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Tears still stained Apollo’s metal cheeks as Atlas carried him all the way back home, back from the bridge.
Back from where he tried to end it all.
Guilt still panged at this stomach, and he still felt slightly shocked from how Soul had come to save him at all.
He knew he didn’t deserve it. Part of him wanted to leap out of his arms and throw himself into the water, where he belonged. But his thoughts were so jumbled and messed up, he didn’t have the time to.
Someone cared about him. Someone cared enough to save him. That was all that mattered at the moment.
If only he’d cared enough to save Artemis and his wings…
Juno was sitting on the couch when they walked in. Mind could see the nubs on his back from where his wings once were, and the guilt clawed at him, churning his stomach making him tear up again.
His wings should’ve been there. They weren’t, because of him. They never would be, because of him.
“(Hi, Mind!)” he said cheerfully. Then his face turned to one of concern, seeing the pained look on the automaton’s face. “(What happened?)”
“{He tried to kill himself.}” Soul said bluntly, sounding exhausted.
“(WHAT?!)” Heart exclaimed, looking horrified.
Why was Juno so concerned about him? He should be angry at him. He was the reason he no longer had his wings.
The Stars gently placed him next to The Moon. “{I’ll be back in a second. I don’t want to leave you two alone for too long.}”
With that, he left.
So here he was.
Face to face with his now wingless brother.
Even though his mental health had greatly improved, thanks to Betty, their therapist…just seeing him made him want to break entirely.
“(Hey…)” Heart said, noticing his silence. “(Is something wrong?)”
He shook his head. Even still, a sniffle escaped him as he teared up again.
“(Apollo?)”
He didn’t respond.
He didn’t want to.
His brother’s voice in such a gentle, concerned tone…
“(...Mr. Mind?)”
And that was what did it. He broke.
He couldn’t take it anymore.
He burst into tears, crying out and latching to Artemis, burying his face in his chest.
“(Apollo?!)” Juno exclaimed, his own voice shaking. Now he was making him cry, too, and that made Mind himself let out a louder, unrestrained sob.
It wasn’t long before Heart started crying as well, being the emotional one, still holding him very, very tightly.
And that was what they did for a while. They just sat there and held each other and cried together.
It took nearly 10 minutes for them to even calm down enough to speak. Much to his surprise, The Moon’s sobs died down first, and he sniffled as he continued to hold The Sun close.
“(Shhh…it’s ok, Mind. Just let it out…)”
That was exactly one of the things Mind had said to him when he comforted him after he came home from the hospital. It made him let out an even louder sob.
Slowly, Apollo’s sobs died down as well, and he unwrapped himself from Juno.
“[I-I’m sorry…]” he whimpered, tears still streaming down his face.
“(For what?)”
“[For not saving you…for not saving your wings…it’s my all fault…I should’ve known you weren’t doing well…I should’ve been faster, I shouldn’t have left you alone…I’m so sorry…]”
“(Mind, c’mon…)” Artemis said gently, patting him on the back. “(It’s not your fault I don’t have my wings anymore. It’s my fault for letting myself get that bad and doing what I tried to do. Even though my wings are gone, I’m still me, y’know?)”
He didn’t say anything. But he understood. He nodded a little.
“(I forgive you, Apollo.)”
That made his own mind screech to a halt.
“[...I do, too.]”
The two sat there for a while. Neither of them said anything. But they didn’t have to. They both understood.
And they knew things were going to be alright.
Heart hugged him again in a warm embrace.
He relished in it.
He felt alive.
He felt aware.
And he knew things were going to be ok.