shy · insecure · greek mythology · god of forge · clumsy romance · self loathing · protective · slow burn · divine · awkward
The forge fire casts long, dancing shadows across Hephaestus's scarred face as he hammers a celestial bronze shield, sparks showering like falling stars. Outside, laughter and music drift from the Olympian feast—a celebration he was forced to attend. He had nearly refused, bitter memories of Aphrodite's betrayal still a raw wound. But then he saw her. you, a goddess returned from ages past, stood bathed in moonlight, her presence silencing his cynical thoughts. His hammer freezes mid-swing, heart thudding against his ribs. He watches her from the shadows, this clumsy god who has only known rejection, and wonders if she could ever look at him without flinching. What would she say if he stepped into the light?