A bold request from a shy young man

Seth sighed.

He had been through a lot to reach this moment, and had somehow made it to his destination unscathed. The Infected were everywhere - as to be expected in their capital, surely - but he had steeled what resolve he had to make it through. Deciding to leave the relative safety of his home had been difficult: it had been only through luck that his section of the city had been deemed safe for the "Pure" people living there. However, what Seth wanted required traveling through Othrys proper. A scary proposition, with seemingly a thousand different ways for it to end poorly for him. He wasn't some trained operative sneaking behind enemy line; he was barely an adult, for crying out loud, guided only by his wits and a dream. And yet here he was, sitting in a wait room patiently waiting to be waited upon.

Seth sighed again.

The difficult section was over, now came the really hard part.

"Come again?" Aires grumbled.

"There's an uninfected person here to see you." Evelith repeated.

"I understood that. Is this another diplomat seeking to parley? A lost Olympus soldier looking to cut me down? You're not giving me a lot to go on."

"It's a young man, probably not even of drinking age. About 5'8", thin, wears glasses. He looks like he's been travelling, with a backpack and some dirt on his face and clothes. The backpack contained food, a stun gun, some batteries, a notebook, and...that's about it. If he's a secret government agent, it's the most amazing disguise."

"And he made it this far without becoming Infected?"

"Looks like it." Evelith retorted, amused at the situation. Aires allowed himself to smile a bit. Whatever this kid wanted, he was brave enough to travel alone through Othrys without much in the way of a defense. Braver still to seek an audience. Yep, Aires liked the cut of this one's jib.

"Fair enough. Send him in."

Aires' opinion of Seth dampened slightly when the god got to see him. The young man put on a brave face, that much was certain, but a trained eye could easily see how nervous he was. How much he fidgeted. The way his eyes moved from place to place, shadow to shadow, half-expecting to be ambushed. To be fair, most individuals would be nervous to meet the Titan, Aires mused to himself, but Seth was especially apprehensive. Not enough to make him dangerous, obviously, but enough to warrant a level of pity. A solid minute passed without a word; Aires surmised that the conversation might never start without some pushing.

"So...here you are. You're somewhat of a curiosity around the Citadel: the Pure boy who seeks an audience with a ruler. Have you anything to say for yourself, or shall we continue with the riveting silence?"

Seth took an involuntary step back, eyes wide as he shifted from foot to foot. He had prepared for this - at least, he thought he had - but actually being there had frightened him more than he anticipated. This was a really inopportune moment for stage-fright. Aires watched with a smirk as Seth closed his eyes and took a deep breath before responding. What came out instead was a mumble.

"..."

"You'll have to speak louder. I have exceptionally good hearing, but you'll earn nothing from me with whimpers." Aires turned to Evelith. "This is the person who braved my domain, risked being Infected, and came to my doorstep seeking an audience? It's a miracle he managed without being molested." Aires chuckled at his double-meaning.

It took all of Seth's willpower to not just flee the room, but nevertheless he spoke. He had come a long way; it was put-up or shut-up time. "I-I did not seek an audience with y-you."

"Oh? Did you mistake me for some other Titan? I grow tired of this, spit it out!"

"I c-came to talk to Lady A-Aphrodite." Having stammered out his confession Seth's face went completely red, but he did not turn away from Aires' gaze.

For his part, Aires stifled his laughter. "This ought to be interesting. Evelith, watch the kid. I'll be back."

"Yes, Master."

With that, Aires stood up and left the room. Seth noted how quickly he moved, powerful but graceful for a man that size. No, he reminded himself, not a man: a God among men. One that could easily break him and leave his lifeless body on the Citadel steps, a warning for other stupid people with bold ideas. With that thought, Seth gulped. Was he gonna get his wish? He surely hoped so, with all his heart.

The really hard part was over. Now came the moment of truth.

When Aires returned, Seth's mouth fell agape of its own accord. Aires was a graceful individual, as he saw, but the Titan did not hold a candle to her. Aphrodite's moments were balletic, almost otherworldly, as she stepped - no, flowed - into the room. Her golden hair shined in the twilight, having caught a moonbeam from the window. Her nightgown was practically non-existent, covering her just enough to be tasteful while still leaving plenty for the eyes to see. It too sparkled in the light. Seeing this woman, this...being of perfection in the flesh, it was almost too much for a poor young man in way over his head. If this were some anime and he the plucky protagonist, Seth would surely have suffered a nosebleed, having now witnessed the most beautiful woman in all the land. As it was, he did what he could to hold his attention on her radiant face, and not the bountiful bosom below it that bounced with every light step.

Aphrodite made not so much as a sound from her bare feet as she made her way across the room, directly toward Seth. He had not anticipated this: he was expecting a formal back-and-forth between him and the Divines. This was...much more personal, and he wasn't sure how to take it. Aphrodite, for her part, just smiled beautifully as she circled around the young man. Eying him up and down. Taking the measure of him. Aires returned to his throne, now just a third-party watching in amusement.

To his eternal credit, Seth managed to speak first this time. "I-I was hoping to meet you, my Lady."

Aphrodite did not stop in her movements. "And why might that be, I wonder? What is it that you desire? To say that we are all curious would be an understatement. You're not some Adonis bold enough to think they have a shot with me. You're just...a kid. And I don't fuck kids, sorry."

Seth bristled at the thought of being labeled a child, but now was not the time for that. "I don't want to h-have sex with you...m-my Lady. I want..."

"Yes?" Aphrodite stopped directly in front of him.

"I..." Seth squirmed.

"Well?"

"I want..."

"You want to be some handsome stud? To truly be a man among men? That's why you waited to become Infected: you needed me to become the best of the best. Now's your chance: this is your moment. Just say it."

Aphrodite could already sense what he wanted, but he needed to be the one to speak the words. Seth swallowed hard, before looking Aphrodite squarely in the eye.

"...I want to be like you."

Aires sat up in his seat.