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"P-Penelope?" Odysseus stammered as his usually mild mannared wife had pushed him down onto their bed. His surprise grew further when she clasped his face none too gently within her thumb and pointer finger.
"Odysseus." And there it was, the tone she used with him when she was not too pleased about something. Not even 20 years at sea and war could make a man forget such basic survival instinct.
"Love of my life, have I perhaps done something wrong?" It's better to ask than feign obliviousness and further arouse her ire.
"I don't know. You tell me, King of Ithaca" Oh dear, sarcasm, she was most definitely displeased with something he had done. 'Think fast, Odysseus, you pride yourself on your sharp mind, you can figure this out.' He thought to himself and yet for all his speedy recollection of the past two weeks back in Ithaca he could not figure out what it might be that he had done to upset his beloved wife.
"Haven't figured it out yet?" Penelope asked with a mild tone, far too used to her husband no matter how many years apart they've faced. "You've spent time with Telema, trained him to be the next best warrior in this kingdom and rid us of the blight that was the suitors" She listed off calmly, "You've practically rebuilt this castle with your own two hands and YET," Oh boy, here it comes. Despite himself, Odysseus held his breath as he awaited the answer to this sphinx like riddle of his wrongdoings.
Penelope's grip on his face loosened to where she was now caressing his cheek tenderly with the back of her hand."You've been such an amazing father and king, attending to your duties... But what of your duties as a husband?" Odysseus felt his heart sink at those words (like his crew hehe). They were true. He had definitely definitely ensured that she knew how much he had missed and longed for her while he was away yet he'd never properly taken the time to show her. A mistake he was more than willing to rectify.
He cupped her cheek as his features softened into remorseful understanding. "Oh wife mine, I'm so sorry. I never meant to neglect you. I was so focused on fixing everything that has gone wrong, making up for my absence as a form of ridding myself of this guilt." He shook his head, few dark brown strands coming loose and brushing against his cheek. He could tell her of the pain he feels of missing every birthday, every first of their son's. The guilt he has for not being by her side but that's not what she needed. She didn't need apologies nor explanations, she needed affection and reassurance. He pulled her down for a slow, gentle kiss, a grounding reminder for both of them that he was back. He was back, and they were here together. Penelope's shoulders finally relaxed as she let herself be swept up in the warmth and reassurance offered by their kiss. Once she had let out a shuddery breath she gripped his neck and deepened it.
The action caused Odysseus to sputter in shock but the moment was short lived as she took advantage of his momentary surprise to slip her tongue inside his mouth. The king of nearly melted as his skin erupted in goosebumps. It had been so long, so very painfully long since he'd gotten to be like this, weak, painfully weak for his wife. HIS wife, not Circe, not Calypso. Penelope, the woman who had stolen his heart and kept it safe with her all these years.
"Beloved..." He breathed out, her hands beginning to unclasp his toga with the nimbleness and elegance ill fitting of the vulgar activity she was about to engage in.
"Do you know how long I've waited, how hard it's been being without you?" Yes, yes, yes. A thousand yeses over because he too has felt every painstakingly agonising day they were apart. Her hands trembled with so many emotions: sorrow, heartache, longing. Odysseus took her hands into his own and nodded, all of her emotional turmoil reflected in his own eyes. "I know. I know, love" She dived down to capture his lips in another heated kiss that spoke of years of simmering passion.
Odysseus groaned into the kiss, the feeling of his wife's fervent passion one he has gone without longer than any lesser man would be able to withstand. "Penny" He breathed her name like a prayer. His grip tightened on her waist as if willing this moment to not be another dream like the countless ones he's had at sea, each one taking a piece more of his soul with it.
"You're going to embrace me, aren't you, husband mine?" She asked in a husky voice, her amber eyes boring into his own. His neck snapped into action, nodding instantly. It's all he could do not to fall to his knees in worship of her.
"Whatever you want" He sighed reverently. "Good." With one small tug his toga fell away leaving him clad only in his undergarments. Though Penelope was not so crass as to lick her lips, the look of pure ravenous hunger shone clearly in her eyes. This was a woman starved. She took a moment to admire how much more tanned her husband had gotten at sea as she traced the scars that littered his torso. A small smirk blossomed on her lips when she felt Odysseus shudder beneath her.
"Tell me you've missed me" She sighed, placing her ear over his chest to hear his heartbeat.
" 'Miss' is not a strong enough word" And the pain in his voice told stories. "I missed you. Yearned for you, longed and craved for any small part of you that I didn't deserve. Your voice, your sweet voice, your soft whispers, your melodic laughter... I clung to them. Every day it got harder and harder to recall it but I did. I kept your memory safe in my heart"
Penelope didn't realise a tear had slipped down her cheek until she felt Odysseus' warm palm on her cheek wiping it away. The resilient woman swallowed around the lump that had formed in her throat. She leaned down and pressed her forward against his, taking a deep calming breath. When she opened her eyes, it was the same love, dedication, adoration and devotion she saw reflected back in his golden eyes. In that moment Penelope knew truly that she must have been the luckiest woman in the world to have been blessed with a man who loves her as much as this man loved her.
"I love you, my heart" And the truth of those words was sworn on Styx herself. "So understand, my dear, you're not leaving this bed till the olive tree outside has borne fruit."
Odysseus shuddered, pulling his wife closer with a smitten grin on his face. "Well my dear, the stars are shining."