Chapter Text
The days always felt slower, emptier since the incident, like static.
Eurylochus was lost in his thoughts,ones where Polites always reigned,his once lover(?) now dead for 7 years.The sea hummed quietly in the back of his mind, and he could swear the waves whispered his name, both their names in the same breath. He was trapped in a cycle of pain, grief, hope and pain again.
It was painful to admit, but he missed him so, so, so much. He’s gotten stronger, and some scars, too. Maybe if Polites were still alive he would have made a little remark about them and maybe he wouldn’t feel so guilty about them. Maybe he would’ve- No. He was dead. It didn’t matter now. He sighed. But maybe-
He was quickly snapped out of it all when he heard Odysseus barking orders about the sirens, about chopping off their tails, things around that topic, but even though he listened, his heart and mind were still revolving around him.
This time it was really different though,some days it could just be grief, other days it’d be this crushing weight on his shoulders, and more often than not it would be a lifeless, shallow void reminding him of the warmth, the smiles that he lacks. But today it just felt like 𝙝𝙚 was there,like 𝙝𝙚 was closer...weird.
--Eurylochus, are you listening?
--Yes, captain, apologies.-- what was his deal today?...
--Don't worry.- He turned to all the other men- You all understand?
--We'll make the sirens pay!-- the crew chanted, as earplugs were handed out.
★★★
Everything was going smoothly. Odysseus had the sirens distracted and all the other ones were already tied up.
Until an uncanny shadow in the northern tip of the boat made of Eurylochus' peripheral vision. Huh, we must've missed one. Eurylochus approached the water cautiously and-...Wait, that looked just like-
--POLITES!
A few men rushed to hold his arms, otherwise he would've jumped straight into the water.
While Eurylochus thought he was going insane on one hand, on the other we had Odysseus who was actually going insane while singing yet again about Penelope ,at this point even the sirens missed Penelope . (💔)
Eurylochus stood by the end of the boat,arms crossed resting on top of the boat's mast.The sun was barely beginning to lower and he couldn't stop thinking about moments ago,was he actually going insane,is it love or,was that...real?
As he stood there,the same shadow from before became present once again,Eurylochus decided to kind of ignore it this time,knowing he was probably hallucinating, but when he was about to turn around,he saw something from the corner of his eye rising from the water,when he looked completely back again,he was left completely speechless.
–Polites?..- his breath hitched, his voice was soft, and only a little louder than a whisper, he just couldn't believe his eyes.
Polites put a finger over Eurylochus' mouth,his hands were wet and his fingers webbed, thanks partially to the siren part,shutting him like when they got into those stupid fights about Odysseus and his love for Penelope ,how he didn't shut up about her and they couldn't help but laugh about it sometimes,even though they understood his pain and feeling lost from home; they understood even more now.
–I barely got out the first time,just let me tell you that you're not hallucinating, dear…- that playful smile could kill.
–You truly haven't changed a bit,haven't you Polites?..-a chuckle escaped him , it wasn’t unusual when they were together
–Well, you know me…– there was a pause between us. It kind of felt like the old times all over again. A wave of cold nostalgia washed over me.
–You’re probably wondering just how i got this way,,,- Polites gazed at his hands, now siren.
–No.-- I interrupted him– we don’t have time for that.
–Yeah, I’m just glad to see you again...-He hummed amusedly- I loove your… necklace, by the way– He signaled to his former headband knotted to Eurylochus’ neck. He didn’t need to know that he was the first to claim it, not letting it go or letting anyone touch it for months. He didn’t need to know he wore it first on the wrist, but changed it to his neck, to have it closer to the heart. And he definitely did not need to know that he lived in fear that it would eventually stop smelling of him. Again, useless information.
–Heh, yeah i just-
–EURYLOCHUS!!-- He jumped a little when he heard a voice approaching. -- Hey man, are you alright?-He made a pause, but when he noticed the man in front of him wasn’t answering, he followed- Look, we all miss Polites, of course we do. But I know you two had…uh…something…You know, that you were ,uh, best friends and– He kept talking, but that tall listener really couldn't care less, all Eurylochus could think about was him.
–Yeah, Jason, I think I just need some time alone.-- he said, cutting short his words.
–Okay… Remember you can tell me or the rest of the crew anything.
Eurylochus conveyed an agreement and stared at the sea, now without the warmth of Polites’ eyes. Now only remained the ocean, full of secrets, some probably like his’ and Polites’, or maybe deeper, maybe ones who didn't even have a chance to begin, that only existed in one's shared looks, darkest nightmares(or clearest dreams); the secrets that remained in the bottom of some hearts, in the bottom of some oceans.
He was still staring at the sea, when he noticed that his best friend’s headband was no longer hanging from his neck. So maybe that wasn’t a hallucination.
He stared lovingly at the amazing sunset that reflected as good as a mirror in the ocean one last time, before deciding that he had to start acting normal or the crew would actually start to worry. Polites and the ghost of his hand on his lips and of his eyes and his voice haunted him all night. Not that he cared, though. He wouldn't like to think of anything else, not about Ithaca, not about Poseidon, not about the storm. Polites could have all of his mind…
Those were the last words he muttered before he dozed off to the sounds of the capillary waves.
🌊⋆｡𖦹°.🐚⋆