TW: mentions of suicide, subtle abuse and insanity

Do all people suffer? Truly, they do. But do they suffer as much as little Icarus did? After all, no one caught him when he fell…

Oppression. Depression. Suppression. That’s all you need to describe Orestus Diamandis. The face, strength, and backbone of the ancient and noble house of Diamandis, ranked second in the Thisyrus Hierarchy. Only due to the fact that the di Angelos were the founders of Thisyrus. Orestus wanted his only son to be stronger than him and keep the lineage going. But Alosyuss failed every one of his expectations. His son was soft, kind, caring, and…just. Everything Orestus wasn’t. Alosyuss refused to attack and conquer. Instead, he chose treaties, peace, and a white flag.

Angered, Orestus turned his predatory gaze on the oldest son, and the heir of Alosyuss. Helios Jason Diamandis. Though among the Thisyruns he’s just the Diamandis that ran away. Orestus tried everything in his power to make his grandson a strong and fine leader. But alas, Helios was even softer. Kinder. What he lacked in ferocity and aggression, he excelled in bravery and compassion. He defied every rule that was set out for him. He attended Hogwarts instead of Durmstrang. He became a dragonologist instead of continuing the family business. He fell in love with a man instead of a woman. He was associated with ‘mud-bloods’ when he wasn’t supposed to. He lived in a cottage with his boyfriend instead of a mansion with a girlfriend. Helios turned every rule the right side up. Defiance was his armour in
arms. But what Helios didn’t realise was that his bravery and defiance might cost him his brother’s life.

Icarus Kairos Diamandis. The boy who flew and was dragged down by the wax that stung his skin. The wax that was Orestus Diamandis. The wax that refused to stop clinging. The wax that almost took his life. Until he was saved by the moon. His moon. His Marcella. The child of darkness and the bearer of Hades. Everyone viewed him as the weak offspring. No matter how hard he tried to prove otherwise.

He excelled in archery, fencing, boxing, swimming, and sword fighting. Yet nothing was enough. Enough to prove his strength. His grandfather looked down on him. But his father and brother did not. Yet they never helped when his grandfather served punishment in what he deluded himself was just. They never noticed him. Helios was too busy escaping, and his father fell into a coma after Dytrin's death. His mother was long gone after Percy’s death. Percy had been prophesied to be a squib, a black mark in the strongest family devoid of any squibs - or so the history told. He was three years old when he had gotten severe dragon pox and passed due to his very weak immune system since birth. It took a great toll on Icarus and his family. And it took a greater toll on Dytrin Diamandis. Icarus' mother, filled with grief, committed suicide. Percy's death had been too much for her fragile mental state, which was already on the brink of failing due to Orestes' not-so-subtle snarky comments about her. But no matter the extent of his love, he could not save his younger brother. But his oversight will not be cast upon Aphrodite. He vowed to keep all evil off of his younger sister.

After Helios ran away when Icarus was just 6 years old, Orestes grudgingly decided to shape Icarus to fulfil his needs. He always viewed the boy as a weakling. Fragile. Made of glass and porcelain. Just like his mother.

Another parasite in the family of strength. But with no other male to carry on the legacy, he decided to shape him up. He made him train, go to Durmstrang, forbade him from showing any signs of weakness, left him hurt, and did everything to bend Icarus to his will. It elated Orestes to find the boy’s weakness, after all that Icarus had done to put on a strong facade and keep his loved ones safe. He loved to exploit it. Marcella, Aphrodite, and Anthea. His friends, His family. His stars and light in his darkness. His sole weakness. Orestes threatened to hurt them. Having vowed to keep his two sisters and best friend safe, he did everything to please his grandfather.

Finally, after half a decade of enduring pain, he was saved by the di Angelos. Valen di Angelo,
Marcella’s father, walked into Orestus’ study one day and found him doing something he would not soon forgive him for to Icarus. Orestes was emotionally blackmailing Icarus. Enraged at Orestus and at himself for never noticing, he immediately prepared to take Icarus, Anthea and Aphrodite back to London with him. However, Icarus and Anthea, who were attending Durmstrang, decided to stay in Greece with the Russos - Marcella's maternal family. So they could stay closer to their father, Alosyuss, who had been kept there under the care of Doctor Giovanni Russo, Marcella’s maternal uncle.

It was dark in the room. And the wait for the door to open was taking forever. Seven-year-old Icarus never figured out why he deserved such a thing. He just sat curled up on the cold floor waiting for any sign of approaching life. And then the darkness got too much to bear. The darkness clawed at his sight. The darkness tainted his fight. The darkness embraced the night. And suddenly there was light. Bright, blinding light. And then it was gone. As quickly as it came, it was gone. But it lasted long enough to give him hope. A reason. A belief. And then an hour or an eternity later the door opened and light spilled onto his grinning face. Which may or may not have earned him another hour locked in for simply smiling.