By Ruric Orhlandis

Disclaimer: The auther does not own the characters from Hercules: the Legendary Journeys. Those characters belong to MCA/Universal and were used without permission. No copyright infringement intended and no money was made.

Person : Hercules
Place : Alcmene's house before she married Jason (anywhere except a bedroom)
Prop : Hairbrush (gee thanks)!
Piece of Clothing : Iolaus' belts (oh those damn belts again)!
Position : Face to face with at least one of the parties standing

Hercules paused before entering the house, glancing over his shoulder to check his friend was following. Iolaus had finished his conversation with Celeus, one of Alcmene's neighbours, and waved as he walked up the hill, pointing over to the well and miming the act of washing. Hercules had finished his own quick ablutions and taking note of the rumble that arose from his stomach decided it was well past the time for lunch.

He opened the door and entered the cooler, darker interior, a welcome relief after their work in the heat this morning. Alcmene had gone to visit Iphicles and Rena for a few days, but Hercules had decided to stay in Thebes. Without Alcmene around, and with no-one asking for his help he had some quality time to spend with Iolaus. He also hoped to complete some of the general repairs to Alcmene's property before her return tomorrow.

The cool air inside the kitchen prickled over him and he felt the goosebumps start to rise on the exposed skin of his chest. Throwing his yellow shirt casually over one of the kitchen chairs he ambled around putting together a quick lunch for them both and setting it out on the large kitchen table. Alcmene's home baked bread, goats cheese, some olives and salad with oil and dressing, along with some cool wine should do the trick.

He shivered as a trickle of cold water ran down his back from his still damp and tangled hair. He wiped his hands on a towel before raking his fingers impatiently through the knots. He never understood how his fine hair managed to get so tangled after he'd washed it.

He turned at the sound of soft footsteps behind him as Iolaus approached. Taking in the look of exasperation on the demi-god's face Iolaus laughed as he dropped his purple vest on top of Hercules' yellow one.

"Herc, how do you *always* manage to do that?"

"Its not funny Iolaus," he muttered as his glance took in the cheeky smile.

Iolaus picked up a hairbrush from the wooden mantle over the fireplace, before walking back over to sit on the edge of the kitchen table. He pulled one of the chairs to rest between his legs and nodded to the demi-god.

"Come on, sit down over here and let me sort it out for you. Unless, of course, you want to spend time yanking your hair out by the roots!"

Hercules flashed him a smile of thanks and flopped gratefully into the chair. Iolaus fingers quickly and gently untangled the knots, then were replaced by the long, soothing strokes of the soft brush. The demi- god admitted to himself that Iolaus had turned him into a complete hedonist. He loved being pampered by the hunter and revelled in his talented touch. As Iolaus completed his self-appointed task his hands slipped lower to massage the demi-god's neck and shoulders, tense from the morning's work.

Hercules relaxed under the probing fingers as the tightness gradually eased from his muscles and his hunger for food gave way to a more demanding physical need. He stood, pulling the chair out of the way, and turning to face his friend, leaned down to drop a kiss on Iolaus upturned lips. The scent of sandalwood, honey and cinnamon surrounded and entranced him as Iolaus responded to the kiss. Hercules' hands slid from Iolaus shoulders, pausing at his waistband as his fingers slowly undid the buckles of the soft leather belts.

"You fancy trying something slightly different today?"

"Well, you know what Sal always says Herc, nothing ventured nothing gained!" the hunter grinned up at him.

"Okay, thats it you asked for it," he growled in mock anger. "Put your hands in front of you."

Iolaus did as asked, tilting his head slightly on one side and looking at Hercules questioningly, with a sly smile spreading across his face. The demi-god quickly looped the supple leather belt around Iolaus wrists, knotting it. Then he pulled the hunter's arms upwards as he hooked the buckle end of the belt over one of the large metal hooks in the wooden beam above their heads.

Iolaus glanced downwards as his arms were pulled tight and he realised that if he slid off the table his feet wouldn't touch the floor. This was *not quite* what he'd had in mind. He wasn't sure whether dangling unsupported from a beam was his idea of fun!

Hercules' fingers finished undoing the codpiece and he pulled Iolaus to him, one arm around his waist supporting his weight. He pushed the pants over the hunter's hips, before lowering him back to sit on the edge of the table. Quickly stripping the clothing from the hunter's body, he casually dropped the leather pants to the floor and then pushed his own clothing downwards.

The golden tan of the hunter's skin was underlain by a faint reddish tinge, the cost of spending the morning working in the blazing sun and Hercules was suddenly reminded of how sensitive Iolaus was. He picked up the hairbrush smirking in amusement. Iolaus noted the sneaky grin and shuffled warily backwards on the table.

"Er...Herc .... don't get any ideas now..."

He was silenced as Hercules' right hand tangled in his wet hair, holding his head still as his lover's mobile mouth closed over his for a possessive kiss. Iolaus leaned into the kiss, wanting to feel the demi-god's strong body against his, but instead he felt the feathery caress of the brush as it was stroked slowly down from neck to belly and back again. He moaned into the mouth on his. This was torture, he wanted to feel strong caresses not this maddening tickling, which danced over the skin of his chest, spreading heat where it had passed.

Hercules stepped closer, reaching around to begin sliding the soft brush up and down Iolaus' spine. The demi-god could feel the body in front of him trembling with the force of its desire. Iolaus however, was not yet completely lost to sensation. Seizing his chance he locked his legs around Hercules' waist pulling the demi-god against his body. Hercules dropped the brush in surprise and wrapped his left arm around the smaller man, enfolding him in a tight embrace.

They kissed passionately, tongues tangling, letting the fires build slowly within. Hercules could feel the hunter's heart beating wildly against his own chest and longed for completion. His hands slid down Iolaus' back, relishing the feel of the satin skin beneath, as he finally reached to cup the taut buttocks in his hands.

The hunter's lips left Hercules mouth and, tracing a line of fire, nipped their way around to his ear. The demi-god could feel his lover's mouth part as he smiled against the tender skin of neck and jaw.

"Herc, ...s not really working..." Iolaus breathed gently.

The demi-god grunted in acknowledgement. Well, it had seemed like a fun idea, but he had to admit, with nothing to really brace either himself or Iolaus against, this could turn into a bit of a farce.

"Besides, I think you're about to dislocate my shoulders!" the hunter complained with a stifled giggle.

Hercules reached up to unhook the buckle as Iolaus bound arms dropped around his neck, and he resumed kissing that tantalising mouth. Iolaus' legs were still firmly locked around his waist, and his need to tease the hunter was suddenly replaced by a burning desire to be inside him, to be complete.

He leaned forwards, lowering the body of his friend to the table and sweeping his right arm outwards, sent the hastily assembled lunch crashing to the floor, but not before he'd made a grab for the bottle of olive oil ... and missed. Iolaus laughed out loud as the sound of smashing crockery filled the room.

"I hope that wasn't Alcmene's favourite pottery you've just ruined."

Hercules glanced past the hunter's body to see a stream of oil cascading over the table, to drip onto the stone floor. He caught some of the oil in his outstretched hand, no time, he wanted to be encased in Iolaus' body. NOW.

His left hand caught a fistful blond hair, pulling his lover's head backwards, as he trailed kisses and gentle bites down the arching throat. He paused for a moment, lips resting on the taut golden skin at the base of the hunter's neck as he felt the blood pounding in the pulse beneath. Iolaus' desperate panting was echoed by his own strained breathing, the familiar tightening deep with his body, his overwhelming hunger to pound into the smaller form beneath him.

His right hand moved to caress and oil his own body, then he shifted both hands to encircle the hunters hips pushing them into the table. Looking down once more into the face that he knew so well, he saw the blue eyes dilated with desire, the red flush across the high cheekbones and spreading downwards, and the lips, full and bruised. Unable to wait a moment longer he began a long, slow slide into his lover's body.

"Better?" he growled against Iolaus mouth.

"Oh ... yeah ... that's *so* much better Herc," Iolaus gasped trying to push upwards against the restraining hands.

Abruptly Hercules released Iolaus' hips, reaching past the hunter's shoulders to grasp the edge of the table. His lips captured the hunter's once more as he moved backwards, almost withdrawing from the clinging, surrounding warmth, teasing and tantalising. He lay on Iolaus, flesh to flesh, no room for anything to come between them. At moments like this he almost felt that he could crawl completely within his lover's skin, be safe and protected for ever.

He pushed forwards again, chest and pelvis grinding into the hunter's body, until he was enveloped within the welcoming flesh and he heard Iolaus' tortured gasp, knowing that he had found the spot he sought after. He concentrated on maintaining a rhythm, knowing this could not last for long, straining to hear every gasp from the body beneath him as his own blood pounded and roared in his ears. Finally, when he thought he could truly last no longer, Iolaus' hips pushed upwards one last time. He felt the sticky wetness between their bodies, as Iolaus muscles clamped around him, dragging him over the final precipice of fulfilment. Collapsing over the hunter he struggled to bring his breathing under control.

He returned unwillingly to reality, as he became aware of a pair of hands pounding a rather frantic tattoo on his broad back, and Iolaus hissing somewhat hysterically in his ear.

"Herc... Herc... for Zeus' sake *snap out* of it. NOW."

He raised his head, casting a puzzled look into the horrified blue eyes as he slid from the hunter's body.

"What..." he began.

"Shhh..." hissed the hunter even more frantically, nodding his head towards the door.

The noise from outside penetrated Hercules befuddled senses. His mother's voice, thanking someone for a ride home... his mother's voice... his mother... OHHH GODS... HIS MOTHER!!!!

Iolaus' legs were still locked around his waist, so he stood up pulling the hunter with him. Reeling for a moment in sudden dizziness, he turned to head for the bedroom ... and nearly fell over, as he realized his trousers were still around his ankles. He stooped to pull his own clothing up with one hand and snaked the other out to grab one leg of Iolaus pants before heading for the bedroom at a stumbling run.

Once inside the safety of the room, he shut the door behind them. Unhooking Iolaus' arms from around his neck he hurled the hunter, with such force, onto the unmade bed that he nearly bounced off onto the floor. Iolaus held out his bound wrists in mute appeal, waving them in front of the demi-god's face. Hercules finished lacing his pants, and threw Iolaus clothing on top of the hunter. They both heard the sound of Alcmene entering the house.

"Hercules... Iolaus... where are you?"

Iolaus eyes widened in panic and he waved his wrists frenziedly at the demi-god. Hercules shook his head, mouthed the words "No time" at the hunter and twitched up the sheets to cover his body, tucking them firmly beneath Iolaus' chin.

He sat next to the bed, and rested one hand on Iolaus forehead holding him in place just as the door swung inwards to reveal Alcmene.

"Hercules... Oh dear... What's wrong with Iolaus?" she asked, concern evident in her voice as she hurried forwards.

The hunter's face flushed beet red and Hercules breathed a sigh of relief. That would make things simpler.

"Ermm.. we'd just stopped for a break. We've been working since early morning and I think the sun's been a little too strong for him. He nearly passed out whilst we were getting lunch."

Hercules flushed at the obvious lie whilst appealing silently to his father that Alcmene would ask no more questions. He glanced down at Iolaus to see the hunter flutter his eyelids and do his best to look weak!

"Oh the poor dear. I'll just go and tidy up and get some cold water. You stay with him Hercules."

Alcmene closed the door behind her as she left, smiling as she heard Iolaus hiss quietly.

"One day Im gonna get you for this Herc..."

Well, she had to let them think they could keep their little secret... didnt she?!

THE END

Thanks to Marti for the inspiration for the broken crockery scene... no I didn't mean it LIKE that... it was an innocent suggestion she made over the phone.

E-mail the author at Ruric@sunwolf.demon.co.uk