Chapter Text
A sigh escaped the Emperor’s lips as he dug his toes into the sand. Water sloshed up to the level of his ankles. It was the year 324 AD, and Constantine had just emerged victorious against all of his opponents. It didn’t matter how troublesome, how dangerous they’d been. Constantine had gotten rid of them all. Maxentius, Severus, and finally Licinius.
And now, he was taking a well deserved break. A vacation. Once, that word had been foreign to him. After all, the world was cold and unforgiving; especially to the child of an important political figure like his father once was. Another wave lapped at his feet, and Constantine forgot his worries for a moment.
The sun shone brightly, kissing the Emperor’s skin with its warmth. For just a second, Constantine closed his eyes. He could hear the sound of the sea, as well as seagulls screeching in the distance. Just for a second, Constantine allowed his toes to wiggle through the sand once more, feeling each stone, each speck of shell between them.
But unbeknownst to Constantine, one of the birds could not take its eyes off him. The animal’s gaze followed the Emperor’s every move as it closed in on the shore, taking in his calm expression, his relaxed shoulders and the way his toes barely stilled for a second underneath the sand. It should have stood out to the Emperor due to its much darker plumage. But Constantine was no longer a little boy, and his eyesight had deteriorated with age.
The serpent eagle let out a loud screech, startling Constantine. When the Emperor opened his eyes, the bird was soaring towards him at a rapid speed. For a moment, time seemed to stand still as the clouds behind the bird parted. They split in two mere moments before their colors changed to darker shades of blue und gray.
The Roman’s body tensed up, his eyes widening in shock and confusion. In all his years of living, he’d never encountered anything like this. Suddenly, Constantine felt a wave of uncertainty wash over him. Was this the will of the Gods? An apparition of said Gods? Should he run? Stay?
Before he could make up his mind, the bird crashed into his chest, causing the both of them to fall into the hot sand. With a hiss, Constantine raised his hand, but fell silent immediately when his gaze fell upon the man perched atop his mortal body. No longer was there a bird, but a man much larger than himself. Constantine held his breath as he allowed his eyes to rake over the older man’s body. He was ancient, surely; his long, white beard reached from his chin to his belly.
When Constantine opened and closed his mouth without actually speaking a single word, the older man laughed heartily. “You must have many questions, I’m sure of it“, the man mused, his deep, rich voice ringing in the Emperor’s ears. Wordlessly, Constantine nodded. “I could tell you why I am here“, the man continued, stroking his long beard with his large hands. “Or I could make you guess. Or perhaps never let you find out at all.“
Slowly, the man’s calloused hands wandered from his beard to Constantine’s chest. “You do not know me, Constantine.“ One of his hands cupped the Emperor’s right cheek, forcing the mortal man to focus on his eyes instead of his massive body. “But I know you. And I intend to win.“
“Win what?“, the other asked in confusion, his brows furrowing. Carefully, Constantine reached up to remove the man’s hand from his face. He wasn’t a stranger to the touch of another man, but this had come out of nowhere, and the Roman had not intended to spend his vacation with somebody else. He had wanted to relax on his own.
When the stranger didn’t respond, Constantine’s brows furrowed further. “Won’t you tell me why you are here?“, he asked, his eyes scanning the stranger’s. The stranger laughed once more, and finally removed his large hands from the Roman’s face. “I suppose you could say I’m on a hunt.“
“And what are you hunting?“, the Roman inquired, tilting his head. Once more, Constantine’s eyes took in the man’s appearance. He didn’t really look like a hunter, except perhaps for his large, calloused hands. “The being I am seeking is unique. One of a kind“, the man responded. His intense, yellow eyes didn’t leave Constantine’s face once, making the other feel even smaller than he already did.
“So where is your hunting gear?“, the Emperor asked hesitantly.
“Let me put it this way, then perhaps your little roman brain will understand: abducet praedam, qui occurit prior.“ The man’s large hands took hold of Constantine’s sides, squeezing them gently. Then, they wandered lower, grasping the Emperor’s thighs and spreading them apart. The Roman’s eyes widened in horror,“ Surely you can’t mean-“
“Yes, Constantine, you are our prey.“