insert an epigram for awkwardness here (2/2)
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part one |
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Jongin's fails to contact Kyungsoo a week after Junmyeon's warning. He spends the entire time trying to figure out ways to make Kyungsoo immortal so they may be together forever, but it's rather disheartening when there are only three ways of accomplishing this:
1.) Drink from the Fountain of Youth once every 500 years. [The Fountain of Youth is too hard, even for a god, to find and return to repeatedly.]
2.) Become an epic hero. [Even this was hard, seeing as how Hercules, as epic as he was, wasn't even granted immortality. And he was half-god, too! Plus, these days, there are barely any journeys to go on. Apparently all the bad guys now put on suits and hide behind numbers instead of swords these days.]
3.) Become a god. [And as ridiculous as it sounds, this is the plan Jongin is aiming for right now.]
Back in the B.C. days, it was much easier to be a god. After all, all you had to do was master an emotion and voila! You are the god of it! But now, there seems to be a god of everything.
Hell, Jongin thinks there's even a God of Fluffy Blankets. Not just blankets - fluffy ones in particular only.
He wonders if there's a God of Squishiness. Kyungsoo would fit that role well. (There is, to Jongin's chagrin. He doesn't think anyone could beat Kyungsoo's squishiness.)
That's not the only problem, though - how is Jongin going to tell Kyungsoo? "I've been missing the past few days because I've been trying to make you a god?" Talk about sounding obsessed.
Not to mention Kyungsoo doesn't even know Jongin's a Greek god.
Jongin bangs his head against the cave's wall. Love is a lot harder than he thought.
-
When Jongin finally agrees to meet Kyungsoo in front of the coffee shop near the restaurant they had their first "date" at, his heart almost breaks when he sees the droop of Kyungsoo's eyes.
"Did you rest?" Jongin asks as soon as they meet. "You look tired."
Kyungsoo smiles weakly at that. "Yeah. I've just been worried about you. You haven't been returning my texts... I thought something might have happened."
Jongin's heart clenches. While he was worrying about Kyungsoo, Kyungsoo was worrying about him. Love is a funny thing. "I'm sorry," he murmurs, taking Kyungsoo's hand. The weather's been getting colder these days, and he notices Kyungsoo's forgotten his gloves. He wraps his hands around Kyungsoo's and blows warm air on them. "I was busy."
"I figured," Kyungsoo mumbles, and Jongin glances at him. He still seems sad.
"What's wrong?" Jongin asks, and Kyungsoo looks at him, biting at his lower lip.
"I don't know, this is stupid but... I feel like you're hiding something from me," Kyungsoo murmurs, and Jongin can only sigh. He can't really hide anything from Kyungsoo apparently.
"I need to tell you something, Kyungsoo." He tugs at Kyungsoo to follow him to a more secluded area - an alleyway. It's not very pleasant to look at, but it's secluded enough.
"What is it?" Kyungsoo asks, frowning. It must be serious if Jongin has to drag him into a disgustingly dirty alleyway full of rats and trash to tell him.
"You know I don't ever want to lie to you, right?" Jongin starts. Kyungsoo nods slowly, and Jongin takes a deep breath and continues. "Well, there's one thing I didn't... mention earlier." He lets out a long breath, preparing himself for this.
"I think I know."
"Wait, what?" That's not possible! How would Kyungsoo figure out Jongin's a Greek god? Aside from the tattoos in Greek, and the occasional weird-glowing effect, Jongin thinks he's been pretty good at acting human.
"You're a drop-out, aren't you?" Kyungsoo whispers, and Jongin's eyes widen. Well, apparently he has been good at acting human - like a dropout human.
"What."
"I mean, I don't judge!" Kyungsoo immediately says. "Sure, I think school is the path to success, but I mean there were successful drop-outs! Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, etcetera! I love you for you!"
Jongin blinks.
"But if you ever want to return to school, it's not too late either. I could help you! We could have study sessions, prepare you for-"
"I'm not a drop-out," Jongin finally says, and Kyungsoo quiets, a flush settling on his cheeks now.
"Oh."
"Yeah."
"Sorry," he mumbles in embarrassment, and honestly, he's too adorable and perfect for Jongin to be upset at. Even if it was somewhat upsetting that Kyungsoo thought he was a drop-out. As a geek, Kyungsoo doesn't have a very nice outlook on drop-outs unfortunately. Then again, it's flattering that he stayed with Jongin despite his opinion.
"It's okay," Jongin assures him with a smile.
"So what is it?" Kyungsoo asks expectantly, looking up at him with wide eyes.
The words get stuck in Jongin's throat. He's afraid Kyungsoo will go running out of the alleyway, out of his life. Jongin doesn't even know how he'd go on without Kyungsoo, who's carved into his bones, into his soul, into his story.
"I don't know how else to say it, so I'll just... say it," Jongin sighs, one hand on Kyungsoo's arm and the other playing with the hem of his shirt. "Kyungsoo, I'm a god."
Kyungsoo stares at him for a long moment, and Jongin's mind races. Was that too blunt? Was that not blunt enough? Did Jongin's breath smell? Did-
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA."
Jongin watches in horror as Kyungsoo falls to the ground, hunched over laughing. He's never seen Kyungsoo laugh so hard before, and he wonders if he's suffering from a nervous breakdown.
"Kyungsoo..." Jongin places a hand on Kyungsoo's back nervously.
"A GOD!" Kyungsoo laughs obnoxiously, wiping a tear. "Oh, Jongin, I know you're good-looking and all - maybe even godly so, if you want - but to say you're an actual god?" Kyungsoo lets out a long laugh, and Jongin flinches.
"But I am!" Jongin insists, frowning. "Kyungsoo! Hey, Kyungsoo! Aish, stop laughing for a moment and hear me out please!" There's a sense of urgency in Jongin's voice that stops Kyungsoo in his tracks. When he sees the seriousness in Jongin's eyes, Kyungsoo's laughter dies and his smile fades.
Kyungsoo sighs, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "Okay, fine... supposing you are a god-"
"A Greek god," Jongin corrects.
Kyungsoo blinks. "Greek god," he repeats in a low murmur. "Oh my God," Kyungsoo breathes out, and he starts backing away. "Greek god. They-you-"
"Wait, Kyungsoo, what's wrong-"
"A lot of things!" Kyungsoo exclaims, frowning. "You're a Greek god, first of all! That-that's just mythology! It's not real!"
"You studied it," Jongin mumbles. "You know it could be real... I'm real." He murmurs the last part quietly, but Kyungsoo catches it.
"Fine, say you are a Greek god! That means I'm just-just another play toy of yours!" Kyungsoo exclaims, and his bottom lip starts to quiver. Jongin feels his heart breaking as Kyungsoo's eyes glaze over.
"No!" Jongin insists, taking a step forward as Kyungsoo takes a step back. "Kyungsoo, I promise it's not like that. I don't do that-"
"Yeah right!" Kyungsoo laughs bitterly, and Jongin flinches at the crack in Kyungsoo's voice. "I studied them, remember?" he hisses. "They were known for their affairs! Hell, I bet you have five different other playmates right now!"
"NO!" Jongin exclaims. "Kyungsoo, you're the only one-"
"What are you? The God of Deceit?" Kyungsoo mocks, backing up into a wall. The tears are now streaming down his face, and Jongin feels a shiver running up his spine. He caused those tears.
"No, Kyungsoo. I'm... ah, it's kind of embarrassing-"
"Embarrassing for you?! I'm the one who was used!" Kyungsoo yells, falling to the ground. He's shaking, and Jongin can't take it anymore. He rushes over and wraps his arms around Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo doesn't even bother fighting; he's too crushed.
"I'm the God of Awkwardness, Kyungsoo," Jongin sighs into Kyungsoo's neck. He hears the sniffles stop. "I don't really... talk to humans. It gets awkward."
He thinks he hears Kyungsoo chuckle quietly, and he smiles slightly. "You're my first ever... human love." He pauses to think about it, and laughs softly. "I think you're my first ever love period," he murmurs quietly into Kyungsoo's ear.
"Why should I believe you," Kyungsoo mumbles, finally looking up. His eyes are red, and his nose is all snotty, but Jongin could kiss him right then and there.
"Well, the awkward thing really says something," Jongin tries joking, and Kyungsoo only stares. "I mean, really though. You're the only one who made me feel normal. Not awkward or anything."
Kyungsoo smiles at that, wiping his face with his sleeve. "Yeah, me too," he murmurs, and Jongin smiles. "Does this... happen a lot for you?" he asks nervously.
"No," Jongin answers, and they share a smile because they know what that means, know what they share. "You're the only one."
Kyungsoo sighs, leaning his head against the wall. "So... what now?" he asks softly.
Jongin licks his lips nervously. "Well, that's why I haven't been around the last week. I was figuring out what to do next."
"What do you mean?" Kyungsoo asks, frowning.
"Well, I'm a god, and you're just a human" - Kyungsoo snorts -"and I don't know how to live without you, so I... I want to make you a god."
Kyungsoo freezes. "What," he breathes, eyes widening.
"It's-it's the only way," Jongin stammers. "I don't want to lose you, but you- humans don't- you expire," he breathes, hands shaking.
Kyungsoo frowns at Jongin's word choice, but he understands. He takes Jongin's hands and sighs. "But we don't know when I'll... expire. And, to be honest... Jongin, I'm not afraid to die."
Jongin chokes. "What?"
Kyungsoo laughs quietly. "I know it's weird but... I mean, it's sort of a universal truth that people die. It makes life worth living - knowing we only have so much time. And as much as I'd love to stay with you forever, Jongin... I can't."
"But-" Jongin can feel his heart cracking. Does this mean this is a goodbye? Already? Jongin doesn't think he can ever have enough time with Kyungsoo.
"I'll stay with you as long as you want me to, though," Kyungsoo assures him hurriedly. "But not forever. I like being human. I want to grow up and become a singer, or something. I don't want to be stuck."
Jongin laughs. Stuck. Kyungsoo couldn't have put it more perfectly.
Jongin is stuck.
-
Desperate times call for desperate measures. And really, it doesn't get more desperate than this.
"Oh. I haven't seen you before. Jongin, is it?" Aphrodite asks in vague amusement. "I guess I was expecting you."
"You were?" Jongin asks nervously. Thank Zeus he's gay, or else talking to Aphrodite would be even more nerve-wracking.
"Mhm," she hums, filing her nails. "I've been getting a lot of love vibes recently. It's weird. I'm more used to lust, to be honest." She looks up and flashes Jongin a sultry smile, to which he flushes.
"R-Right. Well, I came to-"
"Let me guess," Aphrodite cuts him off. "You want to be a human to be with your little boy?"
"He's not little," Jongin mumbles.
"That's not a 'no,'" she points out with a grin. "Ah, this is so Disney of you, Jongin. Have you seen The Little Mermaid?"
"Uh, no-"
"Don't lie now, Jongin. What else could you possibly have been doing in that cave of yours for all those years?" Aphrodite laughs, and Jongin frowns. This is why he doesn't like talking to the big gods; they always belittle him.
"Anyway, you'd be like Ariel. Swimming, swimming, until you meet your prince - that little dorky boyfriend of yours. You come to the witch for help- wait. Am I the witch?" she pauses, frowning. "I don't like this analogy anymore."
I never liked it, Jongin thinks, but he doesn't dare say. Aphrodite scares him.
"Back to that dilemma of yours then. I really don't get why you want to be a human just for this one guy. I mean, there are others out there. Others that probably put out a lot faster too," Aphrodite says with a wink, and Jongin feels red all over.
"It's not about sex!" Jongin defends.
Aphrodite laughs. "I know," she hums. "After all, you two haven't even done it and it's been, what? Two months already? That must be love then."
Jongin thinks this might have been a waste of time after all.
Aphrodite looks over at him and smiles. "I'm joking," she reminds him kindly. "To make things less... awkward. For me, at least." She chuckles, but Jongin doesn't find it very funny. "But I can see that you two are destined for each other. I mean, I didn't even have to send Cupid after you two."
Jongin stares. "So... does that mean you'll help?"
"I can't really help you," she admits with a shrug, and Jongin wants to crawl back into his cave. "But I can tell you what to do to become a human."
The skies are finally clearing up for Jongin!
"It sounds a lot easier than it is, though, so be careful." Jongin nods eagerly. "Well, all you have to do is find a person to replace you as a god," Aphrodite says, and Jongin blinks.
"That's it?"
"Yeah, but like I said - it sounds easier than it is. I mean, most people are just awkward. Not godly-leveled awkward." Aphrodite pauses to think about it. "And one of the only persons close to your level of awkward is your mate. Ah, so good luck. I'm off to see that friend of yours now, Chanyeol is it? I think he has a similar problem."
Aphrodite leaves, mumbling something about hair.
Jongin rushes off the other way to the human world to find his replacement.
-
This is hard, Jongin mopes. He's been searching nonstop for two days straight, gone to every continent in search of someone awkward enough to be the God of Awkwardness. But he hasn't found anyone who's even half as awkward as him.
It's obvious now that he can't do this himself, so he asks for help (who probably won't really be of any help).
"Wait, you're trying to what?" Junmyeon asks.
"Find a replacement for my position."
"This isn't some mundane job at an office!" Junmyeon exclaims. "You can't just decide you don't want to be a god!"
"Aphrodite said I could," Jongin mumbles, frowning.
"Aish, you know she just likes to mess with people," Junmyeon huffs. "It's really hard to find a replacement, Jongin. By the time you find one, it might be too..." he trails off when he sees the look of despair on Jongin's eyes. "I don't know," he says instead, frowning. "This is tricky, Jongin."
"But I have to try!" Jongin exclaims, and his friends actually look taken back by his devotion. They've never seen Jongin so passionate for anything before. "I don't want to leave him, and I don't want him to leave me."
"Even if you're human, he could still die before you," Sehun murmurs. "Or you could die before him."
Jongin frowns. He'd thought of that. What if Kyungsoo got into an accident and forgot everything? What if Jongin became incredibly ill and was too weak to move anymore? There were so many 'what if's and not enough 'definitely's.
But what if Jongin never tried?
"It doesn't matter," he insists, shaking his head. "I want this. I want to... to grow old. With him. To find a little home with him, fill it with knick-knacks, memories, love... I want a life with him."
His friends are quiet. They can see the determination in his eyes, and they know nothing they can say will convince Jongin to let go of this.
Luhan, surprisingly enough, is the first to say something. "Okay then. Let's go find you a replacement." He stands up, and when met with shocked eyes, he scoffs and asks, "What? Look at him! He's head over heels for this human, and even if we don't get it, we still get it."
"I don't get it," Sehun mumbles.
Luhan stares at Sehun. "Really? You've never loved something so much you'd sacrifice anything and everything for it?"
Sehun frowns, looking away. The tips of his ears are red, and Jongin almost smiles. Now he can see why Luhan chose Sehun, and why Sehun never leaves Luhan.
"Who knows how long this will take, so we should get started now." Luhan moves to leave, and Sehun grudgingly gets up to follow him.
"Hey, where's Chanyeol by the way?" Junmyeon asks as Luhan and Sehun leave.
"I don't know. I haven't seen him in a while, but I heard he was meeting Aphrodite the other way."
Junmyeon frowns. "I see..."
Jongin starts heading for the front when he pauses and stops. "Wait, Junmyeon. How did... why did you warn me that day? About humans only lasting so long."
"It's kind of common sense," Junmyeon says weakly, but Jongin doesn't buy it.
"Has that... ever happened to you?" he asks hesitantly. Junmyeon was never one to talk about his relationships, although it was evident he's had them before.
Junmyeon sighs, running a hand through his hair. "My first... first love ended like that. I stayed with him, and I completely lost track of the time. One year for them is like a blink of an eye for us."
Jongin stares in thought. Funny, because when he's with Kyungsoo, every second is cherished.
"One day we're building a fire together and watching the stars, the other he's on his deathbed, gray and withering." His voice is soft and steady, but the sadness is evident in his eyes.
"You really loved him?" Jongin asks quietly. "It wasn't just some affair, was it?"
Junmyeon smiles softly. "I really loved him." They stand together in a calming silence, and Jongin can't help but feel guilty when he tells himself he won't ever let that happen to him and Kyungsoo. He won't ever let Kyungsoo be just a memory.
Kyungsoo is his here and now.
"Let's go now," Junmyeon says with a weak smile, patting a hand on Jongin's shoulder. "We can't waste time."
They leave in a new light.
-
They spend an entire day searching separately, but there is still no luck. Chanyeol joins the search halfway through, when they meet up back at the gates to discuss progress.
"I found a pretty potential replacement," Sehun speaks up, and Jongin jumps to hear who. "His name is Do Kyungsoo. Short, sorta squishy looking, very awkward."
Jongin makes strangling motions in his head, and Chanyeol barks with laughter.
"So you're really going through with this," Chanyeol muses as they separate again. Jongin nods, and Chanyeol sighs. "You're pretty brave."
Jongin raises an eyebrow. A compliment? From Chanyeol? What is the world coming to?!
"I could never do that," Chanyeol continues as if that's an explanation, and there's a tint of regret and despair in his voice that Jongin doesn't understand. Why would Chanyeol ever do that? And why was Chanyeol meeting Aphrodite anyway?
Jongin opens his mouth to ask, but Chanyeol leaves before he can. Frowning, Jongin checks his watch, set to Kyungsoo's timezone.
With a deep breath, Jongin re-enters the human world.
-
Jongin appears in front of Kyungsoo's dorm. He knows Kyungsoo is going to return anytime soon, just getting out of his last class, and that his roommate won't be there because he takes late classes tonight.
When he hears Kyungsoo's voice around the corner, his heartbeat races. Jongin wonders if his heart will ever get used to Kyungsoo's presence.
As Kyungsoo walks up to the door, looking down as he fumbles for his keys, he almost runs straight into Jongin. "Oomph," he mumbles, dropping his books onto Jongin's feet. It only hurts a little (or a lot, because those textbooks weigh as much as a newborn baby).
"Jongin!" Kyungsoo breathes in surprise. "I was wondering where you were," he admits with a soft smile. "I thought you..." He doesn't finish his sentence, but Jongin thinks he knows anyway.
"I'd never leave you," Jongin says with a smile, wrapping his arms around Kyungsoo and taking in the familiar warmth of his boyfriend.
"Oh, I was going to say I thought you were still looking for ways to make me immortal actually," Kyungsoo laughs, wrapping his arms around Jongin's waist. "I know you'd never leave me," he murmurs into Jongin's shoulder.
"No, I've stopped that," Jongin answers softly. "If you want to stay a human, I can't force you to become a god."
Kyungsoo smiles. "Thank you."
"I've been looking for someone to replace me as a god, actually," Jongin continues, and Kyungsoo's eyes widen.
"What."
"I decided that, if you weren't going to be with me forever as a god, I'd be with you for as long as possible," Jongin says slowly. "As a human."
Kyungsoo opens his mouth, but nothing comes out. He just stares and stares to a point where even Jongin's getting uncomfortable with this.
Now would be a nice time for a romantic kiss as a thank you, Jongin mopes mentally.
"You idiot," Kyungsoo finally says, pulling apart from him in shock.
That was definitely not romantic. "What?" Now it's Jongin's turn to be surprised.
"You can't just give up your life for me!" Kyungsoo exclaims exasperatedly. "You can't just decide you don't want to be a god anymore!"
"But don't you want this?" Don't you want me?
Kyungsoo softens at that, letting out a deep sigh as he hangs his head. "I want you, Jongin, but I don't want you to have to give up everything to be with me. That's not fair to you."
"Who cares about fair," Jongin argues, getting slightly annoyed. Why couldn't Kyungsoo just be happy that they could be together normally? "This is what I want."
Kyungsoo opens his mouth and closes it. He chews on his lower lip, and Jongin can tell he's torn. Has love always been this hard?
"What's wrong?" Jongin asks again with a sigh. "What's this really about, Kyungsoo?"
Kyungsoo inhales deeply. "I just... don't want you to wake up and realize you did this all for nothing," he whispers, and Jongin doesn't know what to say.
That thought has never once crossed his mind. Ever since the start, Jongin's been sure Kyungsoo's the only one for him, the only reason to wake up anymore. And it can't just be chance that Jongin spotted Kyungsoo that day, chance that mere attraction led to so much more.
This is their fate.
"Kyungsoo," Jongin breathes. "This is going to sound so cheesy, but... you're my everything." His face heats up, and he feels so stupid, but the smile blooming across Kyungsoo's face makes it okay. "I'll never wake up and not love you. But if I ever have to live without you, I can't promise I'll ever wake up again."
Kyungsoo shakes his head, but he's smiling and slowly inching his way back to Jongin. "Aish, you're so dramatic," he mumbles in embarrassment, but he lets Jongin pull him into another hug. "I'll-I'll always love you, too." He burrows his head into the crook of Jongin's neck to hide his flushed cheeks.
Jongin smiles and holds Kyungsoo tighter. He won't ever let go.
-
Two months pass without any signs of a possible replacement for Jongin. He doesn't lose hope though, and he tells Kyungsoo this every time they meet. Kyungsoo tells him there's no rush, and together, they spend hours doing everything and nothing together.
Good news comes in the middle of a lazy afternoon, as Jongin flipped through TV channels of the human world to look for awkward people while Kyungsoo was in class.
"I think we found someone," Chanyeol tells him, and Jongin almost jumps out of his seat because how did Chanyeol get in here without him noticing? God of Mild-Creepiness indeed.
When Jongin's brain finally starts working and he processes Chanyeol's words, his eyes widen. "Really?!" he asks excitedly, sitting up straight.
"Yeah, apparently Kris knows a guy who's pretty awkward." Jongin shudders. If Kris thinks he's awkward, this guy must be awkward. Kris is the God of Bad English, who may or may not scare Jongin 98% of the time.
"Oh."
"Don't worry, I'll introduce you to him. Kris is busy playing around with some Korean idols showcasing in America. You know how he is." Jongin breathes out in relief.
"When can I meet him then?" he asks, standing up.
"Right now, if you want," Chanyeol offers with a shrug.
"Great! Let's go!" Jongin starts heading for the door, but Chanyeol stops him. "What?" he asks in confusion. They haven't any time to lose!
"You might want to put pants on first," Chanyeol tells him, and Jongin looks down. He dashes for the restroom. Awkward...
After Jongin is dressed appropriately, he and Chanyeol go down to the human world. Jongin notes that they're in China when they land, and almost as soon as he starts looking around he spots the person Chanyeol was probably talking about.
A tall boy with dark eyes and rather sculpted arms walked on the beach alone. It would have been a rather romantic picture, if it wasn't raining and the boy didn't trip on sand.
"Him?" Jongin asks, and Chanyeol nods.
"His name's Huang Zitao, and he's pretty awkward, so Kris says. Apparently he once watched Kris sleep."
"Oh, is he with Kris?" Jongin asks curiously.
"I don't think so," Chanyeol says. "Zitao was in America one day, and he accidentally bumped into Kris. After that, he didn't leave Kris alone, so Kris was stuck there for the whole day."
Jongin raises an eyebrow. "So how did he know to recommend Zitao?"
"Kris apparently went back to see him," Chanyeol says with a smirk. Jongin nods, mouth 'o' shaped in understanding.
"So does he know Kris is a god?" Jongin asks. "That'll probably make things easier."
"I don't think Kris told him, but I think he might have a hunch," Chanyeol admits.
"Why?"
"Because Kris looks like a god."
"Ah, yeah..." Jongin pauses. "Do I look like a god?"
Chanyeol either didn't hear that or chose not to answer, because he starts walking over to Zitao without sparing Jongin a glance. Jongin frowns but follows anyway.
Chanyeol is the first to appear to Zitao. The lucky thing about being a god is that there are no language barriers. Although Chanyeol and Jongin prefer speaking Korean to each other, as that was their original heritage, they could easily switch to English or Mandarin. (Except for Kris, who couldn't escape his bad English for obvious reasons.)
"Oh, Kris asked for me?" Zitao asks, and Jongin recognizes the smile forming on the boy's lips. "What for?"
"Well, he mentioned you were pretty awkward."
Zitao's face fell. "Oh."
"And we're looking for someone like you." Chanyeol nods at Jongin, who then chooses to appear. Zitao's eyes widen as he looks at the two of them.
"Uh, did he just- were you always- I don't-" Zitao then proceeds to slip on a beach ball (where did that come from?) and Jongin has to shoot Chanyeol a glare to keep him from laughing.
"He is awkward," Jongin muses aloud, and he can hear Zitao's protest muffled through the sand.
"How would you like to be a Greek god?" Chanyeol asks, leaning down to Zitao. There's another muffled response, and Chanyeol stands back up, smiling. "He says yes!" Chanyeol poofs back first, and Jongin follows, carrying a surprisingly willing Zitao with him.
-
Of course, the only time Jongin actually meets Zeus and speaks to him is when he retires.
"I only have ten minutes to do this, so let's hurry," is the first thing Zeus says to them, barely even glancing at them as Hermes delivers a message to him. "Is this about your replacement?"
Jongin blinks. Of course Zeus would know. "Y-Yeah," he stammers nervously. Aphrodite didn't lie to him, right? He could do this?
Zeus nods, reading the message. "Well that's good then. We were getting complaints that people weren't being awkward lately anyway. Thought I was going to have to fire you."
Jongin frowns. Not exactly the warmest goodbye he's ever heard. "Oh."
"Well, where is this new guy?" Zeus asks, finally looking up. The first thing he sees is Zitao, who's busy gawking at Hermes' winged shoes and almost trips over the cloud - which is just air essentially. "Ah, you. Zitao, is it?"
Zitao stands up straight. "Yes, sir...?"
"Do you know who I am?" Zeus asks curiously, eyebrow raised.
Jongin watches nervously. Chanyeol wants to face-palm. This could have been better planned.
"Um, are you... Ares?"
Zeus blinks.
"Apollo?"
Jongin can feel his chances slowly dwindle, but Chanyeol's just glad Zitao at least knows some Greek gods. Although how Zeus' name seems to evade Zitao's mind is beyond him.
When Zitao starts guessing female gods, Chanyeol finally steps in and whispers, "Zeus," into Zitao's red ears.
"Zeus!" he exclaims loudly, and Jongin flinches.
"Yes. Well, you're going to have to teach him the ropes before you go," Zeus says, unamused.
Jongin nods nervously. "Yes, of course sir." The weight of his words slowly sink in through his (thick) head, and an excited smile spreads across his lips. "Wait, does this mean...?" he asks anxiously, and his heart almost stops when he sees Zeus actually smile.
"You're now a mortal, Jongin," he says. "I'd congratulate you, but I don't know if it's something to celebrate. Just remember to teach Zitao the basics before you go. It was nice having you here." Zeus nods once as a goodbye, and Jongin leaves excitedly, bowing until he was out of sight.
"Thank you!" he calls out one last time, and Chanyeol smacks his arm. It hurts more than he remembered. "Ouch," he mumbles, rubbing his arms. "What was that for?"
"Being too thankful," Chanyeol answers with a shrug. But he slowly smiles, and Jongin can tell a bear hug is coming on. He starts to back away slowly, but he's too late.
Chanyeol's freakishly long arms wrap around him, suffocating him. "I'm going to miss you, buddy," Chanyeol says, and Jongin can feel his hair start to frizz. "We'll come visit you."
"I'm not leaving yet," Jongin chokes out. Honestly, did it always hurt this much? Or is being mortal just this painful? "I still have to teach Zitao."
Chanyeol finally lets go. "Don't worry about him. I can teach him, and when Kris comes back, I'm sure he'll be eager to help. You're probably eager to see that human of yours now, anyway." Jongin smiles, and Chanyeol smirks.
"Really?" Jongin asks, and Chanyeol nods.
"Really. Go." He waves Jongin off, who leaves excitedly.
Chanyeol hides his snickers behind his hand. Jongin's hair is sticking up at all ends.
-
Jongin can't figure out why Kyungsoo starts laughing when he sees him. "What is it?" he asks as he approaches, and Kyungsoo can only point to his head and laugh again. Jongin feels at his head and -
"Chanyeol," he growls under his breath, flattening down his hair. It doesn't really help though.
"Ah, is he the God of Bad Hair?" Kyungsoo jokes, grinning.
"Yes." Kyungsoo blinks, not expecting that. "And of Mild-Creepiness."
Kyungsoo's quiet for a moment before asking, "Who's the God for Super-Creepiness then?
"His name's Jongwoon I think," Jongin says. "But I've never met him, and I don't plan to."
Kyungsoo laughs softly, nodding. "Hmm, you look different," he notes, looking Jongin up and down. He tilts his head curiously. "You look... normal," Kyungsoo comments.
"Do I?" Jongin asks, unable to keep the excitement out of his voice.
"Yeah. Hey, where's-" Kyungsoo's eyes widen. "You-you're human now, aren't you."
Jongin nods weakly, and Kyungsoo practically attacks him, wrapping his arms around Jongin's waist.
Jongin breathes out slowly, taking in the feel of Kyungsoo. It feels weird being human. He's not as light on his feet, and he's suddenly a lot more scared for his life, but at the same time... he feels like a load has been taken off his shoulder.
"I can't believe it," Kyungsoo whispers, looking at Jongin again. "I mean, you look the same pretty much. Except maybe you don't glow as much."
"You noticed my glow?" Jongin asks curiously. It wasn't very obvious to most.
"Yeah," Kyungsoo admits. "Whenever we watch movies together, it's more noticeable, but I saw it the very first day too. You were shining." He smiles brightly, and Jongin can feel his heart pounding in his chest.
"My chest hurts," he says, and Kyungsoo laughs.
"Why is that?"
"You," Jongin whispers, holding Kyungsoo tighter. Kyungsoo just smiles in response and leans up to press their lips together. It's sweet and chaste, but it steals Jongin's breath all the same.
"You're going to give me a heart attack," Jongin teases, and Kyungsoo just snorts.
"So dramatic," he mocks, but his smile never leaves his face as he rests his cheek on Jongin's chest. "Hmm, just curious Jongin, but how old are you?"
"Nineteen," Jongin says, just like on their first date.
"Really?"
"I guess," he murmurs. "That was the age I became a god, after all. Why?"
Kyungsoo pulls away, grinning. "Because now I'm your hyung."
Jongin can't help but laugh, leaning down to brush their noses together. "Cute," he murmurs, and Kyungsoo grows pink.
"Hey, you can't call your hyung cute," Kyungsoo huffs, puffing his cheeks up with air. Jongin just laughs again, poking Kyungsoo's cheek and watching them deflate in amusement.
"But you're not just my hyung - you're my boyfriend."
"I thought I was your everything?" Kyungsoo points out, and Jongin smiles.
"Boyfriend, lover, everything." He leans down to press his lips against Kyungsoo's again, before pulling away with a sigh of content.
A love likes this only lasts a lifetime, and now Jongin gets to spend that entire lifetime with Kyungsoo.
-
About a month later, Jongin is glad to hear from Chanyeol that Zitao has adapted to his job. He jokes that he's even better than Jongin, but Jongin doesn't really feel offended - his job was to be awkward. It's good to know someone is even more awkward than Jongin.
It's Chanyeol's brilliant idea that they all meet up in a park that Junmyeon chose for a group lunch. Jongin planned on going alone, but Chanyeol specifies, "Bring Kyungsoo," and he knows he has no other choice.
Honestly, he doesn't want to expose Kyungsoo to the horror of his friends.
Jongin's very hesitant as he walks to the picnic destination, Kyungsoo in his right arm and a basket full of kimchi spaghetti in his other. Kyungsoo tells him it'll be fine, but Jongin doesn't think he understands the seriousness of this situation.
"They're insane," he whispers urgently, and Kyungsoo only laughs. HE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND! Jongin feels like ripping out his hair.
Chanyeol's hair is the first thing in sight, and Jongin almost contemplates making a last minute dash back to the car when-
"Jongin!" Zitao calls out, waving him over excitedly. "Over here!"
Jongin weeps mentally. His steps become heavier, so Kyungsoo ends up having to drag him to the picnic destination.
"Ah, he is squishy," is the first thing Luhan says, and Jongin glares daggers at him. Stupid deer.
Jongin holds Kyungsoo closer and directs him to the farthest place from Luhan, who just rolls his eyes and returns to his conversation with Sehun. (Jongin doesn't say it, but he's actually a bit happy the two are still together.) He almost bumps into someone in his hastiness, and as he turns to apologize, he's surprised to see an unfamiliar face.
Chanyeol steps in almost immediately. "This is Baekhyun, Jongin," he introduces, and Jongin doesn't miss the protective arm wrapped around Baekhyun's waist, much similar to Jongin's pose with Kyungsoo.
Jongin nods at him. "Hey."
Baekhyun returns the gesture. "So you're the guy who gave his godly powers to be with a human?" he asks, glancing at Kyungsoo curiously. "Interesting."
Chanyeol seems to stiffen at that, but Baekhyun doesn't push it. "Nice to meet you," he ends with, smiling at them. "C'mon, Chanyeol. We don't have all day for you to finish roasting those weiners."
Kyungsoo's eyes widen, and Jongin almost chokes. Chanyeol gestures to the grill where hot dogs were cooking, and Jongin wants to cry.
"He seems perfect for you?" Jongin says.
Chanyeol just laughs and nods before turning his attention to Kyungsoo. "I'm Chanyeol. Jongin probably never mentioned me because he wants to protect you or whatever, but I know all about you."
Kyungsoo stares. Jongin face-palms. "Aish, stop that," he huffs, pushing Chanyeol away. "You're being... creepy."
Chanyeol rolls his eyes. "Well, yeah. But it's true. I know his life story by now, but he doesn't even know who I am. I'm hurt." He places a hand over his heart and feigns upset.
Jongin opens his mouth to argue, but Kyungsoo speaks instead. "No, I've heard about you," he says with a smile. "You're the God of Bad Hair and Mild-Creepiness, right?"
"Actually, the God of Mild-Creepiness and Bad Hair," Chanyeol corrects, but he's grinning now. "I always put the creepy part before the hair part. I'm more proud of my creepiness."
If Kyungsoo is freaked out, he's actually putting on a good show of acting normal. Jongin is proud of him, because even after all this time, even he still gets freaked out by Chanyeol sometimes.
Jongin manages to pull Kyungsoo away from Chanyeol before he can go off on a tangent about how creepiness can be a good thing (which is a lie). He looks around to see somewhere safe to go, and (of course) runs into one of the most unsafe places possible.
In front of Kris.
"Ayyooo wassup Jongin I hurd you aren't a god anymurrr," Kris says, and Jongin wishes he'd stop speaking English because it makes him so uncomfortable. Even Kyungsoo squirms beside him.
"Heh, yeah," Jongin says, slowly inching away. But Kris, either on purpose or not, puts a hand on Jongin's shoulder and keeps him put.
"And thanks fer letting Tao be a god 'n all," he says, nodding over to where Zitao was, laughing with Baekhyun. "He's a gud kid ya know."
"Mhm," Jongin answers through clenched teeth. He looks around for an excuse to leave, and when he sees Junmyeon sitting at the edge of the table alone, he jumps at the chance to accompany his friend. "Oh, we haven't greeted Junmyeon yet. Come on, Kyungsoo. Nice to see you, Kris," he lies quickly, dashing away before Kris can say anymore.
"Yikes," Kyungsoo murmurs beside him. "God of Bad English?"
"You named it," Jongin answers below his breath. He lets out a breath of relief when he hears Kyungsoo chuckle though.
They sit across from Junmyeon, who doesn't even notice them at first as he looks up at the sky. Kyungsoo glances over at Jongin, who just shrugs and clears his throat to catch Junmyeon's attention.
It works a little too well, as Junmyeon, startled, hits the plate of kimchi on the table and makes it go flying onto the grass. Sehun is frowning at the loss of food, but Kyungsoo just smiles. "It's okay, I have some extra in our basket." He excuses himself to go grab it, leaving Jongin with Junmyeon.
"What were you thinking about?" Jongin asks, and Junmyeon glances at him.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you were smiling and looking at the sky. Unless there's something really nice about the sky right now, I'd assume you were thinking about something."
Junmyeon just smiles. "Being with Kyungsoo made you smarter too, huh?"
Jongin grins. "I guess. I'm just more mindful though. If I'm not, Kyungsoo makes me sleep on the couch." Junmyeon and Jongin share a laugh.
"I was just thinking about Jongdae..."
Jongin raises an eyebrow curiously. "Is that the guy you liked? Your first love?"
Junmyeon looks up, smiles, and nods. "Yeah."
"Do you think he's up there?" Jongin asks curiously.
"No," Junmyeon says with a laugh. "The dead go to the afterlife with Hades, remember?"
"Oh. Yeah."
"But we used to watch the skies together, for endless hours," Junmyeon murmurs. "Point at clouds and everything. Those were simpler times."
Jongin looks up. "So, what do the clouds say now?"
Junmyeon shrugs. "I don't know. It's a cloudless day, Jongin."
"Oh yeah."
Junmyeon chuckles. "Maybe I take back that smarter compliment."
Jongin laughs and leans back, glancing up at the sky again, full of endless possibilities and promises. He wonders if he could reach up and grab one, but just as he moves, Kyungsoo's face blocks his vision. Kyungsoo laughs, looking down at his boyfriend.
"What are you looking at?" he asks, smiling as he moves to take his seat beside Jongin.
Jongin faces Kyungsoo and smiles back. "You." Their fingers intertwine and they both look up at the sky together.
There is no epigram for awkwardness, but there are many for love - enough to fill the skies and the stars beyond, and almost enough to equal Jongin's love for Kyungsoo.
• fin.
a/n:
- so the becoming immortal/becoming a god part was like bs tbh sorry \o/ but anyway, i absolutely adore greek mythology (who doesn't like mythology in general though?), and this idea hit me one day, because of the cliche for jongin in fics: "looks like a greek god" or adonis or whatever. so yeah, now he really is a greek god. i hope you're pleased (◡‿◡✿)
- cheesy ending aHAHAHAHAHAHA what do you expect sheesh this should be labeled as fluff huh
- sooooo much love to starsthatlast who betaed this for me like a ninja omg so fast ^^ i love you lots, and thank you so much! i can't explain how much i appreciate this, pei! also, thanks to channie for reading part one for me as well \o/ and, as always, love to tlist who listened to me cry over this fic (eSPECIALLY THE TITLE) and cheered me on.
- thank you for reading, and i hope you enjoyed it! :)