Chapter Text
Since the beginning of time, deities have existed.
Humans would often call them gods , would respect them and fear them. Everybody knew how deities contributed to shaping the world, they ran wild amongst us as they drew their power from nature. They moulded humanity’s life for good and helped when they could.
However, good and bad are close companions, so those same deities have often fuelled the chaos of our world, too. History talks of many gods throughout the centuries. Sometimes it depicts them as celestial beings, always perfect, always shining. Other times they are evil villains, flawed and jealous. Both views are hardly accurate.
These deities, gods, entities, were closer to humans than humanity itself could have ever imagined. Of course, they had power, a wider knowledge, had abilities that made their long lives easy, for better or for worse; they conquered and provided as quickly as they destroyed.
And yet .
Yet, despite all their strength, gods would fall for mortals, no matter the contrary advice on the matter. Something fascinated them– whether it was humans’ mortality, their emotions, creativity, their destructiveness, it’s not for sure. Many gods took several lovers throughout the centuries. Often they would lose count of the people they had met in their life. Still, children were born of magic and flesh as deities travelled far and wide, until it was not uncommon for a child to have two demi-gods as parents.
But that was at the beginning of time, since the beginning of time– and time is fickle, and people change, and humans did just that.
Soon enough, gods let themselves loose. They let themselves love, and give, and leave, and leave behind, and take, and, most often, hurt. Sometimes in ways that pained humans more than any deity could have imagined. So, at some point, it became too much.
Humans started to believe in gods less, feeling more anger than adoration. Gods could not roam free anymore, some began to hide in plain sight– and then less in sight altogether. Forgotten, but not quite, not fully, just enough for prayers to be futile and chants to be a memory, gods kept existing in silence.
Time passed and wiped the slate clean. Gods became just stories, myths, tales to tell in front of a cozy fire– full mug in hands and curiosity sprinkled over cheeks.
Although it is important to know the premise first, this is one of those tales.
See, amongst the many deities that have existed, one in particular didn’t give themselves the same freedom that their peers did. The God of the Moon was known to have only ever connected with one soul across time: a woman born of already mixed blood, half sea-water, half-human.
They were the envy of every other deity, bond stronger than any metal, made them both flourish with happiness. They loved each other in every way, loved each other fully and earnestly. They loved each other like the sun loves to shine, and they made no amends, lived in their bubble, built their own piece of Eden.
One night, under the moonlight, the woman bore a child, born of stardust and reflections. He was the only thing they loved more.
The child, named Namjoon, grew with his mother, who tried to shelter him from the world, believing that humanity would harm him– resentment against her own mortal half fuelling the mistrust. But she cared for her child and was aware of the importance of knowledge, so she made sure to give Namjoon enough freedom to read, and read some more; until he grew to look like man and glow like deity.
Namjoon’s father would visit sometimes, always tired but gentle, like candle flickering in subtle breeze. On the days he didn’t, Namjoon spoke to the moon, looked up knowing he had eyes watching over him. The boy felt at home under the night sky, on the beach, where the water met his toes and the waves filled his heart.
For a while, like the moon, Namjoon looked at humanity from afar, yearning, wondering, watching over their path. But, like the sea, curiosity pulled him and pushed him towards the laughs, the songs, the words, the pain.
Now, this is where the tale really starts. This is where Namjoon begins to escape on his own to meet and befriend humans. This is where he begins to understand that not all can be gained from books. Always careful, always hiding his nature, but always happy to learn more.
And learn he does.