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Epic: The Musical: Fanfic: Back to the Water

May. 18th, 2025 at 3:52 PM

Title: Back to the Water
Fandom: Epic: The Musical
Characters: Odysseus
Rating: G
Length: 165
Summary: For a long time after returning home, Odysseus stays far from the water.

For a long time after returning home, Odysseus stays far from the water. There's just too much there, too much memory, too much loss, too much of his instincts pricking at him to stay away, that it isn't safe.

Until finally...finally something nudges him the other way. An odd longing, maybe. From before, when the water was his friend, when he felt confident and untouchable at the helm of a ship.

He walks slowly down to the shore beneath the palace. Hesitates just beyond where waves break across sand. Hesitates for long minutes, thinks about turning around, going back.

But he doesn't. And then, little by little, he inches forward again, until water laps at his toes, cool, barely touching.

It doesn't hurt. It isn't frightening.

He laughs a little, a small sound of shocked delight, and sits down right there, wet sand soaking the hem of his chiton, waves dancing up over his legs.

It feels like he's gotten another part of himself back.