Here I am waiting,
I have to leave soon
Why am I holding on?
We knew this day would come, We knew it all along
How did it come so fast?
Apollo stood beside the far wall, staring into the crisp morning air. Zeus had visited yesterday. He turned and looked at the brunette woman lying upon the bed. Her dark curls had fanned out around her head, and the silver sweat shirt she had fallen asleep in was pushed up to reveal her 8month pregnant stomach.
Last day. It was his last day. Yesterday was anyway. When the sun came up this morning he would have to leave, and he would never be allowed to come back. At least never in any physical form. He would hide in the shadows the day of his son's birth, he would stand invisible in the corner on his birthdays, he would stand to the side when he got his driver's license and graduated high school. If he lived that long.
He walked over to the bed and kneeled beside Ruby. He rested his chin gently on her stomach and spoke softly.
"Your name is William Solace. You are my son and I will care for you, even if it is from the sidelines. I want you to remember to take care of your mother, I want you to work and be your best at everything, and I know you will struggle with things as you grow but nothing will stand in your way if you don't let it. I want you to know that if you ever need anything that I am here, just call out for me and I will come." He placed a tender kiss to the skin that the child was growing beneath. He brought his lips once more to the mother's forehead. He didn't need to speak to tell her his words, she knew.
He looked out the window. The morning sun was staining the sky with an array of orange and pink. In silence, the god flashed away, he would claim his son at high noon when he was at the camp. Until then the boy's life would be with an absence of father.
Here I am staring, At your perfection
In my arms, so beautiful
The sky is getting bright
The stars are burning out
Somebody slow it down
Hermes was standing on the balcony of the Boston apartment building. Danielle was a warm figure in his arms, and two year old Travis was asleep on the king sized bed in the foyer. Connor was a mere bump on his mother's stomach. It was five o'clock in the morning, and the sky was getting brighter with every passing moment. Normally, it would be a beautiful sight to watch with his beautiful woman at his side. But this morning was sad, for when the sun came up today he would leave, and he could already see the first morning rays peeking up from behind the horizon.
The minutes ticked away soundlessly, and no words were spoken. The sun was now an orange jewel in the sky. Danielle took a deep breath and pulled herself away and around so that she faced him. Staring had always disturbed Hermes, he didn't know why, it just did.
"You say goodbye to your son." Danielle's voice was soft and quiet. Hermes slowly released her body and stepped into the chilled apartment. He knelt beside the bed, feeling hopeless.
"I love you." He kissed the small boy upon the forehead, and said nothing more. He returned to his place on the balcony and repeated the action to the mother's stomach.
He stood straight and looked down at Danielle, who was a good 4 inches shorter than he was.
"I love you too."
She smiled, "Goodbye."
And he was gone.
I never want it to stop,
Because I don't want to start all over, start all over
I was afraid of the dark
But now it's all that I want
All that I want, all that I want
Ares lay back on the pillows of the bed, his arm around the woman that carried his child. It was a girl. They had found out months ago that it was a girl. They'd argued over names but they had finally settled upon one, Clarisse. It was a lovely name that showed beauty, but also demanded respect.
Despite his rough exterior, Ares had adored watching Keira La'rue grow, watching his child grow inside of her. He was war. Violence, hate, morbidity. But even war had its soft spots, and Ares had sectioned off a small part of him to be that way for his children.
And today he left one of his children to be alone until the time for camp came. He pulled himself up right and leaned over Keira's swollen belly. He had never been one for goodbyes, but he could at least spare a moment for his daughter.
He did not kiss the mother or the stomach of which beneath his child grew, he merely hovered for a second, and disappeared.
And when the daylight comes I'll have to go
But tonight I'm gonna hold you so close.
- Daylight
Maroon Five