Fandom: EPIC: The Musical
Characters: lee!Telemachus, ler!Eurymachus
Word Count: 990
Warnings: Eurymachus, semi-graphic description of a fight, using Telemachus as a ragdoll, tickles, blackmail. Tell me if I need to add anything!
A/N: This was inspired by this Instagram post and this post I misread and Non-Stop from the Hamilton musical so I made this. Um so anyways Eurymachus is evil and bad and Telemachus has cute giggles.
Stop the Fight
Stupid, stupid boy. Getting in a fight with Antinous. Eurymachus dragged Telemachus away from the fight. He had a bloodied nose and a busted lip, getting his blood all over his face.
Antinous was lucky Eurymachus considered him necessary to his plan. Otherwise, he wouldn't have dragged Telemachus away when he did. Antinous would've broken his bones. Every single one. Perhaps even killed the boy. Antinous is lucky. Good thing Telemachus didn't have the strength to fight off Eurymachus. It would've ended badly for him. And if Antinous would've killed the prince, Queen Penelope would have another excuse to weave another funeral shroud, and it'd be another ten years before she would choose a suitor.
"Hey! Let go of me!"
The suitor didn't respond.
Eurymachus forced him to kneel by a bucket of water. He grabbed the boy by the nape of his neck, forcing his head to lean over the bucket.
"Ack- stop!"
The suitor, again, didn't respond. He dipped his hand in the cool liquid, his hand like a cup to bring it to his face. Letting it run down his lips.
Eurymachus brought more water to his face. Even more. He wiped his face with his thumb.
What a stupid boy. Getting hit, when he knows good and well Antinous is bigger and stronger than him. Why would he start a fight he knew he couldn't win? Stupid boy.
"Let go of me!"
The suitor didn't respond.
"Why won't you listen?!" Telemachus smacked away his hand.
"I'm trying to help you, stupid boy." Eurymachus cupped his hand, bringing more water to wash off his face. "Why do you assume you're the smartest in the room? Soon, that attitude may be your doom."
"I-" But Eurymachus doesn't let him defend himself. He let go of the back of his neck, instead grabbing his chin and forcing the boy to face him.
"Why do you always say what you believe? You're giving free ammunition to your enemies." Telemachus shoved his hand away and tried to scoot back. Eurymachus reached his hand out to grab him, accidentally brushing on the side of his ribs. Telemachus gasped and curled up.
Eurymachus was worried. Had Antinous broken a rib, too? Stupid, stupid man. Now Penelope would never marry him. Not if she finds out he hurt her son. A broken rib was hard to hide.
The suitor approaches Telemachus, lifting his shirt to look at his rib.
"Hey-!" Telemachus shoved his shirt back down. Eurymachus was getting tired of his fighting, grabbing his wrists and forcing them out of the way, keeping them pinned just above his head. He pulled the boy's shirt up to check around his ribs.
It wasn't bruised, cut, indented, swollen. Just pale skin. Weird. Eurymachus brushed his free hand over it.
"Does this hurt?"
"No! Get off!" Telemachus said, trying to jerk his arms down.
"Don't lie to me, boy. Why are you reacting like this if you aren't hurt?"
"It just tickles." Eurymachus was a bit confused. How easily he said that, just giving away a weakness. Had Telemachus learned nothing from the suitors who constantly bully and harass him?
"Stupid boy. Giving away a weakness." The suitor was curious now. A sick and twisted sort of curiosity that would get him beheaded if King Odysseus ever found out. So he brushes Telemachus' rib again, this time with purpose. Watching the involuntary flinch, listening to the breath that gets caught in his throat.
"Don't." Telemachus tried to pull his arms down again. But it was useless. Eurymachus was strong. Probably not as strong as Antinous, but strong enough. He needed to escape. So Telemachus turned to the side Eurymachus sat on, and kicked his back with his knees.
The suitor scowled and removed his hands to now hold the prince's knees down. He squeezed experimentally just above the bone. The boy gave involuntary kicks. Not as bad as what Eurymachus would do, he thought distantly. His knees were really ticklish for some reason.
He snapped out of his thoughts, why would he think about being tickled himself? The strangeness of his mind. He moved up to tickle Telemachus' sides now.
"Stohohop! Eurymachus, stahahap!"
He hesitated. What would happen to him if he didn't listen to royalty? That would surely be a traitorous crime. He would never take the crown if he committed treason. So he did stop, staring at the boy.
Telemachus was grateful for the relief, and took a few greedy breaths. He covered his tummy now with his arms.
"You're evil."
"None of this would've happened if you didn't get into a fight with someone much stronger than you. Do you even have any training, boy?"
"Well- some."
"Some is not enough. He is larger than you, he is proud, he is violent. Choose your enemies wisely, boy. Pick a fight with someone you can win against."
"He's your enemy too. He's a suitor, too."
"Sure. But I do not wander around throwing punches at people larger than me." Telemachus scoffs.
Stupid, young boy. Too naive to understand what he's put himself up against.
"You'd do well to listen to me, boy."
"I would rather not listen to the likes of you."
"I wonder how Antinous might react to finding out you're ticklish." Eurymachus was calm, casual. But the subtle threat scared Telemachus.
"No, don't tell."
"Then I suggest you stop fighting people who are bigger and stronger than you." Telemachus hesitates. But the man had a point, he supposed.
"Fine."
Eurymachus left the room. He'd keep his plans close to his chest. Helping Telemachus like this was just to convince Queen Penelope to marry him. Telemachus would surely tell his mother of the suitor's misdeeds. But should she ask what Eurymachus has done - well, nothing horrible. Helped him wash his face, checked for injuries. Tickled him a little, stopped when asked. And gave him good advice.
Just another step towards the throne.