At Last [for scarlettwin]

[shooterfromafar]

As far as Apollo could tell when it began, the day was no different than any other day. Standing on the balcony of his favorite estate, overlooking the crystal blue Aegean, the weather sunny and fair, he had no warning at all that this day of all days would be the one to change his immortal life forever.

He felt a tingle at the back of his neck, a signal that one of his brethren Olympians had just used their gift to appear in his vicinity. Although the humans of the world had not worshipped the gods of Mount Olympus in a long time, they still retained their power and immortality, and so such travel was still available to them. Apollo also recognized the feel of this arrival, knowing it to be his beloved twin sister, Artemis. He'd invited his twin to spend time at his villa as he often did, cherishing the time he spent around her.

Artemis had always been his other half, that which completed him. And Apollo had never once questioned his desire to make that true in every sense. They were gods, and in his opinion, utterly above any human mores or standards. He loved his sister, as a true friend, as a part of him, and as a woman. And Apollo had spent centuries trying to convince Artemis of this and, if he was truly fortunate, to forsake her ancient vow of celibacy for him.

But always, Apollo had been spurned, at least in that last respect. It did not keep him from continuing to try, though, and so when he turned to greet his twin, it was with open arms and a warm smile and thoughts of how best to prevail upon her.

"My beloved sister..."

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[shooterfromafar]

The sensation of Artemis held closely in his arms was almost enough to distract Apollo completely from any other thoughts, anything else except the way his sister fit with him. He did not ever want to let his twin go, to see her parted from him, but even an Olympian could tire after centuries, and that was what had happened. And while Artemis often teased him about that ardor as often as she chided him against it, there was a timbre to his twin's voice, a set to her eyes that seemed unusual.

"There should be no one but me, of course," Apollo replied. "Don't mistake my having slowed down for having lost any interest in having you at last correct your foolish vow of so, so long ago. If you require pursuit, you will have it, beloved sister."

He leaned in, brushing his cheek against hers, and then his lips against her ear. "Let me have you, Artemis... be with me in the way we have always been meant to... you are the world, all the world to me, and I cannot be complete until we're one."

[scarlettwin]

Ahh, there it was. His low, silky voice, tempting her to give up her vows. Apollo was flirting with her, teasing her. There was the side of her brother that she missed. The daring romantic who whispered in her ear, declaring his love for her. How she meant the world to him and how she should only be with him. These were the things she had been longing to hear, and now that he was saying them...did she dare go through with it?

Yes, she was ready to move on and enter into a new territory with her brother...but she was still apprehensive about it. Artemis did have the right to be hesitant, if only because she was fearful of the change that would come after. If her brother would be possessive of her, or would grow bored with her soon afterward. While she knew her brother's feelings for her were true and strong, she still wondered. Even gods could have doubts.

"My vows were not foolish," she whispered back to him, a slight edge to her voice. He may have bruised her pride slightly by calling her vows foolish or silly. They were what she had club to at the time, and watching Leto give birth to him was scarring. But that was a long time ago and both of them had grown so much since then.

"If...I were to give up my vows...would you try to keep me locked away as our Uncle did to his wife? Or would you still earn for the company of others? Tell me the kind of lover you would be, Brother...." Artemis tilted her head, her lips brushing over the corner of his mouth for a near kiss.

"And maybe...if you are patient...I might recant my vows."

[shooterfromafar]

"Fair enough," Apollo replied, chided for his words. It had simply always been such an unthinkable position to take in his mind. Olympians were beings of great and powerful emotions, a situation exacerbated by their power and immortality. How Artemis had been able to suppress that part of herself for so long was a mystery.

His eyes narrowed as his twin began to speak in much more welcoming tones than ever she'd used when discussing the idea. Apollo could almost sense that something about his sister had shifted. "I would be devoted, of course," he answered sincerely. "Artemis, you are my other half, my everything. To be with you would be the completion of myself. You would be prized and loved and cherished far more than anything in this world. I would treasure every moment you chose to give me and I could never begrudge you your freedom."

Apollo blinked. "Are you... are you telling me the truth? Are you really considering it?"

[scarlettwin]

Her vows kept her grounded and after having mortal men try to take her, it only made sense to continue on with her vows. It was difficult at times, extremely so especially when her heart ached whenever she saw her brother with one of his lovers. She was doing it to protect herself more than anything...and now she was willing to lower her walls and let her brother in.

Artemis pulled slightly back to hold his gaze, noting the sincerity in his words and in his eyes. He was trying to woo her, but he wasn't trying to deceive her. He was being truthful to her, and for that she felt more at ease with lowering the walls around her heart.

"When have you known me to lie to you?" she asked in earnest, unable to recall a moment when she deceived her twin or gave him false information. Even among their own kind, the two always stuck close together.

"We are no longer needed. The last prayer I heard was centuries ago, and maybe now...I feel ready to be with the one God who has held my attention and interest longer than anything else. I'm ready for you and I...to be one."

[shooterfromafar]

"Never," Apollo answered with all sincerity. "And you know I have never been false with you, either." That was how it always had been, how he knew it always would be. Two parts of one being could never lie to one another, or should even try. He had always laid his heart and his desires bare to Artemis, even at the height of her determination to remain untouched, never once stooping to deception or trickery to claim her, as so many mortal women had been by other Olympians.

The rest of his twin's words all but rendered the god speechless. He gazed at Artemis with surprise and adoration beaming from his face, expression glowing with the joy to where it nearly haloed his face.

"I would ask if you were certain, sister, but I know you. I can hear it in your voice, see it in your eyes. And I truly hope you can see how happy it makes me. I swear to you that you will never regret this decision." With that, he leaned in with as much caution as he could muster and found Artemis' lips with his own.

[scarlettwin]

"I know." In all of their lifetime, the twins never lied to one another. They weren't like their other relatives on Olympus who sought to take lovers, countries or power from one another. Artemis and Apollo looked after one another constantly. Even when they fought, they still had boundaries with one another and it didn't take centuries for them to make up.

In delivering her news to her brother, Artemis felt a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Now came the anticipation of how her brother would react. If he would act like a beast and pounce on her, or let her take her time in exploring him and the new depth of their relationship. When she saw how happy he was, even beaming, she knew she made the right decision.

"You always make me happy, brother, as you said..you are my other half." And now she was going to fully embrace that. Perhaps not all at once as she needed to get comfortable with him exploring her body and with her returning those affections.

Artemis found herself closing her eyes, letting her brother's lips touch hers for the first time. In terms of feeling, it was different, but she could feel the love behind it. He cared for her deeply, she knew, and she cared just as deeply for him. Her hand came up to rest on his cheek and she found herself shyly kissing him back. As wise as Artemis was, she was a novice to this.

[shooterfromafar]

Too many of their relatives were ruled solely by their own desires. And while he and his sister were passionate beings to be sure, Apollo knew that so long as they had one another, they would always have an anchor to keep each other from going too far.

He was nearly glowing with light, unable to completely control his joy at Artemis' revelation. Apollo had wanted nothing so much as this for his entire existence, and now the time had at last arrived. But at the same time, he loved his sister too much to allow that ardor to make him rush or force her into anything she wasn't ready for.

And so he began with the kiss. A touch at first, and then movement, with his twin's soft lips moving against his. It was long and languid, warm and loving. Apollo deepened it only a touch, gradually, and only when it seemed Artemis was ready for more.

[scarlettwin]

Though her eyes were closed, Artemis could feel her brother glowing with joy, pride and love. The warmth of his light touched her deeply, brushing against her soul. She let out a soft hum, enjoying the feeling of his lips pressed against hers.

When he began to kiss her deeper, Artemis found herself parting her lips. She let his tongue slip into her mouth, making her moan. Gods, she didn't think Apollo could taste this sweet. The goddess began to press her body against her brother's body.

Her hands moved up to rest against his shoulders, finding herself getting lost in the kiss. Artemis found herself murmuring her brother's name.

[shooterfromafar]

[OOC: So sorry this took so long. Been having one of those weeks.]

Feeling Artemis kiss him back-- feeling her respond to it with such fervor and excitement-- was better than Apollo had ever imagined. His sister's body moulded against his as though they'd been built to hold one another in such an intimate way, and the press of her figure on him made his immortal heart race. And when she moaned, the Olympian felt his head begin to swoon.

It was absolute paradise, knowing that at last, he and his twin would be one.

"I love you so much," he whispered against Artemis' lips, then reached down to scoop her off her feet, carrying her towards the bedroom without moving his mouth from hers.

[scarlettwin]

[ooc: That's okay, I understand.]

If Artemis wasn't kissing her brother and found herself in a more rational state of mind, she might have thought they were going to too fast. It started out with a kiss, and now her brother was holding her and bringing her to his bed. In the back of her mind, she knew she could say stop and he would listen, but she found herself enjoying the way his lips felt on hers too much to care.

"I love you too, Brother..." she murmured back to him, breathing pulling back to catch her breath. Her cheeks looked flushed and there was a hint of embarrassment in her dark eyes. Not because of what they were doing, but she couldn't figure out what they should do next.

Her lips moved over his jaw, to his cheek and then to his ear. Her tongue snaked out to lightly brush against the shell of his ear, just to see how he would react.

"What do you plan to do to me, Brother?"

[shooterfromafar]

Apollo couldn't help but be a little bit tickled by his sister's expression of uncertainty, since he knew it had nothing to do with her choice to be with him. There had never been a decision that Artemis had ever made lightly, as far as he'd ever been witness, and so he knew this one especially was a certainty. No, he recognized that his twin was hesitant at her own inexperience, and he loved her for it.

He gave a slight shiver as her tongue touched his ear, and he smiled. "I was planning on laying down with you and holding and kissing you until you go mad and ask me to touch you. And then touch you until you go mad again and ask me to use my mouth on you..." A light danced in his eyes as he let her know not only that he had ever intention to do many things with Artemis, but that he would let her set the pace, as well.

[scarlettwin]

If she were with any other mortal or God, Artemis' inexperience would be her problem. They wouldn't let her set the pace of their intimacy, only focused on their own desires. Whereas with Apollo, he wanted to take his time to explore her. To let her tell him what she wanted from him. He had been waiting for this moment for so long, he wasn't about to ruin it.

Artemis shuddered from his hot breath and the images his words conjured in her mind. She bit her lower lip and bowed her head, trying to hide how aroused he was making her. Her lower lips wet with anticipation.

"Go mad, you say? I don't believe you could drive me to madness, Brother..." a silent challenge in her words, trying to tempt him to do more.

"But if you do, how long will we be tangled in your sheets? Hours? Days? Will you let me stay in your bed until we are thoroughly satisfied?"

[shooterfromafar]

A low, humming sound rose from deep in Apollo's chest as his sister's wonderful spirit rose to the surface and teased him, challenged him to do his very best to undo her completely. He was more than up to the challenge, of course-- he relished the idea of it.

With Artemis' head lowered, his lips wandered over her temple and brow and cheek as they spoke.

"How long will I 'let' you stay? Dearest sister, were it up to me, you and I might never leave that bed for the rest of our immortality. But short of that, I expect you to go nowhere until you are completely sated and not a moment before."

[scarlettwin]

Apollo's lips to her skin made her heart race and womanhood quiver with anticipation. She could only imagine where his lips would travel. What parts of her his tongue would caress, or where his hands might roam. He was up for the challenge and Artemis, she was willing to keep going. She was nervous, but that was normal. She was the one who set the pace, and could easily bring it all to a halt.

Her hand came up to rest on his chest, right over his heart. His was beating steadily, confident and excited about their night or nights together. Her eyes were fluttered shut, picturing what he would do to her. Thankfully, he was holding her, otherwise she would be weak in the knees.

"You would want to keep me only in your bed? Brother, you are cruel. I thought you would at least want to explore other areas to have fun." She had heard being intimate in the water, a pool or bath, was fun. Whatever he wanted to do with her...she was eager and nervous to do it.

[shooterfromafar]

"Oh, is that so?" Apollo answered, laughing heartily. "My dear sister is already planning on running and flying before she's learned to walk. Although," he answered, his eyes shining warmly, "I suppose I should expect nothing less from you."

His hands clasped around the one that Artemis had placed on his chest and lifted it to his lips, kissing her fingertips before moving his lips to her palm and the inside of her wrist, where he could feel his twin's pulse against his kiss. Apollo did not stop there, kissing his way up her arm, to her shoulder, neck, and then to her mouth once more.

"If that is your wish, then we can keep going until there's nowhere on Earth we haven't made love."

[scarlettwin]

Artemis opened her eyes to see the warmth in her twin's. They were challenging one another, but in a playful way. Artemis want to know what her brother would do to, just to prepare herself...and get herself aroused.

She said nothing, watching Apollo kiss her fingertips and felt his lips travel from her wrist up her arm and then to her mouth. This time she was prepared, kissing him back and even found herself deepening the kiss slightly, letting her tongue play with his before he pulled back.

"That sounds perfect.." she breathed, looking up at him and leaned in to initiate a kiss of her own, still a novice, but she wanted it to be sweet, sensual, and teasing. Artemis pulled back after a few moments, pressing her forehead against her twin's.

"Take me to your bed, brother."

[shooterfromafar]

Apollo was delighted to find that his twin's quick abilities with the physical extended to these tender, more intimate activities, as well. Every time they kissed, he could feel her growing more confident and more daring. His tongue danced with hers for a moment before Artemis spoke with such warm anticipation. And as soon as the words were spoken, they were there.

He lowered his sister to the bed, plush and soft and topped with silken covers. Apollo climbed onto the bed beside her, stretching out their bodies together. His mouth claimed hers once more for a moment before tracing a line of kisses down Artemis' throat, stopping at the edge of the fabric of her gown.

"May I see you, my love?" he asked with heat simmering under the tone of his voice, "or would you feel more comfortable seeing me first?"

[scarlettwin]

Artemis' confidence was steadily growing. Each time they kissed she felt her confidence rise, and felt a bit bolder. She trusted her brother to not take advantage of the gift she was giving him; the chance to be whole with her, to see her in her truest form, and to be with her. There was still some anticipation and nervousness dwelling in Artemis. A new experience for her to face and the chance to shed her old vows.

She went from being in her brother's arms to his bed. The soft sheets felt light and smooth on her skin. His mouth was on hers again, allowing her tongue to glide and grind against his. Artemis went as far as dipping her sleek muscle into his mouth for another taste of him. The kiss didn't last as long as Artemis had anticipated, but his lips left a trail down the column of her throat to the edge of the fabric of her gown. His question left her breathless and unsure of what she wanted first.

"...I don't know," her voice came back to her then, letting him know she was still anxious about what they would. Artemis softly shut her eyes to ground herself and took a deep breath. She had seen Apollo naked once, the day he was born. This shouldn't be any different. She opened her eyes to look at him, her hand coming up to caress the side of his face as she weighed her options.

"...May I see you first, my love?"

[shooterfromafar]

Silently, Apollo was struggling somewhat against his Olympian nature. They were beings of fierce, passionate instincts, and like his father and uncles, there was a deep-seated urge inside of the god to simply take what he wanted, to satisfy his own desires without regard for the women who were the objects of that desire. But Artemis was different. She was no mortal beauty, she was his one true beloved, his other half. And he would treat her like a queen, and worship her like a goddess.

His smile was wide and warm. "Of course," Apollo answered easily, then rose up from the bed. Fighting the urge to hasten the process, he slipped out of his raiments until he was unclothed before his twin. As a god of athletic, youthful virility, his body was lean and muscled, burnished gold by the sun. If her eyes moved down his form, Artemis would find her brother's cock already hard and waiting, jutting proudly from below his waist.

Apollo moved closer to Artemis, leaning over to kiss her again.

[scarlettwin]

The Gods themselves were beings of power and passion. There was nothing that could prohibit them from taking what they wanted. A lot of her cousins and uncles didn't think of the repercussions of their actions, only wanting to satisfy their desires. Then there was Hera who let jealousy consume her and act out against the poor women bedded by Zeus. Artemis could only imagine the internal struggle her brother was having; wanting her, but holding back from taking her as he would with any other mortal woman.

He agreed to her request, pulling back to take off his raiments, letting them fall to the floor. He was soon bare before her. Artemis took in the sight of her brother, his well sculpted body, his beauty, and of his proud manhood standing erect. Her heart sped up and the ache between her legs grew. She began to sit up, placing her hands over his shoulders as their lips met. Her tongue slipped back into his mouth, tasting more of him and found her confidence growing.

"Brother..." she murmured, pulling back to press her forehead against his. She used her power to strip herself of her gown., leaving herself bare to him. A lithe woman who had curves and a modest chest. She wasn't as golden as him, but she was still sun-kissed even though she preferred the glow of the moon. Hopefully he would enjoy her body as much as she would enjoy his.

[shooterfromafar]

He could feel Artemis' eyes moving over his body. It was a moment he'd been anticipating for a long time, and even knowing what he was, there was still the smallest tinge of apprehension at his sister finally seeing him this way. Apollo was thrilled then to see not just appreciation in his twin's gaze but a hunger that clearly told him her desire was rising and growing in strength.

The kiss that followed was her most confident, most daring yet. Their mouths danced firmly, almost fiercely, tongues slipping against each other. Apollo felt he gown evaporate, then pushed himself back so that he could see her properly.

His breath caught in his throat. Finally, he pressed himself to speak. "My love... my Artemis... you are..." The god's eyes slid over every beautiful, perfectly sculpted inch of his sister's naked body and felt himself aflame with desire and adoration. Apollo's smile went wide. "... divine," he completed at last, then lowered them both back to the bed, his mouth covering hers for a moment before he started to kiss his way down her neck.

[scarlettwin]

For a brief moment the goddess was afraid of what her brother would say about her naked form. The urge to cover herself back up was growing the longer his eyes stayed on her naked flesh. There was nothing shameful about her body. There weren't scars or any imperfections on her skin, not a slight blemish. It didn't calm the butterflies in her stomach, but hearing that single word fall from his lips dispelled all of her doubts.

"Brother," she found herself murmuring before he claimed her lips again. Her back on the soft sheets of his bed again. There was a lingering feeling of nervousness, but as the seconds ticked on, the feeling lessened. Her tongue moved past her lips, dancing and gliding against his. Her hands roamed over his shoulders and chest, holding onto him while relishing their bodies touching; nothing obstructing them or separating them.

"Brother..." Artemis murmured again, finding the courage to brush her hips against his, feeling his leaking head pressed against her inner thigh. She was ready for him, ready to feel thoroughly connected as they were always meant to be.

[shooterfromafar]

Kissing, holding, touching. For a few long minutes, there was nothing on Apollo's mind but the physical sensations of holding Artemis against him, naked and warm and wanting. He could breathe her in, and vice versa, and the world was nothing but the two of them slowly melding into one another. Her skin tasted like the finest of wines under his mouth, and her pulse was strong against his lips as he kissed his sister's throat.

His mouth had descended as far as her collarbone when he felt Artemis roll her hips against him, brushing the tip of his cock with her leg. Apollo tilted his head back and smiled.

"Sister? Getting a bit impatient, are we?" Apollo placed another kiss on her skin. "I don't mind at all, of course, but I just wanted to make sure that you felt like skipping the preliminaries for now." No disappointment. It wasn't as though they didn't have all eternity to do everything with one another possible.

[scarlettwin]

A blush bloomed on her cheeks hearing her brother's comments. A great deal of her was ready and she was trying to show that. While they did have all of eternity to enjoy one another, she was a little eager. That was all. After all, she had been waiting for the right moment to tell her brother, to show him she was ready. Could he really blame her?

"I...got a bit carried away," she admitted softly, a bit embarrassed and a touch shy. "I want to take our time, but you..." how could she put it into words exactly?

"Are fulfilling your promise. Driving me mad with your lips and tongue..." She knew how good her brother was, but had yet to experience how good until now.

[shooterfromafar]

Apollo couldn't blame her at all, of course, especially with how much of him was demanding that he take her then and there. But those were the ways of the other Olympian men, and this was Artemis, the other half of his soul, and he would not treat her like any other woman in all of creation. She was the woman, and so she would have every drop of pleasure he could wring out of their time together before he at last was one with her.

"I suppose I left myself open for that one," Apollo replied with a chuckle. "All right, back to this most pleasant of tasks..."

The god bent his head and set out to fulfill his promise. His lips began to rove over Artemis' chest, covering her breasts with kisses before drawing one nipple, then the other, between his lips.