Through Space and Time

32. Fragile

As Ray thought, it’ll only take a few days of camping in the darn coffee shop for anything to happen. It’s not like the man in gray didn’t like their cakes. They’re moist, soft, and good, and compliments well with any drink they have.

Well, to be exact, the boil in his blood comes from the man on the counter and his friend’s confession to him.

And as a reflex to things the god of marriage didn’t want to see, Ray snapped his fingers.

It didn’t only happen once, Brett’s the god of hard work, you know? Through persistence and perseverance, he repeated the words, over and over. And the god of marriage did the same thing with his fingers, over and over. The shop employee had been confessed to, over and over.

The child-like battle and bickering went on for days.

From another memory-wiped failed confession, Brett grumbled and stomped his feet as he crossed the street. Ray closely followed him. Words lashed out to each other saying how pointless what the other did was, and how they’ll be in this runabout manner until one of them gave up.

Brett has the right to mad at Ray for stopping him so, his friend’s actions were without any proper excuse and explanation. And Ray’s mad at Brett for... words stopped forming, his tongue hovered uncomfortably in his mouth. In resignation, he pressed his lips, said nothing.

The moment they stepped into the park, Brett turned to his friend at his sudden silence. There’s a hint of worry in how he looked at him.

This made Ray inwardly shake his head. No. He has no right to be selfish, to be mad, but as a friend, Ray had to give him a warning. As Ray did peek at the mortal Eddy’s life course, the list of names who’ll help shape the human’s life. And as it should be, there’s no Brett Yang written on it.

The two were not destined to meet, to be in touch, nor to be anything.

Out of all his bickering and excuses to his glasses clad friend, Ray finally said,

“you’re not supposed to happen.”

But what can he do when Brett, with so much conviction and determination in his eyes, said, smiling,

“I’ll be fine, Ray.”

He can’t let Brett know how his breathing came to a halt, or how the humming of the birds, and the rustling of the tree leaves, in his ears, turned into static. Or how those few words cemented Ray’s standing in Brett’s life.

So, he steeled himself, “okay...” a breath, “I’ll believe you,”

then Ray snapped his fingers.

-

Despite the god of marriage’s given warning, Brett pushed through to chase his love. But the lowly god of hard work's every action cut every ribbon of circumstance tied to his beloved mortal’s fate, and as it’s a natural reaction, events spiraled dangerously out of control.

---

Gods interacting with humans aren’t rare. Some appeared before lucky faithful devotees and gave them warnings, apparitions, or miracles from a safe distance. As meddling too much with the mortals was forbidden.

But Brett’s different, what he did was different.

He, himself, his presence, intertwined with a sole person’s fate, without regard to the mortal’s set future, predetermined by all the gods that arranged a human’s life course.

In the higher being’s eyes, Brett played with destiny. As the gods were never for one person only, and a small fragile life sprouted from that sin.

The higher deities condemned Brett, even the very family where he came from. As the only low-tier born from the greatest of ancient gods, he was belittled and repulsed. Never given any hint of kindness from his own flesh and blood.

And as the trials continued, Brett knew the gods think the worst of him, of his words, and his actions, and there’s no chance that he’d leave unscathed.

But his child was innocent.

So he pleaded, and begged, to not let his baby have the same outcome as him.

The child did deserve to be born, for it was unknowing. But as the fruit of a greater sin, to be reserved from being influenced, it’ll live its life barred from the sinner.

There was more to it, the judgment, but despite the harsh outcome for himself, Brett already cried his thank you’s. He’s relieved, overjoyed. Never cared as to what the gods’ were to punish him with, nor Ray’s protests as to what the jury decided to be Brett’s fate.

Beads of tears ran down his cheeks as he clutched the thin fabric of his shirt, he whispered to himself,

“as long as his baby is safe.”