A/N: Well, all I can do is apologize profusely for the delay. My earlier excuse (school, classes, hw, etc) was not valid this whole week. I had school on Monday, but then the rest of the week, school was closed due to a foot of snow and ice. So basically, I've had almost a full week to write and update but…I had writer's block, I had blank-paper-phobia, and I'm now seriously behind on hw cuz I didn't do it when I had the chance. I played in the snow in subzero temperatures. Yes, I'm serious.

So, I hope y'all'll accept this longer chapter as my apology. And you KuroNekoShoujo, you'd better update soon as well. I've updated, now it's your turn. *winks*

Warnings: …um…um…chicken…*looks around awkwardly* What? It's true. Just read the chapter to see what I mean. Oh, and by the way, I got this idea from Mrstoasthead. Nice idea friend. Hope you don't mind me using it. ;)

Chapter 2

Rey stirred in his sleep as vague dreams of betrayal and horrified expressions on people's faces. He woke with a jerk but did not cry out. Tears slipped down his face as swiftly fading memories left a strange emptiness in his heart that could not be filled, but instead an intense sadness filled his heart. He felt as if his spirit had been trampled, torn, and ripped to shreds over and over again. But for the life of him, he couldn't remember why.

He glanced over to his right and saw someone sitting there. The person had long silvery white hair tied back in a long ponytail and held away from his face by a teal turban. Teal robes hung from the handsome form in simple elegance. The person was leaning back against a chair, obvious asleep. Something about the beautiful person pulled at him.

But a gentle tapping to his left drew his attention.

Luca woke slowly, still held by the bonds of sleep. When he finally opened his eyes, the first thing he noticed was that the purple haired angel was no longer lying on the bed. Jerking up from his seat as a sudden spear of fear raced through his blood. His blood red eyes darted about before settling on a beautiful figure seated on the window sill, the glass windows thrown open.

His breath caught at the sight. The other angel was sitting on the sill with his ankles crossed and his left arm held up to accommodate a young barn owl. Those glittering amber eyes smiled softly while his right arm caressed the owl's feathers all the while listening to the quiet hoots and whistles the bird emanated.

Luca blinked as he released his pent up breathe. The sudden gasp drawing the attention of the other angel who whirled to face him, a startled expression on his face. The owl reacted to the sudden movement by spreading wing and flying away. The amber eyed angel reached out to call the bird back but slumped when the bird was no longer within sight. Then he turned back to Luca, distrust and fear evident in his eyes.

Holding out a placating hand, Luca slowly stood from his chair and made his way to the frightened angel. He was vaguely surprised the other had made it to the window, let alone open it and call an owl to him. Only Shiva could do that, but even then the birds came reluctantly.

"Easy," Luca whispered. "I won't hurt you. My name is Luca. I'm an angel, as are you."

"Angel?" the wounded angel repeated just as quietly. His golden eyes followed the silver angel's every movement with suspicion. He wanted desperately to flee but he couldn't move. He was rooted to the sill on which he sat. His muscles twitched with strain and a gentle warmth blossomed between his shoulder blades just waiting to be released.

Luca stopped when he was finally within arm's reach of the stranger. He stretched out his hand and said, "You should return to bed. You're hurt. I have some soup if you think you can eat it. Shin made it and he's a fairly decent cook." Luca winced slightly as he said that. True Shin could cook, but he wasn't necessarily good at it.

Molten gold eyes narrowed in caution and glanced over to the bowl on the bedside table. Returning his gaze to the entreating angel before him, he nodded and gingerly took the welcoming hand in his.

The other hand was warm and soft with the occasional callus here and there. Borrowing the other angel's –Luca's- strength, Rey pulled himself to his feet and carefully made his way back to the bed. When he was comfortable, he took the offered soup and sniffed it. It smelled good enough and it had broccoli, carrots, and some sort of meat in it. White meat from the look of it, but he couldn't place it. Glancing up at Luca for assurance, he took a spoonful and slipped it in his mouth.

Then immediately spit it out and threw the bowl across the room.

Luca had barely enough time to register surprise before he was suddenly tackled by a furious angel with glowing amber eyes. Slender, deceptively delicate hands locked onto Luca's throat and squeezed as a cold voice shouted, "How dare you! How could you! How could you do this to me? What did I do to you? Who are you? Why would you trick me into eating that? How could you trick me into eating my friends!"

Luca wrestled with the strangling hands, all the while reading the other angel's whirling emotions and listening to his furious demands. Betrayal, hurt, self-hatred, and fear colored by blind fury were the dominating emotions he felt. They raged in the other angel and rushed into him with almost overpowering strength. But he pushed those thoughts aside as he finally wrenched the slender hands from his neck and rolled so he was now sitting astride the still flailing angel.

"What's wrong?" he demanded. "What is it? Calm down and tell me what's wrong!"

"What's wrong? What's WRONG! You tricked me! I trusted you and you tricked me!" the beautiful creature beneath him responded, tears brimming in those glistening eyes.

"How? Calm down, and tell me how," Luca said as he systematically caught his attackers wrists and pinned them on either side of Rey's head, studiously ignoring the way the slender hips beneath him continued to rise and twist.

By then, the other had heard the outcry and had come rushing. Judas was the first to arrive followed by a flustered Shin. Gou and Gai arrived next with Shiva taking up the rear having only just come back from Zues' shrine.

"Luca!" Judas called as he rushed to his friend's side, only to be stopped by and abrupt order.

"No! Let me handle it."

Surprised by Luca's demand but trusting in the other's ability to handle the situation, he held back. Shiva pushed to the front of the group to stand by Judas, his purple eyes narrowed in disgust.

"Listen to me," Luca said quietly.

"No! Let go of me! Let GO!"

"LISTEN to me!" Instantly, the writhing angel slowed his frantic struggles and glared up at Luca. His small chest heaved in exertion and tears made carved wet trails down pink blotched cheeks. Long, purple locks lay splayed out on the pillow around Rey's face.

"Now, what did I do to upset you? Tell me. Tell me so I don't do it again," Luca commanded softly, never loosening his hold on Rey's wrists, not trusting the other angel that far quite yet.

Amber eyes glared at him for several breathes. "You tricked me."

"How? Tell me how?"

"You were going to let me eat that," Rey growled, literally shaking with rage.

"…excuse me?"

"You were going to let me eat that!" Rey repeated, jerking his hips in a vain attempt to push Luca off.

"You mean the soup?" Luca asked incredulously.

"Yes!"

After a few moments of awkward silence, Luca snorted. Then he fell over laughing. He was quickly joined by the others. Even Shiva snickered in derision.

Rey, however, blushed deeply in embarrassment and hurt. They were laughing at him. They were laughing at him. They almost let him eat one of his friends, and they were laughing at him. To his face.

That was too much.

He snarled and pushed Luca off him before kicking him off the bed. He would have jumped down to beat the other angel if his arms weren't suddenly pinned to his sides by a pair of strong, muscular arms. He was pressed against a strong, well defined chest that dwarfed his slender, dancer-like form.

He struggled, but know it was useless. Until he heard a screech. Jerking his head up in sudden hope, he was greeted by the sight of his owl friend darting through the open window on silent wings. He ducked just in time to feel the grip on him loosen as his former captor was glomped by a young, feisty owl.

Gou batted at the winged creature trying not to hurt it but at the same time trying to get it to backoff.

"Shiva! Tell it to stop!" Gai crowed.

"Begone, filthy bird. You're not welcome here. Begone!" the Suzaku commanded.

But instead of obeying, the owl turned its attention to him. Shiva soon had his hands full trying to ward away a furious fowl. Then the owl's screeches were suddenly joined by caws and tweets as a flock of ravens and wrens added their wings and talons to the attack. Shiva couldn't believe it! He was the Suzaku, ordained by Zeus himself! These birds should be obeying his every command and yet they fought him. They fought him!

Filthy vermin.

Then as suddenly as it started, it was over. Silence fell in the chamber. Nothing but a few stray feathers marked the birds' previous presence. Everything was still. Too still.

"Hey! Where'd he go?" Shin called.

The purple haired angel who had started this whole mess was gone.

A/N: Well, there we are. Chapter 2. I hope to update again soon, but college comes first. I'm paying out-of-state tuition for that and this is free. Money stuff comes first…even if I hate it. Well, it's now 3:15 in the morning and I'm going to bed. Nighty-night. :OZZZZzzz...

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