“How do I look?” Baekhyun kept asking.

“You look fine,” Chanyeol insisted.

They were on the Newyork subway, heading over to Chanyeol's apartment. He had told his mom Baekhyun had agreed to visit this time. The son of Zues was excited to be back home, but he forgot to mention one thing to his mom. The fact that Baekhyun and him weren’t friends, they were a couple.

Hence Baekhyun’s insistent remarks on how he looked. He truly wanted to impress his mother so much. It was out of his comfort zone being his first serious relationship and all.

“She loves you, okay and us being together isn’t going to change that,” Chanyeol rubbed Baekhyun hand soothingly.

“Okay, it's just...all the stuff with your dad…” Baekhyun said.

“I know, but trust me my mom's nothing like him with relationships.”

They strolled around New york, walking along the streets. Chanyeol bought Baekhyun a hotdog, looking at the strange food in wonderment. It was weird, but Chanyeol always forgot that his boyfriend had only spent a little bit of his childhood in the mortal world. Even in the summers at camp half blood he had no home to go back to. He was basically an alien to earth.

Chanyeol spoiled him. He bought him a starbucks latte, and then some korean corn dogs as well as some frozen yogurt. He wanted Baekhyun to try everything to make up for all those times he missed with his parents.

“Hmm...how do mortals not become morbidly obese from eating food like this,” Baekhyun said, rubbing his tummy to signal he was full.

Chanyeol laughed at his boyfriend's innocence.

“Lets go, my moms probably done work,”

They stood at the door of Chanyeol's apartment. Before he could even ring the doorbell, the door burst open to reveal Ms. Park.

“Oh my boy!” She strangled him with hugs and kisses.

Baekhyun shly stood by watching the ordeal. 

Ms Park pulled away from her son and then her eyes twinkled at Baekhyun.

“Oh don’t be shy,” She threw her arms around the Baekhyun, who she referred to as her long lost son. 

Ms Park welcomed them in, making both of them lounge around on the kitchen Island while she continued to prepare burgers and fries. 

“Well, tell me? You and Baekhyun have become awfully close...last time you were here it was forced and you were fighting constantly. I knew you guys would come around,” she smiled.

Using a spatula she picked up a burger and layed in a buns in front of the demigods who looked as nervous as ever about the situation at hand. Who was going to tell her? Baekhyun or Chanyeol? They hadn’t discussed this, they just kind of assumed it would be apparent.

“Actually mom Baekhyun and I-” Chanyeol started. 

“We’re best friends now. You know after saving eachothers lives multiple times,” Baekhyun said.

Chanyeol felt Baekhyun's hand creep up on his thigh, pinching him lightly.

The son of Zues bobbed his head back in confusion. They’d had a plan in which one of them was going to tell his mom that they were now a couple, but Baekhyun fell back at the last minute. Why? 

Chanyeol knew not to push any further and nodded to the statement Baekhyun had made, but feeling a little hurt deep down.

------------------------------------------

Baekhyun rolled out his suitcase where he’d packed his pajamas. He laid them out on Chanyeol’s bed with his hands on hips in concentration. He didn’t even notice Chanyeol walking in silently, already changed and hopping into his bed.

Ah, silent treatment, he remembered Chanyeol was notorious for it.

“Just tell me what I did wrong,” Baekhyun sighed.

“Nothing, let's get some rest,” Chanyeol voice was muffled in the sheets.

“Listen, I like you Chanyeol, but I don’t think I”m ready to tell you mom. Call me crazy or whatever I just-”

“What? You don’t trust her?” he sat up from his bed, “I know you’ve had your own experiences with your parents, but my mom...she’s not selfish like the gods. She’ll be supportive of us.”

Baekhyun pursed his lips, “I know that's exactly what I’m afraid of, I’m so afraid of losing that connection I have with her.”

Chanyeol looked at his boyfriend in confusion.

“Are you...crying?” The demigod stood up walking over to Baekhyun who was blinking rapidly to hide his tears.

“I never had a proper family, I was always in an orphanage and on the run. Even the one person-my dad who was supposed to be there for me...just never accepted me. Ms Park is the only person who has ever accepted me unconditionally.”

Chanyeol stared at his boyfriend in sympathy, rubbing his palm against his back in a soothing motion.

“Whenever you’re ready, okay. I’ll wait.” Chanyeol reassured him.

“No need,”

Both demigods turned in confusion when they heard a voice from the door.

Ms Park stood there with her eyebrows furrowed in concern and lip quivering.

“Mom-”

“Of course, I’d be happy for you” She ran up to Baekhyun, hugging him tightly, “I approve of you in any form, with or without Chanyeol.”

The son of Aphrodite, shakily put his hands over Ms. Park. A mother. This is what a mothers hug felt like. 

He understood why now Chanyeol was always so hopeful, so encouraging and optimistic. It’s not surprising that he grew up to be an excellent demigod despite his flaws. 

----------------------------------------------------------------

They're last days in New York were spent just as they’d imagined. Perfectly. Baekhyun and Chanyeol went out everywhere, exploring pizza shops and going to see his old classmates from his childhood schools. 

Baekhyun loved to learn about the mortal world. He loved to learn about Chanyeol’s world. 

As the days continued and the more time he spent with his boyfriend the more he started to realize how much he was falling for him.  Love. That was a word he hardly used despite his...mother. It was true. He’d never really ‘fallen in love’. To admit that outloud would be a miracle even.
Sometimes he would catch himself staring at Chanyeol out of the blue, getting lost in his thoughts. Wondering what his life would be like without him.

Then the dreams started. He imagined him and Chanyeol in the future living together, spending their entire lives together. And while saying forever was a reach for demigods, somehow it made sense to Baekhyun.

They walked along central park, taking stops to snap pictures beside water fountains or pretty tulips. Chanyeol saw an icecream truck from afar.

“I’ll go get us something,” He quickly went off to get ice cream.

That left Baekhyun alone, watching in awe as mortals had their picnics. He took notice of one child who was playing and running after a squirrel. The baby’s parents laughed in joy. They seemed like the perfect family, Baekhyun thought.

“Don’t be too hopeful,” Said a woman's voice frm behind.

Baekhyun would have jumped, but hearing the tone of her voice made him roll his eyes automatically.

“Mother,” Baekhyun turned around.

She was wearing a simple summer dress with flowers on it. She had her eyes covered with large shades, perhaps not to draw in any mortals like she’d done with Baekhyun’s father. Either way, Aphrodite seemed to blend in with everyone else.

“I always love to sprinkle in some hope for lovers, but...I’m giving you a warning don’t get ahead of yourself.”

Baekhyun looked off to the side in annoyance. He’d made amends with his mother last year, but he had reservations about the way she was allowing Baekhyun and Chanyeol relationship to play out. She’d admitted to his boyfriend last year that their love life wasn’t going to be easy. It’s as if his mother didn’t even realize there were other pressing matters he would be dealing with at camp, like fighting monsters. Couldn’t she cut him some slack?

“Just give us one normal summer,” Baekhyun said.

Aphrodite smirked, “Oh dear, thats too much to ask for,”

“I don’t know what you have up your sleeve, but I think I…”

“Love him?” his mother asked.

“Right,” Baekhyun nodded, “I don’t even have to say it out loud you already know,”

Aphrodite elegantly put her hair behind her ear, “The beauty of love, dear child is the struggle that comes with it.”

“Please, don’t be melodramatic,” Baekhyun sighed.

“It is true. Without chaos, without war, love would mean nothing. I mean look at all the greek wars in history they all started in the name of love or were stopped because of love. Whatever it may be my power is controlling, love very essence drives this universe. Consider yourself lucky to have such an interesting love story,” Aphrodite whispered the last part.

Just then, Chanyeol popped up with two ice cream cones, waving one up for Baekhyun to see.

When the demigod turned around to see if his mother was still there, she had vanished.

-------------------------------------------------------

Authors note: Sort of a cliffhanger, please stay tuned for the thrid and last book of this series.