My mind was in chaos, my thoughts spinning in circles so fast I felt like I could barely keep a coherent idea in my head. Still, I somehow managed to stumble through the words I spoke to the man who had suddenly appeared in the corner of my bathroom. "You're telling me that your name is Hypnos. You're the ancient Greek god of sleep and trance. You slept with my mom 18 years ago, making me. And when I finally 'became a man' you decided that your birthday gift was going to be to... what?" I glanced in the mirror, still shocked at what I was seeing. "Make me hot?" My body was lean and muscular, my abs chiseled and my arms rounded out with dense muscle. It was certainly not the image I'd woken up to this morning, and I wasn't quite sure how to feel about it.
The man before me responded, his voice strangely relaxing to listen to. "And vest you with a small portion of my power, yes."
I stared at him like he had two heads.
Hypnos was tall, a little taller than me, but otherwise looked like an ordinary mortal man. I could see the familial resemblance between us in our faces, specifically our dark, curly hair and deep, brown eyes. But while my eyes were ordinary, just a shade darker than milk chocolate, his were another matter. My father's eyes were so deep and dark that staring into them made me woozy, like I was falling asleep just looking at him.
"And this power..." I looked away as I trailed off and coughed, suddenly uncomfortable. I could see the evidence of this man's power in the mirror, but if I hadn't just fucked my best friend into an orgasm-induced coma I wouldn't have believed the second part of my father's 'gift.' "You chose to give it to me..."
"In your cock, yes." Hypnos laughed softly, and smiling without a trace of discomfort. He grinned, and suddenly looked a whole lot younger and more boyish. "I thought it appropriate for a young man your age. And, I'll admit, I expect it will be rather humorous for me to see how you end up using it given your..." He paused and gestured vaguely as though searching for the appropriate words. "Lack of experience?"
I scowled at him. "You show up after 18 years," I growled, "and all you have to say is that you don't think I'm having enough sex?" My voice rose a few notches as I spoke, but Hypnos didn't flinch.
Instead, the man nodded and scraped thoughtfully at the stubble on his jaw with a fingernail. "I've never been great at the whole 'father' thing," he admitted. "I haven't spoken to one of my mortal children in decades. But of late I've been growing disinterested in the politics of the gods. Each of the Olympians considers him or herself the pinnacle of creation, and expects to be treated accordingly, handed everything on a silver platter without needing to work up an ounce of sweat. But you, the mortals..." Hypnos paused and took a deep breath as though even the thought of "us mortals" refreshed him. "You, blessed with your relatively short lives, must strive, struggle and work to earn whatever you get. I find
that
a far more alluring diversion than the machinations of the lazy, spoiled Immortals."
I couldn't pretend to follow his twisted logic, but I did want to get a few things straight.
"So what happened outside with Paige," I said, gesturing through the crack in the bathroom door and into my bedroom, where my 18-year-old best friend was passed out on my bed after I had vigorously fucked her lithe body into submission. "That's all part of my 'gift'?" My tone was skeptical, but I really had no other way of explaining what had just happened. Paige and I had long ago settled into the friend zone without any hint that we would ever leave, but when she had arrived at my bedroom door an hour ago to help me celebrate my own 18th birthday she had taken one look at my accidentally-exposed cock and practically tackled me onto the bed.
"That's right." Hypnos gave me a Cheshire cat grin. "Are you complaining?"
My face burned with frustration, but also with embarrassment. "No..." I mumbled, casting my eyes away. "But what about when she wakes up? What's going to happen then? How does all of this work?"
Hypnos looked me up and down thoughtfully, then sighed. "Never fear," he told me. "One of my assistants gave me a full write-up on you, and I know that this girl is... an important friend." His smile took on a slightly smug tilt. "When she awakens that will not have changed."
"Butβ" I started to say.
Everything changed!
Hypnos held up a hand to forestall my questions. "She will imagine that she has had a very vivid daydream or fantasy," he explained. "Young Paige will not think anything out of the ordinary has occurred, and will only realize otherwise if you tell her." He raised his eyebrows and gave me a look. "Are you planning on telling her?"
I scowled.
Why the fuck did he have to put me in this position?
"I don't know..." I growled. Then, to change the subject, I gestured at my body in the mirror. "And this..." I trailed off, not even sure what I was looking at. I definitely didn't feel at home in this new and improved body just yet, but I also enjoyed my appearance. "What's the deal with this? Is this the 'Perfect Body Bonus Package'? All part of your plan to upend my life?"
Now it was Hypnos's turn to look serious as he fixed me with a piercing stare. "As your father," he said, "I do not particularly approve of how you've been taking care of your body. The constant..." he waved his hand uncertainly, as though the concept was alien to him. "Self-indulgence and general lack of exercise... It made you soft."
Man, you really don't pull your punches.
My frown deepened. "It's not like you have any right to an opinion about how I live my life."
The god didn't even have the good grace to look embarrassed. "Perhaps not," he admitted. "But I hoped that giving you a taste of your potential might give you some sort of motivation."
"Hmmph." I tried to be mad at my father for interfering, but I had to admit β I looked good.
"If you decide you prefer your old, sloppy, slouched and out-of-shape self," Hypnos told me, "then go back to living how you did before my gift. If you want to stay like this..." He shrugged. "Hit the gym. Stick to a diet.
Earn it."
I didn't reply.
Hypnos sighed again and then nodded. "I understand. You need a bit of time to process all of this."
A snort of laughter was my only response.
You think?
"I'll be around," he said, and, reaching into his pocket, pulled out a slim, black flip phone. "Call me," he said, setting it gently on the tile countertop. Then, he turned and pushed aside the shower curtain, stepping into the shower and then pulling it closed behind him. "A good night of sleep is earned, Alexander," he said from behind the laminated barrier in the tone of a man imparting special wisdom. "Remember that."
Then, he was silent.
I imagined the man standing there stupidly in the shower, as though I would just leave him alone now that I couldn't see him. Instead, I strode forward and yanked the shower curtain aside. "What does that even β?" I started to demand, but froze.
Hypnos, god of sleep, had disappeared.
I stood there stupidly for a moment, the shower curtain clutched in one first.
What did you expect, Alex?
I asked myself bitterly.
It's not like he was going to stick around to solve your problems. He never helped you with anything before. Why start now?