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Achaikos had been about to enter the clearing in the woods, which he often likes to visit, when he heard a strange sound, a hum of delight and a loud swallow ringing through the air. He peeked out from behind a tree, and froze as his mind registered what he was seeing.
There in the middle of the clearing was a man with tanned skin and golden eyes, sitting on the grass with a bow by his side. But more alarming than the god, which Achaikos was sure was Apollo, was the pair of legs that stuck out from his mouth, the rest of the body making a bulge within the god’s throat as another gulp dragged the poor soul deeper into his body.
His hands shook as he saw Apollo continue to swallow them, each gulp pulling them deeper until at last, they were stuffed inside his bulging belly. A soft burp left Apollo, and he licked his lips, looking down at his gut with a smug grin as he curled his arms around it.
“You know, you tasted absolutely divine.” He purred, resting his head atop his swollen belly. His stomach shifted, a jerky movement as the person inside seemed to kick out at the walls of his gut. “Oh, don’t be so upset, little one.” He said teasingly, “After all, it’s an honor to be held within my belly, the belly of a god.”
The yelling of his captive was muffled by the layers of flesh that surrounded them, a round of struggles starting up before they seemed to tire and slump down inside him. “There we go. No point in struggling, you knew this would happen when you snuck out.”
His tone was chiding, as if talking to a child about why they were being grounded, and Achaikos wondered what they could possibly have done to receive a punishment like this. He wasn’t sure there was anything one could do to deserve such a thing.
Then again, nobody had ever claimed that the gods were just. His heart pounded at the thought that he might be witnessing some poor soul getting devoured for a minor slight, that he might be watching an innocent person meet their end inside the stomach of a god.
He couldn’t bear to watch anymore, and he backed away slowly, his steps carrying him farther and farther away.
The sudden snap of a branch beneath his boot almost made his heart stop, and as Apollo looked up, turning in his direction, Achaikos turned and ran, his mind racing as terror overtook him.
—————
Apollo looked up as a snap rang through the clearing, catching a glimpse of blond hair before whoever had just been there started to run, their steps quick as they bolted away from him. “Whoops.” Maria, who had just begun to settle down in the warmth of his belly, stirred again, poking at one of the soft folds of his stomach. “Huh? Did something happen, dad?”
Apollo grinned sheepishly, resting a hand atop her head. “I think we might have just traumatized some poor mortal.” She let out a bark of laughter, her whole body shaking with her giggles as she thought about what it must have looked like to the unfortunate person that stumbled across them. Eventually, her snickers died down, and she leaned against the walls of his gut.
“So… when can I leave?” Maria asked, feigning nonchalance as she laid down inside him. “In another few hours, maybe.” Apollo answered, seeming amused by her eagerness to be let out of his belly. “Oh come on! I only left for a few minutes!” She huffed shoving at the muscles that cradled her inside of him.
“Yes, that’s why I’m not grounding you for longer, but you still had me very worried when Chiron IMd me to tell me you had gone missing. Might as well get comfortable, kiddo.” Maria crossed her arms, frowning. “Fine.”