Lol, this is Butch/Rachel. Yup, I'm just as surprised as you, but the more I think about them, the more I really like them together.
It was summer. Butch liked summer. Summer was warm. Summer was good. He stood on the porch of the Big House on July fourth, thinking about the forecast for rain he had heard. Sadly, it wouldn't hit camp. He frowned, sensing a presence behind him. But when he turned, he let out a puff of air, relieved to see only Rachel there. Blushing ever so slightly, he turned back to where the sun was slowly setting. Oh, couldn't it hurry up a bit? Rachel was standing right next to him.
"So, rainbows and ponies, huh?" She smirked. His face turned bright red with embarrassment and anger.
"You been talking to Valdez again?"
"Why you so grumpy? And if I have talked to Leo, what does it matter?"
He didn't reply, because the truth was that he'd never admit that at that moment, all he wanted to do was rip Leo's had off for as much as talking to Rachel. He looked over to her to see her still smirking, the sunlight bouncing off her red curls, making them look beautiful in an extraordinary way. He mentally sighed, but kept looking at her. He was well aware of the fact that he was only in his swimming trunks, having just gotten out of the water about ten minutes beforehand. He was quite aware that she was simply in a bikini, with a white shirt on that was tied above her waist. So beautiful.
"What?" She asked uncertainly and Butch looked away again, blushing like Apollo's sacred cows. No, Butch, you mustn't think about her like that. She's the oracle for your mother's sake, he thought. "Butch whatever your last name is, as the Oracle of Delphi, I demand you to tell me what is bothering you," Rachel said in a comical general's voice. Butch laughed, feeling some of the blush fade away. Thank the gods.
They stood in silence, watching as the sun set. To Butch's surprise, it was Rachel who spoke first, just as the sun seemed to be halfway down the horizon. "You know, I've been thinking."
"Don't hurt yourself," Butch said in a quiet, amused voice, and Rachel laughed but then pointedly glared at him and he felt the blush creeping up his neck again.
"You know, as the Oracle, I can't date anyone. Annabeth and Apollo made that very clear to me." Butch's heart seemed to beat faster and faster. "But, well, the rules never said anything about not being able to kiss anyone or be intimate." Butch's heart was positively racing. Could it be what he was thinking that she was getting at? Could she possible have feelings for him? "And, well…" her voice trailed off as she was now in front of him. The sun was almost the whole way down.
She was leaning against the railing, her body very close to his. Too close. He could see the sun sparkling in her eyes, he could see all the little cracks in her lips, he could count all the freckles on her face. He closed his eyes, leaning in, knowing she was doing the same. He could feel her warm breath on his skin now; she was breathing faster than usual. And as the last rays of sun disappeared, there were no more gaps between them.
:D Up next is not exactly my favourite, but it's definitely worth while. Stay tuned. I'll see ya next year :)