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The god walks into his cabinet at a measured pace to stash a few rolls of papyri in separate slots when he is distracted by a quiet rustling. Thoughts of land and trade matters quickly leave his bright head and his blue eyes wander around the room, trying to find the source of the sound.
Instead, he stumbles upon a weapons rack, on which a sword that had definitely not been here before stood out suspiciously.
The man can't hold back a slight smile as he walks over and picks up the golden hilt that fits so comfortably in his hand, as if it had been custom-made perfectly for him. The hilt glittered with gemstones and decorative elements like suns and wings over sand dunes. Hidden among the patterns were encrypted blessings of protection, oaths of loyalty and devotion. The blade of the sword had a curved shape and looked unusually sharp, one that could bleed even to the touch. The blade also showed fine patterns and inscriptions, in short, the sword was worth a king.
Horus smiled warmly as he looked at the skillful work in his hands.
In fact, this had been going on for some time now. About a month ago, Horus first noticed the new rings in his jewelry box. Not that he had become very picky about such things, or had become particularly flaunting of wealth, but the rings were beautiful. And they looked like something that could fit only him.
Still, Horus didn't buy new jewelry, nor did he order or accept gifts.
Of course, he'd asked Seth right away. Of course, the man said he didn't know what he was talking about.
A couple of days later, Horus noticed some new fabrics in his closet. Lately, for some reason, he liked wearing a long one-shoulder cape (probably because he could wrap one chaotic god in that fabric and drag him away with it), but he hadn't ordered any new fabrics either?
His swarthy fingers glide over dark blue and burgundy fabrics with delicate golden patterns that looked particularly exotic and probably came from a region closer to the borders.
Horus smells the fabrics...familiar.
But Seth again says he doesn't know what he's talking about and laughs, saying that the King is probably emptying the state coffers.
The servants shrug and glance away. Swearing they know nothing.
Horus snorts.
When Horus is brought new oils with a surprisingly pleasant scent and a peculiar sheen, he's sure it's done by someone, and on purpose.
"Mother, have you noticed... something strange lately?"
Isis raises her eyebrows in surprise, turning to look at her son.
"Like what?"
"Like... new things? I'd call them gifts, but they appear as if they've always been there.” Horus folds his arms across his chest in confusion. "I thought it was... Seth, but he's in denial."
And he truly feels like a fool when even his mother starts to giggle nastily.
"Maybe you just got a secret admirer?" Isis smiles mockingly, continuing to brush her outgrown hair again.
Horus feels like he's already being laughed at.
The man wrinkles his nose unhappily.
"A lot of people regretted that you got married so quickly. Who knows, maybe someone just wants to express sympathy for you."
"Then it must be someone from the palace."
"Mm-hmm."
Horus lowers his gaze even more unhappily.
"But are you sure that your brother...?"
"That rude brat? Hmm." Despite the loud words, Isis continued to smile somehow... snidely, yes. "I think you should watch. Either way, someone is afraid and too shy to do it directly."
Horus sighs noisily, listening to a couple more taunts about the 'secret admirer' and leaves the other's chambers, thinking this is just absurd already.
A couple of days later he finds on his desk an elegant stone figurine of himself. The god gently lifts it in his arms, exhaling in surprise at the quantity and quality of the small details.
One sees him as truly majestic and worthy of worship judging by the desire to convey the appropriate mood, as if someone is actually looking at him with admiration and respect too. Would Seth show him off like that? No, probably not...
At the same time, the details suggest that this someone sees him very often and up close.
Could a human possess such skill?
Horus frowns slightly and decides to check it out anyway.
After only a couple of minutes, the god walks into his chambers and smiles slightly as he sees a pale bare back on the bed with sunlight dancing across it. He sits down on the bed next to it so he can then put his free hand on the man's lower back and gently kiss between his shoulder blades, hearing a contented exhale in return.
"I have a question for you." In a whisper, so as not to disturb the other man's peace.
"I hope it sounds like 'Isn't it time I finally got some rest with my husband too?" Seth laughs bassily, finally turning his head to the younger man and opening his...not too sleepy eyes so adorably.
Horus smiles, leaving another kiss on the pale cheek to then quite obviously place the figure right in front of the other's nose.
Seth frowns slightly, clearly concentrating more. Nothing out of the ordinary, it seems.
"Is this yours?"
Seth looks up at him, hums, and then buries his face into the pillow a little more.
"Is this another gift?"
Maybe not him.
"Yeah. Found it in the cabinet. I don't think it's human, but it seems like someone has very strong feelings. I don't know if I should worry if someone remembers every part of me in such detail."
Seth hums and frowns a little, and then it takes a second for the man to grab the unfortunate statuette and it flies somewhere over the balcony:
"If you don't like it, then just throw it away. Why keep crap?"
"But I don't-"
The man's strong arms silence him, gripping his neck unceremoniously and rolling him onto the bed. The older god quiets his protests with a kiss, pulling him closer.
Horus is almost convinced.
And yet, after that incident, the random gifts suddenly stop.
And then Seth leaves the palace for a while, going on a small expedition. Of course, the man from time to time wrote him letters in addition to reports and even a couple of times ran away at night from his obligations to the royal bedroom, in the morning surely returning to his soldiers.
Horus almost forgets about the gift story until suddenly dessert is served for breakfast with something... new. Unusual. Saliva builds up in his mouth and Horus barely restrains his inner forever hungry child from behaving appropriately in his mother's company.
The surprised king then asks the servants about the dessert, but they only smile and say that this morning the recipe and ingredients had already been left by someone in the kitchen and approved, even with the royal seal.
Seth certainly couldn't have done that, the distance is too great, not enough time...couldn't he?
And then there are new lapis lazuli bracelets in the jewelry box.
A few days later, the bed is suddenly covered with new sheets.
A couple of days later, there are new books on the shelves that are absolutely chosen just for him.
And this continues until Seth finally returns to the palace. Empty-handed. The man brushes it off with a chuckle and says that he was unable to find gifts for the King in the vast wilderness.
Horus smirks.
And now Horus laughs enthusiastically too, examining the sword while casting a sidelong glance from the corner of his eye.
A small grain of sand, nearly imperceptible, bounces playfully on the windowsill, poised to leap out the open window. Yet, at the last moment, it strikes the hard surface of the glass. It hits again and then hits the soft hot palm of his hand. Horus laughs smugly, feeling the grain of sand skitter around the glass in a restless dance.
The young god moves closer to the window, looking out and noticing the familiar man who suddenly looked so confused.
Gotcha.
The king contentedly hooks his sword at his hip, shakes the grain onto his palm, and then covers it with his other hand.
The servants look over in surprise as they meet him in the corridors and whisper quietly.
"Hm..."
"Is that a new chariot for me?"
For a moment, Horus thinks he sees the amused silhouette of Seth's soul, nearly leaping straight into the Duat, as the man flinches and defiles the palace with a stream of unflattering words.
"Fuck, Horus! I'm gonna beat you someday, I-” The man turns around angrily, raising his hand threateningly, seemingly about to poke the man's chest, but then suddenly hesitates and stops himself. "I... Ah... Why are you here? Don't you have, ah- royal business?"
Horus smiles, tilting his head to the side and peeking over Seth's shoulder, where he notices a golden chariot for a second, which is suddenly quickly covered with a mountain of sand and suspiciously retreats underground. The man abruptly laughs in an uncharacteristically awkward and embarrassed manner, shrugging his shoulders.
"Ahem!"
"I just wanted to show you my new sword." Thin lips stretch into a playful smile and Horus straightens up, noticing a small amused panic on the face opposite. "Look how incredible it is, isn't it? Someone put a lot of effort into this. And I don't even know their name..."
Horus sighs with feigned sadness, clenching the grain in his free hand while the other strokes the hilt of his sword.
Seth watches his hand and folds his arms across his chest. The corners of his lips suddenly twitch upward.
"Mm-hmm." Seth sounds pleased.
"The stones glisten so beautifully in the sun, don't they? And the blade is so sharp..."
Seth nods in agreement, watching intently as the younger god turns sideways to better showcase the sword.
"This must have been custom-made, or perhaps even crafted by their own hands—what incredible craftsmanship!"
"Yes, it looks like a handcrafted piece." Seth nods again, his plump lips twitching into a smile. A faint blush rises on his cheeks, partially hidden by the shadow of his mask.
"Someone even cast charms, could you believe?"
"Mm. The king is worthy of the best protection."
"Оh? So it took a lot of strength to cast a protection charm?"
"Not usually, but for you, I did-” The man smugly moves his hand aside and then suddenly freezes.
Horus grins, watching the red blush slowly sink down to the man's shoulders, who covers his face with both hands under his headdress. It takes another couple of minutes before Seth whimpers pitifully:
"You figured it out and were just playing with me now! Was it Isis? She told you?!"
Horus chuckles, lifting Sha's black headdress and leaving a gentle kiss on the red ear.
"You gave yourself away and it was very sweet of you. Your little soldier only confirmed my guess."
Seth spreads his fingers near his right eye, staring at the swarthy palm where the grain of sand sat guiltily and obediently right in the middle. The man howls again, closing his eye and nearly going under altogether with the chariot.
Horus laughs melodiously, removing his headdress and pulling his husband into an embrace. He kisses Seth’s hands, burying his nose between the pale fingers and persistently planting soft butterfly kisses on Seth’s flushed cheeks.
"Why were you hiding?" Horus smiles, finally taking the pale hands away from Seth's face.
The man stares at him for a couple of seconds before lowering his gaze and sighing noisily.
"Stupid."
"Hm?"
Seth sighs heavily once more, folding his hands together and awkwardly interlacing his fingers—a familiar, soothing gesture that has become a habit because of someone.
"I just... I give stupid gifts, okay? I know I'm an idiot and when I see something pretty or that reminds me of you, I'm like a dog wanting to drag it to you and show it off with a wagging tail. I was afraid of being too much, again. And I was scared of your reaction... because I didn't know if it would be acceptable to give to another man or if you would like it."
"So you watched my reaction from afar and threw out what you thought was unsatisfying?"
"... Yes."
Seth presses his lips together, feeling more and more voices gathering in his head with each second of silence.
Until suddenly Horus is laughing again, so pure, gentle and easy, and kind that Seth looks up in surprise, staring at his husband in bewilderment until Horus suddenly grabs him in his arms.
When the man tries to ask, he is immediately silenced by a kiss, and then another and another, before finally looking up at the younger god. Seth suddenly doubts the necessity of the sun in the sky, seeing the golden-blue eyes shine so bright and warm.
"Seth, I've loved everything you've given! And will like everything you give."
The man tentatively presses his lips together, still wrapping his arms around Horus' neck.
"Don't say that just because you haven't had much of that in your life, okay? You deserve to have... good things."
"How can I not like something when you create such unique things for me?"
Seth lowers his gaze, blushing again and trying to quiet his rapidly beating heart, lightly squeezing the swarthy neck with his fingers:
"This boy..."
"You know, I think I saw a black Sha in our bedroom once, wagging his tail as he put some bracelets on my desk."
"Oh, you're doing it on purpose now!"
The palace courtyard echoes with ringing laughter as Seth indignantly slaps the broad shoulder, only to be met with warm kisses in return. Gradually, the laughter fades, replaced by the quiet sounds of kisses as greedy hands explore each other's bodies.
Horus smiles gently, his fingers lightly brushing through the red curls, and whispers softly:
"So, you'll teach me how to ride a chariot?"
"... Yes."
Seth hides his face in the curve of the swarthy neck, hugging his waist tighter.