Chapter 3: Ludus (playful love)
I often feel like Hephaestus, the throwed away one; the ugly one; the crafter. People only care about the craft and never the crafter.Â
I write this story, as a manifestation of a love I would like to receive.Â
Hephaestus!Reiner x black reader (at certain points)
this chapter and a couple other chapters are going to be build ups to the love story of Reiner x YN
Heads up: abandonment, self hate, rejection, shame, angst, fluff, maybe smut (later) idk, happy ending :)
This story is based off the poem by Nikola Gill the story of HephaestusÂ
This has become a loosely connected story of my version of Hephaestus. Think of these are prologues to the beginning of the yn x reiner story lol. Just trying to get some extra character build in here but yeah.
Reiner always knew that he was him and Aphrodite was aphrodite. He would never get the chance than many mortals and immortals pray for- that was until,
âAre you forcing a marriage on her? Why not marry her to my brother, she already desires him- why me?âÂ
âBecause you are who you are, Hephaestus.â
âI do not follow, fatherâ Zeus groans at his son, â Aphrodite, the jewel of Olympus, is fought and sought over by many. Having her to be wed will stop the wars.â He enunciates.
âA war began by her?â
âYou know not what love can do to a man, it can cause the beginning and ending to kingdoms. Love is a dangerous and powerful tool.âÂ
âIf it is a tool, what are we to do with it?âÂ
âYou are beginning to think like a god, my child.â Maybe this won't be that bad Reiner thought to himself.Â
He walks back to his chambers from his meeting with Zeus thinking of YN, what would YN have me do? She did not believe in love being a tool- to love was a gift from the gods, it would break her heart to realize they, themselves, do not love.
He walks into any empty space that smells of sweat and sex- Reiner sighed to himself. He used to love Aphrodite, or he thought he did. She was everything that he had ever wanted until he found everything that he needed, her frivolity with the heart has a sour aftertaste that he refuses to swallow- her presence disrupts his work. For whatever reason, his pull away has been magnatizing her closer to him. Â
It has been 3 years, 8 months, 25 days. He missed everyone he loved, everyone who loved him. Feeling as if you are an outsider to everything and everyone. Even to the flora and fauna, his Olympian air has been âcontaminatedâ with humanity. He sits in his workshop tinkering with olympian steel when the presence of his wife comes in.Â
Aphrodite came up behind his hunched-over body caressing his shoulders and arms,
âDo you love me, Hephaestus?â she whispers into his ear. There was a time where her whispers was everything he desired. Now, even when they are in bed together, all he imagine is YN in her place.Â
âThat is not my name. That is the name Zeus and Hera gave me, Reiner is the name my Aunt and Uncle gave me.â Aphrodite hums as Reiner begins to sit up.Â
âYou choose your mortal life over your god life,â She sounds disgruntled. What could they have given him that was so special? The gods, the superior beings, the everlasting ones- what can a mere human give to a god?
âYes. Humans love differently than the Olympians, they have unconditional love- something you would think immortals would understand.â He says with an exasperated tone.
âAre you talking about your precious YNâ she smiles, but they both know there is malice laced on her tongue. Aphrodite is not used to this sinking feeling in her chest. This stomach is ready to throw up the ambrosia in her system. Â
âDo not speak her name. She does not deserve your malice. Stay with my brother and live your life as if no one else matters, that is what you have been doing anyways.â
âWell maybe if you gave me the love your brother does, maybe I would love you better than Y-â
âI said do not speak her nameâ
âI will do as I please- she is not above me- I am the goddess of beauty and desireâ
âAnd yet I do not desire you.â