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‘You’re a god.’
Dionysus looked up at Ariadne. His head was in her lap, and she was sitting in the sand with her back against a cliff. Technically it wasn’t even a beach, more like a strip of sand by the sea. Yet, it was quiet, and that was what they wanted. ‘I am, though there are people who doubt it.’
‘No.’ Ariadne shook her head. ‘There is no doubt.’
‘Then why are you stating this?’ He reached up to stroke her cheek.
‘It occured to me.’ She put her finger on his forehead and ran it past his nose and cheeks. Carefully, she went over his mouth, and then up again to his eyes, which he closed when she touched them. ‘When you’re with me, you seem very normal.’
‘I am very normal.’
‘No.’
He raised his eyebrows, but kept smiling in the meantime. ‘Once again, why these observations?’
Ariadne sighed. ‘I’ve been thinking about us.’ Dionysus got a pink blush on his cheeks. ‘Eh, I think you might have, too.’
‘Hm-hm.’ Dionysus blinked, long lashes showing, which Ariadne couldn’t help but notice.
‘Yet, uhm… you know…’ she sighed. ‘You say you love me. But what does that mean to you, Dionysus? Lord of wine, ecstasy and madness?’
Dionysus blinked while searching for an answer. He knew for sure that there was something he felt for this woman that he didn’t feel for others. Something beyond physical attraction. Something that made his heart go pitter-pat when they were close together. ‘The people who say I am not a god are right in the sense that I am human, too. At least, I must be human enough to know what it feels like to love you. I think.’
Ariadne looked down into her lap. ‘I do believe you. But…’
‘But me being a god is making it hard to believe I love you?’
Ariadne shrugged. ‘In some twisted sense, yes, I think so. If not even a human would, why would you?’
‘Muah.’ Dionysus put his hand to her cheek. ‘I don’t know why. It’s not like I haven’t seen pretty faces or kind personalities before. But it’s you… you that makes me feel…’ he looked at her. ‘Like this. Like I want to keep you forever.’ He could feel the blush crawl up his cheeks this time. He sat up, put his hand under Ariadne’s chin and brought his lips to hers.
After a single kiss, Ariadne pulled back again. She put her head on his shoulder. ‘I have to confess I am getting enough of the antics in my brain. I just want to love you, dammit.’
‘Patience.’ He held her forehead to his, his eyes focussed on her lips. ‘Patience with yourself, sweet. I have it, so why wouldn’t you?’
‘Sick of it. Why do I keep asking these stupid questions? Why am I still afraid you’ll leave me?’
‘I knew you’d be asking the questions and I decided to help you with them. So I don’t really mind.’
‘Hm.’ She smiled and kissed him before he could start a new sentence. She ran her hands through his hair, threw her arms around his back and pushed him over, so that he laid down on the sandy patch. She kissed him again, feeling his hands on her back.
She sat up, with his hips between her legs. ‘Certain?’
‘I love you. Sorry. I mean, yes. I am. I know I’m terrible.’
Despite herself, Ariadne laughed. ‘I think I get it.’
‘I’m a fool.’
Ariadne leaned over to kiss him again, softly and carefully. ‘You are.’
The sea crashed against the shore, as he pushed himself up, pulled her close and kissed her, for the first of many times to come that evening.