AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey y'all! Well, here's chapter two.

Despite several sugar buzzes I've managed to write

something that isn't ~complete~ mindless babble!!

Isn't that the strangest thing? Eros and Thalia have

moved in with me. I think they've made themselves my

personal muses.

Eros: ::sickeningly sincere:: We really want to help

you out. I think you have real talent.

Thalia: ::snorts:: You're only here because Psyche

said she liked men who inspire people.

Eros: ::blushes:: Then what are you here for?

Thalia: I'm bored and buzzed. I also love to annoy

people until they do what I tell them.

You're a true muse, Thalia. >_< Anywho, on with the

fic. Thoughts are between these pretty little stars *

* and squiggly lines ~ ~ are for emphasis.

Disclaimer: Ummmm. I don't own the G-boys and the

representation of certain Greek mythological figures

is ~very~ liberal. Shounen ai, if you don't like it,

SCRAM!! POV switches in this one, characters still

most likely OOC. Flames? Why would anyone flame li'l

ol' me? ::innocent look::

On a cloud somewhere...

Aphrodite frowned down at her scrying pool, watching

Eros and Thalia making sandwiches. This wouldn't do at

all. ~Her~ son, obeying the orders of some mortal

upstart! Thalia she could almost forgive, her being a

lowly muse and all, but Eros really should know

better. She frowned at the rippling pool as her son

set his bow and quiver down to pick up a tray of

sandwiches. That did it! She'd teach him to forget his

godliness!

She snapped her fingers and a bolt of pink lightning

appeared in her hands. She frowned prettily, then

twisted the lightning into a spear-shape. She hurled

it through the pool then smiled smugly. This would

certainly be better than soap operas.

Quatre peered around the corner at the pool. It was

empty, as well as the patio around it. He wondered

where everyone went, but was relieved because the

coast was clear. He looked back over his shoulder and

gave a low whistle. He carried his tray of sandwiches

out and set it on the table. Thalia came out

cautiously, floating a few inches above the ground and

carrying a large pitcher of lemonade and a stack of

glasses. Eros soared gracefully behind her, holding

another tray of sandwiches and some cheap paper plates

with a modicum of distaste.

"Hurry, you guys, I'm not sure where the others went

and they could show up any second," Quatre warned as

they set their burdens on a table on the patio next to

the pool.

"No need to worry, Blondie," Thalia reassured him.

"The first sign of anyone else, we'll just disappear."

The was a sudden flash of pink accompanied by the

sound of thunder. Quatre winced from the nearness of

it and looked puzzledly at the sky, which was

cloudless. He frowned. That was odd. Then a sudden

~thud~ from beside him drew his attention.

Eros and Thalia had both fallen to the ground,

unconscious.

* Oh dear. This can't be good. * he thought, filling a

cup with water from the pool and splashing it over the

two immortals, hoping it'd do some good. It did; both

awoke sputtering.

"Wh-what happened?" Quatre asked, a bit shaken that

something could do that to gods.

"That was one of Mom's thunderbolts," Eros told him,

shaking his head to clear it.

"Why'd she do that?" Quatre asked.

"I don't know. But I'm going to find out," he replied,

then snapped his fingers.

Well, tried to anyway. His fingers made no sound other

than a soft thud. Eros paled and tried again. Still he

couldn't snap.{1}

"Oh no. She didn't," he whispered disbelievingly.

"Thalia, you try."

The muse, equally pale, swallowed and snapped her

fingers. The result was the same. Her purple eyes

widened, and she began trying to snap frantically to

no avail.

"Nooooooo! How ~could~ she? She's cruel! Here we are,

doing her a favor, and she goes and takes away our

powers!" she wailed.

Quatre was now a bit upset.

"You mean you can't make yourselves invisible

anymore?"

Just then the sound of voices from the direction of

the mobile suit hangar drifted on a breeze to them.

They froze for a second before both Thalia and Eros

began to panic.

"There's no where to hide! What're we going to do?"

Thalia whispered, eyes even wider.

"Eros! You've still got your wings! Take Thalia and

fly to the other side of the house!" Quatre hissed,

shoving the stunned girl at him. Wasting no time, Eros

lifted her into his arms and leapt. His wings spread

wide, flashing white as he pumped them to glide up and

around the house. He'd just disappeared around the

corner when the four other pilots materialized from

the opposite one.

"Quatre! I hope you got food, 'cause I'm ~starving~!"

Duo shouted at him.

Quatre tried to quell his nervousness as he gave a

large warm smile.

"Sure do! Lots of it, too. Where'd you all go anyway?"

he asked, thinking furiously. Despite the recent

events, he wanted to hold up his part of the bargain

with Eros and Thalia, and there was no time like the

present to start matchmaking. But ~how~ to start?

"- and Heero had to get his laptop from Wing, and I

was bored just sitting out here by myself," Duo was

saying as he grabbed a plate and put four sandwiches

on it. "Geeze, didja make enough sandwiches?"

Everyone else sat down, Heero between Quatre and Duo,

and Trowa next to Quatre. It worked out perfectly, the

only place left was next to Duo. Wufei frowned

slightly before sinking into the chair, looking for

all the world like he didn't much care for the

American. But a quick darting glance somewhat belied

that image of uncaring. Quatre blinked and wondered

why he hadn't noticed before. Maybe these two wouldn't

be so hard to get together after all.

"Quatre! Quaaatre! Earth to Quatre!" Duo was saying,

waving a hand in front of his face. Quatre blinked

again.

"What?" he asked.

"You're a space case today! I said, do you have any

chips or somethin'? A sandwich isn't a sandwich

without chips to complement it," he explained.

"There's probably something in the pantry," Quatre

replied airily.

"Right. I'll got get some. Anyone want anything else?

Heero? Trowa? 'Fei?" Quatre caught the slight change

of tone when Duo said Wufei's nickname. He almost

smiled.

* I wonder if Eros and Thalia know that they're

already in love. *

"No," Wufei said, looking irritated. "And don't call

me "'Fei". My name is Wufei. Not Wu-chan, not

Fei-chan, not Fei-man, not Wu-dude. Got it?"

* No, probably not. *

Duo just shrugged.

"Whatever you say, Fei-babe."

"Maxwell!"

Duo just grinned and sprinted into the house. Quatre

glanced sidelong at Trowa, who was silent. He was

surprised to see Trowa looking at him as well. Their

eyes met and he felt a flush come over his face. He

offered a small apologetic smile, hoping the taller

boy would understand what he was apologizing for. He

was even more surprised when Trowa's lips twitched up

ever so slightly, if only for a second. Apology

accepted, apparently.

"Trowa, pass the lemonade," Heero said, oblivious to

the sweet moment he was breaking. Quatre sighed

silently as Trowa looked away to comply. He could just

cry, he really could.

"COOOOOOOOL!!!"

Everyone looked up as Duo exited the house. Even Heero

was surprised by what he held. Quatre felt ill.

Duo held Eros's bow and the quiver was slung over his

shoulder. He drew an arrow and nocked it inexpertly,

aiming at Wufei. Despite his distress, Quatre noted

with a cynical raised eyebrow that the arrowhead was a

red-pink heart-shape, pointy part at the tip.

"Foul Sheriff of Wufei-ham! Stand and deliver, in the

name of Duo Hood!" Duo declared.

"Duo! Put that down!" Quatre said, leaping to his

feet.

"Relax, Quatre! I'm not going to shoot it. Where'dja

get this anyway? And why was it just laying in the

kitchen?" Duo asked, lowering the point and slowly

releasing the string tension.

"It's not mine! I - er - am keeping it safe for - um -

Rashid," he invented wildly. "So I really can't let

you use it."

"Awwww, c'mon, Quatre! I was just playin'," Duo

objected, but didn't resist when Quatre took the bow,

arrow, and quiver.

"Well, I could let you, but then Rashid would probably

kill you."

"Oh, then by all means, let him have it," Wufei

remarked dryly. Duo stuck his tongue out at him.

Quatre resisted a smile again, knowing it would spoil

his authority.

* Hmmm. They might be in love with each other, but

neither wants to admit it to the other. Maybe not even

to themselves. How can I make them be together so they

will be forced to find out?*

"Fine, you guys be that way! I'm going to try and put

some sunburn ointment on my back. I can't believe you

would be so uncaring, Quatre, letting me sleep without

suntan lotion on," Duo said with a teasing pout. "I'm

like a lobster!"

Quatre frowned, then got an idea. It would be a long

shot, but if it worked, it might help break down the

walls between Wufei and Duo.

"Sorry," Quatre said sincerely. "I could help with

that. But first I need to put this away. Wufei, would

you help me? The best place is in the attic, and it

takes two people to get the stairs down from the

ceiling."

Wufei looked puzzled at the request, but nodded.

Quatre smiled, trying to keep self-satisfaction from

it. He led Wufei inside the mansion and up to the

third story. He hadn't lied that it took two people to

open the heavy trap-door with stairs that led up to

the attic. After depositing the bow and quiver in a

safe place and closing the door again, Quatre feigned

sudden remembrance.

"I forgot to clear the table! I should go do that...

Oh, what about Duo?" he frowned as if trying to figure

a way out of this dilemma. He let his expression

brighten. "Hey! Do you mind if you took care of Duo

instead?"

Wufei looked very surprised and opened his mouth to

say something, but Quatre wouldn't let him even begin.

"Thanks! The sunburn lotion is in the pantry {2}

beside the painkillers and things. Bye!" Quatre

called, walking away rapidly before Wufei could

object. As soon as he turned a corner, he heaved a

sigh of relief. That had been easier than he'd

anticipated. Now, to see if it would work...

On the ledge of the third story outside a window...

"Well this sucks. We've lost our powers and I've lost

my lucky whoopee cushion. This is perfect, just

perfect," Thalia ranted. "And to top things off, we're

stuck out on a frickin' ledge until Quatre tells us

the coast is clear."

"Shut up. If you hadn't blown our cover, Mom probably

wouldn't have been so prone to fits of disciplinary

action. I'm pretty sure that's why she did this," Eros

said, flexing his wings anxiously. "I'll never be

respected as a God now."

He sounded so disappointed that Thalia ignored the

insult and put a comforting arm around his shoulder.

"Yeah, well, I'm never respected as a Goddess either.

Aphrodite is just one of the many who don't appreciate

me. I mean, I'm personally responsible for all the

mirth in the world and yet no one ever says 'Hey,

thanks, Thalia, for letting us be able to laugh at

stuff once in a while.' People think they can get

along without me, but even Heero Yuy laughs."

Eros nodded, then blinked. He turned his head to stare

skeptically at her. She gave him a mildly defensive

look.

"Well, granted it's demented, psychotic laughter, but

he ~does~ laugh. Sometimes. If he's just blown

something up." {3}

Eros continued to stare at her, then began to chuckle.

She grinned back at him, and they leaned against the

wall. It seemed there was a temporary truce from their

normal insulting banter. If they were going to be

stuck on the same stupid ledge for a while, there was

no need to make it more unbearable than it already

was.

Suddenly Eros jumped, startling Thalia. Unfortunately

the ledge was narrow, making balance under calm

situations difficult. When they both had caught their

balance again after much flailing of arms, the muse

turned to glare at him.

"What's all that about?"

"I just remembered! I left my bow and arrows in the

kitchen!"

Thalia paled. Something twinged in her mind, something

about Duo Maxwell, but as soon as she tried to track

the thought down it vanished. But a feeling of urgency

remained.

"We have to go get them," she said, knowing that Eros

wouldn't disagree. "But how do we get in without being

noticed?"

Eros gave a small grin. "Very carefully."

Wufei watched the little blonde hurry away with

something between shock, suspicion, and excitement.

What was he up to, anyway? He'd been acting odd all

during lunch, and now this. But... could Wufei pass up

the chance to have an excuse to touch Duo?

* Don't think like that. It's weak to love someone who

doesn't love you. *

He really did ~not~ want to do this. He did not want

to touch Duo. He was only doing this because Quatre

left him no choice. Who'd want to touch such an

infuriating, annoying, exasperating American who

~never~ SHUT UP?

* Keep telling yourself that. Who're you trying to

fool? *

He tried to affect his normal detached expression as

he went down to the pantry and searched for the

sunburn lotion. He grabbed a likely-looking tube that

was bright red with a large orange sunburst on it and

read the label. He very nearly meeped and a small

trickle of blood dripped from his nose.

* "Red Hot: Edible Cinnamon-Flavored Lubricant"???!!!"

* {4}

He put it down quickly, feeling a blush rising as he

wiped the blood away. Part of his mind was trying to

distract him with ideas of what ~interesting~ things

he and Duo could do with the red little tube, but he

firmly squelched it. Almost. He blushed harder and

found the right container in a hurry, double-checking

to make ~sure~ it was sunburn lotion. He was leaving

the pantry when he ran head-long into Duo.

"Hey! Watch it, Fei-babe!" Duo said, but he was

grinning.

"Gomen," Wufei said. He hoped his blush had faded.

Then he glared. "Don't call me Fei-babe!"

"Have you seen Quatre? My sunburn is really starting

to chafe," Duo said, ignoring the reprimand entirely.

"Actually, he had to go clean up lunch. He asked me to

do it instead."

Duo blinked. Wufei... was going to rub lotion on him.

~Wufei~ was going to rub lotion on him. Wufei was

going to rub lotion on ~him~.

* Don't blush don't blush don't blush don't blush *

"Oh, all right. Where d'you want me?" he said easily.

"Er... maybe outside in the shade..." Wufei said,

looking at a spot six inches to the left of Duo's ear.

Was Wufei ~blushing~? No, he didn't blush, it wasn't

like him. It had to be a trick of the light. But even

so, it was sooooo cuuuute!

"Let's go then," he said with a gammon grin, taking

Wufei's arm and tugging him out of the hallway and

into the sunlight. He resisted a yawn. He was so

tired. It was odd. He'd slept most of the morning and

yet he was still sleepy, even more so than he'd been.

Hn. Oh well, he could resist a little sleep if it

meant ~Wufei~ was going to ~touch~ him. His smile

became slightly wistful.

* Too bad he doesn't like me, ne? And he seems pretty

damn straight in the first place. But it's nice to

pretend sometimes. *

On the patio, Duo went one of the long deck chairs in

the shade and sat astride it, twisting to look up at

the still-standing Wufei. He gave a grin he knew to be

oh-so-kawaii.

"You gonna work your magic or do you need a written

invitation?"

"Hn," Wufei said, plopping gracefully behind him. Duo

pulled his braid in front of him to allow Wufei better

access. The cool aloe-gel came as a shock that made

him stiffen, but he practically melted in a few

seconds. His friend's touch was surprisingly gentle,

and some deity really loved him, because Wufei wasn't

just rubbing the ointment on him, he was giving Duo a

~massage~. It wasn't a severe poke as he'd half

expected, or the excruciatingly light tickle that had

been his other fear, but a firm, muscle-relaxing

squeeze. He tried to resist the instinct to lean into

the contact, but soon lost that battle. He gave in

with a few choice noises of pleasure.

"Mmmm...Lower..." he commanded in a slightly husky

voice. Wufei obeyed, and Duo practical purred as he

expertly worked the knots out of his shoulder blades.

A faint tingling feeling ran down his spine that had

nothing to do with the contact, but with ~who~ was

making that contact... He wondered if Wufei's lips on

his neck would feel as good as his hands did...

* Don't blush don't blush.. Dammit! Does he ~know~

what effect he has on me? *

"Oi, Fei-chan, how about I lay down, then you could

get to my lower back better," he suggested. Wufei

didn't respond, and his fingers continued as if he

hadn't said anything. "Er - Wu-chan? 'Fei? Oh, fine,

be a spoil-sport. Wufei?"

"Hn?"

"I said, 'How 'bout I lay down so you can get my lower

back better?'" Duo repeated, glancing over his

shoulder at him.

"Okay." Wufei stood, and Duo rolled off to the side,

taking the towel that had been cast across the chair

and spreading it on the ground. He laid down on it and

Wufei knelt beside him, resuming his ministrations.

This felt sooo good...

* This... this is torture... He doesn't even realize

what this is doing to me. *

Wufei was going to really regret letting Quatre force

this on him, especially if he went and did something

stupid, like try to kiss Duo's incredibly

kissable-looking neck and shoulders. He was blushing

again. And if that wasn't bad enough, Duo himself was

no help at all. He kept humming low in his throat and

arching up to meet Wufei's kneading hands,

occasionally mumbling instructions in a tone that

somehow seemed much more sensual than usual.

* I've got an overactive imagination. Duo's probably

straight, and even if he wasn't, he'd probably have a

crush on Heero, the way he's always hanging around

him. I've got no chance. None at all. *

The thought did nothing to quell his raging hormones.

He gritted his teeth and pulled his hands away. He had

finished his original task a long time ago, and this

massage was a weak way to sustain the contact. If he

were truly strong, he'd be able to tell Duo how he

felt and the consequences be damned.

"Du - ah, I mean, - Maxwell! Get up!" Wufei said,

wiping his hands on his pants. "Your weak sunburn has

been treated."

Duo didn't move or make a sound. The baka of his

dreams had fallen asleep. He resisted the sudden

inexplicable urge to lay down next to him and drift

off as well. He frowned and decided to wake him up.

"Maxwell!" Wufei shouted in Duo's ear. No reaction. He

frowned harder and shook Duo vigorously. "Duo, get up.

you're not being cute and I'm not falling for your

little prank."

Duo's head lolled to one side and he remained

unconscious.

Author's Note:

{1}- That's why it's a stupid reason for gods to have

a crutch like snapping to carry out their godly wills!

By the way, that's the whole point of this fic, so

don't look for another one 'cuz you won't find it!!

MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

Thalia: She's just mad because she can't snap.

{2}- Geeze, this pantry must be directly linked to

spandex space. It's just so full of useful items,

isn't it?

{3}- Actually, I ~love~ Heero's psycho laugh! He's so

~cute~ when he starts cackling maniacally! ::ignores

Heero giving her The Glare::

{4}- Thalia: ::snicker snicker::

Eros: ::raises eyebrows at Quatre::

Quatre: ::turning bright red:: Um - er - uh ...

HEYYYY! HOW'D ~THAT~ GET THERE?

Good cover, Quatre. Wouldn't that stuff burn?

Trowa: No. It only tastes like cinnamon. Right Quatre?

Everyone: O_o

Oh my...

Quatre: -_-' ::blushing, gives Trowa a reproachful

look::

Trowa: What?

Errr... never mind... So, I've finished part two.

Eros, get your bow!

Eros ::nocks a heart-tipped arrow and aims at

readers::

My little cherub-boy will make you fall madly in love

with Dr. J if you don't send C&C. Ja! ^_^

Eros: ::sighs and holds up sign that reads: "Send all

Comments and Criticisms to [email protected]"