(no subject)

[the_dorian_gray]

Dorian stepped through into the large, airy bedroom in his home by the ocean in Los Angeles. The windows were still thrown open just as he'd left them, the white curtains billowing with salt-scented air as a summer breeze wafted through the room. The room itself is dominated by a massive bed, the wrought iron posts and headboard stark contrast among the white linens and mounds of pillows.

What had always amused people was that Dorian's home was minimally furnished, decorated in mostly white with only various splashes of red to break it up, and was intensely clean. Everything was in its place, just as he liked it, and after the lavish parties he threw, everything was always back where it belonged before he fell asleep.

The door closes behind Ganymede and Dorian goes to the bedroom door itself and shouts down.

"Sarah! I have a guest staying with me! Keep that in mind when you cook supper!"

An older woman's voice floated up from somewhere down below. "Yes, Mr. Gray! Supper will be reading in an hour!"

Dorian turns and leans against the doorjamb, watching Ganymede.

"Welcome home, pretty," he murmurs.

Comments

[the_cupbearer]

Ganymede doesn't have anything to say in return to that, and comes up beside Dorian to brush his lips against his cheek. "It is not," he says softly. "Your worth is in more things than just your face and body."

He looked up at the portrait of the girl and considered. "Who told you that?"

[the_dorian_gray]

"Lord Henry. He was decadent and tempting. My teacher in vice," he murmurs, eyes glancing to Ganymede. "Perhaps my worth once had the potential to be more than that, but I believed him, and that is all I have now."

[the_cupbearer]

Ganymede only listens, and idly wraps his arms around Dorian's waist as he thinks, and gives a tiny sigh before he speaks.

"I have no place to fault you, in believing him telling you that, but I think you have more, though I cannot say what. And I cannot ask if you would enjoy my company if either of us were different; no one could say," he rests his cheek against Dorian's shoulder, still studying the paintings.

[the_dorian_gray]

Dorian chuckles, nuzzling Ganymede's hair.

"I've tried atoning for the shit in my life. I never seem to do it quite right, but... maybe this is who and what I am." He kisses the crown of Ganymede's head. "You're right, though, I wouldn't want you any different, pretty. I'm quite fond of you."

[the_cupbearer]

"Why is that wrong, who you are?" he asks, closing his eyes for a moment at the kiss, blinking as he opens them.

People have thought he was vain, and nothing more than a pretty, naive brat who didn't know his place outside of being a toy for someone's bed. He's been told this, by some; Ganymede has sometimes found it a source of worry, and so he cannot fault Dorian for thinking the same.

"You are the first person to ever say that," Ganymede murmurs quietly. "I like hearing it."

[the_dorian_gray]

"I've... done things... that I am ashamed of. They bring me guilt and regret. I think about salvation and redemption, and sometimes I seek it out. It's why I joined the League."

Dorian leads Ganymede away from the portraits and into the dining room itself.

"If you stick around, I'll be sure to say it more."

[the_cupbearer]

That brings a soft smile to Ganymede's mouth as he follows. "I do not plan to go anywhere I cannot return from," he says. "I regret some things. But I do not know there is any redemption for them."

[the_dorian_gray]

Dorian pulls Ganymede down onto the bed beside the table, wrapping his legs around the immortal and cradling him against his chest.

"What do you regret?"

[the_cupbearer]

"Not leaving Olympus sooner. Being a silly, innocent little boy about a great many things," Ganymede says, barely above a whisper.

He leans back against Dorian's chest and tilts his head up to look at him. "Nothing of much importance to others."

[the_dorian_gray]

"Those are no small things to regret," he says, nosing Ganymede's ear. "But you left, and that is an accomplishment we shall celebrate."

[the_cupbearer]

He turns his head at the gentle brush of skin at the shell of his ear. "Will we?" He has never been celebrated.

It's a concept he isn't quite sure what to do with.

[the_dorian_gray]

"We will. I will invite my acquaintances to the house and we will celebrate... like a birthday," Dorian says with a smile.

[the_cupbearer]

He almost laughs. "I would be considered very old," he says. "More so than people would believe, I think."

[the_dorian_gray]

"Mmm, but they don't have to know that."

Dorian reaches over and picks up a piece of pear, holding it to Ganymede's lips expectantly.

[the_cupbearer]

He accepts it, taking the sweet fruit from Dorian's fingertips and licking the pads of his fingers gently, tasting the sweetness before he bites.

It's less erotic than simply...sweet. Ganymede doesn't know how it does that, and doesn't want to think about it too much. It just is, and he will enjoy that. "Sweet," he murmurs, taking the rest of the fruit.

[the_dorian_gray]

A rich chuckle sounds from behind Ganymede's ear.

"Sarah is an excellent shopper. She makes certain I have the sweetest fruit and the freshest meats."

Dorian plucks a slick of orange for himself, eating the tangy fruit with a smile.

[the_cupbearer]

The sounds sends a delicate shiver down his back, and he arches with it, sensation prickling in a blanket over his arms. "I should thank her," he murmurs back, looking over his shoulder at Dorian.

There is sexuality between them, certainly, but it's a nice sort of companionable lull, for now. He likes it, he decides, picking up an apple slice and offering it to Dorian the same way he did with the pear, half turning where he's situated.

[the_dorian_gray]

Dorian takes the apple, nipping playfully at Ganymede's fingers as he accepts the slice. The sensuality is not lost on him, but he basks in the general intimacy of feeding each other and quiet conversation.

[the_cupbearer]

Ganymede smiles, giving a content little laugh and drawing his fingers back so he can move forward and press a little kiss to the corner of Dorian's mouth.

Strange, how comfortable he feels doing this. He'd have never done it on Olympus...even though he did many other things. He remembers kissing the rim of a cool wine cup before he handed it away, and making gods smile.

It had faded soon enough, then. He wondered how long it would take now, if it happened. Ganymede found himself hoping it wouldn't.

[the_dorian_gray]

Dorian picks at the food, feeding Ganymede bits for fruit and meat and vegetables, stopping periodically to feed himself or to take a kiss. He nuzzles Ganymede's through and speaks softly to him, mostly of nonsense like how lovely the weather was in Los Angeles versus London in the winter, how he looked forward to taking Ganymede to Florence or Hong Kong.

Inane things said through the small, simple meal, and Dorian's arm never leaves Ganymede's body, even while the other plucks food from the table for them.

[the_cupbearer]

Ganymede rests his arms over Dorian's, comforted in that it never lets him go, and he feels warm all over, pleasantly so.

"This is very...nice. Soothing," he murmurs, leaning his head back at one of the kisses. "I would enjoy going with you to all those places, I have never been." He thinks when they get back to Milliways he'll have to ask Demeter if it's possible to visit Troy, to see the Aegean.

[the_dorian_gray]

"There are still many places I've not been."

Dorian sips a glass of wine, watching the light from outside dim more and more as night fell.

[the_cupbearer]

"There is one place I would like to take you," he says softly, almost drowsy as he leans back against Dorian's chest. "To see Troy, my home. I think you would enjoy it, for a little while."

He is growing used to modern things, at least insofar as the Bar has them; but even there is nowhere as pretty as here, with all the flowing white and red. "It grows dark," he murmurs, looking up. "You like watching the sun fall?"

[the_dorian_gray]

"I would like to see your home."

If Ganymede could see his, he should see Ganymede's.

"I like the night. It's... something about it is so much quieter. Sweeter."

[the_cupbearer]

"It is," he agrees, turning sideways enough to lift a hand and brush it down Dorian's cheek. "You are sweet as well," Ganymede says softly, leaning in to press a soft kiss to his mouth.

"Very much so."