Once the door was shut and they had a moment away from the party to breathe, Jongho immediately began his cross-examination.

"Your blossom-haired love protects you well, doesn't he?"

Yeosang opened a window to air out his flat, letting the cold air clear his lungs and caress over his plants. He sat on the windowsill to clear his spinning head, not too frightened by a drunk party guest getting handsy even when Jongho looked gloomy, like a thunderstorm.

"He's sweet, isn't he? So dreamy. If he comes over later, please leave us alone, yes?" Yeosang sighed, happy with the party altogether and with letting it come to an end now to catch some sleep.

"Some of these people were very doubtful. And you should have noticed," Jongho said, rubbing his arms as his costume scratched on his skin. From what Yeosang could tell, he hadn't touched the alcoholic drinks. Maybe he didn't like them?

"Why?" He asked, confused what this was about since the god spoke in riddles all the time.

But Jongho's expression was hard, not forgiving the harmless encounter with that stranger.

"Because you need to be careful. People are out to kill you."

A chill wracked down Yeosang's spine. It was gone in a flash when he realised this wasn't serious and Jongho just liked to sound like an ominous god talking about the end of the world. Then the upset came. He also huffed. Couldn't he have one day of just relaxing and having fun without Jongho needing to scare him all the time? Was that so hard?

"What the...? What are you talking about?" He grumbled, not up for games when he just wanted to kiss Seonghwa goodnight and go to bed to sleep off the dizziness. This wasn't the time to argue.

But Jongho might as well be the god of arguments because he just loved not to let up when he should.

"I already told you! You are Ra, which means your end is the beginning of my kingdom of darkness. You are the catalyst. Are you taking your role lightly?"

Yeosang's dizziness was quickly leaving him, be it through the night air rushing through his flat to make him shiver or the grave expression on Jongho's face that killed all the fun.

"I'm not Ra," Yeosang frowned. He was sick of the jokes by now. Couldn't tell anymore what Anubis was serious about and where his jokes began. It was exhausting to deal with all his pranks. Yeosang wasn't involved in the world ending and he was no god. He was just Yeosang.

But Jongho insisted.

"Yes, you are!"

"You're were lying about that. Stop trying to scare me," Yeosang hissed at him. He turned away, looking out of the window. He hoped Seonghwa would come to see him soon so they could laugh together. Do some human, fun things, which Jongho never seemed to understand.

The god sounded just as upset and insulted as Yeosang's heart felt.

"I never lie."

Exhausted, Yeosang rubbed his face. He wanted to leave, get some distance from this confusing god who flirted in such a bad way.

"How would you know? You said you can't recognise other gods. I know who I am," Yeosang repeated himself, ever in the same circle. He was sick of it. Should he send Jongho away?

"I saw you using your powers. Even today. That is not human," the god argued, and Yeosang shot him a glare.

"Some people are likable, right? Some people have a green thumb and a heart for animals. Not everything humans do is divine. These are the traits you gods gave us. Is it so hard to believe we are more than just idiots mongering war?" He near begged Jongho to understand. Yes, he was a god. Yes, he would never relate or have empathy. But he needed to put all that energy into observing the truth instead.

Jongho's gaze softened.

"I'm not lying or trying to scare you. I'm sure because I watched humans. Aeons passed while they had other worries. I know which are your human traits and which ones are Ra."

Yeosang just stared at him, trying to understand him. Not that he ever could. There was never a middle for them. Jongho confirmed his suspicions with a nod.

"And I know Ra. All in our pantheon do since we all come from him. I would recognise this familiarity of home anywhere. What home is to us gods, I mean."

Yeosang shook his head. He didn't care if it was flirtation or Jongho meant it. Chances were, Jongho deluded himself, since he yearned for warmth. Perhaps he truly liked Yeosang and hence thought him Ra because he never felt this way before.

But none of it mattered. Yeosang already had a life, and he wanted to live it. An ancient god and his haunts had no place in it.

"That would mean I'll die. I die and then everyone else dies because of you damned gods!" Yeosang said. He needed Jongho to understand why this was no compliment. Why Yeosang would never accept a message like that.

With a hasty nod, the jackal god followed along.

"It might be easier to accept it if you are the first. But yes... With you, all life dies. You have been giving it to your surroundings all this time without being aware, but Apep will find you. And he will reap his reward."

No. Because Yeosang never provoked anyone. Never had children, never ruled the skies in the shape of the sun. He did nothing to endanger himself aside from striking Anubis' fancy.

"I don't even know him. I never did anything to him. I'm not like you," Yeosang gritted out and noise filtered through the corridor as Wooyoung began sending his party guests home. It was already late and Yeosang was weary. He just wanted to sleep, not argue with Jongho about the same thing over and over again.

"You may not remember, but you are. You are his greatest foe. The life you grant is his greatest dismay. He is chaos. He doesn't need to know the human Yeosang to want to destroy you." Jongho paced closer, his hands open in an offer. "Believe me. Wake up so you may realise. I can explain everything to you. But if you act carelessly, he will find you and everything will end."

"I refuse. I'm not believing you. I'm not accepting this heritage." Yeosang whipped his head away. It didn't matter. Even if then what? He would die. Either as a cursed god or as a human because they all died of floods and earthquakes. What difference did it make? Either way was cruel and upsetting.

"But you have no choice..." Anubis told him, ever so matter-of-fact, as if it was easy to just become a god and face a gargantuan snake.

He was handsome; he was funny and adorable in his way, but in this part, Yeosang would always hate him.

That damn godly arrogance.

"No, shut up. I don't want to hear it," he sighed. He was too exhausted. Jongho thought he was doing him a favour, but only a miserable chuckle came from Yeosang.

A god. Even better.

Being a god was worth nothing if he died, and he couldn't even protect Seonghwa from the end. Or Wooyoung. Or any other human he adored.

For a moment, Jongho complied. They listened to the drunken laughter in the corridor as people bustled to put on their jackets and fight the weather to go home. It was blissfully silent in Yeosang's head.

With his remaining courage, Jongho made another attempt.

"Allow me to prove it to you. All the answers you seek are on the other side of my portal. There is so much you don't know yet."

Betrayed, Yeosang stared at him. He pondered their relationship, this tentative friendship, Jongho's flirting, all the evenings they spent together, somewhat domestic and enjoying each other's company.

On one hand, Yeosang wanted him to leave if he continued like this. If all he ever did was hound and scare and prank.

But the other part of him spent a lot of time with Jongho during the last weeks. The god never lied, he never missed out on details even if they could hurt Yeosang. In his way, he cared.

Yeosang exhaled. Then he shook his head.

"Not right now. I need time to think."

"I'll prepare and have everything ready whenever you want to go. If you don't trust me, there will be others. They can explain better than I." Jongho spun on his heel to leave him his space. As he disappeared into the bathroom to get out of his goofy costume, Yeosang felt bad. He didn't want to hurt Jongho by yelling at him, but everything was just too much right now.

Yeosang tiredly pulled his mask from his head. The merry party mood was already forgotten, and he mourned it.

With a sigh, he closed the windows and left his mask on his kitchen counter as he opened a bottle of wine to numb his brain again. Tonight, he wouldn't deal with any of Jongho's nonsense, Ra or not.

As he sipped his wine, Yeosang sadly chuckled to himself. Was this what a god was like? What Ra was like? Miserable and useless against the end of the world, even with allegedly hidden powers?

It was exhausting. Yeosang just picked up his glass to disappear into his room and spend the evening by himself, all gloomy until he fell asleep, when someone knocked on his door. For a moment, he was disoriented, thinking someone might have forgotten something at Wooyoung's and returned to the wrong door. Then he remembered he invited Seonghwa to come over.

In a flash, Yeosang placed his wineglass and the bottle in his cupboard and patted the worn expression from his cheeks. He rushed to the door to open it and, indeed, his most beautiful aphrodite expected him. Seonghwa wore his fur cape over his arm and the worry in his gentle eyes immediately searched Yeosang for injuries.

"Here I am. Sorry, it took a moment longer. Wooyoung used the opportunity to send everyone home at once since it was getting late," Seonghwa explained as Yeosang beckoned him inside from the cold corridor.

A shame he couldn't say bye to Mingi and San, but he could text them later and arrange for a hangout some other time when they had time to talk.

So long as the world was still there, of course.

Seonghwa let his eyes swipe through the flat. He followed Yeosang when he sat down on the couch. His huff when he dropped into his leaf-shaped cushions garnered him a smile from Seonghwa.

"Everything alright with you? That guy was way too pushy. I didn't want to patronise you, but I wasn't the only one who got a weird vibe," Seonghwa said and Yeosang nodded, grateful for the intervention. With his nerdy looks, he was a frequent victim of rowdy suitors. Or well, might just be Ra's charm.

Yeosang chortled to himself. What luck he had.

"Yeah, thanks for stepping in. I hope Wooyoung ended their friendship."

"Oh, he did. Very loud and in public," Seonghwa grinned, and Yeosang was proud of his best friend.

"Wish I would have seen that."

"Where is your friend who stays with you? I figured I should also thank him," Seonghwa asked, peering at the open bedroom door, but Yeosang nodded towards the bathroom.

"In the tub, cooling off. He also praised you for taking care of me, though." Trying to hide his blush, Yeosang fiddled with his costume instead. Seonghwa smiled that soft smile.

"I'm glad he was there for you, too. He's a good guy. Shame we can't talk to each other."

That was actually the only reason why Yeosang could sanely keep Jongho around, but he didn't have to explain that to Seonghwa.

"He's here, so would you like to meet at my place sometime? We could watch a movie or we can go out to drink a coffee together or something. Whatever you like," Seonghwa offered, ripping Yeosang from his brooding.

Instantly, he was invested.

"I would love to," he burst out, not ashamed to be a loser and reply too quickly. He needed Seonghwa to know he was enthusiastic, even if that made him uncool.

But Seonghwa's grin called him cute.

"Then let's talk about it at work and arrange a date, yeah? I'll leave you alone to rest for tonight. Stay safe for me, hm?"

"Absolutely, I wouldn't miss out on our date," Yeosang babbled, full of life again. With a smile, Seonghwa leaned in to kiss him, praising Yeosang's joy with saccharine soft lips. Blessed by his divine beauty, Yeosang mourned when Seonghwa stood to leave.

"Can I walk you to the bus stop?" He asked as he walked Seonghwa to the door and made sure he wore his cape so he wouldn't get cold. But his dress might garner the wrong attention, especially if that douche was still around.

"Hongjoong is picking me up," Seonghwa assured him, and once more, Yeosang had to wonder if they weren't roommates or even more.

But Seonghwa kissed the tip of his nose and he wasn't the type to fool around with several people.

They wished each other good night before Seonghwa disappeared and Yeosang went back inside to catch some rest and dream of his lovely Aphrodite.