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Walking along the shore, he found two dices laying across the sand. He decided to bow down as the sight of the two beautiful dices caught his eyes. He held the dices and carefully examined them, however, as he did so, he was confronted with a horrifying sight when glancing down at his feet. Clysonymus's lifeless form rested directly beneath him, with blood streaming from his grievous head, dying the surrounding sand into a crimson hue. As he glanced back at the dice grasped in his palm, he noticed that it too had become stained with blood. The terrifying sight in front of him made him feel nothing but panic, so he tried to run away from the scene but he found himself unable to run further and instead, he got pulled back by an untempted force. He tried to run faster but then he found a hand grabbing his back, followed by another and another. Each grip was so tight against his skin, as if they were all determined to tear him apart to pieces. He started to scream for help as he found himself unable to break free from the predicament, but no one was there to save him and the hand continued to grasped into his skin harder. While enduring the pain, he suddenly heard a familiar voice called out to him, and as the voice was ringing into his ear, he felt the scene around him started to fade away slowly
"Patroclus.....Patroclus"
The boy opened his eyes, breathing heavily
"It's ok, it's all alright I'm here with, you are safe with me"
Achilles looked at him with a concerned look in his eyes, his hand reaching to caress his cheek to comfort him that everything was merely a dream. He almost cried, but the sight of Achilles brought a soothing calm over him
"Did you have another nightmare again Patroclus ?"
The boy gently nodded, the glory details still very clear in his mind but Achilles somewhat made him forget he just experienced it all just with just his presence. Achilles shifted closer to Patroclus and brushed his hand closer to his lips before tracing it down his chin. He shifted out of the bed to fetch a towel and pour himself a glass of water, while Patroclus gazed at him with adoration. The soft moonlight outside the window shone across Achilles's shoulder and embellished his toned back. Under the moonlight, he looks like a soft goddess, a beautiful gemstone Patroclus will always cherish. While drowning in the beauty of Achilles, the boy returned. He gently brushed the tower against his sweaty face, his other arm wrapped around Patroclus's shoulder to assure the boy felt completely safe around him. As Achilles wiped the towel down his body, Patroclus wanted to reach to Achilles for a hug, and a kiss too, but part of him doesn't want to ruin the sensations. He gazed at Achilles with weary eyes, feeling as though he were adrift, devoid of strength, but he's happy as the the boy's tender care wrapped around him softly, easing the burdens left after his nightmare
"It seems the dream has left you exhausted, hasn't it? Your face, it glistens with sweat, and so does your body too, as if you just ran a mile across the field. Here's some water, please drink it all to stay hydrated and healthy, won't you my dear ?"
The sweet sound of his voice, softly flowing into his ears, echoed the gentle lull of waves meeting the shore, softer than silks neatly woven by skilled artisans. He let Achilles take gentle care of him, as he passed him the cup of water. Achilles's unwavering love and tender nature always made Patroclus feel completely enamored, but in some way, he couldn't help but feel a sense of unworthiness and guilty, as he felt like he was unworthy of a tender soul who cared for him with such devotion and affectionate. On a whim, the boy looked away from Achilles, in his gaze laid a deep layer of shame. While Patroclus was sipping water, Achilles gently caressed his head and ran his fingers through his locks of curly hair, he let out a smile as he looks at the disheveled boy
"My poor boy, if only I can sweep your nightmare away and bring you back to a serene slumber, you are worthy of all the beauty this world has to offer, and all the most peaceful sleep every night too"
Patroclus let out an embarrassed smile as Achilles's word poured into his ears, he gently slapped his elbow at Achilles's chest, letting the boy know how flustered and embarrassed he felt with his sweet talking. But as Patroclus pushed him away, Achilles pulled him closer for a slight embrace
"You know you are the best thing in this world that could happen to a boy like me right ?
"And you are the most treasured gem my eyes have ever beheld, sometimes I feel like I have spent all my fortunes to make you mine, you are more than everything in this world to me, dear Patroclus"
His touch lingered on his lips, then moved to his cheeks, a smile gracing his face as he felt the warmth of his blush. Achilles cherished those moments when Patroclus blushed, for it was then that his usual toughness melted away, revealing his true vulnerability. He watched Patroclus's drowsiness took over him as he brushed his hand against his soft cheeks
"Your eyes seem to get heavier each moment passed by, would you like to rest, with me, I promise this time I will hug you tight so all those nightmares won't haunt you again, alright ?"
"Thank you for always so caring about me Achilles, but my dear, I think I'm too scared to fall back to sleep"
"Why so ?"
"I don't want the memories to haunt me again, I'm scared"
Achilles cast a tender gaze upon him, causing his heart to melt with each passing moment. The mere presence of Achilles by his side brought him comfort, even though fear still lingered within him
"Patroclus, I know that the nightmare is still haunting you, but if you refuse to sleep you won't have enough energy to continue for the next day"
"I know Achilles, I really want to sleep too but every times i tried to i fear it will just return back"
"I can help you with that, my dear"
"I'd be so grateful if you can"
After saying that, Achilles reached for his lyre, resting beside the bed. He prepared and propped himself up, fingers weaving through the strings to test the sound of the lyre. His concentration striked upon each note he plucked on the string, and his eyes tenderly rested on the lyre as he engrossed himself in the melody he sought to express. With each movement he made, Patroclus became more infatuated toward him. It was until Achilles casted his gaze back at the boy, with a soft smile.
"I'm gonna play a song I just improvised in a whim, a tune that I dare say is dedicated solely to you, my beloved Patroclus" He said with pride in his voice, and a graceful smirk
"I'm eager to hear it"
Achilles began to play a hauntingly beautiful melody, one that danced through the corridors of his imagination. Each chord he played rang touched Patroclus's ears, and heart, it gently swept away the remnants of his troubled dreams. He surrendered to the soothing embrace of the music, lost in its tender allure. At that moment, it felt like Achilles was the performer of a music concert, but the only watcher at that moment was Patroclus, and the concert was purely dedicated only to him and him only, as the performancer, his lover, playing a heartfelt serenade for him. The soft glow of the moonlight outside the window caressed Achilles's skin and illuminating him in the dark of the room. His golden hair gently glewed beneath the moon, casting him as a radiant beam of the night sky. It seemed like the moon was deeply in love with his beauty as its silvery glow adorning all the most alluring facets of the boy. Each note he plucked from the lyre seemed to dance in harmony with the celestial light, illuminating not just his striking beauty but also the extraordinary talent that flowed from his fingertips. As the gentle waves caressed the shore and a tender breeze danced through the olive tree outside his window, Patroclus felt like he was in the middle of the natural symphony, as Achilles stood as the principal melody while all the other natural factors surrounding him played the pivotal role as his backing harmony. Each note resonates in perfect unison, making it a stunning orchestration of the natural world, intertwined by his essence. Achilles continued to shine in his own way as his fingers weaved through the lyre, making Patroclus captivated more and more by him each moment passed by. The anxiety, struggles by his nightmare slowly drifted away from his fragile mind, and was replaced by the beautiful melodies struck from the lyre of his lover. In that moment, Patroclus was in a sweet reverie, it was a dream woven with tender melodies that gently embraced him, a sanctuary where only him and Achilles existed, lost in their own world of love and longing. As he was stuck in his dream, Achilles played a last few chords, and his melody ended, slowly. He casted a soft gaze at his lyre for a brief moment, before he turned and gave Patroclus the same gaze. That gaze of Achilles fell upon the boy, whose heart was gradually softening, his thoughts lost in a mist of a hazy dream. As the boy looked deeply into his eyes, Patroclus felt as if his heart might leap from his chest, overwhelmed by a rush of emotion. Seeing the boy so lost in him, Achilles gave him a gentle smile, his hand reached to pat his hair
"So, how was it? Did I scare away your nightmare, philtatos ?
"You did, I really love it, but i love the way you play it more, you are the most talented lyre player I have ever known Achilles"
"Oh don't be so foolish ! Just say you are so in love with me silly"
"Fineee, I love you, philtatos, but most of all, I'm grateful for everything you have done to help me tonight"
"I'm glad I could do something to snap you out of that, and make you feel better too, I really can't bare it see my boy in such a panic state, you poor thing"
"You did feel very much better now, you are my magic man"
"Don't be so fluttering, I just want to help you deal with your nightmare babe, now, I guess it is time we begin our slumber again shall we ?"
Achilles made a teasing glance his way, he titled his head aside, letting his hand intertwined in his lover's hair, playing with it to help him relax more and more each moment passed by. While caressing the boy, Achilles felt himself getting drowsier each moment too, so he put his lyre away and began to lay down with his patroclus
"Hmmm, I guess you are right, if i stay up longer, i think both of us won't make it to tomorrow dear"
Achilles finally laid down next to him, his hand held Patroclus's cheeks, gazing tenderly at him. They shared each other an intimate look for a brief second, before Patroclus got closer to him, planting a kiss against his tender lips. It was a soft kiss, a lingering kiss that made their soul intertwined deeply upon each other. Their passion for one another burned brighter than the sun, yet soft and pale as the moon, as Patroclus wrapped his arms around Achilles, pulling him closer, while Achilles tenderly cradled his beloved's face, letting their lips lingering in a sweet embrace. And as Achilles pulled away, he smiled seeing the boy falling deeply for him, as he caught that longing mirrored in his eager eyes.
"Sleep tight beautiful boy, I will protect you, shoo all your nightmare away"
"Goodnight sweet prince, you are my everything, I will forever grateful as long as I'm in your arm"
Patroclus kissed him for the last time, before tracing his lips down to his neck, and the arm that embraced him. He looked back at Achilles, who was lost in his present. A smile grace his lips as he slowly drifted away to a sleep
"I love you always, my philtatos”