S'Agapo

The weeks suddenly seemed to stretch themselves out, and I was ready to slap Apollo across the face. What was wrong with him? Every word that came out of his mouth was suddenly sharp, and his eyes were starting to slant, like a snake. I also noticed that whenever I'd laugh at something Bane said, his eyes would flash red. This was definitely weird, seeing as human eyes shouldn't do that.

I checked my grandmother's Greek Mythology book on it, but found nothing relating to it in there. I started to think about why he was acting so strangely, but could only come up with one conclusion-that he was in love...either with me or with Bane. But he couldn't possibly...? No, he couldn't! It was absolutely ridiculous! Unless this was all a part of Zeus' plan...But that was just mean! I mean, to your own flesh and blood? Then again-the gods have done worse to their children...they seemed to enjoy it actually.

It was a Saturday. Bane was out on the town, scrutinizing every store. He liked to go out and wander around the town a lot, often coming back by dinnertime. I learned to get used to his habits. Hey, for all I knew he could have had a girlfriend. That would have been good-he
wouldn't be hanging on me so much then. Too bad-he didn't seem to have one. Every time he'd come home, he'd try schmoozing me up.

Luckily, I'm good at rejecting people. All thanks to Kevin. I sighed and picked up my wallet. "Apollo, are you up yet?"

I slipped on my socks and went to look in his room. Of course, like the lazy ass he had become, he was lying in bed, awake, staring with glazed eyes out the window. Almost as if he was talking to someone- someone I couldn't see. I dropped my wallet on the floor and took a running jump onto his bed.

"Adghuilrbhvdgosragggggg!"

I laughed at his response, determined to make him get out of bed- this wasn't healthy at all.
"Come on, get up, get up! I need you to help me walk the dogs! They're too many today!"

"Is that all I'm good for?" I stopped bouncing and leaned over so I could see his face. His hair was all disheveled, and his eyes were puffy and half-closed. I felt my stomach tumble. He looked like hell.

"Apollo?" His eye swiveled to see me. I forced a small smile on my face. "Stop being so emo and get up! I need your help."

He looked away, and shut his eye. I scowled and said, "All right, enough is enough! No more of this! You aren't five!" I pulled off his covers, but he grabbed them and pulled them out of my grasp. I fell off the bed. Shaking my head to throw my hair out of my face, I leaned back on my palms and sighed.

Apollo hid his head with the covers. "Go away. Why don't you get Bane to do it?"

"Because I don't want Bane's help. I want yours. This is what we do together. Bane and I cook together, you and I walk dogs and eat and make stupid jokes together. Now get up, and change into something comfortable. The weather is starting to get warm again- that means spring! And when we get back you can help me plant some fresh new tulip buds I got at Home Depot yesterday! We can watch them bloom and grow all summer long!" By now I was leaning against the bed, my head tilted in an attempt to find his face and see his expression.

Apollo didn't move. "What makes you think I'll last that long?"

My stomach churned. "What do you mean?" I continued in a facade, "You're going to be here for a while still! Love can't develop unless you really get to know someone, right? You're going to have to at least stay here for another few months, so why mope around? Why not-"

"I won't last." He interrupted me quietly, but his voice was like a knife in the air. I went silent and looked away briefly.

I had felt like I'd lost all contact. I sighed and stood up. "Fine." I picked up the cover and immediately felt him tense and clench one corner. "Chill out, I won't pull them off again." I felt him release his grip and I immediately threw it across the room. He jumped up, but couldn't catch it. "So, how are we doing now?" I asked.

He didn't say anything. I sat down in front of him, crossed my legs. His eyes were lined, fatigued. I touched my fingers together, looked down at his toes. "They're getting really slanted lately, and I think I understand why. But Bane isn't that bad. You should just try to be his friend, you know? He's just naive, that's the only reason I've been spending a lot of time with him. And if you'd stay in the room with us, then you'd be spending time with both of us, so don't be so stubborn about it. It's not all my fault, you know. If what's actually worrying you is that whole true love thing, you can always pretend to be in love with me, you know. If you want to go home that badly and you're sick of looking we can pretend, and I'm sure Zeus will let you come home," I glanced up at him but looked back down because of his firm gaze, "So...until you have to leave, just know that you may have a true love, whoever she is, but you'll have me too." My heart was pounding in my ears.

He sighed and I looked up. He leaned his forehead against mine, and I fell backwards. Apollo still refused to say anything. He leaned over me, and fell on top of me. I was shocked and couldn't move. Even if I wasn't shocked I couldn't have moved. He was too heavy.

"Please, don't torture yourself like this anymore, okay? It's not healthy." I patted his matted hair, attempting to loosen the tension that had just thickened the air in the room.

"I'm sorry. I've made you worry." He hadn't moved. His voice was muffled under the layers of my hair.

"It's all right." My heart had stopped pounding all together now. I wanted to hold him. After a minute, Apollo pushed himself up on his elbows and looked at me. He seemed to be restraining himself. He pulled himself up, and I sat up too.We smiled pathetically at each other. "All right, now, do you wanna help me walk the dogs?"

"Sure."

Bane's POV

He waited in the woods. Wasn't she supposed to walk the dogs today? Oh! There she was! He jumped up and ran to the outskirts of the forest. Bane grinned at the small bouquet he had bought from the flower shop. They were lilies and laurels for Laurel, as a thank you for
taking care of him. He'd wanted to surprise her in a sweet way. He glanced back up but Laurel didn't come his way. "Right, well, maybe shes just taking a lap around."

It started to rain. He looked around once more, despite the fact that his clothes were getting soaked. "She always comes here," He reassured himself, then sat down on a tree root to wait.

Laurel POV

"It's raining!" The dogs shook themselves and started to run even faster, right past the woods. "Oh! No, wait! I want to go there!"

But the dogs wouldn't listen. "They must have a good reason," Apollo said after seeing my worried face.

I nodded. "All right, I suppose we should just get them home."

We rushed into the house, dripping buckets of water with each step. I laughed. "It's never rained this hard before!" Apollo pulled off his clothes and ran upstairs in his boxers. I shielded my eyes.

"What's with you and stripping?" I felt something fluffy wrap around my shoulders. I pulled my hands away from my face to see Apollo holding a towel over my shoulders. He was wearing a pair of pajamas I had gotten him for Christmas. I had to admit, he looked good in them- like a normal person. I also noticed, thankfully, that his eyes weren't as snakelike anymore.

"Thanks. I'll go and get changed," I sneezed and remembered, "Oh, I wonder where Bane is. I'll call him and see." Apollo turned away and went into the kitchen. I was about to press send when Bane walked in, soggy flowers in his hands. "Bane! Oh, are you all right? We just got home. You're all dirty! Where were you?"

Bane shook his head and presented the soggy flowers to me.

"Oh! Uh...thank you! I'll go put these in a vase. Here, take the towel." I pulled the towel off my shoulders and handed it to him.

Apollo POV

I knew I had no right to be jealous; they weren't together. But still, couldn't she have been a little more sensitive? I smacked myself mentally. Of course she wouldn't. She didn't know that I loved her. I sighed and heard something like a loudspeaker: "It's almost time to go home."

Laurel POV

"Bane, go take a shower before you get sick, I'll go make us some stew." I had changed out of my wet clothes into a big shirt and my own flannel pajamas. He nodded and I went downstairs to find Apollo looking out the window at the rain that was beating against the window. I sneaked up behind him. "Whats the matter? You look sad," He turned around and hugged me. I blinked and blushed a little, "Um...Apollo?"

He held me at arms length. His eyes softened and he said something, but I couldn't hear him. "What?"

He looked at the fridge. "N-nothing." A familiar grin reappeared on his face, but it was strained. "So, are you planning on making that stew anytime soon?"