TITLE: "What I want"
RATING: PG
DISCLAMER: I don't know the people involved; they belong to History and to themselves.
No warnings.
NO BETA so all mistakes are mine.
The old teacher approached calmly to one (if not the only) of his favourite students. My dear boy is too deep in his thoughts whispered the teacher that he has not acknowledged my presence.
Aristotle set a hand onto Hephaestion's shoulder and patted it.
"Oh! Sorry Master Aristotle, I didn't hear you coming" said the brunette young man with a tiny voice.
"I know, my boy, I know. Is there something worrying your soul?"
"Yes, Master and I don't know what to do. I feel so clueless."
"Well, would you like to share your worries with me? Or perhaps you could tell Alexander about this."
"No! I can't speak about this with him" said Hephaestion blushing deeply.
"Ah! I see, so your problem is love" said the teacher, sitting next to his young student.
"How did you know?"
"You gave me some hints"
"Did I?" asked the boy astonished.
"Yes, first of all, you were so concentrated with your problem that you didn't see me up to the moment I patted your shoulder. That means that the topic was too dear to you or to important. Second, you share every idea with Alexander and if you cannot do it now it is because he is part of the problem and you don't want him to worry. And finally you blushed deeply and your eyes got a bit clouded" explained the teacher calmly.
"Oh, by sweet Aphrodite, if you could discover my feelings in question of seconds, Alexander could realize about this too" said Hephaestion, breathing heavily.
"And what is the problem if he does?" asked Aristotle.
"He can't know, master, and you must help me in hiding my feelings from him."
"But why would you want to hide such a pure feeling? Don't you want to be loved back?"
"Of course I do but this love will be an unrequited love?" said Hephaestion sadly.
"Why do you think that? Is Alexander already in love with someone else?"
"I don't think so, he'd have told me if he were."
"And haven't you thought that he maybe is in the same situation like you?"
"That's impossible, master, he cannot be in love with me, he is the heir to the Macedonian throne, he needs to marry and have children to secure his future kingdom and I am just a boy"
"Do you think so?"
"Well, he is always talking about how much he cares about our friendship, how he wants us to go together to conquer further lands, how he enjoys my company, how he'd like his dreams be mine too, how he wants …" Hephaestion stopped in the middle of his next sentence and gasped for air.
Aristotle laughed loudly and looking at those oceanic pools of heaven, filled with love and pride, asked:
"And what do you want, Hephaestion?"
Hephaestion looked at his teacher and humbly said:
"I just want to give him all my tomorrows"