[P] I reach to the sky and call out your name

[Apollo]

And I don't want the world to see me 'Cause I don't think that they'd understand Apollo had been blessed by spirits and Gods. He had been called upon by ancient spirits of yore, by the Gods themselves, to assist in their time of need. He had given everything in his life to the service of others in varying amounts of degree, and received unfathomable favors in return. Gods, spirits, mortals. None of those moments in his history, however, held a candle to the blessing that Ktulu bestowed upon him when she answered his heartfelt admission. ’I want you to stay with me. I don’t want anyone else by my side.’ Gods. He wanted nothing more. “Then by your side I’ll stay,” Apollo whispered, his eyes, soulful, deep, loving, locked on the unguarded sincerity of Ktulu’s brilliant crimson gaze. He could stand there forever, lost in her eyes, in her presence. Her heart meant ’home’, and wherever she should go, he would follow, “Forever.” Maybe that’s how it always had been. So many things they shared between them, so many moments, all of them cultivating to this. Now. Together. How many moments had they shared, blissful and unaware that life, cruel as it may be, would drag them to this particular spot? Apollo could recall a moment in his life when he had been much younger, hardly five years old, and had just arrived within the threshold of Helovia. Phaedra had found him, intriguing and captivating him, offering him promise. What a promise it had been. Being taken to the Grey, meeting Ophelia and Ktulu, he hadn’t a clue that his life would have changed to such a degree. He had fallen in with their motley bunch, serving as their medic. For them, he lived. For them, he fought. For them, he breathed. Ktulu had offered him a chance upon her initial acceptance, and he hadn’t wanted to disappoint her. Now, years later, so many years… Shifting in the snow, Apollo inched closer to the ebony mare’s side, reaching out with his muzzle to brush along her neck and upwards towards her jaw, lipping and nibbling at the pronounced curve of her enticing jawline. She was beautiful. Fierce. Amazing. He could never cease in singing her praise, and, with a little jolt of thrill shooting along his spine from his heart, Apollo realized he could do just that every day for the rest of his life. “… Do you remember? When we first met?” Of course she did. How could she forget the bumbling, trembling, stuttering fool he had once been? But, oh, he had been so intimidated by her, seeing what was only on the surface. Cool, collected, fierce. So many others were like that, allowed to only see the shell of Ktulu’s self. They did not get to witness the splendor beneath, the brilliance, the loyalty, the love she was capable of. Only for him. It was thrilling. It was humbling. Apollo grinned, chuckling breathily. “I was so nervous, but I wouldn’t change it. I wouldn’t change anything. Being here, with you, right now and in this moment, the two of us together… It’s enough. It’ll always be enough.” It was home. When everything's made to be broken I just want you to know who I am

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