Chapter One

FRANK

He'd seen it coming. The signs were clear. He'd been walking onto the Argo II's deck with Hazel's coke when he saw them. Hazel was laughing. A full-belly laugh, that caused tears to glisten in her eyes. Frank had never elicited such a glorious sound from his girlfriend. But he had. Leo Valdez stood next to her, his eyes twinkling with mischief and…attraction? A fierce burning started in Frank's gut. Hazel was his girlfriend. His best friend, he trusted her with his life – literally. Yet, Leo and Hazel had a time old connection that Frank was worried about. Frank had been there for Hazel. Welcomed her with open arms into New Rome and helped her adjust. He'd developed feelings for her as more than a friend and he'd been so sure that she felt the same way. But now…now it was different.

LEO

Leo and Hazel had been laughing and joking around for a good five minutes before either of them noticed Frank standing a few feet away. He was gripping a dripping bottle of coke so hard that his knuckles were ivory white. The laughter died in Leo's throat as he met Frank's burning eyes. How could he be so stupid, Hazel was Frank's girl – not his. Great-grandfather or not. Hazel's golden eyes glinted with confusion as she looked at his solemn expression. She turned to look behind her.

"Frank there you are." She grinned, "Thank you!" She reached out to take the sweating bottle and took a sip. Hazel's face contorted into a grimace with the taste but it was quickly replaced with her usual happy grin. That was right Hazel didn't even like coke, didn't Frank know that? Obviously not. Idiot, thought Leo maliciously.

"It's the least I could do for my girlfriend." Frank replied as he pulled her into his embrace. The last part had been aimed at Leo and he glared at the son of Mars with malice. Turning around to face the dying sunset Leo busied himself with checking the compass and other such captain-y things.

He heard them kissing and his teeth clenched in anger and jealousy. "Hey, love birds, mind swapping spit elsewhere" he shot over his shoulder. "Some people gotta actually work here ya know." He spun around with his arm crossed, glaring at the two (still hugging) Romans.

Frank turned a furious shade of purple and took a step towards Leo but Hazel stopped him.

"It's ok Frank" she cooed, "Let's take this somewhere the great captain won't see." She twisted her head slightly so that Leo could see the look of pure anger aimed directly at him.

"Yeah," Leo muttered, "You do that now, run along." He flicked his hand in a shooing motion. Hazel's face flushed, fury shining in her eyes. She grabbed Franks hand and tugged him away. She didn't notice – or didn't care - that she had created a perfect gold nugget in her place. Leo sighed as he watched her retreating figure, her slight body dwarfed by Frank's immense size. He bent over to pick up the piece of gold.

Leo was no stranger to rejection. That didn't mean he liked it. He gripped the nugget tightly, pulled back his arm and let the nugget soar into the sunset. "This time" he whispered, "I won't be the one left behind." A mischievous smile stretched across his tanned face as a plan formed in his mind.