Chapter Text
Horus and Seth didn’t head back to Heliopolis immediately. For starters, they slept a good long while. And in the morning Seth took off for a hunt, with Horus following.
Seth seemed a bit cheerier, and Horus was glad of it. Things felt more normal when they were fighting immortal monsters together and racing across the desert sands.
Seth even grinned at times, which made Horus feel like he could keep racing through the desert for days.
They returned to the camp early, though, and Seth ordered the servants to gather their things and head back as soon as they were ready to go. Seth then set his chariot back towards the city.
Horus flew above him, and for a time, they were quiet, simply keeping each other company. Horus would have offered to carry him back, but Seth seemed to want to go back under his own power, which Horus could respect.
(And Horus hadn’t yet broached the idea of “let me carry you”, though he sorely wanted to.)
Horus didn’t know what he’d do first when they got back, other than ensure Seth was safely settled. They’d have to meet with Isis, and Horus wondered how overwhelming that would be, after decades apart.
Horus had sent one of his falcons off earlier to alert the palace that they were coming, but asked his mother to keep things relatively low key. He’d debated putting out a full ceremony for Seth versus not being overwhelming, and decided some ceremony was good, to ensure Seth knew that he was missed and respected, but not to an overwhelming degree.
Seth slowed when they could see the city borders, and Horus ducked down to be nearer to him.
“It feels so strange now,” Seth said, facing ahead. The sun shone on the dark head of his headdress, the cloth floated slightly behind him as they moved, and his expression was stern. He looked almost like he was riding into war, and Horus supposed, in a way, he was. “Hiding out all these years. And now to just… come back.”
“You needed it,” Horus replied. “Time well spent is never time wasted.”
“But was it well spent?” Seth asked, quietly. Then he called, “Ha!” to his sand crocodiles, and they sped up again.
At the city outskirts, Seth slowed to a stop and looked at Horus, who landed nearby. “It’d be odd if you just hovered over me, wouldn’t it? Unless you normally fly around?”
“Our people are used to it,” Horus said, “But it’s not… the most normal, I suppose.”
“And it’d be odd if you walked while I’m up here, wouldn’t it?"
“I suppose.”
Seth sighed. “Well… come on up, then.”
Horus blinked, but took the invitation when offered. He dismissed his wings and stepped up to the chariot so that he was behind Seth. The car was surprisingly roomy, but Horus assumed it was because Seth always seemed to fill whatever space he was in, particularly when he was driving. They were still close, with Horus standing basically at Seth’s back, but they weren’t crushed together.
Horus wanted to hold Seth’s hip instead of the car handle, but decided the better part of valor was not to antagonize Seth during their first drive, so Horus kept his hands on the handle instead.
Seth gave him a moment to settle, then called to his crocodiles, and they entered the city.
By this point, soldiers had long since spotted them and came out to greet them, saluting both gods, and escorting them through the city, keeping back curious onlookers. Seth kept the chariot at a slower pace.
They heard calls from the gathering crowds, for both gods.
“Your majesty!”
“Seth!”
Horus was used to processions and people calling for him, and stole glances at Seth, who appeared stoic and unreadable, slowing his chariot down even more so as to not cause more problems.
When they eventually reached the palace, music met their ears, and rows of finely dressed servants stood in rows to bow to them, while beautiful dancers and skilled musicians performed. Other servants threw petals in the air.
And at the center, at the top of a flight of steps and under fine awning, sat Isis on a grand throne, with Nephthys at her side, both dressed finely as ever, smiling and waiting.
Seth parked his chariot, and Horus hopped down, followed by Seth. Horus walked calmly ahead with Seth just a pace behind him.
They finally made it up the steps to the two goddesses. Horus stepped forward to clasp his mother’s hand, and nodded to Nephthys, then stepped back to stand by Seth’s side.
Horus could feel Seth’s nerves, and daringly placed his hand on the other god’s right shoulder, making him tense ever so slightly. Horus said, “Seth has come home, Mother.”
For a moment, there was silence, then Isis put out her hand, and Seth - after briefly hesitating - stepped forward out of Horus’ grip, taking it.
Both gods smiled at each other, and Isis squeezed Seth’s hands as she said, “Welcome home, Seth.”
“…It’s good to be back, Isis.”
He finally let her go, and turned to Nephthys, who stepped forward.
Horus saw Seth stiffen.
Horus looked at Nephthys, wondering if this was whatever history she and Seth had and how to deal with it while they were all standing there, or at least put it off until Seth had settled in properly… and realized something was strange about Nephthys’ dress. He’d been distracted by everything else happening and hadn’t focused too much on the goddesses as he and Seth approached other than seeing where they were, so it was only now he realized… Horus frowned and gave her another look, then stiffened.
She was pregnant.
He hadn’t spoken to her in some time before he’d left, as he’d been busy with work and distracted by thoughts of Seth. But as he looked back in his memory, he thought… she hadn’t been pregnant when he last saw her, had she?
Nephthys reached out her hands to Seth, and he quickly took them, but held them lightly.
“Welcome home, Seth,” Nephthys said, still smiling.
Seth managed something of a smile, but Horus could easily tell Seth was alarmed. Thankfully his headdress hid a little of his expression.
They all finally made it deeper into the palace, away from the noise, where a banquet had been set for them, with some of the other gods who often visited: Maat, Thoth, Khnum, Bastet, Hathor, Tawaret, and Sobek, who managed to make Seth smile genuinely when they embraced, clasping arms like old friends.
It wasn’t the small dinner Horus had hoped for, but when he traded a look with his mother, he could tell she’d done her best.
He was happy at least that Sekhmet wasn’t there. He wanted to speak with her alone.
All the gods present were curious about Seth, asking where he’d been, and what he’d been up to.
Isis stepped in and said, with a smile, “Let my brother sit and have some food. My son and Seth have been on a long trip to get here.” She took Seth’s hand and led Seth to his place, between Horus and Nephthys, and Horus was grateful for her.
There was singing and dancing while the gods ate and chatted. Horus sat at the center of the table, with Seth and Isis on either side, and conversation was plentiful. Khnum discussed ship movements and animal migrations along the Nile, which Sobek joined in on. Bastet talked about some of the local building projects, particularly new temples, and Thoth talked about the library he’d started work on some decades prior, which was getting to be rather sizeable.
When Sobek again asked Seth why he’d come back now, Seth replied, simply, “I just felt it was time.” Then he drank most of what was in his cup, and no one asked again.
Seth seemed open enough otherwise with the other gods, even sometimes smiling and laughing a little. He drank and ate, and clapped for the performers.
Horus wanted to put a hand on his shoulder again, to reassure him, but Seth seemed able to handle himself. Only sometimes when someone spoke up about a new topic did his gaze go a little empty, and he gazed at the dancers like there was nothing else in the room, even the dancers. But he’d quickly snap out of it to answer neutral questions.
Horus was sipping his wine when he heard Seth quietly ask, “Nephthys, who…?”
Horus watched the dancers, but out of the corner of his eye saw Nephthys smile at Seth and say, “Who do you think? I don’t exactly sleep around.”
Seth colored. “But we aren't…”
Nephthys sighed. “I’m not asking for anything, Seth. Just indulge my selfishness. If I can’t have you, then…” She sighed and wrapped her right arm protectively around her belly. “A new god will be good. Who knows what they’ll be like?” She smiled at him. “And I know you love teaching. You’ll be wonderful with a child.”
“When you say you don’t expect anything…”
She smiled. “Just take things as they come, Seth. That’s all.”
Horus focused fully on the dancers, knowing he’d breached their privacy enough. Thankfully, Isis called his attention to a conversation she was having with Hathor.
When Thoth pulled Seth aside for a game of senet, and Hathor was discussing a recital she’d planned the following week with Bastet, Isis leaned towards her son and asked, quietly, “You and Seth are quite close. Closer than I even realized.”
Horus smiled vaguely and glanced at Thoth and Seth, sitting off to the side for their game while Maat and Sobek observed. “Yes, we are.” He looked back at Isis. “He is important to me. And I intend to keep him at my side.”
Isis’ eyes widened, and she glanced at Seth in surprise, then back at Horus. “Then…” She frowned. “We’ll discuss this later.”
As she turned back to Hathor and Bastet, Horus looked at Seth, seeing him frown in concentration while Thoth joked with Maat about something.
He got up to join them.
It was late when they were allowed to leave, and Horus promised Isis he would work on what had been piling on his desk in the morning. She didn’t say another word about Seth, or to Seth about what Horus had said, but stayed behind to supervise the party.
Horus followed Seth to Seth’s old chambers, where Seth looked around thoughtfully.
Isis had brought Horus here once when he was younger, and simply held his hand with a sad expression on her face before leaving. He’d returned when he started his official investigation into his father’s death, and found nothing in the search. He wasn’t sure what he expected to find: bits of Osiris hidden away under some clothes? A plan written up somewhere? A weapon with dried immortal blood on it? But there was nothing.
Now he felt a bit embarrassed about invading Seth’s privacy.
Horus noted the servants had clearly visited before their arrival: the bed looked freshly made, and there was no dust on the desk, and the weapons on a large wall rack gleamed in the torchlight. The large windows were much like Horus’ room, and gave them a view of the city at night.
Seth stepped over to the bed, touching one of the painted foot posts lightly, and thoughtfully. “It’s hard to believe this is real.”
“It is,” Horus said, keeping back, giving him space. “But I assure you, it is real.”
Seth looked around at the room. “It is… definitely a change from a tent in the desert.”
“I can leave you alone here if you wish,” Horus said, wondering if Seth wanted to simply be alone to think things through.
“So ready to be rid of me?” Seth glanced at him with a smile, but Horus could see through it, to how empty it was.
Horus raised an eyebrow. “I kept my hand on your shoulder before the public. Even Mother noted how strange it was. I even told Mother about us.”
Seth’s lips parted in surprise.
“But I can do more, if you wish.”
“You would, wouldn’t you?” Seth stepped away from his bed and walked over to Horus, looking at him with an unreadable expression. Finally he added, “I was promised a very nice, big bed. I assume the Pharaoh has a bigger one than I do.”
Horus smiled and took his hand, pulling him out of the room.
Seth was relatively impressed by Horus’ rooms, admiring the plants, the small weapons rack, a shelf of small golden animals, a decorative benet, with its strings kept beautifully neat mostly by servants – “A gift from Hathor,” Horus said when Seth asked – and wandered over to the desk to look at how overwhelmed with papers it was. “I guess you’re going to be busy for a time.”
“Mother’s revenge, I think,” Horus said, grinning as he walked over. “But she might have already taken care of much of this. She’ll want me to read up on it.”
Seth smiled, idly touching the desk edge.
Horus watched him for a moment, then asked, “Do you… want to talk about Nephthys?”
Seth sighed. “Not really.”
“All right.”
“It’s mine,” Seth said anyway, his expression somewhat sad. “I didn’t… I don’t even know what to think about it. I know we were together, but I didn’t even know she wanted a child…”
Horus wasn’t quite sure that’s what she wanted, judging by the want he saw on Nephthys’ face when she looked in Seth’s direction, but he supposed that wasn’t important right now.
“It’s…” Seth sighed. “I don’t know what to think about it.”
“You’re uncomfortable with it.”
“Yes, but… I don’t know. Not enough to make anything of it. If she wants a child, fine.” He sighed again.
“What about it makes you uncomfortable in particular, you think?”
Seth sighed. “I… That she didn’t talk to me earlier, I suppose. But… it’s her choice to go through with it, so…”
“She still took a choice away from you,” Horus said.
Seth laughed. “I mean… I didn’t say no when we...” He shook his head. “I offered. And I probably would have agreed if she’d asked.”
“But she didn’t.”
Seth shrugged. “It’s just a mess.” Then he sighed and said, “As long as she’s happy, then… Then it’s fine.” He smiled sadly. “I used to think about it, you know? Having an heir. Wanting to have a child with Nephthys… And I got what I wanted in the end, didn’t I? I should be happy.” He scoffed, and then sighed again.
Horus wanted to press, but he could tell Seth was truly tired. “I’m sorry. I wanted this day to be better. Or… easier.”
“You’re hardly the problem here,” Seth said, smiling a little. After a while, Seth asked, “Does it bother you? That I’ll be here and… Nephthys will have a child that I might lay some claim to, if she lets me?”
“No,” Horus replied, feeling warm. “Particularly since you plan to be here, with me.” He moved his fingers over Seth’s on the desk, intertwining them. “Your happiness is what matters to me in this instance.”
“Then… we’ll see things as they come, I suppose.” Seth leaned into Horus, watching their fingers. “You’ll need an heir, too, at some point.”
“Yes,” Horus replied. “I try not to think about it.”
“Well… in due time, I suppose,” Seth said. He sighed and turned away to walk to the bed. “I am exhausted…”
They ended up just laying down together, their headdresses gone, Seth pushed up against Horus’ chest, Horus’ arms wrapped around him.
Seth had his eyes shut and simply breathed. After a time, he murmured, “I came back and the world didn’t end.”
“It did not,” Horus replied, smiling. He lightly smoothed back Seth’s hair.
“…There’s always tomorrow.”
Horus chuckled.
Horus woke up while it was still dark out, and his arms were empty.
He sat up, looking around at the empty bed, alarmed.
“I’m here,” Seth said, from beyond the curtains.
Horus frowned and got out of the bed, heading towards where he heard Seth’s voice.
The room was dark, but moonlight from the windows shone on Seth sitting in Horus’ desk chair, facing the bed, his expression unreadable. His headdress was back on.
“What’s wrong?” Horus asked, walking over and reaching a hand out to Seth’s left shoulder. “Couldn’t sleep?”
“…Yes,” Seth replied, quietly. He wasn’t looking at Horus. Simply gazing ahead. “And no. I slept… and then I woke, and I wanted…” He laughed. “I wanted to search the palace. Make sure… Make sure he’s not hiding here, somewhere.”
“…Ah.”
Seth scoffed. “Yes, ah. And then I realized, if you suspect me of his murder—”
“I don’t—"
“—then that would look kind of damning, eh? Me, wandering around at night checking all the rooms, especially in my sand form, though it’d be faster than walking.”
Horus considered for a bit, then said, “I can understand why you want to do this. But even you would have better luck seeing in the daytime. Perhaps we can do this when it’s light out?”
“I don’t…” Seth paused and looked up at him, confused. “We?”
“Yes, we. I’ll go with you. The palace has been rearranged a bit since you’ve lived here. I know where everything is. And if anyone gives you trouble, I imagine the Pharaoh can deal with it more diplomatically.”
Seth scoffed, but smiled softly, too. Then he looked down again. “I know I should wait for morning, but I…”
“You’ll feel uncomfortable unless it’s done now.”
“Lazy until when it would be convenient, eh?” Seth said, smiling again. “If only some of that laziness would come back for me.”
“I… could distract you?” Horus rubbed soothing circles on Seth’s shoulder.
Seth shook his head. “No. Thank you. But no. Not… not now.”
“I understand.” But as Horus pulled his hand away, Seth grabbed his wrist.
Still staring at the ground, Seth said, “But you could… you could still come with me? Now?”
“…Of course. Whatever you need.”
Seth’s grip on Horus’ wrist relaxed, and he stood.
Going through the palace so late at night was odd for Horus, as he hadn’t done such a thing in years. He naturally preferred daylight hours, though the night didn’t truly bother him. He just tended to drop dead asleep when the sun went down, particularly when he was young.
“But for about a week when I was younger,” Horus said quietly as he held a torch aloft while they walked through the halls, “I decided to see if I could navigate the palace on my own, in the dark. It mostly went well. But on the last night I went too far and got hopelessly lost. A servant found me crying in a hallway and brought me back to Isis, who scolded me for doing something so foolish.”
Seth chuckled. “Always the adventurer.”
They stepped into another empty and dark hall lit only a little by moonlight, and walked around with the torch.
Horus noted Seth’s tension as they moved along, but limited himself to saying, “We’re not going to be able to check personal chambers.”
“I know. …Though I could always turn to sand and check them.”
“That would probably be a bad idea if anyone ever found out.”
Seth grimaced.
“And Mother doesn’t allow anyone into Father’s bedroom.”
“Hmm. Not even the Pharaoh?”
“I’ve actually been in the room a few times.” They stepped into an open-air courtyard with a small fountain and covered walkway. “There’s nothing special about it. Mother keeps the bed stripped, and it doesn't even have a mattress. She told me it’s to remind herself that he’s not coming back. Otherwise… The walls are pretty bare and even the clothes are gone. Mother said it all rotted shortly after he died. Apparently he kept a variety of plants there? And even the clothes rotted, somehow… so most everything is gone. It’s just a room, with some chairs, an empty desk, and a bedframe.” He shrugged. “And most of the time it’s locked with one of Mother’s spells.” They walked back into another internal corridor. “She took me there sometimes to tell me stories about Father, but when I grew older she stopped.”
“It… must be hard on her,” Seth said, quietly. “The memories.”
“Yes,” Horus said.
“Do you wish she’d kept taking you for visits?”
“…I don’t know.”
Seth looked at him.
Horus shrugged, not knowing how else to answer, and Seth thankfully left it alone.
They kept search for a time, with Horus seeing little indication from Seth that it was helping or making things worse, Seth stopped at the end of a corridor, and Horus paused to look back at him.
Seth’s expression was unreadable, and the torchlight made the shadows from his headdress even more prominent. For a time he didn’t say anything, until, “I know this is… somewhat pointless, but there’s one room we could try before we go back.”
Horus turned to him entirely. “Whatever you wish. We can keep going, too.”
“I think… just the last one is fine. Or it’ll at least let me sleep.”
“I didn’t know,” Horus said as he watched Seth stare at what was presently a large meeting room. “He had so many offices and rooms he favored that were converted to other things. I didn’t know it was this one… Sometimes we have meals here,” Horus said, “Particularly dinners, given the moonlight…”
The room was open to the sky. The curtains on the decorative columns had been replaced recently when Nephthys redid some of the palace to give it a “fresher” look, and there was a large table set up for meetings on the main floor, leaving the upper floor for performances.
Seth walked towards the stairs but stopped before reaching them. He slowly turned to a nearby column.
Horus stepped forward, worried. Wondering if he should pull Seth out of the room, but wanting to leave him to his thoughts, as well, out of respect.
Seth looked back around. Finally he said, “There used to be plants.”
Horus blinked and looked around. “Ah, yes… They always have trouble growing in here for some reason. After investigating and realizing it wasn’t the servants doing a poor job, Mother told them to just stop bothering. The decorations are enough. And you hardly notice when you’re drunk or sleepy from food or paying more attention to dancers.”
Seth didn’t reply to that. He looked back at the column.
“…Seth?” Horus asked after a time, walking towards him.
Seth abruptly brought his arm back and punched the stone, making a loud crashing sound and forming a large crack-filled crater.
Horus would have worried about the noise bothering people, but this room was far away from the living quarters, with other large rooms that were definitely empty this time of night. If this was where Osiris had caught Seth, then… no wonder no one had interrupted them.
Seth was still, his hand still buried in the crater. He eventually withdrew his hand and moved away, walking past Horus. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Seth?”
But Seth dissolved into sand and flew ahead.
Horus raced after him.
Horus found Seth in one of the armories, sitting on the floor and staring at a wall of swords. He didn’t look at Horus as Horus came in the room.
“Seth?” Horus asked.
“It’s stupid,” Seth said. “And cowardly.”
Horus stepped forward carefully and finally came to Seth’s side, without Seth doing anything. Horus put his torch out and sat down next to the other god. “It’s not cowardly.”
Seth breathed out deeply and sagged towards Horus’ left shoulder.
Horus put his arm out and around Seth’s back, hugging him close.
“He’s really gone, isn’t he?” Seth said, quietly.
“Yes,” Horus said, rubbing small circles on Seth’s arm. “I went looking for him, too, when I was younger.” He smiled sadly. “A boy who wanted to know who his father was. All I found was lifeless artwork and stories, and the way Mother looked whenever she spoke of him. He’s gone.”
Seth swallowed and sagged even farther, falling into Horus’ lap and dissolving his headdress.
Horus moved his hand up to gently brush Seth’s hair, not knowing what else to say.
“How can you care for me like this, when… all you want is your father back?”
Horus hummed briefly before saying, “I can want many things. My father was dead before I was born. You are someone important to me. Loving you doesn’t mean I can’t regret the relationship I never had with him. Nor does my regret absolve him of his actions against you. Against Egypt.”
“…You love me?”
Horus said nothing as Seth pushed himself up so they were facing each other.
In the moonlight from a window, Horus could see the dried mark of tears and Seth’s shock, his lips slightly parted.
Horus simply stared back at him and replied, “Yes.”
It seemed so easy to say now, so factual. The sun rose and fell every day, the moon shone, and Horus loved the God of War.
“Perhaps I knew when we were first together,” Horus said. “The way I wanted you. The way you first felt in my arms. Perhaps it was being apart after we’d argued, and knowing I’d made a mistake, and missing you. Perhaps it was having you at my side today, and how right it felt.” He smiled. “Perhaps it is too fast. Too slow. Too much of whatever it is. But it is there.”
Seth simply stared back, clearly astonished. “Horus, I…” He opened his mouth, then shut it again.
“I don’t need any answer or anything from you,” Horus said. “That you are by my side is enough.”
Seth blinked, then shook his head, smiling. “You’re impossible. My impossible…” He leaned forward and kissed Horus on the mouth, his soft lips tentative.
Horus leaned into the kiss, wrapping an arm around him to pull him closer, and dismissing his headdress.
Seth leaned into him, pushing him onto his back.
Later, as Horus held Seth’s hips while the other god knelt over him and rocked back and forth on Horus’ cock, moaning Horus’ name, and sometimes helped along by Horus’ gentle pushes and pulls, and the moonlight painted Seth’s face in a beautiful glow, the red of his hair spread like a heat haze, Horus thought, I want this to last forever.
When they’d both spent themselves, and Seth finally collapsed onto him, laying on the ground with him, with Seth’s right arm over Horus’ shoulder, and Seth’s mouth close to Horus’ right ear, Seth murmured, “I love you, too, you impossible fool…”
Horus smiled and pulled him closer.
Horus was pleased to slowly wake up and see Seth breathing easily in his sleep, curled up in Horus’ arms. Horus just watched him for a time, marveling in how he didn’t have to fly out to the desert to see the other god.
He waited until he knew Isis would eventually come to fetch him for the day’s work, find his rooms empty, and thus send a servant, and then got up.
Seth grumbled with his eyes still shut, “Too early.”
Horus chuckled. “You can stay in bed. It’s not like you have any duties yet.”
Seth grumbled some more and sat up, and Horus snorted at how much of a mess his hair looked, which was admittedly partly Horus’ fault for constantly messing with it the previous evening, though the rest was from sleeping on the floor.
Seth of course ignored him and shook it out, making sand fall around them, which made Horus raise an eyebrow in surprise. Then Seth pushed himself up and stretched, allowing Horus to watch the sunlight play on the fine muscles of his back.
Horus swallowed. “We could stay here for a bit, or… go back to my rooms… Mother would understand…” She wouldn’t, but he didn’t care as he watched Seth move.
Seth turned to look at him, confused, then whatever expression was on Horus’ face made him snort with laughter. “I’m flattered, but maybe later. I’d like to talk to Isis, anyway. …After a bath, maybe.”
Horus sighed loudly, and replied, “Very well.”
Seth smiled again, and then his expression became more shadowed. “And I’d like to speak to Nephthys again.”
Horus’ own expression hardened. “I understand.”
They quickly made their way back to Horus’ rooms to get ready for the day. Horus could see servants flashing them curious looks before scurrying off to deal with whatever tasks they had, though he did stop one of the ones preparing his morning bath to let his mother know he’d be late for morning court.
They managed to minimize any groping while cleaning themselves, mostly with Seth scolding Horus for his lack of self-control by dumping a pitcher of water on him, and finally got themselves cleaned up and orderly before departing again to hopefully find a not very angry Isis. They were near the throne room – with Horus in front and Seth slightly behind – when Horus saw Sekhmet leaning against a wall along their path.
Her clothes shone in the bits of sunlight peeking down the hall. She turned her head up to smile at him, gamely, with a sharp grin. “So. You brought him back. Well done.”