Sons of Sparta - A Story of the Spartans, Book 3
(inspired by the story 'Spartan' parts 1 through 4)
by argouru
Note: All credit for the creation of the Spartans and Amazons, as well as the Spartan mythos belongs to the author 'CF', to whom I owe special thanks for his allowing me to write about these incredible people.
WARNING: Portions of this installment of the series includes a section regarding mental illness.
John was still unconscious in a new room on the third floor. Jerry was currently cooling his heels at the local police station and was awaiting a hearing on charges of drug use, possession and manufacturing. John's mother was at the police station as well, trying unsuccessfully to gain Jerry's release. Henry and Sam were in the waiting room, hoping that John would regain consciousness soon and perhaps be more rational than before. While they waited, a human man with long unkempt hair walked up to them.
"Hey," he said in a valley accent. "You guys know John Williams?"
"Yes," Henry replied. "Who are you?"
"Jim. If you know him, can you pass on a pair of messages?"
"Ok," Henry said, wondering just what kind of connection this man had to John.
"First," Jim said, "his work called to tell him that he's fired for missing too many days."
"What?" Sam asked in shock.
"Well it's been over a week now. What did he expect?"
"He's in the hospital!" Henry countered in anger. "Surely they can understand that!"
Jim shrugged. "They didn't seem to care. Second," he continued, blithely unconcerned that John was now unemployed, although his next words showed that he did care, after a fashion. "Since we're already more than a month behind on rent and he's out of a job, I don't have any choice but to kick him out. Tell him he has a week to come get his stuff or I'm throwing out anything I can't sell."
"You can't do that!" Henry snapped, feeling furious. "That's his property, not yours! Besides, he has a broken arm and leg! How's he supposed to move his belongings?!?"
Jim shrugged. "Not my problem," he said, then turned and left without another word.
Henry and Sam stared at each other in shock. How could the man have been so unfeeling about his own roommate? Henry sat down heavily. Living with someone so uncaring and having parents like those two, it was little wonder John felt so poorly. Wasn't there anyone in his life who cared about him? Yes... Henry thought, answering his own question. He has me.
Just then, a nurse Henry wasn't familiar with walked over to them. "John's awake now. Did you want to see him?"
Henry went to rise, but Sam put a hand on his son's shoulder. "Henry, I know you want to see him, but maybe I should talk to him first. He's probably very confused right now and seeing you may only make him even more so."
"But Dad Sam-" Henry protested.
"I know you want to be with him, but this is for the best, okay? It'll be alright," Sam said, projecting a confidence he didn't feel.
Henry nodded reluctantly and Sam followed the nurse's directions to room three zero eight. He knocked gently, then when there was no answer, entered slowly without permission. He walked into the room to find John laying there, staring out the window to the right of his bed without focusing on anything.
"John? My name is Sam... Can we talk?"
"Shit," John swore under his breath, his gaze locked out the window. "Another fucking therapist. Look, I don't want to talk about my feelings or take any more useless meds that make me into an emotional cripple except when I have another attack, alright? All I want is to stop hurting all the time! What the fuck is so horrible about that? And don't go saying that you care, because you don't know the first thing about me!"
"Okay, slow down there!" Sam countered. "I'm not a therapist, I'm a priest." he added calmly.
"Oh shit!" John swore in revulsion. "The last thing I need right now is religion. You can't pray away worthlessness, alright?"
"Wrong kind of priest, for starters," Sam answered with wry amusement. "Secondly," he continued with a frown, "you always talk about yourself like that?"
"It's what people want me to do," John said, sounding tired.
"Not everyone."
John sighed and turned to face the Spartan. As he finally looked at Sam, his brow furrowed. "You look familiar."
"I'm the head priest of the local temple of Apollo. You've been coming in the last several Wednesdays and were a part of some services I directed."
"Is it true that you guys kill animals?"
"We -sacrifice- them, yes," Sam corrected.
"Why?"
"Because Apollo is nourished by the sacrifices offered to Him. We offer those sacrifices to keep Him strong and healthy."
"But He's not real. You don't actually believe all of that stuff, do you?" John asked, looking skeptical.
"I'll admit that the first time I prayed to Apollo, I, too, doubted His existence. I was a human man dying of a brain tumor and was afraid of what would happen to my partner and our only son at the time. Apollo entered into my partner's body and spoke to me. He said he could only answer my prayer if I offered sacrifice to him. I knew I didn't have very much longer to live, so I sacrificed myself to Him for their sakes. He brought me back to life, transformed me into a Spartan and helped me to cure my tumor. After that, I began to worship Him and worked towards becoming His priest and founding the temple as well as to help found the third temple that's in Des Moines so that Americans wouldn't have to travel all the way to New York just to worship."
"Wait..." John said slowly in shock. "You mean you're a Spartan? You don't look like one!"
"Yes I do," Sam replied, almost laughing. "Why? What did you think we looked like?"
"Well you're hermaphrodites, right? Where are your boobs?"
"We don't look like that!" Sam countered with humor. "We're descended from human men and look like them. All of our receptive reproductive organs are on the inside and come out through our navels when we enter our reproductive cycle, which we call Emergence."
"Oh," John said simply, looking embarrassed. "Well still... Religion can't help me... Even if your god does exist, He wouldn't care about someone like me..."
Sam's posture changed as he stood up straighter. "Actually, John," Apollo spoke through the body of His priest. "I do care about you."
"What the fuck?" John exclaimed, seeing the change of personality in Sam and hearing the radiant voice issuing from his mouth, as well as feeling the intense power radiating from the person standing next to him.
"I am the god Apollo, borrowing the body of My priest so that we can communicate. Sam is still here, but is merely a spectator at the moment. John... Do you remember the dream where you were in the temple and I asked you what you wanted? Then I held you as you cried?"
John gasped. He hadn't told anyone about that dream. Still, he was skeptical. It was possible he had talked in his sleep.
Apollo sighed as He read the human's mind, sensing his doubt, held up Sam's hand and created a small fire that hovered in the air above the palm by several inches. He held the hand towards John for the human to examine it. John could feel the heat of the fire, then gasped again when Apollo split the flame into five smaller ones that moved out to Sam's fingertips and hovered above them. "Now do you believe that I'm real?"
John shrugged, not knowing what to say. Apollo snuffed the flames hovering above Sam's fingertips. "I do care about you, John. I saw you enter My temple, a man with a deep pain and self-hatred that moved Me. I am willing to help you as much as I can. That is why My son Joshua is currently readying Himself and His partners to travel here to America to do what He can for you."
"Your son? What can He do?"
"Joshua is a god of healing. I have seen Him heal both the body and the heart. If anyone can help you to overcome your depression and self-hatred, it is Him."
John shook his head sadly. "There's no way that my illness can be magicked away or something. It doesn't work that way! Even if it did, I can't afford to pay You..." Suddenly he realized. "Oh shit! How long have I been in the hospital? I need to call my work and let them know-"
"John," Apollo said, interrupting him with a sad expression. "I'm sorry, but it's already too late for that... You lost your job. Also, your roommate Jim has decided to evict you. I'm very sorry," He said with a look of deepest pity.
John hung his head. "So I really am a failure... Three botched attempts and now no job -or- home to fall back on... I should've just died."
"I'm sorry, but I feel that it's only fair to tell you that I'm the reason that you're still alive."
"What?" John asked, shocked.
"I tried to push you out of the way of the car... I obviously didn't do a very good job of it, as your injuries show. If I hadn't done so, you would be dead right now."
"Why?" John asked, feeling hurt. "Why did you do that? What the fuck is so wrong about wanting my pain to end? What did I ever do to You?"
"John," Apollo said, feeling guilty. "I didn't stop you because I hated you. I stopped you because I care about you. I like you... And I know that you can have true happiness and peace of mind within this life. I know you can't understand that now, but I hope that someday you will understand... I also hope that someday you will find it within yourself to forgive Me for interfering in your life and preventing its premature end."
John hung his head. "What's the point of living? No one wants me."
"You're wrong. Henry will love you and accept you for who you are if you will give him the chance."
"Henry? I don't know anyone named Henry," John said, frowning in puzzlement.
"He's the man who stopped Jerry from hurting you when you first awoke here in the hospital. Henry is your partner."
"Partner? That doesn't make any sense! I haven't dated anyone long enough to call them my partner and I never met Henry until he stopped Jerry from hitting me awhile ago!"
Apollo sighed and explained the Spartan partner-bond to the human, who was stunned.
"You make it sound like some love-at-first-sight kind of thing," John finally said once Apollo had finished His explanation.
"Sometimes it can be that way," the god admitted. "But sometimes it comes on more slowly. The bond you share with Henry is of the former type."
"So this Henry guy wants me to impregnate him by spewing my jizz all over his stomach?" John asked crudely, thinking back on what Apollo had told him about Spartan reproduction. "That's asking an awful lot from someone like me. There's no way I'd ever make a fit parent. Besides, what right do I have to subject a kid, let alone a 'partner', to my craziness?"
"I think you'll make a much better father then you think you will," Apollo said calmly. "Let's hold off on this until Joshua and His priests arrive. Then we'll see just how much He can help you."
"Assuming He can," John said glumly, still doubting in the power of this Joshua person.
"But you're willing to try?" Apollo asked.
"I hate being like this all the time," John said with a sigh. "I honestly can't remember what it might've felt like to actually like myself. All I want is to stop hurting. I still think that death is the only certain way, but if You're going to all this trouble to bring someone from England just to try to help me, then I'd be a major asshole to tell You to take Your offer and shove it sideways... What the hey? I'm willing to try, but I'm not going to get my hopes up."
"Fair enough," Apollo said calmly. "Well... I'll take my leave of Sam's body for now. I've already taken away much more of his time then I had intended. Now that you believe in My existence, I can speak to you directly. ...You do believe I'm real now, right?" Apollo asked with a smile on Sam's face.
"Unless Sam's a pyrokenetic, then yeah, I guess I kind of have to believe, huh?"
Apollo chuckled. "Any time you wish to speak with Me, just call out My name and I will answer you."
"Why? I'm not sure I'm ready to start worshipping You or something," John said with shock.
"Sam is My adopted son, making Henry My grandson. Since you are his partner, that makes you family as well. I've never been one to ignore My family. I don't require your worship, but if you should some day desire to do so, you would be more than welcome. I am merely offering My advice and letting you know that I am here for you if you wish it." With that, Apollo left the body of His priest.
Sam slumped his shoulders, making the human feel a touch of concern. "You alright?" John asked.
"I'm fine," Sam said as himself. "It's just always a bit disorienting when He leaves me, I'll be okay. Are you ready to officially meet Henry? He's eager to meet you."
John nodded and Sam left to go get his son. A few minutes later, Henry entered the room nervously. "Hi," he said timidly.
John was a bit shocked that a man of well over six feet tall was acting so timidly towards him. Henry entered the room fully and faced the human in his bed, giving John his first good look at the man. As their eyes met, John was stunned by a strange surge of powerful emotions that enveloped him in that moment. Part of him was shocked because even though they had only recently met, John felt as though he had somehow known Henry his entire life. There was a powerful sense of familiarity that he couldn't explain. There was also a powerful attraction for the man and if not for his current physical condition as well as the fact that they didn't really know each other, John would've taken Henry in his arms and kissed him passionately right then and there.
Confused, he looked away, feeling himself blush furiously. He noted his reaction with shock. What the fuck is happening to me? I... I've felt anything like this before. Am I going crazy? Is this the bond that Apollo had talked about? This is completely insane! I don't even know the guy and all I want to do is tackle him! And why am I blushing like this? I NEVER blush! Nervously, he looked back up at the man and noticed a bruise forming on the side of Henry's mouth, then felt guilty. "Oh shit! Did I do that to you? Fuck... I'm sorry. I... I wasn't right in the head. I'm sorry you had to see me like that."
"It's okay," Henry said gently. "I forgive you... Can I sit down?" he asked nervously.
"Sure," John said.
"Are you feeling any better?" Henry asked sitting in the chair beside the bed. John tried to shrug and winced as agony lanced through him. "Are you in pain?" Henry asked gently. "Do you need more painkillers? I can call the nurse..."
John stared at him in shock. His family had never waited on him like this, treating illnesses and injuries as inconveniences that should be ignored. The drastically different way of being treated confused and disoriented him. "Just so long as it's nothing addictive," he said with difficulty.
Henry nodded in understanding and buzzed for the nurse. When she brought the pills for him, Henry offered them to the human, followed by water. John was shocked by this, but deep down inside, it felt nice. After that, they began to talk and get to know each other better...
Henry talked with John for hours and offered to spoon-feed him when his meals arrived, due to his broken arm. Henry had also removed the restraints once he'd seen that John was now calm and not a danger to himself. Henry talked about himself, deciding that it would be better to be honest with the human. He also explained about being the oldest of seven sons as well as their family dynamic.
"Doesn't that get confusing?" John asked. "How can people tell which father is the birth father and which one's the siring father of each of you?"
"By our last names," Henry explained. "Steven, William and I were born from Dad Daniel, so our last name is Danielson. Marcus, Jason, Fred and Ash were all born from Dad Sam, so their last name is Samson."
"Still sounds confusing to me. How is anyone supposed to know you and your brothers are related if you have different last names and what about your family lineage?"
"The most important part of our heritage is our birth fathers. We love our siring fathers too, but since it's our birth father who suffered to give us life, we honor that by taking his name as our last one. I'm happy to be alive and while my Dad Sam means a lot to me, my birth Dad Daniel means the world to me, so I'm proud to be a Danielson."
"Family means a lot to you Spartans, huh? Pity not all families are like that," John said sadly.
"I can't believe that family of yours!" Henry said as he shook his head sadly. "I can't believe your own dad was going to hit you like that!"
"Jerry's not my dad... -It-, for lack of a better term, moved itself in on us when I was a kid. I never knew my father as he abandoned the family when I was a baby. That thing was literally living in a barn when we had the misfortune of meeting it."
"-It-? Why do you call him that?" Henry asked, feeling confused and slightly amused at the same time.
"Because that thing doesn't deserve to be called a person, that's why," John said sourly. "It's basically a womanizing, drug-addicted ex-con who thinks that it's the greatest thing in the world. And it's the biggest non-violent homophobe I've ever met. I only say non-violent because that's the first time it ever tried to hit me like that. I guess it was on another meth trip. I can't stand that thing. It never uses my name at all... Always calling me all kinds of stupid anti-gay slurs like dickhead and penis-breath. It hates me and I can't stand it. I don't care about common-law marriages. That thing is no family to me and never will be!"
"Well if that's the way 'it' treats you, I guess I can understand," Henry replied thoughtfully. He wouldn't want to be associated with a person like that either if he had the choice.
"Sorry if that seems a bit childish, but a man who has its own daughter it never sees who turned into a prostitute that one of its bar buddies slept with in order for it to find out about that deserves no respect from me... Not to mention all the constant verbal abuse I get subjected to because I'm gay..." John sighed. "Look, maybe you and me dating isn't such a good idea. You seem like a really nice guy and deserve someone better than me."
Henry shook his head sadly. "Why do you keep putting yourself down like that?"
"Because after eleven years of being like this, I don't really know how to believe in myself. It may seem stupid, or that I'm just trying to invoke pity, but it's not. I don't want pity or attention. I... I look in the mirror and hate everything I see. It's not just the way I look, either. Whenever I think about myself, all I can feel is hatred. It feels like everyone else hates me too... Maybe that's what started this... I don't know. All I do know is that I just want it to go away." John began to cry. "I hate being like this. I wish I could be a happy person. Someone who can feel comfortable around others. Someone who could care about himself, instead of hating myself all the time and wishing I were dead... I don't want to be like this anymore."
Henry took John's hand and held it, then leaned in and kissed the human's forehead. "It's okay... Joshua is coming. We'll see what He can do."
"I must be crazy to consider going through with this," John said as he recovered, unable to believe any of this entire situation. "I really am crazy to let a British god try to heal me of my depression. On top of everything else, there's no way to tell if this will even work."
"We won't know until He tries."
"What if it doesn't?"
"Come on, think positively," Henry said.
"Sorry, but I tend to be a skeptic. Look... This whole you and me thing is a bad idea. I like you a lot, but you really do deserve someone better. Maybe you should try looking elsewhere for a boyfriend," John said, hating himself for saying it but feeling that Henry shouldn't be stuck with someone with such problems. He didn't want Henry to leave, but didn't want to end up hurting him, either.
Henry gave him a sad smile. "Sorry, but it doesn't work that way. You're the only true partner I'll ever have, so you're stuck with me no matter what. It's okay John... We'll see this through together."
"Why are you doing this?" John asked softly.
"Because I love you," Henry answered with a smile.
John hung his head, his mouth trembling. "I... I love you, too."
They sat there, holding hands in silence for awhile. Finally Sam knocked softly, then poked his head into the room, a male nurse accompanying him. "John?" Sam asked. "My sons Fred, Ash and Will and I want to go to your place to pick up your things. Can we get your key and address?"
John's mouth fell open in shock. "Why do you want to do that?"
"Well, you're family now and family takes care of each other. Besides, that roommate of yours is way out of line to be treating you like that."
"I don't have a job anymore... I can't pay you, or anything," John said, feeling awkward and not liking the idea of a handout. He was an adult and should be handling his own problems.
"Well, you can work at the temple if you want to earn your way. We'll talk about that later." Sam turned to his son. "Keep your phone on, we'll call once we get there. Jason is going to bring some boxes and meet us there. We'll store John's stuff in the attic at home for the time being."
"I can't let you do that," John protested.
"John," Sam said in exasperation. "You have a broken arm and leg, not to mention an asshole for a roommate. Just be ready to answer any questions over the phone and let us know what valuable things are yours, okay?"
"But-"
"John," Henry said gently. "Let us do this for you."
In the end, the Spartans wouldn't take no for an answer, so John was forced to accept their offer of help...