A/N: This is based on the episode 'Earth Bull' when Pythagoras get hurt whilst running from the Minotaur. SPOILERS!
For as long as Pythagoras could remember, he had been a nobody.
He didn't expect anyone to feel sorry for him because he agreed with them. Throughout his entire childhood, he had been the one that was looked past by the others as they were taught sword-fighting by their fathers or went hunting in the forests to find the perfect sacrifice. He knew that he should want to be like the others, but his mind didn't like everyone elses'. Where they dreamt of becoming heroes that appeased the Gods and had their names marked into history, he thought of numbers and shapes.
His father had shunned him for his desires and his mother, a kind but quiet woman, had done her best to give him the love of both parents. This carried on for years until he had had enough. Enough of the bullying, enough of his father's disgusted looks, enough of having to hide what he wanted to. It was why he packed during the dead of night and crept away from his village whilst all was still.
Nobody would miss a nobody.
He hadn't thought his time in the village until this moment and soon discovered the same saying playing through his mind as he dashed through the labyrinth, both escaping from the Minotaur and searching for his new friend. The young Mathmatician had never felt these feelings for anyone before. How could someone who had literally fallen into his life crept into his heart and opened it to such intense feelings of loyalty and friendship. There was something about Jason that made him feel that he had to protect him and do anything him feel happy.
While everyone looked past him or used him, Jason had been the first person who had looked directly at him as a person with feelings and not as someone with a brain. That had been strengthened when he had awoken to find his new friend and the black stone. His heart had fallen and he had known then that whatever he had been feeling for him had deepened into something new and magical. It took nothing but a smile for his own to appear.
Jason.
His first true friend should be his final thought.
It was only fair.
Pythagoras staggered against the wall of the cave, his eyes falling shut for a moment as his head pounded and his vision blurred. He didn't blame the others for reacting so violently to the roar of the monster. It was a basic instinct of survival; however, he had never been one for his quick reflexes and, before he knew it, he was crashing head-first into the stone, pain exploding his skull for a brief second. That was where he found himself now, hand hovering over the wall as he tried to guide himself through the shadows, praying to the Gods that he wouldn't meet the beast first. The cave was dark and, distantly, he could hear the blood-curdling screams of those being torn and killed by the Minotaur. His time would come and he could only wish that Jason and Hercules remained safe.
All of a sudden, a wave of fire almost into his face and he let out a terrified scream.
Dark eyes.
Dark curls.
Jason!
"What happened?" he asked, looking almost as relieved at seeing him as Pythagoras was.
"The Minotaur...it found us."
"Where's Hercules and the others?"
"I don't know! We all ran! We got separated!"
Pythagoras knew he sounded like a coward in front of his friend and was about to say he would have fought when he caught Jason gazing at the top of his head, an odd look in his eyes, hearing that he was bleeding. The man blinked, a hand moving to his head and feeling a wet warmth at his hair-line. He knew he'd fallen when they'd been trying to escape, but he hadn't even realised he'd been hurt until now.
"I...er...I fell and hit my head. I'm fine."
He couldn't afford to be a burden upon his friend when they both needed their wits and their courage to stand any chance of surviving in this place. However, his knees chose that moment to become traitors and he felt them weakening, causing him to slump to the side slightly. His vision was blurring, and now he knew of his head, it started to pound violently along with his heartbeat. He felt Jason's arm slip around his shoulders and he found himself panting, trying to push back the pain and the nausea.
A thank you was on the tip of his tongue but, somewhere in the shadows, a woman screamed. Pythagoras and Jason looked at each other for a moment, one conflicted about leaving his friend when he was struggling (Helena...erm...), the other knowing what needed to be done. (Go.) At the end of the day, Jason would always be the hero and if that Pythagoras would have to be the one to put him back together or be the 'sidekick', then so be it. He would happily be the nobody if it meant he could stand with pride by the side of Jason.
