Hercules slammed open the door. He heard Pythagoras mumble something in his sleep and rolled hie eyes, smiling. Sometimes, the blond man talked more in his sleep than he did in his waking life. Humming the song the lads had been singing in the tavern, he entered his bedroom and starting taking off his waistcoat.

"NO!"

He sprinted into the mathematician's chamber, with speed that he thought he'd lost, only to find there was no intruder. Just Pythagoras, lying on his back, still in slumber. He couldn't see the man's expression in the dim light and bending down, peered closer. He looked... scared. Guilty, even. Standing back, he wondered what was going on.

"Fa- Father, forgive me...Forgive me, please...Father..."

Whatever the genius said next, Hercules did not know. Instead, Pythagoras started groaning and whimpering as if in pain. He shook and stirred and suddenly toppled off his bed and if the ex-hero hadn't been so close, he would have fallen onto the floor.
He opened his eyes, so wide that Hercules was afraid they would pop clean out of his head. He was still hyperventilating, and, to the older man's dismay, he saw two tears escape from Pythagoras' sapphire blue orbs.
He didn't have a reputation for being soft and cuddly, yet he found himself brushing away the teardrops and then yanking Pythagoras towards his body, making the blonde rest his chin on his shoulder. He felt curly hair squash against his ear and Pythagoras curled himself up like a child in the womb. In the seven months Hercules had known Pythagoras, he had grown to care for and even admire the man. Hearing his broken sobs fill the room was heartbreaking. He tried his best to console him. He didn't know what to say, so settled for patting his shoulder and holding onto him and, though he felt like a fool, cupping his head like a parent holding their child.

It worked. Though it took a long while, eventually Pythagoras lifted his head and his breathing became more natural. He made no move to get out of the embrace, so Hercules kept a hold on him. Pythagoras leaned against Hercules' chest, trying to get his breath back. He'd ben having nightmares every anniversary. Luckily he'd never said anything pertaining to what he'd done. He supposed these bad dreams were his punishment. He deserved them. He felt embarrassed that Hercules had come to him while he was screaming and crying. He felt like a child.

"Er, do you want to talk about whatever it was you were dreaming?"

Pythagoras didn't answer. Oaf as he was, Hercules knew when Pythagoras was lying. Should he say 'no', Hercules would know that was not the case. He wanted to lighten this burden, yet if he were to be honest...He shuddered. Hercules would despise him.

"You know, my father wasn't especially pleasant either. Well, he was my foster father, really."

"My father is dead." Pythagoras found himself choking out.

"He can't hurt you." Hercules told him.

"It was my fault.." Pythagoras stopped, his blood growing cold at what he'd said.

"No. Certain things are beyond our control." Hercules did not believe for a moment that Pythagoras was to blame. He knew the man's father had been murdered in a burglary gone wrong and thought Pythagoras meant he could have stopped his father's death.

Pythagoras was quiet. Beyond his control. He'd never thought of that. He'd always thought he should've remembered it, but, maybe it wasn't truly his fault.

"The death of a parent hurts, I know. But what happened to your father was not your doing. You mustn't blame yourself. You did not kill him. In truth the table did."

"He was pushed."

"Yes, but do you believe the thief intended on killing him?"

"No."

"Well, there you are, then. It was not intended and you are not to blame."

"I am not to blame." Pythagoras mumbled. He felt lighter. "I am not to blame."

"No, you're not." Hercules felt pleased to see the man looked happier. Calmer. He shifted around and Pythagoras realised he was currently using the older man as a seat.

"Sorry!" He scrambled to his feet, blushing, feeling sure that Hercules would mock him until the end of time.

Hercules staggered to his feet. "Will you be alright?"

Pythagoras nodded. "Yes. Thank you, Hercules."

Hercules smiled and went back to his room. Pythagoras sat on his bed and sighed contentedly. Hercules, for once, was right. He really wasn't to blame.

I don't know if Maia was, in fact, Pythagoras' mother's name, but Maia is the Greek word for 'mother', so I heard, so there it is! :)

Love from Shania. xx