CODEX GIGAS

Archie let out a soft laugh at the other’s reaction. “You are surely confident, hm?”  he whispered, still studying the other with his own wide green eyes. He reached over to quickly grab a sip of the solo cup full of awful vodka.  He couldn’t help the way his whole face scrunched up as he tried to swallow it. He needed all of the liquid courage he could muster, even if burned his entire throat. Archie was either too drunk, or too stupid to realize what Nox was. He just thought the other was some punk. A kind of person he had only heard about in magazines. He found it incredibly hot.

When the other called him out, he licked at his lips and looked away. “You kind of are.” he admitted as he reached up a hand to push his own glasses up his nose. “Not really a lot of…men throwing themselves at me back home.” he admitted simply. “But maybe I’ll have more luck out here.” he teased softly, easily continuing to press up against the other. He wasn’t even really sure how to have sex with a man, but at least Nox had seemed quite knowledgeable about it. 

Archie let out a quiet moan, as Nox’s lips moved to his neck. He did his best to try and strip the other’s jacket off, before gripping again at his arms, trying to pull him in closer. He could barely tell what was even happening. He was too busy being infatuated with the other, focused on his lips to realize his pants were even being shoved down. He only came through as he was turned and could see the other in the mirror. 

A whimper escaped this time as he felt Nox’s hips pressed against his own. He did his best to press back against him, while his fingers struggled to reach down and shove his own underwear out of the way. He couldn’t help but fumble as he continued watching the other.  “Fuck me.” was all he was really able to moan out, as he turned his head, catching Nox’s lips in a messy kiss, straining his neck to do so. “Use me.” he added against the other’s lips, unsure what was coming over him. All he knew was that he needed Nox. He needed everyone to hear them. He needed the other to take him over completely.

Mulan stared at that hand – one she’d taken before, one she’d fought alongside in battle. A dance shouldn’t have been any different…but taking it now felt all the more intimate. They were coworkers. Friends. Members of rival families. Mulan was a general, and yet her heartbeat thudded in her ears, drowning out everyone else’s words but Shang’s.

She considered arguing that he didn’t have to take the lead, that she was a perfectly capable woman of leading a dance herself, but her brother’s words came back to her – for once, she could maybe just allow herself to enjoy the night. 

“You…waited the whole night…to ask me to dance?” She didn’t think anyone had ever been that nervous to ask her for a dance…at past parties with nobles, most would avoid dancing with her, if they could help it. But Mulan still allowed for Shang to take her hand and lead her to the dancefloor. “Well you…you certainly chose a good song to ask me to dance to. I’m…I’m glad you asked. Otherwise the only person I would’ve danced with tonight would’ve been my brother.”

“I possibly- I did.” Talking to Mulan like this was odd, not because the woman herself was, but even after all this time, Shang still had to adjust to see her in a different light. No longer a helpless student of the martial arts to a respectable general and lady. Yes, she was downright gorgeous and no voices in his head, telling him that his family would never accept for him to fall for someone of her family could stop that. Strong heart was beating quicker than it would even in combat as he guided her toward the dance floor, visibly nervous yet excited. Lips were tight in a smile as he felt it was inappropriate to let his inner emotions show so easily as instead his strength gently swung her in front of him. “Ex-Excuse me.” With a cleared throat he reached for her other hand to place it upon his shoulder before his own rested against her waist, having him look away from her. Something about it felt too intimate but he also could not take his hand away. “It is an honor to dance with you, Miss Fa.” At last his eyes caught hers and oh, how he could melt into them. But instead his feet began moving them in a slow yet elegant waltz, his stance perfection as he led them over the floor. “You are doing wonderful.” Was she really? It didn’t matter. Just dancing with her was already a treat. “And you..you look..I mean you are- stunning.”

a tiny and dizzying intellect would take the words given and trust them with his entire heart. he was a follower and full of devotion. allowed was only subservience? right? eyes would glance above the heavens for such an answer, yet his own ears could hear sweet proclamations. the butterflies in his stomach hoped for more as arms wrapped themselves around him. oh, how ganymede relished in feeling so weightless in Zeus’ arms. a single rugged exhale would quake in his tiny chest as to signify a final sob for which he could leave on the mortal plane. tears seemed silly now that he could hear that heavenly voice and graze the shoulders of that first embrace. he’d take in as much as he could, should the deity have to return soon. “If arms should be occupied to never let go, I shall press my lips elsewhere.”

he dared with plenty might and a lack of purity, first pressing his nose against his majesty’s. fingertips would, then, curl at the scruff on a divine jaw, and finally lips would press a smile against the god’s lips. chastity would turn fervid if not for the sound to escape his mouth– a titter of contagious elation. sounds of delight and pleasure would escape as lips parted in a beam. “Could I ask you to promise to never let go, for I wish for no other arms to hold me as yours do.”

he’d speak with his forehead inching closer towards Zeus’s. “If I am keeper of your heart and soul, I promise the same. Words cannot describe my adoration for you, but until my dying breath and even in eternity when the soil covers my mortal coils my love for you will still burn for there are none like you, and there will never be any like you.” he’d chuckle once more, at the term apple of my eye, and try his best to bury his expressions in the sight before him. fingertips would inch to shoulders to caress biceps. swirling memories would once again churn butterflies in the stomach. “But just to see you is the greatest joy you could gift me.” 

Simply to hold this man in his arms again, who would have guessed that it could inflame Zeus’ heart like this, simply jumping in his chest as lips were graced with a tender kiss, nearly shy, thinking back on the many things they had already shared many times before this. Reciprocating the gesture, Zeus leaned down to make it easier on the shorter, letting his lips part and beard brush the other’s skin as tongue came forth and traced the lower lip. Strong arm was wrapped around Ganymede’s waist, pulling him so close that there was not even space for air between them, nothing to dare tear them away from one another, not until the other spoke to the king. Letting off for a moment, silver eyes traced perfect features with their gaze before a peck was stolen from inviting lips and a deep breath taken at last as their foreheads joined. It was like he needed a moment to really enjoy Ganymede, his presence, his feeling, his scent and his voice. Let it all sink in with closed eyes before any of his plans would be revealed. “You musn’t speak of your death as I would not allow it. I propose to you, my beloved shepherd, come with me to eternity.” At last it escaped him, gentle, deep voice laying out the words carefully before he stepped back to grasp tender hands between his own big palms to hold them, guide them, until lips could grace them with a brush of a kiss to precious knuckles. “I have not come for a visit. I have come to steal you away, beloved. Will you let me do so?” If it came to his temperament, Zeus would have simply grabbed Ganymede, picked him right off the ground mid flight and taken him away, but even he did not wish to frighten the one his heart had chosen like that. Ganymede deserved better, he deserved a choice, although the answer seemed already set.

“Because it isn’t. Be a man, stop stammering!” There was a gaping wound along the man’s side, hidden under his jacket and thus not detected until the beast had been slain and the two of them had a moment to catch their breath. Shang had gone to the ground with a groan, but a hand was risen as if to keep Bambi away. “This is nothing.” Stubborn, everyone knew that was the hunter’s strongest characteristic before anything else. As painful as it was and as much as his head was spinning, he pushing himself up by one of his swords that he had lodged into the ground. “More will come, we need to call for back up.” As prideful as he was, he knew when he was outnumbered and with the younger not yet ready for combat, this was not appropriate training for Bambi.

if he knew anything about anything, he’d know that Eris was one for concern given her 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐨𝐬. regardless, he’d greet her with a smile. the glint in the golden apple would further color amber irises with delight in meeting her, thought it would all falter as soon as her question was posited. from the table, he’d wave his hand to fill two goblets; one for her and one for him. lips would first place themselves against his own cup after. he’d then hand her the goblet for her.

“Of what trouble do you speak?” 

he’d purse his lips as a heart in his chest would drop for he had his own silent inklings. “Are you here to give bad news, or do I already know?” he liked to play oblivious. he’d have rather lived in his fantasies than in cruel and harsh realities.

Innocence, it was what came to mind first when thinking of Ganymede, well, as innocent as one sleeping with the king of gods could be. Eris still saw him as nothing but a little boy that was fun to tease and she found joy in doing so. Not to forget that he provided the best liquor in the whole kingdom, Dionysus aside. Dramatically she gasped while grabbing the golden cup from him, of course taking her time to take a sip first. “Have you not heard? The queen has fled the palace!” A pause for dramatics sake. “They say it’s cause our big, bad king only got eyes for your tight ass these days.” Finally she broke into her normal expression, one of glee and cunning smirks with a delighted chuckle. “Cheers on that, baby!” Eris could never stand Hera and her dramatics, she did not understand love or attachment to another, especially not someone like Zeus. To her, Hera was nothing but weak in the first place. Or well, maybe she had poked the queen a bit too much for the sudden flight to take place.