(( It's the only plan they have at this point. So, Emmanuel's relieved Horus agrees to it. He should rest more after the beating he took from Set. Now that they're agreed, he puts the car in gear and pulls back onto the road. ))
Apology accepted.
(( Things are already feeling strange between them. They don't need to make them stranger.
As promised, the hotel isn't far. The only problem? On such short notice there isn't a lot of availability. There's a couple rooms, but they only have one bed. A full, not even a queen. ))
[Horus tries to ignore how the front desk clerk keeps staring at his scar, then glancing from him to Emmanuel and back, as he accepts the two keys and slides his credit card with the name Harris Koiak across the desk for registration. The sooner they can get away from this curious bastard, the better.
Once they're out of the office and headed for their room, Horus gives Emmanuel his copy of the room key with an apologetic glance.]
Like I said, I don't need much sleep. I can grab a couple of hours before you go to bed and after you get up. We really had no other choice, did we?
(( It would still be uncomfortable for him even before Horus kissed him. Now it's just exponentially more uncomfortable. However, what Horus says makes sense. At the same time... ))
You should rest now. I can head down to a store to replace what we left behind.
(( They're going to need toothbrushes and some clothes, at the very least. ))
[It's obvious from the way Horus stops in his tracks that he wants to object. Emmanuel absolutely shouldn't be going out alone right now. But at the same time - how much easier is it for him to blend into the crowd than Horus?
With a sigh, he just keeps walking in silence. This "protective" detail gets more and more questionable by the second.]
Sure, thanks. [He unlocks the door and holds it open for Emmanuel once he's inside, giving the room a once-over. It's clean, at least, and there's even a mini-fridge. The only issue is that one damn bed.] I'm good with whatever you get.
[Even sitting on the edge of the bed feels weirdly intimate when they're both going to sleep in the same one. Ugh. He's really fucked everything up this time, hasn't he?]
(( Now is the best time, actually! With Set still injured and/or reeling. Surely a god needs time to recover from two bullets to the head. Surely there's enough time for Emmanuel to run one small errand. At least, that's his thought process. And, isn't he harder to find among all these other normal humans than Horus? ))
[There are a few text conversations to be had first - with his father and then with Sobek - but then Horus finally climbs into bed and knocks out the moment his head hits the pillow. His body has massive amounts of healing left to do and these bodies they inhabit are still human in physiology.
When he wakes up, faint morning sunlight is peeking through the thin curtains in shades of pink and gold and Emmanuel is in his arms.
... what? They didn't plan to share the bed, and Emmanuel was by far the most uncomfortable of the two at the idea of doing so. So did he change his mind, or was Horus just too difficult to wake? And how did they wind up curled together like this, making Emmanuel feel so small and delicate in Horus's embrace?
Small and delicate and beautiful. The sweep of dark lashes atop his cheekbones, the slight parting of his full lips, the satiny smoothness of his skin - Horus's heart feels like it could explode right out of his chest. How bad of a person would it make him to steal just one more kiss right now...?
(( It was a loaded day. Too full of danger and adrenaline and heated feelings and more restrained but equally heated feelings. Emmanuel couldn't say which exhausted him more: the fighting or everything that came after. Upon returning with some toiletries, a couple changes of clothes for both of them, and some instant food they can cook up in the microwave, he didn't even bother trying to wake Horus. If he doesn't sleep much and he's asleep now, he must need the rest.
Emmanuel sits carefully on the edge of the bed to take off his shoes. Something Horus may have noticed, he rarely takes them off. Only to sleep and to bathe. He's always ready to run from something. Always. He thinks about it for a few solid minutes before he lays back, clinging to the side to leave as much room as he can between them.
Until the exhaustion pulls him into the dark embrace of sleep. Until whatever conflicted feelings he make him gravitate toward the warmth beside him. In sleep, for once unhaunted by dreams, Emmanuel looks peaceful. None of the hardness or affected coldness shows on his face. None of the distance he keeps between himself and the world exists. Just a young man who's in over his head exists.
His chest rises and falls steadily, the rest of his body as relaxed as a person ever is. Relaxed enough to make some quiet sound when warm lips brush against his. Oh, is it another dream? Unsurprising given the whirlwind of tumultuous feelings battling it out in his heart. Emmanuel doesn't open his eyes. He simply shifts closer, a silent plea for more. ))
[Horus is more than glad to pull Emmanuel closer and kiss him again, then again and again, each one long and warm but without the aggressive push of yesterday's heady makeout. Maybe he's still half-asleep too, because even though he knows he shouldn't be this willing to disregard Emmanuel's wishes if he really cares about the man in his arms, Horus can't seem to stop raining kisses on his soft lips.]
(( One previously shared kiss is hardly enough to make this feel familiar and yet... It's definitely Horus who comes to mind. It makes sense since he's the only person who's ever kissed Emmanuel.
Well, Emmanuel can hardly hold it solely against Horus when he's encouraging him to go against his wishes. This is a mistake being made by two, not only one. Emmanuel's got a lot to grapple with about himself and this... magnet pull he feels toward Horus is one such thing. Even half asleep, he curls in closer, he tips his head up, he sighs until a very quiet moan escapes him.
When he's more awake (shortly), he's going to have to really face this. Face what it means for him, what it means about him. And what he'll need to do about it. They can't keep on like this if he's to maintain his vows. ))
[It may be quiet, but the sound of Emmanuel's voice reaches Horus's ears somewhere beyond the warm, drowsy haze in which smothering Emmanuel with kisses is perfectly acceptable behavior. He hoists his eyelids open again and this time, instead of drinking in the sight of Emmanuel's beatifically peaceful face, it shocks him into craning his head back and out of temptation range.
Oh shit, that - happened. That all happened.]
E-Emmanuel... [Horus gently shakes his shoulder. As much as he'd love to lie in this embrace for hours, days, maybe forever, reality has simply opened too wide a crack for him to ignore the light pouring in any longer.] ... you should probably wake up now...
(( Oh. It must be time to wake up. Time to slowly, oh, so slowly open his eyes. Time to realize what he already knew: he wasn't dreaming at all. If Emmanuel had a better sense of humor, he'd just but out the old we need to stop meeting like this line. Alas. He's far too serious for that.
Bleary eyed, he wiggles a little further away to put some space between them. then, with a very earnest (if still tired) look: ))
[Of all the possible responses Horus could get, an apology falls so low on his list that he can only blink right back at Emmanuel for a moment. Was... he also awake enough to know what was going on the whole time?
Oh, this is a mess. This is such a mess. Horus just rolls onto his back and scrubs his hands over his face with a groan.]
We're completely screwed, aren't we?
[Turns out Emmanuel really meant it when he used the word can't rather than don't. They both want it equally, and that might be the worst possible situation to find themselves in.]
(( Not completely. They just have to be better than their basest instincts. Easy, right? Not so easy, Emmanuel is learning.
He closes his eyes to breathe in deeply. This has to stop. He can't keep giving in to this. He can't keep leading Horus to believe there's something here to pursue, to hope for. It's cruel.
It's cruel on its face. It's worse because Emmanuel does care about Horus. He hasn't analyzed the details of it, but Horus is a trust ally and friend. The first Emmanuel's allowed himself to have in so very long. That counts for something! Horus deserves more respect from him. ))
We'll be fine. We just have to... be wary of ourselves.
[Horus sits up slowly, slings his legs over his side of the bed. He really doesn't intend to be unkind to Emmanuel about all this, not when he's been the one who started the kissing both times - he's just so exhausted all of a sudden, a bone-deep weariness that feels like it dates all the way back to the first time he was told the story of his father's death and the uncle who took his throne.
There's already so much emotional strain for him to contend with here, that's the thing. Adding such a powerful pull toward someone who's being pulled right back and being told to dig in his heels and hold the line feels like far too much effort when he's this damn tired.
But it's worth it, because it's Emmanuel. That's the thing.]
When did you even get back? I must have been knocked out, huh...
(( Ah, the change of subject is so welcome. If they can still talk normally about other things, that means they'll be okay, right? It feels like it might. No resentment. ))
Later than I expected. I didn't even try to wake you.
(( The fact that Horus was still sleeping when Emmanuel returned just proved to him that the god did need the rest. Why disturb that? ))
I bought some instant food last night. Feel free to any of it. I'm going to... (( Why does even just saying he's going to shower feel too suggestive? )) I'm going to get cleaned up.
[Does that even need to be said? Horus doesn't know. He nods in response to the rest of what Emmanuel says and picks up his phone from the side table, rising to his feet as he scrolls through his handful of messages.]
Huh. Big news from Dad, apparently. I can catch you up when you're done.
(( Oh. He should probably bring up Osiris himself. As if all of this isn't confusing enough without Emmanuel having wildly different feelings for both father and son. He should put a stop to all of this. What's stopping him from walking away? There's no vital need for his involvement in this conflict. There's no need at all for him to come between Osiris and Horus.
He simply nods as he hauls himself off the bed to gather a change of clothes and head to the bathroom. Emmanuel's longer than his usual handful of minutes, taking some extra time to let the cold water wash over him in addition to actually washing. When he does come out, he's dressed in his usual black from head to toe. His hair's still damp, so he's taking a towel to it. ))
[Horus appears to be in shock. He's leaned forward in one of the room's chairs with his elbows on his knees, scrolling through messages from Osiris to read and re-read them because he can't believe what he's seeing.
When Emmanuel emerges from the bathroom, Horus's face briefly goes blank as he tries to work out how on earth to explain this in a way that'll communicate its import. His voice is even soft and stunned.]
Sobek just rolled on Set. He's over there getting the bullet wounds taken care of 'cause Sobek's a trained surgeon and he told Dad. Says he's gonna let us know as soon as Set leaves.
[Horus. Emmanuel does not know Sobek by name, familial connection or anything of the sort yet.]
(( That look makes worry spike in Emmanuel. The big news from Osiris must be bad. What else could it be to make Horus so subdued? The priest freezes in toweling his hair. He's trying to parse the meaning behind the words, but he can't. The name Sobek doesn't mean anything to him. ))
My cousin, Set's son. You - [A memory Horus has tried to block out rises back to the surface and his face gets extremely hot.] - you might've met him.
[Sobek wouldn't be too embarrassed to greet someone he knows just overheard the amazing sex he was having, after all. He flips through a few pictures on his phone (are none of his pictures of Sobek appropriate?) before finally choosing this one and holding it up for Emmanuel to see.]
(( Oblivious, Emmanuel leans in to get a better look at the photo... Oh. That startled oh actually escapes his lips. His eyes go wide as dinner plates and his face burns red. Yes, he remembers Sobek (though he wouldn't exactly say they met).
He remembers a lot more than Sobek. He remembers the sound of Horus' voice in passion, the panting, the grunting, the moaning. Remembers him half dressed after Sobek left. Oh, god, how he remembers the sight of each curve and contour, every plane and shadow, the way sweat shone on his skin...
It's more than just his face that feels hot suddenly.
[If Horus had any remaining doubts about how much Emmanuel really overheard that day, they're put to rest now. It's written all over his face in shades of much more than just embarrassment, which forces Horus to look away and clear his own throat before continuing.]
So. Yeah. He hates his dad but we've never really known if that'd automatically make him loyal to us, y'know? I mean, Aunt Nephthys used to be married to Set so anything connected to him sets her right off and that includes Sobek. He'd have plenty of reason not to take our side.
[Horus's mouth starts to twitch into a smile, still soft with disbelief.]
But he did. We're gonna know the second Set's on the move.
(( At least the focus on Horus', uh, lover(?) is on the big about this battle between them and Set. It makes it easier for Emmanuel to focus his mind on the matter it should be focused on (not the memory of something he shouldn't have been privy to). ))
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(( No need to think about Horus watching him sleep. No, no need for that at all. ))
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[Leaning his forehead against the window, Horus laughs quietly.]
I was a real dick to you when we met, huh?
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Apology accepted.
(( Things are already feeling strange between them. They don't need to make them stranger.
As promised, the hotel isn't far. The only problem? On such short notice there isn't a lot of availability. There's a couple rooms, but they only have one bed. A full, not even a queen. ))
Um....
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[Horus tries to ignore how the front desk clerk keeps staring at his scar, then glancing from him to Emmanuel and back, as he accepts the two keys and slides his credit card with the name Harris Koiak across the desk for registration. The sooner they can get away from this curious bastard, the better.
Once they're out of the office and headed for their room, Horus gives Emmanuel his copy of the room key with an apologetic glance.]
Like I said, I don't need much sleep. I can grab a couple of hours before you go to bed and after you get up. We really had no other choice, did we?
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You should rest now. I can head down to a store to replace what we left behind.
(( They're going to need toothbrushes and some clothes, at the very least. ))
Do you want food? I can pick something up.
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With a sigh, he just keeps walking in silence. This "protective" detail gets more and more questionable by the second.]
Sure, thanks. [He unlocks the door and holds it open for Emmanuel once he's inside, giving the room a once-over. It's clean, at least, and there's even a mini-fridge. The only issue is that one damn bed.] I'm good with whatever you get.
[Even sitting on the edge of the bed feels weirdly intimate when they're both going to sleep in the same one. Ugh. He's really fucked everything up this time, hasn't he?]
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I won't be long. Try to rest.
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When he wakes up, faint morning sunlight is peeking through the thin curtains in shades of pink and gold and Emmanuel is in his arms.
... what? They didn't plan to share the bed, and Emmanuel was by far the most uncomfortable of the two at the idea of doing so. So did he change his mind, or was Horus just too difficult to wake? And how did they wind up curled together like this, making Emmanuel feel so small and delicate in Horus's embrace?
Small and delicate and beautiful. The sweep of dark lashes atop his cheekbones, the slight parting of his full lips, the satiny smoothness of his skin - Horus's heart feels like it could explode right out of his chest. How bad of a person would it make him to steal just one more kiss right now...?
He's about to find out.]
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Emmanuel sits carefully on the edge of the bed to take off his shoes. Something Horus may have noticed, he rarely takes them off. Only to sleep and to bathe. He's always ready to run from something. Always. He thinks about it for a few solid minutes before he lays back, clinging to the side to leave as much room as he can between them.
Until the exhaustion pulls him into the dark embrace of sleep. Until whatever conflicted feelings he make him gravitate toward the warmth beside him. In sleep, for once unhaunted by dreams, Emmanuel looks peaceful. None of the hardness or affected coldness shows on his face. None of the distance he keeps between himself and the world exists. Just a young man who's in over his head exists.
His chest rises and falls steadily, the rest of his body as relaxed as a person ever is. Relaxed enough to make some quiet sound when warm lips brush against his. Oh, is it another dream? Unsurprising given the whirlwind of tumultuous feelings battling it out in his heart. Emmanuel doesn't open his eyes. He simply shifts closer, a silent plea for more. ))
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Well, Emmanuel can hardly hold it solely against Horus when he's encouraging him to go against his wishes. This is a mistake being made by two, not only one. Emmanuel's got a lot to grapple with about himself and this... magnet pull he feels toward Horus is one such thing. Even half asleep, he curls in closer, he tips his head up, he sighs until a very quiet moan escapes him.
When he's more awake (shortly), he's going to have to really face this. Face what it means for him, what it means about him. And what he'll need to do about it. They can't keep on like this if he's to maintain his vows. ))
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Oh shit, that - happened. That all happened.]
E-Emmanuel... [Horus gently shakes his shoulder. As much as he'd love to lie in this embrace for hours, days, maybe forever, reality has simply opened too wide a crack for him to ignore the light pouring in any longer.] ... you should probably wake up now...
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Bleary eyed, he wiggles a little further away to put some space between them. then, with a very earnest (if still tired) look: ))
I'm sorry.
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Oh, this is a mess. This is such a mess. Horus just rolls onto his back and scrubs his hands over his face with a groan.]
We're completely screwed, aren't we?
[Turns out Emmanuel really meant it when he used the word can't rather than don't. They both want it equally, and that might be the worst possible situation to find themselves in.]
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(( Not completely. They just have to be better than their basest instincts. Easy, right? Not so easy, Emmanuel is learning.
He closes his eyes to breathe in deeply. This has to stop. He can't keep giving in to this. He can't keep leading Horus to believe there's something here to pursue, to hope for. It's cruel.
It's cruel on its face. It's worse because Emmanuel does care about Horus. He hasn't analyzed the details of it, but Horus is a trust ally and friend. The first Emmanuel's allowed himself to have in so very long. That counts for something! Horus deserves more respect from him. ))
We'll be fine. We just have to... be wary of ourselves.
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[Horus sits up slowly, slings his legs over his side of the bed. He really doesn't intend to be unkind to Emmanuel about all this, not when he's been the one who started the kissing both times - he's just so exhausted all of a sudden, a bone-deep weariness that feels like it dates all the way back to the first time he was told the story of his father's death and the uncle who took his throne.
There's already so much emotional strain for him to contend with here, that's the thing. Adding such a powerful pull toward someone who's being pulled right back and being told to dig in his heels and hold the line feels like far too much effort when he's this damn tired.
But it's worth it, because it's Emmanuel. That's the thing.]
When did you even get back? I must have been knocked out, huh...
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Later than I expected. I didn't even try to wake you.
(( The fact that Horus was still sleeping when Emmanuel returned just proved to him that the god did need the rest. Why disturb that? ))
I bought some instant food last night. Feel free to any of it. I'm going to... (( Why does even just saying he's going to shower feel too suggestive? )) I'm going to get cleaned up.
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[Does that even need to be said? Horus doesn't know. He nods in response to the rest of what Emmanuel says and picks up his phone from the side table, rising to his feet as he scrolls through his handful of messages.]
Huh. Big news from Dad, apparently. I can catch you up when you're done.
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He simply nods as he hauls himself off the bed to gather a change of clothes and head to the bathroom. Emmanuel's longer than his usual handful of minutes, taking some extra time to let the cold water wash over him in addition to actually washing. When he does come out, he's dressed in his usual black from head to toe. His hair's still damp, so he's taking a towel to it. ))
Your turn.
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When Emmanuel emerges from the bathroom, Horus's face briefly goes blank as he tries to work out how on earth to explain this in a way that'll communicate its import. His voice is even soft and stunned.]
Sobek just rolled on Set. He's over there getting the bullet wounds taken care of 'cause Sobek's a trained surgeon and he told Dad. Says he's gonna let us know as soon as Set leaves.
[Horus. Emmanuel does not know Sobek by name, familial connection or anything of the sort yet.]
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Who?
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My cousin, Set's son. You - [A memory Horus has tried to block out rises back to the surface and his face gets extremely hot.] - you might've met him.
[Sobek wouldn't be too embarrassed to greet someone he knows just overheard the amazing sex he was having, after all. He flips through a few pictures on his phone (are none of his pictures of Sobek appropriate?) before finally choosing this one and holding it up for Emmanuel to see.]
That's Sobek.
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He remembers a lot more than Sobek. He remembers the sound of Horus' voice in passion, the panting, the grunting, the moaning. Remembers him half dressed after Sobek left. Oh, god, how he remembers the sight of each curve and contour, every plane and shadow, the way sweat shone on his skin...
It's more than just his face that feels hot suddenly.
Emmanuel swallows hard before answering. ))
Y-yes, I remember him.
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So. Yeah. He hates his dad but we've never really known if that'd automatically make him loyal to us, y'know? I mean, Aunt Nephthys used to be married to Set so anything connected to him sets her right off and that includes Sobek. He'd have plenty of reason not to take our side.
[Horus's mouth starts to twitch into a smile, still soft with disbelief.]
But he did. We're gonna know the second Set's on the move.
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You're waiting until Set leaves to protect him?
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cw: religious stuff, maybe a tad of internal homophobia, &c
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