potential cyborg

“Come over here and make me.”

“Have you lost your damn mind!?”

“Please, don’t leave.”

“Do you…well…I mean…I could give you a massage?”

“Wait a minute. Are you jealous?”

“Is there a reason you’re naked in my bed?”

“I almost lost you.”

“Wanna bet?”

“Don’t you ever do that again!”

“Teach me how to play?”

“Don’t you dare throw that snowba-, goddammit!”

“I think we need to talk.”

“Kiss me.”

“Hey, I’m with you, okay? Always.”

“So, I found this waterfall…”

“It could be worse.”

“Looks like we’ll be trapped for a while…”

“This is without a doubt the stupidest plan you’ve ever had. Of course I’m in.”

“The paint’s supposed to go where?”

“You need to wake up because I can’t do this without you.”

“We’re in the middle of a thunderstorm and you wanna stop and feel the rain?”

“I’ve seen the way you look at me when you think I don’t notice.”

“Just once.”

“You’re the only one I trust to do this.”

“I can’t believe you talked me into this.”

“I got you a present.”

“I’m pregnant.”

“Marry me?”

“I thought you were dead.”

“It’s not what it looks like…”

“You lied to me.”

“I think I’m in love with you and I’m terrified.”

“Please don’t do this.”

“If you keep looking at me like that we won’t make it to a bed.”

“You heard me. Take. It. Off.”

“I wish I could hate you.”

“Wanna dance?”

“You fainted…straight into my arms. You know, if you wanted my attention you didn’t have to go to such extremes.”

“Hey! I was gonna eat that!”

“Have I entered an alternate universe or did you really just crack a smile for me?”

“You did all of this for me?”

“I swear it was an accident.”

“YOU DID WHAT?!”

“If you die, I’m gonna kill you.”

“Tell me a secret.”

“Hey, have you seen the..? Oh.”

“No one needs to know.”

“Boo.”

“Well this is awkward…”

Naming the eel Ellie sounds like such a Ryland Grace thing to do I just had to make this

Hell he'd go a step further and pronounce it eel-y

Now, somehow, their entire mental health is based on the continued life and happiness of this fairground goldfish that they picked up.

Neither of you know the first thing about how to care for even a healthy fish. This fish has been poorly cared for, has multiple diseases and the person who handed it over explicitly didn't expect it to live nearly as long as it already has.

You're frantically googling how to set up a fish tank, where to buy fish food, can you even take a fish to the vet? Your partner wants you to know that they're happy they made it home and survived their horrific ordeal, but also that if anything happens to the fish then they're going to kill everyone on this planet and then themself.

You're honestly wondering if you're even helping the fish, or just prolonging its suffering, but your partner will only accept medical help for their many injuries or engage in basic self-care once they're confident that the fish is being looked after.

So you get a tank. You set up a filter and all that stuff. You learn way more than you ever wanted to know about water temperature and ph and nitrate levels. The fish is safe. You start to develop some affection for the little guy. Your partner begins to recover. The fish begins to recover.

Which is when you learn that in its 'healthy' state, the fish regularly refuses to sleep when tired, keeps begging for food that is obviously unhealthy for it (and struggling to eat the food that you do provide because “it tastes gross”), and continually tries to persuade your partner to take it out of its nice safe tank so it can go explore the wonderful world of Outside, where the slightest mishap will kill it instantly.

Athena saved the nephew by turning him into a bird. She does not save Icarus.

We think of Icarus as a boy who died for flying too high, but in many ways he was a boy who died because of his father. His father was the reason they had to flee. His father granted a child flight and expected him not to fly.

What kind of father does not anticipate his son's excitement and delight? What kind of father builds a test of obedience (even unintentionally) in which the cost of disobedience is death?

They say Daedalus wept. He wept and dragged his wings to Cumae and built a temple to Apollo. He hangs those wings in that temple and vows to never fly again.

Apollo is, in many ways, a god of justice. He drives off evil and offers support to the innocent and helpless. Music and song and prophecy, yes, but he also protects the flock and herd. He loves the creation of cities. [src]

Of course he would reach for Icarus.

(And, if Apollo and Helios are the same (as some claim; same source), then Phaethon is also his son. Phaethon who Helios let take the chariot despite his misgivings. Phaethon who was murdered by Zeus for his inexperience.

Icarus, another boy dying for his father's folly, for a father entrusting something too dangerous to someone without experience.

Of course he would reach for Icarus.)

But he fails.

Later, Iapyx, Icarus' brother, will become a favorite of Apollo. Apollo is said to love him deeply, gifting him with prophecy, music, and healing. So gifted, Iapyx chooses to be a healer.

But I wonder, in this world in which Apollo reached, what came first? The gifts or the love? Did Apollo give such a bounty of gifts to Iapyx (when even his sons usually only had one or two) because he loved him? Or did he give the gifts first as an almost apology to Icarus? Or even in recognition of the temple Daedalus built and tears he wept?

With the gift of music, Iapyx might sing himself into favor with a future ruler. He'd never be trapped like Icarus had been.

With the gift of healing, Iapyx might keep himself alive if hurt.

With the gift of prophecy, Iapyx might never end up somewhere no one could reach to stop him from falling.