FicWad

I don't own Class of the Titans.

---

Getting To It

---

"From what I can tell, it's just some white clay," Odie said, looking up from his computer monitor. He held up something else, what appeared to be a slightly soggy petal. "And a chunk of what it should be; a lily. Other than that, there's not much I can tell you. Whoever gave that to Neil should probably get a refund."

By this point, everyone was gathered in the kitchen to witness the strange melting flower; even Herry, who had been dragged away from the television. Atlanta picked up the glass, swirling the murky water around. "So it was just a really good copy made out of clay?" she asked. "That's still a nice gift. It wouldn't die that way."

"I don't think so," Theresa said, taking the glass from her and rinsing it out. "It felt real and when it started melting, the color just drained from it." She put the cup away and turned, trying to remember exactly what she had seen. "But not like paint or anything that would be put on a sculpture to make it look real." She sighed. "It's hard to explain."

"Well, there's no indication of the chemicals found in paints or glazes in the scan." Odie was checking over the readings displayed on the screen of his computer a second time. "But I haven't exactly had a chance to test this feature out yet, so I don't know how accurate it is."

Jay crossed his arms, still trying to figure out what this could mean. "We'll just have to ask Neil about it when he gets back." He glanced sternly at Archie. "And no jokes." The warrior put his hands up in surrender and nodded.

"Did someone say my name?" Neil asked, leaning on the doorframe. "Boy, everyone sure seems excited about something. What is it? Did my latest spread come in?" He looked around the counters hoping to spot a magazine or catalogue but coming up empty handed. "I guess not. So tell me, why the kitchen conference?"

"Neil, great, you're here. There's something Jay wanted to ask you," Archie said quickly, recovering from the sudden surprise of a cheerful model appearing behind them. Jay shot him a look. "But first, I just wanted to apologize for how I've been acting. I guess I have been joking about you too much lately, and it's stopped being fun.

Atlanta stepped up beside him. "We've all been pretty crummy friends."

The blonde looked at each of their faces, seeing that they were sincere. He smiled, throwing open his arms. "Well of course I forgive you. I'm a good friend, at least."

They stared at him. "You do?" Jay asked. "I mean, great. You are sure, though, right? You seemed, I guess, more upset about all of this."

"Nah, it's fine. I thought about it and Archie was right. It's all in fun and it makes sure I'm the center of attention." He inspected his nails carefully, making it clear that the center of attention was exactly where he thought he should be. "Besides," he said, "isn't there some sort of saying about bygones being bygones?" Neil grinned. "Well, there you go. Bye! Gone! So long troubles." They stared at him for a moment until he said, "Get it?" Then a few groans escaped, the loudest from Herry.

"So Neil," Theresa finally spoke up, a bit out of sorts with the sudden change of mood. "There was a flower in your bag and we were wondering where you got it from. It sort of dissolved when I put it in a glass of water. Odie says it was made of clay."

Neil tapped his chin, thinking back. "Oh, right, that. A girl gave it to me, saying I looked really good," he flashed another winning smile which seemed to say 'of course I do, all the time,' and continued, "but said something about it being fake so it would last." He shrugged. "I think it was some all natural thing or whatever."

Everyone looked at Odie. "Well, I suppose it is possible to make it realistic without using paint." Catching Theresa's expression, her mouth a thin line of disbelief, he thought about it a little more carefully. "But I'm not sure how it could feel real, like Theresa described."

"Hey, I know no more than you do," Neil said. He calmly fished through his pocket for his trademark mirror, throwing out a wad of paper in the process. "I'll keep an eye out for her tomorrow, though, if that helps."

Jay nodded. "See if you can get some answers."

--

As the kiss broke, Neil was breathless. His hand drifted up to touch the one against his cheek, resting on it gently as the night air cooled his warm cheeks. The smile that had been hovering, occasionally making fleeting appearances since the sushi restaurant, finally found its way to his lips. "I'm not sure what to say," he said softly.

Galen returned the smile and once more wrapped an arm around Neil's shoulders, pulling him comfortably close. "Well, since there's nothing left to talk about can I persuade you to come back to my place?"

"You have your own house, too?" The blonde resisted the urge to ask if it was made of clay too, although he was curious. Just what else had Pamela made real out of her imagination and a little bit of art supplies. "I'm impressed.

His date couldn't help but laugh. "Don't I wish that were true. No, I usually spend my nights in the art room." Seeing Neil starting to lose his wonderful smile, Galen was quick to add, "But since this is a special occasion, with excellent timing, we can head back to Pam's and pretend it's my swinging bachelor pad."

Neil chuckled. "Sure," he consented. "How is it good timing, though? Did she suddenly decide to sleep at school?"

"No, but her parents are out of town and her younger brother is at a friend's until next week." They left the hum and lights of the downtown district and headed for a quiet residential area a few neighborhoods away from the school. "And we're in luck. There's a den downstairs so we won't bother Pam when she comes home."

"Well, I am lucky you know."

Galen leaned in and kissed his cheek. "I'm certainly lucky to have you."

The talk of his heroic trait reminded Neil of the uplifting conversation they had had a few hours earlier. It's true what he said, the blonde thought, luck is handier than super strength or speedy feet. As he considered all the times his luck had gotten him out of tough spots, something else came to mind. He barely registered the quaint home in front of him or Galen guiding him inside and down to the promised den. How could I have missed it? he wondered. It should have been my first question.

He sat next to himself on a comfortable grey sofa, suddenly gripped with worry. "There's something else I'm curious about. You may have studied up on me, maybe learned some things about my friends, but how could you know about Chronus, or my luck for that matter?" Unless you're working for him. Neil didn't want to believe it, had been so sure that he knew what he was doing...

"I was wondering when you'd ask," Galen replied, fiddling with a television remote. "I'm not sure I want to answer, considering how far we've come, you know?" He looked at Neil a little sadly. "I would've thought you'd trust me by now."

"I want to," was Neil's answer. "But I have to consider the fact that this may all be a lie."

Galen set the remote down, turning on the couch so that he was facing Neil. "Chronus came to Pam before she made me and tried to convince her to work for him," he said softly, hands clasped in his lap. "She said no, but he threatened her, threatened her family. She still said no." He gently took Neil's hand and held it against his cheek. "He told her about you and your friends. Nothing specific, just that you were supposed to be heroes but were really nothing more than snobby kids meddling where they shouldn't be. Pam didn't believe him, so he left.

She made me in the hopes that I would be able to stand between you and Chronus in case he managed to come up with another way to make his plan work. The rest, you know." He kissed Neil's palm and let go of the hand. "I can understand why you don't trust me."

Guiltily, Neil looked at his outstretched hand, unmoved from where Galen had dropped it. Slowly he raised it until it rested shakily against his duplicate's cheek. "I'm sorry," he said, looking down. "I didn't know and I jumped to the wrong conclusion."

"You couldn't know and I don't blame you. Having a megalomaniac after you is a good reason to be mistrustful in strange situations." He held Neil's hand against his face, running a thumb over the blonde's fingers, a small smile on his lips. "You're free to go home, if you like."

Neil didn't bother with words. It was his turn to take the lead as he brought his free hand up to the other side of Galen's face and pulled him in for a long, slow kiss that ended with them nose to nose, the model flushed and the copy wide-eyed. "I think I'll stay here, if you don't mind," he said finally, smiling with satisfaction. "I have some excellent company."

The stunned expression was quick to fade and be replaced with a wide smile. "You know," Galen said smoothly, shifting to snake an arm around Neil's waist to pull him close, "there's a guest room down here, too."

"Is that an invitation to stay the night?" the model asked, glad to have sailed through stormy waters alive and silently cursing himself for being such an idiot. "Because that would be wonderful." He offered Galen his most fetching, playboy glance. "For more than one reason."

Nothing more was said between the two as Galen cupped Neil's cheek once more and dipped in to steal a kiss. The model's hand reached up to the nape of Galen's neck, a few fingers running through the short blonde hairs there. Now that they'd both agreed on where their relationship was going, even if it was with actions more than words, the kiss grew deeper and Galen pressed Neil back into the sofa so that he was straddling Neil's waist, propped on one hand over him.

They broke for air a moment later, Neil reaching up to touch his lips in a light-headed daze before wrapping his arms around Galen's neck and pulling him down again. Galen carefully levered himself next to the blonde and then snaked a hand halfway up Neil's shirt, eliciting a shiver and a small gasp. He took advantage of the open mouth and deepened the kiss further, pulling a muffled moan from Neil's throat.

"You take my breath away, good-looking," Galen whispered into the model's ear, having pulled away and kissed a trail across a hot cheek to get there. He was about reclaim a pair swollen lips when they were interrupted by a small yawn on Neil's part. Galen smiled, maneuvering himself off the couch and then scooping his company up in one smooth motion. "What say you and I finish this in the bedroom?" He smirked as Neil blushed.

---

A/N: I suppose it's about time I said something authorly, eh? I've gotten several reviews on the subject of Neil being gay. I'm not really saying that he is, or isn't. He's not basing his feelings or reactions on gender or preference for one sex over the other, merely on the fact that Galen looks like him, so his Narcissism kicks in, much like his ancestor. This is simply my take on how Neil can literally fall in love with himself, instead of just the image in his mirror.

I'm not sure if this means that I consider Neil gay. He's not zeroing on any other guys or, I think, showing any signs of being interested in guys. It's merely love for love's sake, or rather, for the sake of someone looking like you and satisfying your ego that the only one good enough to be with you, is yourself. I hope this makes some kind of sense.