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The first time Apollo and Thanatos talked was when someone important died. He saw Death, without knowing who or what death was, all the time. When Apollo asked about the man, the people in the village looked concerned. Apollo never understood that. Then again, he never understood a lot.
When the man dies, Apollo saw the weird guy again, taking the soul, although that he didn't know it was a soul, from the sleeping man. He was always around once and a while and Apollo always saw him, even if the others didn't. Well, it was better late then never to ask him the questions lingering in his mind.
"Where do you take the sleeping people? And why do their family cry? They come back, right?"
Thanatos looked sheepish, he was not used to people asking him questions while on the job."Well, no, they don't come back. But they always meet again, even if they don't know it."
Thanatos then left with a few souls, still leaving Apollo with with questions. Now with one more. Why didn't they remember the people they loved?
Apollo shook the question out of his mind. He needed to focus on getting to Olympus so he needed to care for the animals. Maybe on Olympus, he'd get some answers.
So, from what his mentor Helios, the sun titan, told him, death is something permanent. Something you can't reverse. He stopped explaining after that.
Something you can't reverse? Apollo took that as a challenge.
He created something that can basically make you alive, only if given in a quick succession. You may have heard of it, but under a different maker, Apollo's son, but he doesn't came until later.
The first time he has used it, Thanatos was already close proximity. He seemed amused and surprised that the person lived.
"Congrats," was all Thanatos said.
Apollo was confused. "Congrats on what?"
"Making this happen."
"It's just so the family doesn't feel pain."
"But, pain is part of a mortal's life. Whenever they like it or not. The Fates will seek retribution," with that closing line he left, and sure enough, the Fates did.
His father, Zeus found out within only a day, for the winds gossip and whisper about the man who has created something to cheat death.
He was punished and was banned from visiting the mortal realm for who knows how long. The person died a few days later.
Apollo didn't know if it was his imagination, but he saw Thanatos with a small smile on his face, as if to say, "I told you so."
It was infuriating.
It was a regular day in Sparta, except that him and Hyacinthus were playing discus. Out of the corner of his eye, Apollo saw Thanatos lurking, with a sad expression, though it was hard to tell with him.
What if he was here to take Hyacinthus? Apollo shook that thought away. Sometimes, Thanatos just lurked around populated cities for no apparent reason. He wished it was one of those days.
Sadly, it wasn't. The discus hit Hyacinthus' head and his once warm hands, were now cold. He felt that cold behind him.
"You should cry," advised Thanatos. Apollo didn't even realize he was holding back tears until he let it out.
Then something unexpected happened. Thanatos turned the body into a flower, one that could be in the light of the sun forevermore. He then gave the flower to Apollo.
"Sometimes, deaths can be untimely and petty. Times like those, I show a bit more mercy."
Apollo let out a slight smile. "Thanks," was the only thing he said and the only word that needed to be heard.
Apollo's son died. Asclepius died for something that Apollo has originally created. How was he supposed to know that the urge to challenge death ran in the family?
When he saw Thanatos take his son's soul, his mind went blank. Next thing he knew, he was covered in the golden ichor of the Elder Cyclopes. The color looked good on him.
He went back to Olympus, with Thanatos behind him, not to be seen by the other gods.
Zeus punished him to spend time as a mortal for the heinous crimes, even if he didn't particularly remember the ichor he shed.
Little did Zeus know, he gave Apollo a new person to watch die with nothing to do to stop it. Well, slightly.
When he heard Admetus' time was coming near, he nearly broke down. A man who was kind to him, in both mortal and godly form was not going to die, not until he had more time to process.
Since the Asclepius Cure, which was what the cure of death was called now, was banned by Zeus and Hades, Apollo did the next thing he could think of. Trick the Fates.
But how could he trick them? Apollo was smart, he talked to them, made them lower their guard, and let them drink wine.
The Fates' jobs was down for a year and then they woke up. By that time, Apollo had already came to terms with the death and let Admetus go respectfully.
Thanatos stopped to have a chat. "You're quiet and not asking questions. It's weird. I liked it better when you talked."
Apollo laughed. He didn't mean too, after all, a man he loved was dead. Again.
"Here's some advice. Let someone's death be a celebration of their life. Because someone died, doesn't mean they don't live on in your heart and mind." Apollo realized that Thanatos liked giving advice on how to cope.
He nodded, keeping the information in his head.
Apollo knew the Trojan Wat was going to end with Troy losing. Herophile predicted it. So, why did he join their side? It would've been a safer bet if he joined the Greeks.
Thanatos was having trouble gathering the souls, so Hermes helped as well. Thanatos saw Apollo and headed towards him.
"Are you alright?" he asked. It wasn't a question Thanatos asked often, not unlike Apollo, where those words flowed like a river.
"No. I knew Troy was destined to fall. So, why did I join them?"
Thanatos thought about the question for a bit. He found an answer. "Because you are more human then you think."
Apollo needed an explanation. He was a god, he wasn't even human. So, how can he act human?
"How?"
"You fight fate, even while knowing it is hopeless."
"Is that a human thing to do?"
"It is the most a human can do because it is the only thing they can do."
They stayed there silent for a while until Thanatos got up.
He turned to Apollo, still contemplating the words that were just said. "Until next time?"
Apollo looked up. "Until next time, friend."
Thanatos smiled, for it was the first time that someone viewed him as a friend, both immortal and mortal.
Because death was always happening, there was always a next time with the two. Sometimes they talked, other times they didn't speak.
But they were always friends, no matter who Thanatos took.
That was what mattered. Call it cheesy, but friendship can last longer then a lifetime.