(no subject)

[aegletes.insanejournal.com]

Characters: Apollo and Asclepius
Date/Time: Late one autumn night in 1997.
Location: Oxford, UK
Rating: TBD
Warnings: Innuendo, and much of it.
Summary: Godlings respond to rumors-- and end up inspiring a few more.



There was a decided cold nip in the wind that blew down the length of the street, smacking right into Dorian's and Galen's faces as they left the pub. Apollo shivered slightly, drawing his scarf a little tighter around himself to block out the wind.

"Bloody weather" he muttered to himself, his voice still a little rough from the vindaloo he'd eaten earlier (not to mention the pint of lager he'd used to wash it down). It was their usual Thursday-night ritual ever since they'd gotten parts in the Dramatic Society's performance of "The Rocky Horror Show" earlier in the year-- after a rehearsal or a show, he and Galen would go for a late-night curry at the Jaipur Gardens, followed by a pint at the Coachman's Arms around the corner.

He looked over at Galen, still in his eye make-up from playing Frank that night. Strangely enough, he didn't seem to be as bothered by the wind as Dorian was. With a grin mostly hidden by his scarf, he turned to Dorian as they walked and said "What do you say we skive off class tomorrow and pop down to Ibiza for the weekend, eh?"

Comments

[ieter-amumon.insanejournal.com]

"That depends, Paean. Do you have the material for Monday's exam cold yet?" the dark-haired boy said. "If not, you'd do much better to attend the study session."

[aegletes.insanejournal.com]

"Bah!" he said, giving Galen a playful shove. "You're too bloody sensible. But I suppose you're right." He looked wistfully down the street, where a group of their classmates were approaching. "Still, it would have been nice. Warm beaches, cool drinks..."

[ieter-amumon.insanejournal.com]

"Maybe next weekend," Galen suggested, elbowing him back just as playfully. "Or, you know, someplace a bit closer. There is that concert coming up, too, don't forget."

He nodded to his classmates, not caring much about the eye makeup he still had on. It added to his "punk" vibe, along with his long hair and the leather jacket he wore to protect against the biting wind. At least he'd washed off the lipstick.

[aegletes.insanejournal.com]

"Oh, excellent-- so you can get away for the concert after all, then?" His enthusiasm was plain.

As they passed their classmates, Dorian could tell that they'd been on a pub-crawl that night, and the alcohol coming off them was almost a visible cloud. As he moved to the side to let them pass, he could see a couple of the boys staring openly at the two of them. Just as they passed, he could just barely hear one of them say to his friends "You're right, Gaz-- they ARE poofs after all."

[ieter-amumon.insanejournal.com]

"Yeah, should be no problem," Galen said, nodding.

He stiffened when he caught the comment from his classmates.
"...you want to run that by me again?" he demanded.

[aegletes.insanejournal.com]

Dorian caught the tension in Galen's voice and posture, and he stopped, turning to stand next to him as he turned to face the other group.

Their classmates were standing flat-footed, quite obviously not expecting either of them to make a response. Despite his drunkenness, the one who'd spoken seemed to not quite know what to say in reply. "Well... I mean, like, the two of you... well, it's obvious, innit?" he said after a few seconds. He looked around nervously for moral support. "It's like, everyone knows you two are... you know, an item..." His voice trailed off, and the flush on his face wasn't just the booze.

"Everyone knows, eh?" Dorian said, trying very hard to keep his voice and face neutral, though inside he was vastly amused by the speaker's obvious discomfort.

[ieter-amumon.insanejournal.com]

"Who the bloody hell told you that?" Galen growled. He could tell Dorian was trying not to laugh, and that made it all the more irritating.

[aegletes.insanejournal.com]

The original speaker was making faces like a gaffed fish, to the point where his friend had to step in. "Look, mate, the two of you are joined at the bloody hip all the time, and nobody's ever seen either of you pulling a girl down the pub. Plus..." and here he gestured vaguely at Galen's eyes.

Dorian had to look down briefly to keep it together. "Why, what a masterpiece of deductive logic, wouldn't you say?" He looked at Galen, his own eyes twinkling.

[ieter-amumon.insanejournal.com]

"...fucking brilliant," Galen muttered under his breath.

It was virtually impossible to explain his relationship with Dorian. They were closer than brothers, doing almost everything together. No one would ever believe they were actually father and son. Who would, after all, especially when Dorian looked as if he were the younger of the two? It didn't help that the blond lad had a notorious reputation for being something of a playboy, and unabashedly chased both men and women.

"This is stage makeup, you idiot," he corrected scathingly.

"Agreed, Paean. These louts obviously don't know what they're talking about. Probably can't tell arse from elbow either," he said, looking to Dorian.

[aegletes.insanejournal.com]

Dorian grinned, catching Galen full in the eyes. "I wonder if they'd appreciate a lesson in the difference between the two?"

He looked over the other group, now looking suitably cowed. "Hmm... no, I don't think you can really teach a lesson to someone who doesn't want to learn."

[ieter-amumon.insanejournal.com]

"Damn. And I always enjoy removing ignorance from the world," Galen mock sighed.

Still, he knew that smirk.
"...what is it you're planning, Paean?"

[aegletes.insanejournal.com]

Dorian attempted to look innocent, and failed miserably.

"Oh, why, nothing at all," he said. "In fact--" Dorian looked up and pointed to a point somewhere over Galen's shoulder. "I say! Isn't that the Winged Victory of Samothrace?"

[ieter-amumon.insanejournal.com]

"What the bloody hell are you talking about, Paean?" Galen asked, turning his head to figure out what he was pretending to point out.

[aegletes.insanejournal.com]

Because Galen's head was turned away, he didn't see Dorian moving up on his blind side to gently but firmly take hold of Galen's face and pull it towards his. Before Galen even properly knew what was happening, their lips were meeting--and this was no mere stage-peck, but a deep lover's kiss.

Out of the corner of his eye, Dorian noticed the shocked expressions on the faces of their audience as his hands slipped around Galen's body. He grinned to himself. So worth it, he thought.

[ieter-amumon.insanejournal.com]

Galen jerked back reflexively.
"What the fuck was that?!" he demanded, wiping his mouth.

[aegletes.insanejournal.com]

"Well, these people so obviously wanted a show," Dorian purred. "You would not be so un-gallant as to disappoint them?" He smirked again. "Besides, I think they've found it edifying. Quite bracing, even."

[ieter-amumon.insanejournal.com]

For a moment, all Galen could do was stare, dumbfounded. He gritted his teeth, feeling his cheeks burning with mortification. Then, suddenly...

BAM!

Galen's fist swung to catch Dorian solidly in the face, giving him a good-sized black eye.

"You ever pull a stunt like that on me again, Paean, and I'll break you so badly, your pretty-boy days will be nothing but a bittersweet memory," he spat.

[aegletes.insanejournal.com]

Dorian shook his head slightly to clear it. Damn, but Galen hit hard, and he could already feel his face starting to puff up.

"I'll let that slide. Once. Only once." His voice was still a purr, but this time, it was the growling purr of a wild cat about to pounce.

[ieter-amumon.insanejournal.com]

Galen absently massaged his knuckles. The blow had been hard enough his hand ached from it.

"Fine. Don't give me a reason to do it again," he retorted.

[aegletes.insanejournal.com]

"And you need to learn to calm down and not take things so seriously," Dorian said, perfectly mimicing Galen's tone.

[ieter-amumon.insanejournal.com]

"You know damned well I don't go for that," Galen grumbled, "Not funny, Paean."