Flowers For Apollo

Pranks and Premonitions

Lester has an accident.

Apollo has a premonition.
Notes:

CW: Discussion of death, off-screen injury, bullying regarding memory issues

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Yosemite National Park was known for its waterfalls and great sequoias. Lester wasn't fond of bodies of water outside the pool at his mother's house, but the streams here were okay as long as he didn't get closer than necessary. The Hunters had set up near the giant sequoias, unseen and unnoticed by any of the staff or rangers. Lester figured they had special permission and planned on asking Artemis to go exploring with him after lunch. Thalia had been great company, but she wasn't Artemis or Meg.

His head still ached from earlier as he pondered the mystery of Zoë. Artemis promised to tell him the whole story eventually, but why would she get so tense about it? Did they have a fight about Lester coming to visit?

He didn't want to cause problems for his sister and her best friend, but he really liked being out here in the woods and not cooped up in the house waiting for packages and visitors and phone calls. Something about the scent in the air and the sky over him felt calming in a way he couldn't put his finger on. The sheer sense of infinite freedom just being able to walk around by himself with no one watching him like a toddler. If he wanted to, he could go anywhere and no one could stop him. It had him humming a tune despite his headache and worry.

A bright voice and a warm hand pulling him close broke him out of his thoughts.

"Apollo! Just the man I wanted to see!"

The next thing Lester knew he was pressed tight against a warm body wearing a dress made of layers upon layers of netting. He could feel his entire face go hot as her arm settled over his shoulder.

"What is it, Bri?"

Her laughter was like the sound of a grenade going off. He clasped his hands together to keep from grabbing or shoving her. Bri, like all the other Hunters, was great and fun to be around, but something about the glint in her eye always made him nervous. She would sometimes shove him into the pool at home or say weird things that gave him a headache. There was a joke in there somewhere he knew he was the punchline of but had no idea where to begin figuring it out.

"You've been with us for almost a full day. Are you having a good time?" she asked.

Lester squirmed.

"Yeah. I get to hang out with Artemis and it's nice being away from home. Plus the Hunters are being great."

He should go back. He told Artemis to come look for him after ten minutes. He didn't want to worry her more than she was. Even if Bri was one of her lieutenants, something in his mind screamed at him that being alone with her would be anything but fun no matter how she smiled and teased.

"Tell me, Apollo, what is it you hear when I tell you your name?"

That was a weird question.

"What are you talking about?"

"Your name. When I say Apollo what do you think I'm saying? Or when I call you Phoebus or Apollon? What is it I'm saying?"

"You just said my name like three separate times."

"Was it the same name?" she asked, squeezing his shoulder tighter. Lester couldn't help but squirm. Britomartis was really pretty and like right there .

It took everything in him not to stare at her smirking lips.

"Uh, I should head back," he said, pulling away. Her grasp on his shoulder tightened. "I'm not supposed to be alone with anyone but Artemis and Thalia an--"