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xo-cuteplosion-xo · 2 months ago

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Link to Warnings/Both sfw and nsfw masterlists Click here

A Light In The Dark | Telemachus x reader|

Chapter one ~Prologue~

About

In which a girl named Y/n has never known affection without condition before a prince opens his heart to her. Will the young Dove soar free of her brother's cage, or will she remain where she is comfortable? Will the prince and the dove fall in love and end with a smile, or will their love be their undoing and end in tragedy? AKA The reader is Eurymachus' younger half-sister and a chess piece in his quest for power, but he forgets that all birds are born wanting to soar. Your wings could only stay clipped for so long, and Telemachus is the one with a chance to free you if you'll let him.

Chapter below the cut

Fear, anger, desperation… Life’s an endless cycle of struggle.

There was the woman clad in expensive jewelry who stared at you with disgust.

There was the man who tried to ignore your existence, but when he didn’t, he made it quite clear you were his greatest mistake.

There was the boy, ten years older than you, well mannered and well spoken.

Then there was you, kept in a back room, kept away from others…

The mother, the father, the son and the product of the father’s faithfulness.

You were glad to be out of that house, to be away from the aging adults. However, you know better than to assume you were free. You bite your nails sitting on a balcony, legs pulled up to your chest. ��You really should stop that.” You turn your head to your brother and shrug.

“Sorry…” You drop your hand and go back to staring at the gardens.

“How is chasing the prince fair?” Your brother, Eurymachus, or simply Eury to you, only had one request for taking you with him. Keep the prince busy and tell him if anything changes.

You fidget, twirling hair around your fingers, afraid to disappoint him. “I… I’ve made progress… a little. I saw him this morning and almost managed to speak to him.” His sigh makes you flinch back. “Antinous kinda scared him off before I could approach.”

He pauses, scribbling notes to set the quill down and stare at you. “Oh? I believe I’ve heard that one before. You’re pretty and gentle N/n. Come on now. You and I both know there’s no reason for you to hesitate. You’ve done this before.”

“Yes, but-” His eyes narrow and you glance away, shutting your mouth. “I’ll… do better.”

“There we go, see it’s not that hard.” Eury smiles, standing up to ruffle your hair. “Why don’t you go on a little walk? You’ve watched him enough to know there’s a chance he’s unaccompanied by Penelope. If you manage to hold a proper conversation, I’ll save you a seat in the hall.”

You lighten up searching his eyes for any sign he’s being dishonest, but he’s not. “Okay! I’ll go right now!”

Affection is a fleeting concept… something you’ve never thought yourself deserving of. Your status, you deserved the way your father and his wife treated you. Eury’s only ever been kind… your provider, the saving grace of everything you could have needed.

With a smile you skip down the halls…

You hum to yourself as you walk through the garden. It takes you a few loops to find the prince and just as your brother had thought, he’s alone. You take a deep breath as you approach, hands behind your back. “Whatcha doin?” You hum and the prince jumps, dropping the basket he was holding.

His eyes narrow and you look down at the dropped collection of flowers. You bend down, picking them up for him, then hold the basket back to him while he watches in a mix of confusion. “You… what are you trying to do?” He’s not much taller than you are right now…

You tilt your head and shrug. “I dunno. You were alone and just kinda standing there, so I figured I’d come talk to you.” You rock back and forth and he watches you with caution.

“Aren’t you one of their sisters?” You realize then that he’s likely been crying, the rims of his eyes a little red. You can’t say you don’t feel bad, but your need for your brother’s approval far outshines that sick, twisting feeling.

You nod, “mhm! Eury’s my older brother!” The kid prince scoffs and side steps around you.

“He’s a jerk like Antinous.” He huffs, puffing out his cheeks.

Ah, he’s walking off… “Can we be friends?” You blurt out and for a moment, the prince pauses. He turns back to you hesitantly.

“Why?” He holds the basket of flowers close.

You settle in with relief that you didn’t mess this up. “You’re cute!” You giggle staring at him. It’s not a lie, he is adorable, but what 14-year-old isn’t adorable?

“You’re weird…”

The first meeting between the two of you… you were fourteen…

Present day.

You sigh sitting at the mess table in the seat that had been deemed yours. Antinous sits at the head, Eurymachus to his right and you at the left. “How’s the prince?”

You glance at the wolf and shrug. “Haven’t checked on him in a bit. My guess is the same old same old. Running to his mommy every chance he gets.” You scoff, dropping a grape in your mouth.

“You should probably keep up with that a bit more.” You pause and sigh, staring at your brother.

“Don’t pressure the dove so much. Wouldn’t want her to get all temperamental on us.” You flush and glance at Antinous. You’re not sure when he picked up on the strange bond you and your brother share, but you’ve grown used to his presence. He’s like a second brother to you. Where gifts come with a price from Eury, you don’t usually find yourself required to do anything but talk to him for Antinous to offer his time.

Your brother sighs, “I suppose not.” You go back to sipping on your wine, staring off into space as the suitors talk and eat. Somewhere along the line, you excuse yourself from the commotion and head outside into the garden.

It’s late, but the wind is something you welcome. It brushes against your skin, ruffles through your hair… You can’t help but smile.

You like being alone. The illusion of choice warps your thoughts when you step away from the crowds. You feel alive and unbothered here.

A tap on your shoulder steals you away from your thoughts. You turn to see a smiling prince lingering behind you. “Thought I saw you.” He drops his hand back to his side.

“Telemachus! You shouldn’t sneak up on people, you know.” You cross your arms, taking on a completely different personality around him. You don’t need to be on edge searching for signs that you misspoke or did something to upset him. You can talk as you want to, act as you wish. “What are you doing out here so late, though? I thought you’d be with your mother.”

“I remember that you snuck up on me when we met, though. I think it’s only fair.” He shrugs, settling in pace with your steps. “She had a small headache, so she retired early. What about you? Aren’t you usually with your brother?”

“They all seem too busy drinking and being… men right now. I need air.” Your words are true for once.

“You’re not going to get into trouble talking to me right now, right?” Telemachus glances around the empty garden, then to you.

You shake your head. “Nope, Antinous and Eury are probably too busy trying to come up with some new plot to keep an eye on me right now. So we can freely talk. So freely I can ask you this, have your eyes caught anybody yet?” You hum, batting your lashes.

The prince flushes, but shakes his head. “No…” He looks away from you, awkwardly shifting. “I don’t think that is a topic that is discussed between friends… somebody could get the wrong idea.”

“You’re such a scaredy cat, Telemachus.” You tease him a little and he sighs, trying to hide the flush on his cheeks.

“I am not. You just ask things that aren’t exactly lady-like!” He huffs, crossing his arms.

“You’ve known me for almost three years. I say weird things all the time. How is that what gets to you?” You snicker, rolling your eyes.

“Because we are friends and I was not expecting you to ask something like that!” He huffs, shaking his head.

Friends… you can’t help but smile. You’re getting information from him, but you do think of him like a friend. He’s not just a tool… You enjoy talking to him.

He’s your friend and you can talk about anything, even if you might run off to tell Eury what the prince confides in you with. Chapter Two: Click here

#telemachus x reader #A Light In The Dark By Cuteplosion #epic the musical #Dark fic #I will be using a story tag on ever chapter so feel free to block the tag to avoid seeing this

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xo-cuteplosion-xo-2 · 29 days ago

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A Light In The Dark | Telemachus x reader|

Link to Warnings/Both sfw and nsfw masterlists Click here

Chapter Nineteen ~Good End~

No tw just includes smut

The world came out from beneath your feet as you took a staggered step away from the door, your back hitting the opposite wall. Your hand came up over your heart as your breathing came out heavy. Your chest weighed as if a thousand bricks were settling onto it. You push away from the wall choosing to avoid the last bit of their conversation and race to your room. You paced around to where you might run a hole through the floor.

There must be something you can do… There has to be something. You think about the letters that had been mentioned and guilt consumes your breaths. You’re not sure if you were heard or not so you don’t rush into anything rustic just yet. Instead, you go for a walk.

When you bump into Antinous, years of acting and pretending, of studying your brother lets you hide the panic and the anger in your heart. “Where are you off to?” He stands in front of you blocking your way forward.

“Taking a walk?” You raise your brow as if to show your confusion.

“Where to?” He’s clearly suspecting you had overheard.

Taking a deep breath you fidgets. “Clear my head, try to refocus after what happened. I’ve moped around too much. Judging by your good mood I’m assuming you left the room to beat Eurymachus again or are you on your way to go bother Penelope again? Suppose you get into this mood after pulling a maid too.” You shrug trying to step around him.

“Why don’t you join everybody for a meal?” He steps closer and you swallow.

“I would rather not. You can see why right?” You run your hands over your arms looking uncomfortable and nervous.

He sighs but with one last look scanning your body he steps around you. You smirk with your back to him and head outside. You take a walk for a bit until you're sure there aren’t eyes on you. For hours you watch the palace, listen in on the maids until you find what you need. You watch a bundle of letters handed from a maid to your brother from around a corner.

You keep deadly still, even your breathing halts until eurymachus leaves. You wait watching the maid until you are sure you won’t be seen. You memorize which maid it is then retire to your room.

The following day you stalk the maid as she gets the letters. A crow…

The next day you get there before her and place a letter on the windowsill. It’s messy since Eurymachus had only ever taught you the bare minimum… You just hope the picture you drew and the warning would be understandable.

You wait and watch the crow drop off and take it before returning to your room.

You stick to your room the following day. Antinous tries to drag you to some feast over a challenge set up by the Queen but you refuse to go. You use the excuse that you don’t trust any of the suitors besides him at the moment. Though that too is a lie. He planned to aid in killing your shining light.

You spend hours simply staring out waiting for him. You have no way to know how long he’d be but you're waiting. Waiting for him to come back, to come home. To think he’d been trying to reach you from the start but getting nothing back in return because of your brother. You sigh drifting off as you think of him. His comforting embrace, his gentle voice, the soft touch of his hands, the determination in his eyes.

You jolt awake when the screaming starts… You stand from the windowsill and stare at the door. You reach for the candle to use to defend yourself when the door opens. Your eyes meet a hooded stranger and then you stare at the glint of the metal atop the arrow. “Wait!” Your eyes widen when you hear that call.

“Telemachus…” You whisper his name as he pushes past the older man. He’s covered in blood too. What if he’s hurt? You set the candle down when he hesitated to approach. He’s covered in blood so you can understand why he hesitates but blood doesn’t bother you as much as it should. You’ve experienced a living nightmare so…

Smiling for the first time since he left you ran to him. His eyes widen but he drops his weapon to catch you as you jump towards him. He spins with you a little, eyes watering. “You… Didn’t respond to my letter. I thought you were hurt or that maybe you were ignoring me.”

“Eurymachus was getting in the way, forging your mom’s responses when they needed to be changed and then burning the ones you sent me. The warning was the only one I could get to you.” You are put back on your feet but you don’t let go. You missed him. You missed the way he looks at you, the soft and ever adoring look he shows you.

He swallows, moving his hands from your waist to your shoulders. “He’s dead… All of them are.”

You pause, taking a deep breath. “Good… They were going to kill you… He did nothing but hurt me so good. Thank you.” You place a hand on his cheek. Dare you say he looks relatively attractive covered in his enemies blood. “Was he in pain?”

“I didn’t kill him like my dad did.” He sees the way you tense and turn towards the glaring figure. He clears his throat stepping away from you. “Uh yeah, Dad this is Y/n… And well you know who he is.”

Immediately you dip your head staring at the floor. “Your Majesty.” You aren’t sure what to say. He eyes you with skepticism, much deserved skepticism but still…

“Sooo, I’m sure mom is waiting for you.” At that word the gaze that made you flinch and hold your breath changed into one of a puppy who missed their favorite person. He sighs leaving with one last glance between you and Telemachus.

Telemachus smiles staring at you. “So… Your dad’s home?” You fidget.

“Yeah…” The prince seems as if he can hardly believe it himself.

“It’s over…” You’re not sure why the thought tightens your chest… Why do you start crying as you smile? It’s like a weight’s been lifted from your shoulders. “I’m happy, I think? Dunno why I’m crying. I’m just… Is this real? He’s gone? Really dead? He can’t… Hurt me anymore?

With a softening gaze and a nod the prince steps forward. He runs his thumbs under your eyes. “Yeah, he’s gone. You’re free to go anywhere, do anything.” You place your hand over his then wrap your arms around him only to sob into his chest. Part of you mourns but the majority of you is ecstatic, crying in relief. It’s over… Really and truly over. You hold onto him and he holds you close. His hand rubs your back as he lays his chin on your head.

You’re finally free, wings spread to soar through the sky. Even though you could go anywhere you are free to choose him. You are free to stick with the man who freed you. You’re not going anywhere, so long as he’d have you, and by the gods he will.

Months pass by and you are still adjusting to the freedom. To the silence in the halls. You take walks with Penelope. She smiles at you, gives you words of wisdom, listens to you ramble like a lovesick fool about her son. You learn from her, managing maids, helping point out the ones you know betrayed them. Winning over Odysseus isn’t too hard. On more than one occasion he’s seemed almost nostalgic staring at his son and you.

Two young fools in love.

Marriage was never something you had expected or planned for. You have nobody to walk you down… And even if you had given out a hand, willing to forgive the years of suffering at your father’s and his wife’s hands, they had no intent of showing their face, blaming you for the loss of their son.

You look over to the man walking you to his son. You’re nervous. What if he ends up realizing this is a mistake? You and Telemachus… Married? You swallow trying to block away the thoughts.

It’s a nice ceremony blessed by the gods. The day is nice, the flowers in blood, the air cool but not cold. You stare at the ring and smile looking into his eyes. His head tilts and you see the softest look he’s ever given you.

The night is full of fun, dancing, laughing, wine, and stories. Right wedding night… Things that are supposed to happen. You stare at his bed standing in his room. He comes up behind you wrapping his arms around you. “We don’t have to if you don’t want to.” You smile, your fingers tracing the hands wrapped around you.

“I…” You trail off before shaking your head. “I want to, I’ve just never… This is all weird to me. I’m married to you. I’m your wife. It's like I'm living in a dream. I got so used to being on edge constantly that I’m still figuring out how to live the way I want.” You lean back against him.

“We can wait, or we can… You know.” His face flushes and says no more. You pause staring at the wall. The silence isn’t uncomfortable as you go over the option in your head.

You nod, turning to face him. Your heart races, but it’s a different kind of racing, this feels right. You raise your hands dropping them over his shoulders. You lean in and kiss him, gentle and slow. You part smiling softly. “Have you ever done this?”

As if he’s ashamed he shakes his head. “No…” He mumbles and you hum. His hands slowly move to trail down your hips reaching behind you. His eyes watch your face looking for any sign of discomfort or panic. When there isn’t anything he leans in to kiss you again.

One of your hands tangles in his hair, the other trailing down to slowly start undoing his tunic. He hums copying your motions. You tug his hair a bit and his breath hitches into the kiss. You press your hips closer to him allowing the tension to grow, for lust to find place between you. It’s lust built on love, something you both want.

You part, breathing heavily together as you move him back towards the bed clothes discarded on the floor. You would be lying if you weren't nervous. The scars that litter your body, but he too has scars just for different reasons. You trail your hand over a few. He must have done a lot of training while he was away. Battle-scars… You wonder if any of them are from the suitors…

He watches you and lets you take this as slow or fast as you want. When you press his back on the bed he swallows trying not to stare at your breasts. He wants to touch you but he doesn’t want you to shy away. He waits for you to guide his hands, to nod. He breathes in shakily as his hand runs over your curves. He watches your every reaction, makes note of the sighs or soft hums. He reaches your chest and explores, groping, trailing light touches over them, and hesitantly pinching at the nipple.

When you lean back to kiss him his hand wanders lower. He grabs your ass and you pause for a moment before smiling. You trail the kiss from his lips to his neck. He whimpers as your lips suck just above where his shoulder starts. You smirk and focus on that area. He tilts his head to give you more room and you chuckle.

One hand trails over his chest down to his erection. Your fingers glide over, ghosting over where he obviously needs you. He strains not to move, not to buck his hips. You pull from his neck to stare at him. You take one of his hands in yours. He tilts his head, his breath catching as your other hand teases his tip. You guide his hand between your legs.

He hesitates and fumbles around for a bit but he manages to find your clit. His touch is gentle, focused on you rather than himself. Though you are certainly distracting him with the teasing touches. He whines even though he tries to stay silent, to focus on the breathy hums you let out.

He slips a finger in and watches your reaction. Your breath catches and you pause before continuing to tease him.

You lean back down to kiss him. Your hand falls away from his dick to pull his hand away. He stares at you confused before you start to lower onto him. He sighs alongside a breathing whine. You lower yourself so slowly that it drives him insane but it’s alright he can deal with it.

You bottom out as you deepen the kiss. His hands settle on your hips before he gets a little bolder. He moves his hand up to play with your nipples. You whine and start lifting. He sucks in air through the kiss.

You pull away to give him air and just stare into each other's eyes. Picking up on one and another comfort, reassuring one and another. You both smile as you take a shuddery breath and get used to him. You drop your hips and push yourself up getting faster with each drop. He whines, even whimpers occasionally. It’s cute. “Y-you’re doing great.” He whines and breathes heavily.

You hum nodding, though you feel like that applies more to him. You get a bit rougher and he strains not to buck up into you to chase the edge that’s approaching. You notice and hum, taking one hand to lift his chin with a finger. “Go ahead, you’re being so good.” He snaps at his hips, stuttering up into you. Your eyes widen but you don’t feel panicked. You moan, dipping your head into his shoulder.

He times it with your bouncing and you feel yourself approaching the edge. He hits his first, whimpering your name. You ride out until you hit yours, his hands grab your hips to help you ride it out.

You drop onto him, don’t even pull off, just lay there on his chest. He swallows, wrapping his arms around you protectively. One arm around your back, the other cradling your head. “You’re perfect, ya know that?”

“I love you Telemachus…” You hum staying like this for a few minutes before he shifts out. He lifts you, dragging you against the headboard. He tucks a strand of hair behind your ear.

“I’ll be right back.” He kisses your cheek and grabs his clothes messily tossing them on. He leaves for a few minutes then comes back with a bowl of water and cloth. You tilt your head.

“When things calm down we can take a long bath, rose petals and incense. I hear that’s… That it’s good for the skin and helps with any tension.” He fidgets using the cloth and water to clean you. He hands you soft robes and you happily slide into them when he’s done. He pulls you back to him, letting you lay beside him, your head on his chest. He plays with your hair, rubs your back until you drift off.

He doesn’t have the heart to wake you so he moves the bath till tomorrow and falls asleep once his eyes grow too heavy to keep open.

It’s months later when you learn you're carrying a child, his child. It explains your moodiness as of late, the weird cravings… Everybody is happy, overjoyed just as much as you are.

When the child is born you stare down at him, his eyes are blue like your husband's. He looks so gentle, so sweet. You cradle him in your arms loving and ever the adoring mother. After months of feeling awful and hours of screaming in labor you hold your own little miracle. You hand him to Telemachus who sits on the bed beside you, his eyes soft. He holds out a finger, the baby grabbing onto his hand. He chuckles. “He's beautiful… Like his mother.”

“He has your eyes though.” You whisper yawning, exhausted from all the hard work your body has been through. Telemachus notices and hands the baby to the nursemaid.

“You should rest.” He speaks softly, leaning over and kissing your temple.

“What about your parents? They haven’t been to see the baby.” You don’t want to make them wait but Teemachus shrugs.

“They can wait for my wife and child to be ready to see guests.” He pulls the covers over you.

It’s odd to think that you’ve come this far… That you’re so happy now. You wouldn’t change anything. Even if it meant suffering again you would change nothing just to be with him like this. It’s a dream come true, the opposite end of the nightmare. Chapter 18 SFW (Click here) NSFW (Click here)

This is the end : )

#telemachus x reader #epic the musical #darkfic #a light in the dark by cuteplosion

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xo-cuteplosion-xo · 2 months ago

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A Light In The Dark | Telemachus x reader|

Link to Warnings/Both sfw and nsfw masterlists Click here

Chapter Two ~The Task~

You hum to yourself sitting on the lip of your window, staring outside while twirling hair around your fingers. You don’t feel like socializing today. You almost never do. Life is much easier watching as others move along. You pull your knees up to your chest, setting your head on your knees. You start dozing off, only interrupted by the slamming of your door.

You snap your head towards the door and shrink. “Don’t give me that look.” You’re the only one who gets to see him agitated or angry. He’s a better actor than you are. He never lets anything get under his skin in public. His peaceful nature is mostly a lie. He’s two-faced and taught you most of what you know.

“You’re… upset?” You mumble, getting off the windowsill to approach him. “I… did I do something?” You fidget with the cloth of your chiton.

“It’s what you didn’t do N/n. Why do I find out from a maid that Penelope retired early last night and the prince was occupied with you? You said you were headed to bed.” He missed a chance to send a gift, to make another subtle move.

You flinch back… “I thought it… it wasn’t important. She… I… I was headed to bed Eury. I really was, but he stopped me and we just started talking. Nothing really came up. He mentioned she was feeling ill but I don’t see how that’s a detail you…” without finishing the sentence, you snap your mouth shut at the annoyed glare your brother gives you.

He takes a breath and smiles, stepping closer. He reaches towards your cheek. His touch is gentle as he stares at you with fondness… a look you’ve never been able to disconcert if it was honest or a lie. “It’s okay, my sweet little sister. You’re still new to this. I should have been more specific to get it through your little brain.” He sighs, shaking his head. “On a different note, I need you to confirm something for me.”

“Of course… anything.” You cling the scraps as they’re tossed towards you.

He takes a step away. “Has the prince been acting off lately?”

You shake your head. “Not that I’ve noticed. I haven’t been able to run into him much the last month, though.” You hop back onto the windowsill, watching your brother try to form a plan in his head.

“And that isn’t weird to you?” He mumbles a few more words beneath his breath that you don’t catch.

You shrug and kick your feet. “No? I mean, he’s getting older, I’m getting older. He’s still a prince, so he has responsibilities. I figured that he’s just been busy.” You see it as a rational line of thoughts.

“N/n, you do want to see me succeed, correct? You want me to be able to keep you from having to go home to them, right?” He doesn’t mean anything malicious by his questions… you don’t think so anyway.

“Of course I do. I like living with you. I don’t want to go back there.” You search him, trying to figure out what is going on.

“And let’s say a certain thorn in our plans found himself with a fancy for somebody? Would that be a bad thing?” Your brother draws the question out as if you’re an idiot.

“Depends? If it’s love, then yes? Because he could marry and become king… ah… I am assuming a maid said something about him?” You should have pressed for more the other night. You’d just been teasing, but it seems it might be relevant now.

Your brother nods, pausing to lean against a wall. “You’ve tricked men, toyed with people… but do you think you could fool a Prince’s heart for me? It would make you very proud that you could ensure the prince doesn’t become more of a threat than he already is.”

You freeze staring at him. “You… Do you want me to lead him on? Make him… fall for me? I… Eury that’s…”

“Oh no, I understand if it’s too hard. I’ll just have to find a different solution.” Disappointment coats his voice and you sink in on yourself. You bite your nails as you struggle with your decision.

It’s wrong… you already feel bad that, as his friend, you tell your brother his secrets. You already feel bad that the prince has had his life ripped out from underneath him. This seems vile, twisted, and cruel. You stare at your brother, the disappointment in his eyes.

Crack.

You snap a nail between your teeth. You can’t lose him. You can’t disappoint him. If he stops caring, if you lose him, you go back home and that is game over. You like it here. You can run around gardens, talk to people, and have fun. You can’t do that at home. Your breath hitches as whatever shred of a moral compass you have strains against your need for his approving smile.

“Okay… I… I’ll try. I don’t even know where to start, though.” You mumble, dropping your hand to your side.

Eurymachus shrugs as he moves closer once more. He ruffles your hair and sighs. “Just be your adorable self.” His eyes become gentle and kind again and you sigh with relief.

He turns to leave but pauses at the door. “I’m counting on you little sis.”

“I won’t let you down.” You call out to him as he shuts the door. You run your hands down your face as you groan…

How are you supposed to catch the eye of a prince? You? Does he understand that he’s assigned to you what you view as an impossible task? This is nonsense. Still, you stand up and sit at your desk to try to brainstorm a plan. You’re attempting to go from trusted friend to love. Too much too soon will make him retreat…

Yet, you also know if you pull back, you’ll alarm him and he’ll either think it’s suspicious or be too concerned for you.

Eurymachus said, be yourself, but which one? Adorable… he said adorable, but that’s usually his endearing term for you. You sigh, tapping your quill to your desk.

After several hours of thinking and crumpled paper, you’ve come up with a plan.

Step one: naturally ease into flirting…

Step two: start to act like you're in love

Step three: be awkward with some things but not with others

Step four: make him fall head over heels.

It’s simple on paper, but whether or not you’re confident enough to execute things correctly is something you’re unsure of right now..

You look out the window to judge the time. You were thinking of starting the plan tonight, but it’s already dark out and you doubt he’s going to be awake, so you decide on tomorrow. Chapter 1 Click here Chapter 3 Click here SFW version

Chapter 3 Click here NSFW/TW HEAVY version

#telemachus x reader #A Light In The Dark By Cuteplosion #epic the musical #dark fic

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xo-cuteplosion-xo · 1 month ago

Text

A Light In The Dark | Telemachus x reader|

Link to Warnings/Both sfw and nsfw masterlists Click here

Chapter Fourteen ~Forward~

Days became weeks and then months… Winter shifted to spring in what felt like mere days. Odd how the absence of the man who kept you caged can bring along such peace. The days no longer blur together with tears and strangled pleas but with smiles and short bursts of laughter. You can’t recall the last time you saw his face, now blurred in your memories.

Each day you spend with Telemachus teaches you something new. He showers you in praise, only ever gets as close as you welcome him to be. Some days you can rest your head in his lap, others you keep another person’s worth of distance between you. He is never anything but understanding, staring at you with a gaze beholding the warmth of the spring sun. It’s just enough to melt the ice, but not scorching. This affection differs so much from anything your heart has ever been touched by.

There are no expectations, only that you smile and laugh… That you love him as he adores you. He expects nothing in return for his soft smiles, his compliments, his gestures. You are sure that by now this could be considered as courting… The gifts, the praise, the nights spent laying in the grass beneath the stars.

He’s opened your cage and taught you to soar.

A dove that never knew she’d lived restricted behind bars has been given a view of the large skies outside and taught to fly.

There are days where the clouds threaten to blot out his light, to pull you back into the dark, but he never lets you. He grabs onto you, pulls you back to him. He accepts you for who you are, for all your broken and shattered pieces that you are slowly beginning to mend back together.

You sit on the grass, alone, but only because Telemachus has stepped away for a brief moment. He’ll likely return with snacks and wine… Then rest his head on your shoulder if you allow it. The stars are pretty tonight, not a cloud to be seen. They remind you of this relationship you’ve built. They sparkle and shine, lighting up the night, which would be otherwise too dark to see in. You twirl hair around your fingers and then fall onto your back.

The grass is soft. It tickles against your skin, and yet it’s inviting. You let out a small breath, taking in the scent of spring. The ocean, the roses, the sweet aroma of nature. Your heart is quietly beating softly within your chest. Your thoughts swirl like a spring day, quiet and relaxed. Your muscles do not itch to run, to seek out another. You are alright being alone for a moment. You have no ulterior motives, not shaky secrets… There is only you, the croaking frogs, the crickets, and the animals that move through the bushes as you wait for Telemachus.

Peaceful. That is the only word you have to describe your world as it is now.

Several months of this have passed and you look forward to more nights with him, doing nothing but being in each other’s company with occasion chatter.

… And yet you seemed to have forgotten that this palace is not a place where peace can last, if it even existed in the first place. The stirring of bushes interrupts your moment of reflection, but you pay it no mind. There is always wildlife around this time of night.

You open your eyes halfway when the sound of grass being crushed beneath a weight grows closer.

You’re reactive, immediately sitting up and backing away. Your eyes narrow at the obviously drunk man before you. His hand holds himself up by pushing against a tree… an empty chalice dangles from the other hand. “Look who I found.” A sickeningly sweet voice that doesn’t match the inner workings of such a cruel man.

His eyes, reflecting like emeralds, bare down on you. He tries to keep a sneer off his face, but his drunken stupor makes that a seemingly impossible task to achieve. “Eurymachus.” You keep your voice stilled, then the air, harden your gaze into ice and slowly rise to your feet.

You assume a facade of strength. He will not know that your heart hammers like hooves against cobblestone, that your mind becomes a raging storm of thoughts and panic. You hold your ground, nails digging into your palm to hide the tremors. “So cold… I haven’t seen you in months.”

“I don’t wish to see you.” You push each word out with forced venom. Your feet carry you three steps back when he shifts forwards.

“Come on, is that any way to treat your brother?” He frowns, reaching but coming up short by just a hair. You know that he doesn’t truly miss you, that he is likely still agonizing over the lost control. Eurymachus has always been a perfectionist. He holds himself tall, acts shamelessly, and gets what he wants. Every imperfect aspect of him, scars, and personality, is hidden beneath tricks and false promises.

You take a step back, but he pushes from the tree and wraps his hand around your wrist. “Do you want me to apologize?” The look he gives you nearly makes you falter, nearly buckles your knees.

His eyes are wide and glossy, but you no longer see only his mask. You see the glint behind them, the way he believes he set out bait for you to bite. “No.” You pull away from him, holding your head high.

You narrowly avoid him as he stumbles forward, reaching out again. Though a fist hits him in the jaw. It’s not a powerful punch, it’s also sloppy. However, the punch still sends the drunken suitor stumbling and walking into a tree. You snort as he falls to the ground. There is still a lingering part of you that feels the need to make sure he’s okay but the new you, the Dove who learned what freedom tastes like… turns her back on her brother… No her abuser and turns towards the love that saved her.

Telemachus stares worry in his eyes, and you find yourself wrapped in his arms.

Within these months you’ve met his mother, drifted away from the halls where the suitors lurk, and have begun to learn how to rely on yourself and make decisions for yourself. You tuck a strand of his hair behind his ears and smile.

Penelope taught you what it’s like to feel a mother’s embrace again. She’s extended it to you. If you ever need a place to go, to simply hide away from the suitors, she’d welcome time with you. Sometimes you take her up on that offer, sit and watch her weave. Sometimes you talk to her about Telemachus gushing and embarrassing yourself and she smiles, chuckling and telling you how glad she is that her son has such a loving partner.

She becomes a figure you look up to, a woman of grace and intellect who lets no man pull her down. She is somebody you wish to be like, a role model, a positive one too.

Even though there are stormy days, rough days where you wish to curl up and hide under your covers or fall into old habits, they are minimal compared to the days where you smile, genuine and full of newfound life.

Everything is… good… Life is eventful, and yet you could imagine nothing else. Every horror brought you to him, and so you would change nothing.

Chapter 13 Click here Chapter 15 Click here

#telemachus x reader #epic the musical #dark fic #a light in the dark by cuteplosion

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xo-cuteplosion-xo · 2 months ago

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A Light In The Dark | Telemachus x reader|

Link to Warnings/Both sfw and nsfw masterlists Click here

Chapter Thirteen ~Reconciliation~

The covers are torn away with a harsh yank and you stumble off the bed onto the floor with a thud. You sit up glaring while you check who it is.

“I’m not letting you waste away all day.” You scoff, rubbing your head from the hangover, impacting your senses right now. “You look like you got hit by a carriage and then dropped off a balcony.” His sharp gaze looks you over, and you shrug.

“I thought that was a look you enjoyed.” You bite back, pulling yourself to your feet. He raises a brow.

“Watch it. I’m not doing this to be nice.” He snarls, holding himself tall.

“Yeah, yeah, I know. You’re practically rubbing it in my brother’s face. A giant win over him.” Tossed around like a prize, a thing to be held onto. You sit at your desk running a brush through your hair to try to run the knots out of your hair. “I didn’t stay to watch the fight. Who won?”

Antinous leans against the wall, staring you down. “Do you have to ask that?” He snarls. “You missed the satisfying squeal. He yelps like a woman. Honestly, you and him have that in common.”

“You know, he has a scar on his face that he covers with makeup. It’s an insecurity of his.” Everything is a transaction, every comment, every word. If you’re not fucking him, then you owe him something else. Honestly, you don’t have the energy to even offer yourself right now.

Antinous smirks, adjusting his posture slightly. “Oh? Does he now?” You nod, pulling your hair back from your face. “Scars should be a man’s pride. Any idea why he hides it?”

“Father gave it to him. It was just before we came to the palace. Apparently, he got a woman knocked up. She never had the kid apparently, but father was still livid about it. That was the first and last time I ratted him out to our parents. He’d said something about my mother and I flipped out as any child would. He got father’s hand, cut by a ring pretty deeply.” You shrug at the information spilling from your lips. “He’s got another on his upper left shoulder from me. The first time I met him, I tossed a pot at him, missed, but jabbed him with a shard…”

Antinous raises a brow, walking closer until his shadows cast over you. “You always gave off the impression you were always his little partner in crime. You were a violent kid?”

“Oh, I was a nightmare… It’s why I got into trouble so often with his mother. Besides being living proof of her husband’s infidelity, I was constantly being difficult. For the first year being there I was loud and aggressive… I mean they took me from my mother… Wasn’t till they found out she was dead and told me that I started falling in line, turning to Eury… He was patient with me… Gentle, he never yelled, spoiled me with attention nobody else would give me.” You set the brush down and work on dotting your skin with makeup.

Antinous snorts, running a hand through his hair. “You continue to be entertaining.”

You shadow Antinous most of the day, avoiding suitors and your brother. You can’t wholly avoid him, given he seems intent on trying to fix things. He’s a perfectionist. If you’re out of place, things are perfect. His control on you fell, and now he’s panicked, obsessing over the loose thread.

When your eyes catch Eurymachus slipping from the main hall with a woman, you disappear the opposite way. You find the secret little place you would usually hang around with Telemachus and fall onto your back.

You stare at the sky, letting your eyes drift shut for a moment. You find your muscles relaxing, the tension leaving your body… It feels… Nice. You take a deep breath and then another. This spot is safe, far away from the chaos and confusion of the palace. You’d been stuck in a cycle of fight or flight for days, but right now… You’ve never felt so free.

It’s not hard to fall asleep…

You jolt awake to the feeling of hands slightly shaking your shoulders. You don’t recall what you had been dreaming of, but your heart is racing and your cheeks feel wet with tears. Shaking your head, you clear the sleep from your eyes and look to see who woke you.

Besides you, worry knit across his face is none other than the prince. You open your mouth to speak before snapping it shut. He backs away, staring at you.

The silence speaks volumes about how far apart you two had grown in just a week. “Nightmare?” Telemachus fidgets, speaking his first word to you in weeks.

You shrug, pulling your knees to your chest. “Probably.” You stare at his heart racing. This is the most you’ve said to each other since he said he needed time.

“I’m sorry for overreacting…” Telemachus fidgets, his hands rubbing together as he kneels on the grass. His eyes don’t reach to look at you.

“I…” you trail off, trying to find the right words. “I don’t think you owe me an apology. I hurt you.” You pluck grass from the ground and play with it between your fingers.

Telemachus nods, “you did… But there were… Situational reasons and… I think I know what you meant. What you said before, about having fallen for real.” His cheeks flushed slightly.

Nodding, you shift closer. “I did… You shine like a star in my eyes.”

He flushes, raising his eyes to meet yours. “I can say the same… When you smile, nothing makes me happier.” He moves closer to you and holds out his hand.

You take it and use it to pull yourself closer to him and him closer to you. “I’m sorry… I’m sorry for lying, for deceiving you when you cared about me. I’m sorry for not believing you, for trusting you about Eurymachus… I’m… Sorry.” A fresh river of tears runs down your cheeks as you bury your face into the crook of his neck.

He stiffens before relaxing and wrapping his arms around you. “It’s okay. Really, it’s okay. He was all you had until now. I don’t blame you Y/n. I just hope we can be honest with each other from now on.” You nod, sniffling and crying.

He’s not sure what to do, so he just lets you sob like that while holding you. “I thought you hated me…”

“What? I… I was just processing things. I could never hate you! I… I like you too much for that!” Telemachus squeaks out his response to your sobs.

You nod, pulling back. He wipes away your tears and leans in, kissing you on the cheek. You flush and smile.

This is right… This is nice… There’s no fear of overstepping, no fear of falling in love. You can embrace him.

You’d already been learning to fly, but the moment clips your wings. His hands gently take away the cage you’d been placed in for years. Without him, you’d still be clinging to Eurymachus, desperate for attention and love.

You know he loves you, so you don’t feel the desperate craving to prove it. You don’t feel that transactional feeling nor have that sort of mindset. Sometimes people are just genuinely kind people.

Chapter 12 Click here

Chapter 14 Click here

#telemachus x reader #epic the musical #dark fic #a light in the dark by cuteplosion

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xo-cuteplosion-xo · 2 months ago

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Introduction to my Telemachus x reader fic

I will be using both this and my second account to post

This is also up on A03 (click for link) Links to the master list for SFW version: Click here Links to the master list for NSFW version: Click here

My new blog will have NSFW scenes, this blog will emmit them.

THAT IS NOT TO SAY IT WILL BE LESS TRIGGERING ON THIS BLOG. I will connect this post to EVERY chapter to serve as the TW LIST.

You have been warned

Tw under the cut

If you are reading this on Xo-cuteplosion-xo:

child abuse

implied Child SA

implied sibling on half-sibling SA

Manipulation

physical, mental, and emotional abuse

Implied SA/R@pe

Implied transactional S--

Drinking

Eurymachus is worse here than in series, which may be seen as characterization bc i was to lazy to make an oc suitor chat

If you are reading this on Xo-cuteplosion-xo-2:

child abuse

implied Child SA

implied sibling on half-sibling SA

Manipulation

physical, mental, and emotional abuse

SA/R@pe

Transactional S--

Drinking

Eurymachus is worse here than in series, which may be seen as characterization bc I was too lazy to make an oc suitor chat

#telemachus x reader #dark fic #A Light In The Dark By Cuteplosion #there is fluff #Telemachus does become the knight in shining armor

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xo-cuteplosion-xo · 2 months ago

Text

A Light In The Dark | Telemachus x reader|

Link to Warnings/Both sfw and nsfw masterlists Click here

Chapter Eight ~Sewing Doubt~

You use makeup to hide the bruising, the handprint that didn’t heal overnight… The bruises on your shoulders, the circles under your eyes… The teeth marks on your arms. You’d heard Telemachus outside the door, you know you had…

So why your brother would tell you he hadn’t come to see you is puzzling. Why would he lie to you? Why would he stare you down and lie about Telemachus to you? Your isolation to all except him lasted two days… Two long and excruciatingly painful days.

He’s not cruel to you. He’s never been like this before, so you reason that you pissed him off, truly overstepped a boundary when you deluded yourself with Telemachus…

And yet…

The very day you see him again and he asks about your illness, your chest feels tight… Things feel wrong again. You smile and talk to him.

Breakfasts and then lunches… dinners and walks under the stars. He shines like the brightest star in the sky. He compliments you, pokes you playfully…

You see him smile and can’t help but smile back…

But there’s something different now about how he looks at you.

…

Telemachus isn’t as much of a fool as most make him out to be. He stares at you and knows. It’s not every detail, of course, but he knows. Your eyes are hollow again, devoid of any gleam or shine. You stare off, making a menial effort to come up with conversation yourself if he isn’t leading. He knows something is wrong.

Your smile isn’t lifting to your eyes as much as they should be and so he tries to fix that.

He takes you on walks, tries to make you laugh, but you keep a distance from him. It’s frustrating, and he isn’t sure what he did to make you pull away.

Today he hadn’t seen you at all. He was worried about you. So, he stepped out into the garden and traced your usual spot until he found you with your knees pulled to your chest and your head tucked down.

Your shoulders were shaking… He couldn’t tell if you were crying or just shivering. He stepped towards you with caution, keeping an eye on your comfort. When you lifted his head, he couldn’t help the flicker of anger in his chest. The protective instinct to go hunt down whoever made you look so scrambled.

He kneels down, staring at you…

You look at him with dilating pupils and panic as if this is the worst situation you could have come up with. Then he smells it…The scent of alcohol. Again? He wonders if he’s only noticing it now, because he’s been making an effort to see you as often as he can, instead of only by chance.

You turn away from him, putting your head back down into your arms as you sniffle. You didn’t open your mouth, but he helped you back to your room.

He’d never been inside your room before… But it was messier than he expected. Your bed lacks organization, there are clothes haphazardly tossed around. He eyes the bloodied one’s first… The makeup spread all over your desk and his heart sinks.

His eyes snap back to you, watching the way you curl up in the bed, holding onto your arms. He observes the blurry, distant look as if you’re dissociating.

He frowns and tidies up the room as you stare into space, watching him. He wants to ask, to demand answers, but… He can’t bring himself to say anything. He knows, if you wanted him to know, you would say something. You would have words for him, but you don’t.

He sets all the dirty clothes in a basket, then turns back towards you. He stares at you fondly as he realizes you’re asleep. He steps outside the room, closing the door. He’ll get to the bottom of things, eventually. The more he sees, the more he thinks that damn suitor hits you. It’s not like it’s an uncommon thing in this age. It happens, some people are just cruel enough to use violence instead of words. Your brother always seemed like the words over fists type, though.

He’d be more observant from here on out, looking for bruising that shows through the powder… look for aggression in Eurymachus.

He understands your distance for the next few days.

When you join him for breakfast like nothing happened, your eyes are still hollow, still devoid of light.

Still, he does what he can to try to cheer you up. He gives you gifts, takes you places around the palace.

Until you’re sitting in the garden one day, and he sighs… “Would you… Like to meet my mother?”

You freeze and trail your head to him. It’s odd how he takes that expression as regret, fear, and loneliness, as if you’re begging him to take it back.

Because you are begging him to… Without him noticing, you’ve begun to start putting pieces together. People are capable of kindness.

You’ve just never been enough to anybody to be deemed worthy of their kindness. Antinous gave you free advice. Telemachus continues to show you kindness, even as you try to put distance between yourself and him.

For fuck’s sake, Telemachus cleaned your room and never asked questions. He didn’t question the scent of sex, the blood, the torn clothes or makeup. He doesn’t even treat you differently. All he’s done is keep seeing you for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, reaching out a hand towards you.

If you meet Penelope, it’s a step you can’t recover from… It’s what your brother must be waiting for, and you have no idea what he will make you do once you make contact. He’s lied to you… Eury has been lying about things, and it makes you question what else he’s lied to you about.

Does he even care about you? That’s what you’re thinking about right now. There’s not been one night where you have been alone. Usually you’d be drunk on it, adore his attention, but he’s changed. After your mistake with Telemachus, kissing him, feeling so weird inside about being around the prince, Eurymachus hasn’t given you a night alone. He’s made you bleed over and over even when you beg him, tell him you’re in pain… no matter how many times you apologize to him…

“I don’t think I should…” Your voice is hardly above a whisper as you pause the movements of your fingers in making a basket from straw.

Telemachus frowns as he tries to copy what you’re doing. “Why not?”

“Sometimes I feel like you forget that my brother is a suitor. I adore my brother. It would be a betrayal to see her and not say a word… To find a way into her room when they can’t… I can’t do that. I love you, but I can’t betray my brother’s trust. He’s being so kind, letting me continue to see you despite… Things. You’re a prince, I’m a whore’s daughter.” Your voice falls flat as you resume the making of the basket.

“Oh…” You hear the hurt in his voice, the way he stares at the basket, his hands slowing down and moving with less ambition.

Your heart squeezes in your chest…

“If… You need to talk, her door is always open. Just call out your name. She will open it for you. I know there are things women don’t wanna talk about with men, and maybe you’re worried I’ll think of you differently… So you can talk to her. She won’t tell me. I asked her to keep anything you confide in her with a secret. I’m… Not asking you to go against your brother. It’s just… Nevermind.” The prince stares at the basket as silence washes over the two of you.

—

He continues to see you, spend time with you until you’ve had enough…

Your mind is a train wreck of confusion, and it’s becoming painful to ignore the ache in your chest or the butterflies in your stomach when he’s so kind.

You walk down the halls with the intention of going to your brother, but something stops you. You recall the way his hand wraps around your throat, the way he lectures you, and you take a turn. You stop in front of a door and raise your hand. You drop it thinking this through. Surely he won’t offer free advice again…

“At my door, little Dove?” You spin on your heels to face the suitor. You pause, hesitating and fidgety. “Your brother sent you over?” He raises a brow, pushing past you to open the door to his room.

You stand at the threshold, fidgeting and unsure if you can just walk off. You take a breath in and try to calm your nerves. “Can… Can we talk about something?” Your eyes zero in on the floor, picking out the tiniest details to focus on so your mind doesn’t spiral.

“You’re coming here instead of going to…” His lips curl into a smirk. “Less, it’s something you don’t want to share with the guy. Be my guest. What could be so dire you can’t tell your brother about it?” He props himself up on his desk, letting you sit on the bed.

You close the door behind you and choose to pace a bit. “Swear you won’t run and tell him?” You mumble. Gods, if he so much as finds out you went to Antinous with your feelings, your confusion, he’ll be upset. He’s still upset from before, right? Would he send you home then? Would he really send you back, like he promises he will? Surely not… It… He has to be bluffing.

“I might hold it above you, Dove, but go ratting you out? Why would I do that when I can hang it over your head?” You tilt your head and shrug. It’s good enough. It’s not telling on your wrongs, and he has the right to get something in return for listening.

“What’s love like?” He chokes on his saliva, tensing up as he stares you down.

“Why are we touching this topic? What about this is an unapproachable topic with Eurymachus?” He narrows his eyes, and your heart thuds against your chest.

You sit on the bed and shrug. “Just… Let’s just say I was given a very easy, very simple task… Something I’ve done for years, over, and over, and over again… But this time… I… This time was different? Say my face gets red, I can’t find words, I can’t stand when he looks at me like something is wrong… I feel bad for doing my job, something I’ve done since before Eury took me with him here.” You ramble a bit and catch the way Antinous eyes shadow over.

“I’m going to act as if I am not aware of who you’re talking about and backtrack, since before you got here? I knew you were a whore but as a child.” Even he has standards.

You nod your head but shrug. “Not important right now! It’s normal. If Eury’s mother hadn’t taken me in, I’d have ended up in a brothel, so it’s fine.” You shrug it off and refocus. “This is serious, though! Antin…. Please, how do I stop it? How do I avoid this feeling so I can just get my task done? Eury’s gonna be so upset. I mean, he’s already mad at me.”

Antinous groans. He did not sign up to listen to this bullshit. He pinches the brim of his nose. “What possessed you to think I was going to be good at directing you with that?”

“Just pretend you don’t know who it is!” You huff, crossing your arms over your chest.

“Just go take what you want. Screw what your brother wants, Dove. You really need to start being more selfish.” He runs a hand through his hair, fluffing up the curls as he drops off the desk and steps closer. He grabs your chin. “You’d be a lot more interesting if you’d stop being his obedient dog.” He turns your head to the side, his eyes narrowing on your neck. “Is that his work?”

His finger runs over the fading bruise around your throat. “It’s… Nothing.” You mumble as he releases your chin with a rough shrug. “He’ll get upset if he finds out I’m doing that.”

Antinous groans, running his hand down his face. “Gods, this is why I prefer when you’re not running your mouth. Your obsessiveness over his approval is weird as fuck.” He scoffs, crossing his arms as he leans against his desk. “Just take what you want. He’ll join in the game, be a competitor.” His eyes glint a little with mischief. “You’ve never considered stepping around him? You have the brat tightly wound around your finger. What’s wrong with pursuing the crown? It could make this more interesting, and far less… Boring considering it’s proving fruitless to go after Penelope.” They are actively trying to find ways to force her hand these days.

You pause, staring down at your feet. “I… I don’t think I should…”

“Listen Dove, you can keep using him, do what you do best, please, and stay in the shadows, or you could tell him everything and risk falling back to ground zero. Personally, I say take the third route, take a page from your brother, be a manipulative shit. Play with your brother and the brat. You pursue the throne while acting like you’re fine, like you’re doing what he wants, then stab him in the back. He’d do just that to you, given the chance.” Antinous shrugs, his eyes flashing with danger.

“He would not! Eury gets mad and… And lashes out at me, but he would never hurt me like that! He’s my brother! He cares about me.” You glare, raising your voice only to see Antinous rolling his eyes.

“I almost pity you, Dove. You’re an idiot.” He snickers, crossing his arms.

You stare at him and stand from the bed. “I don’t need to listen to that.” You huff hands digging into your palms. He only makes the doubts in your mind worse… The questions you’ve been asking yourself. “Do I owe you for your time?” You mumble your hand on the doorknob.

“When do you not? Not tonight, though. Luckily for you, I was off with one of the maids before I found you at my door.” You nod and step out the door and down the halls to your room.

You drop onto your bed, grabbing the pillow in your arms, and scream against it. You feel awful, guilty, and messy. How could your mind dare to suggest you doubt your brother? How could you ever think of taking something for yourself when you owe your life to your brother? He’s done nothing but give to you, and now you want to take for yourself? To not return his favors?

You roll side to side on your back.

Antinous seems so sure that Eurymachus doesn’t actually care about you. How could that be, though? He holds you close, pampers you…

And yet his angered expression, the hand rising against you, pops into your mind.

You sit up, wrapping your arms around yourself. He never stepped in against his mother. He never said anything… But didn’t you deserve her anger? You’re a product of her husband’s late night activities. Didn’t you deserve to be treated like that? They let you live in their house, instead of being left to fend for the streets.

Your eyes tear up. He cares… He has to care. Why else would he have taken you here? He got you away from being married as a child… From being sold out by his mother in order to ‘pay back the debt you owe her’. He took you to the palace and asked for little except for your compliance and aid.

What right do you have to struggle against this? You’ve gotten so much in life that you never should have gotten. You were given a family, a roof over your head, food, and a brother who would never let anybody take you away.

You’re his sister… He’s your brother. He’s always doted on you. You came to his house when you were six.

Your father took you there, didn’t let you suffer any further. Eury was always around a corner with a snack, a smile, or pleading for you to do something for him. Sometimes he asked you to get him his mother’s coin purse, other times he needed you to distract his parents for a few hours.

He always came home with a smile, head pats, hugs, even affectionate kisses to your temple. He was your anchor. If you needed something you knew to go to him, ask and do whatever he needed you to do in return.

This has always been what you expected of him, transactions. The actions behind closed doors came to something you expected a few years after you got to the palace. You don’t see a problem with it, though. It’s affection. He’s just showing you affection or giving you a way he can forgive you. It’s not…

He cares for you. He does… He…

You hiccup, pulling a blanket over yourself, cocooning yourself in it. Why does everybody think things are so wrong?

Telemachus stares as if he has the right to pity you, to think there is anything abnormal about your life… Antinous pities you, tells you your brother doesn’t care about you. Tears fall down your cheeks.

They are getting to you and it’s wrong. It feels so wrong to doubt him… Your heart feels constricted, your blood rushes cold in your veins. It's like you can see the hurt expression in his eyes that acts as a lid on his fury. Eury would surely toss you back home if he thought you were doubting his sincerity.

There’s an idea that slips into your mind…

It’s a horrible idea, a very crappy idea. But… If Telemachus is the neutral party… If he loves you, why would he lie? You’ll come clean, tell him what started and what became of it… Tell him why you can’t be obvious… You hope and pray to any god willing to listen that he will let you stay.

If he pushes you away… Then… Then Eury was right, and everybody else was trying to pull you from the only person who would ever care about you.

Chapter 7 Click here

Chapter 9 Click here SFW version (still mind the TW) Chapter 9 Click here NSFW/TW HEAVY (FR MIND THE WARNING)

#telemachus x reader #a light in the dark by cuteplosion #epic the musical #dark fic

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xo-cuteplosion-xo-2 · 1 month ago

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A Light In The Dark | Telemachus x reader|

Link to Warnings/Both sfw and nsfw masterlists Click here

Chapter Eighteen ~Bad End~

TW: SA, Infant murder, it's dark as per all my bad end

There must be something you can do… There has to be something. You think about the letters that had been mentioned and guilt consumes your breaths. You sit at your desk and begin to fill the lines with words. Your handwriting is atrocious. You never had time to master it perfectly. Eurymachus has taught you just enough to satisfy what he envisioned.

You write a warning and even make a small picture in case he can’t read the words you rush to blot on the paper. You have no idea how far he is… If there were lettering being sent in you'd simply sit and watch to see who was delivering them to your mother, or to Eurymachus for that matter. Then you’d find a way to send this out.

Your fingers roll the scroll up and drip wax over it to create a seal. You have nothing fancy for the seal so it stands as just a blob of wax from the candle in your room. You sigh standing up when the paper is plucked away from your fingers. “Now what are you doing?” Antinous dangles the scroll from his fingers. “If you’re going to eavesdrop you should be silent.” He steps over to the candle.

Lowering the scroll towards the fire you watch as it’s engulfed in flames. “You… You didn’t even look at it!” You hiss grabbing what ink you have left and the paper on your desk and holding it close.

“No but I do know you were outside the door, eavesdropping, Dove. So I wonder what something addressed to the prince could possibly be about.” He steps closer with every word until he is hovering above you. He forces the ink out of your hands. The glass shatters as it falls to the floor spilling everywhere. He takes the paper and crumples it, burning it. He doesn’t care for waist, just that he removes any chance you may have with communicating elsewhere.

You stand there helpless against him. He sighs leaving the room. You waist for a moment then try to push it open. A weight keeps it from opening. “Let me out! You… You bitch!” You curse backing up and running at the door to try and make it budge.

You lose track of just how many times you run and slam your body against the door before it opens just before you make contact with it. You stumble forward as somebody grabs you. You push away from the familiar chest. “Eury, let go. Don’t do this.” You looked towards antinous. You stare at his back as he walks away down the hall.

You hit Eurymachus on the chest and drop your weight to the floor but he persists dragging you off. He tosses you into his room and closes the door. “Please… Eury… Let’s talk about this. I am begging you right now.”

He rolls his eyes as he grabs your chin in his hands. “Perhaps I would have listened to my sister if she’d begged to keep spoils from the war. But the woman in front of me is but the child of my father's whore.” He roughly tosses you aside. His foot comes into contact with your ribs, once, twice… Over and over again until you’re shaking and struggling to breathe. You curl up wrapping your arms over your head.

“Stop… Please… Eury… Stop it… Stop…” Over and over your lips tremble with please. Blood rises in your throat and you cough it up. He pauses and reaches for your hair tangling his fingers in it. He yanks you back to sitting bringing his face close to yours.

“Beg, at my feet.” He forces your head down smacking your nose against the cold floor.

“I’m sorry… Eury I’m sorry. Please, brother, I’m sorry. Don’t take him from me. I am begging you not to do this. I’ll never speak up again. I’ve learned my lesson so please… Just let him live.” You sob tears mixing with the blood running from your lips and nose.

He waits for a moment as if debating your plea. “Apology declined.” He releases your hair and steps over you headed towards his desk. He pulls metal chains from his desk, spinning them around in his hands. “Never thought the things I got for myself would come in handy outside sex.” He sighs, grabbing your wrist.

You tug, or do your best as the chains are wound around your wrists and attached to his bedpost. He grabs your chin in his fingers and sighs. You glare and react trying to bite him. You manage it but your head whips to the side when he retaliates. “You’re a monster.”

“A man with ambition.” He smirks, turning on his heels and leaving the room. He locks the door behind him with an audible click.

You try to turn, try to loosen the chains at all but end up achieving nothing. You refuse to give up and push your legs against the bed and push trying to snap the chains or the bed.

Nothing.

The door opens again while you're tangling and tugging the chains as you think of anything and everything to try. “You’ll hurt yourself further. Or I'll have to hurt you myself. I’d rather not do that right now.” He sets down a tray of food then sits on his bed. You push the food away. He sighs, shaking his head. “I will force feed you.”

Disgusted with the suggestion you shove a few bites down your throat and lay down the best you can with how little movement you have. He reaches down and ruffles your hair as if you’re some sort of pet.

You wait until he’s asleep and reaches around. You manage to get yourself on the bed. You hold the chain in hand and start trying to wrap it around his neck. You’ve never killed a person before but if that’s your only way out of this…

He flips you beneath him immediately. “I promised Antinous I wouldn’t soil his bride further but… if I'm to share my future wife, he shouldn’t mind.” He whispers into your ear, his hands wrapping around your throat. “I’ve been too busy to pull a maid aside…” He snarls running one hand from your throat to the edges of your chiton. He drops his head to the crook of your neck. “However, I am not too keen on breaking more ribs.” He shoves you away roughly. The chains jerk your arms back as you hit the floor. You yelp moving so they don’t pull as painfully.

Days pass like this…

He never leaves you for too long. It’s as if he’s afraid you'll screw his plan up.

Today he’s been gone for longer than usual. He left early this morning and from the dimming light out the window it’s almost night.

You stare at the door with the sound of footsteps approaching. The door opens slowly and you catch a glimpse of Antinous outside the room. You stare at your brother and the triumphant look in his eyes… Then the bandage around his arm and peeking from beneath his tunic. You freeze your eyes pleading with him when you note the gold on his finger… The claw marks along his cheek no doubt from a woman's struggle. He pulls the chains and you. He releases their hold on you with a sigh.

He grabs your wrist before you can take off. He drags you along out of his room. You glance at Antinous who looks as if he thinks he’s giving you a blessing. “You can thank Antinous for insisting you be allowed a room to yourself.” Eurymachus scoffs, dragging you along with Antinous trailing behind.

He tosses you onto the floor of your room carelessly. He tosses something to Antinous and the man catches it with a cocky smirk. “I left my wedding gift on the desk.”

Wedding… Gift? “What? Eury… When? Why?” You stumble onto your feet ignoring the silver platter on your desk.

He does not respond to you. He shuts the door as he leaves. Your heart sinks to your stomach… Maybe you should have stayed for the rest of their conversation. He walks towards you and you take a step back. He rolls his eyes and you narrow yours.

He grabs your wrist and pulls you towards him. You pull and struggle, drop your weight, do everything you can think of. He slides a band around your finger then releases you. With a heavy glare you reach to take it off. He sighs, grabbing your hand and forcibly locking your fingers with his. “Where’s Telemachus?” You whisper chest rising and falling in stuttered intervals.

Antinous scoffs pushing you back towards your bed. When your back hits the mattress, you squirm, fighting against his strength even if it is worthless to try. He uses the thin material of a blanket to secure your wrists for the time being. As you work your way out of the binding he looks around the room. He finds a sash and replaces the sheet just as you wiggle free. He nearly cuts off the circulation with his ornate knots. He doesn’t say much for a bit sitting on the edge of the bed. “You know it was your choice, right?” He grabs the top of the platter slowly pulling it up.

As hard as it had been to light the flame that consumed the dark… Extinguishing it was easy. Your eyes stared at the empty blue eyes that no longer looked like a sunny day but a cloudy afternoon right before a rain. You tug, shaking your head as the tears begin to flow.

Antinous spins his knife in his hand as he approaches you. Stitch by stitch the cloth comes undone. His hand travels to your throat silencing your screaming. Your vision blurs and he lets go letting you get three deep breaths before his fingers are digging into your throat once again. You sob trying to get air through your lungs as he suffocates you. He drops his tunic and climbs over you.

He leans over your body, keeping one hand around your throat, letting your breath and then suffocating you again. He leans down to trail his tongue over your cheek, licking away the tears. You cringe and squirm. Your heart hammers in your chest. He doesn’t let you mourn, gives you no time to accept fate as it is. The hand that isn’t around your throat descends towards your breast where he pinches your nipple between his fingers. He’s memorized your body by now, knows all the little tricks that will have you coming undone for him. He nips at your ear with a husky groan. “You know, I like it when you cry.”

You try to glare through the twisted things you feel. He palms your breast squeezing and squishing it with his hand then pinching and rubbing the nipple. His mouth runs from your ear down to your collarbone where he sinks his teeth into your skin. He releases your throat so you can breathe and because he wants to hear you moan as he fucks you in front of the prince’s head. A true testament of disrespect. He won. The suitors won.

His mouth sucks and leaves marks wherever it touches on its journey to your chest. He takes his other hand and uses it to massage the flesh on your thighs. You hate the way he coaxes small whines from your lips. You hate the way he knows your body.

Antinous bites your nipple while pinching the other. You shudder, wincing in pain and a twisted sense of pleasure. He pushes your legs apart trailing his fingers between your legs. He finds your clit and presses his thumb against it. Slowly he runs circles around it all while giving attention to the tit his mouth wasn’t on before. Your sobs begin to sound more like broken moans as he continues. He begins to flick, rub, and press the nerve bundle in a pattern which only makes it harder to keep down the sounds he desperately wishes to hear.

His fingers slip away just as your breathing becomes erratic, your tears at an all time high. He brings his fingers up to your view, sticky with your fluids. “You know I’m good at this Dove.” He hums, licking his fingers clean as he places his hands on your thighs pushing them back. He lines up and for once he’s slow on the way in. His face tense as he holds himself back from pistoning inside and snapping back.

He bottoms out with a grunt and waits a few seconds before he pulls back slowly. You try to keep your mouth shut but fail to do so. His hips move faster with every steady jolt of his hips. He dips his head to your shoulder running his tongue along his previous marks before he begins to make more.

He watches your expressions and when you don’t look like your fucked out enough he increases the force of his thrusts. He watches your eyes widen, more tears spilling as your tits shake from the impact. The bed creaks beneath his ministrations and he cocks a smirk. “I am going to fill you, every inch of you.” He grunts, his thrusts getting shakier, sloppier. “Fuck, Dove… You’re taking it better than expected.”

He runs his tongue up your neck again as he thrusts up and into you. He grunts muttering a string of curses and your name as he cums inside. He takes a few breaths before he slides out of you He adjusts you, not caring for the winces of pain you suffer as the silk forces your arms into an uncomfortable position. He sits underneath you, hands digging into your hips. He forces you to sit on him and he groans, closing his eyes as he thrusts up into you and forces you to bounce. He opens his eyes to look at the view, to watch the tears streaming down your face, hands pinned behind you and eyes trying to be anywhere but him. He grunts hiding small whimpers as he has you ride him.

He plays with your nipples and uses both his hands and mouth to explore your body until you’re coming undone moaning as your walls flutter, milking him. He tilts his head back.. “Fuck!” He hisses pushing you back down to your back dragging your arms above your head. He pushes your legs back just as he shudders. He rides out the high inside you then refuses to budge. He wants to see his come dripping out as he fucks you…. Wants to hear it squelch as he fucks it deep into your womb. The thought alone stiffens him up again.

He ignores you pained hisses as he pushes your knees to your chest. He holds your legs there as he starts moving again. He ignores your sloppy pleas for him to stop. He’s gone a full month without fucking anybody just to make sure he’d be pent up for this, make sure he could fuck you enough times to drive you stupid and fill you up to where he can see the evidence of it.

Your eyes are getting hazy but he’s far from done. “Look at that expression~ You’re a whore, just admit you like it. Getting fucked like this. You know he’d never be able to make you cum so many times… Fuck he’d never have lasted this long either.” He slows his thrusts aiming for that sweet spot. You arch singing his praises with your moans even as you continue to sob.

He pulls back slowly but rams in with force sending jolts of pain through your body that warp into pleasure as he hits the same place over and over until you're shaking and panting. He follows close behind and drops your legs over his shoulder. “You look pathetic right now… I doubt you can even understand my words… You’re drooling.” He smirks, wiping his thumb over your lip.

He’s right though, your mind is fuzzy, every touch feels heightened and uncomfortable. Yet he still finds a way to keep going. He pulls the silk from your wrist and you let them fall limply. You're too exhausted to move let alone fight him.

Smirking, he flips you onto your stomach and forces your ass up. He leans over you pulling out just to slam back in. He licks his lips as he watches a few droplets of cum leak from your swelling pussy. He chuckles reaching to rub your clit with one hand while keeping you where he wants with the other. “Fucking sloppy mess. All because of me. Fuck that’s a good wife… Just stay like that… Fuck how are you still this tight?” Swollen from how long he’s been pistoning his cock inside your walls. He knows that if he keeps going you’ll probably bleed but that would honestly probably look pretty trailing down your thighs mixed in with the several loads of his and your cum. The squelch is vile to your ears but he tilts his head back as he rocs into you from behind. Your weak moans, throat growing too sore to continue only spurs him on further.

His breathing stutters as he curses under his breath. He pulls you back as he unloads. He pulls out, flipping you onto your back. He pushes your legs back and smirks, nodding to himself. There… His cum drips from your pussy but he pulls you down so your hips are higher than your head. He uses his fingers to fuck the cum back in. He doesn’t stop until your walls tighten on his fingers and you spasm. He glances at your expression and snickers when he finds you struggling to keep your eyes open. He removes his fingers and forces them between your lips.

As if it's an instinct you suck licking them clean. “Slut…” he pulls his fingers away from your mouth and tucks your head behind your ears. He slowly pushes himself in but drops on top of your body. “You have until I wake up to sleep, Dove.” a promise of more to come. He’s going to ensure he leaves his mark, that your stomach will swell with his creation. He’ll leave you to do what you wish and he’ll use the maids as he needs once you're carrying his offspring.

He falls asleep buried inside and you can’t force yourself to stay awake.

You wake up, eyes flying wide. “Antinous… Please… It hurts…” You push at his chest and he takes your wrists in his hand.

“I’ll leave you alone just… After this.” He grunts his head resting on your shoulder.

You grimace sore and in pain… He doesn’t seem to care as he continues to push in and out of you, his breathing heavy and ragged.

You tear up again digging your nails into the back of his hand as he keeps them above your head.

His thrusts falter his hips moving erratically before he grunts hiding a breathing whine. He pulls out and grabs his tunic. He stares at you for a moment as if debating something. He shakes his head as he dresses himself and leaves you on the bed. You roll onto your side pulling your legs to your chest.

This is nothing in all honesty… Eury has done worse to your internals.

It’s not horrid… Though you miss Telemachus. You have freedom to roam the halls… And you do. You sneak to find Penelope on occasion but always end up barred from approaching. Eurymachus typically has you dragged back to your room or back to Antinous.

In your exploring you manage to find Telemachus’ room. You begin spending most of your days there crying or losing yourself in memories.

It took a few months before you learned about the child and that… was your last straw. You don't know if you had been holding out for Penelope who’d not just lost a son but her husband that day or if you wanted to show that they wouldn’t break you again.

You sniffled sitting in your room tying a rope to a stone and then fastening it around your throat. You hummed to yourself… You stare at the ring on your finger and sob some more until your tears become waterfalls…

Before you could carry through with anything you were restrained, knocked out and woke up to rope around your wrists preventing you from getting very far.

From that point on you lived and walked in hell. The freedom you had was gone, if you wanted out you had to ask, you had to be with somebody strong enough to restrain you should you do anything. Antinous rarely left you alone, rarely took his eyes off you.

The child you gave birth to hurt your very soul. You know what it’s like to have a mother who stares with disdain who looks at you like you’re a mistake and you would never have wanted your child to experience that. But how are you supposed to fall in love with a child born of your pain?

You couldn’t…

Holding him, an infant who’d done nothing wrong… You couldn’t love him. All you could see were the eyes of the monster who fathered him… Your child should have belonged to Telemachus. He should have been Telmachus’ child. This was all wrong, all of it. You wanted to adore him. Part of him was yours. He was a part of you. You carried him for nine months, spent hours in labor.

You swallow asking the gods to forgive you for what you are about to do. You close the infant's eyes and while the only person in the room, the midwife, has her back turned, you ram the child's head against the wall hard enough you can stare at the blood… it still cries as if the first hit wasn’t enough. You have the nursemaid's attention but before she can grab the infant you hit it again. You stare at the blood covering your fingers and how the infant stills in your arms.You still feel nothing, just disgust looking at its face.

You had never taken a life before this. You had never thought about ending a life besides your own. Whatever had been left of you snapped in that moment as the midwife screamed… You paid no mind to the chaos in the room around you. The desperation of the midwife trying to find life in the infant's eyes.

It’s wrong, you know it is but seeing Antinous standing there his hands curled in fists, pupils dilated, and mouth parted brought on a sick sense of satisfaction. He was hurting and you loved that. For every bit of pain when they ripped away your light and tore out your heart you wanted it doubled. You wanted him to feel everything you had felt. This was merely fair, everything that happens is their fault, they brought it to themselves. You would never let them have what they wanted.

“Why?” You focus back into the world around you and shrug. Yes he left you alone for the most part but that night is imprinted in your mind… Fucking you raw in front of the head of the only man who’d warmed your heart, who’d saved you… Become the candle swallowing the shadows.

“It looked like you.” You hold his gaze as he searches your face, looks at you as if you’re the monster.

How could a mother do something like that? Perhaps you finally understood why that woman hated you so much. Why she adored your half brother but despised you with every thought she could muster. It’s different but the same right?

You were a whore’s child, the daughter of a woman your father had been fucking on the side. That thing would have been born of a man you didn’t love, brought to conception before the head of a man you loved. Both you and that child were brought in at the expense of suffering. You must have made that woman feel like this, like your heart was being shredded into.

You trail your eyes towards the man standing in the doorway. He looks aged since the last time you had seen him. You hold your head high as you stare your older “brother” in the eyes. He looks between the dead infant, Antinous, the wall, your hands, then your face. It’s like he’s struggling for words.

Sick pride fills your chest. To find a way to silence him, to shock him into a wordless moment, is something you’ve never achieved before. Where’s his little perfect act? “You…” Did he really think you'd just sit back like you used to?

Perhaps if you hadn’t fallen in love with Telemachus this would have been another day in your life. If you had not learned what it felt like to be loved this would have been like a blessing. The idea of a child who would smile and laugh reaching up with their tiny little hands… That’s not how things ended though. You fell in love, learned what it felt like to be loved.

“Cat got your tongue Eurymachus?” You don’t flinch when he strikes you.

Even if it was from your body that child would have been his niece even if he never considered you a sister but a tool that child would have shared a sliver of his blood. Considering how fruitless efforts have been with Penelope things were looking grim. “You are such an ungrateful bitch. You should see yourself, looking the way my mother looked at you.” His words a venomous bite at you to hide away the disgust intertwined with his shock.

“Wow really?” Your voice drips with sarcasm incapable of feeling much of anything else.

Eurymachus snarls, raising his hand again. It’s yanked away as Antinous recovers from whatever shock he’d been in. “We’ll just have more.”

“I’ll get rid of those too. I will find a way. No matter what you come up with I’ll find a way around it.” You snap, pulling yourself to the corner of your bed.

“It’s an infant, how can you feel nothing at all?” Antinous has never been one to reason, but he’d waited nine months, watching your stomach grow… Anticipating the child. And you… Killed it before he could so much as hold his son. You bashes its skull in, a quick and efficient death.

With a shrug you stare at the small bloody print on the wall. “I tried to… But how could I care about a thing that’s a constant reminder of this nightmare? I saw it, hated it, killed it. Is it much different than you killing a prince just to take his kingdom? Then you force yourself through over… And over again with his head displayed like a trophy?” You speak blankly as the capacity for feeling fades away with whatever you had been clinging to.

“That’s not… He was an infant. Our child. Even if you despise me he was also a part of you.” You can tell if his voice raises and cracks in pain or anger… The way he avoids staring at your hands, sticky with the infant's blood, and the wall, stained with his child's blood.

“It never would have been loved so I got rid of it.” You respond cold and uncaring for your “husband's” pain. His eyes shimmer with an emotion you’ve never seen before.

He opens his mouth before grabbing Eurymachus and dragging him out of the room. You caught the faint hisses of shouting, arguing, possibly a physical fight and simply found your lips falling into a soft smile. Maybe they would kill one another over this.

You didn’t see him again after that. You spent most of your days locked in your room staring out over the balcony sowing or talking as if your heart still existed in this world.

It took over a year for him to step into the room again. He said nothing, didn’t stay longer than a minute. The maid he uses to keep an eye on you claims he had vomited the second he left the room that day. He never showed up again.

Time and time again you’d try to fall off the balcony, suffocate yourself, bang your head against the wall… Every time something got in your way and every time you lost more freedoms until there were eyes on you at every hour of the day no matter what you were doing.

Eventually you’d find a way and reach him in death but for now… You’ll occupy your time spent waiting for death to happen. You don’t eat unless it’s forced down your throat. You are dead in all sense besides physically. You have no tears left to cry, no place left to speak, no words left to scream. You are just a body waiting to die. He’ll wait for you on the other side of that ferry. That is the only thought that covers your mind these days.

One day you’ll see him again.

Chapter 17 Click here

Chapter 19 (Final in progress)

#telemachus x reader #epic the musical #smut #a light in the dark by cuteplosion

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xo-cuteplosion-xo · 1 month ago

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A Light In The Dark | Telemachus x reader|

Link to Warnings/Both sfw and nsfw masterlists Click here

Chapter Seventeen ~Plans~

Telemachus sighed, staring out over the boat, watching the water sparkle from the sun. He stared off, dreamingly thinking about a certain woman. He turned around, leaning backwards over the railing. He knows that sending a letter out would be hard, but that’s what a pigeon is for. He even had one trained just to come back to him in case there was one written, but the clever bird returns empty-clawed every day.

“Keep leaning like that, and you’re gonna go overboard, captain.” Telemachus glances towards a crewmate and shrugs.

“I haven’t heard anything back… I send her letters daily and I know there is an ocean until the eye can see separating us, but… You would think I’d get at least one letter, right? It’s been months.” Telemachus sailed out without a word months ago. He’d left her a letter, a long and apologetic letter telling her he’d come home, be back to sweep her off her feet… Then he sent her updates every day, he’d sit and write, hand it off to a bird and then stare at the sky for hours when he wasn’t actively working on trying to uncover what he can about his father.

Letter after letter and not a single response.

He was beginning to think that… Perhaps she’d forgotten about him.

He spent the first few months staring out love in his eyes, mumbling about her.

The next few months after that, he wondered if his letters were getting lost, but then he got a letter from his mother and he began to sink into worry.

What if she wasn’t able to write back because of something? What if she’s being bothered by the suitors? There’s just far too much for him to worry about.

Eventually, that worry began to sink the longer he waited. He’d ask in his letter to his mother about her and sometimes he’d find a stroke of the ink that seemed off, but he was always told she was doing okay. Which only continues to sink his heart further and further…

Perhaps she no longer wanted him or needed him… It’s alright… He’s coming home, he’ll be home in a few days. He’ll talk to her then…

~~~

It’s been a few days since Antinous last saw the Dove. Which is stressful. He had grown to expect seeing her on the nights he grew bored with the maids. She’d let him try anything he wanted. An easy and pleasurable experience, really.

He pauses in front of her door before he hears muffled sobbing. He groans, entering the room. “Sobbing over the prince still?”

She sits up, rubbing the tears from her eyes. “I don’t want to fuck you right now…” Her voice is hoarse, cracked and split.

Antinous shrugs, leaning against the wall, cocky and uncaring. “That’s not from me.” his eyes zero in on the bruising around her throat, the bites on her shoulder. It’s not that he cares if she’s been whoring around… It’s more or less that he’d prefer it be him getting to push her under.

“I ran into a group… Eury didn’t do anything… Watched and then cleaned me up. Just… Pointed out the situation…” Her words are short and to the point. Antinous runs a hand through his hair.

He leaves the room, storming down the hall. He’s a bit surprised to find Eurymachus alone sitting at his desk sipping wine. “I was wondering when you would-” Antinous cuts the man off, tossing him out of the chair and to a wall.

The man narrows his eyes, getting to his feet, only for the larger of the two to grab his shoulders and pull him to his knee. A gasp leaves Eurymachus’ throat spit, forcing its way through his lips. He stumbles back, opening his mouth only for his head to swing to the side. He spits blood from his lips. He stumbles to lean against his bedroom’s wall. “Will you reign in your temper for a moment, Antinous? I haven’t touched your little fucktoy.” He runs a hand through his hair, emerald eyes narrowed into tight slits as he wipes blood from his lip.

Antinous pauses, giving him a second. “You have until I count to sixty.” He snarls, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I have been carefully organizing everything. Burning and altering letters, keeping an eye on the prince’s progress. He’ll be home soon.” Eurymachus coughs, trying to clear the taste of copper from his mouth. “We could kill him.”

“Now, why would I help you get the upper hand on the throne?” Antinous snarls, taking a step closer.

“You just want the power, the riches, the status. You’d be horrible as king, all that work, keeping the people happy, keeping enemies at bay. Do you truly want that?” Eurymachus straightens up, still pushing against the wall. Seeing Antinous shrug, he continues. “You can have the power, the wealth. I get Penelope’s hand and deal with all the responsibilities.”

“Still a disadvantage on my part if I go along with this.” Antinous stares down at Eurymachus.

The smaller man smirks, his eyes glinting with ideas. “My sister’s hand. You’d technically still be royalty. You would be considered my equal. Get to fuck her whenever you want.”

Antinous pauses, his hand coming up to run through his hair. “You are probably the world’s worst brother. She’ll hate you for this.” He couldn’t care less about how she feels about him, but he knows Eurymachus is a control freak.

“She’s played her role.” Eurymachus shrugs, lowering himself back to his desk. “And to remind you, I do not consider that thing my sister. I never have. We share a father, not a mother. She’s some whores child. She got this far because she was useful to me.”

Antinous scoffs, “and so you discard the tool when you’re done with it. Handing it to me. How generous.”

“Don’t act as if you’re not hard just thinking about what you could do. It’s a miracle she’s never ended up pregnant with how often I had her fucking people.” Eurymachus shrugs, picking up his quill.

“One small condition, you’ll share at least once.” Antinous turns his head back to the man who grumbles under his breath before he replies.

“Sure, you can even have your run through her before I force her to marry me.” Satisfied, Antinous turns and leaves the room.

Chapter 16 Click here Chapter 18 SFW (Click here) NSFW (Click here)

#telemachus x reader #epic the musical #dark fic #a light in the dark by cuteplosion

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xo-cuteplosion-xo · 1 month ago

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A Light In The Dark | Telemachus x reader|

Link to Warnings/Both sfw and nsfw masterlists Click here

Chapter Sixteen ~Living Nightmare~

The palace has been surprisingly uneventful…

That could also just be because you’ve been intent on staying in, hiding in your room, unless you’re seeking out a drink. You avoid the suitors just to make sure you avoid your brother. You wait and wait… but there is never any word from the prince. You ask every day if a letter has arrived, if there has been any word, but there is nothing… nothing at all.

You hold on hope, notice that there are occasional letters addressed to Penelope, but nothing to you.

Day by day, it becomes more obvious there will never be news that is addressed to you. Every day you retreat back to your room, hanging your head and sitting staring at the ceiling. Left… Abandoned? He sends word to his mother and nothing to you. Why would he do that if he hadn’t left you behind?

Slowly, the hope begins to fizzle as the days start to fade together, a blur of waiting… You’re not sure how Penelope lasts so long with nothing from her husband. You wait and wait, and nothing helps.

Memories of childhood fill your head again, and wine seems a freeing way to spend your empty nights. You miss him… You miss the way he smiles, the way he’d hold you… His gentle words.

You fill your chalice until you drain what you have in the pitcher. It’s late, too late to wander off, but one glass isn’t going to keep your dreams silent. It’s not going to wave the pins of doubt, impaling every blanket of hope you may still have.

You stand with the pitcher in your hand headed towards the kitchen hall. You hold your breath. It’s late, but perhaps it’s far too late for the suitors to still be awake.

You keep your head down as you walk. The halls are clear up until you reach the last turn. You pause at the sound of slurred voices. “Antinous always takes back the best ones. When’s he gonna share a maid or two…”

You pause, staring at the four figures in the hall. You turn around, deciding you’d rather put up with the nightmares and the sleepless night than try to find a way around them. You take a step and the conversation behind you pauses. “Is that who I think it is?” shit. You internally think to yourself and keep your back to the suitors.

You debate running but you stay put, heart hammering in your chest. “Shit, Eurymachus, thought you said she was being a bitch and sticking to her room…”

“I figured she’d be with Antinous.” You make the mistake of looking behind you for the sight of an emerald. He leans against a wall, arm around a maid, his other hand bringing his chalice to his lip.

He stares at you with nothing. Cold and disinterested. “Antinous has better toys to play with.” The male shrugs, tipping the chalice towards the woman leaning on him. You take a small step back. “I think she’s been lonely without the prince. Finally had enough of waiting for a man?” Maybe he’ll grip those stings again today.

You narrow your eyes to keep a lid on the fear running through your veins. “Wonder how much it would take to make her talk.” One of the men steps closer. “You’ve gotta know some stuff, right hun? Something about the prince, where he’s at, when he’ll be back… Or maybe something about Penelope. Aren’t you supposed to be on our side, anyway?”

This is where you’d expect Eurymachus to step in. Not because he cares, but because why would he let anybody touch something of his without paying up? You’d once thought he stepped in out of care, because that’s what a brother does, but it’s not.

He doesn’t budge. In fact, he turns towards the maid and shoves his tongue down her throat. You turn to run, but your arm is grabbed and tugged back.

You kick and plead, scratch and do what you can, but he only glances at you. “I only promised not to lay a hand on you.” That’s all he has to say. He looks down over the brim of his nose. His eyes glaring down at you.

“I’m sorry… Eury, please tell them to get off…” You wince when the weight of one straddles over your back, pushing you flat on your stomach.

He scoffs as if you’re an annoyance, getting in the way of his moment. “I’m busy if you can’t see.” His hand grabs the maid’s ass, his hips grinding into her. “That was also the emptiest plea you’ve ever given me.”

You had no expectations of him, but somehow this still left you hurt.

The hands roam, your voice falls into muffled screams and sobs, the world leaves your focus as you try to force yourself to be anywhere else but present.

You lay on the ground panting…

You snap back into reality and glance over your shoulder as you listen to humming. “Thought we lost you for a moment there.” You narrow your eyes at him, but the effort it takes to be angry proves to be too consuming. “You know...” His fingers dance down your back, running over scratches rubbing in oil. It’s a gentle touch… “I heard the prince left you without a word. I did warn you, didn’t I?” He takes your hair and runs his fingers through it.

Your eyes water, your heart racing in your chest. “He’ll be back…” Your voice breaks…

“But not for you. The maids whisper, you know. They say Penelope receives letters, detailed letters about everything… And yet here you are… With nothing.” He shakes his head as he stands and pats your head. “Yet, here I am after everything you’ve done treating your wounds, doting on you.” He grabs your chin between his fingers and sighs. “You really are blind and ungrateful.”

You push away his hand and he scoffs. “Rot.” You spit, wiping the tears from your eyes. You’re not going to sink into his words, his tricks. This is all a play to get what he wants. Control.

“It amazes me how you still insist on choosing to be alone. What happened tonight was avoidable… But if you insist… Who’s to say I’ll be here to clean up the mess next time?” He drops your chin and wipes his hands clean.

You stare at the floor of his room and then stand on shaking legs. Pain shoots up your ankle. Your eyes widen as you fall back on the bed.

Eurymachus looks at you with a reflection of pity in his gaze. “Poor thing… I don’t recommend trying to walk. I’ll carry you back to your room if you ask.”

“I hate you.” You hiss, staring at the swelling of your ankle.

Eurymachus takes a deep breath as he pours a glass of wine. He hands it off to you. “A peace offering. Since my most useful partner in this game of chase for the throne has taken such an odd liking to what you offer him… Shall we agree to be civil, sister?” You knock the chalice out of his hand and he raises his hand before taking a step back. He picks up the chalice. “Shall I get on my knees? Plead with you?” He’s shameless. There is nothing he won’t do to get back his control of the situation.

You shake your head, but he’s already on his knees, hands cupping your injured ankle.

“Let’s forget about what happened. I won’t hold it against you. You won’t be alone. I’ll be there to keep them from laying a hand on you. He’s gone, left you N/n. He leaves you with nothing.” He runs his hands over the injured, kneading the skin as if he’s attempting to soothe it. “You need me. Admit it.”

You shake your head again and kick him as your tears fill your view.

“Then I guess I can just leave you outside my room in the middle of the hall… If you won’t see me as your brother, why should I care about you… I imagine they would love to finish what they started.” Your body tenses and you hand your head.

“You’re…” you grit your teeth and nod.

“That’s a good little sister.” He pats you on the head as he stands. He wraps you in a blanket, then carries you down to your room.

The moment he leaves you alone, you curl up and sob…

Chapter 15 Click here

Chapter 17 Click here

#telemachus x reader #epic the musical #dark fic #a light in the dark by cuteplosion

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xo-cuteplosion-xo · 1 month ago

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A Light In The Dark | Telemachus x reader|

Link to Warnings/Both sfw and nsfw masterlists Click here

Chapter Fifteen ~Left Behind~

The sun did not peek over the thick blanket of clouds that morning… you were not awoken by a knock at your door, or by the cheerful voice of your lover.

Instead, the door to your room creaked open, and a maid set down a tray on your desk. You rub the sleep from your eyes and lazily throw the covers away. Your hands grab the letter laying on the tray. It’s from Telemachus. “Did he have something to do today?” You look at the maid and she says nothing, just stands there like a wax figure. “Fine, then, don’t answer me.” You scoff, shaking your head. You grab a small letter opener from your desk and peel the paper open.

You stare at it for a while…

Your stomach drops, your heart clenching in your chest. “What?” The word slips from your lips as you scan the paper. It’s too short, way too short to be from him and yet… it’s his handwriting, his style of writing. You look for any sign this isn’t from him, that it’s some misguided trick, but you find nothing inside the letter to tell you it’s from another.

Telemachus left alone last night. He’d left you in this palace… left you. And in his absence, he wrote a brief and rather cold letter. It leaves no room for doubt or consideration. He had left you with nothing. He does not apologize for the short notice, leaving you alone, nor does he give details. I have left to search for traces of my father. I do not expect you to wait for me. It was nice while we were together.

Something about it is off…. It feels wrong, and yet there is nothing about it that is obviously forged. You toss the letter at the maid and push forward, storming down through the hall. There’s only one person you can go to. You’re hurt, to hurt, to go to Penelope. She’s his mother. She won’t listen to you ramble about how much your heart hurts at the hands of her son.

But perhaps had you chosen to do that, things might have become more apparent earlier.

You run your hand through your hair and knock on his door. Antinous opens it and leans against the doorframe. “What now?” His hair is a mess, obvious lip stains down his throat.

Shrugging, you step into the room and pace. “He left…”

“Back it up Dove. Who and when?” Depending on who, there’s two very different reactions.

“Telemachus… he just… late at night, he left to go on some empty chase for a dead man. He left.” You tangle your fingers in your hair. “He left me with a few sentences on a piece of paper. Meaningless words.” You scoff. Shaking your head.

With your back turned towards the man, you miss the way his lips curl into a smirk. “The prince isn’t in the palace? He left Ithaca?” He closes the door behind his eyes, gleaming with opportunity.

Scoffing, you turn back to him. “That’s what I just said.” Your voice cracks a bit as you pace in circles. “This…. I can’t tell if maybe he was just in a hurry or if… if Eurymachus was right…” Your voice softens, thoughts trailing towards a dark path. Were you not enough? Did he grow bored? Why would he leave you with nothing, no reassurance that he’d come back to you?

“He’s a weak man with no experience, Dove. All he cares about is his family, which you are not a part of. If he’s intent on chasing a dead man, let him chase the dead man.” Antinous sighs, shaking his head. “Why come here and not go to the boy’s useless mother?” He steps towards his bed, then sprawls himself on it. “Why come to me knowing I don’t give a flying fuck about your love problems?”

You cross your arms, shrugging. “Cause… seeing Penelope while I’m upset with Telemachus seems like a bad idea? I still don’t understand a mother's love, but I do not think she’d take kindly to me saying her son is on a useless mission chasing a dead man who she also believes is alive and will be coming home… and I dunno… you’re the only other person here besides my brother and that… that’s a worse idea than seeing her.” You ramble a bit, trying to catch if he’s pissed or just playing with you.

It’s like you forget what he is, who he is, and what he’s done. He’s as bad as any other suitor in this palace. Antinous is not your friend, not somebody you can go to without a cost. “So you came here knowing I’d listen in return for something?” Your hesitance is new, and not something he takes too much time to enjoy.

“I… but Telemachus said-” You start fidgeting, and he interrupts you.

“And who left you alone?” Antinous narrows his eyes, scarlet gleaming like that of a hungry predator. “It would distract you, wouldn’t it?” he’s not used to persuading you…

Your heart stutters, but you nod…

Antinous runs a hand through his hair as he walks the halls. She’s naive, or perhaps it’s him who opened his door one too many times for her. The dove continued to exist because she had something to give him. Her cries, her breathless huffs… he shakes his head as he finds his friend’s room. They haven’t had too much communication since he learned what he’d been doing to the Dove.

He might be a monster himself, but even monsters have limits, and he was drawn at that level of disgusting behavior. The door opens with the sorter male glaring at Antinous. Antinous rolls his eyes, catching the sight of a woman in his conspirator’s bed. “Kick her out, I’ve got news.”

“I doubt it isn’t anything I haven’t heard about yet, Antinous.” There is still spite in the man’s tone. Antinous pushes past and narrows his eyes at the woman. She dips her head, grabbing her clothes before scurrying out.

“The prince isn’t around.” Antinous huffs once the door is shut.

“So I’ve observed.” Eurymachus leans against the door, his act one of composer and grace.

“He’ll be gone for some time. Means there really is one less obstacle.” Antinous sits at the desk, leaning his head into the palm of his propped up hand.

“What would my darling little sister think if she heard you saying things like that about the prince?” Eurymachus uses his own means to gauge where things are with her. If Antinous knows the prince is gone, then she went to him. It’s annoying, incredibly exasperating, but he’ll work his way back to grasping the strings he’d woven over the years. He just needs to play the right cards.

“He left her behind. She was in a mood.” Antinous scoffs, shrugging his shoulders.

“You sure jumped on the opportunity.” Eurymachus scoffs, his lip pulled up as if to communicate disgust, but he’s more so impressed that she’d whore herself out so quickly just to get a bit of venting done.

Antinous rolls his eyes. “She’s an easy fuck. I sit there, act as if I’m listening, and reap the payment for my precious time.” He pauses for a moment, before straightening out and rising to walk towards the smaller man. “What I’ve been warning you with still stands, Eurymachus. I’ll find somebody else to be the charm and bounce ideas off if you get too close.”

“You really do act as if you’re her husband, Antinous. It’s colorfully amusing to watch. I could give her to you.” Antinous narrows his eyes.

“You really are twisted.” With that, he shoves the other man away from the door and leaves Eurymachus.

That man’s expression falls flat the second he’s alone before a glint promising trouble takes over the empty expression.

Chapter 14 Click here Chapter 16 Click here

#telemachus x reader #epic the musical #dark fic #a light in the dark by cuteplosion

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xo-cuteplosion-xo · 2 months ago

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A Light In The Dark | Telemachus x reader|

Link to Warnings/Both sfw and nsfw masterlists Click here

Chapter Twelve ~Severing Ties~

The days blurred together, time seemingly at a standstill. It’s as if you went through the motions of the day without feeling the warmth of the moment. Walks in the garden were short and bland. Catching sight of the prince is a rare agonizing moment. He doesn’t look at you, doesn’t wave or offer you a smile. You messed up. He probably hates you now. Why else would he avoid you after you desperately told him everything?

You poke at the meat on your plate sitting in the dining hall listening to the static of the suitors’ voices. They really don’t shut up. Every day is the same thing, wake up, dress, eat, wander aimlessly, eat, try to feel something besides this hollow sinking feeling, eat, sleep… You lift your eyes from your plate when the sound of a chair scratching the floor reaches your ears from the head of the table. Antinous stands stretching.

He shoots a glance at you, but that’s it. He turns away, leaving the room. You drop your eyes back to your plate and sigh. You reach for the chalice at your place and tip it back to your lips only to find it empty. You sigh, setting it back down.

It doesn’t take too long for the chalice to be refilled. You don’t bother to look at who filled it, just mumble an empty thanks and down the chalice. The burn slips down your throat and your mind quiets down, fizzling with your third glass. You sigh and lean your head on your palm, still poking your untouched dinner.

“You’re a mess.” You freeze, narrowing your eyes as you pretend you didn’t hear that. You watch the glass fill again and take slow sips. “Ignoring me.” His voice is slurred, higher pitched than usual. He reeks of wine… You tighten your grip on your chalice until it’s torn from your hands. You follow it with your eyes, staring at the lips that touch your glass.

Your brother pulls the chalice away, then swirls what’s left in it. “Leave me alone.” You hiss, curling your hands into fists.

He rolls his eyes and drapes an arm over your shoulder, standing behind your chair. “You’re being so hostile, I haven’t done anything… Yet.” He sighs, looking over the suitors, the way they stare. But, oh no, they aren’t looking at him, or even the fact that he’s so close to you… “Have you noticed yet?” You can hear the jeer of his tone, the spite that laces his every word.

“Noticed what.” You speak through clenched teeth. He sets the chalice down so he can drape that hand down your front as well, ghosting it over your chest. You tense at the closeness. “Get your hands off me.”

He scoffs, clasping his hands together in front of you. “Come on, I know you’re not that stupid. Look ahead of you, their eyes speak volumes.”

“You’re trying to scare me. That’s not going to work.” You shrug and smack at his hands. He grabs your wrist and pulls it back.

“Am I? Or am I simply being the devoted brother that I am despite how much of a brat you are?” He leans in, his breath ghosting over your ear. “Look at them, staring like starved animals. You can stand behind Antinous and use him like a shield, but that will run out and I won’t be there to come crawling back to N/n.” He nips at your ear.

You reach up and push his face away. “Good brothers aren’t manipulative pieces of shit that prey on their sister.” You spit at him.

Eurymachus narrows his eyes as he wipes the spit off his face. He smiles the next minute. “You act as if most women don’t marry at fourteen to men twice their age… You also act as if I lied about the normalcy of things. We share a father, not a mother. There was nothing wrong with things.” His fingers wrap around your chin. “It’s not as if you were anything more than something I could fuck when I couldn’t find a servant to use.” He tightens his hold on your chin, pulling your face closer to his. “You’d be married off, probably dead or miserable with kids by now, if it wasn’t for me. You owe everything to me.” A part of him, a thing to be owned.

You’re pretty sure it’s the alcohol in your system that gives you the confidence, but you slap him across the face and scramble out of your seat and away. “You’re vile… Disgusting and… And sick.” You won’t let him get under your skin again. You won’t let him get into your head anymore. You found your wings, unlocked the cage. You won’t go back to being a puppet for him to string along and use.

You’re a person, your own individual being. You don’t need him.

He snarls, taking a step closer, and you stand your ground, holding your head high. The moment he gets too close, you bring your knee to his crotch, then your fist to his stomach. His eyes widen as he grimaces in pain. He lunges, but a larger body easily shoves him to the side.

“I wasn’t aware you could throw a punch.” You turn your gaze towards Antinous.

“It was… Luck.” You mumble, running your hand through your hair. “I’m gonna go to my room, moods ruined.” Not that you had much of a mood to begin with.

You ignore the calls from the other suitors as the fight breaks out. You’d stay to watch Antinous beat your half-brother but… You really just want to be alone right now. However, you catch something from Eurymachus that makes you freeze. “Oh, come on, you’re acting as if you’re her husband Antinous. I didn’t realize you were into whores. Soft isn’t like you.” It’s meant as an insult. You can hear the mocking tone in his voice.

Your nails dig into your palms. He calls out as if whoever marries you would bring nothing but shame to their house. You feel the tears pricking your eyes. For years you’d been caught in his illusion, the perfect picture he painted with silky words. His gentle touch, his soft expressions, the adoring looks he’d give that pulled you in, kept you locked in a cage of his making. There are times where you want to forget everything you learned, to let him fool you, let you think he cares. Is it so wrong to wish for what you’d grown comfortable with, even though you know it’s wrong and miserable?

Your feet carry you through the halls and around familiar corners until you’re in the gardens. You stare up at the stars and wipe your eyes off their tears. A short walk might clear your head.

The breeze ruffles your hair. The stars provide just enough light to walk without tripping.

The walk helps take your mind off what happened. It’s calming. At least it is until you find Telemachus swinging a sword and… Talking to himself?

You stand there watching him for a while, your gaze softening. He’s so sweet… So gentle…

You’ve always felt warm around him, like every fear and worry could disappear but staring at him now… His hair sticking to his neck, his mind focused on training, focused on no longer being the little wolf that gets tossed about… He’s wonderful. You always find your day brightened when you see him. You had found the moments shared with him freeing.

You wish things were different, you wish you could reach out. He’s the starlight that lights up the night for you, a light in the dark… You never thought you’d feel like this. You never imagine a simple glance would send your heart hammering and a flush to your cheeks.

Stepping closer, your foot snaps a twig, which grabs the prince’s attention. He spins in your direction, and you make eye contact. The world seems to resume at that moment. You smile at him, and he holds your gaze for several heartbeats before he drops his eyes to the ground, swirling with pain. He turns away from you and resumes swinging his sword.

Right… He’s still hurt, and he has every right to be. You know this, and yet your chest still tightens, your heartbeat still stutters as your chest constricts. You scurry away and to your room, slamming the door behind you.

You brush things off your desk as tears flow down your cheeks. It’s not fair. None of it is fair. You never asked for this to be the life you led. You never asked to be born or to have a brother who treats you this way. You hit the desk, trying not to sob.

If the walls were thicker, you’d have screamed, you’d throw yourself on the bed and echo your pain in your voice. You can’t do that, so instead you slam your fists against the plush material and grip the roots of your hair as you sob.

Why are you still trying? Why are you still fighting to live when there is nothing at the end of this but further pain? You know the life that will come for you, whether a suitor succeeds or fails at securing Penelope’s hand.

It’s another sleepless night haunted by the memories of childhood and the feeling of bugs crawling up your skin… You sob.

Chapter 11 Click here

Chapter 13 Click here

#telemachus x reader #epic the musical #a light in the dark by cuteplosion #dark fic

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xo-cuteplosion-xo · 2 months ago

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A Light In The Dark | Telemachus x reader|

Link to Warnings/Both sfw and nsfw masterlists Click here

Chapter Eleven ~Coming Clean~

It was difficult to find Telemachus this morning. Harder than usual by far. You approached where he was sitting on a bench watching birds peck at seeds in the grass. For a while you stood there until you were noticed. He turned his head towards you and moved over to give you room. With soft steps and slow movements, you took the seat and stared at the birds.

The two of you sit in silence for a while before you find the words you’re looking for. “I… Don’t know where to begin.” Your voice cracks as you speak, pulling your legs up to your chest.

“How about from the start? I’ll listen, even if it takes you all day and night to explain, even if you choose to be brief or detailed.” Telemachus mumbles, but he never once looks towards you.

“I spent my first few years with my mother. She was beautiful, kind… But one day my father came and my mother told me I was going to live with him… I learned she’d been killed that night, that she’d begged my father to take me in as her dying wish.” You stare at the floor and swallow. “I… Tried my best, you know? I was quiet… Kind… I did what they asked me to, lived as if I wasn’t there. I was nine when she started to send me off for money. I just… I never thought there was anything wrong with it. No matter how much it hurts, I would bite and scream at first, but I just… Got used to it.” Your voice drops to a low whisper.

Telemachus stares at the ground. “Your father?”

“Didn’t care. He encouraged it… Eury was the only one there for me. He’d hold me when I cried, wipe my tears…. Clean the wounds… Ensure I could bathe. I did what he wanted in return, distracted his parents when he snuck out, stole from their pockets… I… I would meet people who I thought I liked but every time I’d string a man onto my finger they’d end up wanting something in return for their time… Eury became the only kind person in my life. I needed him otherwise it felt meaningless… When I was younger and upset him, he’d ignore me and it felt as if the world was ending. I’d plead for him to talk to me, get him money, distract his parents, and do everything I could until he forgave me.” Your eyes water, threatening to shed tears.

“I’m sorry it wasn’t real…” Telemachus mumbles, unsure what to say, how to give you comfort.

“I still don’t get it. I’ve spent years learning how to be fake and I heard him say it but… That’s my big brother… The man who’d snap at his mother if she took it too far, who held me when a man broke my wrist after playing with me too rough… I don’t understand how all of that could have been fake.” You don’t want to be alone… Without him, you have nobody.

“I… He’s a good actor.” Telemachus knows it will take time… Things like this are difficult to overcome.

“Telemachus… Yaou know I love you, right? My heart races, I get this flutter in my stomach, and I like spending time with you.” Telemachus nods, shifting in his seat. “I was drunk last night, but every word was true… I approached you to be friends in order to keep an eye on you. I enjoyed our friendship, but at the end of the day, I told him everything. I let him know when you weren’t around your mother’s room… When she’d be with you… When he’d have the best chance to approach… What best he should do so…”

You glance at him and bite the inside of your cheek. He’s staring at his hands, picking at the nail bed. “I… I know that.” He strains his voice. “But you still fell in love with me.”

“Not until the day in the rain. Maybe it was before, but I had intentions of using everything you could give me to give us a proper lead. You were supposed to be a long-lasting game of chase. I felt… Bad, but… That’s what he wanted. He wanted to know how much of a risk you were and I… I told him everything.”

Telemachus stands, running a hand through his hair. “Y/n… Can we… After what I learned yesterday… Can this… I’m so sorry I just… Can this conversation wait?”

“I… Antinous took care of yesterday.” Your mumble eyes start to water. You can’t lose him. You don’t want to lose him. You just lost your brother, you can’t lose the man you’ve grown to love. “Please Telemachus, I love you. I’m sorry.”

“I just need some time. I’m sorry… I just need time to go over this and process things. I just found out you led me on for years, you knew, and you led me on.” He turns back to you, and the pain in his eyes cracks at your heart.

“Tele, please don’t do this. I’m sorry. I didn’t know you liked me. I just thought you saw me as a friend and I… I saw you as one, eventually.” You step closer and he steps back, shaking his head.

“But when you realized I did, you still… You chose to use me! Don’t you see how fucked up that it?” His voice raises slightly, and you shrug. “That’s it? You’re just going to try to excuse how… How much this hurts me because you just had to listen to your brother? Was any of it real? The laughs? The smiles?”

Your lip wobbles as you nod. “Yes! Telemachus, I enjoyed the time I spent with you! Why can’t you understand that? I might have used you, but I still liked being around you. I still fell in love with you!” You stand up and step closer to him. “I had to… I was blind and foolish, but I had to. I didn’t want Eury to be upset with me.”

“You haven’t genuinely apologized at all! You say it was real, but what parts? What was real, Y/n? The whispers of love weren’t… When you kissed me… Was that…” He looks at you, at the guilt that swallows your eyes and shakes his head. “Just… Give me some time to think this through.” He looks anywhere but you, straining his voice to keep from raising it again. You’re not sure what you were expecting him to say, but this wasn’t it. You drop your chin to your chest and he walks away.

You’re not sure what to do… who to go to. You can’t go to your brother, so you pick the only person who you feel welcomed with.

You cry to Antinous… Sob and sniffle... and that somehow ends with you on your back, lost in any feeling but the way your heart aches. It’s so wrong…

But it helps to numb the pain…

Chapter 10 Click here

Chapter 12 Click here

#telemachus x reader #a light in the dark by cuteplosion #dark fic #epic the musical

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xo-cuteplosion-xo-2 · 2 months ago

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A Light In The Dark | Telemachus x reader|

Link to Warnings/Both sfw and nsfw masterlists Click here

Chapter Nine ~Consequences~

Chat… I do not recommend reading this if you are easily triggered by violent descriptions of violence or sensitive to detailed rape. This is the like only time I will not go hey TW applies here but be specific on what chapter.

it is about 3k words of detailed pain and suffering. It's mentally fucked over type of shit… There's no comfort no nothing. This chapter is filthy in a dark and morally black way.

I'll be deleting any comments AND blocking any individual that criticizes how messed up this is because trust me, I am aware, I wrote it. Also huge shout-out to the Discord server for some of the messed up suggestions that fed into this chapter.

You start peeling away the covers, sure of your decision. You would get up and catch him on his way back from his nightly walk. You were going to tell Teleamchus everything. Either way you’d be satisfied with the response you get. Though… maybe you’re hoping Telemachus will understand that he won’t push you away.

You smile a bit to yourself as you pull back the covers and set your feet on the floor.

…

“What did you look so bright this evening N/n?” Your veins become ise as your smile shatters, eyes dragging to the far corner of your room. “You picked up around the place. It’s been a bit since I sought you out. I thought you’d learned your lesson over the last few weeks.” Hee runs his hand across the desk you use as a vanity. He picks up a few trinkets, a flower crown, a basket, and a wilting flower.

“I-” He chucks the flower crown at your head and you yelp ducking so it hits gainst the wall and falls apart. You don’t understand why your heart hurts, why it twists. That was the one Telemachus made.

“I feel as if you forget that I have eyes everywhere. That I will hear about things whether you think you’re sneaky or not. Antinous… What were you talking about with him? That’s not the first time you’ve gone to him for something, is it?” He sets the poorly woven basket down as he sits at the desk.

You shake your head. “I… I just wanted to talk to him…”

“You are such a whore.” Your brother scoffs, shaking his head as he runs his hands over his face. “What am I to do with you? You chose not to come see me today. You’re unusually giddy. Where were you about to head off to at this hour?” He softens his voice and you try to see around what he’s pushing forward.

To your ears he sounds worried, out of options… like a good brother. Yet something rips into your thoughts. It’s an act. Is it? Is this all an act to him? “I was going to take a walk.” You mumble shrugging. “I… Eury… why do I have to tell you everything? I’m not a little kid. I wanted to talk to Antinous because I just did. I wasn’t going behind your back and helping the competition. You have friends, why can’t I have-”

You flinch your head swinging to the side from the force of his hand striking your cheek. “When did you start to get so mouthy?” He grabs your chin pulling your head back towards him.

“Do you even care about how I feel?” For a moment you think you catch disgust in his eyes before it’s quickly covered. He drops your chin, snaking his hands from your shoulders to your hands.

Slowly Eurymachus drops onto his knees bringing your hands to his mouth as he covers them. His expression softens, eyes staring at you with hurt. “How could you ask me that?” His voice cracks, his thumbs rubbing against your hands. “I’ve done everything I can for you. I brought you away from my mother. I saved you. I let you come here with me. I keep the others from simply taking you without permission. Do you even know how much I sacrificed to keep you here?” He drops his chin onto your lap, and your heart constricts.

“I… you keep threatening to send me back… you keep hurting me.” You try to pull your hands away but he tightens his grip.

“If I can’t keep you here, protected and obedient then you would need to go back. I can’t keep you with me forever N/n. It’s impossible. I pulled strings, begged and made deals with my mother to drag you with me. She’d have given you away for a hefty sum.” He looks up at you with tears. Something feels wrong about them, they just don’t sit well with you.

“You have to forgive me if I’m a little rough with you my dear sister. I adore you more than words can express. I understand you think you’re old enough, mature enough, and educated enough in the world but N/n… look at yourself. You’re this fragile, pretty, naive little thing. Without me you’d stray and get hurt. Do you really think that prince loves you? Do you think antinous cares about you like I do? I’m the one who held you while you cried…” Eurymachus sighs and kisses your connected hands.

Your shoulders sink. You take a deep shuddery breath as you open your mouth again. “I… I know. I know that but what if I’m right? Telemachus isn’t hurting me or asking anything of me. He’s not like what I’m used to. He knows the status of my birth but he doesn’t care about Eury. He… he just smiles at me. Antinous talks with me without asking for anything.” You wince as the grip tightens around your hand. Before you can think or even process what’s going on he’s standing and pulls you from the bed to the floor.

Your head hits the floor with a thud and you sit still the force of the impact vibrating through your body. You wince as weight settles on top of your hand pinning you down to the floor. For the first time you squirm heart racing in your chest. He hooks his legs underneath yours then leans forward. “I’m not sure what’s got into you but this isn’t how I taught you to behave yourself. You would be nothing, stuck whoring yourself off in the streets or some man's bitch if I didn’t decide you were worth bringing along.” He hisses the words in your ear as he drags your wrists above you and into one hand.

He’s practiced and despite your squirming he doesn’t budge. His hand wraps around your neck tightening until your sputters and please drown into the wet noises of your mouth trying to form words.

With a snarl he contracts the pressure further, he watches your eyes fill with tears as he leans down. “I could do anything I wanted to you. Everything you have is because of me. If being nice isn’t going to put you back where you belong, silent and obedient then you’ve forced my hand. I will make sure that every time you even think about stepping outside your role this memory renders you too afraid to do so.”

Your vision goes blurry, stars fizzing in and out of your vision. Before you can completely pass out you suck in hair as if you’re starved for it. You choke on saliva and your own gasps as you inhale and exhale. Once your gasping subsides and you can form words you push out a stream of apologies.

He doesn’t react, there’s no change in position, no movement.

For a while, you wonder if he’ll be lenient and stop this. Instead, he sinks his hand into your hair and then tugs. He grips it with an iron fist tight and painful. You choke on a whimper as he pulls your head back far enough he brings your chest off the floor a little. Then he drops your hair making sure you can’t catch yourself before your nose hits the flooring. She winces at the sick crack you hear, the pain that erupts… the blood that begins to flow down your lips down to your chin. “Eury… stop it, you’re hurting me.”

“That would be the point.” He gets off of you only to flip you on your back. He stares at the blood trickling down your nose and you think, perhaps he regrets it. The slap across your face tells you otherwise. He goes back to choking you again with both hands this time.

You flail pushing at his chest, sobbing. He doesn’t relent until you’re on the verge of passing out. He lets your breath then cuts it off again.

It’s an endless cycle you’re sure is going to cause you some sort of damage in the long run. When stop flailing and lays there taking his rough treatment he grins and sits back. “There we are my sweet sister. It’s much nicer when you shut up and stop struggling.” he wipes the blood off your face then tucks a strand of hair behind your ear.

His eyes glance to the bed but then back to your limp form on the ground. He must have decided the bed would be too much extra work. “You really brought this onto yourself. You know I hate having to discipline you. I really do, I care far too much about you but gods you crossed a line. I’m not sure I’ve ever been this pissed off at you.” His free hand starts to wander, from tracing the angry red lines around your throat to trailing down to the neckline of your Chiton.

“I'm sorry… I didn’t mean… Eury I’m…” his eyes narrow and you shut your mouth. No amount of pleading will fix this. You crossed him and he’s only dishing back what you had sewn.

He grabs the blade from his belt and places it against your skin. “The more you squirm the worse it is.” he hisses the words into your ear as he drags the blade through the cloth. He’s not cautious, trying to get through it as fast as he possibly can, which means the knife gets caught in clumps of the fabric, which leads to a more aggressive hand. He cuts you several times, each time you flinch with a hiss of pain that only causes his hand to become unsteady and cut you further. When he cuts through everything you’ve got a dashed line, imperfect and dotting blood over your skin, heavier in some places than others.

He stares down at you for a moment before he leans over you and runs his tongue over the line. You squirm arching your back as his saliva mixes with the cuts. “I wish I had salt.” He scoffs as his hands grip your waist pressing into the skin until his nails break it. He can’t seem to decide if he wants you higher or lower… as if he’s debating on what will cause you the most remorse. You already feel horrible, already tried to beg. What more could he want from that? He’s made his point… he’s mad and this isn’t a reward… he’s not singing praises or being gentle with his attention. He’s scolding you, punishing you.

You squirm, uncomfortable and unsure what hurts more, the open wounds from your collar bone to your waist or the fingers digging against your skin. “E-Eury… PLease… I’m sorry…”

“If you’re sorry you’ll shut up. Clearly you think you can do whatever you want then face no consequences so long as you look cute and apologize.” He scrapes his nails down your hips and thighs. He forcefully shoves your legs apart. His free hand digs into the skin of your thigh drawing blood again.

He uses nothing…

His fingers, three at once ram inside with no lead in. He doesn’t even let you adjust as he starts to drag them in and out. His fingers thrust slowly but his nails dig into your flesh. He rolls his eyes when you writhe beneath him, on the verge of screaming.

He grabs your throat with his other hand, as much as he’d adore the screaming he doesn’t need to have this moment ruined by curious ears. You flail, which he finds adorable but comes with consequences, he presses deeper smirks at the warm liquid that begins to coat his fingers that drips out of your cunt. He wonders how long it will take for that to heal. Not his problem, how you feel has never really mattered.

When he catches you blacking out his hand, let's go of your throat and you suck in air choking on your saliva as he begins to speed his fingers up. The faster pace only makes it worse, makes the pain sickening, dizzying even. You sob pleas dropping from your lips. He’s never done this to you before.

As he scrapes against your flesh, tears and brutalizes you his other hand twists and pinches your nipple. His mouth follows to give attention to the other. His teeth pull and nip.

The fact your body manages to twist the pain into a sick display of pleasure makes your stomach twist. You feel sick… the thought of enjoying this in the slightest hurts, screws with you mentally as well. How screwed up do you need to be to still feel pleasure underneath the pain?

You suck in air, hands curled into fists so tightly you draw your own blood on your skin. Your please continue, asking for mercy, asking for him to stop… he ignores your words as flips you over smearing your blood on your skin. He forces you ass up and forces his fingers back into your cunt, opening new wounds, tearing more of you apart. “You really are a whore.” You stare face burning with shame, eyes red and puffy from tears.

You… came… one hand grabs your hair pulling back your head while his other shows you the mess you made on his fingers. He opens and closes his fingers showing the sticky and bloody mess off. He wipes his hand off on your thighs as he starts to fumble with his tunic. “You’re being such a well behaved bitch right now. See, why can’t you just be like this all the time? I bet you’d be enjoying this so much more if this wasn’t meant to be a punishment.” he grabs hold of your hips and slams inside of you.

He rocks into you both with his thrusts and pulling back to meet him all while his grip tightens on your hips. You’re not sure your legs are keeping you up anymore. His grip keeps you where he wants you, pulls you against his thrusts and then away before slamming you right back. He completely pulls out and then bottoms out every time. You sob eyes wide at the pain, the way your hands shake underneath you supporting you.

They rub against the floor slowly, rubbing themselves raw… that pain is hardly noticed, even as your fingers leave streaks of crimson that grow more solid every time you're pushed forward and drawn back.

You feel something pop or perhaps it’s a crack and yelp. Eurymachus doesn’t so much as pause with concern. Blood you can deal with, the pain is fine but this? “Eury! Please… Eury something…” You dig your fingers into the floor eyes wide as he continues to slam your body against his forward thrusts. You continue to be pleased with him…

He pulls out flipping you onto your back, his hand fists in your hair, nails dragging against your scalp. He yanks your head forward, holds you down as you choke and gag. He tilts his head back lost in his sick pleasure. Copper consumes your senses, the scent and the taste cause your gag reflex to work overtime… something he seems to be enjoying.

The salty taste of his load mixes with the taste of your own blood and you choke. He rolls his eyes as he pulls out of your mouth and adjusts himself, standing up. You roll on your side, coughing , eyes dilated in panic.

He kicks you on the back and you spit a mix of fluids from your mouth sucking in air… You make an attempt to move, to sit up but the smallest shift hurts. There’s not a part of you that doesn’t sting.. That doesn’t feel like you're dying…

Maybe death would be nicer… He kneels down tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. “There there. I think my point’s been made so I’ll leave you to reflect. One of the maids I have wrapped around my finger will be in to clean you up. Consider it sympathy for how far you made me go my precious little sister.” he strokes your tear stained cheek.

You attempt to move several times… attempt to get up or even shift but you sob nearly scream when you so much as shift your legs… you have feelings so nothing’s been irreversibly harmed but still…

You wrap your arms around yourself and sob until the tears refuse to slip out of your eyes. You whine, throat far too raw to scream as somebody takes care to clean you off… doing the bare minimum needed to prevent permanent damage or from making anything obvious. You dissociate trying to ignore the pain as salted water brushes against your wounds. Your eyes find Eurymachus leaning against a wall, a smirk on his lips. You can't bring yourself to react.

You’re not bandaged or even treated with herbs… He doesn’t even let the maid dress you. You're left to lay there bleeding freely on the floor as the maid scrubs the lines your fingers had.

When the bleeding slows you carelessly roll away from the small pools of blood so they can be scrubbed clean. You cry out every time you are so much as brushed against from the waist to the bottom of your hips.

Eurymachus is kind enough to slip his hand beneath your knees and then your back to carry you to bed. However he doesn’t set you down, he drops you. You sniffle yelping in this strangled raw sound then stare up at him. “Do you think you’ve learned your lesson?” he cups your cheek in his hand. When you nod he scoffs. “Use your words.”

You try. You open your mouth several times but the most you can get out are scratchy strained words that are impossible to understand. Your eyes water but he seems to accept the attempt. He shoves part of your blanket into your mouth as he presses his hands against your hips and pushes. Despite how raw your throat is you scream legs kicking until the pain stops, halted and soothed. “A minor offset.” He shrugs and kisses your temple. “You should lay your head down and rest.

You nod curling in on yourself…

So much talking to Telemachus quickly…

Telling him about things should be the last thing on your mind right now but oddly it’s the thing you want most.

This left you more conflicted than before…

He’s gone back to being gentle, he looks regretful… you’d never mean to doubt him but… he looked like he was having the time of his life before… like he was enjoying everything… Chapter 8 Click here

Chapter 10 Clcik here

#telemachus x reader #a light in the dark by cuteplosion #DARK FIC #TW #tw sa #tw violence #you've been warned

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xo-cuteplosion-xo · 2 months ago

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A Light In The Dark | Telemachus x reader|

Link to Warnings/Both sfw and nsfw masterlists Click here

Chapter Seven ~The Prince~

Telemachus sighs, staring up at the ceiling of his room. She looked so pretty yesterday, relaxed and free spirited… The flush on her cheeks, the light in her usually dim eyes. He turns onto his side as he smiles like some schoolboy, crushing on what he thinks is impossible.

“She said she likes me… She likes me, Athena.” He kicks his feet a little.

She did… But don’t you at all think there might be an underhanded motive to it? You’ve noticed it yourself by now, how quickly her mood changes, how she changes day to day or simply hour to hour… How… Close … She is to her brother. The goddess stares at her student… Her friend. She’s reminded a lot of the boy’s father when she stares down at the love in his eyes. His father had acted like this when he’d met the boy’s mother, fools in love. Except that was more doable than helping the boy win over this broken woman. It doesn’t help that Telemachus is a bit dense. She’s dropped hints, pushed him in directions, and yet he still hasn’t figured out what goes on behind the scenes.

“Course I don’t… I’ll figure out why she seems so… Sad eventually, but I can’t rush her. If she doesn’t want to open up to me. She needs to see me as a safe place. My mother told me that. When a woman trusts you, she’ll lean on you. She just… Doesn’t feel ready to explain things. It doesn’t matter anyway because, well, have you seen how she looks at me? Her eyes light up, her smile is so much brighter… She looks so pretty, like I dunno, just pretty. I mean, she’s always pretty, but something about how she looks when she’s happy is just prettier.” Telemachus rambles words he’s spoken hundreds of times by now.

The goddess shakes her head, rolling her eyes. She’s bouncing your light off. Of course she’s going to look brighter.

Telemachus shrugs as he drags himself out of his bed. Perhaps today they could have breakfast, take a walk, and just be in each other’s presence. He’s utterly in love with her, like so whipped it makes his day messy. When he’s training with Athena, he’s swinging the sword thinking about her, wondering if she’ll smile the next time they see each other.

When he’s eating alone, he wonders if she’s eaten, if she’d like to sit by him and share a plate or drink from the same glass… He wonders what she’d look like completely relaxed, her guard down and her smile soft. These have been the best few days of his life. He’s managed to avoid getting into fights because he’s been around her all day. He feels lighter, less burdened… And he has somebody who loves him. That’s what she meant, right? She loves him? It’s not just some simple thing, right?

He shakes his head as he dresses himself and heads out the door. It’s become almost routine for him at this point. He wakes up, rushes off to her room. If she’s there, he asks to share a meal. If she’s not, he goes to eat, and she typically appears.

He hums to himself, happy as he is every morning. He’s not paying much attention when he walks through these halls, lost in his head with the thought of her.

“It might not be the most intelligent thing to be walking about so distracted, prince.” Telemachus jumps freezing before he can bump into the suitor. Eurymachus, her brother, stands in front of him and he sighs, ready for a fight. “No need to be so tense. Are you on your way to see my sweet little sister?”

“And what is it to you?” the prince huffs, crossing his arms as he stares down the suitor. He might be her brother, but he doesn’t sit well with him. There’s something about how gentle he is that throws him off. He seems harmless, but is he? What if he’s just a wolf in sheepskin? He has no reason not to trust the man, but he doesn’t.

“Best to leave her be for the day. Your idiotic motions have caught her a cold. How irresponsible of you to let such a frail thing out in the rain.” His eyes narrow at Telemachus, and the prince takes a small step back.

It isn’t often that irritation passes on the suitor’s face. He pauses and stares. He’s overprotective of his sister. It’s a small thing he’s been noticing the more he falls for her. He’s had a few run-ins with this man, but they never linger around each other. “We were just enjoying ourselves.” How much about the relationship does he know? How approving is he?

Eurymachus stares at the prince. He can’t see why his sister would ever stray from her role for somebody so beneath standards. He can’t fight, he’s so bright it’s sickening, he’s naive and sheltered to a degree… If it’s the kindness he shows, he’ll have to re-educate her on that topic. Kindness doesn’t come for free. It never will. “Oh, but of course. How ever could I dare to stop the prince from enjoying himself?” He pauses with a sigh. “That is my sister. She’ll bore you eventually, as she has with the countless men before you, prince. Your actions made her ill, which is no fun to be. She’s stuck in her room, tucked in bed.”

Telemachus stares at him, something about how he lowered his voice, something about his eyes as he spoke unsettles him. “I’ll bring her gifts to make her feel better then!” He crosses his arms over his chest. It’s his only way of communicating that the older man doesn’t scare him off.

“I suggest you don’t. Who’d be around your mother if you caught the illness?” The suitor grins and reaches out to pat the young man on the shoulder. “You really are a fool in love, young prince. It’s a dangerous thing, given all the suitors waiting to have reason to pick you out as a threat to the throne. You might want to stop walking around lost in fantasies and wishes.”

The prince’s face grows red as he knocks the suitor’s hand away. “I do not fantasize!” He squeaks, his voice cracking a bit. He’s never gone that far, it’s wrong, an invasion of her privacy even if it’s just in his head.

“Gods, it’s obvious you’ve never touched or been touched by a woman before.” The suitor mocks the prince, making it seem like friendly banter when he means his words as an insult.

Telemachus, flushed and embarrassed, grumbles. “Least that means I respect them.”

“Or you’re too scared to grow up and be a man. If there is one thing my lovely sister doesn’t need, it’s a boy pretending to be a man.” Eurymachus brushes past the prince, leaving him there embarrassed and mortified at the topic of conversation.

He misses the disgusted glare from the owl perched in the window, how the owl’s head turns to stare down the suitor as he leaves the hall. He misses the way the owl flaps its wings harshly as it takes off into the sky.

Something is bothering him… Telemachus takes a few more steps down the hall towards her room, before he sighs and runs his hand through his hair. If she really is sick, he doesn’t want to bother her in case she’s asleep. Looking at it, the rain really was a stupid idea. It was a little chilly, wet and cold, usually ending with sniffles. He feels awful. He shouldn’t have let her stay out so long… But she looked so happy, so-… He rarely gets to see her like that. She was flustered, at a loss for words, playful, and gentle. It was like she was different, like he could see the younger girl he’d met.

It’s an observation that hurts. Even when he met her, she looked as if she’d already experienced the world. When she taught him how to make flower crowns when they first met, she seemed lonely. She didn’t talk about herself, instead, she’d go on about how amazing and lucky her brother was. As they grew up around each other, he began to notice her shoulders sink further, her mind wandering, her eyes looking exhausted as if she’d been awake for hours.

He’d suspected she was having problems with suitors, but he found nothing and he’d never suspect Eurymachus because she always seems to lighten up when she sees her brother. It’s like her whole world is her brother.

Sometimes it makes him uncomfortable, but maybe that’s just because he doesn’t have siblings. He’s an only child, so he doesn’t get it. If even his mother thinks it’s fine, then he should do it. He’s told her everything about his worries and concerns, and she sees no reason to suspect anything.

Shaking his head, Telemachus turns away from her room and heads towards his mother’s room. He walks up the winding stairs, the hall dim and cold. He remembers when the torches were still lit, when he’d run up and down them without worry.

Back before the suitors showed up… Before the palace was over-run.

He sighs as he approaches the door to his mother’s room. He knocks in a pattern they had decided on, and it opens. She seems a bit surprised to see him, her breakfast still unfinished on the table.

“You’re not eating with Y/n today?” She raises a brow as she sits back down by her plate.

Telemachus shakes his head as he takes a seat next to her. “She’s sick… We played in the rain yesterday, and I guess I didn’t take into consideration how that might have been a bad idea. She just… I can’t even describe it! She looked… It was different. This time she looked like she was there, focused in the moment as if there was nobody but us in the entire world! You don’t understand, she’s just so… Gods, she’s perfect.” He kicks his feet a little as he leans back with a smile.

Penelope chuckles as she watches her son swoon. “Next time, maybe offer to make sure she’s dry and warm, so that she doesn’t get sick. Did you go and see her at all?” She understands young love. It’s about time her son began to take an interest in women. Though she wishes her husband were here. It’s sad to see her son growing up so fast, even harder to realize her husband missed all of this.

“I was going to, but her brother said I should let her be. Which… I dunno, he seemed really adamant about it? And I guess that makes sense. He’s probably mad. I’m why she got sick.” That’s all it is. A brother cares for his sister… Something like that anyway.

Penelope nods, reaching out to ruffle her son’s hair. “Have you made up your mind about things?”

Telemachus looks away towards the doors that lead to the balcony. “I… I want to pursue her mom. I really do. I’m in love. I look at her and my heart soars. I want to hold her close, be her pillar, be who she can lean on. I just… Can’t tell if she would want that deep of a relationship. She said she likes me, even pecked my lips, but… She doesn’t open up. Something is wrong, she…” He pauses, looking back at his mother. “I may have stumbled into her, drunk, and… Some of the things said… It’s… I’m afraid if I try to get closer, she’ll pull away from me.”

Penelope pauses, staring out the window with her son. “Are you looking for advice?” She hums and her son nods. “Then I ask you to be more specific.”

“From what I understand, they’re half-siblings… Same father. She… Maybe it’s because she was drunk, but it’s like she doesn’t know that um… Like you know… Being taken advantage of isn’t… Like normal. I just… I’ve been questioning things I have no business doing because it’s her brother, and she even said if she was being hurt or in danger, he’d help her… He doesn’t seem like he’d let her be hurt.” His voice goes soft, and he glances at his mother.

Penelope’s eyes seem to sadden as she contemplates. “Like what has been going on with the maids?” Telemachus nods and Penelope sighs. “That isn’t a topic most will talk about with somebody who they like. You are a kind and gentle man, because I have raised you to be. Most men are not like you and your father. Most would shun a woman who’s done anything with or without their willing participation. She will open up to you, eventually. Let her take her time.” Penelope can only offer him that.

Telemachus nods with a sigh. “I just wish she’d trust me enough to talk to me. I don’t know how to make it clear that I won’t be upset or even react… I just want her to feel comfortable. I’ll let her cry on my shoulder if she has to. I want to know her, the real her… The woman I saw in the rain, the one who looked shocked and yet so happy… I want to see her playing and kicking up the rain under her feet as she laughs again. She’s… I just.” He groans, tugging his hair in frustration.

“Give her time Telemachus, that is all you can do. Continue to be open, never ask, don’t pressure her. Eventually, she will tell you. When she’s ready, she will tell you. It might not even be that she doesn’t trust you, Telemachus. She’s just not ready to talk about it.” His mother is gentle and composed… Her words are wise and spoken from her experience in life. “Why don’t you bring her some soup tonight?”

That night, he takes his mother’s advice. He stands outside the woman’s door and knocks. “It’s uhm.. Telemachus.”

The room is silent for a few moments.

He swears he hears shuffling… Something like the bed creaking and something being tossed. He tenses about to open the door when it creaks open and slams shut as Eurymachus steps outside the door. “She was just about to fall asleep. You’re a little too late for visiting hours, prince.”

Telemachus stares for a second. Something is…

Off…

Wrong…

His gut is telling him to push past him to see what’s going on, but his feet don’t move. “Oh… Uhm, has she eaten already?”

“Of course she has. What kind of man do you take me for, prince?” The suitor leans against the door, tunic slightly out of place.

“Is… Is she okay?” Telemachus drops his eyes to the floor.

“She’s been better. You got her sick. She’s as good as she can be.” The suitor seems almost impatient, different from the calm and polite manner he usually holds himself with.

Telemachus nods and turns away from the door. He pauses at the end of the hall and stares out towards the man slipping back into the room. Is it not weird that he refuses to open it all the way?

He’s over thinking, isn’t he? He’s just worrying over nothing, noticing details that are meaningless.

Yeah… Because surely he’d have noticed if she was being physically harmed in all the years he’s known her.

Chapter 6 Click here sfw Chapter 6 Click here NSFW/TW VERSION

Chapter 8 Click here

#telemachus x reader #A Light In The Dark By Cuteplosion #epic the musical #darkfic

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