❝ you're jealous of me, apollos. ❞ furiously
confronted ikaris, glaring at him.
apollos arched his eyebrow. ❝ why in
arishem's red ass would i be jealous
of you, ikaris? what do you have that
...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
ONE | SAVE EARTH, SAVE HUMANITY
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
"Natasha! Don't let go! Dammit! Clint, pull us back up now!" desperately cried Apollos as he gripped his beloved's wrist. Glancing at his waist, he released a small sigh in relief as a thick cord was wrapped around him, preventing him from falling further. They were in Vormir and they were told that the only way for them to retrieve the Soul Stone was if one of them sacrifices the soul of someone they love.
Apollos struggled to keep his grip tight on Natasha's wrist as he reached out to unwrap the rope around his waist. He was planning to tie it around her and fall instead since he was an Eternal, a near-immortal synthetic being. He knew the fall would only badly injure him, not kill him. "Paul, no!" protested Natasha, swallowing. "Let me go."
Apollos shook his head, frantic. His eyes were glistening with tears and he could already feel some of them running across his cheeks. "No, please, Nat! Listen to me -- "
"It's okay, it's okay."
"Why you? Why does it have to be you?"
Natasha smiled, reminding him of the days where he would wake up beside her with the light from the window casting a soft glow on her face. "I love you... Apollos."
"No, no, no! Natasha!"
Then, she let go of him.
Apollos jolted awake, his eyes snapping open. Covered in a cold sweat, he trembled, his heart pounding with all the adrenaline rush. He glanced looking around his bedroom. He felt like he was still in Vormir with Natasha. He tried to ease himself by drinking a glass of water, but he was too weak and still shook. To fully awaken himself, he rubbed his temples. As he stumbled into the bathroom, he examined himself in the mirror slowly and warily, as if unsure of what he might see. The sun shone brightly through his window, washing away the terror and allowing him to return to his regular existence.
Brewing himself a cup of coffee, he slowly walked over to his balcony. Alone, he stood in the verdant vastness of the dale, the grass ruffling in salutations to the never-ending breeze. His eyes welled up with tears. Natasha would have loved this scenery. It was what he promised after all. He told her before the Time Heist that once they finally get everyone back, he'll take her here in the South of France to marry her. She was going to retire as an Avenger and they were going to start their own family.
As heliacal beams, uncurbed and obdurate, sliced through the dark nebulae, the beclouded sky staged a duel of darkness and light, each attempting to overpower the other's zeal. Everything appeared to fit together: the lush vegetation, the environment, the warmth of the sun. The nice sounding birds' chorus could be heard. There was an unmistakable sense of inner calm and harmony. The grasses appeared to be having a dance party with the wind, moving to their own beat.
