Chapter Text
When Naofumi Iwatani had been born blind, his eyes a milky green color, his parents had almost given up hope for him ever doing anything useful, other than just sitting around. That's why, when they had his younger brother, who was a strong and healthy young boy, they doted on him while also pushing him to become a great man in their small village.
Naofumi grew up with his brother teaching him whatever he learned himself because his parents didn't see it fit that he would need to learn much, as he was basically just dead-weight to them.
But, as Naofumi grew older, he became noticeably more beautiful, almost day by day. His parents decided to use this to their advantage. As people from outside their village began hearing about the blind beauty living there, more people began coming to the village, and the village prospered and praised Naofumi. Though he did not know why they did so, Naofumi did know that it was only because they were getting more money, and he knew that the only one who really cared was his brother.
Naofumi's parents began taking payments for letting people see Naofumi, only telling Naofumi that they were people who wanted to meet him because of how lonely he must be. They even gave Naofumi beautiful white robes to put on, to make more people flock in, telling him they would be more comfortable. This went on for quite a long time, but one day, everything took a turn.
Naofumi had just been idly sitting in his room, listening to the bustling of the streets outside when his mother had come to introduce someone new to him. They'd conversed for a bit, but the man had suddenly moved very close to Naofumi, panting heavily, making Naofumi uncomfortable. The man had begun touching Naofumi and tugging on his clothes, Naofumi struggling to get him off.
When Naofumi, in a heap of luck, had pushed the man off before running out of the room. He'd internally memorized the layout of the house, and ran to the living room where his mother would most likely be unless she'd gone out without telling again. Naofumi had rushed into the living room all disheveled and panting from running down the hall before he'd fallen on the step to the living room and called for his mother.
"Mother! Mother! Please help, he- he- he tried to-!" Naofumi stuttered, hoping for his life that his mother was home
Naofumi then heard several new voices whispering before he recognized his mother's footsteps coming over. Naofumi could feel his mother grip his arms tightly before lifting him to his feet and tugging him away when someone else bumped into the room. Naofumi recognized the voice as the one who'd just tried to force himself onto Naofumi.
"You won't believe this! He tried to force himself on me but when I rejected him he ran out of the room in a false panic! He's a Whore, just look at him!" The guy had shouted
Naofumi heard multiple voices in the room start yelling or shouting for a refund and what the man was talking about.
"He-he's lying! He was forcing himself on me! Please believe me! He was the one who did it!" Naofumi panicked, trying to make the people, whoever they were, believe him
"See? He's even lying to get out of it! He's a lying whore!" The guy shouted
Naofumi suddenly felt his mother harshly throw him back onto the floor before hearing her take a couple of steps away.
"Get away from me! A whore like you is no son of mine! You bastard!" Naofumi felt his world crumble as his mother shouted hateful words at him
Naofumi would feel tears building up in his closed eyes before they fell down his cheeks, lifting his hand to dry them with his sleeves.
"And now he's even crying crocodile tears! Such a fake!" They were all shouting insults at Naofumi, though he didn't know who most of the people in the room were.
Through the chaos, Naofumi heard his brother's footsteps hurry through the house, and he oh so dearly hoped that his younger brother would believe him over a stranger.
"What are you all talking about?! My brother is blind, he cannot force himself on anyone" Naofumi heard the anger of his brother's voice before a pair of arms came around his shoulders in a protective embrace.
His brother's words did nothing to help the situation, but after a couple of more tries, Yaitsu decided to take Naofumi back to his room, putting a supportive hand on his older brother's back and taking his hand to guide him while Naofumi used his free arm to dry his tears as they walked through the house.
After getting Naofumi back in his room, Yaitsu reassured Naofumi that everything was going to be fine before leaving the room, sliding the door closed. Though, despite his brother's reassurance, Naofumi could still hear the yelling from the living room.
Weeks later, Naofumi would still hear the rumors and scorns of people around him calling him a whore and a pathological liar when he was just sitting on the veranda to their backyard, enjoying the sun's warmth on his face.
After the rumors began circling, the visitors became less and less, and the economy of their small village dwindled, which caused the villagers the turn their anger towards Naofumi. They would throw rotten food after him or gift him dirty clothing or even throw trash at him when he was trying to wash his hair.
Though, when his father had one day barged into his room, Naofumi knew something was up as soon as his father practically dragged him out of the room without a word.
Naofumi didn't know why his father was dragging him out of the house, nor why there were so many people outside, but he didn't like how they all shouted, though he did pick up a few words.
"Sacrifice!"
"Harvest!"
"Diety!"
Naofumi was confused. Even more so when he felt his mother grip his other arm even tighter than his father, her nails digging into his skin through his clothes.
What Naofumi didn't know, what that after the economy collapsed, the Village elder had said that all they could do now was pray for a good harvest and stronger children, which meant praying to the God of Harvest and Fertility. The villagers had discussed what would be a proper sacrifice, when Naofumi's parents had spoken, offering their eldest son as a bride for the God. Yaitsu had tried to protest, but the villagers had shouted in agreement before deciding that the earlier they sacrifice Naofumi, the better. Which in the end meant; they would sacrifice him today.
Naofumi tried to call his parents as they dragged him away through the village, the villagers shouting around them, but didn't get any answers.
When Naofumi hears his brother shouting from the crowd, he'd tried to turn around while shouting for Yaitsu, but didn't succeed, his brother's voice dying out in the crowd's screams.
When Naofumi felt grass beneath his feet as he heard the sound of rushing waters, he became concerned. His brother had taken him to the grass fields by the canyon with a deep and rising flood at the bottom a couple of times when they were younger, and he remembers his brother telling him that the river was deadly.
As the sound of the river waters became louder, Naofumi became afraid. When Naofumi was suddenly let go, he could feel the cold breeze tussle his hair and clothes and the river below.
As the villagers began screaming at him, Naofumi instinctively took a step back.
Which he probably shouldn't have done, as he was now falling, the wind blowing loudly by his ears.
The last thing Naofumi heard before he hit the cold river water, was his brother shouting.
"NII-SAN!!!"
SPLASH
Naofumi struggled to keep himself above the surface. He'd never learned to swim, and the shock of hitting the water and the coldness of it was taking a toll on him. Naofumi tried to grab onto anything that could keep him afloat but found it useless when he couldn't locate anything. He was getting more and more tired by the second, but he still tried to survive, not wanting to die just yet.
L'Arc Berg, God of Harvest and Fertility, had just been taking a short stroll through the forest around his shrine, on his weekly check to see if there had been any offerings or even sacrifices this week. Humans had weird ways of giving offerings or sacrifices. Sometimes he would find something lying around on a burnt-out fire, other times there would be gifts by his altar or shrine, and sometimes they would even come through the river by the cliff at the edge of the forest, magically washing up on the forest ground, always in the same spot.
But, this time, L'Arc had felt something unusual in the river and decided to take a look.
When he arrived, he found a beautiful young man with raven black hair and closed eyes clinging onto the roots of one of the large trees sticking into the raging river, his white robes and hair completely drenched. L'Arc also noticed that he was losing strength, and his grip on the root was slowly failing.
Right as the young man passed out, L'Arc gripped his wrist, stopping him from going with the river's flow and tugging him up on land. L'Arc sat him against the large tree, looking him over before realizing.
This man was probably sent as a sacrifice to be his bride.
L'Arc couldn't help but adore this absolutely gorgeous human and decided that he wanted to make this human his. L'Arc then hooked an arm under the young man's legs and holding the other on the man's back before easily hoisting the man up in a bridal carry. Despite being a God with otherworldly powers, L'Arc knew that this man was strangely thin for a human.
As he began walking back towards the Shrine, L'Arc chuckled when the young man laid his head against L'Arc's chest, and nuzzled him. He was definitely going to become L'Arc's.
When Naofumi passed out in the cold river, his grip loosening on the tree he's been gripping onto, he thought he was going to flow along the river, die at some point, and then have his body found by some poor person longer down the stream.
So, when he woke up on a soft futon with a fluffy comforter over him, you can imagine his confusion.
Naofumi had quickly sat up, finding that he was in some different clothes than his own. Naofumi sat there for a couple of minutes, trying to figure out what happened and where he could be until he heard footsteps behind the walls.
As the sound of a door sliding reached Naofumi's ears, a voice quickly followed.
"Ah! You're finally awake? How are you feeling? Not hurt, right?" The voice asked gently, coming a bit closer before Naofumi heard a soft thud beside him, probably the person sitting down.
"I... I'm fine, but... Where... Am I...?" Naofumi whispered meekly, feeling his cheeks heating up slightly from the stranger's voice
"Oh! We're at my Shrine!" The person exclaimed enthusiastically
"Your... Shrine?" Naofumi asked
"Yep! L'Arc Berg, God of Harvest and Fertility, at your service!" The person introduced themself
"You're the God of Harvest?" Naofumi asked, bewildered as to what was happening
"And fertility," L'Arc answered
Naofumi then turned his head to where he'd heard the voice come from, though he was a bit off, L'Arc couldn't help but admire the young man once again. He was just too beautiful to be human!
"So, what's your name, Kiddo?" L'Arc asked with a smirk that Naofumi couldn't see
Na... Naofumi Iwatani." Naofumi answered
"Naofumi... What a pretty name, Kiddo." L'Arc complimented
"So, Kiddo, why were you in the river? That thing's pretty deadly for humans." L'Arc asked
"I... I think I was sent to be a... sacrifice or bride... To you..." Naofumi answered, a small blush coming onto his cheeks
"You think? Did they not tell you?" L'Arc asked, intrigued as to what happened to this beautiful man for him to be thrown into the river
"No. They didn't tell me... Mother and Father just barged into my room and dragged me out of the house and over to the river before making me fall in. I only heard them talking about a Sacrifice and a Harvest Deity." Naofumi explained
"But why would they throw away someone as beautiful as you? I must say, your beauty is something not common for humans, it's on par with a goddess." L'Arc said
Naofumi blushed as L'Arc compliment. He'd complimented many times before, but no one has ever compared him to a goddess before, and it even came from a god himself.
"Be-because they think I'm a useless blind whore..." Naofumi answered reluctantly, tears blooming in his eyes
"You're blind?" L'Arc asked
"Born with it," Naofumi answered simply with a nod
L'Arc suddenly grabbed Naofumi's jaw, pulling the other closer before cupping his face.
"Can you open your eyes?" L'Arc asked though it was more a request
Naofumi didn't answer and just opened his eyelids, showing pure white pupils and a milky green color around them. L'Arc looked at Naofumi's eyes, admiring the green color before asking Naofumi something.
"Would you be my bride?" L'Arc asked gently as he stroked Naofumi's cheek with his thumb, smiling when Naofumi leaned into it
"Well... I have nothing to come back to back home, and you did save my life, so, yes." Naofumi answered,
L'Arc grinned before pulling Naofumi into a hug.
"Well, that settles it. You're now the bride of a God." L'Arc chuckled
Naofumi giggled at the, slowly and timidly returning L'Arc's sudden hug, but returning it none the less.
As time went by, Naofumi and L'Arc gradually got closer, L'Arc slowly making Naofumi fall in love with him, which wasn't all that hard.
And since Naofumi had gone most of his life feeling and being called useless, he asked L'Arc if he could do some work around the Shrine, with L'Arc's help so he didn't break anything, and L'Arc let Naofumi do it, guiding him around the Shrine until the could remember the layout and where the most dangerous and blocking things were.
L'Arc would also often sit with Naofumi on the porch of the large Shrine in the evening and talk to him about everything and anything, even telling him about some of the other Gods and Goddesses, how some of them were annoying pricks, like the God of Love who was more like the God of Sex, and how others were great friends and loved by many humans.
When Naofumi finally confessed his love after a couple of months, it was during a warm summer evening, outside on the porch as a soft breeze blew by. He had tugged on the sleeve of L'Arc's kimono, making L'Arc looked at him before telling his feelings. L'Arc had been ecstatic as he returned Naofumi's feelings. They had shared a short, sweet, and chaste kiss before Naofumi admitted to it being his first.
A few times, stray travelers who'd gotten lost in the forest would wind up at the Shrine to find a lone beautiful young man tending to it. Naofumi would welcome them inside with a smile and offer them some food and water before, to the travelers' confusion, pointing them the closest way out of the forest. In reality, L'Arc was always there, but he did not want any human but Naofumi to see him just yet, so he decided to just keep Naofumi from hurting himself when making food and pointing his hand in the way the travelers would need to go.
When Naofumi had told L'Arc about his life, L'Arc had been furious. What was it with humans and discrimination against each other just because of small genetic differences like skin tone and handicaps like blindness and deafness? When Naofumi had fallen asleep that night, he'd taken a short trip to Naofumi's old Village and ruined most of the crops, but leaving Naofumi's brother with a blessing of fertility, should he ever try to have children and a blessing of a good harvest for him alone.
After that little trip, L'Arc had gone back to the Shrine and snuck under Naofumi's covers, cuddling his bride close, smiling to himself as Naofumi nuzzled him back. Gods did not need sleep, but it was nice to get some with Naofumi occasionally or to just lay there until Naofumi woke up after sunrise, just holding Naofumi close.
But, one day, when Naofumi had been sitting on the porch, silently enjoying the soft summer breeze while swinging his legs a bit while L'Arc was out doing his duties as a God, a pack of hungry wolves had appeared. Naofumi had become wary from the growling and tried to get away into the shrine, but the wolves were faster, biting into him and his clothes, dragging him onto the ground.
Naofumi screaming when the wolves began biting and clawing him, wishing and hoping that L'Arc would save him.
Naofumi felt tears rolling down his cheeks, feeling how much it hurt as the wolves attacked him.
Naofumi tried to shake them off, their jaws had a strong grip on him and it just hurt him more, no matter how he struggled. Naofumi called for L'Arc and called for help. Naofumi could feel his blood run down his body and it soaking his clothes, making them heavy.
As Naofumi continued to struggle, he could feel the bloodless making him dizzy and weak, becoming more and more exhausted as he struggled. It almost felt akin to when he thought he was going to drown in the river, how he was probably going to die.
'No!' Naofumi thought
'L'Arc save me before, I'm not going to throw away my life now!' He thought as he continued to struggle, more determined than ever
After some time, Naofumi could feel his consciousness slip away and his little strength fading. Naofumi continued to struggle against the wolves until his last strength faded, leaving him half-conscious on the ground surrounded by a pack of wolves biting him.
When Naofumi suddenly felt the pressure of the wolves' jaws disappear, he was confused but still wary.
L'Arc swung his scythe again, making the wolves scatter and run away in fear, before turning around to Naofumi with a worried look on his face. He crouched down in front of Naofumi, looking over the damage done to his beautiful bride.
Naofumi was panting, sitting on the ground, his skin smattered with dirt and sand, his robes, that L'Arc had gifted him, torn in multiple places, and many deep bite and claw marks all over him, blood running down his body and staining his white clothes red.
"I'm sorry for not getting here earlier, Kiddo," L'Arc whispered, reaching a hand up to stroke Naofumi's cheek
Naofumi relaxed once he heard L'Arc's voice, happy that L'Arc had saved him, and leaned into L'Arc's hand.
"It's okay, I'm just glad you're here now..." Naofumi fell towards the ground as he finished, losing the last of his strength and consciousness.
L'Arc caught Naofumi in his arms before he could hit the ground, and like when he found the other at the River that day months ago, L'Arc hooked an arm under Naofumi's knees and another behind him back, hoisting him up in a bridal carry.
L'Arc carried Naofumi back into the Shrine and went into their shared room, laying Naofum on the futon after pushing the covers away. L'Arc began taking off Naofumi's clothing to dress and bandage his wounds and clean the blood.
After doing that, L'Arc found some simply clean robes at putting them on Naofumi before laying the other comfortably under the covers. L'Arc then sat down beside the futon and lifted and hand to stroke Naofumi's hair while his other held Naofumi's.
After a week of L'Ar staying by Naofumi's side, Naofumi had finally woken up, his wound almost fully healed due to L'Arc's powers.
L'Arc had just been gone real quick to get a snack, and when he came back with a bowl of fruit, he'd found Naofumi sitting up. Naofumi had called for him, and L'Arc had answered with a greeting and a hug.
"I'm sorry I couldn't get there faster..." L'Arc apologized with a whisper
"It's okay, I'm just happy I'm not gone. I want to stay with you forever." Naofumi said, hugging L'Arc back with a smile
"Realy?" L'Arc leaned back to look at Naofumi
"Yes," Naofumi said, smiling
"Are you sure? Because I can make that happen, I can make you immortal." L'Arc asked again
"Yes, L'Arc. I want to be with you forever." Naofumi answered again, hugging L'Arc closer
"But you don't even know what I look like," L'Arc reminded
"I do not care for looks, L'Arc, and I never have, you should know that," Naofumi said, nuzzling L'Arc's shoulder
L'Arc couldn't help the smile that grew on his face as Naofumi said that, hugging the other back.
Naofumi giggled as L'Arc began peppering his face with chaste kisses. As L'Arc got to Naofumi's mouth, he kissed Naofumi gently, feeling Naofumi's soft lips on his own. Naofumi timidly pressed back once he felt L'Arc's lips on his own.
As L'Arc deepened the Kiss, Naofumi could feel some sort of energy inside of him but chose to ignore it in favor of feeling around and purring his arm's around L'Arc's neck.
As they separated, Naofumi panting with a flushed face, L'Arc smiled before pressing a chaste kiss to Naofumi's forehead, making Naofumi smile.
"Now you're mine 'till the ends of time," L'Arc said, love in his eyes as he looked at Naofumi
Naofumi smiled again when he felt L'Arc's hand cup his face and his thumb stroke his cheek, leaning into the warmth.
The God and his Bride were completely and utterly in love with each other, and they were going to stay together until the end of time.
Years after L'Arc turned Naofumi immortal, Naofumi had not changed one bit. He was as beautiful as years before, or perhaps he'd become even more beautiful. But, to L'Arc, Naofumi would always be the most gorgeous thing in the world, amongst Gods or Humans.
The two spent years together in the Shrine, and sometimes even traveling around with L'Arc's powers. L'Arc would tell Naofumi about the world and everything he knew while they leaned against each other on the porch in the evening, the moonlight and stars shining down on them. And in return, Naofumi would sing the songs he'd heard everywhere L'Arc took him, his voice soothing L'Arc's ears, and the sound carried around the forest by the wind.
Naofumi still blushed when he remembers the first time L'Arc made love to him. The God, despite being immune to alcohol, still insisted that they drink together one evening, and Naofumi had complied. Though, he found that he did not enjoy the taste of the Sake L'Arc had brought. As the evening turned to night, L'Arc had gotten closer before capturing Naofumi's lips with his own. Neither of them affected by the alcohol, L'Arc had taken Naofumi to their room and worshipped his body as Naofumi called his name.
It would also happen many times that L'Arc would pull Naofumi into his lap while reading a book, and then start reading aloud for Naofumi to hear. Naofumi would enjoy the sound of L'Arc's voice reciting the words, and would often fall asleep to it with the sound of L'Arc's heartbeat as he laid his head against L'Arc's chest.
L'Arc would also bring Naofumi delicious foods from all over the world, smiling as Naofumi ate with a smile. L'Arc would also help Naofumi and keep him from hurting himself when making food himself, as that was something he really wanted to do, and L'Arc wasn't really the best cook.
Slowly, the world realized that the beautiful and blind Shrine Keeper of the God of Harvest and Fertility's Shrine was most likely also his Bride, as to how, after so many years, he did not change.
After a couple of years, when it became known to the world that the God of Harvest and Fertility had a bride, Naofumi and L'Arc got a special visitor.
Therese Alexandrite, Goddess of Minerals and Marriages, and L'Arc's close friend.
When she arrived at the Shrine, L'Arc had greeted her at the porch while Naofumi had been taking a nap. When he'd woken up, Naofumi had walked through the Shrine, keeping a hand on the wall and listening as he heard L'Arc talking with someone new while the scent of tea was in the air
Naofumi had called for L'Arc when he stepped into the room by the porch, making L'Arc and his companion stop talking, and making L'Arc call Naofumi over. Naofumi carefully walked over and sat down when L'Arc took his hand, leaning in when L'Arc's hand wrapped around his waist.
"Therese, this is Naofumi, my Bride." L'Arc introduced, Naofumi smiling with a small blush on his cheeks
"I'm Therese Alexandrite, Goddess of Minerals and Marriage." Therese had introduced herself, reaching a hand out to shake
She was a bit confused though when Naofumi didn't seem to notice her hand, when she remembered that L'Arc told her he could not see and withdrew her hand.
After the introductions, the three began conversion, though, Naofumi mostly listened as L'Arc and Therese caught up on anything that'd happened since last they saw each other. Naofumi relaxed, leaning against L'Arc's shoulder, holding the cup of tea L'Arc had given him out of nowhere.
As nightfall drew closer, Naofumi began to feel drowsy, his eyes drooping as he leaned against L'Arc.
Suddenly Naofumi had felt L'Arc's warm hands move him to lay down, his head on what he guessed was L'Arc's lap, from the warmth and scent.
Naofumi let himself fall asleep in L'Arc's lap, listening to the two Deities talking idly and feeling the breeze through his clothes, and L'Arc's warm hand running through his hair.
The next day when Naofumi woke up, L'Arc was already awake, admiring his sleeping bride on the futon. After breakfast, L'Arc told Naofumi that Therese went back to her own Shrine during the night and that she'd happily blessed their marriage before leaving, and that she would likely come back to visit soon. Naofumi was happy that she'd blessed their marriage, and that he'd made a new friend.
When Therese came back to visit the next time, she had two other Goddesses with her, Glass the Goddess of Warriors and Leaders, and Kizuna the Goddess of Art and Heroes.
Naofumi was surprised when Therese brought over the two Goddesses, who turned out to also be L'Arc's close friends, but quickly bid them inside. When Kizuna heard that Naofumi was L'Arc's bride, she began gushing over him, wanting to hear more about the Human world, but Naofumi had to disappoint her that he didn't know that much, as he'd been locked up in his house before he was sacrificed to L'Arc. Kizuna said it didn't matter, she just wanted to hear about it. So, Naofumi told about what he knew about the human world, and what he heard from people's gossip.
When Naofumi mentioned that he'd heard people talking about a rare jewel that should supposedly be the most beautiful in the world being, Kizuna asked if he hadn't seen it himself. Naofumi answered that he couldn't see, to which Kizuna apologized, but Naofumi brushed it off.
The five spent until nightfall just talking and conversing, and as midnight came closer, the three Goddesses traveled back to their own Shrines with a promise of coming to visit once again.
Naofumi was glad that he'd made friends, even if they were goddesses. Naofumi and L'Arc had cuddled close on their futon after the three goddesses left, enjoying each other's presence and warmth, never wanting to leave each other, ever.