Unnecessarily paranoid, cold sweat stuck my clothes to the skin tingling with goosebumps. "Hades?" But once again it was only an illusion of fluttering lashes.

There was no fatigue to his serenity, no creases of dehydration on his lips but his body radiated the the heat from his blood and paled skin brought the sorrow within beauty.

His hand falls limbly to the soft mattress when I let go, with no pulse to talk of a beating heart and with rising paranoia I leave his side in hesitant steps to the doors whose locks were already checked twice before.

But things weren't the same when I returned. Half way across the threshold I freeze for there was uninvited guest by the linen curtains, the wind still shut off by closed windows.

In white a man sat in a trance like state within the pages of the book he held. His robe, pure white the kind untouched by hands and devoid of dust and with my heart in my throat I retreat my steps without a sound after looking to the god who lay undisturbed.

To my memory there were swords lined in display in the halls and looking through the ancient collection I unhinge the shortest, its weight still threatening to dislocate the bones of my wrist.

And cat like I padded to the bechamber, very much needing a second to calm the blood rushing to my brain in a mad race.

And as if nothing was out of place I walk in, intending to reach the bed before a low chuckle leaves the intruders lips.

Silver eyes, distinctly familiar were lowered to the worn out pages and when his fingers pinch the edge in a neat fold of a remainder I move the sword away from sight.

"Why are you here?" Failing to hide the obvious displeasure I question the god of the sun.

And when the friendliest of smiles upturn his lips, every overlooked details like puzzle pieces fall in place to point to a frightening truth.

Apollo was Grace's father and Hades being the indirect cause of her death might have been the reason to the enmity, but it was maybe also the key to a mystery.

The source of light in Olympus isn't the sun, it brings me no harm.

Hades had told me, and it was easy to connect to how after the sun god' arrival his health deteriorated steadily and now these facts unquestionably pointed to...

"I am not the enemy." He laughs closing shut the book which later disappears, his stance relaxed like at home. "You can put away your weapon."

"Sorry." Managing to seem bashful I bring the sword to my shoulder treating it like a baseball bat. "I thought you were someone else."

He chuckles again, casually commenting, "Of course you did." And I could swear the vein on my forehead bulged. "I came to check on you."

My smile was so fake it turned ugly. "How very kind of you." In two strides I was between him and the bed feeling as though I was balancing on a tightrope only hoping for Will to return quickly.

"And I am perfectly fine as you can see."

It looked as though he did not want to smile but still showed me his teeth."So you want me to leave."

"Yes."

The golden sun between his brows dims with silver eyes hauntingly bright and his tone like chilly nights. "Is it because you don't want your beloved Lord Hades harmed?"

Author' note: Chapter dedicated to because I know you love Apollo. Peace.♡

I felt a throbbing pain on my wrist on being grabbed and whirled around at the same time.

A white robe was blocking away my view of the bed as I find myself stuffed into the chair he previously sat on.

Towering over me with the sweetest smile he tugs away a stray strand over my ears letting his palm rest over it. "What is this?" I yell struggling in vain against invisible bindings around each ankle and wrist. "Apollo let me go!!" Ignoring the anger in my eyes he glances back.

"What...what are you doing?" Moving his hand away, he turns offering me a soft smile and then he was by the sleeping god who was unaware of the hatred in silver eyes. "Hey, hey! Apollo!"

The god of the sun lifts a finger to his lips. "Apollo! Please, please..."

"Don't touch him!" I was screaming, expressing my despair and rage in the most raw communication. But when his fingertips were inches away from the god' neck I fell silent as if my brain was finally overloaded.

And then my vision tilts, the chair lingering a second on two legs before falling to the side and I close my eyes awaiting the numbness and pain.

"Ah, I took it to far." A voice came along strong hands gripping onto the arm rest as the chair was stabilised.

My mind was a soup of conflicting instructions before the silver eyes of my saviour. "Did you do anything to him?" My ears were abuzz and my knees too weak to let me stand, fear dominating all senses.

"No, I was only joking, so don't cry."

"You...are a bully." I swat away his hand wanting to scream again, but between long drawn breaths it felt like a whisper and maybe it was guilt that thinned his lips.

"Sorry, I won't hurt him." He caught onto my hands and like the time it was held by Hestia, a warm soothing sensation evaded my body setting every cell in ease. "Do you feel better now?" The stubbornness in my silence makes him laughs but suddenly without a word his grip tighten.

My eyes widen as his pupil expands completely engulfing the silver iris as for a moment he stills, his lips set in a rare frown and a voice of caution tells me to get away, but then he speaks, his tone flat like never before.

"Don't break."

The haze immediately fades as the warning was spoken, but to whom and why was not said and his eyes return to their natural hue, but they seemed burdened, a little helpless as if he couldn't pause an unpleasant dream.

"Are you okay?"

Regret came to me instantly when he opened his mouth to reply after a momentary pause of surprise.

"You are so naive. "

"I am not." I retort and finding him pretending like it never happened, I let it go not even able to come up irrational guesses for the strange behaviour.

He laughs throwing his head back. "Then you too kind for your good. And let me stop you before you tell me that you have your own reasons for being so."

An ominous feeling starts to bubble but I keep on a straight face. "I don't know what you are talking about."

"Haha, and here I was hoping to have a heart to heart and maybe even tell you what you want to hear the most." The feeling built upto my throat as if the next second it was going to explode.

"That asleep or awake you have a good heart and not that of a..."

"Shut up." I do not let him continue feeling stark naked and uncomfortable.

"Calm down I was only trying to tease you." There was once again the flash of questionable concern, the same traces of guilt.

It was always invisible like the anti-theft infrared rays in jewellery stores, only visible when the line was crossed.

"If you had your fill, then-"

His smile was sly when asking. "Why did you stop? Ohh now that you know that I was never going to harm him in the first place you want to know if I can heal him, don't you?"

Choosing an indirect route to respond to the accusation, I demand. "Stop reading my mind, and please move." He shifts letting me rise but even without performing any vigorous exercise, I was staggeringly exhausted when I wobble my way to Hades, aware that I was closely followed.

I lean down, forcing away tormenting thoughts as I pull down Hades sleeves that were formerly rolled up inorder to wipe his skin with the soaked towel.

"What are you afraid of?" Apollo eyes me in amusement as I tuck up Hades collar over pale collarbones with an urge to hide him away fully under the cloak I had taken off. "Even though your beloved's face value is astonishing, I do not have a thing for cold beauties. "

My tongue rolled out my mouth to lay a red carpet for this silver eyed god of misinterpretations. "I never said you were interested in him!"

And now I was wishing for him to not to have listened to my request and just read my mind. "Its just I don't think he would be comfortable knowing you saw him so unkempt. "

Apollo did not look convinced and without the slightest of embarrassment tested out the theory. "I have had both male and female lovers in the past." Silver eyes meet mine as if waiting for an opening to strike. "Maybe now that you don't seem bothered I might as well as change my taste to someone more stoic, maybe a little heartless. "

"...."

"Okay, good for you." My smile was civil without a flaw.

"...."

"Can I not read your mind?"

"No." But as I reply his hands lower to Hades' calves. "Apollo what are you doing?"

Under his hovering hand a golden light start to emit under the dark fabrics of Hades' attire and like the veins of a creeper this light spread across his body, slowly diminishing when reaching his chest.

"Hades."