“You spend too much time with the dead,” Xochiquetzal had told him. “You forget what makes you alive.”
For a time, he’d thought the goddess was wrong. He had his priesthood, his temple, and his gods. He was at peace. What more did he need? Anything else would be...messy. Unnecessary. A distraction.
He built his own tomb brick by brick, not even noticing the clay caught under his fingernails. But it was fine, he was fine, he didn’t need anything else. Love and lust were for other people, for men not sworn to the gods. They weren’t for him.
But Teomitl smiled, and his heartbeat thumped against the walls of his ribcage. But Teomitl took his hand, and he felt that touch in every inch of his suddenly-awakened skin. But Teomitl shucked his cloak and stretched like a jaguar in the sun, all dark skin and strong muscles, and he couldn’t tear his stinging eyes away.
Xochiquetzal was still wrong. Acatl still spent plenty of time with the dead, but he knew exactly what made him alive.
Obsidian & Blood, Acatl/Teomitl
“You spend too much time with the dead,” Xochiquetzal had told him. “You forget what makes you alive.”
For a time, he’d thought the goddess was wrong. He had his priesthood, his temple, and his gods. He was at peace. What more did he need? Anything else would be...messy. Unnecessary. A distraction.
He built his own tomb brick by brick, not even noticing the clay caught under his fingernails. But it was fine, he was fine, he didn’t need anything else. Love and lust were for other people, for men not sworn to the gods. They weren’t for him.
But Teomitl smiled, and his heartbeat thumped against the walls of his ribcage. But Teomitl took his hand, and he felt that touch in every inch of his suddenly-awakened skin. But Teomitl shucked his cloak and stretched like a jaguar in the sun, all dark skin and strong muscles, and he couldn’t tear his stinging eyes away.
Xochiquetzal was still wrong. Acatl still spent plenty of time with the dead, but he knew exactly what made him alive.