Chapter Text
The two of them were alone now, with Asterius settling himself onto a massive and plush couch (Theseus had it specially crafted to be capable of fitting both the bull and himself) and Theseus lowering their newly acquired afterlife shellfish into the waters of their personal aquarium. The tank was home to a variety of river creatures, and while some were more common creatures, fished up from the Lethe during their days off from the arena, and others had strange stories attached to them; once, Asterius dreamt of inky blackness, surrounded by sea jellies that swarmed around his body but did not hurt him. When he awoke the next morning, the same creature manifested itself within the tank.
Outside of the gentle droplets of water and the slight clang of metallic edge of the tank being touched, it was completely silent within their shared home. Theseus had no intention to fill the silence, for he knew he would have to mention the thoughts he's been having, and he wasn't sure if he was ready for that yet. Some small part of him wished he'd never attempted this endeavor in the first place so he didn't have to think so hard himself, and his relationship, and the words and actions and thoughts of others.
The Minotaur, on the other hand, had no such worries.
"King, something is bothering you."
It was a statement, not a question. There was no hint of uneasiness around the bull's tone. Theseus froze at it.
" Bothering me, Asterius? I'm never bothered! Why, I've never been so unbothered in my life- or afterlife, I should say! Why would you think such a thing?" replied Theseus, despite how his voice trembled.
"Something is bothering you. Tell me."
Asterius was always so very honest, so very, very straight to the point. He never once tried to tiptoe around Theseus' avoidance. He'd beat down the walls Theseus built around himself with his axe if need be, and has done the equivalent of such many times now. The king knew this, and yet…
"Well, I, ah… " Blast. He knew better than to lie to Asterius, especially after all they've been through together. And- even before they'd begun their journey together in Elysium, Theseus made a promise to himself to be more open and honest about his own intentions. But they were so hard for him to explain! He often didn't have the right words to, and besides that… being vulnerable did not come naturally to him.
"I wanted to do something special for you! But I messed up. I messed up a lot today or night, my friend!" Theseus buried his face in his hands, groaning. Sometimes he wished a god or some other higher being would become so tired, so exhausted with his antics that they would clamp his lips shut, preventing him from ever getting himself into another situation like that ever again.
(But he also realized that, despite his best efforts, that he cannot be anyone except himself, and himself is simply not a person who is quiet or succinct. Many things about himself, from his volume, to his wordiness, were traits that aided him greatly as Theseus, the King, and continued to aid him now as Theseus, the Champion! But this was not quite the case when he was stripped of all those titles, and wished to simply exist as a fellow man. Theseus did not truly match up to the image he'd spent decades carefully crafted of himself in life- and yet, what choice did he have but to try and pretend otherwise?)
"It looked like you were having fun in Asphodel when I arrived."
"I was not! Well- I did have some fun. But for the most part I was under severe distress, Asterius!"
"You were laughing when you told me about how poorly you do with a kitchen knife. How you managed to send vegetables into the Phlegethon."
"That doesn't count!" Theseus huffed in response, but he was snickering, too- whatever his legacy was, it enabled him to befriend Asterius, hadn't it? And Asterius was and is the best thing that's ever happened to him. He thinks- or rather, he knows that he is a better person for having met him, even in life when they were still enemies. (and the bull was so good at cheering him up, even when was not exactly certain what'd caused the king's upset in the first place)
And now Asterius was pulling him closer, until Theseus nearly toppled over and onto the couch, but he was gently caught by his dear friend, who apparently thought nothing of holding the king in his lap and against his broad chest. Theseus, on the other hand, thought much of it and felt like he was about to overheat. The feeling worsened when Asterius pressed his snout to golden hair and inhaled deeply, taking in the faint scent of Elysian flowers.
"You were trying to do something extravagant again. We've talked about this, king… neither of us wants a repeat of the glitter incident."
Asterius' arms were wrapped around Theseus loosely, so he could wiggle away if he became uncomfortable. Part of him wanted to take advantage of the fact- Asterius' warmth, his tenderness and concern, it was all too much. His head was swimming with the intensity of the Minotaur's affection.
"Well, yes , but this was important!" Theseus eventually managed to whine, "And… I'm starting to realize it may not have been wholly necessary, as well!"
"Not necessary, king?"
"It's just that- I merely- "
How could he explain that this was all some convoluted plan to confess his undying love? How could he explain that he only just recently realized that their relationship was perhaps already more on the romantic side?
He wanted to say: Asterius, you are my dearest friend, better than any I had in life. I have realized that during our time together my feelings of devotion have grown and blossomed into feelings of love. I thought, perhaps, that I had to impress you to make you feel the same way towards me. But after a number of encounters, I now see that our feelings may be mutual, and I, in my ignorance, have not realized the fact! If that is the case, I apologize for not seeing as such sooner- and if not, simply say the word, and we shall never speak of this again.
He badly wanted to say this, as he settled against the bull, tilting his head upwards so he could gaze into his warm eyes. Asterius was so gorgeous- the way his elegant eyelashes gently bat against his bovine cheeks, the splotchy markings that decorated the bridge of his nose, his hair dark and rich, curly and thick and unstyled... Theseus' heart was racing.
He knew what he wanted to say- but instead, he fumbled, his words and intentions spilling out ungracefully;
"Asterius are you in love with me."
Then, silence. Asterius was looking at Theseus as if he sprouted a second head, half-startled at the frankness of his question. The king, at the realization of his mistake, turned beet-red in embarrassment.
"What I was trying to say is- Asterius, am I in love with you??"
That's not what he wanted to say either- why was this so difficult?! He and Asterius had many hard conversations up until this point- why was this one so different?
"What- what I meant to say is, erm! This entire ordeal was the result of me trying to find some way to show you of the depths of my feelings towards you! But as I asked for advice on this- well, it started with that miserable Patroclus, he made me- that is to say, he planted a seed of thought in my head that- that you may- and then that Eurydice said something similar- and at first I thought no, that's preposterous, but now I'm thinking otherwise, and I- I do not know if I can impose onto you- and I truly wanted to impress you with something special, Asterius, but you must think me an absolute clown of a man, and I'm- "
He couldn't think straight- everything inside him was a jumbled mess, and trying to untangle it seemed a fruitless task. And so he continued to babble, seemingly unable to stop, his cheeks burning shamefully.
But Asterius was not put off by it. He waited quite patiently for the king to wear himself out, knowing that redirecting him when he entered this state was next to impossible. And his patience was rewarded; after several minutes, Theseus was reduced to panting, having exhausted himself. The bull knew how his king struggled at times to gather his thoughts, and he knew how, oftentimes, he felt ashamed of his inability to control himself. He did not need to. Asterius was not nearly as judgmental as other men may be. As his large hand reached out to cup a tear-stained cheek, there was only fondness in his dark eyes.
“King… You're correct. I
do
think you're a clown."
“Y-you do?!”
“I like that about you. I like that you are a clown.”
Theseus’ face heated up at that. Though he would
never
admit it, he knew how many in Elysium disliked him due to his clownery. He wasn’t the easiest to get along with, even in life. He knew he had a tendency to push others away with how frustrating he could be to deal with. But Asterius was so patient… he gave him more than he deserved.
"As for your question…," Asterius bowed his head down low, voice a low whisper. "Our feelings are the same, Theseus. I do love you. And…" he cleared his throat, "I thought we were already dating."
"So I have been foolish in my misinterpretations! Oh, Asterius… can you ever forgive me?"
"There's nothing to forgive- that is, you've done nothing wrong. You are always going on about how strong our eternal bond is, but perhaps I shouldn't have assumed…"
At that, Theseus jolted up, turning so he could face his beloved, irreplaceable bull.
"Please, assume all you'd like! Know that my feelings for you are deeper than any ocean! My heart soars for you!"
Now that he knew how Asterius felt, he could no longer hold himself back- he peppered the bull's face in an array of kisses, causing him to snort in delight. He was utterly thrilled at what Asterius had told him- utterly overjoyed to love and be loved by him.
"I suppose now is a good time to tell you, king," Asterius hummed, voice occasionally halted by sudden kisses against his mouth "I have a gift for you as well."
With that, Asterius produced a crown of flowers, crafted from daffodils and delicate white blossoms. He'd hidden it away in his chiton, and it was with great luck (or perhaps a bit of Elysian magic) that it didn't get crushed in the process.
The king faltered seeing it, eyes wide in disbelief. "Did you craft this for me?" was all he could manage to ask.
The bull nodded; for most it would be easy to miss, but Theseus noticed the subtle hints of a blush underneath his brown fur. "You are… beautiful when you wear flowers in your hair, Theseus."
"How kind you are, Asterius! Such a gorgeous and humble gift! I would be honored to wear your creation!"
He pressed against the Minotaur, bowing his head just slightly so that the crown could be placed upon it. The flowers were lovely as any jewel, and just as rich.
"Asterius, I... thank you so much, my dear friend."
"You are welcome, king."
When Theseus lifted his head back up, his dear, dear friend returned a hand to his cheek. Their faces were so close now- so close that Theseus felt light-headed. Did Asterius feel this way, too…?
Theseus couldn't stop himself when his hands reached up to touch Asterius' jaw, to hold him, to feel him. His fur was always so very soft, but there was something different now- somehow, this simple gesture felt so new.
(It shouldn't feel different, but now, Theseus was certain of his bond. It was rare that he felt so secure.)
When their lips met, it was so unbelievably thrilling. Theseus swore he could feel electricity coursing through his body, or maybe like he was on fire- a nearly unbearable warmth pooling within him . It was a clumsy kiss, with each of them figuring out how to navigate Asterius' unique anatomy…
But it was perfect nonetheless.
The next day or night, they were once again together in a more private garden of Elysium. Tall trees shielded them, leaving pockets of light filtered throughout. A fountain was trickling with fresh water, adding a nice ambience to the area. Asterius was laying on the soft grass in front of Theseus, head buried in his strong arms, while Theseus was sitting on a marble bench. It was a position they'd been in many times, though this was the first that Theseus intended to give a private concert. They'd both dressed up for the date: Asterius in his best chiton, and Theseus wearing the flower crown his beloved wove for him.
“Are you… are you quite certain you wish to hear me play, Asterius? I’m still not very good at this.” Theseus felt his face heating up as he held his lyre against himself. It was golden and heavy, the symbol of tauros sculpted into it's frame.
The king' hands felt balmy, and his throat was tight. It was rare that he felt so anxious in front of others, but Asterius was patient as ever. As loving as ever.
Theseus shuddered, remembering the way Asterius sighed I have been waiting for this. Waiting for you, after they kissed. He was so sweet, always so genuine with the praise he gave.
“I'm certain, king. I enjoy hearing you play.”
“Ah! Yes. Of course. It is only that I wish to impress you… “
“You don’t have to.”
hearing such a thing spoken so matter of factly was a shock to his system, even coming from dear Asterius.
“I already enjoy being with you, Theseus. You don't have to impress me."
Hearing his name spoken so softly by the minotaur made his cheeks flush, dark skin becoming even deeper.
“Ah! Well! I… enjoy being with you as well, my friend. Shall I begin?”
Asterius nodded. “Please do.”
And so, Theseus began to play- the song was the only one he had known for ages now; his mother would sing it to him as a boy when the moon was full and high risen in the night sky. At times when he gazed upon Asterius in the light of Ixion, he was reminded of it's solitary face, shining over the ocean.
… Sweet voiced Muses, daughters of Zeus, tell of the long-winged Moon. From her immortal head comes a radiance which embraces Heaven and Earth alike. Great is the beauty that arises from her shining light…
(He held his voice as steady as he could, but there was still a slight tremble to it. King Theseus was not a nervous person- unless, of course, it involved his dearest friend.)
The once unlit air of heavenly Aether glows with the light of her golden crown; how far her rays beam when her body sinks into the dark blue of the Ocean, when she drives her bright-gleaming mares across the night sky.
(His voice broke, that time- he tried to ignore it, and continue.)
"... Hail, white-armed goddess, bright-tressed and mild Selene!” Theseus finished with a flourish, nearly dropping his lyre in the process. He was quick to catch it, holding it against his chest. Keeping his focus firmly upon it at least gave him a good excuse not to look at Asterius: the notes were sour; his mouth was dry, and his trembling hands could barely pluck the strings. While his voice usually soared, it was weak here, straining in its attempts to sing a clumsy song. He wondered if the Minotaur would pretend to have enjoyed it out of mere pity!
When finally managed to make himself Theseus look upwards, Asterius was still laying on the grass in front of him, still calm and relaxed and not at all outwardly repulsed by Theseus’ amateur skills. There was even a small smile on his bovine face, warm and full of love.
"That was gorgeous, king."
"You truly enjoyed it?"
"I did. You look handsome when you are singing. And I love your voice, as well."
"Asterius!!" Theseus' lyre did fall then, as he leapt from where he sat. It had the great luck of falling onto soft grass as opposed to the marble slab underneath the bench, making a muffled yet discordant noise in the process. The king came to kneel in front of his friend, who was now looking at him with curiosity. Theseus could barely keep himself still, rocking back and forth on his legs as he tried to collect his thoughts, think of what to say.
"Shall I sing for you more often, then? A king such as myself is bound to know a variety of songs and lyrics from all across Greece! Perhaps I'll commission a music library for us two, or a number of instruments, in your size and mine! We could hire a poet or twelve to sing our praises and- I am getting very ahead of myself!"
"You are. Though I am not opposed to you singing for me more often, if you would enjoy it." Asterius laughed, a low rumble for Theseus' ears only.
"I simply cannot help it, Asterius! Your happiness means the world to me! If me singing to you more often is enough to bring you joy, I am more than happy to oblige." He laughed, a wide smile on his face. He knew he must look half-crazed, with rosy cheeks and trembling with excitement.
The king allowed his body to fall against the grass, so he laid beside his dear Minotaur. And Asterius, he was so strong- he was quick to drag Theseus over so their bodies were curled up together, facing one another.
"Oh, dear Asterius… ", Theseus leaned forward to plant another kiss against the Minotaur's snout, making him snort. "I am so thankful to have you in my life- erm, afterlife. I cannot imagine being without you. Tell me, friend- is there anything else you desire in this moment? Tell me, and I will make it happen."
"I feel the same way," the bull chuckled as Theseus kissed him yet again, firm and gentle all at once. "As for your question… I think I would like to take a nap with you."
Theseus snickered- as always, his beloved bull was so humble in his requests! And who would he be to deny his dearly beloved, most cherished, irreplaceable partner something so sweet?
"And you shall have what you desire, my dear friend! Together, we shall have the most peaceful, most relaxing, calmest nap that any man has ever-"
… Asterius was snoring. He's already fallen asleep!
"I cannot believe you! If I were not so incredibly fond of you, I might become quite cross!" Theseus pouted, resting his head in the crook of the bull's neck, beneath his chin. "You should know better than to doze off while I am- while I am still… "
In spite of all his fuss, King Theseus was quick to drift off as well, comfortable and secure in the arms of his beloved.