Castor and Pollux (gemini_boys) wrote in forgotten_gods, @ 2009-06-09 11:22:00 |
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Current mood: | WINGS! |
Look! Up in the sky!
Who: Castor and Pollux [closed narrative]
What: Zeus has delivered on the twins' birthday present; they make good use of it while they can.
When: Backdated to late Sunday night, Monday (all day and into the night), and Tuesday early morning.
Where: Up in the sky! Also, Central Park, a rooftop garden, and the twins' apartment.
Warnings: Long post is long. Plus, C being a huge dork about wings, and some death-defying stunts. Oh, also, a very little bit of twincest-y stuff, but honestly nothing more than a few tender moments and two temporarily-winged twins falling asleep together like a tangle of puppies. Also, Pol being a total sap.
And one more thing: In case you were wondering, Castor being the pretty one is totally canonical <3 Dialogues of the Gods = more lols and win than I ever imagined was possible. Hurrah, Lucian.
This Gemini month was setting up to be the best one in a long while. Not only did they have Helen here, but they'd had a grand party with family and friends and gotten gifts and everything. There was only one thing that they wanted -- that Castor wanted, really, but the wants of the twins were always very intertwined.
And on Sunday night, with the recovery from the party out of the way, they got their wish. During the night, an open window carried a puff of magic into their apartment, and both twins, in their separate bedrooms, rolled over onto their stomachs in their sleep. And on their backs, sprouting between the shoulder blades, they began to grow wings. Neither one felt it, as as they slept on, the wings grew and developed and sprouted sleek white feathers.
Pollux was awakened early on Monday morning by an ear-splitting shout, and a moment later Castor skidded into his room in only his boxers, with wide eyes and a huge grin on his face like a child on Christmas morning. "LOOK POL," he said in Greek, far too excited for English. "WINGS!" And he spun around on the spot, displaying the strong, white-feathered wings folded up against his back.
His excitement made Pollux smile, and he sat up, reaching over his own shoulder to touch the soft feathers there. "Wow," he answered, and in a gesture as natural as breathing, he unfurled his own wings, stretching them wide and ruffling the silky feathers comfortably. Castor's eyes went even wider at the sight, and Pol sent a silent and hearty prayer of thanks to Zeus for making his brother so happy.
They were out the door as soon as Castor could drag Pollux along -- he did insist on calling them both in sick to work first, and on grabbing several granola bars for their breakfast, but he followed willingly thereafter. A few minutes later they were on the roof, and in another few moments, after testing out the mechanics of these new toys, the twins took to the skies.
The morning was passed in play, diving down over the city, soaring high into the sky, inventing games and tricks and generally acting much younger than they had any right to. Pollux was initially wary of being seen by mortals, who might freak out at seeing two men with huge wings flying around the city, but he found soon enough that most mortals these days were willfully blind to anything they didn't expect to or want to see, and most people just turned their eyes away and went about ignoring them. There were a few children and even some adults who stared up into the sky after them, but for the most part their appearance went unremarked.
At noon they stopped in Central Park, coming to rest in a tree for the comfort and shade. Castor swooped in and stole a small family's picnic lunch, and despite his disapproval, Pollux accepted the sandwiches; flying was hungry work. After a short rest in the tree, the twins' boundless energy renewed itself and they soared up into the sky again, chasing birds and each other and testing their limits. They climbed higher and higher, until, just at sunset, Castor gave Pol a mischievous grin, folded his wings, and dove.
Pollux's heart leapt into his throat at the sight of his brother hurtling down towards Earth again, and without hesitation he followed. The two sped downwards like a pair of falling stars, the air screaming with their speed, and as they neared the city, Pollux heard Castor laugh. A second later, he swerved in midair and tackled his brother neatly, sending them both rolling over and over in the air. It was a moment before Pollux could catch his breath, but once he did, he took a tight grip on his brother and spread his wings, slowing their fall. He brought them to rest gently in the middle of someone's rooftop garden, and for a moment the twins just clung to one another, too breathless to speak.
It sent a pang through Pollux's heart, the way Castor held onto him, the way they moved like one creature in the sky and the way their hearts were entwined at this moment with the thrill of flight. "Cas," he murmured, when he could speak, and closed his eyes, hugging his twin close, his fingers moving over the smooth feathers of Castor's wings. "You're... this is..." He couldn't really express himself in words, but it was all right. His twin always knew what he meant.
"Yeah," Castor sighed, and kissed Pollux's cheek contentedly. "Best birthdaymonth ever. Dude."
"Dude," Pollux agreed.
They were quiet for a while, just holding one another, standing in the middle of a garden on somebody's roof as dusk fell down over the city. New York was so big and full and busy, but in this moment the twins had it all to themselves.
Finally, Castor gave a jaw-crackingly wide yawn, and Pollux smiled and, reluctantly, released him. "Time to go home, Κάστωρ," he informed him, and a few moments later they were winging their way slowly towards their own building.
Too exhausted even to find anything for dinner, they headed straight to bed, separating to sprawl out over their beds. Pollux lay awake, though, smiling at the memories he'd have forever, after this -- of the way the air felt between his feathers, of the way the sun shone on his back when he was up closer to it, of the freedom of flight... but mostly of Castor -- how he had moved, just as sleek in the air as he was in water, that teasing smile, and the way he had laughed. Castor always said that he was the pretty one, and though it was sort of a joke (they were identical, after all), Pollux wholeheartedly believed it. He might like other people, even love them, maybe, but no one had the place in his heart that Castor did. No one else could even come close.
He couldn't sleep, not like this, and after lying awake for moments on his own he sighed and stood. A moment later, he was slipping into Castor's bed, and his twin rolled over to smile at him, making room. "Hey twin," he said, his voice already thick with sleep, and Pollux wrapped his arms tight around his brother without answering. They were comfortable like this -- the feel of his twin's body against his was far more natural than not having him near, and after just a moment Castor's breathing slowed and his body relaxed in sleep. Pollux, beyond content, lasted just long enough to unfurl his wings and wrap them around his brother as well, and then he, too, was out.
When the twins woke in the morning after a deep and contented sleep, both sets of wings were gone, with no trace of them left... except for a single sleek white feather caught between Castor's fingers.