A/N: I'm alive! Celebrate and be merry! I'm just kidding, you don't have to do that. But I am in school now, sitting in my dorm room with words of wisdom on my wall, 'Driver picks the music, shotgun shuts his cake hole'. This chapter is unedited, so please be nice to me.

Oh, there's no important information to be given this chapter. And incase you don't get it, Lucifer is 'planking' in this chapter. Just FYI.

One Week Later

The morning was cool, the mist still damp on the grass as the sun barely shone over the mountain peaks. Each droplet sparkled in the morning sun, becoming diamonds that frosted each lush surface. It was a magical sight, but Castiel took no time to notice it. His attention was fully taken by the man beside him. Denathus ran next to Castiel, the Athenian struggling to match him stride for stride. They had been running for what Castiel thought was hours, his legs burning with each step, chest heaving with every labored breath. There was a sharp pain in his side that simply refused to leave and a persistent throb in his ankle from where he miss stepped miles back. But still Castiel pushed himself, knowing that unless he died or passed out Denathus would not let him stop. So Castiel pushed through the pain, his mouth a taunt line as he kept his cries within.

The appearance of his house had Castiel's heart soaring, a newfound vigor entering his strides. Once they entered the garden Castiel collapsed, his legs finally giving out under him. Castiel lay face down on the ground for a moment before he felt Denathus' hands grasp him under his arms, pulling him easily to his feet. If Castiel were not so tired he would have noticed how his heart quickened, a fire stirring in his core at the rough handling. Instead Castiel let himself be manhandled back to his feet, Denathus forcing him to walk. His voice was stern as he spoke, "You have to keep moving Castiel."

Castiel groaned, most of his body weight leaned against Denathus as he was forced to walk around the garden. Castiel could not believe that Denathus could possibly still be on his feet. He and Michael had been going on their run earlier in the mornings due to Michael's schedule and the growing tension between Greece and Persia. Castiel came to the conclusion that Samthrian and Denathus were creations of Hephaestus, machines that never tired or grew weak. There was the only explanation that could explain their unnatural stamina.

After circling the garden several times Denathus led Castiel to the bench in the orchard, giving him instructions to stretch out the muscles in his legs. Castiel did as he was told, wanting to ask the questions that were on the tip of his tongue but knowing that Denathus would refuse to answer a single one. This was another thing that Castiel would have to get use to. Not only was the training that he and his brothers were experiencing as grueling ordeal, but the form of the training was a completely new concept to them.

Denathus had stated that this was not the same training that he and Samthrian had experienced, making Castiel all the more glad that he had not been raised in Sparta. Denathus and Samthrian had the Athenians up before the sunrise, starting the day with a grueling ten mile run. From there the Spartans would train them with either the sword or spear, alternating from day to day. The only reason that they would stop to have lunch was because by the third day Gabriel's complaining had come to a pinnacle when he passed out during a simple weight lifting exercise. After a small meal, the Spartans only willing to give them that, the Athenians were forced to go through battle strategies and maps. They would be tested through out the day; questions yelled at them while sparing, maps taken away and the layouts demanded to be known. If an answer was not correct or given fast enough there would be a punishment, the severity of them escalating as the days went by. The day before Castiel happened to see Lucifer being punished. He was in the center of the garden, his body as straight as a board as he put all his weight on his elbows. He had several rocks piled on his back, a grimace on his face as he fought against the strain. Samthrian was barking at him, Lucifer answering with barely contained rage. With each snarky answer or smart remark Samthrian added another stone, the scowl in Lucifer's face darkening with the added weight. The weight was finally removed when Lucifer submitted, his answers short, quick, and respectful.

The nights were just as hard. The Athenians had their beds taken away from them, forced to sleep on the floor of their rooms with nothing but a blanket for warmth and a mat beneath them. It had taken four days for Castiel to get use to waking up with a pain in his neck and a stiff back. None of them complained though, not even Gabriel. They did not know what they were signing up for exactly, but they had been warned. Now they had to sleep in the beds they had made, even if more figuratively than literally.

Denathus stole Castiel's attention when he said sharply, "No Castiel, you have to actually stretch the muscle if you wish to achieve anything."

Denathus had been avoiding direct contact with Castiel as much as he could the last week, trying to keep their relationship as professional as possible. He avoiding physical touch, resorting to commanding and directing Castiel around rather than demonstrating himself. It made certain situations more difficult, but Denathus thought that if he kept away from Castiel then his attraction would slowly ebb away also. Denathus had been watching Castiel stretch, grimacing at the poor technique of the other man. Eventually Denathus could not stand it anymore, moving to Castiel's side and putting his hands on the other man's back without a second thought. "If you want to keep your muscles attached to your body you need to keep them stretched so the next time you use them they do not seize up and pull away from your bones." Denathus put pressure on Castiel's back, making the other man bend down further, "You need to keep moving until you can feel the pull and then stop." Denathus was slowly moving closer towards Castiel, his frame outlining the back of Castiel, a soft pressure against his own form. "Hold that position for half a minute before moving back." Denathus' hand crept down Castiel's spine, settling in the small of his back and remaining there. Castiel swallowed, trying to focus on Denathus' words and not the warmth that was spreading through his body.

Denathus watched as Castiel nearly bent in half, his eyes dilating as a single thought passed through his mind, Wow he's bendy. Denathus' eyes widened as he took a step back, pulling his hand away from Castiel as if he hand just touched a burning coal. Castiel did not seem to notice Denathus' movement though as he made no acknowledgment of Denathus' action. What Denathus did not know was that Castiel was fighting the urge to get that hand back, for the soft press of Denathus against his back to return. Pushing the feeling down Castiel put all his focus into stretching, steeling his mind against all manner of fantasies that threatened his sanity.

Across the garden and out of view, Gabriel and Samthrian found themselves in a very similar predicament. Lucifer was not with them at that moment, he had been need at a trial that day, a messenger coming to the house in the morning with news of a murder trial that was being held on the Hill of Ares. He had left with Samthrian's reminder that they would still train after he returned ringing in his ears. This was the main reason that Samthrian found himself towering over Gabriel, the smaller man lying on his back and smirking up at Samthrian. The Spartan had Gabriel's leg in his hands, pushing it towards his head as he stated, "You can do this by yourself you know."

Gabriel was coy as he replied, "Now where's the fun in that Sammy?"

Samthrian's eyes locked with Gabriel's, his gaze darkening as he said, "It's Samthrian."

Gabriel just smiled back, "What ever you say Sammy."

Samthrian held Gabriel's gaze as he gave a slight push to Gabriel's leg, causing the other man to cry out, "Ow! What was that for?"

Samthrian let Gabriel's leg drop as he replied coolly, "For calling me Sammy."

Gabriel's eyes narrowed, a playful smile crossing his face as he launched himself at Samthrian, hitting the man with a huff of air and knocking him to the ground. Gabriel landed on Samthrian's chest, his hands bracing himself on the wide expanse of muscle beneath them. His breath caught in his chest as he looked down at the man beneath him, his mind slowing down to a dead stop. Before he knew what he was doing, Gabriel was leaning down, his face mere centimeters away from Samthrian's. His eyes locked with Samthrian's before flashing towards his lips. They rose again, asking for Samthrian's permission to do what he had been longing to do since the moment that he laid eyes on him.

It was not Gabriel who moved first though, but Samthrian, giving Gabriel all the permission that he needed by arching up, connecting his mouth with Gabriel's. Gabriel's body froze for a moment, the shock coursing through his body before being chased away by the single fact that Samthrian was kissing him. Gabriel moaned, shifting to straddle Samthrian's waist. Raising his hands Samthrian ran them through Gabriel's hair, taking a handful and pulling slightly, directing Gabriel as he deepened the kiss. Running his tongue over Samthrian's lips Gabriel licked his way into his mouth, enjoying every small sound that vibrated out of the other mans chest. Gabriel pulled away first, panting as he gazed down at Samthrian. With a smile he leaned down to bite at his kiss-swollen lips, tugging on them playfully as Samthrian moaned. Moving his mouth down Samthrian's jaw he whispered between kisses, "I can think of something way better than training we can do right now."

The only answer that he needed was Samthrian's bruising kiss to shut him up.