The sun was already sinking when Damien made his way back through Orario, the streets washed in amber and long shadows. Somewhere between the smell of baked bread and the clatter of closing stalls, a thought settled in his mind.
No point delaying it.
He pushed open the door to the manor.
"Damien! Welcome back!" Hestia called from inside, cheerful as ever. "What do you want to eat today?"
He paused, really looked at her, then asked, "Mikoto and the others from Takemikazuchi Familia are still here, right?"
Hestia nodded. "Yeah. They're still catching up with Haruhime. Lots of crying, lots of hugging."
A small smile curved his lips. "Good."
Then, without any buildup, he said, "Get dressed. We're going out. Just you and me. Let them have the house to themselves. Tonight's ours."
Hestia blinked.
Once. Twice.
"…Huh?"
The words finally landed. Her eyes went wide, color flooding her cheeks in an instant. "W-What?! Now? So suddenly? I need to change, and fix my hair, and maybe—"
"Hestia," Damien said gently, cutting through her frantic spiral.
She stopped.
"You don't need to do any of that. Not with me." He smiled at her, calm and sincere. "You're always beautiful in my eyes. Come on. Let's go."
For a moment, she just stared at him. Then she fumbled with her ribbon, tightening it with trembling fingers, her face burning red.
"…You really know how to say things that aren't fair," she muttered, half flustered, half smiling.
She took a breath, straightened up, and nodded. "Okay. Let's go."
As they stepped outside together, the last light of the day spilling over Orario, Hestia's heart was beating far faster than it had any right to.
....
The Path of Lanterns breathed softly around them, the northern district far from the rowdy pulse of taverns and shouting adventurers. Here, the air carried paper-light warmth and the faint scent of oil and evening flowers. Lanterns hung like captured stars, their glow stretching long and gentle across the stone path as Damien and Hestia walked side by side, unhurried, hands entwined.
Hestia tightened her fingers around his, as if anchoring herself to the moment.
"You know…" she began, her voice quieter than usual, softer around the edges, "I spent almost two months in absolute poverty."
Damien didn't interrupt. He slowed just a little, giving her space to speak.
"I left the hearth in Heaven because I wanted a family of my own," she continued, eyes fixed ahead. "Not followers. Not worshippers. Children. But when I came here… it hurt more than I expected. Mortals live harshly. I had nothing. I had to rely on Hephaestus' grace. She gave me a church. A little valis to survive."
A faint laugh escaped her, dry but not bitter. "Funny, right? From a revered goddess to nothing at all."
She paused, lanternlight catching in her eyes.
"But I didn't hate it," she said. "I really didn't. I kept believing that one day, I'd make a happy Familia. A place of warmth. Of respect. Of love." Her grip tightened. "I failed, of course. No one wanted to belong to a poor goddess with no name, no power, no connections."
Her steps slowed.
"When I went to that tournament… I knew. I felt it. That I'd meet one of my children that day. But I was scared." She swallowed. "Scared I'd be rejected again. Still, I wrote that offer as honestly as I could, thinking that even if you refused, maybe someone else wouldn't."
She finally looked at him, a small smile trembling at the corners of her lips.
"And then you chose me. Out of everyone."
Damien stopped walking.
"It was only natural," he said softly. "I didn't have a Familia either."
He turned to face her fully, the lanterns framing them like a quiet audience. "You remember when I told you I suspected I was a demi-god?"
Hestia gave him a knowing look.
"I knew you were lying," she said gently.
He smiled, apologetic. "Sorry about that. The truth is… my origin is complicated. Dangerous, maybe. I want to tell you one day. I really do. But I'm afraid of what it might cause."
He exhaled, gaze drifting upward before returning to her. "What I can tell you is who I was before this world. I was alone. I lived normally, talked to people, but I never belonged anywhere. No love. No real friends. No home."
His voice didn't crack, but something deeper shifted beneath it.
"When I woke up in the forest outside Orario, I was terrified. I almost died. And yet…" he chuckled quietly, "I was happy. I walked into this city and found people who cared. People I call friends. Family."
His eyes softened as they settled on her.
"And I found you. Someone who cared about me without conditions. So thank you, Hestia. For the warmth you gave me when I didn't even know I was cold."
Hestia smiled, radiant and sincere. "That's all I've ever wanted," she said. "The happiness of my children."
Damien laughed lightly, brushing the moment aside before it grew too heavy. "Alright, enough emotions before we both combust. Let's get you fed."
They ended up at a small stall run by an elderly demi-human couple, nothing fancy, nothing loud. Just warmth. Steamed meat skewers, fresh bread, and sweet fruit wine that warmed the chest with every sip. They ate together, sharing bites, laughter, quiet glances that said more than words.
Midway through the meal, Damien asked, "Hestia… what do you desire most for our Familia?"
She didn't answer right away. She thought. Really thought.
"I don't want them to be famous," she said at last.
She watched his face to make sure he was listening. He was.
"I don't want people to whisper our name because we're strong, or rich, or scary. I want them to smile when they hear it." She turned fully toward him. "I want my Familia to be a place people can come back to. Even after they fail. Especially after they fail."
Her fingers curled into her sleeve, shy but resolute.
"If they grow strong, fine. If they become legends, fine. But I want them to stay kind. I want them to protect each other because they care, not because it's useful."
Her voice dropped, barely above the hum of the lanterns.
"If one day I disappear… I want them to still have each other."
She blinked once, then smiled again, gentler. "That's my dream. Not a powerful Familia. A warm one."
Damien stood.
Hestia rose too, confused for a heartbeat, until he knelt before her. He took her hand and pressed his lips to it, reverent and sincere.
"I don't kneel easily," he said. "Not to gods. Not to anyone. But you make the world feel warmer." He looked up at her. "So here and now, I swear this. For the rest of my life, I'll make your dream my mission. As your captain. As your family."
His grip tightened, steady and unyielding. "For you, Hestia. I'll do everything."
She didn't even try to stop herself.
Hestia threw her arms around him, hugging him fiercely, desperately. "Meeting you, Damien… was the best thing that ever happened to me."
He leaned close, whispering, "Me too, Goddess."
And then she kissed him.
Not a goddess's ritual. Not a playful tease. A genuine kiss, trembling and real, born from warmth and trust. For the immortal virgin goddess of the hearth, untouched by countless suitors, she chose this moment. This mortal. This warmth.
The lanterns burned quietly, bearing witness to a promise that felt less like destiny and more like home.
/*\
If you Like this story! Check out my other story ! Sukuna in DC!
AND
If you wish to read more or simply support me just because ? than check out my patreon at
"https://www.patreon.com/Riadooo"
You can Get Access to 3 More Chapters OR 7 More Chapters if you want !