Eros awoke alone in Loki’s bed. He sat up and stared at the gray light permeating through the curtains. His head was empty and numb, but heavy. The room was filled with the static of silence.

Eros remembered. Loki was in love with him.

With steady hands he unbuttoned the giant’s shirt and left it on the bed with the tangled sheets. He picked his own shirt off the floor and made himself look as presentable as possible. He vanished the wrinkles in his clothes. He magicked his hair messy-on-purpose and his tie straight. He waved a hand so his body was perfumed with rose and frankincense, rather than reeking of ecstasy. If he had left Loki’s home and stepped into the bustling afternoon street smelling like that, he’d instigate an orgy.

With shoulders broad and straight he trotted down the stairs, but slowed to the sound of sizzling, scraping, and humming coming from the kitchen.

Eros froze in terror as the fact he already knew sank deep into his gut.

This was going to be painful and awkward.

He might not ever see Loki again after this. Or if he did, Loki might hate him, and Eros knew what Loki’s scorn looked like. He had seen it at Death’s parties and other events. There was no one better in the Cosmos to make one look like an ignorant, simple fool in front of all of the gods than Loki. And Eros had suffered enough of that for a lifetime. Then again, his reputation couldn’t get much worse than it already was. It would be adding insult to injury for him personally, but to the public eye it would only be a sprinkling of dirt on the train wreck that was his life. They would hardly notice the offense being added to the toppling pile of Eros’s existing indiscretions.

He closed his eyes, swallowed all the emotions, and walked into the kitchen, straightening his cuffs as he did. “Loki.”

“Afternoon. Do you eat?” He didn’t give Eros time to respond. “It’s no bother if you do. I can make more.”

Eros examined the plate piled high with flat cakes, fruit drizzled with honey, and nuts.

“Well, actually-,” Eros began.

Loki cut him off, “I don’t mind cooking. I know it’s a bit mundane, but I quite like the art versus the procedure of it. You have a recipe, written out step by step, and you can follow that recipe to the tee, but it will always be missing something and won’t be quite right, unless...” He plucked a blackberry off of the top of the towering plate and popped it into his mouth, “...you add a bit extra of this or that, or substitute something you’re missing with something else. Otherwise, it will never taste the way mum used to make it, and that applies to everything in life.” Loki leaned his elbows on the kitchen island, and folded his hands.

Eros found himself smiling and reset his jaw. “I’m afraid I can’t stay. I have to go take care of... but it was nice of you to offer.”

Loki’s eyes bore into him, a wise smirk on his face. He just sat there smirking and staring without really even blinking. Eros almost made to turn and walk out a couple of times, but Loki’s scrutinizing, unbreaking gaze had Eros fixed.

Loki watched Eros twitch under the breakdown of proper conversational structures with the prolonged silence. Eros panicked, not knowing what to do.

“Soooo… Err…?” Eros tried to break the silence. He tried to walk away, but Loki stared on, smiling.

Usually, other men whom Eros had put in Loki’s position would start asking questions. Why are you leaving? What’s so important? Or they would deflect to save their pride, or if Eros was lucky, they would politely walk him to the door. No one ever just stared that way for so long.

“Of course,” Loki finally said. Eros visibly released the breath he was holding, and immediately rolled his eyes at the realization that Loki was fucking with him. “I’ll walk you out.”

Eros wordlessly gestured around and eventually dropped his hand in defeat. “Okay…”

Loki stood abruptly tall, and took one long step to Eros’s side. He smirked and escorted Eros to the front door- very slowly.

“I really enjoyed last night,” Loki said, his hands behind his back. “The bit where Hypnos showed up. Oh! And, the falling asleep alone on the couch decoding Dream-riddles, classic!” Loki said in a cutesy tone.

“Oh?” Eros asked, confused and aggravated.

“I especially enjoyed the part where I tricked you into opening the bottle just in case there was a curse inside. What part did you enjoy most?” Loki had stopped at the stair rail when they finally reached it, and Eros hurried to grab his coat.

Eros glared at him, knowing Loki had a punchline coming. “Making you bite your tongue at Devereaux’s house!”

“Yes! That was good. Oh, I know! What about that part where you told me I was in love with you? Huh, wow! Wasn’t that crazy?” Loki’s grin mocked him.

Eros lashed out at him. “Yes. Exactly! It was crazy. It shouldn’t have happened. It was only a fleeting moment of lust. I was mistaken. It was just sex and nothing more. Can we please be adult about this and move on? I have to go.” Eros turned towards the door, but Loki jumped forward and grabbed the handle, acting like he was going to open the door for him, but he didn’t.

“Yes, you have to go take care of your turtles.”

“Right. My…” He shook his head and looked at Loki. “What?”

“Your turtles. You said you had to take care of your turtles. I completely understand. Turtles are high maintenance, and you’ve left them unattended for quite some time.”

Eros fought a bout of laughter, “What are you talking about? My turtles. I don’t have any turtles!”

“Well, I thought, if we were saying complete and utter bullshit to avoid dealing with an unpleasant reality, I’d go with pet turtles.”

They looked into each other’s eyes, Eros wondering if he should stay. Loki pondered, wondering if he should have just let Eros leave and leave this burning feeling nameless here forevermore. Was it sex and nothing more?

Eros’s eyes had gone dark, dark with lust or anger Loki knew not which, and still they stood there, both transfixed. Deep in Desire’s amber eyes peering, long they stood there wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no immortal ever dared to dream before. But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token, and no words were there spoken-

-interrupted only by a rapping, rapping at the townhouse door.

The two gods’ gazes remained unbroken, as their eyes implored unspoken, who the fuck is tapping, tapping at the townhouse door?

Loki slowly turned the handle, smiling to avoid a scandal, but their smiles flicker’d like candles, as he opened wide the door. Grins turned grim at the sight of the ungainly, ghastly, ominous, and ancient form entreating entry at the townhouse door. His eyes had all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming, and the sunlight o’er him streaming, threw his shadow on the floor.

“Good afternoon, gentlemen.” Death removed his hat. “Truly your forgiveness I implore, for dropping by unannounced-”

“Think of it nevermore, Thanatos,” Loki waved away Death’s apology sardonically. “To what do I owe this displeasure?”

“You mentioned the other day Eros was organizing your collection. I’ve come by to see it, unless you are currently indisposed?”

“Well, Eros was just leaving,” said Loki .

“Yes, I have… turtles.” Eros restrained a smirk.

Death ignored Eros’s absurd comment. “You should stay.” He made to step through the door, and Eros and Loki stepped aside to accommodate him. “You are the one who did most, if not all of the work, afterall.”

Loki licked his teeth and looked away, aggravated and a little ashamed.

“Uh, yes,” Eros said, looking into the eyes of Death, who did not return his gaze. “Right this way.”

Eros led Thanatos up the stairs and into the library. There were still scattered boxes and papers, given not much work had been completed the day before.

“We organized it,” Loki smirked. “In categories, alphabetically, in chronological order,” he added, hoping Thanatos’s head would spin ’round.

“Obviously. That’s the only efficient way to organize such a collection.”

Loki’s prideful smirk vanished, and when Death’s back was turned, Loki made a face and stuck out his tongue.

Eros shot Loki a warning glance.

“What have you unearthed in this disheveled horde, Eros?”

Eros cleared his throat, “Um… lost Akashic records, Hand of Glory, Gabriel’s Trumpet, Fenrir’s Chain, mermaid tears, basilisk venom, a collection of bezoars, which is disgusting, the Pied Piper’s pipe, Titiana’s wand-”

“She’s been looking for that,” Thanatos mused as he scanned the shelves.

Loki grinned. “She can have it back when she hands over that first born child she owes me.”

“You do know fairies do not produce children in that manner?”

“Oh, yes. I know. That was the point.” Loki rocked back on his heels.

Thanatos gave him a slight humored smile, and replied, “Oh so clever, Loki.”

“Might I ask,” Eros interjected, “what sort of thing are you looking for, so that I can better assist?”

“Just window shopping. I was rather hoping Loki’s infamous collection would have something outside the realm of the mundane, but as usual I find myself incredibly disappointed.”

Loki maneuvered his position to stand directly in front of the box containing The Bowl of Fate. He leaned against the stack inconspicuously.

“Well,” Loki reworked his frown into a self-conscious grimace, “of course there was no chance of my humble jumbled horde to even remotely compare to your refined collection, Thanatos.”

“No, but it would be nice to see something in the universe that gave me even the slightest thrill of wonder or excitement… Something worth desiring in this world of chaos.” He gave himself a rare and tiny smirk, which went unnoticed by the others.

“And you had hoped to find that here?” Loki scoffed. “You certainly came to the wrong place.”

Eros shot a questioning glance at Loki, who answered the gaze by subtly tapping his fingers on the box he was guarding. Eros then understood Loki’s intention. They needed to keep him believing there was nothing of interest to see here.

“Hope is the greatest evil,” Eros added, looking back at the towering man with mismatched eyes.

“How unimpressively Greek of you, Eros.” His eyes continued to browse, and never once made eye contact, “After all your people have put you through, haven’t you thought of finding a new philosophy?”

That landed a damaging blow to Eros’s pride, as Thanatos had intended it to, but Eros coasted right along. “Like you, I’m so bloody old, nothing really excites me anymore.”

From out of the corner of his eye, Eros saw Loki’s jaw clench. But, he continued because Thanatos needed to be distracted from the valuable artifact. “There’s hardly anything new to see.”

Thanatos finally looked at Eros, but it was only for a second.

Loki stepped forward from off the boxes, “Well I disagree with both of you jaded twits.” Loki was as stern as a schoolmaster, his pride a little battered by Eros’s comment. “Honestly, with both of you being so old you should know better. There are new things in the universe every fucking day, every bloody second. And all you have to do to see it is open your fucking eyes and look at what is directly in front of you, and then you’d notice! But you both are too fucking afraid to do so. Heaven forbid you do that. You might accidentally look into a mirror and see yourselves for what you’ve really become, and lo! What horror that might be! Excuse me.” Loki took long strides to the door, leaving the box exposed to Thanatos’s view.

“He’s so sensitive,” Thanatos hissed.

Eros moved to sit on the crate Loki had been guarding.

“That appeared to be misdirected anger of a sort,” Thanatos observed. “Perhaps, I’ll revisit at a later time.”

Eros only nodded as Thanatos headed towards the door.

“It was good to see you in better circumstances, Eros. Farewell.”

“Farewell.” Eros looked down. He waited with bated breath for Death to step out into the hall, but he stopped short at the door.

“Ah! I almost forgot.” He turned back. “I’m hosting another party next month for a far more… select crowd. Just collectors. Obviously, you and Loki are invited.” He produced a designed invitation from his breast pocket that looked similar to the card on Eros’s fruit basket.

“It’s just the one invitation for the both of you. It would be rather silly to invite you separately, wouldn’t it?” His tone was clear and pointed, and Eros knew what he was implying.

“Hypnos told you, did he?”

“No. Your eyes did. When Loki left the room.”

“You know me too well.” Eros’s tone was flat as he took the invitation.

“You’re still seeing my brother, I presume?” Death asked uncomfortably.

Eros’s brows arched, “You mean your other half? Yes. Well, he only popped in, so no. Not in a while.”

Thanatos nodded. “Do be careful using Loki as a toy. He tends to bite.”

Eros’ s eyes fell to the ground. “He’s not a toy,” he said through gritted teeth.

“Aw, well... We shall see, won’t we, Casanova?”

Thanatos exited the library. He made his way downstairs, where Loki sat tamping his pipe.

“I’m off,” Thanatos announced.

Loki stood from the sofa and waved a hand over his pipe until it was perfectly lit.

“I’ll be sure to call next time before I make an appearance.”

“What a privilege! Most people don’t get the chance to prepare before Death comes a’knocking.”

“Very funny,” Death deadpanned.

“I aim to please.”

“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”

Loki’s eyes darted around, “With… pleasing?”

“With Eros.”

“Ah! Same difference. What do you mean, and how did you-” Loki’s brows narrowed. If Thanatos already knew then who else did?

“Word travels fast.”

“Evidently.” Loki glared.

“You are aware of his reputation?” Death asked.

Loki blinked, partially offended and partially amused. “Are you aware of mine?”

“He’s lost and disenfranchised. He habitually clings to men with money who can afford to support his lifestyle.”

Loki scoffed, “That doesn’t explain Hypnos.”

“Actually, it does.”

Loki blinked. “The very fact that you claim to have any interest in my well being tells me this is a farce, because you have exactly zero interest in my well being. I don’t know what you’re up to, but frankly, I’m already bored with it. Perhaps, you and I should just stick to business.”

“Everything is business, Loki. Everything.”

The ruby red bottle sitting on the coffee table caught Thanatos’s curious gaze for a small glimmering moment. Then he put on his hat, and ducked out the door.

“Well, that was unsettling,” Eros’s voice came from the top of the stairs.

Loki was chewing on his pipe stem. “Yes. It was a bit odd. He actually never shows up unannounced.”

“And I doubt he often shows up here.”

"Never would be a more accurate word, but he did want to see the collection.”

“That’s not what he wanted to see and you know it.” Eros said condescendingly.

“How does he already know?” Loki sounded aggravated. “I mean, hell, it was just one night!”

Eros should have told Loki that it was a glance, just one glance that gave it away, but he didn’t. He walked down the stairs.

Loki began, “I fear what we said last night might be more accurate than I would like. The Netherworlds isn’t going to tolerate it. If this is of some interest to Death, then it’s likely of interest to the Fates, and you’re already on their list. You should probably go.”

Loki dipped a hand into his pocket as he looked down at the beautiful god’s burning amber eyes. He tilted his head.

Eros’s eyes were on fire. “Why?” The Greek god snarled out.

“B-Because… they could leverage me against you in numerous, unimaginable ways to get you thrown into Tartarus.”

“Then so be it.” Eros held out Thanatos’s invitation. “Take me to the ball?”

Loki raised an eyebrow and took the invitation. “The Collectors Gala?”

“He thought he’d save paper by making just the one invitation for both of us.”

Loki grimaced. “Well…”

“Just think! They’re already terrified because we spent just one night together.”

“Yes, but…”

“Imagine how terrified they’d be if we decided to spend more nights... together? Apparently, we could destroy everything.” Eros smiled deviously, recalling Hypnos’ prophecy.

“That is ridiculous.” Loki turned into the sitting room.

“Think about who that message came from though! Beginning to the end of what? The tyranny of Fate?”

Loki looked down at the notes he had left on the table from last night, happy Thanatos had not seen them.

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Loki cautioned.

“We’d be exercising our free will. Even if it’s just to stand up against this horrid world, we’d still be trying.”

Loki thought about chains, torment, and darkness for the rest of Eros’s eternity because of one quick love affair, and the thought must have made its way to his face.

“Oh come off it.” Eros protested, “It’s not like you to play it safe.”

Loki glanced over at Eros’s exuberant face and the passion burning behind those amber eyes. They were dark and glowing again, the embers of dreams no immortals dared to dream.

Loki knew battles were more easily won when there was nothing left to lose, but they would never begin if there wasn’t something to die for.

“Alright. You’ve convinced me. We’re really going to do this then?”

Eros took in a deep breath. “Yes.”

“Even if you have to tolerate my existence for the rest of your own?”

Eros blushed and looked away, only to look up at Loki through his eyelashes a second later. “Let’s go on a proper date first?”

“Fair enough.”