My Greek God: Hephaestus ©

♎ δύο ♎

The first blow was horrible, the touch of the belt on his skin made him give a piercing scream, his father hit him again, but this time with the buckle, his stepmother only watched from the door frame along with Caroline.

Sick.

Disgusting.

Fagot.

That's what you are, you are a dirty fagot. You are not worthy to bear the family name.

You are a disgrace.

Your mother would be ashamed of you.

The tears fell incessantly, the pain was excruciating, his sight turned black, he hugged the pillow with what little strength he had and passed out.

***

Hephaestus was wandering the rainy streets of New York, he did not plan to return after how Aphrodite humiliated him, calling him, God deformed, fat and even insulting him, now he is different, he knew that Aphrodite, seeing him like this, would try to seduce him, but he would not fall, no more.

Everyone looks at the physical aspect, like Arley, if Hephaestus had not changed his appearance, Arley would surely have looked at him in disgust and fled.

Hephaestus was so distracted that he bumped into someone, he cursed and looked at the person. It was Apollo with Dominik at his side.

"Hephaestus?" Apollo asked surprised of the change of that God, Hephaestus no longer had a big belly, but a well-worked abdomen along with worked arms, he had hair instead of a bald head, but he still wore his old overall with oil and ash stains. Apollo knew Hephaestus hid the misshapen lumps and scars underneath those bandages.

"Yes, I," Hephaestus said.

"You changed ... you look ... different."

"I decided to change a little"

"God Hephaestus, have you seen my best friend Arley?" Dominik asked.

"Who?" Hephaestus asked.

"A blond boy, with blue eyes and a suit smeared with pink paint."

Instantly Hephaestus remembered bumping into Arley.

<So that's the boy Dominik and Apollo talked about so much> Hephaestus thought.

"I don't know, I just saw him running, but I remember he was on his way downtown," Hephaestus said as he walked away from the couple. Apollo lost Hephaestus' silhouette among the people.

"He must be at his house, but I want to check that he is fine," Dominik said somewhat concerned.

"Well, let's go find him."

***

Arley was still unconscious, while his father was still whipping him with the belt buckle, Arley's skin turned purple and little by little his flesh opened, bleeding, but his father did not care. I felt disgusted, I hated her son for having chosen that path.

"Dad, dinner will get cold," Caroline said as she walked over to her father and looked at her brother's body.

"You did well to humiliate him, Caroline, so he will learn."

"That's how you educated me, homosexuals must disappear from this world, they are trash."

"Sir ..." a female voice said. Arley's father along with Caroline looked up at the door frame where Arley's stepmother was standing. one of the maids, was shocked when seeing Arley's body.

"What do you want?" Asked the man.

"Mr. Peterman came to see Mr. Arley."

"Tell him that Arley is not feeling well and does not want to speak to anyone."

***

"Mr. Arley is not feeling well," the maid said.

"But ... I need to see him urgently ... please," Dominik asked.

"These are the orders from Arley's father."

"I understand," Dominik said as he turned around and heard the door close. Dominik walked around the house and climbed up to Arley's window, luckily it was open but the lights were out. Dominik entered carefully and walked to his best friend's bed, he was covered by the blankets, Dominik removed the blankets and found a horrible scene. Arley's body was covered in bruises and open wounds. Dominik did not hesitate to call an ambulance even though he was in trouble for breaking into the house. It didn't take long for the ambulance to get to the house, and so Arley's parents entered the room.

"Maria, I told you not to let this kid in! Useless woman," Arley's father said.

"You'll see when the police found out what you did to him," Dominik said as he hugged the body of his best friend.

"I have the best lawyers, they will get me out of this."

"Well, he will move to my house, away from you."

"He is my son and I won't let him stay with a fagot like you ... do you think I didn't see the newspapers? You and your new partner."

"He will be better with me than with you, also he will have the right to choose."

"He will choose me because I am his father."

Dominik laughed heartily and shook his head. "We'll see."