Title: Testing Hephaistion
Prompt: test
Word Count: 100

Hephaistion sometimes wondered if devoting his life to Alexander had been a choice or just his true destiny. He knew he'd never find the answer to something that was not so much a question, as a nagging feeling in his heart. There'd been times when he'd sat and just pondered the aching that he felt, eventually realizing those times coincided with certain events in Alexander's life; becoming king, the taking of the eunuch into his bed, the death of Cleitus, getting married. Hephaistion decided the gods were testing him on those occasions, and so far he'd passed with flying colors.

Title: Testing kiss

Prompt: test

Word Count: 100

Hephaistion's mind was wandering, making it nearly impossible to concentrate on his work. He couldn't believe Alexander had had the audacity to enter into a bet with Cassander about who was the better student. And to bring him into their childish bragging was just completely unacceptable. But Hephaistion had gone along with it, as he usually did with all of Alexander's schemes, and now he was stuck worrying about whether the prince was able to concentrate on his own work. Hephaistion prayed Alexander would get a better mark on his test because he didn't even want to think about kissing Cassander.

Title: Testing love
Prompt: test
Word Count: 700

Hephaistion thought he was accustomed to all of Alexander's games. He actually liked to think he knew all the ins and outs of the fair-haired prince, and he most definitely liked to think he was usually one step ahead.

"Do you believe you will ever have enough trust in me to stop all your silly little tests?"

Alexander turned in surprise. "How by the gods did you get behind me when I was ..."

"Following me?"

"Well, I wasn't really following ..." Alexander stammered. "I was just ... taking a walk."

"Yes. You do tend to take a lot of walks after you've sent me out on some task with someone you believe me to be attracted to."

"I do not know what you are talking about."

"Of course not because that would make you appear insecure in your feelings towards me, would it not?"

"That is neither here nor there."

"Answer my question then."

"Question?"

"Oh, Alexander, you are so infuriating!"

"Perhaps I should just continue my walk."

Hephaistion threw his body at the prince, arms wrapping tightly around him, mouths crushing together in a bruising kiss. Alexander struggled for only a moment until his own arms found their way around Hephaistion's body, his fingers entwining in the long brown locks. He was shocked when his friend pulled away quickly, shoving him back and planting his hands firmly on his hips.

"Does that make you more reassured, Alexander?"

"Phai?"

Hephaistion's brilliant blue eyes shone with anger, his brows furrowed in a frown of which Alexander had never seen before. "Aristotle has always complimented me on my patience, has he not?"

Alexander nodded, stepping closer to Hephaistion only to be pushed away, again.

"He has acknowledged me for my patience and my understanding when it comes to both the intellectual and the physical, and more importantly, when it comes to you."

"Phai ..."

"Let me finish! I have always believed that I truly understood you, Alexander, that I, and no other, could see through all the facades and falsities that your title forces you to embrace and take on as your own. But today ... today I am utterly baffled by what you intended on proving."

"Hephaistion ..."

"Do you not know that I have been pursued by both men and women since I was old enough to understand the meaning of two bodies becoming one? Do you not know that despite all the advances I have received, I have never been with another, nor do I care to be? And, do you not realize that the more you test me and make me prove myself to you, the greater the chance there will be for you to push me into someone else's arms?"

Alexander's face went white, his lungs working madly to suck in air as he stared in horror at Hephaistion. "That was never my intent ..."

"I know it was not," Hephastion said, voice softer and gentler. "But, Alexander, I do not wish to be tested any longer. I beg you to just believe that my feelings and my undying devotion to you are both strong and true. I do not wish to be sent on errands with comely women who have nothing on their minds but having me ravish them in the woods, nor do I wish to go on training exercises for the sole purpose of being alone with men who have expressed interest in ravishing me in the woods. And lastly, I do not wish for you to spend your time scheming and planning and following me when all I want is for you to be by my side, and not at my back."

"Your love for me makes me wary, Phai," Alexander said, head dipping to his chest. "I feel fear that I will one day be without you."

"So you believe it will be easier if you have a hand in doing so?" Hephaistion stepped forward, cupping Alexander's cheek, and stroking over his cheekbone. "There will be times in our lives when we are apart, so can we not just accept each other's love and be together now? I love you, Alexander, with every breath in my body and every beat of my heart. Please, just let me love you."