How to Be a God [ManXMan]

Chapter Ten: ...What?

~Chapter Ten: ...What?~

"Will you go out with me?" Jasper blurts. Without giving me a chance to answer or, rather, ask what he means by 'go out', he continues, "I-I mean, we've been hanging out a bit and, uh, I really don't want to make things awkward between us by asking, but I'm really attracted to you and, um, I'm hoping it's mutual?"

Once he finishes with his voice rising near the end as his statement turns into a question, we lapse into silence. While he suffers from his awkward embarrassment with a flushed face, I attempt to understand what he is implying. By 'go out', does he mean to a movie in theatres or perhaps a trip to the bowling place? And what does attraction have to do with this? "All right?" I try to sound like I mean what I am saying, though I still am not certain what I am agreeing to.

Jasper is oblivious to my confusion, though, and his face lights up with excitement when he finally looks away from his feet to meet my confused stare. "Really?" He asks, grinning widely. "You're okay with dating me?"

It takes a moment for me to place the term 'dating', and then the situation finally makes sense. Oh, this is...unexpected. What do I do?

On one hand, dating humans is a bad idea. I have not heard a single positive story of a god-human relationship in my pantheon. Even the Fae avoid mixing with humans, though it was more common for them than it was for us. Humans have such short lifespans and can be very fickle in their love. While this is not true of all humans, I have been told that human love is not something a god should mess with.

On the other hand, I am not 'messing' with human love like a god of love would. I have made no intentional attempts to gain Jasper's favor, nor am I influencing him with magic. This attraction or whatever it is was developed by him alone. And as someone who is attracted to him as well – albeit in a more physical sense, as he spends too much time confusing me for me to have gained any interest in him intellectually yet – it would be foolish of me to reject him on the basis of not knowing him well enough. I recall much of courting to be about gaining knowledge on a potential spouse, and dating seems to be much the same thing.

"I am," I decide.

Though I was not expecting it, nor have I been looking to start another relationship, I am not simply going to let this opportunity slip by merely because I am not certain it is a good idea with my limited knowledge of current times. Jasper is a pleasant person to be around and, apparently, he is interested in men, which I find is not all that common in this area. If I could start a relationship with Atlas, someone I was not fond of at first, then a relationship with someone I find amusing and agreeable should be easier to keep and hopefully will not end in betrayal.

Jasper suddenly lunges forward and I find myself pulled into a hug. This is quite awkward, as one of my arms is stuck at my side and I am not certain what I should do with the other, but my stiffness does not seem to bother him in the least. When he does not immediately release me, though, I carefully rub my hand over his back in what I hope is an acceptable gesture.

When he does let go a moment later, he is once again self-consciously looking at his toes, but there is also a large smile on his face that does not look like it will diminish soon. "Sorry," he mumbles, "I got excited."

I want to tell him he has nothing to apologize for, but instead I just nod. I wish to take a step back, as we are practically toe to toe, but with the counter in the way, all I can do is clear my throat. "I regret that this needs asking, but where I come from, 'dating' was likely different than it is here. What does one do when they are dating?" I inquire, and he finally looks up at me.