(Untitled)

[apollinares]

There is dust on his face, in his eyes, in his hair, on his clothing.

(He's spent the past months roaming.
I will remember and not be unmindful of Apollo who shoots afar.No destination in mind, no end in sight.
As he goes through the house of Zeus, the gods tremble before him and all spring up from their seats when he draws near, as he bends his

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[wheatencrown]

She has missed her nephew and Demeter has been not around Milliways that much of late, far too much pain for those she cares for.

Yet she spots him enter and follows him, wrapping her black cloak tight around her,

"Oh Apollo. Where have you been?"

[apollinares]

"Around," he says, after some careful consideration.

"I'm not sure."

Another pause.

"I've been running."

[wheatencrown]

Once she's close enough, she hugs him tightly,

"From what?"

[apollinares]

"Myself. Other people. Things."

He leans his head on her shoulder, suddenly small, suddenly tired.

"I couldn't be sure."

[wheatencrown]

So she holds him closer for all of his height, he still fits in her arms,

"Then tell me what you have seen."

[apollinares]

"Too much and too little. Everything and nothing. Everything I am meant to have seen but not enough of it."

A beat.

"You understand."

[wheatencrown]

"You can never walk far enough."

[apollinares]

"Something like that.

"You know that woman disappeared? The Japanese goddess. I don't know when. I just know I never saw her again. It's not the reason I left but I wonder if it was my fault."

Another pause, and he straightens up.

"It's winter again. I almost didn't remember."

[wheatencrown]

She runs her hand through his hair and down his back,

"Sometimes people simply leave and she would not like to see you so sad."

[apollinares]

"I'm not sad," he says, almost immediately.

"I don't think I'm sad, anyway. All I know is I don't know."

[wheatencrown]

"You're not happy either. You're like a cloudy sky unsure if you want to rain or not."

[apollinares]

Apollo considers the metaphor, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

"I suppose so," he says, at length. "But they aren't mutually exclusive, are they? The fact that I'm not happy doesn't mean that I'm sad."

[wheatencrown]

"Oh no, they're not. I just would rather see you happy."

[apollinares]

"I know."

He smiles, very quickly.

"You're family."

[wheatencrown]

"Yes, and that's not going to change. So you will have to accept that I'm going to worry about you and take care of you no matter how much you tower over me."

[apollinares]

He smiles again, a little longer this time.

"I accepted that fact a long time ago, aunt."