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Title: A Life Relived
Rating: R
Pairings: (Harry Potter – Harry/Canon Male) (Greek Mythology - Eteocles/Polyneices*, Theseus/Pirithous)
Fandoms: Harry Potter, Greek Mythology
Warnings: Angst, Incest* (the couple is marked with *), Slash, Flangst, Fluff,
A/N: I enjoyed the book “The Hero with a Thousand Faces”. The following was written with this in mind. I look forward to any and all concrit and commentary. For the
crossover_hp Ficathon Session Two.
A/N2: I've written two endings to this story. I've included both here.
Harry liked times like these, when he lay with his head pillowed on a lap and sweet fingers playing in his hair. The gentle scrap of nails against his scalp soothed the itch in his soul. The gentle rhythm kept his breathing calm as he lay there. Silence, comfortable and yet not, reigned in the small room where they sat.
Harry didn't like long silences. They reminded him of his time in the cupboard with no one other than himself and the spiders to talk to. Silence eventually hurt and so he broke it.
"Would you like a story?" His lover made a noise and Harry took it for an affirmative.
"Do you believe in reincarnation?" When his lover responded negatively to his question, Harry looked up, causing the fingers to brush his face.
"I do. I believe in reincarnation. The Hindus, for example, believe that the ultimate reincarnated form is the cow. The Buddhists, on the other hand, look for a child born after someone dies that has knowledge of time before. Did you know that Steven Segal is considered the reborn Lama Chungdrag Dorje, the Treasure Revealer?" Harry didn't wait for a response, knowing that his lover wouldn't give him one.
"Even Plato and Pythagoras believed in reincarnation. It's even mentioned in the Kabbalah, at least according to what I can find. There are plenty of rabbis that disagree though. So, who knows on that. The Christians accepted it and then rejected it.
"Religion is an interesting thing but I've gotten off the topic, haven't I?" Harry stared up at his lover as he continued to play with Harry's hair.
"Reincarnation is fascinating to study. There are so many lives and, after all, why are we here? Are we supposed to learn a lesson and then nothing? Is it all just flowers and harps up in heaven or is there more? I only get more and more sure that I think I'm a cosmic joke the more I research it, though. I'm continually forced to live and relive the same stupid life. I've been cast the hero far too many times." At a small sound from his lover, Harry grinned.
"Of course you'd give me shit about thinking that. The Great Harry Potter, always the hero, always the whiner." Harry laughed. "But I think it's true. I have dreams of past lives, dreams of swords and leather armor, dreams of guns and explosions, so many dreams of being forced to be the hero."
At his lover's questioning gaze, Harry grasped the hand touching his forehead and brought it to his mouth. He pressed a kiss against it before speaking.
"I'll tell you about a past life, then? Maybe I could convince you about reincarnation?" Watching the nod, Harry smirked.
"I knew you'd respond to the challenge. I lived many lives in Ancient Greece. One of my favorites was in Thebes…"
Thebes was beautiful during the winter. It was cold and Polyneices was forced to wear a cloak and hat. They fit him well, however, and he knew it. He could be forgiven his bit of vanity at his looks as he was the son of Oedipus. As the son of the king, Polyneices stood to inherit the throne along with his brother, ruling one year as his brother ruled the next. The symbiotic manner of rule was the best way to go, as the brothers shared all things.
A grimace spread his face as he contemplated his brother. Eteocles had been a constant companion, along with his sisters Antigone and Ismene. The four did most things together.
This familial relationship was far more important to Polyneices than his marriage to Argea. If that focus caused friction in his marriage, Polyneices was willing to bear that responsibility. Their relationship had always been strained. The fact that he hadn't met Argea until she had appeared in her wedding finery hadn't helped first introductions. She was what many could call a beautiful woman but there was one small issue with her. She wasn't Eteocles.
Some would say that his relationship with his brother was unnatural and going against the gods. Their family, however, had never been considered natural. His mother was also his grandmother. None of that mattered in the face of the overwhelming love he felt for his brother.
Eteocles was beauty incarnate. An impassioned speaker, a devoted brother and an inventive lover, Eteocles completed Polyneices in ways that he couldn't comprehend. They'd been each other's first kiss.
Recalling that memory, Polyneices touched a finger to his lips. From that first innocent exploration, his brain ran through their various encounters to the one this morning. Not nearly as happy a memory, Polyneices found his anger returning as he walked.
Eteocles had come to Polyneices' bedchamber to tell him news. "Brother! I have the most wondrous news!"
Polyneices rolled to face the doorway and waved a languorous hand for his brother to finish entering the room. Unconcerned with his nudity, Polyneices reached a hand down to shift his prick and roll his balls in his hand. His actions were rewarded with a sultry smile from Eteocles.
After stalking across the room, dropping pieces of clothing along the way, Eteocles lay on the bed, his head at the perfect level to suck his brother's cock.
"Oh great Hera that feels good." The rumble of Eteocles' laughter increased the need and wet heat. A hoarse cry and Polyneices came.
Eteocles slid up Polyneices' body so that they lay face to face, surrounded by the white bedding.
"My wife is pregnant, Polyneices. Is that not the greatest news?" Shocked, Polyneices stared.
He'd been able to block that he was married, that Eteocles was married as they continued to love each other. It was one thing that he had a son. It was another to realize that Eteocles would have a son as well. The betrayal sliced through his heart as Polyneices continued to gape.
"Are you not happy for me, brother? I am to be a father! A son! Your son and mine will grow together, play together, and rule together." Eteocles placed his arm on Polyneices' waist and attempted to draw him close.
Unable to bear the pain of unfaithfulness, Polyneices shoved his brother's arm away. With angry, jerky motions, he left the bed and pulled on the first clothes he could find. As his brother called to him, Polyneices left the room and the house.
As he wandered the agora, the hurt continued until it became the center of his focus. He realized the irony of being so very upset at Eteocles having a child while he, himself, had already had Thersander, the pride of his life. That didn't make the pain of betrayal, of unfaithfulness, of duplicity any less.
Arms suddenly pulled him into the shadows. Lips nuzzled his neck as he was held. When the nuzzle turned into a nip, Polyneices relaxed slightly into the embrace.
"Why has my news so upset you?" Eteocles sounded hurt, as well. Polyneices turned and embraced his brother. Sighing, he pushed his nose into the skin in front of him, inhaling the unique musk that screamed home to him.
"It brought me back to reality, that you are not mine, that you belong to another." The embrace tightened as Polyneices whispered his response.
"You belong to another and I accepted the birth of Thersander, did I not?" Polyneices nodded. "Then why can you not be happy for me?"
"Because you have always been mine. I cannot stand to think of you in another's arms. I want to be your only and I know that I can't have that." When he was done, Eteocles grasped his shoulders and pulled him away until they were staring at one another. With a cry, they fell into each other's arms, the kiss fierce.
"With a love like that, you would think it would last, wouldn't it? Filial love can't be wrong when it is felt so strongly, can it?" Absorbed into the story, Harry felt as Polyneices felt, lost and abandoned. His lover stroked his cheek and Harry smiled.
"You always know exactly what to say or do to make me feel better. That love didn't last, it couldn't under the powers of greed. Oedipus, yes that Oedipus, abdicated the throne of Thebes so that the brothers could rule, Eteocles first and then Polyneices.
"Eteocles refused to step down. Polyneices was forced to summon his army and try to save his country from ruin. He marched on Thebes and there, he met his brother in combat."
The sun shone down on Eteocles, casting him in a halo of light. Polyneices hardened his heart as he cut his way across the battlefield. No one was going to keep him from his brother.
The loud clang of swords meeting echoed loudly and as they thrust and parried each other, the rest of the battlefield receded until his brother, his only, was the single person in his sight. The brothers circled each other, searching for a weakness. There weren't many as they had sparred and taught each other for so very many years.
The sudden thrust of steel into flesh shocked Polyneices. As Eteocles' sword pierced his abdomen, Polyneices swept his sword downwards, until it cleaved into his brother's neck.
"My only." He gasped as the blood gurgled into his throat. The words were overridden with the thundering of blood and horse's hooves but Eteocles nodded, as if he understood and forgave, as his eyes closed.
They fell, entwined, to the ground. The war was over and Thebes had lost.
Harry shuddered in his lover's arm. "I can still feel that thrust, you know."
Tugging at his shirt, Harry lifted it until he could show his lover a small scar to the left of his belly button. It was a small line, thin in its whiteness. He watched as his lover touched it briefly.
"Death did not separate them, you know." His lover's eyes widened and asked wordlessly for Harry to continue his story.
"In Athens, there lived a young man by the name of Theseus. He had proven himself many times over throughout the world of Greece. So renowned was his heroism and strength, that men came to challenge him in battle and wits.
"One such man was Pirithous. Pirithous was a well honored man in his own right. He was Prince of the Lapiths and wore his honor well.
"Pirithous decided that the best way to face Theseus was to steal all of his cattle and drive them to Marathon. Theseus gave chase and the two met in battle."
Theseus drew his sword as he rode hard towards the thief. Those cattle weren't just livestock, they were food for his people. When the rustler turned with a cry and swung his sword, Theseus met him with an upswept sword. The clang on steel on steel echoed around the field, stirring the already high-strung cattle. Neither could later say how long the battle raged between them but eventually, the clash of swords subsided into panting breaths.
"Yield. I yield. You are just as good as the stories tell. It is an honor to have battled the great Theseus." Pirithous bowed low while Theseus leaned against a boulder.
"That conversation turned into years of friendship. When Pirithous was to be married, Theseus was by his side. When the wedding didn't happen, Theseus consoled his best friend." Harry looked up at his lover before shifting away from his lap.
"My back hurts." Harry contorted away from his lover. Fingers ghosted across his spine as Harry felt the pressure start to ease. "Thanks, love." A light kiss brushed so that the hair on the back of his neck drifted in its wake. There was an unasked question in the air and Harry sighed.
"So what happened to Theseus and his friend?" He could feel the nod of his lover at his back. "I'll tell you."
Pirithous fell in love with Persephone, the wife of Hades, God of the Underworld. The friends traveled to the underworld only to be greeted by Hades. With an offer of hospitality the duo gleefully accepted, Theseus and Pirithous sealed their fates.
After sitting down at the table, the pair exchanged conspiratorial smiles. The plan to kidnap Persephone was going remarkably well. When the floor stirred under their feet, Theseus felt the first hints of nervousness. The touch of something on his inner thigh had him grinning nervously at Pirithous.
"Is that you, my friend?" Pirithous looked clueless. Theseus' grin turned to a horrified grimace as he saw the snakes swarming up his legs. Held captive in their chairs, Pirithous and Theseus struggled to break free.
"Did you think it so easy to come into my realm and steal my wife? Did you think me such a fool that I would allow that, accept that, approve that?" When Hades finished his mocking questions, he stood and walked to the entrance.
"I rule here, not you. This is my realm, my domain and my wife. Enjoy your stay for it shall be a long one." A derisive laugh echoed long after Hades left the room.
Theseus stared at Pirithous as he struggled against the snakes now curving up his body. This was not how they'd imagined, not what they'd thought. They were far too young to spend eternity in the underworld. Theseus hadn't had the chance to tell Pirithous…that thought was cut off as the snakes around Theseus pulled his arms tight against the chair. They were caught.
"Pirithous? It hurts less if you stop struggling." The pleading seemed to get through Pirithous' panic as he stopped struggling and allowed the snakes to fully bind him to the chair.
"Theseus, I think we may have had flaws in our plan." Shaky and sardonic words but Theseus heard the plea underneath them, help me, save me, do something. He was bound in the same way and could do nothing for his friend because he could do nothing for himself.
"I'm sorry." Pirithous nodded.
Days passed as they sat in silence broken only by bursts of madness at their plight. Hades would come in and taunt them for their pride and vanity before leaving them still bound to their chairs. At least, Theseus thought in a moment of sanity, Hades had insured that they had no physical needs nor food and drink to cause them.
Weeks passed as they sat in unbroken silence. Neither could bear the stare of the other. Instead, they spent their time regretting and wishing. Hope became a lost commodity. Wishes were for those not trapped alive for eternity in the underworld. Theseus finally looked to his friend. Pirithous looked as young, fresh and clean as the day they'd foolishly entered Hades' realm.
"If we had ever had an opportunity, I would have told you that you meant more to me than any wife ever could." Theseus whispered. The raspy sound of a voice sounded foreign. Pirithous looked up in shock.
"Did you speak or have I merely imagined it?" Pirithous whispered back.
"I spoke, Pirithous." Pirithous nodded in response and Theseus was left with a new regret to fill his time.
At least a week had passed since Theseus had voiced his feelings. So much time had passed since Theseus had last felt brave enough to look at Pirithous. The sound of Pirithous speaking slowly broke into his awareness and his despair.
"If we had ever had an opportunity, I would have told you that I needed no wife. I needed only you. Forgive me, Theseus, as this is my fault entirely. I wanted to…it doesn't matter what I wanted, only what I did." Theseus slowly shifted his gaze to Pirithous.
"I would have returned your sentiments if only you had spoken." Theseus spoke carefully as words were now foreign to his nature.
"I would have voiced my sentiments if only you had shown me you cared for me as anything other than a friend."
"I care about you as more than a friend, Pirithous."
"I care for you more than any wife. Ever since that day in the glade when you battled me to a standstill, ever since before that point, I sought your attention. You have always had my esteem." The confessions were too late to save them but words continued to pour from both.
It was cathartic, in a way, as they continued speaking. Love brought healing to their souls and their throats never dried for want of water as the magic of the underworld worked to keep them alive in their confines.
It was also painful, in a way, as they continued speaking. Love brought pain to their hearts. To finally be free of the burden on their hearts but to still be so far from each other caused an aching hole in Theseus.
Months passed before the slide of sandal on stone was heard in the hallway outside of where they were trapped. The snakes had long since turned to stone, binding them to the chairs in a no longer painful grasp.
Hercules stood in the doorway, aghast at the sight before him. Theseus stared numbly as his friend hacked and cut at the stone surrounding him until he was free. Bound for so long, he fell forward.
"Hurry, my friend, we don't have much time." Hercules murmured as he caught Theseus. With slow careful steps, Theseus approached Pirithous and started to tear at his bonds with his bare hands. The pain of nails ripping off did not deter him. The clang of steel on stone echoed around the cavernous room as Hercules joined him in freeing Pirithous.
Suddenly, the room started to shake. Rock fell from the ceiling. The two heroes tried frantically to save Pirithous as larger and larger hunks of rock rained down.
"Save yourself, Theseus. Get out of here! At least one of us shall live." Pirithous begged from within his confines.
"I won't leave you. I've never left you before, even when the centaurs attacked." Theseus' motions became more frantic as the room continued to cave in. He refused to acknowledge the look shared between Pirithous and Hercules. There was no way in, well, Hades, that he was going to leave Pirithous behind.
Strong arms grabbed him and started to pull him back and out of the room. Leaving blood smears on the arms, Theseus pulled out of the grasp and went back to Pirithous.
"Go, you can't save me. For the love of Zeus, please just go." Pirithous pleaded.
"I can't. Hera help me but I can't." Time slowed for Theseus as he felt the tug of Hercules, heard his urgings. Shaking off the hold once more, Theseus cupped Pirithous' face in both his hands. Their eyes met as Theseus leaned in slowly, ever so slowly, and kissed Pirithous. The kiss should have been a promise of futures, of love, of time. Instead, it was a kiss saying I'm sorry, I love you, goodbye.
"Theseus fought Hercules the entire way from that room. Hercules, though, was stronger so Theseus found himself alive while his best friend, his love, was stuck in the underworld forever. Surely, Hades took pity on Pirithous." Harry sounded lost as his lover continued to massage his back with light airy touches. At the soundless question, he smiled.
"I know because I've met his soul elsewhere." Harry heard the laugh and grinned. "Yes, I have. You know that I have."
Leaning back into the touch, Harry breathed deeply, just catching his lover's scent in the air.
"Shall we adjourn to bed?" Without waiting for an answer, he turned and walked to the bedroom. No footsteps followed him at first, but Harry knew from experience that his lover would eventually join him. Disrobing quickly, he lay in the center of the bed, on top of the covers, and started to toy with his balls. They felt silky in his hands, warm and hard but soft at the same time.
When his lover joined him, Harry beamed. His lover's hand batted his hand away and started to take over the touching. With light gestures, his lover tormented Harry until he was thrashing on the bed. Suddenly, his lover engulfed him into his mouth and all that attention drove Harry over the edge. It didn't take very long before Harry came with his lover's name on his lips.
There was a soft shushush noise entering his room. Startled out of his dreams of Pirithous, Eteocles and the rest of his lives, Harry sat up and stared at the nurse as she approached. Her smart white uniform matched the white on the walls and the bed.
"Good morning, Mr. Potter. Did you sleep well?" Her voice was kindness personified and Harry hated it. He hated that she never sounded real. Instead, she sounded the same, day in and day out as she bustled about the room, opening the curtains, spreading sunshine and cheer into the room.
Harry wanted to go back to the dream. He wanted to go back to talking to…Harry shuddered. He couldn't even think the name. A slow keening noise burst from his lips and the nurse turned.
"It was a bad night, eh?" The needle slid effortlessly into Harry's vein and, with a smile drifting across his lips, Harry went back to his lover's lap, the soft fingers in his hair and his dreams of love.
When Harry slept, he'd dreamed of Pirithous and that kiss.
When Harry woke, his heart was racing, the taste of Pirithous, of Draco on his lips. It reminded Harry that Draco was dead. It reminded him that he'd been unable to save Draco even though he'd ripped his hands apart and had to be dragged from the room where Draco died.
Dreams were for those with hope. Harry didn't like to dream as he'd lost all his hope that day in the caverns. He didn't like to dream because it only reminded him that he was a cosmic joke, destined to live, again and again, life after life, with finding Draco only to lose him in some type of heroic bullshit.
Harry didn't like being the hero.
Rating: R
Pairings: (Harry Potter – Harry/Canon Male) (Greek Mythology - Eteocles/Polyneices*, Theseus/Pirithous)
Fandoms: Harry Potter, Greek Mythology
Warnings: Angst, Incest* (the couple is marked with *), Slash, Flangst, Fluff,
A/N: I enjoyed the book “The Hero with a Thousand Faces”. The following was written with this in mind. I look forward to any and all concrit and commentary. For the
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A/N2: I've written two endings to this story. I've included both here.
Harry liked times like these, when he lay with his head pillowed on a lap and sweet fingers playing in his hair. The gentle scrap of nails against his scalp soothed the itch in his soul. The gentle rhythm kept his breathing calm as he lay there. Silence, comfortable and yet not, reigned in the small room where they sat.
Harry didn't like long silences. They reminded him of his time in the cupboard with no one other than himself and the spiders to talk to. Silence eventually hurt and so he broke it.
"Would you like a story?" His lover made a noise and Harry took it for an affirmative.
"Do you believe in reincarnation?" When his lover responded negatively to his question, Harry looked up, causing the fingers to brush his face.
"I do. I believe in reincarnation. The Hindus, for example, believe that the ultimate reincarnated form is the cow. The Buddhists, on the other hand, look for a child born after someone dies that has knowledge of time before. Did you know that Steven Segal is considered the reborn Lama Chungdrag Dorje, the Treasure Revealer?" Harry didn't wait for a response, knowing that his lover wouldn't give him one.
"Even Plato and Pythagoras believed in reincarnation. It's even mentioned in the Kabbalah, at least according to what I can find. There are plenty of rabbis that disagree though. So, who knows on that. The Christians accepted it and then rejected it.
"Religion is an interesting thing but I've gotten off the topic, haven't I?" Harry stared up at his lover as he continued to play with Harry's hair.
"Reincarnation is fascinating to study. There are so many lives and, after all, why are we here? Are we supposed to learn a lesson and then nothing? Is it all just flowers and harps up in heaven or is there more? I only get more and more sure that I think I'm a cosmic joke the more I research it, though. I'm continually forced to live and relive the same stupid life. I've been cast the hero far too many times." At a small sound from his lover, Harry grinned.
"Of course you'd give me shit about thinking that. The Great Harry Potter, always the hero, always the whiner." Harry laughed. "But I think it's true. I have dreams of past lives, dreams of swords and leather armor, dreams of guns and explosions, so many dreams of being forced to be the hero."
At his lover's questioning gaze, Harry grasped the hand touching his forehead and brought it to his mouth. He pressed a kiss against it before speaking.
"I'll tell you about a past life, then? Maybe I could convince you about reincarnation?" Watching the nod, Harry smirked.
"I knew you'd respond to the challenge. I lived many lives in Ancient Greece. One of my favorites was in Thebes…"
~~**~~
Thebes was beautiful during the winter. It was cold and Polyneices was forced to wear a cloak and hat. They fit him well, however, and he knew it. He could be forgiven his bit of vanity at his looks as he was the son of Oedipus. As the son of the king, Polyneices stood to inherit the throne along with his brother, ruling one year as his brother ruled the next. The symbiotic manner of rule was the best way to go, as the brothers shared all things.
A grimace spread his face as he contemplated his brother. Eteocles had been a constant companion, along with his sisters Antigone and Ismene. The four did most things together.
This familial relationship was far more important to Polyneices than his marriage to Argea. If that focus caused friction in his marriage, Polyneices was willing to bear that responsibility. Their relationship had always been strained. The fact that he hadn't met Argea until she had appeared in her wedding finery hadn't helped first introductions. She was what many could call a beautiful woman but there was one small issue with her. She wasn't Eteocles.
Some would say that his relationship with his brother was unnatural and going against the gods. Their family, however, had never been considered natural. His mother was also his grandmother. None of that mattered in the face of the overwhelming love he felt for his brother.
Eteocles was beauty incarnate. An impassioned speaker, a devoted brother and an inventive lover, Eteocles completed Polyneices in ways that he couldn't comprehend. They'd been each other's first kiss.
Recalling that memory, Polyneices touched a finger to his lips. From that first innocent exploration, his brain ran through their various encounters to the one this morning. Not nearly as happy a memory, Polyneices found his anger returning as he walked.
Eteocles had come to Polyneices' bedchamber to tell him news. "Brother! I have the most wondrous news!"
Polyneices rolled to face the doorway and waved a languorous hand for his brother to finish entering the room. Unconcerned with his nudity, Polyneices reached a hand down to shift his prick and roll his balls in his hand. His actions were rewarded with a sultry smile from Eteocles.
After stalking across the room, dropping pieces of clothing along the way, Eteocles lay on the bed, his head at the perfect level to suck his brother's cock.
"Oh great Hera that feels good." The rumble of Eteocles' laughter increased the need and wet heat. A hoarse cry and Polyneices came.
Eteocles slid up Polyneices' body so that they lay face to face, surrounded by the white bedding.
"My wife is pregnant, Polyneices. Is that not the greatest news?" Shocked, Polyneices stared.
He'd been able to block that he was married, that Eteocles was married as they continued to love each other. It was one thing that he had a son. It was another to realize that Eteocles would have a son as well. The betrayal sliced through his heart as Polyneices continued to gape.
"Are you not happy for me, brother? I am to be a father! A son! Your son and mine will grow together, play together, and rule together." Eteocles placed his arm on Polyneices' waist and attempted to draw him close.
Unable to bear the pain of unfaithfulness, Polyneices shoved his brother's arm away. With angry, jerky motions, he left the bed and pulled on the first clothes he could find. As his brother called to him, Polyneices left the room and the house.
As he wandered the agora, the hurt continued until it became the center of his focus. He realized the irony of being so very upset at Eteocles having a child while he, himself, had already had Thersander, the pride of his life. That didn't make the pain of betrayal, of unfaithfulness, of duplicity any less.
Arms suddenly pulled him into the shadows. Lips nuzzled his neck as he was held. When the nuzzle turned into a nip, Polyneices relaxed slightly into the embrace.
"Why has my news so upset you?" Eteocles sounded hurt, as well. Polyneices turned and embraced his brother. Sighing, he pushed his nose into the skin in front of him, inhaling the unique musk that screamed home to him.
"It brought me back to reality, that you are not mine, that you belong to another." The embrace tightened as Polyneices whispered his response.
"You belong to another and I accepted the birth of Thersander, did I not?" Polyneices nodded. "Then why can you not be happy for me?"
"Because you have always been mine. I cannot stand to think of you in another's arms. I want to be your only and I know that I can't have that." When he was done, Eteocles grasped his shoulders and pulled him away until they were staring at one another. With a cry, they fell into each other's arms, the kiss fierce.
~~**~~
"With a love like that, you would think it would last, wouldn't it? Filial love can't be wrong when it is felt so strongly, can it?" Absorbed into the story, Harry felt as Polyneices felt, lost and abandoned. His lover stroked his cheek and Harry smiled.
"You always know exactly what to say or do to make me feel better. That love didn't last, it couldn't under the powers of greed. Oedipus, yes that Oedipus, abdicated the throne of Thebes so that the brothers could rule, Eteocles first and then Polyneices.
"Eteocles refused to step down. Polyneices was forced to summon his army and try to save his country from ruin. He marched on Thebes and there, he met his brother in combat."
~~**~~
The sun shone down on Eteocles, casting him in a halo of light. Polyneices hardened his heart as he cut his way across the battlefield. No one was going to keep him from his brother.
The loud clang of swords meeting echoed loudly and as they thrust and parried each other, the rest of the battlefield receded until his brother, his only, was the single person in his sight. The brothers circled each other, searching for a weakness. There weren't many as they had sparred and taught each other for so very many years.
The sudden thrust of steel into flesh shocked Polyneices. As Eteocles' sword pierced his abdomen, Polyneices swept his sword downwards, until it cleaved into his brother's neck.
"My only." He gasped as the blood gurgled into his throat. The words were overridden with the thundering of blood and horse's hooves but Eteocles nodded, as if he understood and forgave, as his eyes closed.
They fell, entwined, to the ground. The war was over and Thebes had lost.
~~**~~
Harry shuddered in his lover's arm. "I can still feel that thrust, you know."
Tugging at his shirt, Harry lifted it until he could show his lover a small scar to the left of his belly button. It was a small line, thin in its whiteness. He watched as his lover touched it briefly.
"Death did not separate them, you know." His lover's eyes widened and asked wordlessly for Harry to continue his story.
"In Athens, there lived a young man by the name of Theseus. He had proven himself many times over throughout the world of Greece. So renowned was his heroism and strength, that men came to challenge him in battle and wits.
"One such man was Pirithous. Pirithous was a well honored man in his own right. He was Prince of the Lapiths and wore his honor well.
"Pirithous decided that the best way to face Theseus was to steal all of his cattle and drive them to Marathon. Theseus gave chase and the two met in battle."
~~**~~
Theseus drew his sword as he rode hard towards the thief. Those cattle weren't just livestock, they were food for his people. When the rustler turned with a cry and swung his sword, Theseus met him with an upswept sword. The clang on steel on steel echoed around the field, stirring the already high-strung cattle. Neither could later say how long the battle raged between them but eventually, the clash of swords subsided into panting breaths.
"Yield. I yield. You are just as good as the stories tell. It is an honor to have battled the great Theseus." Pirithous bowed low while Theseus leaned against a boulder.
~~**~~
"That conversation turned into years of friendship. When Pirithous was to be married, Theseus was by his side. When the wedding didn't happen, Theseus consoled his best friend." Harry looked up at his lover before shifting away from his lap.
"My back hurts." Harry contorted away from his lover. Fingers ghosted across his spine as Harry felt the pressure start to ease. "Thanks, love." A light kiss brushed so that the hair on the back of his neck drifted in its wake. There was an unasked question in the air and Harry sighed.
"So what happened to Theseus and his friend?" He could feel the nod of his lover at his back. "I'll tell you."
~~**~~
Pirithous fell in love with Persephone, the wife of Hades, God of the Underworld. The friends traveled to the underworld only to be greeted by Hades. With an offer of hospitality the duo gleefully accepted, Theseus and Pirithous sealed their fates.
After sitting down at the table, the pair exchanged conspiratorial smiles. The plan to kidnap Persephone was going remarkably well. When the floor stirred under their feet, Theseus felt the first hints of nervousness. The touch of something on his inner thigh had him grinning nervously at Pirithous.
"Is that you, my friend?" Pirithous looked clueless. Theseus' grin turned to a horrified grimace as he saw the snakes swarming up his legs. Held captive in their chairs, Pirithous and Theseus struggled to break free.
"Did you think it so easy to come into my realm and steal my wife? Did you think me such a fool that I would allow that, accept that, approve that?" When Hades finished his mocking questions, he stood and walked to the entrance.
"I rule here, not you. This is my realm, my domain and my wife. Enjoy your stay for it shall be a long one." A derisive laugh echoed long after Hades left the room.
Theseus stared at Pirithous as he struggled against the snakes now curving up his body. This was not how they'd imagined, not what they'd thought. They were far too young to spend eternity in the underworld. Theseus hadn't had the chance to tell Pirithous…that thought was cut off as the snakes around Theseus pulled his arms tight against the chair. They were caught.
"Pirithous? It hurts less if you stop struggling." The pleading seemed to get through Pirithous' panic as he stopped struggling and allowed the snakes to fully bind him to the chair.
"Theseus, I think we may have had flaws in our plan." Shaky and sardonic words but Theseus heard the plea underneath them, help me, save me, do something. He was bound in the same way and could do nothing for his friend because he could do nothing for himself.
"I'm sorry." Pirithous nodded.
Days passed as they sat in silence broken only by bursts of madness at their plight. Hades would come in and taunt them for their pride and vanity before leaving them still bound to their chairs. At least, Theseus thought in a moment of sanity, Hades had insured that they had no physical needs nor food and drink to cause them.
Weeks passed as they sat in unbroken silence. Neither could bear the stare of the other. Instead, they spent their time regretting and wishing. Hope became a lost commodity. Wishes were for those not trapped alive for eternity in the underworld. Theseus finally looked to his friend. Pirithous looked as young, fresh and clean as the day they'd foolishly entered Hades' realm.
"If we had ever had an opportunity, I would have told you that you meant more to me than any wife ever could." Theseus whispered. The raspy sound of a voice sounded foreign. Pirithous looked up in shock.
"Did you speak or have I merely imagined it?" Pirithous whispered back.
"I spoke, Pirithous." Pirithous nodded in response and Theseus was left with a new regret to fill his time.
At least a week had passed since Theseus had voiced his feelings. So much time had passed since Theseus had last felt brave enough to look at Pirithous. The sound of Pirithous speaking slowly broke into his awareness and his despair.
"If we had ever had an opportunity, I would have told you that I needed no wife. I needed only you. Forgive me, Theseus, as this is my fault entirely. I wanted to…it doesn't matter what I wanted, only what I did." Theseus slowly shifted his gaze to Pirithous.
"I would have returned your sentiments if only you had spoken." Theseus spoke carefully as words were now foreign to his nature.
"I would have voiced my sentiments if only you had shown me you cared for me as anything other than a friend."
"I care about you as more than a friend, Pirithous."
"I care for you more than any wife. Ever since that day in the glade when you battled me to a standstill, ever since before that point, I sought your attention. You have always had my esteem." The confessions were too late to save them but words continued to pour from both.
It was cathartic, in a way, as they continued speaking. Love brought healing to their souls and their throats never dried for want of water as the magic of the underworld worked to keep them alive in their confines.
It was also painful, in a way, as they continued speaking. Love brought pain to their hearts. To finally be free of the burden on their hearts but to still be so far from each other caused an aching hole in Theseus.
Months passed before the slide of sandal on stone was heard in the hallway outside of where they were trapped. The snakes had long since turned to stone, binding them to the chairs in a no longer painful grasp.
Hercules stood in the doorway, aghast at the sight before him. Theseus stared numbly as his friend hacked and cut at the stone surrounding him until he was free. Bound for so long, he fell forward.
"Hurry, my friend, we don't have much time." Hercules murmured as he caught Theseus. With slow careful steps, Theseus approached Pirithous and started to tear at his bonds with his bare hands. The pain of nails ripping off did not deter him. The clang of steel on stone echoed around the cavernous room as Hercules joined him in freeing Pirithous.
Suddenly, the room started to shake. Rock fell from the ceiling. The two heroes tried frantically to save Pirithous as larger and larger hunks of rock rained down.
"Save yourself, Theseus. Get out of here! At least one of us shall live." Pirithous begged from within his confines.
"I won't leave you. I've never left you before, even when the centaurs attacked." Theseus' motions became more frantic as the room continued to cave in. He refused to acknowledge the look shared between Pirithous and Hercules. There was no way in, well, Hades, that he was going to leave Pirithous behind.
Strong arms grabbed him and started to pull him back and out of the room. Leaving blood smears on the arms, Theseus pulled out of the grasp and went back to Pirithous.
"Go, you can't save me. For the love of Zeus, please just go." Pirithous pleaded.
"I can't. Hera help me but I can't." Time slowed for Theseus as he felt the tug of Hercules, heard his urgings. Shaking off the hold once more, Theseus cupped Pirithous' face in both his hands. Their eyes met as Theseus leaned in slowly, ever so slowly, and kissed Pirithous. The kiss should have been a promise of futures, of love, of time. Instead, it was a kiss saying I'm sorry, I love you, goodbye.
~~**~~
"Theseus fought Hercules the entire way from that room. Hercules, though, was stronger so Theseus found himself alive while his best friend, his love, was stuck in the underworld forever. Surely, Hades took pity on Pirithous." Harry sounded lost as his lover continued to massage his back with light airy touches. At the soundless question, he smiled.
"I know because I've met his soul elsewhere." Harry heard the laugh and grinned. "Yes, I have. You know that I have."
Leaning back into the touch, Harry breathed deeply, just catching his lover's scent in the air.
"Shall we adjourn to bed?" Without waiting for an answer, he turned and walked to the bedroom. No footsteps followed him at first, but Harry knew from experience that his lover would eventually join him. Disrobing quickly, he lay in the center of the bed, on top of the covers, and started to toy with his balls. They felt silky in his hands, warm and hard but soft at the same time.
When his lover joined him, Harry beamed. His lover's hand batted his hand away and started to take over the touching. With light gestures, his lover tormented Harry until he was thrashing on the bed. Suddenly, his lover engulfed him into his mouth and all that attention drove Harry over the edge. It didn't take very long before Harry came with his lover's name on his lips.
Ending 1 –
There was a soft shushush noise entering his room. Startled out of his dreams of Pirithous, Eteocles and the rest of his lives, Harry sat up and stared at the nurse as she approached. Her smart white uniform matched the white on the walls and the bed.
"Good morning, Mr. Potter. Did you sleep well?" Her voice was kindness personified and Harry hated it. He hated that she never sounded real. Instead, she sounded the same, day in and day out as she bustled about the room, opening the curtains, spreading sunshine and cheer into the room.
Harry wanted to go back to the dream. He wanted to go back to talking to…Harry shuddered. He couldn't even think the name. A slow keening noise burst from his lips and the nurse turned.
"It was a bad night, eh?" The needle slid effortlessly into Harry's vein and, with a smile drifting across his lips, Harry went back to his lover's lap, the soft fingers in his hair and his dreams of love.
Ending 2 –
When Harry slept, he'd dreamed of Pirithous and that kiss.
When Harry woke, his heart was racing, the taste of Pirithous, of Draco on his lips. It reminded Harry that Draco was dead. It reminded him that he'd been unable to save Draco even though he'd ripped his hands apart and had to be dragged from the room where Draco died.
Dreams were for those with hope. Harry didn't like to dream as he'd lost all his hope that day in the caverns. He didn't like to dream because it only reminded him that he was a cosmic joke, destined to live, again and again, life after life, with finding Draco only to lose him in some type of heroic bullshit.
Harry didn't like being the hero.