Chapter Text
Achilles’ first excursion with Cat was not at all as he would have expected.
Fighting alongside the small creature was easier than he thought it would be. The cat seemed to know exactly how Achilles fought, when to pounce, and when to return to Achilles’ side. It reminded Achilles once again of Patroclus, of their days fighting together and the ease with which they moved together. Achilles realized that he had missed this—the thrill of fighting beside someone who knew his every move, who was there when an enemy needed to be distracted, and who went in for the kill when Achilles made an opening.
While Achilles was content now that his contract had been amended, had rediscovered joy and love, had felt pride in Zagreus’ progress—for the first time in a long time, Achilles genuinely had fun. Cat seemed to be having a good time as well: he would pounce on his prey with a playful fury, and seemed to know how to make his opponent topple, just as Patroclus did.
They cleared several chambers with no trouble at all; in fact, Achilles admitted to himself that fighting with a partner, as he had for most of his life, just felt natural.
Patroclus was nowhere to be found though, and all of these reminders only drew attention to his absence. When Achilles felt that tug drawing him back to the house, he felt at the same time that old hollowness—that sense that a part of himself was missing. Having the cat around kept these feelings at bay surprisingly well, and the thought of parting brought them back.
Cat seemed to notice the shift in Achilles’ mood right away, as Patroclus would. Once the chamber was clear, he trotted to Achilles’ side and leaned heavily against his leg, meowing to be picked up.
“One last pet before I go?” Achilles laughed, crouching down to cuddle Cat in his arms. Cat settled happily against Achilles’ chest, purring so hard that Achilles could feel the rumble through his armor. He felt better.
---
Achilles continued to visit the glade first on his breaks, partially in hopes that Patroclus would simply just return one day or night, partially to visit Cat.
Cat was always prepared for his visits. There would be some sort of snack for Achilles placed beside the cushioned basket that Achilles now recognized as Cat’s bed. Achilles would accept this offering in exchange for pets, and after some time, they would venture into the other chambers of Elysium in search for Patroclus.
Sometimes, the bed would be replaced with some sort of toy that a thoughtful shade must have left for Cat—a feather suspended by string on a stick or a ball of yarn.
Other times, Cat would procure some sort of snack for himself so that they could eat together. Zagreus would often leave “Catroclus” with a particularly good catch. He knew that Cat preferred trout, and would bring one with him from the surface all the way through the labyrinth again, on the off chance that he would find the entrance to the glade in Elysium. Once, Achilles witnessed Cat catching his meal himself—perched at full attention at the edge of the Lethe, tail flicking in concentration, as he struck a paw out to snatch his prize. He got extra pets that day or night as a reward for his excellent (and adorable) hunting skills.
On another occasion, Cat set a small cup of cream beside a bowl of grapes (the latter was clearly for Achilles), and went at it so enthusiastically that his head got stuck in the cup. Cat trot helplessly back and forth until he finally fell to his side so that he could focus all four paws on dislodging himself.
Achilles would have helped, were he not incapacitated by his own laughter. Cat glared at Achilles once he was finally freed and turned his butt towards Achilles every time Achilles tried to reach for him. Achilles purchased a cup with a wider brim from Charon, and procured a fresh jug of cream from the Head Chef as a peace offering on his next visit. It was begrudgingly accepted.
Achilles was touched by Cat’s thoughtfulness during his visits, although he knew it was just as much for Cat’s benefit as it was for his. Cat seemed to realize that Achilles had trouble sitting still (as Patroclus had realized) and Cat wanted pets.
Starting his break with Cat gave Achilles something to look forward to. At the same time, each time he entered the glade to find Patroclus missing from it, Achilles’ heart broke. Cat seemed to read some of this as well.
In fact, Achilles was certain that he would not have been taking Patroclus’ absence so well if Cat were not there to help soothe him. Cat would push his toys and snacks aside on days or nights when Achilles was particularly upset that Patroclus was still missing, would mew plaintively and pull at Achilles’ cloak until Achilles sat down so that Cat could nuzzle under his chin with the top of his head. They had shared many a nap in the glade, Cat tucked comfortably as a warm ball under Achilles’ neck, purring loudly. The sound comforted Achilles’ very soul.
This only meant though that Achilles panic nearly overwhelmed him the one day or night he arrived at the glade to find it completely empty.
As was the case when he was alive, fear turned to anger seamlessly. He became convinced that this was the work of a god, one who must have held a grudge against Achilles still, one who was determined to take away everything he loved.
Having no other way to expend his energy, Achilles burst into the next room with a snarl, spear gripped and ready to attack the first thing that got in his way.
The next room was full of soul catchers, or, more precisely, had been full of soul catchers. What remained of most of them was a pile of broken purple butterfly wings, still twitching on the ground.
The only soul catcher left was backed in a corner. In front of it, Cat was crouched down in an offensive pose: butt high and tail whipping sharply through the air. He hissed and launched himself at the soul catcher, sinking his teeth and claws into the round orb. With one last screech, the ball disappeared, and Cat was left with one of the larger butterflies caught in his mouth. He shook his head vehemently, as though to shake the last of its life (or death?) away from it.
Achilles sighed with relief, his fury abated, and Cat turned towards him, standing taller to preen. He trotted over and spat the pink butterfly out at Achilles’ feet.
“Such a mighty hunter,” Achilles cooed, bending down to scoop Cat up into his arms. He kissed the cat affectionately on the head. Cat sank comfortably into his embrace and purred happily. “I don’t have to worry about you at all, do I? Were you bored, waiting for me all day or night?”
From somewhere behind him, someone cleared their throat.
Achilles turned, mortified, to find Megaera smirking at him and Thanatos looking as comfortable as he usually looked (that is to say, mildly uncomfortable).
More alarmingly, Achilles could feel Cat’s panic in his arms. He squirmed, scrambled over Achilles’ shoulder and into the hood of his cloak.
“Ah.” Achilles tried to stand tall, despite the new weight pulling at his shoulders. “Mistress Megaera. Lord Thanatos. How may I be of service?”
“Zagreus explained your situation,” Thanatos answered. “And asked us to help.”
“No,” Meg corrected him, still smirking. “Zagreus’ exact words were ‘and he’s so cute!’. To which you replied—”
“—that I would like to help,” Thanatos interrupted coldly.
“Really?” Meg raised an eyebrow. “Because I could have sworn it was ‘Can I pet him?’”
Thanatos gave her a flat look that looked ready to convey some aspect of his occupation. Cat poked his head out from Achilles’ hood at hearing the word “pet”.
“I think that’s your answer,” Achilles laughed, reaching back to stroke Cat on the neck. “You’d be amenable to that, wouldn’t you, Cat?”
“That’s…not necessary,” Thanatos stammered.
“Seemed pretty necessary when you insisted I come with you on my break,” Meg rolled her eyes.
Cat settled his chin on Achilles’ shoulder. Achilles could feel his soft little head turning left and right to regard the two new visitors, and decided this meant Cat was feeling safer.
“Cat,” Achilles murmured gently. “This is Mistress Megaera.” He gestured towards the Fury, and Cat turned and gave a short meow in greeting. While Megaera’s expression was most often unreadable, whatever mask she normally wore softened just slightly at hearing the sound.
“And this is Lord Thanatos,” Achilles continued. Cat meowed again, and Thanatos didn’t even bother to hide the small gasp that shook through his entire frame. “They’re friends of mine.”
Achilles paused right after saying this, never having expressed such a sentiment before. Neither Megaera nor Thanatos indicated that he had overstepped though, to his relief.
Cat stood firmly on all four legs, indicating that he was about to disembark. Achilles knelt closer to the floor to make his jump easier. Cat landed with ease and took a few cautious steps towards the two.
“Well. He is cute. I’ll give Zag that much,” Meg snorted. Achilles’ phantom heart skipped a beat when she reached for her whip, but calmed when she began to dangle it just out of Cat’s reach.
Cat perked his ears, and stood on his hind legs to bat at the end of the whip with both front paws.
“I think he likes you,” Achilles said.
Meg kneels to pet along Cat’s back, and Cat arched upward into her touch.
“He’s not so bad himself,” Meg shrugged. She turned to Thanatos. “Are you just going to stand there?”
Thanatos took a step back, and crossed his arms tightly around his own torso.
“He doesn’t usually bite, Lord Thanatos,” Achilles said gently.
“It’s not that. Cats…don’t tend to like me,” Thanatos confessed. “They seem quite aware of what my duties involve. I thought though…I’ve never met a cat in Elysium before…so perhaps, since he’s already dead…”
Cat seemed to take this as a cue. He nuzzled at Meg’s hand with his head, as though to thank her, and walked over to stand next to Thanatos’ feet, meowing up at him as though delivering a polite request.
“This one seems to like you just fine,” Meg pointed out.
Thanatos knelt carefully, and Cat stepped forward to put a paw gently onto his knee.
Thanatos let out a soft oh, reaching forward to place his hand on the cat’s head. Cat winced slightly—the touch was too blunt, and he couldn’t really see where Thanatos’ hand was coming from. He allowed it though and relaxed as Thanatos’ hand moved down his back. A few more strokes later, Cat decided that this was an acceptable quality of pet and flopped down onto his side at Thanatos’ feet.
Thanatos panicked. “Blood and darkness, I’ve hurt him.”
“He’s fine, my lord,” Achilles assured him as Meg snickered in the background. “He’s just comfortable.”
As if to confirm, Cat lifted his head and mewed towards Thanatos, pawing at him awkwardly with one paw.
Thanatos still hesitated. He lowered himself fully onto his knees so that he could better control his own movement, and reached forward again to stroke Cat gently on the side. Cat’s head dropped, and he closed his eyes, clearly pleased.
Thanatos made an odd sound that Achilles had never heard him make before—some cross between a strangled murmur and a cough. Megaera observed this all with mild amusement for awhile before turning her attention back to Achilles.
“I’m not sure we can be of much help if the cat is Patroclus,” she admitted. “I’ll keep an eye open for Shade Patroclus though.”
“Thank you, mistress,” Achilles bowed.
“Don’t thank me,” Megaera waved it off. “You were promised his safety. If he’s gone missing, we’ve failed you.”
While Cat’s presence successfully distracted him from Patroclus’ absence, this was only possible when the matter wasn’t mentioned directly. Achilles kept his eyes fixed on the ground, not sure whether he would be able to keep his composure if he were to look up.
Cat must have sensed his distress. He mewed a small apology to Thanatos, standing to headbutt his hand in thanks before trotting over to Achilles side and winding himself between his legs.
Achilles huffed and bent lower to stroke the cat on the back. “Thank you, Cat.”
“Hmph.” Megaera must have read some of this anxiety as well. “I’ll start looking now. We will start looking now.” She gave Thanatos a pointed look.
Thanatos floated up to his feet, disappointment clear on his face.
“I’m sure that you’re welcome to visit Cat in his…in the glade if you would like?” Achilles offered. He turned down to look at the cat. “Isn’t he, Cat?”
Cat meowed and bowed his head towards Thanatos. Thanatos’ breath hitched, and he seemed to be at a loss for words. He only nodded in response.
“Are you sure this cat isn’t him?” Megaera snorted.
“He is a cat,” Achilles blinked at her, incredulous.
Megaera and Thanatos turned to look at each other warily.
“You realize this wouldn’t be the first time a mortal would have been transformed into…something else on a god’s whim?” Thanatos tried to state this idea as neutrally as possible.
“In life, yes,” Achilles nodded. “But in death? What could a god possibly have to gain here? What vengeance?”
“Are you sure it’s vengeance?” Megaera asked.
“What else could it be?” Achilles countered with some sharpness. Cat headbutt him on the leg. Achilles looked down at the cat and blinked, understanding his meaning right away. “I apologize. Patroclus’ absence is taking its toll.”
Megaera and Thanatos once again exchanged a look that Achilles could not decipher.
“If the Shade Patroclus is in Hades, we will find him,” Megaera said. Achilles could tell that there was more she declined to speak.
“Thank you for this,” Achilles bowed again.
Thanatos nodded and turned to Megaera. They both disappeared in different shades of light.
Achilles looked down at Cat again.
“…I am not sure that I have the fortitude to continue my own search at the moment,” Achilles admitted.
“Raow.” Cat nuzzled Achilles’ calf and trotted towards an exit door that Achilles knew must have led back to the glade.
“I wouldn’t mind that,” Achilles confessed as he followed Cat towards a day or night of snuggles.
---
Achilles and Cat continued to search for Patroclus for at least part of Achilles’ break, and Cat continued to comfort Achilles during the times that they didn’t.
It was inevitable that Achilles should run into Zagreus during one of these visits. In fact, Achilles was surprised he hadn’t done so earlier.
Achilles teleported into the glade that day or night to find Cat sitting peacefully in his favourite spot (which had been Patroclus’ favourite spot), eyes closed, clearly enjoying the light that was not exactly the sun. As Achilles hurried to greet Cat, he heard the door open behind him just as he was about to cross the bridge.
“Hello, Achilles sir!” Zagreus greeted him.
“Lad,” Achilles turned, and gestured that Zagreus should go first over the bridge. “How goes the run?”
“A bit rough, to be honest,” Zagreus admitted.
Achilles stopped him by putting a hand on his shoulder to examine his wounds more closely.
“Oh, I’ll be fine!” Zagreus shook his head and gave him that unassailable smile. “Really glad I ran into Catroclus’ glade though.”
“Oh?” Achilles followed Zagreus over the bridge just in time to see Zagreus nudge Cat over onto his back. Cat gave a small mew, but didn’t seem bothered otherwise, unlike Achilles.
“Zagreus!”
Achilles darted forward, but Zagreus had already retrieved the small bottle of HydraLite Gold that Cat had evidently been sitting on. “Wait. What?”
“He keeps it safe for me,” Zagreus explained, reaching down to pet Cat on his flank. Cat purred, and twisted to feel the grass against his back. “Always seems to know what I’ll need too.”
“Ah.” The sound seemed like an inadequate description of Achilles current feelings; nor could he put said feelings into words. He leaned in to peer down at Cat. Cat tilted his head to peer back at him, still upside down.
“Raow.”
“Hello to you too,” Achilles replied with an amused smile. “Just going to stay like that, are you?”
“Meow.”
“I think he likes it,” Zagreus laughed, sitting down to drink from the vial.
Achilles sat down on the other side of Cat so that he could scratch him carefully on the belly. Cat closed his eyes and began to paw at the air.
“No, he’s just looking for pets,” Achilles crooned, reaching to take the cat into his arms. Cat melted comfortably into his embrace, as he had learned to do from their very first meeting.
“You know, you’re the only one who is allowed to pick him up,” Zagreus pointed out with a smile. “He’ll curl in our laps sometimes if we’re already sitting. Thanatos loves it when that happens. But you’re the only one who gets to lift him in the air.”
“Ah. Well.” Achilles laughed, once again unsure of how to answer.
“You realize he likes you best,” Zagreus added, as though he were building a defense for an argument that had not yet been made. Achilles never did like games of this sort.
“What do you mean to say, lad?” he prompted.
“Well. It’s just that…we’ve not been able to find Patroclus as of yet,” Zagreus began.
“Only a matter of time,” Achilles answered defiantly. He would see his beloved again. He was sure of it.
“Yes. Of course.” Zagreus rubbed at the back of his neck. “I was just wonder if you’d given more thought to the idea that perhaps Catroclus is Patroclus.”
Achilles blinked at him. “He’s a cat, Zagreus.”
“Yes. I mean, currently, sure,” Zagreus allowed, nodding in agreement. “But father is certain that Patroclus hasn’t left Elysium. And he’s also certain that no cats have granted access to this place.”
“An oversight, certainly,” Achilles held Cat closer to his chest and Cat preened, clearly in agreement.
“Certainly,” Zagreus echoed. “But…do you have any other possible explanations, sir?”
Achilles furrowed his brow and looked down at the content creature in his arms.
“It can’t be true,” Achilles shook his head. “He would have told me.”
Zagreus looked at him like he had sprouted multiple heads like the hydra. “Err.”
“We worked out a system!” Achilles insisted. “Of yes and nos. He would have told me if he were Patroclus.”
“Sir,” Zagreus began slowly. “Did you…ask Catroclus whether he was Patroclus?”
Only then did Achilles recognize his oversight.
Cat peered up at him with mild amusement. Achilles carefully lowered Cat to the floor and kneeled in front of him.
“Cat.”
“Rawr.” Cat rolled onto his side and looked at Achilles, eyes half-closed as though he knew he would greatly enjoy this next conversation.
“…are you Patroclus?”
Cat paused long enough to blink at Achilles slowly.
“Meow.”
Achilles stood and swore under his breath. The cat was making a strange noise, which Achilles guessed was the cat equivalent of laughter.
“You could have told me!” Achilles said helplessly.
Patroclus looked up at him as though to say, “How?”. He had a point.
“Can I still pet you, sir?” Zagreus asked all of a sudden, his voice tight with mild alarm.
Patroclus stood and sauntered up to Zagreus. He butt his head against Zagreus’ leg and meowed once.
“That’s a yes.” Achilles translated, rolling his eyes.
Zagreus knelt and happily stroked the cat along the length of his back.
“What happened?” Achilles sat down next to Zagreus so that he could catch Patroclus’ attention. It was difficult: Patroclus really enjoyed getting his pets. “Who did this to you?”
Pat gave him another look, likely to ask how he was to answer such complex questions in his current form.
“Ah.” Achilles acknowledged sheepishly.
“We could figure out the answer to the second question though, couldn’t we?” Zagreus asked. “Was it Lord Ares?”
Patroclus meowed twice.
“That’s a no,” Achilles clarified.
“Lady Aphrodite?” Zagreus tried again.
Two meows.
“Lady Artemis?”
Two meows, paired with a pained look.
“Was it an Olympian?” Achilles tried.
Two meows again.
“Ah! Great idea, sir!” Zagreus nodded. “Was it a chthonic god?”
Patroclus sat up and scrunched his nose. Achilles recognized this expression from his beloved’s human face: Patroclus wasn’t sure.
“A god that could be chthonic?” Achilles mused.
“Master Chaos!” Zagreus suggested, sitting forward with excitement. “Was it a purple boon, Catroclus sir? A bauble with many arrows?”
Patroclus meowed once, butting his head against Zagreus’ hand to emphasize his point.
“Oh!” Zagreus scratched under Cat’s chin. “Of course. I was so determined to ask my Olympian family, I’d not visited Master Chaos in some time. It never even occurred to me that it might be them!”
“What does this mean, lad?” Achilles asked with urgency. “Why have they done this?”
“It’s nothing malicious, I’m certain of it,” Zagreus assured him. “The boons usually wear off themselves.”
“How long does it take?”
“Not usually this long,” Zagreus admitted. “But I’ve never seen a mortal accept a godly boon before. Have you, sir?”
Achilles blinked at he was at Troy again, red hot anger coursing through his veins that would not dull, that no amount of blood could cool, that was only finally overcome with that one finality that he thought, with no small measure of relief, would end all things (luckily, it had not). He swallowed hard.
Patroclus meowed, understanding what was happening right away. He stood and pawed at Achilles leg. Achilles tried to shake the reverie away. He bent down to lift Patroclus up again into his arms. “I’m alright.” He nuzzled the ball of fluff in his arms, but Patroclus mewed again, clearly not convinced.
Zagreus stood as well, not necessarily understanding the memory that he had drawn, but knowing that it had stung. “I’m sorry, sir, I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“It’s alright, lad,” Achilles assured him. “Just one of my many demons. Could you speak to Master Chaos? Ask them about this?”
“Of course.” Zagreus nodded. “I’ll go look for a portal right now. If it’s anything like their other boons though, I’m certain it will wear off on its own.”
“Thank you.” Achilles inclined his head. “I’ll see you back at the house then.”
He turned his attention back to Patroclus, who had nestled himself further in Achilles’ arms.
“I’m beginning to think you prefer this afterlife,” he chuckled.
Patroclus made a series of garbled noises: likely a quip at Achilles’ expense.
“And what will we do while we wait for the lad to return, Pat?” Achilles asked with a smile, already knowing the answer.
Patroclus blinked at him lazily, already purring.
Achilles laughed.
“Alright then. Snuggles it is.”
---
While Achilles insisted that he sometimes just knew when something was wrong (Patroclus pointed out that just as often, things were fine in these cases), he decided that sometimes he also knew when things were finally going right.
Moments before Zagreus had sprinted towards him, barely able to come to a full stop before explaining how he had managed to change Achilles’ contract, Achilles had felt this warmth blooming in his chest—a sense of relief that simultaneously seemed to have no cause and was also a long time coming.
He felt this sensation again shortly before his next break and decided that there had to be only one cause. Wasting no time, he tapped his spear to summon the sigil that would teleport him to Patroclus’ glade, almost certain that he already knew that which would meet him.
And there it was again, finally after so long: that soft, thoughtful murmur, barely carried by the breeze—a reminder of home. Achilles peered eagerly across the river to find Patroclus—human Patroclus—reclining on the grass on the other side.
Achilles sprinted over the bridge, and jumped onto Patroclus, knocking him fully onto the grass before his beloved could process that any of this was happening.
“Oof,” Patroclus complained, but without any real bite.
Achilles didn’t care. He nuzzled into Patroclus’ neck, into his hair, breathing him in. “You’re back.”
Achilles could feel Patroclus’ twitch under him, clearly not immune to this idea either. “I’m back,” he echoed, tightening his grasp around Achilles’ torso. They laid together like this for some time, relieved to be in each other’s embrace. As was often the case though, Achilles grew restless first. He pulled away gently and ran a hand through Patroclus hair. Patroclus beamed, closing his eyes to indicate that he was pleased, much like Cat did. It made Achilles laugh.
“Lord Thanatos will be disappointed.”
“He already knows,” Patroclus said with a small shrug. “He left just shortly before you arrived.”
“Oh?”
“He came by quite often while you were away.” Patroclus looked amused. “He was disappointed at first seeing me in this form, but I told him I hoped this wouldn’t stop his visits. Honestly, I think he wanted a new friend more than he wanted a pet. He would tell me about his day or his anxieties and frustrations while he was here, and my presence seemed to calm him.”
“You do have that effect,” Achilles agreed, pressing a kiss to the top of Patroclus’ head.
Patroclus laughed. “He seemed pleased at the invitation and promised to take me up on it.”
“Does he still get to pet you?” Achilles raised an eyebrow.
“That is yet to be seen,” Patroclus answered, stretching his body long in a manner once again not so different from Cat.
“So…what happened exactly?” Achilles asked.
“I’m not entirely sure,” Patroclus said. “After you left that day or night, I spoke my mind to thin air, as I often do.”
“Oh, Pat,” Achilles murmured.
“No need for guilt or sympathy,” Patroclus said gently. “It helps me parse my own thoughts.”
Achilles nodded reluctantly, but did not seem particularly pacified.
“I don’t recall what I said, exactly,” Patroclus continued. “Something about being a kitten with more sense than a fully grown man, perhaps—”
Achilles opened his mouth to protest, but then snapped it shut again.
“The purple orb that the stranger had described appeared in front of me. Curiosity getting the better of me, I reached for it—.”
“You reached for it?” Achilles interrupted.
“Would you have done any differently?”
“No,” Achilles admitted. “Please, continue.”
“Master Chaos appeared, amused by what they called my ‘proposition’,” Patroclus smiled. “They asked whether I’d like to try it.”
“Try what?” Achilles asked, figuring out the answer to his question as he spoke it. “Wait. And you said yes?”
Patroclus shrugged. “Seemed imprudent to turn down a god.” He paused. “Besides…”
“You wanted to.” Achilles sighed and hid his face in Patroclus shoulder.
“What was the harm?” Patroclus asked with a small shrug.
“You did not realize that I would worry?” Achilles pulled back and frowned. “Seeing you were gone, immediately after we had fought?”
“Belatedly,” Patroclus said, a bit sheepishly. “In my place though—”
“I would have considered your well-being!” Achilles shoved him on the chest.
Patroclus gave him a pointed look.
“…before accepting,” Achilles conceded.
Patroclus looked pleased at having predicted Achilles’ answer. They laid together in a comfortable silence for some time before Achilles broke it again.
“I’m sorry, beloved,” he murmured against Patroclus’ neck. “For what I said before.”
“As am I,” Patroclus replied wryly, tightening his grasp around Achilles’ waist. “For what I said when I was in cat form. When I knew you couldn’t understand me.”
“I can’t imagine you ever holding back,” Achilles chuckled. “I’ve learned a few things since we last shared human words. That I miss fighting by your side, for example.”
“Oh?”
Achilles could feel Patroclus shifting to get a better look at him. He nodded. “And I think we should help the lad, as you suggested.” He pushed himself up so that he could look at Patroclus properly as well.
Patroclus hummed. “Alright. I too have learned several things from this adventure.”
“Oh?” Achilles tilted his head again.
“One: I like pets.”
Achilles snorted. “That much was always true.”
“And two,” Patroclus continued, punching Achilles on the shoulder. “I would like a house.”
Achilles blinked at him, at a loss for words.
“For us,” Patroclus clarified.” With a bed in which we will both fit. The basket was nice, but it reminded me that we often dreamed of such a comfort in the past.”
“I’d like this as well,” Achilles whispered.
“I’m glad we’re in agreement,” Patroclus nestled himself under Achilles’ chin.
“I’ll ask the House Contractor once this break is over,” Achilles promised. While Hades was a taciturn lord, he was fair. In addition to Patroclus’ safety, Achilles’ contract guaranteed him payment for his work.
“Imagine, Patroclus,” he murmured. “A home.”
In his arms, Patroclus only hummed, snuggling in further and nudging Achilles pointedly with his head. Achilles rolled his eyes, and began to stroke Pat’s hair. Achilles had just closed his own eyes when he heard that familiar rumble against his own chest, and began to laugh. Evidently, Patroclus had learned a third thing while in cat-form as well.