Title: "Keep Me Safe"

Author: Baliansword

Hephaestion sighed as he lay Alexander on the bed. Drunken behavior did not suit his king. Why he chose to drink he did not know. As soon as he pulled the blanket over Alexander he knelt down to the floor. He picked up the empty goblet that had fallen from Alexander's hand. Luckily no wine had been spilt on the floor. Cleaning it up in the dark may have been hard.

"Phae," Alexander slurred as Hephaestion tried to make his exit. "Where are you going? Come…have a drink….with me."

"The party is over Alexander," Hephaestion said as he sat down on the edge of the bed. He then pulled a lock of Alexander's godly blond hair behind his ear. He was such a beautiful, when he was not like this. Yet Hephaestion could not blame him for long. If he were in Alexander's predicament he would likely take to wine as well. Yet his father had never disowned him and his mother and then insulted them by bringing a new wife into the house.

"Where am I," Alexander asked as he tried to sit up. Hephaestion pushed him back with a hand. Unsteady, Alexander fell back against the pillows once more. Perhaps some sense was coming back to him.

"Rest," Hephaestion told him. "I will make sure that no one bothers you. Alright?"

"Hephaestion," Alexander said as he reached out and took Hephaestion's wrist. "Please, forgive me for my state, but do not leave me. Stay. I wish not to be alone tonight."

Hephaestion knew that he could deny Alexander nothing. Especially not something like this. He wanted to wrap his arms around him and feel his breath against his neck. Well, as long as he did not reek of wine. But other than that, yes, he desperately wanted to take Alexander in his arms.

"Please," Alexander said again.

Hephaestion pulled Alexander's hand from his wrist. He then stood and pulled the sheets away from the bed. He got in to bed next to Alexander and then pulled the sheets back over them. Alexander immediately positioned himself as close as he could to Hephaestion. He put an arm on Hephaestion's chest and put his head on his shoulder. Alexander's breath sent a thrill down Hephaestion's spine. Yet he decided to ignore the aching of his thighs.

"I love you," Alexander whispered as he placed a kiss on Hephaestion's neck. "You are the only one Hephaestion. The only one that, that truly cares for me."

"Shh," Hephaestion said soothingly. "We shall discuss it tomorrow. For now you must rest. You have had far too much wine."

"No," Alexander said as he pushed himself on one elbow. "I want to talk to you now. We never speak anymore Hephaestion. Not as we once did."

"You are right. You have not told me any more of your dreams lately." Hephaestion agreed, and he did miss talking with Alexander. They used to speak of everything, and nothing, but it all made sense. Alexander, his Achilles, would tell him of all the things he wanted to do in life. And he, the Patroclaus of the two, would listen willingly. He would go with him, to the ancient sites of Ilium, and to Persia if that were where Alexander wished to go. Yet they had not discussed such things in so long a time.

Now things were different. Alexander would have no time to speak to Hephaestion in such a way. He would end up too tired in the nights, and his time was taken in the day. It seemed that now Alexander had time for nothing but the beckoning desires and errands of Philip and Olympias. Hephaestion saw what the pair's fighting did to Alexander. It was tearing him apart inside. He deserved to be Alexander, not the toy of the king and queen, but what could Hephaestion Amyntor do to change the way that things were?

"No," Alexander agreed. "I have not. Tell me Hephaestion, what do you know of Egypt?"

Hephaestion laughed quietly. Oh, Alexander, thinking of a far off land once again. Would it be so bad if he decided to stay in Macedonia, with him? This would not happen though. Alexander was like a lion, he could not be tamed, for keeping him confined would kill him. Egypt, Persia, Greece, it did not matter to Hephaestion where Alexander wished to be, as long as he was by his side in the end.

"They say that it is the land where men worship the sun and the stars. They believe in gods that are both man and animal. But that is truly all that I know Alexander."

"Yes," Alexander whispered as he closed his eyes. "We shall go there one day, you and I, and we will swim with crocodiles and worship the sun and her stars. You are the stars Hephaestion, they made you for me, I can see their upbringing in your eyes."

Hephaestion kissed Alexander's forehead. Such thoughts. It was not the wine though. It was simply his Alexander. So headstrong at times. Yet at others he had dreams for the world that no other man could envision. He loved this side of Alexander, yet it scared him as well, for this side of Alexander was untamable. This side of Alexander would never belong to him.

"Remember," Alexander whispered, "when we were boys? I told you the story of the Iliad."

"Yes," Hephaestion admitted. "I told you that it was not that grand a story. I said that you would have your name in history one day. So you shall, Alexander, with your story. You will never be forgotten."

"Neither will you," Alexander quietly said. He was beginning to fall asleep. The pattern of Hephaestion's head caused his head to slowly rock back and forth. It relaxed everything inside of him. He wanted to stay here forever, just like this, with Hephaestion. His wonderful Hephaestion who would follow him to the end of the world if only he were to ask.

"I love you," Hephaestion said before Alexander fell asleep.

Alexander did not know when Hephaestion left the room during the night. Yet when he awoke he sat up and went to his balcony. He looked out at Macedonia and smiled.

"Macedonia," he stated. "Soon you will be mine, and then we will do as I have spoken of for so long. We shall go to Egypt, and to Persia."

He did not smile because of this. He smiled because he thought of Hephaestion. The world did not seem so unconquerable when he had Hephaestion to protect him. This is why he loved Hephaestion. He believed in him, he loved him, and he would always be there to keep him safe.