Dreamer, Reader, Faith, Medicine. In love with with fictional men. 25 and still love kids shows and wishing on stars. Sometimes I am creative enough to write. Just because you're grown doesn't mean your inner child can't have a say sometimes
Luckily for you, your friends didnât give up on you. You were useless for a long time and were on autopilot. For their sake, it would have been smarter to leave you behind but they wouldnât. And you were grateful. Thomas took the role as leader and no one objected. You were mad at Minho for awhile, but you were grieving and knew that he hated himself more than you ever could for what he did. Even though eventually you came to realize it wasnât his fault. Gally wouldnât have wanted that. Gally. Your boyfriend. Gone. How were you to go on? You didnât really have a reason for a long time then Will died. You finally pulled yourself together and realized these shucks were playing a game. It was all a game while the world rotted. The only thing left to do to make any of it worthwhile, them making you meet Gally, falling in love only to take him away, was to figure out a way to defeat them. To find some purpose out of all this chaos. So you were determined to do it. You would live, fight, survive, until that day came. Once it came you told yourself you could give up and go meet Gally once again. But you had a job to do and shuck if you didnât get it done. If you were strong before you were dangerous now. The scorch was your trial by fire, literally. And not only did you survive, you thrived. Theresa betrayed Thomas eventually and you and he grew even closer. No one understood the pain and betrayal either felt except the other. So you stayed close together. You kept each other sane. Brenda was a good friend to have, having another female who wouldnât betray you. You never trusted Theresa and now you knew why. It sucked for you and Thomas to love the people who believed so deeply in something that was completely the opposite of what you did. But shuck if you didnât still love them. No one else quite understood it. But you made it through. You were survivors. Ironic since the one person who kept you going, was no longer with you. That was, until you heard about Colorado.
     You were excited to go, hoping that somehow this would be different from all the other times and it would be the key. Something felt different about this trip and you didn't know if it was a good thing or bad thing. Everyone was on edge entering the city. It was the last fortified city and everyone felt it. The atmosphere was different; more desperate. You all stayed close but knew something was happening. You followed the crowd toward the secured off gates and you couldnât help but feel like you were being followed. You knew it sounded crazy since everyone was going to the same location, but these trucks with helmeted individuals made you on edge. You could have sworn one was watching you from the truck. You were going crazy; senses on high alert. You kept looking around and knew that this wouldnât end well, but before you could say anything, big guns were being fired into the crowd and you ran backwards with the rest of your group. You definitely werenât being crazy now; those same helmeted individuals were grabbing onto everyone in your group then they grabbed you too. You kept trying to kick them away, but they were stronger than you. You got thrown into a van along with Thomas, Brenda, and Newt. It was very crowded, and you were squished against one of the people who grabbed you. They had yet to let go of you, even though no one else held onto the rest of your group. No point in pushing them off, the van was too small, you would still be touching. Looks were exchanged between you, Newt and Thomas unsure what was happening. At least you werenât being shot at anymore; at least not yet. Eventually the van stopped, and a few armed guards got out, then the rest, then you and your guard who was a little too close. You were shaken from your thoughts when you heard Jorge yell in the van then pop out having somehow gotten the better of the guards in his van. You couldnât help but smirk at the scene. However that was quickly overshadowed by the fact that you were grossly outnumbered and they had weapons and you had none. Newt, the forever peacemaker, got your group to calm down and realize that the best thing to do is comply; at least for now. That was until one of the masked individuals, who was near you, began walking away stating that everyone here was on the same team.
âSame side? Who the hell are you?â Thomas said, shaking someone off him. Everyone was on edge to see who this was. He took a moment to take off his gas mask, and then the craziest thing out of your wildest dreams happened. He took off his mask and said,
âHey Greenie.â It was Gally. You almost fainted but Newt was there to grab your arm. You couldnât believe it. There he was, not dead and right there. Shuck, he was the one who took you into the van!
âGally?â Thomas asked, taking a step forward. Frypan and Newt looked at each other but you couldnât tear your eyes away from the man in front of you. Thomas lunged forward and punched Gally, making him fall to the ground. This is what shook everyone from their shock. You ran forward and helped Newt pull Thomas off Gally. During the whole scene, you knew Gally was letting him win. No way could Thomas ever beat Gally.Â
     Newt kept yelling stop, Gally still doing nothing to defend himself which surprised you the most. He never would have let that happen in the Glade. But you werenât in the Glade. Hadnât been for quite some time. And you couldnât say you didnât change either.
âHe killed Chuck.â Thomas said. It broke your heart to think of that little kid but you knew it wasnât that simple.
âYes he did Thomas,â You beat Newt to speak. âBut he was also stung, and half crazed out of his mind.â Newt looked around, seeing that this could go south very quickly, but that still wasnât your focus. Somehow you ended up being the peacekeeper between the two yet again. It was an old habit you immediately fell back into at this point.
âYou were stung once too, Thomas. You would know better than most exactly what he was going through. You think he wanted to kill Chuck? He couldnât help it, it wasnât his fault.â You said the last part looking down at Gally on the ground, seeing the guilt in his face. You couldnât imagine the guilt he had faced the last six months. He always put things on himself even if the others thought him to be selfish at times, and you knew the torture he must have put himself through even though there was nothing he could do to fight the control it had over his body. For a moment you had thought it might have been better if he died for his own sake, than deal with the guilt you knew he was carrying.
    Newt was whispering to Thomas, and thank God he got up without causing more of a scene. Gally got up, brushing past you, rubbing his jaw.
âKinda had that coming.â He said to his group, who took that as a signal to stand down. He might have had it coming but you still didnât like how it turned out. You wanted to punch both of them; Thomas for never trying to understand Gally, and Gally for not defending himself. He was always so strong and to see him think he deserved to loseâŠit was not something you thought you would ever see; him being so broken. He then had the nerve to ask,
âAnyone else? Newt? Fry?â He turned to you and in a gentler voice he always used with you, âY/N?â
âYou know this guy?â Jorge asked Frypan.
âHe was an old friend.â Fry said, with remorse evident in his voice. Gally looked about a million different things, remorse, guilt, sadness, self hatredâŠ..You didn't know who was in front of you. What had this poor man seen?
âHow, how is this possible? We watched you dieâ Newt asked Gally.
âNo you left me to die.â Gally replied, the walls were back up, no sign of vulnerability left. âIf we hadnât found you when we did, you would be dead right now.â No one said anything, and it was his turn to ask questions.
âWhat the hell are you doing here?â It hurt more than you thought it would, that he didnât direct the question at you.
âMinho. Wicked has him here.â Newt said, you knew he was already starting to negotiate and keep the peace. You all knew, whether you wanted to admit it or not, you would need his help with the task you had been going after for too long now. âWeâre looking for a way in.â
Something flashed in Gallyâs face. âI can help with that. Follow meâ He turned to leave.
âWeâre not going anywhere with you.â Thomas said. You had never wanted to punch him more, and he had given you plenty of reasons to feel the sudden urge. But no one showed what they were thinking, and you did your best to keep a blank face. If Gally didnât want to look at you, you wouldnât give him anything either.
âSuit yourself. But I can get you through those walls.â He challenged Thomas. Everyone looked around, but you only saw them out of the corner of your eyes.
âWe can trust him.â You finally spoke up. Everyone looked at you. âYou were his friend once, you know if he is lying. He isnât. He will help us.â You said. Though you hadnât seen him in months and he was almost a completely different person, you could still read him like a book. Gally gave you a look of brief appreciation and you just tightened your jaw. Whatever game he was playing with you, whatever he was trying to hide or not say here, you knew would have to wait. Priorities were Minho, as they always had been. Your heart was already broken; it broke every day, one more wouldnât matter much.
     Following him through the building with the rest of your friends, though making sure to not be the first behind him, Gally began telling his survival story.
âAfter the maze I got picked up by a group headed to the city. They realized I was immune, patched me up, and brought me here. Lawrence, this group has been at war with Wicked ever since they took control of the city. The Wicked canât hide behind those walls forever.â
âThough they would like to try Iâll bet,â Fry whispered to you, causing you to smirk. This caused Gally to turn and give you a look you hadnât seen in forever. Jealousy. It kind of felt good to see possession on his face again, maybe he didnât completely hate you for abandoning him. He just continued on, however.
âThe day is going to come for them to pay for what theyâve done.â This was something you all had been telling yourselves since you first found out about them. He went on to say he was introducing a man named Lawrence, and to let him do the talking. You knew Thomas would say something and you were prepared. So when Thomas inevitably didnât listen and they had their exchange, you pulled him back, and said something yourself.
âListen, though it might not seem like itâ You glared at Thomas, âWe arenât here to fight you. You are a business man. You want the cure yet you need a subtle way in. You canât go in guns blazing, you will never make it. And Iâm willing to bet that that isnât the only thing you are planning on doing once inside.â You had figured there had to be more to this operation, and when he and Gally exchanged a look you knew you were right.
âYou said she was beautiful, but you didnât say how smart she was, Gally.â You looked at Gally and his cheeks were flaming red. âYou must be Y/N.â Lawrence said to you.
âYes I am.â No point in denying it, you figured Gally probably told him everything about his past in the Glade. You just didnât know he would mention you so much. You figured he probably hated you.
âYou are very beautifulâŠâ He murmured, checking you out. You figured there were other women here, but why he was grossly looking at you, you didnât know and you were about to call him out but Gally beat you to it.
âOkay Lawrence, you see I told you the truth, now letâs tell them. We can trust them.â He said to you. The irony of him using your words against you wasnât lost. At least he still thought you were trustworthy.
âRight. AnywayâŠâ He continued to tell everyone the real reason they wanted to get into Wicked which was to plant a bomb, but the details you didnât pay attention to. You were too busy trying to read Gallyâs mind. It was hard to accept that you couldn't do it anymore. You used to be able to know what he was thinking but he had gotten better at hiding it from you, but you couldn't blame him. At best he had gotten past your argument, and at worst he wanted nothing to do with you. If that was the case, you would be the one who would die. As much as you didnât want to, you knew you would have to know the truth. And fast. If he didnât want you, you would hurry and get Minho safe, then you would leave. But the idea of leaving Gally again broke you all over again. The only way you would is if you heard him tell you he didnât love you anymore. Nothing short of that could convince you to leave again. You had already made that mistake.
     Once the meeting with Lawrence was done, Gally showed you all to the room you could stay in, before you infiltrated Wicked. Lawrence said that only two could go and you knew you wouldnât be one of them, so you wanted to talk to Gally before he, Newt, and Thomas left. After he showed you to the room, he left and you followed him. There was no way he didnât know, but neither said anything as you trailed him from a slight distance. He walked through some hallways, and up different stairs, until he went into a small room. You took a deep breath and knocked. Â
âCome in Y/Nâ He said after opening the door. You walked in, and he closed it behind you. No going back now.
You hadnât talked to anyone, barely telling Athena much of what happened and you would have never left the sanctuary of your room, had Hera not demanded your presence. You had almost said no, but knew her wrath was not something you could afford. With all that in mind, you somehow had made your way back into her parlor, where you had first been told about Hephaestus.
     You both sat there a moment, trying not to focus on her intense glare. After she took yet another sip from what you thought must be an empty cup by now, she set down her saucer and folded her hands in her lap. You could see this was not for decorum, but to poise herself so she wouldnât let herself fume.
âI hear you have attempted to break off your engagement to my son.â She said, voice as restrained as she could, though it didnât seem at all restrained.
âI didnât attempt, my queen, I did break it off.â You tried to hold the icy tone but it was clear to you both you were nervous. She tightened her lip yet some more.
âAnd why, pray tell, did you do such a thing?â The restraint was hardly there.
âBecause your son does not, and never did want to marry me. And he played more games than any of the other gods on your list could or would.â She bristled at the tone and at the accusation.
âImpossible. He is not one for games.â
âAnd yet, he played the cruelest one of all.â
âAnd what exactly is this game he played?â Her anger was rising and you knew it was best to hold in your anger and despair as best you could. You had used up whatever patience she had left with you.
âHe played a game with my heart. He pretended to care, pretended like he could want to marry me, then hurt me in the worst way possible. He pretended it was safe to be vulnerable, then used that to his advantage and broke my heart in the most spiteful way he could.â You said it not with anger, not with malice, but with the tired broken shell that was left of you. You hadnât realized how deeply you had fallen for him. How much he seemed to be your equal at last, how much of your heart you had let him see and take. You had wanted love so much that you were blinded by it. And you had paid the cost.
     She seemed to ponder your words. âThat does not seem like him at all.â She mused, not accusing you.
âWith all due respect to your majesty, you do not know him very well. And neither do I, it seems.â You said in the most charming way you could muster. You hoped it was enough that she wouldnât unleash all her pent up wrath.
âBe that as it may,â She said, clipped, âI do not think he would do such a thing. Not when he seems so in love with you.â Your head shot up. She stared that steely stare at you. You knew better than to ask, and she granted you the boon of elaborating.
âWhen I first told him about the idea of this union, he did not seem to be scared nor did he run. And I have seen his attempts at fleeing, and so I would know. That was the first sign. When I had told him I had seen your interaction he did not deny that he found you to be charming, lovely, and real. In fact, that is the most I have seen him talk about someone, and the kindest words he has spoken. That was the second sign. The third was that he seemed to light up at the possibility of seeing you again, and you know as well as I, how foreign an idea that is for him. He seemed almost happy. And I truly do want to see him happy, regardless of what you may have heard or think.â
âI believe you want him to be happy.â You told her, not knowing what to say about any of the other information she gave you. This seemed to please and relieve her. She took a deep breath before continuing.
âI feel a kindred spirit in you, Aphrodite. Wanting love and acceptance for who you truly are, and never having received it. I have resigned myself to knowing I never will, that is my cruel lot in this life, but I saw that I could maybe save you from my cruel fate. I saw that you both want love and have so much to give. You both are not like any of the others here on Olympus and that is a good thing. I wanted you both to have a happy ending. And I think you both still could.â You shook your head at that.
âI think it is too late.â You tried to hide the sob in your voice, and willed the tears to not fall. She saw right through it.
âI may never have the relationship a mother should have with her son, but that does not mean that you cannot have one with him. You can get to know him, see that what he does and what he means are hardly the same. He doesnât know how to show what and who he is, not truly. And that is mostly my fault.â You could hear the agony and despair in her voice and mourned for her. âBut you both need to be honest with each other, and more importantly with yourselves.â You were soaking in every word that she said.
âBesides, no one knows what Ares did to you that day, only I do. And I think that you should tell him. He deserves to know that you did not want it. That he forced himself on you and would have done much worse if he had the chance.â Her eyes grew ever harder at that and the memory made you want to vomit. You had never felt that particular feeling and never wanted to again.
âBut I cannot force you to try to make amends. All I can do is warn you that if you do not, you will be forced to be with someone else. And I donât want to see you have my marriage.â You saw the honesty in her face and heard it in her voice. You realized that this was probably the first time she said it out loud, and that you would never see her this vulnerable again.
âDo you think that he truly does want to marry me?â You asked in the vulnerable voice you hated, the one you tried to hide even from Athena.
âI truly do. Except I do not think he knows how to accept that, with his own flaws and insecurities. He truly believes he doesnât deserve any good thing. You are going to have to convince him of that. You will have to be the stronger being most of the time. You will have to become stronger to make this union work.â She didnât say it to be mean, and you appreciated the candor. You knew she had to endure a different kind of strength in her own life, and you were yet again amazed at the woman before you. There was so much more to her and you almost wished you could be closer, but knew that would never come to be.
âI can become stronger. We can learn to lean on each other for strength. And if I know that he loves me, I can do anything to make this marriage work.â You were surprised at the conviction and truth in your words, and could tell something shifted in you. Though there was still much work to be done, you could feel yourself changing. After all, some though some things were at your very core, your very essence, you did not have to choose to be weak and afraid. You would still have flaws and vulnerabilities but you did not have to be ruled by them. For the first time, you saw Hera genuinely smile.
âThen you are exactly who I thought you were. And for once, I am glad of that.â
You finally allowed Athena to visit you, and you told her all that had happened. She wept again over Ares, grew to a fearful level of angry at Hephaestus, and shocked but happy with your outcome with Hera. You loved that she just felt your emotions with you and kept her wisdom and âtry to fix itâ attitude until the end, when you were ready for it. If gods had soulmates, you were sure she could be yours. You then devised a plan on how to fix things with Hephaestus. Your doubts about his feelings came back, but you knew that you could no longer dwell on them. Either he loved you as you thought, and you would devise a way to overcome everything that had occurred; the miscommunication, the walls you both had built so high, or he didnât, and in which case you would then know for sure and you could start moving on. You would no longer let the love of a man, or lack of love, rule you. You had feared it for eons, worrying it would never come or if it did, that it would be distorted. You never truly understood love until now; You were the goddess of love and you were its master, you were no longer going to be its slave.
Another month of the same arguments with Gally and then it all changed. Another girl came through the cage. This changed everything. The note said no more. Your worst fears were coming true. You hated to say I told you so, but this was it. She was pivotal somehow and Thomas was the key. The maze was the only way out and Thomas would be the one to save everyone. You knew it right away but now it was confirmed. About half the Gladers agread. Unfortunately, Gally was not one of them. You had another argument about it but he would not be swayed.
âGally, we are getting no more supplies. How can we possibly stay?â
âWe can make it. We donât know what is out there.â
âOkay, if it is that bad we can come back. But the maze doesnât close so how do we fight the grievers? How do we stay safe? And if we can, how do we survive without getting any more supplies? You have to see that this will never work!â You pleaded.
âWe are staying.â You wanted to cry.
âGally, something is wrong. They are controlling us. This doesnât even sound like you. I am honestly scared.â
âThis doesnât sound like you! You said we would be together forever. Why are you trying to leave me?â
âI donât want to leave you! I never did, I never will but Gally! You have to come with us! Everyone needs to try to leave! It is the only way to stay safe!â You were crying now.
âYou want to go? Fine! I canât stop you.â
âAnd I canât make you come. If I could, believe me I would.â You sniffed. You went out to find Newt and Minho in hopes they would be able to help. Something wasnât right but no one knew enough to figure it out. You found them in the council hall with Thomas.
âOkay Thomas. This whole shucking thing is about to fall apart. You have to get us out of the maze. What do we do?â You asked.
âHere is the plan.â
     He told you how it would work and that you would pack lightly and basically hope for the best. Everyone would get a choice to stay or leave. About half chose to leave, and the other half would stay. You mouthed âpleaseâ to Gally but he just stayed firm. It broke your heart. There was no convincing him. You were leaving the best thing you had ever known. For what? The choice was leaving in hopes of finding something better or staying, and ensuring no survival. Neither option was great but you wanted to see what was out there and figure out why you were here in the first place. You just would have to do it alone. You always said you would be together and you felt terrible for leaving but you werenât going to stick around and ensure death for you both. No way anyone could survive more than a couple months. You were selfish, you wanted more time. Somehow you managed to whisper âgoodbyeâ, and âI love youâ and turned away with the last memory of his face being one of betrayal. You didnât think it could get any worse. But it did.
      Somehow only half made it through the maze and when you emerged, you were shocked and horrified to see the dead bodyguards. You watched the video with everyone else then you heard him. At first you believed he changed his mind but it was naive and short lived. Gally had made it through, but was stung. That was a fate worse than death. You couldnât do anything to help him and that was the worst part. If he didnât listen before, he wouldn't and couldnât listen now that he had been stung. You couldnât hurt any more then Chuck died, then Minho killed Gally. You screamed and ran over to him. You clung to him crying. He held onto you and you heard him say his last two words, âIâm sorry.â Then he closed his eyes. You were yelling and crying, unwilling to let go, it took three of the guys to grab you and pull you away, though you fought against them. It didnât matter now, what was on the other side of the maze. It didnât matter the arguments you had with Gally about Thomas, the other Gladers, whether to stay or go. None of it mattered because he was dead. The boy you loved so fiercely and so deeply was gone. You had no reason to keep going. And you didnât want to.
Athena had spent the week with you, helping you to recover from what had happened. She had also helped you find your voice. It was time to talk to Hephaestus. It had hurt that he was the person you had wanted to run to, but couldn't. Enough was enough, you needed to talk to him. She encouraged you, and escorted you to his doorstep. She had never been this close, and wouldnât have come, not wanting to seem like intruding, she had respect for him, unlike many others. But she had come in support of you, though she dare not get any closer. Hephaestus no doubt knew you were there, what with his gift for gadgets and technology. Who knew what booby traps he had. Even Athena was wise enough to be wary. She gave you a hug and encouraging smile, and left. You turned, took a deep breath and knocked.
      Arges had answered the door just like all previous times, and you had expected nothing less. Â
âThank you.â You had said to him, and he merely grunted as he led you into what was supposed to be a parlor room of sorts. Definitely in need of a womanâs touch. But you wouldnât let your mind go there again, especially if you didnât know if this engagement was on or off. You had never taken off your ring, but despite not knowing what this meeting would bring you had kept your hand hidden, so the ring would not be detected. After what felt like eons, a door across the room opened and your breath hitched. Here goes nothing.
     Hephaestus had walked in, wearing a tunic shirt that he must have kept as an extra in the forgery, as it looked to be wrinkled and uncared for, and mostly unworn. You hated yourself a little for thinking of him shirtless. Now was not the time for fantasies. He came farther into the room, closer to you but stopped a distance away that felt like a deliberate distance. You knew he was probably trying to protect himself, but it still had stung. For a few moments neither said anything. You wished he would but realized that when he did not, his first move allowing you to come at all, you knew you must say something.
âI suppose I should thank you for allowing me some of your time.â Your voice held none of its usual charm, and you couldnât help but feel a little better at the petty comment. Maybe you werenât completely over your tantrum throwing days. He showed nothing, causing more frustration to build within you. You wouldnât let his silence force you into saying anything else. You would stay silent for as long as it took for him to make his move.
âI have been busy.â Was all he said. You couldnât stop the scoff.
âApparently. I wondered if I had hallucinated your existence.â You told him. It was true, as you were agonizing over his pulling away for ages.
âI am real, as you can see.â Was all he said. He always kept his voice hard and steady so you couldnât really tell if he was upset or playing with you or both.
âAnd why, may I ask, did you not want to prove that before this day?â You questioned.
âI didnât know there was any proof needed.âÂ
âYou would know if you bothered to talk to me at all.â You said hotly. His intense stare was almost enough to make you take a step back, if you werenât caught in his beautiful eyes, full of coal and fire.
âI figured your days were kept busy with other company.â He said, accusatory.
âI am surprised you knew that at all, given you have no time for me.â He sighed.
âI am sorry I didnât make time for you.â You were surprised at the apology.
âWhy not?â You wished the hurt wasnât so evident in your voice. You didnât want him to see you vulnerable, at least not yet.
âBecause this has all happened so fast, and this is all very uncomfortable for me.â You frowned. Â
âUncomfortable because you are not used to being around anyone, or uncomfortable because this is no longer something you want?â You dreaded the answer. This was a question that kept you from sleeping for many nights.
âBoth,â The answer stole the breath from your lungs, and you took a step back. Silence.
âI suppose I should be grateful for your honesty.â You said quietly. He frowned, as if he said the wrong thing.
âI donât have the social skills you are accustomed to, nor the suave as most of the gods on Olympus. I am harsh, and I do not know how to be different.â This was the most he had said at one time and it caused you to take a breath and attempt to keep your head.
âI understand that, and I understand that you are not used to company nor do you prefer it. I am sorry if I pushed you too much, too far to make you want to sever ties with me.â
âI did not say that.â
âItâs because you wouldnât say anything, though I suppose you just did say it just now.â
âI am uncomfortable with this alliance, given that it was forced; that it is something you do not want completely.â You were surprised and it showed, though you did not care anymore what emotion you let him see.
âSomething I do not want? Please tell me you are joking.â How could he say that when he was the one who wouldnât talk to you?
âIt seems that when I was busy, when I did not and could not reach out, you immediately found someone else to keep you occupied.â The accusatory note hurt more than the words. He did not let his emotion show often, and when he did it was to accuse you of something so awful, so hurtful, it was yet another blow you had sustained from this meeting.
âI was vulnerable, I was hurting. You knew my insecurities, you knew what withdrawing from me would mean to me, and yet you still did. I was breaking, and someone seemingly wanted to help me heal. Did I allow the wrong god to help? Yes, I made that mistake twice and it will NOT happen again. I hate myself for allowing the opportunity for him to abuse me yet again, but I will not apologize for trying to heal what you broke.â You no longer tried to hold the tears back. He wanted honesty? He would get it. If he already thought so little of you, then you would show him every inch, every flaw, there was no point in hiding yourself from him now.
âIf you had cared, even a little bit, which I can see now was my fault for believing you might, you would have known that I never wanted him, I wanted to run to you, but you didnât want me to, so I ran to the only other god who seemed to want me. No god wants me, not truly. They want what I am, love, lust, fulfillment of all their desires but they do not want me. I thought you saw me. I thought we were being honest with each other and wanted the same thing - to be seen and loved, flaws and all. But you are just like Ares. You donât want me, you want whatever I can do for you, and though I do not know what game you were playing with me, I can see now that that is all it was. A game. I guess I really do have taste for men who donât give two shits about me.â You were spent. Your shoulders sagged and you went towards the door you entered, the one away from him - how fitting. He said nothing and you wouldnât meet his gaze, though you could feel those devastating eyes on you. Before you opened the door, you turned halfway towards him, though still unable to look at him.
âI tried so hard to come up with explanations for why you would do this, but I have none. I donât want to play games, Hephaestus, I just want to love and be loved in return. It is as simple and as complicated as that.â You finally showed the ring you never took off, and looked at it one last time. You had looked at the ring endlessly, and each time you did you could see the swirling fire, the forgery, every bit of his essence. It no longer brought you comfort but pain. You slipped it off your finger, and set it on the table by the door, turned the knob and walked out. What hurt the most was that he let you, without so much as a sound or any movement. Maybe it was better this way. There was absolutely no sign of hope that he did want you, and that utterly broke whatever piece of your heart that wasnât already shattered.
The following year was amazing, Gally had moved into the hut with you and it was like a dream. You had been teased mercilessly, and even though everyone knew you were together, they couldnât help but flirt with you sometimes just to get under Gallyâs skin. You loved when he got possessive so you didnât mind at all, knowing when you were alone, he would be yours. The guys didnât get why you liked him, but they saw that you were good for each other and were happy. It didn't affect anyoneâs work too much, except when Gally would get protective and try to interfere with your jobs, but you would have to calmly, and lovingly, remind him you would be okay. Most of the time that worked and when it didnât he would either do the job himself or be around you the entire time. You secretly loved him being around and had to explain to the other guys that it was okay. Soon everyone accepted it, or at least didnât say too much because Gally would fight anyone who he thought was challenging him - even if they werenât. The guys liked having you around because you got more than one of them out of a fight with your boyfriend. The year was amazing. Then a new Greenie showed up. Thomas.
     You liked him well enough but he and your boyfriend didnât get along at all. You and Newt tried to talk sense to both of them but you both realized quickly that they would never see eye to eye. He quickly climbed the ranks and you saw that he was an asset, but your boyfriend was stuck in his ways. The traditions and consistency were what got him through the day. Kept him going. He didnât like change. This was the one thing you couldn't agree on. And it led to more than one fight. Â
âBaby, he is helping.â
âBut he is breaking every rule!â Â
âAnd he is getting punished for it.â
âNot enough!â
âWhat does that mean?â
âIt means, I have had a tough time with him. We used to have rules for a reason. Now he can just break them and barely get reprimanded? I get that Newt likes him but come on!â
âThat isnât fair youâre right, but he is helping Minho and I truly believe he is the one who will help us find a way out of here.â
âYou want to leave?â He asked incredulously.
âYou donât?â You asked with equal shock.
âThe glade is safe. We have everything we need here.â
âUntil we donât. What happens if they donât send supplies? What happens if we run out of food? Or shelter? What if the grievers somehow get through the maze?â
âThat wonât happen.â
âWhat if it does?â
âHow do we know that the outside world is any better?â
âWe donât Gally. But something is out there. And I am sick of being a lab rat. They are playing with us and you know it. Iâd at least like to know why.â
âIt doesnât matter. All that matters is that we are okay.â
âWhat happens if we are not okay? What then? Having another plan isnât a bad thing.â
âWe are staying here so it doesnât matter.â
âI honestly canât believe you right now, Gally. I need a moment.â You turned to leave your shared hut but he blocked your path.
âNo, donât leave. Are you going to talk to Thomas?â
âWhy would it matter? You donât have to be jealous of him for the thousandth time, Gally.â That was another argument you had. You never liked Thomas that way, in fact he irritated you a lot of the time but he was your friend. And Gally hated that.
âI just donât understand how you can be friends with him.â
âAnd the other boys still donât understand why I am with you.â You countered.
âAnd why are you with me?â He questioned moving impossibly closer.
âBecause I love you.â You half shouted, half stated like it was the most obvious thing. He let out a long sigh, rubbing a hand over his face.
âI just canât believe that you do. I know you do. I just donât know how I got so lucky. I donât deserve you. I love you so much. If I ever lost you I donât know what I would do.â He pulled you into him by your waist.
âI canât imagine ever not being with you baby. But thankfully we donât ever have to know what thatâs like.â He pulled you in for a long hug. You always felt the most safe and secure in his arms. It didnât matter what was going on, as long as he was with you, you could survive anything. Little did you know what was comingâŠ..
A few weeks had passed, but you had spent little of that time with Hephaestus. He was kept busy in his volcano and you were kept busy with new company. Ares came to visit you a few times and you had walked the marvelous halls of Olympus. It had been really nice, he hadnât been his usual, conquering self and genuinely seemed to want to get to know you and hear what you had to say. It relieved the stress of your upcoming nuptials, knowing everyone had an opinion and everyone tried to talk to you about it. No one understood why you were marrying him, and with the constant doubt coming your way, you wondered why you were too. Getting past your feelings for Hephaestus, you kept wondering why this had to happen. Maybe you wouldnât have gotten to know him the same way, or at all, given his reputation for being a recluse, and with your growing friendship with Ares, you wondered if this was the right choice. It didnât help that you couldnât talk to Hephaestus. You had always felt comfort and understood talking to him, but he wouldnât return your attempts to see him, and you couldnât help but feel abandoned. You were getting overwhelmed with all the noise, you felt like you were drowning. And who was there to pull you out? Ares. You appreciated him now more than ever. You had begun to see him as your savior.
      Athena, ever the analyst, had told you it wasnât a good idea to spend so much time with Ares, or to trust him given your long history. She said there was no way he could change that much and even Hermes had said it was surprising and uncharacteristic. This was a voice you listened to because he was always so checked out to this kind of situation, so for him to notice must mean something. But Ares was so kind, and had turned into everything you had wanted. Sure it felt too good to be real, but who else did you have?
     âI am just saying this isnât a good idea. You are going to piss off Hera and Zeus; it looks like you are undermining their authority. You are so close to your wedding, and you spend all your free time with an old flame?â Athena had told you, yet again.
âI am not doing anything wrong. I am just spending time, there is nothing romantic going on. And wouldnât I be the one who would know if there was?â You had retorted.
âMaybe, but that doesnât mean we donât see romance just because we arenât the goddess of love. You are vulnerable to love given who you are, and he comes in, right after he gets rejected, right before you are to be with someone else, and suddenly becomes the perfect man for you? It just isnât right.â Athena pressed.
âI love you âThena, you know that. But maybe he really has changed. And besides, you have no evidence otherwise.â
âI know what he is like, and I know he plays games. This is a type of war, war for you. War for his honor. And he is losing. He doesnât lose.â She warned.
âThen who do you suggest I spend my time with? You have been busy with Zues, advising him on the latest human war or politics or whatever they are dealing with now. And Hephaestus wonât talk to me.â You had said with a note of desperation. âSometimes I wonder if he doesnât want to go through with this union.â You whispered.
âOf course he does. Anyone can see his feelings for you.â She said, in that matter of fact way. You appreciated her logic, but sometimes you wished she would be more emotional. You were night and day sometimes.
âThen why wonât he talk to me? Why is he ignoring me? If he is already ignoring me and doesnât want to form a relationship, why would that change AFTER the union? Isnât love supposed to fade afterwards? At least for humans thatâs how it seems to work. In this moment, right now, leading up to our union, should be our most joyful time. So full of love. But it isnât. You know why?â You asked rhetorically, and she mercifully said nothing. âBecause he does not love me. He is fulfilling whatever it is he needs to his mother by agreeing to this. This was never about love. Why am I supposed to suffer without love? Hera is the goddess of marriage, why would she condemn me to a marriage like her own?â Athena was the only one you could speak so brazenly about the high Queen to.
She took a moment before responding. âYou are the goddess of love. You want passion, fire, heated romance. It is your nature. Hephaestus has been exiled his whole existence. He has never known such love or acceptance. You gave it to him immediately. It might be overwhelming for him. He clearly cares enough to let you in; you are one of the only gods who have ever been into his domain. No small thing. He has opened himself up to you the best he can. You must be patient with him.â
âBut how can we ever make a relationship work if he wonât even talk to me? Much less see me?âÂ
âHe doesnât communicate with anyone except his cyclops on a regular basis. They are coarse and unrefined. You are delicate and a breath of fresh air. He is learning. But you canât expect a change overnight.â She said softly.
âI donât even know if he will show up on our wedding day. As far as I know, I will never see him again.â She smiled slightly.
âGood to know that you still care if you do. I hear the hint of sadness and desperation for him. You love him.â Did you? You hadnât let yourself think about it, knowing you were in love, and knew it dangerous to give your heart so easily again. You had cared for Ares before when you were young and temperamental, and that had caused you great pain given who you were. But Hephaestus? He was nothing like what you had imagined love would be for yourself. He challenged you in his quiet and strong way. He forced you to look at things differently, to be more cautious and wise. To see things not as just butterflies and rainbows, like cute romance was. This was the version you always preferred, but he had quietly shown you all the aspects of love and emotions. He had done it without you realizing; he knew exactly how to say things and get you to look at the parts you chose to ignore. He helped you grow. And in that moment you realized that was exactly what love was. Not just emotions, but actions and how compatible partners should be. He was the unlikely hero, but your hero nonetheless.
     You were quiet for a few moments, realizing all of this.
âAthena, I love him.â You looked up to her, and she just smiled that shrewd smile. Of course she had known.
âYes, you do. And if you give him time, he will realize he loves you too. But he is unfamiliar with love so you have to be patient.â
âWhat if he never realizes that? What if he never truly loves me?â This was the worst fear you had held, in your core. Not to be loved.
âIt might not be on your timeline, but he will. And he will make it known. You donât give him enough credit. But I can tell you right now, that Ares will never love you like you want, or how you deserve. He doesnât know the meaning of the word.â She scowled at this. âHe is destruction, upheaval, and misery. THAT is his nature. Whatever game he is playing now, that is not his true character. He mimics you. Yet another war tactic. Make your enemy vulnerable, show that you are and then when they are weak, you attack. You must realize this.â The last sentence was almost a plea.
     You had a hard time believing this, as seeing anyone show love or caring was your vulnerability. Especially given your history with Ares, you had always been blind to him. Athena knew you werenât ready to see this so she simply gave you a hug, and whispered, âPlease donât ruin the good thing you have been gifted by throwing it away on a man you know will never put you first.â She kissed your cheek and left. You had a lot to think about.
 A few days later, Ares had come by for another walk. You had begun to enjoy your exercise with him. It helped to distract you from the emotions raging a war inside.
âHello Aphrodite, darling. You look as beautiful as ever.â He greeted, with a kiss on your hand. He had been doing that recently, little physical things that made you feel cared for, seen, even loved.
âHello Ares, you flatter me.â You couldnât help batting your eyelashes.
âNot at all, I simply am stating the obvious truth.â He gave you that grin that used to send shocks of fire bolting through you. But it didnât this time, or any of the times you were together.
âI heard that there might be war brewing in the mortal realm, is this true?â You asked. Athena had confirmed it was inevitable the last time you had seen her. She had been so busy trying to advise Zues, which meant mostly trying to keep him from doing anything stupid - a full time job.
âIt isâ You couldnât miss the excitement in his eyes. âBut you shouldnât concern yourself with such things.â He turned and gave you a smile that you would give a child. This had always bothered you, even when you were young.
âAnd what, pray tell, should I concern myself with?â You couldnât help the bite in your voice. He was unphased.
âWhy your upcoming nuptials of course. They are still on, are they not?â He turned to look at you.
âAnd why would you ask such a question?â You knew your wedding was still the hottest gossip on Olympus. Which was saying something given that the gods had nothing better to do than focus on drama.
âWell darling, it is well known that you have not seen your groom in some time.â He purred. âIs there trouble in paradise?â You could tell he was fishing, and not so subtly. He probably thought he was, however. He had always underestimated your abilities to understand more than just the latest fashion trends, and anything else a âgirlâ should be focused on.
âAnd if there was, I donât see how it would be any of your, or anyone else's business.â You stopped walking to look at him. He turned around to face you when he had stepped ahead.
âWell, I just donât see how you are with him, is all. The match makes absolutely no sense, even if Zues did put it together.â  Even Ares wasnât stupid enough to openly say he thought Zues was dumb for this decision.
âAnd what match would be better?â You countered, getting annoyed quickly. He had been mercifully quiet about your wedding in the time you had spent together. This was the main reason you had enjoyed his company, you had realized.
He scoffed. âWell you and Iâ He had said as if it should have been obvious. It was your turn to scoff.
âAnd why would that make any sense?â You had said, the facade of his kindness wearing off. You were beginning to see him for what he truly was. What Athena had warned you about. You silently berated yourself for not listening to the sage advice of your wise friend.
âAphrodite, darling, you and I have a history. I am the strongest god here, apart from Zuesâ He said that last part quietly, as if out of obligation, not out of truly believing it. âYou are the prettiest goddess. It just makes sense.â He said as if explaining something so obvious it was frustrating to have to even say it. You hated the condescension.
âA brute of a god can never understand how to love the goddess of love. You have never truly cared for me, you just hate that you are losing something that never belonged to you.â You were angry now. Every upsetting emotion and feeling he had ever given you rushed back. You couldnât believe you had let him ensnare you again. You had never said anything to him and you were glad you finally did. Even if his rage was just barely contained now. He looked around quickly to see if anyone was around to witness. No one was, so he stepped closer with more confidence. You didnât back down, even if he was a little frightening. You forgot how deep his fury ran.
âYou do belong to me.â He said through gritted teeth. âEven if you are a stuck up goddess with nothing of value in your head. You are pretty and look good hanging off my arm. And I will be damned if you ruin that for me.â
âFor you?â You almost shouted. âNothing about my marriage to Hephaestus has been about you, and it never will be. You are the most arrogant bastard, Ares. I have never been, nor will I ever, be yours.â You wanted to slap him but refrained. He had hit your insecurities and it had stung. You turned to leave, tears burning your eyes but you managed to keep them unshed. He growled as you turned, and grabbed your arm roughly and forced you to face him. You yelped at the pain but before you could say anything, he had forced you into a searing kiss. You had used to wonder what it would be like to kiss him, and now that you had, you just felt disgusted and wanted to wash your mouth with soap. You fought against him, but he was so much bigger and stronger than you so it was futile. Eventually you kicked him where it hurt most and his grip faltered. You took a few steps back, where he couldnât touch you.
âYou bastard!â You screamed. âHow dare you force yourself on me? You are nothing but a brutish dick! You have nothing of value to offer any goddess. You are the LAST god I would ever tie myself too! If you EVER try that again, I will rip your balls off! You will never have a friend in this court again! I will ruin you!â You shouted, the tears falling as you ran away. How could you have been so stupid to believe he had changed? He was archaic and an underdeveloped caveman. Just like Zuesâ prototype before he created the humans. Â
     You didnât stop until you had reached Athena. You burst into her chambers, barely seeing her through the blur of tears. She looked up alarmed, rushing towards you. You barely were able to get a word out, sobbing. After some time you had calmed down enough to tell her what had happened. She saw red, but didnât let you go. She would deal with Ares later. Her friend came first. Neither of you noticed the third party who witnessed everything.
Men use âIâm just a manâ to cheat on their wives. Odysseus uses âIâm just a manâ to kill, slay and torture people to get back to HIS wife. They are not the same.
After the party the next few weeks went by very fast. You had hardly talked to anyone regarding the wedding which was surprising since that was the biggest news on Olympus. You hadnât even had a chance to talk to Athena to hear her wise advice. And you found yourself surprised that you missed Hephaestus, as you had not seen him since that night. You wanted to talk to him, but you also didnât want to add to his insecurity, thinking you had cold feet. The truth was you were having cold feet, but did you have a choice? Did it even matter? You were thankful for your choice in groom given the options, but you still were being trapped in a marriage. You were mulling these thoughts for the thousandth time, when you ran into someone.
âI am sorry, I didnât see you.â You looked up to find none other than Ares. You fought the urge to roll your eyes.
âThe fault is entirely mine. I should have seen the most beautiful woman walking from a mile away.â You gave him a polite smile.
âYou should be careful, someone could hear you and you know how that ended the last time.â You referred to the mortal war that involved all the gods. You were still recovering on Olympus from it.
âIt is already proven, what is the harm in stating the truth?â He said amused. You just smiled.
âYou do not seem yourself, Aphrodite, might it be the upcoming nuptials?â You stiffened at that.
âWhat makes you think it has anything to do with my wedding?â you tried to not seem offended, or that he knew exactly what you were thinking.
âBecause I know you, Aphrodite. We used to be pretty close.â He frowned slightly at that. âI wish we were still close.â It was the first time you had seen him sound genuine. Â
âWe did.â You agreed to the first part, ignoring the second.
âBut then you pulled away and I tried harder to keep you close, but I guess that is what pushed you away.â He said sadly. Not in a way that was manipulative, but in a resigned, thoughtful way. It was the first time you had seen this side to him and you werenât sure what to do with it.
âYou know, this is the first time that you have seemed genuine with me.â You ventured.
âI suppose I didnât want to show you my weak side. I am the fierce god of war.â He smirked, something flashing in his eyes. You just smiled at his comment. âI would really like to spend time together again. I know you are busy with your upcoming nuptialsâ He said that part sarcastically, causing you to roll your eyes. âBut I miss my good friend.â He smiled his debonair smile and it stirred old feelings inside you. You had cared deeply about him back in your younger and immature days, and you were reminded why you were once so close.
âI would like that too.â You told him. If he was genuinely trying to be a decent being, and wanted to show you another side to him, a more loving, personal side, why would you, the goddess of love and emotions, say no? What could go wrong?
Unfortunately all good things must come to an end and you were forced back into the party. Though you had tried to stay near each other it hardly worked out that way with everyone trying to talk to you and him obsessed with the gossip. You wanted to roll your eyes and walk away but knew it wasnât an option. Luckily at some point Athena had saved you but only for so long. Zeus had made an announcement that the wedding would take place soon. However, soon for gods can mean human years, after all, they were not bound by time.
âCongratulationsâ You smiled, turning around to the familiar voice.
âThank you Artemis.â She lifted her glass to you and downed the rest of the contents.
âI am just glad itâs you and not me!â You both laughed, knowing Zeus would never force her into a marriage and she would be the only one able to get away with telling him no.
âI donât know, I definitely see a marriage in your future!â She snorted in disgust.
âThatâs what father said which is why I did my best to take the vow of eternal maidenhood. I much prefer running with my ladies hunting than even being here at a party much less stuck in a marriage. No offenseâ She gave you a wry smile. You just chuckled.
âNo offense taken. We are very different in that. I am excited to be married, but running around free sounds nice too.â
âI know it does, but it sounds like you liked the idea when Ares was your suitor.â She stuck her tongue out in fake disgust and you couldnât help but laugh.
âI am very lucky that Hera intervened. If she hadnât, I might have taken off with you!â
âThat would have been fun except I know you and you would soon hate it.â You wrinkled your nose, knowing it to be the truth.
âThe floor has no appeal for sleeping on, I'm afraid.â She merely smirked.
âYou are lucky our queen favors you.â She frowned a little at that. It was obvious the two didnât get along and you didnât feel the need to expand on that part.
âShe was the one who suggested Hephaestus.â You offered. Hardly anyone knew the details but you didnât see the harm in telling her. If anyone got upset Zues had backed up the idea and that would be the end of the dispute.
âIs that so?â She seemed shocked then amused. âI didnât know that she even talked to her son..â
âShe thought it would be a good match.â There was no reason to say every detail.
âAnd she was right.â Artemis smirked.
âYes.â You couldnât help but smile and blush.
âI just hope you remain happy. I know that I would never be happy with marriage but it all seems so fast. I know who you are and I mean no offense but I donât want you to jump into something then hate it. After all, eternity is a long time.â She looked at you knowingly. You paused to look at her. You knew it was being rushed but you were happy. Werenât you?
âThank you Artemis. I appreciate your concern.â And you meant it. You knew she didnât mean anything bad, but it was rushed and it looked like it.  She nodded and walked away, most likely to find her twin.
     This left you to think by yourself. You had feelings for Hephaestus that was certain. Was it love? You werenât sure yet. Could it grow to love? You were confident it could. But does that mean that it would last? He was the only one who understood you but your worst fears were coming to the surface. Would he get bored of you? Would you always have love and attention? Or would you be forced to live a loveless life like Hera? You couldnât be sure, this was all happening so fastâŠ.
That night Gally didnât sit by you at dinner. In fact you didnât see him until almost time for bed. You were going to walk toward the hut but he came out of nowhere yet again.
âCan I talk to you for a second?â He asked shyly. He led the way to a private space.
âWhat is it?â You asked without malice. You knew that he was a complicated person and whether or not you were mad, you couldn't show it otherwise he would never open up.
âI wanted to apologize for today. I shouldnât have yelled at you. I was worried for you and I got scared you would get hurt, then you fellâŠ.â He let out a breath.
âI am sorry that I scared you. I just wanted to fix something and show you that I can do the job. I am not very strong or overly handy with the tools and this was something I could do so I wanted to help. I knew it wasnât very safe but I knew I could do it.â
âAnd I appreciate that. But there are plenty of projects you can help with like that which wonât require you to do anything too dangerous. I canât have you getting hurt. Not on my watch.â
âThat wouldnât look good for a keeper if one of their people got hurt, I get it.â You mused, trying not to sound hurt.
âWhat? I mean yes that wouldnât look good but I could give a shuck about that. I canât let you get hurt, that terrified me today. The very idea that you could even potentially get hurt, I just panicked.â You saw the fear on his face and you couldnât help but smile.
âCareful Gally, someone might think you care.â You teased softly.
âI do care.â It was your turn to be shocked. âYou are my friend, right?â He asked so hopefully it almost broke you.
âOf course we are friends, Gally. Good friends I hope.â You both let out a sigh of relief.
âI really am sorry.â
âI forgive you Gally. I hope you can forgive me too.â
âOf course,â He said quickly.
âIt really is sweet that you care so muchâ You said without any trace of teasing.
âI do care. A lot. And that scares me too.â He said, brushing a piece of your hair out of your face, his hand lingering on your skin.
âI care a lot too. And it is scary, but that doesnât mean we have to be scared.â You whispered. He just looked at you, then your lips. You held your breath as he leaned in. You did too. So close, then,
âI am glad you are okay and we are okay.â You were disappointed that he didnât kiss you, but you knew that he needed to figure out his feelings as he moved slowly and didnât know how to let people in. But you would wait. He was worth it.
A month later, you had figured out a routine; you helped the builders but that wasnât your job. In fact you were more like a floater helping out wherever needed you most. You mostly stayed with the builders but not permanently not wanting to give Gally a heart attack so you would help Newt or Frypan or whoever else depending. You liked moving around as you liked hanging out with your friends. The month flew by, and you and Gally were friends but nothing else happened. It was hard but you knew if he wanted to make a move he would and it would have to be him to initiate. You would just be ready whenever he did.
Another month, another Greenie. The poor kid was terrified and it reminded you of your first day. You helped Newt show him around though you noticed Gally didnât like it. He never said anything but you had gotten to know him well enough to read him. That night the poor Greenie didnât know what hit him. Literally. It was his turn to fight Gally. You encouraged him, telling him you had done it too. He seemed surprised at that. Inevitably Gally won, and he came up to you immediately after. Your opinion was the only one he cared about. You knew he would win, and when you handed him his glass of his special drink, you âcheersedâ him.
âCongratulationsâ
âPoor kid isnât that big. Hope he can make it.â
âHe seems sweet.â Gally bristled at that.
âStill small and not that strong. You have to be tough here.â
âThatâs true, but no one bet I would make it, and I am surviving.â
âYeah but you are strong.â
âAnd I made friends with the right people.â You bumped against his arm. He just blushed at that.
âTrue. You wouldnât have made it without meâ You just rolled your eyes.
âWow, and heâs humble too.â He just laughed and somehow you ended up with your arm around his waist and his around your shoulders. You couldnât say that you hated the development.
âI canât say that I am happy that I taught you how to joke around.â You said, looking up at him. He just smirked and leaned down to whisper in your ear.
âYou know you love it.â It sent chills down your spine.
âHey love birds! Give it a rest for two minutes, would you?â Minho shouted from across the fire, causing everyone to look at you both. Your cheeks turned red and you turned into him, as a safe place. You had no idea just how much he loved that. To prove that, he pulled you closer and said,
âYouâre just jealous, Minho! Besides, we would probably have a lot of girls coming, you just scare them all awayâ The boys all laughed at that, probably too hard, as they all had had a few jars full of Gallyâs concoction. He held you close and whispered in your ear. âWant to get out of here? I need to show you something.â You just looked up at him and gave a confused smile. He smiled confidently, and pulled you away, grabbing your hand and never letting go.
You neared the hut where everyone slept but he stopped you.
âYou have to close your eyes.â You just looked at him skeptically. âTrust me?â He asked, stepping closer.
âAlways.â You looked at him. He blushed and had you turn back around. He then covered your eyes and walked you the rest of the way.
âOkay you can open your eyes.â You opened them and saw that there was a building you haven't seen before.
âIs this the secret project you have been working on?â You asked, turning around to face him. He just looked at you sheepishly.
âYes.â
âYou finished?â You asked, getting excited.
âYes. Want to see the inside?â You lit up and grabbed his hand, walking inside.
âWow, it's beautiful!â You said, seeing the small room that was a mini house. It had a bed, bathroom, and small amenities. âYou have been working so hard on it. It turned out amazing!â You said turning back around to see him.
âYou really like it?â
âI do! Itâs beautiful. And you worked so hard on it.â He had been working after hours on a secret project for the month and had gotten some of the other builders to help, but no one would tell you what the project was.
âI wanted it to be nice. And I wanted you to like it.â
âIt is, and I do.â
âGood. Because itâs for you.â You stopped. He looked nervous, but you had heard him right.
âAre you serious?â You couldnât believe it.
âYou needed a space away from all the other guys.â He placed a protective hand around your waist. This had been a topic for awhile. You had gotten a space in the corner but it was far from perfect.
âSo you built me my own space?â You wanted to cry.
âYes,â He said, blushing. You just grabbed onto him and hugged him tightly. It wasnât your first hug, but it was the most special. He held you back just as tightly, afraid it wasnât real.
âI canât believe it. Thank you so much, I donât deserve this. Or you.â You said the last part with a blush.
âOther way around sweetheart.â You looked up into his eyes at the nickname. Neither said anything, you just held his face and he held your waist. After a moment he leaned in, and you held still, not wanting to scare him away again. He got close then whispered.
âI wanted to give you something. Show you that I care. I know that I donât come across well, that I seem tough and that I donât have feelings but the thing is, with you, I have too many. I really care about you.â This was the most open and honest he had been and you were so thankful.
âI donât need anything, but I appreciate it. You are a person who has feelings like everyone else. I might be the only person who knows that but I do. Like I said, I donât need anything, I just need you.â With that he closed the distance and kissed you. It was amazing. Definitely worth the wait.
Zeus had decided to throw a party to announce the engagement, to which Hephaestus greatly protested. You had thought he would almost cancel the wedding due to his disagreement with the party, but you had convinced him that once you had the party, and the very public wedding, he would be free to go back to his work, uninterrupted save by you. You had decided to walk in together, once the party had begun so that everyone would see. This would cause a stir forcing Zues to make his announcement. You both knew how much he liked to drag things on for the dramatic flair.
The party day arrived and you both were nervous. He had cleaned up, putting on a nice suit, not hiding behind his cloak. You had appreciated that he didnât cut his hair, you liked the length, how it fell to his shoulders, dark and beautiful. He caught you staring with an amused eyebrow raised. You blushed.
âYou look very handsome tonight.â
âWell I am getting engaged.â You laughed.
âYou are already engaged.â
âAm I? I donât remember asking.â You gave him a confused look. He just smirked.
âWhat is that supposed to mean?â He just grabbed your arm, tucking it into his.
âLetâs go. We wouldnât want to be late to our own party.â He led you up the stairs to the doors.
âIâm sure you would hate missing out on a big event.â You teased, rolling your eyes causing that elusive smile to form on his face. You loved to see it, especially to be the reason it was there.
You both took a deep breath and entered the big hall. All eyes were on you, well, all eyes on your intertwined arms. You both kept your faces stoic and focused on walking to the base of Zues and Heraâs thrones. Zeus had a devilish grin and Hera had on a tight but approving smile. It was more than you thought you would get.
âWelcome, Hephaestus, Aphrodite. We were wondering if you would make it.â Zeus said, slightly irritated but appreciating a grand entrance. He stood in between you both as the crowd gathered around.
âWelcome gods and goddesses, I am sure you are wondering what the surprise party is for. Well wait no longer!â He then went on about something you werenât paying attention to, trying to subtly look at Hephaestus and find your friend, Athena.
âAnd it is with pleasure that I announce the union of Hephaestus and Aphrodite!â The crowd was shocked into silence for a moment but quickly came to their senses knowing they needed to cheer. It was a bad idea to not seem like they approved the word of the king of the gods. At this time you caught Athenaâs smile and she was very encouraging in her applause and approval. You slightly smiled, knowing it was your place to appear stoic for now. Zeus joined your hand with Hephaestus and you instantly felt calm. He had that effect on you. You slightly squeezed his hand and he reciprocated, and you could feel some tension leave him. When you walked down he never let go of your hand, though you got interrupted by the crowd showing congratulations. As much as you tried, you couldnât hold his hand forever, as the crowd moved you two away, but you knew that you would find him as soon as you could. Athena had been very excited and you had talked for a while until Hera had come up to you.
âCongratulationsâ She smiled.
âThank you, my queen.â You bowed, showing the proper protocol.
âIt seems almost everyone is taking it well.â She mused. You frowned slightly.
âAlmost everyone?â You werenât naive to think everyone would be overjoyed, everyone would have an opinion.
âJust remember, no matter what you do, everyone is watching, you canât escape notice. The trick is to do the best thing for everyone so that war can be avoided. We are fickle creatures.â
âHence my betrothal in the first place.â She smiled wryly.
âPrecisely. But remember, just because this marriage will be blessed, does not mean others will not want to harm you.â As if on cue, Ares made his way over. âJust be careful.â She whispered the last as he came over and barely bowed to her. Very rude and unacceptable but would be accepted as Zeus would not do anything if he knew. You were upset for her.
âMy lady.â He said to Hera.
âHmmâ was all the acknowledgement she gave.
âAphrodite.â He turned to you.
âAresâ Was all you gave him.
âMight we talk?â He was upset.
âWe are talking.â You tried to sound as pleasant as you could, speaking with great charm.
âI meant alone.â He was lucky that another god had come to talk to Hera, as that statement alone was bold enough to incite violence.
âWhat is it that you need?â You continued speaking with charm, knowing it would calm him down, at least a little.
âYou are engaged.â
âYes.â
âTo Hephaestus of all gods.â
âYes.â
âWhat on Olympus possessed you to do that? Are you that unwell?â Now you were upset.
âWhatever do you mean? This was arranged by the king and queen.â knowing that would knock him down a peg, and it did. A short lived victory.
âBut I had offered my hand, surely you knew that.â
âI had heard, yes.â
âSo what is the problem?â He was confused, upset, and his ego bruised. You knew you had to be careful.
âThere is no problem, Ares. There doesnât need to be a problem.â You stared pointedly. âPlease enjoy your night. And I will enjoy mine.â You made to move, but he grabbed your arm, forcing you to look at him.
âThis isnât over.â He said, threateningly. You steeled yourself.
âIf you have a problem, bring it up with Zeus. He is the one who approved the match.â You yanked your arm away, only to stagger into a very strong, solid chest. Arms wrapped around you to steady you, and you immediately relaxed, knowing who your savior was. You looked up at him only to find him and Ares staring at each other. The fire in the eyes of your betrothed returned, but different; in a way you knew could start a war. You just grabbed his hand and led him away. He pulled you outside, near a beautiful arrangement of flowers. You knew Demeterâs, or perhaps Persephoneâs, hand was here.
He had placed your back into the corner, hiding yourselves behind the flowers.
âAre you alright?â he asked, intensely, not mad at you.
âYes. I knew Ares wouldnât be happy, but I never expected him to lay hands on me. I am unsure now whether it is a good idea to be around him in the future.â
âIt is never a good idea to be around him.â You just released a sigh.
âItâs a good thing I am not marrying him then.â You looked up at him and his eyes softened.
âIt is a good thing for me.â This caused you to blush.
âI must ask you something.â He seemed a little nervous.
âWhat is it?â You were confused.
âWell, this whole arrangement is backwards.â
âWhat do you mean?â
âMen still go to each other to arrange a betrothal, but we are gods. Zeus did not ask anyone for permission to marry Hera, neither did Poseidon. And I doubt Hades will if he ever marries.â
âWhat are you saying?â You asked softly.
âI am saying, as the son of a queen, I should be able to ask my intended goddess to marry me.â Your mouth fell agape.
âEven shocked you are beautiful.â He said so softly you almost didnât hear him. He then grabbed your hand and got down on one knee. âThis is the way the humans have proposed, and I think it a nice idea.â You continued to stare at him, unsure what to say.
âWe didnât have a choice, really. We are asked but not in a way where there was a choice.â at this you frowned. âHowever, I know my choice, and this way we can do it properly, in a way that is our choice. To that end, will you marry Aphrodite? Knowing you have a choice.â His smile held fear behind it. You thought it was so sweet that he would be nervous, knowing your answer no matter the circumstances. He then pulled out the most ornate ring you had ever seen. It somehow combined volcanic ash, no doubt from his mountain, and yet was so dainty and elegant, everything you stood for. The rock in the middle was both diamond and swirls of fire. You could tell he had put a lot of thought and effort into this. It touched you deeply.
âOh Hephaestusâ You murmured. You just stared at it. The kindest gesture anyone had ever done.
âWill you give me an answer, Aphrodite?â He said kindly, reminding you that he even asked a question. You then looked into his eyes, the fire there matching your ring.
âYes, of course I will!â You practically squealed. He chuckled. The most melodious sound, you thought. He put the ring on your finger and picked you up, twirling you around. You just clung to him.
âYou have no idea how much that means to me, really. No one has ever been kinder.â You hoped your facial expression showed him just how much you meant it.
âYou deserve every nice thing.â He stated meekly.
âAnd this ring! It is wonderful! How did you ever come up with the design? It must have taken you a long time to make, and you didnât even have to!â You gushed. He blushed.
âI figured you should have something as beautiful as you. To show that we want this and are not being forced.â You melted, knowing he was listening to you that this was a fear of yours. âI thought it combined a little of both of us, beauty and fire.â
âYou put a lot of thought into this. It means so much.â You told him.
âYou deserve much more than that, but it is a start.â He shrugged. You cupped his cheeks.
âYou are amazing. Too good for me.â He melted into your touch.
âIt is the other way around, but I am glad you think so.â
âI am so thankful I ran into you that night.â
âMe too.â He confessed. And with that, he leaned down, wrapping you in his arms placing a soft kiss on your lips. For someone so hard, you were surprised how soft he was being with you. It made you feel something almost foreign knowing he chose to let his walls down for you. Now to be worthy of his vulnerability. For now you focused on the most amazing kiss two beings of any kind ever gave each other. And as the goddess of love, you knew this to be true.
Summary: Gally took a liking to you immediately when you arrived though he would never admit it. You knew there was something about him that intrigued you too, but you didnât think he would ever feel the same, so there is no reason to admit your feelings either..right?
How often Patroclus wants to feel like he is making Achilles proud completely unaware that he already is, untill that will to prove himself claims his life.
To those who look at the stars and wish @mysticaldeanvoidhorse - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag
