the most beloved | patrochilles au | boyxboy

as the war came

medicine - the 1975

" how can a man be first in all
events? "  - epeus (the iliad)

"Do you think - do you think he's gonna actually try and hurt you?" Patroclus asked, laying next to Achilles.

They were at Patroclus' house, his father having recovered from Pat throwing a pot at their neighbor. Achilles' face had a black eye and several bruises, Patroclus tracing his fingers around them as Achilles and him let some record play in the background.

"I don't know."

Achilles couldn't say "no" because he wasn't sure. Sure, Paris wasn't a real threat, but Hector could throw a punch and he had friends who didn't care what happened to certain people (in this case, Achilles.)

"But I know that if he comes after you, I'll rip his insides out," Achilles said, looking up at Patroclus' face. "He can hurt me all he wants, but if he lays a finger on you, he's a dead man."

"I can fight back, you know," Patroclus said, leaning down to kiss Achilles. He pulled away, allowing Achilles to speak once more.

"Doesn't mean I want you to have to."

"I don't want you to have to, either."

"Don't," Achilles reached up to put a piece of Pat's hair behind his ear, "don't worry about me. Worry about more important things."

Patroclus laughed a little. "You're an important thing to me."

Achilles smiled, reaching his arms up to bring Patroclus' face closer to his, kissing him again, but letting this one last longer. Because kissing Pat was unlike anything he'd ever done. It was all so intentional, and Patroclus was so lovely to kiss.

As they leaned closer and closer to keep another, it wasn't like Achilles would describe the affair as 'hot', but just incredibly enticing and as if he could lay there and kiss Patroclus forever. No worrying about more bruises, or if Patroclus would ever be hurt, or if - anything else.

Patroclus pulled away, his nose brushing Achilles' cheek before he started to talk. "I'm sorry Hector did what he did to you."

"Not your fault. Besides, it makes me look tough."

"If he hurts you again, I'll go and fight him myself, and then I guess you'll have to hurt him too."

Patroclus then layer down on Achilles' chest, falling asleep and leaving Achilles to ache for the brunette boy. He loved him too much. No, you can't do that - he loved how much he loved Patroclus. He just wished that they could be in love and not have to worry about the wounds that enemies would inflict.

- - -

"Get Helen under fucking control because - because if Paris does one more dumbass move and Menelaus finds out, he'll start a riot again. And I cannot have Hector making another tantrum and blaming me for it, because if Pat gets dragged into it I will rip Hector apart," Achilles vomited up the words to Briseis as they stood in an empty classroom during a free period.

Briseis waited a while before answering. "Listen, Achilles, I'm trying my best - "

"Are you?"

"Dammit, yes! But Helen won't make up her mind and I can't control what Hector does, okay? Menelaus neither. I know - I know how much Pat means to you. I don't want him getting him hurt either, but knowing testosterone filled teenage boys, I don't know what they'll do."

Achilles looked down at the floor, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know what to do, Bri. Hector could've seriously hurt me, imagine if he gets Pat - fuck, and no teachers catch it - I wouldn't - I couldn't - "

Briseis grabbed Achilles' shoulders. "Breath, Achilles. We're all gonna do everything we can to stop this mess, okay? Now c'mon, let's get out of this room and see if we can't bribe the cafeteria ladies to give us free chips," she said, draping an arm around the blond boy.

He laughed a little, but he was still scared. He's just finally admitted to himself and to others how much Pat actually meant to him. Even if they practically already called it years earlier. Still, he couldn't have anything happen to Patroclus. Hector was certainly capable, wth the help of his friends, of killing someone. Achilles tried not to think of that as he walked with Briseis down the high school hallway.

After they had both gotten free chips, Briseis went off to spend the rest of free period sitting with Helen and trying to talk with her. Achilles went to the bathroom to calm himself down. The Golden Boy of the school couldn't be seen freaking out over Hector.

Ignoring the kid in the closed stall smoking what smelled like weed, Achilles looked in the mirror at himself. He wanted his hair to grow out again, and then he could tie it up like he liked and have Pat try and braid it. He couldn't wait for summer and to sleep in and go to the beach and for all of the high school drama to be over.

- - -

Achilles went home alone that day, Patroclus saying how he needed to go to the library to study. Several hours went by, giving Achilles time to finish homework, play a game of Uno with his mom, and take a shower.

He laid in bed, wanting noting more to sleep, when someone began furiously knocking on what sounded like the front door. He sat up, leaving his room and going to the door, being the only still awake enough to hear the knocking.

Achilles looked through the peephole, seeing Patroclus' face - a bloody nose, a black eye, and a cut across his cheek. Achilles ripped open the door, pulling the other boy inside.

"Guess they got to me, huh?" Patroclus said, starting to cry and Achilles pulled him closer to himself, not caring if he was only wearing old pajama bottoms or if Patroclus was bleeding into him. "I - I didn't wanna go home like this. I just finished studying and - they jumped me in the parking lot - and I - and I fought myself away from them enough to get back to my car and - and - "

Patroclus was a mess by this time, and Achilles was just pulling him closer, his fingers running through the brown hair and whispering things between "You're alright now" to "I love you" to "I'm here" to Patroclus.

But he knew inside that this wasn't just high school drama anymore. Not if Hector actually targeted one of the most important - if not the most important - person to Achilles. It was personal now.

It was war.

___________________________
a/n : i made myself tear up writing this. listening to the new keaton henson while writing this didn't help either. anyways, it's getting real now. i didn't know it was gonna get his real in this chapter, but i started writing and here we are. i hope you still enjoyed an update even if it's sad. love you lots.

- ash