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After so long of hearing a lie, one may trick themselves into believing it to be the truth. This was exactly what the Prince of the Underworld had been experiencing for eons, as long as it had been since he came into existence. While Mother Nyx had shielded him as best she could from his father’s harsh words, it never fully spared Zagreus from what was to come in his young adulthood.
It was no secret how Hades treated his son, without a caring touch or gentle hand to guide him. Perhaps it could be written off as the way any god raised their children, far different from the mortal approach any shade was used to. Yet Nyx was nothing like Hades was in raising her own children, and Zagreus was of mortal blood after all.
All to say, the belittlement he suffered took its toll on him, though he tried desperately never to show it. There was always one person who could see through the facade however, his mentor, Achilles. His post in the house wasn’t far away from either the master chambers nor the grand hall, allowing him to hear most of the conversations between father and son – for better or for worse. Were he not a servant of the God of the Dead, he would have voiced his concern or stepped in to protect the poor boy. Instead, he sat idly while his heart shattered at each insult and punishment he happened to overhear.
There were days Zagreus would let the negativity roll right off of him, like rivulets of water when he emerged from a bath. Then, there were other days when those same foul words pierced his heart like an arrow infused with poison, slowly decaying and draining his life force from within him. While Achilles couldn’t always help his lad, he tried his very best whenever time allowed him to.
Before his next run through of the underworld, Achilles had spoken briefly with Zagreus and saw the way his eyes drooped and his head hung a tad lower than normal. He had offered to take some time away from his post to sit and chat with him, but the brunette declined and went off to fight his way to the surface once more. It pained him to watch him leave, but even he couldn’t force the godling to do anything he didn’t want to do.
It was when he saw the prince emerge from the Styx before his father that Achilles decided to accompany him to his bedchambers. Even after the red river had cleansed him of his physical wounds, he still looked battered and bruised, a heaviness clinging to him in the way that he walked that could put Sisyphus to shame. Hardly often did he use his bed for relaxing, but he collapsed into it without a second thought and let himself sink into the plush mattress.
“Zagreus…” He spoke softly, approaching the bed slowly so as to not startle him.
There was no answer for a moment, then, a heart wrenching sob that tore through Achilles as clean as a blade. He waited no further before joining the boy on the bed, sitting up against the headboard and allowing Zagreus to rest in his lap. His fingers gently carded through his hair, brushing away stray laurel leaves while he attempted to soothe his cries.
“Oh lad,” he sighed as he felt arms wrap around his waist, returning the embrace. “It’s alright, just let it out. I’m here now.”
As agonizing as it was to listen to his pain, Zagreus seldom let himself cry like this, and Achilles knew how relieving it could feel after holding it in for so long. So he ignored the ache in his chest and comforted his boy while he sobbed and sobbed, seemingly never ending. Time wasn’t something they lacked in the underworld, he decided he would sit here for eternity if need be, as long as Zagreus knew he wasn’t alone.
Though true to his mortal blood, there were only so many tears his body could produce and thus it was a matter of time until the waterfall from his eyes would cease. Achilles couldn’t be sure how long it had been, but he thanked the gods when he finally noticed the prince beginning to settle down. His slim form still trembled as he gasped for air, taking it in as if he had been drowning in his own sorrow.
Slowly, he regulated himself, breathing in time to the rise and fall of Achilles’ chest, hands weakly yet comfortably resting around his mentor instead of the white-knuckled grip he had just moments before. The room fell quiet, the only sound being the two men breathing and the fabric moving underneath them when they shifted to be more comfortable.
“You may reject this if you wish, lad,” Achilles began, breaking the silence in a hushed voice. “Would you like to come with me to Elysium? Get away from the house, spend some time with Pat, it might be helpful – if you’re willing.”
There was a simple nod in reply, words not quite coming to the prince just yet.
“Alright, when you’re ready then,” he agreed, and allowed Zagreus to move at his own pace. It took only a minute before he was prepared and the pair were shifting into the glades of Elysium, just across the bridge of where Patroclus always resided.
As they approached the cottage he now spent most of his time in – Achilles too, when he was off duty – Patroclus noticed their presence and welcomed them in with a warm smile and a kiss for both of his beloveds. He noticed the god’s puffy face and bloodshot eyes, and he gently caressed his face as he brushed his thumb over the tear stains.
“Rough day, stranger?” He asked, already knowing the answer by the time Zagreus responded with another nod of his head. “Well, let’s see if we can’t make it a bit better then.”
While Patroclus fetched a glass of water for Zagreus, the other two sat down on the comfortable mattress – it wasn’t the same quality as his own bed, but the prince swore this one was comfier, perhaps due to his partners occupying it as well. Being in the homely environment was already starting to help take the edge off, though he was quite physically exhausted from crying, his mental state was beginning to improve.
“Here, drink up so you don’t end up with a headache later,” the other shade said as he joined them on the bed.
“Thank you,” came the hoarse reply, the first words he had spoken since last emerging from the Styx. It came as a slight shock to Achilles who had been with him since, but it still brought a gentle smile to his face, hearing his lover’s voice again was lovely.
They sat in a comfortable silence for some time, Zagreus sipping on the glass of water he was given while the two men around him helped to comfort and relax him. Patroclus had a hand on the young god’s thigh, rubbing small circles into the fabric of his leggings and carefully watching his slight movements. Achilles’s arm was wrapped around Zagreus’ waist, stroking up and down his side while pressing his lips to his temple every now and then.
Once the cup was empty, the prince breathed in a heavy sigh, finally explaining to his lovers, “I just get sick of being talked down to, being told I’ll never be good enough for anything. That it’s useless to keep pursuing my mother, that I’m nothing more than an inconvenience, that… I was never wanted.”
Achilles listened with a heavy heart, he knew who had said these things to Zagreus, and briefly he felt a flash of anger at his Master. Those feelings wouldn’t solve the problem at hand however, so he ignored them in favor of being the comfort he knew Zagreus needed.
“Well, lad, I can assure you that whoever said those things definitely doesn’t speak for everyone in the underworld. Especially not for Pat and I,”
Patroclus nodded, giving a gentle squeeze to his thigh, “You are most certainly enough for us, stranger, and even more than. Every moment we are able to spend with you is a blessing from the fates themselves.”
The blond shifted so he could face the prince directly, tilting the younger’s head towards him as he spoke, “I know more than anyone how capable you are, how strong and resilient you are in everything you do. You have shown time and time again that you can do anything you put your mind to, and you’ve helped so many people simply because your heart desired to. You are so indescribably wonderful, Zagreus, and how lucky we are to be your lovers.”
Such kind and genuine words made Zagreus’s eyes fill with tears once more, not because of frustration or sadness, but because of gratefulness and love. He laughed at the same time a sob escaped him, causing the tears to overflow and fall down his reddened cheeks. As he wiped at his eyes, he felt both men peppering his face with kisses, the smooth glide of Achilles’ skin on his jaw a pleasant contrast to the scruffiness of Patroclus’ beard on his cheek.
“Gods– I love you more than anything, I don’t know what I’d do without you both,” he cried, and they held him in their strong arms, enveloping him in their love. With their protection, nothing negative could reach him here. Not his father’s disappointment, not the pressure of escaping or his untimely death each time he reached the surface, not a single shade or mortal or god could touch Prince Zagreus here.
No one, except his fated lovers, of course.
They held him until his tears were fully dry, until his body was relaxed and free of any prior tension he had brought with him. Though, if Patroclus felt so inclined to offer him a massage to further aid his relaxation, Zagreus would certainly not refuse. Perhaps later, if he was lucky.
The bliss of the moment was divine, and he could only help but want to thank his beloveds for their assistance and taking care of him while he was feeling low. He turned in their grasp, wiggling slightly out of the comforting embrace just enough so he could face Patroclus, leaning his head upward to capture his lips in a kiss.
Somewhat surprised, the shade hummed as he returned the action, letting Zagreus take the lead to decide how much he wanted. After he was seemingly satisfied, he separated the kiss and then turned to face Achilles, who caught on quickly to the prince’s wants. They kissed much the same as the previous pair had, Zagreus leading and taking what he desired.
“What’s this about, lad?” The warrior asked once they parted, a kind yet puzzled expression adorning his face.
“To say thank you for taking care of me,” he replied, looking between them both. “And to say I love you.”
The two shades shared a look, one only they would understand from each other, and returned to gaze adoringly at their young god. Patroclus spoke for both of them when he said, “We love you too, Zagreus. You need not thank us for that, it’s all part of our relationship, to care for one another in whatever way possible.”
Zagreus flushed, bashful as he countered, “Still, you do so much for me, I want to show my appreciation for it somehow.”
“Then I suppose we could accept it, as a token of your appreciation,” Patroclus said with a hint of a teasing tone, leaning in for another kiss.
The three continued to exchange loving embraces and lazy kisses, quietly appreciating one another’s company in near silence– save for the ambient splashing of the Lethe outside. Zagreus was overwhelmed by his partners’ love, though he wouldn’t have it any other way, and as he grew tired from the day-or-night’s challenges he relaxed between the two of them and snuggled in closely.
“Rest now, lad. We will be here when you wake,” Achilles whispered, planting a final kiss on the prince’s head.
A content sigh and a nod came from him, and he allowed his eyes to shut and his body to release the tension it had been holding. There was no place in all of the underworld he felt safer in than in the arms of his beloveds, there was no harm that could be done to him here– neither physical nor mental. So long as the three of them were together, Zagreus could rest assured that everything would be alright.