“Maybe we should leave them.” Elpenor suggested quietly, looking towards his captain Odysseus. His tone was soft, full of hurt. He never wanted to leave you. But.. you looked so happy. Happier than you have been in a while now.

“What?” Odysseus asked, a little surprised and even offended at the suggestion to leave you behind, a valuable crew member.

Elpenor looked down at your sleeping body, the one resting between the flowers of the small grass. You had a smile on your face, the first real one in weeks. But it was because of the lotus..

The crew had stopped on the lotus-eaters island in search for food after long years at war. The crew had finally been able to try and get back to home in Ithaca; but you, along with a few others, mistakenly ate the lotus; which is a plant that makes the eater lose memory of their family and home, and want to stay on the island. The lotus also makes the consumer genuinely happy. That’s why Elpenor wanted to leave you..

It pained him. He cared for you, a lot. But you were so much happier here. And he had a feeling they weren’t getting home any time soon.. he wanted the best for you. Odysseus, though, felt as if getting home back to Ithaca was better than being happy for the time being.

“Look at how they sleep,” Elpenor spoke, gesturing to your peaceful slumber. “Look at how they’re smiling.. it’s the first real one in weeks.”

Elpenor walked over to you, crouching down beside your resting body that was lying on its side. He let out a soft sigh, his hand going to rest on your waist. “You don’t know them like I do..” he mumbled, his eyes never leaving the content expression on your face. “Which is why you’d be perplexed,” he continued, while Odysseus stood and watched with slight fury and shock.

“If you knew how they’d hide the truth.. that deep down they were depressed.” Elpenor stated, his thumb rubbing gently circles into your waist through your tunic.