Chapter Twenty

"Oh, so that's what Aphrodite meant about your children. You do have some…" Landyn glanced down at the book his mate had given him. "With a number of people, but this was all a really long time ago, right? These children are all grown up now?"

"I believe so." Hephaestus had been a bit closed off since they'd finished dinner. He'd taken Landyn into his library, picked a book from the shelves, which turned out to be stories about different gods in different pantheons, and found the page related to himself. Landyn thought it might be kinda cool for someone to have a page about him in a book, but considering all of the people in the book were ancient, his short life would barely make a footnote. He actually chuckled quietly when he thought that – a footnote on Hephaestus's page.

"The thing you have to understand about these books is that they are not written by the gods themselves. Mortal scholars, poets, and philosophers wrote them, usually as epic plays created hundreds of years ago."

"People made things up about you? That's so rude." Landyn shut the book with a slam and put it on the table next to the loveseat he and Hephaestus shared. "Why did you show me the book if it's not true?"

"You got surprised about Eros's thoughtless comments regarding my relationship with Aphrodite. I needed you to see what people have written about me over the years. True or not, those words form the public opinion people might think of when they hear my name."

"But they were so mean about you." Landyn tapped the book. "They called you names, they couldn't decide who'd thrown you off the mountain, but no one made any comment about how it was a horrible thing for someone to do. I mean, that business with Athena…" Landyn trailed off. He knew his mate would never treat a woman that badly. "It should never have even been in there," he said staunchly.

"That story is a classic example of people vilifying people they perceive as ugly."

"Well, that just goes to show how wrong those writers were." Landyn scrambled onto Hephaestus's lap. "You're not ugly, you're distinguished. You're not lame, you have a bad leg. Hundreds of thousands of people have a club foot or problems with their legs and feet. Some people don't have legs at all. No one goes around writing horrible stories about them."

"True, but you forget almost every god in existence is incredibly beautiful, like you saw with Aphrodite today. Face it, if a story just had pretty people in it, it would be boring. I do believe I'm the only god who came into being with a deformity." Hephaestus frowned as he was clearly thinking about it. "It's difficult to say. There are hundreds of pantheons and thousands of ancient gods."

"Well, I do hope they don't decide to keep popping into our house like that Eros character did today. He wasn't even fully dressed. He didn't have pants on."

Landyn was hoping the outrage in his tone would make Hephaestus laugh, and it did. "Eros was wearing a robe, sweetling. It is customary for Aphrodite's companions. They don't live on earth the way we do."

"They couldn't. They'd be done for indecent exposure." Landyn sighed, resting against Hephaestus's shoulder. "Thank you for explaining about your children and your exes. My ferret was a bit miffed, but he'll get over it."

"Your ferret was wonderfully clever this afternoon, sneaking up on me the way he did."

"You knew where we were all along, didn't you?"

"Maybe. Just a little bit, but that sashaying along that blank piece of floor, ignoring me completely…" Hephaestus was chuckling again. "Very convincing sneaking skills."

"He'll be pleased you thought that. Are we watching a movie, tonight?" Landyn yawned. "Or did you want an early night?"

"It's nice just sitting here with you for a moment." Hephaestus was quiet for a while, and then he said, "Did you want to have children?"

Landyn laughed. "I know you're a god and that comes with amazing powers, but I didn't realize you could turn into a woman." Landyn shifted his position again, getting comfortable. "I used to think about children when I was younger – it was all my family ever talked about. A male ferret was expected to set themselves up and then bond with a female to give them lots of children. I remember thinking I didn't want to have lots." He giggled. "It's not like I was trained to do much else but stock shelves. Not exactly the sort of high powered position allowing me to afford children. I bet you were an amazing dad to your kids."

"That's not how things worked back in ancient times. Women reared the children, men were off doing other things."

"Sounds like my dad's form of thinking. He was barely ever home when I was growing up." Looking up at his mate, Landyn asked, "Did you want more children? Is that what this is about? How would we even make that happen? You couldn't be with anyone else now I've bitten you."

He didn't mention that he was sure his heart would shatter into a million pieces at the mere idea of Hephaestus doing things to another person – treating that person with the same love and caring Landyn enjoyed. His ferret, who'd been napping, woke up furious at the very idea.

"There are a number of same-sex couples among the gods," Hephaestus said slowly. "Poseidon and his mate Claude who is a wolf shifter. Then there is Zeus and Paulie. Hades also has a male mate who is a shifter as well. I think I told you that before. They all have kids."

Pushing himself up, resting his hand on Hephaestus's chest, Landyn studied his mate's face. "How is that even possible? Doesn't a shifter's mating bite work on a god the same way it might do to someone else?"

"Oh no, it works. Remember when I told you Poseidon went to the Fates asking to have his mating broken, and they laughed him out of their grove? That was because Poseidon's bedroom used to have a revolving door. He barely slept with anyone more than once, but he had a lot of people in his bed. Claude's bite put a stop to that."

"Okay." Landyn felt a bit better knowing that little nugget of information. His ferret, who got bored easily was already napping again. "So, who carried and gave birth to these children the gods and their mates are raising?"

Looking up at the ceiling, Hephaestus's face muscles twisted as he thought. "In Hades and Poseidon's case, they were the ones who gave birth to their babies – they both have a set of twins. In Zeus's case, Paulie was the one who got pregnant and gave birth."

Landyn waited for the punchline, or some further explanation that might make the impossible possible. Hephaestus was looking at him, but not saying anything. "Is this a godly power?" Landyn flipped his hand indicating Hephaestus's body. "Can you just wave your hand and…" He quickly grabbed at his crotch. Nope, his cock and balls were still there. "Do you just change our basic equipment to make that happen?" He wasn't sure if he liked that idea.

But Hephaestus shook his head. "No, sweetling. To be honest, I'm not sure how it happens, but it does. A few years ago, when gods started meeting their fated mates, the Mother of All Things made a decree that all gods and their partners, regardless of gender, would have the ability to produce children if that's their intent."

"What do you mean? Is that like, if we were just sitting on the couch here, and we decided we wanted children, then that would just happen and one of us would wake up tomorrow pregnant?" Landyn had heard some things since meeting his mate, but that sounded a bit far-fetched.

Apparently, it sounded that way to Hephaestus too, because he laughed. "Not exactly, no. We would still have to have sex, specifically anal sex. But if we did that, with the intent of wanting children, then within a short space of time it could happen."

There was something in the way Hephaestus said it…something… Tuning into their bond, Landyn's eyes widened. "You want to have our babies?" His voice was a hushed whisper. "Like you…" He pointed to Hephaestus's stomach. "Did you want to carry our child under your heart?"

"Would you think it was weird if I said I'd thought about it?"

"Not weird, no." Landyn shook his head. "But that would mean that I would be the one who was… you know, doing the penetrating part. You've been spending all our wonderful time together using toys on me, so I can take your cock into my body. Should we have been using them on you instead? Although," he added, "my bits are nowhere near as big as yours."

"A lot of male-male couples take turns in giving and receiving." Hephaestus looked uncomfortable and Landyn didn't want that. He was still wrapping his head around the idea they could have children. "Look, you don't have to. I've never done anything that way before, but I just thought…"

"I'm not saying no," Landyn said quickly. "I'm not saying no at all. I love the idea of having children with you. I'm sorry, I was just blown away that it was possible that's all. Now I know it's possible… I want to so badly, but I think we have to wait for a bit."

"Of course." Hephaestus responded too quickly. "As long as you like. It doesn't matter."

"No, it clearly does matter." Landyn stroked over his mate's belly. "I think that would be really wonderful and you know I would look after you so hard. But, mate, I'm still worried about what happened this afternoon. The giants are determined to cause trouble. I'll be honest, I'd be scared bringing children into our household while they are so set on destroying us as a couple. All that fighting, bullying, being thrown into walls. Children shouldn't see that."

"Hmm. You make a good point." Pulling him close, Hephaestus dropped a kiss on Landyn's head. "I doubt I could take them out on my own, and I'll be honest, I don't want to have to fight people I used to call my friends. Does that make me weak in your eyes."

"No. Not at all." Landyn tightened his hug. "You have a caring nature – far more than those three deserve, in my opinion, but you are who you are, and I love you for it."

"Thank you, but you are also right. When those giants get an idea in their heads, it's like shifting solid concrete with a feather to get them to change their minds. However, we could be in luck." Hephaestus was grinning. "I know someone who might help. He's a god, not Greek, but we won't hold that against him. He was another one who gave birth to the twins he had with his shifter mate."

"And he could stop the giants?"

"He could give them a damn good run for their money," Hephaestus said with a chuckle. "In fact, from what I've heard, of all the gods in all the pantheons, he is one would take on the giants, swinging his huge hammer, and love every minute of it."

"He sounds like a bit of a superhero. Who is he?"

"He is called Thor, Norse God of the Storms." Hephaestus's phone appeared in his hand. "I'll see if I can get a message to him."