Grace doesn't know exactly how she is going to get any of the twelve Gods to show her love, she doesn't even know if any of them love her like she loves them; feelings that have only now become clear to her. In her past, love was always shown with actions more than a simple 'I love you' so she decides it will be better to start with the easiest God to be around. She searches the mansion she has come to know as her home for Ichthys and finds him in his room; she knocks softly.
"Come iiiinnnn." Ichthys' happy voice calls from the other side and Grace swallows her fears and opens the door. "Oh, Grace." Immediately, Ichthys stops what he is doing to sidle up next to her, placing an arm around her shoulder. "What's up?" She has no idea how to go about seducing a God, in this particular situation, her previous relationships aren't a good example and now she has to wing it and just pray it goes well. Ichthys always teases her and enjoys having her around, he's the easiest God to get along with thanks to his friendly, fun loving demeanor.
"I think I have a way to connect with my powers." Grace says in a very timid voice, Ichyths looks at her with a serious look on his face.
"How?" Grace blushes at the intensity of his stare, his grey eyes seem to smolder as their eyes meet. Her resolve starts to waver because she doesn't want to trick the Gods but she has to get them to show her their love for her, one way or another.
"Ichthys, have you ever been in love?" He seems confused by her question. It's been nearly six months since she moved into their home and watched the Gods slowly weaken, they have all teased her but none has ever made a move too far.
"What do you mean, Grace?" She pushes aside her shyness and answers him honestly.
"I've spent six months locked in a house filled with men, extremely flirtatious and handsome men. I've never spent a day alone but always with one of these men. I have come to love each of these men, I have looked after these men and laughed with these men but never have I lain with one of these men." His eyes narrow as Grace keeps pushing. "It is wrong of me to love any of these men, let alone all of them, but the thing is that I can't help how I feel. These men are never hungry, never thirsty and never sleep but lately when I cook, they eat, when I make tea, they drink and every night I check up on them and they are all exhausted and asleep; how am I not meant to love them when I am the reason they are dying?" Tears well up in her eyes as everything she has held in breaks through. "Ichthys," Grace's voice breaks as the tears roll down her face. "I need to know, have you ever been in love?"
"Grace." He pulls her into his chest as she sobs. "I have been dying since before we met, I'm not afraid of death anymore." Grace knows this, Ichthys lost his mortality saving his parents and Gods are not allowed to interfere with death. "Even though it is not okay for me to love one human; there is only one person in the heavens and Earth that I have fallen in love with." Grace looks at Ichthys, who smiles sadly at her. "A human who helps with my pranks and makes my favourite taiyaki, a human who always cleans up my messes and gets me out of trouble with Scorpio and Zyglavis." His words fill her heart up.
"Ichthys." Grace whispers his name as her eyes dry up, a warm feeling starts to well up inside her. It's now or never. "I love you." It's as if these three words are all he needs to hear, he places his lips on hers. At first, the kiss is gentle but when Grace doesn't pull away, Ichthys deepens the kiss. Her head starts to spin with the intensity of the kiss and soon she pulls away. Wow, that was unexpected. A mischievous smile plays on Ichthys' lips as he takes another step towards her, their bodies pressing against each other. "Um, I guess the feelings are mutual." Grace rubs the back of her neck as she laughs nervously.
"Where are you going?" He matches each of her steps backwards with a step forward until she falls onto his bed. "I like that look on your face." He laughs at her, Grace can feel her cheeks burn as she gapes at him, that look of mischief on his face isn't much different to the one he has when he's going to pull a prank. "I want to show you how much I love you." Ichthys starts to unbutton her blouse, a look of desire burning in his eyes. "I've been wanting to do this for a while now." He kisses her again as his hands impatiently feel her now exposed chest, the warmth from his hands sends shivers through her body.
"Wanting to do what?" Grace knows it's a stupid question but she has to hear him say it. His lips lower to her left ear and his breath sends another shiver through her.
"Make love to you." The words elicit a moan from Grace's lips and Ichthys somehow manages to un-clip her bra. "I've been holding myself back." He releases her breasts and takes one in his mouth. Grace begins running her fingers through his brown hair; his neck-length hair tickles her chest softly each time he switches between her breasts. "I want to tease you." His soft voice is replaced with a deep growl as he makes his way down her body and back up again, causing waves of sweet torture to run over Grace. She releases all self-control and begins to unbuckle his belt before working on his military like jacket.
"Hold on." She gently pushes Ichthys away. "There is no way I'm going to take those off." She points to his boots and Ichthys smiles before clicking his fingers and unlacing his boots, despite the weakening effect that using his powers takes, he doesn't care because he gets to spend his dying days making love to the one person who is more important to him than his own life. Ichthys lifts her and places her on the bed properly before making quick work of the rest of their clothes.
"Grace." His grey eyes crinkle as an easy smile plays on his lips, he holds his naked body above her with one elbow as his other hand traces patterns from her navel to her inner thigh. Each time it seems like he's going to touch her; he dances his fingers off somewhere else. "I said I wanted to tease you but that look in your eyes is making it hard for me to resist." She gives him a mischievous of her own as her own fingers move over his muscled chest, despite being the smallest of the Gods, Ichthys still has a chiselled body.
"Stop playing with me, Ichthys." Grace breathes out the words, her limit coming closer as he teases her body with light touches and kisses.
"I'm going to break you." With that, Ichthys inserts himself inside her and a loud moan escapes from Grace's lips before she can contain it. His lips silence her and her fingers dig into his back as he brings her closer to the edge. They move together, their hands exploring each other's bodies and it's not long before Grace reaches her climax.
"Ichthys!" She cries his name and he moans deeply at the sound of it. She can feel something like a rubber band snap inside her mind as he thrusts once more before placing a final kiss on her lips.
"I love you." Was all that she hears as Grace slowly sinks into unconsciousness.
The next morning, she feels something warm next to her and opens an eye to see a sleeping Ichthys next to her. A deep throbbing was coming from her head and it worsens as she sits up. Why did I have to wake up with a headache? Grace looks behind her and decides not to wake Ichthys so she goes to the bathroom to grab something for the pain. The throbbing continues to get worse until her vision starts going black. I'm going to pass out.
"It is your destiny, Grace. My dear, sweet Grace who has always loved the stars. One by one, the Gods will fall but only you can save them. I sacrificed my life to save humanity when the hate in their hearts gave birth to the King of the Underworld and you must give yours to save the Gods from dying." A voice calls out to Grace, a woman who looks just like her stands at the forefront of her mind. "It was written in the stars for history to repeat itself and only you can stop the darkness from swallowing them whole. Do you understand, Grace?" The voice begins to fade as a scene of the woman destroying herself plays in Grace's mind.
"Grace!" A worried voice begins calling her name, she feels someone's arms wrap around her and her body is soon floating but the scene keeps replaying in her mind as she fights to come back into consciousness.