover, still gazing at the stars. Just like the first time they met, Qrow doesn’t see anything god-like in him, aside from the arms but his point still stands.

Curiosity takes over as Qrow asks, “Clover, would you ever do what they did?”

“I never thought to consider it until today,” he said, his voice soft and yet Qrow’s complete focus is on it. “Maybe if I met the right person,” Clover trails off and then teal eyes meet red again.

The memory of the ocean is at the edges of Qrow’s vision, enrapturing how stunning Clover looked in simple fisherman grab. That’s not something he’ll admit out loud, the amount of pockets are ridiculous.

Clover is undeniably handsome but he looks so human too, something that Qrow once was. The echoes of the demigod’s feelings mix in with his own, that sense of amazement at how utter goodness radiates off of him.

They may have met only twice so far and yet what is time compared to the immortals?

That and the single memories starts to bleed more than Qrow imaged. He felt Clover’s love for the ocean, its smell and feeling in his soul. How Clover was so charmed by Summer and Tai, instantly admiring their tenacity and enthusiasm for exploring.

The world looked different in Clover’s eyes. The same thing is said about Qrow.

In the memory, Qrow looked almost enchanting and not sleep deprived as he is normally. It’s weird to see himself look so human when he never appeared as joyful until he left the tribe.

Clover sits back up, “Qrow, I think you’re lovely.” He blinks at the sudden compliment and usually he won’t believe it but the glimpse in Clover’s head is convincing. “Meeting you just feels right to me, like it wasn’t just fate or luck that gave me the chance to see you again.”

His teal eyes are searching desperately for a reaction, any indication that risking his heart out will have a good outcome.

Qrow doesn’t know where this will lead, not at all as he drops a hand over Clover’s.

Not a lot can be said about the son of Poseidon, just lore and sea stories, but when he met the not-quite mortal Qrow was equally intrigued and wanting to get more of this fisherman.

He denied Summer’s teasing that it was a crush but now that he suddenly got invited to a wedding with Clover, finding out there’s more to his godhood and how kind he is, Qrow finds himself feeling very human.

Too long he spent his immortality alone, abandoned by Raven and Ozpin still keeping secrets. Summer and Tai were a drastic improvement in his life and now here he is, presented with something new and raw.

“Well,” Qrow settles, weaving their fingers together, “we have the rest of eternity to figure this thing out between us.”

#fair game week #fair game #fairgameweek2020 #qrow branwen #clover ebi #ozpin #my fic

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mythologyfolklore · 4 years ago

Text

Ares and Athena through the years - Ch. 16

Chapter Sixteen: Meanwhile ...

When Ares had chosen to leave for a world journey, Aphrodite and his children had tearfully said goodbye.

Hephaistos had been there too, although he given his older brother a warm grip of the hand, rather than shedding tears.

The rest of his family had also come to say goodbye.

“Take care of yourself”, Artemis had said, while giving him a firm hug.

Ares had laughed: “I'll do my best.”

“Don't get caught by giants and locked in a jar”, Hermes had grinned.

“Oh shut up, squirt!”, the war god had snorted and lightly slapped the Messenger's shoulder.

Hera had given her son an awkward hug; after the Trojan War things were more tense between them than usual.

Zeus had been more affectionate, giving his son a firm embrace and a kiss to the forehead (an extremely rare gesture of fatherly love from the King of the Gods).

“I suppose you will be gone for a few Olympian decades?”

“Yes, father. Seeing the world and getting to know new people takes a while.”

“Goodbye then, my son. Take care of yourself, as Artemis said. Don't forget to write. We want to know how you are doing and how it is, where you're staying.”

“Unless the place I get to doesn't have a writing system, sure!”

With that, Ares had spurred on his horses and left Olympos.

First he had gone to Thrace to say goodbye to his twin and his friends.

Enyo had tearfully begged him to stay or at least take her along, same as Eris.

But Ares had insisted, that he needed some alone time (although it had hurt him to leave his twin behind).

“I need someone to do my duties”, he had told her. “You're the only one who can, Enyo. Your domain is the same as mine. You guys just take care of my home, okay?”

Then he had left.

At first he toured around Hellas. It couldn't hurt to see what was going on and maybe check how the survivors of the Trojan War were doing.

Many of the Trojan women had died or worse, were living a miserable life as concubines.

Aineias, the son of Aphrodite, had gathered a few survivors and was now sailing the seas.

To his great delight, most of the Achaeans had met a bitter end: Agamemnon had been killed by his wife and her lover, Ajax the Lesser was dead, so were many others. And the best thing was, that his old enemy Diomedes had gone through some shit, only to come home to a nasty surprise.

Now the hero who had once wounded him and Aphrodite, was wandering the lands and seas in search of a place to live.

Ares couldn't resist the temptation and descended onto the earth.

Diomedes was done with everything.

He had almost drowned in a massive thunderstorm, then been washed ashore on the coast of Libya, only to nearly be sacrificed to Ares. Then he had landed in Attica, where the local king had mistaken him and his crew for pirates and had attacked them. And when he had finally come home to Argos, he had found his wife not only unfaithful to him, but also ready to kill him.

Now he had nowhere to go.

This moment he was walking through a forest, when he spotted a small river. Tired from the long march, he sat down, let his feet dangle in the water and sighed contentedly at the sensation.

“Feels nice, doesn't it?”

He jumped at the sound of the voice and hastily grabbed his spear.

But it was just a little girl sitting on a branch of a nearby tree, dangling a leg.

Except it wasn't.

Diomedes still had his enhanced sight and knew a god, when he saw one.

The girl twirled her auburn hair and eyed him with twisted curiosity.

“You look like life wasn't kind to you, sir”, she noted.

He shrugged. “Is life kind to anyone?”

“To some”, she replied. “You look like someone glorious. A hero. Isn't that a kindness of life?”

“I'm not so certain anymore.”

The child giggled.

“You seem pretty happy”, he remarked.

“Likely happier than you”, the other teased. “Then again, heroes almost never get to live happily ever after, huh?”

Diomedes resisted the temptation to roll his eyes.

“Your disguise isn't very subtle, Lord Ares Polydakros¹.”

The other snickered and leapt off the branch. When his feet touched the ground, he had turned from a little girl to what was basically a human form of his divine shape.

It made the Argive shudder. He almost averted his eyes, but managed to steel his nerves and hold the other's burning gaze (though his body refused to stop trembling).

“So Glaukópis² let you keep your enhanced sight”, Ares noted. “Interesting. Not that it's of much use to you now.”

“Have you come to gloat?”

“Yes, actually. After your stunt back at Ilion³, it is really satisfying to see you this humbled. And I don't even need to have revenge, because Aphrodite already had hers. Betrayal is a nasty thing, isn't it?”

The god's grin was twisted and way too broad. Obviously he was revelling in the other's discomfort and misfortune.

Diomedes refused to dignify the god's remark anyhow.

“But don't feel bad”, Ares chuckled, “It could be much worse. Most of the Achaeans drowned, Agamemnon was murdered and that psychopathic brat Neoptolemos was slain by Apollon's priests for some blasphemy a few days ago. Also, Menélaos, my half-sister Helene and Odysseus are all stuck far away from home. Compared to that, you got off easy!”

His smirk vanished. “You should be grateful, son of Tydeus. Considering the shit ton of murder attempts you escaped, you're actually really, really lucky.”

Diomedes bit his lip.

So he isn't going to kill me, then.

“No”, Ares answered his thought. “I'm not.”

Diomedes took a deep breath and forced himself to stop trembling, before putting his spear down.

“You can't blame me for being afraid of you”, he told the god bluntly.

The Man-Slayer laughed: “I don't. Only a fool wouldn't fear war.”

“What do you want then – apart from gloating, obviously.”

“Give you a piece of my mind”, the war god replied bluntly. “Remember how my granddaughter Kallirhoë saved you from being sacrificed to me by my son? You could at least have thanked her.”

Diomedes blinked in confusion. “But I left her a letter?”

“Kallirhoë couldn't read, Diomedes.”

Oh. Oh shit.

“The Libyans don't have a writing system”, Ares explained, “And even if they did, she was mentally disabled. It would have been extremely hard for her to learn how to read, if at all. Not that it matters now; she's dead. Hanged herself, because you broke her heart.”

Shit times two.

“Of course killing you sounds tempting”, the god went on. “But luckily for you, my family has other plans for you. Don't think Athena has forgot you. After all, you and Odysseus have always been her favourites. So before I leave, one last piece of advice: take the next ship to Italy, find the last surviving Trojans, lead by Aphrodite's son Aineias and return the Palladion to them. Only then will your misfortune end, for even though you had Athena's approval, that doesn't change the fact that you robbed it.”

For a few seconds Diomedes considered, if this was a trap. But it sounded logical enough, so he memorised it anyways.

Ares stood up and unfolded a pair of huge red wings. Then he took to the air and was gone, leaving behind only a single red feather.

Diomedes knew better than to consider this a sign of goodwill.

Ares, having gained just a bit of closure, continued his tour.

He had seen what he had wanted to see. Now it was time to leave Hellas and explore the rest of the world.

He hadn't been to Aigyptos in quite a while. He had a few friends there, who would be delighted to see him.

“ARES! EYYY!”, Sekhmet roared in delight.

“EYYY, SEKHMET! SO GOOD TO SEE YA!”, Ares yelled back and they engulfed each other in a bone-crushing hug.

“IT'S BEEN SO LONG, MOTHERFUCKER! HOW ARE YOU DOING?”

“DOIN' GREAT, YOU BOSS ASS BITCH! AND YOU?”

“GREAT! THE OTHERS ARE TOO!”

“AWESOME!”

A dignified cough interrupted them.

“Can you two please stop yelling?”, Thoth asked. “It's headache-inducing. Apart from that, welcome, Ares. What brings you here?”

“I'm travelling the world!”, Ares beamed at the ibis-headed god. “Just started my journey and I wanted to see old friends, before I discover the rest. My presence won't be needed in the next centuries, so why not get away from it all and do something new?”

“That's fair”, Thoth agreed. “Sadly, none of us can leave Ta Meri⁴ right now; the earthly world is quite a mess.”

Ares frowned: “Yeah, back in Europa too.”

---

1) Polydakros: "Of Many Tears/Of Much Weeping", an epithet of Ares, referring to the woe and grief, which war brings. 2) Glaukópis: "Bright-Eyed/Owl-Eyed", an epithet of Athena, because of her bright eyes, which depending on the source are either grey or blue (in my version they're blue). 3) Ilion = Troy 4) Ta Meri: "Beloved Land", one of the ancient Egyptian terms for ... well, ancient Egypt, as the word Egypt is Greek in origin. The Egyptians also called their country Kemet, "Black (Land)", referring to the fertile soil along the river Nile, which was very dark because of the yearly inundations. The desert parts of Egypt were referred to as "Ta Desheret", which means "Red Land" and was the domain of the goddess Sekhmet and the god Set (and some other deities associated with the desert.

#Greek Mythology #ares #aphrodite #artemis #hermes #zeus #hera #enyo #eris #diomedes #egyptian mythology #sekhmet #thoth #world-weariness #tw: suicide mention

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noonachronicles · 5 years ago

Text

Everlong Pt. 8

Kwon Jiyong/ G Dragon X Reader

Word count: 7.7k

Warnings; None? There might be a single curse word?

Genre: Hades/Jiyong. Greek God AU. Fantasy.

A/N: Just wanted to thank everyone for their patience with me! I love and appreciate you so much!

Update Tag: @kathrynwynterbourne , @keepthelightoff, @blue-lungs , @violagoth , @un-idntfied , @optimizche , @de-gabyconamor , @134340-cm @wonderful39530

Moodboard by Bae @memoiresofaneternaldreamer

Hades Palace was nicer than the one Zeus had on Olympus, but nobody really knew about that because it very rarely saw visitors. At first it wasn’t nicer. In fact at first it wasn’t much at all. So modest it was barely a home. Hades had been just fine with that. It was only him and he had never really required much. He hadn’t been as exuberant back then as he was now. Before he brought Persephone home he had added some editions to make it more suitable for her. Even still she had wanted more and he’d believed, at least at the time, that she deserved it. Now what had once been a humble home was a superfluous show of luxury.

Following their marriage, when the underworld had become her home, Persephone found herself constantly restless, with seemingly nothing to do. She hadn’t realized when she agreed to the marriage that it meant she would be burdened with the responsibilities of the underworld with him, that she wouldn’t just be able to go and come back at her leisure. That she would have to stay there, that it would be her home for better or worse.

Every time she got a little bored or felt melancholy Persephone would renovate some part of the underworld, redesign whatever she could, or just simply add another room to the palace. There were rooms with marble floors, red carpets, hardwood, and some with meticulously placed mosaic tile designs. They were matched with walls in red, white, gold, and even black. Rooms lined with shelves full of books written by dead authors like Faust and Austin. Poems never read by mortals written by Poe and Dante. There was an entire wing dedicated to priceless, never before seen art created by artists who had passed long ago. Some rooms were a hoarders, cluttered paradise and others that had stayed as empty as the day they were built.

At its original inception, the palace Hades built for Perspehone, was a mere fifteen rooms and a moderately sized garden. Now it sat heartily at over two thousand rooms, six gardens, a pond, and an elaborate hedge maze. The entire property sat atop a large hill with a magnificent view of the underworld from anywhere you stood. It was surrounded by a stone and wrought iron fence that stood twelve feet tall at its peak.

“What is this place?” you asked in awe. You didn’t even wait for an answer before practically skipping over to the massive iron fence, “Must be important all locked up and hidden away.”

Jiyong walked up slowly behind you, hands in his pockets and much less impressed. “It’s Hades palace.”

Your eyes went wide with excitement and you turned back to it in hopes of getting a good look at the home. He continued to follow behind you as you inched your way down the fence trying to find the best view beyond the hedges and trees that blocked your sight. After moving down a few feet you finally found a spot that you could see passed if you stood on your tiptoes. There was a massive maze of hedges covering the width of the grounds. Beyond that there was a field of bright green grass that moved up a gentle slope. At the top was a massive home built of limestone. There were columns that lined the entire front of the building, and if you squinted you could see the mascarons, cartouche, festoons, and corbels that decorated the outside. You wished that you could get closer to see the detail just knowing that it would be gorgeous.

“That has to be what… five hundred rooms minimum?” you asked awestruck by the sheer size of it.

”Eight floors, five different wings, and two thousand rooms. It goes back further than it looks from here.” You looked beside you to where Jiyong was standing with his back against the fence. His notebook open in his hands as he answered with clear disinterest. After a moment of thought he chuckled, “Surely you think he’s overcompensating.”

“You’ve been inside?” you said with a blush, ignoring his comment, before looking back through the fence.

“A couple times. You want to go in?”

You scoffed, “No, I’d rather go back to the field of nightmares and torture. What if they’re in there? Can you imagine running into them? Terrifying.”

“Them?” he asked looking up at you from his book.

“Hades and Persephone,” you said as if it was the most obvious of answers, “I mean, they’re probably in there somewhere right now, it is their home.”

He grinned though you didn’t see, “Yeah, I don’t think so.”

You turned to him with a sour face and exasperated sigh, “Don’t ruin this for me. I have a whole fantasy going on in my head right now. Don’t tell me I’m wrong.”

“Alright,” he laughed, “maybe they’re in there. What’s your big fantasy?”

You made a face and then shook your head. “You’ll think it’s stupid.”

“We’ll never know if you never tell me.” he shrugged. You hummed, knowing he was right.

“In the beginning she wasn’t super fond of him, right? That’s what all the stories say. However, I don’t get the feeling that Hades was like some horrible monster, maybe...probably? I think that he knew she was miserable and didn’t want to be here and wanted her to be as comfortable as possible. Of course anyone with common sense might ask why he wouldn’t just let her go? He couldn’t let her go because he was just too infatuated and, well, likely very lonely.” you said eyeing the extravagantly large home, how could he not be lonely. “So he let her choose her own room and she picked the furthest one from his, as far as she could possibly go. Then she allowed herself to know him. Through tiny greetings at first that grew into conversations under the stars that lasted through the night. She liked him more and more as time passed and started moving her room to be closer and closer to his. They’re completely in love now and have a thousand children that fill up their thousands of rooms. Their love was just a very excruciating slow burn. The slowest burn, kidnapper and his kidnappee to lovers story. The Beauty and the Beast of greek mythology.”

“That’s not love.” he sighed, “That’s stockholm syndrome.”

You rolled your eyes, “It’s less romantic when you say it like that.”

“Sorry to burst your bubble.” he chuckled as you finally stepped down from the fence.

“Do you think…” you blushed and shook your head again, “never mind.”

Jiyong closed his notebook and slipped it back into the pocket on the inside of his coat. “Oh, go on, you have to ask me now. You’re practically scarlet.”

“Just...I know it’s weird to think about but, do you think they have sex? And if they do, what do you think it’s like? Is it otherworldly or is it just normal married couple sex where they’re both thinking of something else entirely since they’ve been together forever.” you asked, “Stories about Hades make him seem so different than his brothers, especially Zeus who was just a big slut really. I don’t think it would totally surprise me if Hades was asexual or something.”

Jiyong choked on nothing more than the air in his mouth and shock. “He’s not… asexual. Though I don’t think they’re having sex either. If they ever tried I imagine it would be unsatisfying, lackluster...forgettable.”

“Ooh, harsh.” you laughed, “Okay, well then how would they have had children? Do you think they had children? I don’t know if I can imagine Hades with a baby. It’s too weird but so is thinking about that palace being sad and empty.”

“I’m sure Hades would have loved to have children of his own, he’d be great with them even.” he shrugged, “Persephone has three children and he did wonderfully raising them with her.”

“Why’d you say it like that?” You asked curiously.

“Say it like what?”

You leaned against the fence next to him. “Persephone has three children. Not they have three children.”

“Hades isn’t the father of Persephone’s children.” he said simply.

“So they’re what, from before him? She was a teenager wasn’t she?” You cringed.

“Not before him just not with him.”

Your eyes went wide, “Drama! This sounds like a really great story and I already love it. Tell me what you think their story is. Please? Oh, please play the fantasy story game with me!”

“Alright, I’ll play.” he grinned, “but not here. If I’m going to do it I think it should be done in the proper setting.”

“You have my attention.” your eyebrows scrunched together, curious about what he was going to suggest.

“I just think it seems more fitting for me to tell you about their love from her garden. Don’t you agree?”

Your eyes went wide and your mouth dropped open in excitement, making him laugh at your genuine reaction. “Where is it?”

“Just there.” he said and pointed a little ways down to where the iron fence arched upward with a flourish.

Without wasting a second you ran towards the gate and peered inside. The surrounding fence had been draped in dark green ivy which made it impossible to see through, but through the gate itself was a lush garden. It was thick with trees and there was a stone path that disappeared between dense shrubbery. Everything was so green. Every few feet there was a pop of color from flowers. Their color, in contrast from the greenery, seemed even more vibrant. Your fingers wrapped around the gate and you pulled only to be denied.

You turned to Jiyong, as he finally arrived, with a pout, “It’s locked.”

“Oh no, that’s a shame. Where would we ever find the key?” he asked twisting an old iron skeleton key around his fingers.

“How... where did you… no don’t tell me. I don’t want to be any more of an accomplice to your illegal activities than I already am.”

You stepped back and watched him unlock the gate and push it open. Suddenly you felt stuck with fear.

He looked over at you curiously, “Are you coming?”

“What if she’s in there?” you asked warily, peeking back through the gate.

“Persephone?” he asked, you nodded, “I thought you said she was in the palace. Is she in there or out here because she can only be one. She’s not omnipresent.”

You looked at him for a long minute, chewing on your bottom lip. He could tell you wanted to argue and tried not to laugh. Finally with a huff you stomped through the gate, “Fine.”

“This actually works out perfectly for us. After we rest for a bit we can cut through the garden to Asphodel.” he said thoughtfully as he relocked the gate. When he turned back around you had your hand held out to him. “What?”

“You have to hold my hand. You’ve held my hand through all the dangerous stuff, you can’t just stop now.”

He smiled to himself before grabbing your hand in his, “This place isn’t scary or dangerous. Nothing will hurt you here, I promise.”

“I’m so sure.” you scoffed, “This is a prime atmosphere for bad things to happen. We basically snuck onto palace grounds into this lush garden where anyone or anything could be waiting to attack us. When it does I will need to quickly drag your body in front of me as a shield, that’s why I wanted to hold your hand.”

“Elaborate please, on the dangers of this garden.” he requested, the amusement clear in his tone.

“Serpents, for one. Tiny, mythical, woodland creatures like evil pixies or gnomes that try and steal drops of our blood for dark magic. Or Hades himself could be lurking around a tree somewhere ready for the attack.” you answered as you walked together down the stone path.

“I-” Jiyong scoffed, “Hades doesn’t lurk.”

“Okay, fine. Someone else then. Is this location not perfect, aesthetically, for Medusa?”

“No!” he laughed, “You’re insane. Why would she ever come here?”

“Let’s see, to turn trespassers into stone statues so they can be placed around the garden as a warning to others...obviously.”

He shook his head incredulously, “I bet you a trillion dollars Medusa is not in this garden.”

“If you think that’s a good idea, but if there is even a single statue in this garden we will know that you were wrong and also that we are minutes from death.” you looked over at him and he nodded in agreement.

“Fair enough.”

With your hand securely in Jiyongs, you wandered comfortably down the cobblestone path through the garden. Trees arched over the tops of your heads, and every few yards there were stone columns, wrapped with overgrown ivy, and topped with what looked like giant marble bowls emitting light from a fire burning inside. Jiyong explained that the bowls were filled with slow burning oil, that it wasn’t some mystical magic as you avidly suggested.

Though your feet stayed on the path, your eyes wandered every which way. There was so much to see you found it hard to focus on one thing for too long, only asking about a few things, because you’d gotten distracted before you thought to ask about others. With your focus anywhere else you missed as Jiyong collected fruit from the trees that lined the pathway in his pockets. After some time you saw an opening in the path. The walkway was widening and the trees were parting.

“Shit.” Jiyong muttered with sudden realization.

“What?” you asked.

“You’ll see.” he sighed as you walked into the courtyard.

There was a large marble fountain in the center, two iron benches sat on opposite sides, and in each of the four corners of the clearing was a marble statue, three women and one man.

Your mouth fell open in amusement and you looked over at Jiyong who, in rare form, did not look as smug as he usually did. “I can’t believe we’re going to be turned into stone, and just when I was about to come into a trillion dollar fortune.”

He only groaned in response.

With a laugh you dropped his hand and moved towards the first statue, studying the mysterious woman it depicted, “Who are they?”

“That’s Persephone and the others are her children. Makaria and Melinoe are her daughters and her son is Zagreus”

You moved onto the next statue, examining every detail, and then did it again until you were at the last of the four. Jiyong had been watching you as you inspected each one carefully and in detail. The whole time you could feel his eyes burning into the back of your head.

“You’re staring.” you said with your back to him as you looked at the impeccable artistry, you could practically see every strand of hair that fell down the woman’s back. “Why are you staring at me?”

“It’s just...nice to see you happy, playful, back to yourself.” he answered quietly.

“What, you didn’t like when I was crippled with emotional distress and crying into your expensive clothes every ten minutes?” you grinned, eyeing him over your shoulder.

“I don’t like seeing you upset, period.” he said moving towards one of the benches to sit. “Which is why I didn’t want to bring you to-”

“You’re never letting that go are you?” you cut him off as you moved to sit beside him.

Finally his superior little smirk was back, “Nope.”

“Alright, well I’m ready. Are you ready with your story?” you asked pulling one of your legs up on the bench as you got comfortable.

“First things first, you should eat something.” he said and began to pull the pieces of fruit he’d been collecting from his pockets like they were made from the same magic as Mary Poppins carpet bag. “It’s been a long day and you haven’t eaten.”

“Oh. My. God.” you gasped and reached down and grabbed a red sphere, “A pomegranate from Persephone’s garden?”

“I thought you might enjoy that. The pears taste better though, in my opinion.”

You dropped the pomegranate on the seat of the bench, and picked up the golden pear. It wasn’t just a yellow pear or a golden-ish looking pear. It looked like it was made of solid gold and would crack all of the teeth in your mouth with one bite.

“I can eat this?” you asked eyeing the fruit suspiciously, Jiyong nodded in confirmation.

You looked at the fruit for several more moments before cautiously lifting it to your lips and taking a bite. Your eyes blew wide open as the first bits of flavor cascaded into your mouth. A lewd moan slipped from your lips as you sucked on the fruit with an unintended sensuality. Jiyong squirmed slightly in his seat, finally taking off his coat and laying it across his lap.

“God, sorry.” you said once the pear had been devoured down to its core. You looked around for somewhere to put the inedible portion. He chuckled and grabbed the core by the stem from your hand and chucked it into the bushes.

“Should I begin?” he asked.

You nodded with excitement and picked up one of the apples, “I didn’t realize how hungry I was, but yes. Please start.”

“Well to start with Persephone wasn’t a teenager when they met. Which is one of my least favorite misconceptions.” he said with a small eye roll, “She was actually in her thirties when he first met her, but because he is immortal he already had four hundred or so years on her. People like to make him out to be some sort of monster, preying on infants. You tell me what an immortal man is supposed to do. If he only ever found romance with women who’d been around as long as him he’d end up marrying one of his sisters like Zeus did. And that prospect is just something that never sat well with me, him...I would assume.”

You pressed your lips together to keep from laughing at him outright. You were amused at how passionate he’d already become about his story.

“Pause, breathe, continue.” you said placing a gentle hand on his forearm.

He took a deep breath and released it slowly. “The day they met Hades had gone to see his sister, Demeter, at her palace on Olympus. He’d been on his way out, walking through a meadow near the home. It was there he first saw her, that part is true. She had been the most beautiful creature he had seen in decades and he was in love with her before he took his next breath.”

“That quick, huh? She must really be something else.” you looked over at her statue and felt underwhelmed. Not entirely sure why, you felt a brief flash of jealousy hit you. “I don’t really see it.”

Jiyong smirked, not missing the petty undertone of your comment. “The thing people don’t understand about Hades is that he was never some recluse. He didn’t always hate everyone and he never liked being here all alone. The underworld was a fate that had been handed to him, not one he ever would have chosen for himself. Back then it was even more unpleasant here than it is now, probably what people expect it to be. It was basically just a deserted wasteland with souls meandering about. No order or structure. He hadn’t really done much with the underworld because he didn’t want this to be a home to him. He’d been lonely. Hades didn’t have many friends here and his family never came to visit. He felt abandoned for a long time. When he saw her, Persephone, this shiny new being with her kind smile, his infatuation was instant and overwhelming. She had been sweet to him, brought him to her garden, laughed with him, kissed his cheek, and asked him to come back and visit her again.”

“Wait, she liked him.” you said with genuine surprise.

“He thought so as well, at the time. And she may very well have, but her infatuation wouldn’t last forever. In the end it turned out she was very much like her father, a flirt.” he shrugged, “Regardless her actions that day sparked something inside of him. He’d come back here inspired to make the underworld a place worthy of being called home. Somewhere she would be comfortable and would want to visit.”

“He...really did all of this for her?” suddenly your heart felt soft.

“From the arch at the gate to the flooring in Tartarus. There have, of course, been many upgrades and renovations since then. But yes, originally he did it all for her.”

“I wonder what that feels like, to have someone love you that much.” you said quietly, “I mean, don’t get me wrong, Jiho is great but it’s more of a modern love maybe. And it seems that modern love is a little selfish. I think, even if he had the capabilities of doing something that romantic, he still probably wouldn’t. Which is fine...I don’t need that kind of old fashioned romance.”

You could feel tears flood the backs of your eyes and bit your cheek to keep from crying. You had to stop crying. Suddenly you thought back to the roses. To the sad songs that had echoed through your heart and you wondered if this was yours. You always thought Jiho had loved you but it was possible he didn’t love you the way you loved him. Maybe your love was unrequited. Or maybe knowing that you loved him infinitely more than he loved you was the heartbreak you would suffer.

“Y/n,” Jiyong frowned, and placed his hand against your cheek, “It’s just a story.”

“It’s a really good one so far.” Wrapping your fingers around his you smiled into his palm, “Tell me, what did Persephone think when he showed her.”

“She loved it at first. Or she loved that it meant he would do anything for her. She liked to come and go as she pleased. Often she used the underworld as an escape from her parents, mostly her overbearing mother. She enjoyed the freedom of this place, she was welcome to go wherever she pleased and could do whatever she wanted as well. Persephone had begun to spend so much time here and with Hades that he confessed that he loved her and asked her to be his wife. Her mother of course rejected the idea and that only made her more willing to do so.”

“I don’t like her.” you interrupted, “Persephone, she seems like a brat. She’s just using him.”

“She wasn’t as bad as I’ve made her out to be. She was very sweet, very funny at times. She just had the spirit of a wanderer and was a bit...flakey. I don’t think she understood what it meant to be married to Hades. That she would have responsibilities here and that she could no longer just leave and go wherever she wanted whenever she wanted. She did so well at first, but she got restless and resentful. She’d claimed that Hades hadn’t explained to her what the marriage entailed and acted like it was a prison sentence instead of a relationship. Willing to do whatever it took to please her, Hades compromised, allowing her to leave for six months of the year.” he explained.

“So that part’s true too.”

“Yes, that part’s true.” he continued, “One of the times she had left she had come back pregnant. She had Melinoe, her first daughter and Hades favorite of the children. A couple years later the same thing had happened, this time giving them Makaria. Then again a little while later with her son, Zagreus. At that point it was clear that even the compromise they had made was no longer enough for her. She wasn’t really a wonderful mother. She loved her children, of course, but they just made her feel more trapped than she’d already felt. Before long her wanderlust has turned her completely against her family. She used to tell Hades that even just six months in the underworld felt like being trapped in a coffin. She told Hades she would never carry his child, that her body would never allow it because of how much she loathed him for tricking her.”

You shook your head angrily, “Why didn’t he leave her or make her leave or however that would have worked?”

“Eventually he would, but at that point he hadn’t stopped loving her. Persephone and her children were all he had. He deluded himself into believing that everything would be okay because he’d been so afraid to be alone again. Before too long it had become too much, fighting her had become too exhausting and he let her go. After she left, he locked up this garden, her garden. He forbid anyone else to ever come here. It’s why everything is so overgrown.”

You sat quietly for a minute, absorbing the story, and looking around the courtyard. Even if he’d only just made it all up, Jiyong’s story felt so real. The energy felt different in the garden now, sadder and more dark than before. You wondered if it had been this way the whole time and had just been masked by your initial excitement. The images you’d had of Hades being pounced on by a handful of toddlers that looked like him faded away into one of him, lonely, somewhere in his massive palace.

“Well,” you sighed, “that’s a terrible love story. I’m a little upset with you for giving me such a horrible ending. You know stories can have happy endings, right?”

“Who says his story is over just because Persephone is gone?” he asked tossing the last gold pear into the air before catching it.

“Aww,” you cooed, “Okay, that’s cute. You’re forgiven.”

“Oh, thank the gods!” he oozed with sarcasm. You eyed the pear as he tossed it in the air again before catching it in his hand once more. He grinned watching your tongue dip over your lip, “You want the pear, don’t you?”

“No…” you’d already had three while he’d been telling the story, but still your mouth watered. “Yes.”

He handed it over with a laugh and you took a big satisfied bite from the fruit.

Wiping a bit of juice from your chin you held the pear out in your hand, “You should have a bite. You haven’t eaten either, and you said you preferred them.”

“You’re sure?”

You nodded, “They’re so good.”

Jiyong cupped your hand in his and brought the pear held in your fingers to his lips. You inhaled, surely it wasn’t intentional, but the way he moved his mouth around the fruit, his tongue just barely visible as it brushed against it, had you longing. Though you weren’t even sure what for. It was just an instant, deep pull at your gut. As his teeth sunk down into the gold flesh of the pear you let out a breath you didn’t realize you were holding. Juice pooled from the pear into your palm until it was dripping down your arm.

“Oops.” He muttered nonchalantly before sucking the heel of your hand between his lips to catch the juice.

Your pupils blew wide and he paused realizing what he’d done. It had been so second nature for him he didn’t stop to think that it was wrong. If your hand wasn’t still held by his you were certain that it would be trembling. He looked at you, his lips still on your hand, his soft tongue pressed against your palm. He waited a moment for an answer to his unspoken question. Was this okay?

With your lip between your teeth you gave him the slightest nod. He moved his head back and took in the sight of your bare arm with a gulp. Finding where the trail of juice had petered off near your elbow he brought your arm closer to him. The pear fell to the courtyard floor with a splat, your fingers unable to hold on any longer. You let out something between a whimper and a gasp as his tongue moved all the way up your arm until it was back against your palm. Goosebumps lined your skin like a tiny army. He continued to suck and lick at your palm and your fingers until he was satisfied they were clean of the pear juice.

He kissed back up your arm. Quick little pecks, a couple tiny nibbles against your skin, until he reached the sleeve of your shirt and then he jumped to your bare neck.

There was nothing you could think to say beyond a breathy, “ah, oh.”

You cupped the back of his neck while he sucked on the skin of your clavicle. His fingers grasped your hip as he groaned into you neck with satisfaction. His mouth moved up your throat, and along your jaw while his hand moved up your side until he was cupping your breast over your shirt. He leaned his forehead against yours and eyed your lips with an insatiable hunger.

“Wait,” You whispered, and brushed your thumb against his swollen lip, wishing yours were the same, “is this a dream?”

“I don’t think so.” his lips pressed against the pad of your thumb. He held your gaze for what felt like an eternity before pulling his body away from yours. “You don’t want to kiss me.”

“I do.” You corrected, “I want that more than anything else in the world right now.”

“But you won’t, right? Because of him.”

“It just doesn’t feel right.” your stomach twisted into a knot, and your chest felt tight as you watched him push himself up from the bench to put his coat back on. “I’m sorry, Ji. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“I’m fine.” he said shortly, “We have to go, it’s getting too late.”

“Okay.” you said and watched him as he moved towards the start of the path on the opposite side of where you’d come in. You stood up from the bench slowly, removed your sweater from around your waist and pulled it over your head. The awkward tension between you two was intolerable. “Jiyong...if I knew what was going to happen. If it was clear how all of this ends...I just…”

“Stop!” he shouted, he looked furious when he turned to you, in a way he had never looked at you before. “Just stop talking about it! You didn’t want it to happen. It didn’t happen. Let it go...so I can.”

He shoved his hands in his coat pockets and took off down the pathway, not even waiting to check if you followed. With your arms crossed over your chest you walked behind him quite a bit, mostly to give him a chance to cool off. The walk down this path seemed shorter, but that could have just been because of the way he was storming down it. You had to speed walk to keep up. When you reached the gate he already had it unlocked and open for you, he didn't even look at you as you passed him. You waited a few feet away as he locked it back up, and sighed as he brushed passed you without a word.

Jiyong wasn’t mad at you. He was mad at himself. It felt like everything was going wrong. All he wanted to do was tell you everything. Tell you who he was, who Jiho was, why you were really here. However there was a nagging sensation at the back of his head telling him that once he told you he was going to lose you. In one way or another you were going to be gone from his life and he was going to be alone again in his big house on the hill. He didn’t want to risk losing you to the truth a second sooner than he needed to. Even if that meant suffering through the awkward silence, at least you were still together.

Leaving the garden brought you to a quiet meadow. It had you reminiscent of the field of punishment and it made you wish that you had your friend to comfort you, rather than an entire yard ahead of you pretending like you didn’t exist. The look on his face had made you feel guilty. There was so much anger, frustration, and pain in his eyes. Now he was walking around looking so dejected. It made you wonder if anyone had told him no before. The worst part was that you didn’t even want to say no, you’d wanted to kiss him. But if you kissed Jiyong you’d have to explain it to Jiho if you really got to see him and things just felt so complicated already.

At the edge of the field you hit the treeline of a forest. Jiyong didn’t stop walking, just kept going. The forrest was thick with trees. The second you stepped beyond the first trunks there were barely even streams of light from the sun above. Just enough that you were able to see the floor beneath your feet. There were fir trees, pine trees, cypresses and cedars. Even your favorite trees of all, weeping willows, took up space in the forest. You’d wanted to say something about how beautiful it was. How calming it felt and how wonderful the smell around you was. Jiyong was still steps ahead of you with his head slumped between his shoulders and his hands in his pockets.

You huffed, “Ji, please don’t be mad at me. I really can’t stand this.”

“I’m not mad at you.” He muttered and kept on through the fallen sticks and needles.

“You haven’t even looked at me since we left the garden. I hate to be presumptuous but I have to believe it has something to do with-“

He spun around and grabbed both of your shoulders. “I can’t look at you because everytime I do I wish I was kissing you. I can’t kiss you though, because you don’t want me to. So I’m just going to need a while, is that okay with you?”

“I’m sorry, I can’t kiss you.” you said quietly, feeling guilty all over again, “I’m sorry, I upset you.”

Jiyong let out a frustrated growl, “You want me to be mad at you? Now I’m mad at you! Stop apologizing for telling me no. Never apologize for telling someone no, for not doing something that makes you uncomfortable or that you don’t want to do. That pisses me off. You’re allowed to say no.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to.” You corrected, “it’s just that, I’ve kind of thought about it a lot, getting to kiss you. If I ever get to kiss you...I want to do it the right way. I don’t want anyone or anything in between us. Just me and you.” You sighed and put your palm against his cheek, “Kissing you…this sounds so lame but, kissing you means something more to me because you mean something more to me.”

He looked at you for a long minute, stunned, “You really think about kissing me?”

You felt a blush rise in your cheeks as you dropped your hand from his face. “I told you before that I’d wanted to.”

“I thought you meant you just wanted to in that moment, not...all the time.”

“It’s not like I think about it every second or anything…” your cheeks burned, “Have I not been making my feelings painfully clear to you?”

“You still want to go to Jiho. You won’t be with me because of him.”

“I know, I’m sorry if it’s been confusing for you. Imagine how it’s been for me.” You sighed, “I still love him. I feel like I have to do this, you know? I have an obligation to finish this out, to go to him, to see what happens and how I feel before I make a decision.”

A smile spread over his lips before giving you a simple, “Okay.”

“Okay?” You asked confused by the quick switch in his mood.

“Okay. I’ll wait. Okay. We’ll kiss the right way, like you want.” He grabbed your hand from your side and started walking through the forest of trees with you following behind.

It was enough. He felt better now, knowing that you’d thought about kissing him. That it was something that you wanted too. A hopeful feeling awoke inside him that was screaming that this would be ok. Even if he had to wait a little longer for you to see the truth, he could wait for you, he’d waited this long.

“Wait, we will?” You asked.

“Of course we will. It’s probably better if we don’t do it just yet. You’re not ready for me.” His shoulders were back and his chest was out, his confidence was through the roof.

“Oh, really?” You laughed.

“There’s no way you’d be able to handle it.”

“Well I kind of think we should kiss now, just to see. I bet that trillion dollars you owe me I’d be just fine.”

He looked over his shoulder at you skeptically, his eyebrow raised, “It would be irresponsible of me. You might never come back from it. Down for the count.”

“Down for the count!” You cheeks burned with laughter, “Oh jeez.”

He grinned, more at himself than at you, “Just wait. I’m gonna blow your mind.”

It was the best feeling in the underworld having your hand wrapped inside of his, the energy between the two of you bubbling once more. You told him all about how anxious you’d felt in the meadow on the way over. He admitted he’d worried about how you’d handle it, how he’s wanted to tell you it would be just fine. You mentioned that you’d loved the weeping willows and he’d laughed and told you it wasn’t too surprising to hear. Then you reached a clearing. A patch of grass surrounded by weeping willows that opened up to the fading light of the sun.

“How do you like the forest? Are you comfortable?” he asked.

“It’s nice, calming. I don’t know what this feeling is. It’s almost content?”

“Content could be correct,” he hummed in thought, “This is meant to be a neutral place. No positive emotions, but no negative ones either. Simply a place to exist. This forest is Asphodel.”

You looked around curiously, “Asphodel is supposed to be a field.”

“You make a lot of assumptions. Almost all of them are wrong, and yet you continue making them.” he laughed.

With a scoff you pinched the back of his arm until he winced with pain, “Call it consistency.”

“If you prefer,“ he laughed again, “I think we should stay here for the night.”

You shrugged with indifference, “Why? Since it’s so empty? Not a lot of restless wanders around to bother us?”

“Consistent.” Jiyong grinned as he pulled his jacket off and laid it out on the grass. “Asphodel is the most occupied space in all of Hades. There are more souls here than everywhere else in the underworld put together.”

“How?” you asked incredulously, “Blades of grass? Leaves on the trees?”

He sat down on the jacket and patted the space next to him, “Sit down and rest with me. You’ll see soon enough.”

Sitting down next to Jiyong and finally stretching out your legs left you with the realization of how much you’d already done today, how far you’d gone and all the things you’d seen. Exhaustion came on very suddenly.You laid back against the grass with a sigh and looked up at the patch of sky above you. Jiyong sat quietly beside you flipping through his notebook as always, you half thought to ask him what was in it. You’d thought about asking him about a thousand times since you’d met but worried it might be too personal so you never did. Everything around you had a sense of calm, you thought for awhile you might actually drift off to sleep as the sky grew dark.

That was when you first saw it. A single flicker of light among the dense trees. You blinked several times, unsure you’d really seen it. Then it was there again. A little light blinking now and again as it passed behind leaves and branches. Before you knew it there was another, and then another. One by one tiny little lights like fireflies seemed to flicker to life among the trees until they filled every patch of darkness and left the clearing in a soft glow.

“It’s so beautiful.” you whispered, mesmerized by the sight before you. Then your heart sank with realization, “These are the souls. Do they fill up the whole forest?”

“Yeah.” he said quietly.

“That’s so many.”

“Centuries worth.”

As several of the orbs of light began to trickle down from the trees you sat up to watch them. Some sank down all the way to the forest floor, others spread out through the trees until they disappeared completely. It was like watching the stars from the night before, except this time instead of watching from below you were sitting right in the middle of the universe.

Jiyong couldn’t take his eyes off of the way you looked around with such wonder. He’d become entranced with the way your eyes sparkled with the light of the souls that surrounded you. Desire filled the pit of his stomach and a slight pout crossed his lips as he realized he didn’t usually want for much, but he did for you. He needed to know why you’d come into his life and what, if anything, your futures held together. And he’d realized that he knew where to go to get his answers. All he needed was a chance to slip away.

The souls, despite surrounding you, never really came close to the pair of you. They didn’t really interact at all. Which is why, after some time had passed, you were surprised to see one of the tiny little orbs hover closely in front of you. Then like a cat with a sudden burst of energy, it started to zoom around you. The tiny orb zipped through your hair, making you laugh and booped against your nose which left you feeling overwhelmed with love. When you held out your hand it circled up your arm and landed in your palm.

“Do you think…” you couldn’t even finish the thought before your eyes welled with tears, you felt ridiculous even thinking it.

“I really do.” he said quietly, knowing exactly what it was you were thinking. “I think she found you.”

“Seems silly.” You sniffled, “How could she? In this entire forest, with all these souls, it just seems so unlikely.”

He lifted his hand to your face, tucking a piece of loose hair behind your ear and brushing a stray tear from your cheek. “And yet, it’s happened.”

You both watched as the little bulb of light zipped from your palm and started to circle around Jiyong as if inspecting him. It made you want to laugh, how nervous he looked. It was the, bringing your boyfriend home to meet the family, experience that you had missed out on in your youth. It wasn’t until she began to bounce against the tip of his nose that he finally relaxed enough to give a smile.

“I think grandma likes you.” you bit your lip realizing that she really would have liked him.

Jiyong was the kind of person she would have loved for you. He was respectful and kind, but still confident and fun. His sarcastic humor reminded you of hers and you could instantly imagine afternoons getting sassed by both of them and you knew that you would have loved it. For a long while she bounced between the two of you, until you let out an unmistakable yawn. Then the tiny little orb zipped around you once more and eased back into the masses.

“It’s been a long day, are you ready for some rest finally?”

You nodded in response and looked down at the ground where you’d been laying earlier. “Can I ask a favor?”

“Of course.” he said with zero hesitation as he laid down beside you.

“I know it’s not fair to ask, especially after this afternoon, but if it’s not too much...and you can say no-”

He cut you off, “Just ask what you want to ask.”

“You...can I...is it okay if I hold you? I have such a hard time getting to sleep without holding something.”

“You mean someone.” he said with a hint of jealousy.

“What?” you asked genuinely confused.

“I assume you meant Jiho. So someone, not something.”

“Oh!” you chuckled, “No...he’s not much of a cuddler, but I had a lot of pillows back home and I haven’t seen a single one in this forest.”

“Um.” he shifted, “Well, I’m not really equipped to say no to you. So whatever you need to be comfortable, I’m here for.”

You rolled your eyes as you looked down at him, “Stop…if it makes you uncomfortable...”

“Would you please just lay down?”

With a small grateful smile you laid down and tucked into his side. Your arm wrapped around him and you curled your fingers into the sweater he was wearing like you’d wanted to when you saw him in front of the bakery. You inhaled deeply taking in the sweet chocolate scent he gave off with the tiniest hint of spice.

“Thank you, Ji.” you whispered against his neck.

“You’re welcome.” he sighed, trying not to shiver at the way you made him feel.

It took seconds for you to fall asleep in the comfort of Jiyong. He however laid awake, staring up at the starry sky. He’d intended to sneak away while you slept to get the answers he’d been looking for. He wondered how he’d manage to slip out of your embrace. He wondered where he’d find the will to even want to try. He wrapped his arm over your shoulders and pressed a kiss against the crown of your head. In the end he decided he could wait a little longer for his answers.

#kwon jiyong scenario #g dragon scenario #kpop scenarios #big bang scenarios #Everlong

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ragewrites · 5 years ago

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HELIANTHA : The Myth of The Sun-Flower on wordpress | chapbooks | buy me a coffee?

wordcount: 2099 genre: fantasy / mythology / romance rating: PG-13

What greater pleasure is there, thinks the girl to herself, than letting your body brown softly in the naked eye of the sun, until the skin matches in colour and in honey the heavy sugar ground from flutes of fragrant rum-grass, the kind that yields also a golden, heady wine, prized so high by the sailors?

Hers is a family of pearl-divers; their village sleepy, coastal, hidden in the cleft of basalt cliffs. Bare, often, like the bones of a carp that has been suckled clean of its lovely pink flesh, left to bleach on the fine sand when it had given all it had to give.

There are never many people around during the day, as half the villagers leave together with the low tide in their curved fishing-boats, the prows adorned with chicory coronets — this for good luck, as it is said in heavy mist the delicate blossoms will light and cut a bridgepath through the fog. They’ve never seen it, but such is belief: a seed in the heart, rooting strong. Unpluckable.

Of the half that is left, most are weary mothers with children too small to be weaned off the teat; few are the ancient elderly, and perhaps fewer still the divers, themselves quick as fish.

Quicker, maybe. Her mother always says she’s bodied like a snake.

Just like your father, Side says, smiles grimly, shakes her head. She’s afraid she’ll lose her daughter like she lost her man: the girl’s already too sure of her lungs, too comfortable in violent waves. Someday a shark will come along, your name in his teeth. Be careful, my girl. Be mindful. You’re only blood and meat, try not to forget.

The one that had worn her father’s name on his teeth had tore into him like scissors tear silk: she’s hated their lot since, our girl, though she respects their might in the way we all come to respect that which repulses and enfears, and therefore fascinates us. She wonders how they taste — those supple bodies, taut muscles rippling under the smooth of their skin as though disposed in one long, uninterrupted cut. They were made for the blade, warm veins and white meat.

She dreams of that when she light-bathes, sun low in the sky like a half-opened eyelid. Dreams of a banquet, oysters and carp and octopus legs, the shark with her name in its teeth set as the centerpiece, served with all sorts of melons, with pale wines as well as reds.

It’s morning, and soon she will have to work, abandon the warmth of her rock-bed; after, when she will have scavenged enough shells, she will be free to return to her cove, the sun again low in the sky like an eyelid touched by the lips of Sleep. She will let its kiss harden the salt the brine will have in her peregrinations washed her body with, until she herself will glitter quiet, like a pearl — or more boldly, with the many fires of the opal; and the sun, that red, royal sun, will make her beautiful, the way she’s heard talk grooms make their brides.

It pleases her to think this. It makes her flush.

“You shouldn’t spend so much time lying around,” Side says one night over dinner. Oyster stew is brothing quietly in the iron pot between them. “It’s ill luck.”

Ania purses her lips. “Why? There’s never anyone around when I do it, so don’t say it’s improper, or I swear—”

Her mother smacks her arm with the back of the wooden spoon, lightly. “Stupid girl. Even if there are no men, there are always the gods. Always. Do you want to end up like Semele, beautiful and burnt?” She stirs the stew, counterclockwise. “Besides, if you tan any darker, you’ll look like an Egyptian. People are going to start saying I stole you, or that I dishonored your father.”

“But—”

Another smack. “Eat,” Side says. “Stubborn girl.” Then, softer: “Don’t make me mother to a bride of Death, will you?”

After that night, she takes fewer baths, and always in great secret; and the secret thorns in her, grows to be pleasure. It pricks at her heart like the teeth of a mad hound.

I’ve found my shark, she thinks, and coppers for him. Oh, how sightly is the sun! How beautiful this Death, this groom!

“She’s lovely, your girl,” the women tell Side, one festival night in May. High fires are cracking all around and between them. To her they sound like bones. “Cheeks like dark roses, and that hair…Smart, too. She’ll make a wonderful wife.”

“I wonder about that,” Side says, and sips bitterly at her cup. By now her girl’s on her rock near the cove, no doubt thinking she’s so sly.

As if you can hide a lovebite when it’s in your every pore. Gods, Ania. You’re breaking my heart.

But what can you do? The girl’s in love, and Side remembers being sixteen and thinking that the world, stretched as it is between its two great waters, is still no larger than a pearl you can with ease hold in your palm when the right teeth are offering it to you.

If only she’d picked herself a less troublesome lover, she thinks, and feels like burying her face in her hands to spare herself the scene. Oh, Ania. You’re breaking my heart, you’re shattering it.

In her dream-banquets there is now another partaker seated at the altar: a man with eyes like fire, like bronze when it burns, clothed in such fine and costly purpure as you can only buy in the east. She may be but a humble pearl-diver, but she’s heard plenty talk of the Tyre, that fabulous city where even the molluscs are dressed in royal garb.

He looks at her across the table, those green-gold eyes lidded heavy, each its own low sun. “What is your name, girl?”

“Ania.”

He sucks an oyster from its shell with delicate lips. “Do you love the sun, Ania?”

The thorn in her gives to his voice: pleasure is made passion, now, and passion is a whip. Her heart fringes, bleeds. Everyone knows him by his eyes, but she realizes she knows him by his teeth. She’s known him all her life. “My mother thinks we’re all born with a death,” she says, toeing the question, “And that for each of us it has a different shape. She thinks my death is bodied like a shark.”

“And you?”

“I think the sun is a shark,” she says, and her sincerity makes his mouth etch a smile.

“So you despise it, then?”

If she could see herself in silverglass, she’d see her eyes burn bright enough to be his match. “Hardly. I just wish it would hasten its bite. There’s nothing worse than that shiver before a wave hits, before a blade stabs — I hate suspense. Meals are the only things one should draw out.”

At this he laughs, and it is like rum-honey, like a balm on the wound of her heart: “Is that so.”

“It is.”

His teeth are gleaming, saying, As you wish — and oh, how she wishes. How she wills.

Side notices a change in her girl: she doesn’t bathe in light anymore, but rather seems to bask in it: she moves her cot so that it’s opposite the window, the first thing to be touched in the morning by the rising sun. She eats less. She’s gaunted, like a consumptive, like one who is sick in the liver or the lungs. She shudders to think of the reason. Shudders to know it, and in her bones she does.

But what can you do? Nothing may untie what the Fates have tied. It’s sinew-string, that knot. It can’t be torn or cut.

“Ania,” she says one night over dinner, fish browned in a skillet, cast all around with green olives, like a laurel wreath.

“Mm?”

She takes her girl’s face in her hands and weeps. “Stupid girl. Didn’t I tell you not to make me mother to a bride of Death?”

Ania’s face softens, but the eyes don’t lose their fever. “Mom—”

She hushes her with her thumb. “My heart’s broken, but all the same it blesses you: may you have days. May they be happy.” She sobs. “My stupid girl. May you be happy, so stupidly happy, as it befits the holy fools.”

What terrible thing, she thinks, to be wed to a god. To have your nuptials with your pyre, to smile like that as it melts the flesh from you, as it ashens the hair and hollows the bones of their marrow.

O, Demeter. I know you don’t watch over seamen, but I know you watch over mothers. Give me strength, Goddess. Give me heart.

“I think I’ll die soon,” Ania tells him, breathes it soft into his chest. They’re lying on her rock, entwined like a pair of freshwater fish; from a distance, you’d think them sculpted in metal, or jeweled in some secret amber washed up from the depths.

He rubs circles into the small of her back. “I can ask Zeus to make you immortal.”

“That’s sweet,” she laughs, “But you’d bore of me one day, and then I’d have an eternity to stare at either the moon or my own misery, too in love with you still to bear the light of day.”

“I wouldn’t,” he says, and it is the first time she’s ever heard him forlorn. “And I can’t bear to know you in Hades, away from my eyes.”

“Selfish,” she says, kisses the sharp of his jaw. “Not that I mind. I’d hate to meal more than one shark. Too tedious.”

He turns them over, laughing, and the disc of the sun above is now nimbus for the one below. She touches her hands to his face, marvels at her god. “I won’t make you immortal if you don’t want to be,” he says when he sobers, trailing a finger down her body. “But I won’t let you leave me, either. Gods are jealous. Even straining ones.”

She pulls her bottom lip back between her teeth and thinks. “Let’s compromise, then.”

He listens.

At nineteen, Ania’s a woman who has known the world in ways the clergy may only ever dream of.

At forty, Side’s a widow burying her only child.

But something strange happens, something the undertakers in those parts still hush among themselves in whispers reverent, reserved usually for the Orphic mysteries: a brilliance fills the burial-chamber, and when it fades the cleaned body is nowhere to be found.

“Rapture,” one of those present calls it, and without meaning to thinks of the ways in which husbands hometake their new brides.

Side, shattered of heart, tears her veil from her head and laughs. It was one like Hades who stole her girl, alright, but unlike Kore her girl demanded herself the pomegranate sacrament.

Oh, Demeter, mother many and same-sorrowed; keep me. I beg you, keep the earth firm ‘neath my feet.

A single golden flower sprouts from the soil around her hut, turning its head gently as the day waxes and wanes, tracing the movement of the sun with its lone, dark eye.

Side holds onto it and weeps. “Stupid girl. My stupid, stubborn girl.”

“Heliantha,” Helios calls, many years therafter, wandering aimless through a field of sunflowers. He has aged, and sickened, and his skin is now as the bronze on an old church-bell, green as if kissed with seasalt for many a storming year. The Old Gods, once thought immortal, are facing burials: Zeus was usurped by a Son, but not his own; and isn’t that the cruelest joke?

Ah; how fair the Fates are in their punishings of hubris, even divine.

He calls again: “Heliantha, sun-lover, dear wife.”

The flowers rustle gently, although there is no wind. Eurus has long since silenced his reed-pipe, and for Pan only the lady-beetles and the spiders remember to weep.

“The gods are dying, Heliantha,” Helios says, seats himself on a jut of stone with a sigh. His whole body aches. His whole soul. “I am dying.”

Slowly, her arms embrace him, the warmth of them near-real, near-there. “Are you afraid, my shark? Does Aion make you fearful?”

He touches his lips to the inside of her elbow, turns the question over in his hands. “No. Not anymore.”

She sings, then, a soft, all but forgotten sailor’s tune. He closes his eyes.

Drifts, dreaming, dreaming…

fin.

#spilled ink #inkstain #short story #mythology #fiction #prose #numit #2019

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ahomeganeyatsu · 6 years ago

Text

Ran Off in the Night (Part 3)

Monday dawned cloudy and just as windy as Sunday. Somewhere between 3 and 4, Lucas had dozed off. In his own humble opinion, that was better than nothing. Monday brought Madam Rigaux and Lucas could not afford face-planting on his desk from being sleep-deprived. It has only been three weeks since school started but he was already in her bad books. (Maybe he should have reconsidered sitting next to Arthur in that class.) Despite the insufficient sleep, he was also feeling better. It didn't hurt too much when he breathed nor did his body protest at movement. The events of Saturday night were still patchy at best―much to his chagrin. But a guy could hope, right?

He went through his morning ablutions with the same mindless tenacity Mondays afforded. He debated wearing the hoodie to school, but the prospect of fielding questions from his friends were already giving him mild anxiety. Lucas may be the master at lying, but even he had his limits. The best lies were the ones that held a kernel of truth in them. He couldn't just tell them he has no fucking idea where he got the hoodie. Or it didn't sit quite well that he's feeling good. As if there should be something wrong with him.

And perhaps there was. Lucas wasn't the type to get black out drunk. He was even careful to limit his weed intake because it messes with him. It was never good to mix too much alcohol and weed when Lucas was what he was. It was asking for trouble. I mean, look where it got him last Saturday. A new hoodie―albeit a really comfy one―and a spotty memory.

He stared at the hoodie in his hands before sighing and folding it up. He placed it gently at the foot of his bed, his fingers lingering on the soft black fabric. Lucas puffed his cheeks and blew out another breath. He seriously has got to put a stop to this fixation on the damned hoodie. He grabbed his bag and phone, and finally exited his room.

Mika looked up from his mug, only dressed in boxers and his half-opened, offensively bright yellow robe. “Good morning, kitten. You're up early today.”

“And you're much chipper from what should be humanly possible on a Monday morning,” he retorted. He opened a cupboard to get a mug and poured himself the much needed black nectar of the gods. He nearly moaned as it touched his tongue, but promptly held himself back. He could not afford Mika holding that over his head.

“What can I say?” Mika gestured to himself as a showman would to the next wonderful attraction. “I'm a ray of sunshine that people desperately need in their lives.”

“Uh-huh.” He ignored the tirade Mika was warming up to. Finishing his coffee in silence as he checked any new notifications on his phone. He liked Arthur and Yann's posts from the party last Saturday and caught up in their group chat. Arthur had messaged him to compare their homework, completely forgetting that they've been assigned different problem sets to answer. He typed another text to his dad, reminding him of the transfer. He was running low on food and the meal tickets in the cafeteria could only take him so far. Lastly, he sent a text to his maman, checking up on her and telling her he was alright and not to worry.

Though their relationship may be rocky at the moment, Lucas loved his maman. He put majority of the blame on his dad for what happened to their family. But at night, alone in his bed and only his thoughts for company, Lucas blamed himself for their divorce. Knew it was because of him. If he wasn't like this, if he had been normal, not worrying his maman, not stressing his dad―maybe, just maybe, his parents would have worked out. Maybe he would still have a family.

What's done is done now, and Lucas had to deal with the aftermath of it all.

“I'm off,” he declared as he drank the last drops of his coffee. He placed the mug in the sink. Mika had dish duty today and Lucas was taking full advantage of it. He was about to step out of the front door when he heard Mika call him.

He rolled his eyes and turned to face him. The sarcastic remark died at his throat as he took in the expression on Mika's face. It had the teen automatically straightening. The expression was the same one he had when he had offered Lucas to sleep in the basement. It's wasn't a good deal, but during that time it had been ideal, practically god-sent, in Lucas eyes. He understood that whatever Mika was going to say next, it was serious.

“Lucas, don't repeat what happened yesterday. I don't want you staying out that late again. Not without telling any of us.”

He didn't say he hadn't planned on doing it again. Nor was there any inclination in him to even repeat the act in the foreseeable future. Lucas only nodded. It was enough of an answer for Mika. With that, he left the flat.

Lucas might be imagining things. Or he might not be.

Being him, it was usually the latter.

He just had a knack for these things.

Still, with the lack of sleep these days, it might just be his mind playing tricks on him. It has happened before. Besides, it wasn’t like he was alone. He was walking in public. To the bus stop on his way to school.

The footsteps he could hear weren’t trailing after him.

Why would anyone be following him anyway?

It took him half a day, but it became clear; he wasn’t imaging things as he had thought.

He was being watched.

Lucas can’t say how he knew. He just did. He had developed a certain awareness when it came to it. He grew up being monitored. His maman always there to remind him what to do and what not to do. Always whispering how God was watching over him, that angels were there to guard him, that the devil remained a constant presence at his shoulder.

His maman’s words never reassured him. Not when he could see the things he could. Not when no one ever seems to believe him. Lucas had lived a childhood in a perpetual state of fright. Eyes watchful and senses keyed up to the tiniest of shifts in his surroundings. It’s a habit he was forced to develop because he could not afford a repeat of last time.

Last time left him with a scar on his ankle. Long stripes entwined around his foot and licked just below his calf.

He still had nightmares about it. He still didn’t know how he was alive.

Lucas did his best not to catch anyone’s attention. He tried being normal, ordinary, average. Someone possessing his ability was better off being unnoticed. He didn’t want any trouble. As a kid, he could admit he already had his fair share. Lucas just wanted to be able to reach eighteen without dying.

Unfortunately, his efforts of remaining unnoticed failed spectacularly.

He could sense the gaze on him. The presence tailing him just out of his sight. Whoever it was, they were good. And Lucas understood that they would not reveal themselves unless they wanted to.

So, he let them be. Maybe they’ll grow tired of him. See that there was nothing interesting about him. That he was mundane.

He frowned at the word. He was often referred to as such whenever he came across one of them. Or stumbled upon a store that looked different from what it advertised. Their tones were always curious, a little intrigued—you smell like one of them, but you have no marks. This time though, Lucas felt the poison dripping from it. Like the word was dirt, unsavory.

He didn’t understand where it came from. Where he heard someone say the word like that. He shook his head to dislodge the thought.

A shadow shifted in his peripheral. Lucas ignored it.

He also ignored the grunt of disappointment.

Lucas stared at Imane in disbelief. Was this woman fucking serious?

The unwavering stare she leveled him and the waves of not-taking-any-of-your-bullshit-Lallemant coming from her had made him fidget and unconsciously shrink on himself. He had always found her scary, but facing her had only solidified how tough she really was.

“Okay, fine. We'll try to come,” he conceded.

Imane Bakhellal was certainly a force to be reckoned with.

His tail disappeared for a few days.

He only felt their gaze on certain parts of the day. Like on his way to and from school. In between his classes, and sometimes in the bustling cafeteria. There were also moments when Lucas would feel the urge to look out of his balcony. Hoping to catch a glimpse of something but always ending a second too late.

It made him wonder when his life became the mirror of Laelaps: Doomed to hunt the Teumessian fox for eternity.

He certainly wished Zeus wouldn't turn him to stone and make him into a fucking constellation.

The Gang

You

Guys quick, come to the common room. There are girls and free drinks.

[16:45]

Basile

Is Daphne there?

[16:46]

Arthur

No, Baz, she’s not.

She didn’t give us invitations last Monday. It was just us collectively hallucinating that conversation.

[16:48]

Yann

Yeah, Baz. It was all just our imagination.

[16:49]

Basile

You guys are such assholes, you know that?

[16:49]

You

Hurry up guys!

[16:50]

Arthur

I'm at the stairs. Where the hell are you guys?

[16:51]

Yann

We’re on our way, Lulu.

[16:52]

Lucas closed the app. A smile played at the corner of his lips. The boys were definitely going to get him back for this.

#elu shadowhunter au #elu fic #skamfr fic #skam france #elu #my fic #elu chaptered fic

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lunafaerywitch-blog · 6 years ago

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Nyx is the Greek Goddess of Night. She is its personification, and therefore, can be represented by a veil of dark mists although she is more often than not depicted as a beautiful woman clothed in dark robes, wearing a long veil on which shine the stars. Another one of Her representations in ancient arts would be a winged goddess.

She rides a chariot pulled by two to four horses as She covers the light sky with Her darkness and leaves the stars in Her trail. Two of Her sons accompany Her on Her journey: Hypnos (God of Sleep) and Thanatos (God of Death).

Daughter of Chaos, She is older than Her sister the Earth Gaia, as She was one of the first born elemental gods and goddesses who ruled over confusion in the void of emptiness.

She married Her younger brother Erebus, with whom she conceived Aether (God of Light) and Hemera (Goddess of the Day). Then later, on Her own: Moros (Doom), Ker (Destruction), Thanatos, Hypnos, Momus (Blame), Oizys (Distress), the Hesperides, the Moirai (Fates), Nemesis (Divine Retribution), Apate (Deceit), Philotes (Friendship), Geras (Old Age) and Eris (Strife).

ATTRIBUTES

As we can see, Nyx was the mother of many children, for whom She cared deeply and fiercely. During the day, She nurtured them in their home, located in Tartarus, in the depths of Hades' Underworld.

When the evening starts, She leaves Her house, as Hemera enters it, to start Her journey and grant the world some rest after the day.

Nyx is like every other goddess, either helpful or harmful to mankind, although She is a bit more extreme. Indeed, She can bring either sleep or death depending on the situation.

But in the dark of the Night, many frightful and inexplicable things can happen; hence, why She has also been attributed the power over illness, suffering, dreams, misfortunes, quarrels, war and murder.

Knowing that, we can understand that the people most devoted to Her were thieves and fugitives as well as lovers.

Nyx is also the supreme ruler of prophetic power. According to Greek traveler and geographer Pausaias, She had an oracle on the Acropolis in Megara.

But still, She was rarely the focus of cults. If you were looking for Her, you could see Her lurking in the background of other cults. Thus, there was a statue called Nyx in the temple of Artemis at Ephesus. The Spartans also had a cult of Sleep and Death, conceived as twins.

So, when She is not forgotten, Nyx is seen as a malevolent being. But if we choose to look past this, we most certainly can recognize Her power and Her sense of motherhood. A good example of that can be found in the Iliad. During the Trojan War, Hera asked Hypnos to put Zeus to sleep while She led his son Heracles to his death. When he awoke, Zeus was driven mad by the loss of his son and threatened to unleash his wrath on Hypnos. But the God of Sleep fled to his mother's home where Zeus dared not touch him in fear of angering Nyx. Hypnos caused trouble for Zeus a few more times after this incident, but always scurried right back to his powerful mother afterwards.

The way Zeus feared Nyx as She was older and more powerful than he may remind us of how the Patriarchy feared the ancient Goddess.

Nyx is there to remind us of the immense power that lies within us. She teaches us not to be afraid of it, but to embrace it and to use it to protect those we care for. It is only when we stop being afraid of the darkness that we can see the truth, as it is often hidden.

Nyx also reminds us that life is not always bright. It has its share of good and bad, and we must seek balance.

CORRESPONDENCES

Nyx is most frequently associated with the Moon so the day of the week associated with Her is Monday.

Her colors are black and silver. Her symbols are stars on a black veil and a crescent moon.

Animals protected by Her are bats and owls, as well as other feared animals associated with the night such as black cats.

During the year, Her presence is predominant around Yule, when the nights are the longest.

Finally, stones associated with Her are agates, which protect against bad dreams and stress, and most importantly moonstones. Their power is naturally the strongest when it is a full moon. They are believed to be a reflection of their owner and can help women align themselves with the universe and find their path.

RITUAL

Since there aren't really any rituals to honor Nyx, I wrote one for this project.

This ritual is meant to help you grow more confident as you embrace Nyx, ask Her to help you to see what's hidden, and to not fear the unknown.

It should be performed on a Full Moon, preferably outside or by a window, just before going to bed. Being able to gaze at the stars would help a lot, but if they are not visible you can always imagine them.

Surround yourself with white or silvery candles to represent the stars that follow Nyx in Her path.

For offerings to Nyx, consider flowers that only bloom in the night such as four o'clock flowers, as well as dark fruits such as blackberries, blueberries or plums.

Use white sage to purify your sacred space. You can also use lavender to call on to Nyx's child Eros (God of Love) for positive energy and is always a plus when performing this ritual. Also, Eros’ presence will shield you from Nyx's other children who may have a more negative impact.

Before starting your ritual, place a veil on your head, as Nyx is associated with the Veil of the Night.

To cast your circle, your hands are perfectly fine, but if using a wooden wand, ebony would be a good choice (Although be mindful that this is a powerful type of wood and should be used carefully.)

Kneel on or in front of a piece of black cloth on which you will place two moonstones to represent and show respect to Nyx's sons Hypnos and Thanatos who always accompany Her.

When inviting Nyx to join you, you can chant Lord Byron's poem She Walks in Beauty.

She walks in beauty, like the night

Of cloudless climes and starry skies;

And all that's best of dark and bright

Meet in her aspect and her eyes;

Thus mellowed to that tender light

Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,

Had half impaired the nameless grace

Which waves in every raven tress,

Or softly lightens o'er her face;

Where thoughts serenely sweet express,

How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,

So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,

The smiles that win, the tints that glow,

But tell of days in goodness spent,

A mind at peace with all below,

A heart whose love is innocent!

When praying to Nyx, hold the moonstones in your hands and humbly ask for Her guidance and Her strength, speak with your heart, trust Her with your fears and hopes. These are your only guidelines.

Lift the veil after your prayer or poem is complete and while you are thanking Nyx for listening. Rise as the veil falls to symbolize your new confidence and resolve. (Be mindful of the candles! You want to make sure you have enough room to move freely and prevent the veil from catching fire. If you do not have enough room, remove the veil carefully and set it aside.)

After you have thanked Nyx and Her children by kissing the two moonstones, open your circle by extinguishing the candles.

Leave the fruit and flowers outside your window if possible and put the moonstones under your pillow or bed. Nyx may share some of Her wisdom with you through a dream.

Remember to release the energy raised during the ritual. You might want to do that by sending it out to the rest of the world or to some people who might need a blessing during the night.

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forge-born-blog · 6 years ago

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Forge-Born chapters 1-5

Chapter 6 Geneva island of amazons.

Forge-Born A New Odyssey Bang! .... Bang!!..... Bang!!.... The sound of mighty thunder as metal meets metal. Bang!!... Bang!!... Bang!!!... With each clap a flash of light illuminates the dark room. Between each strike we gain a glimpse of a humanoid like figure, only this is no man. The creature is truly a nightmare of an image. No even creature does not explain this being, a more apt description would be god. Hephaestus God of the forge. As Hephaestus strike his hammer against a large mound of steel he begins to speak loudly to himself, as though he were addressing someone else. " It was long ago in a time before man, before beast, before gods, before the entities Gaia and Uranus. When all that existed was Chaos and Darkness. A single spark was all it took and in moments the course of history would change. From this spark formed order, formed Gaia and Uranus. For millennia that spark was not to be seen, until one day the spark flashed once more and mankind had came into existence. Today I hope to be given a chance to see that spark. He places his hands on some object and they begin to glow a bright red & white. The object begins to glow and now we can see it. It appears to be a sculpture of a boy made of steel. Today is the day a new legend is born. With blood of iron and body of steel. The legend of the Forge-Born." Chapter 1 "Father!!" A young voice screams. "father look!" The boy points to the sea. As he does Hephaestus steps onto a beach staring at the boy. Now in the sun we can truly see Hephaestus. He is large taller then any man butt a far cry from a giant. His skin is thick like an elephant with discoloration all over grey white black his skin tone varies in blotches like ink blots. His eyes are sunken and unresponsive as though the intense sunlight doesn't bother him. His mouth is more like a beast with jowls and fangs. His body is strong, or at least it seems that way until you see him resting one palm on cane. As he slowly limps across the beach cane in hand he ask the boy." My boy how many times must we have this conversation." "Oh right heehee" the boy attempts to contain his laughter. Hephaestus somehow seems delighted with the boys laughter rather then angry. "Well what is it, tell me what do you see?" "Out in the water it's some big object with a tarp flowing into the wind." "Oh I see now" Hephaestus grins. "what is it father another sea monster?" "No boy it's a ship." "A ship... wait father does that mean there are humans." "I would most likely assume so." "Wow really?..” The boy gazes at the ship with wanderlust "Father one day I'd like to be on a boat like that." Hephaestus's face sinks as he mutters "someday I hope you will get the chance." 7 years later The forest is silent when suddenly a loud boom goes off. As the smoke clears we here a man coughing."Damn seems I was bit off on the ratios." As the man begins to stamp out small embers we notice the face is familiar to that of the young boy. Only now as a man he is something more akin to a warrior. His face is Fairly well, no Adonis but easy on the eyes. What stands out most though are his ember eyes. As the man is finished stamping out the fire a loud voice is heard throughout the forest. "Vulcan where are you what manner of messes have you made today?" Shit. the man responds. "Nothing to worry about father I've got it all under control." Hephaestus retorts "funny you said the same thing last time and now Pygmas has no eyebrow." The man's reaction is one of embarrassment. “Well whatever it is it can wait. I need your help on the forge.” After walking an acre Vulcan nears a mountain with a house along the side down below is a large cave that Vulcan enters. In it we see Hephaestus hard at work hammering down some item on an anvil. Surrounding him are 5 giants with one eye who all seem to be busy with their smithing. Finally Vulcan nears Hephaestus "Good now take this and hold it steady around the horn." Vulcan follows the gods instructions and grabs a circular object and presses it firmly against the edge of the Anvil horn. As he does this Hephaestus grasps a large hammer and starts beating against it "another shield huh." Vulcan remarks."Maybe , if you hold it still enough." As the two work together on the shield they begin to banter back and forth until Hephaestus ask a question. " So Vulcan what was it this time another one of your science inventions." Vulcan responds quickly speaking as soon as Hephaestus finishes his last syllable" yes I'm onto something amazing I just need to run some more test." "Could you use any help." Vulcan ponders his answer for a few seconds." Honestly I could, but I really want to try this one on my own father" “Oh can't wait to get out of your old man's shadow ehh boy." Hephaestus grins as he says it. "That's not it I just want to prove this to myself; to prove that I can become a builder like you." For a moment Hephaestus pauses then continues to beat on the shield " I'm very proud of you don't worry someday you will become an even greater craftsman then me." Vulcan almost cries at those words. All his life he's never admired anyone more than Hephaestus, he knew of the other gods yet the one he was always amazed by was Hephaestus. His father was strong willed and wise. Even while being a god he was humble and never thought himself above any creature and to top it all off he was an amazing craftsman. He could build anything : jewelry,trinkets, mechanisms, coliseums, and yes even weapons and armor of unimaginable quality. Suddenly they hear a loud bell. "They're here" Hephaestus says. "Who" ask Vulcan." The ones picking up this shield. As Hephaestus finishes putting on the last of the grips on the shield he tells Vulcan to greet his guest upstairs. Now inside the upper floor he sees a man draped in black and a younger one draped in purple and black he recognizes the first man but has no clue as to the second. While standing there pondering the mans identity Hephaestus walks in from behind him ah hades it's been some time uncle. Glad to see you the man shrouded in jet black cloak and corporeal darkness speaks and as he does so it fills the room with dread. "yes same for you Hephaestus and you as well Vulcan." Vulcan pushes his curiosities aside and realizes his rudeness" Apologies lord hades" hades smiles although even though it is innocent to him on the outside it looks sinister" No need for apologies Vulcan you are family after all." Hades points to the smaller individual beside him donning similar attributes only in a purple shade" Excuse me allow me to introduce my son regon. It's his shield we've come to collect today." "Ah good to finally meet you Regon I've heard a great many things of you." Says Hephaestus, Regon then responds "As well I you smith. However I must admit I've heard nothing of you having a son Vulcan was it. Vulcan clenches his fist as though he's just been threatened and prepared to fight for his life. Hades speaks up "Regon do not pry. The smith is a powerful ally and respectful man leave it alone." Regon nods silently. " come with us the shields downstairs the cyclops are testing it." Hades is then reminded of something." Speaking of cyclops Hephaestus are you waxing them now?We ran into Pygmas on lookout and he seems to be missing the hair on his brow." Ha!Vulcan immediately covers his mouth trying to contain his laughter, you can see his body quiver as he chuckles with his right hand over his mouth and left hand to his side. The party just ignores him and heads towards the shield. When finding himself alone he uses the opportunity to break away and head towards his own lab deep in the forest. He has work to do otherwise he would have stayed. He rather enjoys hades as he seems to be the only God that respects his father and regularly pays him visits, he's also the only God his father allows him to speak to or come into contact with. In fact as a young boy when hades and Hephaestus were deep in conversation he would allow him to play with Cerberus. He doesn't know why the other gods hate his father or why they can't know of his own existence, but he came to realize long ago through his father and the cyclops stories, that the gods weren't the merciful or flawless beings they're portrayed as. While Vulcan fires up a forge in his workshop Hephaestus is back home speaking with hades. "Thank you again smith for the work you've done." " No need hades you practically keep me employed and I rather enjoy our talks. Not to mention you've kept the identity of Vulcan to yourself and for that I owe you greatly. I'd rather he not get wrapped up in the world of the Divine and immortals. "Speaking of that Hephaestus did you know where Zeus was headed today?" " No I'm afraid I have not contacted Olympus in years. I'm sure you're aware of my strained relations with our family." " Quitewell smith, then it pains me to say but I felt I should give you warning today Zeus visit's the Moirai.” The air turns hostile as a terrified Hephaestus exclaims "The sisters of fate! When hades?" " I do not know nephew I just felt the need to tell you so you might prepare yourself. I will be taking my leave I cannot interfere with my brothers affairs, however I felt I should warn you. Sorry that is all I could do." As he says this hades and Regon fall into a dark abyss. "Thank you hades for warning me, you've done enough." As hades disappears. Hephaestus shouts VUUULLCANNN!!! The words sound loud and carry deep into the Forest. Moments before this Vulcan was leaving his workshop and heading back home. "Finally!" he says to himself "A sword that isn't worthless." Vulcan raises an clothed item into the air, his face covered in ash and carbon with a grin as wide as the crescent moon. Vulcan thinks maybe with this he can go out to the world of man. Sword at his side he can become an adventurer and see the world. With this he wouldn't even have to fear the gods. Suddenly he hears his father cry out for him more panicked then ever before something is wrong just as he turns and pushes off the ground to run a flash of light comes down cutting through the air colliding with the earth, with a tremendous crackle and boom knocking him to the ground. This is thunder and what follows thunder is destruction. As he looks up at the ravaged earth in front of him he sees him. The King of gods, Power incarnate, Clade in lightning ZEUS and his eyes scream bloodlust. Chapter 2 abomination Gobsmacked and in awe. Vulcan lays they're paralyzed unable to run with frozen feet, not even able to find his voice to scream or speak. So shocked he even forgets how to breath Vulcan lies helpless. For years he's heard of the gods of there amazing power and heavy auras but he never expected anything like this. The pressure emanating from this god is like an ocean filling the air dragging him to the bottom helpless against it. He now truly understands what places gods above men. Lying there deprived of oxygen he begins to lose the strength in his body, but just as his eyes begin to close he catches sight of a familiar figure walking towards them with a cane." Vulcan did I not warn you of the presence of gods. It appears you'll have to learn now, focus your mind and will. Remember to not give in to a greater force, push back on the aura with your own and most importantly hide your fear.” With those words Vulcan begins to fall in and out of consciousness. As he begins to practice his father's teachings the weight on his chest gets lighter. Zeus and Hephaestus stand there watching the young man. To the world outside this sight is unexplainable and would go without understanding, but to those intertwined in the Divine this is nothing new. Thousands have died from sheer presence of the Divine alone. Gods can intensify or diminish the aura they place forward. Although many wouldn't know it from the current sight Hephaestus knows all to well Vulcan is gifted in this form of combat via godly presence. Against any average Devine being he would have already returned to strength but this is Zeus. Hephaestus stands there torn over his sons predicament, alas there's nothing he can do. He could fight Zeus in an attempt to stop the overwhelming pressure he exudes, but not only would he lose that fight in order to do so he would have to unleash his aura as well and with his and Zeus's combined pressures Vulcan would not survive. All he can do is stand and watch his son cling to life. Finally there's a breakthrough both men sense it a will of iron refusing to be crushed by the weight. Vulcans eyes open as his body rises like an undead corpse, gasping for air. Hephaestus is pleased Zeus however has not lost his angry demeanor. As Vulcan slowly makes his way to his feet with his arm pressed against the ground for support shaking, he can't believe it Zeus didn't lift a finger and he nearly died just from being in his presence. Hephaestus steps in front of Vulcan shielding him from Zeus's gaze before asking "what is it you are doing here Zeus?" Zeus responds with furry in his voice." Watch your tongue Hephaestus It is your king you are speaking too." Hephaestus bites his tongue and waits for a response. Zeus caring not for the concerns of Hephaestus waits some time before responding "I am here regarding a prophecy given to me by the Moirai." Hephaestus hesitates and thinks of his question before speaking. " May I ask what this prophecy is exactly." " The sisters have informed you have done the unthinkable. You have broken the greatest rule. You created new life where there was none. I am king of all none but me shall be allowed to create life. Hephaestus was I not lenient when the sisters gave me the prophecy years ago of your betrayal" Hephaestus interjects "Zeus, father I told you there was no betrayal I would never forge a weapon to kill you." Mid sentence he is cut off by Zeus" How dare you call me that you are no son of mine I casted you out of Olympus I showed leniency and even now you mock me with that abomination behind you." Vulcan is perplexed could he be referring to him. What's this on about Hephaestus creating life he understood all to well of the rule of life how none is supposed to create it not even gods for such life would go against nature itself. He knows such an act could never be forgiven and that the creature could not be allowed to continue living. Still why does he speak of him that way Vulcan is no creation. He was told he was the son of Hephaestus and a lower God. He knows nothing of his true origin. Many might be confused with this statement believing Gods to have created life many times however there are rules firstly life cannot be made where it did not previously exist you may turn a tree into a mortal however you may not turn stone to man. Two if it is made from nothing it may not have will nor mind of its own hence golems and lastly it may not be given the ability to pass on to a new generation. In creating Vulcan Hephaestus broke this covenant incurring the wrath of Zeus. "Your creation neither man nor God this creature does not belong in this world. Step aside and allow me to destroy it and I may be merciful to you afterwards. " Vulcan's heart clenches itself. To think the one who stands above would desire his death what could he do he couldn't possibly fight and hope to win. Run how can he outrun lighting. As Vulcan's heart races a comforting voice reassures him. "Calm down my son no harm shall come to you. You have as much a right to life as any living creature and I will defend that right with my own life if I must." As he says those endearing and heartfelt words he stares at Zeus and says "I challenge you for the right to rule Olympus on the grounds of my blood as one of the twelve seats." Zeus grits his teeth seething with anger the surrounding environment begins to shutter. Hephaestus has invoked the right to challenge only a shameful God and weak ruler would refuse. Very well I will kill you first, then the abomination. I shall return with an audience at sundown to oversee. After Zeus leaves Vulcan drops to the floor exhausted. After a few hours the sun begins to set Vulcan wakes up at home. Suddenly it all comes back to him he leaps out of bed screaming no. Hephaestus comes and hugs him telling him to calm himself. Vulcan looks up at him tears in his eyes and ask why he challenged Zeus he cannot hope to win. Hephaestus looks down at him and says " Because you are my son." "But I'm not I heard him I'm not your son I'm not human not God I'm..I shouldn't exist." "Vulcan weather or not you should have existed isn't important the fact remains you do exist you feel you bleed you cry and laugh. I can no longer lie to you so I will tell you the truth Vulcan. Many years ago I lived with the Olympians at first I wanted to be one to be accepted by them but I never was for that I grew to despise them I became angry and vain and did many things I'm no longer proud of. Eventually in time I began to forgive them and place my heart at ease after that I was able to see the evil of the gods and there indifference to the plights of man. I pleaded with them and begged them to help the humans to show mercy, but alas my words fell on deaf ears. The gods were a conceited lot but still they were my family and I loved them and I had no intention to take my family to war. So instead I took up an oath of pacifism I vowed to never participate in there wars or the wars of man and that I would never forge another weapon. When Zeus demanded weapons I refused this deeply angered him he felt as though it was a challenge against his authority which had him grow paranoid of my betrayal. So he sought out the sisters of fate for guidance on the matter. That was when they informed him of a vision they had that I would forge a new weapon one that would kill him. Opun hearing these words he attempted to end my existence, but perhaps some small ounce of fatherly affection remained because he did not deliver the finishing blow; instead he banished me from Olympus and barred me from ever forging another weapon. In time I found this island of cyclops other creatures resented by their father for there imperfect figures. I became like a mentor to them taught them to forge and communicate. Still though life was lonely I missed my family even though they were cruel and unkind. I became so lonely I came up with an idea. What I was about to do was blasphemy to the highest degree. I was about to break the supreme rule of the Divine. Life shall never be created from nothing only Zeus himself may ever create new life. This law stands above all others the punishment for breaking it is death. In my lost state I began to work on my finest craft ever I would forge his bones of steel his blood of hot iron and his flesh of copper & bronze. Still such a task is no mere small feat. Although the law exist even without it none could perform this feat. Creating new life is tricky when Zeus Aphrodite and I created woman we nearly abandoned the efforts but some force greater than our understanding aided us. For you it was the same try as I might you remained a statue of metal. I don't know how or why but somehow something breathed life into you my son and on that day you came to be a creature born of the forge.” "But that means I am an abomination." "Look at me son it is true you are neither God nor man. However you are no monster you deserve life just as any man. Here I found this beside you" he hands him the clothed item from before “I found it beside I had hoped you would not mind I had a look at it." Vulcan removes the cloth reveal a jade tinted blade. It's beautiful almost like an ornament. He's almost too afraid to ask but somehow finds the courage. “What did you think?” "Interesting indeed your work with a blade is truly remarkable however it is undeniably yours the work of a young man." " What's that mean." Ask Vulcan "It's truly exceptional and Finely forged, incredibly sharp and well made. Only it's not suitable for combat. It's to be expected your young and inexperienced in war. Your blade is impractical it's appearance is a beauty and like that of a proper heroes blade but it would never be used In combat. You see a smith must not only make the strongest weapon he must also take into account the warrior wielding it and its purpose. Sometimes you have a smaller warrior so a large or long blade is impractical sometimes they have armor or shields so a sharp edge is useless other times it simply does not feel right from the grip or isn't designed to swing according to the Warriors method." With the more he describes the more Vulcan sulks which Hephaestus takes notice of. "Don't be disappointed Vulcan you are a fine craftsman and the blade is incredibly durable and sharp it shows how well your technique and skill at the forge is. This lack of foresight was on me I taught you all the secrets to the forge save weapons. I wish I had more time to teach you but I'm afraid our time is up the sun is setting. Take this he throws a bag at Vulcans feet. What is this for are we going to run. No boy you will I will stay here and fight. But why we can bo-- I gave my word I challenged him now I can not go back on that. A man is nothing without his word. Humans taught me that and hopefully they can teach you the same. Go there's a ship waiting for you at the north beach. Inside that bag is a map you will head to Geneva a small island not far from here where you will meet your guide. You already know how to read the stars, but take this it's something I've been working on It will help keep you going in the right direction. Hephaestus shows him what appears to be a primitive compass. But father I can help you or maybe I can offer myself to Zeus you shouldn't have to die for nothing. No. Please! dammit boy I...fine you want to help. Hephaestus drops the compass. pick that up we will have use for it later. As Vulcan reaches down Hephaestus strikes him over the back of his head breaking his cane over it. He looks down at the unconscious Vulcan then back at his broken cane and mutters "You've got a hard head boy." He proceeds to pick him up and throw him outside into the arms of a brow less cyclops. "Pygma take care of the boy." Pygma nods and vanishes with Vulcan into the forest. As Hephaestus makes his way down the stairway he hears Zeus land and call for him Hephaestus show yourself I've come for your challenge with witnesses Apollo Hera and Athena. As he reaches the end of the staircase he heads to a corner of his workshop towards a locked trunk. Hephaestus! Zeus shouts I hope you have not suddenly realized you're fear and become to cowardly to face me. A golden draped man by Zeus speaks up "Father I must admit picking on a crippled and feeble old man does not sit well with me must this continue." Now one of the women by Zeus interjects "Careful Apollo the smith may be weak in body and his mind may also have confliction, but he is a seat on Olympus for a reason even after being cast out. Father I beg you reconsider the smith would pose a great loss to us" "Silence Athena the smith has laid his bed... but if it will put you all at ease, I will make it quick.. " quick huh..." The sound of Heavy metal rattling follows the voice. "Perhaps you have forgotten just what a battle is like Zeus" the voice comes from the cave as a grinning Hephaestus steps out clad in armor from head to toe an arsenal of weapons on his person. He stands with one hand holding a large spear pressed into the ground almost as if replacing his cane the other hand holding a flail attached to a long chain. It's as though he were a gladiator of great legend. Chapter 3 Even Gods Bleed The other gods stand in shock of the sight before them. Zeus is enraged at the sight of Hephaestus in armor. "What is the meaning of this smith? I thought this was duel among gods." Unfazed he responds " It is" “then why do you sully it with trinkets.” “Father you seem to misunderstand nowhere does it say armor or weapons are forbidden.” “I would think your pride wouldn't allow such a poor display.” “ Yes pride would stop most men however men are foolish a warrior knows the battlefield is not to be treated as a playground things like pride matter not in battlegrounds. You do what you must to win to survive to protect the ones you care for. Today you threatened my son and I would swallow my pride before I ever let you bring him harm. Come father today one of us shall die here on this battlefield.” After recognizing the danger Athena voices her concern. “Zeus be wise this is the smith and those are his hand crafted weapons I recognize them this fight will be dangerous nothing requires you to face him like this.” “ Silence Athena very well smith I shall teach you you're toys mean nothing before true power” as he says this Zeus hurls a thunderbolt. The smith slams down the spear into the ground in its path after nearing the spear the lightning draws to the staff discharging into the ground. Hephaestus spins his flail before throwing it at Zeus smashing against his face it flings Zeus clear across the field. “Father your power is what gives you strength but me my gifts of the forge lend me strengths I could never attain on my own I may be old & broken but do not believe me helpless by any means." Zeus snarls at Hephaestus the smith grips his spear and with his good leg pushes off the ground leaving a crater at the point of liftoff. Zeus takes hold of the spear catching it as it pierces him. Only allowing it to penetrate a mere inch of flesh, then creating a burst of lighting that sends Hephaestus flying into the mountain behind them. After coming to his feet Zeus takes the spear and breaks it over his knee Hephaestus stairs at him with a fierce eyes “as I said Hephaestus toys” he says as he drops the broken spear. Then in almost an instant Zeus stands in front of Hephaestus still processing what just occurred Hephaestus is unable to react as Zeus buries his fist into his face following that blow is a flurry of strikes each more powerful than the last. Even fully clad in armor seems to mean nothing as Zeus's power does not appear to be diminished in any way. Hephaestus knows the strength of this armor well he once tested it against against the might of a tsunami and yet not even a scratch, but here it may as well be simple cloth. Finally after growing tired Zeus ends his onslaught he stands menacingly over the bruised and bloody Hephaestus. In that moment it what appeared to be a a man clinging to his last bits of life Hephaestus pulled his hammer from his side gripping the handle firmly he raised it to the air his arm shaking barely able to hold it. In this moment tears came to his eyes as he thought of his son, he knew it had not been enough time he could not die yet. So with every ounce of his being he whispered one word" Forge" he followed those words by striking his hammer down on the mountain behind. In a mere moment after contact a mammoth sized steel gauntlet erupted from the wall punching Zeus. Forcing him out of the mountain falling to the ground below with a large thud. Zeus and the other gods look up to the mountain to see Hephaestus axe in hand looking down upon them. He jumps down to Zeus as he sees this he respond by hurling lighting at him but Hephaestus pushes down with his axe splitting the bolt in two the landing all his weight on Zeus then grabbing at his shoulders he opens his large jowls and begins spewing fire and magma. Through the magma reaches Zeus's hand wrapping around Hephaestus throat stopping the red bile. With the fire gone we now see Zeus's face angry covered with burns and scorch marks. With his free hand he strikes Hephaestus but Hephaestus returns with a blow of his own forcing Zeus to relinquish his grip back and forth the gods trade blows however this is no equivalent exchange as Hephaestus strikes get weaker and far more infrequent, sometimes taking two or three blows before delivering his own. Hephaestus then grips the blade at his side and slices at Zeus's leg. Zeus responds but not quickly enough to avoid injury just to avoid a more serious strike. He then takes a few paces back as Hephaestus raise his sword at him. “Aiming for my legs eh truly a warriors cunning.” Zeus mentions. “Well I have to do something to slow you down after all my leg isn't quite as spry as yours.” Hephaestus points to his weak leg trembling at the strain. Zeus stairs at both legs then comments

“It's quite incredible how you've been able to fight while balancing on one leg.” “I've had practice. Tell me father would you reconsider allowing my son to live if I surrendered now and agreed to forge for you once again.” “I've already told you smith you're no son of mine and that abomination is no son of yours I cannot allow such a being to exist that challenges the very nature of the universe itself.” “ You mean you could not allow anything to exist that cannot owe it's very existence to you. This has nothing to do with gods the boy could never hope to challenge your place in the universe his power is not Devine. He's closer to man then God. Why should his life be invalid simply because he is neither, because his very existence is a blight on your dominance over this world.” “ Hephaestus before I kill You I will rip out you're heathenish tongue.” “I see then” he stares at Hera and the other gods “mother brother sister please know that I tried to seek a peaceful solution I did not simply seek bloodshed.” As the blood began to drip from his palms they begin to glow and the blood begins to boil and burn. As Hephaestus breathes embers fill the the very air he exhales. He grabs his hammer then places one hand to the floor and again he utters the words " forge" instantly multiple large blades protrude from the ground aiming for Zeus. In retaliation he unleashes a wave of thunder atomizing the blades. From his side appears Hephaestus his open hand reaches for Zeus's face igniting the very air it passes through. Zeus however manages to avoid it Hephaestus quickly changes tactics shifting his position using his hammer he delivers a backhanded strike smashing Zeus's nose. After catching sight of this Hephaestus remarks "it has been a long time since I have seen you bleed father." Chapter 4 Hephaestus God of the forge Out far off the coast of the island floats a small ship in which Vulcan still lays unconscious. As the battle between gods rages on in the distant island, the sounds of the clash awaken him. He awakens unaware of where he is he looks around surprised to see himself surrounded by water. After getting his bearings he realizes he must have been knocked out and placed on this ship. The sounds of the battle shift his focus to the island. His chest Tightens as even out here he can feel the gods crushing auras. He thinks of the struggle his father must be facing, without hesitation he turns the ship around and heads for the island only by some act of universe or perhaps a god, a gust of wind catches his sails pulling him further out to sea. All he can do is watch the island get smaller and smaller in the distance for he is now at the mercy of the winds and the sea. Back on the island the tide of battle has once again shifted as Zeus fueled by rage at his own blood ferociously beat down Hephaestus. However Hephaestus seems to be pleased. The smile over Hephaestus faces further infuriates Zeus prompting more brutality. Zeus doesn't understand so he ask " Why do you smile Hephaestus once I've ended your existence I will chase your abomination. None can escape me for I see all.” “ Hah you fool father you've become so arrogant in the time since I've seen you I'm fully aware of your sight and that of mothers which is why I gifted him a device imbued with magic capable of hiding him from you.” “ What. You lie smith.” “You know me well Zeus you know me to be capable of such feats.” Arghhh! Zeus lets out a howl as he summons thunder to strike Hephaestus. Leaving a giant scare in Hephaestus chest. Hephaestus however has accepted death and does not fear it. He thinks of his long life of his ups and downs his younger years. Hephaestus was not like other gods he wasn't born perfect. Angry at Zeus for having Athena with another women Hera set out to make a child of her own with no help from any man. She would give birth to what the world would see as a monster. At his birth Hephaestus was already horribly disfigured and ugly he resembled more the creatures of Tartarus then the Adonis's of Olympus. Still his mother loved him then. She named him Hephaestus after one of her other lovers. Zeus however could not stand him, while he gazed at the hideousness and imperfection of Hephaestus it drove him mad not only was he monstrous in form but his body was frail and weak smaller then most babies and barely clinging to life. He could never call such a pathetic creature one of his pantheon his existence was a smear on all the gods and his name. Still he chose to accept the child as his own for the sake of Hera but made sure to keep him out of view of the world. Every Night however the sounds of his cries would drive him mad as it only reminded him of his failure. This continued for some time until one night Zeus awoke in a fit of rage, Hera hearing the babies cries awoke to find Zeus standing at the cliff side of Olympus holding the infant. She pleaded and begged him not too but he ignored her cries as he threw the child with all his might down into the sea and rocks below. Zeus now believing himself to be rid of the blight returned to sleep. Only fate would still not be so kind for Hephaestus. The frail boy miraculously survived the fall. Only his body was mangled his leg broken beyond repair the infant was in pure agony. He cried but his howls were swallowed by the ocean as he began to drown. For sure he would have died had this sight had naught of caught the attention of a nearby water nymph. The nymph dragged the child to an underground cave under mount Olympus here he nursed the child back to health. After a few years the child had been lucky enough to to survive and grow healthier and more hardy a complete contrast to his frail form as a child sadly however the leg could not be saved. A pity thought the nymph if not for that the child would have grown to be an unrivaled gladiator his physical prowess far surpassed any being before him. Sadly however he will never be able to walk without support. How cruel the gods are thought the nymph. More years had passed and Hephaestus grew interested in the forge after years of isolation for fear of Zeus actions should he found out the boy was alive and the nymph saved him the nymph pleaded for Hephaestus to remain in the cave. Owing everything to him Hephaestus agreed to stay they're till he reached maturity. Finally after a decade more he set out into the world it was not long after he made a name for himself as a smith. Eventually one of his pieces of jewelry made its way to the gods they demanded the name of the maker Hephaestus they replied. The gods were shocked although not relieved they still did not care for Hephaestus even in time hera began to regret ever having conceived him. Still they admired his craft. And order him forge items of equal beauty for them. Hermes was sent however upon hearing this Hephaestus refused still angered over the gods treatment of him and the loss of his leg. Request after request was sent and refused until the gods began to threaten him. Angry Hephaestus came up with a plan he sent Hera a beautifully crafted chair all the gods gathered around to see. Hera loved this chair it's only flaw once seated she could not unseet herself for sometime the gods laughed at Hephaestus joke only after hours had passed and Hera could not move they realized the severity Hephaestus had trapped Hera. None could release her not even Zeus so they sent gods down to ask Hephaestus free her they asked kindly he refused so in response they sent Aires God of war to threaten him but Hephaestus was different from the others he held no fear. In fact it was Aires who was shaken upon return to Olympus. Still the gods the pleaded until eventually he was offered a seat on Olympus and the hand of Aphrodite. Pleased Hephaestus released Hera. In the coming years Hephaestus would grow to have many more stories most erased or forgotten to history. In time his anger at the world grew until one day he would realize his faulty and the corruption of the gods. In time because of this he began to pity his family. He begged and pleaded for them to see there errors, but still no god respected him. Only his uncle hades also scorned and cheated by the gods would see the true worth and nobility of Hephaestus in time the gods grew more cruel to mankind and he grew more compassionate to them. This was the tragic and beautiful trajectory of his life. Even now as his father stands beating him to death Hephaestus cries for him for his family for humanity for his son. He forgave the gods long ago for they're mistreatment of him for the hundred unspoken stories of the wrongs they've done him the stories he was too ashamed to tell his son. Hephaestus lead a sad life however he would do it again for all the brief glimpses of happiness he experienced. He regrets not being around to see his son grow and enter the world but he knows the wisdom he imparted on him would make him into a fine man. He knows one day he will find love and happiness and for that dying here right now would be a faire price to pay. With one last breath Hephaestus speaks once more to Zeus “father I forgive all the gods cruelties to me I forgive Aphrodite and I forgive Aires I forgive you mother and even now as you take my last breath from me I forgive you father. I know in your heart you do not hate you simply feel this is the only way to maintain order I know it brings you no pleasure or relief to kill me which is why you sent the nymph Zeus looks shocked. I know you feel responsible for maintaining order and that you've refused to shed tears for me not out of lack of compassion. I can see in your eyes this pains you far more than me.” He pauses needing to take a breath due to his condition. “But even though I love you all I cannot condone your actions you have been abusive to the humans cruel even. You have ruined lives and dictated them you may be gods but you have no right to rule over them. You toy with their emotions and force them to submit. Which is why I could not stand idly by any longer. The sisters were right I did forge a new weapon but not to slay you to defeat you to free humanity from the plague of the gods. For it is no mere weapon, he will break their chains. Cast the gods from their thrones. He is blood of iron and body of steel he is forge born he is my son and the last hope of not just humanity but of the gods as well, because he won't just save humanity from the gods he will save you from yourselves. He will open your hearts to love. Father he is my last gift to you.” And with those last words the brimming glow emanating from Hephaestus fades as he lies unresponsive broken bloody not the death deserved of a man of piece. Off in the distance still fighting against the winds Vulcan senses one of the auras weakening growing more frantic he struggles greater even cursing the sea and winds until finally the aura disappears completely. Even without eyes he knows all too well what has occurred. He drops to his knees in tears giving up his struggle as he howls at the loss of his most precious person. Today he is all alone in the world. A freak a monster an outcast with no place to call home. He kneels there weeping allowing the winds to drag him further out to sea. Chapter 5 a new odyssey Out in the oceans alone sits a young Vulcan his eyes red and sunken. He lies there motionless and and unresponsive to the world he is dried out and his stomach growls. A near few feet from him stand his supplies within its content are food and water for a week but still it remains untouched. For days he wrestled with his grief he was angry at Zeus at the gods for allowing it and mostly at himself for being helpless. It has been five days now since his father's death had it not been for his inhuman attributes he would have succumbed to dehydration already. However the effects of it have begun to take hold his mind is hazy and he sees ghost which are not there. The Sun's light has reddened his skin and dried his lips so much they're cracked and bleeding. A little bird flies onto the edge of his ship. It stares at him for sometime analyzing him almost as though he held intelligence. Finally after some time while lost in thought he heard a voice “Vulcan.” Vulcan looks around but sees nothing . “Vulcan” again he hears it he begins to believe it is perhaps the sea playing tricks on him. The bird now flutters to him landing on his knee. He stares at it and it opens its beak and and the words “Vulcan have you gone deaf.” He cant believe his ears or eyes he believes the effects of the ocean and dehydration are now at play. What bird can talk he thought. So he ignored it believing it to be in his head the bird continues to call him. The bird even begins to peck at him unfortunately for the bird however although Vulcan looks human his skin is actually like copper and bronze in fact as a child he often wrestled with snakes and beast thinking them to be playing all the while they were attempting to eat him but their teeth could not pierce his flesh nor could they crush him. In time the bird gives up flying away Vulcan believes it to truly have been a vision until ploop a birds droppings fall on his head he immediately sticks his head in the water to clean the feces off him. When he returns to the ship he spots the bird on his deck. He bears his teeth as he scowls “why you little shit I'm gonna roast you and have bird for dinner.” “Serves you right for ignoring someone.” Okay now he knows he's not crazy this bird is really talking to him “so you're real.” “ As real as the shit in your head now listen close if you don’t want me to shit on your head again” Vulcan nods his head. “What are you doing boy?” “Why I'm doing Nothing.” “ Exactly. You lost your father not your life” “ You know about my father.” “I know a great many things boy.” “ Who are you.” “ That does not concern you, you're actions however do concern me. It has been five days since your father's passing and yet you sit here throwing away the life he sacrificed his for.” Vulcan hears those words as they echo into his heart. Tears once again well up. “No boy no more tears the time for tears are over now is the time for hope.” “What's there to be hopeful for I've lost everything. And I'm currently being hunted by the most powerful being in the universe at any moment he so chose he could summon lightning upon me to drown me in this ocean" “ If he can boy then why does he not do so. To play with you, perhaps the gods are very cruel. Or perhaps you're father was far smarter then you gave him credit for. On that device he gave you to guide you” Vulcan stares at the compass he's been clutching on one hand. “On that contraption is not only a guide but a ward one powerful enough to hide you from the gods. They can't kill you because they cannot find you.” “Very well bird you have erased one concern but what about my first what have I to live for now.” “ You have you to live for boy you can now see the world as you've always wanted you can gain justice for you're father.” “ Justice hah” Vulcan laughs hysterically “you mean me to kill Zeus God of Thunder. I truly despise Zeus as well as the other Olympians but I was never taught to seek vengeance doing so would only tarnish my father's legacy. And even if I desired the death of the gods what could I do against them for centuries man has been at they're mercy why because they are loyal and subservient no it is because they are weak and incapable of fighting the gods.” “ True they are but still many have tried..” “ and many have failed” he cut off the bird “failure is the first stop on the path to success.” At those words Vulcan resend so to his mind to a time he was a young boy at the forge he sat there with a crudely made helmet weeping. When along came Hephaestus he stood over him and asked why he cried Vulcan responded because he had failed it was nothing compared to Hephaestus work he wasn't gifted at the forge. Hephaestus stayed silent for a moment then walked away. After a few minutes he returned to the weeping boy and dropped something at his feet that made a clang sound as it hit the floor Vulcan stared at the object unsure of white it was it was a piece of metal with a strange shape and varying thickness Vulcan finally gave up and asked what is it. Hephaestus chuckled and said “it was meant to be a chalice for wine.” Vulcan is puzzled now that he was told he can make out a rough shape of a chalice the, but it is so badly deformed and tempered he can hardly accept it. “That Vulcan was my first ever forged item. Like you I wept only it was for three whole days I began to think about my failure about how much that cup and I shared in common how my parents believed me to be a failure and casted me out. When I thought of that I stopped my tears because I realized I wasn't a failure I didn't deserve to be tossed aside and I would prove that I would forge the greatest chalice ever. Time after time I tried again and again to make a chalice one after another they failed some worse than others, some ashamedly worst then the one that had come before it but with each I learned I grew and one day I had accomplished my task it came out perfect. Vulcan failure is merely the first step in the path to success.” With those words Vulcans tears fade and a smile crept across his face. Then almost mirroring the child Vulcan In the presents eyes were given new life the somber expression was replaced with a confident smile as he took to his feet and ran towards his supplies terrifying the bird nearly crushing it as it screamed hey watch it. He took large gulps of water and food nearly choking himself he lowered the sail and steered the Ritter towards the direction of north on the compass. He turned one time to face the direction of his island even though he could not see it and shouted he turned back and thanked the bird only it had disappeared. He laughed Unsure if hid had been real or not but it did not matter because it had given him what he needed now with life in his eyes he scans his map and compass and set sail for Geneva. And thus began a new odyssey.

Preview- chapter 6 Geneva island of amazons

#fantasy #mythology #novel #fiction

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shanastoryteller · 7 years ago

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Hey so I've loved your Retold Fairytales for some time but I just binged your entire Gods and Monsters and I??? love Styx. A lot. And I'm curious about Hephaestus and Styx growing up as best friends in the Underworld. If you could work your magic when you have the time, I'd love to see a story about them!

Styx does not have a homein the underworld, not really. She has a room in Hades’s palace, of course, anda nook in Hecate’s house. Charon has acottage by her river, a humble thing for a being of such great power, and she’sshoved her way onto his narrow bed and curled into the warmth of his chest morethan once. She darts through the horrors of Tartarus, and plays in the ElysiumFields.

All of the underworld is open to her, and she’s lived herethe entirety of her existence. But she’s yet to find a piece of it that feelsas if it belongs to her, that doesn’tfeel borrowed.

Hecate brings home a baby with no legs beneath the knee andwide, curious eyes.

Styx adores him instantly.

Hecate is a busy woman – her duties in the underworld keepher constantly moving, and she spends much of her time shrouded in her secrets.She is the goddess of magic, and there are things that only she can do, thingsthat other people can’t even know about. She is not a person with much time tospare, and babies take a lot of time.

Hades watches him often, directing the traffic of souls andoverseeing construction with the child held to his chest. Charon fashions asling, and the baby sleeps against his back while Charon ferries souls acrossher river.

Time passes. The baby is not like her.

The baby grows.

Hephaestus is a child, and he lives in a dangerous place.His aunt raises him, and she is a busy woman who does important things, and itseems to him like nothing in their home is safe to touch, that it is all cursedor corrosive or even, at time, sentient.

The palace is not much better. Hades always welcomes him,has a warm smile for him, but is too busy to linger. He walks on wobbly legs ofglass that Aunt Hecate fashioned for him, and they allow him to walk, but theypain him too. He cannot run or jump, he cannot explore the edges of the underworldlike he so desperately wants to because his legs are delicate, clumsy things.They are glass, and they shatter too easily.

“Don’t be sad,” a voice says in his ear, and he’s grinningbefore he even turns around. Lady Styx is there, smiling at him. She looks tobe his age, although she is much older, and she has black skin and grey hairand eyes. Her skin is the color of her river’s water, and her hair and eyes thecolor of the foam when it rushes too fast. For as long as he can remember, shehas always had kindness to spare.

“I’m not sad,” he says stubbornly. “Aren’t you busy?” She isa goddess, one as powerful and important as his aunt or Hades. He wants to growup to be just like her.

She shrugs, “My river knows what to do. Do you want to go onan adventure?”

“Yes,” he says instantly. The only time he’s allowed toexplore is when Styx is with him. If his glass legs break, she can carry him,and if anything tries to attack or hurt them, she can stop it.

She grabs his hand, smiling. It’s cold. She’s always cold,the same icy temperature as her river. “There are volcanos in Tartarus. Have Itaken you there before?”

He shakes his head, and in the next instant they’re gone.

Styx and Hephaestus manage to get in all manner of trouble,including, but not limited to: accidentally giving Cerberus two extra heads,devising and implementing a manner of torture for Tantalus that is so brilliantHades can’t even get mad at them for it, and figuring out it is possible to surf of Styx’s roughwaters with glass legs, but only if you’re very, very stupid and have thegoddess in question by your side and laughing so hard she forgets that herprimary job here is to prevent you from dying.

When he’d found them, Hades had given them the worstadmonishment he knew how to give: a disappointed frown. Hecate had laughed andtold them to be careful of his legs.

Hephaestus’s childhood had its bright spots. Almost all ofthose bright spots included Styx.

Hephaestus looks older than her now, a young man when sheis, as always, a child. He’s gotten quieter as he ages, his dark eyespermanently thoughtful.

“You shouldn’t come here without me,” she scolds, sittingdown beside him. He doesn’t respond, swinging his hammer down on glowing metalwith a boom loud enough that the volcano shakes with it. “You know Hecatedoesn’t like you going into Tartarus alone.”

“You were busy,” he says, not accusatory, just a statementof fact. “Here, cool this for me.”

She sighs, but cool water rushes from her hands and onto thesuperheated metal. It hisses and steams, but when the air clears Hephaestusholds it up and appears to be satisfied. “Must it be in a volcano? We can makeyou a forge in safer part of the underworld.”

“Volcanos are useful,” he says, the same answer he alwaysgives her. “I have more of these to do if you want to stick around.”

Helping him build whatever he’s currently working on ispretty boring. But he’s her friend, and it must be important if he’s riskinghis life by going into Tartarus on his glass legs to do it. “Sure,” she sighsslumping down to sit crosslegged next to him. He pats her on the head, whichshe’s all prepared to be insulted by - she’s a kid, but she’s not a kid – when she sees his lips curled up aroundthe corners of his mouth. He’s making fun of her on purpose, which is stillannoying, but is less hurtful than him treating her like a kid just because helooks older.

The first set of legs that Hephaestus makes for himself aremade of iron. They’re not as pretty as he’d like them to be, but that’s allright. He can run in these legs, jump in them, fight in them. He is no longer abeing made of glass, no longer someone who can be easily broken.

Styx is the first person he shows them to. He leaps andsomersaults in them, something he could never do before. She’s delighted atfirst, smiling and clapping, but by the time he finishes, arms out-thrown andbeaming, she’s wilted. She sits hunched and tries to keep her smile in place,but it’s trembling.

“What’s wrong?” he asks, kneeling in front of her. “Ithought you would be happy for me.”

“I am!” she hiccups, and now she’s crying, big fat tearsthat he wants to wipe away but can’t. She cries the water of her river. If hetouches them, he’ll burn. “I am happy!’

He risks it, tugging the end of his sleeve down to quicklywipe her left cheek, then ripping it and throwing the cloth away as it burns.“You don’t look happy.”

“You’re going to leave,” she says, and he goes cold. “Youhave legs, and now you’re going to leave, and I’m not. I am the Goddess of theRiver Styx, I must stay with my river. But you’re going to leave.”

His heart breaks seeing Styx cry. He loves Hecate, lovesCharon, loves Hades. But if there is one person in this realm he can truly callfamily, it is her. They share no blood, but she’s the only sister he’s everknown. “I’ll visit! You can visit me too. I wasn’t born here, Styx. Hecateisn’t my mom. I was born on Olympus, and I can’t hide in the underworld fromHera forever. I don’t want toeither.”

“I know!” she says, her breath coming in stuttering gasps asshe tries and fails to stop crying. “You’re so smart, and all the things youmake are amazing. You need to go out there, so other gods can see you, so thatpeople can see you. I just – I’m going to miss you.”

He’s a god – a little river water won’t kill him. He pullsStyx into his arms, ignoring the pain in his shoulder as her tears burn throughhis skin. She resists for a moment, then goes slack, throwing her arms aroundhis neck. He says, “I’m going to miss you too.”

Hephaestus does not want to cause an uproar. He’s hadfantasies of storming Mount Olympus, of confronting Hera, of doing any numberof foolish, stupid things. But he is not a foolish, stupid man.

Hecate has picked out a volcano for him already, one shetells fits all his requirements and is not in the domain of any other god, eventhe lesser ones. He will go slow. He will build, and improve the lives of themortals. Temples will be erected in his honor, tributes placed at his feet, hisname on all their lips. He’ll build his power the hard way, until they canignore him no longer, until Hera and Zeus have no choice but to offer him aplace at their table on Olympus.

But not yet.

For now, he builds something else, something even moreimportant.

“Can I open my eyes yet?” Styx asks, pouting.

Hephaestus’s hands are on her shoulders, pushing herforward. “No.”

She scowls. She can tell they’re by her river, in a bendwhere no one travels through, but that’s it. Her knowledge of the geography ofthe underworld is always in relation to her river. “What about now?”

“Yes,” he says.

She wasn’t expecting it, so it takes her a moment to blinkher eyes open. “Did you make this?”

“Hecate helped,” he admits, “I wasn’t sure what to do forthings like curtains and windchimes. Do you like it?”

It’s a house. A small one, not much bigger than Charon’s.It’s made of obsidian, but not several pieces put together. It looks like thewhole things was carved out of one massive piece of obsidian. The walls are blackand smooth and shining. There’s a large, round bed in the center that’s a paleblue, the chairs in a deep purple, and her curtains are a soft yellow. Thehouse is black, but Hephaestus has filled it with color, given her a rainbowtucked in every space. Copper pots hang in the kitchen, and there are signs ofhis forging everywhere – in the cabinets, the door knobs in the shape of flowers,the singular windchime hanging in her open window, even though there is no windhere.

“Do you like it?” he repeats. “I know you tend to just – endup wherever, but I thought you should have a place that was just yours. If youwant something different I can change it–”

“No.” She swallows and touches her wall, the silver designin her walls that he must have inlaid himself. “It – it’s perfect.” Quieterthen, “You gave me a home.”

No place in the whole of the underworld has ever felt likeit belonged to her. This one does. It doesn’t feel borrowed.

Hephaestus ruffles her hair, “It seems only fair, since youdid the same for me. This realm wouldn’t have been my home without you.”

They’re smiling at each other, and the tension she’d beencarrying ever since she realized Hephaestus would be leaving drains out of her.

He’s older now, almost an adult, and he’s leaving theunderworld. But he’s not leaving her.

“You’re my best friend,” she tells him, in case he’sforgotten.

“Good,” he tells her, “because you’re my best friend too.”

gods and monsters series, part xxiii

read more of the gods and monsters series here

#gods and monsters series #styx #river styx #hepheastus #greek mytholofgy #greek myth #hades #hecate #i hope you like it!! :) <3 #pitviperofdoom #asks #this is so .. unexpectedly wholesome #i wasn't trying for that it just happened

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aphroditeannexion · 3 years ago

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sing o muse

Sing, O muse, of when the Gods left Olympus The oracle of Athena thus said: “We are in a dark aeon (kali yuga.) People do not remember their dharma, the priests of old no longer walk as champions of a society but instead walk as the lowest, they no longer sacrifice to Narayana but instead they sacrifice to a dead foreigner, the one who told lies to our ancestors, who acted meek and humble but was like a disease, it killed our people. The Kali yuga has killed our priests (brahmin), we knew this as soon as they stopped caring about Vedic Worship but instead cared for their own sense gratification, and likewise the priests of our time and nothing more than glorified pederast. The bright eyed one spoke to me saying: “O daughter of Aphrodite, you who were born in Olympus who lowered themselves of their volition to teach the Aryans of Dharma in this Dark Age, hear this for We remember the day we left our home. When the One entered his play (leela) and he appeared as though he passed away, in a similar fashion to King Achilles, this marked the beginning of the dark age. Although the One has entered his creation and time and time again as a wise sage who taught the Aryans to not disrespect the creations of god, and again as a Golden dancer who taught the names of the One to save the Aryans in this dark age. When the One passed on as a great warrior-king, likewise a terrible cloud went over Olympus. We heard a voice, a voice of the one who is the king to our adversaries, the ones who we have imprison time and time again, the ones who revolt against us, who say our God is the One, and there is no other One besides him, we heard his voice. He gloated saying “look at your king as passed, just as your king has passed I will send a king to my people, and he will corrupt the Aryans, no longer will people care for Dharma or the Gods or the Ancestors, but instead they worship me, they will love me, they will kill each other for me, they will destroy history and nature for my name, for my name is Jealous. And so did my Father, Zeus, spoke to him saying “this world is not your own Jealous, for it is ours, we live in the mountains, we live in the universes, the trees, in the minds and hearts of all conscious beings, and even if you delude them with illusions (maya) they will never escape us, for this is our creation, for the One created us to create this world, but what of you? You were not there when the worlds were made but you lie again and again by saying “I created the heavens and the earth” you are a liar Jealous. A dark cloud has come and the connection to the humans has faded, even if you reign over the earth while in this dark aeon we shall forever live as the Kings and Queens of this world, and when the dark aeon is over the One, the Father-Mother of All, will come again as a great king, he will destroy your people. He will behead you and your head will be as hood ornament for the Chariot of Apollo, your son will be killed and tortued again, he will hang at the edges of the earth forever seeing what you promised him unfulfilled, and the bird you send to your people we will pluck all of its feathers, so it will not send another lie again.” And thus did Jealous send his son to be tortured and killed, they use our stories and twist them into lies, they say his son is like Dionysus, that he is a god of wine, a demigod born from human and god, that he died and came back again. So yet again does Jealous take credit for nothing. And when Our empires fell, we decided that this earth now worships Jealous, so we left our thrones, and there alone, all alone, does Jealous sit there, getting people to love him out of fear yet he never sees his worshippers, for his son says “no one has seen my father except I.” And even now his worshippers are sick of him, all of his promises are not here, they ask “where is peace on earth” when the answer is, there is no peace on earth until the fallen one is killed. They are atheist, they killed our gods, our people, our traditions, and so on and so on, there is but a single difference between them and atheist, they worship 1 dead foreign god. Both of them will get what is due according to their deeds. As they even say, you will reap what you sow. The Dark age will last for a long time, o Daughter of Aphrodite, I will gift you my eyes so that you will see dharma from adharma. Stay true to the gods and to our people, Hare Krishna.” So did say the bright eyed Goddess, Pallas Athena.

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i-just-love-writing-crap · 7 years ago

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Catching Murphy, Part 9

Warnings: Swearing, possible nsfw content, partying, underaged drinking Word Count: 8285 (yeesus, y’all really need to stop letting me write this nsfw shit) Summary: You, Miss (y/n) (y/l/n), had a crush on Connor Murphy for years, from a distance of course. You had always been too shy to approach him, and the fact around school that he was an aggressive stoner caused you to become even more shy. One day, in history class, your teacher decided to assign a project and assigned everyone a partner—you and Connor were partnered together. Could you two grow close during the project and remain close? Or will Connor go back to ignoring you after the project comes to a close? A/N: I apologize if Connor is a biiiiit OOC… ;-; Obviously takes place in an AU where Connor is alive. Oh hey look it’s my masterlist, tah-dah Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 10 | Part 11 TAGS: @saturdayschilddrivesmewild @defenestrate-yourself-please @hamilton-canyouimagine @arsonboirich @sunshinesips @philyylester @cozykleinman

PREVIOUSLY:

His sigh gave it away. He was so fucking annoyed with you, but something about you was endearing. Like, he really did grow feelings for you in the two or three days you two had been talking. Taking an entirely different approach to his retort, he surprised you with a serious sounding, “Yes! Okay, fine, we’ll fuck on the hood of my truck! Are you satisfied, (y/n)? I am going to fuck you on the hood of my truck and you will enjoy it like you always do, you fucking slut for me!”

“Oh wow… that was actually kinda hot, Connor,” you said aloud.

“That was the point,” he said, turning his attention to you at a stop sign. He leaned over, grabbed your chin and forcefully kissed you. Not that you minded in the slightest. No, you were actually liking the kisses you had been receiving from Connor the last day and a half. When he pulled away from the kiss, he started driving towards the park.

You and Connor arrived at the park, both having come down from your highs a bit. Connor got out of his truck, and you followed him. “So? Where are we going to lay down and stargaze?” you asked him.

“The fucking grass? Where else?” Connor said, laying on the ground in front of his truck.

Shrugging, you lay on the ground next to him. “Sorry, thought maybe we’d lay in the bed of your truck,” you said.

Connor laughed curtly, “Fuck no. The grass is more comfortable than the fucking cold metal bed of my truck.”

You laughed as well as you answered, “I mean, I can’t disagree with you there, Con. The soft but prickly grass is hella more comfortable.”

“That’s why we lay here and not in the bed of the truck, dumbass,” smirked Connor.

You smiled and casted your eyes up towards the inky black sky, which was littered with points of light. The sounds of nature filled your ears and you grinned widely, sighing happily. “Look at the stars, Con. Hey, look, Orion’s out!” you exclaimed, pointing at the constellation. “He’s my favorite constellation! I wish he was here year round, ya know?”

Connor smirked to himself. Of course you would like the constellation Orion. It was dependable, there in the winter and being a tell-tale sign that the cold season has arrived. “Of course you would like Orion, (y/n),” he said.

“Oh excuse me, Mister Judge-my-favorite-constellation! What’s yours, hmm?” you huffed, crossing your arms over your chest.

Scoffing, Connor answered, “Ursa Major and Scorpio, duh. The coolest badasses in the night sky. Not some dumb giant huntsman.”

You gasped, “Excuse you, Connor Murphy! Orion is a famous constellation and I love the story behind it!”

“Do you even fucking know it?” he asked, sitting up and looking down at you.

Sitting up, you said, “Duh. He was a great huntsman who killed beasts like lions and such as a means to prove himself to someone, probably someone he loved.”

Your words caused the long-haired stoner to laugh heartily. “Oh my fucking GOD! You don’t know the story at all!! That’s not the story, you idiot!” he laughed. He was laughing so hard that he held his sides and rolled on the ground. Connor didn’t know why he found it so funny that you got the story so wrong, but he did. After a few minutes of laughing, Connor recollected himself. “Jesus fucking Christ, I’m sorry but, damn, that was fucking hilarious to me.”

It took Connor a minute to notice that your face had turned bright red in embarrassment and your cheeks were puffed out. “So then what’s the actual story, you fucking prick?!” you said quickly, fully irritated at his laughter. This is why you usually kept quiet in subjects you didn’t know much about, because you were afraid of someone laughing at you and saying you were wrong. As your anger and irritation dwindled, you felt like shrinking away in utter embarrassment.

“There are actually two different versions of Orion’s story. The longer story is that Orion, the giant hunter born somewhere in Boeotia, visits Chios and falls in love with the king’s daughter. Merope was the princess the huntsman fell in love with. However, her father, King Oenopion, refused to let Orion have his daughter’s hand. Even after Orion…” Connor trailed off and thought about what you had said. He sighed and continued, feeling dumb that he had laughed at you for basically being right with at least one of the stories behind Orion, “…cleared the island of wild beasts. When the king still refused to give Orion Merope’s hand in marriage, he tried taking her by force. When Oenopion learned of Orion’s assault, he got the huntsman drunk, blinded him then casted him out of the island. Long story short, Orion was killed by Artemis due to Apollo challenging his archer-goddess sister that she could not hit the black mass wading in the sea. Once he was found dead by Artemis, she placed him in the stars.”

A moment of silence passed between the two of you, as Connor silently waited for you to call him out. But you didn’t, you really didn’t know the mythology behind the constellations and it made him sigh in relief to himself. He continued, “The other, shorter version tells us that Orion was the son of Neptune and the Amazon Queen, Euryale. In this version, it is said that Orion inherited her talent and became the greatest hunter in the world. But, ya know, fuck-tard couldn’t be fucking humble about it, hell no—he had the biggest fucking ego in the world because of his abilities. He boasted about how he could kill any animal on the whole damn planet and, in total irony, a little fucking scorpion stung and killed him. That scorpion was later turned into the constellation Scorpio, and it’s now on the complete opposite side of Orion, so they wouldn’t get into any other tiffs.”

You sighed and looked at Connor, deadpanned eyes as you said, “So that’s why you like Scorpio? Because it killed my favorite constellation…? Wow Connor…”

“What? Fuck no, that’s not the reason! How in the hell was I supposed to know your favorite fucking constellation was Orion? And go fuck yourself, I’ve liked that constellation way before I knew you,” snapped Connor.

“Anyways,” you sighed, wanting to change the subject. “What’s the story behind Ursa Major?”

Connor sneered a bit as he answered, “That’s a simple story of Zeus being a horny bastard again. There was this nymph named Callisto, who was beautiful and thus gained Zeus’ sexual attention. Callisto followed Artemis and, knowing that, Zeus came to the nymph in the form of the goddess she followed. Zeus then rapes Callisto and gets her pregnant. When it was found out that she was pregnant, Callisto was kicked out of Artemis’ group. Hera is of course both infuriated and jealous as she learns that the nymph bore Zeus a son, and out of her infuriation turns Callisto into a bear. After living in the wilderness for years, Callisto is killed by her own son, who did not know the bear he had just killed was his mother. She was set in the stars following her death. And now she stays, immortalized in the constellation Ursa Major.”

You gasped at the story behind Ursa Major. “Yeesus, Con. That’s a really fucked up story. Do you know anymore?” you asked, genuinely even more interested in the myths behind the constellations.

Your genuine interest, and the 180 from seemingly being annoyed, melted his annoyance away. “Oh?” he stammered for a second. When you blinked at him, he cleared his throat, recovering his cool. “Uhh… no, I don’t know the rest of their backstories. Hell, I don’t even know all of the other ones. I only know the Zodiac, you know like fucking Capricorn and stuff, plus Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Orion and Scorpio,” he said.

“You know Scorpio is one of the Zodiacs, right?” you giggled.

Connor’s thoughts sputtered at your giggle. “Wh-what?” he said, stumbling for a second before your words truly sank in. “O-oh yeah, of course I knew that, dork. You’d have to be a fucking idiot to not know that. It’s just,” he trailed off, somewhat stuttering, “it’s just that since Scorpio is one of my favorites, I lump it with Ursa Major.”

“Oh,” you spoke, humming in thought. “Yeah, I can see that.” It was at that moment that you heard your phone ringing from Connor’s truck. You stood up and looked at him, stuttering, “I, uhh, I should probably get that, it could be my mom.” He nodded and you awkwardly backed away towards his truck.

When you got to the passenger side door you opened the door and leaned into the truck, your lower half sticking out and answered your ringing phone. You hadn’t even looked to see who it was when you answered, “Ciao, this is (y/n) (y/l/n), what’d’ya need?”

Immediately your ear was filled with Jared’s voice, “Yo, (y/n), are you can Connor going to go to the party I was texting you about earlier? Look, I know you said you would prolly be fucking right now, but listen: you should totally come with me and Evan, and Connor, to this party. You seem like the girl who has never had fun with getting drunk in her life! TIME TO LIVE A LITTLE!!”

Rolling your eyes you said, “We actually just got finished with like, round three. I think we can take a break and go to a party with you and Smol Bean. But lemme double check with Con, I gotta mute myself real quick.” Muting yourself you hear Jared tell you go for it. Pushing yourself off the seat and out of the car you looked at Connor before calling out to him, “Hey, Con! Can you come here real quick?”

Connor looked back at you, sighed and pushed himself off the grassy ground. You watched as he swatted some dirt off of his pants and hoodie, walking over to you. “Hey? The fuck do you need, dork?” he asked.

“Oh, Glasses Kink just was asking if we were going to go to the party tonight with him and Ev. Can we?” you asked, giving him your best puppy eyes. “I’ve never been to a party before and who better to go with than my teacher and our friends?”

An eyebrow raised in question as Connor asked, “Are you sure that you want to go, (y/n)? Because you don’t know how well you can hold your alcohol. And Christ knows I can’t have you getting fucking alcohol poisoning because you drink too much.”

“You act as if you won’t be there to make sure I don’t get that messed up, Connor. But, anyways, yes, I’m sure I wanna go. Even Jared said I gotta live a little,” you said.

Both you and Connor heard Jared’s voice asking, “Hello? Are you still there? I hope you aren’t fucking her without unmuting me, Murphy! Lemme hear them moans of hers! And I need the fucking answer like, within the next hour, because that is when this party starts.”

An devilish smile swept across your face as an evil idea popped into your head. “Wanna make Glasses Kink think we’re doing shit?” you questioned, “Like you touch me and I’ll make it seem like you’re fingering me as I tell Glasses we’re gonna go to the party? You up for it?”

Connor smiled back at you with an equally as evil smirk. “You’re such an evil bitch, you know that? And you see, this is exactly one of the several reasons why I find you so goddamn attractive,” he said without thinking. The moment those words left his mouth, he wanted to shoot himself in the foot.

Luckily for Connor, you had not been paying much attention to him after his first sentence, as you were trying to find the perfect position to be in while you two had sex. “Yeah, I know I’m a bitch, Con. Now come here and let’s make him think we’re having sex,” you said.

Phew, she didn’t hear what I said… Pay more attention to what you say, fucking moron! You’ve only been talking to her for 2-3 days, don’t scare her off by fucking telling her you’re already so goddamned attracted to her yet, he thought to himself as he moved towards you. Connor found himself thinking to himself how hot it would be to fuck you against the hood of his truck now, as that was where you leaning, waiting for him. When he was a few inches in front of you, he stopped and watched you.

Your eyes flickered with mischief as you signaled for him to touch you. “Okay, start touching me, Con. I’m about to unmute him,” you said with a devious smile. Connor nodded at you and leaned over you, latching his lips to your neck—something which you actually hadn’t prepared for. His hands were on different spots on your body, one on your hips and one stroking your waist. As your breath hitched, you unmuted Jared and said, “Sorry, Jared! I-I checked with Con and—fuck—yeah, we-we’re gonna c-c…” Connor bit your neck and you genuinely moaned into the phone, “Oh God, yes, more!”

“So you’re gonna come?” asked Jared, “Also, those are some sexy moans, (y/n). One day I shall be the one making you moan like that, I can do such a better than Murphy.”

Connor growled against your neck and said, pulling away from you, “Absolutely not, Kleinman. (Y/n) is mine and if I ever see a hickey that I didn’t make anywhere on her body, I will throttle you myself. Understand me, Jared?” He was almost getting territorial over you.

“Sure, dude, sure. Whatever makes you feel better about yourself, Murphy. You know I could fuck your girl better than you. Now, this is all besides the point, you need to come get me and Evan.”

“Really? Really, Jared! I’m sitting here, trying to fuck my fucking girl and you want me to stop and get you and Evan?” Connor asking in a semi-annoyed tone. Of course he was playing along with your prank, rather convincingly, too you added to yourself.

A breathless laugh escaped your body as you answered, “C-come on, Con. Give Jared a break, he just wants us to go have fun with him and Ev.”

Connor’s eyes met your gaze and he sighed, “Fine. Fucking fine. If you want to go to this party, then who am I to stand in your way?” You nodded excitedly, a wide and gentle smile on your lips. “Okay, put on your shirt and we’ll go pick up those two dumbasses.”

Both you and Jared squealed in happiness, a manly squeal on Jared’s part, might you add. “Yay,” you two said in unison. “Okay, we’ll be at your house in like fifteen to twenty minutes, Jared! Because I know that Con knows where you live!” you exclaimed, pushing Connor off of you.

“Okay, see you then, sexy,” Jared all but purred. You could hear the wink in his voice and you rolled your eyes. You gave a curt, ‘yeah, see you then’ before hanging up.

The bright smile from moments ago was still present on your face as you jumped into Connor’s truck. “C’mon, Con! We gotta go! I’m ready to paaarty,” you said in a happy, sing-song voice.

A sigh left Connor’s lips as he moved to the driver’s seat and started the truck. “You’re so fucking special, (y/n). You know that?” he spoke quietly, looking over at you and shaking his head.

“Yeah, I know, thanks for reminding me, Murphy,” you retorted, looking down at your phone. Possibly texting Jared or even Evan. Connor rolled his eyes and pulled off, intent on going to get Evan and Jared. You really wanted to go to this party and he would make sure you did, even if he wasn’t sure you were ready for that.

Thirty minutes later, Jared and Evan were in the backseat of the truck with you and Conor. “Murphy!” called Jared from the back.

“What, Kleinman?” asked Connor.

“Can we listen to Deepthroat?”

A scoff left Connor’s throat as he said, “Tch. No fucking way, Kleinman. Not in my truck.”

“But (y/n) needs to hear this song,” insisted Jared. The geek nudged Evan’s shoulder, saying, “Right, Evan? She needs to hear this song, riiiight?”

Evan stuttered in your defense, “I-if she, well, if she wants to… umm… if she wants to hear the song… she, she can, Jar-Jared. Don’t, um, don’t force her to…”

The anxious blond’s stuttering answer left you smiling. “Thanks, Ev. He’s right, Jared, you can’t force me to listen to Deepthroat. I wanna listen to Arctic Monkeys,” you answered, looking back at the brown-haired geek.

A groan left Jared’s throat as he leaned back and covered his face, his hands slipping up into his hair as he fisted it briefly. “Are you serious?! You three are total killjoys!”

“Just wait until we get to the party, okay, Jared?” you said, smiling back at him.

He almost glared at you as he hissed, “You better make it up to me, fucking party poopers!”

You tapped your chin as you answered, “Oh, believe me, I will! I’ve never been drunk before, so it should be fun!”

Connor rolled his eyes, saying, “Meaning that I have to keep a close eyes on her, on top of keeping an eye on you and Evan, Jared. So fucking control yourself tonight. For once!”

“I always control myself, Connor. What are you talking about?” Jared spoke, placing a hand over his chest in disbelief.

“No, you don’t, Kleinman. You’re the one who ruins myself and Evan’s good time. Usually. There have been a few times where Evan’s ruined an outing, but those are few and far between, and it’s usually your dumb ass, Kleinman,” said Connor, a certain air of seriousness in his tone.

Evan snickered quietly to himself at Connor’s words and so did you. Jared was seemingly offended as he huffed, “Well, whatever! You’re wrong, Murphy, and you know it!”

You busted out laughing as Connor’s truck lurched to a stop in front of the party house. Your mouth dropped as you recognized the house. It was a friend of yours and Alexa’s, her name was Kayley. “Oh my God! This party is being held at Kayley’s house!?” you screamed in disbelief.

“Yeah, it is. You know her or something?” Jared asked, getting out of Connor’s truck.

Everyone got out of his truck and as you closed your door, you answered Jared. “Duh, of course I know her. She is a good friend of Lexy and myself. Why didn’t she or Lexy invite me to the party?”

Connor walked up beside you and wrapped an arm around your waist, pulling you to walk towards the house with them. “I’m sure they fucking did invite you, dork. You were probably just not near your phone when they asked. Or you forgot about them asking you,” he reassured you.

You looked at him and nodded. “Yeah… you’re probably right, Con. But, like, how did you three get invited to this party? You aren’t even friends with Kayley.”

“I heard from a guy, who heard from one of Kayley’s friends, who heard from Kayley that you didn’t need an invite to come to this party. It’s a free-for-all. Anyone can come and go as they please,” came Jared’s explanation.

“Umm… I don’t think that’s how it works, but, okay…” you muttered as the four of you walked up to the front door. When you reach the door, Connor pushed you out in front of them, signaling that since you were friends with the hostess, that you should be in front. “Okay, okay, I’ll get us in,” you laughed and pushed open the door. The inside of Kayley’s house was flooded with people from school and you were determined to find your friend.

You pushed your way into the house-full of high school students and looked around for your friend, Connor, Jared and Evan following behind you—closing the front door behind them. “Excuse me, have you seen…” you tried to ask a girl who was stumbling drunkenly to the beat of a song. She completely ignored you which caused you to grit your teeth. You tried asking several other already drunken teens where Kayley or Alexa was, and was still ignored.

You were going to have to find out the hard way. Taking a deep breath, you prepared to scream. “EXCUSE ME!! WHERE THE FUCK CAN I FIND KAYLEY SUMMERS?!” you screamed at the top of your lungs into the sea of people.

As soon as you screamed that, someone screamed back, louder than you, “IN THE KITCHEN!! WHO THE FUCK’S ASKING FOR MY ASS?!”

“ME, YOU BITCH!! (Y/N) (Y/L/N)!!” you screamed back.

Connor, Jared and Evan all three looked at you in disbelief. You were really loud and they, especially Connor, hadn’t expected such a loud scream to come from such a shy girl like yourself. The four of you heard Kayley scream back to you, “CUUUUNT!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?! COME INTO THE FUCKING KITCHEN!”

“FINE, I’M COMING!!” you screamed back before you shoved your way through the people. “Fucking move, assholes,” you growled as you shoved two girls into each other, not caring if they fell.

The three boys followed behind you, all genuinely surprised at your lack of caring as you angrily shoved through the people. Connor had never seen this side of you and, dare he say it, liked it. An amused smirk appeared on his face as he watched you nudge and shove people out of your way. “Wow,” he said to himself.

He had said it just loud enough for Jared and Evan to hear, too, and the geek replied with, “She is like… ten times hotter to me now.”

“I-I’ve never… umm… never thought she was capable of… capable of this,” stuttered Evan as he played with his shirt nervously. He was the one following closest behind you, followed by Connor, who was followed by Jared.

Connor’s eyes never left your figure as he watched you push a guy and his presumable girlfriend out of the doorway to the kitchen. “FUCKING MOVE! Go make out in the living room on the fucking couch, you pussies,” you growled before stopping in front of a girl.

All of the boys’ eyes fell onto your friend, on Kayley. She was moderately tall, about Evan’s height, and was the seemingly perfect amount of chubby. Like, she made it work, and worked it without it being classified as her being overweight. Kayley wore all black: a black tank-top, a lacy black push-up bra that made her big breasts look that much better (that could be seen underneath her top), and black skinny jeans. Her half-shaven, curly, midnight purple hair cascaded down to her collarbone and her thick-rimmed glasses drew attention to her hazel eyes. Kayley’s arms were opened wide, as she pulled you into a hug, exclaiming delightfully, “Biiiiitch!! What the fuck brings you to my party? I thought Alexa said you weren’t gonna come?”

You smiled and pulled away from the hug, motioning to the three boys behind you. “Well, Jared Kleinman told me that you said anyone was invited. So, Connor and I decided to come to your party with him and Evan Hansen,” you explained.

The midnight-haired girl clapped her hands excitedly as she shouted, “Oh yeah, of course anyone’s invited! Glad he convinced your pussy-ass to come tonight! You’ve always opted out of getting drunk with Alexa and I, (y/n/n)!”

Ruffling your hair almost embarrassedly, you said, “Yeah, sorry about it. I just never knew what I like to drink, ya know? Anyways, speaking of Alexa, where is she?”

Kayley eyed you with a smirk at the mention of your friend. “Oh, Alexa is upstairs getting it on with Jason Dawson! Now, besides the point,” she exclaimed, handing you, Connor, Jared and Evan red solo cups, “enjoy the party! I have beer kegs all throughout the house, some are filled with the best German beer, and some are full of vodka. And of course, the fridge and coolers are all stocked to the brim with beers. And guess who’s parents forgot to lock the liquor cabinet~? This bitch’s! So there’s prime tequila, vodka and whiskey available. If you want some, just hit me up.” Kayley then points to the cabinet behind her, continuing, “If you want a chaser for your hard liquor, we have them back there on that cabinet. And if we run out, there is more in the garage and basement. All—well, most—of the rooms are free if you want alone time with anyone and please God remember to use protection, okay? I can’t have my good friend getting knocked up at my fucking party, Alexa would have my fucking head!”

You laughed and held out your cup, saying, “Wanna hook me up with some whiskey?”

Smiling at your boldness, Kayley took your cup and said, “What do you want? We have some Monkey Shoulder Blended Malt Scotch, some Bushmills Black Bush Whiskey, or some Maker’s 46. Pick your poison, babe.”

“Give me what you think is best for a first-time drinker, such as myself,” you answered after a moment of silence.

Kayley nodded and poured you a cup of Maker’s 46. With a sly smile, she handed you the cup back and said, “Drink up, girl. Now remember, this is your first time drinking and so this will burn for a bit. Then it’ll make you feel warm and fuzzy. Also, (y/n/n), we have a special stash of fruity Mike’s Hard Lemonade for you stored in the basement. Alexa and I thought that if you came, we’d start you easy. So, if this liquor is too much for you and you want to ease yourself into this, go downstairs, okay? There is nothing wrong with putting off your first high school bender, you hear me?”

You nodded before sipping on your drink. The burning sensation smacked you right in the face and you enjoyed the feeling of liquid fire sliding down your throat. It tasted amazing, too. “I will, Kayley, thanks. I think I’m gonna go sit out by the pool,” you said and started to walk away.

Connor caught your waist and said, “No, no, no. No fucking way am I letting you out of my sight with this being your first party.”

“But Connoooor,” you whined, “I know my way around this house as if it were my own! And I can handle myself!”

Dragging you with him, Connor walked over to the fridge and grabbed a beer from it. “I don’t care whether you know this house or not, (y/n), you’re not leaving my sight for any reason,” he said seriously.

Jared had gotten a cup of vodka while Evan got a small amount of whiskey and mixed it with Coca-Cola. After getting their drinks, they waded over to you and Connor. “So, sexy, where’s a place where we can chill?” Jared asked you, sipping on his vodka.

“Since Kayley’s parents are fucking loaded, there is a balcony on the second floor overlooking the pool… but, I wanna go sit by the pool,” you said.

Kayley pipped in, “Also, you can go swimming, just not when you’re wasted!! I can’t have people dying at my fucking party!”

Taking another swig/sip of your whiskey, you said, “See? Let’s go sit in the backyard!”

Connor rolled his eyes and pulled you towards the exit of the kitchen, Jared and Evan following you two. “Where is the backyard?” he almost sneered, looking down at you.

You pointed in the direction of the backyard, saying into your cup, “That way, Murphy.”

The four of you waded through the sea of people for about a minute to a minute and a half before you reached the door to Kayley’s backyard. Connor opened the door and lead you three out behind him, all the while his arm had still been wrapped around your waist, keeping you close to him. When you saw that there were only a few people outside, you smiled and drank some more of your drink. “See? Not a lot of people out here, so you can let go of me, Connor,” you said, swatting his hand away from your waist.

Connor sat down at a table on the patio and opened his beer. The can hissed as it was opened and the first thing he did was take a large swig of it. It wasn’t anything good or anything, but it was something to get buzzed on. His eyes watched as you, Jared and Evan sat around the table with him. “So, how’re ya liking your fucking drink, dork?” he asked, his eyes looking directly at you.

Taking another swig, you answered him, “I like it, Con. It burns like hell, but tastes good and also goes down pretty smooth. I can’t get enough. I think I’m almost a quarter of the way done with it already? I dunno, but I really like it. How’s the beer?”

He shrugged at your question, answering, “It’s beer. Nothing to bat an eye about. It tastes the same as every other beer does.”

You turned your gaze to Evan and asked, “How’s your Coke-Whiskey combo tasting, Ev?”

Evan’s brown eyes darted to yours and he nervously tapped his cup. “I-it’s good, (y/n)… thanks for, umm, thanks for asking,” he answered nervously.

You smiled at his stuttering and then turned your (e/c) gaze to Jared, who was smirking, ready for your question. “So, Jared… how’s your vodka?” you asked.

“Why thank you for asking, (y/n)! It is delicious and strong, but I think it could use something else?” he smirked.

A smirk also graced your lips as you answered, “Oh yeah? And what else could it use, Jared?”

“A side of your moans,” he said with a dirty grin.

Connor growled and glared at him, “Not a chance, Kleinman.”

Jared narrowed his eyes at Connor, as if challenging him. “Oh? And why not? I can’t recall you ever saying that you and (y/n) were dating, Murphy. Just that you two were fucking, so that means you’re fuck-buddies. MEANING, she could have sex with anyone she wants to, right? Who says she couldn’t have sex with me, huh,” he challenged Connor.

You and Evan’s mouths drop and you both looked at Connor’s now angered face and Jared’s stupid, cocky grin. He knew he had hit a nerve, but he also knew he was right. And you couldn’t say he was wrong, either. “Well…” you hummed, casting your gaze towards Connor, “Jared’s not entirely wrong, Con.” You could feel the anger building up in Connor as he heard your words, the anger washing over his facial expressions as he seemingly loomed over you, looking down harshly at you.

He knew you were right, but he didn’t want you and Jared to fuck. Partially because he had not even gotten into your pants and he’d be damned if he let Jared be the first. The other half of him just didn’t like the idea of Jared having sex with you, probably because Connor was beginning to develop maybe-feelings for you. “Absolutely not,” Connor spoke sternly, “I don’t care if we are fuck-buddies or not, (y/n), Jared is not going to make you moan like I can. Got it?”

Jared groaned, tipping back his cup, drinking a large gulp of vodka. “You are a fucking cock-block, Murphy. Though, honestly, isn’t it really (y/n)’s choice?” the geek asked, looking at you.

You ignore the geek’s look and looked at Evan, taking a large swig of your whiskey, saying, “Welp… if you two keep fighting and being rude with each other, then this ain’t gonna be fun.”

“I have to, umm, have to agree with you, (y/n),” spoke Evan, looking at his bubbly concoction of Coke and whiskey.

You follow Evan’s lead and looked down at your cup, it was then that you noticed you had drank all the rest of it. When did that happen? “Yeesus… when did I drink the rest?” you asked out loud.

“When Jared and Connor started bickering…” answered Evan, taking a sip of his drink.

Right, guess I subconsciously did it when they started, you thought to yourself as you stared at your empty cup. The whiskey was good and you wanted more. And so you were going to get more. Pushing yourself away from the table, you stood and asked, “I need more liquor. Anybody else in need of a refill and wanna join me?”

Jared stood up and said, looking at his now empty cup, “Yeah, I need a refill, too. I’ll go with you.”

Connor eyed the two of you and said, taking a swig of his beer, “Go get your drinks and come right back, you fucking hear me?”

“Aye, aye, captain!” you exclaimed, giving Connor a mocking salute as you turn to Jared. “Let’s go, Glasses Kink.” You smiled widely as you nudged Jared.

The geek smiled and said, “Yeah, let’s go get more drinks.” After he said that, the two of you disappeared into the crowded house. Once you two were inside the house and away from the back door, Jared’s arm found its way nestled around your waist. With a scoff, he said into your ear, “Murphy, right? Can you believe he won’t let you have fun with me, sexy?”

“Yeesus, Jared, it’s fine. He let us walk away together, didn’t he? Who knows what will happen while we’re on this trek together,” you spoke with a hint of devious intent in your voice.

Jared smiled just as deviously to you. “You’re evil, you know that, (y/n)?” he said to you with that smile.

A devious, devilish smile curled onto your face as you answered him, pressing a finger to your lips, “Shhhh… don’t let others, know, Glasses Kink. It’s something I like to keep under wraps.”

“Jesus, why didn’t I meet you before Connor? The shit we could’ve been doing,” the geek said, pulling you two into the kitchen.

Kayley was on the dining room table, having body shots taken off her body by like three different attractive guys and you laughed. “Kay? Are we interrupting something?” you laughed, walking up to the table.

“Oh, yeah, babe! You back already?” she asked.

You smirked down at your midnight-haired friend as one of the attractive guys took another body shot off her. “Yeah, I’m back already. Connor and Jared started being rude to each other and I drank all my fucking whiskey. I need more. Can you get me more? Or am I gonna have to get it?” you asked with a grin.

A smile crossed Kayley’s face as one of the guys came up and planted a heated kiss onto her lips. Yeah, that was where that conversation ended before it even began. Kayley and the guy got into the kiss, the guy swinging the midnight-haired girl’s legs so they hung off the table as the kiss got hotter by the second. Kayley’s hands tangled into the guy’s hair and you rolled your eyes.

You turned towards the island in the middle of the kitchen and as you moved to grab the Maker’s 46 you knocked into someone. “Hey, watch where you’re—wait? Lexy,” you said.

Your best friend whipped her head around and saw you. “Oh my Goooooood, (y/n/n)! You’re here,” she said drunkenly as she slung her arm around your shoulder. “Have you and Kleinman played Spin The Bottle yet? Or Seven Minutes in Heaven? Cuz, bitch you gotta play those things!” Alexa slurred, her words jumbling together.

Jared laughed, “I mean, I’m up for Seven Minutes In Heaven, if you are, (y/n).”

“I’m up for it, just let’s get some more alcohol,” you said.

Alexa stumbled to the fridge and got you and Jared out two beers. “Here, alcohol,” she sang in a drunken stupor.

Both you and Jared took the beers, opened them and looked at each other, still wanting the hard liquor you two had come in for. “Bet you I could chug my beer faster than you, Jared,” you challenged.

Jared’s eyebrows raised in amusement as he said, “I bet you a make-out session that I win.”

“I’ll take that bet,” you exclaimed. Turning to Alexa you asked her, “Can you tell us when to go?”

Looking at you with the eyes of a drunken person, Alexa nodded and wobbled. “On your marks… get set… g-go…” she said, slamming her hands onto the island signaling for you two to start chugging.

You and Jared tipped back your beer cans and started chugging. The horse-piss tasting liquid rushed down your throat as you gulped it down, grimacing to yourself at the taste. You were determined to win.

Several moments go by and Jared is the first to slam his empty can onto the island cabinet. He had won by a landslide of a few seconds. Gasping for air briefly, he said, “I won, sexy. You know what that means.”

You slammed down your beer can and wiped the excess beer-foam away with the back of your hand. A large burp bubbled up from your stomach and you burped discreetly. “Excuse me,” you said, pounding your fist against your chest to make sure nothing else was going to come up. “Also, yes I know what that means. Where do ya wanna do this?”

Jared shrugged and said, “I’m not opposed to right here, if you aren’t.”

“Dude, I kinda just wanna make out with you right now. Lemme be honest. I also kinda wanna piss Connor off,” you said with a sly smile.

Alexa snuck up behind you and pushed you to Jared, smiling a dirty grin as she said, “Get yourself a face-full of geek, (y/n)!”

You looked up at Jared and smiled deviously. “Oh yeah, I’m gonna get me some geek, Lexy,” you purred as you cupped Jared’s face. “You ready, Glasses?”

Jared smiled and cupped your cheek as well. “Dude, I've waited to fucking kiss you since Connor started talking about you,” he whispered.

“Then kiss me, Jared. Fuck, dude,” you said, leaning towards his lips. You barely could make out what he whispered before your lips crashed together. Almost immediately, you felt one of Jared’s hands pulling you, by the waist, against his body and the other started to gently caress your cheek. Your hands immediately flew to his head and pulled him closer to you, lips moving feverishly and almost desperately against his own. Like you needed this kiss with him.

His lips tasted like beer with a hint of something else, the vodka you ventured, and for some reason, you couldn’t get enough. Your tongue swiped along his bottom lip, absorbing the flavors of the beer and strong vodka, and you hummed in absolute delight. A gasp left your lips as you felt Jared grab at your butt and you felt his tongue expertly sneak its way into your mouth. The fight for dominance was on and, truth be told, Jared was winning. But only because he kept groping your butt and pulling you against him, causing you to gasp and lose your focus.

You and Jared’s heated make-out session in the middle of the kitchen caused even, ‘GET IT, GEEK’ at Jared. Why were they yelling this at Jared? Well, at that point, he had pushed your back up against the island, and the hand that was on your cheek was now caught in your hair; his other hand that had been grabbing your butt ran down the curve of your butt to the back of your thigh, which he raised and hooked around his waist because you know, he was horny then.

He was making out with you heavily, and knowing that Connor was trying to stake a claim on you made this all the more exciting for Jared. The slight drunkenness that was washing over him also fueled his desires to do anything with you. The slight, almost silent moan that was emitted from your throat as he tugged on your hair almost sent him into overdrive. That was until he was forcefully ripped away from you, prematurely ending the make-out session. “Dude, what the fuck?! Can’t you see we were making out?!” Jared nearly screamed, completely unhappy he was torn away from you.

When your vision came back into focus, you were face-to-face with a red-faced Connor. Anger boiled in his veins and you could tell you were in trouble. Everyone in the kitchen knew you were going to get it. Your breath hitched as you spoke, clearing your throat and waving nervously, “H-hey, Connor…”

“Is that all you have to say, (y/n)?” He spoke with venom in his voice. “You and Kleinman are gone for twenty goddamn minutes and what do I find you fucks doing? Making out in the fucking kitchen, making a damn scene out of it!! I walked into this shitty, overcrowded house and what’s the first damn thing I hear? Hmm? Well, what do you think, (y/n)?” Connor sneered at you venomously.

Not knowing what to say, you shrug and look away from Connor. “I dunno…” you said.

Connor grabbed your face and snapped your gaze towards his fiery, enraged one. His nostrils flared as he clenched and unclenched his jaw, trying to calm down before he spoke. Why did he seem so territorial and possessive of you, it wasn’t like you two were dating. Having taken a moment to cool off, Connor hissed through gritted teeth, “I hear people chanting ‘Get it, geek! Get it geek!’ and so I follow the chanting and what do I see? My friend bent over my girl, having a rather heated, messy, drunk make-out session with her. So I’m sure you can imagine how pissed I am right now.”

You nodded nervously, but at the same time, you felt yourself grow excited. “Y-yeah? And? Who says I’m your girl, Connor…” you challenged, immediately regretting it.

The moment those words left your mouth, Connor was on you in a more heated way than Jared was. This kiss was angry and fast. Connor’s hand wound its way into your hair and tugged harshly, causing a kiss-muffled moan to echo through the noisy-turned-silent kitchen.

Everyone watched as Connor’s other hand played with your breast through the shirt you wore. They saw how you squealed and arched into his touch, your hands flinging themselves into his hair as you seemingly held on for dear life. They saw Connor’s hand descend from your clothed breast to the front of your jeans. With bated breath, everyone’s drunken eyes watched as Connor’s hand fell into your jeans after he popped open the button. Kayley screamed, “HOLY FUCK, (Y/N) IS GETTING ALL THE GUYS” as you moaned because of Connor’s touch.

He had no idea why he was now fingering you, hazily drunk, in your good friend’s kitchen. All Connor really knew was that he was pissed and wanted you to know that even though you weren’t dating, you were his. The warmth that swallowed his fingers was so hot that he swore he could’ve been burned by it. He pulled away from your lips, only to place hot, open-mouthed kisses to your throat and neck. “This is what you get for letting Kleinman touch what’s mine,” he growled into your neck, curling his fingers to hit your g-spot. (Which he guess because the drug dealer he would have sex with taught him where it was, yay you.)

You bit your lower lip hard and looked down at him with drunk, hooded eyes. “C-c’mon, Con… n-not here… every-everyone’s looking…” you muttered.

“You wanted to make out with Jared in the damn kitchen, you can get fingered by me in the damn kitchen,” he growled, biting into your neck while continuing working your body towards a high.

Alexa and Kayley were not helping. They were sitting there, cheering Connor on as he fingered you. “Come on, Murphy! (Y/n)’s never had an orgasm before! Make. her. cum,” they cheered.

You glared weakly at them before Connor again assaulted your g-spot roughly. “Y-you cunts are supposed to hELP me,” you squealed as Connor hit your g-spot with a particularly powerful thrust. “Fuck, Con…” you moaned, combed a hand through his hair.

Connor smiled against your skin as you moaned his name, “See? I’m the only one who’s name you get to moan in pleasure like this, you hear me?!”

An unfamiliar coil started to tighten in your gut as Connor assaulted your body with heated kisses that trailed to your collarbone and the battering assault to your lower region. “C-connor…” you breathed out.

Alexa and Kayley lost their drunken minds as they knew you were getting close. “Keep going, Connor! She’s almost there! We can see it in her face!” they yelled.

Looking up, Connor saw what they were talking about. You were lost in bliss, eyes closed and your chest rising and falling erratically, and lower lip being bitten to suppress the moans threatening to tumble out. Oh, he wanted to see the face you made as you fell off the edge of pleasure that he got you to. One last bite on her sweet spot and a thrust to her g-spot should send her over the edge, he thought to himself. Licking his lips, he was prepared to send you over that brink that you had never gotten yourself to.

As the coil was wound even tighter, you felt the orgasm that always eluded you barreling towards you. Half of you was ready to experience your first orgasm, but the other half was terrified like always. What if a little pee came out? That was the what if that got to you most of all. You were still fully clothed, you didn’t want to come and pee yourself, that wasn’t hot or sexy. That was gross. Your anxiety slowly ebbed at your orgasm, keeping it at bay. Kept it from bursting through the flood gates that was you worries and fears.

But all those worries and fears come to a halt as Connor bit the sweet spot on your neck and thrusted his fingers against your g-spot at just the right moment. And it made you lose your mind. The coil snapped as you had your first orgasm, and you loudly moaned Connor’s name as you pulled his hair.

The world melted around you for a few brief moments as you watched Connor pull his hand out of your jeans and clean his fingers of your fluids with his tongue. You died at the image, never wanting it to go away. A smug smirk rested on his lips and you cocked your head, wondering why he would have that egotistical smirk.

Then it all came crashing back. Your ear filled with the clamoring of drunk teenagers, as they all murmured about what just happened. You had just been fingered to your first orgasm… in one of your best friends’ kitchen, while drunk and at a party. You had had your first orgasm in front of like thirty people, that were crowded into the kitchen, your two best friends, Jared and Evan.

The embarrassment hit you in one fell-swoop. Despite now being drunk, you covered your face and whined, “OH MY GOD!! I’M SO EMBARRASSED!!”

Alexa and Kayley looked at you and said, “Dude, girl, why? That was the hottest thing that’s happened all night!”

“Girl, you made out with Kleinman. Then Connor came in and made out with you, then proceeded to finger you to your very first orgasm. And I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say your moans were actually pretty hot,” Kayley finished with a large, drunken grin.

Alexa laughed and pointed at Evan, “Your moans even got Evan excited, (y/n).”

Evan blushed and covered up his crotch in embarrassment of being pointed out. “W-why me?” he asked shyly.

“Because you're the shy innocent one, Hansen,” quipped Kayley with a giggle. “And you’re the one nobody really expected to get excited. We all expected Kleinman to get hornier, because he was the one making out with her. Yeah, you missed that, by the way. Lemme tell you, that geek was getting it before Connor came in.”

“If Connor hadn’t come in, I’m sure they would’ve dry-fucked each other,” laughed Alexa, leaning over the island. “Because that’s the direction it looked like it was goin’!”

The drunken Jared huffed, crossing his arms, “It was going that way, but fucking Cock-Block Murphy here decided to ruin it!”

Connor glared back at the brown-haired geek, sneering, “That’s because I told you: (y/n) is mine and you aren’t allowed to touch her.”

You blushed and still had your face covered, still embarrassed. “But still, I came for the first time in front of so many people…”

“It’s fine, (y/n/n). It was hot and I don’t think anybody minded,” said Kayley. “ANYWAYS, off that topic, LET’S CONTINUE THE DRINKING PARTY!!!”

Everyone raised their cups and beer cans into the air, cheering, “AGREED!” And thus the party continued like what just happened never did occur. Except you, Connor, Jared and Evan all knew what happened as you were the least drunk people at the party. You knew Jared would never let you live it down, and you knew Connor would be smug about being the first person to bring you to and orgasm, and poor Evan would never be able to erase your moans from his head.

But, a big question plagued your mind throughout the night: Why did Connor get so angry at you making out with Jared? Could it be that your long-time crush was starting to develop feelings for you? The thought caused your heart to lurch, and you smiled at the notion that he might be growing feelings for you. That was what you wanted more than anything. The more drunk you got, the more you wanted to tell Connor your feelings, but somehow had to sense enough not to breath a word of your feelings to him.

#connor murphy x reader #connor murphy #connor murphy imagine #dear evan hansen #dear evan hansen x reader #evan hansen #evan hansen imagine #jared kleinman #jared kleinman imagine #zoe murphy #dear evan hansen imagine #deh imagine #deh

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itsraininginspace · 7 years ago

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Greek Gods and Goddesses – Greek Mythology Pantheon

Most of us have at least a passing familiarity with the Greek pantheon and the rich web of stories that tell of the lives, loves, battles and adventures of Greek gods and goddesses.

These tales have inspired millennia of writers and poets, and even prophets of later religions. They also served to entertain everyone else fortunate enough to read or hear them.

Here comes a very concise overview of the main gods and goddesses who populate the ancient myths in Greek mythology – to be updated with time to include minor gods and goddesses.

Zeus

His name might start with the last letter of the alphabet but Zeus was the foremost of the Greek gods and king amongst them. He was also their god of justice and the law.

Zeus was not always ruler of Mount Olympus but the youngest son of the first king of the gods, Cronus, and his wife, Rhea. Zeus overthrew his father and drew lots with his two older brothers to decide which of the three worlds they would each rule. Poseidon and Hades won dominion over the sea and the underworld respectively while Zeus became the god of the sky.

The chief Greek god is sometimes depicted with a shield named Aegis, which he uses to manipulate natural phenomena like storms and wind, and to control the level of brightness of the day. His weapon is the thunderbolt, a tool he readily uses against fellow gods who earn his ire and also against dishonest Men.

Zeus is called Jove (Jupiter) in the Roman pantheon.

Hera

Hera is Zeus’s counterpart – the queen of the gods. She presided over issues pertaining to females and womanhood like marriage, fertility and childbirth. Dominion over kings, domains and empires was also hers.

Zeus and Hera reigned over the gods together but their relationship did not end there – they were also brother and sister, children of Cronus and Rhea. Greek myths tell of how Zeus forced the relationship and many tales recount Hera’s attempts, often successful, at thwarting Zeus’s plans in spiteful revenge later.

The cow, the peacock and the lion are animals associated with Hera. Her statues are almost invariably of a youthful, crowned woman, and she is sometimes shown holding a pomegranate in her hand. The Romans worshipped her as Juno.

Aphrodite

The Greek goddess of love is arguably the most well-known goddess of the ancient world, a position perhaps only contested by her Roman equivalent, Venus. Aphrodite represented not just love but also physical attraction and sexual desire. She herself wore a magical girdle that induced passions in those around her.

There are two myths around her birth – one is that she was the daughter of Zeus and Dione, the other that she was born of the sea after Zeus threw Uranus’s castrated genitals into the water.

Aphrodite’s husband was the crippled Hephaestus and they had no children together. She, however, did bear many other children, including Eris, Eros, Phobos, and Deimos with her husband’s brother, Ares, and also had several other lovers.

Statues of the goddess of love always present a sensual, young woman either nude or only partially clothed. The scallop shell features often in relation to the story of her birth from the water, and she is also seen with roses and myrtle, sparrows and doves.

Ares

Known most widely as the Greek god of War, Ares was also the deity who oversaw all manner of bloodletting and violence that accompany battle. He was the son of Zeus and Hera but his father is said to have disliked Ares more than anyone else.

He had romantic dalliances with Aphrodite, his sister, and they were the parents of eight children, including Phobos (fear), Deimos (terror) and Eris (discord) who often accompanied their father into battle.

While he was the god of war, Ares was not altogether successful as a combatant in his own right. Greek myths regale us with stories of his many humiliating defeats and he was regarded as universally unpopular among both gods and men.

Ares is always depicted as a clean-shaven, armed, youth and is associated with vultures, snakes and wild boar. He evolved into Mars in Roman mythology, a vastly more popular character.

Hades

His name might be eternally linked to the dead and tormented but Hades was one of the three sons of the first rulers of the gods, Cronus and Rhea; his brothers were Zeus and Poseidon. After Zeus overthrew their father, Hades literally drew the short straw to become the lord of the underworld while his brothers gained dominion over sky and sea.

The name ‘Hades’ had such negative connotations in Greek society that they were loath to say it out loud. Instead, the name ‘Plouton’ (wealthy) was chosen because it alluded to the wealth of precious metals and resources mined from under the ground where his realm lay. ‘Hades’ was then used to refer only to the underworld itself.

Hades is depicted with a drinking horn, scepter and key. Two animals accompany him – a screech owl and Cerberus, the three-headed hound that guards the entry into the underworld. The Romans adopted a variation of Plouton for themselves, calling him ‘Pluto’.

Poseidon

Poseidon, god of the seas and oceans was the brother of Zeus and Hades, and the son of Cronus and Rhea. He also extended his control to smaller water bodies like rivers and controlled droughts and earthquakes. He won his role after drawing lots with his brothers to decide who would preside over which of the three planes of existence – sea, sky and underworld.

As lord of the waters, Poseidon is also the protector of all marine animals and is often shown with dolphins. However, he is also credited with creating the first horse, an attempt to create the most beautiful animal in his love pursuit of the goddess, Demeter.

After Zeus, Poseidon is the second most powerful of the Greek gods. His personality in myths of his exploits comes across as one driven by avarice and materialism. He is depicted as a powerfully-built man with a thick, flowing beard wearing a bejeweled crown and holding a large trident.

The Romans envisioned Poseidon as Neptune in their pantheon.

Apollo

Apollo is best known as the patron god of music, poetry and the arts. However, his spectrum of specialties extended to healing, knowledge and archery. In addition, he was charged with the task of pulling the sun across the sky every day, which he did riding his four-horse chariot.

His mother was Leto and his father, Zeus. When Hera, Zeus’s wife, discovered that Leto carried her husband’s progeny, she barred her from giving birth on land; Leto gave birth on Delos, an island that had just formed. Apollo had a twin sister, Artemis.

Apollo is always represented as a youthful man at his prime, handsome, powerful and athletic. While he is most often associated with all manner of positive things like light, truth and healing, it is said that arrows he shoots from his bow also have the power to cause disease where they land.

Apollo himself has no dominion over the sea but he is often associated with the dolphin, possibly because of the manner of his birth.

Artemis

The virgin goddess of the hunt is one of the most empowered female characters in Greek mythology. Twin sister of Apollo, she is the daughter of Zeus and Leto, and oversees hunts, hunting grounds, childbirth and young girls.

According to Greek myths, she asked Zeus to grant her eternal chastity and virginity and thus never had relationships with any mortal or other gods. There is no shortage of instances, though, where various gods have tried to seduce and even force themselves upon her. However, Artemis emerged with her honor intact each time.

Always armed with at least one weapon and possibly more from an armory of hunting spears, knives and bows and arrows, Artemis is often portrayed in the company of animals. She is always young and lithe of form, dressed in a way that reveals her athletic build.

Artemis from the Greek myths became Diana to the Romans.

Athena

Another strong and positive female role model from Greek mythology, Athena was the goddess of military tactics and strategy, reason, intelligence, literature and a variety of other fields which require keen mental acuity.

Legends tell of how Zeus swallowed Athena’s mother whole while she carried her in the womb. He started having terrible headaches and the other gods cleaved his forehead; Athena emerged from within fully grown and fully armored. It is because she went through Zeus’s head that she is associated with intelligence and cleverness.

Zeus admired Athena and she was even permitted her to wield his thunderbolt. However, Athena is most often associated with defense instead of attack. The Greeks credited Athena with a slew of priceless inventions, including the bridle, rake, plow, yoke, pot, flute, chariot and ship.

Statues of Athena show a lean, athletic, young woman with a crested helm and often a spear as well. The wise owl and wondrous olive tree are associated with Athena. To the Romans, she was Minerva.

Demeter

Woman in her classic gentle and nurturing form was represented by the ancient Greeks in the personification of the goddess Demeter. She was the goddess of the earth, agriculture, harvest, grain and nourishment.

Demeter stood amongst the gods as sister to Zeus, daughter of Cronus and Rhea. With Zeus, she bore Persephone, who was abducted by Hades, god of the underworld. It is said that winter is the period when she withdraws her gift of earthly bounty to man and mourns her daughter. This bestows upon her the title of the goddess of the seasons.

Depicted as a sober, mature woman and usually shown with a cornucopia and/or sheaves of wheat in her hands, Demeter also often carries a lotus staff. Pigs and snakes are associated with her. In Roman mythology, Demeter became Ceres, from whose name we get the English word ‘cereal’.

Hestia

While we seldom associate the words ‘humble’ and ‘unassuming’ with gods and goddesses, Hestia certainly deserves both titles. Being the daughter of Cronus and Rhea, and sister of Zeus, this virgin goddess of the home and hearth had excellent blood. However, she abdicated her position at the table of the Twelve Olympians, allowing Dionysus to ascend in her place.

Hestia’s symbols are the hearth and kettle, making her the goddess of the domicile. In that respect, she was not worshipped publicly (in contrast to her Roman counterpart, Vesta) and there are no temples dedicated to her. Instead, it is believed that homes usually had a small prayer house or altar to honor the goddess.

Hestia took a vow of chastity and she is usually represented as a middle-aged woman wearing a veil.

Dionysus

The Greeks were known for their wild revelry during festivals and most joyful events, particularly those where wine was consumed, were considered to be blessed by Dionysus. He was the Greek god of that intoxicating substance as well as revelry, merrymaking, drunkenness and earthly pleasures.

Dionysus is unique in that he is the only immortal Greek god born of a mortal woman. Fathered by Zeus, he lost his mother to a jealous Hera’s machinations while still unborn. Zeus stitched the fetal Dionysus to himself and his birth from the king of the gods bestowed immortality upon him.

Hera pursued Dionysus even after this, and Zeus left him in the charge of the mountain nymphs. This is why festivals dedicated to the god of wine were held not in temples but in wooded areas.

Statues of Dionysus from ancient Greece depict an older man with a thick, curly beard, always brandishing a wine cup and often holding a bunch of grapes. In later Greek society, he also gained the name ‘Bacchus’, which was subsequently adopted by the Romans.

Hermes

Hermes, messenger of the gods, was always one of Man’s greatest allies in their coexistence with the beings they worshipped. He is the god of travel, communication, trade and boundaries (his name means ‘boundary maker’). His swiftness and wanderings made him the patron of both athletes and thieves.

He is often seen as a guide, leading souls of the dead on their journey to the afterlife. Myths about Hermes paint the picture of a mischievous god, always brimming with ideas for a laugh at his fellow deities. However, his nimble mind is also employed by various gods when in a quandary.

Images of Hermes always portray a youthful man, unbearded and with a pleasant countenance. On his feet are his legendary winged sandals, a gift from Zeus in recognition of his speed and agility. The Romans named him Mercury.

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Source: http://mythologian.net/greek-gods-goddesses-list-greek-mythology-pantheon/

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