Chapter Nine

"This isn't what I expected," Set said as he looked around.

"He did say the temple was in ruins," Ra said.

Apollo had said the temple was in ruins, but hardly more than a few stones still stood. Set wouldn't even have known it was a temple if Apollo hadn't told him about it. "Why should anyone believe you'd come here to become more powerful? There's nothing but ruins and plants here."

"A Greek god would know, but not Tefnut. She'll come."

Set winced. Either she would or Apophis would. Set wasn't looking forward to dealing with either of them, but it was necessary. Besides, it had gotten him out of talking with Apollo, which, as far as he was concerned, was a positive aspect.

Ra sighed. "You should go and hide. I'm sure she'll be here soon, and I'll need you when she arrives."

He didn't have to say anything else. Set wanted to tell him everything would be all right, but it would be a lie. Nothing would be all right for Ra until Apophis was dealt with.

Apollo had mentioned a space higher up in the mountain from which Set would be able to see what was happening under him. He'd be able to tell if Ra needed help, but no one would be able to see him even if they looked up.

Set made his way there, lost in his thoughts. It was the only reason he didn't see Apollo until he was basically on top of him.

When he reached Apollo, he swore and crouched next to him. "What are you doing here? Apophis could arrive at any moment."

Apollo smiled. He was golden and beautiful, so much so that it made Set's heart hurt. "I didn't want to let you face all of this on your own."

"This wasn't the plan. You're not supposed to be here."

"You might need help. What if Apophis comes?"

Set grabbed Apollo's shoulder and gave him a shake. "Then I don't want you here. You can't face Apophis again."

Apollo pouted. "Why not? He doesn't have his guard dog to stab me in the back anymore."

The sound of voices under them startled Set, and he realized he'd been so focused on Apollo that he hadn't paid attention to what Ra was doing.

He pulled Apollo closer and kissed him. It was hard, and their teeth clashed, but it made Apollo shut up, which was what Set was aiming for.

"If you keep your mouth shut, I'll kiss you again later," he murmured against Apollo's lips.

Apollo nodded quickly, and Set let go of him. He leaned forward to look at Ra, not at all surprised to see that Tefnut was standing in front of him.

Set glanced behind himself at Apollo, who looked like he didn't know what to do. "Go home. Ra and I will finish this."

Apollo nodded without arguing, which had to be a miracle. He vanished, and Set turned his attention back to Ra.

"What are you doing here?" Ra asked.

"I knew you would be alone," she answered.

"Why did you do it? Why ally with Apophis?"

Set winced. Ra was going straight to the point. Set wasn't surprised, because he knew Ra wanted answers, but there might have been better ways to get them.

"Because you're going to get all of us killed. Apophis has always been the strongest one. The only reason you defeated him before was that you had help."

"I have help this time around, too."

"It won't be enough this time. Apophis is stronger, and he's growing more powerful as time passes. If I hadn't allied with him, I would have been killed like all of you will be."

She'd admitted to everything. Set wished Ra would act on it. They'd already talked about what to do with her, and they'd agreed on a punishment.

Tefnut wouldn't be killed. Since she'd allied with Apophis, she would be punished like he'd been the first time he tried to destroy Ra. Osiris would lock her away in the darkness once she and Ra joined him and Thoth.

Ra wasn't giving anything away right now. He kept staring at his daughter, and while Set understood, he wanted to give Ra a good shake. This needed to be done, no matter who the spy was.

"You can still turn back from this," Ra said instead. "If you give me all the information you have on Apophis, I'll soften your punishment."

"I don't need you to soften anything. I knew what I was doing when I made my choice, and I don't regret it. I'm sorry, Father. I chose the winning side, and I won't change my mind." She straightened her back and looked around. "And soon Apophis will arrive, and we'll fight you. I'm not stupid enough to think I can take you by myself, but with him, I can do anything."

Set almost snorted. She really thought Apophis would come? He didn't care about anyone but himself, and he certainly wouldn't care about someone he manipulated and used as a spy.

For a few moments, everything was quiet. It was clear that Tefnut was waiting for Apophis to arrive, but like Set had guessed, he never did. She screeched and threw herself at Ra. Set scrambled to get to him. He shouldn't have worried, though. Ra was hurt by what his daughter had done, and he was too soft, but he wouldn't allow Tefnut to hurt him or his mission to defeat Apophis.

Ra caught Tefnut and twisted her around so that her back was against his chest. He immobilized her arms, and no matter how hard she tried to free herself, she was unable to. Ra stood strong, even though, from his expression, it was clear his heart was breaking.

Ra was whispering something to her, but Set doubted she was listening. She was still trying to get free, even though it was obvious she wouldn't be able to.

Set stepped forward. "I'll take her to the underworld."

Osiris knew what was happening, and he'd agreed to have them. He and Thoth were waiting in the underworld to lock her into the darkness. Frey would be there, too. Initially, he'd wanted to stand by Ra when he faced his daughter, but they'd decided it would be for the best if he stayed away. That was why he was with Osiris. He'd known Ra would need him, and since he hadn't been allowed to stay with him during the confrontation, he was waiting in the underworld. It was where Ra would need him the most.

"I'm coming," Ra said in an uncompromising tone.

"You don't have to."

He looked down at Tefnut. "I do."

Set wasn't going to argue. It would make this harder on Ra, but Ra knew what he was doing.

Set teleported to the underworld, but it took Ra a few more minutes to arrive. Set took advantage of the time to explain everything to Osiris, Frey, and Thoth. When Ra finally appeared with his daughter, the four of them wore identical grim expressions.

"I'm sorry it came to this," Thoth said.

Ra nodded at him. "Hopefully, it will give her enough time to realize what she did."

Tefnut was done screaming but not trying to fight her way out of Ra's embrace. Ra didn't even seem to realize it. He kept holding her as if she was precious, and to him, she was. She wasn't just a spy who'd given up many of their secrets to Apophis and who wouldn't have hesitated to stand by his side when he fought Ra. She was Ra's daughter, and she always would be.

It was hard to watch. Set knew that she wouldn't die and that nothing would happen to her while she was locked up in the darkness, but this meant she would vanish from their pantheon for hundreds of years, if not more. When she realized what was happening, she started screaming and begging her father to let her go. For a moment, Set thought that Ra might do it, but he stood strong, even though it was obviously breaking his heart.

Thankfully, Frey was there. He reached Ra as soon as Ra let go of his daughter. She tried to run, but she didn't get far. Thoth was weaving his magic, trapping her in a darkness that quickly grew.

Set closed his eyes. This was necessary, but his heart still broke a little. They would have to sustain a lot more losses in their fight against Apophis, which was hard to believe. There was a chance Set would lose someone he cared about, but he couldn't consider that option. He would have to be strong, just like Ra.

He wouldn't have a choice.

* * * *

Apollo paced the length of the living room. He had faith in Set's abilities, but he was still nervous. How could he not be? There was a chance Set was fighting Apophis right now, and Apollo wasn't there to watch his back.

Hopefully, only the spy had gone to Ra. The problem was that Apophis wanted to get rid of Ra, and this would be the easiest way for him to do so. It was why they'd decided to try this. If Apophis thought he'd find Ra alone, he might be more inclined to attack, and Set could surprise him. He and Ra had defeated Apophis before, and Apollo kept telling himself that, but it didn't help.

They hadn't been alone when they defeated Apophis, but they were now. Apollo should have gone with Set, but Set had promised he'd be all right, and Apollo wanted to believe him. In a way, this was none of his business. He was a Greek god, not an Egyptian one, and Apophis belonged to the Egyptian pantheon. These gods knew Apophis better than Apollo ever could, and he needed to trust them when it came to what was happening.

He did trust them—both Set and Ra—but that didn't mean he wasn't worried or that nothing would happen to them.

There was also the fact that Set had been avoiding Apollo. Apollo wasn't offended. He understood that Set didn't know what to do with him or the feelings growing between them. He wasn't one for feelings, while Apollo always had been. Poetry and music were great when it came to that, but Set had been devoid of both of those for too long. With Apollo there, he had to face how he felt and what it meant, but it wasn't an easy thing.

Luckily, he wouldn't have to do it alone. Apollo would be there for him for as long as he needed help.

Apollo had wanted to talk about this before, but he'd thought it would be better to let Set focus on this situation first. He'd promised that as soon as Set was back, they'd talk, and he had every intention of following up with that promise. It might have sounded like a threat to Set, but it wasn't. Apollo just needed to know where they stood.

The sound of footsteps outside the suite made him perk up. He stopped moving and placed himself in front of the door, hoping Set had finally returned—in one piece and not wounded.

When the door opened, Apollo was relieved. Set seemed to be fine, and his clothes were as pristine as they always were. Apollo took a step forward, but something in Set's expression stopped him.

"What happened?" he asked.

Set closed the door and leaned against it. He looked tired, which was unusual. "Apophis never came."

Apollo moved forward. "We expected him not to come." It had been a risk, but they'd had to take it. It would be stupid of Apophis to act on the information the spy had given him because he'd have to have suspected it could be a trap.

Set nodded. "Tefnut did, though. She attacked her father, and I had to stop her."

Apollo stood in front of Set, unsure what he could do to help him feel better. "I'm sorry you had to deal with that."

Set squared his jaw. "I expected it. It was just hard to watch, because it broke Ra's heart."

"I'm really sorry."

Set shrugged and pushed away from the door. "Better me than someone else."

Now wasn't the right moment to talk about them, but that didn't mean Apollo couldn't be there for Set. This might be the wrong move, but it looked like Set needed to be comforted and to feel like even though he'd done the right thing, the right thing didn't always feel right.

Set always behaved like he was strong and never doubted his actions, but Apollo knew that wasn't true. Deep inside, Set wanted to be accepted, and he was probably afraid that he wouldn't be. He might feel like the others would look at him with horror because of what he'd had to do.

Apollo would never look at him like that. What Set had done had needed to be done, and Apollo wanted him to know that whatever happened, he'd never feel differently.

He cupped Set's face with both hands. Set opened his mouth, probably to tell him to fuck off, but Apollo didn't give him time to do so. He leaned forward and pressed their lips together, smiling when Set gasped and opened his mouth.

Apollo pushed his tongue inside. Set needed to be distracted, and Apollo was great at distracting people. He could start singing or telling Set poetry, but this was better. They wouldn't need to talk, which was one of the things Set hated doing.

Apollo pushed Set back against the door. Set sighed, but Apollo didn't wait to see if Set would have something to say about this. He dropped to his knees and reached for Set's pants, looking up only briefly to ensure it was okay with him.

Set was watching him with an expression that made Apollo want to offer him the world. Set had been doing so much, and he'd never expected anything in exchange. He just wanted to keep his people happy.

He was making Apollo happy, and Apollo wanted him to know that.

Since Set wasn't stopping him, Apollo quickly unfastened his belt, then his pants. He grinned when he saw the boxer briefs after he let the pants drop to the floor. On the outside, Set always dressed seriously, with dark suits and shirts, but his boxers were dark green with little bananas on them.

What was even more interesting was the growing banana under them. Apollo smiled at his own stupid joke, then leaned forward to mouth Set's cock with his lips. It twitched under his touch, growing harder the longer Apollo dedicated himself to it.

"I thought you wanted to talk," Set croaked.

Apollo grinned up at him. "Well, I'm going to use my mouth, just not the way I expected."

"You don't have to do this."

"What if I want to do it?" Set wasn't used to people taking care of him, and Apollo was planning on changing that.

Starting right now.

He slid Set's boxer briefs down his legs. They joined the pants in a heap around Set's ankles while Apollo ran his palms up and down Set's legs. The skin was soft and hairy, tickling Apollo's hands.

Apollo leaned forward and licked the head of Set's cock. Set swore and bunched his hands into fists as if he was afraid to reach for Apollo. Apollo didn't mind a bit of hair-pulling, though, so he grabbed both of Set's hands and gently pulled them to his head.

He didn't have to say anything. Set's fingers dove into his curls, gently pulling him forward. Apollo obeyed the silent order and opened his mouth. He wrapped his fingers around the base of Set's cock to keep it steady, then swallowed it.

Set shouted, but he didn't let go of Apollo's head. He didn't force him into anything, though. It felt like he was anchoring himself, and that was perfectly fine with Apollo. He wanted Set to feel like he was his anchor in the storm.

He used every trick he'd ever learned, both from humans and other gods. He wanted Set to forget what had happened today and to focus on what was happening now , and he thought he was doing a good job. When he looked up, Set's expression had smoothed out. He didn't look worried anymore, even though Apollo knew that part of him probably was. He was focused on what Apollo was doing to him, which was what Apollo had wanted.

But maybe Set needed more. Apollo let go of his cock but stayed where he was, on his knees in front of the god he'd fallen in love with. "What do you want?"

"This is good," Set said.

Apollo shook his head. "That's not what I asked. I want to know what you want . I'll do pretty much anything to make you happy. I think you already know that by now."

Set sucked in a breath. "It doesn't make sense."

Apollo got to his feet and leaned over to kiss Set. "It doesn't have to make sense. Love rarely ever makes sense."

Set closed his eyes. "Is that what's happening between us? Love?"

"In time."

"I don't understand why you'd want that with me."

"You don't have to understand it."

Apollo grabbed Set's hand and pulled him toward the couch. Thankfully it wasn't far, because Set's pants and underwear were still around his ankles. He had to shuffle forward, which made Apollo laugh. Set seemed to understand that he wasn't being mean and didn't do anything beyond rolling his eyes. He was clearly just happy, and this was how he showed it.

When they reached the couch, Apollo leaned over its back and pushed his hand between the cushions to retrieve a bottle of lube. He raised it so Set could see it, and he saw the moment Set decided to give in. He pushed Apollo against the couch, and Apollo barely managed to catch himself. In this position, his ass was to Set, which sounded like the perfect way for Set to fuck him.

Apollo wiggled his butt. "You won't need to use a lot of that."

Set's free hand landed on Apollo's ass to caress it. "No?"

"You've been avoiding me, but I haven't been avoiding my dildo. In fact, we had a very nice date this morning."

Set sucked in a breath and pulled down Apollo's shorts. They were the kind with an elastic band, so he didn't have to worry about buttons. Apollo had been wearing them on purpose, and he was glad it had finally paid off.

He was also glad he wasn't wearing underwear. It gave Set easy access, which he quickly put to use.

Apollo heard the sound of the bottle of lube opening, and he waited for Set's slick fingers. They landed on his ass cheek before quickly making their way where he wanted them. Set pushed two inside, and Apollo pushed slack with pleasure.

It didn't hurt at all. He wanted more, but he didn't want to rush Set into anything. Thankfully, it didn't look like he would have to.

"You're so ready for me," Set said with a growl.

"I thought of you when I used my dildo."

Set pushed a third finger inside of Apollo. "Did you?"

"I did." Apollo sounded breathless. "I thought of how you would fuck me hard without hesitation. I don't need you to coddle me. I'm a god, and I'm strong. I can take whatever you throw at me."

Something bumped against Apollo's ass, and Apollo was sure it wasn't more fingers. It felt slick and damp. "Fuck me," he begged. He would never have a problem begging when it came to Set.

Set pulled out his fingers, which were quickly replaced by his cock. Just like Apollo had imagined, he didn't hesitate. He fucked right into him in a long smooth movement that made Apollo shout out his pleasure.

Set's fingers gripped Apollo's hips as he pounded into him. Apollo held on for dear life, but the force Set was putting into fucking him was making even the couch move.

Apollo loved it.

He took a risk and let go of the couch with one hand, reaching for his cock. Set was focused on his own pleasure, which was what Apollo had wanted. He didn't have any problems taking care of himself. He pulled on his cock, groaning when Set's cock hit his prostate. Set was long and thick, and he was filling Apollo to the brink.

Apollo loved it. He loved being stuffed, especially when it was with Set. He could hardly believe he'd get to do this anytime he wanted in the future.

Set ground his cock into Apollo, and Apollo went faster. He needed to come, and he didn't want Set to have to think about his pleasure, not right now. Thankfully, it wasn't long. He'd been yearning for this for a long time, and now that he had it, he couldn't resist the pleasure.

He whimpered as he came all over the back of the couch while Set continued to fuck him. He screwed his eyes shut and allowed Set to do whatever he wanted with him.

Set wasn't noisy when he came, but Apollo felt him shudder and press deep inside of him. It was almost as if Set wanted to go as deep as he could and become part of Apollo. Maybe he didn't understand that he was already part of Apollo's heart.

They were both panting and sweaty, and Apollo wouldn't have it any other way. He let go of the couch, flopping forward and allowing the couch to hold him up. He didn't know what Set would do now that they were done, but whatever it was, it didn't matter as long as he didn't run.

Apollo had gotten what he wanted. Set had finally fucked him.

"Everything all right?" Set asked as he stepped away.

Apollo grieved the loss of contact, but he reminded himself that it didn't have to be for long and turned around. Set looked slightly hesitant, which was so much like him it hurt Apollo's heart, so Apollo leaned forward to kiss him. "Everything's perfect."

That earned him one of Set's rare smiles, and it told Apollo that everything would be all right.

It had to be.