TAMING APOLLO | completed

19. in vino veritas

G A Y L E

19. in vino veritas

BY MY FIFTH SHOT, the room is spinning as I clutch onto Apollo for balance.

I don't know how long it's been since we got here, and frankly I don't care. It's not like we have anything important going on, in fact, I don't even remember what we had going on before stepping into this bar.

The party's in full swing, and Thalia and Hercules have somehow disappeared because I can't seem to locate either of them by laying any eyes on them.

So, I'm left with Apollo, who has this gleeful glint in his eyes as we proceed with our conversation.

It's hard to explain, but every other emotion is dull compared to the sense of euphoria that has washed over my entire body, I can't help but feel completely satisfied with the happiness being poured out like glitter onto my being.

"You know what I've always wanted to do?" I ask, downing yet another shot of the purple liquid. I've forgotten what it's called, but the barman seemed very satisfied with the two of us drinking it.

Apollo nods for me to continue after downing his own shot.

By this point I'm completely enthralled by his glowing silver eyes and the excitement in them.

"I've always wanted to be a gameshow host!" I exclaim excitedly, holding my arms up in a grand sort of way. I ignore the groans and moans I get from around me with a snort when I accidentally spill some of the other drinks on the table.

Apollo's brows knit together in a confused yet amused sort of motion as he lets another hearty laugh spill from his pink lips. "I'll need a bit of a backstory for that one." He replies leaning in closer, a miniature simper forming at his lips.

"Just..." I find it hard to express myself, even with the dizzy way I'm feeling. Everything around me is starting to blur. "I don't know, when I was a kid I watched a lot of gameshows... and the hosts, man, they were always happy. I remember telling my mother that I wanted to be like that, just in a constant state of glee. That, and I thought the suits were pretty cool." I start to giggle, even though I'm not quite sure why I've started laughing.

Apollo shakes his head, grinning as well and pushes the shot glass ahead of me aside. "It's clear you've had a little too much to drink." He declares, pushing his own glass away.

I frown, putting the glass back where it was before. "What about you?" I ask him, flicking my fingers in his face to get his attention.

He drags his gaze away from my lips all the way to my eyes and licks his lips, he has this bewildered expression on his face as the crease between his brows returns. "Huh?" He asks and that makes me giggle again, delirious.

"What do you wanna do?" I ask him, my elbow on the table supporting my face in my palm.

He frowns as a nonplus look settles onto his gorgeous absolutely beautiful face. Every time I look at him, his face becomes clearer, and there's fireworks going off in my stomach. There's this jittery feeling I can't quite suppress. "What do you mean?" He asks and I sigh, finding myself once again unable to explain myself.

"I mean you're always going on about saving the world and doing the right thing and helping everybody except you. What do you want, Apollo?" I question him, unaware of the fact that I've been leaning in all this time and we're now just a little too close for comfort.