Not In The Script
A Polldona fanfic (Trials of Apollo)
The Arrow of Dodona confesses his feelings to Apollo.
Train number, Apollo honestly didn’t care. He and Meg had been running around in circles- no, running would have been a mercy- sitting on trains to get to their destination for hours.
Apollo felt like he’d been sitting in the scratchy train seat for eternity. Even for an immortal this constant travel was exhausting. Apollo had taken about a million naps, braided Meg’s hair, and polished his bow until it would no longer be advisable to continue.
Now, after all his other options for entertainment had run out was staring down the train map and aimlessly reading lane numbers.
HOW ABOUTIST THOU SPEAKEST TO ME? The voice of the Arrow of Dodona boomed indignantly into Apollo’s mind. Shocked, Apollo jumped about a foot into the air. Which was unfortunately the height of the arms of the chair so, when gravity came back down to enforce its tyranny on Apollo, he landed butt first on the armrests.
He could not think of a more painful way to be ridiculously humiliated. After rearranging his limbs into a position most humans would not deem immediately alarming, he hissed at the arrow, “I do not speak to you because you do things like this.”
I WOULD NOT NEEDEST TO INTERRUPT IF THOUGH DEIGNED TO SPEAKEST TO ME FORTHRIGHT!
Realizing he’d reached the realm of no return Apollo pulled the arrow from his quiver and glared at AoD. “What is so urgent that you need to talk about?”
THEE DIDN’ST BETHINK I’D CARETH IF THEE KICKED THE BUCKET!
“Kicked the Bucket?” Apollo exclaimed. A woman across from him gave him a weird look and he hushed. “What do you mean, kicked the bucket?”
I MEAN THEE SAIDEST THY DIDN’ST KNOW IF I HAST CARE IF THOU KICKED THE BUCKET.
“What? I said I didn’t know if you would care if I kicked the bucket… Do you mean die? When did I say that?”
BACK IN THE ETERNAL CITY.
“Rome? Oh do you mean New Rome? When did I say that?”
WHENEST THE POISON TOOK OVER THY MIND. YOU SPOKEST, AND I QUOTE, “I DIDNIST KNOW THOU CARED IF LIFE LEFT MY BODY,” TO ME.
Apollo highly doubted that was exactly what he said, but he could somewhat recall something along those lines. But the time when Tarquin’s poison was that far along was a bit of blur.
“Okay. What about that was so important you needed to interrupt me?” He spat at the arrow.
The Arrow vibrated like it was miffed. THOU WASN’T DOING TO BE INTERRUPTED. I FELT THAT SEAT ABREAST THY OWN SHAFT FOR HOURS. THEE DID NOTHING BUT SIT.
“Look,” Apollo was offended. Not like the arrow was ever productive himself. What right did he have to judge? “I don’t see you composing any symphonies right now. Is this conversation over?”
NO! The arrow shouted into Apollo’s brain.
I NEEDEST TO AXE THOUGH SOMETHING.
Apollo’s frowned, “What?”
DOES APOLLO BELIEVE I DON’T CARE FOR HIM?
Apollo blinked, “I don’t know, maybe you should ask him?”
The arrow scoffed, which should not have been possible. THEE KNOWEST WHAT I MEANTEST.
“I’m not sure any of what you just said was actual words.”
The arrow huffed. JOKE YOU JESTER. BUT HOLD IN MIND THOU MAYEST NOTEST OVERCOME THY’S SINCEREST ATTEMPTS AT SKILL IN HILARITY.
“I can put you back in the quiver whenever I want, you know.” Next to him Meg glared as she woke from her nap.
THE COWARDS WAY OUT. TYPICAL.
“Hey, that wasn’t Shakespearean english.”
THOU’S PITIFUL THREATENING WAS NOTEST WORTH THEE EFFORT.
Apollo shouldered his pack, “You know what, you’re going in the quiver.”
WAIT! The arrow called out at full volume, somehow managing to hurt Apollo’s ears despite being entirely in his own head.
“Ow. What? Get on with it. I am running out of patience.”
THOU ART A CRUEL SLAVE DRIVER.
Apollo slung the quiver over his shoulder.
NO NO! I NEEDEST TO TELL YOU. I- I… The arrow's voice trailed off as if he was choking on his words, something that Apollo mentally filed under Mysterious Arrow of Dodona Anatomy I Don’t Want to Touch alongside how the arrow was searching for things on google without hands.
I DO CARE. I LOVE YOU LESTER.
Apollo’s mind short circuited. Did AoD just say what he thought he did? Well there was no way he could have misheard the Arrow, but the idea was just preposterous. The Arrow, with their crappy fake Shakespearean and their general hate for everything that came out of Apollo’s mouth… loved him?
That was a twist he didn’t see coming. Apollo always say AoD as a faithful companion, and yes, an annoyance, but also as someone he’d grown close to on his trials and couldn’t bear to lose. Another loved one that he would care for even if they didn’t care for Apollo.
Now AoD was saying that was reciprocated. It didn’t fit right into the puzzle of their relationship. They tolerated each other while Apollo pined after the arrow in admiration of his corny puns and his dedication to the bit. This wasn’t in the script.
“I,” how to respond when someone you’ve cared for tells them they loved you, “had no idea.” Well that is certainly one way. Gods, Apollo shames himself, wasn’t he the god of flirting? Shouldn’t he be better at this? Or, was this not romantic at all. It couldn’t be. Could it?
Of course it wasn’t. Gods, Meg was right. He was so stupid.
DOES THOU… DO THEE… FEEL THE SAME WAY? The arrow’s voice was almost timid, like he was scared of the outcome of his words. Apollo felt the same, because the answer to the arrow's question was very much yes, and he didn’t know how to feel about that.
BEFORE YOU SPEAKEST, I’D SHALL BEG THY FORGIVENESS. I HAVE BEEN CALLUS TOWARDS THY LESTER. I AM SORRY FROM THE DEPTHS OF MINE OWN HEART- Apollo added the heart mention to the file- TO EVER HAVE DECEIVED THEE INTO THINKING DOTH NOTEST LOVETH THEE.
The arrow shuddered, as if taking a deep breath and allowing himself to really think about what he was saying. IN ALL HONESTY DEAR LESTER, I FINDETH THEE TRULY MAGNIFICENT.
Apollo blinked. In all his trials he had been mocked, degraded, and together been made to feel worthless. He wasn’t magnificent, he was Lester Papadopoulos, even worse, he was Apollo .
Yet the way the arrow said his name... like Apollo meant something, like Apollo not only mattered as a part of the universe, but deserved to be there. Tears might have begun to fall from his eyes and onto the carpeted train seats.
No mocking words came from AoD. For once they voluntarily completely silent. Apollo must have looked insane, but it didn’t even occur to him as he pulled AoD into his chest.
“Yes,” Apollo swallowed, trying to keep his voice even, “Of course I feel the same.”
21 notes
·
View notes