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"come now, morax, certainly you're more flexible than this?"
barbatos' voice came amused and youthful, dipped backwards and held up by morax above him. his legs elegantly bent to accomodate the pose, looking picture perfect and beautiful as always. despite his mirthful tease, barbatos' eyes held a loving patience.
morax pulled him up, straightening them again with an arm around his back, the other holding his hand delicately. morax was not build for dance, and yet barbatos pushed to teach him anyways. a red dust had settled on tanned cheeks.
"i'm not made for this."
"nonsense! you are made for anything."
morax did not understand how he could possibly be so confident, stumbling over his own feet as barbatos pulled him, his everpresent smile growing just a fraction. soft and full of adoration. barbatos' hand snaked just a bit further up his shoulder as he inched forward, preventing morax from looking downward to their feet.
"don't look down. relax your shoulders and follow your instinct. dance is no different from battle."
morax gulped, mildly hesitant, but followed instruction as barbatos moved them, and they fell into the rhythm of the windsong around them. the muscles of his back relaxed, and he found himself able to follow the four-step pattern previously introduced to him.
he was fixated on barbatos' eyes. gleaming like vayuda turquoise, deep greens and blues swirling together, dew colored pupil holding love like a heart. his gaze was sure and soft, patient and driven and opened up every desire to the geo god before him.
morax took a wrong step and stumbled, bumping them both over and into the ground. barbatos' wind just barely able to soften their blow into the grass. amber eyes widened as he landed atop his fellow archon, quickly supporting himself to see if he'd heart the smaller god, but stopped at the genuine sound of laughter.
barbatos was laughing, his body shaking with each gasp, eyes closed in joy. he was beautiful, highlighted by dappled sunlight filtered through trees, wings splayed out behind him, and braids framing his soft jaw. he was ethereal, like an angel. it almost quelled the embarrassment of messing up until his giggles died down like windchimes, and his eyes opened once more, glossy with tears.
"oh morax, who knew you could be so clumsy?"
his cheeks heated up once more, and he huffed, pushing himself to the side to lay in the grass beside his fellow god, mouth curled down into a frown as he looked away.
"i am not a dancer."
he heard barbatos laugh again, and he wanted to keep hearing it, chiming and gentle and warm like his winds. it was the perfect sound to come from him.
"yet you dance in the skies just fine. you're uncomfortable with your mortal form."
a pale hand reached out, delicately brushing his cheek to turn his head towards barbatos once more. the smaller god having turned to face him as well, their legs still carelessly entangled.
"you'll ge better. you can't expect to be perfect after just two tries, hm?"
morax huffed a breath through his nose, and scooted just a bit closer, turning his body to lay sideways, moving one hand to pull barbatos to him by his hip. he felt the god tense in a silent laugh.
"my, are you pouting, my dear morax?"
his tone was teasing, sweet like syrup, but a mischevious glint simmered in his eyes. morax was quick to quell barbatos' thoughts with a peck to his lips. the wind god chased him when he tried pulling back. he grinned, just a bit, but it was enough for barbatos huff a gentle laugh against his lips.
"don't tell me you tripped me on purpose."
the accusation made morax feign a look of shock.
"i would never."
came his answer, but the subtle grin playing on his lips made barbatos shake his head, suddenly rolling them until he was sat on morax's thighs.
"who knew you could slack so much, morax! how devious!"
he giggled, but morax sat up to meet him, delight filling his bones every time he heard that bubbly sound. he pressed a kiss to barbatos' cheek, changing the subject from his delinquency.
"your laugh is beautiful."
he could feel barbatos' cheek heat up against his lips. scoffing playfully, he tried to lean back only to be pulled further in.
"you can't distract me from your procrastination with flattery, morax."
"no?"
morax chellenged him, pressing soft butterfly kissed to his cheek, jaw, and neck, running his fingertips down the divets of his spine. he felt barbatos relax, lean his head to the other side to give him room, before suddenly snapping back his thoughts and mashing a palm into morax's face.
"no! you're not getting out of this."
the beautiful shade of pink on barbatos' cheeks made morax grin openly, in a way he only ever did around the wind god. when barbatos hauled himself up, morax answered with a groan.
"come now, i'll take the lead."
barbatos held his hand out, waiting for the god of geo to take it, and when he did, he and the wind both pulled the large god to his feet, before barbatos tugged him in by the hip. despite his stature, barbatos' form held hidden strength in every ounce of his being. he pressed against morax, looking up into amber eyes, lacing their free hands together.
"now then, let's dance shall we?"
morax submitted, following the lead and allowing barbatos to guide him patiently.