They were apart

Chapter 27: Erebus

~Before the story starts, i just want to say, happy new years! I hope you can find yourself engaging and enjoying life this year and i hope things are better this year than it was the last for you!
-Love, Laya.

I bolted for him, my eyes worried and my heart racing as i scooped up the plastic crown on the way.

I could feel everyone's eyes on me but i didn't care, Apollo was the most important thing here.
I ran down the stairs and outside, slowing down as i approached the tree he was sitting at.
"Hey, love.." I whispered gently, sitting next to him.
He sobbed and wrapped his arms around me.
I scooped him up into my lap and i cradled him.

"What happened back there, Apollo?" I whispered gently again.
He hiccupped and hugged me tighter, "I-I.. I got overwhelmed and.. and everyone was booing me and..!" He gasped for air and let it out heavily, sobbing.
I smiled a bit and scooped him up, standing up, "C'mon, Apollo.. Lets go to my house.. okay?" I whispered.
He nodded and continued to sob, his head leaning into his balled up fists.

I cant just sit him in the car and start driving.. I have to help him before anything.

I opened the door to the backseat and got in, sitting him on my lap as he cried.

I hated seeing him cry.. "Its okay.. Its okay.." I whispered as i shut the car door, cradling him as he cried.
After about 15 minutes he calmed down, his breath slow and shaky, his eyes closed.
"Lets go, sleepyhead." I whispered, almost inaudible. 
I placed him in the passenger seat and drove to my house, going slowly. He always enjoyed a slow calm car ride. 
Once we got to my house, he started to get out slowly and tiredly, but i stopped him and got to his side, scooping him up and carrying him in.

I placed him on the couch and covered him up with a blanket, placing a pillow under his head and i placed a kettle filled with water onto the stove, going into the bathroom and i ran some warm water, filling the tub with bubbles.
I placed  one of my  'calming lavender' scented bath bombs into the bath and waited until it was almost full before turning the large faucet off and i woke Apollo up.

"Mmm?" He asked tiredly, it meant, 'what the hell do you want?'
"I ran you a bath.."
"No.." he said and closed his eyes again.
"A  bubble bath.." I whispered.
He opened his eyes slowly and smiled a bit, "fine.."
Once he got into the bathroom, i shut the door and got him a pair of drawstring fluffy pajamas of mine, they had blue crescent moons and stars on them, and i got him a grey long sleeved sweater that read in big black letters, 'CALIFORNIA'.

I grabbed a towel and went in, seeing him laid back in the tub. I placed the clothes and the towel on the toilet lid, going to him and kissing his forehead.
"I love you.." I whispered gently. 
He smiled at me, "I love you too... Thank you for everything.."
I smiled and left the bathroom, fixing him some tea from the hot kettle and i placed it on the coffee table in front of the couch.

I sat on the couch and waited for him and he came downstairs about 30 minutes later 

The rest of the night we watched movies and he went on and off with sleeping, his eyes shut for a while, then open and paying attention to the TV. 

In the morning he was still asleep when i woke up.. I decided to just leave it alone because i knew he was exhausted.
I wish everyone didn't boo and make fun of him last night.. I really do.
I made some bacon and oatmeal, pouring it onto a plate and going over to Apollo to wake him up.
His eyes were open and he was staring at the ceiling.
"You alright?" I asked with a small smile tugging at his lips.
"What if i kissed her? Would you have been mad at me?" He asked, his expression blank and his voice quiet.
I smiled and kissed his forehead, "No.. You were under a lot of pressure last night, i wouldn't have blamed you if you did."
"I would have felt terrible if i did.." He stretched out on the couch before sitting up, "Bacon?" He asked, sniffing at the air.
"Yep!" I smiled and placed a spoon on our plates as he sat down.

"You okay from last night?" I asked.
"I'm fine but i know ill get a lot of weird looks when i get back.." He said before stuffing his face with oatmeal.
I sat down and chewed at a piece of bacon, tapping my spoon on the plate, "Y'know, I'm curious as to who voted for you.. I mean i did, of course, but i don't know who else."
He shrugged and continued to eat, tearing off a piece of bacon and chewing for a minute before swallowing, "No clue.. Almost nobody knows me."
I smiled and placed my hand on his for a brief moment before finishing my bacon and starting at my oatmeal, "I know Cassandra and what's-his-face probably voted for you."
He got up and scraped off the extra food and placed the plate and spoon in the dishwater, "I don't know why, we aren't even friends.." 

The conversation ended and he put on his shoes, folding his suit and stretching.
I walked with him on the sidewalk to his house, we chatted about life in general.

"If i hadn't burned you, we wouldn't be here.." He whispered faintly , his hands in his pockets, his suit held by his arms.
I looked up at the sky, watching the slowly moving clouds as we walked, "Maybe.. But maybe we would have met in a different way." I said.
He smiled at me as we approached his front door.
I kissed him by and walked back to my house.

What if we really never met?

Where would I be? 

Probably at home, wondering when my life would begin... At the time, i was just on autopilot, going on with my day like i was spectating my life.. Just walking, eating, sleeping, doing it all over again, not saying anything to anyone.

I'm so glad he came into my life.. I don't know where i would be now if we hadn't met.

I really do love Apollo.