Between Us ~ An Achilles and Patroclus Fanfiction

Chapter Six ~ Honesty

PATROCLUS' POV

It was really a surprice to us when just a week after the rumors Neoptolemus came home from his daily walk much earlier than usual, looking like something had shaken him up. Achilles and I were very worried to see him in such situation, he was nothing like himself and he didn't even speak. It was only after a couple of hours when he finally spoke again. Achilles was reading a book and I was cooking, while Neoptolemus was sitting in a chair, completely silent.

- They're right, he said.

- What?

- They're right, Patroclus, he said. She died.

- Who?

- My mother, he said. People were whispering about seeing her for the first time today.

- Well, Achilles said, that could be rumors.

- I saw her myself, he said. She's dead. And she didn't care enough to look for me.

- Maybe she didn't know you're dead, I said trying to calm him down.

- She knows, he said. She knows her child is dead and she didn't care about me enough to search for me.

-We can look for her tomorrow, if that's what you want, Achilles said. Maybe she is looking for you but can't find you.

- Yeah, right, Neoptolemus said. The first thing I did when I reached the underworld was look for you, dad, but her? She didn't even look sad to be here.

- Your mother has a troubled personality, Achilles said. She has been through some stuff, you know.

- That doesn't make up for not thinking about you, though, I said. But she loves you and cares about you, that's for sure. We do too, so if things don't work out with her, you will still have us.

Neoptolemus' eyes were watery again. He got up and sat on his bed. Achilles and I sat beside him.

- You will always have us, Achilles said. We love you more than anything.

- No matter what, I said, we are your family and that doesn't change.

Neoptolemus hugged us both, then asked for some alone time with his father. After an hour, I found Achilles slowly brushing his hand through his son's hair as he was quietly sleeping. I couldn't help but admire their father-son relationship. Achilles was constantly worried that he wasn't a good father, but moments like that proved him totally wrong. He noticed me and came to me.

- He is fine, just fell asleep, he said.

- I'm glad he's okay, I said. That must have been very hard for him.

- Yeah, he said. But I am grateful he opened up to me and we worked it out together.

- That's amazing, I said. Will he search for Deidamia?

- He will be taking his time, Achilles said. If she wants to find him, he is open to talk to her. But, can I tell you something?

His face changed into a worried expression. His eyes seemed darker, he looked pretty worried.

- You know you can tell me anything, I said.

- What if she takes him away from us? I don't want him to leave, he said tearing up.

- He won't leave, I said. Neither she nor anyone will take your son away from you. You're an amazing father, Achilles, I really admire you for that.

- Thank you, he said. Let's go to sleep, it's pretty late.

We went in our bedroom and layed down on our bed. We shared a kiss and slept while embracing eachother. A few hours later, we would be waken up by screams and voices.

- You have to hear me out, the voice said.

- You didn't even care about me, the other voice said. I hate you!

- Well done!

Achilles got up before me and rubbed his eyes. Soon after, I did the same thing.

- What's that noise?

- I don't know, he said, let's see.

We quickly put pur clothes on only to find Deidamia and Neoptolemus shouting at eachother.

- What is going on?

Both of them stopped when they heard Achilles talking to them. Neoptolemus quickly stood near his father.

- She finally showed up, he said.

- That's not a way to speak to your mother. I see now, you're with them this whole time?

- Yeah, he said, why?

- You're accusing me of being a bad mother while your father preferred a man over me and you!

- Don't bring my father in this, Neoptolemus said, he has been nothing but amazing to me. As for Patroclus, don't speak that way about him, he is an amazing person and my father is happy with him and so am I, you were all about how we can use the fact that my father is a demigod!

- You grew up as a prince, she said, what else did you want? Your grandmother said you would be a god one day, that you will be better than your father, but still you went to that war and died.

- At least I found my father, he said woth rage. And, if you really want to know, he is not the idiot demigod who is all about himself, promotes whatever he has done in the war and cares only about his fame.  That's your version of him, but my father is a generous person who is always there when you need him and doesn't let his fame define him.

- He really brainwashed you, Deidamia said.

Achilles looked quickly at me and then bursted to the scene. Neoptolemus took Achilles by his side while Deidamia covered her mouth with her hand.

- You were here the whole time?

- Just waiting for the right moment, Achilles said in a calm tone. What brings you here, Deidamia?

- Died from a natural disaster and now I came to rescue my son from you, she said in a cold tone.

- I told you I am fine with my father, Neoptolemus said angrily. Leave!

- Neoptolemus, Achilles said, don't talk like that to your mother. As for you, he said to her, you knew exactly what I am like, who I am with and what my intentions were but still, you went for the forbidden fruit. At least let our son decide for himself, he is old enough to take his own decisions.

- Pyrrus, she said, let's leave,we survived alone without your father before, we can do it now too.

- I do not respond to that name anymore, he said. I really wanted to have a relationship with you too, but my father is now my only family, since you are referring to him as a good for nothing demigod. He's here, with the mortals, with me, with the man he loves, you are so wrong about him that you can't imagine.

Deidamia's eyes were full with tears. I had remained silent this whole time. She left and Neoptolemus was left there, speechless. He then went inside without even looking at me or Patroclus and locked himself in his room. Patroclus looked at me with a worried face, meaning there was only one thing left to do; I had to talk with Deidamia.