Athenian Arrow

Epilogue

40 years later...

Andreas was lying on the bed that Themis sat beside in a chair. Andreas was in his mid-sixties at this point and his health had been declining. 

After the war, Themis was finally able to obtain the education in Athens that they needed to further enhance their knowledge and career as a doctor. They got to live their dream and attend the school of Kos which Hippocrates ran as a school for medicine, the school Themis talked about when they first met the Spartan in the holding cell to treat his wounds. They even got to meet the father of medicine himself. It was an admirable day for the hermaphrodite but even that wasn't enough to save the man they loved. 

Themis tried everything, they experimented with different remedies and came up with their own concoctions but nothing had worked. Themis had no idea what sickness Andreas had been deceased with. Even though it frustrated Themis as they couldn't find a cure, Andreas was relatively calm about it. He never showed any signs of stress to Themis on not knowing what was wrong with him. Instead, he embraced his fate and even though he never specified it to Themis, Themis knew it was because Andreas was looking forward to joining Alexi in Hades.

That hurt Themis every time they thought about that as Andreas and Themis had become lovers. Andreas didn't entertain the idea for a few years as he was still healing from the pain Alexi's death had caused him but when Themis became the only person who showed appreciation to the Spartan on a daily basis, Andreas couldn't help but grow fond of them. But even so, just as Andreas stated during the war, he was honest in his feelings with Themis in the sense that he would never love the hermaphrodite as much as he loved Alexi, and if Themis was fine with that, then Andreas would allow their relationship to flourish. 

Like any person, Themis was not satisfied as Andreas expressed his feelings but Themis did not want to lose the only man they had ever loved either. No matter how hard Themis tried to hate the Spartan and push their feelings aside for someone more worthy of their time, they just couldn't. Themis felt as though loving Andreas was a curse like some disease they couldn't be cured from. And that is why Themis was currently bent over with their arms on the bed as they burrowed their face and cried at the elderly man taking small breaths before them. Andreas was dying.

Themis and Andreas never sought out legal marriage or children to take in as their own as Andreas expressed to Themis many times that those experiences he looked forward to were only reserved for Alexi. This made Themis extremely upset as they wanted to take in as many children as the pair could as Themis knew what it felt like to be abandoned. Themis became extremely passionate about that, especially after they found a partner to live life with. But alas, Andreas was being that stubborn brute he always is which caused Themis to lose the argument.

Themis and Andreas did however end up living together in Athens. Andreas told Themis that he wished to move there so Themis could be closer to his education but Themis wasn't stupid. They knew Andreas only wanted to move there so he could feel closer to the Athenian. That was the city the two men wanted to reside in after the war anyhow. But alas, Themis agreed as it was closer to their education. It was in that home that they shared where they became intimate for the first time and figured out what worked and what didn't as that was the first time Themis ever got to explore their sexuality.

Regardless of Andreas' heart being elsewhere, Themis and Andreas shared good memories together. Themis took care of Andreas and Andreas did the same. He was not a neglectful partner. He made sure food was on the table as Themis continued with the education they always imagined having. Andreas was still affectionate and showed his appreciation to the doctor for staying by his side since the day they met. He truly was grateful for Themis. A part of him was glad that he got to live this life with them. He just wished he could've given the love that he knows Themis deserves.