open: it's an old song - and we're gonna sing it again

[papadopoulos]

Music is love’s food
Heh, my son said that. Sort of.
Anyway, he’s right.


Summer has always been one of Apollo’s favorite seasons. That stands to reason – the sun is out longer, it is warm, and there’s plenty of light about. Spring isn’t half bad either, he has always been one to appreciate the beauty of nature in an early spring; though he is no nature god. It should be no surprise, then, that he is out and about exploring the woods these days, spending as much time out of doors as he possibly can. He flits from one activity to the other quite frequently, it’s hard when you’re a god with too many interests.

In the early morning, he can be found at the archery range. He’s always been an early riser (except when he was Lester, occasionally), and by the time most people are out and about, there is a fine collection of arrows embedded in the center of the target. He remains there for some time, enjoying the simple pleasure of being able to actually hit the target properly after his six months as a mortal.

A bit later in the day, Apollo is still outside, settled under a tree with his guitar. If anyone is out and about, they will hear him singing. The song is in Ancient Greek, full of the sorrows and longings and everything that he’s experienced in his short time here in the mansion – but above all, there is a small thread of hope running through it. It jumps from slow and contemplative, a shared grief to joyous and optimistic in quick succession –spring is the time for rebirth, after all. He may as well sing of the small hope the mansion has with the recent happenings. Those who encounter the song will hear something that is possibly the best music they have ever heard. It’s nothing altogether special for Apollo, of course, but in his playing he has forgotten to keep his powers tamped down like they usually are.

Comments

[papadopoulos]

"Oh, yeah?" Apollo lifts his eyebrows questioningly. "We'll have to try that sometime." For now, though, he settles in to pressing kisses along Aleksander's neck, smiling. "I can do -- less than I could at home, here, but it's useful for some things."

[temnota]

"Yet another thing we have in common," Aleksander said wryly. He had much better things to do then dwell on the fact his power had been curtailed here so instead of dwelling, he tilted his head to give Apollo easier access to his neck and threaded his fingers into Apollo's hair, tugging slightly.

[papadopoulos]

Apollo makes a pleased noise and bites at his neck, again letting his hands wander where they will. "You can go harder, I won't break," he says with some amusement.

[temnota]

"I can go harder," Aleksander said lightly, his eyes flickering with amusement. "But will I?"

[papadopoulos]

He laughs and bites again at Aleksander's neck, harder this time. "Suppose that's up to you."

[temnota]

Aleksander exhaled sharply, the bite sending a pleasurable jolt all the way down to his groin. His pants were becoming uncomfortably tight but he wasn't planning on doing anything about it - yet. He still had self-control and he wanted to see how far he could tease Apollo.

"If you want me to go harder, you'll have to ask."

[papadopoulos]

"I thought I just did." He glances up through his lashes at Aleksander -- a difficult feat, when one is an inch taller than the person they're looking up at, but somehow he manages to do it -- and gives him a smile that could melt butter.

[temnota]

"I like people to use their words." Aleksander was not immune to those fluttering lashes and beautiful smile so instead of insisting Apollo spell it out as would have been his usual method, he twisted his fingers more firmly into Apollo's hair and tugged harder.

[papadopoulos]

Hm. It looks like he's going to have to actually make an effort here. He doesn't mind that, though, and can't help another quiet pleased noise.

"Alright, then," he says, laughing a little as he leans to kiss at the other's neck. "Mm. I want --" He considers this for a moment. It's been a long time since he's had time or inclination for this sort of thing; nearly dying and attempting to flirt with girls who are soon to be Hunters of Artemis is not the best for anyone's romantic life. There are so many things he wants, right now.

"I can't decide," he says, half-laughing again. "I want you to mark me, I guess." That's easy enough. "As hard as you want to. I'm durable, I can take it."

[temnota]

Aleksander murmured appreciatively, delighted that Apollo had found the words to express his desire. He was relieved too though he did not consciously realize it. There was no reason now to fear that he was taking away Apollo's choices. He knew what Apollo wanted and was more then willing to oblige.

"There you go. How good you are to tell me what you want," he praised softly. He kissed him again, long and languorously, all the while lightly running his fingers through Apollo's hair. When he broke the kiss, he gazed down at Apollo for a moment, smiling beatifically then bent his head and bit savagely at his shoulder.

[papadopoulos]

“Not all that good,” Apollo replies, slightly sheepish. But any other protest is drowned out soon enough: the combination of Aleksander’s amplifying capabilities and the attention Apollo is receiving is making him feel pleasantly warm and fuzzy. The air around him starts to glow just slightly in his distraction.

[temnota]

It was difficult to see the glow and not think of Alina but Aleksander very quickly put her out of his mind. Though he would have to talk to Apollo about her at some point, the time for that was certainly not now. Nothing else mattered in this moment but Apollo and how good he could make him feel.

He kissed the bite mark he'd left then experimentally pressed his thumb against the tender flesh. "Was that hard enough?"

[papadopoulos]

Apollo can't help but groan, letting his head fall back as he glances up at Aleksander, heavy-lidded. "Mm. That'll do," he replies, the air warming a little more around them in his distraction. "Unfortunately, I am mostly bruise-proof, but don't let that stop you."

[temnota]

Aleksander caught his breath as he gazed down at Apollo, struck anew by the heady combination of beauty and power. In Ravka, he would have been an utter fool to let someone like Apollo so close for so many reasons - betrayal, assassination, unwelcome scrutiny from the court among a few. But this world was different. He could love and desire without fear or judgement.

"That is a pity. I do enjoy seeing a record of my work," he said softly as he leaned forward, using his weight to press Apollo backwards. "But I can work with this."

[papadopoulos]

"Good to know," Apollo purrs in response, letting himself be guided wherever Aleksander pleases. "I did say 'mostly'. Could be different here."

[temnota]

Once he had Apollo flat on his back, Aleksander shifted his weight so he could straddle Apollo more comfortably and glanced down, his eyes warm and a calculating smile on his face. He skimmed his fingers over Apollo's cheek, losing himself for a moment in the simple touch. He'd spent so long denying himself that simple connection that he did not think he could ever get enough. "We should test this and find out for certain, don't you think?"

[papadopoulos]

Apollo may or may not be positioning himself so he looks his best; though it's hard not to look as inviting as he does at the present. "We should," he agrees, making a soft content noise at Aleksander's touch. The attention is wonderful, and Aleksander's powers only serve to heighten it at the moment. For a split second, he's about to reach up and pull Aleksander down into a hungry kiss; he wants to, but he remembers himself at the last.

[temnota]

Truly, Aleksander could have gazed down at Apollo for hours, soaking in his beauty and the (literal) warmth of his countenance but that wasn't nearly as mutually enjoyable as the other things he had in mind.

He bent his head to kiss Apollo hungrily, biting down on his lower lip harder then he would have done with anyone else. When he pulled away, there was blood on his lips. He passed a thumb over his mouth, considered the smeared bloodstain with a feral grin then deliberately slipped his thumb into his mouth. The coppery tang of blood filled his mouth as he licked his thumb clean, his eyes on Apollo the whole time.

[papadopoulos]

Apollo practically whines into that kiss, watching Aleksander's movements with rapt attention. "Gods, you're gorgeous," he says, soft and fervent as a prayer, and reaches up to cup Aleksander's cheek, his eyes dark.

[temnota]

Aleksander had long been aware of his good looks and considered them an asset to be wielded as the situation called for it, much like his shadows. It'd served him well over the centuries when might or diplomacy failed. All the same, it was nice to hear and nicer still to know without doubt there was no calculation behind it. This was real.

He sighed at the touch, shamelessly nuzzling Apollo's hand. "You are exquisite," he murmured. "My beautiful sun."

[papadopoulos]

Apollo holds that touch, considering. He, too, has always been aware of his good looks --vain, some might say, and he would admit it, but he's recently become aware that there is much more to life than that. His good looks are nice enough, but it's nicer to know that Aleksander understands at least some of what he's been through, even if it's not exactly the same path the other had been down. He finally makes a soft noise of agreement, leaning up to give Aleksander a hungry kiss.

[temnota]

As Aleksander returned the kiss, he could not help but feel exultation in the knowledge he did not need to hold back. He could love as fiercely as he wanted and Apollo would be able to bear it. And if - when he was ready to share the darker parts of his past, Apollo could bear that too. He might even understand a little and that was a rare thing indeed.

He pulled away for a moment to catch his breath and gaze down at Apollo again. His smile was dark and wicked as he scraped his nails along Apollo's neck and down to the shoulder he hadn't yet marked. He traced a pattern, Apollo's name in Old Ravkan then bit down hard.

[papadopoulos]

Apollo groans at that, muttering a breathless curse in Ancient Greek as he arches his hips. "Mmm," he says in the same language, his hand moving to tangle in Aleksander's hair. "You are making it incredibly hard to think."

[temnota]

"Good," Aleksander preened, delighted by Apollo's response to his merciless teasing. "Don't think, solnyshko. Don't hold back. Enjoy yourself."

He rolled his hips forward, pressing down into Apollo with a hungry sigh. He was hard and aching but he was determined to keep drawing out his exploration of what things Apollo enjoyed for as long as he could. He could wait for his own pleasure - it was Apollo's that mattered at this moment.

[papadopoulos]

Apollo enjoys most anything and everything. He's been around for a long, long time. He presses up against Aleksander and grinds against him with a low, content noise. At this rate, the air around them is starting to feel like an incredibly hot summer's day, but Apollo is mostly keeping a rein on it.

"I am," he replies with a small smile. "Greatly."