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Apollo found himself pacing again, talking to himself again, "Just calm down, ok... He's probably just buying clothes... clothes shopping can take a while..." he glances at his watch, biting his lower lip. Every worstcase scenerio was flashing in his mind. What if his boss found him and had taken him back to Pandora's Box. He shudders. What if some sick minded man was able to over whelm him and take him away in a car with tinted windows. He walks to the closet, grabing his coat in case he needed it. He would go down, look around maybe.... Just to put his mind at ease. He opens the door with a slightly trembling hand and found himself soon nearly running down the corridor. In the elevator, he told himself to calm down. That Endymion was fine. He shivers, stepping out of the elevator. He made himself walk calmly as he entered the department store. He began looking around the men's section. He looked calm, casually strolling, but inside his heart was racing and his mind was repeating all the "what if"s. He finally walked from the sotre, having checked the whole stroe. Twice. Endymion was nowhere to be found. Resigned, he began to walk towards the elevator again. Out of a sudden jolt of intuition, he glanced to the side. There was Endymion, in the window. He was sitting at a table, totally relaxed, smiling and laughing, but Apollo couldn't hear any sound. He was sipping coffee, talking to a girl. He saw the smile, the twinkle in his eye. He Watches for a half second more before turning and calmly walking towards the elevator. What the hell had he expected? That Endymion might... No, it had been wishful thinking. Endymion was having a good time and it was none of his damn business... Hekept repeating that in the elevator to drown out the thumps of a bleeding heart.

"My gods, you are loud!" It was barely more than a groan, coming from the bathroom where Endymion had just been. A short giggle followed. Apollo looked around him at the strewn empty bottle of vodka and the still very full bottle of cola. His drink hadn't turned out the way he thought it would. He blinks and giggles some more. Ooh, maybe Endymion's little girlfriend had come up to the apartment as well, maybe the boy he had rescued was quick to make a move. He shouldn't call him a boy, tartarus... He and the "boy" were nearly the same age. He cracks into giggles again before numbly standing up. He had been huddled in the corner of the shower for nearly half an hour now, a thirty minute period concentrated with that enchanting human creation that tasted like fire but left him cold as ice. He puls back the fogged shower door and glances out. Maybe he should put on more clothes than just this pair of jeans. Oh, who is Olympus cared anyways... He stumbles into the bathroom door frame, glancing out at Endymion. He grins slightly, gazing at the jacket, "Why hello there, Pyramus, ((from the greek myth that started "Romeo and Juliet" and Pyramus was, of course, Romeo)) In a jacket as handsome as that, I figured you wouldn't be back for hours.... But oh well, stay if you want... Even though you have no reason to..." he walks forward, slowly, almost unsteadily until he was right infront of Endymion, his chest heaving slightly with his panting breath. When it was so hard to focus, just getting across the room was hard, "Here, love..." He pulls out his wallet, this time pulling out a large wad of money, hundreds... a wad that added up to $20,000. He shoves it into the pocket of Endymion's jacket whispering, "There you are, you're set... when you need more, feel free to come back.... Atleast now you don't have to hang around here to get your money..."

Apollo blinks as the cold water turns on, his body suddenly straightening, rigid. He lifts his face, letting the cold water pour over his closed eyes. He stands there, silent for a half moment before shivering and looking back to Endymion, the haze gone from his eyes, the laughter and sorrow wiped away now to a blank face. He watches him for a moment, entirely sober. He whispers, " I know... I know money isn't your reason... I... I shouldn't have said that... I'm sorry, you didn't deserve that...." He knew that Endymion had thought the gods to be... well, gods... but this was the truth. He could feel the truth flushign through his freezing body as he pulled Endymion closer in a sudden tight embrace. He held there for a moment before pulling back just as suddenly and stepping from the shower, his clothes and body dripping the cold water all over the marble floors. He was now apologizing for much more than his words, "I'm sorry..." He drags his feet into the bedroom, just inside and sits down on the carpet, getting water everywhere. He keeps repeating, "You didn't deserve... to see that.... the truth... that gods aren't... we aren't... we aren't perfect... and thats why I'm here... On earth... buecuase of flaws, imperfections.... Thats who I want to be to you... flawed... touchable, tangible.... anything but the statues you kneel down and worship.... I'm not perfect... not at all... and I'm sorry... because you expected more.... But please, Endymion... If I was perfect, I couldn't... I couldn't be here with you..." He pulls his knees to his chest, staring atthe carpet in mixed emotions, feeling bitterness, sorrow, self-hatred, and a slight tinge of love boiling inside him where the alcohol used to be. He was left with the ice it left behind...

Apollo uncurled, his violet eyes locked on Endymion... Had he just called him... a "person"?He had known most gods to be offended by this, but... Then the prayer shot through him, strong and warm, like a shudder of better things. His violet eyes flashed up, burning as he stood up, "Then don't leave... please don't leave..." He pulls Endymion close, thgtly, immediately letting himself summon the warmth to dry his friend. Of course, the laws of earth governed to water to go somewhere, getting Apollo twice as wet, but he didn't care. He stands back, smiling at Endymion, "gods on Olympus, you called me a person..." He smiles and laughs a little, "Do you even know how much... Endymion... don't you get it... I want to be like you... Without the expectations or the titles.... thank you.... a person..." he laughs again, falling to his knees, stil soaking wet, "Then that makes you the god..." He smiles again. Of course he was joking. He could never change his fate, his godhood... but atleast maybe someone could think of him as more than just a figurehead. But then again... hadn't Endymion done that all along? He pushes a few locks of dripping hair from his face as he takes Endymion's hand and kisses it smoothly, "thank you..."

Apollo watches Endymion on the phone for a moment before grabbing up some clothes and slipping into the bathroom. He comes out soon, in dry clothes and towelling his hair. He smiles, watching Dymion hang up the phone. He felt better now.... Not jealous. He sits down on the bed, "Marie, huh?... Cute... so, do you have plans with some other girl tonight... I ddin't think you'd be meeting girls this fast, but then again.... it's be stupid for girls notto be attracted to you..." He closes his eyes peacefull, still towelling his hair gently. It as odd that he was totally sober now, but not so odd to him. He could manipulate his own body the way he needed. Though being drunk had taken away the initial shock of seeing Dymion with a girl, now the sudden rush of shock had faded... For the most part. He glances at the phone and smiles back at Endymion, peacefully silent, his eyes asking questions.

Apollo blinks, lifting an eyebrow and smiles silently for a moment. He finally says softly, "Then let me treat you to dinner tonight... I don't have any girls.. or guys for that matter... vying for my time... Plus, I feel like I know you too well to not know you at all..." He smiles, realizing how absurd his statement was, but it made sense to him. He knew so much by just spending time with Endymion... but ther ewere so many things about the young man's past he had yet to even get a glimpse of. He finally stands up, grabbing a comb and beginning to comb through his straight long hair, carefully watching for the lavender and periwinkle ribbons. He curses them softly under his breath. They were always in the way, it was just his luck to be born with these in his hair, growing from his scalp as naturally as the folicles themselves. He glances up to Endymion, "So what do you think... its not like its a date or anything..." he giggles a little (which by the way, would probably be an interesting sight to see a god giggling)

Apollo smiles and agrees, realizing the clothes he had just put on were not best for a night out as a nice restaurant. He finds something in his small bag and finds one of the bathrooms to get ready. He finally came out, his hair tied atthe nape of his neck. He was wearing a black tuxedo with blue thin pinstripes, a blue shirt under his tuxedo jacket and a black tie. He smelled of a rich but subtle cologne. He puts on shiny black shoes, looking around for Endymion. He calls softly, "Dymion...?"

Apollo looks calmly up to Endymion, his straight face slowly forming a smile. For a moment he is silent, then he starts to giggle lightly. He stands up, still chuckling, "Don't worry about it." He pulls off his own dress jacket and walks over, carefully letting Dymion slip his arms into it, and then straightening it on the young man's form. He blinks, feeling slightly dizzy. Were he and Dymion really about the same size? He smiles peacefully, facing Endymion, thinking. He then has an epiphany and takes off his own tie, carefully tying it at Dymion's collar, hands meticulous to get it to the point of perfection. He circles Dymion, once, examining him, then steps behind him. He then carefully takes up the long locks of Dymion's silky black hair, his fingers gently combing through, barely even felt. He then begins to braid it, shaping it just so, so that it was perfect. He pulls a tie around it at the end. He lets his hands then smoothly stroke down the length of the braid one last time. It was so soft, he vaguely wondered how Dymion did it. He then stepped back infront of Dymion, kneeling to take off his own nice black shoes. He pulls on a pair of black boots, then stands, facing Dymion with a smile. He says barely above a whisper, "Eh... Its a $30 meal restaurant... For the money I pay, they shoulnt care how we dres... but now, atleast both of us look pretty good... Not that you didn't look fine before..." he smiles.