Chapter Text
It was a nice, chill day outside when Apollo met with Darcy at her place to continue working on a project. As they made their way towards the brick building that she called home, Darcy felt a tad nervous. Her parents were well-off, but not Apollo family's level well-off.
"It's not as luxurious as your royal penthouse, but hey, I got us snacks, and I printed out all my ideas on how to move further with the project!" Darcy decided to calm her nerves by teasing Apollo. It always worked to make her mood a tad brighter.
"I am not exactly royalty — "
"Shush, I know it's good for your ego when they call you Prince of Ixia."
"Ego…?" Apollo looked bewildered at Graves' accusation. His belief in himself was well-deserved. "Darcy, I have no ego. My confidence comes from all my achievements! I have earned it through —"
"Confidence, ego, different words, same thing."
Why did she never let him finish his sentences? Was she enjoying tormenting him this way? Was this all a game? She was really riling him up —
"Brother!"
Amidst their discussion, they finally reach the room. Apollo, instead of looking around, looked down at the fluffy creature running towards him.
"I missed you!" Rem said and wrapped his arms around one of Apollo's legs. Ixian turned to Graves and mouthed 'help me', but Graves was too busy trying not to laugh. Apollo was always so collected, but he was completely lost here… It was not a situation he was used and she loved seeing him like this. A bit vulnerable, a bit disheveled, not his usual graceful self. He was always cordial with Rem, but obviously, he didn't have the same sort of bond Graves built with the little guy.
Apollo realized he was on his own, and before things became awkward, he had to do something. Not wanting to hurt kiddo's feelings — and feeling like Darcy would also appreciate that — Ixian capitulated and picked up the fluffy rat. "You're looking quite cheerful, little one. Having a good day?"
"Yessss! I had a nice nap, and Darcy gave me a tweat earlier!" He exclaimed happily. Apollo couldn't fight a smile on his face.
"And you've been looking after Darcy, right? Making sure she doesn't get in trouble?" The boy grinned as he glanced towards his classmate, whose cheeks were getting just a tad pink at the implication.
"H-Hey!" She pouted as she glared at Apollo. "What are you trying to put him up to!? Leave him be! He's just a kid, he should be doing kid stuff — "
"Of coursweee! I watch Darcy's evwy step! I watch, and I remember, and I try to watch evwythiiing!" Rem said proudly, earning a sigh from Graves and a snicker from Apollo.
The two of them settled in to work on their project, and it was going well — despite the boring topic. It was, until somebody uninvited to this study ruined it for Darcy. Cinthra. Of course, her mentor couldn't just keep quiet and bombarded her with nasty thoughts. Thoughts she wished she had never heard.
He's wasting your time.
He is stopping you from achieving your full potential.
He is an obstacle. One you should eliminate.
He is perfect practice for when you'll have to fight in the future. I'll make sure you won't get caught.
A lawyer's daughter should know how to avoid justice, right?
How could she focus on anything with all that mess in her head? And she couldn't just tell her to shut up... And she wouldn't listen, anyway. This was just the worst!
"You seem… distracted." Apollo furrowed his brows as he observed Darcy, who avoided his gaze. It was hard enough to listen to her mentor's nagging, but being questioned like that… what was she supposed to say? He was already suspicious of the Lich. And this would make this worse; while Darcy was concerned, she still believed she could reach some sort of… peace with her mentor. Agreement. She still believed they could both get what they needed from this partnership, and that Darcy could convince her mentor to stop talking about Apollo in such a way. But Lich seemed quite… stubborn about this topic.
Before Darcy could come up with any reasonable answer, Apollo spoke again. "Wait… are you upset? You look pissed… I mean more than usual."
"I don't usually look pissed."
"I would argue you do."
Darcy groaned. "Can we just focus on the project?"
"I can see you're trying, but it's hardly working. You've been going over the same thing for the third time. What's going on?" Apollo put down his pen and focused on Darcy completely. Something certainly was going on, and he wanted to know what. If she had problems, he could help, or rather, he would be way too worried about this girl to not help.
"God, you can be so utterly annoying sometimes!" The book Graves was holding landed on the desk with a loud thud. Why did he also have to annoy her!? Her mentor being an asshole was enough for one evening!
Apollo furrowed his brows, taken aback by her outburst. What was her problem? Why, every time he showed even a bit of concern, she had to act so defensive? Why did everything have to be ignored and forgotten when he just wanted to be there for her? It was infuriating; he already struggled with all these feelings and how they clashed with his duties, and she couldn't let him even a little bit — couldn't allow him to care for her?!
All he wanted was for Darcy to open up just a little bit to him, so this didn't feel like a one-sided friendship. There were moments — short and few — but for the most part, he still felt like she pushed him away, for some stupid reason.
He'd done more than enough to prove his loyalty — and sometimes he felt like a stupid dog following after her. It was humiliating, but he couldn't let go of this connection. Classmates, friends, whatever they were, the times he spent with Graves were the best moments of his life. Did she even understand how important she became to him? No, most likely not. But she had to understand he cared for her so why… Why does she always shut me out so much?
"I am worried about you!" Apollo said through gritted teeth, trying to avoid blowing up, but it was almost impossible not to right now.
"Perhaps a little too much."
That was it; the final straw that unleashed his anger.
"You're not even looking at me. Can't have a conversation looking me in the eyes now, hmm? Afraid of what you could see there, Graves? Afraid of building a meaningful relationship with a living being?" His voice was low and cold; he would not realize that, but it was eerily similar to how his father spoke when he was angry. Cold, threatening anger of Ixian royalty was something nightmares were built on — albeit, of course, Apollo would have to practice more to reach the intensity of his father's anger.
Her hands rolled into fists as she finally dared to look at him. You're too pretty to look at, she thought, but focused on her rage not to give him satisfaction — not right now. His cold tone didn't bother him, or perhaps she was too upset to notice the change in how he spoke."I can handle myself better than you'd imagine. Just… Stop pushing and stop doing whatever you think you're doing. I am fine."
"It's that stupid hand, isn't it?" This time it was Apollo who looked away; he hated to admit he was jealous of the hold Lich had on Darcy. He should be the person she confides in, not some half-dead villainess who is looking to make Darcy her next victim. Apollo couldn't help but feel like that's the only end of that cursed partnership — unless Graves finally understands why she shouldn't trust her 'mentor' as much as she does.
"What?"
"That's what keeps you stressed and unfocused. She doesn't want you to study hard. She just wants you to do her bidding." He snorted. "And you are too blind to notice that — I told you, that damn thing is using you! You need to wake up and think about yourself and your future!"
"Hey! I want to help these souls, too! It's my dream, too!" Now he was really pissing her off. Did he think she didn't want this sort of life? He knew nothing about her, and he made all these assumptions! It's not like she was dreaming of becoming a lawyer, and Cinthra took that away from her — Cinthra helped her find her purpose!
"Sure, sure, but she pushes you to prioritize what's important for her only." How could she not understand that? "She is not a friend, Darcy. She is using you."
"I am not a pawn you're making me out to be, Apollo."
"You are pretty passive in that mentor - student relationship, Darcy. I am just trying to point out the obvious that you are unable to see."
Graves rolled her eyes. She wasn't sure if she should be upset or just annoyed at how this princeling was behaving."You know nothing about that relationship. You don't know shit about me, my abilities, or my hard work. Yes, I am a little distracted, but I am handling it! Don't try to smother me with your help! I don't need you, I don't need anyone!"
The moment these words left her mouth, Graves realized she didn't mean them.
Immediately, her brain made her imagine the lack of Apollo in her everyday life, and her chest ached.
And the look in his eyes — He looked so — God, this was bad. Why did she say that in the first place? Was this just because she was overloaded with emotions? She doesn't want to be alone so what devil made her say that —
Could it be…? No, of course not. Darcy was in control.
Good job. Kill him or push him away, but make him disappear. You are correct; you don't need him. He is simply just a bother.
If she could become paler, Darcy would. These words may not have been hers, and honestly, this damned situation was getting out of control.
Apollo said nothing; he turned his whole body away, wondering if he should leave. Sure, he knew she was hyper-independent. He understood why, too. Was it really too much to ask for her to lower her guard around him, though?
Awkward silence fell upon them as Darcy, by some miracle, managed to block off Cinthra. But she was not good at apologizing, and honestly, Apollo was somewhat out of line. But he wasn't the only one. What could she even say? Then, she remembered something.
Graves stood up and left the room. Apollo almost thought she left him alone at her place — which would be an odd choice, but who knew with Graves. He hid his face in his hands, hating himself for this argument. But he couldn't stop this anxiety about her mentor, that this Lich would hurt her one day. If that happened, and he did nothing to prevent it, he would never forgive himself.
When he put his hands on his lap and opened his eyes again, Darcy was somehow standing right beside him. How did he not notice her coming over? Didn't hear her footsteps? She truly is a curious creature. His golden eyes looked up at her. She held a box in her hands that she then carefully placed it in his lap. This was quite an interesting follow-up to the screaming match they just had.
"You said once Ixia doesn't have chocolate chip cookies as good as we do. Something about the lack of good soil for cocoa plants?" She said quietly. "I was saving this for some special occasion, but… Well, uhm. Enjoy."
Apollo blinked. Darcy had her issues — and so did he. They were both a difficult person to be around, honestly. Yet, this moment felt very eerie. He remembered that a few times his father had argued with his mother, and that was exactly what he did. He would bring her something he knew she would like to smooth things over.
Maybe she wouldn't be able to say what she did wrong — he wasn't sure if he could either — but at least they could rebuild what was wrong over the box of cookies. He put the box on the table, before picking one and breaking it apart and offering half to Graves.
"Share with me?"
Darcy smiled and nodded. Apollo could forget all the mean things she said to him if she had such gestures for him. Remembering what he liked, and… giving him these cookies after an argument. Perhaps she doesn't need anybody, but right now, he felt wanted, and in a way, that's a much better feeling than being needed.
As Apollo was about to leave, Graves was putting a blanket over the sleeping Rem. Ixian smiled softly; he loved watching her be so gentle and kind. That always made him think that the souls she helps must be lucky. Graves had so much care for others in her heart. Still, knowing the little one was still stuck with her, rather than on his way home, made him a bit concerned. Mostly for Rem; his family must be so worried about him.
"Did you… learn anything about his origins?" He whispered.
Darcy shook her head. "Unfortunately, not. The way he speaks about his home, though, it almost feels like he's from a realm of… dreams. But that's not… possible, is it?"
Apollo raised a brow. "You're a necromancer with Lich's hand. The day I learned that, I decided everything's possible."
"Point taken. But if that's the truth, I have no clue how to take him back…" She gave him that pitiful look that made his heart ache.
"There must be a way. Were you able to decipher the name of his homeland, at least?"
Darcy shook her head. "Even trying to write it down is a challenge. I got a few potential spellings, but Rem says our letters don't encompass the name fully. Like, something is missing, but I am struggling to understand what exactly."
"Huh… That does make things difficult… Hopefully, you can get some clues. I'll see if I can get some Ixian literature about this topic. He got here somehow; there must be a way for him to return."
Darcy reached to hold one of his fingers and squeezed it, smiling at the Ixian Prince. "Thank you. That means a lot to me. Thank you so much, truly."
Apollo hoped she didn't notice a flick of his tail — or how his face was redder than usual. "You're, ah, welcome."
Though neither of them noticed Rem's opened one eye. Perhaps he didn't hear the conversation fully, but would certainly remember big brother's reaction to Graves' little touch.
Darcy needed help, real help — with Cintrha and with Rem. Actually, with more than just that, but those were the two pressing issues right now. That is how she found herself at 2AM in front of "The Curiosities Shop". It looked like an ice cream stand, but she researched it, and this was supposed to be one place that holds answers you can find nowhere else. Very magical and very dangerous and very not-where-highschoolers-should-be.
Darcy even left Cinthra at home — she will listen to a lecture later — but she needed a clear mind, and she needed to prove to herself more than anyone that she could defend herself without using Cinthra's powers as a crutch. She was capable and talented, and not some means to an end for a half-dead Lich.
Well, here it goes.
She reached to touch it, and suddenly — energy wrapped around her, and she felt herself being whisked away somewhere else. She yelped as she landed on her ass on a hard, wooden floor.
"A customer!" Two heads leaned over, one of them certainly Ixian. Similar complexion to Apollo, but a little lighter red and different features, of course. The human woman was a little pale, though not as pale as Darcy, with dark, black hair.
"You need to find a better entrance to your shop. This is becoming ridiculous. This is exactly why you have so few return customers." Ixian spoke, then helped Graves get up.
"Look, we can stop arguing about you following that poor lady lizard, Lysandra! I've got to focus on this newcomer now!" The brunette was surprisingly… cheery.
"I am a paying customer, too! You should want to help me get rid of that criminal! That woman is a nuisance to the community — "
"She is harmless, seriously! You don't even list her crimes because they sound ridiculous, don't they?"
"Doesn't make her not a criminal, considering you literally just said that she commits crimes, and catching criminals is what I do."
Darcy looked between the two women in confusion. But while they talked, she took a look around to figure out what exactly 'The Curiosities Shop' was. She realized she was in the center of what looked like the largest bookshop she had ever seen — but not all shelves were filled with books. There were crystals, trinkets, jewelry… all seemed incredibly magical and powerful. Some books were even glowing, and nearby, where she landed, was a circular table with two chairs beside it and a wooden box in the middle of it.
If anywhere had any answers, it would be here.
"Do you… Can you help me become a necromancer?" She decided to focus on this for now. Perhaps, she can weave questions about Rem and his homeland into conversation later.
Both women turned to look at Darcy. Lysandra raised her brow, while the other woman smirked.
"You've come to the right place, sweetheart."
The other woman's name was Thalia. The two were friends, sort of, from what Darcy gathered, and over a few hours, she felt like she could be their friend too. All three of them related to each other, and Darcy felt connected with these two girls like she never did with anyone else, honestly. They talked about mysticism, magic, and so many other curious things. Thalia was more of a free spirit, happy to share interesting stories, while Lyssandra always had a cautionary tale to tell.
At the end of that meeting, Darcy was presented with a book on necromancy that was just the right fit for her. It was so infused in magic that she was also given an additional book that was an instruction on how to read it and not become a ghost herself… of course, Graves happily purchased it. Thalia also taught Graves a magical lock, ensuring nobody else would touch the book, considering the dangers of mishandling it.
It was an enjoyable experience, for sure, and for once, it didn't seem like she was treated like a child. She felt like she belonged somewhere, and she felt maybe, eventually, she could ask Lysandra questions about Ixia so…
Huh, why did that pop into her head? She felt her cheeks heat as she thought of Apollo. The thought of him made her feel weird and warm. Darcy was still annoyed at how mean she was to him last time they spoke, and it was even more infuriating to realize how fake these words were. You'd think she would stop pushing him away when she wanted to get closer to him this much, but this was way more complicated like that.
Darcy would like to have an easier time interacting with people. And God, Apollo was patient, for sure. But she still struggled. And, it's not like she could tell him what Cinthra was saying, but… Ah, she actually noticed the difference when the hand wasn't around. He… He may not have the whole truth, but he wasn't entirely wrong, either. Her trust was a bit too blind, and Cinthra's presence affected her — but! She can figure it out, and maybe make another pact with Cinthra. A healthier one. She just needed to grow her powers, to show the Lich how powerful she can be. That Darcy Graves is a lot more than just a pawn… and if she wants to speak with Apollo, then —
"You okay, Graves?" Darcy was taken out of her thoughts by Lys' voice. Gosh, what was she doing? She probably looked like she had a fever; her cheeks were still hot. Not good, not good. Stupid Ixian princeling, making her distracted at the worst moments.
"Yeah, just lost in a thought."
"Thought about…?"
"Oh, nothing, nothing! I, actually, I really should go! I mean, the night is almost over, and… I've got school, yeah! So, I'll, uh, I'll go now."
"Wait!" Thalia clasped her hands. "Before you go, I just must do your tarot reading!"
Lysandra let out a weird sound Darcy couldn't name. "No, you really don't. Your readings are creepy. Just let the girl go… she's right. It's almost dawn, you know?"
"My readings seem creepy to you only because they are true!" Thalia said and pouted.
"They hardly talk about happy stuff, too. Darcy, sometimes it is better to not know when something terrible is going to happen —"
"I disagree. They do prepare you for your future. Give you a chance to change it!" She sighed. "Let the girl decide on her own. We can always help her get home safe if you're worried about that."
"…Fine. Don't say I didn't warn you, Darcy. Ignorance can be bliss."
Darcy looked between them, confused. This was too much information to take in all at once. "You can… predict my future?"
Thalia took Darcy's arm and led her to that circular table, while Lysandra said something in Ixian. Potentially curses — or insults.
"Tarot does not predict future — only potential events based on how you are behaving at that moment. It can warn you where your life is going and what you should prepare yourself for. It will mention weaknesses you are allowing to win — to give you a chance to work on them."
"Sounds…. depressing. And the cards shouldn't have that much insight into me as a person…"
Lys crossed her arms. "It damn is! The cards are… a curse, more than anything. I don't know why you even keep doing readings when nothing good comes out of them."
Thalia sighed as she left Graves to take her seat and sat on the other end of the table. "Life is depressing, little Ghoul Queen. Isn't it better to get ahead when you have a chance?"
Lysandra was muttering again, certainly not sharing Thalia's viewpoint, but she remained quiet, allowing Graves to make her own decision.
Darcy was torn — part of her wanted to refuse the reading, but she knew she would keep wondering about it forever. Perhaps, indeed, it would be better to know what terrible things await her. So, she nodded, even if Lys seemed troubled. It was obvious she was about to do something she could not walk away from, but she felt this was what she needed right now.
Darcy watched as Thalia opened the box and shuffled the cards with grace.
"Pick one — and another — and one more — and again — and final one — Perfect!"
The woman sounded… different, already giving Darcy the chills. This was more than just a reading. More than just cards. And Thalia was more than just an eccentric shopkeeper.
"The Moon — Illusion… Anxiety… Fear…" The woman's voice changed in ways that made Darcy shiver. "Look around you carefully and think who might be trying to make you for a fool. But we have a Star, too! There is hope and purpose within you. You should hold onto it. What else… Judgment! It can have many meanings, but I feel… I feel it speaks of your upcoming rebirth."
"R-Rebirth?" Darcy whispered, almost terrified.
"You're scaring the kid, idiot." Lysandra added, but the shopkeeper ignored her.
"There is a Death card again. That means change. Change is coming to your life, and you will be better off accepting it." She paused again. "And a reversed Hanged Man. Huh. There is something in your life you will have to wait for. Are you patient, young lady?"
"I… can be, when needed."
"Good. I have a feeling this will be worth the wait."
Lyssandra helped Darcy calm down and eventually helped her get home. That was a night Darcy Graves would never forget.
Of course, Cinthra wasn't happy about Graves' actions. Especially about the times she left her behind at home — Cinthra could feel that she was losing grasp on her student, and that just wouldn't do. She became more pushy with her nagging, making it hard to focus on anything. It did not gave the Lich results she desired; the nagging only pissed off Darcy more and prompted her to take the hand with her less and less. She just couldn't deal with all the annoying chatter.
And she already had to leave her behind quite often. Graves didn't want to learn from that new book with Cinthra around… she wanted it to be her thing. Plus, she was worried that Cinthra would figure out a way to ruining it for her. Or worse, slow Darcy's growth. Her trust in her mentor was slowly breaking away. She wasn't sure what she believed, but she wanted to at least be more powerful when she has the talk with Cinthra.
Learning, unfortunately, took lots of her time and progress was slow. She was notoriously busy, with not time for anyone or anything beside her studies. The little improvement she noticed was what drove her to keep going, but she noticed Apollo's frustration at her refusal to hang out. She hardly could explain what was going on… Not yet. She wanted to fix this situation herself before she tells him anything. She didn't want him to get involved in her mess.
Sadly, she wasn't lucky enough to get a chance to do that. On the way from one class to another, Apollo grabbed her arm and pulled her close, in the middle of the corridor. Great, everybody's watching. Of course, the little prince doesn't even notice the attention we garnered.
"If you're gonna play these games, just tell me you don't want to spend time with me. Look me in the eyes and tell me how much you hate my presence." He half-whispered, apparently wanting their conversation to be at least partially private. Darcy wondered if he even realized how this all looked to everyone around them. But she didn't have time to think about that.
"Where did you get that idea? I like your company."
The ixian blinked, his shoulders no longer as tense. But he kept hold on her arm.
"You do? Then what's the problem? The only other answer is that you decided to overwork yourself to death which is not acceptable, either."
"Do we have to do this in the middle of the corridor?"
"Yes! Yes, we do. You hardly tell me anything, then you refuse to spend time with me after we had an argument and you think I can just remain unbothered!? I have feelings, Graves."
Oh, that's what he's worried about. For Darcy that argument was long forgotten so she didn't connect the dots. Huh, little prince of Ixia this worried about something so silly… Was he not realizing how vulnerable he was being? Or was this purposeful. Corner of her lips lifted.
"Could have fooled me. I guess they are covered by all that arrogance, and your stupidly pretty face."
This time it was Apollo that smirked, his tail flicking once. "Yeah? You think I am pretty?"
Darcy blushed at his comment. "Of course that's all you've gotten from that. Seriously, you can let go of me. I am just busy with my studies and my… necromancer stuff. I am not trying to avoid you."
"So she does overworks you again. That stupid Lich… A real mentor wouldn't — "
"It's not like that, Apollo. Look — "
"You feel asleep during math. She is going to work you to death!"
"Ugh, math is just damn boring! But just let me finish. I am not as naive as you think!" She used her free hand to open her bag. "See? She's not here. I stopped bringing her everywhere."
Apollo glanced down, his eyes widening. "You… did?"
"Your words made sense, and I am trying to get more independent. But that means lots of extra studying. Do you get it now?"
Before Apollo could answer, they got approached by the circle of girls that usually follow Apollo. What the two didn't realize is that once their moods relaxed they really looked like they were flirting with all these hushed whispers, and Apollo holding Darcy so close to himself.
"Oh, don't worry, Apollo!" Patricia chirped, sounding so fake-friendly. "I bet prom isn't Darcy's place. If she refused to go, you can ask one of us. You don't have to take a charity case like her!"
Darcy felt a cold shiver down her spine. That's what they thought they were doing!? Discussing prom? Darcy forget about it, but that's not the point! How dare she spew such venom… ice was becoming lava so damn fast, she almost wished her mentor was here and helped her end Patricia's pointless existence.
"I am no charity case!" Graves rarely spoke up for herself but this time just she couldn't let them get away with it. She didn't even care to clarify the misunderstanding; assuming Apollo would ask her out of pity was just so —
"Exactly." Apollo's voice was steady but cold. She recognized it from last night. He was holding back from losing it all on Patricia. His hand let go of her arm and wrap around her form, pulling her flush to his body. God, she could feel his heat, and his tail brushed against her ankle ever so often. It made her warm on the inside, and her cheeks burned.
She dared to look up at Apollo, and his golden eyes looked at her in way she never seen him look at her before. The Ixian leaned in and kissed Darcy's cheek, earning a wave of gasps from the crowd. "I think Darcy is Prom Queen material, if you ask me." He winked at Patricia, and led Graves away from the crowd before things would get out hand.
The two skipped next lesson, hiding out at fencing area. At this time nobody was there and both needed a moment. Apollo couldn't believe he actually did all that he did — but he would day dream of that little peck for weeks. Darcy was still blushing a bit, unsure what to think or feel.
"So…" She started, staring at her boots. "It's — Did you — Was that all… an act?"
"What?"
"The — The prom thing."
Apollo furrowed his brows. "You… You don't think I'd be this cruel, do you? I know I already was out of line stopping you like I did but I felt out of options. Sometimes you just stop talking with me and I don't know what to do!"
"I did talk with you!"
"About vague, unimportant things. But we didn't talk about anything… real, and you didn't tell me what kept you busy, at all!"
Darcy sighed, closing her eyes. "I wanted… I wanted to actually have results before I tell you anything."
"Results… of what?"
"Slow down! Before we even go there, what about prom?!" Her eyes opened again as she dared to stare at him. The Ixian looked bewildered still.
"Do you… not want to go to Prom with me?"
"I…" Graves swallowed and blushed. Actually, she really wanted to. But she was scared to admit it. Hell, she was always scared to let him in. He was right about that. Because she was realizing he could destroy her if she let him in too close. Destroy her, or save her. As dramatic as it sounded, that's how it felt.
Look on his face was pure determination. The time stopped as he walked the few steps closing the distance between them. "It's an easy question, Darcy. Yes or no. I don't want to guess. I want to know. And trust me — I'd like to be there with somebody who wants my company the way I want theirs."
Stupid, pretty, overconfident princeling.
"Violet will not like that. You taking a human to prom." She managed to choke out. But she was really struggling to keep a lid on her feelings.
Apollo snorted, then lifted Darcy's chin by his finger. If he had less self-control, he would just lean in and show her how little he cares about Violet's opinion. He just hoped Darcy couldn't see how his tail was flicking back and forth. "Will you go to Prom with me, Darcy Graves? Is that what you want?"
She wondered if he could hear her heartbeat. It seemed so loud to her. And she was so lost in his eyes. He was the most beautiful creature she had ever seen.
"Yes. … would like that very much so."
The next few days have been different than usual. She was the target of pranks, though smart enough not to be able to catch the culprits. The ones Apollo saw frustrated the Ixian more than anything, so Darcy didn't mention the ones he missed. She felt that maybe she just needed to wait it out… these girls cannot be that upset over her being Apollo's partner for Prom. Plus, she wasn't letting go of that.
For once, she was going to fight for what she wanted.
She hardly knew what future could await her and the Ixian Prince of all people, nor did she understand her own feelings, but they had something special. Was it really so bad to just let things happen and see where it takes them?
Being a target for Patricia and her crew was annoying, though. Each day, she hoped it would finally end. It was becoming seriously ridiculous. Apollo wasn't the only hot guy at that school, nor the only rich one.
Graves whimpered as her back hit the locker door. Surprisingly, these girls were tougher than it seemed. Or maybe it was because she was shorter than them? Either way, it hurt as hell. Perhaps she should have tried to fight back harder but… She really hoped these girls will eventually get bored of bullying her.
"You must know Apollo is just keeping you company out of pity."
"Yeah, and you think he likes you or something? Stupid girl!"
"How about you keep to your crowd, weirdo?!"
Somebody pulled on her hair, undoing her space buns. Somebody else pinched her face. These girls were mean as hell! How dare they go so far just because Apollo prefers Darcy's company?
"Not my fault Apollo hates your guts." She spat out some blood. Perhaps she didn't have strength to fight them back physically but she wasn't going to take their verbal abuse, too.
"What the hell did you say!?"
"You heard me. You're fake as hell and he can see right through it. You act like you care about Ixia, but really you don't. You — "
Her sentence was stopped by a hard slap to her face.
"Shut up, you bitch! As if you hang out with him just because you want to spend time with him!? You want the influence like any one of us. But there's no way somebody like Apollo could spend time with you for any other reason than pity. He just feels bad for you."
He really doesn't, though. No matter what you do or say won't change that. Because I gave him so many chances to leave and he didn't.
The girls continued the assault, and Darcy just hoped a teacher would eventually notice what was happening. Just when she thought she was gonna faint, the assault stopped. She looked up just in time to see Apollo pull the girl by her hair so roughly she fell on the ground. And the way he looked at these girls — she never seen such pure hatred. He was a force, pure energy swirling around the man as if he was about to explode.
"There are many despicable things about you, but that is the lowest of the low. I can ignore other things but not this. Just how jealous y'all can be!? How… violent? That's disgusting."
"Apollo, it's not —"
"Shut up." The edge of danger in his voice was terrifying. Darcy had never heard him like this; this was the son of a general. Deadly, if necessary. She hoped she would never be addressed in such a way because that tone of voice meant danger to the recipient. And yet… She still reached his hand towards him. This imposing, dangerous man did not terrify. Because Apollo… he would always… keep her safe…
Honestly, she wasn't sure what happened next. The girls argued, but Apollo had none of it. Eventually, he approached her, and had the most guilty expressions on his face. He shouldn't. It wasn't his fault. She thought of these moments when she tried to stay away; would that keep her safe from these girls? And she suddenly realized that didn't matter; she realized she didn't want to stay away from, like, ever.
Not that she could anyway.
He always comes back.
And she was really glad he did.
He always comes back.
As if… she was important to him. Important…
Was there a chance that she was?
God, she really hoped there was.
A quiet grunt escaped her as he picked her up into his arms. That brought her mind back to reality. She blinked a few times before she was able to properly look ahead. Her body hurt so badly… part of her wanted to fall asleep but she remembered she probably shouldn't. Plus, she wanted to remember how it felt to be held in his arms.
"I'm… sorry, Darcy." He whispered in the softest tone she ever heard from him. So different from who he was moments before. For her, he was soft and gentle. A ghost of smile could be seen. She wasn't letting go of whatever there was between them… Especially not because these stupid girls decided to beat her up. This side of Apollo… belongs to her. Only a fool would give it away without a fight.
"D-Don't…"
"Hmm?"
"You were right." She whispered, then coughed. "Sometimes… I avoid you. It's… complicated. Sometimes… it doesn't feel real."
Apollo furrowed his brows. "What doesn't?"
"Everything. I thought… I thought they leave me alone because I don't deserve attention or… affection or… whatever. I thought these girls were right. If somebody spends time with me, it's because they pity me. But… you wouldn't keep coming back if it was just out of pity, would you?"
Apollo slowly made his way towards infirmary. "I thought we were over this, Darcy. I don't pity you. I never did, never will. Look, I — I thought we really moved past this. The moments we shared, they didn't feel genuine to you?"
"They did." She closed her eyes, pressing herself more against him. Ah, he was so nice and warm. "But it doesn't feel like I deserved that attention, so I kept wondering why do you always come back…"
How could he even begin to answer this question? There are so many reasons why. So many things he couldn't say. So many things he wanted to give her and yet — couldn't. He was already dangerously close to crossing the line his family decided for him, he couldn't add spilling his feelings to that.
"Because you are my friend, Darcy. Maybe you have that weird necromancer shit going on, but you're still my friend. I like spending time with you, okay? And we will figure out how to stop these girls from bullying you."
She shifted even closer to his chest, inhaling his scent. If she wasn't half unconscious, she would never dare to do that, but she wasn't thinking straight right now. "A friend. I… have a friend."
"Yes, Darcy. You've got me. You've always got me." Should he say so? No, of course not. But, this one thing he could promise. To be somebody she could depend on. Even all the way in Ixia, he would figure out a way to be somebody she can count on.
"I'm glad it's you. I'm glad you're my first friend." Darcy mumbled and Apollo's grip on her tightened. Who ever allowed this girl to be this adorable?