Chapter Text
Maybe there is a prophecy that Bakugou has yet to read, written to tell that Apollo, the sun god, was never meant to find love.
Maybe it was prophesied that he would be in his room in Olympus, mourning another love lost for one final time.
He wonders occasionally, more often than not, how long it would take for him to move on from this heartache. Not from Kirishima, no, he could never move on from that red headed idiot. It was the heartache that made him wish time would pass already, maybe a century would be enough.
He knows that it would be impossible to truly move on from Kirishima. Like his past lovers, his heart only grows fuller, and heavier as time goes on with him alone, and everyone else lost or gone forever.
“Are you for real just going to lay there forever?” Camie steps into his room, stopping his depressing thoughts, she takes a seat at the end of her brother's bed, stretching her legs with a sigh. As she props herself up, she leans back and throws up her head, looking to the ceiling. Looking to see what might have caught her brother's attention.
There was nothing interesting.
"No." He says softly, not bite in his tone. The god has been through a heartache like this before. Has gone through it time and time again. He rose the sun with it, and he set it down with it. He sorta finds it a bit unfair that Camie was allowed to do what she wants, when she wants. The moon didn't need help moving east to west, she didn't need to be constantly watching it, shaping it differently for each week.
The moon did whatever the sun wanted, whatever the earth needed. And Camie simply stayed silent and adored it all the same.
Bakugou is the sun, as he is the morning, but that didn't mean he couldn't lay wherever the fuck he wanted to just breathe.
"I think Kirishima is my last."
Camie frowns as she snaps her attention to Bakugou, "What?"
"I think," he in and then out, "I think I'm actually done."
Camie has never taken any lovers, or even companions to warm her bed at night. She found men to be pretty, but enough to really to love. The same goes for every other gender she's met, no matter what species, she's never really offered her love to anyone. Not even to the temptation of pleasure and euphoria.
She was the goddess of chastity for a reason, and she wore it with pride.
"When you took Orion away from me, I was filled with hatred, toward both the world and you."
Bakugou shuts his eyes, turning his side, and curling into himself. Camie continues to talk.
"I loved no one but him Bakugou, he was truly my one and only."
Artemis and Apollo, their stories have always intertwined, since the very beginning from when they were born, to know when Bakugou was falling apart by the seams. They loved one another as siblings do, petty fights, and all too.
But they were also gods, with fury and jealously in their hearts, they were always driven to hatred.
Apollo had been jealous of Artemis before, she had everything given to her, while he worked day and night on his. He was even more jealous when Orion showed up. Orion was this perfect guy, he was loyal, and respected Camie's everything. Her beliefs, her lifestyle, he ambitions. He was there for her, as an emotional support, physical and mental as well.
He loved her, but he stayed in his bounds.
She loved him, but she was afraid and nervous.
Bakugou feared, although now he admits he was only envious, that Orion was only using Camie, that one day the man will claim her virginity and leave her with title of Artemis first, and probably only.
He lied to Camie, telling her that was what he was planning. He lied to Camie saying the man was only ever filled with ill intent. He lied because he could not believe there was someone so perfect, a man who was so loyal and so...
Just everything Bakugou had wanted.
He's loved countless times, only to rarely receive it back.
It was before he’s ever met Hyacinth, before he’s ever met Kirishima. If he had met them though, before he decided to end the man’s life through Artemis own hands and arrow, then maybe Orion would have still lived the rest of his short life with Camie.
Camie was never truly jealous of her brother's love of Hyacinth, and although there was some complications with Kirishima, Camie still pulled away when Bakugou asked. She, something Bakugou could rarely do, forgave, and gave.
“I’m sorry.” He admits it was his fault, he wishes he had known someone like Kirishima before he made such a rash decision in blindly mistrusting Orion.
Camie doesn’t say anything to that, instead she continues on with what she was originally going to say.
“You don’t get over things Bakugou, you still live with their memory, with the moments you shared, and that’s something no one can take away from you. I would do anything to have Orion again.” She looks down to her hands, fingers long and trained to pull string and carry spears.
“But, I can’t, and if you can’t have Kirishima again, then you have to live with what you do have. If you want, give up on all the men in the world, all the women, the nymphs, the centaurs, even the Pegasus’s for all I care, but you’re going to have stay firm, strong and love in silence for the rest of your life.”
Bakugou was a god, an important one at that.
Kirishima was a human mortal, a simple king from a small kingdom.
Kirishima had decided to continue his life as one, as a human king, and decided that if loving a god meant to give up part of humanity, then he would have to do the hardest thing in the world. Which is turn away from the person who loved him so dearly.
Gods almost have no consequence, unlike humans who have to put their entire life on the line. And much like Kirishima, the god wouldn’t give up his godhood. He could never. So, there was at least something he could understand from Kirishima.
He lied to the king, he had played with fate, changed it even, he brought him away from illness and death, and he’s given Kirishima’s kingdom more crops to harvest, and more cattle to farm.
He changed Kirishima’s life drastically, he’s harden the man’s heart day after day and despite it all Kirishima continued to love him.
He’s taken Kirishima’s chance of life and fate and put it to his own hands. The one thing Kirishima had hated the most, and Bakugou has done it all for him. He's taken Kirishima's life and decided, as a god how Kirishima's life would go. He created a path for the human, and made sure that the king would follow it securely.
“Are you?”
“Am I what?”
“Going to go back to him?”
Kirishima’s castle was quiet.
No queen to take him out to the gardens, to tell him what each flower meant, and what each plant could be used for.
No lover to tell him about new ideas about systems and laws to better prosper his growing kingdom. No wife to promise him a home filled with children.
There was no god by his side either, poking at him at the side, causing him to laugh and joke. There was no god that made him wake up with the land and showed him almost everything the world had to offer just outside his window.
No god to pull him away from his desk to watch the cattle graze in the early morning, or to watch the night take over the day. No god to hold him, caresses him in a love Kirishima has never known before.
There were no more stories that Kirishima could beg out of Bakugou about his life, about the life of others. No more of any of that.
His guards, including him, were still mourning the loss of their beloved queen.
His kingdom, including him, were still trying to mourn, and at the same time manage a growing kingdom thanks to the gifts Apollo has given him.
Kirishima knew that Apollo wouldn’t take them away when he left, the god was too generous, too nice despite what others might say. Or maybe it was because his love for the king was too genuine and true, that he would never be ill to Kirishima.
Though it's only been a few days, Kirishima hasn't stopped with his work as king, as he hasn't stopped thinking about Apollo either.
He loved the god more than he ever thought he could love another being. And although he doesn’t regret asking Apollo to leave, and to never come back, he still missed him and his constant presence.
The glow of his hair, and the shine in his eyes, that half assed smile, and that smirk with his arms crossed over his chest.
He won’t forget him.
Not for the rest of years living, and probably not even in the underworld.
If Kirishima was a civilian, a man who herded sheep maybe, or a hermit who lived in the hills, then perhaps he would give up everything for the god, maybe he wouldn’t be so strung up about his controlled fate, maybe he would be okay with Apollo playing as his personal god, to dictate his every step.
Maybe he would have been happy to be selfish, ignorant, and forgiving.
“Sir!”
Kirishima snaps his attention away from his desk, looking up at Tetsutetsu entering his office. Without so much a word, Tetsutetsu begins to rely urgent news to the king.
“A man, rumored to be Hercules, has asked for refugee in our castle.”
Kirishima frowns, confused, Hercules? The famous half-good that has news spreading about him all across Greece?
“What? Well,” he pauses, confused, unsure what to say, to let another god in his castle? Well, he wasn’t Bakugou, and Kirishima wasn’t planning in falling in love anymore, “let him in, give him a room, whatever it is he asks for, give it to him. We do not want to be bad host to anyone.”
The guard nods his head, quickly leaving the room to rely the news.
Kirishima wants to stay in his office, continue with his paperwork, but the king felt horrible not being there to greet the demigod himself, it was rude, and it didn’t want him to think Kirishima was disrespectful.
When he came down the stone steps, seeing the rumored man, he was a bit surprised to see who he was seeing.
A man, with dark green hair, and freckled skin stood in his throne room. He was about Kirishima’s height, but definitely a lot stronger than him. Kirishima could tell with just seeing the man’s build.
It doesn’t surprise him though, Hercules was rumored to be a strong man, winning fights against monsters and creatures five times his height, probably more. Not only that but he fought for his life against Hera, even as a babe he was able to kill two serpents in his crib.
“Ah, welcome, Hercules,” Kirishima nervously smiles at him, though it was still genuine.
Hercules, named Deku by a special god to his heart, nervously smiled back at Kirishima. He gave the king a slight bow, something that caused Kirishima to feel a bit uncomfortable.
A demigod is still a god, and Kirishima was still just a human even with a crown.
“Ah, that’s fine, you don’t have to do that.” Kirishima reaches for the demigod but is nowhere near him to touch him. “I’m curious, why have you stopped by our kingdom? Not that you’re not welcome, we’ll have everything ready and prepared for you.”
“I heard you were a kind man,” Deku says, his nervousness disappearing to a more reassuring one, one filled with confidence. “You might have heard, but I’ve been put on a quest to...” He stops, looking at Kirishima solemnly.
Kirishima smiles sadly with him.
Deku was sought after by Hera, her jealously knew no bounds after all. She had tried to kill Hercules a number of times before, and when she’s failed time and time again, her last resort was to curse the poor demigod.
It was said that Hercules woke up in a mad fit of rage, so uncontrollable that he ruthlessly murdered his beloved wife, and their children in the middle of the night. When his madness hadn’t stopped there, Athena had seen him, putting the demigod to sleep, tying him to a pillar.
When he woke again, he became conscious of his surroundings and saw his beloved wife and children dead, he understood a second later it was by his hands.
He tried to commit suicide.
Though King of Athens, Theseus had changed his mind of the world, and convinced him to continue living. The king was known to be a great man, and he must be, if he’s helped countless gods in his life much like he did with Hercules.
He was then given the twelve labors by some other man, a story Kirishima doesn't know, but the reason he was here now, was for a break, a place to stay, to eat, and sleep.
Kirishima of course granted everything the kind demigod had needed and more.
He stayed for a short while, and Kirishima was present in each day he stayed. The king was glad to be of some sort of help to the young god and wished he could do more.
Though Deku had reassured him more than once that he’s done enough.
At the end of his time there, Deku had asked Kirishima if there was anything the king had wanted within his reach to receive for him, as thanks for his kind hospitally.
Kirishima only smiles full-heartedly, kindly looking at Hercules with appreciation.
“If you could bring back my wife from the underworld, then that would be nice.” He confesses, but he’s only ever meant it as a joke, dry and humorless at that.
Deku, on the other hand, nodded his head and agreed while asking for the queen’s name.
Kirishima looks at him shocked, frozen in his step, and wonders if the demigod was only playing with him, teasing him back with such dark humor.
But Deku looks up at him seriously, patiently awaiting the name of the queen. Kirishima stares back down at him and is unsure what to say.
He’s always hated fate, never wanted to live in a path already written for him. Though born as a king, and in the world filled with gods like Apollo, he had not lucked out. He didn’t want them to play with his life, so he wouldn’t want anyone to play with hers.
But she was innocent in all of this, her soul was taken instead of his, and he could do nothing to help her. He could say it was fate that made him live, he could say it was Apollo that let me breathe another day.
So maybe a part of him wanted Alcestis back, not only because it was the right thing to do, but also to tell the gods, to tell fate, fuck you.
“Her name is Alcestis.”
Bakugou sighs, closing his eyes as he look faces to the ground. Midoriya passes by him, fist clenched and his steps heavy as he climbs the hill.
Midoriya doesn't expect Apollo to say anything to him, but he only stops short when Bakugou does.
"I'm not owing you fucking shit."
Midoriya chuckles, knowing what Bakugou truly means.
"He's nice, a very kind and gentle man. I would have given him anything, even without your request."
Bakugou mummers something, he sounds annoyed but Midoriya doesn't stop to hear what he says. He simply continues on to his path, one he knows that will lead him to Thanatos.
“Well, if I’m going to fight Shinsou, then I better head off now.”
Bakugou doesn't reply back, he simply opens his eyes again, looking at a kind he loved simply for the king, and wishes that his heart could stop hurting so much.
Kirishima would be his last love, and perhaps maybe in another world there would be a chance the two of them would be able to give up the world for one another.