Achilles, as a peerless fighter, is meant to be physically intimidating as a fighter, but Patroclus flips that physical presence around, and it becomes part of his attraction to Achilles. It’s maybe surprising that Patroclus is the one to kiss Achilles first, but it’s also vaguely reminiscent of when he tackled Achilles after watching him fight, caught up in a rush of feeling. This interaction is the opposite of that one, because Patroclus is acting out of love, not jealousy or ill will. Achilles’s speed in running away, meanwhile, once again emphasizes his divine aspect—the part of him that Patroclus can’t touch. That speed, combined with Patroclus’s realization in hindsight that he should never have involved the gods in his relationship with Achilles, again points to the ways that Patroclus and Achilles are at the mercy of fate and the Gods.