Heracles
is
taking a stroll along the beach and collecting seashells.
Turkey
was
out enjoying the breeze off the water and possibly on his way to Greece's house to give him something work related. He didn't exactly notice
the other though.
had a good amount of seashells in his arms, including a particularly nice one he thought Japan would like. With his gaze constantly on the
sand, he wasn't looking forward, and bumped into a body. "Oh, excuse m--" his humble smile turned into a frown when he realized who it was.
paused as someone bumped into him, he was about to apologize himself for not having been paying attention when he noticed who it was. "Ah..
it's you." He frowned a bit with that.
Heracles
was
still a little bitter about waking up on concrete the other day. He turned a bit of sand with his toe and picked up another shell while
speaking. "Did you get tired of your lawn and decide to come to mine instead?"
thought he deserved it, he had asked him to get off his lawn. He looked away from him with that, "I came to give you something, you're
laziness is annoying you know that?"
huffed. "That's interesting, coming from you. I seem to recall you had no problem just laying on your back all day, letting women
serve your every need." His voice raised slightly.
shrugged a bit at that as he pulled the envelope out of his pocket and handed it over to him. "You're just upset because I've actually had
that kind of relationship with women and you never have."
raised his eyebrow incredulously. "The kind of relationship where you enslave them? You'd be correct in that respect." He took the
envelope and opened it, still frowning. "What is this?"
shrugged again as he turned away from him, "I don't know. It's just something for you to file away and forget about. Enjoy collecting your
shells."
frowned at that. Did Sadiq really think he was worryfree and happy when he knew his economy was falling apart? He hadn't felt
so helpless since... Keeping his temper controlled, he walked after him. "Hey. Wait."
paused and looked over at him, to be honest he worried about the other, but he seemed to be doing alright so he wasn't going to show his
concern. "What?"
handed him the largest shell he had found without an explanation. "You're already here, and it's not a light journey. Why don't you enjoy
the beach a bit? Too much work might kill you." He averted his gaze. "Not that I care if it does. I want to prove to you that Greek beaches
are superior."
frowned at that, he didn't know what to do with the shell when it was handed to him. He looked down at it before he tucked it into his
pocket. "I'm not here for the beach... I just came to give you that."
blinked. "No room for fun? You really are becoming an old man." He didn't open the envelope now. He couldn't. He knew that it was
just more bad news, that another country was blaming him for their troubles. That his sovereign debt was doomed to a CCC rating with
no hope of recovery.
didn't like being called an old man. He folded his arms over his chest with that, "call me an old man again and make sure your debt is the
least of your worries."
And Greece didn't like being reminded of his problems, especially not by Sadiq. "Don't hurt yourself, ihtiyar adam."
glared at him now, he really got on his nerves. "Allah help me," he muttered that before he turned away. "Such a useless kid."
's good mood had plummeted. Tucking the envelope into his pocket, he watched the waves, thoughts racing. He hoped Sadiq didn't just
leave the shell somewhere or break it. It was his favorite one.
paused again as he tucked his hands in his pockets. He kind of liked the shell... he wasn't planning on getting rid of it. He looked over at
the other before huffing lightly. "I'll treat you to some coffee. Might as well stay a bit while I'm here as much as I dislike it."
felt a pang of hurt. It was a reflex to feel that way whenever someone wasn't enamored with his home like he was. "I'm not keeping you here
if you dislike it so much," he said, but stood up. Getting treated? Hell must be freezing over. "No cream and sugar," he said, dusting off
his knees.
nodded a bit with that as he waited patiently. "Yeah I know." He watched him for a moment, "you're going to have to lead the way." He wasn't
doing this out of kindness or anything, he just really wanted a cup of coffee.
didn't say anything as he led, away from the shore. Not all of the shells fit into his pockets, so he had to leave a couple behind. He
smiled when as soon as they got back into the main roads, two cats trailed after them.
ignored the cats as he followed him. That was something he wasn't to fond of about coming here. All the cats... there was just way to many
of them.
Heracles
was
even nice enough to hold the door open for Sadiq when they arrived at one his favorite coffee shops. He wasn't as much of a coffee
connoisseur as the other, but hopefully it would be acceptable. Not that he cared if Sadiq actually liked it.
wasn't expecting to actually enjoy the coffee. He walked into the shop quietly before pausing to that him for holding the door.
took a seat in a booth next to a window, where he could still see the ocean a bit far off. He wanted to ask Sadiq how he had been, since
it'd been long since he'd last seen the man, but he couldn't figure out how to do it without sounding... friendly. "How's... life?" He
asked, not meeting the other's eye.
sat across from him, picking up the little paper menu he scanned through it before he pushed it aside and shrugged at the question.
"Perfectly fine." He looked over at him before he waved the waitress over giving her a warm smile. He ordered himself a coffee and Greece
one as well.
crossed his arms. "That's not the type I was going to order," he huffed. Now he was just being obnoxious for the sake of being obnoxious. He
almost couldn't help it around the other. It was actually exactly what he would order. "Of course it is..." he said, trailing off.
ignored that comment from him, he knew what kind of coffee the other drank he did sort of raise him after all. He leaned back in the booth.
"You're always so carefree. I'm sure you're fine."
Heracles
was
unable to keep the bitterness from his voice. "You don't think I take anything seriously, do you?"
shakes his head lightly with that, "I think you take some things seriously... but not the important things."
rested his chin on his palms. Why did it matter what Sadiq thought? "The world shouldn't be able to see problems on you. I would rather
crumble from the inside than look vulnerable to others."
watched him for a moment longer, "I guess... that's how you were raised huh... Still a useless brat though."
met his eyes for probably the first time that evening. "Who raised a useless brat?"
chuckled lightly with that as he looked away from him. "Certainly wasn't me."
's eyes lit up as their coffee arrived. "Don't drop contact with me like you did. It makes me think you're dead." He paused, blowing on the
steam. "And nothing would make me angrier than someone killing you before I get a chance to." This he said a bit teasingly.
rolled his eyes at that, he thanked her for the coffee and took a sip of his own. "You were worried then? I wonder if I should be creeped
out by that."
made a 'tch' sound as he sipped his coffee. "Yes, you know. I really don't know what to do with myself when you're gone." His tone
Heracles
was
deadpan and very, very sarcastic.
ignored the sarcasm as he drank his own coffee in silence. He should have just gone home. There really was no point to this.
peeked at Sadiq from the top of his cup, sneaking a glance for signs of whether or not the other approved of his drink.
wasn't really thinking about the coffee, it didn't taste anything like the stuff he was used to, but he was concerned enough with it to
decide whether he liked it or not.
remained silent for a good while, sipping his coffee thoughtfully. Finally, he broke the silence unexpectedly. "I don't want anyone
else to know about how scared I am for my country's future. Please don't mention it to anyone else."
looked over at him when he heard that. He hadn't expect Greece to admit something like that to him... "why would I tell anyone?" He wanted
to give him some reasurance but he couldn't exactly come up with the words.
's hand trembled a little bit as he raised the cup back up. "I don't know. Don't you like seeing me this way? At the bottom?"
frowns darkly at that, he watched him for a long moment before he pushed his coffee cup away. "Do you really think that I could enjoy this?"
looked down at the cup. "The coffee? What's wrong with it?" He tried to keep his face neutral.
(( I don't know how this got angsty xD i apologize ))
((Haha it's okay I'm reading an angsty story as well can blame that.))
continued to frown as he watched him, he pulled out a few bills and put them down on the table before he got up. "Get home safely."
kept his lips pursed and remained seated. How predictable. He really couldn't have a civil conversation with the Turk. "Iyi geceler," he
said lowly, drinking down the bottom half of his cup.
(( one of my headcanons is that Greece only speaks Turkish to Turkey when he wants to grate his nerves. :3 hope it's okay xD ))
stopped and looked down at him, less then impressed by that. He leaned across the table and gave the other a light smack on the side of the
head. "You're such a brat." He couldn't think of treating the other any differently, he just annoyed him to much.
looked up, but was smiling faintly. "Don't touch me. Now I have to wash my hair again."
Turkey
was
even more annoyed by that comment. "Good you need to shower more often anyway, it's disgusting how little you clean yourself."
finished his cup, setting it down. "Take your own advice. I can smell you all the way across the border." He also wouldn't admit that he
missed going to bath houses with Turkey. Nope.
wanted to hit him harder after that comment. "I have a bath every day, which more than I can say for you. Though I can afford it." Yeah he
Turkey
was
just being a jerk now, but he was pretty annoyed.
felt his blood boil. He shot Sadiq an ugly look, and without saying anything else, got up and walked out of the coffee shop.
frowned at that as he watched him leave, he realized he probably shouldn't have said that... he just couldn't help it. Pulling out a few
extra dollars and leaving it on the table he went after the Greek.
walked along the street, picking up his favorite tabby (which had waited outside). He tried to ignore the pang in his chest. He shouldn't
have told Sadiq of his troubles in the first place. Should have known better.
followed after him for a bit before he caught up to him. "Heracles... stop, please." Sure the kid annoyed him to no end, but that wasn't an
excuse to say what he had.
pet the cat idly, visibly shaking when he heard the other's voice and keeping his back turned to him, but he stopped. "You won, alright? You
got the last word in, and it was a good one." He held the furball close to him.
frowned at that, for a moment he reminded him of the little kid he used to be. He tucked his hands into his pockets. "No... I didn't win
anything. I apologize okay. I shouldn't have said that."
That was unexpected. At the moment, nothing could really ease how hurt the comment had made him, but an apology from Sadiq wasn't
something to shake off. He turned around to face him, and could only hope that his emotions weren't showing. "Yeah..."
he trailed off, averting his gaze to the ground. "It's alright. Thanks." Silence.
didn't really like that reaction, he didn't apologize often and when he did... well he just didn't do it often. He stepped closer to him and
hesitated for a moment before he patted him on the head. "Put the cat down and I'll take you to the bath, my treat."
His first instinct was to smile at the prospect of a proper bath house, but all he could think about was being thought of as a charity case
now. He didn't pull away from the other's touch. "I can pay my own way," he said. "And I do clean myself every day.
Even destitute me can afford soap."
shakes his head a bit as he pulled his hand away and tucked it back in his pocket. "I'm paying, let's go." He wasn't going to let him pay,
it was sort of his way of apologizing.
thought this over. The fact that Sadiq felt remorseful for his comment made him happy somehow, and he at least stopped shaking.
"Do I have to put her down now? Can I put her down once we get there?" The cat was his concern now.
shrugs a bit as he started towards the closest bath house, of course he knew where those were. "You can hold onto her for as long as you
want."
followed behind Sadiq. He too, felt as if this was a throwback to their past. "Inside, then. I recommend her massage. Claws on the back
are surprisingly relaxing." He grinned.
ignored that, he wouldn't be letting the cat go anywhere near him. He kept walking quietly, keeping his hands in his pocket with the shell
he'd been given.
made a mental note to protect the envelope in his pocket. He did want to read it eventually, and soon he would be back to trying to plan a
solution with his boss. For now, he tried to put the thought out of his mind. "Thank you," he said lowly. So lowly that Sadiq
might have missed it.
did miss it, he stopped in front of the place and opened the door, holding it for Heracles. He glanced over at him as he waited.
set the feline back down on the ground, giving her one last pat before heading inside. He was caught off guard by Sadiq holding the door,
and now he realized how the other must have felt when he had done the same.
hadn't thought much on it before, it was just common sense for him to hold a door for someone if he was with them. "Greece you'll be okay.
You've lasted this long, you're to stuborn and annoying to have anything happen to you."
Once inside, surprised flashed briefly over his face. Sadiq was inside his head, and he wasn't sure how he felt about it. "What?" He tried
to play it off as if the crisis wasn't even on his mind. "I don't want to talk about that anymore."
shrugs a bit, "just about what you told me earlier." He went up to the woman maning the desk and spoke to her for a moment.
stayed quiet as Sadiq talked to the woman. He was already beginning to head off into the changing room, removing his shirt as he walked
through the doorway.
followed after him once he'd paid. He grabbed himself a towel and started to undress. He enjoyed coming to these place.
Once inside the room, Heracles removed the rest of his garments, stacking them into a neat pile on one of the benches. He tossed the towel
over his shoulder, pausing as his gaze fell on the other. He had always been one to appreciate the male form, even if this particular one
irked him to no end. "You look good," he admitted.
finished folding all his clothes and neatly placing them on the bench. He wrapped his towel around his waist and glance over at him, he'd
left his mask on more out of habit than anything. "Ah... You look good to Greece."
Receiving compliments from Sadiq sounded foreign to him, but he decided he liked it. He didn't know how to respond, so he nodded.
Noticing he had left his mask on, he pointed to his own eyes. "Are you leaving it on?"
stared at him incrediously for a moment at the question before he realized what he meant. He shrugged a bit before he carefully took it off
and tucked it between his clothes.
Heracles
was
surprised that Sadiq took it off, but didn't comment. He ran a hand through his hair as he surveyed the rest of the locker room. The place
seemed calm and not very busy, considering it was a weekend. He actually looked content as he walked out of the doorway and towards
the sauna.
did take it off every now and then and it was getting a little old so he took it off when he went to the baths or anywhere where it could
get wet. He followed the other through into the hot room and closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling. He liked when these places were quiet.
's eyes were half-lidded as soon as he stepped into the hot room. Such warm temperatures were practically begging for the Grecian to relax,
and a relaxed Heracles was a sluggish one. He wrapped the towel around his waist before sitting down, head lolling backwards and
shoulders slumping.
took a seat a good distance away from him, he wanted to give the other some space. He leaned back and put a hand over his forehead. "Don't
get to relaxed."
, on the other hand, didn't care at all for space. It was too impersonal. He looked over and mustered up the strength to edge his way back
towards him, stopping a few inches away. "Do you remember this bath house?" He asked curiously. "You opened it yourself."
looked over at him a light frown crossing his lips at how close he'd gotten. "No... I don't really remember it." He did... but he wasn't
going to tell him that.
frowned in response, shrugging his shoulders before leaning back. The fact that getting closer had irked Sadiq only made him want to close
the distance even more. "Your old age is worse than I thought."
furrowed his brows at that comment, "I not old." He would hurt him if he got closer. "I just don't remember unimportant things."
should have stopped while he was ahead, but something about Sadiq just made the insults flow. "Whatever you say, παππούς."
looked over at him before he got up, even more annoyed now. He wasn't in the mood to reply to that. He moved into the next room.
's feeling of satisfaction didn't last very long as the other stood up and walked into the next room. He blinked, unamused, and
continued to take in the hot, humid air for a while longer.
got comfortable on one of the massage tables, glad it was a nice young woman that was there to give him the massage. He expected Greece to
come in right after him, but he wasn't to surpirsed when the other didn't.
kept drifting in and out of sleep for a couple of minutes, and finally gathered the strength to get up and head into the other room. He
glanced briefly at Sadiq before taking his place on the bed next to him, giving a friendly smile to his masseuse (sp?).
didn't pay the Greek any mind, he instead went on to chat with the young woman, clearly enjoying her company. He was still annoyed.
((I think so ))
closed his eyes and relaxed against expert hands, letting his body completely press against the surface. He made little sounds of
contentment as he started to doze off again...
glanced over at Greece before he sat up, content with the massage he thanked her polietly. "He's such an idiot some times."
's attention perked up at the word "idiot". He blinked, frowning deeply as he sat up. He didn't want to make a scene in front of the girls,
and so merely glared at him before thanking her kindly. "You're an idiot," he retaliated childishly once they were out of earshot.
Best comeback ever.
stared at him blankely for a moment before he got up, "you're still as childish as ever." Allah he didn't know why he bothered half the
time.
stuck his tongue out in reply. So what if he was being childish? "Better to be a child than an..." he paused. No, he wouldn't end that
sentence. Enough was enough. He smiled faintly in response.
raised a brow at that, "oh no do finish. I want to know what you think of me, because for as long as I can remember we've never gotten
along."
's smile turned into a frown fairly quickly. He crossed his arms. "That's not my fault. I can get along with anyone else in the universe but
you."
looked over at him, fixing the towel around his waist. "Now is that because you chose not to get along with me?"
It wasn't often that Greece was asked to think about why their relationship was so strained. He suddenly felt a little cold in the room, and
hugged his arms. "It's difficult to forgive and forget the past, Sadiq. I'm trying."
looked away from him with that and headed into the last room. "Forgive and forget? I helped you in the past." He had never seen anything
wrong with what he'd done.
kept his temper controlled. "And that's exactly why we don't get along." He wanted to. He really did. Sadiq knew more about him
than anyone else, but...
stopped and looked over at him, to be honest he wanted to be able to get along with him as well. He just wasn't sure it could work. "What
Turkey
was
so wrong about anything I did?"
looked at him blankly. Actually, most of his dislike was bitterness over not being strong enough to resist invasion, and regarding
the other as barbaric. Sadiq had treated him pretty nicely when compared to how other empires treated their lands. "Your taxes were
ridiculous," he huffed, then looked down at the ground. "And the campaigns you launched against me in the first World War..."
wasn't convinced at all, by of that. Sure his means had been a little ruthless sometimes back then, but he had done all of it for the better
of the other lands. "Are you looking for some kind of compensation for all of that then?"
"No." This was a strange place to have this conversation - naked in a bath house, and not even to the pool yet. "Not once have you
admitted that what you did was wrong, or apologized for killing thousands of my people." He'd also never been so open about what he really
wanted to the other man.
thought it was as good a place as any. He didn't want the other in his house and he was sure Greece felt the same way. "So you want me to
apologize for that?" As he saw it, there was nothing for him to apologize for.
started walking towards the pool. He was starting to get cold in there, and it showed. "It's as simple as that," he said plainly.
let him pass him before he followed him into the pool, he took the towel off and hung it up before he went in, settling down on a ledge
around the edge of the pool, relaxing in the water. "I can't apologize for making you a stronger country. All those people... it's a part of
the process. I've lost a a lot to, but you have to move on."
slipped into the water, practically purring when the cool water hit his warm skin. His frown deepened as the other spoke, but his statement
made him think. “You think of me as a stronger country?” He asked, genuinely curious.
shrugged lightly as he closed his eyes. "You're stronger than you were when you were a kid." He glanced over at him and frowned.
thought he didn’t show it, with how often he gets called a kid. He sunk down deeper into the water, letting the surface touch his skin.
“I’ve told you why now. And you? What don’t you like about me?”
shook his head as he ran his hand through his hair. Shifting a bit, he looked over at him. "You irritate me."
blinked as he looked at him. He'd heard this many times before, and it offered nothing. "That's incredibly specific."
shrugged lightly as he leaned back, "you're just incredibly irritating, you're lazy and you have almost no manners."
wondered if this was only making things worse. “You don’t know anything about me,” he said stubbornly, submerging his head completely
underwater.
sat up a bit and looked over at him watching quietly. He knew more about him than anyone else... "that's a lie.." he didn't care if he heard
it or not.
hadn’t heard. He came back up, watching the other man warily. “Stop frowning. You look more handsome when you smile.”
looked away from him, he'd not heard Greece say something like to him before. He shifted on the ledge to inch away from him back he leaned
back enjoying the water.
didn’t see anything wrong with offering the advice, now that he was trying to be more friendly to him. But apparently he annoyed him
without good reason. “It can’t be helped then, if my mere presence annoys you.” He settled down on the steps, kicking water back and
forth lightly.
frowned even more at that and shook his head. "Greece... there are times when you don't annoy me... it's most of the time you do." He
shrugged a bit.
could have said the same, actually. They seemed to be doomed to go back and forth forever. “Name one time when I didn’t annoy you,” he
challenged.
watched him closely for a moment before he closed his eyes. "When you were a kid and you were so eager to learn."
walked along the bottom of the pool idly. “You used to tell me that I asked too many questions.”
shakes his head a bit, "yeah... you did ask a lot of questions, but I thought it was a good thing. I just wasn't going to tell you that at
the time."
watched him, blinking. He couldn't help but smile. "That's silly."
frowns a bit at that and shakes his head. "How is that silly?" He didn't see how it was at all.
“The fact that you didn’t tell me. Maybe you could have spared yourself a couple of headaches if you had. I’ve always believed that
you dislike me.”
watched him carefully with that, "no... I never disliked you. You just annoyed me. You were always such a brat."
Frowned as he finally stayed still. He disliked being called a brat and a kid about as much as Sadiq disliked being called old. “You sound
like a broken record now.”
shrugs a bit at that as he watched him for a moment. "With you it's way to easy." He brushed his fingers through his hair. "I should go now.
"
turned his gaze away. He felt like they had gone in circles. Gotten absolutely nowhere and brought up some old wounds for him.
“I’m going to stay here a bit longer. καληνύχτα.”
stopped and looked over at him. He frowned darkly at him before he moved over to him and wrapped his arms around his shoulders. "I
apologize."
didn’t know what hit him next. He felt the other’s arms around his shoulders – a touch that wasn’t foreign, just… not there for quite a few
years. Had he heard him correctly? He trembled, but whether it was from the cool water or Sadiq’s touch, it was difficult to tell.
“Huh?” He asked, looking at him.
slowly let go of him with that and backed away. "I'm not repeating, you heard me." He didn't know why he'd just done that.
Once the shock had passed, he stared at Sadiq. He smiled widely, looking geniunely happy. "Thank you."
looked away from him and nodded, "don't mention it." He slowly wadded out of the pool and grabbed his towel, wrapping it around his waist.
watched him, wondering what had warranted him finally apologizing. Well, if he was being amiable, Heracles would give it another
shot as well. He ran out of the pool, hugged the Turk very briefly, and jumped back in.
stopped dead in his tracks, he had no idea what had just happened. He slowly turned to look at the other and frowned a bit. "Greece..." he
actually didn't know what to say in this situation.
Heracles
was
too happy with Sadiq's admittance and apology (how many years of bitterness was that off his back?) that his smile didn't falter. He
waded over to the edge of the pool and rested his chin on his palm. "You liked it when I hugged you as a child, so I didn't think it would
be completely out of line."
knelt a bit to be more on level with him. "There's a difference now... you're naked and you're a full grown man now." He nodded a bit with
that. "Don't look to happy though, I'll not be repeating what I said."
failed to see how being naked made it different. He had never been one to see nakedness as awkward. "I know," he said softly. His smile grew
less intense, but it was still there. He thought of something to say before the other left. "Let me cook for you tomorrow."
looked down at him with that, he didn't think the Greek should cook for him, and he certainly saw being naked as the main reason that it was
different. "... How about you come to my place and I'll cook for you. My cooking is better." He wasn't going to say that it was because he
wanted to spare him the money.
huffed and hopped out of the pool. "You can't say that. I had your food for years, and you've barely tried mine." He dried his hair off.
"Besides," he continued very softly. "You already treated me to coffee and this." He paused. "I don't need to feel even more indebted."
Heracles actually just wanted to do something nice, but was doing it under the guise of repayment.
shook his head lightly with that, "fine then... come to my house and you can cook there." As long as he didn't ruin anything in his kitchen.
started to walk back towards the changing room, since Sadiq had stayed longer than he had intended to now. "Fine, but I'll need to get
ingredients." His face suddenly lit up as he wrapped the towel around his waist. "I'm going to your marketplace first." He actually looked
forward to getting lost in the maze, which had served as his playground during his childhood.
sighed a bit and headed into the changing room as well. He unfolded his clothes and dried himself off, slowly dressing. "Just don't get
lost. I'm not going to go find you this time."
dressed as well, already lost in his own thoughts. He waited for the other to finish, standing by the doorway.
put his mask back on when he was finished and folded the towel and left it on the bench before he went to the door.
dried his hair off one last time before heading out. Once outside, he smiled faintly at the Turk. "Have a safe trip home."
nods a bit as he looked over at him, "yeah..." he didn't know how they had just managed to have such a civilized moment. "You to."
tossed his jacket over his shoulder before heading off, feeling strangely okay for now.