Chapter Text
“Azem.”
The pale lips breathe the title warm against Helios’ skin, on his throat between his jaw and the high collar of his high neck robe. Helios tilts his head to give his lover easier access to the rest of it. Hades immediately takes it, pressing quick kisses on the exposed skin. It feels wonderful. Helios closes his eyes and leans back against the wall Hades has him pressed against in his own apartment, high above the nightly city.
"Azem…"
It is wonderful and it is frustrating. Helios raises a hand up in front of his new lover’s lips when Hades tries to lean in for a kiss. It earns him a concerned frown, but Hades does stop.
“Did I do anything wrong?” Under the robes Hades’ hands loosen their grip on his waist, as if worried he has touched too eagerly.
Au contraire, but, “I had one condition for when we are alone”, he reminds Hades, who frowns even deeper, looking puzzled. Helios bats his eyelashes, smiles. "Call me by my name."
The other man stares at him for a moment, more conflicted than Helios thinks anyone should be at his request. But since the few years they have known each other Hades has always seemed more of a devoted public servant to the Star than Helios. One would assume Helios is an ordinary citizen with all his bent rules and Hades the Convocation member with how much the latter likes to stick to protocol, and that includes referring to the Convocation by the titles of their Seats rather than their names. Alas.
“…Right. Apologies.” Hades pinches the bridge of his nose with a sigh. He looks almost shy now. “Helios”, he corrects himself, but can only meet Helios’ orange eyes for a brief moment when he says it. Hades’ ears turn red.
*It is adorable*, Helios thinks, *to discover all the things that fluster this man.* He pulls Hades in for a kiss on the lips and slowly they return to their previous business as Hades’ shoulders relax under the arms slung around them. His hands continue to roam over the bare skin under the robes; all the way up over Helios' chest and down again, over his back and down the spine, to the hem of his pants and Helios hums and starts to count how many ups and downs it will take before they will go lower-
“I don’t understand it."
Helios opens an eye.
Hades' nose is brushing against his cheeks as he muses, "Your position is such an honour. There is no greater proof of your character than being one of the Fourteen. Why do you want me to ignore it?" The messy silver hair tickles against Helios' dark skin, and he sounds so sincerely distressed that Helios almost feels bad for asking this little thing of his friend. "You are Azem—”
“Not here. Not with you.” He doesn't stop Hades this time, runs his own hands over Hades' back instead, slowly. “Azem’s job is to travel far away and seek friendship with thousands of cultures." He bumps their noses together, playfully. "But right now I only want to understand and know you, my dearest, my most beloved Hades."
He cannot tell for sure because Hades immediately buries his face in his shoulder, but Helios is certain he just made him blush again. "The things you say", Hades grumbles and Helios laughs.
At that his lover's head rises again, looking him straight into the eyes, yellow gold meeting bright orange.
Helios smiles back, pushing silver strands of hair out of his face.
“Helios”, Hades breathes and it tastes of summer fruits and honey. “Helios”, Hades breathes again and it sounds like love.