Darkness and emptiness. That was what surrounded Sota as he opened his eyes.
Where am I? Is this the sea? he asked himself silently in his thoughts as he tried to look around. It seemed as though he were floating in the air. And just when he thought he was alone, a few will-o'-the-wisp-like beings appeared around him. Or had they been there all along? They seemed to hover about him as if through a dark veil. But not only that. Were those voices? The very moment he wondered if someone was there, his eyes widened.
"Haruki!" That was the first word he uttered, not knowing how long he had been unconscious. His Alpha! He wanted his Alpha! His body felt as though it were trapped in some heavy, viscous substance, yet he managed to sit up. He wanted to reach Haruki!
As he glanced down at his body, he noticed he was once again wearing a beautiful, bright kimono. And suddenly it returned—panic. The fear of being alone again. Of being cast out and left to die. Perhaps that was the answer. He was dead. The encounter with the Alpha had been nothing more than a small gift, and now the cold claws of death had come for him. Perhaps Haruki never even existed?
Sota tried to run, in some direction—any direction—in the hope of seeing light again and reaching the shore. But no matter how far he ran, he remained in darkness. Until the will-o'-the-wisps drew nearer. Suddenly they vanished, and radiant, beautiful figures appeared, all clad in kimonos of the most diverse colors.
"He is awake," one said, and the others nodded. "Obviously," several replied in unison. Sota stopped and looked at the figures. They were unmistakably deities. He remembered some from the time when he had lived as a human in his village—he had seen drawings of them there. In reality, of course, they were far more beautiful. Yet at this moment he still wanted only one thing: to get away from here and return to Haruki.
"Ebisu." Suddenly a more serious voice resounded. An older-looking man in a wine-red kimono stepped forward, his hands hidden within the long sleeves. "I am certain you know why you are here and why you find yourself in this situation." He spoke calmly and waited patiently for a reaction, while the other gods whispered behind him. Sota did not know what to do or how to respond, for it felt as though he were standing before a tribunal.
"Because I left the sea?" It was just a guess, but he truly did not know why he was here. He did not even know why he was now called Ebisu. He suspected, but he did not know.
The old man stretched out an arm, only to stroke his long goatee as though lost in thought. "How is it that the great Ebisu can feel something as human as love for a mortal? From your past, you should already know that such a bond can bring nothing but misfortune. Neither for you nor for the mortal." Again whispers rose behind him. Sota pressed his lips together, as he often did when overwhelmed. He wanted to say something, and at the same time he wanted to hide. In the end, he took a small step toward the elder.
"I..!" The man raised his finger, and Sota fell silent. "I believe you are aware of how important balance is—you, who for so long were the guardian of that very balance. Since worse has been prevented, we shall refrain from punishment. But beware: it will not be tolerated again. Remember our laws. Keep away from humans."
Sota wanted to speak, to protest, but before he could, they all vanished, and once again he was surrounded by the peaceful blue in which he had awakened before meeting Haruki. At once the same fish swirled excitedly around the Omega, making him sigh.
"Your Holiness!!! You're back! We searched everywhere for you!" All of them nodded eagerly as Sota lifted his gaze upward. "Your Holiness, do not do it. The other gods were truly furious. You know well that you are only permitted in the realm of the gods and must not reveal yourself to humans." Again they all nodded at once, and again Sota sighed.
"I don't care! I want to go to Haruki!" the Omega protested at once and tried to climb upward along the same corals. "But if you do that, he will die..!" whimpered one fish, and Sota suddenly stopped, looking at the fish. "What do you mean?" The other fish shoved the smaller clownfish closer to Sota. "They were here often while you were gone… and they wanted the human even earlier… well… they simply wanted Your Holiness to return home."
Sota turned pale, his stomach knotting so tightly he thought he might be sick. He wanted so badly to be with Haruki. But he did not want him to die. He remembered too well what it felt like to be pushed into death. And even if he had not spent much time with the Alpha, he loved him. He truly loved him.
⸻
And Haruki? The Alpha was sinking into a pit of despair. He lost his job and spent all his time at the shore. Whenever he could afford it, he brought Sota's favorite food, truly hoping Sota would appear—even if only for the food. But he never came, not that first night, nor on any other. Often he bent over the water, praying to every god he could think of to return Sota to him. That his tears fell onto the surface of the water—Sota noticed. Yet the god of fortune dared not respond.
Until one day. At last, when he heard Haruki's sobs again, he could no longer resist. He carefully stepped onto the shore, crept silently up behind Haruki, and embraced him from behind. "Don't cry, Haru.."
Haruki startled for a moment, but after that brief instant of realization, he wrapped his arms around Sota and held him tightly. "Ebisu… I missed you so much..!" Sota, too, began to weep with joy, and for this brief moment they both forgot that soon they would be forced apart once more.
"Haru, I cannot stay with you… not just like this… let's find a way.."
Haruki did not quite understand what Sota meant, and so he looked at him in confusion while still clutching him tightly. "And how is that supposed to work..? I can hardly become a god.."
Sota nodded briefly, lost in thought, before shaking his head. "Yes, you can. I was once human too. I… I just can't remember everything anymore. Or why I became a god… but that means it must be possible somehow."
Sota looked to the sea, then back to Haruki. "You have to go, don't you..?" the Alpha asked quietly, his voice heavy with sorrow. He simply did not want to let him go. But slowly, Sota pushed himself away from him, for he knew: if he lingered too long, this might truly be the last time. "If I don't leave, and problems arise again.."
Haruki closed his eyes, drew a deep breath, and held him once more. "I love you.."
Sota smiled and kissed his Alpha before nodding. "I love you too… and that is exactly why we will find a way… I promise..!"
Haruki smiled faintly at first, then nodded as well and slowly let go of him. "Haru.. I beg you still. Should too much time pass.."
The Alpha immediately shook his head. "Forget it. We are a family. I will wait for you, no matter how long it takes.."
Sota wanted to protest again, but his heart pounded with such joy that he could not. He did not want Haruki to find another mate either—he wanted to be happy with him. So he nodded before returning to his appointed place.
It was hard for him, yet the thought that Haruki was now a little less sad brought him comfort as well.