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In their junior year of college, Patroclus noticed Hector would not stop staring at him.  Whenever Patroclus would look up and catch him, the man would blush and turn away. But soon it became more forceful. He began to sit next to Patroclus every class, and strike up conversation, and painfully tried to flirt with him. Patroclus kept it short and sweet, and responded to the flirting by subtly adding a tidbit about Achilles- his BOYFRIEND, hoping Hector got the message. Their conversations would end when Patroclus finally lost his patience and once again told him he was not interested.

Patroclus told Achilles what was going on immediately. He did not want someone else to tell him and their relationship turn into a plot akin to Othello. He loved Achilles too much to ever let a rumor hurt him. At first he asked Achilles to stay out of it- that he could handle a flirty classmate, just as they both have done multiple times. But when Hector became more forceful, Patroclus asked Achilles to walk him to and from class, just to make sure Hector did not try anything once they were out of sight of the professor. Since Achilles had that period free, he readily agreed. He would sit in the study area across from the classroom and work on homework until Patroclus was ready to go home.

One week, Hector and Patroclus were teamed up on a class project. They mainly worked in the library, comforting Patroclus greatly. He liked having Achilles close by in case something happened. It also had the added benefit of encouraging Achilles to study. But two days before the project was due, a pipe burst in the library, closing it for the next week. Patroclus and Hector needed to meet to finalize their presentation, so Hector suggested they meet in hi
s dorm room. Neither Patroclus nor Achilles liked this idea, but they finally decided that being stuck in a car for 15 minutes was worse than a dorm room where he could leave whenever he wished.

So while he hated the idea, Patroclus met Hector in his dorm room. As he was walking up to the suite, Patroclus had a feeling, a feeling that Hector might go beyond his typical nonsense. He turned on the recorder on his phone, just
in case anything  happened. After a few hours, he thought he was being silly as the meeting went as well as could be expected. Hector seemed focused on their project, so Pat was saved from the awkward flirting. Instead they split who was saying what, edited each other’s parts, and refined the PowerPoint. Soon the project looked nearly perfect- definitely enough to earn an A. After about an hour, it was clear that preparing more would simply be a detriment, so Patroclus turned to leave.

“Patroclus, wait.” Hector said, placing his hand on Patroclus’ shoulder. “ I had something I wanted to ask you.”

Patroclus froze as his hand was on the doorknob. He turned to face Hector. “What is it? I need to get home to study for my exam tomorrow.”

“It will only be a second, I promise.” Hector said. He smiled as he saw Pat waiting.

“Good boy- I bet you are such a good lover.”

“Achilles- my BOYFRIEND- thinks so.” Patroclus said. He sighed. “I’ve told you multiple times, Hector, I have a boyfriend, a boyfriend that I love more than anyone in this world. While I’m flattered, it is a no.”

“Come on! You know we’d make a better couple than you and that stupid Achilles!” Hector said. “We’re two of the brightest students in the entire school. We are both becoming future doctors! Why would you want a lowly music major when you could have me?”

“It’s a no, Hector. And that's final.” Patroclus said. “I will see…”

Hector suddenly pushed Patroclus against the door and forced his mouth against his. Patroclus could feel he was very turned on as his hardness poked his thigh.
He tried to push Hector away, but the larger man easily pinned him against the door. Patroclus felt as Hector’s rough grip began to leave bruises on his arms and shoulders. Hector’s hands began to move down Patroclus’ back, one grabbing his ass and the other started to slide underneath Patroclus’ waistband. 
Patroclus squirmed under Hector’s touch. He leaned away as far as he could as he felt Hector moving down to his neck. Somehow Patroclus was able to get his hands against the other’s shoulders and push him hard enough to fall backwards.

“It’s a no, Hector!” Patroclus said angrily. Before Hector could get up or respond, Patroclus walked out, slamming the door behind him.
 
Patroclus felt tears prick his eyes as he nearly ran down the hallway. Something about the interaction felt so violating. Before he realized it, he felt cold air touch his face. He turned off the recording and was about to text Achilles when he ran into him waiting outside.

“Were you waiting out here this entire time?!” Patroclus asked .He gently placed a hand onto Achilles’ red cheeks and found them frozen. “It’s so cold out here! Are you okay?!”

“Yes, I’m okay, Pat.” Achilles said. “ And yes, I was waiting the whole time. I had a feeling something was going to happen, and by the looks of your face it did.”

All Patroclus could do was nod as he tried to hold it together. Achilles embraced him, his heart braking as he felt his love stiffen.

Hector hurt him,

Achilles thought angrily. But he kept it to himself. Instead, he smiled and gently took Patroclus’ hand.

“You’re right- it is cold out here. Why don’t we go home? You can tell me in the car- where we can run the heat at full blast.” Achilles said, squeezing Patroclus’ hand.

“Okay,” Patroclus said. He reached into his bag and grabbed his keys. He was about to put them on his belt when Achilles suddenly took them.

“I’m driving, Pat.” Achilles said sternly. Pat nodded and followed Achilles to the parking lot

When the car door closed, Achilles looked at Patroclus closely. He hated how hurt and withdrawn his boyfriend looked as he trembled in the seat next to him. He could tell Pat was trying to make himself as small as possible, while still saying safely buckled. Achilles felt a wave of anxiety when he realized the extent of what Hector could have done. He gently stroked Patroclus’ hand.

“What happened, love?.” Achilles asked softly.

Patroclus began to cry, trembling harder in his seat.

Achilles felt the anger rising. But he kept it hidden. Patroclus needed him, not his anger. 
“Shh, Love. Don’t cry. I will take care of you. It will be okay, I promise.”

Achilles turned Patroclus to meet his eyes. He took a deep breath.
“Do I need to drive you to the ER? If so, please let me take you. I know it will be violating, but I wouldn’t leave your side, no matter what the process entails.  We don’t know what type of bugs that prick has, and the last thing I want is you to get sick because of him.”

Patroclus shook his head. He took a steady breath. “No. Can we just go straight home? I’ll explain on the way.”

Achilles nodded. He put the car in reverse and began to travel the familiar path home. He listened silently as Pat told him recounted what Hector did to him. With much effort, Achilles kept his mind clear, his  body language calm and his face soft. The last thing he wanted was to get so enraged he ends up killing them, or for Patroclus to think he was mad at him. He would have time for rage later. Right now, his only concern was to get them home, and to take care of Pat.

By the time Patroclus finished, they were at their apartment. Achilles grabbed Patroclus’ bag and  helped Pat out of the car. Patroclus was still trembling so hard that Achilles needed to practically care him to keep him from collapsing. He placed his around his waist and together they walked into their apartment.

Achilles gently placed Patroclus' bag on the bench of the entryway, mindful that Patroclus' laptop was inside. He took off his shoes and helped Pat do the same before leading them both to the living room. He placed Patroclus down gently on a beanbag chair, and caught his gaze.

“I want to cuddle you, Pat. Would that be helpful or would you rather not be touched?” Achilles asked. He waited as Pat seemed to turn over the question in his mind

“I want to cuddle you.” Pat said finally. “I need to feel your embrace.”

Achilles nodded. He gently helped Patroclus up, led him to the couch and sat them both down. Achilles scooched up against the armrest, opened his arms to invite Patroclus climb on him, and let him place his head on Achilles' chest. Once Pat seemed comfortable, Achilles wrapped his arms around him, holding him tight. They stayed like that for several minutes. Achilles felt relief flow through him as Patroclus slowly stopped trembling and relaxed.

Achilles kissed his forehead.
“I can tell you have more on your mind. Can we talk about it?” Achilles asked gently.

Patroclus nodded. He took a deep breath and began.

“It’s so stupid that I’m this upset.” Patroclus said. “It was just a make-out session! He didn’t do anything except kiss me and feel me up over my clothes. It is really nothing. Yet I still feel so dirty, so messed up.”

Patroclus’ eyes filled with tears. “But then again, I did cheat. I just made out with another person, a person that wasn't you. I felt another male's lips- the fact you can even stand me right now shows your truly selfless heart. Especially since I must have either wanted it or been too pathetic to stop it, else it wouldn’t have happened. Either way, I cheated on you. I am so sorry.”

Patroclus took a deep breath. “I’ll understand if you break up with me. Just let me know." He
paused, thinking. “I should probably give you some space. It must be torturous to be cheated on and then be forced to comfort the cheater.”

Patroclus tried to get up but couldn’t. His legs gave out on him as he collapsed into sobs, falling forward. The idea of Achilles leaving him felt like he had been torn in half. He honestly couldn’t survive.

Achilles felt his heart shatter as he realized the true extent of Patroclus’ agony. He quickly sat up and caught Pat moments before he hit his head on the wooden coffee table. He knelt before him and caught his gaze.

“May I pull you back into my embrace? I would really like to.” Achilles said softly. “I also have a lot of things I want to tell you. But I will not do either without your consent.”

Pat nodded. He climbed back onto Achilles who accepted him gladly, rubbing his shoulder lovingly. Achilles' face fell when he saw the  bruises beginning to appear beneath the dark skin.

I am going to kill the bastard.

Achilles thought. But first, he had a lot that Pat needed to know.

“Look at me.” Achilles said gently. Patroclus looked up at him, his gray eyes swollen and red.

Once Patroclus made eye contact, Achilles continued. “This is not your fault, Patroclus- It’s Hectors. There was nothing you could have done to prevent it. There was no way you would know that Hector would attack you. It is not unreasonable to expect that a classmate will respect your boundaries, regardless of your location. The only way you could have prevented this was to be an oracle, or give a preemptive punch. I might have done the latter, but that’s just me. I know assault might look bad on a medical school application.”

Achilles smiled at Patroclus, hoping he found levity in the joke. His face fell when it was clear he did not. He sighed
“What’s important is that you successfully fought him off- something you wouldn't have done if you wanted it.”

Achilles grabbed Pat’s hand and squeezed it. “I know for a fact you didn’t want it, Patroclus.” Achilles continued. “ If you had, you wouldn’t be affected like this. The reason you’re so upset is because you didn’t want to kiss him, didn’t want to feel his touch, but was forced to anyway. He violated your consent- it makes sense you feel this way. And if you think it would be so bad as to upset me, why does it surprise you that it is also enough to upset you?”

Achilles kissed Patroclus’ hands. “Breaking up with you didn’t even cross my subconscious mind. Breaking  Hector's bones? Yes. But not with you. I would never break up with you because you were forced to feel another man’s touch. You are mine- I wouldn’t give you up that easily.”

Patroclus gave a weak smile. But his face fell once more. “I have to present with him on Friday. I don’t know if I can face him, but I need to pass this class.”

“Don’t worry- I’ll help you with that.” Achilles said. “For now, I’m getting you something to eat, some water and some tea. The only thing you need to do right now is feel better.”

Patroclus smiled. “Thank you, Achilles. Though  I really don’t deserve it.”

Achilles stroked his hair. “Patroclus, you always deserve it. You are the most selfless person I’ve ever met. You’ve taken care of my stupid ass so many times I’ve lost count. Let me take care of you.”

Achilles tilted up Patroclus ’ chin. “May I kiss you?” He asked.

Patroclus nodded. “Yes.”

Achilles bent down and kissed his love. “It will be okay, I promise.” He
 went to get up to make dinner, but Pat held him back.

“All I want is to cuddle you right now.” Patroclus said. “Can we eat later?.”

“Of course, sweetheart. But I will be making sure you eat” Achilles said. He kissed Patroclus gently. “I’ll order us something. We can cuddle until it gets here. Okay?”

Patroclus nodded.

“Alright then.” Achilles said. He grabbed his phone and then wrapped his arm around Patroclus, holding him close to his chest. “I love you so much, Patroclus. I will always be here for you, always. My arms will always keep you safe and help you heal, until the end of the universe.” He whispered. Patroclus smiled as he relaxed into Achilles' loving embrace.

****

With Achilles’ help, Patroclus explained the situation to his professor, sending him an email with the recording attached. The professor emailed back immediately, saying he understands completely. He gave Patroclus an extension and allowed him to switch class times. Because the professor was a mandatory reporter, he did send the recording to school officials, who asked Patroclus if he wanted to press charges. He decided against it as having to relive that memory over and over would simply cause more pain. But he did ask for Hector to be kept away from him, which the school granted happily.

Soon it was the last two weeks of the semester. Patroclus was so busy with other schoolwork that he entirely forgot about Hector. Hector stuck to the agreement  and avoided Patroclus at all costs. So the event quickly faded into a painful memory.

On the Friday before the last week of classes, Patroclus was walking back to his car. He was exhausted, having just completed two final exams and a presentation. But luckily that meant he only had one exam on Monday before he could enjoy his winter break with Achilles. But for now, Patroclus just wanted to get home and relax with his love, before the study grind began anew on Saturday.

Maybe we can even catch that new horror movie. That would be fun.

Patroclus thought, happily. He daydreamed about holding Achilles in the back of the theater, quietly joking about the movie until his lips became too tempting.

He was brought out of his thoughts when a group of guys appeared behind him. At first, Patroclus thought nothing of it- it was a college campus after all and he was walking towards the parking lot. But the way they were keeping pace with him- staying just behind him, began to make Patroclus nervous.

Are they following me?

Patroclus decided to test this by turning quickly to walk towards the library. He kept his pace calm- after all, he was probably just being paranoid. He had just reached the library steps when he felt a brick hit the back of his head, causing him to fall forward.

Patroclus was surprisingly able to stay conscious. He rubbed the back of his throbbing head and was perturbed to see it was bleeding profusely. And that was just the initial attack- the men were quickly approaching, obviously intent on causing Patroclus more pain. He shakily got to his feet in enough time to start defending himself.

Patroclus was not a small man by any stretch of the imagination. He stood well over six feet, and had a very muscular build. He was a talented boxer, and usually could take anyone in a fight. When the men attacked, Patroclus was able to keep his own for the first few throws. But with his head pounding and hazy, the men quickly overcame him, knocking him to the ground.

“Hey look guys- here's Achilles’ bitch.” one man said, kicking Patroclus hard in the stomach.

“Look at the f****! He’s practically whimpering.” Another jeered, kicking him in the back of the head. A wave of agony washed over him, causing black spots to cloud his vision.

“He’s so weak he doesn’t even hit back!” Another laughed. He kicked Patroclus’ shoulder so hard Patroclus could hear a pop. His arm went numb and could no longer be used.

“He’s just like his stupid boyfriend- weak and pathetic.” Another added, kicking Patroclus’ back.

“He’s an idiot too- this wouldn’t be happening if he had simply said yes to my brother’s advances.” Paris said, using a bat to smash his face.

All Patroclus could do was curl up and take the beating. He tried his best to protect his face and head, but his hands offered little protection against the hard kicks. He felt his entire body swell with pain as he desperately tried not to vomit. 
After what felt like a lifetime, the group of men stopped and walked away laughing. Patroclus felt tears prick his eyes, both from pain and from fear. He slowly got up, and limped his way back to his car. He just needed to get home.

But the pain and dizziness overwhelmed him  and he collapsed.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Achilles finished his book with a smile. It had been fascinating- the Ancient Greeks knew much more about music theory than Achilles would have ever thought. The book has also been a surprisingly  quick read- he finished it before Patroclus got home. Achilles couldn’t wait to discuss it with him.

He sighed. His poor love has been working so hard, perfecting his projects and studying for his seemingly endless exams. Patroclus had spent hours studying in the library every day this week on subjects that made Achilles’ head swim just LOOKING at. When they had studied together a few days ago, Achilles saw Patroclus go between his two hardest classes. He started with  drawing and memorizing hundreds of different reactions. The movements of the organic molecules looked like spiderwebs to Achilles. Then he started working on math that had more letters than his English class, and weirder symbols than the ones he saw in advanced music theory class. One was three, s-looking lines that Patroclus called a “triple integral.”

Meanwhile, Achilles  was struggling with the most basic biological topics. He got so confused when the professor rushed through cell structure and metabolism into genetics, a topics he especially struggled with.  He couldn't understand how DNA replicated, and how that connected with inheritance. Even the deceptively simple Punnett square was confusing. It made him feel so stupid. His professor definitely thought so-he had gotten so frustrated he refused to explain it again when Achilles went to his office hours.

It was the first class Achilles  had actually been afraid of failing. He almost did- he failed his first two exams, even after studying for hours before both of them. Worse, if he dropped the class, he wouldn’t graduate on time. But after he got a 56 on his second exam, he felt like he had to. He was so ashamed he tried to avoid everyone, including Patroclus. He had no right to complain over such an easy class when Patroclus was having to study far into the night.

Achilles tried to hide in their bedroom, confident that Patroclus wouldn’t be home for hours. He simply stayed there and cried, occasionally screaming in rage at how stupid he was. He smashed his fists against the bed frame, ignoring the pain that it brought.

I am so stupid. I don’t deserve to be in college.

About a half hour later, Achilles was brought out of his head by a hand on his shoulder. He turned and saw a worried Patroclus looking at him.

“Baby, what’s wrong?” Patroclus asked. All Achilles could do was hang his head in shame. He noticed the exam paper was on the bed. He went to hide it, but Patroclus got it first. He stared at the exam, a look of surprise washing over his face.

“Are you surprised how stupid I am? Because I certainly was.” Achilles said. “My professor even kicked me out of his office hours as I was “intentionally not getting it.”

His eyes welled with frustrated tears. “But I’m trying to understand it, Pat. I really am. I’m working so hard on this one class. But I am simply too stupid.

Achilles went to punch the bed frame again but Patroclus caught his hand and held it tightly. When he saw Achilles flinch, he gently examined it and frowned. He wrapped his arms around Achilles, and  brought him into his chest. For several minutes they simply stayed there. Achilles relaxed into Patroclus feeling himself slowly calming down. When he was fully relaxed, Patroclus let him rest a minute before breaking the embrace and catching his gaze.

“Achilles, you are NOT stupid.” Patroclus said sternly. “And I will never let you think that.” He saw Achilles’ bag in front of him and grabbed a random music assignment out. Achilles saw him look down at it and grimace.

“A stupid person couldn’t make sense of this.” Patroclus said. “I have absolutely no idea what half these symbols are, and I’ve been playing the harp as long as you have. Like why the hell is there an X over this note?! And why is there a boob over it?!

Achilles snorted. “The “boobs” mean fermata. It means you pause or hold the note, depending on the context. The X is a double-sharp, meaning you raise that note to the next whole tone.

Achilles gently took the assignment and pointed to the section Patroclus was looking at.  “So  this “C” would be played as a D instead of a C-sharp, and held for the full duration.”

“And I bet if I asked you to play it, it would sound beautiful!” Patroclus said. “Something that I cannot do with even the most advanced mathematical equations.”

“But at least you can pass all your easy classes.” Achilles said. “I apparently cannot. Even you seemed surprised at how stupid I am.”

Patroclus brought Achilles back to his chest and kissed his forehead. “Not at all- quite the opposite.” He gently moved a golden lock out of Achilles’ swollen eyes. “ The reason I was surprised was because the topics I saw on the exam are much harder than what I’d expect would be in a science class for non-majors, especially exploring these topics in so much detail. It honestly might be harder than my Intro to Biology was- and that was a class designed so at least half the bio majors dropped out. For a non-major with little to no previous experience, this is ridiculous.”

Patroclus paused, thinking for a second. “It’s akin to asking someone who has barely learned how to play the most basic scales to play Fur Elise in  A minor at full speed. It may look relatively easy to someone who has years of music experience, but to a newbie, it’s extreme difficult. They’d struggle because they don’t have enough experience or a deep enough understanding to be able to put all the pieces together.

"T
he same thing is going on here- you don’t have enough background knowledge to understand what the hell is going on. Nor should you be expected to- you're a music major for Gods sake! They didn't accept you into the program because you took AP Biology.” Patroclus said exasperated.
He looked at the top of the exam and saw the professor’s name. “And this professor is quite bad at decerning difficulty levels, and changing his teaching style to help students to understand what he is trying to teach them. And he really hates having to teach this course.”

Patroclus sighed. “ I started worrying about you taking his class when he began bragging about making his non-majors class as hard as possible because he’s “sick of people thinking it was an easy A”. He said he wanted to make the students cry, and it looks like he succeeded.”

Patroclus  grabbed Achilles’ hands and kissed them gently. Achilles saw they were bloody and bruised.

“He is not worth this, Achilles.” Patroclus said. He placed a hand on his cheek and dried his tears. “And he doesn’t deserve these either. I will get you through this, I promise.”

“But you have so much more important things to do than deal with my stupid ass.” Achilles said, faking a laugh. But Patroclus’ eyes stayed serious. Achilles looked down again. He felt Patroclus gently lift his chin.

“Love, there is nothing in this world that would keep me from helping you when you need me.” Patroclus said. “You are the most important person in my life, and you one of my top priorities.”

Patroclus kissed Achilles and smiled. “Besides, I could always brush up on these skills.”

His eyes became serious once more. “Can I trust you to leave the poor bedpost alone?” Achilles nodded. “Okay, I’ll be right back.”

Patroclus moved out of sight. When he came back, his hands were full with a first-aid kit, some bandages, ice, medicine and a water. He sat next to Achilles and began to treat his wounds, unwrapping a disinfection wipe and gently wiping his knuckles. Achilles winced at the sting. Patroclus rubbed his leg comfortingly.

“I’m sorry, baby.” Patroclus said. “But I need to make sure your cuts don’t get infected. It will only sting a minute, I promise.”

Achilles nodded and Patroclus continued. He took out the ointment and gently placed it on the cuts. He covered  Achilles’ knuckles with gauze and wrapped them with medical tape.

“There!” Patroclus said. 
 
“You’re not going to kiss it?” Achilles joked.

"Sorry, your highness.” Patroclus clipped back, kissing his hand. “Happy?”

“Mhm” Achilles said.

“Good. Then take this.” Patroclus said, handing him medication and water. “Your knuckles are going to smart later.”

His eyes soften as he kissed Achilles’ forehead. “We’ll get you through this, I promise.”

Somehow, Patroclus found the time to help Achilles.  He would never understand HOW Patroclus was so good with breaking down these complex concepts so even he could understand it. Heck, Patroclus’ excitement and passion was so contagious Achilles had even began to find it interesting. With Patroclus’ help, he got a B on the next exam.

Achilles couldn’t wait for Patroclus to get home. He  was excited to tell Patroclus he got an A on his bio class, letting him pass with an B. Achilles knew that Patroclus would be as happy about it as he was. 
Even though Patroclus wasn’t home yet, Achilles thought it was a good idea to put the pizza order in. That way the pizza and Patroclus should come at around the same time.

Achilles grabbed his computer to order online when he saw the time. 8:45 pm. Patroclus’ last class ended over 4 hours ago.

Achilles tried to stay calm. After all, Patroclus accidentally stayed late all the time. He gets absorbed in biology textbooks as Achilles does with music ones.  Patroclus probably even texted him, but he was too absorbed in his book to notice.
Achilles grabbed his phone and chuckled in relief when he saw Patroclus had indeed sent him a text:

Today, 4:45 pm

Hey sweetie! Just got out of class. I should be home in fifteen minutes! Love you <3

Achilles smiled, relief filling his body. Until he saw the time- 4:45 pm, four hours ago at this point. Achilles took a deep breath as panic began to overwhelm him.

Patroclus probably just got distracted by something and forgot to text an update.

Achilles thought.

Achilles found Patroclus’ contact and called him. The phone just kept ringing. Achilles felt his heart leap when it finally connected. “Hello?”

“Hey this is Pat. Sorry I missed your call. Try texting me like a normal person- I’m much more  likely to respond. Otherwise, leave a message.”

Achilles hung up, panic seizing him.

Where is he? Did something happen?

Achilles was jolted out of his thoughts by his phone ringing. He looked at the number and saw it was one he didn’t immediately recognize. However, it looked familiar enough so Achilles decided to pick it up.

“Hello?” Achilles asked

“Hello! Is this Mr. Pelides’?” a kind voice said on the other end.

“Depends on who's asking.” Achilles said, trying to laugh. When he was met with silence, he hurriedly said. “Yes, this is he.”

“Hello Mr. Pelides. I am Nurse Jane at Delphi Hospital. I am calling to inform you that your boyfriend has been severely injured. He is stable, but in critical condition. I am letting you know as you are the first on his Emergency contact list.”

Achilles felt his heart freeze. His thoughts felt like they were in slow motion as he tried to comprehend the words he was hearing. Some part of his brain was able to finish the conversation- “Thank you for letting me know. I will be there as soon as possible.”

Achilles felt his body grab his keys and get in his car. He blinks and he is suddenly at the hospital, running up to the reception desk. The woman smiled at him.

“Hello, I am here to see Patroclus Chironides.” Achilles said.

A nurse turned to him. “Are you Mr. Pelides?”

Achilles nodded.

Her eyes filled with sympathy. “I’m Nurse Jane- the one who called you. Please follow me.” She said. 
Jane brought him to a small room at the end of the hall. She paused in front of the door and turned to Achilles.

“I need to warn you- he is pretty beaten up.” Nurse Jane said.

Achilles nodded, taking a breath.  Nurse Jane opened the door and stepped into the room, Achilles following. He looked over and felt the blood drain from his face.

n the bed lay Patroclus, beaten so severely he was almost unrecognizable. His eye was swollen shut with a black eye and the other lay closed. His nose was broken and plugged with cotton to stop the bleeding. His lip was busted open and covered with an oxygen mask.  His arms had large bruises forming, and his left arm was splinted and in a sling. His beautiful brown curls were matted with blood, and contained under a white bandage.

Achilles approached the bed quietly. “Gods he must be in so much pain.” Achilles breathed tears swelled in his eyes. He felt a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“He doesn’t feel anything at the moment- he is unconscious.” Nurse Jane assured. She took a breath. “He’s lucky- that type of attack would have killed most people, including young men like your love.”

Achilles turned to her. “What do you mean, attack? You are telling me a PERSON did this?”

“If the witnesses and the video evidence is correct, it was five.” Nurse Jane said. She looked at  the young man in front of her. “Your boyfriend is impressive- he was able to hold them off for several minutes, and protect the important parts of his body.”

Achille nodded. He shook off his shock, walked up and grabbed his love’s hand, stroking it gently.

Nurse Jane placed a gentle hand on Achilles’ shoulder. “The doctor will be in soon to give you a rundown of his injuries. I am also going to reach out to his other emergency contacts for you- it seems like you may need the support.”
She smiled. “Until then, hold his hand. Talk to him- even unconscious, he can still hear you. And he can definitely feel you. Your presence will give him comfort and help him heal.”

Achilles nodded. “Thank you.” He said weakly. He saw her smile and walked away.

Achilles took Patroclus’ hand, and gave it a gentle squeeze. He  leaned down and gently placed a kiss on Patroclus’ forehead.

“I love you so much, Patroclus.” Achilles whispered. “Please come back to me- I’ll be here waiting.”

******

For hours Achilles just kept talking to Patroclus, telling him absolutely everything he loved about him. His throat became sore but he kept going. The entire world faded, leaving just him and his love.

“I love how smart you are, Pat. You are smart without being boring or condescending. You even made me interested in that weird monk’s gardening. Who knew most of our current understanding of genetics and shit comes from PEA plants?!”

“I love your voice, Pat. It is so incredibly unfair that you can be so smart and also have the voice of a fricken nightingale. I swear, if you had wished to, you would have been accepted into the school’s voice program as readily as you did the pre-med one. If you ever do, I’ll help you get in."

"I love your laugh, Pat. It is so hearty and genuine- clearly unashamed of expressing the joy you are feeling. I could listen to it for hours.

"I love your compassion, Pat. You are truly the kindness person I have ever met. You will do anything to help anyone, whether they be your best friend, a stranger or an enemy. Hell your golden heart would probably even help the asshats who hurt you.

"I love the way your face lights up when you see an animal- no matter how strange. It is like a little kid- just full of innocent excitement. Yet you still respect them- whether it be a scared snail or a wolf"

"I love how you call every dog we meet a puppy, even if the dog is old enough to see Gaia create the earth. I can tell they like it too-you can get even the most resistant, scared dogs to wag their tail. Your presence itself is enough to give them their youth back."

"I love how excited you get when we pass a field of horses, even if we've passed them a hundred times. You still somehow find another interesting change, another detail no mortal would ever see."

“I love your smile, Pat. I know it’s so stereotypical, but it’s true. Your smile lights up your whole face. And it’s contagious- I’ve seen you turn enemies into friends with a simple smile. I swear it could end all wars”

Achilles continued on and on. He occasionally felt the world outside - a gently hand in the shoulder, a kiss on his forehead, the sound of footsteps. But his attention never wavered from Patroclus- nothing could.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Odysseus and Penelope were sitting down to dinner when Penelope got a page. She frowned.
Penelope  placed her phone to her ear.

“This is Dr. Laertiades returning your page.” Penelope said. Her face fell at what she heard.

“Alright- I will be there as soon as possible.” Penelope said before hanging up. She took a deep breath, trying to clear her mind.

“What’s wrong, love?” Odysseus asked.

“A gay kid was just brought in after being jumped.” Penelope said. “They need me to determine if he needs surgery. They are trying to stabilize him now. S
he sighed. “I am always worried Pat or Achilles will be on my table one day.”

Odysseus kissed her. “Luckily they have the best neurologist on their side. I’m sure he’ll be okay.”

“I hope so.” Penelope said. “I need to go- I will hopefully be back by tomorrow morning.”

Odysseus nodded and smiled. “Go save some lives, my dear, my hero.”

Penelope smiled before grabbing her keys and leaving. 
***
Around 9pm, Odysseus was surprised to feel his phone ring. He looked at the number and grew concerned- Delphi Medical Center.

I hope Penelope is okay.

“Hello?” Odysseus answered.

“Is this Odysseus Laertiades? A voice said. Odysseus recognized it as belonging to one of Penelope’s coworkers-Nurse Jane.

“Hello Jane.” Odysseus said. “Is Penelope okay?”

“Penelope is fine-or as fine as she can be.” Nurse Jane said. “I am calling to inform you Patroclus Chironides has been severely injured. He’s stable but in critical condition. His boyfriend is here now, and I know he’ll need some support.”

Odysseus nodded. “Thank you for telling me, Jane. I will be there soon.”

Odysseus felt a wave of worry, but he pushed it aside. Patroclus was being taken care of by the best medical team in the country. Achilles, on the other hand, was going to need his help. He grabbed his keys and drove to the hospital. Jane met him at the nurses station.

“I’m glad you’re here.” Jane said. “I’m more than a bit worried about his boyfriend - he looks like he’s in shock. I can tell a nuclear bomb couldn’t get him to leave his boyfriend's side.”

Odysseus walked in and felt his heart sink. Patroclus was severely beaten. Odysseus did not know a lot about vital readings, but he did know that Patroclus’ blood oxygen was concerning, and his heart was racing. There was a bag of blood hanging on the IV pole next to a few other clear bags- one Odysseus recognized as normal saline. Odysseus was wondering what the other two were when he heard a voice behind him.

“The other two bags are penicillin and dexamethasone. The first is to prevent infection and the second to decrease swelling.” Penelope said, coming up behind Odysseus.

Odysseus grabbed her hand and kissed it. “How is he?” Odysseus asked

“He’s alive.” Penelope said. “He has several broken ribs, a punctured lung, a dislocated shoulder, a broken nose, a cracked skull and a concussion. We’re monitoring him to make sure his brain doesn’t swell and crush against his skull. So far so good, but that can change in an instant.”

Penelope looked at Achilles. “Despite Patroclus’ condition, I am more concerned about Achilles. I have a horrible feeling that  he wouldn’t leave Patroclus' side until Patroclus himself tells him to leave.”

“Has Chiron been called?” Odysseus asked.

“Yes.” Jane said, coming up behind them. “He is taking the next flight out. He estimates he’ll be here in about six hours. Until then, he has given Penelope and you power of Attorney, and the permission to make any medical decisions for Patroclus.”

Penelope nodded. “Okay.” She turned to Odysseus. “I can take care of Patroclus. Can you keep an eye on Achilles? I will be back soon to check on him, but  I do have a few other patients I have to take care of.”

“Of course, Love.” Odysseus said.

“I’m sorry to ask so much of you. I know you have..” Penelope started before Odysseus placed a finger on her lips.

“Penelope, darling. You and I both know that these boys are our family- we’ve practically adopted them. Even Chiron has said so.” Odysseus chuckled. “If you think I am even a LITTLE concerned about something as silly as work, you are insane. I have already contacted Diomedes. He agreed to look over my clients for me. His exact words were “I swear to the Gods, Odysseus, if you even THINK of coming back early because of your clients, I will beat the shit out of you.”

Penelope chuckled but her face fell. It was hard to joke about beatings when a victim of one lay in the bed in front of them.

Odysseus took out his laptop. “I am also going to contact the school to inform them of what is going on. Patroclus is probably not going to be up to any exams next week, and I know that’s going to be way too high on his priority list when he wakes up.”

Odysseus paused, his eyes suddenly glazed with tears. “He is going to wake up, right?” Odysseus asked.

Penelope placed a hand on his shoulder. “I sure hope so. I can’t make any promises, but from his current condition, I would say he should wake up in the next couple of days. That is if his condition stays consistent. But a prayer to the Gods wouldn’t hurt.”

Odysseus nodded. “I’ll make sure to do a sacrifices to Apollo and Athena.” He glanced at the bed again. “Of all the young men in the world, I can’t think of any two people who deserved this less than Achilles and Patroclus.”

Penelope saw that while his brown eye stayed calm, his blue eye ignited in anger. She  brought him to meet her gaze. Odysseus was shocked to see her blue eyes blazing, reflecting his own.

Penelope’s gaze made Odysseus shiver- he can count on one hand how many times he's seen her angry. It took a lot to even get under Penelope’s skin- not to mention piss her off. Being a woman in STEM, she had learned how to let insults roll off her back and how to hide her emotions, compartmentalizing them until she can safely release them. It was rare that Odysseus saw her struggle with this. But at this moment, she wasn’t in “doctor mode” but “human  mode.” And this meant the anger seeped into her deep blue eyes, turning them cold and terrifying.

“Odysseus, the men who did this WILL be punished, do you hear me?” Penelope said her voice rising slightly. “If the school refuses to interfere, I swear I will sue them myself. If these men are allowed to walk free, I’ll make sure they…”

Odysseus stopped Penelope’s sentence with a kiss. “They will see justice, I promise you that.” Odysseus said. “But you need to resist voicing the possibly illegal thoughts that are going through your head- at least not here. When we get home, you can scream them for all I care. Spousal privilege can protect us then. That isn’t the case here.”

Penelope sighed. “I know. I need to be in doctor mode, not human mode.” She took a deep breath and Odysseus saw her face turn neutral once more.

“Alright, I really have to go. I will be back as soon as I can.” Penelope said. With that, she left to continue her rounds.

Odysseus walked up to the golden-haired youth and placed a hand on his shoulder. Achilles didn’t respond, seemingly unaware that Odysseus was even there.

Odysseus sighed and set down his laptop. There was a lot of work to do.

****

Chiron arrived around three in the morning and immediately went to his son’s side. Being a doctor himself, Chiron could tell how severe his son’s condition was and he struggled to keep his emotions under control. He knew that he could not make wise decisions in his mental state, so he kept Odysseus and Penelope in charge of making the medical decisions. After all, there weren’t two other people in the world he would trust more to  take care of his son.

Two days passed. Despite the pleading of the others around him, and even the threat of security, Achilles did not move. He couldn’t- it was as if he was rooted to his spot. He was terrified that if he left, he would never see his love again, so he stayed frozen, holding his love's hand. He was willing to fight anyone who tried to take him away, including Thanatos himself. Then again, if he sees Thanatos, he will beat the shit out of him. He will not let him take Patroclus away from him.

Penelope came in to check on them and sighed. After a bit of touch and go, Patroclus’ condition began to slowly improve. His brain swelling has successfully gone down, and the antibiotics have  protected him from infection. She was able to take him off of oxygen as his lungs began to heal. His vitals improved immensely as well- most going back into the normal ranges for a man his age. Patroclus was quickly becoming less of a worry.

Achilles, on the other hand, was causing her extreme worry. She had not seen him move in two days- not to eat, not to drink, not even to relieve himself. She knew extreme stress could have a detrimental affect on the body, but it was becoming apparent that Achilles’ current condition was not sustainable. She considered getting him evaluated, but decided against it. Achilles did not need the added stress.

Instead, she asked Chiron and Odysseus to help her do preventative measures to keep Achilles from killing himself. Chiron manually moved Achilles’ legs every few hours to ensure the blood did not pool and clot. Odysseus tried to get the youth to drink something, sometimes succeeding in getting Achilles to take the tiniest sip of a drink. Even so, the signs of dehydration were becoming apparent. If Achilles didn’t drink something substantial soon, he would need to be admitted for dehydration and exhaustion.

Penelope had an idea. She asked Odysseus to bring in one of Achilles' favorite drinks- Pomegranate juice boxes. Whenever she knew they were coming over, Penelope made sure to have plenty in the fridge, along with a variety of Patroclus’ and Achilles’ favorite drinks and snacks. She knew that Patroclus in particular struggled to remember to eat, so she made sure he left with enough food to keep him going through his intense study sessions.

She had placed the juice boxes in the staff fridge to chill before going to give it to Achilles. She placed the straw in it and walked over to Achilles, placing the straw between his lips.

"Achilles, drink. I do not want to have to admit you for dehydration, and with how little you’ve consumed, you’re quickly reaching that point.” Penelope said, forcing the straw between his lips. Much to her frustration, however, Achilles simply pushed the straw out.

“I wouldn’t drink until he wakes up.” Achilles said. “How can I even think of drinking or eating when he lays dying in front of me? And its all my fault.”

“How is it your fault?” Penelope asked gently.

“I should have stayed with him until his last class. I should have been there to protect him from the attack. I should have..” Achilles said, tears filling his eyes.

Penelope placed the juice on the bedside table. “Achilles, look at me.” she said. When he didn’t move, she gently turned his head to face her.

"Achilles, this is not your fault.” Penelope said. “This group was obviously thinking of attacking Patroclus for awhile. If they hadn’t of done it Friday, they would have found another day, another time he was alone. You cannot be with him 24 hours a day.”

Penelope pointed to the vitals machine next to Patroclus. “Do you see these numbers?” Penelope asked. Achilles nodded. 
 
“These vitals are good - in fact, they are excellent especially considering the circumstances.” Penelope said. She began to point at each number, explaining what each meant.
 
 “This top number here is the heart rate, or how many times Patroclus’ heart beats per minute. The normal range is between 60 and 100 beats per minute when resting- sometimes lower for more active people. As you can see, his heart rate is about 65, which is what I would expect from such an active young man.”

“The next number is Patroclus’ blood pressure. It is the amount of pressure in your arteries every time your heart beats. Patroclus’ is 120/80, which is textbook healthy.”

“This number is his oxygen saturation, or how much oxygen is in his blood. While normal is between 95-100, a number of 93 for someone with a punctured lung is quite good. It shows his lungs are able to take in oxygen without the need for assistance.”

“This number is the number of respirations per minute, or how many breaths Patroclus is taking in one minute. The normal is between 12-16 breaths, so a breath rate of 14 is really good.”

“Lastly, this number is his temperature. I assume you know what that is as you’ve probably had yours measured many times. His temperature- 35 degrees Celsius, a bit cool but nothing too worrisome.”

Penelope made eye contact with Achilles. Her heart broke to see them still clouded with grief and confusion. So she continued.

“These numbers indicate that Patroclus is alive and improving.” Penelope said. “Especially considering what they were when he came in. His heart rate was over double what it is now- 150 beats per minute. His blood pressure was half it is now, 60/40. It was possibly lower as that is the lower limit of our equipment. His oxygen saturation was 79, which is very low- nearly life-threatening. He was hyperventilating- taking 22 breaths per minute. These all indicate someone is in a life-threatening condition and needs immediate support to be stabilized. 
The ones he has now shows we successfully did that. If these numbers are normal, Patroclus is alive and isn’t going to die, at least at the moment. And if those vitals change, we know what to do.” Penelope said.

“One thing that will not help these numbers is you refusing to eat or drink.” Penelope said sternly. “It will only hurt you, which you and I both know is the LAST thing Patroclus would want. While I understand you may not be hungry, you need to at least drink something. Will you do so willingly or will I be forced to admit you for self-harm?”

Achilles sighed and grabbed the juice box and drank it down. Even with his resistance, Penelope could tell that he was parched, and that the juice did make him feel better. She smiled.

“Thank you, Achilles.” Penelope said. “I am going to bring some more in. I want you to try and drink at least one of them an….

Suddenly the machine started beeping. Penelope looked up and felt her heart drop.

Polites’ blood oxygen was plunging. Within the matter of a 30 seconds, it went down to 75. His blood pressure plummeted to 60/40, while his respiration went up to 25 breaths per minute. His heart rate spiked to 200  beats per minute. Penelope looked at the EKG turned from a fast sinus rhythm to jagged triangles.

“Achilles you need to leave, NOW!” Penelope said.  She roughly grabbed Achilles arm and threw him towards the door as she pressed the button for a code blue.

“No, I need..” Achilles began. He was interrupted by a man grabbing him by the arm and dragging him out of the room. The last thing Achilles sees is Patroclus surrounded by doctors and alarming machines.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Odysseus arrived back to the hospital after his meeting with school administrators. He wanted to make sure everything was settled in terms of exams and grades. Patroclus had worked way too hard to have five assholes ruin it for him.  Luckily, the meeting went well- almost surprisingly so. Then again, they probably realized that Odysseus was a lawyer, one who could sue them for everything they've got.

Odysseus walked up towards Patroclus’ room to see how he and especially how Achilles was doing. The last time he had talked to Penelope, Patroclus was getting progressively better, and seemed to be stable. If he continued, they could expect him to wake up within the next day or so. She and he were both still worried about Achilles, however. There was no way he was getting enough hydration in, even with Odysseus' constant insistence. Hopefully the juice boxes did the trick.

Odysseus suddenly he heard a machine alarming. With each step the realization became clearer in his mind- it was coming from Patroclus' room.  As he was in the doorway, he heard a “code blue” ring loudly over the speakers of the hospital. He saw Penelope throwing a confused Achilles away from the bed. Odysseus grabbed Achilles and brought him into a private waiting room. He closed the door and stood in front of it. He knew what was coming next.

“I need to get back to Patroclus!” Achilles screamed, his face red with anger as he tried to push past Odysseus. “I need to be by his side! If he’s going to die, I want to hold his hand.” Realizing what he just said, Achilles burst into tears.

Odysseus walked over to Achilles and placed a gentle hand on his trembling shoulder.

“I know, Achilles.” Odysseus said. “I know you want to be by his side and help him through this. But when someone is coding, they need to make sure anyone who isn’t absolutely necessary is out of the way. Every second counts- even the few seconds it takes to go around someone can determine life or death. Do you understand?”

Achilles nodded. He began to sob.

Odysseus brought Achilles into an embrace. He stroked his hair.

“Shh, Achilles.” Odysseus soothed. “It’ll be okay.”

Someone knocked at the door. Odysseus released Achilles momentarily to open it. Nurse Jane walked in. Her cheeks were flushed, with a layer of sweat on her forehead.

She smiled. “Penelope sent me to tell you we got him back. We successfully beat back Thanatos, at least for the moment.”

“For the moment?” Achilles asked. “What do you mean “for the moment?” Are you saying he could crash again?”

Nurse Jane nodded sadly. “Penelope and his medical team are working on figuring out what happened. But until they know, Thanatos could come back for him at any time.”

I can’t let that happen.

Achilles thought as he dashed out the door. He ran as fast as he could through the corridors, desperately searching for a wooden door- a door all hospitals had. He felt hands try to grab him and heard the start of many sentences, but he outran them. Finally, after going down countless hallways, Achilles found it.

The Temple of Apollo.

Achilles opened the door and ran inside.

****

The temple was simple but beautiful. It had three rooms. The first was a small entryway which had a small basket of sacrificial offers and liberations. The second was a large Naos, containing the statue of Apollo as well as several instruments for his use. The third was a locked room where the priests and priestesses of Apollo would gather for ceremonies.

Achilles took off his shoes and walked over to the basket, hoping that there might be some offerings left inside. Unfortunately, it and the pitchers of liberations were empty. There was a note saying they would be refreshed at midnight.  Achilles anxiously looked up at the clock and saw it was  7:30  pm.

I can’t wait that long- he might be dead by then.

Achilles thought.

He quickly walked into the Naos. Despite its small size, it was quite ornately decorated. Metotrops surrounded the room, each showing one of the many jobs of Apollo- the musician, the dancer, the archer, the healer, the poet, the seer, the guardian of the young, and the ruler of the Sun. Each were curtained by blue triglyph friezes. Two large relief were carved into the front and back wall- hte former showed the Apollo's defeat of Pyrthon and the latter
showed Apollo blessing of the hospital. Each relief was bordered by brilliant ruby and golden stripes. In the center was a large marble statue of the God Apollo. Surrounding it was a variety of different instruments- in case Apollo wanted to rest and play for his patients.

Achilles desperately trying to figure out how to summon the god when he spotted a lyre  among the instruments. He gently picked it up and began to play. A slow mournful melody filled the room, as Achilles transferred the grief, anxiety and pain the last few days had caused into music. 
Achilles soon added his voice to his performance. While not as good as Patroclus, it was inoffensive. Most people would describe it as beautiful.

Achilles sang the ode to Apollo. When the song came to an end, Achilles couldn’t stop. Even as his throat began to throb, he continued, this time with his own lyrics.

“Oh Apollo the healing might

Please help my love tonight

He’s my heart he’s my life

Please help him through this strife 
 
My love lays injured  at the edge of death

I fear he might soon take his final breath

I beg thee please lead him back to me

From deaths grasp please set him free

I pray for his life and I pray for mine

I pray for your help, your power divine

If you can’t save him cause of the fates

Than take me too, I cannot wait. “
 
Achilles went on and on, singing until his voice gave out. Even then he kept playing for hours, until his fingers began to bleed. 
Right before he dropped from exhaustion, he heard a second lyre. He looked around but saw no one. He kept playing, long mournful melodies, each pleading for Apollo to help his love.
The second lyre played a warm and joyous melody. It harmonized perfectly with the tune Achilles played, turning his mournful minor chords into major ones.  Slowly the strange musician began to play Achilles' tune too, integrating it note by note until he was playing both parts at the same time. Achilles continued to play with him until he felt a lyre string break. Now unable to play, Achilles simply listened.

The melody continued, filling Achilles with a sense of calm and comfort he hadn’t felt in days. It played for several minutes before slowly disappearing. It ended a major chord, somehow perfectly resolving in the most satisfying way. 
 
Achilles looked down at the lyre he held and found the string intact once more. He felt himself smiled, tears glazing his eyes. “Thank you, Apollo.” 
 
****
 
Penelope quickly gowned up. As she washed her arms, she felt a tear fall down her cheek. She let it fall before containing the others. She can cry later. Right now, she was needed.
She put in her gloves and walked into the operating room. She sent up a silent prayer to Athena for wisdom and Apollo for healing. She was going to need it. 
 
On her table was Patroclus. After his sudden cardiac arrest, she sent him for a CT scan of his head where they found a previously unseen aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Luckily it still appeared small - Penelope could only hope that they caught it before it caused irreversible brain damage.

The nurses helped her into her gown. She was approaching the table when she
 felt something  take control of her. She felt the force moving her hands in quick, skillful movements. She was just about to begin the first incision when she blinked.

When she opened her eyes, her assistant was tying off the last few stitches, before rewrapping  the bandage. To her right, she saw the now used instruments on the table, organized and being double-counted by a nurse. To her left, anesthesiologist was checking his vitals. Her supervising  surgeon caught her eye and  smiled at her.

“That was extremely impressive, Dr. Laertiades.” He said.  “That was the fastest clip ligation I’ve ever seen. And the most precise- you barely even got blood on your gloves.”

Penelope smiled. “While I would love to take the credit, Doctor, I believe I was merely a vessel for the great Goddess Athena. I dare not take credit for something she did. I’m just so grateful she let me do her divine work.”

The surgeon laughed. “Yeah she does that from time to time. You are wise to stay humble.” He said. “Though something tells me she didn’t need to guide you that much. I’ve seen your other work and know you’re just damn good at this.”

“Thank you.” Penelope said. After double checking everything was in order, she changed and made a quick sacrifice of thanks to both Athena and Apollo. She then went to find Achilles and Odysseus.

****

Odysseus found Achilles in the Temple of Apollo but something told him  to give him some privacy.  So he down the hall to his patron, Athena. He gave her the proper sacrifices. 
 
“Oh great flashing-eye Athena. Please help Patroclus. Help the doctors to save him- please help them bring him back to us.”

Odysseus felt himself suddenly overwhelmed with emotion. Since this began he’s been staying strong- he and Penelope have had to. But it was killing him seeing Patroclus hurt so severely. He was only 21- he had his whole life ahead of him. The thought of losing him made Odysseus’ knees weak and the air squeeze out of his lungs. Seeing Achilles suffering nearly broke his heart. 
A small part of him felt guilty too- he had failed to protect him. If he had just convinced Patroclus to press charges, maybe this could have been prevented.
 
One of the owls that decorated the metotrops suddenly came alive. The beautiful white owl gracefully perched on Odysseus’ shoulder and nuzzled it comfortingly, thenplaced her forehead against his. A voice filled his mind.

It’s not your fault, Odysseus. There was nothing you could have done.

Patroclus’ beating  was a knot in the Fates’ string- a knot that has existed since his birth. But most importantly, it is just a knot, not the ending. Which is good as I have plans for him

.

The owl looked at Odysseus in the eyes.

I need to go help save Patroclus and prevent the damage his injuries are threatening to cause. But know, Odysseus, you and Penelope still have my favor. I will be here whenever you need me. And soon, I’ll do the same for Patroclus. I have plans for all of you.  So thank you for taking care of him. Please get him justice.”

With that, the owl disappeared. Odysseus bowed, and gave proper thanks before going back to check on Achilles.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Two days later, Patroclus woke up in a bright hospital room. He groaned as the pain radiated from his head and limbs. It was slightly difficult to breathe, and definitely painful- almost every breath was accompanied by a sharp pain. He tried to move his left shoulder and realized it was in a sling. His nose felt packed and his lips were sore. His head throbbed, adding to the fuzziness to his already disoriented mind. Thinking was difficult, but Patroclus felt he had to- he had to parse exactly how he got here.

It suddenly came rushing back. Walking to his car. Finding out someone was following him. Diverting to the library. Being hit in the back of the head. Finding the back of his head covered in blood. Men calling him slurs and beating him relentlessly. Paris identifying himself before beating him with a bat. Trying to get up before passing out. Achilles talking to him and holding his hands. Achilles screaming while he was taken from his side. Leaving his body, and becoming lost. Following Achilles voice back into his body, and back to this world.

The anxiety and shame threatened to take his breath out of his lungs. He felt tears fall down his cheeks. 
Patroclus  went to move his hand to brush away his tears, but found it immobile. He looked down and realized it was being clung to by Achilles. He was nodding off in a chair next to Patroclus’ bed, but would not let go of his hand. It was obvious he hadn’t actually slept since Patroclus got to the hospital, which judging from his condition must have been at least two days ago.

Patroclus examined his love closely. His golden curls were tangled, and his clothes were disheveled. His eyes had large dark circles underneath them and his cheeks were stained with tears. His lips were extremely red and chapped, clearly showing Achilles had ignored his need for water. He felt his heart fill with guilt and pain.

How much pain did I just put Achilles through?

He thought sadly.

Patroclus realized that Achilles wasn’t alone. He could hear Odysseus, Penelope and Chiron speaking to someone just outside his sight. It sounded like they were speaking about him.

The stirring of Patroclus’ hand woke up Achilles. He looked down at his lover with a look of relief."
Pat! Oh thank the Gods!” Achilles said. He kissed his lips and forehead. He was sadden to see Patroclus flinch.

“I’m sorry, love.” Achilles said. He noticed Patroclus’ eyes were filled with tears, some of which had already flowed down his injured face.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart? Are you in pain?” Achilles asked, gently wiping away Patroclus’ tears.  “I can get the doctor to give you something.”

Patroclus shook his head, which caused his head to swim. He tried to smile, but Achilles knew better.

“This isn’t your fault, Pat.” Achilles said. “I can see in your eyes that you are blaming yourself for being attacked, and for causing me pain. I can assure you, there was nothing you could do. And you know how stubborn I can be.” Achilles said with a chuckle.

Patroclus smiled weakly. “You really do look like shit.”

Achilles smiled. “Thank you- you know this look is famous in London. I chosen it specifically for your enjoyment.”

Patroclus sighed. “ Sure. You haven’t eaten or slept since this shit happened, did you? The only reason you are still conscious is because Penelope forced you to drink?”

Achilles nodded sadly. His eyes filled with tears.

“Oh Achilles,” Patroclus said. He raised his hand to his lover’s face. “You don’t blame yourself for this, do you?”

Achilles nodded.

“You are not to blame for this, Achilles.” Patroclus said. “It pains me so much to see your punishing yourself like it is. I am not worth it.”

“Yes you are,” Achilles cried. “You are worth the world. I would go to the ends of the globular earth to see you smile. And I will always be by your side, in sickness and in health- no matter what it costs me.”

Achilles smiled down at him, but saw Patroclus’ face was still concerned. 
He sighed. “I’m sorry I didn’t take care of myself, love. I just couldn’t..”

Patroclus brought Achilles down for a gentle kiss. “Achilles, my love, I know. I am not going anywhere. I just worry you might be well on your way to leaving this world, and that  hurts more than anything else.”

“Don’t worry- we would never let that happen, Patroclus.” Penelope said, entering the room, Chiron and Odysseus following close behind.

“Oh my sweet boy!” Chiron said, through her arms around him. “You scared us!”

“I’m sorry.” Patroclus said.

“It’s not his fault, Chiron,” Odysseus said. He looked at Patroclus and smiled. “I would really love to know whose fault it was.”

Patroclus looked down, ashamed. Achilles took his hand.

“You have nothing to be ashamed of, my love.” Achilles said. “I know this memory is going to be painful, but I am going to be right here, okay?”

Patroclus nodded. He took a deep breath and retold what happened. He felt tears of shame stream down his cheeks.

“When and where did this happen?” Odysseus asked calmly.

"In front of the library, around 4:50pm on whatever day I was brought here.” Patroclus said. He looked down. “I feel so worthless- How could I really just let them beat me?” He turned to Chiron. “You must be so ashamed of me, Chiron. I made a mockery of your training.”

“Nonsense, Patroclus.” Chiron said. He came up and stroked Patroclus’ hair. “From what I saw in the video, you did a great job. I never prepared you to deal with five men at once- maybe I should have. I just never imagined you’d need to do that.”

Chiron took a breath. “Just know I am proud you survived, Pat. I could not imagine losing you.”

“Patroclus,” Odysseus said “I have been jumped before and let me tell you. Even as a professional MMA fighter, I still got my ass beaten. It has little to do with your abilities- it has everything to do with the element of surprise.”
He smiled down at him. “Speaking of, did you recognize any of the attackers?”

“Only that Paris was the ringleader. He said it was revenge for me turning down his brother.” Patroclus said. He saw Achilles silently seething, shaking slightly.

Patroclus felt his head begin to swim, and his eyelids grow heavy. The world began to fade.

Penelope and Chiron noticed immediately. They looked at each other and nodded

“It is best if we give him some rest.” Penelope said. She turned to Patroclus. “Don’t feel bad for struggling to stay awake. You got a pretty severe concussion, which will make focusing take a lot of energy. In fact, focusing on anything for too long will cause you to pass out.”

Anticipating his next question, Odysseus piped in. “I have been in contact with the school to keep them in the loop of what is going on. Your professor told me to tell you not to worry about your last exam- he said you had more than earned the A without it.” He chuckled as the he saw the next question form on Patroclus’ lips. “And Achilles has also been exempted from his last exam due to the circumstances and a bit of pressure from his mother.”

Odysseus smiled when he saw Patroclus relax.

“All we want you to worry about is getting better, Patroclus. We will handle the rest- I promise.” Chiron said. “And before you start feeling guilty, know that everyone in this room loves you so much. It fills our hearts with joy that you are alive for us to help you.”

Patroclus was about to say something, but Achilles stopped him with a gentle kiss.

“Pat, all you need to do is getting well.” Achilles said. “That is all we ask, and that is all you owe. Nothing else matters to us.”
Achilles brushed Patroclus’ hair out of his face. “I will do anything to help you go home, love. Just say the word.”

“The best thing you can do for him now is allow him to rest, Achilles.” Penelope said. “Go home.”

“But..” Achilles said, but Patroclus cut him off.

“Love, I am surrounded by a shit ton of medical personnel and security. While I love your affection, care and company, I really don’t want you to end up in the bed next to me because you neglected your own needs. I’ll be okay- promise.”

Achilles kissed Patroclus deeply. “Okay love. But text me if you need anything, understand?” Achilles commanded.

“Yes sir!” Patroclus said, laughing. With that, Achilles left the room. Chiron kissed his forehead before following. When Odysseus turned to leave, Patroclus caught his arm.

“Odysseus- please keep Achilles out of jail. I am afraid he is going to do something stupid.” Patroclus said.

“No problem, Patroclus. I promise to keep him out of jail- after all I am one hell of a lawyer.” Odysseus said with a smirk. His face softened. “All you need to worry about is getting better. Now get some rest. Either Diomedes or I will return when the police come to question you.”

Patroclus nodded. Even just talking made him exhausted. He closed his eyes and was fast asleep before.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The next day, Odysseus was clearing the table when he felt his phone buzz. He looked at the sender and his heart dropped. Achilles. While he was able to get out of his exam, Achilles still needed to do one last performance. Odysseus had planned on going to it, but he accidentally doubled-booked himself, scheduling a date night with Penelope for the same time. Achilles told him not to worry about it, as he had come to the last three performances, and tonight would be the exact same. It was a short concert- only about a half hour- so Achilles should be home by now. If he’s not that means only one thing. Odysseus looked at his phone and sighed. 
 
Today, 7:30 pm

Hey Odysseus- I need your help. I am on my way to the police station, and may need a lawyer.

Penelope came running into the room.
“Did you get..” Penelope started as she saw Odysseus raise his phone to his ear.

“Achilles! Tell the cops NOTHING until I get there. Don’t TALK to them at all. Follow their instructions, but otherwise keep your mouth shut.” Odysseus instructed. “I’ll be there in about 15 minutes.”

Odysseus hung up and  turned to Penelope. “Is it okay if…”

“You pay his bail and take responsibility for him? Absolutely.” Penelope said. “Use my account- I recently got paid for a few tapestries so there should be plenty.”

“Thank you, love.” Odysseus said. He kissed her deeply.

“Absolutely. You’re right- we’ve practically adopted them. They are our adult kids and I would do anything for them.” Penelope said, handing Odysseus the tie he had thrown on the counter earlier. “Now go- we both know how much of a blabber mouth Achilles can be.”

Odysseus nodded and grabbed his keys. This may be a long night.

****

Odysseus walked into the police station, and  turned to the warden.

“Hello- I am Mr. Pelides’ Attorney.” Odysseus said. “May I ask what my client is currently charged with?”

The warden looked up and smiled. “Mr. Laertiades. Yes, let me get that for you.”

The warden handed him the police report. “Mr. Pelides’ is being charged with Aggravated Assault, Petty Assault, and possible Attempted Murder.”

Odysseus looked up. “Attempted murder? Really?”

The warden shrugged. “You know I don’t come up with these charges, Attorney. I just supply the information.”

Odysseus smiled. “Thank you. I would like time to converse with my client.”

“Absolute, follow me.” the warren said. He led Odysseus to the holding cell where Achilles sat, covered in blood, still handcuffed and looking down at the floor.

“Has he been given any medical attention?” Odysseus asked

“No- the police thought he looked fine..” the warden said.

Because we all know the cops have the same training as doctors. It's not possible they might miss something obvious.

Odysseus thought silently. He smiled. “Okay- let me talk with him.” Odysseus said.

The warren nodded. He unlocked the cell, brought Achilles out and led  them both to a conference room. The warren uncuffed Achilles’ hands before walking out.

Odysseus looked at Achilles. “You have had better days, huh?”

Achilles looked at Odysseus, the rage still fresh in his eyes. “You think? My true love is in the hospital recovering from an attack planned by his rapist’s brother. Who knows how much physical and mental pain he is in. And then I hear that Hector is the only one NOT being charged because there “wasn’t enough evidence.” How could I just let a miscarriage of justice happen like that, Odysseus?”

“I understand, Achilles. Diomedes and I are on the case.” Odysseus said. “Diomedes is at Patroclus’ bedside as we speak, helping him navigate the police questioning. From my knowledge, the five attackers are being charged with a hate crime on top of aggravated assault, assault with a deadly weapon, and attempted murder. Additionally, the school has decided to expel the five of them. If they dare go after you or Patroclus, they can add “intimidating a witness” to their list of crimes. They will not be able to squirm out of this either- there are both eye witness accounts and video evidence of the beating. They will see justice, I promise you.
Your mother, Diomedes  and I can get you off if Hector presses charges. After all, you have never been violent before, and I can weave a bullet-proof defense. But I first need to know what you did.” Odysseus said.

Achilles took a breath. “I saw him after the performance today- he seemed to be walking back to his dorm. I was going to leave him alone- pretend I didn’t see him. While I am pissed at him, Patroclus' needs comes before my own, always. The last thing he needs is to worry about his boyfriend being thrown in jail for murder. So I kept walking.  But just in case he initiated something, I started recording.”

“When Hector saw me, he smiled and said. 'I heard you little boyfriend got beat up on Friday. Serves him right, had he just -worked- with  me none of this would have ever happened. But he decided to stay by his F**.”

Achilles caught Odysseus’ gaze. “I kept walking, Odysseus. I truly did.” Achilles said. “He ran after me.  'I could beat you up right now too, as you are too fruity to do anything about it. And neither will the police. My dad will just get me off. He’s getting Paris off while we speak. He hates the F**s too.'  He flashed me a shit-eating grin and  tripped me. Then I just lost it.”

“I punched him,” Achilles said. “I punched him so hard that he fell to the ground. He tried to fight back, but I was fully taken over by rage at that point. I saw red- I truly don’t remember what I did. All I know is when I calmed down, I was covered in blood and he wasn’t moving. I called 911 and then texted you.”

Odysseus looked up. “Do you still have that recording?” Odysseus asked.

“Yes I do.” Achilles said. “I actually emailed it to you, as I thought the police might go through my phone.”

Odysseus quickly checked his email and grinned. “Good job! It’s nice to know that you listen to me sometimes.” His face turned serious. “Are YOU hurt at all? Did you hit your head?”

“I honestly don’t know, though I don’t think so.” Achilles said.

“Okay. Sit tight- I will get you a medical check and then get you home.” Odysseus said with a smile.

*****

“Thank you, Diomedes.” Patroclus said. “I don’t think I could have negotiated the questions without you.”

Diomedes smiled. “No problem, Patroclus. That’s my job. Both Odysseus and I will get you through this, don’t worry.”

Patroclus suddenly got a bad feeling. “Where is Achilles? Is someone taking care of him?” Patroclus said, the panic evident in his voice.

“I’m sure someone is. Either way, let us handle… Diomedes felt a ping on his phone. He saw it was from Odysseus. 
 
Today, 8:30 pm

Dio, Achilles got arrested after an alleged incident between him and Hector. He is currently getting a full medical exam, but will be released soon. Please don’t tell Patroclus yet– the poor kid has so much on him already.

“Who was that?” Patroclus said. His face dropped- “that was Odysseus, wasn’t it? Achilles beat the shit out of Hector, didn’t he?” He felt tears forming in his eyes. “He ruined his life just because I was a little bitch who couldn’t defend myself. I will never forgive myself.”

Diomedes was about to respond when he heard his phone bing again.

Today, 8:35 pm

When Patroclus figures it out from his mind-link with Achilles, assure him that

Achilles will be fine. He broke a few fingers on his non-dominant hand and sprained his wrist. The doc says he should be able to play without restrictions in two weeks

He will not be stuck in jail- I paid for his bond and took legal custody of him. And no, neither Achilles nor him have to pay it back- in fact, Penelope would kill me if I let either of them  even entertain that idea.

This alleged fight was NOT Patroclus’ fault. In fact, from what I’ve seen I don’t think it's Achilles’ fault either.

Achilles’ life is not and will not be ruined by this alleged fight. The school has decided not to push any disciplinary actions after some *evidence* they received. I am requesting access to that evidence, though I have a feeling I will be denied. 
  
Diomedes read the texts aloud, and was glad to see Patroclus’ face flush with relief. This relief turned to joy when Achilles burst into the room. Odysseus and Penelope walking slowly behind.

“Patroclus! Are you okay?” Achilles said. He reached down and kissed his beloved.

“The true question is ARE YOU?!” Patroclus said. He saw Achilles fingers were bound with medical tape and his wrist wrapped in an ace bandage. He kissed each finger and his wrist lightly.
“You didn’t have to fight him, Achilles.” Patroclus said, tears filling his eyes.  “I could have lost you. You could have gone to jail and ruined your life. Both of those ideas scare the shit out of me.”

Achilles reached down and embraced his love. “You aren’t losing me anytime soon, Pat. Or ever, really. That I promise you. I promise I am going to make you my husband someday-whether you want to be or not.”

Patroclus smiled.

Diomedes gave Odysseus and Penelope a smile. He could tell they had made sure everything was in order.

Patroclus yawned despite himself. It seemed that even being awake a few minutes exhausted him. Achilles noticed and kissed his forehead.

“Get some rest, my love. I promise, we’ll make it through this.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Achilles was right- things did work out for them. Odysseus and Diomedes got Achilles’ charges dropped. Achilles’ mother countersued Hector and his father for discrimination and a hate crime. With Odysseus’ help, she won a large settlement, which she put aside for Patroclus and Achilles’- the wedding she was going to throw them whether they wanted it or not. 
Hector was expelled along with his brother, and because of his big mouth, his father was investigated. It soon became apparent that his father had often ignored and even participated in many anti-gay hate crimes. After a lot of private and public pressure, Hector’s father was finally forced to step down when he was arrested for trying to interfere with the investigation of Paris’ attack on Patroclus.

After another week in the hospital, Patroclus was deemed healed enough be discharged from the hospital. As Achilles was driving them both home, Patroclus sighed. While he was ecstatic to be going home, Pat was still a little disappointed. Christmas was his and Achilles’ favorite holiday. It saddened him that they would both miss it.

Achilles noticed his lover’s blue mood. “Patroclus, love, what’s wrong? Are you feeling okay?”

Pat nodded. “I just feel bad that I ruined Christmas. I know how much you love the holiday, and I took it away from you. I didn’t even get you a gift.” Patroclus sighed. “One day I’ll realize I shouldn’t wait until the last minute to go Christmas shopping. ”

Achilles chuckled. “You know, for someone who is so smart, you can be quite silly sometimes.” He gently brought the car to a stop outside their apartment, and turned to his lover. He grabbed his hands.

“Pat, you gave me the greatest gift you possibly could.” Achilles said. “You got well. You came back to me, from the brink of death. And I will always be thankful to you, Apollo and Athena for that.”

“As for ruining Christmas, don’t be silly.” Achilles said. “As our lord and savior Mariah Carey says “All I want for Christmas is you.”

Pat chuckled at the bad joke. He leaned in and gently kissed Achilles. “Thank you, love. I just want you to be happy.”

Achilles smiled. “Then you’ve succeeded, sweetheart. Now let’s get inside- it’s chilly out here.”
Achilles gently took Patroclus’ hand and led him inside. 
 As soon as they walked through the door, they both stopped in shock.

Their little apartment was transformed into a hallmark Christmas Card. Penelope had decorated their apartment in beautiful but sensory-friendly  Christmas decorations, including a Christmas tree. It’s gentle lights bathed the living room with a soft rainbow glow. Underneath was a pile of presents, wrapped in matte paper of multiple shades.

The  smell of something wonderful wafted from the kitchen. Chiron and Thetis cooked the entire day, creating a Christmas and coming -home celebration feast. Odysseus was elbow deep in a large bowl of dough, partition it into rolls for cookies. Diomedes was finishing setting up a large harp.

When they heard them come through the door, the adults flocked to welcome them. Penelope gently squeezed Achilles while Chiron kissed his son’s forehead.

“Merry Christmas, loves.” Penelope said. She smiled when she saw Patroclus’ eyes light up, freed from the fog that plagued him just a week earlier.

“This is beautiful.” Patroclus said. “Thank you so much!”

His face fell. “But I got nothing for any of you, and Achilles already called dibs on my soul.” Patroclus said, causing a chuckle.

Diomedes walked up to them and pointed to the harp. “While you getting better is more than enough for us, we could use some music. Our usual musician decided to sprain his wrist.” He said, glancing at Achilles.

“In my defense I had help.” Achilles said chuckling.

Diomedes rolled his eyes. “In any case, we could use a harpist. And I hear you’re talented at it.”

Patroclus  blushed. “I am not nearly as good as Achilles, but I do know how to play. I’m the nutmeg to Achilles cinnamon- I work in a pinch but I’m nobody’s first choice.”

Achilles laughed. “Bullshit, Patroclus. You and I both know you play as well as I do, if not better.
He kissed Patroclus gently. “Besides, nutmeg is my favorite- I wish it was used more often. “

Patroclus sighed. “Okay- but don’t expect perfection- my brain is still broken.”

“Playing is good for your brain, Pat.” Chiron said. He chuckled. “But you know that. So please go on- I haven’t heard you play in years.”

Pat nodded and walked over to the harp. He sat down to begin when Achilles interrupted him.

“You should sing!” Achilles said. “It’s good for your brain.”

Patroclus laughed. “Wow you’re demanding today, Achilles.” He looked at Achilles in his green eyes. “But I will, just for you, though if I'm singing, so are you. Don’t tell me your voice is no good.”

Achilles rolled his eyes playfully. “FINE.”

Patroclus smiled. Despite his head injury , Patroclus’ hands still knew what to do. He knew exactly what song to  start with.

Patroclus played a few bars so that Achilles knew what they were singing. He smiled as he saw  pure joy fill Achilles’ face, and he started in a beautiful bass voice.

“Hark the Harold Angels sing.”

Achilles added a high harmony , adding sugar to Patroclus’ coffee. Together they sang, entrancing everyone who could hear it- human and God alike.

They continued like this- song after song until they both felt exhaustion taking them. Achilles came over and kissed Patroclus deeply. Tears glazed his eyes

“Thank you, Pat.” Achilles said. He couldn’t stop the sobs that racked his body. Patroclus gently brought him to his chest,  kissing his forehead.

“That bad, huh?” He joked.

Achilles shook his head. “It was beautiful.” Achilles said. “I am just so thankful I got to hear it again. I was worried I never would.”

Patroclus cupped his love’s cheek. He tilted his head up gently, using his thumbs to dry his tears.
“Achilles, I’m okay.” Patroclus said. “I’m here, and I always will be.”

“Promise?” Achilles asked.

“Promise.” Patroclus said.

Thetis came out of the kitchen. “Perfect timing, my dears. Dinner is ready.”

Thetis kissed Patroclus gently on the forehead. “I’m so glad you came back to us, Patroclus. But that’s enough sappiness. Let’s eat.”

With that, they ate, sang, made cookies and shared each other’s company. Several hours later, filled with food and love, Achilles and Patroclus went to bed. Achilles brought Patroclus onto his chest, cuddling him close.

“Welcome home my love.” Achilles said. “I love you.”

"I love you too.” Patroclus said. He kissed Achilles deeply. “And I always will.”