Healing Hurts
By JoeyRZ
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Sequel/Series: Sequel to “Athena’s Revenge”
Notes the first: This is for the Joxerotica 2005 Challenge. This is April’s entry - ruling god: Apollo.
Notes the second: Many, many thanks to JaimeBlue and Kerensa, who are so awesome for beta'ing this at the last minute. Love you lots, guys! 
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Ares materialized in the main hall of Apollo’s temple, calling out for his brother.

“I’m here, Ares,” Apollo said as he stepped out of a doorway on the other side the hall. Ares quickly crossed the hall and made to enter the room, but was stopped by a hand on his forearm.

“Wait, Ares. We need to talk before you go in there.”

“Whatever it is, it can wait until after I’ve seen him,” Ares said, shrugging off Apollo’s hand.

“Ares, let’s talk first.”

“When I’ve made sure that he’s okay.”

“Damn it, Ares, he’s not okay. If we had gotten there five minutes later, you’d be talking to Uncle Hades right now. As it is, he’s barely holding on.” 

“What? Apollo…” Apollo had never heard Ares sound so scared in his life.

“Shit, Ares. The damage to his shoulder was… extensive. And he lost a lot of blood because of it. I have no idea how he was still conscious when we got there. I can only say it must have been an act of pure will. He’s stronger than any mortal I’ve ever met.”

“You fixed him, though. Right?”

Apollo rubbed his hands over his eyes. “I wish I could say I did. Look… first thing I did was replenish his blood and repair his shoulder as much as could be done. I mended the bones and muscles, but the skin… there wasn’t any left to mend. I’ve accelerated the growth of new skin, but, well… he’ll carry the scars.”

“That doesn’t matter.”

“But…” Apollo broke off.

“But what? Just say it.”

“Due to the blood loss his body went into shock. Soon after, he fell into a coma.”

“Shock? Coma? I don’t understand, ‘Pol. I… what does that mean?”

“Simply put, it’s like his body shut down. He won’t respond or wake up.”

“That just means he’s healing. He’ll wake up as soon as he’s stronger.”

“He’s not a god, Ares,” Apollo said, walking a few feet away in frustration. “He’s human, and I can’t say how his body is going to react to these injuries. There’s some activity in the brain, but the blood loss could have caused permanent damage.”

Ares grabbed his brother as Apollo walked back to stand by him, pushing him roughly up on the wall, growling into his face.

“What the fuck does that mean?”

“Exactly what you’re thinking,” Apollo said calmly, not bothered by the fact that he was dangling two inches from the floor. “If, and only if, he wakes up, the chances are that’s never going to be the same man again.”

Ares released Apollo, turning to face the room his lover lied, as the younger god landed smoothly on his feet. Apollo absently tugged his shirt back down as he moved to stand behind Ares.

Apollo lifted his hand to rest it on Ares’ shoulder, only to drop it back down as Ares twisted forward to avoid the contact. Turning his head away from Ares, Apollo sighed. He wasn’t surprised that Ares wanted to avoid his touch. He’d always done so ever since Apollo… Banishing those painful thoughts from his head, Apollo breathed deeply, gathering his strength in order to continue talking.

“Ares… this is new. I’ve rarely ever treated mortals who are in this state, because most of the time, it’s hopeless. They don’t wake up.”

“Joxer will.”

“Ares-”

“He will,” Ares interrupted Apollo. “He won’t leave me. He’ll wake up.” Ares looked briefly at Apollo before opening the door in front of him and entering the room, walking determinately to Joxer’s side. Apollo watched as Ares sat carefully on the bed, gently picked up Joxer’s hand and cradled in between his. Apollo closed the door softly, allowing Ares some privacy.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Apollo opened one eye in order to see who had just shimmered into his private chambers. He scowled as he saw Hera materialize in the room, but didn’t move, allowing the goddess to sit next to him on his bed.

“What do you want, Hera?” he asked, his voice muffled by the pillow he was resting on.

“I’m not going to be in your way for long, Apollo. I’m just here to offer you this,” Hera said, holding out a small gold and silver box.

Sighing, Apollo sat up on the bed, scrubbing his eyes lightly with the palms of his hands before taking the box Hera was offering to him. He slowly lifted the hinged lid, staring quietly at the box’s contents.

“This isn’t a surefire solution. It could make it worse or permanent,” Apollo said, closing the lid, carefully setting the box down on his bedside table. 

“I know. But it can’t get much worse than this. It’s been a week already!”

“And it could… it will be many more. Joxer isn’t gonna wake up.”

“This could change that.”

Apollo stood abruptly, glaring at Hera, crossing the room in order to serve himself some wine.

“Yeah, it could damn him to this fate for all eternity.”

“Or save him,” Hera countered.

“I’m not willing to take the risk.”

“I wonder what risk you’re not willing to take,” Hera said, suspiciously calm as she sat on the bed. “That it won’t work and Joxer will be doomed to that existence for eternity, or that it will, and he and Ares could then spend eternity together.”

Apollo threw the cup in his hands violently towards the wall across from him, leaving a trail of wine along the floor in its wake. “That’s not it!” he screamed.

“It’s easier if Joxer’s mortal. You just wait him out. Whatever outcome… you just have to wait.”

Turning towards Hera, Apollo dropped his head in defeat. “That’s not it. I swear that’s not it.”

Hera rose from the bed, her skirt falling in place with a well practiced sweep of her hand. “I don’t know, I’ve never wanted to asked what caused the fallout between you and Ares all that years ago. But if you’re letting your feelings for Ares interfere in your duties as the God of Medicine, I swear as Queen of the Gods that I will strip you of your powers. That man in there saved my son, and us, from a fate so horrible it had to be undone. And my son loves him. More than he ever knew he could love.”

“I can’t fail him again,” Apollo whispered in a choked sob.

“What?”

“He trusted me, and I failed him…” Apollo couldn’t continue.

Hera looked up sadly at her stepson, and after a few seconds reached up to cradle his face in her hands. “It’s okay, you don’t need to say it,” she said, tugging him down so he could rest his head on her shoulder.

Sniffling softly, Apollo reached up to wipe away a few tears. “He hates me so much already. I can’t bear to think what would happen if I make the wrong choice.”

Hera smiled sadly as she stroked the soft, blond hair tickling her face. “Apollo, dear, it’s not your choice to make.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

“What could happen?” Ares asked as looked down at the box resting in his hands. Apollo had already explained what Hera had done, the permission she’d granted that allowed him to use such methods.

“The ambrosia could either save him or damn him.”

“Blunt doesn’t suit you,” Ares said, both a smile and a scowl fighting for dominance of his face. He sat on Joxer’s bed and, returning the box to Apollo, loosely held his lover’s hand.

“It could heal him. I couldn’t tell you if it would happen instantly or take its time. Or it could trap him forever in this state,” Apollo said softly as he gazed down at Joxer, still laying unconscious but now in Ares’ home temple.

“What would you do?” Ares looked up at Apollo expectantly. 

“No… I can’t… Ares, I can’t.”

“I want your opinion, Apollo. I trust you.”

“You don’t! Don’t make me… I can’t fail you again.”

“You’ve never failed me,” Ares said, getting up from the bed.

“Liar. You can’t stand me… you never had since…”

Ares stood quietly for a minute, then looked up, directly into Apollo’s eyes. “That night you did everything you could to save Mikela, and I never thanked you. This week I thought about that a lot and I realized that some part of me still felt you were responsible for her death. And as soon as I realized I felt that way, I put it behind me, because what happened was meant to be. I’m sorry I’ve treated you so badly.”

“I deserved it.”

“You didn’t. And I do trust you. I called you, didn’t I? When I realized Joxer was hurt? I left him in your good care and I wasn’t worried. What happened to him was Athena’s fault and she’ll get hers. Okay?”

Apollo smiled slightly and nodded.

“Now, you’re the healer. What would you do?”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Three days later, Apollo was having the stuffing hugged out of him. “Air!” he gasped, then smiled as Joxer released him, apologies tumbling out of him.

“Guess you’re feeling better.”

Joxer smiled at him, then looked up and positively beamed at Ares. Apollo idly thought that that smile could rival the sun.

“It’s weird… I feel tired and weak, but then I realize I’m stronger than I’ve ever been before… and it’s scary but wonderful, and thank you so much, for everything, Apollo,” Joxer babbled, launching himself forward to hug Apollo again.

Apollo smiled at Joxer when he was released, then looked up suddenly as he felt Ares’ hand come to rest on his shoulder.

“Yeah, little brother. Thank you,” Ares said seriously, then smiled and ruffled his hair playfully.

Apollo’s smile was almost as brilliant as Joxer’s.