#ghost!polites

“I will fall in love with you over and over again, I don’t care how, or when. No matter how long it’s been. You’re mine.” She said, as she felt herself start to tear up. The dam broke when she heard Odysseus sniffle before embracing her back. She started to softly sob into her husband’s shoulder, but not before yelling the words into his shoulder so he could hear her clearly, “Don’t tell me you’re not the same person! You’re always my husband, and I’ve been waiting, and waiting, and waiting… for you.” 

“Penelope…” Odysseus muttered, still crying. He rested his cheek against her head, “I’m here, my love. I’m finally home.”

They stayed there for a full minute, standing with each other in their arms, both crying into the other’s shoulders. When Penelope felt like she had calmed down a bit, her sobs turning to slight sniffles, she broke the hug, but only to lean forward and interlock her lips with his. They kissed passionately, Odysseus reaching a hand up to gently hold her head as her hands stayed at his waist. 

This time, the king broke the contact, and just stared into his wife’s eyes, soaking in all her beauty all over again. Gods, age does not wither this woman. Meanwhile, he changed completely. He was a ruthless killer, not capable of relearning empathy. He turned into the monster he was distended to become, and he hated it. On the bright side, he got to win a fight against a god, one on a similar status as Zeus nonetheless, so that was pretty cool.

“As I said before, you look tired,” Penelope started, snapping Ody out of his thoughts by grabbing his hands.

“Very,” Odysseus huffed out a chuckle, but internally sighed a breath of relief. He was so scared that his wife, his soulmate, no longer loved him. Maybe moved on with another man. He was happy that she really was waiting for him, as he was waiting to arrive back to her. That being said, why did she play that cruel trick on him? 

“Well, you really should shower. You look like you need one,” Penelope playfully teased, earning a sheepish laugh from Odysseus.  He stunk of the blood that was probably going to stain his clothes forever, and on top of that he hasn’t taken a shower since he left Calypso’s Island, so in probably around 2 weeks or so. God, and his wife wanted to hug him in this state of filth? “You do that, then we can afford some alone time before dinner. Is that okay with you?”

“Perfect!” the king couldn’t respond quicker. At first, he was scared to take off his quiver, still not trusting that he’s completely safe in the palace. What if he missed some of those suitors? What if Telemachus was in danger, like how he was when he first found him?

A gentle hand on his shoulder from Penelope reminded him that he’s okay now. Telemachus has his training from Athena, if he was really in trouble, she would help him get out of it. Plus, he killed all of the potential danger him and his family were in. 

They’re okay now. 

That reminder made him kiss Penelope again before handing his quiver over and walking towards the bathroom. He looked around, most of the bodies were cleaned up. That was fast, Odysseus thought. 

He then heard some laughter from the bar. He quietly looked in to see it was Telemachus, standing over Antinous’ dead body. He looked closer and saw that his son was using the suitor’s lifeless hand to smack his own corpse repeatedly in the face. He was childishly repeating “Why are you hitting yourself, huh?” giggles mixed in with his words. 

Odysseus smiled, holding back some laughter of his own. He considered telling his son to stop, tell him that it was disrespectful to do that to someone’s dead body. But then he remembered the threats Antinous made against his family. The disgusting words along with the visual representations he made using a pomegranate. That man was not worthy of any kind of respect. So he let his son have some fun.

The queen of Ithaca was right, a shower was exactly what he needed. He was greeted by some of his old servants, and some new ones (well, if you consider sometime over the past 20 years as “new”). After changing, he returned to the bedroom. Penelope was brushing her hair next to her vanity, and was dressed slightly down from her usual queen attire, wearing far less jewellery and slippers on instead of her usual heels, but still wearing her stunning evening dress. 

Ody swore he felt his face heat up at the sight of her. How was she so effortlessly beautiful? 

She turned around to face him, smiling brightly as she got up and walked over to him. Cupping his face with one hand, she greeted the king with a soft kiss to his cheek. “Hello, love,” She whispered, guiding him to their bed. She didn’t miss his soft smile at the nickname. 

Neither of their smiles faltered as they got situated on their bed. They held each other, cuddling as he laid his head on her chest, her heartbeat soothing him. Ody pulled the covers over them, creating a very cozy atmosphere.

He swore he could fall asleep in his Penelope’s arms. It has been way too long since he has felt so loved. He feared how awkward it would be when he first saw her, having not talked to her at all in 20 years, but as soon as she began to gently scratch at his head, playing with the long strands of his hair, the room fell into a comfortable silence.

As pleasant as this was, Odysseus had to ask, “Penelope, why did you ask me to move the wedding bed? I know you weren’t being serious, but still, how could you request such a thing?”

Penelope hummed in acknowledgement, not stopping the scratching on her husband’s head. “You said you’re no longer the kind and gentle man I fell in love with. If that was true, and you were actually the “cold and heartless monster” that you claim you are, you would have no problem moving the wedding bed. But you didn’t, you refused to. In fact, it brought you to tears. That means you still have goodness in your heart.”

“How could you say that?” He muttered, although he was on the verge of sleep, he still couldn’t let his wife expect anything good to come from him. “I am a monster. I’m sure you heard what happened, just outside these doors. Everyone I talk to dies. I traded my friend’s lives for my own. I constantly put everyone’s lives in danger by doing stupid things, by not being ruthless. That can’t be a coincidence.”

“Well I’m here, aren’t I?” She lightheartedly joked, trying to pull her husband out of his depressive state, “And you love me. And you love our son. Monsters have no love in their heart, and you know this. I’ve heard you encountered many on your journey home.” 

She felt her husband tense up at that comment, but he didn’t say anything back. Penelope then moved her hand slightly down his head, near the nape of his neck, tracing just below his hairline back and forth a few times. Her smile returned when he gasped and scrunched his neck. “You know, you’re not as different as you claim to be.”

“H-hehey!” Odysseus groaned, turning his face into the crook of her neck. He felt his face heat up as he heard her sweet giggles. Gods, he missed that sound so much. Nevertheless, he brought up his hand to cover the back of his neck, “thahat wasn’t nice.”

“What’s wrong, dear? I’m just saying that since you’re still ticklish, that ties you back to the man you were before the war!” Penelope explained, she moved her hand down, wiggling her long nails under Ody’s arm since it was now exposed. He gave another gasp ad snapped his arm back down. Penelope didn’t let that stop her, continuing to lightly tickle behind her husband’s armpit, causing helpless giggles to break free from his clutches. 

“P-Pehehehenelohohope!” He cried, tuning his flushed face into the crook of his wife’s neck, hoping to hide his blush from her. 

“Hey, don’t think I forgot how ticklish you are,” Penelope then traces down his back, running a straight line up and down his spine. Odysseus gave another startled gasp before his giggles quickly turned into laughter. Penelope couldn’t help but throw her head back with a lighthearted giggle, “Oh, now I know you’re definitely my husband! Only he has a back this ticklish!” 

Odysseus was too lost in laughter to respond. For the first time in his life, he couldn’t think straight enough to send back a snarky comment (Penelope took note of that). The light tickles were both unbearable and so unintentionally relaxing. It didn’t help when Penelope brought her free hand back up to continue scratching at his head. The sleep deprivation was really getting to him.

Penelope couldn’t stop smiling as she reduced her husband into a laughing mess. She was able to feel the heat from his face against her neck, and it was only encouraging her to continue. So that’s exactly what she did. She continued to spider her hands up and down her husband’s back, being reminded of how he squirms when she targeted his lower back, and ducked his head down when she would move to is shoulder blades. 

She then moved to his ribs, and Odysseus finally started to fight back a little. He brought his hand back down from his neck to glue it to his side. It didn’t do much to stop Penelope, however, as she just moved to the backs of his ribs, resulting in a few snorts to be peppered in with his constant stream of squeaky laughter.

“PEHehenelohopehehehe! *Snort* Ahahahaha! *Gasp* N-Nohohot thehehere! *snort* HAHAHahahaha!” Odysseus was lost in happy laughter, beginning to shake his head into Penelope’s neck (he took a mental note of how she shrugged her shoulders slightly... for later).

“Nohot here? Okay!” Penelope smirked as she stopped scratching Ody’s head, instead using that hand to gently grab his wrist and bring his arm across her. She then used her other hand (that was already tickling him) to gently scratch at his armpits. “How about here? Is this better?”

Odysseus was thrown into a whole new bout of giggles. Although, he wasn’t pulling at his arm at all. “Nahahahahohoho! Nohohot behehetter! Nohot behehehetter!” 

Penelope decided to question the king on what she notted earlier. “Huh, maybe you have changed, darling. You used to make up such stupid teases about me to make me tickle you more, now you can’t even speak?” She giggled as she moved to skitter her nails over his bicep, “Are the tickles really that bad? I’m barely touching you!” 

“Nohoho! IhIhIt’s nohohot thahahahahat!” Penelope decided to bring the tickling down a notch, letting go of his arm and returning to her head scratching and back tracing.

“I know, my love. Light tickles it is.”

The queen knew her husband, even after 20 years. She knew that he could never resist provoking her to tickle him more, if it was on purpose or out of instinct. She clocked why Odysseus could only giggle weakly and lay limp in her arms the moment she began to tease him. He was tired. Sleepless nights on the venture back home, the amount of nightmares he's had, making him fear sleep. It all adds up eventually. He was touch starved, and tired, and didn’t want anything more intense than what he was getting.

Penelope knew that she would have to get him again, after a very well-deserved nap.

“Wh-whahaha- *gasp* Ehahaha! *snort* Whahat dohoho yohohohou mehehean ‘I knohow’?” Odysseus questioned through his growing giggles. Penelope didn’t respond, however, and just decided to quicken her pace over the backs of his ribs again, “OHOhohokahay, ohokahahay! Pehenelopehehe!”

The queen couldn't help but giggle at Odysseus’ sensitivity. She was right, he didn’t change that much in 20 years. But there was still one more place she needed to try. “I wonder… if you were really still my husband, then you would be extra ticklish…” She smiled, leaning forward to latch onto her husband’s thigh which was laying across her own legs, “here!” Easy access, she tought.

“AH- *snort* PEHENelopehehehe!” Odysseus shrieked, jerking his leg back. His face turned a few shades redder as he heard his wife giggle at his reaction. She then decided he had enough, and settled with gently rubbing up and down Ody’s back, continuing to scratch at his head. 

“Shh, IhI’m done now, darling” Odysseus could hear the smile in her voice as she giggled at him. Gods, this was so embarrassing. But he wasn’t complaining, at all. In fact, this was the happiest he felt in years. However, he heard the slightly teasing lit to Penelope's words.

“Dohohon’t laugh at mehe!” He resorted, as he brought his hand up to her neck, gently scratching at the side of it.

Penelope, being caught off guard, immediately let out a snort before letting out some high-pitched giggles. Odysseus couldn’t help but tease her, even in his tired state, “looks like someone didn’t change all that much either!”

“Ohoho plehehease, *snort* yohohou’re stihihill wahahahay wohohorse thahan mehehehe! Ahahahaha!” She laughed, snorts weaving their way into her quips. She squealed Odysseus placed a gentle kiss from his place in the crook of her neck.

He smirked at the adorable sound. “Oh yeah? Wanna bet?” he teased as he continued to kiss along her neck, going right under her ear and along her jawline. His beard wasn’t helping Penelope with bearing the sensations, as it was scratching at her neck as he kissed her neck. 

“Ohoho, huhuhush!” She squeaked and attempted to bring her shoulders up to block the tickles, but it was hard considering Odysseus’ head was right there, forcing her to uselessly tilt her head from side to side to escape the affectionate attack. Odysseus then brought his hand down to tickle gently tickle her stomach, deciding to blow a quick raspberry on her neck. 

Penelope shrieked and threw her head back, pushing at the king’s head. “O-OHOHOdehesseuhus! *snort* Wahaha-HAHAIT!” She laughed, majestic and adorable at the same time. Odysseus blew one more raspberry on her neck before using his beard to nuzzle against her. Her laughter upped an octave as she lightly smacked at the hand still tickling her stomach.

“O-ohohokahahay! Yohohohou gohohot mehehe!” She giggled, poking at his back in retaliation, causing him to bring his hand back and throw his head back with a hearty laugh.

“Fihine! Fine! Truhuce! Mehercey!” He giggled as Penelope stopped for real this time. She re-wrapped her arms around Odysseus, scooching down the bed to see him face-to-face. She put her hand up to cup his face, his own hand covering hers as he leaned into the contact.

“How long has it been?” The queen questioned, softness and adoration dripping from her words.

“Since we’ve been here? Around 15 minutes or so.” Odysseus replied, laughing at his own ‘joke’ as Penelope scoffed and pushed her hand into his cheek.

“Noho, Ody!” She laughed anyways, taking a moment to look deeply into her husband’s eyes before continuing, “I mean how long has it been.”

He smiled. It was a kind of sad smile, thinking about how long they spent away from each other. “20 years.” He replied. But that doesn’t matter now. Now he’s going to be by her side for the rest of their lives.

The king didn’t wait for her to reply before pulling her into a proper hug, his arms wrapping around her frame and squeezing her tightly, but gently, making sure not to hurt her. Penelope quickly returned the cuddle, her hand finding the back of his head again. 

“I love you” They giggled to each other when they said the phrase at the same time. 

~~~~~~~~

Odysseus hadn’t realized he had fallen asleep. That was until he "woke up", looking around just to find himself in a dark room. Oh gods, not this nightmare again, he thought. 

He has had many nightmares over the course of his journeys home. Most of them included him being tied down as his soldiers, his comrades, his friends, called him all sorts of degrading words and haunting him with their screams from dying grusemly. 

The one that always hurt was the one he thought he was just about to experience. In about a minute or so, Polites will walk in, tell him how disappointed he is, how he’s selfish for all of the decisions he made. Say how arrogant he was for not being able to resist calling his name after the Cyclops. Hit him a few times, cry, all before calling him a sad excuse for a commander, before leaving.

Odysseus folded his legs in, ducking his head under his arms and began to cry. Could the dream Gods not give him a break for one fucking day? He would take anything over this.

“Odysseus?”

The gentle tone and the light hand on his shoulder startled the king. He looked up and, low and behold, Polites’s ghost was standing in front of him. 

“Just get on with it,” Odysseus said, whipping his tears, “I already know what’s going to happen.”

“Ody, what are you talking about?” Polites said, his tone was genuinely confused, “I just wanted to check up on you. I haven’t seen you in a while. I think the last time was… during the wind bag incident! Yeah, that's it!”

Now it was Odysseus’ turn to be confused. “That's… not true. Just last week, you were here, a-and-"

“Ohh,” Now Polites understood what was going on. He sat down in front of Odysseus, grabbing his hand, brushing his thumb over the appendage. “Odysseus, that wasn’t me... The real me, I mean. Morpheus likes to mess with people’s dreams if they make stupid mistakes. Only until the person is happy again, then you’ll have a good dream,” He explained, “you know I would never hurt you.”

“B-but you died, and I… I couldn’t…” Odysseus stopped himself before crying again. Polites saw this, and moved to sit beside his best friend, throwing an arm over his shoulders in an attempt to comfort him.

He then felt another presence behind him. He turned around, to see Eurylochus’ ghost standing there, with some ghost crew members behind him. “Hey, captain,” He said, and gave a smile as he walked forward, the rest of the ghosts followed, greeting Odysseus as they passed him.

“What are… what’s going on?” Odysseus asked. This was unlike any dream he’s had before. He was confused. He didn’t trust it. He was scared that something bad will happen. He couldn’t anticipate anything.

“We saw that you made it home alive-” Eurylochus started, before being interrupted by a crew member, who still hasn’t come out from behind Odysseus.

“Yeah! And we saw your adorable reunion with Penelope!” Elpenor giggled, giving a quick scribble down Ody’s back. The latter gave a startled gasp as he straightened his back.

“Elpenor!” Odysseus squeaked, causing some crew members (including Elpenor) to giggle at his reaction.

“Sorry, Cap! I had to!” He said before joining the rest of the crew. 

“Anyways, what I was about to say is… We just wanted to tell you that we’re proud of you, Odysseus.” Eurylochus finished his statement by crossing his arms and giving a small smile to his brother-in-law.

“B-But how could you be. I killed you, Eurylochus. I killed all of you. I’m a monster.”

“You are no monster, Ody,” Polites spoke up from his side, “you did what you had to do to get home. If I was in your position, I would have done the same.”

Now it was Odysseus’ turn to give a huff of amusement, though his face remained emotionless, “Oh please.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?!”

“It means you’re too kind and soft to hurt anything. I mean come on, you refused to kill a mosquito when we camped out on the Lotus Eater’s island.”

“Okay, maybe Polites wouldn’t, but I know that I would have.” Eurylochus spoke up again. Odysseus didn’t have anything to say in rebuttal, so he just let his brother talk. “Listen, of course I was mad at first. I was fucking pissed, and I refused to enter your dreams because I didn’t wanna face you. But then, after a bit of time and reflection, I really began to think about what I would have done if I was in your shoes. And now I know. I don’t blame you. None of us do.”

Those words finally broke the dam, for the second time during this dream, and Odysseus began to cry. Polites offered himself with his arms open (heh get it) and Odysseus accepted, embracing his friend as he sobbed.

Eurylochus was a little confused, “did I… say something bad?” He looked around at his comrades for answers, just to be left with shrugs. 

That was until Peremedes stepped forward, placing his hand on Eury’s shoulder. “It’s the opposite, actually. You said just the right thing.” He smiled, before quickly repressing it. Though he felt eyes on him. He looked over and saw Elpenor, smiling at him, mouthing the words ‘I saw that’. He just gave him the finger, not wanting to bring more attention to himself.

Polites motioned for the rest of them to come join them, and that's exactly what they did. They all embraced Odysseus. The captain didn’t know this feeling. He’s been touched by his friend’s ghosts before, but that was only through beatings. This… this was different. It was warm, and comforting, and made him wanna cry tears of joy, which was exactly what he was doing. The words that Eurylochus said playing on repeat; “We’re proud of you” “We don’t blame you”. He was overwhelmed with joy, feeling most of his guilt lift off his shoulders at his best friends’ words.

~~~~~~~~

Odysseus woke up again, smiling. He opened his eyes to see his wife, peacefully sleeping beside him. She eventually turned over in her sleep, now her back facing the king. He gave her a hug from behind, kissing the side of her head as she woke up.

“Darling, I believe it’s time for supper,” Odysseus said as he smelled his favourite feast through the door to their room. Penelope rolled over, gave him another kiss, then got up to fix herself up again, putting her jewellery back on and fixing her messy hair and dress. Ody fixed himself up too, using his wife’s hairbrush to fix his long hair.

He didn't hear Odysseus call out his name, or the polite, "Excuse me," that followed. He was standing in front of a shelf, staring blankly ahead of him as his thoughts wandered.

Odysseus wasn't sure what to do. He had noticed the change in his demeanor since returning to the ship, but didn't believe it was in his place to question it. After all, he had only made the situation worse for the longest time. This was all still new to them, and if this was how Polites needed to process things, that was fine.

But he really needed the hammer on the shelf behind him...

He called out one last time for good measure, smirking when he still didn't budge. He looked his friend up and down, considering his options. He could see through his stomach to the tool resting on the shelf, was it really just as simple as reaching out to grab it?

They all had made sure not to cross certain boundaries with Polites since he returned. They didn't ask what dying felt like, they tried not to stare at his wounds, they pretended like it was totally normal for him to phase through walls, and they didn't walk or reach through him. He wasn't sure why or how these rules were established amongst them, but it was universally understood without much communication.

But boundaries had always been more lenient between them. They were best friends, brothers by choice, so surely he wouldn't mind if he just slipped through to grab what he needed.

Polites was ripped from his thoughts when a sudden tingling sensation shot through his whole body, emanating from his belly. He jerked back with a yelp, phasing halfway through the shelf.

Odysseus was staring at him with amused bewilderment, standing there with a hammer in hand.

"Did you really just reach through me to grab that?" he asked incredulously, failing to hide his growing smile.

"Sorry, I tried to get you to move but you didn't hear me," he explained, a smirk firmly in place. "Thought you wouldn't mind, but I should've known you'd still be ticklish," he took the opportunity to tease him.

Even as a ghost, the memory of a blush dusted his cheeks. "Hey!" he whined, despite the giddy feeling swelling in his chest. He couldn't remember the last time he felt like this.

And then he remembered the last time Hermes paid him a visit. Oh yeah.

"So what's it feel like when I do this?" Odysseus asked, reaching out to stick his hand through his side, wiggling his fingers as he did so. Polites let out a giggly squeal, twisting to the side as he drifted away, but Odysseus followed.

"Ihihit tihihickles, what doho you thihihink?" he sassed, only to snort when his other hand joined the fray.

"It was a valid question, smart ass!" he scolded playfully before continuing this sudden round of questioning. "So does it feel any different than it used to?"

"I-I dohohon't knohow!" He really wasn't sure, to be honest. Yes, it still tickled like hell, but in a different way than he was used to. When he was alive, the feeling was more or less localized to the targeted spot. Now, it radiated through his whole body, but felt strongest where Odysseus was reaching through him. "M-mahahaybe?"

"Hm, interesting. We'll have to investigate further," Odysseus decided, winking at him before swiping at his ribs. Polites shrieked and tried to float away, only for Odysseus to catch him by the ankle.

"Nohoho we wohohon't!" he argued halfheartedly, tugging weakly on his leg. He wasn't exactly sure how Odysseus was able to both hang onto him and phase through him, but he wasn't able to dwell on the thought as fingers scribbling over his foot had him snorting and giggling, desperate to get away. He was still wearing shoes, how was that even possible? None of this made any sense.

"Sure we will! This is a profound discovery!"

"Nohoho ihihit's nohohot!" he insisted through bubbly giggles. Odysseus arched a brow because he really didn't sound surprised. And then it clicked.

"Wait a second, did you know about this?” he asked, wiggling his fingers faster when Polites tried to answer, drawing out a giddy squeal.

“N-nohoho!” he denied, his voice high pitched, and not just from the laughter.

“You really suck at lying, you know that? Especially when you’re laughing your ass off,” he taunted. Polites blushed a little darker at his words.

“Thahat’s nohohot fair!” he whined, but didn’t protest further or put up much of a fight.

Odysseus lit up as a realization dawned on him, and he paused to give Polites a chance to answer. “So was this what Hermes meant when he said he had to cheer you up?”

Polites bristled at the question, eyes flying wide open to stare at his friend in shock. “What?” he squeaked, because how the hell did he know about that? “No!”

But Odysseus was already laughing. “Oho man, are you serious!”

“It’s not funny!” Yet the smile on his face said otherwise.

“You’re right, it’s hilarious!”

“Odysseus!” he cried, trying to smack his hands free, but unable to focus enough to shove him away. Or maybe, he just didn’t want to.

“Polites!”

“It’s nohohot funnyyyy!” he repeated through giggles when Odysseus chose that moment to strike again.

“Don’t you know humor is subjective?” he chuckled at his own joke while Polites managed to groan through his laughter.

“Ohohody, come ohon!”

“What? I’m just trying to cheer you up! Like Hermes did-”

“SHUHUT UHUHUP!” he interrupted with a piercing shriek when Odysseus went back to scribble and phase through his belly.

“No thanks, I’m good,” Odysseus shrugged him off, continuing to explore all the spots he knew so well.

Odysseus couldn't be happier. Ever since Polites returned, he hadn't been the same. It was still him, but he wasn't himself. He wasn't happy anymore, not the way he had been. That bright carefree smile he saw every day became a rare sight, and he hadn't heard him laugh since they were on the island with the lotus eaters.

Now they were laughing, teasing one another, and it was (almost) just like old times.

Eurylochus stood at the helm of the ship, smiling in disbelief as they finally made it home. An overwhelming joy filled his chest, but there was an unrelenting sense of nervous dread that swelled in the pit of his stomach. Odysseus should be here.

He would have to be the one to tell them. It was his fault, after all. Everything started with that damned bag... But more than that, he was the first mate, the King's second in command; who else could possibly break the news? He would have to look his dear wife in the eyes, for the first time in over 18 years, and tell her that her brother didn't make it home. And the boy...

Eurylochus could see him now as they docked the ship. There was no doubt it was him, he was the spitting image of his best friend. His excitement was obvious and heartbreaking, and he watched the smile slowly fade as man after man left the ship and walked past. He took a shaky breath and stepped off the ship.

"You're his son," they were the only words he could think to say.

He really tried to keep it together, but everything came crashing down all at once. He was home. His nephew had grown into a strong young man who would've made his father unbelievably proud. He was staring at him with confused, tearful eyes, and he broke down.

"I'm so sorry."

"What did you say?" Telemachus asked, shoving the stranger away. "Why are you sorry? Where's my father?" he demanded, tears beginning to run down his cheeks.

"I... I don't know," he admitted, head hung low in shame.

"LIAR!" the young prince accused.

A fist suddenly connected to his jaw, and Eurylochus stumbled to the ground. He knelt before him, begging for forgiveness.

"Please, it's the truth!" Eurylochus insisted. By now, Leander and Asterios had rushed over, holding the prince back.

"If he's dead, just fucking tell me! I'm a man, I can take it!" he screamed, tears of frustration pouring down his face as he fought against their hold. Eurylochus signaled for them to let him go, and he ran towards him, ready to throw another punch.

He easily caught his wrist, his grip much more gentle than what Telemachus expected.

"I really don't know for certain," he said softly. "But- I-I don't believe he's dead," he scrambled to add. Telemachus scoffed, shoving him away. Eurylochus grabbed his wrist so he wouldn't storm away.

"You're in denial just like everyone else!" Telemachus twisted free from his grip, but didn't go anywhere.

"I've seen him survive worse," he reasoned. "It's a long story, so why don't we go for a walk?"

He was hesitant to accept, but nodded in agreement. After all, he wanted answers. "I can show you around."

"Thank you. I'm Eurylochus," he finally introduced himself. Telemachus gasped as he realized the man before him was his uncle, and began to see him in a whole new light. He grabbed him in a hug, clinging on as if he thought he would vanish if he let go.

"I'm... I'm glad you're home."

~~~

They walked off into the woods, and Telemachus listened as Eurylochus recounted the struggles on their journey home. His uncle had warned him to listen with an opened mind, that many unbelievable things had befallen the crew. He didn't say a word as Eurylochus told him of their old friend Polites, and what had happened in the cave. He remained silent as he explained how they traveled through the underworld, and how their friend stowed away on board. He explained that Zeus somehow knew Polites escaped the underworld, and forced his father to choose between his lifelong best friend and the lives of his crew. And how, as they said their final goodbye, Zeus struck.

"I... I think I need to be alone for a while," he muttered, tucking his face into his knees as he sat.

Eurylochus nodded, offering his shoulder a comforting squeeze. "Of course. I'll be sure to let your mother know you're safe." He left Telemachus alone to process everything he had just heard.

The young prince wandered through the woods until he found a rock to sit on. His mind trails off, wondering where his father could be, if not dead at the bottom of the ocean? Poseidon hated all of them, Eurylochus said so himself.

Why did Zeus even care so much anyway? From the sound of it, Polites was already dead, that wasn't going to change. And it's not like he would be acting on his brother's behalf. If Hades had a problem with it, he would've been the one to show up. He doubted he even noticed one soul was missing, so why try and kill him again? Why kill Odysseus as well?

Eurylochus had been sparing with the details. He had said something about how their friend could've possibly caught Zeus's attention, but when he pressed further, he changed the subject.

All his life, Telemachus had wondered about his father, but now there were new questions to answer. Like just who was this Polites guy, and what exactly happened after Zeus threw that lightning bolt?

~~~

As it turns out, Eris was a good listener. A great listener, in fact. She nodded along, asking questions or interjecting her own commentary in a surprisingly humane way. She could still be bitchy, and Polites didn't trust her as far as he could throw her, but regardless, she seemed to like him. The more he talked, the more comfortable she made him feel. They shared a pot of herbal tea that was pleasantly floral and sweet. And it was cold. He'd never had tea served cold before, but it was nice. She used a beautiful black porcelain tea set that had been repaired with gold, sealing their broken pieces back together. On the center of the table sat a tiered tray of pastries, colorful and mouthwatering, although he didn't take a bite until she did the same. It very well might be the best thing he's ever tasted, but then again, he hasn't eaten since long before his death, so his judgement might be skewed. But still, this was a damn good tart.

"I must admit, I have looked in on your crew from time to time. Just, to check up on my son. And you've always been kind to him, even when he felt like an outcast. For that, I've grown fond of you, and I was... disappointed to learn of your fate." Eris spoke earnestly.

"It was nothing, he's a really cool guy, just a bit shy is all," he shrugged sheepishly. His words made her smile.

"Is he... happy?"

Polites hesitated before answering. "As happy as any of them can be, I suppose."

"Thats fair," she sighed. She glanced at him, smirking and shaking her head.  "Zeus really overreacted sending you here."

Polites huffed, offering a sad, half smile. "Tell me about it."

"You know," she began slowly, drumming her nails against the table in thought, "I could help you escape from here. If that's something you'd be interested in."

Polites nearly choked at the offer. "I- um- yeah, of course! I-I mean, if that's something you can do," he stuttered and tripped over his own words.

"You will need to do all the ground work yourself," she deadpanned, hiding her smirk at his enthusiasm. "But... I'll pull a few strings on my end. Make sure the right people are clued in, and keep the wrong ones occupied," she added with a wink, staring at him from over the rim of her teacup.

Polites arched a skeptical brow. Sure, he was willing to do anything to get back to the world he loved, but out of all the Gods, Eris was as untrustworthy as they come. He wanted to hear her out, but he needed details.

"Who are the "right" people?"

"Your friend Hermes, of course. And I suppose Dionysus will want in as well, what with him trying to make a name for himself. And I should probably let my brother know, just to ensure he turns a blind eye," she listed off.

"Which brother?"

"Thanatos, but you really shouldn't look so worried, I assure you he won't care. Once his job is done with you, he's onto the next poor soul. And he's been ever so busy these days..." she trailed off.

Polites froze the moment the name left her lips, the memory of a racing heart drumming inside his chest.

"For some reason, I don't think the God of Death would approve this plan..."

His concern only made her laugh. "You're already dead, Polites. He couldn't care less about what happens to you now."

Polites still wasn't convinced, leveling her with a skeptical glare are a raised brow. "How can you be so certain?" Eris rolled her eyes, taking a long, loud sip from her tea cup before answering.

"I promise, his bark is worse than his bite. You humans love to vilify even the most natural of things," she said flippantly. "Everyone's time comes eventually. He just, helps you along. Tell me, how was your experience with him?"

The question caught him completely off guard, and he reeled back in shock. Nonetheless, he answered her question, thinking back to his last real moments.

"He was..."

Polites had never felt so much pain before. He couldn't move, couldn't breathe. When they won the war, he had foolishly thought that meant he would make it back home. That maybe he wouldn't die a gruesome death in battle, but instead, in his old age, surrounded by family. Acceptance came easier than he expected, but the loss of what should've been still hurt.

His eyes glazed over and he fell limp. The last whispering rattle of a breath escaped his lungs as a cloaked figure stepped into view. He stood tall, gripping a massive, ornate scythe. He pulled his hood back to reveal a young man with silvery hair and warm golden eyes. He knelt beside him and cupped his head in his hands.

"You fought valiantly until the end. I'm truly sorry," he spoke, before placing a soft kiss to his forehead. He lifted his soul from his body, carrying him in his arms.

"Gentle," Polites answered after trailing off.

"So why do you think he wouldn't want what's best for you?" she asked genuinely.

"I suppose he does," Polites agreed, coming to terms with the fact that Death no longer posed him a threat.

~~~

Eurylochus raced back to the palace once Telemachus dismissed him, ensuring he would follow shortly. After all, he had a lot to process.

He tried not to think about the disappointment, the utter hatred on his nephew's face when he told him his father didn't make it. It was the hardest thing he's had to do, even after all he'd endured. He tried to ignore the guilt swelling in his chest as he ran back to his home, back to his wife. By the Gods, how he'd missed Ctimene.

She was walking through the gardens when he made it to the palace, just as beautiful as the day they first met.

She glanced his way and smiled before letting out a gasp, turning again to find out if she really did see him. When he didn't fade upon a second glance, she screamed. She ran faster than she ever had before, crashing into him with nearly two decades worth of longing.

Eurylochus had always been a strong man, and he braced for impact, ready to steady the both of them. But he was no match for the force that threw herself in his arms, and they both tumbled to the ground.

"I-" but that's all he could say before she swallowed the rest of his words in a kiss.

He returned it with just as much passion.

She pulled away for breath, panting with the sheer excitement she felt. They were finally home!

"You have no idea how many times  I've dreamed of this moment. Come, we must get Penelope, I'm sure Ody is just dying to see her! And Telemachus is running around here somewhere," she stood, taking her husband's hand to guide him. Only to find herself pulled back when he wasn't walking with her.

His grip was firm, and he was kneeling on the ground. Tears welled in his eyes, spilling down his cheeks, leaving wet, clean tracks in their wake.

"Eurylochus, my love, what's wrong?" she asked, taking a step closer. He wept at her feet, hugging her legs and clinging to her dress.

"I'm s-so sssorry," he spoke in a trembling voice, his whole body shaking as he sobbed. Ctimene felt her own tears fall down her cheeks as she knelt before him, clutching him in a tight embrace. His head was resting on her shoulder, and she ran her fingers through his hair. It was longer than she knew he liked it, but it was a good look on him.

"Whatever happened wasn't your fault," she assured him, her own voice weak as she spoke around a lump in her throat. She swallowed hard, and spoke again. "Do you hear me? It wasn't your fault."

He shook his head. "It shouldn't have happened. None of it. Everything was my fault," he began to spiral, talking in fractured circles, unable to explain what exactly happened. He had barely managed with the boy, but this was unbearable. He had relived it once before, and it only seemed worse the second time. Though, maybe that was because of who he was telling it to.

He feared her rejection, her scorn, her blame. He dreaded her mournful wails when he tells her that her brother didn't make it. The hateful look in her eyes the same as Telemachus.

"We all would've been home so many years ago if I didn't-"

"Shhhh," she soothed, stroking his head as she began rocking back and forth. "No more what ifs. You're home now."

They sat silently in the grass for a moment before she broke the silence, jumping up with a scream, "YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT OPHELIA!"

He abruptly face planted as she shot up, not able to brace himself in time. Ophelia... of all the names they had chosen for a daughter, that had been his favorite. Which meant...

Eurylochus scrambled to his feet, a wide grin spreading across his face. "We have a daughter?" he asked, heart already swelling with joy, excitement, too many emotions hitting him all at once as she nodded.

"I HAVE A DAUGHTER!" he yelled at the top of his lungs, picking up his wife as he spun her around in his arms.

He hoped the whole world could hear him.

"I found out two weeks after you left," she said, choking back another sob.

By the time they reached the door, Ophelia was standing there, already looking for them, and flew the door open, smacking Eurylochus in the face, sending him stumbling back.

"Oh Gods, I'm so sorry Sir, excuse-" Ophelia stopped her rambling when she noticed her mother clinging to this stranger's arms, doting on his already swelling cheek. Little did she know, her cousin was to blame for that.

"Father?" she gasped and ran straight into his arms, clinging onto him as she cried into his chest. "I've thought about you every waking moment of my whole life."

It was a breathy, choked whisper, and he wasn't sure if he was supposed to hear it. He hugged her tighter, stroking a hand through her long, dark curls. He had often wondered if he had a child waiting for him when he returned home. They had been trying before he had to leave, so there was always a chance, but he never knew for sure. Had stayed up countless nights hoping, praying to the Gods for it to be true. He had thought about all the possibilities of what his son or daughter might be like, whether they take after their mother or father more, what their personality was like, if they were bold and outgoing like Ctimene, or more shy and reserved like he was. He wondered what they liked to do, and what their favorite food was.

"It's okay, I'm here now. I'm not going anywhere."

~~~

Eris sat across from Polites, tracing the rim of her cup with her finger. "I've given you all the advice I can. Only one question remains."

"Which is?" he asked, arching a brow.

"Are you ready to go back?" she asked, tilting her head. Her hair flowed around her as if under water. A humming tune droned on as she traced the rim of the cup, growing louder with each second.

"Of course."

"Then I guess this is goodbye. Until we meet again, Polites."

"Thank you. It's been nice meeting you."

His words made her chuckle and look away. Call him crazy, but he could swear she was blushing.

"I actually think you mean that." 

"I do," he insisted. She offered him a soft, sad smile.

"Thank you."

Polites didn't get the chance to answer. With a wave of her hand, the chair beneath him crumbled to sand, and he found himself tumbling down.

It felt like he was in an hourglass, getting sucked down, down, down in a whirlpool of sand. Time lost all meaning. He could feel each grain of sand pass through his ethereal form as he continued falling. Slowly but surely, the sand stuck together until he was whole. And suddenly, all at once, the rushing wind in his ears stopped and his feet planted firmly on the ground, as if he'd been standing there for hours.

Polites looked down at his hands, and for once, he couldn't see through himself. He barked out a laugh, patting his chest, face, stomach, shoulders, anywhere he could reach because he was there. He was flesh and bone, just like everyone else. Sure, it was bloodied and bruised, but he felt truly alive.

And then he took a look around.

~~~

Telemachus had finally made it back to the palace after a long, far walk in the woods. He wanted nothing more than to slip away to his room unnoticed, but he would never be so lucky. Not with so many suitors roaming every inch of the palace halls, all of whom were obsessed with making his life a living hell.

He went stiff and sneered when he felt a heavy arm throw itself around his shoulders.

"There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you."

"Oh I'm sure you have, Antinous. You've made it quite clear that you have nothing better to do with your life," he snapped, not even bothering to look at him.

"Careful boy, or you might hurt someone with that sharp tongue of yours," he taunted, and Telemachus shoved him off harshly.

"Stop calling me that, we're practically the same age!" he hissed, but that only made Antinous chuckle.

"Nah, I still got a few years on you,” he said with a smirk, reaching up to ruffle his hair. Telemachus slapped him away before he could even touch him.

"What the fuck do you even want?" he asked, cutting to the chase. He crossed his arms over his chest, cocking his hip to the side impatiently.

"Like I said, sharp tongue." Just like that, he was back in the prince's personal space, trapping him in a one armed hug. "I actually came to offer my condolences."

Telemachus felt his blood run cold.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he spoke coldly.

"Come on, don't pretend to be in denial," he purred in his ear. "I noticed the king's crew arrived today. Without the king." Telemachus was breathing heavy, nostrils flared and fists clenched by his sides. "I can't begin to imagine the pain you must be going through-"

"LIKE YOU CARE!" he yelled in his face, sending him reeling back in shock. Antinous blinked a few times before recovering, easily slipping back into his sly smile.

"Hey, I'm just trying to level with you. Man to man."

That actually made Telemachus snort in amusement. "That's rich."

"Just, hear me out. You and I already know what happened to your father, don't we?"

Telemachus turned on him, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and slamming him against the nearest wall.

"You don't know anything! So I suggest you stop talking before you regret it," he threatened. But the bastard only grinned.

"Think about it. A lot can happen in 17 years... Plenty of time for a mutiny."

"Shut up!"

"Why else would a crew show up without their captain?"

"I said SHUT UP!"

Before he knew what was happening, his fist connected with bone as he socked Antinous in the jaw. He had dreamed of doing that, and it felt just as good as he always imagined.

Until he got punched in the face.

He smiled as he felt pain shoot through his right cheek, settling deep in his eye socket. The fight was on.

~~~

Polites looked at the underworld around him in shock. It was almost completely unrecognizable. Houses and large buildings carpeted the horizon, stretching higher and higher towards the sky. Roads snaked through the growing city, connecting everything to the center, where a large copper statue of Hades himself stood. Polites was still a fair distance away, and he could see every detail.

"What happened?" he asked aloud to no one but himself.

He began wandering the streets, not unlike the ones back home, but much more... he couldn't quite find the word for it. Everything seemed so advanced and efficient; it was almost too perfect.

The buildings were lit as though with the sun itself, shining through nearly every window. Bright signs differentiated the buildings from one another, and the closer he got, he noticed than many were still under construction. Countless souls stood on scaffolding, adding thick mortar to the walls for support.

There were even more horseless chariots than he remembered, driving past him on their way to make a delivery.

Polites did his best to stay out of the way and undetected. It was a fairly easy task, given how busy everyone seemed to be.

Polites found himself in the outskirts of the city, standing at the gates of a botanical garden. The plants were all dead and dried, but remained perfectly preserved. Gardeners tilled the soil and watered the plants in vein.

One of the workers paused to wipe sweat from her brow, glancing at the newcomer. She let out a loud gasp once she realized who stood before her. The watering can fell from her grasp, clattering against the cobblestone walkway.

"Polites?"

~~~

Telemachus may have got the first punch, but he certainly hadn't faired well after that. Antinous was larger and stronger than him, and with much more experience. Telemachus could barely fight back, focusing his efforts on blocking and dodging the punches thrown his way.

By now, his eye was swollen and turning purple, his nose was bleeding, and he was pretty sure his ribs and stomach were bruised as well. He saw Antinous rear back and braced for an impact that didn't come.

He opened his eyes to see Antinous in the same position, his fist slowly moving towards him. Past him, Telemachus saw a strange woman he'd never seen before; one with broad shoulders and musculature, who wore battle armor over her dress, donning a helmet and spear. Her eyes glowed a piercing blue.

There was no question who she was.

"Need some help?" she asked, smiling and arching a brow curiously.

"What's going on here?" he questioned, glancing nervously between Athena and Antinous.

"Is your plan to stand around? 'Cause I suggest you fight back," she advised.

"I don't know how," he answered, fear slipping into his voice.

"Uppercut him, now!" she ordered, and he did as he was told. He hit Antinous below the jaw, the sound of clacking teeth echoing around him as he saw spit fly from his mouth.

"Whoa, how did I do that? Is time now moving slow?" he asked in awe as he watched his opponent stumble back in slow motion.

Athena couldn't help but smirk. "No, I just made your thoughts quick."

His face lit up as he exclaimed, "Whoa, that is so sick!"

His reaction reminded her of his father, and determination settled deep in her bones. She cracked her neck, rolling her shoulders. "Alright now, let's try this again."

Telemachus smiled through the pain, steeling himself for what was to come. He felt invigorated by Athena's help, and he was definitely faster and stronger because of it.

He attacked at any opportunity he saw, aiming for his face, stomach, anywhere he could land a hit. Antinous was starting to look a little worse for wear, stumbling between punches. Telemachus spun around as he was clocked in the jaw, returning the favor with a vengeance.

He could hear yelling behind him, but it was distorted and muffled by the ringing in his ears. Ctimene and Ophelia screamed for him to stop, but to no avail. He didn't even realize his family had been watching until he felt someone try to pull him away.

"FUCK OFF, LET ME GO!" he screamed, bloody spit flew from his mouth as he screamed, trying to shake off his uncle's grip.

"Telemachus, please, this is no way to behave!" Ctimene pleaded with him, tears welling in her eyes. He stopped fighting against him and instead glared at where Antinous stood against a pillar, groaning in pain as he wiped his busted lip.

Telemachus ignored her, ignored all of them except for Antinous. "Be glad they stopped me."

For once, he remained silent.

"How many times have I told you? He's not worth it," she spoke in a hushed voice, one only he could hear. She held his bruised, swollen face in her hands, brushing matted hair away from his face. He shook her off; the last thing he wanted right now was to be coddled.

"No, you don't understand. I couldn't just let him say shit like that," he hissed. His glare never faltered, not even sparing a glance towards anyone else.

"What could he possibly say to make you behave like such an animal?" His aunt's words struck a chord, and he glanced at Athena, receiving a nod of approval. There was no need to hide them from the truth.

"He tried to say that Eurylochus killed my father." His tone was cold and dark, and Ophelia had never seen her cousin look so furious, and now it all made sense. Rage and sorrow swelled in her chest all at once at such an accusation. She gasped behind her hand, gripping onto her mother's arm with the other. Ctimene reeled back in shock, and it felt as though the wind was knocked out of her. She looked to her beloved husband, who was already drowning in incredible guilt, and saw just how deep his words struck.

Wordlessly, Eurylochus released his grip on his nephew's shoulders. No sooner than he did, Telemachus threw himself an Antinous, letting out a viscous war cry as he jumped in the air and landed with a punch straight to the nose.

Eurylochus ushered his family out of the hall, allowing Telemachus to have his way with the worthless bastard.

~~~

Eurydice's life had certain become more dull after Polites left, but she had always been more than fine on her own. But things were changing fast in the underworld, supposedly for the better. Hades told them it was to make death seem more comfortable by mimicking life as they remembered. Except, he promised to make it better. That the underworld should no longer be a place people fear to go, but a peaceful reward for a life well lived. A meaningful sentiment, so it seemed. But she knew Hades, and he was always out to get something.

In his self-righteous attempt to make this bleak place more appealing, he decided to put them to work based on what they were good at in life. He also claimed to take their personal hobbies and interests into account, but that didn't make their slave labor any better. Even if she did enjoy gardening, fuck him for making her do it.

She stood up from planting a strawberry bush, wiping sweat from her brow before grabbing her watering can. She glanced over when she heard someone approach, doing a double take when she saw Polites of all people standing before her.

The watering can fell with a clatter as she called out his name in disbelief. This was bad. Why was he back? How did he come back?

She ran into him, wrapping her arms around his neck as he sobbed into his shoulder. "I missed you so much, but why are you here? Hades is undergoing renovations, and he's trying to make it some sort of utopia, but something about it isn't right, and you shouldn't be here!"

He hugged her back just as tight. "It was Zeus. H-he found out about me somehow. But I have no idea what he did to Odysseus, o-or the crew, but I haven't seen them anywhere, s-so that's a good sign, right?"

She pulled away from the hug to look him in the eyes, gently cupping his face with both hands. "It's a great sign."

~~~

Telemachus screamed with rage as he tackled Antinous to the ground, immediately pelting him with his fists.

He tried to block the hits, but the prince was faster and more agile than he gave him credit for. He still managed to get a few punches in, but from his position on the ground, they weren't nearly as effective as they should've been.

A small group of suitors had gathered to watch, whispering amongst themselves. Telemachus couldn't care less about what they were saying, smirking when he caught a glimpse of fear in his opponent's eyes. Good.

"Should we... do something?"

"No no, I wanna see how this plays out."

"You wanna break it up, be my guest. I'm not getting in the middle of that."

Melanthius, Eurymachus, and Amphinomus debated whether or not to intervene, not willing to risk themselves to save Antinous, knowing he likely wouldn't do the same.

Antinous laid on his side, crawling to his knees with the hope to stand up and fight. But then, Telemachus grabbed a fistful of his hair and slammed his face to the ground.

"Fuck! Stop- stop! I take it back!" Antinous screamed for mercy as blood poured down his face, nose now shattered.

"If you ever talk about my father or uncle again, I'll fucking kill you with my bare hands," he threatened; and in that moment, he believed in his words wholeheartedly.

Antinous nodded, wincing in pain as he tenderly dabbed at the trail of blood.

"Understood."

~~~

Polites told her everything that had happened since they last saw each other; the good, and the bad. She was more upset than he expected when she learned how he was first treated upon his arrival. He assured her that he and Odysseus were on good terms now, that it was all a misunderstanding, yet his friend's actions clearly rubbed her the wrong way. But it was nice that she felt so defensive over him.

They walked as they talked, falling into their old routine as though they'd never been apart. Polites was subtly leading her towards the outskirts of the city, where rolling fields of golden wheat stood between them and home.

"I... I think I know a way we can leave," he blurted out, interrupting her string of questions.

Her breath escaped in a small gasp; her mouth hung open as she looked at Polites hopefully.

"What?"

"I have a plan to get back, and this time, I'm not leaving without you," he said, turning to face her head on. He grabbed her shoulders, his touch firm, yet gentle.

She shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. "I can't Polites. If it were with anyone else, I'm sure it would work. But I can't leave," she spoke around the lump in her throat. "I'm stuck here, no matter how hard you try."

"But we'll have help! Eris said-"

Eurydice pulled away, lip curling in disgust. "Eris?"

"She's really not that bad. Her son's in the crew, and he's a good guy. A little shy and moody, but he's nice in his own ways." He paused for a beat, straightening his shoulders. "And so is she."

She sighed and gripped her hair with both fists. "Polites, I love you, but you are so naive sometimes!"

"Hey! I'm not naive, I survived ten years of war! And I was a damn good spy, so no, Eurydice, I didn't trust her right away if that's what you're worried about," he spat defensively, immediately regretting his harsh words when she looked away. "I'm sorry, but if it weren't for her, I'd still be in Tartarus."

That certainly got her attention.

"What?" she whipped around, eyes wide with fear.

"Zeus didn't send me here... She did. Believe me, I was terrified almost the whole time, but towards the end I really did feel like she wanted to help."

"But why?"

He shrugged. "Honestly, it's a mixed bag. She said she felt sorry for me, and she had always liked me because I was nice to Asterios before he really fit in. She kinda laid it on thick with the pity, but I don't think it was intentional. She just kept acting like I was some sick animal she needed to help."

Eurydice couldn't help but giggle at the description, and he continued, maybe a bit more dramatic for her amusement.

"To make herself feel better, or just to give her something to do, I don't know. But she really does want to help. She said Zeus overreacted by sending me there, and she seemed really pissed off."

"Well yeah, think about it. Tartarus is supposed to be her domain, and he thought he could just use it like that without asking. It's a pretty big insult for a God."

"Yeah, you're right. It's personal to her now. Which could be good for us," he reasoned, mulling it over in his mind.

She hummed in agreement, and they fell silent. The golden hay around them swayed as they walked, reaching up to their waists.

Polites began to smile, and he looked at her with a full on mischievous smirk.

"What's with that look?" she asked, chuckling from his sudden, infectious enthusiasm.

"I think Eris is going to love you. Or at least, she's going to love the idea of breaking you out."

She gasped as she caught on to what he was implying. "C-can she really do that?"

"I don't know, but she lives for drama, and she'd do just about anything to start some. If she finds out Hades is the one who trapped you here, she'll do everything she can to help."

"But what if she can't?" she asked, and she sounded worried. He held her hands in his.

"We have to try."

~~~

Telemachus stormed up to his room, slamming the door harder than necessary. He was about to flop face first into his bed and scream into his pillow, but a certain someone standing on his balcony caught his eye.

"Athena?"

"That was some fight, huh little wolf?"

"Haha- ow," he chuckled at the comment, wincing at the pain the slight movement caused. "So uh, w-why did you help me?" he ventured to ask, shoulders hunched defensively as he took a small step towards her.

Her smile softened, and she gestured for him to come closer. He relaxed and sat beside her on the bench.

"Well, I had a friend before... he was a lot like you, and I thought you could use the help. You have the same potential I saw in him," she smiled, but Telemachus could see a sadness in her eyes that wasn't there before. "I helped him to fight in the war, but by the end, he had too many demons to face. And it... it drove us apart," she admitted, adverting her gaze.

Telemachus scooted closer, listening intently as she continued, "I thought maybe, by helping you, I could make things right somehow."

He hesitated before grabbing her hand, noticing her slight flinch at the touch. "Athena, I don't know who your friend is, o-or what he's like for that matter, but I've enjoyed our time together, however brief. I mean, I got in a fight and I didn't die, so that oughta count for something, right?" he teased, nudging her with his elbow. She rolled her eyes with a fond chuckle. "Seriously though, I... I never really felt strong before today, but you changed all that."

"I think you're giving me too much credit," she hummed.

"What?"

"You would not have fought so hard had it not been for your uncle."

Huh, he hadn't thought of it like that. He'd never felt such rage, and he wouldn't have felt so angry at the accusation if he didn't love his uncle. Part of him did, he knew this to be true, but it was overpowered by the furious, selfish part of him that wished he'd never came back.

He knew it wasn't fair. Ophelia deserved to have her father return safely just as much as he did, but the fact that Odysseus didn't make it changed everything he thought he would feel about this moment.

"I guess you're right."

"Give him a chance, Telemachus. I know he's not your father, but he was his best friend."

"One of them, anyway," he sighed.

That certainly grabbed Athena's attention. "What?"

"Forget it, it's nothing. Family stuff," he muttered. Athena decided to drop it. It would be easier than explaining how she knew exactly who he was talking about.

"If you say so."

"I know it didn't really work out with your old friend, but we're friends now, aren't we?" he asked hopefully.

The question caught her off guard and she startled, looking down at Telemachus. He stared up at her with wide, hopeful eyes, and how could she say anything but yes?

"Of course, little wolf."

"Heh, cool," he let out a sigh of content, leaning against her side. She hesitated before resting a hand atop his head.

"You know something? You're a pretty good kid."

His lips twitched in a smirk, leaning into the touch. "Thanks."

~~~

First thing was first: they needed to befriend Cerberus. After all, he guarded the most direct and easiest way out of the underworld, and Eris had made it clear this was their best option.

"I'm not so sure about this Polites," Eurydice spoke up, staring at the sleeping guard dog from a distance. "He looks like he could eat me in one bite."

"I think you mean three bites," he corrected playfully, snickering when Eurydice slapped his shoulder.

"That's not funny!"

"C'mon, yes it is!"

"No it's not!"

"Well I for one, thought it was hilarious," a new voice spoke up, causing them both to freeze. "But you don't have to worry. Cerby's a good boy."

"Cerby?" Eurydice repeated the nickname, nose scrunching in confusion.

"I-I'm sorry, we were just leaving," Polites said, unsure if he could trust this stranger.

"Clearly not. Exit's that way," the man smirked, pointing over his shoulder with his thumb. Polites made sure to stand in front of Eurydice, but he took a step closer, curiosity peaked.

"What?"

"You wanna leave, right? I mean, I assume you're the ones Than was talking about," he mused, looking them up and down.

"You mean Thanatos?"

"Yeah! So you know him? Sorry, stupid question," he apologized, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "Of course you know him, you wouldn't be here otherwise."

"Uh, yeah..." Polites shared a look with Eurydice.

"I told you we couldn't trust Eris," she whispered, tugging Polites closer to scold him without prying ears.

"Sh!"

"No, she sold us out!"

"I can still hear you, you know," he spoke up, clearly amused. "And I assure you, she did no such thing. I'm on your side."

"Prove it," Eurydice demanded.

"I was going to introduce you to Cerberus, but if you wanna do it yourselves-" he trailed off, beginning to walk away.

"Wait!"

His smirk grew as she called out, turning on his heels to face them.

"Thought so," he said, sauntering over to the pair. He held out a hand to shake, "Zagreus, at your service."

"Polites," he introduced himself. The name felt familiar, but he couldn't quite place it.

"Wait, Zagreus, as in the Prince of Hades? That Zagreus?"

Oh. So that's why.

"Guilty as char-"

"No. Come on Polites, we're leaving," she abruptly cut off the conversation, trying to drag her friend away. Polites planted his feet and tugged his arm free, much to her dismay.

"No! Just hear him out!"

"He's the son of Hades! He's a snitch!"

"Ouch."

"Just give him a chance!"

"I already gave Eris a chance, and she told Thanatos, who told him. How long until Hades finds out?" she tried to reason, and he had to admit, she had a point.

"He won't," Zagreus spoke up.

"You don't know that!"

"He wont find out from me," he clarified, and that made her pause for thought. He took a step closer, noting the way she stiffened. He sighed, "Look, I get why you don't trust me. But I promise, I just want to help."

Eurydice leveled him with a long, cold stare before nodding. "Okay. I believe you."

Polites let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. "See? We're all friends here," he said, as much to reassure her as himself.

Zagreus barked out a laugh, slinging an arm around his shoulder. "I like this guy already!" He grabbed Eurydice before she could slip away, pulling her into a half hug as well. She rolled her eyes, but tried to hide her growing smile. Zagreus pretended like he didn't notice.

"So, first thing's first: you're gonna need a lot of treats."

~~~

Telemachus dreaded dinner, wishing instead to hide from his mother and the inevitable scolding that was to come. Not to mention his stranger of an uncle whom he would be forced to converse with...

There was a knock on his door, and he groaned and rolled over in bed. The knock came again, louder this time. "Go away!"

The door opened, revealing his cousin standing in the hall.

"I'm hungry, and your mother won't let us eat until you join us."

"Sounds about right," he sighed. "You should just eat without me. I'm not hungry."

"That's a lie, you're always hungry," she teased, poking his belly. He glared at her, slapping the offending hand away.

She sighed when it seemed her jokes wouldn't work on him. "It's our first meal as a family," she said quietly.

He scoffed and turned his back to her. "Maybe for you."

She grabbed his shoulder and turned him back around to face her, nails digging into his shoulder.

"Ow! Ophelia, let go!"

"No! How could you say that? He's your family too!"

"I know, but I can't go down there and pretend I'm not- I'm not jealous that your dad's here and mine isn't! I don't know, maybe Antinous was right and they did mutiny-"

Ophelia slapped him across his already bruised cheek- hard. He yelped and reeled back, staring at her in complete and utter shock.

"You're a damn fool if you so much as even think that!" she screamed, tears welling in her eyes.

"What am I supposed to think?" he yelled back, standing up to be eye level with her. "A whole ship of men come back, and my father's the only one missing? Doesn't that seem strange to you?"

She turned away, adverting her gaze. "It is... odd,

I'll admit."

Telemachus let out a heavy sigh, running a hand through his messy hair.

"I'm sorry, but I can't go down there and pretend like everything's fine."

"No one's asking you to pretend. We know how hard this is for you and your mother," she spoke in a softer tone, resting a comforting hand on his shoulder. "But please, share in our joy. Even if just for a moment. Be happy where you can," she offered a kind, warm smile. One Telemachus tried to match, only for tears to well in his eyes.

Ophelia pulled him into a hug, choking back a sob.

"I'm so sorry it had to be like this..." she whispered in his ear, squeezing him tight before pulling away. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"Not any more than Antinous did," he teased, earning a slight chuckle from his cousin.

"Come, you must be starving."

"Oh, I'm famished!"

They walked down the hall, arm in arm as they talked, though Telemachus fell silent as they neared the dining hall.

At first he tried to lay low, but he had always been outgoing and friendly, even to those who weren't so friendly back. But it quickly became clear that down here, no one wanted to talk to him. Or so it would seem.

Polites got into the habit of exploring the underworld every day. There was nothing to do but wander aimlessly or work, and Polites much preferred the former. It was while on one of these walks that he spotted a young woman kneeling by the riverbank. At first he thought nothing of it, but the closer he got, he could hear her quiet sobs and sniffles.

He approached cautiously, waving when he felt he was close enough to warrant a greeting. "Well hello there!" he said in a chipper voice, offering a shy grin. She looked up at the stranger before her, yelping and falling back onto her hands. He was quick to put her at ease.

"Hey hey, it's okay! I'm nice, I was just crushed by a cyclops," he explained his appearance, aiming for humor. The girl's lips twitched in a fleeting smile.

"Oh! Um, I'm sorry..." she apologized, and he waved a hand dismissively.

"Why? You have something to do with it?" he joked, smiling when she giggled, shaking her head.

"Noho..."

"Then you have nothing to apologize for!" He turned to her, holding his hand out to her. "I'm Polites." She studied him, chewing her lip before she accepted it.

"Eurydice."

"Ah, what a lovely name for a lovely woman," he complimented. Her smile was tainted with sadness. "I'm sorry, are you alright?" he asked gently. She shook her head, plastering on a fake smile.

"I'm in Hades, why wouldn't I be fine?" she tried to joke like he'd done moments before, but it fell flat.

"You know, if you need to get something off your chest, I'm all ears. I was practically the sole shoulder to cry on for 600 men." His tone made it impossible for Eurydice to discern whether or not he was being serious. Finally, she decided, "Yeah right."

"No really! Well, obviously not all of them took me up on my offer, but I'm a great listener," he offered with a warm, genuine smile. She let out an amused huff.

"I know it sounds stupid, but... I really thought I was gonna bust outta here." Polites placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I don't think it's stupid at all. I mean, we all want out-"

"No, you don't get it!" she spun around to face him, tears in her eyes. Polites held his hands up in surrender on reflex, his entire body tense. Eurydice heaved a sigh, burying her face in her hands. "I was so close..."

Polites was almost afraid to ask, but, "C-close to what?"

Eurydice looked up with wide, tearful eyes as she stared longingly out into the distance. She spoke breathily as her mind began to wander, "Freedom."

Polites couldn't believe what he was hearing. He grabbed her by the shoulders. "Wait, you mean you were trying to leave? How?" he asked desperately, the wounds on his face and body starting to bleed.

"I wasn't on my own. Orpheus came for me."

"Orpheus?" he questioned.

"I died on our wedding day..." she answered, trailing off as she stared at the ground. "And he risked everything to come save me. We could've made it out and we'd both be happy. Start a family..." she took a grounding breath, drying her eyes. "I never did get to hear how his song turned out."

Polites perked up slightly. "Oh, he's a musician?" he asked. She smiled as she remembered her love.

"Mhm. Said he was gonna write a song to fix what's wrong with the world," she said, amusement clear in her tone. "Guess he hasn't finished it yet."

"Well, sounds like he's got his work cut out for him. I can't imagine it'll be easy for him, without you," he said softly. A sob caught in Eurydice's throat as she looked away, closing her eyes softly.

"Don't. Please."

"Sorry," he immediately apologized, feeling rather guilty.

"It's fine. It's not like it's your fault or anything."

Polites looked at her, mouth slightly agape as he tried to decipher whether she was teasing him as he'd done earlier, or if it was sheer coincidence. The subtle twitch of her lips was all he needed to know. He barked out a laugh, bumping their shoulders together.

"Well would you look at that! Looks like someone's getting their sense of humor back!" he praised, making her roll her eyes.

"Never left," she lied. Her gaze locked on the Palace of Hades, and Polites followed her line of sight.

"He had something to do with it, didn't he?"

Eurydice took a shaky breath and nodded. "Yeah."

"They usually do. Even when you don't think so... They do."

~~~

Life in Hades is not what Polites expected.

For one, he didn't know where the crumbling rubble ended and the new scaffolding began. Every day it seemed, the underworld would change ever so slightly. Buildings and complex machinery were all being built before his very eyes. It was nothing like Polites had ever seen.

Slowly, copper and iron replaced stonework as buildings all but erected themselves, and horseless chariots carted material to various work sites. The grand palace in the center of the underworld has all but doubled in size in the short time he's been here. And jutting out from the southern east corner, stood an imposing factory spitting black smoke. It felt... wrong. Almost as if Hades had tried to tuck it away out of sight, only for his greed to force it to grow until the rocks could conceal it no longer.

He said he was doing this for them; that he was creating a greater home for their eternity. So then, why was he turning the air thick with smog? Why must the tortured souls carry the burden of his progress?

Nothing was right anymore. Then again, nothing had been right for a long time.

~~~

Polites never thought he'd grow used to the underworld, but with Eurydice, he found a flow. They steered clear of the mindless work convoys, with their bowl shaped helmets and tools in hand. They marched along packed gravel roads in uniform lines, singing in a low, menacing chant.

They didn't stray far from the riverbanks, and when they did, chose to walk through rolling fields of nothing but dead grass and dirt. They found solace in the few crumbling ruins that have yet to undergo renovations.

Shriveled vines choked out the grand archway the pair sat under, but not even the resilience of nature could last under a God's iron grip. Polites closed his eyes, trying to picture the lush foliage that swallowed the rubble of a once ancient building. When he opened his eyes, he was met with the disappointing reality of thick, dry vines sprawling over crumbling stone as if caught in a wooden spiderweb.

"You ever made a flower crown?"

The question came out of nowhere, catching him off guard. If asked, he would deny the way he had jumped at the sound of her voice.

"Um, n-no, I can't say I have."

When Polites didn't elaborate, Eurydice continued. "My sisters and I used to pick flowers in the meadow behind our house and we'd spend hours weaving crowns and necklaces while we talked." She smiled at the fond, distant memory. Polites smiled back.

"That sounds really lovely," he assured. He saw the longing in her eyes, could feel the ache in her heart. If only he could ease that pain...

"It was. I think you'd really like it. Heh, too bad I can't teach you."

"Yeah, that's too bad," he lamented in agreement before an idea struck him. "Or, you know... we could still try," he suggested, holding up a handful of dry vines and twigs. Eurydice's face lit up with a smile as bright as the sun.

"Really? You mean that?"

"Well, I mean, I'm sure yours turned out much better than whatever we can make down here, but-" his rambling was cut off when Eurydice slammed into him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck in a grateful hug.

~~~

Polites had lost track of how long he'd been there, though he was grateful for Eurydice's company. It was the single source of comfort since he'd awoken in the underworld, the one reminder that there was once a time when things were good.

They would walk along the riverbanks, sharing stories from their lives. Eurydice once said that Orpheus would've liked Polites, and he swelled with pride. The feeling would've been mutual, he assured.

He can't help but to picture his friends meeting this lively young spirit, ripped from the Earth too soon. He thinks they'd like her too.

There were no days and nights here; everything ran together in one big screaming haze. At times, Polites thought they were the only souls down here who weren't screaming...

He missed being alive. He missed his friends, missed the way the sun warmed his skin, the way the sea would taste on the air, the way the wind would whip through his hair. He missed food, and feeling hungry, or tired. He missed the way he could feel his heart race in his chest when Odysseus would put himself in harms way, only to come out unscathed.

He always came out unscathed, no matter the challenge.

He was walking alone, trying to clear his head when he heard his name being called. "Polites! Polites!"

He turned to see Eurydice running towards him, feet pounding against the rocky shore. He met her halfway, picking up on her sense of urgency.

"Eurydice! Is everything alri-"

"There's a ship," she rushed out breathlessly. His eyes went wide and he scanned the horizon.

"Of course, the ferryman brings people-"

"No, I mean a real, living ship!" she emphasized with a playful punch to his shoulder. He smirked down at her, bumping their hips together.

"You know ships aren't really alive," he teased, tilting his head back to laugh at his own joke. She rolled her eyes, snatching the bandana from around his head. His hands flew up a second too late as he turned to face her. "Hey!"

She giggled, waving the bandana out of reach. "I'm being serious!" she insisted through a smile. He snorted, snatching the cloth from her grasp playfully.

"Yeah, that's why you stole my bandana," he taunted, shooting her a grin.

"You weren't listening! Just look!" she pointed in the distance. Polites looked up to humor her and gasped when he saw a large ship creeping up the river. It was much closer to them now. He took a step away from the bank.

Eurydice smirked, looking at him from the corner of her eye. "You believe me now?" He nodded wordlessly, mouth gaping open in shock.

They stood like that, just frozen in awe watching it get closer. The figures aboard the ship were now visible, and Polites shaded his eyes, squinting up at the deck. Did he really see what he thought he saw? Was that really...

"Steady as she goes men!" A figure paced around the deck, barking orders and securing the ship. Polites would know that voice anywhere.

"Odysseus?" he asked, barely aware he said the name aloud. Eurydice gasped and snapped her head to look at him.

"Odysseus? Like, like your Odysseus?" she asked frantically. Polites looked back at the ship for some other kind of proof, spotting Eurylochus at the wheel.

"Yes, I'm sure. Look, there's Eurylochus," he said, pointing at his friend.

She turned to him with an expression on her face that he hadn't seen since the day they first met.

"You have to go."

His head snapped down to look at her, "What?"

"They came here looking for you! I mean, why else would they come all the way here?" she asked, clutching to the fabric of his toga. "You're important to them, Polites. You're the missing piece, they need you," she pleaded.

The ship was right in front of them now, Odysseus clutching the rail of the ship with a horrified look. When his eyes landed on Polites, he froze, all the color quickly draining from his face. He turned away abruptly.

"I-I don't know Eurydice. That doesn't really seem like- I'm sure there's gotta be another reason!" He wasn't sure why or how they were here, but he had a hard time believing it would be for him. It would hurt too much, getting his hopes up like that.

"A reason to go through the underworld?" she asked incredulously. Her expression softened, and she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "They've missed you."

A sob caught in his throat. "Yeah, I miss them too."

"Then what are you waiting for?"

He turned to her, tears in his eyes. "B-but what about you? You can't come, and I can't leave you!" he said, gripping onto her hands for dear life. "Y-you'd be alone again, I can't do that!"

"Shh, hey, hey, look at me," she said in a soothing voice, but Polites could see the tears shining in her eyes. "Don't think of it like that, okay? You're doing this for me." She squeezed his hands so hard, her knuckles were turning white. Funny, how even their spirits react like they still have blood.

He closed his eyes and shook his head, but a soft hand cupping his face brought him back to reality. "Hades only made sure I couldn't get out, just to spite our love. He won't notice if you escape, I promise," she reassured. He placed a hand atop hers, still shaking his head.

"You can't promise that-"

"Maybe, but I can try. Please Polites," she was practically begging at this point. "One of us has to see the sun again."

A sob shuttered through his body and he surged forward, grabbing her in a tight hug- their last hug. Maybe the last hug he'd ever be able to actually feel.

"I don't want to leave you," he muttered into her hair. He could feel her tears begin to fall down his arm like raindrops.

"Me either, but you have to. It's your only chance." She held on for a few more seconds before allowing herself to slip away.

"Goodbye Eurydice. Thank you for... everything."

"Farewell Polites. I know you'll keep them safe."

He nodded to her before turning towards the ship, marching along the shore. He got about halfway before her sweet voice called out to him.

"Polites, wait!" He stopped in his tracks, turning just in time to catch her in his arms. Her hands carded through thick black hair as she squeezed him tight. She kissed his cheek, pulling away to whisper in his ear, "If you ever come across Orpheus, please tell him I'm okay."

"Of course. You have my word," he promised.

When Eurydice pulled away, a small amount of blood was smeared on her lips and cheek. Polites decided not to dwell on what that meant.

~~~

Polites jogged along the riverbank until he caught back up with the ship. He waded into the water, trying to figure out how to get back on the ship. He saw a rope nearby and grabbed ahold, climbing up. The rope swayed with the ship as if it were weightless, making it more difficult to ascend.

The rope slapped against the side of the ship, sending Polites hurling through the hull of the ship and into the lower deck. His body tumbled and hit a few crates, causing them to come crashing down.

"Oh no no no!" he muttered, trying to restack them, only for his hands to phase right through.

On the deck above, Odysseus heard the commotion and ordered one of his men to investigate as he continued to warn the others to stay on guard.

He trudged below deck, not expecting what awaited him.

Polites yelped when he heard a clatter behind him, turning to see one of the soldiers standing in the doorway, his sword laying on the ground before him. He opened his mouth to speak, but the man turned on his heels and scrambled up the stairs.

"Captain!"

Odysseus immediately ran to the soldier's aid, hand on the hilt of his sword. "What was it?"

"I-it was Polites, Sir..."

The captain bristled at the name, turning his back on the man.

"Impossible."

"But I'm telling you, he was right there!"

Odysseus sighed, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Listen to me, brother. This place is not to be trusted, okay? Nothing that you see or hear is to be trusted. Those were Circe's words. Got that?"

The man nodded, though he was clearly still shaken up. Odysseus sighed once more.

"Come on. Why don't you show me where he was," he said, deciding it might be a good idea to help put both their minds at ease.

Odysseus crept down the stairs carefully, eyes scanning the shadows for any intruders.

"Hello? Anyone down here?" He was met with silence. He didn't know how tense he was until his fears were put at ease. It was empty.

"The boxes must've fallen on their own, it's been a little bumpy. Let's go," he ordered, picking up the discarded sword and holding it out for the man to take.

Meanwhile, Polites was crouched behind a barrel on the upper deck, watching what few soldiers remained. They all looked so different, but none more than Odysseus. He watched as his friend marched up the stairs to resume his task of guiding the ship.

But... his directions didn't sound right. The way Odysseus was leading them would pass by two guardians, and more would surely die. Odysseus didn't know his way around here like he did, to no fault of his own. But Polites couldn't let that happen.

He made sure no one was looking when he crept from his hiding spot.

He stood behind Eurylochus, hesitant to speak. But the fork in the river was approaching.

"Actually, you're gonna wanna take a right," he said from behind. Eurylochus jumped at the unexpected voice, turning to face him. His face morphed in terror as he saw the man before him.

"CAPTA-mmm!"

"Shhh!" Polites shushed, slapping a hand over his friend's mouth. Eurylochus tried to shove him away, only for his hands to phase through his attacker's arm. His eyes were wide with fear as he fumbled for his sword, still trying to steer the ship through the narrow waterway. "It's me! You have to trust me!"

"I don't think so."

Polites turned to see the tip of a sword pointed at him, the eyes of Odysseus staring him down with a vengeance.

"Captain, I-"

"SHUT UP!" he yelled, taking a step closer. Polites let go of Eurylochus, shying away behind him. "Now who are you really?" he all but growled.

Polites furrowed his brow in confusion. "Do... do you not recognize me?" he asked weakly. Odysseus let out a low, sadistic chuckle, and it was hard to believe this was his beloved friend.

"Ohoho I know who you want us to think it is! But we've been through enough, I know a trap when I see one. So I'm only asking one more time." He pressed the blade to where his throat would be. "Who. Are. You."

"Odysseus, it really is me! W-why don't you believe me?" he asked helplessly, realizing his sword wasn't the only one trained towards him.

"Why should I?"

"B-because I'm trying to help you!" he insisted. There was a long stretch of silence before Odysseus answered.

"I don't believe you."

Odysseus reared back, preparing to strike. Polites panicked, he didn't know where else to go, where to hide. On instinct he clutched onto Eurylochus for protection.

He opened his eyes, and Eurylochus was gone. No, that wasn't right... he could still hear him. He sounded... scared.

"Captain... help me," his hand raised on its own towards Odysseus. No, that wasn't his hand...

The soldiers had cowered back when Polites disappeared; they were all clearly on edge.

"Eurylochus?" Odysseus asked carefully.

"He's here."

Polites had to speak up, he had to make them listen.

"Please, I'm just trying to help." He spoke with a double voice. "I know a better way. Please... you have to trust me. I'm- I'm not a god, or whatever you think I am," he pleaded. "I'm me."

Odysseus glared at him, lips curled in a sneer. A tense silence fell over them as the seconds ticked by.

"Fine." He stepped back and lowered his sword. "As you were." When no one moved, he repeated himself in a harsher tone. "As you were!" They immediately broke up and returned to their posts, keeping an eye on their new passenger.

"Are... you gonna stand there the whole time?" he asked carefully.

"Yup," Odysseus answered, popping the p. "Are you gonna hide the whole time?" he countered.

Polites took a breath to ground himself. By the Gods, it felt good to breathe again... But this wasn't his body. These weren't his lungs…

"That depends. Are you gonna pull your sword on me again?" he asked.

"Only if you try anything." That was as good an answer as any, he supposed. Polites sighed, stepping out of his friend's body.

Eurylochus gasped as he regained full control of his limbs. He lurched forward, using the steering wheel for support. He glared at the spectral intruder.

"What did you do to me?" he demanded. Polites held his hands up in surrender. "I-I don't know! I was scared, I panicked!"

Eurylochus glared down at him, getting in his personal space to get his point across. "Don't do it again." A gentle hand on his shoulder snapped him out of it.

"Eurylochus, why not get some rest? Feel free to use my quarters," Odysseus offered. Eurylochus nodded in thanks, but not once did he take his eyes off Polites.

Odysseus was steering now, his mind elsewhere as he thought of what the prophet Tiresias had foretold.

"There is a world where I help you get home, but that's not a world I know..."

"You're gonna want to hang left, there's some larger rocks.

"I see a man who gets to make it home alive, but it's no longer you."

"Captain?"

Odysseus didn't like who he was becoming, but each challenged left him more broken than the last, and the mosaic he was creating of himself was more of an abomination.

"Captain watch out!"

Odysseus shook himself out of it, cutting the wheel to avoid the boulders. Polites watched him carefully, waiting for his friend to thank him and smile like he used to.

That moment never came.

Polites crossed his arms and huffed, "You're welcome."

Odysseus clenched his jaw. The imposter's tone was light and teasing, and so much like the friend he knew. But the underworld was nothing but lies and deceit, danger lurking around every corner. He was sure the man before him was nothing more than a farce.

"Just stop pretending," he sighed in defeat.

"Come again?" Polites asked, cocking his head. Odysseus tensed at the disgusting cracking sound the movement made.

"Nothing. Just- no more talking until we're safe."

We. Polites smiled as he stood next to his friend, just like old times. It never occurred to him that he wasn't meant to be included in that statement.

"Okay Captain."

Polites remained by his side, offering directions whenever they're needed. He doesn't dare speak beyond that, knowing how testy his friend can be when he's trying to focus. Not to mention he seemed like he was in a bad mood to begin with.

He had no idea.

"Alright, it shouldn't be much farther. Just go straight through there," Polites guided, pointing towards a cave on the horizon. The smallest amount of sunlight shimmered through.

"Everyone! Full speed ahead!" Odysseus yelled across the ship, men scurrying about the deck.

Odysseus kept his eyes trained on their destination as he spoke. "Thank you... You can go now."

"Oh! Right, you're- you're busy. We can talk later," Polites said, backing away. "I should probably go apologize to Eurylochus." He turned to make his leave, but Odysseus stood guarding his path.

"Stay away from him," he threatened, face shrouded by long, matted hair and hidden behind a thick beard. His once warm gaze turned black as he trained his weapon at Polites for a second time.

If he were still alive, his heart would be pounding right out of his chest.

"Odysseus? You're scaring me," Polites said, looking him up and down.

"AND YOU'RE SCARING EVERYONE!" he screamed, surging forward. Polites is taller than him, even when he's not floating, but Odysseus's presence towers over him.

"Wha-what?" he breathed out, backing himself against the rail. Odysseus kept him trapped there for a few more seconds before turning away. Polites spared a glance and saw every pair of eyes resting solely on him, hushed whispers floating about as hands hovered over their own weapons. He looked back at his captain with wide, fearful eyes.

"I'm sorry, I-I didn't mean to..."

Odysseus ignored him, not so much as a glance his way. And that hurt.

"Odysseus?"

"Don't call me that," he snarled, finally looking over his shoulder. Polites couldn't help but snicker.

"Don't call you by your name? Okay, Captain," he teased, hoping to catch a glimpse of that brilliant smile.

"Knock it off! You're not as funny as you think you are," Odysseus snapped, making him pout.

"Ouch. You know, my new friend Eurydice thought I was hilarious. She-"

"I don't care."

Polites felt his phantom heart sink at those words. Odysseus had never spoken to him like that before...

"Oh. O-okay. I'll just, um, I'll go."

"Good riddance."

Polites tried to stifle the hurt gasp he let out, biting his quivering lip. He just wanted to disappear. He didn't want to be here, but he didn't know where to go. After a moment, Odysseus chanced a glance over his shoulder and heaved a sigh of relief.

"Finally. Thought he'd never leave." Polites felt tears well in his eyes despite his confusion. He was still here, what did he mean? He reached a hand up to rub his tired face, only to freeze. He couldn't see himself. To test his theory, he raced down to the middle of the deck and stood there, but no one paid him any mind. He got his wish. They got their wish.

He disappeared.

Polites felt himself sink through the floorboards, but didn't care enough to stop it before he plopped down below deck. He landed flat on his back, not bothering to get up. What would even be the point?

Finally, he sat up before drifting into a standing position.

~~~

Eurylochus couldn't sleep. How the hell did Odysseus expect him to rest after all that? His mind was reeling, and in all honesty, he was completely and utterly confused.

Trust nothing in the underworld.

Circe's instructions. More importantly, Captain's instructions. Up until now, he thought that was to be believed. Everything down here was a wicked and cruel trick. And yet, this vision of Polites had seemed so real. More than that, it felt real. He had no idea what it did to him, but in the moments he was possessed, he knew what it was thinking: what it was feeling. And it was scared, hurt and confused: like a wild animal backed into a corner. But nowhere could he feel any kind of ill will towards any of them. And that scared Eurylochus just as much as it perplexed him.

He gave up on sleep and decided to go back to the upper deck. He navigated the narrow halls and froze in his tracks when he came upon the transparent image of his fallen friend.

"Eurylochus!" Polites startled, standing up a little straighter when he noticed him.

Said man recoiled as he was addressed, and watched him with a careful eye, his hand hovering over his weapon.

"Please don't," he said, cowering back towards the shadows. "I just want to apologize for earlier. I-I didn't mean to do... that."

He was met with nothing but silence.

"Eurylochus? Say something," he pleaded. He noticed the way Eurylochus stared at the ground instead of him.

"You're not really him, are you?" he asked skeptically. Pilotes felt his shoulders sag in defeat.

"You too?"

Eurylochus dared to meet his gaze. The expression he wore was that of skepticism and a hope long lost.

"I'm not convinced yet." As he walked past, he paused at Polites's side. "So convince me."

His words caused a smile to break out across his face as he turned to his friend. Eurylochus looked shocked before his expression melted into something softer.

"That's a start, I guess." He abruptly continued on his way, not wanting to linger with their friend's spirit. Polites was left alone in the dark, his thoughts serving as his only company.