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Cold fingertips touched even colder skin. Soft and malleable in brutish hands. The warmth of the sun no longer touched the maimed flesh. Giannis’s breath was heavy above the stone floors. Shaking and crumbling beneath his bruised knees. He knelt over a figure, hands on either side and back curved, as if in a desperate, infinite prayer. He forced tears not too well in the corners of his eyes, it didn’t help that his gaze was never wavering from the horrid sight. He cupped both hands on the stained cheeks and pressed his forehead against the lifeless form. And soon the dark corners of stone melted into sunlight. And he gazed at the clouds that the Gods had dotted around the dome of air. For him. The fresh air felt nicer than he remembered, so long since his lungs had known peace from the dust filled breeze that ravaged them. Overgrown grass brushed against his legs, dripping dew onto his scraped hide. Giannis stared over the mountains, forest and village behind him, a vast valley in front of him. He lingered only a moment before turning back to the shadowed comfort. Branches stretched and pointed over his head, as if directing him further into the mass. He knew this day well and came to remember it almost fondly. He retraced the beaten path, sun slipping through the shade. Begging to beat down on his freckled face yet again. He perched in a particular oak and stared at the wooden structures that dropped underneath him. The entire population of the small village were spread around the field. The settlings were nestled in a little dip between the trees, letting sunlight break through the storm of leaves. Giannis took in the air for a moment before a swell in the loudness hit his ears like bricks. A gaggle of the village girls burst through the trees, crowding around one girl like a flock. Giannis slid down the bark of the tree and joined the crowd of people at its base. He peaked over the heads, trying to catch a sliver of the light shining from the center. A boy, shorter than him, clung to the skirts of one of the girls. The sun gleamed from its place behind his hands. Appearing as if he had been blessed by Apollo himself. Giannis couldn’t help but stare, and burned the boy into the back of his mind. Through the next years the boy stayed in the core of the village. And slowly, almost like flowers, stone walls grew. Around the house, and further around the village. Breaching trees. And slowly but surely it became something of a fortress. A secluded safe place hidden underneath the trees. And all for a boy who hadn’t said a word to anyone but one. It made it feel like more of an air of mystic than unsettling. The more Giannis watched the more he felt like opposites to the sun burnt boy. Aulus was perfect and Giannis felt far from it. If he hadn't had more respect he would’ve said that it sparked some kind of envy, but the feeling was far from any jealous intent he had ever held before. All this supposed contempt before he had even met the boy, it painted a fool of him. Eventually Giannis grew annoyed, clenching his scraped palms he decided, a stone wall wouldn’t stop him. He didn’t think he wanted ‘revenge’ so to say, more of a piercing curiosity. Aulus consumed almost every waking thought, the throbbing lust for answers. Of this strange glowing boy. Whatever glimpses of him he could store he did, tucking them away for a frantic comb through late at night in his lazily made bed. He wondered often if this was all encompassing for someone who passed the mysterious deity. It all became too much for Giannis, so he stood like a soldier approaching his foe in front of the stone. It wasn’t hard to scale, each stone was uneven and half heartedly cobbled together. Vines grew to cover most surfaces, providing more things to grab on. Almost too easy. Unease sprouted in the base of his stomach. The walls weren’t much taller than the trees he hopped from, they may have grown but that certainly wouldn’t stop Giannis. Recklessness was as natural as his hands gripping the stone to him. He had already made it halfway up the wall before it even registered to think about what he’d do after he penetrated the walls. His arms scuffed against the top and he dragged himself up to sit on the nest of vines. He used it to gaze across the village before turning inwards. Inside was a house, it looked the same as all the others, but surrounding that was a garden. The house had been expanded upon, adding a few extra rooms. Giannis barely focused on that, the garden was beautiful. Blooming with colors and plants, he only recognized a few. And hidden underneath one of the trees was Aulus. Sprawled across the grass. The wisps of his curly hair falling in front of his eyes as they scanned a parchment. His eyebrows furled and he set it down. Letting the lids cover his bright irises. The shadows dimmed the light that shone from his core. It felt thrilling, Giannis noticed, to watch. To see something others could not. It was oddly exhilarating. He grabbed a loose vine and let out a startled yelp as the impact registered. He was laying on his back in the grass, all air leaving his lungs. He let out a wheezy sputter and opened one eye. He cursed as the first thing he saw was the wall scaling over him. He sat up and rubbed the back of his head, no blood. Aulus stared at him from across the courtyard, holding the paper close to his chest with wide eyes. More surprised than Giannis had been. Aulus walked across the grass with lithe movements and crouched over Giannis. “Are you okay?” He asked a little more than softly. “Uh I…” Giannis stuttered, his back throbbing. “Who are you? Why’re you here?” Aulus asked eagerly although his face had stilled. He would’ve been hard to read for any other, but Giannis prided himself on knowing what people were thinking. Panic quickly burst and set his mind aflame, fear of anger, perhaps. Fear of disgust may have been more accurate. But Aulus clearly didn’t feel either. Appearing as curious as Giannis was, maybe even more so. Giannis wondered if he’d ever talked to someone his own age, ever had any friends. He didn’t have any room for pity but gave it sparingly. His eyes softened as he stared up at the ‘lonely’ God. Now out of the shaded canopy the bright light blinded Giannis. “You’re beautiful.” Giannis whispered, devoting every sliver of attention to the being above him. Aulus appeared to be taken aback, he was surprised he hadn’t heard this all before. “What?” the God hissed quietly. Giannis sat up, pushing his hands against the dew soaked grass, “Uhm…you’re uh beautiful.” He repeated, much less sure. “Thank you” Aulus whispered, pain striking his voice with a waver. A flower found drifted from the boy’s hands and into Giannis’s. Silence echoed between them for naught a moment before a shout broke it. Coming from inside the house. Aulus looked over, his hands resting on his knees. He stood up but not after helping Giannis. “Are you all right?” He asked as Giannis noticed how smooth his palms were against his bruised and cut flesh. “Yes.” Giannis replied, quieter than he usually did but firm nonetheless. The boy in front of him spoke tense and carefully, as if he was carefully thinking over every word. “Why’d you come here?” He said, treating it like a taboo. “I…don’t know.” Giannis lied, shamelessly. He looked back at the house and smiled as he turned back. Aulus closed Giannis’s palm on the blossom. “Bring this back for me, alright?” Aulus simpered. After only a few sunlights had passed before Giannis followed instructions. Like a loyal dog, bringing back a toy in a game of catch. And after they would talk before Aulus sent him off with some nosegay to bring back. He got a lot better at climbing. And slowly but surely they grew together, as most people do over time. Many dawns of this passed and soon they’d nearly reached the age of maturity. Today the sun shone through the clouds that smudged across blue. Perfectly grown weeds created a comfortable nest to lay in. They lay side by side, eyes turned above them. Aulus’s lips parted in a soft whisper, “Are you going to leave?” Giannis craned to look at him, the other boy still staring holes into the rapidly disappearing sun. “I- don’t know.” Usually when reaching a certain point the newly grown adults left the village. To achieve a quest from the Gods. Some only left for days, some for months. Giannis had passed the time. Aulus was approaching it. “I don’t think I will.” Giannis assured him, “This whole tradition is much too dated.” A few stars poked through the black canvas of purple mixed with blue mixed with yellow. “Who’d want to leave anyways?” Aulus pursed his lips into a thin line. He looked away, shadows enveloping his face. “I suppose…” He muttered, his tone held a tint of irritation. Giannis considered it for a moment before, “What is it?” He murmured, sitting up. His palms flush against the ever overgrown grass. Silence lingered minutes before Aulus spoke, “It’s just, don’t you ever get tired of this place?” The glowing light hit Aulus’s face and Giannis still could not make the emotions out. “Are you going to leave?” Aulus sat up, still facing anywhere but where he should. The light dimmed, “I- I’m- I don’t know. I wouldn’t- I mean…” The stuttering gave away to darkness. His shoulders tensed up and he put a hand on his forearm in a silent cradle. “I wouldn’t leave you.” He said as he looked back with round eyes. Giannis noted how they shone, reflecting the zooming stars, or rather, capturing the light of the sun. They looked more mesmerizing than both. Giannis stuttered and they locked eyes for what felt like hours. “Where would we go?” Giannis whispered under his breath. Eyes unwavering from the boy in front of him. Aulus perked up, “What?” He asked breathily. Giannis repeated the question. The proximity was almost agonizing. “I-I’m not sure” Aulus let his head crumple into his arms, “Anywhere but this prison.” The wind blew past their ears with a whistle, almost devouring the silent prayer. “Anywhere?” Giannis asked, leaning closer on his palms. “Anywhere.” The being repeated. Giannis didn’t want to leave, this not so small settling was all he’d ever known. But more so he did not want to be without Aulus. Aulus was the reason he woke up, the only thing that kept him going. He had to have something special, something more than him, to protect. It was better to worship something cruel than to be left alone. Aulus stared at him, piercing his thoughts with those luminescent eyes. Aulus curved into him, closing the little space between them. It was nice to admire something so close. A warmth spread throughout him and his stomach felt as if it had been turned upside down. He kept his eyes wide as Aulus closed his. And suddenly the God pulled away. Only sunsets later did he regret this evening. The air was cold as warm, wet summers turned into autumn. The lush green making way for crisp orange, and the pink skies fading into brisk blue. It was an act of violence, when all was done, but it felt delicate. To break something so fragile. Aulus held out his hand, “Come with me” Giannis startled, the invitation was sudden but all coming nonetheless. They hesitantly brushed palms. Giannis sighed, “You know I can’t…” Aulus snorted and rolled his eyes, “Why do you care what they think?” Giannis grunted, “You wouldn’t understand.” “Wouldn’t I?” Aulus whispered with an amused chime. “They worship you…it's different. You’re not normal, Aulus.” “Am I not?” “No you’re not you’re a God and I’m just…” Giannis did not continue. Aulus leaned back on his palms, rivaling Giannis’s hunched posture. “I’m not a God, I’m really not.” Giannis looked up at him, “What makes you say that? You’re quite literally glowing.” Aulus lamented, “I don’t feel god-ish. I just feel,” He shrugged, “cursed…” Giannis stared at him, weighing his words carefully. They both let it linger. “But it’s perfect, you’re perfect.” Giannis muttered. This seemed to upset him more as he stood up. “Whatever.” Aulus hissed, wrapping his arms on his forearms. Giannis watched him, standing still. Rooted to the ground stronger than the vines that coated the courtyard. “Are-” Aulus cut him off, “I’m tired, I’ll be going now.” He imparted with a crisp twinge. Giannis straightened up, “A-alright. Goodnight.” They departed with a stale nod, a stark contrast from the warmth they had shared. It all just fell apart so quickly. As Giannis scaled the wall he thought of what tomorrow may bring. It didn’t matter if Aulus was mad or upset or simply depressed, they’d fix things they always would. Even so, as the day stretched on with nothing but a cold nothing Giannis grew worried. A gnawing anxiousness. They did everything together. He planned his days around him. Without he was just left meandering about. He began to fear Aulus had left him. And not far after his paranoia was confirmed. A shout from the altar, and almost immediately his stomach dropped. He sped through the village and ran into the others inspecting the scene of the crime. The deity was nowhere to be found. Giannis grinned, in some last desperate attempt to gaslight himself. He had most likely left in the dusk, bitter taste in his mouth, scraping up the stone wall. Soured from something that had once been sweet. Warm. It made Giannis…Angry? No. Certainly not angry. He just felt empty, a throbbing emptiness, yet somehow his brain still worked at lightning speed. Where could he have gone? Was this really unpreventible? He wheezed as his heart pounded in his chest.
The cold taste of stone surrounded them both. Swallowing them as if it were a giant beast. Perhaps it needed to be defeated, it would not. Giannis dragged Aulus by the scruff of his neck. Eyes wide, facing forward. Aulus shouted at him, making crude gestures and even cruder insults. Giannis barely heard them, his eyes scanning around the cobbled together dungeon. He set him against a wall, a little firmer than he meant. He coughed on impact, lungs wheezing in the dust infected air. He rubbed the spot on his throat and glared at Giannis. “Where am I?” He asked through gritted teeth and wheezes. Giannis leaned down next to him, balancing on the tips of his feet. “Don’t-” Aulus sighed with more of a tone of annoyance than exasperation, “Don’t touch me.” The God’s chest was rising and falling rapidly, in panic. He had…paniced the deity…? He didn’t feel himself, he really didn’t. He felt like he was watching the scene unfold. Placed in the stars, unable to control nor worry about the things on earth. He met the indignant shouts with cold, not exactly collected, silence. “Is this really about running away?! Gods, grow up!” Aulus shouted at him, thrashing against the stone blocking behind him, on both sides, above him too. It was claustrophobic. He was behaving like a wild animal, who was finally cornered. “It’s not just about that and you know that!” Giannis finally spoke, coming out in a loud and fiery burst “It’s not about that…” He said mumbling, “You left me, you promised you wouldn’t, and you left anyways you- I- what did I even do?!” Aulus rolled his eyes and sighed with a mocking tone. “That’s no reason to-to hunt me down!” Giannis stared at him, his gaze filled with pity, “I was only trying to help! I was worried! You could’ve gotten hurt- or-” Aulus stopped him, “I can handle myself, I'm not a kid!” He said, words running into each other as he sped to get them out. Giannis brushed lightly against him, “No- you-you’re misunderstanding my intent.” Aulus spat at the pebbles near his feet, “Don’t touch me-” He hissed again. “Let’s just both calm down alright?” He asked in a, supposed to be, soothing whisper. He gripped Aulus’s forearms hard enough to bruise. In contrast to the calm voice, his body language was fidgety and pleading. Aulus smacked him across the face. Giannis shocked, he stared at his hand after tenderly brushing his face. It didn’t take much convincing before he met with the same brutal attack. He blacked out, the darkness consuming him as his body moved without need for permission, or at least that's what he told himself. Truly, he probably was in the driver's seat. His chest heaved and he cradled Aulus’s form. It was cold, he pressed into the source of warmth. It throbbed weakly. He took his hand, breathing deeply, and ripped the warmth from the deity’s chest.
Warmth pooled against his palms and soon it devoured him.