"Oh come on, Polly, can't we just tell him? What's the big deal anyway? Daddy likes you, doesn't he?" Trucy sighs. When she and Apollo started dating she'd agreed not to tell her Dad, because she admitted he could be a little… overprotective at times. Even so, they were dating for 6 months now and it was starting to get more serious than she thought it ever would. The secrecy was exciting at first, but now it is bothersome more than anything else.
Apollo is a good boyfriend; attentive and caring, in his own snarky, slightly awkward way. He might not be a rock star prosecutor, but she had fallen in love with him and he with her, now what was wrong with that? Her dad had to see it that way too. Even if he didn't like it, he had to accept it sooner or later.
Apollo scratches the nape of his neck. "I suppose we can't hide it forever," he says, "but I'm only doing this for you."
God help him. He is not ready to face the 'angry dad' side to Mr. Wright. He has seen it in action before, and he knows that if there is one thing you don't mess with, it is Daddy's little girl. Still, Trucy has a point too. It was getting increasingly difficult to pretend lately, Mr. Wright must have noticed too. They shared glances more often, touched each other's hands for one second too long, and smiled at each other the way you only did when in love. It would be alright.
"You'll tell him, right?" the defense attorney asks, and Trucy nods. At that moment, she leans over and kisses him.
"I love you," she says carelessly, as if it is a greeting they share every day. In truth, it is the first time she says it. To him, and to anyone, in the way she means it now.
"I love you too." He doesn't have to think about it.
They sit at the dinner table as they always do, but inside Apollo is mulling over every word. He has practiced the lines a million times now, yet he knows that he'll mess them up in the end.
"Oh, by the way, Daddy, Apollo and I have something to tell you."
This is his cue. He looks at his boss - and girlfriend's father - nervously.
"There is, um, well… I am- Your daughter and I-"
"Oh come on, Polly, just spit it out."
Easy for you to say, he thinks, but really, it is easier for her to say it. Phoenix sits opposite him with a puzzled expression, not a hint of anger in his face and he calms himslf. Go for it, Apollo. Go for it.
"I am deeply in love with your daughter and would like your permission to keep dating her!" he yells. Those Chords of Steel have been working against him more often than not lately. His eyes are shut tightly, but he hears nothing. When he opens them, he sees Mr. Wright with a look of pure horror on his face. This… is not the reaction he was expecting.
"What's wrong, Daddy? Is it that we didn't tell you before? Because I'm sorry about that but we were-"
"Trucy, Apollo, I have something to tell you too," he cuts her off. He sounds so serious her smile fades and they sit in utter silence. "I did not mean for you to learn it this way but now I have no choice. I'm sure you remember Lamiroir, Apollo? Or as she is actually called, Thalassa Gramarye?"
Apollo is confused. What is he getting at?
"Gramarye? Did she have something to do with my family?" Trucy asks, obviously as dumbfounded as he is.
"She is your mother, Trucy. And Apollo's as well."
What? Double what? What? Apollo can't process his thoughts fast enough. If that woman is Trucy's mother and he is her child as well then they are siblings. They are siblings who are in love with each other. Siblings who kissed just a little while ago. Siblings who slept together, for god's sake! This can't be true. This isn't right. He gets up and runs out the door.
"Don't follow me!" he shouts. What the hell has he done?
When he returns, Phoenix has his head in his hands, and Trucy has her arms wrapped tightly around him. They haven't noticed him yet.
"I'm sorry, Daddy," she repeats to him, but Phoenix insists that it was his own fault. He knows she hates seeing him like this, but he can't bite his tongue for her.
"Mr. Wright, why didn't you tell us? You could have avoided all this! Do you think I would have done the same things if I had known?" He is angry and he's entitled to it. What kind of thing is that to just not tell people? Why didn't their mother ever mention it? All of it pisses him off endlessly.
Trucy frowns at him and Phoenix doesn't face him at all.
"I know, Apollo, I know."
A week has passed and things are more or less the same as before, at least on the outside. Trucy has been pushing him into staying with her - god knows why this doesn't creep her out - while Phoenix can't look at either of them in the same way, although he's trying to forget about what happened. Meanwhile, Apollo is trying to contact his biological mother, who really deserves to be yelled at, to no avail. The only one really helping him keep his spirits up is Athena, although he notices that this has been wearing on her as well and she really wants everyone to forget and make up.
Apollo wants it too, but he doesn't know how. He can't stay with Trucy now he knows she's his sister, he especially can't do that to Mr. Wright. Yet at the same time, his feelings have remained unchanged. She doesn't feel like a sister. She feels like the adorable girl he has spent many lovely evenings with, who can pull nearly anything out of her panties. It's driving him mad, and he doesn't know who to confide in except for her.
So, he does just that and goes up to her room. There's a few things that need to be said between them, and it won't get easier over time. He knocks.
"Trucy?"
"Polly! Come in!"
He enters and Trucy envelops him in a hug. He enjoys the brief moment of familiarity but is quick to let go, not wanting to give off the wrong impression.
"I'm sorry for getting angry before-"
"Oh no, it's alright. I've forgiven you already."
"Please let me finish," he says, as friendly as he can.
"Oh, okay." She bites her lip and god, she looks cute when she does that. She must know. She must be doing it to torment him.
He sighs and continues. "I have to be honest with you, my feelings for you haven't changed, but I can't help but feel wrong about this. Especially with the way Mr. Wright reacted. You've made it quite clear how you feel about me but I beg you, please, don't make me choose. I don't see you as my sister, but that doesn't change the fact that you are."
She looks down and knits her eyebrows, and when she looks up again, he recognises the look in her eyes. A tear rolls down quickly and silently. Then another. And it takes no longer than a few seconds before she's cradled in his arms, crying like a little child.
"I- I'm sorry too! It was just… so perfect and," she sobs, "now it's all gone and there's no way to get it back. And I wanna be angry but there's nothing to be angry about. It's no one's fault!"
He understands. At that moment, he understands her and understands that no one will ever understand what this is like, like they do. It eats him up as well.
"We can just keep it secret, can't we? Like we did before! No one will have to know. No one even knows we're related," Trucy offers hopefully.
Apollo sighs and wishes it were that simple. Trucy too knows that what she proposes is implausible at best. He holds her a little longer, not saying a word, not knowing what to do. After a moment, they lay down in her bed like they used to, and she sleeps in his arms.
In his mind, he dances around the line of friend versus lover, sibling versus lover, and he dreams of all the things they did and could have done, and maybe, somehow, they could be fine like this, between the lines.