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“My heart yearns for that which it cannot have,” Apollo whined, draped dramatically over Artemis’ lap. She had long since sent her huntresses out, not wanting them to deal with Apollo’s lovesick longing. “It hurts.”
Artemis rolled her eyes, pulling out arrows to inspect them. She could create them with the wave of her hand, yes, but there was something cathartic about shaping the very tool that would kill her prey. “Do tell me, brother. What bothers you?”
“I am immortal. Percy is not.”
She paused in her ministrations. Ever since her brother started his newest affair, she knew that this conversation would come up sooner or later– it was inevitable. When Phoebus pursued someone, truly pursued someone, it was with his whole heart. She had hoped his feelings would wane, but it was becoming increasingly clear that Perseus Jackson was the next tick mark on the long list of tragic lovers. “That is true, but you knew this already.”
Apollo threw his head back, golden curls spilling about, reflecting the light from their camp fire softly. “It is two things to know something and to be faced by something.” He snatched the arrow from her hands, rolling it between his calloused fingers. “He does not wish to be immortal.”
“He never has, that was made very clear when he was fifteen,” Artemis replied evenly. She slid her fingers into Apollo’s hair, deftly weaving small braids. Artemis knew that her brother only needed attention, there was nothing she could tell him that would change his opinion on his relationships– at least the ones he truly cared about.
Apollo sighed loudly. “Again, it’s different knowing something and being faced by it. I thought he might change his mind as he got older.”
She glanced up into the fire, watching the flames reach up into the night sky before fading out of existence. The grass beneath her was cool with dew and the beginnings of frost from the turning of the seasons. The stars above her were the same that burned thousands of years ago when she first started her hunt. Zoë, her beloved Zoë, danced across the sky as she continued to hunt the monsters even Artemis could not reach.
“Would you love him if he changed his mind?” Apollo paused, looking up at his sister. Tarnished golden eyes met pure silver. “Perseus is more divine than human, but he longs for mortality.”
Apollo’s lips pinched together, nose scrunching up. Artemis could almost feel the solar flare that was about to pummel her moon. “It’s not fair. Out of all lovers, he has dug himself under my skin the most. He has taken home in my heart without my permission and I don’t have the will to throw him out.”
“Then don’t. Cherish him until he leaves us.” Artemis took her arrow back from her brother. “Now leave, my huntresses will return soon and I refuse to make them deal with your moping.” She stood up, sending Apollo tumbling to the ground. All he could do was look at her with an exaggerated pout. “Go.”
Apollo sighed, loud and long, and stood up. He brushed off his clothing– despite the fact that they didn’t have a speck of dirt on them. “Fine, I shall see you later.” He pressed a kiss to Artemis’ forehead which she grudgingly accepted.
Artemis watched her brother disappear in a flash of light and the familiar scent of clove. Her campsite was warm and reminded her of home. Her brother, despite how annoying, was always talented at reminding her of Delos.
She knew that they would be okay, there was no other choice. Apollo loved Percy with the entirety of his facsimile of a heart and Percy loved Apollo as much as a mortal could love a god.
Life was content. There were no looming prophecies, no signs of immediate death. He was safe and those that he cared about were as well. Percy was sitting at a cafe, coffee in hand while he tried to make his way through the bio homework his professor assigned.
His pen stuttered against his page as a presence joined him. “Hello Apollo,” he said with a smile at the edge of his voice. “What brings you here today?”
The god laid his forehead on the table. The cafe table– which wasn’t very sturdily built– rocked back and forth with a faint thudding. Percy’s books slid back and forth as the table tried to regain footing on uneven legs. “Artemis is mean.”
Percy shook his head in amusement before ripping a piece of paper from his notebook. Folding it carefully, he slid it under one of the legs of the table to try and make it level. “You say that as if you’re surprised–” he took a sip of coffee, “–you know what she’s like. She does it out of love and you probably deserved it.”
Apollo looked up at his boyfriend with the face of a kicked puppy. It shouldn’t have been as effective as it was. “It doesn’t matter. I just missed you.” The god took Percy’s hand and kissed his palm.
“I would really love you if you helped me with my bio.”
The look in Apollo’s eyes was incredibly soft. “It would be my pleasure.” He sat up straight and pushed his hair back, out of his face. He moved his chair next to Percy to see what he was working on. “Alright, what are you working on?”
“We’re learning about the different nervous systems and I’m having a hard time figuring out the difference between the sympathetic and the…”
Apollo held Percy close in his arms. His sister’s moon was high in the sky and a movie was playing quietly on the tv. The two lovers were lounged out on the couch, legs tangled together and covered by a blanket.
“How much do you love me?” Apollo asked quietly. He ran his fingers through Percy’s hair, lightly scratching at his scalp.
Percy shifted, sighing softly and shifting closer. “I love you as much as I can, with all my heart.” He reached up with a hand, lightly caressing the side of the god’s face. Percy pressed a gentle kiss to Apollo’s jaw. “How much do you love me?”
“My love for you can’t be explained with simple words,” he said. “I love you with every beam of sunlight that scatters through the leaves. I love you with every quiet melody. I love you with all of my aspects and domains.”
“With all your heart?”
“With all my heart.”
Percy smiled softly, pushing himself up until he was able to kiss Apollo. It was slow and gentle and everything they ever needed. Moon filtered in through a dirty window, illuminating their love ever so delicately.
Apollo parted softly. “I know you don’t want an eternity, so I’ll simply have to give you all of my love in the time that we have.” He pecked his boyfriend’s nose.
“You’re such a sap,” he said with a soft laugh. “Just promise me you’ll move on eventually? I want our myth to have a happy ending, one that future heroes hope to become.”
Apollo hummed softly, holding the hero’s face in both of his hands. “I think I can do that.” He brushed his thumbs over Percy’s cheeks.
Artemis gazed down at her brother and his lover– the only mortal man that she had respected in eons. Percy was good for Apollo. His extremes became more tolerable and less often seen. His plagues had cures, his heat waves were fleeting and followed by rain. His poems still had sadness, yes, but were overshadowed by metaphors of love and belonging. His songs were filled with the sweetest of melodies that even the muses couldn’t transpose.
And Percy.
Apollo was so good for Percy. The protector was finally able to become protected. The hero, so powerful and gentle, was finally able to rest.
Artemis tried not to resent him, she always knew that he would not last. It was never his wish. All she could hope is that the love he gave now was enough to sustain Apollo through the inevitable heartbreak. She could already picture the ballads and statues and symphonies. Percy’s death would bring a new renaissance of art into the world.
But, that was the future. For now, all she could do was relish in her brother’s happiness.