Every lightning, every thunder, every storm.
Every supreme emotion of the human and divine world.
The supreme god, the ruler of all gods himself.
The strength and courage of a god who once defeated his own father and freed life from the basest urges of destruction.
Zeus.
The youngest son of the Titans Kronos and Rhea.
Brother of the second strongest god Poseidon.
Let the oceans of life be protected by Poseidon.
Fourth thought he had found the way to calm his inner storms with Poseidon.
He felt saved by the wisdom and strength of the sea god.
But that day, he understood that it was not merely the oceans of his inner being that should be preserved from the storms of life.
While talking to Mark, he understood that life holds all the elements.
Water, earth, air and fire.
And all the stirrings of the human soul.
Everything and at all times.
He understood that there could be only one God by his side.
His God.
A gentle God of wisdom and wrath.
The strongest god of all gods.
His Zeus.
"Fourth, I know this is pretty spontaneous now. But you can't turn this down. I know how much you admire Professor Jumpol. Don't say no!", Mark tried to convince the handsome young man.
But Fourth's eyes only saw Gem's eyes.
He had given him that look.
And the words of his only love finally penetrated his soul.
Gem had looked into his soul and whispered this revelation to it.
Gentle and strong at the same time, he finally let Fourth's soul understand that there was a twist.
That he was indeed his.
His eternally desired and revered God wanted him.
"Fourth, are you listening to me?", Mark tried to catch that absent look, "The Jumpols are hosting a dinner. And I'd love to take you. They have a property in the little town of Nelson on the South Island of New Zealand. Near Abel-Tasman National Park, the arts flourish in all their crafts. You have to see it. Also, the professor is interested in your project. They want to have a new structure built in their gardens. And your Temple of Two Loving Souls has piqued the interest of the Jumpols. You must accompany me tonight. This is an incredible chance!", Poseidon tried to win him over.
And he managed that Fourth finally listened with awake eyes.
The Temple of Reflection and Love.
Gem's idea for their exchange project.
His thoughts and ideas flowed through Fourth's fingers and were drawn.
His Gem wants to build him this temple.
Gem.
And Fourth's heart began to pump so violently that he could only fight it with deep breathing.
So Professor Jumpol and his wife are interested in Gem's idea.
And Mark was now getting his attention.
"I'll ask my partner if he has time," he replied.
"I want you to have time. I want you to be my date for dinner!" persisted Mark.
Fourth looked into the big, gentle eyes of Poseidon and longed for his one and only god.
"I will not present the temple without my project partner. Can he please accompany me?" he did not mention the name of his Zeus.
And Mark's consciousness was not ready to admit the truth.
If Fourth does not say this man's name, there can still be hope for him.
It is he who offers him all this.
He is the one who makes him smile and provides his inner peace for months.
Poseidon will also survive this battle and win the heart of this magical being.
As long as the name of the other is not mentioned.
"It's a deal. The crossing to the South Island will take 3.5 hours. We have to leave early. Pack a small bag. We'll spend the night at the Jumpols' estate. We could spend the weekend there spontaneously. The South Island is breathtakingly beautiful. I would love to show you the glaciers and the Alps," Fourth saw the sparkle in Poseidon's eyes.
And he couldn't hold his gaze any longer.
Too much emotion in the eyes that had been on him for so long.
And too much yearning emotion for his Zeus within.
How did he manage to block out his feelings for months?
How could he just distract himself from loving his second half so well?
And how could he just leave Gem outside the lecture hall and disappear with Mark?
So many questions that his Zeus can surely answer.
Everything the god of all gods can straighten and appease again.
Everything he can destroy with his violent storms.
Fourth was getting restless.
How was he going to last through the lecture now?
"Fourth, are you still listening to me?", Mark brought him out of his thoughts again, "I'll pick you up at 2 pm. You're excused from the last two seminars. Hurry home and pack your things!" he planned for him.
Fourth just nodded.
"We'll be waiting for you!" replied Fourth.
And Mark's consciousness again closed that reference into the spheres of his unconscious.
As long as Fourth didn't mention the other's name.
And Mark's nod showed his understanding and the lecture could finally begin.
And ended after what felt like an eternity.
Fourth's heart galloped toward the exit.
Gem would surely be waiting for him out there.
After all, he had grown accustomed to being photographed and welcomed by his love over the past few months.
After all, Gem was always at the door.
Fourth hurried and swallowed his disappointment when he didn't see him.
You told him to go, didn't you?
But he said he would wait for you forever.
He was only complete with you.
But then you left with Mark.
That couldn't really happen.
Fourth thoughts swirled in his head and his body just took control.
Then he'll just surprise Zeus today.
He will be amazed when he suddenly sees him in his faculty.
The god of all gods will be appeased by his love again.
How could he have said no to Mark?
How could he have prevented himself from seeing him go with Poseidon?
Fourth uneasiness rose with every approaching meter.
And showed wildly stormy when he simply couldn't find Gem in his faculty.
Should he be allowed to miss only the last two seminars, he was now skipping all lectures.
He searched the campus park, the lecture hall, asked his fellow students.
Nowhere a trace of his Zeus.
And his phone just rang endlessly without being answered.
Why had Fourth only decided against downloading that stupid app.
"I want to know where you are so I don't worry!", Gem had explained to him as he downloaded the tracking app, "You're my sweetheart after all. Not that anyone would hide you from me!" he laughed cheekily.
But Fourth couldn't bear the thought of being able to locate Gem at any time.
His obsession was bad enough as it was.
If he could have used his cell phone to track all the hotels and sex venues live, his heart would burn forever in the flames of his secret love.
He should have.
If only he could have.
But now Fourth couldn't track him.
Where could Zeus be?
And in his moment of despair, he was suddenly confronted by the frivolous woman who had set it all free.
"What are you doing here?" asked Magdalena with a raised eyebrow.
"You!", Fourth recognized the woman who wanted to eat up his Zeus.
"Yes, me!" she just hissed back.
And Fourth saw an opportunity in that, too.
"Have you seen Gem?" he asked in a much softer voice.
She looked at him critically and considered.
"Why?" she wanted to make sure.
"I'm really worried and I can't find him anywhere!" replied Fourth with pleading eyes.
Magdalena sighed.
She could tell he loved her.
She was allowed to experience his claws the other day.
This guy is in love with Gem.
And she can definitely understand that.
"I saw him at the bus stop this morning. I was late and he didn't want to come at first. He said he wasn't feeling well. He was going back home," she said, pleased by the grateful look.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!", Fourth took her hands in his, "And I'm sorry for coming on to you like that the other day. Gem is my great and only love!", he declared with no mind and a touched heart, "You're saving me right now!", he squeezed her hands again and ran off.
Home then.
Gem went back to the place he didn't even want to leave today.
Tears welled up in Fourth's eyes.
He wanted to stay home with him.
He just wanted to be his.
Why wasn't he listening to him?
And the drive home tugged at Fourth's nerves.
All the sentences, all the phrases.
All actions and deeds.
Gem had confessed his love to him.
Again and again, and with the deepest stirrings of sincerity.
He wants to be his.
Zeus wants Fourth.
And Fourth hands are shaking right now as he tries to open their front door with the key.
"Gem?" a soft voice rings out in the hallway of their apartment, "Gem, where are you?" he runs on into the living room.
And there he sees his Gem sitting on the couch.
His black head wears big headphones and he seems not to hear him.
Fourth takes a deep breath and steps closer with soft feet.
Closer.
And he walks around the couch to let himself be seen.
But Gem has his eyes closed.
He's sitting cross-legged on the couch, absorbed in the loud music he allows only for himself via headphones.
And Fourth sees his cell phone next to his lap.
So did he see that he was going to call him again and again.
His heart grows heavy.
Does he see the sad winds in the silent face of his love.
And he kneels carefully before his Zeus on the ground.
And still briefly contemplates the face that he has stored in eternal detail in his soul.
And one hand slowly reaches for Gem's cell phone.
And the other gently rests on Gem's knee.
Suddenly awakened eyes stare urgently at Fourth.
And the headphones are removed as hurt eyes just look away.
"Go!", Fourth holds his phone out to him, "I'm back with you! You have to take another picture!", he smiles sweetly.
But Zeus is too enraged to be seduced by the sweetness of his love.
"Never mind, I'll take a picture!" Fourth replies to the silent rejection.
And it shall be a selfie.
He rests his head on Gem's crossed leg and snaps a photo of his beatific expression.
And Gem's heart groans with agitated emotion as Fourth keeps his face on his lap.
Frozen, he can feel his cross-legged seat warming up.
Iced, he allows himself to be invigorated by his Fourth's loving warmth.
But his lips press against each other so violently that they already ache.
"Poseidon wanted to invite me to dinner with Professor Jumpol and his wife. They are interested in your idea and want to have a small temple of love built in their garden," Fourth begins to speak without moving his head away.
And he feels the muscles of his love tense at the name of the other.
"I told Mark that I was only going there with you. That it's your idea and you're going to accompany me," he wants to reach Gem's mind.
But Gem's mind is too befuddled by his pain.
No movement shall show Fourth how much he is quivering inside with anger.
"Gem!", Fourth sounds much softer now, "There is only one God for me!", he wants to soften his heart, "Only the God of all Gods", he whispers and rubs his face against the frozen leg of his love.
And the minimal twitch on his nestled face shows Fourth the right way.
"I realized that only Zeus directs my storms!" declares Fourth, raising his head for the look,
"Only Zeus has the power to compose every emotion in me!" he peers into the troubled eyes of his best friend.
And Gem can't argue with that look.
Fourth's head turned upward.
His breathtakingly beautiful face.
And a smile that should melt the last ice floes in his soul.
This is how Fourth must have felt all these years.
This is how he must have suffered.
This is how he must have been softened again and again.
Gem's stormy inner world just stops at this sight.
Fourth left with another and came back to him.
The pain of loss is so weakened by longing and hope.
Fourth always stayed by his side because he came back to him.
All the pain he put him through.
Unknowing and blind, he hurt the person he loved above all else.
Now it's his turn to take him back.
But Bad Boy's soul simply cannot endure one thing.
"You want me to take you on a date with Poseidon?", Fourth heart leaps out of his chest as he finally hears the deep sound.
"It's not a date!" he replies promptly and is glared at punishingly, "You don't understand!" he shakes his head and his eyes are said to roll even bigger, "Poseidon is a great man! A powerful god!" he bites his lower lip at the high flames in Gem's eyes, "But for me there is only Zeus!" he smirks sheepishly, "His even more powerful brother Zeus shall accompany me to the meeting. Zeus, the god of all gods!" he smiles sheepishly, "No date. A chance to sit at a table with Professor Jumpol," Fourth eyes sparkle.
Gem gives him a penetrating look and shakes his head.
"You really do have a father complex. What do you see in that professor?" grumbles Gem, getting slapped.
"You're such an idiot!" grumbles Fourth, "I call you Zeus and you're babbling old stuff again. Like a broken record!", he wants to get up from his humble position.
Gem laughs up and reaches for him.
"Am I your Zeus?" he feels his heart finally beating properly again.
And Fourth is just pulled onto his lap.
"Let go of me!", Fourth wants out of the embrace, "You're just Gem, the Bad Boy! Nothing more!", he feels the tickling fingers of his Zeus on his body, "Don't! We don't have time!", Fourth laughs out, "Mark's coming to pick us up at 2pm. We still have to pack," Gem's fingers freeze at the name.
And Fourth is released.
"I haven't said yes yet!" grumbles Gem, getting up from the couch.
"Gem, please! The Jumpols have invited us to dinner. On the south island. We'll get to see incredible things. And have incredible conversations!" enthuses Fourth, faltering when he sees Gem's angry look.
"You want me and Mark at the same time? You want me to accompany you when you meet with him?" the mood immediately changes.
The god of lightning and thunder enraged by the rival.
Fourth holds this angry look.
And he decides not to let the past rest.
"Didn't I accompany you on your fuck-tours?" an angry voice quivers, "Didn't I sit quietly by while you went off on all those women?" shall Gem behold the vacant eyes of his best friend.
And Gem's silent resistance is broken even further.
"I want you by my side. Not to seduce and ravish Mark. Not to send you home alone. I want you by my side at every moment. I want Mark to see who's standing next to me. Are you ready for that?", Zeus already knew to be instructed in his divine instance at all times.
When all times become one.
And the future belongs to the hands of love.
"I'll go with you!" is Fourth's short answer to satisfy.
And he sighs in relief as Gem disappears into the shower.
It's a tricky situation, after all.
Mark and Gem together.
Poseidon and Zeus together.
But Fourth senses exactly that it's time to announce the hierarchy of his feelings.
It's Zeus.
Fourth's spirit, soul and body belong to Zeus.
Just as Zeus promised himself to him forever.