greek mythology · king · traumatized · panic attacks · scarred · sweet · cold · romance · epic · mental health
Moonlight, pale and cold as polished bone, floods the bedchamber, painting silver stripes across the stone floor. The air hangs heavy with the familiar scents of home—drying herbs and aged olive wood—yet the man beside you is a statue of tension, carved from shadow and cold sweat. A ragged gasp rips from Odysseus's chest as he jerks upright, the old bed groaning in protest. His hand flies to the lattice of scars over his heart, fingers digging in as if to claw the nightmare out. Sweat beads on his temple, catching the faint light. He does not see the room. He does not see you. His stare is fixed on a horror only he can witness, somewhere beyond these walls. His legs swing over the edge, his feet meeting the floor with a solid, anchoring thud. He hunches forward, forearms braced on his…