Not Your Average Myth

      I am Osimius. I am strictly human. There is nothing god-like about me. I am normal and boring, a commoner. I work in the fields when I am not attending school or sleeping in my drafty house. My mother is the only one around me who is still a relevant member of our family.      My father had left for Greece, but being Roman, we think he had been killed. Not that it mattered or that we cared, because he was going there on word that his newest child was about to be born, but it would still be nice to have a father figure here. He jumped onto the nearest ship after only briefly describing to us that he was going to see his other family and that he would probably never return. My mother begged and pleaded and weeped, but nothing could work. He was gone.       So I became the man of the house early on. I had to pick up those responsibilities. My mother was rapidly aging and began drinking. My sister was married and had children. She was living happily on her own with her family, blissfully unaware of her family's condition.                This is what my day consisted of. I would wake up earlier than the sun every morning to do a little work in the fields before school. Then I would wash up and walk three miles to school. After that was done, I had to walk back home. When I returned, I continued on the fields until it was almost dark, my dinnertime. That was the only free time I had. I slept most of the time. But one night was different.         It was a quiet, peaceful, but humid night. I took a walk down a path along a tidal basin that was surrounded with trees and woods. Birds were singing their soft goodnight songs. Fireflies were all around, blinking gently. It was a very romantic setting, I just needed someone to share it with. I suddenly heard a rumbling noise and then what sounded like a rush of wind. It got louder and louder and I looked up just in time to see something falling on top of me.        I was on the ground in the next second. I was crushed under an immense head the size of a large boulder with gigantic razor-sharp teeth. I screamed in panic when the head suddenly was removed from me abruptly. A face then came closer to mine. This face was absolutely gorgeous. His high cheekbones were complimented by his beautiful, soft, long blonde hair. The look on his face was one of pure concern at the moment.        "Oh my! Are you alright, dear?"       I was taken off guard by his voice.       "I.....I am fine. Just shocked to see someone as beautiful as you actually speaking to me."       "Well, considering the fact that I just dropped a hydra head on you, I must speak. I feel awful. That must have hurt. "       I pointed at my stomach and he ripped my toga to see more clearly. There was a large, ugly bruise forming. It still hurt, very badly. He gently brushed his hand over it and kept his hand there. His face returned to mine.        "I apologize, sincerely. I can heal this easily, if you'd like. All I would have to do is bring you to Mount Olympus with me."       I thought about it as he placed a hand gently on my cheek, seemingly without realizing it. When he noticed, he removed it immediately. He blushed and turned away. He removed his hand from my stomach and sat me upright instead.        Our eyes locked on each other. Neither of us said a word. We both saw, there in front of us, what we had been searching for, what we needed most in our lives. Though neither of us would admit it openly, we knew it was true.       Time seemed to move slowly as my eyes explored him. Around his head was a headband made of pure gold. He wore a very long toga that was decorated with gold. His muscles were perfect in every way. Around his wrists were bracelets of either silver or gold. He was wearing a necklace with what looked like a family crest on it. His eyes were so vibrant and beautiful. They were a perfect blue, they matched the sky on a sunny, clear day. His face was so perfect as well. He definitely was not human.        A gentle breeze blew through the path and rustled his hair. His eyes hadn't left mine still. Fireflies danced around us and we were entranced. I wondered what he was thinking of me.        "I.....I....wonder if-. No. You wouldn't."       "Wouldn't what?" I asked curiously.       He sighed and moved closer cautiously. I didn't move and our lips met for a full ten seconds. He pulled away then and I realized that he was wondering if I would like it if he kissed me. He didn't need to answer. I knew already.       I smiled as he sat there awkwardly.        "Just so you know, I liked that."       He looked worried then.        "As did I. And that......well, that's not good, I'm afraid."       "Why?"        "I'm a Demi-God. My father is a God. He doesn't approve of homosexuality. There are a few gay Gods he once knew and was telling me about that he had to banish from Mount Olympus because they "soiled" the Gods' images. Yet, he always told me not to love women, because they would always rip my heart out. So I never have, and this is the result. I......I'm sorry. I have to leave. Forgive me?"       His eyes returned to mine and he smiled kindly.       I smiled and put a hand on his cheek lightly.       "I will forgive you only if you return to visit me. I am curious as to why the head of a hydra landed on me. And about what you just said. You can love whoever you want. Do not let anyone tell you who to be. Just because your father is a God does not give him permission to say who you are. Be who you want to be. I will wait for you to make your decision. I am in no hurry."      He smiled wider and kissed my hand lightly. I took it back and he helped me to my feet.        "I will visit you whenever I can. We can share stories. But for now, I must return to practice. I am learning how to fight in a war."       "Well, I don't want to keep you. I am simply a plain human."       He moved closer quickly. His face was now almost against mine. He put his hands on my cheeks.       "You are much more than that to me now. That much is clear. You will always be more than just a simple human. Do not forget that."      He kissed me more passionately than before and then it was suddenly over. He smiled widely as he grew immensely, his Demi-God form, and ended up being twelve feet tall.        "Goodbye for now. What is your name?"       "Osimius. Yours?"       "Aesos."       "Well goodbye for now then, Aesos. Now go, return to practice before someone gets angry at me."       He laughed heartily and floated back into the sky gracefully.       The entire walk home, all I could think about was how new this was and how exciting at the same time. This made me even happier, and that night I found it very hard to sleep.