#switch!penelope

“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.