Chapter Text
Everything was dark again.
But maybe, that was because his eyes were shut. When his eyes opened, he was greeted by light that was far too bright.
Lester winced, shutting his eyes again, wow, he was super not expecting that. Then it hit him.
He could see.
And he could hear as well, the slight buzzing from the lights, the sound of footsteps outside the door, the soft beeping coming from some sort of medical device- wait.
Was he in a hospital!?
Lester shot up, slowly reopening his eyes. He was met with an unfamiliar face, but… something about this doctor(?) felt familiar, he just couldn't place what.
“Ah, you're awake.” that voice…
“Apollo!?” Lester’s voice was scratchy from lack of use- he didn't get why, Apollo had talked a lot while being in his body.
“Don't strain yourself!” Apollo walked over, placing a hand on his shoulder, “but yeah, I am.”
Lester leaned into the hand, it felt nice, very warm. When Apollo pulled his hand away, he forced himself to settle back down.
“I have several questions for you, Lester.” the way the ex-god? Was Apollo a god again? He should probably ask that after Apollo asks him his questions- wait what was he thinking about?
“First, where have you been?”
“What do you mean? I…” Lester trails off, taking a moment, “I was… I don't know-” breathing was getting harder again, he painstakingly forced himself to take a few deep breaths.
“How… How long have I been gone?” Lester asked, hand firmly grasping the thin blanket on top of him.
“Lester, you’ve been gone for a year. I thought you were destroyed when I got my divinity back.” There was an uncomfortable look on Apollo’s face.
“What?” his vision blurred, that was way too much to unpack, he didn't feel older—other than the scars he definitely didn't have before—than what he was when Apollo was put inside of his body.
“Lester? Les—r-” he couldn't breathe, tears pricking at the edges of his eyes, why was his heart beating so fast he was-
It was dark again.
☆
Lester was surprised when he woke up, and even more surprised when he saw his mom. She was talking to a nurse.
He hazily caught some of what the nurse said, “home tomorrow” and “will recover.”
he sighed in relief, which caught his mother's attention, he sat up in the hospital bed, stretching a little bit.
“Lester!” his mother’s voice was nice… he hadn't heard it in so long, he missed it, “Oh- oh honey I was so worried about you.” she was crying.
She hugged him, and gods he forgot how much he missed physical touch. “I’m.. I'm so sorry mom—I didn't want to leave, I just-” he choked, he was crying too.
After a long while, she let go, “Your brothers are in the hall with your father, do you want me to get them?”
Lester nodded quickly, he couldn't believe he had almost forgotten about them. As soon as the door reopened he had an armful of his younger brothers.
“Cam! Vee!” he half-giggled half-sobbed, “I missed you guys so much!”
Cameron was a lot taller than last time he saw him, if… if what Apollo said was true, which it had to be because he couldn't lie, Cam was twelve now, he had missed another sibling’s birthday.
Virgil was five, he had been for a while, and would be turning six soon—Lester wasn't sure he could forgive himself if he missed a third.
Lester let go of his brothers, giving them his best smile possible.
“Lesst- lessteh,” Virgil tried to say Lester’s name, it was better than what he had been able to say before.
“Yeah?”
“Why do your eyes look weeirdd? They look cooler! But also kinda weird,” Virgil asked, smiley and happy as ever.
“Huh… whaddya mean my eyes look ‘weird?’” Lester's head tilted sideways.
“Now that Vee mentions it- your eyes do look weird! They have like, specks of blue in them.” Cameron's explanation made Lester’s heart drop a tiny bit.
Lester went quiet, was this a side effect of Apollo possessing me? The thought wasn't too worrying, he could just ask Apollo- assuming he’d see him again.
Oh gods what if he didn't see him again. Lester was apparently quiet for too long, as Cameron piped up again.
“Dont worry, it doesn't look bad! It's just different.”
That didn't help much, not that Lester would tell his brother that, “Thanks Cam.” the words left his mouth weren't genuine, it felt harder to lie, for some reason, not that that would stop him from doing it.
Neither of their parents were in the room anymore, when had they left?
“Where’d Mom and Dad go?” Lester decided to ask.
“Some medin- mediac- the lady who helps the doctor made them follow her for somethin’ boring.” Virgil paused for a second, remembering something, “Oh! Oh! I drew something for you!”
Virgil grabbed something out of a bag on the floor, a bag Lester hadn't remembered being there before.
Virgil held out a piece of slightly crinkled paper, the messily drawn humanoid who Lester assumed to be himself was smiling, but there was someone familiar beside him, but it wasn't a family member.
“Is that me?” Virgil nodded, “and who's that beside me?”
“That's uh… that's the sun guy! I had a dream about him, he was nice to you!” Virgil chirped.
Lester blanked, Virgil had a dream. About him and Apollo—he didn't want to think about what this meant.
Another thing he had to ask Apollo about later, just great. “The drawing looks great, Vee,” he finally said.
The young boy beamed and the three boys continued to chatter for a few minutes before their parents returned.
His mother kissed his forehead, “Visiting hours are ending in a few minutes, but you’re coming home tomorrow, we’ll see you soon.”
Lester simply nodded, laying back down. He wasn't really tired, but there wasn't much to do.
What his brothers said earlier, specifically the parts about his eyes and the dream. Restless, he climbed out of the hospital, heading to the bathroom.
When he found the mirror, it took him a moment to realize that it was his reflection. His hair was still the same greasy brown, his acne hadn't gotten better, but it hadn't gotten worse, so that was a plus. Though his brothers were right, his green eyes were speckled tiny bits of sky blue, the same blue as Apollo’s eyes.
The next thing he noticed were scars, from his jaw to under his hospital gown, he could see what looked like cracks, like a vase that had been shattered and glued back together.
His guess to why his brothers didn't mention them is because Mom saw the scars first and told them to not ask or talk about it.
Lester let out a shaky breath, before turning around and leaving the bathroom, it was too cramped anyways.
He laid back down. Despite not being very tired, sleep managed to win regardless.