Ryuu arrived an hour early to the birthday party. Since he hadn't been invited, this probably would have seemed incredibly rude, if he hadn't been a god. As it was, he simply leaned against the back wall of the house, watching as the house staff began setting things up. This was to be a little girl's sixth birthday, and that meant a lot of frilly tablecloths, ribbons, flowers, and fancy iced cakes. This particular girl's mother was quite well-to-do, and that meant a lot of ribbons. Ryuu was only at this party because the girl's mother, widowed for two years, had been petitioning him to find her a good husband who would help take care of her child, and he intended to introduce the woman to the father of one of the party guests. The man was a kindhearted widower with a little girl of his own, and the two children got along well. Ryuu thought the situation had potential, and this would be a perfect setting to kick things off. The more decorations went up, the more the ordinary back yard began to look like some sort of fantasy land...

Ryuu's head snapped up, and he looked around, eyes narrowed in concentration.

"Okay, game's up," he said. "I know you're here, so you might as well come out."

He was answered by a soft chuckle, and Akoya stepped out from behind a tree.

"So nice to have my work recognized," he said.

"You do have a certain flair," said Ryuu, looking around at the yards and yards of crepe and ribbons. "What brought on all this?"

"Nothing, really," said Akoya. "I'm just at my best in front of an audience."

"Audience?" Ryuu repeated. "What do you mean by..."

Just then, the back door flew open, and a little girl with blonde pigtails and a frilly pink dress came scampering into the yard. She stopped dead when she got a good look at the party setup, her eyes going very wide. Then she gave a squeal and rushed at her mother, who was overseeing the hanging of a string of lanterns, and hugged her around the knees.

"It's so pretty!" she shouted. "Mommy, mommy, look how pretty it is!"

Akoya preened, and Ryuu laughed.

"All right, all right, point taken," he said.

"I like working for children," said Akoya, watching the little girl scamper around the yard to admire the decorations. "Adults are so determined to be dignified. Children let themselves get excited. It's very gratifying."

Ryuu just laughed. He had a sneaking suspicion that requiring Akoya to interact directly with a child - a real, live child, with all their rowdy, untidy ways - would probably give him a fit. Still, Ryuu supposed that wasn't really a requirement. The important thing was that Akoya seemed to be taking genuine pleasure in the child's excitement. It was nice to see.

"Hey, while you're hanging around beautifying things," said Ryuu, "want to help me out? I've got a guy due to show up any minute, and he's pretty clueless around girls so I'll take all the help I can get."

Akoya scanned the area, twirling a lock of hair around one finger as he considered his options. Then he nodded. "Yes, I think I can come up wit something. Just to oblige you, you understand, since you apparently need the help." He flashed a quick, teasing smile.

Ryuu laughed. "And here I thought I was doing you a favor. I wouldn't want you to get bored."

"I'm always prepared for a challenge," said Akoya lightly.

He leaned against the wall, watching the gate as he waited for the guests to arrive. Ryuu smiled and settled in next to him. It was funny, he thought, how they could joke and tease each other like this. A few weeks ago, it would have been unthinkable. Somewhere along the line, though, something had changed. The brittle arrogance that Ryuu had so despised had mellowed into a self-confidence that was as attractive as his vanity had been repulsive. It was one thing watching him childishly stamping his foot and demanding the world love him for being beautiful. It was another thing entirely, watching him calmly and capably going about his work without complaining or asking anything in return.

Who knew he could come so far?I Ryuu mused, as he watched the wind flutter through Akoya's hair. There didn't seem to be a breeze anywhere else, but the wind seemed to like Akoya, so that there always seemed to be a little breeze playing around him, toying with the hems of the gauzy robes he liked and whipping up a little flurry of flower petals whenever he got excited. It was a little hypnotic. When he was around, it was hard to notice anyone else. Take just now, for instance, with his hands moving gracefully as he arranged things just so...

With a little shake of his head, Ryuu dragged his attention back to the matter at hand. He was supposed to be finding matches for other people, not contemplating his own love life.

I promised myself I wasn't going to get involved anyway, he told himself. He had only started hanging around Akoya because he had to keep up the pretense of courting him, and then... well, because it amused him. The poor man was just so completely clueless about everything.

Though he wasn't quite so clueless anymore, at least when it came to getting his job done. Akoya straightened, suddenly on alert, as a middle-aged man came strolling up the street, holding the hand of a little girl.

"Is that the one?" Akoya asked.

"That's him," Ryuu agreed. "Think you can impress him?"

Akoya smiled. "Leave it to me."

Ryuu nodded and ambled over to the gate, wanting a good view of the action.

He didn't have to wait long. As the couple drew nearer, the little girl suddenly broke free of her father's grip and scampered towards the gate, only to find herself unable to work the latch.

"Daddy, make it open!" she begged.

Her father laughed and hurried towards her. "All right, all right, hold your horses."

Ryuu made a gesture, catching the attention of the woman of the house, luring her over with a suggestion that she should welcome these early guests. With his free hand, he signaled to Akoya, who nodded. Just as the woman drew near, the man scooped up his daughter and held her above his head, both of them laughing. Just at that moment, the a cloud shifted across the sun, throwing a brilliant halo around them both. It made a touching picture - the laughing little girl and the father's radiant smile, both their faces highlighted in gold. Then the cloud shifted, and the man placed his daughter gently on the other side of the fence. She scampered away, laughing, and nearly bowled over her hostess. It was probably Akoya's doing that she was carrying a basket of flowers at the time, which she'd been placing in vases on the refreshment tables, and when the little girl rushed past, she stumbled a little and dropped them. Another gesture on Akoya's part stirred up a gust of breeze that scattered blossoms and petals everywhere.

"Here, allow me," said the man, hurrying through the gate to help collect the spilled flowers.

Ryuu watched as the two of the knelt on the ground, almost simultaneously, their foreheads nearly touching as they both reached to gather up the bouquets. Ryuu watched as the man picked up a handful of flowers and held it up to her, watched him catch his breath at the sight of her in her lovely party gown, with escaped flower petals in her soft auburn hair. She smiled at him and reached to take the bouquet from him, and Ryuu felt the potential for romance crystalize into reality. He beamed.

"Good job," he said to Akoya, striding over to join him. Even now, the gentleman was helping his new lady friend to her feet, and the two little girls were happily playing together on the lawn. "You're really getting good at this."

Akoya preened. "It seems to come naturally."

"Well, it was a little over dramatic..." Ryuu teased.

"Of course," said Akoya, unperturbed. "Who wants a boring romance?"

Ryuu laughed. "You got me there. Ready to move on?"

"Of course," said Akoya. He smiled. "Unless you're getting tired, naturally."

"Hey, I can keep going all day," said Ryuu. His grin turned wicked. "And sometimes I have."

That earned a blush from Akoya. Good. It wouldn't do for him to forget who he was dealing with. Besides, he looked cute in pink.

"What do you want to do, then?" Akoya asked. His cheeks were still flushed, but there was a glint of defiance in his eyes, daring Ryuu to make good on his innuendoes. For a brief moment, Ryuu felt his own face warming.

Sheesh, what's gotten into me? People don't usually get under my skin like this...

Maybe it was just the challenge. There weren't a lot of people who could resist the god of love when he really started making an effort. The fact that Akoya was still just beyond his reach after so many days was enough to impress him. Or maybe it was just that they were having fun together. Ryuu had always loved his job, but having a partner made it even more enjoyable. He had never been the kind who liked to be alone for very long.

"I can think of a lot of things I want to do," he said glibly. "But first we had better finish our jobs."

Akoya raised an eyebrow and smiled, apparently thinking he'd scored a point. He was probably right, too. "And then?"

"I'll think about it," said Ryuu.

And as they vanished together, he mused that he'd told the truth. He had some serious thinking to do.


If the universe could be sliced crosswise, it would resemble a layer cake. Since Chance was known to be fond of cake, this was probably his idea. The very top of the universe was the Palace of the Gods, perched atop its celestial mountain, and spreading out below it was the Heavenly City and the infinite wilderness that surrounded it, where the various animal gods ruled their own chosen followers. Beneath that lay the mortal realms. Even lower would be the three underworlds - first the Land of the Blessed Dead, with its jeweled streets and endless celebrations, then the Land of the Peaceful Dead, where it was always misty and where every day passed in quiet contentment, and then the Land of the Accursed Dead, where no one ever went if they could help it. There was another level below that, though, a place right on the borders where the universe descended back into darkness and chaos, and that was there the demons dwelled.

Some of them, anyway. Hireashi much preferred to stay in the human world when he could get away with it. The food was better up there, for one thing, and the company was sometimes interesting. Humans did the most amusing things, sometimes. He certainly liked them better than he liked dealing with greater demons, that was for sure. He groveled on the stone floor and tried not to look too hard at the figure looming in the dark in front of him.

"Well?" it asked.

"Heh, well, that's kind of a funny story..." Hireashi babbled.

"Really?" the shadow drawled. "Then why am I not laughing?"

"Er, ah, well..." said Hireashi.

"I asked you to do one simple thing for me," said the demon lord. "All you had to do is fetch me a human. One human, with no job, no family, and no friends. I couldn't find you an easier mark if I tried. Why is he not here?"

"See, if that were true, it would have been easy," said Hireashi. "But it's a little more complicated than that."

In the darkness, he saw the demon's blood-red eyes glimmer. "Exactly how did it get more complicated?"

"Well, to tell you the truth..." said Hireashi. He cast about for some possible prevarication, and, finding none, settled for saying, "the guy's dead."

The eyes blinked. "How did you let that happen?"

"I don't know! I wasn't there! It was Zundar's turn to guard him!" Hireashi protested, cowering. "Blame it on him!"

"Never mind that," said the demon waspishly. "Where is the boy now?"

"In the Palace of the Gods, I guess?"

The demon was looking increasingly baffled. "As an attendant?"

"No," said Hireashi. "As a god."

"A god," the demon repeated thoughtfully. "They turned him into... a god?"

"That's what they tell me," said Hireashi. "They've already broken ground for the new temple and hired a chief priestess. They're calling him the god of beauty."

"I see," said the demon slowly. "So, my little pet project has decided he's going to move up in the world. How interesting."

Then he did something that terrified Hireashi more than anger would have.

The demon began to laugh.


The rooms in the palace of the gods tended to acquire the personality of the being who dwelled inside them. A scholarly sort of god would live in a suite that was more library than living space. A nature spirit's room would probably have moss instead of carpeting and furniture that sprouted up from the floor like mushrooms. Aurite's rooms were always spotless, and En's rooms were essentially one big bed with furniture in it.

And then there were Ryuu's quarters. His rooms had much in common with En's, in that they were usually dark and full of soft places to lie down. The windows were usually hidden by curtains, so that the only light came from a scattering of lamps, which burned sweet-smelling oils and filled the room with perfume. The room was separated off into several small spaces by a series of silk draperies, so that no matter where you stood, you seemed to be hiding in a cozy little nook, each one containing something different - a mound of soft pillows, a canopied bed, a bath sunk into the floor that bubbled like a spring when it was filled. The dim light made any occupants' eyes seem particularly large and deep, and the light reflecting off the rosy silk draperies lent a healthy pink tint to even the most pallid complexions, so that even ordinary people looked more attractive in those rooms, and attractive people were almost irresistible. In short, his rooms had been designed for one specific purpose, and he was even now putting them to good use.

"Mmm," he murmured, "that was good. That was really, really good."

He felt Io pull away from him, and obligingly turned onto his back so that Io could arrange himself alongside him in the position he preferred to rest in after such exertions. Io settled down with his head resting comfortably against Ryuu's shoulder, and Ryuu tucked an arm loosely around him so that he could stroke his satiny hair.

"So what did I do to deserve this?" Ryuu asked. "Seriously, I'd like to know. This is the sort of thing that needs to happen more often."

Io opened his eyes. "Do I need a reason?"

"Not really," said Ryuu. "Feel free to have your way with me whenever you like. It's just been a while since you were the one to start things. Been a while since you wanted to be on top, too. Hey, it's the middle of the afternoon! Don't you have coins to count or dead people to collect?"

"I did," said Io, "and I was. It's just that I kept thinking about you, and then I thought, why am I just daydreaming and not getting any work done when Ryuu would be delighted to let me actually do this? So I did."

"Good thinking," said Ryuu. He snuggled a little more comfortably into the pillows. "You know, I bet I know what this is all about."

"Enlighten me, then," said Io.

"It's about Akoya."

He felt Io tense slightly. "Are you suggesting... what are you suggesting?"

"Relax, I'm not accusing you of cheating or anything," said Ryuu. He turned on his side, the better to embrace him. "I'd be the first one to know if your feelings for me were fading, and they're not. It's just that things are changing now. I mean, we've been friends for a long time, right? Even before we fell for each other as lovers, we were friends."

"Right," Io agreed.

"So we kinda had a routine in place, and that routine didn't change much after we paired off. It's easy for us to take each other for granted. We've never really been this close to anyone else," said Ryuu. "Now all of a sudden, this new guy comes along. He's gorgeous and sensual enough to get my attention, and he's intelligent and sophisticated enough to get your attention. He even likes your collection of shiny rocks." Ryuu laughed, and after a moment Io joined in. "Look, the point is now we both have some genuine competition for the first time in millennia, and it's getting us both excited."

"Hmm," said Io. He looked thoughtful. The little crease between his eyebrows as he frowned in concentration gave Ryuu an impulse to kiss his forehead, but he restrained himself. This was a serious conversation, and now was not the time to interrupt it. After a second or two, Io said, "So you think having him around would be a good thing for us?"

"Maybe," said Ryuu. "You've been inviting him over a lot, haven't you? And I've been taking him out on the job with me. We work well together."

Io's smile held a hint of mockery. "I seem to recall you saying you couldn't stand him and there was no way you'd ever even consider marrying him."

Ryuu winced. "Trust you to bring that up. Anyway, that was then. He's changed. I think he's finally figured out he's lonely and wants to do something about it."

"He has," said Io. "I found him crying in his room the other day, when I went to tell him about the curse."

"You did?" asked Ryuu, surprised. "You never told me about that."

"It was personal."

"Ah." Ryuu settled down again. "The point is, he's starting to thaw out. I'm actually getting to like having him around."

Io gave his shoulder a light shove. "What you mean is that no one person has ever been able to keep up with your libido."

"There is that," said Ryuu, cheerfully unashamed. "Seriously, though, what's your take on all this? Would you want the guy hanging around more often?"

"I don't know..." said Io slowly. "You know I'd do anything to make you happy..."

Ryuu shook his head. "I'm not asking what would make me happy. I'm asking what would make you happy. Seriously, if you knew I'd be okay with it, would you go for him?"

Io squirmed, looking distinctly uncomfortable. "Well, if I had to be honest... yes, I would. But only if you were all right with it. It's not that I don't still love you..."

Ryuu laughed. "Didn't you just spend the last couple of hours showing me just how much you love me? I'm not worried about that. I don't think there's anything in the world that's going to come between the two of us."

"I don't think so either," said Io, relaxing again.

"That's why I think we're strong enough to stand to add a little something extra to our relationship."

"You're sure?" Io asked.

"I am," said Ryuu. "In fact, I think it would be worse for us if we don't. We can either admit this is something we both want and do whatever it takes to make it happen, or we can pretend we don't want it and be guarded and guilty around each other all the time, and that wouldn't do us any good."

Io thought about it for a while. Then he smiled, very slightly. "You could be right."

Ryuu grinned. "I usually am, about these things."

"So we're going to start courting him, then?" Io asked. "Not just pretending for form's sake, but really doing it?"

"Looks like it," said Ryuu. "Wow. I never thought I'd see the day."

"Me either," said Io. "But I think I could get used to the idea."

"Me too," Ryuu replied. He sighed and closed his eyes, smiling. "I could definitely get used to the idea."

Io chuckled. "You're thinking something naughty, aren't you?"

"Sure am," Ryuu agreed. "Don't tell me you're surprised."

"Not really," Io admitted. "So, do you think we ought to tell him what we decided?"

"Later. Right now, we have something more important to worry about."

Io looked concerned. "You mean the demon?"

"Nah. We'll deal with that later," said Ryuu. "Right now, the important thing is that if we're adding someone else to our family, we should make the most of the time we have to ourselves while it lasts."

"That isn't our top priority," said Io, but without much conviction.

"Can you think of something more important?" Ryuu asked.

Then he shifted a little so he could kiss Io's neck. If Io thought of any higher priorities after that, he never got around to mentioning them.


It had become Akoya's habit to visit his hidden meadow every morning, just before breakfast. He liked watching the sun come up over the mountains, and it was a good way to get warmed up for the day. He'd spend an hour or so refining his technique, testing out any new ideas he'd had the previous day, and admiring the fruits of his previous efforts. Over the past few days, he'd turned an unremarkable little patch of land into a bit of paradise on earth. The ragged, yellowing grass was now verdant and luxuriously soft. Flowers bloomed in profusion, so that the whole valley was suffused with their color and scent. Butterflies and hummingbirds flocked to them until the air seemed to be filled with jewels. The little spring had been coaxed into becoming a series of tiny waterfalls that made a musical splashing, and which cast rainbows whenever the sun touched them. What had once been a dry watercourse was now a thriving stream in which tiny silver fish darted. Even the trees had become more verdant, while at the same time leaving enough space between their branches that sun always seemed to be slanting through them to create golden shafts and fans of light. It was a delight to the senses, and Akoya always left it feeling refreshed, confident, and ready for whatever the day might throw at him.

What he was not ready for was to arrive back at the Heavenly City and find Io and Ryuu already waiting for him.

"There you are," said Ryuu. "We've been waiting for you. Where have you been?"

"On earth," Akoya replied. "That is my job, to do things on earth."

Io smiled. "Your devotion to duty is admirable. We thought, perhaps, that you might enjoy a break from your labors."

Akoya did his best to hide his curiosity. "What sort of break did you have in mind?"

"Well," said Ryuu, "you've spent the day out with me before, and you've spent time with Io, but I don't think you've ever really done anything with both of us together."

"That's true," said Akoya. What, he wondered, were they up to? He thought he sensed a subtle change in their attitudes towards him, but what it meant, he couldn't begin to guess. Was it just that having each other nearby meant they felt they had to be more reserved around him? They didn't seem particularly reserved. "Did you have something specific in mind?"

"Well, I know you've been to my home before," said Io, "but I wondered if you'd taken much time to explore the rest of my city?"

"I don't believe I have," Akoya replied.

"Then you should come exploring with us today," said Ryuu. "It's a nice place."

"I imagine it would have to be," said Akoya archly, "given its function. All right, I think I could be persuaded to visit." Actually, now that the oversight had been pointed out to him, he found himself feeling rather curious. Under most circumstances, the Land of the Blessed Dead was the best any mortal could hope for when he died. What sort of place must it be like? Trying not to sound too eager, he added, "I do have work to get done today, but perhaps this afternoon...?"

"That suits me," said Io. "I can get my own work done and we'll be able to enjoy ourselves with a clear conscience."

"I guess it is asking too much to ask humanity to spare my attentions for the entire day," said Ryuu. "Okay. How about I come pick you up at about... let's say three in the afternoon?"

"That should do admirably," said Akoya.

"Good," said Io, smiling at him. "Just come by my house whenever you're ready, and I'll send for Ryuu to join us."

The three of them agreed to that plan, and then separated to their own pursuits - Akoya to his breakfast, Io and Ryuu to whatever it was they did this time of day. He was a bit sorry they hadn't opted to join him. He had the distinct notion that Ryuu, at least, was afraid that if he hung around Akoya for too long he might slip and give some surprise away.

Well, if there were some surprise, I'll bet I could get him to tell me, so he's probably right to be concerned.

Still, the thought kept him wondering throughout the day and distracted him from his work. What were the two of them up to? He had the shrewd notion that they had been talking something through behind his back, and had something to do with him. He would have liked to have known what they were up to. He wondered how significant it was that the two of them were approaching him together. Was it possible he had read them wrong, and their interest in him was greater than he'd realized? Or was this part of some more complicated scheme? Or was it that they were simply being nice and showing the new man around? If that was so, then why do it now and now when he'd first arrived? Guesses and second-guesses swirled through his head all day, none leading to any definite answers.

When at last it drew near the appointed time, he returned to his suite, changed out of the comparatively simple clothes he'd been wearing on the job and into something more suitable to something that might have been courtship, and flitted down to the underworld and Io's front parlor. Io and Ryuu were already waiting there, Io sorting idly through one of the piles of gemstones that seemed to crop up wherever he went, Ryuu amusing himself by tossing a ball of fire from hand to hand as if it were no more dangerous than a ball of yarn. Both of them, however, looked up when Akoya appeared, and Ryuu let his fireball fizzle into a puff of scented smoke. Akoya gave them an amused smile.

"Waiting for me?" he asked.

"Actually, yes," said Io, getting up from his desk. "Good afternoon, Akoya. It's nice to see you again."

Ryuu arose from the chair he'd been lounging in. "Ready to go sightseeing?"

Akoya agreed that he was, and the two of them moved to flank him on either side so they could escort him to the front of the house. He wondered about that too, but only briefly, because it wasn't long before they reached the great double-doors that marked the entrance to the manor, and at a gesture from Io, they swung wide open and gave him his first glimpse of the Land of the Blessed Dead.

His first impression was that he was standing at the top of a hill, looking down on a pleasant small town - tidy, well-ordered, but nothing to be impressed by. However, the longer he looked at it, the more he realized he was seeing something quite outside his experience. There didn't seem to be a sun down here - the sky overhead, if it even was a sky and not the roof of an immense cave - was an uninterrupted expanse of deep blue, unmarked by so much as a star. Instead, little orbs of pale colored lights drifted aimlessly, shedding a soft light over the city. In this light, everything glittered. The houses seemed to be made from gold or carved from semiprecious stones, and the pavement had been cobbled with faceted gems. Even the trees that lined the streets sparkled, as if instead of apples and pears they bore rubies and topazes.

Io laughed at Akoya's stunned expression.

"Do you see now why I'm considered strange for my collections?" he asked.

"This is... quite extraordinary," Akoya managed. He felt rather ashamed, now, that this had been here the whole time and he hadn't once bothered to come and see it. In its way, this was every bit as lovely as the Heavenly City. He'd been missing out.

"Come and explore," Io said.

The three of them made their way down the front steps, Ryuu prancing a few steps eagerly ahead of them while Akoya and Io made their way at a more dignified pace. They caught up to him at the bottom of the stairs, and the three of them made their way into the city. Akoya stared at everything in wonder. From a distance, it was the opulent nature of the building materials that had amazed him, but at ground level, what fascinated him were the people. All of them were marvelously well-dressed. The styles varied wildly, from the recent to the ancient, from simple to extravagant, but every stitch was exquisitely done, every piece perfectly cut, every material of the highest quality. Almost as interesting, no one he passed seemed to be in any hurry. Everyone ambled along as if they had nowhere they needed to be and there was no rush to get there. Everyone seemed relaxed, everyone was smiling. Most of them stopped to wave or make some gesture of respect to Io as he passed by. Clearly he was a popular ruler here.

"Everyone seems to be having a good time," Akoya remarked. They were passing by one of the many spacious houses on the street. Through its open windows, he could hear the sound of music and people laughing.

"There's always a party going on somewhere," said Ryuu. "They'd probably let us join in if we knocked on the door. Wanna try?"

"Perhaps later," said Akoya. Everyone here seemed perfectly pleasant, and he had no doubt that Ryuu was right, but the idea of simply knocking on a stranger's door and asking to join their party unsettled him.

Io seemed to understand. "Perhaps you'd like to visit the shopping district instead?"

"There's shopping?" asked Akoya, brightening instantly. He appreciated the fact that his rooms would provide him with anything he needed, but he missed the fun of shopping for things he hadn't known he wanted until he saw someone selling them.

"Of a sort," said Io. "People who were craftsmen of one sort or another in life sometimes loved their work enough to want to continue after death, so I give them the wherewithal to keep working. They make things and give them away to whoever wants them."

Akoya thought it over. "I think I like that sort of shopping."

The shopping district turned out to be utterly delightful. Akoya happily oohed and ahhed over the crafts, the clothes, the jewelry. A few pieces so enchanted him that Io stepped in and asked for them to be delivered back to his home, so that Akoya could take them with him when he left. At one point, Ryuu disappeared for a few minutes and returned proudly carrying an elegantly crafted glass trinket box that he presented to him with a flourish.

"Can't have Io doing everything," he said, when Akoya expressed surprise at the gift. "Romance is my job. I can't let him beat me at it."

"I'd say you're both doing quite well," said Akoya.

The three of them were now strolling along one of the smaller streets, one that seemed to be devoted mainly to pubs and restaurants, judging by the scents hanging in the air and the number of fenced-in sitting areas outside. Any number of people were sitting outside, snacking, drinking, and enjoying the company of friends. The sights and smells were so pleasant that Akoya was tempted to ask his companions if they would consider stopping for an early dinner. Then he passed one particular window and stopped in his tracks.

The scene was like something out of a child's dream. It was a sweet shop unlike any he'd ever seen before, with shelves and shelves of every sort of dessert imaginable stretching back as far as the eye could see. There were trays of delicate little petit fours no bigger than Akoya's fingertip, and iced layer cakes taller than he was. There were strings of multicolored rock candy sparkling like so many jewels, pies and tarts glistening with sweet fruits, marzipan figures of seemingly impossible complexity and delicacy, and endless regiments of cookies and pastries. Some of the things in there, Akoya couldn't even put names to, but just the sight of them made his mouth water. The scent coming through the front door every time it opened was rich and thick enough to spoon up and eat all on its own. Akoya didn't even realize he had his nose and palms pressed up against the window until he heard his companions chuckling.

"I'm going to go out on a limb," said Io, "and guess our friend has a sweet tooth."

"I'll go one step further," said Ryuu. "I'm going to guess that he has a sweet tooth, and he doesn't indulge it because he's afraid of spoiling his perfect figure. Am I right?"

Akoya turned to scowl at them. "It isn't funny."

Io raised his hands in a placating gesture. "Oh, we're not laughing at you. Not really."

"It's just that you seem to be forgetting something," said Ryuu. "You're not human anymore. You're a god. That comes with a few perks."

Akoya raised an eyebrow. "Enlighten me, then."

"What I mean," said Ryuu, "is that when Aurite promised you'd be young and beautiful forever, he wasn't kidding around. I don't even think he can lie about things. The way you are now is the way you're going to be, no matter what you do to yourself."

Io nodded. "We do have some semi-voluntary control over our appearances, but our base forms stay the same."

"What do you mean, semi-voluntary control?" Akoya asked, feeling lost.

"He means, you couldn't decide to change the color of your eyes or the shape of your nose," said Ryuu, "but you could decide to change into what you'd look like if you were an old man, or a little kid, or a girl, or an antelope or something. It's handy when dealing with mortals, when you want to interact with them but don't want to tip them off to who they're talking to." Ryuu grinned suddenly. "I like being a guy, but I understand I make a pretty cute girl, too. Sometimes it's fun."

He flashed Io a wicked grin, and Akoya had an idea of just what exactly that sort of "fun" entailed, and tried very hard not to think about it lest he become to distracted by the ramifications. Io, more experienced in dealing with his husband, did not rise to the bait.

"Sometimes it's pleasant to spend the afternoon as a fish or an eagle just for a different perspective," he said. "The point is, you don't have to worry about your appearance changing if you don't want it to."

"That's right," said Ryuu. A look of sudden mischief crossed his face. "Hey, answer quick - where's the privy in your rooms?"

"I don't know!" Akoya blurted, cheeks reddening. "Why would you even ask that?" Then he paused, reconsidering his first answer. That was not the sort of thing he spent a lot of time contemplating, but now he realized that nowhere in his rooms was there anything like a water-closet or chamber pot, and he'd never noticed before. The realization must have shown on his face, because Ryuu nodded in satisfaction.

"That's right. You won't find any such thing, anywhere in the Heavenly City or the underworld. Divine bodies are different from human ones," said Ryuu. "That means you can eat whatever you want without worrying, you can get as drunk as you want without getting sick or having a hangover the next morning, you don't have to eat at all if you don't want to, you don't actually need to sleep..."

Io smiled. "Unless you're En."

"Oh, yeah," said Ryuu, laughing. "He'd probably dissolve into a little puddle of misery if you didn't let him sleep. But the rest of us don't have to. We do it to relax and clear our minds, not because we're likely to doze off in the middle of something if we don't."

"It makes sense, if you think about it," said Io. "We may be needed for something important. If there's a war, or a disaster, or a demon invasion, we can't afford to be distracted by something as mundane as a need for food or sleep."

"Besides," said Ryuu, "we work hard, and our work doesn't stop. We're not like humans, who can live for a few decades and then kick back in the underworld to relax until they feel like getting reincarnated. We have to have some way to blow off stress, so when we play, we play as hard as we work. There have been parties where the feasting and dancing went on for weeks."

"I see," said Akoya, feeling a little dazed. It was a lot of information to take in. It was hard to imagine all of it applying to him. He thought he'd been adapting rather well to not being human anymore, but now he was realizing that he had barely scratched the surface.

"Hey," said Ryuu, brightening visibly, "I have an idea. Let's have a party!"

"A party?" Io asked. He sounded as confused as Akoya felt.

"Yeah, sure," said Ryuu. "Let Akoya see for himself what we're talking about. Bring home all the cake and cookies we can carry, break out the wine, stuff ourselves with sugar and get totally plastered."

Io rolled his eyes. "No."

"Why not?"

"Because you're embarrassing when you're drunk, that's why."

"I am not," Ryuu huffed.

Io turned to Akoya. "He's embarrassing when he's drunk. He starts boasting about his sexual prowess, and the further gone he is, the more extravagant his claims get. Generally it ends with him declaring himself ready to take on the whole world when he can't even peel himself off the floor."

"Well, you start lecturing about economic principles, so I figure we're about even," said Ryuu. He flashed his engaging grin at Akoya. "Hey, after he gets a couple drinks in him, ask him about using livestock as currency. It's hillarious."

"It's a stupid system," Io huffed.

Akoya smiled slightly. "Well, it does sound entertaining. I wouldn't turn down an invitation to such a party, were I to be invited."

"There, you see?" said Ryuu, turning back to Io. "He thinks it's a good idea. Besides, it's for a good cause. We'd be helping Akoya get acclimated."

"Well..." said Io reluctantly.

At that moment, someone came out of the sweet shop, carrying a paper bag of something, and the scents of a thousand candies and pastries wafted over them. Io weakened visibly.

"If it's for a good cause," he said at last.

Ryuu gave a victorious whoop. Akoya just smiled. This was, he decided, going to be a very interesting party.


To Be Continued...


Note: "Omne trium perfectum" is a Latin phrase meaning something like, "all sets of three are perfect".