Kyklos 2/2
anonymous
September 12 2010, 01:12:21 UTC
Japan stepped into what is left of what was once great. Crumbling dust and hewn stone. There were no swan feathers strewn about any longer. He took soft steps towards him, careful as to not disturb the cat. He looked up, peering at the sky through the gaping hole where the roof had once stood. He blinked his eyes from the glare of the sunlight.
"I somehow thought 'meeting the parents' would go differently," Japan said.
Greece smiled. "At least you didn't almost get hit with a wok."
"Yes, there is that," Japan said. "At least you ducked in time. Korea was not so lucky."
"I think it was aimed at him to begin with....not that China particularly likes me, now..." Greece said.
Greece stretched out, turning his gaze to the broken column beside him.
"I remember it when it was far more beautiful....when I was young..." Greece said. "It was a sacred place. No one was allowed to be born or die here. There were birds...."
Japan seemed to drink in the remaining columns, as if he were drinking in the sights, smells and sounds of what once was. Of what Greece's mother had been like.
"It must have been breathtaking. I regret never meeting her then, or you," Japan said.
Greece wondered what meeting Japan first would have changed. Had he come early enough, Japan might have been his first love and first lover. Japan would have been his erastes, and Greece would have looked up to him and his culture as his eromenos. Japan would have kissed his olive skin, and Greece would have looked up at him and asked, with adoring gaze here? and Japan would have replied yes, here.
He'd have taught him discipline and focus, swordplay and the way of a warrior.
But Greece couldn't see himself giving Japan up as a man, and taking on another as his eromenos. He couldn't see taking on a wife, a family, or ever giving up that bond.
He preferred to be the last love, not first.
He looked up at Japan, who seemed to be a in a silent communiqué with the columns, and whatever ghost of her that might be left.
"If you rest, she might visit your dreams..." Greece said slowly. "It happens from time to time."
Japan did not say inane things like you must miss her. He looked around in a kind of wonder.
"Perhaps I will meet here there, then," Japan said. "Are we resting now? You can rest just about anywhere, it seems."
"Like a cat?" Greece prompted.
"Yes, like a cat," Japan replied.
"If you lay down on me, it's softer," Greece suggested. "Besides, it's too hot to do anything but rest when noon comes."
"Wouldn't that be too heavy? ...And too hot?"
"I don't mind."
Japan complied, and the white cat beside them sleepily stretched, looked, and curled back up again. Japan was light as he laid down on Greece, his head on Greece's chest, his ankle crossing over Greece's, nudging the white cat.
Greece thought his mother must be amused at this turn of events, watching from Elysium. Maybe they'd see her in their dreams, maybe not. Either way, he knew she was always watching.
Re: Kyklos 2/2
anonymous
September 12 2010, 03:52:06 UTC
I like the way you portrayed Greece's relationship with his mother. It was obviously a loving one, and Greece's reflections on it show that he misses her but has still moved on with his life.
The mention about the wok incident made me lol, while the line about last love vs. first love made me aww. I also liked the subtle callback to the "like a cat" memory.
One small nitpick, though: shouldn't it be "Hypnos" instead of "Hyponos"?
Re: Kyklos 2/2
anonymous
September 13 2010, 00:59:13 UTC
That was very nice, and I liked the mention of the eromenos, etc. But I think my favorite part was the "meeting the parents" line - and the wok. Of course. ^^ That is just so "East Asia Family" to do.
"I somehow thought 'meeting the parents' would go differently," Japan said.
Greece smiled. "At least you didn't almost get hit with a wok."
"Yes, there is that," Japan said. "At least you ducked in time. Korea was not so lucky."
"I think it was aimed at him to begin with....not that China particularly likes me, now..." Greece said.
Greece stretched out, turning his gaze to the broken column beside him.
"I remember it when it was far more beautiful....when I was young..." Greece said. "It was a sacred place. No one was allowed to be born or die here. There were birds...."
Japan seemed to drink in the remaining columns, as if he were drinking in the sights, smells and sounds of what once was. Of what Greece's mother had been like.
"It must have been breathtaking. I regret never meeting her then, or you," Japan said.
Greece wondered what meeting Japan first would have changed. Had he come early enough, Japan might have been his first love and first lover. Japan would have been his erastes, and Greece would have looked up to him and his culture as his eromenos. Japan would have kissed his olive skin, and Greece would have looked up at him and asked, with adoring gaze here? and Japan would have replied yes, here.
He'd have taught him discipline and focus, swordplay and the way of a warrior.
But Greece couldn't see himself giving Japan up as a man, and taking on another as his eromenos. He couldn't see taking on a wife, a family, or ever giving up that bond.
He preferred to be the last love, not first.
He looked up at Japan, who seemed to be a in a silent communiqué with the columns, and whatever ghost of her that might be left.
"If you rest, she might visit your dreams..." Greece said slowly. "It happens from time to time."
Japan did not say inane things like you must miss her. He looked around in a kind of wonder.
"Perhaps I will meet here there, then," Japan said. "Are we resting now? You can rest just about anywhere, it seems."
"Like a cat?" Greece prompted.
"Yes, like a cat," Japan replied.
"If you lay down on me, it's softer," Greece suggested. "Besides, it's too hot to do anything but rest when noon comes."
"Wouldn't that be too heavy? ...And too hot?"
"I don't mind."
Japan complied, and the white cat beside them sleepily stretched, looked, and curled back up again. Japan was light as he laid down on Greece, his head on Greece's chest, his ankle crossing over Greece's, nudging the white cat.
Greece thought his mother must be amused at this turn of events, watching from Elysium. Maybe they'd see her in their dreams, maybe not. Either way, he knew she was always watching.
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The mention about the wok incident made me lol, while the line about last love vs. first love made me aww. I also liked the subtle callback to the "like a cat" memory.
One small nitpick, though: shouldn't it be "Hypnos" instead of "Hyponos"?
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