Blessings and Curses [BL]

The End and The Beginning [Part 七]

Hyousuke laid Ares down on his futon. His eyes darted toward his stomach—where Ares’ hands were. He was pressing a gash that had dried up.

Blood? Impossible. Hyousuke thought.

The sun had set. Ares’ eyelids finally fluttered open. “I’m bleedin—” he coughed out blood.

“Hush, hush. Don’t speak,” Hyousuke wiped the blood from his lips. He lifted Ares to sit up straight as he wiped his stomach. “I’m wrapping your stomach in bandages. Tell me if it’s too tight.”

Ares rested his chin on Hyousuke’s shoulder. “I’m… human,” he whispered.

“I noticed.” Hyousuke finished bandaging him and was about to lay him down. Ares embraced him.

“Don’t look at me; I’m pathetic.”

Hyousuke pulled away so as to look at him. “No, you’re not. You’re beautiful—especially your eyes.”

Ares’ eyes were the only part that was truly his. Everything else was originally Takahiro’s. They say the eyes are the window to the soul. In this case, that was quite true.

Ares blushed in embarrassment and looked away.

“If I told you that the one I was in love with wasn’t Asuka—it was you— would you laugh, then?”

Ares’ amber eyes brightened. Hyousuke’s stare was intense, but before Ares could look away, Hyousuke pressed his lips on his. Ares’ shoulders tensed up, but eventually relaxed as he closed his eyes. Hyousuke ran his fingers through Ares’ hair and pulled him closer. All that could be heard on that silent night was the clashing of two swords and two hearts.

Gods are immortal until they feel the desire to become human. That god is then reborn as a human. Both men knew that it was their last night with each other. Laying down on the futon side by side, they gazed in each other’s eyes.

After a while, Ares spoke, “Gods can live without humans, but humans cannot live without a god. I've become the latter.”

“Yeah,” Hyousuke said softly.

“My candle has run out.”

“Yeah.”

“I regret nothing, except that I could not spend more time with you.”

Ares closed his eyes as he slowly passed. His curse was lifted. No longer was he Ares. No longer was he Takahiro. Silence fell; two breaths had become one. It is rather difficult to describe to you how much tears were shed on that fateful night.

***

Many years have passed, Hyousuke had gotten married to a woman from an aristocratic family. His wife bore a baby boy just moments before. It was the first time Hyousuke held his child. He cradled him, which brought him back to the time when he cradled the wounded Ares in his arms.

He smiled in nostalgia, “You have his eyes.”