AN:
This is a side story involving the characters from my
Celeste
series.
It's not required to read that series to understand what's going on here, but it would help with appearance and characterization. Quick recap: Celeste, Bartholomew and Lawrence are brothers and gods. Connor is a human who is bound by a curse to Lawrence. Celeste is a succubus and he is in his 30 day hibernation cycle.
"Come in," Bartholomew called, but didn't look up from undoing the lacings of his boots.
"Brother," Lawrence stepped in and closed the door softly behind him, "I wished to speak with you."
At that Bartholomew looked up. He lifted a brow, "What's going on?"
"That's what I wanted to ask you," Lawrence gave his brother a soft smile. He walked over to his desk and leaned against it looking down at him, "you seem...I don't know, despondent, unmotivated..."
"Ah," Bartholomew nodded and threw his boots aside. He sighed deeply and leaned back against his chair and closed his eyes, "modern warfare is so boring."
Lawrence cocked his head and narrowed his eyes, but before he could speak Bartholomew continued, "Do you know a person could just sit in a chair," his eyes shot open the hazel boring into his brother's jade, "a fucking chair Lawrence! They just sit in a chair and push a button and drones fly over and do all the work!" He huffed and shook his head.
Lawrence frowned, "I'm sorry war isn't...personal anymore?" He shrugged not really sure what to say to that. It must have been enough, though, because Bartholomew gave him a little chuckle.
"I know it sounds inappropriate."
His brother shook his head, "It's fine," he smiled, "there are aspects about my duty that others won't understand. I just want you to feel better. I'd like to cheer you up."
Bartholomew waggled his brows at him, "I'd let you," he gave his brother an exaggerated once over. Not that he could see anything through the robe he wore anyway.
Lawrence glared and waved his hand at him, "Get ahold of yourself," but he couldn't stop his slight smile when Bartholomew laughed, "how about something you like? I can get you some of those apples you eat occasionally."
"Hmmm," Bartholomew closed his eyes, "how about you read to me."
"Read to you?" Lawrence's eyebrows shot up then pushed off the table and walked over to his brother's bookshelf, "I haven't done that in ages," he perused the shelves and frowned, "well these sound positively exciting," he drawled sarcastically, "The Art of War, Blades of Combat, Automatic Rifles, Your Body As a Weapon: the skill of hand to hand combat, Genghis Khan and his Empire, World War II Planes, Illegal Weapons From Around the World, Medieval Torture Devices and Justice, The Campaigns of Alexander the Great..." he sighed.
With a soft laugh Bartholomew stood, "Try the bottom row, I'm going to get comfortable."
Lawrence knelt down and looked over the last shelf. He started to smile when he realized these books were all fiction, written by both humans and gods. He pulled one out and held it up, "Jackal?"
"Oh my," his brother rolled his eyes and tossed his shirt away, "Balta gave it to me. They said the main character reminded them of me. I don't know though, I never read it."
"And I've never heard of it," He took the book then stood and made his way over to the bed and settled himself over the covers, back against the headboard.
Bartholomew joined him, in nothing but rust colored boxer briefs, laying down perpendicular to the bed, his head in Lawrence's lap. He smiled up at him, "You can get comfortable too you know."
Lawrence raised a brow, "I am quite comfortable. That's why I wear these robes."
"Okay, whatever," Bartholomew rolled over onto his side and pressed his cheek into his brother's warm thigh.
Lawrence reached down and stroked his brother's silky blonde hair than began reading.
~*~
After a long time Bartholomew huffed, "This is ridiculous! That character is nothing like me!"
"Ehhhh," Lawrence wiggled his head minutely.
"Seriously?!" Bartholomew sat up and leaned over his brother, "He's a brute!"
Lawrence slid his eyes over and chuckled, "Brother, you can be...quite scary at times..."
"Says the man who almost razed my room to the ground a couple days ago?" Lawrence looked away at that, but his brother kept talking, "You are the scariest of all three of us when you get mad!" He shook his head, "I can't believe Connor stayed," his tone changed to one of awe, "I expected him to run out of the room, but apparently he's fearless!"
"No no," Lawrence looked over, heartbroken, "he was terrified. I saw it in his eyes, his hand was shaking when he touched me," he lowered his head, "I...I was just..."
"You care about him," Bartholomew's voice was soft with understanding. He touched Lawrence's chin and lifted his head to look him in the eye, "we all knew that. No one is holding your reaction against you. I still stand by my words though. He is fearless. Or at least very confident. Living with gods, forging friendships," he smirked and his look became a bit lascivious, "seducing you..."