[ Horus looks surprised when Walter is ready for him, and looking soft and friendly. There are a few brief seconds where he just stares, then holds up the gift that he brought for him. His face breaks into a smile and he holds up the gift he brought for Walter first. It's nothing near as thoughtful as what he's unaware Walter got him, but people kept speaking of the new year (despite that it's nowhere near time...) so Horus really just came over in an excitement to wish his friend a happy new year. ]
I'm told this is a magical drink used to reign the year in around this time.
[ He pushes it toward Walter so he can use his hands to climb up. 'u' ]
[A gift isn't something Walter is expecting in turn. He's quite certain there aren't any Egyptian gods who would celebrate Christmas, and he's entirely unversed in whatever celebrations they might have held, save for what Horus wrote in the book at the party.
It would strike him as a little odd to give a gift in celebration of oneself.
Yet, here Horus is, a gift in hand, talking about the new year. Surely they didn't celebrate the new year at the same time; didn't the ancient world operate on a lunar calendar...?]
You brought me a gift...?
[Pleasantly confused, he accepts the present, taking it into his hands and stepping back to give Horus room to climb inside.]
Is it not traditional to do so at this time? A gesture of good will for the new year. Even if they have the dates entirely wrong, it sounds like fun, doesn't it?
[ He grins and pulls himself up into the window, shaking a bit of snow out of his hair once he's upright. ]
[Walter can't say he minds receiving something from Horus. It's nice to be thought of, even if the present is alcohol.
Perhaps they can drink it together. And he, slowly.
Taking two steps to draw back to the desk to set the bottle down, Walter returns to the window, leaning against the armoire standing tall next to the frame.
The colour of the snow does not stand out much in Horus' hair, but the way the light catches it is... nice.]
You do? [ Horus actually looks genuinely surprised. Horus talks of his origins enough that Walter would know this is not when he celebrates the coming of the new year, so even if Horus had brought a gift in case this was Walter's perceived date, he hadn't expected anything in return. ]
[That brief affirmation uttered, he moves to open the armoire.]
I've actually planned on giving you this for a few weeks now. It just took some time to put together, simple though it is.
[Finding a means to improve the water resistance had been the most time consuming--the garments he extracts made of pure, rich silk. Grasping hangers in his hand, he withdraws a pair of full, ankle-length robes, cradling the fabric as he spreads his arms to show them off in the light. They shimmer under the sun's rays; one purest white, and the other dyed a deep, royal blue.]
[ Ah.. Horus's eyes are wide as he looks over the fabric, running his hand along the underside as he takes it from Walter. It's beautiful... like something royalty should be wearing, more than the cloths he grew up wearing hiding in an oasis. It truly is something fit for a king, and Walter was thinking this much of him... ]
This is glorious, Walter. [ He holds it up to his chest, turning toward the window to see the full effect of the shimmer. ] How did you come across something like this?
[Witnessing Horus' reaction, Walter entirely forgets the cold. Seeing his eyes full of wonder fills him with warmth.]
Chang Geng made it.
[Perhaps, coming over as often as he has, Horus might have by now picked up on how Walter calls Li Min by this other name when not referencing him in public.]
He even recommended the cloth. After you and Lord Set nearly froze yourselves to death I thought you both should have clothes that would help you through the winter.
[Clothes they hopefully would not be tempted to immediately discard, accustomed to wearing so little as they are.]
[ The warmth and admiration he feels for Walter right now (and impress at Chang Geng's skills) are high... and yet, Horus can't help but make jokes. If he doesn't tease Walter about this, Walter will have to see him get even mushier. ]
Shall I start calling you "Mother" for how much you worry over me?
[ But more seriously: ]
What kind of cloth is it? I've never seen anything like it.
[As much as he tends to mother those he cares about, and Horus in particular -- the god needs it, and rather badly at times -- Walter isn't quite keen on stepping into the actual role.
No, the only time he'll offer to be called that is when he serves the tea.]
Silk, a fabric originally from the far east. Chang Geng's "Great Liang", or what my people call "China", if you were to look at a map. I do not know if it exists as far back as your time, but its history spans thousands of years.
[He slips his fingers around the knot of his tie, drawing it down until the black strip of fabric slides loose.]
You're wrong about not seeing it before, though. You just never noticed.
[ Somehow. Horus is a good many things, but he's not a seamster. He can't tell what Walter's tie feels like just from a glance, and the lighter fabric shines in the light in a way he hadn't seen before. He moves closer to reach for Walter's tie, to run his fingers along it if Walter lets him as well to compare. ]
[It's true that the tie does not shine as much. It is, after all, dyed darkest black, and Walter so rarely walks in the full brightness of the day. Still, he allows Horus his curious touches, even playfully running the other end of it over his wrist. It is still soft, though perhaps a bit denser, with less of that glossy, satiny feel to its texture.]
It might be a different weave, though I never thought to ask what manner of silk it was.
[He'd been grateful enough to have new clothes at the time.]
[ He knows. When Horus thinks about the two of them, he thinks of himself like the daylight, and Walter like the moonlight. He realizes something as he hums and touches Walter's tie, but doesn't share it out loud yet. ]
I'm going to try it on!
[ He backs away from him, turning his back to Walter and stripping. At least.. he turned his back? ]
[At this stage of their knowing each other, Walter isn't entirely surprised by Horus' decision to strip then and there. Still, he turns away politely, attempting to ward off the blush rising in his cheeks through sheer will alone.]
[ Having never put on robes like this before, it takes him some time, and it's definitely not tied correctly. He hums as he examines it, untying what he did. ]
[ Horus shrugs it off of himself and hands it over, holding his arms out. ]
I know how to get dressed with normal clothing, but we do not have anything like this. Apparently there are nobles who do not dress themselves in other worlds.
[ But he wants Walter to know, he can. Horus can stand on his own two feet and isn't useless or lacking common knowledge. Walter is his friend, he doesn't want him to look down on him. ]
[Despite Walter's efforts, when Horus bares himself to hand over the garments entire, the blood rushes to the surface of his skin, spreading its rosy hue over his natural marble tone.
To his credit, he does not drop the fabric; but it takes him a moment to remember his vocal chords exist.]
......Yes, that's right. Or, it was.
[He says, deliberately not looking away from his friend's face.]
[ It should be noted that underwear was decidedly not invented in Horus's time, so he is not wearing any. ]
Was it like that in your time?
[ He was a servant, wasn't he? Horus wonders if he's dressed other people. He stays still, waiting for Walter to make a move. Maybe he hasn't, if he's this shy about it. ]
You don't serve a god or a noble.. You've never told me much of your master, beyond that you have one.
[ Horus seems steady, unworried about the closeness, but he is paying attention to it. He's trying to focus on what Walter does so he can put it on himself properly next time. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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I'm told this is a magical drink used to reign the year in around this time.
[ He pushes it toward Walter so he can use his hands to climb up. 'u' ]
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It would strike him as a little odd to give a gift in celebration of oneself.
Yet, here Horus is, a gift in hand, talking about the new year. Surely they didn't celebrate the new year at the same time; didn't the ancient world operate on a lunar calendar...?]
You brought me a gift...?
[Pleasantly confused, he accepts the present, taking it into his hands and stepping back to give Horus room to climb inside.]
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[ He grins and pulls himself up into the window, shaking a bit of snow out of his hair once he's upright. ]
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Perhaps they can drink it together. And he, slowly.
Taking two steps to draw back to the desk to set the bottle down, Walter returns to the window, leaning against the armoire standing tall next to the frame.
The colour of the snow does not stand out much in Horus' hair, but the way the light catches it is... nice.]
I have something for you, too.
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[ Horus actually looks genuinely surprised. Horus talks of his origins enough that Walter would know this is not when he celebrates the coming of the new year, so even if Horus had brought a gift in case this was Walter's perceived date, he hadn't expected anything in return. ]
Now I'm intrigued.
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[That brief affirmation uttered, he moves to open the armoire.]
I've actually planned on giving you this for a few weeks now. It just took some time to put together, simple though it is.
[Finding a means to improve the water resistance had been the most time consuming--the garments he extracts made of pure, rich silk. Grasping hangers in his hand, he withdraws a pair of full, ankle-length robes, cradling the fabric as he spreads his arms to show them off in the light. They shimmer under the sun's rays; one purest white, and the other dyed a deep, royal blue.]
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This is glorious, Walter. [ He holds it up to his chest, turning toward the window to see the full effect of the shimmer. ] How did you come across something like this?
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Chang Geng made it.
[Perhaps, coming over as often as he has, Horus might have by now picked up on how Walter calls Li Min by this other name when not referencing him in public.]
He even recommended the cloth. After you and Lord Set nearly froze yourselves to death I thought you both should have clothes that would help you through the winter.
[Clothes they hopefully would not be tempted to immediately discard, accustomed to wearing so little as they are.]
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Shall I start calling you "Mother" for how much you worry over me?
[ But more seriously: ]
What kind of cloth is it? I've never seen anything like it.
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No, the only time he'll offer to be called that is when he serves the tea.]
Silk, a fabric originally from the far east. Chang Geng's "Great Liang", or what my people call "China", if you were to look at a map. I do not know if it exists as far back as your time, but its history spans thousands of years.
[He slips his fingers around the knot of his tie, drawing it down until the black strip of fabric slides loose.]
You're wrong about not seeing it before, though. You just never noticed.
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[ Somehow. Horus is a good many things, but he's not a seamster. He can't tell what Walter's tie feels like just from a glance, and the lighter fabric shines in the light in a way he hadn't seen before. He moves closer to reach for Walter's tie, to run his fingers along it if Walter lets him as well to compare. ]
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It might be a different weave, though I never thought to ask what manner of silk it was.
[He'd been grateful enough to have new clothes at the time.]
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I'm going to try it on!
[ He backs away from him, turning his back to Walter and stripping. At least.. he turned his back? ]
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Let me know when you are done.
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What is the proper means to tie it?
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Walter takes a breath, turns to face the older boy, and steps forward, hands gently reaching for the fabric.]
Here, let me help.
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I know how to get dressed with normal clothing, but we do not have anything like this. Apparently there are nobles who do not dress themselves in other worlds.
[ But he wants Walter to know, he can. Horus can stand on his own two feet and isn't useless or lacking common knowledge. Walter is his friend, he doesn't want him to look down on him. ]
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To his credit, he does not drop the fabric; but it takes him a moment to remember his vocal chords exist.]
......Yes, that's right. Or, it was.
[He says, deliberately not looking away from his friend's face.]
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Was it like that in your time?
[ He was a servant, wasn't he? Horus wonders if he's dressed other people. He stays still, waiting for Walter to make a move. Maybe he hasn't, if he's this shy about it. ]
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[That said, he takes a breath, swallows the lump that feels like it has formed in his throat, and steps forward to help his friend dress.
The white robe is the first to go on, the butler gathering the fabric in a way that is favourable to movement, but not displeasing to the eyes.
He's new at this, too.]
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[ Horus seems steady, unworried about the closeness, but he is paying attention to it. He's trying to focus on what Walter does so he can put it on himself properly next time. ]
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Are you interested in him?
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My master...
...is a womanizing, alcoholic slob who could not keep his rooms clean to save his life.
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[ Horus does his best to pester him, after all, and he seems to like it.. ]
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Nailed it, Horus.
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