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Chapter Text

He woke up with his back and wings feeling hot.

Too hot.

He screamed and tried moving from where his back was resting on, only to find out he couldn't.

And the pain in his abdomen made him remember more clearly what happened, a mutiny.

And then he saw it, eurylochus looking at the golden puddle of ichor of the cattle.

And he looked at his direction, eyes filled with fear.

He looks around, the sun feels too hot, and there, in the distance he can see a spot

One that dictated that the cattle were the sun's God property, All mighty Helios property. His friends.

"What have you done..?" He asked.

But he knew. He knew his once second in command had done so much harm as to spite the sun's God and kill his animals.

"Ah.. You mortals sure don't know when to stop, do you?" A voice said

"Lord Apollo.."

"Odysseus." He said, "Such a shame, really"

The men tried to run from the god, but where could you go when the sun is the one who has eyes everywhere?

"All these years.. You even killed poor little Scamandrius" the infant.. was that the name of the infant he was forced to throw from the wall?

"Oh.. all those years in war, killing an infant, making a deal with a mischievous god, going to the underworld and running from the wrath of my uncle, Posseidon.. and your men all have done nothing but to ruin your come back to your beloved home."

"Aunt Hestia would have loved how you wanted so much your home and your family, and don't get me started with mother Hera"

He smiled and grabbed Odysseus chin, examining his face as if looking for injuries.

The hands where too hot and he recoiled from the soft touch.

"Don't you think is the moment they pay for All your pain?"

"I.."

"Don't Worry, my dear, I won't make you choose between your life and theirs. I already made the choice, and you aren't the one who drew the weapon.."

"Nor the one who stands in a puddle of ichor."

The god turned away, Odysseus feeling the ties on his wrists coming loose.

He tried to go to his crew, but failed and fell.

"I would close my eyes, my dear."

But Odysseus didn't, eurylochus hadn't moved a single muscle since the god had appeared

"Captain.." 

"Eury.." but they were gone in an instant, he could feel the last glance his brother in law had spared him before dying but his eyes, his eyes where hurting, and he couldn't stop the loud, animalistic screech that left his mouth. 

"I told you, sweetie.."

Odysseus couldn't stop screaming, hands covering his face, his eyes. Hiccups leaving his mouth as he tried and failed to maintain his composure at the pain. 

"You should have closed your eyes, mockingbird."

When Odysseus had woke up?

That was long ago..

Artemis said she has been coming to see him for about 2 years, she usually resided there, keeping him company. 

And he thought as if she was his own mother, just sitting in silence beside him, until he started crying and saying millions of sorry's

She was calm, the goddess didn't understand what he was apologising for, she didn't even understand why would his brother keep the old king trapped in his island.

To keep him company? As if he would care about it. 

He didn't even stay in there with him.

"I'm so sorry.." the blind King started again

"It's okay.."

She put her hands gently on the soft wings, that shined a beautifull white color with the moon up.

Nyx had long since passed from this part of greece and sooner or later Helios or Apollo would bring the sun up and Hemera would bless the world with another day.

She just stayed beside Odysseus as he kept crying like every night, Apollo didn't like when he cried or screamed.

He always made a scene at the mont olympus.

When nor athena or hermes were close.

Athena had starting spending more time 'looking' after the young boy of ithaca, and hermes had been a thorn on everyone's side looking g after his great grandson.

But artemis didn't say a word, even if the guilt was eating her alive. 

He couldn't betray her young brother. 

But hermes would find the lie in his brother's  throat 

Athena won't be late in finding out, she was wiser than any of them, but that didn't meant she wouldn't make a scandal.

The human barely had stopped crying when they both felt it, and she saw it

Dawn. She had to go now.

The sun started appearing from between the bushes and trees, Artemis could feel the presence of her younger brother and got up.

"Please.." The old king 'looked' at her while grabbing some of her clothing, not strongly, he probably just wanted for her to stay a little bit more "Please don't  go, miss.. Don't leave me here, not with him.."

"I don't want to be alone.. Please," he pleaded " I'm sorry if I might have angered you with my crying, or if you're leaving because of my annoying apologies.. I just-.."

"Oh little king.." she looked at him, pitying the mortal "as long as I do not want to leave you alone with my brother, I have things to attend to, you know that, don't you?"

The tinny mortal's head went down with guilt, she could feel the waves of remorse coming out of him, she hugged and caressed him for the last time and leaved.

"Please stop.."

"Mhm.." Apollo touched the feathers, with his touch it usually made the feathers became a tone of black, just like his little ravens, "I don't really want to, my love."

It was one of those times Apollo had felt a little remorse and made him get a better sight, it was still blurry, but it was better than seeing nothing.

"Your wings are.." he kept inspecting the wings and feathers before finding it "your wings are a temptation for the world, did you know that, sweetie?"

He tugged at the wing harshly, earning a small squeak and a flinch from the old king.

"You complain about me touching your wings, but you let mi older Sister touch you all she wants, don't you?" He grabbed some brown feathers and pulled them out forcefully, the king screamed "you want her, don't you? So sad I'm your owner, you don't like me."

"But still, you are mine. You are my property, whether you like it or not" Apollo snapped his fingers and in an instant Odysseus's vision worsened, "But don't Worry, you will like me eventually. And when that happens.. we will be so happy together, sweetie."

He throwed away the Brown feathers, looking at the now crying child in front of him.

"See you soon, sweet tooth." And he leaved Odysseus for himself.

He was a warrior after all, he could take this punishment alone.

Artemis visits then started becoming less and less, probably Apollo's doing, as some sort of punishment for his misbehavior. But Artemis still came, sometimes with some of her dogs or other animal.

The dogs always hurt him to feel, he remembered his little Argos, and he cried

But she let some of her quails stay with him.

Theodore and Ella where the ones, he loved them.

Theodore was impulsive, pretty much a young quail, Ella was more quiet and probably a mature one.

They stayed there even when Apollo was angry. 

5 years. That's what Artemis said

Another 5 years alone and away of his family and love.

His true love, because he will never learn to love  Apollo and he never stays.

His visits always end badly.

He doesn't want him near, but he still comes, he violates his personal space and his requests.

He doesn't care about them at all.

He would have preferred the hate of him rather than his supposed love, but it was already done.

And when Artemis wasn't there in the nights of sour visits from Apollo, Theodore and Ella snuggled up to him in their 'nest'

And it was better than that damn bed Apollo had 'gifted' him.

So, when in a morning Ella was the one being impulsive and rather on edge, he was surprised, Theodore later that day had started behaving just like her and he couldn't find a way to calm the two birds.

He passed it off that night but then in the next morning the birds where in the same behavior.

And then Ella chirped loudly.

He started following the birds path towards the forest.

Just what did they actually want..?

Odysseus couldn't act in time when he heard footsteps closely to them, Theodore had leaved his side and then-

"Gotcha little bird!" An unfamiliar and young voice said

Theodore chirped loudly 

Ella jumped in front of the unknown person flapping her wings strongly and hittim them with it. She chirped too when she too was grabbed.

"Oh.. you're 2! Such a gift.. we could eat one for lunch and the other for dinner."

"Be careful young boy-" a old familiar voice said

"Another one! I hear it so closely!" The younger one said.

The footsteps came closer to his hiding spot.

"I said be careful. Don't you see the eyes of these quails? They are blessed ones. So we can't eat them."

"Ugh.. but I and the others are so hungry!" The younger one came to a stop just infront of him "there!" He felt a wing being grabbed harshly and he kicked the person who grabbed it

"Fuck-" Maybe if he did a run for it..

"Lord Hermes..? Wait, no his wings aren't black." He stopped a little at hearing his great grandfather name out of them

"stop!"

A chirp and.. Shit. He almost forgets about Theodore and Ella. 

"Let them free." Odysseus  said "they are a gift of Artemis herself, I am.. their protector."

"For a moment i thought you were an harpy- Oh gods.."

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"Ody?"

There it was,  now he recognized the voice.

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"Old friend.." he smiled softly, not turning around to face the person.

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Chapter Text

"Ody?"

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"Old friend.." he smiled softly, not turning around to face the person.

Apollo woke up fastly. Hands reaching to his face as realization hit, a single look into the future made him get a strong holds at his hair.

No.

No, that can't happen. 

He won't let it happen.

His little song bird won't go away.

He will not want to go away. He will make sure of it.

If he spoils them, then they won't go.

Yeah, that's it.

Mortals loved being spoiled by the gods.

Hyacinthus loved being spoiled by him,.

The same Hyacinthus that died because of Zephyrus (or was it Boreas?) And their damned winds. 

His lover did not die because of him, he died because of the jealousy of a God. Not his fault, it's never his fault.

He won't let any other God or goddess take something from him. Not again. Never again.

He had given the mortal the privilege of a better view these last few days, he even had some company now..

So why did he feel something wrong?

Why was hermes so calm these past few days? Why hadn't he been bothering everyone about his beloved 'great grandson' whereabouts? Just, why hasn't he?

Athena was less anxious now too.

And Artemis hasn't been giving him the privilege of looking at his way.

Just what, is happening today?

Artemis wouldn't rat him out, would she? No. No, she wouldn't dare, she was his big sister, she helped at his birth.

she couldn't rat him out, she didn't had the guts to do that to her younger brother. 

"Oh but why wouldn't she?" His songbird had murmured to the other birds when he thought he wasn't listening. 

He learned his lesson.

And so he took the path towards one of Hermes favorite places.

Ithaca. 

He is sure he will be there.

"You-" Apollo started, " you pest."

"hmm..?" Hermes turned around to face him, "Oh, hi there dear Phoebus Apollo."

"Hello, Apollo" the older goddess said, narrowing her eyes.

"Dont try to take me for a fool," Apollo hissed "What did you do."

"Us? We did nothiiingg"

"Liar," Apollo snapped "Lies. LIES is everything that ever comes out of your mouth, you snake."

"Be careful with what you say, sun god."

"Just tell the truth, petty messenger. What have you done, what is the truth that you don't say."

"Admit what you did,"

What.

"Admit what you did to my child and i will say what i am yet to do." The younger god said, glaring at Apollo's eyes as if his form would pop out of existence. 

"I haven't done anything,"

"Apollo," Athena spoke up " what did you do to Odysseus. What did you do to my warrior?"

"I saved him, isn't it clear? Or are you blind?"

Apollo chuckled at the unresponsive god and goddess.

"You two-"

Hermes lunged at Apollo as fast as his inhumane speed had been able to, and Apollo had heard the spear of his older half-sister that barely missed his form.

In the midst of the fuss, none of the gods had noticed how the sky darkened with clouds, until a lightning bolt had struck near Artemis.

Zeus was there now, watching (or glaring, actually) as his two sons and daughter recomposed themselves and separated, Hermes and Athena directing hateful glances at Apollo and the latter regaining his calm appearance.

"Care to tell me what has happened?"

The four gods looked at their father, the two males had long ago stopped their fighting.

Before Apollo could stand a chance at talking the younger God answered 

"He stealed my kin, father."

"Oh?"

"And his kin is my warrior."

Zeus chuckled, "Now, why would Apollo do this?"

"I only saved him." 

"Excuse us?"

"Oh please athena, tell me what happened to Pallas? Or what about Medusa?" He said "and hermes, what about crocus, or your mother?" He grinned 

"You two kill everything that gets too close."

"Enough!" Thunder echoed at the angry voice of the god king.

Artemis glanced at his father and then incredulously at her younger sibling, how did he dare to bring those things, that were sensitive spots, up. She saw how Athena gritted her teeth and grabbed tightly her spear, while hermes wings ruffled up, trying to make him seem larger.

"Artemis, I know you won't lie so tell me," he looked at her "Is this true? Did Apollo steal Hermes kin and Athena's warrior?"

"I.." she thought, looking between her father and his younger brother "yes, father, I myself have seen the young one with my own eyes."

"If that's so.."

"But it's not important! He's a mortal-"

"He has divine blood, even if it might be a little." Hermes interrupted him

"I'll take care of him-!"

"You blinded him" athena snarled

"Until he takes his final breath, because I love him!" He desperately said

"If you did so, young brother, you would have sent him home. Long ago." Artemis murmured, and Apollo answered nothing so she continued "I no longer can take his cries, he wants to go home, he needs and wants his family, someone who he feels safe around." She waited some seconds to breath "Not someone he saw kill his crew in an instant and made him blind for no reason."

Zeus sighed and snapped his fingers the forest soon changed to a familiar background, the Olympus. 

"Apollo,one of my first borns, obviously after Athena and Artemis, while I do not care if you 'love' him, you stealed from your yonger brother and older Sister equally," Zeus started " and that is unacceptable, even if you are my favorite son. It appears I have given you too much liberty and spoils.. I must say I expected more from you, Phoebus."

"But god king, i-"

"I shall rather not hear any complain or excuses from your mouth,Apollo" Zeus interrupted "you must return that human to where it belongs to, to his kingdom, or let Hermes and Athena retrieve him, what you do between that, i do not care"

"But fath-"

"Apollo."

"Fine. I swear on the water of the river styx that I won't do anything,"

"Alright, as this matter has already been talked and taken care of now, you four must not say anything else or I shall take this matter on my own hands."

The four gods nodded and Zeus left, being followed soon after by Artemis and Hermes 

"You better keep your word, Apollo." Athena said before leaving

"As I said, Pallas Athena, I won't do anything."

Apollo chuckled before he himself leaved the place.

"Odysseus? Li-like.. like the king of Ithaca?" The younger spoke "I think I might.. be missing something here.."

"Ody, I- we thought that you- you died!" the man said "oh man, I am so sorry, if I had known-"

Odysseus left out a tired laugh

"I had wished for death to happen more than once, but gods aren't that merciful, friend"

Odysseus let out another half laughing and broke.