Their arrival back in camp was met with shouts of greeting from the men. The camp cooks had been preparing a feast and the smell of roasting meat filled the air. The mood in camp was happy and relaxed, and a sea of smiling, laughing faces greeted Alexander and his companions.
Alexander slid from Bucephalus' broad back, patting the big stallion on the neck affectionately before turning him over to a groom. He turned and waited for Hephaestion to dismount as well. "Hephaestion, I think I am going to go and wash some of this oil off and change into some clean clothing." He glanced around briefly. "Come with me?"
Hephaestion nodded and followed Alexander to the royal tent. He stood just inside the doorway, watching as Alexander gathered some clean clothing to change into. "Alexander…" he said softly.
Alexander turned, cocking his head questioningly. "Yes, Hephaestion? What is it?"
Hephaestion stepped forward, placing his hands on Alexander's shoulders, his expression warm. "I want to thank you for today. For everything. I…" he hesitated, "I cannot begin to tell you how I am feeling. Humbled, I guess. Honored. Loved. Grateful perhaps?" He shook his head. "Those words aren't sufficient, but they are all that I have."
Alexander smiled, a warm, loving smile. He reached up and gently took Hephaestion's face in his hands. "You have no need to thank me. I said nothing today that was not true. Hephaestion…." He pressed a light kiss against Hephaestion's lips…"I love you. You know that. I probably don't say it enough, but I hope today I was able to show you exactly what you mean to me." He kissed him again softly. "You truly are my Patroclus. I would be lost without you by my side. I don't think I could do any of this without you. I'm not sure I'd even want to."
Hephaestion said nothing, simply taking in what Alexander had said. He hadn't thought he could love Alexander any more than he already did, but it seems he was wrong. His heart felt like it was going to burst with joy. There were no words necessary. Leaning forward slightly, he claimed Alexander's lips in a long, tender kiss, finally pulling away reluctantly. He could hear the laughter of the men outside, knowing they were waiting for Alexander before they began their feast. "I suppose we need to get out there. They're waiting on you, you know." He dropped his hands from Alexander's shoulders and stepped back.
Alexander let his gaze wander over the man in front of him. Hephaestion's muscular arms and shoulders still glistened with a light sheen of oil. His hair hung in wild waves down his back. His thighs…those famously beautiful thighs…also bore a thin coating of oil, making the strong definition of muscle stand out that much more. His gaze moved back up to Hephaestion's face to find wide blue eyes watching him patiently. A smile slowly curved Alexander's lips.
Hephaestion felt his heart rate speed up just slightly and he shook his head, chuckling. He knew that look. "Alexander, the men are waiting. I thought we were going to clean ourselves up and go enjoy the feast?"
Alexander nodded, still holding Hephaestion's gaze. "We are." He stepped towards him, drawing a finger down Hephaestion's chest, drawing a shiver from him. "But I didn't say when." His fingers walked back up Hephaestion's chest and up to his shoulder, deftly unfastening the pin that held Hephaestion's chlamys in place.
"Alexander.." Hephaestion started to protest, but was promptly silenced by Alexander's lips on his. After only a moment's hesitation, he returned the kiss with equal fervor. As he carded his fingers through Alexander's blonde curls, he felt fingers fumbling with the belt at his waist. It was quickly undone, and then those same fingers returned to his shoulders to release the pins that held his chiton in place. Hephaestion felt the fine linen fabric slide down his body until he was clad only in his sandals. He bit back a moan as Alexander's hands wandered down his back to caress the firm globes of his backside. Suddenly the feast didn't seem all that important. He pushed Alexander away gently, smiling at him. "I hardly think this is fair. We need to do something about that." Hephaestion stripped Alexander of his clothing quickly and then pulled him into his arms. Their oiled bodies slid against each other, giving Hephaestion an idea. He released Alexander and reached over, retrieving the vessel of oil that sat on the table. With a mischievous grin, he poured some of the oil in his hands and began to rub it all over Alexander's warm skin.
Alexander was slightly surprised, but pleasantly so. He grinned. "Just what do you think you're doing, Hephaestion?"
Hephaestion just grinned at him again, pouring more oil into his hands. He massaged the oil into Alexander's skin until it was slick and shiny, laughing at the sharp inhale of breath from the young king as teasing fingers slicked oil over the hard column of flesh jutting out to greet him.
Stepping back, Hephaestion tipped the vessel of oil, pouring yet more oil into his hands. With a wicked smile, he slowly began rubbing the oil onto his own body, letting his hands move slowly, lingering over his nipples and moving slowly downwards. He chuckled softly at the expression on Alexander's face.
Alexander had completely forgotten to breath. He couldn't take his eyes from Hephaestion's sensual caresses of his own body. When Hephaestion's hand slipped to just below his belly button and paused there, Alexander finally sucked in a ragged breath and bit his lip. His gaze lifted to find Hephaestion watching him, a scandalous look on his face. He let his gaze wander back down and gasped sharply as Hephaestion's hand wrapped around the evidence of his arousal, slicking the heated flesh with more oil and stroking himself slowly. This was the most erotic thing Alexander had ever seen, and low moan left his lips. "By the gods, Hephaestion….you're killing me."
With a grin and a wink, Hephaestion launched himself at Alexander, knocking him backwards onto the bed, Hephaestion landing on top of him. Of course, with the oil coating their skin, Hephaestion nearly slid off him. He tried to grasp Alexander's shoulder, but he couldn't get a grip on it. Alexander in turn tried to grab Hephaestion to flip him on his back, but his hands slipped over the oiled skin in vain.
They ended up in a tangled pile of slippery arms and legs, the oil from their skin soaking into the fine silk sheets on the royal bed. Hephaestion pushed himself up on his hands and knees, straddling Alexander. For a moment, they stared at each other and then, as if on cue, they both burst out into laughter.
"Well, this should be interesting!" Alexander said, still laughing.
Hephaestion lowered himself to lay the length of his body on top of Alexander, and felt himself slipping off to one side. He grabbed a handful of bed coverings and only succeeded in pulling an oil soaked silk sheet over Alexander's legs. "Shit." He mumbled. "This isn't working out quite the way I wanted it to."
A most unkingly giggle escaped Alexander's lips. "So it seems." He pressed a light kiss to Hephaestion's neck. "Any ideas?"
Hephaestion thought for a moment and then smiled. "As a matter of fact, I do have an idea." He sat up and knelt on the bed, straddling Alexander's legs. He let his hands glide over his oil slicked skin, slowly, seductively. He remembered well the look on Alexander's face when he had done this a few moments before. His fingers curled around his erection, stroking slowly with an oil slicked hand. He took note of the way Alexander's breath hitched slightly and his pupils dilated. Obviously, Alexander found this very arousing, so Hephaestion continued to stroke and caress himself as he knelt over Alexander, straddling his hips. He paused after a few moments, watching Alexander's reactions.
Alexander licked his lips and nodded once. "Don't stop, Hephaestion. Continue, please." His beautiful Hephaestion had never done anything quite this bold, and he found it incredibly hot. He reached down to take himself in hand, only to have his hand batted away by Hephaestion.
"Uh uh…no. That's mine. Trust me, I'll take care of you." Hephaestion knew exactly what he wanted to do. He shifted to the side so that Alexander could move. "On your knees, Alexander. Kneel as I am, facing me."
Alexander quickly complied, moving until both men were kneeling, facing each other. He shifted a little closer to Hephaestion so that they were only inches apart. He moaned softly as Hephaestion's hands slid down his sides to his hips, pulling him in tight, dropping his head back as Hephaestion licked and nipped at his neck and shoulders. "Oh gods…" he panted as Hephaestion's hand snaked down between their bodies and curled around him. He leaned back just slightly and looked down to watch what Hephaestion was doing, and nearly came right then and there.
Hephaestion stroked Alexander's erection a couple times before pressing his hips closer, opening his fingers and curling them around his own length as well so that he was stroking them both together. It was something he had never done, and it was incredibly erotic. He looked down as well, both of them watching as his hand moved over them, their erections sliding together in the firm grip of his hand.
Alexander reached out to grasp Hephaestion's shoulders for support, though the oil on his skin made that difficult. He couldn't stop himself from thrusting into Hephaestion's grip as they slid together. As Hephaestion's pace increased, Alexander knew he was not going to be able to stop. "Hephaestion..." a strangled moan escaped his lips, "I can't…I'm going to… oh gods, Hephaestion…"
His own breathing ragged, and very close himself, Hephaestion managed to speak. "Come for me, Alexander. I want to watch you."
That was all it took for Alexander to shatter completely. He threw his head back and cried out loudly as his release overtook him. His whole body trembled, his head thrown back, lips parted, hips thrusting in short jerks.
Hephaestion watched every nuance of expression on Alexander's face as he came apart, thinking it was one of the most beautiful sights he had ever seen. He could feel the pulsing in his hand as Alexander spent himself, the evidence of his release coating his hand and adding to the slick wetness between them. Seeing and feeling Alexander as he reached his climax was enough to put Hephaestion over the edge as well. With a muffled cry against Alexander's shoulder, he came hard, still stroking them together as their seed mingled.
For a few moments, neither man moved. The knelt, foreheads pressed together, struggling to bring their breathing back under control. Finally Hephaestion raised his head and gave Alexander a shaky smile as their eyes met. He was at a loss for words. "Alexander… that was…"
Alexander nodded, knowing exactly how Hephaestion felt. "I know. I know."
Hephaestion looked down at their bodies, drenched in oil, sweat, and their own seed, then at the bed coverings…also covered with the same, and suddenly he found it funny. He shook his head, smiling. "Gods, would you look at us, Alexander? We are a sticky mess! And we're ruined your poor bed!"
Alexander, too, observed the mess they had made and looked up, catching the look of amusement on Hephaestion's face. As they had done earlier, they both burst out laughing, lying back on the sticky bed sheets. "You realize we are going to have to clean ourselves up and get out there before they barge in searching for us."
Hephaestion chuckled. "Perhaps this wasn't one of my better ideas, but you must admit it was fun."
Alexander grinned, climbing out of bed and throwing a cloak around himself. He went into the outer room of the tent and barked orders at his slaves and pages. Hephaestion had poured them some wine while he was doing that, and the two of them sat sipping wine while the slaves quickly prepared a bath and laid out clean clothing for Alexander. One of Hephaestion's pages had been sent for, and he brought in some clothing for Hephaestion as well.
The two men bathed and dressed as quickly as they could while Alexander's slaves scurried about cleaning up the mess they had made of the bed.
Finally ready, they exchanged a tender kiss before stepping outside. The sun was setting and the evening was warm and beautiful.
"It's about damned time!" Craterus bellowed from where he sat beside the large fire that had been built, where the others sat drinking and laughing.
Alexander laughed at his teasing. "My apologies. I was…busy." More laughter was heard all around. "Come, men, let this feast begin! I, for one, am starving!"
The food was rich and abundant, the wine flowed freely, and the mood was one of celebration.
Alexander smiled. It had been a good day indeed.
