Chapter Text
No one at Camp Half-Blood would describe the Hades Cabin as a sunny or cozy place and yet here it was.
‘Sunny’ in the sense that the literal Sun, Apollo himself is standing inside and ‘cozy’ as from what he can tell in the shadows of the cabin, two sleeping bodies snuggled together in the main bed.
Being the hopeless romantic he was, the Sun God could not bring himself to act fatherly and smite the two boys on the spot. He knew demigods lived life dramatically and dangerously. They lived with such intensity you would think the world was ending tomorrow. So for him, it seemed obvious that their love and affection would reach its natural boiling point.
Given all that, Apollo opts for a more gentle wake up call. He sits on the corner of the bed and pulls in soft rays of sunshine through the window, nudging the boy closest to him.
“Good morning.”
The boy closest was none other than the son of Hades, Nico di Angelo.
Through bleary eyes, the dark haired boy surprisingly smiled. Brightly and sweetly.
“Good morning Sunshine.”
Apollo was hoping that this was the start of a beautiful father and son in law relationship, where they gave each other fun nicknames. But when Nico did a triple take to realize that the “Sunshine” in question still had his arms wrapped around him, he realized his mistake.
“APOLLO?!”
Then the son of Hades decided for a less gentle wake up call for Will, by slapping him frantically in the arm and then shoving him off the bed altogether when he didn’t react fast enough. Will picked himself up, about to shout, then he locked eyes with his Dad.
A moment of silence passed among them for Will’s choice of sleepwear (or rather lack thereof).
To Apollo’s amusement, his son did not drop eye contact while he furiously slapped the top bunk bed and tugged the blanket to drape over his body.
He was even the first one to speak.
“Uh hey Dad. Wh-what are you doing here?”
Will Solace tries for an easy smile but his heavy breathing and wide eyes just make him look deranged.
Apollo couldn’t help but giggle at these two.
“Well, I was heading over to the ‘me’ cabin when I noticed you weren’t awake as usual witnessing my sunrise. It was very lovely today, but now I see you were tangled up in other matters.” The glint in God’s eyes was almost devilish as he cursed the two boys with a scarlet flush.
“Regardless, how are you my beautiful son? Come here!” Apollo opens his arms expectantly. “What?” then he remembers to add “Oh don’t worry Will, you’re dressed. So are you Nico,” when notices the hesitation.
“What the—!?” Nico blurts out, pulling off the blankets revealing the lavish ‘his and his’ matching silk pajamas that he and Will are now wearing. “How did you—!?”
“di Angelo, would you please finish a sentence? Apologies for my overstepping but I do believe having a conversation in the nude is still frowned upon even in the modern age. Although… Now that I think about it, it was common for people to approach us Gods naked in the spirit of reaching a ‘closer connection’...”
Before Apollo could suggest anything, Will quickly added, “No no that won’t be necessary, thank you Dad.”
Apollo smiles brightly before once again raising his arms in an open invite.
Will shakes his head half heartily before leaping into his father’s arms for something resembling a tackle rather than an embrace.
Their relationship was not like most father and son relationships, even in demigod standards. While most demigods had an active hating or ambivalent relationship with their godly parents, Will always felt heard in his prayers and never felt pressured to risk his life in the pursuit of Hero’s Glory. Perhaps that was just Apollo’s warm disposition. Perhaps Apollo knows all too well what it’s like to grow up under the shadow of a cold and apathetic father who is never satisfied.
Through the eons, the God of Healing has lost some many children and so many years spent away from them. Will has seen more death and pain than most people could handle. In Will’s short life he had already learned what took Apollo a few centuries: Love is rare and fleeting. So who can blame them for embracing each other tightly and yet freely.
Well,
Maybe Nico, when the two healers start emitting so much light that it starts to blind him.
“Ow—okay guys, you’re about to burn my face off if you don’t stop.”
The two chuckle out a few apologies before turning off.
Will detaches himself but keeps a hand on his father's shoulder, “What are you doing here?” his smile falters a little. “Please don’t tell me there was another prophecy.”
Apollo does not miss how Will’s other hand reflexively reaches back to seek Nico’s. It would be an endearing gesture if not also a heartbreaking indicator for how much his son has already lost.
The God shakes his head, “No Will. No prophecies, no need to worry about that.” The tension on the two boys ease up as the Sun God radiates a soft, calming warmth throughout the room. He wishes he could keep them there, safe in this bubble of calmness.
Too bad he has to burst that bubble.
“But, I am here to pick you up for a very important quest…” He pauses for dramatic effect until Nico gives him an irritated grunt. “Fine, fine. We are having dinner. Me, of course, you two and your father, Nico.”
“Hades?!” Nico guffawed, “Yeah right. We are having family dinner with Hades? Where at? The Underworld?” Nico laughs but it dies quickly when he looks at Apollo. “Wait. You’re serious? You are going to the Underworld? You? A-and Will?”
Will, who now looked visibly paler, stares off, quietly muttering, “I’m going to need to charge my sun lamp.”
Apollo chuckles at that and brings a hand to cradle the back of Will’s head. It seems like only yesterday when Apollo would sneak into his son's nursery and cradle the entirety of him during his afternoon nap. He was a sweet baby.
“I’ll be there and we are just going to the palace, not Tartarus” he assures them. “It’ll be fun! We’ll eat good food, drink good wine, have a laugh… Then, you two will have a chance to declare your intentions for one another in front of your Godly parents.” The demigods’ eyes widen bigger than Apollo thought humanly possible. “I’m kidding!” He laughs, deciding then, that he could torture them later with the Godly Oath that would be done tonight.
“Sounds good?” He takes their tormented gaze as a yes. “Perfect. We leave at sunset on my chariot. Get dressed. I’m going to steal a bottle from Dionysus’ stash and see you two at breakfast.”
He is half way out the door when he turns back to say, “Oh, and uh.. Should I be having a conversation with you about what I saw this morning?”
“NO” the two boys shout in unison.