Speed Dating

[AdonisXTheo]

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He was tired.

Sick and fucking tired, to be precise.

He sat at the mahogany bar, the hood of his jacket hauled up over his head to hide his golden blonde hair, his tawny sun-kissed skin, and let's face it; he was hiding the fact that he was so fucking beautiful that even the gods clawed at his feet. It made his skin shrivel up at the thought of how many hands had been laid upon his flesh since he was a child. First by his own mother, and lastly, by the god, Thor. With thousands in between over the past centuries he'd been forced to live.

He wished he was being vain. He wished it was just his confidence that made him beautiful. Or perhaps what would've been a charming personality if he wasn't so bitter.

But it was a curse. Literally a curse that started with his wretched mother and turned his life into a goddamn mess. He could've been born normal. A normal mortal living in the mortal world with a normal mother and father in a tiny cottage, perhaps destined to be nothing more than a shepherd or a farmer.

He tossed back a shot of whiskey, savoring the burn that traveled down into his gut and basically seared a hole in his stomach. Not that it would kill him, considering he'd been cursed with more than just dashing good looks. And this time, it was his mother that had cursed him, and a thousand years would pass and he would still curse her for having summoned the power of the gods to keep him from leaving her.

He'd been a fucking child.

Just a child.

His skin crawled further and he shuddered, shoving his shot glass out for more. The bartender sauntered over, her hips swinging so hard it was a miracle they didn't blow all the bottles off the shelves behind her. He kept his eyes downcast as she poured. She kept trying to get a look at him, but he refused. The moment he yanked the hood off his head, the entire bar would be on him, trying to fuck him.

He grimaced, annoyed at the loud chatter from behind him. It appeared that the one night he decided to go out for a drink instead of staying locked up in his apartment, there was some sort of speed dating thing going on. It was a pathetic mess of ingrates, all lined up and taking numbers and seats, nervously looking around and trying to look sexy while they hunted down their next sex partner who probably wouldn't last more than a few minutes.

He shook his head and took another shot.

"Lord Theo!" Adonis narrowed his eyes, cocking his head curiously. If he remembered correctly, that was the name of the godling prince of Hades who owned the land of Styx. According to rumors, Prince Theo was a loose canon. Completely wild. A selfish little cunt who'd fuck anything with a heartbeat. He was cold and heartless and he liked to pluck the wings from imps to make them cry.

Or so he heard.

He wasn't big on rumors.

After all, the rumors about him were endless and untrue.

Still, he could resist glancing over his shoulder.

Standing at the entrance with the lady who was hosting the speed dating event was the little prince himself, and Adonis found himself admiring the physical appearance of the godling. His haphazard hair was a deep shade of red, as if soaked in fresh blood, yet something about it was beautiful, the way it framed his baby face. Well, it would've been a baby face if there wasn't such a sinister smirk across perfectly natural pink lips. His fierce red eyes sparked in the lights overhead.

He didn't dress like the prince, Adonis noted. Not any princes he'd seen, who adorned themselves in luxurious robes and gaudy jewels. No, this one wore black skinny jeans with rips in the knees and one just under his left buttcheek for a glimpse of pale skin. He wore a deep olive green v-neck and a beat up leather jacket over top of it with a glimpse of red on the reverse side.

"Sup, I'm registered under the name Theo Evlogia of Hades," Theo greeted the female, who continued to gape at him, "I'm not gonna fucking register as Prince Theo, Seventh Son of Hades, Guardian of Styx. That's a goddamn mouthful. Also, I'm not here to have a bunch of slimy pricks climb on my dick because I'm a prince. I'm just here to get out more." The female blinked several times before recovering, clearing her throat.

"R-Right, yes, o-of course, my lord--"

"Just call me Theo."

"I-- Are you sure?"

"No, I said that to fuck with you," Theo deadpanned, making the female gulp and Theo rolled his eyes, "That was sarcasm. I forget not everyone catches onto it like my brothers. You ever met my brother, Cerberus? He's worse than I am. Or maybe Cain is. Whatever. I'm not here for my brothers. I'm here to... shop." The female nodded slowly, then cleared her throat and looked down, taking a number from her clipboard and handing it to him.

"This will designate your seat and when to move," she said softly. Theo inclined his head and went to take a seat.

Adonis's eyes followed the legendary ginger child. In fact, one of the rumors claimed the whole ginger-people-not-having-souls thing stemmed from Theo's existence, but really? The kid clearly already had a huge ego. No need to add to it.

Adonis turned back to his drink and swallowed. He was losing track of how many shots he'd had so far, and he had to be careful; he only had so much money on him. He was ashamed to say it hadn't come from a trustworthy place either. But as long as it hadn't come from prostitution, he didn't care. He'd rather scrape under dumpsters and rob pimps and gangsters than sell his body. He'd learned a long time ago that no amount of money could make up for being used up and cast aside.

It was around midnight when Adonis decided he'd had enough.

Or rather, the bartender had. She refused to give him more unless he showed his face, and no way was he going to take that risk, so he'd shoved his card at her instead. With a huff, she swiped it and handed it back. He took it and slid off the bar stool, watching the bar tilt and twirl for a moment before he managed to right himself.

He was comfortably numb now. He knew he was smiling, and there was really no reason to, except that he was drunk. Yeah, that was why he was smiling. He finally felt borderline decent.

He made his way across the bar, noting that the dating session had come to a close and only a couple people had lingered behind to stay longer with their new dates. There was no sign of the prince, which made Adonis laugh under his breath as he pushed the door open and stepped out into the cool fall air outside.

He wasn't fond of gods. Perhaps that was an understatement. It was more appropriate to say that he fucking hated them and would kill the next one that touched him. And yet, there was something amusing about the little redheaded godling. Adonis had found himself eavesdropping on the kid all night and heard all manner of idiocy. The kid rambled like there was no tomorrow. None of his dates got a chance to say anything, and when they did, the prince had kicked them in the teeth if it wasn't interesting enough.

Just like a god, Adonis thought with a curled lip. They only cared about themselves. They used their powers, their magic, to bully those they saw beneath them. They were whiny petulant children that had been given great power to do great harm.

When a human toddler had a temper tantrum, they broke things and screamed and cried. When a god had a temper tantrum, they could destroy whole realms, cause earthquakes, and tsunamis.

And Theo was no different.

Adonis shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket, hunching his shoulders as he walked down the street, ignoring the coos and calls of prostitutes and drunken vagrants. He kept his head down, face away from the street lamps as he made his way back toward his crummy apartment near the Docks.

The Docks had improved over the past year or so. Prince Theo had sent in money and given jobs to workers to fix the place up and make it more liveable. It wasn't the Hilton, but it also wasn't flea and rat infested. But it still wasn't the safest place. Most of the criminals and degenerates of the Underworld called the Docks their homes. They were even still used in comparisons.

Jeez, when was the last time you cleaned your room? Smells like the Docks in here!

Yeah, that sounds about as safe as walking through the Docks on a sunny afternoon.

But it was safe for Adonis. Gaining access to the Docks was so much easier than the finer parts of the city. First of all, he couldn't afford anything better. Second, nobody asked about his fake ID. As far as his landlord knew, his name was Francis Drake and he was a computer hacker.

That's what made the perfect lie.

There was a bit of truth.

He was a hacker. He was also a thief, a pickpocket, a thug for hire, and yeah. He did take the customers that couldn't afford the Geek Squad and their bullshit. So he did some decent work on the side. It just wasn't the main source of his minimal income.

"You ungrateful cur!" Adonis frowned at the snarl and slowed near an alley. He wasn't sure why he did. He should've just kept going. It was probably just another drunken brawl that would end in both parties vomiting and passing out. And yet, something told him to check in.

When he did, he was startled to see a bruised redheaded prince up against a brick wall by the lapels of his jacket. Clutching him was a male he recognized from the speed dating thing.

"Aw," Theo teased the guy with a mocking grin, "Did I go and upset the poor baby?" The male snarled, flashing fangs in Theo's face, and Theo barked a laugh. Adonis narrowed his eyes, annoyed by the confrontation. Normally, he'd walk by. Tonight, he was drunk.

"You think you're so hot just because you're a fucking prince," the male sneered at Theo, who arched a brow.

"Uh, no, I think I'm fucking hot because I'm a natural redhead," Theo replied, giving his red hair a shake to show off, "But I am pretty fucking great for a prince." The male slammed Theo into the wall again. Adonis waited for Theo to lash out, send the male magically flying into the brick wall to kill him. Or maybe make the guy's head explode. He'd seen both and experienced both from gods in the past.

"You fucking disgust me," the male spat, making Theo shrug, "I heard you were suicidal, but this is just straight up pathetic." Theo scowled.

"I've been seeing a therapist. Granted, he's fucking my uncle, but you know. Beggars can't be choosers," he muttered, making the male curl his lip.

"It's a pity your mother hadn't killed you back then," he growled, making Theo give him a droll look, "I know all about how she tried to poison you and was killed in the process."

"Actually, turns out, she wasn't my real mom. I mentioned that earlier, didn't I? My mom's actually from the old Celtic-- Oh, you know what? I just realized I don't care," Theo deadpanned, "Now, I'm gonna give you three seconds to let go of me. If you don't, I'm gonna have to kill you and to be honest, I'm a no-killing streak right now. Two days sober, bitch." The male snarled and picked Theo up, slamming him into the wall again. Adonis winced in sympathetic pain watching that redhead hit the brick.

But instead of angering or frightening the godling, he closed his eyes.

"One."

The male gripped him by the lapels and swung him around, throwing him into a dumpster, but Theo caught himself and spun around to face him, looking relieved.

"Oh, thank fuck. That was easy, and here I thought I was gonna have to--" He was cut off when the male ran at him, slammed him into the dumpster, and suckerpunched him in the gut. Adonis straightened, unsure what possessed him to step out and help, especially since this was a god, and he hated gods, and the creature could defend himself.

And he was right; the creature could defend himself. Except, there was no flashy light show of magic or limbs flying off without a single touch.

No, Theo recovered fast, drawing his knee up and hitting the guy right in the junk. The male gave a hoarse cry and fell to his knees. Theo drew his knee up again and smashed the guy's nose, then he grabbed a handful of hair and yanked his head back, looking down at him with an amused grin.

"Phew, good thing I didn't take you up on your offer for a quick fuck, yeah? I'm trying to avoid the rough violent sex right now. I'm told vanilla feels just as good," he paused to look up at no one in particular, "Shoot. Doesn't help that I'm turned on. Could you stop bleeding for two fucking seconds and think about me? I have an addiction, asshole, that's why I signed up for this thing in particular. It's for recovering alcoholics and junkies. I'm like two months sober. You're ruining everything." Annoyance flashed in Theo's eyes as he suckerpunched the guy in the nose. The guy groaned and toppled over, making Theo groan in the same whiny tone a toddler would.

"Aw, come on, don't start a fight you can't finish. What a let down!" He stomped on the guy's groin and the guy gave a shrill cry before his eyes rolled up in his head and he passed out. Theo shook his head, then cocked it before glancing toward the end of the alley.

"What? You want some of this too?" He demanded. It took Adonis a full moment to realize the prince was talking to him. He narrowed his eyes, but didn't want to play any games with the prince. He was a god, and if he saw Adonis's face, he'd snatch him up as fast as the others had.

Instead of answering the prince, he spun away to leave, only to stiffen when he realized the prince had teleported to stand before him. He curled his lip and took a step back just in time for a blast of power to hit him. It didn't hurt him, didn't send him flying, but it sent his hood falling back from his head. He sucked in a sharp breath as Theo stared at him with a cocked head, curiously as if he were a dog that had found something interesting.

"Huh, you're kinda hot," Theo said, making Adonis stiffen, "You a prostitute?" Adonis glared at him.

"Fuck you," he threw at him. Theo arched a brow, then smirked.

"I take that as a resounding no," he said slowly, then sniffed a little and grimaced, "I don't remember seeing you at the session. You reek of booze. Did you just go right to the bar?" Adonis curled his lip.

"I don't have the luxury of drinking fine wines and going on dates."

"I find it hard to believe you can't find a date."

"I wasn't there for the dating shit. I was there to drink."

"I can tell. Your breath smells like a liquor store... You wanna go see a movie?" Theo asked. Adonis scowled. What kind of question was that? They'd just met. For all the prince knew, he could be a psychopath like the guy he'd just kicked to the curb. Literally. He'd heard the prince was unwell in the head, but this was ridiculous. Didn't he understand self-preservation? Or maybe just not asking random people out to movies?

And yet, Adonis was... oddly amused by that. Nobody asked him to movies. They asked him if he wanted to fuck or make love. They asked him to do things that would pleasure others. Nobody asked him to see a movie.

And... he was still drunk as hell. So why the fuck not?

"What movie?" Adonis asked. Theo cocked his head.

"There's two of them I wanted to see. One about zombies and another one about Jack the Ripper."

"Zombie movies are shit. Jack the Ripper."

"Zombie movies are fucking the shit. What kind of immortal doesn't like zombies?"

"The kind who are tired of the same old tropes. Even George A. Romero wore out his welcome after the first two."

"That's slander and I won't accept that in my city."

"What're you gonna do about it?" Adonis challenged. Theo wrinkled up his nose and smiled at the same time. There was something utterly adorable about the gesture. It made him appear young and boyishly charming.

Oh yeah. He was definitely drunk.

He had to be, to be attracted to a godling.

And still, he found himself following the prince through the streets, his hood pulled back up to hide his face. Theo didn't question him over it either. He didn't try to make any passes at him or grope him or ask for a quick fuck. He didn't even sneak him horny glances either. Instead, the prince talked like there was no tomorrow.

"And I seriously fucking question his taste. Like, he's not gay, but he's not straight either, and he didn't seem to like bisexual, and that just brings me to the whole why we have to label shit. Like, I'm not gonna be all hippie and ask why we have to put ourselves in boxes to organize our social constructs, but seriously, isn't everyone a little bit gay? Like, I don't believe there is a single human being who is completely straight. Even homo-bashers are fucking gay sometimes. And what the fuck is wrong with being gay? It was completely fucking normal before the Christian white people came around spewing that it was naughty. Like, so what? And why is sex naughty when it's fucking normal? People are shitheads, you know that?" Adonis could barely keep track, but somehow, the rambling was... comforting.

He was so accustomed to living alone, not listening or speaking himself, that having someone simply speak to him was refreshing. Even if it was simply aimless rambling.

The godling had a lot of opinions that Adonis hadn't expected. He was used to gods talking about themselves and how great they were. How much they wanted to fuck him and all the horrible things they wanted to do to him. He wasn't used for talking much, just sex. It was consorts who were used for talking, and not always private things, but it appeared that for this godling, nothing was off-limits.

"And after all this time, we broke up and I was total shit without him. It's weird how I never realized how much I fucking relied on him, ya know? Like, the first time I had to schedule my own meetings? Total bullshit. Too much fucking work. I had Abel helping me out for a while, but that asshole will only help so much before he realizes he's doting on me. In the end, I ended up hiring Yiuwa to be my second-in-command, but I have this feeling he's gonna run off into the sunset with Rowan."

"I'll probably promote Aasimah at that point. She's pretty badass and isn't afraid to tell me to fuck off. And I'm gonna be straight up; I always thought Muslim women were pretty subservient, but fuck was I wrong. She kneed me in the groin once for asking her if she was bald under there. I'd apologize for being inappropriate, but fuck, you know, that's just who I am. She didn't hate me for it, though. She told me why she wore it and so I figured I'd get her something to kind of make up for it, and I found out that Demonic Fashion was experimenting with hijabs and I know she works out a lot, and it's hard to find hijabs to wear during a workout, so I got Malachi to give me one of their prototypes and she loves it. I'm thinking about giving her Yiuwa's room, since he's not living at the palace anymore. He and Rowan are moved into some little house in Styx."

"Does your jaw hurt?" Adonis asked suddenly. Theo looked at him.

"What for?"

"Because you talk so damn much. You ever think of wearing a muzzle?"

"I had one once," Theo replied, "The Titans nailed a metal plate over my mouth. Guess they thought I had a big mouth too."

"You too, huh?"

"Me too what?"

"Nothing. Are we going to see a movie or not?"

"Hell yeah. Let's do this."

Adonis followed Theo into the mega theater. They ended up buying popcorn and candies and it was the kind of theater that let you bring booze in, so they sequestered themselves into a comfortable part of the theater and binged while watching the movie recount the Jack the Ripper murders in London.

Adonis was surprised the kid managed to stay quiet through the whole thing with the way he talked non-stop on their way there. The prince sat there, watching with wide fascinated red eyes as he munched on popcorn with one hand and used the other to grab candy out of their shared bag or slurped on their wine slushie.

He was so different from the gods he'd met over the centuries. All the gods he'd met were foul and cruel. A god had cursed his mother, and his mother had called upon a goddess to curse him, and ever since then, every god he'd come in contact with used their powers to subjugate him.

But this god hadn't used him. This god had invited him to a movie, something most of the gods he'd met would've shuddered in revulsion over. This god also hadn't asked him for sex or even groped him the entire time they were together, which was a first. Most gods introduced themselves with a grope.

Dare he believe for a moment he'd found a god who didn't plan to use him?

He wasn't sure he wanted to hope.

Yet he'd lived alone for so long. He'd never had a true friend. Never had anyone he could trust. Not even a single person's whose company he enjoyed. He'd never had the chance. He was met by perverts every time. But he'd known it existed; trust and love and loyalty. It seemed everyone else around him had it, but him.

Was this his chance?

Were the Fates finally cutting him some slack?

The movie ended and they walked out of the theater. And the moment they did, Theo went on a roll about the movie in a way that brought a smile to Adonis's lips.

"They should've chosen Lex Theon to play Jack instead of Dillon Rae. First of all, when you see Dillon, do you see Jack the Ripper? Cuz I see a fucking university professor sitting alone in his office and trying to come up with an excuse to get one of his students in there," Theo pointed out, making Adonis snort. Both were Elysium actors, former actors in the mortal realm who'd died and been given a chance at reincarnation. Both of whom remembered their past lives and used it as an excuse to claim their fame and fortune. Except...

"I can see that," Adonis agreed, "Rae's a sore loser anyway and you can tell he wasn't really into the role. Ever since he lost out to Dean Kanny at the Demmy's last year, he's been cold and bitter about everything. His life is falling apart faster than Johnny Depp's, and at least Johnny Depp has death as an out. Meanwhile, we're stuck with Rae and his hurt feelings for another three hundred years." Theo laughed.

"Oh for sure. Did you see his face at the Demmy's, though? He looked like someone pissed in his cornflakes!"

"I saw it on TV, and even in high-def you could see his fucking pores scream," Adonis added, smirking. Theo burst out laughing at that, then shook his head and gave him an elbow to the arm. It was a playful action, Adonis realized after a moment. He'd seen others do it. Never had someone done it to him. He wasn't sure how to react right away, until he elbowed Theo back, who flashed him a cheeky grin.

"Yo, I just realized I don't know your name," Theo said, cocking his head. Adonis shrugged.

"Do you need it?"

"Who else is gonna sit and watch movies with me and give me feasible feedback? Whenever I take Cain, he bases his whole opinion on whether or not the actor is fuckable, and while Dillon Rae does have that kind of old world charm, he's a shit person and a shit actor," Theo replied. Adonis smiled at that, then paused as they stood in the courtyard that was only a block away from Theo's palace. Adonis looked up over his redhead at the mansion ahead. Large and beautiful in a sinister and foreboding kind of way, it was just what he'd expect from a god. It made him nervous.

"Dean," Adonis said at last. Theo arched a brow, then shrugged.

"Alright. I'd give you my name, but fuck, my name's on the fucking welcome sign to this place. I'll give you a call sometime and we can go see the zombie movie next," he added. Adonis grimaced.

"Zombie movies are terrible."

"And so is your fake name," Theo retorted, making Adonis eye him warily, "But if you're gonna give me shit, I'm gonna give you shit. Well, what you think is shit, but is actually a fucking movie genre classic."

"If we're talking classics, then we might as well go see Phantom of the Opera or The Silence of the Lambs. Both of which are fucking amazing."

"I'll take your classics and raise you another one; Tod Browning's Dracula."

"Psh. What about The Thing? The ending still has me bouncing up and down like an idiot."

"Okay," Theo said slowly, holding his hands up in surrender, "Fine. You got me with that, but it's probably the only time Kurt Russell will ever win anything in my book."

"And I concede on that point," Adonis agreed. Theo grinned.

"Shit, it's so hard to find someone who appreciates movies. My brothers are all fucking losers and I can't stand watching a movie with them because they don't shut up. Can't watch shit without Cain whipping his dick out or Charon shutting his eyes. And don't get me started on Mal. He's one of those people who asks questions the whole time--"

"Ugh," Adonis exclaimed in disgust, "I fucking hate people like that."

"Then watch another movie with me," Theo stated, putting his hands on his hips. Adonis pursed his lips for a moment, studying Theo's intent stare and cocky smile. There was something so oddly endearing about that smile, those perfect pink lips, the playful gleam in his red eyes. His brilliant red hair seemed to curl in just the right spots. Adonis swallowed thickly.

"Adonis," he said at last, "My name is Adonis." Theo stared at him for a full moment, then nodded.

"See, it wasn't that fucking hard," he said. Adonis scowled for a moment before he realized... this little shit already knew who he was.

"You already knew my name," Adonis muttered. Theo smirked.

"Hell yeah. At first, wasn't so sure just from your face, considering I know a few other people who give stiffies with just the right look. Then I realized that you were hiding your face," he explained, "Figured you're either shy or something about you gets people going. Wasn't sure which kind of going, but now we know." Adonis grimaced. He wasn't so sure he was comfortable with Theo knowing who he was. And Theo appeared to notice immediately, a frown working onto his face.

"Hey," he said, making Adonis glance at him, "I'm not gonna jump your bones. Just because you're hot doesn't mean I'm gonna fuck you. I'm over that whole thing. Someone taught me that you have to get to know someone before you fuck... or, you know. Have sex. Still working on this whole thing. It's super weird." He looked confused by his own words. Adonis frowned for a moment, then cleared his throat, preparing himself to do something he'd never done before in his life.

"Do you... want to get coffee in the morning?" He asked. Theo blinked, then brightened at that.

"Yeah, sounds great. Starbucks on Fifth and Gold?"

"Sure." As soon as he made enough money to afford a single fucking coffee there. Which meant he'd spend the night doing some side work. Either way, he didn't care. It was somehow worth it to see those eyes brighten like that.

With the date in mind, they parted ways. Adonis headed back toward his apartment, feeling ten times better than he had earlier. He never scheduled dates. Actually, he'd never gone on a date in his life. Most people locked him up in their bedrooms right off the bat. For the longest time, the idea of an outside world had never occurred to him. Bedrooms were all that existed. Then people started to take him around the house, so bathrooms, kitchens.

And when he saw what lay beyond his prisons for the first time, his first time feeling grass beneath his feet, breathing in fresh air... He needed it. He craved it. For once in his life, he wanted something. During a transfer between gods, he'd made his escape. He had no fucking idea what he was doing at the time. He didn't know how to survive in the world. He'd eaten out of garbage cans and worn stolen clothing. That was what had gotten him started on his life on his own.

He stole everything to make himself a life. He stole food, clothes, even trinkets. Then he'd figured out how to steal enough creds with fake IDs. He'd worked his way up through the criminal social ladder and earned enough money to attend tech school. Now, not only could he steal physical objects, but he could horde digital gifts as well.

He kept that in mind as he made it to his crummy little apartment on the first floor. His boots made a suction sound on the sticky carpets and his lock took some jiggling before it opened and he stepped inside. He shut the door and threw his keys on a pile of boxes near the door. He turned to give his room a slow disapproving stare. A sofa he'd found in a dumpster, a coffee table he'd rescued from a disposal unit, a shelving unit he'd found in an abandoned factory. It wasn't ideal, but he had something.

He went back to his bedroom where a couple of milk crates held up a plank of wood as his computer desk, and sitting on it was the computer he'd built out of scraps. Again, not ideal, but it did what it was supposed to. He walked over, pulling another milk crate over so he had a seat and got to work. All he needed was just a few bucks and he'd be able to afford at least a coffee with the prince.

Or wait, since he was the one who invited him, shouldn't he also pay for the prince's coffee? Wasn't that common courtesy? Adonis scowled as he input codes and searched secured databases for any openings. He scrolled through thousands of listings, narrowed his searches in an attempt to find something that was doable within the next few hours and resulted in good pay. He mostly only found bounties, things he wasn't capable of. He was immortal, so he couldn't get sick or die, but he didn't have access to magic. He'd be fucked if he took on someone with magic. And even more fucked if he paraded himself in a way that the gods would be able to locate him, particularly his previous owner.

He needed to stay low. But he also needed cash. His life was ever a risk of what to do to survive.

But for once, there was something else he wanted.

He wasn't sure why. Theo was a god. The very representation of a creature he hated more than anything. And yet, Theo was so different. He understood the world, what it was like to suffer, somehow. He had no idea how, but he wanted to know. He wanted to know more about this god.

Adonis settled for a job hacking into someone's laptop and finding their credit information, so he opened up the programs he'd created to make his job easier and got to work. It was a matter of minutes before he made his way into the person's device and exchanged the information with the buyer, who was already sending the credits to his account.

Relieved, Adonis pushed himself back and went to the mattress thrown on the floor. He flopped down and curled up, closing his eyes as he prepared for sleep. He'd actually be able to get some shut eye before his very first date ever. How was he to behave, he wondered? He'd seen people on dates before, but they were too intimate to be firsts. Or was that what people considered acceptable?

And his nerves made him toss and turn.

Why was he doing this in the first place?

Theo was a god. He was, immortal granted, but nothing more than a human. Cursed by the gods, used, chewed up, spat out. What if Theo wasn't as nice as he pretended to be tonight? But, he'd seemed so honest... And so had others that he'd been tricked by. And, even if it was just him overthinking things, what if Theo didn't want him because of how used he was? Gods, he'd probably had sex with every god in the Greek pantheon and beyond. His last owner had been Thor, a great and powerful god of the Norse pantheon. He was incredibly well-known, incredibly powerful.

The only reason Adonis had escaped him when he had was because of Thor's interest in another that had allowed him time to escape. But no doubt upon Thor's return, he would be furious. And he'd escaped quite a few years ago. Surely Thor wasn't going to let him off that easily, at least not without punishment.

But he'd been so careful to cover his tracks. Thor would never suspect him to be hiding in Hades. He had no idea that Hades had been the only god who turned away from an opportunity to have at Adonis, and Adonis had been entirely grateful. He'd heard rumors Hades was a harsh lover...

Except he hadn't gotten that feeling when he'd been thrust to the floor before the god at a reunion in Olympus so long ago. He remembered stumbling over his own feet and hitting the ground, gasping in agony before he looked up to see a pair of hulking boots. He felt the blood drain from his face, felt every muscle in his body quiver as he shrank back, followed those boots up a pair of long muscular legs, a well-built torso, and met the legendary glowing blue eyes of the god of the Greek underworld that bore his name.

He'd have shit himself if he hadn't been fed to scarier gods. But he was rendered speechless as he stared at up at the god, who narrowed his eyes down on him for a moment before looking up.

"What the hell am I supposed to do with him?" He demanded of Adonis's owner at the time... his dear sister, Demeter.

"I've grown bored of him," Demeter said with a sigh, coming over to sink her hand into Adonis's hair, and Adonis grimaced, loathing the way she ran her fingers through his hair like he was a fucking dog at her feet, "He no longer comes when I do. Actually, he hasn't come in a while. Perhaps impotent?" Or that his body had become accustomed to the abuse and no longer found sick pleasure in it. Not that his mind ever had, and fuck, did he curse his stupid body. It writhed and moaned against his will, stretched him into a languid wonton slut for his tormentors. All the while, his mind screamed for mercy. Begged for it to stop.

"And you think I want your scraps?" Hades deadpanned. Demeter smiled.

"Hades, you know that's not what this is about. You do well with those cast out of Olympus. He's overstayed his welcome here. All the gods have had their taste of him and he's become old news. Perhaps you'd like to have a go at him before we send him somewhere else?" She asked. Adonis seethed at that. He peered up through his hair at Hades, to take a peek at the god who would own him next, probably fuck him bloody with a cactus or whatever else matched the rumors he'd heard on Olympus. Such were that Hades enjoyed bloody violent sex. He was horny as hell and loved sloppy seconds. Or so he'd heard.

Hades dropped his eyes down to look at the blonde, and Adonis felt him shrink in on himself as he dropped his eyes, learning long ago he was not worthy to meet their eyes. He felt his heart hammering in his chest, felt his breath get squeezed out of his lungs. He wanted to weep. He didn't want anymore of this. He didn't want to be used anymore, especially by a male. The women were terrible, but the men were so much harsher, so much more violent.

"The hell is wrong with you," Hades said suddenly, making Adonis blink in confusion as he looked up to see Hades glaring at his sister, who sighed, "He's the same fucking age as my Theo. The same age as DeShawn, Demeter. He's just a kid."

"Oh, come now, Hades, don't do this--"

"He's a fucking child. Since when do we fuck children?"

"Stop that," Demeter snapped, her cheeks flushing with offense, "He's not a child. Look at him, he has the body of a grown man and he knows exactly how to please his masters. Besides, he's no innocent being. He's the product of an incestual affair."

"Demeter, we're fucking Greek. My own kids fuck on occasion."

"There's something wrong with the blood in Cain and Abel," Demeter started, only to slow her words at Hades's murderous glare, "It's not on your part, sweet brother, but their mother's. The creatures of Yhwhwa are simply wrong. It's not their fault--"

"That's not the fucking point, and I told you to watch your damn mouth when you mention my kids, and you are not allowed to use their names to justify your crimes."

"Crimes? What have I done--"

"You fucked a fucking child. He may have the body of a man, but Christ, his mind is still too young. Or at least, it probably was, until you all fucked it over royally. I can't believe you would think for one second I would be interested in this game."

"I was thinking about how my brother needs companionship," Demeter spat, roughly releasing Adonis so he slumped to the floor, "Gods, why must you be like this? If anyone is still a child, it is you. You still don't seem to comprehend how this world works, Hades. We can't stick to the same weaknesses we had all those centuries ago. We must assimilate to this world--"

"If assimilating to this world means fucking a kid, I'd rather leave it."

"You keep acting this way and Zeus will ensure it," Demeter snapped, then sucked in a sharp breath as Hades stiffened, and she placed a hand over her lips, "No... Hades, I didn't mean that. I didn't mean to bring it up. That was cruel."

"And so is what you're doing here," Hades said coldly, gesturing to Adonis, who looked up at him in confusion, "Don't do this just because the others are, Demeter. Let him go. He's suffered enough." Adonis wanted to weep. Never had someone spoken on his behalf, especially not a god. Never a god. Gods looked at him for a second and wanted to plunder his body like a treasure trove.

But not Hades. Hades spoke up for him. Hades condemned the actions against him, even knowing the sins of his parents. Adonis wouldn't mind being owned by this god. He wouldn't mind at all. Anyone who wouldn't use him like he had been used for so long. Anyone to be kind.

"I can't," Demeter whispered, then shook her head as she went and grabbed Adonis by the restraints on his hands, hauling him to his feet, "But I won't use him anymore... I'm going to send him to the Norse." Hades scowled.

"Demeter, that's not what I meant--"

"Hades, there is only so much I can do before I get in trouble. Why does everything have to be about you and your feelings? Do you think the other gods will see what I've done as kindness? They will see weakness. They will seek me out, and I will not have them hurt me. Not after what I've seen him do before." She flinched and shook her head, dragging Adonis away. The last thing Adonis remembered from that meeting was Hades demanding Demeter come back, but Demeter ignored him.

And a few days later, he'd been passed around Valhalla like a high-class prostitute, fucked by gods and other monstrosities alike. And thankfully, they had a way to cure his impotence. Spells and herbs had made it so he could last for hours, coming until his cock felt it would fall off. And the person who'd purchased him for those celebrations?

"There you are."

Adonis's eyes flashed open. He stared across the room of his tiny crummy apartment, at the wall with paint peeling off and plaster beneath chipping away, leaving holes for rats to scamper through. He spun around fast, slamming into the corner of the room, breathing hard as he looked across the room where his worst nightmare stood with a cocky grin.

Thor laughed, moving out of the shadows in Adonis's room to stand near the window where a streetlamp glare cut through and illuminated him. His red hair was nothing like Theo's, not bright and fiery, but cast with strands of brown, reddish only in mortal terms. His hair was cut short, but his beard another story, his dark brown-red eyes glinting. He wore a tight black shirt with a jean jacket over top and leather pants that disappeared into a pair of boots Adonis recognized well, for they'd broken his ribs and jaw in the past.

"Damn, it's about fucking time I found you," Thor sneered. Adonis cursed and dove for the door, only for an unseen force to pick him up and throw him across the room so he hit the wall and slid down on to the bed, groaning in pain that wracked his body.

"How long has it been, Addy," Thor mused, walking slowly toward the bed and stopping at the foot of it, "I leave for one event. One interesting little dance in the Great Hall and I come back to find you missing? Jealousy doesn't become you."

"F-Fuck you," Adonis wheezed, "You don't own me anymore." Thor barked a laugh.

"You think because you don't have the slave mark here that it will continue to be gone when I bring you home? Oh please. I can and will happily tattoo it on your ass this time. Big huge letters. Property of Thor." He put a boot on the mattress and Adonis scrambled back up against the wall, putting his hand out as if he had some hope against the almighty god.

"Get away from me!" Adonis snarled. Thor smirked, reaching out and slapping Adonis's hand aside before grabbing the front of the man's jacket, hauling him close.

"Time to make up for years of making me chase you," he said, then paused, cocking his head and admiring the beautiful planes of Adonis's face, even when it was twisted in a sneer, "Though, I will admit, it was quite fun trying to track you down. All I had to do was wait for one slip up, and finally, whatever you did tonight fucked up your years of evading me." He shoved Adonis down on the bed and reached down to the belt of his pants, ripping it out of the loops and giving it a snap that made Adonis roll to get off the bed, but Thor threw his hand out and pinned Adonis down the bed. Adonis screamed, arching his back and writhing to escape, making Thor sigh.

"Source above, I've missed the sound of your screams. Let's make you sing for the neighbors, shall we?"

----

Adonis couldn't move. Every part of his body ached and throbbed. He could barely breathe through lungs that felt like they'd been popped like balloons in his chest. He laid sprawled out on the bed on his stomach, his head turned as he watched Thor stretch and pop his joints. His head spun and he struggled to maintain consciousness, watching as Thor bent over to grab up his pants.

"Mm," Thor sighed, "That was rather nice... It's been too long since I've last been able to find a male who can withstand all my play. You truly are a rare gift to the gods, Addy. Normally, this would be the part where I chain you up and drag you home on your ass..." Adonis felt a whimper in his throat. The sound came out before he could stop it, and Thor chuckled as he turned and crouched down in front of him.

Thor reached out and brushed the blonde hair back from Adonis's face. He stroked the soft skin of his cheek, giving himself a small congratulations that he'd managed to leave Adonis's beautiful face untouched. Not a mark or a bruise, just a little spatter of blood that had come from biting the man's throat and tasting his sweet rich blood. He licked his lips at the memory, and a smirk spread across his lips at the man's involuntary flinch at the gesture.

"Fret not, little human. I'm finished for tonight. The chase made this all the more exciting. I have an idea... Why don't I leave you here for a little while? Let you get your affairs in order. See if you can run away again. Or, you can be a good boy, and come to me on your own when you realize you'll never be able to escape me. That's right; I'm giving you a choice this time. So choose wisely, Addy. It would be a pity to make me so angry that I may hurt your face."

Adonis couldn't bring himself to speak. He only watched in agony as Thor stroked his face before gripping his jaw and bringing their lips together in a rough, bruising kiss before the god released him and rose to his feet.

"You have until tonight, Addy. See you soon. Hopefully very soon." With that, Thor vanished, leaving Adonis to lay in agony on the blood stained bed. He blinked his sore eyelids, inching his fingers across the mattress to grab his phone that had fallen beneath one of the milk crates. He picked it up, brushed off the cracked screen to see that it was nearly noon. He let the phone drop and closed his eyes, his arm going limp on the bed.

So much for having his first date.

He couldn't move.

He couldn't speak.

Everything hurt. His legs were caked in blood, his other arm was broken, his ankle twisted, and he was positive the god had broken a couple ribs. He wanted to find the strength to get up and run. He had to pack up. He had to get away. He had to...

But what was the point? If Thor had found him once, he would find him again.

Perhaps it was just easier to go crawling back. After all, maybe if he did, Thor would be more lenient towards him.

Tsk. Yeah. Right. Thor had no meaning of the word.

Still, Adonis felt an ache as he felt his exhaustion come over him. He ached to sit down, share coffee with an eccentric godling who liked zombie movies and rambling. He would've liked to have one last meeting with the godling before he was forced to return to... well, his prison.

He passed out with that final thought, only to come to later in the night when he heard someone at his apartment door, trying the lock. He blinked a couple times as panic came over him. His body had finished healing, but there were still aches and pains as he struggled to get to his hands and knees. He crawled across the floor to close the bedroom door, his hands shaking.

He wasn't sure what stupidity possessed him to think for one second that a flimsy wooden door would stop Thor from coming to get him. He just wanted to put something between him and the angry god. Even if it only bought him a few seconds of reprieve.

Adonis struggled to get to his feet, but his legs buckled and he went down. He managed to crawl across the room to his makeshift computer console. He wedged himself beneath the board, wheezing as he wondered why the fuck he thought he could hide here. The moment that door opened, Thor would be inside, grabbing him and hauling him back to his prison. And yet, his self-preservation didn't give a shit. It demanded he hide. It demanded he try and get away.

He heard the front door get kicked open and flinched. He hugged his knees to his chest, goosebumps prickling his skin as he listened to footsteps moving into his apartment. He squeezed his eyes shut and fucking prayed to whatever creature was out there. He prayed to... for some fucking reason, he found himself praying to Hades, to Theo. They were the only gods who'd never hurt him.

He heard the footsteps moving toward his bedroom, and the trembling in his body began against his will, shaking one of the devices on his console. He wanted to grab the object, throw it so it wouldn't give away his hiding place, but he couldn't move. Fear held him paralyzed as he lay in a fetal position under the console, listening to the boots... yes, they were definitely big boots outside his door. He recognized the sound.

No... No, please. Please. Please, don't let this happen to me again. Please.

He squeezed his eyes shut as he heard the door to his bedroom open, flying into the wall behind him. Adonis held his breath, but the trembling hadn't stopped at the thing on the console fell off and landed in front of him, drawing the eyes of the god he feared most. His skin was clammy now, his heart pounding so hard. Fuck, if he wasn't immortal, he would've had a heart attack by now. His fear was so raw, so profound. He wanted to scream, but the sound was lodged in his throat.

"Oh fuck," he heard someone breath. He blinked his eyes open, confused by the voice. He heard the boots running across the floor and he instinctively shrank further back under the board.

"Son of a bitch," came another voice, this one he didn't recognize. He managed to tilt his head back and peered out from under the board to see...

Holy shit, it was Theo. The godling was standing over the console, getting down onto his knees. Behind him was a massive hulking monster at a whopping seven feet with wavy black hair and well trimmed facial hair, eyes as red as Theo's, and enough black leather to please an entire biker gang. The sight of him had Adonis shrinking further back until he'd touched the wall.

"Adonis?" Theo's voice was demanding. Adonis remained where he was as humiliation curdled in his stomach. He shut his eyes again, wishing he hadn't prayed at all. Was that how Theo had found him? Had he fucking prayed loud enough?

"Go away," Adonis seethed, his voice trembling.

"Hell no," Theo snapped, making Adonis blink his eyes open and look at him in agonized confusion, "Come here." Adonis shook his head and ducked his head back down.

"Just fucking leave me alone," he growled, "You can't do anything." Theo glared at him. Those red eyes were so fierce, so angry. Adonis felt a shameful sliver of fear over it. Thor's attack had left him so raw and mutilated. He felt himself crawling back into that place ruled by fear. This wasn't him; he knew it wasn't. He was stronger than this. He'd come back from this... but he'd had years to recover from the violence. Years to find out who he was.

Thor had torn all of that apart in a single night.

"Fine," Theo said after a moment, and Adonis almost breathed a sigh of relief, only to choke on it when Theo sat cross-legged on the floor and glanced over his shoulder, "Yo, Cerb, I'm staying with him. You can take the report and get back to dad." Adonis blanched at the mention of Hades's powerful artificial son, Cerberus. The monstrous creature nodded, black hair falling over his shoulders.

"Yeah, no problem. I'm gonna let the landlord know, and put in a call to Adrian. He helps a lot of people deal with shit like this, so we'll figure something out," he responded, turning around and walking out of the room. Theo watched him go, then turned back to Adonis, who clenched his teeth.

"You don't need to do this," Adonis ground out. Theo shrugged.

"Nah, but I want to," he replied, making Adonis look at him in confusion, "Besides, once you realize you're being dumb, you'll come out and I can take you to see my dad. He'll fix you up and then we go find the guy who did this and kill him." He said it so simply. There was such a childish innocent to his words that it took everything Adonis had not to laugh in disbelief.

How simple could his life be that just a doctor's visit and killing someone could make things all better again? What luck did he have to not experience the things Adonis had since he was a child? Last night had just been a repeat of every single night since he was a kid, actual child. The only reason he hadn't recovered fast was because... he'd been living in semi-peace for years now. He'd gotten used to being safe, to not being fucked at every turn, to being able to sleep.

His life had become somewhat normal over the past few years.

Now, his nightmare had returned full force.

Reminding him that no matter where he ran, Thor, or any god who owned him for that matter, would find him.

Thor was right, he realized. It would be better to just suck it up and return to him. At least he would be used to the abuse once it started again. He wouldn't be shocked back to his past like this. Because his past would be the same as his present and his future. An endless stream of torture to any and all gods or monsters who wanted a piece of him.

"Real life doesn't work like that," Adonis heard himself murmur in response to the prince, who frowned.

"Sure it does. In case you're really dumb, my dad is Hades. God of modern medicine, according to last week's issue of Demonic Fashion. He'll get you checked over. Then you can just tell us who did this and we can find him and make him suffer."

"Except you can't," Adonis muttered, "Gods, to be as naive as you."

"First of all, fucking rude," Theo drawled, though he didn't appear offended, "And second of all, sure, we can. Just give me the fucker's name and--"

"The fucker who did this is my owner," Adonis snarled. Theo fell silent at that for a moment before speaking.

"Except slavery is outlawed in Hades. Everyone is free here."

"To my owner, it doesn't matter. He came in and he did this. He's coming back for me. He told me. I don't have a choice. That's why you should just fucking leave," Adonis responded. Theo scowled.

"Hell no. He may have gotten to you this time, but not while I'm fucking around. Next time he shows his fugly ass here, I'll rip his intestines out through his ass," he said. Adonis felt his lips tug into a smile at the threat. He wanted to believe it was possible. He wanted to have hope that Theo would protect him... but that was stupid. He shouldn't be relying on Theo's protection. He'd only be indebted to another god. And Theo would never stand a chance against Thor. The god was probably older than him, stronger too. He was the most feared Norse god, setting aside Loki, who was only feared because he was clever and didn't wield a giant hammer.

"Come on," Theo tried again, making Adonis shake his head, "Don't be a stubborn jackass. Get your ass out from under there. I'm only being nice right now, which by the way, is really fucking hard. If you don't get out from under there, I'm just gonna move all this shit and get to you myself."

"So do it," Adonis snapped, "You're a god, right? You can do whatever the fuck you want. You could probably attack me too." It was a stupid assumption, but right now, Adonis wasn't using the logical part of his brain. He was using the survival part that saw everyone and everything as a threat.

"Just because I'm a god doesn't mean I'm as big an asshole as the guy who did this to you," Theo replied, surprising Adonis when he lowered his voice, almost as if he didn't want anyone to hear what they were talking about, "Look... I haven't talked about this with anyone, except my therapist, and even then I don't really like going into detail about it because it just... makes me feel like where you are right now." Adonis looked at him curiously.

"What are you talking about?" He muttered.

"I'm not blind," Theo answered softly, his red eyes searching Adonis's face, darting down his body, then back up, "I know what was done to you. Because something like that happened to me. Except I got the honor of killing the bitches after they pissed my beast off." Adonis frowned.

"Your beast?" He asked. He'd never heard of such a thing. Theo nodded.

"I have the Beast curse. Basically, it's when someone curses you before you're born, and when you are born, you're born with this other half connected to your soul. Except it's not as smart. This part of me only likes to let blood and fuck. So, we share that part."

"Which part? The not as smart or the blood and fuck?"

"Fuck you," Theo said, making Adonis laugh shakily, "The blood and fuck part, asshole. I just so happen to be a highly intelligent fucking god. So quit fucking around and get out from there. Let's just get you looked at. Then we can talk about the asshole who's going to pay for this." Adonis didn't really want to leave the safety of his niche. He wanted to hide there forever, but sooner or later, Thor would return for him and he'd rather be standing for the god than curled into a fetal position.

He very reluctantly pulled himself out from under the board and console. He rose to his feet with Theo, who stepped back to give him space. Adonis cleared his throat, averting his eyes and feeling uncomfortable with his nudity. Theo noticed immediately and looked to the bed, then went to the small closet across the room to take out an old torn shirt and a pair of jeans. He handed them to Adonis without looking at Adonis took them blandly.

"I don't need these," Adonis said quietly. What was the point if Thor was just going to rip them off?

"Fine, I don't mind the view," Theo deadpanned, turning to look at him and fold his arms over his chest.

"You and my owner," Adonis replied. Theo grimaced, lowering his arms.

"Put the damn clothes on. He's not going to get you again."

"That's what I said the first time I escaped. He found me once. He's going to find me again. What's the point of trying to do this again when it's just going to lead back to the same thing?" Adonis asked, looking at the clothes in his hands, aching to hide within them, but knowing it was useless. He looked up to see Theo glaring at him.

"He's not going to get fucking near you again. Put your damn clothes on. We're going to see my dad. He'll protect you."

"While I want to believe that, I know he can't."

"Then allow me to fucking change your mind," Theo replied, "Put your damn clothes on." Adonis scowled.

"Why don't you just make me do it? Your magic is powerful enough," he threw back. Theo rolled his eyes.

"Well, for one, it's your choice to see my dad naked or clothed. I'm sure both of you guys prefer clothed. And two, I'm not wasting my magic on it. I don't even waste my own magic on putting my own damn clothes on. I use it for more important things. Like filling my brother's house up with enough glitter to last a century."

"My gods, the rumors about you are true; you're evil." Glitter never went away once it's presence was made known. Adonis learned that from experience. Of course, there was an evil gleam in Theo's eyes at what was taken as a compliment.

"Thanks, I try," Theo answered, "Now clothes. On. Now." Adonis sighed. It was useless, but what choice did he have? If he was to face Hades, he'd rather do it with clothes on his ass. For once. He pulled the shirt and jeans on, then followed Theo out of his bedroom to the front room where Cerberus was on the phone with someone before he hung up.

"Oh, hey, you must be Adonis. I thought you said he was human," Cerberus said, looking at Theo, who arched a brow.

"He is."

"Then why is he so fucking tall? I thought they didn't get taller than six foot."

"I was a cursed as an infant. Probably has something to do with it," Adonis deadpanned. Cerberus nodded.

"That makes sense. Alright, gang, let's hit up dad's place," he announced. Before Adonis could protest otherwise, Cerberus put his hands on Adonis's and Theo's shoulders and all three of them were teleported from his shitty apartment into a massive throne room. After a few seconds to overcome the incredible dizziness and nausea of the travel, Adonis was stunned by the huge interior with a large black obsidian throne that sat on a dais at the head of the room with a fancy backlit symbol of Hades. And strange green lights wavered overhead, like some kind of mystical beauty that Adonis was immediately bewitched by.

"What is that?" Adonis murmured in awe.

"The Aurora Borealis," Theo replied, "Haven't you been north in the mortal world before?" Adonis shook his head, doing a full turn so he could admire the lights.

"I haven't been in the mortal realm since I was a baby. We lived in a cabin by the ocean... The humans have this kind of thing in their world?" He asked, lowering his eyes to look at Theo. His heart beat skipped as the godly lighting from above shone down on Theo as if to grace him. Gods above, the green made his hair and eyes seem so much redder, his skin a smooth rich shade of pale olive, sunkissed really. He was absolutely stunning, and Adonis had to tear his eyes away before he felt embarrassed.

"Yeah," Theo said with a smirk, no fool as he noticed the heat in Adonis's gaze, "Humans kinda suck, but the Source did a great job making their world."

"Alright, what the hell is going on and why does Theo have another fucking human in my place?" A voice demanded. Adonis spun around to see Hades making his way toward him, and he stiffened. The god was a lot bigger than he remembered, and still just as imposing. His long inky black hair fell in beautiful locks down his back, his eyes the same glorious shade of blue that literally glowed and seemed only brighter with the lights overhead. He dressed in a black spandex turtleneck and tight pants that bore burn holes, stains, rips, and tears. He looked like he'd been working.

"Okay, first of all, this isn't just any human," Theo started, only for Hades to snort.

"I know. This is Adonis," he stated, making Theo give him a droll look, "I'm not an idiot. I just asked why he was here."

"Someone attacked him in his apartment," Theo replied, "I wanted you to give him a quick check up to make sure he's good to go, then see if we can find the asshole who did this to him." Hades frowned and those blue eyes swung to Adonis. He stared at him long and hard.

"Cerberus, Theo, give me a minute with the human," he said. Adonis tensed and took a step back. So much for having hoped Hades was the same gentle person he'd been back then. Something about the look on his face, the tone of his voice, said Hades was preparing to send him to Thor's front door on his own. And of course, his fear was obvious, especially as Theo stepped in front of him.

"Like hell I am," Theo snapped, "I found him first."

"Okay, this is like fucking deja vu," Cerberus groaned, shaking his head before turning to Theo, "Come on, you know he's not gonna do shit. If he wants to do an exam, I doubt the human wants you here to see his naughty bits." Theo grimaced.

"Naughty bits?" He asked. Cerberus shrugged.

"Sorry, I forgot I was talking to a brother and not one of my kids."

"Fuck you, Cerb."

"Sorry, Thee, not Cain or Abel."

"Ugh!"

"Both of you. Get out," Hades ordered, gesturing for the door. Theo ground his teeth together, but much to Adonis's agony and fear, he moved aside and followed Cerberus out the door. Adonis watched them go anxiously, then turned back to Hades, who eyed him. Adonis took another step back.

"I just... Theo wanted me to come here," he said slowly, hoping not to piss the god off, "I can leave right now. I have to anyway, I have to get back to--"

"Thor's the one who owns you now, isn't he?" Hades asked. Adonis paled.

"How--"

"I felt his presence in my realm. I didn't go after him because I figured he was probably meeting with another prostitute downtown."

"I'm not a prostitute," Adonis snarled abruptly, anger rushing his veins. Hades inclined his head.

"I know that. I didn't think he was here to hunt you down. I'd figured he'd given up on finding you, honestly," he answered. Adonis swallowed thickly.

"You knew."

"Everyone knows. Thor didn't let us forget it. Every UP meeting he had to bring up the fact that you had gone missing and anyone harboring him was going to face the wrath of his pantheon, who couldn't give two shits about his sex life."

"Are you... when are you sending me back?" Adonis asked at last. What was the point of asking if it was going to happen when it was going to happen anyway? He just needed a few minutes to find that state of mind that had helped him survive all those centuries of torture.

Hades moved and Adonis winced, moving away from him. Hades didn't move again, but somehow... his features softened. He relaxed.

"I'm not sending you back," he said, making Adonis look at him in confusion, "You're staying right here. In my realm, there is no such thing as slavery. And Thor can't make you go back with him. You're safe as long as you stay here. And if he tries to come back for you, he'll land in my fucking office and I'll happily show him what happens to godly pricks who think they can do what they want in someone else's territory."

"Why are you doing this?" Adonis asked. It didn't make sense to him. Gods didn't do things like this for other people. They always wanted something in return. Perhaps Hades was finally going to take ownership of him? Slavery laws or no slavery laws, people didn't follow laws all the time. He was a prime example of that considering his current source of income. For that alone, Hades could find an excuse to enslave him.

"Because I like pissing people off," Hades answered, "Nothing will get my rocks off better than pissing off Thor. That piece of shit has stuck his finger in my business one time too many and it's my turn to stick it to him. Fuck him. He does not have authority here. This is my domain."

"And what? You expect me to think you're doing this just because of that? That you're not going to demand something in return?" Adonis demanded. Hades studied him for a moment, then shrugged and looked down at his fingernails.

"I didn't say I was doing it for free," he answered. Adonis tensed. Now this was the part he was waiting for. The catch.

"I'm not giving you my body," Adonis said stiffly, "It's been used enough. It's worth nothing." Hades frowned and looked up.

"I don't want your body," he said, making Adonis snort.

"Bullshit. Your entire fucking pantheon made me their bitch since I was a kid."

"You and me both," Hades deadpanned, making Adonis frown and Hades sighed, "Look. I'm not interested in making you my sex slave. I already have one of those, thanks, and all of it is consensual. No, what I want from you is your skills." Adonis scowled. Firstly, did the god not know the definition of a slave? And second, his skills applied to his body.

"What's the difference?" He asked. Hades rolled his eyes.

"Not those skills, shit-for-brains. Do you think I'm an idiot? You think I don't track shit in the cyber world? You think I'm only a medicine expert and nothing more? Hell no. I invented the fucking Internet down here. You can't do shit without me catching you," he explained, making Adonis grimace, "Unfortunately, I never thought to make a cyber crime division in my military. Most of our shit is old school. So I need someone who's as smart as me to take control of a cyber division of my military." Adonis couldn't believe what he was hearing. He cocked his head a couple times, wondering if maybe he just had blood in his ears from Thor's recent attack.

"Come again?" Adonis asked. Hades gave him a deadpan stare.

"You. In charge of my cyber division in my military. Keep slavery off the web here. Make sure there's no buying and selling of living, breathing creatures. And if there is, find them and make them suffer."

"I... and that's it? That's all you're asking for?" Adonis asked, confused. Hades shrugged.

"That and if you're gonna date my son, get him to stop watching cartoons. He's thousands of years old. He shouldn't be watching fucking Invader Zim."

"That show is a classic cartoon," Adonis retorted, "It's cancellation was total bullshit." Hades rolled his eyes.

"Well, I guess that part's a lost cause," he snorted, making Adonis frown, "But as for the cyber part... You interested? You can stay either way and you'll still be under my protection, but at least this way you can use your skills legally and stop ripping off my enemies." Adonis blinked, confused.

"Wait, hold up... You were the one who was putting up those hacking offers?" He demanded. Hades beamed, folding his arms over his chest and looking positively delighted.

"About time you figured it out. You may understand codes, but Jesus fuck, you are a lost cause when it comes to real life."

"Your username was fucking Hector. How was I supposed to make that connection?"

"Considering who I sent you after, I figured it would've been obvious," Hades shrugged, "But I digress. You in or out?" Adonis swallowed at that. The offer was so sweet, he could almost taste it. He would finally be able to do something legal for cash, first of all. And second... he would be safe from Thor. Dare he hope for escape this time? Last time he'd been so confident that Thor would never find him, never reach him. He'd relied on the anti-slavery laws in Hades to protect him, but in the end, Thor had found him anyway.

Could Hades really protect him?

"That asshole will never touch you again," Hades said suddenly, making Adonis blink and look at him in surprise, "I'm not just going to prevent him from entering my domain to get to you, Adonis. I don't approve of shit like this. Ever. I can make you this promise in full confidence-- You will never, ever see Thor again." Adonis pressed his lips together. Hades's eyes burned with confidence. His stance, his words, everything was as strong as steel.

So Adonis did something he never did.

He trusted a god.

"Okay," Adonis whispered at last, "Deal." Hades inclined his head.

"Good. Now let me give you a place better than that shitty hovel in the Docks..."

----

"Oh, come on, that was total bullshit," Theo complained, sitting forward and throwing a handful of popcorn at the giant home theater screen. They bounced to a plush rug and Adonis sighed, cocking his head as he watched the mess being made. He leaned over the side of his sofa and flipped the switch on his roomba to get to work on the mess.

"I don't think I'm going to watch Elysium made films anymore," Adonis agreed, settling back in and propping his legs up on the coffee table, "The directors are garbage. Is it too much to ask for an ending that isn't predictable from the beginning?" Theo made a noise of supreme disgust as he sat back while the credits played to the tune of All Out of Love. Theo rolled his eyes and picked up the remote to change to the main menu, which was the only good part of the movie.

"I'm ashamed to say I live next door to that place," he grunted, stuffing a handful of popcorn in his mouth before swallowing it down with wine, "Ugh. You know what? Let's put something good in for a rewatch to get the taste of shit out of our mouths."

"Ditto," Adonis grunted. Theo sprang up and sauntered over to the movie collection on the wall to thumb through Adonis's favorites. Adonis's eyes followed him.

He couldn't believe where he was right now.

He was in his own home. A home he earned through his new position and title as Director of Cyber Crime in Hades. His home was beautiful; a two story modern townhouse complete with security systems that he helped design. Sleek cedar floors, modern furniture, the best smart system he could install. It was truly his dream home.

And what made it ten times better?

Theo came over every day, and he had no fucking idea why.

It was mostly just watching movies, or going to the movies, or having dinner or coffee. Adonis wanted to say they were dating, but did he dare make such a claim? He had no idea what dating actually entailed. And what made him most uncomfortable?

He wanted to touch Theo.

For the first time in his life, he wanted to touch someone else. Theo's red hair just looked so soft and tantalizing. The kid never did anything with it. He woke up and got started with his day, yet it was somehow always perfectly styled bedhead. And his skin was blemish free. He was willing to bet the kid had never dealt with acne. He was flawless and beautiful.

Even with the faint scars on the insides of his arms.

Adonis was no idiot. He knew what they had come from. He'd taken a knife to his own wrists two times in the past before his mother had called upon the Goddess Styx to curse him-- he was immortal. He could never kill himself, never die. He would live forever as his most handsome self, which he'd hit when he was twenty-one. Now he was stuck forever in a beautiful body, with thousands of gods ready to rip and tear him apart.

And Theo... He couldn't imagine what had driven Theo to do such a thing to himself, but gods, he understood it. He understood the delicious pain, the need to escape from reality when it was too much.

Before he realized what he was doing, he was touching Theo's arm after the godling had taken a seat beside him. Theo blinked and looked down at where Adonis's fingers stroked his scars before looking up at him. Adonis swallowed thickly.

"I'm sorry," he said after a moment, withdrawing his hand, but Theo caught it before he could pull it away. Theo held his hand, looking down at the way their fingers intertwined. He looked up and met Adonis's eyes, and Adonis felt his heart clench as he watched true understanding warm those eyes.

"I'm sorry too," he answered quietly, giving Adonis's hand a squeeze, "Sorry that your life was shitty to the point where you understand these. That maybe you almost did something shitty to yourself to get away from it all." Adonis pressed his lips together for a moment before he spoke.

"My mother was cursed," he whispered, making Theo look up, "She was a stupid woman. She thought she was the most beautiful creature alive, so she went around telling people she was even better looking than Aphrodite. She pissed the goddess off, and she was cursed to lust after her own father."

"Shit," Theo cursed. Adonis nodded.

"I'm the product of that stupidity, of that damned cursed, and I was born... the way I am. My mother immediately lost interest in my grandfather. Apparently, the curse was a little more specific... She was cursed to lust her blood," he added. Theo grimaced and gave Adonis's hand a squeeze.

"Double shit."

"Triple," Adonis sighed, making Theo tilt his head curiously, "She kept me locked up in her bedroom for years. I was eleven when I tried to kill myself the first time. After that, I just cut because I thought it would make her see me as ugly, and it gave me the one bit of control in my life that I needed. After a while, the pain became the only thing I could look forward to. When my mother caught me the second time, she summoned the goddess Styx to curse me, making it so I could never die. It gave me the ability to heal quicker. My scars vanished in days. I couldn't even mutilate my face anymore."

"She sounds like a fucking cunt," Theo murmured, squeezing Adonis's hand again. Adonis swallowed at that, at the touch that was so reassuring. He'd never felt anything like it.

"She didn't live long. Hera eventually saw me and stole me. When she did, my mother couldn't live with herself without me, or her father, so she jumped to her death. After that..." Adonis winced. He was passed around all the Olympian gods like a gift. Each god and goddess had had a go at him and he still ached over it.

"Makes sense why you were drinking that night at the bar," Theo muttered. Adonis frowned.

"You knew I was there?" He asked. Theo blushed, releasing Adonis's hand so he could awkwardly rub at the back of his neck, averting his eyes.

"Well, I mean, sort of. It's why nobody wanted to really go home with me afterwards and why dickhead stopped me outside. I saw you sitting there and just... I got this weird feeling, ya know? Like, you knew. Like you knew the world was shit sometimes, like you needed to find a change."

"You didn't see my face until afterwards in the alley," Adonis realized, making Theo nod slowly. His heart clenched. So Theo... found him interesting without even seeing his face first?

"I'm not gonna lie," Theo said, taking his hand again, "You're definitely really fucking hot... But you could be a fucking gorgon and I'd probably still invite you to the movies afterwards." Adonis felt himself smile. He reached out to brush the red hair back from Theo's face. Theo looked up to meet his eyes. The staring was long and intense. Adonis had never held eye contact with anyone before, especially a god, and clearly neither had Theo, judging from the way his cheeks pinkened, but neither broke the gaze.

Until they realized they were drawing closer.

Wanting to take the initiative once in his life, Adonis closed the distance between them and their lips touched. He moaned at the hot sweet taste of his prince. He sank his hand into that bright red hair that was so goddamn soft, it felt like he was petting a kitten. Theo moaned back, leaning in closer so he could wrap his arms around Adonis's neck. And he didn't pull or yank, just rested his arms around him in an embrace.

Adonis parted his lips, let Theo's young curious tongue invade his mouth. He let Theo explore, let Theo experiment with the kiss to see where it would go, and fuck, did it go places. Before he knew it, he was pushing Theo back slowly on the sofa, their lips connected the whole time. Theo spread his legs and wrapped them around Adonis's waist as he purred.

At this point, Adonis knew what to do. He'd experienced it a thousand times... except he was never allowed to take the initiative, never allowed to top in a male relationship. It would be his first time topping another male, and his first time having consensual sex. He was hesitant. He didn't want to hurt him. For once, he genuinely wanted his partner to enjoy himself.

So he started a gentle series of gropes down to Theo's tapered waist. Theo arched his hips up, a silent plea for more. He fumbled with Theo's zipper, still nervous when it came to something like this, but he managed to unzip Theo's pants, revealing the kid's lack of underwear. He arched a brow at Theo, who smirked.

"Forgot to mention; I hate underwear," he said. Adonis chuckled, reaching down to take Theo in his hand, and the god groaned, arching his back and curling his toes.

"I suppose that's good for me," Adonis murmured, rubbing his thumb teasingly over the head of Theo's cock. Theo whimpered, tightening his legs around Adonis's waist. He leaned forward a little, letting Adonis stroke him to hardness. He undid Adonis's pants, watching the impressive length fall free of its denim prison. Adonis hissed through clenched teeth as Theo took his cock in his hand.

"I want to suck your cock," Theo purred, nipping at his chin, and Adonis shuddered at the husky tone of Theo's voice. He released Theo to sit back, shifting positions so Theo could get on the floor in front of him. He parted his lips and closed it over the head of Adonis's cock, and Adonis gasped, struggling to keep his hips from thrusting forward. He arched his back, reaching down to sink his hand into Theo's hair as the godling sucked him slowly, taking his time until he was so hard, it was almost painful. And then those perfect pink lips glistening with his saliva and pre-come were tilted in a smile toward him.

"How's that?" He asked. Adonis nodded.

"Yeah, I could get used to that," he replied. Theo beamed, then crawled up Adonis's body like a naughty kitten that made Adonis growl in appreciation. He put his hands on Theo's shapely ass, cupped the globes and spread them. Theo moaned, tilting his hips back.

"I am so ready to feel you inside me," he groaned.

"For once, I'm ready to be inside someone, you," Adonis added breathlessly. Theo blushed, but he looked positively thrilled. He was Adonis's first, his real first. Somehow, that made him excited. He shivered and let Adonis slide his jeans off so he could get back into his lap... and he sat himself down slowly on Adonis's cock, his muscles quivering as he struggled to swallow the man whole.

Damn, Adonis was huge, and he could appreciate that. His muscles stretched to capacity, and he felt like the man could go so deep into him, he'd feel him in his gut. He shuddered in arousal, wrapping his arms around the man in his arms.

Adonis couldn't believe it. He was having sex-- consensual sex. And it was... incredible. Theo trembled in his arms, moaned and mewled, whispered about how big he was, how deep he was going. Once upon a time, dirty talk had irritated him and made him ill, but hearing Theo's husky purr in his ear only made him want to come. Shit, he wanted to fill the godling up until he was dribbling.

"Thank you," Adonis groaned, wrapping his arms around Theo, who moaned.

"For what?" He asked.

"For not looking at my face, but looking at my heart. I was beginning to question I even had one until we met," Adonis whispered. Theo laughed softly, pulling back and cupping Adonis's face in his hands, studying the man's beautiful features, and his enrapturing silver-blue eyes that stole his breath away.

"I should be thanking you," Theo replied, wrinkling his nose, "And I don't do that often... But I didn't think I'd ever feel like this again." Adonis looked at him curiously, but Theo gave him a deep passionate kiss that swept him away. The godling started to move, rolling his hips and Adonis moaned aloud, taking the god's hips in his hands, savoring the rhythm he picked up.

After a moment, stars flashed across his eyes and he cried out, coming hard and clutching Theo to him helplessly, which only seemed to kick start Theo's release. Theo held onto him, kissed him feverishly. It was only a few moments, but it felt like it had lasted a lifetime for the two of them. Their hearts, so broken and battered, so cold and tired, seemed to find a will to continue piecing itself back together. Something deeper sparked in their souls, something fiery and intense that went far beyond physical beauty and scars.

After a few more rounds and moving to the bedroom, Theo lay draped across Adonis, snuggling against him. Adonis didn't mind. He'd never snuggled with anyone before. He liked it. He felt protected, and like he could protect Theo, which was ridiculous-- he was a mere human to Theo's godliness, but still, it made him feel good, and strong.

"You said again," Adonis said after a while. Theo rested his head on Adonis's shoulder, brushing his thumb back and forth over one of his dusky nipples.

"I think I was in love with someone before," he murmured, making Adonis frown, "I say think because... well, like, it's hard to fucking explain. The guy was... really important to me. He'd been there for me when no one else was. We were always together, always connected. But, things fell apart after a while, because neither of us knew what we were doing, neither of us knew who we were, or what to do with each other. We were still kids. It fucked things up. I think I love him, because what I felt was more than friends, but... At the same time, it wasn't quite where I thought it should be, ya know? Not quite where I feel right now." Adonis nodded slowly, reaching up to take Theo's hand in his own.

"What happened to him?" He asked softly. Theo pressed his lips together for a moment, then looked up at him.

"We're still friends. We'll probably always be friends. Is that gonna piss you off?" He asked. Adonis thought about that for a moment, expected some surge of jealousy to overcome him, but oddly, he felt nothing. Nothing negative anyway. Clearly this person was important to Theo, and it made sense, he realized. Theo learned a lot from this person. They had been each other's firsts. And Theo was very honest, so he found himself trusting the god easily.

"If he's important to you, I won't stand in the way," Adonis said at last. Theo beamed at that.

"Neat. Cuz I want you to meet him someday. He's... not a bad person. Kind of confusing, probably confused, but he's a good guy. I think you'll like him," he added. Adonis smiled, trusting him implicitly as they lay there, touching, exploring, and not just physically, but emotionally.

Because relationships weren't built on simple touches. Relationships were built on emotions. On being emotionally available, emotionally connected. Touch didn't just mean to touch physically, but to touch emotionally. Bumps were expected, rough patches for sure, but the ability to connect emotionally despite it all, to be honest with those feelings, it was the only hope to fix a relationship.

And Adonis could see that, even if this was his first relationship. His first real relationship.

He felt himself smile as he listened to Theo snore quietly after he'd drifted to sleep.

He'd made not only a romantic relationship for the first time in his life, but he'd made his first best friend. He'd met his first hope. His first reason to keep going.