For the Love of God

Γ | twenty-eight

I CLUTCHED MY beige coat so tightly that my nails could tear into the fabric. When Aphrodite brought her to a thin man with a careless disposition and a square-cut face, I didn't expect him to be Janus. He was always described to have two heads and I kept searching for the other.

Aphrodite chatted with him, interrupting the loud thumping of my heart with their laughter. It looked like they were catching up after months. I glanced at Tyhi, who had pleaded with Aphrodite to let him see me off and managed to tag along. He was pale, drained of colour and sullen. He looked like he might cry any minute. I was pretty sure I looked the same way.

It was scary how attached one can get to a place and the people in such a short period of time. Olympus, though intimidating at first, became a comfortable space for me. It provided me with memories, laughter, relationships, a lot of lessons and Tyhi. It gifted me with love. I held out my hand for Tyhi to take it. When he did, he tightened his fingers over mine as if he was too scared that I'll slip away if he let go.

"You never said how I look in this dress." I attempted a conversation but my voice was shaking.

Tyhi glanced at me. "You look mesmerizing," he whispered back. Tears pooled in my eyes. I wasn't going to see Tyhi ever again. I wouldn't be able to feel his touch, his warmth, or watch him smile and hear his laughter. I wouldn't be able to listen to his voice again. What if I forget it? What if I forget how he looked?

Panic rose in me. I stared at him and memorized every part of him. The jawline that I'd ran my fingers over, his eyes that had sung with mine, and those fingers that'd drove me insane with touch. He was so familiar to me and I hoped it would remain the same even if I travelled across worlds. I wanted to be haunted by him.

"Shall we?" Aphrodite asked. Her voice was bouncing off happiness after being freed. Only when she looked at me, it tinged with sadness.

"I have something to say to you," I managed to say.

Janus nodded and gave us some privacy. "That day Lord Ares challenged you to seduce Nerites..." I began and told her everything, from the bad blood between Ares and Poseidon and the legend and how he'd used her. Aphrodite's expression changed. Her jaws clenched.

"It's your wish to marry Lord Ares but I thought you should know about this before you make the decision. No one likes being used," I mumbled. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier."

"Do Ares and I get married in the stories?"

I shook my head. "You're known to have an adulterous relationship with him because of the incident with Lord Hephaestus' trap. Maybe that reputation will be changed when I go back to the future."

She nodded grimly. "Thank you for telling me, Mae. I promise you that I will make sure to have your friend's future changed. I'll find a way to blackmail Hera into altering it and blessing him with a family. You can trust me on this."

"Thank you."

Aphrodite surprised me by pulling me into a hug. "You are a wonderful soul to be around. You became more than a trespasser, Mae. You became a good friend of mine and in exchange, I'll keep an eye on your life and make sure you have a comfortable one."

I nodded, causing the tears to roll down my cheeks. I quickly wiped my face. "I've made my decision. I don't want to have my memories erased. I want to remember everything and I promise I'll not let it interfere with my life," I said.

Aphrodite tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "I know, child. I think I've known it all along that you'll choose this."

"Thank you for everything," I whispered. My heart weighed me down. My stomach wasn't feeling very good. When I glanced at Tyhi, Aphrodite nudged me to go on.