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A resounding yell. One that leaped up one’s guts, exploded their lungs, and set their throat on fire. She snapped in its direction and found a villager fallen on his behind, the horned deviant at his feet burst into a responding roar. The creature’s paw rose to strike.
It slapped air. The flash of Makkari’s garnet-red armor was the sole evidence of the presence of its prey ever having existed on that spot.
The soil beneath her feet vibrated and the Prime Eternal’s hazel orbs sought its source. Riotous shouts drew her attention to the gates of the city. A reduced army stormed toward the alien beasts crushing their village to the ground.
“Druig, stop them before they injure themselves,” she said.
The controller of minds’ eyes flashed gold, and those of the warriors across from the battle mimicked his. “I’d like to get a little closer,” he said. Disappearing from Ajak’s side in a blink.
Makkari released the beaming eternal, she left a winking Druig to stride toward the human army.
“Soldiers,” he said, “we appreciate the effort, but it’s unwise to intervene. Return to the city.” Puppets controlled by a master, the group willed their horses to turn around. The leader of them shook his head, deep azure orbs replacing the gold pool that had covered them.
He touched his sword but his eyes widened. A figure in armor the color of sand dove before the Earth’s dome with the grace of a dancer, her bright golden hammer beheading one of the beasts.
Druig followed the man’s gaze and smiled. “Just another fun morning for Thena.” His eyes flooded gold as did the human leader’s. “Back to the city with you.”
King Arthur stood in front of his golden throne, hands on his back. In his royal attire, the king resembled little of the warrior who rushed into the battlefield hours earlier. Azure orbs held Thena, the edge of his mouth tugged to the side. Ajak’s glance darted from one to the other and found the sovereignty wouldn’t question the title given by the Greeks to the warrior.
“We wish nothing more than to keep the order, Your Majesty,” continued the Prime Eternal. A glimpse from the corner of her eye revealed Gilgamesh shifting on his feet, the subtle turn of his head toward Thena. His dark eyes searched his partner’s features, absorbing more than Ajak could.
She sighed, thanking Arishem for Gilgamesh. Thena held her head high, the glances she spared Arthur were few. A goddess ranked over a king, and Eternals didn’t meddle with humans and their affairs.
“The Deviants will be handled,” said Ajak. “We’ll keep your people safe.”
The king faced her, his smile widened and he nodded. “Yes. You have proven yourselves talented, worthy.” He regarded Thena. “Impressive even.” He watched the others. “My people,” his voice took the hall, the people standing at either side of the royal chamber quiet. “My people and I would love to demonstrate our gratitude. We’ll have a feast this evening, in your honor.”
“A generous offer–” Ikaris began.
“Not an offer,” said Arthur, beaming. “An offer can be refused. And I demand you’re properly honored. You’ve saved numerous lives, I’ll have you dine with me as my friends.”
“We thank you, Your Majesty,” said Ajak with a bow of her head. “We would like, however, to help with the wreckage. The fight brought destruction to your kingdom, we’d like to lend a hand. Phastos,” she turned her head toward the technological eternal, “is very talented, and Gilgamesh is strong. They’ll help rebuild. Sersi, Druig, and I will help with the wounded and the frightened. Ikaris will lead the others on patrol, and check if there are any further deviants in the area.”
“A shame,” said the king. “I was hoping the goddess would have time to join me and meet our arsenal. A skillful one with weapons, such as her, would certainly appreciate it.”
“Perhaps on another occasion,” Ajak tumbled over her words. “There’s a lot to be done.”
Arthur shook his head, gaze lingering on Thena. “Of course.”
The Prime Eternal caught a glimpse of the blonde fighter stalking out of the throne room.
Bright gold lines sliced the deep pine walls of the Domo, the area open like a door when Gilgamesh’s digits pushed. He allowed the entrance to close and examined his surroundings. The blades and weapons adorning the walls a vision King Arthur might not have predicted, even with the knowledge of their prolonged lifespans.
The eternal paced past the unmade bed, to where energy whispered. He found Thena standing in her bathroom, her back to the door.
Gold threads cackled with energy. With the weaving of her fingers in the air, they released the warrior from her armor the color of the morning sand. Fabric danced and hissed before it spilled to the floor when she undid the laces and removed the mortal clothes her armor hid. Each step of hers to the shower marked by an item of her apparel falling and exposing chiffon white flesh.
“Join me?”
Gilgamesh’s gaze shot up and found her glancing over her shoulder, her cheeks blooming into rose shades. He spotted her parted lips and how dry they were.
The meeting with the king had diverted his attention from what would have gone tended to not long after battle. Standing in the bathroom with a nude Thena inviting him closer had restored the heat of it to his blood.
Tender and gentle Gilgamesh wasn’t one to indulge in this particular aspect of the after-battle. Not until Thena.
The Spartans had brought it to his attention as a tradition, even if he had seen it before as a common human impulse. That particular group of Greeks expected their warriors to engage with one another, it made their bond with each other stronger, made them vicious while defending their brothers in arms.
Misnamed by another set of Greeks and adored as a goddess, Thena had caught on to such rituals and, even if Babylon had been the first time she approached him with the proposition, it was Greece that solidified their bond in the aspect.
Gilgamesh found one’s body grew accustomed to it. Not long after Thena decided she liked them like that after a good battle, the strongest eternal found he craved his partner quite often after putting down deviants.
Droplets plinked and burbled when they hit the wet floor. Steam formed and twirled in the air. Gilgamesh watched his partner basking under warm water as it trailed her figure.
The goddess hummed when his warmth enveloped her from behind. She tipped her head and let her hair fall to the side, exposing her neck to her companion. His lips pressed to her skin, they traced her flesh, up toward her jaw. The heat of him surrounded her as he guided her body against the wall.
A deep chuckle came from her throat, Thena reached behind them, sinking her fingers in his buttocks. A grin broke out on her mouth when he grunted from having his hardening length urged further against her rear.
“Get inside me, Gil.”
He kissed her shoulder. Gilgamesh slipped a hand between them, between her legs, smiling to himself at her eagerness to spread them. He hummed at her ear while drawing lines on her thighs, earning her quiet grunts when he inched near her entrance and retreated.
There wasn’t a single doubt in his mind that he loved Thena, in whatever aspect there was to love. He found he had grown to do so early in their acquaintance, though not in the passionate way that Ikaris seemed to love Sersi. Gilgamesh and Thena worked on a different frequency, he loved her with the same ease he’d stand at her side.
His digits spread her labia and he explored her extent, spreading her fluids and making his partner touch her forehead to the wall. Her breath grew short and quick as he reveled in the contact, moving slower when her hips undulated back seeking his touch.
“Gilgamesh,” a growl through gritted teeth.
He chuckled, pecked at her shoulder. “Sorry,” he said.
He squeezed her hip when the tip of his length came into contact with her entrance. The two of them panted as he slid inside to the hilt.
Their blood rushed beneath the surface, the beating of their hearts altered by the stimuli. They sighed when he moved back, but the heat of the after-battle wasn’t fit for tenderness or patience. When Gilgamesh thrust into her the second time, Thena groaned and gave in to the burning rising from her chest to her neck, to the pulsation deep where her partner had her filled. She thrust back, her leg and knees fighting her entrapment against the wall, demanding friction.
Her tender companion nuzzled her neck and kissed the crook of it. She moaned when he rewarded her with a deep stroke.
His wide hand rubbed the back of her neck, leaving her skin tingling in its wake. He caught her hair and drew it aside, squeezed the side of her hip.
The slapping of water on the ground muffled little of their sounds. Their breathing heavy, the moving of their bodies against one another forming a melody of its own.
Thena’s blood hummed, her nerve endings firing. Each movement of her partner’s had her nipples rubbing against the wall. Agitated, she reached down her front, fingers finding her clit.
Gilgamesh’s hand covered her own, guiding her motions. He whispered in her ear, breath curling against her flesh, leaving goosebumps where it passed. He let his hand weigh against her body, making her tighter around him, increasing the contact between his length and her front wall.
The goddess hissed in protest when he pulled almost all the way out, but grunted when he thrust back in, setting a harder rhythm, and guided her digits to her clitoris.
“Good,” he whispered, touch moving up from her navel to her breast, capturing a nipple between his digits.
Her figure trembled, but her partner held her steady by the hip.
Thena growled through her teeth, surrounded by her lover’s touch and warmth, each inch of her focused on him and demanding more. “Harder,” a low roar under her breath, “Harder, Gilgamesh.”
He pulled her hips away from the wall. She gasped and grinned when her mind caught on to the pounding at her behind, the vigorous thrusting against her body, the wicked slapping of flesh against flesh.
If there were anyone near her room, they’d hear it. They had grown louder.
Gil cursed under his breath and she made a point to squeeze him with her walls. She wanted to wash more than a battle down the drain, wanted to sense their combined fluids dripping down her thighs. She pictured his cock slick with her fluids, how it slipped in and out of her, hard and fast as he surrendered to the fire she had been stoking on him since Babylon. They were partners, as close as two could be while remaining independent individuals.
She hissed, breaking out into a moan as she came around him; her digits moving fast against her clit, causing one orgasm after the other. Thena clenched tight around him, then twisted as far as she could go, reaching for him, drawing him in. She managed a peck on his lips, enough to conquer a grunt and make her partner lean to her. Gilgamesh took her mouth, eased his thrust, and then spilled when she played with his lips and tongue using her teeth.
He readjusted, taking his time, aware she’d protest if he slipped out so soon. His hand caressed her back and he saw a tug at her lip as she shifted to let him out of her body. He smirked, turned her around and held her by the waist, kissed her at the first opportunity.
“Better?”
She drew him under the water with her, nuzzled his neck. “Much better.”
“You know,” he said, “Arthur is fond of you.”
“Arthur,” she declared, “isn’t subject to debate when I just had you.”
He scoffed. “He doesn’t feel like something you’d ever want to discuss.”
She met his eyes, smiled. “Good, you do know me,” she kissed him. “Stop talking about him and we can take this to bed.”
“Ajak wants us to help with the wrecked village.”
She covered his cheek, traced his bottom lip with her thumb. “Hmm. It can wait a little longer.” She took his mouth again.
The locks beat their metal against the deep brown wood. Hinges whined and the door opened when confronted by his strong hands. The rich scent of smoke, garlic, and a flavor he couldn’t place eased his shoulders and widened his smile. A raucous laughter broke through the conversations, a cup slammed on one of the tables. With a glimpse, he spotted a man falling over his friend, holding his belly, incapable of containing his wheezing laughter and the tears in his eyes.
Patted on his back, Gilgamesh glanced to his side, to the sizeable beaming human standing beside him. He extended the eternal a small pie. “Try it with your friends,” he said, “and worry not, I’ll have some of my creations sent to your table,” he winked. “Come by the kitchen tomorrow, I’ll teach you a trick or two.”
The warrior nodded. “Thank you, Rudd.”
Rudd shook his shoulder and walked off, two young men rushed to join his big figure at a door at the corner of the hall. As it opened, Gilgamesh heard fire roaring and shouted commands. With a smirk at the edge of his mouth, he stepped among the long tables extending from the entrance toward the biggest of them at the end of the room. The only one placed in a different position was the one with a man in a crown behind it.
The warrior paced to one of the common tables. Kingo’s wide smile and gesturing spoke of a story being told, Phastos’ unimpressed frown and Sprite’s rolling orbs confirming it. Ajak watched him with a soft smile, while Sersi beamed leaning against an amused Ikaris, who grabbed his cup before releasing an “I’m not certain this is how it happened.”; Makkari and Druig sat beside Thena conversating. Gilgamesh spotted the empty seat between Kingo and Thena, he pulled his chair and joined the family, turning to the blonde warrior with a beam.
“I have something for us,” he drew the gift pie above his plate and parted it in half, handing her a piece.
“What is it?” she raised a perfect eyebrow at him, a tug at the edge of her mouth.
“A gift from Rudd, the king’s cook,” he said, trying out a bite. He hummed, and smiled watching her eyes as she savored it.
“It’s a good one,” she blinked.
“Isn’t it?” He grinned. “I’ll have him teach me how to make it tomorrow.”
“Rude!” Kingo said, facing the pair. “Why does Thena get to try nice food?”
Gilgamesh smirked. “Don’t worry, I’ll make you one someday.”
“Right, because you’re best friends with the cook now,” Kingo said, “How did you even manage that?”
“Gilgamesh saved the man’s house from some angry deviant during battle,” said Ikaris.
Kingo snapped to the bigger warrior. “Why wasn’t I invited to the party?”
“You were late for it,” Thena smiled, tipping her head at him. “I wasn’t.”
Kingo faced Sprite. “Why don’t you make friends with cooks?”
“I’m too busy saving your ass,” she rolled her eyes.
“Don’t worry, Kingo. He promised we’d all get a bit of it. He said there was something special being prepared for the king today,” Gilgamesh smirked.
“And we’re getting it?” Ikaris lifted an eyebrow.
Gilgamesh nodded. “So it seems.”
Kingo snapped toward the wider table, searching it and pausing. “I don’t know, Arthur over there seems more interested in gazing at Thena than eating.”
Ikaris stole a glance at the royal table, as did Ajak.
Makkari gestured fast. “Someone has an admirer.”
Ajak curled the edge of her mouth and shifted in her seat. “Your fighting must have impressed him,” she observed Thena.
Gilgamesh watched his partner: the shrugging of her shoulders and how she went for the final piece of his mysterious pie. “Let him watch.”
Thunder exploded, crashing the ceiling and a table to the ground. A piercing scream ripped ears as it left the lungs of the griffin deviant. Its beak snatched a wailing man, tearing him in two before swallowing him whole.
Energy snapped, shooting a gold bullet through the beast’s skull. The winged monster leaped, its pawn slapping Kingo. It hissed when hit by energy beams cutting its side, the creature yelling at Ikaris.
A second explosion and a deviant bird’s tail cleared wood and stone to the floor. A cosmic gauntlet grabbed at its leg and threw it out of the destroyed hall.
The monster bird shook its figure as it took flight a second time, hissing at the Eternals rushing its way. It missed the one who jumped on Gilgamesh’s hand and dove into the air with her spear. Thena beheaded the winged beast, landing on her feet in time to see a tiger deviant bolting her way.
A human tore through shouting a war cry. A sword shining silver beneath the moonlight as King Arthur sprinted between beast and eternal, slicing at the creature’s leg a second before it closed its jaw his way.
Makkari stole the king from death, dashing with him to Ajak.
Gilgamesh punched the monster off his feet, golden bullets blowing the creature‘s head as Kingo hurried toward his siblings.
With the beast unmoving, the trio turned back to the hall. Phastos waved his hands in the air, cosmic cogs and ropes keeping debris from humans. Gilgamesh rushed toward his brother, his strength bringing wood and stone back into place. Sersi transformed fallen material into vapor, releasing the pressure from the wounded people and allowing Ajak to tend to them. Druig knelt by women and children hidden together at corners, easing their fears.
“What just happened?” muttered Sersi, stealing a glance at Ajak as she eased the king back into a laying down position, then went for another patient.
“We missed something,” Ikaris searched the night skies, pacing toward the matter manipulator.
“The area was clear,” Ajak voiced, passing them to reach a bruised young man. She smiled as she touched his forehead. “Do not worry, you got lucky.” She faced the approaching eternals.
“We should have been watching,” Thena said, eyes narrowed toward the darkened forests. “Someone should have been on patrol.”
“We wouldn’t have seen them,” the Prime Eternal said. “Something’s off. I’ll consult with Arishem about what happened.”
“What happened is that the king tried to impress Thena,” smirked Kingo, nudging Sprite and crossing his arms. “You guys saw that?”
“Yes, awful decision,” the goddess of war grumbled.
“He could have died,” said Sersi, shaking her head.
“It was stupid,” signed Makkari.
The warrior turned toward Ajak and Ikaris. “Let me watch the perimeter.”
Ajak shook her head. “Not with Arthur making poor decisions because of you. Go rest,” she said, “Ikaris and Kingo will stay with me and handle this.” She studied the hardened expression of the other woman. “And Gilgamesh,” her gaze darted to the strongest eternal, “will make sure you rest.”
Gilgamesh approached his partner’s side, watched her.
“I don’t–” Thena began.
“Don’t make me ask Druig to do it,” intervened the spiritual leader.
“Goddess!”
Arthur beamed at Thena as he rose to his feet. “It was an honor fighting beside you.”
Ajak stopped before him, Druig at her side. “Your Majesty, it’d be better if you rested as well.” The Prime Eternal kept a hand in front of the mind controller. “Please, there’s a lot to be done.”
“Don’t worry about the hall,” said the king. “My men will handle it,” he said. “Thank you again, for saving my people.” He stole a glance at Thena, whose stoic features observed him.
Gilgamesh brushed the small of her back. “Come, Thena.”
Her shoulders lowered a fraction and she tore her attention away, heading off.
Her companion’s gaze darted over his shoulder to his family before he followed her.
Thena stalked into her chambers, a caged tigress. The rigidity on her shoulders a sight that had the other eternal sighing and lowering his own as he studied her. “You did your job,” he said. “None of us could have predicted it. You heard Ajak, not even Arishem warned her.” He touched a hand to his hip. “You also couldn’t have predicted what Arthur would do.”
“Reckless,” she spat. “He endangered all of us.”
“Humans do strange things. But he meant well,” he tried. “And he–”
His lips hurt, tasting blood where his teeth hit his flesh from the crashing of her mouth on his. She was soft against him, her fingers curled on the back of his neck, threading through pitch-black strands.
A groan. His hand strayed to the small of her back, holding her to him. The fabric of her dress invited his touch to trace it. Still, the tingling at the tip of his digits demanded flesh.
A soft motion, breaking their lips apart. Their foreheads touching, their breaths mingling.
“Thena…” Gilgamesh blinked, frowning at her, finding clear orbs watching him.
Her nose brushed his, as did her mouth. She growled, a twitch at the edge of her lips. “I don’t want Arthur.” She nuzzled at his jaw, nails scraping the side of his neck. A wandering hand slid down his chest, to his middle. “Take it off.”
A deep breath filled his lungs, her mouth trailed his neck, soft bites marking his flesh between the pecks she planted.
He eased beneath her touch. “You should rest.”
“I don’t want to,” she muttered, energy cackling as she dismissed the armor covering her figure. “I want you.”
He savored her mouth. His hands moved with a mind of their own to divest them of their layers.
The goddess drew him backward with her to her bed. Clear orbs held her partner’s as she inched back on the mattress, smirking as he crawled over her figure.
“His watching bothered you,” said Gilgamesh, kissing her cheek, studying her features.
“I have no use for his attention.” She pecked his lips. “His recklessness put us at risk, put you at risk.”
He raised an eyebrow, touched their foreheads, then stole a glance down between their bodies. He caressed her side, traced her belly and chest with the back of his digits. “I’m here.”
“And you are not touching me enough,” she nipped at his bottom lip.
“No need to hurry,” he smirked, kissed her cheek before going for her neck.
Thena released a growl, her form shifting as his digits trailed the skin of her chest, fingers circling around her nipple. She eased to the mattress, hands reaching for his sides, exploring flesh as if a novelty, then wrapping her arms around his back, bringing him lower. Her thighs parted to welcome him between them.
The warrior swallowed at the heat of her, at her foot teasing at his leg, drawing him nearer.
“I have my partner,” She nuzzled against the crook of his neck, lifted her head to nip at his ear. “I want my partner.”
One hand rushed between them, Thena caught hold of his length. She wet his lips and stroked him, aligning him to her entrance.
Gilgamesh nipped at her throat, it vibrated beneath his mouth. Her chest raised and lowered, brushing his. Her legs shifted, squeezing his side, urging him nearer. No denying the heat coming from between her thighs.
Watching her, the eternal bid his time. Trailed her neck with his mouth, with his breath.
“Gilgamesh,” she moaned low, at the foot of his ear.
A powerful creature such as her radiated want. It wrapped around him like her limbs trying to keep him close.
“Gilgamesh!” His name was a feral grunt in her mouth, a demand.
His digits touched her inner thigh, spread her further apart and Thena groaned in anticipation.
He slid inside, inch by inch, allowing time to stretch as he entered her.
Her walls wrapped around him in a tight hold, her heat burning and thrumming against his length, consuming his restraint and fueling the hunger within. Her legs wrapped around his hips, leaving no escape, no hiding.
His goddess sought what she craved with her every cell. She squeezed him, undulated beneath him, taking the friction he kept from her.
Gilgamesh gave in, meeting her hips with his own. His brain processed little other than her grip around him, the swaying of him taking a maddening rhythm.
Her groans a haunting melody, it filled his ears, his mind.
He grunted, the digging of her nails in his back certain to leave him marked, the burn of it a welcome pain.
She whispered to him, words never to be spoken to one other than him. They flowed with his blood, downward to his hardness. It brought to attention her heavy breathing, how her chest rubbed against him, how her thighs squeezed him. Her scent flooded him, capturing his attention.
There was no other, she craved no other. And this wasn’t solely the heat of battle flowing through her veins.
A shift. Her hand on his chest, pushing him. Gilgamesh froze, pulling back to face her.
Thena smirked, kissed the edge of his mouth. “Marry me.”
He blinked, couldn’t resist the urge to take her lips. He broke it, frowned at her. “What?”
“Ikaris and Sersi are bonded to one another, you asked me about it before.”
“And you said it wasn’t necessary,” he watched her countenance. “Are you certain of it?”
Thena smiled, kissed him, drawing him closer. “Yes,” she hissed under her breath, moving against him.
His form eased, it released tension the eternal hadn’t registered. He mashed into his lover, the form of one molding into the others, they turned into a mess of limbs, skin on skin.
“Yes,” he whispered, a muffled sound between kisses. “Yes, absolutely.”
They didn’t let go of one another until the following morning.