The Song of Achilles one shots

Mother's Watching

I had always enjoyed watching him, and my interest had only increased as we aged. His features only got sharper and painfully more beautiful while I continued to stay plain and dull, but that was okay because he was Achilles and I was Patroclus.

"Would you fancy a swim?" Achilles asks as we sit under a tree to escape the scorching sun.

"I am okay here, but I will keep time while you swim." He smiles, and makes my stomach flutter. "Okay, count how long it takes me to swim from this end of the lake to that branch." Achilles said with pink sun kissed cheeks "Okay."

I silently count to myself while looking at the lake at Achilles swift and nimble strokes. I keep count by the way my breaths come, I am soon a six and Achilles is rising, his hair clinging to his neck, soft pearly water beads sliding down his belly "How did I do?"

"You got six. Last time was seven." Achilles grins in satisfaction and victory. Times like these were my favorite, where he gleamed almost as bright as the sun it's self and there was only me to see him in his glory.

He walked his way out of the lake and sat next to me, his face still pink from the sun, his features sharp as daggers, but his face at rest looking out into the lake "Do you know where Chiron has gone?When I woke he was gone, and I do not recall him telling me where he was going to."

"No I do not know where Chiron has gone either but, he said he would be back before sunrise tomorrow." Achilles only nodded "O well it seem like we are on our own today." Achilles said with a coy grin.

"I suppose we are." I say with a slight pinkness in my cheeks, I knew what he was implying with his coy smile and hand over my inner thigh. Ever since the day Achilles had told me that his mother could not see us in the cave he has been more free with his affections.

"Are you hungry?" Achilles asks dragging his hand from my thigh to my belly "Only slightly, I can wait till supper." Achilles shakes his head "No I saw a fig tree down the hill. We can eat from there."

"Well if you insist." Achilles laughs and gets up to reach out his hand so he can help me up.

"I thought you said you where not hungry." Achilles says jabbing at my sides "Well I think all that wrestling in the meadow left me quite famished." Achilles cocks his head to side and reaches to pull little stray weeds left in my hair from our wrestling " I suppose."

After we finished the figs we lay on the grassy hill patch pointing at the clouds and saying what obscure objects or being they remind us of "That one right there looks like a babe bird about to take flight." Achilles says pointing to a blob of soft white that somewhat resembles his description.

" I think it more closely resembles a ship on voyage, don't you think?" Achilles shakes his head "I see what you mean, but still I think it more closely resembles a babe bird." I smile "O a stubborn thing you are."

Achilles head turned in surprise "What do you mean I'm stubborn? Truly I feel like I am very reasonable." I laughed at this, Achilles was stubborn and he didn't realize it because he always had things given to him  easily . He never had to argue his way into getting the things he wanted, everything was simply handed to him, but of course I could not say such a thing, that would dampen our pleasant day "You can be reasonable, but you have your moments where you are as stubborn as a mule." I tuck a piece of hair behind his ear to make sure he knows I'm being light and playful.

"And could you recall a time where I was stubborn?" Achilles says propping his head up on his hand to turn and look at me with his sly smile.

"Actually right now." I knew what kind of reaction this would draw from him, obscure shock. Gods Achilles could be so ignorant at times, but the look on his face was so precious.

"What do you mean!?" Achilles gasps, I shake my head "You keep insisting you are not stubborn, and you will not change your mind, can you not see." I say in between laughs.

Achilles gets up to a sitting position whilst I still lay on the grass picking at the weeds" Is there a way I could change your mind about that?" Achilles asks into my ear while getting on top of me to straddle my hips.

"So now you will result to seduction? That won't work for everyone, most it will but not all." Achilles laughs "O you don't have to worry about me trying this on anyone else. This my beloved is only for you." He's says softly biting the outside of my ear.

"Well that's a relief isn't." His bitting becoming more eager the more he goes down "Mmmhh" the vibration of his words on my neck sends a warmth down to my belly.

"Achilles." His name comes out more needy and breathy then I intend, but he seems to find it amusing and try's to make me say it again by sucking harder on the soft flesh of my neck and letting his hand wonder the crevasses of my body.

"A-Achilles!" I can't help how needy my voice sounds "What dear?" Achilles asks with a innocent tone in his voice.

I open my eyes to see him as he had abruptly stopped " Have I ever told you how much I like your eyes? I hope I have, because your eyes are the loveliest shade of brown I have ever seen."

I look at Achilles with a questioning look, why had he stoped just to tell me of my eyes, and why was he complementing me on the color of my eyes when his are a delightful shade of green.

"No you haven't told me of my eyes." I say " O that's a shame their so lovely." Achilles says caressing my cheek.

" Achilles their just brown." Achilles shakes his head "Ohh but their the loveliest shade of brown with little flecks of golden yellow in them. They look just like honey!"

I'm baffled at Achilles new profound appreciation for the color of my eyes "Achilles are you okay? Why did you stop to tell me you enjoy my eyes." Achilles laughs lightly " Ohh because their just so lovely!"

Then he hugs me and whispers into my ear " My mother. I can feel her, she's watching."

Thetis, of course how could have I forgotten of Achilles goddess mother and her abilities to see Achilles at all times. I simply nod at Achilles' statement.

I felt a bit of anger coil at the pit of my stomach, when would Thetis stop watching Achilles? He was nearly a man. Would Thetis always be so over bearing with Achilles? Would she watch till Achilles last breath, even then would she stop? Would she always be a barrier between me and Achilles? If so would she always hate me and think me undeserving and unworthy of her son?

"Do you want to go cut wood for dinner?" Achilles says to lighten the mood, he knows of his mother's dislike of me, and how I'm not so found of her either. What else could I say now that I knew Thetis was watching "Yes." I can only think one thing: if Thetis is to hate me I will hate her as well.