"CAPTAIN! THE TIME FISSURE IS CRUMBLING! THE SECOND COMMANDER MUST HAVE RESOLVED IT!"
All the anxiety I've been being consumed by in these past 2 days washed away. Dim had got the job done once again, a job nobody had even ever heard of.
"Make way, we need to be ready for everything."
Arriving at the location where Dimitris got sucked into the time fissure from I found an already waiting Merlin with a grim look on his face.
"What happened? Why do you have such a face? Something wrong with Dimitris?"
"No, something good actually… I just wish I was present. That man seems to be addicted to pain."
"What are you talking about Merlin? How can something good bring pain?"
He just stayed silent gesturing for me to wait, I didn't know what he was trying to hide, but one way or another Dim was coming back to me and I would not let anyone come in between us.
The air grew thick. The sea started to get tumultuous, thanks to my craft the ship was basically immune to such tame sea, but then it happened.
An unconscious and continuously convulsing Dimitris appeared on deck, the sky roared with thunder.
Lightning spreading everywhere.
A deep voice reached from the sky.
[My first son blessed by my wife.]
[bring honour to The Lightning Bringer.]
I was in utter disbelief, Dimitris, son of The Lightning Bringer? How could this be real? If he had divine blood in him I would have certainly known!
"Merlin! What the fuck is going on?!"
"Just like Zeus said, he became his son, actually, he was made his son, by Hera."
"What?! But he hates constellations? How could he accept such a thing?"
"You do remember I'm a constellation right? Either way, he hates most constellations, but except for me, there are 3 he actually adores and would do anything for them. One of which Hera."
If being a Demi-god wasn't sufficiently shocking, the fact that there was someone Dimitris would do anything for, and it was nonother than a constellation, not me, left me with a bitter taste in my mouth.
"Oh fucking hell, Odysseus. Your man is suffering on the ground, let's get him to bed, we need to supply him with nutrients. That woman gave him ichor directly harvested from Zeus' heart."
Upon earning the fact that Dim was suffering I woke up from my haze.
Nothing but him matters.
I held Dim in my arms and steadily brought him to our cabin when I heard Merlin speak once again.
"Eurylochus, another Demi-god is on her way here. She's thinking of taking your Second Commander for herself, let her in because she's the daughter of Poseidon, but be as rude as my Disciple."
"YES GRANDMASTER!"
"Merlin what the fuck are you talking about now?!"
"Oh don't worry, he only has eyes for you even if he doesn't realise it."
That felt good, so good I almost forgot the possible rival on her way and blush invaded my face, but the continuous convulsions from Dim woke me up and I immediately brought him to the cabin.
Merlin, who had followed me brought out the flower Dim told me was extremely dangerous and put it on his chest.
It ignited and the flames entered through Dim's skin directly into his body. For how scared I was Merlin didn't even give me the chance to speak my concerns and started chanting in a language I didn't recognise.
The longer the chanting the stranger the situation begun to become.
At first, sparks of lightning enveloped Dim's body, then the runes engraved on his left arm strarted glowing and moving around, from a disorganised form to an elegant spiral seemingly depicting flowers covering his arm.
Why does every thing about him resemble flowers?
"I'm honestly as surprised as you regarding this. I thought now that he got possession of Zeus ichor he'd be more attuned to lightning. But it seems his connection with nature is far greater then we all expected."
"Isn't lightning part of nature though?"
"Well you aren't entirely wrong, is more about authority than anything else… it seems… never mind, it's still too early."
"So what do I do now? Just wait?"
"Oh no, I'm not done chanting, but I need you to supply with lightning mana, can you do it?"
I didn't answer and just started converting all my mana to lightning attribute, when ready I gave Merlin a nod and he resumed chanting.
The air surrounding us grew dark and while I was supplying mana to Dim, his body started glowing again lightning was cursing through him as if it was his blood and under my touch it grew sturdier.
I could feel his muscles growing and compressing to their original shape, it was as if his strength was adapting to his muscle memory to not hinder his style.
Then out of nowhere black waste started to ooze out of his body. The smell comparable to death itself and a consistency paramount to rot.
"Let's take a minute, with this body I don't have enough mana. Let's also wash him, this is seriously disgusting."
"I will clean him alone."
That was not a request. Nobody was allowed to see him naked besides me.
"Sure, send someone to the greenhouse after a couple hours, imma recuperate."
I didn't answer and just picked up my men bringing him to the bathroom.
Focus Odysseus, he wouldn't want me to do anything strange when unconscious.
Dimitris naked form in all his splendour was something straight out of this world, but then I thought of all the suffering he might be going through and my flaming emotions quelled in an instant.
Caringly wiping away the waste from his body with warm water I noticed a subtle change in his hair color, the ends of his hair were now blueish; on his back a scar in the shape of lightning was running along his whole spine, turning him to the front and cleaning his pecks I noticed how his circles were more defined and I could feel the quality of his mana improved continuously.
Is he…?
Focusing on his breathing I finally realised.
Even when unconscious he's practicing his mana breathing technique… how much has he trained to make it second nature?
Meticulously cleaning him to his lower abdomen I stopped on my track.
It's just cleaning. Don't think of anything, it really is just cleaning.
Focusing more on his birthmark then anything else I still couldn't help but notice that something was wrong.
He never had a birthmark.
What is this, when?
The birthmark was in the shape of a circle with a sword like shape pointing downward. It was too strange to be a simple coincidence.
I'll ask Merlin later.
I finished my duty and gently dressed him up with a new chiton and put him in bed to then join him bringing him to my chest and holding him tight.
"Hahaha this is new, I'm usually the one using you as a pillow, it isn't that bad."
I had a few hours to enjoy alone with a Dimitris unable to curse at me and I would enjoy every minute of it.
______________________
Time flew, I didn't even realise I fell asleep until Eurylochus came knocking to my door bringing nefarious news.
"Captain… that wretched woman as arrived and demands to see the Second Commander…"
This bitch has some nerves to make demands on my ship.
Moving Dimitris from my body, I felt like killing that woman and get back here, but she still was the Tides' daughter.
"Go look for Merlin in the greenhouse we need to proceed with Dim's treatment. I'll talk to that woman."
As I got out of the room, I spared a last glance at my sleeping beauty and moved towards where that woman was supposed to be.
A ruckus was brewing down on the deck my men made a human wall preventing the girl to move towards my cabin telling her that nobody except for the Grandmaster and I where allowed to see the Secon Commander, she on her hand was threatening them reminding them of her status and the fact that we are, in fact, in her father's domain.
Spoiled brat.
"You think threatening our men would make MY Dim happy?"
My words demanded attention. Silence befall and all eye turned to me.
"And who might you be?"
Her posture was weary, recognising my strength her inner alarms sounded violently.
Yes be weary. He is mine.
"You demand my name without introducing yourself? Indeed a young lady."
Red from embarrassment, the girl composed herself and put her sword back inside its sheath.
"I'm Hali, Demi-goddess of The Tides that shattered the ground and I demand to see my saviour Dimitris."
"I'm Odysseus, king of Itaca, Captain of this ship and I don't give a fuck about your demands."
"What? How dare you?"
"How dare YOU? Who are you to threaten Dimitris and mine men? We will give you shelter and food in name of hospitality, respect you for he decided that your life had value, but don't expect to be granted to see him because of your upbringing."
"Do you even realise where we are and who my father is?"
"Yes, I also realised just now that you borrow others strength to continue to win your way into the world."
She was fuming, clearly embarrassed by my words, but I couldn't care less. Whoever she was, the moment she laid her eye on Dimitris she was my enemy.
The sea started getting tumultuous responding to her rage, but suddenly Lightening fell all around us.
[The Lightning Bringer broadcast a message to all present.]
[Whoever dares to disturb my son's awakening WILL incur in divine punishment.]
Everything froze, no one expected the Big Boss himself to take action, but with the rules set in stone there was nothing left to discuss.
A winning smile bloomed on my face.
"You heard the Big Boss himself. Men, bring Hali to the dispensary and feed her. We will later arrange a place for her to rest. Is everything clear?"
"YES CAPTAIN, TAKE CARE OF OUR SECOND COMMANDER."
"Of course I will take care of my man. Now call for the Grandmaster, we need to resume his treatment."
"Yes yes big boy, I'm here, let's go. That rotten bastards awaits."
That wretched woman couldn't just follow my men without getting on Merlin's nerve, of course she needed to understand her place.
"How dare you call Dimitris a rotten bastard?"
"Who the fuck is this bitch talking to?"
I laughed heartily, both master and disciple were such foul mouths.
"That would be you Merlin."
"You sorry excuse of a Demi-god, come here."
"DO YOU EVEN KN…"
"Oh? Did your daddy Posey tell you not to anger me? Is he afraid I'll permanently transform him in a divine sardine as my disciple suggested?"
"What… how is a constellation here without restrictions?"
"That's none of your business, now follow the crew and get food, you clearly suffered much, but only Dimitris is kind enough to forgive such attitude here."
I decided to chime in, just to fuel the already lit fire.
"We do not care for who you are. Touch my Dimitris and you will be punished."
With the message clearly sent and my territory marked I turned to get back to my man with Merlin giggling to himself. To the point it started to irk me.
"What's so funny?"
"Oh how I wish Dimitris was awake to listen to your claims on him."
"Forget it, do you know something about this symbol?"
I marked the birthmark on Dimitris on my hand and waited for his answer.
"Yes, that is the Damocles crest, does he have a birthmark?"
"He does, but I'm sure he didn't have one before…"
"The Damocles crest develops with time, it doesn't really appear at birth… it's caused by trauma on the body…"
"Trauma on the body?"
"Yes the House of Damocles typically develops the crest when they reach 18 years of age… in the memories Dimitris has he developed the crest at 10, I don't even want to imagine what he went through just to appease his family."
"But then why appear now?"
"He drank pure ichor Ody, what do you think is going on with his body?"
"Fuck."
"Indeed, let's keep on treating him."
_____________________
-Dimitris' POV-
"I know you're not exactly fond of me."
What, where am I? Who?
Looking around myself I couldn't see anything but dark grey clouds. An infinite expanse of thunderstorm ready to destroy everything.
"At least you recognise the strength of my Authority."
The voice, unmistakable to my ear was right beside me, but as I turned around I was shocked to see His appearances.
"What…? Why…?"
"Unlike my wife, these are my real appearances. Call it an unpleasant coincidence."
If Hera was the split image of my mother, Zeus, in front of me, looked exactly like my father.
"Leaving these useless things aside. I know you are not fond of me, but you are now my son. The first son to absorb my ichor, the first son to be acknowledged by my wife."
"This is actually absurd… did you create my father? Even the way you talk is the exact same…"
"That is beside the point Dimitris. I will not interfere much in your life for it's Hera who decided to make you my own blood, but I do have expectations. I am the GodKing after all."
Even if I wanted to hate this god with all myself, I wanted to defy him and send him flying the fuck off, his face, his behaviour everything about him screamed FATHER in my heart.
"Of course, father… I will not disappoint you."
"Oh I thought you'd start fighting."
"Never defy the patriarch of House Damocles."
"I'm not the patriarch of that House though."
"It doesn't matter father. Taking me as your son, you are the defacto strongest member of my family hence the patriarch of House Damocles."
"Mhhh very well. It's time to wake up Dimitris. We'll talk about your training as my son soon enough."
Fuck, from one abusive father to another.
"Yes, father."
He then snapped his fingers and my consciousness returned to my body.
Hurriedly hopening my eyes I immediately recognised where I was, also thanks to the man who had abandoned any sense of decency and was completely wrapped around me.
"I'm back… sorry for making you worry about me… again…"
"It's good you are aware. Can I get a reward?"
"Sure, what do you want?"
"A kiss."
"Odysseus…"
"I know, I'm just desperate here, you've been asleep for a week, that wretched woman is making me crazy, I need something to regain my sanity."
"A week? What woman?"
"Tomorrow, gimme the kiss or get back to sleep."
I thought for a second before grabbing his chin.
"This is purely a reward you asked for, nothing more. Understood?"
"YES SIR!"
I gently pulled him closer to my face and slowly pressed my lips against his. I immediately noticed how his breath got caught and thinking his reaction was cute I decided to indulge a little more.
"Breath Odysseus."
As soon as he opened his mouth to catch his breath, I leaned in again. This time intruding my tongue into his mouth, swirling against his own tongue and tickling his palate before removing myself.
"Reward issued, now sleep, I'm still tired."
Odysseus, completely hypnotised by what had just happened simply nodded and got back on his original position.
Using me as a pillow.
I might have gone too far.