Patrick Clark | Patroclus (borrowed_armor) wrote in nevermore_logs, @ 2015-10-26 13:39:00 |
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Entry tags: | hermes, nicholas rowland, patroclus, perseus, roxanna fielding |
WHO: Patroclus, Nicholas and Perseus being cuties, Hermes bein a douche, then Roxanna
WHAT: Poor Pattycakes
WHEN: Saturday
WHERE: Fusion Blues
WARNINGS: References to sexual assault
"Tough day?"
Perseus snorted into his beer and Patroclus grinned at his friend as he wiped the bar in front of him. "How many times a day do you ask that?" Perseus inquired.
"A few," Patroclus replied vaguely. "But you're making your sad face and I don't think you're going to find a happy face at the bottom of that glass."
"Shouldn't you be telling me the opposite?" Perseus laughed.
Truth be told, Perseus was one of Patroclus' favourite people and, very quickly, he was starting to take Achilles' place as his best friend. Perseus' wife had lived with himself and Briseis for months, and they had just clicked. Patroclus tried not to focus on how sad it made him that he wasn't close to Achilles right now, and that was easier to do with Perseus in front of him. He wasn't about to try to deconstruct why he felt he needed a hero to pal around with and play second fiddle to. "I'm asking as your friend and not a bartender. You okay?"
Perseus immediately dropped his fake smile, but he nodded anyway. "Tough week. Been with Hercules, helping in- Look, doesn't matter. I just needed a beer, then it's home to my gorgeous wife. I'm not drowning any sorrows or anything."
"Who's drowning what now?" Nicholas asked, swanning over from god knew where.
"No one is drowning anything," Patroclus replied. "Are you sure you put enough gel in your hair today, boss, I think it looks like it might move at some point in the next century..."
"Oh, you wound me!" Nicholas said, theatrically putting his hands on his chest. "I'll dock your pay, pretty boy! I was going to make a joke about you stealing any old armour you see lying around, but it seemed too easy."
Patroclus barked a laugh and clapped Nicholas on the back. He really enjoyed working for the other man, hair gel and all. "I'm trying to cheer Perseus up here." But before he could get another word out, Patroclus felt a familiar presence enter the club and he stiffened in horror.
It was too late to run, Hermes was here and the god had already seen him.
Patroclus started to shake as Hermes made a beeline right towards them. He had to look at Perseus twice before he realised it really was the hero sitting on a bar stool beside him. "Perseus," Hermes nodded at him once. "I forgot you associated with Patroclus."
"I didn't realise you put much thought into anyone I associated with, brother," Perseus shot back.
Patroclus watched Hermes side-eye Perseus for a moment, and then consciously decide not to engage. Goddammit, what must it be like to be one of the people Hermes considered worthwhile?
"Can I get you anything?" Nicholas cut through the obvious tension. He knew who Hermes was and that Patroclus didn't care for him, but no one here knew what Hermes had done to Patroclus. "A drink or something to eat? On the house."
"I came to speak to Patroclus," Hermes said, sliding onto a stool opposite the man. Patroclus tried in vain not to shrink back in horror at hearing his name come from Hermes' lips. This was the man who had, together with is wife, raped him and then kicked him out as if nothing had happened. And Hermes, to this day, still demanded Patroclus spend time every day worshiping him. Patroclus had never been so grateful that Nicholas was his boss, as when the man actually put himself between Hermes and Patroclus as if he could actually protect him.
"Go ahead," Nicholas said firmly, making it clear he wasn't going anywhere.
Hermes glared at the mortal, and glanced sideways to see Perseus making quite the same firm face. Exasperated, he shrugged. "Fine. I know you're dating my daughter and have been for awhile." Hermes had expressed his displeasure months ago, and Kat had made Hermes apologise. "I want to know how serious you are about it."
Patroclus licked his lips and swallowed roughly. "W-why?"
"She is my daughter and I deserve to know who she is seeing," Hermes said, ignoring Perseus' scoff.
"I- I love her," Patroclus said, his voice wavering. "I love her." He felt Nicholas' hand on his back for a moment, and that support meant everything to him.
Hermes arched an eyebrow at the warrior and sighed. "If you are to be my son-in-law you need to come to dinner at my house." Patroclus' eyes widened in horror. Son-in-law!? No one was talking marriage here, and no way in fucking hell was he ever setting foot in Hermes' house ever again. "Don't make that face at me, Mortal, you need to show your respect to me and my wife if you are going to be part of our family."
When Patroclus said nothing, but turned white in obvious horror, Perseus put his arm on Hermes' shoulder. "Just give it a rest, Hermes, alright?"
"Why is he so afraid?" Hermes said, not giving anything a rest. "Does he not want to marry my daughter?"
"We've only been together less than a year!" Patroclus squeaked out, even though it was not his relationship with Roxanna giving him the heebies. "It's not that."
Hermes rolled his eyes. "Are you still upset that Peitho came on to you, mortal? That was years ago." Came on to him?! That was hardly what had happened. Patroclus narrowed his eyes and Hermes drummed his fingers on the bar. "You cannot honestly still be upset about that. We showed you honour that night."
"That was not honour," Patroclus hissed, ignoring the way his friends were now looking at him. He could feel the shock and pity in their gazes well enough.
"You will come to our house, or we will come to you," Hermes said, inviting no argument. "You will be a part of this fami-"
"Fuck you."
And for a good thirty seconds, everything was still as all four men simply stared at Patroclus in shock. If anyone knew their place, it was Patroclus. He was a true lieutenant at heart and even when he teased Nicholas, if Nicholas told him to knock it off, Patroclus would in an instant. He took orders and he followed them, and never once had he ever done anything but follow his gods devoutly. Patroclus raised his eyes to meet Hermes, firming the jaw his best friend had once broken in fury, "fuck you and your idea of family."
"What did you say to me, mortal?" Hermes growled, and Perseus took that opportunity to slowly rise form his stool.
"I said fuck you, KlepsiphrĂ´n!"
"Okay, come on," Nicholas reached out and pulled Patroclus away from Hermes, who was suddenly being pulled by Perseus in kind. "I want you out of my bar and don't come back," he warned Hermes. "I'll have the place warded if I have to-"
"Wards can't keep me out!" Hermes scoffed even as Perseus pushed him backwards. "I'll kill you, Mortal!"
"FUCK YOU!" Patroclus yelled back, and it now seemed like the only thing he was capable of saying. The other patrons in the bar were now staring at the altercation with wide eyes. Patroclus shook Nicholas' hold on him. "Let go!"
"Pat, look-"
"No." Patroclus shook his head and he headed towards the back, grabbing his jacket on the way. He wasn't going to stay at work and be scrutinized by Nicholas and Perseus all night while they thought of all the things Hermes could have done to him. Instead he punched his time card and stalked straight out the loading door into the night, leaving a distraught-looking Nicholas behind him.
After walking around for a few hours, Patroclus found himself on Roxanna's doorstep and honestly hers was the only face he wanted to see right now. He knocked loudly, actually scared someone else might answer.