Hephaistion was angry. His face was red and eyes were filled with barely restrained fury. He could hear the party raging on inside the royal hall, but he felt very little interest in going inside. It wasn't that he was not having a good time. He was. But then someone had to ruin it.
Someone. With stupid golden hair and stupid two colored eyes and stupid red lips.
The brunette continued his frantic pacing in the balcony. It was nearly dark save the distant haze of the city lights and a few lamps in the corridors. Cool breeze was doing very little to soothe his frayed nerves. His inner monologue was interrupted by the sound of footsteps. Hephaistion shook his head exasperatedly and turned his back to the silent intruder to look out of the balcony.
It was then that he heard a mild query, "Phai?"
Hephaistion turned back with lightening speed and glared ferociously at his lover.
"You didn't have to do that!" he roared.
Alexander gulped nervously. Very rarely had he seen Phai so angry. He looked at his lover and answered sheepishly, "He was staring at your thighs….!" He opened his mouth to say something else but promptly stopped at the fierce look directed at him.
Hephaistion took a couple of steps towards the golden haired man and shook his head.
"He was just a boy Alex. He was about to wet his pants when you looked at him !" he said.
"He was giving you eyes Phai!" whined Alexander, as if that justified his terrifying an innocent man who was following Phai in the party like a love sick puppy.
"And he gave you a flower too!" he further grumbled.
"Which you snatched from my hands and chewed up." replied the brunette with narrowed eyes.
Alexander blushed. He really shouldn't have bitten the flower. It was beyond childish. But he was a little jealous. Phai was holding the flower as if it was the best thing in the world. It made him pretty angry and he ended up eating it's petals. "I will give you another one?" he sheepishly asked.
Hephaistion snorted. "No I don't need flowers. You'll eat them too!" he answered back. He was still mad at the possessive display of his lover. "You see my king…." he began, "Appreciating beauty is not a crime!" Then he turned his back to his king and waited for the outburst.
Alexander spluttered in surprise. "What?" he cried. "You want everyone to appreciate your beauty Phai?" he added in a raised voice. He had no idea why his lover was being so difficult. These parties were full of lecherous eyes who liked to mentally undress his lover. His Phai was unblemished and he would let no one mar that. He had to make Phai realize that. Giving a secret smile he whispered in the brunette's ears,
"You are right Phai. Forgive me?"
Hephaistion gave his lover an incredulous look. It wasn't like his Alex to concede defeat so easily. Normally he had great trouble in making Alexander see his mistake.
His doubts were confirmed when he saw Alexander taking off his robe to reveal a very short chiton. It fit his body like a second skin and hardly left anything to imagination. He extended his hands to Hephaistion and crooned invitingly, "It's so warm out here. Let's go inside Phai!"
The cyan eyed man swallowed nervously. He hated the idea of seeing Alexander prance in the party with hardly anything on. "Why..why did you take off the robe?" he grumbled.
Alexander gave a beatific smile. "It's so warm Phai. And there's no harm in others' looking you know? Appreciating beauty is not a crime."
Hephaistion shook his head fondly. He could talk the talk very well. But the thought of Alexander going in there with barely anything on chilled him. These crowds were always teeming with dirty minds touching his golden one with invisible hands. He couldn't let that happen. Sometimes he wished his lover didn't know how to read him like an open book.
He stepped towards his lover and hastily pulled up the robe on the royal shoulders. "I take my words back. Happy now?" he huffed. In answer Alexander pulled out something from under his robe and whispered, " For you Phai. Beautiful , perfect and uneaten!" Hephaistion looked down to find a white lily in the hands of Alexander. He blushed at the loving words and accepted the gift. With a look full of mischief he said, "How could you resist eating it? I know you want to!"
Alexander laughed aloud. "It's too beautiful to eat Phai!" he murmured..a blush staining his face. He knew he would never be allowed to forget it. But the flower had managed to cool his Phai off. He was happy.
The party was forgotten in an instant. Holding their hands together they went back to their room with the lily clutched tightly in their hands.
But soon the lily was forgotten too and was replaced by something more beautiful and profound.