"So? I took his virginity and made him a man. You can keep the baby who was indoctrinated at birth, I'll keep the man." Ten smiled at Jackson, feeling defensive over his handsome boy. No, they were never going to be anything more, that ship had sailed and life moved on. He was happy that Yoongi had a pretty boy of his own too but... he wasn't going to let some God steal Yoongi from him. He didn't even want him like that! He just hated being told what to do.
"You never gave him a sword. My God did. What have you done for Yoongi lately?"
"...well, I can't keep the baby. He kinda grew up." Wait, what? Jackson frowned and reached up to rub his earlobe. "I mean, he still prays to me before and after ever battle, so..." So there.
"But! I don't want to take him from you. We just need to do something. Make things even. It's about balance. Especially since you have made him your champion, I couldn't even claim him back. Even if I gave him a bigger sword."
"What do we need to do? I don't make deals just cause." Ten was very on edge, it was clear by how he was - jittery and quick to anger. He wasn't a God, not really, he might have been given powers and people might have started worshipping him but he was still young, still getting his head around a world without his parents, without being a normal guy... without Yoongi always by his side. It was a lot. He just didn't want to make any dodgy deals and upset Hobi.
He wanted Hobi to be proud of every move he made, hence why he exercised caution. Damn it, he didn't even know if Hobi would want him to deal with this guy. "What balance? Explain."
"See, technically I'm from a different pantheon than you. Personally, I'm much more progressive than most of the others with me. They see any loss of power, influence, anything, as a slight that required retribution." Jackson tried to explain as best he could, even if he had a feeling he wasn't the best person for this. "My people have a lot of warriors, but Min Yoongi is a singular one. Especially now that he is becoming legend, in your name."
Jackson shrugged. "Essentially we need some gesture or... tribute or whatever, something to balance out what Min Yoongi could be for us. What he is for you."
"Why is Yoongi so special? I know he's brave and strong but surely there are other brave and strong men." Well... then again, he's met a lot of men. And he had his doubts even as he said it. He knew Yoongi was special. Heroic, brave, unstoppable and such a softie inside. He was a unique combination and Ten didn't want to get him into trouble. He also didn't want to upset Hobi or Yoongi by doing anything he shouldn't with a God like this.
Ten looked at the God for a long time and then looked to the side, very out of his depth. "You want like... a present or something? Do you want a snake? ... Not as a sacrifice! They're not for killing. I have a lot though." He gestured down at the one around his leg. "He's called Spaghetti."
"Well. For one thing, he doesn't get drunk all the time." Honestly, that was already a criteria most of their warriors failed at. "He's selfless, at least compared to most of ours. But you know what makes him special. You chose him."
Jackson looked at the snake, his eyes widening. "Er..." No. He didn't want a snake. He kind of wanted to back away. But he stood his ground and attempted a smile. "Maybe... A pearl. Not just any pearl."
"I-- What?" Ten frowned at Jackson and raised his hand, touching the pearl on his forehead and then feeling his stomach sink. He couldn't give that up. It was a gift from Hobi! And he loved Yoongi, he truly did but... he loved his God. His God saved him and protected him, he gifted this to him as a gestured. "Hoseok gave this to me."
And it mattered so much to him. "After everyone was slaughtered and I survived, I suffered, this was my reward from him. It's a gift from my God. Do you understand that?"
"Oh! Not yours!" Jackson lifted both hands up and took a step back, just to be safe from any snakes. "I didn't mean yours! That would kill you! ...I think."
He frowned, shaking his head. What did he know? "No, not yours. I meant... You must know where others are, right? Unclaimed ones? Or maybe your God knows." He realised now that maybe Ten didn't know what a god pearl even was. It was so difficult talking to someone so young.
"They hold a lot of power and potential, but there are none where I am from."
"I don't... I don't know a lot, I just -- I was a prince." Ten shrugged, not sure what he was supposed to say. He was a prince all of his life, he was good with snakes and with archery, he liked dancing and that was about it. He knew mortal things. Everything else confused him, he usually just asked Hobi. "If you take the pearl from a God, does it kill them too?"
He did wonder. It wasn't a threat, he was just curious - how did one even kill a God?
"Why are there none where you're from?" Ten was curious, looking at Jackson with great interest. "You're a God, can't you just... make them? I think Hobi did that... maybe?"
"Only if they have a pearl. And only supposedly. I don't know any stories of it actually being done, only legends. There is also legends that taking a pearl from a God can make that God somebody's servant, but that sounds pretty far-fetched." He shrugged and wet his lips, then smiled. Jackson didn't really mind explaining these things, he was a patient man.
"God pearls are not a thing where I'm from." He indicated his forehead. "Supposedly a snake has to live a thousand years and then they can find a pearl that makes them become a god. That is all I know, but I am certain your God knows the actual truth."
"Hoseok is very wise." Ten was eager to praise his God, he adored him so much. They spent hours together sometimes, just talking about the world or watching snakes together. They had a bond... or Ten thought they did. He was never sure. It was so hard to know and understand a God, it could easily go any way. "So if I get a pearl for you, I can keep Yoongi as my champion? But he can still pray to you, right?"
He wasn't sure how Yoongi would feel about any of this. "He fought for me but I'm sure he honours his own Gods, I wouldn't want to steal him."
"He can honour whatever Gods he wants to and I'm sure he will. Really, we couldn't take him from you. He has sworn himself to you with a blood oath, as you know." Not something that could easily be broken and not at all unless Yoongi gave them permission, which Jackson was sure wouldn't happen. "But if we get nothing from you, there are Gods that would not be happy. However, with a god pearl? I'm sure they will be appeased."
"I can try to get one. I don't want to cause any problems. I will ask my God." Ten bowed a little more and turned his head back, holding his hand out towards a nearby tree and letting his beloved snake, Buttons, slither over and around his arm, coiling up it. Ten eyed up the shrine and tried to get his head around it all. Talking to Gods, finding a pearl, being this powerful... what a weird world he lived in.
"We're you ever human?" Were all Gods humans once? Maybe not. Maybe Hoseok was a little snakey once. Like Buttons!
"No, I was made from stone." Jackson laughed, looking at the little snake. Yes, he definitely preferred the small ones. "I don't remember that clearly, to be honest with you. It was a while back. I was made from stone to guard someone, but... Things happened and I came to life. It's a good story, actually. I suppose Min Yoongi and you didn't talk a lot about his Gods, huh?"
He supposed they might have been busy with that virginity loss.
"We were horny teenagers. No disrespect but we didn't really want to bring the Gods into our happy fucking time." Ten shrugged, it would have been odd if they had been discussing Gods honestly. "We didn't share a lot of God talk when we did talk, we did share a lot but not that. I know the names of the Gods from the north but I'm better with my small town knowledge."
Where Ten came from, it was small, isolated and focused mostly on Hoseok. He barely knew much of the other Gods, let alone beyond where they were.
"I don't blame you. I'd have probably been the same." Jackson laughed again, shaking his head. "Let's just say, I fell in love with who I was supposed to be guarding, even if I was made of stone, and the love brought me to life and godhood." He winked. "According to legend, anyway."
Well, it wasn't entirely wrong. "How is it for you, being what you are now? I can't imagine what being mortal is like, really."
"Are you still in love?" He did wonder if it had a happy ending, so many stories he heard lately just didn't. Gods were always such a bummer. And yeah, Ten knew that he fit into that himself - he was not exactly super fun to be around these days either. He was hoping to stop mourning soon, maybe he'd feel better and then he could try to go out into the world, maybe attempt to say hello to Seokjin and make peace. He didn't like bad blood with his hyung but the betrayal still stung.
"It's weird to have people worship me and love me. I don't think I've done anything worthy of worship but Yoongi disagrees, apparently. I-- I just suffered and was lucky to live. Doesn't make me special."
"But you were special to him before all this, weren't you? He devoted himself to you when he wasn't sure whether you were still alive. And now you've made him a hero of legend." Jackson smiled at the young godling in front of him, feeling oddly endeared. So young in so many ways and so clearly troubled.
"Yes, I am still in love. I will never not love, it's at the core of my being." He reached for his heart and smiled. "As a god, I stand for the ones who fight for love. This is mostly how my pantheon works. Duty, honour, revenge, fame... Different motives. You can imagine the proportions in which we are worshipped and maybe you can see what makes Min Yoongi special."
"Eh, I just give amazing head. Who's to say if that isn't any he'd devoted." Well, Ten knew that people never forgot a good fuck. He always wanted to be known for that too so hey, no bitterness if it was. "He would have been a hero of legend without me, I just gave him a target to truly unleash all of his hate onto. And he did destroy him. A lot."
Twice, actually. Not that many people knew that though. "You should take care of Yoongi, he's a soft boy. He needs us looking out for him... not that he's not strong! But, well, you're a God. You know." He was sure he had to know. Yoongi was brave, daring, strong and just so fucking cute.
"Of course. I will always look after him. He is one of my favourites. Much like his lord." Because they had both fought for love more often than not, one way or the other. Even if, in Namjoon's case, he really rather wished he wouldn't have to fight again so soon. "And, please, make sure you let me know about that pearl soon. Talk to Min Yoongi, talk to your God, whatever you must do. But don't waste too much time."
"I'll ... I'll try, promise." Ten had to talk to Hobi and Yoongi as soon a she could, they were the main two he could get any information from. He didn't want to anger any Gods, he just wanted to make it right and not have to cause any more big battles or problems. He came over to his shrine and looked it over once more before turning away and beckoning his snakes t follow. "I'll go and handle it."
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"You never gave him a sword. My God did. What have you done for Yoongi lately?"
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"But! I don't want to take him from you. We just need to do something. Make things even. It's about balance. Especially since you have made him your champion, I couldn't even claim him back. Even if I gave him a bigger sword."
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He wanted Hobi to be proud of every move he made, hence why he exercised caution. Damn it, he didn't even know if Hobi would want him to deal with this guy. "What balance? Explain."
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Jackson shrugged. "Essentially we need some gesture or... tribute or whatever, something to balance out what Min Yoongi could be for us. What he is for you."
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Ten looked at the God for a long time and then looked to the side, very out of his depth. "You want like... a present or something? Do you want a snake? ... Not as a sacrifice! They're not for killing. I have a lot though." He gestured down at the one around his leg. "He's called Spaghetti."
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Jackson looked at the snake, his eyes widening. "Er..." No. He didn't want a snake. He kind of wanted to back away. But he stood his ground and attempted a smile. "Maybe... A pearl. Not just any pearl."
He gestured to Ten's forehead. "A god pearl."
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And it mattered so much to him. "After everyone was slaughtered and I survived, I suffered, this was my reward from him. It's a gift from my God. Do you understand that?"
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He frowned, shaking his head. What did he know? "No, not yours. I meant... You must know where others are, right? Unclaimed ones? Or maybe your God knows." He realised now that maybe Ten didn't know what a god pearl even was. It was so difficult talking to someone so young.
"They hold a lot of power and potential, but there are none where I am from."
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He did wonder. It wasn't a threat, he was just curious - how did one even kill a God?
"Why are there none where you're from?" Ten was curious, looking at Jackson with great interest. "You're a God, can't you just... make them? I think Hobi did that... maybe?"
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"God pearls are not a thing where I'm from." He indicated his forehead. "Supposedly a snake has to live a thousand years and then they can find a pearl that makes them become a god. That is all I know, but I am certain your God knows the actual truth."
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He wasn't sure how Yoongi would feel about any of this. "He fought for me but I'm sure he honours his own Gods, I wouldn't want to steal him."
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"We're you ever human?" Were all Gods humans once? Maybe not. Maybe Hoseok was a little snakey once. Like Buttons!
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He supposed they might have been busy with that virginity loss.
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Where Ten came from, it was small, isolated and focused mostly on Hoseok. He barely knew much of the other Gods, let alone beyond where they were.
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Well, it wasn't entirely wrong. "How is it for you, being what you are now? I can't imagine what being mortal is like, really."
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"It's weird to have people worship me and love me. I don't think I've done anything worthy of worship but Yoongi disagrees, apparently. I-- I just suffered and was lucky to live. Doesn't make me special."
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"Yes, I am still in love. I will never not love, it's at the core of my being." He reached for his heart and smiled. "As a god, I stand for the ones who fight for love. This is mostly how my pantheon works. Duty, honour, revenge, fame... Different motives. You can imagine the proportions in which we are worshipped and maybe you can see what makes Min Yoongi special."
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Twice, actually. Not that many people knew that though. "You should take care of Yoongi, he's a soft boy. He needs us looking out for him... not that he's not strong! But, well, you're a God. You know." He was sure he had to know. Yoongi was brave, daring, strong and just so fucking cute.
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