"This is pure bliss," Alexander moaned as he sunk deep into cool water. Small waves lapped at his shoulders for but a moment before he immersed himself completely in the water. There were a few rose petals stuck in his hair and to his shoulders when he resurfaced and his face appeared relaxed from all the tension Hephaestion knew was building up inside him.
Reclined on a nearby couch, Hephaestion was content to watch, knowing how Alexander cherished his baths. When they were children Hephaestion had often wondered if one of Alexander's parents were not some water deity or a descendent of Poseidon he spent so much time in the water.
"Join me," Alexander entreated, holding a hand out in Hephaestion's direction.
Unable to deny his lover anything, Hephaestion rose gracefully from the couch. Rolling his shoulders briefly, his robe slid soundlessly from his body to pool at his feet. He unknotted the matching cloth that was wrapped around his hips, setting that aside before stepping towards the sunken tub in Alexander's own private bathing chamber.
Taking hold of the fingertips that were still outstretched towards him, Hephaestion allowed himself to be guided into the tub. He shuddered immediately as the chill from the water infused his heated flesh. It was welcomed after the dry heat of Babylon that Hephaestion had yet to grow accustomed to. When he reached the last step of the small pool, Hephaestion allowed his knees to buckle, plunging under the water in a single motion. Alexander's hands were on his hips immediately, attempting to pull him upwards even as Hephaestion willed his body to sink into the water.
"Phaestion," Alexander gasped once his head bobbed above the surface.
"You are correct. This water is most certainly pure bliss," Hephaestion murmured, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
Sputtering momentarily, Alexander then lunged at Hephaestion, once again forcing him beneath the surface. They splashed about as boys then, each trying to wrestle the other under water. Alexander was laughing in a way that Hephaestion had not seen since before Philip's assassination. Since he had become king, the other man had been unable to find much time to relax. Hephaestion did what he could, but the duties of kingship were ever consuming Alexander's days and nights.
When at last they were laughing too hard to do much but weakly battle the other away, Hephaestion found himself seated on one of the steps that led into the bath, Alexander straddling his lap.
"I have missed this," Alexander sighed, dropping his head down so that his forehead rested against Hephaestion's shoulder.
His fingertips tracing idle patterns about the small of Alexander's back, Hephaestion could only nod his head, a shudder suddenly overtaking his frame. "We should stay in Babylon for a time. The men could use the chance to rest. So could you."
"We will need a few months to regroup and figure out what our next move will be," Alexander said, his voice strong and decisive even as he lay against Hephaestion. "Darius is still alive and as long as he lives I will never truly be king of Asia."
"I intend to see that you allow yourself a chance to rest as well," Hephaestion insisted. "You have not slowed much since you were last ill. Conquering this vast empire would be pointless if you were not well enough to rule it afterwards."
"I can give you tonight," Alexander conceded, yawning into Hephaestion's shoulder. "There is too much else that needs to be done."
Hephaestion nodded silently, pressing a kiss to Alexander's temple. He stopped trying to keep himself on the steps, allowing the water to buoy them and drift them where it would. Hephaestion found it utterly relaxing; the water below him, Alexander above him. Lifting one arm from where it rested around Alexander's hip, Hephaestion fanned his arm out, toying with the rose petals that littered the surface of the water. Hephaestion was unable to stop a shudder as Alexander laved a stripe along his throat and found himself under water as a result.
Fumbling about to get his feet under him, Hephaestion was sputtering by the time he righted himself. Alexander was still pressed against him, wiping the water from his face. He was laughing as well, his body vibrating with mirth.
"It appears that we do not float quite as well as I had hoped," Alexander smirked, wiping a few errant petals form his chest.
"We sunk like stones, you mean," Hephaestion chuckled as he drifted back towards the steps. "And I was under the impression that you were part water sprite."
"Very amusing, love," Alexander said dryly, once again straddling Hephaestion's lap. "My mother is hardly the water nymph Achilles' was."
"I would fear to travel the rivers if she were," Hephaestion mused, chuckling when Alexander squeezed his knees on either side of his hips. "Do not look at me so, you know there is truth in my words."
"Well there is no need to be smug," Alexander countered, deftly rising to his feet in a single motion.
Alexander was now standing with his feet on either side of Hephaestion's legs, forcing the other man to lean back so that he could still see Alexander's face. "I was hardly being smug, beloved. I was merely stating a point. Now perhaps you would be so kind as to choose a direction. Either into the water or out, for standing there you are only tempting me."
"I was unaware that you could be tempted."
Hephaestion's response was to nuzzle the area where Alexander's thigh and groin met. The blond shuddered, a gasp escaping his lips when Hephaestion turned his head just enough to laze his tongue along the side of his shaft.
"Gods, Phaestion," Alexander moaned, his thighs quivering.
"As you can see, I am tempted," Hephaestion repeated, tilting his head back so that he was able to meet Alexander's gaze.
Taking control from him, Alexander allowed his body to fall backwards into the water. Hephaestion dove after him, latching onto Alexander's sides and pulling their bodies together. There were bubbles escaping Alexander's lips so Hephaestion covered the blonde's lips with his own, sharing his air. Still under water, they fought for dominance in the ensuing kiss, twisting about as their hands attempted to cling to slippery flesh.
At last a need for air forced them above the surface, sputtering and blinking, and refusing to end their embrace. There were a few errant strands of hair plastered to his face and Hephaestion shook his head in an attempt to move them. That it was not working frustrated him for he was unwilling to release his hold on Alexander. Instead he sucked in a lungful of air and leaned back as far as he was able, sinking his head under the surface. When he stood back up, the hair was gone and Alexander grinned at him before leaning in to begin another kiss.
"I have rose petals clinging to me in the oddest of places," Alexander murmured against Hephaestion's lips when the need for air pulled them apart.
Hephaestion chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief. "I do believe that boy of yours was trying to seduce you."
"Why would he do that? He knew I meant to spend the night with you."
Hephaestion remained silent about his own suspicions. He knew that he would not always be present to comfort Alexander and did not begrudge him another shoulder to lean upon. Hephaestion knew that his absences would not lessen his place in Alexander's heart. Hephaestion lifted a hand to play with the longer strands of hair at the base of Alexander's neck, tipping his head forward so that their foreheads touched, noses brushing.
"Come, I believe I saw some food set out in your bedchamber," Hephaestion whispered, kissing the corner of Alexander's lips.
Alexander squeezed Hephaestion's hips briefly, but allowed himself to be guided from the sunken pool. Hephaestion glanced over his shoulder, smiling to show that he would do nothing more than Alexander would permit. It was a fine line that they often walked, Alexander craving emotional intimacy over the physical. Hephaestion did not mind, wanting Alexander to be happy above all else. It allowed him to savour the times he and Alexander did make love and to crave simply being close to the other man.
Long after night had fallen, Hephaestion remained awake, watching over Alexander as he slept. Exhaustion tugged at his own eyelids, but Hephaestion forced himself to remain awake, enjoying every twitch and murmur as Alexander slept unaware of his continued attentions. It was near sunrise when Hephaestion finally allowed himself to give in to his body's need for sleep. He relaxed in comfort, Alexander's body resting against his own as they laid arms and legs entwined.
