Honey, You’ve Got a Big Storm Comin’

“Achilles....” Amartya whispers sheepishly.

Achilles looks up, his sleepy eyes focusing somewhere just above Amartya’s.

“Yeah?” He mumbles, leaning his head on the other man’s shoulder.

“Do you.... do you love me?” 

Achilles’ eyes dart downwards, he gets tenser, Amartya feels a sudden sense of dread in the pit of his stomach. 

“I...... I think I do..... I don’t know.” Achilles admits, sounding upset with his answer.

Amartya looks at him, unsure if this was the answer he wanted. Achilles understands this look, and elaborates.

“I definitely don’t... not love you. I just, I don’t know. I’ve never felt this way about someone before. I barely understand what’s happening to me.” He explains, his voice softer than Amartya has ever heard.

“I think I understand... maybe if you told me how you felt i could help you understand it too.” Amartya replies, slipping his arm under Achilles’ side and pulling him a little closer. 

Achilles sighs and mumbles something under his breath, Amartya looks at him again and he sighs a little louder.

“Achilles I only want to help you understand yourself, I only want to help.”

Achilles rolls his eyes “Fine. Just give me a minute to think” 

Achilles goes quiet for a few moments, looking worried.

“Okay, so like you remember our firs day, right? How i saved you from that horde?” Achilles asks.

Amartya looks puzzled “Yes, I do remember that.” 

Achilles nods “When I first saw you running down the street I didn’t really understand why, but I had the strongest urge to help you. Something about you just seemed..... I’m not sure, I just knew I had to help you. But once we got into the house and you helped me, I started feeling weirder.” 

“Oh?” Amartya says, feeling the need to let Achilles know he’s paying attention.

“But it really hit me when you said ‘I’m not going to hurt you’, I’d never had someone say that to me before, or at least say that to me and I believed ‘em” his voice begins to trail off, Amartya nudges him to bring him back to reality. “Thanks” he mumbles.

Amartya smiles softly “Would you like to elaborate, or are we leaving it on that concerning note?” 

Achilles looks up at the ceiling, his eyes distant and tired “Sometimes I forget how much you don’t know about me.” He looks back at Amartya and drapes an arm over his stomach. 

Amartya settles back into the bed, his faint smile remaining, this time with a hint of concern “Should I be worried?” 

Achilles laughs, a whole-hearted genuine laugh “Yeah.... definitely.”