AN: New story! I hope you all enjoy!
Hephaestion knocked quietly on the door to his and Alexander's rooms that was ajar. The moon was just rising, and so it was time to start the festivities that would honor the goddess of the Moon, Artemis. Hephaestion himself was dressed in a clean, darkly-dyed chiton with a bow slung over his back, as Orion, Artemis' only lover and male companion. Hephaestion smiled to himself as he awaited Alexander's reply, knowing just who Alexander would be playing for the night.
"My Goddess, are you ready?" He swung the door open just a bit more, seeing that he was right as he spied Alexander at his own dressing table, struggling to manage his unruly, blond curls into something suitable for the part he was portraying that night.
"Yes, I- Ow! Fuck!" As the bone hair comb snagged on a curl. Alexander was clearly frustrated as he turned around in his chair and threw the comb as hard as he could across the room, falling into a pout.
"Uh oh," Hephaestion gave him a teasing smile as he went to where the comb had fallen, thankfully undamaged, and picked it up, still playing his part, "Such foul words coming from such sweet lips. Is my Goddess upset?"
"Go away, Phai."
By this time, Hephaestion had approached the chair and his upset lover from behind, and so bent closer to whisper into his ear, "Would you like some help, my Goddess?"
"No."
"I can help. Let me help, Artemis. I am here to serve only you."
Alexander seemed to think about this, and then waved his hand in a vague allowance. With this allowance, Hephaestion picked up the brush that lay quiet on the vanity, taking a handful of freshly washed, messy curls before gently running the brush through them. Alexander sighed in relief when no pain accompanied the action.
"Thank you…" He tipped his head back and Hephaestion bent to meet him halfway in a soft kiss.
"Anything for you, my Goddess. Comb, please," once Hephaestion had Alexander's defiant curls in a thong at the top of his head in a wild bun, the comb was handed over easily, and was nestled on top of the thong where it was exposed, "Perfect,' he helped his love turn where he sat and took in the whole of his attire, from the gray frock he wore to the bow and arrows slung over his back, much like Hephaestion's Orion had, "Beautiful," hand in the strands of hair that were loose on the back of Alexander's neck, Hephaestion swept them to the side with a touch lighter than air, kissing the secret place at the top of Alexander's jaw, right under his left ear.
"Phai… Ungh…" He let his head roll to the side, biting his lip in a futile attempt to keep the moan that escaped inside.
Hephaestion was enjoying this "game" of theirs, as anyone looking at him would have been able to tell, "Such a sound from my little virgin goddess."
"Be quiet Ori, please… No more…" Alexander pushed him away weakly, but his still turned head told Hephaestion otherwise; he was playing his part all too well.
Hephaestion looked him over from where he stood, eyes sparkling but violet with lust, much like the stars of the constellation which the made up the hero he was portraying at the moment, "Just because Apollo thinks he is a man without limits does not mean you have to make up for his faults, my Goddess."
The comment had the desired effect, as suddenly the indignant anger only befitting a goddess flowed through Alexander's body without his realizing it and he rounded on Hephaestion, "My brother is the sun god, Apollo! He deserves your utmost reverence, and I will be sure he receives it!"
Hephaestion realized his mistake and bent on one knee with his head bowed in apology, "Forgive me, my goddess, I did mean to offend."
"Never mind," Alexander pouted, turning back to the vanity at which he sat, playing with the container that held the pale blush which he now wore.
Hephaestion realized then that something was bothering his soulmate, and with a soft creak of the wood slung across his back, he knelt down and looked up at his lover, "Xander, hey… Look at me. Look at me, please Love," when Alexander finally did look at him, Hephaestion continued, "What is it, what's wrong?"
"Will- will she be proud of me?" Alexander's voice was a tight whisper, his throat closed by unshed tears. At this point, he had begun to stand, clutching the table's edge with one hand for support.
Hephaestion realized immediately what Alexander meant. Ever since they were fourteen, Hephaestion had watched as Alexander tried again and again to please his mother, Olympias. Hephaestion expected that this behavior had started long before he knew Alexander, but the result was the same nonetheless; Alexander was constantly concerned with pleasing everyone he loved or revered, but this was especially true with the women in his life or the goddesses he prayed to. Hephaestion privately hated the queen for her hand in Alexander's insecurity. But he loved Alexander without question or waver.
"She will be honored that you are representing her tonight, Alexander. I am," he leaned in to kiss both Alexander's worried brow and his lightly painted lips.
Alexander's differently colored eyes misted over and he ducked his head in embarrassment, at the same time quietly admonishing his concerned lover for smudging his makeup, even though Hephaestion had done no such thing.
"Your makeup is perfect, Love. Come sit down with me, you're worrying me that you might collapse where you stand."
"I feel I will be sick. My stomach… Where is my daimon? Where is Peritas?" Frantically turning this way and that in search of the wolf-dog, Alexander's knees shook violently underneath him, and he did almost collapse.
Hephaestion caught him however, and eased him over to their bed, where he helped him sit down gently, "Peritas is just beside you. You are safe. Now, you must be calm or you will cause yourself to lose yourself to the gods," Hephaestion used their euphemism for Alexander's episodes caused by his Sacred Disease.
"No, I'm all right… Oh my head…" He raised a weak hand to his brow.
"I will go to the kitchens and get you your tonic. It will be all right. Lay down or you will fall," even as he said this, Hephaestion eased his King and true love into his arms and then laid him down gently so that his golden-haired head lay softly on the pillow.
"Phai..."
"Shh, rest. I will be back soon. Close your eyes and rest, my Goddess. You will not even know I was gone," As he said this, Hephaestion put down the bow he had carried across his back.
When Alexander had done as his lover and Companion had requested, Hephaestion snuck from their rooms and hurried to find someone whom could give Alexander aid.
"Ptolemy, Cleitus! Thank the gods! Alexander is unwell. We were playing, and his emotions got the better of him."
"Is he in a fit?" This came from Cleitus, the eldest of the three, and Alexander's honorary uncle.
"No, but he has a migraine. And his stomach is causing him pain."
"Alright, alright, there's no need to panic. Ptolemy, go entertain. Make them all drunk if you must," as Ptolemy ran off to meet his task, Cleitus turned to Hephaestion, and grabbed him by the elbow, "Come with me, Child." This was ironic, since Hephaestion's own panic caused him to seem helpless and small.
Regardless, Hephaestion did as his elder said, and followed Cleitus to his and Alexander's rooms. They found Alexander faced away from the inner door to their rooms, curled into himself from pain. Hephaestion saw this and immediately went to the bed and made his presence known to his soulmate. When Alexander reached out to him, Hephaestion met him and laid down beside him, allowing him to simply curl into his body and hide away from the world.
"Shush… I have you. You are safe. Shush, shh…" Hephaestion was sure to hold Alexander as close as possible while stroking his long blond curls, being as gentle as he could, "I know it hurts… Cleitus is going to get your mint tonic—"
Alexander let out a low, wailing whine, squinting up at his lover while clutching his temples, "You forgot it? My tonic? You forgot it? I have to suffer this god-damning pain even longer?"
Hephaestion could only kiss his wrinkled brow in way of apology, "I can get a cold cloth. It could numb some of the pain."
"And ice. Ice," Alexander demanded, no longer caring about any of the things that were happening around him, or the roles they were supposed to be portraying at that moment for the festival.
"Yes, my Goddess," Hephaestion quietly resigned as he left their bed and his king's side.
"Fuck you. Fuck everyone."
Hephaestion sighed as he finally left their rooms and nearly collided with Cleitus who was coming back with the tonic, "He is not very allowing at the moment, Cleitus."
"When he is in pain, he never is, Child. Go, I have him for now."
"I will never understand how he can take an arrow to the breast and want to be back out on the battlefield the moment it is removed, but a migraine can render-"
"People respond to different kinds of pain differently, Phaistion. Remember that," Cleitus interrupted him, staring him down before responding to a scream of pain inside the suite, "I had best get this to him. Remember what I said, Child."
"Yes, Sir."
Cleitus opened the bedroom door, being met with a yell of absolute pain and fury.
"HEPHAESTION AMYNTOROS, ICE, NOW!"
"I am going, my sweet Goddess! I guess we should hurry," he gave Cleitus a small, apologetic smile.
"Do not worry. I have dealt with much worse. Worry about the ice. I will care for him until you return."
"Thank you."
It wasn't long before Hephaestion returned with ice wrapped in a wet cloth to hopefully help Alexander's migraine. Alexander grabbed for the cloth with desperate fingers and put it to his brow, only to wail when the remedy did not work immediately.
"Skatά! Den leitoyrgeí, den ergάsimh! Eímai kaytóς!"
"Okay, it will be okay. You have to let the ice do its work to cool you down. Just relax. Yes, relax. Shh…" Upon realizing that he was hot, they had stripped him of the top half of his costume and he lay upon the bed, panting as if he had run a marathon and could no longer catch his breath, "Relax, breathe. You need to calm down. The hurt will lessen when you calm down and gain control of your emotions."
But Alexander was wild, no longer listening, "Phai, Phai, I can not breathe!"
Always rational, Hephaestion remained calm and gentle, "You can and you are. Slow your breaths. Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale."
"I need you…" came the whimper, along with wet eyes.
Hephaestion could not find it in himself to resist his lover's request, and so climbed back into bed with him, wrapping him in his arms and holding him close. After a moment of silence, Alexander slightly pulled away from his embrace.
"Phai?"
"Hm?" Hephaestion sighed in answer, carding his fingers through Alexander's soft curls.
"Will you tell her I'm sorry?"
Knowing he was speaking of Artemis, Hephaestion replied, "She knows you feel unwell. There is no reason to be sorry. We will hold the festival another night."
"Okay. And Phai?"
"Yes, Xander?"
"I love you."
"I love you too, Alexander. Sick or well, I will always love you."
Translations:
Skatά! Den leitoyrgeí, den ergάsimh! Eímai kaytóς! - Fuck! Not working, it's not working! I am hot!
AN: All translations were done using a translator. Hope you all enjoyed!