Drabble – Pack
An emotion that Alexander didn't like was slowly and painfully eating away at him. He hated the feeling gnawing away at his insides. The feeling was guilt. Earlier in the day, he and Hephaestion had had a 'discussion'. Words had been exchanged and they had each went their separate ways a little quieter than usual. Now his words had come back to haunt him as Alexander paced his room.
He decided to go see how Hephaestion was doing. He wouldn't apologize, of course, but it wouldn't hurt to see how his old friend was faring.
He took his time arriving at Hephaestion's rooms. He stopped several times to talk to people he met, straightened a few chairs along the way and retied his sandals a couple of times for good measure, all the time delaying his arrival. Finally he found himself planted in front of the doors.
He hesitated long enough for Hephaestion's guards to look at him questionably. He smiled back at them, cleared his throat several times, and then tentatively pushed the door open. The guards continued to watch as he peeked around the slightly open door and then grinned at them again before he finally entered the room.
Hephaestion had his back to Alexander and didn't hear him silently enter. He didn't see Alexander suck on his lower lip or his eyebrows come closed together. He also missed the complete look of horror on Alexander face when he realized what Hephaestion was in the middle of doing.
"What are you doing?" Asked Alexander, as he looked at the trunk half-full in front of Hephaestion.
"Packing." Said Hephaestion, surprised to see Alexander there.
"You don't have to leave… I don't want you to leave…why are you leaving…it was just a misunderstanding…I never meant for it to get out of hand like that…please don't go…I promise it will never happen again…you were right…you always are…I won't let you go no matter what you say…I will be better, you'll see.
All the while the string of words were pouring from Alexander's mouth, he was alternating between pulling things out of the trunk, to hugging Hephaestion and then back to the trunk again. Hephaestion remained silent through the speech and just listened.
"Now promise me you won't go, everything is all right again…right?" Alexander said with a pout.
"I will never leave you, Alexander, I promise. But you can be a stubborn arse sometimes."
Alexander smiled broadly, his world neatly in place again. "What should we do today? Let's do something fun."
"I really have to…"
"I'll help you then, what can I help you do?" Alexander asked, so relieved that he had convinced Hephaestion not to abandon him. He carelessly tossed the remaining items from the trunk unto the floor.
"You can help me pack."
"Huh?" Alexander said, the look of horror returning.
"I was packing for the diplomatic trip you were sending me on when you came in." Hephaestion grinned mischievously.
"Oh, and thanks for the apology." He added.