Chapter 18

Apollo

Suizenji Jojuen Garden is mostly a tourist attraction. Apollo hasn't been, but from pictures, it looked nice. He just never really cared about going. Tori has tried to take him there multiple times, But every time, he has said no. It was just, not his thing. 

"Yeah, we can." Apollo chuckled. chuckled was something about the way he asked. Or, it might not have been the way, but instead simply who asked, Apollo's heart just jumped out of his chest and landed on the concrete. He stared at Faline quietly. 

"Are you ok over there?" Apollo quickly nodded, heading to the door. He opened the door to the driver's seat, stepping in as Faline did the same. Apollo turned on the car. "So, have you ever been?" The police officer asked. Faline nodded softly. "Once, when I was a kid.  But I barely remember anything. Just the fish." He shrugged softly. 

Apollo slowly drove out of their parallel parking space, and onto the main road. "I haven't. I heard it was beautiful." Faline nodded happily. "Yeah, it is. I was shocked at the land shapes, you need to see it during daytime." The boy with pink hair smiled towards Apollo, who smiled back. "I probably should."

Faline

He texted Leo on his phone, reminding him to keep watch. Just because the Kitty Gang and the Black Bloods are allies, doesn't mean they won't betray them. When he lowered the phone, only then did he notice the car had parked, he looked up, and the driver's side was empty. They were in the garden, but Faline didn't know where Apollo was. 

He quickly got out of the car, looking around. "Apollo!?" He yelled, frantically circling the car. "Over here!" his voice yelled from inside the garden. Faline quickly hopped the fence guarding it, and quickly found Apollo. He was sitting next to the main pond, watching the water. He had a soft smile on his face. 

Faline has never seen this side of Apollo. His eyes were filled with hope whenever he had seen the officer, but never like this. Never with this much youth in him. He wasn't tainted by the world, even if he had to deal with its problems every day. He was pure, hopeful, happy. Faline promised himself, never to break him. 

Apollo had let the gang leader in, Faline could see. Showed him, his world, his life. More than Faline could ever imagine. He couldn't ruin it. He wouldn't let himself ruin it. Apollo looked up at him, smiling while gesturing him over. But Faline didn't want to go, he didn't want to hurt him. But he wanted a hug, a kiss, something that could tell Apollo that he's perfect. And it seemed Apollo allowed Faline to be that person.

He walked up to the other, crouching down beside him. "What exactly are you looking at?" He asked with a soft smile. Apollo pointed to the glowing fish, swimming around the area they were looking at. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" Faline smiled. "Not as beautiful as you." He said, nudging him.  

Apollo rolled his eyes, nudging back at Faline. "Ug, here comes the corny pickup jokes again." Faline giggles, flopping onto the soft grass. Apollo follows suit, laying on the grass beside him. Faline could feel Apollo's arms wrap around his waist, pulling him closer. 

Faline shut his eyes for a moment, listening to their breathing. "You know, you're more than just a gang leader," Apollo murmured. He opened his eyes, looking up at the dark blue sky, with white stars peeking through. "You're a sweet, kind, and funny guy" Faline quietly listens to him. 

"That side, not the gang leader's side, is why I think I fell in love with you." Faline froze for a second. Wha- what? He turned around in Apollo's arms. "Are you being serious?" He questioned, looking up at Apollo. He nodded with a soft smile. "More than I have ever been." 

It seemed like everything went still for a moment. The entire earth froze, right then and there. How was Faline supposed to answer this? He went quiet, listening to the two heartbeats once again. "I am mad at you Apollo." He muttered. Apollo let go of him, looking back confused. "Mad…? Why are you mad?" 

"Because you stole my heart, and you won't give it back." Apollo smiled, pulling Faline into a tight hug. The police officer, the boy with the brown hair and white streaks, the boy that handcuffed him and took him into questioning, is in love with him. 

And he is happily in love with him as well. 

The two softly fell asleep to the sound of the water, and the sound of each other, only to be woken up by the stunning sun rising over the horizon. Faline was awoken first and groaned as he sat up. Last night's activities came back to him in one small burst, which made him smile. He would be screaming happily like a girl at a One Direction concert, but he knew that Apollo was asleep, and he didn't want to wake him. 

He slowly stood, stretching his back and arms before hearing a ringtone. He checked his pockets before looking around in confusion. His phone was in the grass and was quiet as a mouse. Apollo slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes and groaning. Oh, it was his phone. Faline waved quietly, and Apollo waved back. He reached behind himself, grabbing his phone.

Faline quietly checked his watch. 5:53. Oh god.

Apollo

He answered. "Hello?" It was Monique, he knew that from her yelling in the background. What she was yelling about, he didn't know. "Come down to the station, now!" Apollo quickly stood up. "What why?" He asked. Why did Monique seem so mad? He did all his work, right? Well, maybe he didn't. He glanced at Faline, who was looking down. 

"THOSE GANGS! THE FUCKING KITTY GANG AND THE BLACK BLOOD BROKE INTO THE POLICE STATION AND BURNT EVERYTHING!" Apollo's eyes went wide, before covering his mouth. His breath was practically stolen from him when he realized. "I… I need to call you back." He mumbled, before hanging up. 

The air stilled for a second time, but this time he couldn't breathe. He slid his phone into his back pocket. "Did you know?" He asked quietly. The two looked at the ground, not daring to look at each other. "Look we-" 

"Did. You. Know." 

Faline went quiet for a second. ".....yes…" Apollo sucked in a much-needed breath, the air burning his lungs. "Is that why you wanted to take me out tonight? Cause you thought I wouldn't find out? Your fucking people ruined a god damn police station?! And you said you loved me?" He finally looked up at Faline. He was crying. So was Apollo. "There was a war….. I had to do something I-" 

"So what, you burned down an entire police station to stop a war? Your people could have fucking KILLED SOMEONE! And you decide to go on a date with a cop." Faline looked up at him. His eye wasn't pearly white, instead of a deep red. "I just wanted to protect you." 

Apollo scoffed, rolling his eyes. He watched as Faline rubbed the tears away from his eyes. "Protect me? If you wanted to protect me then why did you let them do it?" He waited for a second, but Faline only looked back down. He crossed his arms, but not in the way Apollo did, out of anger, but instead to protect himself. 

Apollo licked his teeth and nodded. "After all I did. Bye Faline." He needed to leave, needed to get out of here. He…. he had to help them, he couldn't keep seeing or hearing Faline cry. He just couldn't. He felt Faline's arm reach out for him, though he yanked it away. He turned one more time to look at him. 

"For the best, I hope we never see each other again." Kiyon was right, all Faline does do is lie.