Epilogue A Future Together

Ten years had passed. Sunlight continued its soft early morning light, as it spilled through the trees and dotted shadows across the wood floor in the cabin. The open windows let in the smell of pine and earth, blending with the richer scent of brewing coffee.

Ares stood in front of the large bay window, his eyes on the land that had become their haven. It was ten years back since he and Apollo erected this cottage by their hands; the world outside, however, had changed in that period, but the steady rhythm of their life together only seemed to grow in its stride.

A patter of tiny feet across the floor behind him, then a pair of voices chattering excitedly. He turned in time to see Hector and Harmony bound into the room, their faces flushed with the energy of youth. The two were eight now and he embodiment of life and curiosity. Hector's dark curls were a crazy mess, but Harmony's had been tamed, pulled back into a braid that was already starting to unravel at the end.

"Dad! Papa! We found a turtle!" Hector crowed, showing them a tiny struggling thing he cradled in his dirty hands.

Harmony beamed; she got that sparkle in her eye that had always reminded Ares of Apollo. "Can we please keep it?"

Ares chuckled, squatting down before the turtle. "I don't think the turtle would be very happy living inside, don't you?"

Hector frowned, chewing this over. "But we could build it a pond! Right here, by the cabin!"

Apollo stood in the doorway with a mug of coffee in one hand, as nonchalant as ever with an easy smile. His hair was slightly longer than it used to be with a few strands of gray at his temples, but his eyes still had that sharp intensity that had always drawn Ares in. The years had, of course, softened some of his rough edges, but undeniable strength still emanated from his presence.

"A pond, huh?" Apollo echoed with his back to them, leaning against the doorframe and sipping his coffee. "Big project, are you sure you are up to it, kiddo?"

Hector put on eyes full of determination. "Y-yes! I can do it."

Harmony also nodded her agreement, her braid swinging with the movement. "We can help, too!"

Ares exchanged a glance with Apollo. The silent communication that over the years had passed between them with no aether blockage. There was warmth in the gaze of Apollo; a shared kind of mirth at the twins' eagerness. Ares knew they would finally bend to them. Like they always did when it came to their children's schemes.

"All right," Ares replied, standing with a playful sigh. "You two help Papa and me clear the area first and as soon as the pond is finished, the turtle goes back to its home."

The twins cheered. No doubt, they were already working out the logistics as they bounded outside, leaving Ares and Apollo in the cabin. Their laughter echoed through the trees, a melody that never failed to make Ares smile.

Apollo laid his mug down on the table and crossed the room to stand next to Ares. He slid an arm around Ares's waist and drew him in close, and together they watched their children playing in the morning sun.

"They're growing up so fast," Ares murmured, pride and wistfulness both coloring his voice.

"They are," Apollo concurred, his thumb rubbing small circles against Ares's hip. "But they're happy and that's what matters."

Ares nodded and burrowed into the heat of Apollo. "That's all that matters."

Apollo grinned tame and kissed the bridge of Ares's nose. "I love you."

Ares and Apollo poured part of his inheritance into protecting the local environment around Foggy Basin. In the end, their town expanded, and much of this was due to the work Ares did as the mayor. It wasn't a position he had ever envisioned himself holding, but it had felt right as his connection with the town itself and with the people solidified, Ares had seemed to find his true calling in the service to the community in helping to guide the future of the place that had done so much for him.

Apollo's woodworking studio had prospered, as well, becoming known as the place to locate fine work not found anywhere else. As it grew out of the small, intimately focused operation it had been, it expanded into a nationwide clientele with commissions for Apollo coming from all parts of the United States, but he, himself, continued to remain rooted in the same sense of simplicity that had always characterized Apollo's relationship to his work.

He was in the workshop most days; hands which had become permanently rough from years of carving molded pieces whose endurance would exceed that of both the carver and his fingers. They still made honey, but no longer sold it, Apollo stopped with his nursing career as he devoted more time to his art and their children. Now Ares taught the children how to make their own paper for journals. Life just moved along.

Over time, Ares also got closer to his mother, Bitsy. Their first reunion was strained, full of old wounds and anger that had yet to be resolved. Time, however, allowed for building what was once lost. Bitsy visited often, still with that hint of sadness in her eyes, but now there was a closeness between them and abond of a shared understanding of their pasts.

And all of this was going through Ares's mind as he looked out into the tall grass and saw his children darting around, racing one another. All Ares could think about was that journey and how many years it had taken to get here. The boy he had been, little more than a spoiled, angry, lost boy, now seemed so very long ago, the shadow of a life that would never hold any kind of power over him anymore. Ares found his home in the one man who seemed to see through the walls he had built and in this family they had with one another.

He had thought back further to the early days with Apollo. The fights, the tension, how they had pushed each other to the brink. And yet, still there had been the viscous tug that bound them, a bond that became stronger and deeper as time passed. Apollo had learned with him the meaning of strength, vulnerability, and love without limits. Ares, on the other hand, gave Apollo a home to belong to, a family, and a life that now overflowed to the brim with the very passion that neither of them thought they would ever feel.

Overcoming the challenges, of course, at times there were doubts, fear, uncertainties that beset them, but they always broke through and returned to the very foundation that they built together—the trust between them. Ares knew; it wasn't perfect, but their love was real and theirs, and that was enough.

The day was turning to evening, the sun lengthening its shadows down on the earth. Ares and Apollo had spent the afternoon helping the twins clear the spot for the new pond, the air full of laughter and playful bickering. As the sun did into the horizon, painting the sky in shades of pink and gold, they all settled under the cabin porch, exhausted but content.

He and Harmony lay there on a blanket, spent, and Ares and Apollo sat on the porch swing huddled together, clasping each other's hands. Other than the far-off chirping of the crickets and the soft rustling of the leaves through the breeze, there wasn't much noise through the night. The peacefulness of it settled over Ares like a warm blanket,the kind that makes you feel as though at the contact of it you are grounded, steadfast, and completely at home.

Apollo laid his head on Ares's shoulder. His breath felt warm against Ares's neck as he started speaking in a low rumble. "You know, I never really thought my life was going to end up like this. But I wouldn't trade it for anything."

"Neither would I," Ares returned, his thumb gliding over Apollo's knuckles. "It's more than I ever hoped for."

They fell into an easy silence as stars began to dot the sky. Ares could feel the years between them, the weight of memories they had built together, but no regret or longing for what might have been lingered there. Only gratitude for what they had and the surety they would face whatever came next together.

After a moment, Ares spoke again, his voice soft but sure. "You ever think about the future? Like, about what's next for us?"

Apollo grinned, and it was a slow, easy expression that made Ares's heart swell. "I don't need to. As long as I'm with you, I know it'll be good."

A warmth that originated from deep inside, from a place within that had taken years to find contentment, rushed up in Ares. "Yeah," he murmured, kissing Apollo's temple. "It will be."

And the night stretched with them, stars gazing down as they clung to one another, and Ares knew that was going to be more strife; there would be moments of happiness, maybe even laughter and tears. He knew they would face it all side by side, just as they always had.

Apollo's breathing carried a rhythmic steadiness, the quietly surrounding world's docile sounds; Ares felt at peace as his eyes closed. Built this life, they did.