Drabble – Bargain
Alexander had about as much frustration as he could handle for one day, too many meetings, discussions and bargaining's for one man to take during a short period of time. He was tired, crabby and in a terrible mood. It was too bad that the next person he saw was Hephaestion.
Hephaestion smiled brightly at him as they met in the hall and received a scowl in return. "Bad day?"
"I don't think it can get any worse."
"I have a proposition for you that can make it better."
After the rotten day he had, Alexander retorted back. "Oh really, and what's in it for me?"
Alexander's day just got worse.
Hephaestion stopped dead in his tracks and didn't say a word. Alexander had failed to notice that he was now stomping on alone and it took him awhile to realize that he was now proceeding down the hall by himself. When he finally looked to his right and saw only walls, he turned to look behind him.
Hephaestion was still standing in the middle of the hallway. For a minute Alexander couldn't figure out why he wasn't still walking beside him. All of the days' muddled activities clouded his mind and he couldn't even recall the conversation he had been having with Hephaestion only minutes before. Something must have happened because Hephaestion was not happy anymore.
Hephaestion did a ninety-degree turn and started walking down another hallway, away from Alexander.
"Hephaestion!" Alexander called after him but didn't follow him. He decided he would catch up to him later after he took a nice long hot bath.
The next couple of hours were better and he finally began to unwind. His mind returned to the conversation he had with Hephaestion and he groaned out loud when he remembered how it had went.
Hephaestion had offered him comfort, relief of all of his tensions and love and his own response had been lacking considerably. Alexander gathered some needed articles and made his way to Hephaestion's rooms…they were empty.
As he stood in the middle of the room, he heard Hephaestion coming down the hall and talking to someone. They stood and talked outside the door for a minute and then parted with Hephaestion entering his room. He took one look at Alexander and nodded.
Alexander cringed thinking this could take awhile.
He pulled the single rose from the things in his hands and presented it to his lover.
"What is that for?"
"For me being an idiot."
"I only get one rose, you were more of an idiot than that."
"How about this too?"
"Honey cakes?"
Alexander nodded as he handed them carefully across the desk.
"What else you got?" Hephaestion asked.
A little smile crept in the corner of Alexander's mouth, as he knew he was making progress.
"Anything you want… anything."
"What if I want it all?"
"It's yours."
"Don't you want to make a bargain and know what's in it for you?"
Alexander smiled. "I'll let you decide."