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Chapter Text

In the wake of his crushing victory over the lords of the sea, Oceanus and Nereus, Poseidon had been swift and ruthless in laying his claim over the sea. He had earned the respect, or at least fear, of many of the dwellers of the sea, and if they did not, then he was glad to acquaint them with his trident.

But it had been a number of years since he and his siblings had crushed the Titans, and a number of years, though less, that he had now been sovereign over the sea. Nereus and Oceanus had not been killed, as you could not kill a part of nature without damaging it. He had, however, forced them into retirement.

Oceanus had accepted his defeat and disappeared into the depths, and Nereus seemed almost glad for his early retirement. More time with his fifty daughters, he’d said. He had laughed on his way out, telling Poseidon he hoped he knew what he was getting into.

Poseidon had only come to understand his joke later. Ruling over the seven seas was no small task, but after years of practice, he had it well-balanced, with a team of ambassadors to relay issues to him.

In light of this, after all these years, Nereus saw fit to host a celebration. Of his retirement, no doubt, but he claimed it was in honor of Poseidon’s dutiful reign. If it was in his name, he ought to show.

That was how he found himself in the Old Man of the Sea’s retirement home, resting upon a seat of honor while music played and people danced around him. Apparently, in addition to a cleverly disguised retirement party, Nereus had also saw fit to try to display some of his eligible daughters.

They all carried themselves with an impossible grace, swimming in rhythmic patterns that showed each of their attributes. He would be lying if he said several did not catch his eye.

One particular nymph, in fact. She was tall, but fair, with dark, piercing eyes. She did not appear to try to be graceful for him, though she was anyway. Her effortless movements and stoic face whilst her sisters were trying their utmost to appear pleasing to him drew her to him. He wanted to see her smile with the same effortless grace, wanted to see what made those dark eyes light up.

Her sisters seemed inconsequential to him as she danced, and even the music faded out of hearing as she moved. He would see this dance in his dreams, he hoped.

Even after the dance was over, and the party resumed, his eyes lingered on her. She was truly beautiful.

“Amphitrite,” a voice said beside him, and he thanked his years of battle and younger sibling-hardened nerves that he did not jump.

“What?” He asked Nereus, for that was who had appeared beside him.

“One of my daughters has caught your eye. She is Amphitrite, my eldest.” The old man said. Amphitrite. Amphitrite . Even her name was perfect, matching her in every way. Piercing on three sides , her name meant. Just like his trident. Too often he scoffed at the fates, but he would be a fool here to look a gift horse in the mouth. He would know. He created horses.

Amphitrite. Oh, how her grace had pierced him already. He could sense fire under her tongue, just somehow knew that she would not be the type of woman to sit back and take whatever any man said, she would fire back. Oh, she was perfect in every way…

“She did not want to come to this, you know,” the old man laughed. “She doesn’t much care about marrying for the title of Queen. One of my other daughters might suit you better, she can be… somewhat feisty.”

“I would like to meet her, if that’s amenable to her.”

“Do not expect to get far, my lord,” Nereus said, mirth dancing in his voice. Nevertheless, he went and spoke to her.

Poseidon could not hear the interaction that went on, but he could see it. She shook her head, adamant in her refusal. Nereus came back over, an apology ready just in case this refusal incited Poseidon’s temper.

“My lord, I apologise. She has never been one to be ordered around, and I have already pushed my luck with her enough tonight, making her dance with her sisters. Do not be angry with her.”

“Very well… leave me, Nereus, I wish to enjoy your retirement party without your dithering.” Poseidon dismissed him, and the old man laughed.

“So my pomp has not escaped your prying eyes. Very well, my lord, enjoy my party!”

Poseidon tried to enjoy the party after the old man left, but the rejection to even stand before him and become acquainted was fresh on his mind.

He could see her, for she was just slightly taller than the rest of her sisters, and they were already tall. He watched her talk and make merry with them, though she was subdued, only smiling minutely. It seemed she was enjoying the party as much as he was.

Oh, he needed a break of this crowd. Casting one last look to her, he noticed that some of her sisters were looking at him. They giggled amongst themselves, then tugged at Amphitrite’s silken sleeves, pointing him out to her.

That was his time to go.

He left the ballroom, and went out to the balcony, inhaling deeply once he felt the pressure of being watched as the Lord of the Seas ease.

He stared out into the deep blue, past the little bubble that kept the barrier between sea and air, permitting Nereus’ guests that were not of the sea to enjoy the party as well.

A whale sailed gracefully through the water in the distance, singing its song of gladness as another one floated by it, brushing by its flank.

He felt a yearning for companionship that he had not arrived at the party with. He turned back to where he had left the ballroom, where Amphitrite had only just met his gaze of her own volition for just a second before he’d fled the room.

And he called himself the king of the sea. More like king of the cowards.

Through the doors, he could see her tall frame wading through the partygoers, her head held high as she came his way.

Wait. Shit. Shit, she’s coming over here. This is fine, it’s fine , be cool.

“Lord Poseidon,” she said, her tone neutral as she regarded him. “I am-”

“Lady Amphitrite,” he blurted, before he could stop himself. Fuck.

“I see you already know my name,” she said, her tone slightly colder.

“Your, ah. Your father told me your name.”

“Of course he did. I have felt your eyes on me all night. I presume he has made some deal with you for my hand?” She asked. Her eyes were darker than he had seen before and her tone was icy. She was taller than him, and she stood at her full height above him.

“Not at all, I had merely asked to make your acquaintance…” Poseidon said, trying to keep his voice casual.

“And that is why you have been staring at me. All night. Of course.” Gods, and she was speaking to him like this? To a god? Her god? Her king? To anyone else, this level of snide disrespect would be taken with offence, and from anyone else, he would be offended, but there was just… something about her, he couldn’t find his anger right then.

“You may ask him. He told of your sureness in yourself, said that you had no interest in being here, warned me that you may not be willing to speak. I asked anyway, and took your answer. I apologise for my gaze, you are just…”

“I am what,” she asked, not convinced of his sincerity.

“You are like a rip current, you have pulled upon my gaze, and I have only just broken free when I came out here,” he said, before he realized how lame that sounded.

Fuck, he must seem so stupid to her. If only he had developed Zeus’ affinity for talking to beautiful women, or talking to people in general. He couldn’t just apologise for staring, he had to make a fool of himself. Who compares people to rip currents? That sounds so lame!

But to his surprise, she blinked, and laughed.

His world froze.

Her laughter was clear and bright and genuine, as crisp as a morning wave and as gentle as a slow evening tide. He loved her laugh.

Then he realised she was laughing at him.

How did this go so wrong, so fast. He had to get out of here.

“R-right, well. Thank you, for, erm. Gracing me with your presence, I’m afraid I have business to attend.”

A column of water appears in the bubble as he prepares to take his leave, and he thinks he hears her call for him to wait, but he has already begun to swim away. He looks back at her briefly once the bubble closes after him, and swears he sees a small smile grace her face.

– – –

Amphitrite watched the lord of the sea disappear into the open ocean, his brilliant blue tail forming as soon as he’d touched his element and whipping behind him as he shot off into the abyss.

A rip current, he’d compared her to. One that draws in people, so often to their own doom, yet something about that being compared to her… 

When she first felt his gaze while she was dancing with her sisters, she thought of course. The lord of the sea, singling out perhaps the one nereid there who did not want to be paraded around with her siblings like some eligible bride for the eyes of some uncaring, ruthless king who would merely use her for her womb.

She had felt his eyes on her all night, she hated it. Then she saw her father talking to him, and when her father came over to ask if she would go introduce herself to him, she said no immediately. She would not. If she were to marry, it would be of her own volition, not because her father told her to, not unless she had to protect her sisters, and right now, there was no threat, so fuck no.

She watched out of the corner of her vision as the Lord of the Seas took her rejection surprisingly well, though his gaze still lingered on her.

Her sisters observed him better than she could, for she refused to meet his gaze and invite conversation that way.

“He’s still looking at you,” one said. “Aww, he looks sad, that’s so funny!” They giggled, and she smiled minutely.

“Is he still blushing?” Another asked, and they all giggled as yet another confirmed it. She finally allowed herself to look, but just as she did, catching his blush for a split second before he was leaving the room, weaving through the crowd.

For whatever reason, she allowed herself to be goaded into talking to him by her sisters, and so she found herself joining him on the balcony as he looked somberly out to sea. He almost seemed to panic when he saw her, trying to collect himself. He was neutral when she finally neared him.

He was… cute, almost, in how he fumbled over himself before her. He had always seemed so uncaring or angry, those were the two moods he was most known for. He had proven himself to be mercurial in nature, though that was the way of the sea. It filled the very beings of the ones who rule it, creates an ocean in their chest, such that even they cannot escape drowning in if they do not learn to temper their emotions.

Poseidon, as a clearly young god, was still learning how to swim in his own sea. Watching him stumble over his words before calling her a rip current of all things was loathfully endearing, for how much she had wanted to hate him.

She was expecting the usual compliments. “You’re beautiful.” “You’re so graceful.” “You would make a lovely little wife.”

She didn’t want the usual compliments. She didn’t want to be someone’s ‘submissive little wife’.

Perhaps that’s why him calling her a rip current got to her. He implied he was stuck in her ‘rip current’. When she laughed, and he went still, staring up at her, those blue eyes sparkling with awe, his lips slightly parted as if in a trance, she could see he would let himself drown in her current if he could.

Then he seemed to sober, and he flushed in embarrassment. He made some lame excuse about needing to go, and she tried to call after him, but he was gone.

Had she offended him by laughing? He probably thought she was laughing at him. She was, but not out of mockery.

That night, the way that he had looked up at her stuck in her mind. Maybe he would call upon her again. She shocked herself when she found herself hoping that he did.

No one had ever looked at her like that…

Chapter Text

“Hades, I need help!” Poseidon lamented as he arrived in the underworld. His brother looked up at him, quill still in hand as he wrote. Poseidon threw himself down into the chair nearby his desk, slumping down in it.

“What is it, Poseidon, that you need my assistance with so urgently that you interrupt me while I’m working?”

“Don’t be like that, you said we could come anytime,” Poseidon pouted. Hades sighed, and put down his quill. He had him there.

“Fine. What can I help you with, dear brother?”

“How did you get Persephone to fall in love with you?”

Well. Of all the things he expected his brother to ask, that was not it.

“Well, we met, and she quite liked how I valued life, despite being the god of the dead. My favorite time of year is spring, and she’s the goddess of springtime. We sort of just… hit it off, and then ran off together. Eloped, and now we’re here.” Hades summed. He maybe skipped a few parts here and there, but Poseidon already knew the story, he didn’t know why he was asking again.

“Ugh, that doesn’t help me…” Poseidon frowns harder, looking away from him, thinking.

“Then I don’t know what you want to hear, brother. Why don’t you tell me what the problem is?” Hades offered, leaning forward, only slightly disappointed that Poseidon hadn’t actually come down here to hear him tell how he and his wife had met.

“Well… I met someone…” he mumbled, and as if summoned by the very possibility of giving relationship advice, Zeus appeared in Hades’ office as well.

“Brother, you simply must- oh, hey, Poseidon. What’s going on?”

“Ah, Zeus, hello,” Hades greeted. He did not notice Poseidon’s motions for him to shut the fuck up until after he explained to the youngest that Poseidon had been asking about he and Persephone.

“Ah, met someone, have you? Good! You were looking a little lonely for a while, there!” Zeus exclaimed, getting in on this. Poseidon facepalmed. Clearly his desire for older brotherly advice had been mistaken for just, brotherly advice. “So, how long have you been seeing this someone?” Zeus sat down in the chair adjacent to Poseidon, grinning at him to say.

“I’m not-” he started, grinding his teeth, before forcing himself to chill out. “I’m not seeing her. I just met her recently.”

“How recent?”

“… tonight.”

As Poseidon seemed to have expected, already resigning himself to being made fun of tonight, Zeus laughed boisterously, and Hades blinked.

Poseidon hated being laughed at. He hadn’t left yet, despite this obviously being the perfect opportunity for Zeus to mock him. He must actually think he needs help with this. Hades took in his brother. He had clearly just come from a party, his clothing more loose and formal, and there were pearls and shells adorning his well-groomed hair. Whoever this woman was, she had clearly left such an impression upon him that he’d left in a hurry to go request advice, even if it meant mockery.

Poseidon now looked increasingly grumpy, his chin resting on his hand as he glared at the floor, refusing to acknowledge either of them.

“Zeus. That’s enough,” Hades said. “Poseidon. Tell us what you need help with.”

“She doesn’t like me. Refused to come talk to me, wouldn’t even meet my gaze all night, and then the one time she comes over to talk, I blow it!” Poseidon threw his hands in the air, not bothering with patience anymore, with them or himself.

“Wow,” Zeus merely commented, looking at him with his brows raised. Poseidon growled at him.

“Not helping, Zeus,” Hades chastised, and Zeus held his hands up in surrender. “How do you think you blew it?”

“Well, I was staring at her like, all night, so I probably looked like a creep or something, and then when she tries to introduce herself, I interrupt her and say her name instead, so now I definitely look like a creep, then when I’m trying to cover for it, and she’s looking so pissed, I go and fuck everything up and call her a goddamn rip current!” 

“Damn. How are we related?” Zeus cringed. Poseidon scowled at nothing, and Hades knew that look. He was angry with himself, probably beating himself up inside. “You couldn’t just compliment her? Like a normal person? Gods, brother, how hard did you fumble?” At his chastising words, Hades shut him up with a look.

“This woman clearly means a lot to you,” he said, and Poseidon looked up at him.

“I don’t know, I just… I feel… drawn to her… like no matter how hard I try, I just can’t… I can’t pull away…”

“Ah. Like a rip current,” Hades understood, and Poseidon nodded, lowering his head again. Even Zeus stopped laughing.

“And then I left. Like a coward.”

“Not your finest move,” Zeus shrugged. Poseidon gnashed his teeth.

“Can you shut the fuck up? Unless you have something constructive to say?”

“Fine, fine. How about this. I’m throwing a banquet in a few days. You should come.”

“Zeus, I don’t give a fuck about your fucking banquets right now.”

“Let me finish. You should come, and invite her. She can be your plus one.”

“That’s… not a bad idea, Zeus.” Hades said. He could see the logic in Zeus’ plan. He could, also, if he thought about who it was saying this, see the flaws in that plan, such as Zeus’ penchant for talking women away from the dates that they came with, but hopefully he would not sink so low with this one, not when Poseidon was actively putting his heart out on the line for the first time in a long time.

“Thank you. Poseidon? How about it?”

“… she’s not a god, I don’t know if you care about that.”

“I don’t.”

“Then… I guess I’ll send her an invitation… what day?”

“Five days. Hades, you should be there too. I know my parties aren’t your scene, but emotional support and all.”

“Very well,” Hades agreed.

– – –

Dear Amphitrite.

Too casual.

Esteemed Amphitrite.

Too formal.

To Amphitrite.

Too impersonal.

Amphitrite.

Too desperate.

Any way he spun it, it wasn’t enough.

Five days. That was all the time he had to get a message to Amphitrite. He wrote out a letter, maybe three, ten, all trying to grasp at words that would seem sufficient enough for her to bother answering, much less enough to grace him with her presence.

Nothing seemed like it would be enough, not to get her attention, not to even be worth sending, for he knew he would only be met with rejection. 

As he struggled for words, he found he had a page full of just her name, written out in all its majestic grace, her name seeming to flow from his pen with all the grace the nymph herself carried, no matter if he used his finest scrawl or chicken scratch. He knew, though, without something to grab her attention, she would not bother to read the rest of the letter.

He hated doing this, normally, but he took a deep breath, cleared his mind, and let his heart address her.

His letter was short, to the point to not bore her, and he sent it away on his swiftest dolphin, Delphin, before he could pussy out again.

– – –

Amphitrite stole the letter away from her giggling sisters. They had taken it from a rather tired looking royal dolphin, who looked as if he had swam here at full speed from the palace from which he hailed. When she saw who the letter was sent from, she knew she had hit the nail on the head.

If she was honest with herself, she had been waiting for something like this. She went to her room, away from the prying eyes of her sisters, and sat at her desk, setting the letter before her and trying to imagine what it said before she opened the ornate seal of the Lord of the Seas.

Was it a summons? Was all that blushing and roundabout flirting before fleeing just a guise, and he would simply demand her hand anyways? She hoped not. Of any of the men that had ever shown interest in her, she saw the most potential in this one. He was… unique.

What if it was something else, something saying he no longer wished to court her? She found herself hoping it was not that, either. Something about the way she had held his gaze for so long, selfishly she wished to hold it longer.

She did not open the letter for a while, simply staring at it. Just as well, that poor dolphin would need time to rest before bringing her response, anyway.

When she finally did open the letter, the following morning, she braced herself for disappointment. She’d slept on what she hoped it might have been, and so she unrolled it slowly , glancing at the date before reading the body. Three days ago, it had been sent. She rolled out the rest of it, shocked by such a brief letter. Until she read it.

To you whose current does not let me go,

I humbly request you grace me with your company before the king of the gods as he throws a banquet five days hence.

From the one caught in your tides,

Poseidon.

A summons, yes. But to a banquet? He was inviting her to another party? And he did not say to grace him with her presence, but with company, did that mean something more than him merely wanting her to be there?

Why was she picking apart his words so? What did she have to be nervous about? Did she even want to go to a party in Olympus, hosted not just by her father or her lord, but the king of the gods?

What would she even wear? Oh, gods, there was so little time! He sent that three days ago! There were only two days, her letter would barely even make it in time! What would she even say? A simple ‘yes’ wouldn’t do…

She scribbled out some reply that was just barely formal enough, and gave it to the exhausted dolphin with some fish and an apology for rushing him.

The dolphin swam off, and she turned to her sisters.

“I have an invitation to a banquet on Olympus,” she announced, and they cheered before she quieted them. “I have nothing to wear somewhere like that. Sisters, aid me.”

She had no time regretting requesting their aid, or her decision. Just as Poseidon was drawn to her, she wanted to pull him closer. He was not all the monster he seemed on the battlefield or the stoic god he was on the throne. She had seen past that at her father’s party. He had shown her something she guessed very few could see, that sort of vulnerability was not to be taken lightly.

She would see where this led.

Chapter Text

She wasn’t coming. The hour was drawing near to leave for the banquet, and he had received no letter of affirmation or rejection. She had probably trashed his letter, or that blasted dolphin had gotten sidetracked.

He looked like a fool, waiting on his balcony, observing the seas around him, dressed in his finest wear, adorned with pearls, playing with a beautiful hairpin in his hands. He had made it, as a gift for her. Iridescent mother of pearl, shimmering in the light, studded with polished sea glass and pearls, some of his finer work. He thought it would pair beautifully with her hair, blue as the tides from which it was made.

He had freshened up the water comprising his right arm, he’d made sure his hair was in pristine condition, not a strand out of place, and yet for all his decorum, he would look like a fool tonight, arriving with no one on his arm. His brothers would immediately know she had rejected him, and Zeus would laugh at him in front of all Olympus.

Dread settled firmly in his stomach.

In vain, he waited for hours for her to arrive, having gotten ready several hours in advance, since he didn’t know if or when she would arrive. He’d already had no fewer than four nymphs ask if he was alright, if there was anything he needed, and he merely shook his head each time.

Now, the banquet was set to start in less than an hour. He could not wait much longer. Below, near the gates to his palace, his horses grew restless, eager to run, to carry his chariot to where he needed to be. Just a little longer, he promised them. Just a bit more time…

But a bit more time came and passed, and his heart sank as it became time to leave. Gods above, he didn’t want to go. If he went, he would be mocked. If he didn’t, he would still be, but that would incite his brothers paying him a visit, and his subjects were always a little unnerved by them. Not that he would want them here, anyway, in the wake of his rejection. He just needed to get over it. She wasn’t interested. No big deal, there would be others…

Setting down the hairpin he’d been fiddling with, he turned away from the balcony, away from his vigil over the open ocean, and started towards the door.

He didn’t see the shape appear in the distant blue, swimming rapidly towards his palace.

Poseidon glided through the halls, his face an expression of stone, determined not to crack. He went out and calmed his horses, making sure that they were ready for the climb to Olympus.

Just as he began to board his chariot, though, he heard a voice calling for him to wait. 

“My lord! Wait, please!” The voice called, and he turned to see- oh fates, she was beautiful.

Amphitrite swam as fast as she could, only slowing when she saw he turned to see her. She floated down gracefully before him, and he was at a loss for words.

Her peplos was silken, gently framing her tall form as it gently swayed with her movements. She looked slightly winded, but merely looking at her would not tell of her long journey. Her hair, ever perfect, lay in waves around her head as they floated in the water together. She was stunning, absolutely beautiful.

“I hope I did not keep you waiting long,” she said simply, as he took all of her radiance in. She had two braids in her hair that had not been there at their last meeting. Was that to match his? They pulled her hair away from her face slightly, allowing for better view of her. Gods, she was perfect.

“No, not long at all… you have perfect timing, my lady,” he said, brushing away his day of wait. “You look… stunning, might I say…”

“Oh yes?”

“More beautiful than the Queen of the heavens herself.”

“Now you’re just lying to me,” she quips, but he does not respond in kind.

“There is no lie here… if only you could see the beauty that I see in your visage, then you might see a queen, as well,” he said, before realizing the implication of what he’d said regarding her being a queen. He flushed, looking for some way to save himself in case she soured at his words, but to his surprise, she blushed as well, leaning down to press a kiss upon his cheek. He blushed harder, and she smiled at him, amused.

“I- um. I made you something! A gift, for accepting my company tonight.” He said, and he reached for where he’d put the hairpin, only to realise it wasn’t on him. Drat! He put it down on his balcony when he thought she would not come! “I, er. One moment.” 

She watched after him, amused, as he swam up to his balcony, quickly grabbed it, and shot back down.

“Forgive me, my lord, but you seem unprepared for my presence.”

“I- I received no return letter stating if you were joining me or not, I apologise. I promise, this is not an example of my normal behavior.” He didn’t mention that his normal behaviour was much angrier, more of the monster that people had come to associate him with, but he was sure she already knew. You don’t hear of the lord of the sea without his temper coming paired with him. He just hoped that he would not scare her off with it. Too often did he do so, whether it be for simple things like trade deals or more personal things like potential friendships or allies. He hoped that she would never see his monster up close. It scared him, the thought of seeing fear upon her face, directed at him.

“The dolphin did not arrive?” She asked, confused.

“You did send a reply?”

“I did, but that poor dolphin had looked mighty tired, he may not have been as fast as he was coming to me. I apologise.” Relief had never filled him so fast.

“That’s alright, I am just glad that you are here,” he said honestly. He then actually offered the hairpin to her, and her eyes glittered.

“It’s beautiful… you said you made this?” She asked, and he was glad for her height, for where she stood, just over a head taller than him, for he could see every look of wonder that passed her face, every gleam that passed her eyes. It occurred to him then that he was glad she was not shorter than him, as some women were who tried to display themselves for him. If she was shorter, he would not see her face as well when he gave her things like this, and here, eye-level with the base of her neck, he could see every hitch of her breath as she examined the hairpin.

“I did… do you like it?”

“I love it… put it in my hair?” She asked, and he obliged. He floated up to her head and placed it just to the side of one of her braids, pinning it back just a touch more. He floated back to take her all in, and she was even more beautiful than he thought possible.

“You are radiant, my lady Amphitrite…” he smiled, and she returned it. Whatever had happened to that cold stare he’d been greeted with at Nereus’ party, however he had managed to charm her into joining him with all his fumbling, he did not care. She was here now, he would not let that go to waste.

“Thank you. Should we get going? We will be late.”

“Right. Do let’s.”

He helped her onto the chariot, and boarded beside her, trying not to blush at the closeness, their arms brushing each other’s. Come on, Poseidon, get it together.

– – –

Upon arriving to Olympus, only a little bit fashionably late, they disembarked the chariot, and he offered her his arm.

“Let me know if you get uncomfortable, my lady,” he said to her as they prepared to enter, her eyes filled with awe at his brother’s grandiose palace. “Some of my kinsmen can be somewhat… much.” She nodded, though her eyes were not on him, but taking in the details of the palace as they walked in.

Immediately, the sounds in the room rose as soon as they crossed the threshold, music playing faintly as the sounds of talking and merrymaking filled the air. Amphitrite’s hold tightened on his arm as she took in the vastness of the party, Zeus having invited a great host of nymphs, gods, and other minor deities to his banquet. Poseidon was just glad he was not here alone.

They wove through the partygoers, greeting people as they passed, until they made it to one of the many banquet tables, where heaps of food sat neverending, and the wine was ever-flowing. Grapes, meats, cheeses, breads, anything that you could want at a royal gathering, and it was yours. Together they picked at some of the food, and each picked up a goblet of the wine, to be polite.

Many of Zeus’ parties had two layers. There was one for the lesser guests, Zeus’ words, not his, and one for his more esteemed guests, the ones he had invited personally. He often wanted to seem like he was so well-known, so well-loved, after all, that he wanted to have as many guests as possible, whether he knew them well or not, so he threw open his gates for all of Olympus to enjoy, but there was a certain area only a few could pass into.

This was where Poseidon led Amphitrite. This was where they were expected. As soon as they passed over the invisible barrier separating the two, the music was better audible, and the background voices did not seem so loud now. There was still plenty of chatter, but a manageable amount.

As Poseidon scanned the room, he began pointing out important faces to Amphitrite. She nodded along respectfully, taking note of everything with watchful, observant eyes. Eventually, though, it seemed like everyone was wrapped up in their own drinks or conversation for the time being, so he took the opportunity to talk to her for a bit.

“Are you enjoying everything so far…?” he asked, and she looked down at him.

“I am, it is all very… grand. I am not used to all this, and out of the water, no less, but it is… pleasant. We are not the center of attention, as you were at my father’s party, and I was while I danced.”

“Very true. Though I do wish my brother would take up my suggestion of putting a fountain or something up here, if he wishes I visit more often. It is just so dry, up here, do you feel it?”

“I do. The air is a bit thin, as well. That or the wine is more dizzying than I gave it credit for.”

“It is the air, you are right,” he said, and she nodded. He looked at her in consideration. “Tell me about yourself. I wish to know more of you…”

“Ah. Well, I am eldest of my forty-nine other sisters, and as you may have guessed, I do not make it easy to obtain my attention. Many have tried to ask my father for my hand when he was the lord of the sea instead of you, and many have been denied.”

“I see… but I know all of that. I wish to know you .”

“What would you like to know?”

“What do you like to do? Where are your favorite places to go?”

“I like to dance with my sisters,” she offered. “I like to weave, I am very good at helping my younger sisters with their hair when they request it of me, and I like helping them with their everyday problems.”

“Very generous you are. Perhaps I could ask you to do my hair sometime?” he asked, and she traced the wave of his hair, and smiled, nodding.

“I do not go many places, though I might like to.”

“I know of some places you might like… caves of crystal, underwater waterfalls, places where cliffs by the sea meet the sky, so high that if you jumped into the water below, for a moment, you can fly,” he said, describing some of the places he had seen. “Underwater trenches so vast and deep you could swim down for hours and never reach the bottom!”

“Now why would you go to a place like that? Surely it must get dark, and cold down there,” she said, tilting her head curiously. He hesitated for a moment, not having expected a reaction like that.

“Perhaps sometimes I like the dark and the quiet. There is no one for miles around you, no one to disturb your thoughts,” he looked away from her gaze. There was no one to hear you scream your frustrations, no one to bear witness to the pain as you scream yourself hoarse, and when the pressure began to cave around you, box you in and pull you down into its depths, there was no one to stop you from listening to it. There was just you and the abyss. You and the deep dark, and in that deep dark cold, you had to pull yourself out.

It had been more than one occasion that he had gone to one of those abysses, done just that, scream his voice raw and then let himself sink. The weight of expectation often exceeded what he could manage, and there were times when he found himself missing being trapped inside his father’s stomach, looking up into the gloom with his siblings as they all held each other. When his own anger began to scare him, make him wonder how long it would be until he really snapped, went beyond all hope of saving. To the abyss he could go, he could release his water arm, he could sink down until he could feel the pressure squeezing him, like a hug, only there was no warmth to it. Only in those moments could he really take a second to himself and evaluate the reasons why he should or should not come back up.

He always did, always found a reason, those reasons either being spite to the ones who had ever doubted him, or the faces of the ones he held dear. He did not want to be dead weight to them again, didn’t want to be a burden to his kingdom.

“Well, are you so opposed to someone like me disturbing your thoughts?” Amphitrite asked, and he gave her a small smile, easing the slight concern in her eyes.

“Not a bit. Feel free to, anytime,” he welcomed. 

Then, a booming voice hailed them, and Zeus strolled up to them, his latest nymph on his arm.

“Brother! I see you have finally arrived! And this must be that nymph you were telling us all about! My, she is a beauty. Sure you wouldn’t like to trade?” Zeus laughed, but his eyes scanned over Amphitrite a little too eagerly, and the nymph on his arm batted her eyelashes at the sea god. He led Amphitrite a step back from his brother, and bowed respectfully, shoving down his flash of possessiveness. She was just his guest, he had no right to be possessive yet.

“Lord Zeus,” he greeted the Godking, and Amphitrite echoed in kind, bowing as well as Poseidon introduced her. “This is Lady Amphitrite, eldest daughter of Nereus and Doris.”

“Amphitrite, huh? You know, my little brother here is quite taken with you,” Zeus says, and Poseidon grits his teeth. 

“A-ha, my brother, the king, ever the comedian… I am his elder brother, actually,” he corrects, doing his best to bite his tongue. Amphitrite looks between them, as if trying to discern the truth.

“I did not say younger, dear brother. Only little. Though you, Lady Amphitrite, must have seen that by now, if your eyes have not passed over him a second time. Your height is just about perfect for another, though… let me know if you ever want to… aim a little higher?” Gee, thanks Zeus, way to help a brother out! Insult him and then try to steal her! Not this time! He’s worked too hard to get her attention, he will not have it stolen by his brother in their first meeting-

She's laughing. At what Zeus said. She thinks it was funny, what he said. Oh, fuck no. Poseidon had to pull out all the stops just so that he could hear her laugh before, Zeus did not just do that.

“You know, Zeus, your date seems to be a touch bored, why don’t you go entertain her?” Poseidon cuts in, fighting to keep his voice light. It must have worked too well, because Zeus does not sense his rising ire.

“Huh? Oh, I’m sorry, my dear, do you mind?” Zeus asked the nymph, and she winked at Poseidon before walking off. He dismissed her? Was he actually fucking blind? “There we go! Anyways, brother, you have picked a fine pearl for tonight… It is a shame you live in the sea, my Lady, or I could have found you, first!”

“Yeah. The sea, Zeus, not really that accessible to you. Maybe not such a good choice for you,” Poseidon bit out, his polite tone quickly dropping. Amphitrite looked down at him, though he could not see her expression, focused on Zeus as he was. Tension was mounting inside of him, how dare Zeus offer him to bring her here just to try to take her from him! And to think that he actually believed that Zeus was trying to help him when he suggested this!

Zeus regarded him, as if just now sensing his attitude, so Poseidon let him see it. He could feel his hair frothing behind him, felt the tides of the sea in his chest churn angrily. His shoulders drew up and his fist clenched around something, and he heard a soft hiss, and Amphitrite pulled away from him.

He went cold, and the ocean in his chest came to a dead stop as he turned to see her looking down at him with an unreadable expression, her arm drawn to her chest slightly. Her arm, that had the fading imprint of a hand pressed into it, white and pink lines against her fair skin.

No. no, no, no! Fuck, he’d hurt her. Their second time meeting and he hurt her. He felt sick, suddenly too hot and clammy in the room.

He and Zeus both watched Amphitrite assess her arm. Poseidon felt like everyone was looking at them, staring with hateful eyes, whispering his crime against her. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from her arm, though, despite the feeling of eyes on him. The walls were closing in, and the air felt too hot, too stale, like the partygoers were all looming over him, breathing down his neck. He felt Zeus move beside him, and suddenly, everything snapped into focus. 

Zeus had pushed him to this. This was his fault. He couldn’t just let him have this, let him have her, he always needed to try to woo any beautiful woman that crossed his path. Not this one. If he’d ruined his chances with Amphitrite with this, then he’d ruin Zeus’, too.

Poseidon grabbed the Godking by his scarf, pulling him outside, all his rage crashing back down onto him with a force that washed away everything else. He couldn’t even see the other partygoers as they got out of his way, couldn’t even feel the dangerous chill in the air as his hair whipped behind him in a frenzy, washing away their stares.

“What the fuck is your problem?” Poseidon seethed as soon as they were out of view of prying eyes.

“What’s my problem? What’s your problem? You need to calm down, brother, before your hair washes you away, this is getting out of-”

“Out of what? Out of hand? Out of control? Am I out of control again? Forgive me if I lack the fucks necessary to care, brother ,” he growled, venom dripping from his teeth. Zeus curled his lip in confusion at him.

“I was trying to help you, brother, what are you angry at me for?” Zeus asked, holding his hands up, trying to understand.

“Help me? Help me? Your idea of help would be her leaving with you, wouldn’t it? Cause you can’t help yourself, cause you’re so good with women that all of them just swoon at your feet! Your idea of ‘helping me’ would leave me alone again!”

“Brother, I know I flirt, but I was not going to-” His brother’s voice sounded distant, for some reason, as he cuts him off again.

“Do you know how hard I had to try to even get her to look at me? Then you come along and make it seem like that’s not worth the effort, that I’m not worth the effort of seeing, as if I don’t know that, not when good ole Zeus is there to look at instead!” And Zeus is looking at him like he’s crazy, now. He probably looks it, too, he can feel the redness of anger on his face and neck, can feel the droplets of water hit the ground as the waves crash in his hair. His water arm is glowing, ready for action, fingertips pointed and sharp, despite the water from which they were made. His flesh hand, shaking as it grasped for his weapon, not that he would summon it here. There is a tightness in his throat and chest, and distantly he knows that is what it feels like when people are suffocating, but how would he be drowning, there is no water up here, not even a gods-damned fountain.

Zeus says something he does not catch, and suddenly he’s walking forward, and Poseidon manages to not flinch back, why did he want to flinch? Then, his brother’s hands are on him, grasping his shoulders, pushing him back into a chair as his voice cuts through the static that he hadn’t realized was there, ordering him to “ Breathe , brother.”

Poseidon takes a forced gulp of air, not even having realized he’d stopped breathing in his rage. He was about to bite out more venom, but Zeus stopped him.

“What exactly are you even mad about? Say it,” Zeus challenged, and oh, of the thousands of things he wanted to hurl at his brother, the truth was not one of them, and yet, that was exactly what left his mouth as he stood again, shoving Zeus back.

“ I hurt her , Zeus! I hurt her! I hurt her and you pushed me , you know how I get! Why- why are you trying to ruin this for me? What the hell is your problem! She lives in the sea, she wouldn't ever be able to see you anyway, she’s mine !” Poseidon snarled, though he knew that wouldn’t be true anymore, not with what he’d done. She would probably avoid him like the plague after this, retreating to the furthest corners of the ocean just to make sure she never had to see his fucking face again.

“I know that, dumbass, I was trying to help you.” Zeus rolled his eyes.

“By pissing me off in front of her? You know how I get!”

“Do I need to go get Hades?”

“No, you need to fuck off of her, don’t fucking talk to me right now, or I swear to all that is holy-” A hand passing in front of his face interrupted him. Amphitrite gently took his shoulders in her hands, turning him to face her. All of his anger stopped short, fizzling out in his chest. His hair returned to its neutral state, dropping back down to his back. Her face is passive, her eyes stern but not unkind.

“Poseidon. Maybe we should go,” she said, and just like that his heart gave a great shudder. He did not trust himself to respond verbally, not when those four words, after everything tonight, crushed his throat in a vice grip. He nodded, and without waiting to be dismissed by Zeus, they left, heading back out the way they’d come in, climbing back aboard the chariot, and with a single snap of the reins, they had set back off towards the sea.

Chapter Text

“I thought you said that you were just going to go talk to her,” Hades sighed, rubbing his forehead.

“Well, you know, some women appreciate when men fight over them,” Zeus tried to defend himself, “she seemed like someone who respected power, I thought if I let him be possessive over her in front of me, the king of the gods, that would, you know, help his chances a bit. I didn’t think he’d take it so personal…”

“Zeus. You forget. He already seemed anxious enough when he first brought her up to us. Did you not stop to think that here, on their second time being anywhere together, might not be a good time for all of that? I understand where your thoughts were, but this was poor timing,” Hades shook his head.

“Yeah, I realized that, maybe a bit too late. I don’t know, he seemed… off. Like, that wasn’t one of his usual bouts of anger. I offered to go get you, but then Amphitrite stepped in and they left.”

“Did Lady Amphitrite look at all interested in you? Such that this would ruin his chances?”

“No, not hardly. Amused, though politely so. No, that’s not really what would, ah. Ruin his chances.”

“You’re telling me something else happened?”

“Well, their arms were interlocked, and at some point in his anger, he grabbed her arm, not even hard enough to bruise, but it must have startled her, because she pulled away, and that’s when he started acting weird. Weirder, I mean.” Hades inhaled sharply. “What?”

“Zeus. Did he hurt her?”

“Not actually, though he sure seemed to think he did. She looked a bit startled, if anything, at first, but it didn’t even leave anything more than a pressure mark, like when you poke your skin and it turns lighter? Then she looked concerned, though I’m guessing he didn’t see that before he dragged me into the other room. Why?” 

“Zeus, since the moment he realized his powers, he has been capable of great things. You know this. Terrible things, as well. You know how he got that whole ruthlessness being mercy nonsense in his head, and it hasn’t really left him since?” Hades asked him, recalling a memory to Zeus. 

They finally had their father pinned, the last obstacle they had to beat to finally end the war. The other titans would fall like a stack of cards without their precious Scythe King. Each sibling did their part holding him down as Zeus readied the titan’s own Scythe against him. Kronos had tried to garner mercy from each of them, beginning with Hestia, his eldest and the one he’d known longest, and going in birth order until he ended with his fifth born. He’d begged mercy of him, and Poseidon had looked him in the eye from his place holding down Kronos’ right arm, and told him, rather hauntingly, that ‘ruthlessness is mercy upon ourselves, father.’, and clearly that had meant something to the titan, because he shut up after that, and did not bother to ask Zeus for that mercy.

An even more distant memory, a deadly game of hide and seek, and Zeus remembers those words being said, by Kronos, just before Poseidon had disappeared down his gullet. Maybe it had meant something to the titan, then, when Poseidon threw it back in his face at the moment of his defeat.

“Yes, I know. Poseidon, the terror of the seas. Our secret little monster.”

“Well he has been cripplingly afraid of hurting one of us ever since he learned his powers.”

“What?”

“The sea holds tremendous power, Zeus, you know this, you two have fought before,” Hades said, and he was right. It was a bad argument, and while Zeus had triumphed, it had been a hard fight.

“Yeah, he didn’t seem too worried about hurting me, then.”

“He knows your limits. He knows what you can take. She is new to him, and he is desperate to impress her, to not seem the monster king the whole sea thinks he is. He does not know her limits, of course he is scared that he hurt her. He might think he has just ruined his only chance with her.”

“So maybe I need to work on my timing…?” Zeus offered, shame curling in his gut. Hades frowned at him.

– – –

After they had left the party, Poseidon had spoken hardly a word beyond telling her that he would take her home. She tried a number of times to talk, or ask him if he was okay, and all that she would get were rehearsed lines of “I’m alright” that carried no emotion whatsoever as he stared out into the deep blue, his eyes reflecting the emptiness. His face remained expressionless, as if he had completely shut down, and was just running on autochariot.

She tried subtly showing him that her arm was fine, it hadn’t even really hurt so much as it had startled her, how intensely his mood shifted up close. Everyone knew of his temper, it had been one of the things she had been wary of when she was still deciding whether to go talk to him or not, that night at her father’s party.

This close to him, though, she could actually feel what was going on with the shifting of his moods, as easily as she could feel the currents of the ocean itself.

He was angry, yes, but stronger than that, especially as he stopped when he saw the pressure mark on her arm, she felt his fear. It stopped him up short, she could see the way his face paled and his eyes widened. The mark lasted for all of fifteen seconds after she had pulled away, but he reacted as if it had drawn blood or broken skin, bone.

He seemed to shake for a moment, his eyes flitting about her arm, almost unseeingly, before the anger was back, and his pupils slid over to narrow at the lord of thunder. Poseidon had grabbed his brother and hauled him outside, and as the crowd closed around them, watching in shock, Amphitrite had some difficulty catching up.

When she finally did, she could feel his fear again as he exclaimed how he’d hurt her. Zeus looked at her briefly as if asking for help, and she hung back for a second to let Poseidon air out his feelings. Zeus deserved it, honestly.

Trying to flirt with her, how easy did he think she was, then pushing her date to this when she had no doubt the lord of the skies knew full well his brother’s issues with anger. No, he could deal with his consequences for a second.

Only when it seemed like it was having an overnegative impact on Poseidon as well did she step in, and whatever threat to Zeus that had been on his tongue silenced itself when she turned him to face her.

“Maybe we should go,” she’d said, and as soon as she said it she regretted her wording, though she was sure that nothing would make him feel any amount of ‘better’ right then, no matter what she’d said, this just seemed to fill him with an emotion so vast she could not make sense of it so close.

He took her home, staring straight ahead, and occasionally glancing at her arm, guilt pooling in his eyes, despite there being nothing there to see. 

Concern sat heavy in her chest. She knew many, many tales of Poseidon’s wrath, but she doubted anyone of the sea, who cared, had ever been close enough to feel what she just felt.

It should have been a red flag, him grabbing her arm like that. But he didn’t actually hurt her, and all that she could think about was that look of fear when they’d finally locked eyes.

As the king of the sea, the ocean was in tune with his emotions. Those that could get theirs under control had an easier time managing the weight of the sea. For someone like Poseidon, who already had an ocean in his chest, it seemed, with how full all of his emotions felt, getting his emotions under control seemed like no easy feat. Especially not such negative emotions mixing together in such a tumultuous space, with few positives to balance them out.

When they finally arrived, and Poseidon pulled his horses to a stop outside her father’s home, he managed to speak, though he did not meet her eye.

“I’m sorry. For hurting you. And scaring you. And for… everything else. Thank you for humoring me tonight, I’m sure you had other things that could have taken priority.”

“Not at all,” she said, but she frowned. “I will see you again?”

“Probably,” he says, though it lacks the excitement he’d held for seeing her earlier this evening. “As your father does enjoy his parties.”

Ah. He was releasing her, then. Was that the game he wanted to play? Did he think her so easy to get rid of? Did he think it so easy to escape her rip currents? No. He would see her again, that she would make sure of.

Hopefully, though, Poseidon was just tired, and he would come out of whatever this funk was in the morning, but, as she stepped down from the chariot, and her father’s gates opened for her, Poseidon readying his horses to leave, she finally understood what emotion he held in his chest the whole way here.

Despair.

Chapter Text

It was of little use to swim back up today. He had a current bringing him any necessary information from the palace, just in case of any imperative news, like some random monster or something, but it was a quiet day at the palace. So was yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that.

So he just floated. Here, his eyes adjusted to the world around him, and he could let the ocean in his chest out for some air, without consequence. He felt his emotions dilute in the vastness around him, dissipating in the emptiness until that was all that filled him, too.

He’d let go of his hold over his right arm some time ago, the water disappearing immediately against its own ilk. 

The water carried him gently, he didn’t know in what direction, up, down, any of the cardinal directions, they meant nothing to him down here. He just let the ocean claim him. 

Normally he went down here to think. To let his emotions out in a neutral environment that would suffer no harm from him, and then to think.

Well there was no point thinking, right now, no solutions would come. He had shown his hand as the monster most of his people whispered that he was, had hurt the one he wanted to hold most dear. He still felt her pulling away, still felt the current pulling him under, dragging him to his own doom.

Down, he decided. He was floating slowly downward, the water getting colder and colder as it passed through him idly.

His long tail did not so much as flick to stop his descent, and in this deep dark, he could not see the end of his tail without focusing. That was fine. Let the dark keep him, hide him, erase him slowly until there was nothing left of him.

He had no idea how long he’d been here for, in the deep, in the dark. It was strange, in its effect on time. What could seem like forever might not actually be very long at all, or the opposite could be true, where it had seemed like such a short amount of time, but by the time he got back up, the day was gone.

It had been three days since Zeus’ party. Three days since he’d ruined something good he had going for him. He hadn’t felt companionship like that in such a long time, if ever, and he’d really wanted to prove himself worthy of her gaze, if it could ever happen again.

He’d spent years trying to make his mother spare him any glance, and as he’d gotten older, Hera and sometimes even Demeter were hard to attain attention from. He’d spent years trying to earn the gaze of the people in his life, pushing himself to be worthy of their attention, not wanting to be dead weight.

Well, here he was, after finally earning the attention of someone hard to impress, someone so beautiful it took his breath away, someone so magnetic to him that now that he knew her, even slightly, he really, really did not want to let go.

And here he was, because he did not let go of her soon enough to not cause her harm and stress. 

The cold permeated his body, and the pressure (which he normally tried to pretend was just his siblings, nostalgic for the ‘good old days’ in titan tummy time out when it wasn’t just completely pathetic to want a hug) wrapped around him like a vice, squeezing him, caging him alone with his guilt.

A distant whale song mocked him, its duet both music and agony to his ears.

No, he would not be coming up today. The kingdom gave him no reason to, he’d disappeared for a few days before and nothing had gone amiss. No one had even missed him. They had known he was gone, of course, you don’t become lord of the seas without people taking notice of your comings and goings. They would be fine without him until he found a reason to pull himself out of the gorge.

Who knew? Maybe he’d finally find the bottom.

– – –

It had been a week since the night of the banquet, and Amphitrite had heard no word from Poseidon. Was that just it, then? Was that all he’d wanted from her? Just her company for a night that was cut short anyway?

No. Not possible. Not with Poseidon. He had not seemed the type to do that, if he’d given up talking to her there must be a deeper reason. 

She had sensed that there was something different about him when they first met, and while yes, she knew of his anger issues, and had elected to be cautious, his face when he had thought that he’d hurt her when he’d really done little more that squeeze a little too hard wiped some of those concerns away. Perhaps foolishly, but still. He had acted as if a man afraid, and she had seen fear grip hold of stronger men than he. 

She internally chastised herself for her concern. So many had tried to buy or win her hand before, what made him so worthy of her? She had only known him for two weeks! What made her so drawn to him, as if caught in a-

As if caught in a rip current.

To you whose current does not let me go.

All of his words caught up with her, and she finally understood the phrase for what it was. It was a compliment, it was praise for her beauty, it was a cry for help, all in one.

When she had arrived at the palace the night of the banquet, she did not believe for a second that Poseidon had not been waiting long. Unconsciously, she ran her fingers over the hair pin. It truly was beautiful, clearly made with her in mind. How long had he spent crafting this? How long had he stood waiting for her to come, running it over in his hands just as she was now?

When Poseidon had shown up to her father’s party, he had been on time, one of the first waves of people to arrive. For them to be slightly late to the party in Olympus, he must have been waiting for her, pushing the time back as much as he could. He hadn’t received her letter, yet he’d still waited for her.

“Amphitrite, there’s someone here to see you,” one of her sisters called, and elation filled her. She glided through the halls as quickly as she dared, hurrying to the foyer to greet him.

He had come back, oh how she’d needlessly worried, they could sort this whole thing out and go back to the way things were before, when his eyes filled with light upon seeing her!

When she got to the foyer, though, it was not Poseidon standing, waiting, but that dolphin, the one who had arrived with her letter.

Dread replaced the elation. What did the letter he had say now? Surely nothing good.

The dolphin bowed, and chittered in his natural language, but as a nereid, she understood it easily.

“My apologies, my lady,” he said. “I was unsuccessful in delivering your letter to the Lord Poseidon. He has been rather hard to find, you see, and I knew that I was late coming to deliver your message for the heavenly banquet, so I waited, but I still cannot find him to deliver your message…”

Amphitrite frowned. Dolphins were usually very good at finding their recipients. She took the letter, and sure enough, it was her own.

“You cannot find him?” She asked, and the dolphin bowed in apology.

“No, my lady. His advisors said that he has been out of the palace for some few days now. I searched many places he has been before, but I could not find him. But perhaps he would show himself for you, your ladyship… I come to humbly request that you aid me in locating him.”

Amphitrite considered this. If this messenger could not find him, how could she? She wouldn’t know where to look.

But then, maybe she would, as her memory recalled her brief feeling of unease as he spoke of visiting the deep places of the sea. The look that had crossed his face, as if those places were not dangerous, as if that was not where things went when they did not wish to come back out, as if he hadn’t just spoken of the way no one was there to disturb his thoughts, how he could swim down for hours and never reach the bottom…

That feeling of unease returned to her, and she felt that she knew exactly where Poseidon would be.

“What is your name, dolphin?” She asked.

“Delphin, my lady.”

“Very well then, Delphin, take me to the palace. I will help you find him.” That dolphin deserved a raise, coming to find maybe the only person who could help.

It was a number of hours before they reached the palace, and a tiresome journey for both, at top speed such as they were. 

She first searched around the palace, just to know she would not be wasting time if he were actually there, but she knew he was not. She could not feel him there.

She then searched around the lands around the palace. She had a larger form that she could use, and so she did, becoming one with the ocean to search a wider range. Like this, she could feel every current, feel the push and pull of the waves, and feel every mood the sea found itself in, though now she knew that as the moods of the king of the sea.

The sea felt… empty today, as if its master was not there.

She felt around for where the water was deepest, coldest, and sure enough, found a deep, deep trench a few nautical miles away from the palace. She willed herself towards it, and could feel a current leading straight towards it from the palace, and she could bet that that was intentional, just in case anything happened, Poseidon could find out about it.

When she found the gorge, her breath caught in her throat. It was cold, and vast, and deep. So deep, in fact, that even if she called down to him, he might not hear.

She was near him, she felt it, and he would not have strayed far from the current feeding him information, though despite that, there was no telling how far down he was.

The ocean would obey her some, if she wished it. Now, she willed it to search for him below her, the current aiding her.

It found him, deeper than that poor dolphin would have ever been able to look. He didn’t seem to be moving, just steadily sinking down.

She willed the current to raise him up, swimming down into the trench to meet him.

Already she felt its pull on her chest, quietly inviting her to stay, relax a little bit, sink down, visit the depths. While this was an impressive place to see, it was also terrifying in its nature, and also that strange pull. Something existed down there, in the deep, and something Poseidon had escaped from before, but not this time. This time it kept him.

She would take him back.

Goal set, the pull of the deep lessened, and she was able to swim down a ways, as far as she dared, as far as she could still see, her huge form reaching for him in the deep dark.

It took a while for the water under her control to pull him up enough for her to reach, but when she did, she cupped him in her hand, swimming out of the trench.

He seemed as if in a trance, listlessly staring up as the light from above the surface of the water reflected in dull eyes. His long, powerful tail, similar to that of a shark’s, did not so much as twitch. He looked so small like this, held in her hand. So vulnerable, his power diminished and his right arm gone.

“Poseidon..?” She asked gently, rubbing her thumb against his head. He subconsciously leaned against it, and she smiled. She brought him close to her, warming his frame as she cradled him in her hands. Bit by bit the listlessness faded, and he blinked slowly, then blinked again as he registered her.

“Amphitrite..?” He asked, taking her huge form in. His eyes flickered back to life, in awe of her, and she could see that he was breathless for a moment as he looked up at her.

“Hello, my lord…” she said fondly. She almost caught a smile, but it died just as quick.

“What are you doing here?” He asked, and she could feel how hard he tried to pull away, reign in his emotions.

“I was worried about you,” she said, bringing him closer, and he wavered.

“Why..? I hurt you…”

“You didn’t. Only startled me. That was all.”

“But the mark-”

“Disappeared as soon as it came. It’s not there anymore. I think your mind was playing tricks on you,” she said, and he looked away from her eyes. “You were scared, that’s okay… you didn’t mean to hurt me, and you didn’t.”

“But I scared you…” he said, his voice barely stronger than a whisper, but here in the place where no things were, she could hear him fine.

“Because I was worried. You scared me today, no one could find you. I was waiting to see if you would come back, but when you did not, I came to look for you.”

“You did?” He asked, as if it was so hard to believe that someone would do that. Maybe before her, no one would. The thought saddened her.

“I did. I missed you.”

“I thought you would hate me after all of that. That you would not want to see me again, I was trying to… trying to drown out my longing for you, but it appears I have been unsuccessful.” He managed a small, shaky smile. She smiled back at him, and the smile grew stronger.

“I do not hate you. But I am worried for you… why did you let yourself go so deep? I could not reach you, not even like this, I had to call upon the current to aid me…” she frowned.

“I cannot say, you will think less of me than you surely must already…”

“I will not. Please tell me, so I may know for if this happens again.”

“I lost the strength to pull myself back out…” he hugged his tail to his chest, sitting back against her hand. She sighed, and brushed a finger against his cheek, cupping his body with her hand. He leaned into it, looking so vulnerable to her like this, in the palm of her hand, the water construct that normally made up his arm gone, looking dreadfully pale and tired.

“My dear Poseidon… I will give you the strength when you lack it, just come to me, and I will lift you up,” she promised. He met her eyes again, hopeful.

“You are good to me,” he thanked her. “I do not deserve it…”

“I say you do. Will you say I am wrong?”

“Never, my lady.”

“Then let me be your strength.”

Poseidon smiled up at her, leaning his head against her hand, content being held for the moment. His eyes caught on something in her hair just then, and he flushed.

“The hairpin… you kept it?”

“I would hate to be rid of it. It is my courting gift from you, after all,” she said with a lilt to her voice, watching his eyes grow wide as he floundered for an answer, the same nervous hope he had when they first met.

“N-not at all!” He finally managed. “That was merely a thank you, for accepting my request for company…”

“Do you often have to request company of people who would give it freely?”

His hesitation was telling, but he caught himself.

“I did not know you would be willing… you had not seemed very interested the time we spoke prior…”

“I suppose so. So then if this is merely just a gift, then?”

“Oh, yes. My courting gift to you would be much finer, more worthy of your beauty, and I see now that there is much more beauty than I had yet to see before…” he said, a soft smile replacing his earlier embarrassment. It was her turn to blush.

“Then I have much excitement to see it.”

“I am glad,” he said. He looked like he felt much better than before.

“Shall we go back to the palace?”

“I suppose we should, soon, but just… just a little bit longer..?”

“Of course. May I ask why?”

“… perhaps I enjoy being held by you like this,” he admitted, and she smiled obligingly, shifting to get more comfortable. She laid back, drifting in the sea, and held him gently against her chest.

— — —

What kind of stupid request was that.

As if he didn’t already look like a pathetic excuse for a king, he goes and asks if she can keep holding him for a little while longer.

He can’t be too mad with himself, though, not when she gives him the softest, most gentle and understanding smile known to man or god, and then she cradles him against her chest as she lies back, and he is surrounded by her warmth. Her skin is soft and unburdened by scars, flawless and so, so warm.

Unbidden, he starts shaking slightly as thoughts start to peer through, as they always do.

She had accepted him. She’d come and gotten him when he could not be counted upon to get himself, she’d essentially told him to court her, despite everything that he had done, and then she had obliged his pathetic request to just be held.

She should be counted among the wonders of the world. He swore to all the gods above that he would cherish this woman. How he had won her still when he had so far fallen short of her grace was beyond him.

Gods, he loved her. She was so gentle, and kind with him, even when he did not deserve her healing touch.

She reminded him of his sisters, of their best qualities. Hera’s ability to take no shit from anyone, Demeter’s ability to grow and improve the lives of others around her, Hestia’s ability to make people feel loved, at peace in her presence.

She was a far cry from his mother, whom he had spent much of his childhood trying to earn the attention of. His mother, who had written him off in favor of her other children just because he was a little bit harder to handle. His mother, who had all but stopped acknowledging him after his stunt with a lamb at the very first dinner that they’d had together after escaping Kronos. She hadn’t even hugged him. He’d been an afterthought for her as long as he’d known her, but with Amphitrite, she had thought about him hard enough to seek him out out of worry. He did not have to earn her attention anymore, not once he already had attained it.

She reminded him of Hestia most of all, he decided, for her forgiveness and willingness to hold him, even when it would be counted as unbecoming. Hestia had never denied his need or want for someone to hold him, knew what it meant to him, that everything was okay, that he wasn’t a burden, never made him feel like one for asking. He was safe in her arms, just as now he was safe in Amphitrite’s.

His siblings did not have much time for hugs anymore, not with their own kingdoms or presences to establish among gods and mortals alike. He had not known how vast the loneliness in his chest had gotten until he had seen Amphitrite, but she filled that void his siblings had left in spades. She had cradled him to her as if he was something worth cherishing, despite his flaws, and maybe to her, he was.

The thought made him feel good. Her presence, her strong heartbeat against his body, thrumming like a wave on a sun-beaten rock, washed all of the negative feelings from earlier away.

He found himself very sleepy, but very giddy all the same. What would he make her for a courting gift? A proper one? What would be enough? Nothing, surely, but that would not bar him from trying. 

She was willing to let him court her, willing to be his queen. Oh, the things he would do for her. He would go to war for her, he would kill for her, he would be ruthless beyond all reason, but for her he would also spare, he would learn mercy, for if it awarded him anything from her, he would do whatever it took to please her. He would learn restraint, learn to temper his emotions.

He must have drifted off in her hold, for when she gently shook him awake, his palace was on the horizon.

“My lord, forgive me, but I thought I would spare you the journey back. You had already seemed so tired, I let you sleep.”

“Thank you.”

“And I stopped here, for I did not know who was permitted to see you like this,” she added, and he remembered his lack of composure. He nodded his thanks, and summoned his arm, taking a deep breath and pushing his hair back.

She uncurled her hand from around him, and already he missed her warmth, but as she shrunk down, he was able to admire her in full, so he supposed he could not complain.

He offered her his hand, and she took it with a smile, and they swam off towards his palace.

— — —

Hades and Zeus stood watching amongst the crowd as their brother danced by with Amphitrite. He was in his finest himation, blue robes adorned with iridescent patterns that matched the pearls on his neck and ears, and the silken fabric making up his bride’s peplos.

It had been many months since the disaster between the pair that Zeus had reported back to him on Olympus, and Hades was glad for their brother, for he looked happier than he had in many, many years. Maybe the happiest he’d ever looked.

Amphitrite was practically glowing in the sunset, the dress that Poseidon had crafted for her as a courting gift mirroring the light as though it were a calm sea that the last rays of the day were catching on. The dress itself was an iridescent blueish white, as if it were spun from thread made from pearls. Her blue hair cascaded behind her, with two braids matching Poseidon’s spun together in a bun behind her head.

The pair wore matching grins, Poseidon looking up at his new wife as if she were the only thing in his world right then, which was not far from the truth.

As the music slowed, and their dance shifted to a simple sway, Poseidon leaned his head against her chest, closing his eyes contentedly as they wrapped their arms around each other.

Zeus smiled. Things had been tense between Poseidon and him since his banquet, but he was glad that things worked out. His input at the banquet may very well have been partly why, he could say with some pride.

 Zeus and Poseidon's eyes meet for a second, but instead of the expected scowl, Zeus sees a forgiving smile pass his face. He guessed they were all good, then, for the misunderstanding at the banquet.

“I think she's good for him,” Hades comments. Zeus nods his agreement with a smile.

“Score one for Zeus the matchmaker,” he grins victoriously.

“You did not help that.”

“Score none for Zeus the matchmaker,” he says sadly.