Chapter IV: Just a drop.
When Pythagoras finally awoke, it was because Hercules was practically shaking him out of bed. "What?" Pythagoras asked confused after he yawned. He saw up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
"You were still asleep." Hercules said straightening up.
"Yes? Where is Icarus?"
"He left just after dawn for his job." Hercules answered walking out of the room.
"How late is it then?" Pythagoras asked while he got up and followed Hercules.
"An hour or two before noon." He said pouring a cup of wine. Pythagoras eyes grew wide. How could he have slept that long? He remembered last night that he suddenly felt very tired and went to bed with Icarus. He sat down opposite of Hercules and started his breakfast what turned more in to lunch. When finished with his food he settled again with his triangles and mathematics, wondering how he left his work yesterday so unfinished.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
"Good evening." Icarus said and took Pythagoras from his thought when the door closed loudly.
"Good evening." Pythagoras said receiving a peck on his cheek while he raised his head to watch Icarus. "How was your first day at work?"
"I polished armour all day long." Icarus told him while he poured a cup of water before he sat down at the table. "But I did well, so I can return again tomorrow."
"Too bad I was not there this morning when you got up." Pythagoras said sorrowful.
"I do not mind, you are here now, so." Icarus said with a smile, it was his own fault after all. Pythagoras nodded and gave him a little smile. Soon Pythagoras had made stew and all three of them were eating. When everything was cleaned again Pythagoras went on with his triangles.
"You want to stop thinking about your triangles for a moment?" Icarus asked after a time.
"Yes, I could think about my mathematics." Pythagoras said with a little smile. "Thank you." Icarus let out a frustrated groan and let his hand run across his face. Pythagoras continued to deep in the night before he retired to find a sleeping Icarus and soon joined him.
When it was morning again Icarus woke just after dawn. He quietly slipped from the bed and dressed himself. He gave Pythagoras a little kiss before he walked out of the bedroom to go and eat breakfast.
"Good morning." Pythagoras said quietly making Icarus turn around.
"Good morning." He said after he swallowed the piece of bread he was eating.
"Why did you not wake me?" Pythagoras asked while he sat down and picked up another piece of bread.
"You were asleep. It is only fair that I let you sleep since you always go to sleep that late."
"That is my own fault I go to sleep that late, but I wish to see you before you are off to work."
"I think I am going to visit my father after work before I return here." Pythagoras nodded in agree.
"Then you can tell him you have already worked two days."
"I should go now, before I am too late." Icarus said and got up. He kissed Pythagoras farewell before he was off to his work. This time Alessandro let him grind all the swords and spears the whole morning so he could polish them in the afternoon.
"Not bad." Alessandro said while he went with his finger over the edge of one of the blades, cutting his finger. "You did well." He said while he put the sword away and fetched him another silver coin. "I will see you tomorrow." Icarus nodded and was off to his father. Icarus made it out of the armoury to the other side of Atlantis, to his father.
"Father?" Icarus called when he got there minutes later.
"Icarus?" The old man called before he opened the door and embraced his son. "How are you doing?" He asked pulling him inside.
"I just finished my second workday." Icarus said and showed his father the silver coin and handed it to him. "I will come and visit in a few days again." The old man nodded and gave his son another hug before he left again. When he arrived at Pythagoras and Hercules' house he could already smell the stew he would probably eat for dinner. Hercules opened the door after he knocked and he heard Pythagoras asking Hercules to please open the door.
"Come in." Hercules said and stepped aside to let him in.
"Good evening." Icarus greeted and Pythagoras returned him a smile. Two minutes later they were seated at the table with their stew.
"What did your father say?" Pythagoras asked between two bites of his stew.
"He was happy to see me. I told him I would go and visit him in a couple of days again."
"I also would like to go and see for a job." Pythagoras said thoughtful.
"And who would hire you? What could you do for example not everyone else could?" Hercules joked.
"I do not know for sure yet, but I will find something. I am sure of it."
"I think that you can yes." Icarus said with a little smile. "You will find something that will suit you. At least you are willing to do something and earn money instead of someone else at this table."
"I am doing actually useful things in my time if you did not notice." Hercules defended himself.
"Like what? The floor really needs to be swept, and the sheets could be washed too." Icarus said with a smirk. Hercules grunted as he understood that he had lost while Icarus and Pythagoras almost laid on the ground with laughter.
"Good try but too bad, Hercules." Pythagoras said when he had regained his breath once again. When dinner was over, they played a dice game having Pythagoras telling all kinds of statistics, Hercules slowly getting drunk of the wine and Icarus who was winning this game. When the third round was over, Icarus was tired and wished to go and sleep while Hercules was almost asleep because of the wine. When Hercules was in his bed Icarus thought of doing the good thing and he put another drop in the cup of Pythagoras. Soon enough he became weary and started to yawn.
"Let's get to bed." Icarus said while he put the two empty cups away.
"You think so?" Pythagoras asked supressing a yawn.
"Yes I think so." Icarus said and lead him over to their bed. "Goodnight." Icarus said and kissed him a goodnight before he lay down and went to sleep.
"Goodnight." Pythagoras said before yawning once again. Soon enough he was also asleep.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
This went on for a couple of weeks. Only once to maybe thrice a week Icarus decided he needed to help Pythagoras with a drop of the Valerian liquid. He worked six days a week in the armoury and visited his father twice a week, giving him both times the silver coin he had earned that day. Pythagoras had gone out almost every day to go and seek a job, but so far, he had no luck in finding someone who needed someone with brains.
"I'm back." Pythagoras called when he entered their house again.
"Finally, what took you so long?" Hercules grunted and snatched the bread from Pythagoras arms.
"You still remember that I am trying to find a job, don't you?" He answered while putting the other groceries on the table while not trying to let them drop.
"Of course, but why could you not first have gathered our food and brought it back before looking again?" Hercules complained before ripping a piece of bread.
"My apologies for letting you be hungry an hour longer than normally. You really should consider thanking Icarus that he earns the money we use to buy our food, you know." Pythagoras said and sat down.
"Yea, yea." Hercules hummed between his bites, filling his always empty stomach. "Why can't we go and live with Jason, you know? I'm sure he will never go hungry."
"Oh, if I didn't think of that before. And he will let you drink all his wine?" Pythagoras said ironically.
"Then why haven't we asked before?"
"Because you would only annoy Jason and Ariadne." Pythagoras said while he shook his head.
"Only I? How about you and your endless talk about triangles?" Hercules said defending himself.
"I would spend my time in the library of the palace, I am sure you have never been there; besides he would not get annoyed with it because he has better things to do I suppose." Hercules was on the point of saying something when the door opened and Icarus walked in. Hercules simply grumbled something instead of voicing it out loud.
"Good afternoon." Icarus greeted them and closed the door before joining them.
"Hi." Pythagoras said and greeted him with a kiss.
"Why are you that grumpy, Hercules?" Icarus asked confused.
"I took too long at the market, buying supplies." Pythagoras explained.
"Is that why your cheeks are that red? From spending all day in the sun?" Icarus asked taking in his face.
"Are they? I think so then." Pythagoras said shrugging. Icarus placed the back of his hand against Pythagoras' forehead.
"You are not warm to the touch, so I don't think you have fever." He said while he dropped his hand again.
"Then you should not worry." Pythagoras told him while he squished his hand and gave him a little smile.
"Dinnertime is it then, isn't it?" Icarus said changing the topic.
"Pick what you like." Pythagoras said while he poured two cups of water, handing one to Icarus. When dinner was finished, Pythagoras continued with his mathematics, Icarus tried to help him, and Hercules playing a game of dice on himself.
"Icarus, I do not wish to be rude, but could you please hold your tongue? I am trying to think." Pythagoras said after some time while he looked up with his fingers tangled in his curls. Icarus nodded disappointed.
"Maybe you have thought enough for today." He said softly. Pythagoras closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath.
"I first wish to finish this." He said pointing on an unfinished calculation.
"All right then." Icarus said and watched the calculation. A half hour past but nothing happened, Pythagoras did not even scribble a single thing on his parchment. "I am going to get us something to drink." Icarus said and got up. In Pythagoras' cup, he added a drop of the Valerian liquid before he handed it to him. "Here, Pythagoras." He said handing him the cup and seeing the frustrated look on his face.
"I don't know why I can't solve this one." Pythagoras sighed after he drained his cup and had his eyes yet again on the calculation.
"Maybe you are just tired." Icarus tried to help.
"No, I am not tired yet." He said trying to concentrate again.
"If you say so." Icarus said with a sigh and started to look around absently. A loud 'bang' made him come out of his thoughts again, looking for the source of the sound. It took him not long to realise Pythagoras had fallen asleep, and in the process had banged his head on the table. Hercules also looked up from his dice game he was still playing.
"What happened?" He asked.
"Pythagoras simply fell asleep, I think." He lied while he turned Pythagoras' head to see if he had not injured himself. "I am going to put him to bed, as well as myself." Icarus said as he slowly lifted the thin and tall frame of his lover. When Pythagoras lay on bed, Icarus got rid of his shoes before he undressed himself and joined him in the land of dreams.