Blue Skies Prompt #17: It Shouldn't Be Long
Title: It Shouldn't Be Long
Author: xifeng
Prompt: Blue Skies prompt #17 (picture of an airport terminal)
Fandom: Homer/Greek mythology/Trojan War
Characters & Pairings: Achilles, Patroclus
Rating & Warnings: T (warfare-related violence, minor bad language, character death)
Word Count: 347
Summary: Achilles won't rest easy until Patroclus is back.
Achilles has heard his fingers drumming for so long that he's tuned the sound out; nothing has entertained him since the quarrel, but now he's fixed on the action outside his tent, or at least the part of it that he can see. There are great clouds of dust, the flash of armor and blades, the squeals of frightened horses and the shouts of men triumphing, or dying. He'd know Patroclus anywhere, but he can't pick him out, not at this distance.
Surely he didn't--
No. Patroclus has always been the more level-headed of the two of them; he wouldn't be such a damn fool as to go all the way up to the Skaian Gates. He's a much more conservative fighter than Achilles is; he knows when he's in over his head. He can't have come to any harm, Achilles tells himself; he's just out of eyeshot right now. He'll be back soon. He knows his limits; it won't take long.
It shouldn't take long, but the sky is starting to grow pink and gold, as it does when the sun is about to set. He has been out here all day, watching. Here and there, a few of the Myrmidons have slunk back to camp, wearied and bloody, but none of them have seen Patroclus, despite his frantic questioning.
Achilles' fingers have begun to hurt from the incessant drumming. Surely he'll be back soon. He can't have gone all the way up against the Skaian Gates--that would be suicide, and Patroclus is too smart to run that risk. Perhaps the fighting today is worse than Achilles thought; what the hell does he know? He's been out of it for weeks. How can he judge?
It's hard not to think of all the things that could have gone horribly wrong.
When the sky is almost red, Antilochus comes running up to the tent, out of breath. He's bruised and bloody, and he looks like he's holding back tears.
"What news?" Achilles says.
"You're not gonna like what I have to tell you," Antilochus says.
Author: xifeng
Prompt: Blue Skies prompt #17 (picture of an airport terminal)
Fandom: Homer/Greek mythology/Trojan War
Characters & Pairings: Achilles, Patroclus
Rating & Warnings: T (warfare-related violence, minor bad language, character death)
Word Count: 347
Summary: Achilles won't rest easy until Patroclus is back.
Achilles has heard his fingers drumming for so long that he's tuned the sound out; nothing has entertained him since the quarrel, but now he's fixed on the action outside his tent, or at least the part of it that he can see. There are great clouds of dust, the flash of armor and blades, the squeals of frightened horses and the shouts of men triumphing, or dying. He'd know Patroclus anywhere, but he can't pick him out, not at this distance.
Surely he didn't--
No. Patroclus has always been the more level-headed of the two of them; he wouldn't be such a damn fool as to go all the way up to the Skaian Gates. He's a much more conservative fighter than Achilles is; he knows when he's in over his head. He can't have come to any harm, Achilles tells himself; he's just out of eyeshot right now. He'll be back soon. He knows his limits; it won't take long.
It shouldn't take long, but the sky is starting to grow pink and gold, as it does when the sun is about to set. He has been out here all day, watching. Here and there, a few of the Myrmidons have slunk back to camp, wearied and bloody, but none of them have seen Patroclus, despite his frantic questioning.
Achilles' fingers have begun to hurt from the incessant drumming. Surely he'll be back soon. He can't have gone all the way up against the Skaian Gates--that would be suicide, and Patroclus is too smart to run that risk. Perhaps the fighting today is worse than Achilles thought; what the hell does he know? He's been out of it for weeks. How can he judge?
It's hard not to think of all the things that could have gone horribly wrong.
When the sky is almost red, Antilochus comes running up to the tent, out of breath. He's bruised and bloody, and he looks like he's holding back tears.
"What news?" Achilles says.
"You're not gonna like what I have to tell you," Antilochus says.