Hidden Side of The Sun

Blood is thicker than water

"It isn't that big of a deal", Artemis had to restrain herself from smacking her brother in the back of the head after he said that. "Not a big deal?! Apollo, you're my brother! You're supposed to be telling me this kind of stuff!" Artemis exclaimed. She was shocked about what her brother had just told her and a little hurt that he hadn't told her this before.

"I didn't want to worry you, and at that time, you were with your huntresses or busy doing something else," Apollo told her, which only hurt Artemis a bit more. "Apollo, yeah, you get on my last nerve sometimes, but I'll never be too busy not to help you. Who did you even go to when this was happening, or did you just stay quiet all this time?" Artemis asked, concerned that her brother had been suffering in silence for centuries.

"I do have someone I've been talking to about this," Apollo told her, which made Artemis feel a little relieved. "Who?" Apollo thought for a moment, considering whether or not to tell her. "Ever heard the saying 'blood is thicker than water', and do you know what it means?" Apollo asked Artemis.

Artemis shook her head. "I've heard a mortal say it once before, but I don't know what it means". Apollo chuckled a little. "Most mortals think that the saying means that family bonds, blood, are stronger than other bonds, the water", Apollo paused before continuing. "But, other mortals think it means that the water is referring to the water in the womb, and the blood is referring to the blood spilled in battle or in difficult times. But, I think it's the second one".

Artemis thought about it for a moment and tried to understand Apollo's point. "Take your huntresses for an example. Are any of them related by blood?", Apollo asked her. "No, they're not", Artemis answered, "And are they close? Do they know they can rely on each other?", Apollo asked Artemis. Artemis thought about her huntresses, and how they trusted one another, "I suppose that's true", Artemis said. "Amaya", Apollo said, looking at Artemis, "Amaya is the person I've been leaning on during all of it".

"The mortal from this morning?", Artemis asked, and Apollo nodded. "She's not exactly a 'mortal'. She's been alive for about a millennia, give or take a little longer", Apollo told her. "How? Did you give her immortality?", Artemis asked. Apollo nodded. "I did, but didn't", he said. Artemis looked at Apollo, puzzled. "What? Why are you talking in riddles?", she asked. "I mean, she ate a golden apple I gave her", Apollo explained.

After a while of explaining some things to Artemis and answering questions, Artemis understood, for the most part, why Apollo didn't tell her anything and appreciated Amaya for being there for her brother. Later that evening, Artemis, Apollo, and Amaya were sitting in Amaya's living room. "So", Amaya said, breaking the silence before the three of them, "You have any questions that you want to ask me?". Artemis looked at Amaya, "Yes, but, Apollo", Artemis glanced at her brother, "Can you leave so Amaya and I can talk". Apollo glanced between the two, but get up and left the room, mostly expecting something to be thrown or a bonding moment.

Amaya turned her attention towards Artemis, "What did you want to talk about exactly that needed Apollo out the room?". "I need to ask you if, you two were even?", Artemis made a gesture of putting her hands together, and then Amaya realized what Artemis was suggesting, which she started laughing at. Artemis looked at Amaya, who started clutching her side for how hard she started laughing, "N-no! No, no, no! I never dated Apollo!", Amaya said, in between her laughs, "Really?", Artemis asked.

Amaya started calming down from her laughter and looked at Artemis, "As much as I care about Apollo, never, ever, will I date him", Amaya said, "I see Apollo as a brother, and let's be honest, Apollo has a bad track record. Not to mention he swore off dating after....". Artemis raised an eyebrow when Amaya trailed off, "After what?", Artemis asked her, "After Hyacinthus. In all the time I've been friends with Apollo, the day Hyacinthus died, that was
the lowest I had ever seen him", Amaya told her. Artemis grimmed, "I do remember that, he didn't shine like he used to, at least not for the first few days". Amaya shook her head, "The Apollo you saw was after. I saw how he reacted, how devastated he was, when he told me that Hades have refused to turn him mortal to see Hyacinthus one more time in the underworld -which I'm glad Hades refused-, and how much he was sobbing and in pain", Amaya said, letting out a sigh when she finished.

"Fates...", Artemis whispered. Artemis and most of the gods knew that Apollo loved Hyacinthus back then and would have gone to the ends of the universe to get him back, but to have asked Hades to turn him mortal...

After bringing Apollo back into the Living room, the three of them spend the night talking about other things, having Artemis eat mortal snacks, and playing Monopoly, (which Artemis ended up burning with Apollo's divine powers after losing for the third time); Artemis ended up falling asleep in the Living room, Amaya in her room, and Apollo is his usual room.

"They seem to have understood quicker than we thought they would", One of the Fates said, peering into the scene of the house. "Shall we", Past said, as all three of them joined hands and a blinding light shun.
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Words: 965

(I forgot how old I actually made Amaya, she's about 1400 years.)