Does the sun shine in Tartarus?

15 - Close Your Eyes

Apollo was glad when the intense awkwardness that plagued their atmosphere before they stopped had somewhat cleared up. The two guys walked along in a comfortable silence, but Apollo didn't miss how tense Percy was. The son of Poseidon kept a hand on riptide at all times, and his eyes darted around as if a monster would come out of the shadows at any moment. Which, Apollo supposed, was pretty likely. But that didn't stop him worrying. A small part of him wondered if Percy's PTSD was triggered. He assumed it most likely was - perhaps his mind had subconsciously shut that part away until they got out safe and sound. Apollo frowned. He'd have to make sure the demigod was not left alone after they got home. That is, if they got home at all...

Percy's voice broke Apollo's thoughts, much to the relief of the god.

"We're close. I can tell." He told him, and Apollo stiffened.
"Well, it's about time." The sun god tried for a cocky smile, trying to pass off his immediate fear and dread as lighthearted humour. However he could tell that Percy wasn't fooled, so he allowed himself to shake ever so slightly as they walked through the pit of endless horrors. He had learnt early to tune out the very much unmisted Tartarus when the mere sight of it all nearly drove him insane before the quest even properly begun, instead focusing on his path ahead and his path ahead only, occasionally sneaking glances at Percy.

Speaking of Percy, the son of Poseidon had subconsciously taken Apollo's hand in what Apollo assumed to be an attempt to calm himself and the sun god. Percy's words from earlier still rang through Apollo's mind like bells and melodic birdsongs that he missed so much from Olympus. A break. Some time. Apollo so desperately wanted to respect Percy's boundaries and wishes, but these mixed signals were driving him mad. They'd kissed twice since Percy had asked for some time, and at first the son of Poseidon seemed to be okay. But Apollo had noticed that once things had gone on for longer, he pulled away. The sun god wished he could figure out what was going on in Percy's head, but alas, psychology was not his domain. He'd be better off asking Dionysus. That thought in itself was enough to make Apollo scoff slightly - as if he'd ask Mr D for help with his love life. As if Dionysus would care enough to help anyways.

A loud wail brought Apollo's mind back to reality, and he jumped. Percy's hand snatched out of his, but it barely registered in the sun god as three Arai came at them at full speed. Percy let loose a choked sort of sob, and uncapped Riptide.
"Arai... curse demons." Apollo muttered. "Percy, don't kill-"
"I know." Interrupted the demigod sharply. "I'm no stranger to them."

Apollo flinched. Of course. Percy had many a nightmare about these demons, and they were always the hardest dreams for Apollo to pull the son of Poseidon out of. Now they were here... and Apollo had no clue how to fight these. How many people had cursed his name over the millenia he had existed? If he were to kill one of these, how many curses could he withstand? He couldn't die, he couldn't leave Percy alone. He couldn't- he couldn't. But he might have to.
"P-Percy... if something happens-"
He was once again interrupted by Percy, this time by a stern shush.
"Fight now, talk later." The demigod responded. "Actually, don't fight them, at all. Found a way around it last time, just- close your eyes, Sunny..."

Close your eyes, close your eyes, close your eyes. Apollo wished he had closed his eyes, for what he saw next he could never unsee.

Bloodbending was a terrifying and cruel ability that was rare, even amongst children of Poseidon. Apollo had seen very few in all his lifetime, and even then he tended to stay away from them and avoid seeing them in action. Bloodbending was inhuman, unnatural, something that should not exist. And yet, here was Percy. Bloodbending the Arai. They wailed and screamed and contorted with pain, and Percy squeezed his eyes shut. It was painfully obvious to Apollo that the son of Poseidon - the bloodbender - hated this ability as much as the sun god. It was torturous to watch, but Apollo could not tear his eyes away. This was pain. This was suffering. This was agony. This was bloodbending.

Eventually, the screaming stopped. Percy opened his eyes, chest rising and falling heavily in the demigod's exertion, and flinched when he noticed Apollo's eyes still wide open.
"I thought I told you to close them..." he trailed off weakly, sagging to the ground. Apollo reached out and caught Percy, holding him close.
"Haven't you learned by now, my sea glass?" He responded gently. "I never do what I'm told."
Apollo smiled in relief when his words coaxed a small chuckle out from the son of Poseidon.

~~~

Percy couldn't believe Apollo had seen him bloodbend. It was an ability that he was incredibly ashamed of, he didn't want to be seen as a monster. The ability also frightened him - even Annabeth could not look him quite in the eye after she had seen him like that. Yet, here was Apollo. Holding him. Soothing him. Looking him in the eye, as if it was Percy who had been bloodbent and not the Arai. What had he done to deserve this man?

A small part of him wondered why he wasn't cursed after killing the Arai. He felt perfectly fine - well, as fine as he was before, which in retrospect really wasn't fine but hey at least it didn't manage to get worse. The Annabeth part of him (which was the part that always seemed to be the voice of wisdom and reason inside Percy) hummed something about how his life couldn't be made any worse by a curse. He frowned slightly. Losing Apollo would make everything worse...

"-cy? Percy, are you with me?" Apollo's voice managed to rein in the unpleasant thoughts that inhabited the path Percy's mind had started to go down, much to the relief of the demigod. He nodded quickly, and started to try and stand up. Apollo helped him, and soon enough they were back walking to their destination of horror in a place that deserved to go to hell, even though it already was.

He couldn't shake the feeling that Kronos wasn't all they had waiting for them right at the heart. Something felt off about the whole place, he knew it was unmisted and therefore much much worse than when he was here with Annabeth, but it was almost as if Percy's mind refused to acknowledge it. For all he cared, he could be surrounded by monsters (which he probably was, but if they weren't attacking him Percy really didn't want to check and make sure they were actually there). It was like his mind had completely shut off that part of the pit. Percy couldn't say he disliked it. He'd rather a false sense of calm before a storm than to see it all and be nearly incapacitated for the final battle. And Apollo, he assumed, must be the same. Surely the sun god didn't see it all.

On they trudged. Percy could still feel the thickness of the air, but it no longer bothered his breathing. The only issue was how so unbearably hot it was getting, like they were walking through a raging inferno instead of Tartarus' stomach. He simply put it down to fright. Fight now, think later. Fight now, think later. Fight now, think later.

(1290 words)

a/n sorry it's been a while since the last update!!

I'm camping now so there's so much more free time to just write whatever. I have to climb a cliff to actually get some service and publish chapters though XD

I'm gonna do a Q&A at the end of the fic, which I don't have a set amount of chapters for but I'm aiming for about four or five chapters. But who knows, that could change.

But if people wanna start getting some questions in, feel free to PM me!! They can be directed to any character, alive or dead (and lets face it, I've more dead characters than alive characters).

pls note in advance that if a question contains spoilers for the resolution I'm not gonna answer it because no one likes spoilers sorry

Sorry for the long A/N XD