𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐑 ᵐᵘˡᵗⁱ-ᶠᵃⁿᵈᵒᵐˢ

Death Wish Love

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⭒❃.✮:▹ Traveler ◃:✮.❃⭒

Epic: The Musical
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Song Inspiration: Death Wish Love by Benson Boone; recommend you listen while reading!!

This is a Penelope!Reader btw!

ˏ⸉ˋ‿̩͙‿̩̩̥͙̽‿̩͙ˏ⸉ˋ‿̩͙‿̩̩̥͙̽‿̩͙ˏ⸉ˋ‿̩͙‿̩̩̥͙̽‿̩͙.·͙*̩̩͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩̥͙　✩　*̩̩̥͙˚̩̥̩̥*̩̩͙‧͙ .‿̩̥̩‿̩̩̥͙̽‿̩͙ˊ⸊ˎ‿̩̥̩‿̩̩̥͙̽‿̩͙ˊ⸊ˎ‿̩̥̩‿̩̩̥͙̽‿̩͙ˊ⸊ˎ

Odysseus had never known a battle more grueling than the one he faced now—fighting the distance between him and his Penelope.

The Gods had thrown everything they could at him: monsters, wars, storms. But none of it compared to the war he waged within himself.

It wasn't just the bloodshed or the pain that kept him going, it was you—your face, your laughter, the way you looked at him as if he were the only man in the world.

He'd seen so much death, so much destruction. And yet every time he closed his eyes the thought of you was stronger.

In every battle he could hear your voice, soft but commanding, urging him to come back to you.

That was what he held onto. That was why he survived.

But sometimes the love he felt for you scared him. It wasn't just love anymore.

It had become something dangerous, something that had the power to tear him apart.

If he lost you—if the Gods took you away before he could return, Odysseus knew it would destroy him.

He felt fragile in that love, like it held the power to break him in ways no sword or spear ever could.

Even now as his ship rocked on the waves heading toward Ithaca, all he could think about was you.

The memory of your face; the way your eyes shimmered with a warmth he couldn't find anywhere else.

You had always been his anchor. Even when the world around him was falling apart you were the steady ground beneath his feet.

He clenched his fists watching the horizon as the faint outline of Ithaca came into view.

His men were talking and murmuring about home, but Odysseus was quiet as he stared out at the sea.

His heart raced. What if you had moved on? What if after all these years you no longer waited for him?

The very thought of it made his chest tighten. He had faced monsters that would drive any man mad, yet it was the thought of losing you that truly terrified him.

Odysseus cursed the Gods for how long they kept him from you. Every day spent away from you had felt like death.

He could face a thousand wars—a thousand enemies. But the pain of not having you by his side was unbearable.

He longed to hold you again, to feel your warmth, to hear your voice. It was a love that consumed him entirely, a love that bordered on madness.

As the ship drew closer to the shore his heart pounded louder than the crashing waves.

The moment the ship docked Odysseus was off. He barely heard the cheers of his men as they celebrated their return, his mind was already racing toward the palace.

His steps were quick, fueled by the fire in his chest that had been burning for years.

He reached the palace gates, and though his breath was heavy from the run his heart lightened the moment he stepped inside.

He could already sense you—your presence, the very essence of who you were lingering in the air.

And then he saw you.

You were standing on the terrace. Your back was turned to him, the soft light of the setting sun casting a golden glow on your figure.

For a moment Odysseus couldn't breathe. It was like seeing you for the first time all over again.

Every inch of him ached for you. But he stood frozen, too overwhelmed by the sight of you after all these years.

It wasn't until you turned around and your eyes meet his did he moved.

"Penelope..." he whispered hoarsely, voice barely audible. It was like a plea for you to recognize him after all this time.

Your eyes widened in disbelief, and for a moment he feared you didn't.

But then you broke into a run, throwing yourself into his arms. Odysseus caught you, holding you as tightly as he dared.

His fingers tangled in your hair, his breath catching as he buried his face in your shoulder.

"Odysseus," you breathed, your voice trembling. "You're here. Y-you...you came back to me."

He pulled back just enough to see your face, his heart swelling as he saw the tears streaming down your cheeks.

He wiped them away with his thumb, his touch gentle as if he were afraid you might disappear if he pressed too hard.

"I'm here," his voice was thick with emotion. "I'm finally home."

Home.

It was a word that held so much meaning now. It wasn't the palace, or the island, or the throne.

It was you. You had always been his home.

Odysseus pressed his forehead to yours, his eyes closing as he savored the moment.

He had waited for this for so long, and now that he was here he didn't want to let go.

You were everything to him, the reason he had fought, the reason he had survived.

"I love you," your voice shook as you clung to him, your fingers digging into his back as if you were afraid he might disappear.

Odysseus smiled, though it was laced with pain. He knew the dangers he had faced were nothing compared to the dangers that lay in loving you.

But he didn't care. He would die for you. He would face the Gods themselves if it meant staying by your side.

"I love you too," he murmured, his lips brushing against your temple. "And I'll love you until there's nothing left of me."

You pulled him closer, your breath hot against his neck as you whispered, "Don't ever leave me again."

"I won't," he promised, his voice breaking as he held you tighter. "Never again."

And as the sun set on Ithaca, Odysseus knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, he would face them all for you.

Because this love—this dangerous, all-consuming love—was worth every sacrifice.

Even if it was a death wish, even if it meant losing everything, he would love you to the very end.