Epic X Reader - Blog Posts

YES YES YES I HAD TO REPOST THIS CHAPTER BECAUSE THE WORLD NEEDS TO SEE THIS MASTERPIECE!!! (｡♥‿♥｡) I may not have a huge following, but if even one more person reads this wholesome, fluffy brilliance, my mission is complete!!

This fic is my comfort place—I reread it on bad days, on good days, or just because I miss the warmth it brings (｡•́︿•̀｡)♡ Every time, it fills my heart with so much joy and softness I can’t even put it into words!!

The father-daughter bond between Ody and the reader?? STUNNING (╥﹏╥) The care, the emotion, the way it wraps around you like a hug—I'm MELTING!! And Polites?! HELLO SIR?! (⁄ ⁄•⁄ω⁄•⁄ ⁄) He’s everything!!! I am so down bad and in love!!!

Please do yourself a favor and read this fic if you haven’t yet!! It’s a shining light of love, warmth, and perfect storytelling (づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ

Sending all the love and healing to the author’s mom—take all the time you need!! We’ll be right here, hearts in hand (≧︶≦))(￣▽￣ )ゞ

EPIC : THE FAIR MAIDEN (not so platonic ver.)

CHAPTER FIVE : THE JOURNEY HOME

relations. : various epic characters/reader -- platonic odysseus/reader ; polites/reader ; platonic eurylochus/reader ; platonic elpenor/reader ; platonic perimedes/reader ; platonic odysseus' crew/reader ; hermes/reader

chpt. sum. : You and the crew finally make the final journey back to Ithaca but not without some mishaps along the way.

tags. : reader is still a disney princess (primarily polites' disney princess) ; female, mute reader ; pure comfort ; animal crossing new horizons game mechanics ; hermes tame (sadboy) appearances ; polites being a disney prince ; crew panicking over you ; evil mermaids make an appearance ; slight crack ; tiktok sound reference in the beginning ; odysseus being a distraught, overprotective dad ; eurylochus constantly shaking his head at everyone.

length. : 10.6k

a/n :  for anyone curious about how i imagine Polites to look, I envision him as @elianzis Polities but with glasses hehe~ (i'm too shy to tag them directly ( /)///(\✿) nvm they won't see this anyway, you darlings deserve a direct link to their amazing page and artwork ദ്ദി(˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) ✧) 

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“We are owed a thorough explanation, fair maiden,” Odysseus’ eyes narrow into a stern look as his strong arms fold over his chest. A few steps behind him, Polites and Eurylochus stand, observing the scene while the rest of the crew form a crowd behind them, also observing the scene. Their captain looks like the perfect image of a father scolding his daughter, which was a feeling most of the men could sympathise with — many left home and their young children behind. In the weeks that have passed since your arrival, many have since grown a filial fondness for you and look to you as their own daughter. So Odysseus wasn’t the only one seething from the display. 

There’s a pressure in the air that makes it hard to find the strength to look anyone in the eyes, but you know you’ll have to give some kind of statement on the events that have just transpired. The only problem is that you can’t speak. 

“Captain,” Polites approaches helpfully, a kind smile on his lips as his eyes filled with concern behind the shine of his glasses, “The fair maiden cannot speak, remember?” 

“She can still attempt to explain herself!” Odysseus stubbornly huffs, arms still crossed as he looks you up and down. “Well? Young lady?” 

Feebly, you raise a hand and pull an embarrassed look — this was going to be difficult, but you’ll try your best. You shake your head and wave your hands about to try and express that your association with Hermes is one that came unexpectedly, even for you. 

‘I never know what he’s going to do next!’ you attempt to communicate with your hands and a shake of your head, ‘He took me by surprise; I didn’t know how to react!’ you think it’s best to avoid the topic of guiltily kissing the god back and, instead, focus on trying to explain that this was all a misunderstanding that went too far. ‘Please believe me…’ you pull a hopeless, pleading expression, pouting pitifully as you hold your hands together in a praying gesture, looking at Odysseus with forlorn eyes. 

Beside him, Polites nods along with a pondering expression; he was always someone who understood you well. “You mean to say that he took you by surprise?” The elucidation Polites was deciphering from your gestures was understandable; the gods always seemed to do whatever they pleased, not really caring about who was affected and how. It made his stomach lurch to think that you were involved with a god, knowing the horrid encounters his captain and close friend had to suffer because of quite a few. At the very least, you seemed unharmed and that it was Hermes, a rather friendly god from what Polites could gather from the musical that warned him and others (mainly Odysseus) of their fates.  

‘Yes yes!’ you nodded your head enthusiastically, feeling lighter at the feeling of being so easily understood — you could always count on Polites.

“UGH!” Odysseus shouts, punching a nearby tree before turning to you with wild eyes, completely ignoring the 100-bell coin that falls on his head before falling to the ground. “What a manipulative, conniving, sorry-excuse-for-a-god! What in the underworld is wrong with him?!” Odysseus stands there for a moment, panting from his heated outburst as everyone else, including you, stares on in shock, frozen up, not knowing what to do or say and unable to look away. “

Why would he manipulate you?” Odysseus approaches you with sympathetic eyes, his hands reaching out to clasp onto your shoulders when he comes within arms reach of you. “Why would he do that?” you feel his large, calloused hands squeeze you ever so slightly and he looks away, thinking to himself. 

Moments tensely pass before he meets your eyes once more, “Did you give in?“ He doesn’t give you the chance to answer before his hands fly to his head, clutching at his hair as he howls into the air, “NOOO!”

Eurylochus finally steps forward to shake some sense into his brother-in-law and captain while Polites moves to stand beside you, placing a comforting hand on your upper back. “He’ll get over it in time,” the glasses-wearing third in command whispers with a small smile. 

“Get a hold of yourself, Captain; you’re losing face.” Eurylochus clearly wasn’t the type to offer the best comfort. 

Odysseus was unable to hear anyone outside of his rapid murmurings, however. “So shameless! So barbaric!” Oddly enough, the captain’s stubbornness on the topic and anger for your sake made you smile. In the time you’ve spent with Odysseus and the crew, you’ve grown quite close; you associate it with the warm comfort that blooms in your chest every time they act adorably like this. Pulling away from Polites, you step up to Odysseus and interrupt his ramblings by hugging him around the torso and laying your cheek on his chest. His rambling immediately stops and he freezes up, not knowing how to respond. You feel him look over his shoulder to where Polites stood before sighing and hugging you close in return. 

“The next time this happens, you come to me and I’ll make sure nothing bad happens, okay?” Odysseus smiles down at you but despite his offer, you couldn’t help but feel guilty. Hermes had given you his blessing and that had led to you travelling between two sheds, which will be very helpful for when you’re on the water again. It also wasn’t the case of you not enjoying the kiss because you kissed him back… In your heart, it only seems right to clear up this misunderstanding. 

When Odysseus finally pulls away after calming down from his strong emotions, you call for Hermes. Hopefully, he’ll come back and help you clear the air with everyone. As the speediest god known to man, it didn’t take long for Hermes to return with his usual charming grin on his face. 

“You called my lady~” He stays suspended in the air and bows at the waist whilst bringing your knuckles to his lips. 

‘Hermes, you need to clear up this misunderstanding! Please!’ you plead with the god telepathically, knowing he can hear your thoughts. Behind you, the crew, Odysseus, Eurylochus and Polites, are alert and drawn taught like a bow, their fingers twitching to grasp their weapons and attack. 

“Did you call him here, fair maiden?” Eurylochus asks and draws his lips into a thin line when you nod your head in confirmation. 

“Hmmm~… your fair maiden says she wants to clear up this misunderstanding,” Hermes comments, rubbing at his chin with smiling eyes. 

Eyes wide, Polites looks between you and Hermes almost frantically, “You can understand her?” 

“Oh yes, I can darling~ She speaks directly to me up here,” Hermes points to his temple and giggles as he watches you stomp your foot and angrily scold him. It was amusing the see the wonder and awe in the men’s expressions, some even held a hint of envy — they also wanted to be able to understand you. 

‘Tell them that our first meeting was a surprise and that it was so you could give me your blessing. And…about the kiss…’ Hermes carefully observes the way your eyes dart to a figure who stands behind you with the rest of the men. He’s a man with kind eyes, a bandana and glasses. With a thoughtful hum, Hermes looks Polites up and down. Perhaps he has another reason for backing away — Athena was right. Despite wanting to act on his desires, Hermes knows that only agony and suffering will await him if he associates himself with yet another mortal. ‘Both times, the kiss was a surprise,’ 

‘Oh, but you enjoyed them both, yes?’ Hermes replies telepathically and laughs aloud when you grab him by the collar, a feeble threat, for what can you do against a god like him? Gasps of amazement echo amongst the crowd from your gesture and Hermes’ easy surrender as he holds his palms up.  

“Alright alright, my little traveller, I concede…” Hermes clears his throat once you finally let go of his collar and smirks when Odysseus takes the opportunity to pull you back and stand in front of you defensively. “The first time, I had given your fair maiden my blessing. Similar to the one my sister has bestowed upon you Odysseus,” Hermes explains, his smirk never faltering under the tense atmosphere. He quite likes it. Actually. He loves knowing the power he holds above mortals as a god. It was only disheartening how, despite his superior standing, when it comes to love, he remains inferior, a loser.  

“I want what’s best for her too. And I haven’t forgotten my promise,” Hermes holds his hands up with his palms facing them once more, “I won’t interfere with your journey further than this.”

With that Hermes zips to the skies with his signature laugh fading along with him. You don’t understand why he left so quickly and your brows furrow at the thought that, perhaps, the subtle hints of sorrow in his eyes weren’t a figment of your imagination.  

⊹࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹࣪ ˖

“Fair maiden,” Polites goes to you, “are you alright?” his expression is consumed by worry. There’s no judgment or disgust, only concern and your heart aches at the sight. Recently, you haven’t been the best at keeping your focus, and it's evident that everyone has noticed. Odysseus is always quick to blame Hermes, but you make sure to put a stop to his ramblings before he has the chance to curse at the god. Despite their friendship in the musical, it seems as though Odysseus now has a grudge against the godly messenger. It was quite amusing in a way, but you did feel a little guilty for being the cause of that small rift. 

The rest of the crew, however, easily step up to help you with your regular island, eager to be of help after all the blessings you’ve given them thus far, helping them survive on the open ocean, evading starvation and keeping up their spirits so that they could get home safely. Eurylochus has been a more silent but proactive supporter; you can feel his concern through the look in his eyes but appreciate his courtesy of keeping quiet, stepping forward to help you when you need it, and pulling away when he can sense that you need the space. The second commander was the one to often redirect Elpenor and Perimedes’ advances, who are unable to hold themselves back from reaching out and doing their best to comfort you by pulling silly faces or distracting you with a bug or a fish they’ve found. The pair were always very endearing, so much so that you felt a little regretful whenever they were dragged off at the collar by Eurylochus. 

“The fair maiden doesn’t need you two bothering her right now!” Eurylochus scolds with obvious irritation, “Go and find something else to do, something useful.”    

“Awww…” Elpenor pouts as Perimedes crosses his arms. 

“We only wanted to cheer her up with the flat fish we found…“ The two looked like an adorable pair of dejected puppies but Eurylochus was right, you needed the space to think about your emotions and the conflict going on between your heart and mind. 

“Fair maiden?” Shaking your head, you snap yourself out of your daze and force a smile at Polites. You give him a reassuring nod and turn away before he can say anything more. You should refocus your efforts on gathering supplies so that you can help Odysseus and the crew return home safely.

⊹࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹࣪ ˖

It’s been two or so weeks, and you were finally in agreement with Odysseus that you could make it home safe and sound, satisfied with the amount of supplies you had gathered on your island. Not to mention you had Hermes’ blessing to replenish your stock when needed. Early the next morning, Eurylochus and Odysseus were surveying the crew’s efforts in hoisting the supplies up to the ships, using a very handy pulley system they had created with their fishing nets and some ropes. The ordeal was rather sufficient and soon enough, everyone was taking the time to say goodbye to your villagers, primarily their favourites and the ones they had spent the most time with on the island. 

“This is goodbye, Boots!” Elpenor wails, cradling the alligator in his arms like a baby, as Boots makes an equal wailing noise, snapping his powerful jaws to express his sorrows. “I’ll never forget you, my friend!”

Perimedes was equally heartbroken, knelt before Fang and quietly hugged him. The blonde presses his face into the wolf’s silver-grey fur, murmuring his farewell as Fang patiently waits to be let go, comfortingly patting his friend on the thigh with a paw as he nuzzles him affectionately with his snout. “Be well, Fang. I will miss you dearly, my friend.” Perimedes sniffles as he pulls away, only to weep when Fang leans forward to lovingly rub his head against him. 

“You take care of yourself, okay, Mitzi?” Polites whispers as his glasses fog up. He lovingly hugs the blue and white cat to his chest, smiling when she purrs and nuzzles the side of his head. “What a good girl you are…thank you for being my friend. I shall never forget you, my dear.”

“I’m going to miss you three…” Eurylochus whispers in a strained voice as he fondly watches his familiar trio of squirrels play about his sitting form for the last time. “Marshal, make sure these two don’t get into too much trouble.” the white squirrel huffs a breath but nods and gives a brief shake of his tail in response, it’s a resounding ‘Of course!’. “Filbert, make sure you don’t eat too quickly, or else you’ll get a stomach ache…again.” the blue squirrel blinks up at the tall, broad second commander and wiggles his tail. There isn’t a single thought behind his eyes, and Eurylochus can only sigh in resignation before smiling fondly at the food-loving squirrel — there was no getting in between Filbert and his love for food. “And Poppy, keep being sweet. That is your most charming trait.” the red squirrel lets out a happy squeak and runs up his form to rest on his shoulder and nuzzle his cheek affectionately. She is soon joined by Marshal and Filbert, who also nuzzle into his cheek from the opposite shoulder — that was the closest you’ve seen Eurylochus to crying openly, he’s truly made a great bond with the three in the short time you've been together. 

“Fauna, Shino,” Odysseus addresses, taking a knee before the two deers. “This is where we must say our goodbyes—” Before he could speak further, Fauna let out a small whine and pressed her snout into the captain’s cheek while Shino playfully nibbled at his hair, conscious of her horns. With a baritone chuckle, Odysseus brings up his arms to hug both of them in return, pressing his forehead against their own as he whispers a soft farewell to each of them separately. “Fauna, you graceful creature, thank you for bringing me peace and stability. Please stay healthy. Shino, I hope you never lose your vivacious nature, thank you for being such a joy. Please stay healthy, also.”

Maybe one day you’ll be able to reunite the crew with your villagers; it broke your heart seeing everyone so anguished over having to say goodbye. But there was still a buzz in the air over making the final leg of the journey home. Despite the goodbyes, everyone was eager to see their families and their beloved island once again. 

Stepping onto the dock, you look up at Odysseus’ main ship and ponder on how you’d be able to climb up. Many of the crew easily climb up to the deck with their bare hands and feet, effortlessly scaling the side of the ship, with several making a final jump for the ship’s raised perimeter before hulling themselves onto the top deck. You bring out your ladder but frown when it barely reaches the top of the ship. Maybe it was worth trying to scale the side of the ship too. Looking down, you grab the long skirt of your dress and hull it up before you make your first attempt at climbing the ship, but stop in your tracks when you’re called to by a pair of familiar voices. 

“Fair maiden!” you smile at Perimedes and Elpenor as they approach. 

“Would you like some help getting to the top deck?” Elpenor looks sheepish despite being the one to offer help — you gather that he remembers the comical antics they engaged in with helping you down from the ship the first time you docked at your island.    

You begin to nod but abruptly stop, surprised when a figure steps in between you. Polites eyes the two sailors with an unreadable look as they avoid his eyes. “If the two of you want to help the fair maiden up to the ship’s top deck, I suggest you climb up there yourself and throw us a rope. Stand by and be prepared to pull,” Polites says in a commanding tone as you stare up at him in wonder. He was able to effortlessly switch between the two sides of him as a kind friend and the authoritative third commander, but it always surprised you to witness the definite shift in his voice and posture. 

“Yes, Commander!” Elpenor and Perimedes simultaneously salute him before helping each other climb the ship the same way everyone else did. After seeing that Perimedes and Elpenor follow through with his orders, Polites looks down, his expression softening as he gazes upon your beautiful features and the wonder in your eyes. 

“I’m afraid you’ll have to excuse me, my fair lady.” Polites doesn’t elaborate further and suddenly pulls you into his side by the waist, pushing a silent gasp to escape you. He mutters a softly whispered apology and catches the rope thrown over the ship’s perimeter. In silence, you watch him wrap the rope around your combined waists, joining you both with a secure knot. He finally wraps the rope around his spare arm and tugs at it when he asks if you’re comfortable and gets an affirming nod. The two of you immediately start being pulled up together; Polites firmly wraps his other arm around you and settles you on his waist for extra security. “Apologies once again, fair maiden.” Polites avoids your eyes as you wrap your arms around his neck, securely perched against him, tempted to wrap your legs around his hips for even further security. 

It didn’t take long for the two of you to reach the deck, where you find that the majority of the crew had participated in the tugging of the rope, explaining why it had been such a quick trip up. Smiling gratefully at them, they nod in acknowledgement while Polites undoes the knot of the rope tying you together. 

“Lift the anchor!” Odysseus commands a distance away despite his voice ringing so clearly, “We set sail back to Ithaca now! Make haste! Full speed ahead!” 

“Yes sir!” the resounding boom of the crew’s synchronised will send a shiver down your spine. They’re such a powerful fleet when they’re all working together. Despite enjoying your island and the happy memories you’ve been able to create with everyone, you were excited to be on the ocean again. Journeying with Odysseus and the crew gave such an addictive exhilaration that you think your veins would pop at any moment — in the best way possible.  

Peeking shyly up at Polites, you find that he’s already smiling down at you and hurry to move your gaze elsewhere. He simply laughs in merriment before stepping away to bow at the waist towards you, a hand against his chest while his other lays against his back. “Rest, fair maiden, allow us to work the labour.” You share a gentle smile before he joins the crew at the oars. 

⊹࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹࣪ ˖

It’s been difficult for you to meet Polites’ eyes, knowing that he’d been a witness to the display of Hermes’ favouritism for you. It helped that the matter was calmed by Hermes’ confession and promise to keep his hands to himself, however, the guilt wasn’t so easily swept away. Was that guilt? What did you have to feel guilty for in the first place?… Looking towards Polites as he mingled with the rest of the crew, your heart pinches in your chest. It was a stinging pain that slowly numbed out but lingered. Polites was helping to mend the large nets Odysseus had insisted they use to help you gather ingredients for their meals, his smile was the same, his kind eyes were the same, and his soft touch was the same. And yet, it all felt so different to you. Why do you feel as though you’ve betrayed him somehow? Sighing, you turn around only to be faced with Odysseus. 

“Polites?” he asks you, his voice lowered so as not to draw too much attention. You must have pulled a flustered expression if his amused laughter was anything to go by. “He’s a good man, I can attest to that — he is my close friend and brother in all but blood, after all.” Odysseus places a hand on your shoulder, the warmth of his large palms feeling like acceptance and approval against your skin. But you cannot accept and look to the ground with remorse, “Don’t look so upset now. I wouldn’t lie to you about this…“ he observes your mannerisms further and realises he was completely off with his deduction. “Oh, I see… Not to worry, fair maiden. Polites is very understanding, a trait of his I admire greatly. He is not the type to shame you for acting under the will of a god; we are all but the casualties of their volitions.” His words brought you some comfort but you weren’t fully convinced. Seeing this, Odysseus does the only thing he can think of and pulls you into his arms, burying your face into his chest as he leans down to whisper in your ear. His arms feel protective around you, secure and solid, it feels safe there and you can finally breathe in relief. “Trust in me. Trust in him. He does not see you differently nor will act differently towards you.” Odysseus pulls away slightly to be able to look into your eyes. There’s such an abundance of faith and warmth in his stare, it’s almost tangible. “Polites is no ordinary man.”   

It isn’t until sunset, when all of the crew across the twelve ships have been fed, that you finally get to stand beside Polites again. The two of you enjoy the sea breeze together, resting against the ship’s edge, watching as the sun sets on the horizon and the rocking waves that lap against the ship’s body. There’s some chatter around but not at the usual loudness; rather, the crew have quieted with the day, eager to wind down for the evening. 

“I’m sorry that you had to say goodbye to your island,” Polites utters, breaking the silence and observing as you shake your head, insistent that ‘it isn’t a big deal’. However, you are unable to meet his eyes the whole time, and his brows furrow in concern, “Whatever’s the matter, my lady?” you cannot answer and you don’t want to so you turn away, trying to distract yourself by leaning against the railing further and tensely scrutinise the lapping waves below.

“…I assure you that I see you no different to before.” Eyes wide with shock, you snap your neck towards him, silently questioning how he knew. “Odysseus spoke to me.” You huff a sigh but cannot deny anything. “I only want to assure you that, he was right. After seeing our potential future in that musical, I was reminded over and over how we have no say against any god. Therefore, you cannot be blamed.”

But you still liked it in that moment… you want to express to him the guilt evident in your expression. Polites takes another moment to observe your actions and expressions once more. He can pick up on your shame easily, his attentive eyes make it so.

“Are you feeling guilty somehow?” you freeze up and that answers enough, “Then that must mean you weren’t opposed to Hermes’ actions.” The guilt on your face deepens and you hear a sigh that makes your heart stutter and your stomach heavy, “Then you must feel regretful for my sake.” When you look towards Polites again, his lips aren’t curved into a frown but rather a smile, a kind, understanding smile. “Is it because you worry for my feelings? For our relation with each other?” 

With sad eyes, you meet his own and reach up to weakly grip the fabric of his chiton. A fragile apology. Polites, with such softness, takes your hand and brings it to his lips, “Is it because you feel as though you’ve betrayed me somehow? Like you’re using me and taking advantage of my character?” He hit it right on the head. You can’t look at him! He must think you’re a very greedy and shameless person, and you were in that moment, but you’re hardly ever like that…  

“Please do.” his words, which he says so nonchalantly, make you look up with wide, rounded eyes. He chuckles at your adorable look of surprise and brings your hand down to press your palm against his chest, “Feel free to use me however you wish, my fair maiden, as much as you wish.” He moves closer, but you’re frozen in place. Now, he’s so close that you can feel your breath against the back of your hand that he presses against his chest. “That is all I could ever dream of being. As long as I am useful to you, nothing else matters. I am at your mercy.”

⊹࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹࣪ ˖

The sea had been calm for days, plagued by the kind of stillness that made the crew restless because of its familiarity; they can still remember how close to starvation they were after avoiding the Cyclops’ island and yet, not having any winds to aid them — the gods promising not to interfere in their journey home after everyone saw their potentially disastrous future also meant having no winds to push them forward. Their energy to row at the oars wasn’t proportional to their rapidly depleting food stores. They were somewhat confident now that you were there to help them with your god-like powers, but they couldn’t help but feel restless by the grim memories that haunted them. It didn’t help that the supplies you had readily provided each of the twelve black ships were running low despite the efforts Odysseus and the crew have made to preserve them for as long as possible, even using the storage techniques they were familiar with such as salting and sun-drying. The piles of coconuts were long since exhausted, dried fruit reduced to crumbs lay at the bottom of sacks, while rows of sun-dried, salted fish were gone without a trace. Odysseus paced the deck, the concern weighing heavy on his shoulders and brows as he tallied their remaining stores mentally, only to stress himself further. He tried to hide it, knowing it didn’t do well for the crewmen to see their captain so openly anxious. It was no use, however.  

You watched him from where you sat mending a fishing net with a small group of the crew, your fingers working deftly through the frayed fibres, nimble and much softer than their callused, sturdy hands. When the captain sighed and rubbed his temples, you set the net aside and approached with knitted brows, tapping his arm gently.

"Fair maiden?" Odysseus murmurs and turns to you, eyes wide with shock before softening as he observes your gesticulate communication style. First, you pointed to the empty corner of the ship that once held piles of coconuts, then mimed eating—generously and without restraint, your hands shovelling imaginary food into your mouth. Then you gestured to the horizon behind the ship’s stern, where your island had disappeared behind days before and smiled.

Odysseus frowned. "You want us to continue eating freely? But we’re quickly depleting our food stores if we run out—"Pressing a hand to your chest in promise, you stare deeply into his eyes and implore him to have confidence. ‘Trust me’ you voice with your pleading look.

For a long, drawn-out moment, Odysseus observes your countenance and takes in the glow of your certitude before eventually exhaling and nodding. "Alright. But if we starve, you’re to blame." 

There’s a teasing glint in his eye as his words come out softly, the two of you know he doesn’t mean anything threatening by it, especially when he smiles at the sight of you forming your arms into an ‘x’ with a firm shake of your head. ‘It won’t happen, captain,’ you end with a two-finger salute that he chuckles at. 

Over the next few days, you made sure that the crew ate well, as you always did, providing thick and hearty stews, golden-baked bread and fragrant fruit. The men thought themselves stupid and almost threw themselves overboard from the realisation; despite the visibly depleting supplies, you still had your slim wooden storage, where fresh food supplies endlessly flowed from. 

After shaking off their nervousness, the crew finally allowed themselves to laugh. “How could we have forgotten?” Odysseus shook his head fondly at you, and everyone laughed louder thinking back on their brainlessness. With your care and a steady supply of three meals per day, their strength had returned, and they were functioning in optimal conditions once again. But there was also confusion among the relief. When you first arrived, you could only feed them one meal per day, and they were left to snack on coconuts and bread baskets that you had left out for them to ration between themselves. Now, they were able to enjoy three full meals a day without worry, and the idea of allocating equal provisions amongst all 600 men had been long forgotten—they were eating as if they were still on your island. 

"Where is all this coming from?" Elpenor asked one evening, mouth full of stew-soaked bread such that barely anyone could understand him. But you still understood despite his muffled speech and smiled simply at him in response, tapping your lips and winking in a silent secret. Somewhat embarrassed, Elpenor avoids your eyes and tries to ignore the rising heat in his cheeks — he can’t help that you’re such an angel but it wasn’t good for his heart when you winked at him like that. Beside him, Perimedes chuckles at his younger friend’s reaction and nudges him teasingly with his elbow. 

Polites watches you with quiet amusement, adoring the way you interact with the crew and tilting his head fondly as his glasses catch the firelight. His unwavering, warm gaze lingers on you with a deep emotion swimming in his chocolate pools—trust, admiration, and something more that makes your cheeks warm. The third commander is sure that you have your way of getting ample food supplies, that’s just how you are; you’re capable of so much, and you surprise them every time, pleasantly so. He thinks much more of you than that but keeps the thoughts to himself. What matters is that the crew were safe and well and that their spirits were high, and it’s all thanks to you. Glimpsing the relaxed look of his captain and the second commander across the deck, standing side by side as they gaze at you tenderly, Polites can tell that they are just as grateful to you.  

⊹࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹࣪ ˖

You always leave at dawn, travelling back to your island for food and other supplies through your storage shed. The sky is still painted by golden rays, stretching over the softest blues and hints of purple, the crew remain asleep except for the watchmen, who you’d learned to avoid with careful steps; they were already exhausted from the night watch, so you dare not disturb them unnecessarily— they’re likely already dreaming of the peaceful sleep they’ll fall into as soon as the rest of the crew wake up. With the storage shed as your gateway, travelling between your island and the boat was without hassle, the only indication of your leaving being the slow creak of the weathered wood as you slipped inside and shut the door behind you. Your villagers always greeted you on the other side, the early risers at least, helping you with your daily chores and collecting more food for the crew, who they always ask about and you’re always happy to update them on. Hermes’ blessing was truly that, a blessing; thanks to him, you’ve been able to keep feeding the crew well without having to worry about your own food stores. A mere two weeks wasn’t enough to prep for feeding all 600 men for the long journey home, but you didn’t have to worry about such things, thankfully.

This morning was different, however. Filbert had gotten sick, and you had rushed to give him medicine, it was also time for you to harvest your crops and replant new ones, which you had taken extra time in doing as you had added more to your crop field since having to feed a 600-men fleet. You had just finished shaking the apple trees, the fruit crisp and sweet as usual, when you realised how much time had passed and hurried to put the fruits and crops into your storage so that you could return to the ship quickly. 

‘I’m sorry, everyone, I have to run!’ you call back to your villagers in your rush to the storage shed, their replies echoing in your mind as you fling the door open and jump inside. While travelling through, you begin to hear the frantic voices of the crew on the other side and bite your lip with worry. Things don’t sound good…

"Where did she go?!—”

“Fair maiden!“

“Did she fall into the water?!”

“—Hurry! Stop rowing and cast the nets!”

The evident panic and fear in their overlapping shouts made your breath hitch. You hadn’t meant to cause such alarm but steel yourself before pushing the shed door open. The sun blinds you as you step out of the shed, blinking rapidly to allow your vision to return, only to freeze in place when you take in the chaos around you. On both sides of the ship, groups of men had cast nets as others tried to signal to the other ships to stop rowing and drop their anchor, shouting over the waters and urging them to cast their nets as well, just in case you had accidentally been thrown overboard. Men rushed about frantically, not knowing what to do, but were restless and used their energy to look for you wherever you may be, desperately hoping that you were hiding somewhere on the ship. Eurylochus was shouting orders across to the other ships, his features marred with anger that things weren’t being done diligently enough, quickly enough, well enough. Polites ran between the two sides of the ship, helping cast the nets about and hurriedly hulling them back only grow more agitated and desperate with every empty find, his eyes were unusually wild with a trepidation, enough to have sparked urgency even in yourself. 

Odysseus stood there, overlooking the panic with barely contained hysteria, his hands clenched into tight fists at his side to the point where his knuckles were white and shaking, the veins in his arms bulging from the strain. He took deep breaths, trying to calm his mind so that he could think straight and go about methodically finding you, trying to imagine where you could have possibly gone as Athena perched on his shoulder whispering calming assurances into his mind. 

‘Be calm Odysseus.’ The wise goddess says in a gentle but firm tone. ‘She is safe and she will return.’

‘How could you possibly know that?’ Odysseus argues back bitterly, his irritation rising at her composed air. 

‘Trust me…’ Odysseus grits his teeth as he eyes his mentor and friend fly off his shoulder, his eyes glaring at her feathered body and outstretched wings. But then she lands on your storage shed, and when his eyes fall, it lands on your frozen form.  

“Fair maiden!” Flooded with relief, Odysseus sprints forward and pulls you into his arms, his relief doubling, knowing that you are safe and sound and real. Behind him, half the crew go rigid and blink at you in stunned silence, they’ve become a small gallery of statues as they try to comprehend your sudden reappearance. For a heartbeat, no one moved. It was still and quiet except for the confused shouts from the other boats, frantically asking for updates on you, their fair maiden. Smiling into Odysseus’ shoulder, you raise a hand and give an almost shy small wave, causing a crescendo of happy cheers to go through the crew. Some raise their arms to cheer, while others pat their chests in relief. 

“You’re alright…” Polites whispers to himself with sagging shoulders, gone was his taut frame and tense air surrounding him. Thank goodness you were back and well. 

“Where did you go, fair maiden? We couldn’t find you.” Eurylochus asked, approaching and helping pry Odysseus off you once he was close enough. It made you giggle slightly to see Odysseus’ outstretched arms and defeated pout before turning to glare at his second commander for handling him like a sack of potatoes. 

You suppose that now was the perfect time to visually demonstrate the blessing Hermes had given you. With a look that they didn’t know how to comprehend, you turn and step back into the shed before shutting the door. The last thing you saw was Odysseus’ widening eyes, Eurylochus’ furrowed brows and Polites’ figure rushing forward with skewed glasses. Now everyone knew what you were trying to say to them; it was a farewell, a goodbye. NO! The moment you disappeared, the ship erupted with cries of despair and shouts of denial.

"SHE’S GONE!" Elpenor shrieked, thoughtlessly shrugging past his captain and commanders in his attempt to get to the shed. Perimedes was close behind him, breaking out of the crowds with wild eyes and hands frantic with the urgency to do something. 

“Hurry! Open it! Pry it open!" Perimedes joins his friend, his fingers scrabbling at the wooden door but their movements were so clumsy with nerves, they barely managed to grasp the wood properly.

Odysseus stood in place, frozen and with a pale complexion. You had come through the shed and now you had disappeared through it too… How could you just leave like that? No one got to say a proper goodbye. "No—no, she wouldn’t just—“ the captain couldn’t even bring himself to finish his sentence. This was too much at once.

“She just got back…” Polites utters, his mind racing but still too slow at grasping the reality that you were gone once again. He felt like he was collapsing; he couldn’t feel his legs, and his arms were shaky.

Eurylochus moved before anyone else could, shovelling away Perimedes and Elpenor so that he could plant himself in front of the shed with his arms spread. "STOP." His voice boomed and cut through the panic like the mammoth blade he carried on his back: the Strongest of Same. "She’s coming back.”

"How do you know?!" someone shouted, desperation evident in their voice.

Eurylochus didn’t flinch. "Because she always does.”

“Then open the door—”

“No!” Eurylochus had learned his lesson from that musical. Never again will he do such a thing, he has faith in you, more faith than he has for his captain, and he wouldn’t dare doubt that faith. A single drop of poisonous doubt could lead to something disastrous and that wasn’t what he wanted, not for himself, his captain, or the crew. He had doomed them once, not again. 

Odysseus’ hands clenched at his sides. "Eurylochus, if you’re wrong—"

"I’m not.” Odysseus gave a firm nod, the conviction in his second commander’s eyes was contagious, to the point where he felt idiotic for not sharing in his certainty about you, to begin with. He should have better faith in you too, it isn’t like you to just up and leave like that; you will return. 

The crew wavered, torn between fear and trust until Polites stepped forward, his voice calm but firm. He, too, had seen the conviction in Eurylochus’ eyes and came to the same short cycle of revelations as his close friend and captain. ”She’s never let us down before. Let’s wait.”

Moments stretched on like hours as the crew muttered amongst themselves, casting frequent, uneasy glances at the shed. Odysseus didn’t move, his gaze locked on the door with a tight jaw as Polites stepped up beside him to place a comforting hand on his shoulder. Everyone anxiously eyed the door behind their second commander’s strong physique, willing it to open somehow soon. 

Then—

Eurylochus hurries to the side, hearing your faint approach before anyone else could, and everyone goes rigged at his sudden movements. The shed door creaks open. And you step out, arms laden with overflowing food—baskets of fresh bread and perfectly ripe fruit and vegetables—you wanted to make it obvious that you had returned from your island, so it was necessary to provide the visual aid. Hopefully, this provides a good enough explanation. 

But then you look up and blink at the scene before you: the entire crew staring, some with tears in their eyes, others with hands still half-raised as if to reach out and break down the shed’s door. Nothing you wanted to convey had been communicated successfully.Before you can even process things, however, Odysseus crosses the gap between you in three strides and pulls you into a crushing hug once more. The baskets of bread dig into your ribs as loose fruit and veg fall to the wooden deck by your feet, but you don’t care—not when his arms tremble slightly around you.

“Don’t. You. Ever.” he growls into your hair, his arms giving you a slight squeeze, ”Do. That. Again.” Pulling back slightly, you give him a questioning look. What had they been so worried about? You didn’t take that long, though… was there a time disparity as you moved through the portal?

Polites answered your silent question for you as Odysseus pulled away, his voice soft with relief. "We thought you left us for good. The shed was the same way you were brought to us and we believed it had taken you away just the same.”

Your chest ached at his words, and you searched the crew to find that everyone shared in the sentiment. With your eyes, you give everyone an apologetic look; you hadn’t meant to scare them, you only intended to finally explain how you were getting so much food. Setting the baskets down, you reached for Odysseus’ hand and squeezed it in silent apology before turning to the rest of the crew and bowing your head to convey your regret— ‘I didn’t mean for this to happen’. Then you tilted your head back as if calling to the sky for—

Hermes appears with a gust of wind, lounging mid-air with a smirk as the airy fabric of his attire flutters around him elegantly. "Oh, relax darlings~ She’s under my blessing, remember? She is free to move between her island and your ship whenever she wishes through her little shed." His eyes flicker to Polites, who stiffened under his scrutiny, and sees how close you and the headband-wearing commander are. The third commander moves you two even closer when he defiantly pulls you to his side by the waist, his eyes filled with emotions no one but Hermes can decipher — Polites had silently announced his interest in you and your close relationship with each other. When you turn to smile at the kind third commander, slightly curious about his sudden touch, Polites simply brushes his lips against your forehead.

“Next time," Polites murmurs against your skin, "warn us before you go.” With heated cheeks, you nod your head, heart fluttering at the warmth of his touch and turn your gaze away when Hermes laughs, clearly seeing the exchange before vanishing with a wink directed at you both. Behind you, Odysseus and Eurylochus exchanged knowing smirks, teasing words eager to fall from their mouths as they eye Polites’ pink-flushed ears and his hand that has yet to leave your waist.

That evening, the chaos had finally calmed down, and you were able to help routinely deliver dinner to the other ships with Polites and Eurylochus at your side. Naturally, the other crewmen were curious to know what all the disorder was for despite it settling surprisingly fast. 

"What was all that shouting earlier?" Lycaon from the second ship asked, accepting his share of bread gratin as his other crew mates leaned forward to listen closely.

Eurylochus sighed, eying you the way a disappointed brother would. "The fair maiden gave us a scare.”

“Did the fair maiden really disappear?” Several crew members’ eyes turn to you as you help distribute coconuts for dessert to another group nearby, oblivious to the conversation going on about you. 

Polites shook his head, his hand finding yours as soon as you returned to them after distributing all the food you had for the ship. You were ready to move on to the next ship. “No, she’s not going anywhere.” The crew relaxed but their worried glances lingered, making you look at them with bewilderment. Squeezing Polites’ fingers, you look at him curiously but that was a mistake; was his smile always so charming?

⊹࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹࣪ ˖

The air hung thick with tension that morning.

You had woken before dawn, slipping quietly through the storage shed to tend to your island once more. This was a solid routine you had built up on the ocean journey, and everyone knew that you would return each time. Today, the crops needed watering, the fruit trees had to be shaken, and you wanted to prepare something special for breakfast, a treat for the crew, perhaps some coconut pancakes. The thought made you smile as you worked, the morning sun warming your back as you converse happily with your villagers, updating Boots and Fang on Elpenor and Perimedes. As soon as the duo knew that you were returning to the island, they eagerly asked you to relay messages to their favourite alligator and wolf villager, both of which greatly appreciated having some contact with their favourite crew members. They truly made a beautiful friendship together despite the little time they had; you only wished to reunite them properly but didn’t want to risk anyone’s wellbeing as Hermes’ blessing was meant for you specifically.   

Now that everyone knew where you were going each morning, they weren’t fussed about how long you took to return, as long as you were safe, they were happy, so you were able to take your time and enjoy doing your chores as you zipped about the island with your villagers close behind. You even settled on cooking breakfast on your island’s outdoor cooking area, where your kitchen station remained steady and on a solid foundation, unlike the rocking of ocean waves. A considerable stretch of time soon passed, and you were finally happy with returning to the ship. However, as you stepped onto the deck, you immediately sensed something wrong with the atmosphere. 

A heavy cloud had settled over the ship, as well as the other ships in Odysseus’ fleet, obscuring your view and filling the air with an aqueous chill. Nestled in the fog, the crew moved with urgent precision, replacing their usual laughter and cheerful greetings, welcoming you back aboard the ship with grim silence. Many, if not all, of the crew were wrapped up with rope, tied to each other with some even tied around the mast while a large group had their hands tied to the oars so that they could keep rowing the ship. In some way, everyone’s hands and feet were tied together to limit their movement. 

What was happening? 

Your frantic eyes search the boat until you find Odysseus, who’s standing at the helm and holding up a flag with a set jaw. The raised flag was red to mean ‘caution’, but it was also shaped to look like a fishtail, you didn’t know what it meant exactly, but the other ships did as they raised the same flag in response: they had seen the warning and were acting accordingly. Eurylochus was beside the captain with an armful of rope, tying his hands and ankles before joining the two of them together, holding the other responsible should anything happen to them. On the deck with the rest of the crew, Polites moved between the men, quick on their feet and pressing small lumps of beeswax in his palms into the ears of the crewmen. No matter how light your footfalls, Polites immediately turns to catch your eye when you step forward cautiously, your inquisitive expression meeting his rigid look of worry as it quickly morphed into one of horror. 

Beeswax in their ears. Dense fog. Restrained with thick ropes. Your stomach dropped in realisation, the pieces finally connected in your mind. Sirens. You knew the stories—how their hypnotising voices could drive men mad, how they lured sailors to their deaths on jagged rocks and feasted on their cold, unmoving bodies. Thankfully, the crew were prepared, sealing their ears with wax, tying themselves up for extra measure and holding up a flag for the rest of the fleet to go with the right protocol. You, however—

You hadn’t been there to prepare with them.

But… there haven’t been any documented occurrences of sirens seducing women. Was it simply because women didn’t often sail the seas? Was that possible? Could sirens seduce women, too? 

Before you could react, the first spellbinding notes drifted across the water and slipped into your ears. It started as a whisper, soft as a lover’s sigh but cold as the chilling touch of ice. Then it coiled around you, sweet and intoxicating, pulling you forward like a tide, beckoning you to the edge where you can gaze out at the waters beyond the ship’s safe perimeter. Everything, the ship, the skies, the crew and their frantic shouts for you—it all melted away.

There was only him.

Polites stood atop a sunlit rock, where the golden rays made his soft curls shine, and the waves crashing around him framed his musculature in a picturesque frame. His draping chiton was gone, showcasing his sun-kissed skin made to shimmer by the droplets of seawater decorating its wide expanse. His broad chest rose and fell in a soporific rhythm, to a tuneful song that made your heart stutter and your blood heat up. His voice—oh, his voice—smooth but rough, kind but deliciously surly, was like nothing you’d ever heard from him before, singing words meant only for you.

"Come closer," Polites beckoned, his hand outstretched with a charming grin on his lips. "Just a little closer, my love. I’m all yours…” Your body moved without thought, pushing you to the ship’s edge. “That’s it! That’s my good girl.” The railing pressed against your lower stomach as you leaned forward, the sea spray kissing your cheeks as you smiled hopelessly at the enchanting man before you. Polites, with his persuasive eyes and thick physique of coiling muscle from the war, smiled widely, his eyes darkening with promise.“Don’t be shy now, my sweet. You know I’ll take good care of you, you know you can use me as you please. Come to me now—”

Strong hands wrenched you back abruptly, just as you were about to leap.

The real Polites—your Polites—spun you around, his face pale with fear and his forehead soaked with sweat. His lips moved, but you couldn’t hear him over the song, over the phantom Polites still calling for you a painful distance away, so close yet so far. You struggled weakly against the real Polites’ hold, attempting to reach the railing multiple times only to be pulled further and further from the edge. Polites’ grip was like iron; he wasn’t going to let you go until they had long passed, and those slimy, revolting, oversized fishes were far enough away that they didn’t endanger you. With one hand, Polites fumbled for the beeswax Odysseus had given him to distribute to the crew. With the other, he held you tight against his chest, your back pressed to his pounding heart.

“Please…” he pleads, his face buried in your hair as he hurries to press the wax into your ears, successfully blocking the siren song. With the world muffled and the song dulled to a distant hum, you finally stop struggling and slump against Polites’ hard frame, weak from a sudden wave of exhaustion. It feels like you’ve fought against 100 men, you were delirious with the fatigue and desperately panting for breath, trying to catch the air that had suddenly left you winded. 

Blinking rapidly, you try your best to gather yourself, but the overtiredness lingered, and so did the vision: Polites on the rocks, half naked with his brawny build on full display, his sultry voice pulling you in, his calculated temptation bewitching you like a heavy sedative. You tremble violently and lose all feeling in your legs as you topple over, with Polites quickly twisting your forms to cushion your fall. He collapses with you, protecting you from the harsh tumble against the wooden deck below as his arms remain locked around your frame. Even when he groans from the ache that begins throbbing from his lower back, his mind doesn’t stray from one singular thought: as long as you’re safe, that’s all that matters. 

When reality finally catches up and you realise the horrific fate you could have endured, tears gloss the surface of your eyes. You bury your face into Polites’ chest for comfort and cling to the fabric of his chiton for assurance. ”I’ve got you.” Polites whispers into the foggy air even though he knows you can’t hear him fully and comfortingly rubs your back as recompense.”I’ve got you…”

Minutes pass by like an eternity, but it isn’t until the ship is a safe distance away that the crew finally releases a breath of relief. Then they see you again and are reminded of what could have happened if it weren’t for Polites rushing to your aid. Thankfully, he had volunteered to untie everyone once they had safely passed Siren territory, leaving him without the additional security of being tied down, and he was free to help pull you back after returning to the ship. With overwhelming concern, the crew look you over with troubled expressions as you remain in Polites’ strong arms, oblivious to his scarlet-red face. It would be very easy for them to tease their third commander to death, but the two of you looked like such a good pair that the majority settled for grinning wickedly in silence instead. 

“It’s alright, my fair maiden,” Polites whispers, gently taking out the beeswax from your ears after getting rid of his own waxy earplugs. They had escaped the fog with the rest of the fleet, and Polites had manoeuvred you into a sitting position, where you’re currently curled up in his lap. “There’s no need to be frightened, we’ve moved passed the sirens now. You’re safe.” He gently strokes your hair until you finally pull away just enough to look up and glimpse his warm smile. 

“There you are.” His grin widens with relief, “Thank the gods you’re alright…” He lifts your hand to his lips and presses a soft kiss to your knuckles. "I’m sorry I couldn’t get to you sooner. Please forgive me…” He keeps his lips pressed against the skin of your knuckles as he looks up your arm to meet your eyes, his gaze apologetic and begging. 

Your heart swelled and fluttered in your chest, a pleasant feeling as you answered his decorous plea. Leaning forward, you press a kiss to his cheek, quick, impulsive and so soft… 

‘I forgive you’.

He froze. Then, slowly, his lips pull up into the softest smile.

“Third commander!” Eurylochus shouts across the ship, drawing all the attention to where he’s tied at the waist with the flag and Odysseus, who snickers mischievously at the picture you and Polites make together, especially after that sweet kiss on the cheek. “I think now would be a good time to untie us, don’t you?” There was a playfulness in their second commander’s voice that didn’t escape anyone and a wave of giggles infected the crew as Polites rolled his eyes and carefully set you aside, politely smoothing out the ruffles of your dress so that your skirt didn’t pull up and show too much unnecessarily — always the gentleman. 

“I’ll be back in a moment, okay? Take deep breaths and try to calm your heart in the meantime.” He practises a few breaths with you before finally leaving your side to untie the crew, smiling at your considerably calmer demeanour, “That’s a good girl.”

With everyone untied and the rest of the fleet also perfectly unscathed by the incident as all were showcasing green flags, another breath of relief was shared. Polites has returned to your side, sitting beside you as you both observe the crew tidy up the ropes so that everyone can quickly get back to working the oars or any other routine task they were responsible for. There was a silent agreement between you and Polites that you wouldn’t bring up what happened in the hopes that you wouldn’t have to confront the situation again. But this also means avoiding Odysseus and Eurylochus’ devious grins, a look that made their thoughts transparent about you and Polites as a pair.  

“So…” Elpenor drawled, stuffed full of dinner and dessert as he looked towards you and Polites, who had hardly left one another’s side since the incident. "What did you see in place of the siren, fair maiden?” It was a useless question because everyone could see. You weren’t embarrassed to see the siren take Polites’ form but your face still burned hot, especially from all the attention. Polites became rigged at your side, not knowing how to answer the question, let alone, banish the visages of his shirtless, shameless image atop a rock, skin and muscles on full show. Merciless, everyone else kept their teasing smirks on display, with some even wiggling their brows at you two.  

“…I didn’t know you were built so…sturdy, third commander,” Perimedes comments, breaking the silence and sending the whole crew into fits of belly-aching laughter. Polites tried to glare at him but couldn’t muster the full bitter expression with the heat plaguing his face. At least, he was able to offer you some escape from the teasing as you buried your burning face into his shoulder and he instinctively rubbed a hand up and down your back for comfort.   

Odysseus coughed into his fist as his shoulders shook from barely suppressed laughter. This wasn’t a good look for him as the captain, but Eurylochus was giggling, too, so it can’t be that bad. "Alright, that’s enough. Back to work, all of you.” 

The crew dispersed at once but not without casting knowing glances your way one last time. To distract yourself, you stand and think about preparing tomorrow’s breakfast ahead of time and take your kitchenette out from storage to begin at once. Savoury bread baskets will be good, and maybe some pull-apart bread to have with a variety of fruit jams might be good, too. As Polites watched you walk away, Eurylochus reached over to clap his friend on the shoulder and murmur something that made his ears turn even redder before walking past to stand at his usual station. Hesitantly, Polites meets his captain’s eyes, not expecting to meet such a warm gaze after how he had reacted to Hermes and you.

“You two make a rather charming pair.”

⊹࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹࣪ ˖

Days rushed past routinely and without any more incidents that could endanger anyone’s life. You’ve kept the crew well fed so the majority were able to man the oars daily, expediting their journey back home. Meanwhile, you and Polites have returned to normal without any of the crew to follow as they seemed stuck on pushing you two together as much as possible, your only reprieve was when you delivered meals to the other ships, whose crewmen weren’t witnesses to the siren Polites you had been enchanted by. Today was progressing to be another regular day until the sun reached its zenith, and a joyous cry rang through the salt-stiffened air —a single, trembling voice putting a stop to all activity and chatter.

“IT’S HOME! ITHACA!”

Odysseus' head snapped up, his calloused hands freezing on the ship's rail as he looked upon his familiar island home sitting on the horizon, its jagged silhouette a canvas of brilliantly familiar colours, golden cliffs were bright and proud under the sun’s rays, white shores lined the perimeter where the waves lapped at the land and bunches of green pigments decorated the land with lush foliage sprouting from his island’s fertile soil. For a deafening heartbeat, Odysseus didn’t dare breathe as his vision blurred with salty, bulbous tears and his throat tightened, rendering him unable to speak.

It’s been a decade. A decade of rigorous fighting, bloodshed and war followed by weeks of ocean waters, the journey was filled with longing and desperate pleas to finally reach home—and now, at long last… they were home, all 600 men. 

The crew erupted into cheers. Soldiers who had faced the ruthlessness of man now wept like children, their loud celebrations raw with disbelief and profound happiness. Elpenor nearly toppled over the railing, pointing with a shaking hand at their beloved island home as Perimedes sank to his knees beside him, pressing his forehead to the deck, overflowing with gratitude to have returned. It felt like a dream, home at last. Even Eurylochus, ever the phlegmatic second commander, gripped the mast as if he might collapse without it, his knuckles white as he closed his eyes and imagined embracing his beloved wife again after 10 years of fighting a war.

Odysseus swallowed hard, then roared, “TO THE OARS!” They mustn’t waste another moment.

There was no hesitation; the crew surged forward to man their stations, everyone was eager to make it home and finally, finally, relax without having to anticipate any more arduous trials ahead. Their energy was contagious, and you scrambled to join them, rushing to the nearest oar and give your additional support. You find yourself gripping the handles right beside Polites’ own, working so close together that his shoulder brushed yours, warm and solid, and when you glanced up, his eyes were bright with unshed tears, his chest swelling with prodigious pride.

“Faster! Faster!” Odysseus bellowed from where he was also rowing, his voice rough and saturated with emotion, you were surprised he wasn’t choking up when shouting orders. The oars dipped as one, and the ship leapt forward, cutting through the waves like a blade. Closer and closer the fleet of 12 ships raced back to their island, wading over ocean waves so that they could finally dock their ships permanently. 

Home, they’ve reached it after holding on for so long, their wives, sons, daughters, family, friends, and loved ones were all past these shores. They were going to make it. Just a little longer. 

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a/n : i planned to post this yesterday but i got a little carried away and the length hit double digits for the first time in the series -- i guess i wanted too many things to happen all at once. no worries, it'll be back to around 5-6k words for the final chapter. once this version of the series is done, i plan on going through the purely platonic version so those of you who are looking forward to that, it won't be too long now. my mum is going to have a major surgery in a few days though, so i'll be preoccupied again for a while after to take care of her so please just be patient with me on updating the series.

thank you all again, for supporting and loving on the series, it's been such a joy to write the chapters despite my initial plans on only writing half the amount of chapters I've written now haha! i adore you all! thank you so so much ( ˶˘ ³˘(⋆❛ ہ ❛⋆)!♡

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