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Zeus judges that the boy’s had enough time to sleep – they did stay up late the previous evening, but through the window, he can see Helios about a third of the way up in the sky, lounging in his chariot (the Titan appears to be reading something lewd, to judge from the way he’s snickering to himself). The sounds of the palace going about its daily tasks have been in the air for a few hours now, though Ganymede tends to hear it all as a soothing white noise that only helps him sleep better.As lovely as the boy is in repose, Zeus wants to see him awake – lively, face changing expressions constantly, talking nonstop, making jokes and affectionately insulting the god in his chambers, waving his hands in excitement, touching Zeus’ hair and face.So he rolls over in the bed, wrapping his arms around Ganymede and pressing kisses to his shoulders and neck. “My prince, it is morning,” he speaks softly into the boy’s ear. “The world awaits your presence.”As expected, Ganymede shows no inclination to hop out of bed. Zeus does love to watch the slow return of mortals from the Hypnos’ realm – the way their eyes blink open, awareness coming gradually, limbs moving sluggishly. Ganymede’s return to wakefulness seems inordinately slow, sometimes – his precious prince is quite lazy in the mornings.Luckily, Zeus doesn’t ever mind being persistent with a lover.Ganymede is muttering something into the pillow he is clutching. “My prince, how it grieves me that you hold that pillow more tenderly than your own adoring companion. You might wrap your graceful arms around me instead, and soothe my aching heart.”“You’re too hot, Kaki,” Ganymede mumbles, shoving his face more deeply into the pillow. “And your beard tickles.”Zeus grins to himself and carefully adjusts the temperature of his vessel’s body – specifically, the temperature of his feet. “I only live to serve you, my prince,” he says, drawing his legs up and pressing his now ice-cold feet onto the warm flesh of Ganymede’s thighs and buttocks.The eyes fly open then! Ganymede shrieks rewardingly, arching his back as far away from the cold appendages as he is able – though Zeus still has his arms wrapped around the mortal’s upper body, anchoring him in place.“AKAKIOS! YOU MONSTER!”“You speak so charmingly to me, my prince; I can hardly believe I deserve it;” Zeus says, with malicious cheerfulness. “Good morning, by the way.”“You disgraceful monster of a man! I’ll have you beaten!!”Zeus nuzzles his face into the crook of Ganymede’s neck, delighting in the breathy noise this produces. “You don’t fool me! You never beat your servants, you kind and gentle soul, and I’m grateful, for it leaves you quite defenseless – ”He shifts his fingers down, teasing over Ganymede’s naked body, poking a finger into his bellybutton and wiggling it, and the yells of outrage dissolve into laughter. “Akakios, n-no, you’re the ahahaHA! The w-horst!” “I am fond of you as well, Prince,” Zeus leaves off, flattening his hands and rubbing them soothingly, feeling the heart race below the skin.Ganymede sniffs in exaggerated disdain (false, for Zeus can see the smile lingering on his lips). “I am not fond of you at all. Not one bit. Your name is the filthiest lie, Akakios.”(Akakios, of course, is the name Zeus had chosen at random for his undercover persona as the boy’s tutor. King Tros had made little remark of it, though clever Ganymede had immediately noticed the oddity of it.“Oh, Akakios, is it? ‘Not Evil’? Yes, it seems like a legitimate and true name, and one belonging to a trustworthy fellow,” he had teased sarcastically, before declaring that ‘Akakios’ was probably secretly a pirate, or a bandit king, and had made up elaborate and entertaining tales of his scoundrel past. These tales are occasionally acted out in the bedroom, to both their amusement.)Zeus fakes an injured gasp. “You wound me! I am the kindest and greatest of all your companions, you’ve always said so!”“Akakios, you are a horrid beast, and I’ll say it as many times as I must!” Ganymede declares, undercutting his cruel words with that flirtatious smile, weaving his fingers into Zeus’ own.Zeus returns the smile and brings up Ganymede’s fingers to kiss them, one at a time. “My prince, I hesitate to criticize the love of my life, but there is a note of hypocrisy in calling me a beast, when your hair is surely as wild as any savage lion’s or boar’s mane!”Ganymede blushes and makes a face, a delightful blend of embarrassed and laughing He sits up and reaches up with both hands to try to soothe his wildly vertical locks, scolding Zeus at the same time. “Akakios – I know you are a foreigner and thus barely civilized – but you must know it’s impolite to remark on one’s appearance less than two minutes after one has been awakened! Rudely awakened, I might add!” Ganymede emphasizes his point by grabbing his pillow and flinging it at the god. Zeus deflects it with a laugh. “My prince – how right you are. I was wrong to remark thus; please forgive me.” He bows, low, which brings his face suggestively near to Ganymede’s dick, lying warm against his thigh. “…Perhaps my lord will allow me to make it up to him.”He flicks his eyes up to the mortal’s face. Ganymede’s blush has intensified, but he’s watching Zeus with that pleased and sultry smile that Zeus lives to see. Ganymede smooths a lock of Zeus’ hair back from his face, letting his fingers drift over the line of his cheekbones, down to his jaw.“My dear Akakios. How lucky I am to have such a humble and worthy servant in my employ, with such clever ideas.” He smiles again, eyes full of invitation, and leans back against the bed again, hands behind his head, allowing Zeus to enjoy the view of his flawless body. “I suppose I can allow you to make up for your earlier incivility,” he says, in the tones of a long-suffering man who cannot believe the insubordination of the servants these days, laughter crinkling his eyes. “You’re just lucky you’re so handsome, you scoundrel.”“Not just handsome, my prince, if you will permit me a moment of vanity; I have other talents as well,” Zeus says, licking his lips and leaning down to press gentle kisses to the soft skin of Ganymede’s belly, his hips, his thighs.Ganymede makes pleased and pleasing noises, squirming on the bed as the god begins teasing his naked body. He always gives such lovely and encouraging reactions.A throaty squeal issues from his throat as Zeus meanders down between his legs. The god looks up, startled.Ganymede is panting, a little wild-eyed and clutching the sheets. “You – your damned beard, Kaki!” Zeus smiles a little wickedly. He had trimmed his beard yesterday; the hairs are much shorter and stiffer now. “Ah? You like that, then?” He draws his cheeks again along the tender skin of the inner thighs, down to where it meets the curve of his ass. Ganymede makes an inarticulate noise and flops back against the bed, clutching his hair.Zeus takes a great deal of pride in how swiftly he can dissemble the charming, eloquent prince. Less than two minutes in, and the sweet speeches are gone, replaced by disjointed moans and curses.“Ahh – ah fuck, Akakios, you, you, I should – ahmmmm, fuck, damn, you’re – a fucking menace – ”“Such pretty words! Truly, you possess the soul of a poet, my dear prince,” Zeus chuckles, dragging his beard one more time for good measure before reaching out his tongue and drawing it along the length of the prince’s shaft, bringing forth a moan from the boy like a prayer to Eros.Zeus has taken many identities in his time – official identities, in his capacity as a god; and unofficial identities, when he goes undercover as a mortal. More identities than he can count, probably. But ‘Kaki’ is more precious to him than any other in his eternal memory, and he’s pretty sure he’s not going to be able to discard this one as easily.