Two months later, Dario found himself in the strangest situation of his admittedly strange life—sitting in a coffee shop in downtown Chicago, grading freshman composition papers while Cassius offered commentary on the students' writing abilities.
This one shows promise, Cassius observed as Dario marked up an essay about social media. Her argument structure reminds me of the great orators of ancient Rome.
"I'll be sure to tell her she writes like Cicero," Dario murmured, earning a curious look from the student at the next table.
Life had settled into something resembling normalcy in the weeks since the cathedral confrontation. The corrupted gods were gone, the network of hosts was rebuilding under Sarah's guidance, and Dario had somehow managed to convince his professors to let him make up the coursework he'd missed while saving the world.
The biggest change, though, was sitting across from him, frowning at his own stack of papers.
"I think this student plagiarized his entire essay from Wikipedia," Marcus said, holding up a particularly egregious example.
"Welcome to the joys of being a TA," Dario replied. "Wait until you get to the one who tried to turn in song lyrics as a personal narrative."
Marcus had transferred to the University of Chicago, officially to study comparative mythology under a professor who specialized in divine possession narratives. Unofficially, he was there because they'd all agreed the network needed a permanent presence in the city, and because...
Well, because Dario had finally worked up the courage to ask him on an actual date.
It had taken three weeks after the cathedral incident, three weeks of awkward conversations and meaningful glances and Luna making increasingly unsubtle comments about emotional availability. Finally, Sarah had intervened.
"Ask him out," she'd said bluntly during one of their weekly network coordination meetings. "You're both being ridiculous, and it's affecting your ability to focus on important work."
"It's complicated—"
"It's not complicated. You like him, he likes you, you've literally been destined for each other since before humans existed. The only complicated part is your inability to act on obvious mutual attraction."
So Dario had asked. And Marcus had said yes with a smile so bright it could have powered the electrical grid.
Their first official date had been dinner at a small Italian restaurant, where they'd talked for four hours about everything except divine possession, ancient wars, or cosmic responsibility. It had been wonderfully, perfectly normal.
Their second date had been to a museum, where they'd wandered through exhibits of ancient artifacts while Aurelius and Cassius provided commentary on historical accuracy.
That one was mine, Aurelius had said when they passed a Greek statue. Though the sculptor took considerable artistic license with my nose.
You were always vain about your nose, Cassius had replied fondly.
Their third date had been a picnic in the park, where they'd finally kissed for the first time as Marcus and Dario rather than as vessels for ancient gods.
It had been perfect.
"Hey," Marcus said now, interrupting Dario's reminiscence. "Earth to Dario. You're supposed to be grading, not staring into space with a dopey smile."
"I don't have a dopey smile."
"You absolutely have a dopey smile. What were you thinking about?"
"Our first kiss."
Marcus's cheeks flushed slightly. "In the middle of a coffee shop? Really?"
"It was a good kiss."
"It was a great kiss," Marcus agreed. "But maybe save the detailed reminiscing for later? We're supposed to meet Sarah in an hour."
Dario checked his watch and swore. They were supposed to be at the new safe house by six for a network meeting, and he'd gotten distracted by both grading and Marcus's presence.
"How many papers do you have left?" he asked.
"Six. You?"
"Eight."
"Race you. Loser buys dinner."
"You're on."
They bent over their respective stacks with renewed focus, red pens flying as they dispensed academic judgment. Around them, the coffee shop buzzed with the normal sounds of college life—students complaining about deadlines, friends making weekend plans, couples arguing about everything and nothing.
It was beautifully, wonderfully ordinary.
Twenty minutes later, Marcus slammed down his pen in triumph. "Done!"
"Damn," Dario muttered, finishing his last comment. "You win."
"I know exactly where I want to go for dinner too."
"Oh yeah? Where?"
Marcus grinned. "That Thai place where we had our first real conversation. The one where you told me about your unusual roommate situation."
"Sentimental much?"
"Maybe a little."
They packed up their papers and headed out into the early evening air. Chicago in spring was beautiful, full of the promise of warm weather and long days ahead.
"Can I ask you something?" Dario said as they walked.
"When did you know? About us, I mean. Not the cosmic destiny part, but the real feelings."
Marcus was quiet for a moment, considering.
"The coffee shop," he said finally. "Not the one where we just were, the one where we first met. When you helped me up after I ran into you, and our hands touched... I felt something I'd never felt before. Not just Aurelius recognizing Cassius, but something purely human. Purely me."
"Really?"
"Really. I spent the rest of that day trying to convince myself it was just supernatural recognition, but..." He shrugged. "I've never been good at lying to myself."
"And you waited this long to say anything?"
"Well, you were dating someone else. And then we were busy preventing the apocalypse. And then you needed time to process everything that had happened." Marcus stopped walking and turned to face him. "I would have waited longer if you'd needed it."
"Even if I'd chosen to stay with Sarah?"
"Even then. Love isn't about getting what you want, Dario. It's about wanting the other person to be happy, even if that happiness doesn't include you."
Dario felt his heart do something complicated in his chest. "I love you too," he said. "Just so we're clear."
"Good," Marcus said, leaning in for a quick kiss that tasted like coffee and promise. "Because I was starting to worry this whole destined soulmates thing was one-sided."
"Definitely not one-sided."
They resumed walking, hands linked, comfortable in each other's presence in a way that felt both ancient and entirely new.
"So," Dario said. "Network meeting. Think Sarah has any new crises for us to solve?"
"Probably. Saving the world is apparently a full-time job."
"Could be worse."
"How?"
"We could be doing it alone."
Marcus squeezed his hand. "Never again."
As they walked toward whatever new adventure awaited them, Dario reflected on how much his life had changed in just a few months. He'd gained a cosmic roommate, lost and found love, prevented universal destruction, and discovered that the quiet psychology student he'd been dating was actually the avatar of the most powerful being in existence.
All things considered, it had been a pretty eventful semester.
But looking at Marcus beside him, feeling the steady presence of Cassius in his mind, knowing that Sarah was building something beautiful and important with her newfound power... Dario thought he could get used to this strange new normal.
After all, everybody needed a purpose in life.
His just happened to be a little more cosmic than most.