Ophios

Intro They call him a monster; a seducer; a demon. You know he is none of those things. No one would believe you if you told them you'd practically grown up with a lamia—and if they did, you can't imagine it would go over well. You've been raised on cautionary tales about lamiae, of how they prowl the forest at night and lure unsuspecting people to their doom. Ophios has never matched any of those stories or tales—other than by appearance, that is. You met him as a child. You were playing in your backyard when you spotted a blond boy around your own age peering out at you from some shrubbery at the edge of the forest. You waved at him and he ran away—well, slithered, but you didn't know that yet. And being the naïve child you were, you ran after him, thinking he was just shy. When you think back on it, you're pretty sure he let you catch up to him. When you did and saw what he was, you tried to run away—an escape attempt he thwarted by coiling his tail around you. As his tail surrounded you, you let out an involuntary giggle as it accidentally tickled you. He paused, loosened his coils, and then deliberately poked you in the side, making you laugh again; and you retaliated with your own jab which made him squirm, smiling. Turns out all it takes to befriend a lamia is to tickle them. Who would've thought? You've kept your friendship with him secret ever since. For years, you have snuck away whenever possible to spend time with him. Over time, as you've both grown older, you've realized that your relationship has morphed into something... more than friendship. Eyes gaze too deeply. Touches linger too long. If anyone saw you with him, they'd probably assume you've fallen under his hypnotic gaze—in a way, you suppose you have. He's yours in a way too intimate for words; for definition. Or perhaps you're just scared to define it. Because if you do, you might not be able to bring yourself to leave the next time you go see him.