The Boy who loved the Sun ✓

| Sunsets and ebbing tides |

There was an impatient knock on the wooden door of his bedroom . There was infact someone brutally slamming it . 

Apollo rushed to open the door , and Icarus sat on the bed shaky and terrified . 

" I told you! I told you he was going to be with this... this right now " stormed in Athena , pointing at Icarus , referring to the boy as this . Ares and Aphrodite followed with stunned faces . Artemis stood there quite upset . Zeus stood behind everyone , arms crossed , a firm face maintained . 

He came forward and faced his son , whose gaze was fixed to the still ground , not able to meet his father's . 

" look up " his father demanded . 

Apollo had never disobeyed his father and therefore he hesitantly raised his eyes and looked up at his father . 

" who is that ?" he asked and Apollo knew who his father was asking about . He turned around to take a look at Icarus , who stood utterly scared , fidgeting with his arms .

" Who was that ?" Zeus repeated the question and this time Apollo knew he had to answer , since he did not want to anger his father any more . 

" t-that was Icarus . He is my frien.. " he abruptly stopped when he saw his father's sharply raised finger . The silence was defeaning and Apollo could feel thes peirce sting inside . 

" please ask him to leave " Zeus instructed , his voice strangely low and dangerously calm .

He was looking at Icarus , mixed emotions clogging his mind . Apollo could not protest against his father neither did he want Icarus to leave , heartbroken . Icarus sighed . He was still shocked and afraid . He slowly walked past everyone , out of the crowded room . He gave Apollo an acknowledging nod and Apollo answered back with apologetic eyes . He left the house , fearing what Apollo might have to face after his departure . He sighed once again . 

" why was he in your room?" . Apollo realised it was hard for him to frame an answer to that question . 

" he is my friend and I brought him home just this once so - " 

" This is not the first time , I know " Zeus told him . Apollo's heart skipped a beat . He looked at the guilt in Artemis' and his face fell . 

" I do not want any explanation from your side . I just do not want you to be anywhere near that boy , do you understand?" and then Zeus turned around to leave when he heard a faint " but- " from his son . 

" you know your father well . If I see you with that boy ever again in the future " he did not have to finish that statement .
Apollo knew what his father was capable of . 

" come down for dinner " were his last words before his footsteps could be heard down the staircase . Ares and Aphrodite followed him and Athena gave him one final disgusted look before slamming the door behind her . 

Apollo retired . He collapsed on the bed with undone bedsheets , where he was with Icarus , a while ago . Artemis sat beside him , patted her brother on the shoulder , in attempts of comforting him . 

Apollo gave her a strained look and then suddenly his expression altered . 

" tonight he will not sleep . He will sit by the fireplace and cry , stuffing his shirt in his mouth so that his father would not hear his violent screams . But believe me , I never thought that someday his tears will be because of me . There is nothing I can do now though " he smiled to himself sarcastically , making it even more painful for Artemis to watch . " He might be heartbroken , but no I am never going to talk to him ever again . You win Artemis . You finally got rid of the dirtbag " he was holding her hands firmly . A single tear fell on her hand . She did not know how to respond , how to react . Friendship , love both were ruined and there was no way to undo that permanent damage . 

The next morning Icarus waited for Apollo , outside the school gate , like he did everyday . When his siblings walked past him , throwing him insulting stares and satire humiliating smiles of ridicule . Then there was Apollo , walking with the burden of the bags under his eyes he would never stop carrying . 

" Apollo! Apollo, how are things back at home ?" Icarus hurriedly approached him . 

Apollo was looking at him . 

He wanted to speak with him . 

He so wanted to embrace him this time . 

But he did not . 

He ignored the boy he loved more than anything in the world .

" Nothing that should bother you " he scoffed .

It pained inside to utter those words but it was wise to push away Icarus . His harsh words might make an impact and he would eventually move on . He walked away . 

Icarus stood there , suddenly thunderstruck and staggered . He was speechless . You would think he was weeping but he was too numb to do that . Was this true , all of that is happening? There was a hand on his shoulder and turned around to find his own friends . 

Achilles stood beside Patroclus who gave him a sympathetic look . Helen held his hand . Achilles would have probably begun with how much he had warned him about the consequences but how he turned a deaf ear to the exhortation . But he knew pretty well it was not the time . Icarus needed supportive friends , not passive aggressive idiots who indirectly poked at people's situation and hurt them . They stood there patiently with him , stoically being there for their friend . They despised Apollo . What they did not know was that they were all misunderstanding the boy . 

Icarus felt vulnerable which according to him  , was a horrible feeling . He hated the feeling of vulnerability. He hated the feeling of being exposed for anyone to see his weakness and his failures . And remembers opening up to Apollo just for him to walk out . His father forbade him , he told himself . But he said we were in this together , then? 

Icarus regretting every bit of his time with Apollo . He wish he was not so dependent on that boy for his happiness , for his whole survival . He hated it all . He hated it when the sun sets .

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