An afternoon escape [Barates]

[Barates Aster]

Narrowing his eyes at the god, Barates’ lips quirked into a frown. It was almost like the god thought that the land marauders were…were better than pirates. Sure, the pirates he had mentioned hadn’t exactly been…intelligent, but there were plenty of other fish in the sea! Scowling slightly despite himself, Barates shrugged, hardly caring that he was defending people who he didn’t really hold in high regard. “Not all pirates stupid like those mentioned. Some very fearsome. Leave entire fleets burning.” Pausing for a moment, Barates grimaced before he amended, “Not Minoan-er, Crete ships but other ships. Mycenaean and Spartan. Ships not as strong as Crete.”

There. He had…he had defended the sea. Even if he had used pirates to do it. Ignoring the fact that his feelings were rather petty on the entire thing and that in truth, it didn’t matter which was more powerful, Barates sniffed somewhat haughtily. Ha-try and down play the sea! It was-it was magnificent, awe inspiring and…oh dear, what were they talking about?

Frowning as he lost his train of thought or where he’d been going with that idea entirely, Barates winced as Set smiled, his voice but a purr. Ah yes-that.

His, err…blunder.

Coughing in his hand to cover the fact that he’d completely spaced out, Barates glanced at the god from the corner of his eye-previous cheer displaced in favor of awkward sulkiness as Set eyed him up and down. Somehow, he got the idea the god was making fun of him and god or not, Barates couldn’t let that lie. “Strange not bad.” he muttered defensively beneath his breath, fiercely combating the red hue fighting to obtain hold on his already ruddy cheeks. The line of tension between his brows slowly began to ease, and Barates shook his head, clicking his tongue against his teeth as he continued, “Strange things pretty. Dangerous in particular. Nothing like feeling that can kill you-and nothing like feeling when it doesn’t.” Wincing as the words came out a bit more dare-devil then he’d intended, Barates bit at his lip. “Not like necessarily strange things. Find-find them fasc…fascinating.” Stumbling over the complicated word for a moment, Barates frowned before he repeated himself, a bit more firmly. “Like—powerful? Pretty?” Brow creasing in thought as he rubbed at his chin, Barates turned to face the night sky, eyes glued to the moon which proved to be a gentler sight than the burning sun he had been staring at previously. “No…that not it. Eh, you right. Just…just like strange things.” Conceding his defeat in favor of scowling towards nothing in particular, Barates blinked before he stared at the god with a hint of nervous curiously.

“You…you said you busiest at night right?” Tone gaining a slightly worried edge as he let his eyes dart towards the sky once more, Barates gulped, an anxious look overtaking the moody scowl. “Not-not keeping from duties right?”

[Set]

He studied the foreigner's face carefully as Barates seemed lost for a moment. When the boy appeared to catch up, his face took on several different emotions, but he seemed somehow less cheery than before. Set put aside the thought for now, though, to listen. As Barates continued, a smile played across the god's lips. He finally laughed as the foreigner's words took another tumble - and it was too late to take them back now. Set's vivid eyes looked all the eerier when they were delighted. He whipped around suddenly to place his hand at about Barates' collar, just under his throat; his grip felt like a gentle threat of strangulation. "You like danger," he purred then. "You like things that are as beautiful as they are deadly. I'm not sure that is entirely strange..." He held Barates' gaze relentlessly. "I think deadliness, something lethal and powerful and wild, has a beauty of its own that anyone could admire. Just not everyone is willing to admit it, because it is a dangerous infatuation." His tone was hushed and intimate.

His hand finally lifted away from the boy to drop back down to his side. He turned to continue walking as if nothing had happened, and gazed up at the night sky thoughtfully, studying the stars that had begun to appear across it. "Oh, no. You're not keeping me. I have time. Besides, the palace isn't far now."

[Barates Aster]

The moment Set’s hand met his collar, just beneath his throat; Barates froze, his heart beating a frantic staccato in his chest. “Not-not infatuation. Dangerous yes. But not infatuation.” he bit out in startled shock only to narrow his eyes slightly. The god’s hand, while not grasping his throat or putting any pressure on his breathing, was a subtle enough threat and needless to say, Barates didn’t take threats very well. Nostril’s flaring as his eyes narrowed further, Barates stared Set straight in the eyes, not looking away even from the god’s relentless stare. Still, that didn’t stop his heart from quickening, the sudden thrill of being so close to danger. And Set was dangerous- that was the only thing that kept Barates’ tongue in check as he bit at his bottom lip, struggling to keep from spitting out something he’d likely regret later. Only when he knew he wouldn’t spout out something horribly stupid, did Barates allow himself to speak again. “More like….fascinated by. Not obsessed-not want to die. Not suicidal.” That was of course, where the brunt of Barates's ire lay within the god's words. However much he might like dangerous things and tempting fate, he was not suicidal. He did not do it to dance with death, to play with a deadly creature in hopes that it would kill him. He was too prideful for that; and it showed in his eyes. The hazel there was almost gold; burning with a strange mixture of curiosity and defiance and with a thin lipped stare, Barates kept his gaze locked with Set’s-meeting the god’s eyes without a care to the youth’s intimate tone.

Stepping back as Set’s hand lifted away from his collar to drop back towards his side, Barates rubbed at the afflicted area, expressions battling for a place on his face-unease, curiosity, annoyance until finally, curiosity marred with relief won out. Still, he kept a cautionary eye on the god as Set continued walking as if nothing had happened, his eerie stare directed up towards the night sky with an almost thoughtful air. Pausing for a moment to help settle his thoughts, Barates rubbed at his neck once more-still feeling the god’s phantom touch before he followed, if with a bit more caution than before. “Not keeping? Good. Don’t want to stop duties.”

Staring at the palace in the distance, Barates sighed before he ran his hand through his hair, eyeing the god a bit more thoughtfully then before. Set was dangerous-he’d give him that but he also seemed oddly companionable-at least when he wasn’t getting touchy feely. Mouth quirking despite his best attempts, Barates shook his head before he glanced at the god from the corner of his eye, “What exactly your duty?” Blunt as the question was, Barates couldn’t hide the audible curiosity in his voice. He did at least have the sense of mind to try and soften the blow though. “Egyptians believe in great snake right? You fight him?”

[Set]

The god blinked, smile fading somewhat. "... Yes." He answered softly. "... Ra, the sun god, the light of the world... makes a journey through the underworld at night. Every night on this journey, I help defend him against the demon serpent, Apep, who every night seeks to devour Ra and plunge the earth into darkness." Despite however grand or exciting or perilous this duty sounded, Set spoke of it as monotonously as if he had had to recite it one hundred times over. There was a hardness in his glowing gaze that was not reflected in his voice, however.

He seemed to try to push the seriousness from his face, though his success was modest at best as he glanced at Barates. "When your duties are compared to mine, you have it pretty easy as a slave." He arched a brow, offering a small, playful smile. His tone was only half joking.

[Barates Aster]

Listening intently despite Set’s deadpan tone, Barates blinked, narrowing his eyes curiously at the hardness present in the god’s eyes. Somehow, he didn’t think Set liked talking about his duties for once. Yearning to ask more-if only to cater to his nosier side, Barates thinned his lips-refraining from blathering out more questions.

Set was a god after all and despite Barates’s own awkwardness and sulky moments, the god hadn’t killed him or attempted to maim him yet, so the slave decided that he’d keep his questions to himself.

If only for the moment.

Chewing at his lip with an expression that clearly showed his need to blabber out more random inquiries, Barates steadied his jaw before his lips quirked. The Greek’s sulky behavior was all but gone now, soothed by Set’s willingness to answer his question. “Eh-probably. Still not like being slave- very boring. And have to clean-nothing compared to fighting giant snake or godly duties or whatever but…” waving his hand flippantly in the air, Barates scrwed his nose, eying the palace up in the distance with no small measure of ill will, “…nobles not very clean. Not like cleaning their privies or wiping up after they eat. Or sweeping floors. Or pulling weeds. Or guard duty. Or….” oblivious to the fact that his voice was rising slightly in both pitch and volume as he began ranting, Barates shook his head, gesturing with his hands before he cut himself short, jaw snapping shut with an audible clack before he cleared his throat and awkwardly scratched at his chin. “…_{not like cleaning.}” The mumbled statement wasn’t much of an apology, and did little but state the obvious but it was all that Set was going to get. Scratching at his head, Barates paused before he gave a blissful sigh. “Much rather be on boat than cleaning. Much more exciting. Still, rather clean than fight giant snake. Not sure if could make it. Probably die.” Snorting derisively at the mere thought of him attempting such an action (his imagination quickly supplied quite a few images of him going head first down the snake’s gullet, legs kicking) Barates shook his head, his face growing slightly green as his thoughts got away from him. “Yes. Much…much rather clean that that.”

[Set]

His own efforts to regain his earlier cheery demeanor proved a moot point as Barates' discussion rekindled it. Set laughed at the foreigner's bitter distaste for cleaning. When he had finally finished laughing, he continued. "You are a slave and you don't like cleaning? How did you ever come to be a slave, Barates Aster of Crete?" Though his tone was still in jest, there was more than a hint of sincere curiosity, and he leaned closer interestedly as if anticipating a real answer. He laughed again. "I imagine anybody would rather clean than fight Apep." Myself included. His face turned slightly serious again.

He sighed a little. "Hmn... No evening duties, hm? How do you spend your spare time besides gazing after beasts that might eat you? And how do you intend to spend this evening once you have returned to the palace?"

[Barates Aster]

Smiling awkwardly as the god laughed, the grin on the slave's face slowly became more genuine as Set continued laughing. Listening intently as his smile broadened, Barates expression quickly wavered as the god questioned how he came into his current occupation, though he shoved the grin back into place with an almost ruthless tenacity. Scratching at his chin, Barates kept his gaze glued forward-looking away was a sign of weakness and on a subject such as this, he would rather rot in the pits of Tartarus then let his unease show. “Eh, never liked cleaning. Even when sailor.” For a moment, he contemplated ignoring the question altogether, but that felt too much like lying, or that he was ashamed of it, for Barates’s comfort. “…how became slave is er…difficult to explain…but er…easy at same time. Was…trader-diplomat-solider? Eh, solider on diplomat ship-guarding man. When not on duty, traded-so both? Was on crew with friend. But Pythios-err-he like women. And not realize that Pharaoh’s harem off limits. So he slept with them. Guards caught him-Egyptians not happy. Decided that for punishment he become slave. But…Pythios-er, friend-valued member of crew. So, volunteered to take his place.” Tone almost mutinous at the end, as if daring Set to make fun of him, Barates shot the god a guarded look before he smiled and shrugged, as if it was an everyday occurrence to give away one’s freedom and very livelihood for the sake of a friend. “Nothing big.”

Looking away, Barates paused before he glanced back towards Set again, grinning uneasily at the god’s words, almost as if he were attempting to dispel the earlier atmosphere. “Haha, can’t think that fighting giant snake would be fun.” Freezing or a moment, Barates paused before he blinked. “Eh, how big is snake anyways? Bigger than crocodile form?” About to question him a bit more, Barates shifted as the god sighed before he laughed. “Eh, sometimes have evening duties. Life as slave not as predictable as think. Duties come and go. Sometimes-sometimes same thing. Other times, not as much. Duties vary. But free time?” Faltering slightly, Barates scratched at his head before he grinned guilelessly, “Eh, varies too. Not big on planning. More of…spur of moment?” Looking up at the night starts thoughtfully, Barates nodded his head. “Yes-spur of moment. Don’t plan things out-free time random, so plans tend to break apart. Best to just go with flow. Safer that way too.” Quieting for a moment, Barates blinked before he clapped his fist into his palm, "Ah! But sometimes visit traders. For news from home. But other than that...,"Barates snorted and scratched his head, "...depends on mood at time."

[Set]

Set tilted his head, amusement seeping into his glowing eyes. He soon struggled to contain more laughter, even clamping a hand over his mouth while throwing his other arm over his stomach and threatening to double over. He choked most of his laughter through his hand, and eventually it died down, though it lingered in his eyes. "Slept with all of them?" He asked interestedly. His amusement continued to settle, however, even in his eyes, which gazed up at Barates with something between interest, fondness, and the last remnants of amusement. "I think it was quite admirable of you, Barates Aster of Crete. Surely, it is a rare man who would do such a thing for a friend, valued sailor or otherwise. At once impressive and foolish... or perhaps naive. I do hope this Pythios was worth it." He paused thoughtfully. "... But why should I put up debate?" The god laughed softly. "Had you not made such a sacrifice for your friend, our meeting would be much less likely."

His amusement more rapidly faded at mention of Apep. "Much bigger." Suddenly his volume was just above a whisper, his face solemn.

But he nodded, a small smile returning as Barates continued. "I like spur of the moment." He said quietly, almost more to himself. He looked contemplative for a minute. "How often does that happen? Do you keep quite up-to-date on your homeland?" He studied the foreigner carefully, as if eyeing him for his answer before he spoke it aloud.

[Barates Aster]

Weak grin quickly morphing into a scowl the moment Set began laughing, Barates entire demeanor darkened, and it was only when he realized that Set wasn’t exactly laughing at him did his frown lessen in intensity. Lips twisting awkwardly into an expression that was not quite a smile but not quite a grimace, Barates shrugged his shoulders and coughed into his hand, face turning a ruddy hue at the mention of Pythios’…er…exploits. “He ah…at least half. If not more. Pythios er…like women. A lot.” Clearing his throat while scratching at his chin, the Greek slave shook his head with an almost rueful smile as he lost himself in memories, all but oblivious to the god gazing up at him with interest. Blinking at Set’s compliment, Barates features wrinkled and he laughed, a short amused sound with all the blissful ignorance of a rather stupid child.“Eh, not admirable! Any friend would have done it! He’d have done same for me! If had too, would do it again.” Laughing again, Barates shrugged his shoulders, reaching idly behind his back to scratch at the itching brand as his chuckling slowly trailed off.

Even he knew that Pythios likely wouldn’t have agreed to take his place. Ha, it seemed as if all those year of friendship had died when Barates had agreed to become a slave in his stead, the other man hadn’t even murmured a word of thanks, nor even tried to buy him back from the Egyptians. Pythios wasn’t exactly a rich man, but he wasn’t poor either. And well, the attempt would have been nice. Smile faltering as his brow furrowed, Barates quickly bit his lip and shook his head, plastering a smile back onto his face a somewhat ruthless shove towards his mind.

It was no time to dwell on things. He didn’t regret his decision-not in the lest. Pythios was still his friend, his-his closest friend, even if the man hardly seemed to care about his existence now according to the rumors from the traders. Shoving any lingering woes away, he turned to look back towards Set, noting with some distress that the god’s voice had fallen quite again.

Eyes widening slightly with guilt-really, he had noticed that Set didn’t really seem to enjoy speaking of his er, duties-but he’d brought it up again. And again. Flushing slightly with embarrassment, Barates itched at his nose, debating on apologizing before tossing the idea out altogether.

Gods-at least Greek ones- were picky when it came to their weaknesses. Still, he’d er…try not to bring it up again. Nodding resolutely in tandem with his own thoughts, Barates tilted his head as he caught Set muttering under his breath-perhaps repeating his words, but to say the truth, the foreigner couldn’t exactly tell. Features brightening with more curiosity as the god took on an introspective look, Barates all but jumped when Set addressed him again. Clearing his throat for what seemed to be the twelfth time that night in an attempt to cover his slight jump, Barates frowned thoughtfully while fighting back a guilty flush. Kind as Set had been through this conversation, somehow Barates found that telling the god that he snuck out to make time when he had none available wasn’t the best of ideas-at least not until he got to know the god better. If that ever happened.

Shaking his head in an attempt to regain his train of thought-free time, he’d been asking about free time- Barates shrugged and grinned weakly, the smile more sheepish than not. “Eh, often enough. If get chores done can go out.” Pausing for a moment to retrace the god’s words, Barates grinned again, this one less embarrassed then the last and a bit more exuberant in taste, “Yes! Try to at least-sometimes hard to sneak---“ faltering as his mouth got ahead of his brain for the millionth time that night, Barates quickly attempted to cover his steps, “—eh, finish chores quickly—so not get to find out as much information as like.”

Wincing despite himself, Barates glanced at Set from the corner of his eye as he worried his lip with his teeth-hopefully the god wouldn’t catch his little slip.

[Set]

He nodded as he listened. At Barates' slip-up, however, a smile crawled across the god's face. And, glancing at him, it was obvious the foreigner was praying he hadn't been noticed. Set chuckled. "Don't look so nervous, Barates Aster of Crete. Do I seem like the type to take issue with a little bit of troublemaking?" He arched a brow, casting a mischievous smile. "Besides... Most everyone values their family more than their job. Generally, people work to support their families, after all. Isn't that right?" There was a hint of uncertainty in his tone, supported by the question he added. Of course, Set knew there were exceptions - people who went to work to get away from their families, even. But, despite the standard Egyptian's patriotism and work ethic, it was clear the primary reason people worked was to take care of whatever and whoever they had at home.

[Barates Aster]

“N-Not nervous!” Wincing at Set’s chuckle, Barates cleared his throat before he straightened his back-ha, he’d show the god nervous. He was completely calm-not the least bit thrown off or anxious that Set had heard his slip up. Of course, it was pretty obvious that this wasn’t the case because while he had straightened his posture, Barates had yet to stop biting his lip and though his eyes were narrowed, they still darted cautiously to the god and back.

But-but he was totally calm about it. Y-yeah.

Jerking slightly as he realized he had grown quiet and left the god in silence for a bit longer than he should have, Barates quickly coughed to cover up his momentary lapse in thought before he continued, “Not nervous.” Oblivious to the fact that he was repeating himself, the Greek slave frowned and strengthened his gaze on Set, almost as if studying him before he leaned back and gave the god a cautious look. “Ehhh, not seem like type about stuff. But gods tricky. Never know-often act nice to trick. And you being very nice-even listening when acting stupid.” Speech slightly garbled as his voice gained a somewhat mutinous tone, he continued eyeing he god with a mixture of caution and relief before he blinked and then tilted his head-noting vaguely that the god’s tone had turned slightly uncertain. Scratching his head somewhat tentatively, Barates shrugged and nodded in agreement. “Eh, sort of. Suppose is true. People work for family-unless family force to work, then try to get away. Ah-but some people not care.” Frowning in thought as he turned to look up towards the sky and the glimmering stars held therein, Barates cocked his head and then itched the brand on his back, wincing slightly as the wound situated there gave a protesting twinge. “…most do though. Family important value-without family, have nothing right?” Turning to peer at Set with an uncertain look in his eye, Barates shrugged before he perked up. “You help family too right? If recall, most gods related. Greek related, so Egyptian must be too-right?” Hardly caring that he was blabbering now, Barates tilted his head again, eyes bright with the prospect of new information as his nosier tendencies were piqued.

So he couldn’t really bug Set about his duties without making the god become all solemn and sad faced-so, so his family should definitely be a good choice right?! Congratulating himself on his own genius, Barates grinned with all the bright eyed naiveté of a child despite his age of twenty. “Not know much about Egyptian gods so not know relations. But you have siblings, right? What they like? Like you?”

[Set]

Set blinked, and looked thoughtful for a minute. He then smiled again, laughing. "Do you think I am trying to trick you...?" He asked, his tone strongly suggestive of amusement. Again, he did not look confident when Barates turned his own question back on him. "... I think there are some who might argue otherwise," the god replied quietly in regards to family. He could admit people without a family - whether they had lost or discarded theirs - were perhaps missing something in their life... But it was something they could make up for, or so he thought, at least.

A strange, subtle expression fell over his face then as the gods' relations were brought up... before his features grew strangely, eerily, unnaturally blank. Completely empty, as if Set had never had an emotion in his life. Even his glowing eyes lacked any hint of feeling. "They are not like me." His tone was as perfectly and unnervingly hollow as his face. The discussion seemed to have hit a sudden wall, as the god did not go on to explain who his siblings were, and the silence following all he offered of a reply was a tangible one. Even more so than his duties in the underworld, it did not look like Set had any desire to talk about his family. The oppressive silence and empty look on his face after them being mentioned even made it appear as though he had no desire to talk whatsoever anymore, or maybe even ever again.

[Barates Aster]

Flinching back as Set began laughing, Barates blinked before he gave a half-heated smile of his own coupled with a rather nervous sounding laugh (which was not at all high pitched, thank you very much). Clearing his throat lest his voice get any more squeaky with his err, calmness-because he was not at all nervous, not one bit-Barates picked at his hair, tugging one of the longer strands down in front of his eyes in an effort to avoid looking at the amused god. “Eh, not sure. Hope not. But hear tales-gods always have plans.” Despite his attempts at avoiding the question, the Greek slave’s voice was not accusatory in the least and in fact, rather bland, as if he were simply stating a fact before he glanced at the god curiously. “…argue otherwise?” About to question more on this particular line of thought, Barates all but gulped as Set’s features grew suddenly blank.

Oh sweet Hermes he’d done it now.

S-So that was another to mark off his list.

Okay-don’t bring up his duties. And by all the gods above don’t bring up his family. Spluttering for words that wouldn’t come out, Barates opened his mouth only to close it just as quickly, jaw slamming shut with an audible clack as his mind raced for different ways to change the topic. The silence in the air was almost palpable, tense and Barates could feel his heart stuttering despite his best efforts to keep calm-which he totally was by the way, not nervous or guilty at all for bringing up an obviously touchy subject. Still scrambling for words, Barates took a deep breath before he gulped and within seconds, spluttered the first thing that came to his mind. “Your eyes are very shiny!” Oh dear Hermes he should have stayed quiet. Forget the fact that his voice came out a literal shout; Barates quickly fought the urge to clasp his hands over his mouth, suddenly all too thankful that the palace was quickly becoming closer.

“Err-that is to say…ah….they are very gold now.” Wincing as his attempts to change the conversation continued to fail rather drastically and that he’d already said something along those lines earlier, Barates dropped his head and groaned before running his hand through his hair, scratching at the short strands and scowling despite himself as his fingers caught in the longer ones. Wait-wait forget his hair. He had-he had to change the subject.

And try not to make an idiot out of himself. “I-I mean uhh…it is very dark. _{Oh dear hermes I really need to shut up.}”

Somehow, Barates thought with a wince as he cut himself off with a snap, he really needed to figure out how to make better excuses. Or at least figure out how to change the subject without sounding like a moron.

[Set]

At first Set did not even glance at the boy, hollow gaze directed straight ahead at nothing in particular, but perfectly focused, as if he may have been staring into another world - not an entirely silly notion, considering his divine status. Only after at least a minute of silence after Barates' sputtering did the god turn to stare up at him, his pale face and glowing eyes initially still devoid of expression, and still it appeared as though he were looking right through the foreigner... Then emotion crept back into his features as a smile drifted over his lips and gradually spread into his eyes. He laughed, and it was not forced, as if his lapse in feeling had never happened.

"Should I call Ra for you? Tell him to drive his ship a little faster?" He teased, yellow eyes shining with amusement again.

[Barates Aster]

Staring nervously at the god with a rather panicked expression, Barates face quickly faltered as Set remained silent. Oh dear Hermes he knew he should have shut up. Wasn’t that what Pythios used to say? One day, Barates, your mouth will offend a god?

Who knew that it’d be come true-with an Egyptian god no less! By all the gods above he was an idiot! Mouth opening and closing noiselessly as he struggled for speech, Barates finally dropped his head with a sigh only to jerk backwards as he peeked at Set from the corner of his eye. S-Set was looking right through him!

For a moment, Barates fancied the youthful looking deity could see through his very soul, his very mind and he quickly hoped he wasn’t thinking of anything embarrassing. Gods were fickle things after all, and Barates had just insulted this one-or at least he was pretty sure he had. Hands trembling despite his best intentions by his side, Barates quickly balled them into fists, eyes wide and panicked. He felt like a rabbit pinned by a wolf, like a mouse pinned by a cat. It was not a pleasant expression to say the least, and Barates could feel his heart stuttering in his chest, pounding hard enough as it would burst from his very ribs.

And then the god laughed.

Eyes widening a the sudden sound of laughter, Barates faltered, blinking quickly in an odd mixture of panic and relief.

S-so he hadn’t offended the god? Th-that was good. Right? Right?!

Laughing uneasily in tandem to the god, Barates slowly shook his head, still thrown for a loop as the god teased him as if nothing had happened. As it was, it took him a moment to muster up enough brain power to reply and with a weak chuckle, Barates ran a hand through his hair in an attempt to quell his shaking limbs. “Ah-no, no need. S-stars are bright enough. As long as no step on scorpion should-should survive night.” Shoulders thrusting back as the Greek slave struggled to regain what little composure he had left, the young man cleared his throat before he added with a bit more steadiness, “And torches from palace are close-can see with them. Will, will be there soon yes? Funny-did not remember trek here being this long. Ah, but what is saying? Way back always seems longer than way there?”