[Giripan] Mother's Love [Fanfic]
Mar. 11th, 2012 10:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
blood_wingedTitle: Mother's Love
Genre: General/Romance
Characters/Pairing: Greece, Japan. Giripan.
Rating/Warnings: U, none.
Summary: Greece tells Japan about his mother, and what they used to do when he was a child. That night, sleeping beside Greece, Japan has a dream and meets Ancient Greece.
“Heracles-kun—”
“Heracles. Just Heracles.”
“… Heracles. Do you remember your mother?”
Kiku felt the Greek nation still, his breath leaving him slowly. A soft summer breeze moved over them as they lay in the grass by one of the great, ancient monuments of Ancient Greece, bringing the delicate scent of wild flowers. It was hardly a strange question, if one that could only be asked of a handful of nations, but Heracles took his time in answering. Thinking that he had perhaps fallen asleep, Kiku glanced up at him and found his eyes open, gazing at the star-speckled sky.
“Sometimes I think that I do,” he murmured, his voice low and holding a deep, sleepy tone. Though, his expression was alert and he ran work-roughened fingers lightly up and down the smaller man’s arm. “Then sometimes… I’m not so sure anymore. Sometimes I wonder if I just want to remember her so badly that I imagine it.”
“Hm…”
Closing his eyes, Kiku concentrated on the sound of the other man’s breathing until his own slowed to match it, and he could barely tell the difference between the two. There was something so peaceful in spending time with Heracles like this, away from the lights and noise of towns and cities, where they could talk quietly without the looks that were so often cast their way for being such a peculiar pair.
“Tell me what you remember.”
Heracles chuckled softly, turning his head to press a light kiss to the side of his lover’s head. “She was a strong woman, I think… she would never pick me up and carry me, even if I wanted it. I learned to stand on my own, but she would never begrudge holding my hand.” The Greek man’s voice was quiet, almost melancholy, and he smiled. “She would take me into the Acropolis of Athens, over the Long Walls, into the agora to listen to the philosophers… We would spend days together in the hills, and she would always tell me that one day it would be mine to care for. I don’t think I understood what she meant, until near the end…”
He fell quiet, and Kiku looked up at him again. His eyes were closed this time, and as a small cat slowly crawled up onto his chest and curled up in a ball the small Japanese man knew he’d get nothing more out of his companion for that night.
Kiku shut his eyes, allowing the silence of the peaceful surroundings to wash over him, and in the next moment the presence beside him was gone, and he started in alarm. He sat up, clenching the front of his yukata closed, and looked around worriedly.
“Heracles?” Slowly, he got to his feet. “Heracles, where are—?”
“Ssh…”
Almost falling over and rolling down the hill in his shock and surprise, Kiku spun around on his heel to come face to face with one of the most magnificently beautiful women he had ever seen. She sat upon a low stone bench which Kiku was quite certain had not been there before, wearing a garment that he had only ever seen in museums or on marble statues. Heracles had once called it a himation, and it was fastened at her shoulder with a deep purple sash. Her skin was dark, and her hair was a rich, dark chestnut that fell in loose curls around her face, framing soft brown eyes. As Kiku stared at her, she smiled.
“You will wake him.”
It was only then that Kiku noticed the small brown-haired child sleeping in her arms, and saw the double haircurl sprouting from his crown that could have only marked him as one person. His eyes went wide, and as much as he wanted to step forwards his feet felt rooted to the ground.
“Kodai Girishia-sama,” he managed to gasp out, his knees trembling. Never in his life could he have expected this. “I… I had thought that you were…”
“Gone?” She smiled again, and inclined her head. “I am, child, but I could not sit and watch my son give his heart to another without first meeting the one who had been so blessed as to receive it.”
“I… ah…” Kiku felt his cheeks heat, and she beckoned him closer, shifting the child in her arms and moving to provide a place for him to sit. “I do not think that I understand. How do you have such power?”
He was referring, of course, to the infant Heracles curled to her chest, and she let out a soft laugh that almost seemed to warm the air. “I do not. You still sleep upon the hillside in the arms of my son. This is a simple illusion. Look.”
She extended her hand. Below them the city of Athens was spread out, and even in the dark Kiku could see that the buildings were unfamiliar. The places where he would spend time exploring ruins with his lover were more heavily shadowed, as though there were buildings there rather than ancient, crumbling pillars. He looked up, and realised then that the stars looked different. Subtly, but enough.
“I see,” he said, shifting back on the bench and gripping the cool stone. It dug gently into his palms, certainly feeling real enough. “Then, what is it that you want of me?”
“Only to speak with you. We are allowed such things when those whom we loved in life make such important decisions.”
Kiku lowered his eyes. He fidgeted restlessly, clasping his hands together then gripping his knees, biting his lip. Heracles’ mother sat quietly beside him, stroking her fingers over the small boy’s hair, humming so softly that it barely carried on the wind.
“Do I… meet your approval?”
“Does it matter so much to you to have my blessing?” She did not sound scathing, or mocking, there was only a light curiosity in her voice. Kiku thought about it, gently biting his bottom lip. It wasn’t such an innocent question as it seemed, and he had to wonder just how long she had been watching them. Kiku had had many talks with Heracles over how people would accept them as a couple, but the Greek nation always smiled, and told him not to worry, that everything had its place in the world and they were no different. It was always comforting, until the next time Kiku started to fret.
“Only because you are his mother,” he said eventually. “If I would wish approval from anyone, it would be you.”
She smiled, and laid one slender hand on his shoulder. Shifting the child in her arms she stood up and looked down at him, and then she crouched, and carefully moved the infant from her arms and onto Kiku’s lap. It was almost instinctively that he brought his own arms up around him and made him comfortable, then he turned his gaze up again and she was still smiling.
“I will entrust him to you, IapoĢ±nía,” she told him warmly. “Take care of my son.”
“I will… I will, I promise.”
Kiku pressed his nose into the infant’s hair, shutting his eyes, and in the next moment experienced the strange kind of disorientation that only comes with waking from a vivid dream and suddenly finding that you are lying down. Heracles’ hair tickled his face and he shifted, opening his eyes slowly.
Beside him, Heracles was still sleeping, with three cats curled up on his chest. As his lover moved he blinked his eyes open, and slid them across.
“Are you uncomfortable?” he murmured. Kiku shook his head and settled back down, resting his head on the larger man’s shoulder and lightly petting one of the cats. It purred, and rolled over, sliding down into the grass and stalking away, tail in the air.
“Your mother spoke to me,” Kiku said quietly as one hand came up to curl around his shoulder.
“Mm? What did she say?”
“She… she told me to take care of you.”
Heracles was quiet, and Kiku listened to his steady heartbeat and the sound of his breathing and he knew the man had fallen asleep again. It was soothing, that he was so entirely unconcerned by… well, everything, it seemed. The Japanese nation smiled, and tipped his head up to press a kiss to the top of his lover’s jaw. Take care of him..? It was no small thing to ask, but Kiku didn’t think it would be any trouble at all.
Genre: General/Romance
Characters/Pairing: Greece, Japan. Giripan.
Rating/Warnings: U, none.
Summary: Greece tells Japan about his mother, and what they used to do when he was a child. That night, sleeping beside Greece, Japan has a dream and meets Ancient Greece.
*****
“Heracles-kun—”
“Heracles. Just Heracles.”
“… Heracles. Do you remember your mother?”
Kiku felt the Greek nation still, his breath leaving him slowly. A soft summer breeze moved over them as they lay in the grass by one of the great, ancient monuments of Ancient Greece, bringing the delicate scent of wild flowers. It was hardly a strange question, if one that could only be asked of a handful of nations, but Heracles took his time in answering. Thinking that he had perhaps fallen asleep, Kiku glanced up at him and found his eyes open, gazing at the star-speckled sky.
“Sometimes I think that I do,” he murmured, his voice low and holding a deep, sleepy tone. Though, his expression was alert and he ran work-roughened fingers lightly up and down the smaller man’s arm. “Then sometimes… I’m not so sure anymore. Sometimes I wonder if I just want to remember her so badly that I imagine it.”
“Hm…”
Closing his eyes, Kiku concentrated on the sound of the other man’s breathing until his own slowed to match it, and he could barely tell the difference between the two. There was something so peaceful in spending time with Heracles like this, away from the lights and noise of towns and cities, where they could talk quietly without the looks that were so often cast their way for being such a peculiar pair.
“Tell me what you remember.”
Heracles chuckled softly, turning his head to press a light kiss to the side of his lover’s head. “She was a strong woman, I think… she would never pick me up and carry me, even if I wanted it. I learned to stand on my own, but she would never begrudge holding my hand.” The Greek man’s voice was quiet, almost melancholy, and he smiled. “She would take me into the Acropolis of Athens, over the Long Walls, into the agora to listen to the philosophers… We would spend days together in the hills, and she would always tell me that one day it would be mine to care for. I don’t think I understood what she meant, until near the end…”
He fell quiet, and Kiku looked up at him again. His eyes were closed this time, and as a small cat slowly crawled up onto his chest and curled up in a ball the small Japanese man knew he’d get nothing more out of his companion for that night.
Kiku shut his eyes, allowing the silence of the peaceful surroundings to wash over him, and in the next moment the presence beside him was gone, and he started in alarm. He sat up, clenching the front of his yukata closed, and looked around worriedly.
“Heracles?” Slowly, he got to his feet. “Heracles, where are—?”
“Ssh…”
Almost falling over and rolling down the hill in his shock and surprise, Kiku spun around on his heel to come face to face with one of the most magnificently beautiful women he had ever seen. She sat upon a low stone bench which Kiku was quite certain had not been there before, wearing a garment that he had only ever seen in museums or on marble statues. Heracles had once called it a himation, and it was fastened at her shoulder with a deep purple sash. Her skin was dark, and her hair was a rich, dark chestnut that fell in loose curls around her face, framing soft brown eyes. As Kiku stared at her, she smiled.
“You will wake him.”
It was only then that Kiku noticed the small brown-haired child sleeping in her arms, and saw the double haircurl sprouting from his crown that could have only marked him as one person. His eyes went wide, and as much as he wanted to step forwards his feet felt rooted to the ground.
“Kodai Girishia-sama,” he managed to gasp out, his knees trembling. Never in his life could he have expected this. “I… I had thought that you were…”
“Gone?” She smiled again, and inclined her head. “I am, child, but I could not sit and watch my son give his heart to another without first meeting the one who had been so blessed as to receive it.”
“I… ah…” Kiku felt his cheeks heat, and she beckoned him closer, shifting the child in her arms and moving to provide a place for him to sit. “I do not think that I understand. How do you have such power?”
He was referring, of course, to the infant Heracles curled to her chest, and she let out a soft laugh that almost seemed to warm the air. “I do not. You still sleep upon the hillside in the arms of my son. This is a simple illusion. Look.”
She extended her hand. Below them the city of Athens was spread out, and even in the dark Kiku could see that the buildings were unfamiliar. The places where he would spend time exploring ruins with his lover were more heavily shadowed, as though there were buildings there rather than ancient, crumbling pillars. He looked up, and realised then that the stars looked different. Subtly, but enough.
“I see,” he said, shifting back on the bench and gripping the cool stone. It dug gently into his palms, certainly feeling real enough. “Then, what is it that you want of me?”
“Only to speak with you. We are allowed such things when those whom we loved in life make such important decisions.”
Kiku lowered his eyes. He fidgeted restlessly, clasping his hands together then gripping his knees, biting his lip. Heracles’ mother sat quietly beside him, stroking her fingers over the small boy’s hair, humming so softly that it barely carried on the wind.
“Do I… meet your approval?”
“Does it matter so much to you to have my blessing?” She did not sound scathing, or mocking, there was only a light curiosity in her voice. Kiku thought about it, gently biting his bottom lip. It wasn’t such an innocent question as it seemed, and he had to wonder just how long she had been watching them. Kiku had had many talks with Heracles over how people would accept them as a couple, but the Greek nation always smiled, and told him not to worry, that everything had its place in the world and they were no different. It was always comforting, until the next time Kiku started to fret.
“Only because you are his mother,” he said eventually. “If I would wish approval from anyone, it would be you.”
She smiled, and laid one slender hand on his shoulder. Shifting the child in her arms she stood up and looked down at him, and then she crouched, and carefully moved the infant from her arms and onto Kiku’s lap. It was almost instinctively that he brought his own arms up around him and made him comfortable, then he turned his gaze up again and she was still smiling.
“I will entrust him to you, IapoĢ±nía,” she told him warmly. “Take care of my son.”
“I will… I will, I promise.”
Kiku pressed his nose into the infant’s hair, shutting his eyes, and in the next moment experienced the strange kind of disorientation that only comes with waking from a vivid dream and suddenly finding that you are lying down. Heracles’ hair tickled his face and he shifted, opening his eyes slowly.
Beside him, Heracles was still sleeping, with three cats curled up on his chest. As his lover moved he blinked his eyes open, and slid them across.
“Are you uncomfortable?” he murmured. Kiku shook his head and settled back down, resting his head on the larger man’s shoulder and lightly petting one of the cats. It purred, and rolled over, sliding down into the grass and stalking away, tail in the air.
“Your mother spoke to me,” Kiku said quietly as one hand came up to curl around his shoulder.
“Mm? What did she say?”
“She… she told me to take care of you.”
Heracles was quiet, and Kiku listened to his steady heartbeat and the sound of his breathing and he knew the man had fallen asleep again. It was soothing, that he was so entirely unconcerned by… well, everything, it seemed. The Japanese nation smiled, and tipped his head up to press a kiss to the top of his lover’s jaw. Take care of him..? It was no small thing to ask, but Kiku didn’t think it would be any trouble at all.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2012-03-11 11:28 pm (UTC)By the way, in case you missed it: Fifth paragraph from the end, you didn't finish your sentence. The cat slid off Greece and did something?
=^..^=~
(no subject)
Date: 2012-03-11 11:32 pm (UTC)*fixes*
(no subject)
Date: 2012-03-12 12:42 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-03-12 01:27 am (UTC)