Chapter XIV

~It's easy enough to find~
~Someone who looks down on you~

Seth stood back, keeping to the shadows as the younger gods talked. He was just about to set out to bring his kings son home, when the blonde prince showed up on his own, with a little help. The redhead kept his distance, seeing the boy was in capable hands of his friend and seeing Anubis with them, certainly kept him away. He wasn't ready to face the boy yet, not right now. Maybe in the morning, maybe after a night to calm his anxiety about the whole situation. He could have stopped and listened, watched, but if anybody understood the importance of privacy, it was Seth, so he found himself slipping away, out of the boundaries of the palace. The former king wasn't sure why he was wondering around at night again, knowing all to well that he was still out there, but the god was restless, again.

The god wandered more along the walls of the palace, not really wanting to venture to far out, in fear of what, or who, he might find lurking in the streets. At least he knew no one would dare do anything so close to the palace, no one would ever be that stupid. But that was something Seth definitely didn't want to think about right now, really, he never wanted to think about that, it just always had a way of creeping back into his head. So to try and clear his head the god leaned his back against the stone wall of the palace, still warm with residual heat from the day. The subtle warmth was inviting and soothing, and helped keep the ever invading night air at bay.

"For someone who doesn't like the cold, you sure are spending a lot more time out at night." Seth looked over to see a familiar face walking down the road. Min was heading down the road that would most likely lead him home. Seth knew where every one liked in this city.

Seth perked one ear, meeting the other gods unique gaze. "I thought you had some business to attend to tonight." Seth commented, seeing the young god was alone, unlike he had claimed he would be.

The younger god shrugged one shoulder. "Yeah... I kind of just want to go home tonight." He spoke nonchalantly, but the redhead wasn't really buying it, Min never liked being alone, and it wasn't like who ever he had in line had turned him down, nobody turned this young god down. "I don't have to have some one in my arms all the time." He snapped, trying to hide a smile, obviously picking up the older gods suspicion.

Seth still wasn't buying the gods story, but as someone who could respected the privilege of privacy, he kept his mouth shut, and decided to move on. Pulling himself away from the wall, Seth had every intention of walking the other way, wrapping his arms around himself for some sort of warmth, when Min's words stopped him. "I'm surprised your not wrapped up in your kings arms tonight." He stated, his tone once again nonchalant.

The redhead froze in his tracks, and he suddenly he couldn't breathe and his blood ran cold. He found a certain type of panic was rising in his chest, one he wasn't so familiar with. This wasn't the blind, pointless crippling panic he was used to, this was fear panic. How did this boy know this? Who else knew about this? Had he some how slipped up? What would people do if they found out?

Turning around slowly, Seth's red eyes fell on the younger god, who looked a little taken aback by the redheads reaction. "What did you say?" Seth asked, slowly, working hard to control his breathing and his rising panic.

Min's miss matched eyes met his, and the older god couldn't read anything in them, but Min certainly was a good actor. "Well it's pretty obvious you've been sleeping with Ra for quite a while, his scent if all over you." He stated, and tried to shrug off the subject like it was nothing, but this subject certainly wasn't nothing to Seth.

"Who else knows?" He asked, stepping closer to the younger god, his voice strained, refraining from snapping at the boy.

The redhead could see a crack in the gods facade, maybe even a slight bit of panic in those strange eyes but is voice was steady. "Nobody that I'm aware of." Min cracked a cocky smile, as if trying to make a job out of the situation. "So far I'm the soul keeper of your secret."

With those words, that tone, and that smile, Seth snapped. He wasn't sure what came over him, or why he lashed out like this, but before he knew it, he had Min pinned up against wall of the palace, his lips pulled up in a growl, revealing his sharp mess of fangs and canines. The gods claws were pressed against the skin of the boy's shoulders, just close enough to his neck. What ever mask the younger god had been wearing had evaporating and his eyes were wide with fear, he didn't fight, or struggle, just stared down at him, frozen in his grasp. "How dare you!" Seth snapped, pressing him harder against the stone wall.

"I would never tell anyone." Min spoke up his voice shaky and nervous but he strong, and he staggered to get a better footing. "I may be a whore but I'm not stupid." He snapped, his voice gaining a somewhat defensive tone to it. "I would never go against Ra like that, I know what such news would do for his reputation." And Seth knew that, Ra knew that, why would they be so secretive of this if it wasn't such a big deal.

Seth knew how easily he could ruin his king, but that didn't stop what he was doing, or more accurately what their were doing. Obviously they weren't being as subtle and careful as they had thought. If Ra found out somebody knew, the poor king was paranoid and stressed enough as it is, adding to that stress was something Seth couldn't bare to do.

Lost in his own head, if only for just a few seconds, Seth's aggression died down enough, that his hold on Min loosened, and the younger god took the opportunity to shrug off his hands and stepped several feet away. The older god couldn't hold back the growl that escaped his lips, but he didn't make any move towards the boy again. "If I was going to tell somebody I would have done so by now." He tried to snap, but his voice was lacking any real aggression. Seth could have sworn he saw tears in the younger gods eyes. Min shook his head, turning away from the redhead. "Good night, I'm going home." He stated, over his shoulder making his way down the road that would take him to his house.

Seth made no move to stop the god, taking a moment to process everything that had just happened. So Min knew about the two of them, he had known for a while, and the fact that nobody else knew had to mean something. Yet again this was Min he was talking about, he life revolved around sex and prostitution, if there was anybody who understood confidentiality it was him. At least that's what Seth was trying to tell himself, but naturally, his mind over worked the situation, and he soon feared his own panic would take over, like usual.

"Do you usually use threats to get your point across?" The god heard a voice behind him, and he whipped around, nearly tripping over his own tail.

With another snarl, Seth looked to find where the voice came from, and it didn't take him long to find it's source. Perched on a ledge of a nearby building, the gods red eyes fell on a pair of dark green ones. He knew who that voice belonged to. Thoth looked down at him, with that typical emotionless stare, and impossible to read expression. "What did you hear?!" Seth snapped, taking a step closer to the god.

Thoth didn't give any sort of reaction to his words. "Hear? Nothing." He stated blankly. "I watch and observe, I don't listen. Some people find it an invasion of privacy." He shrugged, and adjusted his crouched position on roof and sat down on the edge. His staff/scepter was lied over his lap, one end gave off a subtle dark purple glow, from that perfectly round orb that looked like it held a miniature sand storm.

"Yeah it is." Seth muttered to himself, as a person who valued privacy, he wouldn't be able to trust the god if he had been listening in on his 'conversation. Judging by the way the green eyed god cocked his head slightly to the right, that he hadn't heard what Seth had said, so he changed the subject. Looking up at the god, Seth crossed his arms over his chest, mimicking the other actions and cocked his head slightly to the side. "So now you choose to talk to me?" he asked, a certain sharpness to his voice, even if Thoth hadn't been listening in, the redhead still wasn't to amused by the fact that the was watching.

The god watched as, in response to his words, Thoth flinched and looked away. He opened his mouth seemingly wanting to say something, but stopped himself. Seth could see the tension in the other gods body, the way he clenched his staff, the way he avoided his eyes, and suddenly what ever anger, or bitterness the redhead was feeling drained away. How could be so senseless, point out somebodies weakness like that was a cruel move. Seth knew if somebody were to point out his anxiety in such a callused way, he would shut down as well. He could only guess how hard it was for this god to open up and actually approach someone, let alone talk to them. These past few days was the first time Thoth had actually talked to him ever since the incident, he shouldn't be taking out his stress on somebody who was obviously just, or even more messed up as him.

"Hey, I.. I shouldn't have said it like that." Seth spoke up, breaking the silence that had fallen between the two of them. He wished Thoth would look at him, but his eyes stayed averted. Had he just ruined what ever kind of trust this god had in him.

After a second later, Thoth nodded, it was a very small, subtle movement, if he wasn't looking carefully, the redhead wouldn't have seen it. "You do have very poor social skills." he spoke up softly, though his voice lacked any real emotion, Seth could have sworn this was his attempt at a joke.

Seth couldn't help but smile, just slightly, when the other god turned his head to look at him. "You've got me there. I do have a habit of repulsing people." He agreed, for a moment, what ever panic, or fear he had been feeling faded away. Something, at the time he wouldn't really think about much until later.

In the dim light of the moon, Seth wasn't sure if it was just a trick of the light or reality, but he could have sworn he had seen the lightest ghost of a smile on the other gods face, but he played it off as if he saw nothing. "Why are you, of all people, wandering around at night?" Thoth asked, hopping down from his spot on the roof. Seth just shrugged, in all honesty he had no idea why he was suddenly taking a liking to the night.

It wasn't long until the two fell in step beside one another, walking along the pathways and side roads of the seemingly dead city. The tall god was obviously more comfortable in the cool, dim light of the moon, as opposed to the harsh rays of the sun, and after a little while was seemingly opening up, and was talking easier as the night went on.

~Why is it so hard to find~
~Someone who cares about you~

Authors Notes: Just a quick little chapter, I'm working on another, longer one right now. So here, enjoy. Thank you to everyone who reviews and leaves their feed back. I honest thought nobody would ever read this. I love all you guys.