3.17 Different

Hey everyone, how are you?  This is the 100th post! So, yes, you can expect another special soon.

"I'm so tired, how much longer?" Apollo rubbed his eyes. They had both been sitting behind the hedge near the Vault of Antiquity.

"Until we get a breakthrough," David said, as if it was obvious. 

Apollo's stomach was beginning to growl and his head was pounding. He didn't think he could concentrate for much longer. "It's been a couple of hours."

"And?" David said coldly. Their previous truce was nonexistent. Both men were irritated beyond belief. Apollo just wanted to go home and David was so obsessed with finding out information when Apollo had told him what to do in the first place. 

"Whatever man, let's just try and focus so that we can get out of here faster." The sun was beating on Apollo's skin, he felt the sweat dripping from his forehead. He wiped it with the back of his hand, only to have more replace it.

"You humans are so fragile, but even so, Tommy holds up way better than you."

"Yeah, obviously. he's been playing baseball since high school. He's got good stamina. I'm a business major, you tell me who would last out here," Apollo said angrily.

"Fucking Damian and his bright ideas. I know he's the headmaster but you're damn unbearable," David growled.

"I am? What about you? You punched me in the face for no damn reason!" Apollo argued passionately.

"Oh, there was a damn reason alright!"

The sound of footsteps got louder and louder unbeknownst to the arguing boys. They were snapped from their thoughts when they heard someone shout, "I can see you guys!"

"Crap! That's the guy! Lay down!" David pushed him towards the ground.

"What the?" Apollo began to stutter. 

"Just shut the hell up and follow my lead."

Apollo became uncomfortable with David's head resting on his chest. He wanted to freak out and push the male off of him, but unfortunately that would blow their cover. 

"What the heck?" The red haired male laughed. "You're just two lovebirds in the bushes."

"Babe, handle this," David yawned, not turning around. Babe!? Apollo could think of ten other ways to get out of this situation that did not involve Tommy's boyfriend practically on top of him. 

"Uh...what did you think we were doing?" Apollo asked.

The man laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his neck. "I, uh...well I don't really know. I heard some voices coming from the bushes. That doesn't sound suspicious to you?"

"Well, I guess..." Apollo paused for a moment. "But, we can't meet out in the open, it's a little scandalous."

"Haha, you're right. Listen, I'm so sorry about this, I don't mean to be intruding on a moment or anything."

"No, that's ok-"Apollo began but was cut off.

"This is the only time I get to see my boyfriend, so do you mind?" David practically snapped.

Apollo stared at the stranger, wide eyed. "He's just cranky.."

"It's cool, I'm just being nosy and rude. Enjoy your time here, uh bye.." The man walked away quickly. 

"He's gone, get the hell off of me damnit!" Apollo growled softly.

"Like I wanted to be that close to you, yeah right!" David spat. "You blew our freaking cover!"

"Me? You were the one arguing with me!" Apollo exclaimed. 

"Whatever, I think it's time that we return to the palace."

"How did it go?" Damian asked.

Apollo yawned and stretched his arms over his head. "It was incredibly boring, I'm sorry."

"Unfortunately, not everything is fun and games," Damian said.

"I know," Apollo agreed. "I'm just exhausted."

"Did this freak hit you again?" Frost asked.

Apollo shook his head, "I'm fine."

"I made it clear what would happen if he touched Apollo again." Damian gave David a menacing look, causing the male to shrink backwards in fear. "Now, what kind of information did you find?"

"Tell him smartypants," David hit Apollo's arm.

"Me? Oh um, the guy had a phone conversation with some girl named Ella. He was waiting for her to show up, and he was just hanging out after he hung up."

"Did you guys wait for this girl to come?" Damian questioned.

"No, because this idiot blew our cover!" David crossed his arms over his chest.

"Me?" Apollo asked. "We were both arguing!"

"Well, what happened?" Damian asked,

"I fixed it, don't worry about it." David looked away. 

"Hmm, Tommy, I'd like you to go and follow up on this. Can you go to the vault now? Lay low." 

       "Yes sir," Tommy bowed before leaving.

 The next morning, Apollo sat down by Damian, who looked like he was meditating.

"Is something wrong?" Damian asked, eyes still closed.

"Not really, I'm just confused about everything. I think you could tell me a million times but it still wouldn't register in my brain," Apollo sighed.

"You need to figure it out yourself," Damian said.

"Mhmm, that's why I'm asking your permission to leave this place and explore, only for a few hours. I want to experience this place, now that I know it's not as dangerous as you and David made it seem."

Damian opened one eye and looked over to Apollo. "It could still potentially dangerous, depending on who you run into."

"Yes, but thats everywhere isn't it?" Apollo posed.

"You're right. I can call David to come down and supervise your trip." Damian was about to stand up when Apollo stopped him.

"No, stop. I appreciate that, but I think I just want to clear my head. I won't go far, and I'll be able to find my way back," Apollo said.

"Fine, at least take my directions. Take some of this money and go buy yourself a new outfit." Damian reached into his pocket and handed Apollo some money.

"Everyone's a critic," Apollo joked, looking down at his shirt. "David gave me this, so I'm not really surprised. Thanks, but I don't really need new clothes."

"You plan on staying here until you get Tommy on your side, right?" Damian asked. "Well, you have a long ways to go. You can't keep borrowing David's stuff."

"As long as I get to go out, I'll do it." Apollo stood up and headed to the door. "Thanks."

"Dont come back looking worse than you do now."

"Alright?" Apollo laughed.

Apollo found a nice little boutique fairly close to Damian's palace and decided to enter it. It wasn't too far that he'd get lost and it didn't look like it got that much business, so he'd be less likely to draw attention to himself. His eyes landed instantly on the red haired male behind the register. It was the same red haired male that he and David had been staking out the day before. He moved to leave the store, but it was too late, they had already locked eyes.

"Hey!" The man waved politely. "Are you stalking me?" He joked.

"I had no idea you worked here," Apollo said, eye's dashing everywhere but the man. "Funny how things work out."

"Are you new here?" He asked, striking up a conversation with Apollo. "I've never seen you around before. Moonlight falls is a big place, but you just seem different."

"Oh, yeah, I um..." Apollo paused, unable to think of a good enough lie.

"No worry man, you don't have to tell me your life story," He grinned cheekily. "I take it you're here to buy some new clothes to impress your man?"

Apollo's eyes widened. "No!" he answered too quickly. "I just want to spice up my wardrobe."

"You're in luck, I am always open to commissions. Follow me." He led him to a few racks of clothing and began to pull things out. There was an awkward silence. Apollo didn't know what to say to the guy. It was all such a strange coincidence. "Twentythree years old and picking out men's clothing, what about you? You look like you're in a bit of  rut yourself."

"You can tell just from looking at me?" Apollo asked.

"Here's a secret between you and me, I'm a mage. We kind of have a good sense of intuition. You're around my age and you're here on important business." He leaned in close to Apollo and held a single finger up to his lips.Apollo wore a bewildered expression and the man began to laugh. "Haha, now I know why I thought you were different. You're a human right? That explains why you seem so lost."

"Anyone could guess that," Apollo rolled his eyes, "that must mean that it's not really a secret that you're a mage?"

"Nope," he laughed again. "Some people like to call it being  witch, but that just sounds so nasty, you know?" He leaned against the clothes rack and handed Apollo a few shirts and a pair of jeans. "Go and try these on. You need to layer the shirts."

"Am I wearing this right?" Apollo asked, coming out of the dressing room.

"Yeah, hold on." He grabbed the top of Apollo's shirt and began to unbutton the top few buttons. "That's for your boyfriend, he'll be thanking me."

Boyfriend. It was a strange word when spoken aloud. Boyfriend. Apollo repeated it in his head. He couldn't help but laugh bitterly. "He's not the one I'm trying to impress."

"So you're that kind of man?" The man wore a teasing man.

"What? Oh man, I didn't even mean to say that!" Apollo stammered.

"I don't judge man, we all have things that make us tick." He held his arms up. "You look good, I can ring you up."

"You're really trying hard for that commission," Apollo said. "I don't know if I like wearing a button down, vest and blazer, it seems kind of excessive."

"I promise that it looks good, for whoever you're trying to impress. It requires a little effort, but doesn't it all make up for it when you see that person's smiling face?" Ella? Apollo thought to himself. Could this man be talking about her? But he was right. Even though Apollo knew a stupid shirt wouldn't change things between him and Tommy, he'd like to think he was doing something more than just screwing things up.

"You can ring me up," Apollo nodded. "You're a good salesman."

"I know every trick in the book, see that?" The man gave him a thumbs up.

"I don't know if you're joking or being serious," Apollo sighed.

"Is that all?" The man punched a few buttons on the cash register before handing Apollo back his change.

"No, thanks a lot for your help." Apollo began to count the change in his hand. "Hold on, you gave me--"

"Employee discount." He swatted Apollo's hand away. "Don't worry about it."

"Thank you." Apollo smiled kindly as he left the building.

"Hold on, wait!" The man called out. Apollo spun around on his heels, almost too eagerly. "I never caught your name."

"Oh, it's Apollo."

"I'm Ethan." I hope we run into each other again, things get so boring in Moonlight Falls with the same faces, he thought.