Title: A Single Soul
Day/Theme: 14th September/"On friendship"
Series: Mary Renault's Alexandriad, specifically Fire From Heaven
Character/Pairing: Alexander/Hephaistion
Rating: PG
"What is a friend?"
"A single soul inhabiting two bodies."
- Aristotle, Lives of the Philosophers
The day is bright and the sun shines down on Alexander's head as he lies on the grass. The effect is unearthly; Hephaistion wonders privately if this is how Zeus appeared to Semele in mortal form. Burning in Alexander's fire is an appealing thought and he has never been afraid to die, only of leaving Alexander behind.
"Aristotle says that the love of friendship is the greatest of all loves," Alexander murmurs, lifting his hand to stroke Hephaistion's hair. "What do you think?"
The topic always leaves Hephaistion vaguely uneasy and today is no different, but he responds to both the words and the caress. "I love you," he says, twining his fingers through Alexander's curls. Alexander purrs like a great cat; Hephaistion recalls that he was born in Lion Month.
"And I you," he replies, "but what do you think?"
Hephaistion hesitates, torn between his nightly desires and not betraying himself. He hangs in the balance for a few moments before Alexander, smiling, rescues him by saying, "I don't suppose it matters: all that one really needs is the love; caresses are just another sign of it." Alexander stretches and Hephaistion relaxes, his heart safe for another day. He takes Alexander's wrists above his head and Alexander rolls them both over so that he straddles Hephaistion, who catches his breath at their position before wresting himself away. They play-fight for a minute; no blows are landed and laughter sounds in the air. Hephaistion thinks that despite his treacherous body and sticky dreams, he can be content with this; he must needs share Alexander's touch with others, but Alexander's soul is his and his alone.