Title: Recollection of innocence

Authors : veronique

Email address:kyomine2002yahoo.fr

Category: Comedy Parody

Pairing: Alexander/Hephaistion slash

Date:12/05/2005

Feedback: please, but if you don't like it, be constructive , I don't want to read sarcasm or snarks.

Archive: if you want I'm okay

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: I don't own them. They're characters belonging to Warner Brothers Pictures, to Oliver Stone, to my imagination, and to the ages. This is a work of a fan, done for no remuneration save the satisfaction of the work.

Special thanks to my beta Rothalion .

Summary: Alexander is missing Hephaistion who is gone for a mission and Cleitos told him a story to comfort the king.

Warnings: Sappy.

Alexander missed his lover who was sent on a mission months ago and was supposed to come back during the week. The days seemed so long to Alexander who hoped to see his friend's ride into the camp with each doggedly passing hour. But unfortunately no Hephaistion was in sight. Alexander sighed deeply. He was alone in his tent and he didn't have to hide his sadness from his face.

"I know that face! You miss him." Said Cleitos who surprised the king, as well as interrupting Alexander's thoughts.

"You should announce yourself Cleitus." Scolded Alexander annoyed with the older generals boldness.

Cleitos ignored the statement and plopped down on a chair. Alexander watched him, exasperated.

"Well since you must plan on staying, why are you here Cleitus?" asked Alexander.

Cleitos looked at Alexander with an odd tenderness which was something very rare for the battle hardened general to show; so much affection that the king was made to feel uneasy.

"What?" said Alexander without any tact after receiving no response.

"You remind of me that little three year old boy who used to stare out of the window with the same sad expression on his face as he waited for his bride to come back."

Alexander frowned.

«His bride at three years old! What does that mean Cleitos? Are you making fun of me?" Alexander's tone wasn't kind.

"Absolutely not" said Cleitos with a calm and respectful voice. "It's all true and that sad and expectant little boy was you!"

Alexander looked at Cleitos with curiosity, still a little bewildered at the odd comment..

"I can tell you, Alexander, I was there to witness the first time you fell in love and you were three! You even asked me to marry you to your beloved." He chuckled a throaty deep laugh as the scene began to play across his memory. "It was a day that I was visiting my sister who was taking care of you." He added.

Alexander's curiosity was definitely piqued now. He walked across to Cleitus and pulled a chair up beside him.

"Well out with the strange tale then. Finish it now that you've started! But I hope for you it's not a joke!"

Cleitos smiled and began his tale.

Cleitos was talking with his sister while a three year old Alexander was playing with a wooden sword.

"Come on Lan, you can tell me! I m your brother."

"It's exactly why I won't tell you more." She watched Alexander as she spoke making make sure the little prince wasn't doing any truly dangerous things.

Suddenly someone knocked at the door. Lanice stood up from her chair and crossed the sunny room to answer it. Outside the door stood a man with his four year old son.

"The king told me, you could take care of my son while I am meeting with him, it will be the supper hour before I'll be able to return." Lanice blushed, the man was strikingly handsome and tall with beautiful blue's eyes.

"Of course, what his name?" she asked as she smiled to the brown haired boy who has the same crystal blue eyes as his father.

"Hephaistion," said the man "he won't bring trouble to you, he is calm but can be quite stubborn." He added.

"Don't worry yourself, he will play with the prince." She took Hephaistion's hand and turning walked toward Alexander.

"Alexander, you will have company today." Alexander ran toward his nurse and the new boy with full of childish curiosity.

" Do you wish to play with Alexander, Hephaistion?" she asked.

Hephaistion nodded, turned to his father as if to ask permission. The tall man nodded, waved and left.

"His name is Hephaistion, Hephaistion this is Alexander.» The two little boys looked at each other for a few seconds as if sizing one another up; finally Alexander smiled and took Hephaistion's hand to guide him in the corner of the room where his toys were kept.

"Come on, let's play." Prompted the prince. He gave a little wooden sword to Hephaistion and they began to slash at each other.

Cleitos smiled, "Look at these proud warriors! I hope they will grow better at their swords skill than they are now!"

"Let them alone, Cleitos, they are just children, they will have plenty of time to be serious with swords and wars later."

The two quickly became bored and Alexander proudly announced that he had a new idea.

"I know what we can do now! After war!" he exclaimed clearly pleased with himself for coming up with the new game.

"What?" asked Hephaistion confused, he'd not heard of such a game.

Cleitos was watching them with his sister, also curious to know what the prince's new idea entailed.

"Well, its a new game, I going to play the king and you will be a queen." Instructed Alexander's proudly.

Cleitos began to laugh and his sister slapped him.

"Aren't they cute?" she asked him, "come on now admit it you're not much more than an overgrown boy your self sometimes!"

Cleitos shrugged. "Yes, we have a 'cute' prince. Lovely."

Hephaistion stared at Alexander with a look of desperate concern. Be it for the prince or not he wasn't going to be a queen.

"I can't play a queen! I'm a boy!" Hephaistion stated defiantly and took a small step back from a now petulant Alexander.

Alexander seemed annoyed by his new friend's argument.

"I know but it doesn't matter you are going to 'play' a queen, like acting."

"No, since, I m boy I don't want to play a queen." He crossed his small arms across his tiny chest and pouted. How could his father have left him with a boy who wanted him to be a girl!

Cleitos and Lanice looked at each other, fearing the next step of the discussion would be a fight between the two obstinate children.

Alexander wasn't pleased and began to pout along with the other boy. Usually when he wanted something all the other boys instantly agreed. Hephaistion though didn't seem to care about the little prince's pout but instead said, "We can play at something else?"

"No, I want to play to king and queen!"

"I don't want to be a queen! But I will play if you will be the queen." Hephaistion offered attempting to compromise.

Cleitos laughed again. Shocked at Hephaistion's boldness in the prince's company.

"This one has balls already!" he said with pride as his sister rolled her eyes and swatted Cleitus for his rough comment. They watched as Alexander pondered the offer.

"I will be your queen! But only for you!" he said with conviction far beyond what a three year old should possess.

Cleitos was stunned. Philip would have the boys head and his head if he just sat back and let the game play out.

"Alexander…" he stood but Lanice pulled him back down but the hem of his chiton.

"Leave them Cleitus they just playing!"

"What? I hope his parents never hear about it, for his sake, Philip will have the lads head on a pike."

" No he won't. Oh look Isn't that so cute." Said Lanice pointing at the two boys.

Hephaistion nodded and he took Alexander's hand in his.

"Now that we have decided, we need to get married just like king and queen do."

Alexander nodded and yelled. "Cleitos! Do you want to marry us and then we can play."

"No, your father would have my head." Said Cleitos without thinking and his sister slapped him again more roughly.

"Cleitos, they are just children! It won't kill you to play with them!"

"I'm beginning to wonder about them! They want to be married before they can play." He said with a wicked grin.

Lanice rolled his eyes again.

"You are idiot, brother of mine. At this age it's all innocent! You are a such pervert!"

Finally Cleitos agreed to marry them and witnessed a big sloppy kiss between the two kids.

After their wedding ceremony, Alexander and Hephaistion were in each other arms, hugging, and kissing, on each others cheeks and lips. Messy little childish pecks and touches, they even fell on their asses while hugging.

As they sat beside each other Alexander leaned closer to Hephaistion and asked sadly. "Are you going to war Eaiyon?" The little prince always failed to pronounced Hephaistion's name correctly.

"Yes, my queen"

"I don't want you to go Eaiyon! Please!"

"I have to go my queen. It's a man's duty."

" Fine then go!" Alexander, after a pause then added, "I love you Eaiyon." As he kissed Hephaistion's lips again.

Cleitos was in awe.

"Are you sure sister, that this all so innocent? Because they seem pretty good at this little game. By the gods they can't stop kissing!"

Lanice didn't answer her doubtful brother and the two continued to watch the children play in silence.

"I love you too." Said Hephaistion with nearly adult like devotion.

The two hugged tightly. Then Alexander said sadly. "So now you've left for the war, we'll have to play to something else."

Hephaistion nodded but suddenly Alexander hugged him again.

"You are my best friend from now on Eaiyon."

But the timed had sped past and Hephaistion's father came back to take his son away with him.

Alexander and Hephaistion didn't want to be apart from each other, and the crying and pleading began in earnest.

"Come on Alexander, let your little friend leave; it's time." Cleitos urged.

"Noooo!" yelled Alexander who was holding Hephaistion in his arms really tightly. He would not let go of his friend. Hephaistion was holding back his new friend too while asking his father to leave him there.

"Can I stay some more? Please."

"You know we can't Hephaistion, we are going back to Athens. Now come and don't be so stubborn!"

"I want to stay with Alexander!" The child argued defiantly.

Hephaistion's father shook his head "It's impossible my son. Impossible."

"Then, I'm going with Hephaistion!" yelled Alexander. The two little boys remained stubborn and after long moments finally Hephaistion's father and Cleitos had no other choices than to separate them by force. Their cries were loud and desperate as Hephaistion was carried from the room struggling fiercely in his father's strong arms.

Alexander was in awe while he listened to Cleitos' story. He didn't recall having met Hephaistion at so young an age and it was apparent that they were already very attached to each other even though they were only small children.

"And for many days after Hephaistion's departure, you would sit watching at the window hoping to see your new friend coming back. You wore the same sad, lost face you had just now when I came in."

Alexander looked at Cleitos with a grateful smile.

"Thank you." He said with unfeigned sincerity. "I didn't recall that all."

"You were too small."

Alexander nodded. Cleitos stood up from his chair as Alexander's page entered and reported that Hephaistion was back.

"Time to go back at my tent." Said Cletius "I've seen enough hugging and kissing between you two for my entire life." He added as he smiled. He left the tent and bumped into Hephaistion.

Cleitus looked at him with a teasing smile but didn't saying anything. He knew Hephaistion would be annoyed by it and he loved to annoy the young general.

Hephaistion entered into Alexander's tent and he didn't have to the time to say anything before Alexander took hold of him, kissed him and said.

"I missed you so much and I have something incredible to tell you."

the end.