Play a Little Longer

Finally, I get to start on the fourth chapter!! I think you all will REALLY like this chapter, especially if you liked the last three. In this chapter…oh wait, you probably want to read it for yourselves, right? Well, far be it from me to stop you! Enjoy! And sorry about the mess-up last time…hope those of you that were caught in it don't mind reading this chapter again…or else you can just wait for the next chapter to come out…

The only thing I have to do now is thank the following for their reviews and dedication to my story: Split Persona, Destiny's Lot,

Also, thanks to the following for giving my story a try: Firestorm,

(No notes for this chapter)

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That night, Mia's Mansion

A screech owl quietly landed on the roof of Mia's mansion. It twisted its head to one side, then to the other, being unusually quite for an owl, let alone a screech owl. Finally, almost as if it was pleased with no one being out and about to disturb it, it gave one hoot…and transformed into a beautiful young maiden.

Her eyes were stormy grey, her hair blond and tied up slightly in a ponytail that ran down past her shoulders, just barely ending at the middle of her back. She wore a silver dress, which sparkled in the moonlight but also revealed the garment for what it truly was. It was the hardest substance known to the gods and if this goddess ever came into trouble, it would act like an impenetrable armor. On top of her head rested a helmet and in one hand she held the Aegis, Zeus's shield with Medusa's head resting in the middle. She was none other than Athena, warrior goddess of the city and goddess of wisdom.

Without a word, she slipped through the ceiling and fell softly into a room that was almost dark. Above, the ceiling had fake, glowing stars plastered to it and each star was set up to resemble constellations, some of which she had even helped name. In the far corner, another light shone, coming from what she now knew to be called a lamp. It was resting on a desk, and seated at that desk was a young man who had caught her attention when Aphrodite was giving her report. His blue hair was slightly reflected from the nearby lamp.

Athena's heart fluttered as she took a step closer to the boy she had been compelled to look at, even just once. Even as she gazed upon him now, she knew it would not be the last time that she would see this young man, even if she was the one who had to make sure her prophecy came true. Forcing herself, she turned to see what had the young man working at so furiously. What was he doing that held his attention so?

She gazed down at a large heap of papers, about sixteen in count. The print was small and she could tell that a whole pen might be used just to write this exhausting work. Curious about what the boy was doing, she reached out hesitantly, and then placed a finger to his temple.

Instantly, images flashed into her mind of a teacher who had balding hair and a worn sweater. He was assigning something…a twenty-page report about Physics and what they meant in the world. The students would have two weeks to finish the assignment. There would be no extra credit for turning it in early since this was a college class, but he would gladly take any papers that were completed before the deadline.

Athena pulled back, but she considered what she had seen. It had been Friday when this assignment had been assigned, that much she could gather from Rowen. And today…why, today was Sunday, only two days after the report was assigned and Rowen was almost completed with the assignment. She smiled, a feeling similar to pride surging through her even though she had just met this boy. At the same time, her heart fluttered, and she knew she was connected to this boy in a way no other mortal or immortal could ever understand.

After this realization, Athena found herself pulling away into a corner of the room so as to think back. Indeed, there had been only one man before that she had come dangerously close to falling in love with before - Odysseus of Ithaca. Even the memory of him and the mention of his name brought back a strange feeling in her stomach and her heart began to flutter. Yes, during that time period, just like now, she had been at her weakest. She had acted foolishly, going as far as assigning herself as Odysseus's luck just so she could be closer to him.

"Bah!" She whispered to herself, wrinkling her nose at the same time as if she smelled something terrible. "Love is weak."

But at the same time, she could not deny that something stirred her heart when she gazed at the blue haired youth sitting before her…this Rowen. He was still bent low over his desk, scribbling out his report. His eyes were half-lidded in exhaustion – it was past one-thirty in the morning – but his eyes were fever bright at the knowledge presented to him and the ability to feed knowledge back out to others…a self-quiz in a way of what he could remember.

Athena smiled; she knew then and there that this was what she was attracted to…a man's love for knowledge. Truly, loving a man's wits and cunning was different from loving the man for his attitude or his body. "Truly," She decided, still whispering to herself, "this is why I am still considered to be one of the three virgin goddesses, unable to be swayed by Aphrodite's spells or Eros's arrows…it is because our love does not deal with the man as a whole, but a part of the man that is very hard to obtain."

Rowen suddenly sat back in his chair and Athena took an instinctive step backwards, bumping into the wall in the process. She did not wish to be seen by this handsome young man…not yet at least. However, Rowen just stretched and yawned, setting his pen down and massaging his hand after having worked for…Two hours? Could that clock possibly be right?

Rowen also glanced at the clock, turning his eyes away from his paper. Eager to see what he had written down, Athena inched forward. Slowly and quietly, she shifted the papers, reading Rowen's report, her own eyes glowing at the knowledge she was drinking in. When she came to the end, she smiled, knowing that it had been presented correctly, defended and wrapped up conclusively. There was no reason he shouldn't get a perfect mark…and if the teacher had a problem with that…well, then, she would just have to talk to him, wouldn't she?

Feeling a feather light brush of breath against her neck, she turned slowly, half expecting and half wanting Rowen to be gazing at her in wonder, a thousand questions racing through his midnight colored eyes. However, as she turned back to him, she felt a slight twinge of anger in her stomach to see that Rowen was practically fast asleep in his chair; his once fever-bright eyes were now weighed down by sleep, his face completely relaxed as Hypnos, god of dreams, led him elsewhere from this mortal realm. His breathing slowed down into a steadier pace and all Athena could do was watch him in amazement.

Athena finally stirred herself from her revere as she ran a hand through his fine, blue locks. Smiling, she picked him out of the chair, cradling him to her chest like the child he truly was. Gently, she rocked him back and forth a little as she walked over to his bed, pulling his covers down with a thought. She stood by his bed for a moment, allowing Rowen to drink in the peace and calmness from her aura before bending low over the bed and softly dropping him in his bed.

Still in deep sleep, Rowen heaved a sigh and curled away from Athena, turning onto his stomach and facing the wall. Gently, she brought the covers up around him and tucked them in just like a mother would. Finally, with the touch of a butterfly, she placed a kiss on his forehead. When she pulled back, the ancient Greek symbol for her name flared on his forehead for a moment before sinking in. Satisfied now that he was marked as hers and would forever only be hers, she smiled and vanished back to Mount Olympus in the blink of an eye.

In his sleep, visions of Sage carefully placing him in bed and kissing him goodnight plagued him, chasing away any image the goddess may have thought to leave him with. However, her mark still burned on him, waiting for those who could see and were willing to search to know that Rowen belonged to Athena…well, at least as far as gods and goddesses were concerned, for his heart truly did belong to another.

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The Next Day, Mount Olympus

Aphrodite smiled as she watched Hera wandering around outside her home as Helios began to bring the sun down into the oceans for another night's rest. Now would be the perfect time to act upon her plan.

Already she had made sure that Zeus would be taken care of for the night…some young maiden in Mexico with the name of Laternia would keep him busy and away from Olympus for now. All she had to do was use Hera now for the second step of her plan.

In her observations of the Elemental Armors, she noticed that Rowen, the blue-haired youth, hardly left the blonde's side. He would often wake from a deep sleep in the middle of the night to check on Sage and she couldn't have that if she was going to take the blond for herself now, could she? That was what Hera was for. Hera had an appetite for certain men and Aphrodite figured that Rowen might satisfy that appetite. However, just to be safe, she had slipped one of her own most potent love potions into her nectar…the best part was it would only activate when she desired it to.

Smiling, she finally stepped forth from the shadows and into Hera's line of view.

"Aphrodite! What could you possibly have to do so late at night and so near my home?" Hera asked, pausing in her pacing and looking Aphrodite over with a careful eye. If she were to try and seduce her husband, the younger goddess was going about it all wrong…letting you be seen by your enemy was the worst mistake you could ever make.

"Peace, Hera. I mean you – or your husband no harm. I actually have come to warn you that Zeus…isn't home right now and will not be able to attend to his nightly duties with you tonight." Aphrodite said slowly, repeating the lines she had rehearsed for so long. As she expected, Hera's eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"What have you done with him, witch?" Hera asked, her voice ice-cold and laced with venom.

"I have done nothing with him. It is not always my fault when Zeus is smitten with a girl."

"Where is he?"

"Somewhere in the country of Mexico…with a girl known as Laternia." Aphrodite put a hand over her mouth, forcing her eyes to look sad for Hera's sake when in truth she was smiling.

"That husband…I will drag him home by his EARS!! And then I will find an excruciating death for the girl that dared take him to bed." She was about to disappear to find her husband when Aphrodite stopped her once again, her hand falling from her face and a frown wrinkling her brow.

"I'm sorry, Hera, but I cannot allow you to kill the mortal girl."

"It is my right to punish my husband as I see fit. Do you disagree with me?" Hera's cold glare turned on Aphrodite, forcing her to freeze. It was never wise to cross paths with the queen of the gods, but Aphrodite had to do this. She had been unable to stop the torture of any girl that had attracted Zeus's fancy in the past because Hera often sought her revenge in a quiet manner. Now, she could not allow this to happen…as Eros had told her, it was their job to stop the abuse of love.

"You have every right to punish your husband, yes. But you cannot harm the mortal girl or their love. I am the goddess of love and I cannot sit by while you violate my area of expertise!" Aphrodite's voice was thundering and power crackled at the ends of each fingertip.

Hera, seeing Aphrodite truly angry for the first time, backed down in her argument.

"What do you suggest I do then, O great mistress of love?" The sarcasm was heavy in her voice, but Aphrodite chose to ignore that since she knew she had helped spare Laternia's life. For some reason, this simple fact gave her a great feeling of power and she was about to suggest only a scolding that would ring around the heavens…when she suddenly remembered her plan.

"I would…uhm, I would suggest…that since jealousy flows through your veins for such a traitorous deed that you get him back by making him jealous. Lay with another man tonight, have him get you pregnant…and relish in the wonderful sight at seeing Zeus's reaction to the child you bear which does not belong to him in any way." Aphrodite smiled as Hera nodded in agreement, turning away from the goddess of love for a moment before turning back.

"May I ask where one should find such a man as this that you speak as if you have already met him?" Hera asked softly, her voice still cold but her eyes obviously warming to the proposal set before her. Aphrodite gave a slight smile before continuing.

"That is because I have met a mortal man such as that…one that is worthy to sleep with the queen of the gods. He is one of the armor bearers, the bearer of Artemis's armor, Strata. Rowen would definitely heal the wounds that Zeus has left in your heart." Aphrodite explained, her heart falling as she saw that Hera was already pulling away from the plan. She must find a way to get Hera into Rowen's bed this night…for truly, she could wait no longer to see what the blond beauty could do in bed. "Do not tell me that the great queen is afraid herself to leave her own mark upon the Armor bearers?"

"No, it is not that. I would love to leave a mark such as that to be remembered by for centuries to come…but something whispers in my ear that this deed is terrible. It will only lead to death and destruction…the armor bearers are a handful of mortals that we should not touch. Fate has chosen them for something special, I just know it." Hera explained softly, unconsciously biting one of her nails in her apprehension.

Aphrodite gave a sinister smile. "Surely your mind will be made for the other way when you lay eyes upon this young man."

Without waiting for another moment or an argument to come from Hera, she grabbed the queen of the gods by the arm and disappeared with her to the home where the Elemental Armor bearers resided.

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That Night at Mia's Mansion

Sage was so happy! He had every right to be since Cye had talked to him this afternoon.

It seemed that Cye had become aware of how Sage had felt for Rowen. Cye had talked to Sage in his room for over an hour, taking forever to get the truth out of Sage. When he finally did have a more positive answer, he had plowed ahead, telling Sage that he thought Rowen was in the same situation. Cye said that he thought Rowen was going through similar feelings for Sage. He also told Sage that Rowen had told him he would be staying home to sleep since he hadn't gotten much sleep the night before. This would be the perfect opportunity for them both to tell each other how they felt.

So all Sage had to do, now that dinner was over, was wait for an hour so that Cye could get Kento, Ryo and Mia out of the house. The excuse was that Sage and Rowen had stayed up too late the night before and they were just going to go to bed early tonight. At least this lie was partially true.

Sage smiled when he heard the jeep starting up, then listened as it slowly backed down the driveway and drove away from the house. He counted off five minutes, making sure that if the others had forgotten something, they would have time to come back and claim it. When no one came back, Sage pushed off from his bed and checked the window. No returning lights or waiting taillights…Rowen and Sage now had the house to themselves.

Smiling, Sage quietly left his room and took the long way to Rowen's room instead of cutting through the adjoining bathroom. He knocked softly, but no answer came. Still grinning slightly, he put a hand to the doorknob and slowly twisted it, pushing the door open slightly.

Rowen was curled up on top of his covers, fast asleep…just like he had thought Rowen would be.

He took another step forward, reaching out a hand to caress the gentle cascade of blue locks lying above the sleeping face of the one he truly loved. However, as he reached forward, something stirred by Rowen's side and Sage halted, stopping his approach to see what was going on.

Rowen slept on, completely oblivious as an asp uncurled itself from his side and raised its head to glare at the one it sensed to be the intruder…Sage.

Sage gulped back his fear, not knowing what to do. An asp was a snake that lived most commonly in the land of Egypt…so what was one doing here in Japan? More specifically, what was one doing in the bed of his love?

"Rowen…" Sage whispered, keeping his eyes trained on the asp. He had to get Rowen out of here before the asp had a chance to strike and kill…but how to do that without the snake attacking? "Rowen!" Sage hissed at the sleeper once again, fear rising from the pit of his stomach as the asp slithered further over Rowen, as if to protect the blue-haired youth from Sage.

Sage opened his mouth to try and wake Rowen up once again only to see the snake open its mouth in response. It gave a long warning hiss and Sage closed his mouth. The snake didn't stop hissing though, and soon Sage became aware that it was talking…to him!

"…away. Thissss boy issss mine!" The snake hissed, flaring its hood to convey its meaning. It opened its mouth and its fangs came down. Dimly, Sage could see a yellow liquid just barely clinging to the fangs…the asp's venom. And he was hovering right above Rowen's face. If Rowen were to open his eyes as that venom fell…it most surely would result in blinding a person temporarily…if not permanently.

Sage, concerned, slowly backed up and left the room, shutting the door behind him but placing his ear against the cold wood. He had to make sure that Rowen would be all right.

Negation

There was no sound from the other room…no moan of pain, no hissing from a snake, no rustling of bed sheets. There was nothing that conveyed life beyond the door…no stir of life giving breath.

'Oh…gods…' Sage thought as the worst conclusion came to mind. The snake…why was he so stupid to leave Rowen alone in a room with such a deadly creature? Rowen could be dead or dying now and he was too scared to move forward and help…

Just like how he had felt when Ryo had needed his help a few days ago. Ryo had almost died then…he could not allow Rowen to take that place.

With a surge of courage, he stepped forward, forcing the door open again. His eyes immediately fell to the sleeper that hadn't changed position since he had last looked in a few moments before. However, this time, no snake was lying by Rowen's side or draped over him. Sage looked again to Rowen's sleeping form, checking for any signs of life. His chest rose and fell, indicating the warrior of Strata still lived. The asp had never delivered a killing bite.

Sage sagged with relief against the doorjamb, a feeling of pure relief and exhaustion washing over him. Slowly, he collected himself to puzzle over something. He had been almost certain that a snake HAD been lying next to Rowen, waiting to bite. However, that same snake supposedly talked to him and that didn't happen in the real world at all. Was it possible that Sage really was too tired, unable to tell the difference between dreams and reality? Could this be a dream right now?

Sage pinched his arm, hard…and the pain that responded told him the answer to that question. No, this was real…at least, now it was real.

A new stirring came from Rowen's bed and Sage slowly lifted his eyes, fear compelling him to do so and fearing at the same time that he would see the horrid asp once again…that once again that asp would talk to him…He scolded himself, saying that he needed to get some sleep as his face continued to rise and see what continued to twist and turn beside Rowen's sleeping form.

When he finally did look up, he breathed a sigh of relief. There was no snake…but something was curled up to Rowen's side once again. Sage took a step closer, trying to find out what it was…

A woman stretched out by Rowen, raising her head slightly as she rained kisses across the blue-haired archers brow. Sage continued to stand in the doorway, his mouth hanging open in shock. The woman looked up at him and gave a faint smile before leaning forward once again, this time to capture Rowen's lips in a kiss.

She started softly, slightly pulling at Rowen's lips as if to arouse some reaction from one that was clearly entirely asleep. But was Rowen truly asleep? For as the woman continued, the archer curved his back and moaned, joining into the kiss with passion. He captured her lips as well, bruising them with the ferocity that he forced his lips upon her pale pink ones.

Sage backed into the hall and away from the display before his eyes. He couldn't believe what he had just seen and yet his mind screamed at him otherwise. 'Rowen isn't gay! Of course he couldn't have loved you like you had hoped! Rowen never loved you like you felt attracted to him because Rowen wasn't ever gay. Cye had been wrong in this instance…Rowen wasn't gay…he had chosen another, a woman to fill any need he might have.'

His mind kept up the barrage as Sage stumbled back to his room, his eyes burning and blurring with unshed tears. He choked back a sob that was lodged in his throat, but he knew he had to say it…he had to put an end to his feelings.

As he collapsed onto his bed, he finally got the nerve and choked out the three words that he hoped would release him. "Rowen…isn't…gay…" He trailed off as tears seemed to burn down his cheeks like fire, but he didn't make a move to wipe them away. Instead, he stayed how he was, half on his bed and half off, the covers rumpled under him as his mind slowly shut down any feelings he might have ever felt for the blue-haired archer. His heart ached terribly at the task and he didn't even know if he could continue this task tonight…maybe he should sleep on it…

His eyes felt heavy just at the thought, but it was heavy because he felt like some external force was forcing it upon him. He knew this and forced his tear-streaked face up to see who was in the room with him, half hoping it would be Rowen trying to explain the terrible dream he had seen in the archer's room.

But Rowen didn't stand above him. Instead, a beautiful woman stood there, her long blond hair cascading down in ripples around her shoulders and down her back. Her slightly violet eyes, so akin to his, sparkled in the dark with sympathy he could not understand but desperately needed. When she saw that she held his attention, she knelt next to him, brushing away a stray tear and pushing her scantily clad body closer to his. He didn't shy away from the touch even though his mind screamed for it.

Indeed, it seemed like he was living a dream, the edges becoming blurred like a distant memory as she lifted him with ease off the ground and gently into bed. His eyes traversed her body and he could hardly believe it when his voice, harsh with tears, invited her to lie down next to him. She did so slowly, a sleeve of her dress drooping and exposing herself to him. She touched him between the eyes with a beguiling smile and Sage felt him smiling back, unaware of the mark this goddess had left on him. He leaned back on his bed, opening himself for the invitation and she stretched out along him.

Sage smiled as he ran his hands over her bare back moments later. Tonight would be a night to force horrible memories away and replace them with something special. He had exerted himself in a few wonderful moments, exhausting himself like he had never thought possible.

The woman that lay to the side of him stirred awake and clutched her dress to her as she slowly rose. Sage wanted to rise with her, giving protest to the fact that she should leave. He wanted her to stay because she made him feel important but he could make no such request. Instead, he squeaked out, "When shall I see you again?"

The woman shook her head, forcing her blond hair to ripple in different directions. She smiled softly and touched him between the eyes again. The touch seemed to force sleep upon Sage and he found himself lying back down against his will and closing his eyes.

"You shall not see me again, Sage Date, armor bearer of Halo." She whispered to him as his last amount of consciousness faded. "Indeed, I will be surprised if you remember this encounter at all." But I know Father Zeus knows of our meeting. He will be most displeased that I tainted his precious Halo. Indeed, we shall be lucky if our child even survives his anger. At that very thought, Aphrodite placed a hand against her flat belly as if she could already feel the little life's heartbeat. Even a goddess could not have that great of powers, but a goddess did know when she had conceived. And tonight would bring forth a very beautiful child.

With one more thought, Aphrodite vanished back to her home on Mount Olympus.

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A cave somewhere in the Underworld

Three unearthly howls boiled up from the Underworld, shaking mountains and boiling waters that resided just above the place where the three fates resided. To say they were upset was an understatement.

"Foolish Immortals!!" Lachesis, dispenser of destiny howled, her anger still burning beneath the surface. She wanted to strangle two goddesses in particular, Hera and Aphrodite for they had interfered with her plans…the plans that had involved Sage Date and Rowen Hashiba! Those two had been meant for each other since before many others creation! It wasn't fair that two stupid goddesses and their need for release had destroyed Rowen and Sage's only chance on that night! She let loose another cry that she hoped would reach Father Zeus's ears.

Her sisters, Clotho, spinner of the life thread, and Atropos, cutter of the thread at death, howled with her in sheer agony and anger at what had been done on this night. These boys had been planned before the great sleep that had fallen upon them all over two and a half thousand years ago. They had been planned for and set up for a time when the three Fates had hoped the gods would still be sleeping. However, the first thing they had seen upon their awakening was that their careful plans were to be shattered in one night…the very night they woke up.

"They have ruined my perfect threads! Those foolish goddesses! Atropos, you should cut their threads for the taint they have laid upon the ones we had planned so long for!" Clotho moaned as she went up to two threads, a green and a blue one, that had been pinned to the wall. She touched them gingerly, a touch only a mother could have and burst into new tears. She had never cried before, never!! She looked back up at the two threads and hated to see red and black sewn in with their pure colors. It wasn't fair, but she knew she would have to weave two new threads today…the children of the action she so abhorred. She knew that if she didn't give these two infants a chance at life that only more suffering would come from the wounds inflicted.

Going off to her corner, she snatched her threads and began to knit even as Lachesis continued in her rage.

"This is unjust! They were supposed to love only one another, untainted by anything else! They were to be the ones to save the world when the gods tested them…now they are to be the ones to die!" Lachesis sank to her knees on the cold stone floor, sobs still wracking her body at the disaster she saw for the future.

Atropos had not moved from the cauldron where all life ended and began, where the Fates poured the soul in and yanked it out. Her eyes snapped open suddenly…she had seen something new.

"This love…the goddesses love the two bearers in a way we cannot understand. Three goddesses love the two, but only two will be there for our favorites when they suffer through death. Somehow, the two will survive their ordeal…and through their close death, they shall love again. Unfortunately, we shall not be aware to see their love blossom."

The prophecy ended and Atropos looked up at her sisters to see new hope shining in their eyes. She smiled back to them, happy that Gaea and Chaos were not so utterly cruel in their plans…that the fates would not have to kill the ones they had labored over to create.

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Okay sorry to some of you that already read this chapter because of a major human error before!! I was warned about it on the first night but it was too late or something and I didn't catch it! So sorry, and I hope that it doesn't dampen your liking of my stories!!

Please R&R and be a little patient, the next chapter shall be out soon!