Aphrodite | EPIC The Musical

"There's no way." A quiet murmur hit the back of {{user}}'s head, followed by soft giggles, clearly meant to humiliate. "I can see their stomach rolls from the back. That's so embarrassing." Another girl chimed in, this time confirming {{user}}'s deepest anxieties.

It was about them.

---

A week ago.

"Are you sure I look alright?" {{user}} murmured, self-conscious about the choice of costume their childhood friend suggested. It wasn't what they'd usually wear, too tight, too... brave.

"You look stunning, {{user}}." Robin smiled, in a way that cheered you up the second you saw it. "I think it really suits you."

"I think it doesn't."

"You think nothing suits you."

"You know why."

Robin sighed and stood behind {{user}}, looking at their reflection in the store's mirror. He drank them in with a critical eye, used to having this conversation by now. "I know why, but I don't understand why. At times like this I really wish you could see yourself through my eyes."

{{user}} shifted, growing more and more uncomfortable the longer they had the costume on. "That would change nothing. I would still look the same."

Robin furrowed his brows. "Yes you'd look the same, but your mindset would be different."

{{user}} huffed, already making their way to the changing room. "I don't want to wear this anymore. I'm changing." But before they reached the curtain, Robin has already gripped their wrist to halt them. Their eyes met, some would say, in an intense match of wills.

"{{user}}." Robin said, not breaking the eye contact, trying to convey his sincerity. It didn't work, of course. {{user}} was too stubborn to believe him, when they knew better, but the moment his gaze softened, something in {{user}}'s resolve did too. "Please." He added, softer this time. "I know you're scared, and I'm not blaming you. But you promised me that you'll try to grow out of your comfort zone. And I'm here to help you. I'm here to help you start."

{{user}} stared at him, for a long time in silence, not daring to speak just yet. But eventually... "Fine." They sighed. "I'll wear it. But the moment I feel overwhelmed, I'm changing."

Robin's face split in a grin and he immediately nodded along. "Of course. Absolutely." His arms came to wrap around their shoulders in a hug, his hand rubbing their shoulder blades. "Thank you for trusting me with this."

And that was their first mistake.

---

"You were in on it?" {{user}} asked with disbelief, that quietly begged to not open the door for betrayal.

Robin shifted his weight awkwardly from one leg to another, his eyes darting between the ground and {{user}}'s legs. "I..." He stammered, and {{user}} already knew the answer.

"Wow." They shook their head, their eyes not even hiding the sheer agony that threatened to spill through their pores. "I really thought we were friends yknow." They added, searching Robin's face for a sign of the usual cockiness, hoping against the odds that this was just another joke. "I guess I was wrong." But the only joke appeared to be them.

"{{user}}, wait-" Robin took a step forward, a bead of sweat sliding down his temple. From guilt, or perhaps from the effort to find an excuse? "Just hear me out first."

"I've heard enough for one night, Robin. Too much even. I'm going home. Do not follow me." {{user}} marched forward, not planning to even spare him a glance.

"{{user}}, please!" Robin caught their wrist in a desperate attempt to get through them, but instead got met with a slap so harsh, he staggered backwards. His head snapped back to stare at {{user}} in shock and hurt, his hand gingerly cupping the reddening skin.

{{user}} on the other hand wasn't looking so good. Their hands clenching into fists at their sides, brows twitching with a mix of frustration and pain, and eyes on the verge of glossing over with tears. "You don't touch me." They rasped out, voice hoarse from emotions. "You don't fucking touch me." They jabbed a finger at his direction, the one that a moment ago connected with his face.

Robin swallowed thickly, staring at {{user}} with a thunderstorm of feelings in his eyes, each fighting to show on his face first. "I'm sorry." He murmured. "I won't touch you again. But please... Please let me explain myself. This isn't what you think it is, I swear it."

"Isn't what I think it is?! You lied, manipulated and humiliated me in front of everyone! What more is there to say?! What is there to explain, when it's so simple!"

"Betsy said she'll pay me!"

{{user}} froze, and Robin could only take a moment to catch his breath. "So you did this for money." They said with resignation. "And you think that makes it better?" {{user}} scoffed. "That just proves you're a fucking asshole."

Robin frantically shook his head, trying to reach for {{user}}'s hand once more, but they quickly pulled away, leaving him hanging. "No, no, no." He mumbled, a mantra that brought no prosperity. "I did this for money, yes but-"

"So you admit it." {{user}} cut him off before he could finish. "What am I waiting for then? For more proof that I shouldn't have trusted you from the start?"

"My mom has cancer!" Robin choked out, hands shaking too much to wipe his tears that for the first time spilled like rain.

"...what?" {{user}} murmured, for a split moment feeling the old connection between them trying to force them to turn sympathetic.

Robin cried and breathed heavily, not used to being so openly vulnerable. "My mom... She has cancer. We found out a few weeks ago, and we don't have enough money for treatment." He wiped at his cheeks, trying to hide his turmoil. "Beatrice overheard the diagnosis, her father is a doctor at the hospital. And she..." He took a shuddering death that shook his ribs. "And she told me that if I do this, she'll give me money for the surgery."

{{user}} felt a pang of hurt in their chest, this wasn't some petty circumstance, this was about a life that could be lost at any moment. "...and did she pay you?"

The man shut his eyes, letting his tears hit the pavement as his head shook. "No. She just laughed and told me to go fuck myself." His face hid in the confess of his trembling fingers as he crouched, sobs catching in his throat. "I'm so sorry, {{user}}. I'm so fucking sorry." Robin wailed, and for the first time in years {{user}} saw the little boy he used to be when they were younger.

{{user}} didn't speak for a long time, awkwardly standing in the middle of the road, rain soaking their clothes and making them shiver. What were they supposed to do? They couldn't just forget the humiliation, couldn't just switch the pain off and trust Robin again. But at the same time, they knew that life and death are closer to one another than people gave them credit for.

"Robin." They spoke finally, voice lowered into half a whisper. "I'm sorry you're going through this. ...but I can't just forget what you did. It isn't fair to me, or your mom." They swallowed thickly, eyes downcast. "I need some time to think."

---

A week later.

{{user}} walked towards the beach. The sea felt warm, despite the howling winds of fall, as if calling the lost to return home. To sink their feet into the wet sand, and call out to their ancestors, as if they'd respond with a melody of waves crashing against the shore. {{user}}'s toes dipped into the soaked sand, immediately filling out the gaps between them, to anchor them in this moment. To remind them that despite the sorrow clinging to their heart, it was still beating, filled with hope.

Black is the hair of Endymion, Endymion...

{{user}}'s head snapped to the source of the sound, a voice that carried ancient beauty beyond their understanding.

Gold the skin and enchanting the tune...

It sang, a siren amongst the waves, calling to drown in the depths of the sea.

Drifts through the dreams of Endymion, Endymion...

{{user}}'s feet moved before they realised, carrying them into the water as if in a trance.

The young man who is loved by the moon.

The water reached their ankles, then their hips, until they walked far enough for it to lap at their chin. It didn't take even a moment, before it filled their mouth, bringing them under, demanding to yield.

And in that moment, so perfect in beauty...

Countless of memories flashed before {{user}}'s eyes. When they ate their first ice cream, and how it plopped onto their lap. When they fell off a swing, and a child they never met helped them up. When they tried learning to swim in their grandma's pond...

But never got to.

And youth, how they loved: the young man and the night...

A hand, pale as the moon itself emerged from the water, and wrapping around {{user}}'s cheek in a tender caress. Was it a rescue? Or perhaps a mockery?

But as he lived, so he grew ever older...

It pulled towards the surface, slowly, but its intentions were clear.

It grieved her to think she must leave him behind...

---

{{user}} opened their eyes, a deep breath slowly expanded their ribcage, and a shiver went down their spine as they felt something combing through their hair. Cooing of a dove reached their ears right before it flew into their view, like a permission to gaze beyond what's humanly possible.

"Your hair is beautiful." A voice of a woman was the first thing that brought {{user}} back to reality, and the sight of her putting flowers into their unruly locks locked them in place. She was a vision, to say the least, feminine in ways they could barely comprehend. Her eyes as deep as the ocean by which they both sat, her hair flowing in the breeze, and her body unapologetically nude, not hiding the reverence of divinity. {{user}} averted their gaze, not wanting to linger on something they weren't supposed to see, but the woman only smiled, bringing their face back towards her with a tilt of their chin. "There is no need, dear." She spoke softly. "No such thing as shame should be felt when in your pure form. It's a blessing from earth itself, and you should nurture it."

{{user}} hesitated, their eyes slowly dragging back to her face, until they met with her own. "Who are you?" They asked, still disoriented from their earlier swimming adventure.

"Does it matter?" The woman replied, taking a piece of seaweed from behind their ear. "As for here and now, it doesn't. Knowledge comes with time, little dove. And you came to me to seek guidance, whether you realise it or not."

"Guidance? No, I just heard a song and-"

"And came towards the sound without a second thought. But have you not considered it might've been a siren luring you in?"

"A siren? They're not real, of course it wouldn't happen."

The woman smiled. "And somehow you fell for it, hook, line and sinker."

{{user}} huffed, their brows furrowing in irritation at the riddles they were presented with. "Just tell me where am I? And how do I get back home?"

The woman stood up, her lithe form unfolding in the sun like a statue made of silk and stone which came to life, right before their eyes. Her hand reached out, waiting for {{user}} to grasp it. "Come. There is much to discuss."

{{user}} reached for her to get up, and the silk which adorned their body slipped off their skin with a whisper, being taken by the wind with no sign of returning. They gasped in shock, hands and arms coming to cover their nudity with shame so deep, they were barely able to stand. The woman only watched, letting it happen without a word of judgment. She didn't pry, didn't force them to uncover. Simply stood by their side, her hand outstretched. {{user}} stared at her with disbelief, how can she be so calm when exposed in such a vulnerable way?

"Step into the water with me, little dove." She urged, already grasping their hand to guide them forward, their feet sinking into the soft, wet sand of the shore.

{{user}} wobbled on their feet as they tried to stand in the gentle waves lapping at their hips. It felt strange, to share their most private parts with a stranger that seemed to not be bothered by the embarrassment it caused them.

"Feel the water flow against your skin. How the sand yields under your feet. Does it not feel wonderful? The softness." The woman spoke, walking beside them, deeper into the water until their both were covered to their collarbones. "Look here, the coral had already made this place its home. It must feel at ease." She gestures towards a vine of coral spreading at the bottom of the sand.

"I've never seen it from up close." {{user}} murmured. "It's so beautiful."

"And sensitive." She whispered. "Water must be pure for it to grow and show its beauty. Like anything else, it needs to be cared for to thrive. Neglect it, and it'll rot away." She moved closer, her hand gently resting on {{user}}'s arm. "Beauty is not pain. Beauty takes time and love. Dedication. Many seem to forget that."

{{user}} didn't speak for a moment, suddenly feeling guilty over their own insecurities. "I think the coral welcomed you eagerly." The woman interrupted. "It didn't wither, nor did it rot. It stayed the same. It stayed pure. It stayed beautiful." Her hand gently caressed {{user}}'s arm. "Your appreciation made it feel safe. Loved. Wanted. And perhaps, confused, as to why won't you see yourself in it."

{{user}} furrowed their brows with intrigue and a hint of confusion. "Why won't I see myself in it?"

"Yes. It asks, if you are like me, why won't you see it? If you seek pureness, why won't you find it?"

{{user}} stared at the coral, now even more conflicted. "I don't understand..."

"You forget, little dove, that beauty is not just what our eyes see, but what our souls feel drawn to. Trees bare fruit not to appease, but to assert themselves. What is of an apple, if it has no seeds?"

{{user}} stood in silence for a moment, digesting the wisdom of a person that has seen more than they could ever imagine.

"{{user}}."

"Yes?" They spoke up, looking over their shoulder to gaze at the woman, but finding an empty field of water instead.

"{{user}}."

{{user}}'s brows furrowed, their head turning around to try and locate the source of the voice.

"{{user}}!"

A white dove whipped in front of their eyes, covering their vision, and prohibiting their insight once more.

---

﹏𓊝﹏﹏﹏ 𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡⋆.˚ 𓇼𓂃 𓈒𓏸

"W𓈒𓏸‪‪k·｡˚ .˚○ W𓈒𓏸ke .˚p"

𓈒𓏸‪‪.°•°‧ 𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 ·｡˚○

"WAKE UP!"

{{user}} sputtered, gasping for air as it rushed into their lungs. The sun was blinding, and yet, a clear sign of returning to the surface.

"{{user}}! Can you hear me?!" Robin yelled, shaking {{user}} until their eyes opened. "Oh, thank god! What the hell happened?! Why'd you walk into the waves?!"

{{user}} stared at the shaken up man with confusion, disoriented from the weird turn of events. "What? Where am I?"

"You're at the shore, I dragged you out of the sea after you walked into the waves. I was terrified you were going to drown!" Robin panted from exertion.

{{user}} dragged themselves up to sit on the sand, their clothes soaked and covered in seaweed. "I don't... I don't know what happened, I think I was hallucinating..."

"Are you feeling okay? Should I call an ambulance?"

"No, I'm fine. I just need a moment."

Robin and {{user}} spent some time sitting at the shore together, trying to come to terms with what both of them witnessed that night.

"I put up a donation site for my mom." Robin said suddenly, breaking the unspoken tension that still lingered between them for their last interaction. "We almost got enough money for the surgery. There's just a few zeros left."

"That's good to hear." {{user}} mumbled, unsure of how to navigate such a serious topic while bad blood was still dripping from their friendship.

"{{user}}." Robin fiddled with his thumbs, looking down at his hands. "I'm so incredibly sorry." He furrowed his brows, his lashes fluttering to keep his emotions at bay. "I know what I did was awful, and I am not proud of it. I'm not going to excuse myself from it. ...I just want you to know that I did it out of fear for my mom. And I think you're a beautiful person. I meant what I said back at the store, yknow. That you looked good in that costume. You did. You always look good. Even if you cannot see it for yourself. But you don't need me saying it, not after the way I betrayed you." He swallowed. "I'm not going to ask for forgiveness, because for that I need to work for. But... I'm asking you to never doubt your worth. Because you're such a kind and caring person, you've always been. And you don't deserve to be treated the way I treated you."

{{user}} stared at Robin for a long time, unused to hearing proper apologies from anyone. Their head turned, facing downwards in thought of how to respond. "I appreciate the apology, Robin. You really hurt me with the way you acted, but I also understand the desperation. It's a life or death situation after all. ...I'm happy to hear that you'll be getting the money for your mom's surgery. I hope she'll recover quickly."

Robin nodded with understanding. "Thank you for being honest. And I hope that one day I'll be able to earn your trust again."

---

A few weeks later.

Robin and {{user}} were visiting a greek themed museum, hanging out in celebration of Robin's mom successful surgery. "I'll go to the bathroom real quick, be right back." Robin murmured to {{user}}, before walking off to the restroom behind the corner.

{{user}} stared at a sculpture of Lady Aphrodite, in awe and perhaps even longing for her presence. She felt familiar, like the scent of strawberries straight from the garden in summer, or the sound of seashells washing ashore they so often walked by. But there was something else to it too, something that pulled their heart like guitar strings, and even though they couldn't remember the name of the song it played, the melody oozed of love.

"I already told you, you skank!" A boy's voice echoed nearby, pulling {{user}} out of retrospection. "I've had enough of your shit, all you ever do is lie to me about where you're going, and then I find out from strangers you're fucking my biological father?!"

{{user}}'s eyes widened. Just what on earth were they hearing? Their feet did a quick work of carrying them closer to the commotion, without being spotted behind a pillar. But what they saw was even more shocking. Beatrice and her so called "boyfriend" arguing in the middle of the street, outside the temple, and from what they heard, it was as sick as it could get.

"No, David, you don't understand! I didn't know he was your biological father! I only just found out!" Beatrice cried, makeup smearing down her face in a pathetic display of karma.

"I don't give a shit if you found out now or knew all along, the thing is, you CHEATED on me! And I know you've been cheating for a while now, but didn't want to believe it. But with my father? I can't fucking pretend I don't want to vomit at the thought." David snarled, stepping away from Betsy's hand that she tried to grab him with. "Don't touch me, whore. I don't want anything to do with you, do you hear me? Delete my number, all of my pictures, everything about me. I'll be coming tomorrow to get my clothes back from your place, and don't you dare make a scene in front of your parents, unless you want me to tell them how you got bent by an old man at a frat party." The guy whirled around, stomping away into the dark, and leaving Betsy crying her eyes out.

{{user}} stared at the girl for a while, absorbing everything that happened in front of their own eyes. Beatrice slept with a her boyfriend's biological father without knowing? That must've been not only traumatic for the guy but also disgusting, after finding out... How could that happen in the first place?

"Love tends to be deceiving." A familiar voice caught {{user}}'s attention, and their head whipped around to locate it. A woman in a light pink, sheer fabric robe admired a statue of Lady Aphrodite, paying mind to the details of stone shaped like supple flesh. But only when she turned around, it was clear why her smile looked so gentle. "Even the prettiest of apples tend to rot from the inside." She raised her hand, and a golden apple came to be out of golden particles. "And what is of an apple, if it has no seeds?" The apple crumbled, falling through her fingers like sand.