Twelfth Night

First Night

So close...just a few more tugs! That was all it would take to send him over the edge. He just had to concentrate on the picture that floated behind his closed eyelids.

Cyanne...his hands running through her hair. Stilling at the nape of her neck to pull her in for a kiss. Her ruby-stained lips were so close. Just one kiss would send him over. He had to concentrate. What would her lips taste like? Red berries? Honey? He didn't know. He never quite made it that far in real life to know. Something always interrupted them. Something? No. Someone -- and that someone was usually Iolaus.

'Okay. Okay concentrate,' Hercules caught his mind from wandering there and pulled his thoughts back to focus on the pretty picture that Cyanne painted in this nocturnal fantasy. Nice strong arms to hold him tight, athletic agility that promised all sorts of unique possibilities. A silent, breathy sigh escaped the demigod's lips as he pictured the Amazon. Cyanne...no sweet tempered, clinging vine she. Not like those two girls at Kora's the night before. Draping themselves all over him and Iolaus, whining in almost identical voices about how hard their lives were and how they were looking for young men who would bring some adventure into their boring existences. DAMN! Damn! He was losing his momentum. He was still hard as a rock but so far from the edge now. 'Stop thinking and just do it!' Hercules berated himself. 'Arghhhhhhh!' The silent scream reverberated in his skull as his erection throbbed and he released it with one last frustrated tug.

Hercules braced himself up on his elbows into a half sitting position and took a deep breath. From this vantage point in his upper bunk, he could see the whole dorm room. His eyes swept the darkened expanse, checking to make sure that he was the only one who couldn't sleep. Satisfied that he was the only one awake at this ungodly hour, he hunkered back down into the bunk and reached under the coverlet to take matters in hand again.

He'd been awake for over an hour. Here it was, 3:30 a.m., reveille would be in a half-hour and he had to take care of this little 'problem' before the others woke or he'd be walking around with it all day.

He could never sleep much past 2:30 a.m. these days. Hephestus told him that would be quite normal for a demigod. Hephy told him a lot of things and Hercules was glad to have made his acquaintance.

For instance, Hercules knew about the 'morning wood' phenomenon for quite some time. Iolaus, being almost two years older than him, experienced it first and Hercules would tease him good naturedly about it every time Iolaus slept over at Alcmene's. At least he did, until he started getting them himself. Then the teasing stopped.

There was one big difference between himself and all the other guys. They could get up, walk around, get dressed, take a pee and their morning manifestation would disappear. His wouldn't. He thought he was going to be a social outcast, causing raised eyebrows and fits of giggles everywhere he went. He thought he would be embarrassed for the rest of his life. At least that's the way it was until Hercules had the benefit of Hephestus' explanation. It seems that because of the godly blood Hercules carried in his system, the morning wood problem wouldn't go away by itself. Something had to actually be done about it. So, every morning since he was 16 years old, Hercules had to perform this same 'ritual' or he'd walk around hard all day.

The thoughts and visions of Cyanne eluded him altogether now. It looked like he'd have to fall back on his old favorite fantasy just to get himself off and ready for the day. The demigod squeezed his eyes shut and imagined the disembodied hand -- warm, small but not delicate - encircling his sensitive erection. The hot and moist breath needfully whispering his name against the nape of his neck 'Hercules....mmmmmmmmmm!' A soft square of cloth lining his palm, the demigod once more wrapped his hand around himself and pumped slowly at first letting the sensations of lust flow to all working parts.

'More...' he demanded of his spirit lover, the slow, sensual movements on his wanting member changing to a more purposeful pumping. 'Almost...' he told the spirit and the spirit whispered back on the next breeze 'Hercules....ahhhhhhhh! Come for me...' And turning his head into the pillow, with a muffled groan, the demigod finally found his release.

He cleaned himself off with the small square of cloth while mumbling "maybe tomorrow night." Then he rolled over onto his side and waited for the pre-dawn bell.

Second Night

Maybe Cyanne represented too much pressure for him right now instead of pleasure. He would forget about her for the time being and fantasize about someone who didn't pose the possibility of becoming a serious relationship. Maybe then his imagination wouldn't quit on him.

It would have to be someone different from Cyanne so his mind wouldn't play tricks on him again tonight. Someone different. Someone like Kora. Soft blue eyes that could twinkle with kindness or gleam with warning...curly blonde hair. Her body was soft in all the right places but she was not a softie. Strong willed...courageous...capable...and the strong arms of an accomplished archer.

Hercules imagined those arms coming around him as he pressed back into her warmth. He imagined leaning back and accepting kisses to his temples before he turned over to bury his face in the curve of her neck and placing hot, urgent kisses upward to her strong jaw line. He concentrated on continuing up to those lips...those perfect lips slightly opened in invitation.

The demigod took his almost painfully erect member in his cloth-lined hand and continued. 'This is good...sooooo good...yeahhhh!'

He did not imagine Kora as the proper owner of the finest food establishment in the entire region. No! In his fantasy she was the Golden Archer of Artemis. Leather-clad...strong...taking the lead from him. He imagined her hands' sensuous slide down his body to take over the slow, slip-slide pumping of his penis.

In his fantasy, he was the one being taken. He willingly turned himself over to those capable, loving hands. He imagined himself looking into the beautiful face then down to the arms and hands that were working magic on him. It occurred to him that those arms were not quite fitting. They were too strong to be right. He imagined himself looking back at her smiling face and the eyes were not quite right now...a little lighter...shaped a bit differently. Still twinkling with lust and love but just not 'right' for this fantasy. The pulling on his erection was becoming harder and that wasn't right either. Kora began to disappear and the demigod groaned silently and thought 'Oh, no! Not again...'

It was getting close to the time for the bell. He'd have to work fast to alleviate his 'problem.' So the old favorite fantasy would have to get pulled out one more time...disembodied hand...soft voice and the demigod begged the spirit lover of his fantasy to make him come fast. 'Do something! Anything! Suck me.' And the voice on the breeze called to him, 'Hercules...come for me!' The demigod's hand came to a stop, holding his erection still while his seed sprayed into the soft square of cloth.

He could hear Iolaus and Lilith begin to stir in their bunks. Jason, at this end of the dorm room and Catallus at the other end, snored in unison. The bell would ring in less than a minute and the demigod breathed a sigh of relief, realizing his release was just in the knick of time. 'Well, maybe tonight will be different...' the demigod thought. Hercules threw his legs over the side of his bunk and tickled Iolaus behind the knee with his toes until the groggy hunter woke up and threw his pillow at the demigod's head.

Third Night

'Cyanne? Not going there,' thought the demigod as he pressed his lips together and shook his head. 'Kora? Not going there either.'

'Lilith? Yeah!' From the vantage point of his bunk, he could see her small, slim form making its way back to her own bunk after having shared Jason's for most of the night. Hercules wondered if they thought nobody knew. He wondered if they cared.

At least he wouldn't have to overwork his imagination as far as the Academy's only female cadet was concerned. He knew almost every curve and hollow of that compact body from having wrestled with her in training classes over the past couple of years. Plus, he'd just had a good glimpse of her small perfect breasts just minutes before when the sheets slipped off her shoulders as she hovered over Jason.

He could picture her steady, piercing eyes made soft and soulful with the loving -- her blonde, curly hair teasing the sensitive spots on his neck as he took her supple body in his arms and pressed himself against her. She was just the right size to cuddle with but never forgetting she was strong enough to wrestle with. Lilith...willful...cunning. And if Jason's permanent smile was any indication, she's someone who gives as good as she takes.

'Well Lilith...Take This!' the demigod imagined himself saying as he pulled the fantasy girl into his arms, holding her hard body close to his. He took his erection into his hand and began to imagine that he was rubbing it against her strong thigh as he buried his face in the blonde hair at her neck and began to nuzzle there. "Oh yeah...this was working...' raced through the demigod's mind. Hercules was getting more and more excited as his thoughts led him to become aggressive with the smaller cadet. He pictured himself biting and nipping at the soft skin where Lilith's shoulder met her collarbone.

Dream Lilith raised her head for a kiss and trailed her lips to the demigod's ear. 'Please, no marks...no marks...' the whisper came. But here, in his fantasy, he was winning, he was mastering her in this 'wrestling' match and he pressed on as his hand picked up the pace, pumping his erection towards what he felt would be an explosive orgasm. His brain screamed 'Yes!!!' and he continued towards his goal.

He was mastering the small blonde in this fantasy world, pushing, using his godly strength to control her movements and he growled softly as he lowered his head to take what he wanted. Nuzzling once more at the soft, tender neck, he bit and nipped wanting to leave passion bites for all the others to see...wanting Jason to see...Lilith was his in this fantasy world. And the small voice came to him again 'No marks, please...no marks.' 'Mine!' the demigod's mind screamed back and he felt the leg he was rubbing his steely erection against come up between his legs, toppling him over onto the floor and the formerly warm, pliant body -- now hard and talented -- grappled him into a strong wrestling hold.

'Damn...damn and triple damn! What in Tartarus is wrong with me! I can't even do this right any more,' the frustrated demigod silently berated himself.

It was time to fall back on another old favorite fantasy...the 'anonymous hole in the hayloft' scenario. Hercules wrapped the small square of cloth around his engorged member and with both hands he once more began the slip-slide of this evening's ritual.

The demigod closed his eyes -- imagining a cloudy, moonless night. A black-cloaked figure made its way to the barn and Hercules followed. He entered and heard a small shushing noise next to his ear. A hand came out of the dark and he imagined that he felt warm fingers wrap around his bicep urging him on towards the stairs to the hayloft. He could see nothing but he heard the soft, rapid breathing of his dark companion. He felt the hands open his codpiece to free him from the confining leather then guide his weeping member towards a warm, tight, velvety orifice. He imagined himself pushing into that tight, anonymous sheath and stilling, letting the warmth sink into his soul, stoking the flames of his passion. He imagined the smells of warm, fresh hay and sweaty sex.

The demigod began to thrust into his joined fists all the time imagining someone's tight sex pulling him in, squeezing, tightening, orgasming around him until his own completion ripped through him like a bolt of lightning. Hercules groaned a lot louder than was wise. Iolaus shot up in his bunk, blinked the sleep out of his eyes and looked around to find the source of what had disturbed his sleep. The hunter's skills kicked in automatically and he stilled until he could pinpoint the heavy breathing coming from the bunk above his own. "Was that you, Herc?"

"Sorry. Nightmare," replied the demigod who still had his waning dick wrapped in the cloth and the cloth wrapped up in both his hands. He couldn't move them without calling Iolaus' attention to his 'predicament.'

"You don't look so good, buddy," whispered Iolaus as he took in the flushed face and sweat-beaded brow of his best friend. Affectionate concern was evident in his expressive eyes as they met the demigod's in the dim torch light. Iolaus' hand shot out and touched the demigod's forehead to see if he was as fevered as he looked.

The touch was light and as far from sexual as could be possible, but it caused a tremor to run through the demigod's body, shaking him from head to toe with an erotic aftershock that shifted the bedrock of his very soul.

Without thinking, Hercules removed his right hand from it's protective position over his groin. He caught Iolaus' hand, which was still pressed against the demigod's temple, and he threw it back at him.

"Herc? Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine...just fine," the demigod growled from behind locked teeth. "Go back to sleep," he ordered.

"Promise me, if you still feel like this at first bell, you'll go to the infirmary," Iolaus urged his friend.

"Okay...I promise. Now will you go back to sleep?"

Iolaus gave the demigod one last assessing look then he rolled over and settled back into his bunk. He closed his eyes and steadied his breathing but didn't allow himself to fall back to sleep just yet. He had been worried about his best friend lately. Hercules had been behaving as skittish as a young colt these past few weeks and Iolaus wondered if he would have to confront his friend to get at what was bothering him. He reviewed the demigod's odd behavior, the looks Hercules gave him when he thought no one was watching, the uncharacteristic daydreaming during classes. And if that weren't bad enough, add to that the nightly jerk-off sessions that his best friend tried so hard to conceal.

The hunter had shared most of his life with the demigod. Knew him better than he knew himself so it wasn't long before he put two and two together.

His best friend had matured and grown so much since they first started attending the Academy. The shy gangly kid he'd grown up with had been transformed into a smart, sophisticated young adult with many new friends. The demigod had also become something of a local hero these past few years . He'd survived some serious near death experiences and learned a lot about life in the course of becoming a noble son of Zeus.

Iolaus was two years older than the demigod and had been a lot more experienced in the harsh ways of the world. However, laying here in his bunk thinking things over he realized that there was no longer a noticeable difference between their two ages and that it might be time to let nature take its course. Hercules was just about to explode and Iolaus was planning on being there to witness and possibly share in the fireworks. Grinning to himself, the hunter drifted off to sleep with promises of sweet possibilities drifting through his mind.

The demigod rolled over onto his back and let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. 'That was too close,' he thought and Hercules couldn't relax again until he heard the slow, steady breathing of his best friend as he fell back to sleep.

Fourth Night

Guard duty couldn't have come at a better time. Three nights in a row of frustrating fantasies and rushed fulfillments were beginning to take their toll on the demigod's nerves. Hercules knew that something wasn't quite right with himself these days and he needed some time to sort out his jumbled feelings.

Although guard duty kept him out of bed and wide-awake for the whole night he knew he'd still have the 'eternal erection' right on schedule. At least he would be able to take care of his 'morning wood' problem when he received his break and he could find a quiet place somewhere in the compound. He could indulge himself without the added pressure of the other cadets seeing or hearing him.

When his break came, Hercules made a beeline for the stables. Checking the area, making sure that no one had seen him come this way, the demigod approached the door but something held him back from crossing the threshold. It was the soft sounds of lovemaking coming from one of the stalls. He could catch the whispered voice of the cadet Therlius urging his lover on...begging for completion, harder and faster. The equally urgent whisper of the cadet Catallus answered that he was going as fast as he could. With that bit of unwanted news still ringing in his ears, the demigod turned and sprinted away from the stables as fast as his legs would carry him.

Hercules crossed the square, stopping at the well for a drink of cool water, and lingered just long enough to decide where to go to sate his 'nocturnal need.' He decided on the enclosed garden behind the infirmary. That area of the Academy would be totally deserted.

As he passed the building that housed the teacher's quarters, Hercules saw the flash of a torch behind the small window next to the front door. He ducked behind some storage barrels and hid himself from the two men who had emerged from the building but who remained standing at the door saying their 'goodbyes.' Hercules peeked his head around the side of the barrel trying to get an idea about how long he'd have to hide himself like this and what he saw almost caused him to give himself away with a sharp gasp. There was the strong, unmistakably broad back of the Academy's cook and clinging to that sturdy frame like a limpet was the small figure of Feducious.

Hercules shut his eyes and squeezed them hard, trying to erase the image that burned itself into his brain. 'Ackkkkkk...I'm going to go blind. No one should have to see something like that. Oh gods! Make me forget I ever saw that...please make me forget!'

Hercules could see the soft glow of the torch still reflected on the wall behind him. He steeled himself to take one more peek. Assuring himself that the lovers were too wrapped up in each other to notice, he slipped quietly towards the gate to the walled garden.

The demigod sat down heavily on the bench in the far corner of the garden. As he fought with his mind to relax, the heady scent of the lilacs he was surrounded by worked to soothe his nerves.

'Nobody's crawling into my bed...not even in my fantasies these days. What's wrong with me?' Hercules was totally frustrated and still quite a bit unnerved by the thought of Feducious having someone to hold and make love to when he didn't. That was so wrong. The Fates were just too cruel.

He knew he'd have to take care of himself and get back to guard duty soon so just for expediency's sake, he stuck with his old favorite and brought himself to a quick, unsatisfying completion. He ran back to take his place in the guard's post, turned his eyes to watch the road and waited for the relief that dawn brought to his aching soul.

Fifth Night

Guard duty again but this time he'd have Iolaus to keep him company. It would be a lot less quiet but a lot more interesting. It was just what he needed to keep his mind off his troubles for at least one night. And when the time came for him to get his break, he knew Iolaus would cut him some slack if he didn't return precisely when he should. Yeah, the demigod felt like he could really relax tonight.

He was right. Iolaus kept his mind occupied and the two of them teased each other, laughing and giggling like they did when they were kids in their tree fort near the lake.

Iolaus tried to shock his best friend by revealing the fact that Lilith snuck into Jason's bed almost every night. Hercules surprised his best friend by admitting that he knew about the affair and he relished being able to tell the young hunter about what he had witnessed between the Prince and the Amazon two nights before. And then, while Iolaus was still processing the erotic scenes that Hercules had just painted for him, the demigod hit him with the revelation about the Academy's cook and old Feducious.

Hercules enjoyed the half-hour of quiet that revelation gave him. Iolaus just stood there with his mouth hanging open, shaking his head in total disbelief. Every once in a while, the young hunter would look at the demigod, wince as if he were picturing the coupling in his overactive imagination and get his jaw moving up and down, like he wanted to say something to his friend...but no sound would come out of his mouth. This was priceless. Hercules had accomplished the impossible - he'd rendered Iolaus speechless.

When the hunter finally came back to his senses, he had all sorts of questions for the demigod and Hercules tried his best to supply all the lurid details he could.

Iolaus took his break first and returned with his pouch filled with leftovers from the Academy's evening meal. Hercules excused himself, more than ready to take his break but Iolaus stopped him.

"Why don't you stay here and share this snack with me, Herc? We don't get to do guard duty together very often, we should take advantage of the extra time."

"Uh, no thanks Iolaus. I'm going to the barn, there's something I need to check on. You know...see a man about a horse. I'll be back in a few minutes. Save me some, okay?" replied the antsy demigod.

Iolaus ran his eyes assessingly over Hercules from head to toe taking note of the tented state of his best friend's codpiece but not allowing his eyes to linger there for even a fraction of a second.

The hunter sent a knowing grin to his best friend and said, "Okay Herc, I'll save you some."

The demigod turned his back and hurried towards the stairs when his best friend's playful voice called him back. "Oh, Herc?"

"Yeah Iolaus?" he hurriedly responded.

"Save me some too, buddy," the blond said with a wickedly sensuous, knowing chuckle. He blew his friend a kiss and watched the demigod blush brightly before he ducked his head into the shadows and turned to run down the stairs to the barn. He could hear the laughing voice of his best friend calling down to him "Have fun!"

Once inside the barn, Hercules got down to business. He was sure his friend was just teasing him, but with Iolaus he could never be sure. Iolaus slept long, but he really didn't sleep soundly. Hercules was beginning to wonder if his friend was aware of his nightly doings. If he wasn't aware before, all that blushing he just did probably gave him away. If Iolaus was aware, that would explain the teasing. But his friend liked to make everything a tease...maybe it was just Iolaus being Iolaus.

Hercules sat on a bench in the very far corner of the barn. No light reached this space and he felt himself enveloped by and protected in the darkness. He began his favorite fantasy about the black-cloaked figure in the barn, it would be fast and he could go back and join Iolaus before his friend finished off the whole snack by himself.

Hercules closed his eyes and felt the fantasy lover grab his bicep and pull him towards the hayloft. Here in the barn, the smell of fresh, mown hay was strong and added to the ambiance of his waking dream. He let the spirit lead him and he imagined that he was lying in the soft hay with the warm, velvety orifice engulfing his hardness. And on the breeze the whispered words came to him "Hercules...save some for me..."

A groan escaped the demigod's parted lips. "Oh gods!" It was like Iolaus knew...knew what he was doing here in the barn. It felt like Iolaus' eyes were on him, smiling, laughing, enjoying watching him and his spirit lover, just as he had told Hercules that he'd enjoyed watching Lilith with Jason. Iolaus watching him being pleasured. "Ahhhhhhh.....Ahhhhhh.....Arghhhhhhh...." groaned the demigod loud enough to send a family of mice scurrying for cover in other parts of the barn. Hercules never remembered ever having come so fast or so hard in his entire young life.

"Whoa! What was that about?" Hercules mumbled while he cleaned himself off and readjusted his codpiece. As he caught his breath, the demigod realized that he'd have to stick around the barn for a while just so Iolaus wouldn't know how fast he'd accomplished his objective. He'd never live down that shame. It was just as well, he was feeling a bit weak in the knees from the intensity of his orgasm and he really didn't want to walk back to the guard post right away.

Sixth Night

Still shaken from his experience the night before, Hercules decided to go back to the Cyanne fantasy and try again.

The Amazon Queen was almost as tall as he so he imagined looking straight into her eyes, watching the mischief sparkling there as he led her hand to his engorged member. He imagined that she gripped him with her strong fingers and ran them teasingly but firmly over the head of his penis, through the precum gathered there, then down the shaft with a sure and steady rhythm.

He dipped his head slightly, bringing his mouth close to hers until he imagined that he could feel her hot breath on his lips. 'Okay, this is good,' he thought. 'Lets go with this,' he added as he imagined his free hand running under the Amazon Queen's tunic searching for one small taut breast to caress. And this time, there was no Iolaus running up to interrupt the kiss, the joining, and the fulfillment. No, he wouldn't be interrupting it because like last night he'd be watching...watching him and blowing a kiss...smiling and asking the demigod to save some for him... "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh, gods! Mmmmmmmmmmmm!" groaned the demigod softly as his seed spurt onto his blanket. He didn't even have time tonight to wrap the soft square of cloth around himself so he wouldn't mess the covers.

Hercules slumped heavily into his mattress, threw his head back onto the pillow and wondered if he would ever have a bit of normalcy in his life.

Seventh Night

After having spent the day disturbed and a bit distracted, Hercules decided that he needed some time, by himself, to regain his focus. So when all of the other cadets took off for their various assignments after supper, Hercules excused himself and made his way to the small chapel that Cheiron kept near his office.

The demigod pulled a low, wooden bench into the darkened corner of the chapel. He wanted to be far away from the flickering candlelight which he found disturbingly romantic now that his long-buried feelings for Iolaus were beginning to resurface. He sat on the bench, resting his back against the cool stone wall He stretched his long legs out in front of him crossed at the ankles, then he folded his arms together and hugged them close to his chest. Hercules searched the walls and ceiling of the small chapel wishing that an answer to his 'problem' would just pop into his mind but the only thought that occurred to him was that this was just the kind of place where he would want to take the hunter to share some alone time.

Hercules mentally shook himself as he tried to redirect his train of thought. He'd have to come up with a regimen of self-discipline to submerge the feelings he was having again for his best friend. He thought that he had buried the wanting and lust so deep that they would never see the light of day...and he had. During the day it was fine. In fact, it was better than fine most of the time. Being surrounded by the other cadets from wake-up bell to suppertime helped. The early evenings were occupied by study hall or rest and relaxation at Kora's where they were never alone. But at night, when he should be sleeping...

Why? Why was he finding it impossible to drown out thoughts of Iolaus in his intimate moments? He should be in control of his own thoughts. Shouldn't he? Why was Iolaus always creeping in and taking over? What was it about his incorrigible friend that was making him react this way now?

Well, he already knew What it was. He was both in love with and in lust with his best friend.

The love part always seemed to be there, from his earliest memories of himself and the hunter as children. They were better than brothers, if his relationship with Iphicles was any indication. They had gotten their first bloody noses together, defending each other from school-yard bullies. Then after Iph left home, Iolaus helped him with his chores for Alcmene, without too many complaints, so that the two of them could have more time to hang out and play together. They braved Skorous' tempers together, too. So many nights he had shared his bed with Iolaus after one of the General's abuse sessions. Iolaus would always be curled up on his side, clinging to the far edge of the bed with his face buried against the wall. Hercules wanted to comfort Iolaus so badly on those occasions but he was afraid of hurting his friend's bruised or bloody back. He so desperately wanted to tell his friend that he was loved here, in this place, if not at home.

'Yes Iolaus,' thought the demigod, 'you are loved and respected for your goodness, your loyalty, your wacky sense of humor...and because you love me back. I know you do. Maybe not the way I want you to...but I know it's there. I can feel it sometimes, especially when we get to spend time alone.'

Hercules shifted a bit uncomfortably on the hard wooden bench and settled into a more comfortable position.

The loving of Iolaus he could handle. It was just something he did. It was a part of him. Always was...always would be. It was the lusting after Iolaus that was the main problem. It seemed he could no longer contain that aspect of his feelings for his best friend. And in the dark, quiet corner of the chapel, Hercules could almost hear Iolaus giggling at him. He thought for sure that, if Iolaus knew the full extent of his predicament, the hunter would bust a rib laughing.

He wished he had the courage to tell his friend of his need to take their partnership to a more complete level. A level where their bodies could be shared as intimately as they shared their other hopes and dreams for the future.

He knew, without a doubt, that the loving he could share with Iolaus would be earth-shattering for them both. He would make it so if Iolaus would only let him.

But Iolaus wouldn't let him.

The demigod threw his head back to rest against the cool wooden wall of the chapel. He closed his eyes, unsuccessfully blinking back tears that formed as he allowed painful memories to run through his mind. They were heartbreaking memories of the hunter rejecting his tentative advances several years ago, long before the Academy.

They'd been camping out, down at their tree house near the lake enjoying a fun-filled day of swimming and playing bag ball, wrestling and fishing. They had eaten the fish they'd caught and were tidying up the campsite before turning in for the night. Iolaus asked Hercules to set their bedrolls out in the tree house while he went to the lake to take a bath. Hercules remembered laughing at his friend for wanting a bath, especially since they'd been swimming almost all afternoon. Iolaus mumbled something about feeling sweaty and he left the demigod without offering an invitation to join him. Hercules thought it was odd since they did absolutely everything together but he just returned to the tree house and set out the bedrolls like his friend had asked him to do.

His task was accomplished within seconds and he looked out the window to see if he could get the hunter's attention to let him know everything was ready. Hercules remembered the way his breath caught in his throat as he glimpsed the matured 15 year old body of his best friend. He was sure he had never seen anything more beautiful in his life. Not even the statues of the gods he'd seen when his mother took him to the great city of Athens were as magnificent as the picture the hunter made. He stood knee-deep in the lake with the moonlight reflecting off of his body, turning his skin to alabaster perfection. His muscles sculpted and tensed as he scooped up the lake water in his hands and ran them over his torso and abdomen.

Hercules remembered watching as Iolaus ran his fingers over his nipples again and again in a circular motion. This puzzled the young demigod. He wondered how that part of the hunter's anatomy could have gotten so dirty that Iolaus would have to pay that much attention to washing them. Hercules let his hand drift to his own nipples and he ran his hands over them in perfect imitation of the passes Iolaus was making on his chest. It was electric! Erotic pulses zinging down his torso, arrowing straight to his groin. It was so good. He wanted more of those feelings that Iolaus was unwittingly teaching him about.

He raised his head to the window once more to observe the hunter slowly stroking his erect penis with his right hand as his left hand continued to toy with his nipples first then trace down his body to fondle his balls. As Hercules watched, his own member hardened rapidly, demanding immediate attention. He watched his buddy as he took himself in hand and imitated all he saw. They reached climax together, Iolaus first followed a second later by the demigod as he watched his friend's essence shoot out over the lake then drop, causing ripples in the still waters. Then Hercules watched as Iolaus lifted his hands to his mouth and licked at the pearly liquid on his fingers obviously enjoying the taste. Hercules did the same and stopped after the first taste thinking that he'd like to taste Iolaus' come instead...it was obviously so much better than his own. He cleaned himself up as best he could and waited patiently for the hunter to join him.

Hercules newly minted passion for the brave hunter sparked by Iolaus' unconscious sensuality earlier impelled the demigod to broach the subject of them becoming closer. As the hunter lay next to him on the bedroll that night, Hercules ran his eyes assessingly over his best friend. He wanted to feel those expressive lips against his own. He wanted those strong arms wrapped around him, those talented hands on his erection bringing him to completion then tasting his seed. He wanted to feel the hard body of his friend wrapped around him, holding him and he wanted to do the same for Iolaus. He wanted to rub his erection against Iolaus and feel Iolaus' erection rubbing his back. He got hard again just thinking about it.

When Iolaus caught him looking, Hercules got a bit tongue-tied but he managed to get his point across. Iolaus looked at him with sad, knowing eyes and reached out to touch his face. Hercules grabbed the hunter's hand before it could reach his cheek and he re-directed it to his groin so Iolaus could feel his burgeoning member. He wanted to show his friend how much he was wanted. The demigod could feel the hunter's hand begin to tremble as it rested gently over his erection. Hercules relished the moment and his body shook with the intensity of feeling that this light touch elicited.

In the dark corner of the chapel, the demigod felt the muscles around his heart clench painfully as he recalled Iolaus whispered words to him that long ago night... "No Herc. We can't do this. Anything but this. You're too young yet to understand what this would mean..."

The demigod never remembered Iolaus telling him 'No' ever before in the whole time they'd been friends. It was a bit of a shock to hear the word then. He remembered the feelings of rejection as he listened to Iolaus tell him about how young he was. Hercules remembered his murmured response that he was old enough to know what love felt like.

Bringing his thoughts back to the present, Hercules realized he was getting nowhere fast. He stood, stretched out the kinks in his long legs and moved the wooden bench back into it's original position then he headed back to the dorm where he went to sleep way too early.

When he woke in the wee hours of the morning to perform his 'nocturnal ritual' Hercules decided to go straight to one of his old favorite fantasies. In spite of going to bed early, he was still very tired and in no mood to conjure up a new dream lover for himself. It was in that moment...in the half-aware state between waking and sleeping...that realization hit the demigod like a two ton hydra. His favorite fantasy was Iolaus! The small, strong hands on his erection...the strong arms coming from behind to hold him in a warm embrace...the whispered words... it was all Iolaus!

He sat up abruptly and scanned the room to make sure his fellow cadets were all sleeping before he took matters into his own hands. He peered over the side of his bunk to gaze on a lightly snoring Iolaus in the bunk below. And he smiled.

The demigod's erection was standing strong, ultra-sensitive and fairly aching. His fantasy tonight would be based on a memory of something real - of his best friend knee deep in the shining waters of their lake, glowing in the silver rays of moonlight, masturbating himself. Hercules matched the rhythm of his hand with the remembered movements of his dream lover. Mirroring the movements of Iolaus hands on himself. He imagined his best friend looking up at him with loving eyes. He imagined his partner begging him to 'save some' for him. He imagined Iolaus smiling at him, increasing the tempo and coming just for him.

The demigod bit his lower lip, drawing blood, in an effort not to make noise but he failed miserably. A low, throaty groan escaped him as he rode out the most satisfying orgasm of his young life, so far.

Before he rolled over to catch a bit more sleep, Hercules took one more longing look at his partner. He wanted to share his feelings with the blond so much it hurt. "I love you, Iolaus," he whispered to his sleeping friend. Putting voice to the emotion brought Hercules peace and he slept.

In the serene early morning hours, a dewy-eyed hunter whispered back "I love you too, Hercules." So filled with joy that the demigod still wanted him, Iolaus couldn't even contemplate going back to sleep. So he considered whether the next move should be his or his partner's.

He couldn't afford to let the demigod enjoy pleasuring himself so much that he wouldn't take a chance at the real thing. Iolaus decided that he would have to turn up the heat in order to spur Herc to action.

Eighth Night

Today Hercules discovered that controlling his want and lust during the day time was no longer possible. He was almost exhausted by the time he crawled into his bunk. Nerves, tension and trying to hide the steely hardness in his codpiece for the better part of the day had worn him out.

He couldn't believe it. He had taken care of his 'morning wood' predicament in the middle of the night as usual. So he was understandably perturbed when it popped up as he watched Iolaus shaving in the wash room before morning formation. It happened again at breakfast when his partner casually rested his hand on Hercules' shoulder then leant in close to whisper into the demigod's ear a naughty little limerick he'd learned at Kora's the night before. The 'problem' rose again during wrestling exercises with his partner. He had hoped to avoid Iolaus realizing but he failed. Then, he was confused by the almost compassionate and understanding look in the hunter's eyes.

He'd asked Cheiron to excuse him or reassign him for the day as his concentration was off. The headmaster obliged him after uttering some platitudes about warriors having to cope with all sorts of conditions in the real world and that he should work on finding a quick way of mastering his distractions so that his concentration could return to normal.

As Hercules lay in his bunk tonight, he reviewed the words of his teacher. He trusted Cheiron and had found over the years that the centaur usually dispensed very wise advice. He felt that if he could find a way to master his distractions it would help him find a way, once again, to sublimate the feelings he was having for his best friend. 'How can I master my distractions?' the demigod asked himself as he peered over the side of his bunk to watch the slumbering hunter. 'You're my only distraction, Iolaus. Can you be mastered?'

Iolaus was sleeping on his back with his hands clasped together under his head. His smooth, muscular chest was fully exposed to the demigod's hungry eyes; the heat from the braziers making it too warm for any of them to wear their night shirts.

The demigod pictured himself straddling the hunter's chest, leaning over to grab the blond's wrists and pressing them down into the mattress while he stole a kiss from his startled prey. Hercules imagined pressing into the hunter's sides with his strong thighs and rotating his hips to grind his member against the silken skin of the hunter's abdomen. He imagined himself asking Iolaus once again if he could be mastered and that Iolaus refused to admit submission.

Hercules was beyond caring at this point whether or not he messed his covers again tonight. As he lay propped up on his left side resting his chin in his hand, peering down at the sleeping hunter, Hercules ran his hand under his sheet and forcefully took hold of his swollen member which was demanding immediate attention.

As he found his rhythm, Hercules imagined transferring both of Iolaus' wrists to one of his strong hands and running his other hand over his friends' sexy chest, toying with the taut brown nipples until he thought he could feel the hunter squirm beneath him. He then imagined that he took his erection into his hand, caught the attention of the hunter and began a slow, sensuous show of jerking off for his friend's eyes alone. He imagined Iolaus watching him hungrily as he shifted then moved the weeping tip of his erection towards the hunter's luscious lips.

He imagined chuckling softly and whispering to his friend "See...I've saved you some, buddy." Then he imagined Iolaus looking up at him with lust sparkling in his beautiful blue eyes and opening his mouth to whisper huskily "Take me, Herc." Hercules' brain fairly screamed at him... "Mastered!" He began to pump himself in earnest, reaching for an explosive orgasm then...

At the very moment of the demigod's triumph, Iolaus stretched in his sleep, one hand still behind his head, the other scooted under the light sheet heading for his groin. Hercules' eyes followed. The hunter scratched for a second and as he did the sheet rode down low on his abdomen exposing his thick, rosy erection to the demigod's view. Hercules groaned softly, fighting the urge to release the grip he had on his own member and reach out and wrap his fist around Iolaus'.

He watched as the hunter's hand came to a rest at the base of his own penis. Iolaus mumbled incoherently for a moment and Hercules eyes flew to his partner's face to make certain he was still asleep. Iolaus grinned and mumbled one more time but Hercules was assured that the hunter was still sleeping and having one of 'those' dreams. Hercules let his eyes roam back to the hunter's erection and he noticed that Iolaus was fondling himself, slowly, sexily.

The demigod set his own hand back in motion, slip-sliding it in time with Iolaus' so by the time the hunter moaned and shot his essence through his fingers and across his abdomen, the demigod was ready to follow him into ecstasy.

The hunter sported an ear to ear smile as he rolled over on his side with his back to the demigod. But Hercules couldn't tear his eyes away from the magnificent nude form of his friend. He wouldn't roll over and go back to sleep until reveille...not while he could take the opportunity for this uninhibited look at the beautiful lover from his fantasies. And that's when the soft voice of his dream lover echoed in the back of his mind...

'Distracted!'

Ninth Night

Guard duty again. The wind had been very strong all day and it had apparently moved a cold front into the their midst, chasing the warm Spring into a temporary retreat. It was very windy high up in the guard tower and it felt like it was cutting right through the tired demigod. He also felt like the time for his break was never going to get there.

Finally, about ten minutes after he expected his replacement, Jason showed up sporting that permanent goofy grin of his and smelling of stale sex. He apologized for his tardiness but Hercules could tell he wasn't sincere about it. The demigod was just grateful that Jason showed up at all. By way of apology, Jason pulled Hercules' woolen cape out of his pouch and offered it to his chilled friend. Hercules thanked the prince, wrapped the cape around his shoulders and he ran down the stairs. Hercules made his way to the nearby stables where he knew he could get warm without having to go all the way back to the main building. As he huddled in the hay in the second stall, the demigod heard the voice of Therlius whispering to his lover that the coast was clear, to bring some more fresh hay and join him in the first stall.

Hercules couldn't move without giving away his location. He heard the two eager lovers kissing, noisily uninhibited. He listened to their light moans and gasps followed by the distinct sound of belts hitting the dirt floor.

The demigod was curious, he had watched Jason and Lilith enough to know how that was supposed to go, but he had never seen two guys make love before. The thought of watching gave him an instant erection. Hercules hid himself in the shadows of the second stall, covered himself with his woolen cape and held his breath as he peeked between the slats of the stall.

Hercules watched as Catallus placed hot urgent kisses from his lover's neck, down his chest to his abdomen as he fiddled with the laces on Therlius' pants. When Catallus successfully loosened the pants and dragged them down past the small cadet's knees he set about teasing his lover with lips, teeth and tongue.

Hercules had a clear picture in his mind of exactly what Iolaus' erection looked like from his previous night's preview. So it didn't take much imagining on the demigod's part to picture himself performing the same loving actions on his best friend. It was so clear a picture, in fact, that it took all of one minute before he climaxed, ejaculating through his trembling fingers onto the packed-dirt floor of the stall. He almost stifled the sharp hiss this powerful orgasm produced...almost.

The lovers jumped at the slight noise, both of them hastily tugging Therlius' pants back up his thighs.

The small commotion in Hercules' stall disturbed a small, gray mouse which scurried across the opening of the first stall. The mouse was followed by a blur of fur and claws as the resident calico cat sprang into action.

"Looks like someone besides us is out for a middle-of-the-night treat," chuckled Therlius.

"Too bad...now I'll have to start all over again." Said Catallus with a broad lecherous grin as he eyed his lover's glistening length.

"You've got no complaints from me lover...go for it!" enthused the smaller cadet. He steadied his erection with one hand and tangled his other in Catallus' hair, pulling his lover's lips back to their previous, pleasure giving position.

Hercules stayed frozen in place as he watched the cadets resume their lovemaking and only dared to take small, shallow breaths once the lovers noises were loud enough to cover any he might make while breathing.

By the time Catallus and Therlius were finished and walking out of the stable with arms slung around each other's shoulders, Hercules had reached orgasm two more times and lay spent, propped up in the corner of the second stall, with his cloak wrapped closely about him.

The tenderness and care, the skill and the innovation, the playfulness and downright joyfulness of the lovers in their coupling opened Hercules' mind to the bittersweet realization of exactly what he'd been missing out on with Iolaus. It caused him great sadness that his best friend, the partner he wanted for life, didn't want to share this with him.

Jason had been late in relieving him for break so he didn't feel the least bit guilty about making the young prince wait an extra ten or fifteen minutes while he shook off the urge to roll over and go to sleep. He also needed time to gather his thoughts. There had to be a way to convince Iolaus that adding earth-shattering sex to their repertoire of 'things back-to-back heroes do' would be a move in the right direction.

Catallus and Therlius exited the stables and walked around to the side of the building where they encountered a cloaked figure who stepped out of the shadows to greet them.

"So'd you guys accomplish your mission?" asked the cloaked figure with a warm chuckle.

"Yeah, Iolaus," answered Catallus. "Cheiron almost caught us twice this month. We were going to try to find a new place to go for...um, you know. But it turns out you were right. Having someone act as lookout makes for a more relaxed f... Um...a more relaxed time for us both. Thank you!"

"Good. And no need to thank me. Anything to further the course of young love," Iolaus assured his two friends but thought, 'Yeah, I'm young...I'm in love...and it's course could never go far enough to suit me.' Then Iolaus added, "you guys get back to the dorm. I'll follow after a few minutes."

"Bye Iolaus and thanks again," whispered Therlius as he tightened his grip around Catallus waist and led him back towards the dorm.

Iolaus waited until he saw Hercules head back to the guard tower then he made his way back to the dorm thinking, 'I sure hope you kept your baby blue, goody-two-shoes, semi-divine eyes opened for that floor show Herc. Is it getting hot enough for you yet, Buddy?'

Tenth Night

Last night, in the stables, Therlius teased his lover by laughingly mentioning that getting a blowjob from him was just a little bit better than jacking-off into a warm, wet sponge. That got the demigod to thinking. He didn't have a sponge, nor any way to get one, until his next trip to the markets in Corinth. So, before going to bed, Hercules did the next best thing. He soaked his handy-dandy, small piece of soft cloth in hot water, then stuffed it into a small water tight pouch which he placed carefully underneath him before going to bed. He was counting on his body heat to keep the square of cloth warm and ready for action when he awoke in the early morning hours. Wrapped around his aching erection, the warm, wet cloth helped fuel his fantasy by adding tangible sensations. He should have done this a long time ago...it really made a difference.

'Suck me, Iolaus! Come on lover...use your tongue...take it all! Yeah...yeah! Ohhhhhhh...sssssssss...aahhhhhhhh...mmmmmmmmmmm!' The demigod came hard. His vivid imagination kicked right in tonight, transposing himself and Iolaus into scenes he'd retained from the previous night's adventure in the stables.

That toe-curling orgasm took the edge off the demigod's sexual appetite for the moment but he was far from sated for the night. In fact, he could feel himself growing hard again so he kept the momentum going by taking his swelling cock in his hand again and milking it ever so slowly as he tried to puzzle out the events of the day.

If he hadn't know better, he would have sworn that Iolaus had been flirting with him all day. Iolaus was a natural flirt. He did it unconsciously most of the time but today was different. Today there seemed to be more purpose behind the hunter's looks and touches. But then the demigod immediately began to second-guess himself. He realized that the hunter's flirting had most probably been wishful thinking on his own part.

'Gods, how I want him,' thought the demigod as he continued to tug at himself, but almost in annoyance now.

And then there was the almost urgent pressure when Iolaus asked the demigod to hang out with him after classes and maybe take one of the chariots out for an afternoon spin. When Hercules turned him down because of a prior commitment he had with Jason, the hunter had appeared almost upset. The time he spent with Jason was pretty much wasted because all the prince wanted to do was talk about Lilith and his upcoming coronation. He should have gone with the hunter.

Hercules allowed his mind to wander thinking 'I am so stupid! Why didn't I go with Iolaus? When we got to the stables who knows what could have happened....

'I know what could have happened. I could have surprised Iolaus with a kiss but first I'd have wrapped him up in a big hug. Then, while he was wondering what had happened I could have caught him up in my arms and dropped him into the hay in one of the stalls. Then I could have teased him with my lips and tongue all up and down his chest, from his neck to his nipples while I removed his clothes. I could have got him all worked up...all hot and hard for me and then I could have gotten him up on his hands and knees. Oh yeah! Iolaus on his hands and knees and his perfect ass just waiting for me to touch it. I could have oiled him up. I could have prepared him real good, teased him with my fingers just like Catallus did with Therlius...Yeah!!! Then I could have made him ask me for it. I could have had him saying stuff like "Do it Herc!" He could have moaned "Fuck me now, lover!" And then, I could have done what Catallus did. I could have oiled myself up and made Iolaus watch while I did it. I could have made him writhe under me as I slipped it into him. I could have... Aaaahhhhhhhhhhh!'

Hercules looked over the side of the bunk to make sure that last one didn't wake the hunter. He had been louder than normal while reaching climax but it appeared that Iolaus hadn't heard a thing because he hadn't moved an inch. And Hercules would have noticed. He'd been quite obsessed with watching his best friend these past few days. Hercules felt as if he wanted to devour Iolaus with his eyes and imprint every inch of that magnificent form into his brain for constant reference.

He was so in love with Iolaus; he was head-over-heels in love with Iolaus. He had to tell him.

Hercules decided then and there that he was going to put himself, and his love, on the line by revealing what was in his heart to his best friend. Then, they could both deal with it in a good honest fashion like the young adults they were.

The best time to approach this with his partner would probably be during the long weekend coming up later in the month. They would be staying with Jason at the palace in Corinth. Lilith would be coming along too and Hercules felt certain that she would be keeping Jason way too busy to pay too much attention to them.

Their guest room in the palace would be the perfect place for him to woo and seduce Iolaus into his arms. There would be good food, excellent wine, fur throw rugs in front of a blazing hearth fire that would ward off the chill of the early Spring nights. There would be that marvelous, over-stuffed, goose down mattress on the massive bed that was fit for visiting royalty.

Hercules knew that his partner got off on staying at the palace, literally. Every time they visited the prince in Corinth, Iolaus would always indulge himself with warm baths, scented oils and the silk robes that Jason made available for special visitors.

Hercules had lain awake many a night in Corinth listening to Iolaus bring himself off with the aid of those silk robes. But this time would be different. This time Hercules would try to make Iolaus feel like a king. He'd give him the royal treatment. He would close the distance between them in the bed at the first sign of the hunter's solo performance. He would whisper some silliness in the hunter's ear. Something like 'Self-love, my liege, is not so vile a sin as self-neglecting.* But even better than self-love is the sharing of that love with one who would worship you from this moment straight into forever. You reign over my heart. The very thought of you rules my body.' Then he would listen to Iolaus laugh at those crazy words. Hercules loved to hear his friend's laughter. He imagined that sharing the laughter would break the ice and he could move them to the next step.

Hercules thought about his partner giving himself over to his attentions. He thought about kissing and running his tongue and teeth over every tantalizing inch of Iolaus. He thought of taking his time sucking and stroking the hunter's 'king-sized' erection, and he thought of Iolaus altering his position so he could suck and stroke him at the same time. And then Hercules couldn't think anymore. He could only feel himself coming... and coming... and coming....

Iolaus heard the light snoring coming from overhead and he realized that Hercules' jerk-off session had finally reached a conclusion for the night.

'What is it gonna take to get his attention?' he asked himself as he threw off his covers, almost ripping them in his frustration. 'I all but threw myself in his lap today!'

'I'm gonna bust if he doesn't get a clue soon,' Iolaus thought. 'Why...a guy could develop calluses if things keep going on this way. Wait! Maybe that's the problem. Maybe Herc doesn't have a clue! Okay...okay...that's quite possible, after all...this is Herc we're talking about. Easy enough to take care of though. Okay my friend...prepare to be clued in!'

Iolaus wiggled under the covers and fluffed his pillow preparing to catch a few more minutes of sleep when a thought hit him , his eyes popped open and he grew an ear-to-ear silly grin. 'Oh boy! Note to Self: Three times in less than an hour. Way to go Big Guy! Heh heh heh this is going to be sooooo good!'

Eleventh Night

Hercules watched Iolaus watching Jason and Lilith. When the prince and the petite Amazon finished their nightly maneuvers, Iolaus closed his eyes and rolled onto his back in the center of his bunk.

Hercules took a chance and looked over the edge of his bunk. If Iolaus were still awake he would share some sly winks and hand gestures with his friend, indicating that he too had been watching their two friends making love. If Iolaus were sleeping he would take the opportunity to indulge in his own fantasy about the hunter.

When Hercules saw his friend's eyes closed he thought at first that Iolaus had just popped off to sleep, that is until he saw the bunching of the muscles on his right forearm and the tell-tale movement of the hunter's hand slowly stroking over his impressive erection.

Hercules figured that Iolaus was getting off on what he saw between Jason and Lilith. His breath quickened when the sheet slipped down Iolaus' body to reveal the small, strong hand and it's contents. Iolaus increased his pace until it seemed that his hand was moving in rhythm with the demigod's panted breaths. Iolaus climaxed, his ejaculate landing in pearly pools across his chest and abdomen as he groaned in ecstasy a breathy, whispered "Hercules...ahhhhhhh!"

Hercules, who had been pleasuring himself as he watched Iolaus, brought the movement of his hand to a stand-still. Stunned, he watched as Iolaus' lust filled eyes opened under heavy lids and shone the light of his love into the demigod's soul. Hercules was mesmerized. Iolaus had been fantasizing about him while he was doing it! The demigod's mouth dropped open and he froze in place as he watched Iolaus rise to a kneeling position in his lower bunk. Then he leant in to place a 'turn-the-world-upside-down' kiss on his lips.

Hercules responded to that kiss with a passion that allayed all of Iolaus' doubts about making the first move. Iolaus pulled back the demigod's cover and curled his fingers around Hercules' length. "Good, it looks like you've saved some for me," he whispered before resuming the kiss -- moving his tongue in Hercules sweet mouth in beat with his hand. Passion beyond passion -- need beyond need - two lovers seeking fulfillment that had been long denied.

Breathlessly, they broke the kiss. Hercules grabbed the hunter in a tight hug, pulling him into the upper bunk and settling Iolaus as close to his side as physically possible. Iolaus' hand moved faster and faster over the demigod's velvety length.

Hercules head dipped to his lover's neck where he could nuzzle contentedly and not have to think too much. He let the feelings take control of his being, he let his hands explore the tender territory between Iolaus' shoulders and the tight muscles of his sweet ass.

"Hercules...come for me," Iolaus quietly ordered then he swooped his head in for a kiss that intercepted and swallowed his lover's sounds of passion as he climaxed. Then Hercules watched through lust-filled, half-lidded eyes as the hunter brought his hand to his lips and licked the demigod's essence from his fingers. That did it. Hercules collapsed back into the bunk and didn't move. He was totally overcome with emotion and was almost afraid to breathe.

"You okay, Herc?" whispered his concerned friend.

The demigod nodded his head, too afraid to even whisper the word "Yes". He was afraid that it would begin a torrent of words that he didn't want to share with a room full of cadets. They were words that he wanted to keep just for the hunter's ears. He pulled the hunter's head to his chest and held him where Iolaus could feel the trembling of the arms around him, hear the rapid beating of his lover's heart and experience the silent heaving of the chest beneath his ear as the demigod tried unsuccessfully to control his emotions.

It was enough for Iolaus. He didn't need words. This said it all.

The hunter raised his head and placed a single sweet kiss over the demigod's heart then he settled back into the bunk with his new found love, pulling the demigod's arms back around him. This was the perfect time, the perfect place with the perfect person.

Twelfth Night

Iolaus would be on guard duty all night so Hercules settled into his bunk resigned to the fact that he'd be left to his fantasies once again. But this time would be different; this time he'd have the realities of the previous night to attach to the fantasy. He had a real lover now...the lover of his dreams with a name, a face and a body that he already knew well but wanted to know more intimately. Iolaus!

When the time came for his nocturnal ritual, he would be able to vividly imagine the taste and texture of the hunter. And for good measure, he grabbed Iolaus' pillow, threw it on top of his own and buried his face in it to make things a little more real for him.

Hercules settled himself in the bunk to get some sleep. He turned over on his left side, pulled the covers up around his chest and slipped his arm under the pillows where he encountered a folded up piece of parchment. The demigod pulled the missive out and read the words by flickering torch light.

"Hey, Herc! Guard duty's tonight so I won't be able to gaze upon your mooning face peeking over my bunk tonight but I've got some good news for us. I've arranged to take an extra long break starting at 2:00 instead of 2:30 a.m. I told Therlius that if he relieved me a half-hour early I'd tell Cheiron that we were playing practical jokes on him by stealing his breechclouts and hiding them in different places all over the Academy grounds and that's why he found Therlius' polka dot undergarments in the first stall of the stables during last week's inspection. We'll have a whole hour to ourselves. Great, huh? So, bring a blanket and a snack from the kitchen and meet me in the garden behind the infirmary at 2:00. Be there! Okay, pal? Signed: Iolaus, the master-planner supreme.

P.S. Oh, and tonight Herc...save it ALL for me..."