#apollo has changed

A poem about modern Icarus and Apollo written by me. Reblogs are encouraged. If you steal this then I’m invoking the wrath of the Furies on your ass. Enjoy!

~

Moonlight dances through my window blinds

 I wake from another nightmare 

My chest heaves as my thoughts are plagued with memories from long ago

It was such a long-ago affair

You’d think it wouldn’t bother me anymore.

And you would be wrong.

It was a hot day but the ocean was cold

My lungs still screaming from taking in seawater,

Despite the fact, in this body, I have never drowned

The wax still burns my skin, leaving streaks of gold 

The screams of my father echo in my ears  

His warning does not

My skin isn’t the only thing burning, my eyes are too. 

Not literally but the glare was too bright

I laughed when I fell - I was too blinded by his beauty

Just as I sink into the cold sea is when Morpheus releases me from his dark grasp, leaving me be with my chest heaving. 

Sometimes the bed is empty

Others he’s sleeping beside me, softly glowing. Those are the easy nights

Nights were the bed is empty, he’s not far. Getting water or stepping out to listen to the city, he’s back before I blink

“You’ve had another nightmare,” his voice is soft 

The room is dark but faintly there is his outline since Helios vanished, he’s never stopped glowing but right now it’s dim.

I nod slowly, not trust my throat to speak unless I start screaming and wake the neighbors, the walls are thin in this apartment.

“I’ll get you some water,” Maybe its because he’s the god of healing but he knows how to take care of me. 

By morning, sunlight sneaks through the window blinds - he’s still here. 

“Don’t you have a chariot to drive?” my voice is hoarse from sleep

“Shhhhhhh,” he mumbles in my ear. 

The alarm clock glares at us from my bedside table, green numbers flickering with disapproval, 

“I have work in an hour,” I add

He mumbles and tugs me closer to him. “Call in sick,” 

I laugh - why not - and turn to snuggle in closer. 

~

In the old days, I would have found the fact he remembers his fall amusing. 

This shows how much of a bitch I was. 

What changed? You wonder. 

Helios

Hycanthis. 

Cassandra.

Lots of things changed.

Now I find it sad. It haunts him still and seeing him so scared- it makes my chest tighten.

In the old days, the other gods would have laughed but few of us haven’t softened in the coming years

I like to think we are trying to be less heartless these days to make up how awful we were in the old

Fingers crossed

Zeus is still an asshole 

Moving on. 

Sunlight dances in his apartment, he’s sleeping now, after calling in sick for work. Helios voice nags in the back of my mind

But the chariot-

“Just one day, okay? Besides, you used to do the same for me,” I muttered, resuming my watching of Icarus. He falls silent.

I’m still in doctor mode - watching his breathing and making sure his heart doesn’t accelerate too much - signs of another nightmare. 

He moves, probably wondering in sleep where his pillow has gone but I can’t stop watching him. 

It’s always a good thing to occasionally stop and look-see what made him draw my attention all those years ago

Other than the fact he was a cute boy in a tower, leaning out of it and staring at me all day. 

Let's see…

Dark freckled skin….soft hair to run fingers through, a good face with perfect lips to kiss….oh, I could go on. 

I’m glad the old days are gone - the stress and the assholeness of it but I do miss Helios 

How sentimental, he whispers again and this time I roll my eyes.

“Shut up,” I mutter as I snuggled up against him and the only response I get is a deep rolling chuckle 

I ignore him in favor of shoving my nose in Icarus’s hair. 

Is he worth it? Helios doesn’t seem to want to go away which normally, I wouldn’t be so mad about.

“Yes,” I hiss, getting just a pinched annoyed. 

You didn’t think so before. 

“I was wrong.”

May I get that in writing? He taunts.

I cuss him out softly not wanting to wake Icarus, in curses long forgotten by mortal records. 

All I get is another deep chuckle. I give one final “hmph”. 

I do like him,