Storm God Hatus (complete)

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I’ve been really excited to bring you this story! It’s a commission that proved a but of challenge to me, but I had the most fun writing it and bringing the characters to life. Features a black woman lead!

Edit: named has been changed upon request. I apologize for any harm using the original name of this character.

female reader x male monster

All of my earliest memories are of the ocean and my father. For the longest time, all we had was each other. My dad had raised me by himself, working odd jobs at all hours just to make sure I was taken care of.

My grandmother used to keep me, sometimes for days while my father worked. It was her who taught me how to fish. She would take me down to the dock by her lighthouse and there she showed me how to fish, but most importantly, how to respect the ocean.

“There are things in this world we don’t know yet,” she told me. “Most of them are in the water and far below it.”

This always confused me. “What’s below the water?”

She shrugged. “Nobody knows! That is why we must always let the ocean know we respect it. Because you never know what things will come out of it.”

When I was older, my dad would take me out on his boat. He did much more intense types of fishing, so when he had easier jobs, he would take me along. My dad kept a bow above the door to the cabin at all times.

“It’s something your grandfather taught me,” he said. “It had the thanks I give to the water every time we go out.”

“I still don’t get it,” I laughed.

He grins. “The box signifies the storms,” he pointed to the old bow, “it is thunder and lightning. If we keep that power close to us, it shows that we know it could happen at any time.”

“And thanking the water?” I asked.

My dad grinned at me. “It’s just polite.”

It became ingrained in me, all these lessons I learned from my grandmother and my dad. When I got my own boat and started taking my own jobs, I placed a bow above the door to my cabin and I thanked the water every time I set sail.

I’ve always preferred being out on the open water than being on land. Being alone just always suited me best. After my grandmother died I inherited her old lighthouse, it doesn’t work anymore, but it’s a beautiful symbol off the coast and I have my own dock where I don’t need to worry about anything.

Aside from my dad, the only company I usually keep with me is my parakeet Gordon and my dog Sandy. Sandy can sense bad weather, so I always try to have her with me. I know if Sandy starts to act weird or scared that there is foul weather coming and I need to turn my boat around.

Gordon, on the other hand, just yells at me. He likes to think he’s the captain of the boat and he can bark orders at me. He’ll scream things at me like: “rope, rope, rope!” or “anchor, anchor, anchor!” He’ll waddle about the boat, whistling and clicking and if he saw something he didn’t like his feathers would fluff up and he’d throw his head back to scream.

I honestly don’t remember why I thought a bird would be a good idea.

Even before my mom died, she had cut ties with her family. Her sister and her husband were both unscrupulous people. I didn’t know much about them at all and didn’t meet them until I was older. My father had tried to keep me away from them as my mother had wished, but sometimes that is hard to do.

I met them briefly and they claimed to be doctors who helped people. They had stories about my mother and father and why they didn’t want to be around me. Stories that didn’t quite add up in my head, but I went along with it anyways. After all, they were family and I should try to get to know my family.

“It’s for the best you never knew your mother,” my uncle said.

It was the kind of comment you would hear a record scratch even without a record player anywhere near you. I stopped mid bite during my meal and looked up at him them to my aunt to see her reaction. To my horror, she was nodding in agreement.

“She would have been poison on you,” my aunt sighed. “After all, who so willingly cuts their family out of their life like that?”

I was starting to understand my mother. I stopped eating at that second and stood up from my seat. “I would,” I say to them.

“Wait!” My aunt laughed. “What are you talking about?”

I glared at them both. “I would do anything in this world to know my mother,” I scolded them. “How dare you say such a thing when all I’ve wanted in my life is my mother?” I felt near tears but they weren’t worth it. “How bitter do you have to be to wish that on a child? I hope you never hear such things said about you!” I stormed off, leaving them behind me just like my mother did.

I was grateful I never knew them and I would be happy to never see them again as long as I lived.

Unfortunately, life and fate have other plans. Fate is like the ocean itself, you can swim all you want but the currents will do as they please and they will take you where they want to do. And so was my fate, I could doggy paddle away from my aunt and uncle as desperately as I wanted to, but it didn’t mean I was any further away from them.

Out of the blue they contacted me.

“I don’t understand what you want,” I scoff. “You call me up crying like that and ask for my boat?”

“Please,” my aunt begs. “Our business relies on it.”

I highly doubt that but I listen along through her tears.

“There is a cave supposedly on the island chain that has a special type of algae whose stem cells can restore damage on the body. We need it for research but we have no way to pay until after the research is done! We need all the help we can get.”

I sigh, not wanting to have to do anything with them. The island chain is a place I know better than to go. It’s not a place for people on the mainland no matter what rumors and stories you choose to believe.

“Please, Tianie,” my aunt pleaded. “Once we have our research and funding we can pay you back. You’re the only hope we have!”

“Why should I trust you?” I ask. “I haven’t heard anything good about you from my father or people who knew my mother,” I say. “Give me one reason.”

My aunt’s voice shudders. “I am sorry for what was said last time we met. But this project could save lives. Don’t do it for us, do it for the lives that could be.”

I bought it and I had a deep feeling in my gut I would come to regret it. I set up the journey, losing work because of it. I would just charge my aunt and uncle for it later. I decided to take my older ship, knowing the quarters for my aunt and uncle would be uncomfortable for them.

When they arrived they looked more like they were going on vacation rather than heading out to sea to work. My aunt had a wide brimmed hat on and was coating herself in sunscreen, claiming she didn’t want her skin to get darker.

“You know, you should use this too,” she told me as I was helping them load their luggage. “You don’t want to get any darker like your father.”

I had good skin tone, at least I thought. It matched my mother’s creamy, dark complexion. I did have a tendency to get very dark, like my dad, but I didn’t care. Seeing how much my aunt cared it pissed me off.

“I like my dark skin,” I snap at her.

She looks me over and her smile fades. “Oh. I see.’

That was just the beginning. I could see now why my father always said my aunt was picky and judgemental. I bet in one of her many, many suitcases she had a supply of whitening cream.

They didn’t just bring luggage with them either. They also brought on board their hairless chihuahua, Gucci, whose eyes were the biggest part of its body. The poor thing had no teeth so it’s tongue was constantly sticking out of it’s mouth. Even selfish Gordon took pity on the poor thing and he guided it around the ship to make sure it didn’t get hurt.

“Bird’s are so disgusting,” I heard my aunt one day. Gordon screamed at her, fluffing up and flashing his wings and she ran away from him.

“Good boy,” I pet Gordon’s head and he smiled so sweetly at me, it reminded me why I had him.

Over the next few days I put up with my aunt and uncle. They picked at literally everything, the boat, Sandy and Gordon, they picked at my hair, my skin, my weight, my body. I could make a list off each topic of little things they’ve commented on, all in the name of helping me.

Part of me wanted to take my bow down and resend my thanks to the water just so a storm would hit us and end it all.

One day while hiding in the cabin I received a message from my dad. It was a news article about an endangered algae off the coast of the island chain. It was to be protected as it could be used in cheap cosmetic surgery that could ultimately harm people if not used correctly.

My dad was way smarter than I was, or at least, more perceptive than me. He knew right away what my aunt and uncle were up to. I made up my mind and walked out on deck where my aunt and uncle were scoffing at Sandy.

“We’re turning around,” I say.

“What?” My uncle steps towards me. “The water is fine! What’s going on?”

I turn towards them. “The algae is protected. You can’t harvest it.”

My uncle continues to storm up to me. “We need it! People could die without it.”

“And people will die with it,” I snarl. Sandy starts to whine, but I take it as her being nervous about the argument. “I know what’s going on now.” I look between the two of them. “This algae isn’t to save lives it’s for cheap cosmetic surgery! You aren’t doctors, your makeup artists at best!”

“How dare you?” My uncle grabs me and a jolt of fear rips through my body. “You’re taking us to the islands.” He shakes me as he talks.

“What we do matters!” My aunt rambles off behind them.

Sandy whines more and she tucks her tail between her legs. She and Gordon go into the cabin, but Gordon comes back out and drags Gucci into the cabin with them.

“Wait,” I gasp. I slap my uncle’s hand away. “Stop! I think there’s a storm coming.”

“Stop changing your story!” My uncle yells at me, chasing me as i go into the cabin. I lock the door and he starts banging on the glass. “Go down below!” I bark at them.

“Not until you come out!” My aunt screams.

I go to the controls, looking over reports and seeing the changes in the weather clear as day. Sandy hides herself, under my bed and Gordon is screaming.

“Oh god-” I whisper. I look up, seeing the dark clouds coming out of nowhere. The water starts to chop and before I know it there is lightning crashing around us. It all happens so fast. In an instant the storm strikes. I’m not sure if my aunt and uncle made it below deck, but they aren’t my problem at this moment. I try to steer the ship , but fate has other plans for me.

I wake up to the sound of Gordon screaming. My body hurts all over and as I sit up I see my ship has washed ashore. Somehow, we survived. By we, I mean Gordon, Sandy, me, and somehow, Gucci. The boat is sideways, but i can luckily still make it to the door.

I kick open the door, carrying Gucci with me as Gordon flies out and Sandy jumps down onto the sand. I look around, not recognizing where we are.

“Oh shit,” I whisper. “What is this place?”

“Die! Die! Die!” Gordon starts screaming.

“Now isn’t the time, asshole!” I snap at him. I set Gucci down and they just stand there staring blankly as they tongue plops out of their mouth. I take a few deep breaths and try to calm myself, but really, i’m terrified beyond all reason.

I kneel down and all of a sudden I start hearing something that sounds like bells. Even Gordon goes quiet at the sound. I go forward, following the sound. The beach leads towards a lagoon where the water is perfect blue. In the water there are dozens upon dozens of floating bowls. All of them are different sizes and shapes. As they touch together they make the chiming sound.

“What is this?” I whisper.

Gordon jumps into one of the bowls, dragging Gucci with him, and the two start to float away.

“Fucking-” I snarl and grab at one of the bigger bowls. I get inside, setting Sandy with me. The use my hands to paddle through the lagoon, chasing after Gordon and Gucci. After a while, the lagoon leads into a cave. The ringing of the bowls grows louder and deeper, echoing all over the cave. There is a bright blue glow in the water, a bioluminescent algae or something I’m sure. Maybe even the very thing my aunt and uncle had been looking for.

“Oh crap,” I whisper to myself as I remember them. I didn’t look for them and they didn’t seem to be on the beach. “Oh,” I sigh. They’re probably gone.

The cave opens up again, leading out into a great big pool. The pool is surrounded by columns. The ceiling is and open mouth where water rushes down from all sides. The bowls sing and chime, clinking to the steps behind the water.

“Die! Die! Die!” Gordon continues to sing.

“You’re going to!” I snap at him.

Then, I hear the most terrifying sound in the world. I heard someone laughing. I hold my breath and look around. Behind the waterfall someone steps out and into the bowl. The chiming bowls float away from them as they submerge into the water.

“My, my,” he whispers. “What present has been brought to me this day.”

“Shit! Shit! Shit!” Gordon screams.

The man, or what I assume is one, is extremely tall. He looks to be about seven feet, maybe even higher. His body is all earth red and there are hints of turquoise and onyx all over his body. His long black hair drapes down from his head and onto his chest. It floats in the water, creating swirls that look like storm clouds. His face is sharp and pointed, and large teeth jut up from the top and bottom of his mouth.

He reaches out, taking hold of Gordon and Gucci’s bowl. His massive hand looks more like a paw and it could easily fit more than the little bowl.

Gordon jumps up onto the strange creature’s arm, screaming and fluffing up his feathers.

“I can do that as well, little one.” Sudden, from the creatures back feathers fluff up and out. Gordon continues to scream and tries to fluff himself up more. All the while, Gucci and I are just shaking.

The creature laughs. “I like you,” he gently pets the top of Gordon’s head and he begins to calm down.

The creature then turns towards me and Sandy. He stretches out his hand and grabs my bowl, pulling it through the waterfall and to the shore.

Sandy jumps out but I don’t know what to do. I stay in the bowl until the creature comes through the waterfall. I get onto the stairs and stand with Sandy.

“Are you afraid?” The creature asks.

I step back from him as he walks up the stairs. His feathers trail down his back and drag onto the floor like a cape. His long legs go from clay red to pitch black and turn into bird feet with sharp talons.

“Tell me why I should be anything else,” I shiver.

“Because you already paid your respect to me,” he says. “You have nothing to fear from me at this moment.”

I take a deep breath and swallow my heart back down into my chest. “Who are you?”

He kneels down, setting Gucci beside me and Gordon hops off and starts prancing around.

“Hatus! Hatus! Hatus!”

I had never heard Gordon say such words before but then I remember the word carved onto my grandfather’s bow that has stayed on my father’s ship. I look up at the creature as he smiles down at Godron.

“Hatus?” I whisper.

He folds his arm across his stomach and bows. “At your service, young lady.” He then rises. “It has certainly been awhile since a woman has been on my shores. Well, at least one who has the ocean’s favor.”

“I uhm-” I hesitate as I glance over him. The gemstones imbedded in his body, the red clay texture and color of his skin. His strange features which are both bestial and birdlike. He’s strange but beautiful all in one glance.

“The waters brought you to me,” he says. Behind him the bowls are continuing to ring. “They must have ideas.” He lifts his head towards the chime of the bowls. “They say you belong here now.”

“Uh-” I can’t talk. I’m shocked out of my mind.

Hatus holds his strange hand out to me. His hand and wrist are thick and wide and slim back into his arms. He looks like a child wearing his mother’s oven mitts, only with strange fingers.

“Come, you must be exhausted from your journey.” Hatus says.

I take his hand, but only because Gordon is having a ball and Sandy is wagging her tail. Hatus leads me into his home. The place is carved from the red rock of the mountains and smoothed way, making rooms and stairs and columns. As we walk inside, there are strange shimmering creatures that fade through the walls. They dance around, looking like the little weather dolls my grandmother used to make. They had big, round heads and flowing dress like bodies.

“You didn’t not tell me your name,” Hatus says.

“Oh,’ I whisper. “It’s Tianie,” I say nervously. “Uhm where are we?”

“This is my home,” Hatus says. “A place only the ocean knows about.”

I don’t like the sounds of that. “But-”

A door opens and inside there is furniture made from driftwood and dried vines. There is a large bed covered by furs. “You should rest,” Hatus tells me.

I walk into the room, looking around. One wall is covered by flowering vines and there is a waterfall running behind it. Sandy rushes in and jumps on the bed, relieved to finally be able to sleep in comfort. Gordon goes over to the waterfall, climbing up the vines and jutting his head into the water. Gucci stands there.

“After all, the waters have chosen you for me.” He says. “I have been waiting a long time for my bride.”

I lurch. “Wait-” I turn around as the doors close. “What?”

I stand there, feeling very much like Beauty did in the fairy tale. “Did he say-” I turn to Gordon.

“Bride! Bride! Bride!”

“Oh my god,” I whisper and I tangle my fingers into my hair. “Oh my god,” I go and sit down with Sandy who is already happily asleep. “This can’t be happening.”

One of the shimmering creatures then floats into the room through the wall. They dance around for a moment before bowing down before Gordon. They suddenly chuck out a cascade of seed on the ground and Gordon screams in triumph. It then floats over to Gucci and lays on the ground what looks like eggs.  It lays a bone down for Sandy then hands out to me what looks like a loaf of bread. It then vanishes the way it came.

The bread is hot and on closer inspection I see it is actually full of soup. I didn’t think I would be hungry, but I guess the mixture of surviving a freak storm and stress made me. I ate all the soup and the entire bowl.

After what felt like an eternity of waiting, the doors opened and Hatus stood there. “Can you come out?”

“Yes! Yes! Yes!” Gordon starts trotting to the door.

“Not you, little one,” Hatus replies. “I need Tianie.”

I slip off the bed, stepping towards the door. “I really don’t want to go anywhere,” I tell him anxiously.

He holds his big hand out to me. “Come with me, we have much to discuss.”

I look at his hand then up at him. His eyes are bright gray and oddly shaped. I step out of the room and the doors close.

“You don’t look pleased,” he says.

I shake my head.

Hatus scoffs and folds his arms to his chest. “Your little ones seem to be very happy.”

“Gordon would be happy in a prison if someone was giving him positive reinforcement and Sandy is happy as long as the weather is good.” I then clam up and turn away.

Hatus sighs and walks ahead, I follow behind him and I’m not really sure why. The room we walk into has a pool with the chiming bowls in it. The ring softly and hum as they touch the shore. The blue glow radiates all over the room. The atmosphere is like the calm before the storm. It’s peaceful and beautiful but there is an edge.

Hatus goes over to a table in the room, taking a bottle and pouring it. “You have no reason to be afraid here,” he tells me. “Aside from your own doubts.” He hands the cup over to me. “I know why you’re here.”

“I don’t,” I grumble.

“You’re here for me,” Hatus says with a smile. “The water has deemed you worthy. I have been waiting for such a long time.”

I sniff the contents of the cup and find it’s just water.

“So I will do anything for you,” Hatus then says. “Tell me what you want?” He then kneels in front of me as I sip the water. I nearly choke and set the cup down as they tall, powerful creature sits on his knees before me like a begging man.

“O you want wealth? Jewels? Gold?” He holds his hands out, one hand pours and overflows with gold while the other flows with gemstones.

“No,” I gasp. “I don’t-”

“Is it power?” He asks as red fabric starts to pour from his palms. “Tell me and I shall give it.”

I shake my head. “No you don’t have to-”

“Pleasure? Comfort?” From behind him a great big bed rises from the floor and the bowls start to chime even louder. “I’ll give it to you.”

“Whoa,” I whisper and touch my fingertips to my lips.

“Please, command me!” Hatus begs, grabbing my free hand.

I swallow and take a steadying breath. “You don’t have to do any of those things,” I whisper then look down at him. “Stand up.”

He rises and looks down at me. “Is it not enough.”

“Are you joking?” I laugh. “Do you have no clue-” I then stop myself, realizing he really doesn’t. “No, Hatus, it’s more than enough. It’s overkill.” I pat his hand. “But you don’t have to do those things.”

Hatus frowns. “I don’t understand. Do you just not want me?”

“I don’t know you,” I say. “I want to though.”

Hatus grins. “Where shall we begin?”

I smile at him, reassuring myself as well as him. “What are you?” I ask. “Are you a monster? A god?”

Hatus waves his hand and the large bed turns into comfortable chairs and a table. We sit down and Hatus turns himself towards me.

“Why not both?” He says with a grin.

I blush a bit, not sure why. “Is that so?”

He tilts his head to me, his long black hair cascading along the arm of the chair. It looks beautiful and silky and I feel myself wanting to touch it. “I give the waters their storms. I fill the clouds with lightning.”

“Oh,” I whisper.

“The water and I look after one another,” he says. “They promised me long ago to find me a mate and now, here you are. I have had all this time to prepare but I am afraid-” he confesses. “I have no idea what to do with myself or how to act. I want to give you all and everything. But then you say you want nothing.”

“You alone should be enough,” I say.

Hatus looks at me and a smile spreads across his face. “That almost sounds seductive, Tianie,” he says.

My cheeks start to burn. “That’s not my intention.”

Hatus chuckles. “I can still give you pleasure. I saw the look in your eyes when I offered it before.” He inches close to me and sniffs my hair. I feel his teeth brush against my skin and a soft breath escapes his lips.

“I could find  a lot of pleasure in you,” he moans into my ear. He then laughs. “If we worked together, who knows what we would find.”

I press my palm to his chest and push him back. “Yes well,” I clear my throat. “You will just have to wait on that. If that moment ever comes, I mean.” I sit back and take a deep breath. “I still would like to know you first.”

Hatus nods his head. “I will do as you wish,” he says. “But,” he licks his lips. “I will plan for our future. You cannot stop my mind from wandering, I’m afraid.”

“As long as you can keep your mind to yourself, I’m fine with that.”